#the lion plush is literally just a plush that my one of my friends bought me at the zoo

[pepper-bottom]

i have only one love and it’s them

[immiebee]

Who wants some Alaric fluff?! My laptop is still being worked on and improved so I haven’t been able to post to AO3.

Brief mentions of trauma and abuse.

Story is 19 (though it doesn’t mean that trauma is ok when you become an adult) and Alaric is 21. Just thought I would mention their ages so not to confuse people.

......

Hearing the heavy door creak open to his room, Alaric let out a loud sleepy yawn as the light from the hallway illuminated his face. Sitting up on his elbows and rubbing the sleep from his blue eyes, the young man peeked an eye open. A blurry figure filled the doorway as he focused.

Giving a sleepy grin, Alaric made out Story’s features in the door way. The strawberry blonde man was wrapped in a blanket and curled into himself as he waited for Alaric to let him in. Quirking an eyebrow Alaric let out a soft chuckle as he scooted over in his large bed, happily thumping the bed.

“You don’t have to ask, Story. If you have a nightmare you can come in here whenever you need.”

Awkwardly standing in the doorway, Story gave a soft whine before shaking his head and backing out into the hall. Standing up and slowly walking his way over, Alaric gently held out his hand for the other, a soft smile breaking across his face.

“Would you like to sleep in the bed with me?”

The shorter man nodded vigorously, “Please.....”

“Of course!” Slowly closing the door and leaving it open a crack; Alaric knew Story hated the dark, something that Story never spoke of, but when left in the dark for an extended amount of time the younger man would pass out in sheer terror. It made Alaric’s blood boil and his chest tighten to think of what could have happened to the other to make his body simply shut down after a few minutes of total darkness. Shaking his long ombré hair Alaric lifted the cover for Story before making his way over to his side.

Snuggling back into warm covers Alaric fluffed up his pillows before nuzzling in for a night well rested. That was until Story began to sniffle. Turning over Alaric gently placed a hand on his bed mates shoulder.

“Story?” Softly questioning the other, “Do you want to cuddle?”

Letting out a soft cry Story buried his face into his blankets, “A....a part of me wants to......but I can’t.....it hurts......”

Sitting up on his knees Alaric went wide eyed in panic, “What hurts!? Is something broken?”

Shaking his head Story shrugged his shoulders. The blonde’s green eyes full of tears, “My heart hurts. My head says you’ll hurt me. My heart says no, but it believes the thoughts my head is telling me.”

Sitting back on his heels Alaric breathed a sigh of relief the other wasn’t in any physical pain. Another slam of aggression rose in his chest at Story’s sorrow.

Those bastards! If he ever sees one outside the Red Market......well let’s just say he might need to practice on how well he could control his illusion casting while beating the shit out of someone......

Peeking over the others shoulders he gave an encouraging smile, “You know I would never hurt you or make you distrust me. I think I have a solution for your dilemma.” Hopping off the bed Alaric races for the door as he swung it open. Story sat up clutching the blankets as his friend raced out the door before Alaric doubles back, “Stay here. You’re safe! I have to run to my Hide Away! I’ll be right back!”

Story gave a soft nod as he heard the rush of foot falls race down the hall. Nearly ten minutes later, Story nervously biting his thumb as he waited for the other to return, finally heard the sound of feet heading towards the room. Peeking out of the covers Story let out a relieved sigh before it turned into a startled shriek of terror at the beast filling the doorway. It had the mane of lion, the horns of a ram, the feet of Alaric, the tray of snacks?????? .......Story pulled the blankets off his head, his blonde hair frazzled at the sudden appearance of Alaric struggling with a tray of snacks and two giant plushies.

“Ow! Ow! Dammit, Ram-Bam!” Alaric tripping over a giant plush hoof before he let out a soft shriek, “Mini Ma! Nooooo!!!!!! Now your paw is sticky with jelly!”

Story let out a soft giggle as Alaric flopped the two massive plushies on the bed, a few cookies scattering over the blankets in the process. Story swiftly scooping them up and tucking them safely to his chest before nibbling on the late night snack. After a few moments of juggling his haul Alaric finally turned his attention to the other. Grinning he picked the other up under his armpits, a soft squeal filled the room as Story was tucked into a pile of pillows before Alaric grabbed the giant well loved ram and lion plushies. Putting the lion plush on the side of the bed and under Story, Alaric soon places the ram plush between the two of them before giving a satisfied nod.

Scooping up the tray he handed over a cup of warm milk before setting the plate of soft cookies between the two of them. Mumbling as he took a mouthful of cookie, “There! Nothing better than a warm snack before bed and two large plushies to snuggle with!”

Patting the lion plush Story gave a soft smile before he quickly halted his descent to run his face in the soft mane. Alaric’s bright smile and nod, gave him all he needed before setting his cup on the nightstand and burying his face into the mane. A large plush hoof soon rested in the middle of his back as Alaric moved to settle down for sleep. His own cup and tray placed on the other nightstand.

Reaching over the ram plush, Alaric gently tussled Story’s messy hair, “There! You get snuggles and I won’t break your trust. Plus Ram-Bam’s fat so I won’t accidentally grab you for a snuggle in the middle of the night!”

Story’s soft giggles filled the room, the blonde reached back linking fingers with the other, momentarily startling the other man, “Thank you....”

Kissing his fingers, Alaric quickly tucked himself against his pillow, hand still locked with the other, “Sleep well, Story.”

~~~~~~~~

“Lactarius......what are you doing?” Valerius quirked an eyebrow as Lactarius came back from her shopping trip. A large behemoth turtle plushie nearly swallowing her alive as she struggled to keep it off the floor. The witch struggling to get through the front door.

“Story has been sleeping with Ram-Bam and Mini Ma at night.” Huffing, the greying witch sat the massive plush down in front of herself.

“Ah, I was wondering why Alaric had drug them out from his study.” The Consul had given a quizzical head tilt when he found Ram-Bam sitting on the knole couch in their library only for the ram plushie to disappear a few minutes later when he went to ask Lactarius about it.

“Hide Away....”

Pinching his brow Valerius chuckled, “Hide Away. Yes. Hiding everything precious to him while his own home is being constructed so we don’t throw it away.”

“You did threaten to toss his collection of random buttons.” Laughing she let out a sigh, “Anyways, Alaric told me Story has been having trouble with sleeping by himself, but whatever happened to him in the past, he can’t bring himself to trust anyone to snuggle with him yet. So I thought I would go out an buy him a weighted plushie to help him sleep at night!”

Valerius’ eyes wrinkled as he smiled at his wife. Walking over he dropped a kiss to her lips before stroking her cheek. “You are amazing. You are a wonderful mother.....it is a shame we couldn’t have more.” His golden eyes went downcast at the memory of the doctors telling them she would be unable to have another child after Alaric was born.

Kissing his palm, Lactarius gave a smile, “Have you not met our son? He’s like three kids rolled into one body. We would have been sent to an early grave had we had more.”

Letting out a choked laugh Valerius kissed her once more, “I blame his mother. Wild blood. Absolutely mad.”

“His father’s drinking must have scrambled all of his good senses.”

The entrance hall filled with ruckus laughter as the pair playfully bantered back and forth as they made their way to Alaric’s Hide Away, were the two young men most likely hiding from the world.

Knocking on the door Alaric’s parents heard him holler from the opposite side of the door, “Come in!”

The pair stepped inside as Alaric greeted the two of them. His hair in a messy bun and his study a chaotic but organized mess, Valerius noting he must have been in the process of putting more things in boxes and preparing for his move to his new home next week. It made the Consul’s heart hurt just thinking about letting their only son go off and continue next stage of his life, Lactarius chuckling and reminded him that their son was literally going to be a mile walk through the woods. When Alaric had told the pair he had purchased the large woodlands behind their home, Lactarius felt something deep within in her chest. In her village, there was no option to leave. Yes, a woman could leave to find a suitable man to copulate and maybe have a meaningful relationship with. But once she had a child, there was no time to wander. You spent the rest of your life behind the thick vines and hidden walls of their village. The clan too good for the outside world to bother with the warring cities and helpless villages around them. The fact that her son chose by himself to remain near them made her heart fill with warmth.

Looking up she saw Story’s face peer down from the rope canopy, his blonde hair covering his one green eye. A chuckle breaking from her lips as he reminded her of Muriel. Acts like Muriel, but at a quick glance looks like a young Lucio. The young man staring down in awe at the giant turtle plushie at Lactarius’ feet.

Waving him down Lactarius called, “Story won’t you come down? I have a present just for you!”

A sudden sound of excited footfalls down the spiral staircase and suddenly the blonde was in front of them. Excitement in his eyes, lion plush gripped tightly in his one arm, and a bright smile on his face. As soon as his expression came, it went in a sudden unexpected bought of sheepishness.

Giggling Lactarius ran soft fingers through his hair, the young man leaning into the affection like a kitten, “You are fine, little one. You have a right to be excited! I got you something all your own in town today.” Holding up the giant plush Lactarius held it out for the young man, “It’s weighted, nothing too heavy, but just enough if you lay it across yourself at night it feels like you are cuddling with someone.”

Tossing a wink at Alaric, the young man affectionately straightening Ram- Bam’s bow before his mother caught his eye, “And I think Allie would like to cuddle his two favorite plushies again.”

“Momma......” Blushing Alaric sputtered, “I can share! It’s not a big deal.”

Before Lactarius could respond the turtle plush was lifted from her arms and held tightly against Story’s chest. The blonde tossing the plush over his shoulder so the large head and flippers hung over and draped across his chest while the weighted body rested across his back. Clutching the flippers together Story gave a bright smile, “Thank you, Matriarch!”

It was Valerius’ turn to laugh as his wife sputtered in embarrassment, “Just Lactarius will work for her. She gets flustered when anyone uses titles outside of court or ambassador meetings.”

Lifting the lion from the young man’s loosened grip, Valerius tucked it carefully under his arm while Story properly looked over his very own plush. The Consul blinked back tears when Story raced over to affectionately hug his wife, as soft whisper filling the space around them, “Thank you, Momma.”

Lactarius let out a wet laugh as she hugged the blonde close to her, “You’re welcome, little one!”

As Lactarius fussed and cooed over the blonde, neither father nor son dared to correct the young man currently wrapped in her arms.

[jameshateseverything-blog]

Your Childhood (Actually) Sucks

I’m always worried when I say this; but Final Fantasy 7 is the most overrated game of all time. That, however, isn’t the point. How good it is is less important than how good people remember it being. Because the way people remember things is more important than the way things actually are.

  I spend a great deal of time thinking about being thirteen. Probably more than I should, to the point it borders on an addiction. My best friend and his newfound girlfriend decided Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” would be “their song.” I had placed second at the district chess tournament being held at my school. And I had been playing Final Fantasy 10 for the first time. It was not the first game in the series I had played, that goes to 7. What it was, however, was the first game in the series I have ever experienced.

  When I initially set out to write this essay I wanted to merely make an argument as to why Final Fantasy 7 isn’t good (or at least not as good as everyone seems to tell me it is). I had planned out several points as to why other entries in the series trumped it. Namely in the storytelling and gameplay departments. I decided to give 7 another playthrough, however. After spending some time with the game, which I concede holds up better than most Playstation 1 titles, I have come to realize something; maybe Final Fantasy 7 is not just the most overrated game of all time. Maybe, just maybe, the entire series is one of the most overrated gaming franchises ever. For those of you (which I assume is most) that have never played 7, 10, or any Final Fantasy, I am going to do my best to cover the story of those two specific games. I chose 7 and 10 because (a) the original argument was based on 7 and (b) though I wouldn’t say 10 is the best, I would say it is my personal favorite.

  Our story opens up with edgy ex-corporate mercenary Cloud Strife working alongside terrorist movement AVALANCHE to take down a Mako reactor. Mako being the life force of the planet and what is used to run all machinery. It is essentially crude oil that has the latent ability to grant certain people magical powers, like shooting fireballs or summoning ancient gods. But Shinra faces the problem that Mako energy is beginning to run low and their only hope is to find an ancient promised land. A promised land that is rumored to have Mako flowing endlessly beneath it. The dilemma, only an extinct race of people, the Cetra, know how to find this fossil fuel Mecca.

 As the game progresses you assemble a team of unlikely heroes including emo boy Cloud. A revenge-fuelled Barrett who has a gun for a hand and a deep-seated hatred for Shinra’s use of technology. The last remaining Cetra, Aeirith. There’s also a pseudo-vampire, a talking lion wolf, and a marshmallow plush controlled by a cat. Shinra has their eyes set on Aerith, they manage to capture her, and so begins the quest for renewable energy. Cloud and crew go to rescue her and this is when the true villain is introduced. Pretty boy and fan favorite Sephiroth is a one-winged semi-clone of a deity that fell from the sky as a meteor thousands of years prior. Sephiroth is one blatant metaphor for a Christian guilt complex. Sephiroth (who is also the god Jenova) wants to summon another meteor to destroy the planet so he can absorb all the Mako and become one with it. When Cloud and friends try to stop him, he manages to mind control Cloud. Then Convinces Cloud that he’s a clone of Sephiroth with the memories of some guy named Zack planted in him. Cloud has a mental breakdown, becomes catatonic, falls into the planet’s lifestream with his childhood friend, and sorts out his existential crisis like some bad acid trip. After he spends 10 minutes getting his shit together, the gang flies into the crater where Jenova initially crash landed Lord Xenu style. They do battle with Sephiroth, who is also Jenova, who is also the ancient entity known as Meteor. They kill him with the help of a deceased Aerith, and the world returns to its beautiful dystopian self. Minus the evil conglomerate monopoly of Mako Shinra once had. Convoluted enough for you? I didn’t even touch on the movie, four spin-off games (two on cell phone), or the racing of giant chickens to learn to summon King Arthur’s henchmen.

 Let us compare 7’s convoluted mess of a story to 10’s. Final Fantasy 10 follows Tidus, a young man with an Oedipus complex. One night, during a game of underwater space soccer [read: Blitzball], Tidus is interrupted by a colossal parasitic winged slug destroying the city of Zannarkand. Tidus and a friend of his father try to fight the creature but are ultimately defeated and Tidus wakes up in a completely different world. In this new world, a few things overlap. Space Soccer is larger than the super bowl, the city Zannarkand still exists though it is in ruins, and the giant slug unironically named Sin. Sin is the driving force for the game’s narrative. The creature is an evil that reincarnates itself and is allegedly a manifestation of what happens when man uses technology rather than prayer. So I guess Sin is just another Christian guilt complex villain.

 Throughout the story Tidus befriends an unlikely group of heroes including a subpar Blitzball player who has a deep-seated hatred (bordering on racist) for the machine using Al-Bhed. There is a summoner on a pilgrimage to sacrifice herself to stop Sin for another couple dozen years. A biped lion wolf, and a few other JRPG tropes.

 As the story progress you find out that Tidus’ father helped on the previous summoner’s pilgrimage and became Sin. Tidus finds out he isn’t real, and that if they defeat Sin he will fade into a literal dream. Tidus spends 10 minutes sorting out this existential crisis. There is some whistling. The party goes inside of Sin. Father, son, and not-so-holy ghost all die. The world falls back into its primitive state now liberated and free to use their technology as they please.

 The games are pretty damn similar when reduced to the lowest common denominator. I have time and time again praised 10 while putting down 7. And if you have played both of them you would be quick to see how they are inherently different. But this is how I remember those games. And how I imagine many others remember them to some degree, minus a few scenes left out for brevity.

 I was 13 and sitting in the back of my step-father’s Lincoln Navigator. There was a PS2 set up to the small screen and I was playing Final Fantasy 10; nearing the end. My step-dad just bought a “new car” scented car freshener. To this day I associate that smell with my favorite game of all time. This phenomenon, my addiction, to me is one of the most fascinating tricks the mind plays on us. Nostalgia, coming from the greek words nostos and algos translating to “homecoming pain.” There was a time it was used by the Swiss military where they thought the only treatment for the condition was to send the mercenaries home. Now we see there is something universal about “the better days.”

 After discussing the concept of nostalgia with a handful of people I have noticed people tend to fall into two different camps. Some, myself included, look at nostalgia with joyous sorrow. As though there are memories, emotions, and sensations that can never be duplicated. Think back to a favorite Christmas or birthday present, remember how you felt? Even though I believe that feeling itself can be replicated, the way you remember that feeling is encapsulated in that moment and forever gone. In this first camp, there is a fear that if we don’t cling to those memories we may lose a piece of our identity with them. The second camp tends to view nostalgia pejoratively. Longing being some type of weakness. Even if there were  “good ol’ days” you can’t ever get them back so why waste time trying? Now whether either of these mentalities is objectively more correct than the other, impossible to say. I’m more just fascinated that everybody feels homecoming pain. I did notice, however, that people more invested into games (video or sport) tend to sit in the former camp with myself. I think that is where Final Fantasy, especially 7, begins to fall apart. Am I using Nostalgia to say that Final Fantasy 7 is bad, even subjectively? No, not really. Instead I’m calling into question why it is important. Not important for gaming, but important to the gamers who believe it is the high bar for the series, or even games in general.

 A few hundred words ago I drew attention to the similarities between 10 and 7. And I would like to narrow that down to just the two protagonists; Cloud and Tidus. At face value these characters are different. Tidus is a young, naive, hot-headed sports star trying to live up to a father he resents. Cloud is a battle-hardened soldier whose idol turned out to be a monster. We are supposed to identify as these two. Our perspective is limited to theirs. Both are detached from a larger picture that they inevitably find themselves the center of. So even if Cloud and Tidus are different from one another, their general arcs manage to remain the same. This is why people (myself included) find these games to be important in their lives. Both of their lives are lies. One is a fleeting dream of the gods and the other a blonde husk with a brunette’s memories. Neither character has any reason to exist.

 Usually, if you listen, when people talk about their favorite music, movies, games it often is something from their childhood. You favorite Final Fantasy is most likely the first one you played. If it isn’t, your favorite was probably played around the ages of 13-16.  Even if you have never played these games I want you to take a moment to just stop. Take a nice long hit of that homecoming pain. Go back, try to remember being 9, or 13, or 16. Try to remember who you were as a person. Sorry if you were awkward, but that awkwardness is kind of the point. These transitional points in our lives, they are moments when we are developing responsibilities and learning who we are. Whether it is your first day home without the babysitter, or a first day of high school, those periods are when we can exist outside of our parents and act as yourself. I remember once breaking down in front of my parents proclaiming I did not know who I was. I didn’t belong. I had no reason to exist. I was the same as Cloud or Tidus.

 I suppose when I hate on Cloud as a character, or when others shun Tidus, what we are really doing is collectively hating how annoying and whiny younger versions of ourselves were. But it wasn’t always that way. Sure, we didn’t have to come to terms with being a clone. But maybe, like Tidus, we discover some aspect of our life is a lie. Santa isn’t real. We can’t all be astronauts. These tiresome characters are just us as tiresome teenagers. And it is hard not to look back and cling to that notion, a moment where we didn’t have to feel so alone. At that age it is nice to be understood.

 So do I hate Final Fantasy 7? No, of course not, I’m mostly enjoying my third playthrough. But the story doesn’t speak to me like it did when I was a kid. I’m not sure it is supposed to either. This idea that no Final Fantasy will ever capture the same magic as the old ones is toxic. It is only going to hurt the growth of the series in the future. Nothing revolutionary can come of trying to capture the old while moving on to the new. 7, 10, 13, these games aren’t terrible by any means. But they are the Donald Trump of gaming. Maybe we can’t make Final Fantasy great again. Maybe it never was that great.

[blaperile]

Hiveswap Episode 1 Reaction Part 11: Livin’ the good life in the living room (living room exploration part 3)

Welp, the past 3 evenings have been really full, so regrettably we couldn't continue playing.

I'm feeling already pretty tired right now, and it's 9:30 PM, but whatever, it's time to make some progress here!

Right, we just finished in the left part of the living room, with the front door and the bear and deer and such. It's time to examine the piano now.

"Play a haunting melody" :D!!!!!! Homestuck reference secured.

I mean... I HIGHLY doubt she actually will, considering how the piano is filled with all those toys and so probably doesn't work anymore, but nonetheless I love the shout-out.

Ahahaha, yup, a very meta reference to Homestuck about setting the mood with an eerie melody. (Conveniently, the game IS already providing us with a haunting melody in the background :P)

Wait.

Is she suggesting the piano still WORKS despite all those plushes in there?

Heh, but Joey doesn't know how to play the piano. Then who does? Did Ms. Claire know how to play the piano? Does Jude?

Pogs && Piano ==> Pfff, a pog piano. The worst hell imaginable. :P

Cherub Key && Piano ==> Oh??? Another mystery to add to the Cherub Key mystery pile!

Well that's weird... I wonder what kind of music she hears then? Are we going to hear that particular music once she activates the portals, perhaps? Now you've got me really curious.

Also... I wonder if Dammek has a similar (as in, possibly exactly the same) key and has similar weird experiences with it prior to the events of Hiveswap/Hauntswitch, and if he considers it a heirloom from his Ancestor or something.

Tap shoes && Piano ==> WELP. Insert 'you tried' here.

Alright, good thing we can't examine that messed up stuffed wolf. :P

Well then, uh, let's examine the picture on the wall with Grandpa on it...

Pffff, that drawing of Grandpa's face is hilarious.

Also, that's a pretty interesting frame around the picture. Those shapes on the sides are pretty weird. They almost look like... faces? Like, they vaguely remind me of the Hero of Rage symbol.

I love how her comment on examining the picture is so sad and hilarious at the same time.

Oh Joey, so you'll be teaching animal rights and dancing class at college then? :P

Okay so, if we go more to the right we're heading into a new part of the room. Let's first see if there's anything more on the left?

...Okay no, then we just go back to the side of the room we were initially on when we came down the stairs, so there's nothing new there.

Alright then, let's see what's on the right side of this living room!

...

BLUE LADIES. Oh dear god, looks like this is the place where Grandpa's giving them their time to shine. LITERALLY what with that blue lady lamp. xD

Heh, that portrait just behind the lamp resembles the one that we saw Jade examine in Homestuck, probably as a deliberate reference?

...

Is that the fucking walrus from Alice in Wonderland hanging on the wall as a trophy? Oh dear god, now I've seen everything.

I guess it was a matter of time before Alice in Wonderland references made their way into Hiveswap just like they did with Homestuck. :P

Every lady looks really nice when looking that blue? I'm sure Nannasprite will appreciate the compliment ;)

Also yes, let's all imagine that the woman who was the model for this lamp actually wore a lamp cap on her head. Thank you for giving me that mental image, Joey. xD

Pfffff, one of the monsters is walking around outside, in a ridiculously silly way. Looks like we can't examine these doors to the garden though.

Alright, looks we've reached the furthest right part of the room, but we can press downward to look at the living room in yet another angle! Let's see what that is (I wouldn't be surprised if it's basically the same view as when we first got down the stairs, but now much more zoomed in on what was first the background of the room)

...Yup, that's exactly it!

N'aww, those handprints/pawprints on the door look like they're Joey's and Tesseract's, probably made by them while playing at some point.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot there was another blue lady lamp in this room. At least this one has a head. :P

D'aww, looks like Joey's got her own little clinic there.

...The face of that lion in the picture on the wall is really, really weird. Kind of reminds me of a Karkat face, actually. xD

Interestingly, that pony doll has multiple colours of manes.

Let's examine that bookcase from up close...

"That was three years ago" THREE YEARS?! (sorry, couldn't resist)

...Eesh. They never got around to cleaning up those books. I guess it doesn't help that Joey isn't much of a reader anyway, and maybe Jude isn't either? And it looks like Mom never got around to cleaning it up either.

Pogs && Bookcase ==> ...What the hell is slam sesh even?

*looks it up*

...Well that doesn't clear much up. xD The only somewhat reasonable thing I can find is "slam party", but that's clearly not what Joey's talking about here, hahaha.

Pet treats && Bookcase ==> Bad dog, worst mess. :P

Ballet slippers && Bookcase ==> Yes thank you for giving me the mental image of Joey making a *insert what the proper ballet word is for a stylish jump* over those books.

I wonder what's behind those doors, where that plastic tube leads that goes all the way from Jude's room to here?? plainWonder's guess that it is the kitchen makes sense.

Let's wait a bit before entering the door, but let's already try out the item combinations on it.

...Well, that doesn't work. xD

Okay, moving on then.

Batteries && Blue lady lamp ==> "It clearly has a power cord." Umm... does it? 'cause I don't see it. xD

I guess it's probably hidden behind that blanket somewhere?

Oh my god, what even are all those other item combinations. I feel like they had a field day writing the bits of narration for this one. :P

Ahahahaha, yes, imagine that the lion painting was made while Grandpa was being attacked by a wild lion.

"Teddybear Outpatient Clinic" Brilliant. And also adorable. :3

Also, a quick Google search seems to suggest "Arsala Teddybear" is not based on someone real (I mean, I highly doubt it's supposed to reference a dietician), but who knows. At this point, nothing would surprise me anymore. :mspa:

Interestingly, we can examine the clinic both when having zoomed in on the lion painting and when zoomed out.

...Huh, but we can't use any items on the clinic either way. Welp.

Oh boy... time to examine that winged bear clock monstrosity. xD

Interestingly, that clock reminds me of Doc Scratch's clock. This one probably doesn't have any magical properties related to God Tiers though. :P

plainWonder just pointed out to me that the clock reads 11:11! Those brilliant bastards.

That doesn't seem to the correct time though, considering that the sun is still setting outside and it's autumn it doesn't make sense that it's 11:11 PM.

On one hand that would make me think the clock's broken, but that pendulum is still ticking. Maybe it's just the hands of the clock that are broken?

Or the artist who made this decided to make a cool reference instead of paying attention to what time it's supposed to be in the game (or maybe it wasn't even decided yet at that point). :P

...Pff, okay Joey has surprisingly little to say about the weird clock. Let's see what the item combinations provide us with...

Pogs && Bear clock ==> Joey just really likes doing bear puns, doesn't she? xD

Pet treats && Bear clock ==> Oh jeez, I hadn't even realized the clock was actually IN the bear, not outside it. That is... disturbing.

Cherub Key && Bear clock ==> Oh!!! That seems like it might be referencing Doc Scratch's clock. That, and Caliborn's connection to Time in general, is the only link I can think of between this key and clockwork.

Hahaha, they were all really short comments about the clock though.

Oh yeah, some more African masks in the corner, just like the one that was hanging beneath the stairs!

Cherub Key && African masks ==> Ahahaha, this seems to be a subtle stab to all the eye injuries in Homestuck. Surprisingly, nobody got a key jammed into their eyes. :P

Ballet slippers && African masks ==> Oooh, I didn't know there was an actual difference between masques and masks! I just looked it up, that's pretty interesting that "masques" is used more in the context of the dancing/theatre world.

Heh! That blue lady portrait next to the door was hidden pretty sneakily, we almost would have missed that it was clickable what with it being off-screen for the most part!

Looks like there's some African arrows in that plant, haha.

Huh, that's weird. We can use items here after zooming in!!! That's strange, that probably means there's a particular item we can use here??? I wonder what that is.

....WOW. So the blue ladies are based on ACTUAL people that Ms. Claire knew??? I DEFINITELY didn't expect that, I always thought Jade's interpretation was correct that they were simply normal portraits that had been bleached by being out in the sun too long and that Grandpa only bought them afterwards.

Or maybe he did both of those things???

The fact that Joey seems to know some of Ms. Claire's friends makes it especially sad that nobody took her and Jude in after Ms. Claire died.

....

The plot thickens, none of the item combinations on the blue lady portrait DO anything! That's especially weird, considering how this item menu normally doesn't appear on zoom-ins.

Let's end it on that kind of mysterious note, and call it a day! It's 10:45 PM here already and goshdarnit I am tired.

Next time it's time to enter a new room!

plainWonder and I were discussing what the rooms behind those two doors could be, and I first thought of the kitchen and the basement, but he's got a good point there's also still the trophy room somewhere.

Maybe behind the giant doors there's the trophy room and behind the smaller door there's the kitchen, in which there's a door to the basement?

Makes sense to me!

And we'll probably find out next time we play. :D