#so i actualyl should not be surprised

[parttime-creative]

The dancing devils poisoned words

I don't know how this happened. But I suppose in the light of our Pathfinder campaign resuming it's course and my bard character visiting a bardic academy, where a former aquiantance of her studied... I might have had a few thoughts about their time together... ANYWAYS have some a not so small brainfart: WC: 5567 AO3 CW: -Toxic relation ship, minor depiction of violence and fantasy racism

Kira had always been fine with darkness. She never has had a problem seeing, yet she preferred the comfort of a lit campfire. Her eyes followed the dancing shadows the flames painted on the woods surrounding her. They reminded her of home, her brothers dancing around her. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the strings of her fathers violin.

A soft pling echoed through the night and Kira flinched. It sounded wrong. Ever so slightly but unmistakably wrong. Without thinking her fingers plugged on another string and another and another. Her ears twitching at the dissonance. The dancers around her jumped and turned their backs and Kira took her instrument. Its bow flew over the strings, her eyes closed and her hands played a melody her ears had never heard before. It was ever so slightly off key. Cold and haunting and the darkness around her welcomed it. The shadows curtsied and resumed their unearthly dance. Jumping and twisting, turning and flickering, flying and growing, shrinking and closing in.

Speaking.

“What a wonderful melody.”

Kira jerked up, her bow leaving the strings, her eyes wide, her pupils glowing. She never had had a problem to see in the dark.

“Oh my, what unusual eyes.” The shadows whispered and Kira immediately dropped her head, her hair falling into her face. Beneath the curtains she saw the shadows stop, parting, making way for one of their own. The shadow came closer.

“Keep playing, little forest fae.” He asked with a voice of honey and milk. Kira hesitated, the shadows gazing at her expectantly, an audience ready to shoo her away and her bow found it’s strings again. The melody was ice and darkness, falling snow and dancing shadows.

“What talented hands, indeed.” The honeyed voice murmured and her audience resumed. The camps light illuminated dark curls and curling horns, sprinkled stars on a red sea, gleaming rubies for eyes and a tail that danced with its body and hands which pulled the shadows surrounding them into a swirling duet. Leaves rustled and twigs broke in the rhythm of the melody as the shadow danced around the fire. His body flowing with her music in perfect synch and Kira thought of her brother, Makhusu. Dark hair reflecting the fire, dark eyes glistening in the light and the dancer bowed as her bow slowly came to a halt. The shadows applauded.

“Thank you, Thank you.” The demon bowed again and Kira stared at him. “Dharvious, the name. Dharvious the dancing devil. It is a pleasure meeting you my little violin.” The devil grinned at her, sharp teeth hiding beneath hellish skin and Kira just starred.

“Oh my, did the music take your voice? It’s only polite to introduce oneself, darling.” He mused and pranced closer. His feet, the feet of a dancer floating over the ground. Light like the wings of a bird and Kira felt her hands finding her violin again. She watched his feet immediately following her music, twirling around her. She felt a tug on her shoulder. The music pulled her to her feet and Kira followed the hands that guided her. Captured by eyes as dark as her own and a rhythm so in synch with hers, Kira forgot the shadows watching her, her body enthralled by music and dance, unknowingly mirroring the devils poisonous grin as his hands spun her around. She never had had a problem to see in the dark, yet she had never seen such beautiful darkness.

That night Kira learned to love the darkness.

“Kira.” She whispered. ”My name is Kira.”

Dharvious’ smile widened.

“Not quite an angel, not a devil either, and yet devilishly talented. A fae indeed.” He bowed deeply, taking her hand, pressing his warm lips to her knuckles.

“It is an honour to dance with you, Kira.”

~*°*~

Kira had always loved the spring and its meadows. Tall grass playing with her fingers, flowers dancing with the wind. She loved the smell of spring and the warming sun on her face. No bed could compare with a blossoming meadow.  For Kira, spring had always been the time of new beginnings. A chance for a fresh start. A new day, a new season, a new life, a new town.

The marketplace was decorated would countless flowers, festoons made of wild blossoms and bouquets of the most colourful of natures beauties. Peopled danced to the sound of fiddles and flutes. Twirling around each other, laughing and loving. Dharvious watched them with a gleam in his eyes, his tail flicking in the rhythm. He turned his head, a devilish grin playing with his lips.

“May I?”, he purred, offering his hand. Kira felt her face heating up, slowly nodding. His grin widened as she placed her hand in his. They flew to the others, seamlessly joining the twirling masses, following the flow of the music. Kira closed her eyes, letting the melody guide her body, the rhythm leading her feet. She felt Dharvious besides her. Turning her, dancing with her, holding her close until his hand left hers. It got replaced by a new one, a smaller one and she opened her eyes. A young boy smiled up at her, twirling her into a new turn and laughing with the people around her. Kiras eyes searched for Dharvious until they found him just a few meters beside her. He was dancing with a middle-aged woman, whispering sweet nothings into her ear, making her giggle and blush. Her eyes returning to look at the boy. He smiled brightly until their eyes met and his grew wide.

“Your eyes!”, he whispered and Kira could her the shock in his voice. Immediately her hair fell into her face and she made another turn. Fleeing from his look, the emotions in his eyes. When she turned back around, he was gone, replaced with an older gentleman. His eyes surrounded by crow feet and his face covered in laugh lines. He put his hands on her hips and lifted her high up into the air, in perfect synch with all the woman around her. Her feet left the ground and the moment felt like an eternity of soaring through the sky. The wind in her hair, the sun on her skin and meadows below, only the music carrying her.

She snapped back to reality as her feet returned to the ground. The man smiled at her. Kira returned the smile, his eyes widening, her head lowering immediately and they switched partners.

They danced until Kira could no longer hear the music, only feeling it. They danced until Kira felt Dharvious hands slip back into her own. They danced until Dharvious pulled her back on the ground, anchoring her to the earth.

“My darling, I’ve gotten us a place to stay for the night. Come.” He murmured, leading her away from the flying dancers. Kira followed him like a quiet shadow, only turning back to see the young boy, which whom she had danced before, offering his new partner a flower crown. Kira smiled at the sight of the girl beaming at the boy. He lifted her up with ease, twirling his queen through the air, her freely flowing hair painting her wings in the sunset, as Kira entered the shadows of the tavern.

When the night laid it’s blanked over the world, the taverns shadows began to smell like flowers. The room was filled with tables with bouquets and girls with flower crowns, walls with reaves and boys with flower necklaces. Kiras eyes followed the happy people. Their laughs, a music of their own, dancing with the scent of flowers and spring, meadows and the long sleeping sun.

“What’s going through your mind, darling?” Dharvious leaned over to her, sipping on his wine. The drink was as red and dark as his eyes, his skin the colour of poppies and horns made of rubies. Kira studied his face, his freckles looked like daisies in a fiery sea. She lowered her gaze as he took her hand.

Dharvious eyes narrowed in understanding and he took her chin in between his fingers, turning her head up to him. She felt his rings cold on her skin, like metal on glass.

“Talk to me, dear”, he insisted, his voice clearly not going to let it go. He never let go. He was red ivy, winding itself around her. Always there for her.

“The flowers,” she mumbled. “They make them look lovely and … loved. Like royalty…”

“Darling,” he whispered into her ear “You don’t need that. You’re a rose in a field of daises. Tall and dangerous. You won’t ever be made into a crown. You don’t need pretty petals. You have thorns to show your strength. You’re my thorny queen and I…” he pulled back looking directly into her eyes. “I am your thistle prince, my violin. Now let us show them how to properly cast out the winter. Let us show them the way of the fae! What do you think?”

“Darling,” he said, his voice capturing her mind. “Are you jealous of these mere petal princesses?” he asked her and Kira didn’t need to answer. He read her face. She saw it in his fiery eyes, which darkened. She could see her own gleaming pupils reflect in his darkness.

“My, my, Kira. How immature of you.” He tsk-tsked.

“But they make them look pretty” she quietly argued and his grip on her chin tightened, as he slowly pulled her face ever so slightly closer.

Kira didn’t need to answer. Dharvious was already standing on their table, her hands already found her violin, as he build them an audience. Kira closed her eyes, banishing the pictures of daisies and meadows, roses and petals. She now was the cold of the winter, the darkness of the night, the forests fae. And her melody turned the taverns air icy.

Dharvious became a burning fire, the first rays of the sun, the warmth of summer battling her coldness as he flew over tables and chairs, twirling through the room and capturing the audience.

~*°*~

That night Kira learned to embrace her thorns. She was no daisy but a thistle and the audience loved it.

Kira had always loved her birthday. Watching her twin brothers  eyes lighten up, when their mother had placed the handmade reaves on their heads, was the most wonderful sight. Makhusu had always danced in front of their celebratory procession to the villages small temple, where they would get their blessings renewed. He had always placed his hand on top of hers, when they had touched their homes front door, to deliver their blessings for the next year.

But the hand that was now covering hers was not Makhusus. It was red and covered in rings. Dharvious fingers intertwined with her own as he pulled her along. Kira heard him spew profanities over his shoulders, cursing their pursuers in a language that sounded familiar and yet she could not quite understand. She knew however that it was directed against their races, their ancestors, cursing their bloodlines and that they would never change.

Kira did not say another word until he asked her to make a fire. He let his scimitars clank to the ground, while he threw himself onto a moss-covered stone. Kira kneeled down, placing her sword carefully next to his blades, starting a fire and taking inventory of their measly supplies. The didn’t have time nor the money to restock in town. The townsfolk had refused to sell them anything, claiming the did not have what they wanted. Until finally chasing them out of town completely, when they saw Dharvious picking an apple from a tree in the market square.

“Humans” he growled in displeasure as they dove into the forest. “They are all the same. Can’t look beyond their own nose.”

“I am human” Kira said quietly.

“No you’re not. Not like them” he spew and slowed down.

When the fire crackled, Dharvious leaned forward and took his share of their last jerky. Kira gave him hers as well. He ate it without question. He was so skinny, almost sickly. He always looked like this, when they travelled. It made his horns more prominent, as his curls lost some of their volume. His frivolous shirt hung on his body like a wet piece of cloth, dishevelled and dirty from the chase. He plugged at it disgruntled.

“One day we’ll find a place where we can stay. A place where we can be ourselves. Without humans and authorities. Without religion and free from our ancestry, Kira. I promise you I’ll find this place and if I have to build it with my own bare hands!”

He played with his rings.

“It’ll drive anyone crazy, who isn’t like us. Chasing them away, making them insane, just like they did to us!” His eyes, dark voids, were burning with anger and Kira looked away.

His eyes drilled into her, burning holes into her soul and Kira knew he dared her to keep talking. She knew it took all his self-control to let her keep talking. She knew she had to mind what she now said.

“I hate them. I despise them. I loathe them, every last one of them. Them and their cities and their people and their parents and their children and their-“

“I don’t.” Kira said quietly.

“What?”

“I don’t hate them.”

“How could you NOT?!” His voice was filled with utter disbelieve. “After all that they have done to you? To US?!”

“They were scared” she whispered, not looking at him.

“As they should be!”

“Why?”

“Because they deserve it! It isn’t our fault for who we are. But it most definitely is their fault for hating us!”

“I don’t believe they do…”

“I don’t believe they hate us” she repeated “I think they are scared. They are scared of us because they don’t know us. We embody the unknown, the unusual and they don’t know how to deal with the unknown. They don’t know if we are a danger to them or not. They… want to feel save” she hesitated. “… and it’s hard to feel save faced with the unknown.”

Dharvious was quiet for several minutes. Kira didn’t say anything else either. She watched the red of his eyes slowly emerging from the previous angry void. She watched his features relax and she watched him lean back.

“You’re right” he finally said and Kira felt the tension leave her body.

“You’re right” he repeated “They don’t know us.” A devilish grin stretched his face, morphing it into a hellish grimace. “So let us teach them, who they fear.” Kiras heart dropped.

“Here” he suddenly threw a small object at her. Kira somehow caught it.

“Happy womb escape day, or whatever. May the world finally learn how to treat you properly!” He crossed his arms behind his head and winked at her and Kiras heart begun flattering. He had remembered. She looked down at the little present and watched how the campfires light reflected in its metal surface. It was a single earing formed like a sword and she looked up at him. It was worth way more than both of them could possibly afford.

That night Kira regretted ever leaving her home. That night she knew, she would never celebrate a birthday with her family again.

“So you always have a piece of me with you.” He said and nodded towards their swords. “Us against the world, and so on, you know.”

“You stole it.”

He rolled his eyes.

“So what? They wouldn’t have sold it to us anyways.”

“But you stole it!”

“And they chased us out!”

“Yeah, because you stole from them!”

“THEY WOULD HAVE CHASED US AWAY ANYWAYS! Now you at least got a pretty present, so shut up about it already.”

Kira closed her mouth and lowered her eyes. He huffed and sat up.

“Put it on. I want to see how you look.”

Kira did so quietly. The silver burned on her skin, like hot steel leaving the branding of a thief on her soul. But she didn’t take it off, as Dharvious took her face into one hand and smiled his devilishly charming smile. The same smile, that worked on every woman they had met so far. It worked on Kira as well.

“Beautiful. Another thorn for my rose. Just beautiful.” His thumb stroke her cheek and the touch reminded her of her father. His hand as warm as Dharvious. Kira closed her eyes and for a moment she allowed herself, to imagine it was her father, stroking her hair out of her face, kissing her forehead. She imagined the warmth of the campfire was actually the sun on her skin, the nightly breeze was the wind dancing through the grass as she was running through the meadow behind her families farm. But as she opened her eyes, she was back in the woods. Wrapped in her kilt made from the dress she had long grown out of.

~*°*~

Kira had always enjoyed art. She loved music and dance. She loved when her father or the priests had told them stories from long ago. She loved Makhusu expressing himself through the movement of his body. She loved watching Aibahr as he painted their lifes. She loved how Kiyu had turned every repair and craft job on the farm into masterful, pieces of intricate designs. She loved her mothers talent in the kitchen, the pies and cakes she had always baked for the whole village. Kira loved watching the sun dancing in the stained-glass windows of her villages temple.

Kira loved how art transformed the world into a better, more beautiful place, how it took something simple, ordinary and made it extraordinary, special. How art could just take a simple boy from the streets, with red skin and untameable curls and turn him into a man of beauty and words, with ideals and a strong unshakable mind. The boy, who once was cast out and shunned out of his home, was now sitting at a tavern table, laughing and smiling at the women who could not take their eyes off him. His smile reflected in their eyes. His tail twitching in this charming way, that gave him the attitude of a cat, playing with a ball of yarn as he wrapped their minds around his finger. One of the girls reached out to touch his curls, but he caught her hand and planted a soft kiss on her knuckles. Kira knew exactly how his lips felt, as he had done the same countless times with her own hand. She knew, how his eye would linger on you, when he looked up from your hand. She knew how the taverns dim light would reflect in his eyes, igniting them like rubies cast into lava.

Kira saw the effect it had on the girl, she knew how the girl felt in this moment as her face reddened and a nervous giggle escaped her lips. Kira turned away, looking back down at her violin, wiping away the residue of their last performance. The red colour he had used to imitate her blood, as he fought the monster the music had made of her. Some of it was stuck to her violins strings and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. The violin no longer looked the way her father had handed it to her. It was more used. Maybe this was a good thing. It meant more people had enjoyed its magic. More people had been gifted the memory of her father. Kira smiled as the instrument whispered soft notes into her ear, while she cleaned the strings.

The scraping of wood on stone tiles muted her violins soft whispers as Dharvious got up. The girl who had gotten the knuckle kiss hooked her arm into his and his tail wrapped around her waist. Kira watched them disappear to the stairs where she and Dharvious had rented themselves a room and she got up as well. As she passed the counter, the old orc lady behind it, called out for her.

“You know, Darling, I’ve got a spare room tonight. You don’t need to sleep in the hay again” she offered with a warm smile. Her light eyes, like rainclouds on a clear summer day, flicked to the stairs and Kira knew what she meant. Her bed would not be hers tonight.

“It’s alright. We can not afford another room” she returned the bartenders smile, but it did not reach Kiras eyes.

“Oh nonsense! I am not letting you sleep out in the stables. It going to freeze tonight. You take that room!” She practically shoved the key into Kiras hands and placed a big hand on her shoulder. Kira wanted to refuse, she felt bad for taking up more space than what was given to her, but the womans eyes quieted any words, that she would have tried to say. Instead Kira took the key and mumbled a quiet “Thank you…”

The orcs face softened and her warm smile returned.

“You’re welcome, dear.”

The last whispers of a haunting melody fled from the stage when the monster was gone, cast out into the night, roaming the forest on the endless search to devour the souls of unsuspecting wanderers. The magical mist surrounding her slowly faded, light returning to tavern. Seconds felt like hours of deafening silence pressing onto her shoulders, before the first pair of hands shyly applauded. More and more hands slowly joined in, while the devil beside her bowed deeply. Kira exhaled quietly, the tension leaving her body and a soft smile replaced the uncertainty in her face. She too dipped her head lightly, but stayed in the background. Tonight, was Dharvious’ night. Tonight, he had brought the terrors and fears onto this stage.

Kira turned and left for the rooms, as the woman spoke again.

“I am sorry, that he does not see you.”

Kira stopped, the words running down her spine like cold rain.

“Not the way you see him…”

Kira shook her head and stormed up the stairs. She didn’t know what the woman meant. Dharvious always knew when she wasn’t there, his eyes always looked for her. She played with her earring. He always made sure, she was no longer alone, he understood her. Just the way she understood him. When Kira laid in bed that evening, the room around her felt empty, lonely.

Kira would never understand how people enjoyed watching their nightmares become reality. She would never understand how they wanted to leave the peace of their homes and face the terrors of their own mind. But here they were, showering Dharvious with praise and applause, coins and-

Kira saw how Dharvious’ body immediately tensed, as he slowly lifted his head. She saw his posture shrink into himself. He by no means was a strong person. He was delicate and creative, a dancer, a charmer, a survivalist. Kira knew by the way his tail twitched, that he was hastily looking for a way out of this situation. She saw the panic and anger well up inside of him, as his eyes flicked through the room and his muscles flexed. There was no mistaking that the man was looking for him. Kira slowly inched closer to her friend, as the man found the girl, that had left with Dharvious the previous night. Kira didn’t need to listen to what the man said to her, to know why he was looking for Dharvious. She finally reached the small of his back and Dharvious immediately duck behind her. She had grown to be taller than him and he had hidden himself behind her back on more than one occasion. They slowly made their way towards the stairs and Kira knew they would not stay another night in this town.

The tavern door was slammed open and Kira flinched.

Three men, big as mountains, two of them humans, one of them what looked like a half orc, stomped inside. The first human bellowed with dripping fury in his voice over the applause “WHERE IS THIS DEVIL?!”

Then everything happened within seconds. She heard the halforc call out. She heard people making way and tables falling over as the men burst through the audience. She heard the girl shriek something, to calm down the man, who was no other than her fiancé. She heard the bartender shout over the mens voices. She heard the wooden steps creak as Dharvious jumped out of the way, scattering upstairs. But the sound that kept ringing in her head was the sound of pained strings while her violin slithered over the stony floor as the huge man run into her.

She felt her head hit the ground. She felt his feet stumble over her legs. She felt his weight crushing her foot. And she felt the rage that welled up inside of her when her violin cried out again as his friends’ foot unknowingly kicked it farther away from her hands. A deep, inhuman growl build inside her throat as she made it back onto her feet. Her body tensed. She was ready for the next push, as the man stood up as well.

She heard shouting. The halforc got pulled back into the crowd just as the two men and Kira made it back to their feet. She felt another fist hit her cheek, while her own broke a mans nose. She felt her skin under his knuckles burst and a second fist met her rip cage. Her free hand shoot up again only to  be caught by red fingers, that pulled her backwards. Hugging her from behind, securing her arms to her torso. She tried to wind herself out of Dharvious’ grip, but he whispered into her ear.

“Get out of the way!” He spit the words into her face.

“No”, she said simply, her voice surprisingly calm. His face formed an angry grimace.

“I said” he growled “Get out of the way, woman!”

“No” Kira repeated. “And now, would you be so kind to give me back my violin.”

The men stared at her in utter confused, before the third man saw her beloved instrument laying to his feet. He picked it up and grinned disgustingly.

“This one?” His friends laughed and Kira grinded her teeth. She saw his fingers tighten around the neck of her violin, she heard the strings whimpering and she felt her fist make contact with the mans nose. He cried out in pain and her other fist hit his chin so hard he stumbled backwards into the man holding her violin. Both men fell into a table and Kira heard her violin scatter to the ground once again. She lunged forward before feeling the half-orcs knee hit the side of her head. The next thing she felt, was the floor beneath her and his foot in her stomach, when her fingers finally tightened around her violin.

“My Darlings!” He addressed the crowd, “Thank you! You’ve been the most wonderful audience. So… participant.” Dharvious bowed deeply. “We shall now take our leave.” With that he pranced towards the door, the crowd wordlessly clearing a path for him. Kira followed him. Her chest still heaving, her head pulsating. She felt the eyes of the patrons follow her, glued to her, drilling into her.

“Don’t. I hate them too, but they are not worth it. Look at them…” Kiras blurry vision finally cleared and she saw the crowd stare at her. The three men shaking, holding their faces. The halforc still secured by the bartender. She felt their looks burn into her skin. Their wide eyes already haunting her.

“…They are scared” Dharvious continued “Utterly frightened.” His voice was like honey, creeping into her mind, slowing her heartbeat. ���They should have paid for the show, you just gave them” Kira heard the soft laugh in his words, as the fury finally left her body and her muscles relaxed. He let go and stepped in front of her. Only now she saw he already wore his backpack.

In the corner of her eye she saw her reflection in the windows. Green fire, starred back at her. Burning with wild fury through the glass in a sea of midnight black hair. Red liquid running down the side of her face, over her cheek, tinting her lips crimson. Kira flinched, her head immediately lowering, but tonight no black curtain could hide her from the looks of the world. No darkness could shield her fire and Kira fled from the town.

In the woods Dharvious kneeled in front of her. His eyes sparkling in the light of the campfire, his hands caressing her face, as he wiped away the blood.

“It’s a shame you know…” he said almost wishfully. “Red suits you so wonderfully, Darling.” He gave her one of his charming smiles.

“But we knew that already, don’t we? After all, you’re with me.” He winked as he rubbed away the last of the dried blood. Kira did not wince at the pain shooting through her skull. She also didn’t wince at the needles perforating her skin in the next town.

~*°*~

Kira had always loved art. It made her ordinary world look extraordinary. Kira did not love the art Dharvious had gifted her. The intricate red lines decorating her cheekbones, running over the bridge of her nose, tinting her lips crimson. Faux scars, false remedies of adventures she had never been on, turning her into something she did not like. But Dharvious loved it.

“Oh my, they bring out your eyes, my little fae. We should debut them tonight. Let’s show the world who you really are.”

The day Dharvious began to sing, was the day Kira no longer loved music. His voice was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. His word enticing, his song mesmerising.

A hellish prince spewing his devilish poison.

“Come now, my child,

I’ll guide thee away,

to a world of magical dreams.

He had taken the memory of their fist meeting and turned it into his tool. Her violin mourning the melody of that night. The shadows of once returned, following his every bidding. But Kira could not stop playing, as the unearthly dancers spun around them.

Come now, my child,

the time has arrived,

to enter the garden of shadows.”

“Follow, dear child,

I’ll show you the path,

Through all the pain and the sorrow.

The words burned themselves into Kiras mind. Enthralling their audience. Kira watched how their eyes were glued to her violin, following every movement of her hands. Not noticing, not seeing, not watching, just listening, as Dharvious’ words snug into their ears. The devilish grin on his face, mirroring the joy he was having, while his shadows of magical mist engulfed the people of the small town.

Don’t cry now my child,

Life brings the end,

of all beauty and passion.”

“Rest now, my child,

It won’t longer be,

Give me the fear of your life time.

Kira watched in horror as the eyes of their audience became heavy, how they lost their life like shimmer. She kept playing as their minds travelled far, far away. Her heart broke, as she saw men and women, the young and the elderly just sit there. Staring at her, without seeing her, while Dharvious danced around them. His shadows plummeting deep into their pockets. Pulling out coin and jewellery, which they had not wanted to give up at the end of their first performance. 

Sleep now, my child,

Soon we’ll be gone,

Surrounded by peace and the quiet.”

The laugh that escaped his throat rung in Kiras ears and her heart was heavy as the stones he put into their pockets as replacement, for their belongings. Her chest ached.

Music had always been the thing in the world to make light and lifted her spirit far above the world, that so often had not wanted her. Music had been the source of her spirit. It was the spring of her love for the world and for what laid beyond it. It was what guided her heart, and her soul, what called for her. She had always loved how should could touch other peoples soul with her music as well. It had connected her with the world around her, made her feel a part of it. It was thing that she and Dharvious had in connected. The love for rhythm and melodies, the feeling of sound carrying you high above, lifting you beyond the your unwanted feelings, making you a part of this world, and now…

Now Dharvious betrayed the world through her music, and Kira hated every moment of it.

“Come now my child,

I’ll guide you now back,

from a world of magical dreams.

Come now, my child,

The time has arrived,

To leave my garden of shadows…”

Kira had never had a problem to see in the dark, but she had never before seen through it.

That night for the second time in her life, she made the decision to not look back.

At the first light of a new spring day, she took her beloved violin and left her garden of shadows.

She did not say goodbye.

She did not leave a message.

She just left.

Or else, the dancing devils poisonous words might have enthralled her once more...

[noivysneverland]

a drunk, rambling (of both positive and negative sides) of pokemon scarlet (my pick) and violet. spoilers ahead under the cut. you’ve been justly warned

tl;dr up front, this game in terms of Story, Characters, Battle Mechanics, and new changes to the overworld far exceed the lack luster trash that I think gen 8 is. as i make my next sandvich to feed to the stupid lizard i named Heavy because of its addiction to said sandviches i think about what this game has brought to the table, and it’s got a lot of filling in it,but arguably its execution of has been for some funny, others an embarrassment, and others still, a blatant showcase of why first party pokemon games are going the Way of the Dodo in terms of quality. 

it has been Five days since generation 9 has had its rather divisive release into the public space, most certainly one of the most anticipated releases for the switch this year, and for a not insubstancial vocal contingency have been raking it over the coals for a lot of reasons, predominantly performance and graphics issues. its so hilariously bad on this front because the frame rate dips, shadow rendering and sometimes piss awful rendering speeds make the game look like something out of a goddamn steam greenlight submission (remember those????). now see i dont normally even care about that sort of thing or can just easily ignore it. except this happens so frequently i cant even go a few minutes without something getting choppy. and yea when it comes to a first party nintendo release fuck up should be a badge of shame we should put not on gamefreak but rather the fucking corporate investors that forced an obviously crunch-induced deadline. it has all the hallmarks of a game put under crunch, and while GF is quite famously press shy (especially after the dexit thing last gen), so we’ll probably not know the whole story unless someone does The Game Journalist and digs up as much of the story as they possibly can. 

 but alas i dont play pokemon for graphics. im mostly into battles and well, I was actualyl pretty surprised with some areas and parts.

i actually really like the idea of terrestalizing, and changing a pokemon’s typing to another thing. it opens up a lot of strat and team making that suddenly some mons which may have been held back by massive type weaknesses can now suddenly get a chance to shine in ways never before possible. the game really doesnt do it much justice since they basically treaded water for a majority of the big fights, but some notable outliers are out there. but some fights are a fucking joke at the point you reach them; WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU PUT A FUCKING ***GOGOAT*** ON THAT PERSONS TEAM WHEN YOU LITERALLY COULD HAVE PUT ANYTHING. FUCKING. ELSE. ON IT I SWEAR TO FUCK I AM GOING TO CHOKE A FUCKER. that one battle (if you know you know) was so underwhelming bc of that team line up i still wonder who thought HM WE SHOULD DO THIS FOR THAT BATTLE. 

the real strengh of gen 9 is in its story characters in multiple fronts. After the fucking embarrassment of a rival that was fucking Hop, you’re greeted out the bat with a Champion rank trainer who basically just wants to Battle All the Things and wants a challenge again. This would be annoying as Nemona pops up all over the bloody place and at times much like the Hopeless Hop, but instead she tries to actually build the player character to reach her level so she can finally have the real challenge again.  it doesnt actually stop with nemona either, you also get introduced to Arven, a young man who is so Done with the Stupid Sanvich Addicted Lizard that he just gives it to you and now You have the unsubtle legendary which you can just ride in plain daylight and nobody bats a bloody eye. his line involves finding The Perfect Food Ingredient for personal reasons that also happen to be important for some reason. and then there’s the whole thing with Team Star, which as you progress you actually get a thing where, depending on how well your time in school was, you may very well understand and appreciate whats going on there.  unlike every other pokemon game out there, there’s no hard order for you to do things. if you wanna march right up to the strongest gym leader, the only thing there to stop you is pokemon well above yours in level, and the fact you will Get Your Shit Kicked In(ask me how i know). there’s rewards for talking to things and doing things unrelated to the main story line(s!) and taking a bit of time away from the battle and world to read things is a good way to get some decent rewards early game. and the final areas are actually p. gud in terms of what they bring to the table, its what happens after the main story where things get Meh and enough for me to put down the game for a few months.

The (non performance/bugs) weakness of gen 9 right now is the lack of a real postgame. even sword and shield gave you a Battle Tower to just keep doing things. but after you clear every thing leading to what i see as the final task, you basically only have the tera raids and a tournament thing to do. and let me tell you those tera raids at their highest levels are, at the time of writing, are impossible to solo for me. you gotta have Friends to do em afaik and one fuck up or RNG Bullshit.tm will halt a run instantly. i don’t enjoy em, and since I have seen all that i deem to be seen for now, I am back into Monster Hunter Rise/Sunbreak where i am now mercy-killing infected monsters. There’s obviously going to be DLC for this game at some point, but lets face it with the Amount of Bugs currently plaguing it, i dont see that happening any time soon. closing notes, i know some of the tunes are bugged, but some of them are really, really fucking good. one of them beats out the famed Gen 5 tune for that type of trainer. if you know, you know and i will die on this hill that gen 9s is better than gen 5s. fight me. i also have found three shiny mons after not encountering a single one since 20-fucking-10. a Summer Deerling, a Houndour and a Skrelp (oooo!)

final drunk noivy ratings Story: 9.1/10, probably one of the strongest ones since gen 5 Battles: 7.5/10, terrestalizing is a cool concept, but the game doesnt deliver on it well enough anD SOME OF THE FIGHTS ARE A FUCKING JOKE, FUCKING GOGOAT MY FUCKING GOD. but some of the fights are up there in difficulty graphics/performance: lol its better than sword and shield. and then some. that first bar isn’t hard to clear for me. but it does enough out side of the glaring bugs to convince me that yea it was ok purchasing it day one. probably won’t do that for gen 10.

[lesbianraskolnikov]

i cant wait 2 see magenta animated

[bakuravonbocks]

for the ship thing: padlock!!! (and chronobook if u feel up to it)

SEND ME A SHIP and I’ll tell you:

i should note the padlock im talking about is my Tony and Lin’s Sketch

Who said “I love you” first

For Padlock; I believe it was Tony who said it canonically with the whole. Love letter thing? Correct me if I am Incorrect.For ChronoBook; I think we’ve said Book would? Idk but I’m sticking w/ Book bc it’s a gut feelin rn

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background

For Padlock; I feel like both would at some point? Tony would most definitely though! He has to show Sketch off to everyone he loves her too much.For ChronoBook; Perhaps both? Chrono would for some time, I know that for sure. Maybe Book would too, even if it isn’t too long or is replaced with the dogs after a bit to change it up a bit

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror

For Padlock; Sketch!! I feel like Sketch would moreso than Tony! Tony isn’t really much of a fan of lingering in the bathroom for longer than need be anyways, so it’d be a rarity for him to do so.For ChronoBook; Part of me wants to Say Book, but Chrono would do this. I feel this could be interchangable?

Who buys the other cheesy gifts

For Padlock; While I feel like both, I’m getting the idea that Sketch maybe do it more often than Tony just because she isn’t as serious as Tony can be? also tony is more of a “i have to give Sketch nice thigns because she deserves nothing but nice things but on occasion i will get her something cheesy”For ChronoBook; god this is also another both? my brain cant even come up with who and who on this one i can jsut see a cheesy gift off between the two

Who initiated the first kiss

For Padlock; SKETCH!! another one of those, I believe in our padlock canon she is the one who does it!For ChronoBook; oh man we’ve discussed this at least once before but my brain and memory is fucking failing me uhhh... I wanna say Chrono tbh?

Who kisses the other awake in the morning

For Padlock; as much as I want to say Tony, Sketch is a heavy as fuck sleeper from what I remember you telling meFor ChronoBook; Book!! Chrono isn’t much of a deep sleeper and can be woken up easier than some (coughs at Sketch), but would always accept getting good morning kisses and would never get mad at Book for waking him

Who starts tickle fights

For Padlock; Sketch! I feel like it’d be an accidental brush in a spot Tony particularly is more sensitive to and then it starts up a tickle fightFor ChronoBook; Chrono tbh because I can see it as Book trying to act tough and Chrono just “are you sure about that?”

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower

For Padlock; It’s interchangable. I feel like it’ll be Tony who is just “hey sweetheart” but also I think we’ve said Sketch is more prone to asking??For ChronoBook; I’m seeing moreso Book than Chrono for this one.

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch

For Padlock; Sketch! I see Sketch doing this more since Tony can get wrapped up in whatever he’s doing to remember to eat (even if he doesn’t need to)For ChronoBook; Honestly Book? Chrono would do this for ‘em from time to time but if we’re discussing who would do it more I feel like it would be Book

Who was nervous and shy on the first date

For Padlock; Both, but maybe moreso Tony? Just maybeFor ChronoBook; Oh god both again but my brain is screaming Chrono at me. Just because hes trying to play it cool but... on the inside he is screaming

Who kills/takes out the spiders

For Padlock; Mr Time. End of story. Antonio is the one who takes ‘em out just cause both Tony and Sketch fear the eight legged hell beastsFor ChronoBook; Book, it’s not that Chrono is afraid of them he just doesn’t. want to touch them. or be near them. He can appreciate them from a good distance.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk

For Padlock; TONY!! TONY TONY TONY TONY TON well both but tony screams at my head for ths answer. though sketch also honestly padlock is just a fucking MESS of pda and its even worse/better when drunkFor ChronoBook; uhhh oh man Book? Chrono just kinda gets more chill and loes half of his filter and will actualyl do things more so on impulse now that his Impulse Control is hazy, but I can see Book just shouting while standing on a table and gesturing to Chrono who looks fine but is screaming on the inside