#if only they had been able to polish it more before release. i kind of felt like i was beta testing something with all the bugs

[notfebruary]

sonic frontiers dlc has been conquered !

and as is tradition for most(if not all) fully 3D sonic games, the most difficult enemy to conquer on any playable character is the camera angle lmao

[xbruised-peachx]

I NEED MORE GROMSKO SHIBARI IVE BEEN RE READING THAT SECTION FOR DAAAYS (specifically him in shibari you wrote it so good please 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺)

𝔾𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕚

bc this has been rotating in my mind for a while as well (apologies to anon im sure this was written a while ago but i finally got to it so!) render by me, full version on my pat :3c Word Count: 3,946 Tags: Shibari/Ropeplay, fem!reader, denial/slight edging, lots of teasing, language kink (reader only slightly knows Polish aka me I've been learning lol), slight size kink, riding, creampie, not proofread (aka eve is gonna kill me for the Polish in this fic LMAO) Translations at the end 🔞+ STORY MDNI

“Here... Let me just...” He was talking under his breath, trying to adjust the meters of rope to find the middle. It wasn’t perfect, not some nice silky rope either, he said he didn’t want that. Instead it was brown and twine-like, like the one that always hung around his waist. He folded it again, leaving it in a nice quarter for you, or at least as close as he could get from just eyeballing it. “There... Now, we’re at step one.”

He chuckled softly as you looked off to your side, a printed guide with many steps over there. He gave you the rope, a look of sympathy on his face. You probably weren’t hiding your nerves too well from his expression. He gave you a soft kiss on the cheek, unable to stop smiling as he did. “Masz to, kochanie... I trust you, you know that...” 

You smiled, nodding as you met his eyes after looking up from the instructions. “I know... Hmmmph... But the first step is having your arms behind your back. How are you gonna help me like that?”

He chuckled again, shrugging his shoulders. “I mean... kind of the point of it is that I’m slightly helpless but here...” He bounced his leg slightly, signaling for you to get off his lap. It made you laugh slightly as a jolt of pleasure ran up your spine, no doubt he had other motives as well as you were both undressed. His thick thigh rubbing against your pussy released just a little bit of tension from you. He turned once you were off, facing the instructions as he held his arms in position behind him. You held the bite of the rope cautiously, looking slightly over his shoulder. “I’ll try and tell you, and I’ll tell you the knots, just like we practiced.”

You nodded, still looking over his shoulder, your nose resting on it as you slowly pulled the bite under both his arms, letting the ends hang down. You pulled up on the bite, giving yourself some more room as you started to wrap it around his wrists three times. He told you himself he’d probably need more reinforcement, even if he didn’t resist you. He was a big, strong military man, through and through. But, God, it made you want to see his big body tied up even more. You tried to not fantasize too much in your head as you wrapped, just wanting to experience it all first hand. You kissed the back of his shoulder as you lifted up, letting your breath linger with your smile against his skin as you looked back at the strong rope holding him. “Okay... what knot first, Sobi?”

He cleared his throat lightly, taking a deep breath as he looked down at the notes. “Mmm... I’d say a box tie.” You nodded, remembering him showing you all the types of knots and ties you could do safely. He joked while showing you, saying the military was useful for more than just survival to him... that it was finally coming into use in the bedroom. He felt you tighten it, nodding to give approval that it felt good, secure and not too tight. “Now just wrap it around my left arm, bring it around my chest, then around the right.”

You remembered him saying not to place it too low so it wouldn’t hurt him, nor too high lest it just slip down. Cautiously, you brought it up and around, letting it touch his bicep before lightly pulling it across his chest as your other arm held it onto his bicep. “Right here?”

“Hmm...” Still able to move his arm slightly, he wiggled it slowly, making your hand softly caress his flexing bicep in the process. From the outside looking in, he didn’t seem ripped, but easily he could out-lift anyone he knew, his strong abs and muscles protected by a nice, soft layer of fat that made him so inviting to you. Like your own big teddy bear. “A little higher, like... above the bicep, barely where my shoulder ends... if that makes sense.”

You nodded, listening to him, he had to know himself the best. Slowly, with your arm still caressing him, you pushed the rope up. You heard him take a deep breath out of his nose, truly taking in the feeling of your soft hands against him, your naked body pressed against him. You pushed it even more, leaning up to his ear as you continued pulling the rope across his chest with your other hand. “Like this~?”

He gasped softly as the rope wrapped softly around his other arm, around the same area, taking in the feeling of your soft hands and the rough rope. “Tak~... Y-yes, I like it, kochanie...” His eyes were shut, only cracking open as you started to chuckle.

“No, no... like, ‘jak to?’ As in, is it okay there for position?”

“Oh... heheh, y-yeah, feels perfect there.”

He looked back at you, already his pupils starting to dilate from pleasure. “Mmmm...” you playfully scolded him, “you’re already losing yourself, baby. Got to keep it together, we’ve barely even started.”

He pouted back at you, just playing into the lighthearted joking. “I know... Mmm~... I guess you’re just a natural at it... already making me feel good.” He smiled at you, giving you a wink as you started blushing. He looked down at the instructions, squinting at the next step before taking a harsher breath out. “O, ja pierdolę... right, you have to go around more times now... So, uh, you’ll go under that one on my left and just wrap around... Don’t tease me too much, please, kotku?”

You smiled devilishly, doing as he said, pulling the rope under, but letting your fingers trail up his arm to his shoulder as you pulled it around. “No promises...” As you pulled the rope around his chest, you let your fingers interlace on the rope. They trailed gently across him, his soft hair and chest being teased, also acting as a double check to make sure it wasn’t too tight. He rolled his neck back, a soft kurwa escaping his lips as he loved your delicate touch against him, contrasting beautifully against the ropes that bound him, hugging his body roughly, but also comforting. You chuckled, catching his mouth as he leaned back, continuing to pull the rope around. Instantly, the kiss was deepened as he groaned softly in your mouth, his tongue trying to enter as soon as he could. He was desperate, even now, even just at the beginning. It was cute in its own way, but you couldn’t let him have everything, especially with the way he teases you himself. You let your tongue meet his for a moment, but quickly pulled away with a cheeky grin, watching as his face turned from confusion to frustration, letting out a little huff out of his nose. You looked over his shoulder at the directions again, because lord knew he wasn’t looking.

You pulled the rope under the stem, leading it over and around, then over and around again, until you repeated on the stem. It was hard to read the instructions from here, but you could tell the knot was secure but adjustable. He took a deep breath, leaning his head up slowly as he looked back at the directions himself. He attempted to wiggle his arms, but couldn’t get much of anywhere, ensuring it was perfect. He smiled softly as he read. “Okay... there’s another rope over there, you’re gonna attach it to the other one. Remember the ‘lark’s head’ knot?” You nodded, reaching over to grab the other long rope he had already prepared for you.

“It’s so nice how prepared you are, Sobi,” you smiled, genuinely complimenting him. He smiled softly, chuckling in response.

“Mmm, what can I say? A lovely lady like you who trusts me with her heart asks me if it’s okay to do one of my fantasies? Heh... Am I not supposed to make her life easier?”

You smiled, pulling down on the knot as tight as you could to keep it secure. “You say that like it isn’t a fantasy of mine as well... You’ve tied me up and just... I wanted to see you in it.”

He looked back at you, a smile on his face as his cheeks flushed red softly. “How are you liking it so far?”

“Better than I imagined even,” you said with a big smile on your face, pulling the rope around his arm, this time going under his chest, your pinky playfully twirling in the hair on his chest leading down to his stomach. “I really love how it looks on your arms... Mmm, you already know how much I love hanging off them as is, so...”

He laughed softly, his laugh trailing into a heavier breath as your fingers continued dancing softly on his skin. “That you do... I imagine we have a similar feeling when I wrap it around your thighs, see that little bit of squish.”

“Probably it’s something similar... but your arms are too firm to squish,” your voice trailed off, bringing one of your hands up to run along his bicep again as you brought the rope around a second time, leaning up to his ear, letting your breath softly trace the shell of it. “So big and strong... everytime I touch you like this I just... mmm~, I want those arms doing something else to me.”

He smiled a devilish smile, just barely turning towards you as you slowly nuzzled yourself in the crook of his neck. “Mmm~, and you are worried about me getting worked up? Seems you are working yourself up, kochanie... I can feel your hips rubbing on my back right now.”

You hadn’t even noticed it, but he was right. A blush further spread across your cheeks as you backed away, finishing pulling the rope around. You did the same sort of securing, pulling it up and around a few times around all three branches of the rope. Looking back over his shoulder, he beat you to it, leaning to read himself. “Now’s time for the front.”

You smiled widely at him as he gave you a knowing glance. “Lap time again?”

He shook his head softly, “Not quite, it’s just you have to wrap it around my shoulders in the front, then you can get back in my lap... Trust me, I want it more than anything right now.”

You chuckled softly, pulling the rope through his arm to the front, starting to wrap to his shoulder. “Hehe... I can tell,” you said as you looked down to his growing hard on. It was clear he was into this, his tip pink and barely poking out. You smiled deviously, reaching down with your free hand to pull lightly to get his foreskin fully out of the way, making him quickly suck a breath through his teeth at not only your touch, but the feeling of the air hitting his sensitive tip.

“K-kurwa~! Kotku, I-... shit, you can’t just do that without warning...”

You smiled, feeling a little guilty but you knew he wasn’t too serious, just frustrated from all the teasing... how the tables have turned on him so suddenly. “Mmm~... sorry, you just looked like you needed just a little release...” You pulled the rope over his shoulder and to his back, pulling around and under to meet his other arm, pulling it through. “You seem so pent up, Sobi. Am I wrong?”

You tilted your head cutely as you asked him a question, sitting at his side as you sat there, waiting for his answer. He shook his head, his eyes almost pleading with you as he met yours. “No... God, no you aren’t. I really need this, baby please...”

You smiled at him, pity in your expression as you pulled the rope over his shoulder, reaching the end of it. There was one more rope left, this one a little shorter than the other two. You leaned over his lap, arching your back to tease him more. Your breast against his thigh as you read the instructions, your ass in the air so tantalizing to him, he groaned, cursing under his breath and making you smile more. “O mój kurwa boże...”

“Hmmm...” you played ignorant of your teasing, just reading what comes next in the directions. “Oh! Now it’s lap time!”

“Ohhh... great~...” His voice dripped with sarcasm as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. You couldn’t help but laugh softly at him not being able to take such teasing. Though you suppose, this was a whole different level for him; rather than him just touching along your inner thighs, teasing the outside of your lips, or making his hand go the same pace as your grinding hips. His hands were literally bound as you were bent over in front of him so alluring, your naked body literally right within reach, but was physically incapable of being the palm of his hands.

You tied the last rope in the back, pulling it up and through his arm then letting it dangle, the rope tickling at his thighs. He bit his lip as you saw you readjust, coming back around to his front. Meeting his eyes, you picked up the rope, letting the end graze along his thighs in a tantalizing way, holding it in your other hand as you came to straddle his lap. He looked you up and down, his breath getting heavier moment by moment, seeing how close you were to him, hell, even able to feel the heat from your pussy as it sat inches away. “Don’t tease me too much... I know I keep saying it but... Kurwa, I don’t know how much more I can take...”

His voice trailed off into a more desperate tone, almost sounding like he was whimpering, begging you to give him what he so desperately wanted. You only gave him a pitiful smile, “I’ll try... But it’s a little... hard when I feel you so excited under me. Mmm~...” You let your hips just barely scoot forward on him, earning a groan from him but you said to yourself it was just you adjusting as you pulled the rope across the right under the opposite collarbone. “ It’s just so tempting...”

He chuckled, barely bucking his hips up to yours, making you gasp softly and nearly lose your grip on the rope. “I can say the same for you, kochanie~... So, so tempting...”

You giggled, feeling his cock nestled right at your entrance but unable to enter. Unintentionally, he just led himself into this little trap... a little trap that left him yearning to be inside you even more. “It’s only a little more, miśku... then I’ll have my way with you...” You let your hands trail more on him as you pulled the rope across to the other side, going over then under, making sure to take your time tying a decorative knot at the front of him. You watched him intently as his chest rose and fell rhythmically, despite the deep breaths he was taking. His own eyes watched as your small, delicate hands tied the twine on him, watching those perfect hands expertly work the frayed, imperfect rope.

He whined softly as he wiggled his hands, feeling your wet pussy pressed against him. He knew you wanted this, though your hands went slow, it was just to mess with him more. So you could just feel him get harder under you. He didn’t even think he could get so turned out, but the harsh ropes binding him, making it so he couldn’t touch you. He could only groan in frustration, though the denial only excited him more.

You pulled the rope under the one by his arm and pulled through his arm, letting it rest behind him. You leaned up to his ear, unintentionally grinding yourself on him again as your sultry voice whispered in his ear, “Just one more knot... then I’m done.”

His breath hitched as you spoke, his hips desperately rising to meet yours again, anything to help with this painful hard-on he had. But you didn’t help at all, wrapping your arms around him and leaning over his shoulder, nuzzled close by his neck as you tied the final knot. So close to him, you were able to hear the little whines he let out under his breath as he grinded himself into your core. You bit your lip, suppressing yourself from letting out your own moan. “Pragnę cię tak bardzo, kochanie... Pr-... Pleeeaase~...” He desperately whined as he grinded himself further into your now sopping wet cunt, trying to tie that knot faster as you couldn’t resist him anymore either.

You finally finished it off, pulling your arms out from around him and immediately locking them around his neck, pulling him close as you kissed him messily. He didn’t help at all with the mess, barely able to control himself as he pushed himself into you, his tongue running along your bottom lip within seconds. You welcomed him in though, fingers interlacing with the bottom of his hair as you pulled him even closer.

Still grinding, even with your tongues interlocking, he was wanting so much more. He pulled away his eyes half lidded as his pupils dilated with lust. “Proszę, baby, fuck me already~... Boże, I can feel how wet and I just... Potrzebuję cię, kochanie~... I’ll do anything...”

His begging turned you on even more, it made you not want to do as he said... just so you could hear it more. But you couldn’t resist it either. Slowly you pulled yourself off his lap, just to tease him more, build more anticipation in him. He helped out, wiggling his hips down the bed more so they were parallel with it. You reached down to him, holding him by the base, feeling it throb with just your fingers as you lined yourself up. Slowly slipping your entrance on him, you expect some more resistance with the lack of foreplay, but after a couple little pushes, you were able to take him in, moaning as you slowly slid down, taking him to the base. He watched for as long as he could, until he just succumbed to his own pleasure, moaning softly and closing his eyes, head falling back just barely. You smiled devilishly, seeing him already losing himself in you. You wait for his eyes to open, looking at you with such desire before you asked, “...You ready?”

He chuckled softly, biting his lip as he bucked his hips up, egging you on to continue, “As ready as ever... How about you?”

You rolled your eyes at him light-heartedly, putting your hands on his shoulders as you slowly moved up. “Mmm~... maybe I should tie your legs next time too.”

He laughed, letting out a deep exhale through pursed lips, “Don’t know about that one, baby... Nggh~... already... hard enough as is.” As you slid back down, he leaned forward, getting right by your ear as you gasped, him doing another little thrust to push himself deeper inside. “Nie masz pojęcia, co mi zrobiłeś... How badly I want to grab your hips and fuck you so hard right now.” His voice came out as a growl... so deep and nearly threatening... but with him restrained, he was unable to act on such empty threats of good times.

“Heheh~... But your hands are tied, quite literally...” You ran your hands down his shoulders, running them down to where the ropes crossed in front, holding onto that for balance as you pulled yourself up again. He groaned, kissing onto your jaw as he cursed under his breath. “I’m the one in control here, Sobi... Mmm~, and I’ll fuck you so good if you just sit back and enjoy it...”

You felt him nod softly, lifting off your jaw as he met your eyes again, reaching right by his head before going down again, starting your rhythm of riding him. He watched you carefully as you took him in so expertly, his mouth sitting slightly agape as his breath got heavier. You started to roll your hips, earning a more needy moan from him as his head went back, and you saw slightly behind him, his hands balling into fists as his moan turned to a whimper. You felt so powerful right now, turning this huge, strong man to whining and begging under you, despite you still having to look up at him as you hit the tip of his cock. That thick hard cock too... you couldn’t get enough of it. When your hips rolled just right, it hit that spot inside that had you shutting your eyes as well, clinging even harder on the ropes. So focused on riding him, you could only let out heavy pants but once he bucked his hips, seeing him hit the spot inside you, you couldn’t help but cry out, cursing under your breath.

As you continued, he kept up his own little thrust inside you, making you moan more and more. Part of you wondered if he was chasing his own climax, or if he was just trying to make you feel good. Everytime you moaned though, breathily saying his name, you would see his arm wiggle, shoulder desperately trying to reach to you but being unsuccessful. He pulled himself forward, resting his head on the crook of your neck as he moaned more, his thrusts getting slightly more erratic. “Mój Boże~... proszę, baby... I’m so... Kurwa~, I’m so fucking close, are you?”

You giggled softly, feeling yourself on the edge but just barely there yourself. “Just about~... Ahh~! I-I’ll get there soon, just finish whenever, babe...”

“C-can I cum inside you? Please, please, please, kochanie, I want to so badly, pleeeeaase~...” He desperately whined, whimpering as he started to increase the pace of his thrusts, making you moan and your own climax approached just as quickly.

You giggled softly, leaning over to whisper in his ear. “Oh~... you will finish inside me... Nggh~... Come on, Sobi... Do it, cum inside me make me yours~”

Those words pushed him over the edge, biting onto your shoulder as he pushed down as hard as he could, cumming with a growl that turned quickly to a whimper. Erratically pushing himself deeper inside with little thrusts, you felt the warmth go even deeper inside you. Those deep thrusts against you nearly sent you over the edge, but as he slowly came down from his high, he pulled back, thrusting harshly as he let out one final spurt of cum right into your g-spot. Feeling that warmth all pressed against you, you hit your climax, moaning out his name as you came. He admired the sight, finally coming down fully to see you shaking, bouncing slightly on his still hard cock. He kissed your neck, encouraging you as you came down. “So good, kochanie... You fucked me so well, kotku... Moja piękna dziewczyna~... so beautiful cumming for me...”

You caught your breath, coming down to his wonderful words, leaning over and catching his lips as they lifted, bringing him in for a much more passionate kiss. When you leaned back, opening your eyes slowly, the both of you were smiling, unable to hold back the love you felt just from gazing at each other.

“Thank you, kochanie...” He wiggled his arms, making sure you could see it. “Now, could you uh... untie me? I just want to hold you now...”

Translations! Masz to, kochanie- You got this, baby Tak- Yes Jak to- Like this, jak being the comparative "like" rather than the enjoyment "like" O, ja pierdolę- Oh, fuck me Kotku- kitty/kitten Kurwa- fuck O mój kurwa boże- Oh my fucking god Miśku- bear (diminutive) Pragnę cię tak bardzo, kochanie- I want you so bad, baby Proszę- Please Potrzebuję cię- I need you Nie masz pojęcia, co mi zrobiłeś- You have no idea what you've done to me Moja piękna dziewczyna- My beautiful girl

[undoing-anobrains]

you bring me home

part six

series masterlist

wc- 3.6K

They always seem to find each other in the moonlight. As if there's something instinctual and magnetic awoken in them once the pearlescent matter rises in the distance and the sun disappears from sight leaving an explosion of colour in its aftermath. In the dusk Matty can't resist the pull Caroline has over him - he treasures the stolen moments they share in the dim light.

Caroline had been trying to make the time to listen to the boys' latest album in its entirety without being interrupted but she was struggling. She'd heard the singles in the lead up as they were released and she was confident she knew the majority of the other tracks as well just from sharing the studio space with them for the past few weeks but she hadn't yet gotten the opportunity to listen to the final product.

She was the type of person who needed complete silence and darkness to properly absorb music, at least for the first listen, but she also felt rather embarrassed playing it around the boys. There was no reason for her to be because there was absolutely no shame in acknowledging her brother and her friends' talent and she would fully admit to being a fan but they had never witnessed her reactions to their music before. Even if he was her brother, she figured George would have been slightly concerned if he'd seen her reaction to 'I always wanna die (sometimes)' two years ago. The point being their music was a cathartic release for her but she didn't want her initial thoughts to be under the magnifying glass of half the band.

On a random Tuesday evening though her efforts were once again delayed because of Matty's arrival in her room. Lately he'd been turning up at her door earlier and earlier, sometimes to talk, sometimes just to content to linger in silence to be close to Caroline as she browsed journal articles. His head typically ended up on her shoulder and more often than not she found him following them as well. It was rather amusing when he'd ask her at the end 'what the fuck does hypofractionation mean?' and 'I don't know how you read this with a straight face love' when she was reviewing data on the acute side effects a potential breakthrough drug had on gut function.

This time though he was flicking through her belongings absent-mindedly until his fingers danced over the black bottle of nail varnish she kept on the wooden dresser alongside her makeup. Seconds later Matty was eagerly asking her if she'd do his nails and Caroline obliged because she'd never been able to say no to Matty. Not when she should have and certainly not now.

The nail polish let out loud clinks as they hit against each other inside the clear container she stored them in. Caroline placed it gently on her bed in between her and Matty. The potent smell of chemicals intensified as she slowly twirled the lid around until the bottle of black nail varnish was fully open. Taking Matty's hand in hers sent her spiralling. Her fingers brushed against Matty's constantly these days but neither of them had ever dared to be more intimate with it.

Honestly it was kind of insane that she was this receptive to the simple action of holding his band, a seemingly innocuous touch but it ignited an unexpected spark within her. The sensation, so subtle yet electrifying, sent a quiver through her fingertips and settled like a whispering secret in her chest. If only her seventeen year old self could see her now.

Their hands fit together like pieces of a puzzle, as if they were always meant to be intertwined in this way. She could feel the warmth of his palm against hers, a connection that spoke of unspoken understanding and a burgeoning affection. Her breath caught in her throat, a subtle shiver racing up her spine. Holding Matty's hand, her own artistically inclined fingers seemed to tremble with the touch, as if his warmth had triggered a symphony of sensations within her.

Her gaze flickered up from the task at hand, meeting Matty's eyes. His lips curled into a knowing smirk, a spark of playful mischief dancing in his gaze. He was aware – oh, he was all too aware – of the unsteady flutter that had taken residence in her chest.

"Steady there, Caro," his voice, a velvet caress, danced upon the air. "You make it seem like holding my hand is a monumental task."

Caroline's cheeks flushed, a rosy hue that mirrored the delicate patter of her heartbeat. "It's not that," she murmured, her voice betraying her flustered state. "It's just... I didn't expect..."

Matty's grin widened, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Didn't expect that holding my hand would send your heart into a frenzy?"

A soft huff of laughter escaped her, a mixture of embarrassment and fond exasperation. "Oh, fuck off, dickhead. It's not like I'm accustomed to... well, this."

His fingers curled gently around hers, a reassurance that echoed far beyond the playful banter. "I'm just messing with you. You're doing great, love."

She met his gaze again, a mixture of vulnerability and gratitude painting her features. "You know, you really have a way of making the simplest things feel... significant."

Matty's smile softened, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a gesture that spoke volumes. "Maybe it's the significance we assign to them that matters most."

Caroline's breath caught at his words, the air between them thick with unspoken sentiments. "You're so pretentious, but I suppose you're right," she replied softly, her voice carrying the weight of a newfound understanding. "We have a way of infusing meaning into the smallest moments, turning them into something memorable."

Matty's gaze remained fixed on her. "It's like painting a canvas," he mused, his voice carrying a hint of wonder. "A single brushstroke can change the entire tone of a piece. And sometimes, the most unassuming strokes create the most profound beauty."

It never failed to astound Caroline how Matty could romanticise the smallest actions with words that would leave the poets weeping. Just one stroke could completely alter an artwork - just like one moment could forever change two people after years of build-up.

Cautiously she continued to flick the colour across each individual nail with as exact precision she could manage with ever so slightly trembling hands. Caroline could feel herself biting the inside of her cheek as she examined every little stroke ensuring it was as perfect as possible. Even though Caroline's hands were shaky they were nothing compared to Matty's. He could never stay still which made it way harder not to smudge the first coat of black polish. She repeated the process with each nail once they were dry before giving Matty a pointed look "Don't move them for the next ten minutes," and at the incredulous one he sent her in return she sighed "you'll fuck them up if you don't let it dry first and then they'll look like shit."

To her surprise Matty seemed to actually concentrate on keeping them still after that so Caroline asked something which had been playing on her mind recently in as casual a tone as she could manage "So, have you guys been planning any post-album release celebrations?"

Matty's eyes held a playful glint as he leaned back a little, clearly welcoming the diversion from the drying nail polish. "Yeah actually, it's been a weird one to figure out but when the rules lighten up a bit next week Ross, Hann and Carly are going to come out here for the night" he replied with a nonchalant shrug. "it's just going to be a chill little party with the boys, it's kind of weird you know - this is the longest we've ever been apart and I genuinely think if I hadn't had George here I would've gone mental."

“I get it," Caroline nodded "you lot are genuinely like brothers. It must have been really hard to be apart from them for this long. But the party's a good shout, we all need it."

Caroline was actually thrilled to hear the other half of the band were going to be joining them next week. Adam had been one of her closest friends for years now but she hadn't seen him or Ross in nearly a year now because of everything that had gone down and how busy work had been for her before that. The last time had been when they headlined Reading and she'd gone to support them.

“It has been," he nodded in agreement "but luckily I've had this really cool girl to keep me company."

"Oh yeah,? Caroline raised a brow "do tell me more."

"Well, this really cool girl happens to have an uncanny ability to make even the most mundane moments feel like an adventure. She's got this way of brightening up the room with just a smile, and her laughter is like music that you can't help but dance to. And even though she's got shit taste in wine I can't stop thinking about her."

Caroline was proud of how neutral she was able to keep her expression after the string of compliments, instead a playful smile tugged at the corners of her lips "sounds like quite the character. I bet she's a handful."

Matty's grin widened, his gaze locked onto hers. "Oh, you have no idea. She's a whirlwind of wit and charm, always keeping me on my toes. And seriously intelligent it's amazing - she's got this incredible depth to her, I've never met anyone like her."

Caroline felt a warm blush creeping up her cheeks, his words painting a picture she never quite saw in herself. "You're exaggerating, Matty."

He shook his head, the sincerity in his expression unwavering. "Not at all. You're one of a kind, Caro."

Their banter had taken on a more earnest tone, a subtle shift in the air that made their words feel weightier, more significant. As their gazes locked, a fleeting moment passed between them, an unspoken understanding that went beyond the playful façade.

"You're not so bad yourself, Healy," Caroline replied, her voice softer than before. "In fact, you're kind of growing on me."

Matty's laughter rang out, a warm and genuine sound that filled the space around them. "Growing on you, am I? If I recall correctly I think you're underselling it love."

Immediately deflecting, Caroline examined his nails which were luckily dry now so she could use it as an excuse "would you look at that," she remarked "my artistry is dry now so you can move again."

"Very convenient timing," he hummed with a small smirk "thanks love, I'll see you later."

He was infuriatingly pleased with himself for being able to rile her up and it showed with his giddy walk out of her room and smug expression. And Caroline was left with the realisation that she couldn't possibly deny that the feelings were reciprocated after that.

❦

Their interactions had become charged with an unspoken tension, a magnetic pull that neither of them could resist. Caroline would catch herself openly blushing at the double entendres that slipped from Matty's lips, and she'd respond with a witty retort that left him grinning. Their playful back-and-forths were a testament to the growing fire that burned brighter between them with each passing day.

Late nights in the studio turned into stolen glances and lingering touches. Matty's fingers would brush against Caroline's as they shared a laugh, and the electricity that sparked between them was undeniable. Their conversations grew more intimate, delving into deeper topics as they shared their hopes, dreams, and fears. It was as if they had built a bridge between their worlds, allowing them to cross into each other's thoughts and feelings.

And then there were the stolen moments—those fleeting instances where their eyes would lock and time seemed to stand still. In those moments, they communicated without words, a silent exchange of emotions that left them both breathless. Yet, despite the undeniable chemistry that simmered between them, they both held back. It was as if they were standing on the edge of a precipice, gazing into the depths below, unsure of whether to take the plunge. Fear of crossing that line and risking their friendship held them back, even as their hearts yearned for something more.

But the tension was becoming too much to bear, the unspoken words hanging in the air like a melody waiting to be sung. As they sat in the studio one evening, the dim light casting shadows across their faces, it was as if the universe itself conspired to push them closer together. Matty's fingers brushed against Caroline's hand, his touch lingering longer than usual, and she looked up at him with a mixture of vulnerability and longing.

Their eyes locked, and in that moment, the world around them faded away. The unspoken words hung heavy between them, and it was as if they were teetering on the edge of a precipice once more. The uncharted territory of their feelings was both exhilarating and terrifying, and they could no longer ignore the undeniable truth that had been building between them.

Matty would strum a few chords on his guitar, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her heart race. He'd playfully croon a line or two, his voice low and seductive, leaving her momentarily breathless. Caroline, never one to back down from a challenge, would respond with a teasing smile, her voice laced with a hint of suggestion.

"Is this your way of serenading me, Healy?" she'd quip, her fingers tracing patterns on the edge of the mixing board.

Matty would chuckle, his eyes never leaving hers. "Maybe, Caro. Or maybe I just can't resist showing off for you."

Their playful exchanges were like a secret language, a way of communicating their growing feelings without the need for overt declarations. Matty's touches became more lingering, his fingers brushing against hers when passing her a cup of coffee or playfully tousling her hair. Caroline found herself leaning into his proximity, relishing the warmth of his presence and the electricity that crackled between them.

Nights spent in the studio became their haven, where they shared whispered confidences and private jokes that only they understood. Matty would strum his guitar while Caroline lounged on the couch, their eyes locking in a silent understanding that transcended words. And when the music faded, it was replaced by a charged silence, a moment permeating unspoken desires.

❦

Their game of flirtation reached its pinnacle during a game night that Louis had organized. The atmosphere was relaxed, the laughter contagious as they played rounds of charades and board games. Matty's eyes seemed to follow Caroline's every move, his gaze lingering on her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

During a particularly competitive round of Monopoly where they'd been secretly robbing money off of George all night, Matty leaned in close to her ear, his voice low and sultry. "I have a feeling we'd make a pretty good team in private too, Caro."

Caroline's breath caught, her heart racing as his words sent a rush of heat through her veins. She shot him a playful glance, her lips curling into a smirk. "Oh, is that right? Are you suggesting we team up for some private games?"

Matty's lips quirked up in a mischievous smile. "You have no idea what kind of games I have in mind, Caro."

Their eyes locked in a charged moment, the air between them thick with unspoken promises. And as the game night continued, their flirtation took on a new level of intensity, a dance of desire that left them both exhilarated and yearning for more.

In the midst of their playful banter and lingering touches, they both knew that the line between friendship and something more had blurred beyond recognition. The studio, once a place of music and creativity, had become a canvas for their emotions, a space where their hearts were laid bare through stolen glances and whispered words.

And as the days turned into nights, and the flirtation evolved into something deeper, they found themselves standing at the edge of something beautiful and unknown, on the precipice of crossing the boundary from friendship to romance. The studio's walls held the echoes of their laughter, their music, and the unspoken promise of what could be—a love story in the making, written in notes and lyrics, and sealed with stolen glances and tender moments.

Caroline's heart raced, her cheeks tinged with a rosy hue. "Oh, is that so?" she replied, her voice a playful whisper. "Are you suggesting that we're becoming dangerously close?"

Matty's lips curved into a smug smile. "I wouldn't say dangerously," he countered, his tone dripping with flirtatious charm. "But definitely... intriguingly close."

Their banter was a dance of words, a playful exchange that carried with it a magnetic pull. With each passing day, their boundaries blurred, and what had started as friendly teasing began to hold a deeper resonance.

One evening, as they lounged in the living area of the studio, Caroline let out a contented sigh. "You know," she said softly, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames in the fireplace, "I never thought I'd find myself in a place like this."

Matty's gaze shifted to her, his expression curious. "What do you mean?"

Caroline turned to meet his eyes, a genuine smile gracing her lips. "I mean, in the company of someone who makes me feel... seen, appreciated. It's been a long time since I've felt this way."

Matty's fingers brushed against hers, a gentle touch that sent a shiver down her spine. "Caroline," he said softly, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity, "you deserve to be with someone who sees your worth and appreciates you for who you are."

Their eyes locked in a moment of quiet understanding, and Caroline felt her heart swell with a mixture of vulnerability and hope. In that instant, the flirtatious banter, the shared laughter, and the unspoken emotions came together to form a tapestry of connection that felt undeniably real. And as the future remained uncertain, one thing was clear: they were no longer just friends; they were two souls entwined in a journey of discovery, where each stolen glance and whispered word carried the promise of something more.

The studio held its secrets like a silent confidante, the walls witnesses to the clandestine dance between Matty and Caroline. Their newfound connection had blossomed into something they both yearned for, a tender and exhilarating romance that sent their hearts racing with each stolen moment.

It was a game of secrecy, of stolen glances across the room when they thought no one was looking. Matty's fingers brushed against Caroline's whenever they passed each other, a fleeting touch that left her skin tingling with anticipation. Their conversations were laced with double meanings, every innocent word carrying a hidden subtext that only they could decipher.

Late nights took on a new intensity. As Louis and George retired for the evening, Matty and Caroline found themselves alone, the world reduced to the confined space where music and emotions intertwined. They would sit side by side on the couch, their shoulders brushing against each other, as they whispered secrets that only the night could hear.

"I can't believe we're sneaking around like teenagers," Caroline would murmur with a soft laugh, her eyes locked onto the moonlight streaming through the window. Thinking of how she would have freaked if she'd known this was how things would end up with Matty all those years ago.

Matty's hand would find hers, their fingers entwining in a silent promise. "It's like our little secret," he'd reply, his voice a low, intimate whisper that sent shivers down her spine.

Caroline would often find herself perched on a stool, her eyes fixed on Matty as he played. The way his fingers moved across the strings held a hypnotic quality, as if the music was an extension of his soul. And when he looked up at her, the intensity in his gaze left her breathless, a silent acknowledgement of the unspoken connection between them.

They would steal kisses in the dimly lit corners of the studio, their lips meeting in stolen moments of tenderness and longing. Every touch was electrified, every glance a promise of what was to come. It was the result of what felt like a lifetime of yearning and restraint, a beautiful torture that neither of them wanted to end. Like the contents of a snow globe come to fruition and Caroline found it almost impossible to believe something so inherently beautiful and sacred could be hers, could be theirs - and only theirs.

taglist: @indierockgirrl

[bamboopanda27]

I might be in the minority here, but I gotta say, it's kind of disappointing to see so many negative reactions towards Silent Hill 2 Remake. I get that Konami doesn't exactly have the best track record with how they've handled the series in recent years. I understand that people have reservations about Bloober Team's involvement and why that is. I know that the original Silent Hill 2 is a very beloved game. And of course, people are entitled to their own opinions.

However, I feel like I see way too much of people just absolutely hating on something online these days, rather than waiting for it to come out and giving it a fair chance. I've lost track of all the times people have completely rallied against a game, show, movie, etc. based off just a few scenes or bits of dialogue. It takes more than that to truly experience and judge media for yourself.

In the case of Silent Hill 2 Remake, I've also already seen numerous rants about things like James having too much expression in certain scenes and being able to block/guard against attacks. I saw that first point floating around online after the teaser trailer released and that was literally the only information to go on. Now, people are complaining about how the combat looks. I feel like people are forgetting or neglecting that Silent Hill has never really had smooth combat. It's always been clunky and awkward to some extent. In my opinion, combat has consistently been the worst part of each Silent Hill game I've played. Story, characters, and atmosphere have been the much stronger parts for me. If anything, it looks like the combat in SH2R will still be an improvement from the original. Just from the brief clips shown in the gameplay trailer, it already appears to be much smoother and more modernized without being too action oriented.

Another thing that bothers me is the trailer even discloses the game is still in development. This isn't a finished product yet, and it's very possible the combat will be more polished once it's done. It could also have been changed quite a bit by then. I think people need to actually wait for the finished game to come out, then experience it for themselves. Like I said before, there's too much of bashing things without ever giving them a fair chance and instead assuming that they'll be terrible, awful, trash, and a myriad of other negative descriptors from the very beginning.

Maybe the game will turn out to be bad and I'll end up feeling disappointed by it. For now though, I'd rather give it the benefit of the doubt and believe it has the potential to be good. I'd rather wait to play the game myself and form my overall opinion on it then.

All this to say I'm frustrated by how quickly and easily people completely dismiss things without giving them a proper chance first. And specifically, it's frustrating to see how much of that type of sentiment has been directed towards Silent Hill 2 Remake, a game that's still in development and doesn't even have a release date yet. At this point, it honestly feels like some people are nitpicking every bit of information or footage that comes out and finding everything "wrong" with it that they possibly can.

[ambrossart]

Paper Men: Ch 29 *PREVIEW*

Okay, this isn't quite as polished as I would like, and the ending still isn't where I want it. It's good enough for the preview, but I'm gonna move on, finish the rest of the chapter, and then come back to the opening with fresh eyes and hope I come up with something better because so far... I'm not loving this as much as I want to. Needless to say, this is NOT representative of the final quality, but I'll have it fixed up before the full release. 😊

The classroom door, closing in her face without a care—not with a slam but with a noiseless, ruthless click.

She’s not worth it.

How could Henry say that? How, after everything they had been through together, could he…?

She’s not worth it.

Evelyn still couldn’t believe it. No, she refused to believe it. This all had to be some kind of bad dream, didn’t it? Yeah, it had to be! Henry’s eyes weren’t black; they were blue, bright blue… the first blue eyes Evelyn had ever seen up close. She would never forget them for as long as she lived. They were wet with tears and overflowing with so much hurt and hate, but in the late-afternoon sun, they sparkled beautifully, like two pools of clear blue water. How pretty, Evelyn had thought, captivated, and that’s when she felt the first tiny prick of something—some sad, sweet, aching feeling that wouldn’t have a name until nine years later, while Evelyn was pinned up against a brick building and blood was trickling from a fresh scrape on her elbow.

It didn’t mean anything, Evelyn.

… well, maybe not to you.

Henry had been crying the day they met. It was a warm August morning, two months after the Crisses had moved to Derry, one day before school was set to start. Evelyn, who was both excited and anxious about her first day of kindergarten, was loafing around Memorial Park and slurping on a grape popsicle that she had purchased from an old man with a pushcart. The popsicle only cost her a quarter. Evelyn, a five-year-old with no real concept of money, thought that was quite a bargain. Two more quarters jingled in her right pocket. They were supposed to buy popsicles for her friends, but neither of them had been able to come outside and play that day. Jimmy was grocery shopping with his mom and Victor was in his room, nursing a headache. Vic always had a headache when Evelyn came around.

“C’mon, I’ll buy you a popsicle!” Evelyn urged from the doorway. “Any flavor you want.”

“I hate popsicles,” Victor Criss answered moodily, his voice muffled by the pillow he held over his face. “They’re sticky and they drip all over you.”

I think you’re just eating them wrong, Evelyn had wanted to say, but there was no convincing Victor Criss when his mind was made up, so instead, she used his quarter to buy herself another grape popsicle. Just one more, she thought. After all, it was the last day of summer vacation.

She consumed her frozen treat while watching the birds splash around in the birdbath. Throughout the afternoon more happy little birds came and went, came and went, came and went, the child’s interest waning with each passing flutter. Adults may have enjoyed their bird-watching, but Evelyn did not. She bought a third popsicle with her last quarter, gobbled it up guilty, and then got a nasty brain freeze. Nature’s punishment, one might say. That’s what you get for being such a greedy little pig, Evelyn. She sat on the bench with her head between her hands until the pain subsided, and when it finally did, she noticed a boy sitting all alone on the curb of Kansas Street. A first-grader, she guessed, or maybe a second-grader; even curled up like he was, the boy looked too big to be a kindergartener.

Regardless, Evelyn crossed the lawn, sat down next to him, and said with a sympathetic frown, “Did you get a brain freeze, too?”

The boy lifted his head off his knees and glared at her with the most frightening, intimidating, beautiful blue eyes Evelyn had ever seen.

“Go away,” he said in a low, threatening voice.

Mesmerized as she was, Evelyn could barely hear him. She watched in silent awe as a tear escaped his eye and rolled down his face, leaving a silver streak of wetness on his cheek. It shimmered in the sunlight and was beautiful too, so beautiful that Evelyn couldn’t resist the mysterious urge that came her over next. Without thinking, she reached her hand toward the boy’s face and—

SLAP!

Evelyn’s eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Sharp, sobering pain shot through each of her five foolish fingers and made her whole hand throb. Wincing, she drew it into her chest and cradled it until the stinging stopped.

“Sorry,” she said in a small, contrite voice. “I forgot.”

Boundaries, Evelyn, she thought presently, while Martin’s hand was creeping up her back and closing into a fist around her hair. It’s been ten years and you still haven’t learned your lesson.

Funnily enough, Henry had been crying on that day, too. On that sleepy Sunday right before freshman-year finals. The day Evelyn’s family went out to the movies and she stayed home because she had to study. The day Henry’s dad beat him so badly he could barely walk. The day he showed up at Evelyn’s house, broken, bruised, and bleeding. The day Evelyn forgot herself and overstepped. The day she ruined everything.

They were sitting side by side on Evelyn’s bed, upon her floral quilt. Henry was bent over and sobbing, sobbing about things Evelyn couldn’t change or fix, things she would never truly understand. At that moment, he seemed so much like the sad little boy Evelyn met in Memorial Park, the boy her mother said was long gone. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes—those bright, beautiful blue eyes—and Evelyn reached for him like she had nine years prior. Like before, she expected him to slap her hand away, but he didn’t. Instead, he leaned into her touch like he was desperate for it, like he craved it, like he was a man freezing to death in the dark and Evelyn’s warmth was the last glowing ember of a dying fire. And just like before, Evelyn was suddenly overcome by that same feeling. Except it wasn’t nameless anymore. Henry had given it a name and then walked away and left her with it. It may not have meant something to him, but it meant everything to her. Evelyn had been nurturing this feeling for years, keeping it secret, keeping it safe, and now it had grown too strong for her to ignore.

(You got greedy, didn’t you?)

Yeah, she thought. Yeah, I did.

It’s been ten years and I still haven’t learned my lesson.  

But she paid for it, oh yes she did. Henry stormed out and slammed the door in her face. He left her sitting alone on her bed, upon her wrinkled floral quilt. He left her stunned and confused, shamefully pulling her bra straps back over her bare shoulders. He left her without answers. Without any explanation. The next day, Evelyn tried to get one and he yelled in her face:

“MAYBE I’M JUST NOT INTERESTED, EVELYN. EVER THINK OF THAT?”

Yes, actually.

Yes, Evelyn had thought of that.

In fact, most of the time she thought of nothing but that.

She thought of it while she was having a panic attack during her English final (and all over a stupid notebook that she didn’t even need). She thought of it while she was lying in the nurse’s office and listening to the old woman lecture her about the importance of school-life balance. She thought of it all summer long while Henry refused to answer her calls. She thought of it while back-to-school shopping with her mom and brother. She thought of it while she was designing those stupid fucking shirts. While Henry was tearing up one of those shirts. Stealing her shirts. When he roughed up her little brother and threw him in the trunk of Belch’s car.

She thought of it while writing her statement for Henry’s expulsion hearing. For some reason, she thought pouring her heart onto those four single-spaced pages would be enough to show how truly sorry she was. But of course it wasn’t. Evelyn didn’t know why she ever expected it to be.

She thought of it while she was trying on that sunshine yellow dress with the flouncy little skirt that went whoosh-whoosh every time she moved her hips.

(If I had been wearing this dress that day, then maybe… no, probably not even then)

She thought of it while Christie Gibson was calling her a bitch behind her back. While she was following Manda Bosch down the hallway and imagining all the possible things that Henry had let her do to him. Because Manda Bosch had curves and was sexy, and Evelyn was just a scrawny little girl playing dress-up in her neighbor’s clothes.

She thought of it while Martin Davers slammed her down on the desk. While she was spiraling down into that cold, dark place. While the guilt was feeding on her flesh and that little voice was laughing at her and saying, You got what you wanted, didn’t you?

She thought of it while Henry Bowers was glaring at her with those cold black eyes, eyes that couldn’t possibly have been his, and telling her she wasn’t worth it. While Henry closed the door and walked away like this was exactly what she deserved.

And he was right, Evelyn thought. In some cruel, twisted way, she did deserve this.

And now Martin Davers was yanking her up by her hair and hissing viciously into her ear:

“See, Tozier?” he said with a contemptuous smile. “Nobody’s interested.”

"I know," Evelyn whimpered, and wilted beneath him.

Martin made a disgusted sound and climbed off her, but before he did, he threw Evelyn's head down so hard her head bounced off the desk and her teeth clicked together over her tongue, filling her mouth with blood.

In her ringing ears, Evelyn heard Martin's voice echoing like a chiming clock:

See, Tozier? Nobody's interested.

[graylinesspam]

Ahsoka might have been able to call her master almost kind. He was softer somehow than his own master or any other sith she'd ever met. He genuinely liked her. He picked her for companionship more than anything. To have an apprentice meant he wasn't alone. He enjoyed her company.

But no sith was ever really kind. His softness was more smooth. Like the polished side of a rough stone. But he was a sith all the same. And she would be too.

Though her master took no sick enjoyment from the pain or the torture, he knew it was necessary. The path to the dark side was a hard and scarring road. And Ahsoka must suffer to grow.

He'd been helping her develop the neglected sides of her self. The emotional side. The instinctual side. The dark side.

He's encouraged her to return to a more natural, feral version of herself. To embrace the Hunter she could have been if the circumstances of her upbringing had been different.

She's stalked across craggy cliffsides and glades of tall grass to track her prey. Setting herself into position to strike. Catching prey in her bare hands, rending flesh with her teeth. Drinking the blood and savoring the fresh meat of her kills.

Returning the feathers or the fangs or claws to her masters waiting hand. The blood smeared across her body only making her more similar to him.

It's barely two months into her apprenticeship that he decides it is time for her to kill a sentient. She'd killed before. In self-defense and the defense of others. But this will be different. This kill will be emotional and messy. Wrought with the trapping of the dark side. It will be excessive, unnecessary, unjustifiable.

They choose a victim. Young and Togruta. Resembling Ahsoka herself. She's sure there's symbolism in there. Her master is fond of the dramatics. They choose Mustafa as their hunting ground.

He was trained there. Forged there. Steeped in the dark side. And she will be too.

Her master drags the prey out by their bindings and tosses them to the ground. The hot rancid air already making their eyes water. He releases their bindings and the frightened Togruta immediately staggers to their feet running away, right into the molten toxic lava flats.

"You have your respiratory?" he asks as she exits the ship finally.

"Yes master."

He nods in approval, the moment of care gone as quickly as it came.

"Take your shoes off, apprentice. Become one with the dark side as you learn to stalk through it."

She immediately complies, throwing aside her boots her bare feet making contact with the scorching ground. Even a few moments of contact hurt.

"Go. Bring me their fangs."

"I will not fail you master." she promises. She darts quickly after her prey. Their trail obvious in the usually baren soil. Only heat vents break up the monotony of the ground.

Heat burns through the soles of her feet. Within minutes she's in agony. Pain radiating up to her kneecaps with the heat.

Still, she follows her senses through clouds of toxic gas watching her prey as they sense her back. Clumsily they change direction, trying to lose her in the confusing fog.

Ahsoka allows them to run. To stagger and trip and wear themselves down as she stalks slow circles around them. Their breath grows more ragged as the gas eats away at their throat. Their panic increases as the hallucinations start.

They scream as they fight against a hunter who hasn't even stepped from the shadows yet. Only the occasional gleam of Ahsoka's eyes give her position away. Like a phantom in the smoke. But she might as well be everywhere. Already on them, already sinking her teeth in.

When they've rumbled through the rocks and burned their flesh open on the exhaust of a vent, Ahsoka finishes them. Pity heavy in her heart. Joy too. Pain. Regret. Satisfaction. Relief.

She isn't brutal in her execution, and neither is she efficient. Their death is simply that. Death. Not Ahsoka's first murder. But the first one she won't explain away to herself. She didn't have to. She wanted to.

She tips their head back digging her fingers into strong young gums and clawing away until she retrieves her prize. Two snarling fangs.

When she returns to her master the soles of her feet have burned away the flesh open and vulnerable and packed with dirt. The pain is intense. But she does not falter. She placed two blood fangs into the center of his blood-red hand and retreats to the medbay for treatment.

When her feet heal the rough scar tissue is like armor protecting her far better than her soft flesh had.

That's symbolism too she supposes. Vulnerability cauterized with pain and suffering, leaving her callused and stronger.

---

@holding-hands-and-hearts

[applestoashes]

An Update on Apples to Ashes [and no, this isn’t a cancellation announcement]

Hello Apples to Ashes fans, this is Prima a.k.a Primarvelous. I’m here to talk about development, and update you all on things going forward in 2023.

Let me first reiterate that this project is NOT canceled. When I conceptualized Douglas and the premise of Apples to Ashes back in March of this year, it was truly and completely a new idea then. I wanted to take all the passion and inspiration I’d been fostering from other visual novels I’d been interested in and do something I’d always dreamed of: make my own. What I didn’t expect was how rapidly Douglas and Apples to Ashes would garner traction and attention. It was the first time I’d ever experienced that kind of attention, that people revered something I made that was completely mine, and I treasure that. Let me say thank you to everyone who has shown love to this project. It’s my project, and I’m making it for me first, but I’m so happy to be making it for all of you too.

That being said, I’ve never done anything like this before, and so it has been a learning process. I felt like I had to get the project out as soon as possible, like I had to strike while the iron was hot and mimic my peers, regardless of how different our knowledge and our circumstances might be. After a long year, I’ve been able to reflect a lot on the things that have happened, and I think differently about things. I believe that, more than anything, I want to release a demo that is polished, that is worth all the patience that fans have offered. That does mean it’ll take more time to really produce something that I’m satisfied with. Additionally, I can fully admit that there have been situations and circumstances personal to me that have prevented me from dedicating as much time as I’ve wanted to development, stagnating progress in any capacity. To those that have stuck with me and this project through that, I am so grateful.

I’m proud to say I happen to be involved in some other project as of late that I’m very passionate about. I’ve picked upsome contracted work I can’t go into for privacy’s sake, but I’m excited for you all to see the results of soon. I’m performing voiceover for another project you all may be familiar with, in “See Thru: Need a Friend?” as the titular character and love interest Friend, and I’m very ecstatic to have been cast. I’m depending a lot on these opportunities and my independent work with commissions to keep myself afloat monetarily right now, and I have good feelings about my ability to provide for Apples to Ashes not only funds wise, but I’m also going to be taking everything I learn from these opportunities to better what I produce for you all. I think that’s what makes me the most excited for these opportunities, because what I learn will only add to my ability to make Apples to Ashes what it deserves to be: a fulfilling experience for all of you.

I still don’t intend to open a patreon for this project until I feel fully able to not only manage it, but also like I have something for you all to taste before you decide to pay for it. I’m invested in giving all of you a reason to commit your time and money to this project in the future. I also don’t want to give an expected date of release until I’m sure that I can meet it. I wholeheartedly promise that as soon as it’s clear to me that work is almost done, you’ll all know that the wait is coming to an end.

Until then, I hope you’ll look forward to what the future holds for Apples to Ashes; for Douglas, Xamira, the characters you’ve yet to meet, and all the amazing characters you yourselves have made to go on this journey with. I’m done comparing apples to oranges, I’m ready for the crisp and refreshing bite into a new year.

Thanks for reading,

Prima

Primarvelous

Apples to Ashes creator and director

[demonfox38]

Completed: Final Fantasy III (Pixel Remaster)

You know what? Yeah, it was.

Most of the time, when I start these evaluations, I go through what lead me to playing the game. It usually falls under the category of "life is complicated; played a video game to cope." This evaluation's edition is…uniquely spicy, in that regard. And by spicy, I mean soppy. You see, my parents have been living with me for several weeks as a result of a flood wiping out half of their house and town, as well as most of the vehicles. (The verdict's still out on whether or not my dad's Astro van will come back to life.) I also lost my car in the flood, as I was there when it hit. Luckily, no creature died! But, it's been a rough recovery period. Lots of mud-slopped possessions to wash—if they can be recovered at all.

So, I went from a house of 2 dogs, 1 human to 4 dogs, 3 humans, and 1 bird. "Life is complicated."

Not to say my summer was completely ruined! I was able to visit @jeannettegray for a few days, so that was a good reprieve! It's just mostly been me putting in my 40 hours at work, then putting in an additional 8-16 while I either babysit animals or clean possessions. When I haven't been working, I've mostly been sitting around with my parents, watching whatever they put on TV. 15+ year old sitcoms, crafting videos, and corpse shows, baby.

I finally reached the point where I didn't care if they were snooping on me while I was on the computer or a game console. I had to do something to keep myself sane while yet another re-run spooled itself out. My first attempt to get back to my 12 games beaten goal for this year was actually with a mushy-graphiced version of "Final Fantasy VI" that is no longer available on Steam for purchase. That lasted all of 5 minutes due to poor input mapping issues with the game. "Fine," I thought. "There's a deal on a Pixel Master set for 1-6. I would play at least half of these again."

And then I pivoted to "Final Fantasy III." The other "Final Fantasy III." The actual "Final Fantasy III."

Coping happened!

Now, it's never fun to acknowledge when you're a stereotype. But, on occasion, one must come clean. I am one of those insufferable bastards who is much more likely to play pre-"Final Fantasy VII" games and claim them to be among my favorites of the series. Like, I'm pro "Final Fantasy II" and willing to run a new "Final Fantasy I" file at any time. That kind of bastard. Having said that, I actually haven't been able to play an iteration of "Final Fantasy III" before! It was one of those games that got locked in Japan, only having a release in terms of a Nintendo DS remake in the late 2000s.

Could I have hunted down a fan translation of this game? Sure. It is nice to have this game handed over on a platter, though. Especially, such a well-polished platter!

"Final Fantasy III" focuses on the story of four dink-ass orphans who drop into a hole and accidentally get jobs from a hidden magic crystal. They are then tasked with defending the other crystals, fixing elements from going out of whack, and eventually stuffing encroaching darkness back into the void from whence it came. Ya know. Your average "Final Fantasy" experience.

While the plot feels a lot like "Final Fantasy 1 2.0," the interesting portions of it come more from the beat-to-beat moments. Like, discovering that the land you are on is actually a floating continent being propelled by ancient machinery, for one. Finding out the world is flooded and almost every living being is turned to stone? Woof. That was a punch in the gut. So was the bit in Saronia, when you have the misfortune of being shot down and dragged into its town-wide civil war. From a 30,000-foot elevation, yeah, this game can look average. But, you do miss out on some cool looking critters from that high up. You definitely don't see into the cave depths that this runs, either!

Coming to this game so late, I imagine a lot of people are going to be thrown by how simple the game itself really is. There is a job system here, so veterans of "Final Fantasy V" may expect some value in multi-classing and maxing out experience in as many jobs as possible. Honestly? There's not a lot of reason to do that. You have options, sure. But, it's more about sticking to your guns and maxing out your job level to get the most value out of the class as possible. If you miss out on grinding out Bards and Evokers, well…are you really missing that much? Just stick to what you like, and problems will work themselves out.

The game does try to force players into shifting roles around, depending on what's going on at the time. I don't think you really have to force a player to carry a White Mage in the party, but the game does throttle progress until you use one to shrink characters or transform them into toads. Similar attempts are made to force the Scholar, Thief, Black Mage, and Dark Knight classes, although some can be worked around with the right toolset (or just a stubborn "don't give a damn" attitude.)

Additionally, the game enjoys being a little shithead about hidden passageways. You'd better get used to looking for cracks in the walls and pushing yourself through gaps. First, for better items. Then, to actually beat the game! If you have a shred of Metroidvania skills, it's not the worst to deal with. It does require some level of concentration, though. Maybe slowing down and not being on mach speed 24/7.

Speaking of which—the "Pixel Remaster" version of "Final Fantasy III" may be the easiest version of this game released to date. Particularly, with its speed modifiers, experience multipliers, and even the ability to just. Turn the monster encounters off. Like, okay! I know what speed runners are abusing for this one! Additional fun features include the ability to switch between music types and plopping filters on to make your computer look more like an old CRT television set. Which, hey. I'm crusty enough to put the original music back on, but that filter might be a bit too much.

You tell me.

It's very clear that a lot of people put hard work into this game. Like, if the several studios listed at the end weren't evidence enough. But, yes. Someone clearly put work into shining these sprites up. At first, I was wondering if they were for some WonderSwan remake that never made it to the United States. But, these seem to be new for the release itself. That, and the rescored, live-recorded soundtrack that I immediately turned off in favor of old bleep-bloops.

I know. You'd think someone who had played flute and bassoon would have more respect for that sort of thing. It is a bit excessive for what I'm visually seeing, though. Nothing wrong in appreciating what's older, either!

About the only accessibility issue I noticed was some minor flashing with the game towards the latter half. (It wasn't too overwhelming, but it's better to mention it happening than not say anything at all.) Otherwise, hell. Between controls over monster spawning, EXP/gold multipliers, and a glut of language options, this is probably about the most accessible this game is ever going to get. Shit, it even has a tracker for seeing what treasures are available for you to pick up, as well as what hidden items you may have missed!

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a better version of this game. I mean, sure, there's the DS remake if you wanted your characters to have character or whatever. (Although, frankly, I'm one of those insufferable bastards that is happier having their characters shut up, if the characters are just going to spend the next 30+ hours being mopey, whiny, or over-caffeinated.) But, honestly? This is what I wanted. Famicom base code and square waves. A gentle coat of paint. A few accessibility options to make treasure/monster/achievement hunting less of a pain in the ass. Excellent. The only design choice I would have made differently is somehow augmenting the palette for each sprite to match the default Onion Knight color of each character. Like, pink guy always having pink highlights or base colors, green for green, etc. But, hey. It's not like the original game was doing that, either.

Well, someone could have polished up the NPC following code, too. Poor stuttery little guys just can't keep up!

Individually, "Final Fantasy III" is currently around $18.00 USD on Steam. However, there is a bundle to get all "Pixel Remaster" games for a discount as well that you may wish to consider. I'd wait for it to dip under $60.00 USD if you wanted to go that route, as that bundle does tend to get discounted more often than not. But, if there's three of the games that you'd be into from that set, you might as well scoop them all up. I've certainly enjoyed them in rougher states than this!

Again, though. You're reading something written by a person that is pro-"Final Fantasy II" and indifferent to "VII." Someone who habitually and gleefully plays "Quest 64." My sense of "good" may be much different than yours.

I suppose we all cope differently, don't we?

[chattercap]

Future Plans for Actala

Sorry for the kind of sporadic updates, I do need to be better about posting here! I post devlogs on my itch page monthly, and I've decided to crosspost the latest one here since it has some important info about Actala's future development! A copy of my latest itch devlog is under the cut!

Hello, happy June!

It's been another month (time really does fly)! 

No Actala updates this time, as I ended up increasing the scope a bit on my Otome Jam project so I had to divert my attention to that (please look forward to some EXCELLENT voice acting)! Karamu will release sometime in the next couple of weeks!

But although I don't have any updates for Actala, I do have a bit of an announcement. As you might know if you played through the demo, I originally planned to illustrate the story 100% with CGs and mini-CGs. This was...unrealistic (as basically anyone with half a brain could have told you, I imagine). 

This was something that became EXTREMELY apparent as I worked on Karamu. I thought I scoped very realistically (a simple scene with 2 characters and only 10k words), and I hoped to finish the game within a month. However, while I finished the script in a week, I've spent almost 2 months on the illustrations. (If I extrapolate that out for Actala, where the current script is 250,000 words...I won't finish the thing for another 4-5 years...)

Part of that is that I've been experimenting with more complex/highly rendered CGs, and taking more care with the color and compositions (you can see a sample below). For Actala, I adopted a more simple coloring style because of the high volume of illustrations, but I was never really happy with them. Rather than putting out a ton of illustrations that I'm not happy with, I'd prefer to put out a smaller number that I'm more satisfied with.

If I'm being honest, I didn't adopt the "CG only" strategy for any deep reason in particular. It was mainly a snap decision based on insecurities with my own art, as I felt like my art couldn't really stand on par with other VNs (so I decided to create value with quantity over quality). However, ultimately I think it's detrimental to the project. The amount of work required for the art just dwarfs everything else, to the point where I put off the other tasks to make a SMALL dent in the art (for instance, I really want to improve the GUI, which looks a bit clunky and not super elegant...) 

So from now on, I will most likely adopt the sprite format for Actala, instead of utilizing exclusively CGs. Those sprites may or may not be animated; I'll try it out and see how I feel about them. You can still expect a lot of CGs from me, but not exclusive! Interestingly, I actually planned to do sprites in the early stages of development, and I finished almost all of them. These are over a year old at this point, so they will be completely redone, though! 

I hope that this isn't disappointing to anyone (it probably isn't; I'm just stubborn as an ox when it comes to my impulse decisions...) But from a projection perspective, it's just 100% impossible to get Actala out on any reasonable timeline with the approach that I was taking. This way, I'll be able to get the game out a bit faster (with nicer illustrations, just fewer of them)! And it will give me a little more time to polish other aspects of the game, and perhaps work on a few more side projects ;)

For the rest of this month, I'll be finishing out Karamu. Then at the start of July, I'll take a bit of a game dev break before tackling the sprites! Expect to see some sketches in the next devlog~

If you read this far, thank you! See you next month :)

Chattercap

[masterofthez]

“Someone aside from Game Freak should make Pokémon. Scarlet and Violet are just too buggy”

So I’ve seen criticism like that before, and I think it kind of misses the point of why these games came out in the state that they did. Because when comments like that are made, they always seem to be in bad faith. They in large seem to argue that the developers were lazy or didn’t know how to do their jobs. And while that is certainly possible, I highly doubt that. If only because people passed all of the slow down and occasionally wonky looks, I think Scarlett and Violet are legitimately very fun games. I honestly think this is more of a matter of a lack of polish. If the game could have been in development for another year, then I don’t think people who be complaining nearly as much (they would of course be complaining because Pokémon fans are never happy [which is a much longer conversation and I plan to eat dinner at some point today]). But I think that hits on what I see as the major problem. Time. 

Game Freak has said before that Gen IX started development right after Sword and Shield came out in 2019. So a three year development time. Not an impossible development time and Game Freak have always been very good at scope management. But that’s far less manageable if you look at it more holistically. I wasn’t able to find like an average development time for Open World Games, but looking at the two other big open world games the Switch has to offer, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, does give us some kind of idea. BotW had a 6 year development period. Xenoblade had a smaller one in 4 years. Both games had longer to cook the Scarlet and Violet did. Even the other Open World Pokemon game that came out this year, Pokémon Legends Arceus, had 4 years of development time. And I think that’s speaks to the other time problem. 

BotW And Xenoblade had the benefit of only having the one game to work on. Development for Gen IX started after Sword and Shield came out in 2019. And what came out after that game? The DLC Packs and Legends Arcus. So not only does this game have a larger scope, but it also had to be developed in a company that was working on other games during the COVID Pandemic. You can tell just how stressful and exhausting all of that is just by the nature that the Gen IV remakes I didn’t mention earlier in games Game Freak were making. That’s because it was developed by another company. The first mainline Pokémon game made by another company because they were already working on two other games at the time. 1 of which would have to be released with less time devoted to it. 

Now, I suggested earlier that they should have delayed the game by a year to keep working on it, but I don’t think that would have been possible. And that’s because of the Pokémon Company which manages the multimedia aspect of the series. If Gen IX is delayed then it’s not just a game that’s delayed. It’s a card game. A manga. An anime. A number of toys, and tie in products. If the developers looked at all they still had left to do at the start of 2022 and said ‘we can’t do this by November’ then I doubt they would have been able to convince the people in charge to delay it. And bringing in new people to basically work overtime on these sort of stuff in hazardous in a lot of ways save for moments where it’s slow enough to actually train new people. And given the pandemic and multiple overlapping development cycles going on, I imagine most new people wouldn’t be able to really pitch in. 

I think to solution here isn’t to give Pokémon to a new developer or to double the size of the company. It’s to let the developers at game freak have the time to actually make a game. Because the system and conditions they currently have seem untenable. After all, the cracks are already beginning to show.

[aaronpullinteeth]

I've had a bit of time to play AEW: Fight Forever now and I have some thoughts.

Both good and bad: let's start with the good.

- The gameplay is very good. Very similar to No Mercy and has that somewhat exaggerated style that all the best wrestling games had.

- The AI is also fantastic. It actually seems to know what it's doing, matches actually feel good and aren't predictable. Tag matches have your partner actually break up pins and stop the other team from doing the same. You can also win and lose matches just as easy.

- The movesets are great and there are a lot of moves in the game. A lot of love and care has gone into the moves in the game and you can tell. Also being able to have up to 5 finishers and 5 signatures is great.

- Road To Elite is by far the best mode in the game. Feels very much like a Japanese RPG meets a wrestling game. If you ever played the story mode in the Fire Pro games, it's kinda like that with a bit of a career mode edge like the earlier WWE 2K games (2015/2016/2017). But it will have a shelf life because there's only so many storylines in the game.

- The roster is great too. Having Owen Hart, Cody Rhodes and such in the game is a great addition and each character feels different.

- The Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch is so much fun to play. It's just chaotic and brutal in the best way. Adding on to this point, the weapon variety is some of the best I've ever known in wrestling games. Plus, the blood is also as good as it's been in a wrestling game in years.

Ok, now for the bad things:

- The creation modes, especially Create A Wrestler is extremely limited and underwhelming. It feels like it was just thrown in there last minute and you can't really do much with it. As I said earlier, the moveset creation is the exception to this as that's so vast, that's where all the love went. Shame about the physical creations.

- There isn't really much to do in the game single player wise. Once you've played Road To Elite a couple of times, you've done everything. There's no endless style mode (like Universe in 2K or Fire Promoter in Fire Pro). So, there's very much a shelf life on this.

- The mini games are kind of poor. They're a nice novelty but they aren't really polished enough to be anything more than that.

I'm not going to talk about glitches and bugs as it's still very early and they can always be fixed, honestly, I've only had 1 crash and 1 glitch so far so it's not so bad.

Obviously, other things can be patched in or offered as DLC later as they've announced a bunch of DLC but it's all characters and mini games so far and all released in a very short window so they have a lot of room to add more substantial stuff later and honestly, if the game wants to survive a while, they're going to need to add something more.

It's very good for what it is, which is a first attempt. It's just a bit limited. I think of it like AEW's version of Just Bring It. There's something there but it's just a bit limited at this stage. If they add more modes (preferably some sort of endless mode) and put some love in the patches for the creation system then this could be top tier. If they don't add anything and want to wait for another game in a year or two, this won't last more than a couple of months before it gets tired.

[flxwergxrden]

For a while he was just happy to hold her, so overwhelmed that he didn't realize that he might have overstepped. With her breath against his neck folowed by the words brushed to his ear, he finally startled enough to snap out of it and release her, taking a definitive step back. "Ah, sorry! That was a lot! I'm really sorry." A fully 90 degree bow, followed by a few more before a deep sigh passed his lips to release the tension, allowing a smile to return back to his lips. "How about now? Do you have time now?"

Two blinks and a mirroring smile formed on her flustered only moments ago face. “Don’t worry Sei-chan!” hand with polished cream colored nails reached out to pat his head… it was opportunity when he bowed since she could rarely reach it normally. The tips of her peachy lips only rose higher upon his offer and her black from mascara lashes flattered like butterfly wings. “Do you want to go for dinner or are you up for a drink? It’s going to be my treat since I kind of..” forefinger tips poked against each other as she lowered her gaze and her smile faded away “I disappeared didn’t I?” She thought she might get over her feelings and be able to see him as just her younger dance teacher .. but alas meeting him like this by chance only made her realize how much she had missed him… “I’m really sorry… it feels .. uhm… looks like it’s been ages.. and you.. you look different…” more manly? More adorable? A combination of both? What had happened with his muscles as well, did he train so hard that he suddenly looked more fit? Or was it her imagination? Or maybe … *cough* … it was spring wasn’t it?

// @irrwicht

[adrasteaeydiate]

Exitus Letalis series by KattLett / Mishka/ Michalina Daszuta

So it's a 7 volume series in Polish language ( + spinoff , webcomic ExReprise which is also in English), first volume was published in 2014 but I discovered this series more than moth ago and since then I have AN OBSESSION like no other in my entire life, like I've never felt this way before

The Exitus Letalis series (Exitus Letalis, Exitus Letalis Kaleidoscope and ExReprise on Patreon) has been with me for a long time now and I will say this - when one day I decided to order all 5 volumes and later buy another 2 volumes of Exitus Letalis Kaleidoscope, I felt that I wouldn't be disappointed (initially I regretted not focusing on the series earlier, from the very beginning, but later I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't be able to wait for the release of the next volumes, and the natural continuation in the form of my beloved ExReprise was cherry on the top).

I fell in love with Exitus Letalis from the first volume, and as I'm a person who really gets emotionally involved in reading a book/manga/comic that I like in any way, it was definitely a wild ride and an emotional rollercoaster, liters of tears and a feeling as if I was in a kind of trance, in totally different world (every moment without a volume in my hand was torture), it will also be true to say that I felt shaken by some of the events. Despite specific events related to individual characters, I can say that each of them is special to me (although Eva and Ourell will ALWAYS, ALWAYS be my top pick because how they fit together, the energy between them and the bond they have is MORE THAN WONDERFUL AND I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE THESE TWO AND HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM TOGETHER AND THEY BOTH DESERVE ALL THE LOVE AND HAPPINESS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP ♥️♥️♥️)

The message here definitely deserves to be emphasized, what the author wanted to show and convey to us not only in the main series but also in ExReprise, especially when it comes to mental health ( here is also a message from me that if you feel that you cannot cope with emotions or difficult events in your life, don't be afraid to ask for help) , dealing with trauma, the importance of working on yourself and building healthy relationships, as well as what life is like when you are in a toxic, manipulative relationship. Of course, this is not everything, but the author's discussion of such important topics is one of the factors that prove the uniqueness of the entire Exitus Letalis series.

Undoubtedly, the Exitus Letalis series will remain in my memory for a long time, and in my heart forever - it has had a special place there from the very beginning.

And now I'm waiting IMPATIENTLY for the last ExReprise chapter ( ExReprise 30) which will be posted on Patreon on October 31st AND IF I MANAGE TO STAY TILL THAT TIME IT WILL BE A MIRACLE BECAUSE AFTER THE PREVIEWS AND SHORT SCENES FROM THIS CHAPTER I FEEL AS IF I WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE OR BREAK INTO A THOUSAND PIECES OR COLLAPSE (WHO KNOWS KNOWS WHY AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH)

[chorusfm]

The Eyebrows

Recently I was able to catch up with Charlotte, North Carolina-based power pop band, The Eyebrows, to discuss their latest album called Double Take. The Eyebrows are singer-songwriter, producer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist Jay Garrigan, bassist and vocalist Darrin Gray, and drummer and multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lynch. In this interview, I asked the band about what went into the writing/recording process for Double Take, how they approach building out their setlists for tours, and much more. Double Take released on April 19th, and there are still a few physical options of the record at the band’s store here. Where did the album title of Double Take come from? What’s the significance of the title as it relates to these songs? On one hand, I feel that my life is the definition of a double take, which is a surprised, second look at a person or situation whose significance had not been completely grasped at first. I’ve often asked myself why this is. The title Double Take also describes the dual nature of our latest album, a direct result of an innovative approach to recording that Mitch Easter inspired. This album features each song in two distinct versions: one polished and produced by Mitch in the studio, capturing the rocktastic essence of our sound only in the way someone as talented and artistic as Mitch can, and another raw, vibrant version that I recorded & mixed myself in our practice space, echoing the mid-fi and lo-fi aesthetics of bands like early REM, GBV, and Suicide that I deeply admire. This approach not only showcases our versatility as an imaginative studio and visceral, live band, but also challenges listeners to reconsider our music through different sonic perspectives & palettes, highlighting how varied production styles can alter the perception of the same song. How did the process of recording this LP with Mitch Easter go? Any vivid memories from the studio sessions? As far as memories go, we were absolutely buzzing as The Baseball Project just finished tracking and mixing their latest album with Mitch right before we started to track our album. To be literally standing right where our heroes Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Scott McCaughey, Steve Wynn and Linda Pitmon were was awe-inspiring, and we hoped to catch a ride on a glimmer of their musical mojo. REM was very formative upon younger versions of myself and drummist Shawn Lynch. In the early 90s, Mike Mills once said he wanted to put his two cents into anything I do, and I stupidly lost his phone number. Maybe he will do a double take at some future time, haha. Also in this session, we got to use some really interesting gear, such as running a mix buss through a 60s EMI console – much like a console The Beatles would have used during the 60s. I believe Kurt Vile bought this console from Mitch recently. I know for a fact we were the last band to record on Mitch’s legendary main console before he let it go—a console that was used to mix the soundtrack of The NeverEnding Story. Reflecting on Double Take, where each song undergoes its own transformation across two sides, it feels apt to echo a line from the movie: ‘Nothing is lost…Everything is transformed.’ (shivers!) Recording with Mitch Easter at his studio is always a great time, and having detailed musical conversations comes naturally within the walls of the Fidelitorium. We can talk about things like… what kind of mic, amp, and reverb is needed to give this Hohner Pianet a period-specific, 60s sound? I love the energy of your band’s performance on the music video for “Say Yeah!”. Where was this video shot at, and how pleased are you with the final product? “Say Yeah!” was shot in the raw veins of our beloved Charlotte, NC in my backyard, a place as battered and beautiful as the tune itself. We filmed it right next to a very toxic, chemical-laden creek right across from – what I can only call – the apartment-ization and gentrification of my neighborhood and city. When we first moved here, we were surrounded by woods in… https://chorus.fm/features/interviews/the-eyebrows/

[first-impressions-gaming]

Minecraft Legends

Developed by Mojang Studios, Blackbird Interactive

Published by Xbox Game Studios

Release Date 2023

Tested on Xbox Series X

MSRP 39,99 USD

Minecraft has been a household brand since 2011, the game is still being updated with events and whatnot, and everybody in gaming has heard the name ‘Minecraft’ one way or another, regardless of being interested in it or not. Legends is a second attempt to establish a successful spin-off experience founded in Minecraft universe, first one being Minecraft Dungeons, a dungeon crawler.

The game builds on already-existing Minecraft world as a spin-off, and the gameplay feels like it’s intended for younger-audience who is invested in Minecraft but not keen on or never had the chance to try RTS games. 

It is always a constant challenge when it comes to adapting a controller for strategy games, simply because of importance of precision, accuracy and speed. In case of numerous sections, pages, buttons on the screen, the player’s navigation should feel fluid and user-friendly. Minecraft Legends is successful at creating a smooth experience for controllers, button-layout and controls don’t feel over-complicated and you can get used to it within half an hour with no problem. The major hiccup arises when you are commanding your troops during fights.

Even though the only button you get to press is RT (R2) and select the unit(s) you wish to move, more than often  the units did charge to the location I marked but did not attack the enemy I specifically picked. Another notable missing feature I detected is that you cannot see Health of enemy troops or enemy buildings, I am not sure if this was intended but it is absurd not being able to see HP of your enemies during an intense fight, the player would decide whether to retrieve or push further and this would mean victory or defeat. So, the most basic element is absent from the game and this is one thing a player with RTS past cannot just disregard. Due to this issue, the fights I got involved in lasted longer than they should have and made me lose interest a bit.

The experience with this game made me acknowledge that top-down camera angle (for instance Age of Empires) is more intuitive than third-person camera for strategy games, considering that you’re strategizing your approach, overseeing your units, observing enemy troops and movement. 

We have a hub area, where we construct buildings, towers, walls, gates, unit spawn locations etc by collected essential material such as iron, wood and stone. In contrast to Minecraft, you are not manually collecting material in this game. There are creatures who look like kind of fairies, who are called Allays, you call give command them to collect iron, wood, stone in a specific location and they collect them one by one automatically, and on the screen it informs you when there are material to be collected and the amount of it. You will know how many irons you will collect before you spawn Allay. This is a welcome change for me, not spending time to get resources. The map also needs a bit of improvement, it contains all the locations you need to be aware of and you can fast travel them once you visit there, but when you are travelling to a place you have never been before, you will be riding your horse and I had encounter this issue at least 3-4 times in one and half an hour: When I was journeying to the location, I end up stuck between canyons and when they are too steep you cannot climb them, you need to find the end or beginning of it get out of the canyon there. The map does not include any info about this, there should be some sort of visual warnings that let the player know that it is a mountainous area and such. This looks like an oversight and you never know if you are running into a canyon or not, if yes, you need to go around it to avoid it.

There are two factors in play for recommending this game or not. First, are you mainly looking for an RTS game? If yes, there are much better and polished game, such as Total War and Age of Empire franchises. If that is not your priority and you are generally interested in Minecraft and want to experience this universe in a new game with a unique gameplay and mechanics and you can ignore small shortcomings then you would be satisfied with it. As I mentioned, this game positions itself friendly for younger players first and foremost, considering narrative, mechanics, complexity of the game, not trying to be the next big title in RTS genre.  From this point of view, the Minecraft brand will be able to draw passionate and invested player base.

[unathorn]

Glancing down as the strange bracelet again as Zaid took a moment to examine it, Una gives a small nod. Appreciating the intricate beauty of the tiny fossil. It had been polished to a shine, gleaming like a gem. And than shoved in an ugly rubbery-plastic band. It seemed like a careless effort. It seemed the same with many of the other bracelets she'd spotted. Glorious gems and stones and trinkets, shoved in a bland and unflattering surround. Practical, maybe. Harder to lose? Harder to damage? Oddly un-aesthetic.

"It is quite pretty, and I'm sure it probably is 'real'. I don't think that whoever put this place together would scrimp on something like that. Even the smallest detail seems to be attended to."

Though as Zaid mentions the sensation he'd experienced when removing his own bracelet, Una just offers the slightest shrug in return.

"I did... For a moment. Felt sick. Dizzy."

And???

"And... not in control. Which I don't really want to risk again."

Though Zaid changes the topic back to their current focus. Building the cage. And she does give a slightly wryer smile at the probing question.

"I wasn't a saint when I was younger. Far from it. Just a bit too self-absorbed. Too greedy for my own good. So I had a spell of incarceration. I spent a long time in a small cage, Zaid."

Which is probably why the thought of using one to contain the monster doesn't phase her as much as it might others.

"But - I learned a lot. Gave me the opportunity to reflect on how the person I was, wasn't the person I wanted to be."

That is spoken with a slightly wistful tone. To have a moment of revelation. Of self-discovery at the lowest ebb... Una could only count herself as fortunate to have the opportunity to make that chance before it was altogether too late.

"They also had a few really good rehabilitation programmes and a well stocked workshop. Woodwork. Metalwork. Giving people the skills to be self sufficient and sustainable once they were released. So... Maybe I have half a clue what I'm doing."

There's a quick blink of surprise at the sudden compliment though. A soft 'oh' followed by a softer smile.

"And you are even more vivacious and vibrant."

She returns, offering a small touch to his arm in thanks.

"I remember. Saw your name. It would have been as much of pleasure to meet you then as it is now."

Though when Zaid shuts down her line of discussion about giving himself space, Una knows well enough to back off. He'd talk in his own time if he wanted to at all. Though she does offer one final thought. A small olive branch to leave dangling, just in case at some point in the future he felt like reaching out for it.

"We're all trying to figure it out, yes. But we don't need to struggle."

And that's enough, dropping the subject completely as they circle back round to the cage once more.

"Would need to reinforce the walls and the roof too. I'm not sure exactly how strong that... Version of me is. But I'm pretty sure that it could tear it's way through a prefab. I've also been thinking about a brig... On the ship, you know? Maybe there's something there that's more secure. I just haven't been able to find one yet. It might be in a part of the ship that is underwater or..."

She lets her voice fill the air with those thoughts for a moment before they're clipped off rather suddenly. Holding up one hand as though asking for silence from Zaid too.

The first thing that comes is a scent. Metallic and oily. Mixed with something that was akin to pheromones. Not the kind to attract, but something else. Signalling? She's not sure. But hot on the heels of the scent is a sound. A low ominous buzzing. Something that loud would have to be... Big... Or surely they'd be able to see it.

It sounded neither inviting, nor friendly. So... Una steps in front of Zaid. Facing the sound. Probably an almost laughable action given the fact that she was shorter and far more slight than the man with her.

A low rumble eminating from her throat. A warning growl. And certainly nothing human.

"Stay behind me."

Voice low and deep - faltering slightly around the suddenly sharper teeth that were already forming in her jaw. Instinctual and protective.

Then 'it' swings around a corner. A violently perverse creation. A mix of mechanical and natural shoved into a terrible, monstrous looking thing. If her beast was terrifying, then this abomination might be a close second. And that hind brain kicks in. The part that was far more awakened now with the presence of wolf. Sensing a potential danger she... Shifts.

Both reluctantly and gladly, Zaid let Una go. How many people did this woman have to hug, for them to pour all their angst and grief and misery onto her? How needy did people get around her? How worshipful of her solid grace and wisdom? How much did she have to be a lifeline for others? Zaid always internally fretted over this during their online sessions, when things seemed to get too deep for him, cut a little too hard in his heart. He'd pull back, Una would of course let him (the journey was his, and Una was only a guide, as per each session reminder), and then after every meeting he'd add 25% tip just because. The hug had gone on for precisely 12 seconds - more than enough time.

After all, what the hell did Zaid have now, to tip Una afterward his awkward expression of feelings?

Zaid grunted in agreement about the bracelets, touching his own. "When I take mine off, it feels terrible, if I'm honest. It feels like I'm missing an arm, or I'm forgetting how to breathe. A necessary evil," he half-joked, then studied Una's, eyes wide with pleasure. "Bloody hell. Yours is gorgeous, love. That's a proper fossil, isn't it."

But building one strong enough. From scratch, no less. "How many cages have you built before? Now I've got to ask, because honestly you seem like you know what you're doing." A pleasant tease and curiousity. Then an added blurt at the end: "You're even more radiant in person, you know. Bet you always hear that. I'd been considering one of your weekend retreats, paid the deposit and all. Planned for September but then -" Zaid motioned around them. "This happened."

Una, handing out free words of advice, free food for thought. Zaid felt his face getting red with embarrassment. Not at what he said - he'd said plenty humiliating things to Una before in sessions. But because he said anything at all. As if this was a bloody session, when Una was merely trying to survive.

He clicked his tongue, sniffed hard and nodded, keeping his chin up as he followed along with Una. "Yep. I'll keep that in mind, love. We're, erm. We're all struggling to figure it all out now, yeah?"

No more talk of that, Zaid made it clear in his politely clipped tone. Instead, he nodded about Una's decision for a tent, but he paused at the location of the warehouse, then turned to look towards the bungalows, then back again.

"Right. Right...so you want the cage here, then? A good spot..." The nearest bungalow was about three football fields away. He pointed at it.

"Una, right. That bungalow there is empty, I'm pretty sure. And it's got four walls and a roof, already done. And I'm fairly sure these bungalow buggers are pre-fab, yeah. Erm. Easily transportable...well not easily. It'll take some doing, but we've all got bloody powers innit. Surely there's someone who's got like. Super strength, or the power to transform into a pick-up truck. I don't see a need to reinvent the wheel when we've got something that could serve as a cage, right there. Empty that bugger out, get some help to relocate it here. Reinforce all the windows and doors with the materials you got here...."

Zaid squinted at Una, shading his eyes from the sun. "You reckon that'd do?"