Tumgik
#Thunder Force AC
mayo-advance · 1 year
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Do yalls want to see the Power Ranger Hoodies ive designed in animal crossing? Of course you do!!! Here!!!
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From top to bottom - Jungle Fury Wolf Ranger, MMPR Yellow Ranger, Dino Thunder White Ranger, SPD Red Ranger, Mystic Force Green Ranger
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veintrry · 5 months
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HAUNTING SOUNDS
an: I have four other Halloween fics and this is the one i rolled with. can u tell I got tired at the end. (ifyk the ac feel free to comment!)
tagz: 3k. casual at the beginning, smut, minor degradation, fingering, brief mentions of groping, creampie, scaramouche was forced to volunteer
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A trip to a haunted mansion leaves you abandoned within the eerie isolated rooms of the vacant home till a familiar face decides to make the chilling night grow in warmth.
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Wooden boards creak beneath your feet and each step you take towards the darkened path before you is a risk of being taken by surprise. You and a couple of your friends had chosen to visit a haunted house. It was your first time, and you'd never been to one before, so why not?
However, you were left abandoned after everyone split up due to a panic. You decided it wasn't worth calling their names when you could meet them outside...when you get out of here that is.
You had stumbled onto a narrow hallway, one with many doors all of which are vandalised or partially ajar. There was no reason to peek, you'd be met with webs and a void. Continuing to progress, you held your phone for light. The sounds outside of people had long vanished and you were left with the sound of your own breaths, the house, and whatever else was there with you.
A creak cuts through the tense air. You still. Tempted to look behind you, around you, yet your body is frozen. You swallow your nerves, hoping that maybe you had misheard or maybe it was just one of your friends who is nearby, but the noises don't stop as you had wished, they seem to be actively doing the opposite.
A whisper here, a squeak there. It felt like your mind was being toyed with and your breaths were growing heavier- A deafening crash came from behind you, something like shattering glass, a vase? You peer over your shoulder, squinting your eyes in an attempt to see if there was a figure in the spotted dark.
A row of footsteps resound, thunderous and agile… Yet, it wasn't coming from behind you. The sooner the realisation sunk in and you turned your head forward you were met with piercing stormy violet irises, lit up with thrill and conniving mischief as hands grab at you.
Not a sound leaves me and yet the prior anticipation has piled atop you, and you frantically push him away with a gasp as you stumble back, feeling your heart beating out of your chest. Your legs feel weakened and the space between the two of you grows. Blinking, he only gets closer, till… Wait. "Scaramouche?"
"You're really easy to scare, aren't you?" A smirk was plastered on his dark wine lips, some 'blood' leaking from the corners. You can practically see how glad he is to have humiliated you like that, even if he was the only one to see it.
"Shut up, I didn't know you'd do that." You retort weakly, although evidently more relaxed compared to prior now that there was someone you knew here.
In turn, he raises a brow at you, hand on his hip as he looks at you as though you're the biggest moron he knows. And in his opinion you might be. "It's a haunted house. What do you expect?" You can only remain silent. Though, you use this to take in his appearance. With a ragged cloth draped around his neck, filled with holes and tattered at the bottom.
He still somehow maintains his ability to stylise his clothing with black button up, decorated with a brooch that reads 'Haunted House Staff'. Unexpected…. A violet necktie is knotted tightly and securely, though he seemed to disregard his flimsy collars. Rustles dressed the wrists and torso of his attire, and it's hard to not tell what's happening here.
Your eyes linger down… This guy still wore shorts even in October… At least he had sole knee stockings on, though, I'm not sure how historically correct that is for vampyres.
"Are you going to keep staring?" His tone was harsh and seemingly annoyed. Well, he likely thought being put in a somewhat prissy outfit is agitating. Actually, "How'd they get you to do this?"
You are met with a stone cold face and apparent distaste. "Don't ask." And maybe that's for the better sake of both your conscience. "So, what, are you gonna stand there all night?"
"Why did you even come here alone, are you stupid or something?" That man could not hold his tongue if he had a gun to his head. He seemed like he already wanted you gone, hell, if you asked maybe he'd show you the path out himself. Then again, that's just how he sounds most times: Uninterested and aloof. The vampire sthick makes sense now.
Approaching him to a more comfortable distance, you angle your phone so the light is revealing to you both. "I didn't come here alone, moron. I'm not that lonely." You swear you hear him mutter under his breath, 'could've fooled me', but you decide to ignore it, for the spirit of Halloween.
"Either way, I lost the others so I was roaming around on my own." This seems to capture his attention and his head perks up with an all too familiar grin. He wasn't one to be so blatant but it was like even he was elated by whatever scheme came into mind. "So you're alone,"
He inches closer, leaning into you with darkened indigo irises and you swear his pupils expand at the idea. "All alone?" A hum leaves his throat and he pulls back. His smile cools and his arms cross over his torso.
"Stay with me."
Opening your mouth to ask why he'd even offer, especially because he is part of the staff, you don't think it'd make sense to have someone of the crew help a participant. And to add onto that, it was strange for him to put it on the table in the first place. "I'm only keeping you company." He interrupts, "You'd get too scared by yourself. That much is clear." You wanted to argue otherwise, but you held your tongue and swallowed your retort. It was better to have company than nothing.
Turning on his heel, he walks off crossed arms and takes casual strides in his raven black platforms, expecting you to follow behind him, so you do. "How long ago did you lose each other?" Scaramouche asks, gaze straight ahead unlike your wandering ones, inspecting the scene you travel through. "A while ago. I thought I'd just get out and meet them that way."
"Why not call?" He suggested, peering over his shoulder back to you. "Didn't think it would be this hard to get out." A chuckle leaves his throat but the small lifted corners of his lips quickly disappear as he halts. "They must be far." He begins, tone laced with a certain ominous vine and you wonder what misconduct he was plotting. "Yeah… What of it?"
His body faces your direction and you can see him bite on the inside of his bottom lip, almost appeased at the perfection of this outcome. "I haven't gotten a break in well over three hours." The dark-haired man mentions, stepping towards you. "I'm hungry." Raising a hand to his face, he swipes off the paint along his chin, smudging it along his porcelain skin.
Those unforgettable amethyst eyes glaze over the crimson that tints his fingertips before meeting your irises in an almost enrapturing look, as though he intended to take your soul.
"I prefer the real thing…"
With sudden movements you watch him come closer to you, yet before you can process it you feel how one of his palms rests against your waist, another on your upper back as the gentle yet prominent sensation of his teeth meeting with the skin of your neck makes itself known, not only in feeling but with a mark.
This takes you by surprise. You cling an arm to his tricep, as if to ensure that he wasn't just losing it. Maybe he got so bored he went crazy. Though, the shove he acts on proves otherwise as he holds you against the wall, the ceiling above decorated in webs and fake bats.
His tongue licks at your skin, as if to seal the mark he left, but he doesn't end there, trailing kisses up to your jawline. "Scaramouche-" You interrupt, voice filled with an amount of confusion and something else.
"Don't think too deeply about it. I just need something to cure my boredom." He muttered, answering your unspoken question. Nibbling along the skin of your jaw, he takes in your scent whilst his fingers stroke your skin through the fabric of your clothes.
"We have all the time. I have so much I want to do to you…"
It becomes crystal clear that he has not been joking nor underselling what he meant when he voiced those thoughts. His almond-shaped nails can be felt digging into your skin, his hold ok you growing stronger. "I'm going to ruin you." Delight permeates his tone, his lips moving closer to your ear and his tongue pokes out, swiping at your lobe before chewing on it, his face plastered with the smile of a predator toying with their next meal.
"Won't someone come?" You make no attempts to push him away, only looking at the blackened hallway. A mocking laugh leaves him like you had asked something naive. "No one's gonna pass by, unless you want me to fuck you in a room you can't even see in?"
The risk was high but you'd rather not enter one of those rooms only filled with decor and piles of ruined furniture and books. He takes your silence as your answer, "That's what I thought."
"Just relax, I got you."
A firm hold was on your body, his warmth growing more and more apparent against you. Placing a hand on the side of your face, he revolves your head away from him, granting more skin for him to feast on. Shivers run up your back as you feel his hot breaths meeting the skin of your neck, his sharp canines grazing you before he digs in with a relieved moan.
The hand on your back doesn't remain still for long, his nails scratching down the centre of your back till they reach your thighs. Squeezing the mould of flesh possessively till crescent marks taint your beautiful skin. He continues to kiss your body as if he was praising someone superior to himself, a being above his reach.
His palm massages the skin of your legs, moving inwards as he hums. You swallow thickly, feeling the raspy vibrations against you.
Letting your hands find home at his nape, you bring him closer to you, his bites growing rougher and more painful, feral like an unstoppable force of hunger and yet, it only serves to fuels the growing heat inside of you that makes you roll your hips against him, pleading for him to proceed faster. "Stop wasting time…" You complain, but he only snickers in return. His digits reach your underwear, tracing the patterns of the design before giving you what you've been waiting for and rubbing your clit slowly through the fabric, tormenting you for his own amusement. "Be patient," He reprimands hoarsely, "I'll fill you up when I want to."
A whimper leaves you and you push your body to meet his fingers repeatedly. Still, you need more than that, you need to feel all of him. Your hands trail down all of you till a finger hooks onto the side of your panties, yanking them off in one swoop, eagerness prominent in your moves. There's no hiding the amusement in his eyes, it's as if he's pleased with your actions.
You don't need to tell him again what you want for him to start touching you again, this time his pace growing faster, more than you even wanted.
Leaning into you, he captures your lips with his, biting on your bottom lip before taking you in as though he wants to taste every inner part of you, memorising it like the back of his hand. Sliding your tongue along his swollen bottom lip, he guides you into his burning mouth, pressing himself against you and forcing your back to the wall as he lets you feel the strength of his body.
He was starting to grow impatient himself and his actions revealed that as his free hand slipped under your clothing with ease, groping at your chest, touching the supple softness of your breasts and pinching your nipples in between his fingers. God, how he wanted to shove his dick in-between them and cum on your pretty face.
The growing hardness was making itself more evident and you can feel his skin meeting your abdomen. Metal resounds as you unzip his shorts, sliding them off partially, just enough to slip your hand inside and palm him through his pre-cum stained thin boxers.
A whine leaves his throat and if divinity existed you were certain you had just heard what it must be like.
Taking out his cock from the confines of his boxers, you feel up and down his length rapidly as though memorising each vein beneath his skin. Your thumb traced the slit of his tip again and again, causing his kisses to grow sloppier into wet tongue kisses as he merely desires to feel you.
Forehead-to-forehead, his crimson stained lips separate from yours, remaining parted as he groans with every move that you make, practically paralysing him under your touch. You could feel him inching closer to your entrance and when his finger enters you, you nearly melt in glee. He pumps up into you with growing speeds, adding another digit as he stretches you out for his cock.
"I'm going to make sure you never forget me."
Scaramouche promises, hand wrapping firmly around his dick as it throbs in anticipation to be embraced by you. Lining himself up with your entrance, it was the furthest thing from gentle. Snapping his hips up into you sharply, making you gasp at both the force and the rapid size you had yet to come accustomed to.
Still, he wasn't completely inconsiderate, even if you did feel him throb at the sight of your surprised face. Coming off slowly, he goes in and out of you so kindly you'd think it was an apology for being so rough prior. Though, the sweetness doesn't last as he begins to thrust with intent similar to that of a madman. He didn't know if he was fucking you to the beat of his heart or the other way around. Something was certain though, Scaramouche wanted to ensure you were going to leave stained with his cum, your body holding his essence inside of you. He was going to make sure you needed his help to carry you out of here.
The noise of flesh meeting flesh echoes along the empty halls, the grunts and pleas that leave your throat only echo back to you, like some form of humiliation. You feel your mind slowly lose thought as your body aches in a numbing pleasure. Your moans are choked as breaths get stuck in your throat and you meet his merciless shoves, but the deeper he goes the weaker you grow. Strangely, you wanted it. You wanted to be rendered useless by him. "Deeper- Ah…Go deeper." You murmur, your temple rested against his shoulder, kissing at his collarbone and leaving marks and lipstick traces in its wake.
When he discovered the spot that would make you break, he did not hide or cover up his abuse as his tip kisses your insides frantically in perfect recreation again and again. His palms wrap around your thighs, hoisting you upwards against the dark weakened wooden wall, assaulting your skin like he needed to know how each part of you feels. "You're mine… You hear that? mmn.. You belong to me." The way he pumped through you was like he only had one goal and that's to use you as his toy, getting himself off with your body. "Yours… I'm yours to fill."
He could feel his body beginning to reach its limits and the whimpers he tried to suppress only grew till he couldn't hold them back. The mewls he let out were so soft and vulnerable you'd think it impossible to be coming from someone as cold and ruthless as him.
Only focused on shoving in and out of you, he relishes in his love for how tightly you wrap around him like he is your saviour, what you desire to not leave you. It feels so good he might cum just from the idea that you crave him so. "Haah… You're such a whore. You like when I fuck you like this?" He spits out with venom, though there's no hiding how much he likes being balls deep inside of you, with both your clothes clinging to your sweat-ridden skin.
Scaramouche can feel the knots inside of him threatening to come undone, pushing him to the edge. Not once do his tantalising amethyst eyes part from yours, and for once they looked to hold something comforting within them, appearing warmer.
Maintaining his speed, his muscles tense, hardening when a string of cum shoots out of him with a loud moan that morphs into an almost weakened joyful whimper. His seed fills you to the brim and you bite into his shoulder, attempting to stifle the sound of your moan as your eyes roll back. Scaramouche continues to fuck you as you reach your high, clamping tighter around him and milking him of anything left he has whilst your cum surrounds him in this encompassing sensation of unmatchable heat he would not find elsewhere.
The both of you breathe heavily, exchanging oxygen with your bodies still pressed together like they're glued to one another, and to some part you were with how he seemed to be avoiding pulling out. Your cum mixes together, leaking out of you and down the length of his cock.
Reluctantly, Scaramouche pulls out of you and resists nearly shoving himself back in the moment he loses your warmth. His fingers swipe up the leaking juices, bringing them to your sweet lips. "Open." He orders firmly and when your pretty lips do as such, he shoves his fingers into your mouth and makes you suck on them, your tongue swirling around and in-between his fingers as you taste the saltiness of your mixture.
There's a smirk stuck onto his lips and he doesn't mind the idea of spending another Halloween like this.
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teewritessmth · 5 months
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~~Baby Sitting Bonds~~
Sharky x f! reader
Summary : You call Sharky over to film a vlog with you where he helps you babysit your cousins. But on thing leads to another as you find yourself on top of him.
Warnings : kids, mentions of kissing, thunderstorm, spice if you squint
You had a brilliant idea for a new video. Your uncle and aunt were going to go and celebrate their marriage anniversary and had no where to leave their little kids. You volunteered to babysit those 3 little angels so they could spend their much needed quality time.
You call up Sharky's number, and tell him to pull over to your house. The internet loved your friendship, some even said you two would make a great couple. Truth be told, you've liked Sharky for a really long time. Even when he was making those rap battle videos with Chunkz and darkest. You smile remembering the time you had roasted the living hell out of darkest and Sharky in Chunz's video. Aah the good old days.
Sharky arrives within 20 minutes. "Hey Y/n, what are we doing today?". Sharky pulls you to a side hug and his eyes widen when he sees three little toddler run towards him. Before he makes a comment, you start recording-
"Hey guys welcome back, I'm here with Sharky today and we will be babysitting my cousins".
The camera zooms to Sharky's shocked face, who still hasn't recovered from the surprise of being greeted by three tiny humans.
"I have been lied to, I thought we were gonna do some random video but turns out Y/n wanted me to come and provide daycare service". Sharky laughs and looks at your cousins, they looked so similar to you. He could find some traces of similarity between your features compared to your cousins.
You smile and pat his arm, "We give the internet what they want Sharky, you and me in a vid reaches the max amount of views on my channel".
"if you do what the internet tells you to, are you gonna date me?". Sharky retorts, looking deep into your eyes. Your breath gets cut off for a second as you look at that beautiful man infront of you. Before you can respond, Sharky plays 'Die for you' by weeknd and doubles down on the floor laughing. You force out a bitter chuckle and try to change the topic.
"Well we're not going to be doing anything crazy really, just gonna give these 3 some food and spend the rest of the day playing with them". You tell the camera.
Sharky nods, "I'm gonna ace this, I love kids".
"Ayo?!". You raise an eyebrow.
"Oh my days, not like that Y/n".
The rest of the day passes by in a flash. the kids seemed to love Sharky. It was heartwarming to see him be so good with kids, you know he'd make an absolutely wonderful father. Bittersweet feelings creep into your heart realizing Sharky would never return what you felt for him. Your mood shifts in the midst of brushing your cousin's hair.
"Hey, what's with the sad face. C'mon we have the company of three cute children, smile". Sharky pinches your cheeks.
You wrap up the rest of the video by reading them a bedtime story and eventually tucking them in.
"Well, that's it for today. The kids are asleep and I'm glad they were on their best behavior today-". Your words get abruptly cut off by the sound of thunder.
"There you go, now a storm's on the way". Sharky takes the camera from your hands and finishes the outro.
"Miss y/n is shocked by the thunder at this time but I'll wrap up for her. Thank you for watching me get bullied by a woman in her 20's and 3 very adorable children. Subscribe to the betasquad and my channel. We'll see ya soon". He turns the camera off and looks at you, grinning ear to ear. This might just be one of my favourite videos with you yet.
"Yeah?". You reply looking down, pretending to be busy with something else.
Sharky grabs your hands and makes you sit on the couch. "Y/n you've been acting strange all day, what happened?".
"Nothing happened Sharky let it go. Also I'm not letting you drive back in this weather." You look up at the man who already had his keys in his hand.
"Y/n it's fine really, I don't want to be a burden right now. I can drive". He starts walking out, but you pull him back to the the living room.
"Are you really that uncomfortable around me that you're willing to drive in the storm?".
Sharky freezes, "What?! No!. I'm not uncomfortable around you, I just didn't want to be a weight at this point in the night".
"You're not arguing with me on this". You reach to grab his keys but he has them lifted up high. You both get knotted up as you try reaching for his keys and he lifts them higher.
Amidst this, one of the kids get out of bed and walk past Sharky scaring the life out of him, grabs his teddy and goes to bed.
Sharky falls back on the couch, pulling you along with him.
You initial reaction is pure shock and horror as you stare at the man. Your face gets flushed, realizing no one is making any effort to get up. He looks at you, his eyes drifting over to your lips. He tightens his arms around you and shuffles on the couch, relaxing into the cushions.
"Here, I'll drop my keys". He tosses them on the table, still maintaining eye contact with you, strong arms draped around your waist. He strokes your cheek with the back of his hand and he cups the side of your face. "That's why I didn't want to stay, now I gotaa tell you how I feel".
That was all the confirmation you needed. You hold his face and kiss him. He sits up and puts you on his lap, his hands holding your waist while you kiss him, full of need and desire.
He whispers against your lips, "I love you so much Y/n, I always have. I'm sorry for being such a bitch today".
"I love you too Sharky, so so much. Now stop talking and kiss me". You smile and kiss his cheek.
He hoists you up and takes you to your bedroom and locks the door.
God, was Sharky glad that kid needed his teddy tonight.
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twstjam · 10 months
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a/n: Breaking news!!! local fic writer realises she can write whatever tf she wants and did just that. Have this one-shot based off that one scene from httyd where Astrid and Toothless almost killed each other protecting Hiccup when they met for the first time but with Ace and Deuce, Malleus, and Yuu(you). I actually wanted to write something like this for a later chapter of "This will be the death of me" but I got impatient so. Consider this an indirect continuation of "This will be the death of me Part 1" maybe?? Word count: 867
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Everyone who knew the infamous trio of Heartslabyul would say that you're the most rational one. Ace was a mischievous trickster and Deuce was well-meaning but temperamental with not as much brain as he had brawn, so you're usually the one playing the mediator or guiding your group onto the safe(r) path.
So when Ace and Deuce tailed after you as you wandered away from camp again to most definitely not forage for berries, the last thing they expected was for you to be cuddling up with the void itself.
Ace and Deuce weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but they reacted like any person would upon seeing their fellow idiot friend in the clutches of death.
"Get down!"
A flash of magic shot from Deuce's magic pen. It bounced harmlessly off the dragon's hide, but it was caught off-guard and the force of the blast caused it to stagger. The distraction allowed Ace to jump in and drag you down to the ground with him to cover you from any attacks.
Upon being startled, the dragon reared up, long neck stretching out to lift its massive, horned head and bare its razor-sharp teeth. Its black wings spread and seemed to shroud the entire forest in darkness as they stretched to their full length.
The creature's roar was ear-splitting, not unlike the thunder that rumbled in the previously clear sky. While you lay dazed on the ground, Ace was quick to get back on his feet and stand between you and the angry beast.
"Run!" he screamed. Ace and Deuce raised their magical pens. The winged beast narrowed its glowing green gaze before lunging—
"No!" You sprang to your feet and forcefully pulled your friends behind you, narrowly saving them from being torn to shreds by a thousand pounds of rampaging dragon. They both fell to the ground with surprised yells, magic pens scattering as you scrambled to placate the dragon throwing a hissy fit.
"It's okay, it's okay!" you rushed out as you held your arms up. You pushed the dragon back when it tried to move past you and Ace and Deuce gaped incredulously as you somehow wrestled it back from snapping them up in its jaws. "They're my friends."
To your friends' utter bewilderment, you held the dragon's head close and began to stroke its scaly snout. The creature continued to growl, its green eyes ablaze with fury, but it leaned its weight against you instead of lunging forward again.
"You guys scared him," you grunted, fighting with your own weight against the dragon when it ducked its head forward with a snarl.
"We scared him?!" Ace sputtered incredulously as he and Deuce stumbled back to their feet. They tensed simultaneously when the dragon hissed and green sparks jumped out of its mouth. "You're kidding, right?!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there," you said in the most calming tone you could muster to the oversized lizard in your arms despite your heart beating out of your chest. "Calm down. It's okay, Tsunotarou—"
"Tsuno—What?" Deuce spluttered.
"You call that… thing… Tsunotarou?!"
"Ace, I'm trying to save you guys from becoming dragon chow. I'd appreciate it if you didn't—" You huffed as you pulled "Tsunotarou" back down when it—he—tried to rear up again. "—If you tried to make yourselves at least slightly less tempting snacks??"
Ace opened his mouth to say some sort of retort, probably something along the lines of "What the fuck are you even doing hanging out with a dragon in the first place?!" but the aforementioned dragon huffed smoke out its nostrils agitatedly and he backed down. Deuce stepped in front of him, holding his arm out protectively as if it might do any good against a literal living flamethrower, but if he wanted to be the first in the direct line of fire Ace wasn't one to argue.
"Er—Sorry?" Deuce said sheepishly. The dragon narrowed his gaze and he added a, "Um—Sorry… sir?"
The dragon, even with his face that's layered with stiff armored plating, somehow managed to look unimpressed, but he seemed satisfied as he relaxed more against you. His wary eyes still remained on the boys though.
"Okay, I think we all got off on the wrong foot here," you said, as if almost getting mauled by a dragon was comparable to "getting off on the wrong foot". "Ace, Deuce; this is Tsunotarou. Tsunotarou, Ace and Deuce."
The dragon huffed as if in greeting, but it was far from friendly. The only person he seemed to approve the presence of was you, who he continued to lean his massive head against. His spiny tail curled around your feet protectively which was all kinds of ridiculous for obvious reasons.
"Nice to meet you…?" Deuce said with a strained polite smile. Internally, both you and Ace commended him for trying.
"Yeah, we're real charmed," Ace added as he eyed the great big dragon practically snuggling up to you. "First of all: What the Hell man?! Second: How in the Seven's names did you get chummy with a fucking dragon?"
You smiled at him sheepishly as you hugged the massive snout nuzzling your neck.
"Ha ha… Funny story…"
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madd-nix · 2 months
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Battling on the Train to Reunion
Ingo and Emmet finally reunite after Ingo has come home from Hisui. But before Ingo reveals himself to his brother, he decides that it would be more fun to challenge him to a battle first. My first time writing out pokemon battling!
Also, I didn't intend to post this on the 2nd anniversary of Legends Arceus' release, but hey! It worked out well! I just wanna say again how much I love this game cuz it brought back my love for Pokemon and it gave me more blorbos to love and get attached to. Amazing game, and I hope we get to see more games like it in the future!
Words: 3,592
Rating: PG (maybe like one or two swear words)
The battle continued for a while. Emmet's opponent had thrown out an Alakazam, which hit Garbodor pretty hard with Psychic. Luckily, she stayed standing, but the man's Magnezone finally managed to take out Archeops with Thunder. Emmet then sent out Galvantula, who made sure to quickly take out the Alakazam. The man sent out a Tangrowth, but he soon had to recall Magnezone when Garbodor took it out with a Focus Blast. He sent out a Probopass, then together with Tangrowth, they took out Garbodor after a few good hits. Emmet finally sent out Eelektross, his trusty partner. Now he had two pokemon out on the field and just one still waiting to be released.
Ingo healed up his pokemon one last time after defeating the last 20 depot agents. He knew the next car was the last one, where the lone Subway Boss was waiting for him.
Emmet, his twin brother. He was a little anxious about seeing him again, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement after having been gone for over five years. But now, here he was, back in modern Unova after being stuck in Hisui for so long.
With a sigh, he pocketed his pokeballs and adjusted the face mask he was wearing. He hadn't wanted to get recognized just yet, so he decided on wearing a mask to conceal the lower half of his face, a plain black squirtleneck shirt, black pants, brown boots, and a light gray trench coat. Meanwhile, his Subway Boss hat and coat were packed away safely, waiting to be worn again and probably repaired later. But for now, he just wanted to challenge the Doubles Line on the Battle Subway to surprise his brother.
After taking another moment to compose himself, Ingo stepped through the doorway to the final car. Emmet stood there, waiting patiently for him. His brother studied his appearance, but there was no sense of recognition in his eyes. Instead, he simply stood tall with a smile on his face and tipped his hat politely.
"I am Emmet. I am the Subway Boss. I like double battles. I like combinations of two pokemon. I like a challenge. You have come here verrry quickly. I am eager to see whether you will leave victorious or defeated. But I will not go easy on you. I like winning more than anything else. So, let's start a great battle in which every pokemon uses various moves."
Ingo nodded slowly, recognizing his brother's usual script. He had added in a few details, since apparently Ingo's battling proficiency had impressed Emmet enough to comment on it.
With that, Emmet threw out Archeops and Klinklang. Ingo took note, then took two pokeballs out of his pocket. He threw them and released Machamp and Magnezone. As soon as he caught and pocketed the now empty pokeballs, he positioned himself, ready to move.
"Archeops, use Aerial Ace on Machamp! Klinklang, Giga Impact on Magnezone!" Emmet called out.
"Both of you, dodge!" Ingo exclaimed.
Archeops flew up and then dove down towards Machamp, who luckily dodged the attack. Klinklang's Giga Impact was much harder to avoid, resulting in Magnezone taking the hit and forcing Ingo to dodge and roll out of the way.
"Sir, I must advise you to stay behind the yellow line," Emmet said as he watched Ingo.
"Ah, my apologies! I must have just grown used to battling more closely with my pokemon," Ingo replied. "I promise I am following the proper safety procedures." Emmet looked at him for a moment, but said nothing. Ingo had initially wondered if his voice would give him away, but his volume and vocal control had certainly changed while in Hisui. He could now keep better control of how loud he was, a skill that became necessary when needing to be quiet and hide from wild pokemon. This change must be what was preventing Emmet or any of the depot agents from recognizing him. That, and his change of appearance.
Finally, with a nod from Emmet, the former warden took his opportunity to attack.
"Machamp, Fire Punch agile style on Klinklang, followed by Close Combat! Magnezone, Flash Cannon on Archeops!" Ingo commanded.
Emmet opened his mouth, presumably to question what agile style was, or maybe to ask why he was giving Machamp two moves to use in one turn, but before he could, Machamp was already moving. Machamp swiftly punched Klinklang with a flaming fist, then immediately started using Close Combat and rapidly punched her opponent. Klinklang floated back, its gears rotating irritably.
As Machamp pulled back, Magnezone finally released the power it had been building up on Archeops. The poor fossil pokemon squawked as it took the hit, not fast enough to dodge.
"Verrrry interesting battle technique. I would like to know more about that later. But first," Emmet smirked as he pointed at his opponent, "Archeops, Rock Slide on Magnezone! Klinklang, Gear Grind on Machamp!"
Before Ingo could say anything, Emmet's pokemon flew in to attack. Archeops sent an avalanche of rocks at Magnezone, coming close enough to force Ingo to again dodge out of the way, and Klinklang sent two gears out to hit and grind against Machamp. Both of his pokemon took the hits, but they weren't down yet.
"Magnezone, Tri Attack strong style on Archeops!" Ingo exclaimed. "Machamp, another Fire Punch on Klinklang, strong style!"
Both pokemon prepared their attacks. Magnezone sent out three blasts of energy at Archeops while Machamp sent out another Fire Punch, now stronger than the last attack. Archeops managed to survive the hit, but unfortunately for Emmet, Klinklang fainted. He recalled his pokemon.
"Verrry good job, Klinklang. You did well," he said to the steel type in the pokeball. Emmet then pocketed Klinklang's pokeball and took out a new one. He released Garbodor, which Ingo recognized after a moment.
Garbodor had been one of his pokemon. She was incredibly sweet and could be shy at times, but she always gave it her all in battle. It was good to see that his brother was taking good care of his pokemon in his absence.
As much as he wanted to hug his old pokemon, Ingo had a battle to finish. And with his pokemon still recovering their energy from the last two strong style moves, Emmet was able to take his turn again.
"Archeops, use Protect! Garbodor, use Psychic on Machamp!"
Archeops put up an invisible barrier to protect himself, while Garbodor focused her energy on blasting Machamp. Machamp took the hit even as Ingo called out to dodge the attack. This ended up causing Machamp to faint. Ingo recalled her to her pokeball.
"Bravo, Machamp! You did wonderfully," he told her. He then pocketed the pokeball and got ready to toss out his next pokemon.
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As the battle went on, Emmet couldn't help but study his opponent. His actions, his pokemon, even his voice and appearance. He was using some strange battle technique involving "strong" and "agile" style moves. From what Emmet could see, that meant that his pokemon either attacked with all their strength, forcing them to take a turn to regain their energy, or they were able to attack quickly with little strength to allow them to attack again right after. It was an interesting strategy, and Emmet hoped to ask him more about it after the battle.
He had also noticed that while the man appeared to be older - only based on his slouch, the bags under his eyes, and the receding hairline since he couldn't see the rest of his face - he was quite fit and agile. He kept close to his pokemon, which was something Emmet got tired of reminding him not to do, but every time an attack came his way, he was able to dodge it. It was pretty impressive and fascinating to watch.
However, even though he was incredibly different and a complete stranger, Emmet couldn't help but feel something familiar about the man. His voice wasn't terribly loud, except to call out attacks for his pokemon. But even then, he wasn't a booming loud like someone Emmet knew. His eyes were a bright gray, reminding Emmet of his own gray eyes, and even though the man's hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, the gray color was also familiar. Little details about the man's vocabulary and way of speaking also tipped Emmet off, but he had to remind himself that these could all be coincidences. He wouldn't get his hopes up now, especially after nothing had been found for over five years.
Eventually, Eelektross managed to take down Tangrowth, leaving the man to release his final pokemon. He tossed out his last pokeball - which Emmet had already noticed that all of his pokeballs looked old and handmade - releasing a Gliscor. A ground and flying dual type. Emmet nodded as he waited for the man to attack.
"Alright, that Galvantula should only take a few more hits," the man thought aloud. "Probopass, use Power Gem, and Gliscor, use Aerial Ace!"
Probopass powered up a sparkling blast, then shot it at Galvantula. Gliscor then followed by dive bombing the bug type from the air, hitting her and sending her flying back. Emmet turned as his pokemon hit the wall behind him. Galvantula was out. He recalled her to her pokeball.
"You did verrrry well, Galvantula. Get some rest," he told her. He pocketed her pokeball and took out the last pokemon he had.
"I see we are both down to our final two pokemon," Emmet said to his opponent. "You are putting up a verrrrry good fight. But like I said, I like winning more than anything else. We are not done yet."
He tossed out the pokeball and released Chandelure. She trilled excitedly, then looked at the man across the train car. She froze, her flames flared, and then she immediately moved to fly over to him. Emmet reached out to try and stop her, but she was too quick. She flew right into the man's chest, nuzzling her face against him. Now, normally, most people would be surprised or shocked or even startled by this. But once the man had seen what she was doing, he had welcomed her and wrapped his arms around her glass bowl. Emmet could faintly hear the man's voice, but he was speaking quietly to her, and with the distance between them and the clacking sound of the train moving, Emmet couldn't make out what he was saying. Chandelure just trilled happily, and after he pat her glass once more, she floated back to Emmet.
"I am verrry sorry for Chandelure," Emmet apologized with a tip of his hat. "She is not normally like this."
"It's alright, she meant no harm," the man said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "She is a very sweet pokemon, and I'm excited to see how she does in battle!"
Emmet nodded, adjusted his hat, then pointed towards his opponent.
"Chandelure, Will-O-Wisp on Probopass! Eelektross, Thunderbolt on Gliscor!"
Both pokemon sent out their attacks, with purple flames and electricity shooting across the train car. The man rolled back to avoid the hit, but his pokemon weren't so lucky. Probopass and Gliscor both took the hits, but they still stayed floating in the air. They were hurt, but ready to attack.
"Probopass, Earth Power on Eelektross, agile style! Then go for Flash Cannon! Gliscor, Stone Edge on Chandelure, strong style!" The man commanded as he pointed towards Emmet's team.
Probopass glowed as it created a crack in the flooring. Luckily, the cars of the Battle Subway were built to be reinforced, able to take attacks of any type without sustaining damage. This crack would simply need welded down later at best. The crack continued on towards Eelektross, then dirt and ground formed and shot up from the floor, hitting the eel pokemon. It didn't do much damage, but Probopass quickly changed tracks to shoot a powerful beam at Eelektross, sending Emmet's partner back a bit. He still stayed up though, and Emmet flashed a proud smile to his pokemon.
Meanwhile, Gliscor stabbed both of his claws into the floor, creating huge rocks. The rocks shot up all the way towards Chandelure, hitting her and sending her spinning. She quickly steadied herself, but it was clear that she had been badly hurt. She was still determined though.
"Okay, Chandelure, use Overheat on Probopass! Eelektross, use Discharge!"
Chandelure and Eelektross did as they were told. Chandelure sent a fiery blast at Probopass, dealing a good bit of damage. Eelektross then sent out an electric wave, hitting every pokemon in the car, and also causing the hairs on Emmet's neck and arms to stand up, as well as the man's ponytail to frizz out a bit. Gliscor and Probopass both took the hit, and while Chandelure was hit too, she at least shook it off fairly well.
"Gliscor, Aerial Ace on Eelektross! Probopass, Power Gem strong style on Chandelure!"
"Dodge it!"
Chandelure managed to dodge the blast from Probopass, but Gliscor's Aerial Ace unfortunately hit Eelektross. He was still able to fight, but Emmet knew it wouldn't be for too long. He had to end this.
"Eelektross, Thunderbolt again on Gliscor! Chandelure, another Will-O-Wisp on Probopass!"
"Dodge!"
Probopass was able to dodge the attack, but Gliscor wasn't so lucky. It seemed like all of their pokemon were getting close to fainting. This was going to be a close battle.
"Let's finish this!" The man exclaimed. "Gliscor, Earth Power strong style on Eelektross! Probopass, another Power Gem strong style on Chandelure!"
Both pokemon readied their attacks.
"Dodge it!"
But it was too late. The ground came up and hit Eelektross, and the sparkling blast flew across the train car to hit Chandelure. Emmet had to shield his eyes from the bright blast, but once he opened them, he saw both of his pokemon were fainted on the floor. He had lost.
He recalled Eelektross and Chandelure, then held their pokeballs close to himself.
"You both did great. We came verrrry close. You and the rest of the team have earned some treats tonight."
Emmet pocketed the pokeballs and turned to look at his opponent. The man had recalled his pokemon and was quietly talking to them, presumably to congratulate them on their win. Emmet walked across the car to face him.
"I am Emmet. I lost against you. Because you are the strongest trainer I've fought lately. Yup! You put up a verrrrry fun challenge. I hope you will ride the trains some more."
Emmet then stuck out his hand to properly congratulate his opponent. The man shook his hand, then chuckled a little.
"That was a great battle, Emmet! I forgot how fun it was to battle you! Now, remind me, how many wins is that for me now?"
Before Emmet could even think of a response, the man pulled down his face mask. Emmet's eyes widened as he looked back at a face that almost exactly mirrored his own. Ingo. His brother Ingo. His twin brother Ingo had just beaten him in a doubles battle and was now smiling back at him and shaking his hand.
"Ingo?!" Emmet immediately let go of his hand and pulled his brother into a hug. Ingo just laughed and hugged him back, harder than Emmet had ever thought was possible from his twin. There was a mix of laughing and crying from both of them as Emmet tried to make sense of what was happening.
"Ingo, i-is it... is it really you?" Emmet pulled away just enough to look at his brother.
He looked older, but that was mostly just around the eyes. Ingo had some wrinkles and eye bags, but it wasn't like Emmet could say that he himself didn't have the same wrinkles and heavy eye bags. After many sleepless nights and years spent worrying over his brother's whereabouts, he knew he had aged quite a bit. Along with that, Ingo's normal frown was pulled up a bit into a smile. It was a small, warm smile, but coming from Ingo, that was the biggest smile he had ever seen. His brother also had a short pointed goatee, which Emmet had to laugh at. It almost matched his own goatee, which was shorter and pointed more up towards his mouth. Even while separated, they still found ways to match. However, the receding hairline had certainly caught Emmet off guard, along with how long his brother's hair had grown. Sure, Emmet's hair was starting to thin, but not that drastically, and he still managed to keep his hair cut short. Where had his brother been, and what had he been up to?
"It's really me, Emmet, I promise," Ingo said, answering his earlier question. He sniffled, and even though he was crying with tears staining his cheeks, Ingo instead wiped at his brother's eyes. The affectionate gesture just brought more tears for Emmet.
"You... you're really home," Emmet cried. "You're alive and back home."
"Yeah, I'm alive and here," Ingo said. When had his voice become so quiet? "And I'm so incredibly happy to see you."
Emmet pulled Ingo into another tight squeeze. After a moment, he realized something and pulled away again.
"I am Emmet. You battled me before telling me you were here!" he exclaimed. "And what's with the mask and the disguise?"
Ingo laughed and patted his brother's shoulder.
"Haha, I wanted to see how you'd react!" Ingo said between laughs. "I thought it would be fun to surprise you!"
"You are so mean!" Emmet punched Ingo in the shoulder, but he wasn't actually mad. Sure, he was a little pissed off that Ingo had made him go through a whole battle without telling him who he was, but he also had to admit that it was a little funny. "You are so mean to me! My own brother! Battling me and beating me before telling me you are back! The worst brother ever!"
Ingo just laughed more, then raised a hand to his chest in mock hurt and shock as he gasped dramatically.
"Emmet! How could you say such a thing! My own brother!" His voice played up the mock hurt, but his eyes were upturned in the way that let Emmet know he was really smiling.
"Yup! I am deeply hurt, Ingo. Verrrry hurt! Disguising yourself from me."
"It was just a joke, brother! I meant no harm!"
"Verrrry mean to your poor, sweet twin brother. I am Emmet. I will never recover."
"Nooo!" Ingo lifted his arms dramatically, which just caused Emmet to laugh. They both fell into another laughing fit and hugged each other.
"...I am Emmet. I have missed this. I missed you verrrrrry much, Ingo. I am so glad you are back," Emmet said once they were calmed down. He rested his head on his brother's shoulder, and Ingo responded by gently rubbing Emmet's back.
"I missed you too, Emmet," Ingo said, his voice once again uncharacteristically soft. "Although, I must admit that my amnesia prevented me from fully remembering you for quite a while."
Emmet pulled away a little at that.
"Amnesia?"
"I'm okay, I promise," Ingo assured him. "But it's a long story. The short version is that I had sustained a head injury, resulting in amnesia. I couldn't remember much aside from my name. But I could eventually vaguely remember a man that looked like me. That was all I knew for a while, other than the fact that I knew he was someone close to me that I missed deeply. But I had some help, and I've been able to remember you and our home here in Unova, and our pokemon. I will need assistance remembering more, so, I hope you'll help conduct me back onto the right tracks."
"Of course," Emmet held his twin close. "Of course I will help you. I am Emmet. You are Ingo. We are a two car train again. I will help you in any way I can."
"Thank you, Emmet," Ingo said as he buried his face in Emmet's shoulder again. Emmet hugged him close for a while longer. If he could, he would just stay like this forever.
However, the train eventually had to pull back into Gear Station. Ingo pulled his mask back up, saying how he didn't want to cause a huge fuss with his reappearance just yet. Emmet understood that, and together, they stepped off of the train. Emmet then made a call over his radio to the depot agents, saying he would be taking the rest of the day off, citing that something with his family had come up. As they walked out of the station, Ingo suddenly perked up.
"Oh! There are two people that I'd like you to meet," he said excitedly as he pulled out a phone. He eagerly began sending a text to a group chat. Emmet peeked over at his brother's phone and saw the names Dawn and Johanna.
"Who are Dawn and Johanna?" he asked.
"The people I'd like you to meet!" Ingo explained excitedly. "Dawn is a wonderful young girl with incredible battling skills! She is actually the one who helped me get home. As for Johanna, she is Dawn's mother. She's an incredibly kind and strong woman, and she's actually a talented contest coordinator from Sinnoh! She is, um, also my girlfriend."
Even with the mask on, Emmet could tell that his brother was blushing. Emmet's jaw hung open slightly.
"You have a girlfriend?!"
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nayatarot777 · 10 months
Text
what conditionings are you stripping away?
so, i live in england and a thunderstorm is currently happening as i’m typing this up. i decided to look up what thunderstorms mean metaphysically (because we’ve gotten yellow alerts and amber alerts for this storm and we hardly ever get thunderstorms so i felt like it must be significant). y’all, tell me why this is what i’ve found:
“Thunderstorms are seen as powerful and intense events, and they can symbolize an awakening in the spiritual sense.
The sudden noise of thunder can shake us out of our complacency and remind us to pay attention to what is happening around us. This awakening can prompt us to listen to our inner voice and intuition, and encourage us to make changes in our lives.
The rain that often accompanies thunderstorms is a powerful symbol of cleansing and purification. The rain washes away dirt and debris, leaving the earth feeling refreshed and renewed. In the spiritual realm, the rain can represent the release of old patterns and negative energy, allowing for a new beginning.”
very fitting for this reading 🙃
pile selection:
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• pile one •
cards: ace of swords, knight of cups, the tower
i’m seeing that you’ve realised a very self-destructive pattern in who you give your love and care to. you might’ve tried to save people from their own demise and their continuous tower moments, but you’re learning to move with consciousness when dealing with others and contemplate whether or not it’s a wise idea to try to “help” people - “help” that is often coming from a saviour complex that you’ve had for a while. it’s coming from a good place, but you’re now understanding that sometimes you just need to leave people tf alone to their own bs and misery. it doesn’t have to be your problem to fix and they don’t have to be your person to try to guide out of misery that they’re extremely deep (and comfortable) in. period 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
• pile two •
cards: page of cups, the hierophant, king of cups
you’re stripping away the conditionings of authority figures and their traditional values and opinions being forced onto you. you’re learning to find your own belief system based on what feels right - not what you’ve been told - and that’s helping you to become someone who is entirely lead by your own intuition (which is something that you may have struggled with before). you’re able to find out surprising things about yourself and what your true beliefs are. i’m also hearing that your beliefs surrounding “good luck” is changing a lot. you’re definitely finding out what it’s like to be lead by faith in your own personal belief in a higher power/higher self. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
• pile three •
cards: page of pentacles, queen of pentacles, 2 of swords
you’re stripping away the habit of downplaying your accomplishments and what you’ve built. you could’ve denied abundance in some way - or at least in terms of recognising some type of abundance that you have, either physically or metaphysically. however, i feel like you’re now standing firm in your acknowledgement of how valuable you and what you’ve developed in your life actually is. i’m also hearing that you’re no longer doubting yourself in terms of being able to maintain or practically manage something. you know that you can, and that you have so much to attract and so much to learn from other people. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
• pile four •
cards: knight of wands, the devil, king of swords
you guys are finally learning how to observe and rationalise taking action before actually making a move. you could’ve been quite impulsive in the past, leading you to interest in things, places, and people that you grew dependent on. i’m also hearing that a lot of you have finally realised that you don’t actually need someone/something who you thought that you did before. someone who tried to prevent you from finding your freedom - especially in your opinions and your way of thinking. you’re undoing the conditioning that you should run away from and shame your shadow, because you’re realising that your shadow is who will give you the truth and the best guidance to follow - not your ego that’s comfortable in the same toxic and draining life cycles. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
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florent1s · 4 months
Text
Saccharine Hearts ( ii )
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Pairing: Aemond x Reader
Summary: To fall in love with Aemond is one thing. But to question if he truly existed is another.
Warnings: angst? mentions of death, questioning of reality
A/N: Hello! For those who have been waiting I’m sorry for such a late update. I have been busy with school, life, work.. agh! I’ve finally been able to write even if it’s just a little bit. I use this as a little creative outlet whenever I can so I don’t feel burnt out (bear with me y’all 😅) . All writing is just for fun and I hope you all enjoy. (Text written in bold are flashbacks) 🫶🏼.
P.S. if there’s any errors I forgot to proofread 😵‍💫
Song inspo:
“To love what is no longer there, that is what pains me the most.”
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Perhaps you would have seen the signs had you listened to Septa Arsa. They say you’ve gone mad. That your delusions have clouded your judgement. But no, you know that it is real. He is real. The love that has blossomed in your heart is not a fantasy. To be held in his arms that was no dream. Yet you can’t help but lie awake at night, haunted by the fact that he is no longer here.
It was as if the god’s had prevented you from leaving. The night sky was filled with the shattering sound of thunder. Lightening littered the sky like veins, a blaring sign to stay home. A sign you chose to turn a blind eye to. You loved him and he loved you. Nothing could possibly prevent you from seeing him. Until you rounded the corner and there she was. Another crack of lightening pierced through the shadows and there right in front of you was Septa Arsa. The look on her face was one you could never forget.
“My child you’ve gone absolutely mad! If your mother were to hear of this, imagine the outrage that would occur.”
Septa Arsa clings to you, her face glazed over with an expression of horror.
“He is real! I swear to you he is. He loves me dearly. Come with me, we can see him together.”
The smile that graces your lips never falters. Surely if mother knew of our love she would support it. She must.
“Yes, the man you describe is real, but he is dead. For years he has been dead, my darling girl why won’t you listen to me?”
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The last time you saw him was many moons ago. Septa Arsa begged you to stay home. She feared that the countless daydreams have blended in with reality.
“Aemond Targaryen: born in 110 AC, deceased 130 AC”
Septa Arsa practically forced you to read the text yourself. Your blood ran cold that night, for how could the man you love, the man you met as a child, actually be dead for years? Perhaps she was right and you have gone mad. Your cries could be heard throughout the halls. For the first time in years Septa Arsa was scared. Seeing the little girl she practically raised change overnight.
Once your mother and father knew of the situation they were ashamed. They needed their daughter to be perfect, the proper lady. Not one who believes her outlandish fantasies were true. The entirety of the keep was walking on eggshells. No one is to utter a word of what has occurred. Fearing that the lord who asked for your hand would no longer desire you.
You were to be kept in your quarters at all times, though you lost the motivation to ever leave them. You didn’t know what to make of your feelings. That numb feeling that seeps deep into your bones, that makes your heart feel as if it has been ripped apart. Septa Arsa enters your chambers but you pay her no mind.
“Perhaps a walk through the gardens? Your father would never know. Or we could read that book you love?”
She’s met with silence.
In all the years she has cared for you she has never seen you in such a state. The headstrong little girl she took care of is now a shell of what she once used to be.
Arsa sighs and moves to sit on the edge of your bed.
“My child what will it take for you to speak once more? Tell me what it is you desire and I’ll do my best to grant it.”
There was only one thing you wanted at the moment.
Him.
But perhaps he was truly not there at all and merely an escape from the life you yearned to get away from. And yet you refused to believe that notion. Ultimately, both you and Septa Arsa decided a nice walk would ease your mind. Being cooped up within four walls did no good for you, especially in your current state. Unbeknownst to Arsa, you made sure you left at the same time you used to meet him. She was skeptical at first but you reassured her it was because both mother and father would be too occupied to notice their brief disappearance. This would be your chance to discover if the love in your heart was from the delusions of your mind or not.
“We’ve walked far enough. Come now before they discover you are missing.”
Arsa was weary of the consequences of her actions. She knew taking you out here could result in your father tossing her out. But she cared for you dearly. This was the first time in a while she’s seen you this determined. You ignore her comment and continue walking until you see that very tree. Arsa grabs your wrist and tugs you towards her.
“Enough. We must go now before-”
“Put your trust in me as I have with you.”
You swiftly cut her off, you did not want to be ignored. Not this time.
“I have not been the best towards you. Perhaps I have been the most stubborn lady you have ever met. But at this moment I need you to trust me.”
You realize Septa Arsa is clutching her necklace of the seven pointed star tightly. Her grip on your wrist never waivers. Tightening to the point where it hurt. That look in her eyes, that look of fear was one you’ve never seen in her before.
“What is it?”
You spoke in a hushed tone as she brought you to her chest with a protective arm. Slowly, you turn your head and it was as if the air had left your lungs. There he was, sitting beneath the tree. The fog from the ground billowed and swirled around his form. His eye patch was gone and his sapphire eye glowed a vibrant blue from the moonlight. Both you and Arsa stare at him with trepidation. The gaze he held was solely on you as his lips curled into a grin.
“… you’re late.”
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johannesviii · 1 year
Text
So uh
The Power of the Doctor surely was one of the episodes of all time
Where do I even fucking start
Let's cut to the chase, narratively it was all over the place in a "let's throw everything at the wall to see what sticks" kind of way. The thing is, it was fun. It made no sense but it was still enjoyable. Why was the Master cosplaying Rasputin? Why 1916? What was the point of the Dalek traitor? Why the paintings? Who cares, I'm having the time of my life watching all this shit 7,5/10
Why Tegan and Ace, for that matter? Because it's fun to see them again, that's why. I'll take it. Tegan was especially great. Also Ace wasn't a CEO so bonus points for that
Why was Graham even here
Why the train
Why the Qurunx
Why the uh everything about the Daleks and the Cybermen and no-one getting betrayed or in-fighting in the process
Why do I care
Dan's arc started with him having no money and ends with him having no house. That's kinda bleak for a comic relief companion
I don't know how to feel about Tennant being the Doctor again? It's weird and interesting and I can't wait to see what they do with this, and I find it supremely ironic that the Doctor who was the most terrified of death is the one who will get to die THREE TIMES in this series - but at the same time, I really wanted to see Ncuti Gatwa and I feel like he's been robbed of his thunder, kind of? I don't know, it feels weird
Considering Chibnall's focus isn't usually on character arcs I wasn't expecting Thirteen's ending to have any kind of dramatic irony, but having very low expectations for this specific era was a blessing, because one of the things I desesperately wanted to see was this control freak of a Doctor, who never explains anything to her friends, being forced to rely entirely on her friends, and also completely losing control. And that's exactly what I got here. Yes. Very good
The Qurunx assuming the form of a child because it wants to be protected. The parallels with the Timeless Child. Exquisite
And that bit where she's hit by a deadly energy blast and she's carried back to the TARDIS like this?? Complete inversion of the trope of the Doctor carrying a companion and I loved it
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Oh god look at Yaz. Yeah that's right, you can only hold her while she's literally dying! That's the only time she'll be in your arms! And she's DYING!! And then you have to say goodbye!! I'm feeling normal about this
I've already seen quite a few Thasmin fans screaming bloody murder and to be honest I get it but like. I'm also digging how tragic this is
I wasn't asking for a kiss but like. When they were on the TARDIS' roof. I wanted one of them to put her head on the other's shoulder. Was that too much to ask
Pretty fitting that Yaz joins the circle of Recovering Doctor Addicts at the end after that and oh god don't get me started
The empty chair for Sarah Jane?? Don't talk to me
Is Ian even aware that regeneration exists or was he just like "wait so the Doctor is trans? Good for her"
WHAT WAS THE "POWER" OF THE DOCTOR WAS IS TO LEAVE A SHIT TON OF TRAUMATISED PEOPLE IN THEIR WAKE BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANT I'M HOWLING
Here's the Doctor's power! You all need therapy now!!
"How many Doctors are there" GOOD QUESTION NOBODY KNOWS
SPEAKING OF WHICH
FIVE SIX SEVEN AND EIGHT ON SCREEN. I FUCKING SCREAMED
BANTER BETWEEN SEVEN AND EIGHT ABOUT CLOTHES?? HELLO??? THE SURREAL LANDSCAPE?? ADRIC'S DEATH BEING MENTIONED IN NEW WHO?? HELLO????
Why is Ace apologizing to Seven when he should be apologizing to HER and why am I even asking. Who cares that was so cool
Eight on screen EIGHT ON S C R E E N how am I supposed to feel NORMAL ABOUT THIS I WANT TO SCREAM I WANT TO CRY
OH SPEAKING OF WANTING TO CRY
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TIME TO GET EMOTIONAL AND CRINGE ON MAIN ABOUT A FUCKING IDIOT WHO SPENT HALF THE EPISODE COSPLAYING RASPUTIN FOR NO REASON AT ALL AND MENTIONING HE USED TO BE A FURRY IN THE EIGHTIES
I turned off Anon asks so if any of you want to send me a new round of hate regarding the fact I love that Master which apparently makes me a fake fan or a Missy hater or something, you'll have to use your actual usernames, cowards. You know who you are
"Johannes shut up about that Master's supposed self-loathing that's not in the text that's just your headcanon to make him more interesting" OH YEAH YEAH CLEARLY I'M MAKING THINGS UP UH CLEARLY THIS IS NOT IN THE TEXT UH
THIS MF'S ENTIRE BULLSHIT PLAN WAS JUST AN EXCUSE TO STOP BEING HIMSELF FOR A MINUTE AND BECOME THE DOCTOR HI HELLO YES I'M FEELING NORMAL ABOUT THIS
"DON'T LET ME GO BACK TO BEING ME"
"DON'T LET ME GO BACK TO BEING ME"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA FUCK FUCK FUCK
I'm not making sense right now I'm sorry
"IF I CAN'T BE THE DOCTOR NEITHER CAN YOU" I want to scream I want to punch a fucking wall why are you like this why. are you. like THIS
The feelings are indescribable and I can't put them into words right now and I will have to make some art to make them go away, I don't make the rules I don't even have a choice at this point
TLDR this episode was a badly written narrative mess and full of fanwank and Doctor Who is terrible and I love Doctor Who with all my heart and I feel more alive than ever right now
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writemekpop · 1 year
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Ride | Lee Taeyong
Summary: You challenge biker bad boy Taeyong to a game that he can’t resist...
Genre: Biker AU, suggestive
Word Count: 1k Gif: @bestbubu​
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This was crazy. 
No, not crazy, insane. 
You were standing on a highway in the middle of the night, surrounded by sweaty young men. Two banged up cars were waiting at the start line, ready to race each other. The air was smoky and smelled like gasoline. 
Yuta’s face glowed red in their rear lights as he swept his hand over the crowd. “You asked what I do each night after school. This is it!” 
You had a sinking feeling you were about to get run over. “I don’t really feel like losing my life tonight, so I might… head…” 
You spun around. A young man, who you would later know as Johnny, was inches away from you. “Not so fast,” he said, smirking, a cigarette hanging from his lips. “You’ve gotta race. That’s the rules.” 
“I’ll leave the deathtraps to you, actually…”
From behind you, a voice said, “You really think we’re gonna let you leave and rat on us to the police? Newbies race. No argument.” 
You flicked your head and saw that a younger man was speaking, a kid really, hands in the pockets of his leather jackets. “I’m Haechan. New girl… why don’t you race the Ace?”  
Johnny spit out his cigarette in surprise. “You’re joking. The Ace – Taeyong - he’s… insane. The rest of us, we have limits. If I think my life’s in danger, I’ll slow down. But he- he’s not afraid of anything.” 
Haechan grinned. “It’s like he has a death wish. I mean, what do you have to go through to become like that?” 
Johnny bit his lip. “Sometimes… I look in his eyes and… I think he could have killed a man.”
A gruff, sardonic laugh interrupts him. 
Approaching through the red haze is a devilishly attractive man. He’s wearing nothing but a torn up red leather jacket. His dark caramel chest is so chiseled it could have been personally designed by god. Scars criss-cross his body, only adding to his rugged handsomeness.  
Your heart is pounding, and you can’t tell if it’s from fear or attraction. Can you even race someone like that? You should be running in the opposite direction – so why is every cell in your body being pulled towards him? 
Before you know it, you’re in the driver’s seat of a scrap car, and Taeyong’s in the one next to you. 
“I can’t watch!” someone shouts. 
This is it. This is how you die. 
But then Johnny blows the whistle, and the crowd goes wild with cheers, and you’re off. 
As you speed down the dark highway, Taeyong controls his car so he’s level with you. He’s driving, but his eyes are totally focused on yours. 
“Pull over,” Taeyong orders. 
Your heart flutters. Why is he trying to protect you? 
Any rational person would pull over right now, but you feel a strange wave of rebellion. You need to show Taeyong that you’re not the weak little coward he probably thinks you are. You have a strange urge to make him… see you. 
You refuse to pull over, speeding ahead of him. He orders you again and again, he voice getting more urgent each time. 
Finally, in one swift motion, Taeyong squeezes the side of his car against yours, forcing you sideways until you’re scraping the concrete edge of the highway, sparks flying in the dark. Your car squeals to a stop. 
Your heart is thundering harder than it ever has. Yes, you feel like you want to throw up. But you also feel an electric exhilaration, like your blood is singing. 
You hear a car door slamming, then Taeyong is leaning over you. His body is so close to yours in the stifling, sparking darkness of the car. He smells like sweat and burnt rubber… strangely delicious. 
“Are you hurt?” he asks sternly. 
You shake your head, your heart squeezing. Why does he care?
---
Later that night, after a whole lot more races, the whole crowd has moved into a bar, chatter and neon lighting filling the space. 
Taeyong is hunched over the bar, tending a long cut on his muscled arm. 
Just sitting this close to him sets your body on fire. What is he thinking about? Could it be… you?
An expression that, on a normal person could be a smile, comes into Taeyong’s face. “That was impressive.”
You scoff. “Impressive? You ran me into a wall!”
“Still… the way you raced me like that, all that distance? Most newbies would have given up a long time before.” His face darkens. “See, that’s the problem. Talented people like you… they think racing’s so easy. They think it has no consequences.” 
Taeyong leans in close to you, his eyes burning. “Stay. The hell. Out.” 
Again, the rebellion swells up in your chest. You act different around Taeyong. He awakens some bold, daring side in you. 
“What if I don’t want to?” You eye the mysterious scar running across his collarbone. “What if… I want to know more?” 
Taeyong’s jaw clenches. “You don’t want to be a racer. Just take my word for it.” 
“What if it’s not just racing I’m interested in?” you say, your eyes falling on his dark pink lips. You can’t believe the way you’re acting. You’re never this confident. Here, amongst racers, anything seems possible.  
“Can I kiss you?” you suddenly ask.
Taeyong sucks in a tiny breath, the only sign of his surprise. He doesn’t reply, almost as if he knows he should say no, but he leans closer to you anyway. So, you bring your lips to meet his. 
The kiss sets off every nerve in your body, like you’re struck by lightning. It barely lasts a few moments, but it’s enough. 
MAIN MASTERLIST
Let us know what you thought in the comments or on anon! 💋
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gatitties · 1 year
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Kidnapped
Manager Miniseries
─ Aoba Josai x fem!reader + Shiratorizawa
─ Summary: your friend insists that they have a practice match with your team and Oikawa is exaggerating
─ Warnings: none
5 < 6 > 7
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The Shiratorizawa men's volleyball team was at the house of their beloved great ace, apart from doing a study session they decided to meet to talk about new techniques to win the tournament and go to Tokyo. Everyone was concentrated until the doorbell rang, the mother of the family opened by happily greeting the newcomer.
"What a surprise to see you here! I haven't seen you in a long time. What brings you here, honey?"
"Well..." you scratched the back of your neck, averting your gaze "my parents wanted me to come by, also to see if Toshi could help me with some issues."
"I was just going to leave, but Wakatoshi is in his room studying, he will gladly help you."
"Thank you, have a good day Mrs. Ushi"
"You too sweetie."
You entered the house saying goodbye to the owner, knowing that you would be alone before going to the room, you went to the kitchen to get a package of cookies. Your parents had forced to go so that Ushijima could help you study mathematics —a subject in which you were disgusting— knowing that he was a good student as well as that their families were very close. You walked unhurriedly to the well-known room, you entered as if were your own house, throwing on the bed without realizing that you practically crushed a boy. A boy who was clearly not your friend.
"Hey Tosh-"
You choked on the cookies when saw how there were more boys in the room, and to top it off, one of them was trying to get you off of him.
"Uh, sorry about that."
The poor black-haired man shook his head nervously and frantically as you backed away from him, muttering more apologies for putting him in such a situation.
"I-It's okay!"
Thunderous laughter filled the room, a redhead laughing tearfully as he watched the bowl cut boy grow more agitated by the second.
"(N) what are you doing here?"
“I need help with math, you know..." you played down the importance, brushing the crumbs off your shirt "but if you're busy I can come back another day."
"Wait, wait, Ushiwaka knows a cute girl?"
"Tendou, don't make those comments as if she wasn't here."
A boy with gray hair and darker tips scolded the redhead who teased him calling him 'semisemi mom' for scolding him, you ignored the small verbal fight in the background focusing on your friend.
"No problem, we are also studying, I will help you with your homework."
"Thanks Toshi, I promise to make it up to you."
While you were studying, everyone introduced themselves, the red-haired Tendou was undoubtedly the opposite of Wakatoshi, which you found funny, plus Goshiki was too adorable but just as intense as your friend, there was a mother here too, Semi, and they even had a sarcastic named Shirabu.
It was a curious group without a doubt. When the team finished their homework they started talking about volleyball, leaving you to concentrate on making derivatives and matrices. You sighed pulling some strands back, you couldn't concentrate so stopped for a while to look at your phone, it had been vibrating for a while, they were just messages from your team, you just left them on read to look at Ushijima who had his eyes on your figure for a few seconds ago.
"Is something wrong Toshi?"
"Yes." the whole team paid attention to their captain "I want a practice match against Seijoh."
Everyone seemed confused —even you— but of course, the others didn't know that you were the manager of the volleyball club, because you had only talked a little and about studies, but you thought that Ushijima wouldn't want to have a practice with your team when they always had won.
"You are their manager, right?"
"Yes, but today they don't have practice."
"Hey, hey, the cute girl also knows about volleyball, now I understand why you like her!"
"I... I don't like (N)." he cleared his throat. "So when could we have a match?"
"Well, if you want I can talk to them now, maybe they don't care."
"It will be good for us to try new things."
"Yes, we will defeat them!"
"Don't get so excited about that bowl boy, it's just a practice game."
Tendou laughed at Shirabu's comment, no doubt Goshiki and he didn't have the best relationship, but it was fun to hear the second year's sarcastic comments while the first year tried to return the comments to no avail.
"Huh? But I like his hair..."
You approached to be able to remove the black locks, noticing how he became rigid as a rock and his face exploded with pink tones, you decided to stop for his health, you would swear you could hear Goshiki's heart about to explode.
"I also want caresses!"
"Hmm if you insist…" you shrugged your shoulders to caress the redhead's head "wow why is your hair so soft?"
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"(Nn)!"
Oikawa desperately ran towards you when he saw how you entered the gym together with Shiratorizawa's team —specifically, you were talking animatedly with Semi and Yamagata— quickly grabbing you to take along with your team.
"Are you okay? Have they done something to you? I won't let them kidnap you again."
"They have not kidnapped me, besides they are nice."
"It can't be, surely they are extorting you! Blink if you are in danger." He whimpered moving you from one side to the other, then you blinked but not because of your captain's request "Iwa-chan, they are harassing our pretty (Nn)!"
"Shut up Shittykawa, you need to blink to live, idiot."
"Ow, that hurts Iwa-chan."
You walked away ignoring the small argument between friends, leading the rival team to the locker room so they could change into their sports clothes.
"Hey (N) are they always like this?"
"Yeah, but I guess it's okay, it's funny."
Tendou laughed taking you by the shoulders as you walked back to the court, this action did not go unnoticed in the eyes of the Seijoh boys who glared at the interaction their manager had with the middle blocker, that only made Tendou become more attached to you.
"You could stop irritating the rival team."
Semi looked at how his partner had fun seeing the faces that the others made, rolling his eyes, he went to warm up without wanting to be part of the scene, he wouldn't be part of the redhead's game.
"(N) can you hug me? It sure brings me luck in the match!"
He spread his arms with a catlike smile, narrowing his eyes in amusement at seeing his attentive rivals like owls, causing him to chuckle as he robbed their manager in a thinly veiled manner.
"Sure, why not?"
You shrugged your shoulders without giving it much importance —for you all kinds of hugs were well received— Tendou also took the opportunity to quickly kiss your cheek as a farewell, that's when he completely angered the Aoba Jōsai team, he couldn't hug you as if nothing had happened you were their manager. Unintentionally someone —Kunimi— threw a ball towards the head of a certain blocker, although the ball landed on your head because you were just separating from the hug.
"Oww…" you touched the affected part with a grimace, searching for the culprit, everyone gasped looking at Kunimi, who seemed to want to disappear at that very moment "Kunimi, if you wanted a hug, just tell me."
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Bonus
You had insisted on cleaning the gym by yourself for making them train on a day they shouldn't have, they reluctantly agreed, leaving you alone, or so you thought, because a certain imperturbable boy was waiting for you to accompany you home like a true hunk.
"Toshi, I thought you had already left."
He denied watching you keep the key to the place, arms folded, patiently waiting for his friend to finish closing the gym.
"I'll walk you home."
"It wasn't necessary, but thanks."
You two were silent for a few minutes until Ushijima cut it off, looking at you with a certain sparkle in his eyes, he stopped causing you to stop walking as well.
"(N)" you looked at him with a raised eyebrow "I want a hug too."
You laugh internally observing the serious face of your friend to wrap him in a warm hug, he was a big baby.
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yuurei20 · 6 months
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Translation from Twisted Wonderland the 2nd novel: The Exhibition Match (pt2)
"With a glance for the ghosts who come for him, Leona sharply calls out, ‘Jack!’
Appearing from seemingly no where Jack plants himself between Leona and the ghosts, physically interjecting with all the agility of a wild animal, and a mischievous grin.
‘As if I’d let you.’
Jack raises one arm, and there is a strong gust of wind. The invisible defensive barrier multiplies in strength and the ghosts trying to force their way through cry out as they are blown away.
Ace, Deuce and Grim—the larger players—are marked next, and suddenly find it very difficult to move.
Ruggie flies all around Yuuya, coming nearly close enough to touch him on every pass. The magicless Yuuya is helpless to intevene. It is a well-coordinated play that even their opponents can appreciate.
‘It’s all you, Leona-senpai!’ Jack shouts, and Leona raises his right arm, taking aim.
‘Wha—‘ Everyone’s eyes go wide in response, emphasized by the voices of astonished spectators in the stands.
He cannot be aiming for the goal from such a distance.
The farther away a shot is made, the more magical energy is consumed to score a point. Not only is there the magic required to propel the disc itself, but the goals are protected by barriers that deflect any discs that have not been charged with sufficient magical power.
‘So, you see, it’s all about how close you can get to the disc. And how close you can get to the goal. That’s the key to Spelldrive.’ Yuuya remembers the ghosts telling him such, during their practices with Grim.
There is still a fourth of the entire field between the goal and Leona. For a normal player, a shot like this would be considered laughably reckless.
Yuuya looks to Leona, expecting to see him brimming with a fiery, passionate spirit, but his eyes are surprisingly calm.
The burning anger that Leona had been putting on display has disappeared, replaced with a quiet not unlike that which can be found in the shade of a tree.
Yuuya recalls Cater telling them that Leona is a genius tactician. Forgetting that they are in the middle of a match, Yuuya pauses to watch Leona’s next move.
He may be clenching his back teeth; his face contorts slightly on one side. Deep wrinkles on his forehead betray the extent of a tremendous strain being taken on his body. As if to shake himself free, he releases a powerful, resounding roar.
The disc shoots for the goal. There is not even the slightest curve to its flight. It travels straight and true, shooting through the small circle within the center of the goal ring like an arrow.
The colosseum falls silent.
The scoreboard floating in the air gleams with golden light, and Savanaclaw’s score changes from zero points to three. It is the highest possible score that can be achieved with a single shot, and only by successfully aiming for the three-point ring in the goal’s very center.
Quaking earth. Heavy rain. Roaring thunder. None of it compares to what now erupts from the colosseum. It is as though it has burst apart, threatening to crumble beneath the deafening cheers.
‘Amazing…’
Even with his beginner’s understanding of the sport, Yuuya knows that he has just witnessed something incredible.
(Continued here! ↓ )
(Thank you to everyone for your patience during this past month of daily novel2 translations! From tomorrow this blog will finally be going back to its usual posting schedule. Novel2 translations are going to continue (there is still so much to share!), but posted on a weekly basis rather than every day. Thank you again!)
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shirohige-pirates · 2 months
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Just Like Fire
CisFem Reader x Portgas D. Ace
CW: angst, language, erotic, violence, serial killer, stalking, poisoning, over-bearing controlling parents, attempted forced marriage, possible dub-con, Munchausen by proxy (aka Factitious Disorder), wildly cute and fluffy despite the warnings. 18+ only
Summary: You're Sabo's biological sister in this AU. After college you moved in with your dear brother and his two sworn brothers in order to avoid going back home. You and Sabo despise your family equally.
Tags: @fiestynatureweeb @nalleanna @airwolf92 @art3misa635 @sleepisfortheweakpooh
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Chapter 21: The Rule
Wings spread wide, the flames had dissipated and faded away. You were massive. Larger than you even thought you could’ve been. Big enough to carry several people on your back. Ace was small on the ground, but not so small that you didn’t know it was him.
His fire. His sun.
Your gaze shifts at the thought and you see the sun rising into the sky. Some part of your body twitches, as though at this size you could make the flight. You hear Ace yell your name, and feel his hands grab the soft feathers he could reach.
“Change back!” He’s seems almost ready to climb you, if he has to, to be heard. “CHANGE BACK!”
You lean down and step back, gently bonking him with your cheek. Gentle as you are with the action he grunts, arms grabbing onto your face to keep himself upright.
“Don’t fly away.” The words are softer, but desperate. There’s a fear in them, in his fingers, that you’d never felt before. You weren’t sure if it was because you’d flown into his fire, or because he could sense your desire to fly into the very sun.
You’re afraid to talk in this form, worried that a whisper would leave your mouth like some rumbling mountain. You’re certain you’re not quite that big, but everything is sharper, closer, farther away, muted, brighter. It’s hard to know what part of it all that you’re actually interacting with.
You remember Marco’s words, and focus on the parts of yourself that you know well. Hands, fingers, the curve of your elbow into your forearm. All the small details that few others would know or pay attention to, and slowly you shrink, and shift.
Ace’s arms around your face turn into arms around your body. He’s not holding onto you tightly, but he makes no move to step back as you change, as though you would slip away into pieces of ash if he let go entirely.
“Sorry,” you say quietly, and Ace’s arms tighten around you.
“You’re okay.” He says softly, words disappearing into your hair. “It’s okay.” You can feel his heart thundering in his chest, his fingers trembling against you, and his warm breath sinking into your hair.
“I scared you.”
“You terrified me.” He corrects, his grip loosening a little as a nervous sound escapes him. “I thought I…” His body trembles, and you remember Sabo’s words. About Ace having his own demons. Between his curse and his father, it wasn’t hard to know what he was thinking.
Especially since you’d just got done literally flying into his flames.
“… You’re not cursed to hurt everyone you love.” You say quietly, arms returning the trembling embrace. “And you apparently can’t hurt me at all.”
You lean back a little to give him a smile, and he tries to return it.
“What happened?”
You open your mouth, close it, and then shake your head. “I don’t know. It was like staring into the sun, and some part of me just took over.”
“… Some part of you took over… and flew you into my fire?”
“Sun.” You correct. “I… we?… Thought it was a sun.” You look at your hands for a moment before you leaned into him, setting your head against his chest. “All I could think was that the sun was full of peace, and life, and safety. That I needed to be in it.”
“… We?” He questions, stepping back and looking into your eyes.
You nod. “It’s… it’s not over-bearing, or it wasn’t, but there’s something else.” Your brows furrow and your face scrunches up in thought. “Like an instinct. A driving force you have to be very conscious of to override. When people run upstairs in fear because up in a tree is safe, so up in a building is too, but if you stop and think about it, it’s a bad idea for certain situations.”
Ace grins. “Like being chased by a murderer.”
You laugh. “Yeah! Not a situation where many people stop and think before panic-dashing upstairs.”
“Or into a ball of fire.”
You flinch a bit and lean into him again, giving him a hug. “I am really sorry-.”
“It’s alright.” He interrupts, fingers in your hair and against the small of your back. “Now that we know we can be careful about it.”
“Should probably tell Marco.” You mutter, letting your cheek smush against him and enjoying the warmth.
“I can let him know Monday,” Ace offers, hands moving against you soothingly. “Let’s get the rest of the stuff in the truck and head back.” He kisses the top of your head. “You can rest on the way back as long as you keep me company for naps when we get home.”
“Rest? Why would I-?” Your sentence breaks as exhaustion buckles you. If not for Ace you would’ve just folded into the grass. “What?”
“Breakthroughs with curses are always exhausting.” Ace says with a soft chuckle, lifting you up easily and getting you situated in the passenger seat of the truck. “You might have been energized by my fire, but you turned into a massive bird, palomita, and that takes a lot of energy.”
He gives you a crooked, understanding smile as your eyes droop against your will. “We need to build up your stamina.”
“Yeah… I…” You  mutter, trying to voice your agreement, before everything goes dark and exhaustion pulls you into a deep sleep.
A deep enough sleep you don’t wake as Ace gets the last few heavy items loaded into the truck, and you don’t wake as his fingers slip through yours, but the warmth soothes your dreams.
Dreams of flying. White feather glimmering with rainbows at their edges from the sun that warmed you. A song that rang clear and multi-layered in the open air. A sound that banished… something. Something that befouled the edges of your dream, but the sound pushed it back.
No.
Pulled it in.
The taint was discomforting in its color, in its sensation. Thick and heavy in your lungs, full of needles and searing pain in your muscles. It soaked into you as the world became healthier.
Despite how it felt like sludge against your tongue, you weren’t afraid of it. It was your nature to take in all the ichor and illness into yourself. You could survive it. You survived decades of it. This was nothing. This was temporary.
As so you flew up, and up, and ever upward in your dream until you and all the cruelties that were bound to your bones were consumed by the sun. Fire burned away everything that clung to you, but it was little more than soap and water against your skin, leaving you refreshed.
Refreshed enough you managed to open your eyes.
You were warm, and comfortable. Really warm. There was a steady rhythm that was already working with the warmth to lull you back to sleep, but you managed to open your eyes enough to take in your surroundings.
The blanket was pulled up to your shoulders, and you could see Sabo in a chair across from you. He was reading a book quietly, and looked up to see you looking at him. He put one gloved finger to his lips, smiling in a way that made you wonder why he looked so cat-like.
The soft sound of snoring caught your attention as you rose ever so slightly up and back down.
Realization sank in before you even looked to be sure, but you were curled up in Ace’s lap while he was laid out on the recliner. His hands were very carefully placed so he could keep you comfortable without being untoward.
“He wouldn’t go into your room or his,” Sabo begins, voice barely above a whisper. “Didn’t want to wake you or worry you, but wanted to nap with you.” He closes his book and smiles brightly. “This was the compromise.”
Your brother’s explanation, and his very existence honestly, were just making you more and more embarrassed, but you were also entirely too comfortable to want to move. Instead you reached up and lifted Ace’s hat, which was barely on his head as it was, and set it over your own face.
You could hear Sabo chuckle quietly as he got up. The soft click of shoes against the floor was the only indication he was drawing nearer. His voice was even softer than before, but you heard him loud and clear.
“There’s a rule about hats, little sister.” He says in a teasing tone before leaving the room entirely.
You pull the hat down a little harder, and can tell that Ace is awake.
“I can feel you smiling.” You grumble in your current flustered state.
“Lots ta’ smile about.” He replies quietly, moving just enough to hug you close for a moment.
“… What’s the hat rule?”
“Mm, who knows?” He muses, the delight apparent in his voice. “Wanna nap a little longer? It’s barely evening.”
“Is there… is there a time element to the hat rule?” You mutter and feel Ace trying desperately to suppress a laugh.
“There isn’t, mi luz.” He grins as you look up at him and kisses your forehead. “The rule’s effect is instantaneous.”
You relax, letting yourself get comfortable again before you say, very slowly, and as threateningly as you can. “So you do know what the hat rule is.”
The nervous chuckle that escapes Ace feels like a tiny victory as the two of you doze back into another nap. It’s not just his body heat that makes it easy to fall asleep around him, but it’s also how comfortable he makes you feel.
After all, even you have heard of the hat rule.
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xxs3w3r-d0gxx · 7 months
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* POV the twst cast is on a week long camping field trip managed by vargas and crewel, and ace, deuce, ruggie, azul, the tweels, kalim, jamil, vil, and yuu cant sleep, so kalim says they should share scary stories. Yuu, being from our world, and a fnaf fan, decides to engage in some tomfoolery....*
Kalim: awwww no one has any good scary stories...???
Ace: nah those are for lil kids roasting marshmellows, no ones gonna-
Yuu: i have a story.
Deuce: really? Lets hear it!
Yuu: *ahem* back in my world, there was this restaurant franchise, called freddy's pizzeria. It was a normal kids place, it had arcades, lively music, and a fun band of animatronic anthro animals to sing amd entertain the kids and their family. There was freddy, bonnie, chica, and foxy, all with their own theme and the kids loved them. Everyone except a child known by the crying child, as he was nicknamed by the media once this story broke the news. He hated the place, and his father, William Afton, co-ran the place with a man named Henry Emily. Both had young children, both frequented the pizzeria. However, one day, the Afton family went to celebrate at the restaurant. To the crying child, the atmosphere was overwhelming, sickening, and anxiety inducing, as he spent his time crying and clutching his foxy plush closely. His older brother, Micheal, wanted to tease him with his friends. Micheal and his friends picked up the now thrashing crying child, and brought him up towards one of the animatronics. As its mouth gaped wide open to sing, the childs head was placed inside. Its metal jaws imediately clamped around the childs head, snapping his neck, the crunching and squelching of his crushed skull loud, making everyones skin crawl, blood pouring from the animatronics mouth. This was the bite of 1983. After this, police discovered that this wasnt the only child death at the facility. They uncovered decaying child corpses, shoved inside the very animatronics used to sing and dance in front of other children. These children where killed by merciless brute force, with little able to identify the killer. Some time after this, another corpse was found inside the restaurant. But this time, it was the body of William Afton himself. Having been locked inside one of the older animatronic variants, a springlock suit designed to be worn by employees. While he was inside it, the mechanisms unlocked, thrusting thousands of metal bolts and screws into him, impaling every part of his body as he bled out to death on the checkered linoleum floor. Later it would be discovered that he was the one killing these children and stuffing them inside the animatronic suits, and he put on the springlock suit in order to escape the rouge animatronics, possessed by the spirits of the children he murdered for no reason, trying to kill him the way he did them. Due to police inaction and lack of security, Afton was able to end the lives of 5 children, one of which was his own. The crying child.
Of course, the pizzeria is abandoned now and has been for over 30 something years. But, some daring true crime enthusiasts tend to visit the exact location, but very very few feel brave enough to sneak inside. Some say that the animatronics and their corpses are still inside the backroom, decorations on the walls, childrens drawings of the animatronics scattered on the floor, and the scent of burnt flesh oozing from out of the walls themselves. They say if you sit in the old security room, and stay there from 12:00, to 6 am, youll hear them. The animatronics. Youll hear their metal feet slowly beating against the floors or thundering down the halls, scratched and mangled voiceboxes creating inhuman groans and agonizing screams. Maybe youll even hear them scratching in the vents right. Above you. Theres a popular challenge among conspiracy theorists, those who insist that there are more questions to ask and more answers to find, to stay five nights, from 12 pm to 6 am, inside the restaurant. Some get terrified out of their minds and quit before their third night, saying that they saw the animatronics themselves lurking in the dark, slowly crawling their way towards the security office, with no way to stop them. Imagine it, a 300 pound rotting creature of flesh and metal, with hundreds of rusted teeth, endoskeleton peeking through their wrecked outer plates, glowing eyes, and a screeching blood chilling voice hunting you. They think your the one who killed them all those years ago. So imagine it, their giant, creaking mechanical bodies scraping against the floor as they stop at nothing to find you and force you into a metal suit of your own, the process twisting your limbs, breaking your bones, and piercing every organ until you feel as though your in the flaming underbelly of hell, forever...
Yuu: Anyway thats actually not a real event its all from a video game series in my world called five nights at freddies and it was so popular they made it into a movie! My favorite animatronic is definitely-
Floyd: SHRIMPY WHAT THE FUCK!!!!
Yuu:
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triviallytrue · 4 months
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Honour Mode Act 1 Complete
Overall thoughts: I enjoy playing without savescumming being an option. It speeds up the game and forces me to be more thoughtful. Aside from that, the changes feel pretty minimal - there are only 7 bossfights in act 1, of which I only did 6, so the net impact of the changes on my run thus far has been small.
Analysis of the bossfights + balance thoughts below the cut.
Owlbear (Fought at level 3): First bossfight I took. Didn't realize it was going to be a bossfight, went into it expecting an easy ride like on tactician. Definitely the most-changed of any of the fights, over twice as hard. Had to rely on the NPC assists and Command to get me through. Probably the closest call I've had thus far, though it wasn't that close. One of two fights where a character was downed.
After the Owlbear, I started looking up which fights were bossfights/what their changes were and planning in advance.
Phase Spider Matriach (Level 4): I suspect this fight is legitimately very dangerous at level 3, but at level 4 it's not bad. The main change is that it's uncheeseable now. There's also a new reaction, but it only got fired at me once, and it missed. Killed the ads, had my cleric spam command and my bard Tasha's to lock it down, and then beat it to death with my monk. Barely took damage.
Auntie Ethel (Level 5): Again, would've been hard at 4 but not bad at 5. Still took a fair amount of damage, but didn't come all that close to dropping. Her special reaction is designed to counter the best way of taking out her clones (mass magic missile) but it's hard-countered by monks - with 3 ki points you can force her to make 3 saves (2 against stunning, 1 against stagger) and if she fails any of them she can't use her reaction. With her reaction gone and her clones dealt with, 145 HP is not very much for a boss to have against a level 5 party.
Bernard (DNF): As far as I can tell, the risk-reward on this fight is very bad. It's easily bypassable with Sussur blooms if you want the XP, but I just used the books to get the items with dialogue.
Inquisitor W'wargaz (Level 6): You know how 145 HP is not a lot of health against a level 5 party? It's really not a lot of health against a level 6 party. Never even saw this guy's honour mode changes because he was dead before he ever got a turn. Give him a crazy high initiative or some kind of better AC/resistances for him to be a threat.
True Soul Nere (Level 6): My pick for the most improved fight of Act 1. Nere's changes make him basically impossible to burst down, and if you had to fight him alongside all the Duergar it would be a legitimately nasty fight. Unfortunately for Nere and fans of game difficulty, it's easy to get more than half the Duergar to turn against him. The resulting fight is not trivial, but I never felt like I was in serious risk of things spiraling out of control.
Grym (Level 7): There's an argument to be made here that this is the hardest fight in act 1, but I took it a little too seriously and ended up beating it without taking any damage. So it goes. His new honour mode ability is cool but Silence makes you immune to thunder damage which takes away its sting, my sorcerer's Twinned Haste on my monk and cleric meant I had very good damage output and was also able to cast Command on him twice per turn if necessary, so I kept him stunlocked and beat him to death pretty quickly. My bard contributed nothing to this fight.
Overall balance thoughts: You may have noticed a few themes here - in 3 of the 6 fights I took, Command was used to stunlock the boss. Command would be extremely good as a level 2 spell and still often worth using as a level 3 spell. As a level 1 spell, it makes clerics a must-have for any party and easily slots them in as the second best class in the game.
But still not quite the best class in the game, which is monk. Tavern Brawler Open Hand Monk, to be specific. At level 3, Open Hand monks get the ability to suppress reactions if enemies fail a save. At level 4, they get Tavern Brawer, which with strength elixirs means you have a +12 to hit with 1d6+10 damage on 3 attacks per turn. At level 5 they get extra attack and also the ability to stun if enemies fail a save. At level 6 they get another huge boost to damage. They have a great set of gear with no real overlaps with other classes that drives these numbers up even farther.
This combination of traits - high accuracy, high damage, lots of attacks per turn, ability to stun and suppress reactions at will, all bundled together in a nice, smooth earlygame progression package, is ridiculously good. Definitely the standout character of the run thus far.
Command should be nerfed or removed, Tavern Brawler should be nerfed or removed, early game strength elixirs should be nerfed or removed. Til then, I'm playing the cards I'm dealt.
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the-afronick · 3 months
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Normally I like to tally up everything I've beaten on an annual basis but I've been lacking the last two years, so this is three years' worth of finished games: 2021-2023. Also been lacking in finishing stuff until the last third of this year but I think I've got the swing of things again. There are other games finished/completed I've chosen to not count here as they were simply different ports of games I've already done before, but I'm still counting MW1 Remastered to make it a nice even 50.
Since this is all getting typed up right now in one afternoon, enjoy some quick thoughts on each of these.
Finished
Yakuza Kiwami (2017) - Yeah it still feels like a weird version of the immaculate Yakuza 0. I'm not the authority on these but I'm unsure if I'd recommend this over the PS2 game to someone who is willing to play the original.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012) - I liked the split campaigns, though moreso the 80s one. Probably need to play Arma 1 or Reforger to satisfy that Cold War craving now that '83 is canned.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (2016) - I think I got this with Infinite Warfare off of a keysite primarily to use this remaster as an excuse to replay CoD4. Still enjoyed it and really ended up liking the enhanced visuals/touch-ups in animations. 2007 is still fine to play but this was a fun detour. I want to try the Wii version at some point.
Death Stranding (2019) - A game I was way more curious about its story than I was its gameplay pre-release ended up being enjoyed the other way around. I loved Hiking Simulator 2019, cresting peaks and sliding down into cities while some Low Roar kicks in... and everything about the environments as you head west are the greatest. I'm probably gonna get the PC version of Director's Cut to play it again at some point.
Shellshock: Nam '67 (2004) - What should be a simple arcade third-person shooter ends up being frustrating because reticle bloom is way too much for some of the engagement distances. Not the worst I've ever played but I'm probably not going back to it ever.
Thunder Force AC (1990/2020 Sega AGES release) - I mean I like Thunder Force IV more but hey III's pretty good, and so is its arcade version.
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Vietcong (2003) - Originally recommended to me by a friend and I kick myself for not getting to it sooner. Fun, tense campaign of having to take caution every with every move, guns felt great, and overall I had a good time. Regrettably couldn't play the online but ah well.
Postal 2: Paradise Lost (2015) - More of what I remember from playing Postal 2. It's still silly.
Touhou Youyoumu ~ Perfect Cherry Blossom (2003) - This is the one. Yeah, 6 gets the recognition because it's the reboot and has the top-tiered fan favorite characters but 7 takes the wrinkles of 6 and irons them out to a fine crispness. Good patterns, good bosses, and good music. I have no complaints. Want to play a Touhou game? This one.
Touhou Reiiden ~ The Highly Responsive to Prayers (1997) - I first played this at an anime convention in a hotel room full of Touhou cosplayers on their laptop they had hooked up to their TV, mainly wanting to show off where it all started. Touhou's kinda fun as a Breakout game, but this is more of a curiosity than anything nowadays.
Ninja Gaiden (1988) - My second favorite Castlevania game, but man FUCK Act 6.
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NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... (2021) - I mean what else can be said that hasn't already. It's nice that Nier 1 got a revisit after Automata set the world on fire and even though this didn't do its numbers, I missed my friends :)
U.N. Squadron (1990) - Glorious. The SNES/SFC version offers a fantastic and better conversion from the arcade game allowing for choice in mission order and choice in plane selection (though the YF-23 and F200 are effectively the only way to win) to work in tandem with your pilot's unique skill. Not particularly a great adaptation from Area 88 if you're looking for its story and characters but that's not what this game is aiming for - instead, it takes the elements that would work in a shooter and only those elements. You're mercenaries so money is the key to everything, mainly your weapons loadout. There are large superweapons, some taken straight from the manga. The only downside is the grinding element to get more money for better planes in the form of a strafing run special stage that you'll have to play over and over. Highly recommend.
IKUSAAAAAAAN! (2018) - I actually can't comment too much on this one since I only played it through once but it was fun and highly energetic, and Iku is my second fave 2hu so that's a plus.
Halo: Fireteam Raven (2018) - "hey let's play this since we're all together and it's a Saturday night which means bad co-op game night but now IRL!" (moments before friend temporarily lost their wallet.) We finished the fight, but at what cost? About $20 and an hour.
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F-Zero X (1997) - Everyone likes GX (and you should) but I like to describe X as the first five feet of stairs on the difficulty curve of F-Zero. You absolutely can lift yourself up those missing steps but wouldn't it be better to ease your way on up? Very fast and grippy compared to SNES F-Zero. I also like the rock/metal soundtrack as opposed to GX's industrial (which again, still good, just not as good). Dream Chaser the greatest. Also that arranged music album is killer.
Project Wingman (2020) - Did you like Ace Combat Zero? Of course you did. Here you go, have some more. It's kinda weird how even with the option to bring in multiple types of special weapons, the strongest thing you're armed with are your normal-ass machine guns.
Neo Contra (2004) - The Shock Troopers 3 we deserved. All I have to do to sell you on this is show you the opening to the one stage where Bill and Jaguar are running on top of helicopter blades.
Udongein X (2021) - There are a surprising amount of Mega Man-inspired Touhou fangames out there to the point where they can be divided into inspired by classic series and X amongst others (maybe there's a Battle Network one too?) This is the latter and since it felt most like MMX1 to me, I liked it a lot.
Dimension Tripper Neptune: TOP NEP (2022) - Welcome to the Fantasy nep Zone.
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Mega Man 8 (1996) - I hate this fuckin game.
Made Man (2006) - Frustrating. I was expecting a mafia clone of Max Payne but instead it's a cover-shooter with the most mediocre gunplay and braindead AI I've seen in a while. Also the bullet time only activates once you fill the meter and upon manual-deactivation, you lose all of the remainder. Kind of a shame too because some of the setpieces are fun (one of my favorites being a gunfight in the rafters above a rock concert at Madison Square Garden) but it just sucks otherwise. The main voice actor, Rick Pasqualone, does too good of a job for this game when everyone else is phoning it in and I'm glad he got a second shot in a better game as Vito from Mafia II.
P-47 Aces (1995) - Recommended by my friend @bizarredawdler. I got my ass beat.
Carrier Air Wing (1990) - If you liked the arcade version of U.N. Squadron specifically, this is more of the same. Not as good but hey, dogfighting the space shuttle isn't something you do everyday.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022) - This was fun, and probably the first beat'em up that I began to understand rather than just fumble my way through. Would like to do a co-op run with friends at some point. Played as Donatello, he seems cool.
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Freedom Planet 2 (2022) - My GOTY 2022. Despite my teasing in numerous late night calls that this was one of those games where the slightest inconvenience resulted in a delay, I can honestly say my expectations were met, exceeded, and blown away. Enjoyed Freedom Planet 1 a lot back in 2015 and while originally hesitant that the artstyle change would bring a gameplay change, all of that faded away when that first demo came out. It's still just as fast and hard-hitting as the first one if not moreso. The reworks to each characters' movesets are nice. Neera is a great additional player character. God I wish someone could get these homebrew'd onto a Saturn because that's the only way this could get more perfect. My one (1) complaint is now Classic Mode being locked behind beating Story Mode once which, while I like the cutscenes and characters, makes it a little harder to recommend to people who just want the pure gameplay that you could immediately access in 1. That's the only thing I'd change.
Panzer Dragoon: Remake (2020) - It sure is Panzer Dragoon 1 but prettier, but oh boy I would not recommend it for full-price precisely because it is Panzer Dragoon 1 with all of its under-an-hour length intact. There's an achievement for playing it for 100 hours... also one for dying once. Don't have either!
Drainus (2022) - Team Ladybug caught my eye and captured my heart with Touhou Luna Nights, and ever since then I'm on board with whatever they've thrown at me. I still haven't finished Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth but I did play this, which was a pretty fun, if not easy STG. Looks nice too!
Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015) - God the campaign sucked except for one part (you know the one). If you get this, only get it because Zombies workshop support is still alive and well.
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Halo 5: Guardians (2015) - I cannot, cannot, cannot stress enough how many times I said "Halo 4 did this better." An absolute goddamn slog of a singleplayer with a dumbass story. The teammate AI will not save you or will kill themselves trying to save you despite the game being designed around squad mechanics. Halo's never been good at boss fights, so here have the same one over and over and now there's three of him hahahaha! I hear "multiplayer is good though!" sure it might be, wouldn't know, don't really care to know.
Dolphin Blue (2003) - Neat little run and gun. Liked the 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds here, very vibrant.
Demonizer (2020) - Neat little shooter, though it does punish you harsher later on for taking hits and losing your allies. One of those if you mess up late you might as well restart.
Ace Combat: Joint Assault (2010) - I really enjoyed Skies of Deception, the other PSP Ace Combat. This one is not that, dropping the Strangereal setting for our own and going with a plot involving insurance CEOs I think. Back to linear mission structure, no choosing the order. Could not play the Joint missions in which you and friends tackle operations at the same time affecting one another which is this game's entire gimmick. I don't remember any of the original music but there are plenty of AC2/3 tracks here which are good.
Demon Front (2002) - Kinda hard run and gun, though it's something I'll have to put more time into to get the groove of it. Otherwise, neat Metal Slug-inspired game! Recommended by a friend who I'm not sure wants to be named.
Raiden II (1993) - I like Raiden. Raiden II is more of that. Simple as.
Burnout (2001) - Another one of those games where you probably played a later one and went back only to discover there's kind of an idea here but it needs to get flushed out a little bit more. I started on this one back in the day and only finally got around to finishing, this time on the Xbox version. Not a whole lot going on here apart from being a standard AA racer of the time with a crash mechanic that's more discouraged than encouraged like its later entries. That AI rubberbanding isn't nearly as bad as NFS Underground 1's but it gets pretty bad. I don't regret playing this but I don't see myself going back, especially now having started 2 which is the ideal form of early Burnout.
Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn (2013) - After teasing my friend @thathomestar for years about it, I finally caved. I don't know MMOs or their systems or what makes for a good one, so I won't speak to its quality. I can make my catgirl fish so hell yeah.
Quake: Dimension of the Past (2016) - Where's the ammo? My gun needs more food!
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Quake: Dimension of the Machine (2021) - Gameplay-wise it's more Quake which I love but holy shit do some of these levels look good.
8-Bit Commando (2011) - I thought this would be an okay Contra clone but instead it's subpar. I do like the verticality of your path, but it does feel more linear than it should be. Difficulty is easy even on Hard Mode. There's this weird thing where it'll upload replays of your gameplay as workshop items if you let it, so turn that off as soon as possible. Otherwise, you can't buy this anymore outside of keysites. Done to get footage of the dopefish in it.
Operation C (1991) - Quick, easy, but it is Contra, and nobody does it like Contra.
Contra III: The Alien Wars (1992) - Much like Super Castlevania IV, the jump to the Super Nintendo meant that Contra was gonna get a boost in just about every aspect... and much like Castlevania, I still prefer the original NES game to its SNES sequel. That said, I do think Contra III comes out ahead of CV4 with the amount of cool moments that happen, and abilities like locking the aim direction or standing in place and rotating your angle of shooting are accounted for in the increased difficulty. Very cool title, but personally not my favorite.
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The Citadel (2020) - This is a fascinating game. While riding the retro-FPS wave, it still includes mechanics from modern shooters like bullet drop, travel time, weapon condition, hunger(?), full-body awareness (even as sprites!), and so on. Levels are really monochromatic. Very bloody and loud when it gets violent, and boy howdy does it get violent. And yet, there's this certain bleak serenity during level exploration that I haven't felt in a while. Looking forward to the sequel.
Castlevania: The Adventure (1989) - You know what? "Battle of the Holy" isn't just a good song, it's good even by Castlevania standards. And that's about the only good thing I can say about this dull game. I'll have to play ReBirth at some point.
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (1991) - Better, but I'd rather be playing something else.
Risk of Rain 2 (2020) - This is cheating since I've only seen credits twice or three times, and I normally don't do the roguelikes so again I won't speak too much to it, but I like this one. I've had a fun time alone but it's definitely a lot of fun with friends, and I hope we can come back to it.
Kid Dracula (1990) - What if Castlevania was Mega Man? is my clickbait attention grabber, but also a pretty apt description. It's easy apart from this one railcart section which I felt like I got through on sheer luck than anything else. Still enjoyable.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992/2021 Absolute Version) - I've never actually beaten Sonic 2 legit, half from getting pissed off by the special stages and half because I get bored by the time Oil Ocean rolls around. Now that the special stages are actually in 3D and have a draw distance, I finally was able to get through and grab all Chaos Emeralds for the first time without save states or sound test cheat codes. And I was finally able to appreciate just how good Sonic 2 is once that weight was lifted. The levels are fun and a vast improvement over Sonic 1's, and the 2-Act structure works a lot better for pacing. And during the final boss, doing it legit gave a level of pressure that a final boss should rather than turning on debug mode and spamming rings to help out. I think I can go beat this even more legit on my Genesis without the modern assists, but it is thanks to this version that I gained the confidence to do so. Just needed a little help up is all.
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Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit (2022) - I had a big old dumb smile on my face the entire time.
Sonic After the Sequel (2013/2017 DX version) - I enjoyed this one too. A bit more lengthy due to a four-act structure per zone and the special stages are slightly more miss than hit for me, but it all worked out in the end. The true final boss had my friends and I laughing.
That's all. I'm gonna try to finish up a couple more Sonic games in the new year and also try to beat the Burnout series, with some other stuff along the way.
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paperanddice · 9 months
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Powerfully imaginative minds can draw closer to other realms in their sleep, dreams pulling forth energy and possibly even active minds. When interacting with powerful magic, these otherworldly dreams can occasionally manifest fully, becoming the creatures known as animate dreams. Incomplete, imperfect beings, they feed upon the imagination and emotion of living beings, with sapient creatures providing far more nourishment than mere beasts.
As such, the animate dream can draw forth these powerful emotions for its food. Its touch causes mental anguish and horror that sustains it, but it gains even more sustenance by putting a creature into a state of horror. They prefer infecting creatures with nightmares, whether waking or sleeping, and even just by staying in close proximity to a sleeping creature they can prompt bad dreams. These proximity dreams are enough to keep it healthy, but are weaker than magically caused nightmares and so few animate dreams are satisfied with such feeding for long, nearly always escalating to more delicious terrors sparked by magic. Starvation doesn't kill animate dreams however, just causing ever increasing pain and distress that results in them becoming more aggressive and hostile.
While animate dreams can choose not to cause true harm in their feeding, few bother with such trouble. Creations of pure id and the erratic nature of dreams, they rarely feel proper sympathy or connection with the victims of their feeding, seeing them as nothing more than easily harvested thoughts. Perhaps the transient nature of dreams means they are never meant to take permanent form like this, and that paradox leads to the horrors an animate dream leaves behind.
While animate dreams are around the size of the average humanoid, their exact appearance is flexible and changes as they feed to take on a form similar to the fears and thoughts of the creature they're gaining sustenance from. The more an animate dream feeds off of a single creature, the more stable its form appears, but there's always some variation in what others see as their own emotions and fears influence how the animate dream appears to them.
Originally from the Pathfinder Bestiary 2. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!
5th Edition
Animate Dream Medium aberration, neutral evil Armor Class 19 Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32) Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) Str 2 (-4) Dex 18 (+4) Con 15 (+2) Int 10 (+0) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 21 (+5) Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +8 Skills Deception +8, Intimidation +8, Stealth +7 Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities frightened, grappled, paralyzed, prone, restrained Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 12 Languages telepathy 100 ft. Challenge 8 (3900 XP) Force Of Personality. The AC of the animate dream includes its Charisma bonus. Incorporeal Movement. The animate dream can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Actions Nightmare Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 40 (8d8+4) psychic damage and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or become cursed with nightmares. The cursed target gains no benefits from Long Rests, and it must repeat the saving throw every 24 hours, gaining a level of exhaustion on a failure. Exhaustion gained this way cannot be removed as long as the creature is cursed. The curse lasts until the target succeeds on three saving throws in a row, or its removed by remove curse or similar magic. Spellcasting. The animate dream casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16): 3/day each: dimension door, fear, sleep (as a 5th level spell) 1/day each: confusion, dream, phantasmal killer
13th Age
Animate Dream  Double-strength 5th level spoiler [aberration]  Initiative: +10 Cursed Nightmare Touch +10 vs. PD - 30 psychic damage and the target is dazed (save ends). Natural 14+: The save is a hard save (16+). Natural 18+: The target takes 10 ongoing psychic damage and is helpless as it falls asleep (save ends both). R: Waking Nightmare +10 vs. MD (one nearby enemy) - 15 ongoing psychic damage and the target is weakened (save ends both). First Failed Save: The ongoing damage increases by 5 and the target is confused instead of weakened. Miss: 10 psychic damage and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn. Limited Use: The animate dream can only use this attack when the escalation die is even. Fear: Enemies engaged with the animate dream that have 24 hit points or fewer are dazed and do not add the escalation die to their attacks. Feed on Nightmares: The animate dream regains 2d6 hit points if it starts its turn engaged with a creature that is asleep, affected by its waking nightmare attack, or affected by its fear aura. Flight. Ghostly: The animate dream has resist 16+ to all damage except force damage. It can move through solid objects, but can’t end its movement inside of them. AC 19 PD 15 MD 19 HP 104
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