#ohhh my let's just say i have some high-level experience with this stuff

[legobiwan]

My brain is currently stuck on the idea of Dooku as a conductor. Was at rehearsal and the director was conducting with a baton and the other hand behind his back, and naturally my brain went IT'S MAKASHI. And THEN he did the, you know, "GIVE ME MORE CRESCENDO" gesture (we were playing the chorale part of Jupiter, you know the bit) that kind of looks like a Sith trying to use the Force to deconstruct your organs. Anyways! Thought that might give you a kick <3

AHAHAHAH I CACKCLED, ANON

He would so be a conductor. I've had plenty of music directors who would have loved to arrange my orchestra's internal organs with a single gesture. (oooh the stories I could tell, many of them true! to quote Hondo Ohnaka)

Dooku has the pretension and the artistic eye and ear to sculpt an ensemble to his vision. He has the civility to hobnob with rich benefactors. He has the temper and linguistic skills to swear at the entire ensemble in at least 3 different languages when something goes wrong during the Mon Calamari opera dress rehearsal (don't ask me how I know about these things). He would definitely find a handful of "chosen ones" to deign with his goodwill within the ensemble. He would be incredibly exacting in rehearsal. (And probably a bit petty and tyrannical (see what I did there?) - not uncommon traits among many of higher echelon conductors in the business, although it's slowly improving).

But anyway - it 100% tracks.

Also, Jupiter is a banger. Although I personally prefer the Mars and Neptune movements of The Planets.

[sanddusted-wisteria]

A Builder, a Researcher, and a Rooftop, Ch. 9: Vega and Altair

prev | next | index

Also on AO3

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

The builder’s eyes trailed across the sky, trying to keep up with Qi’s arm and words as he pointed out and explained some of the brighter stars in the sky that night.

“...And that is Deneb,” Qi said, pointing at Cygnus’s bright head. “It’s a supergiant right about in the middle of its lifespan.”

The builder frowned. “Lifespan? Massive balls of gas have lives?”

Qi shrugged. “You and I have the same question. They are inanimate, and therefore not living. I believe we use terms like ‘life’ and ‘death’ as an analogous description of how stars progress from start to finish. There isn’t really a better set of terms.”

“What’ll happen when it ‘dies,’ then?”

“Well, for a star as big as Deneb, it will eventually start fusing heavier and heavier elements as its fuel runs out. Eventually, its core might become so massive that the energy it produces can no longer counter its own gravity. So it violently collapses and implodes, which then causes a massive explosion.”

“Ohhh, so that’s a supernova.”

Qi nodded. “Precisely! And after all of that, with enough stellar mass, what remains is the imploded matter, compressed into such a small space that it becomes the densest thing in the universe, and therefore has the most gravity in the universe. So much that not even light can escape it. So much that it even warps time.”

“A black hole,” they muttered together.

“Black holes are pretty crazy,” the builder said. “And kinda scary. Imagine getting sucked into one of those.” They shuddered.

“Indeed. I imagine having your body completely crushed from all directions while time stretches out infinitely is rather unpleasant.”

“They can’t…move, right? They can’t travel anywhere?”

“Motion is relative. Could they move in relation to what?”

“Earth. A black hole isn’t gonna pose a threat to us, is it?”

Qi shook his head. “Impossible. The closest one is thought to be around 1560 light years away. Even if it was heading in a straight line directly towards us, which is incredibly unlikely, it would take a very, very long time to get here.”

“Hm. Thought so. When I was in 4th grade, a kid in my class tried to scare us by saying that a black hole was coming to suck up the Earth in a hundred years or something.”

“That child was a simpleton,” Qi said flatly, causing the builder to burst out laughing. “I hope they grew up to be an adult with more sense.”

“Well, last I heard, he didn’t become a scientist, so at least there’s that.”

“I wouldn’t assume so. …You didn’t believe him, did you?”

“Well…” the builder let out a nervous chuckle. “I did, but only for like 30 seconds.”

“At least you realized the mistake. I could at least expect that much of you.”

“And I didn’t grow up to be a scientist either. Take that as you will.”

“Even so… Are you sure you’ve never had any serious experience with astronomy? You at least seem to have an aptitude for the high-level, conceptual aspects of the field.”

“Nope. I’ve done a little stargazing here and there. I know some of the big constellations and stars and stuff. Oh, and I had an old friend back in high school who was super into astrology and would give me full birth charts and readings and everything.” Qi’s lip curled in disgust. “But uh…that’s not astronomy, is it?”

“If you even dare utter that word again in my presence…” Qi muttered with a steely glare. “…I will never speak to you again.”

The builder laughed again, waving a hand. “Okay, okay.”

“Even those myths from the days before the formal development of science are better than whatever metaphorical snake-oil that pitiful excuse of a ‘discipline’ shills.”

“Well, at least I know one or two of those… If I tell you one, would you forgive me about the whole astrology thing?” they said with a cheeky grin and a tilt of the head.

“Ugh, yes please. Anything to distract myself from that.”

“Oh.” They were just joking. “Okay, well uh, since we’re talking about Cygnus, this one’s a little bit about Cygnus. Mostly about Vega and Altair, though. Let me see…” they hummed, trying to dredge the story out of their memory. The scowl on Qi’s face eased into his usual flat expression, but with a faint light of curiosity in his eyes.

The builder took a deep breath and began.

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

The Weaver and the Cowherd

Once upon a time, long, long ago, the King and Queen of Heaven had 7 beautiful daughters. The youngest was a talented weaver, spinning silky, wispy threads to make her family’s royal garb and all the clouds in the sky.

One night, the royal sisters descended to their favorite spring on Earth to bathe and relax. They shed their soft gowns and splashed gleefully in the pure waters.

Just then, a simple cowherd from the nearby village happened by, traveling home late from the big city after trading his wares. He heard the bubbly laughter coming from the direction of the spring. Who could be there so late? Carefully, he crept towards the spring under the cover of the brush, and laid eyes upon the most beautiful maidens he’d ever seen. They had to be divine beings. In particular, he was drawn to the youngest, watching two of her other sisters try to soak each other with amusement. She giggled at the sight, and as soon as the cowherd heard the tinkly sound, he knew he was in love.

How could he get her attention? There was no way he could just walk out like this. Then he noticed the maidens’ gowns left off to the side. If he took them, they would have to come find them and run into him, too. So he sneakily gathered all the gowns and made off a short distance away into the trees to wait.

Soon enough, the maidens soon noticed the missing gowns. Knowing they couldn’t possibly return to Heaven like this, the youngest offered to look for them. She searched carefully through the woods, and eventually stumbled upon the cowherd sitting next to the pile of gowns, startling him. Averting his eyes, he sheepishly explained why he wanted to steal their clothes, and offered to give them back right away. Even though she was stark naked in front of someone she had just met, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to his shy smile and innocently kind heart. And so the weaver fell in love with the cowherd.

Returning to her sisters, gowns in hand, the weaver explained what had just happened, and that she was going to stay on Earth to wed and live with her new beloved. Her sisters grew worried. What would their parents think? Did she even know how to live on Earth? Who even was this man? But the weaver was adamant, and waved her sisters goodbye as they reluctantly ascended back to the heavens.

And so the weaver and the cowherd lived their new lives together. He continued raising his cattle, while she started mending and selling clothes for the village. They bore two healthy and virtuous sons, whom they loved dearly. For a time, they were as happy as can be.

But one day, the Queen of Heaven noticed her missing daughter. Upon questioning her other daughters, she found out about her predicament. She was most displeased with the secret marriage, and to a mortal, no less. One night, she appeared before the weaver and demanded that she return to Heaven. This was less an order from her mother, and more an order from the Queen.

Helpless, the weaver had no choice but to leave her family behind. She gave her sleeping husband and children one last kiss, and left for the Heavens with misty eyes, never to return.

Upon waking up, the cowherd and his children were devastated at the weaver’s sudden disappearance. They wept, not knowing what they could do to find her. It was then, to their collective shock, that the cowherd’s finest ox began speaking to them. It told them about what had happened last night. There was hope, however. The ox told the cowherd and sons how to make a special boat, one that could sail to the highest Heavens.

When they had finished the boat, the cowherd and his sons set sail right away. Up and up they went, above the trees, the houses, and even the tallest mountains. Soon, they could see the Heavenly Palace, where the weaver sat on her balcony, glumly weaving clouds while keeping watch on the village from high above. The cowherd and their sons cried out to her, overjoyed to see her safe. She heard them, and called back to them with delight. They were so close. Soon they could reunite as a family…

But the commotion caught the ear of the Queen of Heaven. Furious, she took the hairpin out of her hair and used it to slice a massive gash across the sky. Out of the gash came floods of silvery starlight, forming a turbulent, impassable river between the lovers. Forever separated.

The weaver begged her mother to relent. Every day, she pleaded on her knees, wailing, tears spilling from her eyes. The Queen was adamant. But eventually, she gave in. Once every year, she decreed, the cowherd and the weaver could meet.

And she held true to her promise. On the seventh day of the seventh month, as the weaver, the cowherd, and their children waited anxiously on the shores of the silver river of stars, a flock of magpies flew down and gathered right above the starlight, forming a bridge. Carefully, they all stepped on, surprised to see the magpies able to support them. Then they ran into each other’s arms, finally reunited, even for a short while.

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

“Vega’s the weaver,” the builder said, pointing to the bright star above the Milky Way. “Altair and those other two stars next to it are the cowherd and their sons.” They pointed to the bright cluster of stars underneath the Milky Way. “And Cygnus is the magpie bridge crossing the river of the Milky Way.” They traced their finger along Cygnus’s cross shape.

Qi’s eyes followed their hand, bright with interest. “I see…”

They dropped their arm. “So, what do you think? Distracted enough?”

“Huh? Oh, right. That. Well, I suppose that’s a solid ‘yes,’ then.”

“Damn, looks like I’m just that good,” they chuckled.

“Indeed. I am obviously not an expert in literature, but you tell stories in an engaging way. Better than some of the books I have in my library, even.”

Their brow raised. Once again, they were joking, but the genuine praise threw them off guard. “High praise, honestly, coming from you. I’ve seen how many books you have.”

“Usually I avoid stories like these. Non-scientific accounts of things perfectly explainable by science. Although…I suppose they can still be enjoyed with a skilled storyteller and some suspension of disbelief.”

The builder felt a smidge lighter at his words, and a smile tugged at the corner of their lips. “If you’re ever in the mood for another, I know a couple more. Just say the word.”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Qi hummed.

Silence fell, and they both looked out towards the sky again.

“...Perhaps engaging with something non-scientific every once in a while isn’t as bad as I’d thought…” Qi muttered under his breath.

The builder said nothing, but the smile on their face grew.

Far above their heads, Vega and Altair and Cygnus shone bright, twinkling against the great cosmic river and the vast, inky-black sky.

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

A/N: The Weaver and the Cowherd is an actual ancient Chinese myth (Japan and Korea also have their versions of the same story). In fact, the Chinese names for Vega and Altair are literally "Weaver Girl Star" (织女星, Zhī Nǚ Xīng) and "Cowherd Star" (牛郎星, Niú Láng Xīng) respectively. So it's fitting that the first two spacecraft in the My Time verse we've been introduced to are the Vega 5 and Altair One.

The original story had the weaver's parents be the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West, but I decided to change their names for this telling, since they're figures from Chinese folk religion. Given the game's setting, I think it's unlikely that they would be passed down through the scattered populace of the Age of Darkness in exactly the same form, especially with the establishment of new religions like the Church of the Light. Just some interesting lil tidbits.

prev | next | index

[belleofthebookblog]

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi Review

3.5/5 stars

WAS THAT NECESSARY??? i mean... c'mon. That ending-just-ughhhhhhh. Why do you do this to me??? I was a little late to the party when it came to reading this book, considering I read the first three as they came out wayyy back in 2011-2014, but now I'm glad I waited because it means I can run to he bookstore and buy the next one

Back when I finished Ignite Me for the first time (as a wee teenager), I was fairly content with leaving the series as it was. Sure, there was a lot left that could have been written and there were a lot of questions left unanswered. What happened to the reestablishment? How did Juliette and Warner manage with taking over an entire continent? How did the other continents react? Well... I guess that's where Restore Me came into play. It seems pretty common for the end of dystopian series to leave the "restoration of the world" part up in the air, just letting you assume that yeah... everything turned out fine after all the war and fighting and hardship. You know, the interesting stuff that we love and hate but ultimately end up coming back for time and time again. I had high hopes for this book. But right after rereading the series when i picked this book up I felt kind of... ehh

SPOILERS

I love the whole "17-year-old girl being the only one who can change the face of the world" but when it happened and Juliette took over as supreme commander and the rest of the world just kind of... let it happen. And all of the soldiers just... let it happen. And everyone in the sectors just... let it happen. You're telling me that NO ONE was loyal to Anderson? Yeah, the guy was a douche. Grade A, top tier level douche canoe. But there's always a group of loyalists, ya know? And we just didn't see any of it. However, we did find out why the other continents just... let it happen -- why they let the 17-year-old girl from an asylum and crazy indestructible powers take over the continent. And the whole thing where they sent their children to scope out the situation because they didn't feel it was necessary to come out and do it themselves? *chef's kiss* Loved it. Wayyyy better answer to my question than I was hoping for. Warner. Ahh! Warner. My favourite (besides Kenji obvs.) character from the last books.

WHERE. DID. HE. GO. That boy has got some serious communication issues. "Ohhh but she didn't aaaaaask" asdfha;sdhfasdhd. UGH. This frustrated me so much. Your girlfriend is taking over an entire continent and has ZERO idea of how to run it. Hmmm, wouldn't it be convenient if she had a boyfriend who was raised for this. exact. job. Yeahhhh that'd be real helpful. Yes. I understand that he was upset about his dad, even though he was (as previously mentioned) a grade A, top tier douche canoe. But it was still his dad, and his girlfriend was still the one to kill him so I understand why he was upset. But Juliette asked if he wanted to talk about it and he would never open up. Juliette was just as bad. She had no clue how to do this job but she never really actively sought out the people who were there to help her with it. AKA the boyfriend who was raised for the very job she took over. Or even Castle, who had decades of experience running and underground organization. But nope. Anytime either of them had to discuss anything, they somehow ended up ripping each other's clothes off like a couple of animals. Don't get my wrong. i love me some Warner sexy times. But this was about the only time either of them seemed to not be just a bundle of "wahhh emotions". I couldn't even fall back on my favourite comic-relief character. Kenji in this book seemed really... watered down. This whole book, which I loved despite it seeming like I'm just tearing it apart, lacked structure. Everyone was moving around in circles without a whole lot feeling like it was accomplished. It felt little like the author forgot who the characters were. But I'm have high hopes for the next one, because I've loved this series for so long. Yes I had some issues with this book but i still really enjoyed it. It answered the questions I had after finished Ignite Me and I'm really hoping Defy Me cleanses away the issues I had with this one.

Not only that, but also answers what in the holy heck is going on with Juliette having a sister (which I did not expect) and that her REAL parents are not only alive, but are the supreme commanders of Oceania (which I did expect). 

There’s a looooot more that I could say about this book, like how it touches on soooo many mental health issues, transphobia, and honestly a lot of things that are probably more important to talk about than me whining about the characters. But I already feel that this review is pretty redundant, considering I’m about 2 years too late. 

Hopefully I’ll be on the ball for the final installment. 

[tcbefree]

tw : missing persons, death, murder, kidnapping, hydra ment, nazism ment

ryan : this week on buzzfeed unsolved, we’re covering the disappearance of skylar mccoy, a case for a girl that still continues to this day!

shane : this ... this is a big one.

ryan : yeah, this one really freaks me out, honestly. it’s ... it’s ―

shane : not fun.

ryan : that’s one way to say it. i’m ― not, uh, stoked about it. i remember, y’know, hearing about it, when she first went missing.

shane : yeah ... it was, like, a breakfast conversation thing.

ryan : a six year old disappearing is a breakfast conversation thing to you???

shane : like, in my house! my mom used it as a reason for me to, like, always answer my phone and come in at curfew and stuff. ‘ be careful cos even famous little rich girls can go missing, shane ! ‘

ryan : that’s what your mom sounds like?

shane : well, yeah. it’s ― she’s a mom. mom voice.

ryan : so, some background. skylar mccoy was one of half a twin pair born to doctor henry mccoy, born in his lab, actually. he made them through an... extremely intricate experiment that we’re going to glance over.

shane : what a fucking genius, that dude!

ryan : he’s ― yeah, absolutely. i was looking him up while doing this, the man has, like, six phds!

shane : holy shit! six! he’s giving stark a run for his money! six phds, oh my god. i can’t even, like, make a ... uh, what’re those dna things called from high school ?? put-it squares ??

ryan : punnett squares i think.

shane  : yeah, that!

ryan : but, yeah, born to a total genius. she was a famous kid, one of many, i guess. for her name at first, but growing up it was slowly becoming obvious that the little girl was a total genius. read at a fourth grade level, writing electron configurations, monitoring mutations, the like! and became pretty famous for just being a cool little kid.

shane : isn’t there, like, some famous photo of her and big daddy hank in his lab or something ???

ryan : big... big daddy hank... anyway! in the afternoon on july 30th, 1996, skylar mccoy went missing from her home in upstate new york. hank mccoy called police after finding out she wasn’t in their home. when they used scent to track her, they came upon a field, but the trail abruptly ended. it is assumed that it is there that skylar, who was six at the time, was last before disappearing.

shane : whoa, whoa, hold up! a field? since ... what!

ryan : it’s, y’know, not commonly known, but it’s worth noting. she was a ... an icarian kid, y’know. like, she was prone to wonder. they thought, at first, she just walked off.

shane : an icarian kid! have  ― there’s still footage of her growling at someone! she was, like, four! she was a little firecracker!

ryan : she was a genius!

shane : still a little shit! i mean, god rest her soul and all

ryan : she’s not dead

shane : isn’t it presumed dead after, like, seven years ??? it’s been eleven. and she was just a kid ― if i got lost at six years old, i’d be eaten by the coyotes!

ryan : * sigh * we’ll... we’ll get into that later. back to what i was saying ... the hours before her disappearance are well documented. there were many people in the house ; workers, fellow researchers, and family members. skylar ate breakfast at eight am and was in her room playing with her twin until around ten am.

shane : oh, god, the twin, i forgot about the twin. fuck, this is so messed up. god, is that kid, like, alright? like, are they, like, fine? this is ― ryan, can we not do this? this is, god.

ryan : she’s fine. alive and well. shane, everyone was requesting this.

shane : but ... this is so fucked up. what if she, like, comes back and sees this???

ryan : you just said she’s probably dead!

shane : i’m sorry, skylar

ryan : you test my patience. but, yeah. at around ten, skylar asked her father, dr henry mccoy, to go play outside in their yard, something she often did. he allowed her but said to be back by lunch. he noted her outfit, which was just converse and a sundress.

shane : what kind of six year old wears converse???

ryan : rich ones, probably

shane : good point ... good point.

ryan : she went to the yard. the last person that’s thought to have seen her is her twin, margot, who went with her but came in shortly after to play inside. they discovered she was missing when she didn’t come in for lunch. after skylar’s disappearance, margot admitted to knowing that skylar often left the estate and went to the field that the search team was led to, further evidence that she was taken from that location.

shane : a field??? that’s ― what kinda kid is just going to a field??

ryan : well, remember, she’s beast’s kid, got the whole giddup with it.

shane : the fangs! i remember the fangs!

ryan : yeah, so, like, the general thought was that she just liked nature or whatever, ‘cause she was so animalistic.

shane : the smartest little wolf ― ape?? what are they anyway??

ryan : i think apes. or something. but, let’s get into the theories, of which we have three for today. the first one is the current theory is one of the most popular, and of course, an obvious. it’s that skylar wandered into the woods and subsequently died.

shane : i mean, like, that’s fair, and all, isn’t it ?? she ... yeah.

ryan : doesn’t mean it tastes good.

shane : tastes good??

ryan : like, going down.

shane : ohhh. yeah.

ryan : well, the field was pretty near to the woods. the reasoning behind her going to the woods was the same reason that she was in the field, that it was a natural place that she wanted to be. the theory is that she wandered into the woods, lost her way, and subsequently died. it was summer and hot, and even if she did eat, which is possible considering her... animal qualities,

shane : you’re saying she ate... bunny ??? coyote ??? what ???

ryan : it’s not. crazy or anything. she’s a little, y’know, ape-wolf. it’d be ... instinct or whatever.

shane : instinct or not, that’s gross.

ryan : but, yeah, back to it. there wasn’t any water that was a viable source. but, let me disprove this theory.

shane : oh, here we go

ryan : to start, her scent ended in the field, and didn’t continue into the woods, which if she had just naturally walked to it, it would have. following her disappearances, people went on organized walks and searches everywhere in the area, and nothing was found. not a single sign that skylar had ever been there.

shane : so... it’s bullshit, then?

ryan : basically. this is what led to the case gaining even more attention, because it narrowed it down until only one viable and reasonable possibility could be made, that skylar mccoy did not wander off, she was taken.

shane : yikes!

ryan : yikes is an understatement. that being said, let’s get into the second theory, which is that skylar was kidnapped. she was alone and, though reports vary about her actual strength, only six years old, and reasonably defenseless. there are many a person who could have done this, however. hank mccoy is an active member of the x-men, and the enemies of the x-men are so numerous they’re practically unlistable.

shane : that’s what happens when you save lives!

ryan : and destroy stuff all the time.

shane : do you have beef with the x-men, ryan?

ryan : no, i’m just saying !! and, y’know, team magneto, and stuff.

shane : magneto was right!

ryan : but, yeah, there’s so many people that could’ve taken skylar. enemies of the x-men, anti-mutant supremacists, some people even thought it might be, like, hydra,

shane : hydra!! like, heil hydra ??? like, the nazis ???

ryan : it’s not that far off! they’re mission is, y’know, chaos, and chaos it was when everyone found out about skylar. and with that, they’re reach is so far we don’t even know where it’s at. they infiltrated shield! shield!

shane : but, like, nazis, man.

ryan : well, skylar’s asian ― korean, i think.

shane : god, fuck hydra. fuck.

ryan : that’s an understatement. but, this brings me to my third and final theory,

shane : this ― this is going to be like, aliens, isn’t it? ?? with how you present theories ??

ryan : aliens are real, shane!!!!!! we’ve been over this!!!!!! it’s not a far-off theory!!!

shane : god, i’m just saying. don’t shoot the messenger. so you’re telling me it’s not aliens??? this theory ISN’T aliens??

ryan : well...

shane :  goddamit

ryan : third theory is that skylar mccoy was abducted. there wasn���t any trace of her left, and her scent just ended in the spot, which is notably weird. there were even ufo reports that night in nyc, so. and she was entirely alone, as well. a field is, really, a staple of aliens, even though it was a field of flowers and not of corn.

shane : doesn’t make this not dumb

ryan : and, of course, skylar hasn’t been seen since. there’s been a bunch of reports all over, but nothing confirmed or nothing that has led anywhere.

shane : wasn’t there that, like, viral picture of that dirty girl in japan, or whatever???

ryan : yeah, but not confirmed. and japan is... pretty far and all

shane : but it did look like her! with the ears and stuff

ryan : well, yeah. but nothing confirmed. but, either way, the search for skylar mccoy goes on today, year after year, and for her and her family’s behalf, i hope that it’s one day unravelled!

shane : find her! stop her from eating those bunnies!

ryan : but until then, this case remains unsolved.

[agentdammers]

Grand Torchwood Rewatch 1x12 & 13

IF YOU FALL I WILL CATCH U I’LL BE WAITING........ T I M E A F T E R T I M E

One season down...... It’s a Finale Double Whammy, just as it aired back in 2007! Crumbs of Jack Lore drop into our laps, some absolute plot bullshit takes place, an old man is there!!! fuck it let’s get this over with

content warn: pisstaking, fun having, oh! plot bullshit!, i absolutely lose my fucking mind, Owen Harper!!! I Won’t Hesitate Bitch

1x12 “captain jack harkness”

- a thought before we dive in, but man owen gets A LOT of story stuff over the course of the 2 seasons he’s in right??? like more story stuff than ianto and tosh combined. interesting

- AH FUCK!!! A VOTE SAXON POSTER. REMEMBER WHEN?

- so..... here’s a thing. “Ohhh people have heard music from a derelict building! better send torchwood in!” how... does that come about? Could it be squatters or something??? fuck it, let’s send in a Secret Government Agency! they’ll sort it out. i mean we don’t know what they do exactly but i imagine at least one of them is a ghostbuster or something lmao, whatever

- OH NO THIS CREEPY OLD BITCH!!! i forgot how scary he looked!! god, this dude must be a million, or a vampire, or likely both

- tosh’s eyes get SO BIG WHEN THAT GUY ASKS HER TO DANCE I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! she’s the best one!!!!!!

- wish i could wipe this episode entirely from my memory because that fucking reveal when the Real jack harkness introduces himself? F    U    C   K

- speaking of tosh, finding it extremely unconvincing that she, a tech nerd, would go out with a laptop with an almost completely flat battery... like, c’mon. she would be prepared

- Gwen cooper, a fully adult woman: haha me and my friends;;;; came here 4 a dare;;; cos its spooky lol....

- the camera on this show has me fucking SCREEEAMING “He wears a cravat.” THERE’S A DRAMATIC SLOW MOTION ZOOM IN ON THIS GUYS FUCKING CRAVAT AND THEN ON IANTO’S FACE LOOKING AT IT AND ITS ALL IN FUCKING EARNEST LET ME DIE!!!!!!!!!

- the dance they’re at is called “KISS THE BOYS GOODBYE DANCE”, which is what my finishing move would be called if i was a character in a fighting game

- ianto and owen slapfighting over their shit girlfriend experiences fucking owns genuinely lmao

- tosh pops the top off a tin and then cuts her hand open on the obviously blunt fucking lid?????? jesus christ

- “I’m tired of living in awe of the rift!!!” .....................first i’ve heard of it. I love that owen is talking as though the rift has been a major fucking factor throughout the entire series up until this point, rather than a thing that’s just been vaguely fucking referenced as the reason why a bunch of weird shit just seems to happen in cardiff. no, im not standing for this. You can’t pull out the rift at the eleventh hour and then talk about it as though it’s a Hugely Important plot device when the biggest role it’s had over the stretch of the entire 11 Whole Ass episodes prefacing this was to allow the plane to come through in “out of time”. y’all have barely mentioned the rift this entire time and now you want to act like its the hellmouth??? eat my ass!!!!!!

- and continuing on that note: apparently they’ve had a machine that can manipulate the rift in the hub......... the entire goddamn time. but no one thought to MENTION it i guess!!!!!!!! pfft, why would THAT be important??? right???? right?????

this plot bullshit almost makes me feel bad for how harsh i was about “cyberwoman” but, i will admit.... despite this Absolute Fucking Nonsense, i do find the jack and tosh storyline in this episode really fun and interesting. its just unfortunate that all the stuff arrrrround that is some kind of fic scrawled in the back of a kid’s math book.

- also the size of owen’s fucking NADS in this episode!!!!!!!! “Don’t compare yourself to me.” SAYS MAN CRYING OVER THE GIRL HE KNEW FOR ONE (1!) (SINGULAR) WEEK!!!! as opposed to ianto’s longterm girlfriend being turned into a monster and eventually murdered by his own team!!!! Like, i understand that’s owen’s problem actually goes beyond that, and its not so much about diane herself but about the fact that he let himself feel close to someone again after his fiancee died but for us, The Audience, watching this as it airs... we haven’t unlocked owen’s tragic backstory yet. and without knowing all that it just makes owen look really bad and like a huge fucking tool lmfao.

- NEVERMIND THE END IS GAY AND SAD AND Y’KNOW!!!!!! i am a man of simple pleasures, at heart, and so... i’ll let it slide. jack meeting his namesake knowing that he’s going to die and them having a moment is more of the kind of emotional content we would get in episodes of doctor who, and its Just Right

- in honesty, theres a bunch of stuff about this ep that i DO like. that tosh gets a prominant role for a change, while gwen gets to do fuck all. the whole Real Jack story. owen gets shot and pops a tit out at the end. its just unfortunate thats its all wrapped up in this rift thing thats been wheeled out last minute for a Big Season Finale with no real foreshadowing or build up to it at all lmao. but, moving on...............................................................................................

1x13 “end of days”

- RHYS BUNS DETECTED, A SOUND WAY TO KICK OFF ANY EPISODE

- lovely reading voice ianto’s got..... i also like owen acting up to make sure we know that they remember him being shot in the shoulder last episode lol.

- “owen, if you open the rift you’ll break it” (owen opens the rift anyway) “owen, you opening the rift broke it” (owen GASPS IN DISMAY, ME??? REALLY?) yes bitch open your ears

- “So are we going to sit around crying into our lattes or are we gonna do something about it?” OWEN..... IS THIS. SUPPOSED TO SOUND BADASS I.... GENUINELY CANT TELL? IT SOUNDS BAD, OWEN

- jack was so likeable last ep now he’s a DICK. gwen calls him out on how he talked to owen and he’s really fucking catty at HER for no reason at all????

- i haaaaaaaaate this scene in the hospital where a Mystery Illness has all the fucking symptoms of the bubonic plague but apparently every doctor in the entire hospital never did high school level history and are all incapable of recognising it. if fucking *i* know what symptoms of the bubonic plague are im sure they didn’t need Absolute Brain Genius Owen Harper who is seemingly the only person with any sense in cardiff to come in and diagnose it. i also hate how owen just like casually mentions to the doctor yep, this is caused by people falling through time dude yknow!!! like they do!! expect more of this to keep happening probably idk!!

- “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU OPENED THE RIFT WITH THIS MACHINE WE HAVE THAT’S FOR UHHHHHHHH UHHHHHHH OPENING THE RIFT *big fuck off galaxy brain*” thats basically this episode.

- i love that owen has followed jack all this time but NOW in a crisis is the time to actually lose it and start questioning his authority bc they dont Actually know who jack is like???? you’ve been fine not knowing this entire time before??? thats not to say that jack isn’t an entire dumbass himself. he expects them all to follow him blindly and its so creepy. he’s like a cult leader, and as they all have Torchwood Stockholm Syndrome that ive mentioned in previous episode run downs they’ve all just gone along with it.

- owen having a little cry on the way out is such a Good scene bc he puts on such a brave and defiant front tho 💕💖💘💕

- i dont know why the really quick flashback to diane flying off in the plane made me lose my fucking mind, its just like “LMAO IN CASE U FORGOT: SHE WAS THE PLANE LADY. I KNOW SHE WAS ONLY IN FOR LIKE TWO MINUTES, BUT DONT WORRY ABOUT IT.”

- gwen for fucks sake!!!!!!!! not again!!!!! after all the cryptic shit and lies she’s told rhys up until this point, she now knocks him out and locks him in a cell and STILL offers no explanation. this poor fucking dude!!!!!!!!! and it’s about to get even worse for him...

- the way gwen screams “RHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUURRRRRSSSSS”

- YES EVERYONE REBEL AGAINST JACK!!!!!!! FUCK THIS DUDE!!!! you’re doing what a creepy old dude who is Absolutely Definitely evil wants, but still

- why does gwen start doing shit on the computer when toshiko, the computer expert, is standing right there, like.............

- JACK TRYING TO SMACKTALK TO ENTIRE GANG LIKE HIS OWN CLOSET ISN’T CHOCKFUL OF FUCKING SKELETONS

- i forget, does anyone know jack’s immortal apart from gwen? or was it just the shock of owen actually Shooting Their Boss? the only onscreen death i can recall of his after suzie shot him was in “cyberwoman”

- god, minutes ago they were all like FUCK JACK!!!! JACK DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO SAVE US AFTER ALL!!! and now theyre all crawling back asking jack to save them all from cgi pig Ganon and its just..... a lot to happen, over the space of about half an hour.

- the ending is so anticlimatic and also why does sucking all the Yummy Life Energy out of jack make abaddon die?????????? Though in its defence... after like 3 bowls of cereal, i too am like OUCH OOF MY BONES

- aaaaaaaaaand rhys is back! will he get treated any better from here on out? i dont remember!!! guess we’ll see.

- bit much of gwen who’s actually known jack the shortest time of them all to be like NO, let ME be with him uwuwuwuuw

- ahhh!!! ianto smelling jack’s coat ;_;

- aaaand jack’s back too. AND HE GETS TO HOLD A CRYING OWEN? FOR ME? oh you shouldn’t have! this Almost makes up for all that rift plot bullshit (almost. i still know what u did.)

- ANDDDDD OH SHIT. FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GOOD ENDING. HERE COMES THE TARDIS. FUCKING YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...............................and there it goes. one season down. sorry this one was so long!!! i love and appreciate anyone to takes the time to read these posts. thank u!!!!

[italicwatches]

Comic Girls - Episode 01

Oh, fuck it. I was gonna watch this sooner or later, and while I have a lot of options on the board, I really want some craft anime right now, and I’ve got a good action/slice-of-life back and forth rhythm going too. So anyways let’s watch some girls make manga and probably have plausibly deniable romantic feelings towards each other. It’s Comic Girls, episode 01! Here we GO!

-We begin, at…A crosswalk, in Fukushima, on a quiet day. A small pink-haired moeblob sits in a car, being driven along, until a cherry blossom hits her cheek. She is very pink and very moeblob. …And then she learns that her latest manga submission did badly, when the editor gives her a call. How badly, you might ask?

-She’s bottom of the pack. The readers hate the art, the plot, the writing, and think the author can’t write high school girls worth jack shit. So our moeblob, having gotten dropped off from the car, just straight up collapses. Alas, poor Kaos-sensei, who cannot write high school girls despite being a high school girl.

-I’m not entirely sure how she ends up at the steps of a shrine, with a small army of stray cats coming to comfort her. The editor can tell this girl has potential, but god, she needs such thicker skin if she is ever going to survive…And there’s only one way to get her through a crucible without her cracking.

-Hard cut to some other girl getting a similar offer. Why yes, it’s an all-female manga artist dorm. This girl, a very free and loose blonde who…I think…Is she eating three parfaits at once? So suffice it to say she thinks this possibility over long and hashe’ll do it!

-Then we have two more girls…Who are also high school aged.

-Really.

-I just…Like, you’re putting them all in their own dorm. The entire point is they’re all working professionals, or trying to break into the industry. Considering I’ve seen about three different uniforms, I’m pretty sure we’re not going to spend any time actually going to anyone’s school.

-So what purpose does making them high schoolers serve at this point?! Ohhh my god just take me back to anime about working adults in an industry. New Game was total fluff but at least it wasn’t trying to have its schoolgirl cake and eat it too.

-Sorry, sorry, back to the show. These girls are further along the path, with one just getting serialized, and the other still deep in the grind by the sounds of it. Also they’re already tenants at the dorm.

-…So the moeblob’s a secret pervert.

-Okay that’s not entirely fair. We cut to Kaos that night, and she has tons of slightly ecchi heroine figurines in her room, and is getting all “mweeheehee” about being in an all-female manga artist dorm. Now let’s peer into her mental image of what it’ll be like! Yeah she could never survive in a stylish environment like that. Let’s try again the next morning! What if they’re all super intense serious artists? She’d crack there, too. But maybe they’re all a bunch of impassioned nerd rookies like her? A bunch of rookies all getting rejection letters every day would just be depressing.

-…Aaaand she just missed her train because she was lost in her own head. Alas, poor Kaos.

-And that’s how she ends up hauling her schoolbag, with her laptop in it, and her Rintiq tablet, down the road the old fashioned way. Wait, a Rintiq? Jesus, she has a totally-not-Cintiq? Did she just splurge All The Holiday Money, or do her parents believe in her dream that much? Like, shit, I thought I was super lucky when I got my entry-level DSLR at her age, and that was like half to a third of the price and was at a time when we were making money hand over fist.

-Oh and it’s at the top of a hill, too. Or perhaps I should say, she started at the bottom of several hills. But eventually, she makes it…And sees the landlady…And has a panic. Especially when she’s seen as a small tiny grade schooler and not the serious high school girl she insists she is. And the landlady just, isn’t, hearing it. …You know, I almost made a joke at the start about our moeblob not knowing how high school girls act because she was only in middle school.

-Also it turns out that the dorm is going to get a top-to-bottom remodeling in about a year, so there’s a timer. This iteration of the dorm isn’t long for this world something something high school experience cherry blossoms SYMBOLISM

-Anyways the blonde from before is Kaos’s new roommate and she gives zero fucks. And Kaos did not expect to be sharing her room with anyone. Meet Koyume, who has already gotten out the snacks and the paper and the pencils and really what else do you need? So Kaos’s real name is Moeta Kaoruko. …I’m sticking with Kaos. You need all the help to sound cool that you can get. Oh and Kaos gets all teary-eyed.

-“I’m sorry! Do you not like donuts?” Look if this kid doesn’t like donuts I am OUT.

-No she just doesn’t know how to handle being treated like a cute little moeblob. …How are you not used to it. Look at you. You’re 3 feet tall and your hair is pink with overly elaborate cross-pattern decorations in it. There’s no way.

-Eventually things calm down and we see the core problem Kaos is facing. In short, she lacks good anatomical studies. And if she tries to use her own body…Well, 3 foot tall moeblob. Great for bubbly comedy. Bad when you’re trying to draw a stylish, gorgeous high school girl, the kind of girl who could get scouted for a modeling job. She just ended up looking like a Mario Bros. movie goomba.

-Contrast Koyume’s problem, which is that she’s great at drawing cute girls, but terrible at drawing handsome boys. And she’s a shoujo romance artist. …So that’s not great. She just has no experience with guys to draw on… I mean, there’s an easy solution to that, Koyume. It’s called yuri and it’s the hottest new trend. You take a girl, and you have her fall in love… With a girl. (Or sometimes a bear.)

-But yeah both of them got pegged hard for their limitations by their editors, and so ended up here, and Kaos’s panic has Koyume panicking and soon they’re both just holding each other and sobbing. HEY! No crying in the dorm!

-Actually they meet the two senpais from before. And cling desperately to these two who Made It. So here’s Irokawa Ruki, the purple haired one who just got her porn serialized, and Katsuki Tsubasa, who has blue hair and is an intense shonen manga artist. Did I say porn? Yeah Ruki draws ecchi and freaks out about this tiny infant baby hearing such things. Kaos is not handling being treated like a mascot very well…Which is when Ruki gets ideas of what could be done putting the kid in a costume. Terrible, terrible ideas.

-Ignore her. So what has you two freaking out? Koyume got a debut and freaked out about not getting popular enough to survive…Stop, stop right there. The goal is not to be the best, or at the top of the charts. The goal is to get to keep drawing manga. You did well enough to debut. You have enough potential that your editor thought coming here was worth doing. Buckle down, work hard, and prove them right! The only way to achieve your ideal is to draw, draw, draw, with passion and fire! I knew there was a reason to like Tsubasa. And now, off they go.

-To their room, where Ruki is all trying to convince herself not to do things to that sweet innocent moeblob, and Tsubasa’s got inking to do. But she’s also really intrigued by firing up some rookies, even if they’re technically the same age.

-And soon that first night calms, and settles. Food is prepared, Kaos gets some time in the bath, and she’s left able to slowly process her doubts…Until the landlady reveals that the kitchen opens RIGHT to the bath so she can just summon everyone to food. Kaos has a panic.

-Episode 01: “I Got the Worst Results on the Survey!?”

-Okay, cut to time for bed! Koyume is gushy about Tsubasa being so strong and manly. Again, yuri. Kaos is already thinking of how Ruki seems like everything Kaos wants to be. Experienced, cool, stylish, curvy, attractive, makes her feel funny in her girl parts…(Wait, what was that last one? Stylish. Uh huh, sure thing.)

-Also they both get to thinking about what a real serialized pro’s room might look like…And that’s how they end up going over to see Ruki and Tsubasa’s workspace. It’s…Well, I mean, it’s a room. And Tsubasa is busy working to meet her deadlines, as Ruki gets ready to give one last push, putting her hair up and stuff…Which is when our rookies remember the whole porn thing and go looking for Ruki’s stash. Ah HA, what’s this lewd cosplay school uniform?!

-Her, her actual uniform.

-And all these rabbits?! Kaos knows rabbits mate like, like rabbits! Ruki, just, just like rabbits, you guys. Koyume wants to know where’s the perverted research material for drawing perverted manga?! Kaos counters that Koyume shouldn’t judge, maybe Ruki is just such a good pervert she can draw right out of her darkest fantasies without inspiration material!

-Ruki would like out of this now please.

-In fact, Kaos bets that under those baggy clothes, Ruki is super busty! Wait how did we even…Koyume wants to find out for herself and get a feel! And that’s how she goes for Ruki’s chest and finds it surprisingly padded and Kaos starts drawing the scene in front of her for lack of other ideas. How did we even get here. But the girls are finally made to apologize…

-And Ruki’s life story comes out. She sent in a manga about cute animals aimed at hitting the kid’s market. But her drawings of the human protagonist were so unintentionally erotic that she ended up getting sent to their 18+ division instead of their sad-onion division and serialized under the pen name Big Boobies <3 Himeko. She’d quit or start over, but now she has fans looking up to her, and their heartfelt admiration make her keep pushing. Big Boobies <3 Himeko-sensei, you’re really cool!

-Of course, with all of that, Tsubasa is behind the clock, and so soon everyone’s pitching in to try and do what they can to help…And so Tsubasa gives the rookies the tones to do, a classic grunt-labor job. Except she’s so deep into the weeds that she’s not unhooking what things like “unleash the dark energy” mean for her standard approach. Good news, Koyume knows what to do. Bad knows, Kaos doesn’t.

-But it’s because Koyume has fallen in love with Tsubasa’s manly manly charm. Anyways, thus begins the raw grind to get this chapter DONE. Koyume is doing really well, and is swiftly lost in Tsubasa’s praise. While Kaos is quietly freaking out because she’s going way slower. Not only is she less experienced, but Kaos learned digitally, and so dealing with all the analog tools is a whole new process for her. Aaaand that’s how she ends up messing up the panel. Oh god, oh god, get the white ou—THAT JUST DRIPPED AT THE WRONG SPOT

-…Kid you’re freaking out. Back up. Back up and breathe. Kaos falls into despair…But okay, this can all be fixed. Tsubasa just gets FULL SERIOUS, which also lets out a little bit of her old chuuni side. When she needs to totally concentrate, she inevitably ends up in cosplay of the characters. Whether that means we’ll be seeing more costumes, or if eyepatch and cape is just her Concentration Outfit, remains to be seen.

-Either way, Koyume is incredibly attracted to this serious stern look, as Tsubasa quickly fixes the lifework and gives Kaos a quick pick-me-up for her hard efforts. Koyume wants that kind of praiiiiise. …Oh god look at the clock. It’s time to get EVEN MORE SERIOUS!

-How do you get more serious than cosplay? First, by wielding the legendary three-pen style, like Manganora Zoro-sensei. Then, by TAKING OFF THE COSPLAY! Wait but then…

-Alright back to the grind. Kaos pushes hard, and is also starting to see…Just how far she might come if she stays here with these pros…Also she makes another mistake and Tsubasa has to fix it. Apologize when the chapter’s submitted, not before!

-And eventually, eventually, with the sun ready to rise, it’s DONE. Tsubasa flips through, confirms, and promptly lays down on the ground to collapse into unconsciousness. There’s a ton of passionate, intensity and yet kindness in this girl…It’s no wonder she’s able to draw shonen manga like she does…While Kaos here is just, so nervous, and awkward, and full of doubt, and she’ll never have any friends…

-Stop, stop right there. The dark inner thoughts are coming out. Also Koyume already considers you a friend. Ruki just needs more time to get to know Kaos, and Tsubasa is mumbling stuff about comrades in her sleep. The point is, you’ve got people on your side, rookie.

-Eventually, everyone’s just done, strewn out around the floor and trying to catch a few precious hours of sleep…

-Until that afternoon, when Kaos can confirm to her editor that she’s making new friends and feels like she’s making real progress! That’s good, that’s good. …What’s not good is your latest manuscript which is just not up to snuff to be put into the magazine as a one-off. Sorry kid.

-Credits!

…That got more dense than planned. And I didn’t even spend time detailing processes! We’ll see if things loosen up now that I’m not having to introduce everyone next time, in episode TWO of Comic Girls. Wait for it!

[iztarshi]

Day of Story and Song -- Episode 69

The last episode! I'm not sure the transcript is actually finished yet, but people are working hard on it. So, if I run out of episode I'll just have to stop and catch up later.

I'm actually on the edge of my seat going IS THIS GOING TO WORK? Or will this not work and they'll be pushed to figure out the "cut the bonds" bit?

Whoo! Davenport's a GREAT pilot. Maybe that's why he forgot so much? Time spent learning to pilot spaceships was probably also erased.

Taako, is this REALLY the time to confess to shoe theft? Not the most urgent issue right now.

….they're trying to get Merle angry. Which. I think is a losing proposition, honestly. He doesn't go much beyond surly. Or possibly they're confessing because they might be about to die. Who even knows.

I am completely not sure whether Clint cheated there because I can't remember the rules governing the Living Grimoire as applied to spell levels.

Yeah, I mean, Magnus can't use magic, but on the plus side he has a sword so overpowered it was never meant to be IN THE GAME.

…I'm missing kind of nine minutes of fight, but I don't WANNA stop and wait for it. It was probably just dice rolling?

(I came back to this nine minutes. I can't believe i missed Magnus using his grappling hook to swing into TWO overlapping zones of deadly magic.)

I was just going to comment on John going One Winged Angel when Griffin called him Sephi-john.

Oh no, Merle's nearly dead! Except, y'know, right now I'd expect Kravitz to give some leeway on that whole thing until the planes aren't in imminent danger of destruction, so I'm not TOO worried.

*laughing* I'm just really entertained that Taako's never been OFFICIALLY frightened before.

XD Taako's… well, that was a bit long for a one liner. But I liked it.

Oh, yeah, Magnus lost the Raging Flaming Poisoning Sword of Doom defeating the first John form. Which I don't blame Griffin for doing, because MAN that was overpowered.

Aww, Merle had the most Bond. Which makes sense, since he spent a lot of that being steady and wise and generally trying to give people hope.

Oooooh, the bond engine talks! Or maybe the Light talks through it?

…oh… it lets him summon a person through bond, that's really cool. Anyone he needs.

I have caught up there, so I'm taking a break. And wondering who the other two would call. Pan's the obvious one for Merle, since who else do you call on in times of trouble? For the others, most of the people they have are a bit more… people-y. As in, only mortal and possibly in some serious shit themselves. Taako could call Lup, but she's saving the world right now. Taako could call Kravitz, that would be pretty cool!

Oh! Maybe Magnus will call Julia?

Aaaw, he summoned Troth! And I'm finding that adorable mostly because I know she's from another game, so I kind of appreciate the crossover. Although, isn't she also inside the Hunger?

Caught up again. I should stop being so impatient and wait until they've actually had a chance to transcribe it.

Justin nearly rejects a bond attack on the grounds he doesn't have much bond and I know it's not Taako, it's his player, but it is easy to imagine Taako going, "Yeah, don't think I really connected that much and people probably don't care about me, so I'll pass."

YES! He summoned Joaquin! That's awesome, even if he didn't roll very high!

I went and slept in there, but now I'm back.

He rolled a whole lot higher on Joaquin's actual attack :D And also got a hug, I like these two.

"Travis: Uh, Griffin, if we wanna do...and you can cut this out - but when we wanna do Bond attacks, does that just count as an attack?"

Ha, no, you can't bond attack and then ALSO hit it with Railsplitter three times.

*laughing* Merle uses the bones that let him ask the DM a question to ask if Griffin's had fun. That's so cute, and kind of amazing to imagine in character tbh. Merle wants to know God's enjoying himself.

Garfield the Deals Warlock is really stretching the bounds of "people who care about you" but I guess ANY relationship is a bond?

It occurs to me that when they do the graphic novel they're going to actually have to figure out what Garfield looks like.

Roswell! This bond thing is the BEST.

Justin's app for rolling large numbers of dice is very useful.

I'm laughing at Taako's speech. But, hey, he really IS pretty damn powerful on his own.

Clint's use of the ball of whatever that lets him go back nine seconds. Interesting. I do wonder if Griffin had a plot intention for that?

Voidfish summon!

Ha, yes, they can't EAT the orbs, orbs are not information. But they can do some damage, because they are huge amorphous magical jellyfish and that's pretty badass.

Ee, Magnus summons the Power Bear. This is all so cool!

I think the transcribers didn't quite get a paragraph here fixed up yet, because things kind of don't make sense in the middle of Griffin's description. I'm still impressed they've transcribed it this fast at all!

Oh, noooo, Lucretia telling them to run. But does she really think Magnus would leave her? Probably none of them would, but Magnus most of all.

Aww. Taako's leaving because he has to get to Lup. That makes sense -- he's not abandoning them so much as going to someone else.

*cracks up* Taako checked everyone was doing okay and when they were he came back. That's both hilarious and really cute. It's… TAAKO being torn like this? Caring about two groups of people and wanting to be wherever the danger's worst because that will be who needs him?

I'm not sure Griffin should be narrating this bit? Like, I am down with the last episodes being more story-like because he has to wrap things up, but isn't it up to Justin whether Taako summons Garyl? Let alone whether he rides him at the Hunger?

Never underestimate the ability of these guys to respond to a Mysterious All Powerful Being by getting hung up on what to call it.

Ohhh, they're counting making the shield as cutting the bonds. I guess it did cut the Hunger off from, uh, everything. Maybe including itself.

"Jeffandrew: By any measure, Merle, you won."

You saved all the things! That counts as winning.

And I guess this guy will take the Light back now it's… Now that things are in a plane he can reach, probably including the Light since it was there when the Hunger fell apart. And the Light can go back to being wanted and used by people who actually know what to do with it.

Aww, Angus.

Wow, the world is really, uh. Really good post-near-apocalypse. And Angus goes to school and makes friends, which is great!

Davenport becoming a sailor makes sense -- he can't be a pilot anymore, but he's still a traveller and explorer by nature, and even ONE world has a whole lot to explore!

*laughing* Somehow I didn't see Kravitz HIRING Barry and Lup coming, but sure. They're actually really well suited to that.

I did NOT see Barry acquiring DNA from Lup's note coming. Yay for Lup in her own body again! I mean, I figured the body would happen somehow, but not that it would happen like that.

I like that Griffin's narration stops at the NPCs this time. I want the PCs to be able to pick their own happy endings.

Oh, Taako :D He's still Taako, and because he's still Taako, he's portraying the world-wide love for him into a brand. I love that he hired Ren. Good taste in assistants.

WTF with the random duelling at Taako's school? I think you're kinda messing up Griffin's happy ending where everyone came together in peace, but I kinda like it? Everyone's still PEOPLE and even the people who brought about this peaceful ending through love are still the people who murdered someone to save a spell slot on healing once. They're better people, but Taako's still self-centred and callous sometimes, and thoughtless fairly often.

Sazed surrendered himself! It's good to know that people know that Taako wasn't responsible for that. I mean, Taako himself didn't seem inclined to, uh, clear his name or anything, which might be because he still thought of the incident as "half his fault".

*laughing* Taako just checking that Ren is okay with him dating Death before he hires her.

Ren and Taako having a business relationship/friendship is SO CUTE.

Afterlife vacation. I wonder what you do on one of those? Also, I'm reminded of Korra and Asami going to the spirit world. It's the new thing, gay people going on interplanar vacays!

Taaaaaakoooooo, read Angus's letters you jerk.

*pfft* I like that Angus has grown into less of a pushover? Like, he still loves Taako, obviously, but he's also not taking him too seriously when he's being ridiculous.

I had to stop to crack up at Angus knowing about the silverware because, yeah, Taako did a very bad job of ever hiding that.

Merle's in vestments and my first thought was "is someone getting married?"

Merle's adventurer summer camp! That's remarkably cute. As is this focus on the next generation, actually. Even if Taako's school is sometimes questionable, they've all got experience to pass on.

"Travis: I just want to say, canon, I would imagine that Taako and Magnus actually try to call Merle all the time, but like he forgot to turn his Stone of Farspeech off of silence. And so like--

Griffin: That is so fucking true to life and I love it."

XD

Merle's conditions for accepting leadership of somewhere are Terrible Puns.

Aww. I do love that he's living with his kids? I didn't say that when the adventure thing first came up, but he's really returned to take care of his kids. I do wonder what their mother thinks? But it's great.

Mavis is such a sweetheart.

It IS a wedding.

Aww, Killian and Carey's wedding! What a great place to end it.

Magnus also has a school! Everyone was really feeling they had stuff they needed to pass on to the next generation here. Although, since it's Magnus, he also has a school for DOGS.

As an aside, I wonder where Fisher and Junior are? I hope they're okay, you know. I hope everything being untangled and put back in its place means that they're home, with the other voidfish, being fed artworks and sharing those they love.

AWWWW. Magnus, along the way to looking for something worth dying for, finding something worth living for instead!!!

Aw, Kravitz, bending the rules one last time for his friend.

*snff* Magnus and Julia's reunion.

Fisher!

Ooh, so that's where they ended up. Between the planes, able to go anywhere, looking for stories.

…I wonder if they're going to get a cameo in the NEXT Adventure Zone, because Griffin's basically made them perfect crossover fodder.

"Justin: Thus ends the Adventure Zone: Balance, the story of four idiots that played D&D so hard they made themselves cry."

They played D&D so hard they made EVERYONE cry.

[xflower-childx]

I see myself only really having two books of life, Ohio and Florida. Both having an excessive amount of chapters, A LOT of character development, and a revolving door of supporting roles. Florida’s book is slowly coming to an end and it’s been rather eventful. While the whole book has been a trip the past year or so I’ve noticed have been such intense growth and preparation for the next book. I’ve discovered inner peace and loving myself, speaking up when I deserve better or want something. I’ve discovered my worth.

I met a lovely lady, D, I’ve found myself connecting with her on a different level, shes my moms age but she comes from a small tow, religious home and lifestyle. She always felt crazy because she had these extra feelings, she felt things more passionately than others and could feed of other energy around her she saw signs and other stuff. It all affected her growing up with how crazy she felt. I know that feeling for sure. I’ve always felt crazy for all my extra feelings, connections, fucking car accidents. She is who honestly stirred the start of the new book. After group meditation at the wellness center she owns while we were all just openly sharing about life she spoke of just up and moving out of her small hometown from her ex husband and adult son (Who she asked me to show around when he moves here before I leave 😏🙃). When I spoke up on how I always wanted to move and I’ve been working on conquering fears and not allowing high anxiety run me; she brought up control and how it seemed like I struggled with needing to have it to feel safe. Yeah. That’s true. That sat with me HARD. The next day was the work meeting that would change my life. K and A said that BB will be closing in a month. I knew we were struggling but I didn’t realize how bad. I also knew all the shit with the partnership. A had looked at me curiously during the meeting and said “You promised me and yourself that this was your last job in Florida. What are you going to do?” I laughed and jokingly said “Looks like I’m moving to North Carolina.” But as everyone else started to speak on what’s next it settled in my head. Why not? Why not just move? Why not let go of control and start new? All I have is my little Alien and myself so what’s stopping me? D did it, why can’t I?

On my drive home it weighed in my head so heavily. I didn’t feel as much sadness for BB closing as I felt excitement over the thought of moving. I had so many thoughts running through my head in that drive. I had to get them out, I needed to hear that I wasn’t crazy for thinking this was possible, that I could do it, that this push off the cliff was to see if everything I’ve learned was to teach me how to fly and I needed to hear from someone else that I would soar and see all new heights. I knew I wasn’t going to hear it from my mom though because she would only put fear and anxiety into me (I swear she is who I’ve developed a lot of my anxiety from). I knew my sister would encourage it but also add anxiety, and talk about how I would be leaving her and apparently ‘Living her dream’. I knew who would give me what I wanted though. He was default for a while and I knew he would say what I wanted to hear because I knew he had faith I could do it. He always did. He always pushed me to. So I selfishly messaged him, going against the other part of my brain saying not to open that damn door.

Of course I was right. He said what I needed to hear. He has been one of the only people to see me function outside of family and a family run environment. He knows a side of me that they don’t know. The side that I wanted to grow and develop, one that started from him being in my life… And ohhh boy it grew from him leaving.. and I fucking love this side. She’s still got some growing of course but I’m proud of her. She’s stronger than I ever saw possible and she’s beautiful and happy and she’s not letting anyone stop her from going for what she wants… In a non-controlling way though. 😂

I look at this new book coming up though and I know it’s a fresh start and I don’t want anything bad holding me back from living it. I want to shed the old snake skin and start new. I’ve been shedding some old already, but there is a piece that is still part of this skin that is fraying. Skin that I find too hard to shed. I want to take him with me because ultimately he’s someone I hold close but he hurts. He hurts a lot. Ever since the start I had always felt like second best even though I played a number one role in his life. Even when he had his other girl a few hours away I was second although I felt like I was going to third. I was able to almost mute that feeling when we were in each other’s lives though because we were always around each other and I continued to play the role of number one. I was always a place filler and I knew that deep down. He was never able to really let go of his ex and I don’t know if he ever will. I always tried to become better to get his attention but he would just look through me and remind me that he never had any passion for me and everything between us was in my head. I would just defend him in some way though and continue to try and be there because yeah I wanted to be. I loved our days and time together. I truly was happy and there are so many moments that still make me smile. There are moments where I could see it in his eyes that he did adore me; I knew that it would disappear though as quickly as it came. I would stare an extra moment to try and hold onto it to remember it for when I needed to convince myself later that it all wasn’t built up in my head.

I was always there. Even when I wasn’t. Even now when I try and push him away because no matter what I will always feel like I’m not enough for him. Not as a partner because I already know that but even as a friend. He’s never really spoken otherwise. Anyone can say 'Thanks for being there’ but those that really appreciate it will put into words their gratitude. Especially when the other has spoken of needing it because they don’t feel love and appreciation.

I understand now why I had such high anxiety in CO. Foreign place plus just feeling like I didn’t belong- because I didn’t. Along with R2 showing off being favorite person. God she knew it and rubbed it in. I actually wonder if they realize she has feelings for him? I mean honestly the jealousy and just all around energy of the whole trip was HEAVY and some of the stuff she said… I could be wrong but I’ve learned to trust my instincts by now 😂. For a minute it crossed my mind if they’d slept together but I observed their interactions and feel as no they didn’t; but again I could be wrong... Instincts though. My ability to read people and having amazing observation skills is such a blessing and a curse 🤦. Also being an empath doesn’t help. I felt everyone’s mood and energy and it just weighed on me and made me feel like I was drowning. I lost myself entirely that trip and I felt so scared and raw. I had nothing and no one to hang onto and the pain that I felt by R not giving a fuck hurt even more. He spoke words that made me want to pack up and get on a plane in that moment because I felt so unwanted and broken there. The ability to take love from someone when its needed during life changing experiences but say 'Fuck you grow up and deal with it’ when that person who gave it is crying asking for love and comfort back is beyond me. Especially to allow them to walk away to an Uber by themselves when again you know how much they hurt and how high their anxiety already is. I really don’t think he knows how much I’ve looked back on that exact moment and felt pain in my chest. How it hurts to even write still. How selfish I see him from that and little I feel like I matter to him. Ever mattered to him. I even remember asking him with so much fear to ride with me to the airport because I had hopes we could try and mend something on the way but the fear came into knowing he would say no. I wonder if he thinks he was trying to help teach me to take care of myself and not rely on someone else- which mission accomplished I’ve learned- but in probably one of the most cruel and unloving ways possible. The wise words of NF 'If you want love you gone have to give some away’. (Funny how that song came on writing that part.)

I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t say this though as I look at every angle of everything and everyone. I know I relied on him too much.  I know I put too much trust and love into him (Which whooo more trust issues) and I know he was crushing under the weight of it. I know he is a human and I respect that, and I take the blame for relying on him. I take the blame for not being able to pick myself up under the weight of everyone’s judgement and energy (Ohhh man the energy after he talked to his friends about me 🤦 90% sure I was just running on fumes and fake positivity at that point to try and get by) instead of reaching out for a hand to help me. I couldn’t find the peace and comfort in myself there and wish I could have. I wish the circumstances were different and I didn’t always feel so… Useless next to him. I don’t think that’s the word I’m really looking for but it will do. I also will claim to putting more into us than he ever asked for, he even tried to stop me from doing. He was still always there though. We still continued on and he had to know I was still giving and he was still taking. 

I wish we could have actually talked though after. I wish I heard him apologize at least once sincerely. I wish I heard him care. I wish he wanted to care. I wish I mattered more to him than a hand to hold and guide him out of the dark of his unforgotten ex. I guess that’s what I get for falling for a man not even months out of a relationship. I wish our friendship wasn’t so tainted by the inability to let go of the past on both sides. I miss him, I often ask myself if it’s really the concept of him I miss, which yes I miss that too; a best friend- someone you can go and talk to whenever about whatever and if I had a best friend it would be easier to not miss him. I do though, or maybe I miss who he was when we were at our best; but I guess we never were though. I guess he’s like my S; no we didn’t have this ‘Amazing, passionate, wild, loving blah blah blah toxic, abusive relationship’ and in the end I know our relationship really didn’t matter to him much; but it did to me. It meant more than I guess he can see as it helped shape who I am now. He guided me here and had faith in me when I didn’t feel like anyone did including myself. I’ll always love him (No not in love, I don’t think I could ever work myself up to trust him that way and I don’t see us fitting anymore) like I’m sure he will always love her, I’ll always hope for the best for him and care, but I know I love myself more than him to allow myself to move on from having him in my life because I know our relationship can never change and heal if only one person is fighting for it. The same person who fought the whole time.

If he and I had actually talked though and we both owned up to our faults and reminded each other that we’re important to the other and just genuinely thank the other for the love and care we put into our relationship than I think I would be able to take him with me. I could see our friendship mending and growing with sending silly pictures of new adventures we go on and my alien seeing the world and maybe him coming to visit me there and I him wherever life takes him next. I could see myself starting to trust him again and being able to ask for advice again. I could see him being able to come to me again and myself giving him pages of messages as I talk my way through the advice to get to a point 😅☹️ But he’s too damn stubborn to talk and I don’t even know if he sees fault in his actions and words. I love him and if I could openly say anything to him it’s that I hope he’s happy. I hope he can finally let her go and allow himself to love again because he will always find faults and pain in potential love if he keeps holding onto her and he will only put pain on future love interests. I know he NEVER meant any harm on me and I know he warned me and I know he tried and was doing the best he could with what he had and understood at the time when he lived here. When it comes to after… I have nothing left to say but pain.

I love him but I love myself more. I love myself enough to know that I don’t deserve to feel pain from someone I gave nothing but love, care, patience and understanding to. Someone that any moment they needed it I was ready to encourage them and push them forward. Someone I had-have- nothing but faith and belief in. Someone I genuinely cared-care- about. Someone who was ready to drop me when my demons appeared and I was at my worst. I know that it doesn’t matter how much I care about him though, I care about myself more. I wish him well, and the best and love but not from me. Not anymore. I can’t ask him to give me words when he doesn’t want to give them because that’s not only unfair to him, its unfair to me because it hurts me. I wish I could share my next journey with him, I wish I could share all my excitement with him and all the crazy things that have happened so far; like getting bit by a dog and some bitch claiming I was stealing money from work. and the things that could possibly happen next. I wish he asked and I believed he really wanted to know; He was my best friend. One of my favorite best friends. One my favorite people and I wish I didn’t have to let him go over fucking stubbornness and screwed up pasts.

I have a new book ahead of me and I’m ready for some blank pages. I’m ready for a fresh start, new friends, new adventures, and a new world. I’m ready to continue to grow and expand my knowledge on life, the world around me and myself. I’m really happy right now- I feel a little lonely while being my own best friend because I don’t really have anyone to talk to about my next story or share my ideas with but it’s alright I guess. I trust that things will fall into place amongst the confusion in my head.

I haven’t shared how scared I am with anyone either. Reality smacked me in the face on my last day last week and I realized how much is about to change and I’m stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m so proud but so so scared. I know I can do it and I know that this is such a great, exciting change but man I’m going completely solo and alone on this besides my alien 🤦

We tough though. We got this. 😊💪

[andreaphobia]

fic: love is just another game for two. (SHINO & YAMAGI)

Characters: Shino/Yamagi, Eugene, Mikazuki, Akihiro, Orga

Fandom: Mobile Suit Gundam IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS

Wordcount: ~4500

Summary: Shino gets hooked on an MMO, and one day he meets a mage who may or may not be the cute guy from the dining hall.

Notes:

For @skyfireflies, who got me to watch this show in the first place. Also, my first Gundams ever! Hooray!

Also on AO3, if you prefer.

*

So when Shino comes slouching into class on Monday morning, puffy-eyed and bleary, Eugene doesn't even need to ask why—but that doesn’t mean he’s happy about it, either.

“I'm gonna give Orga a piece of my mind,” he mutters, as Shino collapses heavily into the seat next to him.

“Ah?” Shino yawns, scratching an unkempt chin. “Why’s that?”

“Because he got you into that damn game, that’s why! And now you’re up all night playing it, you fall asleep in lecture and then you beg for my notes, and I’m telling you now, if you want me to be your private tutor, you better start coughing up cold hard cash for the privilege, 'cause it don’t come free.”

“Oh, come on,” Shino says, grinning apologetically. “You’re being dramatic. I don’t play half as much as Mika, anyway.” Which was true; Mika had hit level cap weeks ago, and God only knew what he kept himself busy with to while he was waiting for everyone else to catch up.

(To be fair, Eugene knew this because he was also playing Art of War Online—but at least he had some self control.)

“Besides, I wasn’t up late last night just playing. I was talking to someone.”

Suspicious, Eugene narrows his eyes. “In game, you mean?”

“Well... yeah.” Shino grins again. “They were nice. Real friendly-like.”

To this, Eugene can only put his face in his hands. “I can’t believe you’re even trying to pick up girls in a video game.”

“Hey, I don’t appreciate that! I think we had a real connection, you know?” Shino seems to reflect on this for a moment. “Besides, I don’t even know if it was a girl. Their character was a guy, at least.”

“Dude, they’re probably more likely to be a guy if they have a female avatar,” Eugene scoffs. “Do you know anything about online games?”

“Guess not,” Shino says cheerfully, “but at least I'm making friends!”

Eugene is about to retort when the professor comes bumbling into the room, hitting the pause button on their conversation, and soon Shino is out like a light, snoring gently with his head lolling on his seat back. He rouses himself occasionally, just long enough to jot down a couple of formulas or a tidbit of knowledge, before passing out again, and proceeds in this fashion until the bell rings at the end of the period.

As Eugene tucks his books and notes away, Shino stretches, smacking his lips noisily and giving his head a little shake. He crams his stuff unceremoniously into his backpack, and beams at Eugene.

“Up for lunch?”

Eugene grins at him. “Yeah, if it’s on you.”

“Tightass,” Shino grumbles. He pulls out his wallet and peers into it as if that proves something, but Eugene only rolls his eyes; since meals at the dormitory dining hall are paid for on a point system, he’s not feeling much sympathy.

“Nah,” he says, as he follows Shino out of the lecture hall. “I’m just resourceful, that’s all.”

*

At the dining hall, Shino picks up a plate of three eggs, four sausages, and a steaming great heap of baked beans. Eugene, sensible as usual, has a complete meal from the Chinese food stall; rice, chicken, some wilted vegetables on the side. Healthy, Shino thinks—unless you’re trying to bulk up, in which case he’d consider it anemic, plain and simple.

“You sure you don’t want some more protein with that meal?” Eugene says mildly, glancing at Shino’s breakfast-themed abomination as they pay for their food. (In exchange for access to Eugene’s notes, Shino is bankrolling the entire meal with his point card.)

“Eh.” Immune to sarcasm, Shino glances down at his overloaded plate. “I think this’ll tide me over till dinner.”

They pass through the checkout line together, heading out into the hall proper. Scanning over the crowd of heads parked at various tables, Eugene spots who he’s looking for.

“Hey, Orga and the others are over there.”

Unfortunately for him, Shino’s not listening. Halfway through trying to figure out where the group Eugene mentioned is sitting, he gets distracted by the sight of something that’s very high on the short list of things that he finds interesting at the moment.

“Ohhh, is that Art of War Online?”

The blonde boy Shino’s addressing stops dead, fork halfway to his mouth. He’s wearing a look reminiscent of a caged animal. In front of him is a tablet, resting on a stand and playing what looks like someone’s live stream of a game.

“It is, isn’t it?” Shino says proudly. (He knows something about that now, after all.) “It’s fun, huh?”

“Um,” the boy says, immediately going red. He looks vaguely familiar; Shino thinks he must have seen him around the dorms, once or twice. The most striking thing about him is the length of his bangs. Shino wonders how he can see through that curtain of hair. (Nice eyes, though.)

He’s just on the verge of following that interesting chain of thought wherever it may lead when Eugene pops up, having finally noticed that he’s wandered astray. “You’re bugging strangers about that damn game now? Give it a rest.” He nods to the boy. “Sorry. Don’t mind my friend, he’s a frickin’ dumbass.“

“We should play together sometime,” Shino says brightly, as Eugene starts dragging him away. The boy does not respond; he’s staring intently at his hands resting in his lap, bright red all the way to the backs of his ears. Kinda cute, actually.

Once they’re out of earshot of the kid, Eugene finally releases his arm and lets him walk on his own.

“‘samatter with you? Don’t bother people when they’re eating.”

Shino beams. “I’m just making friends!”

“You didn’t even ask for his name.”

“Oh, you’re right!” He’s about to turn back and ask when Eugene seizes his arm again, with an exasperated grin.

“I don’t think so.” He steers Shino firmly over to the table where Orga, Mika, and Akihiro are already seated, and strong-arms him into a chair. “Give the poor guy a break.”

“Okay, okay.” Shino laughs, putting his hands up in surrender.

Akihiro’s looking between the two of them with interest. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, you know...” Eugene mutters, plopping down into his own chair. “Just Shino things.”

Mika, who barely seemed to have noticed they’d arrived, finally looks up from his plate. Mouth full of food and still chewing, he asks, “So, when are you guys getting to 60? It’s boring being the only one.”

*

At the end of the day, after class and several abortive attempts to do homework, Shino gives in to the siren call and logs on to the game. (Another good thing: Eugene is out doing honor society crap, so he’s not around to give Shino any grief about this.)

It’s gratifying to hear the loading screen music, but it still takes way too long for him to get into the game; he’s got to look into getting something better than a potato to play it on.

The first thing he does when he finally loads in is check his friends list to see who’s around. Akihiro’s online, but currently in a dungeon, according to his status; Shino kindly decides not to bother him. Mika, surprisingly, is not—then again, it’s almost dinner time, so maybe not that surprising after all. The only thing that boy loves as much as dominating everyone at video games is eating.

And then there’s—Shino’s stomach does a weird little flip when he sees this—his new friend, in an area pretty near him. Which makes sense, since they were just playing together the night before, but is also really convenient.

He’s just wondering how desperate it would seem to message the guy when the problem is solved for him. A whisper appears in his chat box, followed by a party invitation.

<Newt> Want to party up? <shinon> yeah!

There’s a little bit of logistical back-and-forth after he accepts the invite, but eventually they decide to meet up at Goldshire, and venture out from there. Even though they’d had a time of it last night, Shino’s still surprised by how easy the conversation flows; this guy—or girl—is really easy to get along with. (Let’s say guy for now, Shino decides, going by the avatar; if only to make his internal monologue less confusing to himself.)

It shouldn’t surprise him they get along, though, considering the circumstances of their meeting. He’d been neck-deep in kobolds at the bottom of Fargodeep mine and was mentally steeling himself for his demise when this mage just appeared out of nowhere, saving his ass with a couple of well-timed fireballs. But then all the heat was on the mage, and just as he was about to be overwhelmed, Shino got ‘em back with some good ol’ healing holy light. And you know, maybe this is just Shino being sentimental, but personally he thinks it’s hard to save each other’s butts at the bottom of a cave and not become friends. That kind of thing is a real bonding experience!

So anyway, they get to questing together, and everything’s going smoothly—as much as it can, anyway, considering he’s only been playing for a few weeks and is still learning the ropes, leading to occasional disasters like pulling way too many monsters at the same time, then proceeding to fall off a cliff in the process of trying to escape them. But Newt’s real patient with him; in fact—and Shino hopes he can be forgiven for thinking this, but—he's acting kind of... cute. Lots of jumping around, throwing up a little music note emote every time they kill something. Even through a video game, the cheer is infectious.

<shinon> u seem like ur in a good mood :)

The mage stops prancing around long enough to reply,

<Newt> yeah, kinda, actually! Something awesome happened to me today!

Shino smiles at his screen, and then, quite laboriously, types back.

<shinon> wanna tell me abt it?

Art of War doesn’t have a particularly good emote system, yet Shino is amazed by the expressiveness of what happens next. The mage turns abruptly to look at his character, and then steps back and forth a few times, making movements that Shino can only describe as fidgeting.

<Newt> OK, but... promise you won’t laugh? <shinon> dont worry, i can barely type ‘lol’ <Newt> ;) <Newt> OK, so... I know this is gonna sound really silly, but... the guy I like talked to me today!!

Shino’s eyes immediately fixate on that line.

“The guy you like, huh...?” he muses. (It’s too bad Eugene isn’t there, ‘cause he’d be interested to know how this affects the odds on Newt’s true identity.)

Oblivious to whatever Shino might be thinking, Newt is standing stock still, busy typing up a storm.

<Newt> I was just sitting by myself watching someone’s stream when he came up and started talking to me about Art of War! And OK, I think I must have looked really dumb because I couldn’t say anything back to him, but ahhh he’s just so nice!! <Newt> He probably doesn’t even remember this but there was this one time some guys were bothering me in the street outside my dorm and he and his friends scared them off, and he just looked SO COOL!

Shino reads through this small wall of text, and actually his first thought is, well, sounds like a friendly chap!

His second thought is, Hmmm.

Come to think of it, he had thought the boy at the dining hall looked familiar. And yes, he vaguely recalls now a time when Mika and Akihiro and him were coming back from the gym late at night, found some kid getting pushed around by jerks and scared ‘em off... but... could it be?

While he’s busy digesting all of this, Newt appears to take his silence the wrong way.

<Newt> Omg, I’m sorry, I’m just babbling on and on, this is probably boring you... <shinon> na, i was just thinking that sounds rly sweet <shinon> so, r u going to ask him out?

Newt, the character, starts fidgeting again. So cute, Shino thinks.

<Newt> No, I couldn’t possibly... I’m too shy... <Newt> But maybe someday <shinon> u know what they say <shinon> u miss 100 % of the shots u dont take <Newt> Thanks ;) <Newt> crap, my roommate wants to get dinner, I g2g. Can you get back to town by yourself? <shinon> no sweat buddy <shinon> cu l8r <Newt> See you!

With Newt gone, Shino leans back in his chair and stares at the ceiling.

Well... shit.

*

Whatever Eugene had been expecting on his return to their shared dorm room, it certainly wasn’t this.

“So,” he says, once Shino has finished talking and gesticulating wildly. “Let me get this straight. You think that that kid you were accosting in the dining hall the other day, and your new virtual-reality best friend, are the same person?”

He’s skeptical, and who can blame him? Not that this puts a damper on Shino's enthusiasm; if anything it only seems to encourage him.

“Yeah, pretty much,” he says brightly. “Why?”

Eugene squints at him.

“This is just an excuse for you to bother that kid more, isn’t it?”

“No!” Shino pauses. “But now that you mention it, actually—”

“Look, I know you’re not a math genius, but what do you think the odds of that are? Like, one in a thousand? One in a million? Even if he does play, what makes you think you guys are on the same server?”

“Man, I dunno!” Clearly frustrated by Eugene’s superior logic, Shino throws himself back onto his bed. “Why’d Orga make Tekkadan on this server, anyway?”

“It—” Eugene sputters. “Well, it’s—okay, fine, I forgot that it’s the official server for people from our school until a second ago, but—still! That makes the odds, like, one in a hundred at best.”

“One in a hundred, huh?” Shino appears to be giving this some serious thought; from his expression, Eugene can tell that that doesn’t sound half bad to him. “I’d take those odds.”

Eugene throws his hands up in disgust. “Remind me never to put you in charge of my bank account.”

“Hey, it’s your loss,” says Shino, waggling his eyebrows. (Eugene ignores this entirely.)

“Anyway, so let’s say you’re right and it really is the same guy. So what?”

Once again, Shino has to give this thought, but this answer seems to come easier than the last one.

“I just wanna get to know him, man. That’s not a bad thing, is it?”

“No, but—” Eugene wavers; he’s not sure if Shino’s potential love life is something he ought to be commenting on, but... “Didn’t he say he likes you...?” he ventures.

This makes no discernible impression on Shino. “Yeah, and?”

“And... I mean...” For a few more moments, Eugene falters, and then decides that maybe the best course of action is to just let it go. There’s no changing Shino’s mind once it’s made up, after all. “Look, just... be nice to him, okay?”

“I’m nice!” Shino insists. “I’m a nice guy, you don’t even have to worry about that. Like, what could go wrong?”

Probably best not to answer that, Eugene thinks. Well, at least Shino won’t be able to complain he didn’t warn him.

*

It takes Shino a while to find the kid, elusive as he is, but he happens to be passing by the library one day when he spots a certain mop of blonde hair, bent over a textbook that’s thick enough to kill a man with. When he lifts it up to turn a page, Shino can just barely make out the title on the cover: Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, it says.

Jesus. Well, as long as the guy doesn’t expect him to know any of that as a prerequisite, Shino figures he’s golden. So he rolls right up, barely mindful of the fact that it’s a library, stops by the table the kid’s sitting at, and when he looks up, gives him a big ol’ ear-to-ear grin.

“Hi! We met the other day—well, kinda—but I wanted to introduce myself properly.” He sticks out a hand. “I’m Norba Shino, but you can just call me Shino. Everyone does.”

“I know,” says the boy in a small voice.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing.” To Shino’s great surprise and gratitude, the boy only hesitates a moment before shaking his hand. “Yamagi Gilmerton.”

“Yamagi, huh...?” Shino nods, quite seriously; names are a serious business, after all. “Sorry about the other day, I’m just really excited about this game. Started playing a couple weeks ago and I’m totally hooked!”

Yamagi is watching him with an inscrutable expression, all the more so because Shino can only see one of his eyes. As far as Shino can tell, though, Yamagi doesn’t look annoyed or bored, so in his opinion, things are going just swell.

“...It’s okay.”

There, he said it’s okay! How you like that, Eugene? Shino says in his head, triumphantly. He doesn’t gloat for too long, though, since Yamagi is looking at him expectantly.

“So, are you on—what’s it called—Dark Iron? That’s the server everyone from our school is at, right?”

“...Yeah.”

Shino grins. “Great! So we could play together sometime, right?” At this point he also takes care to turn on what one ex-girlfriend called a ‘killer set of puppy-dog eyes’, making Yamagi go beet red again. Totally adorable.

“...Sure.”

“Awesome. Lend me a pen, I’ll give you my character name.”

From inside a backpack bulging with books and notes, Yamagi locates a pen which he holds out hesitantly. Shino takes it, and also seizes Yamagi’s hand—ignoring the little gasp of surprise that this causes—and writes his screen name across Yamagi’s palm, in big block letters. Then he pushes both hand and the pen back to Yamagi.

“OK, so you can use this to find me, right?”

However, Yamagi isn’t listening, and Shino realizes that something’s not right. Instead of—say—nodding, which would probably have been Shino’s preferred response, Yamagi is staring at the letters reading SHINON scrawled across his palm, shock and horror written all over his face.

“Uh... Yamagi?” Shino tries.

The next moment is a blur. Yamagi seizes his bag and his book and promptly legs it out of there, very nearly overturning his chair as he does so.

“Hey—wait!”

Shino attempts to go after him, but then actually overturns a chair in the process, which trips someone else holding a stack of books in their arms, all of which go flying. By the time he’s disentangled himself from this mess, picked up all the books, and apologized to everyone (including the incensed librarian), Yamagi is long gone.

Later, as the sun is setting and he’s standing outside the library alone, Shino says a couple of choice swear words, loud enough to startle a few nearby pigeons. He doesn’t really have a clue what the hell’s going on, but looking at it logically, chances are that it has to do with... whatever Eugene was waffling on about earlier.

Damn it. He hates it when Eugene is right. Well, maybe he can just apologize for whatever it is he did later, in game. Surely Yamagi doesn’t hold grudges forever, right?

*

However, Yamagi doesn’t show up in Art of War that night, nor the next. A couple of days go by, and though Shino tries to play on his own, he finds that it isn’t half as fun without his questing partner. This leads us into the present: Eugene bent over homework at his desk and trying to block Shino out, until finally, he snaps.

“Stop moaning,” he scolds, as Shino’s rolling around in his bed whining. “You’re driving me nuts.”

“Can’t help it,” Shino mutters. “Sooooo bored. Wanna play Art of War.”

“So play already.”

“I don’t wanna play if Yamagi’s not there!”

“Yamagi?” Something clicks into place. “Oh, you mean that kid from the other day?” Shino doesn’t answer, which he takes to mean ‘yes’. “Isn’t he still playing?”

“I’unno.” Shino sounds sullen; from long experience, Eugene knows this is never a good sign.

“Did you scare him off?”

“No!” A pause. “Maybe. Not intentionally, though!”

Eugene puts down his pencil, sighing. Relationship advice is not his forte, and yet, here they are. “I told you to be nice, man.”

“I was nice!” Then, more doubtful, he adds, “At least, I think I was.”

Eugene can’t help himself; he sighs out loud. It’s hard to believe he needs to walk Shino through every step of this.

“Yeah,” he says, patiently, “but he likes you, right? And you rejected him.”

“I didn’t reject him! I said we should totally play together, and then I gave him my character’s name, and then he freaked the fuck out and ran off! Look...” Shino trails off, sounding dejected. “I don’t even know, man.”

“Dude, of course he freaked out. He spent like an hour gushing about his crush, TO his crush. Can you not see how embarrassing that might be?”

This all seems like it’s coming as news to Shino, but he at least gives it some thought. Finally: “I guess,” he says, in a reluctant tone of voice. “But I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think it’s cute.”

If Eugene rolls his eyes any harder, they’re gonna fall right out of their sockets. “OK, then go ask him out already so I don’t have to listen to your whining. I have stuff to do.”

“Maybe I will!” Shino rolls himself out of bed in a huff, going to the door.

Well, Eugene thinks, as it slams shut behind him, either way, at least I’ll get some peace and quiet for a while.

*

If he’d thought it was hard locating Yamagi the first time around, the second nearly kills him. OK, that’s melodramatic, but even though he likes exercise it’s still a pain in the ass to be running all over campus trying to spot him in the crowd. After a few fruitless days of this, Eugene takes pity on him and gives him some advice—try looking in common areas or at the dining hall, he says, places he has to pass through no matter what. And it’s good advice, but all the same, nearly a week goes by with neither hide nor hair of Yamagi, by which time Shino is basically dying from Art of War withdrawal.

And just when he thinks he can’t take anymore—when he’s honest-to-God starting to think he should quit the game because it just ain’t worth it anymore—that’s when a knock comes at the door to his room.

“Nnngh,” Shino moans half-heartedly, face down in his pillow on his bed. “Go ‘way.”

The knock comes again, more insistent. Grumbling, Shino gets up, and goes to open it.

When he does, Yamagi is there.

Shino stares at him for a moment. The relief he’s feeling is almost palpable; it washes all the tension out of once, and he feels himself smiling the first real smile he’s had on his face for days.

Still, it won’t do to be scaring him off again, so he tries to sound casual when he says, “Hey, man, I’ve been looking all over for you! Are you okay? You haven’t logged on in a week, I was worried!”

Yamagi only shrugs, refusing to meet Shino’s eyes. There’s a strange, closed-off look on his face. He’s quiet for a moment, and then sucks in a deep breath and starts speaking, maybe a little too loud for how close they are.

“I’m sorry about—about everything. I know you’re probably weirded out by the things I said, and... I’m... sorry... about them.”

He stops there, as though in the middle of a thought, and his eyes are half-shut, almost like he’s expecting Shino to lash out. Which is such a crazy idea that Shino doesn’t even know what to do about it, except try and change his mind.

“Nah, not really,” he says, easily. “I mean—it’s cool, right?”

Yamagi blinks once, very slowly.

“What do you mean... ‘it’s cool’?”

“Just what it sounds like. It’s cool, man! I don’t mind.”

“But...” Yamagi looks slightly bewildered. “Don’t you? I mean... that was you the whole time, right?”

“Yeah, that was me.” Shino chuckles. “How come you didn’t realize that, huh? I even named my character after myself!”

Yamagi goes red. “Well, who—who puts their real name in their screen name these days? What about stranger danger, huh?!”

“Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet!” Shino beams. “Besides, I couldn’t think of a good name. It’s hard, okay?”

For a moment Yamagi looks like he wants to laugh, but also like he’s simultaneously on the verge of tears.

“But I typed all that stupid crap about you!”

Shino holds up his hands disarmingly. “No, it was cute! Seriously, it’s fine.”

“But—” By now, he’s almost shouting. “But I like you, Shino!”

“Yeah, I like you too!”

In sheer frustration, Yamagi runs his hands back through his own hair, mussing it up until it looks quite wild.

“No—listen to me! I mean—like like. I don’t just—”  

“I know what you meant,” Shino says.

This simple sentence is apparently enough to leave Yamagi speechless, and given that he’s not shouting anymore, Shino seizes the chance to speak.

“I’m—what’s that you call it? Oh yeah! I swing both ways, man. I mean, people are just people, right? So it’s all good. Let’s just keep playing, okay?”

“But—”

“No buts!” Shino scratches his chin, thoughtful for a moment. Then he reaches out, brushing Yamagi’s hair back out of his eyes so they can really see each other. “And let’s get dinner sometime too, okay?” He grins. “Just you and me.”

Yamagi just stands there, closing and opening his mouth without a word as he tries to process all of this. Then, as though he barely dares to believe it, he asks, “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Well, that’s the idea!” Sheepish, Shino grins. “But I’ve never asked a dude out before, so... maybe I’m doing it wrong?”

“...No.”

And Yamagi’s eyes are watery, but he starts to laugh, which is such a relief for Shino. Laughing Yamagi beats crying Yamagi any day. Smiling, he ruffles Yamagi’s hair.

“So, dinner? Yay, nay...?”

Suddenly embarrassed by his own tears, Yamagi scrubs his eyes dry, and then turns his face up to Shino. “Yes, I accept,” he says firmly.

“Oh, that was fast,” Shino teases.

“You miss all of the shots you don’t take,” Yamagi says, and smiles a little. “Someone who sucks at typing told me that, once.” Then he thrusts his chin out, almost impertinently, like he’s daring Shino to do something about it. “Well?” he demands. “Aren’t you going to take responsibility for all this?”

Shino swallows, but grins, too. “Oh yeah,” he says, with feeling. “You bet.”

After all, he’s always liked a challenge.

[tzores-tasks]

> do demons gain power through this kind of stuff?

Yes! Sort of! Summonables can become stronger with the more souls they take, but luckily, you're a succubus. You can become stronger by the amount of sexual favors you can satisfy! The next time T'zore can level (after fulfilling ten sexual quests), we might be able to add on another skill, or even buy something worth while. Who knows?

> Maybe shift on your back to give them a better view while lightly moaning. Then if they still don't do shit, start "waking up".

> Act super docile (read "moe") and innocent.

Ohhh, good idea...? You guess? Fuck it, these guys don't hold any sort of power over us anyways, might as well screw with them and see where it heads then. 

> Say, what IS the description of our job? Are we meant to just complete whatever the summoner summoned us for before poofing back, or are we trying to just sucker someone out of a soul before we return, or what?

Even though we're just lowly Summonables, that doesn't mean our Summoner is granted any sort of privileges. Some Summoners are powerful, worshipped, and not to be messed with, while other Summoners are kids playing with ouija boards in locker rooms with Satanic circles made of chalk. It's really just circumstance. For now, we'll just have fun? As a test run, for you guys! Anyways, you roll onto your back as a whimper leaves your mouth. You attempt to bat your eyes at the guys as you whine pitifully, "T- That really hurt... uuu..." Just from that alone, everyone's already started pitching tents. You hold back from laughing as you shiver, "What do you guys... want with me...?? Uuuu... I'm scared..." You don't really know how to act, as you can tell. Dick sucking didn't help you in theater. "We're not going to hurt you!!" Little Seven insists, trying to hide the boner that's literally casting a shadow over you, "We just... uh... We really need help with our s- soccer and... we thought maybe s- something like, you! Could help us?" Seriously? We're back to the sports already. Well, it wasn't football, like you were guessing, but still. Ugh, what now? You're not a sports expert, but you don't want to leave without something worth talking about.

> You can always use your powers of Manipulation to mess up the other team if we REALLY want to help them with the game, but we're pretty much just dicking around at the moment. Say that you can help them, but your...uh, "energy level" is super low right now and that's why you fainted, and you need their "energy" to be able to work your magic on the other team, as well as get home afterwards. These guys seem like the perfect combination of turned-on and willing-to-help that they wouldn't question it, and we certainly aren't going to turn down an excuse to net some free energy.

> make soccer puns, that'll get em

Getting yourself up on your knees, you begin to stutter out a cute little solution to them. While you can't help them during their game, you can offer your services to them as long as they help you out first. "I- If you can be... er, k- kind enough to just, 'play' with me for a little bit, s- so I can gather up my energy, uh... I'll... be able toooo... strengthen! You guys! with the ability... of..." You realize in the middle of trying to convince them that they have been staring at you readily for the past few minutes. Well, fuck, looks like they're ready for anything then.

As you pull off your bra completely, you attempt an awful soccer pun. "I- If you need someone to... shoot your goals... at... then I'm your keeper!" Booo. You're really lucky you're hot.

> ...let's just...save up for the Acting/Seduction talent next, shall we. For now, though, this is easy street. You majored in blowjobs. Get yoself some free sex experience, girl. Sexperience, if you will. SEXP.

> Yank down Seven's pants and suck him off first.

Yeah, we're definitely saving that under the drafts for later. Also, SEXP is catchy!! We're using that now, forever. Onwards...

To BLOWJOB CENTRAL. With the eagerness of a harlot who just graduated in whoretistics, you waste no time in getting to sloppy territory. Seven yelps in response to how fast you've chosen him, but doesn't fight against your tongue! Awesome! He's ours for the taking! All we got to do is get this high school senior to cum in our mouth and that'll definitely raise our SEXP! Remember: orgasms are KEY to raising it! No satisfaction, no points!

> Does he have to cum in our mouth? Getting covered on the first day would be a nice start, I assume...

> Swallow if the answer to this is know. What happens to the people we deplete energy from? Is the effect in any way detrimental?

Technically, no, he doesn't have to cum INSIDE of us... but results are way more faster that way. It's weird stuff in the contract about "blah blah blah must be satisfied by YOUR actions, not by their own hand" and all that nonsense. You could probably find a loophole in that, but we'll go with the flow.

And nothing bad necessarily happens to the people who have energy taken from them. If we have repeated intercourse for hours on end, they'll probably die. A blowjob and some fuckin' isn't going to hurt anyone though. Maybe just some dizziness. Drinking a little apple juice might help with that.

> Dude might be a virgin, but take it easy and keep it vanilla at first. Good old-fashioned blowie, no bells or whistles. You wrote papers on these techniques-- no chance for a double-dip of sexperience if you give them the most mind-bogglingly intense orgasm you've got right off the bat. Test the waters, maybe try a little fondling. Be sure to moan a little. If he cums faster than we expected, don't make him embarrassed about it, just move onto the next dude so he can recover for another round. You've got it down to a science at this point. A sexy science.

> No reason not to multitask now. Wiggle your butt and see if anyone else takes.

Can do! We'll try to slow it down a bit so Seven over here won't get too overexcited. No shame if he does, though. We've all been there. Meanwhile though... advertising the other departments shouldn't be too bad! Let's seeee...

> BTW how experienced are we at this whole thing?

We're a pretty low-level demon, if we're going to be honest. Level 3, noted by the amount of skills to our name and the minimum level to reach in order to become a Summonable. That's what makes our job so trashy; it's literally the easiest thing to apply to. Or... did you mean experienced as in handling all this lewd? Because T'zore got pretty good grades in displaying the history of her culture to her professors in college. D's get degrees and all that.

> Why exactly did we choose to become a Summonable then? If we had good grades and wanted more...

Because 'shut the fuck up /dad/', that's why. J- Jesus, man, this shit takes time, gotta... build yourself up before... uh... hm... Anyways, back to the dudes! 

[otakucaboosewrites]

Lulu’s Growing Desires, 5

Doctor’s Notes

Formerly Pinnacle Rock, Day 4

Holy. Fucking. Shit. It’s not every day you wake up to find a goddess-damned LANDMARK leveled by a monolith of flesh. I have no words left to describe how massive that sea-cow has gotten, but at least her food intake has slacked off somewhat and the immediate problem of her blowing up seems to have abated. I’m not separating those two for more than a day ever again, that was too close. I don’t care how big the boy makes her, it’s FAR better than the alternative…

In other news, that selfish little remora Iko has had some interesting developments! She seems hooked on our dear goddess’s milk, and I’ve got nothing better to do with the excess we pump out of her except give it to Iko. After seeing what overdosing does to someone, it’s slaked my appetite…

~

Ophora opened the door to the lowest room in the central tower, which Iko had picked out for herself on their first day. She was greeted with a grumbling noise as the room’s sole occupant heard her drag in a huge sealed jar of holy milk.

“Hey Iko, I have your dinner!” Ophora said, bracing herself to see what changes had befallen the woman since lunch. From a side chamber, she caught a glimpse of blue flesh bounding out before she was bowled over.

“Thank you soooo much Ophie!” squealed the woman sitting on top of the doctor, no longer a fit and trim specimen of a fishwoman. Her formerly muscular physique was hidden under layer upon layer of thick, jiggling fat. Her hips had flared immensely, and were the reason she was dependant on Ophora bringing her milk, as her massive breeding hips were too big for the doorway. Her breasts weren’t far behind, two massive globes hanging from her chest, but bone dry. Her belly had actually gotten away with the least change, a tubby potbelly just barely hiding her pronounced abs. “Yay Lulu milk! You know just what I like!” she said as she hefted the jar, popped the seal and began to chug.

“Well I’m just thoughtful like that.” Ophora said, gently pushing Iko off and edging for the door as Iko’s belly began to balloon with it’s dairy cargo. “I’ll be back with your breakfast tomorrow morning. Remember to take your measurements!”

“Mmhmm!” Iko mumbled around her feast, nothing more important to her at the moment than getting milk into her stomach.

~

Doctor’s Notes

Fort Ophora, Day 5

If she weren’t so FAT she’d crush me with those silly tackles… wonder if she’ll get plush enough to lose buoyancy control? Only time will tell.

As for my developing couple, the boy has been coming by every evening for ‘lessons’ and every evening I have to let my sweater and skirt out. I’ve been teaching him how to take care of a woman as well as trying to tutor him in Sheikah arts, but the former is having a lasting impact. He’s blowing me up, and I’m sure he thinks I’m doing it to myself because he’s always out of the room before it happens. Still, it’s worth it. The boy’s a natural at eating fish, and he’s supernaturally good at working my swollen tits. Oh goddess, I need relief… and the boy is out HUNTING! Maybe I can play with my ball…

~

Ophora waddled her way up to the ‘roof’ of the underground outpost, pausing mid-step when the cerulean-streaked cyan surface came into view. No matter how many times she saw the blessed mother, the sight still took her breath away as her brain tried to make sense of the woman’s girth. She began the long paddle upward, slowing down when she heard a pronounced sigh behind the twin globes that were Lulu’s luxuriously soft cheeks. Ophora gently set herself down on one, provoking a squeak as she opened up with some pleasantries.

“Hey Lu, what’s with the sighs?” she asked as she snuggled into her personal chair.

“I miss Fel… and I’m hungry…” she pouted. “I know he hasn’t been gone for long, but that just makes it worse!”

“Would you mind if I subbed for him? A doctor should keep her patient healthy…” Ophora asked, rubbing wide swathes of Lulu’s sensitive ass.

“Oooooh that would be niiiice…” Lulu purred, throwing a bottle over her shoulder. “Fel was in such a hurry this morning he forgot to rub me down.”

“I hope you’ve used more than half a bottle so far.” the doctor snarked, looking out over the vast expanse of blue. “You can’t skimp if you want your skin to heal up right.” Two empty bottles sailed past her as the immense woman chuckled.

“Third one, actually. Fel loves an excuse to get his hands on me. He knows he doesn’t need it, but he really wants to prove he’s being helpful… mmm that feels nice…”

“Ha, he’s such a kid! Glad to see he’s still a cutie. Just curious, but have you two done it yet?”

“Ye… w-well, strictly speaking, no…” Lulu stuttered, caught off guard by the smaller woman’s bluntness.

“You really should seal the deal with him Lu. If these eggs are anything like a normal pregnancy then they still need a father, and could you lay there and tell me you have a better person picked out? And even if they don’t the boy deserves all the love you can give him, right?” Ophora said, planting seeds in the mother’s mind.

“You’re right about that… I suppose it's long overdue…”

“Well you just think about that, I’m not the one who’ll need to hear your answer. But that’s all Felice stuff, how are you holding up?”

“I’m... managing…” Lulu said with a sigh.

“What’s eating you, Lu?” Ophora asked, her sincere worry surprising herself.

“I’ve just had too much time to think, Ophora. Last time I had kids was very much like this. I’m just worried about something happening to the little ones, or those I care about… or even myself.” the large woman muttered, a thousand-yard stare on her face.

Ophora was quiet for a moment. The singer’s first pregnancy had started unexpectedly and ended with the death of her beloved, the loss of her voice, and the kidnapping of her children. As far as she knew, the kids were still being watched at the lakeside laboratory where she had learned most of her craft, the crotchety old scientist there still convinced the water in the bay wasn’t right for Zoran tadpoles. She wondered if Lulu had as much as held them before…

“Everything will be fine Lu. Just fine. You’re healthy as a seahorse, and you’ve got me and Felice. Nothing bad will happen to any of us. Not on my watch.”

“...thanks doctor. You missed a spot, by the way.” Lulu joked, her friend still working on the first quarter of her colossal womb.

~

Doctor’s Notes

Lulu Village, Day 5 addendum

I am putting my previous potion plan on hold. Until I give birth I don’t know how it would affect anything beyond egg size. I can’t do that to her in good conscience. Heh, look who has a conscience now! Got too close to my subjects I guess, I can’t view her or the boy objectively anymore. Guess I really am just Doc Opho. Nothing wrong with that, just a little boring.

Fel-Fel is coming over for another lesson soon, so I’d better get back. He’s a quick study, he might not be able to make elements from nothing like the warriors of legends, but he’s got manipulating what’s around him down-pat. Might be able to keep up with Zora swimmers if he makes his own little current. On the other side of his studies, I should teach him a little more than just sex… there’s so much to properly pleasuring a woman…

~

Ophora closed the door behind her, waddling into her study to put down her notepad when she was grabbed from behind. Offending hands clutched her swollen breasts as the person cuddled to her back, something hard pressing against her fleshy glutes.

“Ohhh jeez Fel, you really know how to surprise a girl! I thought you were out hunting!” Ophora whined, the boy’s grip kneading her tits as a cloudy white liquid seeped out the front of her sweater.

“We got back early, but I didn’t wanna interrupt you and momma so I waited here. This is what you meant by ‘surprising your lover’ right?”

“Someone’s been paying attention, but this might be a bit literal. A more high strung Zora might have gone into labor if you did that.”

“Sorry Ms. Opho…” the boy pouted, prompting Ophora to giggle at him.

“It’s quite alright Fel-Fel. Now come into my bedroom, today’s lesson is going to be a little different. And grab that rope, we’ll need it.” she ordered, waddling into her room and quickly shucking her clothing. Laying out on her bed, her hefty belly eclipsing the door entirely as her boobs pooled over her chin, she waited until she heard the boy’s breath catch in his throat. “Enjoying the view? You have the rope, yes? Tie my ankles to the bed poles down there.”

“Y-yes Ms. Opho!” he chirped, fumbling with the smooth thread as he roped her legs to the bed.

“Now do the same to my hands.” She commanded, and he just as quickly complied, tieing her down completely.

“N-now what Ms. Opho?”

“Now I want you to do whatever you want to me. I can nudge you in the right direction, but I want to see what you can do. If you think it’ll be sexy, do it. There’s more to sex than the sex, and there’s no better teacher than experience. Just one rule, if I say ‘seabreeze’ stop what you’re doing and let me go.”

“O-okay Ms. Opho…” Felice stuttered, uncertainty flowing from his tone.

“...on second thought, two rules. No ‘Ms. Opho.’ I’m your toy for now, call me something dirty like your ‘baby factory.’ Maybe some roleplay or something, just let go, do whatever makes you feel good. Be selfish. I promise you Lu loves this kinda stuff, so practice with me.”

Hearing him take a deep shuddering breath from behind her fertile mounds, she wondered what the boy would come up with as he loudly exhaled. She felt his hands grace her stuffed womb as he cleared his throat.

“H-how is my baby factory doing today?” he asked, trying to remember what he was taught about roleplay.

“I’m doing well master.” Ophora purred, wiggling her hips to shake her belly at the boy. “Look at how many eggs I’m making for you.”

“I suppose that’s nice… I feel like you could handle more though…” Felice muttered, hesitant.

“Oh no, I disappointed master! Are you going to punish me? Slap my naughty, tiny belly?” the tied doctor teased.

“Y-yea, I will!” the sheikah shouted, pulling his hand back and tapping her tummy with a light pat. “Oh goddess I’m sorry Ms. Opho are you ok!?”

“You don’t have a mean bone in your body do you?” The zora sighed. “Forget the act then, just do things. You have a preggo all to yourself, no one's going to stop you. If you’ve ever dreamed about doing anything, now’s the time to try it.” His face turned red as he thought back to a stimulating night when he was stuck on land, and he quickly undid his trousers. Hopping up onto the bed between her legs, he stood and grabbed the sides of her belly, looking into her eyes over the crest of her swell. She felt his hard shaft on her underbelly as it began to rub forward and back, sliding along her velvet flesh.

‘He just wants to dry-hump my tummy.’ she thought, somewhat bored. ‘Oh well, I guess I expected too much from him. He’s just too nice and too inexperienced…’ She felt a warmth spread over her dome as the boy cried out, a weight settling on her legs as he slumped down. “Did you have fun?” she said, bemusedly waiting for his ragged panting to subside.

“Yes… Miss Opho…”

“Good. Now if you wouldn’t mind letting me uuuuuuunf~” Ophora moaned, a familiar pleasing warmth bubbling up from within. She struggled against her bonds, futilely trying to grope herself as her body began to expand.

“What’s wrong Miss Oph-oh my goddess!” Felice yipped, his eyes wide as he watched the blue spheres before him inch larger.

“Guess the… mmmmm… catfish is… out of the net…” the growing woman grunted, feeling the boy’s hands caress her womb as a hard tube once more smacked into her belly.

“I did this… I can do this…?” the white-haired boy mumbled, the blood rushing to his member beginning to blur his vision. His hips thrust on their own, slowly dragging his rod across the ballooning ball before him.

“F-fellllll… stoooooop…” she moaned, her lust-addled state keeping her safeword just out of mind, and his preventing him from hearing her groaning pleas as he soldiered on. He looked towards her, but what was once a view of her face was now blocked by quivering teal breasts as they greedily searched for more space. She bucked against her bindings, twin geysers of milk shooting from her breasts pushing Felice over the edge as his own mound jets another spurt of white onto the slope before him. His knees buckle, his body spent as his partner’s womb absorbed his magic-infused leavings and her growth spiked. Ophora could do nothing but moan in ecstasy, her body burning hot with pleasure while it gently rounded out. Felice watched her belly as it tightened up, a rubberized shine glinting off its surface as a single dark-blue mark began to appear down the center. His eyes snapped open from their drowsy state as a blue blush settled onto her skin and her growth stopped, thinking back to similar events two days ago.

“Seabreeze!” he shouted, fumbling at her restraints as he vomited out apology after apology, helping Ophora into a sitting position to free her from her new weight.

“Feellll it’s oooookaaaayyy…” she groaned as the hormones, tightness, and pleasure conspired to draw out her speech. She pet him as he babbled, riding out the aftershocks as the fish-woman took stock of her new body shape. Her forward view was entirely obscured by her massive milkers, propped up as they were on her egg-bloated belly. Taking a cleansing breath, she turned to the damp-eyed boy, “Fel, can you get me my sewing kit and floor mirror? I’m gonna need to let out my sweater.”

~

Doctor’s Notes

Oasis Felice, Day 5 addendum 2

With a little help from the boy I’ve got my measurements and it looks like I’ll be sewing for awhile. My belly measurements match Lu’s when she last came to my clinic, but my boobs and tush are so much bigger! Everything’s still about the same relative size, so it looks like my equal proportions are holding no matter how big I get. Gonna need help getting milked from now on, but I’m sure Fel will oblige me. I sent him off to play with Lu for now, can’t have him ignoring her for my sake and I’m sure he can skip one evening of magic practice. Even gave him a tip on how to rile her up. I wonder if she’s going to act on her feelings…

~

Lulu lay out on her side, as close to purring as a Zora could get. Ophora had been very thorough in her work, coating every last inch of her egg-filled sac and leaving it at a mirror sheen. She snuggled into the soft pillow of her breast as the evening sun beamed down on her cyan flesh, suffusing her with a gentle warmth. The great egg-maker felt a tickling irritation on her navel, almost hesitant in how brief it was. She drowsily reached out to scratch it, her sleepy mind not understanding the fruitlessness of the task as she rubbed her flank. Her half-hearted mumbled was cut off by a quick intake of air, followed by a pleased sigh as the irritation was replaced by a sharp pinch on her fleshy nub.

“W-whoooo’s there?” Lulu shouted, her volume necessary with how far away the intruder was from her torso. She moaned aloud as she felt them push against her navel, the deep tissue massage quickly working the Zora into an amorous mood. The masseuse worked their way down her belly, following her linea until the small hands were pawing at her panties. She shuddered at the brief touch across her most sensitive spot as they moved along her fluffy buns, a flash of white visible over her shoulder. “Fel, is that you?”

“Yes ma’am!” the boy cheerily replied, taking no small satisfaction in seeing the blush on her face. “We found lots of food today, so we came back early.”

“That’s wonderful dear, I missed you today!” She beamed at him, her thoughts drifting to her conversation earlier in the day. “Hey Fel, do you know how people become daddies?” Felice thought for a moment, the puzzled expression on his face forcing Lulu to stifle some giggles.

“Well… when a mommy and daddy love each other very much, that’s how babies are made… so if someone has a baby with a mommy, it makes them a daddy?” he puzzled out.

“That’s about right. Do you know how a mommy and daddy make a baby?” she asked, her mind made up.

“They do something special… I don’t know what though…” he asked, a little crestfallen that he was so quickly stumped.

“I can teach you, if you want. Just answer this one question: Do you want to be their daddy?” she said, patting the side of her eggy mass. This caught the small Sheikah by surprise; he had not long ago thrown a fit about sharing his momma with the impending clutch.

“But would you still be my momma then?” he asked, trying to reconcile his thoughts.

“I’d be their momma, and you’d be their daddy. But to you, I’d be your Lulu, and you’d be my Felice.” she stated, warmly smiling at him. He floated about for a bit, weighing the options.

‘I don’t get to call her momma anymore… but I get the whole momma?’ he pondered. “So you’re all mine?”

“Yes dear, the babies would have a momma, Ophora has a friend, but you would have everything.”

“...ok… but what would I call you then?” Felice asked.

“How about ‘lover’?” Lulu whispered, bringing a blush to his cheeks. “Now call the others, I want to be on my front for this.”

“Actually… I think I can do that myself.” He said, grinning as he put his hands together.

“What are you dooOOOOOOOOING!?” Lulu yelled as a strong current formed as if from nothing, rolling her along the seafloor until her navel rested against the stone.

“Ophora’s been tutoring me in magic!” he chittered, his exuberance in his ability clear.

“So that’s where you’ve been wandering off to! Now, I need you to take off my panties.” she ordered. Felice blushed abit as he lay hands on her plush rear, pulling gently down causing the fabric to quickly bust at the seams and free her deceptively large tush. The blue flesh impacted him with an audible ‘fwomp’, intensifying his blush. He grew even more flustered as she spread her hefty hips, exposing a small slit hidden beneath her massive thighs.

“What’s that?” Felice asked, somewhat perplexed. ‘Girls don’t have a toy?’

“Think of it as a lock, and your toy as the key. Stick it in, and the rest should come naturally.” she instructed, looking demurely over her shoulder. She cooed as he rested his weight against her buns, the coo transforming into a moan as he began to drive his pole into her depths. He squeaked as her inner warmth enveloped his length, grunting as he drove his way hilt-deep. Natural hip motion took over as his mind was awash with sensation, the couple reduced to animalistic grunts and the slap of flesh-on-flesh. It wasn’t long before both let out a cry as they reached their limits, Lulu first as her belly massage had her on edge, then Felice as her internal spasms pulled him to his crescendo.

“Oooooooh yesssssss Fel… that was great…” she moaned, limp with pleasure as his seed rushed into her like egg-seeking missiles. A fulfilling happiness washed over her as she anticipated meeting her little ones. She felt a warming tingle within the sphere as the magic did its work, but then something happened that no one had foreseen. A dull roar of clattering eggshells began to issue forth from her enormity, followed by deft cracks and distinct shapes gliding about the surface. “Unf… what’s… going on… in there…?” she groaned as the heat migrated to her breasts, its job in her womb complete. “So much movement… mmmmmmmmmmm…”

“Are you alright?” Felice asked, eyes alight with wonder as he watched her belly become a whirlpool of life, the ever increasing activity flexing her flesh more and more as the hatching tadpoles wiggled their tails for the first time in their lives.

“I’m fine… I’ve never heard... of them hatching inside… but I’m ok…” she grunted, the familiar heat in her chest giving way to an even more familiar stretching sensation. “Ooh! I guess… I’m still not making enough… food for their taste!” Her breasts crept forward on her rowdy tummy at a slow and steady pace, a cloud of white issuing from her nipples as the contents overfilled their growing container.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” the young father-to-be asked, eye warily watching her busom for signs of stress.

“Could you be a dear… mmmmmm… and get Ophora for me… I need her to… examine thiiiiiiiisssss!” she shrieked, her face turning bright aqua as her babies swam about her amniotic sac, the feeling an indescribable mix of pleasure, strain, fulfillment, and many other battling emotions.

“Go get Miss Opho, right away!” Felice yipped, swimming off as the moans and squeals behind him turned his face rupee red.

[shadowlink720]

FE: Birthright Randomised Prologue, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

(aka ‘I can’t believe Shadow is freaking Dead’)

ok Are you ready for this? I’m sure not but let’s mcfreaking go I’m gonna go on a lot of tangents probably so please forgive me for that---

oooooooook so let’s see if this actually works (I haven’t actually tested it yet, but it loaded instead of hanging at a black screen so I’m assuming it does), let’s also see if it breaks the game or not b/c I’ve heard that Birthright can so therefore Conquest is more reliable but I never want to play Conquest ever again holy heck I don’t have a physical copy of Conquest ayyyy

But enough stalling! Let’s get right to it! Ah jeez I really want to give Corrin the really short hair I did when I branched off to Revelation but I want to keep the SYMBOLISM-

.... a lot of these pictures are gonna be squint ahah (also it’s Samurai b/c I need Astra lmao)

ok then let’s goooooo

I suppose I should be worried that the ‘No’ option doesn’t show properly but w/e (the button is blank lol)

........ Azura could you build the suspence any higher ahahahah;;;;;;

OH MY GOD IT WORKED

TAKUMI REPLACED HINOKA I’M GOING TO D I E And he’s a Diviner lmao no Fujin Yumi for u m8 I hope that the Ryoma and Takumi replacements can/will use Raijinto and Fujin Yumi lol ohhh my farore I am actually shaking aaaaahhh give me a minute ahahh--- this is so surreal is this actually happening I don’t even kno w ANYWAY

Takumi are you saying ‘How dare you!?’ to the Nohrian for trying to attack me or me for not knowing how to dodge-

also I’m going to skip enemy/ally phases so there aren’t any spoilers >:3c

ok I know it’s for stability’s sake, but Takumi with the Sky Knight class looks like he has short hair-

OH MY GOFD

woops I could have taken a better one uagiuagdfudgh RYOMA IS REPLACED WITH AZURA I’M DYI N G IT’S WORSE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM NEXT TO ME WHO CAN PROBABLY HEAR MY LAUGHING THO HECK

ah yeah since it’s Birthright then the Nohrian siblings won’t get randomised for stability :V

wait Felici a is tAKUMI FELICIA IS TAKUMI WE DON’T NEED TO PLAY IT ANY FURTHER THIS IS THE PINNACLE HOLY HYLIA

ohhh my gosh Sakura is replaced with Mozu aaaaaahhhhh that’s adorable auhfiughdfysdgf

OH YM GOD

Ryoma is Yukimura I’m This playthrough is going to end me tbh---

I don’t think I’m ever going to get over Felicia being Takumi and Azura being Ryoma tbh holy heck

also I really hope Felicia turns out to be a class that can use bows so that she could possibly have Fujin Yumi idk how it works tho ahahahhhh;;;;;;

I’m not getting over this, I can’t wait to see more of Felicia being passive aggressive/throwing the extreme SALT around

Azura, Takumi just asked if u were alright, I don’t really think humming is gonna help u with answering him-

Azura, High Princess of NoChill-shido

aaaand more vanilla sibliings (I’m sorry, I didn’t have the courage to try to get Revelation to work-)

It’s at times like this when you realise just how different Hinoka and Takumi are when it comes to acting towards u at the start asfhiudfsiudh

WELP ANYWAY that concludes the Proloooogue, time to get right into Chapter 1 aaaaaah

also this is what I was talking about with the button being blank ahahahh;;;;

time to see Felicia and Jakob’s replacements ayyyy OH MY GOD

Felicia is now an Oni Savage Hana holy heck- JAKOB IS KAZE I’M GOING TO DI E

OH MY GOD Flora asked Hana if she’d help w/ waking Corrin up and Hana’s voiceline was just ‘No’ aioasdfudfhsudfs I think I’m going to do Chapter 2 as well seeing as basically nothing will be different this chapter b/c I ain’t doing Conquest ahahah;;;

I always seem to forget how tutorial heavy fe games are, but especially in Fates :’’’’D ayyyy first level up! ..... I only got hp! :’’’’’’’’D yikes that was an awful level up audgaiufhaduf do the growth rates change for Corrin? idek ahahah (no they don’t seem to)

anyway hope ur ready to Die, Xander if not then.................. well this is Birthright ayyyy lmao

aaanyway we don’t need to see this cutscene we’ve already seen it before many tiiiimes because it’s exactly the saaaaaaaaaame but there’s Leo with his inside out collar again lmao there’s a tag on it and everything that’s cute

You know what I realised the other day though??? A unit’s clothing can get ripped in this game, idk what causes it tho, probably getting low on HP, and it’s certainly not fixed magically w/ healing it’s a funny little detail idek

lmao bye Hana we won’t see u again for a whiiiile ahahh;;;;

onto Chapter 2! :D (I love this so far ngl, oh my Farore)

So! who are the Hoshidan prisoners!? >:D oh yeah we have to see Ganon- GARON, first asjhifadufa Dragon Veins, Ganglari, magic from Valla, yadda yadda yaddaaaaa PRISONERS!

..........oh my Farore-

Kaze don’t be mean >:V I mean.... yeah tea sounds great right now but THAT DOESN’T MATTER U were in their position once, in an alternate universe :Y

........................... Holy Hylia-

...... So does this mean I can call Jakob a grill he certainly does roast ppl a lot in the original-

WHAT ARE THE ODDS

THAT RINKAH REPLACES KAZE- it was really funny tho, when Corrin said ‘Huh? Have you heard of me?’ Rinkah just said nothing, but her mouth was open and her voice line was ‘What?’ so I’m just imagining her like ‘Bitch, I am Hurt’

yeah yeah Dragon Vein tutorial and all that I GET IT- Let’s look at Kaze’s stats and skills! >:D

...... Holy shit he’s a monster

His personal skill is Collector, which is super neat because hey! free stuff! :D He also has Seal Magic which could be good with his terrible less than stellar Resistance, and Good Fortune, which restores up to 20% HP EACH TURN, well.... based on his luck stat, which is..... pretty bad lmao- maybe he has a really good Luck stat growth idk (I peeked at the output file after having played the chapter and his stat growths are HP = 15, Str = 30, Mag = 35, Skill = 50, Spd = 25, Lck = 50, Def = 20, Res = 40, so yeah, pretty decent barring HP and Def haha;;;) But LOOK AT THAT STRENGTH HE’S A BEAST AND A C RANK IN SPEARS THAT’S FANTASTIC UGH- Kaze........ my man, I can’t wait to see what you can Heart Seal into it could probably be really cool, or..... pretty bad, idk anything could happen with this randomiser

I just realised how ironic his randomised class was; he went from a light, speed based Hoshidan class to a bulky, defence based Nohrian class ahahah;;;

but enough digressing! Let’s get started! >:D

....... Goddesses damn it Kaze, why do you have such an adorable laugh u’r gonna kill me- also don’t lie, you can’t use staves :V Anyway, I shouldn’t bother letting Gunter get experience because reasons, this is Birthright-

I’m just gonna end the turn without doing anything and see what happens, because I want them to still be paired up when they attack/still be on the healtile;;;

Rest in pieces, generic samurai.

Look at how quick these guys are to throw their lives away, how cute. Another level uuuuup 1 point to Speed and Luck, wow that’s.... not all that great, but I’m not going to have a lot of luck anyway so I should just take what I can get :V

Jakob no, it’s no use You have a club and your against a sword I mean yeah you survive but not for long m8

....... I hate to break it to ya, Jakob, buuuut

ah jeez, Corrin almost leveled up again-

Dammit Corrin, we could have finished it there and then if you had just HIT HER- no matter, she should be done now

Ayyy, level up for Kaze!

And it’s pretty darn good too! :V

I still can’t believe that Kaze replaces Jakob, like, they couldn’t be any different with how they treat people- I’m not complaining tho; means I get Kaze pretty early on >:3c ayyy he got Defence +2! :D

aww that’s the end of the Chapter ;;u;;

ooooh hey! Jakob’s a Nohr Prince and Rinkah’s a Spear Fighter! (That makes what Jakob said earlier even better lmao;;; ) I can’t wait to see Jakob turn into a mcfreaking DRAGON awwww yeeeaaaah >:3ccccc

oh yeah, Garon talking about ‘kill the Hoshidans!’ all that nonsense like, bruh. nah. I want a Nohr Prince and Spear Fighter, yo. it’s funny how Jakob still stands the way he does tho, but I can’t get a picture of it agusdasusfgha

ahhh, wheesht Xander, u idiot, you know more than anyone that there’s something definitely up with Garon and all that stuff with the vanilla Nohr siblings yadda yadda

Ok you can’t really see it, but there’s Jakob standing the way he usually does lol

Why u gotta be so r00000d it’s still oddly fitting that he’s in the place of Rinkah, tho; it’s like, what Jakob would act like towards Corrin if he hadn’t been their butler, albeit a little less passive aggressive :V

JAKOB I told u to STOP-

aww man, that’s the real end of the chapter

safjuhduhfsdufhasf I wanna play moooore but I shouldn’t make this go on too long ;;;;u;;;; So u can bet that I’ll keep going later hahahah;;;;

Sorry for the low quality images btw, I might look into getting a screenshot plugin at some point, idk I also don’t know how often I should do these, so if anyone who bothered to get this far could tell me what they would think would be best that would be really great :0

[magiccaughtoncamera]

A couple of weeks ago I did the Try A Chapter Tag and I loved doing that so I thought, why not let people decide which books I try next? So I asked you for some suggestions and ended up with a big filled with pieces of paper with a lot of books, some of which I have been wanting to read, others I have never heard of. This is now a regular feature on my blog called You Made Me Read This and you can read my first attempt here!

This time the books I have randomly picked from my cup are: Etiquette & Espionage by Gaile Carriger (suggested by Gayle @this_lil_light), The Orphan Queen by Jodie Meadows (suggested by Ayla @booksnbabbles) and Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg (suggested by @Saugustine928).

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Expectations: I don’t think I’ve heard of this book but I just glanced over the synopsis and I’m not sure. It sounds kinda cool about a kind of spy school? But also, it seems to be fantasy and that’s not my thing anymore (and yet I ended up with all these high fantasy books lol)

Experience: [on page 1] Is this girl seriously called Sophronia Barnaclegoose?? what. I’m sorry but this is the stupidest character name I have ever heard.

[on page 2] I think Sophronia is trying to go somewhere with a dumbwaiter (I had to think for a while before realizing that this wasn’t a waiter who is dumb) and ended up in pudding. I’m not sure how she managed to do that.

[on page 5] ohhh she’s 14 years old, that kinda explains the weird things she’s been doing, I think? If I were 14, I’d try to climb through a dumbwaiter.

[on page 6] They keep casually mentioning vampires and werewolves so I guess those live in whatever world they live in. She thinks her mom is angry and wants to sell her off as servant for vampires?? Vampires are also really into fashion apparently.

[I switched to the ebook sample so no more pagemarkers] Now her mom is discussing with a “vampire drone”, whatever that might mean, about how Sophronia is a terrible daughter. And she’s basically trying to sell her to vampires (or finishing school?) like she suspected. So nice.

Now the vampire lady who is apparently also the owner of a finishing school is asking her all these odd questions to see whether she’s fit to go to school there. It is decided that she shall go and must leave immediately.

Verdict: I am very confused about the vampires and werewolves and how that’s supposed to fit in the story and era it’s set in. Though it seems kinda fun, I do not think this book is for me. Perhaps if I were somewhat younger and actually liked historic and supernatural books, I’d enjoy it!

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Expectations: I’ve heard of The Orphan Queen and it has always seem like one of those really generic YA high fantasy books that I’ve never really been interested (the only reason I’ve ever been interested in fantasy is because it’s so hyped tbh).

Experience: [on page 1] world building world building world building.

[on page 2] there are a lot of terms thrown around and I have no idea what any of them mean.

[on page 5] I still have no idea what the MC’s (who is called Wil) gender is. They sneak in some place together with their friend Melanie. Wil secretly has magic and uses it to steal something – some kind of papers.

[on page 8] there’s a fight and I don’t know why or who they’re fighting. They’re called “glowmen” *raises eyebrow*

[on page 11] when the fight is over and Wil won, “Black Knife” shows up. This seems like an important character. Wil runs.

Verdict: If I weren’t feeling so anti-fantasy (right now) I would probably have enjoyed this but I couldn’t really care less about it tbh. Wil seems pretty badass and I haven’t really paid attention to the world building so I can’t say much about it, but the story seems promising.

Followed By Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

Expectations: I have never heard of this book, perhaps because I’m not really into fantasy but I’ve heard of The Paper Magician, I think. The cover seems to have a weird contrast of ice and a desert? Kinda confusing.

Experience: [on prologue] uhm. ok. The MC knows cold and death and is also a tad bit dramatic.

[on chapter 1, again no page markers] The MC (who still remains nameless) is eating some food from a distant land with a friend. And now some introduction to some people and the city blablabla. Some guy named Mordan has a crush on the MC and she’s totally creeped out by him.

Apparently she’s called Smitha? What is it with these strange names? MORDAN THE CREEP IS 8 YEARS OLDER THAN HER AND SHE’S A TEEN YUK. This whole situation is so wrong on so many levels but she’s only not interested in him because he’s not handsome enough wtf.

The guy just followed her home and something bad is going to happen, I feel it. He wants to talk to her. Alone. She doesn’t show up and that’s where the chapter ends.

Verdict: I have to be honest, I’m intrigued about what’s going to happen with Mordan because I feel it’s going to be bad. I think this book is a good book, from what I’ve read. But I don’t want to read it because it’s high fantasy and I just really don’t care about high fantasy. I’ve just been skimming over all the worldbuilding stuff tbh because I knew I wasn’t going to continue haha.

This went as well as I predicted haha, I didn’t think any of them were for me (mostly because I’m really in a fantasy slump right now and I don’t think I’ll be getting out of it any day soon.

Have you read any of these books? Or are they still on your TBR? Do you think I judge too harshly?

You Made Me Read This #2 | All the fantasy books are haunting me A couple of weeks ago I did the Try A Chapter Tag and I loved doing that so I thought, why not let people decide which books I try next?

[jitsuda-blog]

Chiang Dao Camping

The reasons that I am writing this blog because I think I fall in love with trekking. I think I understand now why people like to go trekking.

I am inspired by a book called “Born a crime” written by Trevor Noah. I like the idea that he wrote about his life, born in South Africa in English language which allows people from different parts of the world to understand and enjoy reading his experiences. And I am one of them. So, I hope that my messages will be seen by people, in India, Africa, small islands, small towns in other parts of the world somehow. I apologize for my broken English. I honestly would love to share my latest experience.

And most importantly, I am amazed by beauty of nature. Nature has so much impact on me. I also appreciated everyone in the trip who had helped me along the ways that were full of difficulties and wonderful adventures.

26 November 2017

My parents drove me to Chiang Dao Camping office (Chiangmai, Thailand), where I first met up with guides or porters and other trekkers whom I would be spending the whole 3 day journey with.

It was my first time going trekking alone. I had invited some friends, but they were not free to come, or they did not want to come, I was not so sure. But, I really wanted to go. What should I do?

Since I am always  inspired by Iroamalone website, which is created to advice how a woman can travel alone, I saw the possibility that I was not going to be in the jungle alone, I could just follow the other tourists. Besides, I actually am an adult. There is nothing for  me and my parents should be concerned or worried about that much.

It was 8.30 AM. There were total 10 trekkers and 2 porters for this trip. We all sat at the back of the pickup that would bring us to the trekking starting site.

Once the pickup passed the National park office, the speed began  faster. The driver sped up while running on the super rough road.

“Ahhhhhh!!!!! Ohhh Noo…..!!!! Ouch!! Ouch!! Seriously!!!” My butt bumped up and down the seat.

“Do you have to go that fast?!  I do not wanna die here. There is no seat belt. What if the car accidentally get off the road and go down the hill?!!!” I was crying inside. And I believe that everyone felt the same way, they all grabbed the bar tightly. It was such a fast and furious ride. [Later on, when we finished the trip, we complained about the fast ride to another driver, he said it is hard to bring the pickup full of people up on the high mountain if they go by slower pace. And they are experienced in driving to the area.]

Even I was panic on the intense ride, I still noticed the scenery along the rough road. It was foggy. I saw orange garden, with small little shop in the front, selling oranges and some snacks. The ride was not that bad actually.

It took one hour and a half on the scary ride, we finally arrived safely at the starting site. We grabbed lunch pack and 2 bottles of water and put into our bags.

The driver who is also the manager of the tour, He showed us the map and explained the directions.

Way up to the campsite: 8.5 km (4 - 5 hours walk)

Way down from campsite: 6 km (3 - 4 hours walk)

                                     Then, it was time to start trekking.

“Wowww…. isn’t it pretty?!!”  The track was narrow, so we all had to walk as one row. The weather surrounding was a bit cooling, but I  thought there was no need to wear long sleeves yet, because I would be sweating later.

The flower is called “Tian Nok Kaew”  you may see that  they look so much like small little parrots. [Nok Kaew means Parrot].

We stopped a while for lunch break. The sticky rice with fried pork and sausage filled up three quarters of my stomach. Around 2 PM, we reached the campsite. We stayed right below the big mountain. We rested a while, enough to recharge the energy to hike up to the big mountain that evening for sunset. 

OMG, I realized that climbing up to this mountain was not easy. It was very steep, certain path was tough, the narrow track was full of rocks. Further away by just inches was just nice cliff. I started to get out of breath. I breathed in and out deeply to calm myself. It seemed like the porter noticed my reactions. He stopped and called out for everyone to take few breaks along the way up. This was  the most extreme exercise I had ever done in my life.

Almost one hour later, I finally caught up with some other trekkers, we reached the top of “ Doi Luang Chiang Dao”,  at least  the ground on the top was flat enough for me to walk easily. [Doi Luang means big mountain].

Wowww........

Is this real?!!! I breathed in the fresh air deep down into both of my lungs. The aching from climbing suddenly went away. I could not feel anymore pain by just looking at the breathtaking view in front of me. I sensed only lightness and peacefulness. Was I dreaming? Last five minutes I was still suffering from the rocks and scary cliff. We were at 2,225 meters above sea level.

Others were checking their phone signals or finding their best spots for shooting photos. They probably could not wait to tell their love ones of what they just experienced.

The porter has been very nice, he liked to show us the different locations on top of the big mountain.  

At the end of the day, the sun disappeared slowly from the sky. It was time for me to climb back to my tent in the darkness (of course I brought flashlight with me). It was easier coming down, but still it was scary for me.

Next morning, I woke up around 4.15 am. We were heading to another mountain called “Gew Lom” for sunrise. The sky was full of stars, it had been long time that I had not seen that many stars so obvious.

Climbing up to Gew Lom was not easier than the day before. It was hard because it was dark and more slippery. Again, I was suffering with catching up my breath and trying to keep my body moving through the hard track.

At a certain part of the way to Gew Lom, Pi Ling, another porter, flashed the flashlight  up to a cliff, and we could see the reflection of an animal called “ Liang Pa” which is mountain goat. “They like to stand on the cliff” Pi. Ling said. [ Pi means older brother].

About an hour of climbing in the darkness, We once stepped on the top. Pi Ling prepared hot Milo (chocolate drink) for us. What could be better than having hot drink above the cold mountain. 

                                      And... the sun started rising....

After the sun had fully risen, we just enjoyed taking photos for a while. Pi Ling quickly presented us an interesting flower. The flower would break and spread out its seeds whenever we give slight squeeze or even when the rain falls onto it.

I  enjoyed making the flowers broken for a while. Then, we got hungry, so it was  time to climb back for breakfast. 

Oh my gosh, the way down was even more slippery. My walking stick did not help much. I needed to hold the trees and rocks nearby to help balancing myself.

Pi Chai, our chef, cooked wonderful dishes for us in every meals. I could not believe that up on mountain I still could enjoy tasty food. I needed to restore lots of energy. After breakfast, we all were happy to rest. We would start another trekking in the afternoon at 2 PM, this time we would go to another mountain linking to Gew Lom. Which means we would need to hike up to the same path as the morning, and continue further away another 25 minutes. That sounded so far away for me already.  However, after I had done hiking up and down mountains twice, I really gained much more confidence that it would be possible for me to go further.

There was a little cave hiden underneath the top of the mountain.  It was impossible  for us to go deeper inside, since the the entrance was too small. 

It was chilling up there. Pi Ling again was preparing hot drinks for us as usual. We were just looking for spots to sit down and could not wait to enjoy the drink until....we heard unexpected sentence.

“ Oh No !!, I forgot to bring the kettle” Pi Ling spoke out loud enough for us to hear. 

We were stunned for seconds and tried to process what we had just heard.

“ It is ok ” we all responded him with little bit sadness. I can just drink the cold Milo then. I still needed to restore some energy.

This afternoon, we could see only fogginess on the sky and surrounded the mountain. The sky was still unclear and it was almost time of sunset. We decided to go back to the campsite because of the heavy fog. We missed sunset.

Tomorrow would be our last day, we planned to go back to Doi Luang Chiang Dao, to see the stars and sunrise another time. 

5 AM, we reached the top, but still the whole mountain was full of fog. It was 15 Degree Celsius, with breeze. I could not stand the wind. I hid myself in front of the wood signage. Of course we still hoped that the sky would open soon, we waited until we were sure that the sun had been risen. The weather got warmer. “It is ok, I do not see sunrise, I still can enjoy the cloud!!”

let us go back to our tents for breakfast and get ready for long trek all the way back.

This is our kitchen. Pi Ling and Pi Chai were packing their stuffs.

On the way back, the sky opened,  I believed that the mountains showed up to say goodbye to us, or maybe to give us encouragement to get through the new hard track. The way back was very different from the way we came. 

It is 6 km, which is shorter distance, but seriously, walking down the long steep hill really hurt my knees. Pi Chai helped accompanied me from half way to the end. Other trekkers were walking very fast. I was very careful to step down the slippery path. I did not want to get any injuries, my knees already got hurt and tired. Pi Chai guided me all the way through and giving me some green oil to massage my knees. I was not sure to try. But since it is just herb, I finally tried. I liked the smell of it, though. “Not bad”, I felt less painful later on. We walked passed by bamboos jungles, wild bananas jungles, high rocks covered with moss all over them. Wow, this was like unusual landscape for me. It was like dinosaur era. I probably watched too much movies, or I got too tired until I became blurred.

OMG, I finally saw the same pickup  waiting in the front. I came as the third place, by the way:))

Thank you all friends along this trip, it was nice to meet you all. Thank you for help taking photos of me. Thank you Chiang Dao Camping for arranging  the program efficiently. Thank you porters for being so kind, funny and sharing your stories. 

                                                                            Nature is really amazing = D

 Last pic was shot by Ja with her GoPro (thank you so much)

                                                      Expense details(3 days,2 nights program)

Trip: 2,750 bht per person

Sleeping bag rent: 200 bht per night

Luggages : If you need porter to carry your bags, the price is 120 bht per kg ( mine was around 4 kg)

Further inquries please contact Chiang Dao Camping Facebook page

Additional information

There is no water for showering, the porters prepared only water for drinking and washing face or brush your teeth. 

Toilet: it looks like a hole with wood board for a person to stand on and squat to do your business,  they covered with black plastic net to make like small restroom. The smell is terrible. One of the porter said they will change new hole every month. It is better than nothing, I think.

Phone signals: AIS or One2call signals can be found on top of the most mountains. Truemove can be found only at Gew Lom mountain (mine is Truemove, I could make a call there). 

Phone signals cannot be found at the campsite and along the trekking tracks.

Accommodation: one tent can fit one or two people. I stayed alone in a tent, which was located near to other people’s tents. 

My opinion: Suggestions for trekkers ( trip during November) 

The weather can be 10-15 degree C at night  until early in the morning. It can be windy on top of mountains.

1. The sleeping bag from the campsite is not warm enough, you should bring extra sleeping bag or extra blanket. I, myself was suffering from coldness. Some other trekkers asked for extra sleeping bag even they already brought ones from home.

2. You may bring additional cushion/air cushion to put on top of the mat in the tent, so that it helps to prevent coldness transferring to your body at night. 

3. Bring some snacks or sweets if you have high metabolism, you will always feel hungry and you can share snacks to your friends too. There is no snacks available at the campsite. They provide only food, water, Milo and coffee.  Each usual meal may not last for long hours in some people.

4. Bring hot water bottle with you, because the water for drinking is as cold as water in a fridge. you can ask the porters to boil water for you to spare.

5. It is better to join 3 days 2 nights trip, because there is possibility that the sky can be foggy and you will miss sunrise or sunset if you stay just one night.