#i should probably pick up my hard mode run of the game

[mayordeas-clone]

i feel so bad for not being able to participate in chrobin week this year like i said i would bc i got preoccupied with other projects/school….. :[ i do miss drawing chrobin/fire emblem a bit

[toweringclam]

Equipment, EGO, Distortion, and Corrosion

To elaborate on my previous post, this line of thinking started when I considered the logistics of outfitting each Sinner as they joined the bus. There was an exact sequence they joined, and some unknown logistical hiccup with Sinclair and Dante. How did they get each sinner outfitted with armored suits tailored to their exact measurements and a weapon (some of them very exotic) that suited their personality and origin, while they were on the move and picking up new Sinners?

TBH, the answers to that aren't important to my thesis and are probably best relegated to a separate post. it did lead me down a rabbit hole that got me thinking about how EGO and how it's used to refer to several very different things, depending on the game:

Lobotomy Corporation: EGO is extracted from Abnormalities to make weapons and armor. Sometimes they give out small "gifts" of EGO as well. There are limits to who can use the equipment, and how many EGO someone can use at once. This is how equipment requirements and accessory limits are justified in-game, with the explanation that going against these guidelines would risk Corrosion.

Library of Ruina: EGO is manifested by people who are tested and pass. Those who fail become Distortions. EGO can manifest in many different forms, but most often as a form of armor and weapon that covers the user. The Library itself is an incredibly powerful EGO.

Psychoment: A form of EGO used by Moses in Distortion Detective. As the comic was cut short, it's hard to say much about it, but it manifested as a small item she could use at will (with cost to her life span). Worth noting, despite lacking information.

Limbus Company: EGO is a special attack usable by people who have the Sin/Shin energy to do it. Every Sinner has an innate EGO, but can pick up EGOs from Abnormalities, Extracted through Mephistopheles's systems. These run the risk of Corrosion, which we see as the Sinner partially transforming into the Abnormality. The other forms of EGO are also present in this game.

So to reorganize this list:

Ego is either manifested from a person or extracted from an Abnormality

Can be a super mode, a super attack, or a physical object of WIDELY varying size, shape, and power. Source does not seem to matter in this.

Failing to control an Abnormality-extracted EGO results in Corrosion, a twisted and grotesque manifestation of the Abnormality

Failing to properly Manifest EGO results in a Distortion, a twisted and grotesque manifestation of the individual's inner self

Looking at this, I realized that maybe I should rethink some assumptions. Is there actual any practical difference between Distortion and Corrosion?

I honestly don't think there is, and we've actually seen it happen. We've seen someone Corrode on their own EGO.

There is no real difference between this and someone using an Abnormality EGO at low Sanity. And when Heathcliff's Distorted form appears:

Yes, it's horrible and monstrous, but look at it. The barbed wire. The chains. The sack. Compare this to his Telepole forms (one of Abnormalities more personal to him).

It's about the same level of difference. The Heartbroken is a version of Bodysack that he's lost control of.

So what does this mean?

It helps explain a lot of oddities about how EGO works in Limbus Company, for one. It merges the two different sources of EGO into one coherent whole. And accepting this equivalency made me realize something about the weapons and equipment the Sinners use:

They're all EGO. Every weapon. Every article of clothing. It's all EGO.

I'll explain in a post later.

[thessalian]

Thess vs the Betrayer of Felassan

I ... don't think I was supposed to do that yet.

Look, one of my things when I play basically any game that involves a fast travel system is to go a little out of my way when I'm travelling to a quest point in basically any area, so I can pick up useful fast travel points for later. The end result is generally not only making later area traversal easier, but ending up overlevelled right to hell for basically everything. Which is about what I need most of the time, especially these days. Anyway, end result was that I tripped over Desmal in Treviso at, like, level ten or something (which is hilarious when you consider that the walkthrough I read later when trying to figure out what the fuck I just did said something about waiting until level twenty, but that's the beauty of Storyteller mode) and ended up being able to unlock the Gate of Deep Sorrows. So I decided to make a detour in the Crossroads and get that off my quest list. That seemed like a good idea.

However, taking on what I later discovered was a level 30 boss at level 14 was ... probably ill-advised. In my defense, I had no idea what I was chasing down and what level we were looking at. Then again, I probably should have had an idea that I was out of my depth when the "trash mobs" were conning level 24. But by that point, I thought, "I'm on Storyteller mode; how bad could this be?"

Here's how bad that could be:

Massive health bar

Armour that needed to be chipped away first

Shield so head-on attacks were generally useless

Strong against ice and I brought Neve

Ranged attacks

Unblockable attacks

UNBLOCKABLE RANGED ATTACKS

Adds - again, with ranged attacks

All of these literally follow Rook around the arena

AoE damage in places

The arena is not large and it's easy to dodge right into a corner and get pummelled

REGENERATING HEALTH. TWICE

And, best of all, his health regen involved an arena-wide unblockable knock-down attack. TWICE

AND THIS WAS ON STORYTELLER MODE

I haven't had a fight like that since I stopped playing MMOs. I started that fight with one health potion, and I was pretty sure I was going to die. However, apparently that whole thing about dealing with fights like this in MMOs have taught me a few things - or at the very least the bloody-minded stubbornness to be, "NO. WE ARE NOT WIPING OR RUNNING. HOLD MY BEER".

(Or, well, coffee mug.)

On the bright side, this did teach me a few things. I learn best by doing, and - in video games, at least - better still out of sheer desperation. So I figured out a fair few things I probably should have sooner. Like ... Harding's healing mechanic. Swapping weapons and why it's a good idea. Charged attacks. How to dodge in a specific direction instead of just hitting space and hoping to get lucky. How to make your companions drop a combo on a motherfucker. How to swap weapons for best advantage in terms of what an enemy's weak to. And even how to do that "Press E To Commit Mortal Kombat-Style FATALITY" thing (granted, that was one of the adds, but still). And in the end, with zero health potions, everything on cool-down, and about two-thirds health, I beat the motherfucker.

You have no idea how much my arms hurt. Everything from the shoulders down. And across my upper back. So much tension and button-mashing and AAAAAAAAA. Yeah. See, this is why I thought I was going to have problems playing this game. But at least fights like that are only once in awhile, and I can see them coming now. And who knows? Maybe the things I learned in the process of that will make other fights easier.

For now, though, quick trip to the corner shop because I think I deserve cola. And possibly chocolate. Hopefully the ibuprofen will have kicked in by the time I get back, but I'm going to wander a bit more around Minrathous either way. Either the ibuprofen will have kicked in and I'll feel better, or it won't have had much effect and I'll hyperfocus past it by running around Minrathous with Neve.

It occurs to me that Varric must have met Neve and gone, "You literally stepped out of one of my novels, didn't you?"

[unmeiokaemasu]

beat new mystery

no strong feelings, but I like recording my impressions after beating another fe game, so here we go

I went in fully expecting to hate the player avatar, but honestly I liked Kris and I liked Katarina and the whole assassin plot thing. I understand if you liked am earlier iteration of this story, and even I could tell Kris's parts were ungracefully inserted into an otherwise complete story, but since I've played all the GBA FE games, the main story otherwise feels like a less interesting version of those. I know that's not fair since it came first, and maybe the earlier versions tell the story better, I have no idea, but anyway, I liked Kris both as a unit and as a character. I liked their personality in the base conversations (getting exasperated with Xane and calling out Michalis being a broody coward were two of my favorites) and I wonder if it changes at all if you pick different background options (I picked "child of a farmer" or whatever that one was). Heck, I might even replay it to pick different options.

The one thing that was as annoying as I thought it would be was all the characters saying how wonderful and special and good at everything the player character was, but it didn't ruin anything for me.

The base conversations made me rotate who I deployed more than I thought I would, since you were guaranteed to get a support conversation with Kris. It made me pick the sequel characters more than Shadow Dragon characters, although now I might like to go back and pick some of them.

idk. I may or may not do that. it was probably a little too meh for that.

Anyway now I should finish Shadow Dragon...I've got like two chapters left or something. After that Valentia...ugh. I got to the same point I got to in my first playthrough of that before stalling out, because I couldn't advance on Celica's side and either needed to grind more or strategize better, and....hhhhrrrrgh. idk. I can't get into it. But I really want to finally finish it.

I have a barely started Radiant Dawn run languishing somewhere, which I started with the data from my most recent Path of Radiance run. When I loaded it, it was the second part of a multi-part chapter, my units were weak and in bad shape, there was some sort of time pressure with reinforcements, and I did really badly and wasn't sure if I should restart or not. -_- It's always hard for me picking up and old playthrough, but. MAN do I not want to play the beginning RD chapters again.

So there's those three, and then there's the Jugdral games. We'll see which I put off the longest. But the fact that after all this time I STILL have Fire Emblem games that I can beat for the first time is pretty cool.

Oh yeah btw my switch is dead...so I don't have the distraction of working on my various Three Houses runs to keep me from the older games. (I had a playthrough for each house on each difficulty going simultaneously. The only beaten one was hard mode Azure Moon. I was really focusing on trying maddening mode runs, but I was super stalled out on each of those.)

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-10-23

Testing the limits of my kitchen

Listening: I've been using my enormous playlist of Japanese Jazz Fusion as background music at home. This is Galactic Funk by Casiopeia.

Reading: There's a great PBS video on insect metamorphosis that debunks the whole Butterfly Soup thing and explains the much, much more bizarre truth: even before they enter a chrysalis, caterpillars have started to develop butterfly parts inside their bodies. Big chunky caterpillars contain a half-built butterfly. Inside the chrysalis they simultaneously dissolve the remainder of the caterpillar parts and finish the butterfly on the existing scaffolding.

There's a great paper referenced in that video which is this one, which is about findings from time-lapsed 3D CAT scans (which I guess makes it 4D) of caterpillars as they pupate.

There's actually quite a few interesting papers on following metamorphosis with modern imaging technology, including a big old thesis that I have only just started to dig into and that I do not understand.

Watching: Nothing.

Playing: I got a little obsessed with Bullets Per Minute, a rhythm FPS roguelike. Well, more of a tempo FPS roguelike, since you have to fire, reload, jump and dash on a very regular 88bpm 4/4 rock/metal soundtrack. Here, I've cut some clips together.

Hell of a lot of fun, I've been in the market for a really fast paced shooter. I tried to replay Titanfall 2, which is good. I also had a good time playing Warframe missions I was way too high level for, eventually I remembered watching the ZeroPunctuation on this and picked it up.

BPM feels great and is also a really fascinating old-fashioned indie roguelike. The game has almost no tutorials, you just get dropped into levels. Items have absolutely bare minimum descriptions and no hard numbers, the fan wiki is full of notes very clearly the result of trying to puzzle out exact damage numbers and percentile improvements from the player side of the game.

It is not hostile though! Very forgiving accessibility options if you aren't great with rhythm and good difficulty modes. I've done two full clears on normal difficulty and like with most roguelikes, that was a product of familiarity and getting the Good Items early in my run (thank you infinite ammo + revolver)

Making: Made a full spec Wedding Meal (vegetable biryani, dal, and soji) for Friends over the weekend. Easier than I expected! A lot of prep but not actually that time consuming, as long as like me you're good chopping one million vegetables.

Also finished hacking on monctl to have a command line interface. It allows fast USB control of a Gigabyte monitor. I have started poking at Display Data Channel to better generalize monitor control because I want to get a second monitor soon but this works great for now.

Tools and Equipment: If you have a dishwasher you should pretty much always use it to wash, even if it's only half full. Your dishwasher probably uses under 12 liters of water to do a full wash cycle, less on Eco modes. You are almost never going to beat it for economy or sterilization, so the only things you should wash by hand are things you either cannot put in the dishwasher (e.g. cast iron) or things you need washed right now.

[casualtydept]

thinking very hard about the unused skull face audio just sitting in the files. and rambling about them below.

people use these to prove there was a cut boss fight but if you go in the game script all the hurt sounds etc are actually part of a list of generic sounds used for prisoners/anyone you can carry around on your back (so quiet, code talker, even ocelot all have the same basic lines in there although i haven't checked if they were recorded)

that still doesn't really answer the question of Why or Where these were supposed to be used, or my own burning question of why they didn't let me inflict more suffering on him for my own amusement but a boss fight this is not.

weirdly he doesn't have any lines for being lifted onto snake's shoulder or jostled around while running which all the other characters have so it seems you weren't allowed to pick him up and throw him around like a ragdoll for whatever reason. sad.

the other half are from a different version of the walk and talk section in mission 30, where you could apparently still access your weapons and use them to outright threaten him.

the "i haven't finished yet" and "you don't care what i have to say" lines were seemingly repurposed for the final build for when you refuse to follow him but from what i can tell from poking around in the code the rest go completely unused.

his soldiers do still have behaviour for killing you during this scene because i used infinite heaven to set an alert mode during the scene and they all immediately dogpiled me so there's That. i tried to see if he could take damage from the grenades they were throwing at me but unfortunately even with my health set to something absurd i just got stuck in BOSS THAT'S A SERIOUS INJURY mode and could do little but accept my fate.

i am a little sad we did miss out on getting to annoy him to the point of testing his patience, though.

if i had to guess the POW lines and the extra walk and talk lines would have both been part of the same scene - he does specifically have lines for throwing punches and being tranquilised so it's possible him turning his guards on you wasn't an instant kill and you could have some fun with him if you could manage it but i know no more than anyone else.

(edit: there is actually a "target dead" game over state if he dies still in the game suggesting you totally could just kill him if you wanted to)

in general if you go looking in the script a lot of things stand out to me as them just putting down everything they were even remotely considering (there's quiet speaking navajo as a buddy in there) so it's hard to know to what degree any of this was implemented, if at all.

(as a side note a long while back i took a lot of the unused hurt noises etc and made a little voice replacement mod to go along with the skull face player model mod which i should probably share sometime. i remember spending like 20 minutes knocking myself out with sleep grenades just to hear his little sleepy sounds <3)

[rachelbethhines]

60 Years of Doctor Who Anniversary Marathon - Martin: 8th Review

Doctor Who Island in Fortnite - Video Game

So over the weekend, my nephew taught me how to play Fortnite. An online multiplayer game that primarily focuses on third person shooting and hosts various games/events based around that core game play. It's mostly Free To Play, with in games purchases primarily being cosmetic additions. This means, a complete noob like myself can jump right in and potentially win without paying anything. However, there is a steep learning curve and lots of stuff to memorize in order to become good. Just to briefly go over the basics, in Fornite you have a battle royale type mode, which to my knowledge is the most popular way to play the game, and in it you run around collecting better guns and equipment to try and off your opponents. Last man standing wins. You get a pick axe to break things, and a build button to make a shield/fort with, a glider to help you navigate the map, and items you find can included weapons, support/healing articles, and even vehicles to traverse the over-world with. Said over-world will start to shrink over time, forcing players towards the center of the map. This way you can't just hide away till everyone else bumps everyone else off for you. I'm mean you can, potentially, but you have to still be on the move while doing so. You can't remain in one place without dying. From there other modes build off this core concept; like creative/build mode, team play, and collect-a-thons ect. For the the purposes of this review however I'll only focus on the modes for the Doctor Who DLC. 

The first mode is "Creative". It's a simple quest adventure where you collect crystals to fix the TARDIS with. You only need five crystals and there are multiple challenges that will give you such key items. Everything from simple quizzes, collecting things for NPCs, to easy platforming puzzles. It's not a very hard mode, and at the end of the quest you get a little cosmetic tattoo for your character. It would be my favorite mode if it wasn't for one very big problem. It's laggy as hell. The game ran fine in any other mode, both off and on the Doctor Who Island, but this one quest constantly kept freezing up on us. What should have been a quick 15 to 20 min. game turned into an hour slog of constant restarts.

The other three modes played a lot smother. First was Box Battle. All players are trapped in a single room with nothing but pre-assigned guns and the build button. The object of the game is to kill your opponents before they can kill you, while building mazes and forts to protect yourself. It's lasts for 10 short rounds and the person at the end with the most kills wins. This was my nephew's favorite mode, mainly because he kept beating me. I was less enthused, but that was nothing to do with the way the game played, and eveything to do with my lack of experiance and my dislike of the controls set up... which can be changed, but I just don't know how to yet. I will give the visuals prasie here though. Setting the box battle inside a giant Kerblam delivery box is inspired. 

Then there was the war mode. You either fought with the Daleks or the Timelords in a closed battle arena. Teams are chosen by the game, you don't get to pick, and each team has access to the same weapons sets, but you get to choose what you want from the selections on offer. This probably would have been a really fun mode with a large group of people, but sadly no one was playing but us two. We also couldn't figure out how to 'win/end' the game as there was no timer and you respawned when you died.  We finally agreed when we were ready to quit that my nephew won again as he had the most kills.

Final mode is just a 'museum' to walk around in. It's cute. The models do look nice, but there's nothing to really do there. All in all, it's a nice free to play game that, while not much, is still fun to play and is competently executed. If the lag issue could be fixed in mode one (and tbf that only happened during the day we decided to play and not others) and if you can get more of a group together for the Time War mode, this would a solid gaming experience.

[aggressive-almond-cookie]

Your Splatoon thoughts are always sooo interesting and ya anarchy modes are pretty complex. I feel like clam bitz is the mode people are more likely to feel a little lost in because it feels made for team communication (which of course no everyone can get).

I saw what you said about not being sure who should be riding the tower and i think I've seen many opinions on it, but what I do know for sure is that probably the worst person to ride it is whoever has the best killing weapon.

In this case if you play tetras I'd say that's you, since you'll be more useful pushing ahead and taking out the enemy so that the person on the tower stays safe. Of course there's always some situations when you should get on it no matter what weapon you have, like when you see a good opportunity to clear a checkpoint or if you are really close to getting lead and no one's around.

Same goes for who picks up rainmaker I would say.

I also think it's really cool that you main tetras! Tetras and gloogas are the dualies I've basically never played and I've been thinking of trying tetras. I'm looking forward to them getting a second kit.

Ohhh, that makes sense, now that I think about it. I guess whenever you're engaging with the objective, you're not out there splatting or controlling space, so maybe the logic to some extent is that you kind of want to throw the player at the objective who is the least suited to whatever combat-related stuff is or needs to be happening at the moment, whether that's by weapon type or sheer proximity to the action.

I guess what just really hasn't clicked in with me yet is like... any sense of awareness of what the current state of the game is at any given time. It all happens so fast and is changing so fast and I'm not entirely sure how to improve at consciously managing my awareness of what is going on, let alone figure out how to make choices based on what is going on. I've started to watch videos of comp matches on my work breaks and even seeing the whole field and having commentary, I am having a hard time wrapping my head around what is going on and what the logic is behind the decisions that any of these players are making. It just looks and feels like everyone is just running everywhere randomly at all times. But I'm hoping eventually it will start to click in with me and start to make sense, and then maybe I can apply some of that logic to my own games, at least as much logic as one can assume of their teammates in solo queue.

I am really, really enjoying tetras! They're everything I love about this game including being as chaotic and annoying and distracting as possible plus they just feel really cool, hah. Even though I feel like I'm not terribly good at them and tend to squander my dodge rolls and also roll myself into places I don't intend to, it's challenging in a way that I'm finding satisfying to work towards overcoming, if that makes any sense. Sometimes I do question if it was it the wisest choice to go into my first action-shooter game with a history of poor visual processing and slow reflexes and settle on (arguably) one of the most mechanically intensive weapons in the game. To some extent maybe I'm stubbornly trying to prove a point to myself, and I don't know if it's helping or hindering me, but at least right now I am still finding a lot of fun and satisfaction in it. The reefslider buff we just got isn't hurting either!

I do miss dapples sometimes, and I still have my eye on wiper, but my current plan is to stick with these for as long as it takes for me to get a grasp on everything other than constantly adjusting to various weapon mechanics, just so my muscle memory has less to worry about while I build awareness and strategy and understanding of the rest of the game. Then maybe I'll diversify. But right now it's hard to imagine I'll love anything else as much as I love these!

[separatist-apologist]

i'm not really concentrating on romance with honor mode. i'm not sure who will have a side quest that's easy to complete with honor mode. i think gale's is probably the least insane, but if i skip lae'zel she leaves by act 2 which i don't want. who did you romance? did you complete each companion side quest? were there companions you didn't pick up? i was thinking i might leave halsin behind and keep the shadow curse intact to avoid the oliver stuff. i just don't want to put a ton of hours in to die to that demon child lol. and i think i will skip astarian's side quest since it's not necessary to keep him around. same with shadowheart. i might even keep lae'zel still in with vlaakith since it would be easier when it comes to the emperor.

I love talking about my absolute batshit insane honor mode run because I did literally everything I could to both level to 12 as quickly as possible while fighting as few battles as possible.

This got really long so it's all under the cut

Some things I did:

I did a chaotic DUrge run. I knew I needed to be the Slayer so Orin couldn't be, because she gets a turn per arm, and that fucking thing has four arms. In a normal game, if she rolls first and I forget to cast sanctuary, she depletes my health in one turn (Monk will be really good for this. Get your initiative up and make sure you have stunning strike and just take her out as quick as possible).

I did save Halsin because oak father preserve me, he's too fine to let die and also I love the tieflings and Rolans tower comes in clutch for the final fight. You can still get it if you hand over Aelin, but Aelin will also provide support and I wanted her.

I often left either Gale or Shadowheart in camp for difficult fights in act 1 while working on leveling up. You can easily get yourself to lvl 6 in Act 1 if you explore the whole map, and there are relatively few killer fights. Ethel is the worst, imo, and I waited until after I did the underdark to come back for her because that +1 boon is helpful

I skipped a BUNCH of stuff in the underdark, partly because I just don't like this map. I did do the Booal quest because now they'll come to help you in the final fight (meat shields) + the cleric of mystras tower because a- i love hearing gale tell me about his misadventures in blackstaff and 2- easy XP

RIP gnomes but I sided with Nere in the grymforge because I wasn't fighting that fight. It was a hard call because the gnomes are also very useful in the final fight, but if you (spoiler) kill the Gondians for Wulbrun, he'll ally with you and that was fine. So that was another horrible decision I made.

For Last Light- I let Marcus take Isobel. SORRY but I read that if you kill her during the Myrkul fight, that still counts for Scelaritas and it DOES. The downside is if you long rest anytime between freeing Aelin/killing Isobel, you have to successfully roll not to kill your lover. I did not think about this, long rested, and it was only through the grace of Ao I didn't slaughter Gale. However, you get the slayer power which is pretty nice imo, without making anyone mad because Aelin had no idea I was the one who sold out Isobel. Yay me!

I also cleared out the tower BEFORE the shadowfell. It's difficult for sure, but easier to kind of work through specific areas, go back to camp and rest, and then hit the rest

Kill Balthazar immediately- you should always do this honestly because the fight in the shadowfell is a LOT harder than fighting four ghouls, his flesh dude, and then himself (have astarion pickpocket him BEFORE the fight though so he can't cast haste. What i do is i go in and start the dialogue, switch to astartion, drink a potion of invisibility then sneak over and rob him stupid before I have laezel hit him with stunning strike).

I did complete halsin's quest and im not gonna lie, it was brutal. I didn't leave anyone in camp for this fight either- shadowheart with spirit guardians activated in one corner by the water where the shadows appear takes out the lower level ones easy, and does constant radiant damage to the higher HP. Have Gale cast wall of fire from the opposite side where all the cursed harpers/githyanki come through, and then Laezel can pick off the ones who make it through the flames one by one while my archer stood by the portal and took down anyone capable of long range attacks.

I did go to the creche (HELL). My suggestion is to ally with Vlakkith and agree to kill the DG, go and handle that (I stabbed him lmao), come back and fight the inquisitor. It's still a hard fight BUT then you can slip off to the side door to the blood of lathander (I didn't bother with the mace), long rest, and get the hell out of dodge.

Equip Gale with knock so you can skip the trials of Shar- you do have to do the library fight but if you give Laezel the long leap or whatever it's called BEFORE you go through the barrier, she can jump down the stairs and take out the portal on her first turn and then everyone can use magic again.

Make sure your charisma is high enough to convince Yurgir to kill himself and spare yourself the fight- you need his purple orb. Gale will say not to lick the carcass but you should do it anyway. What does he know???

Then run straight to the shadowfell- use Yurgirs orb to get to the door, Gale casts knock and boom you're in.

Convince Kethric he can be redeemed to skip straight to the Myrkul fight. You still have to get him to like, half health on the roof, but then when you get to the mindflayer hive, you can remind him he was about to stand down and he will. You have to find the note from Melodia for this- its in a locked chest in his bedroom.

I rescued Zevlor because the hellriders are easily the best allies in the brain fight imo.

I did practically nothing in Rivington- I don't care about the fireworks quest and I certainly wasn't risking my run on a bunch of orphans (no offense to orphans in real life of course)

I allied myself with Gortash all the way to the end- I usually do this because I hate that final fight in the Grand Dukes chambers. To skip it, you'll need to kill Orin first, then double back and tell him you have it, complete the rolls convincing him you should still ally together, and then he goes down to the brain to wait for you. You COULD save the gondians, then- he won't blow up the Iron Throne, one of his minions will instead, and your alliance is still in tact.

For companion quests- Gales is the easiest because you only have to talk to Mystra and make a choice around the crown. Breaking into SS is easy, and there's very little down there that will kill you. I had high dex, so I disabled all the traps. I did romance Gale this run- I always do- which was difficult because I knew I might choose to blow him up if I was losing my brain fight

I chose to keep Shadowheart and kill the Sharrans which is always a difficult fight. Gale needs several spells- counterspell, obviously, and sleet storm which causes spellcasters to have to roll to keep their concentration- it works like, 95% of the time so when they're casting darkness all over the place, Gale can counter it and you're not taking damage/losing distance/unable to get a hit in while they utterly obliterate you. I had Tav and Shadowheart talk to Viconia while I sent Gale and Laezel to more strategic spots for killing.

Astarions fight nearly ended me if I had to do it again, I genuinely wouldn't even pick him up from the beach. He's not essential to the story and after act 1 I don't think he's even particularly needed in any party unless you just really like playing a rogue, like his character, or are re/multiclassing him. Laezel opened every door I asked her to in act 3 with her sword, and Gale had knock which unlocks simple locks. I dont know that Honor Mode is the right place to be exploring though. I skipped a LOT of side quests- like the carnival (RIP dribbles), for example, and that stupid bard in his haunted house.

I think the most important thing for an honor run is your allies. I used them all as meat shields while running to the brain. I had a boatload of arrows of like, abberation slaying etc etc to take out the mind flayers as we ran (orpheus was our mind flayer). I'd spend the first part of the turn calling for allies as a distraction and then just booking it. Everyone was holding like, 50 potions of health and as many potions of speed as I could craft. Just be careful because after 3 turns, you lose one, but at lvl 12, with action surge, laezel can make 12 hits for one turn which is so helpful against the brain.

I think once I realized that this is not an "honorable" game, it was helpful.

[pooepw]

24 - disappointment

Stream

Today was the grand return of You Lose, You Play a Different Game, where I play multiple games and switch between them should I survive a 30 minute/whole game round playing them or lose. I cut the stream short by the last few rounds since I had plans to hang out with my sisters, so I will be finishing them tomorrow. Talking about the games to be played and that were played, the roster ended up being this:

Oblivion for RPG

Celeste for Platformer

Inscryption (Kaycee's mod) for Card Game

Nomad Survivors for Roguelike

Necesse for Survival Game

Baldur's Gate I for Retro

Fallout: NV for the Fallout Category (the Fallout franchise swamped the RPG category, so I just put them in their own category)

Dark Souls II: SotFS for Soulslike (same thing as Fallout applies here)

Cruelty Squad for Other (there were not many "other" games)

Free Space (I picked any game and won regardless of dying since rerolling a free space seems cheaty)

Hell Mode (all the games are put on the wheel)

Many of the games did connect with the other genres, so games like Salt and Sanctuary and Hollow Knight, which could easily be viewed as Soulslike games, were put into genres where there were less of that genre. Many of the categories had few games within them, except for retro. Examining the results of how well I played today, I only ended up losing one time in the end since I got distracted, the sunlight got into my eyes, my little brother took the controller out of my hands, a dog bit my leg which made things hard for me, and my computer crashed. So all in all, that loss should not count, but we'll count it to make it feel as though losing is a concept that exists when I play video games. Jokes aside, I got extremely lucky. The games that I did not roll were the hardest games on the list to complete: Cruelty Squad requiring a whole level victory to complete (I have not been practicing FPS shooters), Celeste requiring me to complete 5 screens (I wrote 3 and thought that was too short, also I suck at platformers), and Baldur's Gate I (the only retro game I probably suck at). Hell, even the loss was super lucky; my second-to-last game to play was Dark Souls II: SotFS, a game I have played so much that I hacked my Xbox 360 save to complete the no bonfires run with. One final thing to note is that I added something to this run that I would not usually add in the form of respins. In this run, I gave myself 3 respins. The first was on one of the games being selected for a particular genre. The second and third I wasted on Hell Mode to get a game I wanted to play. I think that giving myself respins for any wheel spin is a good idea, so I will be adding that to any time I do this challenge again.

Bad Comedians

Today, my sisters wanted me to go with them to a comedy club. So I cut the stream and went with them. We ate beforehand at a place that did not cook their food well; the chicken tenders were lukewarm and the salad was barren. This was merely a prelude to the disappointing evening I had since it was followed by some of the most overdone and basic comedy acts that ever existed. I am not someone who does comedy or is a comedic genius, but the bland comedy of using hyper-offensive language combined with sexual references and some white supremacy sprinkled in was simply unfunny and even occasionally sad to me. I have already experienced the attempt to use offensive language through being a teenager on the internet in the years 2014-2018, sexual jokes through watching streamers who are not really funny but apply them to their streams, and, although I have never and would never experience joking about white supremacy, found jokes about white supremacy to be horribly sad. There was not even cringe comedy in their jokes; it was all just sad. I think I saw the signs that things were going to go south for the comedy as soon as excessive slurs were used, but the mention that the opening act comedian was a landlord really hammered the nail in the coffin. They even managed to make the lack of public transportation in America depressing. Just awful.

[knittedkikwi]

Ok, time to scream into the void again. Please ignore. It’s long and rambling and I just need to get it out because I might fall to pieces if I don’t.

So, over the past several months, I became friends with this guy at work. Buckle in, because this is the path we’ve taken and it’s long. 10 months long, to be exact, which is actually kind of a speed run for me.

Met him on day one of the new job, when the boss gave the tour. I barely registered that he was there because I met so many people that day. The next week he helped me figure out which office I was looking for because i was wandering around like a little lost puppy. I saw that his desk was covered in Marvel paraphernalia, particularly Spider-man, and thought “we could probably be friends” due to Spider-man being my favorite. We then proceeded to spend the next couple of months barely talking cause we’re both shy and I’m EXTREMELY socially awkward.

Then, the department newsletter comes out and the employee spotlight for that week is him. Turns out we both enjoy fantasy novels and I proceed to go “huh, we really should be friends.” Finally, we start talking in the break room at lunch about random things, books, movies, tv shows. Bond over The Last of Us. I’m like “yeah! friend!”

We keep talking during lunch. I start mentioning my love of dnd. If I’m going to be friends with someone, they need to know my obsessions, and ttrpgs is one of the big ones. He then brings up Critical Role OF HIS OWN VOLITION. Like, one of my favorite things in the entire world! He just asks me if I watch, because he’s been watching the Legend of Vox Machina and loves it. Outwardly I geeked out and showed off my CR pins. Inwardly, I’m like “.....fuck.....” Proceed to text one of my guy friends about it just to get a gauge of what happened. I’m saying he brought up CR and TLOVM and that I’m in trouble. Guy friend does not pick up on subtext and thinks I’m in trouble because he reminded me that the new episode dropped that night and I’m impatient, so I’m like “yeah, I’m reading too much into this” but it’s too late. The emotions are starting to shift.

Over several months I’ve established that The Guy is funny and sweet. He cooks with his mom. He knows basic knitting terms cause said mom also knits. We share so many interests. Like, SO MANY. And none of the conversations are patronizing at all. He’ll ask if I’m familiar with something, and when I say yeah, we carry on like we’re both on equal footing, because we are. We’re both gamers and I had braced myself for the girl gamer rigamarole, but that never came. He just accepted it and was like of course you play games.

I feel myself shift from friend mode to crush mode and do what I’ve always done. I try and squash it. I try to shift it back to friend mode because we’re coworkers and that makes things complicated. Because I’m demi and that’s complicated. Crushes are so rare for me that they never work out because by the time they start, the guy’s already dating someone else. So you shove those feelings in a box and seal it up tight and eventually get back to friends. I’ve done it before and I can do it again.

So, then The Guy goes off on vacation for two weeks and things start to fade a bit. Sure, I’m bummed that he’s gone, but also I get used to it. I think I’ve managed to get a handle on it like I always have.

Except not this time! When he gets back, some other coworkers start asking him about his trip at lunch one day. He tells this story about visiting some museum or castle or something and he met someone that he randomly bonded with. Y’all, my stomach tied itself into a knot. My heart was in my throat. And one of our mutual friends (who will come back into this later) goes “oooohh, like someone?” and he says no, like a random guy he became friends with in a line for something and never talked to again after that day. I’ve never been so relieved, nor fought so hard to act casual, in my life.

Then, back in February, we had Random Acts of Kindness month at work and someone put out a puzzle to make a brain break station for everyone. Now, puzzles are one of my other favorite things in the whole wide world. My sister, my dad, and I used to do a puzzle every Christmas while my mom and my brother looked on befuddled. My sister and I still do puzzles every time we get together. This is a prime bonding activity for me (although my brother-in-law laughs at how “sister bonding time” eventually devolves into silence every time) and that puzzle actually got me to fully come out of my shell at work because there was a constant mix of people around it all the time and we all would just kinda chat. And do you know who one of those people was?? THE GUY!! Turns out, he loves puzzles too!! So I’m like “fuuuuucccckkkkk!” It takes us all a month to finish that damn puzzle. But then someone brings in another one! So I start that one.

By now I’m taking my lunches over there every day. And The Guy usually spends the last 15 minutes or so of his lunch helping me. So we keep talking. The box that I’ve shoved my feelings into starts coming apart at the seams. I’m wrapping that sucker in duct tape and prayers. I’m actually legitimately praying that god will make it end, one way or the other, because it’s starting to hurt. Either he needs to start dating someone else so I have a definite “not gonna happen” lock to put on the box or he needs to ask me out. I’m too shy and scared to ever do anything about it, so I’m just gonna sit here in silence and suffer.

I do eventually find an equilibrium, to an extent. It still hurts, but not as bad. There’s a week where he doesn’t help with the puzzle and it makes it easier. Gives me some breathing room, y’know? I think maybe I’ve done something to scare him away. Or maybe he doesn’t think of me as that close of a friend. Except, I finish that puzzle, start the on the next one, and he’s back. Turns out, he was just busy and a little intimidated by that last puzzle (it was a real bastard of a puzzle, so I understand the impulse to run away). And I’m like “I’m ok. I’ve got this under control again.” And surprisingly, I do! Yes, I still like him, and yes the weekends still hurt because we can’t talk. But it’s a pain I can manage and that I know will fade in time.

Or it would if we don’t start talking over chat at work all the time. and I mean ALL the time. We’ve just started randomly messaging each other about everything. New movie out, let’s talk about it. New podcast? We’ve got to share our reactions to each episode. When the new Zelda game came out, something I’ve been talking about nonstop for fucking ages, he messages me a few days later to say that he bought it. Now we’re sharing cool things we’ve found in the game and videos of people building korok death machines! Meanwhile, I’m experimenting with crazy glue and chains to keep this damn emotions box closed.

And then last week. Last week, a group of us go to an escape room together after work one day. It’s a blast! Managed to escape with less than two minutes left! Everybody left on a high. But apparently that somehow tipped off my work bestie (aka mutual friend from before. We now play dnd together). Yesterday, she walks up to me and The Guy working on the puzzle, as per usual. We’re just chatting about Zelda and occasionally ignoring each other to focus on what we’re doing. We all talk a bit about the escape room and how much fun it was, then she leaves and The Guy and I go back to idle chatter and swearing at bits of cardboard that don’t fit together. I run into her a couple hours later on the way to the break room and we talk about random work related things. We keep talking all the way back to my office, which isn’t common but also isn’t unusual, so I don’t think much of it beyond the initial “Oh, she’s coming with me. Cool.” Except when we get to my office, she looks at me and goes “so you and Guy, huh?” like we’re in a goddamn Hallmark movie!

Let me preface this next bit with something. I have an overactive imagination. I have run this exact scenario in my head dozens of times just trying to figure out how I would react. Each time was just for fun, though. I never thought that would actually happen! Which is why, instead of the dozens of smooth deflections or coy smiles that happened in every daydream, I sputtered and went “what?! no! shut the door!!” before proceeding to spill my guts like the bad guy in a murder mystery when they’ve been found out. Do you know what happened then? My damn emotions box burst wide open. Something about admitting it to someone who knows him just made everything flood out and I don’t think I’m gonna be able to put it back in again. Like, I’d told some friends about it while we were all on vacation last month, but that felt more like an alternate timeline than anything else. They were all talking about their husbands and I was like “I have a weird amorphous thing. Please don’t tell anyone.” and we all went back to reality. But they don’t know him. They’ve never met him and they probably won’t.

Anyway, my friend who DOES know him and DOES see us together on a regular basis just waltzed into my office and turned my world on it’s head. Apparently she felt sparks at the escape room, but she wasn’t sure if it was between Guy and me or Guy and the other girl there. Then, when she asked me and other girl if either of us have his number so she could text out the pictures from the escape room, I was able to get it really fast because I was already messaging with him that day. Apparently, that tipped her off. But her confirmation was when she came up to us at the puzzle yesterday. She said it was the most comfortable situation she’d ever walked into. Like we’d been together forever and already worked everything out. (Which, ngl, is the best description I’ve ever heard for any sort of dynamic. I think that’s what I’m going to aspire to reach for from here on out with anyone.) She was super supportive and let me vent. I trust her not to say anything to him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s now trying to find out if he likes me. She definitely had that discrete matchmaker vibe going on when she walked out of my office.

Anyway, all of this was to say that yesterday afternoon I was a mess for the rest of the day. And today fucking sucked because he was busy all morning and we didn’t get a chance to talk until 3, when we proceeded to take a puzzle break and catch up. All of that time made me do a lot of thinking about him and me and what all of this even is. Cause, like, I never get butterflies around him like people always describe. Sure, the butterflies sometimes happen when I think of him, but when we’re actually together I just get this immense sense of peace. We don’t even need to be talking. I just need him there. And now I’ve been forced to acknowledge that externally and somehow that means I’m noticing the ache more when he’s not there.  I was finally able to put a word to it today. I’m yearning for him. I’ve never yearned for anyone before. Past crushes were more like fun thought experiments. This is way more intense and I don’t get why people seem to enjoy this process. I feel like I’m dying.

And I think he might like me back, which is utterly terrifying. Because what if I’m wrong? What if everything he’s been doing is just him also doing the “Ooh! Friend!” thing that I was at the beginning? If I’m wrong and if my friend is wrong, I don’t think I could handle it. If this were a book, this would all clearly be leading in one direction. But this isn’t a book and life isn’t that neat. I mean, we’re only messaging at work. We’ve never texted each other outside of the office. Hell, I only got his number because of the escape room! Does that mean that I’m only a work friend to him? Or is he just as scared to bring it up as I am? Should we even risk the drama that might come about if things turn out badly?? I work in hr. I’ve seen that drama play out. Hell, I’ve helped with the investigations when one party starts getting toxic because of it (note to anyone thinking about going into hr, stay away from investigations. Stick to payroll, training, and DEIB. That’s where the good stuff is). I’ve got ethical debates going in circles in my head about consenting adults and sexual harassment and hostile workplaces and should the person (me) who does payroll for the whole company date someone whose check they make. Plus, I’ve never actually been in a relationship before because of previously stated issues with being shy and taking forever to develop a crush. What if I fuck it up by accident??? What if in fucking it up, I accidentally cause the hostile workplace and then have to leave my job?! This is the best job I’ve ever had! I love my office and my life now! I don’t want to lose that! I also don’t want to lose him as a friend. I’m afraid that if I tell him, I’ll chase him away and I’ll lose my puzzle buddy forever. I’m afraid that I’ll be depriving him of an office where he feels comfortable, and god does he deserve to work someplace that let’s him feel safe and happy and unworried without my awkward ass ruining it.

But I also really want to kiss him, which is an experience that’s so fucking rare for me that I had convinced myself I’d imagined the previous times. But it’s happening now and he’s just 3 feet away most days. There’s nothing but a puzzle table and my own fears between us.

Ultimately, I know that I’m a coward, so I think I’m just going to stay in the holding pattern and hope it fades eventually.

[transgirl-gaming-thoughts]

I Don't Like Mario?

I'm writing this less because I think it makes for good blog content, and more because I just wanted to get my thoughts out. This is probably a really bad take, but oh well.

I recently bought NEW Super Mario Bros. for the DS because it's my favorite console and I figured I might enjoy a good Mario game for it! And credit where credit is due, I enjoyed most of the game. It's a fun twist on a classic formula, and it brought some new life to the franchise. However, it's not all great. In fact, in the end I don't think I ever want to play this game again. This was only the latest in a long line of disappointments from the Mario series.

I've always been perplexed by my feelings towards Mario games when it's one of the biggest names in gaming from my favorite publisher. How could I not enjoy Mario games? I think part of that may be the fact I never grew up with them and therefore have absolutely zero nostalgia for it, but there's more to it than just that.

This is mostly discussing 2D Mario games, by the way. I enjoy some good 3D Mario, and would even say Super Mario Galaxy is one of my favorite games of all time.

When it comes to 2D Mario, I find myself constantly disappointed by a few key factors: - Level Design - Characters - Story/Plot

Level Design First we have level design. Mario levels have a sort of style that you come to expect: pipes, blocks, etc. But this doesn't leave a whole lot of room for variation. Most levels feel the same, and I don't really feel like I'm going anywhere or making any progress because it's all the same thing. There's also lots of simple design flaws that I tend to see a lot of. Just for example, in World 8-3 of NEW Super Mario Bros. there is a sequence where you run from a giant eel swimming after you, and you have to avoid Cheep Cheeps, blocks, and other obstacles until you reach the end. Seems simple, and it's actually a lot of fun! Except at the end, you have to swim up to the top of the screen to enter the pipe to get to the flagpole. There's no indicator that you need to go up until you hit the end, and the eel will keep coming and kill you at the very end if you don't exit. Why? You just did the whole thing well enough to survive, and your reward for relaxing at the end is failure? At the very least, the exit pipe should be in the middle of the wall to make it more accessible to players in general, but no.

This seems to be a trend with Mario where they make bad design choices like this that ruin an otherwise enjoyable level. Sometimes levels are just bad, with too many enemies/not enough power-ups, etc.

Characters Another issue is with the characters. For the most part, Mario games are played as Mario and sometimes Luigi (Luigi's physics providing a sort of "hard mode"). In NEW Super Mario Bros. Wii and WiiU, two Toads are playable, but don't really have any special abilities. Way back in Super Mario Bros. 2 USA, Princess Peach was playable, and has been playable a few times since, such as her DS spinoff Super Princess Peach. But generally, you play as Mario, with Luigi sometimes added as an afterthought.

This general lack of variety means that Mario may be easy for anyone to pick up any game, but none of them are particularly interesting. You always know exactly what to do, and there's never any aspect of figuring your way through the world. It just gives an unoriginal feeling to all of it in general.

Story/Plot This last one is more of a small personal gripe, but story/plot. Mario isn't known for it's storytelling for the most part, and especially not the 2D games. I get that it's a fun, simple platformer, but I still love seeing some worldbuilding and some lore in even the simplest of games, and Mario has consistently failed to deliver.

These reasons and more lead me to the conclusion that I just don't enjoy Mario games. It's not that I haven't played the right one, or never learned how to appreciate them, I just don't like them. Again, 3D is a different story, but the 2D games are just not my thing. If I'm looking for a 2D platformer, I go for Kirby or Sonic. Sonic I feel like fixes most, if not all of, the problems I mentioned, or at the very least doesn't fail as bad. Kirby is always excellent as well, with the plot and lore being lighter on Kirby's end when compared to Sonic. I totally understand why some people like Mario, and that's totally fine! It's just not for everyone, and I think I've reached a point where I can see that, and stop trying to force myself to like it. I just have different taste in games, and that fine too. You may disagree with me, and that's great! We all have our own thoughts and experiences that lead us to have varying thoughts on the games we play, and I think that's a beautiful thing. So don't let my words stop you from enjoying what you love, but if you're like me, just know that you don't have to like something just cause everyone else does. Have your own thoughts on the games you play! I guess that's sort of the message I was building up to? This was less good blog content and more coping with my severe disappointment, so take it with a grain of salt I guess.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to ask questions and suggest new post ideas in my ask box! Stay safe, stay hydrated, and God bless! Happy gaming to ya!

~ Alex

[zephyr-together]

aww...I love emulating Pop’n Portable again but with the arcade controller this time...and when I got to Zizz and unlocked Quiet I played it on hyper (it was actually pretty easy) and aaa it felt like when it was a year ago and I played that song for the first time when the power was out...I used all of the power the laptop had after coming home from going to places like Wendy’s to charge it up just to use it all on that game...while my toesies were all frozen from no heat...at the time it was such a pain to have no power when it was so cold (mostly at night) but looking back it was really such a fun memory...;o; 

[thessalian]

Thess vs Not-Really-Shopping

Still reinstalling so, so many games. Probably not all of the games, not right now, but ... some games I thought I’d never touch again. Like, Baldur’s Gate 3. I was going to say I’m not sure why I’m bothering, but ... I guess I know. It’s because it was a gift and it was really expensive and it does have some good qualities and maybe the bug that more or less fucked me over in my last playthrough has been fixed by now. I mean, it’s due for actual release at the end of next month, and the dev notes say they’ve been working really hard to get it done. I’m still leery, but mostly because I really do not like how the companions are written. If this was an actual TTRPG, this is the kind of thing that I would very definitely discuss with people in a session zero, because this amount of antagonistic bullshit is just ... no, for me. You’re a bunch of people in a lot of trouble working towards a common goal, so maybe you should be trying to find a bit more common ground to make the whole experience tolerable instead of leaning into your personal prejudices hard enough to make life really uncomfortable for the good-natured random stranger in your midst? I get they kind of want “dark and edgy”, does Larian, but I don’t think anyone gave them the memo about “sometimes you need some counterpoint to that or it just becomes this endless slog through unrelenting nasty and who actually wants to play that?” I guess some people do, because a lot of people like it a lot more than I do - and in fact like the companions a lot more than I do - but I’ve mostly been warming to the ones who aren’t constantly sniping at everyone, constantly trying to pick a fight, and occasionally threatening to kill the rest of the party. Seriously, if this was a TTRPG, some of this shit would land the entire game on r/rpghorrorstories over on Reddit. Buuuuuuuut my basically-brother bought it for me when it first came out on early access and it was really expensive and I feel like I have to keep trying. So I will keep trying.

(Divinity 2 can go piss up a rope, though; their companions are even worse.)

I’m also installing the Dishonored games. I don’t generally do well with first person, but I’m going to try again anyway. I’ve been running a homebrew Dishonored TTRPG; not having played the actual game feels like a missed opportunity. While those who have played told me I had the vibe remarkably well for someone who’s never touched the games, I still kind of want to try. I mean, not immediately, because between pollen and increased barometric pressure because of one banger of a thunderstorm heading in this direction, my head can’t really take it.

In a similar vein, the Bioshock games. Well, okay, possibly not Bioshock 2, because the idea of playing as a Big Daddy is kind of offputting, but I want to play the original - or maybe more the remastered original. It’s first person and that’s always a bugger in combat for me, not to mention the headaches, but I only want the story and there’s a god mode so it’s fine. That’s generally my way out of “games I struggle with playing”, honestly - it gives me some breathing room to get used to how things work before I get about eighteen different shades of headachy and / or frustrated. Unfortunately that’s not so much an option in games like Dishonored or Assassin’s Creed (I own a few of those too and I’m also reinstalling them, and at least there’s not the first-person bit to worry about), but maybe if I do things like Bioshock and possibly The Outer Worlds (though I recall a bugger of a migraine the last time I tried it; though that was before the new glasses ... except the ‘new’ glasses were a couple of years ago and I probably need my prescription checked again), I’ll get enough feel for first person to give Dishonored a proper try. I mean, going through old files, I have been forcibly reminded that I was something of a beast on the original Overwatch so that should carry over a bit. I mean, sure, I was very careful to take screen breaks between matches in a way that destroys immersion in a story-driven game, but there’s also not the “too many bright lights / bright colours / particle effects” issue with Dishonored and Bioshock that I had in Overwatch. So maybe it’ll balance out?

It’s kind of nice, this. While I’m glancing between the Steam sale and my wishlist and going, “Meeeeeeeeeeeh...” because not sure if I want any of them that much right now, I’m also getting functionally ‘new’ games at my disposal without having to spend anything. Not to mention that it’s the same shopping feel of “Do I want this enough to have it at my disposal right now?” - though in this case it’s “Does the minor annoyance of having to wait to play anything until it’s downloaded outweigh the joy I’ll have in having it at my fingertips?” instead of “Could the money be better spent elsewhere?”, so it’s way less high stakes. Which is honestly all to the good - I am so susceptible to sticker shock it’s not even funny.

Now, of course, it’s deciding which one to play first. I mean, part of my current play time is devoted to my second play through of Wylde Flowers (turned out I did miss an outfit but the dev team was kind enough to point out which one and it was an easy fix so CRAFT ALL THE THINGS achievement huzzah!), but ... so many gaaaaaaames. Though I’m supposed to have a Shenanigans session tonight so I can’t get into anything too ... involved. Though more so than I thought today because I was going to go out and pick up some things but ... pissing it down with rain with incoming thunderstorms, and I can’t hold an umbrella. Even a quick pop to the corner shop is going to be a bit much, never mind “out to the grocery store for basmati rice and more little marshmallows for my hot chocolate”. Though with three servings of lamb dopiaza and aloo gobi after a cooking bonanza last night, the basmati rice may be non-negotiable. Regular old white rice just is not the same, and I’m not paying corner shop prices for basmati; I refuse. The prices the supermarkets are charging are bad enough.

Aaaaaaaand that’s a rant I don’t want to go into so I’m going to go back to looking over my Uninstalled folder (and maybe my Nope folder) and see if there’s anything else I want Right This Second Now. Also check my zinnias because they were looking a little droopy this morning and I want to make sure they perked up after the watering. Yeah, pissing it down with rain and somehow none of it got into my window boxes.

[moemoemammon]

Ok. I need to get this idea out to someone. Solomon and mc are messing with potions for class and he accidentally gives mc a “youth” potion that makes you look younger. It turns mc into like a 4 year old for like a couple of days. What do you think would be the demon brothers (any) reaction to babysitting their master? What would they do? Idk i think it would be a little funny.

You’ve Gotta Be KIDding me, MC!

(Feat. GN!MC and the Demon Bros)

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Lucifer

He'll be exchanging words with that sorcerer bastard later. You can bet on that.

Lucifer doesn't take kindly to the idea of MC having run ins with magic in general, but at least this seems to be on the tamer side of the magical spectrum. And he had to admit, it's sort of amusing.

He intentionally watches you try to handle things on your own. Be it reaching for things too high up, stubbornly carrying things too heavy for your tiny arms, or making messes when you try to tidy up, Lucifer waits patiently until you ask for help (or until he can't take it anymore).

Treats you like he always does, despite your size. He doesn't talk to you like a child, or try to force toys and nap times onto you, but may or may not tease you when it's only the two of you. After all, you may look like a child, but that doesn't mean you are one. It's still funny to harass you a little, though.

"As independent as you may be, please refrain from trying to climb up onto the counter. If you need something, ask one of my brothers, or myself. If that isn't obvious enough, perhaps a 'time-out' is in order?"

Mammon

When Mammon recovers from laughing for twenty minutes, (and also making threats on Solomon's life) he then decides to take a billion pictures of you. Now calls you 'munchkin' and variations of it.

And if you thought he was clingy before, just wait till you see how he is now. You're ACTUALLY helpless and vulnerable. I mean, you'd hardly make an appetizer for a random demon! So Mammon's gotta keep an eye on you. Maybe even a toddler leash-

Unintentionally treats you like an actual child. His older brother mode kicks in, and he finds himself taking care of you as naturally as breathing. Mammon? Being responsible?? It's more likely than you think.

He hands you a cup of juice before you can say 'I'm thirsty'. He'll slide over some sliced up fruits before your stomach has a chance to growl. You're tired? No kidding. That's why he's got a blanket and pillow on the sofa for you.

"Where do ya think you're goin', short stack? Nowhere without ME, that's where! I already told ya, if there's somethin' ya need, just tell me!" "Huh? I'm spoilin' ya too much? S-so what if I am?!"

Levi

Solomon came in with a child in tow that looked a hell of a lot like MC, and this man nearly had a heart attack. There's no way... did those two have a secret love child?! Th-that's just-!! Oh, it's only MC.

WAIT A MINUTE...TH-THIS IS....! ISNT THIS JUST LIKE 'DETECTIVE C*NAN'? Uwaaah... Just look at you! You're still just as smart as before, but you've become super small! Talk about the ultimate gap moe!!!

Levi isn't a big fan of the idea of tiny, sticky hands touching his things, so he's glad you've still got your normal brainpower. That being said, he finds himself talking to you normally. Maybe even easier than before!

It kinda throws him off that you guys can't do the things you'd normally do together. Your fingers don't have their usual dexterity so playing games is a challenge, and your attention span is a little shorter so these TSL marathons are killing you. But have no fear, Levi knows a ton of other things you could do together! He won't let something like this spoil his time with his dear Henry!

"If you can't use the controller, let's try something that doesn't need one! I've got a new Ruri Hana VR game with REAL motion and voice tracking! If you say the spells out loud, you'll cast them in game! Ah, and it auto-adjusts to the player's height, so there's nothing to worry about!"

Satan

HES DOING HIS BEST NOT TO LAUGH. SATAN WILL HANDLE THIS WITH POISE AND GRACE, BUT MAN....

Watching you struggle to enter the House of Lamentation in your oversized RAD uniform nearly sent him to the stratosphere. He inhaled tea when you almost tripped over your blazer and had to get a couple of slaps on the back from Asmo.

Does his best to find a cure for your 'little' problem, but the most that can be done is waiting it out. In the meantime, would you like him to read you a story? Large books are probably difficult on your tiny hands.

Constantly catches himself treating you like a tot. He's not trying to, but he can't help himself when he sees your round eyes staring up at him, or when he watches you try to climb up onto an armchair.

"Up we go- There. It must be hard for you, having to climb up into the chairs like that. I've got a stool if you'd like to use it? Though, I don't mind if you sit on my lap, too." "Hm? I'm embarrassing you? I-I didn't realize how overzealous I was being. Ehem...."

Asmo

Oh that Solomon and his silly spells and potions, always making trouble! It's just one of his many charm points! And seeing as there are no permanent consequences from this harmless mishap, Asmo's enjoying it to the fullest.

Can you blame him? You're SOOOO cute~! So tiny and adorable! Why would've know that was possible?? Look this way, MC! He wants to take some pictures of you! Lowkey uses you as a photo op prop

He used to work part time at a daycare, you know? Asmo's great with kids! But that also means he's treating you like one. There's personalized snacks, cute little nicknames, and he's already gone and bought you a week's worth of clothes. Nobody tell him it'll only last a day-

He can be a little annoying with the baby talk and all the little activities he's planned for you, but you can tell he's enjoying himself.

"MC, look~! I've got plenty of ribbons to decorate your hair with! I'll let you choose your favorites, and then we can set out in town!" "Hm? Where are we going? To the playground, silly! You must be dying for a play date after being stuck in this dreary house all day, right?"

Beel

He was kinda teetering between whether or not he should throw Solomon across the yard like a football when he saw him carrying a teeny MC, but all was forgiven when he learned it was an accident.

Has now designated himself the permanent MC carrier. Your feet will never touch the ground so long as you're a child. And it's no problem for the likes of Beel, when you're as light as a feather! That makes him a little more conscious about being careful with you though-

Be it piggybacking or carrying you in his arms, he hasn't released you since he's spotted you. And don't think he's forgotten about feeding you. Beel's also taken your meal prep upon himself. You'll prefer things that've easy to eat, right? Though it kills gum to give you smaller portions than usual.... it feels cruel...

Somewhere between babying you and treating you as usual. He speaks normally to you as he always does, but prioritizes your needs over everything else. He wants to make sure you're well taken care of until this potion wears off.

"You're sure you've had enough to eat? I know I gave you a snack earlier, but... to think you really can't eat as much as before.. I'll talk to Solomon again. It must be torture to have such a tiny stomach, I'll do my best to get you back to normal."

Belphie

There's obvious opportunity here, and Belphegor won't let it go to waste. (No not for murder)

He's getting a kick about your new mini mode. How's the weather down there? Do you need him to pick you up so you can reach the high shelves? Don't worry, he'll get you a sippy cup.

When the teasing has settled down, he pays attention to a more pressing matter: you're now the perfect side for cuddling. You're a living hot water bottle, not too big, not too small, tiny and soft and adorable. Er, he won't mention that last part though.

Anyway, Belphie thinks a little kid like you should go on and take a nap now. It's exhausting having such short legs and wandering around the house all day, right? He gets it. You look tired and he knows the solution.

"Ah, you're just as cozy as I thought you'd be... Though, it feels kind of weird holding you like this. It's like holding a stuffed animal, but you're not nearly as cute." "Pfft, what's that face for? Sorry, sorry, I was only teasing."

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Imagine being Lin Beifong’s daughter and Korra having a crush on you

You entered President Raiko’s party late and hurried inside hoping to avoid your mother’s wrath by appearing as soon as possible. Being Lin Beifong’s daughter and employee meant she was twice as hard on you as anyone on the force, so she would not take your tardiness well. You were waved into the building by guards who recognised you on sight and rushed into the ballroom. You saw the party was already in full swing and braced yourself for all the fake smiling you’d have to endure when a young woman appeared across from you. “Avatar Korra” you nodded in recognition of the girl who grinned at you. “Miss Beifong” she smiled in greeting “you look as beautiful as ever...you legs alone seem to go on for years in those trousers” she commented glancing at them and you blushed. “Funny I just had a similar thought about your biceps”. Korra beamed “ow you can’t really see them in this thing but I’d be happy to give you a closer look”.

You couldn’t resist a smile and your blush grew to have such a beautiful woman flirt so blatantly with you. Korra was always like this around you and you enjoyed it greatly even if it wasn’t professional. Korra was a breath of fresh air in Republic City and you enjoyed her confidence and humour. You liked the avatar a lot but you had no intentions of pursuing anything beyond flirting with her. For one thing she was young, cocky, beautiful and THE avatar. You supposed she had hundreds of boys and girls queueing up for her and didn’t want to just be another name on her list. You’d heard about how the previous water tribe avatar had been a hit with women and apparently that was a trait Korra shared. She was the avatar, who wouldn’t be weak to her charm? Still you tried to behave so aimed to change the topic of conversation.

“I think we should join the party seeing as we’re both very late” you smiled slyly and Korra smirked “I didn’t think Beifongs were ever late. Are you really trying to tell me you’re not perfect?”. The girl was insatiable. “We all have our secrets” you replied and Korra’s grin only grew. “Mysterious, intelligent and beautiful...you have to let me lead you into the party. As the Avatar it’s my duty to serve the people”. “Well who I am to get in the way of that” you smirked rolling your eyes as you took her outstretched arm. Korra led you into the party proudly and you enjoyed being on her arm. Still you were in work mode, so you only stayed by Korra’s side for an appropriate amount of time before excusing yourself so nobody would get the wrong idea. Korra never failed to make you smile or blush but you wouldn’t let it progress no matter how much fun it would be. So you allowed the flirting and lingering glances but stopped it from going any further.

You saw Korra pretty regularly as she was always in trouble with the law in some way or another and not a month after the party President Raiko banned her from Republic City. It was something he’d likely take back pretty soon but still she had to leave so you and your mother went to help her however you could. The avatar didn’t seem too bothered by the President’s command and still had that cocky smile on her face. She let you into Tenzin’s home and explained how she was leaving tomorrow to go look for air benders anyway. She read out the names of some known airbenders in the earth kingdom and you paused as one was familiar.  “Wait did you say Opal? Is she from Zafou by any chance?” you asked and Korra nodded “yeah why?”. Your mother tried to silence you but you didn’t notice, too excited. “She’s my cousin!” you burst “This is so great, i’m so proud of her”. “Wait so Suyin is your sister?” Korra asked Lin and your mother nodded “yes. Which is something I wished to remain a secret but clearly that is not an option anymore” she said shooting you a look. “Well this is great news” Korra smiled “you have to come with me!”. “What!” your mother cried and Korra sighed “if she’s your niece then you can help us recruit her! We need all the help we can get”. “No way!” Lin cried “I am not seeing my sister ever again if I can help it, y/n can go if you want a Beifong so badly”. Korra looked at you and smiled “that does sound appealing, what do you say y/n? Want to come on a field trip with me?”. Korra held out her hand to you and you blushed, hoping your mother didn’t notice. You knew you probably shouldn’t go. Being in close quarters with Korra would certainly challenge your restraint but you hadn’t seen your extended family in so long and this was the perfect opportunity to go visit. Plus Korra looked so good when she smiled at you like that. “Sure” you said taking her hand “someone has to keep you out of trouble”.

You met Korra and her friends at Future Industries the next day and were soon flying to Zafou. Korra came to stand beside you on the deck and leant forwards flexing her arms right in front of you. “I’m glad you agreed to come” Korra smiled and you nodded “me too, it’s been forever since I’ve got out of Republic City”. Korra’s eye glinted “does this mean I’m going to witness holiday y/n? It’d be fun to see you let your hair down and go wild”. “If you’re lucky maybe you will” you smirked and Korra nodded “i’m looking forward to it” and winked before leaving you alone once more. You stared after her as she walked away and Korra must’ve felt your eye on her because before she disappeared back into the ship she turned and caught you red-handed watching her. She smiled widely a chuckle slipping from her lips and you turned around sharply, blushing vividly. Agreeing to this trip may not have been a smart decision at all.

When you touched down in Zafou Korra had you right beside her in pride of place. You recognised your aunt immediately and she addressed Korra first before she spotted you beside her and she did a double-take. “Y/n?” she asked and you grinned “Aunt Suyin!” and rushed forwards to hug her. Your aunt wrapped you in a hug and then quickly tugged you to go find your cousins, momentarily forgetting the avatar was here. She summoned all your cousins and they rushed to greet you...well some did. Bataar junior didn’t look impressed and Huan just glanced at you not particularly bothered but the twins and Opal were very welcoming. “It’s so good to see you again!” Opal cried and you nodded taking her hand “it is! It’s been far too long and I can’t believe you’re an airbender now!”. Opal nodded “trust me it was a shock to us all but i’m so excited to learn airbending”. “Well Korra can definitely help you with that” you said gesturing to the avatar who nodded confidently “of course, anything for y/n’s cousin” and you blushed slightly but managed to hide it.

You enjoyed your time with your family greatly and got along well with all your cousins. You participated in Wei and Wing’s power disk game and being a good metal bender yourself almost won the match. You noticed Korra watching you and briefly tried showing off before getting wiped out. The twins noticed Korra watching and invited her to join but she declined explaining she couldn’t metal bend. Your cousins rushed to assure her she could learn and volunteered to teach her. Korra seemed very excited at the idea and agreed before she turned to you “wait a minute y/n why did you never offer to teach me?”. You could tell she was only feigning annoyance so you shrugged “what can you blame me for wanting something over the almighty avatar?”. That stroked Korra’s ego and she smiled lazily “no but I’ll certainly get my own back in some way”. “Ow really? How”? you challenged her and the girl just shrugged. “I’m not sure yet, but be on your best behaviour Beifong” she smirked before rushing away.

Korra went off to train with your cousins and you were relieved hoping this would be a time for you to cool down and recover but no. Opal caught you and invited you to catch up with her in the gardens. You of course obliged your cousin but found yourself seated directly in view of Korra’s training with your cousins. You tried focusing on Opal but your eyes kept getting pulled to the avatar as she picked up metal bending remarkedly quickly. You noticed Korra had spotted you and she appeared to be putting on a show, trying valiantly to challenge your cousin entirely for your benefit. It was a clever strategy and soon Opal trailed off just letting you admire Korra. Your cousins were experiencing first-hand just how skilled the avatar could be and you saw them breaking out in a sweat with how hard Korra was pushing them.  

After a while they began trying to score past one another and Korra got an idea. She *accidentally* bent a disk near you and your cousin Wei teased her for being sloppy. She just shot them a lopsided grin and jogged over to you. “Ladies” she smiled looking straight at you “i’m sorry I didn’t see you there”. “Ow really?” you asked and Korra grinned “yeah I had no idea you were here whatsoever...which is odd considering how every eye is drawn to you whenever you’re nearby”. You blushed going red and Korra’s smile grew “I’ll leave you to your chat. Opal, Y/n” she nodded at you both in turn but winked when she met your gaze. You watched her run back to your cousins and found Opal staring at you. She immediately pushed you squealing “you didn’t tell me you were dating the avatar!”. “I’m not and keep your voice down please” you begged seeing the smug look on Korra’s face which told you she’d noticed Opal’s reaction. “But she was very openly flirting with you” Opal retorted and you nodded “I know we do that a lot but it’s just our friendship. I’d never let it go further because she’s the avatar! She’s not after a relationship she just wants a fun fling and I can’t give her that. Trust me the avatar will get bored of me and move on soon enough”. “Ow yeah?” Opal asked looking to where Korra was still putting on a show for you. Korra scored a point and shot you a smile. You blushed vividly and Opal laughed “I don’t think she’s not going cold on you any time soon”.

At the end of the week your Aunt Suyin threw a party to celebrate Opal’s progress and avatar’s arrival. It was magnificent and you hadn’t seen this much earth kingdom food in...well forever! You made sure Korra and the others were all okay and socialised with your cousins greatly enjoying being with your family. Bataar jnr told you about his machines, his girlfriend Kuvira traded military expertise with you, Wei and Wing quizzed you about all the pro-bending in Republic City, you teased Opal about her crush on Bolin and even Huan showed you some of his paintings. You were absolutely thrilled your family still felt like a family after all this time and hadn’t been this happy in a long time. However all that excitement can be draining. Towards the end of the night you began to grow tired so went outside for some fresh air and quiet. You were relaxing in the picturesque moonlight when you were disturbed. “Well your aunt certainly knows how to put on a spread” someone called and you jumped to find Avatar Korra making her way over to you on the abandoned balcony. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress and her eyes shone in the dark light. “She does” you smiled “never let it be said Beifong’s don’t know how to put on an event”. “That’s for sure” Korra agreed coming to sit right beside you. “The city is so beautiful” she commented before she turned “as are you”. “Thanks” you blushed “you look very beautiful too”. “There’s no way I can compete with you in that outfit” Korra smiled “Beifong’s apparently always look stunning as well as being great hostesses”. “Have you been checking out my aunt then?” you replied and Korra laughed “of course not, I only have eyes for you”. “Sureeee” you laughed but Korra nodded “I do I promise! You’re all I think about and why wouldn’t I? You’re the most interesting girl I’ve ever met. I’m crazy about you”. You blushed under Korra’s intense gaze but didn’t look away. “I....I don’t know what to say” you finally spoke up and Korra shrugged “well then how about we don’t bother talking anymore?”. Time seemed to freeze and you viewed the present in slow motion as Korra cupped your cheek gently and leant forwards. You liked the way her hands felt on you and instinctively leant into her before your brain caught up with the situation. “Wait! Korra I can’t” you said your heart hammering in your chest and the avatar frowned inches away from you. “You can’t? why? Do you not find me attractive?” Korra asked. “No of course I find you very attractive, i’ve never seen a human being I find more attractive than you” you admitted very flustered. “Then what’s the problem?” Korra asked and you sighed “the problem is I don’t just want to hook up with you a few times and be done with it. I know some people like that kind of thing and i’m sure as the avatar it is the perfect option but I’m not like that. Casual one night stands just aren’t my thing so I’m sorry I have to decline. Please don’t ask me again” and you rushed away. Korra called after you but you clearly wanted to be left alone so she didn’t follow you. She hung her head in her hands at how messed up things had gotten.

When Korra had allowed herself to wallow for a bit she came back inside to find the party over. She made her way to her shared room and found Asami waiting. “Korra where have you been we were all worried sick and...” Asami started when she caught sight of Korra’s expression and stopped abruptly.  “What’s wrong?” Asami asked and Korra sighed “you gave me terrible advice that’s what!”. Korra explained the situation more and Asami felt awful. Being more experienced with relationships Korra had come to Asami for advice on how to approach her feelings for you and it hadn’t worked well. Given Korra’s past approach of blurting out her love for people without a second thought, Asami advised Korra to try a different approach with you but she hadn’t meant it so literally. Instead of being serious or passionate Korra had been entirely flirty and forward with you. No substance just fun. So you’d wrongly gotten the idea all Korra wanted was a fun fling when she actually was madly infatuated with you and wanted far more long term things with you. Asami wasn’t sure what she could do but seeing Korra so distraught she knew she had to try and help her friend.

So Asami made her way to your room hoping you wouldn’t mind such a late-night visit. Asami knocked on your door and heard movement inside. There was a pause before she heard you call “who is it?” nervously. “It’s Asami” she called back “I need to speak to you”. The door opened slowly and Asami saw you looked upset. “Did Korra send you”? you asked quietly “because she didn’t do anything wrong I just need some space”. “No she didn’t send me but I am here because of her, I need to confess something”. Your eyes widened in confusion but you nodded and let Asami into your room. The minute you turned to face her Asami burst “It’s my fault! Korra came to me when she realised she liked you and asked me for advice. She was terrified of messing this up and doing what she did with Mako...with him she’d blurted out a lot of intense things right away and so I told her to do the opposite. I suggested she just toned down the seriousness and had fun with you. Flirt a little and try and gauge how you were feeling before she confessed her whole heart to you. But it seems she took my advice too much and now you don’t think her intentions are good at all which is not the case! Korra very much likes you for more than just your appearance and she has for a while”. You stared at Asami at an apparent loss for words “so Korra was...what acting?”. Asami shrugged “kind of, she was putting on this cocky flirty front when she’s actually a lot more emotional and sweet...she didn’t mean to come across so forward she was just following my advice which backfired horribly. I’m so sorry it upset you I promise that was not her intention at all. If you want to blame anyone blame me”. You assured Asami you weren’t upset with her and spent the next half hour understanding how the situation had gone so wrong. You were very excited by the end of it and couldn’t wait till morning to speak with Korra. Asami told you she was in their room and wouldn’t mind you disturbing her so late.

So you rushed to Korra’s shared room and knocked on the door lightly. Your stomach was bubbling with butterflies and you weren’t sure what you were going to say when you saw her. The door didn’t open so you knocked louder hoping Korra wasn’t asleep. Still there was no sound from inside so you frowned and decided she must be asleep. You didn’t want to wake her so started to retreat from the room when you heard a loud thud from inside. “Korra?” you called through the door “are you okay?”. You got no reply and were growing more and more concerned when you heard something smash inside followed by a grunt of pain. “Korra?” you yelled through the door and began bending the metal of the lock. The door swung open and you saw the room was an utter mess. Naga was unconscious on the floor and by the window...four people had a struggling Korra in their arms. She looked very weak and wasn’t putting up much of a fight so you figured she must’ve been drugged. “Korra!” you cried rushing into the room. You had no idea who these people were but you weren’t letting them take Korra. You launched into a flurry of attacks and managed to land a few hits on the earth and water bender. The air bender sent a gust which knocked you back but you were quick on your feet and pursued them leaping out of the window. You yelled as you chased them quickly attracting the attention of the guards who sounded the alarm. Suyin appeared as did her guard Kuvira and they helped cut the quartet off. “You have nowhere left to go, let her go” you glared and the leader just smiled “never”. You looked at Korra lying limp at their feet and felt rage take you. “Then i’ll drag her from you myself” and ran at him.

3 hours later

You were sat in the infirmary beside an unconscious Korra waiting for the effect of the drug to wear off. Everyone else had gradually retreated to bed but you couldn’t sleep. The adrenaline from the fight was still pulsing through your veins and was only overshadowed by your worry for Korra. You’d won the fight with the help of Suyin, her guards and Korra’s friends but still the drug they’d used hadn’t worn off. Your eyes fell to her for what felt like the hundredth time and you sighed “please wake up”. Finally Korra listened. With a loud gasp Korra jolted awake and you scrambled to your feet. “Korra breath! You’re okay, you’re safe just breathe!” you commanded and Korra slowly began to calm down. “Y/n? What happened?”. “The White Lotus, I didn’t realise it was them at first but i’ve been briefed on them. They tried to kidnap you when you were a kid and they tried again tonight”. You saw Korra shiver at that and frowned. “But never mind them” you sighed wrapping an extra blanket around her shoulders “how are you feeling?”. Korra frowned “okay...a bit groggy like i’ve come out of a really heavy sleep but it’s not too bad. It’s getting better. How are you?” she asked and you froze “me?”. “Yeah” Korra said offering you a small smile “you don’t look like you’ve slept a wink”. You chuckled softly “I haven’t. I wanted to see you wake up first and make sure you were okay. I haven’t been able to rest since it happened...I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw them with you I was so angry but you’re okay now and that’s all that matters". Korra smiled at you "yeah I'm okay now...thanks to you". It wasn’t the usual cocky smirks she sent you. Instead it was a sweet tired smile but it made your heart hammer in your chest just as much. "Do you remember much?" you asked and she shook her head. "No I remember something hitting Naga. I went to look at it when one hit me too. I backed away from the window as the world began to spin and then everything went blurry...the next thing I remember was seeing you in my doorway. You attacked whoever had me and I fell. I remember being unable to move and seeing you send rocks flying through the air. You were terrifying" she laughed "a woman possessed". "Of course I was they were going to take you! I know I might have sent mixed messages last night but I like you Korra. I was coming to tell you that. Asami explained to me what happened and why you behave as you do around me". Korra blushed at that "what were you coming to say to me?". "Well I was coming to ask if it was true, did you really put on a mask around me, acting all confident and promiscuous?". Korra nodded "yeah...I meant everything I said to you I wasn’t lying about my attraction but I was doing the opposite of what I'd usually do because my last relationship didn’t work out well. I came on too intense too quick so I tried to take a more fun carefree approach but that didn’t work. I'm sorry I offended you or made you think I was only interested in you for one thing. I do think you’re gorgeous but that's just one of many things I like about you and by no means the most important". Korra blushed looking down and you found her adorable. How had she hidden this side of her so well? "So is this, you know, the real you?" you asked double-checking. Korra nodded "yep, this is me. I'm emotional, reckless and I always say the wrong thing. I have no tact and just say what I'm thinking. Now you can probably see why I was trying to act so put together and impressive before. They're much more attractive qualities". "Maybe" you shrugged "but I think this side of you is just as attractive, more so actually because it's real and it's beautiful. You're wonderful Korra exactly as you are". Korra stared at you in shock and you just smiled at her. "I...I..." she babbled and you smirked "how about I kiss you to save you having to speak?". "Yes please" the avatar breathed and you gently placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her. The kiss was sweet and Korra seemed uncharacteristically shy. She pulled back blushing vividly and you smiled at her reaction "how was it?". "Good...amazing" she replied and you smiled "great". Korra looked up at you but blushed as soon as she met your eye and you smiled taking her hand softly "I like you Korra and that kiss was good for me too, if you’d like to make it a more frequent thing we could go out on a date sometime?". "I'd love that!" Korra agreed before wincing "too eager?". "No it was adorable like you" you smiled kissing her forehead "now it really is late. You should try and get some rest, something tells me the next few days are going to be very long and strenuous". Korra nodded "I agree, goodnight y/n". "Goodnight Korra" you smiled and closed her door softly. The avatar wasn’t a womaniser but a shy bashful passionate woman. You were pleasantly surprised and couldn’t wait to see all the different layers of her left to discover.

____

Korra is 100% one of those people that’s all talk but is actually a huge softie romantically. Asami is one lucky lady (althought she’s also amazing so Korra is lucky too).

Also why is there so little Korra content out there? Her and Huan Beifong are very under-represented in the fanfiction game and I am personally offended by that 😂