#vampire fitness II incoming

[petrovna-zamo]

KZ2?!

[slugdragoon]

RPG Role Analysis Series #11 - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Continuing on from my earlier post about Paper Mario 64 (Part I, Part II), I wanted to talk about The Thousand Year Door, because I think a lot of elements of the game are a second attempt at executing the concept, and as a result, a lot of the character design decisions are variations on the original game. Several party members are designed to fit the same overall role, so their differences make a nice case study. A lot of what I say will build off of my PM64 posts, and I'll see if I can fit it all into one.

One major difference that is core to the game itself: Party Members have their own HP now, so where they fall on that curve signals something about their role.

Goombella - Just like Goombario, Goombella has access to Headbonk, Tattle, & Multibonk so she sizes up enemies and can focus down one enemy (of some kinds) with good input. She swaps Charge for Rally Wink, so instead of powering herself up, she gives Mario an extra turn. Multibonk can still focus down a single enemy (and she gets access to it earlier than Goombario), but since she isn't self-buffing, it requires timed inputs for longer. Giving Mario another move can be really powerful, since he's the strongest, but Goombella's variant of an strategist character deemphasizes personal combat just that slight bit more, but essentially uses a Haste effect. You also get a permanent Tattle Log, which is a new UI option, but it's her domain, so I'll give her an edge toward the strategy side over Goombario. Her HP is dead average.

Koops - Like Kooper, Koops gets Shell Toss and Power Shell, attacking grounded and low-hovering enemies, but ditches the ability to daze enemies for Shell Shield, which protects Mario from damage (but crucially not himself). Instead of fire damage, his stronger ground-based Shell move ignores Defense, which is also battering ram-like, but really more of a cleave/pierce than bashing them regardless of Defense would be, but Shell Shield makes me want to call him a shield knight. Oddly, Koops has slightly low HP, but has 1 point of Defense and blocks 1 incoming damage, so he isn't a tank, but blocks well. This notably wasn't true of Kooper because PM64 Party members didn't have their own HP.

Flurrie - Flurrie was a fun one once I realized. As a kid, I thought she was supposed to be some kind of Boo, now I know she's meant to be a wind elemental of some kind. Her abilities at first glance seem like they borrow from Lakilester (Gale Force is similar to Hurricane, Dodgy Fog to Cloud Nine) and Sushie (maybe? Her Body Slam is like Belly Flop), but no, she's a vampire, dude. Her unique move is Lip Lock, which steals a decent amount of HP, it's a life drain ability, but consider the ones she borrows more closely as well. Her version of Cloud Nine (granted its still targeted at Mario) is reflavoured to fog? Fog and life draining are totally vampire traits. Also, Gale Force is a multi-target instant death spell, and unlike the ones from PM64, you do get experience from it instead of scaring or blowing enemies away (you do blow them away, but mechanically it's analogous to them being defeated). So Flurrie is a vampire lord that summons violent storms. Pretty cool.

Yoshi - I think Yoshi is a monk? Ground Pound hits one enemy many times, but for small amounts of damage, so it can be blocked by armor, and Stampede (though it's flavoured as summoning a bunch of Yoshis) is the same but with more hits against random enemies. These remind me of a flurry of blows-flavoured unarmed attack, with some mobility between multiple targets. Gulp is a throw that grabs the closest enemy (physical contact is a factor, because it doesn't work on enemies on fire, so it really is a grad and throw) and tosses them into the enemy behind to damage them both, ignoring Defense. Mini Egg is weird, it's also multi-hit to random enemies, but can shrink enemies? I don't know where that fits, but ultimately being Tiny decreases their Attack power, so it's like catching them off guard by battering them with consecutive small hits.

Vivian - Vivian, like Bow, can hide Mario and themselves completely for a turn (and in the overworld), avoiding damage but skipping a turn. Already thinking kind of rogue-ish for that alone Their basic attack can target anyone and leaves enemies with a burn, but in this game that's just damage over time. Vivian is surely fire-themed, but this is like your basic Poison mechanically, so another point to rogue. Fiery Jynx hits all enemies, ignores Defense, burns them, and is definitely fire elemental mechanically, because it hits Ice-based enemies for more damage, so I'll call that one elemental magic, but the pierce/apply burn(poison?) effect is also like an assassin rogue though now with a clear fire elemental component. Vivian can also mass-confuse enemies. They've got all the traits to be some kind of fire mage/assassin hybrid.

Admiral Bobbery - Bobbery is obviously pretty comparable to Bombette from PM64, and his Bomb move works the same way, and overworld ability to bomb walls is similar, but his other moves have changed. Bobbery also has the highest HP of any party member, making him pretty tanky. His new moves include throwing a set of time bombs that explode on a later turn, Hold Fast which prepares him to punish enemies with revenge damage for hitting him directly, and the move Bob-ombast which is a mass-damage explosion which also sends flying enemies to the ground, as well as flip some armored enemies. Bomb Squad's time bombs can hit flying enemies, but it's hitbox-based, so grounding them first could help with this. If enemies had enough HP to require this, a good strategy could be to set up the bombs and ground/unarm everyone on the turn they go off, though I think by then most enemies will already be finished, and Bob-ombast is expensive to cast. He could be some kind of patient trapper with a Counter ability, I'm just not entirely sure what to call him overall.

Ms. Mowz - Love Slap pierces Defense, Kiss Thief steals items, and Tease attempts to daze all enemies (which this time lowers their accuracy instead of stunning them). Below average HP. Her overworld ability helps you find items. So straightforward, Ms. Mowz is a thief rogue both in the narrative and mechanically. Her one other move is Smooch, which heals Mario, but she isn't meant to be healing very much IMO. This is by far the highest FP cost move of any Party Member in the game, and I don't think it was meant to be a reliable healing option as much as it is a way to flavour her as a femme fatale.

So that's it for TTYD! Probably I'll do Super Mario RPG some day, I'm not sure the other Mario RPGs have much in the way of character class analogues between them, but I'm not sure this works for the other Paper Mario games and I'm more familiar with the first two Mario & Luigi games where all you party members do very similar things to one another, maybe later games in the series would surprise me.

[ginwhitlock]

Lens of Lust II 

“Bella tries to reflect on her encounter with Jasper in English, recounting the start of her affliction. Why has her affection switched?”

warnings: basically smut! mature audiences only PART 1

The halls had never seemed so suffocating. A turning sea of high school bodies running into my barely lucid frame. 

My stumbling exit from Mr. Mason’s classroom went unnoticed by everyone except for my own heart. Its rhythm becoming mind-numbing. My ears felt as though cotton had been shoved in them, soft palms held over my temples. My windpipe screamed of desperation-- reminding my brain of the scorching Arizona summer. But I knew no gallon of spring water could heal it. 

The soles of my converse led me through the cramped space. My eyes, downcast, at the scuffed tile work. The books in my backpack were weighing down my spine, creating creases in my soft skin-- from my haste to put them all in their place-- before I drowned in the incoming students. The pain barely registering past the unyielding confusion playing behind my eyelids. 

Why had he said anything? Why had I even been thinking of Edward’s eldest brother in the first place?

The former had just left for a hunting trip with the others, speaking of ‘just incase’ and ‘my safety’. As if I didn’t know about their need to sustain themselves around the fleshy human girl. 

The bronze-haired boy hardly made a dent into my subconscious as of late. His face had blurred in my dreams, instead recreating as a boy-- a man-- with taller stature, wider shoulders, with hair the color of the desert when the soaked winds blew through.

 My chest began to constrict as I thought of the first time I had dreamt of Jasper-- almost two weeks ago now. 

My brain was caught in my throat. Purpling bruises in the shape of a farm boy’s fingers appearing on the knots of my hips. Like blooming hollies. A desert garden trailing up my thighs. 

His canines scraping across my ribcage, leaving small pools of venom, enough to sting-- but not maim. I could feel the burn of his cheeks from my toes to the pit of my stomach. The clench of my abdomen sent another wave of the fire through my spine, curling my chest into his marble facade. The soft of my breasts shuddering under his touch. 

My hands ran through his shaggy curls in an attempt to pull him closer to me. The vampire refused to budge, instead latching his lips under my bare cleavage with a growl. His eyes flashed up to my face with a perfect kind of stillness to them. His irises a glittering midnight. Constellations twinkling in the abyss, calling out to me in a siren’s song. My chest contracted without air. My mind breaking through the haze in a soft melody of, ‘He’s yours. He’s always been yours. First and forever’. 

His hand left my hip in a split second. His ravaged fingertips, hardened from work even the change couldn’t take from him, traced my cheekbone in small circles. As if he heard my thoughts, he drowned my soul in enough yearning for a thousand minds. The lust galloping alongside, an accomplice to my now dripping heat. 

His frame lifted up, pulling my uncovered curves between his denim-clad legs. His body was still holding onto a sense of mystery, being covered up so much compared to mine. My hands, which were fisted into the soft sheets below me, grasped hold of his v-neck in an iron clasp and went to pull off the barrier. His free hand clamped around my thin wrists. His angel face broke out in a wiley grin-- something akin to a jagged crack in his native southern ground. His knuckles covered mine entirely, far larger than Edward’s. 

A snicker slipped out between his perfect teeth. His coal-colored eyes dropped to my bare hips. The only inch that wasn’t exposed to the warm air swirling around the soft linens were pressed into them. His fingers left my cheek and dropped to his belt buckle. His diamond skin shown equally with the polished silver underneath his hand. 

Faster than I could comprehend, the belt flew out of my line of sight-- along with his wranglers. His henley torn off in quick succession. 

Bite marks marred his body in every crevice. The wide expanse of his chest was littered in hundred, thousands of half moons, smiling back at me with glittering teeth. Jasper’s neck held more pain than I had ever witnessed. Breaks in his immortal skin which had been ripped before they could fully heal, railway lines criss-crossing at his now stagnant jugular. I could only imagine whose nails caused them-- who was allowed close enough to do so. 

My eyes trailed down his torso, following the thick bands of muscle lining his pelvis....

 Jesus.  

 I couldn’t have imagined something so… fitting. 

The blond belted out a laugh larger than the air it held. Wisps of curls making a halo at the crown of his head. His perfect ivory teeth on full display as he bent down, level with my heated face. His cool breath enveloped me in an invisible embrace. 

With one hand grasping his hardened dick, swirling eyes locked onto mine, he slowly rose my hips to meet his--

A cream hand shot out in front of my dazed eyes and pulled me into a backlit hallway. Coming into focus, I could only make out that the hall was empty of various students-- even those who were always truant. The lights flickered above me and I went to struggle against the freezing hold at my back. 

“Alright darling, I thought I gave you a warning.” came a familiar voice from behind me.

[kyndaris]

2020: Unprecedented Times

Most people, at the start of the year, had high hopes for 2020. For many, it was the start of a new decade (though, ask anyone on the street and the start of a decade is open to debate). Here in Australia, the start of 2020 merely carried on the disasters of 2019. Beset by bushfires all along the Eastern coast, we watched as our tourism numbers slump as the denizens of Sydney wore masks as a means to fight the harmful effects of smoke inhalation. Many small businesses, particularly in small towns, felt the brunt of the natural disaster. Homes were destroyed by the thousands. Worse was the fact that livelihoods that were dependent on visitors from all around the world (in particular, China) were also badly affected.

Why would anyone come to Australia, after all, when there was smoke in the air and the air quality was teetering on dangerously toxic?

Many hoped that once the fires had petered out, however, life would return to normal. Little did they know that by March, the world would be caught in the grips of COVID-19. After all, though there were the occasional news headlines of a new disease plaguing China in early January (which resulted in me warning my grandmother that maybe she not go over to celebrate the Year of the Rat), most people were focused on Donald Trump’s impeachment.

Then, of course, there was the assassination of an infamous Iranian general:  Qasem Soleimani. Once again, the world’s attention was arrested by the acts of the United States of America. Most were worried that the tension between Iran and the United States of America would boil over. At the time, it almost felt like a repeat of Trump’s antagonism towards North Korea.

In the United Kingdom, Brexit was well underway. After his re-election in December 2019, Boris Johnson continued his negotiations for a way that Britain could leave the European Union.

On a more personal scale, Australia was wracked by sport club funding scandals and climate change protests.

As for me, I was more concerned about the video game delays. Now that I write this, in December of 2020, I look back and think that perhaps it was appropriate for Cyberpunk 2077 to have been delayed until next year in order to fix the bugs that have the plagued the title ever since launch. Still, I was also vastly disappointed that Vampires the Masquerade II would not be releasing anytime soon. And saddened to hear that The Last of Us Part II had been pushed back.

After COVID-19 swept across the globe and taken hold in most countries and continents (which now extends to Antarctica thanks to a few Chileans testing positive), I watched as stupidity rose to the fore. Lockdown protests, the politicisation of the wearing of masks and the attacks on East Asians. Despite the severity of the virus and how infectious it was, I was disheartened to see so many people flout social distancing rules and break lockdown requirements. Most notably among the rich and famous such as politicians and NRL (National Rugby League) players.

Of course, being in Australia, our bid to ‘flatten the curve’ proved incredibly effective. Articles I’ve read indicate that this was mostly due to Australian’s observance of laws and regulations, as well as our trust in science. In fact, I’ve heard the refrain, ‘at least we’re not America’ spoken quite a few times this year. And honestly, after looking at the statistics, with the Land of the Free having upwards of 18.5 million cases with 326,000 (and counting) deaths, I couldn't agree more to the sentiment.

The whole ‘do as we say, not as we do’ approach by its President further served to fracture society and gave rise to conspiracy theories that served no purpose but showcase the height of people’s ignorance and distrust. It didn’t help that most Western countries also placed more importance on the ‘economy’ than people’s lives. Many global leaders were of the opinion that the ‘cure should not be worse than the disease’ and that a few deaths to keep the budget afloat was a necessary evil. 

Well, to that, I say, ‘Bah! Humbug!’ Without acting decisively and quickly, many nations have ruined their economy AND seen their people die in droves. When people are falling sick and suffering from long-term effects, they’re hardly likely to spend money. Nor will they be able to contribute to society and be able to continue working. Instead, you’ll be saddled with additional welfare taxes. By going hard and fast, closing down the economy for two months, maybe three, you can bounce back harder and stronger without fear of contagion.

Now, many countries are struggling with high numbers of new infected each day AND an economy that’s in tatters. Good job. 

It also doesn’t hurt to give back to the community and help struggling businesses. Schemes such as Jobkeeper and Jobseeker (at least in Australia) were able to alleviate some of the stress for many workers. And honestly, perhaps if the world had implemented a universal basic income, this would also enable people ensure their basic needs are met without sinking into poverty.

The fact that so many only see the short-term rather than long-term is astounding. And as for Sweden’s model? The less said about it, the better. ‘Herd immunity’ without a working vaccine? Madness. Utter madness. Particularly when the virus is airborne.

After enjoying a decent summer, numbers rose again in Europe and much of it was back under lockdown. A new strain, that has proven much more infectious, was discovered in the South of England! Trump tested positive for COVID-19, but to the dismay of many, he recovered quite quickly.

But 2020 did not end there. Once again, the struggles between ethnic minorities were brought again to the limelight. The death of George Floyd saw the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and served to highlight the disproportionate number of those living in poverty and in prison. As a person of colour myself (being of East Asian descent), I tried to explain some of this to my colleagues. But some of them saw Black Lives Matter as a predominantly American issue - and disregarded the fact that many Indigenous Australians were also in prison, caught in a vicious cycle of crime and violence.

It wasn’t long, however, that Australia experienced its own second wave in Melbourne, due to breaches in hotel quarantine. And honestly, it came as a surprise when it also happened in Adelaide and we learned that they weren’t testing hospital workers or those in high-risk workplaces on a REGULAR basis. You would have thought that all workers that transported aircrew or worked as security for those quarantining in hotels would be temperature-checked and given a swab every few days (or at least once a week). But no.

This is why we can’t have good things. 

Christmas in Sydney has also been somewhat neutered by the fact that there has been another sizeable outbreak in the Northern Beaches local council. And, of course, many people in Greater Sydney have been barred from other states. Gotta love those hard state borders where we treat each other as separate countries. Still - if it protects the people, the Premiers will stop at nothing. Even if it means families can’t be together. But better that than seeing Australia become the United States of America. 

Jumping from COVID-19, 2020 also saw an explosion in Beirut due to the storing of large amounts of ammonium nitrate at the port. Approximately 178 people were killed and more than 6,500 were injured. Locust swarms in Africa  descended upon crops, threatening food supply and livelihoods for millions of people. The West Coast of the United States of America suffered from catastrophic wildfires. Meanwhile, in south-east Asia, countries were hit by flooding and typhoons. As a side note, Armenia and Azerbaijan  restarted their ongoing feud. 

And to cap it all off, 2020 decided to further traumatise the future generation, a suicide video was uploaded to Tiktok. 

And oh, the US election. Where our favourite President tried to delay and impede mail-in-votes. In the days following the 3 November 2020 election, the world eagerly watched as the votes were counted and each state was certified. Trump, as is always his way, attempted to claim victory in the early hours of the morning of 4 November 2020, before deriding voter fraud with no evidence to substantiate his claims.

The weeks that followed saw a number of lawsuits that were lodged. Most, of which, were simply dismissed out of hand. And while his supporters have continued to claim that fraud was evident in the 2020 election, there has been no substantial pieces of evidence provided. Affidavits and hearsay, fortunately, do not a case make.

In Australia, our once promising relationship with China took a turn for the worse. While instances of racism, after the initial COVID-19, did not help, it also seemed that the finger pointing among government officials and demands for inquiries into wet markets only served to fuel the fire between the two nations. After initiating a trade war with the United States of America, China then saw fit to put significant tariffs on Australian beef, barley, wine and coal (to name but a few). 

The spat between Australia and China also took on a more insidious tone when several Australian journalists were forced to flee.

And with the unveiling of alleged war crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan, the relationship between the two nations have come to an all-time low. China’s tweet of a doctored image that had an Australian soldier about to cut the throat of an Afghan child saw our Prime Minister taking to social media to demand an apology. 

All in all, 2020 has felt like both an incredibly short and long year in equal measure. For an introvert, such as myself, it’s been mostly the same. In fact, I can’t believe that it’s already at an end. Though my gaming has continued, as has my writing, I felt like I hardly interacted with any of my friends or did anything conducive to my social skills. While I’ve been made permanent at my place of work, it’s also felt a little stagnant. For a good long while, particularly in March, it felt like we were on the cusp of something huge and terrible. As the numbers climbed, I desperately wanted a hard lockdown to be called when leaders vacillated. 

2021 does not promise to be much better. While vaccines have rolled out in several countries, it’ll be a long time coming before the world manages to attain a sense of normalcy. For this blogger, I look forward to just kicking back and finally getting my hands on a PlayStation 5.

As for anyone that has worked on the front lines during this pandemic, I just want to say a big hearty ‘thank you.’ All of  you have sacrificed so much and seen so many terrible things. I wish that we all listened to your warnings instead of inundating emergency rooms thinking COVID-19 was a hoax.

Remember: keep at least 1.5 metres away from another person, wash/ sanitise your hands regularly and wear a mask if you can’t socially distance or are in an enclosed space. 

[charlieswan-squad]

Twilight Rewrite First Sight (ii)

Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a prison cage, that after sixteen years was finally locking me in. 

Breakfast with Charlie was a quiet event. He wished me good luck at school. I thanked him, knowing his hope was wasted optimism. Good luck tended to avoid me. Charlie left first, off to the police station that was his wife and family. After he left, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three unmatching chairs and examined the familiar kitchen, with its dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Nothing had changed. My mother had painted the cabinets eighteen years ago in an attempt to bring some sunshine into the house. 

Over the small fireplace in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of Charlie and my mom in Las Vegas, then one of the three of us in the hospital after I was born, taken by a helpful nurse, followed by the procession of my school pictures up to last year's. Those were embarrassing to look at; missing front teeth, the horrendous haircuts, the braces - I would have to see what I could do to get Charlie to put them somewhere else, at least while I was living here. It was impossible, being in this house, not to realise that Charlie had never gotten over my mom. It made me uncomfortable.

 I didn't want to be too early to school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I donned my jacket - thick and unbreathing like a biohazard suit - and headed out into the rain.

 It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me through immediately as I reached for the house key that was always hidden under the eaves by the door, and locked up. Only in a town like Forks, would it be normal for the chief of police to keep his house key in such an obvious place. The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire my truck again as I wanted; I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood. 

 Inside the truck, it was nice and dry. Either Billy or Charlie had obviously cleaned it up, but the tan upholstered seats still smelled faintly of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint. It was a strange combination, but not totally unpleasant. The engine started quickly, to my relief, but loudly, roaring to life and then idling at top volume. Well, a truck this old was bound to have a flaw. The antique radio worked, a bonus that I hadn't expected.

 Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-coloured bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal

detectors? You know, all the homely aspects of a school in a city like Phoenix.

 I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading Front Office. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get directions inside instead of circling around in the rain like an idiot. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.

 Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front. There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, friendly-looking woman wearing glasses. She was wearing an orange t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed.

 The woman looked up. "Can I help you?"

 "I'm Bella Swan," I informed her, and saw the immediate awareness light her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. The Chief's daughter, the one with the unstable mom, come home at last.

 "Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school, Isabella." She brought several sheets to the counter to show me.

 “Um, it’s Bella, please.”

“Oh, sure, Bella.”

 She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Charlie, that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.

 When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were older like mine, nothing flashy. At home I'd lived in one of the few lower-income neighborhoods that were included in the Paradise Valley District. It was a common thing to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot. The nicest car here was a shiny Volvo, and it stood out. Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume wouldn't draw attention to me.

 I looked at the map in the truck, trying to memorise it now; determined I wouldn't have to walk around with it stuck in front of my nose all day. I stuffed everything in my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. It won’t be that bad, I lied to myself feebly. Seriously Bella, it’s just high school, it wasn’t like anyone was going to bite me. I finally exhaled and stepped out of the truck.

 I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked to the sidewalk, crowded with teenagers. My plain black jacket didn't stand out, I noticed with relief.

 Once I got around the cafeteria, building three was easy to spot. A large black "3" was painted on a white square on the east corner. I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door.

 The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one a porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale, with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't be a standout here.

 I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. He gawked at me when he saw my name - not a particularly encouraging response - and of course I felt blood rush to my cheeks. But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in the back, but somehow, they managed. 

I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner. I'd already read everything. That was comforting… and boring. I wondered if my mom would send me my folder of old essays, or if she would think that was cheating. I went through different arguments with her in my head while the teacher droned on.

  When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.

 "You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.  

"Bella," I corrected. Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me.

 "Where's your next class?" he asked.

 I had to check in my bag. "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six."

 There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes. I wondered if this is how animals felt in the zoo. 

 "I'm headed toward building four, I could show you the way…" Definitely over-helpful. "I'm Eric," he added.

 I forced a smile. "Thanks Eric."

 We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. Several people seemed to be walking too close behind us - like they were trying to eavesdrop or something. I hoped I wasn’t becoming paranoid. 

 "So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked.

"Very.” 

"It doesn't rain much there, does it?”

"Three or four times a year."

"Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.

"Sunny," I told him.

"You don't particularly look like you grew up in the sunshine." he laughed; most likely referring to the fact that I don’t even have freckles, or that, despite the rain, I wasn’t in shorts and flipflops with a baseball cap or something. I never did fit any of the Arizona-stereotypes.

"Well, you know what they say about vampires."

He studied my face apprehensively, and I stifled a groan. It looked like clouds and a sense of humour didn't mix. A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm. 

“I’m joking, Eric.” 

He began to laugh too loudly and forcefully to be real. I could still read the confusion in his eyes, suggesting he didn’t understand my joke, but at least he hadn’t run away screaming that the new girl is a freak. Just give it time. 

 We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.

 "Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.

 I smiled at him, in what I hoped was not an encouraging way and went inside.

 The rest of the morning passed in much the same way. My Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner, who I would have hated anyway just because of the subject he taught, was the only one who made me stand in front of the class and introduce myself. I stammered, blushed, and tripped over my own feet on the way to my seat. 

 “Nailed it.” I thought snarkily.

 After two classes, I started to recognise several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, but mostly I just lied a lot. At least I never needed the map.

 Every one of my teachers called me Isabella, and though I corrected them immediately, it was depressing. I had decided at the age of three that I was Bella, and had refused to answer to anything else until Mom and Charlie got the message. At home, no one remembered that Bella was just a nickname; but now I had to start over again.  

 One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the canteen for lunch.  She was tiny, several inches shorter than my average height, but her hair was pulled into a very tight ponytail on the top of her head which made up a lot of the difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she rattled about teachers and classes and what gossip I had to catch up on. I barely listened let alone try to keep up.

 We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. At least I couldn’t complain about the manners here. They all seemed to think it was really cool and brave of her to invite me. Eric, the boy from English, waved at me from across the room, and my neighbours all laughed. I thought it must be a new record for me, already the butt of a joke. But none of them seemed nasty about it. That was something at least.

 It was there, sitting in the canteen, attempting to make conversation with a bunch of strangers, that I first saw them. I was surprised it had taken me so long to notice them.

[flower-vixen]

Here's an oc template for anyone to use I got from amino

[CI]This template was created by [Ceridwen|http://aminoapps.com/p/smvgaz]. [C]◞┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◟ [C] #curatorreview [C]#commentsoverlikes [C] #enchanted [C] ◝┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◜ [I] Table of Contents ˎˊ˗ [C]◞┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◟ • Synopsis • Wardrobe • OC Teaser • Combat • Overall • Health • Personality • Extra Info* • Lifestyle • Relationships • Appearance • History [C] ◝┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◜ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] SYNOPSIS ˎˊ˗ [C] i. | GENRES. [C] ↳(add applicable genres here) [C] ii. | FANDOMS. [C] ↳(any fandoms this character can be used for here) [C]iii. | PAIRINGS. [C] ↳(BxG, BxB, GxG, etc.) [C]iv. | WARNINGS. [C] ↳(any possible trigger warnings, please include them here!) [C]v. | AUTHORS NOTE. [C] ↳(anything important to include, or important to note, before somebody starts reading?) [C]vi. | TL:DR. [C] ↳(include a short synopsis of the character here for those too lazy to read the entire biography. include the most important information relevant to the roleplay.) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] OC TEASER ˎˊ˗ [C] (write a roleplay example as this character here. this will be a good way to introduce your character to people and get them hooked, so try to write about something interesting!) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] OVERALL ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | NAME. [C] Full Name Here [C] ↳(include name meanings and, if required, pronunciation help. you can also include how the character feels about their name, or why their parents chose this name.) [C]ii. | NICKNAME(S). [C] ❝ Nickname ❞ | ❝ Nickname ❞ [C] ↳ (who gave them these nicknames and why? what is their significance?) [C]iii. | AGE & BIRTHDAY. [C]Day/Month/Year, Age Range. [C] ↳ (what was the day they were born like. how do they like to celebrate their birthday?) [C]iv. | ZODIAC. [C] Sun Zodiac. Moon Zodiac. Rising Zodiac. [C] ↳ (does the character act like a typical person of their zodiac? what’s different?) [C]v. | GENDER. [C]Add Gender Here. [C] ↳ (how do they feel about their gender. if their transgender explain their transitioning journey etc.) [C]vi. | SPECIES. [C]Add Species Here. [C] ↳ (if not human please explain what the different traits of the species is.) [C]vii. | PREFERENCE. [C] Sexual Orientation. Romantic Orientation. [C] ↳ (are they open or closeted about their sexuality? who else knows? etc.) [C]viii. | NATIONALITY. [C] Nationality Here. (can be multiple.) [C] ↳ (explain some of the customs or traditions associated with this nationality especially if it impacts the character.) [C]ix. | LANGUAGES. [C] ↳ Mother Tongue [C] ↳ Second Language (include what level they can understand, read, speak or write the language, are they bilingual?) [C] ↳ Third Language (include what level they can understand, read, speak or write the language.) [C]x. | LOCATIONS. [C]Birthplace. Hometown. Current Location. [C] ↳ (has the character moved in their life? do they currently live in the same place they were born in? explain their journey.) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] PERSONALITY ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | USUAL MOOD. [C] Here. [C] ↳ (why are they usually this way?) [C]ii. | OVERALL. [C] Include Personality Type/Brief Overview. [C] ↳ (what is their overall personality? make sure to include why the are the way they are with examples and explanations.) [C]iii. | LIKES. [C] ↳ (list them here) [C]iv. | DISLIKES. [C] ↳ (list them here) [C]v. | HABITS. [C] ↳ (list them here) [C]vi. | FEARS. [C] ↳ (list them here) [C]vii. | PET PEEVES. [C] ↳ (list them here) [C]viii. | BIGGEST DREAM. [C]Biggest Dreams here. [C] ↳ (explain why they want to reach this goal, or what are they doing to reach this goal? [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] LIFESTYLE ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | EDUCATION [C]Current Level, IQ. [C] ↳ (explain what they are currently studying, what their previous grades were, how their life at school was, etc.) [C]ii. | OCCUPATION [C]Job Title/Dream Job [C] ↳ (explain what their job entails, or what their dream job would entail. explain their shift schedule etc.) [C]iii. | INCOME. [C]Yearly/Monthly/Weekly Income. [C] ↳ (how did they earn this income? do they receive an allowance from family? did they steal this money or receive it in a criminal way?) [C]iv. | HOME. [C] Apartment. House. Studio. Student Halls. [C] ↳ (describe where they live. do they still live at home with family. do they have a flat mate? etc.) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] APPEARANCE ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | BODY STRUCTURE. [C] Body type. Body shape. Height. Weight. [C] ↳ (describe their body, their skin type and colour.) [C]ii. | DISTINGUISHING FEATURES. [C] Any Prominent Features (face or bodily). [C] ↳ (describe scars, blemishes, freckles and moles, and any tattoos or piercings on their body/face.) [C]iii. | EYES. [C] Colour. Shape. [C] ↳ (describe any unique features about their eyes, do they look different colours in certain lighting. do they need glasses or contacts?) [C]iv. | HAIR. [C]Colour. Texture. Style. [C] ↳ (describe the character’s hair. what is their natural hair colour vs their current hair colour? how do they like to wear/style their hair?) [C]v. | MAKEUP. [C]Natural/Glamour/Colourful [C] ↳ (if they wear makeup, describe their daily makeup routine, and what they like to change based on the occasion). [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] WARDROBE ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | USUAL ATTIRE. [C] ↳ (describe what they like to wear on a day to day basis just going about their life. do they have a uniform they have to wear for work?) [C]ii. | SEASONAL ATTIRE. [C] ↳ (what do they change about their everyday look during the winter, spring, summer or autumn?) [C]iii. | SPECIAL OCCASIONS. [C] ↳(what would they wear on a date or to a ball or party?) [C]iv. | SLEEPWEAR. [C] ↳ (what do they like to sleep in, what kind of underwear do they like to wear?) [C]v. | SPECIAL TRINKETS. [C] ↳ (any charms or pieces of jewellery that have any significance to them? what’s the story behind it?) [C]vi. | INSIDE THEIR BAG. [C] ↳ (list what kind of items can be found inside of their bag, what kind of bag is it? is it messy or well organised?) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] COMBAT ˎˊ˗ [C] ↳ (explain any supernatural abilities regarding to the character species, e.g. vampires, werewolves, vampire slayers, etc. or perhaps they are a mutant with superhero abilities which can be described here. maybe the world they live in makes them need to be able to fight, such as an apocalypse setting; if so, what kind of weapon do they prefer or carry about with them? maybe they have taught themselves self defence? or maybe they are completely useless in a fight? Are they a total pacifist?) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] HEALTH ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | GENERAL HEALTH. [C] List Any Conditions. [C] ↳(explain any health conditions here. do some research about the condition! do they have to take any medication for these conditions? can they live a somewhat normal life? how does this affect them?) [C]ii. | MENTAL HEALTH. [C] List Any Conditions. [C] ↳(explain any mental health conditions here. do some research about the condition! do they have to take any medication for these conditions? can they live a somewhat normal life? how does this affect them?) [C]iii. | DIET. [C]Vegetarian/Vegan/Lactose Free/Gluten Free, etc. [C] ↳ (explain their dietary requirements here!) [C]iv. | ACTIVITIES [C]Activities They Do To Keep Healthy [C] ↳ (explain what daily/weekly activities they do to keep fit and healthy. or do they just laze about and do nothing?) [C]v. | ADDICTIONS [C]List Here. [C] ↳ (are they addicted to anything? are they in denial about their addiction? are they more of a social drinker/smoker than an addict? how do they feel about drugs?) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] EXTRA INFORMATION ˎˊ˗ [I] This or That ˎˊ˗ [C]◞┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◟ [I] Introvert or Extrovert ↳ [I] Fighter or Pacifist ↳ [I] Social Butterfly or Wallflower ↳ [I] Insolent or Genuine ↳ [I] Logical or Emotional ↳ [I] Right or Left Handed ↳ [I] Leader or Follower ↳ [C] ◝┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◜ [I] Favourites ˎˊ˗ [C]◞┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◟ [I] Season ↳ [I] Time of Day ↳ [I] Colour ↳ [I] Film ↳ [I] Music ↳ [I] Book ↳ [I] Animal ↳ [C] ◝┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈◜ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] RELATIONSHIPS ˎˊ˗ [C] i. | MOTHER. [C] Name Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationship.) [C] ii. | FATHER. [C] Name Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationship.) [C] iii. | SISTER(S). [C] Names Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationships.) [C] iv. | BROTHER(S). [C] Names Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationships.) [C] v. | OTHER RELATIVE(S). [C] Names Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationships.) [C] vi. | BEST FRIEND. [C] Name Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationship, if they are best friends with another members character link them here!) [C] vii. | FRIEND(S). [C] Names Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationships, if they are friends with another members character link them here!) [C] vi. | CURRENT PARTNER [C] Name Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationship, if they are dating with another members character link them here!) [C] vii. | EX-PARTNER(S). [C] Names Here. [C] ↳ (describe the relationships, if they have dated another members character link them here!) [C]viii. | ENCHANTING. [C] ↳ (list what your character finds attractive about a partner here) [C]ix. | DISENCHANTING. [C] ↳ (list what your character finds unattractive about a partner here) [C]x. | PERFECT DATE. [C] ↳ (describe the perfect date/ or dream date/ for your character ) [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] HISTORY ˎˊ˗ [C]i. | INFANCY-CHILDHOOD. [C] ↳ [C]ii. | ADOLESCENCES. [C] ↳ [C]iii. | ADULTHOOD. [C] ↳ [C]iv. | PRESENT DAY. [C] ↳ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ [I] THEME SONG ˎˊ˗ [C] *insert theme song here* [C] song title - artist [C] ₀₀․₀₀◦──────•────◦ ₀₃․₃₅ [C]⟲◂◂ ► Ⅱ ▸▸ ♡ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C]⋰ ⋱ [C] Photo [C]⋱ ⋰ [C] ◌ ◍ ◌ [C] ❝ quote/lyric ❞ [C]┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

[petrovna-zamo]

‼️🚨 NEW KATYA MUSIC🚨‼️