#i don’t have a lot more to say about it but it definitely bangs augh

[unknownarmageddon]

heres your next two songs for today

CACKLES lesgo

[ncfan-1]

Writer tag game

I was tagged by @anghraine!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

621, though that’s going to jump to 623 once they do reveals on Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

3,253,336! To increase the moment I finally finish Under Observation!

3. What are you top 5 fics by kudos?

They’re all really, really old, which honestly kind of depresses me; nothing I’ve written since them has even touched the level of popularity they have, and I really do think the quality of my writing has improved a lot since then. Every time I sort my fics by kudos, I am reminded that I peaked in popularity back in 2014, and it’s all been downhill from there.

1. When the Truth Gets Out—the bog-standard ‘Gaang finds out how Zuko got his scar’ fic, 11,499 kudos. For real, I’m not sorry that this is my most popular fic, since I do think it’s good, even if it’s clunky by my present standards. I just keep waiting for something else to even remotely approach the level of popularity this fic has achieved, and nothing ever has.

2. Skin Deep—a companion to the above, a missing scene fic detailing Toph finding out Zuko has a scar on his face to start with, 9,888 kudos.

3. Little Lost Spirit—a Natsume Yuujinchou fic that I cannot for the life of me remember what it was about, as I first wrote it when I was in high school, 1,081 kudos.

4. On Forgiveness—a fic with Katara and Zuko talking about Zuko’s mom, 920 kudos.

5. Plans—a very short Mulan fic that I first wrote when I was in high school, 618 kudos.

4. Do you respond to fic or not?

I do try to, but a lot of the time I find that I don’t have the energy for it, even when the comments I get are very interesting and I would like to reply.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

For that, you’d probably have to go back to the literally hundreds of fics I never moved over from my Fanfiction.net account, since I was really in to writing gimdark fic when I was in high school. Of the fics that come to mind on my AO3 account, In the Shadows is the one that stands out the most, since Shizuka suffers her canon fate of dying while being totally disregarded by her family.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Again, I don’t really write fics specifically for them to have happy endings. I do like hopeful endings, or at least endings that involve the possibility of hope, since I’m not in high school anymore and grimdark does not appeal to me anymore. Probably The Festival of Shells, since it’s early enough on in the bliss of Valinor that there isn’t a shadow over anything.

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve ever written?

Very, very occasionally. I would definitely say that the weirdest (weird as in you would never think to mesh the two together) crossover I’ve ever written is the one where I transplanted characters from Natsume Yuujinchou into a setting very like that of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I’ve written for unpopular ships in the past, so yes. I got spammed with suicide baiting comments on all of my fics for a particular Naruto ship within the space of about fifteen minutes many years ago. I rolled my eyes and deleted the comments. I also got a rape threat when I was starting out on Fanfiction.net. Fun times.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Very, very, very occasionally. I really, really have to be in the mood for it, there are only a select few ships I can even bring myself to write it for, and the unifying experience is that all of it has been some flavor of dubcon, most of it with fantastical elements involved.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I seem to recall learning years ago that someone had copy-pasted a few dozen of my fics to Goodreads, or something like that. I definitely recall sending a ‘take them down right now’ letter to the site.

(@anghraine, they published yours on Amazon?!)

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have had a few of mine translated to Russian.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, I haven’t.

13. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

I have several ships that I move away from and come back to like the tide coming in and out, but right now my biggest one is Aredhel/her freedom. Second is probably Finduilas x Maeglin.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Face to Face, augh. Everybody, say hello to the fic that inspired me to make my rule that I never, ever post a WIP before I have finished writing all of the chapters, because if there is anything I’ve learned about myself, it’s that I get discouraged when I don’t get a lot of feedback, even when it’s for something I know isn’t going to get a whole lot of attention, and it’s better to just finish the fic in its entirety before posting than to risk dropping the whole project and having its unfinished corpse haunt my dreams. Ahem.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I would say characterization and description.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Conflict, most likely. I sometimes hesitate in being as ‘mean,’ for lack of a better term, to characters as the situation really calls for being. I think I pull my punches with them more than I really should, sometimes.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

It can be handled well, but I think that I particularly should not do it, as I do not have a strong enough grasp of the languages my characters would be speaking to make it any better than completely cringeworthy.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

The first fandom I ever published fic for was Star Wars. The first fandom I ever wrote fic for, back when I was thirteen, was Teen Titans.

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

That varies a lot, but right now, I would say probably Saudade. I’m really proud of it, and I don’t think I’m wrong to be.

Tagging: whoever wants to do it

[secretsfromwholecloth]

Dragon Age: Origins (and DLCs), day 9.

A poorly-timed crash last night—there’s no such thing as a well-timed crash, of course, but an especially poorly-timed one—meant I had to play through the Dark Ritual again. Augh. Really not what I needed in my life.

At least I didn’t have to do the Landsmeet twice. I don’t think I could’ve taken that. Not on this route.

Well, I’ve got a decision to make: Bring Zevran with me, or leave him at the gates? Leliana can keep herself safer in a hard fight by virtue of being a ranged fighter, while Zevran takes careful management to keep upright, but...love interest. You know what, fuck it, I’ll bring him, we’ll see if I regret all my life choices. I’ve certainly regretted enough of them this run!

So, that rounds out the party with Loghain (Maker help me) and Wynne.

Ye gods and little fishes, it's unpleasant to see Loghain standing in Alistair’s place in the party selection screen.

While I’m implementing bad ideas, have Sten lead the defense again, or use Oghren this time? I think I’ll be boring and go with Sten.

Well, to the market district to bang out the first general.

Market district general dispatched, without allies, while being attacked from behind by two ogres, because a) easy mode is exactly what it says on the tin and b) Daiwen is legit tanky enough to not care. Like, we’re talking spectacular levels of tank here. I love it.

Now for the one in the alienage.

Calling in the Dalish to help with this one. It feels appropriate.

And now for the palace.

Well, the palace went easily enough, but the entrance to Fort Drakon got really hairy for a while there. By which I mean Daiwen had to take down the last quarter of the darkspawn by himself, including three emissaries, and used up more poutines than I’d like. (I probably could have called allies in to help, but...why?)

Loghain. Loghain. You’re meant to be a tank, right? So be a fucking tank. Which involves living long enough to keep the nasties off of Wynne so she can take care of the rest of the party. You understand this, yes? Do you need better armor? Because that can be arranged, but not until you gain a level so I can give you enough Strength points to wear the good shit (that isn’t Cailan’s war gear, because I am, once again, a sentimental old fuck, and I will not be allowing you to lay a finger on that). Which there isn’t time to do.

And now, archdemon time. Let’s do this.

Calling the mages in again, because they worked well last time. If they fail, I can always call the rest of the elves in.

Is that the Legion of the Dead? Nice. I was wondering where they’d turn up since I successfully persuaded them to help.

Archdemon down, whew!

Daiwen has told Anora he’s going to rejoin his clan, though we know how well that’s going to work out. He’s had a miserable few days, he wants to go home. Just for a while. Please?

He’s still terribly, terribly sorry, Alistair.

...really? Crashing as I’m ending the game? I hate you, game.

OK, I don’t hate you, looks like you still registered that I’d finished.

So, it’s time for Awakening. WHOOOOOO.

This “ex officio Arl of Amaranthine” thing sounds like a bad joke as far as Daiwen is concerned. The one time he got involved in shemlen politics, he got talked into ruining his closest remaining friendship and letting Morrigan run off somewhere pregnant with an Old God in the body of the Queen of Ferelden’s half-sibling, because that’s going to go amazingly well for everyone. He’s really not looking forward to Shem Politics Lead Daiwen Mahariel To Fuck Up His Entire Life 2: Electric Boogaloo.

(Relax, kiddo, it’ll actually be less horrible this time! You’ll make friends you get to keep! Some, anyway. At least one.)

Hello, Anders. Fuck it, you’ll do. Not like Daiwen particularly loves the Chantry either, thanks to the whole Dalish thing.

Hello again, Oghren. Welp, this may as well happen!

When Daiwen drops to his knees in front of Alistair, it’s not in deference to a shemlen king, but to beg his friend’s forgiveness. Not that he gets the chance to. At least his majesty seems to have calmed down.

Oof, all warriors except for Anders is a fine party in combat, but I’ll be well pleased when I pick up a rogue. Unlocking things is useful!

Speaking of which, hello, Nathaniel. It’s good to see you.

Daiwen is well aware of his mixed record when it comes to co-opting people who once wanted him dead, but that is one goddamn tempting skillset. Shouldn’t have bragged, Nate. Welcome to the Wardens. You’ll learn to like your lot in time.

This boob splint is even sillier than the boob plate. Please stop, game.

With Nathaniel’s whole “Does this please you?” shtick, Daiwen isn’t sure if he’s being sassed, flirted with, or submitted to. Or all three. Zevran is going to get some terribly amusing letters.

Supporting evidence: I’ve picked up his quest and gotten him to +41 approval already. It’s been, what, a couple of days in-game?

Daiwen is absolutely, 100%, definitely not using Anders and/or Nathaniel as a do-over of his friendship with Alistair. Nope. What could possibly give you that idea, aside from him doing exactly that and being super blatant about it?

Good thing the only one in a position to notice is Oghren, and first he’d have to a) sober up and b) care.

Daiwen is so in for it when Anders does the thing and leaves, isn’t he? Maybe keep him away from anything alcoholic for a few days after that.

Running the numbers in my head, it’s bizarre to think of Nathaniel being right around the same age as Blackwall (41 vs. vaguely early 40s during the main game of DAI). Comes with meeting them at such different life stages, I suppose.

And before I get off the subject of him, his quest is done, the hug has happened, and it was all very cute and I wish there were more hugs around.

It’s gotten late, so more tomorrow.

[ishgard]

Could I submit 3? If you only do 2 at a time though, ignore the last: G'raha and the Exarch (done together or separely), Kai-Shirr and Liavinne.

 Yes, thank you so much! I did the Exarch over here so I’ll do the other two. Sorry it took so long!!

First impression

I mean despite it all? Good boy. Good egg just doing his best even if that meant doing something pretty bad. Though I definitely was side-eying Alphy the whole time my genius boy-son why do you think this is a good idea this is NOT going to end well for this poor cat. 

Impression now

Well, first, glad it didn’t end as badly as it could have. I’ve been happy to see someone who kind of felt like… almost a throw-away side character rise to such… fairly decent prominence in the story all things considered. I think I was a little afraid he might have fallen into some cliche/unnecessary tropes early on that he gracefully side-stepped and instead he grew into a fine character in his own right. I haven’t done his delivery quests yet cuz I’m shit at crafting but I’m glad it seems like he finally found his friends again… even though I def thought they were asshats in the beginning. :/ 

Favorite moment

Idk if there’s one specific defining moment, as opposed to every time he’s had the choice to fall back and into a dark place but instead found silver-lining and got back up, grew into a better and better person. I think his role in 5.1 wraps it all up in a fairly nice bow for him, not content to simply be left behind while others are striving forward.

Idea for a story

Can’t say I have one, sadly! Maybe if I get around to those quests of his I’d find stumble across some ideas. 

Unpopular opinion

Don’t think I have one of these either. Uhh… His friends struck me as shitheads, maybe?

Favorite relationship

Since I haven’t done his delivery quests yet I’m not sure how his relationship with his friends are depicted, so I can’t really count those… but I enjoy his general relationship with most everyone he’s interacted with, really. Alphinaud and Chai-Nuzz are probably most prominent in my mind, and the ways they’ve inspired and motivated him to be better and do his best.

Favorite headcanon

Again, nothing that jumps to mind! Who knows where story will go, but maybe the idea of him and the Chai’s regularly getting together to reminisce about Alphinaud and the Warriors of Darkness after they’re gone?

First impression

Man, that was SO long ago. But I definitely remember talking to and really thinking about a lot of the NPCs back then, and outside Sastasha thinking ‘wow what an ass’ p much, but then that was me @ most of Avere’s group at the time. I actually! did not realize she was the same lady when she joined the Scions later for the longest time! Like her name didn’t register/click for whatever reason and then yanno, Tam Tara HM came along and I was like OH! OH SHIT! I’m actually really, really disappointed I hadn’t caught it back then cuz I can’t imagine the sort of headcanons or impact it all might have had.

Impression now

Overall an interesting little side-character plot, and her being regretful about the way things ended with Avere’s group and how she treated Edda, and wanting to be better and contribute as a Scion in retrospect was refreshing and gosh I would have had such high hopes for her I’m sure if I’d realized, only for them to be violently quashed. She didn’t really have time to grow and do better, making her all the more tragic, however small her role ultimately was or seemed.

Favorite moment

Again it’s all kind of hindsight 20/20 (multiple alt playthroughs) with this one, but her joining the Scions, I’d have to say, even if it wasn’t really a ‘moment’ and she was just… there one day. 

Idea for a story

Nothing specific or that I’d really thought about beforehand, but I’d like to put some thought into how her and Ahru might have interacted during her brief time with the Scions.

Unpopular opinion

Hm, I like her? I wish there’d been even a slightest bit more attention to side characters like her as there has been with side characters like Kai-Shirr actually, but that can probably be chalked up to one of ARR’s general failings - it just had a LOT it was trying to do while the dev team also figured they wouldn’t have so much success with it. But anyway, that’s off topic.

Favorite relationship

I got nothing here, tbh. She was nasty to Edda, thirsted after Avere, and we don’t really get many other implications to her and Paiyo Reiyo’s relationship apart from they were just kinda There together. Not a lot to go off of, even if it’d possibly be interesting to maybe see more.

Favorite headcanon

Hm. Maybe her and Ahru were drinking buddies… :|a

Actually, bonus, I think I will do G’raha since I definitely did focus more on the Exarch in the other.

First impression

Again, “Who the fuck is this little shit?” He annoyed me a bit in those early days, but only really insofar as he felt like he was supposed to? It was in a friendly sort of way though, like siblings. Overall I was endeared to him, and found him to be a very interesting and sadly underrated character - always wondering if or when we’d ever see him again. Also, it was exciting finally seeing a male miqo’te prominent in the story! U tribe guys don’t count.

Impression now

-BANGING POTS AND PANS OUTSIDE THE CRYSTAL TOWER ON THE SOURCE-

Favorite moment

Augh, the Crystal Tower was just really good and full of good G’raha moments! Him pouting cuz Rammbroes won’t let him do what he wants, being a sassy lil shit, and man definitely when he accepted his legacy and made the hard choices just… aughgghgghghgh. 

Idea for a story

I think this is pretty common actually, but I started maining and played bard through most of CT, I just love the idea of them (him and Ahru) playing songs together during their down time. 

Unpopular opinion

Hm… :|a None that come to mind!

Favorite relationship

His interactions with most of the Sons and Ironworks characters were fun and endearing, but it’s absolutely hands down his relationship with the WoL - albeit greatly skewed by the knowledge of what happens in Shadowbringers especially. Just knowing how much of an impact they’ve had on him… Good stuff. ; w ;

Favorite headcanon

I’m sticking with the story/bard idea and thinking about how Ahru was still a little rough around the musical edges back then, so the idea of him teasing but otherwise giving her a hand with this or that and helping her along is ; W ;b

[the-canine-king]

i answered all 50 questions in that oc question post

note: i'm only talking about the ones i made lol i was gonna link them all the character’s names to their profiles but that shit’s way too much work so: https://toyhou.se/CanineKing/characters/folder:all/tags:1/tagged:Original

1. Your first OC ever? hmm, there's probably two answers 1) an unnamed character who was basically a fantasy dressed fox kemono boy. do you remember playing a game as a kid where you look out the window in a car and you imagine someone doing sick parkour beside your car? he was the character i imagined (there was also a whole other story i dreamt up where i was some long lost princess from other world and he was gonna save me from this one but that's a whole other thing) he's technically a character i thought of but never thought of anything beyond that, i don't think i ever drew him either 2) 4 (maybe 5) characters i made in middle school where it was about these characters that come from families that can bend one particular element, and they're all friends on school trying to get used to their passed down powers and also be basically kid superheroes. i drew them out and gave them names, but i never wrote anything beyond that, but they were definitely ones that i would call my first actual written ocs 2. Do you have a personal favourite among your OCs? -looks at ace, eliott, and mel- no 3. Have you ever adopted a character or gotten a character from someone else? yup! before i wasn't so big on the adopt thing, but i turned into a fan w/ collecting designs and writing a lil story for them! i adopted 38 characters, and one other that's currently still in the process of trade :P (and unfortunately trying to purge some away) 4. A character you rarely talk about? unfortunately that'd be a lot of characters bc i'm super focused on drawing ace/ mel smooching for the 548787th time 5. If you could make only one of your OCs popular/known, who would it be? i'd probably make it eliott bc who else doesn't love a cute, shy, goat boy on the internet 6. Two OCs of yours that look alike despite not being related? ...... i can't think of any lmao 7. Are your OCs part of any story or stories? i literally only make ocs to make stories so 8. Do you RP as any of your OCs? If you do, introduce one of your RP OCs here! nah i can't do rp stuff :'D 9. Would you ever be willing to give any of your OCs to someone else? honestly, not really if i made them lol but i guess i can if i'm not attatched to them and such, so if i just made a design and offered them up then yeah i can trade them (unless i love their design lol) 10. Introduce an OC with a complicated design? even thought i haven't fully drawn my plans for his outfit, azazel would be the most complicated in my standards 11. Is there any OC of yours you could describe as a “sunshine”? me personally, i'd say eliott bc that baby boy is trying his best story wise, either thorne or lucas (but totally lucas since thorne is a liar at heart) 12. Name an OC that isn’t yours but who you like a lot TOO MANY AUGH the very first oc i fell in love with but was forever homes was like a fantasy setting character that was an adventurer and had eagle legs/ other features w/ banging colours but other than that too many others 13. Do you have any troublemaker OCs? again, a lot, i guess. bc they mostly fall into that trope? aiden (even though he's trying to be a better person), damien, eve, hugh (in a way), jack, ollie, ricky, roman, and wyatt 14. Introduce an OC with a tragic backstory uhhhh, hard to choose, i don't have any more bc i haven't written their backstories yet lol - growing up as a theif his whole life to support him and his mother, accidentally kills someone after an awakening of powers and is had to run from his hometown - growing up being shadowed over and forced to be someone that they're not, only to get their hubris get to them, causing themselves and others get hurt and can't even remember the person they loved - growing up w/ betrayal after betrayal she closed herself off, but they met someone and slowly opened up and accidentally fell in love w/ them, only later getting caught and fell from grce, then only to find the person they trusted before not remember them - after being caught on what seemed to be a fatal accident, gets rescured from a miraculous surgery, but he's slowly forgetting what he looks like and who he was every passing second - two people close to each other, only to end up w/ betrayal and lies 15. Do you like to talk about your OCs with other people? absolutely but if they ask me something i haven't planned yet i'm just "UHHH" 16. Which one of your OCs would be the best at biology (school subject)? 17. Any OC OTPs? nah ace/ mel is my notp :/ anyways if it's couples in general then: - ace/ mel - lucas/ darla - kaiko/ caspian - + a bunch of the parents in the monster family story - damon/ ollie (okay i'm really not planning for them to be together, but they cute u.u) - jebediah/ demon boyfriend - gunther/ harem - nadiya/ her girlfriend which i still haven't decided if i want her to be like a princess or a traveling swordsman of sorts) - the chimera girl i designed/ her human girlfriend - the fallen god/ mercenary 18. Any OC crackships? uhh i actually don't know :V anyone of the people listed  being w/ someone else would be a crackship? idk every other pairing i know i wouldn't like lol 19. Introduce an OC that means a lot to you (and explain why) i guess eliott! i guess also catherine, ricky, comet, and/ or captain since they were my fist group of ocs i wrote a bit about, but i think eliott means a lot more bc he was the one that got me thinking more about ocs  :> 20. Do any of your OCs sing? If they sing, care to share more details (headcanon voice, what kind of songs they like etc)? for some reason i feel like rosa would be a singer? va hc would be someone w/ a strong husky voice and she would probably sing really well in kind of old slow songs you hear in old bars i also thought maybe lillie could sing too, but they’d usually be softer songs or lullabies to calm herself down it’d be nice/ cool to write for fallen god to be able to sing as well, and maybe the mercenary too so they can have nights signing together. maybe fallen god can sing songs that are in their own god language or whatever, and mercenary can watch in awe there may be others but i can’t think of them rn/ they might be charas i haven’t fully made yet 21. Your most artistic OC lmao it’s a bunch of ocs that i haven’t developed my ocs enough for me to know so let’s skip i guess 22. Is there any OC of yours people tend to mischaracterize? If yes, how? i mean, people get some stuff wrong about my ocs sometimes but they’re usually so small that i really don’t care about it lol 23. Introduce OC that has changed from your first idea concerning what the character would be like? hmm they relatively stayed the same personality wise but i assure you everyone’s changed from their initial drawing of them 24. If you could meet one OC of yours, who would it be and why? that's. a really hard choice actually lol bc i wanna be hugged by one of the parents in the monster family story i made, but i also wanna hang out w/ the characters that i can comfortably hang out w/ lol 25. The OC that resembles you the most (same hobby, height, shared like/dislike for something etc?) everyone’s got a bit of shared piece of themselves w/ their ocs don’t they? 26. Have you ever had to change your OC’s design or something else about them against your will? against my will? i can’t think of anything that i changed against my will so no :V 27. Any OCs that were inspired by a certain song? the only two i can come up rn are: alistair (devil wears a suit and tie) and rosa (o, raven) 28. Your most dangerous OC? i guess the chimera girl i made since she’s trying to fit in the modern life? i mean i still haven’t thought of her story yet but i know she Angery 29. Which one of your OCs would go investigate an abandoned house at night without telling anyone they’re going? ace, aiden, maybe keaton 30. Which one of your OCs would most likely have a secret stuffed animal collection? mel, eva, roy 31. Pick one OC of yours and explain what their tumblr blog would be like (what they reblog, layout, anything really) eliott: landscape stuff, muted colours, mystical content here and there ace: default theme, memes, probably has a side blog that’s more of an aesthetic blog mel: super aesthetic blog, romance themed 32. Which one of your OCs would be the most suitable horror game protagonist and why? literally anyone in the renegade group i could’ve said anyone in the hunters group but they’re all fucking idiots (lee would be more closer to the renegade’s level tho) 33. Your shyest OC? eliott, roy, audrey, fallen god 34. Do you have any twin characters? i literally want to design twin ocs just to have twin ocs jdshfkjsdf 35. Any sibling characters? audrey, dylan, and elle + eve and juno + ace and jack 36. Do you have OC pairs where the other part belongs to someone else (siblings, lovers, friends etc)? nah not really lol 37. Introduce an OC who is not quite human ?? i barely have human characters in the first place, unless this one means humanoid :V 38. Which one of your OCs would be the best dancer? iiiii can’t think of anyone other than the two parents i thought of that i’m planning to be dance teachers lmao 39. Introduce any character you want i haven’t drawn them yet but fallen god and mercenary are two unnamed characters that i recently started thinking of where fallen god falls from the heavens and looses their sight, and the merc runs from their past meet and they team up together w/ the merc being fallen god’s eyes and the fallen go being their protector 40. Any fond memories linked to your characters? Feel free to share! i guess it;s just sentimental ones like, first ocs, first compliments, first art/ fic of them, etc. 41. Has anyone drawn fanart of your OCs? If yes, maybe show a picture or two here (remember sources & permissions!) YEAH AND EVERYONE DRAWS THEM CUTER THAN I DO (well i mean these were from freebies, art trades/ games, and gifts but still) please check out ace’s other’s art gallery and eliott’s other’s art gallery, bc they have the most of them (bc i ask for them a lot lol) 42. Which one of your OCs would be the most interested in Greek gods? whoever in middle school age i guess 43. Do you have any certain type when you create your OCs? Do you tend to favour some certain traits or looks? It’s time to confess big n beefy, jokesters, heart of gold 44. Something you like about your OCs in general that i made them all (well of course not the adopted kids) 45. A character you no longer use? everyone every time i don’t focus on their story anymore than i used to ;;;; 46. Has anyone ever told you that you treat your OCs badly? fortunately no, and i hope no one does and it’d stop to others bc wow that’s rude as hell 47. Has anyone ever (friendly) claimed any of your OCs as their child? okay literally the first time i made eliott, everyone i knew wanted to adopt him as their kid lol 48. OC who is a perfect cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure eliott, parker, elle (i love all of them tho :’D) 49. Which one of your OCs would most likely enjoy memes ace, roman, ricky, aiden, dylan, eva, ollie 50. Give me the good ol’ OC talk here. Talk about anything you want i love all of my babes okay good night

[mynameisdreartblog]

Romantic Composers 2

Leo: Johann Strauss II. I’m gonna prank-call a Domino’s in San Juan, give me a minute. «Oro, we’re in the middle of the sea, I doubt there’ll be a good enough connection or a cell-tower near enough to let you-» <Sudden static is heard, and a gruffy voice comes on.> «Este es el Domino’s; ¿Qué te gusta probar nuestro nueva pizza stuffed-crust?» <Oro gives an impossible look at Viz, implying that he never doubted himself, but that Viz was a total moron for doubting him.> Yes, I’d like a, uh… <Oro’s eyes begin rapidly scanning the environment for clues.> Anchovies… Pineapples… A Hawaiian pizza, basically: That’s the mellow flavor I’m feeling today. «¿Algo más, señor?» Oh yes, I’d also like those marble brownies for a dessert, and an Orange Crush for the drink. <Viz wonders how Oro is able to receive a cellular connection in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.> That should be it… Oh no! «¿Señor?» Augh! I fell off this pier, and I think I’m d-drowning! Please, send someone to help; I can’t swim! «¡Mierda!» <Viz watches Oro kick his feet through the water, making very convincing splashing sounds. He then begins to produce fake choking sounds, leaving the Domino’s worker quite terrified.> «Why did I ever agree to come out here with you.» <Viz punches the makeshift sailboat the two are in, startling Oro and causing him to drop his phone.> Viz, what the hell? I still had 3 gigs of data left on that thing! «Data? It’s a flip-phone. Smart phones haven’t been invented yet because they’re a science-fiction concept, dipshit. Now you have some terrorized soul in an island hundreds of miles away from here.» Actually, he’s at the bottom of the ocean. «Don’t speak to me again, I swear to God.» […] <The scene of the discord fades away as we peer into the bottom of the ocean, where we find the phone there, still on call. The voice rings out and says:> «¿Crees que está jugando conmigo?» […] Man, wouldn’t it be hilarious if I did that? <We cut back to reality: Oro is sitting in the front seat of his banged-up truck, killing time while Viz lays half-conscious in the back.> «That’d kind suck. I mean, who’s gonna be on the ocean? Nobody’s that stupid: The ocean’s big and scary.» You and me both, but don’t deny that isn’t hilarious. «Heh, I did appreciate the joke about the phone at the bottom of the ocean: You were setting that up miles in advance.» [,] Shit, am I getting a phone call?

Taurus: Frédéric Chopin. "The automobile is perhaps the only invention that is at once phallic and womb-like. As columnist George Will once remarked, “the real reason for progressives’ passion for trains is their goal of diminishing Americans’ individualism in order to make them more amenable to collectivism.” While his comments are laughable for a number of reasons, collectivism as a goal (or even a word) smells of Cold War-era mildew. Will does hit on one truism: Humans love cars to an irrational degree." Hmm, that’s a very interesting think-piece you have here. But tell me, why should I care about Americans and their car-culture? I hike up here every day, and when I have to travel lower, I take a moped like everyone else. Though, mine’s bigger for obvious reasons. «Don’t blame me; I just put the papers on the table. Those crazy op-ed writers will publish just about anything to get people’s anger brewing.» You’re right… The morning’s been quite inactive though, and I just wanted something to talk about. Heaven knows I talked about every trinket in this place. «You can try talking about the cuisine, specifically how I can learn from you. That’s just something you’ve been stubborn about lately, and maybe this boredom is just the karma of that.» I knew you’d say that, but you need to realize that my cooking is something you can only experience, never narrate. I let things speak for themselves a lot, and I never found a purpose in taking down notes that do nothing but become clutter later on. <Bodhi whispers to themselves> «That’s the guy I know: Always asking you to live out things fully because understanding things holistically is better than growing personally.» [,] You whisper too long but also too sweetly. Please keep doing it until we have a customer coming so I can feel like there’s some activity here.  «Bullheaded as always.» […] <Gresham takes a meaningful sip of tea, it fails to burn his old throat, but can punch through the atmosphere to reveal a friendly puff.>  A lot of the time, I’m tired of being so cynical: Where’s the room for being clumsily sincere? I have to refuse making money by telling dirty jokes or other obscene things like, ugh, phone usage. <Like he never said, he’s not too old, it’s that technology doesn’t catch up to him for his liking.> [,] The window is just soothing enough to warrant not cleaning it yet, but I don’t wanna get another tourist complaining about how they don’t have the best mountain view. Whoever sits here will have to learn how to appreciate the fault… I’m complaining to pass the time again: Not a healthy habit, Gresham. […] Nothing strange, just a nice day: A little foggy though.

Aquarius: Giacomo Puccini. How would I describe the graphical style of the game Little Red Hood for the NES if I were to use persistent, geographical allusion? Well, I’d say that it’d be like what would happen if you tried to translate the geography of Afghanistan onto 8-bit graphics hardware, particularly how it appears near a strong river like the Helmand: It provided that Galilean backdrop that so many directors used in their films about Christ. Now, that’s what I did think back in my flawed memory of the game, but now that I look back at it again, the landscape is definitely more inspired by that of Florida, particularly around the parts where sawgrass is heavy and palm trees are native, but it’s not a tropical landscape per se, nor is it an entirely swampy one. It’s particularly the presence of palm trees that struck me as confusing, because my brain has always associated the odd, yellow colors of its groundwork to that of a renovated Pacific area, but the game proves that it doesn’t use the palm trees throughout the entire game. But the opening levels still confuse me because the story of Little Red Riding Hood that the game’s based on originates in various parts of Europe, and the foliage we see in the opening act doesn’t reflect that of any European landscape. It could just be an artist interpretation in the case of making the presentation of the game think you were in a Pacific island or near the heartlands of Okeechobee, but I think it might’ve just been a case of “not giving a shit” as they say. There’s more to talk about with how my brain subconsciously linked my flawed memories of the game’s graphical presentation with that of the riverbanks of the Helmand; I guess I just wanted to prove my initial biases and not examine how the game doesn’t even commit to even my ideas whenever I think of Afghani scenery, but maybe even those are failing to catch up with the fact that there’s so many different aesthetical implications within the vastness of the nation of Afghanistan that, uh, I don’t know: I just like Afghani landscape. Have this picture of a village in the Bamyan desert. [,] «Aukai, what the hell are you talking about? I’ve been eavesdropping back here since you started and I still don’t understand.» I’m t-trying to paint this scene in my head, but I don’t have my tools to do it, so I’m thinking loudly about it. «…Whatever.» […] There’s no doubt in my mind that he’d make a great tamer: Our protagonist of this beautiful world, now ravaged by corruptors that his world has gone to hell for trying to stop. He’s the only one who can control the beastly and brutish forces of the corruption that infests his world. <The one earlier who was questioning Aukai opens her door and holds out a hand full of paint-brushes.> «Here, take these, please. I liked you better when you were quiet.» <Aukai is insulted and satisfied.>

Pisces: Franz Liszt. I’m fucking devastated: My favorite rap-battle channel on YouTube just deleted their channel. Not only that, all of their social media accounts are gone. They had such great works as "Goku vs. Rick Sanchez", "George Washington vs. the Invisible Man", and "Luigi vs. Slenderman." I don’t know if I can keep going the same route of content consumption knowing that the only ironic rap battle channel deleted everything. «Hold on, your favorite video-channel on the Internet was ironic? I don’t think I’m getting this, Maggie.» Let me explain it: It was good because it didn’t take itself seriously. For a while, that was it’s niche, and certainly other creators arose to copy it, but they were always the first. «So, is this like, some independent person making all of these or is there an entire network of people collaborating to create this music?» You’re right the second time: They used to be part of this collaborative effort to make these videos, but the guy I like, in particular, broke off from the bigger picture. Now, their content is what I like; I haven’t seen the uploads by the other creators ’cause it’s not really the same experience, is it? «That’s crazy… and they just deleted all their content after how long they’ve done this for?» I’ve been following it for a year, but they were their most active near October. [,] «You actually have me interested in their music now. I mean, I know you can’t play it anymore, but do you at least have backups or remember how some of them went?» I think I have backups, but I know some of these by heart, man. What I’m trying to say is that it’d be far better if I could recite these to you than if I just played them. «So, what you’re saying is that you don’t have any backups?» Do you have any backups, or do you wanna see me recite some of the best lyrics you’ll ever hear? «Let it rip.» [,] "I got the Dragon Balls; I’m gonna win. I’m gonna eat your pickle, Rick. Oh wait, SHIT! Your mom licked my Dragon Ball(z); I’m just Super Saiyan. Kamehameha, I ain’t playin’. Rick Sanchez always wanna start drama; don’t make me do Dirty Sanchez on yo’ mama! I bet your only comeback is you making a burp. Rick Sanchez winning? Stupidest shit I’ve ever heard." At this point, Rick Sanchez would offer up his verse to Goku, and his verse goes something like "thirty-thousand witches in Goku’s house! God isn’t real; I touched Bulma’s blouse. I got like, seventy more episodes with Morty, and being with Morty just makes me real-" «Stop, this is way more awful than I expected.» Well, I’m the only one you can get these bars from, and now you’re saying you don’t want them? I don’t have to recite them. «You have backups; you lied to me earlier. I don’t care about them now, but look: You got potential outside of just reciting those bars. Maggie, you got your own talents.» I’m not a lyricist, but thanks. «You’re a poet, that’s one-or-two steps away from being a lyricist.» I rapped purely for the purposes of recitation; I don’t know what you’re getting at. «Nah, I’m convinced that only you can write something this absolutely… passionate. You made up this entire channel, this entire guild, this entire deletion scandal: You made it all up so you can kickstart your career.» I’m not- Okay, we’ll roll with it this time. [,] Yeah, I’m starting my own rap battle channel in the wake of the one that deleted itself. «Are you gonna cash in on the ironic rap-battle market or are you trying to be more sincere with this?» Of course it has to be ironic! I’m following in the master’s footsteps thanks to you, and now I can’t disrespect his legacy. «That’s cool, but it’s not enough: You gotta make it one of those ARGs.» ARG? «Like, some game of Clue you send your audience on to discover interlinked details that seem to form a bigger picture but end up getting nowhere, and it’s all for the purpose of promoting your brand.» Oh, I see. I can include like, hints in the middle of the jokes in the verses, and I’d make an entire fictional universe of followers that leave behind clues. «No, you don’t even have to do that: Just get a random mugshot, make up some believable names and accredit them to your project, get some weirdos on a message-board to write about it for you, and you’re set.» …If you’re gonna be this disheartening, I don’t wanna continue with it. «That’s not what I meant!»

[scrollsofeternity]

Blast From The Past || Chapter 6.2

Though she is wearing a mask red and black mask resembling a kitsune, like the ones from a summer festival, there is no mistaking her, the being that emerged first from the newly opened portal is Shizuka, the same one that been snapped away along with the rest of the supposedly dead people.

She lets out a low growl upon spotting the other Calantha, but her attention turns to the remaining living folks swiftly, “Humans”, she begins, voice impassive and emotionless as it always comes out, “we have brought you news.” She nods to someone in her group once, someone whose frame you can’t mistake for anyone but the man you knew as Alphonse once, now adorned with horns, his long hair flowing freely.

He wears a mask as well, shoulders slumped with a severe lack of regard for his posture. When Shizuka gestures to him… 

...For a good moment, he doesn't move, or speak. Then, he looks up to Shizuka, pulling up the mask (revealing the obvious, familiar freckled face of one previously deceased knight) to whisper, "What do I say again...?" He speaks with a clear smile on his face, a lone tired eye staring on at his bestial companion, clueless as he was in life. Maybe moreso.

It’s quite obvious it’s Yaco who indignantly steps in front of the knight. “Augh! No, no! You’re supposed to-- ugh. It’s fine. Don’t worry.” The soft sound of skin slapping wood echoes as his palm hits the mask that he, too, is wearing.

Alright. With a dramatic flourish, he rips off his jester collar and grinds it into the floor with the heel of his boot. “I know we didn’t start off on the best of terms. But we saw. We saw all of you miserably sending one of your own to death.” His voice lacks the usual affable lilt and it’s almost surprising the others are even letting him speak for an extended amount of time - but they came to an agreement, after all.

“No matter who exactly we are to you, or just in general… there is a way out. So don’t despair, hm? All we need is just one more teeny tiny death.” He steps to the side to allow his friend to be the bearer of bad news, but.

The man you could consider to be Alphonse gasps dramatically, one hand slapping the side of his unmasked face. "What! I thought these people had a lot of deaths already! Awaaaa~….. what a shame…" Yaco fully steps to the side and coincidentally on his foot.

Alphonse(?) doesn't react. He just smiles at Yaco. No one can tell if it’s returned, and there may or may not be a soft hiss of pain from beneath the mask. So much for authority.

The familiar white haired boy - was he calling himself Yukinari? No, this is definitely Tsubasa - facepalms, the sound of hand hitting mask resulting in a light thud. His sigh makes it clear that underneath his own kitsune mask and his perpetual emo boy bangs, he is rolling his eyes. Thanks. “So much for that…” 

Masks are wonderful things, for they hide the unmistakable anger painted in Shizuka’s face as the duo of Yaco and Sebastian do their thing, she can’t help herself but step between the two of them, grabbing them by their heads, she lightly makes them crash against each other. “Enough. This was your idea. You could at least stick to it.” 

Another two masked figures step forward to the group, one obviously being Wakka regardless of the mask covering her face. She is arm in arm with someone new who you can only assume is one of the recently dead. The new person, or gorgon rather, clings tightly to Wakka’s arm, their face hidden behind a similar kitsune mask to the others. They cower in fear at the sight of so many new people -- a large group of humans, at that. There’s no mistaking it, though, they clearly resemble your recently deceased professor, Aina Funai. The snakes in their hair hiss at you, flickering their tongues as this Aina look-alike tries to calm them with their free hand. They do not remove their mask or even speak, perhaps out of the fear that they would turn someone to stone if not careful enough.

Wakka gently pats the gorgon's arm to try and keep them comforted but the topic of conversation will be anything but. She clears her throat, looking at the remaining group. "Asss Yaco tactfully put we unfortunately need to eliminate one more. Lisssten, we are very sssorry about your mossst recently deceasssed friendsss. We underssstand a lot of you are in pain but now isss not the time to mope. During your trial we learned sssomething very important about your group. The Tyrant King isss among you. As promisssed we are here to aid you. We will help root out the Tyrant King and sssave the remaining… I wisssh we could do more but…" 

Shizuka looks over her shoulder, and remembering she had (jokingly, she certainly hopes it was jokingly) been named the group’s leader, shakes her head once more at Yaco and Sebastian specifically, before standing closer to Tsubasa and Imogen as she says idly; “Horrible job, everyone.”

CHAPTER 6 START?

[cutegirlmayra]

#5 sonamy (whether it's classic, Boom or modern you decide) Please. Your stories are amazing 😄

Oh sweet chaos.. 0-0;

Whatever you say…

Prompt (Boom Universe)

“And what if I’m torn!?”

“Oh please! It’s piece of meat!”

Sonic gasps, “IT’S A CHILIDOG! You bag of bones!”

“Ah! You blue jerk!”

“How am I being the jerk? I~ didn’t insult the chilidog.” he gestured to the luxurious food in his hand.

She swiped it away.

He freezes, before diving for it, and then rolling to reveal it. “Nice save!” he complimented himself, before Amy growled and started storming off.

“You’re so immature! First I ask if you’re doing anything tonight, and the next thing I hear, you’re standing me up for a AMERICAN.” she gestures back to the food in his hands. “A freakin’ hotdog.”

“CHILIdog. Geez, you’re as bad as Eggman with identifying different species.” he scratched behind his head.

“Augh.” she rolled her eyes, and started to walk away again.

“Hold on!”

Sonic gripped her arm.

“Hey!”

“I wasn’t done defending my friend yet!”

“Well, that friend certainly must mean more to you than your REAL friends!” she put her hands on her hips, leaning forward as she finally had it, stomping her foot one last time to the ground.

“OOHH! I’m so done with your attitude! Why are you so stubborn!? Do you want to go on a date or not!?”

“…D-Date? I thought you said we were hanging out?”

Amy widened her eyes, realizing her folly as she clammed her hands over her mouth.

“D-da-da-whaaat? PFft, boi please.” she leaned against the door frame, looking away. “That’s what the hip and happenings are saying now adays…” she bit her lip and sweated profusesly.

“…Ames?” Sonic raised an eyebrow, holding the chilidog in both hands now.

He waved it in front of her face, as she avoided looking at it too.

“…You can’t lie to the chili…”

“Gr…erk…” she twitched.

“Alright! FINE!” Amy flung it out of her face, screaming as she threw her hands down in front of her. “I WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU! Is that too much to ask!?”

“Huh?”

Sonic watched the chilidog fly into the air, as the two both watched as it soared through the air, letting little chunks of the chili-meat fly off every now and then.

Sonic rushed to save it again. “Nooooo..!” he slid for it.

Dropping to his knees, he caught it, and held it up high. “YES! Two for two!”

“You mean one.”

“Huh?”

Amy stood outside the door, and slammed it.

He flinched at the wood against wood, before getting up. “..Wait.. Amy?”

Amy stormed down the dark street, and headed quickly home. “I can’t believe he almost found out! And he STILL cared more about that stupid… dumb chilidog! I mean, I made it for him, but he could have at least been thankful enough and-”

She stopped.

“I… I made it for him.” she looked up, realizing maybe the chilidog was more than just some hunk of meat with sauce on it.

She turned around, before shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “Grahh.. I won’t be the first to look back this time!”

“Good! That means I won’t need to go back!”

“H-huh?”

Amy was scooped of her feet.

“WOAH!”

Bolting into her home through her window, the two crashed down as Sonic rolled along the floor, landing face-first on the couch, and getting up.

“Phew. Definitely not my roughest landing.” he leaned up, happy for the soft terrain.

Unnnntil Amy swung a hammer in his face.

“You think you can waltz in here and make up for treating me second to a literal food product!?” she gestured to represent the chilidog.

“Actually, it’s more like…” he hesitated, but then took her arm and gestured it around his stomach. “Here now.” he sweat dropped as he smiled sheepishly up to her.

She looked annoyed.

“You didn’t give me a lot of time to enjoy it!”

“I wanted to hang out with you! Not have you drooling over the chilidog and say goodbye right after I graciously hand-delivered it to you!”

“You wanted to see me?” he looked up, smiling like a kid.

“Well, I… I mean, like anyone else would.” she looked away, growing self-conscious again.

“I~ remember when you first said you wanted a trip in my hammock, thinking it cool. You did the same thing when I said you could, but you refused to get on it with me sitting beside you.”

She turned away, a faint blush on her cheeks. “I hate how all of a sudden, you think you can read me.” she closed her eyes and continued to keep her head away from his peering eyes.

He smirked, “Come on, Ames. What do you mean by all this?” he drooped his eyes slightly.

“…Nothing. Now… get out of my house!” she sounded lazy as she swished her hand to the door.

“…Alright.” Sonic hit his knees with the palm of his hands and got up, dusting himself off and then looking Amy over.

“…You sure are cute though… when you’re mad.” He then started to walk out.

Instantly, Amy reflexed and threw him back towards her face.

“What… what did you just say?” she blinked, shock taking over her.

“I said please don’t hurt me and I swear I’ll never say it again.” Sonic looked terrified, she was holding him by his bandanna.

“No.. what? Augh.” she shook her head, “I mean the other thing…” she looked away and then back, losing her tough-girl attitude, and Sonic could suddenly see she wasn’t as scary as she usually is.

“… em… stop staring and just repeat what you said already!” she yelled out, as he suddenly knew what he needed to do.

“…Sonic?”

He leaned down and lightly held a kiss.

Minutes felt like seconds as he pulled away.

“…I said… I don’t remember.” he looked away, his eyes looking frozen as he realized what he had just done.

“…I’m… I’m thinking there was something in that chilidog.” Sonic tried to excuse his behavior.

“I’ll have to find the recipe again.” Amy pulled him back in for another one.

He flailed a moment, before completely surrendering to the sensation of it.

She pulled back, and he was literally starting to melt down to his knees, leaning completely and letting her lift him by the scruff of his bandanna now. “Woah. Comedy Chimp lied. That freakin’ rocked.” he had drooped eyes, before shaking his head and looking amazed.

“Wait.. did I just..” Amy looked up, and dropped him like a hot potato.

“Whoah!” he fell flat to the ground, before leaning up. “Yeah. I would be freakin’ out too if I kissed me.”

What she didn’t see was his lips trembling.

“I… I .. I have to go!” she ran out the door, slamming it as she heard him getting up.

“H-hey, wait!”

He banged on the door. “Amy! Where will you go!? This is your house!”

She was spread up against the door, her mouth a deep, open frown with her teeth showing, spazzing.

She then realized the logic of his truth and swung open the door. “Oh yeah.” she kicked him out. “You should go!” she then tried to slam the door again.

“Wait-OOOOOWWW!” his foot got jammed by her.

“Oh my gosh! I am SO SORRY!” she opened the door, covering her mouth and looking around, “Uh.. Um… j-just come in.”

He hobbled in one leg, as she set him back on the couch, letting him lift his leg up.

“Ugh! I just- I’m so confused right now!”

“W-why..” he was rubbing his poor foot.

“Because!” she flung ice at his face.

“OOOWWW!” he held it to his eye, letting it slowly drag his face down as he pulled it away. “Geez, are you here to kill me or-?”

“I just hate how you’re making me feel right now!” she threw an apple at him, making him lean back to dodge it and catch it, ‘phewing’ as he did, before looking back at Amy.

She was gone.

“H-huh?” He looked around, “Amy?”

He slowly got up, watching his foot and hopping a few times, over to the kitchen.

Amy was huddled down, gripping her legs, head down.

He examined her for a moment before sitting down next to her, up against the island counter. “…Do you really hate me that much?” he side glanced over to her, lifting his good leg up and leaning forward, against it.

“Cause I sure as heck didn’t mean anything I said.”

She peeked up a little, and when he saw the small opening, smiled and continued, pretending he didn’t see her shift.

“I mean,” he gestured up. “I may get mad at you sometimes, but I would never say I hate you.”

Amy felt bad just then, and lowered her head again.

“Ah!” he freaked out, realizing that was probably bad. “L-look, that… thing …we just did? D-don’t worry about it.” he slowly moved to his knees, trying to comfort her. “I’ll just go now and we’ll pretend the whole thing didn’t happen, alright?”

Right before he was about to leave, she pulled his bandanna towards her again.

“If you leave now… I really will hate you forever.”

He gulped, blinking in his surprise.

“Oooo… k? Now I’m really confused.” He furrowed his eyebrows, leaning closer. “Don’t you want me to leave..?”

“…Idiot.”

“Huh?”

She pulled him back into a hug, and kissed him quicker this time, before pushing him away and covering her face, sending him half way across the room.

“WHHHAA!!” he hit his head. “Ughh… if every time that happens, I might need to start wearing a helmet…” his eyes rolled around, before he shook his head to keep them straight again.

She looked away, “Like you even want it to happen again…”

He leaned up, “Woah… what has made you so hateful today!? And… surprisingly… open too..” he touched his lips, still unsure of why he wasn’t, himself, overreacting.

For some reason… he wanted to make her more mad.

He got up, still twitching from the pain in his foot.

“If love’s a battlefield, you certainly give it a new meaning.”

She threw a hammer at him, and he just narrowly dodged it, spinning around before landing on his bad foot.

“AHHHH-ph.” he shut his mouth, closing his jaw and pushing his head down to do so. “Em.” he squinted his eyes a moment, enduring the pain as he looked back at Amy.

She glared at him, then looked away.

“…You.. You can be so violent!”

She threw another hammer, and he happily leaned back, almost all the way down to his lower leg, matrix style, and leaned up again. “Heh, but you’re no match for the fastest thing a-OFFPH!” he struck a pose and waved his finger around, signature grin, before she threw another hammer directly at his face.

“Owkawy. I swee whawt’s gwoinwg won.” he muffled through the hammer, as he tilted his head with it, as if it was permanently stuck there.

He gripped it and tried to rip it off, succeeding and then holding it just in case she threw more. “Ha… You’re fighting how you feel, right?”

She threw another hammer, but he deflected it. Smiling.

“You’re worried I don’t mean it. That I’m gonna somehow play ya and this whole thing will end in our friendship being ruined forever, is that it?”

She narrowed her eyes more, but this time, her frown was a sorrowful one.

“Well. I think you doubt me too much!”

“What are you saying!?” she finally blurted out, getting up and staring at him.

“I don’t want to be deceived!”

“Deceived?! Oh, is that who you think I am?!” Sonic looked angry, walking towards her and pointing a hammer accusingly at her.

“Well, maybe I don’t want to face defeat! Be rejected in front of the only girl I’ve actually cared about on this level.”

“Level!? So what, I’m a game to you!?” Amy stepped forward.

“With all the hammer’s you’ve thrown at my face, and my injured big toe, I would say YES. You’re probably the hardest boss I’ve ever had to face. Because I can’t face you. You’re unfaceable!”

“How so!?”

“CAUSE YOUR FACE IS TOO PRETTY TO DISPUTE.”

“IS THAT SO!?”

“YEAH! AND YOUR HAIR SMELLS LIKE PARADISE FRUIT AND YOUR COOKING IS TO DIE FOR! That’s probably why I’m still here!”

“Waiting to be fed!? Ugh, you’re so-!” she leaned forward.

“Yeah?” he stepped forward.

“SO-!”

“SAY IT!”

“I.. I DON’T WANT TOO!”

“REALLY!? Cause I really want to eat your face right now!”

“Then do it!”

“FINE.”

“FINE.”

They suddenly were so close that the two just launched at each other, completely dropping the act and the hammer, and were completely absorbed in one another.

A little while later, they pulled away, panting.

“…I… I don’t know what just happened.” Amy admitted.

“I do… thankfully.”

Sonic and Amy didn’t take their eyes off each other, or remove their hands from around the other.

“..What does this mean?” Amy gasped out.

“…It means…” Sonic stepped more foreward, putting his head to her forehead.

“I’m gonna need you to deliver some more chilidogs.”

“Frequently?”

“A.S.A.P…” he leaned in for another one.

“…You can be that hungry?” Amy leaned back, wanting to pull a fast one before he did, smiling.

He smirked, “Starving.” he shook his head with the motion, and the two were quite different after that.

[eclissy]

Papé Satàn, Papé Satàn Aleppe

It’s an interaction fic where I stuffed Sukoi into the universe I wrote up for Nova. Uh lots of walls of description, nothing much happening besides two demon ladies hanging out.

This was a diner the pink lemonade demon had chosen at random to meet and make their deal. Sukoi would rather have had this one vs one in some place like a dark alley, or the woods, even the city’s worst bathroom. But of course, Nova wanted to be in what basically amounted to a sardine can of innocent human beings.

“Tell me when it’s enough, ma’am.” The waitress began grating cheese on Nova’s pasta and the demon quietly watched the mountain of fresh parmesan begin to gather on her plate.

Sukoi could clearly see that the waitress was new and too nervous to stop grating the cheese, running it down nearly to the rind.

“Um—“ The waitress began but Nova twirled her finger, letting the pasta get smothered until Sukoi had enough.

“You don’t have to serve nasty customers.” Sukoi said, startling the waitress. She became pale, pressured by the stagnant air surrounding the booth.

Nova regarded her, wondering why Sukoi was the one with gold eyes and not red like her own.

“Fine,” Nova used a spoon to push the cheese to the side of her plate. She wasn’t a demon from the gluttony level after all. “I just wanted the best bang for my buck but we do have business to get to.”

The waitress scurried off and Sukoi kept her arms crossed, already annoyed.

“And I want to get to the point,” Sukoi tried not to grind her molars. God, her steak wasn’t even that good. “We could have swapped facts on the street.”

“I tend to spill a little more when I’m cushy. And, it’s cold,” Nova stated, actually preferring the cold. Hell was the coldest place in the universe and the holiday seasons were the greediest time of the year. She thrived in this and it was only correct to honor the time by treating this business deal with the respect it deserved.

They were demons, not animals.

Sukoi didn’t see it the same way.

“You first.” Sukoi said, keeping it curt.

The other demon let her gaze drift, as if rolling her eyes. They settled on the salt shaker and she slid it over to Sukoi.

“It’s a well-known fact, though not everyone treats it so seriously,” Nova steepled her fingers, letting her pasta get cold. “Demon 101, a little salt can go a long way.”

“To keep you all out of a house?” Sukoi asked, not including herself in the mix. She sounded unconvinced. “Or do you melt like slugs?”

“Give it a try.” Nova said.

“Pfft.” Sukoi had salt before and it never gave her third degree burns. She shook a few grains on to her palm and ate them. She made a satisfied smirk, unaffected in every single way.

“Think of it like an allergy. Sometimes demons have higher tolerance, or—“ Nova shook her head, pretending to be unconvinced. “They’re good at fibbing.”

Incensed by the accusation, Sukoi shook more of the salt into her hand. She swallowed a whole sheet of it and still, Nova was unimpressed.

“Damn it.” Sukoi muttered, finding the shaking method to slow. An idea came to mind and Sukoi jumped on it too quickly. She unscrewed the shaker’s cap and dumped half of its contents into her mouth.

Sukoi’s tongue dried into plywood and she bit down, forcing herself to swallow without upchucking it all over the black and white tiled floors. The burning was bad and Sukoi was afraid that the salt really did have an effect on her but Nova started laughing.

“And like with an allergy, some demons are immune.” Nova hid her snickers behind her hand. “Feeling salty?” She managed to catch the shaker aimed at her forehead. If she wasn’t a demon, it would have flown clean through her skull. “Relax, it was a joke.”

“You keep playing with me and—“

“Did Primrose tell you that every demon since the fall of Mr. Lulu Lemon have been killed?” Nova asked, letting the red of her irises sharpen into flames. “You better watch out. I suspect that the fact isn’t true and he’s from the first generation.”

The revelation managed to distract Sukoi from the pockets of salt in her cheeks.

“There are two generations? So, demons can have children?” Sukoi lowered her voice.

“Quid pro quo,” Nova spun her fork in her pasta. “It’s my turn to get answers,” She hesitated, weighing which one was the most appropriate. “Where is Primrose?”

“Rosie? I dunno,” Sukoi shrugged before rethinking her answer. Nova might be a bigger ass about answering questions if she didn’t get loosened up with a little leverage. “But, I can call him over whenever I want.”

‘He listens to you?’ Nova thought to ask and then realized that it would technically be another question. Stalling by taking a bite out of her pasta, she realized that the way Primrose was, he would answer a call and decide whether he wants to listen or not. Sukoi was merely a thread to the mysterious figure.

Also, the pasta tasted bland.

“What’s the deal with demons having kids?” Sukoi took her turn.

“When I say generations, I don’t mean demons having children and they take over from there. When that happens, the imps either eat each other, get eaten by their parents, or grow up and eat their parents. It became a mix back in the day,” Nova shared fairly useless information. “The real second generation is a clean new set of demons barely related to the first. All of them, well, nearly all of them were destroyed but power just doesn’t disappear. It flows into something else and with there being so many humans,” She turned her hand over. “-Here we are. The second generation of demons.”

Under the table, Sukoi curled her fingers and tried not to sweat.

She had no idea about this and no idea about her life before Primrose. One day, Sukoi appeared. She was an adult with horns and that was that. There were no memories of being an imp and eating a lousy parent which meant…

“Next question.” Sukoi pushed, impatient to ask her own. She could very well be of the second generation but she needed to know more.

“Hmm,” Nova reached for the salt shaker and sprinkled a few bits on her pasta. “What level of Hell is Primrose from?” She asked, eating a noodle to test the flavor. It turned out she was right, a little salt did go a long way.

“I don’t know that.” Sukoi replied quickly and it was the honest truth. She knew there was a hell or the underworld, the inferno or whatever but had no idea that there were levels. Sukoi had never been there in the first place and the more Nova asked about it, the more she came to understand how little she knew about her benefactor. “Anyways—“

Fire began to crackle and pop somewhere in the diner. This place had neon lights and a fifties theme; who thought it made sense to have a fireplace in here?

“Wow, that bastard sure keeps off the radar,” Nova commented aloud, acrid smoke pouring out of her mouth. Sukoi could see the little blue flames catching on her tongue. “What’s your next question?”

“Weren’t you immune to salt?” Sukoi said, half standing.

“I said some demons were. Definitely not me,” Nova chewed not another forkful of her meal. It melted the roof of her mouth. “Eugh, it’s still cardboard.”

“Why are you eating salt?”

Nova’s face was obscured by smoke and she didn’t see the need to be alarmed, replying “I like food tasting like something and I prefer swimming in the ocean instead of a gross pool. It stings as much as poprocks do,” She coughed, choking on the fumes from her own tongue.

“By the way, that’s two question. I get to ask two now.” Nova noticed Sukoi frantically trying to wave away the smoke, hoping no one noticed this mess. Her plate was knocked to the ground in the effort, smashing but not flying apart thanks to the glue-like gravy.

“You’re right, I don’t like the food here either.” She blew air towards the nearest smoke detector and set off the sprinklers. The alarm began blaring as the fog of smoke spread through the diner like a flood. Water did little to push down the demonic fire, blackening the walls and floors as anguished faces appeared in the murk.

Sukoi reached over the table, grabbed Nova by the collar, and dragged her out of the booth. Water was pouring from the ceiling, turning the screaming floor slippery. Sukoi lost her footing and her nose was speeding towards the nearest crying mouth. She quickly morphed. Her horns grew out of her head and impaled the faces on the floor, keeping her head from hitting the writhing ground.

“Horns?” Nova gaped, pushing herself off the ground.

“Augh, what the fuck?” Sukoi got to her feet and jumped back on the seat, disgusting by the tongues lolling out of the floor tiles. Nova didn’t really care about the teeth nipping at her shoes but followed Sukoi out the window she broke anyways.

The horned demon sprinted down the street, searching for the nearest alley. Nova was right behind her, walking at the same speed with her interest absorbed by Sukoi’s horns.

Once Sukoi came to a stop under a graffiti mural, Nova lit a cigarette. The other demon leered at her, watching to see if the smoke would begin crying too. When the smoke surprisingly acted normal, Sukoi motioned for Nova to give her one too.

“Charity? From me?” Nova laughed out loud, amused by the astounding request enough for her to relent and give her one. “Back to my two questions.”

Sukoi squatted, lighting her cigarette with magic she didn’t think Nova would be impressed by. Her horns, on the other hand, were in danger of getting ripped off. Pink lemonade over there had her hands twitching, dying to get a touch.

“There isn’t much more beyond horns.” Sukoi shrank her horns and Nova clicked her tongue, disappointed. “Can’t you show off your horns?”

Nova knew she had a demon form but could only stomach shifting into the form of a child or a cloud of smoke. She had turned all of once and there were no mirrors around.

“You said it without me asking. I still get two questions,” Nova noticed Sukoi scowl. “They aren’t hard questions,” She ran her fingers through her hair. “How do you manifest the horns?”

“You’re the demon lord. I’m not teaching the 101,” Sukoi blew out a long stream of grey smoke, knowing this wasn’t the answer Nova would take. “I don’t know, I just want it and they come out. It’s like walking; you know that you can do it and um you do it.” She raised her shoulders.

At first, the demon said nothing. Leaning her back on the rain soaked side of the building, Nova crossed her arms and thought. The clouds were spitting lightly over the two demons, gathering in Nova’s hair. Sukoi thought it was frizzing from the moisture but the rain began to sizzle.

Staring straight ahead, Nova wasn’t aware of the flames lighting at the sides of her head. They grew, curling into the shape of golden, fiery ram horns, pulling back around her head like a laurel.

Sukoi whistled, wondering what the rest of a demon lord looked like and that broke Nova’s concentration. She blinked and those horns sparked, crackling loudly. They popped and turned into gold coins, clinking on the uneven cement road.

“Is this going to cost me another question?” Sukoi asked, reaching for one of the coins.

“You can answer that yourself,” Nova patted her head, distracted from the fact that Sukoi had given up a third easy question. “Here’s my second,” She continued, back to business. Nova forced herself to ignore the throbbing from the spots the horns had sprouted from. “What does Primrose want?”

The query was so broad, Sukoi didn’t know where to begin. Not that she knew much in the first place.

“The entire time Hell was restructuring, no one on the ladder knew Primose was alive let alone existed,” Nova elaborated. “With the way things are, Mr. Lulu Lemon in his ice rink would love to know why the wild card hasn’t shown his suit.”

There was Mr. Lulu Lemon again. Hell again. Sukoi had never seen nor truly believed that there was one until around a week ago. There was a lot she hadn’t seen and now that these questions were being brought up, that included what was really going on with Primrose.

To Sukoi, Primrose was well, that guy. Most days she didn’t see him and when they did meet, Sukoi was always an inch from throwing down with him. But, on the rarest of occasions, the only source of familiarity in these long centuries came from the rare friendly mood they could share. Really, Primrose was fine to be around.

Was that worth being kept in the dark?

“Don’t know.” Sukoi answered her own question and Nova’s.

“I don’t like that answer.” Nova said, taking a long drag of her cigarette.

“Too bad, it’s the only one for sale,” Sukoi put out hers on the street.

Nova wasn’t the only one frustrated by that answer. Sukoi wanted there to be a better one too. There were gaps in her memory that she hadn’t noticed were there and there was no good reason to leave them empty.

Today was going to be the start.

“That’s two questions and I don’t have any more either,” Sukoi could sense Nova’s suspicion in the way her eyes darkened on an otherwise stoic face. “What I have is a request.”

“Oh?” Nova dipped her chin, interest mounting. “That’ll be expensive.”

“Hope you want my penny jar,” Sukoi rolled the cigarette butt between her fingers. “I want to see Hell.”

Blinking, Nova lazily incinerated her cigarette. It became dust in her hands.

“Your dad didn’t take you to work?” Nova teased, earning absolutely no give from Sukoi in any form.

“Nope,” Once Sukoi was in Hell, learning more than Primrose was willing to tell her, something was going to happen. She didn’t know what that was yet but something is more than what she had. “Take me there and add a complementary tour. Or I can just shit wherever I want.”

“Some demons would appreciate that,” Nova rested the back of her head on the wall, finding it difficult not to grin at the price she had in mind. “Now, what I want in return.”

Her heels clicked on the gravely alley, dragging deep shadows into the gray. Those streaks widened, spreading through the ground like ink leaking into skin. Sukoi remained composed, watching the darkness crawl up the walls of the building until there was no light.

Only a pulse remained. Sukoi could feel it through the soles of her shoes. Way below in the sea of nothing that had replaced the alley’s road was a long thin line. It wasn’t small, merely far far away. If Sukoi strained her ears, she would be able to hear the river flowing over Limbo.

“Don’t make me beg for it,” Sukoi stayed where she was, defying Nova’s efforts to unnerve her. “What do you want?”

Nova didn’t even know that she was trying to be intimidating. Maybe that was just in a demon’s nature and therein lay her problem.

“Are you free on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday? If you’re free on all of them, you can also just pick one,” She said, checking her silver watch. “That’s for next week and we’ll work the rest of it as time goes on.”

Sukoi squinted.

“I’m fine for any of them. Why though?” Sukoi stood. “What am I doing those days?”

“Christmas is around the corner and I’d like to do some shopping. I need you to come with me, get lunch like today, and whatever comes after.”

The younger demon had no wish to see a restaurant come alive and cry again but this still sounded strange.

“Do you want me to carry things?”

“No,” Nova rolled her sleeve back up. “I’ve got working arms. You just need to come along.”

“What about the other weeks. How come this is going on for so long?”

“Giving you an entrance to Hell, even leading you around is a lifetime benefit. I also want a lifetime benefit,” Nova willed the space they stood to move closer to the river. “As for the other weeks, there was a movie that looked interesting. I want to see it.”

It was almost too dumb to be true.

“Are you paying me to be your friend?”

“That’s an awful nice way to put it.” Nova said.

“Uh-uh, there’s a catch isn’t there.” Sukoi shot back. That left Nova silent for a beat, gazing into the unending space beyond Hell.

“We’re going to the Inferno but did you know there were other Hells?” Nova asked. The Dante to her Vergil stayed silent, unsure of where this was going. “In Zoroastrianism, there’s a bridge that links the world of the living to that of the dead. You pass the bridge if you’re good or it narrows until you fall into the House of Lies.”

Back in the depths of Cocytus, Nova remembered old LuLu chewing on bodies while he read the books she had brought to entertain him. It turned out she was repeating his thoughts to Sukoi.

“It’s a Hell that’s completely dark, smelly, and you’re forced to eat shit, piss and some other stuff forever. That’s not the worst part,” Now listened to the sound of choppy waters grow louder. Eventually they’d be able to see the Castle in Limbo under river’s waves. “It’s crowded; packed to the brim with every sinner that had ever died. And yet, with shoulders, elbows, and knees smothering you to the point of eternal asphyxiation, they all believe that they are completely alone.”

In a strange sort of way, Sukoi with her uncountable years of immortality could understand without having been in Hell.

“There’s no shame in paying for something that makes me happy.” Nova said, finally placing them on the shore of the phantom river Acheron.

“I’m not a guilty pleasure,” Sukoi took off her glove, spat into her palm, and held it out to Nova. “But we can be friends.”  

The other demon stared.

“Don’t be a wuss,” Sukoi had to grin at the first time Nova showed shock. “I don’t like reading contracts so let’s go ahead and streamline it.”

“Huh,” Nova grabbed Sukoi’s hand, giving it a firm shake. “You call me a wuss and you didn’t even make this a blood pact.”

There had been a change the moment the demons’ hands connected. Sukoi could feel it boil in her blood, spreading through her veins. Each individual string of muscle in her body went taut at the thought of standing Nova up during a ‘friend date.’ The same went for Nova except that it was at the prospect of going back on her agreement to chauffer Sukoi through Hell.

Sukoi wanted to say that it felt like an invasion but the danger bubbling under their pact gave her a sort of high. It was like standing on a cliff at the edge of heaven.

If this was what humans felt, no wonder so many went with it. Especially if they thought they could see a loophole like Sukoi did.

“Well? If we’re friends now, take me out for drinks,” She pulled on Pink Lemonde’s hand. “You’re a high-class demon. I’m sure you can show me somewhere swanky.”

“So you can—“ Nova hesitated, the base of her spine tingling with trepidation.

Being “friends” was a two way street. Anyone who’s willing to fry a friend wanted their friendship to end. It was an elementary school saying--

--that wasn’t part of the demons’ deal.

“Haha, nice!” Nova hissed, the pupils of her eyes narrowing into slits. “Oh I can work with this. I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to an old co-worker anyways.”  

Nova backed into the Acheron, tugging Sukoi along with her.

“Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe.”

The sign outside of the bar read “Limbo’s Languish; the only place you’ll find a passable bathroom until you get to the fourth circle of hell. One use equals one drink, don’t fuck with me. Wednesday: Tropical Night.”

After taking a brief skim over it, Sukoi kicked the doors open and barged into the establishment, looking to punch information out of weaker, dumbass demons.

Meanwhile, Nova strolled in and sat herself at the bar to watch Sukoi heckle the booths one by one.

“I busted my ass doing upkeep, Nova. You better pay for the damage that baby does.” The barkeeper cleaned the counter with a duster made of his own feathers.

They were in a cave very close to the hurricanes of the Lust Circle. Besides the counter, the barkeeper had seven tables to clean. The rest of the booths were closed off, hidden behind curtains made of dyed pelts. Sukoi was busy ripping them down.

“Answer a few questions and you can keep your eye.” Sukoi throttled a run-of-the-mill male demon, having smothered the burning candle on his table with his face.

“Or what? You’ll rip my head off and stuff it in my urethra? Oh no! I would hate that!”

Immediately, Sukoi dropped him and moved on to the next booth.

“I like the wallpaper you put up. Very warm and creamy. Classy in a subtle way,” Nova turned back to the bartender. “It’s hard to find anything that can stick to caves when stuff tends to ah seep in from one floor down.”

“If you don’t want to get kicked out, buy a tranquilizer for your baby.”

“A kiwi margarita and a hard orange juice please.” Nova ordered, shaking her pinky.

“YOU-“ Sukoi swung the curtains open on a table of skinless babies who had died before they were baptized. An envy demon was bottle feeding them with her tail. “OH! Oh…uh--” Sukoi stammered. The envy demon tried to shush her but it was too late. The children burst into tears and Sukoi was shooed out of the booth.

Her “friend” waved her over.

“Hurry before the ice melts. It doesn’t get cold till later.” Nova said and Sukoi sauntered over, wondering if she could heckle the bartender into telling her what she wanted.

The bartender turned out to be an owl. Like just a regular barn owl. Both of them stared at each other before Sukoi cleared her throat.

“Hoo! Hoo hoo!” Sukoi hooted at the owl demon.

Then, the owl stood up. He had been kneeling on his long, spindly three legs. The owl used two of them to reach for bottles on an obsidian shelf ten meters above him, setting them down beside a chopping board where he continued to chop kiwis. With his remaining leg, he leaned back over Sukoi’s drink and shat in it.

“Is that an orange juice?” Sukoi asked, dumping it on the floor. “Didn’t expect that. You got any lava up there?”

“Yes. We love drinking red hot dirt,” The owl demon enunciated with his hooked yellow beak. His eyes, which were a little too big even by owl standards, fixed on Sukoi’s horns. “Put those away or I will throw you out, demon lord or not.” He threatened, deseeding the kiwis that were going into Nova’s drink. They turned out to be spider eggs and their tiny ejected bodies were swept into a jar. “You’re scaring my customers.”

Of the booths, several demons peeked out behind the curtains at Sukoi. They were a myriad of shapes, colors, and power, extremely fixated on the anomaly sitting next to a Lord. Smells poured out of those curtains, some smelling of blood, others of fire, and many of curdled rot from the ancient bodies trapped in the lowest catacombs of Dis.

It was only the worst that had the courage to stare at Sukoi.

Sukoi threw a few coins on the table; the same ones that had fallen from Nova’s head. The owl knelt and began eating the gold. He was going to store them in pellets later.

“Is it going to be this bad all the way down?” Sukoi asked.

“Hey, Donny,” Nova got the owl’s attention, letting her finger burn on the salt rimmed glass of her drink.

“Donias.” He corrected.

“What does ‘Sukoi’ sound like?”

“Uh,” He twisted his neck all the way around and a bit to glance at Sukoi. “—a foreign word for a blow job?”

Sukoi grimaced. Apparently, that meant a solid yes.    

[aoi-midori]

Resolutions for 2K17

hey everyone! hope you guys’ve had a happy new year! i did, and i want to get this year started off with a bang. 

first of all, i want to thank all of my followers (both old and new) for following me. i haven’t been as active as i’d like to be lately, but thanks for keeping up with me! I really appreciate it.

that being said, now i’d like to ask for your help. i’ve advertised this a few times in the past few years, but i have an original story that i’ve been working on since 2011, and since then, it’s basically been stuck in development hell due to the constant rewrites and shit and me never actually finishing the thing. another problem i’ve been having is the damn writer’s block, but that’s mainly due to a lack of motivation to write.

NOT THIS YEAR DAMMIT.

i’m actually going to be productive this year and WRITE WRITE WRITE. and so i’m taking a huge risk here by doing something that i should have done a long time ago: starting with this post, i’m going to post my story chapters right here to on this blog. so all i’m asking from you guys is to please read them and GIVE ME FEEDBACK. if any of you did that, i would be SO grateful, you have no idea! 

okay, so about my story, working title of “brotherhood” (definitely changing it to something better eventually). to give you all a quick run-down of it, it’s set in 2019 in a world pretty similar to ours, but with a few big differences, the main one being EVERYONE HAS POWERS. what’s not to love about powers, right? anyway, here’s a brief summary of it: 

“ In 2019, activity in the magi-underworld has grown exponentially. ETMA, one of the largest magi-organizations in the world, brings in 20 elite mages - people gifted with special abilities - to counter these criminals. But this is merely only the beginning. As these elites grow with their powers and become increasingly well-known in the magi-community, a new threat lurks in the shadows, waiting to strike... “

so as for the story mechanics, it’s written in rotating first person with six main characters. if you don’t know what that means, basically i’ve got six narrators for this thing, each with their own sub-plots that link up to the main storyline, and some characters’ stories are interconnected with each other. so that makes things really interesting! 

so anyway, i’ll post the prologue under the cut! enjoy!

Chapter 0: ETMA [Al Smith]

Today went off to a pretty slow start. But what I didn’t expect was for my dad to drag my sister and me all the way down to Florida along with our two best friends. Not that we were really complaining though; all four of us were either out of school or taking random classes at the local community college, so we didn’t have much of a reason to argue our way out of our current situation.

“Augh, are we there yet?” My sister, Lex, groaned from the seat next to me. We had left the Miami Airport about 30 minutes before and after only a 2 hour flight, so I didn’t see what the big deal was to be honest.

“Yeah, almost,” Dad reassured her from the driver’s seat. “But we really haven’t been driving for that long. Are you that bored already?”

“No, that’s not it at all. I just want to get this over with so that I can go back to sleep. And what bugs me is that you woke us up at the crack of dawn just so we could catch a plane at the last minute!”

“Heh heh, sorry about that. Though, I only got my orders this morning, so this was the best that I could do.”

She let out a great big sigh and folded her arms across her chest. “Yeah, well they should at least give us a few days warning next time. It’s so inconvenient, and I didn’t get much sleep last night because of it!”

“Well, if you’re that tired, then you could’ve-”

“Don’t even go there!” Lex turned right on the spot and glared in my direction. “There was no way I could’ve slept on the plane, it was too bumpy! And those kids kicking my seat sure didn’t help either! So zip it!”

Things pretty much always ended up like this. Whenever Lex and I talk with each other, it usually turns into an argument, just like the snap of a finger. “Hey, relax. I’m just trying to give you advice! Is that a problem?”

“When you’re being sarcastic about it, yes!”

“Okay guys, let’s calm down, alright?!” Enter the first of our two mediators, Will Parker. Whenever Lex and I started arguing, he would be the one to try to settle things verbally. As to how effective that was, I’d say it was about 50% of the time, maybe even less than that. But he still tried regardless.

Anyway, Will had turned around to face us from the front seat to try to talk us down once again. “Come on, let’s just try to be civil about things, okay? After all, we are almost there!”

“Yeah, thank god. I don’t think I could stand sitting next to him any longer.”

I copied her posture and slid down in my seat. “Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I haven’t done a single thing to you all day, so what’s your problem?”

“See, see? There’s the sarcasm again! I swear, that is all that ever comes out of your mouth these days, and it drives me off the edge!”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

“What did I just say?!”

“Guys, please!” Will did his best to try to get us to stop, but Lex and I had found ourselves in a full-blown argument at this point, so no dice. “Just a few more minutes, and we’ll be there! That’s good, right?”

Still nothing. “Augh… Emma! A little help here please?!”

Both of us shut up really quick and turned our heads left as our second mediator pulled out her earbuds and gave us the death glare - Will’s younger sister and my best friend, Emma Parker. During those times when Will couldn’t stop us from arguing, that’s when Em would step in. She was the one to literally break up our fights, either by scolding us or by resorting to force and violence. And unlike Will, her methods were 100% effective every time.

She glared at the two of us for a few seconds before conjuring up a fireball with the snap of her fingers. “Do I need to switch seats with one of you?” The way she delivered it was downright terrifying.

“Nope, we’re good!” I didn’t need to be told twice. I wouldn’t dare cross her.

“Uh huh. And no more arguing, right?”

Lex let out a nervous laugh. “No no, of course not! We’ve got everything under control, don’t worry!” Then she leaned to the side and hugged me. “Isn’t that right Bro?”

“Yeah, sure thing! We’ll be good, Em!”

She eyed us suspiciously for a bit longer, and we stared right back, albeit very anxiously. Then her demeanor changed altogether as the fireball vanished, and her face broke out into a wide grin. “Now that’s more like it!”

Will sighed with relief as Em clapped me on the back. “Now let’s lighten up the mood here, guys! I mean, we’ve got ourselves a new job! I’m excited!”

Dad laughed from up front. “Well, at least one of you is lively back there. And…. We’re here!”

It was about time! I leaned over against Em as we both looked out the window at our new home.

The Elemental Tectonic Mage Alliance, or “ETMA” for short: it was a massive organization affiliated with the United Nations tasked with handling affairs involving rogue mages- people gifted with special abilities- and the like. My dad, Joe Smith, had been working for ETMA for a long time, and he had trained the four of us over the past several years so that we’d have better control over our powers, as we were all mages. And now it seemed that ETMA was in some kind of trouble, so Dad finally brought us in.

Anyway,  Dad drove onto the base and parked the car a little ways in. Leaving our luggage inside to pick up later, the five of us headed inside what I thought looked to be the main building on base. Eventually, we made it to the assigned room where everyone was supposed to be meeting. And when we stepped inside…

“Well… This is shocking.” I looked around the room to find it completely empty. “We’re actually the first ones here, I don’t believe it.”

Even Lex was surprised. “Yeah seriously, Dad. What happened to being fashionably late?”

Dad ushered us in and propped the door open. “Yeah, well I’m best friends with ETMA’s leader, so I kind of have to make a good first impression here.”

“Well, you don’t necessarily have to, but it sure does help in the long run.” We hadn’t even been there ten seconds when someone else entered the room. After taking one good look, I could tell in an instant that this guy was important. There were a few things that could easily be pointed out, such as the long red hair worn back in a ponytail, but what made him stand out the most was the blindfold covering his eyes.

Dad was smiling. “Speak of the devil.” He bounded over to the guy with the blindfold and gave him a sideways hug. “Nice to see you again, Shuuhei!” Then he waved at the rest of us and beckoned us over. “Hey kids, come on over and say hi to your new boss!”

I figured as much, but it was still a little bit surprising to me all the same. “Wait, so he’s the leader then?”

“In the flesh,” the blindfold guy replied as he broke away from Dad. He held out his hand for each of us to shake once we reached the two of them. “Imada Shuuhei, it’s good to have you all on board!”

Will was the last of us to shake hands with him. “We’re just glad that we’ll be of good use to you. Anything we can do to help out!”

Meanwhile, Em had put her knuckles against her mouth and was gazing curiously at Shuuhei. “Erm, I don’t want to be acting out-of-line here or anything, but could I ask you something? I don’t know if it’s too personal to ask about though, but…”

“I don’t see why not. Ask away.”

“Right, okay. What’s up with the blindfold? Like, can you even see under that thing?”

I was actually glad she asked that, because I was positive I wasn’t the only one thinking it. Who wouldn’t wonder about that anyway?

Shuuhei smiled and shifted his footing a bit before answering. “Oh yeah, I get that a lot actually. Let’s see… To answer your first question, I have my reasons for wearing this thing.” He gestured to the blindfold as he mentioned it. “As for the second one… Yes and no. I guess you could say that I can’t see in the traditional sense, but my powers actually allow me to- oh, never mind…”

He drifted off as several people began filing into the room. “Looks like we’ll have to pick this one up later, sorry!” And with that, Shuuhei left our group and approached the front.

We couldn’t argue with that. The rest of us all sat down in a group together, but Lex made it a point to sit as far away from me as possible. I didn’t mind though, as I was sitting by Em anyway.

“Morning everyone!” Shuuhei announced once it seemed that everyone had finally gotten there. “I’m sorry you all had to come here on short notice, but what with everything going on lately, it had to be done.” Then he looked around at the small crowd, which consisted of what I’d say to be about 20 people. “Now, maybe some brief introductions are in order? That way, we can get to know each other more?”

Right off the bat, a Japanese-looking girl with a long black ponytail sitting not too far away from me spoke up. “Let’s skip the formalities, Shuuhei. We can introduce ourselves later.” She then sat up straight and stared him right in the eye. “So, what happened?”

“Right… Very well, Cho.” Shuuhei let out an audible sigh and nodded. “Okay. As most of you should be aware of by now, ETMA primarily deals in magi-affairs, but our main enemy is the Chang-Los. They are an anti-mage crime syndicate originating out of Hong Kong, China, and have spread their influence into several other countries. We’ve been fighting these guys for almost 20 years now, but we still haven’t come close to catching their leader since then.”

“Another thing I’d like to mention is that over the past several years, the number of mages within our ranks has diminished greatly, but hasn’t been that much of a problem since everyone within the Chang-Los are all non-mages. Also…”

“Oh boy,” Cho spoke again, this time sounding a bit irritated. “Shuuhei, I love ya, but you’ve gotta get to the point here! What changed? Why bring us in now of all times against a whole bunch of asshole non-mages?”

“Because now they have mages of their own, that’s why.”

The whole room had gone silent. Shuuhei cleared his throat and then continued. “Let me explain. About a week ago, we found out about an alliance between the Chang-Los and what looks to be another mage organization, like ours. Not much is known about them at this point, but we do know that they go by the name of Melisma.”

This time, it was a brown-haired girl sitting next to Cho who spoke up. “So… are you sure we haven’t dealt with them before? I mean, if they’re another mage group…”

“Well, I’d like to say that they’re relatively new, but from the looks of things, it seems like they’ve been around for a while actually. Judging by the reports of several of our agents, these mages at the latest Chang-Lo operations were skilled enough with their powers to be able to give our agents a bit too much to handle. My guess is that these guys have been laying low for a while underground and have only now surfaced.”

“But anyway, the point here is that our regular agents are excellent when dealing with Chang-Los, but they aren’t fit to handle Melisma. It’s just too much for them. And that’s where you all will come in. While I have our non-mages scout out and do reconnaissance, it’s you who will actually be doing the fighting.”

He then looked over by the door, where I saw a woman leaning against the doorframe waiting for him. It must have been his secretary or something, but she had long red hair like Shuuhei’s, so she probably could’ve passed as his sister. “And that’s the gist of it, really! I think I’ll stop here for now and let you have a look around and everything. But before I head out, I just want to leave you with a few words of encouragement.”

Suddenly, Shuuhei’s stance changed in the blink of an eye. With both hands in his pockets, he stamped his foot down hard on the floor and looked straight at us. “Anything is possible if we set our minds to it! And no matter what’s in our way, we won’t stop! If there’s a wall in our way, we’ll just smash it down! If there isn’t a path set out in front of us, then we’ll carve one out ourselves! Live for today, but look forward to tomorrow! That’s how Team ETMA rolls!”

And then, the secretary-looking lady came in, grabbed Shuuhei by the arm, and nearly dragged him out of the room. “Okay, well I’ll check back in with everyone later on! Welcome to ETMA!”

… Now that was one hell of a way to inspire a crowd. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t there to see it, but the entire room, myself included, broke into a round of applause. I’d have to remind myself to thank Dad later for bringing me here, because this guy was so great. It was like he had come out of one of my favorite Japanese anime, so naturally, I was pretty damn pleased.

“Well, there you have it,” Dad said with a wave of finality. “So what do you guys think?”

Lex and Will were both nodding with satisfied looks, while Em smiled enthusiastically. “It sounds great! I think it’ll be fun!”

“Yeah, I’m game.” The minute I first saw Shuuhei, I could tell that I was definitely in the right place. “So, when do we start?”

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