#rhythm thief spoilers

[101flavoursofweird]

This is, of course, excluding Raphael as a dog parent. Because he’d win by a mile.

Also, I know Alfred cares for Marie but I associate him with Elisabeth.

For anyone not familiar with Rhythm Thief but would like to vote, there’s some spoilers and propaganda under the cut taken from a previous post of mine:

Duchess Elisabeth In her diary, Elizabeth writes that the best day of her life was the day Marie was born. Unfortunately, Jean-François (Elisabeth’s evil cousin) discovered Marie’s true heritage of being the last blood descendant of the Babylonian royal house don’t ask

Fearing for Marie’s safety and the resurrection of the Dragon Crown (an ancient flying weapon), Elizabeth gave Marie away to a convent when Marie was yet an infant, with her only possession being a violin… which miiight have helped Jean-François to identify Marie. (Unconfirmed in game!) Whoops. Elizabeth must have been feeling sentimental and wanted to give Marie something to remember her by. Marie can’t even remember what her mother looked like.

Elizabeth doesn’t acknowledge Marie when JF reunites the two of them later on, but we can see how affected Elisabeth is when Marie plays her violin

However, Elisabeth turns her back on Marie and walks away. Elizabeth has to pretend she has no interest in Marie so JF will leave them both alone. Elizabeth demands to know what JJF would want, theoretically speaking, if he had found her daughter. “Money? Honor?” JF, at some point, tracked Marie down, inserted himself into Marie’s life and paid for Marie to take violin lessons so she could unlock the ancient weapon. Elisabeth knows this and she must be terrified.

Later, when the bad guys threaten Elizabeth’s life in front of Marie, they reveal that Elizabeth has been lying in order to protect Marie. (Even the villain recognises this!) Elizabeth tries to keep the act up, insisting that she is nothing but a stranger to Marie. Marie decides to save her and plays the song anyway after hearing Elizabeth call her name in distress. 

Then, when the giant flying weapon has been unleashed, Elizabeth takes a literal bullet for Marie. Elizabeth reveals the truth to Marie and she calls Marie ‘Ma chère, Marie’ before passing out. Marie weeps for her mother

Fortunately, a pendant Elizabeth wore with young Marie’s picture saved her from the bullet. Raphael remarks that Elizabeth was Marie’s guardian angel. 

After the bad guys have been defeated, in the final scene of the game, Elizabeth can be seen peacefully listening to Marie’s music at the opera house. In Marie’s bonus episode, she watches Marie at her examination to enter the conservatoire. She’s glad to hear Marie’s laughter and she encourages her to enjoy herself. She tells Marie to “play like you were playing for him”- Elizabeth approves of her future son in law, Raphael

-

Inspector Vergier

In Vergier’s first scene, we see him sending in an army of roller-skating police officers to arrest Phantom R. Vergier takes his work very seriously.

At Paris Constabulary HQ, Raphael overhears Vergier talking to another officer about how he hasn’t been home in days. Apparently, Vergier has been on a certain case since his wife died. The other officer basically tells him, “GO HOME TO YOUR KID”.  (Charlie) Vergier clearly hasn’t recovered from his wife’s death but he’s been neglecting the one family member he has left so…

In a later chapter, Raphael again overhears Vergier talking to his colleague. Vergier asks if Charlie has turned up yet. He knows about Charlie’s mission to hunt down Phantom R, but he considers Charlie’s efforts an impediment to their investigation. Raphael picks up a family photo that Vergier dropped and decides to hang on to it. During his second fight with Charlie, Raph comments that Charlie is just like their father. Charlie snaps at him to “LEAVE MY FATHER OUT OF THIS!” (It’s not like Charlie’s trying to prove their worth or anything- what gave you that idea?)

Raphael goes looking for Charlie after Marie gets captured. He talks to Vergier’s friend from university and learns that Charlie and Vergier just had some sort of argument. Also, the friend comments that Charlie is about Raphael’s age. So... Charlie’s 16-18, maybe. It’s not unheard of for a parent to leave a 16-18 home alone, but Charlie was left at home for DAYS??? Raphael finds Charlie at a cafe and asks them to return the photo to Vergier. Charlier huffs that they don’t want to see their father again, but then they reads the message CharlieMs mother left on the photo. 

During the battle below the ancient flying weapon, Charlie saves Vergier from a bunch of henchmen. Vergier acknowledges that he protects Paris in memory of Charlie’s dead mother. Charlie reminds him that there’s no time like the present, and announces that they’ll help him save the city. Vergier doesn’t refuse this offer. 

In the final scene, Vergier and Charlie can be seen pursuing Phantom R together.

There’s also Charlie’s bonus episode, where they fight off the last remnants (?) of the evil organisation. Vergier announces that the case he was working on is officially closed. He’s realised that no matter how much he warns Charlie to stay away, Charlie wouldn’t listen. He just asks Charlie to stay where he can keep an eye on them.

-

Isaac, Raphael’s father 

The first chapter of the game opens with dialogue of Raphael crying as Isaac leaves him. He left three years ago... when Raphael was fifteen. Raphael’s mother previously died in an accident, so Raphael was orphaned.

Raphael became Phantom R and chased after the mark his father left for him on the coin. 

Raphael reveals to Marie that his father was an artist but he never got a big break. Isaac became a forgery artists, swapping his fake art pieces with their authentic counterparts. Raphael tries to fix his father’s crimes and hunt for the mark by returning the real art pieces.  

Raphael thinks that he sees Isaac beneath Les Invalides and at the Palace of Versailles. He’s distressed and frustrated when he loses Isaac in the crowd. Isaac was in a hurry to escape...

During his final battle with Jean-François, Raphael learns that Isaac has been working with J.F. and the Chevaliers. Isaac made forgeries for J.F.’s organisation when Raphael was young and sickly. Raphael insists that he made those forgeries to pay the doctors. So, it does seem that Isaac initially joined the organisation for Raphael’s sake, but his intentions became warped over the years. 

Raphael couldn’t believe that his father would fall in with the Chevaliers and Elizabeth was close friends with Isaac... once. Isaac couldn’t have shown any obvious signs of going to the dark side years ago. 

In his final scene, Isaac discusses with the seemingly real emperor Napoleon that he wants to begin the next phase of their plan. He quietly warns Raphael to be ready for whatever that is.

Note: Isaac’s motivations and reasons for leaving are never made clear during the game or from his point of view. As we don’t have a sequel, these can’t be confirmed.

[cosmerelists]

If Era 1 Mistborn and Stormlight characters met each other…

If the Era 1 Mistborn gang and the Stormlight characters happened to meet up, what would that be like? 

[Includes spoilers through Rhythm of War & Era 1 Mistborn!] 1.  Dalinar & Elend

Elend: And THEN the council voted ME out! Man, democracy is just so hard!

Dalinar: Have you considered straight-up tyranny?

Elend: A-actually, yeah. Unfortunately.

Elend: It just…works so well…

Dalinar: I know.

Dalinar: Let’s not dwell on it.

2.  Shallan & Vin

Vin: My mom tried to kill me.

Shallan: Same.

Vin: Luckily I had my brother who cared for me. But he also had a cruel streak.

Shallan: Yeah—trust me, I know.

Vin: I trained as a thief & con artist for a while.

Shallan: Oh hey, me too! And that’s fun, but I also like wearing nice clothes and marrying someone socially above my station, you know?

Vin: Yeah, same!

Shallan: But also…I’ve murdered, just, so many people. Including family!

Vin: Killed my boyfriend’s dad.

Vin: And ex-fiancee.

Vin: And brother.

Shallan: Yeah, the murders just keep coming!

Vin: Crazy how that works.

3.  Straff & Sadeas

Sadeas: Knifed in a hallway by my nemesis’s son. Right into the brain. Eye popped and everything.

Straff: Literally cut in half by a giant sword wielded by my son’s girlfriend. My horse, too.

Sadeas: Bro.

Straff: Bro.

4.  Breeze & Sebarial

Breeze: Well, it certainly is nice to relax with a glass of wine & let the other characters make the jokes, isn’t it?

Sebarial: …why did I just get you wine??

5.  Sazed & Sigzil

Sigzil: And as a Worldsinger, I learn about other places and then share that knowledge to bring people together.

Sazed: That’s simply wonderful! I think feruchemy would work so well for you!

Sigzil: It does seem like an amazing power.

Sazed: Also, do you ever want to, just…

Sigzil: …strangle Hoid?

Sazed: Yeah.

Sigzil: Yeah.

Kelsier: Yeah!!!

Sazed: Kelsier, get to your own section! 

6.  Spook & Lift

Lift: So you…eat metal. And it gives you powers?

Spook: Yeah. I get my power from burning Tin.

Lift: After you eat it?

Spook: After I eat it.

Lift: Sucks to be you! I get my power from PANCAKES. 

7.  Marsh & Navani

Marsh: …and with these metal spikes piercing my body, I gained a number of powers. Also immortality. Apparently.

Navani: I am so horrified. And so intrigued. You’re going to make SUCH good research!

Marsh: The horror doesn’t, you know, put you off?

Navani: Nah, you should have seen my last research partner.

8.  TenSoon & Kaladin 

Kaladin: So you are a…puppy?

TenSoon: Well, I have the ability to consume the bones of a canine and then take on this shape.

Kaladin: [nodding]

TenSoon: That doesn’t…disturb you at all?

Kaladin: I don’t know enough about dogs to judge.

9.  Zane & Szeth

Zane: And basically, with the voice of God constantly in my ear encouraging me to kill, I did that! Kill, I mean.

Szeth: Obeying an unknown disembodied voice because you thought it might be god? What foolishness.

Zane: Didn’t you obey a rock?

Szeth: That was DIFFERENT.

10.   Kelsier & Moash 

Kelsier: The thing is—aristocrats just gotta be murdered, you know?

Kelsier: You look into their faces, see the reflection of their endless crimes, and just think, “Yup. Murder time.”

Kelsier: And some people are like, “Kelsier, stop murdering everyone!”

Kelsier: And it’s like—do I tell YOU not to do what YOU’RE good at?

Kelsier: I’m good at three things! Survival. Starting cults. And murder.

Moash: …

Moash: I think I love you.

[kagy04]

G'Raha x WoL

I love this cat boy

Not requested

Pure fluff

Words: 1441

Slight Endwalker spoilers

○°○°○°○

The Warrior of Light hardly ever had any time to themselves. But when you did, you didn't know what to do with yourself. Laying in bed would simply make you feel antsy and you would find yourself walking back and forth in your room with thoughts swarming in your head of the now disbanded Scions and how you missed the bunch, especially a certain redhead. So instead of dwelling on that, you decided to go out and see if anyone had any troubles they needed help with.

Walking down the streets of Limsa Lominsa, many people greeted you, but no one beckoned you over in need of help—which should have been a relief. But moments of peace only last so long.

"HEY! Someone stop him! Thief!" You heard a man yell after a masked figure who was running towards your direction with a box in their arms. You stepped aside, blending in with the parting crowd before raising your leg as the person ran past, effectively tripping them.

The man caught up, gasping for air while trying to express his gratefulness for catching the thief. Some Maelstrom guards close behind arrived to apprehend the thief, and you took the box from the ground to give it back to its owner.

"Thank you again! We don't have enough people watching over the cargo while we load it on the ship, so that bloody thief seized the opportunity to take one of our boxes."

"I can help with loading the ship," you offered the older man. Anything to keep you preoccupied, even for a little while, was welcomed.

"Oh dear me. I could never even think of asking the Warrior of Light to help with such—"

"I insist," you interrupted the man.

He nodded, not wanting to make a further scene, and because he needed the help. You helped the man and the few crew members load the ship. While in light conversation with the members, you found out they were heading to Old Sharlayan. So as repayment, you asked them to let you take the trip with them. The captain, recognizing your name and reputation, accepted this proposal without hesitation.

After securing passage on the ship bound for Old Sharlayan, you assisted with the remaining tasks, grateful for the distraction. The crew, initially hesitant about accepting your help, soon warmed to your presence. Amid the bustling activity of loading and preparing the ship for its journey, you found a semblance of peace in the rhythm of work.

As the ship set sail, you leaned against the railing, watching Limsa Lominsa fade into the horizon. The gentle rocking of the vessel and the crisp sea breeze provided a much-needed respite from the constant demands placed upon you. Yet, a sense of anticipation tingled within you as you thought about G'raha Tia. It had been too long since you had seen him, and the idea of surprising him brought a smile to your face.

The journey to Old Sharlayan was smooth, with the crew's camaraderie making the time pass quickly. You often found yourself reminiscing about your adventures with the Scions, sharing stories with the sailors who were eager to hear about your exploits. Your mind frequently wandered to G'raha, wondering how he was faring in his studies and duties.

As the ship approached Old Sharlayan, your heart raced with excitement. You disembarked with the crew, helping them unload their cargo before making your way through the familiar streets. The city, with its grand architecture and scholarly air, filled you with a sense of nostalgia.

Navigating through the bustling Agora, you made your way to the Studium, where you knew G'raha would likely be. The anticipation built with each step, and finally, you spotted him in one of the quieter courtyards, engrossed in a tome. His red hair glinted in the sunlight, and a wave of affection washed over you.

"G'raha!" you called out, your voice filled with excitement.

He looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Y/N?! What are you doing here?"

You grinned, walking over to him. "I thought I'd surprise you. It's been too long."

G'raha stood up, a wide smile spreading across his face. "It certainly has. I can't believe you're here!" He enveloped you in a warm hug, and you felt a rush of comfort and joy in his embrace.

The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon catching up, wandering through the tranquil gardens of Old Sharlayan. G'raha shared stories of his studies and the progress he had made, while you recounted your recent adventures. The conversation flowed easily, the bond between you as strong as ever.

As evening fell, G'raha invited you to his quarters, a cozy room filled with books and mementos. You settled onto a comfortable couch, and he handed you a steaming cup of tea.

"It's so good to see you," he said, his voice soft. "I've missed you more than I can say."

"I've missed you too," you admitted, feeling a warmth spread through you. "It's been hard without the Scions. I miss everyone, but especially you."

G'raha's eyes softened, and he reached out to take your hand. "I've thought about you every day. It's been difficult, but knowing you're out there, doing what you do best, helping people, has been a comfort."

You squeezed his hand, the moment stretching between you, filled with unspoken emotions. "I'm glad I came. I needed to see you, to be with you." You confess.

He smiled, a tender expression that made your heart flutter. "I'm glad you did too."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, and as the night grew darker, the two of you found yourselves nestled together on the couch. The comfort of his presence, the warmth of his body next to yours, eased the restlessness that had plagued you for so long.

"G'raha," you whispered, your head resting on top of his, as his was on your shoulder. "There's something I need to tell you."

He turned slightly, his gaze meeting yours. "What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, you gathered your courage. "I've realised something over these past few months. I care about you deeply, more than just a friend."

G'raha's eyes widened slightly, his grip on your hand tightening. "You mean…?"

You nodded, your heart pounding. "I love you, G'raha."

For a moment, there was only silence, the weight of your confession hanging in the air. Then, G'raha's face broke into a radiant smile. "I love you too," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I've loved you for so long."

A sense of relief and joy washed over you, and you leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. It was soft and tentative at first, but as he responded, the kiss deepened, filled with the unspoken promises and emotions that had been building between you.

When you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, your foreheads resting against each other. "I've wanted to tell you for so long," you murmured.

G'raha cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing gently against your skin. "And I've wanted to hear it for just as long."

The rest of the night was spent wrapped in each other's arms, talking quietly about your hopes and dreams for the future. The burdens and worries that had weighed you down seemed lighter with G'raha by your side.

As you drifted off to sleep, nestled against G'raha, you felt a sense of peace and contentment that you hadn't felt in a long time.

The next morning, you awoke to find G'raha watching you with a soft smile. "Good morning," he whispered, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"Good morning," you replied, feeling a warmth spread through you, nuzzling into his chest further for a few more moments.

The two of you spent the day exploring Old Sharlayan, hand in hand. The city seemed brighter, the air sweeter with G'raha by your side. As you wandered through the streets, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected turn of events that had brought you here.

Later that evening, as you stood on a balcony overlooking the city, G'raha pulled you close. "I don't know what the future holds," he said softly. "But I do know that I want to face it with you."

You nodded, leaning into his embrace. "Me too. Whatever comes, we'll face it together."

With the stars shining brightly above and the promise of a new day ahead, you felt a renewed sense of hope and determination. The journey might be long and filled with challenges, but with G'raha by your side, you knew you could overcome anything.

[local-hyena]

Rhythm Thief is a game published by sega in 2012. It's a rhythm game that follows the thief Raphael, also known as Phantom R. Raphael's goal is to find his father, but he gets tangled up in a bigger mystery : anime Napoléon came back from the dead as a Zombie to become an emperor once again. As a french person, this plot in impossibly funny.

All in all, this game is awesome ! I really l'île the character designs, they are simple but efficient. The characters all have different personalities, my favorite being Charlie. Though, I could easily find a bunch of cons to this game : I feel like the characters could be deeper. The story is okay, it does its job as being a video game's red string for the different rhythm minigames.

Speaking of rhythm minigames ! They are very fun. They become more difficult with time, and some of them are really difficult (the one in which you control Charlie with the console's gyroscope was the WORST). With rhythm comes music. Rhythm Thief's music is really cool ! Very jazzy, exactly the typical-french-accordion type of tune, you know ? As the game takes place in Paris, the city is intensely romanticized. However, the mysic used during rhythm minigames are a bit... lacking ? Don't get me wrong, some of them are great ! Some of my favorites are the one in which you shoot at knights while controlling Vergier and the final battle against Graf, as well as the first stealth rhythm minigame. But qome lf them are just rhythm, not actual music, you know ? There are also a handful of sound-based puzzles, which are fairly easy, but I'm not complaining. I'm currently playing a Professor Layton game and I am clearly not clever enough for that.

Another thing that bugs me : thourough the game you will find hidden objects. Once you finish the game, there are three additionnal chapters yoi can unlock by finding all those collectibles (I don't know the english terminology for this game) : sounds and hidden partitions, and another chapter you unlock after getting an A score for ALL rhythm minigames. The problem is : sometimes, you can access a location only once in the game, and some of these hidden objects are in these one-time locations. So if you miss one you will have to start all over again. I just finished the game earlier, so I don't know if I missed collectibles in those areas, I still have to check. Getting all A scores will be a pain in the asssss uurggggg.

ALSO THE ENDING. SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS. WHAT DO YOU MEAN NAPOLEON WAS NOT THE ACTUAL NAPOLEON ? WHAT DO YOU MEAN RAPHAEL'S FATHER IS STILL WITH THE REAL ACTUAL ZOMBIE NAPOLEON WAITING FOR HIM TO BECOME STRONG ENOUGH ?? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE LAST QUOTE OF THE GAME IS "I WILL GET THE PLAN TO NEXT PHASE" ??? WAS THERE SUPPOSED TO BE A SEQUEL ??? WILL THERE BE ANSWERS IN THE ADDITIONNAL CHAPTERS ??? WHAT THE FUCK ????

Also there is a dog. His name is Fondue. This is a very important piece of information.

The game also features fully-animated cutscenes, which actually look great !

In conclusion, Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure was an awesome game ! It is great for all fans of rhythm game, but it also features elements of visual novels and puzzles. In my opinion, it has a general vibe similar to Professor Layton, Ace Attorney and Doctor Lautrec (though I haven't played this one yet...), so check these games out too !

[sylvia-forest]

[CN] Shaw's bday ASMR - Summer Night Rhythm

⚡Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an ASMR which hasn't released in EN yet!⚡

[Transcript under the cut!]

Please please read the transcript along the video as to not to miss out his raspy, sleepy voice 💦

[sound of door knocking and cicada's]

came fast enough

It seems that you are very interested in my remodeled room

Okay

Getting smarter

I just took pictures of only one corner of the room on purpose

So that some "curious rabbits"

come bouncing

Eh

Why did you open your mouth and bite?

Don't mess with you?

Then i can't do that 

[MC bite shaw]

Hiss

OK, OK, OK.

You are very tired from working overtime these days

Soreness all over the body

Bad mood

You should be treated as a bodhisattva

[shaw cuckles]

Stop teasing you

Go inside

[sound of footsteps + shaw breathing] 

Just okay?

[shaw clicks his tongue]

The requirements are quite high

[sound of pressing buttons]

What about this

[shaw laughs]

Not bad

These sensor lights didn't take that much effort

I just did some stuff casually

Play the game this way 

It's more exciting when you watch a movie.

And when some people come to “board”

I won't trip over things when going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Don't know

I thought it was some thief going on duty for the first time

Clumsy

[MC beats shaw and bit him AGAIN]

Ah hiss

You're addicted to biting, right?

Why don't you put a row of tooth marks on my arm?

Then donate me to a museum

I have thought of the title of the work for you

just call

"Daily Life of a Rogue Rabbit"

[MC start walking out of the room and shaw grabbing her midway]

where are you going?

Angry?

Oh.... to turn on the lights

No need

Let's leave it like that.

Why are you looking at me with that expression?

What are you laughing at?

You're the one who got the wrong idea.

[shaw purposely lowering his voice to an octave]

Or are you thinking wrongly?

I see you are tired from work these two days

Dimly lit environment

Helps you relax a bit

[shaw clicks his tongue]

However

You really got it right today

Come

I'll show you a good thing

My new massage sofa

Isn't it a backache?

Come 

try

Comfortable?

The more comfortable ones are still behind.

I’ll adjust the first rate strength for you to begin off

[beeping sound]

Of course not bad

When have I ever gone wrong when I picked something

They’re all first class goods

what

only you can enjoy

Let me stand around and stare?

I won't do such a wasteful thing

If you don't want to be oppressed by me

just sit down

[shaw joins MC on the massaging chair]

Too crowded?

[shaw cuckles lightly]

Usually one meter eight of the bed is squeezed into one meter two by you

Why didn't I hear you complaining about that

[low humming sound of the massage chair + shaw breathing sounds]

Don't worry

I've asked

Although this is not a massage sofa for two people

But it’s okay for two people to use it at the same time

[rustling of clothes sound???]

It's okay

very comfortable

But isn't the strength a little bit less powerful?

Don’t you think so too?

[beeping + buzzing sounds from the chair + shaw moaning sounds]

What's wrong

Not enjoying the power of technology

You're afraid I'll fall asleep

i didn't slept

just close your eyes

What are you doing

So concerned about whether I am sleepy or not

[shaw yawns]

oh

Want to go out and watch a movie?

sure

Go later

[rustling of clothes + shaw clicking his tongue]

What are you messing with?

be honest

Didn't say not to go out to see

Let me get a rest for a while

Who said that if I shut my eyes for a while, it takes three hours

[shaw sleepy voice]

save your energy

tickling doesn't work on me

How come you got serious

[shaw grabs MC hands and whispers in a sleepy voice]

I've said it all, just sleep for a while

[continuous humming sound + shaw steady breathing]

Not asleep and awake

[from here on you’ll hear his raspy, sleepy voice which sounds so sexy]

Hey

Where are you putting your hands?

Thanks to you

I'm fully awake now

It's time to settle

Admit defeat?

I haven't done anything yet

Just surrendered straight away?

that's not right 

It can't be so easy

Itchy?

So you know how itchy it is too

then bear with it

I won't stop easily

you didn't find yourself

You’re extra rebellious today?

hmmmm

Ii’s right to just don't admit it

Rebels are like this

So ....

Got to cure

what am i doing

what else can i do

Of course, to settle the score

We got it back one by one

It won't take long.

that is

Just before dawn, I guess 

—

⚡ ASMR texts

[shingetsu-online]

☆*WELCOME TO MY SPECIAL HELL*☆

☆ Hello, I'm Hugh. I'm a person who draws and plays videogames for fun, with a keen interest in analysis and psychology, and I enjoy the process of modding video game consoles. Welcome to my blog, shingetsu-online! ~.^*☆ ☆ text dividers by @cafekitsune ☆

☆*^.~ABOUT THE DUDE IN CHARGE~.^*☆

☆ My name is Hugh, though I also go by Mr. Crescendo, Shingetsu, & Hyuu. My pronouns are He/Him, and I am a transmasc agender demiboy who is gay, cinthean, demiromantic, & a sex-repulsed asexual. I'm 13 years old, so do please try to keep my boundaries in mind! I'm part of a system, and my headmates may pop up on here and make posts of their own. If you want to refer to us collectively, call us the Blue Raspberry Collective or the Moonjelly Hivemind. I am WaningCrescendo on A03, though I haven't posted anything on there yet! Please do not repost my art without permission or credit.

☆*^.~INTERESTS / FANDOMS~.^*☆

☆ My major hyperfixations are in blue & bold text, so I'll post about them more often than others.

☆ GHOST TRICK: PHANTOM DETECTIVE (I've beaten the entire game on my 3ds via emulation and it both fixed me and made me worse. Live laugh Inspector Cabanela. It is my absolute favorite game PLEASE play Ghost Trick PLEASE)

☆ HOMESTAR RUNNER (I got into it in 2020 and recently got back into it when playing Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People on my Wii.)

☆ POKEMON (Generations 5, 7, 8, & 9 mostly. I also enjoy the gen 8/9 DLC campaigns. Mostly the games, though I have read a bit of PokeSpe. I do not post about the animes.)

☆ A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS (Both the books & the live-action series adaptation.)

☆ MIITOPIA (Both for Nintendo Switch & 3DS, I've played through the Switch port several times & I recently started the 3DS version!)

☆ ACE ATTORNEY (I've seen playthroughs for the entire main trilogy & the Investigations games, I am currently playing through Apollo Justice, & I have finished The Great Ace Attorney's 3DS English fan-slation, and I am trying to get the Chronicles so I can play Resolve! Don't worry about spoiler for the mainline 6 games & the Investigations games, but I am trying to play TGAA as spoiler-free as possible.)

☆ RHYTHM THIEF (I have played through the entirety of the main story! Also Charlie Vergier is transmasc & anyone who she/her's him is dead to me. /lh)

☆ RHYTHM HEAVEN & WARIOWARE (I classify these 2 together since they are heavily linked together! For Rhythm Heaven, my favorite games are Rhythm Heaven DS & Megamix, and for WarioWare, I like Smooth Moves, Move It!, Touched!, & Gold!)

☆ YOUR TURN TO DIE (I have played up to Chapter 3-1B!)

☆ THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU (I have NEO for my Switch, I have seen the anime, and I have the original DS game via emulation!)

☆ NINTENDO CONSOLE MODDING & HOMEBREW (I have watched so many videos on 3ds modding & Homebrew applications. I have modded my New 3DS XL and I am open to any questions concerning the process! I am trying to make a custom theme for it!)

☆ COOKIE RUN (Both Kingdom & OvenBreak!)

☆ TOMODACHI LIFE (I have the game for my 3DS! I am a firm Tomodachi Life Switch Port believer!!)

☆ NEEDY GIRL OVERDOSE/NEEDY STREAMER OVERLOAD (I have seen playthroughs!)

☆ GUILTY GEAR (I don't post much about it anymore, sadly. I just really like Bedman.)

☆ SPLATOON (I have 2, Octo Expansion, & 3. I am working on getting the DLCs soon!)

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☆ ALIEN STAGE (Nothing much to say, I've seen up to Round 6 & I just really like Luka's Sweet Dream cover & Hyuna in general. Oh yeah & IvanTill.)

☆ HAIKYUU!! (My friend dragged me into the Haikyuu!! hellhole. I'm very early in the show, & I mainly just dub over it with my friends for fun.)

☆ SUPER MARIO BROS. SERIES (I pretty much grew up on NSMBWii. I also like Paper Mario Color Splash, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, & Super Mario 3D World, though I've only seen playthoughs for Color Splash & 3D World. I'm playing Bowser's Inside Story!)

☆ THERE IS NO GAME (I have played Wrong Dimension & the original Construct Jam entry!)

☆*^.~SIDEBLOGS~.^*☆

☆ @hughstace - Ace Attorney blog. (I post a lot about Simon Blackquill, The Apollo Justice Trilogy, as well as BlackBright.)

☆ @koopsttyd - Paper Mario: TTYD blog. (May potentially be used for other Paper Mario games as well!)

☆ @6switcher - Rhythm Heaven series blog. (Lots of lockstep and Rhythm Heaven DS/Fever posts on there!)

☆ @raymondyaoi - Animal Crossing blog. (Usually ACNH/ACNL.)

☆ @jotchuakiryu - The World Ends With You blog. (Lots of JoshNeku.)

☆ @gayboy-from-diamond-city - WarioWare series blog. (Sadly not very active.)

☆ Other blogs not listed here are VERY inactive or they're personal.

☆*^.~THINGS TO KNOW~.^*☆

☆ Hey!! Here are some things to be aware of when interacting with me, so keep these in mind if you can!!

☆ I have a poor memory, but I'll try my best to remember things like when to use tone indicators or people's preferred pronouns.

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☆ Although I'm a sex-repulsed ace, I make sexual jokes from time to time, but it's usually just something like "that's what she said", penis jokes, or something similar.

☆ I have poor anger management, and I snap easily, so be wary.

☆ I try to avoid mention of politics as much as I can.

☆ I'm protective of headcanons so much to the point where it gets annoying FAST. That being said, most headcanons of mine align with my own identity, such as Crispin from Pokemon being gay and transmasc. However, I'm NOT going to attack people because my headcanons don't align with theirs and vice versa.

☆ That being said, I post a lot of shippy stuff, mostly revolving around said headcanons.

☆ I ship OC x Canon. Don't like it? Feel free to block me and move on.

☆ I'm in a system, and occasionally, one of my headmates will post on here instead of their own blog / our system blog, so if something seems different with me, just know that it's one of my headmates posting or goofing off.

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☆ Queerphobic people, including aphobes, TERFs, or SWERFs, as well as truscum or transmed people.

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☆ Information on the tags I use on my posts.

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☆ #hugh art tag - Tag I use for my artwork.

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☆*^.~USERBOX TIME!!!!~.^*☆

[darkartistyt]

All Rhythm Thief CGs from a full game let's-play

Spoiler warning (obviously lol)

for @pentacle-artist

Excluding chapter title cards (bc most of them are found in cutscenes or later in the same chapter)

[error707-thatdude]

Now for the final classpect chosen for the polls we've got Erik! First of the classpects in which I was certain about the class, not so much the aspect. Once again, dqxi spoilers!

I was somewhere between classpecting Erik as a Rogue of Time or Breathe.

The Rogue is a passive class, described as someone who invites the redistribution of, with, or through their aspect for the benefit if others. In other terms, they're sort of like a Robin Hood! They 'steal' [from/through] their aspect and give it to their team. From my understansing, Rogues are also known for having a perceived lack of their aspect, similar to a Page, but with a tendency to give the little they do have away.

As for aspects, I've got two I've been flipping between. Time is one of two essential aspects of a successful SBURB session, revolving around things like Rhythm, Inevitability, and Traditions/Patterns; there's also a big theme of Death and Sacrifice for Time players.

Breathe, like I said with Jasper, focuses on Freedom, Adaptability, and Leadership. The leadership theme in Blood and Breathe is a little different: Blood focuses on the community and keeping together, strengthening bonds, while Breathe is a more detached leader.

Okay so. It feels like a copout to have the 'thief with a heart of gold' character be the Rogue BUT LIKE SYLV- it just fits. And I have REASONS why I think he could be either Time or Breath.

I wanted to make SOMEONE a Time player, wanted to have them be a successful session. The self sacrificial themes (and to a degree, pattern/rhythm I think) are heavy with Erik, ever since the beginning: he took the brunt of the Vikings abuse for his sister, he got himself caught on the off chance some legend was real, he took a literal leap of faith off of a waterfall for someone he just met, sacrifices his memories so he has a shot at protecting his friends. He makes time for his teammates by giving them openings, cuts down the enemies time with his speed, etc. The themes of Death are also there, with him grieving his sister turned golden statue and her later almost killing him in a rage. (Actually lmao Mia could probably be a Thief, the active counterpart to a Rogue which is funny)

As for Breathe, we'd focus on the Freedom and Adaptability themes. This fits with the 'perceived lack of aspect' seeing as he didn't HAVE freedom, and even when he did he still spent it all on trying to find a solution for his sisters curse. He's adapted to every situation he's been in, knows what to say or how to act. Erik's story could be said to be him accepting his aspect of Freedom, not allowing himself to be tied down, and allowing himself to keep some.

So..... I may sort of kinda wanted him to be a Time player cuz 1) The colors contrast with his hair and 2) I didn't know who else to make a Time guy. Breathe suits him, it REALLY does but he's already BLUE I can't PUT HIM IN MORE BLUE. It's stupid ik but it is driving me insane. Also his super fast moves remind me of flashstepping and Dave Strider....... The more I write the more and more he sounds like the Breath guy I am Suffering.

Le sign. Smurf lookin mf /aff. Might need to start looking at someone else being the Time guy or..... act II end of the world is a Doomed timeline and Serenica is a Time player? So she helps them initiate a Scratch and have the Luminary go back to create a viable timeline?

See I'm totally smart.

Sometimes.

[swiftsaltsweet]

Thief in the Avatar’s Estate: Chapter 6- A Condition

Characters: Rangi and Kyoshi and Yun (plus whoever appears in Rok)

Pairing: Rangshi

Summary:   Yun decides to head off to bed after his travels from fighting with the Fifth Nation. But as he does, he and his bodyguard, Rangi, hear strange noises coming from Kelsang’s room. When they go to investigate, they are surprised by what they find.

(Canon divergent AU-What if Kyoshi was raised by her parents?)

Prev chapter

Other Sites: AO3 and Fanfic.net

A/N: Just a heads up ch 7 was where I stopped because I got my attention taken away by Hunt For Kyoshi. So uhhhhh yes slower updates on this one. Sorry. u_u

Oh! I know this is an AU of Rise of Kyoshi, but….expect maybe some spoilers for Shadow of Kyoshi…..esp in regards to Kuruk here. (and maybe Yangchen too, but that’s for next chapter)

Also enjoy the art edits :'D May have gone to town on this chapter....jfdkslafja (miiiiight update one of them, I dunno if y'all get notifications for changes but.....if you do it's cause I updated a pic)

______

It had been several days since the trio had entered the Spirit World. It was unknown how long time in the real world had passed. They could only hope it hadn’t been too long. 

The group had gotten into a rhythm. They’d travel in silence, dodge some spirits, all three would have a few arguments, Rangi and Lee would fight, and Yun would tease Rangi every so often. Rinse and repeat. 

It was on the fifth day, Yun’s attempts to pry deeper into Lee’s life started becoming successful. 

“Why did you steal from me?” Yun finally broke one of the hours-long silence between the trio.

Lee, however, didn’t seem phased by the question. “I have my reasons.”

Deflecting again, huh? Yun frowned. 

“Well, did you get what you wanted?” he goaded some more.

“Hmmm, I suppose.”

“Which was?” 

Lee didn’t respond. She didn’t respond for so long, it took Yun and Rangi by surprise when the silence was broken again.

“I wanted something with the Avatar’s seal on it.”

Yun and Rangi blinked in surprise. “Just, anything with the seal on it? Not those documents in particular?” 

So she wasn’t trying to gain intel on what the Avatar’s next move was? Then what was she doing?

“I mean, I did try to find some Earth Kingdom related documents, I mean that’s where I usually reside. But no, it didn’t really matter what it was. These seemed like some non-important Air Nation related documents, so I figured no one would notice nor care if they went missing.”

“And the toy?” Yun asked. Even if she was telling the truth here, it was the one thing that didn’t line up.

Lee bit her lip, a very bad habit of hers that Yun realized, “That one’s…more complicated.” 

“Please, enlighten us,” Rangi sighed, rolling her eyes.

Lee was silent for a while, and then spoke again when she finally found whatever courage she needed. “It’s mine.” There was an intense possessiveness that took over her voice. 

“No, it’s the Avatars’.” Rangi corrected her. “It’s been in their lives for generations.”

Lee looked at her confused and then downcast. “Oh, I had no idea. It was just the toy I wanted to get back then.”

Yun cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“Years ago, some weird officials came into a town we were passing through. They were asking for kids to come up and choose toys from a pile.” She moved her hand instinctively to a place in her tunic. Possibly where the turtle was being held. “I happened to see the turtle and thought it was up for grabs. But my father pulled me away and told me not to ever approach them.”

Yun furrowed his brow. He had heard of Jianzhu’s attempts at finding him by using the Air Nomads' way of finding the Avatar; they were desperate. He had been unlucky to be too sick to move when Jianzhu came to his city to perform the toy test, otherwise he would’ve been found sooner. 

But why that toy? Why an Avatar’s toy? He didn’t like it, it set him on edge. Even though he heard about how they almost crowned Suzu as the Avatar cause she happened to pick out three of the four relics one time. He still didn't like the idea of people touching his things.

“But, why?” Rangi asked, pulling them back to the original question of the papers. She didn’t seem interested in Lee’s parents and their version of stranger danger. “Why would you risk your life and livelihood to break into the most important place on the planet? And for something so….meaningless?”

“L-like I said, I have my reasons,” Lee stuttered as a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek. 

Something about this didn’t add up to Yun. If she wanted something benign and to not get caught, then why the explosion? “But why would you go so far as to set a trap for such meaningless documents?” Yun asked. 

Lee stopped and blinked at them, “Trap? I didn’t set a trap. Why would I when I thought no one was going to be there and I was trying to be sneaky?!”

Rangi and Yun looked at each other, “Then if it wasn’t you, what was that explosion back at the mansion?” 

“I dunno, it wasn’t me.” Lee scratched her head, equally confused. But she decided to steer the conversation back to the original track. “Listen, I can let you look at the documents, to show you it’s nothing. So will you let me keep them without a fuss?”

Yun gave her a long look, measuring her reaction, before responding. “Fine.”

Rangi turned towards Yun with widened eyes, “Yun-!”

But Yun put his hand up to silence her. “One condition. If, and again, only if, they are just bland governmental documents that are but a footnote in my life, and hold no real meaning. You can have them.”

Lee gave him the brightest smile, her cut threatening to open up again with how wide she was grinning. As if he had made her day, no, life. If he was being honest, it made his heart thump a bit. 

“But-” Yun continued, Lee’s face falling slightly. “In exchange you can’t tell anyone you encountered us. We didn’t give chase, you didn’t save us, this whole journey never happened.”

The wide grin came back full force on Lee’s cheeks, “That? Of course, fine by me!”

Lee continued marching forward, with a new skip in her step. He’d need to figure out how to deal with the turtle toy some other time.

“Yun, what are you thinking?” Rangi whispered to him.

“Better to have people, especially criminals, think they can steal from me when I’m away than to have the hope in people’s eyes tarnished because we were in figurative bed with an outlaw.”

Upon hearing that, Rangi could only nod in agreement. All they would need to do was increase security at the estate. It’d be annoying, but it was a better trade off than his public image being ruined.

“Hey you two slowpokes!” Lee yelled, apparently she had gotten farther ahead than they’d realized. “Get over here and let’s take a break!”

Lee was waving for them, she was in a field surrounded by…..very bright and very large mushrooms. 

“Check it out! I found some spirit mushrooms!” Lee laughed as she poked the giant fungi.

Yun marveled at the spirit mushroom, it was large and squishy…. And glowy. It was out of this world, nothing could tear his eyes away from it. Except something more surprising and extraordinary.

He noticed an odd motion coming from his bodyguard. Rangi was….wiping away drool coming from her mouth. Not only that, her eyes were sparkling. 

Yun was stunned, it wasn’t often, no ever, that Rangi showed an active liking towards something. Anything, really. 

“Ah I wouldn’t eat that one!” Lee yelled to them as she scoped out some other mushrooms in the area. Only Yun had the pleasure of seeing Rangi’s face look so crestfallen. “Not if you want to lose your sense of self! …..or is it that you’ll leave your body for good?” She wandered off, muttering to herself, apparently trying to remember which were safe to eat. Not that eating really mattered here… but it didn’t not matter. 

“So you like mushrooms?” Yun whispered to Rangi.

Judging by how straight Rangi’s back became, it seemed like she’d come to her senses and returned to her usual self. “N-no. It’s just food. I like it as much as any other food.”

Yangchen forbid she admit she likes something. Yun sighed before realizing he had a new opportunity to press the firebenders buttons.

“So…” he took a step closer, nudging her shoulder, careful to avoid the spikes. “Mushrooms or Lee, which do you like more?”

She turned to him, face blazed and eyes bewildered, but she wasn’t able to give a coherent answer. Yun gave her a shit eating grin. Maybe she’s attracted to Lee more than I thought. Or maybe she’s reading into the question more than I planned. 

Before Rangi could form an answer, Lee popped out from behind another mushroom. “Did someone say my name?”

“No one is talking about you!” Rangi spit out, stray sparks leaving her mouth.

“Oh I thought I heard my name?” Lee smiled, oblivious to….everything apparently. This was good for Yun, it meant he could be more risky with his teasing. 

“Oh but we were! Rangi was just telling me how she liked you more than mushrooms!” Yun gave Lee the best political smile he could muster, all while Rangi gave him a look as if he had just stabbed her in the back. The fresh red in her face drained instantly, along with all other color. 

Lee just blinked, “Cool. I guess?” And then promptly walked away. 

As soon as she was around the corner, Rangi dropped to her knees, exhausted by the interaction. “Avatar Yun, do you hate me?”

Yun tried not to laugh at the helplessness in her voice. “No. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re attracted to my enemy. Just want to know if she’s going to steal you away from me.”

“I’m not atr-I mean… I’m not going anywhere,” Rangi said weakly. Yun noticed the slip up. Can’t even lie about it anymore, huh?

“Well I think you should go for it,” he laughed, half-jokingly and half-serious.

Rangi looked at him incredulously.

“What? Do they not have flings in the Fire Nation?” the incredulous-ness of her look intensified, but she did gnaw on her lower lip. Thinking about something.

Yun imagined himself on Rangi’s shoulders, one acting as a righteous spirit, the other as a dark spirit. Then he merged them together, he was going to be both. He did owe her one, for using his Avatar status to command her to steal the documents back, it was time he paid her back.

He knelt down next to Rangi, and gave her a one armed hug around the shoulders while avoiding her armor’s spikes.

“C’mon, we aren’t going to see her again after we leave! What’s a little handle holding? A stolen kiss?” He jostled her a bit, and she looked at him, eyes wide. Sweat pooled from her face, and her ears were redder than a white dragon bush flower. He started walking two fingers up her arm. “A little….” Then he booped a finger on one of her spikes. “Tryst?” 

The flush had spread throughout the rest of her face, she was redder than the Fire Nation’s hottest volcanic lava. And about as warm too. He was definitely putting her into a spiral again, but this one seemed to be less devastating. Maybe just one more push?

“C’mon, live a little! Who’s going to know?” He gave her a smug grin. “As your Avatar, I command you to seduce the beautiful daofei and to have some fun!”

Yun watched as the bronze left Rangi’s eyes. Actually her entire body lost its color, and she felt rigid, like her spirit left her body. Maybe I went too far? He thought. He didn’t have time to right his wrongs, as he felt footsteps making their way back to them, unbeknownst to Rangi. He decided to just double down. 

Yun slapped Rangi’s back encouragingly, “Go get her tigerdillo!”

“Whatcha doin’?” Lee appeared before them, head cocked to the side. Yun could feel Rangi' under his hand practically jump out of her skin and flee into the woods. Well at least it seemed her spirit re-entered her body… “Did you eat the mushroom I said not to?”

“No….” Rangi muttered, not bothering to look up.

“The air’s just a little thin here, don’t you think?” Yun said coming to her rescue, he waved his hand to punctuate the issue of the seemingly bad air.

“No? It’s not like we’re not on the mountain yet.” Lee said pointedly. But then she shrugged and made her way to Rangi’s side. “Well good news, I found some edible mushrooms! They’re over here!” She scooped down, picked Rangi up around her waist, and proceeded to carry her like a very docile cat mouse…or a sack of flour. Regardless, Rangi hung there limply, not bothering to protest.

Lee plopped Rangi down on a mushroom that was stool level, and then handed her what appeared to be an edible mushroom. Lee took a mushroom seat on the opposite end, while Yun took a mushroom seat next to Rangi.

Rangi stared at the mushroom sullenly, but then brightened up after she took the first bite. Life and light shone back into her being in an instant, it was almost as if Yun’s earlier conversation never happened. 

“Oh so you do like mushrooms,” Lee said as she happily bit into one of her own. Her comment caused both Rangi and Yun to choke on their bounty, and slowly drained the life right back out of Rangi once again. Maybe Lee wasn’t as dense as she let on? “And here I thought you were being sarcastic.”

Yun tried coming to Rangi’s rescue again, but could he really say it was a rescue when he got her into these situations in the first place? “Of course we were being sincere! You could say we’ve grown fond of you these past few days!”

Lee blinked at him, surprised. “Really?”

Yun nodded, “Yup! I feel a kinship! Almost like a friendship!”

Lee’s eyes sparkled, “Friendship?!”

Yun was a bit taken aback by the utter happiness that was radiating off the criminal. “Y-yes?”

“So, we’re kinda like…friends?” Lee had dropped her mushroom and stood up, excitedly.

“Yes? R-right, Rangi?” Yun looked at Rangi, who was in the middle of chewing another bite of spirit mushroom. 

Why are you dragging me into this?! You brought it up! Is what her look communicated to him.

“I’ve never had friends my age before!” The sparkle in Lee’s eyes was getting dangerously happy. “So if we’re friends, that means we can do each other favors right?!” 

“S-sure?” Yun couldn’t stop agreeing to the girl’s questions. Her enthusiasm was magnetic.

“Then…” She turned to Rangi, expectantly. “Can you show me some of your Firebending moves?!” 

______________________

Rangi started choking on her mushroom. “What?! Why?”

Some skittishness seemed to seep into Lee’s demeanor. “Um, well, uh…..”

“No, really, why? What use could an earthbender have learning firebending moves?” Sure there were some stances that overlapped, but it made more sense for an earthbender to learn from another earthbender!

Lee bit her bottom lip, wincing a little when she bit her cut. “I…I’m not really all that great with my earthbending.” She looked down, fiddling with her hands. “I’ve gotten some help, drawing off of other bending forms, like waterbending. You know what they say! ‘Wisdom can be gleaned from any nation!’”

Rangi thought back to when Yun questioned her about her odd earthbending movements days ago.

“So I thought, maybe firebending could help……fix my issue? Or at least improve it?”

Rangi blinked at the taller girl, still dumbfounded. She supposed it could work, but it was still a waste of energy. It’d be more beneficial for Lee to learn from an earthbending master. Rangi was about to say no, when Lee cut her off.

“I’ll tell you all I know about Kuruk!” she blurted out. “Whatever you wanna know!”

Rangi and Yun shared a look, “You want to give up your leverage for….this?”

Lee nodded, relieved. “Yeah! I mean, you said I could keep the documents if they were bunk, right? And we can easily part ways after. So besides those two things, this is really the only other thing I need.” 

Rangi raised her eyebrows at the girl. She really wanted something this useless in exchange for something that could be otherworldly useful? It almost hurt her honor taking advantage of someone in such a lopsided bargain, but if it helped Avatar Yun…..

“Fine, but you tell us what you know first. And then I’ll hotsquat you to Koh and back.”

Lee beamed. “Ok ok! So um, where do I start? Oh! He tried to teach me Pai Sho a few times, but I really hated it.”

Rangi glanced a look at Yun, sure enough, it looked like he’d been gutted. “How about something a little more useful. You mentioned something about his hunting earlier? Something about what he really hunted, if I recall correctly?”

Lee smacked her forehead. “Oh right! His hunting! You’re, like, Avatar Kuruk’s reincarnation correct? And remember when I said it’d be best if we just avoid spirits in general?”

“Yes and yes,” Yun nodded in recollection.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly the whole truth.” She grinned sheepishly. Rangi could only wonder what else the girl had lied about, but didn’t press. This information was more important. “There’s another reason we need to avoid spirits than the ones I explained a few days ago. That reason is because the spirits really dislike Kuruk. They have a big grudge against him.”

Rangi blinked. That didn’t make sense, nothing they knew about Kuruk would indicate spirits would hate him. Did he even interact with spirits? Outside of Koh stealing his wife? If anyone would have a grudge against him, it’d seem more likely to be the human world. Considering he neglected it and all.

“Why?” Yun asked. 

“Because he killed them,” Lee shrugged. She said something so heavy, oh so easily. As if handing a 100 pound weight to a scrawny child, unaware of how it would cause them to fold. 

Yun’s eyes widened in shock, “W-why?!” 

Lee took a step back, surprised by the reaction, “Um, for some reason the spirits were angry. They were threatening to destroy the world, so he had to take them out.”

Rangi blinked at the other girl, this was the first she heard of this information. It was never in any of her mother’s stories. 

“Why were the spirits angry?” Rangi asked. 

Lee shook her head, “I dunno. He never wanted to tell me the why. He said I’d have to ask someone else, since it wasn’t his story to tell.” 

Rangi scrunched up her face. It was so hard to believe, maybe Lee was making this up?

“That’s why he died so young!” Lee blurted out, seeing the apprehension on Yun and Rangi’s faces. “The spirits he killed, they took a piece of him with them each time. He told me that’s why he drank and partied, to numb the pain.”

The two stood shell shocked by the revelation, and Lee kept going. “That’s why Koh stole his wife's face! Why else would a spirit just do that, you know? He obviously hated Kuruk and what he did to the spirits!”

Lee looked at the other two teens expectantly, but they only returned with stunned silence. “He also taught me a poem.” Was the last little ‘fun fact’ she could come up with for her earth shattering bombshells.

Rangi and Yun could only stare at Lee, mouths agape.

Lee waved her arms a little impatiently, “So….are you going to teach me firebending- I-I mean firebender forms, or what?”

Rangi nodded, but asked if they could have a moment to collect themselves.

______________________________________________

A few hours, and a very long conversation with Yun later over the revelations. Rangi was finally in a headspace to teach Lee. 

They weren’t exactly sure of the implications of Lee knowing vital knowledge about Kuruk, nor why he would tell a random daofei of all people. But they decided to run it by Jianzhu when they got back. 

There wasn’t much they could do now, so instead Rangi set out to be the first firebending sifu for an earthbender. It didn’t make any sense to the girl, but she was damn sure going to do it as right as she could.

“I told you to mirror me! It’s already hard enough I have to do this form in reverse for you, can’t you just copy?! Mirror! Shadow! Anything!” Rangi yelled, like the drill sergeant that she was. “Your elbow is too low! Your legs aren’t low enough! You call that flexible?!”

“I’m sorry Sifu Firecracker!” Lee pleaded, some fear showing in her voice. Sweat dripped from her forehead and other exposed parts of her skin. She’d kept her entire attire on despite the layers, opting to only roll up her sleeves and pant legs for ventilation.

Not enough to drop that ridiculous nickname apparently. Rangi frowned. 

Yun was off to the side of the meadow, watching them like he was at one of those fancy theater plays. He lounged back, laying down on his arms, and hollered at the girls. “Rangi, why don’t you just physically guide Lee? Cause shadowing is obviously not working!” He then gave a wink when only Rangi was paying attention.

That jerk! Rangi scowled. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he could tell Rangi was trying her best to keep a safe distance between her and the daofei. Rangi still hadn’t forgotten the last time she invaded the daofei’s personal space. She didn’t think her heart could take a repeated offense. 

“Um,” Lee’s squeak pulled Rangi’s scowl away from Yun and onto Lee. Lee flinched and looked away. “He’s right, if it’s not too much trouble.”

Lee looked back at Rangi with the eyes that would put a deer puppy to shame. 

Damnit! Why does she have to have such pretty eyes? Rangi bit the inside of her cheek, willing it to not heat up, as her heart thudded hard against her armor. Then mentally kicked herself, realizing too late her thoughts were starting to get a little too honest. 

Rangi grimaced, and made a move towards the earthbending girl, “Fine.” 

It’s fine, I’ll just make it quick. Rangi thought as she stomped over. Just don’t look at her face and you’ll be fine.

She kept her eyes to the ground and saw Lee’s foot placement. Perfect. She put her foot on Lee’s thigh and lightly pushed. “Lower.”

Lee yelped as she dropped into the position Rangi was pushing her towards. Rangi made a mistake by looking out of the corner of her eye and saw Yun wiggling his eyebrows at her as he mouthed ‘You've got this!’

She snapped her attention back to Lee, absolute focus on her face. 

Ok, now arm placements. “You need to bend it more here.” Lee bent her arm as she was told. “No! That’s too far! Go back!” Lee bent it back but past the original position. “No that’s wrong-argh-just-”

Rangi gave up, and grabbed Lee’s arm, both girls visibly flinched at each other’s touch. Rangi cursed to herself, as caressed the other girl’s much cooler arm. Rangi wasn’t regulating her body temperature well, how was she going to explain this? 

She shook her head, deciding ignoring the problem was better than addressing it. Let your opponent make the first move. But Lee kept quiet, perhaps she assumed that firebenders ran hotter than others? That wouldn’t be incorrect, but the temperature Rangi was running wasn’t exactly a normal firebender temperature at the moment. 

She put Lee’s arm into position, “Like this, now thrust it outward as a palm strike, and bring it back to this position. Then do the same but with a closed fist.” Lee obeyed fairly well. “Good, now stand up, and do the same thrusting motion, but bring your leg down to that bent position at the same time.”

Lee complied, after attempting the form a handful of times, Rangi stopped her. “Ok now watch me.” Rangi performed the same attack, but this time twisting her shoulders and hips to give the thrust more impact. “Do that.”

Lee attempted the action, but didn’t get the twisting movement down right. “No! Not like that! Just-here!” Rangi got behind Lee, before her brain caught up to her. 

When she placed her hands on Lee’s shoulders, she realized her mistake. Lee’s shoulders were broad and firm, there was definitely muscle underneath her tunic. It wasn’t the first time she was getting acquainted with them, but she also didn’t get a chance to really appreciate it the first time. Due to their lives being in danger and all. She briefly wondered if they were as chiseled and defined as the abs she happened to catch a glimpse of the night they met. 

Rangi tried not to be distracted by how nice Lee’s back felt, choosing to look away from it to save her from the distraction.

She made yet another fatal error by choosing to look up rather than down, because she could see Lee’s fully exposed nape. Lee’s long hair was tied up into a messy bun for this exercise, and Rangi could see everything in all its glory.

Strands of loose hair stuck to Lee’s neck, caressing it in a fashion that Rangi could only view as a taunt aimed directly at her. She watched as a stray bead of sweat fell down, tracing every muscle along its path, before disappearing into the tunic below. 

The action caused Ragni’s breath to hitch, which led her into suppressing a cough. She realized she was drying the air out as well. She needed to move soon or she’d be caught. 

She gripped Lee’s shoulders. Ignore your hands. Ignore your hands. Ignore your hands. Ignore your hands. Ignore your hands. Ignore your hands! She chanted in her mind as she twisted Lee’s shoulders into the correct movement. 

“There like that,” Rangi forced out, clearing her throat. 

“Don’t forget the hips!” Yun jeered. “That’s where all the power comes from!” Rangi briefly considered if it’d be a crime if she burned the Avatar’s eyebrows off, before she found her distracted by Lee’s body again.

Rangi could feel a white hot flush forming throughout her body. Just make it fast!

She put her hands on Lee’s hips, and turned them, Lee easily complying with every motion. “Just rotate it at the same time as your shoulders,” she forced out breathily. It, or the steam that came out of her mouth, caused Lee to flinch, which caused Rangi’s heart to quicken even more. Damnit, control! Control yourself!

Rangi took a step back, “Now, show me the form again.”

If Lee had noticed something was up with Rangi, she didn’t let it show on her face. Rangi prayed to Yanchen and every Avatar she could think of for that minor blessing.

It was short lived when she noticed Lee’s hand placements, how could she have not noticed sooner?!

“No! No! No! You’re going to hurt your wrist with that palm strike! And spirits of the islands! What are you doing with your fist?! Are you trying to break your fingers?!” 

She grabbed Lee’s hands in annoyance, with the intent to put them in the correct position. Another mistake. Just mistake after mistake today, or really since she met Lee. 

Lee’s hands were much softer than Rangi thought they’d be, and smoother too. They were so pleasant to touch that Rangi’s heart stopped for a moment before it spluttered back to life. Rangi was mesmerized by how her thumb dented into Lee’s hand as she pressed into it. 

She slowly made her way up from the wrist to the fingertips, making sure her own fingers gently scraped over Lee’s tendons, as well as a bulging vein that’d become more prominent since they started the training exercise. 

Her hands are so big. Lee had a wide palm and long fingers, even longer than Rangi’s. Rangi wondered how big they really were. Twice as big? They could definitely engulf Rangi’s if they were ever intertwined. 

It took all of Rangi’s strength to return to her sense, and readjust Lee’s fingers and hand into the correct position. “You want to strike with your palm,” she whispered, her hand still over Lee’s. 

She could hear Lee gulp dryly. She really needed to get her heat under control, she was drying them both out.

“Now show me your fist.” 

Lee compiled again, curing her fingers. Her fingernails catching the tips of Rangi’s fingertips, and accidentally curling Rangi’s hand over hers. 

Rangi stopped breathing, and her heart pounded so hard in her chest, she could’ve sworn it was at risk of bursting through her armor and running off into the wilderness. 

Very big. Was the only thought that could come to mind, when she noticed the size difference.

She bit her lip, trying to ground herself.

“Sorry,” she heard Lee mutter from what felt like a very far distance. Rangi was torn between forgiveness and ire. 

With the strength one would require to move a mountain, Rangi detangled her fingers from Lee’s, and quickly readjusted them into a proper fist. 

As she was in the process of turning her head and body, so she could get away, she caught the side of Lee’s neck. 

A collarbone teased Rangi from just under the tunic’s collar. It gleefully pointed her to the divet in the throat. From there she followed a line from Lee’s very sharp muscle up to her jaw line, and stopped at Lee’s lips. 

The bite mark she’d given Lee when she performed CPR on her was still prominent. It seemed to have healed a lot faster than Rangi had anticipated, even with Lee reopening it from her bad habit. 

Something in her didn’t like that it was disappearing. It made her want to do it again, albeit, more tenderly this time.

Her eyes went up from Lee’s lips, to her cheeks, and marveled at the freckles that dusted her face. It was the first thing Rangi noticed when Lee took her makeup off, and it was something she couldn’t help but steal glances at since. 

Lastly was Lee’s eyes, gray like storm clouds, but there was a light that danced in them. There was a sparkle that drew Rangi in, especially as they bored into her like they were now. Wait. 

Rangi’s eyes widened. Lee was looking at her. She could see Rangi was ogling her. 

Without thinking, Rangi grabbed Lee’s face by her cheeks and forced it forward, “What are you doing looking at me? Focus on your form! Look straight!” 

She tried to make her words sound like a strong instructor. Did it work? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore. How long was she in that stupor? A second? A million seconds? 

“Yefsh Sifuuu” Lee slurred out between her puckered lips and pinched cheeks. 

Rangi released Lee from her grip, her thumb accidentally sliding over Lee’s bite mark. Rangi was surprised by the heat in her thumb it left after she pulled away, surprised she hadn’t spontaneously combusted against her will just yet. 

“We’re going to run that form again! Mirror me properly this time!” she commanded her student.

She turned away from Lee, planning to get back to her position, and caught Yun’s eye. He’d transfer to laying on his stomach, his face in his palms. He was kicking his feet lightly, like a schoolgirl. When their eyes met, he gave her the smuggest grin she’d ever seen. She almost set the whole meadow on fire right then and there, her honor and all, but somehow kept it restrained. 

“I won’t let out any flame at the end of the set, so feel free to relax.” It was easier said than done, her entire body wanted to let loose the flame building up inside of her. But maybe her focusing would help keep her mind off things. Such as Lee, and how she seemed completely unperturbed by the whole situation that just happened!

Not a single blush was in sight. Rangi chewed the inside of her cheek and let out a string of curses in her mind. Why was she the only one that felt this way? Why was she the only one who had to suffer? 

She inhaled sharply, and got ready to start the set. No, maybe I covered my tracks better than I thought. She doubted it, but now she had to focus regardless. 

They started in sync, only five feet apart. Lee was mimicking her perfectly this time. Guess she was a fast learner. 

There was a twist here, a stomp there, a palm strike here. 

The last move was the punch she’d just helped Lee with, Rangi inhaled on the twist, making sure to repress her firebending. 

Right as the duo followed through on their punch, a giant ball of fire appeared before them. Rangi grabbed Lee by the shoulder and threw her behind her as she jumped back. Rangi was just barely able to escape the licks of the fire as she maneuvered it upward, and Lee ended up flying to the ground.

“Woah are you alright?!” Yun yelled at the girls as he ran over. 

“H-hey, Firecracker! I thought you said you weren’t going to bend!” Lee asked, nerves clear in her voice as she shakily stood up. She tried to laugh “You scared me!”

Rangi just stared dumbly where the fire appeared. Yun grabbed her shoulder. “Rangi are you ok?”

A distant part of Rangi, one too far to occupy her body at the moment, knew he was probably concerned about her lack of control she had been experiencing. That part of Rangi wanted to reply, but she couldn’t. 

Rangi shook Yun’s hand off and warily approached Lee, she could feel her look of shock and horror still on her face.

“Hey if you’re going to be the Avatar’s bodyguard, you should really learn to control yourself,” Lee laughed, trying to make light of what just happened.

Rangi grabbed Lee’s hands, unperturbed by her earlier feelings. She gripped them tightly for one second, then dropped them instantly as if she’d been shocked, and took a step back.

Rangi’s ears were ringing. She was finding it hard to breathe, it was a struggle to talk but she gasped each word out as she gained what little air she could. “That- it wasn’t- That wasn’t me.”

Rangi couldn’t see Yun’s face, she couldn’t see anything now. Anything but Lee. Her whole world was crashing down, and Lee was ground zero. 

Lee’s smiling demeanor started to melt away, into a more horrified expression. She attempted to speak, but nothing came out. It looked like a scream was caught in her throat. 

“What do you mean it wasn’t you?” She heard Yun ask from a million miles away.

Rangi took a couple gulps of air before forcing out the words, “It. Was. Her.”

The hands Rangi had held, which were ice cold to her before, were now scorching hot. A flame out of control. 

“N-No it wasn’t! It wasn’t me!” Lee took a step back, terrified.

“Why?!” Rangi screamed, her voice cracking in sync with the tears welling up in her eyes. Hope and what she thought was the truth, hanging onto the bitter end before it all blew up. “How is it that you earthbend and firebend?!”

Rangi’s eyes widened in realization. The dark spirit. When her fire had lost control, there was wind. The wind had fed into her flame. “And airbend?” 

The edges of Rangi’s vision started blackening, everything was being consumed by the blackness. Everything but Lee. Who’s face looked as decimated as Rangi felt. Fury coursed through Rangi, and she ran up and grabbed the girl by the front of her tunic and started shaking her.

“HOW?! Tell me!” The campsite. How she got it all set up in such a short time. Even the way her fire dagger had gone out! How she was able to talk to Kuruk! It was all adding up!

Rangi finally met Lee’s eyes, the storm clouds inside threatened rainfalls.  

WHY?! Don’t make that face! Not when it’s me who-

“Answer me!” Rangi screamed. “Answer me, you- you-!” Every word that came out felt like a sob, as she shook the other girl. She couldn't say the word. It would be final if she did. 

Lee pushed Rangi away and fell backwards onto the ground. 

“Th-this isn’t- It’s not-. This isn’t what it looks like!” Lee scrambled to her knees, arms outstretched pleading, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Pleading. As if she was afraid for her life.  “I have a condition!” 

________________________________

A/N: Heh….stool level……mushroom……heh…… (I meant stool the chair level btw TT0TT in case that was confusing, but the pun was so enticing I had to keep it, confusion be damned)

Neck and hand fetish….how does one write a neck and hand fetish???? TT0TT Gdi Rangi and your canon fetishes! That itself made the chapter longer than I’d meant to dkfljaskfja;k This was just supposed to be a tiny fanfic with small chapters at at time TT0TT 

Anyway ummmmm that was a rollercoaster, huh? :’D We’re not off this ride just yet buddy-bois!

[justewil]

there are so many games i need/want to play ...

wait i wanna make a list hold on .sorrgy

ok i want to replay miracle mask + azran legacy + maybe plvspw + i wanted to start playing stardew valley again + replaying undertale would be fun (but i am. really bad at it)

i need to finish pokemon moon + violet (i am very early in both of them .ihave other pokemon games that ihavent really finished either) + i want to play more london life (not sure if that counts)

i have. 4? ace attorney games i need to play (aa2 + aa3 + both tgaa games) i got them over a year ago ...

i thjnk i also have like. 2 spiderman games + 2 lego marvel games from when i was hyperfixated on that last year ... i never even started them i probably Should but. i don't know

and there are so many games i still want to buy ... all the other ace attorney games + i want to try rhythm thief (i don't think id be very good at it though ...) + theres so many games ive seen other people play that i want to try .....

AUGH this isnt even everything !!! i dont have enough time !!!

OH theres also ghost trick + project diva that i wanna try ... ive seen a few ghost trick spoilers though i think ... i have the demo downloaded but ive never opened it + i have the project diva demo too but im not very good so i dont think its worth spending the money ....

i don't have the time for all of this i donr know what to do .... >_<

[the-stray-storyteller]

you asked for a shitty poem istg this is the only poem ive ever written HEY COME BACK *grabs you and pulls you back* NOW YOU HAVE TO TELL ME ABOUT ALL YOUR NEW STUFF AND SHARE SOME OF YOURS >:(

also literally you don't have to feel pressured to answer this take your time like honestly you don't even have to reply I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR NEW WIP SACRIFICE!1?1?11??1

AAAAAAAAAAAAA! HI!

*offers you tea*

I sent you an ask a few days ago but my tumblr is acting funny so I don't think you got it. Anyways.....

The poem omigod. It's wow! Is it the complexities of human emotion that we hide with beauty. Or is it about romanticizing the dangerous and falling in love with it. The juxtaposition. The rhythm. The contrast. Holy fucking wow. ITS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. ITS SO GOOD. *frothing mouth*

Also you new pfp is so cooot. eeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Okay now to answer your questions. New stuff, nothing much there. I have been writing Rebel and Havenpoint (I should really post the next chapter) really slowly. Writing more chem notes than stories.

Rebel is a part of a series. I still haven't decided if it is going to be a duology or a trilogy. But there will be another book if I have the energy and will to write it.

And I have been concentrating on making two comic strips for my college scholarship. I finished the first one, one more to go.

Long rant below. Like really fucking long. Not joking.

Sacrifice is a placeholder name for my WIP. I haven't decided what its actual name will be. I am really hoping I don't abandon this WIP.

Like I did with Masque, Woven Worlds, Orphic Academy, Timekeepers, Card Thief, Games of the Astute, Mortal Bound, The Playground, After the afterlife (dumb name), Stolen by Silence, etc.

So Sacrifice is an Indian Dark Academia novel.

25 of the best magic users from all over India will be invited to attend a prestigious and mythical academy after they finish 12th grade. So they take this mysterious train ride to another fucking realm where the school is (nobody knows its exact location cause they all faint in the train). Also the academy's architecture will be based off on Indian architecture throughout the ages, so I am currently researching on that when I get time.

The students have a year to conduct a study in the academy. They will have access to all sorts of ancient scriptures and previous alumni's studies. At the end of the year the Dean will see what they worked on. If the dean is impressed by you project they will tell you the secret of life and death magic. The Dean is never impressed. If they fail to impress the Dean they go home with absolutely nothing and they would forget the place.

However, the people who went back home with nothing went mad after a while and killed themselves. Their minds are not able to process the magical place they had just been to. Being at the academy also manages to mess with the minds of a person. It drives them a bit crazy. Some people have suicided there or have killed somebody else. The students don't know this.

Spoilers after this point.

So a group of six students join together and decide to help each other with their projects so they can get the secret. One of the group finds out about the whole madness thing and tells the others about it.

Now each of the six students has a hamartia (tragic flaw). From jealousy to manipulative. This is actually a small experiment from my side because the main characters are not good people, so I am gonna try and make them likable. Its going to be so hard.

Anyways desperate and power hungry the group decides to find the secret themselves and steal the academy's resources and escape before the end of the year.

The others fearful of dying/going mad start to push the limits of their magic. They experiment with things that they are not supposed to experiment with. 

With every experiment their hamartia takes over. They start going mad. They become a fucking cult. They start to sacrifice the other students to ancient gods (in true ancient fashion) and become more powerful. Once all the students are gone they start killing each other and the last one left ends up destroying the academy along with themself trying to become the most powerful being.

*sobbing* I talk too much.

[keplercryptonomica]

rita gathers the aurinkos together to watch a stream one night—not uncommon, considering they’ve all (more or less) fallen into a rhythm of abiding by buddy’s “always, implicitly, as a family.” living on borrowed time is a phrase of the past, of course; a proper thief lives on stolen time. so, they suppose, all the more reason for the crime family to steal another moment to themselves. another uneventful night together before all they have are long stretches of days, eventful and alone, they also suppose—or, peter also supposes.

sure, peter ransom was able to admit to his near-sightedness surrounding the night of the nova zolotovna heist, his thick-headedness in thinking he can shoulder the big, mean world alone (the same trait he admired so instantly when it came to his dear, dear detective—stubbornness had always suited juno better than it had him, he admitted with similar ease). yes, peter ransom was able to admit a lot of things—but peter nureyev still thinks there was some truth in his feelings towards the future. the present is the thing that presses, he had said in the not-too-distant past, and oh, how he wishes he could register that as a comfort, rather than an ever-stifling platitude. “the future can wait indefinitely,” said with such nonchalant bravado that—one thing peter nureyev has no trouble admitting—it reminded him of that owl-eyed man he still can’t help but feel a fondness for. how could it not? even after all these years, he clung to the surname he came up with out of some childish need for comfort, a wry chuckle under his breath. if mag could see him now…

as for the fate of the future: for all peter nureyev knows, it may not even exist. the present is all there is. the stolen moment in wait, waiting for the next stolen moment, and the stolen moment after that. an endless, inescapable cycle peter “for future consideration” ransom may have felt comforted by, but one that sends a chill down nureyev’s spine more often than he’d care to admit. so: no future, no way out, no way to know how much of the present he’s experiencing is actually the present he’s experiencing and—“no one gets a say in stream choice, i’ve got it alllllll picked out”!

(more under the cut!!! heads up for juno steel and the next page (pt. 2) spoilers, xo)

rita’s shrill voice pulls the den of the carte blanche back into existence; vespa trying to position herself to sit taller on the couch so she can nonchalantly drape her arm around her fiancée, and jet positioned just so with a large bowl of snacks (it used to never leave rita’s grip, but after one too many spills during the scarier streams, she now settles for grabbing handfuls of salmon-flavored dusty crunchies from a friendly lap).

an outstretched finger prods the apple of peter’s cheek. “you ready?,” juno asks—he’s wearing one of those classic steel half-smiles, though this one is interrupted by a barely noticeable flicker of concern. 

nureyev notices, though. that’s the thing about the two of them, he thinks, always reading each other to the quick of their core—even when the other would prefer them not to. even when it’s incredibly embarrassing for your paramour to border on pausing family stream night just to make sure you’re okay; embarrassing and endearing, in equal parts. “always, my love,” nureyev nods (swallowing thickly, jealous of ransom’s overconfident self-convincing). he plucks juno’s index finger, still hovering in midair next to nureyev’s face, and pulls the calloused hand it belongs to into his own smooth palm. a flash of teeth peek out from behind the detective’s upturned lips, easier than ever to fluster him. 

juno really has been like this since they arrived on the carte blanche: the same headstrong lady that nureyev once offered his name to upon first meeting, just softer around the edges. he likes him like this, he thinks. he likes him all ways—loves him all ways—he’s just of the opinion that juno has earned the right to be soft, especially after so many years of finding a home in that hyperion city hardness. even if it means that, sometimes, this softer juno treats nureyev with so much gentleness, he doesn’t know what to do with it. it’s not the affection he takes issue with (he’ll happily accept whatever affection juno offers up), but the sense of pity nureyev is sure underlies it. are even his deepest insecurities so glaringly obvious that juno, ever the professional private eye, has read them as simply as a run-of-the-mill case file? his weaknesses so profound that his own dear detective treats him like one of the fragile items he’d be tempted to steal?

he maneuvers himself to wrap around juno from behind, nureyev’s chin perched on the warm shoulder in front of him and one pair of their hands still loosely intertwined as the stream starts up. 

if not pity, then what could he have possibly done to warrant such sweetness? he’s definitely had his moments, nureyev reasons. between his fateful face-off against the guardian angel system and his assistance in preventing miasma’s martian culling alone, his “enduring moral core” (the calling card buddy had so bluntly informed him of) had surely earned him the right to skim off the top of the galaxy’s limited supply of goodness. but even if the sum of his varied actions had turned out to tip the scale in his favor...

an explosion lights up the screen, and a shower of salmon-flavored snacks are jolted from their bowl into mid-air. “my apologies,” jet laughs quietly, “that was... louder than i had anticipated.” rita chatters away as buddy mindlessly picks dusty crunchies out of vespa’s hair, and juno glancing over his shoulder with those big brown eyes of his warms peter down to the tips of his toes.

nureyev just has a hard time believing the soft, sweet, goodness can exist, is all. he had spent a whole other lifetime entrenched in the feeling of bliss, and it makes his mouth dry to so much as think of it fleetingly now. he does what he can to manage the constant sound of dripping in his head, to fend off the sneaking suspicion that the endless, inescapable cycle of youthful saraswati nights and jarring hospital room realizations (pressing present and indefinite, bleak future) is all there is. but he still braces himself each time juno utters his name oh-so tenderly in private, waiting with baited breath to see if “nureyev” will pull him away like “petya” had the power to before. and he still hopes with all his might that juno hasn’t noticed his repeated, momentary blanching, that this is the one thing he can still protect him from.

he remembers his near immediate urge to whisk juno away to an unreachable corner of space; bouncing from planet to beautiful planet, a once tangible future filled to the brim with dahlias and roses. how foolish to have ever thought he could simply run away, when his debts loom like the shadow of a sky-laser overhead. he remembers their first perfect night together, and he remembers the cold of the otherwise empty bed seeping into him afterwards too, nureyev confesses. how could he forget? he had spent so long turning it over in his mind, letting its tragic singularity turn him bitter. there it was, the confirmation he had been waiting for that it was too good to be true all over again.

there is another thing nureyev fears peter ransom got right: perhaps juno had been justified, leaving him in that hotel room. after all, wouldn’t he have done the same? ”when trouble arises, i disappear...” nureyev understands the dire importance of getting out while you still can. perhaps juno had simply heard it in his head back in that martian tomb, and had taken the motto to heart. 

maybe it was for the best, then, before the wiles of the carte blanche had thrown them together again. like nureyev said, he had already lived a full life. he cannot risk juno being crushed under the weight of peter nureyev’s past (not to mention his guilty conscience) before he gets to live a full life of his own. he won’t do it. he won’t ask that of him. he can’t bring himself to, no matter how much he loves him—perhaps because of how much he loves him.

so, nureyev will appreciate it for now, that elusive goodness he cannot seem to look at head on. he will forget all about the blade (and the map and the book and the key) burning a hole in his pocket, and he will practice music for his captain and her soon-to-be spouse. he will cradle warm mugs of nutrient paste at the kitchen counter, and he will let himself hold and be held by a certain gruff detective he will be ever so sorry to part ways with again.

resolved, peter passively enjoys the rest of the stream curled behind juno—right up until the end, of course.

“pretty good,” vespa mutters (high praise coming from the ship doctor’s lips, and rita glows from the casual admission). “PRETTY good? that was one of the best ones so far, vespa!,” juno’s grumbles vibrate against peter’s hollow chest. “not as good as the legend of good cop, but...” he starts again, met with more quiet laughter from a relaxed jet. buddy sighs a dramatic sigh. “vespa, darling, i’m sorry, but i have to agree with juno. not about the legend of good cop—dreadful stream, worst in the series—but i much preferred the one we watched last time. the trope felt a bit tired, wouldn’t you say? rita, dear, perhaps next we return to…” her voice fades as nureyev’s mind wanders to where the nearest source of water is. asked and somewhat answered, then, when he blinks the sudden wetness away from his eyes. surrounded by this ragtag group of five he has found himself a part of, a sudden sense of belonging washes over him—but so does the dread, the ice-cold impermanence threatening to pull him under. knowing it is his turn to offer his opinion, peter clears his throat.

“ah, so… it was all a dream?”

[ladyirisreviews]

Everhood - Review

Everhood is quite an experience and I am very glad I played it, even if I fundamentally disagree with some of its core choices in the plot, but I am getting ahead of myself, this rhythm RPG is quite unique and I recommend playing it without looking up any spoilers.

The plot is a very complicated thing to talk about, and I don't really want to spoil a lot about it, so I will only give you a bare-bones description of it.

You control a wooden puppet everyone calls Red, after a thief steals your arm, you follow them and before long you encounter a frog with a banjo who tests you before you can go on, after you pass his test your objective becomes pretty simple, you need to find the thief and regain your arm, but it's not so simple, also there's stuff beyond that I really don't want to reveal, you will have to experience it for yourself.

Now let's get to the gameplay, it's pretty much "What if you controlled a character dodging the notes of a guitar hero track", of course, it goes beyond that but it was my first thought, you can only move left and right and you also have a jump, and there's pretty much 4 types of notes, normal waves you can jump over, tall ones you need to dodge and black waves, these act the same as normal waves but they are special, which will become apparent why later in the game.

You have an HP bar that regenerates with time, the number of hits you can get in a row and the speed of regeneration varies depending on the difficulty.

This all might sound very simple, but what really makes it special is the visuals of the gameplay, the game warns you at the start about flashing lights, and they really mean it, the visuals can get extremely abstract and psychedelic, the screen can also move back and forth and rotate and various other effects, "crazy" would not cut it to describe how nuts the visuals can get, but also I couldn't begin to describe how genuinely pretty it can look.

This, however, CAN get in the way of the gameplay, on harder difficulties especially, there are visual effects that make it harder to avoid damage, and while I am well aware that was an intentional feature, I just personally don't like when games use visual obstruction as a form of difficulty.

And speaking of difficulty, I would personally recommend playing the game first on the story mode difficulty or changing it when the difficulty spikes up if you decide to play on a harder difficulty, because the spikes are very real and they will make you lose a ton, which could harm the flow for you, I was playing on hard mode and it was fine but there was one fight I just couldn't get past and I decided to change to story mode to not sour the rest of the experience.

But I do have to give props to the game for letting you change difficulties any time you want.

The last thing I want to mention is the music, because dear lord is it good, every single fight in the game has a unique song, and they are all bangers, battles never ever get tiring, and while I might not enjoy all of the songs as much, there definitely are some songs that I especially liked, to the point they became some of my favorite songs in a videogame soundtrack.

So yeah, I'd say this game is pretty much worth playing, and as I said, I really don't want to spoil anything about it, the game is definitely an experience and I want people to go in as blind as possible.

I might disagree with the plot and what it tries to make you feel at some parts of the game, but you might not find those parts frustrating, even after that I a very glad I played it, I was thinking about the ending for several days after I finished the game, so it certainly left an impact on me.

If you play it, please tell me what it made you feel.

[ct-multifandom]

[SPOILERS FOR ALL 3]

[muzzable]

Ok but like...Raphael’s father is legitimately Alfendi Layton

[is-there-a-rt-sequel-yet]

Day #2901

Ralph's dad made counterfeit paintings, but does Ralph himself have artistic abilities besides dance? 🤔