#the enemy is weaker than a spider's web. our hope and our will and our unity is enough to destroy all these webs completely. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ordinaryschmuck · 3 years ago

Text

What I Thought About "Hunting Palismans" From The Owl House

Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

Today, I present to you reason #4,693 for why The Owl House is the best thing at the moment: It's the perfect balance of serialized storytelling with an episodic format. The story always moves forward with an exact order for how episodes should be watched, but each episode still functions as its own standalone tale. Having prior knowledge of what happened before adds more to the experience, but you can still watch whatever you want and still have an enjoyable time. Take "Hunting Palismans," for example. It adds so much more to the overarching narrative while slightly continuing other threads. But it's still something you can watch as is without remembering the past or wondering about the future.

However, to properly explain how requires spoilers. I wasn't kidding when I say that this episode adds so much, so you're going to want to be wary of that when you continue reading.

With that said, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Coven Heads Meeting: We already saw these fellow schmucks in the trailer, but that doesn't take away how cool they are! It's not explicitly stated which head belongs to which coven, but you can already tell who goes where just from their designs alone. And I love that. I love that just by showing us some excellent character designs, anybody with half a brain can already figure out the particular type of magic each Coven Head specializes in. It's a perfect example of the show-don't-tell level of storytelling that is always at its best through animation, and I'm all for it because of it.

What the Day of Unity is: Several fans, myself included, have already speculated that the Day of Unity was that Emperor Belos planned to combine the human world with the Boiling Isles and rule it all with an iron fist. That being said, figuring it out is one thing, but being told that it's true is a whole different level pants-s**ting horror that I AM NOT READY FOR! Even when it's going to happen, I can assure you that I will not be prepared to witness it ...and I am scared of when it does.

Belos Body Horror: ...Disney, I was already scared s**tless of this guy. I DO NOT NEED THIS!

That being said, seeing Belos do...whatever the f**k that was, helps explain further why he needs the magic in palismans. I always assumed because it's like fuel for a car, giving him the power he needs. Now, even though the answer is more apparent, there are still some questions to be had. Is he cursed, and the magic keeps it at bay like Eda's potions? Or did he experiment with the wrong type of magic, and the palismans keep him stable? Only the future can say for sure...and I'm also not prepared for the answers from that either.

Golden Guard is Belos’ Nephew: Gosh dangit, THE INTRO HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET, AND THIS EPISODE IS ALREADY GIVING SO MUCH!

But, yeah, the most powerful witch on the Isles is apparently Golden Boy's Grunkle Belos. That very knowledge is incredibly interesting to discuss while presenting possibilities for future narratives. I don't know about you, but I see the Golden Guard going down the path of Zuko, learning that the magic of friendship is worth much more than whatever power he gains from being Belos' nephew. And possibly earning his uncle's love seeing how he's the only family he has. It's a situation that's vastly different from Amity's because even when she defies her parents, she'll still have Edric and Emira at the end of the day. For Golden Guard, knowing that he lost a great family to wild magic, the inclination to go against Belos is a lot weaker due to him being all he has left.

Oh, and also, Belos' family getting wiped out because of wild magic. Yeah, not only does that give the best type of motivation for Belos' distaste for it, but it also explains the Golden Guard's hesitance to use it. He's inclined to so he can save his uncle, sure. It's only the fact that he knows what happens with wild magic that causes some resistance...Also, we're less than a minute in, and I'm already getting all of this from one discussion between two characters.

HOW IS THIS SHOW SO GOOD?!

Intro Changes: It's about time too. It seems weird that the crew waited to change Eda and King's designs in the intro this late in the game, but it also tells me that Amity dying her hair lavender is the last huge change this season will present. Otherwise, why change the intro at all if you were going to alter Luz, Willow, and Gus' designs anyway? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Luz Keeping the Echo Mouse as a Pet: The fact that she keeps the most important creature in the world to her as a pet...it's...it's adorable, alright? And as we established several times, I cannot hate adorable things.

Don't judge me!

Amity Staying Home: There are two plausible ways why Amity didn't go to school that day. Either she's getting punished for dying her hair or because she's trying to avoid Luz so they won't talk about the you-know-what. Either could work and seem understandable to Luz, thus explaining why she admits how "that makes sense." Although, there is something to discuss in how Luz is curious as to where Amity is. Judging from the tone of her voice, it's pretty clear that she wants to talk about the little peck on the cheek and maybe get some confirmation as to what it means. Because there is no going back from that. You can explain away saying or doing something stupid, but you cannot un-kiss a cheek. That is a point of no return, and if Amity really is avoiding Luz because of it, that means it's up to our favorite weirdo to make the first move. As for what that may entail...we'll just have to wait and see.

Frewin: We get two bits of information here for the price of one reveal here. Knowing that Frewin is a palisman is shocking enough, but the knowledge that Bump is partially blind and needs Frewin to see? That is an intriguing piece of intel that I would have never expected to get revealed. This is reason #5,279 for what makes The Owl House so good. Even when the show presents information you wouldn't guess, it's all so interesting anyways that you can't help but go along with it.

Adopting Palismans: First of all, love the fact that the Bat Queen makes a return to provide a solution to the palisman trees being rare and solving her own problem regarding the discarded palismans. It's a situation where everyone wins in a way that is so clever that I can't help but admire it.

Second, the idea of students choosing to adopt palismans instead is cute. I'd say it gives further insight into who these characters are in how they say what they want to be, but there's nothing really new added that fans couldn't figure out from the get go. But I will say that it's pretty cool to know that these characters have official staffs now. Speaking of which, if you're upset that their palismans don't match up with your headcanons...grow up.

This was a cute and smartly written scene that should not be bogged down by whiney fans who can't accept a series doing something different from what they expect.

Little Rascal: I’d take a bullet for this bird. That is all.

Luz Being Uncertain of her Future: A lot of fans offer several ideas of what the future could look like for Luz. Will she stay in the Boiling Isles? In Connecticut? Or will she go back and forth? We don't know, but one question we rarely brought up is what does Luz want? More specifically, what does she want to do? After everything Luz went through, the adventures she's gone on, and the lessons learned, what is something that Luz wants her future to be? That's an answer she doesn't really figure out, and I'm genuinely ok with that being a question that's tabled for another day. Most kids who ask that question themselves aren't always going to find an answer after a short amount of time and sometimes even need to spend their lives trying to figure it out. So having it be something Luz has to consider and probably find out in a future episode is the smarter option, as it allows time for it to simmer in her own mind and provides more insight into her character. As stated several times in this episode, she doesn't think things through, so it's nice that the writers finally allowed her some time to wonder what's next when the adventure is over.

Luz Having to Improvise Without Paper Glyphs: You want to know what my favorite Spider-Man moments are (this is relevant. Trust me). My favorite moments are when Spidey's web-shooters run out of fluid, and he's forced to improvise with that big brain of his to find a solution. That's sort of what happens with Luz in "Hunting Palismans." She didn't bring her glyphs with her (why would she), so she's forced to use the environment around her to make new ones. Plus, Luz also flexes her knowledge of the Boiling Isles by mixing her glyphs with a magical plant (which Willow certainly told her about) so that she and the Golden Guard could knock out Kikimora's dragon. It's yet another showcase of her intelligence that a lot of fans are too keen to overlook. Unfortunate to see, too, because looking at how well Luz can craft the perfect solutions by fighting smarter, not harder, is a fantastic add-on to her personality. I love characters who win through their wits rather than their raw powers, and I once again hope more people will catch onto that aspect of her too.

Golden Guard Whistling the Theme: Look, I love it when a show acknowledges its own theme song, ok? Leave me alone.

Luz and the Golden Guard: This is one of those dynamics you didn't know you wanted until you have it. And now that I have it, I DEMAND MORE!

Seriously, seeing these two interact off of each other was a ton of fun to watch. When Luz and GG are initially at each other's throats, their threats and mockery towards one another aren't out of spiteful anger between two mortal enemies. It's more like...two siblings who get on each other's nerves yet are supposed to deal with one another. It's equally adorable and hilarious, and yes, I absolutely loved that they're forced to work together in this episode because of it.

Although, while the entertainment value is fantastic, it also adds more proof of why Luz is the best character in the series. She spends one night with this guy, and that's more than what she needed to make a difference with him. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they're buddies now, but Luz definitely sowed the seeds into his redemption. He's far from willing to join her side, but he still does something he rarely does with anyone else: He told her that his name is Hunter. And this is what Luz does. Through nearly every person she meets on the Boiling Isles, she always manages to change them for the better. It'll be a while before Hunter deflects from Belos, but if Amity proves anything, Luz has a way of sneaking into people's hearts. They just need to spend more time with one another, and I can't wait to see what happens next because of it.

Kikimora Wanting to Kill Hunter: This shows a lot about who Kikimora is, but it potentially proves just how dysfunctional the Emperor's Coven can be. If Kiki proves anything, the coven must be filled with people willing to backstab and cheat their way to get on Emperor Belos' good side. Just look at Lilith. She literally cursed her own sister just to get in and received all the rewards because of it. The Emperor's Coven may be the best choice for witches to do magic, but if you're surrounded by people you can't trust, then is it really worth it?

The Guards Not Knowing Who Hunter is: This helps add to how much of a big deal it is for Hunter to reveal his name to Luz. If people can't even recognize his face, there's a chance it means that he keeps his true identity a secret except for those in his inner circle.

And the coven guards brushing off his brand is more than believable to me. They may be aware that Belos' right hand is young, but teens will be teens. Anybody with enough artistic talent can fake a brand. So it isn't too far off for those two to think Hunter was just a kid pulling a prank.

Hunter is Powerless Without his Staff: Not much to say here. It's just some more neat insight into Hunter's character that makes me wonder if even Belos' magic is real magic.

But I will say this: The fact that Hunter comes from a lineage of powerless witches, well, who's to say that isn't because of a...certain ancestor?

(*Cough* Hunter is related to Philip *Cough*)

Hunter vs Kiki: A pretty well-animated fight scene that adds potential drama to the story for the future. Now that Kikimora knows that Hunter helped Luz escape with the palismans (albeit unwillingly), she may or may not hold that over his head when the time comes. Or, at the very least, decides to keep a closer eye on him whenever he makes a slip-up.

Eda and King Getting Luz her own Palisman Wood: These last two weeks have been severely lacking in the Eda and King department, but scenes like this more than make up for it. Those two have formed such a bond with Luz to the point where they would do the impossible if it meant she would feel better. It proves just how much of a family they all are and the lengths they would go for each other. After all, weirdos have to stick together.

Little Rascal going to Hunter: Hunter is right. That was surprising.

Given how much Little Rascal stuck by Luz, I was more than positive that she would be the one he chose. So seeing Little Rascal pick Hunter instead is a much nicer twist. There could be multiple reasons why, and I'm just going to leave that to the analyzers in this fandom to decide. Especially since the answer isn't really all that important.

So, instead, I'm going to go ahead and sit in the corner as I wOrRy AbOuT tHe DaY tHaT bElOs FiNdS lItTlE rAsCal!

IT'S GONNA HAPPEN! AND I SWEAR TO ALL THAT IS HOLY, IF THE WRITERS KILL HIM, I WILL NOT BE HAPPY!

WHAT I DISLIKED

First, there's...um...

Well, there was this...

Ok, as much as I liked--No, that turned out well anyways...

…

...

...I've got nothing.

I, honest to goodness, have no complaints about "Hunting Palismans" Not even the tiniest of nitpicks I would usually ignore due to how well-executed everything else was.

It's all written fantastically to the point where it's...perfect.

IN CONCLUSION

"Hunting Palismans" is an easy A+. It introduces even more plot threads, gives insight into characters, and despite being essential to the story, it still manages to be a fun episode all on its own. And, I'd go so far as to say that it's one of the best, if not the best, episodes in the series. There's nothing bad about it, and that surprises me. I rarely find nothing bad to say about any story, even the ones I enjoy greatly. I'm sure there are some flaws that others would be more than happy to point out, but why bother hunting for the imperfections when I could accept that, for once, an episode is simply perfect.

(And that’s six hits in a row...THAT STINKER IS GOING TO HAPPEN! It hasn’t happened yet, BUT IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN! I CAN FEEL IT!)

#the owl house #the owl house season 2 #the owl house reviews #luz noceda #the golden guard #hunter the owl house #emperor belos #what i thought about

66 notes · View notes

things-with-teeth · 5 years ago

Text

“And Hope That I Don’t Crash You”: The Web, The Archivist, and Control

In her statement to Jon, Annabelle Cane states, “I have always believed that the key to manipulating people is to ensure that they always under- or overestimate you. Never reveal your true abilities or plans” (MAG 147). In a lot of ways, the narrative supports reading this as an admonishment against doing the later. In MAG 149, Melanie shoots down the idea that the Web has some strategy beyond “to paralyze [Jon] with indecision, sitting here terrified that everything [he does] is somehow part of its grand plan;” Jon doesn’t necessarily concede to this point, but he does admit it’s a possibility. Every time we’ve met another avatar of one of the Entities or an organization that worships them, it’s turned out that they’re not all they were cracked up to be when they first appeared on the scene: Peter can’t protect the Archives as he told Martin he would, Elias isn’t as all-knowing as he would lead others to believe, the Cult of the Lightless Flame and the People's Church of the Divine Host are both 95% petty in-fighting and about 5% knowing what the heck they’re doing. (Simon “in it for the lulz” Fairchild is sort of a breath of fresh air; he also doesn’t know what he’s doing, but he doesn’t pretend otherwise.) So maybe the Web is the same; even Annabelle suggests it, telling Jon that it’s entirely possible the Mother of Puppets is “simply sitting and reveling in the inevitable cascade of paranoia as those who hold her in special terror cocoon themselves in red string and theory” (147).

On that note, please allow me to cocoon myself in red sting and theory: I think Annabelle has basically been engineering events since season one, and here’s why.

I want to be clear from the start: I think Annabelle is being completely above board when she tells Jon that she hasn’t influenced his decision to take statements and feed the Eye. It’s clear from the moment that he proposes the possibility that this is a bit of a reach, a desperate last-ditch attempt to convince both himself and the others that he hasn’t been acting with any kind of autonomy while doing something he knows will hurt people. He is. He does. Jon Sims is becoming a monster, and that wouldn’t be nearly as horrifying or as sad if there wasn’t some element of choice to it (and some element of inevitability to that choice, as with a lot of great tragedies, but the kind of inevitability that’s as much personally driven as externally motivated). In no way am I writing this in an attempt to say “the spiders made him do it, he had no choice.” That being said, Annabelle herself makes an argument for choice being dictated by circumstance, and I’m going to argue that Annabelle herself has dictated a great deal of the circumstance from the very beginning.

Some of this is very well-supported by the things that we already know for a fact; Annabelle, herself, admits to Jon that she’s been “been nudging something here and there to keep [Jon] safe, to keep everything on track” (ibid). I don’t think there’s much room to argue that Annabelle wasn’t the one who prevented Jane Prentiss’ plan to destroy the Archives from coming to fruition. As of MAG 123, we know that Annabelle was responsible for what happened to Carlos Vittery way back in MAG 16, the very same case that Martin is investigating when he discovers Jane in the basement of Carlos’ apartment leading up to MAG 22, and from MAG 16 we know that Jane’s presence there predates that of the spiders – Carlos says his building has an “infestation of some sort of insect [he] didn’t recognize – small, silvery worms [...] they provided a good meal for the eight-legged little monsters.” As a result, the Archives are aware that Jane is a present and immediate danger. In MAG 38, the infestation of worms in the tunnels and Jane’s attack on the archives is revealed when Jon damages the false wall while attempting to commit arachnicide, and she’s forced to attack early. This is almost definitely why she fails; Tim states that “[being inside the Magus Institute] made them weaker, and they’ve been down there for months, breeding, building up their numbers until there were enough to properly bury us. Except you found that hidden passage, and they had to act” (MAG 40). I think it’s also possible – although this is more conjecture at this point – that Annabelle was the one who sent the note that incited Jared Hopworth to attack the archives between seasons three and four, although that’s mostly because I’m not sure there’s a better candidate; Peter potentially has motive, but that kind of manipulation reads more as the Web than the Lonely. “I’m starting to think the letters were a trap,” says Jared (MAG 131), and I would argue that it was a trap, not for Jared but for Martin, meant to nudge him into looking outside the Institute for protection. It’s more-or-less explicitly stated that Annabelle sent Oliver Banks to coax Jon out of his coma: “I'm still not exactly sure why I'm here. But you know better than anyone how the spiders can get into your head. Easier to just do what she asks” (MAG 121). Annabelle has nudged, here and there, and she has kept Jon safe, and she has kept everything on track.

I think Annabelle has been influencing events in more subtle ways, too, however. Very early in the series, Jon receives a delivery which includes “an old Zippo” with a “spider web design on the front” (MAG 36). He’s suggests that Tim have the others take a look at it, but that’s quickly lost in the realization that the other item delivered is the web table, which Jon recognizes from its description. As far as I can recall, we don’t hear another mention of the lighter until MAG 111, when Gerard asks Jon if he’s “a spider freak” after Jon offers him a cigarette and, presumably, a light. This means that, three seasons later, Jon is still carrying the lighter. A lighter with a spider web pattern on it, delivered by Breekon and Hope, who may belong to the Stranger but who are certainly willing to deliver parcels for other powers (the yellow stole Father Burroughs receives in MAG 20, for instance). Jon has been carrying around an artifact of the Web for the better part of the series, and I don’t think it’s impossible that it’s been influencing him, or that Annabelle’s been using it to influence him, in ways that are much less obvious than those I’ve listed above. Mostly I don’t want to speculate as to how it’s influenced him – I straight up do not know, and like I said, my intention is not to absolve Jon of all agency in his own actions for the last hundred plus episodes – with one exception. There’s one other time that Jon’s smoking habit has heavily impacted the plot: when he steps out to have a cigarette in MAG 80, leaving the way clear for Elias to brutally pipe murder Jurgen Lietner and keep Jon “on track” in his development as the Archivist.

This is speculation, but I think it’s speculation supported by past events within the podcast, most specifically those surrounding Gertrude and Agnes.

Annabelle wasn’t an avatar of the Web back then, of course, but I still think that there’s a lot to be learned when it comes to how the Web and/or its representatives influence the course of events nominally controlled by and benefitting other Entities. In MAG 139, Eugene Vanderstock says:

The compromise we came to was Hill Top Road. We knew it was a stronghold of the Web, full of other children Agnes’ age. We would supervise from a distance but were confident she would be in no danger. The Mother of Puppets has always suffered at our hand – all the manipulation and subtle venom in the world means nothing against a pure and unrestrained force of destruction and ruin.

And that’s—that’s weird, isn’t it? We know that the Cult is at least somewhat protective of Agnes; it’s how Diego convinces Arthur Nolan and the others not only to refrain from acting against Gertrude but to protect her for so many years after she binds Agnes to her, because it might be “catastrophic for Agnes” if Gertrude were to die “a violent death” (MAG 145). In spite of that, here they are, sending their baby chosen one into the lair of an enemy power so that she can get some normal socialization and learn not to bite (or burn) the other kids. As a result, Agnes ends up tied to Hill Top Road and Raymond Fielding, even after Fielding is dead, perhaps because of an early attempt at the same kind of binding that Gertrude eventually succeeds at creating. I don’t think it’s outside of the realm of possibility that the chain of events leading up to the Cult making this disastrous decision were not entirely without influence from the Web.

Then there’s Jack Barnabas. I’m ridiculously charmed by Jack’s whole mindset of “this girl is so goddamn weird and I’m really ridiculously into it,” and I’m not going to suggest that what he felt for Agnes wasn’t real; even Jon is “ninety percent” sure that Gertrude “didn’t pay poor Jack Barnabas to fall in love with Agnes” (MAG 139), and I’m about equally certain that the Web didn’t compel poor Jack Barnabas into being head over heels for her, either. That said, I think it’s clear that the Web did have some involvement. When preparing for his first date with Agnes, Jack smells burning and notices that “within the corner of the room, where there had been a spider's web this morning, there was just a faint wisp of smoke” (MAG 67). The language in his statement, years later, is filled with confusion about his own motives and hints of compulsion: “I was drawn to her in a way I can't even explain,” “I don't know how it happened, it [asking Agnes for a date] just tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it,” “drowning in emotions that I still can't explain,” and “looking back, I'm still not sure what I would have done differently [...] I don't know if I would have had it in me to resist. I just couldn't avoid being drawn in” (ibid). Jack’s feelings for Agnes may not have been entirely manufactured, but they did receive a nudge, and the result was doubt and eventual death for the avatar and a necessary component in the ritual of one of the Web’s opposing powers.

Finally, there’s Gertrude. When speaking of the path that led her to the ritual which eventually bound her to Agnes, she describes it thus:

It was the Web. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, and I would call it an accident, but it never is, with them. It’s only after the fact that you can see all the subtle manipulations [...] I began researching what I thought was a counter-ritual of sorts. Like I said, I was young, naive. I somehow found just the right books, made just the right connections, and even got what I thought was a piece of blind good luck when I found a tin box in the ashes of Hill Top Road, containing some perfectly preserved cuttings of her hair. Of course, what I thought was a banishment ritual turned out not to be. The circle I constructed was more of a—an invitation. It let the Mother of Puppets bind me to Agnes, interweave our existences at some metaphysical level, as it had with Fielding and the house. (MAG 145)

Somehow she found the right books. Blind good luck that led her to Agnes’ hair at Hill Top Road. I would call it an accident. It’s only after the fact that you can see all the subtle manipulations – and this is Gertrude, who isn’t infallible, but who Arthur Nolan pinpoints as being “too practical” (ibid) to buy into the mystique of the Entities or to ascribe to them some greater motive, which would seem to belie the possibility that she’s falling prey to (as Annabelle suggests in MAG 147, as Melanie suggests in MAG 149) the tendency to succumb to paranoia while crediting the Mother of Puppets with some grand act of manipulation that the Web isn’t actually responsible for. I would argue that Jon has most likely been experiencing the same kind of quote-unquote happenstance that Gertrude once did, the same kind of subtle manipulation cloaked in coincidence, for the entirety of the series, all of it leading him toward whatever end Annabelle finds most desirable.

Some final notes that I couldn’t really incorporate elsewhere: I really, very much hope that Melanie’s therapy sessions really are just her getting good professional help for everything the Archives and the Entities have thrown at her, but I’m less and less certain that’s the case. Annabelle’s inception, her origin story, takes place in a psychology department. When doing follow-up in MAG 69, the archival staff find that all of the post-grads involved in the experiment have disappeared; in addition, Elizabeth “Liz” Bates, the advisor on the project, refuses to give a follow-up statement. The Web is about control and manipulation; it’s entirely possible that Annabelle has a large pool of qualified candidates to draw on when it comes to providing Melanie with a counselor who doesn’t have “cobwebs down her face” (MAG 149). I also keep getting stuck on the fact that very soon after Melanie asks Daisy not to call her “Mel” in MAG 147 because her therapist has advised her to be more open about these things, Annabelle opens her statement with “Free will is a funny old thing, isn’t it Jon? Can I call you Jon? I’m going to call you Jon.” Sure, it’s coincidence – but Gertrude was convinced, at first, that what she was dealing with was coincidence, too.

As for why Annabelle is doing this, I don’t know. Maybe the Lonely is as much in opposition to the Web as the Desolation is – after all, it’s difficult to manipulate someone in isolation – and she’s trying to impede Peter, not from stopping the Extinction but from benefiting from it, as Simon Fairchild says he will, thereby eliminating an enemy just as the Web did with Agnes and the Desolation. Maybe she’s trying to beat him to the same goal, establishing some level of control over someone beholden to the Ceaseless Watcher just as Peter is trying to gain control of Martin; Jon’s first experience with the supernatural involved the Web, and then there’s that Zippo. Maybe she has some goal all her own, some third option not yet even hinted at. Or maybe, like Jon, she’s acting on instinct, unable to do anything but “dance the steps [she is] assigned” (ibid), manipulating and spinning out her web because she’s incapable of doing anything else.

---

So I accidentally wrote 2.5k of wild conjecture about creepy spider people because I got stuck on the idea that there was a connection between the Zippo and Lietner’s death, that was fun. Shout out to @wildehacked for letting me yell about this and additional shout out to anyone involved in the wiki or the transcripts because oh goooooood would this have been more difficult to compile without being able to utilize those resources to check citations and grab most of the quotes.

Quick edit to add a link to @caught-in-the-infinite‘s excellent alternative explanation for why Annabelle might have wanted Jared Hopworth to attack the Archives, which I think makes a lot more good sense than mine while also having even more ominous implications.

#the magnus archives #annabelle cane #jon sims #the web #tma spoilers #meta #gertrude robinson #agnes montague #tma

158 notes · View notes

theultimateegghead-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Buggers, some creepy crawlies in video games!

Insects, love them or hate them, they are a part of live that almost everyone needs to deal with. Video games are no escape from this, as these critters have hooped, skittered and darted into many games. Also, even though they aren’t technically bugs, expect some eight-legged freaks to pop up as well. So grab your bug spray, grab your swatter, here are some insects in video games. Fair warning, if bugs really get to you, if seeing them can cause anxiety or panic, then skip this list. It’s ok I don’t blame you, bugs horrify me.

Bug type Pokemon (Pokemon) Bug type pokemon, there are too many to include just one. The bug type is realistically not that great of a type, it isn’t very strong and has many weaknesses. However, we have all had a bug type on our team before, they can be good early to mid-game, and even all the way to the champ if you know what your doing. They level up and evolve quickly and are some of the first pokemon you’ll encounter that can use status effect moves. Some bug types can actually be heavy hitters and worth the investment, and now there are even legendary bug types. So don’t put this typing down just cause it isn’t as strong as other types, bug types have a bit to offer! My personal favorite bug types by generation are… Beedrill, Scizor, Ninjask, Yanmega, Leaveany and good old Buzzwole.

The centipede (Centipede) One of the first bugs in video games, lets sing its praise. The centipede is simple, it crawls down the screen and the player have to shoot it into pieces before it reaches the bottom. The mushrooms will block your shot so you have to align them well to defeat the monster bug. Other than that it serves no lore or greater meaning behind its existence, its just a big centipede, simple as that.

Wigglers (Super Mario Bros) Wigglers are, more often than not, peaceful creatures that walk around in a state of ignorant bliss. They often wont react at all if jumped on and will continue on their merry way. Now if you jump on their head your in for a bad time, as they will fly into a rage and dash around in a crimson fury. It is often the best option to just avoid this creature if you don’t want to get hurt.

Caterkiller (Sonic Series) This is technically cheating since it’s a robot. The caterkiller takes on the form of a caterpillar and it just slowly moves along the ground. This creature is best to just avoid, since jumping on it often results in taking damage. The rule is to aim for the head and not any other part. In some games these things can be giant, reminiscent of a sandworm. Overall they are one of the most famous badniks in the Sonic series.

Flourescent Flower (Bloodborne) This beast is a horrifying eldritch abomination. It is a weird mixture of a plant, a centipede and a horrendous gaping maw. The creature has slow turning and is overall not to hard to defeat provided you are not standing in front of it. It attacks primarily with projectiles and can take quite a few hits to defeat. In the main game, they are rare enemies only appearing in one place that you will rarely revisit. They are more common however inside chalice dungeons.

Roolie (Bugdom) A nice little pill bug. This bug is the main character of the obscure yet cherished pc game Bugdom. Roolie must run, roll and kick his way through several levels in a quest to save his kingdom from an evil fire ant army. Roolie is a brave little bug who is up against tons of odd, including bruiser bees, horrifying spiders and even giant feet that want to crush him. However, he perseveres in his quest to save his kingdom and rescue the lady bug inhabitants.

Seltas Family (Monster Hunter) This monster family has two members, the standard Seltas and the queen. Lets cover the Seltas first. This relatively large monster is an airborne menace that likes to dart and fly out of range on the hunters weaponry. They have weak underbellies and are vulnerable to fire. The seltas will try to ram you with its horn, spit acid at you and swipe at you. If you managed to slay it, you can reap the rewards and make some armor. Now for the queen. The Seltas queen is always seen with a normal seltas, the queen is not airborne but can be carried by its underling. When alone she primarily fights with her tail and uses pheromones to call for help. These two make a deadly duo in combat.

Bugzzy (Kirby Series) A recurring mini boss in the Kirby Series. This martial artist beetle can grapple the pink puff ball with his massive pincers and slam him down or throw him. He can summon other bugs to help him if he cant grab Kirby himself. Inhaling him grants Kirby some new fighting moves, and in some games you can even convert him into an ally.

Zingers (Donkey Kong Country) One of the most common enemies in the Donkey Kong series. The Zingers are large wasp that are covered in spikes, due to these spikes they cannot be jumped on. The only way to defeat a Zinger is to throw something at it or have an animal friend dispatch it. They come in different colors, each one flies in a different pattern. They love to hover around barrels and can make barrel blast jumps tricky. What’s worse is that at one point you need to venture into one of their hives.

Giant Wasp (Earth Defense Force) These guys represent the horrors that is a wasp. Fast, aggressive and intimidatingly large. These wasp dart around at high speeds and shoot projectiles at you. Since they are airborne it can be a bit tricky to take them down, as they are quite mobile. They have a bit of health too and sometimes attack in swarms or in unison with other insects. Eventually you’ll come across giant metal versions that are even faster and more dangerous than before. These guys are among some of the most annoying enemies in insect Armageddon.

Queen Bee (Terraria) Deep in the underground jungle, you can find a beehive…Inside this beehive you can find an odd looking larvae, destroy it and prepare to meet the wrath of the queen bee. The queen bee is a very fast boss with a plethora of attacks. She has a good amount of health and the honey in the hive can hinder your movement. Do not try to fight this thing until your prepared and bring a ranged weapon! After you defeat her, you can revel in the spoils, as she drops some pretty good things. Also you get the witch doctor npc as a reward for slaying this giant bee.

Antlions (Half Life 2) Antlions are very aggressive creatures in the Half Life universe. They burrow under sandy areas and can react to surface tremors. Their nest are large and expansive. They come in five primary forms. The standard drone, which can attack in swarms, they have some flight capacity, so don’t think escaping will be easy. These drones are the most common. Next is the grey workers, they tend to not leave the nest and will spit acid at Gordan upon seeing him, they are physically weaker than the standard drone. The worm like grubs are defenseless and stick to the walls, ceiling and floors of the hive, waiting for the day they become a more capable threat. The red soldier is a ferocious large beast that is very aggressive and serves as a mini-boss of sorts, it can take a lot of punishment before going down. Finally the guardian is a soldier that guards the nest, it is very ferocious and very powerful and is best avoided.

Fire Ants (Fallout 3) The wasteland is full of nasties, these buggers are among some of the worst the waste has to offer. In Fallout three, they were born out of a twisted experiment that turned a colony of ants into giant fire breathing monsters. A nearby town was destroyed by this swarm of monsters and its up to the lone wanderer to clear the place out. These monsters are perceptive, fast and deadly. Since the quest that involves them appears early in the game they can be a brick wall that takes a while to overcome. So stay on your toes and keep your gun ready and steady. Beware, for this swarm has a queen…

Frostbite Spiders (Skyrim) Do you hate spiders? I hate spiders, they are freaky and just instantly cause panic in me. Video games know arachnophobia is a legit thing, and they cash in on this bad. Get ready for some spiders, starting with the frostbite spider. These spiders make their home in many caves and some outside areas in Skyrim. They can spit venom at their foes, and can ambush people from above if they dare venture into a spider infested area. These creatures can vary in size, with some being the size of a pig to others being the size of a small house! Fire spells dispatch them pretty quickly, they seem more resistant to cold, hence their name. Try to keep an eye out for these nasties when exploring the Rift, cause they tend to pop up there often.

Cave Spiders (Minecraft) Regular spiders are bad enough in Minecraft. Spiders can crawl up vertical walls, crawl under one block openings and have a dangerous jump attack. They don’t despawn during the day either, even though they cease being hostile in the daylight. The cave spider is everything that makes a spider bad and more. The cave spider is smaller and thus harder to hit, they can inflict deadly poison on you and they tend to come from spawners. They crawl towards you in narrow corridors filled with webs, now the webs only slow you down, not them. If you decide to go deep into a mine shaft in hopes of finding rare minerals or a fortress, be ready to fight these guys.

Black Tigers (Resident Evil) The Spencer Mansion and Raccoon city have a giant spider problem for sure, but one of the biggest of the bunch is the Black Tiger. This monster made its home underground and waits for unfortunate prey to stumble into its domain. It can spit acid and give a nasty bite… What’s worse is that it might have a buddy with it. After some shotgun blast to the face it will go belly up… And proceeds to spit out baby giant spiders, an arachnophobes nightmare.

Muffet (Undertale) Who said spiders couldn’t be cute? Or sell baked goods for that matter? Muffet is both of these. She initially appears at a bake sale, selling various pastries at extremely high prices. Normally a player will not buy these items. Later, the player is forced to battle her, as she was hired by Mettaton to take you out. During the battle she will trap you in her web and send her pets at you. Survive long enough and she will receive a telegram showcasing that you either supported the spider bake sale in the ruins, or you avoided stepping on any spiders. She will let you go after this ‘misunderstanding’ comes to a close. Alternatively, you can show her your love…but you wouldn’t do that, now would you?

Phantom (Devil May Cry) A big nasty from the Devil May Cry series. This demon takes on the form of a giant lava spider and attacks Dante numerous times. He serves as the first boss and is a challenging one at that. Later on, he will attack Dante and switch to a form similar to a scorpion. This spider is arrogant and boastful of its power but is squashed by Dante. In Devil May Cry 2, he comes back for a rematch. He presumably escaped the dark pit he was sent to, only to be sent falling back into it.

Skulltula (Zelda Series) The giant spiders of the Zelda series. These monsters have a skull like design on its back and are nasty creature to come face to face with. They vary in size, from the size of a turtle to the size of a human child. These baddies usually stay attached to walls or suspended on a vine. However they will craw around if need be and can entangle their foe. These guy’s shells are tough and most attacks to the front wont harm the bigger ones, their belly is their weak point, though arrows help too. There exist a rare golden variety capable of inflicting horrible curses upon the greedy.

The Stygian (Darksiders) Of course there was going to be a giant worm on the list. The Stygian is a colossal sand worm that can swallow War whole. Due to its tremendous speed and size, War must ride his horse to do combat with the creature. These monster serves as one of the bosses od the original Darksiders and would do battle with War in a massive arena. Initially its mouth is closed, but its mouth is its weak point so War will have to break it open, during the fight, smaller worms may come to assist it. Upon its defeat, War enters its body and rips out its oddly small heart.

Undeep (Lost Planet) From sand to Snow, the Undeep is a huge monster encountered in Lost Planet. It is fought relatively early in the game and serves as a warning to new players to choose their battles. This creature can be avoided, and it is recommended to do so. However, a skilled tactical player can take the beast down and revel in the victory. This worm is massive and can very easily crush the player under its mass. This worm would reappear in future installments as a boss as well, however in those games your more well suited to take it down.

Earthworm Jim (Earthworm Jim series) Not every worm is hungry for flesh and is the size of a football stadium! This groovy worm is simply put…just a normal cartoon earthworm. What makes him special is his state of the art space suit. Armed with a energy gun, Jim makes his way through many crazy levels, avoiding deadly traps and fighting colorful villains in order to rescue Princess what’s her name. Jim can use his body as a lasso and a helicopter to navigate levels. Jim was rather prolific in the 90s, starring in 3 games and having his own cartoon series. Sadly, his third game was a bad 3D game that doomed him to the back shelf.

The Knight (Hollow Knight) I figured I would end this list with something cute. The knight is a member of the void race. The knight is a gender-less hero that fights with a nail. Over the course of the game, the knight will learn many powers and spells to aid it in combat. The knight can heal itself with its soul. The knight will encounter many hardships over its journey through its world.

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

Wow! This was my longest list yet! Congrats on making it to the end. Tune in next time when we look at some nice beach themed levels!

577 notes · View notes

shewhowantsmouseears · 6 years ago

Text

Welcome To Spookyville! Chapter 5

Notes: As always, big thanks to my amazing editors, Drucilla and BlueShifted! In addition to all the commas, grammar and other mistakes I tend to make, they also added in plenty of their own jokes to make this nonsensical time extra hilarious.

Well, it's the final chapter, I hope you all enjoyed this odd ride. As experiments go, I think this was an interesting one, but not one I'll revisit anytime soon. As much as I enjoy making people laugh, I do miss writing drama and true love.

Big thanks to my pals Chllstarr, Denise, and Cici, and wayyy too many of you nutty folks who, for years, demanded I wrote more of Witch Minnie and poor Mayor Mickey. I hope this satisfied your craving, you lovable weirdos. Naturally, I also thank all my fans who left comments, reblogged, and so forth - each one means the world to me and keeps me going.

Happy Halloween, again, and may your days be less spooky than Mickey's!

Summary: In the final tale of Spookyville, a villain returns with a nefarious scheme... by using another villain! Are they getting as lazy as the author?

For the final tale in Spookyville, we return once more to the pumpkin-filled park, where our heroes – protagonists? – maybe “main victims” is the best term – were quietly passing the time, waiting patiently for another man's arrival. Goofy had set up a lovely picnic, and Donald and Mickey were eating away, their manners impeccable and their taste buds questionable. As they waited, they discussed the topic of the day – the word “normal”.

Normal is relative in Spookyville. If something happens to you enough times, you might consider it normal for your day to day life. Today, for example, Mayor Mickey found it normal to have received a letter from warlock Mortimer to meet him in the town square for another magic duel. Ever since Mortimer lost Minnie's affections to the Mayor (not that he ever had them [in any universe]), he had tried to take Spookyville over in retribution by challenging Mickey to these ridiculous battles, and had lost in utter humiliation each and every time. Since Mickey's magic was much stronger, and Mortimer's mind was much weaker, these became more like chores than epic duels to the death.

“For a guy who claims to be the best student at his school,” Donald said in-between cookie bites, “he sure doesn't learn his lesson.”

“Maybe we should write Headmaster Scrooge about this.” Mickey picked up a cup of pumpkin spice tea. “I don't want to get Mortimer in more trouble than he's already been in, but if a person doesn't learn from their mistakes, they're doomed to repeat them.” He was about to take a sip when his nose picked up on the fact that this didn't smell like pumpkin at all. He glanced downward, and instead of an orange color in his cup, it was pink, the steam looking like a mixture of a heart and a skull with crossbones. “Speaking of doom that repeats for eternity...”

“Hey guys! What’re you doing here?” Minnie chirped happily, right next to Mickey, holding up a gigantic kettle of love-potion tea, if it could be called that. By this point, the three men were no longer shocked she could sneak up on them with more stealth than your average anime ninja.

Donald held up a small envelope between his fingers. “Same reason as you, I bet.” Mickey silently dumped his tea onto the grass, pretending he didn't see it wither and die.

“AND NOW, THE HOUR OF HIS DEFEAT IS NIGH!” In a puff of hazardous blue smoke, Mortimer appeared before our heroes, flaunting his expensive robes and holding up a brand new spell book. “I wanted the people closest to the mayor to see his ultimate downfall! For this is the day I triumph over him once and for all! He will rue the day he didn’t hand over the town to me peacefully when we first met! Now he will know the true wrath of Warlock Mortimer, the most powerful… are any of you listening to me?!”

Another normality of Spookyville was Mortimer’s dull bragging monologues, so when the blue smoke appeared, the small group did their usual business – Goofy poofing up a brand new pot of tea to pour for the mayor, Donald informing Mickey about the day’s schedule while Mickey tried to arrange the best times, and Minnie clinging to his arm and trying to earn a kiss out of him. Mickey was the first to notice Mortimer had stopped talking. “Oh, uh, sorry. Go on.”

“I challenge you, mayor!” Mortimer pointed a demanding finger towards Mickey, while the mayor calmly tried to push Minnie's face away from his own. “To a magic duel! And the winner becomes Mayor of Spookyville! Do you accept?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill.” Mickey waved off his group, and they gave him enough space for him to start doing his stretch exercises. “Can we wrap this up a little quicker today? I’m supposed to give a speech at noon for the Ghoul Scouts. They have a new badge for 'Warning Citizens About Minnie'.”

“It's so adorable!” Minnie added, having poofed up a pair of pompoms to cheer for her beloved. “It almost makes me sorry for trying to use their cookies in last weeks plan! At least only fifteen people got sick this time.”

“Your arrogance will be your downfall today!” Mortimer flipped open his book, and pressed his thumb down on the chosen page. “I only need one spell to take care of you!” The page began to glow black with red letters, giving off a dangerous air. “This is the ultimate Summoning Magic! Long has it been forbidden, but I am the one who can tame its invincible power! Take this, former mayor of Spookyville!” The glow of morbid colors swirled together, and then shot out of the book, blasting towards Mickey. The mayor braced himself, crossing his arms in front of him. The blast hit him –

And went right through him. Mickey blinked, not feeling a twinge of pain anywhere. Not even his clothes registered a tear or a fold. The blast was already gone, and for everyone who was looking at this battle, it was as if nothing had happened. Mickey waited a moment, and then clicked his tongue. “… So, uh, are we done here? Like I said, I got a speech to do, and those girls get ornery if I'm late…”

“I HAVE ALREADY TRIUMPHED!” Mortimer declared way too loudly, doing his trademark obnoxious laugh. “Maybe I can never defeat you, but I know who can! You will defeat you!”

“… I wanna say that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard you say, but I’m gunna guess you still got plenty to say.” He rolled his eyes at his opponent’s gloating, but in doing so, now noticed a red swirl floating just about his head. The red swirl turned and turned over and over until it became rectangular, and then it solidified, turning into a red door. The door then swung open, and someone hopped onto the ground.

It was another Mickey – and yet so not Mickey! Unlike the mayor, this Mickey’s outfit was composed of blood rich reds, from his top hat, to his flowing overcoat, and whatever wasn’t red was nightly black and decorated in yellow spider-webs. His hat boasted a proud yellow bat insignia, his spider-web collar popped out around his neck, and even his eyes were red as the fires of hell. He smirked wickedly at those who had gone silent due to being stunned – except Minnie, who had started cheering “Whoo-hoo, two mayors!” after she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t having that dream she typically had on Tuesday nights.

“Behold, former Mayor!” Mortimer slammed his book shut, now that he was certain in his victory. “I have come across a spell that takes all your worst traits, and creates a second you! All of your sins, all of your hidden evil thoughts, all that you try to hide… that will be your undoing! I deem him… Malice Mickey! Now, Malice Mickey! Destroy my enemy, and make me the new mayor!”

Malice Mickey glanced over at Mortimer, and then stuck his hands in his pants pockets. “Nah.”

“… N-Nah?!” Mortimer dropped his book, unable to believe what he had just heard. “Hey, I just brought you into life! Now go and get me the title of Mayor!”

“Why should I?” Malice Mickey shrugged, and began to take a good look at his surroundings, as the stupefied others stared back and forth at the two bickering. “You said it yourself… you can’t beat me. So I’m gunna take over Spookyville!” He grinned, exposing sharp fangs as devious plans began to grow in his twisted mind. “I’ll flip over all the rules, and make it into my perfect home! No more mister nice guy… this place is all mine now!”

“You ungrateful brat!” Mortimer hissed, trying to pick up his fallen book. “I made you, I can unmake you! All I need to do is go back to that page and-”

Malice Mickey snapped his fingers, and the shadow behind him suddenly rolled around, turning into a horrid beam of pure darkness, blasting right at Mortimer. Unlike Mortimer’s attack, which hadn’t even caused Mickey to flinch, this blast actually did some blasting – Mortimer was now a flat pancake in the walls of the nearby coffee shop. Malice Mickey dusted himself off, enjoying the startled audience. “My powers are of darkness and shadows. I guess you could call it... Malice Magic!” He was evil, not creative. “I can use anything with a shadow as a weapon. So, who’s next?”

“Leave this menace up to us, Mister Mayor!” Donald and Goofy took fighting stances as they stood in front of their mayor, willing to end the problem right there. “It’s still you, deep down! And he has our memories, our loves together, our bonds in his heart! He’ll definitely be reluctant in attacking us! We’ll use our friendship to our advantage! He won’t be able to touch us!”

Six seconds later, Goofy and Donald joined Mortimer as they were embedded into the thick coffee shop walls. “Sorry about that, fellas!” Mayor Mickey called out when the debris had stopped falling. “I promise to give you more vacation days to make up for it!” He ignored the fact that Donald was probably giving him a different finger than a thumbs-up, and faced his opponent. “I ain’t givin’ up my title to someone who’s just gunna cause trouble! You better go back where you came from!”

“Am I supposed to be scared of a goody-two-shoes?” Malice Mickey laughed, and clenched his fists as he prepared for another spell. “You always hold back your real power because you want to protect your precious home… but I’ve got no conscience, no guilt, no shame! This town is mine, right after I get rid of you!” His shadow began to move again, and another attack of sheer darkness was launched at the mayor before he had time to react.

But this attack would not land, as two thin, red magical shields were held up just in time to deflect it. When the pom-pom shields came down, witch Minnie proud stood in front of the mayor, actually capable of protecting him, when she wasn't the one after him. “No one’s getting rid of my Mayor!” she announced with her hands on her hips, and for once in his life, the mayor was glad to be the object of her obsession. “He’s the best mayor Spookyville has ever had, and no handsome madman in good pants is going to change that!”

Malice Mickey carefully studied his opponent, allowing his shadow to return to its normal shape. His red eyes went over her in detail, and then he casually strode up to her, licking his lips. “Mmm… speakin’ of no shame…” He came right up to her, cupping her chin in his gloved fingers. “How’s about when I become Mayor, I make you my secretary? I promise I’m real good at dictation.”

“H-HEY!” Mayor Mickey yanked Minnie back by her shoulders, flustered by a man wearing his face making such lewd insinuations. “This is a Disney Story! You almost made us change the Rating! Where do you get off sayin’ that?! … On second thought, don't answer that.” Minnie, meanwhile, was having a mental meltdown, unable to believe what she had just experienced but very eager to experience it again.

“If you're not gunna use her, why can’t I?” Malice Mickey yanked her forwards, giving her a swift pat on the tail. “And I can think of a lotta uses for her.”

“Get your hands off of her!” Mickey grabbed a hold of Minnie’s hand, trying to get her back.

Malice Mickey grabbed her other hand, and the tug of war began. “Last time I checked, you wanted to get rid of yer stalker. You don’t want her, so I’m takin’ her.”

“J-Just because I don’t want her doesn’t mean you can have her!”

“C’mon, Mins, let’s ditch this loser and have some fun on the dark side.”

“Don’tcha listen to him, Minnie! He’s nothin’ but trouble!”

Back at the marginally destroyed coffee shop, the three victims had managed to peel themselves off the wall and began painfully crawling back to Mortimer’s dropped spell book. “If I can just get back to that page,” Mortimer groaned while on his hands and knees, yet also holding a fresh cup of java. “I can use a counteractive spell and get rid of him.”

“We gotta do it quick,” Goofy whispered so the trio wouldn’t be caught. “Or else Malice Mickey will take over all of Spookyville, and we’re all doomed!”

“Actually,” Donald pointed to the small group of mice. “I think we’ve got plenty of time.” The three of them paused to watch the oddly hilarious tug and pull go on, and judging by Minnie’s deliriously happy expression, she was the one winning the game.

“… So if Malice Mickey is made up of all of the Mayor’s hidden bad traits…” Goofy said slowly as he tried to explain his question. “�� Does that mean he actually likes Min-”

“I don’t think the Mayor’s mental state is ready to deal with those kinds of ramifications,” Donald answered rapidly, hoping enough big words would stall Goofy’s intelligence from coming up with any more dangerously accurate lines of reasoning.

As for the game of mice, Malice Mickey swept up a victory by flipping Minnie over his shoulders and beginning to run away with her, manically cackling all the while as Minnie kicked her heels back and forth in confused glee. Mayor Mickey pushed his hat forward, beginning to snarl as he took chase. “After him, men! He’s gunna take Minnie out on a date!”

“And take over Spookyville,” Goofy reminded him.

“That too!”

~*~

Little known fact about vampires – their favorite color is blood red. As a result, they enjoy filling their homes with red things, such as red roses. Daisy Duck was at the flower boutique, hoping to buy a fresh bouquet for her coffin, genuinely surprised she was in another chapter as she had assumed she was a one-chapter joke. This was only slightly less surprising than the roof being ripped off by a gigantic shadow, and a copy of the Mayor hopping down to the floor with the infamous witch in his arms. But only slightly.

“A perfect location for the start of our date!” Malice Mickey decided, as the customers and employees all also decided that whatever was happening, they didn't want any part of it, and promptly left like a stampede of lion-killing wildebeests. “What better way to kick things off than with a boy giving his best girl fresh flowers?” He plucked off a forget-me-now from the shelf, having forgotten-now this wasn't Minnie's favorite. “Can't get anymore romantic than that!”

Minnie cupped her chin in thought as she took the flower. This was a conundrum! “On the one hand, you are the Mayor, sort of,” she explained out loud, plucking a petal off. “On the other hand, I fell in love with the Mayor for his positive traits.” Pluck. “But you're willing to actually hold me and date me and ignore the massive property damage I cause.” Pluck. “But the way Mickey sobs into his pillow at night over the way I dent the city's budget is so adorable...” Pluck.

The door to the shop opened so hard that the cute bell atop went flying, smacking Malice Mickey's hat off. Mayor Mickey and his cronies stood in the doorway, panting hard, having sprinted all the way there. They spotted Daisy first. “Miss! Have you seen my evil clone and my obsessive fangirl?”

“It's a sad state of affairs that there's not a single weird thing in your sentences anymore,” Daisy said as she pointed them in the right direction, before waving to Donald. “Hi babe. Dinner at eight?”

“This time, can I please not be the dinner?”

Malice Mickey growled, putting his hat back on. If he was going to murder someone, he was going to do it with style. “Get lost, dweebs! I'm not letting you ruin my date!”

“And I'm not letting you date Minnie!” Mickey countered.

“And take over Spookyville,” Goofy reminded him again.

“And that too!”

“Then I'll just have to get rid of you the hard way!” Malice Mickey warned, as Minnie had now stripped at least seven flowers of their petals as she continued to debate her boyfriend options. He raised a hand, and began to fire off more blasts from his infernal shadow powers, which were thankfully so vague the author didn't have to think too hard about it.

The trio ducked under a heavy shade of nightshade, trying to go through their options, while Daisy plucked a straw from her purse – if this was going to be a bloodbath, might as well get a free meal out of it. “We're in trouble, Mayor!” Donald stated the obvious. “It's the last chapter, so the writer is going to be extra lazy in an effort to get this thing done and over with! There could be all kinds of badly written plot twists and deus ex machinas!”

“Or a deus ex mouse-ina., Goofy couldn't help himself, and thus felt he had earned it when Donald kicked him into the line of fire.

“We'll just have to make due!” Mickey opened his cape, summoning one of his many doors. “Concentrate on finding that spell! I'll distract him! Open Sesame!” It was a flower shop, so it made sense to magically command a door full of bees! They swarmed Malice Mickey, but not Minnie, because animals have a natural sense not to attack things they know will destroy them in the blink of an eye.

While Malice Mickey yelped and tried to dodge the stream of stings, Minnie sighed, running out of flowers to ruin. “This is really hard! Maybe I should just flip a coin.”

“Great idea, babe!” Malice Mickey grabbed her wrist, pointing down to his shadow. “As the new Mayor, the city's money is my money too! Let's go shopping!” With that, he hopped into his shadow, vanishing along with his stolen bride.

“Oh, come on, that's taking lazy writing to the max!” Mayor Mickey moaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. “If he keeps getting new abilities whenever he feels like it, we'll never be able to stop them!”

“But this book is huge!” Donald held it up, showing off the thick pages and ineligible handwriting. “I can't even begin to find the spell Mortimer used! How can we find the counter-spell before it's too late? Can't we just have the author go back and delete that note, so we have an easier time?”

Goofy sat up, having been blasted to bits by Malice Mickey's line of fire but still having enough strength left over to drop the next plot point. “Well... since he came from the book, what if we just put him back in there?”

Mickey snapped his fingers. “That's brilliant, Goofy! We'll smash him between the pages, like when I used Donald's schedule-book to kill that pesky fly this morning!”

“Exactly! … Wait, what did you do my book?”

~*~

The First National Bank of Spookyville was normally a quiet, boring place, as most banks are. Being a Halloween-themed bank didn't really change that aspect, save for the fact most of the coins inside were chocolate and covered in fake gold foil. Minnie wound up more interested in eating them than flipping them, which only made choosing which Mickey she preferred all the more difficult. It was also difficult to think clearly when Malice Mickey was making so much noise ripping the vault doors open and laughing evilly as he shoved money into his pockets. “Mwahahaha! All the money in Spookyville belongs to me! It's my right to use it however I want! A new mansion, fancy cars, and most expensive of all, a decent phone service!”

The tellers hid in a corner, afraid of this “new side” of the Mayor. “A politician who is actually honest about their corruption... What's next? Celebrities admitting they actually use plastic surgery?! Spookyville can't handle this kind of reality!”

“Spookyville won't have a choice!” Malice Mickey slammed down a bag of cash, before standing on top of it proudly. “New rules for a new Mayor! I'm going to turn this place upside-down and inside-out!Everyone will have to do whatever I say, and I get to do anything I want! In fact, why settle for being a mere mayor? No more elections! No more votes! For my first act, I declare myself as the forever ruler of Spookyville... King Mickey!”

With that settled, Malice Mickey jumped in front of Minnie, ready to win her over. “How does that sound? Simple and Clean, right?”

Minnie “hmm”ed about it, flipping another chocolate coin in her mouth to give a thoughtful chew. “You know, when you walk away, you don't hear me say-”

“Please, oh baby, don't go?”

“No.” Minnie held up a flat hand to stop the musical. “I'm in love with Mayor Mickey, not King Mickey. I'm starting to wonder if you're just too different from the man I want to be with. If I have to think this much about it, doesn't that say something?” Aside from the fact that this story needed to be stretched out.

“But if I'm King, I'll need a Queen!” Malice Mickey threw an arm around Minnie's shoulders. “Think of it – Queen Minnie! What comes to mind when you hear that?”

“Being a laggy Escort Mission?”

“Besides that,” He cleared his throat. “No rules, no limits! You can do whatever you want, to whoever you want, and never suffer any consequences!”

“How is that any different than what I do now?”

Malice Mickey needed a few seconds to come up with a better answer. “Less puns?”

This was, admittedly, a tempting offer. She thought of it while the Mayor and his lackeys once again caught up to the doorway, out of breath and needing to grab a glass of water before they could manage to speak. “Why is it,” Donald said after a haggard breath, “Witches can fly wherever they want, but warlocks have to run? This town is too big!”

“At the next meeting, let's bring up the idea of moving sidewalks again...” Mickey wiped sweat off his forehead before continuing the story. “Hold it right there, you demonic deuce! And stop holding Minnie! Whatever it takes, I will not let you date her!”

“And take over Spooky – aw, forget it.”

Malice Mickey began to stomp forward, irritation clear on his face. “You've interrupted me for the last time, Squeaky and Clean! I'm going to wipe you off the map! My shadows are endless, I can never run out of them!”

“Ditto for my doors!” Mickey countered, holding up his cape. “I never run out of places to send or things to summon! If we want, this could be an epic battle for the ages with intricate detail and breathless exposition!”

Faced with the idea of a never-ending duel of magic, they decided to just do plain old fisticuffs.

“LADY, COULD YOU PLEASE JUST TAKE ONE CREATIVE WRITING COURSE?!”

Malice Mickey launched himself at his better half, and the childish brawl began, mostly with slaps but also with the occasion punch, kick, and bite. Goofy and Donald didn't dare interfere, just because this looked really childish, especially as Malice gave Mickey an epic noogie. Still, the match wasn't going to make any progress anytime soon. After all, they were equally matched, with equal strength, equal weaknesses, and equal stubbornness. This could have gone on all day and all night.

Which suited Minnie just fine, as she wondered if she could get this image to replay for her every morning when she got out of bed. But this wasn't solving her problem.

With great reluctance, Donald inched over to Minnie, holding out the book that started the whole mess. “If we could just smush the evil double into the book, he'd be gone. You're stronger than all of us, by some cruel twist of fate, so could you do us all a favor and get this over with?”

“I don't know...” Minnie clicked her tongue. “It is kind of nice having the Mayor fight for me! Why should I stop this right now? Maybe the other guy can stick around so the Mayor can keep on chasing me! I can't think of anything better than that!”

Both Mickeys heard this loud and clear, and it became clear to the Mayor that there was only one way out of this. He'd have to say the words he had been dreading since he first learned of Minnie's insane desire for him. It was time to reach into the very depths of his soul and pull out his earnest, honest feelings. Men could only hold onto their pride for so long! He knew Minnie better than anyone, so knew exactly what she wanted to hear.

It was time to use... the d-word.

Mayor Mickey kicked Malice Mickey off him, and on one knee, slammed his hand down to the floor. “Minnie! I just have one thing to say, and if it won't change your mind, I'll give up! I promise I'll leave the both of you alone to do whatever PG-13 things you want!”

Malice Mickey snorted, his arrogant nose high in the air. “What could you possibly say that'll make her choose you over me?”

Mayor Mickey inhaled deeply, eyes shut, mentally readying himself. When he opened his eyes, he stared right at Minnie, who was very curious about this turn of events. “Minnie Mouse... If you defeat Malice Mickey... I'll go on a date with you.”

Three seconds of silence passed – Malice Mickey burst into uproarious laughter. “A date?! That's it? You think she'll get rid of me for one lousy date? You must be out of your-”

BA-THONK, apparently, is the sound of a heavy open book smashed into the skull of an evil clone.

BA-THONK!

BABABABABABA-THONKTHONKTHONKTHONKTHONKTHONK-

“I think he's in already.” Goofy timidly suggested, as Minnie continued to slam the magic book down on the space Malice Mickey used to be. Indeed, he had poofed back inside after the first hit, but Minnie wanted to be extra sure, and thus kept banging the book into the floor until there was a certifiable crack in the marble.

Satisfied, Minnie closed the book. “All done! When are we going out?”

“You can't be serious,” Donald scoffed. “He just said that to get you to help out!”

“Now, now, Donald.” Mickey began to stand up, brushing his outfit down and notably not making eye-contact with Minnie. “I am a man of my word. I said I'll go on a date with her, and that's what I'll do. We'll arrange it and everything.”

Goofy placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. “That's awfully considerate of you, Mickey! I think I respect you more than I ever did before!” Even Donald had to admit this was rather amazing, and he felt his soul moved! Both men were in awe of Mickey's bravery!

“So, Donald, arrange a date... for April 31st.”

Both men were in awe of Mickey's cowardice.

Minnie threw her arms around Mickey for a tight squeeze, unable to stop giggling. “Oh, I can't wait! This has made today's weirdness all worth it! I love you sooo much, my Mayor!” With a smooch to his cheek, she twirled around, delirious with joy. “I'll love you forever and ever and ever, no matter what! Oh, I'm so excited, I want to start preparing for it right away!” She stuck two fingers in her mouth, whistling for her flying broom to pick her up. Once she was high in the sky, she waved back to the men, and let out one more long “I LOOOOOVE YOUUUUUU!” as she sailed off into the clouds.

Mickey straightened his jacket. “So, how long do you think it'll take her to realize April 31st doesn't exist?”

“I give it another minute,” Goofy said after checking his watch. “Guess this is just normal for us too.”

“Gives us a good head start, at least!” Mickey tried to see the positive side of the situation, and started to run. “C'mon, fellas! We've got a whole day of dodging and repairing to get through!” Just like every day since he met her, and every day in the future – given the longevity of warlock lives, and the longevity of Halloween itself, he knew this was a chase that would last until the end of time. For one reason or another, this didn't bother him as much as it should.

Fortunately for the rest of us, this story is not as long. So how does one end five tales of ghouls, girls and ghastliness? Perhaps the simplest way is best. They all lived happily ever after, and Mickey married Minnie and had sixteen children and they all lived in a big pumpkin house with eight cats and -

Minnie, get off my keyboard!

#disney #fanfic #welcome to spookyville #mickey mouse #minnie mouse #donald duck #daisy duck #goofy

2 notes · View notes

fortheloveofeos · 8 years ago

Text

Change of Plans - Prompto Argentum x Fem! Reader

This little request is for @a-le-lone-wolf I hope this is what you had in mind and that today is a better day for you :)

I love sweet Prompto and it’s been a minute since I’ve written anything for him so this was great!

Word Count: 4726

xxx

With a heavy sigh, you flipped on the pocket flashlight clipped to your shirt. “Lights on, guys,” Prompto called the at the same moment. Four more lights flickered on to illuminate the darkened path ahead. Somewhere at the end of this godsforsaken maze of a tunnel system was a royal tomb – or so the rumor went.

“Noctis, please for the love of the six, build your tomb somewhere a little more accessible.” You shuddered as you caught sight of a large spider descending from its web not too far from your arm.

Noctis snorted but agreed as you trudged along right behind him. This made the fifth tomb you and the others had tracked down and only one of them had been an easy task. Since you had parted ways with Cor at the mouth of Keycatrich Trench, things had definitely not gotten any easier. You were thankful for the years of training and the ability to allow your mind to go blank during the heat of battle. Your body knew what to do and, coupled with the instincts of the four men that always had your back, you were certain the lot of you would see the journey to its completion.

Gladio caught Noctis’ arm and motioned for him to stop. You squatted down, leaning forward to look down over the edge of the narrow path you had been following for some time. Daemons writhed and stalked the darkness beneath you but they hadn’t noticed where your group hugged the wall several yards above them. “Something isn’t right. We haven’t faced any daemons since we entered this part of the cave.” Gladio crossed his broad arms over his chest with a thoughtful expression on his handsome features. The cut over his eye that ran perpendicular to the old one was healing nicely.

“Perhaps we should proceed with a greater deal of caution. We were warned that this area has seen a spike in daemon activity recently,” Ignis looked to his young king waiting for him to give the final say.

Noctis nodded before taking another step forward. “Keep your eyes open and watch each other’s backs,” the raven-haired young man summoned his sword before proceeding.

Gladio and Ignis naturally fell in to step close behind Noctis. You summoned your own weapon, a set of chakrams with wickedly sharp serrated edges that had been endowed with lightening magic, and followed your king. Prompto’s grip on his pistols was firm beside you, the promise of a battle heightening his senses as if he had gone through the years of Crownsguard training you had.

You were impressed with Prompto’s aim and his unfaltering loyalty. You had known the blonde jokester for several years thanks to being one of the Crownsguard members trained and intended to serve directly under Noctis. At first, you were uncertain of his intentions and had warned the prince that he shouldn’t trust anyone that would just walk up and already act as if they were friends. Prompto had denied wanting anything other than to call the prince his friend and you just couldn’t understand that. However, Prompto had grown on you with his bad jokes and adorable awkwardness anytime he released you – or any female, for that matter – had entered the room. You the five of you had departed the citadel in hopes of reaching Alitissa, Prompto had stuck close to your side and he had helped you out of a few jams in battle. He had even shared his sleeping bag with you when Noctis had gotten fish all over yours when he carelessly threw his catch into the trunk of the Regalia. You couldn’t help smiling at the thought.

Luckily, the tomb was tucked into a corner of the open cavern not too far ahead. Noctis claimed the weapon of his ancestor quickly and the five of your rushed forward towards the exit. Prompto yelped and Gladio took a defensive position as darkness rippled and filled the air blocking your escape. The daemon that appeared from the inky mist was absolutely huge with jagged, sharp teeth and a strange misshapen form. “What the hell is that thing?” Prompto asked as he aimed his firearms towards the oozing mass.

“What’s the plan?” Noctis shot a nervous look at the resident strategist as he planted his feet, sword drawn.

Iggy summoned his polearm, not willing to risk getting too close. “Until we know it’s weaknesses, use long range weapons and stay out of reach of those…tentacles?” His brows drew together in uncertainty.

A volley of shots rang out, echoing off the cave walls as Prompto fired several rounds into the mass of slithering goo. The bullets, coated in a white hot flame, appeared to burn the gel-like substance the creature was made of and pieces of its exterior burned away. “Hi there, opening,” Prompto snapped in another magazine before firing another round at the damaged area.

“Let’s see how you like a little electricity,” you grunted as you threw each of your chakrams forward. Your heart soared as the electrified circular blades sliced through the creature before the special magnets in your gloves drew the blades back to you.

The daemon howled in pain. Fury made the creature lash out, its tentacles extending forward in search of a target. Gladio and Noctis managed to fend off the appendages easily but one slithered forward and wrapped itself around Noct’s exposed calf. He gasped in pain before Gladio used his greatsword to sever the tentacle from its master. In its place, an angry red welt bubbled on the surface of the king’s skin as if he had been doused in acid.

Ignis called for everyone to regroup as he finished his scan of the enemy. “The only weakness I’m detecting is one to lightening magic. It doesn’t appear to be weaker against any type of weapons.” Ignis used his polearm to block another tentacle as he searched for purchase.

Glancing over, you noticed the sweat dotting Noct’s forehead and the welt on his leg looked to be getting worse. “Gladio, get Noctis out of here. Iggy, you and Prompto watch their backs on the way out.” You got into position before slinging your weapons at the beast once more. It’s angered screams rattled your bones as you caught of the circular blades before sending it right back at the daemon again. Gladio nodded, understanding that Noctis’ life could be hanging in the balance. He shot you a look, one that you knew was meant to be encouraging and thankful, before helping Noctis to the side. Your attacks had drawn the attentions of the oozing nuisance away from the path and towards you.

“I’m not leaving you,” Prompto took aim and sent another round of fire-charged bullets into the target. He had created a large area where the protective gooey layer had broken away to reveal it’s more sensitive inner layer.

Focusing your attentions on the weakness, you sent your next attack there. “I can handle one extra-large booger with a case of the grab hands by myself. Make sure his majesty is okay and I’ll meet you guys at the haven.” The creature roared as your blades sliced through its exposed skin, a dark purple liquid spilling out of the cut. You dodged it’s counter attack as you caught your returning chakrams with ease.

Prompto started to protest again but Ignis stopped him. You missed whatever he said as a tentacle licked at the exposed skin of your arm and you bit the inside of your lip until you tasted the mettle tang of blood to fight back your scream. Your skin bubbled up at the contact but you continued your attacks. Ignis pushed Prompto towards the door before fending off several attacks of his own. “While I admire your tenacity,” Ignis gracefully vaulted to the side, taking off another tentacle, “you cannot hope to defeat this creature on your own.”

Grunting as you slid across the damp floor of the cave to grab your blade before it spun out of reach, you turned as used your momentum to sling it with the added force as the creature. “I’m not planning on dying in here, Iggy, but I’ve got my own promises to keep. Besides, I’m tougher than I look,” you shot him a trademark smirk before firing another round of attacks.

During his own attacks, Ignis had moved closer to the exit of the cave. The creature had shifted its position so that there was barely any room to escape passed its acidic coating. “I did not mean to imply you were not skilled.”

You caught the nervous look in Ignis’ green eyes as he glanced at his fading escape route. It was now or never and he knew it. “You have an oath to fulfill, Scientia, and dying in this cave is not going to help our king take back his kingdom.” You hissed as welts appeared on your leg, some of the acid-like mucus dripping from your blade onto your exposed skin. “Do me a favor, though?”

“Anything?” Ignis answered immediately. He made his dash towards the exit but turned as he pulled a spell bottle from his pocket and pulling the top.

Another roar ripped through the cavern at your latest attack. “If I don’t make it out of here, tell blondie that…that I wish I could’ve told him I loved him. That I wish things were different.” Tears stung your eyes but you refused to let them fall.

“Of course.” You caught the sad smile of the strategist’s face before he tossed the bottle at the creature. His attack hit its mark and the creature seemed to falter for a moment. Its forward motion blocked the path completely, cutting you off from your only chance of escape.

The others waited for days at the haven a few miles from the entrance to the cave system. Thanks to a couple potions, Noctis had nearly made a full recovery. His leg was still sore and thin pink ring wrapped around his calf but he was able to put his full weight onto his leg and no permanent damage seemed to have been done. It was pure luck that the others had made it out unscathed. However, there had been no sign of you since Ignis left you to deal with the monster.

The fire popped and hissed as Gladio stoked its flames to ensure its continued burning. He fell back into his chair heavily as silence washed over the group. They needed to move on, to see that their quest was fulfilled, but none of them felt good about leaving you. Prompto had wanted to run back into the cave several times but the others wouldn’t allow it saying that the creature could still be lurking and that he didn’t need see what may have been done to you.

Ignis had relayed your message once camp had been set up and Prompto had taken his heavy words with more grace than any of them knew he was capable of. He had been remarkably silent as the days passed, only commenting on going back to search for you. He sat in his chair with one near pulled to his chest, his pale freckled face resting against it. His eyes were red rimmed but no one had actually seen him cry. His bottom lip was raw where he had chewed it incessantly in worry. His blue eyes were nearly grey, awash of their normal bright color, as he stared into the licking flames. “I love her,” he spoke so quietly that Noctis, who was seated directly beside him, nearly missed it.

“What was that?” Gladio looked up from his book in concern. He had read and reread the same page at least a dozen times without their meaning sticking in his mind.

Prompto whimpered, a low sound that akin to a groan but filled with heartbreak, as he pulled his eyes to the starless night above the group. “I love her and I never told her.” He spoke evenly but his voice cracked halfway through the sentence. “…and I left her.” Hot tears spilled from his eyes and he made no move to stop them.

“You did as you were asked, as you had sworn to do in the name of the crown,” Ignis attempted to console the resident sharpshooter as he leaned over to place a gloved hand on his back. Prompto shuttered under the gesture but didn’t try to shove him off. “I believe (y/n) knew of your feelings and felt the same.”

Standing so quickly that the lawn chair he had just been using flipped backwards, Prompto stood and clenched his hands hard enough that his knuckles turned white where they peaked from beneath his gloves. “That doesn’t make it okay! You said it yourself, long range weapons were the way to go and instead of backing her up like I should have, I turned a ran out of there. Her blood is on my hands,” Prompto visibly shook as he squeezed his eyes shut. Turning on his heel, he entered the tent for some semblance of privacy.

Noctis stood to follow his best friend but Gladio stopped him with a tug at his shirt and a shake of his head. “Nothing you can do to make this any better, Noct. Give him some space.”

The young king opened his mouth to respond when he felt his pocket vibrate. Fishing his phone out, he swiped across the screen to answer the call. “Cindy,” he greeted her with mock cheerfulness.

“Hey there, prince. Found something I think you and your friends might be needing. Fixed ‘er up for you and got it all ready for you to pick up.” Shuffling and the sound of metal on metal filtered through the phone as if Cindy was currently waist deep in the hood of a car with the phone sandwiched to her ear. “When do you think y’all will be this way?”

Noctis offered one last look towards the tent before getting the attention of Ignis. “Tomorrow. We’ll be there by noon.”

You sat by Cid, just inside the garage when a flash of light caught your attention. The Regalia pulled off the road and parked by the pumps. Ignis immediately got to work filling the tank as the others climbed out. Noctis seemed fine but each of them looked more tired and worn out than you had ever seen them. Prompto’s hair hung limply, still damp from a recent washing as if he hadn’t bothered to fix it. He was pale his eyes had lost the beautiful sparkle you loved so much. You heart broke at his appearance. Your instinct was to stand but Cid stopped you with a shake of his head.

The old mechanic was in the process of changing the dressing over the wound on your arm. It was the deepest cut and the reason you had lost so much blood. The hunters that had found you had stitched up the worst of your wounds and done their best to keep you alive. Cid had taken over tending to your wounds when the hunters had left your unconscious form with the grease monkeys that knew you. His movements seemed practiced as he finished securing the gauze and wrapping it all in a self-adhesive bandage. “They’ll see you soon enough,” Cid chuckled before checking you over one last time.

If you said you weren’t sore, you would’ve been lying. Your body ached all over but other than the deep gash on your arm, your other injuries resembled small scratches now. A new scar cut its way across your bottom lip, splitting the naturally rosy skin at one side and a few others littered your legs but you would be right as rain in a few days. After you had escaped the cave, you had sent your location to someone you knew was in the area. You were too busted up to make it back to camp where the other waited and you could already feel the blood loss making your beaten body sluggish as the adrenaline wore off. Cor had sent a team of hunters after you as soon as he received the message knowing something was wrong. You were already unconscious when they found you not for from the mouth of the cave, your chakrams still coated in the acidic mucus.

Cindy’s lilting voice drew you from your thoughts as she greeted your friends. Cid helped you to stand on your bad knee – wrapped in a supportive brace after you had taken a particularly nasty fall onto it during the battle – and walked with you towards the entrance of the garage. “Reckon she belongs to y’all,” Cindy drawled as Cid helped you stand just beside her.

Your name left Ignis in a surprised gasp. Gladio moved to support you and carefully wrapped you in a welcomed hug. Noctis was next followed by a stiff Ignis. You assured each of them that you were fine, just a little sore, when you noticed Prompto hadn’t moved. His jaw hung loosely, his mouth open and his cheeks tinted an adorable shade of pink. As you watched him, his eyes began to turn, burning with the icy fire you admired so much before he took a shaky step towards you. He whispered your name before taking another step. “Y-you’re really here?”

Laughing, you did your best to look confident despite allowing Gladio to support some of your weight. “I couldn’t let some daemon do me in before I beat you at King’s Knight,” you smiled as tears stung your eyes.

Prompto took the last several steps separating the two of you and pulled you carefully against his chest. His arms around your waist supported your weight effortlessly as he crushed his lips to yours. Not caring that five of people stood as your audience, you tangled your fingers into his incredibly soft blonde fringe to pull him closer to you.

When the two of you finally parted, your both panted slightly and Gladio whistled. “That’s sure as hell been a long time coming,” he chuckled.

Your group was back on the road the next day after the others had helped Cindy out with a favor as payment for taking you in. Ignis set the course for Galden Quey, happy to agree to the notion that you all deserved a few days’ rest and relaxation. Noct still wasn’t one hundred percent and you knew you still looked pretty rough. Gladio seemed excited at the prospect of getting his early morning workouts in on the beach and Ignis was content to learn a bit more of how to prepare a few more dishes with the fish Noctis liked to catch.

Prompto supported you as you slightly limped up to the front desk. You had fully expected the employee to hand over a key to one room – your typical arrangements put you on the couch to avoid being subjected to unwanted cuddling or groping by a sleeping man – and was surprised when Prompto accepted a second key. “I thought we could use some time…to ourselves,” he blushed a bright red as he helped you towards your room. It was separated from the others’ by a few apparently empty rooms and was tucked into a corner of the building overlooking the sea.

You caught the obscene motion Gladio had tried to shoot Prompto without your noticing and the smirk that Noctis made no move of hiding. Ignis pushed his glasses up and nodded, offering a true smile. “I believe the two of you have more than earned some privacy. If you feel like joining us for dinner, we shall save you both seats at dinner.” The strategist hurried the others into their room. He shot you a wink as Prompto opened your own door.

Two of the four walls that made up the room were entirely glass as they stared out over the calm blue ocean. Light poured into the room and everything was decorated in pale calming colors. “How much did this cost?” you breathed in awe as you stood by the glass wall. It felt as if you were floating over the ocean.

“Iggy arranged it,” Prompto sheepishly pulled you towards the bed to get you off your feet. “He told me what you said.”

Blood rushed to your own cheeks as you studied him carefully. Other than the heated kiss the two of you had shared in hammerhead that morning, you hadn’t spoken about your feelings or made any other advances. Prompto had held your hand the entire drive to the beach having forced Noctis to allow him to sit in the back with you. “I’m glad he did. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it out of there and I didn’t want to die without having told you…that idea seemed worse than dying,” you confessed.

“When I looked back and saw that you weren’t following Ignis out of the cave, they had to force me back to the camp. I tried to go after you a few times but they stopped me.” His arms were careful not to hurt you as he pulled you against him. “I love you,” he whispered into your ear and shuddered at the sensation of his hot breath tickling your skin.

No more words were needed as clothing was shed. Prompto was so careful not to jostle your knee too much or to put pressure on your bandaged arm. His lips ghosted over your new scars and his fingers danced lightly over you sensitive skin. You couldn’t help giggling as you ran your fingers over his freckled chest and sculpted muscles. The evening sun that washed into the room made him glow as if he were truly composed of light. You would have sworn you had fallen into bed with an Astral.

His fingers dipped down to your slit and something close to a growl and a needy moan slipped from his lips as he felt how wet, how ready for him you were without much foreplay. His cock was throbbing and pulsing and you hadn’t even touched him yet. “You’re sure?” His breathy whisper was soft as his eyes stared into yours. They were brighter than you had ever seen them. Like jewels shimmering in the light of the sun.

Breathless, you nodded and worried your bottom lip. Prompto gently pulled at your chin to free it so that he could kiss you properly. The head of his swollen length pressed against your clit before he pushed into your entrance slowly. Your eyes fluttered shut and the soft moan that left you was the most beautiful sound Prompto had ever heard. Though he was thick and larger than you had expected, your body took him effortlessly as if you were made for one another. Once he was fully seated within you, he stilled so that you could both revel in the fullness and the perfection of your union.

Your hips bucked against him and you dug your fingernails into his shoulders before you managed to open your eyes. Prompto was staring at you with such devotion and love in his eyes that it was nearly enough to have you a shaking mess already. “Move,” you whimpered as you ground yourself against him.

Neither of you were hurried and the pace he set was slow and sweet and sensual. Neither of you cared much about teasing the other at that moment. It was all about feeling and conveying emotion. Prompto peppered every inch of the skin he could reach with light, feathery kisses and you traced your fingers over his entire body. You both wanted to commit the other to memory, washed in the light of the evening sun with the blissful ocean and the Astrals themselves as your witnesses.

Prompto changed his angle slightly and you moaned, you back coming off the bed at his ministrations. “Found it,” Prompto chuckled against your neck as he sucked gently at the skin. He wasn’t being rough enough to mark you but it was enough to send and added layer of heat towards your core. He focused his efforts on repeating his motions and moved a hand to cup your breast, toying with the nipple.

Your body naturally moved and rolled in time with his efforts. You had never fit with another person so effortlessly and you couldn’t help gasping as the pleasure built inside your body. “Prom-Prompto,” you panted. Your brain was struggling to string together the proper words but the marksman kissed you sweetly and his hands snaked southward between your bodies as if he knew what you needed. The callouses of his fingers added to the stimulation as he pressed harshly against your swollen clit. You moaned into his mouth and Prompto eagerly released your lips so that he could enjoy your sounds.

Spreading your legs wider, Prompto adjusted himself so that he could move at a much quicker pace inside you. Despite the force behind his thrusts and the need etched into his handsome features, his grip on you was soft and guiding as he was aware of your still weakened state. His finger moved quickly against your clit and you felt the floodwalls inside you beginning to crack. “Let go for me, sweetie. Come all over me,” he begged you in a voice that was deeper and gruffer than you had ever heard from him. Gasping, your body exploded in the most earthshattering orgasm you had ever felt. Your body quaked and you careened beneath Prompto. He carefully held you as stationary as he could so that he could help push you through your orgasm, his fingers still working in time with his cock. Warmth raced through your veins as you searched out his lips, in need of another connection between the two of you.

Prompto nipped at your lip, his teeth knocking against yours in need as his motions became sloppy. You wrapped your uninjured leg, still shaking and weak, around his waist to pull him closer and he grunted as you dug your heel into his ass. “I-I’m gonna –“ he panted in warning and you swallowed his whimpers with your mouth.

“That’s it, Prom. Fill me.” Your words seamed to light a fire in him as his pace picked up. A few more snaps of his hips and Prompto buried himself inside you as he released. You both gasped and panted as the feelings of him doing as you asked, of you both belonging so completely to the other.

Prompto fell beside you, pulling you close so that he could trace invisible patterns over your flushed skin. You ran a shaky hand through your hair before he brought it to his lips, kissing the palm. “Wow,” you breathed as a warm smile painted your lips.

A boyish giggle escaped him. “Wow is right. Way better than talking.”

It was your turn to laugh. “I love you, Prompto Argemtum,” you swore in an airy voice as if you had just accepted another duty from the king himself.

Fingers traced along your inner thigh sending shivers through you. “I love you,” he smiled but his eyes grew wide as he withdrew his hand. His fingers were covered in a mixture of the two of you where it spilled down your legs. His grin was impish as he stared at his fingers. “We, uh, made a mess. Sorry.”

Smirking, you sucked Prompto’s fingers clean, giggling at the shock written all over his face. You weren’t worried about the consequences of your coupling, knowing you could pick up a potion in the morning that would take care of it all. You swirled your tongue around his finger once before releasing it from your mouth with a wet pop. “Don’t be sorry. I asked for it.” You winked and sultrily brushed your hair away from your shoulder. Despite the sweet and vanilla session the two of you had just shared, you actually enjoyed things a little…dirtier usually.

Prompto’s eyes resembled saucers as he watched you with a hungry expression on his face. “Change of plans. We’re not going to make it to dinner if you can go another round,” he spoke in a strangled voice.

Laughing, you moved to straddle the blonde. “I’m no quitter,” you shot him a wink.

#prompto argentum #prompto x reader #prompto fanfic #ignis scientia #ignisapproved #reader insert #gladiolus amicitia #Noctis Lucis Caelum #ffxv #ff15 #fanfiction #ffxv smut #final fantasy fanfiction #final fantasy xv #final fantasy 15 #final fantasy smut

365 notes · View notes

chris--daae · 7 years ago

Note

Since you're taking writing prompts and you posted that big list, could you do E/R and “i talk to the shadows hoping you might be listening”?

@convenientalias

This prompt is so great for them. I’m glad I finally managed to write it!

"I talk to the shadows hoping you might be listening."

The place seemed worse every time Raoul went there. With no one to take care of it, there were spider webs on the broken furniture, humidity eating away the papers and wood, rats walking all over everything.

He sometimes regretted not fixing some of it when he had the chance, when the destruction was still fresh. It was too late now. But Raoul could not bring himself to touch it, not now and not then. It felt wrong, to touch what once belonged to him, and Raoul would not admit out loud but part of him still feared. Though in his mind he knew even then that the Phantom would never come back, he still could almost hear his powerful voice raging if he touched any of his possessions.

Not that there was much left. After that fateful night, the last time that Raoul saw him, the mob had arrived at the lair and destroyed everything. It was all ruined when he visited the place again the next day, by Christine's request. It was funny, that Raoul had only bad memories of the place, but still felt sad by the view.

He knew the Phantom would not be there, but Christine insisted, and he did not want her going down there again. It took some convincing, but in the end Raoul went alone. He knew the Phantom would be gone, because he would never have the complete power he used to have over the opera after that fateful night. But most of all, he had seen the look in his eyes after Christine kissed him, the look of someone who had his whole world shaken so fast that he could not keep up. Raoul had no rational reason to trust that his change of heart was real, but he saw his eyes, and when the rope around his neck was cut he knew that nor him nor Christine would ever see that strange man again.

He was right.

But why did he come back, again and again, if he knew the Phantom would not be there, and if he did not touch any of the things he left behind? Not even Raoul knew the answer to that. After Christine got sick, it started being painful to stay at home, to see the woman he loved suffering. One day he took a night walk and his feet remembered the way back underground. He saw himself sitting on the floor, listening to the faint sound of the lake, and speaking. He started telling of his day, of the words the doctor said that didn't leave his mind, and when he realized he was sobbing. The next times were more peaceful, and somehow that abandoned and destroyed room that was once the home of a lonely and strange man offered him a sort of comfort.

"Our daughter started reading." He told, looking at nowhere in particular. "Léone is so intelligent. You would like her. She makes me and Christine very proud."

Was he really talking to nothing, telling of his family, and imagining his past enemy there listening? Raoul did not even gave it thought anymore. It was a routine.

"I think Christine got some color lately. She says she still feels too weak to get up from bed but this time I really think she is getting better."

A tear fell.

"What does that doctor know anyway? Doctors make mistakes all the time. I know Christine will get better."

He rested his head against the wall.

"She will." He mumbled. "You should come by some day. I'm sure she would appreciate it. She doesn't want to tell me but I know she misses you. She misses the music, too."

It was not always so calm. Sometimes Raoul screamed, shouted so loud that he feared someone up there would hear.

"It is all your fault! If you had never entered our lives, we would now be happy, and Christine would not be ill!"

It was a irrational, Raoul knew it. It was no one's fault that Christine was ill. Still, blaming it on him offered a little relief too.

"She's leaving me." He whispered one day. "She's leaving and I can't do anything. I will lose her."

He had no tears left. A part of his heart had already died long ago. It was a matter of time until the rest left too.

"I never even learned your name." He laughed a humorless laugh. "You changed our lives so much and I don't even know anything about you.

Does she know? I could never ask her, you know. We never talk of you. It's somewhat of a taboo."

A sigh.

"She hoped to meet you one last time. That's why I came back. For her sake."

In truth, Raoul did not feel that he could live much more than Christine. He too was getting weaker everyday. Léone was the only thing that made him hold on to life.

"For my sake too." He confessed. "I hoped I could see you again. You left so many questions unanswered. Just one last time."

Raoul stood up, deciding to go away. That was probably the last time he would go down there.

"Are you even alive? Did you manage to escape in safety?" He asked in a loud voice. "Or are you already gone? Will you outlive us?"

He felt a shiver. With a last sigh, he said the last word, the last he would ever direct to the Phantom.

"Goodbye."

#me writes #this got sadder than I wanted #btw many years pass during it #I'm nt sure it got clear #convenientalias

9 notes · View notes

xb-squaredx · 8 years ago

Text

The Ups and Downs of the Open World Trend

Video games, like any other form of media, tend to follow trends. When something proves popular, game after game will come out hoping that lightning will strike twice. We’ve had the industry dominated by platformers, action games, shooters and now we’ve moved onto our next flavor of the generation: Open World games. There’s some good with this, and some bad, and I thought it’d be interesting to investigate just what this might mean for the industry…you know, until the next trend takes hold.

Of course, it might be good to start off defining what our topic really is. The term “Open World” is a pretty broad one, something so vague that might result in a TON of games getting labeled as such despite only fitting the barest requirements. Kind of like how most any game is an “action” game; the term itself runs the risk of losing its meaning if it’s used too much. But for the purposes of this discussion let’s define “Open World” games as any game that places a large amount of focus on exploring their overworld. The overall size of that world matters only in its proportions to the rest of the game’s more structured environments, if it has any at all. Being nonlinear isn’t required, and it could really belong in any genre. Of course, that still might be a little broad, but let’s give an example.

The 2D Super Mario platformers are NOT Open World games. They’re collections of short-but-sweet obstacle courses which subtly (or not so subtly) guide a player forward. There are dedicated beginnings, middles and ends to each level and even if there are secrets to find, often they aren’t TOO out of the way from the rest of the stage. Contrast that with the first few 3D Super Mario games. Super Mario 64 gives you the rather large Peach’s Castle to explore as you find more levels, and the levels themselves are far larger than in any 2D one. Mario will often have multiple objectives in each level, with some missions not really requiring you to go through the entirety of the stage. You have a fair degree of freedom in deciding just when to move forward, though there are certain stages you HAVE to beat before others get unlocked. But with all of that in mind, I’d say Super Mario 64 (and Sunshine to a degree) fits more in line with the Open World mold.

Of course, nowadays our standards for what makes a game Open World has changed, kicked off by two titles that really made it big. Those would be Grand Theft Auto 3: San Andreas and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. San Andreas was really where Grand Theft Auto made it big, with each subsequent game upping the ante on letting players create chaos in larger and larger worlds. Skyrim was seen as a technical marvel at the time, boasting a world of roughly 39 square miles, though quite a few games have come along and obliterated that record. Skyrim in general is treated like a measurement for a lot of people, and to some the value of a game is determined by how many Skyrims can fit within it.

Here we run into one of the major defining points of Open World games: scale. The bigger the better! In some cases, the size of the open world has become another selling point. Now, from a sheer technical standpoint it is often very impressive just how vast these game worlds can be and a sign of how far we’ve come as an industry. To set a game in an actual city or an actual continent and not the rough not-quite-to-scale imitations of the past is to be celebrated, but that scale also brings up MANY problems.

For one, it is an awful lot of work to make these worlds as big as they are. People laugh about all the physics bugs in Skyrim but the developers have their work cut out for them as they scramble to make sure these huge worlds work without the game breaking. We’re asking designers to create entire cities or continents…in some cases even planets and I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets pretty costly, especially as so many games are obsessed with being as pretty and shiny and photo-realistic as they can be. Now I’m sure as developers get more practice with crafting such large game worlds, problems can be ironed out…to a point. There’s still a lot to consider even after you get the workflow down.

You’ve made this giant world…so how are you going to let players navigate it in a way that isn’t tedious? Thankfully, plenty of games seem to have found ways past this issue. Pretty much any Spider-Man game gives you the ability to web sling around New York with ease and in a lot of cases, the simple act of getting from Point A to Point B is fun! You’ve got Batman’s grappling hook and his gliding cape in the Arkham games, the various superpowers the later Saints Row games give you to dash throughout the city and even something as “boring” as being able to swipe any vehicle from anyone in the Grand Theft Auto games to help mitigate travel time. Alongside that, we have the lovely invention of “Fast Travel,” being able to instantly warp to a given area but that alone has problems. A properly thought out Fast Travel system will reflect strong game world design, with lots of interesting landmarks and other important locations that will never be too far from a warp point. Both of the Xenoblade Chronicles games are great examples of that, no area too out of the way to warp to with Fast Travel. So that’s one problem that has plenty of solutions, I suppose, but some issues still plague us.

Once such a large game world has been made…what next? Now the struggle is to fill the world up with enough worthwhile content and unfortunately this is something I still see the industry falling short with. Often rather tedious sidequests are placed in the Open World games of today, like farming for enemy drops or the various collectibles scattered across the map. The sheer scale of a lot of these games make these sidequests utter chores, like finding a needle in a haystack, except that haystack is the size of a city or continent. Often when it comes to worthwhile things to do or find in an Open World game, game developers must walk a tightrope. Make these games too thin on content and you have a mostly empty world that isn’t being put to good use. Put in too MUCH and you have a game with constant distractions that feels cluttered. Generally speaking, the larger your world the more likely that only a fraction of it will remain compelling.

(Seems...a little clustered, doesn’t it?)

I suppose that’s a strength that more closed-off games have over Open World titles. Smaller levels can be tweaked with intimately until every jump, every enemy encounter and every movement on the player’s part feels fine tuned and full of purpose. It’s the kind of fine craftsmanship that really can’t exist in a lot of Open World titles, all too often the world can overstay it’s welcome. Sometimes, bigger isn’t better.

That isn’t to say that the genre itself is bad, and there are certainly great things that can come from them. Plenty of people out there love to explore detailed words, making for more engrossing experiences. In days past, what amounted to a castle or a town was really just a few meager tiles and screens of content and you really had to stretch your suspension of disbelief and use your imagination to fill in the blanks. But nowadays that isn’t necessarily your only option! Now the epic quest to travel the land can feel genuine! Of course, that’s not everyone’s bag. Some might enjoy Open World games for the freedom they provide. When so many games are such guided, linear experiences, seeing a game that lets you go anywhere in whatever order you want is quite appealing. It leads to making your game time a more personal experience. Not to say linearity is bad either, but I certainly see the appeal in offering people more choice.

Winding down, looking at the more recent Open World games though, I have a fear that narratives are starting to suffer. In some cases, maybe the narrative is given a backseat in favor of fleshing out the world; something else had to give in those cases. Admittedly, I can see why narratives can often be cut as they run counter to a lot of Open World games. Stories have a dedicated beginning, middle and end, but trying to attach that to a game where you can go anywhere right from the start…it can get messy. Players might just intentionally avoid the story so they can go off on their own. In the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example, the developers have stated that from moment one Link can challenge the final boss and beat the game without exploring much anywhere else, pretty much skipping the story and most of the game in the process. I can see why, from a design standpoint, stories might have less of a priority if players can just avoid them entirely. I’m not saying every Open World game moving forward won’t have narratives tied to them, and I’m certainly not advocating that they SHOULD have them as a standard, but as someone who likes stories in games, I’m worried. When the likes of Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy have weaker stories in their latest titles which explicitly went Open World…it’s a shame. It certainly doesn’t make me excited for the next Mass Effect. Of course, there are games out there that can buck this trend (the Witcher games in particular seem to get past this issue) so there’s hope.

Looking at the Open World titles that have come out in the last few years, as well as one’s still set to come out soon, I do have to wonder when customers will get tired of the genre. How many empty worlds can they stand? How long before developers get tired of designing massive cities to move your character through? Which franchise will attempt to fit into this mold next? We’ve got plenty of established Open World IPs as of right now, from GTA and Far Cry to Assassin’s Creed and Xenoblade Chronicles, so…do we need any more? Did Metal Gear Solid really need to go Open World? Granted, some of these games are experiments to see what works and what doesn’t, but I fear over the next few years that we’ll see quite a few games attempting to force a square peg into a round hole.

I don’t want to be all doom and gloom, as a number of these titles in the last few years have been good, if not amazing. But mindlessly chasing trends can lead to stagnation, and we’ll be stuck in a place where the game’s scope is more important than it being well made or fun to play. Open World is a perfectly valid genre, but it doesn’t have to be the genre. Similar to the surplus of shooter several years back, things run the risk of blurring together. I mean, we’re now at a point where the next Dynasty Warriors is going to be Open World. That doesn’t exactly seem like a good fit for that series, does it?

But inevitably the trends will change and something new will come forth. I suppose Open World games can have their time in the sun for now, and we’ll see what will take the throne next. Puzzle games? Racers? My money’s on visual novels.

Until next time.

-B

#xb-squaredx #blog #open world games #witcher III #metal gear solid V #finalfantasty XV #saints row 4 #Agents of Mayhem #Grand Theft Auto

1 note · View note