#now-its-shulk-time

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

god help me i'm going insane about dickson xenoblade again

[dirty-xenobladeconfessions]

Do you think you would like the other xeno games more if they didn't try to connect them to xbc1?

i still dont think id bother with playing them or knowing anything about them but i would certainly be more neutral about them

[unkipt]

Hello! Just to start I love the world falling series and your writing :)

I was wondering if you have any historical inspiration for the world falling series? Like, time periods, places etc?

Keep being amazing and have a great day :)

hi! I'm so glad you like the series!

As for historical inspiration, oh boy do i. I'm a history major, so there is a Lot of things. I'm gonna do this by kingdom to make it easier if i can lol.

Ok, first, the End: The End is kind of a weird one because it's a blend of its older culture plus what Enderian, who is originally from the Overworld, brought with her and implemented when she took over. One of the main things is the use of rivers to separate the three old kingdoms, and the fact that the Shulk castle/the one the first fic takes place in is on water. A lot of borders historically were designated by water because it was the most consistent way to remember them since they didn't have modern tech, same with having cities on water because of transport, ease of farming, etc. Even though the End is an ice land, the rivers would still provide faster travel then through large drifts of snow. In the last chapter of WF the duke gives rae an elytra, though he doesn't tell him much about it other than the fact that it took craftsmen from all three kingdoms to make them, which was meant to be symbolic of a steady trade relationship between the three. that was slightly inspired by indigenous communities who would make art of some sort of pattern to represent allyships between various communities, and was also a fun way to tie in the elytra to the story (it will become relevant again in this fic, eventually)

The Nether: The Nether is fairly simple, in that it's meant to be a really warm climate, with lots of autumn ish coloured trees, so not totally realistic, but I tried to describe a lot of their fashion to be both unique and have some influence from their neighbours. Largely, i looked at warm climated areas irl, like india, or south america, and took influence from that, with the silks and light fabrics in a wide variety of fabrics. this was definitely also inspired by how Athena portrayed the Nether in their lore, but i tried to expand it a bit. as for political, it's sort of inspired by like 1500's ish germany, where there were many princes but one high prince (holy roman empire actually, i think?) so before netherum and soul, the princes would have been in charge of smaller areas, but then netherum and soul united all the lands into the Nether, and as an act of good faith they were elected as the King and Queen (this is more fantasy than fact based), but, all the previous princes, are still princes, so they are largely in charge of their own lands still, but they refer to Soul now, netherum in the past, about certain things. it's sort of a state situation? i was mainly thinking HRE when i planned it.

The Overworld: Admittedly, the Overworld is pretty plain. It's basically Canada inspired, since that's where I'm from, so that's where my brain goes. It's the most north american of all the kingdoms, with 4 seasons, but the northern parts of the kingdom are snowy most parts of the year, though not quite to the extent of the End. It also used to be about 4 different kingdoms, with Morningstar kingdom being the largest, so when magic hit and everything started going weird, the four kingdoms kinda came together under Morningstar, which then got renamed when Enderian took Rae and erased the name Morningstar from most memories. also, the capital of morningstar is crete. greek myth is not canon to the wf series, but ill be damned if i can't make references to it lol

The Aether: I have not talked about the Aether a lot! BUT cliamte wise I imagine it like England, where it's kind of mild most of the time, if it snows its fairly minimal, and it rains a fair amount. we're ignoring the scorching summers tho. I did also take inspiration from like Ancient Greece and Rome, just due to the Aether sort of having the rep in canon/in the fic of having the library or being scholarly. I also imagine a lot of their aspects of culture, like the wine, the art, etc. maybe not the nudity

The East Isles!: This was purely me wanting Ocie to be a queen. Again I kind of took inspo from like irish/scottish history, with britain especially. except in this case britain is the overworld, and not the aether, even though i just compared the aether to britain lol. other than that it doesn't really have any historical inspo

And thats it! the End and Nether are definitely the most historically inspired, but every once in a while i learn something new in one of my classes and i just kinda shove it in because its neat. there may very well be more, but this is what i can remember right now

thanks for the ask!

[evereinefaust]

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ 𝐒𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠࿐ྂ

Pairing: Kirby X afab!Reader X Various

Synopsis: Being an attendant to the Smash residence comes with many ups and downs. However, MC would never trade the memorable times she bonded with its lovable residents.

Word Count: 5,513

The loud round of applause echoed as a deep male voice spoke. A certain girl hummed, dusting off her clothes as she stood up from her comfy seat. Her eyes glossed over the wall clock in the common room, a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Ah, it's already time."

This announcement was like her routine; whenever the match ended, she would head over to the exit of the stage, awaiting the fighters who just finished. However, she doesn't just do this for everyone, after all, she also has responsibilities to do in the household. The only time that she would go out of her way to finish her tasks early and receive the fighters after their match is when he is included...

"Too bad that I wasn't able to watch the match. But at least I could still greet and accompany them."

The woman elicited a small giggle, making her way toward the arena entryway where they would come out. The soft clank of her low-heeled flats brought about a warm ambiance noise in the halls, and as she was nearing the mahogany double door, it creaked open. 

Her (e/c) eyes widened in anticipation, her legs speeding up to greet the gang. "Hey, everyone!" 

At her call, the four fighters whipped their attention toward her. Although surprised, they were still expecting her to come, and it made them really happy that a smile bloomed on their faces. But for a certain fluffball, he instead immediately ran towards her and jumped into her arms as soon as he got there. 

"Whoah, there, Kācchan!" (Y/n) chuckled as she caught the 3-foot pink ball in her arms. 

"Poyo!" chirped Kirby as he blinked cutely and smiled at her. This earned a squeal from the girl as she lightly squeezed his large body. 

"I see that you're still favoring Kirby," Zelda commented as she walked over to the two. Her blue eyes scanned the pink fluff ball getting comfy in (Y/n)'s arms before focusing her attention on the woman. "I'm kinda envious." 

"You never do this to just anyone, after all," Shulk added, a frown sporting his lips. "It kinda sucks that the lil' guy is always on your mind." 

An apologetic smile emerged on her lips as she adjusted Kirby in her hold. In a moment, her hand glossed over the fighter's body as an iridescent light glowed from her palm. Within seconds, Kirby's body shrunk to its original size. The other fighters were in awe at her display of ability. 

"I'm sorry, you guys. I didn't mean to ignore you," (Y/n) started, tucking the now small Kirby in her arms as the fluff ball enjoyed being in her hold. She gave them a sweet smile, the corner of her eyes crinkling. "Anyway, great job on your match. Although I wasn't able to watch the fight, I hope you guys enjoyed yourselves." 

"Aw~ Thanks, (Y/n). Hopefully, you'll be able to watch our matches more frequently," Zelda simpered, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. 

"Hopefully," she nodded.

"Well, I'm hungry," the blonde boy said. "I'll be going on now. See you later, (Y/n)!" 

"See you, Shulk," she waved him goodbye. 

"See you around as well," Zelda winked at the girl as she followed after Shulk. 

"Bye~" 

Her gaze lingers on for a while, watching as the two fighters rounded the corner. After they were out of the hallway, she turned her attention to the quiet fighter who had been with them since earlier. Joker stared at her, a smirk plastered on his face though he didn't speak even a word. 

"So, what are your plans after this, Ren?"

The ravenette shrugged, though the playful smile didn't leave his face. "Hm. Maybe I could follow you around? I haven't been spending time with you ever since I came here, after all." 

"Sly flirting isn't getting you anywhere with me, Ren," she playfully rolled her eyes. Turning on her heels, she walked a few steps before tilting her head back to look at him. The corner of her lips tugged upwards as her eyes twinkled. "But either way, you're always welcome to accompany me." 

"I'll take up your offer then," Joker chuckled to himself, trailing behind the (h/c)-tressed woman with Kirby in her arms.

As they walked together down the corridor, (Y/n) and Joker engaged in easy conversation, sharing stories and laughter. The presence of the small pink puffball, Kirby, added a sense of light-heartedness to their interactions. Joker was known for his enigmatic persona, but around (Y/n), he seemed more relaxed, revealing glimpses of his true self.

They strolled through the halls of the mansion, exchanging anecdotes about their experiences and getting to know each other better. The atmosphere was comfortable and easy as if they had been friends for a long time. Kirby occasionally chimed in with his adorable noises, as if he were part of the conversation.

As they turned a corner, they found themselves in a quieter section of the building, settling beside the wall. The large row of windows offered a view of the setting sun casting a warm golden hue over the landscape. (Y/n) leaned against the windowsill, gazing outside, lost in thought.

Joker observed her quietly for a moment before speaking, his voice soft. "You seem lost in your own world."

(Y/n) turned her attention back to him, a wistful smile on her lips. "Just reminiscing, I suppose. Sometimes I find solace in the simple moments, like watching the sunset after an eventful day."

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I can relate. Life can be so chaotic, especially with what we do. It's important to find those moments of tranquility."

"Poyo!" Kirby let out a contented squeak, snuggling closer to (Y/n) as if agreeing with their sentiment. The three of them shared a silent connection, appreciating the peaceful interlude.

"Hey, Ren," (Y/n) began, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity. "Behind that charismatic mask of yours, what's the real you like?"

Joker's smirk softened into a thoughtful expression. He leaned against the windowsill beside her, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "The real me... I suppose I'm someone who's learned to adapt and improvise. Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges, and I've become quite skilled at navigating through them."

"Sounds like you've had an interesting journey," she remarked, intrigued.

He chuckled. "That's one way to put it. And what about you, (Y/n)? What's the story behind the person I see before me?"

(Y/n) glanced at him, her eyes gleaming with a mix of warmth and vulnerability. "I'm someone who believes in the power of connections. Whether it's with people or the world around me, I find beauty in those moments that bring us closer together."

Joker studied her, his gaze intensifying. "You have a way of making people feel seen and valued."

A faint blush graced her cheeks, but she met his gaze with a steady look. "I think we all have that power within us. It's just a matter of recognizing it."

The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the hall. Joker and (Y/n) continued to share their thoughts and dreams, their words flowing effortlessly. The bond between them deepened, forged through genuine conversation and mutual understanding.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, (Y/n) turned to Joker with a grin. "Well, Ren, I should probably head back soon. But I'm glad we had this time to talk."

He nodded, a rare softness in his eyes. "Likewise. Let's do this again sometime."

With a final exchange of smiles, they parted ways for the moment, Kirby still nestled comfortably in (Y/n)'s arms. The echoes of their laughter lingered in the hallway, a testament to the unexpected connections that could blossom in the moment.

In the cozy kitchen of the Smash Mansion, (Y/n) was busy gathering ingredients, and preparing to make a special dessert. Since today is one of the rare days she could relax and treat a certain pink fluffball to her homemade dessert, the (h/c)-tressed woman decided to do just that.

"He's cute even if he's this quiet."

A smile appeared on her lips, gazing fondly at the 3-inch Kirby waddling around the kitchen counter. His blue orbs blinked a couple of times before he flopped down and rocked on his back. Usually, when he's in the kitchen, Kirby would be running around trying to eat anything he sets his eyes on, edible or not.

But (Y/n) wasn't complaining to see how well-behaved the fluffball is right now. Focusing back on her task, the woman started pouring ingredients into a bowl, making the batter first.

She had planned to make strawberry shortcake — one of her signature desserts that Kirby likes a lot. Then, she might make a couple of other cakes and pastries to treat the residents of Smash Mansion.

(Y/n) hummed to herself, an upbeat and gentle tune resonating around the spacious kitchen, bringing a bit of life into her baking session. As the kitchen counter was filled with various raw ingredients waiting to be assembled and baked, a certain pink puffball couldn't help but be entranced by the available food in front of him.

Still in his 3-inch form, Kirby sneaked around the counter, away from (Y/n)'s gaze. His determined oceanic hues were fixated on the bowl of batter in front of him. With a quiet hop, he hung from the edge of the bowl. Immediately, his eyes sparkled at the delicious batter inside.

"Uh-uh—Kācchan," the small fluffball flinched in surprise at her sudden voice, almost falling into the bowl of batter if it wasn't for her fast reaction to catch him by his feet. Now that he was hanging upside down, (Y/n) lifted him up at face level, frowning at him. "No, Kācchan, you can't eat it yet. It's not ready."

"Poyo..." Kirby's face deflated, pouting.

The woman gently set Kirby down on the counter once more, gently rubbing his head in a comforting manner. Although upset that he couldn't just eat anything while she was still working on the dessert, the puffball was more than happy to receive such gestures from his favorite person in the whole world.

"Osha, suki!" he chirped, literal sparkles in his blue orbs.

(Y/n) chuckled at his cuteness and blushed at his honest words. "Thank you, Kācchan. I like you too. Now, wait patiently until I finish your cake, alright?"

Kirby nodded. Smiling at him one last time, the (h/c)-haired woman hurriedly finished her work. He sat there, watching (Y/n) work diligently, his eyes following every move. Although he promised not to eat raw ingredients, he couldn't stop his stomach from growling in anticipation or his mouth watering from the temptations surrounding him.

And that's why (Y/n) had to search for the 3-inch Kirby on the kitchen counter every minute just to make sure that he was not inside a bowl or box of flour for the umpteenth time.

"What am I going to do with you?"

She sighed, setting the flour-covered pink puffball down once more. Once on the marble, Kirby let out an achoo, effectively removing the powder of white from his body, revealing his natural color once more.

"I promise it won't take too long," she said, hoping to pacify the sulking fluffball.

As (Y/n) continued to work her magic in the kitchen, the sweet aroma of baking filled the air, making Kirby's eyes sparkle with anticipation. He couldn't resist the scent, and soon he was perched on the woman's shoulder, his round body quivering with excitement.

"Almost ready, Kācchan," (Y/n) cooed, her hands deftly assembling the layers of the strawberry shortcake. The vibrant red strawberries glistened with a glossy glaze, and the fluffy whipped cream promised a delightful contrast.

A short while later, the strawberry shortcake was finally complete, and (Y/n) carefully sliced a piece for Kirby, placing it on a small plate.

"Poyo!" chirped Kirby, his gaze fixed on the dessert in front of him.

(Y/n]) glanced at Kirby on her shoulder, smiling. "Kācchan, do you want to eat it in your current form or do you want me to make you big?"

Kirby thought for a moment, his tiny pink hand on his round chin. After a minute, he shook his head. "Ie!"

"Alright, Kācchan, dig in."

Kirby wasted no time. With a determined "Poyo!" he leaped forward and dove face-first into the cake, devouring a generous mouthful of strawberries and cream. The (h/c)-tressed woman watched him with a warm smile, enjoying the sight of Kirby's joy.

"Maybe I'll go and make some pies while he's eating..."

Whilst the pink fluffball was busying himself devouring the shortcake made for him. (Y/n) proceeded to prepare more delicious treats for the residents of the Smash Mansion. As Kirby continued to enjoy his strawberry shortcake, (Y/n) worked with a sense of purpose, her hands moving skillfully to create a variety of desserts.

She carefully rolled out pie dough, filled it with sweet fruit fillings, and expertly crimped the edges. The sound of her humming filled the room, harmonizing with the quiet munching sounds coming from Kirby. Soon, the aroma of freshly baked pies and pastries wafted through the air, making the kitchen a haven of delectable scents.

It didn't take long for one of Smash's residents to be drawn by the delicious aroma of (Y/n)'s cooking. A certain blonde Hylian walked in the direction of the kitchen, away from his initial path when he smelled delicious food. Curiously popping his head in, he saw the plethora of pastries on the counter with a (h/c)-haired woman working on it.

"Hm?" pausing her work, (Y/n) whipped her head at the door and saw Link staring at the mountain of desserts on display. She chuckled, pausing her work. "Oh, hello, Link."

Snapping out of his daze at her voice, the blonde hero met her welcoming gaze. The corner of her eyes crinkled, (e/c) hues shining brightly amidst the plain kitchen background. Soon, the man found himself smiling, grunting, and nodding in her direction as a greeting.

"I'm pretty sure Link's also starving."

Chuckling to herself, she ushered the man inside. "Link, can you help me make more desserts for the rest of the fighters? Having more hands on deck would be delightful. Don't worry, you can also try out the treats we made after we finish."

She didn't have to convince Link any further as the thought of food after this was enough to get him to agree. So, with a happy nod, the blonde sauntered over to the woman and awaited her instructions.

As (Y/n) and Link worked side by side in the kitchen, they formed a surprisingly efficient team. (Y/n) demonstrated her baking prowess, guiding Link through the process of making various pastries and desserts. His initial clumsiness gradually gave way to confidence as he followed her instructions, and he even managed to impress her with his quick learning.

Meanwhile, Kirby had finished his strawberry shortcake and was now perched on the kitchen counter, observing the two of them with curiosity. His round eyes moved from (Y/n) to Link and back as if silently approving of their collaboration.

"Phew! There! I think these are enough for everyone," the woman wiped the sweat off her face, proudly looking at the desserts she and Link managed to make in a short span of time.

She glanced at the blonde man beside her, and although he was silently staring at the number of desserts on the kitchen counter, the way he occasionally licked his lips, gulped down his saliva, or tapped his foot indicated that he was trying hard to contain his urge.

(Y/n)'s eyes softened. "You can go ahead and pick any desserts you want to eat, Link."

The man turned to her, eagerness reflected in his cerulean orbs. "...Is it fine?"

"Wow... Since Link rarely speaks, I forgot what his voice sounded like."

Giggling to rid herself of the blush that bloomed on her face, she simpered at the Hylian. "Of course, we made these together. Eating your creation is a delightful reward for a job well done."

Adhering to her words, Link grunted with a nod. Without hesitations, he picked up a clean plate and a pastry knife, cutting pieces of his favorites and putting them on his plate. Then he sat down comfortably on a counter stool, happily munching on the delectable treat they made.

(Y/n) glanced a final time at Link, before focusing on her task — cleaning the kitchen counter, placing the dirty utensils in the sink, and putting away the ingredients they used. After all of those were done, she scanned the area for a certain fluffball.

"Ufufu~ There you are~"

Gently scooping up the 3-inch Kirby in between the plates of pies, she smiled at his sleeping form. Kirby had apparently eaten his fill and was now in a food-induced slumber, his round body rising and falling with each tiny breath. (Y/n) couldn't help but find him utterly adorable in this peaceful state. She carefully cradled the sleeping puffball in her arms, making sure not to wake him as she moved around the kitchen.

"How's it, Link?" she asked, sliding onto the stool beside the blonde Hylian.

"Mhm," he hummed, mouth still full of food. Then, he glanced at the girl beside him, cerulean eyes sparkling and pink dusted his cheeks. "Delicious..."

"You're a messy eater, Link," she chuckled, reaching over to gently clean his face with a napkin.

Link smiled back, blushing a bit at her gesture. "Well, it's worth it for such a tasty cake."

(Y/n) continued to watch Link eat, her heart warm with the joy of making her friends happy. It was moments like these that made the Smash Mansion feel like a true home for everyone, big and small.

The afternoon sun cast a warm, golden hue over the sprawling mansion's garden, as (Y/n) meticulously arranged the tea set on a small table beneath the blooming sakura tree. She glanced at her beloved Kirby, who was comfortably nestled in her arms, his round pink form a stark contrast to the delicate pink blossoms above.

Moments later, she heard footsteps approaching, and a gentle smile graced her lips as Byleth appeared, dressed in his familiar professor's attire.

"Ah, he's finally here."

(Y/n) gestured towards the empty chair across from her. "Byleth, please, have a seat. It's a lovely day for tea in the garden."

Byleth nodded and sat down, his emerald eyes taking in the serene surroundings. "Thank you for inviting me, (Y/n). The garden is beautiful."

The (h/c)-haired woman poured fragrant tea from a delicate porcelain teapot into two cups. "I thought it would be nice to spend some time together and share stories since you're new here. You've seen and experienced so much as a professor and warrior."

Byleth accepted the cup of tea with a grateful nod, his gaze momentarily drifting to Kirby, who was eyeing the tea with curiosity. "Indeed, life at the Officer's Academy was filled with both challenges and joys. It's been quite an adventure."

She gently stroked Kirby's soft, pink head. "And what about you, Byleth? How did you come to be the professor of such an esteemed academy?"

Byleth took a sip of tea, the warm liquid soothing his throat. "It all began when I was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the students of the Black Eagles house. It was a unique opportunity, and I wanted to help guide and protect them."

The woman's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I've heard tales of your incredible combat skills as well. Is it true that you possess the power of the Crests?"

Byleth nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yes, I bear the Crest of Flames. It grants me exceptional combat abilities, but it also carries a heavy burden. I've had to confront many challenges, both on and off the battlefield."

Kirby made a small noise, drawing their attention. Byleth chuckled softly and reached out to gently pat the little puffball's head. "And who's this adorable companion of yours?"

"I see that he hadn't encountered Kirby during his stay, huh?"

She smiled affectionately. "This is Kirby, my faithful friend and confidant. He's always by my side, bringing a touch of whimsy to my life as an attendant for everyone."

"I see."

As they continued to sip tea and share stories, the two friends found common ground in their experiences. (Y/n) was enthralled by Byleth's tales of battles fought, students mentored, and the bonds forged at the Officer's Academy. Byleth, in turn, was captivated by the woman's adventures managing the Smash Mansion prior to his arrival.

Under the sakura tree's gentle shade, amidst the delicate petals falling like confetti, their tea time in the garden became a cherished memory—a moment of tranquility and connection between two souls from different worlds, brought together by friendship and shared experiences.

As the afternoon sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm, orange glow over the garden, (Y/n) and Byleth finally concluded their tea time. They exchanged grateful smiles, both appreciating the opportunity to connect with someone who understood the unique challenges they faced in their respective roles.

"I must say, (Y/n), this has been a delightful and peaceful interlude," Byleth remarked, his usually stoic expression softening. "I'm grateful for your hospitality."

(Y/n) nodded, her (e/c) eyes sparkling with warmth. "Likewise, Byleth. It's been wonderful getting to know you better. You have a depth of character that's truly admirable."

Kirby, who had been contentedly watching the exchange, let out a cheerful "Poyo!" as if to express his agreement.

Byleth chuckled, a rare sound that warmed (Y/n)'s heart. "Thank you, both of you. I look forward to more moments like these."

As they rose from their seats, (Y/n) gently cradled Kirby in her arms. The sakura petals continued to fall around them, creating a picturesque scene that felt almost magical.

"Feel free to join us for tea in the garden anytime, Byleth," she offered, her smile genuine.

Byleth nodded, his gratitude evident. "I'll be sure to take you up on that offer. Until then, may our paths cross again soon."

With those parting words, Byleth made his way back towards the mansion, leaving (Y/n) and Kirby to bask in the tranquil beauty of the garden. They watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a serene twilight over the world.

"I wonder if the others can take care of themselves without me... I'll go in after a few more minutes."

As the first stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, (Y/n) couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her. The Smash Mansion was filled with unique individuals from different worlds, each with their own stories and challenges. And it was in moments like these, where connections were forged and bonds deepened, that made the mansion truly felt like a home for everyone who resided within its walls.

With Kirby snuggled in her arms, (Y/n) leaned back against the Sakura tree, gazing up at the stars. She knew that more adventures, challenges, and heartwarming moments awaited her in the days to come. But for now, she cherished the peace and friendship that surrounded her, grateful for the extraordinary life she led in this world.

The night was clear and calm as (Y/n) and Cloud made their way to the roof of the Smash Mansion. Kirby, as always, was perched on her shoulder, his round form a comforting presence. The stars above twinkled brightly, painting a canvas of sparkling wonders.

"Isn't it beautiful up here?" (Y/n) whispered, her (e/c) eyes reflecting the celestial beauty above.

Cloud nodded, his usually stoic expression softened by the starlight. "Yeah, it's a rare moment of tranquility. I've spent a lot of my life under these same stars, on countless different worlds."

(Y/n) settled down on a comfortable spot, sitting cross-legged with Kirby nestled in her lap. "Tell me about it, Cloud. I'd love to hear your stories."

Cloud hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on the stars. "Well, I've traveled across different dimensions, battled powerful foes, and faced my own demons. But there's something about looking up at the night sky that makes it all feel...smaller, somehow. It reminds me that there's a vast universe out there, and we're just a small part of it."

(Y/n) listened intently, captivated by his words. "It's amazing how the stars can make us feel both insignificant and connected at the same time."

Cloud nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Exactly. No matter where we come from, we all share the same sky."

As they continued to gaze at the stars, (Y/n) couldn't help but point out constellations from this world. "Look, there's Orion, the Hunter," she said, tracing the outline with her finger. "And there's the Big Dipper."

Cloud followed her lead, his gaze tracing the constellations. "I never thought I'd see these constellations in person. It's...different."

"Hai~" Kirby, perched on (Y/n)'s lap, let out a happy squeak, as if he, too, appreciated the beauty of the night sky.

Cloud chuckled at Kirby's enthusiasm. "Looks like Kirby agrees."

(Y/n) smiled, her heart warmed by the simple joy of stargazing with her friends. "You know, Cloud, even in the vastness of the universe, we've found a connection here, under these stars."

Cloud turned to her, his blue eyes meeting hers. "Yeah, we have."

With Kirby by their side, (Y/n) and Cloud continued to share stories, pointing out constellations and marveling at the wonders of the night sky. As the hours passed, the bond between them deepened, forged under the celestial canopy that stretched above them.

Under the stars, they found a sense of unity and peace, a reminder that even in a world of warriors and challenges, there were moments of serenity and connection that made it all worthwhile.

"I hope they would enjoy this..."

The sun was shining brightly in the mansion's courtyard as (Y/n) meticulously set up a charming picnic spread. A checkered blanket was spread out on the lush green grass, and a basket filled with delicious treats sat at its center. (Y/n) had prepared a delightful array of sandwiches, fresh fruit, and an assortment of pastries. It was the perfect setting for a relaxing picnic with her friends.

As she put the finishing touches on the picnic table, she couldn't help but smile, excited to surprise Pit and Kirby with this little treat. The courtyard was a peaceful haven, and she knew it would be the ideal place for some quality time together.

Just as she placed a vase of wildflowers in the center of the table, she heard the familiar sound of flapping wings approaching. Pit descended gracefully, his angelic wings folding behind him as he touched down on the grass.

"Hey, (Y/n)! What's all this?" Pit exclaimed, his azure eyes wide with curiosity.

(Y/n) turned to face him, her smile growing even brighter. "Surprise, Pit! I thought it would be nice to have a picnic together. I've prepared some of your favorite snacks."

Pit's face lit up with excitement, and he eagerly approached the picnic table, inspecting the spread. "Wow, this looks amazing! I can't wait to dig in."

Before he could take a seat, (Y/n) gently held out her hand, stopping him. "Not just yet, Pit. There's one more guest I'm waiting for."

Just then, a playful chirp filled the air, and Kirby floated down from the sky, landing with a soft bounce. He fluttered over to (Y/n), his eyes fixated on the food with a mischievous glint.

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed, clearly eager to start eating.

(Y/n) chuckled, patting Kirby's pink head gently. "Hold on, Kirby. Let's wait for Pit, alright?"

"Hai~" Kirby nodded, though his eyes never left the food.

As they waited for Pit to join them, (Y/n) decided to start the conversation. "So, how was your match earlier, Pit?"

Pit's face lit up as he settled onto the blanket. "Oh, it was great! Kirby and I had an intense battle, and there were so many funny moments."

"Poyo!" Kirby chirped as if confirming Pit's statement.

(Y/n) raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Funny moments? Tell me more."

Pit launched into a series of animated stories about the match, detailing the comical mishaps and unexpected twists that occurred. Kirby, perched on the edge of the picnic table, seemed to react to the stories, chirping in agreement or disagreement at various points.

The tales ranged from Kirby using his copy abilities in unexpected ways to Pit accidentally tripping over his own sandals. (Y/n) couldn't help but laugh along with them, finding joy in their camaraderie.

"And then," Pit continued with a grin. "Kirby and I pulled off this amazing combo move that had everyone cheering!"

"Poyo!" Kirby chirped excitedly, clearly proud of their teamwork.

(Y/n) couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "That sounds incredible! Teamwork really makes a difference in these matches."

As they chatted and shared stories, (Y/n) kept a watchful eye on Kirby, who was now eyeing the sandwiches with an almost predatory gleam.

She chuckled and gently tapped Kirby's round body. "Easy there, Kācchan. We'll eat soon."

Kirby let out an adorable pout but nodded in agreement.

Finally, with the sun warming their faces and laughter filling the air, (Y/n), Pit, and Kirby dug into the delicious picnic spread. The sandwiches were a hit, and the fresh fruit added a refreshing touch to the meal. Kirby, in particular, seemed to enjoy everything, his eyes sparkling with delight as he sampled each dish.

As they savored the food and each other's company, (Y/n) couldn't help but feel grateful for these moments of friendship and connection. The courtyard was bathed in golden sunlight, and the laughter of friends echoed under the open sky.

It was a perfect day for a picnic, a reminder that even in a world filled with battles and challenges, there were simple joys to be found in the company of loved ones.

[ritoryb]

narratively shes exactly like guts berserk if you make up everything about her in your brain [1] [2]

footnotes.

[1] if this actually were a thing and not just something i just joked about for like three seconds she'd get dumped on the bionis as a living ghost for thousands of years doomed to haunt the land zanza created and idk. kill telethia or something idk she has to have some kind of activity she engages in regularly for enrichment. anyway when events come to a head she'd see shulk a few times and go lol whatever until she realizes who he is and joins them. maybe she can die after mechonis core. well i think a couple thousand years was a long enough time to wander the titan she'd be like its ok i trust you with the future. its up to you now. but i don't know how this would work and actually maybe i would like to have her see it through to the end and do one of those disappear into dust deaths that cater to me specifically. also come up with a reason for the mechonis to still be there as far as it is in canon because thats my favourite type of girl :3

[2] other two images unrelated unless i pretend they are

[gaysheep]

now my experiences might not be universal but as far as im concerned you asked far fewer questions about video games when you were a kid. the first time you encountered waluigi in mario tennis or mario party or whatever other mario spinoff you encountered him in for the first time because they only put him in spinoffs you didnt say "who's this goofster stomping around like he's a member of the crew?" you said oh ok that's waluigi i guess.

super smash bros melee the crossover fighting game starring all your favorite nintendo characters (well pikachu was second party but thats pikachu everyone knows who pikachu is) had a whole three characters who nobody in north america knew who the fuck they were, two of which were from games that weren't localized at all and one of which was from a game that was enough of a commercial failure in the united states hardly anyone remembered it a little under a decade later. now to be fair ness was in the one on the n64 also but its not like he'd gotten another game. "oh earthbound's failure was overexaggerated" you say that but my brother lived the super nintendo era and not a single one of his gaggle of friends had even heard of earthbound it was not on anyone's radar come on. but no one said "hey these aren't iconic nintendo characters" we all went "well i guess they can be here too" and now we say "you cant main a smash character if you havent played their game" like we werent saying "thats marth i dont know who the fuck he is but hes like a brother to me" in 2001

youd just go into the store and look at a game's boxart and decide you wanted that one and yknow what it usually worked out for you. i did this longer than you'd expect too i was in 7th or 8th grade and thought to myself "yknow i havent really played any console rpgs lately" so i looked up "rpgs for the wii" and i saw a gamefaqs rec thread or some shit where a guy went "well xenoblade is coming out." and i looked up xenoblade and found virtually no information about it other than that it was coming out and thought to myself "yeah xenoblade... that looks like an rpg i could get into." and you know what i did? i preordered it this may very well have been the first game i ever preordered i thought "well they were talking about it on gamefaqs so it must be a big deal i wanna make sure i can play it day 1" but i didnt need to reserve a copy of fucking xenoblade chronicles the store probably could have given me every copy in stock for no profit loss when i walked in there with my gir t shirt and my little receipt because i was one of all three and a half people in north america who played this game counting the gamefaqs guy. and xenoblade chronicles knocked me flat on my ass it was one of the best games i'd ever experienced i'd played plenty of story heavy rpgs before but this one hooked me in a way none of them ever had.

fast forward around 4 years the 4th smash game comes out but this one was different. this was when we really started to go in on the crossover fighters, character slots were now real estate that potential entrants had to earn the right to occupy as if one game ago they didnt make a failed NES peripheral a playable fighter and give it an emotional subplot in subspace emissary. no longer was it "cool i guess this guy is here" it had become "who the hell is this and what do they think they're doing in smash bros?"

and thus came that fateful night when amidst crazy new character reveals like the fucking wii fit trainer they unveil a cinematic trailer and announce that shulk from xenoblade chronicles was joining the fight. to which the unilateral reaction was "who the fuck is shulk why was this trailer framed like we already have a rapport with shulk i dont know this man why does he say stuff like 'im really feeling it?'"

but i knew who shulk was.

[theoryofweirdness]

What if Bill Cipher was in Super Smash Bros.?

General Overview

True to his nature, Bill Cipher is an extremely weird fighter. Though his N-Special and S-Special are pretty standard, as a fairly versatile long-range option and a speedy super-armored charge, respectively, his other special moves are about as odd as it gets. Bill’s U-Special is the ultimate in mixing up opponents, able to alter gravity in a small area, which sets up all sorts of evil, chaotic combos. His D-Special is even stranger, actually making opponents stronger in exchange for giving him a sort of vicarious vampiric effect and also taking more damage from Bill himself.  Ideally, I’d like to give each one of Bill’s special moves some kind of quirk, reflecting the fact that he’s basically Weirdness incarnate, but I also wanted them to be based on stuff he actually does in the show, so it was a bit of a trade-off. To master Bill Cipher, you’ll have to think outside the box, beyond the typical patterns. Make deals, alter reality, and embrace the strange. But… just like Bill himself should have done, be aware of your weaknesses and don't get too cocky, or you could find yourself facing the very same inevitable end. Stating the obvious: Bill Cipher is obviously FAR more powerful than almost all other Smash fighters (see below for possible exceptions). Almost none of them would stand a chance against him in a no-holds-barred fight, with all the power he displays in the source material. But that’s okay, this is the case for plenty of other Smash fighters as well: Kirby, Meta Knight, Bowser, Ganondorf, Robin, Bayonetta, Cloud, Sephiroth, Shulk, Mewtwo, and maybe some others are all much stronger than their Smash movesets and stats would suggest. Others are even more so, such as Palutena and Rosalina, both of whom are literal gods in their canon material. Smash always underrepresents characters; it’s impossible not to, so this is just an extreme case of that.

Size

Height: Since Bill changes size in the show pretty regularly according to his mood and how intimidating he’s trying to be at the moment, his default size will be pretty small, based on his apparent size when he first appears in s1e19: Dreamscaperers. He’d be about the same height as the shorter humanoid fighters like Villager or Ness, though his floating hat makes him look a bit taller. Weight: Featherweight. Though Bill definitely has physical form for Smash, he’s still pretty much flat, making him extremely light; among the lightest fighters in the game, similar to Mr. Game & Watch, who’s also two-dimensional. Weird Hurtboxes (don’t know where else to mention this): Only Bill’s central triangular body is a hurtbox. No matter how big or numerous they get for various attacks, his limbs and hat are never actual hurtboxes.

Gimmicks

Hovering: Bill is literally hovering all the time, but he can also hover in the air (similar to Princess Peach) for up to 5 seconds if you hold [Jump]. “PAIN IS HILARIOUS!”: Bill's attacks deal x1.3 damage to fighters that have made a Deal with him through his D-special. This is based on his masochistic tendencies when possessing others. 

Special Moves

Bill will say the full name of whatever Special Move he’s using, (almost) every time. This will definitely not get old.

[B] Neutral Special - “HOW ’BOUT THIS?!”: [EN] Tap [B] to fire a thin energy beam from Bill's finger. Unlike the short-ranged beam from Bill's S-tilt, this beam is blue. It's very fast, has infinite range, and penetrates fighters, but isn't very strong… unless charged. Bill can angle the beam up or down with directional influence. This weakest version of the beam is similar to R.O.B.'s N-Special at its lowest charge level. Damage:  Hold {B} to charge the beam further, with up to five charge levels. You can store the charge by shielding or dodging.

Level 1 (no charge): See above. Damage:

Level 2 (~very short charge): The beam now penetrates objects and walls as well as fighters, but isn’t any stronger. Damage: 

Level 3 (~1 second charge): Increases damage and beam width. Damage (per hit):  

Level 4 (~3 second charge): Causes an explosive effect on each fighter it hits, increasing launch power, but not damage. Damage:

Level 5 (~5 second charge): Bill points his finger gun and causes a massive explosion of energy at close range. It's ridiculously strong, but has a short startup animation, so it's easy to see coming, similar to Sephiroth's fully charged N-Special. Afterward, there is some end lag as Bill blows smoke off his finger like a cowboy. Only with this fully charged version will Bill say the name of the move. Damage:

This move is based on several things: Bill shooting a hole in Dipper's chest in s1e19: Dreamscaperers, as well as destroying the bell tower and blowing up Time Baby in s2e18: [Weirdmaggedon], with the latter being the origin of the name.

[<B>] Side Special - “WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU…”: [PH] Bill morphs into his monstrous red pyramid/spider form with three layers and way too many limbs and teeth, seen when he chases Dipper and Mabel through the Fearamid in s2e21: Somewhere in the Woods. He charges forward on the ground for as long as [B] is held, causing damage and launching anyone he hits. You can change direction, but the more momentum you have, the longer it will take. Bill is considerably larger when using this attack, probably around Ridley's size (which is still way smaller than when he uses it in the show). Bill can also jump once while charging, and landing on someone will result in a stronger hit with a different angle.  Releasing [B] will end the charge and return Bill to “normal,” but running longer will result in greater end lag. This attack can be used in the air, but Bill falls much more quickly in this form, so it's not a great idea. Bill has way better options for horizontal recovery. While charging, Bill has heavy super armor, allowing him to power through even relatively strong attacks without flinching, though he still takes damage. Damage (contact): Damage (jump slam): Armor threshold: 25%

[^B] Up Special - “EXISTENCE IS UPSIDE DOWN!”: [MA] This move is based on Bill Cipher’s general disregard for the laws of physics, as well as several specific occasions on which he messes with gravity. Its effect is also a pun on the name of the show itself: Gravity Falls. For as long as [B] is held, Bill emits a visible short-ranged area-of-effect that reverses gravity within it. The AOE is always the same size, and affects all fighters (including you), items, and gravity-affected projectiles within it. Since Bill himself is very light, most fighters will fall faster than he does, taking them outside the effect’s range… which will make them start falling back into it. Holding {B} maintains the reverse-gravity effect, and there’s a short animation when the move starts, but after that, Bill can use any action aside from other special moves, so this is a great way to set up insane air combos as enemies try to escape your sphere of influence. Breaking reality is pretty much what Bill Cipher is all about, and this is the main way he does so in the world of Super Smash Bros. Combining this with his hovering and high second jump, Bill has nearly unlimited recovery potential. However, don’t get too caught up in this incredibly versatile move. It’s all too easy to chase someone far away from the stage without any hovering time left, and the “obvious” use of trying to make an enemy “fall” off the top of the screen is likely to make you do so as well. If multiple instances of this move (from multiple Bill Cipher players) occur in the same area, they will cancel each other out, producing no net effect.

[vB] Down Special - “IT'S A DEAL!”/“EVERYONE LOVES PUPPETS!”: [MA] Bill extends a hand wreathed in blue fire, offering a deal to anyone around. If another player touches Bill in any way during this time, whether through an attack or not, they'll take his deal (upon which Bill says the name of the move to show that it was successful). This is indicated by that player having slit eyes matching Bill's color (if they have eyes, that is), and by his image appearing on their damage counter. Successfully making a deal also has several invincibility frames, protecting Bill if the deal was made via an attack that hit him and allowing this move to be used as a semi-counter, though it won't work against projectiles. Fortunately for Bill’s opponents, he can’t actually possess them (there’s no way that could ever work in Smash without being severely broken). Instead, fighters who've made a deal with Bill gain a moderate damage boost to all attacks. However, every time they land a hit (with anything, including projectiles or items), it will heal Bill by an amount equal to half of the total damage dealt. There is no limit to the number of other fighters Bill can make a deal with at one time, so try to make as many as possible! Players can remove the effect by landing successive melee attacks on Bill, though he will still be healed by half of the total damage dealt, effectively providing him with some damage reduction even in one-on-one matches. Naturally however, this move is best suited for playing mind games in multiplayer matches. Sadly, you can't make deals with any of your teammates, as they're already on your side…  This move can possess summoned assist characters, though. Touch an Assist Trophy, Pokéball summon, interactable stage minion, or summoned Special Move minion during the deal animation, and it becomes yours for the remainder of its duration. This even works on Assist Trophies that can't normally be damaged, though not on those which affect everyone equally, like Xerneas or the Nightmare King (not that it would matter). Things this can take control of:

Any interactable, non-universal Assist Trophy or Pokéball summon

Any interactable stage-specific assist character (like the Flying Men from Magicant)

Bisharp’s Pawniards when they’re independent

Specter Knight’s Boneclangs

Italicized fighters are other designs of mine to be posted in the future. Damage boost granted (to other fighters): ×1.3

Neutrals (Ground)

[A] Jab: [PH] Bill sprouts eight additional arms and punches rapidly in front of him for a multi-hitting jab similar to Meta Knight’s, but angled more forward. Based on his second attempt to attack the Shacktron in s2e20: Take Back the Falls. Damage (per hit):

[>>, A] Dash Attack: [PH] Bill’s limbs, eye, hat, bowtie, and brick pattern disappear, and he spins like a saw blade, cutting enemies with his sharp edges for a multi-hitting attack. Based on both Bill’s self-stated two-dimensional origins, and Ford’s description of being attacked by the two-dimensional Exwhylians in Journal 3. Similar to PAC-MAN’s Dash Attack in that he regresses to a simpler form, but in practice more like Megaman's Dash Attack. Damage (per hit):

Smash Attacks

[>>A] Side Smash: [PH] Bill grows his fist to an enormous size (even bigger than his body!) and smashes it down in front of him. This attack is incredibly strong, similar to King Dedede’s S-Smash, and also has a pretty big hitbox, but can miss if the enemy is too close. It also has end lag as Bill's fist shrinks back down. Based on his first attempt to attack the Shacktron in s2e20: Take Back the Falls. Damage (max):

[^^A] Up Smash: [FI] Bill turns red (with his limbs, hat, and bowtie turning white, and his eye black) and erupts into flames, hitting enemies multiple times before launching on the final hit. The hitbox is only slightly larger than Bill’s body, with the flames extending upward to encompass his hat, but there are invincibility frames at the start of the move. Based on his “angry mode” first seen in s1e19: Dreamscaperers. Damage (max, per hit):

[vvA] Down Smash: [FI] Bill’s body turns black with a red eye while charging the move, while also growing multiple additional arms, then he unleashes his rage in a blast of flames on the ground all around him. The size of the blast increases when charged, and it’s much stronger closer to Bill. Like with his U-Smash, there are invincibility frames at the very start of the move, and Bill’s body is a hitbox (in fact, it’s the strongest part of the attack). Based on one of his attacks during the final boss fight in the Take Back the Falls mobile game. The color and additional arms fade after release. Damage (max, edge): Damage (max, body):

Tilts

[>A] Side Tilt: [EN] Bill emits a short-ranged red laser from his eye, firing it diagonally downward at the ground. The attack is decently strong and has good reach, but it's also a projectile that can be reflected or absorbed. Based on his eye laser attack during s1e19: Dreamscaperers. Damage:

[^A] Up Tilt: [PH] Becomes a simple triangle, like his Dash Attack, and flies straight upward a short distance while spinning to multi-hit enemies before launching with the final hit. Can avoid low attacks. Damage (per hit):

[vA] Down Tilt: [EL] Blast the ground with electricity from his eye. Based on when he’s seen torturing Ford in s2e20: Take Back The Falls. Damage: 

Air Attacks

[A] N-Air: [FI] Several floating blue flames orbit Bill rapidly, multi-hitting enemies. Similar to Mewtwo’s N-air, this has a long-lasting hitbox and can block weaker projectiles. Based on an attack from his final boss fight in the Take Back The Falls mobile game. Damage (per hit):

[>A] F-Air: [FI] Bill releases a wide, crescent-shaped wave of fire. It’s got a wide hitbox, but isn’t very strong. Useful for combos. Based on the fire wave he uses to destroy the broken Zodiac Wheel in s2e21: Somewhere In The Woods. Damage:

[^A] U-Air: [SO] Conjure a Head That's Always Screaming, which floats in front of Bill's hat and… screams. This attack has a large hitbox, with damage and launch strength decreasing with distance. Damage (max): 

[vA] B-Air: [MA] Bill “teleports” around in a short circle by forming “copies” of himself which align with his edges, alternating right-side-up and upside-down. It’s not actually a teleport since Bill ends up in the same spot he started. Touching the circle deals damage and launches enemies away, but the center of the circle traced out by the attack is a sweet spot. Enemies caught in it will either be spiked or launched straight up, with a 50/50 chance of either. Based on something Bill does while fighting the Shacktron in the background while Ford is drawing the Zodiac Wheel in s2e20: Take Back The Falls. Damage (regular): Damage (sweetspot):

[vA] D-Air: [MA] Suddenly switches directions so his feet are at the top and his hat is at the bottom, launching anyone touching him. This has a whole-body hitbox, but Bill’s feet are a sweet spot that launches straight upward, while his hat can spike at the tip. Since Bill is “flipping” upside-down by teleportation, there is little to no start lag for this move. Based on his rising out of the roof upside down while talking to Dipper in s2e04: Sock Opera. Damage (normal): Damage (sweetspots):

Grabs and Throws

[Grab] Grab: Bill extends his arm for a long tether grab, with reach similar to Link’s. If he grabs an enemy, Bill pulls them back and conjures red tentacles to hold them, as he did with Stan and Ford in s2e21: Somewhere In The Woods.

[Grab, A] Pummel: Bill zaps the enemy with a beam of electricity from his eye, as he did to Ford in s2e20: Take Back The Falls.

[Grab, >] F-Throw: Bill alters gravity for the grabbed enemy and causes the ropes to disappear. The enemy "falls" forward, and this is treated exactly like normal falling. For example, if the enemy jumps or uses a recovery move; they'll move towards Bill instead of in the normal direction. The duration of this effect increases slightly when enemies have higher damage. This is great for messing people up, but doesn't actually cause any damage itself. Based on when Bill alters gravity when greeting Dipper during his dream in s2e04: Sock Opera. Duration (0-50%): 0.5 seconds. Duration (51-100%): 1 second. Duration: (>100%): 2 seconds.

[Grab, ^] U-Throw: [MA, EA] Bill encases the enemy in stone with a blast from his eye, then lifts them up and slams them on the ground, smashing the stone shell and launching the enemy away. Hits twice. Based on his turning people to stone or gold during s2e18-20. Damage:

[Grab, <] B-Throw: [EA] Using his Weirdness magic, Bill warps the ground beneath the enemy, allowing the tentacles to slurp them into the ground and spit them back out behind him. Damage:

[Grab, v] D-Throw: [MA] Bill encloses the enemy in a pyramidal cage, which then shrinks, crushing the enemy before breaking and launching them away. Based on the cages he traps both sets of Pines twins inside of during the finale in s2e21: Somewhere In The Woods. Damage:

Movement

(Speed and jump height are stated as an approximate comparison to existing fighters.)

[<>] Walk Speed: Since Bill is literally flying all the time, he’s quite fast, but has a hard time stopping suddenly. It shouldn’t be an issue while 'walking', though. 

[<<>>] Running: Just an even faster flight, but as mentioned above, you’ll have a hard time stopping, and will skid forward similar to Luigi.

[Jump/^] Jumps: 2. Again, literally flying all the time. Has a high-flying steerable second jump like Mewtwo or Ness. First jump is also quite high, and Bill is very floaty, with fast lateral airspeed.

Wall Jump: No

[v] Crouch: Bill doesn’t really crouch, he actually just shrinks to about half his normal size.

[v, <>] Crawl: Yes

[Shield, v] Spot dodge: All of Bill’s dodges are basically the same. He’ll sort of fizzle like TV static or a glitch, and reappear in either the same place for the spot dodge or a set distance away for the other dodges.

[Shield, >] F-roll: See above.

[Shield, <] B-roll: See above.

[Shield, </^/>/v] Air dodge: See above.

Ledge roll: See above.

Miscellaneous

Up Taunt: Bill cordially tips his hat. This is based on his greeting to Dipper when appearing in the latter's dreams in s2e04: Sock Opera.

Down Taunt: Bill says “I KNOW LOTS OF THINGS…” and his body fizzles with static like a TV screen, then shows a semi-random segment from any of the recorded videos in the system. If you have any replays saved, it will select the moment of a KO-confirm from one of those. If not, it will pick from one of the pre-loaded videos like character trailers or the title screen intro. By default, this lasts about 2 seconds, but you can hold down the button to keep the show going. Bill does stuff like this multiple times in the series, in s1e19: Dreamscaperers, s2e04: Sock Opera, and s2e20: Take Back The Falls. 

Side Taunt: Bill assumes the pose from the Zodiac Wheel, which appears around him. The symbols around the wheel light up in turn, cycling around once before the wheel disappears. Based on how he escapes Stan's mind at the end of s1e19: Dreamscaperers.

Idle Animation: Adjusts his bowtie and hat, twirls a cane, individual bricks in his lower body pattern rotate.

Stage Intro: A glowing white triangle shape expands outward, with the expanse of space visible inside (actually, it’s the Nightmare Realm), then Bill’s eye opens in the center, the triangle turns black, the rest of Bill’s features appear, and he changes to the appropriate color. This is a faster version of his first real appearance in the show when summoned by Gideon in s1e19: Dreamscaperers.

Victory 1: A grand piano rises out of the ground amid blue flames, with Bill sitting at the bench, playing and singing “We'll Meet Again.” Based on him doing this to welcome Ford into the penthouse suite of the Fearamid in s2e20: Take Back The Falls.

Victory 2: Shows Bill relaxing on a throne made out of petrified enemies, sipping Cosmic Sand from a martini glass. All of the other players in the battle will be included in the throne. If there were fewer than eight players in the battle, the extra spaces are filled by generic-looking people in the Gravity Falls art style. 

Victory 3: (suggestions welcome)

FINAL SMASH 

Frankly, most of what Bill does is Final Smash-caliber; it’s creating the weaker moves that’s more difficult for this moveset, as once he’s got his real power, Bill doesn’t hold back unless he's given a very good reason to. I have two ideas for what Bill's Final Smash could be (vote on which one it should be below).

Idea #1: "I’M THE MASTER OF THE MIND!"

Bill laughs maniacally, and the screen turns completely grayscale as he pulls everyone into the Mindscape. Bill becomes invisible to all players and invulnerable to all damage, but can still move around normally (though the stone statue of his physical body will remain where you began the Final Smash). If you touch another fighter, Bill’s psychic form (which is a sort of wireframe version of him, like when he leaves his physical body to enter Stan’s mind in s2e21: Somewhere in the Woods) briefly appears behind them and they turn to stone, accompanied by Bill’s maniacal laughter. You’ll initially have 10 seconds to move around invisibly, but each KO extends the time by 5 seconds, giving you a chance to do it again. If you fall off a ledge during this time, you won’t lose a stock (or point), but the Final Smash ends and Bill returns to his real body. When the Final Smash ends, all petrified enemies crumble to dust and then respawn as normal (if they have any stocks left, that is).

Idea #2: “WELCOME, ONE AND ALL, TO WEIRDMAGGEDON!”

Bill uses the energy of the Smash Ball to tear open a Rift to the Nightmare Realm in the background. The Weirdness Waves flowing out of the Rift can have any number of random debilitating effects on fighters, similar to Luigi's Negative Zone Final Smash from Brawl. While everyone else struggles to deal with the World Gone Weird, Bill is free to toy with them at his leisure. Though he's not invincible, the Weirdness Waves will heal Bill at a rate of 5% per second. Fortunately for everyone else, this only lasts 15 seconds before Master Hand and Crazy Hand notice and appear in the background to stitch the Rift shut with some cosmic string.

[emblemxeno]

Xenoblade 1 DE Main Story/Game Thoughts

Finished the main story! I didn't go full completion but I got full affinity for all areas and saw every Heart-to-Heart. More detailed thoughts-including spoilers-under the cut!

-For starters, DE is a great update to the original. Many QoL improvements trims the extra menu time down a lot (inventory management, art books, equipment/gems, etc.), especially swapping gems. Also hell yes to including the appearance feature from X, as someone who prefers the default outfits for everyone!

-Same applies to battle stuff and general gameplay. Quest tracking, gauges on things like Break and Topple, clearer status effects, chance arts being highlighted, even something as small as the scroll between Talent Arts/Running/Chain Attacks being more streamlined had many great returns on me not pressing the wrong thing.

-However... why did they not just go all the way with more changes? The two big ones that come to mind are trading and Colony 6 collecting. First, why can you not bulk trade? It is such a time sink having to constantly open the menu again and again. And since trading and skip travelling share a button, I clocked probably over a hundred instances of opening the damn map menu instead of trading since there's a second of cooldown before the option appears for the NPC again! It's an annoyance that is easily ignored once or twice, but absolutely brutal after the tenth time.

-Jumping ahead a bit, but I speak not just criticizing DE but XC1 as a whole. It's probably an unpopular opinion but I don't like the ongoing Colony 6 reconstruction sidequest. The first time I completed it-about half a decade ago I think-was magical! Seeing a ruined home blossom into a lively city due to my hard work was something I'll never forget as an RPG fan. But I don't have that kind of time on my hands anymore (or I simply have better management of time now that I don't stay up til 4 am playing video games anymore lol). Exploring Bionis and Mechonis is an undeniably wondrous and beautiful experience, but only when doing normal quests (well most of the normal quests) and progressing the story. Jogging around places trying to find each item is incredibly unfun and tedious. The big offenders are typically Ice Cabbages (luckily I got all the ones I need by playing through the Valak portion of the story), Rainbow Slugs (I spent an entire hour on the Fallen Arm ugh), and the Black Liver Beans. The last one was the breaking point, I can't stand the Bionis Interior and after an hour in there just trying to find one, I said fuck it and did the Time Attack trials to get them that way. It was just not... good! I don't like it a bit.

-Last thing on DE specifically, I found that the graphics are apparently controversial among fans? I'm understanding of the position, as there's definitely a charm that the original artstyle had, especially being on the Wii. But to me the original has more issues in its visuals than just being a different artstyle. Poor resolution, blocky models, souless faces when not in an important cutscene, absolutely diabolical pop-in. And some say that the original gave its characters more personality during cutscenes, which... I don't get whatsoever. Did we watch the same scenes, cuz it's very hard to distinguish emotion in the original, whereas DE has better mouth, eyebrow, and facial movements. Certain scenes may "look" more emotional in the original, but things get exaggerated all the time to compensate for poor resolution or graphics.

-Now on to the just XC1 in general! Holy fuck the main cast is better than I remember. Shulk, Fiora, and Melia were already my favorites, but honestly... Dunban is probably my absolute favorite out of all of them now. His story is just so succinct and he's just so cool and hot and kind and just ughhhhhh!

-Egil is still best villain in the game, no surprise. Revisiting this game honestly made it really fucking clear why I loved Dimitri from 3H so much cuz the two are so similar (to the point where you can pull line's from the game about Egil and put them in 3H). The others fair less well. Metal Face/Mumkhar is delightfully hammy and an amazing threat for the first half of the game, but is as deep as a puddle. Dickson and Lorithia I found I dislike even more, for the wrong reasons; they lack charisma, and it's noticeable in places where the game gets really anime in its hammy villainy, but they're written and played a bit too straight for it to come off as anything other than lackluster. Though at least Dickson has presence as Shulk's caretaker and the guy who everyone knows and respects; Lorithia though? Throw her away. Honestly if Yumea took her place and retained the bigotry against Homs it'd be much more entertaining IMO.

-Zanza himself is a definitive mixed bag. Were I ignorant to Klaus' entire story from XC2, I'd honestly write him off as a by-the-numbers arrogant (but secretly imperfect and prone to "human" folly) god figure that happens in many, many RPGS. But I can't dislike him because I do know the entire story, and Zanza being an utter dickwad is explained in great detail and makes sense. Honestly, he does work for the story that XC1 is telling without playing XC2 as well, but ehhh. I guess it's just really difficult to be the main villain after Egil does such great things in a limited time.

-Narrative is great, just as it was the first time I played. Highlights for me:

Singlemindedly fighting for revenge is destructive not just to your enemies, but to yourself and your friends. Ignorance and unwillingness to look beyond your own world or history means you may be hurting innocent people without realizing it. Chaining your life to the deaths of others rather than supporting the survivors is unhealthy and can lead you down a path of misery and disaster.

Ether is not just analogy for carbon/other base elements in our world. Philosophically it's analogous to light and fate as well. Shulk unlocks the Monado's powers when he stops treating it as a tool with functions, but rather as an extension of his will. He wills his wishes into his heart, and they are made manifest. He protects Reyn with Shield not cuz the Monado lets him, but because he desired it. Same with Sharla and Speed, and it's how Alvis taught him to unlock Purge. It's how he resists Apocrypha, and later gains Cyclone once the Apocrypha is destroyed. His will is so strong, it becomes resistant to Zanza's influence, hence why he starts suffering the more he learns of Mechonis' history. The truth being brought to light is painful internally and externally, as Zanza physically rejects anything that challenges how he sees the world. Shulk brings himself back to life, begins having visions without Zanza, and gains his own Monado-which looks purely made of ether and light-through pure willpower and the desire to create his own future.

Shulk's duality and inner turmoil when he realizes his yearning for revenge is destructive; Fiora's endless strength of heart when dealing with a machine body and carrying on Meyneth's wishes; Melia going through hell and back trying to find a balance between her sense of self and sense of duty (I imagine Future Connected is gonna touch on that more as well); Dunban grappling with his moniker of being a hero and mentoring the party despite being imperfect and lamenting his disability; Reyn's goal of being a protector developing into being a supporter once he becomes insecure over his strength and character compared to Shulk; Sharla trying to keep hold onto a sense of hope that her love is alive before coming to terms with the fact that she needs to cherish her life and love those within it; Riki just being the fucking best dad and friend in the world.

Having played XC2 and XC3 makes all these things even richer as well.

-Last but not least, gameplay:

-Most quests are good. Most. The generic quests weren't ever fun for me, and they cause significant bloat that could've been trimmed IMO. Especially since lots of quests ask you to kill monsters and collect items anyway.

-The method to get quests started though? Awful. I know that things like Community in Torna and Field Skills in XC2 are hated, but man I can't stand having to change the clock and track the damn NPCs in XC1. Especially since there are many areas separated between towns/villages and "wild" areas (Colony 6 and Bionis Leg, Frontier Village and Makna, Alcamoth and Eryth + Valak), it just makes things so drawn out. Going back and forth, changing time and all that, is a sour point on this game.

-Like I said a few weeks ago, the Xenoblade series as a whole is unmatched in gameplay story telling. Beautiful and large environments make curious exploration a treat, especially as you start getting pieces to puzzles that can get completed later. I payed a lot more attention to the High Entia and Giant related sidequests due to the fascinating lore, for example.

-The fights are great, if a bit centralizing. Shulk, due to Monado arts, is the best character to have in the party and is sorely missed when switched out. I have pretty standard opinions on the rest of the characters, so no need to speak on each individually. I will say though, holy fuck is the AI just as bad as I remember. Shulk wastes his Monado gauge, Sharla is terrible at using arts and always puts herself into cooldown, and Melia for the love of god, stop firing elementals as soon as you summon them you're made of tissue.

Topple locking is deffo the prime strategy, cuz there were fights I wouldn't otherwise have won were it not for it, and thankfully Reyn and Dunban have pretty good AI.

Two major gripes though. Spikes are a terrible mechanic, gross. Second, I hate that the enemy tags affect accuracy, it makes certain quests extremely brutal to complete without grinding. And I just hate having to fight tough/overlevelled enemies as a whole, it becomes routine and simple after a while.

As a whole, I like the gameplay still, but it feels very restrictive going back to it after seeing all the crazy tricks I could do in 2 and 3. And also auto-attack arts > timer arts forever and ever.

-Overall a very great experience getting to replay this game like this. Though more rough points than I remember, and with certain things that have not aged well whatsoever , XC1 is still a good game that I'm glad introduced me to this series. I'm taking a break before playing Future Connected.

[hermitcraft-shifter]

Story Idea #2

tw // mental instability (specifically the type that comes with excessive time loops) , psychological horror / torture , existential horror , body horror , a really bad way to find you're not human , self-destruction , inaccurate watcher + listener lore , apocalypse, discussion of suicide + death + fate worse than death (including cannibalism , parasitism , insanity , war , canary curse , death games)

Song Inspiration: EGO OF THESEUS by Ferris

Word Inspiration: Ship of Theseus (a thought experiment about whether an object is the same object after having had all of its original components replaced)

Fanfiction Inspiration: attempt thirty-three (TLDR: Joe is stuck in a time loop that lasts four days. On the fourth, they die in the Moon Crash and get sent back with only a tape recorder surviving. The fic follows their thirty third time loop and how they get through it with Cub, Cleo, and Scar. It's not their last loop.), the only theory they can't prove (TLDR: Zedaph made a machine that creates alternate illusory timelines from the moment people use it. Unfortunately, they all ended in the apocalypse. Even more unfortunately, Joe finds a version— living and now existing —version of Cleo in theirs. They do the moral thing and bring her home.), and Red Tear Run Down Like A River (TLDR: The sculk parasites Cub and uses his scientistic nature to its advantage. Unfortunately for Joe, they're a fascinating specimen. Cue medical torture and subsequent rescue a little later than anyone wanted.)

Joe's been in a time loop that ends in Hermitcraft's annihilation one way or another for way too long.

They've seen Xisuma kill himself in Season 1, Mumbo (and the Convexes) cannibalize, the forest madness, the shulk/'Mother Spore' parasite Grian or any other unfortunate soul (like Cub), the wars, the death games, the Watchers, the Moon Crash, the texture glitch... (Cleo begging Joe to kill her because any other way would be agonizing echoes in their mind. There was a sea of Pearl's hands, sponge made of cow eyes and flesh. Joe wonders if they'll always die alone.)

Luckily, this caused Joe to have a latent non-human presentation (because of how much stress they're in)! It's basically a parasitic version of spectator mode where they peel themselves out of their body at their own detriment to bumble around. How fun and healthy. They immediately use this to start monitoring and nudging people into the 'right' direction— also known as the choices they know won't kill them.

We follow Joe's (potential) last loop and how they broke it by getting people to care about them due to their self-neglect. To be fair, it's hard to miss the catatonia... and the identity issues... and the physical deterioration... and the mental deterioration... and— It should've never gotten this bad.

A dishonourable Watcher is the one who got Joe looping because they had Potential(tm)... obviously. Throughout the loops, Joe got to know Jimmy— well, specifically bits and pieces about his job as an errand boy for the Listeners and the joke of the Canary Curse. If Joe has mimic a letter they've never seen and pretend to have this Canary Curse to get Jimmy's attention in a timeline they've never met just for a chance to save everyone, so be it.

So be it.

At this point, they'd do anything not to see anyone else suffer ever again.

[eaglefairy]

Hello liveblog viewers, it's been a while! We were both busy last weekend, but now we're back for more xenoblade. The roommate decided to postpone sidequests for now and return to the main plot, much to my delight!

The cutscene as you enter Valak Mountain spawned some rapid theorizing (and I have some thoughts about it too that I'll share later), most of which I expected (trying to figure out what the Face Mechon's relationship to memory is, picking up on that Meyneth is very old and has met Zanza before, etc)

I am most definitely testing my roommate's patience by continually calling the geyser a "geezer". And I will not stop.

Oh ok fun fact: my roommate is a geologist. She has some Complaints about the idea of taking a quick stroll through lava to grab some item orbs

Ah and we're back to the ramifications of my accidental spoilers. After the scene in Ose Tower with Alvis, roommate is now theorizing that Shulk's death will be not just a plain heroic sacrifice but somehow tied into the main plot with the Monado. She's still certain that it'll be a heroic sacrifice though :,)

Roommate: Do you remember that time we almost lost 4 hours of progress? Me: Do you want to go manually save right now? Roommate: ...you know what, yeah I'll go do that.

"Motherfucker, are you going to kill her again?" -my roommate, upon seeing Metal Face swoop in and hit Silver Face

Oh shit uh. Huh. We...did not put Shulk in the party to fight Mumkhar. Whoops. Rip Reyn, Riki, and Dunban

OH MY GOD SHE DID IT. SHE BEAT HIM WITH THE BOYS???

Egil: "Find us, Monado. Sword of the Bionis." Roommate: "Rude, I'm a person too." Me, with foreknowledge:

Roommate: "Oh, it's interesting that Egil claims he's an agent of Meyneth but Meyneth didn't want him to know she was there." Me, with foreknowledge:

Roommate: "The tyranny of the Bionis...? Weird, it'd be kind of hard for the Bionis to do tyranny while it's asleep." "I bet it's a really stupid reason. I bet we're going to find out what it is and I'm going to be like 'Egil, really? This is why you chose war and slavery? Grow up.'" "Either that or it'll be a really good reason and I'll scream. It'll be one of those two for sure, though."

Me, with foreknowledge:

eeeee we're blasting ahead to get Fiora! No sidequests no distractions the roommate misses Fiora and wants to get the babe back!!!

Oh she's so on the side of the Bionis. I'm listening to this wonderful rant about how terrible the Mechonis is for leeching ether out of the Bionis and oh, the poor Bionis just trying to support the life living on it with that terrible Mechonis siphoning away the ether!

Ah and now she's theorizing that the Mechonis used to produce its own ether but ran out during the ancient battle, so now she drains ether from the Bionis to sustain herself

The shriek she let out when she saw Dickson again. Now she's just flipping off the screen and singing "you liar" in different ways

Roommate: "If I had a little less self-respect I would have a crush on that man[Dickson]. Maybe I already do and I just don't want to admit it to myself." Me: WHEEZE

Roommate: "Dickson? You gonna be honest with us?" Me: "It's Dickson, what do you think?" Roommate: "He'll probably be honest with me when I'm dead."

Ah, we blazed through Sword Valley but our level advantage ran out against Mumkhar. It's also past midnight so we're going to do some sidequests tomorrow and head back in to save Fiora!

[riddlerosehearts]

HELLO it is the idia anon from like almost two months ago i think. idk if u remember bt i only just saw your response post bc i lowk forget i have tumblr sometimes (adhd so its out of sight out of mind). tbh i completely forgot about my own ask and i was scrolling thru the idiavil tag yet again when i saw your post and i was like "wow, me too anon." and then i realized it was me. IM TYPING THIS IN AN IDIA SHROUD JACKET BTW THE FIXATION HAS CONSUMEDME. i think abt twst so much. I HOPE U DO NOT MIND ME RAMBLING I WAS GOING TO GET TO AN ACTUALLY IMPORTANT THING.

I LOVED READING YORU HEADCANONS THEY GIVE ME LIFE. i have a tonn of idiavil hcs and au ideas but ive not rlly written any of them (band au that im mega obsessed with is collecting dust in my notes app. i just can't form coherent thoughts). i could soend hours talkign abt idiavil I LUOVE THEM.

ur mention of xenoblade chronicles and kingdom hearts rlly makes me want to play both of them... i know a bit about kh and i want to play it but i know nothing abt xenoblade chronicles... ANYWAYS THANK U FOR THE LOST. I THINK I MIGHTHAVE UNDIAGNOSED AUTISM o(≧▽≦)o

oh i do remember you!! i wish i could forget i had tumblr sometimes LOL, instead i'm way too active on here and keep making myself so busy with different creative projects on my blogs that i'll never have time to post everything i'd like to post. i love when people ramble in my inbox though so no worries!!

omg if you ever post any headcanons or fic about that band AU i would love to see 👀 i have so many ideas that i never do anything with because i'm not much of a writer but i too could talk about idiavil and my other twst ships for hours so i totally get that lol. here's another bonus idiavil HC for you: idia feels really embarrassed about saying affectionate things face to face so he sends vil cute texts disguised as game notifications. things like "congratulations! you've reached max affection with idia! ❤". he also sends vil love letters with roses attached... in animal crossing. and then he secretly hopes vil never finds the time to open up his game and read them because he thinks he might die of embarrassment, but unfortunately for him, vil does read them and he sends a letter back every single time.

and okay so. iirc i made a kingdom hearts reference in that post but just mentioned xenoblade in the tags because it's so much less popular/recognizable. but i was originally going to make a reference to xenoblade chronicles 1. i love the whole series and if you like lengthy JRPGs with unique combat and wild stories then you'd probably love it too! but i feel like idia would love XC1 in particular because a major theme of that game's story is that it's about fighting for the freedom to choose your own future. it's about spending your life feeling like you're powerless to change anything, and then allowing yourself to see that that isn't true--that if you keep looking forward and choose not to give up, you can create a world where you can shape your own destiny. you can go the distance. i think it's a story that would really resonate with idia. now, do i think he would see these themes as being applicable to his own life in a realistic way? absolutely not lol, at least not before the events of book 6, but he'd love the fantasy of it. he'd also relate to shulk--the main protagonist of the game--partly for spoilery reasons and partly because shulk is a fucking nerd who resents having to go outside and would rather spend all day in his research lab working with machines. and now i've rambled on about a game you haven't played lol, but if it isn't obvious by now i highly recommend it! and kingdom hearts is my favorite game series of all time so i highly recommend it as well. fun fact: idia's voice actor, kouki uchiyama, also voices roxas in the japanese version of KH!

[the-travelling-witch]

hi hollyyyy im just dropping in to provide some additional info regarding kingdom hearts/FF to the non FF/KH players 🏃‍♀️

sora (the lil guy u posted) is actually a brunette 14-16 (depending on game) years old kid

the reason why some might confuse cloud w him/KH is bc cloud (and other well known FF characters such as tidus(x), selphie(viii), aerith(vii), squall(viii),etcetc) also appear in the KH games as characters :) FF/KH have the same publisher and designer (most ff games) and its not a disney game but rather a collab. sorry for rambling, youn out 🏃‍♀️

hiii youuuuuun!! it’s definitely nice to have someone around who’s knowledgeable on ff if i ever do wanna pick it up

(lmao i actually know who sora is and that he’s brunette despite having not much interest in kingdom hearts, i think i watched some content for it when i was younger, i was just trying to pass him as dirty blond for the joke jsjsh /silly; i was not informed on his age though, so i partially retract my twink statement)

i didn’t know that they had the same designer since they never really felt similar to me, but now that you mention it i do vaguely recall seeing sora and cloud next to one another some time

(but honestly i might have passed it off as being from smash bros since i think both of them are in there? or at least cloud and shulk are, i think, idk i didn’t keep up with who they added lol)

anyway, don’t worry about rambling, i really don’t mind <3

[skylermadness]

A Bond Forged in Steel (Zeke Von Genbu and Rex (Future Redeemed) TF)

(Original Date of Upload: March 25, 2024)

Original Description:

Story commission. This story was honestly extremely fun to write out! I've been wanting to do TFs of Zeke and Rex's Future Redeemed incarnation for a very long time, so being able to do so and be given to play with some homoeroticism is honestly quite the bargain for me. Plus, I mean, they're both extremely hot. Although this is definitely my first time doing a double TF/MG. Most doubles I've done had both characters be practically completely different in body types and whatnot so this was definitely a first time for me! Overall I'm really happy with the outcome and hope I get more chances to do stuff like this again! ...I still crave Xenoblade men TF. There needs to be more. Rated Mature for nudity, bulge, and mild sexual themes.

   Anniversaries have always been an interesting day for some couples. Certain compulsions arising on varying ends of the relationship for one person to show the other just how much they care. In the end it meant ensuring a rather fulfilling experience for everyone involved. Unfortunately it can quickly devolve into a stressful time as the all-important date approaches for the couple in question.

   So Zack was rather lucky that he didn't have to deal with that stress. In truth, the current day that was today is his anniversary with his boyfriend Nathan. Their romantic relationship has been going on for exactly a year now and Zack had wanted to commemorate the occasion with something special. A surprise gift for the person he loved, and one that he knew Nathan would adore…

   It was actually a week ago that he had the initial thought for this idea. Considering that his boyfriend was quite the fanatic for the Xenoblade Chronicles series of games, Zack had wanted to find a gift that would align with that particular interest. At first his search was rather fruitless, being mostly varying assortments of fairly pricey figurines or small custom trinkets that while looking pretty didn't feel like they'd convey his care as much as he would want them to. In the end it wasn't until just three or so days ago that he had finally found just what he truly needed.

   Life-sized weapon replicas.

   It was a weird find to say the least, alongside being oddly coincidental since they were being sold at a cosplay shop near where they shared an apartment were a menagerie of (presumably) plastic prop weapons for varying characters from the game series. While the more iconic weapons such as Shulk’s Monado and Noah’s Sword could be found in its stock, Zack had been more focused on finding proper recreations of the swords owned by the favorite characters of his significant other. 

   As he thought that he had seemed to ride off the same stroke of luck that brought him to this store’s website in the first place. With just a bit of scrolling he ended up finding the exact swords he was looking for being listed. Those being Zeke Von Genbu and Pandoria’s shared Big Bang Edge greatsword, and the Firelight Swords that Rex wielded in the 3rd game’s Future Redeemed expansion. All three of which seemed to only go for twenty five dollars each. 

   With that price calculation being a measly seventy five dollars total it didn't take long for Zack to set up a reservation to buy them in person. That's where he was today, the young man standing outside the store whose site he visited just mere days earlier: Maurice’s Exceptional Cosplay Collectibles.

   Seeing as he was here with a purpose Zack was quick to push open the door and walked into the shop, a bell above the entrance signaling his arrival. A cursory glance around the shop seemed to prove only one other person was inside with him. A relatively older-looking, balding and bearded man that was behind the store’s counter. Said counter also seemed to have three objects set atop it that could instantly be recognized as the swords the younger man had reserved.

   “Ah, take it yer that Zack fellow?” the older man, Maurice, inquired upon noticing the other’s entrance. “Didn’ anticipate you comin’ this early. Was just gettin’ ready to bag yer stuff!”

   Zack gave the storekeeper a casual wave as he walked towards the counter. “Yep, that would be me! Ended up wanting to get the stuff early. I guess the thought of my boyfriend’s reaction upon seeing these spurred me to come as quickly as I could.”

   Maurice smiled and nodded. “Gift for a loved one, eh? Seein’ as yer here you could take a look at yer order as I find a bag large enough to hold ‘em all.”

   “Sounds good!” Zack gave a thumbs up. Now that he was properly at the counter he could get a proper look at these objects in person…

   It was astonishing just how accurate the three replicas seemed to be. The sheer size of them was almost to the scale of the scenes he had seen in the games. The massive and wide broadsword of the Big Bang Edge, its rectangular pommel adorned with lightning bolt-shaped formations jutting from its sides. The Firelight Swords looked like the Aegis blades but still possessed clear differences to them that made it seem like they looked to be two halves of one blade. It all made Zack impressed, and he was rather glad to have gotten a chance to buy them all for a rather cheap price. Especially with how high quality they all seemed!

   While the young man had gawked at the replicas, Maurice had spent his time placing a good few plastic bags into each other so the blades wouldn't tear through everything. “Should consider requestin’ people bring their own bags for this stuff-” he muttered to himself. Though once all the bags were prepared he turned back to the counter. “Everything looks good to ya?”

   “Yep!” Zack responded enthusiastically. “I just wonder how you managed to create such life-like recreations…”

   Maurice let out a low chuckle as he placed each sword into the bag. “Trade secret, kid~”

   He then placed the bagged-up blades onto the counter. “Feel free to skedaddle now. Hope yer boyfriend loves these things!”

   “I’m absolutely sure he will!” Zack said with a smile. He hoisted the bag around his shoulder, wobbling a bit at the realization of how weighty these things seemed to feel. “Oh these are a little heavier than I expected too…”

   With the transaction now completed, the young man made his way out of the store with the objects in tow. All the while the storekeeper smiled a very knowing smile.

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

   Having managed to net himself a day off from work, Nathan had spent much of the morning at his and his boyfriend’s shared apartment finishing up whatever JRPG of the month he was on while waiting for Zack to come back home. He wasn't initially aware that the other man was going to be leaving, nor did he really know where they had gone. His boyfriend just gave him a casual ‘I’m heading out for a bit!’ and left before he had a chance to ask anything. That was roughly an hour ago though.

   Now the time was hovering close to noon and Nathan’s gaming excursion was interrupted by the sound of the apartment’s front door opening. Pausing his game, he looked over to the entrance to find Zack struggling with hauling what seemed to be three swords in a bag on his back.

   “Could I get some help here-” Zack strainly asked, prompting Nathan to get up from the couch and help him out.

   “Christ, man, what the hell were you up to out there!?” Nathan inquired. He let Zack lean on him for a little bit as the other man steadily shifted the bag off of their shoulder.

   “This!” was Zack’s only response as the bag collapsed onto the ground, a chorus of metal clangs reverberating from it as it fell.

   “Wha…” Nathan's gaze wandered to look at the contents of Zack’s bag. While had initially noticed while his boyfriend was walking in that it was some kind of collection of swords, the moment his eyes laid onto them he realized just what kind of swords they were.

   “X-Xenoblade merch!?” he exclaimed. “Not just that but, such real looking blade replicas…”

   He went to pick up one of the objects, the red blade that was one half of Rex’s Firelight Swords. He struggled a bit to just pick it up with one hand. He surmised it was because of the metallic make of them based on how the blade’s grip felt in his hand. An assumption that was instantly confirmed once he held the blade out in front of him.

   “Did you go to some kind of metal workshop for this!? This looks like an actual sword!”

   “No, I got them from some kind of cosplay store in the inner city,” Zack responded. He curiously picked up one of two remaining blades, this time the Big Bang Edge. Although considering its size he had to use both hands instead of just one. “I-I could've sworn these were plastic when I bought them though!” he nervously stated. “No way a bunch of real swords would go for seventy five dollars total, y'know?”

   “I’m just going to state it outright,” Nathan hauled up the white and gold Firelight Sword out of the bag with the other hand. “I think you bought three real ass swords. Although the fact you got actual realistic replicas of some Xenoblade objects is so…” he fixed his gaze at the two swords he was holding. “Astonishing.”

   “I take it you like them?” Zack said with a hopeful smile.

   “Like them? I love them! I don't know where I'd put them all but, between the realistic appearance and the sheer accuracy and-” he was about to go on a tangent, but he began to feel something off the longer he held onto both sword grips. “How recently forged were these? They still feel a little hot…”

   “What?” Zack raised a brow. He then started to hear a low, almost inaudible crackling noise from his own blade. Looking down at it, he found that his own sword was sparking somehow. Small bolts of electricity escaping and spiraling around the blade in some mesmerizing dance. “Woah, dude, do you see this?”

   “Uh, I think you should maybe put that down-”

   “Yeah, that'd probably be a good-”

   Zack didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as the sparks of electricity promptly emanated from the weapon's hilt and in just one second shocked both hands that were gripped onto it. With a yelp of pain the young man unhanded the blade and let it collapse unceremoniously on the ground. “C-crap-”

   A look of concern formed on Nathan’s face. “Are you okay!?”

   “I…” Zack began formulating a response, but stopped as he looked down at his hands.

   A feeling of pins and needles coursed through both of Zack’s hands. A sensation that could only be equated to feeling like touching television static. And the longer that sensation remained the more a strange series of changes began to ensue in each hand. One of the most noticeable changes came in the form of their size altering, growing in front of his very eyes. Swelling out to become larger and thicker, quickly becoming a far cry from their previously smaller appearance. It was as if their bone structure and muscle mass was just increasing in size, improving almost. This would become quite prevalent when it came to his fingers. Each one plumped up and thickened, further granting his hands a more powerful appearance. 

   “Uhhh…” the young man vocalized as he watched everything unfold. His gaze was then brought to his arms as he felt a weird swelling sensation within them.

   Thanks to the shorter sleeves of his shirt Zack was also granted quite the view of his transforming limbs. Much like with his hands the forearm region of each arm began to rapidly accumulate muscle mass. Quickly did they swell thicker, the once thin form of them being consumed by the burgeoning appearance of raw strength. As muscles grew they only became more tangible, creases forming in his skin over where muscle groups would divide. It was almost as if the young man was being granted some kind of instantaneous appearance of years of working out and improving his muscles.

   His upper arms weren't being left unscathed either. While the extensors in his forearms expanded, the muscle groups above his elbows were quick to follow. He could feel his sleeves begin to constrict as the diameter of the region increased in size. A low heat and a sensation of static buzzed through his sensory nerves as his upper arms bulked up, once non-existent biceps burgeoning with raw power while his triceps matured alongside them. Fabric would only continue stretching over his shoulders as his deltoids were developed greatly in size, rounding out and perfectly indenting themselves into the article of clothing.

   Zack had been left rather awestruck. Despite the strange feeling coursing through his muscles, he could tell just how raw the strength within them seemed to feel. He couldn't deny the uncanny feeling of the situation though. Managing to break out of his stunned daze the young man could only say, “N-Nathan, I don't know what's happening-”

   Nathan had been watching the start of Zack’s transformation, a worried look having formed on his face. He didn't know what was happening either, especially since people just don't spontaneously become muscular! But he was having trouble trying to come up with anything calming. This situation was proving itself to be complicated from the get-go.

   Nathan then realized just how hot the blades he was holding were getting. For just a second he moved his focus away from his boyfriend and onto the white and gold sword of the pair, and that’s when he caught that it seemed to be glowing. Out of a mixture of surprise and a feeling that he couldn't for too long hold two objects that felt like they were becoming as hot as a stovetop, he had quickly dropped the Firelight Swords before anything could happen. It would seem it was already too late for him though and a burning heat entered his core forcing Nathan to grunt as he clenched his chest. 

   “Fuck-” was the only word he could spit out. In his mind though he was already connecting the dots. Was he about to start to change as well?!

   It would only take a few seconds for the answer of that question to arise. Whereas Zack’s transformation had started in his hands, Nathan’s seemed to begin in his chest. As heat welled up in his core he could feel a sensation of swelling within his pectoral region. This was proven to be caused by his chest garnering definition of its own. Nathan had been a fairly skinny guy since the man had not really been one to do much in working on his muscles. However as seconds continued to pass his once relatively flat chest expanded outwards. Pecs were rapidly forming and pushing forward becoming thicker, larger than they had ever been previously. The best way to describe them were two meaty slabs that had risen from his chest. This new development in his musculature also formed a crevice between the two pectorals. This perfectly defined cleavage had easily indented itself into the fabric of his polo shirt, as did the muscles themselves.

   If that wasn't enough he could also feel a churning sensation in his abdominal region. This was being caused by even more muscles developing within the man. His tummy, once only flat with an average amount of fat for a young adult layered on it, was becoming just as chiseled and defined as his chest. Ridges indented into his skin as a set of abs just pushed outwards. Any initial bagginess of his shirt would be dispelled in an instant as these muscles enhanced themselves and further made their presence known by indenting into the fabric more and more. Gone would be the skinny torso of an average man, now replaced by a more brawnier appearance. That wasn't the end for Nathan’s changes either as he felt a pressure wrack his spine, soon followed by the sensation that his body being tugged upwards. The hem of his shirt was rising as a result of this, revealing a light dusting of hair beginning to make its way up the middle of his lower abdominal region.

   Nathan let out another grunt as he forced himself to stand up straight. A hand still clenched over his chest as the heat continually poured across his form. He could practically feel the upper portion of his shirt sleeves begin to constrict. “We- we both are becoming so… muscular, it seems…”

   “Y-yeah,” Zack strained out. He still felt a bit stunned, and the sight of his boyfriend growing such a massive shelf had been a little concerning. But at the same kind he couldn't hide his blushing at just how big Nathan’s pecs seemed to have gotten now. It made him a little bit envious.

   Of course as Zack feels that emotion he begins to feel a tinge in his own chest. He took his gaze off Nathan and forced his head downward, and instantly he was greeted with the sight of his own pectorals pressing up on his shirt by just a bit. They only seemed to continue as well by pressing forward more, developing their own proper thickness that seemed to get more prominent as his body seemed to broaden. The young man could only watch in awe as his pec muscles inched forward and continued to swell and round out into perfect slabs themselves that just forced the shirt he wore to stretch over and outline their perfect physique. He had even gotten his own cleavage indent within the fabric too.

   The lower half of his torso wouldn't be left out from these changes either. He could just barely see his abdominal region bubble as he was granted the sight of his own abs advancing in musculature. His abs would sculpt themselves out of his relatively unimpressive form and etch ridges into his skin to properly divide the muscle groups. All the while he was privy to the sight of a six pack set of abs miraculously manifesting from his body and replacing his once twinkish nature.

   The spontaneous muscle growth in Nathan had seemed to be in the process of shifting to match Zack’s. As Zack was fixated on his torso, Nathan’s eyes had been brought over to his arms. Unlike his boyfriend Nathan had been wearing a long-sleeved shirt, so he wasn't initially granted the perfect view of his bulking arms. But with the passing of time he would still be given the sight of something.

   The best way to describe the way his arms changed was it felt akin to watching a balloon get pumped with a constant flow of air. Each limb was effectively pumped with muscle at a smooth and steady rate. It was a rather majestic sight just watching his shoulders broaden with perfectly developed deltoids, or seeing his biceps and triceps swell up into rounded cantaloupes. All while the material of his sleeves tried their best to hang on and contain his constantly growing muscle mass. But not even they could handle his thick upper arm muscles and it didn't take long for him to see his shirt sleeves tear over his biceps. 

   His forearms had been enduring the same changes concurrently as well. Bulking up with raw muscle to such a point that he could the crevices through the fabric of his sleeves. Just the raw definition of it all was enough to overwhelm him more than the heat in his heart was doing. Such perfect form that almost felt like it belonged to someone who spent ages working hard to get their muscles to this size.

   That process of thoughts had even seemed to be proven as his hands grew. Rapidly increasing in size to match his massive proportions, swelling to be larger and thicker. Just a raw sense of strength that exuded from each growing hand as if they had the ability to punch straight through a wall. An idea that could be further supported by his slightly chunkier fingers, the digits needing to have grown as well to accommodate his new hand size. But what really got him was the tingling in his palms, the sensation in his clenched hand as he felt the skin upon it seem to almost harden a bit. As if despite the almost pristine condition of them there was still a certain amount of age that had to be added to his hands. Age that would manifest in wear and tear, something that could easily come in the form of callusing of the skin.

   His limbs seemed to have been dealt with now. This had meant that Nathan and Zack were on equal terms physically for the time being. Although as Nathan looks over towards Zack he can tell the other man still seemed a bit smaller in comparison to him. He could also see a strange look of poorly hidden embarrassment on the other’s face as well. A look that Nathan knew all too well…

   “A-are you enjoying this!?” Nathan inquired.

   The sudden outburst made Zack yelp. “I-I- maybe!? I'm just…” the young man shakily brought a hand to his chest, a chorus of rips echoing through the air from his short sleeves as he did so. “Muscle…”

   Nathan blinked a few times. He couldn't deny himself that the sudden growth in muscle was rather appealing… but this was all so weird! He can't just let that strangeness slide-

   “H-hey, wait… can you say something…?” Zack had suddenly asked out of the blue.

   “Eh?” Nathan raised a brow. “Why would you- w-wait, my-”

   His voice. He could hear his voice cracking at random intervals, and each time it did so it had seemingly gotten deeper. Even weirder was that it was altering beyond that in varying degrees as well. It's tone, it's pitch, and was his accent shifting too!?

   Nathan looked straight at Zack, preparing himself to hear his voice again as he was about to verbally make a comment about it. His words were halted almost instantly in his throat however, mouth hanging open as he seemed fixated on something. Zack seemed to catch onto this though.

   “Why are you looking at me like that…?” Zack asked, oblivious. “Is something happening to my… face…”

   His statement trailed off as something silvery began entering his field of vision from above and continued growing downward more for a few seconds before stopping. This didn't seem to stop though as a few more bits of silver descended upon the leftward portion of his field of vision. But at this point he knew what it seemed to be, the young man bringing a hand up to his face to grasp onto a clump of this silvery growth.

   “My hair, it's growing… longer…?” Zack then unhanded the newly grown tufts of hair. However as he lowered his hand he too noticed something on his boyfriend’s face as well. “D-dude, I think your hair’s becoming a bit-” the statement is broken by a sudden caught before he continued, “-funky as well- o-oh crap…”

   As much as Nathan wanted to comment on Zack’s own voice changes, his curiosity got the better of him. He mustered just enough strength so he could move his currently unoccupied hand to the top of his head. There he found the feeling that his hair had gotten a little bit thicker, fuller than it had used to be. “What the hell…”

   “This just-” Zack cleared his throat to try in vain to dispel his own shifting voice. “This just keeps getting weirder!”

   Zack visibly cringed at the sound of his voice. How was it that in just a few seconds his voice had gone from being normal to sounding weirdly over the top!? It didn't sound deeper since it still sounded like one that could possibly belong to a young adult. However it was feeling like the tone of it was becoming more flamboyant.

   “Mmf, you’re telling me…” Nathan responded. His focus had gone back down to looking at his body. He had taken note that his polo continued to strain over his torso, and the placket of it was just being stretched out from his wider form. A moment of curiosity dictated his next action as he decided to inhale a deep breath, wincing a bit as it still felt like his heart was burning. But the action of his chest rising caused the shirt to begin splitting down the middle. He then exhaled from a sigh. That act alone seemed to be enough to start the steady dispelling of his weird heartburn at least…

   “Y-you do have a nice chest there, eheh…” Zack complimented. Nathan just rolled his eyes, although he couldn't stifle the blush he got from the compliment. Although come to think of it he was also beginning to feel something else strange welling up around the lower half of his body. That's when he noticed his pants were feeling a bit tighter now as well.

   This tightness was initially signified by the newfound constriction around his waist. However it only seemed to increase as he felt the now-familiar feeling of muscles growing thanks to the transformative effects having reached his legs. The denim of his jeans pressed tightly against his skin as he felt his thigh muscles swell up and bulge up. As was in the rest of his body a sizeable thickness was just constantly being added on to Nathan’s legs to the point the muscle ridges indented in the legwear’s material. The perfectly sculpted appearance of his hamstrings and quadriceps were becoming fully tangible through it all.

   Perhaps that wasn't the most interesting part though. That came with the sensation of his gluteus muscles growing out and the pure sensation of his briefs being filled up. The once perfectly fitting undergarments were quickly filled in the behind by his rear swelling up. Muscle bloating it up larger while fat rounded his ass out more. The size was becoming so prominent that the seat of his pants had ended up filling out as well. It didn't take long until Nathan developed a perfectly rounded rear end, a newly developed bubble butt straining the back of his pants and underwear.

   The front of him wasn't spared from this kind of change either judging by the sensation of the frontal area of his briefs straining against something. A new, much lower heat formed in Nathan’s cheeks as he felt a rather pleasuring sensation deep in his groin. A feeling that the components in that region were increasing in size like the rest of his body had done. He couldn't help but look down to witness it all himself: the sight of a growing mount forming at the front of his jeans, the odd sound of the zipper snapping to allow him to see the pristine white of his undergarments. That mound continued to form more and more as his member burgeoned in size. He had gotten a bulge, and it felt… euphoric in a way.

   He nervously looked up at Zack, hoping he could take his focus off his groin for a bit. Although he had instantly taken note of his boyfriend’s flustered state. Nathan guessed their transformations were mirrored in every way, it would seem.

   Concurrent with Nathan’s own transformation, Zack had found his own lower half swelling up as well. His shorts had typically hung off his rather skinny legs in a fairly standard way initially, but with the growth of his own thigh muscles it seemed that became a false statement. The proper fitting of his own legwear was dispelled, easily replaced with the same swelling of muscle mass that had been going on in his entire body. It didn't help that the material of his shorts seemed to not be the most durable which had made his ears privy to the sound of the seams ripping from the strain of his much more powerful muscles.

   Then came the changes to his own assets. The odd churning in Zack’s behind as he felt his rear bloat and swell. The constant sensation of the back of his legwear and undergarments straining against his increasingly larger ass. The fact he couldn't help but reach a hand down and behind himself to just feel the newly developing roundness of his rear from beneath his shorts. It was such a foreign feeling to the young man, especially since he always felt his butt was rather flat before all of this. So being able to experience this weird pressure that bloated his rear as it did his chest…

   Then there was the feeling of his groin shifting. That came with an emotion he couldn't suppress as well. He could already feel the blood rushing downwards as the nerves were stimulated by the sudden growth, the sudden feel of the easily satisfied skin suddenly pushing up against the cotton of his underwear and straining it. He just couldn't stop himself from using his other hand to just grab onto the swelling area. It just felt too erotic and it was taking all of his willpower not to just undo his shorts so he could let his own bulge hang out. He didn't though, what little desires of decency still remained in his now testosterone-ridden brain.

   “F… feeling good?” the deep, seemingly aged voice of Nathan calling from a few feet away. Zack couldn't help but deny how sexy that developing accent of his boyfriend’s was getting.

   “Nngh…” Zack failed to stifle a moan. “Yeah…”

   The remainder of the duo’s changes to their lower bodies happened in synchronicity. For Zack his lower legs were visible allowing the ballooning of his calves to be on full display. Meanwhile Nathan’s jeans were noticeably continuing to strain against his own growing calves, and the seams holding the jeans together finally started to become undone. It didn't take long for the thickness of each of their legs to reach an equalness to that of the rest of their bodies.

   The final portion of their lower bodies were the pair’s feet. This section of the transformation mirrored their hands, each foot growing out to be thicker and larger to fit their new bodily proportions. The toe caps of their shoes bulged with sets of bumps representing their increasingly chunkening toes. All the while the two of them could feel their heels dig into their footwear. The concurrency of their changes meant their shoes eventually started to rip apart at the same time, toecap steadily splitting off to allow the longer length of their feet to be freed. All the while the strings split apart against their newfound width. Both men’s shoes had become totalled by the end of these changes, allowing their feet to all be comfortable without being restricted by the confines of footwear.

   With the destruction of their shoes came even more destruction of their clothing. Nathan’s polo shirt was already getting pretty far in this as the shreds of its long sleeves hung off his arms while the torso section of it continued splitting apart against his massive muscles. The more his chest and abs became visible the more another, more minor change grew prominent. There was a formation of a light dusting of chest hair sprouting across his pecs, alongside a small trail of it running down the middle of his abs. The small amount of fuzz also seemed to have a grayish-brown tone to it that his hair hadn't usually possessed. 

   Meanwhile with Zack, the short sleeves of his shirt had split apart by this point. Long rips were tearing their way across the torso segment as well making his own muscled form increasingly visible. He also wasn't exempt from a weird addition to his chest either, although his was more unorthodox than Nathan’s had been. Visible from a rip that had formed over his right pectoral was a massive scar that etched itself into his flesh. Even stranger was the bright blue glow in the middle of the scar. Zack felt the sensation of something materialize and embed into his chest, which he quickly found out to be some kind of triangular-shaped gemstone.

   Nathan had watched the sight himself, and that was when everything finally clicked. “That gem…”

   “Wha…?”

   Nathan let his statement resonate a bit. The way his own voice was deepening, the Light Northern British accent that kept embedding into his speech, the purely aged and wisened tone of it all. The more he spoke the more he came to realize something about himself as well.

   “Nathan, you're looking like you realized something,” Zack spoke out. His own voice had seemed to be finally settling as well. The still over-the-top Southern England accept that resonates with his statements. It in itself was fairly distinct, recognizable.

   “Y-you haven't noticed it yet??” Nathan said, a bit dumbfounded. “The- the blades! They've been turnin’ us into their owners this whole time!”

   “...huh-” Zack looked down at his chest again. The crystal. Oh, oh. “Wait I'm becoming-”

   “Yeah.”

   “And you-”

   “Yep,” Nathan ended the chain with a nod.

   For a few seconds silence just hung in the air. Then Zack made a random comment: “I guess that'd explain why you're getting some facial hair…”

   Nathan raised a brow. “Eh?”

   With the heat in his chest finally gone he was able to more easily move himself around his little strain. He lifted up a hand to touch his chin and, unsurprisingly, grazed over a few hairs that had grown there. His fingers were even feeling more hairs grow in that region as well! From a secondary perspective it would appear that an amount of gray fuzz had sprouted from the base of his chin. It was fairly light at first, but as the seconds passed this newly developing chin stubble was growing to be a little thicker than just stubble. Facial hairs continued to grow out of his chin and developed a fairly average length. It wasn't long until the stubble appearance was now more of a thin patch of beard.

   That wasn't the only portion of his face that was changing either. While his small beard developed Nathan could feel a slight pressure extend across his skull. The shape of his skull was reconfigured into an almost rectangular appearance. Meanwhile his jawline felt like it was squeezed a little, and instead of squaring out the ends of it slanted diagonally a bit until its shape became a little more like a rounded triangle. All the while his facial features had been morphing alongside everything. The end of his nose became a little raised, the size of his eyes getting slightly larger, even his eyebrows seemed to thin out rather significantly. All the while it seemed a few wrinkles formed on his face, most noticeably beneath his eyes, which gave him a more aged appearance.The most drastic change came to his left eye however as in just a few seconds it was damaged to the point of losing sight and got scarred over. All of that forced Nathan to compulsively keep that eye shut.

   “That was sudden-” was the best reaction he could muster as he brought his hand up to graze the scar.

   The last part of his physical transformation came with his hair. It had already been in the process of changing just minutes prior, but now that was being sped up. The style constantly became thicker and fluffier as clumps were brought together to formulate a thick and spiky style. This spiky hairstyle continued to form as bits hung over his forehead, other bits jutted diagonally upwards on the sides and back of his head, and everything culminated with many of the spikes raising upwards on his head’s apex. Just a dense mass of spikes of hair rising from the top of his head in a neat, well-organized appearance. All the while the same grayish-brown that etched into the rest of his body hair was now forming in the hair on his head, rapidly overtaking it and fully replacing its previous color. The way his hair appeared in style and fluffiness at this point should be impossible to achieve, but here it was on his head.

   Zack’s own head has also been in the process of morphing all of this time as well. He didn't seem to develop any facial hair, but he did feel pressure wrack his own skull as his skull structure was forcibly shifted to fit his new body. While the upper portion of his skull became more equal and rounded, almost akin to a circle, his jawline slanted and chiseled triangle that blunted at his chin. His own features changed alongside this by having his eyes seem to thin a little, eyebrows thinning out a lot, and the width of his nose narrowing as the end of it rounded a bit. By the end it would seem his face gained a symmetrical visage that possessed an almost regal appearance.

   All that remained was the case of his hair which was now in the process of actively lengthening. As the almost metallic silver shine rose from the roots to overtake the follicle coloration, all of his hair just continued to grow longer. Bits of it hanging down and grazing his chin while other bits drifted around his ears. He could even feel portions of his hair touch the nape of his neck. It didn't seem to grow any longer than that though. It also didn't look to have that smooth of an appearance either as his own hair could be defined as spiky to some capacity. Long clumps just sticking out or curling at uneven intervals while a strange layering now seemed to exist in his hair. It too looked to be one impossible to attain hairstyle.

   With that their bodily changes were complete and the two were left just looking at each other. Two newly-minted brawny men in torn clothing, said men now looking like perfect copies of Zeke Von Genbu and Rex from Xenoblade Chronicles. To say they were utterly speechless right now was an understatement… then after a few seconds Zack just began to rip the tattered remains of his clothing off his body.

   “I am not just going to stand here in shards of my t-shirt!” Zack plainly stated, knowing his boyfriend was looking right at him. Nathan just watched before he too joined in the ripping off of what little remained of his more-than-ill-fitting clothing.

   As they both did that it seemed one final change was ensuing. Although in this case it was happening to their undergarments as for both of them did that article of clothing alter. Just barely growing in size but not enough to lose the prominent bulge, and the back of them shortening enough to reveal a bit of their bubble butts. All while the previous cottony material was hardened into nylon, and their previous colorations were rapidly shifted. For Zack the pure white was lost to a deep blue with gray geometric patterning on the sides, and for Nathan it became a dark gray with a bold blue X over front and back. It had seemed they both were wearing speedos now, and by the time they finished tearing off their clothes they took note of this fairly instantaneously.

   “Uhh, that's… different,” Nathan remarked. He honestly would've expected his clothing to have morphed into something else entirely but… this works, at least. Plus he could see Rex’s- or well, his massive muscles in all their heroic glory. Something about that thought made him feel his cheeks flush with red again. Especially since his gaze was moving up to his chest. Although he was broken out of this state pretty fast by Zack starting a conversation.

   “Zeke’s pretty built, isn't he?” Zack stated, flexing an arm and feeling just how firm the bicep had become. Despite how weird it all felt he could deny that something about all of this was hot!

   “I would've assumed you'd know that since you watched me play the second game,” Nathan responded. The now older-looking man then walked closer towards Zack, noticing that he was still at least an inch or two taller than the other man. “Although I think I'm the one that got a bit larger~”

   Nathan than flexed his own arms, knowing full well that Zack would ogle over them. In which yes, his boyfriend did end up doing so as his gaze was instantly drawn to the other’s thick muscles. Although he was a little taken aback that Zack had instantly come closer to actually start feeling them up.

   “Man, you're thick…” Zack complimented as he squeezed Nathan’s biceps. The statement itself sounded rather humorous as well since he had Zeke’s voice. “I think I might be a little jealous~”

   “Eh, don't be,” Nathan responded, his aged voice sounding so tender and caring. He brought a hand down onto Zack’s undamaged pectoral and gave it a nice, firm squeeze as well. “Your muscles are quite satisfying to feel too.”

   Nathan couldn't help but let out a deep chuckle as he say Zack blush. “O-oh really?”

   “Mhm…” Nathan nodded, beginning to inch his aged face closer to Zack’s still young adult one. “And I’d say you gave us both quite the spectacular surprise this anniversary.”

   Then, before Zack could even respond, Nathan pressed his lips up to Zack’s. An intense feeling of passion welled up between the two. Like their love for each other had been reaffirmed in some way. Even in different bodies from their own they were still absolutely irresistible to each other, and odds are taking on the form of two hot video games men just exacerbated that feeling by a hundred times. And the longer their mouths touched the more both men could feel their blood boiling and rushing through their bodies. They truly wanted each other more than ever…

   Then Nathan broke off the kiss, a playful smile forming on the man’s face. “Now how about I show you a thing or three in bed?” he practically purred in his accented voice.

   Zack, who was still blushing, let out a laugh. “Only if you call me the Bringer of Chaos there~”

   Nathan then wrapped his arms around Zack’s waist, bringing the other even closer to his body. “Anything for you, Zeke~”

   “Then how about we get going, Rex?”

   With those statements said the two men happily made their way to their bedroom, a very passionate anniversary having now been fully forged.

[gaunt-and-hungry]

A Wretched Star to Be Born Under

A sneak peak into the newest chapter coming out for Brine and Ice

Summary: Another Sledge Party returns from The Revenge, provisioning and supplementing The Terror. Heinrich deals with some unwanted sensations for the reverent Leftenant Irving. Tons of awkward tensions. Content Warnings: None Word Count So Far: 2,121 Name drop of Lillian McNeil of @ashton-slashton

“That would be Mr. Reiss then. Graham is with him,” Edward Little’s spyglass gave a pleasant ‘clink’ as it was snapped shut in the cold of his fingers.

“They’re late,” Erebus paced along the gunwale of the Terror, “But alive. Must count our blessings, Leftenant,” he assured. “I’ll report to the Captain.”

It was the third sledge party to make it back. Getting to the Revenge was easier than returning, laden down with the provisions and needs of the crew. A straight shot across the ice it took them just under a day to reach the sanctity of the Revenge. There was a shift in temperatures across the northern belts of floes that prickled the pack of waves that froze and thawed like clenching fists around the warm currents that trickled down from the north. This thaw and refreeze could only be seen once they reached the precipice of where The Revenge patrolled the furthest sheets, locked into her own harbour of frigid waters like a caged animal.

May was never this cold from what Erebus had recalled. He knew these waters but had never traversed these narrow shulks of waterways. He was not foolish enough to, though clearly he was foolish enough to wander out into such violently inhospitable reaches for the sake of others. Ross owed him, that was certain, and it took everything within his power to not hold any of the spite he felt for Ross against him as he, himself, was paving a way through the ice. Three and a half years they had been lodged in this hellscape, suffering the weight of lightless cold and hours of perpetual twilight that shook the skies with ribbons of fluorite and seafoam greens.

For all that the Frozen North held within its grasp, the end of the earth was closest here than it was anywhere else in the world. Stretches that maddeningly were endless and yawned anciently as if a perverted idea of purgatory had swallowed them whole occupied the eye. There was no wonder as to how they ended up in such clutches. But that mattered not. What mattered was the aching creaks and groans of the bodies of wood that threatened to cave like the ribs of a carcass snapping wide to bear open the welcome sight of her innards. When water began to pool beneath the hulls of the ships, everyone felt it. The canting was violent as the slick and supple lubrication of fluid against rutted wood. The search party that Erebus had lead was not met as welcomingly as he had anticipated. But a full belly with food that was not tainted with old lingering haunts of a poorly constructed tin had a tendency to shift the tone and mood of many. Consolidation on needs that would be most prevalent were carried with them.

“How did you find us?” was the first thing that he was asked as he warmed himself by the stove in the great cabin on Terror. He was given a teacup of coffee. Francis looked at him knowingly. It was hot and that was all that mattered. Some sort of unspoken understanding passed between them as if Francis had confirmed a suspicion he had even though they had met naught two hours prior for the first time in both of their lives.

“That is what I do.” He had replied candidly. “That is what I am good at.” he offered but then paused. “Lillian McNeil,” he finally spoke and confessed. “I know him. If I did not, well…” He shook his head. “I would have figured it out.”

There was an unspoken understanding between Captain Francis Crozier and Erebus, the two of them sharing a queer and mutual comprehension that seemed to exist both outside of the hulls of the ships and yet woven tightly betwixt the both of them like a thread. He had told the Captain, now Commander of the Expedition, that Ross had sent him. There was a hope that glimmered in Francis Crozier’s eyes when those words were spoken. Knowing that there was aid to be had from the other ship, though some miles between the two of them, had done something to Captain Crozier that had the man looking as if he had received the greatest news of his life. “Deus Ex Machina, aren’t ye?” He had said it with a laugh. Disbelief in his tone as he huffed out that exhale. “For what it's worth, lad, I’m glad you are here. I’m not a man that believes strongly in anything I cannot see with my own two eyes. But I can see you. And I believe you. And you are a right blessing.”

Something shifted inside Erebus. Something hideous had shifted that day when he met Francis Crozier for the first time. Something hideous cracked inside his body and began to leak an unknown warmth deep in the pits of his body. “I will get you out of here.” He promised solemnly. 

—

Whatever they had done to stave off the thing that was called Tuunbaq seemed effective enough. Though, knowing Heinrich, the thing was giving him the broadest berth that it could with the horrors that the man carried. Crew took over, eagerly following the barked orders of Leftenant Little and the rest of the team that came to gather their beloved crewmates inside the warmth of the belly of Terror, harbouring her young like a great beast in the hellscape that they were entrenched in.

He was beaming, quite proud, as he lingered to watch the swarm of midshipmen and alike unpack their sledge and usher the cold frigid and yet heaving hot bodies into the berth of their vessel. He watched as they swarmed like hungry ants for something that promised a next day and a proper meal. The sledge parties had gone without a hitch save for the storms that whipped viciously like an angry lashing through the barren tundra. The ever-white stretching on forever with little to shelter from hideously malicious winds could rip tents apart with the smallest of effort. For what it was worth, half catering to the directions of the other crew, they had managed to harbour safely along the ice flats that bore no topographical safety. They used the piled sledges to maintain a barrier between them and the direction of the wind, which seemed to sometimes change on a whim simply to spite the teams.

Most of their casualties were toes and, unfortunately, one pinky finger, the thing snapping right off like an iced-over twig in a much more familiar cold. Alas it was out of Heinrich’s control and far beyond the decency he would allot himself in this setting. He was there to keep the thing at bay and he did so quite well. The cluster of men were using what daylight they had, the hour late and dinner far for certain something that ought to have been underway by now. With all that they had brought it should last them a bit more still yet, supplementing their lack of proper sustenance that should have been adequate for their time already spent frozen in.

He examined the thaw happening about the hull of the ship, the water pooling a hideous hazard to the men as it would occasionally refreeze, pushing up and out in the flexing of the jaws of ice. Currently, it sat as a placid puddle about her body, several feet deep and so briney as to smell it on a stale day. It always reeked a bit of iron. He paid it no mind and consolidated his efforts in whittling away at whatever unusual force was causing such a malady in this inhospitable and desolate place. Even the indigenous folks were aware that something horrifically unusual was happening. There was no secret about that.

He was discrete, of course, and always was. But what he could not be discrete about was beginning to deeply rot inside of him like an infection. He mulled it over for a moment, the hideous machination that was bubbling up inside of him as he anticipated the source of the infection at any moment. Hodgson was off duty today. Which meant that surely it would come tapering down at any moment to provide the other Leftenant with much needed support in coordinating and organising the men. He was, after all, brilliant with maths.

“Mr. Reiss,” the voice had come from a direction that he was not anticipating it. He did not turn around. For he could not, his blood both simultaneously boiling and freezing over all in one fell swoop. He pretended to be occupied with something on his sleeve. He pretended to not notice. Finally, the voice was just beside him, behind him, far too close, far too pleasant, far too shaky in the cold. He wanted to fix that. And that, of all things, was a problem. “Mr. Reiss,” he called again, quieter. There was no need to shout in this proximity, after all.

His hips swayed as he turned but did not move where his feet planted; he smiled, fond and careful, charming as always, and a head taller, “Oh! Leftenant Irving. Nice of you to come. I have your manifests,” He pulled them from somewhere in his coat and handed them over, hands gloved in the finest of leather and fur that anyone aboard the ships had ever seen. They paled in comparison to anything that even Sir John Franklin would have possessed, damn and curse that man’s husk of a body. His jaw clenched as he watched Irving’s trembling hands accept the neatly bundled and tied parchments. His scarf had fallen loosely around his throat a little, exposing a bit of his throat as he looked up at Heinrich with a glimmer in his eye and a smile on his cracked lips. Heinrich wanted to vomit.

“Oh! Oh you are quite well with this all,” he spoke, his mittened hands fumbling with the folds of his greatcoat as he tucked them away hastily. “I m-must ask you,” his teeth began to chatter and Heinrich had half of a mind to shut him up right then and there, a visceral reaction coiling inside of him. “Would you be coming in and down for dinner? I’ve come to collect the lot of you two,” he gestured with a cant of his head to Little who was still coordinating the men, steps slick with fresh snowfall as they carefully team hauled crates and casks together. 

This surprised Heinrich for it was not what he was anticipating at all. He had been prepared to droll about the materials and foodstuffs. He was prepared to discuss the extra fabric and blankets and some other raw materials which could be of use in keeping the crews comfortable. He was prepared to discuss the numerical values of every minute detail down to its last ounce. He was not prepared for John Irving to invite him to dinner. “In the Wardroom? With the lot of you?” His wrist made a limp circle as if collecting every bit of command into that encasement of which he would then be a part.

“It is the least we can offer for such efforts and your…” he licked his lips and Heinrich did the same. He desired to yell at the younger man for such a thing. Useless it was to apply saliva to one’s lips in these conditions. He ought to pull his small round of a tin and dab the oily slick of a salve he had brought along and run his finger along those slightly parted lips. He was snapped out of his thoughts, “generosity. It would be quite pleasant for you to share a meal with me- Ah- with us.” He smiled mindfully then, the coldburn of his cheeks inflamed. 

“I could never deny your hospitality,” Heinrich’s feigned control was fitted to the small of his back as he tightly clenched his fists in a mock parade rest. He bent at the waist to masque the gesture as nothing more than simply courtesy. “I would delight in joining you for dinner, yes,” His accent was thick, his throat tight. 

The way that John Irving seemed to rise on the balls of his feet for a moment and then lower himself back down not once but twice gave Heinrich the impression of someone resisting the urge to flee and run from him. Yet he stayed himself, hands clasped behind his own back. “I will help finish this up here then, you ought to head in. You must be utterly chilled to the bones,” his smile never left his lips nor the tinge in his chilled cheeks. Heinrich felt fine.

[cerisezero]

So I keep thinking about the whole thing that happens with Shulk and Rex at the end of Future Redeemed. (I need to rewatch the ending, tbh, to get the details straighter in my head but it sure is a thing that's been taking up space in there regardless?)

You know the thing that happens. Right, good? Good.

There's a song by VNV Nation that often comes to my mind with stuff like this. 'Further'. (Perhaps it's a stretch, as far as the lyrics overall go, but there's a couple of lines...)

As we were forged, we shall return perhaps someday I will remember us and wonder who we were...

To me, this feels huge.

Going from inverted-commas-"human" (Homs, Leftherian, whatever) to part of Origin itself, its avatars, part of the system that is making the world tick. Even if the other physical Trinity Processors are out there in the wild rather than being plugged into the Origin mainframe, even if the boys don't have the 'processing power'. the duo are stepping into the Aegises' shoes dangit, Rex, stay out of Mythra's cupboard! By the end of Aionios, those two are going to have spent more of their 'lived experience' as avatars than as Just People. Probably? Give or take how wonky Endless Now time is; do we have a timescale for how 'long' into Aionios' existence FR happened? But that's a thousand years or so anyway. A thousand years of being something else.

What must it be like for them, to make that adjustment? What is it like on the inside? Sure, we see glowy liminal space at the end of the game and creating memory spaces is A Thing but how much of the total being-an-avatar can that really cover? What are they experiencing at any given moment - how must they change by the time Noah's Ouro-bros roll into town?

This stuff tickles me in the back of my head, in the place that's a sucker for the cool sort of AIs and cyberpunk-adjacent human-machine stuff...

This is also kind of the place my brain grabbed that 'Shulk rehabilitating Malos (while his sibling cheers things on)' fic concept from; given what our boy did with Bionis and Mechonis, he's kind of aligned with How Logos Do, and he's rather filling that role here. ...He doesn't have much luck with the whole 'I'm not a god, I just play one on TV!!' thing, does he?

...Also I can't help but think the first sign that something weird happened with Origin and Intersection after Aionios stops being a thing would be Shulk and Rex passing the snuff out. Even if they can't remember consciously... that's got to leave a mark.

I will remember us... and wonder who we were.

[marcmarcmomarc]

Super Smash Bros. Fighter Presentation

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS Fighters

MASTER HAND: The next fighter comes from the continent of Ylisse and is a very distant descendant of Marth. Welcome the first of the Echo Fighters, Marth’s Echo Fighter, “The Warrior From a Doomed Future”, number 21e, Lucina!

Theme: Victory! Lucina by GB6

(Lucina steps to center stage and twirls the Parallel Falchion.)

LUCINA: The future is not written!

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Fire Emblem: Awakening” for Nintendo 3DS!

MASTER HAND: Also from this game is the swords-person who woke up in a field one day with no recollection of their life other than their name. They are “The Tactician Magician”, number 56, Robin!

Theme: Victory! Robin - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

(Both Robins steps to center stage. Male Robin points his currently held sword upward.)

MALE ROBIN: Time to tip the scales!

(Female Robin does the same.)

FEMALE ROBIN: Let’s go!

MASTER HAND: Next is a young Homs engineering student from Colony 9, who took on the legendary Monado after a devastating attack by the Mechon brought chaos to his hometown. He is “The Visionary”, number 57, Shulk!

Theme: Victory! Shulk - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

(Shulk steps to center stage and grips the Monado’s handle with his right hand while triumphantly pumping his left fist.)

SHULK: I’m really feeling it!

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Xenoblade Chronicles” for Nintendo Wii!

MASTER HAND: I suppose now is a good time to bring up Olimar’s alternate skin, another space traveler that hails from the planet Koppai, “The Astronaut in Training”, Alph!

Theme: Victory! Alph by GB6

(Alph steps to center stage and joyfully jumps in place.)

ALPH: Yo-ho!

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Pikmin 3” for Nintendo Wii U!

MASTER HAND: Alongside the Winged Pikmin from the same game! Next is the not-really-evil counterpart of Pit who was created when Pandora used the Mirror of Truth with the intention of getting her own Pit to serve her needs. He is “The Dark-Winged Doppelgänger”, Pit’s Echo Fighter, number 28e, Dark Pit!

Theme: Victory! Dark Pit - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

(Dark Pit steps to center stage, turns around a bit, then points with his right blade.)

DARK PIT: Can’t help but feel sorry for you!

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Kid Icarus: Uprising” for Nintendo 3DS!

MASTER HAND: Next is Bowser’s beloved son, a crafty, scheming young prince who holds a strong emotional attraction to Peach and a thirst to defeat Mario to make his father proud of him. Meet “The Prince of the Koopas”, number 58, Bowser Jr.!

Theme: Victory! Bowser Jr. by GB6

(Bowser Jr. rolls to center stage in his Junior Clown Car and twirls a hammer.)

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Super Mario Sunshine” for Nintendo GameCube! His Junior Clown Car made its debut in “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” for Nintendo Wii.

MASTER HAND: His alternate skins are the seven Koopalings.

Theme: Victory! Koopalings by GB6

MASTER HAND: “The Youngest”, Larry! “The Cool One”, Roy! “The Bold Beauty”, Wendy! “The Laughing Prankster”, Iggy! “The Enforcer” Morton! “The Wacky War Machine”, Lemmy! And “The Pompous Prodigy”, Ludwig!

(They all twirl their wands.)

CRAZY HAND: Their first appearance is “Super Mario Bros. 3” for Nintendo Entertainment System!

MASTER HAND: Next are a duo composed of a trollish dog and a duck that has left behind its life as a target. “A Unique Group”, number 59, the Duck Hunt Duo!

Theme: Victory! Duck Hunt Duo - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

(The dog lays on his side and does his infamous laugh, while the duck flies next to him.)

CRAZY HAND: First appearance, “Duck Hunt” for Nintendo Entertainment System!