#oho ocean

[ym-loreposting]

The ancient Beanbean Kingdom

The Beanbean Kingdom is a kingdom that features in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and its remake for the 3DS, being located directly south of the Mushroom Kingdom. In the game, several hints are given as to the ancient past of this kingdom through the mentions of ancient civilizations, which I want to document in this post.

The Hoohoo Civilization

One of the first areas Mario and Luigi visit in the Beanbean Kingdom is Hoohoo Mountain in the kingdom's northwest. Among the waterfalls of this mountain sits Hoohoo Village. One of the people that live there says the following:

"Long ago, on this very mountain, the Hoohooligans developed the great Hoohoo civilization. At the summit, there still remain many mysterious remnants of this once great people."

And another one says:

"We are said to be the descendants of the people who developed the Hoohoo civilization. This land is largely populated by the Beanish peoples, but there are other races, like ours!"

It seems in the past that these Hoohooligans inhabited the entirety of Hoohoo Mountain, but their descendants confined to their village in the present. When one goes up the mountain, they indeed come across many remnants of their culture. The most notable are their Hooroglyphs, ancient letters that spell out the jokes of the civilization.

Another is the weapon Hoohooros, who functions as a boss and guards the path to the mountain summit. He is also surrounded by Hooroglyphs and can use them to fire lasers.

Lastly, there are also fiery statues on the mountain that are not explicitly tied to the civilization, but may have been made by it as they look like the people of Hoohoo Village. When doused, other statues are activated that generate small tornadoes and so may also have been made by this civilization.

Soybean Civilization

The second civilization is given less to work with. They are mentioned by an elderly resident of Beanbean Castle Town, who describes them as an advanced bean civilization from an age of flying spin-beans, tunneling mole-beans, and fast-moving dash-beans. They also had hidden treasures called Beanstones, which are jewels that can be found in modern-day Beanbean Castle Town.

The other mention of the Soybeans comes from a Toad in Little Fungitown, who says the lift that leads into the town (which is located atop tall mushrooms) was made by them:

"They say that lift was made long ago by the people of the ancient Soybean Civilization."

Given that this lift bears a crest of the Mushroom Kingdom that is shown in the Mushroom Castle and the Mushroom Kingdom embassy in Little Fungitown, it is possible that the ancient Mushroom Kingdom and the Soybean civilization used to have contact. Generally, it seems probable that the Soybeans are the predecessors of the modern Beanish people, given they inhabit the same general area.

Guffawha Ruins

At the foot of Hoohoo Mountain but outside the fields around Beanbean Castle, there sits an ancient structure called the Guffawha Ruins. Underground ruins of similar structure also extend in the western portion of Teehee Valley, a desert that sits east of the ruins in general. The Guffawha Ruins seem to have architectural elements of both the Hoohoo civilization and the Soybeans. For the Hoohoo civilization, Hooroglyphs can be found in and outside the ruins. There are also statues inside that bear resemblance to cave entrances near Hoohoo Village.

As for the Soybeans, presuming they are the ancestors of the modern Beanish, we do find some structures that resemble those of the modern Beanish in the Guffawha Ruins. The Beanish have the tendency to mark their presence with the use of smiling faces which can be seen on the rocks and door frames of the Guffawha Ruins. Furthermore, a large smiley face also adorns the outside of the ruins on the map and several statues in front of its entrance.

Given both architectural styles are present and the ruins are found on the border of Hoohoo Mountain and modern-day Beanish territories, it is likely the Guffawha Ruins were a joint effort by both ancient civilizations. It is unclear what the purpose of these ruins was, though in the present day they are the only place where Crabbie Grass, the cure for Bean Fever, grows.

Oho Civilization

The final civilization is only mentioned once and a tad indirectly. On the Oho Oasis island in the Oho Ocean in the east of Beanbean Kingdom, there are several recordings left behind by an expedition team. They were there to research to so-called Oho Civilization:

"It has been a week since our Oho Civilization Research Expedition reached this island."

On the island, two ruins of palaces can be found dedicated to the entities Firebrand and Thunderhand. During Superstar Saga, they bestow the Firebrand and Thunderhand abilities to Mario and Luigi respectively. These palaces were likely built by the Oho Civilization and were last visited 3000 years ago according to Firebrand, giving a general time frame for how long ago the Oho Civilization existed.

In and near these palaces there are also statues present. What is interesting is that smaller versions of those statues can be found underwater in the Oho Ocean and on Gwarhar Lagoon in the far southeast of the Beanbean Kingdom. This indicates the Oho Civilization spanned the entire Oho Ocean at one point and perhaps that they were an aquatic people, given sea levels were higher in the past (as Teehee Valley used to be an ocean).

Conclusion

The ancient Beanbean Kingdom was home to three separate civilization, which date back at least 3000 years ago. Whether or not they all existed at the same time is unclear, especially as the Beanish appear to be rather long-lived (the Beanish Bubbles having been alive for more than 1000 years), but their spheres of influence can be tracked in the modern day at least.

[funakounasoul]

I've been watchin' you for some time Can't stop starin' at those ocean eyes... No fair You really know how to make me cry When you gimme those ocean eyes I'm scared I've never fallen from quite this high Fallin' into your ocean eyes Those ocean eyes

I was inspired by a slide show-style MV that was posted on Twitter a few days ago by a Japanese fan (hopefully that works, I know that site is broken now; you may need an account). I had heard the song before, but something about watching the video made me go "wait a minute...ohhhh....HMM!" I had to wait until my weekend arrived to finally draw it, but here it is~

Also, the creator of the video asked permission to use one of my fan arts in it, so I MAY have been partially inspired to draw this because my art was used in it lol

[mmogurl]

Daddy Issues Part 2: Baseline

18+ | 2k | Homelander X Reader |  protective homelander, reader’s back story is a little dark, reader might be a bit of a nympho, mentions of suicide, rape, assault, alcoholism, emotional child abuse.

My Own Writing Prompt: What if Homelander became your Daddy and was really good at it? I'm really enjoying this story so far and found myself eager to write more the next day, even after proofing a 7k chapter for my Daemon story! If you haven't read the first part yet, it's here. Part 1: Savior | Part 2: Baseline | Part 3: Spoiled | Part 4: Comfort

The first thing that strikes you about Homelander’s penthouse in Vought Tower, is how impersonal it is. It has just about as much character as the sterile white walls of a hospital room. You might even confuse it for a museum given the sheer volume of aged paintings on the walls, but most exhibitions would have more color and identity than this drab space.

You can’t help but wonder who Homelander is, because this environment certainly doesn’t tell you much. There are no pictures of him, save for the massive American flag that spans the wall behind you, and the only gaudy knick-knacks present are nonsensical shapes coated in gold. In fact, everything is gold, except for the milky white of the statues peppered throughout the floorplan, the dusky blue walls, and the brown leather couch you sit upon.

Homelander stands across from you next to the giant television screen, staring at you with an unease that you cannot place. In fact, just like his living space, he is quite difficult to read. The lingering effects of traumatic shock make this whole encounter feel even more surreal, your mind and body seeming almost disconnected from reality.

“Is this real life?” you blurt out, remembering that poor kid whose parents recorded him after he’d had dental surgery, still under the effects of anesthesia.

“What the fuck kind of question is that?” he spits back with an incredulous sneer.

You quickly realize that Homelander is one of the few men in this world that actually looks kind of hot when he’s being petulant. You tuck this fun fact to the side for now.

“It’s just…” you continue as he glares at you impatiently. “I’m sitting in your home… In Homelander’s home.” The similarity between your locale and his supe name makes you laugh pointedly, an inside joke you’re sure he won’t care for. “It’s kind of far fetched, isn’t it?” you finally state rhetorically, because really it is a stretch that you would ever find yourself here and under such circumstances.

“What? I’m the Homelander. Of course I save people. It’s kind of my fucking job,” he shrugs your observation off as his brow furls in reproach.

“Ok, sure,” you agree tentatively. “But, is it also your job to take the people you save home with you?” It seemed like a valid question, but he certainly doesn’t seem to agree.

“What did you expect me to do?” he marches towards you, holding his hands up to the ceiling. “Leave you there like that?”

“Well, no…” you consider in your slow state of comprehension. “But you could have taken me to the hospital I guess.”

He scoffs with a big huff of air through his lips as he stops in front of you, his arms now crossed against his chest.

“Fat chance. They would just let you out again the moment your physical health was cleared,” he replies in an almost gloating manner, his expression now softening slightly with condescension. “Oho, no,” he waggles a finger from side to side as if to enhance the denial further. “You need someone to save you from yourself. Someone to keep you from fucking up.”

“What?” you ask, quirking your brow and crinkling your nose at him.

“That’s right, sweetheart,” he cocks his head to the side slightly, clasping his hands behind his back as he begins to pace to the side, keeping his deep ocean eyes glued to you. “You’re going to stay with me for awhile. Get your act together.”

“Get my- What!? What do you even know about my life? You literally just saved me off the street and you’re making assumptions?? Acting like you know me or something?” You can’t help but get emotional. After all, being judged always makes you feel defensive.

“Oh, I know plenty, doll… Plenty,” he stops for a moment, facing you before turning directions and walking back the way from which he came. “First you’re gonna stop the drinking. Maybe we’ll even get you into some fucking therapy or a Sexaholics Anonymous support group, because there’s obviously something going on up there that’s causing you to act like this.”

“Oh yes, while I’m there, I’ll tell them how I’m being held hostage by fucking Homelander! I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of that.” You can’t help but roll your eyes and shake your head.

However, you do not expect the swift retribution that comes as he closes the gap between you both and grabs your chin, your jaw in his hand. “Do not test my patience,” he sounds furious, his voice grating against his teeth as he speaks with his lips no farther than an inch away from your face. “I’m trying to help you, you ungrateful little shit.”

He closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath, abruptly releasing your chin so swiftly that your head lurches back from the motion. A whirlwind of thought floods your mind. How does he know so much about you? Are you really trapped here with him and how does he intend to keep you here? Will anybody even notice your gone or bother to come looking for you? All of these questions coupled with the feeling of being seen in your rawest form by a stranger is enough to make you want to fall apart. And you certainly try your best to never cry in front of anyone if you can help it.

“And why do you give a shit?” you ask, already feeling the telltale heat of tears forming in the corners of your eyes. God damnit! “Nobody else ever has.”

The hurt in your voice is evident and you're surprised when Homelander breaks away from you. He walks off down the hall until he’s out of sight and you can hear a drawer open and shut. He returns with a somber expression on his face and a couple of tissues in his hand that he holds out. You take them swiftly, resenting that he has seen you cry, but appreciating that he has given you a way to dispose of this irritating sign of weakness.

“And how could you possibly know that? Hm?” he asks finally breaking the silence, save for your sniffling. “That nobody gives a shit. Clearly I do.”

Something twists inside your gut at being brought so low. You do not like to dwell on these feelings. You don’t want to face them if you can avoid it. But, Homelander, America’s most powerful supe, is seeing you for who you are and despite that is still claiming to care about you. Oddly enough, the disturbing nature of his rationale and how he intends to force you to change against your own wishes does not seem to linger in your thoughts.

What does stay is that he cares. For you. You cannot help the flood of unwanted leaking that spills from your eyes.

“Shh, shh,” he is suddenly consoling you. “I know what’s good for you. You’re going to be alright.” His voice is reassuring as he pats you on the shoulder and rubs soothingly in small circles. You wonder if this line is rehearsed from one of his movies because it sounds familiar and so natural, unlike everything else about him.

Regardless, you can’t help but bury your face into his stomach, turning your head to the side as you wrap your arms around his waist. You have not felt a sense of comfort like this in a very long time and you almost forget that you are weeping like a baby.

“I don’t deserve it,” you find yourself whimpering against his torso, leaving wet tear stains on his suit. “Even my parents didn’t think I was good enough to love.”

He scoffs against his lips once more. It’s not a sign of annoyance this time, but disdain for the lack of kindness you’ve received in your life. “Fuck your parents,” he says with contempt. “I’ll take care of you. Hell, I’ll be your fucking Daddy, and show you what your father clearly failed to.”

You’re blown away by his proclamation. My Daddy? What the fuck is he talking about?

You pull back and look up at him, your eyes wide and wet from crying. He looks down at you without a hint of doubt in his expression. He is completely serious.

“What didn’t he show me?” you ask almost dumbstruck by the situation. It is the only thing you can think to utter.

“That you should stop selling yourself short.” His blue eyes were clear without insinuation as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “That you’re worth more.”

Homelander’s gloved hand slid along the line of your jaw, softly, almost tenderly. And then, just like that, he snapped out of his sympathetic trance and gave you one of those camera ready grins.

“Whelp! First things first,” he said keeping that blithe expression with his cheekbones raised high as he gained some distance away from you. “I’m gonna have to get you a copy of the key card and get you some new clothes. And, I guess until I can get you your own bed, you can just sleep with me.”

He rattled all of this off as though it were perfectly normal. You know you should keep your mouth shut, but you can’t help but ask the obvious questions. “If I get a copy of the key, then what’s to stop me from leaving and going home?”

“Hah! Don’t even think about it, sweetheart,” he says with a deriding laugh. “I know where you live for one. And let’s face it! There’s nowhere you can hide from me. So taking off without permission would only serve to piss me off.” You listen as his tone mimics the ups and downs of a particularly peaked roller coaster ride, going from warning to jovial. “So, let’s not do that, alright?”

“Alright,” you agree because what else are you really going to say to the man who can laser you in half just like he did to your attempted rapist not long ago. Besides, he is being rather nice and you do hate your fucking job so much. “Do I still have to work?” you ask chaining off of that thought.

“God no,” he sneers as though the idea were outlandish. “No, you don’t have to work. In fact, I’d prefer you didn’t. You can sit around and do whatever you want. Go wherever you want. As long as you let me know and make time for me when I require it.”

You have to admit, this is sounding better and better. “What about my stuff? Can’t I just go and get it then?”

Homelander winces almost mockingly. “No can do,” he offers his feigned condolences. “I think it’s better to just start off fresh, hm? Besides, I can get you anything you want. Why bother holding onto any of that junk?” It sounds like a question, but once again is clearly more of a demand.

“What about pictures? My collectibles?” you ask, because in truth, the only things you really care about, your only good memories from your childhood, can’t easily be replaced.

He rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms, raising one hand to his chin in contemplation. “You really want to remember those assholes?”

You consider his words and begin to think he might be right. Maybe a fresh start would be best. It seemed looking back at old pictures of your mother only ever served to make you upset and bitter.

“Fine,” you acquiesce, “But I want my video games. I have a small fortune in vintage Playstation discs that I’m not letting go.”

Homelander gives you a torn little grimace, shaking his head until he’s nodding. “Fine,” he capitulates without anger.

And now it seems like you’re finally striking some kind of accord together. A baseline for how things will be between you both. It seems clear that he is a bit of a control freak and you understand that quite implicitly because you’re one as well. The only thing left to be discovered is whether or not the two of you will enjoy each other’s company or be driven crazy by it. Continue to Part 3

[smallmariofindings]

In Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, a trick can be used during the surfing minigame in Oho Ocean to make it slightly easier.

The explosive barrels' hitboxes do not extend as far vertically as the hitboxes of the ballons that Mario has to collect. As such, it is possible to surf just above or below the barrels without counting as touching them, while Mario's jumps will count as touching the balloons that are aligned horizontally with the barrels. This allows for fewer jumps to be made, as well as more leniency with the jumps that normally need to both collect a balloon and dodge a barrel.

Main Blog | Twitter | Patreon | Small Findings | Source: Zeldara109

[inoreuct]

I've been loving your ZoSan drabbles, they honestly make my day. I do have a potential drabble request if you'd like: I feel like these two idiots tease each other mercilessly for the dumbest things, like an old married couple. It's almost a game for the rest of the crew to how long it takes them to turn the teasing into either flirting or kissing. It's peak entertainment for the crew

thank you so much??$4!;7:)3 I’M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT and yes. absolutely. I FLEW TO MY DOCS TO WRITE THIS AND IT WAS SO FUN. the tension is through the roof; not even with the bickering but the teasing. it’s playful and easy and they’re more fond than they should be and is an insult really an insult if it’s said with a smile? anyway. enjoy 😽

“Oho! The world’s greatest swordsman can’t handle a kitchen knife!” Sanji has his hands propped on his hips, faux-flabbergasted and crowing like a town crier. Zoro looks about three seconds away from chopping him up with said kitchen knife instead of the carrots on the countertop. Usopp fears for the cook’s safety.

“Do you think we should… do something?” he turns and whispers gingerly, leaning across his mug of tea so that Nami can hear him from where she’s seated across the table. 

“Something like preventing a possible murder, or getting them to finally kiss? Because…” She takes a pointed slurp from her own mug, her amused gaze fixed on the way Zoro is now animatedly arguing back. “We could do both. Or neither. I’m entertained either way.”

Usopp turns back around, hiding his face in his drink as he eavesdrops shamelessly. He must have missed some conversation, because now Zoro’s sniping about Sanji’s hair, of all things. How they got so far from the original topic in such a short time? Usopp does not know. 

“Well, at least I don’t spend an hour rubbing conditioner on my head,” Zoro scoffs, and Sanji gasps like the swordsman had just cussed out his entire family three generations up and down.

“And that, my dear marimo, is why it looks like a lawn,” he declares with a prim sniff, flicking the tap on with a flourish. “An untrimmed lawn. That a dog ran all over.”

“Wh—”

“No, no,” he laments, scrubbing at a dish in the most melodramatic way Usopp has seen in his life. “A pack of dogs. And they shat all over it, too.”

Zoro puffs up like an angry cat, clearly winding up to verbally throw down, and Usopp turns around to find Nami smirking at him with her eyebrows raised as if to say, see what I mean?

“This is incredible,” he whisper-shouts, amazed.

I know, she mouths delightedly, eyes shining like golden coins.

“What are we talking about,” Luffy hisses, and Usopp damn near jumps out of his skin.

“Great Mother Ocean, when did you get here?!” he nearly squawks, pulling his volume down at the last second, just in time to hear a victorious “and that is why no crab in its right mind would ever want to eat you!” from Zoro. He doesn’t even bother to question it anymore.

Luffy shrugs, biting into an apple with a satisfying crunch. “Like two seconds ago. Are Zoro and Sanji fighting again?”

“More like flirting,” Nami laughs, gesturing with her chin. 

Usopp gives up on straining his neck and gets up to straddle the chair properly. The convo has somehow turned back to hair; Sanji has one hand plucking delicately at green strands, the other covered in soap.

“Keep talking shit about my brows and see if I will,” he says haughtily, and Usopp strains his ears for context as Zoro bares his teeth in a grin, his eye twitching.

“As if I want you to cut it. You’d probably make it all uneven.”

A dry ha! “That’d be an improvement.”

The sniper whips around wildly to look at Nami. Either he’s hearing things, or they sound almost… fond. The way their navigator’s sitting forward in her chair hints at the latter. Luffy bites into his apple again, mumbling, “Why haven’t they kissed yet?” 

Usopp explodes into a flurry of desperate hand movements, mouthing exactly! Exactly! so enthusiastically that his cheeks hurt. 

His captain smiles and then pauses, tilting his head. “Have they kissed yet?”

Usopp’s worldview shatters into shards that then start rearranging themselves because that is a very real possibility. Sanji and Zoro have been bickering ever since before the cook came aboard the Merry, but somewhere along the line it had turned to something more lighthearted, less I’m-gonna-gut-you-like-a-fish-and-have-your-entrails-for-breakfast and more you’re-so-damn-annoying-sit-down-and-let-me-help-you.

The three of them turn in unison to stare at how Sanji and Zoro are now nose to nose, Sanji peering down the scant half-inch he has above the swordsman in height with a smug smile and murmuring “—not what you were saying last week, marimo.”

Zoro tips his head, not backing down even as Sanji cooes at him and somehow, somehow, it doesn’t sound condescending. Usopp is losing his mind. “Never said that, curly-brow. You were the one who filled in the blanks.”

“You left blanks for me to fill in.”

“You’re delusional. There’s gas in your brain, that’s why your head’s so big.” 

“Oh, yeah?” the cook grins, lazy and bright, eyebrows going up as Zoro steps into his space. “What’re you gonna do about it?”

Zoro smirks and tilts his head back. “I don’t know. You tell me,” he murmurs, before pulling away and dropping a whole stack of dirty crockery into the sink. “Better get to washing, dish boy.”

Usopp’s eyes are bugging out of his head as Sanji yells and sprays Zoro with water from the pullout tap, sparking a whole new round of squabbling and ankle-kicking and wayward elbows.

“You’re seeing this, right?” he asks desperately, turning around in his seat and gripping the edge of the table. Gosh, he’s feeling light-headed. “I’m not going crazy?”

“Nope,” Nami sighs, popping the ‘p’. “Wanna bet?”

“On?” Luffy shuffles closer, grinning around his apple and she shrugs a shoulder, feigning disinterest. 

“How long it takes dumb and dumber to get their shit together.” 

Usopp really doesn’t know how much he’d be willing to put into this. The way that they fight’s more pigtail-pulling than anything, and that in and of itself is telling— Not to mention, again, how this has been going on for months. Sanji would give Zoro shit for being messy but then go to clean anyway, only to find Zoro’s things already packed. Zoro would snip at the cook for being rigid about dessert before dinner and then find a slice of sour raspberry tart on his bunk, way after teatime was over. Usopp had honestly thought they’d been doing it out of spite, but now…

Then again, with how repressed the both of them were? “…A hundred berry, one month,” he decides, and Nami wrinkles her nose.

“Stingy,” she complains, but she’s hiding a smile as she turns to their captain. “Luffy?”

The boy hums thoughtfully, twisting around. “Are you two kissing?” he yells, and Usopp’s heart fucking drops to the floorboards as the pair stares at them wide-eyed and bursts into protests.

“What— this idiot?”

“The hell? No! Why would you—”

“—on any planet would I ever—”

“Absolutely fucking not. His refined palate—”

“—His brains are in his biceps—”

“Okay,” Luffy says, shrugging as he finishes the last of his apple, core and all, and flings a singular seed into the tiny bin by the sink with startling precision. “Five hundred, two weeks.” 

Usopp can’t help it. He bursts into laughter, smacking his forehead into the tabletop as he clutches at his stomach and the twinge in his ribs. He can hear Sanji’s panicked shouts of “what? What were you betting on? Usopp, tell me now—” and Zoro growling, “Luffy, I swear if this is what I think it is—” and oh. 

The sniper grins into the table. Oho. Did that not imply that Zoro knew something was going on? He could be wrong, but— “Seven-fifty, one week.”

“A thousand!” Luffy counters immediately, and Usopp cackles helplessly because he knows that his captain’s just shouting out numbers now, Luffy doesn’t even have the money. 

“How about we spill the beans on what the hell we’re betting on, and I make us all a special dinner, hm?” Sanji pleads, and it’s honestly funny how hard he’s trying to find out. 

“Absolutely not,” Nami replies, her grin saccharine sweet. “A joint bet of one thousand, seven hundred and fifty berry for one week. Y’know,” she studies her cuticles, pursing her lips in an unbothered moue, “This is the one time that I’d be happy not to collect. Don’t let me down, hm?” She gets up and slides out the galley door, and they hear her laughing all the way down the hall. 

Zoro looks like he’s about to have a conniption. Sanji has his hands buried in his hair, looking up at the ceiling and turning around like he’s begging for a divine answer. Usopp and Luffy share a gleeful look.

This is going to be a marvellously interesting week.

fin.

[hey-august]

Congrats on 250!! 💜✨

If I'm doing this prompt thing right, I'd love to see Lost for Reader with #10 for the quote 🥰🥰

AAAHHhhhh, thank YOU. 🩷🩷 AND congrats to you on your 600 follower milestone!!! So so well deserved! 🎉🎉🎉

Prompts: Lost, "I’m full of surprises." Teaser: "Buggy kept an eye on you throughout the night, watching as your nerves dissolved into curiosity and bloomed into pure enjoyment." Warnings: SFW. Not an established relationship. Word count: ~1.6k

A/N: Sooo, I originally thought this was going to go a different route, but I decided to go in another direction entirely. Hope y'all enjoy!! (Making an assumption and tagging @rorywritesjunk and @ane5e, since you both liked the bottle prompt story.)

Check out my 250 Follower Prompt Event and see fulfilled prompts here.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Buggy traveled across the sparse field with a stride that matched the long beams of sunlight on the ground. The honking cries from seagulls were overwhelming - a loud and abrasive juxtaposition to the calm scenery. Nearby waves dragged along the beach, pushing and pulling small rocks and seashells with each ebb and flow. But the pirate’s real destination was the tall structure ahead.

The seagull’s calls alerted you to a visitor before you heard footsteps grinding against the rocks leading to your front door. There was a moment of hesitation before a sharp rap against wood. 

Visitors were rare. Nearby residents usually left you alone. Truthfully, they avoided you. Having lived on your own from a slightly younger age than most, most people chose to overlook your premature misfortune. The most kindness you were offered was the lighthouse you resided in. The structure had been decommissioned long ago and remained uninhabited until you moved in.

Another series of knocks at the door pulled you from the overthinking that held you still. Giving into curiosity, you opened the door. A tall mass of color stood on your threshold. The stranger brought a gloved hand to his painted face and cleared his throat, before introducing himself. Multiple times. He stumbled and restarted his debut a few times, failing to pick between “captain” and “clown,” before finally settling on a singular name with a dejected sigh.

“The name’s Buggy.”

You stayed silent, taking in everything he did and didn’t say. The briney scent of the sea clung to his striped top and his long blue ponytail hung with waves that rivaled the ocean. In the middle of his painted face was a round, red nose that moved slightly when he spoke. You saw a resemblance with posters that didn’t quite do him justice. Following his genuine introduction, you shared your name.

“So, Buggy, are you lost or is there something I can help you with?” 

The pirate ignored the increased beating in his chest when you said his name. Adrenaline was already coursing through his veins at the prospect of finding the right lighthouse.

“D’you recognize these?” He pulled out a few bits of paper from a pants pocket and held them out.

You did, even without touching them. To be certain, you took the items from Buggy, who seemed reluctant to let them go. Unfolding the letters, you skimmed the creased paper and relived words you wrote months and weeks ago. Words written by someone you still were, with feelings you couldn’t drown in the sea.

Buggy bounced lightly on his feet, waiting for your response. When you finally nodded, he could feel the tension in his body let loose. He breathed into the relaxation and leaned back on his heels.

“I knew it! I finally found you,” he sighed, more to himself than to you.

“It’s not like I was lost,” you muttered. Although you were still focused on the letters, you saw Buggy shrug in the edge of your vision. “Where did you get these? How do you have so many?”

“Oho, I’m full of surprises,” Buggy said boastfully. He held out a hand, wanting the letters back. He could have them.

“That’s a very unsatisfying answer, you know.” A grin cracked on your face at his responding wink. 

This guy was definitely a clown. And surprisingly charming. Maybe that came with being captain.

“I’ve seen you on bounty posters. Is it true that your ship is like a circus?” A lack of visitors left you with a craving for connections and conversations, which often exploded without segues.

Buggy was bemused by your question, but glad he didn’t have to broach the subject on his own. “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” With a wave of his gloved hand, Buggy produced another slip of paper out thin air.

He handed you the prop - a hand-written admission ticket to the circus. The ship was docked nearby and there would be a show later tonight. The loops and swirling flourishes in each letter seemed familiar to you, calling to you in a voice that you wanted to listen to. You thanked Buggy for the invitation, avoiding any promises, and bid him farewell.

Once alone, you walked over to the window above the kitchen sink and pulled down a blue bottle which had a scrap of striped fabric wrapped around the neck. Spreading out the paper stored in the bottle, you compared the writing to the circus ticket you just received. Both moved with the same enticing dance of spirals and ink.

---

Evening arrived and you came with low expectations about the circus - not because you thought it would be a poor show, but because you had never seen anything similar before. Your hesitant excitement was unshackled the moment Buggy stepped into the bright spotlight and addressed the full crowd with contagious fervor.

The next few hours were full of life, color, and performances you could have only dreamed of. Acrobats waltzing, flying, and fighting overhead. Fire eaters and cyr wheels. Baton twirling and contortionists. A knife throwing battle between the ringmaster and a unicycler had you sitting on the edge of your seat, enthralled. A giant lion roaring and leaping across the ring pushed you to the back of your seat with respectful excitement.

Buggy kept an eye on you throughout the night, watching as your nerves dissolved into curiosity and bloomed into pure enjoyment. The colored lights reflected in your eyes as they followed each act. Your applause filled his chest. He could pick out your laughter in the crowded sea. Although, your cheering is the reason he nearly nicked Cabaji during their faux fight.

A lifetime passed in the few hours spent at the circus. Eventually, the lights brightened and brought reality back with them. The warm energy began to dissipate with the crowd. Feeling vulnerable without that blanket, you looked around, unsure if you were searching for a threat or something else. An inviting swatch of colors caught your attention and you made your way to the edge of the ring.

Buggy noticed you walking over and finished up the orders he was discussing with a crewmate. You mimed clapping as you got closer, to which he rolled a hand with a flashy flourish and bowed deeply. Straightening back up, the pirate flashed a large smile that matched the one beaming on your face.

“Where’d ya get this?” Buggy asked, tugging at a bit of striped fabric wrapped around your wrist.

“Mmm, I’m full of surprises,” you teased. The crafted accessory matched the bandana peeking under the captain’s hat.

“Wow, using my words against me!” He pressed a hand against his chest in faux shock.

You laughed at the dramatics, feeling an edge of remorse harden in your chest. This was fun. The evening had been nice, but tomorrow will be a different day.

“Thanks for inviting me, Buggy. I’ve never seen something like this. You really inspire your crew to put on a great show.”

Both you and Buggy blushed at the overflowing compliments. There was more you wanted to say, but you didn’t have the right words ready. Buggy, who had heard those praises before, liked how they sounded coming from you.

“Colorful and full of life, huh? You know, none of them felt like they belonged anywhere until they joined us.” The pirate tried to keep his tone lighthearted, afraid of weighing it down with his eagerness.

You nodded quietly as he told you about the crew and life on the sea, looking around as the celebration of a successful night started to bubble up. Raucous singing as trash was cleaned up, high fives while sets were taken down, hugs and slaps on the back as they packed up. It was like another show, a peek behind the curtains, and you were entranced. Buggy’s voice faded away as you watched, losing yourself in this world.

“Hey…this is for you. If you’re interested.” The pirate held out a piece of paper, another handmade admission. “We’re leaving tomorrow night. I know it’s short notice, but…” he trailed off, not sure exactly what he wanted to say. If he wanted to admit it would be nice for you to join, that he thinks this is what you’ve been looking for, how he liked meeting you, how your smile makes him feel nervous and sweaty.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it,” you said quietly, accepting the ticket to travel on his ship. Leaving your life behind is something you imagined, but daydreams are filled with different choices than reality for a reason.

Still though, you found yourself sitting at the kitchen table the next morning, staring at your reflection in a cup of tea. Maybe Buggy was right - maybe you were lost. Was this really where you were meant to be? Is this who you were meant to be? What were you searching for when you stared into the horizon?

Clinging to one thought in your head, you grabbed an empty bottle and started penning another letter. One that would be hard to write. You wrote about yourself. What made you, you. You wrote about what brought you to the lighthouse and your life by the sea. The repairs the lighthouse needed. You wrote about how the seagulls come by in the morning, looking for food. How the beach needed to be cleaned after big storms. Where to drag driftwood so it didn’t interfere with the crab holes. In the corner of the paper, you drew a little pirate ship.

Your hand shook with each line of ink and you couldn’t fight the tears that fell from your cheeks and onto the goodbye letter.

The sun had crossed the highest point in the sky by the time you were completely finished. More than once you thought you were done and moved on to other activities before being pulled back to the table with words that demanded to be written. This was the longest letter you had written and you weren’t sure the pages would actually fit in the bottle.

You decided to lay the stack of paper on the table and placed the empty bottle on top to keep them weighed down. You closed the front door without another glance back and set off to the docks, ready for a new adventure.

[light-end-dragon]

4.5 Anniversary Login Story (4)

✦✦ Shylock + Murr and Cain + Owen ✦✦

That's Certainly a combination and let me tell you, they do not make each other smarter. It's a bit more messy than I usually like my tls to be, but I had to do this. Hopefully it makes sense bc I was going ??? through half of it.

Murr: Master Saaaaage! It’s the half anniversary-congrats!

Shylock: It is thanks to you that we are able to live our lives safely here in the Manor. 

Cain: So we’re making a special cake just for the occasion! It’s filled with our feelings of gratitude, so please look forward to it?

Owen: Is it really going to come out okay, though? 

Cain: Owen. 

Owen: We are the cream topping group, right? Come on, get to it.

Cain: You say that and I know you’re just gonna steal some off the side as soon as I turn around.

Owen: Ohoho….come now. Instead of worrying about that, why not just get to making it? 

Murr: It’s fresh cream that me and Cain and Shylock made. 

Murr: Do you really wanna eat it that bad? 

Owen: …

Murr: What, wondering if it’s safe?

Owen: Shylock’s a bar owner, right?

Shylock: That is correct.

Owen: You make it. Right now. 

Cain: Slow down; why don’t you try making it yourself? 

Owen: Hm?

Cain: I heard how from Nero. It seems pretty simple. 

Cain: 1. Add sugar to milk. 2. Churn it all up. 3. Profit!

Owen: Okay, then do it. 

Murr: Hold on for a moment-I wanna confirm something! 

(sound of some rustling)

Shylock: What are you doing…adding sugar to milk?

Cain: Only the sugar? You’re not mixing it? 

Murr: Here, try this!!

Owen: Huh?

Murr: What, can’t drink it? 

Owen: Of course I can!

Owen: *gulping noises*

Murr: The verdict?

Owen: It’s good? 

Cain: So you’re all good now? 

Owen: What? You have to mix the sweetened milk. We’re making this for a cake.

Cain: Well, I mean even with just the sponge and jam, it seems tasty enough, and…

Owen: Don’t screw around. Be serious about it.

Cain: Wait, did you just say to get serious? 

Owen: NO.

Murr: Next is….sugar in water! Here, try this!  

Owen: What the-seriously? Gulp, gulp, gulp…..

Cain: Okay, sure, just drink it….

Shylock: I feel as if I might get cavities just from watching. 

Murr: Well? 

Owen: It’s just sugar water.

Murr: So what do you like better? This, or the sweetened milk? 

Owen: The milk, obviously. 

Murr: So that means you like milk then, right? 

Owen: ..Eh? 

Cain: You’re getting pretty agitated there. 

Owen:.... You’re wrong. I don’t like unsweetened milk. 

Shylock: Oho, do you now? 

Owen: You—shut up. I don’t care about all this drivel you’re spouting, just make the cream! 

Shylock: Why-are you not capable of doing it yourself? 

Owen: I thought I already told you why. 

Shylock: Tell me, then. 

Owen: Because I don’t want to. 

Shylock: Now, now, don’t be like that, why not take the challenge head on? A person fulfilling their own desires is a wonderful thing.

Murr: You never know-whipping the milk up all into a frenzy might be really fun! 

(sound of Owen taking out his trunk)

Owen: Shut up, the more you tell me how wonderful I am, the more I hate it.

Owen: You keep spouting this garbage and I’ll feed every damn one of you to my dog.

Shylock: Oh my, how frightening.

Murr: So scaawy !!!!

Cain: Okay, okay. I got it. I’ll get serious as make as much cream as I can. 

Cain: I actually like being told I’m wonderful, and I definitely like having fun. 

Owen: Ugh. Then just hurry up, will you?

Cain: Alright! Then lemme get right to it-and go! 

(sound of something... splashing all over) 

Owen: Yugh! 

Murr: Waaah! 

Shylock: Dear me, you got the milk everywhere.

Shylock: Cain. You need to stir it gently if you want it to thicken into cream. 

Cain: Oh…really? Uh, like…this then? 

Owen: At this rate, the sun will go down before you finish. Use magic, you idiot. Magic! 

Cain: It’s pretty hard to make adjustments to my strength…well, that’s a challenge I can get behind. Let’s go! 

Murr: Oh, let me help too! 

Owen: I suppose I will lend you my strength too. This better turn into an ocean of cream. 

Owen: –Cure Memini–

Murr: –Eang Rhannbu–

Cain: –Gladius Procella– 

(sound of all their magic being used) 

Shylock: And I do believe that is my cue to leave. 

Shylock: Well, then. Before you get into it, why don’t we imbue this cream with our well wishes?

Shylock: All together now. One, two….

Everyone: Thank you for everything, Master Sage!! 

[saturdaysky]

Midst 19 (season 1 finale)

Crowds rubbernecking the moon blowing apart. Yeah, I would be staring at the moon exploding, too. It would get me.

OHO it's falling into the ocean of the Fold! OHOHO a FOLD HURRICANE! This excites me even though it spells horrible fates for everyone in its way

Lark has gone into Survival Mode. I feel like she's very good at this mode, probably for dark, sad reasons

god i love the descriptions of the slowly-encroaching Fold. "a tsunami of Fold growing closer...its surface roiling, angry"

"Sherman, or what's left of him, in tow" ouch

THE TRUST IS CRASHING! I love shakeups like this. If Valor is worthless, then so is the drive to gain it, which destabilizes the entire profitable, horrible debt slavery economy the Trust has going. If Valor is worthless, Caenum is meaningless. I imagine there will be more Trust escapees after this

Spahr taking charge. He does actually have leadership skills to go with his fancy capelet and gold armor

Moc Weepe trying to escape consequences and IT'S SASKIA WITH A STEEL CHAIR

Moc Weepe getting scooped up and saved (saved?) by Imelda Goldfinch. Delicious. I think Moc Weepe thinks he can escape the tragedy he's trapped himself into, but I don't think he can. He's going to get exactly what he bargained for, and I bet it's going to ruin him

Spahr is MAD and DISAPPOINTED in Phineas, which Phineas is sooo normal about. I'm stoked at seeing real emotions in someone as seemingly unreadable as Spahr. What's his deal! Interested to find out.

"[Phineas] can't give himself time to think this all the way through, he just has to act. There isn't time, and he can't let Spahr say it. He will not give Spahr the time to tell him that he has failed. He will not hear that." Have i mentioned that my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE TRAIT in cringefail loser characters is when they fail forwards from one horrible mistake to an exciting, differently-horrible mistake simply because they can't bear having made any mistakes at all? Sunk cost fallacy, baby, it'll be worth it in the end!! It's gotta be worth it in the end. It has to be.

Oho! Spahr really wants to chase Phineas and make him fit better into the system, but Imelda stops him and he listens. They have a spare seat for Moc Weepe after all! Brutally cold. Love it. I hope Phineas comes back wrong.

"The focus is all he has" yeah, that sounds like Phineas

Oh no, Phineas is going to commit atrocities to get to Lark and Tzila, isn't he

Oh! No, it's just time for him to wholly lose the reason for his existence. I think this will be good for him, actually. It will at least be good for me.

[cainluvr69]

Surely, We Can Make Miracles Chapter 23

Previous Chapter

Cain: …kh…

Chloe: I can't…breathe…

Hwylryn: Of course not. This is the bottom of the ocean. Children of man aren't meant to live here. So can you hurry back to land already? Anyway… I guess I should be getting back to Shylock now.

Rustica: …My apologies, but… I'd like you to accompany us for just a bit longer. <Amo…> …gh!

Chloe: Rustica…!

Hwylryn: Nope, you don't get to do that. Your singing makes me start daydreaming. The next whirlpool is going to take you right up to the surface. Don't try to fight it. It's pointless. And it'll only rip you up.

Rutile: …Hwylryn…! Please, listen to what I have to say…

Hwylryn: I'll see you tomorrow. On land. Now withdraw.

Cain: …I won't…let you…! Uwaaahhh…!

Rutile: Aaahhh…!

Rustica: …Chloe…!

Chloe: Rus… Everyone…!

Natalie?: <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: …Oh, my.

Cain: …You…you're… The lady from earlier…?!

Natalie?: … Excuse me…?

Cain: You were really a wizard?!

Natalie?: Excuse me? The fact that you can see me should give you all the answers you need.

Cain: …Huh? I mean, we got pretty touchy-feely earlier.

Natalie?: We did?

Cain: Huh?

Natalie?: Hah?

Cain: …You're Owen!

Natalie?: Sir Knight. Don't tell me you did something unbecoming of a knight to this woman.

Cain: Of course I didn't! I just didn't have a handkerchief, so…

Owen: You don't even have something like that? Chloe, can you believe this. Cain doesn't have a handkerchief.

Chloe: …sniff…Owen…

Owen: Heh. What, did this guy make you cry? What a wretched sea snake you are.

Hwylryn: Oho. Something interesting showed up.

Owen: I'm going to turn you into dog food. <Cuare Morito>

Hwylryn: I don't think that little puppy's tummy can fit me.

Owen: …kh… (This guy is…strong…!)

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox?: …!

Faust: … (Leno's moving his arms the same way the mermaids with spears did, now that he has one at hand…)

Shino: Faust, watch out! Lennox is good with a lance!

Faust: …I know that…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: …Waugh…!

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust…! (He forced Faust against the reef, and now he's lifting his spear…!) (He's going to stab him…!) Lennox, stop! Please, don't hurt him…!

Lennox?: …

Heathcliff: …He stopped…

Shino: Lennox…

Faust: … …Leno…

Lennox?: …… …Lord…st…

Faust: …! Leno…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: …?!

Shino: Stop, Lennox! Don't hurt him…! You'll regret it until the day you die if you do…!

Lennox?: … ……. …

Shino: You can't! Put the lance down…!

Lennox?: …!

Faust: Leno?! Why did you stab your own leg…?! Stop! Stop, let go of it…!

Lennox: …gh…

Faust: Leno! Leno…! Stop it, your leg's already hurt enough…!

Lennox: …Fau…st… …Lord Faust…

Faust: …Leno…

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust! We finished the circle!

Shino: All we need to do is scatter the firstlight salt… Done! <Matzah Sudipas>!

Heathcliff: <Repsev Aivulp Sunos>!

Faust: … <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: Hah… …Haah… …

Faust: Leno…!

Lennox: …Lord Faust… Woah…!

Faust: …I'm so glad you're okay… Alec told me your unit might have been completely wiped out…

Lennox: Several others survived as well. Things seemed hopeless, but we still managed to return alive.

Faust: Thank god…

Lennox: …

Faust: …What's wrong?

Lennox: I'm just surprised.

Faust: By what?

Lennox: I didn't think that you'd jump on me the same way Lord Alec does.

Faust: Sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?

Lennox: No. …Haha…

Faust: What…? I don't hear you laugh very often…

Lennox: Haha… I could say the same to you.

Faust: I do laugh. More than you, at least.

Lennox: That's true…

Faust: …Haha…

Lennox: Ahaha!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: … …That's right… …I'd forgotten… I found him, Courir. I found the person I'd been looking for. I need to go to him. I'm glad I got to see you again. You always trusted me. And you were always by my side. I never really spoiled you, but you still always slept next to me. I love you very, very much. And having to part with you hurts very, very much. But, I need to… Goodbye. I love you. Goodbye, Courir. I hope you can run freely as far as you want. Thank you.

✦✧☾✧✦

Faust: …Leno… Leno…!

Lennox: … …Lord Faust… Woah…!

Faust: …Thank goodness…

Lennox: …

Faust: …Sorry. I did that when I know you're injured…

Lennox: No… …Haha…

Faust: …Are you okay? He's not controlling you anymore?

Lennox: No… I should be fine now.

Shino: Lennox, are you okay?!

Heathcliff: Lennox! Do you know who we are?!

Lennox: Yes, I do. I do know. … I can't clearly recall what happened, but I'm sorry for putting you through so much trouble…

Faust: Don't say that… Let me look at your wounds. Give me your leg…

Lennox: …

Faust: Lennox…?!

Shino: Did he pass out?!

Faust: He must be completely exhausted. I should get him out of the ocean as soon as possible. The two of you must be at your limits, too.

Heathcliff: You're right… I still feel okay for right now, though.

Faust: Shino, Heathcliff.

Shino: What.

Heathcliff: What is it?

Faust: This was only possible because of the two of you. Thank you.

Shino & Heathcliff: …!

Shino: Heh, yeah!

Heathcliff: It's an honor!

Faust: Let's return to the water's surface. Vespa, can you show us the path up?

Vespa: …! …!

Heathcliff: Let's go, Shino!

Shino: Yeah!

✦✧☾✧✦

Owen: <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: Ahaha! This is fun!

Owen: …tsk!

Rustica: I'll support you! <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: You're kind of annoying.

Rustica: …cough…!

Chloe: Rustica!

Rustica: ……!

Rutile: Rustica…!

Rustica: …

Rutile: Oh no…! Rustica isn't breathing!

Chloe: What do we do…?! Rustica! Rustica!

Rutile: We need to bring him to the surface!

Owen: Then get on with it. Or else your teacher's gonna turn to stone!

Chloe: But…!

Owen: Whatever, just go. You're at your limit.

Chloe: Owen…

Owen: Tch… Yeah, that was stupid. You're going to die here. Just like I thought you would.

Cain: Go, Chloe! I've got things covered here!

Rutile: I'll stay, too! Please look after Rustica for us!

Chloe: …Okay…! Thank you…! (I need to hurry! I need to hurry!) (I'm definitely going to save you, Rustica!)

Owen: Hmph… And what do the two of you think you can do?

Cain: Swordplay and magic.

Rutile: I can heal, and fly very, very fast.

Owen: Lame… Just so you know, if I die, the two of you have exactly zero chance of winning. So if I die, just run.

Cain: … No, I won't.

Rutile: I won't, either.

Owen: Super lame…

Hwylryn: Are you guys ready yet?

Owen: The lamest one here is you.

Hwylryn: I like your dog!

Owen: Shut up. <Cure Memini>

Hwylryn: Let's play.

✦✧☾✧✦

Torta di Cocco Shopkeeper: Here, it's finished baking.

Riquet: Wahh, it looks so tasty!

Mitile: It smelled so good while it was in the oven!

Nero: Hmm… Y'think you could teach me the recipe?

Mithra: Is it done? Can I take it to the bottom of the sea now?

Mitile: N-not yet! It needs the cream and coconut on top first.

Mithra: Then can you hurry, at least?

Mitile: If you could, please!

Torta di Cocco Shopkeeper: Yes, of course.

Claudia: My, what a delicious-looking cake.

Riquet: Yes! Thank you for being willing us to let us have your cake so we could know how it tastes. I'm incredibly grateful.

Claudia: My, what a good boy you are. I'm happy I could meet you boys again, in fact. It sounds like you've helped Dianne out a lot, too.

Riquet: How is Dianne doing…?

Nero: She's talkin' to Bradley right now.

Riquet: Did she ask Bradley to help her?

Nero: Uh, somethin' like that.

Riquet: Thank goodness. She seemed to be having a very difficult time, and Bradley can be a very helpful person.

Nero: …True that.

Claudia: Both I and my sister should have realized how much Dianne was hurting so much faster than we did… No, I'm sure my sister knew. That must be why she tried to turn that story into a heartwarming tale, to try and take her pain away. But instead, that simply made Dianne feel like no one would protect her honor…

Riquet: It's a very complicated problem. Even with so much love and kindness given to her, her pain prevented her from finding her path… Guiding people is a very difficult prospect. It's important to carefully ascertain if what lies at the end of the path you lead them down will truly be good or not… Wanting someone to walk down a path is very similar to forcing them to think and act a particular way. It's frightening. I wonder what Bradley is telling her? Do you think it'd be okay if I listened in?

Nero: Nahh, that's prob'ly not a good idea. I don't think her Lordship would wanna have anyone eavesdroppin'.

Riquet: I suppose you're right…

Mithra: Excuuuuse meeee. We don't have any time to chat like this.

Nero: I know, man. Just wait a lil' bit longer. Actually, speakin' of, Claudia. There was somethin' I wanted to ask you about the disappearances…

Claudia: Yes, I suppose I'll spill the beans. I've seen a door through which I could see the past on the island's shore. I can't help but wonder if that door isn't related to the disappearances.

Riquet: A door to the past… That story we heard was real? Did you really see the past?

Claudia: No, it was just an illusion.

Mitile: What kind of illusion did you see?

Claudia: A man I fell in love with many years ago stepped through it and told me he loved me.

Mitile: I… I see.

Claudia: But he'd never said those words to me before, not even once. It was very obvious it was just an illusion. We had a good relationship, and he was a good friend. But though I fell in love with him, his status was far too high… He already had a fiancee before we even met. And yet, here is what I thought to myself. Perhaps if I open that door, I can see him again… Were it twenty years earlier, I imagine I would've found myself drawn to that door despite myself.

Riquet: Why not now?

Claudia: Because the paint I drew up my dream with has long since dried.

Riquet: You painted your dream…?

Claudia: The things that make your heart tremble and dance are what make your dreams shine so brightly, like light on a freshly-painted canvas. He was the one who said that to me. The paint of my dream has dried, and my heart has calmed down and put itself in its place, and so… I can't go back to such fresh and youthful excitement, not when I'm so afraid of so much as brushing against it, much less taking it into my hands directly. It's like appreciating how a cake is decorated before demolishing it with your fork, to put it another way.

Riquet: I…think I understand…

Claudia: Because the paint of my dream had already dried, and left it calm and quiet, hearing him say that didn't make my heart dance. It was an odd feeling, both lonely and relieving at the same time.

Riquet: Like looking at your plate after you've finished your cake?

Claudia: Yes. It's not like being scared of destroying something, but more like having properly eaten and savored it instead. But Dianne's dreams are still bright. They're delicate, strong, and still gasping for air. Just like fresh paint on a canvas. The idea of touching them before they're ready and smudging their colors into one she doesn't want, polluting her canvas forever, is terrifying. That's how it feels, looking at the beautiful, vivid scenery she's painted. It's as if time has stopped in place.

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: …ah…

Faust: Leno, are you okay? I'm going to get you to the surface soon. Just hold on tight to me.

Lennox: …Yes…Lord Faust…

✦✧☾✧✦

Dianne: …What do you mean by throwing away my fear? Are you going to cast a spell on me?

Bradley: …

Dianne: Or are you planning on providing counsel? How am I meant to do this without trembling?

Bradley: What do you think? We're here to talk about you, girl.

Dianne: …What is there to talk about…? … …Things always go so well in my imagination. …I can always make the best, safest decision for everyone, without making a single mistake in the process. I've worked ever since I was a child to become that kind of person. And yet, this is what happens instead… I'm sure my grandfather would be disappointed in me. …I'm so pathetic…

Bradley: Y'don't have to change who you are. Y'don't have to be someone you aren't.

Dianne: …But if they knew about the real me, they'd all laugh… I don't want them to laugh at me…I'm weak, and pitiful…and embarrassing…

Bradley: 'Course you don't. Who wants to be turned into a laughingstock? But I won't laugh at you. You're tryin' to fulfill your responsibilities, and that's why you're standin' here.

Dianne: …

Bradley: You good? I've got something I used to say to newbies right after they joined up, to get 'em to throw away their fear.

Dianne: Newbies…? Were you the leader of some kind of organization?

Bradley: Yeah, a bandit gang. That's why I'm a prisoner now. Still wanna hear what I have to say?

Dianne: …Yes… I want to hear you out. Please, tell me.

Bradley: Alright. Everyone's experiences protect 'em, no matter what that experience is. Failures, successes, all of 'em do the same thing. But newbies like you don't have any experience to protect yourself with. And at times like that, when y'don't have any foundation to prop yourself up with, you start doin' weird shit like this. Y'start thinkin' that if you don't protect your honor all on your own, you won't have a place to belong anymore. Even though you don't know right from left yet. So, here's what I tell 'em. You ready to jot this down? I'll protect you. I'll protect your life, your honor, your perspective. So you need to protect your comrades.

Dianne: …

Bradley: Dianne. You're about to walk out that gate and talk to the crowd, yeah?

Dianne: Yes.

Bradley: If for whatever reason you can't do it, I'll talk for you. And I'll hold that position 'til you're ready to take it from me. If anyone tries to jump on you, I'll protect you from 'em. But I've got a feelin' you'll be able to do just fine without me havin' to do a damn thing.

Dianne: …

Bradley: Remember. You're the lord of this whole big-ass castle. That ain't your average job. And you were the one who made it there. Have more faith in yourself. Anythin' else you're scared of?

Dianne: … I…don't think so… Why not…? I was so scared, but now…

Bradley: Don't hold back now. If there's anythin' worryin' you, just say it.

Dianne: … You're not lying? You're not going to betray me…?

Bradley: 'Course not. Hell, if people found out I turned on a little lass like you, that'd just make me more infamous and not in a good way. I'm not gonna betray you, Dianne. On my honor, I'll protect your honor. Now step forward. The first step's always the scariest. The rest'll be a piece of cake. Don't be scared. I'm right next to you.

Dianne: …sniff…okay… …I understand. I'm going now!

Bradley: Hell yeah! You got this!

Next Chapter

[m4rs-ex3]

I just got back from camp and im gonna start s6 tomorrow but I haven't watched s5 since it came out can you give me a quick recap of the last few episodes? ty

OH HO HO HOHHO HO OHO HHOHO O !! i can do that yes

so yk first part of the season:

callum and rayla go to the great bookery in lux aurea for Information, and while there, zubeia gets bitten by a banther corrupted by evil rabies

viren has his own dark magic coma and clauderry are making their way to aaravos' prison

the dragang meets up after ez recieves the location of the prison from the archdragon of the ocean, domina profundis, and they elect to go after the prison (though callum would much rather go to the starscraper and get the novablade [they recap that whole thing for you in s6 dw]), and they do end up getting the location

zubeia's out of commission, so they have to catch a ride, which they end up catching with villads and nyx who is also here. but before that ezran embarks on a sidequest to rescue baby glowtoads from a bitchass pirate/local dictator named finnegrin; finnegrin is not happy about this

the latter part:

after failing to escape from finnegrin, the dragang gets captured. callum is singled out because finnegrin needs to know about a spell (he wants to kill domina profundis they have beef it's a whole thing) and beats the crap out of callum because he refuses, because it's a dark magic spell and he's not a dark mage except for that one time. rayla tries to rebel and so finnegrin magically tortures her, and callum accordingly clocks him square in the face (this is very important to me personally). ol finny's extra pissed now, and seeing how obsessed callum is with rayla he decides to fucking kill rayla about it. so before rayla can get fed to a sea monster, callum does dark magic again so that he can escape and save her. but he also unlocks the ocean arcanum so there's that! they have succeeded but callum is still being emo abt the whole thing

karim, who was exiled for treason, his formerly-possessed-by-aaravos buddy, and the ancient cunty leader of a vampire cult (who is in to repay this magical debt she has to the sunfire roayl family) kidnap janai because they want this magical sun seed that can heal sol regem's eyes bc they want that mf on their side. amaya unleashes her lesbian rage and everything is great EXCEPT that one of janai's generals betrayed her and stole the sun seed and brought it and her army to karim.

claudia and terry have made it to the sea of castout, the location on the prison, at the same time that the dragang does. claudia, callum, ez, and rayla all have it out as the bottom of the ocean which ends with rayla cutting of claudia's leg and them getting the prison---which turns out to be a giant magic pearl.

meanwhile, aaravos informs viren that the homunculus is their child. mpreg old man yaoi viravos is real. anyways the spell they need to save viren requires the blood of his child, so viren has to murder sir sparklepuff. viren decides to have some character development and refuses, swearing to never use dark magic again, even though he'll die.

ps: aaravos graciously informs the audience that the disappearance of sunfire queen aditi, was because he swallowed her. he swallowed her. he did that. anyway

i did not listen to the "quick" part of "quick recap" but i aim to overcompensate.

pps: coming back from camp? you're in for a fun surprise

[musewrangler]

Could you do a ghostbusters au for the five facts game

Oho. I love the original film. Let's see, I had to brush off my knowledge here. ;D Thank you friend!

Venkman opens a portal which takes the Ghostbusters team to Stargate Atlantis. He was just messing around you know, seeing what the streams could actually do. He didn't actually CROSS the streams Egon, so shut up, but he MAY have run them through the city's main power generator just to see how much juice those babies could bring. Turns out---a lot.

Egon naturally jumps right into trying to figure out a way home and because his personality is so focused on time/space/engineering details, he's not offended by Rodney McKay in the least and just sees him as a resource to help him with Atlantean technology. Rodney----after numerous gibes seem to go pinging off of whatever emotional forcefield Egon has going on---decides he likes being very needed and is then doubly insufferable to everyone else. John Shepperd and Peter Venkman discover they can roll their eyes nearly simultaneously.

Ernie is just thrilled to see such an amazing new place and it's a nice break from dealing with Slimer as well as Venkman. He and Doctor Beckett get along famously as the 'normal' ones in each of their respective teams, and Ernie sees this as the vacation he never got to take to the Bahamas---ocean views, cool plant life in the botany lab, and some great sun.

Venkman flirts with anything female on the station and is universally shot down. Undeterred, he makes it his personal mission to try everything weird and alien in the cafeteria while Egon figures things out. C'mon, Egon always figures things out. He'd just be in the way if he had to come and try to help and fine, fine, he's coming, geez, how hard is a little time/space jump.

Ray, having had a negative experience recently with the StayPuff Marshmallow Man, is quite happy to just do as he's told. In this case, Weir figures out that Sheppard [very bored because he's on medical leave from the last mission] is keen to know all about 1980s New York so she ensures that the two of them get to have plenty of time to discuss this and allow Ray to try and recreate various foods and items in their labs. Mostly harmless right? [It turns out the TV dinner from hell was not a good idea and numerous station personnel still have nightmares about the Philly steak creatures.]

[theguartist]

light blue for the color meme

Oho, I agree! I do miss the ocean. I had walking distance to the harbor where I used to live before. Also the school I went to was next to it so often I had an ocean view in the project room. Too bad the town smelled bad.

[digitaldoeslmk]

multiple questions. Is Lady Bone Demon alive or did she die in the same in JTTW.

Is macaque alive and is he literal metaphor of Wukong like his a “clone” of Wukong or is he a complete separate being from from Wukong and just represents what evil Wukong can do.

Are yellow camel gang (forget their group name) still supplementing the demon warlords not like they do anything special all you have the DBK, speak of him is the jade face fox still around.

What is Mei doing to do the Samadi fire isn’t split up so what she got to do (the writers really fumble the ball with her well that happen when you are given 10 MINUTES PER EP LIKE WHAT HELL LEGO)? Speaking of the gang are they the same guys or are they still recantations?

What is this demon-human truce I keep hearing about how did it happen? After Wukong sealed DBK?

Is flower fruit mountain still in same place like in the show? Because I can see Wukong using his 10000 ft tall from to pick up all of FFM and pick up a big chunk of the fire ring mountains (I forgot the name of that place too) then place it in the middle of the ocean to be life alone. yes I know volcanoes don’t work like that but come on this world is all really violating the natural norms of our world so what’s one more violation.

OHO MANY QUESTIONS!! :DD

1. LBD makes an appearance but she's just a small fry yaojing like in JTTW, and more of a lackey then the big bad. she did get killed by Wukong but she escapes the Diyu with some help

2. Macaque also an escapee from the Diyu and takes role of bbg on S3. he's his own person, but he feels himself equal to Wukong in power and merit, and he resents him for being given the chance at Enlightenment. not that the option is never denied to him, he can do it on his own accord, but not if he can't gain fame and renown from it like Wukong did.

3. the Camel Ridge Trio aren't part of the Brotherhood, they're their own thing but they got deleted by Wukong in the journey and that's that lol his Brotherhood tho is still around in their own way, and they do resent him for ditching them for Heaven. they arent big bads in S4 but they get roped into a vengence plot by Macaque.

4. Jade Faced Fox as well as the Immortal Compliant are still around but they're on PIF's side while DBK got sealed away. They got only minor roles though villains of the week demons for MK, like Yin and Jin.

5. IM TAKING MEI AND GIVING HER A FIX UP MAKEOVER!!!!! She's overall still like her S1 self, but her arc is more tied to her dragon ancestry than stealing Red Son's thunder. the Samadhi Fire isn't a McGuffin hot potato in S3, her arc is about learning to master her water and weather manipulation powers, and learning how to fly on her own. Chinese dragons need a "protusion" in their head to fly which im just reworking as its an age thing, so best she can do half the time is hop around on clouds, and since Megapolis in is a desert and has weather control.... not much chance to stretch herself. Also she has a full proper dragon form, not just a floating hologram form.

6. the gang is not reincarnations of the pilgrims, the lads are all in their celestial posts post-JTTW and they make some appearances here and there, mostly in a support role. Tang is one of Tripitaka's disciples who also got given a few reincarnations as a mortal to build merit and cultivation. Wukong saw that and went "hey yknow what would be really funny?" and so pilgrim group electric boogaloo happens xD

7. after the journey, Wukong became a boddhisattva, and helped over the years to build trust between humans and demons, proving that they can not only coexist but support each other. Megapolis was the first mixed city to be built as proof-of-concept that a demon-human truce could work, and after a few decades, the truce was codified into law both in the mortal and celestial realm. basically demons will be treated as equals among humans if they don't eat or kill humans, and they can be redeemed if they choose to drop a warlord's lifestyle after community service and reparations are given. to maintain the peace, quite a few immortals keep an eye on the mortal realm for any breaches on that truce, so it can be investigated and punished accordingly.

8. JSBDHSHDJHD TRUE THAT!! But FFM is not sealed away so zealously, everyone knows Wukong didn't vanish, he just went to the celestial realm to work as an intermediate between mortals and immortals and yknow, boddishattva duties. FFM got plucked closer to the shore, and after Megapolis was properly established, it even got a few tourist traps along the shores. there are still monkey yaoguai living there quite happily, those villages we see arent deserted, and sometimes scholars and pilgrims are allowed to climb the mountain for an escorted visit. its pretty lively there!

[blubushie]

Any particular method you use to pick your fake names? Or is it just whatever vibes strike you in the moment?

Oho I'm being asked things about how my brain works, yay me :D

Shortly: I have some level of rhyme and reason to the nonsense, but it's also largely up to whatever comes to mind first.

It's a rapid-fire process and something I've done since I was little—probably something to do with a somewhat distorted sense of identity I had as a child with conduct disorder, and this is one of the behaviours that just "stuck" through to my ASPD as an adult.

The general guidelines are:

"Shelter." People I know extremely personally and feel "safe" with are given my legal name so that they know it. They are not allowed to call me by this name—I am still Blu to them. The important thing is that they know it.

"Friend." People I know I'm going to be interacting with often (such as acquaintances I intend to befriend, or customers for my PMP business) get "Blu". By and far, this is my actual name. Rarely they get "Jet" if I think they're gonna be weird about Blu.

"Familiar." People I know I'm going to interacting with on "paper" terms (doctors, employers, mechanics, etc) are given my legal and not told about Blu.

"Acquaintance." People I know I'm going to be seeing more than once, but only for a short period of time, get a name that's easy to remember and one I go by often. This is typically "Mick".

"Raindrop." People I'm only meeting once and intend to never see again ("raindrops" I call them—because they're a single raindrop in an ocean of a continent, so the odds I'll ever see them again are astronomically low) are given whatever name comes to my mind first, but never Blu and never my legal or the legals of anyone I know. This is typically "John" but honestly can be whatever comes to mind first—there was one occasion where I blew my own cover and had to apologise because I'd called myself "Holden" and blamed it on a thinko. After that incident I started picking names before I greet someone. People don't always ask my name, especially if I'm offering them a service (like working on someone's dead car on a roadside), but it's polite to offer and it's better to have a plan in advance before I'm asked and risk floundering again.

These all tie in with personas btw. Every tier above has a carefully orchestrated persona that people get to see. As I'm just some stranger on the internet, I feel comfortable enough letting you all see the Friend Persona. Shelter is very bare bones and one that only a select few people have seen—a lot of people think they've seen Shelter but in reality it's just a more bare aspect of Friend when I lose control of the mask briefly. Paper is polite and professional but not there for conversing, just taking care of whatever needs to be taken care of. Acquaintance is somewhat distant, similar to the vibes a coworker gives off, and Raindrop is especially distant. In all of them I come off as very friendly but it's obvious you're not "in". Shelter is willing to answer any gestion, everything below that keeps some secrets.

I don't know how good of a job I done describing these but hopefully it makes sense.

[emotionallyhorrifiedbidwell]

"Okay, so I'm supposed to be working for you. When does the work start, or the training, or something." -Valentine

"Oho! That's not how this works. I figured you'd enjoy the downtime. I mean, you can help me with paperwork, if you want."

Bidwell drums his pen on his desk. They're in the very top of a very tall building- Mann Co's Perth Headquarters. Bidwell's office is TECHNICALLY an alcove next to Saxton Hale (the CEO)'s office, but his office is actually bigger. It has a nicer view over the Swan River and the ocean and it reeks of professionalism.. mostly because it isnt plastered with stuffed yeti heads.

[threadsdemiseif]

My MC's name is Marcus. He has dark brown hair that has early greying sides to it. Tortoise colored glasses and little grey bowtie because he doesn't like using neckties.

Hates the smell of coffee with hate of one thousand suns and will tell anyone and everyone around him if they dare to drink near him. Has a citrus allergy but likes to eat lemon cough drops anyway because of the funny feeling he gets on his tongue.

Hates animals and other doctors because he believes they see right through him or can read his mind.

Is absolutely a slut for breath play and handcuffs please just choke him.

Has a tiny tattoo of Atrophaneura semperi butterfly on his inner arm. Would like to go on a date in some butterfly sanctuary.

Has put razor blades on the back of his wheelchair because he got sick of people moving him without his permission. Someone stopped him doing it eventually.

If he ever gets to die by someone else's hand he hopes they throw him into the river or the ocean so his body will eventually get bloated like a balloon and scare some random boatsmen.

Oho~! Marcus sounds like an absolute enigma

Tortoise colored glasses and grey bowtie, Despising Coffee, Allergic but forces himself to eat lemon cough drops, Very kinky, butterfly obsession, Razor blades in his wheelchair, and a based way to die? He's perfect!

Though there's no other doctor who can cut strings like MC, I'm guessing he would throw bags of apples at normal doctors since they tend to know symptoms from body language + questions alone🤭

Atrophaneura semperi:

That's a goddamn beautiful butterfly

He sounds absolutely the worst to be around, I love him 🥰 (I mean that in a fun way, no offense)