#library didn't had the book i wanted so i pirated it

[nthflower]

I need to sleep but today was such a draining day I couldn't look into my phone 12 hours so I don't wanna waste my night 😞

[cultofcola]

ways to meet your lover at hogwarts.

i. it's night and you can't sleep, and you are feeling paranoid. you felt like a bigger force was pushing you to go outside your dormitory, even if that meant breaking the rules that the teachers kept telling everyone to respect. after looking outside your window and seeing the light of the moon, you decide to go outside. maybe, some fresh air was going to help you. the hallways were dark and gloomy, and the stars outside the windows were shining just for you; you felt like a pirate in a fairytale, letting the majestic lights guiding you. maybe it was destiny or pure luck, but you made it to the ground of hogwarts without being seen by anyone. until, just outside the huge door, someone let out a giggle and you almost thought you were going to azkaban from breaking the rules of hogwarts. but, no. it was just a student with no badge in their shirt.

ii. saturdays were for adventures. someone may call you mad for protesting against the homework teachers were drowning you all in, but you left your friends in the common room and decided to spend the whole day discovering hogwarts. once a week you hear someone saying that they found a new place in the huge castle even if they have been there for six years, and not knowing how many secrets the school has was driving you crazy. after a huge breakfast, you started walking around. you saw some students, three drunk hufflepuffs, a slytherin who was pissed off with the world, and while everyone was at lunch you ended up inside a wall, screaming when you fell in a hole. that seemed to be more profound than the gringott. you accepted your death …… until you felt the magic hugging you. or more like a sofa. when you opened your eyes, you were in a place you've never seen before. and you realized that same moment that you weren't the only person exploring hogwarts that saturday.

iii. teachers seemed to hate their students. because if they didn't, how would you explain being partnered with someone you didn't know for a potions project? one that would have taken months of your lives.

iv. the train for hogwarts was one of the most boring experiences you have ever experienced. your book didn't help, the seat was torturing you, and you were starting to find your friend annoying due to the forced proximity. were you excited for the school year? yes. did you want to open the window and throw yourself out there? also a yes. so, you decided to leave the compartment and take a walk on the train. start to finish. three minutes later you bump into someone, and apparently they did not like someone stepping their shoes.

v. the forbidden forest was, in fact, forbidden for a reason. but at the same time, you really did not care. you found the valley of unicorns and fairies just for pure luck, and they were the most kind creatures you could have ever had the pleasure to meet. and they loved you too. the crystal-water lake was at the perfect temperature, and you were glad it was the weekend, hearing the small fairies chat with each other and the unicorns playing. but when you heard a 'what the fuck', something that the creatures wouldn't say, you were almost shocked to see another hogwarts student there. who was looking at you as if you were one of the creatures of the forest. because you were too sad that your secret place was found by someone else, they asked if you were a mermaid. your response was just going underwater to stop looking at their face.

vi. astronomy tower. 3am. you are silently sharing a cigarette with someone who you thought was a ghost. no one talks, the moon is watching over you, the breeze is only caressing you and not making you feel cold, and at 4am you have shared half of the pack. and the day after you realize that the person wasn't a ghost. and now they own you five cigarettes.

vii. you were in a rush !!!!!!!!!! everyone was studying, and so the books in the library were almost impossible to find. the majority of them were already taken. you could smell the nervousness of the students. the mental breakdown were already happening. you just saw a gryffindor girl almost throwing the book out of the window from frustration. a ravenclaw boy was looking at his friend with tears in his eyes. and you were almost running to a section where you knew that damn book that was about to save your grades was. just when you took the turn for the right section, at the end of the 'hallway' you saw someone doing the same. you hoped they were not going for your same book. so you both started walking in the middle, and you ran and grabbed at the same time the same book. you let out a "oh-i-am-going-to-kill-you" giggle, and they did the same thing.

viii. the anonymous dating column of hogwarts had a valentine special, and that meant pure chaos. the-find-your-soulmate project made everyone show their true colours, and you took it very lightly. the informations you needed to give were …. some dumb, some concerning. number 12. was what would you do if a werewolf was chasing you and number 13. asked if a family member ever wanted you in a non family member way. weird. but you still answered everything, not lying like some people who put no in a "have you ever kissed someone" question even if you knew damn well they were lying. the results came the day before valentine, and you never saw this much chaos. someone got ten results, other none, your bestfriend three. you got one. and ….. you had no idea what to do now.

[maboroshi-no]

My Next Life As a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! ~Pirates of the Disturbance Stellaworth SS

Series: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! ~Pirates of the Disturbance Source: Stellaworth Booklet Title: The Adventure of the Little One Author: Ririka Yoshimura (game scenarist) Synopsis: Katarina has become small after inadvertently opening a grimoire mixed among the romance novels brought by Rozy. Translation: maboroshi-no

Translation below.

The Adventures of the Little One

…It had been several days since the Weiss Pirates had confined us in the Vinculum.

We were spending our days in the care of the pirates.

Rozy, a member of the Weiss Pirates, had taken on attending duty for our room and brought us books, board games, sweets, and other supplies every day.

Thanks to this, I was spending days without being bored.

Katarina: Mmm~ This is so nice~

As I was reading on the living room sofa the Queed romance novel that Rozy brought me yesterday, I heard a big sigh.

Keith: No, Big Sister, this isn't nice at all.

Geordo: That's right, Katarina. We're detained by pirates, after all.

Katarina: Ah!

Looking at Keith and Geordo's astonished faces, I remembered that point.

Katarina: Of course, I haven't forgotten about it, but I just can't feel tense~ The pirates are all nice, after all…

And more than anything, all of the members of the Student Council were in the same room. Thanks to this, it felt like a training camp. Sophia was even reading a romance novel next to me while Maria and Mary were sitting on the opposite sofa, so it was hard to stay tense.

Keith: Just when I think it would be like Big Sister, it really is…

Nicol: Yes, I agree. But I think it's also because Katarina is the same as always that we can stay calm.

Geordo: What Nicol said indeed holds some truth.

Keith, Nicol, and Geordo quietly nodded to each other about something. As I was tilting my head in confusion, Sophia made a long sigh, probably because she just finished a book.

Sophia: What a beautiful story… Lady Katarina, have you read this one?

Katarina: Hmm… It doesn't seem like it.

Sophia: Then once you have read it, let's discuss it!

Sophia tightly grasped my hands. She was cute as always.

Mary: Lady Katarina! Didn't you say earlier that you wanted to play this board game after you have finished reading your book? Right, Prince Alan?

Alan: Y-Yes…

Mary said this with a smile while pointing to the board game on the table. Next to her, Maria was smiling gently.

Katarina: (A board game~ This looks fun too.)

All of the board games in the room were ones I had never seen in the Kingdom of Sorcier. Reading was nice but now I wanted to play board games.

There were many entertainment options, so there just wasn't enough time.

Katarina: Aaah, there's so much to look forward to!

As  I was smiling, I heard a chuckle. 

Rozy: I'm glad you're enjoying them. That aside, I have brought sweets so how about tea, everyone?

When I raised my face, Rozy had just entered the room, pulling a trolley carrying sweets and books. 

Katarina: Sweets…!

When I vigorously got up from the sofa, the nice scent of tea and cookies made my stomach growl loudly.

Rozy: Seems like I'm just on time. Here, help yourself. I've also brought various books from the library.

After saying this, Rozy put on the table yet another batch of what seemed to be Queed romance novels. Their bindings looked different from the Sorcier ones and I couldn't help feeling excited about their content.

Keith: *Sigh*… I wish you'd stop spoiling my older sister so much… 

Rozy: I'm sorry, Lord Keith. I just wanted to see Katarina's happy face...

On the trolley, Rozy promptly warmed teacups with hot water, steamed tea leaves with a teapot, and started preparing tea. Meanwhile, one of the books he brought strangely piqued my curiosity, so I picked it up.

Katarina: (Mmm? What's this…? Only this one looks very old…)

While thinking this, I casually opened it. At that moment…

Katarina: Waaaah?!

A dazzling light suddenly burst forth. Unable to keep my eyes open, I tightly shut them.

Maria: Lady Katarina?!

After Maria's flustered voice, I heard Mary's scream.

Mary: Lady Katarina, where are you?!

Geordo: Did something happen, Katarina?!

Everyone kept calling my name in panic. Then, after the light had finally subsided, I opened my eyes and next thing I knew, everyone had disappeared from my sight. On top of this, I was half-buried in some unfamiliar soft and fluffy thing.

Katarina: E-Eeeh~? What's this…?

Near me, there was a big book-like thing that wasn't there earlier. I must have been thrown into a strange place. As I was scanning my surroundings in confusion, I could hear Sophia's weeping voice from above.

Sophia: Lady Katarina has disappeared…!

Mary: I seem to remember something like this happening once before! Lady Katarina can't possibly be inside a book again…?!

I raised my face at the sound of Mary's voice. That's when I realized that everyone had become extremely big.

Katarina: (No, that's not it…)

When I looked closely, the big book-like thing was Sophia's foot, and the soft and fluffy thing was the carpet. In other words, I seemed to have become small. 

Mary: Lady Katarina! I beg you, please come out!!

Mary was shaking the book with a frantic look. From the look of it, no one had noticed I was there.

At this rate, I might get accidentally crushed under their feet. I frantically waved my arms to highlight my presence.

Katarina: Hey! Mary! Sophia! Maria! I'm here!

After my desperate shouts, everyone seemed to finally notice my voice.

But they were looking around, probably because they couldn't find me.

Geordo: Katarina? Where are you?!

Mary: Lady Katarina! Where might you be?!

They couldn't find me at all. As I was wondering if I had become that small, the door of the room opened.

Silva: Hey! What's that racket?

The one who entered the room was Silva, the captain of the Weiss Pirates.

His figure rapidly approaching was overwhelming, like in a dinosaur movie. I hurriedly slipped under the sofa not to get stepped on.

Geordo and Keith closed in on Silva.

Geordo: Katarina has disappeared!

Keith: We can hear her voice despite not seeing her. Maybe she is nearby but we can't see her, so please don't walk carelessly!

Silva: Haaa? What the heck are you talking about?

Unlike the puzzled Silva, Geordo and Keith were looking around with tense looks. Even so, they didn't notice me at all. I would eventually get stepped on at this rate, so I hurriedly rushed out of the sofa's shadow.

Katarina: Hey! Everyone! Here! Right next to the sofa!

After I had spread my arms as wide as I could and highlighted my presence, they finally seemed to notice me.

Sophia: Lady Katarina?! What happened to you…?!

After seeing this small me, Sophia widened her eyes.

After her, Mary covered her mouth with both hands in shock.

Mary: Lady Katarina has become palm-sized!

Alan: What the heck happened…

Alan was looking down at me with a bewildered face. Next to him, Geordo folded his arms and stared at me with a similarly astonished expression.

Silva: Isn't that Sorcier's magic?

Alan: But even if it is magic, is that even possible…?

Geordo: No one here can cast such magic. Which means the root cause…

Nicol: …must be her opening that book?

Nicol said this as if to finish Geordo's sentence, then picked up the book I had opened earlier.

Geordo: "The Adventures of the Little One".... What is this book?

Nicol: The title is written in Ancient Script. Isn't it a grimoire?

Everyone was deeply discussing that mysterious book. As I was wondering what a book written in Ancient Script was doing in the Vinculum, Maria went down on her knees and extended her palms to me.

Maria: More importantly, please come over here, Lady Katarina. It would be terrible if you were to be inadvertently crushed underfoot.

Oooh, as expected of Maria. She could be very considerate.

Katarina: Thank you, Maria!

While thanking her, I climbed on her held-out palms. After I did, Maria carefully raised them so she wouldn't drop me.

Maria's hands were so warm and smooth, they felt so nice.

When I flopped down without thinking, Keith's flustered voice resounded.

Keith: Big Sister! It would be terrible if you fell, so stay put!

Katarina: Ah…!

Katarina: (Oopsie, I can't do that! I couldn't help myself since Maria's hand felt so good…)

After Keith's scolding, I hurriedly fixed my posture.

Silva: That aside, even her clothes shrunk. What kind of workings is that?

Silva was usually cool but even he seemed impressed. He peered into me closely.

Katarina: Now that you've said it, it's indeed impressive workings. I have no idea why I've become like this either.

What could be the principle behind it? As I wondered this, I checked my body again.

My clothes were the same as usual, and aside from their smaller size, I couldn't find anything particularly different. As I was feeling impressed by that amazing magic…

Rozy: This is not the time to be impressed by something like that!

Rozy raised a desperate voice. When I looked at him, he had become pale and his face was grim.

Rozy: What should we do? I can't believe a Sorcier magic book was mixed among the ones I brought. Is there a way to turn Katarina back to normal…?

Geordo: More importantly, just as Maria said, our first priority is to ensure Katarina's safety in her current state. Holding Katarina in her hands like this will probably make Maria's arms tired, so how about moving to the inside pocket of my jacket, Katarina?

Geordo said this and held out his palms. Everyone gathered in protest.

Mary: Oh! I won't allow such an attempt to get ahead!

Keith: Neither will I! Given her current state, entrusting Big Sister to you would be much more dangerous! What if you hid her somewhere?

Geordo: How vexing. Do I look like I would do such a thing? 

Alan: I wouldn't put it past you…

Geordo: Did you say something, Alan?

Alan: No…

As I was quietly sitting on Maria's palms, everyone was loudly fighting about something in front of me. From the look of it, Keith wouldn't put it past Geordo to drop me carelessly.

I didn't want to meet that doom but I would feel bad if Maria's arms got tired…As I brooded over this, Sophia turned the pages of the grimoire and raised her voice.

Sophia: Oh my, this is…

Alan: …What's wrong?

Alan turned around because of Sophia's voice. Then, Sophia and Nicol, who was reading the grimoire with her, spread the book on the table.

Nicol: Please look at this.

Alan: This… The story is being rewritten?!

Katarina: The story is being rewritten? Prince Alan, what do you mean?

I raised my face in reaction to those unbelievable words and my eyes met Alan's. He made a flinching face for a moment, then held up the grimoire so I could see. For some reason, he was muttering something like, "With her size, her upturned eyes are foul play".

Alan: Here, look.

Katarina: Hmm…

Unfortunately, it was completely unreadable to me. It was written in Ancient Script.

When I looked back at Maria to ask for help, she read it in my place.

Maria: The events that happened among us seem to be written in this book.

Katarina: Eh? "Us"? …Like, all of us here?!

Following my shocked reaction, Geordo nodded.

Geordo: Yes. I don't know why, but all of our names are mentioned. And the dialogue written here is completely the same as the conversation we had earlier.

Katarina: Eeeh? Why is such a thing written in this book? Rather, how come you can all read it?

While I was shocked by what Maria and Geordo told me about the book's content, Keith made a stunned face.

Keith: Big Sister, aren't you supposed to have learned Ancient Script during our classes at the academy…?

Katarina: Umm…

Keith: I helped you study for the exams, remember?

Katarina: About that, well… It's, you know… Umm…

What I crammed right before an exam would always slip out of my head once it was over, so I couldn't read Ancient Script at all. I had the feeling Keith would start lecturing me if I honestly told him, so I tried to deceive him one way or another. Silva let out a sigh.

Silva: Before lecturing her, shouldn't we think of a way to turn her back to normal first?

Maria nodded to Silva's words.

Maria: I agree. Let's investigate the book so Lady Katarina can safely turn back to her original size.

Thanks to this, I could escape Keith's lecture. Feeling relieved, I peered down at the book while standing on Maria's hand.

Katarina: (Hmm~ But I still can't read a single character.)

Ancient Script was hard to read.

The others seemed able to read it, so they discussed the content while checking it over the pages.

Sophia: "The Adventures of the Little One"... Judging from the situation, the story of the small Lady Katarina has been written over the text here. Shouldn't there be clues toward a solution in the parts that haven't been overwritten yet?

Nicol: Right. On the first page, the story starts after Katarina has become small. Doesn't it mean she will return to her original size at the end?

Silva: It would be great if it didn't end with her getting even smaller.

Rozy: Silva! Don't say ominous things!

Everyone silently read the book while arguing like this, then…

Katarina: W-What's wrong everyone…?

As they turned the pages, everyone gradually turned pale.

Katarina: (Eh? What the heck did they read? Will things get that bad…?)

As I was feeling apprehensive, Silva, who seemed to have finished reading, sighed again.

Silva: I see, that's "an adventure" for sure.

Mary: This can't be true…! I won't be able to endure such peril befalling Lady Katarina!

What the heck was written inside? I looked up at Maria's face but she didn't say anything, her face still pale.

From the look of it, there seemed to be very problematic content written inside.

Katarina: Umm… What's written inside…?

When I shyly asked, everyone told me about the content while exchanging awkward glances.

It was like this. After they had turned small, the protagonist almost got bitten by a playful cat and almost got stepped on, but they overcame those hurdles and safely tamed the cat. After escaping danger, they turned back to their original size… it seemed to be that kind of story.

Knowing it would be a cat and not a dog made me feel a little bit relieved. I had been hated by dogs both in my past life and this one and they would bare their teeth at me, as if they had encountered their archenemy of many years. But if it were a cat, maybe it wouldn't hate me so furiously… I think. But it wasn't something I had confirmed.

Katarina: (Rather, with this size, wouldn't touching a cat take me to fluffy paradise?)

Nicol: Anyway, I think the most likely way to turn Katarina back to normal is to try the same things as what is written…

Maria: The same things?! I am absolutely against it. What if Lady Katarina were to be eaten by a cat?!

Silva: Rather, there's no cat, dog, or animal of any kind on this ship.

Nicol, Maria, and Silva were arguing with each other.

But I couldn't think of anything but touching fluffy cat hair at my current size.

Katarina: (Riding on a cat's back seems fun too~! If I buried my face on his stomach, I bet it would feel soft, fluffy, and nice….Aaah, I wanna touch a cat.  Isn't there one somewhere?)

Rozy: But when we think about it, the story is purposely rewritten as a different one, so I don't think there is a unique path to the end. For example, if we think Katarina staying small like that forever is fine…

Rozy's voice made me come back to my senses. If I thought staying small was fine, I might really get that end. No matter how appealing a cat's fluffy hair was, this would be troublesome. With this size, I could easily get crushed, and more than anything, if this was the world of the fan disk, I could meet my doom in someone's bad end by just getting tossed in the ocean.

Katarina: (Come to think of it, what if this development is one of my doom ends?!)

As I panicked over the sudden feeling of danger, Mary also turned pale.

Mary: Lady Katarina staying small like this forever…?! We can't allow this…!

As expected of Mary, she was a precious friend. She seemed tenderly worried about me.

Mary: …Wait, with this size, Lady Katarina won't be able to marry Prince Geordo, right?! That's right, if I built Lady Katarina the perfect doll house, we might be able to stay together forever.

Geordo: Mary? I can hear you, you know?

This time, it was Mary and Geordo who started a smiling banter for some reason.

With no solution particularly coming up, I pondered hard about what to do.

Maybe because I pondered too hard, my stomach growled.

I had become small but my stomach still made a perfectly audible sound. Everyone who was fighting suddenly turned quiet.

Katarina: (Umm, having them turn all quiet at a time like this is a little embarrassing…)

Rozy: Th-That's right. Now that I think about it, I was making preparations for tea. It's ready, so let's have tea and calm down for now.

Rozy took the plates of cookies and muffins from the trolley and put them on the table.

Because of the delicious smell, I couldn't help leaning forward from Maria's hand.

Katarina: Waah! It looks delicious!

Maria: Lady Katarina! It's dangerous, so please don't lean forward! I will move you to the table right now!

With a slow movement, Maria let me off on the table.  After she did, my spirits rose at once because of the sheer size of the cookies and muffins.

The cookie was so big I could embrace it with both arms, and the muffin was so much taller than me.

Katarina: It's okay if I eat this, right?

Rozy: Yes it's fine, but I should break it in half…

Katarina: I'm digging in!

Rozy started saying something but because of my excitement, nothing entered my ears.

I took the cookie in my hands, and when I took a bite…

Katarina: (Wh-what the heck?! It's so good!!)

Maybe it was because the Vinculum's chef was skilled as always, but the cookie was wonderfully delicious. Or maybe my sense of taste changed because I became small. It was a cookie, but at the same time, it wasn't. It was like eating some mysterious food.

Katarina: Mmm~Delicious!

With the hunger helping, I was vigorously eating.

If it were as always, I would have already finished it and asked for seconds, but…

Katarina: Amazing! No matter how much I eat this cookie, it doesn't disappear!

Thanks to my body becoming small, I could relish the cookie to my heart's content. This made me feel deeply moved. This body might not be so bad after all.

Mary: Oh, my… Lady Katarina embracing the cookie with both arms… What a lovely sight…!

Geordo: Yes. Katarina is so cute even when she is small.

Sophia: But someone might abduct her since she is so adorable. Big Brother, what should we do?

Nicol: It should be fine if we all keep an eye on her…

Despite the delicious cookies, everyone was just discussing something with serious faces. They didn't seem to be taking any at all.

Katarina: (What a waste! In that case, I need to eat all the other sweets after this one!)

That was the plan, but…

Katarina: Uuuh…

Maybe because my stomach shrank along with my body, my tummy gradually started to hurt.

Maria: Lady Katarina, you shouldn't push yourself so much…

Keith: That's right, Big Sister. If you push yourself so hard, you'll only upset your stomach…!

Maria and Keith were worried about me but I tightly embraced the still remaining half of the cookie.

Katarina: N-No! It's my principle to finish any food I touch…!

Silva: No, right now, that's not what you should work hard on.

Silva extended his finger to take away the cookie. But I bit into the cookie, refusing to let it go with all my might.

Katarina: munch munch munch…

Geordo: Aaah, goodness, Katarina! If you eat it so hastily, you will choke!

Keith: Big Sister! We won't take your cookie, so eat it slowly at least…!

Silva: Wow, wow, are you okay…?

While everyone was raising their voices, I was stuffing my cheeks with the cookie. It was a struggle and my stomach hurt, but I absolutely couldn't leave any behind and make waste.

While I was eating, the cookie, which was originally the size of my body, gradually became smaller. Before long, it had become the perfect size at my current size, and I finished it with one last bite.

Katarina: …Phew. I ate all of it!

Silva: Where the heck did it go in that tiny body…

Silva was looking at me with an amazed face. But I puffed out my chest with a sense of accomplishment.

Even with everyone trying to stop me, I could somehow stick to my principles and eat all of it. I splendidly did it!

As I was patting my stomach in satisfaction, my body suddenly started glowing.

Katarina: W-What's this…??

Alan: Hey, the grimoire is glowing too?!

After hearing Alan's voice, I looked in the book's direction. It was also glowing. The inside of the room became engulfed in a dazzling light, and I couldn't see anything anymore.

When the light finally subsided, everyone's faces were now below my line of sight.

Katarina: Eh?! I'm the one who became big this time?!

Silva: No, take a closer look, Katarina. You're just on the table.

Katarina: Ah!

When I looked down at my legs, I could see plates of muffins and teacups. 

That was close! I was just about to inadvertently kick the muffins away.

Keith: Here, Big Sister.

Katarina: Thank you, Keith.

While taking Keith's hand, I got off the table.

When I looked at everyone again, they finally looked like their usual sizes. In other words, I seemed to have returned to my original size.

Mary: Lady Katarina! Thank goodness, you returned to your original appearance!

Rozy: But why, suddenly…?

Following Rozy's words, I also tilted my head in confusion.

Why the heck did I suddenly turn back to normal?

Sophia: Oh…?

At that moment, Sophia, who was holding the book, blinked her eyes after looking at the back cover.

Sophia: Big Brother… Something is stuck here.

Nicol: Let me see.

Nicol took the book and carefully peeled off the thing stuck to the back cover.

Nicol: It is …a concluding note.

Katarina: A concluding note?

Nicol: Yes. It says, "When you overcome a hurdle standing in your way, the curtain on your adventure closes."

Rozy: A hurdle…

Silva: …standing in your way…

Following Nicol's words, for some reason, Rozy and Silva turned their eyes toward the sweets on the table.

Katarina: Umm…. In other words?

As I was wondering what it meant, Keith was the one who replied.

Keith: Maybe once the person turned small by the book overcomes a "hurdle", the story ends and they return to their original size…?

Katarina: Eh? But I don't think there was any hurdle…

Silva: So you're saying eating a cookie as tall as you is no hurdle? You really are a peculiar noble lady!

After Silva said this, I remembered doing my best to finish the cookie earlier.

While eating it, I indeed felt like I was seriously fighting the formidable enemy that was the cookie.

When I thought I might not finish it, I panicked and felt frustrated.

Mary: Then the "hurdle" Lady Katarina overcame was…

Alan: …finishing that cookie…?

After Mary and Alan asked this, Geordo checked the book. Then he nodded with a very indescribable look.

Geordo: This appears to be the case. The end has been rewritten to match that conclusion.

Alan: What the heck…?

Katarina: No way~ But I'm glad I could return to my original size.

The reverting method was a little unexpected but I was so glad I didn't have to be chased by a cat.

Katarina: (I probably couldn't have handled an adventure like that…)

Silva: So that makes it "The Adventure of the Little One, the Cookie Chapter"... That's so like Katarina.

Seeing Silva's awkward smile, I felt a little embarrassed.

Not only was my hurdle eating a big cookie, but it was also recorded in the book. It was embarrassing. As I was looking at the grimoire, wishing it would revert to the original story where I was chased by a cat, Geordo closed the book and bound it so it couldn't be opened again.

Geordo: Anyhow, let's ensure such a dangerous book can't be opened again. I can't possibly return it to the library so I'll hold on to it.

Silva: Oh, right. Let's do that.

Seeing Silva accepting so easily, Geordo and Alan made a surprised face.

Geordo: …Is it really fine? I think you can earn a considerable amount of money if you sell it, so I was so sure you would say you would keep it…

Silva: My credo is not to hold onto extra things.

This is when I finally remembered that Silva was a pirate.

Katarina: (Pirate… Now that I think about it, pirates sell rare things. Which means they would have eventually sold me to a freak show if I had stayed small?!  Aaah, thank goodness I returned to my original size!)

Maybe because I felt relieved, my stomach growled again.

With my body returning to normal, the size of my stomach seemed to have also returned to normal.

After my stomach resounded, everyone made relieved and astonished faces.

Alan: You, I swear… So you're still hungry?

Katarina: It can't be helped! A single cookie won't fill my stomach!

Maria: Then please have these too, Lady Katarina.

Maria held out to me the plates with the muffins.

As she offered, I took a muffin and ate it. When I did, a soft fluffy sweet taste wholly spread in my mouth.

Katarina: Mmm~! Delicious! This size really is the best to eat sweets. I want to enjoy various kinds, after all!

Earlier, I ate one so big I couldn't hold it with both arms and it was great and all, but now, I could eat muffins, macarons, cookies, and other sweets one after the other, and this made me way happier.

Geordo: Katarina just never changes.

Mary: Yes, but this is Lady Katarina's lovely side.

Sophia: Lady Katarina, please have these too!

Katarina: Sophia, thank you!

While drinking tea, I continuously ate the sweets that Maria, Mary, and Sophia offered to me.

Katarina: (Mmm… It's so delicious! So many flavors, this is happiness~)

But since I had become small, I wished I had tried things I normally couldn't do, like eating a whole cake by scraping the top off with a spoon, or swimming in a pool of jelly…or so I thought to myself.

[purplesaline]

Piracy is preservation, and authors would rather have their books in front of people who can't access many books for free instead of looking those people in the eye and saying "fork over your month's earnings"

Shut up

To be clear, I'm not against Piracy in general. In fact I'm not only an advocate, I'm a prolific pirate myself.

I'm sure you can find a handful of authors who feel that way, but those I know personally (one indie author and one traditionally published) as well as those I've seen comment on the issue are adamant that piracy has caused them significant personal harm.

They'd far rather people who can't afford their books use libraries to access them or, if the libraries they have access too don't carry the book(d), they'd rather people reach out to them personally to arrange for a copy within their budget (sometimes including for free).

Pirating books is not the same as pirating movies. It's the difference between attacking a Spanish galleon and a fishing sloop.

Bigger names like Brandon Sanderson, Steven King, Diana Gabaldon, etc have a entire fleet of sloops and are unlikely to miss a couple going missing, but the less famous (and thus less highly paid) authors can have their entire career ruined by their book being pirated. It can even prevent them from getting offered another book deal, meaning there won't be any more books by that author for you to read.

We aren't entitled to the intellectual property of others. Full stop.

If the author wanted their book to be free, they'd have made it freely available (as some do!). Maybe if everyone had a universal basic income that covered the cost of living we'd see more art available at no cost, but as it stands artists need to make a living too and that means they need to earn a profit to survive. If they can't do that with their art they have to find another way to do it which means less time and energy to make art.

Not to mention the advance an author gets is usual peanuts, and unlike actors who get paid by the time the movie is out, an advance isn't a wage and if the author doesn't sell enough books they have to give back whatever amount of the advance the sale of their books didn't cover. If they get a $5000 advance and only sell $3000 worth of books they owe the publisher $2000.

Again, I'm not against piracy. I am against harming individual artists to the point where it significantly impacts their career. I want more art in this world.

I'm also not telling people they can't, or shouldn't pirate books. I'm against it but I'm not trying to for e others to believe the same as me. I'm providing information so people can make a more informed decision and better understand the consequences of their choices.

So do what you will with the info I've provided. Just be willing to acknowledge the harm you cause with those choices. Even the piracy I take part in causes harm on a smaller scale.

I have no argument against "I don't care, I'm doing it anyway" and I won't bother trying to argue it.

[theinstagrahame]

Another big month of TTRPG mail calls! Got a bunch of zines, some Crowd funders, and treated myself to a book or two when I got my new job lined up.

Here's what's exciting from the last month:

Death of the Author: I've said before that we (as in I) love the work of Sam "@goblinmixtape" Leigh, and before I got into TTRPGs, I wanted to do fiction writing (I found that I got from TTRPGs what I wanted from writing). So the pitch felt like an instant yes: A solo RPG about writing fiction, and the relationship between author and character.

The World we Left Behind: Sam Leigh put this together apparently for a Ballet, which is incredibly cool, and then put it as an add-on for the Death of the Author campaign. Needless to say, I was all in.

Urban Shadows 2e: Backed this on Kickstarter before Magpie did the A:tlA campaign, and it's finally showed up now. If I'm honest, my interest has waned, but I know US 1e was really good.

Zephyr: The art and the concept behind this are great, and I know that the creator makes some really neat mechanics.

Glitch: I picked this (well, 0 edition of Glitch) up on Kickstarter years ago, because the pitch was so good, but I didn't get a hard copy then. Managed to use some DTRPG money I had to rectify this mistake. Jenna Katerin Moran's work is very philosophically interesting, but I was hooked by the notion of being a demigod who knows that there's more going on, but is going to deal with street level concerns.

The Flood: Also a Moran game, and came to be as part of The Far Roofs (which I'm sure will be featured in a future mail bag post). There's a beauty to Jenna's work, a blending of metaphor and reality that I'm really drawn to, so I'm very curious about how farming poetry will work out.

Reach of the Roach God: When I landed my new job, I pretty quickly landed on what I wanted to pick up. I found out about the Thousand Thousand Island books a little too late, so I wanted to make sure I snagged this beautiful volume before I couldn't find it anymore. It's a real triumph of a book, and I can't wait to dig deeper.

Ironsworn: Sundered Isles: I am on record as loving Ironsworn and Starforged. What if instead of Space, we had Pirates?! Hell yeah, sign me up. Ironsworn/Starforged are probably the solo RPGs I've had the most success playing, in that I got furthest into these before getting distracted by other things. So maybe I'll get myself into another one?

The Wizard's Library: I've been really intrigued by Vincent Baker's Wizards Grinoire series, although I've read (and not yet played) only the first. It's got a neat reverse relationship, where the "GM" player is the titular Wizard, and the other players run the supporting cast, helping the Wizard delve into the grimoires that they discover Fortunately, this book contains more grimoires for the titular wizard to go through, and with them, more dangers for the wizard to face.

Fabula Ultima: I've heard only good things about this self-billed "TT-JRPG" and I'm really curious about it. Final Fantasy and the Pokemon series both being such long-term loves of mine, I'm very curious to see how this one runs. (Also picked up the Quickstart for a future Mailbag.)

Wet Grandpa: Listened to an episode of RTFM about this, after seeing the name around for years, and finally picked it up. I always found the title off-putting, and really couldn't get past it until my favorite TTRPG Book Club Podcast dragged me through the cover. The physical edition is a beautiful, rugged-looking book and my mind keeps reeling at the possibility of making players make hard choices.

Psychodungeon: I really dug the pitch, and Kayla Dice makes some really fun and interesting games. Be part of a team that helps people manage their trauma after it manifests into a psychic dungeon. What intrigued me most was the use of the Belonging Outside Belonging system for this, which I think really opens up some interesting possibilities for the Workplace Drama angle, and the GMless aspect could lead to some extremely fascinating dungeons.

Stewpot: This one as a no-brainer. I've got lots of friends who are into the "cozy" genre of game, and Stewpot has been The Name in fantasy coziness for a while (for lack of a better terminology, as I know it's a loaded term). The special edition (and wooden dice) were too tempting, even though the crowdfunder hit during my Freelance Era, and cost a few extra...

Any%: I watched the HBomberGuy video about Speedrunning (shortly after his Plagiarism video dropped), and developed a soft spot for the hobby. I genuinely couldn't do it, I'm too ADHD to try the same thing over and over again in hopes of shaving a fraction of a second off of my response time. But, I'm glad that people are doing it. So, a solo RPG that plays with speedrunning and its terminology seems like a great way to feel like I'm doing it without all the Bad Brain Juices.

Pregame Lobby volumes 1 and 3: I also wanted to grab these before they became too hard to find (I can't find anywhere that has Volume 2 at the moment). I really like the vibes of .Dungeon, it feels like a game that evokes a period in my life where I was curious about the Internet and tried just about every MMORPG that wasn't WoW or EverQuest. I'm honestly struggling to not pick up the recent Spiral Bound edition, despite getting the hardback 2e, because the art and layout looks goddamn incredible.

And these books are from the Plus One EXP Zine Club, which is a Zine of the Month Club, hand-picked and hand-curated. So I'm excited because I don't actually know much about them.

Metalepsis

Fire & Stone

Hapsy Kordo's Kitchen Horrors

This Old House

Hive of the Crawling Creeps

Fallen from Grace

[thecheshireprincess]

Impatient

Librarian!Geto Suguru x F!Reader

Content Warning: Some suggestiveness but nothing explicit, possibly curse words because it's me, I read through this like once (kind of unedited), nothing really this is just a fluffy little blurb!

AO3 Link

A/N - I wrote this blurb at two in the morning bc I had a dream about librarian Suguru and I didn't want to forget.

What do we think of him? Should he and Reader get their own story?

You tiredly stretch upwards towards your target – the next book in the series you were currently obsessed with - every muscle in your body flexing and extending in silent desperation. You'd stayed up well past when watercolor oranges and pinks painted the horizon; jaw clenched and heart pounding as delicate fingers flipped through the action-packed final pages.

It was just after six in the morning when you flopped back into your mountain of plush pillows with a loud groan of distress - another cliffhanger. Just how were you supposed to go about your Saturday knowing that your main character was trapped in peril??

It was far too early to return to the library for the next novel, so you'd forced yourself to rest your eyes fitfully to pass the time. Fever dreams of menacing pirate lords and being forced to walk the plank danced across your mind's eye, the sharp clink of swords and roar of ocean waves serving as the perfect soundtrack. A certain dark-featured librarian even appeared as a guest star, his silken black hair flowing down his back and suntanned chest exposed in a loose-fitting maroon tunic. The brief hallucination alone made you subconsciously squeeze your thighs together from desire.

The stained glass doors to the library had mercifully unlocked promptly at nine, and you were the first of the day to burst through them in excited anticipation. Kimiko smiled up at you warmly with a knowing look and a quick wave of greeting, clearly unsurprised to find you here so early on a Saturday. With a hurried good morning to her, you'd briskly disappeared into the maze of shelves on your mission to continue your literary adventure at long last.

And now here you are overshadowed by the towering stacks of books around you, arms fully stretched, the tips of your fingers just barely grazing the wood of the shelf that the book rests on. Mockingly. You wonder in exasperation how and why the fantasy books had made their way up there; you were certain they hadn't been that high yesterday, had they? A guttural sigh of irritation escapes your lips, and you toss your bag haphazardly to the ground. It's time to get serious. Your eyes narrow when you look back up to the book as if it were prey in your crosshairs, readjusting your stance and pressing up as high as you can go on your tiptoes and allowing your weight to rest against the lower shelves.

Behind you, having been graciously tipped off on your whereabouts by Kimiko, Geto Suguru leans waiting patiently, a smug smile ghosting at his lips. His scruntinizing violet eyes study every inch of you appreciatively, breath catching in his throat when your cropped shirt rides up to expose your lower back and belly. The man's heart swells as you chew your bottom lip in concentration, tiny beads of glistening sweat forming at your hairline. You seem to think you're making yourself taller, that you must be so close to reaching it! But he knows you will never be able to reach what you're trying to get; not without his help. He chuckles in fond amusement, pushing off the shelf and striding towards you.

"Need some help?" he asks quietly, a gentle hand grazing the skin at the small of your back when he steps into your space. Geto has to stifle a laugh when you stumble back in surprise and nearly trip over your bag laying at your feet, his free hand providing a steady grip at your elbow. A simple nod of your head is all you can manage to indicate that you do indeed want his help, the dazzling grin he's offering you making any semblance of coherent words sputter out of your mind.

You desperately hope he can't feel the way your heart thunders against your ribcage or the way your breath had gotten trapped in your throat when his warm hands made contact with your skin. His lingering touch at your lower back burns through you like wildfire, the sensation all encompassing.

The book you'd been so impatient for is easily forgotten as you drink in the man's appearance; raven locks tied neatly in a bun at the top of his head, his strong arms draped in the maroon cardigan you'd cheekily told him was your favorite last week. Your attention snaps to the mahogany-framed glasses tucked safely in the collar of his shirt, you're grateful he isn't wearing them right now. He looks too good with them on, and you'd really been in trouble then.

He turns and easily plucks the book you'd been struggling to reach from the collection, giving you a moment to admire his large, elegant hands. Your mind wanders as you remember just how delicious he'd looked as a pirate, those same hands then wrapped tightly around a sword. You're lost in remembering the way his hair blew lightly in the sea breeze, the way his muscular arms held you against him as he protected you in the battle, the way you'd held his cheeks between your palms as you thanked him for his bravery with a kiss . . .

You're shaken from your daydream when he clears his throat, his violet eyes staring expectantly down at you. Your stomach sinks like an anchor as you realize he'd been talking to you the entire time, and by the smirk on his face, you'd obviously been caught red-handed checking him out. Shaking fingers brush his unintentionally as you retrieve the book from his grip, your pulse suddenly thundering in your ears.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said," you manage out sheepishly, heat of embarrassment and something un-named crawling up the back of your neck. For a moment, you wish the ground would just swallow you whole. But then, his grin grows almost predatory, the tall man boldly tilting his face closer to yours.

You can feel the warmth of his breath dance across your face in his close proximity as he repeats himself, "I said, if you keep going through these books so fast, you're going to run out of story to read." Steady hands tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear, causing you to gulp from the nerves.

The corners of your mouth lilt upwards as, for once in your life, your brain is quick to come up with the perfect response for him. Up until now, the man's always had the upper hand on you, especially now that he physically had to retrieve a book for you. It might finally be time to turn the tables on him.

With a sudden surge of confidence in your veins, you tilt your chin to close the already shortened distance between the two of you, gently brushing your lips against his. "Well it's a good thing I have such a good librarian to recommend more stories to me," you whisper, your mouth tickling the shell of his ear before pulling away and tucking the book reverently against your ribcage.

You turn back towards the stunned man, waving a 'see you later' with a sweet little grin before scampering off to check out the book cradled in your arms. Suguru stands stunned in the empty aisle, surrounded by rows of books on all sides. His fingers press gently at his lips where yours had been just moments before, heart racing.

Geto Suguru had never been more glad that he'd stayed late to move the fantasy novels just out of your reach.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

And now I need pirate Suguru 😭🤧 What have I done to myself?

[sen-ya]

part 5/7

is it silly that this is my favorite in this series? i really enjoyed writing kaya and I wanna do it again at some point :')

[op comic masterpost]

[pg1] panel 2: Kaya: Oh! Dr. Law! I didn't expect to find you in our library.

panel 3: Law: K-Kaya-ya!

panel 4: Law: Uh. Ahem. Excuse me. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your books.

panel 5: Kaya: Oh of course not! I'm just shocked to hear we have books you don't! What are you studying?

panel 6: Law: UHHHHH

[pg2] panel 10: Kaya: Oh! Is someone on your crew pregnant? Ikkaku??

panel 11: Law (thinking): She doesn't know Ikkaku is trans. Does she not know that I am?? I just assumed Nose-ya would have mentioned it. But that makes sense. If Straw Hat didn't already know Nose-ya was trans it's not like I would have told him.

panel 12: Kaya: ...?

panel 13: Law (thinking): Fuck, I've been quiet too long. I can't throw Ikkaku under to bus. Just say something.

panel 14: Law: No. Kaya: Oh. Then why...? Law (thinking): Wait, shit

[pg3] panel 15: Law: My, uh...brother...'s...wife. Yeah, we're taking him back to Zou soon...because his wife is pregnant...and I...want...to help...?

panel 16: Kaya: Oh, how sweet! Congrats "Uncle Law" hehe. If you have any questions I could help with let me know!! I specialized in traumatic injury, but I did deliver a few babies in Syrup Village! On smaller islands like that you wear a lot of hats.

panel 17: Law: And you've...been pregnant. Kaya: Well, yeah, but I wasn't my own doctor! Could you imagine if I had tried to deliver the twins myself? Even a doctor needs a doctor, you know that.

panel 18: Law: ...right.

panel 19: Law: ...what...what was it like?

panel 20: Kaya: Oh, my pregnant patients were actually pretty fun! I suppose it makes sense that as a pirate ship doctor you wouldn't have had to know obstetrics. But it was always so lovely to hand a parent their--

[pg4] panel 21: Kaya: ...newborn...baby...?

panel 23: Kaya: ...I'm sorry, Dr. Law. If there's context I need you'll have to give it to me. I'm not good at guessing.

panel 24: Law: What do you mean, I just gave you context. Kaya: With all due respect, you're full crying. It's a new sight for me!

panel 25: Kaya: You can tell me what's going on! I'm told I'm a very good listener

panel 26: Law: ...You Straw Hats sure are a pain Kaya: Sorry, hehe

panel 28: Law: ...I...ahem...so number one, if you didn't know...I'm...I'm trans.

panel 29: Law: But not like your husband. He got the works from Ivankov-ya...I never felt the need to seek that out.

[pg5] panel 30: Kaya: ...I see

panel 31: Kaya: How far along are you? Law: ..12 weeks, give or take. Kaya: Well, I've provided obstetric care of all kinds. So whatever questions you're researching here...why don't you ask me instead of being your own doctor?

panel 32: Law: ...Same question. What was it like?

panel 33: Kaya: Being pregnant was a horror show!

panel 34: Law: A glowing review. Kaya: Oh, sorry! I can lie if you'd prefer!

panel 35: Kaya: I was just so sick my first trimester! Law (speaking over her): KAYA-YA I THOUGHT I WAS DYING FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN WILL IT STOP I CAN ONLY EAT RICE.

panel 36: Kaya: It's different for everyone. By the end it wasn't quite so bad for me, though. And I love my kids so much. They were such cute newborns!! So I was alright being uncomfortable for awhile. Because that's what we wanted, you know?

panel 37: Kaya (off screen): What do you and Luffy want, Dr. Law?

[pg6] panel 38: Law: ...We haven't decided yet. We're giving it to the end of the week. I'm trying to think about it rationally. But I just keep getting emotional any time I talk about it. It's strange.

panel 39: Kaya: An emotional decision and a bad decision aren't inherently synonymous, you know.

panel 40: Law: ...your bedside manner is impeccable, Dr. Kaya-ya. Kaya: Well, thank you! Next time let's meet in the infirmary, mine or yours.

panel 41: Kaya: I'll be your doctor through this, okay?

panel 42: Law: ...Okay...Thank you. Kaya: Of course!

[changingplumbob]

Day twelve - Luther group part 2/2

@bakersimmer, @berrysims-lp, @daedriyth, @hashimasims, @invisiblequeen, @lostinsixam

Abigail: Yes!!

Kay: Next stop, GeekCon, right?

Abigail: *laughs* I knew those late night game marathons would come in handy one day!

Kay: I can't believe I won. I'm so excited to spend extra time with Deanna!

Abigail: I agree. I can't wait for the solo date, it's going to be fun! If I can shake off my gloom

Kay: Do you want me to go first? So you can take some time to shake off the blues?

Abigail: Please

Solo dates were two hours long. Deanna arranged for a beach trip and made some ice cream as a snack. She then did one friendly and one romantic interaction. The rest of the date was whatever happened autonomously.

Kay is ambivalent about being at the beach but is happy they have good weather. She chose to play some summer strut music which her and Deanna both enjoyed.

Deanna: When you were a kid did you enjoy school?

Kay: Yes, but mostly because I got to spend time with my best friend Willow. She and I were inseparable. I also really enjoyed the library. It was so amazing to read about astronauts and new planets, animals, and all the adventure books!!

Deanna: I loved my school library!

Deanna: Did you have a dream job as a kid?

Kay: I wanted to be a veterinarian. I love animals, especially dogs, and I hate to see them hurt or sick. I always try to help them in any way I can. After this show I'm thinking of adopting a few animals to liven up my home

Deanna: That's such a great coincidence!

Kay: What do you mean?

Deanna: Nothing, spoilers. I wanted to be a pirate

Kay: That's awesome!! What kind of pirate though? One that seeks treasure on their own, or ones that steal it from others?

Deanna: Ohhhh, good deep question! Let me think

A while later Deanna and Kay move on to memories.

Kay: I remember being in the kitchen with my mom and helping her bake. I got to stir the ingredients, and help pour them into the bowl, while she dealt with measuring and dropping the right amount of batter onto the pans, and the oven. We were making chocolate chip cookies! The smell was intoxicating. My mom didn't have a high skill in baking, so this wasn't something we did very often. But when those cookies came out all gooey and yummy, I remember wishing that she had more time to do that kinda stuff with me. Its a very happy memory, with a hint of sadness to I guess

Deanna: I'm sorry to hear that. I often forget how lucky I was that ma didn't start working until after Emi was born

Abigail is ambivalent about the beach. Nevertheless the sun, sand and ice cream help keep her blues at bay. She chooses to play alternative music, a style both she and Deanna enjoy.

Deanna: When you were a kid did you enjoy school?

Abigail: Not really. I mean, I liked learning new things, but the social part was rough. I was more the kid in the corner with a book than the one on the playground

Deanna: I'm sorry it was rough. I'm glad you've found your friends now

Abigail: Yeah. I miss those rascals

Deanna: Did you have a dream job as a kid?

Abigail: Oh, definitely. I wanted to be a superhero, which is ironic, because I'm not the most athletic Sim. But the idea of all the adventure and action that I could have enticed me.

Deanna: I can definitely understand the thrill of adventure. I kind of wanted to be a pirate

Abigail: Honestly? I think it's great. And, also, very cute. I guess we shared a wish for adventure as kids, huh?

Deanna: *smiling* Yeah we did. And hopefully more adventure to come

Abigail: Since you mentioned wanting to be a pirate… One time, my sister, who was around 7 or 8, had a friend sleep over, and I told them this scary story about a ghost pirate that haunts Sims at night. Later, I started playing fake footsteps outside her room to freak them out

Deanna: *laughing* That's totally something Emi would have done

Abigail: When I went to open the door, though, she screamed and punched me in the face! It hurt, but looking back, I guess I deserved it *chuckles*

When everyone was back at the villa contestants had three hours of skill gaining time. Room doors were locked and autonomy turned off to give everyone a fair go.

Both Kristina and Nathalie decided to sharpen their video game skills after the mornings loss. Alaina looked in to increasing her mischief skill. Abby went online to research and practice writing jokes while Nephinae opted to learn by book. Kay focused on fitness.

Devin: Two more solo dates! How are you feeling?

Deanna: Pretty good. I enjoyed myself

Devin: How did you find the ladies?

Deanna: Kay was great, I think I might be a bit smitten. Abby was such fun and I know we gained friendship and romance

Devin (voiceover): How did you find the date?

Kay (voiceover): I had such a lovely time! I am adoring Deanna. Yeah, smitten for sure

When skill time was over room doors were unlocked, autonomy was put back to full, and contestants were instructed to eat dinner. Needs decay had been on the whole day. Deanna was not instructed to talk to anyone so interactions happened autonomously, she was also locked out of rooms so she would be available for contestants to interact with.

Dinner was rather quiet, most ate their salads without talking. Afterwards though, once the dishes had been cleared away, chatter picked up again. Deanna chose to start talking to Kay and Nephinae took time to bond with Abby. Alaina disappeared somewhere by herself, Nathalie wanted to check her room for bugs and Kristina- well she decided to nap... even though the bedrooms were all unlocked... meaning the beds were available.

Chatter continued between the four left at the table, Nephinae helping Abby see some of the positive. The pair then brought up that age old question: what should you drink at 9:30pm? Abby went with coffee while Nephinae was content with juice.

[agirlwithdemonblood]

Mission: Smile

Pairings: Dean Winchester x Reader

Request: Could I please request a Dean x reader where she’s been down lately and it’s his mission to make her laugh? He loves her so much and all he wants to do is see her smile 🩷

Check out my Masterlist here!

Dean had been watching you for days.

At first, he thought maybe it was just a bad night's sleep or the aftermath of the recent hunt. But then.. it didn't go away.

The light in your eyes had dimmed. The usual spark he loved so damn much-the one that made you, you-was just... gone.

You still smiled, still laughed when he or Sam cracked a joke, but it wasn't real. Not the kind of laugh that lit up your whole face, the one that made his chest feel warm and full.

And it was killing him.

Dean wasn't exactly a soft guy, but when it came to you? He was a damn marshmallow. You were the one thing in his life that felt good-the one person who made all the crap they dealt with worth it. So watching you fade into yourself like this? It hurt more than any wound he'd ever taken on a hunt.

He'd tried to ask about it a couple of times, but you'd just shrugged it off, giving him a half-hearted smile and telling him you were fine.

Bullshit.

Dean knew better. So, if you weren't gonna talk about it, fine. He'd juts have to fix it another way.

And he had a plan.

Phase One: Prank War.

Dean started small-swapping the sugar for salt in Sam's coffee. You barely blinked when Sam did a classic spit take all over the kitchen floor.

He escalated with a well-placed whoopee cushion under Sam's chair in the war room. Nothing.

By the time he tried rigging the sink to spray you, only for you to just laugh small and wipe your hands off like it was normal, Dean knew he had to step up his game.

Phase Two: Bad Jokes & Terrible Puns.

“Why don’t skeletons fight each other?”

“Dean…”

“They don’t have the guts!”

A barely-there smile. But not enough.

“C’mon, sweetheart. That was gold!”

“Mm-hmm. Your a dork.”

Okay, so jokes weren’t working either.

Phase Three: Impala Karaoke.

Dean cranked up the classics, belting out every rock anthem he could think of as he drove you around for hours. Then, when that didn’t work, he resorted to boy band pop.

Hearing Dean Winchester sing “I Want It That Way” with full choreography? It cracked a smile, a small laugh, but it wasn't enough.

Drastic times, Winchester.

That’s how he found himself standing in front of an old, dusty storage room deep in the bunker, staring at a pile of forgotten costumes left behind by some long-dead Men of Letters.

But now that he was here, actually holding the ridiculous outfit in his hands…

It was a full-blown pirate outfit.

We’re talking the whole deal—puffy white shirt, leather vest, knee-high boots, a ridiculously oversized pirate hat with a giant feather sticking out, and… an eye patch.

“Jesus…” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced down at the outfit. “What the hell am I doin’?”

He could feel the embarrassment creeping up his neck. But then… he thought of you.

Of that tired, distant look in your eyes. Of how long it had been since he heard your real laugh—the one that made his heart feel like it was gonna explode.

She’s worth it.Dean blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair like he was psyching himself up for battle.

“Alright, Winchester,” he muttered, grabbing the costume. “Time to make a damn fool of yourself.”

Phase 4: Operation Costume Crisis

You were curled up on the couch in the library, absently flipping through a book that had been sitting in your lap for over an hour. You weren’t even sure what you were reading anymore—your mind was too clouded.

“Ahoy, me Love!”

Your head snapped up, and your eyes went wide.

Standing in the doorway was Dean. Dressed as a full-blown pirate.

“Oh… my… God.”

Dean was wearing everything—the white shirt, tight leather vest, and pants that clung to his legs in all the right places. But the best part? The hat.

It was huge—comically oversized, with a giant feather sticking out of the side. And perched slightly crooked on his head, it just made the whole look even more ridiculous.

But that wasn’t all.

Dean was also wearing an eye patch.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice dropping to a deep, overly dramatic growl. “I be Captain Winchester, here to plunder yer heart, lass.”

You blinked.

Once.

Twice.

“Dean…”

“Captain Winchester,” he corrected, straightening his back and puffing out his chest.

And then…

He pulled out a plastic sword from behind his back and twirled it.

“I’ve sailed the seven seas,” he declared, his voice dipping into the most ridiculous pirate accent you’d ever heard. “And nothin’ I’ve found is as precious as ye, me love.”

You blinked again, pressing your lips together, trying so hard not to laugh.

“Dean…”

“Arrr, lass!” He pointed the plastic sword at you, narrowing his one eye dramatically. “Do ye doubt me sincerity?”

Oh, he was committed.

Dean was all in.

But you could see it—the faint flush in his cheeks, the way he shifted on his feet, clearly dying of embarrassment but still pushing through.

And that’s what broke you.

The giggle you’d been fighting finally broke free, and once it started, there was no stopping it. First, a snort. Then full-blown, belly-shaking, tears-in-your-eyes laughter.

“Oh my God,” you gasped between breaths, clutching your stomach. “Dean… what… the hell?”

“Only the best for you, sweetheart,” he muttered, but you caught the way his lips twitched—his own smile threatening to break through.

“Dean… are you serious?”

He sighed dramatically, dropping the pirate voice but not the ridiculous accent.

“Sweetheart,” he drawled, tugging at the damn eye patch. “I’ve been prancin’ around this bunker for twenty minutes tryin’ to work up the nerve to come in here. You better appreciate this.”

And that’s when he twirled the sword again… and promptly knocked the hat right off his head.

That did it.

You lost it all over again, laughing so hard you couldn’t breathe, tears streaming down your face as Dean groaned and bent down to pick up the hat.

“Alright, alright,” he muttered, but his grin was wide and genuine now, his green eyes brighter than they’d been in days. “Mission accomplished.”

Dean’s grin softened as he knelt in front of you, brushing a stray tear from your cheek with his thumb.

“Feel better now?” His voice was softer this time, the teasing gone—just Dean, looking at you like you hung the damn moon.

“Dean…”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” His lips brushed gently against yours, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

“Mission accomplished, Captain Winchester,” you murmured against his mouth, a teasing smile tugging at your lips.

“You know…” Your fingers trailed lightly down his chest, stopping at the edge of the leather vest. “I think I might have a thing for pirates.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up, and his lips quirked.

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hmm.” You leaned in, your lips brushing the shell of his ear. “Especially ones who go all out to make me laugh.”

Dean’s grin turned downright wicked, but before he could say anything, you tugged him down, pulling him on top of you as you leaned back on the couch.

“Easy there, lass,” he growled, slipping right back into character, his voice dipping into that ridiculous pirate accent again.

“Oh no…” You bit your lip, trying not to laugh. “You’re not seriously—”

“Ye best be ready,” he murmured, his lips brushing along your neck, “for a night of plunderin’ and pleasure, me love.”

“Dean…”

“Nay, lass,” he whispered against your skin, his breath warm and sending shivers down your spine. “Ye’ll address me as Captain.”

You snorted, but before you could protest, his lips captured yours, swallowing your laughter as his hands wandered lower.

“Dean—”

“Captain,” he murmured again, his voice lower this time, the teasing mixed with something darker.

And when his lips moved to your neck, trailing heat down to your collarbone, you decided…

Maybe Captain Winchester wasn’t so bad after all.

Later that night, with you curled up against his chest, your soft breaths warming his skin, Dean couldn’t stop the grin tugging at his lips.

That smile.

The one he’d been dying to see for days.

And now? It was back.

“Mission accomplished,” he murmured softly, brushing a kiss to your forehead.

His chest felt lighter, his heart full.

Because seeing you happy again?

That was worth all the damn embarrassment.

And as he drifted off, holding you close, one thought crossed his mind: "I’d do it all over again."

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Like, comment, and reblog, feedback is my fuel 💕

[wondergotham]

Love To Hate

Request: “Can you do a James Hook x reader enemies to where reader is also a vk and part of Uliana’s crew but for some reason they hate each other and fight a lot to the point the others get annoyed at them and often tease them about how they act like an old married couple and should just get together already, then something happens that make them realize they realize they do have feelings for each other and they finally do get together? Sorry if it’s a lot”

Pairing: James Hook x Reader

In the long hallways of Merlin Academy, two people were notorious for their constant bickering: James Hook, the hotshot pirate, and Y/N L/N, the sharp-tongued VK. Daughter of Hans.

They had been rivals since they met, their competitive spirits igniting every interaction. Whether it was a simple argument over who could make a potion quicker or a debate about the best VK, their fiery exchanges were the stuff of local legend.

“Nice job making Uliana angrier, Hook!” You shouted, hands on your hips, as they saw their friend run off in a fury chasing after Bridget and Ella.

"You alright Uli? You're looking a little pink." You mocked how James had chuckled at Uliana as she transformed into a flamingo moments ago.

“At least I said something, you just stood there with your mouth wide open. Even Tick-Tock's mouth is smaller than yours.” He shot back, grinning despite the annoyance.

"Hmm I'm so flattered you were looking at my mouth." You smirked as you all continued to run behind Uliana.

Your friends, fed up with the relentless bickering, teased you. “You two act like an old married couple,” Hades would chuckle.

“Just get together already!” Maleficent added.

“Yeah, right!” You would retort, rolling your eyes. “I’d rather date Prince Charming.”

But beneath the surface, a tension simmered, one neither of you could quite acknowledge.

-

One rainy afternoon, you were flipping through your Defense Against the Dark Arts notes. A few textbooks are laid across from you. Loose sheets of paper are scattered on the desk.

You were reading about how to deflect specific hexes when a certain pirate sat down next to you.

"Studying for DADA? Never thought you would turn on your own people Villain Princess." Hook smirked.

Oh how you hated that nickname so much. And he knew it, clearly trying to get a rise out of you.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You dismissed.

Hook reached over and snatched the book holding it away from you with his good hand.

"James give it back!"

Thankfully no one was on the second floor of the library so you could be as loud as you wanted.

"I will once you tell me why you're studying so hard for this class when your father is the Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." Although Hook didn't really see an issue with it he just loved annoying you.

"Why? So you can laugh and tease me? No, thank you."

He noticed the way your eyebrows furrowed. The sharp exhale as you fought to get the book back.

It started as a joke but now it seemed like you were onto something serious.

"Is it really that bad darling?" He asked.

"You don't understand." You stood up trying to walk away but he quickly stood up and placed his hand on your shoulder.

The book long forgotten.

"Then tell me. For once don't argue with me." His eyes had a different expression. One you had never seen until now.

He was pleading for you to tell him.

You wanted to give him a sassy remark. To ask why he couldn't mind his own business. But today you were defeated you didn't want to argue anymore.

"It's my dad." You sighed. "Ever since I came to Merlin Academy his mission for me has been to come back home with a prince on my arm."

Hook stared at you intently trying to ignore the feeling in his stomach at the thought of some stuck-up prince holding you.

"Every time I come back for the holidays or when the school year ends he asks the same question."

"Have you found a prince yet? Our royal bloodline depends on it."

"He doesn't ask how I've been or how I'm doing in class. Me marrying a prince is all he cares about. But I don't want that." You whispered the last part shaking your head.

But Hook heard you, "Then what do you want darling?" He stepped closer to you.

You looked away trying to avoid his gaze. That was something you couldn't tell him. Not yet at least.

"Y/n tell me." There it was the same look in his eyes as before.

"I don't know. All I know is I do not want to marry a prince and live unhappy for the rest of my life. But I cannot tell my father. I'm afraid of what he'll do. Which is why I take DADA in the first place." You stated lifting up the book.

"If he tries to lock me up or do anything to try and force me to marry a prince I'll be more than prepared. He doesn't care enough to ask about my class schedule so he won't find out. I'll be ready if he retaliates."

"I don't know what to say." The young pirate's eyes shifted as his brain tried to find the right words. "Your father is not who I thought he was love. My problems with Tick-Tock are nothing compared to yours."

A sudden storm rolled in, dry lightning cracking across the sky. Heavy rain began to pour. It hit the stained glass windows of the library furiously.

It was time to leave. You had to get back to your dorm.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." You quickly grabbed your things heading to the flight of stairs that led to the first floor.

You blew it, you idiot. Hook thought to himself as he ran after you.

Thankfully the dorms were right around the corner from the library.

As you opened the door to the common area you realized James was still following you. Once he made it inside you turned to look at him.

“This is your fault,” You said, shaking off droplets from your hair. “You always pick the most inconvenient days to bother me”

Even with your damp hair and slightly soaked clothes you looked ethereal. The small droplets on your eyelashes make them stand out even more.

He chuckled, his voice teasing. “Maybe you should learn to pick better weather for your study sessions.”

"I wouldn't have gotten soaked if you hadn't been such a jerk. I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." You shook your head tears threatening to spill.

Again you tried to walk away but James wrapped his hand around your wrist.

"I didn't mean to upset you, lass." He admitted. Your eyes softened as you looked at him.

"Look I know we haven't been the best of friends. But if this is really bothering you my best advice is to confront it. If you keep trying to deflect or trick your father it will make things worse darling. Take it from a pirate you have to face your challenges head-on."

The boy could almost see the gears in your mind turning as you let his advice soak in.

"Perhaps you could tell your father how you feel when he visits you? If you believe he'll retaliate he won't be able to do anything since he'll be on the grounds of Merlin Academy. And if he does you have us to back you up. VKs stick together."

You couldn't believe what you were hearing. For the first time, you actually had a decent conversation with James Hook. One that didn't end with petty remarks.

"I never thought about it that way. Maybe you have a point....Thanks for the advice pirate,” You said softly, nudging his side. “I didn’t think you’d care enough to stick around.”

“Yeah, well,” He replied, rubbing the back of his neck “Maybe I’m not such a jerk after all.”

The air between you both shifted, a moment of vulnerability emerging. The teasing comments from your friends echoed in your minds, but now it felt different. You were no longer rivals; you were allies, working toward a common goal.

“Hmm we'll see about that." You said causing James to chuckle.

"You know,” A playful smirk appeared on his face, “if we stopped fighting, we might actually make a good team.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting we team up? Like, in life?”

“Maybe,” He teased, “but only if you promise to stop telling others that I love crocodiles.”

“And you stop calling me Villain Princess.” You shot back, but your tone was light, and playful.

-

Days turned into weeks, and your dynamic with James began to change. You still argued, but the fights were laced with a newfound flirtation. Your friends noticed the shift immediately and doubled down on the teasing.

“You two are practically dating.” Morgie smirked one morning in the dining hall.

“Shut up!” You shot back, though your cheeks flushed.

Maleficent just held back a chuckle. Thankfully it was just you three because the others were still in bed.

“I think you guys look cute together.” She smiled.

-

One evening, while the group was walking to Uliana’s lair, you caught James staring at you.

“What?” You asked, smiling.

“Nothing,” He replied, quickly looking away. But your heart raced, and you realized that your feelings for him had blossomed into something deeper.

That night, James lay awake, replaying the moments with you together. He could no longer deny it: he had feelings for you. But what would that mean for your rivalry? What would it mean for your friends?

-

The next morning, James decided he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer. He marched over to your dorm, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Y/n!” He called, through the door as he knocked.

You opened it and looked up, surprise etched on your face. “What’s going on?”

“I need to tell you something,” He said, his voice steady despite his nerves.

You moved over so he could step inside your dorm room. The door closed softly.

“Is it about how you finally admit I have better Swordsmanship?” You teased, a grin spreading across your face.

“Actually, it’s about how I think I might… like you,” He blurted out, his cheeks turning pink. “Like, really like you darling.”

The teasing faded from your expression, replaced by a look of genuine surprise. “You’re serious?”

“Yes.” He said, his heart racing. “I know we’ve fought a lot, but I can’t ignore it anymore.”

You stepped closer, a grin forming on your lips. “Well, I guess that makes two of us. Because I’ve been feeling the same way.”

James’ breath hitched. “But your father love. I don’t want him to hurt you if he finds out we’re together.”

His soft hand caressed the side of your face. He held you like a delicate flower.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I told him. I couldn’t wait until next month so I made a phone call.”

James’ eyes widened in surprise.

“He was upset. But he’ll come around I know it. Plus my mom can talk some sense into him. The point is we don’t have to worry James.” Your eyes sparkling with happiness.

James pulled you into a tight but comfortable hug and kissed your forehead.

“Love you have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I always knew how brave you were.”

“Thanks to you James. I couldn’t have done it without you,” You replied, your heart soaring as you shared a tentative smile.

-

As the weeks passed, the teasing from Hades and Morgie continued, but it was now accompanied by genuine support. And the girls were very happy for you both.

You and James found yourselves laughing. Spending a lot of time together.

One evening, as you both walked through the halls, James reached for your hand. Your heart raced as he entwined his fingers with yours, a smile spreading across your face.

“Looks like we really are an old married couple now,” You said, glancing at him with affection.

“Yeah,” He replied, wrapping his arms around you. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way gorgeous.”

In the heart of Merlin Academy, amidst the laughter and teasing, a new chapter began for you and James—one filled with love, friendship, and the promise of a future together.

[susiephone]

the internet's lack of nuance in general is always annoying but one thing i see come up over and over again is people refusing the acknowledge that book piracy is different than pirating tv or movies. and it is. it absolutely is.

unlike tv or movies, where, with some exceptions, everyone gets paid an agreed upon amount for their work, regardless of how much money the end product makes, authors make royalties- meaning how much they make is completely dependent on how many copies sell. some authors get an advance, which is a flat fee you get no matter what, but you don't start making royalties until you "earn out" your advance - so if i get an advance of, say, $10,000, i don't get any royalties for my book until it's sold enough copies to make $10,000 in royalties and paid the publisher back for the advance. most books never get that far. and $10,000 is not a number to sneeze at, but when you consider that books can take months to years to write, plus editing time, plus marketing (because 95% of that responsibility falls on the author unless you are extremely lucky) - when you break it down to how much money you're making for every hour of work you put into a book, it's really not a living wage, unless you're one of the lucky few who sells a lot of copies consistently, and/or gets large enough advances that you can live on it for a year or two while you write your next book.

i've seen some well-meaning people say that pirating from indie authors is wrong because they don't have the support or resources of a publishing house, and often don't sell a lot of copies at all - which is true. but i think a lot of people don't fully realize that most authors who are traditionally published, even ones who have had overall positive experiences with their publishers, don't usually make that much either. like i said, most people never earn out their advance, and most authors have to handle marketing mostly themselves - the books everyone's talking about, most of them probably got a big marketing push from the publisher with more money behind it. which isn't a dig at those books; publishers put money behind projects they think will make money, often because those books are good! but it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and the books that get covered by every reviewer, get goodreads banner ads, get quotes from famous authors, end up in subscription boxes? very much the exception, and that's because the publisher can't afford to do that for every book. obviously sometimes there's an underdog, a book that didn't get a big marketing push but gets great word-of-mouth and grows that way, but if you're trying to make a living writing, you have to work for that to happen.

so with all that in mind, it really grinds my gears to see authors who say, "hey, book piracy significantly hurts my income" being called greedy, selfish, or "scabs".

i think some people think, "wow, you have a publishing deal from a big 5 publisher with a five-figure advance, and you still want more money? how greedy!" because they don't fully realize how the math actually works out for most authors.

like, pedro pascal is getting his fat paycheck no matter how many people pirate the mandalorian. no one working on dear evan hansen lost a dime because of the bootleg recordings floating around. and for the big new york times bestselling authors? yeah, most of them probably won't be hurt by people pirating their book instead of buying it. almost certainly stephen king is not going to notice if a few thousand people download an illegal pdf of the shining. but most authors, it does have an impact.

obviously, there is some nuance here - not everyone can afford books to read, and not everyone can access a library. and obviously if a book is out of print, that's a different discussion entirely. but "it's fine to pirate books because piracy is always ethical and victimless and authors who are against it are just scabs who hate poor people" doesn't really hold water for me. authors are not the bad guy for wanting to be compensated for their labor, and while it's not the reader's fault the royalties system doesn't let most authors make a good living at it, it's also not the author's fault.

if you want free books that don't screw the author over, advocate for more libraries with more funding! most libraries will also take requests for books to purchase for their collection, and, at least in the USA, "interlibrary loans" will let them temporarily borrow a book from another library system if someone wants it. see if your library is part of libby and hoopla, and if they're not, suggest they join. if you have a little extra money but can't afford new books, thriftbooks is a great place for cheap used books.

like i said, i am not saying everyone who ever pirated a book is a bad person, or that there's never a justifiable reason. i just wanted to introduce more nuance into the conversation.

[theolivetree123]

Elias's Fantasmic Adventure!

My 200 follower special!

(More under the cut!)

Event Summary

When Elias was younger, he always loved to read fairytales. Yet, there was one book that told a story that stuck with him till the present day. The story was about a creative and joyous mouse who, while asleep, dreams of himself on a spectacular journey through the depths of his own imagination. Elias loved that story, but as the years went on, the book fell into obscurity. No one in all of Twisted Wonderland seemed to know anything about this book! Elias thought he had been dreaming about it for years until he saw the same book in NRC's library. Though it was covered in dust, Eilas still felt the exact same spark that he had felt when he was little. As to not let the story fall into obscurity again, Elias begged Crowely to find a way to let people know about the book, yet Crowely couldn't help him. Elias almost ran out of ideas until he remembered a rhyme his mother would tell him.

Here in your mind

It’s magic you’ll find

When out of the night

Dark forces ignite

To blind you with frightening schemes

If you use your might

To brighten the light

You'll create night of wondrous dreams

This inspired Elias to put matters into his own hands. With funding from Kalim, Elias sought to put on a wonderful water and light show spectacular as a homage to his favorite fairytale. But, he will need actors and dancers! Help Elias create a nighttime fantasmic!

Actors and Dress Code

In the fairytale, the magical mouse goes on a trip through his mind. In his dreams, he sees wondrous, beautiful, and dangerous things. Since this live show is supposed to be inspired by that story, Elias would like all actors to dress appropriately for whichever part you may be going for. Of course, there is still a lot of room for you to be creative!

In this show, Elias will be playing the part of the mouse, who, fast asleep, dreams that he is a mighty sorcerer's apprentice with the power to control water, color, and magic.

In the original story, the mouse sees things such as:

A vibrant jungle

Elephants on parade

A Genie who can grant any wish

A large ocean with all sorts of creatures

Pirates

Fairies

Beautiful princesses

Evil monsters

Powerful dragons

With these in mind, you can decide how you want to be perceived in Elias's dream! Do you want to be a beautiful prince or princess? Or do you want to change Elias's dream into a nightmare?

Here's some references:

For your character's outfits, make them vibrant and fantastical! Anything can happen in Elias's dream!

If you're still stuck, then go watch the original Fantasmic! It should give you ideas for your character's outfits. (Yes, I know that the link is the outdated version, but tbh they didn't change much from the one linked and the updated one so IT'S FINE)

Rules

No NSFW!

This event will start today (September 3rd) and end on September 30th!

Anyone can participate! Whether it's an OC, canon character, or even a staff member.

You can participate by making cards, writing fanfics, or drawing fanart! Anything is cool!

If you make a card with voice lines included, please try to explain what role your character will be taking in the show.

Once you've made your entry, please tag me and use the hashtag, #EliasFantasmicAdventure!

Here’s the base if you’re making a card:

Actors

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

Elias Miel by me!

Joseph Akaba by @readsrandomstuff67

Yuya Florence by @cheerleaderman

Melione by @the-rini-rush

Flori by @bunniehunn

Zagarius Hekkate by @screamintoad

Makaria Hekkate by @blood-red-bumblebee

Mariah Amathyst by @slumberingrose-fandom

I look forward to seeing what you all create!

If you have any questions, feel free to dm me or send me and ask!

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1148 - Initial Thoughts

And so we return

Not only skipping a week because of Golden Week (which always catches me out) but it had to wait a little later on arrival meaning that I have to read and upload during my lunch break

But Robin and Gaban have stepped up to confront Sommers but will they be able to stop the God's Knights?

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

Yamato's overdrawn cover story continues to add more side quests, with Tama now entrusting him, Ulti and Pay-Pay to give back Kawamatsu's hat

We start the chapter with the character it's named after, one of the child hostages: Ronja

Gunko has led Ronja off the edge of the branch, standing on an arrow with the Realm of the Dead below

Ronja has kept on a happy go lucky attitude, but looking down has made her waver

Sommers gives Jarul 30 seconds to respond to his demands or they'll start sending children off the edge

Jarul must order the teachers to burn down the school and the library

The giants argue about the demands, some want to preserve the knowledge and not bend the knee but others note that the kids should be prioritized

Back to Robin, she tells Chopper to stay put, unable to hold back her emotions when confronting Sommers and the powers still not fully clear to them

Nami, Usopp, Jinbe and a very tied up Brook berate Sommers for planning on killing kids

Ripley and Franky are teaming up again, joined by Dorry and Brogy while the rest of the Giant Warrior Pirates fight the nightmares

Several other giants are also setting off to Branch 8 to confront the God's Knights

Sommers meanwhile adds to his demands, no books are to be saved, they intend to destroy their culture and history

Robin blindsides Sommers with a Cien Fleurs: Drumsticks

Jinbe warns her about his powers but Robin is well aware

She clutches him, but while Usopp and Nami celebrate she remembers that Saul told her they're immortal

True to those words Sommers repairs, counting down to 20 seconds as Usopp laments that he's a 'zombie' too

Robin though grabs and tackles Sommers off the edge

Sommers berates her 'suicide pact' but Robin notes that she knows he's supposedly immortal and what his fruit is, but she needs to remove the thorns to save the kids

It seems Sommers might have a range his his fruit, he thinks he has Robin to rights by making spikes come out of his body

But as expected, it's one of her flower doubles

Nami and Usopp again praise Robin's effort, but she is struggling to cut the crew free from Gunko's arrows, a knife won't cut it

She however hears Sommers still counting down, having latched himself to the underside of the branch to stop his falling

It probably isn't but the pose he's doing implies he's grabbed the tree with his dick XD

He tells Gunko to let Ronja speak

Although she's scared, she claims that she loves school and the library, and she's learned the values of not causing trouble or doing things that others hate

Poor kid claims that if saving her will mean everyone will hate it, she'd rather she just fell

Kids haven't learned what a Catch 22 is yet

Although she claims that she's lucky, the tears in her eyes cannot shield from the panic

Sommers relishes counting down the final seconds, and Jarul at 1 calls for Ange to burn down the school and library

Tears form from Ange, Saul and Robin's eyes, and Sommers ascends to entrap Robin in thorns too

The creep comments on how he loves her saddened expression

But before he can do anything, his hand is cut off

And it's not Regenerating!

The arm also switches sides but we'll ignore that XD

Gaban is here, and he's familiar with Sommers

A slice across the chest is our final attack, Gaban is here and he is serious about it

Well it was definitely an exciting chapter to come back to.

Robin did have a clever tactic but she didn't confirm the kill so to speak. I can't fault Jarul for prioritizing the kids but I also feel like the God's Knights' threat could still happen, with Luffy and co arriving to save the kids from falling.

Gaban being able to permanently hurt Sommers is interesting though, there's a way through but what is it? Conqueror's Haki maybe? Part of me thinks so but hopes not simply because it limits who can fight them.

One would expect that Sommers isn't completely down and out now, which means the kids are likely still thorned up, but if the crew learn a way to defeat the God's Knights it'll mobilize them better. Someone will need to handle Gunko to free the rest from the threads, only Chopper and Robin seem available for that unless Brook uses his Ghost form and Nami uses Zeus, but I still am leaning towards Robin rushing to stop the fire - the giants can fall to the demands not to save it but Robin is not a giant, plus she's a pirate she's not really bound to follow rules.

[madwomansapologist]

enjoying a day off | nami

Masterlist | Rules | Taglist | Library | More Nami | AO3

synopsis: After a hard week, all you could think about was your day off with your girlfriend. At the beach, you figured you'd spend your time swimming, looking for shells or letting the sun warm your skin. Nami was also expecting that, but her mind was unaware of a very important fact to determine how that day would end: Nami didn't know you would be wearing that bikini.

warnings: smut. exhibitionism. public sex. praise kink. degradation. free use. masturbation. scissoring. fingering. tw:use of 'pretty, pretty little girl'. dom!nami. female!reader.

Nothing would stop you from disappearing for a whole day. No machines to create, and no Going Merry damage to repair, or pirates to deal with. What you wanted was peace. Silence. The chance to not have to worry about anything or anyone. Except for Nami, of course.

The beach was your idea. It was remote, quiet, but close enough to the port so you didn't have to walk for long. And it was beautiful. Magnificent. Just what you needed.

As soon as you arrived, Nami found a comfortable place and arranged the sheet with all your things. She lay down, her head on one of the bags, and soon sank into a fantasy book. "Aren't you going to swim with me?"

"I've had enough of water for a lifetime." Nami can stay there for how long she desire, you will enjoy the day as much as you can. You started opening the buttons on your short, rolling your eyes at her lazyness. "Shout if you need help."

You threw your shorts at her, then did the same with your t-shirt. You accidentally made Nami drop the book in her face, and it was difficult to not laugh at it. "Enjoy your boredom."

Nami held the book, throwing your clothes aside, but wasn't able to say anything. Nami could only look at the tiny piece that had been hiding under your clothes this whole time. It was almost a crime for you to dress like that in public.

It covered everything that couldn't be shown, but that was it. There was nothing left to the imagination, and yet Nami's mind managed to create so many images of you. Memories and desires mixed together.

Nami between your legs, licking without haste, squeezing your thighs. Your fingers deep into her, making her roll her eyes. Your voice. Your eyes burning with lust. Your drooling face after she tired you out. Her name coming out between your lips. All the marks on your body that came from her.

"Come here, let me bore you out", Nami throw the book. She sat on the sheet, her eyes penetrating your skin and warming your soul, tapped her lap twice. "There's your seat, pretty girl."

You always follow her orders, but this one you followed with great pleasure.

Sitting on Nami, your chest pressing against hers, you linked your arms around her neck. Nami squeezed your thighs, her nails marking your skin. "You're so beautiful. You know that, right? My beautiful girl."

The wet kisses on your neck made you close your eyes. You leaned towards her lips, squeezing Nami's shoulders just the way she likes. "You say this all the time", you whispered.

When she hold you, you feel at home. You feel safe. Like Nami could do anything to you, say anything, and nothing will never change. You're her girl. Her beautiful, pretty girl.

"Because it's true", Nami bit your shoulder. Her fingers went up to the string of your bikini, tugging at the fabric. Within seconds, even without her touching your breasts directly, your nipples were hard. "But you'd be prettier without it."

Without warning, she pulled at the fabric. She didn't undo the knot, she didn't pull it away to reveal your body: Nami tore it. With a single movement, your breasts popped out. "Hey! I still want to swim!" Even though you were still complaining, she did the same with the fabric between your legs.

Even mad that she tore your bikini apart, or that someone may see you both, you didn't even tried to cover yourself. If Nami wants to see you, then you gonna give that to her. You love to feel her gaze burning your skin.

"You can do everything you want to," Nami laid you down on the sheets. She sat on your lap, enjoying your body. She knew every little detail about it, but she still looked at you as if it were the last time. As if you were her last meal. "Just like that. Naked for me."

"We are in public, Nami!"

"Just stay like that, huh? Can you do that for me? Can my pretty, pretty little girl do what I want her to do?"

Of course you agreed.

Nami bent down, kissing your forehead. The tip of your nose. Your chin. Between your breasts. Then she licked it. The sensitive skin of your belly, your fingers that used to hold her waist, the peaks of your breasts. The licking turned into lightly biting your nipples, then squeezing your breasts until it hurt, and sucking her skin.

With her mouth full, her fingers slid into your pussy. She lightly touched your lips, a touch so delicate that it seemed ghostly. You held Nami's hair, her tongue playing with the sensitivity of your breasts, and you felt her moan against your skin. You pulled, harder this time. “You’re so good for me,” you moaned. "I want you so bad. All the time."

Just like that, she stuck a finger in you. It stung a little, you didn't expect it to be so sudden, but the teeth squeezing your nipples made the pain soon turn into pleasure. One finger became two, and soon your pussy was as wet as the sea.

"You're so loud," Nami slapped your thigh. The way your pussy throbbed against her fingers made her close her eyes. "Do you want to get caught? Do you want someone to listen to you and come watch me fucking my dirty slut?"

Nami placed one of your legs over her shoulder, and sat in a better position on top of you. "Should I let anyone here use you? You're so inviting. Is that what you want? To be fucked like a bitch?

You shook your head. "I'm your whore. Only yours."

It was exactly what Nami wanted to hear.

You spread your legs to accommodate her better. Nami touched once more your glistening lips, proud of how wet you were for her. She kissed you, her tongue exploring your mouth as if it was the first time, and started to slide herself against you.

You couldn't close your eyes. Not even blink. Because that meant you wouldn't be able to see her, and that would be such a waste. "You're so pretty", you babble praises. "So good to me."

Nami grinded against you, enamored by your words. She could feel how wet and hot you were, so ready for her. Your lips touched hers perfectly, your pelvis was made to press her clit just the way she loves.

It gets harder every day for Nami to ignore that you were made for her.

She was so slow, that your mind started to imagine all the things you wanted Nami to do to you. How you wanted her to fuck whenever she wants, however she wants. She was so good for you that you couldn't help but to starve for more.

Thrusting like that, enjoying every second, your arosal mixed with her. Your thight was so wet, you could feel the sheet cold beneath you, and you had the perfect vision of Nami's pink lips shining. It was so wet, so sticky between you both, so messy.

You would lick her clean. Drink every single tear of her sweet juice.

You could hear how wet you both were. How nasty, dirty it was. So hot. You smiled as you heard, and Nami grinded harder against you.

"Did you heard that?" Nami bit her bottom lip.

"Fuck", you couldn't breath anymore. Your Head started to burn. "You're making me... Nami, please, do something."

Faster, Nami put her thumb on your clit and pressed it. She spit on you. She didn't need to, you both were so wet, but she wanted to. And you could take anything Nami wanted you to.

She kissed, feeling you coming undone, shaking between your legs. Her nails dig into your thight's skin, making you moan. It was so hard, so good, that she couldn't control herself. With her mouth open, Nami's saliva fell on your boiling hot skin.

Nami lay on top of you, and you hugged her trembling body. “You were perfect for me,” you whispered. "You always are."

if you enjoyed, please reblog! i promise it makes a difference ♡

@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.

[awesomebutunpractical]

I'd love to hear more about Twain? He sounds super interesting!

First off, I woke up to this message right before heading off to an early work shift, which was a big mood boost, so thank you!

I got an early post here and a meme redraw I put way too much time in here.

Don't be fooled when Twain complains about harping on technicalities. Technically is his favorite word. He loves being persnickety so much he'd marry it.

His paternal great-grandmother was a member of the Longleg tribe, which arguably contributes to his lankiness. It barely shows.

You'd think such a stickler for details wouldn't enjoy Usopp's tendency to stretch the truth, but Twain loves folklore deeply and sees these tall tales as a fresh exciting example. He's actually taking to transcribing them.

Their first meeting wasn't exactly friendly though. Usopp had managed to offend Twain's temperamental captain, and was captured. Twain was, in the most detached way he could, trying to figure out who Usopp's next of kin was.

He was genuinely trying to do something kind but also was trying not to crumble under the strain of working for his terrible boss. Came off a bit cold.

He also offered a token resistance when the Straw Hats basically demolished the crew during the rescue mission. All in all, he made a terrible first impression. Wussy bad guy.

(Part of why everyone forgets that Twain is actually a competent brawler is he doesn't advertise it. He HAD to learn how to fight, he didn't CHOOSE it. Another part of it is he's good, but he's not This Far into the Grand Line Good.)

Back before he was taken onboard his pirate ship, he was managing a small out of the way library. The library was burned down but he managed to save a single book. Most precious thing in the world to him. Was very weirded out when Luffy gave it back to him during the climax of the rescue mission.

This is Not How Pirate Captains Act.

Luffy is also his only ally in the "if I didn't want to be a pirate it shouldn't count" corner - which he deeply appreciates. The very fact that this bully of a captain was forcing people onto his crew is extremely against what a pirate should be. Shameful.

Zoro is a bit more quick to judge the whole "you were just going to let Usopp get killed right in front of you there" angle, and Twain is understandably a bit uptight around him.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 9/17/2024

come take this very very friendly little man out of my bathroom! he is fiv+ and we are in houston tx! i am willing to drive a couple hours for the right home! he is a good boy he's just orange! more details here!

listening

emily jeffri's DENY off my spotify recommended weekly playlist: i can only describe it as "throbbing". immediately attention grabbing lyrics:

What kind of lover does your mother want? I'll do whatever, oh but you could not

very distinctly indie electronica. this would be the song in a cyberpunk/80s hacker movie where the chase takes you through an goth/alt fashion show where the models are actively giving blood as they walk or something.

i love the spotify daily mix for me and my bestie bc there's a guaranteed four bluey songs on it and it's a nice jumpscare. i know my mental health is taking a turn for the worse when a lot of mother mother starts popping up, i know my bestie's is taking a turn for the worse when a lot of girl in red starts popping up. suicide-watch-level sapphic angst singer-songwriter, generally. except for this song! extremely fun! didn't even recognize it as her! DOING IT AGAIN BABY is a more traditional selling-you-a-dodge-charger car commercial song and it's such a startling departure from her usual work that i wonder if it was a commercial commission? hard to immediately find out tho

I'm on a new level Something's got me feelin' like I could be inflammable And I might be I'm gonna light it up Nothing's gonna stop me if I say this is what I want

-

reading

i read twilight (yes that one) at the behest of my bestie and bc my mental health could not have gotten any worse in that moment. it has led to some uncomfortable realizations about my high school experience i will save for a therapist. i am mostly putting it here to remind myself that i read this book this year.

^ this is some silly goofy nonsense. not that i think people shouldn't be recognized at their retirement, but what happened to giving people nice watches instead of a thousand dollars in plaques

Saying that, the records did reveal something actually interesting: although the individual contract I sent a request related to was for a few thousand dollars, an attached blank purchase agreement (BPA) says that “the government estimates, but does not guarantee, that the volume of purchases through this BPA will be $360,000.00 over the term of the BPA.” So, a lot more than a few thousand bucks.

-

watching

Hang 'Em High (1968, dir. Post). certainly not clint's sluttiest role but really up there. i do wish he kept the fucked-out little rasp for the whole movie :(

When an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.

it has a typical bizarre shoehorned romance that (i think) deeply undercuts the theme it wants to explore, but there is no on-screen rape. the bar is on the FLOOR with westerns and yet i DNF so so so many.

hell of a whump film. literally everything happens to jed cooper. i will trumpet this again from the rooftops: that character needs cbt both ways.

-

playing

HIGHWATER, a 2022 adventure/turn based strategy thing from Rogue Games, courtesy of Netflix Games, whose game library is a fucking nightmare to navigate on mobile.

i loooove a water-based postapoc. the boat does in fact handle very poorly and like a horrible inflatable raft on mobile, which is both charming and frustrating.

i do not love a turn-based combat. despite the vibes off the charts, including a very well integrated "pirate radio" station as the game's soundtrack, i am not patient enough to muddle through complex turn-based combat. i'm sure someone had fun fighting off six guys and two bears (who aggro anyone and can one-hit anyone) and then a further three guys who show up for backup but i gave it the good old college try over two days and wasn't able to swing it. it would be nice to have either a difficulty setting or some way to spectate the ideal fight, but alas. a lot of fun environmental stuff in the fights you can use to your advantage, like the bears and these trees you can flatten your opponents with in a much earlier fight. there's a fun mix of different characters with different abilities and different weapons you pick up and keep during fights. i have no specific beef with this game's choice to make this the way you move through the game, it's just not my preferred genre.

a lot of book and newspaper collectibles in this one that i feel of several minds about. it feels less like environmental storytelling through newspapers and just the devs telling me their opinion when they provide little book summaries like this. also i wish The Industry as a whole was more thoughtful about using the word "insurgent".

not a game for me, i have once again confirmed that i cannot tolerate a turn-based combat no matter how much seafaring postapoc you drench it in :(

-

making

got a Phantom Menace era curtain panel for $4 at the thrift, and i was convinced it was fabric someone had made into a curtain panel until i got home and discovered it was an officially licensed product with bafflingly generous seams.

it's about two-ish yards of a 50/50 cotton/poly blend, which i feel like i haven't seen in a while? i think the current fashion leans more 70/30 or 100 poly for curtains i've purchased. after i finish unpicking the seams and pinking it, i am going to throw it in the wash again with some vinegar and see if that softens it up any, or if it makes the transition between the wear lines on the seams and the body of the fabric any nicer.

thinking about what kind of dress to make that 1) shows off this extremely large scale pattern 2) does not look like i am wearing a paper bag, and 3) does not look like the late aughts craft trend of sewing a twin flat Star Wars sheet to a tube top and calling that a dress, bc that's how hard up we were for feminine merch. much to consider. maybe it Will be a maxi skirt with pockets and i can wear one of my seventy black tees on top?