#will they team up or compete or a secret third thing

[somnesca]

So I've been writing these roleplay-based parties for my birthday every year for the past 5-6 years (not including the height of the pandemic). Hard to describe in text but they're part LARP, part mystery fuckery, super fun chaos times that loosely follow a plot set in some supernatural setting (e.g., purgatory, a luxury spaceship, the faerie realm).

This year, with the help of my best friend/birthday twin, I'm doing two (one for our birthday and one for a friend's): a full murder mystery set on a train, and a dark sinister carnival with a twisted chaos-loving eldritch ringleader.

I am SO excited.

[rochenn]

What if the Yuuzhan Vong invasion happened during the Clone Wars. One day Palpatine wakes up and Serenno has fallen (not to the Republic) and the Core is under attack (not by the Separatists) and he has 100 panicked texts from Dooku and all the people who were at each others' throats yesterday are forced to power-of-friendship their way out of this absolute nightmare together. Cinema.

[artbyblastweave]

A few years ago, there was a thread on r/asksciencefiction where someone was fishing for a superhero story with an inverted Omni-Man dynamic, or a setting where Homelander's initial presentation is played straight- a setting where the Superman figure actually is the paragon of morality he's initially presented as, but no other superhero is- a situation where you've got one really competent true-blue hero standing head-and-shoulders in power above what's otherwise a complete nest of vipers.

Someone in the thread floated My Hero Academia; while I haven't read it, my understanding is that that's not really an accurate read of what's going on with Stain's neurosis about All-Might being the only "real hero," that the point of that arc is that Stain's got an insane and unreasonable standard and that taking an endorsement deal, while bad, isn't actually grounds for execution. My own contribution to the thread was Gail Simone's Welcome to Tranquility, where a major part of the backstory involved the faux Justice-League's Superman analogue having a little accident because he's the only one who thought they were morally obligated to go public with the secret life-extending macguffin that the rest of the team is using to enforce comic-book time on themselves and their loved ones; while only a couple members of the team are directly in on it, the rest are conveniently incurious. And Jupiter's Legacy gets tantalizingly close to this- The Utopian, a well-meaning stick-in-the-mud, ultimately gets blindsided and couped by his scheming brother who creates a superhero junta staffed by a Kingdom-Come-style glut of third-gen superheroes, who are framed as fundamentally self-interested because only came onto the scene after most of the situations you legitimately need a superhero to handle have been neutralized. (The rub, of course, is that the comic is also highly critical of the Utopian's intellectually incurious self-righteously 'apolitical' approach to superheroism- if for no other reason than that it left him in a position to get blindsided by a coup!) While Jupiter's Legacy gets the closest, all three of these are only loosely orbiting around the spirit of the original idea, and there's something really interesting there- particularly if the Superman figure isn't hopelessly naive in the same way as Utopian. Because first of all, if you're Metaman or Amazingman or whatever brand-name alias the writer goes with, and you really earnestly mean it, and you put together a team of all the other most powerful heroes on earth in order to pool your resources, and then with dawning horror you gradually begin to realize that everyone in the room besides yourself is a fascist or a con artist or abuser or any other variant of a kid with a magnifying glass eyeing that anthill called Earth- What the hell is your next move?

Do you just call the whole thing off? Can you trust that they'll actually go home if you call the whole thing off? I mean you've put the idea in their heads, are you sure that they aren't going to, like, start the Crime Syndicate in your absence? Do you stick around to try and enact containment, see if getting all of these people on a team makes them easier to keep on a leash? But that's functionally going to make you their enabler pretty quickly, right? Overlooking "should you kill them-" can you kill them? You're stronger than any individual one of them- are you stronger than all of them? The first time one of them really crosses a line in a way you can't ignore- will that be a one-on-one fight? Are they the kind of people capable of putting two-and-two together and pre-emptively ganging up on you if you push back too hard? Do you just start trying to get them killed, or keep them at each other's throats so they can't coordinate anything really nasty? Can you squeeze any positive moral utility out of them, or is that just a way to justify not doing the hard work of taking them down? There've been works where the conceit is to question the default assumption that Superman in specific would be a good person, and there've been works where the conceit is to question the default assumption that superheroes in general would be good people. Something to be done, I think, with questioning the default assumption that everyone Superman becomes professionally close to would be good, and to explore how he'd handle it if they weren't.

[sweetdispatch]

Attention seeker - M. Rempe

pairing: Matt Rempe x Hughes!reader

summary: You and Matt are together. Quinn and Luke are cool with that but Jack? He's furious.

warning: swearing

words: 1.7k

note: thank you lovely anon for this request! hope you don't mind that i've made a whole fic instead of short blurb💋

masterlist

---

All your life was about hockey. Your brothers play it, your parents played it and you used to too. Although, for you the journey ended up when you got a nasty injury during one of the games and couldn’t compete anymore. You felt sad at first, but this opened plenty of opportunities for you. When you graduated high school, you decided to leave Michigan. You didn’t want to follow Quinn’s steps there. 

New York was always your dream place to live. That’s why you decided to apply for university there. Thankfully, you got it and this is how your free life hockey started. At least this is what you thought. Your parents begged you to move with your brother Jack who was playing for New Jersey Devils. At first, you didn’t like the idea of travelling every single day but eventually you agreed on that. 

In May 2023, you decided to move out from Jack’s apartment. You graduated and wanted to be independent, plus Luke was coming to play with him and you didn’t want to third wheel them. During the three years, you and Jack bonded and became the closest with each other. Earlier, he was always with Quinn while you were with Luke but now, it was you and Jack against them. 

One thing that you learned about Jack was that he hated the New York Rangers. You get it that the teams have conflict but he took it personally. This is when everything you built with him fell down. You were always sharing the stories about guys with him and searching for help but now, you couldn’t now. You knew that he’s dramatic and the last thing you wanted was an argument with him over who you are dating. 

At the beginning of 2024, you met Matt. At first, you didn’t know he’s a hockey player but two of you clicked immediately. You lived in your bubble with him until he started playing for Rangers. In that moment you knew that you can’t tell this to your brothers. He understood it because he hated the New Jersey Devils and he wouldn’t like his sister dating a player from this team. 

You lived by yourself so you didn’t have to sneak out behind your two brothers' backs with your relationship but every time Matt was coming to you, you felt the thrill that they might come by to visit. You believed that he’s your soulmate and didn’t want to choose between him and your brothers. When things become serious between you and Matt, you have to share this with someone. You called your mom to break the news.

“Mom, I met a guy and he’s been really good for me” You started.

“That’s wonderful! Tell me everything about him” She was curious to know who won her daughter’ heart.

“His name is Matt and he’s a hockey player” 

“You can’t get out of the hockey world” Your mom jokes.

“But there’s a problem…” You took a deep breath and continued. “He plays for Rangers”

“Ohhh… Do your brothers know?” She asked.

“No and you can’t tell them” You begged.

“You have to tell them. They’ll find out eventually and it’s better if they hear it from you and not from someone other” Your mom stated.

“You’re right but I can’t. At least for now. I just need to find a good occasion for this I guess” You said and hung up. 

The next few days you were thinking how to tell the news to your brothers. You weren’t scared of Quinn and Luke’ reaction. Jack was the one that scared you the most to tell this. For your luck, Quinn was living in a different country so you decided to tell him this first.

“I have a boyfriend” You said the moment he picked up your phone.

“Okay, you need my blessing for this?” Quinn was confused why you told him that. 

“No but I need you to keep this as a secret” 

“Why?” 

“It’s Matt from Rangers and you know how much Jack hates them” You sighed. 

“I won’t tell him that but you know that he’ll find out? You live like 30 minutes from each other” He tried to convince you to admit this to Jack.

“I know but I’m scared, you know Jack. He’s a drama queen” Quinn laughed at your words. 

“Well, good luck with Jack and I’m happy for you. It make sense why you were smiling that much lately” 

“I did not!” You fought back.

After a week, you were ready to tell the news to Jack, but to your bad luck, Devils were playing against Rangers. You went to this game and the first thing you saw was a huge fight and of course, Matt was part of it. Now, your confidence in telling this to Jack disappeared. The game ended up and you went back to your apartment. You didn’t want to see Matt or your brothers. You needed to rethink this whole situation. 

Two hours later, you heard the ring door. You went to open and saw Matt in front of you. You let him but hadn’t said a word.

“I came because you weren’t answering your phone” He started. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I still have my phone in my purse and haven’t heard” You lied. 

Matt went and sat on your couch when you arrived next to him. He turned on the tv show you two have been watching lately. When the episode ended, you heard the ring door. Without even thinking, you went to open the door. You froze on the spot when you saw your brothers. 

“Umm, what are you doing here?” You asked awkwardly. 

“I don’t know, we decided to visit our sister probably” Jack said and walked with Luke into your apartment. 

“What are the noises?” Luke asked you but before you could answer, you two heard Jack. 

“What the fuck does he do here?” He was fuming. It was a tense atmosphere there.

“He’s there because… we’re dating” You admitted. Jack looked at you with big eyes. 

“What? Are you kidding me?” He couldn’t believe what he just heard.

“I’m not, we’ve been together for the past four months” You started playing with your fingers and Luke noticed it. He knew it was your anxiety habit.

“Jack, does it matter who she's dating?” Luke tried to talk to Jack but he didn’t want to listen.

“Yes! She can’t fucking date him. From all of the guys you had to pick him?” He closed the distance between you two. “Are you that desperate for attention that you picked him?”

“What does it supposed to mean?” You argued.

“That you’re an attention seeker! I get it, you’re mad that your brothers made it into NHL when you fucked your knee but that’s on you. You’ve always been terrible in hockey anyways, but searching for attention by dating the worst player out there? Pathetic. Don’t come to me when he makes you cry because…” Before he could finish, Matt spoke.

“What the fuck did you just said to her? You’re her brother and you’re blaming her for her injury and falling in love with someone you don’t like? You’re the pathetic one for thinking this low about your own sister” Jack hadn’t responded. Only looked at you and saw tears in your eyes. He knew he screwed up but his ego didn’t let him apologise. Instead, he left the apartment. 

Matt quickly was by your side and hugged you. He let you cry into his chest while Luke was standing there, observing the whole situation.

“I’m so sorry for him. He’s a dick for saying this to you. That was a low blow from him to bring your insecurities” He said and you went to hug him. 

“Thanks Luke, are you mad too?” 

“I’m not thrilled that you’re dating Matt but I can see how much happiness and support he gives you and that’s the most important thing right?” You nodded. “I’ll try to talk with Jack about it but he just needs a moment to get used to it” He hugged you and left. You were there alone with Matt.

“Are you okay?” He asked, concerned.

“I’ll live. Can we get back to the tv show because I really don’t want to talk about it” You proposed and Matt agreed.

Couple days went by and you haven’t heard a word from Jack. It hurt you that your own brother turned back on you only because you’re dating a guy from his rival team. Matt was all the time next to you trying to be supportive. Luke told everyone about the argument. Quinn and your parents were checking on you to see how you feel. They also spare a piece of their mind to Jack.

Jack was aware that he messed up real good. He knew how heartbroken you were about your injury and he just threw it into your face. He wanted to apologise and fix it but he didn’t know how. He was scared that you might shut him down and ignore. It was the longest time when you two haven’t spoken with each other and he felt weird without you by his side. 

After his season was done, Jack finally found the bravery to visit you. He knew you’re not going home for summer because you have work. That's why his steps lead to your apartment. He knocked two times and waited. You opened the door not expecting to see him.

“If you want to scream at me again, you can go” 

“No, I want to apologise. Can I come in?” You stepped further into your place and he followed you. 

“I’m listening” You crossed your arms on the chest.

“I’m so sorry for how I reacted. It was wrong. I was just shocked that you’re dating a Rangers guy but it’s not an excuse. I deeply regret saying everything I said. You didn’t deserve it. I acted like a dick” He said and you felt that his words were sincere.

“You really acted like a dick” You agreed with him. 

“Please, forgive me for that. I’ll take me some time to get use to it but I want you to be happy”

“Matt makes me happy. He might be the biggest menace on the ice but off the ice, he’s the best guy around. I honestly don’t remember the last time I had so much fun with someone” You sighed. “I don’t need you to like him but at least act neutral towards him”

“Fine, but if he hurts you…” You laughed hearing it. Jack pulled you into a hug, happy that you two sorted things out. 

[drvscarlett]

Let him cook

Charles Leclerc x Masterchef contestant!reader

Series Part: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

A/N: Got this idea because the masterchef trophy is similar to the Australian GP trophy. This is going to be a series

Charles_Leclerc posted a new photo

liked by CarlosSainz55, PierreGasly, and 365,000 others.

Charles_Leclerc Add professional chef to the list

User1 aint no way you cooked this

User2 nice try Charles but we all saw that pasta video

CarlosSainz55 mate drop the # of the private chef you hired, these look delicious

Charles_Leclerc I told you that I made this myself CarlosSainz55 Lies!!!!

PierreGasly since when did you learn how to make coq au vin???

Charles_Leclerc not you too PierreGasly you should invite me sometimes so I can judge your cooking

Y/NCooks posted a photo

YNCooks last date night before i enter masterchef australia. credits to the boyfriend for the lovely photos

Friend1 Y/N i know this is your dream for a while now. I hope you win. We will cheer for you our next masterchef australia!

YNCooks awww stop! ur making me cry

User1 OMG she is finally competing, goodluck Y/N!

User2 Y/N always talk about how its her dream to enter masterchef, I'm gonna watch it everyday and hope she wins it!

User3 Goodluck Y/N! I hope you become the next masterchef australia!!!

Mystery Box challenge episode

There was a building reputation in the kitchen that you are one of the strong homecooks of the season. After winning the past 2 mystery challenges, you were extremely determined to do well and seek for a third streak. The mystery box today was all about italian cooking, a cuisine that you have been comfortable due to the close ties of your boyfriend being signed to an Italian team.

"And what do we have here with you today Miss Y/N" Matt Preston asked as he approached the work table together with George Colambris "You seem rather comfortable and in your own zone. Its like an ordinary Tuesday date night"

You gave a small chuckle with that mention "That's actually pretty on point of you to say as Tuesday is my date night with the boyfriend"

"Ah so maybe that's why you are so inspired because you are in love"George teased.

"Well I have to admit that there is a little pressure to do well in this challenge or my boyfriend's family will get mad at me"you quipped back a reply.

The judges suddenly leaned a little interested to learn more about your personal life, "So your boyfriend is italian?"

"He is not but he might as well be. He spends a lot of time there"

"It must be hard to not see him a lot since you are here competing" Matt says

"It's a price we are willing to pay. He has been supportive of my dream as I am with him" you gave an encouraging smile as you continue to chop the sweet potatoes.

"We hope to meet that boyfriend of yours because he is one lucky man because that dish looks delicious!" George says before they left the station.

Somewhere in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc is grinning upon watching the replay of the episode. He was beyond proud of what you have achieved as a contestant in MasterChef. He wished that he could do more to express his support towards you but you have an agreement with him to keep things lowkey for the meantime. It was a reasonable decision as he didn't want to overshadow your career but it was nice to know that you two are a private thing but never a secret.

He was so engrossed to repeating the boyfriend clip that he didn't notice that Carlos snuck up beside him.

"What are you watching there?" Carlos asked his teammate

"Oh its nothing" Charles says as he immediately exited the Youtube app "I didn't notice you there, you scared me"

"If you weren't too into your phone then you would have noticed me calling you" Carlos explained "What are you watching on your phone that got you smiling like that?"

"Nothing, I just saw an ad"

"Hmm sure an ad" Carlos was pretty sure that Charles was watching MasterChef but he couldn't care anymore to ask which country because there was too many so he decided to just let it go "Cmon Fred is asking for us, were late for a meeting"

"Carlos! Why didn't you start with that?"

Cake challenge

You were exhausted because you spent the early hours of the morning watching the Jeddah GP. It was a thrilling race to see Charles bag his first podium of the season so you can say that its worth it. Besides, you were able to talk to him after the race so it sweetens the deal even more.

Filming begun for MasterChef and the judges brought out balloons for the mystery box challenge.

"Your challenge today is to make the most imaginative and creative birthday cake that you ever had" Gary explained "The pantry is filled with all the cake flavors you can ever imagine so be creative and show us what you've got"

Baking has never been your strongest suit. It was all about precision and measurements as small increments can make a huge difference. Today, you were determined to do well and you wanted to use the podium finish of Charles for the cake.

It was a struggle to bake the cake, cool it, and pipe it in under 60 minutes. You felt the pressure getting under your nerves as your hands started shaking when you were piping the cake details with 10 minutes left. There was a sigh of relief when you finished just 5 seconds away from the judges calling the time.

There were plenty of beautiful cakes in the room so it was a shocker for you that the judges called you in front to present your cake.

"Judges what I have for you today is a three layer cake with the raspberry,almond, and pistachio with chocolate to seperate the layers and a lemon buttercream frosting."

"You told us you can't bake, that seems like a lie" George says as he cuts through the cake "Look at that layers"

"The layers are actually inspired by the italian flag, its an homage to the boyfriend. Its actually a cake that I made thinking about him" you explained.

"That is simply gorgeous. The cake is very moist and the balance with the flavors is that its not too sweet or nothing overpowering. Your boyfriend is a lucky lucky lucky man to be baked a cake like this" George complimented.

"Does your boyfriend cook?"Matt asked as he took a bite

"Oh God no. I have to cook or else the kitchen will be on fire"you laughed "But I can't drive so maybe that's his payback"

"You seem to show the beautiful dynamics of your relationship when you cook something inspired by him. I wish you two the best" Matt's genuine comment was a heartwarming moment.

Its unfortunate that you didn't win this challenge but you were able to showcase your support for your boyfriend.

Melbourne GP meets MasterChef

This was another challenge as you were elected as a team captain for the second team challenge. You were extremely nervous when you were transported with your team mates from the blue kitchen to an unknown location. It was even more nerve-wracking after you've realized where you are.

"Welcome to the Albert Park where the Australian Grand Prix is underway for this weekend" Matt introduced "Your challenge is to prepare two dishes: a pasta and a fish dish to be served to the talented drivers in Formula 2"

There was a little sigh of relief as you were dealing with the Formula 2 drivers. It was a lot of weight on the shoulder if you will be serving food to your boyfriend.

"The practice sessions will be starting in a few minutes. You have 90 minutes to prepare your dish and an hour to serve them"

All you know was that you started organizing the team to put them in charge of the dishes that you will be making today. You cross your fingers that the color red brings luck to your team today.

Meanwhile, the paddock was buzzing with cameras and Charles immediately noticed that there were some new film crews around the Formula 2 drivers. His eyes did a double take after he recognized the face of three familiar judges he often sees on MasterChef Australia.

"What's going on? Isn't that MasterChef Australia judges?" Charles quizzed

"That's MasterChef Australia, they have this team challenges and they will be feeding the Formula 2 drivers" Silvia answered as she was informed earlier that morning about the extra exposure in the paddock today.

"Why Formula 2? Why not us?" Charles whined

"If you want then you could go ask Ollie for food" Silvia suggested

That sets a lightbulb moment for Charles as he excused himself to talk to the young driver. He will not miss the opportunity to taste the cooking of his secret girlfriend and support her in doing her craft.

It puzzled Ollie Bearman to see that Charles has been looking for him once the practice session was over. He was even more confused by his request.

"So you want me to get you food?" Ollie asked "Doesn't Ferrari have a catering?"

"Its not just food, its the MasterChef Australia food" Charles explained without giving out too much information "I just love the show okay?"

"You can come along, I'm sure they don't mind" Even better.

So here is why you were genuinely surprised to see that Charles Leclerc is walking inside the MasterChef tent with a red and blue plate in his hand. He was grinning wildly as if he was a kid on a sugar rush.

"Ohmygod we are serving food to Charles Leclerc!" one of your teammates whispered.

"Hi goodafternoon! What's the dish for today?" he asked politely.

"Well we have a pan fried cod with a pea puree and then some green grapes some fennel over there and then for the pasta lemon ricotta and beet tortellini" you answered as the team captain "We hope that its up your liking"

Charles gave you that smile that seems to light up the whole room, "I look forward to it, thanks!"

Its moments like this that you wish that you could reach out for him but you understand that its not yet the time. Its nice to see the support that you have for each other even though its all in private and away from the eyes of the media.

"Goodluck on your race Charles!"

There was a smile on both of your faces as you both continued to go chase your dreams.

[sexhaver]

me n bailey marathoned the first season of this show over the last few days. some thoughts:

Alan Cumming, specifically his accent and wardrobe, are by far the highlights of this show. i sincerely hope someone has made an edit compiling all of his outfits without any of the actual gameplay, because he is consistently serving cunt

like just look at this

that being said i did keep seeing him as Fegan Floop from Spy Kids

oh right there's an actual game/competition component to this

im just gonna get this out of the way: the entire premise of the show is fundamentally flawed. they keep trying to make it sound like the three Traitors in the group are "backstabbing" and "working against" the Faithful (non-Traitors), but, like, everyone on the show (Traitor or Faithful) is competing for the exact same prize pool. it's not like The Mole (or any other social deduction game), where the secret evil team actually has different goals diametrically opposed to those of the good team and has to complete them without having anyone notice. here, the evil team just... votes on someone to "murder" every night. that's it.

to emphasize this point: the literal only thing that can ever give you away as a Traitor is being bad at lying/concealing guilt. there are ZERO gameplay differences between the goals of a Traitor and the goals of a Faithful, which means the arguments over who to vote for banishing are based entirely on "gut feelings"

nobody on the show has ever played a social deduction game before. late into the season, there's a day where all 3 Traitors are alive and it's down to 6 people total (so 3v3). anyone who has played Mafia/Werewolf/ToS/etc knows what this means: barring bullshit last-minute rules from the producers, it is quite literally impossible for the Traitors to lose, because none of them can be voted up. it takes 4 out of 6 votes to exile someone, and there are only 3 Faithful left. if no Traitor votes for another Traitor, then it is, again, literally impossible for a Traitor to be exiled. furthermore, if they all coordinate their votes on one Faithful, all they have to do is convince one of the remaining two Faithfuls to vote with them, and they instantly win $180k (split three ways). and hey, wouldn't you know it, one of the Faithfuls (Kate) was already really suspicious, and another one of the Faithfuls (Quentin) said out loud multiple times that he was voting for her!

so what do you think the Traitors did?

god this part pissed me off so much im having to pause for breathe while typing this. okay. so.

two of the Traitors voted for the third Traitor, who got voted off.

after being voted off, youre supposed to walk up to the Circle of Truth and reveal if you were a Traitor or not. the guy who got eliminated (Christian) was entirely too nice and gracious about it. me n bailey discussed this and came to the conclusion that we would either a) out the other Traitors on the stand and explain, using game theory and math, exactly how fucking stupid they are, completely ruining the game for them, or b) pretend to cry a little while walking up to the Circle of Truth but as soon as you walk behind the first other Traitor's chair you flip it over backwards and elbow drop their nose into their face while screaming "YOU STOLE $60K FROM ME YOU SON OF A BITCH"

also the guy who got eliminated (Christian) was very clearly autistic and Every Single Reason the other traitors gave for not liking him was like straight out of the DSM V diagnostic criteria ("he talks too loud and laughs weird", "he's got way too much energy all the time", "his emotional responses don't make sense")

apparently there's a season 2 but i cannot bring myself to watch it after seeing Christian thrown to the lions (ayyy Sunday school reference)

also at one point a Faithful has to leave because of COVID (this was filmed in 2020) so the producers don't let the Traitors murder anyone that night for balance reasons, but to compensate, they tell them they can like. write down three names that will be publicly revealed to everyone the next morning, and then one of those people dies the next night. so obviously this is mostly a nerf for the Traitors because they miss a night of killing someone, but the intention was clearly to give the Traitors an opportunity to sow confusion by putting one or two of their OWN names onto the list to make them seem like Faithfuls. and they even had an extra objective during that day's game where one of the three people could earn a "shield" to protect them that night, so if a Traitor was on the list, they could basically "steal" the shield from the other 2 (since they obviously weren't getting killed no matter what). but i think the Traitors heard "write down three names" and "kill" and had all the blood rush to their respective dicks because they just wrote three Faithfuls lmao. deeply unserious show

[freezeyourchill]

I am once again thinking about the differences between Paper Luigi and Luigi literally anywhere else. Paper Jam be damned this is the most definitive proof that the Paper Mario universe is a separate reality

Think of any Luigi appearance other than the Paper Mario series (Luigi's Mansion, Mario & Luigi RPGs, 2023 Mario Movie, SM64DS, Galaxy, anything) and they'll have a decent amount of consistency. Luigi is characterized as timid, brave given the circumstances, usually quiet, always silly billy certified, and a bit clumsy but very sweet.

But most crucially for this post, he follows Mario's lead but never seems to mind. He's the butt of endless jokes and not nearly as renowned as Mario, but it generally doesn't get to him because he's got his big bro and that's all that matters (the Smash universe is also an entirely separate secret third thing so his Negative Zone from Brawl doesn't count)

Whenever Mario saves/finds him in the M&L RPGs, his first instinct is to collapse into Mario's arms with a big hug, sometimes with relieved tears. In the newest Mario Movie he's chattier than usual but he still firmly believes that any situation will be okay as long as Mario is there (another big hug upon their reunion). In LM3, Mario immediately rushes off after he's saved (again, with a big hug) but instead of being annoyed or even afraid, Luigi just grins and follows his lead, happy that he's back and they can work together again. In Dream Team we see Luigi's deepest darkest most intense subconscious emotions and revealed to us is immense love and care for his brother, unconditional support for whatever he chooses to do, and at worst a fear of Mario leaving him behind.

The point being that Luigi is happy to depend on Mario, perhaps to the point where he stunts his own potential, because Mario is his rock. They're a package deal and if you don't like one, the other will certainly not like you.

Compare this with the Paper Mario series. Some of the previously listed traits are still true: Luigi is a timid silly billy who obviously cares for his brother. Being with Mario still helps give him security and confidence, as seen in SPM.

No hug. Suspicious. Anyway, even if he does depend on Mario at times, the main distinction is that he strives to be more independent from him, if only to prove a point. He wants to prove that he's just as cool and doesn't need to rely on his big brother to succeed. He wants to do things himself, and play it off coolly.

As opposed to Paper Mario's more quiet attitude (which deserves its own post actually), he's chatty, snarky, and direct. And according to that one Toad in Origami King, he characteristically sneers. What's up with that?

Unlike other versions of Luigi, Paper Luigi is overtly jealous. He's got this odd inferiority complex that makes him want to be independent from Mario while also getting jealous of people who spend time with Mario on his adventures. Compare this with M&L Superstar Saga where Luigi was more than happy staying at home doing the housekeeping, and got physically dragged off with Mario via circumstance.

Famously, Luigi stretches the truth or outright lies to Mario about his own escapades in TTYD to appear as cooler and more competent. Luigi's companions will make sure to enlighten Mario with the real story. But the strange part of this comes from the collectable Super Luigi books that you can buy.

'Older, though less talented brother'? A 'no-doubt inconsequential errand'? In fairness he didn't write the books himself, but he describes them as being in 'excruciating detail' and 'like a history book'.

And I'm not at all saying he dislikes Mario. It's because he holds Mario on such a pedestal in comparison to himself that he tries to overcompensate and make himself appear more capable so that he can keep up. He loves his brother and nothing will change that, but there is this more psychologically complex aspect to him and how he regards Mario. Mr. L isn't as far off from his base personality as people like to think, and being the ideal host for the Chaos Heart isn't all that surprising. Besides, how many times have you seen Paper Luigi hug Mario?

[theroyalsims]

ANYA GETS HER GOLD! QUEEN MAKES SURPRISE ATTENDANCE!

Crown Princess Anya was all smiles during the World Sports Summer Festival Awarding Ceremony held earlier today.

The heir to the throne, who won her gold medal for Individual Eventing, took to the podium along with Rennaux's Ramona Archanne, who won silver, and Ekhkare’s Aylin Parvaa, who placed third.

The medals were awarded by none other than Queen Estafania of Tartosa who is the president of the Tartosan Equestrian Federation, and member of the board of the Worlds Sports Summer Festival -Tartosa. The Queen was assisted by the President of the Worlds Sports Festival Committee, Timothée Barcksenn.

However, the Tartosan Queen was not the only Queen in attendance! Our very own Queen Emilia was spotted in the stands, cheering for Anya. The very proud royal mum rose to her feet and cheered when Anya's name was called. Her Majesty was accompanied by her husband, Prince Jacques, as well as Anya's boyfriend, Gus.

Queen Emilia's attendance is said to be a last minute thing, which was kept secret from the Crown Princess. A royal source shares:

"The Queen is very, very proud of Anya. Not only as a mother, but as an avid sportswoman herself. She knows just how hard it is -what Anya had to hurdle literally and figuratively to get to where she is now. The honour and glory she's brought home for Brindleton - Her Majesty was moved to tears when she found out her daughter won gold."

She's got a full schedule, as always, but she asked her private secretary to switch things up so she could attend the awarding ceremony. It nearly broke her heart that she wasn't there to see Anya win, so she wanted to be there when she got her gold.

After receiving her medal, Crown Princess Anya had a very quick interview with the press, and she was asked about her win:

"I'm very happy. Qualifying, being here with my team, and being able to compete with the very best is a privilege in itself. Bringing home the gold and making my family, my friends, and Brindleton proud is just icing on the cake. Hearing Brindleton's national anthem played... I'm just... I'm really humbled and incredibly thankful. This has been one of the best experiences of my life."

The Crown Princess also conveyed her surprise when the interviewer mentioned that her parents were in the arena:

"I know! I had no idea, but I'm very happy my mum and dad are here. They've been so supportive since the very start, so them being here is just really very special. I'm so lucky to have my parents, my siblings, and Gus - they're just the best."

When asked about competing again and her future plans, HRH replied:

"I honestly don't know. It's all still a blur! We'll see, we'll see. But this has been my dream for the longest time, and I can't believe I'm here and I get to hold it in my hands. Thank you very much."

Congratulations again, Your Royal Highness! You've made all of us proud!

[lulu-recs]

see but one moon by orphan_account ♡

sirius black has been pining for the nerdy barista, remus lupin, for three months, but can't seem to get his attention. remus, however, has noticed the over-excited law student, but isn't interested in being a conquest of the week. when remus starts listening to the marauding hour - a university radio programme, he finds himself enraptured by one of the djs, and starts to crush on him - hard. little does he know that padfoot has known him all along, and is looking for something much more than a one-off.

hard to find by accioromulus

the air conditioning is already broken, sirius's back has been effectively glued to the leather seat via sweat, and this road-trip may have been a very bad idea.

lost in the rhythm of your love by children_of_the_shadows ♡

the marauders are an up and coming rock band that needs a guitarist to elevate their music. when remus lupin comes into his life, sirius feels like he's found someone who not only completes the band but also completes him. however, his new found love comes with many challenges that he's unprepared for. sirius/remus band au.

the taste of colour by orphan_account

soulmates can see colour, and sirius knows he never wants that. because it can't hurt to lose someone if you never fall in love. the only problem is, sometimes you don't have a choice in the matter.

five times Sirius nearly finds out, and the one time he does by littlebozsheep ♡

when remus starts at his new school he's put in the boy’s dormitory and he's scared that his roommates will find out his secret. the situation is made worse when one roommate, sirius, quickly starts to dote on him, never leaving him alone.

familiar by yumenouveau

*at a party* sirius: you look familiar. have we met? remus: I do gay porn. sirius: *chokes*

in the wild woods by luminousgloom

the summer before seventh year, sirius spends a week with remus. they decide to get away from it all, and out in the strange and tangled woods sirius begins to see things more clearly.

close quarters by nachodiablo

sirius gets bored on a marauders' road trip to the beach, but remus is happy to keep him occupied

heat by ladyamina

the summer air is too warm. the campfire isn't helping. neither is sirius's head in his lap. neither is the burning blood in his veins. remus is overwhelmed and something has to give.

rule of thirds by bluepeony ♡

modern au: sirius black, star of the university's football team, only wants one thing: a teensy-weensy, harmless little kiss.

chasing glory by yumenouveau ♡

sirius is finally competing in the winter olympics, and though that is normally enough to make any man throw themselves at the skier's feet, great britain's beautiful elusive figure skater does not seem impressed. after remus turns him down, sirius has to figure out how to win over the man he's had a crush on for four long years.

other's woe by orphan_account ♡

forced to attend a group project meeting for a theology class, remus thinks his day will be miserable until a gorgeous, grey-eyed stranger plants himself at their table and challenges the archaic thinking of the rest of the group. and in the end, it works out very well for remus lupin

runaway to mars by children_of_the_shadows

"why exclude me from your pool of choices?" remus's breath fanned across his face, amber eyes half lidded in a way that always drove sirius crazy with lust. "who better to experiment with than someone who already knows every inch of your body?" long fingers drew slow patterns down his back. "already knows how to make you moan and cry and scream?" a teasing caress down his arse and all sirius could hear was his own keening voice and laboured breath. "you want to fuck your way into finding who you are? then let's fuck. no strings. no expectations." sirius/remus muggle au

not just friends by greengardenleaves444

ever since they met, sirius and remus have been close. in their sixth year, sirius got the guts to ask remus out to hogsmade with lots of blushing and studding. no one knew about their relationship, not even their best mates peter and james

heat the winter floods by daphnaea

it was funny, sirius thought, the things you could fail to learn about your best mate despite sharing a dormitory for seven years

the light that blinds my eyes by aryastark_valarmorghulis ♡

sirius is in love. remus is too, he just doesn't know it yet.

in which sirius is demi and pines a lot, remus is oblivious, and they should move together as soon as possible.

impossible things by accioromulus

sirius’s thoughts are a slow-moving, impending disaster. how he wants to pin remus up against the cupboards, to crowd him into a corner; how he wants to intertwine their fingers, to brush his lips against remus’s forehead, his jaw. instead, he settles for ducking his head and sliding a finger through the belt loop of remus's jeans—a ridiculous gesture so utterly intimate, even for the pair of them, that he only allows it because he’s just drunk enough.

“stop stealing my bloody clothes, lupin.” he says, very quietly.

remus looks up at him, eyes dark, and murmurs pleasantly: “better learn to do your own laundry then, black. consider it my fee.”

***

It was an impossible thing, living with remus lupin--but sirius was doing it anyway

discards: valentine's day by picascribit ♡

remus forgets valentine's day. sirius wants to make it special.

discards: commencement by picascribit

sirius and lily attend remus's graduation from the university of washington. sirius has just one question for him.

highland fling [+podfic] by picascribit

the summer before college, sirius goes backpacking through scotland in order to escape his family's expectations. in a small village in the highlands, an unexpected flirtation turns his whole world upside down. alternately, the story of how scotland loves remus and wants him to be happy.

au pif by sreka, yumenouveau ♡

remus lupin is busy enough baking cakes and balancing the books; he doesn’t have time to accidentally fall in love. let alone fall in love with a client whose wedding cake he just agreed to bake.

[nerdyenby]

Scar survived

The first to die in the entire life series is the only victor to survive the game. The irony there is fascinating and you can do so much with it.

In every other season, Grian takes at least one of Scar’s lives (his first, his last, or both), but not this time. He and Grian danced around each other, repeatedly falling towards one another only to be pulled away again. Scar broke his curse. One of the strongest curses in the series was broken, and in that moment Scar was free. Free not only from Grian, but also from death.

Or, another interpretation:

Secret Life is fundamentally different from previous seasons. As the games get more and more complicated, more and more involved, they become further removed from the senseless chaos and bloodshed of Third Life. Every season, the goal has been to be the last one standing, that is the only way to win. But when playing a death game, no one makes it out alive.

But that’s the thing: Secret Life isn’t a death game. It’s just… a game. A deadly one, yes, but loss of life is a consequence of the game, not it’s purpose. The design of Secret Life exists to sow tension and mistrust between the players, to drive them apart and yes, eventually kill each other. But the players prevail. They work together against the mechanics specifically set up to tear them apart. People live and die by their alliances, with no true betrayals for the first time in Life Series history. Even beyond teams, there’s a sense of camaraderie throughout the season. They’re not competing against each other, they’re competing against the Secret Keeper. The game isn’t “kill or be killed,” though that is how it presents itself. The game is secrecy. The game is self reliance. The game is independence.

All this death and loss was merely a side effect of the game, because who is more independent than the only man alive? Scar: friendly to all, friend to none. He didn’t have to die for the game to win, he was alone. He is left well and truly alone. There’s no greater independence than that. After all, two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

[f1-stuff]

begging for a bi charles snippet 🙏🏻🙏🏻

signed, monegasque 💕

Hi bestie!! ❤️

Okay so....I won't spoil my whole idea for this fic, but I will say that it involves a closeted bi Charles, a secret relationship, a dash of voyeurism, gay panic on Carlos' part, and eventual charlos endgame...

The first time he catches Charles returning to his hotel room late into the night, it’s in Imola.

They’re new teammates - it’s only their second race together with Ferrari. But Carlos still feels like he knows Charles pretty well. Charles has been racing in Formula One now for three years, this year his fourth, and they’ve always been friendly, if not proper friends until recently.

But he’s learning all kinds of new things about the other driver now that they’re together nearly every hour of the day, Friday through Sunday of a race weekend. Including, apparently, how Charles sometimes returns to the hotel late into the night.

Struggling to sleep, Carlos goes for a late-night gym session, and is returning to his room when he runs into Charles in the hallway. The other man looks freshly showered, hair still wet and curling at the ends, which seems odd in and of itself. Where’s he been that there’s a shower or a need to shower, if not the gym or the track? And there’s no way he’s been at the track. There’s a strict curfew now to prevent teams from working on the car late into the night.

Carlos would think he’s showered in his room and has just stepped out to get something for some reason, except that he’s clearly dressed like he’s been out somewhere, not in sweats like he’s about to climb in bed.

His eyes widen when he sees Carlos, but it’s quickly replaced with a polite smile.

“Hello, mate,” Charles says, pausing in his efforts to find which pocket his room key is in (another sign that he hasn’t just stepped out of his room briefly). Carlos gives him a nod, trying not to raise his brows too much and betray his own curiosity.

“Have a good evening?” Carlos asks, and he can’t help the way his tone rises at the end, suggestively. Charles flushes even more, which pretty much confirms his suspicions. “It’s okay, mate,” he says, as he passes Charles. He winks and pats him on the shoulder. “Good for you.”

He continues into his own room without another glance, giving the guy a break. Charles doesn’t have a girlfriend (that Carlos knows of), so if he wants to go out and get some action during the weekend, it’s really none of Carlos’ business.

But it’s not the last time he catches Charles in a similar situation.

The next time it happens, they’re in France and they’re staying in their motorhomes at the track, instead of in a hotel. Carlos is on the phone with his father, deciding to take the call outside in the clear night air, when he sees Charles entering his hospitality. His hair is a mess, and he has a certain flush to his skin that usually only points to a couple things.

Their eyes meet as Charles turns back to shut his door, and they end up exchanging awkward waves, as Carlos still holds the phone to his ear. It’s the night before the race, and Carlos isn’t judging Charles, but it does seem like an odd habit to get into by oneself. Although, he supposes Charles could be meeting some of the other drivers at a club or a bar, but then Carlos feels like he would’ve heard about it. For Charles to be going out alone and picking up girls...it’s just a little bit weird.

But then again, it’s only the second time he’s caught him sneaking back to his room with that post-sex glow. Two times does not a habit make. Or however the saying goes.

So then, of course, he runs into Charles for a third time, when they’re in Italy again - Monza. It’s a surprising race for Charles to be anything but laser-focused, with the pressure of the Italian fans and media on the two of them to somehow pull off a miracle, even though their car hasn’t been competing for wins this season. Not to mention the fact that it’s a sprint race weekend, so every session on the track has more stakes than usual.

Or maybe that’s why Charles feels like he needs to let loose and relax. Regardless, it’s the third time he’s catching Charles surreptitiously sneaking back into his room, and there could be countless other times that Carlos didn’t catch prior. Carlos is starting to think that either Charles is a bit of a slut or he has some secret relationship he’s trying to keep discreet. 

Neither option is any of his business, yet neither changes the fact that Carlos is finding himself a little curious. If it’s the latter, there’s only two situations he can think of where a relationship needs to be discreet - if Charles is seeing someone high profile, or if the other person is averse to the whole celebrity athlete relationship thing.

But if anything, it’s a peripheral curiosity that’s easy for him to put at the back of his mind. And when he continues not to question Charles about it, it’s almost as though Charles gives up any and all pretense of discretion. He starts catching Charles more and more, returning to his room late at night, looking like the cat that caught the canary. Carlos thinks one time, he even sees a hickey on the back of Charles’ neck, near his ear. But he doesn’t let his gaze linger long enough to confirm.

It becomes just another part of the race weekend - Thursday media, Friday practice, Charles out late somewhere, Saturday qualifying, Sunday race...etc. He could almost be jealous of all the sex Charles is getting, if it didn’t also come with an undercurrent of concern. 

The two of them are around the same age, but Carlos doesn’t feel the need to be going out every night. And if it really is different people Charles is always hooking up with, that could be unsafe for a regular person, let alone someone as high profile as a Formula One driver. Charles could find himself exploited by a stranger - robbed, even. He could find himself a year down the road, accused of getting a girl pregnant, and caught up in a legal situation. It’s not unheard of. With their salaries and spotlight, it’s hard to know who to trust.

Not that Charles isn’t charming or handsome enough to pull ladies on his own merit - Carlos is certain that he’s not lacking in that area. But he’s been through his own fair share of fake friends to be guarded when it comes to who he chooses to spend his time with. Charles just seems a little too naive, too trusting.

And it would be one thing if it seemed to calm down after the end of their first season together. But when they return to racing in March the following year, Carlos finds that nothing has changed at all. He’s still catching Charles sneaking back into hotels and motorhomes, to the point that he avoids staying out late himself for fear of Charles thinking Carlos wants to catch him.

It’s a little different than last year, though. Because sometimes, Charles doesn’t look all that happy when Carlos sees him returning at late hours, his shoulders tense and raised up near his ears. He always smiles at Carlos, but it doesn't always reach his eyes.

But he doesn’t want to insert his opinion where it’s unwelcome. He and Charles are friends, but they’re not that close. If Charles wants his advice, he’ll ask.

~ ~

He maintains that what happens in Spain is not his fault.

And that's literally all I have written so far! A 1.2K preview, in all it's glory, just for y'all 😜

[toreii]

Tamashina-Mina spoilers part 4

Sunset Savanna - Sunset Villa

Leona brings the group to Sunset Villa, and informs that they will be staying here. Grim says it’s gorgeous, and wishes to live there forever. Leona mentions it is the number one luxury hotel in the country. Lilia notes that it is a luxurious place. He adds that the sick can be cured comfortably.

Vil sees that Kifaji has returned. Kifaji reports that Jack was taken to a room he prepared for him. He also has a dedicated doctor and nursing staff looking after him. Leona thanks him. Leona changes the subject, saying he needs to find him. Vil wonders who he means.

Enter Kalim. Dressed in his ceremony robes. He’s happy everyone made it to the hotel. Leona says he’s been looking for him. Kalim asks what’s going on. Kifaji realizes what Leona wants. Leona tells Kalim to compete in the Catch The Tail tournament. The others are shocked. Kalim is equally confused. Him? With everyone else? Leona tells him yes. Catch The Tail is a three man team. Jack collapsed and they’re short one person.

Hearing of Jack, Kalim frantically asks if he’s okay. Leona says he is. But, as it stands, Vil and Lilia cannot compete by themselves. They need a third person. Lilia agrees. Vil gets close to Leona quietly asking if he’s really okay with Kalim. Leona says it’s true Kalim’s athletic ability is inferior to Jack. But, it’s better than being disqualified. Leona adds that Yuu doesn’t know much about this world, and Grim doesn’t listen to anyone. And, they don’t know where Jamil is at, so his only choice is Kalim. Leona turns to Kalim, telling his “friends” are in trouble. Will he help them out?

Kafiji yells no. Kalim is a guest invited by Sunset Savanna. There’s a risk of injury playing in Catch The Tail. If anything were to happen to an important guest, it will cause a big problem shaking the trust of the nation. Leona tells Kifaji he’s as stiff as ever. Leona just wants to enjoy his hometown’s festival with his school friends. Vil and Lilia are looking forward to participating in Catch The Tail. Yuu and Grim also came all the way to Sunset Savanna to see their friends play. Wouldn’t it be pitiful to let them return to school without participating?

Vil sarcastically says Leona’s words are kind. He’s going to cry.😂 Leona continues by saying if they can’t participate, Jack will shoulder the responsibility alone. He doesn’t want his cute freshman to have such painful feelings. Vil remarks that Leona is now worried about Jack. Lilia says that silver tongue is not like Leona.

Leona asks Kalim what he thinks. Kalim agrees to join them. If someone is in trouble, they have to help each other. Besides, Catch The Tail looks interesting. Leona tells Kalim it’s a deal. Kifaji still doesn’t approve. Leona says that Kalim, a guest of Scalding Sands, wants to participate. Isn’t letting them participate the sincerity Sunset Savanna and the royal family should show? Kifaji gives up. He comments that Leona is eloquent with words, and mumbles he wishes he could use this talent for other things. Leona tells him it’s a big help.

He looks back at Kalim, and tells him to keep this a secret from Scalding Sands, especially Jamil. Kalim asks why. Leona explains that this is disgraceful to Jack. It would be a pity if others found out. Kalim understands, and promises not to tell anyone. However, Vil knows that if Jamil found out, he’d stop Kalim from participating. Lilia comments that if he saw Kalim participating on the day of the tournament, he’d be surprised and probably faint. Now that it’s settled, Leona tells everyone they should be prepared for Catch The Tail. There are costumes to wear during the game. He tells everyone to go to their rooms, and get dressed.

The first to emerge is Kalim. He thinks the costume looks cool, and is easy to move around in. Lilia speaks next saying he’s starting to want to participate in Catch The Tail. And, finally, the resident supermodel, Vil appears. He comments that the outfit is a wild outfit with nobility and brilliance that will become his ally in the fight. Vil wants unadorned wildness. The principle of enjoying nature without flattering. It is a reassuring garment that is indispensable for him who continues to attack now and in the future. (The kanji 相棒 means “partner”, but written above it in hiragana is the word “wear”. Vil is referring to the outfit as a partner in battle, but I chose to write “garment” instead because he’s referring to the clothes.) Vil states that it is a genre he’s never tried before.

Kalim says that wearing the clothes has a nice atmosphere, and that he feels empowered. Lilia is grateful that the cloak protects his skin from direct sunlight . Kalim says it feels cooler to have the body wrapped in cloth than to expose bare skin. Lilia is also impressed with the way Vil is dressed. Kalim adds that he looks like a model. Vil modestly says it’s not like that. Kalim insists, though. He wants to tell Vil how great he looks. Vil tells Kalim he also look good because Kalim is used to wearing bandanas, so he looks natural. Kalim is happy to hear that. He explains he tried various ways of wrapping the headwear. Lilia coyly asks if his way of wrapping is cute as he shows off. Vil tells him it is as it is very unique to Lilia. Lilia sulks because anything he wears looks good. He’s a deceitful man. Anyways, Lilia adds that bandanas are good to prevent heatstroke. It’d be bad if they fainted like Jack did.

Finally, Leona arrives. He apologizes for keeping them waiting. Kalim says he looks cool. Lilia notes that Leona’s clothes are more luxurious than theirs. Leona says that he isn’t a participant in Catch The Tail. He has to lead the warriors. Vil tells Leona it’s as expected of him. The outfit really suits him. Kifaji adds that the clothes make the man. Leona thanks them for their compliments.

Leona explains that the outfit, “Costume of Beasts”, is based on a lion which is said to be the king of beasts. It’s meant to be worn by the royal family. It obviously suits him. Vil says that may be true, but there’s no need to be offensive. Kifaji wonders if Leona is like that at school. He grew up to be a polite prince. Kalim comments that the pattern on the cloak wraps around the body. He likes it. Leona says that textiles in Sunset Savanna have flourished since ancient times like embroidery, dyeing, and weaving techniques that have been developed. Lilia mentions that the design is nice, and protects from the sun. It’s all very good. Vil inquires about the mask. Leona says that it is used in Catch The Tail. He will explain at practice.

Lastly, Grim enters the room as he apologizes for keeping them waiting. Grim announces that he also changed his clothes. But, really, it’s just Grim changing his bow.🙄 The little gremlin is sporting a matching bow for the occasion. I made Yuu be polite and apologize for the wait. Lilia comments that they are wearing ribbons. Kifaji says that Yuu and Grim won’t be participating, but they are Master Leona’s schoolmates. So, he had something prepared for them so as to not be rude. I had Yuu ask how they look. Second option has them saying thank you enthusiastically. But, I need fashion opinions. Leona tells Yuu they don’t look strange. Vil chuckles and says it’s not funny at all. Isn’t it amusing seeing them standing side by side? (Y’all, I think we’re being laughed at. Let me look pretty for once😭)

Kalim says they are all wearing matching beast costumes, and he can’t wait to show Jamil. Leona tells him he can show off after the tournament. Leona even tells Kalim to take it back to Night Raven College. Jamil will be delighted. Kalim is thrilled. He thanks Leona. Vil comments that is the worst post report. Lilia feels sorry for Jamil.

Kifaji says the costumes suit everyone. It was worth preparing them last minute. Lilia points out that Kalim’s costume was the size for Jack before they adjusted it with magic. That was cute, too. Of course, Lilia isn’t losing his cuteness yet.💕💕💕 (Omg, the hearts that fluttered out😩 Lilia strives to be cute all the time.) Vil is like “Yes, yes. We get it.”😂 Moving on, Vil wants to thank Kifaji for the costumes. Kifaji says there is no need for thanks. He was merely doing his job.

Leona asks if it is also the chamberlain’s job to call him before the festival, and backstab them. Kifaji says it is. Last year, Master Leona wasn’t able to come, so Master Falena was very troubled. It is his duty to relieve his anguish. Kifaji tells Leona not to bother Falena too much. Leona says that he came as Kifaji wanted. He can thank him.

To be continued

[a-shrieking-cloud-of-bats]

A Handful Of Games I Played This Year

without major coverage that is

Neophyte

I've long since stopped trying to keep roguelites out of these lists because they are such a large part of the independent game scene and more importantly because no matter how much I stamp my feet and insist They're All The Same, I Do Keep Playing Them. So Neophyte is just that; a vampire survivors-esque roguelite where you're playin a little monk man.

You pick two spells/attacks at the start of the game and over the course of it gain stat bonuses, spell modifiers, defensive skills, ultimate skills, the works. It comes off as something of a combination of a roguelite, where you're building your character over the course of the run, with more of a vampire survivors gameplay loop where enemies spawn and you kill them. Kill all the enemies in a wave, get a set of prizes, repeat. It ends after... I want to say 9 - 12 waves, and if you win you get a prestige modifier that makes the next run harder. Simple. To be honest I think the game distills what a lot of people really liked about roguelites quite well, and it makes for a satisfying gameplay loop, if you're into that sort've thing.

Sorry We're Open

Sorry we're open is what I'm calling a corporate horror RPG where you play a manager of a retail chain. Over the course of a workday you encounter various paranormal entities with a slight retail twist, and using your party members (which are randomly generated and are capable of being replaced via hiring and firing), you beat em up. You use money from your job to use skills, and in the course of exploring the retail store you begin to unravel a bizzare eldritch corporate plot.

It all sounds more jokey then it is, and while I'd struggle to call it scary it kept my attention. In my opinion it ran a little long and the combat is a little loose with the amount of money it gives you so by the end of the game you're just spamming powerful skills and skipping combats and wondering why the combat is even in the game. The secret ending is a bit obnoxious too. That said I do think it tells a neat little story and while you're getting adjusted to the combat system it's quite satisfying. Made by the guy that made No Delivery, Oates, if you are familiar, another game I quite enjoyed.

Thunder Ray

Remember punch out? Super punch out maybe? This game isn't Exactly like that, and I wouldn't go in expecting Super Punch Out Two or anything, but it's a solid modern adaption. First person boxing game, you are Thunder Ray, world champion, who is abruptly abducted by aliens to compete in a galactic fighting tournament.

There's really not much more to say about it. If you're not familiar with punch out it's a first person boxing game where attacks must either be blocked or dodged and you gotta land punches and there's health bars and etc etc. Thunder ray is very similar to that, though it's a bit more heavy on the memorization and repitition of fights. It was apparently made by a mobile development team as a first effort at PC dev and it's quite good for a first timer! The visual style is fantastic and while it's not the longest game in the world I did enjoy working my way through it. More fights to come, evidently, as the story ends on a cliffhanger.

Escape from Terror City

Third person lightgun game. You will need a controller. You're a freedom fighter fighting an invasion force that's attempting to conquer a neutral planet that mines vital minerals for war efforts. While the developer of the game has invested much time into this setting and he has loads of games about it, I'm going to leave it at that. The plot isn't really a home run, and it's very formulaic, but I can't bring myself to bag on a guy that's making his own little personal worldbuilt setting that he made a website for and everything. Let's get to the actual game.

Third person lightgun game, so you're viewing the world from behind the player character. You will need a controller; I repeat myself for good reason, the game is God Awful on keyboard and mouse. You move your targeting reticule to select where you are shooting, hold A to shoot. Make your way through stages on rails, branching paths, five levels. Another simple one, reminsicent of old arcade lightgun games, though unlike beat-em-ups and shoot-em-ups, lightgun games never really got the cult following they did, so this is a bit of a rarity as far as I'm aware. I'm not gonna tell you the game is perfect, there's a bit of polish missing and the dialogue portraits range from passable to almost grotesque. But the majority of the graphical work in the game is solid, and while there's a few Weird Bits, I think it's a fun little romp. Again, not a long game.

The Stinger: Slightly more well covered games that I'm talking about anyway

Void Stranger

If you've been following this blog for any appreciable amount of time you know there was a period of time of about two months where I was religiously playing this game and it made me like chew my nails and bug my eyes out of my skull and everything. It's good! If you're into Sokoban (block pushing/tile replacement puzzles) with a dash of large scale overarching la-mulana esque puzzles. I stress the second part of that is not a massive part of the game; it is largely faithful to the sokoban genre.

Largely for the puzzle game player, I'd reccomend it more for the sokoban then the overarching puzzles (though if you can finish them and get past the puzzles in the main game there's quite an interesting little trail to follow there! I don't want to downplay that!), and if you're shooting for the large scale puzzles there's a few that make you take notes though, so I'd reccomend keeping some basic notes while you progress through the game. The story follows Gray, a lady in waiting for a king. I can't tell you anymore without spoiling anything. I've technically already spoiled you a little bit! The game does have a significant and compelling plot however, and I really enjoyed discovering it. There's not a part of this game that I don't whole heartedly reccomend outside of a few puzzles. I'd keep talking but I think I'd just sort've keep repeating myself and gushing about the game. Strongly Reccomended.

Do you remember why you're here?

Book of Hours

Another game I played a lot. You're an occult librarian maintaining an occult library. There's a lot to be said about the game world but the fun is in the discovery so I'll leave it at that.

It is quite literally a library management game and you do less handing books out then sorting your vast mansion of a library and studying eldrich secrets. Oddly comfortable, and not a game that pushes you very hard. If you're looking for something more along the lines of say, animal crossing, with a bit more of a Wizard flare then you can not go wrong with this. It's a solid bit of experimentation and I reccomend it. I can't even really talk about the mechanics very much because learning how things fit together is also a part of the charm. It's just sort've a charming wizardgame. I dunno.

Done

Get Out

[brendathedoodler]

What's the leadership like in the AS!Chain? Is it still Lily, Barren, and Soul? Is it adventure-coded with Bard, Cloud, and Cryptid? Secret third option??

Great question! The main leadership group is still Lily, Barren, and Soul, though Addie is also considered part of the leadership team with his adventuring expertise. Occasionally Cloud will chip in, but that’s mostly by calling out commands or warnings in battle, otherwise he tends to stay out of leading.

This did get me thinking though, so here’s how everyone would go about leading

(And a small reminder for anyone who wants an easy reference for the au nicknames: Sky is Cloud, Four is Champ, Time is Lily, Legend is Cryptid, Hyrule is Bard, Twilight is Soul, Wind is Addie, Warriors is Barren, and Wild is Loft)

Cloud can say with certainty that he didn’t enjoy his position as commander of the army. It felt more like a necessity than anything else: something he needed to step up and do because he was the chosen one and nobody else could. Learning that Cia’s main motivation was him above all else cemented that idea in his head. He hasn’t had much time to rest since the war, and he’s almost eager to let the others take the leader role. He’s tired of strategizing and was never very good at it anyway (Groose was always the brains of the operation). If he does take charge, it’ll usually be in the midst of battle. That’s where he feels the sharpest, and he often calls out things in his “commander voice” as the others call it. Despite not wanting a leadership role, Cloud’s the one who insists everyone do practice drills and has really helped them all learn to fight alongside one another (something that only he and Addie have proper experience with).

Champ doesn’t want to be on the leadership squad. He knows full well how much energy it takes to keep the colors in line enough to be a competent person, he’ll pass on leading everyone else. If it comes down to it, Champ is pretty good at leading. That is, so long as there’s someone with him to help make decisions. See, he’s good at the compromising part, but just because he can help the others compromise with one another doesn’t mean that he can compromise with the colors. He’d prefer to get his own head in order first before he tries leading everyone else. He’s an excellent potion brewer, though, and is always prepared to distribute elixirs and headpieces of his armor if it might give his companions a boost in whatever they’re doing.

Lily never intended to be a leader figure. He’s the youngest of many siblings, and he’s a subordinate on Captain Sheik’s ship (and he doesn’t want to undermine their authority unless he has to). He was genuinely startled to find everyone else looking to him for leadership. Was it because he’s the oldest? He’s guessing that’s why. He accepted the role given to him even if it was unexpected, because it wasn’t unwanted. The others generally listen to him, after all, and them seeing him as the stoic leader type makes it so much funnier to see them react when Lily acts like the gremlin he is.

Cryptid could lead, but quite frankly he won’t. At first he didn’t want to be a leader because that would put him in charge of them, and in the early days he had absolutely no intention of getting attached. See, his trauma around portals lead him to believe that he’d once again lost everything, and he kinda blamed the others for it even if they were victims as much as he was. As it became more obvious that the portals were taking them through time and would eventually return them to their own eras, he loosened up a bit, but also feared getting too close. They’ll be taken from him soon, he knows it. Eventually he decides he’ll enjoy having them while they’re here and grieve them when they’re gone, but in the time it took for him to reach that point, the leadership squad had already been established and Cryptid was perfectly content with it.

Bard doesn’t like the idea of leading. He’s got all sorts of magical songs to suggest when the others make plans (to the point that it’s a running joke that he has a song for any occasion), but beyond having them help with that, he doesn’t want to be leader. He doesn’t consider himself a hero like the rest, but not in a self deprecating way. He simply sees himself as a person doing the right thing. Bard firmly believes that any good person in his position would have at least tried to do what he’s done. Sure, he’s proud of his accomplishments and knows not just anybody could succeed, but he doesn’t think just doing the right thing makes him a hero. In a team full of heroes, he doesn’t think a simple adventurer would have much to contribute to the leadership squad. Besides, they seem to have it handled! Admittedly, Bard’s extended isolation throughout his adventures makes it hard for him to plan for a group, though he’s getting much better at it. He’ll leave the leadership to the others (and he has immense faith in Lily and really looks up to him!)

Soul is part of the leadership squad and is proud of his role in it. Where Lily is the voice of the group (so to speak), and the one the others typically look to, Soul takes on a slightly more passive role in leadership. He’s the one constantly doing a head count, making sure nobody’s wandered off, checking to be sure nobody’s hiding any injuries, and calling for snack breaks whenever he notices someone falling behind. The group’s welfare is his main priority. Midna is a second set of eyes and is always quick to update him if she notices anything he might’ve missed. He’s also usually the one who herds the wanderers back to the group, assuming Barren hadn’t gone with them (he’ll make sure they don’t get too lost).

Addie’s experience with both adventuring and fighting alongside others makes him a prime candidate for leader. He is kinda impulsive, though, and having the others also in a leadership position helps keep him from getting off task. He may be the youngest, but he’s been adventuring his whole life! Being so young meant he’s had many companions travel and fight by his side throughout all of them. Cooperating with and fighting alongside others is pretty natural for him. He’s also familiar with a lot of things, and knows how to handle being thrown into new situations when he isn’t. (Having the others respect him enough to consider him a leader is also really nice, even if he’s long since stopped caring about how people disregard him due to his age)

Barren is a strategist and a survivalist first and foremost. He’s always making plans. Part of it is anxiety drilled into him from a life on the run, always drafting up plans to help him survive. Part of it is his natural affinity for planning and strategizing. It’s a double edged sword. He may be able to whip out 6 different plans of attack for any given situation, but it also means he lays awake at night thinking and planning how he’d wake everyone up if they were to be attacked. He’s got a sort of charisma that helps him explain his plans to the others and helps him take charge in a more intense situation. All that being said, he does need someone like Soul to tell him when it’s time to rest before he works himself into a frenzy trying to account for any and all possibilities.

Loft isn’t the best fit for leading the group, and he’s perfectly fine with that. With amnesia that leaves him with many gaps in things others wouldn’t think twice about, a big helping of untreated adhd that makes understanding how others think difficult, and a general tendency to get distracted and wander off, Loft would not be the ideal leader. Could he do it if needed? Absolutely, but he knows others would be better suited for it. That won’t stop him from chiming in with a brilliant idea from time to time (though these ideas are also often referred to as “batshit insane”).

Some other little things about the group dynamic that I wanna note:

Cryptid’s mermaid form gives him perpetually dry skin, which also means frequent nosebleeds. Every time, without fail, Soul’s sensitive nose will pick up on blood and he’ll panic for the few seconds it takes before he realizes that there’s no hidden injuries, just Cryptid’s nose again.

The problem children are considered to be Champ, Bard, Addie, and Loft, but all for different reasons. Champ is impulsive and prone to getting roped into the others’ shenanigans (especially Loft’s). He can be the most responsible person there one moment to a lover of arson and chaos the next. It really depends. Bard isn’t usually the prankster and doesn’t tend to get into any particular trouble, but he does often wander off. He has a slight disregard for his personal well-being because “oh, I can just heal myself”, which stresses everyone else out. Addie can be trusted in dungeons and in the middle of battle. He knows his limits very well, and has shown that he’ll come to the group if he needs something. When there’s no adventuring to be had and they’re all resting? He can quickly turn into chaos gremlin supreme. Loft, meanwhile, is on the list of problem children for obvious reasons. Bard’s tendencies to wave off injuries pale in comparison to the absolutely buck wild stuff Loft gets into on the regular. Is it because he doesn’t think before he act? Did losing his memories mean he also lost a sense of pain? Who knows! The point is, he’s eager to run into danger and also eat random plants he finds. Somehow he hasn’t gotten sick yet, and despite the chaos he dives into headfirst he’s yet to earn any particularly serious injuries.

Lily tends to take a backseat when in his own era, though he doesn’t do it consciously. He’s pretty much never the leader back home. He’s the youngest of his siblings and gets absolutely 0 respect, Captain Sheik is obviously is captain of their ship, and he’s eager to do whatever Malon asks of him. He doesn’t really notice he’s doing it, admittedly, he’ll just take a step back even among the chain because back home he’s just not the boss.

[leoandlancer]

Alright, I'll bite: what's the intro starter pack for the Soap and the Skullman? You successfully have me intrigued.

I AM DELIGHTED YOU'VE ASKED

Skullman and Soap are from the game Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. It's a 2022 remake of a game that came out in 2009, and the remake has some notable improvements and provides an interesting perspective of how video games have changed in the last 14 years across the board; visuals, pacing, story, characters, challenges etc etc. All of which is cool but I'm here exclusively for the wall of beef being served.

Allow me to explain.

The single player story game includes 2+ hours of pristine cut scenes carrying the plot and character development, and any number of hours playing the game which includes banter and fps’ing. POV bounces between two teams having adventures and bein' sneaky all over the world. There’s also a Multiplayer mode but I know next to nothing about it so you’ve certainly come to the right place to learn some things. Youtube has a bunch of great Let’s Plays for the entire game, as well as videos of just all the cut scenes. Highly recommend, not least of all because I was blindsided by how wholesome it all turned out to be.

Simon "Ghost" Riley 👻 💀

Character with so much going on if anyone but a triple A studio pitched him they'd be told to calm down. Wildly op. Incredible passive intimidation score. Somehow internationally feared stealth agent despite Looking Like That. Aesthetic as fuck. Ranked Lieutenant if you can tell the different breeds of officer apart. HEIGHT. Manchester accent. Tragic backstory. The mask is a whole other post and I’m not normal about it. Despite going into it like a cat being forced into a bath, he is one half of the Grumpy One Soft for the Sunshine One trope that causes me physical agonies. (Secret third thing! Poor Little Meow Meow candidate.)

Johnny "Soap" MacTavish 🧼

You know how sometimes when a zoo or sanctuary has a cheetah or something that’s super anxious they’ll give them a chill, reliable, confident, protective dog friend? Yeah, anyway Soap is assigned to Ghost in the beginning of the game. SCOTTISH. Mohawk. Wears jeans throughout most of the game despite being continually dunked in cold water. Everyone wants to work with him so he kept being reassigned and always had to make new friends. Other half of the Grumpy One Soft for the Sunshine One trope, but Soap was an immediate, I mean immediate, adopter of his part. (Bonus! Pinnacle of AW little guy!!! Oh he’s a little bit fucked up actually..)

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

Carries this team on his fuckin’ wings. Good at everything. Set all the records when he was in training and no one’s touched them. Eldest sibling energy someone give him a break. If a situation could kill a normal human, Gaz might be mildly discommoded.

John Price

Captain of Team 141, which Ghost, Soap, and Gaz are a part of. Keeps finding and adopting wildly competent soldiers/rebels/mercenaries as allies all over the world who would very literally die for him and they’re not wrong. Very protective of his kids allies. Could attack an army with a soggy corn chip and win. Team Dad. 

Alejandro Vargas

Managing with grace and panache despite his job apparently requiring him to fight everyone within a 200km radius. A colonel in the Mexican special forces. Stressed, but make it hot. Gets to prep for disaster like the world is ending but unlike most preppers seems to be having a blast and it all comes in handy. Loves his team do NOT separate them. Does attack an army with a soggy corn chip and win.

Rodolfo “Rudy” Parra

The only man on earth capable of being Alejandro’s second in command and exceed expectations. Incredibly good at everything. Much too well behaved and well mannered for this. Not high enough ranked to decide on problems, not low enough ranked for them to not be his problems. Someone help him.

Phillip Graves

Commander of Shadow Company, a private military thing. Gets to live, laugh, love being a mercenary with a massive fucking armory and zero restrictions. Suspect he has the keys to his tiny southern USA hometown and his parents are embarrassingly proud of him. Energy of a Jack Russel Terrier in a world of squirrels.

How much more space do I have? There’s a lot more ground to cover. I’m missing way too many characters.

Farah Ahmed Karim

Leader of the Urzikistan Liberation Force and a human shaped meteor. Price asks her for help and before he can hang up she kick slides in on a dirt bike with a machine gun and a squadron of fighters behind her. Coolest person in any room. Lots of stuff on her plate but seems really organized about it.

Kate “Watcher” Lazwell

Their CIA connection. Buddies with Price like everyone else except she’s the wine aunt to Price’s Team dad. Has killed people with her bare hands and will kill again. Is married and adores her wife. Cares SO MUCH but manages to not be burned out by constant bullshit.

Ok so now we’re into the boys from the multiplayer part of the game and listen there are crumbs of canon content and a cake of fanon content.

König

The man is 6′10″ tall and built better than most F150s. Wears the hood over his face because being taller than every standard doorway in Europe while dealing with heavy anxiety could be easier. Found confidence and comfort in getting really good at murder. Will go a little berserk, as a treat. Wanted to be a sniper but does not have the patience. ADHD icon. Fanon knows in their heart he can be categorized as a sopping wet man who needs a forehead kiss and a grilled cheese cut diagonal.

Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin 🐯 

Joined the military to escape gambling debts then found out he’s actually really good at being in the military. Knows about pop culture phenomena first, cool about it when you finally catch on. Fighting unspecified inner demons. No one knows why he wears a mask but fanon assumes he has delicious scars.

(Bonus! His actor, Nick Martineau, is a menace!)

So there’s a lot more but, listen, look at me, ok? Look at me. I am holding your face in my cupped hands. I am looking into your eyes. I am speaking so earnestly. Listen, I am so not normal about this ok? Please message me if you want to know anything else. I will be so stoked.

Genuinely, it was really fun to watch a bunch of lets plays and find it went from surprisingly good to actually good to oh I’m INVESTED invested in this. Replay/rewatch value is high, and there’s plenty of neat things that work well, good fridge horror, and a lot of the game runs on the characters just really liking each other. A central pillar of the story line is that Ghost makes a friend =) and that saves the day. Which is nice. There’s plenty more in the game to talk about but this is just what I’m taking away to share for now.

Ok thanks for asking, I hope some of this was helpful!

[startanewdream]

Fic stats game

Rules: Give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most bookmarks, fourth most comments, fifth most words, and your fic with the least amount of words.

Thanks for tagging me @annabtg! I had to play around a bit because the same fic came up for 3/5 items of this list...

Most hits: The song remains the same (18.500 hits)

When James Potter grows up as friend of Severus Snape, and on the first day of Hogwarts, Sirius Black befriends Lily Evans, some things change, but fate is inevitable.

Second most kudos: Eyes glistening (with the ghost of my past)  (711 kudos)

“Can you remember your parents at all?” said Rita Skeeter, talking over him. “No,” said Harry. “How do you think they’d feel if they knew you were competing in the Triwizard Tournament? Proud? Worried? Angry?”  A Jily Lives AU to answer that question.

Third most bookmarks: the thing about (il)licit affairs (152 bookmarks)

“It would be almost stupid if we didn’t—I mean, I’m single. You’re single. And we are friends.” Or James and Lily embark in a journey of friendship with benefits and set some rules. Too bad James is a rulebreaker by nature and no one tells Lily what she should do.

Fourth Fifth most comments: Seeking you (159 comments)

In her first professional Quidditch season, Ginny has only two goals: to get a permanent position on the team and be the Best Revelation Player of the season. Dating her teammate was not on her list. If only she hadn't snogged Harry in front of everyone.

Fifth most words (considering only completed works): Captain Potter (14,161 words)

Lily Evans has a secret that the army cannot find out and it doesn't help that her captain is trying to be her friend.

Least words: Snuffles (1,152 words)

Harry had never witnessed death like that. Quiet. Expected. Quicker and easier than falling asleep.

Tagging @annasghosts @bluedahlia912 @ginnyw-potter @turanga4 @displayheartcode @practicecourts if you haven't already and are up to!