#top tier magic trick

[originalmadcom]

Hank: Pick a card. Any card.

Agent: ???? *Hesitantly picks a card*

Hank: *Stabs them* Wrong card.

[alfredojesta]

PROs and CONs of dating circus squad (/j)

THE PUPPETEER

pros:

he's gold

has more hobbies than you can count

will play the guitar for you

cons:

...will play the guitar for you

male manipulator

homeless

VINE THE DOLLMAKER

pros:

rich as hell

beautiful blue eyes

doesn't ask for much

cons:

stares at you like 😐 all the time

would only date you to turn you into a doll

probably doesn't even think he's dating you actually

PAPA GRANDE

pros:

magic tricks

insane in a good way

really good at bingo

he's italian

cons:

needs to be in a nursing home

fastfood cuisine could kill him instantly

talks to dead people

CANDY POP

pros:

fun to be around

loyal to you

sweet (literally sweet)

cons:

breeding kink

NATHAN THE NOBODY

pros:

cool goth guy

surprisingly caring

likes cats

cons:

top tier hater

unfiltered

pretends to hate hugs and then gets confused why you aren't hugging him

JASON THE TOYMAKER

pros:

pretty

cons:

british

manipulator

gaslighter

misogynist

redhead

narcissist

anger issues

no sense of humour

insecure about everything

has higher standards than the burj khalifa

[droppingartintotheinfinite]

uh so i found some concept sketches for an undertale superhero au i did back in 2022 and i may have gone a little wild with it

tentatively calling it supertale for now but that’s subject to change if i think of something better

so. basic premise: it’s an au where there was never a war between humans and monsters and instead both are coexisting on the surface. instead of monsters having magic and humans having determination, both species are pretty equal in general power and ability. the only magic in this au is superpower related, and the odds of a given person getting superpowers aren’t really affected by their species. (though the cast is still almost all monsters because, y’know, canon)

and instead of their canon roles, pretty much everyone is either a superhero or a supervillain, and they have cool fights and stuff. s tier concept i know they should give me an oscar for this

main plot follows frisk, who is 14ish in this au because my suspension of disbelief with regards to child superheroes can only stretch so far. they’re a small-time hero, mostly rescuing cats from tress and helping old ladies cross the street and all those genre staples, when suddenly (pause for audience gasp) they’re approached by queen (toriel), one of the most popular heroes out there, and she wants them to become… her sidekick! (shocking i know but please hold the standing ovation folks)

but…! recently, some unknown, nefarious villain who no one’s ever heard of (flowey. it’s flowey) has been taking out younger heroes, leaving their bodies in public areas with gruesome warnings about the fate of children who play at being soldiers… and frisk is next on his hitlist (the suspense is off the charts, i know, but try not to fall off the edge of your seats just yet)

thankfully frisk secretly has time powers so they’re just fucking with him for the lols instead. setting up roadrunner traps. tricking him into opening doors with paint buckets on top. getting him to walk under anvils at the perfect moment for them to land directly on his head

yeah it’s mostly a comedy au

[dawnagustd]

the kneady baker || ksj

The queen has made her list and checked it twice. She’s visiting those who have been naughty, and punishing them in ways that are oh so nice.

- Part of the Unholy Night Series.     

➻ title: the kneady baker  ➻ pairing: baker!seokjin x f!reader  ➻ genre: fantasy | holiday | magic | smut  ➻ word count: 1.7k  ➻ rating: 18+    ➻ warnings: dry humping | 69′ing | oral sex | food play | consensual knife play | kitchen sex | more beautiful, glorious cock | cum play/eating | tongue fucking | self erotic asphyxiation | breast/nipple play | deep throating | spit play(for lube) | pet names | ass eating | face riding | overstimulation | multiple orgasms | clothed sex | mentions money for sexual favors briefly | finger sucking | dirty talk     ➻ author’s note: Here we are!! Another fav of mine. Thanks again @taechwitaaah for helping me clean these up. I hope everyone enjoys this installment. Love you !!

Seokjin isn’t just a handsome man; his baking skills are top tier. 

Anything from freshly baked cookies to custom wedding cakes, he can easily whip it up. But he’s a very greedy man, and he never gives as much as he receives.

This guy loves to host one-on-one sessions for wealthy single ladies, looking to learn a few tips and tricks on Thursdays. However, instead of learning to fill pastries. They’re the ones who are getting stuffed with the baker’s big fat cock.

Those lonely women looking for a bit of fun, pay a hefty price for Seokjin’s entertainment, but it is never enough. He always wants more, and he gets it. How could they say no to a handsome face like his?

He knows of his gift, and he uses it well. Tonight, he’s in for it, though. Being hot will get him nowhere. You may have abandoned the toymaker for a sweet treat, but… You might as well see if the baker’s dick is worth the hype while you’re here.

“I need to know what you taste like.” 

Before you could even properly introduce yourself, Seokjin was all over you. It was only a matter of time before he wanted more.

He carelessly slides everything off of his workstation, making room for you to sit on top of his counter. You wrap your legs around his waist after he hoists you up. A squeak of surprise slips past your lips when he suddenly rips your top, throwing it and discarding it somewhere across the kitchen.

His mouth reunites with your flesh, and he begins claiming territory that doesn’t belong to him. Your fingers find refuge in his hair. You tug gently and elicit soft growls from his throat. The sound sends vibrations to your pussy. Your body tingles with want, but you won’t give in easily.

You arch your back to grant him more access when his lips brush against your left nipple, but he withdraws and leaves you confused. However, not for long. You should have known that he’s a man with many tricks—or treats, up his sleeve.

Seokjin opens the tiny refrigerator to his right and pulls out a small clear bowl with white cream inside. Your curious eyes follow his movements as he sets it next to you and removes the plastic wrap from over its rim.

“Everything’s better with whipped cream,” he insists. 

The baker then dips his finger in the bowl and collects some of the cream, bringing it to your lips carefully. 

“Try some,” he whispers.

You grab his wrist before bringing his hand closer. You notice how Seokjin’s brows raise when your lips wrap around his finger. Your eyelids flutter shut when the fluffy sweetness hits your taste buds. A delightful moan erupts from your throat as you swirl your tongue around his digit. Seokjin can barely contain himself as watches you.

“You’re so fucking sexy.”

His voice oozes with lust. When you open your eyes and find him staring at you with the utmost admiration, you know he’s whipped and won’t be able to resist your charm.

“So are you,” you respond. 

Your compliment makes him smile, but he remains focused. Seokjin grabs a palette knife lying nearby and dips it into the whipped cream. He brings it up to your chest but pauses and waits for your approval.

“You’re okay with this?... It isn’t sharp.”

His manners impress you. 

“A gentleman… I like that,” you applaud. You smirk looking at the icing-covered blade, and then your eyes move back to the baker. “Go for it.”

You lean back and rest your weight on your palms, poking out your chest and allowing Seokjin to decorate you like you’re one of his freshly baked goodies.

Once he’s done, he steps back to admire his creation. His orbs twinkle and his mouth salivate at the sight of your cream-dressed mounds. You lift your finger and beckon for him to come closer.

“Am I going to have to clean myself up?” you ask.

Seokjin shakes his head.

“Of course not, beautiful.”

Seokjin dives in and cleanses your body with his tongue, licking up everything in his path. He wraps his arms around you and pulls you closer to his body. Your centers meet and the friction of his jeans easily penetrates through your thin lace panties.

“You’re fucking delicious, baby. Once I’m done here, I’ll lick your sweet pussy clean too,” he promises.

“Fuck.”

He takes your nipple between his teeth, and you beg him for more. You grab onto his broad shoulders as you desperately try to find relief in his denim-clad crotch. Seokjin grinds against you, palms grabbing handfuls of your ass to guide your body with his. However, it’s only moments before you both are craving more. 

“Let’s swap,” you suggest. “Get up here and lie on your back.”

He does it with no hesitation.

Seokjin lies on the counter, and you straddle him, facing the direction of his feet. His eyes can see nothing but dripping wet pussy, and he’s very eager to feast.

“Well, start cleaning handsome.” 

You sit on his face, and Seokjin doesn’t waste any time.

He devours you like his favorite dessert. His arms hook beneath your thighs and he smothers himself with your cunt. You gasp at the feeling of his tongue entering your pussy.

Fuck.

Those lips feel as good as they look. 

You’d love to sit here carefree until you squirt all over his face, but you have work to do. You unzip his pants and remove his cock from his boxers. You’ll give him credit; this is the prettiest one you’ve ever seen. And it feels so heavy in your hand. You can’t wait to choke on it.

Licking the tip a few times, you let your saliva drip all over it. Seokjin’s entire body goes stiff when you start to slowly take him into your mouth. The warmth envelopes his dick and his reflexes make him want to thrust into your throat. To your disappointment, he stops himself.

You come up for air, so you can speak.

“It’s okay. I like it,” you assure.

With your approval, he begins fucking your throat as soon as he’s buried inside your mouth again. Your head begins to spin as he satisfies both two holes at once. You can see why those women don’t care if they’re getting robbed. The man is talented, without a doubt.

It only takes a few minutes for Seokjin to have you a trembling mess above him, alternating between suckling your clit and shoving his tongue in your opening. You nearly lose the battle, but you conquer the moment Seokjin feels you swallow around his cock. He grips the table for support, but he’s unable to fight off the sensitivity. He twitches in your mouth, letting you know he won’t last much longer.

You hold down his thighs so he can’t squirm and deepthroat his cock without warning. Seokjin moans loudly into your center, wanting to call out your name, but he’s unable to stop tasting your nectar. The sloppiest of the act doesn’t faze you. You allow your spit and his arousal to seep onto the counter. You're not the one who has to clean it up.

“Come for me, baby,” he begs. 

His tongue travels up your slit and pauses at your back entrance. Your eyes widen with shock. Even the queen could not have expected something so filthy coming from this beautiful man.

He chuckles and teases you for your reaction. “Don’t get shy now.”

Seokjin’s tongue circles your rim. Your brain works overtime to catch up with the moment. 

Time seems to stop when your orgasm unexpectedly comes barging in. Your body goes into autopilot. 

The moaning around his cock has the baker releasing loads of his cum in your mouth. You gag as it begins to fill your throat. You swallow as much as you can but use the rest as a lubricant to keep going, milking him until he’s crying from sensitivity.

“Baby, you have to—oh fuck!”

The poor guy probably didn’t even realize he was capable of coming again until another wave of pleasure went through him. He turns jelly beneath you, unable to move his body or conjure any thoughts. You grin looking at his spent figure lying there once you’ve hopped off of the counter.

“You okay, handsome?” you ask him, your hand gently stroking his thigh.

“I’m great, baby. Never better.”

You respond with a nod as you prepare yourself to leave, but the baker grabs your hand before you can take off.

“You aren’t staying?” His voice is so weak, and his eyes are heavy. Sleep is calling his name. “Don’t make me sleep alone. I want you close to me.”

You place kisses across his knuckles, pausing to look at him when you reach his thumb. The tired baker has finally given in to his exhaustion, and his eyes are now closed completely.

Careful not to wake him, you find his coat and throw it over his body before placing a kiss on his cheek. 

Your red lipstick stains his skin; it’ll serve as a reminder that he was visited by the queen whenever he wakes up. 

Before you depart, you walk over to his long list of orders and find out that many of them are to be gifted to the same person. It’s a name you’re familiar with because it’s on your list, written in bold.

A menacing smile creeps up on your face, and you grab the box of cookies before heading toward the door. 

The freezing winter air is the first thing that greets you when you step out into the night, but to you, it’s the most pleasant feeling on earth.

You set out on your journey to the outskirts of town, off in the snowy hills, looking for the most handsome Grinch Heauxville has seen. He can weld and mend, but he can also destroy anything in his path. 

With all those tools and those doe eyes, you’d think he’d be good at mending broken hearts. But instead, he’ll crush them into a million more pieces.

He’s mean, he’s angry, and he’s heartless, but he’ll fuck you so hard, you’ll forget what kind of monster he is. He’ll ruin your life, just like they ruined his. And there’s nothing you can do but get on your knees and say thank you.

“Oh, Mr. Jeon… I can’t wait to melt that icy heart of yours. And when I’m done, it’s going to be all mine.”

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

Basically, this is Harry...........🦊

At breakfast: Drinks strawberry milk with a straw while making his morning tea and empties the whole sugar pot.

Roger: "Control yourself, man!"

While reading Sherlock Holmes: One hand wholes the book while other hand holds a can of strawberry milk.

Jude: "Tch, isn't that unhealthy for you?"

While going on a mission: One hand is around Liam while the other hand holding a can of strawberry milk.

Liam: "Why are you holding me, Harry? (to make sure he's safe)

During the mission: Harry: *points the gun at the golden butterfly member* "Strawberry milk is the best-flavored milk, yes or no?"

Golden butterfly member: *in tears with his hands up* "Please spare my life, I'm allergic to strawberries..."

Harry: "Liar." *gunshots sound all over the room*

William: "Fufu..." *while drinking his own cup of strawberry milk covered in whipped cream and strawberry toppings*

After mission: Holds a strawberry milk can in one hand and three-tier gelato in the other.

El: "Al, does that gelato look beautiful?"

Al: "I'm afraid you cannot lock that inside your room, El. So no."

Victor while shopping:

Victor: "Oh yeah, Harry asked for a carton of strawberry milk! If I forget, he will expose my magic trick next time."

While sleeping:

Harry: "Strawberry....milk......give me....."

While visiting his dad's grave:

Harry: "Here's a strawberry milk for you too, Dad."

Marco (in heaven): *raining strawberry milk*

When meeting Arthur:

Harry: *two straws shoved inside his mouth and drinking from two cans of strawberry milk at the same time and eyes sparkling*

Arthur (Ikevamp): (Wow, he can beat Theo)

I know Harry is not all about strawberry milk, but I thought it would be funny if he was all about strawberry milk.

[fandomsbyladymelodrama]

Hippolyta & Theseus

And why I love them...

So, I have watched the 1999 version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" probably 20 times over the years. It was one of favorite movies when I was like 15 and those movies stay with a person. Anyway my favorite couple has switched almost every decade, like clockwork. First, it was Demetrius and Helena, for the messy blush of unrequited love, something wished and hoped for and, against all odds, obtained (if somewhat unrealistically and certainly magically, but hey, that just means fairies exist, so what's so bad about that?) <3 Plus Calista Flockhart was/is absolutely hilarious in this movie (oh, spite! oh hell! 😂) and Christian Bale was one of my first crushes. Pshaw, who is this Timothée Chalamet you all speak of? I know but one (1) Theodore Laurence and his name is Christian Bale 😍 Then, it was Lysander and Hermia, for the comedy of it all and the appeal of forbidden love and the way they aggravated poor Theoden King to the point that he was going to lock fair Hermia up in a nunnery (which forever amuses me as a metaphor for death), and the angst and excitement of persevering through Puck-induced magic tricks and hot jealousy and just listen, Dominic West and Anna Friel are fantastic in this, top tier at speaking and selling all those Shakespearean lines like they're totally normal in 1800s Tuscany. Like, really good. In a way that's not just fun to watch/listen to but also has you forgetting that oh yeah, they just went for that creative choice. Let's speak Shakespeare and ride bicycles. No irony about it (well for the most part - looking at you, Kevin Kline 😂) But here I am, changing my mind again...and this time, it's Theseus and Hippolyta who are claiming my whole heart <3 <3 <3 And not just because Sophie Marceau is a forever favorite or because I've only just realized that David Strathairn might be one of the finest actors of our time (seriously, what else did I miss while I was dismissing him as "oh you know, that guy from whatever"). Watching their scenes, I'm just so into it. Mature love portrayed in such a soft and delicate way. The amount that's unspoken is off-the-charts layered gorgeousness. The tiny moments between them. The micro glances, the mutual understandings, the realization that when they're in a group scene, it's still just them <3 AND THEY DANCE AT THE END 😍 Ughhhhhhh add to the OTP list, because I'm suddenly obsessed. Give it another ten years and I'll probably be all about Titania and Nick. But that's when we'll know I've gone too far...and you all have my full permission to smack me across the face and say "ma'am, stop that" 😂😂😂

But for now, it's Theseus & Hippolyta 4Ever <3

[moonlight-phobia]

𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎 - Cater and Trey

Here we are! Dating Life scenarios for Cater and Trey!

Gender neutral pronouns used for MC/Yuu!

This one is pretty short but ehh it’s something for you all

❄︎ What a sweetie! Really the perfect boy to date honestly

❄︎ Very observant he has many sisters after all, so he’s good at checking in on his significant other on a daily basis

❄︎ Did you eat? No? Let’s go and get some food together! Sat out at gym? Perfectly fine let’s go and paint the roses for some activity!

❄︎ Makes customized playlist for him and you only

❄︎ Has a Magicam sub page for you and him only it’s literally pictures of just the two of you and your public dates or things that remind him of you

❄︎ Picnic dates are top tier to him and he makes it all by himself!

❄︎ Will offer for you to get transferred over to Heartslabyul because he really doesn’t like the state of Ramshackle until it’s completely fixed

❄︎ Cater is really protective though of his lover and even if you don’t believe it his phone is full of media blackmail that even Azul is afraid of.

❄︎ Does use his unique magic clones to make sure things are getting done through the day so he can spend more time with you instead!

❄︎ The song that reminds him of you: Invisible Sensation by Unison Square Garden

❄︎ Types of Kisses: Jawline Kiss

❄︎ Kisses are pretty normal coming from him and that’s how he greets you doesn’t matter if it’s been a few minutes to an hour

❄︎ When the school is closed for holidays he brings you too his hometown too see everything along with his family!

❄︎ Oh he’s so good though with outfits! Couple outfits are so important to him even if it seems annoying.

“Hey hey it’s your favorite boy Cay-Cay!~ Ready to go out I’m waiting outside the door for our picnic? Ah- huh~ Don’t worry I got everything for us Marigold! So come on and let’s go already I got all your favorites and mine too- let’s test out my new vintage camera~”

❄︎ Most respectful boyfriend to ever live on the face of the human earth

❄︎ Breakfast in bed is pretty much an everyday thing when it comes to him though.

❄︎ Holds your hand very gently, he always hold onto your fingers instead or laces his fingers through your own.

❄︎ Invites you to come over during the Cooking Club so you can taste test things for him

❄︎ Even if he’s getting ready for the next step in his career since he’ll be next to run his family business theres time dedicated for you

❄︎ Brings you too meet his family during the break and they absolutely love you- but also question how you can deal with Trey and his weird food combos that he tries to trick people into-

❄︎ The song that reminds him of you: Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy

❄︎ Types of Kisses: Drink Kiss

❄︎ Doesn’t care he loves sharing a nice glass with you- mostly when it comes to milkshakes of sharing the same glass for an almost indirect kiss!

❄︎ He’ll allow you to wear his hat almost of the time- says it looks better in you then him.

“Yes- my siblings want too see you again my sweet Lady Slipper. When? If you’re free we can go this weekend you know~ Mm..I can see you looking down at me you know my little royalty. Come out of your castle now- pff? Calling me old fashioned? Now now come down here and say that to my face~”

[sleepingdeath-light]

being best friends hcs ; barnaby

requested by ; 🐝🍯 anon (09/05/23) [1/3]

fandom(s) ; welcome home

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; barnaby b. beagle

outline ; “My welcome home obsession is creeping in too 😂 can I have some best friend headcanons of Barbaby, Wally, and Frank? They’re my blorbos. ❤️ if you can’t do all three I’d like just Barnaby! He’s so SILLY!! And I wanna be his best friend ✨

Also I claim bee anon!! 🐝🍯”

warning(s) ; none, just fluff!

being this guy’s best friend is asking for trouble in the most amazing way possible

he’s a jokester at heart and he’s always got a new trick up his sleeve whether it’s an adapted magic trick, a joke he’s brainstormed or a whole comedy routine he adapted on the fly

the key with him is to always expect the unexpected

prank calls are common and endearing — everything from ‘is your fridge running’ to using fake names to make you compliment yourself

he has a seemingly endless supply of whoopee cushions and other such joke items (like boxes filled with fake snakes and the like)

he has a unicycle; he cannot ride it for very long but he has one!

he can also juggle and he uses this ability for evil

like yes he’ll juggle pins and balls and such, but barnaby is also of significant stature and strength compared to basically everyone else

and what i’m trying to say is that he has at several points started juggling you and your neighbours

you, wally and julie are his preferred victims because none of you will get revenge on him

on a related note, he picks you up and tosses you around often — like if he wants your attention he’ll just pick you up and walk away with you hanging limply over his shoulder

this also includes him picking you up and letting you dangle whilst he hugs you

speaking of… he gives incredible hugs because he’s so large and soft — combined with his high body temperature basically makes him a living, all body hot water bottle combined with a pillow, so cuddles are absolutely top tier

he never uses your name and prefers to address you by a series of increasingly ridiculous nicknames that barely make sense

more often than not this means addressing you with random nouns — anything from ‘sofa bed’ to ‘new colour tv’ or something more normal-adjacent like ‘pebble’ or ‘mouse’

if he ever gets a bit much, just scratch behind his ears and he’ll mellow out significantly and just nod off next to you

he gets you both matching outfits — they’re all terribly goofy with mismatched patterns and colours, but it’s the thought that counts!

he has your handprint on his mailbox and you have his paw print on yours — it only makes sense since most of the mail you get comes from you both

piggyback rides are definitely common, but he also likes to take the mick by running like a madman when you’re up there, so I hope you’ve got a good grip

(you know he’d never really let you fall but the fear is still there)

he definitely makes fun of you lightheartedly because he’s so much taller than you (being 8ft tall and all) — he’ll deliberately put things higher than you can reach to make sure you have to ask for help (which leads to even more jokes)

will not tolerate any negative talk about you, especially by yourself, and will lightly scold you with a huff and a ‘that’s my best friend you’re talking about, you know’

if you’re ticklish he’ll take full advantage of this with random tickle attacks

(though you can easily turn the tables by jabbing him in the ribs)

terrible with dates but he has an excellent memory for the things you love and have expressed a desire to own — which makes gift buying easy but gift giving pretty difficult to arrange

all in all he prefers to keep things lighthearted and does what he can to keep you smiling and laughing — as he does for everyone in his life because that’s just the type of guy he is

[freshie44]

Episode 8 Spoilers

Cut Off

Welcome to HEEL CITY Y'ALL

As you probably noticed I didn't do one last episode, and the reason was that there wasn't much to say that I haven't already said. I'll talk about last episode elimination at the end but moving on to the new tiers. I order them by the idea that if you told me you came from the future and told me they won the season what my reaction be.

Top 2

Ashley & Alec: I am a firm believer that in this season early plays matter and should be REWARDED! I almost view this season through the lenses of a blow off PPV like Wrestlemania. We are building the story blocks that will be the foundation of the finale. These two got the best narrative. A girl who was an early boot 1st season and a man who got tricked out of the finale. Both have seem to learn from their first outing. Both run their respective teams and will be the faces of the FACE vs HEEL forces. No matter who wins between these two no one goes home feel the other didn't deserve the prize just as much as their favorite.

Backups

Aiden and Tess: They are in the ire of a fresh heel and are not in the most stable of standings in the game. But have focus and a good rival to feud with that could create some magic in the narrative. Jake v. Aiden & Tess v. Gabby. Jake gone heel and is being a brat, Aiden been putting up with it and seeing him retaliate will make good head vs head to see who stays and who goes. While Tess has a more philosophical feud with Gabby , she'll want to be friends and she probably not going to be able to stop an enrage Gabby with just words. Could be another fun match for survival.

Ok, but really? Jake - I know people like Jake I understand the appeal. I think the heel turn will be good for him. But he a brat! I don't like petty! Maybe that the reason you like him and I agree it going to be fun. But I'm backing Aiden any day of the week and not just because I'm bias because trans.

Grett_ I'm not opposed to it, could be fun seeing her rising over her terrible ex. But where the foundation? Where the focus? How does she turn this minor feud into a game winner? Yes I want her to destroy Yul but I don't think she the main eventer. She in the mid card not the blow out match. Maybe that because Yul doesn't make sense to me as the main event feud but that the lot for now.

Ally - she got something foundation wise, but like really? We wrote that Ally and Hunter fallout and looked at that and said yeah this is good opener to her rise to the top. No, no it isn't. She'll need much more in my opinion to take that prize.

Gabby- Look Gabby fans I get it, you been on crumbs for 7 episodes and now you all been present a feast. I'm happy for you. But those 7 episodes happened. She doesn't get to skate by on nothing and get rocketed to the moon. She going to have to work for it, should she flourish yes, but you got to address the fact the foundation not there before she gets that title shot.

Excuse me?!

Tom - Tom fans like do any you think he going to win the big one, like honestly? Like he playing nothing but himself. He got carried here by feud with Jake for drama points. He the face for the heels to chew up and spit out.

Riya - Doesn't feel like a finale villain.

Yul - X-PAC heat, aka GO AWAY HEAT

Eliminaitons

Ellie had this one coming, revival maybe, but since it heel city I think they'll bring back heroes not villains.

Fiore kind of lame elimination. Kind of felt she was just here on fame, she had some good moments but kind of a middling exit.

Last Episode | Next Episode

[whetstonefires]

Thinking about lying in mdzs and how wwx's two primary personal foils also spend significant amounts of time sustaining major lies around people they've got personal relationships with. And how differently that goes.

Because Wei Wuxian, Xue Yang, and Jin Guangyao are very different sorts of liars.

Wei Wuxian maintained his deception about his core for roughly three to five years, the first few of them in close contact with a couple of people who knew him very well. It relied mostly on misdirection and omission. It damaged his relationships and he didn't like it, but he didn't fuck it up either.

Xue Yang spent...a couple of years? Maintaining a lie. And the thing is he's a fairly shit liar, actually. If he'd had to do anything other than 'not tell the truth' to a blind man who voluntarily didn't ask him for so much as a name to call him by, he'd have fucked it up pretty quick.

But the act of deception itself didn't cause him any discomfort at all.

And Jin Guangyao spent most of his life maintaining a ridiculous panoply of lies to absolutely everyone. He of course is an amazing liar, by far the best of the three of them, and this is because he's good at both parts.

His sell is beautiful; he's got just as good a sense as wwx of what other people are thinking so he can adapt his story to it, and does so more consciously and deliberately though also more compulsively. And he's got better discipline over his reactions and (I think) less healthy basic self-respect, so he has more options for how he shapes himself to those expectations. (Whereas Wei Wuxian is more narrowly restricted to strategically emphasizing aspects of his actual self, such as 'proud disobedient prick' or 'impulsive embarrassing flirt.')

But Jin Guangyao's comfort with deception is also top-tier. He probably actually feels more comfortable when he knows he's gotten away with lying to any given person. And his patience with his own lies is infinite, between the excellent self-command, the perfect memory, and what are clearly fantastic multi-tasking skills.

Wei Wuxian likes to lie, but without a pressing reason he also tends to admit it almost immediately so he can laugh about it. When he has to keep it up, he doesn't like it nearly so much--a lie he can't admit to is a trap he's stuck in. And one that isolates him, which he does not enjoy at all.

Of course his Big Lie was largely for Jiang Cheng's sake; judging by how 'Mo Xuanyu' goes he wouldn't have been able to maintain it half so well for his own.

Xue Yang doesn't seem to feel any of that discomfort, he just also doesn't have enough interest in other people's thoughts to tell especially believable lies; he can't tailor his story to his audience.

He lies like it's a magic trick, a special move; you can just open your mouth and say whatever you want, isn't that strange? Isn't that funny? People will do things that are actually bad for them because you gave them untrue information!

And it reliably pisses people off, especially when they know you're lying but you won't admit it! You win no matter what! Haha!

There are a lot of other elements to being good at lying other than 'a convincing sell' and 'keeping up the front,' of course. Lying is complicated. So many moving pieces that all feed into one another. There's having the nerve to lie to people's faces. There's thinking on your feet enough to make up a lie on the spot at all, regardless of whether it's plausible. There's not having any obvious tics that give you away. There's the ego.

All three of them can manage all of these, though. The main variation across the set crops up around the aspects of lying that deal with 1) self-control (obvious spectrum there) and 2) empathy.

Xue Yang has none. He's a human disaster with very limited theory of mind and no self-regulation to speak of; naturally straightforward and almost entirely without kind impulses.

Wei Wuxian has a full complement--his social intuition is actually fantastic, and while he's not reliably nice he is easily moved to compassion. This latter is bad for his lying skills.

(His self-control ranges from reasonably good to fantastic, when he bothers, but his first instinct is not to bother.)

Jin Guangyao's cognitive empathy is also very strong; he can generally determine what someone wants to hear, and say that. Be that. But he seems to be almost wholly free of the instinct to feel bad about tricking people, even people he likes. Is that inherent or habituated? Idk probably both.

So Jin Guangyao is far and away the best liar of the three of them, because he maxes out all the necessary traits.

But then when it comes down to it. Wei Wuxian and Xue Yang, when they're rumbled or the lie isn't useful anymore, they can let it go. When Lan Wangji finally calls Wei Wuxian by name he drops Mo Xuanyu on the spot with no ceremony; when Wei Wuxian calls out Xue Yang's impersonation of Xiao Xingchen, he doesn't keep pushing it, he just laughs.

Jin Guangyao can't. He's unmasked violently and repeatedly, and he drops any story that isn't sustainable or useful anymore, but he always tries again. He's such a fantastic liar that reverting to honesty just. Isn't an option available to him.

[goqmir]

i kind of like maybe just a little adore the new clue set cards like. the clue set itself is a weird and overpriced product and the physical cards themselves are definitely gonna be stupid overpriced because nobody wants to buy a board game to crack packs but like. the cards themselves? kind of fire?

i kind of adore that theyre not just all rares and we are getting clue set commons and stuff :3 its cute! and we're getting a new lonis too-- its not a super interesting card but i adore lonis and im very excited to play with more of her. and we get an interesting new land cycle in the cluelands too! the art for them kinda blows at the moment but at some point in the future i assume they'll be reprinted in a set that gives them fun and interesting art? maybe? please? im not exactly itching to play them but ill never turn down another cycle of duals teehee

id love to talk about some individual cards from the lineup so far that i adore! these are just my top picks but id recommend going and looking at the full list spoiled so far on scryfall :3

for starters, my favorite card from the whole spoiler season right now i think has to be scuttling sentinel. i dont think i want to play her in any commander deck, but in my opinion this is like one of the top cards for cubes in 2024 period-- like cankerbloom tier of cube card. she's awesome! a crab elf which is such an awesome creature type, playable with green or blue, puts 1/1 counters on things and its main draw is just being a decent body that offers protection :) she's great!!!! ive already slotted her into the cube ive been piecing together recently. i like her a lot.

resonance technician is such a cool spell copier <3 every part of it is kind of expensive so im not really sure where youd play it but it does a lot of cool things all at once on a single card which is fun! the flavor is cool-- we all love weirds here-- and the functionality is useful and cute. cool card. big fan

we also have portal manipulator who is like one of the weirdest and strongest combat tricks ive ever seen? this is like if aetherize also fucked your shit in. so i can absolutely see this seeing a lot of play honestly. but lets be real here this card just has amazing art. thheres portals around her skull !!! god shes so cool.

corporeal projection gets a shoutout because what a fun effect <3 it being izzet is awesome and on-flavor and the card itself is both an interesting choice to give your creature myriad for extra damage and a fun wincon :) im glad theres a simple and convenient way to give one creature myriad now that isn't a brick to run in my commander decks because it has a high-cost endgame mode. yay!

finally it wouldnt be a goqmir set review if i didnt shout out the new cards that work well in Naya Cast From Exile :3 Boros Strike-Captain seems kind of mid but it's important to remember that the card never goes away, and you can cast it any time after when you attack with at least 3 creatures even if BSC is off the battlefield. big fan of this one! im not sure if i can find the space to jam him in my Rocco Street Chef decklist but he's a very playable option.

Personally, i think Headliner Scarlett is the winner this set. She's a very good hit pretty much any time-- you're always gonna get a minimum of 4 free damage when she sticks, and if you play her early you get some pretty strong card advantage, which turns into very very strong card advantage in both Rocco and Prosper. if you pull her late, she can win you the game straight up by allowing you to swing out uninhibited-- though i can't speak for Prosper players, this will pretty much always be at minimum a knock out if you pull it lategame in Rocco. definitely making room for her in my decklist.

anyway thats just some cards i liked from the weird product thats coming out :3 i was and still am iffy on purchasing the product and expect the cards to be a little too expensive but as far as designs go they're pretty cool and im very happy that they exist! um sqrrk <3

[talenlee]

Do you want to DO Magic though?

Not Magic: The Gathering. That’s something with a lot of very clear onramps, and if you want to try that, go check out Magic: The Gathering Arena and refuse to spend any money on it. No, I mean if you want to pick up magic tricks, what’s your approach?

I learned my first magic tricks from books. I learned these tricks when I was a child and for the most part left that skill lie fallow. These books were always full of names like ‘100 magic tricks for kids,’ but the thing with a lot of those tricks is that fundamentally they’re still just simplified versions of things that other magic tricks want to do as well. You’re always engaging with the control of attention.

Then we got Youtube which is full of ways to learn about magic, and while they’re not nearly as procedurally exceptional (like the iconic text The Expert At The Card Table), the youtube space is still full of magic tutorials that are parcelled out, individualised and handy for making some things seem less intimidating. I’m gunna share now some I like and use.

Top 10 Most Difficult Card Moves According to Erik

Watch this video on YouTube

This may seem a ridiculous place to start but this isn’t a tutorial. It’s an introduction to the Youtube channel of Penguin Magic and particularly Erik Tait. I don’t know how good Erik Tait is, truly, because I’m an amateur non-expert, but he makes me think he’s very good. Particularly is his technique with what we call the Snap Deal, which is incredibly complicated and I only kind of understand how it works.

When I want to share tricks and demonstrations, it’s important to know that one of the things I’m showing are the kinds of tricks I know I can do and the kinds of tricks I’ve practiced. I don’t have a good audience and the magic tricks I do know and do are a little weak in general, but I do try and practice these methods. What that means is that rarely am I interested in tricks where material technique completely screws me. I find genuinely complex handling and top-tier execution impressive, so first of all, I want to show this video from Penguin Magic. Here, Erik Tait demonstrates a short list of fantastically challenging techniques which is unfortunately just too hard for me to really feel like I can ever get to that level, with how I practice.

But surprise, this is one of the sources. Penguin Magic are an extremely weird, kinda ropy-feeling website but they have free resources there. You can go, download some of them and you’re done if you want. I have not bought anything from them, and yes, the website looks shonky as heck, but the free introductory videos and five free forces are all really good videos.

Appear to Be a Genius with This Mind Blowing Trick by Lennart Green! + Giveaway & Announcement

Watch this video on YouTube

This is an example of a prepared trick, where you have a standard deck of cards that you set up in a particular way, and then show it off. The thing about this trick is that the method is reasonably simple once you understand it, but the effect doesn’t require you have any meaningful handling. In fact, Lennart Green, the guy who popularised this trick, is renowned for a sloppy, mis-mangled card style. Green does this as a way to conceal the way he is an absolute master at card handling, but it also means this trick works well for people who aren’t comfortable with challenging fine movements.

This specific trick is a good gateway to the rest of the channel. One of the hard parts of good magic tutorials, which 4suits is good at, is toning down obvious skills (like fans, shuffles and cuts) so that the result doesn’t look intimidating to new players. The channel has a lot of what I think of as ‘monetisation cruft’ – you know, calls to action, references to liking and subscribing, all that stuff. But the actual tricks shown are nice and clear, and it includes some self-working math puzzle tricks, that I think are a good place to start.

Learn this Simple 4 Ace Card Trick (Magic Tutorial)

Watch this video on YouTube

Jeremy Tan, I’m not going to lie, part of what I like about his tutorials is the editing is very, very clean. Single videos, captions and good strong blocking. This trick here is modestly more complicated than the above recommendations as starter tricks, but it involves one of the first skills you’re going to want to appreciate as a card magician, which is picking up extra cards while hiding that you’re doing it.

The other thing, and this is a small thing, but it’s frustrating, that I know for a fact a lot of the history of magic in the culture around me is from outsiders, weirdoes and outcasts, but a lot of the performers producing and sharing work on the internet are, well, white guys like me who have it as a hobby. Michael Vincent has an amazing set of tricks, but I can’t show you him demonstrating how to do them, because he doesn’t, but other white guys will show off his tricks and how to do them. There’s a bunch of really good artists performing out of all sorts of parts of Asia but I don’t know how to find them or understand their methods (because of the language barrier) I can’t connect a newcomer to that kind of space. Being able to front Jeremy Tan – who seems to credit work and be nice and clear about what he’s doing – is a nice way to connect to that thread of Not Just More White Guys.

I guess there’s also another channel I should mention here because I think it’s good as a resource. It’s Sankey Magic. Sankey’s big thing, which I am okay with, is that he uses a lot of prepped and gimmicked pieces, specialised components in his tricks. That’s not a bad thing! That’s not a problem at all! But it’s a different kind of trick.

I think, personally, for vibes, being able to prepare and be comfortable with tricks as just a performance thing, is a better place to start than with gimmicked components. I like gimmicked parts, I think they’re great, and I think part of what makes them great is the confidence and preparation they build. But I think that being able to build these tools is going to be easier when you know what you like out of magic performances.

Good channel, just not the best option here.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[phaeton-flier]

Overhyped or underhyped: The opening theme song playing for the last minute of a major fight as the battered hero stands up again and transforms?

It's hard to not say overhyped since it's one of the most common things talked up by shonenheads, but goddamn if it doesn't work. Doesn't matter how stupid the fight is, that shit works.

Expanding past specifically opening themes, Mashle: Magic and Muscles feels like the purest form of this. Watching it feels like I'm in the middle of a social experiment to find the dumbest thing they can trick me into getting hyped over. Characters are 90% cardboard cutouts or stereotypes, the Harry Potter Parody is surface level, most of the villains are misunderstood friends whatever else they do, major characters get introduced and then just sorta hang around if they don't disappear entirely, etc.

But when Serious Steel plays, and Mash gets read to punch some guy in the face or whatever? I get hype. You're goddamn right he's gonna punch that guy in the face. Top Tier at what it's doing, which is being the anime equivalent of sugar cereal.

[t0kidal]

The Alef

“(This is my first fanfic for the series Mairimashita Iruma Kun. The manga and anime are S-tier and everything is super wholesome. About this Fanfic, I hope to make it as a Sullivan’s daughter reader insert/ Iruma’s mom insert, Iruma being adopted in his earlier years, and getting to meet the Teacher trio while they’re in Babyls (Opera, Kalego, and Balam). 

As a first time writer, I thought the concept would be a fun challenge, staying in line with character archetype and canonical lore and plot, whilst putting a new take on headcanons from my favorite fanfics for Iruma-Kun. But, I also understand if (if anyone reads this at all) it’s not to anyone’s taste.

I’m still learning how to write “well” or how to tell stories, so this is very much a work in progress and what I hope will be a lot of fun to try out! TLDR: First fanfic, tips appreciated (including grammatical ones), my heart is soft and squishy pls don’t hurt me.

Inspired By:

“For the Sake of a Smile” by 4ever_Rewritten on Ao3

“Pawprints” and How to be a “Good Person” both by theWunderKind on Ao3)

I do not own Mairimashita / Welcome to Demon High School Iruma-kun. All credit goes to Nishi Osamu. 

Part 2 ; Masterlist)

______________________________________________________________

As many in the demon world know, the strong rule over the weak. Though one of the three crowns sought to change that, starting at the infamous school Babyls, it’d be a little while till it achieved the prestige duly deserved.

Your steps held no sound as you took a long trek through the halls. While such tricks were far below the Purson clan, they served you well. Slip in, leave the assignment, slip out. Babyls, at this time, was far from a suitable place of learning... at least, for you.

Being left behind was unlucky, suspected lack of the clan’s bloodline magic was worse, and the notion that you were left behind for lacking would destroy you.  Then it’s placing just above passing in the practical exam and having everyone and their mom see it when the results were posted. 

How you managed to survive was a miracle or, as you like to call it, your ambition.

Which wouldn’t be so hard if these damn punks would just. move.

You’ve heard word of the “Top Dog” of Babyls, but weren’t sure if you appreciated the figure for trying to clean up the school, or if you resented them for riling everyone up. “YOU FIT THE BALL ALRIGHT! I’M GONNA MAKE SURE YOU REGRET BEATING UP MY LITTLE BRO!”

...

“Silence.”

Strange... th-..!

Rounding the corner, mouth goes dry, eyes blown wide, and a chill runs down your spine at the sight of the Naberious clan’s youngest, wielding such raw and wild power with perfect control, electrifying in and of itself.

His striking hues meet yours.

“Hm? Another one?”

“Huh?” Yes, brilliant, wonderful, such grace, much eloquence.

“Are you deaf? Are you another one of these bastards?!” He gestures to the second year behind him.

“Ah! uh... No. Just...” Deep breaths, you got this. “Y-you’re in the way...”  “Hah?” As you gesture to the hallway behind him, that he happens to be blocking with his big fuck off lightning puppy, an awkward pause follows.

“Oh, apologies then.” He very promptly leaves. Once he’s gone... “phew...”

Finally, rounding the left, opening the door, 

“Sensei, you could’ve asked for a quieter snack, it was so annoying trying to mute all the chips you asked for.” You toss the bags of chips onto the lump on the couch.

“Hah? Maybe I should change up the lesson plan then..” he mutters, and you can vaguely see him itch his scruffy hair.

You can only sigh at your teacher’s antics... “Honestly, I’d tell you to get your nephew to run your errands, but...” You needn’t say anything to get your point across.

“Hah! That boy...”

You feel a little jealous, their family seemed... a little warmer from your own.

“Welp! I won’t hold you, here.” He passes you a bento.

“... sensei, you didn’t poison this did you?”

“What do you mean?! I made it myself!” “That’s the same thi-” 

“Just scram already, and don’t forget to do your homework.”

“Yeah yeah yeah...”

Now for some peace and quiet... let’s see... “it’s pretty cold today so no punks on the roof...”

Is what you thought.

Only to watch aforementioned nephew get gut punched by who you could only assume was the real top dog.

Only to watch him declare himself the “Guard dog” of Babyls.

Only to be held by the neck- wait what?

“Huh?” Yes, brilliant, wonderful, such grace, much eloquence. “DON’T MOVE! YOU HEAR ME?! DON’T MOVE A MUSCLE!” ‘Oh my..’

“Heh! you let your guard down Morons! Try to fight us and I’ll break their ne-!”

Oh, you didn’t know someone so big could scream so shrilly.

“S-sorry! I’m really bad at controlling my strength so...” says the little bird demon ... a gritty crunch follows that statement.

You also didn’t know someone could look so cute breaking bones.

“DAMNIT WE’LL RETREAT FOR NOW! THOSE WHO CAN STILL MOVE REPORT TO THE ETHOS BATRA! WE GOT BEAT BY THE TOP DOG’S GA-!”

A ringing fills their ears, raising a finger to your lips, you lock eyes with the loud mouth in question and a smile splits your face, “Shhhhhh”

And almost without fail... they’re cut off with silence. 

almost immediately filled with, “HEY WAIT, WE’RE NOT A GANG! THE HELL?!”

~~~

[sheepishvagabond-shinigamijack]

how do you make your audios? i kind of want to try doing some myself…

I've been meaning to share so this seems like the perfect chance to! Actually, it's really easy. https://beta.elevenlabs.io/history This is where the magic happens. There is a free trial of 10,000 letters, but you can subscribe to the next tier at $5 a month (the first month is no charge so you can trial the tool for free and cancel beforehand. You'll need the $5 tier and up to use the voice lab.

Now, setting up the voices is pretty easy but there's some tricks to it. All you need is some voice samples, the more you have and the clearer they are the better the quality and accuracy. For my voices I went through major scenes in the deathnote anime and recorded voice samples that had no background noise. L was my first attempt and some scenes involved had noise which is why sometimes you can hear static in the BG. The best samples I found were 2 - 4 minutes of assorted dialogue saved as an mp3. I used Movavi screen recorder since it allowed me to capture desktop audio, and this is available in the free product. I'd just start and pause recording as a convo played out, only capturing the voice of whoever I was after, then exported it when it hit the 2-4 minute mark. It helps to get a more diverse array of samples, but depending on the tone it can end up generating voices that are similar but more high-pitched. You'll have to experiment overall. This is actually how I tackled L's voice. I used samples of myself talking really slowly, but naturally, alongside some recordings of L talking. The generations were wildly varied between the two voices but sometimes it got the right vibe so I'd save those generations and train a new voice only using those, which is why L sounds a bit odd sometimes. (otherwise he sounds deadpan - angry always) (Light's voice came out perfect)

After that you can tweak these settings. The top I push further to the left to exaggerate tone over stability, the other I push more right to maintain accuracy over clarity. Tone means more emphasis and emotiveness. Different voices will have different needs for these settings + I change them based on what I'm working on. After that you can just plug and play. Generate a few times over if the tone isn't right but adding more ... - , . ! ? Really helps set the pace and inflection. It will naturally pick up the tone in the writing but it struggles the shorter the content is, so using more text helps. After that you can just download and share files, but I like to take them into audacity for editing and sticking together.

So yeah. have fun! Hope this is useful, I've run a lot of voices through so far AND pretty soon they're introducing a voice editor to make custom voices so yeah. Great time to be making fan content for sure.

Here's the single file I use now for Light's voice now, so you can literally plug and play.

[choco-cherry-chunk]

Will you write link stuff for your characters? Maybe that would help with asks

I assume you mean kink stuff? If so, absolutely! I’ve posted my own “tier list” thing about what I’m into in relation to this kind of kink and I’ll happily hit whatever within that list for any of my OCs and even create characters with other users if desired.

And if you’re interested too, I’ll try to write some here for one of them? You can look them up by name on my blog if interested.

Consider Cricket being kind of distracted while perfecting their next magic performance. Theyre bumbling some of their tricks; pulling crystals out of their hat when they meant to get doves, making more things appear when one thing is meant to disappear, their magic rings shrinking around their wrists instead of growing into hula hoops. They’re getting frustrated by the time Maurice offers to join in and help. He’s used to Cricket taking the lead with these things, but he doesn’t mind being a little bossy. He tells his partner that maybe the next trick should be the Aztec Lady or the Radium Girl, some kind of escapism trick. He figures that if it works, Cricket will feel more confident and they’ll be able to continue with the rest of the show’s plan. Cricket elects for one of the trick boxes, make Maurice disappear from the enormous box and reappear in the rafters of their stage, dangling on bars and strings.

Maurice gets into the box, waving tantalizingly before Cricket clicks the lid shut. Maurice can hear Cricket go through the usual spiel regarding the trick and he prepares for them to say the magic words that would indicate his movement to slip out of the box. Except when he hears them, he can’t get the back of the box open. He keeps trying to quietly tap at it with his foot, open the latch, and then slip through the floor. And while he’s fussing with it, he becomes vaguely aware of a different, familiar sensation.

A tingling in his middle. He’d described it at soda carbonation, just poured into a glass. Fizzling and popping somewhere deep inside, growing with time. The sensation, more intense, moving throughout his torso. Maurice drops a hand to his side and immediately can feel his flesh expanding under the rainbow fabric of his usual attire. Merde, Fancy Feet must have mixed up the trick again. He kept kicking at the trick door, trying to get it open as subtly as possible. He knew the trick Cricket was actually enacting well. His stomach swelled out further, becoming a proper belly in seconds. The usually billowed fabric of his top and pants didn’t hide the change for long, quick to hold onto his bloat. Soon, he could feel his hips widen, either side eventually brushing against either side of the box.

Cursing under his breath, Maurice starts to call out to Cricket for help, only to remember the next step in their act. Their little song-and-dance their so with the audience, their attempt to improv with those watching. Even with those big ass ears, there was no way they were paying attention. By the time he stopped shouting, Maurice looked down to see his tummy had swollen out to at least a full-term pregnancy. He could feel the subtlest of movements beneath his skin, familiar flutters that only drew his attention long enough for him to miss the moment his top and trousers separated. His watermelon-sized belly peeled out between the bright rainbow stripes, a bright white cloud of amidst the colors. It was just the slightly tinge of pink as he swelled, warm in the enclosed space.

Maurice continued his efforts to click open the back of the box with his heel, but it seemed to do little and even grew harder as the seconds ticked by. His back side pressed but against the handle for the box’s exit route, his ass slowly growing along with him. He tried to lean against the door, figuring the added weight would at least help to push it open, but the action just served to rub the sides of his corpulent growth against the walls. He watched as his stomach continued to grow, his innie popping into a perfectly poked out navel just before it swelled up enough to poke into the front of the box. The marionette gasped, not entirely out of concern; the sensation of his bloated body squashing against yet another wall sent shivers through him. He dropped his arms from the walls and that they had nowhere to go except to sit awkwardly on the crest of his stomach. He pulled at his top to give his middle more room to breathe. The box around him creaked, the sound barely audible over the gurgling of his belly, it’s size now close to that of being overdue with triplets. He rubbed his gloved hands over the paper white skin, the soft fabric tickling the sensitive bump. He found himself moaning, his fingers brushing over places where movements bubbled up, bumping and brushing more significantly the more the space of his stomach was encroached on. Maurice wasn’t sure what would give in first - his expanding tum or the box.

His arms looking to be rising, his stomach squished against the walls and swelling into what spaces it could. His back side and hips pushed up into what remained. Just as he felt the bottom of his abdomen brush the floor of the box, the door of the box popped open. Maurice gasped, his belly practically bursting through the open space, briefly jiggling from the force of the drop. Just over the top of his ballooned gut he could see Cricket’s wide eyes and perked up ears. A brief effort was made to get out of the box, but there was no give. The walls of the box pressed into his bloated side, jostling his bulge enough to send the babies within into a new fit of movement.

“I think that was the wrong spell, Fancy Feet.”