#but considering how much more lax he is when playing mc | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

illusionsofdreaming · 3 years

Text

lay down your ghosts;

Notes: Hey would you look at that, more angst for our favourite MC.

Ft. Cale

It's been three days.

Three days since they last heard from you.

Three long days of replaying the memory of the shock and surprise on your face when the ledge you were on crumbled apart and the storm of smoke and dust swallowed you whole.

There hadn't been time to cancel the teleportation, hadn't been time to reach out, hadn't been time to regret. You were gone.

Just like that.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Immediately Choi Han and the others prepared to return, but Cale pulled them back.

Not now. Not like this.

Not when their enemies have surely swarmed the area after their narrow escape. Returning immediately would've put more of them at risk and Cale would not permit that.

He told them he trusted your abilities to survive. He told them to believe in you. High profile searches would only put you more at risk by alerting their enemies that you were missing. (He hated how clinical it sounded, hated how his thoughts remained clear even when it felt like all the blood in his veins was being drained away.)

A plan was quickly hatched and under a cloak of Invisibility to hide their tracks, Choi Han, Beacrox and Ron took on the dangerous task of returning to enemy territories to scour the ruins for signs of life. As much as he wanted to join the search himself, someone had to stay behind to reassure the young ones, and though it hurt to admit it, Cale knew he would only hinder rather than aide their search efforts. The last thing he'd want is to jeopardise their chances of finding you.

Cale was sure you weren't captured. Their enemies would've flaunted the fact had that been the case. And you weren't dead, for even the combined efforts of their best fighters and assassins, no body was found. If you managed to escape, they all knew you'd lay low and play it safe until you could find a way back or contact them, to reassure them of your status.

No news is good news. This he kept reminding the others, kept reminding himself, even when every passing hour felt like a dagger was being twisted further deeper into his heart.

(You could be injured, crippled or trapped and slowly withering away. There are so many different ways a person can survive and remain in a state worse than death, but he didn't tell them. He couldn't share his morbid nightmares and thoughts that continue to haunt his waking moments.)

(Perhaps he had damned you after all when they didn't return for you immediately.)

Three days.

Cale's beginning to realise he's going to have to call off the search. The thought itself drained all the energy from him and he retired to his room earlier than usual, waving off questions of concern.

"I'm fine."

In the silence of his room did he finally allow himself to drop the facade.

The memories swarmed him like water rushing from a broken dam and he lurched towards his desk, overwhelmed by the onslaught of thoughts he'd kept back until now.

"Fuck." He kicked open the alcohol stash by the table and settled down to drown away his miseries.

For the first time, he cursed his strong alcohol tolerance which impeded his attempts to blur the day's horrifying details from his mind.

It was useless. His records would never let him forget. Not his past, not the people he's failed, not you- another broken record to add to his repeating list of nightmares. The ruins have nothing more left to give, either you've left on your own or have been moved by others. Worst case scenario, you're too deeply buried and have probably been crushed by the weight of the rubble. Sooner or later, an empty grave will be erected, because the longer an unanswered question remains, the worse it'll hurt. Some closure must be had for the people who stay behind. It's the same old drill all over again.

The bottle smashes into the opposite wall, the sound of broken glass was jarring and he glared at the red stains that dripped down.

Where had he miscalculated? Had he gotten too arrogant after having successfully smacked his enemies in the back? Had he gotten lax?

His face remained remarkably dry for all the stinging in his eyes. An ugly feeling was building in his gut that clashed with an irrational fury that boiled in his chest. He felt so much and didn't know how to deal with it, except to drink and drink and drink - until the nauseousness took over and the world swam, until the burn in his throat became hotter than the sting in his eyes.

Eventually, he stills, the alcohol in his bloodstream finally kicking in to rein in the maelstrom of emotions in his being. For having felt so much in the last few hours, the numbness was both a balm and a curse.

"Wow, you look like shit."

He breathed out a dark laugh and immediately reached to pour himself another cup.

At least he could still talk to you in this moment of weakness. He missed doing that. "I am trash after all." he mumbled.

He looked up, squinting against the moonlight to find your silhouette occupying your favourite spot on his window ledge. The familiar image sent a pang of agony through his chest, and he took a deep drink. It was one of the many spaces you had carved out for yourself over months, and now that you're gone, he found it unbearably empty. His drink addled mind couldn't define your features in the darkness and was only capable of providing a shadowy form of yourself. But perhaps that was for the best, your disappointment would've hurt too much.

If only he put more effort into dreaming your ghost, perhaps he could convince himself that you're really there, frowning at him as you tend to do whenever he uses that term.

"You keep calling yourself trash. You know it's quite insulting to us who chooses to follow you."

He laughed bitterly. "And look where that got you." He threw back his cup.

The wind sighed through his open window, carrying your voice to his ears. "It's not your fault."

"I know." He wasn't looking for consolation. Wasn't looking for forgiveness either. He just...

He wished he could offer more to your phantom, but in the end, these illusions are as fragile as his current mental state. A way for the human brain to deal with grief when it becomes too much. It'll never be the same as talking to your real person, but he wasn't ready to banish your ghost by debating 'what could've been's.

"Cale."

Part of him considered ignoring it, entertaining his delusions can't bode well for his sanity, and the truths he wanted wouldn't come from a false imitation constructed from his memories of you.

"Cale."

Weak. He looked up, watching with wary eyes as your ghost stood from the ledge, outlined in silver from the moonlight, painting a visage so unreal, it made the breath in his throat catch. With every step that brought you closer, something in his chest shuddered on the verge of breaking. Something didn't feel right.

He frowned. Do ghosts limp?

Finally, only the table separated him and his phantoms, the air in the room felt light. Cale felt dizzy, nauseous as he stared, wordlessly, up at you.

Cold hands held his face, fingers brushed lightly under his eyes. He took in everything, dirt, blood, bruises and all. Shakily, his hand rose to touch the hand on his cheek.

"Hey," you cracked a tired smile and suddenly, the tears that had been absent abruptly burst forth. "Don't write me off just yet."

He surged from his seat, so violently that his chair crashed backwards and the sound made you flinch- vaulted over the table, reached for your face, with perhaps too much strength as you winced, but he had to make sure- His eyes drank in the sight of you, his fingers smudged the dried blood under your ears -you could be suffering from a concussion, your wounds need to be dressed properly to avoid infection- and he realises he's dissociating because his brain cannot process the fact that you're here, you're alive, after three long forsaken hellish days, in his arms.

"Shit." he breathed out, dropping his forehead on your shoulder as he held you to his chest.

"Yeah." You agreed, and he almost wept when he felt your arms around him, rubbing his back gently. "I missed you too."

He choked out a laugh and squeezed you tighter, and because he can, because you're here, he held you and kissed you until your lips went numb.

#tcf #trash of the count's family #imagines #cale henituse #angst #returning safe #i mean #after fighting with this piece for so long #i'm just glad it's readable #hope i did it justice #long time no angst #im getting rusty hoho #ill call it a victory if i kept some of you in doubt until the reveal #also tcf gifs where?#tcf x reader

151 notes · View notes

michiigii-writes-mysme · 4 years

Text

What if the RFA+3 were in quarantine?

How would they all be like in 2020, Plague Nation?

Some #relevantContent that nobody asked for! I meant to post this months ago. And then I didn’t. You know. Like a liar.

These all take place after their routes end.

Zen:

For a little while, he would be kind of lax about wearing his mask or washing his hands, because he never gets sick!

But then he realizes that he could be a carrier and get MC sick.

So he becomes more careful about what he does with his hands, and always remembers to wear a mask when he goes out.

Money gets kind of tight, due to his theatre company cancelling shows, and production companies postponing projects.

Karaoke at home all day err day

Wakes up early to do workouts at the park before anybody else is there, then runs back home. MC is not your personal cardio workout, Zen.

He gets really extra, three days in, because he hates getting locked up. MC always sends him to get groceries, both so that he can get rid of some of his energy, and so that he can see people.

Posts a lot of covers online to keep himself busy. Considers making an JustFans account to make a little extra money, but Jaehee and Yoosung talk him out of it

Yoosung:

Gets a lot of studying done, at first. Worries how his grades and degree will be affected.

Gets back into playing LOLOL to take up the time. Eventually convinces MC to make an account so that they can hang out online.

His neighbours end up asking him for advice about whether their pets need emergency care or not. Vets are closed to non-urgent things, so Yoosung does his best to soothe their worries when small things happen to their pets.

Does some blogging for mental health awareness during quarantine. Knows how dangerous being isolated can be.

Gets into the habit of calling his parents once a week, both to keep in touch, but also to take up time.

Apartment gets super tidy after a while.

Mostly just misses having dates with MC.

Jaehee:

She has All the Zen DVDs.

Lots of movie marathons, either alone, or streaming with MC and Zen.

She’s more worried about business for her café, though.

Closed means no income. She has some savings, but it won’t last forever.

After a few weeks, she cautiously takes on a few odd jobs for Jumin’s company, just to make ends meet/help Yoosung out. The money is just enough for groceries and rent; she doesn’t take any more work than just enough to make what she needs.

She makes cute/stylish homemade masks in her spare time, at home.

As soon as she can, she opens up patio space so that she can work the cafe, again. She also puts up her masks for sale.

Jumin:

Works from home like nothing has changed.

The only new headache is reworking the company so that their nonessential branches still have support.

MC begs him to promise not to make any layoffs during the pandemic. He manages to juggle staff from nonessential branches to the essential ones, to provide work and prevent burnout, but it’s not easy, and not everyone is happy with the temporary arrangements.

MC is also a staunch advocate for ensuring pandemic support to employees that were affected by the virus. Jumin takes a lesson in loyalty to subordinates.

The truth is that C&R is losing money. But Jumin is more focused on pleasing his wife than amassing further wealth.

Mr. Han and the company’s board are not pleased, but Jumin is no stranger to doing things his own way. They only pray that business will go back to normal soon.

Saeyoung:

Most of his stuff is done in solitude, anyway, so other than wearing a mask before going out, his life is pretty much the same.

His toymaking business was always available online, so income is basically normal, aside from delivery wait times being a bit longer.

His main concerns are his brother’s mental health, and keeping in touch with MC.

But Saeran does better in solitude, and Saeyoung has touched up the RFA’s app to include live video.

Saeyoung makes some handy dandy sanitization robots. He also upgrades the RoboCat to include scanning for fever, black light to check for germs, and reminders to wear a mask.

Saeran:

You live alone, isolated in a little house with a garden...Saeran is Living the Life.

Nothing has changed, except maybe washing your hands a little more often.

Living. The. Life.

His hippy lifestyle now includes washing hands often and wearing a mask.

He now has even more time to pursue painting/violin playing/personal improvement in The Arts(tm)

Travelling is no longer possible, though, which he misses.

And he misses spending time with his friends. It isn’t good to be lonely.

MC notices that he gets a bit overzealous with his hobbies, if left alone for too long. He admits that he’s worried his old doubts and personal insecurities will rear up in the quiet and solitude. He would rather keep busy.

Vanderwood:

Nothing has changed.

Still gotta go out and do missions. Apparently, espionage is an essential service.

Wearing a mask is good for hiding one’s identity.

Wearing gloves and keeping clean is good for not leaving evidence behind.

Additionally, Vandy can avoid Seven in the name of social distancing.

#mystic messenger headcanons #mysme hc #mystic messenger hc #mm hc

92 notes · View notes

smarti-at-smogwarts · 4 years

Text

The Venturi Family

I wanted to make a post about my MC’s family, since their reactions to some parts of the gameplay have been noodling around in my brain. Only the immediate family though.

Jacob Derek Venturi

FC Michael Seater

Jacob was the first born son of Abigail Rowle and George Venturi, and the older brother of Edwin and Marti Venturi. He was the one out of his siblings to spend the most time with his parents together and while their separation was hard for him to deal with at first he started noticing his mother was in a better mood and overall better to be around after the separation. Jacob was four years old when his little brother Edwin was born and ten years old when Marti was born, as such his relationships with them were different. With Edwin they were more brothers than anything and often he teased him as much as played with him and bossed him around. Marti however due to him being younger and their parents separating when she was still in diapers he became much more a doting older brother. He did however care about and was protective of both his siblings.

He had a good relationship with his parents though he was a bit closer to his father because of him keeping custody of him and his siblings. Abby visited and kept him for weekends so overall he was fairly affectionate and close to both of them. He knew he could get away with more with his father since out of the two, he was a bit more lax in parenting and could often take advantage of that though since the separation was civil they tended to stick together when he was -inevitably- punished for something [ ‘’why can’t you not get along like most divorced parents..yeah i know grounded.’’]

Personality-wise Jacob was charismatic and outgoing, which gained him a lot of friends wherever he went. Having been an only child for four years and then still the eldest, and been born to fairly young parents who could be said to be a bit soft on him, he grew up with the mentality that he could get get away with things if he just figured out how to get what he wanted. He was sneaky and a bit snarky and was known for pulling pranks and getting in trouble but it was mostly kid stuff..until his alleged involvement with [Redacted] after his disappearance came through. He was known in his time at school as an affable and charismatic kid, if a bit known for getting Howlers and well acquainted with the detention process.

Due to how long he has been missing. ( he was sixteen when he went missing and would have been twenty one as of Marti’s first year.) The case of his disappearance has more or less gone cold.

George Antonio Venturi

FC: John Ralston

gif by yours truly

George works as an wizard attorney. He’s an alumni of Hufflepuff house and married one of his closest friends ( Abigail) straight out of Hogwarts. This was done partly so that Abigail could escape an incredibly toxic home. However, if you asked him he’d say at the time he did love her.

It became apparent however as time passed ( and three children were born) their marriage seemed to become strained. They separated with George keeping custody of the kids.

Due to his own strict upbringing, he has a very lax style of parenting, often trying to be their kids friend as well as parent: ( More so with Jacob than Ed and Marti since Jacob caught him younger) an approach he also takes with his step children. While this can often catch him criticism there’s no question his children adore him.

He was really close to his son Jacob and losing him was absolutely devastating to him. If it wasn’t for his other two kids he might as well not have been able to keep going.

His dating and marriage to Nora was something he was hesitant about ( not in the least because there were children involved on both sides but also because of how badly losing his son had hit him) but it has helped him move forward after all the grief he experienced.

Abigail Leticia Rowle

FC : Amy Adams

Abigail comes from a highly extremist and toxic family. The Rowles affiliated with Voldemort during the first wizarding war and had very high expectations of the children of their house. For Abigail, Hogwarts was an escape; one that she knew wouldn’t last long as she would have to leave upon graduation. This is something that she knows influenced her decision to marry one of her best friend from Hogwarts who ( as a pureblood wizard) was also acceptable for her family and so wouldn’t bring retribution for them.

There’s no doubt she loved George but as time passed she realized she was’t happy. She had spent all her life in survival mode due to her parents and now that she was out she was starting to realize how much it influenced her decision. She loved her children, but she slowly realized she could not be a good parent to them in the state she was in.

She separated from George ( after making sure her family could not contact her about it) and more or less gave him full custody of their 3 kids with her doing visits to spend time with them.

Her friendship with George survived this and they were still friends as exes and able to coparent ( though undoubtedly George did more as he had full custody, this was okay with both of them) However, Jacob’s disappearance put a strain in it neither one has been able to mend. Like George, Abby blames herself for how things with Jacob turned out and when things were at their worst they couldn’t help but project that blame to each other. She still visits Ed and Marti but her interactions with George are much more brief and cold.

Edwin Alphonse Venturi

FC : Chris Wood

Jacob and Marti’s middle sibling and George and Abby’s middle child. Edwin was born when Jacob was 4-5 and is also 4-5 years older than Marti ( so is in his 5th year as of her first year and graduates after her second year) He’s a Ravenclaw and a foil to his extroverted outgoing little sister. Edwin is much more likely to be found buried in books than around people. Due to Jacob’’s loss ( which happened in when he was 10-11) and how much it affected him he is fiercely protective of his family. ( which Marti sometimes finds annoying though she is just as protective of him even if it shows less/differently )

He and Marti have a very “dork” “brat” relationship though they also have each other’s back unconditionally as they share the title of “Jacob’s sibling”

Unlike Marti tough, the wants to move on from Jacob and all the pain it caused him and as the game progresses is likely to react Badly to her thinking she can find him. Their beliefs about Jacob and reactions to his disappearance and rumors thereafter are already a strain between them as of year one. (Considering Plot happens from then on it’s safe to say it’ll only grow. )

10 facts about Edwin

Elizabeth Blair -Lizzie- Mcdonald

FC: Jordan Todosey

Lizzie is a Hufflepuff and also Marti and Edwin’s step sister and George’s step daughter. She is Nora’s youngest daughter and how Nora met George. She’s the only witch in her family and became best friends with Edwin shortly after their families blended ( actually George and Nora met Because they were both school shopping and Nora looked understandably lost ) She also has a pretty good big sister/little sister relationship with Marti. She’s in Edwin’s year and like him will have graduated as of Marti’s second year.

Lizzie’s the embodiment of Hufflepuff’s traits of kindness and tolerance ( and patience, enough to befriend Edwin at his angriest) .She’s supportive of her family and friends and tends to be the voice of reason for whichever sibling she’s with. Her two main loves are animals and quiditch. She plays as a beater for the Hufflepuff team. She also has enough pets ( both magical and not) George jokingly got her zoo sign to put on her bedroom door. ( Marti liking snakes is absolutely her influence) She’s likely to wind up working in Magizoology.

Nora Jean Mcdonald.

FC: Emily Deschanel

The stepmother to Edwin and Marti Venturi and wife to George Venturi. Nora was introduced to the magical world when her youngest daughter turned 12 and received her Hogwarts letter. She started dating George when Edwin and Lizzie were 13 and Marti was 8. She adores her husband and his kids and from the get-go made a point to treat them as her own.

Cassandra Imogen Mcdonald

FC: Cassidy Freeman

Nora’s first daughter. Her mother married George Venturi when she was 17-18. Went to an all girls school while her sister went to Hogwarts. As such she doesn’t have much interaction with the magical world or her stepsiblings, though she was exposed to it before moving out of her parent’s house. She does keep in touch with them though even if she’s more distant. She lives with her girlfriend Emily Davis ( fc Madeleine Mantock) in muggle Brittain. She cares a lot about her mom and little sister, and is happy they have people to help them through everything that comes from navigating the magical world.

Pets

Ozzie the Owl

Ozzy belonged to Jacob and was named after a musician he liked. After Jacob’s disappearance he was almost given away by a grief stricken George but was saved by Edwin. He resides with Edwin in Ravenclaw tower and is for all intents and purposes his owl.

Mickey the Snake

Mickey is a grass snake ( a smooth snake specifically) that was found hurt by Marti on one of her visits to her mother. After he was nursed back to health Marti decided to keep him. He lives in Marti’s room. Marti’s very attached to him.

Ignoring Lizzie’s pets because as said before that would take a whole nother post.

#im not super happy with some of the actresses but overall i dig this #George also has a short eared owl he uses #but I havent figure out his name yet #Jacob's Sibling #Marti Beatrice Venturi #HPHM #this was my first time making a gif like ever

5 notes · View notes

nightshadedawn · 4 years

Text

Persona 6, anyone?

{Next} {Last}

PERSONA 6 CONCEPT PART 1

You ever just get an idea that you HAVE to put into words? Well, that happened. And now I have put myself into a miserable position considering I’m not on the Atlus team. And you all have to suffer with me.

Before I get into this, check out this video because it’s where most of my ideas, the grounds for me thinking about this in the first place, started from. With that in mind, I changed a few things because I didn’t like them or thought they didn’t make the greatest sense. With that out of the way, click to read more if you’d like to see what I’ve come up with! (Very long, mind you)

I do recommend you watch the video first because there’s a lot my brain just decided that the reader should KNOW, and it’d be hard to amend what I’ve written at this point.

The Mechanics

Main Character - This time around, you’ll be able to choose between being male and female. For a new spin, you will be a third year.

Battle - Battle mechanics will remain the same as Persona 5, including negotiations, baton pass, and Shadow negotiations.

Romance - With both male and female options for a main character, there are male and female options for love interests. Out of the 22 Major Arcana, there are 10 available love interests. 5 male, 5 female. You will be able to date everyone, no matter your gender.

Harem Romance - Unlike previous games, if you date more than one person, there is the chance of them coming together to make it a triad, allowing for group dates. However, if you choose to date all ten love interests, none of them will be happy with you. It also requires select grouping to allow for triads. Moon-Sun; Magician-Lovers; Hierophant-Tower; Star-Death; Hanged-Devil. If you manage to date both before select days and get the communication across to form the triad, there may be special scenes to include both (ex: school trip, Valentine’s, Christmas, school festival, ect)

The Velvet Room - It’s a hospital this time around. That’s really all I’ve got to say on it for now.

Setting

Characters

MC - Will be able to choose your gender. As a girl, her placeholder name is Hikari Iyashi, derived from the ‘light’ meaning for Hikari and ‘healing’ for Iyashi. As a male, the place holder name will be Hikaru Iyashi for the same reasons. Unlike previous MC’s, this MC is a third year. They moves to a small town to live with their estranged father and younger sister, two people they has not seen since before they can remember, after their mother’s tragic death due to an incurable illness. If you are male, it will be commented that you look like your mother, while if you are female, they will comment about your similarities to you father. It will be exclaimed that after the MC’s parents separated, their mother took back her maiden name and changed the MC’s to that to avoid confusion while they were growing up. Their first Persona will use wind and healing spells. This Persona is possible to be either Achelois or Persephone, and whichever one it isn’t, will likely be a Persona you can later pick up.

Melee: Mace

Ranged: Bow/crossbow

The Arcana

The Fool Arcana - Igor joins once again by incorporating the Fool Arcana. He warns MC of a mysterious illness infecting the town that will not only continue to infect it, but eventually spread to infect the rest of Japan, the world, and every other world in existence.

Upright - Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit

Reversed - Holding back, recklessness, risk-taking

Confidant Ranks

1 - 10 Unknown

The Magician Arcana - Masaru Kazama will be available to talk to at the beginning of the game, though his social link will only be available at night. The closer you get to him, you will discover that he is college age, but was unable to attend anything after graduating high school due to lack of money and resources. He suffers from insomnia, and several meet ups will result with him falling asleep on you because he feels comfortable enough to do so. He is a romance option.

Upright - Manifestation, resourcefulness, power, inspired action

Reversed - Manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents

Confidant Rank

1 - 10 Unknown

The High Priestess Arcana - Persona 3 had a dog, Persona 4 had a bear, Persona 5 had a cat. So why can’t Persona 6 have a bird? Avis will be the MC’s guide through the other world in the beginning. In the real world, she appears as an elegant green parrot with golden trimmins, while in the other world she’s a silver phoenix with green trimmings. She is confident, elegant, and wise. She is easily capable of leading the party through difficult battles or where to go next. Unlike previous counterparts, she is neither cocky nor condescending. Her link will raise as the story progresses.

Upright- Intuition, sacred knowledge, divine feminine, the subconscious mind

Reversed - Secrets, disconnected from intuition, withdrawal and silence

Confidant Ranks

1 - 10 Unknown

The Empress Arcana - Either their father’s girlfriend or their stepmother doesn’t matter, but Haruka is the new woman of the house and there to stay. She’s a writer, famous for her theories on other worlds and the supernatural. But she doesn’t know how to be a mother. She can’t replace the MC’s own mother, but as they grow closer, she can grow to be a second one.

Upright - Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, abundance

Reversed - Creative block, dependence on others

Confidant Ranks

2 - Occasionally asks for more money or items during negotiations.

5 - Allows you to ask for large amounts of money during negotiations.

8 - Makes Shadows less way of you, so it lessens security level increases, and decreases security level more overnight.

10 - Allows you to form contracts with higher-level Shadows.

The Emperor Arcana - Yuuki Kawaguchi is the MC’s estranged father; a stern, hardworking teacher at the high school, and the MC’s English teacher. He has a notoriously weak immune system and tends to forget to get rid of his teacher facade at home and outside of school. The closer you get to him, the more you’ll find out about why he and the MC’s mother split and why the MC went with their mother and their sister stayed with their father. He will also start to loosen up and be not as strict.

Upright - Authority, establishment, structure, a father figure

Reversed - Domination, excessive control, lack of discipline, inflexibility

Confidant Ranks

1 - If you ask him at night, he will make you an extremely unhealthy bento for the next day (it will be shit and not do much for health, but it works for the beginning of the game)

2 - Allows lax study time in class to do something else

4 - Later curfew, allowing you to do more than one thing at night

6 - Gets other teachers in on lax study time

8 - Will make a better, healthy bento, which will greatly up your SP and HP.

10 - Will occasionally allow you to play the ‘sick card’ for ‘personal reasons’ and giving you the ability to do more during the day.

The Hierophant Arcana - Sayaka Ito will be the MC’s first friend, and first possible romantic interest. She’s carefree and kind, and much unlike all of the others of the town the MC will first meet. It’s quickly found out that this is because she is also a transfer student and was moved into a foster home in the town. Part of a small band/music club. She admits that she suffers from Imposter Syndrome from time to time, only lately, it’s been getting worse.

Persona: Atlanta

Skills: Ice and physical

Melee: Axe

Ranged: Dual wield pistols

Upright - Spiritual wisdom, religious beliefs, conformity, tradition,institutions

Reversed - Personal beliefs, freedom, challenging the status quo

Confidant Ranks

1 - Baton Pass: Allows Sayaka to use Baton Pass

2 - Follow Up: Allows Sayaka to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

3 - Mediation: Allows Sayaka to step in when an Shadow Negotiation fails

5 - Hypnotic: Allows Sayaka to change the course of negotiation with a song

6 - Harisen Recovery: Allows Sayaka to remove party ailments

7 - Song of Memory: Allows you to recall skills for a short period

8 - Endure: Allows Sayaka to endure fatal attacks with one hit point remaining.

9 - Protect: Allows Sayaka to take a fatal attack for MC

10 - Transforms her Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Lovers Arcana - Akemi Sonoda will not be available right away, but you first be able to meet her over summer vacation. The closer you grow, you will find out that she’s a university student from the city, back for the vacation. However, she isn’t sure she wants to return. You’ll find out that she’s bulimic, in the early stages now, and part of your link with be helping her overcome this. She is romanceable.

Upright - Love, harmony, relationships, values alignment, choices

Reversed - Self-love, disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

Confidant Ranks

2 - Sphere of Prettiness: Shadows will be more likely to give more valuable items

4 - Charming: Allows you to have an easier time obtaining Shadows

6 - Schmoozer: Makes it easier to tell which dialogue you Confidants want to hear

8 - Beautiful Heart: Shadows will give you rare and valuable items

10 - Beguiling: Shadows will become yours before even asking.

The Chariot Arcana - Tsubasa Himura is a coach over at the dojo in town. You will be able to buy different armors and melee weapons from him. During the day, he will also give lessons on martial arts that will boost your HP and SP. The higher you go through his rank, you will begin to unravel his past and see his PTSD and how it’s affecting him, but also help him through it. He is not a romance option.

Upright - Control, willpower, success, action, determination

Reversed - Self-discipline, opposition, lack of direction

Confidant Ranks

2 - White Belt: Raises how much HP and SP you’ll gain from training (applicable anywhere)

3 - Yellow Belt: Unlocks new weapons and armor

4 - Orange Belt: Bring a party member to train with to raise their HP and SP

5 - Green Belt: White Belt to a greater degree

6 - Blue Belt: Lowers price of weapons and armor

7 - Purple Belt: Unlock new weapons and armor

8 - Red Belt: Green Belt to a greater degrees

9 - Brown Belt: Greatly lowers the price of weapons and armor

10 - Black Belt: Red Belt to a greater degree, increases accuracy, evasion, and defense (you can now train to increase them as well)

The Strength Arcana - Shinju Kawaguchi is the MC’s little sister and was raised by their father. She will be the last to join the MC’s party. She is disabled, and cannot walk, having to move around in a wheel chair. She has a crush on Masahiko in the beginning of her social link, but slowly grows past that while learning to truly accept herself as she is. As she is the MC’s sister, she is not available as a romantic social link.

Persona: Hephaestus

Skills: Fire, buff

Melee: Her chair

Ranged: Cannon

Upright - Strength, courage, persuasion, influence, compassion

Reversed - Inner strength, self-doubt, low energy, raw emotion

Confidant Ranks

1 - Baton Pass: Allows Shinju to use Baton Bass

2 - Follow Up: Allows Shinju to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

3 - Bedtime Gossip: Allows Shinju to step in when a Shadow Negotiation fails

4 - Lil’ Sis, All Ears: Allows you to see skills and potential items drops on the analysis screen

6 - Harrison Recovery: Allows Shinju to cure party ailments

7 - Kids Talk: Allows you to see Null, Repel, and Drain on a target in battle

8 - Endure: Allows Shinju to withstand a fatal attack with 1 HP remaining

9 - Protect: Allows Shinju to take a fatal attack aimed at MC

10 - Transforms her Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Hermit Arcana - Hiroki Hisakawa will be available to talk to after you hear rumors of him at the theater. After you go to the forest, you’ll find him alone in his hut. Throughout your time with him, you’ll learn of his alcohol addiction and help him overcome this while helping him with his yard. He will make you a special ranged weapon at the end of every rank and will sell his wooden models of guns.

Upright - Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance

Reversed - Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal

Confidant Ranks

1 - Opens gun sales to you

2 - Increases the amount of weapons for sale

3 - Allows you to make your own weapons

5 - Decreases money for weapons

6 - Increases the amount of ammo

8 - Increases amount of weapons

9 - Allows you to craft higher level weapons

10 - Decreases money for weapons

The Fortune Arcana - Mizuki Kazama will be available after some time is spent in the hospital. During her social link, you’ll be acting as a volunteer in the hospital and you’ll be spending time with Mizuki as she goes through chemo for her cancer and comes to terms with her deadly illness. You’ll inspire her to not give up hope by the end and try to live her life again. She is not a romantic social link.

Upright - Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point

Reversed - Bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles

Confidant Ranks

1 - Allows you to swap current party with backup members during MC’s turn.

3 - Chance for a follow-up by a backup member if MC downs an enemy.

5 - Allows you to attempt to escape, even when surrounded by the enemy.

7 - Earn double money if a battle is won in one turn after a successful ambush.

8 - Decreases turn delay to zero, allowing you to instantly escape battle.

10 - Allows you to swap current party with backup members during anyone’s turn

The Justice Arcana - You’ll meet Dr. Ren Ueda shortly into the beginning of the story, as he’ll be the one to examine the MC and their family for symptoms of the virus. With the MC being the only one that’s clean, he jokingly asks if you’d like to do some volunteer work around the hospital since they’re severely understaffed. His first link will be available the first time you volunteer at the hospital. The biggest plot to his link is trying to find a cure for the virus. Throughout his social link, you will learn how he lost his right arm and how he learned to live without it and despite its loss is still a good doctor. Sadly, there’s probably some dark secret he’s trying to hide.

Upright - Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law

Reversed - Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty

Confidant Ranks

1 - Will give you healing items under the pretense of you handing them out to your family

3 - Increases the selection of healing items he’ll give you

5 - Adds more healing items to the selection

7 - Adds support items to the inventory at the selection.

9 - Decreases the price for all items sold at the selection.

10 - Increase the selection of revival items at the selection.

The Hanged Man Arcana - Masahiko Oshiro is a transfer student sent to this grimy, rural town by his father after his greed and arrogance get the better of him. At first, the only one he has any sort of good opinion of will be the MC, as they are from the city too. Sayaka is too… wild for him to like even though she’s also a city kid. Masahiko will be very quickly affected by the virus spreading throughout the town and will almost succumb to it… but instead awakens his Persona and becomes the fourth to join the team. He is a second year. He’ll be the team’s navigator throughout the rest of the playthrough. Throughout his social link, you will open his eyes to the fact that all people deserve respect and that the world these people in the town live in isn’t so bad, even if it’s neither rich nor glamorous. He will be a romantic option, though will struggle to admit his feels if the MC is male.

Persona: Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld and wealth

Skills: Navigation

Upright - Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives

Reversed - Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision

Confidant Ranks

1 - Chance to cast Kaja or party-healing magic during battle.

3 - Chance to instantly Hold Up enemies when starting a battle.

4 - Moral Support may now Charge or recover SP.

5 - Chance to revive search objects in the area after battle

6 - Harrison Recovery: Change to cure party ailments

8 - Chance to swap current party with backups when two or more people are KO’d.

9 - Protect: Change to guard MC from a fatal attack

10 - Transforms his Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Death Arcana - Miyako Fujimori will be the second female party member added to your team after Sayaka. She will be depressed and have almost succumbed to the virus and take her own life. She is a second year. Throughout her social link, you will help her come to terms with her depression, what caused it, and help her look into healthy ways of dealing with it with the end goal of getting better. She will be a romantic option.

Persona: Osias

Skills: Curse, ailment

Melee: Sais

Ranged: Throwing knives

Upright - Endings, change, transformation, transition

Reversed - Resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging

Confidant Ranks

1 - Baton Pass: Allows Miyako use Baton Pass

2 - Follow Up: Allows Miyako to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

3 - Heart-to-Heart: Allows Miyako to step in when a Shadow Negotiation fails.

4 - Fearful Expression: A chance to go directly into an All Out Attack after a successful ambush

5 - Extends the reach to jump into an ambush

6 - Harrison Recovery: Allows Miyako to cure party ailments

7 - Chance to instantly win a battle after a successful ambush.

8 - Endure: The chance to survive a fatal attack with 1 HP remaining

9 - Protect: The chance to sheild MC from a fatal attack

10 - Transforms her Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Temperance Arcana - Hiroko Ikeda’s social link will be available after you work for her three times. It will quickly become evident that she’s got dementia and can’t really remember things. She’ll never remember your name, and instead call you by the name of one of her grandchildren. However, she’ll eventually admit that she’s lost so many memories of her family since they stopped visiting her while witing for her to die, and now the only person she truly remembers is you.

Upright - Balance, moderation, patience, purpose

Reversed - Imbalance, excess, self-healing, re-alignment

Confidant Ranks

1 - Allows you to grow and harvest vegetables in her garden

3 - Unknown

4 - Increase how many crops you’ll get from a single harvest

6 - Doubles the amount of land you can use to grow vegetables

8 - Decrease the amount of time it takes to cultivate vegetables

9 - Unknown

10 - Unknown

The Devil Arcana - Jun Sanada will be the next to join the party after Hoshiko. You will first meet him while he’s hitting on Hoshiko about a week after her dungeon crawl, and gets violent when she rejects him. You’ll step in the way of his hit while the others tell him off (seeing as the MC’s are generally quiet and all). You will get the chance to help him work through his anger issues and learn appropriate responses to things as you go through his link. At rank nine, you will accompany him as he apologizes to Hoshiko along with other women and people he has wronged along the way of learning to be better. At the end of this rank, he will become available as a romantic partner, though like Masahiko, will struggle with admitting his feelings if the MC is a male. His initial persona is Lyssa, and he will use electric and almighty spells.

Upright - Shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction, sexuality

Reversed - Releasing limiting beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, detachment

Confidant Ranks

1 - Baton Pass: Allows Jun to use Baton Pass

2 - Follow Up: Allows Jun to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

3 - Passive Aggression: Allows Jun to step in when a Shadow Negotiation fails.

4 - Unknown

5 - Unknown

6 - Harrison Recovery

7 - Unknown

8 - Endure

9 - Protect

10 - Transforms his Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Tower Arcana - Yūdai Shinoda is a third year and will be join the party immediately after Sayaka. He will be hesitant to join at first, because it’s a lot of work he just doesn’t want to do. But he will eventually agree, and become part of the party. Throughout his social link, he will try different things to lose weight in order to be a better fit for the party. However, none of them will work. He comes to admit that he just likes food. Likes eating it, likes cooking it, he just likes it. By the end, he makes the decision to becomes a chef. He will be your first male romanic option. His initial Persona will be Hidaru-gami, and he will use debuff and nuclear spells.

Upright - Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, awakening

Reversed - Personal transformation, fear of change, averting disaster

Confidant Ranks

1 - Home Meal: Teachss MC to cook a meal that will slightly recover HP

2 - Baton Pass: Allows Yūdai to use Baton Pass

3 - Follow Up: Allows Yūdai to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

4 - Reknown Chef: Teaches MC to cook a meal that will moderately recover HP

5 - Peace Offering: Allows Yūdai to step in when a Shadow Negotiation fails

6 - Harrison Recovery: Allows Yūdai to cure party ailments

7 - Culinary Genius: Teaches MC to cook a meal that will fully recover HP

8 - Endure: A chance to survive a fatal attack with 1 HP remaining

9 - Protect: A chance to protect MC from a fatal attack

10 - Transforms his Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Star Arcana - Hoshiko Akiyama is a first year student and will join the party after Masahiko. She suffers from extreme social anxiety and will hardly be able to say a word to anyone outside of the MC for some time. The bright red of her hair often subjects her to bullying, and is part of the reason for her anxiety. Besides this, she is kind and this kindness is often used but never repaid, which leads her to become hateful, something you will have to help her overcome. Through her social link, you will help her obtain the confidence to stand up for herself and no longer be treated as inferior. She is a romantic option. She will be the first (perhaps only) to mention in the main storyline (outside of confidant links) that she likes both boys and girls.

Persona: Cerberus

Skills: Physic

Melee: Dagger

Ranged: Sniper Rifle

Upright - Hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality

Reverse - Lack of faith, despair, self-trust, disconnection

Confidant Ranks

1 - Scanner: Allows Hoshiko to scan and print simple skill cards to duplicate them.

2 - Baton Pass: Allows Hoshiko to use Baton Pass

3 - Follow Up: Allows Hoshiko to use a Follow Up Attack if MC doesn’t down the enemy

4 - Breathing Exercise: Allows Hoshiko to step in when a Shadow Negotiation fails

5 - Printer: Allows Hoshiko to scan and print adept skill cards to duplicate them.

6 - Harrison Recovery: Allows Hoshiko to cure party ailments

7 - 3D: Allows Hoshiko to scan and print master skills cards to duplicate them.

8 - Endure: A chance to survive a fatal attack with 1 HP remaining

9 - Protect: A chance to sheild MC from a a fatal attack

10 - Transforms Hoshiko’s Persona into a Mythological Fighter

The Sun & Moon Arcanas - The Sun and Moon arcanas will effectively act as two different social links, and both will be datable options. However, as you will discover after reaching the sixth rank of both, they are efficiently the same person. Rather, the same body. The Sun Arcana, Natsuki Yamauchi, will be the first you meet as a classmate and member of the theater troupe you can join in town. The Moon Arcana, Yota Sonohoka, will be meetable after Natsuki’s first rank. Throughout their social links, you’ll discover that they have DID, dissociative identity disorder, that came from Natsuki’s abuse when she was small. Throughout it, the MC will help them learn to accept one another and coexist. Both are separately romanceable, and if you so chose to date them both, one or the other will come out during romantic outings with a possibility of them fighting for your attention.

Moon

Upright - Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition

Reversed - Release of fear, repressed emotion, inner confusion

Confidant Ranks

1 - 10 Unknown

Sun

Upright - Positivity, fun, warmth, success, vitality

Reversed - Inner child, feeling down, overly optimistic

Confidant Ranks

1 - 10 Unknown

The Judgement Arcana - Sayuri Shimizu is a young girl in elementary school who is blind. She has a seeing eye dog named Momo that leads her around. She’s only got Momo and and older sibling that takes care of her, both parents having been taken by the virus some time ago. She tries to be strong, but she can tell how much stress she’s putting her sibling under, trying to take care of and accommodate her on top of working several different jobs. Though she can’t see Avis, she can hear her, and thinks she’s just another human.

Upright - Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution

Reversed - Self-doubt, inner critic, ignoring the call

Confidant Ranks

1 - 10 Unknown

The World Arcana - The Plague will act as the main villain for this game and will exclusively be seen in the other world and in the MC’s nightmares. He looks like a Plague Doctor, and acts as though he’s doing something good, though treats the town like his own personal playing ground and somewhere to conduct his research. He has an immense, almost obsessed, fascination with the MC, the only one who seems perfectly immune to his virus.

Upright - Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel

Reversed - Seeking personal closure, short-cuts, delays

Characters without Arcana

Teachers - Mr. Hayashi (Homeroom), Ms. Kita (Social Studies), Ms. Maki (Science), Mr. Nakamura (Math)

Kyo Shimizu - Sayuri’s older sibling who works endless hours. Will be met during Sayuri’s route, and will apologize, needlessly, for Sayuri bothering the player.

Hana-chan - A very pretty second year at the high school. Unfortunately, she’s a right bitch and one of Hoshiko’s bullies.

Asuka Himura - An old classmate of Akemi’s who also goes to university. She seems polite enough, but made some snide, pointed, and extremely rude comments about Akemi that really put her down. “Oh my, Sonoda-chan, you’ve really lost weight! You’re not fat and stupid anymore! Well, maybe not fat.” Also a bitch.

Ryūnosuke Oshiro - The father of Masahiko. He’s hot-headed, stubborn, and it’s easy to see where Masahiko got his entitled streak. He shows up just as Masahiko starts enjoying his time in the country (and feelings are evidently being felt) and intends to fuck everything up.

Lucius/Gilbert - He will be the Velvet Room attendant this time around. He’s anything but serious, and a total flirt. He will unabashedly flirt with the MC no matter the gender every time they enter the Velvet Room. When they first wake up in the Velvet Room, the MC will be woken by a kiss, to which he will teasingly ask if it was their first. I just haven’t decided on a name.

Tomomi Miyamoto - A fellow student who offers to walk the MC to school that first day. He is the second death because of the virus, and what sets the MC off to go battle the Shadows of the Plague. He is also a good friend of Natuski and Miyako. It’s implied in either Natsuki’s or Yato’s links that he was the only other one to know that Natsuki and Yato are one in the same.

Plot/Playthrough

The first cutscene of the game will start off with a flashforward/nightmare. It’s in the other world, at the edge of a cliff. Everything is painted in blacks and dark greens and is completely in ruin. A large, panning shot shows this all off. The view tilts up to look away from the edge of the cliff and The Plague comes to a stand still, appearing smug as all fuck (though his face is hidden behind his mask). He will mock the person across from him, asking if this was what they desired, if they were happy with their work. He certainly is. After all, they are the cause of all this. The camera will shift, and all that’s seen is the back of the MC, merely a black shadow in the darkness.

And then the MC wakes up on the bus.

Scenery passes by as it’s shown the only two people on the bus are the MC and the bus driver, and passing farm fields.

The bus will quickly come to a stop and the MC gets off on the bus stop. They look at their phone, a message telling them to wait there to be picked up. So they sit, and they wait. And they wait. And it’s dark before a car pulls up and the window rolls down. Yuuki pokes his head out and calls for the MC to get in.

Not a lot is discussed on the way to the house, just Yuuki explaining that he had to go to set up at the school before the semester started and din’t get finished until late, and also him reprimanding the MC for not trying to contact him when it started getting too late.

Once at the house, you’ll meet Haruka and Shinju, both trying a little too hard to welcome you into the house. The next morning, Yuuki will take you to the school to meet the other teachers and get signed up. This is where you’ll input your chosen name.

After you’re freed from your father while he finishes things up, you’ll meet Tomomi Miyamoto, a neighbor. He is in the theater club and happy-go-lucky. After a while of talking and Tomomi showing you around the school, your father will drop the two of you off back home, and Tomomi promises to make sure you get to school alright the next day.

He does so the next morning. Drops you off at your classroom before heading to his own. Introductions are made and blah blah blah. At lunch you’re assaulted by Sayaka Ito, a girl who sits close to you in class. She says that you’re lucky to have gotten the protagonist seat and blah blah blah. And because of certain seating arrangements, she’s totally supposed to be your best friend. She also points out that due to anime seating arrangements, Yūdai Shinoda is supposed to be your love interest, but the reasons for why that likely won’t hold up will differ from gender to gender. (If you’re a guy, it will be stated it’s because you’re both boys, but you’ll have the option to say you’re into men too)

Anyway, now that the day’s over, you’ll go home with Tomomi. Once Yuuki and Shinju come home, Haruka will talk about the news she heard that day while she was cleaning. The virus going around the town seems to have doubled overnight. It slightly worries Haruka at the quick spread, but Yuuki isn’t bothered, saying that the virus has been around for years and if nothing, it’s only making the people of the town more immune and stronger for it. Haruka relents, but still reminds Yuuki to wear his face mask when he goes out because of his weak immune system in the first place.

The next day, the whole town is abuzz with the news that an old lady died. She suddenly got very sick, symptoms of the virus harsher than ever, but no one really minds too much. After all, she was old, and it couldn’t be the sickness. No one’s died from it before. She was going to die soon anyway.

As the MC and Tomomi walk to school together, everything seems to darken, like a cloud passes over the sun blots out the light. Everyone looks like nothing more than still-frame shadows, a bright green orb floating over their chests. The MC looks over to Tomomi and sees that his is tinged in black, and vine like tendrils are reaching for the center of the orb.

Tomomi shakes MC out of the daze and everything goes back to normal. He smiles at the MC before coughing but claiming he’s fine, he just forgot his face mask. He tells the MC they’ll need to get one too, because they’re ‘the fashion accessory of the country.’

Sayaka meets MC in the classroom and the day goes forward as school would… save for the fact that Yūdai has the same blackened orb as Tomomi. After school, Sayaka drags MC out to town for treats and points out several different places to hang out. The Mom-and-Pop Shop that acts as a burger joint, cafe, and icecream parlor. The antique shop. The music store. The bookshop. The dojo.

Then Sayaka drags the MC to the forest and off the beaten path with the intent of showing them her favorite place. Unfortunately, her short cut gets them lost. Fortunately, the MC is apparently attracted by pretty things and follows a glowing blue butterfly that leads them to a magnificent waterfall (which Sayaka now proclaims that this is her favorite spot).

The butterfly leads them down a path to under the waterfall. In the cave is ten doors of all different colors. Red, blue, purple, green, white, yellow, pink, black, gold, and silver (not necessarily in that order). There is also a large round table with eight seats around it in the middle of the cave.

The butterfly flies through one of the doors (any but the blue and black will do) and it swings open. The other side of the door will be… something very, very strange. It will act as this game’s “Palace.”

They go in, end up confronting The Plague, who is in the middle of doing something… sinister. They barely make it out alive, only doing so through pure luck and the MC awakening their first Persona. But they have no clue what happened, and it’s confusing as fuck, and it’s kinda just agreed that they’re not going to talk to anyone about it. So they part ways and go home.

In another scene, we see Tomomi start coughing and choking and nothing is able to help. He pulls his hands away from his mouth, and they are absolutely covered in blood. He collapses on the ground as people shout around him. But it’s too late. The next morning, the MC will receive the news that Tomomi is dead.

But first, they will dream.

They’ll be woken up by a kiss to this dream world, Igor’s assistant giggling and backing away to go stand by Igor, who sits behind a desk to the far side of the room. The MC will sit up, only to find themselves in a hospital bed and in hospital clothes and hooked up to an IV. Confusion may be expressed at this point.

Igor goes on to explain the Velvet Room and everything and such, and how he didn't expect there to be another visitor so soon. He’s a cryptid as ever, but explains that The Plague will be a deadly force if he’s allowed to continue, and he requests the player to stop him, now that the MC has awoken their Persona. No matter if you say yes or no, the game will continue. The Velvet Room dream ends with Igor’s assistant blowing you a kiss and a wink and a key in the MC’s hand.

The next morning, everyone receives the news that Tomoni died in the hospital last night, due to the virus in town. Sayaka will drag you back to the waterfall from the day before, claiming that the thing The Plague was messing with before looked like Tomomi. She wants to go back and figure out why.

So you do, shit happens, Sayaka awakens her own Persona so you’re not fighting alone anymore. This will also be the day you meet an injured Avis and discover a shape that looks like Yūdai. Avis will not fight, but she will help guide you in the coming fight and out of the door.

Explanations will be made about the The Plague, you’ll investigate the doors and the cave and find that the black door has eight key holes, and is extremely locked. So in there is where Avis needs to go. Like, desperately. Doesn’t know what’s beyond it, only that that’s where The Plague makes his base, and it needs to go. So the MC and Sayaka agree to go and try to find the keys to open the door.

Shit happens, as it does, with Sayaka talking to you during class and within earshot of Yūdai (about him) and the Shadow and his corrupted core (that she can now see due to her awakened Persona). They gotta save him, she says, so what happened to Tomomi doesn’t happen to him. He overhears, ends up going after them to figure out what’s going on.

And I’ll end this here because you don’t want the entire thing in one post, do you?

If people are interested, I’ll even make a part 2. (Edit: Guess what? I made a Part 2)

{Next} {Last}

#persona #persona series #persona 6 #persona 5 #persona 4 #persona 3 #i tagged the other persona games because it's sequel material alright?

49 notes · View notes

omgjasminesimone · 5 years

Text

The Hot Exchange Student Part 5

Logan x MC (Ellie)

Previous Part: Part 4

Author’s Note: Final part! Thank you to everyone who read, liked, commented, and reblogged this story! And happy RoDAW Epilogue day! What an appropriate time to conclude this story.

Rating: Implied NSFW at the end

Summary: Ellie graduates from high school and makes decisions for her future.

Word Count: ~3000

18 months later:

Ellie wakes up to the sound of her phone buzzing. She rolls over, blindly groping for the phone on her nightstand. She struggles to pick it up. “Logan?” She asks sleepily.

“What? No, it’s Riya. Where are you?” Her best friend asks, Ellie can hear a lot of commotion in the background through the phone. “Graduation is about to start!”

Ellie’s eyes fly open. She’d completely forgotten about her high school graduation for a moment. “Crap! I’ll be right there!”

Ellie hurriedly gets dressed in her cap and gown, hastily brushing her teeth as she fights with her hair. Ellie orders a ride from Dryve (her dad still won’t let her drive even though she’s legally an adult now) and hurries off to make it to graduation before she misses giving her valedictorian speech.

Ellie arrives in the nick of time, taking a seat on the football field beside Riya and Darius. Ellie barely listens to the principal give his opening remarks, she’s too nervous about her own speech. Ellie has written at least 20 drafts of the speech over the school year. This is her big moment. She’s sacrificed a lot for the honor.

Before she knows it, the salutatorian, Ingrid, is introducing her with a smile. Once Ingrid lightened up on her after Logan’s sudden departure, the two had become friendly, if not exactly friends. Ellie steps to the podium and glances out at the audience. She spots her father in the front row of the bleachers, smiling proudly. Over the last 18 months, they’d rebuilt their relationship for the most part. Detective Wheeler hadn’t really changed much, still as overprotective as ever, but Ellie has better learned how to deal with him. And soon, she’ll be all the way on the other side of the country, free from her father’s ‘my house, my rules’ mantra for the first time.

As Ellie glances down at her prepared statement, she thinks better of it and speaks from the heart instead. Her speech is well received, and she basks in the cheers and hollers of her classmates and their families for several moments, before retaking her seat.

They start calling names, and they finally reach her own. “Ellie Wheeler!” Principal Suarez calls. Ellie walks onto the stage proudly. She sees tears in her dad’s eyes as she grasps her diploma, shaking Principal Suarez’ hand.

…

The week between graduation and when she needs to leave for her summer program passes in a blur. She spends most of her time with Riya and Darius, but she and her dad also try to fit in a lot of family time when he’s not working. Ellie worries about what Detective Wheeler is going to do without her. He’s been so focused on Ellie’s life since her mother died, that she fears he forgot to create a life of his own.

As they eat their Ellie specials at the kitchen table, Detective Wheeler assures her that he’ll be fine. “I’ll pick up a hobby.” He promises.

“That’s great. But you know what else might be good?” Ellie prompts. Detective Wheeler winces, knowing what she’s going to say. “Maybe….you could start dating?” Ellie tentatively proposes.

“Honey, I don’t need a girlfriend. I’m married to my job.” Detective Wheeler insists.

“Yeah, but your job isn’t going to grow old with you. Or make sure you get out of the house every once in a while when I’m gone.” Ellie insists.

Detective Wheeler rolls his eyes. “I’ll consider it.” He finally acquiesces. “But on one condition.” He adds.

Ellie raises an eyebrow. “What?”

Detective Wheeler smiles. “One last game of Infestation before I drop you off for your flight.”

Ellie smiles back. “You’re on.”

One very competitive game of Infestation that Ellie just barely manages to win later, the father and daughter drive to LAX. Detective Wheeler has tears welling up in his eyes, but he tries not to let them fall. “You know, there’s an online version of Infestation we can play together. Only if you have time of course, after your classes.” Her father chokes out.

“Dad, I’d love that.” Ellie reassures him.

“And you’ll call me when you land in Boston? And then when you make it to Langston from the airport?” Detective Wheeler continues.

“I promise Dad.”

“And you don’t need any money Ellie? I have $60 in my wallet.”

Ellie rests her hand on his shoulder as he drives. “Dad, I’ll be fine.”

Detective Wheeler sighs, merging into the exit lane as they approach LAX. “I know. I’m just…going to miss you more than you can ever know. It’s just been me and you for such a long time.” He glances at Ellie, and it’s almost like he sees her as an adult for the first time. “But I know you’ll make me proud.” He concludes.

��I’m going to miss you too Dad. But it’s not like I’m going to be gone forever. I’ll be back for breaks.” Ellie promises.

“You’re right. I just have to make it to Christmas.” Detective Wheeler responds.

The Wheelers pull up to the curb at LAX, and Ellie grabs her luggage from the trunk. Her father steps out of the car, giving her a big hug. “I love you Ellie.”

“I love you too Dad.” Ellie squeezes tight before letting go.

“Have a safe flight!” Her dad calls out, getting back into his car.

Ellie nods, waving as she walks into the terminal. She pauses just beyond the automatic doors, turning to see her dad driving off. She gives it a few moments, and then Ellie turns, walking back outside.

A yellow and black Devore GT pulls up to the curb. Logan steps out, smiling at her. Ellie smiles back, launching herself into his arms and allowing herself to get lost in his passionate kiss.

“Hey, move along! No sitting!” A security guard yells, signaling for them to move the car immediately.

Logan smirks, giving his girlfriend another quick peck before grabbing her luggage and putting it in his trunk. “Ready troublemaker?” He asks, holding the passenger door open for her.

“Always.” Ellie assures him, sliding into the vehicle.

…

9 months ago

Ellie wanders through the casino, sipping on a diet coke. She’s never been to a casino before, and it’s louder than she expected. Ellie also suspects she might be overdressed in her short, tight, and pink dress, based on the casual attire most of the gamblers don. Ellie was surprised Riya wanted to come to a casino for her 18th birthday. Ellie tried to tell her the odds, and how the house always wins based on statistics, but Riya was having none of that.

Most of the friends invited are already 18 so they can gamble, but Ellie doesn’t turn 18 until March. However, of course Riya insisted Ellie come anyway, there’s no way she’s leaving out her best friend. The security had marked Ellie’s hand with a giant black ‘X’, indicating that she’s not allowed to gamble.

She did get to enjoy dinner at the casino restaurant with the group, and she’d enjoyed watching Riya, Darius, and Ingrid play black jack for awhile. But then they switched to the slots, and Ellie was bored. She’d taken to wandering the casino, killing time.

Ellie pauses when she sees a familiar face at the roulette table. Mona, stunning in a short dress of red lace. What is she doing here? Ellie can’t help but be curious. It’s been almost a year since she met the MPC. She hasn’t seen Logan since their fight in the van, despite the strong urge she’s had to call, text, randomly show up at the sideshow hoping to find him. She’s resisted, telling herself it’s for the best.

Ellie moves behind a marble column where Mona can’t see her, but Ellie can see Mona. Ximena and Colt approach her.

“Can we get this show on the road already?” Colt asks impatiently, loosening his blue tie.

“What, did you fill your diaper already?” Mona retorts, passing some chips to the dealer as she places her bet.

“Stay cool. The handoff isn’t for another half an hour.” Ximena tries to soothe.

Colt sighs, irritated. “I hate standing around and waiting.”

“Well, this job is a lot of that Kaneko Junior. If you don’t like it, maybe you should have gone to college after all.” Mona antagonizes, smirking at him mockingly. Then, Mona freezes for a moment, looking in Ellie’s direction. She quickly moves further behind the column, no longer able to see Mona.

“Mona, what is it?” Ximena asks.

“Do you see the Brotherhood?” Colt questions.

“..No…just thought I recognized someone. Come on. Let’s get in position.” Mona replies. The three of them walk off, and Ellie peeks her head around the column, watching them walk into a roped-off room.

They’re clearly up to something. Ellie wonders if they’re in any danger but shakes off her concern. They’d made their choice. It’s really none of her business. Ellie quickly turns back in the direction she had been going, coming face-to-face with Logan. “Ellie?” He questions, obviously surprised to see her.

He looks so handsome in his suit. Ellie has never seen him dressed up before. She shakes her head, telling herself to focus. “Logan.” She finally responds.

Logan looks around anxiously, grabs Ellie’s hand, and pulls her into a private lounge. Once they’re alone, Logan stares at Ellie for a long moment before speaking. “What are you doing here?” He asks.

“Riya’s birthday. What are you doing here?” She turns his question around.

Logan shoves his hands in his pockets. He clearly knows that she already knows. “A job.” He answers anyway.

“I see you’re still with the Mercy Park Crew then.” Ellie responds, trying not to sound too judgmental.

“Yeah, I am.” Logan admits. “Does…does that upset you?” Logan asks softly, looking at her guiltily.

“I just think you could be better than this Logan. You’re going to get yourself in some serious trouble someday if you keep this up.” Ellie admits.

“I know you’re right Ellie. Salazar got caught by the police after our last job and they gave him 20 years, 10 with good behavior but we both know that’s not gonna happen. It was a wake up call for me. I’m turning 18 soon, and then I could get serious jail time if I ever got caught. I don’t want that. It’s not worth it.” Logan explains.

Ellie’s breath hitches, wondering if he’s saying what she thinks he’s saying. Is she just putting words in his mouth because she wants this so desperately. “What are you saying Logan? Are you going to get out?” Ellie asks for clarification.

“Not today, or tomorrow, but yes Ellie. Soon. I’m saving up for mechanic trade school. I should have enough in a couple of months. I’m working on getting my GED. I’m…I’m working on being a better person. One who deserves you.” Logan answers.

Tears well up in Ellie’s eyes. “Really Logan?”

Logan pulls her into his arms, hugging her tightly. “Yes, really troublemaker. If this lifestyle means I can’t have you, then I don’t want it. I still love you Ellie. I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too. I love you too.” Ellie admits out loud for the first time.

Logan freezes, in disbelief. Somebody loves him? Somebody like her can love him? “Can…can you say it again?” He pleads.

Ellie laughs, tears streaming down her cheeks. She pulls away far enough so that she can look up at him. “I love you. I love you. I love you Logan. I lo-“ She’s cut off when he captures her lips, kissing her like he’s trying to make up for the last 9 months he’s spent not kissing her. He only pulls away when the need for air becomes too much.

He looks at her with so much love that she knows that he’s serious about leaving the Mercy Park Crew, about getting his mechanic certification and doing right by her. “I love you Ellie. More than I thought I could.”

Since that day, they’ve been together. She still has to hide her relationship from her father, and Logan can’t bring her to the garage because the crew doesn’t really trust her (daughter of a cop and all), but they make it work. Logan even takes her to prom, picking her up at Riya’s. Ellie has to hide their prom photos in her school locker, and she makes sure to get some pictures with only Riya and Darius to show to her dad when he asks.

Despite the obstacles, they’re now stronger than ever. Logan decides he’ll follow Ellie to Boston, and after Ellie decides she doesn’t need the dorm room experience (after hearing Colt’s horror stories of living in the dorms during orientation week before he quickly dropped out), the couple decides to get an off campus apartment together.

They’re both excited for the future, to put Los Angeles and all the adversity they faced here behind them. Logan takes Ellie’s hand and squeezes, and she smiles softly as she gazes out the window, the distinctive LAX pillars fading behind them.

A motel somewhere in Arizona

Logan is awoken by Ellie’s loudly vibrating phone. He rolls over, glancing at the clock on the night stand. Why is anyone calling her at 3:23 AM? He rubs at his eyes, grabbing the phone and peering impatiently at the screen. Logan rolls his eyes when he reads the screen contact info, ‘Dad’. Of course it’s him.

Logan briefly imagines answering the phone. Detective Wheeler would be none too pleased to learn that Logan and Ellie are back together. He can just imagine the huge blow up that would follow. As much as he would love to rile Detective Wheeler up now that he can’t do anything to stop them, he knows Ellie isn’t ready to tell him. And Logan loves her much more than he hates her father.

Logan rolls back onto his left side, kissing Ellie’s bare shoulder as he gently shakes her awake. “Your dad is calling baby.” He announces when her brown eyes open, blinking blearily at him.

“Oh! I forgot to call him when my plane should have landed!” Ellie exclaims, quickly taking the phone.

“Dad?” She answers, sounding sleepy.

Logan can just make out the sound of her dad’s voice through the receiver. “I got worried when you didn’t call. I know you had that long layover in Texas, but I remembered your plane landed hours ago.”

“I’m sorry. It was just a really long day of traveling and I was so tired I forgot.” That’s not a total lie. They drove 10 hours before stopping at the motel.

“That’s okay, I’m just glad to know you got there alright. How was your flight?” Detective Wheeler asks.

Ellie rolls onto her back as she chats with her father. “It was fine. I had a middle seat both flights, so that kind of sucked, but I survived.” Ellie lies.

Detective Wheeler murmurs something else, and Ellie laughs, but Logan is no longer interested in listening. He trails his fingers over her belly, gradually moving his hands up towards her bare breasts as he kneads her warm skin.

She shoots him a warning look, mouthing ‘Stop’. “Yeah, the dorms are nice. And my roommate won’t be here until school starts so I currently have a single.” Ellie responds to her father.

“Stop what? This?” Logan questions softly, hands reaching their destination and squeezing her breasts.

Ellie pushes his hands off and rolls to her side, leaving him facing her back. “No, the room and board check isn’t actually due until 2 weeks into the semester.” She continues conversing with her father.

Logan’s lips move to that spot behind her ear he knows she likes, and she shivers involuntary as his tongue traces slow leisurely circles. He places his right hand on her bare hip, drumming his fingers dangerously close to where she clearly wants them.

“Dad, I have to go. I’ll call you back at a decent hour your time. Okay. Yeah, I love you too. Bye.” Ellie hangs up quickly, rolling back over to capture his lips in a searing kiss. She pushes him to his back, crawling on top of him.

“You’re a jerk.” She complains between kisses.

“Me? He woke me up at 3 in the morning! He’s the jerk.” Logan counters.

Ellie shrugs. “It’s 6:30 East Coast time. But now that we’re up...”

Logan grins as they lose themselves in each other for the second time that night.

The cross country road trip from LAX to Boston is exhausting, but there’s no one else either of them would rather do it with. They stop at the Grand Canyon, countless diners (they dance to Frank Sinatra at each one), wake up in each other’s arms daily (a new and pleasant change, with her previously living at home and him in the loft above the garage she wasn’t allowed to go to), and watch America blur by from the Devore’s windows.

After a week of driving, they finally make it to Boston just in time for her summer immersion program.

In Boston, Logan makes good on his promise to learn a legitimate trade, enrolling in a trade school program in the suburbs. When he gets his certification after 2 years, Ellie finally feels like she can reveal their relationship to her father. Despite the changes Logan has made, Detective Wheeler is still not pleased, He’s convinced Logan just wants to open a shop to use as a front for some criminal enterprise.

But they don’t need her father’s approval, not anymore, and they live happily ever after.

…

@choicesarehard @ifyouseekheart @brightpinkpeppercorn @regina-and-happiness @choicelogansbitch @flyawayboo @fairydustandsarcasm @alesana45 @umiumichan @maxwellsquidsuit @lahelable @god-save-the-keen @mrsmckenziesworld @paisleylovergirl @iplaydrake @sinclaire-made-me-sin @hazah @lovehugsandcandy @desiree-0816 @cora-nova @justdani14 @lady-dianelewis @emceesynonymroll @emichelle @badchoicesposts @client-327 @riverrune @liamzigmichael4ever @princessstellaris

#logan x mc #logan rod #choices fanfiction #rodaw #ride or die

63 notes · View notes

collective-laugh · 5 years

Text

The Parent Trap - Request

Warnings: Swearing, tomfoolery

Rating: SFW

Word Count: 2100 and some change

So I wrote this with the intent of leaving the child(ren)’s origin ambiguous (whether they were birthed or adopted, etc.) and I didn’t give any of them names, but I did assign them genders and personalities. You either get adorable little children or asshole teenagers. No in between.

Also, the MC is gender ambiguous and referred to as ‘Baba’ by all of the children.

I really, really loved this prompt and it was a lot of fun to write!

Asra

Asra is basically this kid’s parent anyway.

He lets her “help out” around the shop and she likes giving back far too much change to customers she think are nice

MC and their kid, this little girl with the brightest eyes he’s ever seen and two little braids adorning her head like a crown, and it couldn’t be more obvious when she tries to set Asra and the Apprentice up

She’s too young to remember when they were together the first go round, and the Apprentice still doesn’t remember any of that, but that doesn’t deter the little girl at all

While she’s playing outside with the other kids, she walks over to the Bread Man’s shop and asks him for his “finest loaf o’ pumpkin bread”

Obviously, it’s bread daddy, and he gives her best piece of pumpkin bread goddammit

She manages to hide it in the little satchel Asra gave her, and she only eats a little off it, she swears, and joins her friends in their game of tag

She has this whole date planned out in that little head of hers. She wanted to light candles but her Baba is smart enough to keep the candles out of her reach, so she settles on putting two mismatched plates on the dining table and the slightly lumpy pumpkin bread in the center

Baba and Asra are downstairs in the shop, chatting together, and she clears her throat as loudly as her little vocal cords will allow her

“Dinner is served!” She announces, and Asra grins and Baba smiles and shakes their head

“Will you be joining us, milady?” Baba asks, still leaning on the counter

She scoffs, “No. It’s a date.”

Baba lets their head fall in their hands, and they laugh, before looking back at her, “A date, hm? Is it for Asra and the nice Bread Man?”

She just stands there, fuming at how horribly her plan was proceeding, and she scoffs again, “No! It’s for you and Asra.”

They both laugh this time, and Asra says, to Baba, “Well, shall we?”

Baba pauses a second, like they’re considering, but they smile, “We shall.”

She wouldn’t admit to peeping in on them eating their bread, but it was definitely worth it when she saw Baba lean across the table to kiss Asra.

Nadia

Nadia doesn’t know the Apprentice has a child at first - much less two little ones

They have a four year old and a twelve year old

She learns when the Apprentice comes to the palace for the first time, one child on their hand, and the other skipping ahead of them

The twelve year old boy asks far too many questions and the four year old boy is far too attracted to shiny things, but Nadia can’t help but fall in love with both of them. While the Apprentice is doing much of their searching, she volunteers to watch the both of them

And, obviously, the children fall right back in love with her, and devise their plan

The elder of the two decides to work on Nadia, and commands the younger to work on their Baba, because, hey, who can resist their baby?

They go searching for Nadia and Baba, respectively, but end up meeting at the fountain

4 asks, “Did you get them here?”

12 just shrugs and says that he found them at the fountain

The two of them get closer to listen in on the conversation

Baba says, “I don’t even remember either of them being born, Nadia...I don’t really know if they’re of my body.” They sigh, and the boys look at one another, “I love them, more than anything, don’t get me wrong...I just…”

Nadia puts a hand under Baba’s chin, and tells them, “You are the best parent I’ve ever met, regardless.”

And Baba’s little boys squeal with Nadi leans in to kiss them.

Julian

Julian was understandably nervous when he found out that the Apprentice was the parent of a lovely little boy...and even more nervous when he found out that lovely little boy was thirteen years old and nearing the puberty years

Julian knew that more than others, and the kid most certainly did not like him whatsoever when their ‘Baba’ tried to introduce them

But, the Apprentice does their best to make him feel better, and truly, he believes them, and he wants to be their for this kid

So, basically, Julian and MC were already together when MC’s kid met Julian

It isn’t until the boy sneaks out in the middle of the night, after the whole “you’re not my dad!” spiel, and Julian manages to find him before he’s gotten into too much trouble, if you discount the fact he was currently being held up by a pair of ruffians

Julian pulls a switcherooney and manages to get him away from them, running like the goddamn wind

That’s the kind of switch that lets the kid know that maybe this guy wasn’t so bad

The first time Baba kicks Julian out is after a really bad fight, and the kid only catches part of it, something about commitment and sacrifice

Julian leaves, slamming the door behind him, and Baba just breaks down in the kitchen, crying

The kid obviously checks on Baba first, making sure they’re alright, but after they try to tell him to just go back to bed, he sneaks out of his window to try and follow Julian

He finds him, sitting by the docks near Auntie Mazelinka’s house, pushing the eyepatch off his head and ugly crying

Julian basically tells him to go back home, that it was dangerous, and acts like he wasn’t just sobbing by the water in the pale moonlight

The kid has had it up to here with the damn theatrics, and he’s probably the most blunt in telling him to go back, that they belong together, and he looks the most unimpressed, but he’s also probably the most genuine

He sees how happy Julian makes his parent, and...he’s not as opposed to calling him ‘Papa’ as he puts on

Muriel

So Muriel

He doesn’t like the Apprentice, regardless of how much they show up and have supper with him and bring him groceries and talk to him

Fuck no

Okay, so he does like them, and values their company, but their kids give him a headache

They’ve got identical twins, and they’re these teenage boys who think they own the world and compete only with the formerly late count in arrogance, and Inanna fucking loves them, for some reason

The Apprentice - their “Baba” - just smiles when they crack jokes or chastises them when they take a joke too far, and is a fair parent, if a little lax

Muriel honestly does the “Office” camera look (you know the one) whenever they do some stupid shit

Once, whenever Muriel tried to talk to one of them, calling him by name, the other would respond but Muriel knows they’re fucking with him, and then it happens again, until it happens a grand total of fourteen times in the span of their two day visit

Muriel’s just done with these little shits, but MC keeps apologizing for their behavior and giving them That Look™, which has them withering under their stare

They see how much Muriel likes Baba and how much Baba likes Muriel, and figure that they might as well use their “super awesome twin power to hook two of their favorite people up” and the other sneers and says, “call it ‘hook up’ again and I’ll put leeches in your bed”

So, much like Nadia’s, one of the twins heads out to get Muriel and the other works on Baba

He has a note written in Baba’s hand (because obviously they have their handwriting down pat) and gives it to Muriel, and immediately he’s burning like a thousand suns as the implication that the Apprentice wanted to meet him in the market for...a date?

Muriel kind of sets into overdrive, and something very, very similar is happening at home (The Other One is convincing Baba that there’s a sale in the market, so, not too similar but hey)

The twin leads Muriel into town, and, like the bosses they are, slip off in the market when Baba sees Muriel

Before they can get an earful from Baba, they’re already gone

Muriel mentions the note, and Baba is confused as shit until they realize their sons were up to it again, but they end up shopping together, spending the afternoon together in a nice, amicable manner

Also they kiss for the first time but

Portia

So the Apprentice has the most adorable baby son, and Portia melts everytime she sees the little toddler just toddling along

Portia is ecstatic when they bring the little three year old into the palace when Countess Nadia hires them, and Portia is more than excited to watch him when she’s not helping with the investigation

She loves children, but wasn’t too fussed about the whole baby-making, considering the stories she’s heard

So, she loves this ready-made kid, but is kind of worried about when the mystery is solved

She genuinely likes the Apprentice and wants a relationship, but she doesn’t exactly know how to tell them that without making it all about the kid

Now, the boy loves Portia as much as Portia loves him, and has an infinite amount of love for Pepi

The Apprentice is chilling with Portia just outside her cottage, having a picnic, the kid playing with Pepi, who’s careful not to use her claws, and licks him until he squeals

The Apprentice laughs, and they and Portia sit around them, drinking lemonade, and it’s quiet, and nice, and Portia is soaking up the sun, despite the fact that she would burn like a lobster if she was out too long

Then, the Apprentice is ecstatic when the kid manages to pull himself up without a table or anything and toddle over to the both of them, babbling Baba’s name, and then…

“Baba?” He plops down on Portia’s lap and she just

M E L T S

But then it’s a little awkward because oh my gods, this kid thinks I’m his parent, and his actual parent is sitting right here

But the Apprentice just leans over and pecks her on the lips, and she realizes it’s not that bad after all

Lucio

Lucio is definitely used to being the sassiest, most arrogant, person in the room

And then he meets the Apprentice, and he’s like, head over heels, but he can’t really, like...make a move, considering he’s dead

But, when he comes back to life, after stealing their body (he gave it back) he’s pulling out all the stops

And this person will. Not. love him.

He thinks it might be him at first, might be that he’s too extra, so he tries to rectify it by sending a carriage of roses straight to their shop

It isn’t until he comes down to the shop for himself that he realizes that they have a teenage kid - at first he thought it was the Apprentice’s apprentice - who looks at him like he’s an annoying scab

They’re a smartass, and make glib comments, and the only reason they don’t have their head up their ass is because their nose is so high in the air

But they love their parent and try to close the door on Lucio because ‘leave them alone, goddammit’

And almost immediately, the Apprentice tells them, “Swear! Who’s at the door?” They come to the door, and mutter, “Fuck.”

Their kid just has this smug look on this face, and the Apprentice invites him in,

So now Lucio’s the smug one, while the kid’s the one who has this fish out of water look

“Baba, is that really the best -”

“Hush now, and go put the kettle on. We’ve got company.”

So, this is basically the parent trap but...with Meredith and the dad instead of the mom and dad

The Apprentice’s kid can’t stand Lucio, just because they’re so similar in personality, and has heard of all the shitty things he’s done, so they’ll stop at nothing to make sure the Apprentice doesn’t fall for him

They fall for him

Lucio makes increasing visits to the shop, and their Baba visits the palace a ridiculous amount of times, and they just don’t understand it

Eventually, they come to terms with the fact that their Baba’s “playing the field” and whatnot, and they and Lucio get in some of the worst arguments or funniest conversations, and the Apprentice is glad to see their two favorite people getting along

153 notes · View notes

frozenfauna · 6 years

Text

Roadside Assistance

Marcus de la Cruz/F!MC - Till Death Do Us Part

Marcus belongs to @electricpuke!

Summary: When your car breaks down on a lonely country road, Marcus comes to the rescue.

!: This is a prequel to Never Think Twice, and now a part of my series Beholden about Marcus de la Cruz and F!MC’s relationship through various points of time. Warning: This fic features NSFW content. This is being crossposted from AO3, you can find the story here. IRL friends don’t read this please, lmao.

You groaned loudly, slamming a hand against your steering wheel as your car shuddered to a stop. It was just your luck that you had decided to take the country roads home today, which were usually devoid of traffic. Unfortunately for you, that meant there was a possibility no one would come down this road for hours. You pulled your phone out of your pocket, looking to see if you even got service out here – barely. You would have to test your luck outside.

You felt a little hopeful as you stepped out, the pleasant weather the miniscule silver lining in this scenario. A loud ping came from your hand, which meant that you were getting service. You were excited for a moment before you realized you had no one to come help you. Moving to a new town far from your home meant no family or friends. You could shell out for a towing company, but you barely had enough money for gas this week. Tears prickled behind your eyes, partly from frustration. Another ping alerted you, and then another one. You looked down and felt your heart jump. Him. Hot Cop 🔥: hope you’re having a good day beautiful xoxo

Hot Cop 🔥: what are u up to anyways?

Hot Cop 🔥: u okay??

You should have figured it was Marcus. He was the only new person you had met and kept in contact with. A thought crossed your head – maybe Marcus could help. He was a cop, so surely he was trustworthy. You wouldn’t consider him a friend yet, but you had hooked up a few times. You bit your lip as you considered it. Nothing to lose, you thought. 🌸: Sorry, I was driving! Not up to much. My car… kinda… broke down. I hate to ask this, but is there any way you could help me? I can pay you back soon, I just don’t have the money for a tow truck right now. ☹

You hit send. You hated asking other people for help, but you didn’t know what else to do. You sure as hell weren’t going to wait alone in the country for hours. It was only a few moments before Marcus responded.

Hot Cop 🔥: oh shit, where u at? text me and i’ll be there ASAP

You quickly opened your location app and sent him the information, making a mental note to change his name in your phone to Marcus at some point. Though, Hot Cop was a little funny when he sent you dirty messages. You leaned back against your car and sighed, glad your signal had lasted long enough for that exchange. The sound of a car was making its way over the hill, but it turned out just to be some asshole driving way too fast in a shiny sports car. You flipped them off as they drove past. It did make you a little nervous to be out here alone, considering all the stories about the forest. Supposedly, people had seen unnatural things out here. You shook your head – just ghost stories.

A few more minutes passed as you read a book on your phone. You looked up at the sound of a car again, a bright red Mustang coming over the hill this time. You felt a pang of happiness in your chest when you realized it was Marcus. He pulled in behind your car and you made your way towards him.

Marcus smiled at you as he got out of his car, though you could tell there was a smirk hidden in there somewhere. Your stomach twisted, though you weren’t sure if it was out of nervousness or excitement. You took a step towards him, hesitating for a moment before wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug. You heard him make a quiet gasp, but he quickly hugged you back. He was warm and he smelled amazing, some sort of musky but pleasant skin lingering on his body. A hint of vanilla, even?

“So, I take it you missed me?” He said, squeezing you tightly before lowering his arms, though he kept you close. You stuck your tongue out at him and nodded. You felt a little embarrassed that you had hugged him for so long.

“I’m sorry for dragging you out here.” You looked down, your fingers nervously tapping against your thigh. He chuckled and put his hand on your face, tilting it upwards. Your face flushed at the intimacy.

“No more apologizing. Shit happens.” He rubbed his thumb across your cheek. “I wanted to see you anyways! Lemme get a look at your car so we can get out of here.”

His hand lingered on your face for a moment more before he dropped it. You touched your hand to your face as Marcus walked away. In the short time you had known him, he managed to surprise you often. You looked over to him and found him already looking inside the hood. Somehow, he had already found the hood lock in your car, despite the tricky location. Another surprise to add to the list. Marcus grumbled loudly, and lifted a hand from behind the hood to beckon you over.

“What’s up?” He lifted his head at the sound of your voice. You couldn’t help but stare at Marcus, his toned body accentuated by the tight shirt he had on.

“Your battery is dead. You need an oil change, too. When was the last time you got your car worked on?” He stood up and wiped his hands on his pants, one eyebrow up. Even if he wasn’t trying to be condescending, he sure sounded like it. You felt your face grow hot in response.

“… Recently. Look, I’m a broke college student. I do the best I can.” Marcus’s face softened in response, and he took a step towards you, gently placing a hand on your shoulder.

“I didn’t go to college, but I do know what it’s like to be broke.” He squeezed your shoulder, a little tighter than necessary. “Let me help you.”

“Are you… are you sure? I probably won’t be able to pay you back until next month.” He smiled in response.

“Well, you can pay me back in another way…” His free hand shut the hood of your car and he spun you around.

His hand dropped from your shoulder and went to your waist instead, his grip tight. He took and step forward and you moved with him, your back against the hot metal of your car. His free hand moved towards your neck, gently grazing it. Marcus’s presence was so powerful that you felt trapped, the sprawling forest in the country suddenly feeling miniscule. You looked up at him and he smirked.

“No one will see us…” Marcus said softly, leaning down so his lips grazed your forehead as he spoke. His fingertips began to play with the edge of your thin leggings. A soft gasp left your lips as his fingers dipped below, rubbing slow circles on your hips. He nipped at your ear gently and you moaned again. He pressed against your thigh and you felt him, already hard. “It’ll be fun.”

Before you had a chance to respond he moved his mouth to your neck, giving it a gentle lick just beneath your jaw. You shivered under his touch, his fingers underneath your leggings dipping even lower. Another gentle lick turned into pressure on your neck, his mouth sucking at your flesh. He had never left a visible hickey before, they were always hidden away in only places you would see. He sucked harder, a tingling pain spreading across the area. He finally drew his mouth away, placing a small kiss on the fresh hickey and moving to your lips. He pulled his hand from your pants and you groaned in frustration.

“Mmm, looks like someone wants more.” His lips brushed against yours as he spoke. His hands moved to your wrists and he pushed you down onto the hood, although he could easily bend over you to reach your lips. His hands were gripped on your wrists tightly, maybe even tight enough to bruise later. You shifted underneath him. “Wait, Marcus, couldn’t we at least… I don’t know… Go in your car?” Being this exposed made you feel nervous. It wasn’t exactly public sex, but someone could drive by at any moment, no matter how low the chances were. He smirked before bringing his lips to yours, silencing anything else you might have to say. His kisses were soft at first, exploring your mouth gently with a few gentle nips. He moaned, grinding his crotch against your leg. His grip on your wrist tightened and he pressed in for a deeper kiss, his mouth crushing against yours. He finally pulled away, leaving you both gasping for breath, his grip on your wrists lax.

“God damn, you’re hot.” He said, biting his lip. You chuckled a little at his cheesiness. He stood up and looked you over, his eyes fixating on your chest. You had worn a shirt today that was a bit tight in that area, which Marcus clearly liked. He leaned forward and pulled your shirt up, exposing the lacy red bra you had on underneath.

“A-ah, Marcus!” You felt your face flush and tried to pull it back down, but his hand quickly caught you.

“Don’t you wanna pay me back?” He said, a fake pout on his face. He pulled your shirt back up and grinned, the fake pout quickly leaving his face. You didn’t have a response for him. His hands traced gently over your breasts, giving them a squeeze before he pushed your bra up. You felt goosebumps grow on your skin at the exposure. Marcus cupped a breast in each hand, running his finger over your nipples until they grew hard. “Good girl.” He purred, pinching them lightly. You groaned loudly and shifted underneath him. He leaned forward and took one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking on it as he played with your other nipple. His gentle sucks turned rough and you moaned, his mouth moving to the other nipple and giving it the same treatment. You grabbed him by the hair and pushed his head up, the sensation growing overwhelming. His face was dark with lust.

“I don’t think I can stand it anymore.” Marcus said, standing up again. You looked down again, his cock outlined in his tight pants. You sat up as he unzipped his pants, his cock finally springing free. No underwear, you noted. He reached a hand out towards you and helped you stand, your legs feeling a little dizzy. You went to move to your knees, but he stopped you.

“I REALLY can’t wait anymore.” He said, his voice low. He gave his cock a few pumps before turning you around and pressing you against the hood of the car. You heard a loud ripping noise and gasped as you realized he had ripped your leggings open. He didn’t say anything as he pushed your panties aside, his fingers testing your entrance to see if you were ready. You were dripping wet and he moaned as he rubbed his fingers against you. He removed his fingers and you felt his cock a moment later, head gently rubbing your entrance. You were hot, so hot, and you pushed back against him, begging for relief.

“Kitten…” He said softly, before pushing into you. Kitten – that was a new one. You barely had time to think about it before he pushed into you again, his pace slow. His thrusts were long and deliberate, making you squirm against him. He pulled out completely, the tip of his cock just barely touching your entrance.

“Beg for me.” He said, rubbing his head in slow circles. He was the one who was just begging, the vague thought of the need to be in control passing your mind. Probably just a sex thing, you figured. You moaned softly at a thrust into you again before he pulled out. “I’m waiting…”

“Fuck me.” You said quietly, a little shy. He had never been like this before, it was a new side. You weren’t very experienced with dirty talk, but he seemed to love it. He pushed in halfway before pulling out agonizingly slow, nerves burning. “Please fuck me, Marcus.”

“Mm, that’s good for now. You’ll learn.” He slammed into you and you screamed, mind buzzing with pleasure. He was so thick, his cock filling you out completely. You moaned as he continued to slam into you, his pace unwavering. The fabric of his pants was creating a light friction burn against you, but you didn’t care. He put one hand on the hood to steady himself and put a hand in your hair, fingers lost inside your curls. He pulled your head up and you moaned. A gentle sting, but not painful. You moaned in pleasure as he pulled again. “Talk to me, kitten…”

“A-ah, you’re so good, Marcus.” You managed to get out between moans, and he gave a light tug to your hair in response. You were about to say something else before you heard something you were dreading, and your eyes grew wide as you watched a car drive over the hill. Marcus must have seen it as well as his thrusts faltered for a moment before he continued slamming into you at a brutal pace. “Marcus! We have to stop!”

He pushed your head down in response, not enough to hurt, but enough to shut you up. You moaned loudly as he pushed in deep, deeper than he had been before. There was nothing you could do, you thought, your nails scratching against the hood of the car. As the car roared past it honked and Marcus laughed. It was that asshole sports car from earlier. You wondered if they had come back for you… A groan from Marcus interrupted your thoughts.

“I need to see your face.” Marcus growled, pulling out quickly. He turned you around and pulled you up, He was panting, but didn’t look like he was anywhere near finished. “C’mere…”

His large hand grabbed yours and he drug you towards your car, opening the door to the backseat. You took off your ruined leggings before climbing in, figuring they would just get in the way. It was surprisingly spacious, though you weren’t sure how Marcus’s large frame would fare. He climbed in first, pushing the seat back as far as it would go. He patted his lap, his cock glistening with a mixture of his precum and your juices. Your legs were shaking as you climbed in, and he shut the door behind you. You climbed over him, your entrance hovering over his cock.

“Your turn. Take your shirt off, too.” You grinned, and he winked at you as he whipped his shirt off. He wasn’t easy to phase.

“Please baby, I need you so bad, I wanna be in you.” He locked eyes with you as he said it, hands tight on your hips. He could have pushed you down if he wanted to, but he was enjoying this. You moved down on him slowly, savoring the sensation. Marcus threw his head back and groaned loudly. You finally reached the bottom of his cock, the sensation of fullness feeling different from this angle. He looked at you again and licked his lips.

You started to move slowly, watching Marcus’s face twist in frustration. He needed more, you knew that. Sweat was glistening on his forehead, and his face was flushed. This was the first time you had seem him truly worked up, and it was a sight you would savor. Marcus moved to wrap his arms around you, pulling your bodies close. His skin was burning hot, but it felt good against yours. You finally started to increase your pace, the want in your body no longer able to handle teasing.

“You’re so good baby, so good.” Marcus whispered as he moved his hands to your ass, gripping it tightly as you rode him. You gripped his shoulders, admiring the muscle and tone of his body. Marcus let out a small moan as you tightened yourself around him. You increased your pace again, using his shoulders as leverage. You could feel his legs shaking with pleasure as you fucked him.

“Baby, I’m gonna cum… Please let me cum inside you.” His hands squeezed your ass again and you pushed yourself to finish him off. You were getting breathless now, Marcus’s sexual stamina outpacing yours by far. You tightened around him again and Marcus suddenly clamped his hands down on your thighs, a loud groan coming from him. Your insides felt hot as you felt his cock pulse inside you. Marcus moaned again.

“Kitten, let me help you too. Turn around.” You obeyed Marcus, turning so that you were facing the same way as he was, and you lowered yourself back onto your cock. He was still hard. You had noted the first time you slept together Marcus had little to no refractory period. He reached an arm around to touch your clit and you moaned, still sensitive. He thrust gently as he worked your clit, his soft but skillful touches quickly bring you to orgasm as you clenched around his cock once again. You shuddered again, pleasure coursing through your body.

You both sat for a moment, breath loud and bodies sweaty. Marcus moved first, gently taking you off him and guiding you to the space next to him. You dropped your head onto his shoulder and sighed.

“Well.” He said. “I think I might owe you for a car cleaning.”

“And?” You looked at him with a raised brow.

“Anddd… the leggings. I’m sorry, baby. Couldn’t help it. I have some pajama bottoms in my car you can borrow.”

You stuck your tongue out at him and he stuck his out in return.

You sat in silence for a moment before he pulled you close, tilting your head towards him. He looked serious.

“I just want you to know, if you want a relationship, not just fuck buddies, I would be down for it.” He said softly.

“Down for it?” You said, giggling. “Hmm. I think…”

You placed your hand on your chin, tapping it thoughtfully. Marcus looked surprised for once. “I think I’d like that.”

You felt him breathe a sigh of relief. “I knew you’d say that!”

“Oh, shut up!” You said, hitting him in the chest lightly. He tilted your head towards his, lips capturing you in a kiss. He pulled away, and gave you a kiss on the nose. “Stupid hot cop.”

“What was that?” Marcus said, a deep laugh coming from his chest. You hit him again lightly, embarrassed you had accidentally said it out loud. “C’mon, babe. Let’s go back to my place. Just wait for a sec, I’ll get you those bottoms.”

Marcus patted you on the head before he got up, not bothering to put his shirt back on. You watched as he walked back to his car, back muscles glistening underneath the sweat. You felt lucky. He was sweet, caring (maybe a little too much so), and god damn hot. Someone this special, you thought, doesn’t come around very often. Being his girlfriend wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen, would it?

--------------------------

ending AN // btw, the scent marcus is wearing in this fic is jazz club by maison margiela which smells absolutely amazing (but by the fireplace is the best!!) [who was in the fancy car? who are those rumors in the forest about?? you can make up your own guesses for that one... :)]

#TDDUP #till death do us part #Marcus de la Cruz #Marcus de la Cruz/Reader #features: mildly dubious consent + outdoor sex + car sex #don't worry future fics will feature darker things but this is a p vanilla so enjoy for now #my writing

190 notes · View notes

deadcactuswalking · 3 years

Text

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 23/01/2021 (Anne-Marie, Juice WRLD, Young Thug)

The site I use for this show has refused to update – which is fine, it’s probably run by one guy and/or their bots – which means I had to go on the UK Singles Chart page from the Official Charts Company for information, and man, I hate that site. Anyway, despite a big #2 debut and a big remix at #3, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo stays steady at #1 for a second week, which shows us a little sliver of how much longevity this song could have – and it’s good too, so I’m glad. Anyway, time for more apathy. Let’s start REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

I feel like, especially recently, debuts don’t really stick at all. We have many songs gradually falling below the chart this week, and they place into either two categories: songs that I wished would go away already, and songs that debuted last week. Out of the debuts from last week still on the chart, we have three notable gains and four of the opposite, making this actually an okay week for debuts, but it still feels like people have not got time for new music right now, which is honestly understandable. Out of those debuts, “Streets” by Doja Cat surges up to #20, “Notorious” by Bugzy Malone and Chip drops to #39, “Best Friend” by Saweetie featuring Doja Cat is down to #42, “Regardless” by RAYE and Rudimental unfortunately is up to #51, alongside an even more unfortunate gain for “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” by Lana Del Rey at #58 (Please, don’t make this a hit). That’s it for gains for our debuts last week, as “Vibez” by ZAYN couldn’t even gain from an album boost down to #62 and “WW2” by Unknown T makes the expected second-week drill dive to #63. Our other gains aren’t much to discuss either, although I’ll admit I actually kind of like “You’re Mines Still” by Yung Bleu and remixed by Drake up to #47 (I do really want to see this as a hit). I don’t like, however, the two deep house pastiches at #15 and #16, “Goosebumps” by HVME and “The Business” by Tiesto. What’s even worse is that “Goosebumps”, a remix of Travis Scott’s song, now has a Travis Scott remix, so that remix remix could land this in the top 10 next week. What might not be is also a remix: “34+35” by Ariana Grande featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion up to #3. It was doing okay before the remix so it could stay here but I don’t see the remix as a replacement for the original so it could falter from #3. Of course, we do have other notable fallers, mostly pointless to list and a couple weeks too long on the chart, so I’ll split it into two once again: “Go away, please” and “Go away, but maybe later”. In the first category, we have “Whoopty” by CJ at #9, “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd at #23, “Head & Heart” by Joel Corry and MNEK at #25, “Mood” by 24kGoldn and iann dior at #28, “positions” by Ariana Grande at #33, “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus at #41, “See Nobody” by Wes Nelson and Hardy Caprio at #48. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi at #52, “Lonely” by Justin Bieber and benny blanco at #53, “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles at #54, “Looking for Me” by Paul Woodford, Diplo and Kareen Lomax at #55, “Take You Dancing” by Jason Derulo at #64, “Diamonds” by Sam Smith at #67, “Tick Tock” by Clean Bandit, Mabel and 24kGoldn at #72 and “Lasting Lover” by Sigala and James Arthur at #74. I like a fair few of these songs but I’d like some new blood in the charts, like the second category of songs that seem to have started dropping out prematurely: “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish at #22, “Loading” by Central Cee at #25, “What You Know Bout Love” by the late Pop Smoke at #45, “Forever Young” by Becky Hill at #57, “Plugged In” by Fumez the Engineer and A92 at #59, “champagne problems” by Taylor Swift at #65, “Body” by Megan Thee Stallion at #68, “pov” by Ariana Grande at #70, “Love is a Compass” by Griff at #71 and, finally, since I only cover the top 75, “Your New Boyfriend” by Wilbur Soot at #73. We have one return here, and that’s for a song that’s a couple years old but from a new star: Olivia Rodrigo’s “All I Want” returning to #32, from the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack which I had assumed was new initially but did peak at #72 prior to this. The song’s fine, but I don’t review returning entries, and honestly it’s even more of a Disney teen-pop ballad that “drivers license” is, so I don’t find much point in making exceptions. Note to self to edit the drop-outs in whenever you know what they are.

Edit: The notable drop-outs are “HOLIDAY” by Lil Nas X, “Princess Cuts” by Headie One featuring Young T & Bugsey, “no body, no crime” by Taylor Swift featuring HAIM, “Ain’t it Different” by Headie One featuring AJ Tracey and Stormzy, “Savage Love (Laxed - Siren Beat)” by Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685, “Show Out” by Kid Cudi, Skepta and the late Pop Smoke, and “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac.

NEW ARRIVALS

#60 – “Friday (Dopamine Re-Edit)” – Riton and Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa & Hypeman

Produced by Riton

“Push the Feeling On” is a song by Scottish collective Nightcrawlers that is known much more commonly for its classic deep house remix by American DJ MK, which would be known now for how much it’s been sampled in pop music: You’ve probably heard the synth riff or vocal chop in “Hotel Room Service” by Pitbull, “Dinner Guest” by AJ Tracey and MoStack, “Wiggle It” by French Montana and City Girls, “House Party” by MIST and Fredo, or even “Nightcore in tha Club” by Viper of all people. So, 20 or so years later, here comes English DJ Riton making another official remix alongside dually-credited Musafa & Hypeman, who I guess are social media influencers from articles I see about them. That would explain why this is charting... but yeah, this is lazy. A female vocalist sings “It’s Friday, Saturday, Sunday again” to the melody of the classic vocal loop, and the rest of the song is a worthless and artless “future house” track made for no-one, with Musafa & Hypeman delivering nothing more than obnoxious skits and faint ad-libs. I’ll admit, the second verse where it suddenly drops into her vocals over the haunting vibration of bass is inspired, but it goes nowhere. It uses the same drop as the original MK remix and if it isn’t, it uses a vocaloid drop that sounds way too similar to blackbear’s “hot girl bummer” for my liking. Once you hear it, you may not unhear it – although I doubt you’d come back to this song for any reason other than clicking the wrong song when looking for the original MK remix, which is still great. This, however, is useless.

#50 – “Skengman” – Ghetts featuring Stormzy

Produced by Ten Billion Dreams

This is actually Ghetts’ first ever track to hit this chart as a lead solo act and that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Whilst Ghetts is very important to grime and his mixtapes are considered classics, he’s not exactly the peak of commercial success – and is somewhat infamous for said squandering as he released a diss track against MTV for not thinking he was that great of an MC – which wasn’t exactly helped by beef with the Boy Better Know collective. It makes a lot of sense for him to ride off the coattails of the new generation of English rappers and make a drill-adjacent track with Stormzy, the track’s namesake. It also makes sense for this to be good: we have some pretty ominous keys and horns that sound great under this cold and minimal trap beat, relying less on percussion than it does the eerie strings. Sure, the chorus is pretty awkward and tired, with Ghetts not selling it nearly as he well as he does the verses, which even then are off-kilter. The second verse – by Stormzy – is where this song really shines, as gorgeous vocal samples combine with the rise of the strings, looming 808s and Stormzy’s deep contrast of a voice before the beat drops and Stormzy lets out his best flows. Honestly, after Stormzy’s verse, not even a beat shift really makes Ghetts’ other two verses worthwhile, as his just seem short and ineffective, even if the beat is going to keep on intensifying with these incredible strings and horns – lest we forget the choir of “Skengmen” behind him on the chorus. I really wish this was a solo Stormzy track, with no disrespect to Ghetts, who just feels out of place if anything. This could have been a lot better.

#49 – “Lumidee” – Chip featuring Young M.A. and Young Adz

Produced by the Fanatix

Most of our new arrivals are hip-hop or hip-hop-related, so of course whenever we see Stormzy, I guess we have to have a Chip song the same day. Is that beef still going on? Regardless, this is a very different song, named after the artist behind the awkward, minimal R&B sample used here. Listen, I like 2000s R&B, but “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)” is just a fatal misunderstanding of what makes Timbaland’s production good. Surely that would make any reworking an improvement, especially with these subtle strings and guitars under a dancehall beat just as awkward as the original. Oh, and I call the strings subtle because it’s not like Young Adz could ever be, or Chip for that matter, as both of them deliver stiff, ugly performances about how the sex is spectacular... but also how they want this woman to treat them kindly after they cheat on her because they buy her nice things. “They” of course being everyone here, as Chip plays the same role as Adz – who only grabs the chorus – and hell, I think Young M.A., who could deliver a narrative here that criticises Chip’s attitude, just expresses the same ideas. I’ll admit that M.A.’s flow and cadence is a lot smoother, less nasally Auto-Tuned and honestly kind of good, but this honestly, much like “Skengman”, reeks of missed potential. A dancehall back-and-forth about love that means nothing but sex and materialism sounds fun on paper but nothing’s really done with it here, which is what I’d expect from these guys in all honesty. It’s weird and kind of cool to see Young M.A. on the UK Singles Chart again (She appeared on an Eminem track around this time last year too), though, so I’ll give it that.

#44 – “Pinging (6 Figures)” – Central Cee

Produced by ItchyDaProducer

Well, we can now add Central Cee to the drill guys that spark a top 50 hit out of nowhere every couple weeks. I actually quite like “Loading” mostly because of the fusion of hard 808s with those slick horn samples. As an aside, the Genius.com page for “Loading” has a comment saying the beat is “disgusting” that has a ton of downvotes, probably because of some sort of disconnect between cultures and audiences. This new track is a lot less interesting, though, relying on a really cheap guitar loop, but otherwise I do think the drill percussion works here, especially with the sliding 808s and Central Cee’s pretty constant delivery. I can’t really say he’s saying anything of interest other than the fact he supposedly turned down a six-figure record deal to stay independent, which of course is the chorus, so it’s not like this is great, or even good, but it makes the best out of a bad loop, and I can respect that, especially with piano touches, although this apparently sounds like another beat Itchy’s made so I’m not sure if that deserves much praise either. You know, I really thought Central Cee could have been on to something with the jazzier touches, but once again, this is missed potential.

#37 – “Wellerman” – The Longest Johns

Produced by ???

There aren’t any producer credits for this one, though I’m not sure to how much extent you can “produce” a sea shanty. It’s not often for this show that I can say a song that debuted is from the 1800s, but this song dates back to around 1833, where the Weller Brothers and their “Wellerman” ships became the most important merchant traders in New Zealand, operating mostly through their base in Otago. Naturally, sea shanties are sang at sea but it’s seldom seen that said songs surge up as singles on Spotify. Thanks to TikTok, however, this 2018 cover by the Longest Johns, a folk group from Bristol, debuted in the top 40. There’s no instrumentation, so this is just an a-capella cover, with some genuinely great vocal harmonisation, even if these guys aren’t great singers – not that you have to be to sing sea shanties. The end product is a pretty fun track about wishing for a supply ship to come whilst whaling, and that they hope to come home soon – or something like that. Look, I hope this doesn’t stick around even though I have the feeling it will. It’s not a bad song at all and the guys are talented, but come on, guys, it’s a sea shanty from TikTok. As that damn app still runs a lot of the charts, though, I suppose I should embrace this, because it is harmless, and that’s really all there is to it.

#31 – “Bad Boy” – Juice WRLD and Young Thug

Produced by Pi’erre Bourne

Now, I’m usually cynical about posthumous releases from Jarad, and I was initially for this, but it has been in circulation as a leak and it was also completely finished with a music video produced before his death by Cole Bennett of Lyrical Lemonade, who directed a lot of Juice’s earlier videos (including “Lucid Dreams”). It has Young Thug on the second verse and Pi’erre Bourne on production so I can’t be mad at this at all. As long as these posthumous projects from now on don’t have tacked-on features and are surrounded by collaborations from only his genuine friends who cared for him, I have no issue with them going on – even if I’d prefer for all of his demos to be released with proceeds going to charity (which should be done with most if not all artists after their passing unless they have an album on the way). It helps that this song isn’t just respectful, but it’s incredible. The hard trap beat from Pi’erre has this great squealing guitar and noisy synth blend that kicks ass whenever it comes in, especially when at odds with the more casual bleeping in the verses. Juice’s chorus is infectious and fast-paced, exactly how he should be on his “banger” tracks, but his verses are really a genius blend between his melodic and technical skills that I wish I heard more from Juice when he was alive. Oh, and Young Thug has what might be verse of the year, with smooth flow switches as always, unique inflections as always as well as playing with the beat perfectly as he drops the nasal screech of his “skrrt!” ad-libs amidst a more simple, intense flow by the end – with the addition of that squealing guitar. Is the content unique? Maybe not, as this is mostly flexing over an explosive trap beat, but there are enough quotable rhymes and vocal deliveries that make this more than honestly the sum of its parts, as out of context I don’t think this beat, this feature or Juice’s hook could work nearly as well as they do. As is, however, this is one of Juice’s best songs, hell, even one of Thugger’s best – and he has a strong discography – so, yeah, for the part of me that appreciates ignorant, stupid-hard trap-rap, this clicked. I hope it’s a hit and even if it isn’t, this is one of the best send-offs they could have chosen for Juice, and I’m just glad it’s finally met an official release.

#2 – “Don’t Play” – Anne-Marie, KSI and Digital Farm Animals

Produced by Mojam and Digital Farm Animals

“Bad Boy” seems like it should be the big story here, as it’s a massive lead and/or final posthumous single from one of the biggest rappers in history featuring another A-list that is getting a lot of praise and YouTube views... but alas, this is the UK, so here’s KSI and Anne-Marie. Is this KSI-Digital Farm Animals collaboration going anywhere? He had a similar one last year with “Really Love” featuring Craig David and that was kind of big – still is – and I think also debuted at #2 behind a really strong #1. They also had awkward, ugly cartoon cover arts, so maybe this is a collaborative project between KSI and the EDM producers? Well, “producer”, because Digital Farm Animals is actually just one guy. I think I honestly wouldn’t mind that considering how better KSI pulls off rapping over EDM than hip-hop. Anne-Marie is filling Craig David’s role, although this time with a verse and lead billing, so it could be from an upcoming album that may or may not exist. Honestly, who cares? Is the song good? No, the chorus is lazy, the UK garage-adjacent beat is cheap and KSI gets outshined in his verse both performance and mixing-wise by orchestra hits. Is the content interesting? Well, KSI’s lyrics are supposedly subliminal disses towards other YouTubers, which annotators on Genius have “marked as a stretch”, only to be met with downvotes from fans because of course, they would. Is it catchy? I guess so, that is the purpose. Hence, we have an inoffensive pop song from three artists who have made better but mostly through freak accident. Top 10 material? Probably not, but the charts are weak and it’s the UK so you can’t really expect much more. Also, why does this have an extended version?

Conclusion

Whilst I’m writing this conclusion, the site I use still has yet to update, so I’ll actually have to do a Kanye in 2016 and edit this post-release for the top 10 and drop-outs. For now, though, I can pretty solidly give Best of the Week to “Bad Boy” by the late Juice WRLD and Young Thug, with an Honourable Mention to I guess “Wellerman” by the Longest Johns for at least being different, although most of these debuts reek of missed potential. “Wellerman” could have been a lot more jaunty with actual instrumentation, “Don’t Play” could have replaced Anne-Marie with an actual personality, Ghetts could have gone in harder on “Skengman” and the beat in “Pinging (Six Figures)” could have actually existed. Therefore, the songs with the least potential are the victims here, as Dishonourable Mention goes to Chip, Young Adz and Young M.A. for “Lumidee” and Worst of the Week goes to “Friday (Dopamine Re-Edit)” by like, four complete nobodies, honestly, I do not see the purpose in that song existing at all. Well, here’s the top 10 for this week – or at least it will be here in a couple hours:

I can’t make any solid predictions for next week other than Billie Eilish and ROSALIA, maybe Lil Skies? You can follow me @cactusinthebank if you’re vaguely interested in doing so, thank you for reading, and I’ll see you next week.

0 notes

sneakyhomunculous · 4 years

Text

RPT Phoenix Report: Back to Back!

Part 1: Preparation

“How should I begin this? I’m just so offended; how am I even mentioned by all these fucking beginners?”

Let’s back up a bit.

I’m coming into this half season fresh off a 5th place finish in the last MC, which means I’m qualified for RPT1/2 and PTFinal 1.

From what I could make of the shoddy convoluted details at the beginning of this year; I believed I had a serious upper hand in the Rivals race.

Only 4 tournaments count. The 3 I am qualified for and the 2nd PT final which I’ll have multiple chances to que for as well.

Almost everyone else has at most 1 RPT Q and a pipe dream.

With this info, I decide I am going to go for it. I know I am still an underdog, but I believe I am one of the few people in the world in this spot to somewhat reasonably set this goal of top 12 paper rivals for myself.

At the same time, the world we live in is an Arena dominated one.

I hate it of course.

Like most of you reading this; I play the game for mostly 1 big reason [the fierce competition]. Arena is severely lacking in this department.

Only standard, a mindless ladder with the only reward being a single lottery ticket into a ~15k USD 0.5% equity drawing. (that requires you to play standard for 8 hours on a saturday there will assuredly be a GP you want to play.)

A petty, infuriating chore.

Bc standard is so chalked and flooded with players anyway; You are forced to play casual [but ranked] drafts against the bots.

Slamming BO1 games with 15 land decks until your eyes bleed and the mythic achievement is reached!

Then you close the unbearable program down not to be touched again until the next time this chore is required; or the lottery drawing is happening.

Nice system!

All that being said, I’m still not going to handicap myself, and so I decide I will go for Arena as well.

Unfortunately I have no early advantage there, and the spots are obviously unbelievably high variance.

There are only 2 Invys and 2 Mythic point challenges, and if you miss the first invy you are almost drawing dead at a 1-12 spot. Especially with special invites and re-ques for top finishers all factored in.

So far I am failing on the Arena front.

I was too attached to my beautiful Urza Oko deck (I didn’t prepare enough for the first MCQW I would be double queing along side the modern GP in Austin. It cost me as I woke up and played poorly to a swift 2-2 exit with Jetski Fires before heading over to the GP)

I lost a win and in and got 17th there. Never have I played a tournament with a bigger edge over all non mirrors in the field! Unfortunately I played 7 mirrors and managed a lowly 4-2-1 in them.

I can’t make it through these gauntlets on autopilot anymore.

I’m only 27, but my seemingly rapid reduction in processing speed has made me feel like I’m somehow getting too old for this grind.

The way I have dealt with it?

Accepting it.

As much as I hate to admit it; I am not the same 17 year old wunderkind anymore and the young guns have a big edge on me.

I have to take all the necessary steps to take care of myself and do everything in my power to make sure when I’m in the trenches; inside the matches in the important tournaments; I can be as focused on the games as possible. This is just so I can make the playing field close to level.

Otherwise I am going to be reading cards, and playing slow unconfident magic.

This is a big one; I believe.

I think one thing a lot of players are lacking in pushing themselves to higher levels is the confidence in their decisions. I used to struggle with this a lot (still do sometimes) and I would constantly second guess things multiple times every turn.

Over time, I’ve learned that if you put in the work...

You practice;

Play actual games and learn the interactions;

You can really lean on your instincts and exude confidence in yourself that goes a long way in winning matches of Magic the Gathering.

(Look at almost all of the best players. They are confident in their decisions in the games, even when they end up making mistakes.)

But enough with the nonsense; let’s get to the tournament prep so we can blaze through that boring shit and get to the sweet 16 PT rounds

(spoilers: there may be more than 16)

Collin Rountree is torn between testing with Me Ty Will and the Houston Slack, and testing with team 5% captained by Allen “The Process” Wu.

Of course the choice is obvious, but Collin doesn’t want to leave all the local bangers in the dust.

He lobbies on our behalf, and Me Ty Will and Eddie all join team 5%.

I am not a stranger to large testing teams.

I spent four PTs testing with team TCG/SCG and we averaged around 15 people. The difference was that we always met up in person a week or more ahead of time for an intense testing period, and also I guess we had more dueling personalities.

Shoutout to everyone on those squads those were great times.

But when you have Steve Rubin Seth Manfield Corey Burkhart Andrea Mengucii mixed with Brad BBD Martell Kibler mixed with Me Fennell GerryT Josh Cho mixed with Ari Lax trying to organize everything for everyone.....

Anyone who knows these people can see how this led to some logistics issues and some heated arguments about who is not pulling their weight, or who is just showing up late and mooching, or who keeps brewing decks with no mana bases and sideboards and bringing them to Brad telling them they are great and we have to play games with them (another shoutout to Fennell, hope he reads this and fires up a modo draft tonight. And shoutout to Brad for creating the no 75, no games rule. You can’t fucking say you made a deck if you don’t have a manabase or a sideboard, and some brewers out there may need to hear that again.)

Team 5% (7.1673746%) is all online testing.

We use a discord with dedicated channels to all the constructed decks, all the limited topics, logistics, and chalkdiesel/washed bad beat/rant rooms/RIP Rimrock Knight etc. etc. so you can see how it stays pretty clean, organized, and simple.

But no really, having so many people gives us an edge on many fronts.

There is usually always someone available to battle. We can cover a lot of ground really quickly. Multiple people are brewing and many people are tuning the known decks. Lots of different opinions and we end up covering all the limited archetypes quickly as the drafts pile in.

All of this being said, my best two PT results from the past are when I worked alone.

I usually draft infinite (75-100) times (when I lose I drop and draft again. And sometimes I drop when winning just to draft again) and I just try to play the best deck in constructed.

This I have learned is a recipe for success for me.

But I was happy to join this team. My intention was to just do the same thing, but have some people to talk to while I drafted 75-100 times and tuned the best deck.

I worked with a few of these players back in the TCG days (shoutout to Ari and Corey, and again to Corey for winning the PT let’s gooooooo) and everyone that I heard was currently on this 5% team; I liked.

So for my testing I did almost purely magic online.

I did around 60 drafts after all was said and done. In constructed, I played a ton of UW control and small amounts of all the other stock decks, and watched a lot of streams.

I wanted to be familiar with the format but not go too hard until the days leading up to; during; and right after the first 2 RPTs.

What a weird dynamic, having 2 pro tours 5 days before deck submission for your pro tour.

It really worked out in our favor because our team is so big and we were able to quickly attack the new and perceived future metagame.

Nothing at those two tournaments made me waiver from wanting to register UW control.

I was still beating everything, and I predicted the metagame would be 20%ish UB invertor and then spirits, red, black, and sultai delerium/invertor uro decks would be all around 10%.

When I say I was beating everything, I was beating everything.

Granted these were in leagues, but it was mostly all against real decks and my constructed rating was skyrocketing above my limited.

Not a thing I am accustomed to.

I had a 17-1 record against mono red, and no cap. I had a 12-2 record against mono black. I had a 8-1 record against UB invertor.

I crushed Collin so badly with our teams current front running mono white devotion that he decided to add 4 Gideon Ally of Zendikar to the maindeck and try again.

A 4-0 for me later in which he resolved 5 Gideons led to him telling the discord he is off it. “Bursavich just beat me every single game and I resolved gideon in all of them.”

The only deck I ever lost matches to was spirits but I still won more than I lost against it.

Around Monday our team was all piling on to the breach deck realizing how good it was, and I joined in to.

I played a prelim and a league and immediately bought all of the cards from cardkingdom. But after my next few matches I was feeling very conflicted.

I was very worried how bad UW was against breach, but I didn’t think breach would break 7-8% or the metagame anyway. And I can tweak UW some to have a shot I tell myself.

The breach deck is obviously busted, but it’s a combo deck with a weird puzzle-like 3 step combo.

First you have to get 2 lands into play and then play lotus field, then u have to play a thespians stage and copy it, and then u have to kill your opponent with ur huge amounts of mana.

But the deck is so consistent and sort of resilient that I found myself trying to play it like a midrange deck.

I have these faes and grazers and pores and viziers, I can block! And Fae for planeswalkers and grind people out or take all these weird dynamic lines... and then I realized I was fucking up a lot.

The games are not always intuitive to me, and I won’t be able to live with myself if I register this and play horribly to lose games I should win, considering there will likely be some number of games my deck fails and I can’t win (or my opponent is prepared with damping sphere or one of the other 1-2 cards that do anything at all to stop this abomination of a deck)

So a few hours after ordering the breach cards I am going to bed Monday night and I know I’m going to play UW control...

Shoutout to the squad though!

They really crushed it over these few days and perfected the breach list and had all the matchups figured out down to the T.

Our limited meetings were great and I believe they really helped everyone a lot and we had an overall great showing in limited.

I spend all day Tuesday and Wednesday with magic online open and the discord on my other monitor.

I occasionally jam some games with teammates but for many many hours I just stare at my UW decklist while catching up on the latest breach tech.

I just stare at the deck.....

For hours

I went to get lunch and came back and stared some more.

It was perfect and there was just nothing to cut.

I wanted another hard counter in my deck but could not find the space.

I have been moving 1 card around here and there, swapping 3rd field of ruin for the 4th Glacial, swapping back, then swapping back again. going down to 1 absorb and back to the 2/2 split back to 1. Moving around seal away D sphere narset lantern thassas intervention Mystical Dispute elspeth etc. etc. but mostly keeping the same core 73-75 cards the same.

With a few hours left in submission and all the data pouring in, we realize that LSV Huey and a large swath of great players have all been spotted in leagues today playing breach.

I am suddenly panicked bc the matchup is still quite bad.

I have a few good cards, but nothing to swing it past like a 33% matchup at best.

I know damping sphere is my only real option if I want to respect it, and I’m of the mindset that doing so is normally a bit silly.

While the deck is obviously busted, it’s been 5 days and many players are uncomfortable playing decks of this style.

My general guess is that it breaking 6-7% of the field will still be unlikely, and I think it pushing above 10% would be crazy.

So I can expect to play vs it once on average??

Not so fast.

This is a new RPT with a wide open field, but still a lot of goats at the top.

Turns out you almost always have to defeat multiple goats to get the trophy in PT’s...

And I didn’t fly to Phoenix just to have a good ole time and settle for 6th place, so I man up and delete 2 Monastery Mentor for 2 Damping Sphere.

This will hurt me in mirrors and vs Invertor, but I am confident I will be fine anyway.

With 10 minutes left in submission I consider adding a 3rd sphere but am too lazy to open back up my laptop and know I won’t be able to cut any of the beautiful cards in my sideboard for it anyway.

Enough with the boring shit; let’s get to the tournament!!!

Part2 coming tomorrow!

0 notes