#lili reads rogue elements

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Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer: The Babylon Rogues Arc - The Babylon Rogues

After their battle with Dr. Eggman, Sonic and his friends decide to take a break, having fun at the local hoverboard racing stadium. However, this doesn’t last long they get challenged by a group of professional hoverboard racers - the Babylon Rogues! With a new rivalry sparking, it is up to Sonic to show Jet who is the fastest racer in Neos City.

Chapters

Entry 20: Catch Me If You Can

Entry 21: Sonic Speed Riders

The Babylon Rogues Arc is, as of writing this analysis, the shortest arc of Sonic Cyber Revolution, adapting elements from the Sonic Riders spin-off video games and introducing the Babylon Rogues as recurring characters to the story.

Take note that the lyrics presented in both of the chapters are symbolizing the Babylon Rogues smack talking to Team Neos:

''Catch me if you can! There's no turning back, reach but never catch! Catch me if you can! You can't fathom that, wonders you can't have! Catch me if you can! Catch me if you can!''

With Team Neos response being:

''I'm gonna hit you with Sonic Speed!''

The Arc kicks off with Sonic and Lucas hanging out with Tails and Warren at the Taylor Workshop, talking about their battle with Dr. Eggman and Lucas being the only one actually worried about Eggman attacking them again. Sonic suggest that they relax a little and have some fun at the Solar Stadium by going hoverboard racing.

There, they meet up with Lily, Knuckles, Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver (Shadow left Sonic on read) and have fun racing. The way the Solar Stadium works is that all tracks are programmed inside AR Fields, meaning that multiple different tracks can be active at the same time. Hoverboard racing is actually a very popular sport in this universe, to the point that there are several variations of this sport and even whole tournaments for it.

After finishing one race, with Amy winning, Sonic volunteers to pick the next track for his friends to race on, only to encounter a very arrogant and brash bird.

After hearing his teammates voicing their agreement, Sonic walked over to the closest holographic screen, but just as he was half-way over, his ears twitched and he heard someone yelling. Looking up, he saw a figure speeding right towards him on their hoverboard. Sonic quickly dove aside in order to avoid being ran over by the racer, hitting the ground hard and feeling a gust of wind brushing through his quills, his hoverboard falling on the ground. He turned back at the racer, glaring at him.

''Watch out where you're going! You almost ran me over!'' Sonic shouted, with the racer turning around on his hoverboard, looking at Sonic.

The racer was an ARNav, having the appearance of an anthropomorphic hawk with emerald green and dark emerald green feathers covering his body and white feathers on his front torso. On his arms near his wrists were dark emerald green fire-like markings. He had a golden beak and azure blue eyes with red and black markings on the sides. His hair was styled like a mohawk with dark emerald green tips. He also had three tail feathers with dark emerald green tips. For attire, he wore a pair of white gloves that possess visible lining with red and black cuffs and dark gray bands around each wrist. He also wore red, black and white boots with gray soles, and goggles with yellow lenses, white frames and gray straps.

''Hmph, serves you right for being in my path!'' the hawk ARNav replied, pushing the goggles that were over his eyes up on his forehead and grinning smugly.

Sonic frowned as he got up. Usually, he was all for befriending people, but for some reason, this ARNav got on his nerves. He couldn't explain it, but his gut feeling told him that the hawk was trouble. He shook his head, picking up his hoverboard and going towards the holographic screen, only to see the hawk flying towards it as well. Not wanting the hawk to be there first, he used to his super speed to run over, but they ended up reaching it at the same time, with the hawk suddenly blocking Sonic, giving him an intrigued look.

''What was that?'' he asked, not allowing Sonic to get the screen.

''I just ran over,'' Sonic replied bluntly.

''I was talking about your speed, smartass,'' the hawk replied. ''There is no way you're that fast.''

''You clearly don't know who you're talking to. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, known The Fastest Thing Alive,'' Sonic bragged, pointing with his thumb at his chest. ''There's hardly anyone who can match me.''

''Hmph! You may be the fastest creature on the ground, but in the air, with me and my hoverboard, you're just a joke!'' the hawk replied, pointing at himself. ''I'm Jet the Hawk, The Legendary Wind Master and there is no one who can beat me in a race, especially not some pathetic rookie racer.''

After Jet the Hawk nearly runs over Sonic with his hoverboard, he then ticks off the hedgehog by belittling him and bragging about being faster than Sonic, calling the latter a pathetic rookie racer. As it turns out, while Sonic is normally laid-back and chill around people, there is something about Jet’s attitude that actually manages to piss him off.

''I'm doing better at hoverboard racing than you think,'' Sonic replied, but Jet laughed at him.

''Tell that to someone who is actually cares,'' Jet replied. Sonic could feel the sense of annoyance bubbling inside him, but he kept his cool. From their conversation, he gauged that Jet was one of those arrogant types who was quite confident in his skills and was also able to back up his claims. Nevertheless, he was sure that he could deal with Jet, but for now, he just wanted to select a track so he and his friends could race. However, before he could do anything, two more ARNavs flew up to them, joining Jet.

One of them was an anthropomorphic swallow with light and dark purple feathers that covered her body and head. Her hair was styled like a pair of long braids. On her arms near her wrists were light purple fire-like markings. She had a golden-curved beak, light purple eyelids, cobalt blue eyes, and two tail feathers. For attire, she wore a white kerchief, white gloves that possessed visible lining with golden bracelets and red lining, a white tube top, and dark purple flare-designed white trousers. She also wore red boots with white accents and gray soles, a white necklace with a red utility gem, and gray sunglasses with gold lenses.

The other ARNav was an anthropomorphic albatross of hulking physique with gray feathers and white feathers covering his body. On his arms near his wrists were dark gray fire-like markings. He had light blue eyes with red and black markings around it, a golden beak and his hair was short. For attire, he wore tan gloves that possessed visible lining with black bands, small goggles with yellow frames and white straps, a brown necklace with small gray pieces, and black, yellow and white sneakers with sock-like cuffs and gray soles.

''What are you doing, Jet? We had sent you to select a track ages ago.''

''Is this guy causing you any trouble, Boss?''

Jet is joined by two of his teammates, Wave the Swallow and Storm the Albatross, both who are wondering what’s taking Jet so long to select the track, with Jet’s show of superiority being interrupted by Team Neos, who were worried about Sonic, and three other more humans who are with Jet, Wave and Storm.

It is revealed that the three humans are Chase Young, Jet’s partner; Rika Nakano, Wave’s partner; and Arven Pryce, Storm’s partner. The six of them form the Babylon Rogues of this universe.

Both Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues get into an argument when it is revealed that Lucas and Chase actually know each other (and by proxy, Chase also knows Warren) as they all knew each other as kids, with Chase having bullied Lucas for his introverted personality, calling him a shut-in and hikikomori. Jet immediately picks on his partner’s behavior by bragging about the superiority of the Babylon Rogues and getting annoyed that Sonic doesn’t recognize the name, calling the latter a Rookie, annoying Sonic greatly.

Even Rika and Wave get in on it by looking over Lucas’ hoverboard and pointing out the modifications, something Warren and Tails are quite proud of, only for Rika and Wave to mock them for the shoddy craftsmanship, pissing Warren and Tails off and sparking another rivalry.

As for Arven and Storm, Arven actually isn’t that antagonistic towards Lily as much as he develops a crush on her on first sight, with Knuckles telling him off and getting into a stand-off with Storm.

Makoto, Silver and Amy are a bit worried about the situation, with Minami pointing out how fighting won’t achieve anything, with Jet agreeing and deciding to settle their feud in a Tag Team Race, something everyone agrees to, with Team Neos being confident that they will win.

Unknown to Team Neos, Touka and Shadow were at the Solar Stadium the whole time, albeit not in the mood to engage with their fellow teammates. They had observed the whole argument between Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues, their brows furrowed when Team Neos accepted the challenge to participate in a Tag Team Race.

''They don't know what they got themselves into,'' Touka said, her hoverboard leaned against a seat as Lucas, Sonic, Warren, Tails, Lily and Knuckles approached Chase, Jet, Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm, while Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver sat on the bleachers. A holographic screen appeared above the racing track, allowing them to follow the race between Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues while they were inside the AR Field. Touka glanced at Shadow. ''Do you think that we should've warned them?''

''No,'' Shadow replied curtly, arms folded across his chest. ''If Sonic believes that he can win this, he can try.''

''Don't tell me that you're annoyed that he's racing against Jet,'' Touka said, rising an eyebrow. Shadow scoffed.

''Tch, if I wanted to race against him, I would've done it already,'' Shadow replied, shooting a glare at Touka. ''I'm merely curious about his performance in this kind of race.''

''So, you're actually hoping that he'll win?'' Touka asked, looking intrigued. Shadow didn't answer, focusing on the screen ahead instead, with Touka just shrugging. However, knowing her little brother, even if he didn't want to admit it, she was aware that Shadow was hoping Sonic and his team would win against Jet and the Babylon Rogues, even if the odds were clearly stacked against them.

Unknown to Team Neos, Touka and Shadow are actually at the stadium, having watched their little feud with the Babylon Rogues and don’t appear to be too optimistic about Team Neos’ chances in a race against the Babylon Rogues, even if they do hope that their teammates will win.

''Hey, Makoto, what are the exact rules of a Tag Team Race? I did hear about it, but I don't really know any details,'' Silver asked as he, Makoto, Amy and Minami were observing their friends prepare themselves for the race.

''Well, in a Tag Team Race you usually have two teams, each consisting of six members, racing against each members. Those six members consists of pairs of a human partner and ARNav and to win the race, at least one pair needs to cross the finish line. If only the human partner or the ARNav crosses the finish line, it doesn't count as a victory, so they have to work together,'' Makoto explain. ''Also, in Tag Team Races, you can find Power Boxes as you go through the track, which can help you gain advantage in a race. To use them, the human partner needs to touch one, while the ARNav activates it, so once again, teamwork is important here.''

As Makoto explains to Silver the rules of a Tag Team Race and Minami and Amy cheer on their friends, Sonic/Lucas, Tails/Warren, Knuckles/Lily & Jet/Chase, Wave/Rika & Arven/Storm have some pre-race banter (with Arven even making a bet and asking Lily for a date if the Babylon Rogues win the race).

The race starts, and while at first, Team Neos and the Babylon Rogues seem to be on equal ground, it quickly turns out that the track the Babylon Rogues have chosen is actually the most difficult track Solar Stadium has to offer, a track known as Wayward Dimension, which changes areas as they pass through them. Unlike Team Neos, the Babylon Rogues have way more experience with this, taking a huge lead and leaving Team Neos to struggle, with Jet and Chase winning over Sonic and Lucas, leaving Team Neos humiliated by their defeat.

Sonic and Lucas are especially hurt by their defeat.

''Technically, we could, but…'' Lucas trailed off, sighing. ''We might not be able to beat them at all. I had never raced in Wayward Dimension and if they can handle a track like that, maybe we can't catch up to them at all.''

''What if we train? We could familiarize ourselves with it,'' Sonic suggested, not wanting to give up yet.

''Unfortunately, the Babylon Rogues still have more experience,'' Knuckles pointed out, with Sonic falling silent as he thought about it. He really wanted to wipe Jet's smug smile, but it was clear that there was a huge gap between their own experience and that of the Babylon Rogues'.

''It is impressive that you had managed to last as long as you did, but you would've ultimately lost the race regardless of what you did. You were doomed from the start.''

Team Neos suddenly looked up, surprised to see Touka and Shadow walking up to them.

''We figured that one out already. You don't have to rub salt in the wound,'' Lucas said bitterly, staring at Touka. Meanwhile, Sonic turned to Shadow, who had his arms folded across his chest.

''Were you guys watching the whole race?'' he asked.

''Yes, and I had expected better from you,'' Shadow said sternly. Sonic's ears were pinned back as his eyes narrowed, staring at Shadow. Both were silent for a moment, appearing to be quite tense.

''I know, and if I get another chance, I would show you and everyone that I can go beyond my own limits,'' Sonic replied, his tone uncharacteristically serious. To his surprise, Shadow smirked.

''I'm certain that you would,'' he said, unfolding his arms, giving his rival a determined gaze. ''That's why I'm challenging you to a race.''

''What?'' Sonic was stunned, his expression matching that of his friends.

''If you manage to beat me, then you'll be able to beat the Babylon Rogues,'' Shadow continued, ignoring the looks everyone was giving him. Sonic stared at him for a moment, wondering what Shadow was trying to accomplish with this, but he then nodded, figuring that his rival must've had a good reason behind this proposal.

''I accept your challenge.''

As they think about their defeat, they’re approached by Touka and Shadow, with Lucas asking them to not rub salt into their wound. Instead, Shadow addresses Sonic, challenging him to a race, much to Sonic’s surprise. Realizing that Shadow might be up to something, Sonic agrees to the race.

While the rest of Team Neos is confused by Shadow’s challenge, trying to figure out what kind of point he’s trying to make, Sonic questions Shadow about his intentions.

''Wait a second, Shadow… What are you trying to do?'' he asked.

''I'm trying to prove a point,'' Shadow replied, with Lucas noting how this wasn't an explanation of what he was up to. He turned to Touka with a questioning look, who shrugged.

''Maybe you should just watch the race,'' she said, beckoning to them to follow her to the bleachers. Meanwhile, Sonic and Shadow prepared themselves for the race, Sonic having selected Tempo City as their racing track and still wondering what Shadow was up to. He trusted his rival, but that didn't mean he didn't have any questions. However, he was confident he would get an answer.

''You said that if I want to beat Jet, I'd have to beat you first,'' Sonic said, stepping on his hoverboard. ''But, last time we raced against each other, we always ended up in a tie. So, where's this confidence coming from?''

''I had some practice since last time,'' Shadow replied, already standing on his hoverboard. Sonic grinned at the idea of having an even bigger challenge. Both looked up at the holographic screen above flashing from red to yellow to green as the AR Field formed.

READY? SET! GO!!

As Sonic and Shadow kick off their race, Shadow shows that he had become much more skilled at hoverboard racing, courtesy of his training with Touka. He comments on how Sonic still isn’t focused, questioning him about his own desire to race against the Babylon Rogues, with Sonic being left confused by his question.

''Hmph.'' Shadow briefly glanced back, slowly down slightly so he and Sonic were racing roughly at the same speed, with Sonic rising his eyebrow as Shadow addressed him, ''Why have you accepted the Babylon Rogues' challenge? What was your plan for beating them?''

''Huh?'' Sonic blinked at first, saying the first thing that came to his mind, ''Well, I was trying to outspeed them? Isn't that the point of a race?''

''Maybe in a Solo Race, but not in a Tag Team Race,'' Shadow replied, kicking off and using one of the accelerator to the side to gain more speed. Sonic followed him, his eyes narrowing as his attention was fully on his rival, who had a holographic screen opened next to him. ''Think about it! How did you manage to win your previous battles? How did you defeat Dr. Eggman?''

Sonic gave Shadow a confused look, wondering why the ebony hedgehog was asking him that, but then thought about it for a moment. ''It wasn't just me… We all fought Eggman together and…'' He grinned. ''I had my friends supporting me.''

''Then, do you understand why you lost in a Tag Team Race?'' Shadow asked, with Sonic rolling his eyes.

''Yeah, I do. Thanks for the lesson, Shads,'' Sonic replied, the latter bit being slightly sarcastic. Both of them then used another stream of wind to exit the tunnel.

As Shadow points out, Sonic and his friends never really had a clear strategy for what was supposed to be a team race, with Sonic realizing his mistake. They then get a bit competitive.

Meanwhile, Sonic and Shadow have entered the last part of their race, speeding down the street, with platforms floating above them. At this point, they were both going at the same speed, with Shadow drawing Sonic's attention by asking another question, ''What do you plan to do now?''

''First of all, I'm going to beat you!'' Sonic replied as he leapt onto an accelerator, boosting away. He was confident that he could defeat Shadow in this race, but to his surprise, the ebony hedgehog started weaving behind him, gaining momentum and using a nearby wall as a ramp to leap onto the platforms above them, then quickly boost down right in front of Sonic, once again taking the lead.

''Hey!'' Sonic yelled, but Shadow turned back to him with a smug smirk.

''Only because you have learned your lesson doesn't mean I'm going to let you win!'' he replied, the two passing only a few seconds later through the finish line, the AR Field behind them vanishing and both of them finding themselves back at the Solar Stadium; with Shadow being the clear winner.

Despite losing, Sonic didn't feel bad about it, as this was a race he had been looking for and he actually really enjoyed it. He turned to Shadow, who got off his hoverboard, holding up his hand curled into a fist. Shadow gave it an uncertain look at first, but then went along with the fist-bump.

After the race ends in Shadow’s victory, albeit with Sonic also being in good spirits, the dark hedgehog questions his rival about his plans. Sonic wants to come up with a proper strategy, challenging the Babylon Rogues again, but agreeing to train and prepare for this race. Touka points out how, even if the whole team worked hard to win, they’re still too inexperienced, as the Babylon Rouges have actually won the Tag Team Hoverboard Racing Tournament held in Mikado City two months ago, despite having participating in it the first time. In short, they’re professionals.

With the group wondering what they should do, Touka and Shadow offer to train them, much to their shock. Team Neos then learns that Touka is actually one of the best hoverboard racers in Neos City, pretty much on the same level as the Babylon Rogues, knowing all the tracks inside out, capable of giving advice to them that would help them improve. They accept their help, wishing to beat their rivals.

Meanwhile, as we check in on the Babylon Rogues, they’re in Chase’s room, lounging. Chase is bothered by the sudden challenge, but Jet assures him confidently that no one can beat them, with Chase agreeing, but still being annoyed by the lack of challenge.

It is revealed in a flashback that Chase, Rika and Arven participated in a Solo Race Tournament three months prior, where they ended up racing against Jet, Wave and Storm, only for the race to end up in a tie. While the tournament was already over, Chase and Jet keep challenging each other, trying to prove who the better racer is, while Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm are exasperated by their behavior.

''I was right ahead of you!''

''You were just touching my tail feathers! I won!''

Being still in the middle of their argument, Chase and Jet were startled by a high-pitched whistle, turning suddenly towards Rika, who was the one who had drawn their attention, Wave, Arven and Storm.

''Are you two done arguing?'' Rika asked, her expression showing that she was completely done with their bickering.

''Not until we determine who is the faster racer!'' Chase protested, then pointed at himself. ''Which is me, of course.''

''Hmph, you got to have a screw lose. I'm the fastest racer here!'' Jet replied.

''Look, Jet; considering how you had been trying to beat each other for three hours and still ended up in a draw, it is clear that both of you are equally good,'' Wave said. Frankly, she wasn't happy either about drawing with the other team, but at this point, she was too tired to care.

''Could we just go home? I'm hungry,'' Storm added.

''Honestly, we also just want to move on from this…'' Arven trailed off, doing a double-take and raising an eyebrow when Storm claimed that he was hungry. Why would an ARNav say anything like that? It's not like they could get hungry. Rika overheard it too, along with Wave, but Chase and Jet completely ignored the comment, still too focused on trying to prove who was the better racer.

''Maybe we could...''

''No.''

''But, just-''

''NO!''

Both Chase and Jet flinched when everyone just yelled in frustration. They just shot glares at everyone, before glancing at each other and yielding. Chase sighed, turning towards Jet.

''I have to admit, you're quite a challenge,'' he said.

''You aren't that bad either…'' Jet said in an off-handed manner, arms folded across his chest and facing slightly away from Chase. ''It is an accomplishment to be able to just keep up with the Babylon Rogues.''

''I wouldn't be here if I wasn't the best. Maybe we could compete against each other at a different tournament,'' Chase suggested, extending his hand. Jet glanced at it, seemingly hesistant for a moment, but he then extended his arm, shaking hands with Chase.

''Then we'll leave our feud for the next tournament,'' Jet replied.

''Unfortunately, I don't think either of you will be able to participate at the next tournament,'' Rika said, a holographic screen opened next to her, with Wave, Arven and Storm giving it a curious look.

''Why not?'' Chase and Jet asked in unison.

''The next tournament is a Tag Team Race and you, Chase, don't have an ARNav partner,'' Rika pointed out.

''The same goes for you too, Jet, since none of us have human partners, so we'll have to sit this one out,'' Wave added.

''That's just stupid,'' Jet commented, his eyes narrowed.

''I absolutely agree, but it's not like they're going to let us participate, unless…'' Chase said, suddenly trailing off, his eyes widening in realization. Next to him, Jet seemingly had to same idea as he made the same expression.

''Unless, we partner up,'' Jet finished Chase's thought.

''What?!'' Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm were a bit shocked by this suggestion. Admittedly, each team knew that their respective leader could make some wild decisions, but they didn't expect for both of them to come to the same conclusion.

''Honestly, I like the idea,'' Chase said. ''Tag Team Races are usually a lot more challenging than Solo Races.''

''And you know how they say, the bigger the challenges, the bigger opportunity for growth… as the best racing team, obviously,'' Jet added. ''We should go back to the blimp and discuss this.''

With Chase and Jet realizing that they have a lot more common than they thought, they agree to team up to become the best racing team in the world. Chase, Rika and Arven also learn that Jet, Wave and Storm are Irregular ARNavs, but they couldn’t care less about it. Also, the Babylon Rogues are still thieves, but are currently focusing more on professional hoverboard racing.

Back at Solar Stadium, Lucas, Sonic, Warren, Tails, Lily and Knuckles genuinely have difficulty beating Touka and Shadow, who took the “show, don’t tell” approach in their training, refusing to tell them anything while also exploiting all the various shortcuts and tracks to win the race. The team does manage to improve, with Lucas and Sonic getting ahead of the two, but the last portion of the track catches them off guard, as it is a water hazard with a bunch of water spouts and a huge wave that crashes over the racers. While Sonic and Lucas slow down to avoid the wave, Touka and Shadow flying right into it, surfing the wave and winning again.

With the team taking a break (Minami, Amy, Makoto and Silver brought them lunch) and talking about the upcoming race, Sonic is confident that, even if he doesn’t manage to beat Shadow, he will beat Jet.

Skipping to the day of the race, Minami and Amy decide to treat it as a formal race by acting as reporters, with Makoto and Silver as their camera crew, and even ask Touka and Shadow for a comment on Team Neos’ chances in regards to beating the Babylon Rogues. Predictably, Shadow warps away, leaving an exasperated Touka to be the one to comment on it.

''May we hear your opinion regarding Team Neos' chances against the Babylon Rogues?'' Amy asked, pointing her microphone towards Shadow, while Minami pointed hers towards Touka. Shadow simply folded his arms, closing his eyes for a moment and playing it cool.

''Touka will explain everything,'' he said, then promptly vanished in a flash of cyan light, leaving a baffled Amy.

''Wait a sec- Shadow!'' Touka groaned when Shadow just warped away. She was fuming. ''I don't think I should even be surprised that he threw me under the bus… again!''

''Um, could we at least get your thoughts on the race?'' Minami asked, smiling sheepishly. Touka sighed.

''I already said it yesterday, Team Neos has a fighting chance as long as they stick to their strategy,'' she replied.

''What about the Babylon Rogues? You had told us that you figured out how they worked,'' Amy said.

''Right. Usually, people in a Tag Team Race try to stay close to each other in order to help their teammates. However, the Babylon Rogues have developed a strategy where Chase and Jet are in the front, while Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm stay behind other racers to keep them from reaching the former two. It is quite effective as the other team has now two things to worry about, and with their attention divided, things can get quite difficult for the opposing team,'' Touka explained, glancing at Team Neos in slight worry.

After a few more interviews with both of their friends and the Babylon Rogues, as well as dragging Jet away from the microphone before he could tell his whole life story, everyone settled down in their places. Sonic, Lucas, Tails, Warren, Knuckles and Lily were at the start line alongside Jet, Chase, Wave, Rika, Storm and Arven, while Amy, Minami, Silver, Makoto, Shadow and Touka were at the bleachers, waiting for the race to start. They weren't the only ones there, as there were other people who got interested in this particular race.

''You'll be eating my dust, Rookie,'' Jet told Sonic, grinning smugly.

''I'm simply here to have some fun,'' Sonic replied casually. Jet frowned, scoffing when Sonic didn't get annoyed as he usually would. Both groups then focused on the screen above them.

READY? SET! GO!!

The race kicks off, with Team Neos showing off the results of their training, managing to throw the Babylon Rogues into a disarray. However, the latter team manages to make a come back, with Wave/Rika and Storm/Arven keeping Tails/Warren and Knuckles/Lily busy, leaving it to Jet/Chase and Sonic/Lucas to win the race when they enter the water hazard area.

Chase and Jet, meanwhile, had managed to speed past Lucas and Sonic, who were well aware that entering a certain area would trigger the rogue wave.

''Looks like you're going to lose again!'' Jet turned his head back, in attempt to taunt Sonic, but to his surprise, he was nowhere to be seen. His and Chase's jaws dropped when the rogue wave appeared, with Lucas and Sonic riding right on it, leaping off and landing ahead of them, exiting the AR Field and crossing the finish line. They turned around, spotting Chase and Jet placing second, followed by Lily, Knuckles, Warren and Tails, with Arven, Storm, Rika and Wave follow them.

''You were saying, oh Legendary Wind Rider?'' Sonic mocked Jet, a smug smirk on his lips.

''It can't be! How could I lose to a Rookie?!'' Jet snapped, furious over his loss. He observed as the rest of Team Neos joined Lucas and Sonic, all of them celebrating their victory. He and Chase were joined by Rika, Wave, Arven and Storm, all stunned by their loss. Jet was still fuming, but looking at his teammates and partner, he couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment. He was supposed to carry this team to victory and now, they were a bunch of losers. It felt like any of their previous experiences had been nullified by this one loss.

''Jet, are you-'' Wave started, but was cut off by Jet.

''Tch! If we lost, we lost! Just know that these guys got lucky!'' he replied in a off-handed manner, slightly surprising his teammates. Sure, he was something of a sore loser, but he wasn't going to let anyone know that. Instead, he walked over to Sonic, who was celebrating with his friends. Sonic spotted the green hawk staring at him, waiting for some kind of response. ''Don't you have anything to say?''

''Oh, right! That was an exciting race, dude!'' Sonic replied, extending his hand, much to Jet's surprise. ''We should race against each other sometime again.''

Jet was genuinely surprised that Sonic didn't attempt to mock him for his loss, staring at the latter's hand for a tense moment. He then scoffed, but did shake Sonic's hand.

''I guess you really are a challenge. Next time, I'll beat you,'' Jet told him, with Sonic just grinning back. Meanwhile, Chase approached Lucas.

''I gotta say, you actually surprised me,'' Chase admitted, with Lucas giving him a confused look. ''For someone who isn't athletic, of course.''

''I had help from my friends,'' Lucas replied, a smile forming on his lips. Chase looked like he was about to say something else, but he didn't, instead just walking away.

Using the trick they had learned from Touka and Shadow, Lucas and Sonic manage to speed past Chase and Jet, winning the race. Chase and Jet are obviously frustrated about their loss, but given Sonic’s cheerful attitude, Jet manages to calm down enough to acknowledge Sonic as his rival, with Chase acknowledging Lucas’ skills. The rest of Team Neos and Babylon Rogues join them, having moved on from their mutual feud and learning that they’re all Irregular ARNavs after Storm complains about being hungry. In the end, both teams agree to another race, where the loser has to treat the winner to lunch.

''Hey, I'm hungry. How about we go eat something?'' he asked. This seemingly innocent question drew the attention of Team Neos, who gave the Babylon Rogues a questioning look. Chase, Jet, Rika and Wave just face-palmed.

''Wait, normal ARNavs don't get hungry… Are you Irregulars?'' Makoto asked in a hushed tone, making sure none of the other racers heard them. Jet, Wave and Storm froze, unsure how to respond because they knew what the consequences of merely existing as an Irregular were, but then Jet stepped ahead.

''So what if we are? Are you going to call the Hunters on us?'' he asked. Sonic snorted.

''Why should we? It's not like were regular ARNavs either,'' he replied. It took them a moment, but the Babylon Rogues realized that Sonic and his friends were also Irregulars. As for their human partners, they were a little worried regarding dropping this bombshell. However, before anyone could say anything, Sonic quickly broke the ice by approaching Jet and elbowing him. ''How about another race? Loser treats the winner to lunch!''

''You sure you wanna risk a rematch? I promise you right now you'll regret it!'' Jet responded, following Sonic to the start line. Their teammates just exchanged glances, wondering how they should even address the situation. Finally, all of them just shrugged, deciding to just ignore the whole situation and move along.

After all, there was another race waiting to happen.

The Babylon Rogues

Jet the Hawk

Jet the Hawk is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. He is an Irregular ARNav based on his in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Chase Young.

Known as the Legendary Wind Master, Jet is highly arrogant, confident, conceited and holds high standards. He has a massive ego, considering himself the fastest, and holds everyone else in low regard, often bragging about his skills. While he is willing to praise others, he usually makes his compliments short and follows up with an insult.

Jet is usually very rude and disrespectful and has a snide sense of humor. He enjoys insulting others and rubbing his victory or other's losses in their faces. He is extremely prideful and protective of his reputation, not wanting to look bad. He is also a sore loser and refuses the pity of others as he considers it a direct insult to his character. Regardless, he stands by his losses, even if it was because of unexpected events, and will work hard to overcome them. He also despises those who are faster or more confident than him.

Mostly, Jet is laid-back and nonchalant, though he chooses not to show this to people he does not explicitly know, as he is too prideful to show his less-likable traits. While he knows his duties as the leader of the Babylon Rogues, he does not take his responsibilities very seriously and remains unconcerned in the face of issues. However, he knows when to assert his authority. As a team leader, Jet is strict, has little tolerance for failure and dislikes showing any sign of weakness to anyone. While he gets along in general with his Wave and Storm, he tends to get annoyed by their shortcomings.

While he does show a sense of level-headedness, Jet still has a short temper, often ignoring Wave and Storm's frequent arguments. He can also be very greedy and selfish when some kind of treasure is in play. Taking enormous pride in winning, Jet opposes cheating and strives to win fairly by using his own skills, and he genuinely enjoys racing worthy opponents.

Despite having started out as rivals, Jet becomes partners with Chase Young, having acknowledged the latter’s skill in hoverboard racing, with the two getting quite well along due to having similar personalities. Both strive to be top racers, wanting to win with their races their own way and are quite in sync in a race.

Jet has developed a rivalry with Sonic the Hedgehog, scoffing at the latter’s title of The Fastest Thing Alive and wanting to prove himself that he is way faster than the hedgehog. While he had a somewhat antagonistic relationship with Sonic at the beginning, Jet eventually starts respecting Sonic’s skills and is always eager to race the latter.

Chase Young

Chase Young is Jet the Hawk’s partner and, alongside the hawk, the leader of the Babylon Rogues.

Arrogant, confident and always on the search for a thrill, Chase shares a similar mindset to Jet in wanting to prove himself to be the top hoverboard racer using his own skills. Chase considers himself a top racer, not believing that there is anyone better than him, at least until he meets Jet, who matches him in both skill and ego. Despite this similarities, Chase shows a bit more level-headedness than Jet, being actually the one to think things through.

Chase is actually the son of the CEO of a company that designs and builds hoverboards. Feeling that he needs to uphold his family’s reputation, Chase often travels around Starpoint Area along with Rika and Arven to show that he is the best racer there is, participating at various tournaments. Despite his victories, he does feel a sense of hollowness, as he feels that there really isn’t anyone who can match him aside from Jet, seeking someone who he could call his rival.

This desire for finding an equal was actually what drove Chase to bully Lucas Kinomoto when they were younger, whom he knows due to both attending the same class at school. Chase saw potential in Lucas, but due to the latter’s introverted nature, he became frustrated, calling him a shut-in. Lucas doesn’t know the reasons for Chase’s bullying, but he has moved on from it over time, with the two eventually meeting again on the race track during The Babylon Rogues Arc. After Lucas finally shows the potential Chase saw in him, Chase develops a sense of respect for him, with the two having a friendly rivalry.

Wave the Swallow

Wave the Swallow is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. She is an Irregular ARNav based on her in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Rika Nakano.

Wave is the technical and mechanical expert of the Babylon Rogues, and because of her knowledge on hoverboards, Wave is brimming with self-confidence and can be a bit of a trash-talker and highly critical of others' work with hoverboards. She hates thick-headed or stupid people and she tends to give advice only she can understand. Regardless, Wave is level-headed and serves as the voice of reason in the Babylon Rogues, though she can be mistreated by the other members, Jet in particular.

Wave often refuses to admit others' talents with hoverboard mechanics due to her dislike of anyone who could rival her. She often holds back on her compliments and will either continue to dismiss or deny that the person has any skill at all to cover up any sense of generous gesture she may hold. In the cases she does give compliments, she will disguise them as insults. It is only in the rarest of cases that Wave gives well-meant compliments.

This honest attitude is something Wave only shows around Rika, as both share the same passion in hoverboard tech and taking charge of the team to get anything done. Wave is very serious on a job, staying dedicated to the task at hand, and insists on no lack of dedication from her companions. When things do not go as planned, however, she tends to get impatient. Also, she can be quite stubborn and obstinate when making a decision, and unlike Jet, she is not above cheating to win a race.

Wave has also developed a sense of rivalry with Miles “Tails” Prower, having insulted the fox for the work he and Warren had done on Lucas’ hoverboard, even though she does acknowledge that their “shoddy craftsmanship” is genuinely good, showing a bit of jealousy that the two are good technicians. After their race during The Babylon Rouges Arc, while Wave is frustrated about her loss to Team Neos, she becomes less antagonistic towards them, and is willing to give a genuine compliment to Tails.

Rika Nakano

Rika Nakano is Wave the Swallow’s partner and, alongside the swallow, a member of the Babylon Rogues.

Rika shares a similar role to Wave, being the technical and mechanical expert for the human side of the Babylon Rogues and is very prideful and passionate about her work. She respects Wave and her work as a technician, but will give an attitude to everyone else, being highly-critical of their work with hoverboards.

Rika is the most grounded of the group, keeping Chase and Arven focused on the task at hand and has no issue getting into an argument with Chase if things don’t go their way, often losing her patience with the two. Nevertheless, she is quite loyal to her companions and shares their passion in hoverboard racing.

Her desire is to work at the company Chase’s father owns as a hoverboard mechanic and designer, which is why she accompanies Chase on his journeys.

Rika has also developed a sense of rivalry with Warren Taylor, which is an extension of Wave’s rivalry with Tails, as she sees Warren’s work with hoverboards as beneath her own, shooting insults at him. However, after Warren proves himself to be quite skilled in hoverboard racing, she does acknowledge him as her equal.

Storm the Albatross

Storm the Albatross is a recurring character of Sonic Cyber Revolution. She is an Irregular ARNav based on his in-universe video game counterpart and is the partner of Arven Pryce.

Storm is the muscle of the team, being a hulking individual that possesses incredible physical strength, enabling him to destroy just about anything in his path. In general, Storm is somewhat dim-witted and slow on the uptake, but makes up for it in raw power. He is Jet's most loyal follower and right-hand man, referring to the former as “Boss”. As such, he is always ready for Jet's assignments. Despite being committed to his duties though, Storm has a quick temper, and his clumsiness constantly succeeds in embarrassing himself and his teammates.

When confronting others, Storm takes on a rough and tough attitude by making threats of payback and/or beating up the people in question, in an effort to daunt them. Whenever Storm gets excited, flustered or ill at ease, he tends to stutter, sometimes become gradually speechless, and will drop whatever façade of toughness he may have at that point, and acts like a bumbling and discouraged individual that easily succumbs to the orders of others.

Storm is also quite close with Arven, supporting the latter in doing whatever he wants, which is usually romancing Lily. The two treat each other as best buddies, sharing a similar role in the team and are willing to go along with whatever their leader says. However, Storm does have a tendency to unintentionally insult Arven whenever he attempts to compliment him, which the latter takes in stride.

Storm has also developed a rivalry with Knuckles the Echidna, mainly because he believes that the latter stands Arven’s way of trying to get a date with Lily. However, after being beaten in a race by Team Neos, Storm does start showing a degree of respect for Knuckles, becoming less antagonistic towards him.

Arven Pryce

Arven Pryce is Storm the Albatross’ partner and, alongside the albatross, a member of the Babylon Rogues.

Arven stands as the tallest of the group, having an imposing figure and sharing the role of the muscle alongside Storm. Arven, while certainly less dim-witted than Storm, is still a follower, not having much of an ambition aside from going along with whatever Chase says. He does like to throw his weight around to intimidate other people, and he shares a passion for hoverboard racing with the rest of the group.

Arven is quite laid-back, having a go with the flow attitude, and is quite close with his partner, Storm. He does have a tendency to not think things through, being quite blunt with his statements, which can get him into trouble. Being around Storm, he is usually subjected to some kind of unintentional insult on his partner’s part, as Storm tries to compliment him while also making things worse, but Arven takes this in stride. He is aware that Storm just means well.

Arven has developed a rivalry with Lily Crystle. Well, not a rivalry as much as a one-sided crush on his part and during their first encounter, he challenged her to a race which, if he won, she would go out with him on a date. Naturally, Lily refuses, leading to Arven being focused on crushing her in the race. However, after Team Neos beats him in the race, Arven does back off from her. While he has stopped directly pursuing her, Arven still nurses a crush on her, hoping for the two to get along.

Insert Themes:

Catch Me If You Can by Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Theme of Babylon Rogues/Theme of Jet the Hawk)

Sonic Speed Riders by Sonic Riders

Links:

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#Sonic Cyber Revolution Analyzer (Masterlist)  

[bringerofdeathandtheapocolypse]

Rewatched Phoenix priestess today (Had a friend who knows only what I've told him and like 70% of it is the au) and I relished in the Gajeel and Thunder legion content.

Like Gajeel was great but can I just focus on Laxus for a moment.

First of all, he was manic when he showed up, don't think I've ever seen him that animated (I know movie equals bigger budget but he doesn't show up in dragon cry from what I remember and I forgot he was in this movie) and also I think my new favourite scene is when he lands a hit and uses his lightning to zip over and float next to Freed and excitedly yell "Yes" like I loved how happy Laxus was post GMG and pre Tartarous and I wish he'd gotten longer for that happiness before literally almost dying and then slowly dying and then going to war and almost dying. Plus I totally relished in the Thunder legion screentime cause they deserve so much more than they got post Tenrou (Like they are least got decent treatment during Tenrou with them all getting at least one good fight (although Evergreen pulled the short straw there) but KOTSH doesn't show us Freed and Gray's fight, just a little of Evergreen, Erza and Max's and Bickslow and Wendy get a good go, gmg they do get to help in the dragon fight but they sorta get less focus cause of the dragon slayer, and they're taken out literally first fight in Tartarous and Alvarez. They deserve better) also Bickslow has amazing balance to be able to stand on only one baby and the movie actually remembered that Freed has wings cause he hardly ever uses them in the series (the Wendy's job episode is an example where Happy is like "I can't carry you both" and I'm just sitting with my eyebrows up my forehead because Freed has wings. He can fly on his own Happy) and I love how pretty Freed's wings are and how unique they look.

Also the fact that during a wide shot scene Gajeel was just blinking the phoenix on the head repeatedly was funny. In fact Gajeel in general was great fun. Getting to see him and Lily being sneaky spies was great plus it does add the fact that Makarov just has Gajeel as his go too spy and that is amazing and I bet Gajeel totally loves it because of his love of mysteries (he absolutely watches and reads detective novels and movies) Plus the end pictures where he's eating a full pipe part then later him and Natsu try to make each other eat their element was funny.

I was also repeatedly pointing out Alzack to my friend whenever he showed up cause I sorta made him stand in a like 40 min line to meet his English voice actor. He didn't speak (despite being credited which I dunno) but I pointed him out anyway.

I'm a little disappointed that they didn't bring in other guilds but I understand that it being an 82 min movie, not even feature length would make it a lot harder to provide adequate screen time to additional characters (also probably why a lot of the side cast didn't get many or any lines like how Jet is there during the Erza and Makarov scenes but is just silent) like it would make a bit of sense to at least get like Rogue since shadows and one of the enemies uses shadow and metal so it would have been cool to see a fight where Gajeel and Rogue team up (Before Acno fight)

I might make a little side story of the two movies for the au cause I do like them (and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing somewhere at least PP is canon to the manga like KOTSH) and there is at least small amounts of world building. (Also noticed that aside from 7, 400 is the other common number featured in the series. Literally so many things are either from or linked to 400 years in the past. Irene, Acno, the dragon slayers and dragons, Future Rogue's plan for the dragons, dragon slayer magic, the dragon cry, Zonia(I think is her name), Anna and so on.)

[photon-insights]

High-Level Summarization Methodology

Overview– This report provides a very high-level overview of how Photon Insights generates unified summaries across many documents.

Core Summarization Capability: Photon’s greatest strength is providing unified insights from a wide variety of sources (news journals, social media, SEC filings, earnings calls, etc.). Take a look at this sample, “Photon Insight” regarding Microsoft/ChatGPT – Photon produces an AI-generated summary (in a human-like tone) by taking certain elements of a set of articles. At a very high level, the proprietary Photon architecture leverages the power of large language models plus various classical supervised + unsupervised learning methods to generate the appropriate punchlines.

Performance Metrics (Warning, technical discussion to follow):

We are often asked, how much of the information do we capture from our summaries/how good are our summaries (both across many documents and on a per article basis)? We provide some rough metrics below, but want to note, evaluating summarization is extremely subjective (as evidenced by this paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2007.12626.pdf) – thus, even if our AI misses what you might deem as valuable information, we always link back to original sources/you can obtain more context if needed.

On a per document basis:

Based on ROUGE (Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation) scores: Here are our ROUGE Scores relative to a few of the SOTA models (and higher is better).

Metric/Model Photon Proprietary Model Yale-LILY/brio-cnndm-uncased facebook/bart-large-cnn google/pegasus-cnn_dailymail ROUGE-1 61.14 41.44 38.85 35.54 ROUGE-2 45.02 24.69 22.92 20.39 ROUGE-L 52.04 30.20 30.59 28.30, On the one hand, this looks great for us, we seem to be blowing others out of the water – this is actually not as impressive as it seems, as our models were trained based on our datasets (which we feel will result in succinct human-like summarizations)/as a result, the ROGUE scores should be higher. Nonetheless, we included such numbers due to several inquiring scientists, but we feel a better method of evaluation is doing a qualitative comparison provided in the next section.

Qualitative comparison of models: Also, please see this post [INSERT LINK to CIR SUMMARIZATION POST] to see an application of our architectures to construct the CIR executive summary, and how it compares to other models. Most state-of-the-art language models, when given an article to summarize concisely, seem to be biased toward the information in the initial part of the text and perform poorly in extracting the information present in the lower parts of the inputted text – ideally, when we are reading a summary of any lengthy document/article, we need to grasp the whole picture, and we feel our proprietary models excel here.

Thanks to the tool presented in [SummVis: Interactive Visual Analysis of Models, Data, and Evaluation for Text Summarization (Vig et al., ACL-IJCNLP 2021)] we visualize how much of different summaries are captured for different models – we are happy to provide live visualizations, and it’s clear the Photon algorithm captures a large amount of context, take for instance the sample visualizations below corresponding to this document (ARUL, CAN WE LINK THE SOURCE DOCUMENT). In Layman’s terms, to explain these visuals, more different colors denote a more extensive capture of the document.

Photon Algorithm:

Of all the listed models, ours is the only one to show the information about DALL-E (Image generation service developed by OpenAI and which was released well before the days of ChatGPT), which we felt was highly relevant to the context of the article, and the reader will hopefully appreciate the inclusion!

Google Pegasus:

Facebook Larg Bart (CNN):

BRIO:

A Cool GIF showing several models:

Subjective assessment of our unified framework:

People often ask – what percentage of the important insights do you capture? Unfortunately this is tough to answer (as evidenced by the summeval paper, it is a highly subjective task) – here we provide three examples of “Photons” from approximately 4 PM ET on 1/26/2023, and information we might have missed (and the good news with our Photon Insights is even if we miss something, we still reference back to the original articles plus tell you where exactly the summaries were derived from, so if you need more context, we provide it).

Example 1, Tesla:

Photon Insights:

Human generated core points from all articles:

Tesla reported strong profits, with a 59 percent year-on-year gain in quarterly profit and rising demand.

Tesla reported 405,278 vehicle deliveries globally and production of 439,701 vehicles, but its automotive gross margin fell to 25.9%.

Tesla continues to lose money on Bitcoin, but Elon Musk is still holding on

Tesla recently dropped prices on its entire lineup, including the Model Y, which was eligible for a $7,500 US federal EV tax credit.

Tesla has been one of the most talked about stocks since 2020, but is currently down -64% since the start of 2022 due to Insider trading, demand and margin worries.

Analyst wrote that the report was “better than feared.”

Elon Musk is trying to convince Tesla investors that Twitter isn’t a problem, despite the fact that Tesla shareholders have seen their stock price plummet since he bought the blue bird app last year.

Tesla is investing $3.6 billion to expand its Nevada Semi truck factory, which will produce high volumes of semi-trucks and make enough cell batteries for 2 million light-duty vehicles annually.

Score: 7/8, everything except the point on Bitcoin was captured.

Example 2, Amazon:

Photon Insights:

Human generated core points from all articles:

Amazon recently laid off 18,000 employees, which was more than expected. A former employee was part of the company’s job cut, and the process felt “extremely robotic” to her.

Amazon is having difficulty in its battle against its UK employees, as it is finding it tougher to break UK unions than its usual union stomping ground, the US.

Workers at Amazon’s Coventry depot recently staged a historic strike to demand pay of 15 an hour and to be recognised by a union.

Amazon Prime Gaming is offering a variety of free games for February 2023

Amazon is expanding in Virginia, and a Hampton Roads agency is looking to land a data center. The company is investing $35 billion to build more data centers by 2040.

An Amazon Warehouse worker has made shocking claims about the unjust treatment of employees, claiming that the company treats its robots better than its human staff.

Amazon has announced the launch of the RxPass, a subscription-based benefit that allows Prime members to order eligible medications for a flat, low fee of $5 per month.

Score: 5/7, 1. Missed Amazon Prime Gaming (this is subjective as whether important), 2. Could have added the harsh conditions for employees (point 6).

Example 3, Google:

Photon Insights:

Human generated core points from all articles:

Google recently acquired Liist, an app that allowed users to save places they see in Instagram and TikTok.

The Justice Department has accused Google of an advertising monopoly, and the company has been sued by the Department of Justice and eight states.

Google was ordered to pay $161 million, but lost its appeal against the ruling. India’s Supreme Court found Google’s appeal against monopoly fines unappealing.

This week, Google announced plans to cut 12,000 employees due to a slowdown in its revenue growth.

AI is becoming increasingly popular, with Google may be only a year or two away from total disruption.

Score: 4/5, Got everything except the acquisition news but for a company of this scale it might be fine to ignore this and it was reported only in one of the news articles.

Hopefully these three examples help illustrate the difficulty of assessing the frameworks due to the subjectivity of tasks, but also provide confidence that Photon is seemingly obtaining the essence plus also links back to original sources in case we missed anything.

Thanks for reading, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

[procrastinatorproject]

Previously on Lili reads Rogue Elements: [1] [2]

Remember how I always go on about how we all in this fandom share about 2.7 braincells and constantly come up with the same ideas? Well. TURNS OUT IT'S UNIVERSAL!

(Slightly spoilery details under the cut. tl;dr: I was really worried I wouldn't agree with how the author writes Rios’s character, and his friendship with Raffi, and the origin of his ship, but so far, I AM DELIGHTED!!)

Remember when the show first came out and several people (though I can't say who anymore) said that the holos' accents were a little over the top because they're not "a person with an Irish/English/Scottish/American accent" but "Cris Rios doing a not-super-convincing Irish/etc. accent"? Turns out: Miller had exactly that same idea! Completely amazing!

I still haven't met the holos, but... Rios gets supremely drunk one night, drunk enough he doesn't remember anything the morning after, and... I am VERY certain we're gonna find out soon that on that fateful night, he made certain... additions to his ship. I have to admit I was glad to be in a car on the highway while it was happening, because I was scream-queeing about it SO LOUDLY 😂🤣

Context for those not aware:

https://href.li/?https://archiveofourown.org/works/31753207/chapters/80130544%23workskin

Raffi, of course, is the one getting Rios a bunch of his assignments and trying to get him to meet people and so far, their interactions have been "bickering over the subspace comms" and... see what I mean about the same things cropping up again and again?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23702563/chapters/56910463

It's like... yes, these are very low-hanging fruit. These scenes aren’t at all far fetched or exotic, they are very straightforward given what we know about the characters. But the fact they're showing up in the book shows that everyone, from the RPers to the fic writers to the "professional" fic writer reads these characters similarly and it makes me extremely happy!

There's a bunch more moments where I thought "ah yes! This scene is very similar to that particular fic, or this WIP of @regionalpancake​ 's I was privileged enough to get a glimpse of, or this WIP of mine that has been languishing in the drafts for I-wanna-say-an-age...” And it's not even because we're inspired by each other, it's just parallel evolution, people coming up with the same ideas, but they are AMAZING ideas, so it's just wonderful to see!!

On a slightly more broad note: It's humbling when you're listening to an "official" story and can go "hmmmmm no, there is no loading ramp there. Actually those wings are somewhere else. When you say the ship 'isn't that old', do you mean in like... the galactic sense? Because 50 seems old, even for a freighter starship...."

I just... look, I have invested a ludicrous amount of time into investigating every little snippet of this ship. I have no expectation any writer do even remotely the same, write Sirena however big or small you want! It's just kinda fun to realize that I actually know a lot of this stuff and notice when someone is, say, working from an old set of images :D

(The Engine Room Door Is A Lie!)

Also: MY GOD THE BANTER IS EXCELLENT!!! There is so much banter! And it is so frigging funny! I love it so much!

And finally: Raffi is friends with the main crime boss and so far, everyone has been a bit vague about what exactly their relationship is. Then the crime boss shows up and she's a very refined older lady who keeps calling Rios "honey" and "sugar" and "baby" and who knows her own mind and has fun but won't take any shit. And I'm sitting here like: "Oh. Raffi and her are friends. I see what she would see in her..."

Anyway. I'm fairly sure I'm gonna end up reading through the night 🙈 Sooo much book still to go!!

But so far, I'm having a phenomenal time!

[ggukkieland]

📕CURRENT READS (2020 October)

🌹 Fics I’ve enjoyed reading this October, with some few unread ones (still have 4 to 5 days to finish!). Waah I have read a lot 😲 I can’t believe I’m almost complete with this list 🥳. Usually when I post and organize the list, half of it are still on #toread status. I thought of curating Halloween-themed fics 🎃 but I ended up reading any genre anyway😁.

Again, credit goes to these awesome writers! Sending them lots of love and virtual hugs 🥰🤗💜🥰🤗💜🥰🤗 .

✅ -  done reading   | S (smut) F (fluff) A (angst) 

🥕[Ongoing Series - to check weekly] 

Still reading the ongoing series from last month’s reading list, whenever there is an update 😊

I Feel You in my Heart by @purpletaecup - MYG |  exes au, second chances, some chapters have smau elements | A, S, F (really good story development 😭)

[7/?] nearly 2 months after their divorce, yoongi and y/n wade through the aftermath of the fallout by themselves. yoongi is moving on with someone else while y/n finds herself stuck in waves of anxiety and depression. soon enough, they are brought together again by an unfortunate accident

If it Harms None, Do What You Will by purpletaecup - JJK | smau, comedy, supernatural au, fantasy au, witch!reader, demon!jungkook | F, S  🎃

[6/?] it’s the beginning of October and green witch y/n has been preparing for all of the spooky activities she needs to do for all hallow’s eve. one of her older friends gives her a ritual candle for protection. a couple of drops of blood and a wonky magic circle later, there is a high level demon sitting on the floor of her living room.

We Live with a Ghost by @smaubts - JJK | smau, comedy, ghost au, roommates au | F  🎃

[6/13] when jungkook convinces his roommate, y/n, that their house is haunted by an evil ghost, they decide their best option is to contact with it and make it leave but end up summoning an actual ghost by accident.

Swan Black by CharWrites [AO3] - JJK | fantasy, supernatural, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy, apocalypse, Fae!Jungkook, Fae!Yoongi, Fae!Taehyung,  LOTR/Mortal Instruments/Labyrinth vibes | A, S (I love this! It’s like watching LOTR 😍)  🎃

[10/?] So's twin brother, Jimin, has been kissed by darkness: an evil that has spread across the land and has claimed many souls. They only have weeks until the darkness consumes him. Once consumed, he will be governed by the unsullied: a powerful race of Dark Fae that has overtaken the world.

So seeks out a rogue Fae Prince, Kook, who is her only hope, if she can survive his deadly charms and irresistible lure especially when he is much more interested in possessing her, mind body and soul.

Third Wheeling by @taetaewonderland - MYG |  strangers to lovers au, ceo!yoongi | A, F, S 🥰

[1/?] Min Yoongi is a strict man. Time is money to the CEO of Kisung Connected. He isn’t interested in conventional things or wastes of time. He’s an asshole. But, you didn’t realize until it was too late. Until you met him at the club and it changed your life forever.  

Bad Friends by @hollyxqx- MYG | friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, neighbor au, college au, fwb au | A, S, F (what a good angst 😥)

[1/3] hooking up with your childhood best friend was never your plan, but neither was falling in love with him either. he’s troubled but his heart is gold. when you move away for college, things start to take a turn.

House of Lilies by @suqakoo​ - JJK | mafia au, arranged marriage au | A, F, S

[3/?] Jeon Jungkook is the only heir to Dal Gurimja. He is the poster child for mafia bosses. He’s a feared hit-man among the underground world, and a successful CEO among the socialites of Seoul. Pair him with a castaway girl who’s been out of society for twelve years, and… what do you get?

Your Eyes Tell  by @njkbangtan - JJK | soulmate au, enemies to lovers au, roommates au, sugar baby (but not really), slow burn | A, F

[5/?] You live in a world where people see in black and white. The solution to finally see the colors? It’s simple. You need to meet your soulmate and look at him in the eyes, but what if the person bound to you is already contented with the monochromatic world? What if…Jeongguk, your soulmate, is already in love with someone else?  

I hate u, I love u by @bbangpanmen - JJK | fwb au, friends to lovers au, smau | A

[17/23] he uses you to forget her; you let him because you love him.

Puzzle by @kimvvantae - JJK | fwb au, friends to lovers au, college au | A, S, F (I’ve read this before, around 2018-19 and I thought it was discontinued. Glad there’s an update ^_^)

[7/?] the line between friendship and something more has never been crossed  - but that changes after a break up and a drunken night, when you not-so-accidentally cross this line to something much more. what happens when after this accident your non-matching puzzle pieces seem to match in a way you’ve never imagined?

The Lesson/Min Boy by @adventuresinwonderlust - MYG | bad boy!yoongi, dom-sub elements, enemies to lovers, brat!reader | S, A, F

[6/8] No summary provided but it’s the twisted story between bad boy Yoongi with angsty backstory and this brat/rich kid. I really liked how it was written though.  I made a mistake of reading part 4:  Two Months Too Long, which should’ve been the 6th story to read if you follow the author’s sequence. 

Popular-ish by @hansolmates - JJK | popular!jungkook, college au, fwb to lovers, shy!oc | F, S, A

[9/?] drabble series: you are way out of jungkook’s league. Or is it the other way around?

Date Me by @latetaektalk - JJK | enemies to lovers, fake dating au, rich kid au | A, F,

[prologue + 1/?] when obnoxiously rich and spoiled frat boy jeon jungkook comes up to you one day and asks you to fake date him for money, you definitely should have said no. because before you knew it, you were going on insta dates with him and having lunch with his equally obnoxiously rich and spoiled friends.

All Over You by @zibermuda - JJK | enemies to lovers, nerd!jk, fuckgirl!reader | S, F 

[2/?] you don’t usually go for the quiet, nerdy type, but Jungkook’s by far the best looking guy in your year. You just can’t help yourself. You have to have him. Small hiccup; he hates you

Effortlessly by @gyukult - JJK | friends to lovers, neighbors au, 

[8/?] “Reciprocate feelings?” Jungkook crosses his arms before he continues, “They should know that you’re the only girl in my life.“ Jungkook has been your best friend and neighbor since you could remember, but what you can’t recall is when your feelings began develop for him. 

HEI$T: A JJK Fic by lucidly [AO3] - JJK | heist au, action, bangtan are thieves, vigilante au | A, S

[3/?] Six years after being thrown into the world of forgery, espionage, and heists, Mona and her team face competition like never before: The Bulletproof Boy Scouts, a fabled Korean gang of thieves that everybody seems to know, but no one has seen. When she comes face to face with all 7 of them, Mona knows: they're real, and this job won't be like the others. For years she has followed the money, but could it be time that she follow her heart instead?

🥕[Completed AUs/Series-  to read]

✅  - done reading (also there seems to be a lot of JJK fics)

Creep @xjoonchildx - MYG | S, pwp, yandere ✅

Guilty @xjoonchildx - KNJ | A, S, mafia au, second part of Guarded AU (an awesome JHS series) 

Chapter One: How Odd  Chapter Two: Incheon Mall Tube Tops  Final Chapter: Is Something Burning?  Epilogue: Better Than Okay

Paddle with Me @yoongs-jeontae - JJK | A, S, enemies to lovers, camp counselor au, pwp   ✅

Hate Me @themfchase - JJK | S, collegel!au, enemies to lovers au, fuckboy!jk, pwp  ✅

Devil in a Blue Suit @yeojaa - JJK | F, S, idiots to lovers, established au, good boy!jungkook  

main story  ✅ + drabbles  ✅

Sweetest Crush @minjoonalist - JHS | F, S, brother’s best friend au 

Fake Love @aquaminwrites - JHS | F, S, A, fake dating au, enemies to lovers  ✅

Faded Love @jamaisjoons - PJM | A, S, marriage au, infidelity ✅

Brown-Eyed Baby @vinterjeon - JJK | A, S, F, exes to lovers, single dad!jk 

01 02  ✅

Why We Got Married @ktheist - KTH | F, S, arranged marriage au, slow burn ✅

Lonely Hearts Club @dovechim - JJK | S, F, enemies to lovers, wedding au  ✅

Come to Me @jeonsweetpea - JJK | S, A, F ,friends to lovers, college au  ✅

Satan on the Strip @noir0neko - JJK | S, A, demon!jungkook  ✅  🎃

No Face @seokoloqy - MYG | A, S, F, demon au, supernatural au  ✅  🎃

Take a Chance @crystaljins - JJK | A, Hanahaki au, co-workers, very angsty but Seokjin provides comic relief

01 02 03 04 05 06 07  ✅

The Lottery Offering @skswriting - JJK | A, F, S, werewolf au, sort-of arranged marriage au  ✅

A Beautiful Epiphany @onherwings - JJK | A, S, F, friends to lovers, unrequited love, artist!jungkook  ✅

Au Naturel (sequel) - drabble, established au  ✅

Broken Dreams @ddaenysus - JJK | A, soulmate au, unrequited  ✅

And Mended Hearts (sequel) - A, S, soulmate au, college au   ✅

Coin Toss @yoondoze - JJK | A, mafia au, detective au, exes au, plot twist 👀  ✅

I Knew It Was You @hoseokmylovesworld - JJK | S, F, werewolf au, college au  ✅ 🎃

Little Blue @pars-ley - JJK | F, S, friends to lovers, college au, with TW   ✅

Little Blue Pill @dreamescapeswriting  - JJK | S, pwp, friends to lovers ✅ 

Smitten @megahwn - JJK | F, S, arranged marriage au, strangers to lovers au   ✅

Hit Me with Your Best Shot @namfine - JJK | S, pwp, martial arts, friends to lovers  ✅

Slow and Steady @yoonia - JJK | S, A, artist!jungkook, infidelity, established au   ✅

Cockblocked @mercurygguk - JJK | A, S, F, friends to lovers, roommates au  ✅

 everything I ever wanted (drabble) - morning after  ✅

What are you Afraid Of? @cupofteaguk - JJK | F, avatar the last bender au 

Part 2 (prompt: if you keep looking at me like that we won’t make it to a bed) - avatar au, F, S

demon-etized @jungkxook - KNJ | S, youtube au, ghost hunter au  🎃

Spellbound @jeonseok - JJK |  F, slight S, demon au, crack, romcom  ✅ 🎃

Raising Demons (sequel) - fluffy, smut, established au, crack  ✅ 🎃

What’s in a Name? @minsimagines - JJK | A, F, demon au, soul selling scenario, romance  

01 02 03 ✅  🎃

The Big Yellow School Bus  [15k] fringesofsanity [AO3] - JJK | S, A, F, noona, fwb au  ✅

once bitten, twice shy [5.6k] obiwrites [AO3] - JJK | A, F, implied S, exes au, parents au   ✅

Lose Somebody [26k] @kooala - JJK | A, F, slight S, exes au, camping au  ✅

Oh What a World [100k] @taestybae - PJM | A, S, F, fake marriage au, fallen idol au (been wanting to read this since July (!), will finally get to reading this 🥰)

series masterlist [18 chapters + epilogue]

🥕[Drabbles]

okay I just realized they’re all JJK drabbles 😅

Incandesce @eunoiabliss - 544 words | JJK | fantasy au, fluff  ✅

Forgetful Confession  @suhdays - 991 words | JJK |  fluff, slight angst, college au, friends to ???  ✅

Club @taleasnewastime - 2k | JJK | fluff, bestfriends  ✅

JJK Reincarnation drabble @ktheist - 571 words | JJK | F, reincarnation (?) | love love this 🥰  ✅

Pup @whipped-for-kpop-fics​ - 1.5k | JJK | F, humour, werewolf au, established au | this is cute and funny 🤣  ✅

A Line Crossed @underthejoon - 723 words | JJK | A, bodyguard au ✅

Rousing Rendezvous @rookiegukie - 1.5k | JJK |  smut, frenemies with benefits, modern royalty au  ✅

[thestraggletag]

Roll for Initiative, a Rumbelle D&D Fic

Summary: Tales of the Enchanted Forest was the hottest online D&D game, in part for its charismatic players, in part for the twisted turns of the DM's mind and in part because of the outrageous chemistry between its greatest OTP, the party's beautiful bard and the Dark One, an anti-hero side-character who is there to provide information and uncomfortable levels of UST. Mr Gold thinks it's a harmless flirtation that could never become anything else, just like his silly little crush on the town librarian, Belle French.

He's wrong.

Rating: Explicit.

Author’s Note: Surprise, @argoslight​, it is I, your Gifter! Sorry to make you wait till near the end but I just had way more banter to write in me than I thought. I hope you enjoy your gift. I’m so sorry to not be able to add more D&D elements but since I don’t play I don’t have a lot of idea of what could be done. Also I apologise for any mistakes! And thanks so much to @little-inkstone for her help and D&D knowledge.

The castle was quiet when she entered, her steps echoing against the stone. It was gloomy inside, curtains obscured and decor sparse and sombre, the castle living up to its name. But there were flowers on the table, moon lilies, her favourite flower. They bloomed only in the Eastern Mountains past the Old Wall, but she had long since suspected he grew some on one of his enchanted hothouses, with the excuse of using them for potions. 

“Where’s the rest of your pretty little troop of do-gooders, dearie?”

The voice came out of nowhere, echoing around the empty halls of the castle. Thankfully she did not need directions, knowing exactly when to turn and where to go. Soon she found herself in a vast room, with a table on the centre and curios filled with oddities and the like. Some others were displayed on pedestals, including a rather fearsome sword and a nasty-looking crown made of thorns. None of the artefacts were what she sought, but she was not there to bargain for an item, but rather for information.

“Off on their own quests, taking care of other things that need doing.”

The voice tsked, seeming not to approve.

“They let you enter the lair of the beast alone? Some heroes.”

The woman lowered the hood of her cloak and walked towards the unlit chimney. Immediately a fire blazed to life, as if the castle itself was trying to cater to her comfort. The fire provided much-needed light as well, revealing the profile of a man in the shadows. Or something that looked like a man, at least, if not for the reflective scales that covered his body and its strange eyes: gold irises around catlike pupils.

“I asked to come alone. I felt like we could talk more openly this way.”

She removed her cloak, ostensibly to drape it across a chair near the fire and let it dry. The creature, however, seemed to read more into the gesture, tsking again.

“You come here all alone, a pretty little lamb, and take off the only real bit of protection you have. Reckless, dearie, most reckless.”

 The creature stood up, walking slowly towards the light, revealing more of its form as it approached her. Leather pants and a long, reptilian-looking vest and coat. It wasn’t particularly tall but power emanated from it in suffocating waves. She closed her eyes, finding his cloying presence strangely comforting. Then again, she had always been odd. 

“Once again your pitiful little party of friends needs my help. How they weigh you down, Beauty.”

He stepped fully into the light then, revealing a being more creature than man, the reptilian skin and claws as off-putting as his unnatural eyes. She should’ve taken a step back, should’ve gone for her blade or the dagger tucked into her left boot, but she didn’t. As much as she knew she shouldn't, she felt at ease in his presence. Well, perhaps not quite. She certainly felt a strange sort of anxiousness in his presence, a fluttery sort of feeling that she attributed to being particularly attuned to his magic. None of the other members of her party felt that way. If anything, he repulsed them, which wasn’t something she could understand. To her he was… magnetic.

“Are you in the mood for dealing or not? I can trade for information.”

He snorted.

“With what? Your little band of misfits is dirt poor. That idiotic paladin of yours ruined your last mission. You really should think about ditching the man. All brawn, no brains. At least your rogue is a smart woman.”

His gaze left her briefly, running down the length of her clothing: sturdy black boots, a nicely-cut dress that stopped around the knees and a sturdy belt with a few pockets for her spells. But the clothing, as well-made as it was, was dated, old. Looked worn and was signed and stained in places, and it left a lot of her frail human skin exposed. She had not been able to afford an upgrade in a while, preferring to spend her coin in what could benefit the group.

His moue of distaste disappeared once his eyes fell on her cloak. Well, his cloak, since he had been the one to make it. It was a lovely thing in varied shades of green, shot through with golden thread, his trademark. She had bought it off him a long time ago, a simple thing to keep her warm during cold nights and dry when it rained. Miraculously, though, it also did not sustain damage, looking exactly the same as when she had first put it on.

“I’m glad at least my protection is serving you well.”

He ran a claw along the seams of the cloak, making it glitter, like to like, magic calling for its own. He looked smug, as if pleased she was wearing something he had made.

“It does more than we bargained for. I’ve been blasted with magic strong enough to burn through most fabric but it has not even frayed. How strange of you, Rumplestiltskin, to lose out on a deal.”

He shivered when she said his name, walking behind her to the safety of the shadow she cast next to the fire.

“Can’t help it if my magic is just that powerful, my dear. I’m glad you are a happy customer. Always thought that cloak was a nice bit of magic. Can’t fault you for always wearing it.”

She felt him close in on her from behind, to the point that it almost felt like they were touching.

“It smells like you. That’s why I wear it all the time.”

The noise he made behind her was inhuman, a cross between a whimper and a growl. His claws scrapped against the back of her dress, the feeling muted by her stays, but she could feel his breath against the back of her neck and that alone was-

“Hey, this is a decent stream! Keep it PG for the kids, you weirdos.”

“Damn it, Grumpy, I wanted to see how long it would take them to snap out of it!”

“Sorry, Snow, but I ate a big dinner and I aim to keep it down.”

The messages in the chatroom wheezed by, mostly disgruntled complaints about their OTP never catching a break. The other participants in the stream were mostly silent, their mics muted likely to hide the amused snickers. There was no video feed on any of the members of the party, all of them represented instead by artwork to preserve their anonymity. Once upon a time that had been a fanciful choice, and perhaps a way to stay safe when interacting with strangers on the internet. Now it was mostly to keep their private lives from being overtaken by the popularity of their stream. “Tales of the Enchanted Forest” was shaping up to be one of the hottest D&D online streaming shows, already on its third campaign and counting.

“Beauty is just trying to get us some answers, Grumpy. We can’t just go stumbling about hoping to run into some fairy wand by chance.”

“Oh, it’s that what the kids are calling it these days?”

“Enough! Can we get back to the campaign already? It took me weeks to plan and it kinda hinges a bit on the Dark One helping, which needs to happen today.”

“Fine by me, dearie, if the dwarf can curtail his temper.”

The party was composed of five characters, a paladin, a cleric, a bard, a rogue and a thief, which along with the Dungeon Master made up the regular cast of every weekly stream. But given the popularity of the show, and the amount of time they had been playing, they had managed to amass a good amount of side-characters, guests invited every now and then to help the campaign move along and keep the interest of the audience. And by far the most popular of those guests was the Dark One, a wizard of unknown lineage and tremendous power that served both as an antagonist and a pseudo-ally depending on the situation. 

His presence was likely the reason why the livestream’s numbers looked so robust. He had amassed quite a fanbase, due in part to the commitment the player put on the character (the voice-acting was above and beyond what anyone could’ve expected from an amateur performer, and the backstory was quite complex, revealed in bits and pieces fans had meticulously assembled together) and in part to the chemistry he had managed to develop with the group’s bard, a half-human named Beauty.

“Okay, let’s all go back to what we were doing.” The DM’s voice was authoritative, though also more than a bit pissed off. “Okay, Beauty, you were about to try and cajole the Dark One to sell you the information you needed in return for a vial of water from Lake Nostos. Though the water is valuable, it’s not guaranteed to be enough to tempt the wizard. You have to roll at least a 13 in persuasion to make the trade. Roll when you’re ready.”

...

Rumford Gold stretched within the confines of the small backroom of his shop, where he had his computer stuff set up. Initially he’d bought the computer to better conduct his online business. His laptop at home wasn’t cutting it and it was better to photograph the antiques, update the website and handle the deliveries from his place of business. He had bought a good camera, some light fixtures and, on a whim, a microphone, for instances where he might need to virtually communicate with clients. It was something that was happening more and more, especially because a lot of his clientele was European. The internet had truly turned his antiquing- more of a hobby than a profession originally- into a profitable business.

He had gotten into watching D&D while waiting late at night for a client to become available in Austria. He had played as a lad, one of the few happy moments he could remember from his childhood in Glasgow, but had given it up once he had met Milah. And after they were over he had been too involved in making something of himself to remember past childhood enjoyments. But apparently D&D had evolved with the times and he had gotten into the habit of searching for and watching online D&D campaigns in his spare time. From that to actually being a side-character in one of them took almost no time. It was frightfully easy to go back to that frame of mind of playing make-believe, only now he had a distaste for the clean-cut heroic types and more of an affinity for the morally-grey, shady characters.

So he had auditioned for the role of evil-wizard when there had been an opening for a side-character in his favourite D&D stream, The Enchanted Forest. And though the DM had written what he considered to be a very flat, uninteresting character, he had been able to give it his own spin. He knew the DM hated him for it, hated when he deviated from what was expected of him, but people loved him. It was half the fun, pissing the DM off.

The other half, he had to admit, was Beauty. The one with the brains in the group, clearly, a half-human, half-fairy bard with an uncanny ability to think ahead, and arm herself with knowledge. Most of the other members of her party were more apt to try and decapitate something than negotiate with it, or even befriend it. Beauty prided herself on more of a gentle approach, which sometimes got her treated as the “fragile” one. He thought it just made her all the more interesting.

Their flirting had just kinda happened. He was half into it before he realised it had begun at all and by the time he had grown conscious- and self-conscious- of it fans were lapping it up and loving it. Even the DM, as loath as he was to admit it, found the banter engaging, even as if stole the spotlight from his story and where he wanted it to go. So every now and then he got invited into a stream, sometimes to interact with the whole party and sometimes, like the session he had just finished, to speak only to Beauty. And what was supposed to be a brief conversation before the party moved to greener pastures became a whole session, with the chatroom full of engagement and the view count off the charts.

But the DM had had a short tolerance span tonight, and had nipped things in the bud much sooner than usual. He felt… unfulfilled. Unsatisfied. Itchy, almost, in a way. So he was more than happy when he received an email from Beauty, who seemed to share his dislike of how the session had played out. They had started doing that more often, sharing emails after a session, even when he did not participate in it. It was harmless, he thought. Just an innocent online flirtation that could never realistically turn into anything. Not that his more in-person romantic overtures could ever pan out. He was in his third year of being completely smitten by the local town librarian, and in his second year of being able to put two words together in front of her without the help from Scotch, something he was perhaps a bit too proud of. And though he had decided very early on that the whole thing was utterly hopeless he had not been able to steer his thoughts or affections away. Realistically he was perhaps more in love with the idea of Belle French than the reality itself, given how little he had personally interacted with the woman. But he knew just enough to fill in the blanks and create a beautiful picture of how he imagined her to be: bookish- an easy assumption given how many times he had caught her in public places absorbed in a book-, kind, generous and delightfully able to hold a grudge and enact revenge when the time came. A bit reckless, and sometimes quick to form opinions, but also quick to revise them. A tactile person, with a great sense of fashion and a carelessness about what was expected of her.

He saw her in his head as clear as day, but little of that image was based on any personal knowledge of her. So, perhaps, he had found in Beauty a fictional substitute, someone he could talk to, and flirt with, without consequences, adopting the persona of someone more confident, more at ease with that sort of thing. The Dark One was comfortable in his skin in a way that he could only pretend to be sometimes. All the money and power he had accumulated over the years had helped him evolve from the spineless, cowardly lad he had once been, but when it came to certain situations, especially those that necessitated a level of vulnerability, he was still hopeless.

Perhaps, he wondered, it was better to think about his online liaison with Beauty as the real thing. They wrote to each other often, in and out of character, and over the course of their correspondence he had confided in her more than he had in any other person alive. Small things at first, every day peeves and details. Nothing that could identify them, certainly, but surprisingly intimate nevertheless. And over time it had grown to stuttering confessions and barings of the soul on both sides. She had told him of her teenage years in a mental asylum, the product of an overwrought widowed father trying to do right by his grieving daughter. He had had a few choice words to say about that, uncharitable thoughts about her father prompting his own willing sharing of the sad story of his childhood, neglectful father and all. It had felt nice, to confide in someone, someone he trusted.

He glanced at her email, where she lamented how their scene had not been as long or as satisfying as she had wanted, and saw she was proposing to meet later in a private stream to finish it the way they had both wanted. She had proposed something similar once or twice before and he had politely declined but now he wondered why not take her up on her offer. What was stopping him? His imaginary idea of Belle French, who in reality had never given him more than a polite smile in passing? Too young, too good, too beautiful to ever see him as anything other than an old cripple? Whatever he had built with Beauty felt infinitely more real, and attainable. A relationship without ever meeting in person seemed ideal in many aspects and, perhaps, if and when it came to meeting in the real world, his physical shortcomings would not be relevant, nor would it his rather uncharitable reputation.

He sent her a quick reply to arrange a meeting, feeling like a bit of roleplaying was, in the end, quite harmless. And if it were to lead to something a bit more meaningful, well, perhaps it was about time.

…

“Water from Lake Nostos. A key ingredient in most powerful potions and even some spells. I’m sure it could prove useful to you.”

The bard showed him the glowing crystal vial hanging from a long chain around her neck, with the glowing milky-white water from the cursed lake in it. He made a move to get closer to inspect it but the woman took a step back, tucking the vial back inside her bodice. The wizard’s eyes lingered there, hiz gaze growing intense. The bard felt her skin flush in response, something that felt a bit like fear but wasn’t running down her spine.

“And I’m sure a new wardrobe could prove useful to you, dearie. You’re practically wearing rags.” Rumplestiltskin made a show of running his eyes up and down her form with just enough disgust in his face to make it seem as if he was only noticing the rather sad state of her dress. 

“It’s my best gown, I’d thank you not to insult it.”

He made a moue of disapproval, shaking his head for good measure.

“You’re far from your days as a princess. I hope seeing the world is worth putting up with your band of idiots that waste most of the gold they earn with your wit in pointless goose chases that you know will lead nowhere.”

Beauty didn’t respond. There was nothing she could say to contradict what he thought of her party, none of which was charitable to say the least. And she also knew that he was aware that all of it was worth the freedom she had won when she had left her life in her father’s castle behind. She did miss one or two things, perhaps. Her mother’s vast library being one and, perhaps, some of the fashions. Not so much the silhouettes- she had never liked how the sea of petticoats she was always forced to wear restricted her movement- but the fabrics and colours, certainly. And the shoes.

“I’m here to make a deal, Dark One. Are you doing business today or not?”

Lesser creatures would’ve rather bitten off their tongues that throw cheek at the Dark One, but Beauty did not even bat an eye, lips curling in a defiant little smile that had the wizard smirking, something like admiration blooming in his chest. It’s what he loved most about his little bard, her spine of steel. And perhaps her blue eyes, but that was neither here nor there.

“I don’t do business with raggedy urchins, dearie. If you want to sit down and negotiate you’ll need a bath.” He made a face, as if he could smell her across the room. “And a change of dress, while I put your current outfit to wash… Or set it on fire, I haven’t decided yet.”

She could tell that he was pulling his punches, that he was playing at being repulsed by her state of dress and hygiene just bad enough that she would see he did not really mean it, not in any real way. She would’ve been able to tell either way, but it was nice that he thought it important to spare her feelings. And she couldn’t deny that a bath sounded heavenly after so many weeks on the road, sleeping out in the open and washing in freezing-cold creeks whenever possible.

“Well, if you insist…”

He took her to a well-lit and spacious bathing chamber, with the biggest copper tub she had ever seen, already filled with warm, soapy water that smelled of vanilla. She wasted no time after the door closed behind him, stripping quickly, careless of her worn and mended garments, and slipping into the tub. It was heaven on her tired muscles, and her dirty skin, and though she would’ve stayed there for hours she knew that every minute spent bathing was a minute less with the Dark One. Their time was limited. If she didn’t return to camp in the morning her party would venture into the castle, likely thinking the most dreadful scenarios. She could picture Charming attempting to kick the front gate open and getting hurt for his troubles. She could not let them worry for her, or risk the rapport she had developed with the Dark One by coming in unannounced. 

She got out of the tub with only a bit of reluctance and found a towel that she was convinced was enchanted to dry her faster than possible. She found clothing laid out in the adjoining dressing room, the undergarments soft and made of pale cream fabric and the dress of a lovely velvety, forest-green fabric, with a belt embroidered in small pearls that matched the detail about the neckline. She put it on gladly, twisting every which way to lace it up at her back. Living a less princessy life had made her acquire a number of small skills, including the ability to dress up mostly by herself even in gowns that did not lace up at the front, like most of her travelling clothes.

She did not spot her mauve travelling dress or her boots, but she was sure that Rumplestiltskin had whisked them away and would subtly mend them with magic, though she was sure he would deny it if she were to point it out. The green dress was accompanied by matching slippers, butter-soft and silent as they touched the stone floor. She made sure to dry her hair out, noticing how it shone red-gold in the flattering light of the candles, and took her time brushing it and styling it out of her face, so it fell flatteringly down her back. Her neck and most of her upper torso was bare but for the chain keeping the vial of water tucked safely against her breasts, the wide neckline of the dress dipping low enough to leave her collarbones bare, but she didn’t mind it. She was inside the Dark Castle, with the Dark One. She was safe there. On the road she always had to think about not attracting unwanted male attention. Here she rather felt like the opposite.

It was a silly infatuation, and many would argue any interest or desire on her part was due to the wizard’s power, which some would say was an aphrodisiac potent enough to make some look past the Dark One’s rather unfortunate exterior. No one would ever believe her if she confessed she rather… liked his appearance. The green-gold skin, the wild hair, the talons, but also the exquisitely-tailored pants and vests, the frothy cravats, the slim coats. A beast and a gentleman. A rather enticing combination, she had found.

She went downstairs into the trophy room once more, where two massive chairs were pulled up next to the roaring fireplace, the main source of light. The Dark One was sitting in one of them, a snifter gingerly held by a clawed hand, containing some sort of brown-gold liquid. He glanced at her the moment she entered the room, unwilling or unable to hide his appreciation for what he saw. He had removed his coat, leaving only his high-collared vest and one of his open shirts to cover his upper body, no forty cravat in sight. He seemed less guarded, more adventurous than he usually was when it came to matters of intimacy.

“You clean up well, dearie. Wish I could say the same for your dress. A wash will only do so much for it, but I refrained from throwing it into the fireplace. You’re welcome.”

“Good, as it’s not your property to destroy.” Beauty sat down, with a poise that betrayed her royal upbringing, and primly crossed her legs at the ankles. “So, Dark One, are you prepared to deal with me now?”

She had dealt with him dozens of times before, she had no idea why it all sounded so much like innuendo now. She couldn’t say she minded it.

“Of course, my dear. I’ve had time to think about our deal whilst you were splashing about in the tub.” His sing-songy voice broke, getting suddenly deeper for a second or two, as if he was struggling to retain his composure. “The vial is certainly a good start, but perhaps not quite enough. Now, I’m prepared to be generous given our long and fruitful history of dealmaking together, but I must also keep up certain appearances. So I thought I would also demand… an evening of your time.”

He tried to make it sound sinister, but she was past getting scared of him. At least in the traditional way. She raised an eyebrow, adopting a rather coquettish expression.

“And what would an evening of my time entail exactly?”

“Oh, well, you know. Companionship, perhaps a game of chess, some good wine, conversation and the like.”

She made a show of thinking it over before offering her hand, which he shook without delay.

“It’s a deal.”

Several hours later she had won two games of chess, one game of checkers, and was sipping from her third coupe of sparkling wine as she listened intently to a story about a deal the Dark One had once made with a king from a distant land. He was a gifted storyteller, engaging and funny, knowing exactly when to pause or gesticulate to keep the flow of the story just right. The king in his tale was rather unfortunate, in the sense that his hubris and arrogance had led him to make a deal with the Dark One that he did not understand. Most of Rumplestiltskin’s deals seemed to be like that, Beauty thought. And when he came to collect people dared be indignant that he demanded what they promised in the first place.

“The king was furious. Never let go of the grudge. Hired several assassins to try and kill me. A waste of gold, of course.”

He let out a trilling laugh, which soon proved to be contagious. Somehow, over time, it felt like their chairs had moved closer, because if she stretched out a hand she could easily touch him. Odd.

“Serves him right, for making such an open-ended deal. What a rookie mistake.”

She didn’t recall removing her slippers but she must have, because her feet were enjoying being pressed against the soft cushion of the chair. He made a gesture for her to lean close, which was a bit of a balancing feat, but she managed. Her heart skipped a bit when he leaned close too, almost pressing his mouth against her ear.

“You have no room to talk, sweet. You struck a very vague deal yourself, committing to an evening of conversation, chess ‘and the like’. That little turn of phrase is an invitation to all manner of sins, even the darkest and most decadent of debaucheries.”

He hissed the last part, making her shiver. Not content with letting him have the upper hand she turned her head so their lips were inches apart.

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

She could tell she had shocked him into inaction. Cocky Dark One, always in control of the conversation, always one step ahead of everyone else. It was nice to see him floundering, to catch him unprepared. Finally he gulped and put a little distance between them.

“Aren’t you the bravest little poppet.”

“My mother always said ‘Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.’ I’m a firm believer of the principle.”

Slowly, almost painfully so, both his hands clutched at the armrests of her chair, effectively pinning her to it. She knew she was supposed to be scared but she felt nothing but excitement, a buzzing just beneath the skin that made her strangely needy for something. Touch, perhaps, or more. The feeling was so overwhelming she did not realise at first that the laces of her dress were coming undone, as if invisible hands were painstakingly pulling them loose. She tried to make eye contact, but he ducked his head, pressing his face against the base of her neck, where it met her shoulder. She sighed, noticing how gentle he was, his touch feather-light, and discovering that she would not mind a rougher treatment. He was restraining himself, she realised, trying to be a gentleman. Sweet, but not what she wanted from him at that moment. Feeling bold Beauty carded a hand through his hair, pressing his face more firmly against her skin.

“Please, Rumple.”

Those two words seemed to have a magic of their own, producing a sudden and radical change in him. He moved too fast for her to see, wrapping her up in his arms and depositing her on the long dining table on the other side of the room. She did not know whether he used magic or simply moved inhumanly fast, but either possibility excited her, reminded her of the power of the creature looming over her, claws tugging at the unlaced bodice of her dress, dragging the velvet down to expose her undergarments. She was wearing the underbust corset he had provided over the snowy linen shift he had also left for her, so it was easy for him to simply tug the shift down a bit to expose her breasts. He leaned forward, nuzzling the space between her breasts, making a sort of satisfied purring noise as he sniffed up her clavicles and down her throat. Then, once he was happy with the level of squirming she was doing, he finally gave her what she wanted, closing his mouth, with all of its sharp teeth, around one of her rosy nipples. It was a strange feeling at first, more unfamiliar than pleasant, but when he began to suck it changed completely, little shocks of pleasure running from her nipple to between her legs. It was amazing, more than she had ever achieved with her own hands whenever she could get some privacy at night, and the feeling doubled when he grasped her untouched breast, his long claws estimulating the other nipple.

She sunk both her hands in his hair, fisting it in an effort to keep herself from squirming too much, feeling both aroused and impatient. She kept waiting for him to tire of her chest and move further down but when he was finally done sucking her nipples his head moved north, his lips blinding searching for hers till they were kissing. It wasn’t anything like any kiss she had experienced before, not even the unpleasant smack her former fiance had forced on her. Though it was just as forceful there was a wild quality to it, one she had never associated with the affectionate gesture. It was heavenly, the release of passion, far from cooling her down, setting her on fire, stoking her need for him till it felt like she would explode if he didn’t give her relief. 

He must have sensed it, her desperation calling to him like a siren song, because at some point he let go of her mouth to travel south, past her aching chest, and velvet-covered belly to where the skirts of her long gown kept her modestly covered. He wasted no time dragging the heavy fabric up, letting it pool around her hips along with the white linen of her shift. She did not have any other undergarments, having not been provided with any, so she was completely exposed to his gaze, from her milky things to her round hips. She squirmed, trying to picture what he must be looking at, the trim thatch of chestnut curls at the apex of her legs, obscenely drenched by this point and making a poor show of trying to hide the pink, glistening flesh beneath.

“What a lovely cunt you have.” His voice was dark, guttural, a monster trying to speak like a man. It thrilled her. “Let me drink from it, precious.”

He didn’t wait for her reply, choosing instead to simply bury his head against her flesh, his tongue rough and wide as it lapped at her field parting them to seek out the bundle of nerves that was throwing for attention. She arched her back, feeling like it was only her firm grip on her thigh and hip what kept her anchored to the table. She fell into a rhythm of sorts, her body seeking out something she could not find but his mouth striving to compensate, to give her what she needed. It was heavenly and seemed to last an eternity, the sensations building up till everything but them faded away, all sensations muted. She felt him move to, thrusting his hips against the edge of the table, making it rattle in a way that spoke of his sheer brute force. It was heady to have someone like Rumplestiltskin, who had always strived to don the mask of a gentleman around her, be so unhinged, so animalistic. More than anything it was that complete loss of control what drove her over the edge. She cried out, feeling her inner muscles coil and her senses spiral out of control, her orgasm leaving her dizzy. It seemed to last forever and not nearly long enough. She laid there for a while after the feeling passed, feeling satisfied and wanting at the same time. A few seconds later he also keened, slumping against her still-parted legs, his hair tickling the soft skin of her inner thighs.

They lay that way for what seemed like ages, while they scrambled to try and collect themselves. The afterglow did not feel awkward or uncomfortable, and it loosened up her tongue enough to venture out that she had hoped for an even more intimate act, a joining that was even deeper than what they had done.

��“A deal for such a prize would have to involve all my deepest secrets, my most valuable truths.” He paused, pressing his forehead against the silky inside of her thigh, like a penitent would. “One day, perhaps.”

...

“Do you want to meet? I think it’s time.”

The orgasm had mellowed him out, otherwise he was sure he would’ve at least panicked a little bit. But in the afterglow of what they had just shared, albeit virtually, a meeting did not seem like such a bad idea. In hushed voices they arranged the time and place, tomorrow at a café and bistro in Boston. Nice and public, for both their safety. They knew both lived near Boston, so it seemed natural to pick the city. The drive wasn’t too bad, and he hoped it wasn’t a great inconvenience to her either.

Reluctantly they said their goodbyes, both trying to prolong the moment a bit more till they were both close to nodding off. With a final, reluctant goodbye they both disconnected, leaving Gold to clean himself up and make his way home. With his rumpled suit, disheveled hair and five o’clock shadow it must have looked like the walk of shame. It certainly didn’t feel that way.

...

He woke up in a happy mood, perhaps the best in a long time. Far from feeling stupid or embarrassed about his little bit of roleplaying-turned-porn-session he felt smug, empowered by the notion that he had made a smart, desirable woman come with only his voice and imagination. He felt like he was on the brink of something, as if an exciting possibility was opening up for him. 

He went about his day with a bit of a spring in his step, though most citizens of Storybrooke would be pressed to notice. It was only when he saw the book on gardening he was due to return to the library that afternoon- his two Moth orchids had developed small water-soaked spots on the leaves and he had wanted to consult some verified sources instead of relying exclusively on Google search results- that his mood dampened somewhat. As nice as last night had been- bloody fantastic rather- it did make him sad, somewhat, to give up his crush on Belle French. However unattainable it was still nice to have it, that bit of feeling that did not need to be reciprocated to be real. It had been nice to feel something for someone for a change, to look forward to each smile and each small conversation. But it wouldn’t be right, and what he had now was more valuable in any case. Perhaps, with time, he would grow out of his infatuation with the librarian and they could be friends. That would be rather lovely.

He crossed the street towards the library around three o’clock, wanting to beat the rush caused by children being let off school, a busy time for one of the only kid-friendly places in Storybrooke. There were some patrons about, and the afternoon light made the library look truly beautiful. Miss French truly worked miracles with her limited budget.

He found her easily, shelving a few books in the poetry section, and tried not to preen when she smiled widely at him.

“Mr Gold, hi! Always a pleasure. Here to return a book?”

The librarian was always sunny and welcoming, but she looked even happier that day, an excited sort of energy practically rolling off of her in waves. Thank goodness he had decided to give up on his silly little crush, otherwise he might have buckled under the power of her brightness. 

“Yes. And you look particularly happy today, Miss French, if I might say so.”

The librarian smiled even more, if possible, and leaned close, as if to tell him a secret.

“I have a date tonight.”

It hurt, the slightest bit, the shock making him take a step back, but less than it would have yesterday. And perhaps, he reasoned, this would be good. This would put them both in the path of becoming friends, allowing him to leave his crush behind much faster. He forced himself to enquire politely after the lucky man, listening as she talked about someone she had been flirting with for a long time now, and it seemed like the relationship was finally ready for the next step.

“I’m really happy. And very nervous. It feels like such a risk, after all this time building something that could easily fizzle out with a first date. But I’ve always believed in doing the brave thing, and bravery will follow. It’s what my mother always said.”

She had turned back to shelve a book as she finished the last sentence, so thankfully she did not see his jaw drop and his eyes widen, his surprise so visible no one could’ve missed it. His heart lurched in his chest, sheer and sudden panic making it difficult to breathe. Fuck. Fuck. It wasn’t possible. Belle was Beauty. Belle was Beauty. He tried to contradict the notion in his head but he had known Beauty’s British accent was passable but fake, and it made sense for him not to have identified her voice when she usually spoke with her natural Australian drawl, something he associated so closely with her. Everything else he had ever found out about Beauty, in and out of the D&D setting, coincided with what he knew, or thought he knew, about the librarian, one of the reasons why he had developed a crush on her in the first place.

The initial shock was followed by a spike of elation and then a sinking feeling of dread. He needed to cancel. She would be disappointed, but more disappointed if he didn’t and she realised her crush was a man a good deal older than her that was known for being the town monster. It would be awkward and she would not be able to escape him after it, both doomed to meet each other often, given the small size of the town. He could not put her through that.

He stopped himself then, noticing the familiar dark turn of his thoughts, dipped in so much self-loathing it was almost stifling. And he wondered if he really was thinking about Belle or about himself. Being a coward, taking the easy way out. He thought about how he had woken up, the world full of promise and the future bright with the possibility of something great on the horizon. And how he had felt brave last night, to leap into something that had been so worth it. Perhaps it was time to be brave more often. Do something, however small. Put the ball in her court, somehow.

“I wish you the best of luck, then. Perhaps some other time, if you’re not too busy, you could pop into my shop. I have a few antique books I feel you would appreciate.”

It was a nice recovery, and he was happy to see her smile, apparently welcoming the proposition. Everyone knew Mr Gold’s shop was only to be entered when making deals. He didn’t really allow idle perusal of his stock and no one had the money or interest to buy his antiques. His business was conducted mostly with people from major cities on the East Coast.

“Wow, an open invitation to traipse into Mr Gold’s shop, that’s not something one sees everyday. What do you want in return? I hear only deals can grant you access to the shop.”

She made sure to make it clear she was joking, something he appreciated. Feeling emboldened by her kind gesture he adopted a slightly higher pitch and replied:

“Oh, nothing much. Companionship, perhaps a game of chess, some good wine, conversation and the like.”

Being close enough he got to see as it dawned on her, as her brain quickly processed what he had said and where she had heard it before. And he knew, knew because of the way she looked at him, as if she did not recognise him, as if he was a brand new person to her, that she understood the implication, what he had meant to tell her without actually telling her. 

“Hope to see you soon, then. Good luck with the date.”

He turned around before he could second-guess himself, feeling terrified by what he had exposed but satisfied at the same time. This way it was Belle’s choice to show up. For all she knew he had no idea that she was Beauty. She could make up an excuse and simply not meet her, and their worlds would never merge. If she did not want to pursue anything between them all she had to do is cancel the date, or not show up. He would respect her decision and never push for anything, or acknowledge their online relationship in the real world.

He sent her an email just as he was about to get into his car, letting her know that he understood that this meeting was a bit of a risk and he would understand if she backed out at the last minute. There were other things he could do in Boston, and he was not adverse to having dinner by himself. And they could still be friends, no matter what she decided. He was halfway to Boston when he heard his cell phone ping, letting him know he had a new email. As he expected, it was from Beauty:

“I’m on my way. Can’t wait to meet you! See you soon.”

He smiled.

[smolbeandrabbles]

Director’s Cut 3: Danny Rayburn

* Well it’s more a focus on our Reader character, but, Danny.

“What was the inspiration behind Liliana and her family? Because they’re all so amazing 😭🙏 and how did you choose the name Devan?” 

Liv, bless you for asking the difficult questions! Now you get a look inside my crazy mind (as if you hadn’t all already with Andrew.)

So, If you thought Andrew was a long post you better grab your favourite drink and your Danny playlist and settle in!

The following specifically refers to our reader character and her family, and the events of Sway and it’s spin-offs, which I will obviously always encourage you to read! 😁 Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6  / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10

Sweet Spot  /  All I Want For Christmas / Good Woman

What was the inspiration behind Liliana and her family?

Before we go into too much detail I want you to imagine 1st January, 2019. And then a girl who had recently purchased Camila Cabello’s first album - late, after being super impressed by her performance opening for Taylor Swift - and watched the first episode of Bloodline AND Dirty Dancing 2 (the trade off for having your mum watch Rogue One with you) in one single day. Anyone who hasn’t listened to Camila’s album, this is essentially Danny’s dance playlist, I don’t make the rules

I had ideas for Danny before I even started to watch. Mostly because when you’re first immersed in the world of Ben Mendelsohn and trawl through blogs, you can’t help but notice Danny. Annnd found out a lot about the show, which caused me to have a BUNCH of misconceptions and create a story in my head that was just... not even remotely close to what Bloodline is.

So here’s the deal, I occasionally like thinking about some of Ben’s characters gender bent, and how that would make them different/similar and affect their stories. I did this with Andrew and Gerry before I did it with Danny (because can we just think about Animal Kingdom if they were female?). And then armed with my assumptions, I came up with a story for Bloodline. “Linzi, why are you telling me this-!?” I hear you cry, but don’t leave the post just yet! Just keep in mind that Jack Ervin was (female) Danny’s restaurant accountant and also will they / won’t they love affair, that uhm. Well they didn’t, because Danny dies.  For all intents and purposes a lot of Jack’s plot points became Lily’s (including bringing back the restaurant). Also I had a great character with a great name that I didn’t want to waste. Jack became Liliana’s dad - and therefore we got: Jack and Liliana Ervin. 

Back to Dirty Dancing 2 - set in Havana, complete with its ‘will they/won’t they’ love story (of different social classes!) and of course, Latin American dancing. To say I borrowed a lot of ideas from this is probably an understatement - but Danny is a Miami boy, and Miami has Little Havana. Quickly it all kinda fell together.  But in this case, Danny is the out of his element American and Liliana (given that her parents are both from Latin American backgrounds) is the dancer. Added to that in DD2 the girls parents are both dancers, I was happy to keep an element of that for our girl too. Jack remained Jack Ervin, with his name actually being Juan Ervin (American Father, Argentinian Mother) but changing his name to Jack to fit in with his Miami high-society persona. Maria (American Mother, Puerto Rican Father) basically has a super cliche Hispanic name, I know (well both of them do but Juan is the equiv. to Jack so that’s how we ended up there) but it worked for me. Liliana’s name... I don’t even know where I got it from - sometimes names just come to me, sometimes I spend hours finding a good one on all these naming sites! 😅 Lily just came to me, I certainly wanted something that could be shortened Liliana->Lily but also something that went with Danny’s name. Liliana Rayburn is a great name. (I know the irony of that, you don’t need to tell me twice!) I need a ship name for them.

Let’s take a little look at their character for a second though: Jack and Maria are meant to be parallel to Robert and Sally. But also the complete opposite. Jack is described as a ruthless businessman who doesn’t care to much about his reputation in business. He’ll just get the job done no matter what the cost. The catch being of course that really Jack is a lovely guy, he cares very much about his family (+ extended family!) and is a well respected member of Miami society. Ruthless yes - but Maria and Lily mean more than the world to him - and eventually Danny too. “No man is good enough for your daughter until one is. And he is.” and also “He would have given you the world, and I would have let him.” Just sayin’ he’s a good father and a good man.  Maria is mentioned a little less than Jack is but I think that’s because I basically want to compare Jack/Danny to Robert/Danny. I also think that Jack has more to do with the overall story; he’s the one with the well known construction company that everyone recognises Liliana’s last name from, the reason that everyone is all over Danny with the “You can’t get involved with Jack Ervin’s daughter!!” spiel. Maria is the quieter character, but spends a lot of time showering Danny with love when she is around. Lily’s parents were all about giving Danny family that loved him unconditionally. A real family. She’s... probably a little more on the ‘stereotypical’ side of Hispanic parents, but there’s a reason for that-! One of my very best friends is Peruvian, and every time I visit him it’s like visiting my second family. Like from the very first time I met them his parents were SO kind, like above and beyond... and so adorable... oh my gosh, I love them so much and they are 100% inspiration for Jack and Maria. Maria is basically his mum. 😁 But more than anything I wanted Jack and Maria that wanted nothing more for their daughter than for her to find someone who loves her. No matter who he is or his background or anything like that. Which was important to me, especially having been through a relationship myself where my family didn’t really approve of him because he wasn’t from the same social class. I’m certainly not about that.

As your tags put it - Jack and Maria are the biggest Danny/Liliana shippers! 😁 (With Javi and Jason a close second! And I won’t leave out Evie and Amanda either!)

Liliana Oh my gosh. My love for her can’t be overstated. I say it every time, but I’ll say it again. When I started her and Danny’s journey on that dancefloor in January 2019 I never would have dreamed I’d be still here now nearing fic number 200. I wasn’t even sure if anyone would have been interested in them enough for me to ever write more than just Sway 1. But, when you’re asked to write a second part then you know it’s got traction and you end up with 10, of course!  Inspiration for Liliana? Good question. A little like I said for Elaiyna with Andrew, I needed a S/O that fit with Danny and his story. I say at the start of part 10 that really it’s her story. And it is, Danny takes her from one night stands with men she meets on the dancefloor to mother of 2 kids in a loving relationship where it’s clear that she will never love anyone else. And it’s his character/personality, being as in character as possible, that leads her there. Liliana never runs out of chances, she forgives Danny for everything he does because she loves him so much. Because she can’t bear to think of life without him, nor what his life would be like if she left. Liliana is... a strong woman who doesn’t know how strong she is. She loves unconditionally and she doesn’t care that Danny is not on top of his game - he’s struggled his whole life, but he does not have to struggle with her. She’s meant to be the easiest thing about his life - home, a safe place, strength and stability.  Danny is her adventure - with all his secrets, and his past, and how much he suffers she’s presented with a problem that she can’t solve, she can’t save,but loves him anyway. Lily will never give up.  The contrast between the two worlds they are in when they meet, and then the one they build together as they grow which takes that contrast and just makes it work. Like they just work - sure I made it that way, but I tried to make it realistic. Love has no barriers, right? It shouldn’t. To quote my characters again: “There’s one fairytale here, and it’s yours.”

I wouldn’t give her a pushover title - sure she never runs out of chances for him (perhaps its arguable that she could walk away but it never occurred to me that that was her personality.) but like, screw his family. She won’t ever forgive them for what they’ve done to him, she won’t ever trust them.  So why does she forgive John? Because that’s her character. That’s what Danny made her. John and Danny’s relationship always fascinated me in the show and it just strikes me that Danny and John were close, even with all that happened. Danny would want Lily to forgive him - and maybe Lily only forgives him FOR Danny, but it’s in her character. She’s tired of all this conflict and all she wants is for John to confirm he did it so she knows for sure.  Liliana has elements of me in her, perhaps a little more than most of my other OCs, elements of my feelings towards characters in the show as I continued to watch, elements of other OC’s of mine (and physically too. Her Psalm tattoo I directly lifted from someone else. Hey, it be that way sometimes!) and elements of all these pieces that inspired me to write her in the first place. 

I mean I don’t know if that really explains it clearly. Because there’s not really one clear inspiration for them - but from a range of different sources and elements. I hope that it even helps explain it a little though! 😅

How did you chose the name Devan?

Oh my gosh, okay. Liv why did you have to ask this question!  So, oh god this is so stupid.  Basically, although I knew that they would have a son, because our characters didn’t know that they were going to have a son, I wanted to give the baby a unisex name. Because I ALSO knew I was going to follow Bloodline canon it was also important to me that Danny be the one to chose the name.  Added to that, like Nolan, I knew that Danny and Lily’s baby was going to keep that Rayburn last name.  Devan Rayburn and Devan Ervin both sound pretty great to me..!

Obviously, it should be Devin. And the only reason I think I chose Devan was because a) I actually thought that was how you spelled it... (I mean I guess so, there’s no other logical reason I can’t have called him Devin... unless I looked at Devin Ervin and thought... ‘that’s basically the same’ and so changed the spelling but it was definitely always written Devan in plans etc) and b) a singer called Devin Dawson.  When I was on my year long internship in the USA I was able to listen to country music radio - specifically the station a family friend worked on. And they were obsessed with a song called “All On Me” by Devin Dawson. (actually it’s a good one for this series, but that’s beside the point!) So I heard his name all the time, and I’m 99% sure that I got it from him. (Also fast forward and I’ve actually now seen the guy in concert and was like “Oh yeah I named a character after you.” so yeah it’s probably Devin Dawson’s fault. )  At the end of part 8 I left a note that says “Devan isn’t easily explainable but I hope you like it.” and honestly, if there’s a bigger story I can’t remember it. I know that ‘Evan’ was another character in my genderbent story but I don’t think I just added the ‘D’ to that... Maybe that was an element of it though?  

Also I’m a sucker for ‘weird’ names or weirdly spelled names - a lot of my OCs fall victim to this - sorry girls! 😅 So it’s unsurprising that he ended up Devan, not Devin. Also I’d pronounce it “Dev-an” with a soft ‘a’ sound... 

Interestingly it took me a little longer to decide on his middle name being Daniel. I guess I’m not sure how good “Devan Daniel Rayburn” sounds... But then I wasn’t about to resist it, and it seems like the kind of decision that Liliana would make.  

I hope that answered your questions Liv! 🙏💜💙 You’re always welcome to ask for further clarification! 😁

---

Thank you as always for being interested in my work! Just gonna remind you all that you can ask for a Fanfic directors cut ! I would love to answer any questions! 🥰😘 

I mean it, I’d beg. Don’t make me get that Danny gif.  

[elliot-orion]

Character Introduction: Mortimer Heart

Fast Facts

Supers Name: None

SA Classification: Rogue Party, on Watchlist

Pronouns: He/Him

Age: Officially 19, yes we have another complicated age one sorry folks

Birthday: April 4th (it’s actually his adoption day but he celebrates it as his birthday) Height: 5′9″

Powers: The Death Elemental. Can hear/see ghosts, reanimate corpses, can tell when someone’s going to die soon, gains strength from areas with lots of deaths such as hospitals or battlefields, can kill someone with a look although that takes a lot of concentration, can sense death, freaks everyone out because hes a spoopy boi

Favorite Food: Anything Spicy, but probably Indian food.

Favorite Animal: Does not like animals and is annoyed I asked. If pressed, probably snakes.

Bio

Guess what folks we’ve got another one with memory problems! Yayy!! Though to be fair, One Eye didn’t have to do much here. Morty was adopted (read - bought) by One Eye and brought to America from an orphanage in Siberia when he was six years old, so he probably wouldn’t remember anything anyways. Like Oliver, One Eye grabbed him because he’s an Elemental, and the SA kinda wanted to collect the whole set of them and was not afraid to do whatever it took to reach that goal, hence why so many are in America. They weren’t supposed to be, One Eye just didn’t give them a choice. Anyways, the clever amongst you have probably already noticed that Morty’s last name is the same as Oliver’s, and this is intentional. Just like in the USA we call people who can’t remember their names or unidentified bodies John/Jane Doe’s, in the DHU America, they call them Sam Heart’s (because it’s my world and I can make gender neutrality a thing if i fucking want). Oliver did have a first name that they let him keep, and Morty got named that by One Eye because the man is not creative (guess what he named the fire Elemental? Blaise. Yes I did that intentionally dont at me). But both of them use the Heart last name because they don’t know their own. Just some fun worldbuilding for you.

You might also notice that I said Morty got adopted at six years old already as an Elemental, even though Elementals get chosen at 11-13 years old. I didn’t mess up. Death is a tad different in that it picks it’s Elemental early. The first time they see death, be it an animal or a person, they get their powers. For Morty, there was a home break in, his dad got shot, he got his powers and accidentally killed everyone in a half mile radius, and eventually was found by authorities. There weren’t any records of him, so no one really knew much about him and just guessed his age. Hence the officially 19, and his birthday being the day One Eye swept him up. He does not remember the break in happening, or the orphanage, but he still gets nightmares of flashes from it. Fun!

Once he was with the SA, he was kind of kept prisoner. One Eye sort of raised him (in that he’d check in at certain points and otherwise Morty was left with nannies who hated him because he’s creepy), and he wasn’t allowed to leave the headquarters office. He did online school, which is how he met Ben, learned how to repress his powers because One Eye wouldn’t let him use them since they scared him, and was just generally a very bored, very frustrated, and very done with authority child. One Eye did a lot of fucking with his mind, placing blocks that made him afraid of using his powers, and trust me that DEFINITELY fucked him up a lot. After he meets Sparky in “Sparks Fly” he started to sneak out to meet with the triad more and more, getting in more and more trouble, until he just decided to stay with them when he’s 16. The three of them become even more of his pseudo dads than they already were, and it’s pretty good. He gets along best with Sparky, loves Hall and Scout even if he fights with them a lot, and really relies on them. He never quite got along well with Lucia though, because she was one of the Heroes who babysat him for a while. Even though she was the only one to take him on field trips or who’d turn a blind eye if she knew he was just running to the triad’s place, she was still part of the SA, and damn does this boy have a problem with authority and the SA now. A year or so later, he leaves the triad to help Ben run away, and that’s about where the book picks up so we’re going to stop it there.

And that’s Morty! He’s contrary, angry, hates authority, but is also so sensitive and caring and sweet with Ben and we love our little death boy okay he’s a Good Bean. Anyways here’s the tag list: @mo-is-writing​ @albatris​ @shadow-maker​ @merigreenleaf​ @ageekyreader​ @knightedwriter​ insert usual if you want on or off just let me know you guys get the gist. ;) love you all! Up next i’ll probably do Matty and Blue, and then we’ll be done with the intro posts for Nightmare at the Lily Pad Inn!

[hiddendreamer67]

Original Character List

I present to you, something Legendary! 😄 It’s so cute, like, oh my gosh, heh, hi! 

Guess what- I have Original Characters now! I’m listing them here to introduce you guys to the handful that exist already, because later I’m going to reblog a prompt list or two and I’m hoping to write some oneshots/drabbles with them to help my with character, plot, and world development. ☺️ 

Btw this world is totally gonna have gt elements but ironically everyone I’ve created so far is human-sized!  😅 And also I’m putting this list under a cut so that as I add people I can list them here as well. (And disclaimer, this is my initial ideas for these peeps, they still have the potential to evolve and change).

Human Characters

Prince Valentine, I think youngest son? - One of the princes in the TBD main human kingdom. The fae and mortals have been in an everlasting state of unrest and war for a long time now, and Valentine gets the idea to try out diplomacy. He hears of Garth/Cam’s friendship and decides to send them out since clearly they know what they’re doing! (They don’t.) Valentine is very energetic and a bit air-headed, he’s also ignorant in a lot of viewpoints because he was raised to believe fae are wild beasts and wants to control them. Later on he’ll get better and realize “Hey fae are people too...ish.” His family thinks his diplomacy mission is foolish but don’t care because he’s not sticking his own neck out.

Cornelius, prince’s main adviser- This wizard(?) is pretty much the only one in the entire castle who actually believes in this diplomacy mission and also is the only one keeping an eye on Valentine. He basically makes sure Garth and Cam are equipped with enough knowledge to not immediately die and helps filter missions as best he can.

Noemi, witch at the edge of the woods- She lives at a different edge than the Thornton family. I don’t know a lot about her yet except that she’s a mostly self-taught witch with a best fae friend (girlfriend?) named Witch Hazel. 

(I think the Thornton family all live in a house on the edge of town near a forest that was -recently?- inhabited by some of the flower fae)

Perth Thornton, father- Not much developed for him yet.

Marabelle Thornton, mother - Not much developed for her either! But both parents are at least alive.

Quill Thornton, eldest son - Perfect boy, start child, parent’s favorite. Sometimes siblings are jealous of him because of attention but they love him too because this guy is obnoxious in there’s not really a reason to hate him. The strong, brotherly type who volunteers around town to help others and is a good leader but listens more than he speaks. Fae relations unclear, I think flower fae generally like him too but idk how he feels about fae.

Bentley Thornton, second oldest son - He’s a good boy too, wants to be an academic but that’s not really in the family line of work. He’s more concerned w/ logistics than the rest of his family which can turn him into a frustrated/stressed wreck since he’s just trying to keep everything in check and good lord why am I the only rational sibling. Flower fae call him Sparrow because his heart always speeds up like a lil’ bird when they’re around since he’s naturally weary.

Garth Thornton, middle child - He’s the main character human, or he’s intended to be. He’s snarky. Spent a long while as the youngest kid and especially now that there’s a new baby he gets sorta left to his own devices, so naturally he ended up accidentally befriending a fae named Cam in the woods. He’s generally distrustful of fae and can feel like the only normal one who gets thrown or tugged into magical dangerous adventures. Flower fae call him Germ- that’s a fun story. ;) 

Posie Thornton, newborn baby sister -  She’s adorable and a baby. Flower fae call her Bud or Blossom because they love her and want her to be one of them so they basically lowkey made her an honorary flower. 

Fae Characters

So an important note: I haven’t fully developed all of the creatures and beings in this universe (feel free to ask if there’s any certain types or categories afoot & where they’d fall), but basically one category is the fae, who basically encompass all natural spirits and come in a variety of physical forms & sizes. There’s a lot of lore w/ fae in play but a big one is Names have power so you gotta use some sort of nickname.

The Winter Vale, King of Winter- Vale is a very powerful fae, controlling all of the winter court. He’s cold-hearted and a real awful dude. He has a few children he repeatedly neglects (@Thistle) and is known for stealing away flower fae to be his stolen brides and bring a spot of color to his chilly domain until inevitably they fade or he gets bored or they run away. Oof. 

Gaia, Queen of Spring- This is the mother of all flower fae; basically, Gaia slept around with pretty much every male fae and that’s why there are a million daughters. She did this because normally Spring can be weaker than Winter, but in large numbers she grew in power and children are more affiliated with whatever parent has more royal blood (so even if she weds a winter, the child will fall in the Spring Court). 

Flower Fae- lil’ bit o’ lore

The flower fae are a sub-branch of Fae; flower fae are all sisters, and they each call each other by a given flower name. They’re basically a lil’ cult of children; by nature, flower fae are curious and giggly and love to play games. Also flower fae are independent beings in that they can have their own outlooks on thing like, say, their opinion on mortals, but inherently they all share this sort of sisterly bond and are inclined to view other sisters fondly. (That comes into play especially w/ sisters spread across the globe, which should not be a thing b/c they thrive on togetherness but yeah some flower fae are kinda everywhere now? Also they aren’t immortal as in they’ve existed forever, they are born from a garden thing and they do have an age order and idk how many are in existence currently but they’re only limited in number by the amount of flower names I can discover. No way in hell have I characterized them all yet.)

Camellia (Cam), flower fae- This is my main girl, she’s the one who somehow manages to befriend Garth and sneak her way into his stony heart. Cam is the youngest of the flower fae when we meet her. She grows attached to Garth and basically becomes an overexcited puppy going on adventures. She’s occasionally viewed as a lil’ sister until she pulls some powerful magic out and everyone’s like “oh yeah nvm she can hold her own”. She’s easily distracted especially when it comes to being serious or mortal affairs. Also she’s got some natural weaknesses like cold and iron are not good for her so she turns a jittery mess in cities and a sleepy mess in the snow.

Uva Ursi, flower fae- She’s a lot more bristly than flower fae are typically known for (at least from Garth’s perspective), but she means well. Was separated from several of her sisters a long time ago but adapted well to the cold. Has a little bit of control over winter elements, due to her relations with The Winter Vale. She was his bride to replace Nightshade and certainly has a complicated past and somehow ended up in the desert for a bit.

Nightshade, flower fae- A previous flower fae gone rogue/evil, basically she was a bride to Vale and managed to escape but went insane. She’s now an assassin and I don’t know all the details but is very encouraging of getting flower fae to join her... cause? Basically it’s a rebel flower fae group who just want to mess life up for others and get vengeance.

Baby’s Breath, flower fae- The true infant of the sisterhood; she’s born after Camellia and is the epitome of ‘baby’. 

Thistle, flower fae- Daughter of Vale and Gaia (King of Winter and Queen of Spring). She is the only flower fae who actually falls into the Winter Court, and as such is accepted by neither. Has SEVERE daddy issues because her father will never accept or love her. But, on a more surface level note, she’s a mischievous little sprite who’s very sarcastic and snarky.

Rose, flower fae- She is the. First. Flower fae, and will never let you forget it. There is a whole clan of ‘roses’ (Primrose, Petite rose, Tea rose, etc.) but Rose is THE Rose. She’s very vain, and thinks she’s mom’s favorite; that might actually be true. Rose does love her sisters but she is not nearly as devoted to them all as is typical of flower fae.

Lily, flower fae- She’s another original flower fae who has a clan of her own  (Tiger Lily, Calla Lily, etc.) but is not nearly as iconic as Rose. She does tend to be a good motherly figure for the flower fae still in the home garden, especially since Gaia is not an attentive mother. At the very least she’s a responsible older sister.

Witch Hazel, flower fae- Hazel found the human witch Noemi and pretty much instantly fell in love (romantically or platonically tbd), so much so that she decided to leave the flower fae sisterhood behind to stay permanently with Noemi and only occasionally comes back to visit. She’s very sweet and a bit uneducated but still wants to do whatever she can to help her witch succeed.

Azalea, flower fae- Way down the road, this is Bentley’s fae girlfriend! In the meantime though, she’s an older sister of Cam’s who’s a bit of a brash, sassy personality but she means well. Is actually a bit nervous about the idea of Cam going into the world of mortals.

...I think that’s everything? Kinda info dumped there, I hope this was at least interesting for some of you. Thank you for reading this list! Feel free to send me any questions you have or let me know if something was unclear!

[kero-reviews]

Happy Monday!

This Week I’m Reading:

The Institute by Stephen King

and Yona of the Dawn Volume 22 by Mizuho Kusanagi

And I Finished:

Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin

Skull- face Bookseller Honda-san Volume 3 by Honda

Yona of the Dawn Volume 21 by Mizuho Kusanagi

Cells at Work! Code BLACK Volumes 2 & 3 by Shigemitsu Harada, Issei Hatsuyoshiya, and Akane Shimizu

and Servamp Volumes 1 & 2 by Strike Tanaka

Hello!! I hope you’re all staying healthy!

I’m hoping to finish The Institute soon, I’m getting close and since my book club is taking a week break for Easter, I’ll hopefully have the time for it! My goal is to finish it next week, but fingers crossed I’ll get it done this week! I’m also getting further in Yona of the Dawn, I got a little behind during the holiday season so I’m taking this time to get caught up! And I am beyond loving Yona and Hak coming to terms with their feelings and the drama coming from Su-Won showing up!

I finally finished the Lunar Chronicles with @books-take-flight and I have ALL the feels! It took a long time to get here and I’m having a difficult time coming to terms with it! I don’t want the series to end, I also nominate the Lunar Chronicles as the next book-to-Netflix-series adaptation, it’s what it deserves.

I also got further in Skull-face Bookseller! I love this cute little half educational half slice of life half biographical series! As a bibliophile I have always dreamed of working in a bookstore and I love this insiders view on it all! I definitely recommend it, it’s very chill, but engaging!

Finally, I read some manga that I borrowed from my best friend, @inferno0w0 ! Cells at Work Code Black and Servamp!

I haven’t gotten far in the original Cells at Work yet unfortunately , but I love reading Code Black! I like the educational elements and seeing humanized cells encourages me to take better care of myself too! It’s also super super interesting to see the cells work hard in a body that isn’t taking any cares at all to keep itself healthy!

And Servamp! It admittedly took me until the second book to get invested but I’m loving the characters, especially Lust/Snow Lily, who reminds me a lot of Fai from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles (who is my favorite character from my favorite series)! The plot is getting really interesting and all the recent plot developments and characters are incredibly amazing and make the series worth the read!

That’s all for this week! Wash your hands and Happy Reading!

-Kero

[fanhackers]

Femslash recs

Did you know you can even find recs in scholarship? Well, maybe not exactly, but they do mention examples of the practices they are talking about and when that practice is “dealing with race in a way the source material didn’t bother to”, I find those examples worth checking out. If what academia inspire is new hits, kudos and more interesting and informed comments on these fics, then I would consider that a great engagement. The art and studies part of the fandom exists in a continuous conversation, so the concept of fic recs is not such an alien concept here. What we should be careful about here is that these mentions are not endorsements or judgements, it only shows that the fic had a certain kind of content or displays a certain kind of pattern that the researcher was interested in. That interest might intercept with readerly interests and then, the community might want to amplify those patterns, but that’s not the direct aim of scholarship. So I only mean to show a certain way of engagement, not endorse specific fics, because of no part of academia (and no matter how rogue scholars we are, this blog is still too scholarly to not consider the implications) should have that kind of relationship with fan creators.

 It becomes evident from the aforementioned debates that for sections of the Swan Queen fandom—one that fights regular, often-virulent battles with canon shippers of heterosexual ships on its reading of queer subtext in Emma Swan and Regina Mills’s relationship—emphasizing of Regina Mills’s Latinidad holds enormous value, one that is no less significant than their queering of the heteronormative maintext of Once Upon a Time. In some readings of this reclamation of their favorite character’s Latinidad, fans flesh out elements of her backstory as a sympathetic villain to read the story of the Evil Queen’s rise as a narrative seeped in white privilege and racial oppression. Once Upon a Time represents the fabled enmity between Snow White and her Evil Stepmother as one wherein the cruel machinations of Regina’s mother and the master manipulator Rumpelstiltskin (played by Robert Carlyle), led to her marriage to Snow White’s much-older father, King Leopold, against her will. Tumblr user deemnfic, another fan identifying herself as a fan of color, addresses this backstory, arguing, “Regina’s forced marriage to Leopold can be likened to the position of a house slave or Mammy,” and further, that it was a clear instance of “buying” an “older girl of color—to raise the lily-white child” (deemn 2013).

Although Swan Queen fan fic engages with these readings of Regina’s story (in multiple ways, we will limit our discussion to two stories, both well-received in the fandom: Cops&Robbers by deemn (deemn 2014), which is an unfinished canon divergence story that sends the Swan–Mills family to New York and uses the fake marriage trope to advance Emma and Regina’s relationship, and Send Up a Signal (that everything’s fine) by coalitiongirl (coalitiongirl 2015), an AU that has Regina and Emma star in a television fantasy drama called Happily Ever After, which is in fact a reimagining of Once Upon a Time. Our choice of these two stories, apart from their reception within fandom, is to underline this complex wrangling of Regina’s queer Latinidad as a constitutive element of fannish subversive practices.

Pande, Rukmini and Swati Moitra. 2017. “Racial dynamics of online femslash fandoms.” In “Queer Female Fandom,” edited by Julie Levin Russo and Eve Ng, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 24. http://dx.doi.org/10.3983/twc.2017.908.

[xiv-endora]

Character Aesthetic

Bold what applies to your muse. 

[ COLOR ]  red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. royal purple. strawberry red. charcoal grey.forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. magenta. pastels. bubblegum pink. blood red. ivory. sky blue.

[ ELEMENTAL ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning.sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. day. twilight. midnight. sunrise.sunset. dewdrops. clouds. light. smoke. umbra. penumbra. char. darkness. ash.

[ BODY ]  claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches.ears. wounds. burns. spikes. sweat. tears. feline. permanent wounds. chubby. curvy. short. tall. feathers. webs. muscular. slender. trained. piercings. tattoos. strong. physically weak. birdlike. shapeshifting. long hair. short hair. dark circles. voluptuous. small. prosthetic. experimented. cyborg. halos. horns. wolfish. effeminate. frightening. ethereal. angelic. demonic. metallic. angular. scales. barbs. vertebrae. tendrils. tentacles. sharp. soft. unusual. shapely. unnatural. disproportionate. spindly. monstrous.

[ WEAPONRY ]  fists. swords. daggers. spear. scythe. bow and arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. power loader. flamethrower. metal rods. shotguns. needles.prowess. ability. instinct. bloodthirst. supernatural. inhuman. talons. speed. agility. cunning. reflexes. biomech tendrils.grimoires, tomes

[ MATERIALS ]  gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal.iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. copper. silk. satin. velvet. denim. linen.cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick.marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow.carbonate. rubber. synthetics. yarn. slime. ivory. aether crystal. dark matter. lapis lazuli. adamantite. wootz. brass. lamé. guipé. bone. moonstone. metalloids. alloys. ceramic. alabaster. aluminum. bismuth. bronze. polonium. chrome. osmium. sand.

[ NATURE/ENVIRONMENT ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. holly. lavender. lilies. petals. thorns.sunflowers. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. snow. ice. roots. flowers. ocean. river. lake. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. steppe. rain forest. swamp. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. stars. clouds. mountains. fungi. cliffs. sunlight. moonlight. darkness. wasteland. void.

[ ANIMALS/CREATURES ] lions. wolves. black panther. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. roaches. tarantulas. scarabs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantis. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. frogs. bears. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dinosaurs. dragons.felines. foxes. centaurs. antelope. chimeras. demons. angels. parakeets. harpy eagles. seagulls. warblers. birds of paradise. parrots. toucans. orioles. cobras. black mambas., carbuncles!

[ FOOD/DRINK ] sugar. salt. water. candy. bubblegum. wine. milk. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts.chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts.cinnamon. steak. burgers. burritos. pizza. vanilla. cookies. chocolate.tiramisu. cheesecake. sushi. tempura. pasta. garlic. bread. muffins. noodles. cardamom.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. piercing. watercolors. gardening. knitting. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. murder. fighting. fencing. riding. flying. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. tinkering. video games computer. phone. movies. theater.libraries. books. magazines.poetry. philosophy. cds. records orchestrion. vinyls. cassettes. piano. organ. violin. cello. guitar. electronic guitar.  bass guitar. harmonica. synthesizers. harp. woodwinds. brass. trumpet. flute. drums. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. tree climbing. running. vivisection. reading. learning.lecturing. teaching. torment. tracking.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. robes. suit. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. heels. leggings.trousers. jeans. skirt.shorts. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. neck tie. brocade.cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. belt.sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. pantyhose. stockings. thigh highs. eyepatch. collar. bangle. torque. gorget. bracers. cuffs. body jewelry. crop tops.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. landscape. diligence. light. dark. candles. war. peace.money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. realism. misanthropy. loneliness. anger. family. synthetic. friends. assistants. co-workers. plushies.enemies. lovers. loyalty. smoking. alcohol. drugs. kindness. love. embracing. magitek. futuristic. ancient. science. voidsent. cruelty. trust. mistrust. strength. doubt. reverence. ferocity. danger. automatons. metallic. allure. value. intelligent. revolutionary. defiant. advanced. engines. naïve. temporary. changing. split personality. paradigm shift. freedom. belief.

I’ll name a few people, tag wise, but if you’re reading this and haven’t done it then by all means do so! Tag me so I can learn more about your character. Took awhile to do, but was fun all in all.

Tagging: @cassian-kane @the-ruby-rogue @blood-of-the-dragons @s-udarshana @dragons-bones @reluctant-travels @alliesweetsong-wra @mythraltia @lockeff14 @fairwindsandblueskies @ssytxiv @atheley-ffxiv and so many more!

[brokehorrorfan]

Best New Horror Movies on Netflix: Spring 2018

There’s an overwhelming amount of horror movies to sift through on Netflix, so I’ve decided to take out some of the legwork by compiling a list of the season’s best new genre titles available on Netflix’s instant streaming service.

Please feel free to leave a comment with any I may have missed and share your thoughts on any of the films you watch. You can also peruse past installments of Best New Horror Moves on Netflix for more suggestions.

1. The Ritual

The Ritual is the great Blair Witch Project sequel we never got. Although not found footage, it explores many similar plot points as the recent Blair Witch - yet it feels far more fresh and, more importantly, scarier. The first two acts are superbly eerie, and, while it loses a tiny bit of momentum toward the end, it offers a truly imaginative creature design. After memorable segments in several anthologies, David Bruckner's (V/H/S, The Signal) feature directorial debut offers a small but strong cast led by Rafe Spall (Prometheus), well-developed characters, a creative use of flashbacks, and a brilliant atmosphere of dread.

2. Veronica

Veronica's reputation precedes it, as it has been the subject of several high-profile articles touting it as the scariest movie on Netflix. I'm not sure it lives up to that claim, but it's certainly worth seeing for yourself. Based on true events, the film takes place in 1991 Madrid. When 15-year-old Veronica (Sandra Escacena) attempts to contact her deceased father with a Ouija board alongside two fellow Catholic schoolgirls, she becomes haunted by something from the other side. Escacena - an actual teenager - delivers a great performance, and director Paco Plaza ([Rec]) channels James Wan in his expert crafting of frightening set pieces.

3. Before I Wake

Nearly three years after it was supposed to open in theaters, Before I Wake was rescued from rights issues by Netflix. Director Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game) has since cemented himself as a modern master of horror, and Before I Wake is another winner. Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns) and Thomas Jane (The Mist) star as a couple who, still grieving the death of their young son, adopt a 6-year-old boy, Cody (a then-unknown Jacob Tremblay, Room). Upon learning that Cody's dreams manifests themselves in reality, the parents encourage him to dream about their deceased son in order to spend more time with him. Unfortunately for everyone, Cody also suffers from nightmares about a creature he calls The Canker Man. It's a bit heavy on exposition, but the film has ample heart and strong visuals. Similar to the work of Guillermo del Toro, Before I Wake blends horror motifs with fantastical and dark dramatic elements.

4. 47 Meters Down

Originally scheduled to go straight-to-DVD in 2016, 47 Meters Down was given a theatrical release last summer, which proved to be an unlikely success. Mandy Moore (This Is Us) and Claire Holt (The Vampire Diaries) star in the underwater thriller as sisters whose shark diving expedition goes wrong. Trapped on the ocean floor, the girls' air supplies are quickly depleting while a swam of great white sharks circles the area. There are a few unfortunate jump scares, and suspension of disbelief is certainly required, but director Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door) takes a mostly grounded, serious approach, crafting a bit of old-fashioned suspense at a brisk pace. Read my full review of the film here.

5. Mute

Mute is a sci-fi mystery, not a horror movie - although it does have a brutal kill at its climax. Aesthetically, the film is total Blade Runner worship - perhaps even more so than Blade Runner 2049 - so it is gorgeous to look at. Set in the near future, the plot finds a mute bartender (Alexander Skarsgård, True Blood) searching the seedy underbelly of Berlin for his missing girlfriend. But it's the B-story - in which Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Justin Theroux (The Girl on the Train) play a pair of wise-cracking black market surgeons - that steals the show. Director Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), who co-wrote the script with Michael Robert Johnson (Sherlock Holmes), also throws in a fun nod to Moon that sets Mute in the same universe.

6. Nails

Nails occasionally feels like a lesser Insidious movie (particularly Chapter 3, since both involve injured female antagonists), but it'll hit that sweet spot when you're browsing Netflix for something short (only 85 minutes!) and creepy in the middle of the night. After a nasty hit and run, Dana (Shauna Macdonald, The Descent) is left confined to a hospital bed, barely able to speak or move. She believes someone is in the room with her at night; at first, she feels a presence watching her, and then it starts touching. Her family and doctors dismiss her claims as hallucinations from painkillers. It suffers from a bit too much exposition, but there are some strong horror set pieces. The Irish film earns bonus points for being almost entirely contained to the hospital bed without getting stale.

7. Ravenous

Ravenous (also known as Les Affamés) is yet another post-apocalyptic zombie thriller in the vein of The Walking Dead, but it's better than many of its contemporaries. The Canadian production is in French, but it addresses universal themes in its exploration of human drama. In the film, various rogue survivors band together to strengthen their chances of survival among the hordes of infected. Along the way, it introduces a mysterious ritual of sorts that the zombies perform, though it's never fully paid off. Nevertheless, this one is worth a watch if you’re a fan of recent zombie dramas like Maggie, The Cured, Here Alone, and What We Become.

8. Bad Match

The first act of Bad Match resembles a sophomoric “bro” comedy, but it's worth sitting through to watch it blossom into its final form: Fatal Attraction for the digital age. Jack Cutmore-Scott (Deception) stars as Harris, a 20-something tech worker with a tendency to hook up with women from a Tinder-like dating app and then never speak to them again. He finally meets a woman he really likes, Riley (Lili Simmons, Bone Tomahawk), only to have her become deeply obsessed with him. The supporting cast includes Noureen DeWulf (Anger Management), Chase Williamson (Beyond the Gates), Brandon Scott (Channel Zero), and Trent Haaga (Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV).

9. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters

I'm surprised it has taken this long for Toho to make a Godzilla anime, as both are staples of Japan, and the medium eliminates any limitations caused by having an actor in the rubber suit. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is the first installment in a planned anime trilogy. Like many Godzilla films, it spends a tedious amount of time with character exposition before the creatures are introduced. The film is set in 2048, after giant monster attacks have caused the earth to collapse. Humans search space for an inhabitable planet before returning to earth; nearly halfway through the movie, they finally land and start fighting the kaiju. It's an impressive sight when Godzilla finally shows up, as it’s the biggest version of the king of the monsters ever put on screen. With all of the set up out of the way, Planet of the Monsters sets the stage for the next two installments to be even better.

Bonus: The End of the F***ing World

The End of the F***ing World is a British series released in the US as a Netflix original. 17-year-old James (Alex Lawther, Black Mirror) is fairly certain he's a serial killer, but when his would-be first victim, the moody Alyssa (Jessica Barden, The Lobster), invites him to runaway with him, the unstable couple fall for one another. Like Natural Born Killers meets Moonrise Kingdom, their time on the road includes absurd crime, unlikely death, young love, and pitch-black humor. With an engaging story spread out across eight 20-minute episodes, it's virtually impossible not to binge through the entire season in one sitting.

Bonus: Haunters: The Art of the Scare

Haunters: The Art of the Scare is ostensibly a documentary about homemade haunted houses, similar to The American Scream. It profiles a few mom-and-pop haunts, illustrating the communal aspect as well as the strain it can have on personal relationships. But the bulk of the film is dedicated to McKamey Manor, a nonprofit "extreme haunt" run out of certifiably insane guy's house in San Diego. There's a waiting list of thousands of people who are more than willing to be debased on camera for all the internet to see. Deplorable as it may be, it's a fascinating subject that, frankly, should have been the sole subject of the documentary.

[procrastinatorproject]

Previously on Lili reads Rogue Elements: [1] [2] [3]

I HAVE ENCOUNTERED EMIL!!! (And yes, his name is Emil, and yes, it is pronounced how I thought it should be pronounced. The relief!!)

The EMH combined the casual appearance of someone who’d stopped off at a party after work with the focused concentration of someone who’d left before the first toast.

HERE! FOR! THIS!!!

[aion-rsa]

The Midnight Sky: How George Clooney Made His Emotional and Timely Sci-Fi Movie

https://ift.tt/2WKb7AN

George Clooney has a relatively simple answer when asked by Den of Geek what inspired him to make his first science fiction film as a director, The Midnight Sky.

“I thought I had a take on it, you know?” says Clooney, who also stars in his seventh outing behind the camera. “I felt like there was a story that I understood in a way about what we’re capable of doing to one another if we don’t pay attention, if we don’t listen to science, if we don’t pay attention to divisions and hatred and pay that forward. I thought I had an understanding of that.”

We’re speaking with Clooney via Zoom, of course, in the ninth month of the never-ending COVID-19 pandemic, and after briefly commiserating about the last time we saw our parents (eight months for him, longer for us), we turn to the film, which is based on a novel called Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Dalton-Brooks and premieres on Netflix this week.

In the film, Clooney plays Augustine Lofthouse, a brilliant but lonely astrophysicist stationed at a remote Arctic research facility. It’s three weeks after “the Event,” an unspecified global cataclysm that is spewing enough radiation into the atmosphere to make the Earth uninhabitable. With the rest of the station’s crew headed south to reunite with their families and either prepare for the end or find a place to hide out, Augustine — who’s suffering from a terminal illness — decides to stay behind.

But he also has an important mission to complete with the time he has left to him: contacting the crew of an exploratory ship that’s returning from a habitable moon orbiting Jupiter and warning them to turn back and start a new life there (Augustine himself discovered the planetoid). Meanwhile, the ship’s crew, headed by David Oyelowo and a pregnant Felicity Jones, grow increasingly uneasy at the silence from Earth even as their craft is buffeted by asteroids and other dangers.

At the same time, Augustine finds himself caring for a little girl named Iris (Caiolinn Springall) who can’t speak and has apparently been left behind accidentally. He also learns that the transmitter at the facility isn’t powerful enough to communicate with the vessel. With the girl in tow, Augustine begins a treacherous journey through the ice and snow to reach another station with a stronger transmitter.

“I had an idea of the story I wanted to tell,” continues Clooney. “And when I talked to Netflix, I said, ‘This isn’t an action film, it’s a meditation. It’s a conversation about regret and about redemption. We’re going to take out some of the lines and we’re going to use score to tell the story,’ And they, to their credit, said, ‘Great.’”

The Midnight Sky is marked by passages of silence or sparse dialogue, particularly during the Earthbound scenes, but dialogue and personal drama are nothing new to Clooney, whose previous directorial efforts include films like Good Night, and Good Luck and The Ides of March. But even when it came to the effects-heavy material set on the ship or in space, the director wasn’t fazed.

“I’d done a couple of space movies so I had some understanding of how difficult space would be and what the preparation for it would be,” Clooney explains, referring to his starring turns in Steven Soderbergh’s Solaris and Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. He adds that he didn’t call his old friends and directors for advice on shooting the space-based scenes either.

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“I was on the set (on those movies),” Clooney elaborates. “I didn’t go back to the trailer. I’m from Kentucky. We try to stay out of trailers, you know what I mean? So I’ve always sat on sets. And I watched Alfonso and Steven. Alfonso, particularly for the spacewalk stuff, the things that he and Chivo (cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki) did were really helpful.”

Clooney’s actors had to prepare for the spacewalk sequences in a different way. Tiffany Boone, who plays the astronaut Maya on her first mission aboard the Aether, explains, “I watched every documentary and every docu-series I could specifically about long periods in space. There was one that a few of us watched… I watched, I read books, I just, I really tried to find out what that experience is kind of like to be in space for a little while.”

Boone adds that she hired a trainer in preparation for the spacewalk sequence, saying, “I went to London and I worked on my core there. Every day that I was in London, I was training pretty much. Wire work, core training, and pretending to be in zero gravity. That little spacewalk that you see, that lasts under 10 minutes in the movie, took for me a good four or five months in total to make happen.”

Both Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo agree that getting to play astronauts in a movie scratches some kind of childhood itch — although in Jones’ case, only up to a point.

“I think it’s definitely one of those professions that you think, ‘Gosh, that would be a pretty exciting one,’” the Rogue One star says. “I think as I got older, I found it less enticing to want to go off into space. I’m not into small enclosed spaces, so I think I’d find the claustrophobia a bit too much. It’s extraordinary, these astronauts who go up and spend a year in space. I think that’s so admirable because to be an astronaut, there’s a huge element of self-sacrifice because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Unlike in Gravity, Clooney does not walk in space himself in The Midnight Sky, but went through a physical transformation of a different sort. To play the dying Lofthouse, Clooney lost weight and made sure to shoot his own scenes first — with the focus on the march across the Arctic plains.

Philippe Antonello/Netflix

Oyelowo adds, “I think being an astronaut in a movie’s a little bit like being a cowboy or being a detective. There’s something iconic about those professions when it comes to cinema, not least because great actors have made them iconic.” He expands on that, saying, “When you get in that suit, when you get on set, you do feel like you are stepping into one of the special opportunities afforded an actor when it comes to cinema. Especially when it’s a film on this grand scale.”

“It would have been really hard to do it the other way around,“ he says. “The beauty of it is for us, literally, we only shot my stuff first and then we only shot their stuff afterwards. There wasn’t this sort of crossbreeding that can make things really difficult and hard to do. It’s hard to jump back in an actor’s chair where you’re directing yourself. So I had a great advantage by being able to schedule it that way.”

Another member of the cast, Felicity Jones, was also going through her own physical transformation of sorts while shooting the movie: she was pregnant with her first child. But rather than treat that as an impediment, to be filmed around or ignored (or worse, used as a reason to replace the actress, like a studio might have done in the old days), Clooney came up with a better solution: Jones’ pregnancy was written into the script, adding another layer to the stakes facing the crew of the Aether.

“It’s extraordinary, when you look at the list of actresses who’ve been pregnant while shooting, you’d be surprised that in some of the most iconic films in history, the leading actress has been pregnant,” says Jones. “But for the most part, pregnancy has been something that has been CGI’d out or disguised. So it felt revolutionary. It did feel very special that in a film of this scope and scale, having a pregnant astronaut is pretty spectacular and it was a testament to George’s modernity that he wasn’t scared of it, that he embraced it, and saw how it could benefit the storytelling.”

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Indeed, the idea that Jones’ character Sully, her unborn baby and her fellow crew members could be the last humans left alive is perhaps even more profound now, nine months into a pandemic that seems to show no signs of ending, than it was when Clooney and company first started shooting the movie. “We finished shooting in early February,” the director says. “We came to LA to start the editing, and immediately we were told to lock down. I wasn’t able to see my parents, we weren’t able to see our family, like we just talked about.”

But as Clooney and his team began editing the film, the space-based, post-apocalyptic thriller took on a different tone. “It became clear that it was a story about our inability to communicate, our inability to be home, our inability to be near the people that we love and hold them and touch them,” Clooney explains. “We were able to, in the editing, lean into the elements that say that we didn’t understand until you took it away how important our ability to communicate is.”

Tiffany Boone muses that audiences watching The Midnight Sky will get something different out of it than they might have if the world hadn’t turned upside down in 2020. “Part of why I love the script is because I thought it was really timely and had something to say about the times we were living under,” she says. “I had no idea it would be as relevant as it is…that’s all of our reality, being separated from the people we love and hoping that they’re taking care of themselves and trying to find some connection even when we can’t be in person.” She concludes, “I think it’s going to hit people even harder.”

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The Midnight Sky premieres Wednesday (December 23) on Netflix.

The post The Midnight Sky: How George Clooney Made His Emotional and Timely Sci-Fi Movie appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/38wA9J8

[zaritarazi]

tell us about the dungeons and dragons group

the groupchat is named dungeons dragons & dragons first of all. stein has to be their DM bc he always plays a secret villain and fool us once, shame on you, fool us twice, we worked really hard on this CAMPAIGN WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO US and so now he dms because he is too ruthless

so first of all, they all love playing rare races and op mary sue characters and no one is going to stop them. are you going to stop them? what are you a wizard of the coast? everyone’s a rare fucking dragonborn or some shit get that we have to be level 1 human mages out of here

so this is really long so read about it under the cut

Felicity has had a ton of characters over the years, has usually gravitated towards magic and elven characters but is currently favoring a shapshifter rogue who is. basically nyssa. but every time they try to mention that felicity is like no because nyssa doesn’t have to roll to kill people, she just does. SOOOOO. the characters name is larissa shadowmist and we’ll just leave it at that. what is larissa wearing? black leather

Cisco also has like 20 characters but just goes with a drow druid who has a snow owl named hartley wanted to be included so here he is as a snow owl, how do you like that hartley. the drow’s name is Thímben Twilight, age 100, mysterious and cool and honestly the only competent person in this fucking guild

Ray has had his D&D character since he was 12, he is a half-elf paladin named Glorion Lancelot and he is Lawful Good and he is- he just is Ray. He’s just playing himself and Ray is like “Well he’s what I wanted to be when I grew up!!!” and everyone is like congratulations you did it. you did it buddy. now turn glorion around while we rob this place

also everyone has pressured ray to play a centaur character about 1000 times but he wants to be Glorion damn it. stop making penis jokes guys this is serious

Jax is newish to this but like, sits down, puts down his sheet, and is like, i’m a dragonborn. My name is Xirantan, The Firestarter, first of his name, endless and beautiful. that’s who i am now. i’m a warlock and i shoot fireballs. you don’t agree with me? fireball. there’s a problem? fireball. i’m out of mana? SOUNDS LIKE IM GONNA HAVE TO OVERRULE YOU AND GO WITH FIREBALL

Nate is like honestly, they keep trying to pick a cool character but he just wants to be a VERY HANDSOME human ranger named Chuck Goodtimes, who has like 99 charisma and 0 other skills. this is who nate wanted to be when he grew up, and uh- well, uh- as long as he’s having fun

Stein keeps trying to at least have him be called “Charles” Goodtimes and Nate is like no, Charles isn’t a fun name. Chuck is a fun name, and I’m Chuck Goodtimes, beautiful and charming and FUN. IM FUN

Caitlin is an Aquatic Elf named Harmony Mystic Seaport who speaks Gnome as a bonus language and is currently 156 years old. Also Caitlin only plays sorcerers and she only plays elemental magic, and honestly if you don’t think the group chat was texting her when she was KF like hey. hey the game is still fucking on you can’t just ditch the campaign and killer frost just shows up and is like FINE but im ONLY HERE because we’re SO CLOSE TO THAT DRAGON’S DEN I CAN TASTE IT

Curtis is a weretiger. He’s been playing a weretiger since he was sixteen goddamn years old, and you think you can take Maximus Luxury Sablefang from him? Not gonna happen my guy. Maximus is beautiful but not in a weird way because he’s a tiger person sometimes. it’s only weird because you guys said it was weird. YOU DID THIS MAXIMUS HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG

Lily honestly plays the healer because she knows they’re going to need one, and also she gets to play as a pixie. also stein is the DM so he always lets her re-roll and everyone yells at him but also, okay then i guess i won’t let her re-roll and none of you will get healed and everyone is like actually it’s totally cool. im cool with this. i love this im into it

barry honestly comes up with campaigns and stuff and is very good at thinking up stories but never sits through a full session