Tumgik
#i'm so glad me-in-late-may had this series idea!!
a-moth-to-the-light · 8 months
Text
The Ultimate Crossover Episode (Epilogue)
Giving K-pop Groups (and Soloists!) Bruce Springsteen Songs
content warnings for mentions of death & chronic illness! this is a pretty intense piece, so take care of yourselves, and feel free to check out the other parts of this series (see: #six stans springsteen) for some much lighter content!
A Tentative Endorsement of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire"
My chronic pain is an action movie where nothing happens. You get all the swells of soundtrack; all the dramatic lighting; all those moments of pure terror, of catching a glimpse of death in the corner of your eye and trying to pretend it isn't there--but then the footage, the plot of the movie itself, is just a girl lying on a couch, earbuds in and eyes shut tight, heating pad wrapped around her wrist. The room is empty, and you would guess she was asleep except for the expressions that cross her face--a wince, and then something like a silent sob. And the soundtrack crescendoes, and you wait for something to happen. Will an antagonist come attack her, in her moment of weakness? Will she finally have someone to fight? But the scene stays the same--empty. She stays the same--almost, but not quite, sleeping. And then: that's the movie, you can head home now. There won't be anything new to see, not for a long while.
In the summer of 2021, I took to describing my pain by saying "I'm on fire" or "I'm burning up". Something under my skin was burning, burning, a river of lava coursing beneath the facade of a perfectly healthy body. And, on days when it got really bad, I took to listening to Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire". Let's take a minute to introduce this track: it's a short song, not even three minutes long, tucked in the middle of Springsteen’s 1984 album, Born in the USA. It's not the best song on the album (not anywhere close, in my opinion), and it's not the most interesting, either. But it may well be my favorite, and it's definitely my most-listened, song from Born in the USA. I love “I’m On Fire”--not in a way that’s easy to comprehend or express, not in a way I’m proud of or happy about. But, since I talked about it in my Enhypen post, I've wanted to at least try to explain what this song means to me.
As my health deteriorated and my terror increased in that summer of pain, the first summer I spent with that chronic illness, I found so much comfort in singing along the simple hook of "I'm On Fire", a hook that I don't think was meant to be about what it became about to me. But it didn't matter; woah, oh, oh, I'm on fire. How different, after all, is it to be burning mentally rather than physically? And the burning got to my mind, eventually. I was still new to the pain, then, barely seven months new, and I was convinced the burning would take me out any day that summer. You know it's nothing because the doctors say it's nothing, that there's nothing terribly wrong with you, but it feels like you have to give out at some point, right? Like, death must be in the room, otherwise there's no way my body would be screaming this loudly. My chronic pain is hearing a fire alarm go off all day, every day, but being told whenever I ask: "Oh, there's no fire." Like, I guess it's nice that there's no fire--I guess I should be glad. But then why won't the goddamned alarm stop screaming at me? How am I supposed to pretend this is normal?
So, that summer, my life became a movie, one where I looked just like I always had and sat around the house, becoming perpetually attached to my heating pad and moving as little as possible, for fear of setting something off by accident and making the pain even worse. In later seasons, my existence would become more normal, waking up in the morning less surprising to me, and with that, the fear less gripping. And I would start to move again, learning to block out the fire alarm that soundtracks my existence.
But there's still “I’m On Fire”. My dad, who was my introduction to Springsteen and who I, as a result, share most of my Springsteen favorites with, hates "I'm On Fire". And I get why, but I love the song anyway. I could listen to it all day. And I guess I could justify that opinion in a nice, reviewer-y way: the texture of the guitar instrumental is gorgeous, and the melodies are sticky & perfect for singing along to, despite how flatly Springsteen performs them.
But I don’t know, I don’t really care a lot about “I’m On Fire” being good. And I don't care a lot about it being bad, either. I don't care that the lyrics give me the creeps; I don't care that it's really a big nothing of a song, even compared to Springsteen's own "Nothing Man". I just know that it captures something about my summer of 2021, a summer that remains queen of my nightmares--it captures how those months were terrifying and yet so, so banal. You know, that feeling when Springsteen so casually sings, almost mutters, “someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul”. Most songs, most artworks, most people, don’t get that feeling. These days, I don’t even really get it myself. Only occasionally do I understand how I felt back then--for example, right now, after listening to “I’m On Fire” for 20 minutes straight while I try to get these words out. I don’t like “I’m On Fire”, really, except for maybe those beautiful guitar clicks, but I love it. I love to sing its melodies; it’s a part of me now. It knows something about me, something about my history, that even I don’t really know anymore—maybe, honestly, that I try not to know.
Is this too sad of an ending for a series that's mostly just me being giddy about my favorite music? Yes, probably, but it still feels right to me. I love that Springsteen's music doesn't shy away from sadness; I dance to it anyway, sing to it anyway, and find comfort in it anyway. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed my bruceposting (which I'm sure this won't be the end of, since I'm seeing him in concert in a few months)!
3 notes · View notes
fuckmyskywalker · 10 months
Note
professor!anakin? or maybe dilf!anakin
— CW: Age gap! (Anakin is 40, reader is 23.), Modern!AU, Divorced!Anakin, Love/Touch/AttentionDeprived!Anakin, he overthinks! Kissie! 🤍.
— a/n: You got me at Dilf!Anakin. (Leia and Luke are around 15-16 in this AU!) I think this is gonna be a series! I would love to start a Dilf!Anakin series so send more asks on this one ;).
Tumblr media
He knows this is rather idiotic.
But then again... name one time he has done something he doesn't regret.
He could spend hours just rethinking his life…
But— when he sees you sitting at the other side of the table, smiling and glowing like the sun itself, he no longer feels like a pathetic, father of two, divorced 40 year old, but more of a hormonal teenage boy who is having his first date.
"Tell me about them, they sound charming" You say with the most pretty smile Anakin has even seen in his life.
And he was married once.
"Well… Leia is more of an extrovert, she is running for class president and there's no doubt she will win" He replies. He is actually impressed you look so interested in his life. "Luke is a bit more introverted, he's more into art and music… but as long as it makes him happy, guess I'm okay with it"
When he downloaded that confusing dating app at 3 am during one of those nights when he couldn't sleep, he never imaged he would encounter such a lovely young lady as you. Right away he understood people only tried to hook up, and he felt ridiculous for looking something more of a "long–term" thing in a damn app.
After ignoring some desperate texts asking for more pics, for a place to meet, and even for his Snapchat (he has no idea how to use that either), he then found you.
And he was so glad he did.
"I would love to meet them one day" You reply, bringing him back to reality. "I mean— if you want to meet up again, that is" You quickly add, blushing slightly at your straightforward comment.
«I want to see you every goddamned day» Anakin thinks.
You're almost 17 years younger than him, and he should be worried about that, but somehow the idea thrills him.
"That would be nice" He replies, giving you a little smile.
He learns about you, as much as he possible can during the two hours you spend on the restaurant. He sees you smile, and frown, and laugh, his heart racing at the joyous sound of your laughter. You are so beautiful. You are so full of life.
Anakin is so dull, or at least that's what he sees every day in the mirror.
It's been years since he has been on a date. Whatever experience he may have it probably faded with the years.
"I had fun" You speak, holding his arm when you two walk out of the restaurant. Anakin is relieved to know at least you enjoyed spending time with his old ass. "Thank you, and you didn't had to pay for everything, you know?"
"I know" He chuckles. "But I wanted to"
"I should get going. It's getting kinda late and I don't wanna bother you" You start, pulling out your phone from your purse and opening the uber app. Anakin just stares at you, frowning. "What?" You ask quizzically, giving him a curious look.
"I can give you a ride"
"Oh— it's okay! I don't want to bother—"
"It's not a bother, at all"
And he says it with the most sincere tone, his ceruleans irises staring deeply into yours... that you just can't refuse.
"Fine" You give in, squeezing your hand on his arm. Your smile is everything.
He opens the door for you, a gesture that you shouldn't find sweet but you do.
The city lights eclipse the stars, but not the moon. The full, yellow moon shines brightly on top of the tall buildings. For the first few minutes the car ride is silent, as you continue to stare to the moon.
"When Luke was a child he thought the moon was made out of cheese" Anakin says out of the blue, his eyes locked on the road. "And when Leia told him it wasn't, he cried for almost an hour"
Anakin glances at you from his peripheral, smirking when you laugh. He would do anything just to hear you laugh again.
The conversation blooms after that, and he's so sad the ride to your place isn't an hour long instead of 15 minutes.
The goodbye has him feeling awkward. Anakin doesn't know what to do. Should he kiss you? Would that be too much? A hug? That feels too clumsy inside the car. Just a wave feels too little...
His mind races a hundred kilometers per minute.
"Hey" Your voice drags him out of this trance. "I'm so glad we met" You place a hand on top of his, smiling fondly.
He eyes your makeup, did you really did that for him?
He finds himself admiring the color of your eyes, how your eyeshadow matches your skin tone perfectly, the pretty mole on your left cheek, and your lips, plump and soft and glistening with gloss.
"Me too" Anakin replies, mirroring your smile. "Whenever you want to go out again, just text me"
"I will" You nod, tilting your head to the side. "Good night, text me when you get home"
He doesn't want to go.
"I will, sleep well" Anakin feels like he should do something else, but his mind is blank.
Then, you lean closer.
Closer.
Closer.
His lips welcome yours almost instantly. The kiss is soft, a gentle touch he had no idea he was craving. Your lips taste like cherry, and when you close your eyes to kiss him he can't, he looks at your pretty expression and his heart jolts. His left hand cradles your cheek, his thumb caressing your cheek.
When you pull away, Anakin has the urge to lean forward, to kiss you again, and never let go.
"Good night" You say one last time before walking down his car and walking towards your house.
Later that night, after he texts letting you know he got home safe, Anakin lays on his empty bed, staring at the ceiling, shirtless, with a storm of thoughts.
Of all the things Anakin Skywalker regrets from his life.
This isn't one.
And he can't wait to see you again.
Tumblr media
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪 English isn't my first language, sorry for any mistakes!
1K notes · View notes
magicalbats · 4 months
Text
We Turn Not Older: Neuvillette
Tumblr media
Rating: R-18+
Word Count: 5402
Warnings: Afab!reader, some gendered language, blowjob, deep throating, breath play
A/N: Alright, so I'm technically late on this but I finished it and by god am I going to post it. I had this crazy idea that I was going to write a little something for most of the character birthdays going into 2024 (minus the obvious ones like Diona and Klee, duh) so the title will be used as the catchall for this "series". I'm going to elaborate further on this reader character in a different post but basically we're just replacing Lumine in the canon story and everything else stays the same haha
"We turn not older with years, but newer every day" - Emily Dickinson
Neuvillette turns from his perusal of the floor to ceiling bookcase at the sound of the door opening and then closing behind him. The contemplative look on his face morphs into one of friendly greeting when he sees it is you standing there rather than a Melusine or one of the many human secretaries constantly flitting about the Palais with files and documents to leave on his desk. He isn’t exactly the easiest person to get a good read on, but you think he looks almost relieved. 
“Ah, so you were able to make it after all. It is a pleasure to see you again, Traveler.”
The honorable Iudex smiles at you, his expression so soft around the edges and inviting that you feel the regular tensions in your body relaxing in response. You were under the impression that not many could count themselves lucky enough to be on the receiving end of such a warm welcome and for good reason. Neuvillette took his obligations to Fontaine as much as its people quite seriously, so there was always a certain decorum with which he carried himself when interacting with others. It was a direct contrast to the Hydro Archon who seemed to operate on the far opposite end of the spectrum. 
But you were not a citizen of this nation so no such expectations existed between you and him. He was free to speak and behave in whatever way he deemed fit when dealing with you, and he chose to be warm and welcoming because the two of you were friends now. You could call yourselves that, couldn’t you? 
Truth be told you were banking on it today. Offering him a smile of your own, you start to walk across the office, the plush, no doubt expensive rug under your feet almost completely silencing the heels of your boots to make for a near silent approach on your part. You were glad Sedine hadn’t insisted on personally seeing you in but that was yet another perk of being on such good terms with the Chief Justice. It allowed for private audiences with him like this.  
“It is your birthday, you know. I wouldn’t willingly miss the chance to celebrate it with you for the world.” 
“You flatter me, of course, but I do hope you didn’t neglect anything important just to come see me?” He makes it a question, the curve of his mouth taking on a vaguely wry edge at the thought of what you may have decided to skip out on given your reputation in Teyvat. He was in a good mood then, if he could find humor in your many exploits. A promising sign if there ever was one. 
Stepping around the corner of his spacious desk, you walk right up to him and come to a stop with mere feet to spare. The height difference forces you to crane your neck back to peer up at him and he likewise tips his chin down to pin you with that amused yet still perfectly congenial look. That he allows you to get this close without questioning it or backing up a step to keep the distance polite and respectful speaks volumes. Your heartbeat subtly begins to speed up. You wonder if he can sense it in some way. 
“Luckily I didn’t have any pressing matters to take care of so I came as soon as I got your letter. How else was I supposed to give you your birthday present?” 
“A present?” Neuvillette echoes you, and his expression finally slips to belie his confusion on the matter. He’d clearly noticed that you’d entered his office empty handed with nothing except the clothes on your back, not even Paimon in tow. The fact he hadn’t expected anything at all and didn’t give it a second thought until now only further vindicates your choice to come here like this. He deserved what you planned to give him, if he would accept it. 
Oh, and how you hoped he would. 
“But of course, Monsieur Neuvillette. That is the custom everywhere in Teyvat, isn’t it? Even Fontaine must recognize the tradition of giving presents to someone on their birthday?” 
“Well, yes. That is true but …” 
He doesn’t finish his thought. Allowing the words to trail off into a curious silence, he watches you bring your hands up without protest as you carefully place them across his chest. There are many layers of clothes between you and his skin, and you register a distant note of surprise when you realize how narrow he feels under your touch. All the different coats and shirts, and the wide shouldered justice robe had given the impression of someone much bigger. More filled out. He actually seems to be rather svelte under everything he’s wearing, a thought that is surprisingly intriguing in that moment. You wanted to find out how he looked when he was bare and vulnerable in the way only lovers are with one another. Perhaps you could convince him to undress himself for you, one layer at a time. Slowly. 
That was for later though. For now, in this moment, you had an objective in mind, and you give him a coquettish bat of your eyelashes as you pointedly press in on him with your hands. “You’re free to decline the offer, Monsieur, but I wanted to gift you something that no one else can. You told me once before that you don’t allow yourself to foster close relationships with others, didn’t you? I wonder when was the last time you were able to really relax …”
You can see his thoughts working in the soft lilac of his horizontally slit eyes, so fascinating to look into even when you were well aware you’d presented him with a conundrum. A moral dilemma, if you would. As a dragon sovereign he had no right to involve himself with humans beyond surface level interactions, never anything intimate or more personal beyond a friendly greeting and the impartial judgments he passed on them in the court. But you weren’t a human — not a normal one, anyway. You were not of Teyvat and he knew that. That changed things, didn’t it? For you, only you, he could bend the rules. 
Understanding finally clicks into place and you can’t help the grin that comes over you at the way Neuvillette’s body stiffens with the knowledge of what you were offering him. But rather than looking affronted like you’d half expected him to initially react, unsure of how he would perceive such an offer, his otherworldly gaze actually takes on a low simmering heat that sparks warmth in your own skin. The way he looks at you now is very close to being unreadable but his eyes do not lie. They very rarely do in your experience. 
“My dearest Traveler,” He says it softly, quiet to conceal the hot undercurrent just below the surface. “Are you suggesting a gift of sexual favors in place of a more customary exchange?”
“Only if you want it, Monsieur. Like I said, you’re welcome to turn it down if you’re not interested.” 
Neuvillette regards you for a long stretch with what you think must be cautious inner reflection. You don’t doubt that he was taking this time to consider every angle of your proposal and the possible implications that might come with it. That’s just the kind of person he is and it’s what makes him such an effective judge. You don’t mind it. Had even anticipated it on some level, so you wait patiently for him to reach his verdict with your hands still braced against his chest, as suggestive as they were anticipatory. 
At length, he finally draws a single carefully tempered breath before speaking in the low, measured tones of someone who thinks they have been presented with an offer that is too good to be true and they don’t trust it. Not fully. Not yet. “I believe one would have to be a fool to decline such a generous offer coming from you, Traveler. It is an honor just to know you would be willing to have me in such a way and I give you my sincerest thanks for that.” 
“I hear a ‘but’ in there.” 
He visibly hesitates to do it but he still gives in to the urge. Lifting his hand, Neuvillette gently brushes the tips of long gloved fingers across your cheek before cupping it against the curve of his palm. Every movement, every gesture is so deliberate and heedful that you understand what he’s going to say long before he actually speaks it. 
“Yes. You are human. Perhaps not in the usual sense and while I certainly acknowledge that you are not of this world, that doesn’t change the composition of your body. I’m afraid I don’t know what to do with human women, Mademoiselle.” 
“I can teach you.” Is your ready answer, complete with a teasing smile for his benefit, and Neuvillette graces you with a faint chuckle in response. 
“Then I suppose it would be rude of me not to accept. Do you bestow such generous gifts to many of the men you’ve met on your travels?” 
“Only the ones I like.” 
Grinning, you give his chest a more purposeful push. Picking up on your intentions, Neuvillette takes a slow step backward and then another. He lets you guide him towards his empty high backed chair, never taking the intensity of his gaze away from you for so much as a moment while you steer him where you want. It almost surprises you a little bit, how easily such a proudly composed man is willing to comply and let you take the lead like this but the warm glint in his eyes remains even when you trap him against the side of the desk. He’s clearly not only interested in what you plan to do and curious, but also amused by this turn of events. You may have had the control here, for the moment at least, but that was only because he was letting you have it. He could have flipped the tables on you all too quickly and both of you were well aware of it. 
“Sit?” You flick your eyes in the direction of the chair for emphasis. A strange, heady sense of power comes over you when he shifts to the side and lowers himself into the seat with neither question nor protest. Just obedience. No matter how cursory it may have been, it was still very intoxicating to taste. 
Giving him a chance to get settled, you watch as he starts to cross his long legs as if it was second nature for him to do so only to think better of it at the last moment. He situates himself with both feet planted squarely on the floor instead and you eagerly lower yourself to kneel before him, palming his knees so you can gently push them apart while you do it. 
Neuvillette’s mouth automatically pops open as if this was the first thing he found any real complaint in. You softly shush him though, quietly assuring him that you’ll take care of everything as you push the front of his long robe up and out of the way to reveal the top of his high waisted pants. There are a series of buttons keeping the placquet of the trousers closed. He doesn’t try to hide his fretting over what you’re doing while you work to get them undone, a series of “Are you certain”s and “Please, Traveler,”s spilling from his mouth while elegantly gloved hands hover over you in uncertainty. Making a mental note to correct that later, you keep tugging until you at last get the final button freed so you can pull at his pants enough to reveal what’s inside.
The underwear is plain and clean white, yet even you can tell at just a glance that this particular garment is no less exquisite than the rest of his richly crafted attire. The cotton is some of the softest you’ve ever felt and the stitching is perfectly neat and precise. Not so much as a single thread out of place or loose to draw attention to such an obvious imperfection. You can’t help smiling to yourself as you carefully untie the dainty cord at the waistband. 
“Are all of your clothes bought at the finest boutiques, Monsieur?” You tease, sending him a meaningful look from your spot on the floor. 
Neuvillette frowns slightly, like he doesn’t quite understand what that has to do with anything. In truth, he probably doesn’t. “I am not particularly concerned with fashion, if that is what you are implying. As the Iudex of Fontaine I’m merely held to certain standards - -“
“Yes, yes, Monsieur. I understand your position.”
He huffs an almost silent exhale at your giggling response. Consideringly, he observes the way you trace fingertips over the front of his crisp white braies and nudge the fabric down one teasing inch at a time, slowly exposing a strip of soft flesh across his lower belly. “Really, Mademoiselle, is going about it in this manner truly necessary? It is not a gift for me to see you debase yourself like a lowly commoner.” 
“Hmm. Are you quite familiar with the practices of commoners, Neuvillette?” 
“Hardly. It is just …” He once again trails off, a distant spark alighting behind his eyes when you get the underwear edged down enough to reveal the startings of a fine patch of hair. Its silvery-white, almost transparent had it not stood out in contrast against the smooth color of his skin. Just like how the hair on his head is so pale it makes his face look warmer complexioned than it really is, this had the same effect. Your mouth starts to water at the thought of what would come next, and he gives a faint grunt as you give his bottoms a more insistent tug. 
“But you are my esteemed guest, Traveler, and it seems inappropriate to make you kneel before me.” Neuvillette finally finishes his thought and not without effort. 
“You have not made me do anything though. I chose to kneel by my own free will.” You shoot him a quick, cheeky grin. “Besides, I thought you would like seeing a so-called human on their knees for you, oh mighty Hydro Dragon.” 
He sucks in a quick breath. You can tell he’s going to argue it, correct it, contest the allegation you’ve lobbied against him but you don’t give him the chance. With one final pull, his cock springs free. A soft hiss escapes Neuvillette’s suddenly tight mouth as it hits the air, still mostly flaccid but quickly stirring to life even as it smacks against the bare strip of flesh along his pelvis. You’re admittedly surprised and a bit relieved to see that it is a by all accounts normal looking organ of the human persuasion. You hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect from the reincarnation of a Soverign but he looks every bit as normal as you do. Funny thing, that. 
“Oh, Monsieur,” You rove your attention up, catching his eye and holding it as you lean over his lap. Your lips part and you swipe a slow lick of your tongue from the base up to the head. It twitches under the sensation, bobbing upward as if to follow you but you pull away too fast for it to find your mouth again. He looses a terse breath that sounds as appreciative of the gesture as it is bemused at the audacity to tease him like that. “Such a lovely cock for a lovely man. Are you sure you don’t enjoy seeing me on my knees?” 
His length eagerly swells as if in response. It grows in size and shape right before your eyes, stiffening and starting to stand at attention just for you. Evidently he was very much a grower. 
“I said it did not seem appropriate, mon petit voyageur,” Neuvilette murmurs, finally bringing one hand close to cup the side of your face again. Tenderly, his thumb brushes over the swell of your cheek while he looks into your eyes with a certain masculine weight that makes your loins curl into a knot. “I said nothing about not enjoying it.” 
“My mistake.” You whisper back as you reach out to wrap your fingers around his cock. 
Keeping your hold loose, you gently massage it up and then down, giving the base an encouraging squeeze before dragging your hand towards the glans again. The motion makes his foreskin bunch and gather over the head, and when you bring your hand down next you’re rewarded with a soft, sticky click. He was becoming excited rather quickly, wasn’t he? You assumed that meant your earlier assumption had been correct. He must rarely if ever allow himself to indulge in the urges of his human body like this. Not with another person, at least. 
You feel decidedly emboldened as you take a moment to nuzzle into his hand. It was reassuring to know that he did not fear touching you in reciprocation and you intended to enforce the behavior. Gently, at first, then more forcefully if need be. 
“Does this mean I have your permission to proceed, Monsieur Neuvillette?” 
The breath he draws is stilted. Short. “I would certainly be appreciative of that.” 
Bringing your attention back around with a smile, you regard his cock again. It’s a good, healthy size — sturdy in your hand and incredibly soft to the touch despite how firm it’s gotten just below the surface of all that delicate skin. You lean in on the next downward tug of your fingers, when the foreskin has been pulled back enough to expose the ruddy pink head. Flicking your tongue over the dainty slit, you issue a low moan at the shock of salty precum that floods your tastebuds. It’s not exactly bitter but it wasn’t sweet either. Just clean and faintly musky with a distant note of male pheromones to taste. It made sense that he would be as close to a neutral flavor as the human body was likely capable of though, given how much he enjoyed drinking water. It was delicious. 
You let out a quiet sigh into the still air. Giving in to the instinctive urge, you wrap your lips around the head. He tenses underneath you at the sensation of your mouth fully on him, suckling at the sensitive glans, and his hand gives a faint jolt against your cheek. Reaching further back, Neuvillette gingerly cradles the back of your head with a hushed groan but doesn’t do anything beyond that. 
A groan that you belatedly realize is your name. 
Not the customary ‘Traveler’ you got everywhere in Teyvat nor the altering variation of either ‘Mademoiselle’ or ‘mon petit’ that he occasionally used with you in private. Your real name. 
It wasn’t exactly uncommon for the friends you’d made throughout your travels to call you that but Neuvillette did it so rarely, so infrequently that it strikes something delicate and soft inside of you. He was perfectly polite and cordial, and that often meant keeping those around him at a socially acceptable distance. Close, but not so close as to imply intimacy. Far enough at arms length to avoid misunderstandings but not so far as to come off rude. It was a razor fine line he usually walked and aside from the Melusine’s, Furina seemed to be the only exception. 
And now you too, or so it appeared. At least for right now. 
Softly groaning, you lean further over his lap — lean further into your work and take him deeper into your mouth. The stretch is exquisite. It’s hard not to imagine the same cock stretching other parts of your body open in similar fashion, your cunt fluttering in unmistakable excitement as you swallow him down to the halfway point of his shaft. Neuvillette’s fingers lightly spasm against your hair, stiff with the desire to close his fist around the strands and perhaps tug or use them as leverage to push, but he fights it. You’re acutely aware of this fact even while you languidly lap at the underside of his length with your tongue. Still so polite even when you had him pulled in almost to your throat and there was another inch or two waiting just beyond the edge of your lips. You couldn’t abide by him holding himself in check like this when it was supposed to be his birthday present for him to enjoy. He should have been enjoying it to the fullest. 
So you reach back with your unoccupied hand, the one not currently holding him around the base, and blindly latch onto his stiff knuckles. Giving him a quick, reassuring squeeze, you press his palm firmly into the back of your head. He lets out a low, seething hiss in response, still valiantly fighting it for another moment longer despite the encouragement. The gentlemanly facade finally cracks though and a small portion of the Dragon Sovereign seems to peak out. When he finally pushes down on your head, it’s surprisingly forceful and demanding. The pressure makes you take another inch or so, and you moan a thick sound around the cock stuffed in your mouth. Now he was really tickling your tonsils and the sensation makes your salivary glands kick into overtime to produce a copious amount of drool that slowly starts to bubble out past your lips. You were going to make a mess at this rate. 
“Mon petit,” Neuvillette whispers the pet name like an oath. “I am afraid that — nnghn. I seem to be ill equipped for this particular activity. As shameful as it is to admit … I did not expect it to feel this good.” 
Noising an incomprehensible sound, a sentiment meant to put his concerns at ease, you nudge your face down a little closer to his lap and take another half inch. His narrow hips buck slightly at the sensation of slipping into your throat but now he’s struggling just to maintain his composure instead of thrusting up like he wants to. Neuvillette no longer has the luxury or the presence of mind to be concerned about his manners, and his fingers finally close around your hair at the root. The dull yank on your scalp makes your pussy clench tight in response. You couldn’t wait to have him. You hoped he would have you after this. If he was as pent up as you suspected, then it probably wasn’t a stretch to think he would. 
Gathering your own willpower, you slowly start to pull back off his cock. Choking yourself on it sounded like a great idea at the moment but you wanted to give him a short reprieve, a break to get a hold of himself. So you ignore the spit that dribbles down his length to coat your fingers where you’re squeezing it tight in an attempt to stave off his release. Neuvillette manages to surprise you slightly when he issues a low, barely audible growl at the loss of your mouth but you ignore that too. You finally make it to the glans a heartbeat later and you take the chance to swirl your tongue around the pink head. A quick glance through the fall of your lashes shows you his expression pinched in obvious pleasure and something darker. Something far more primal than simple arousal. You weren’t sure how far you could push him before the long dormant draconian instincts started to take over but you were curious and bullheaded enough to try it. 
You finally sit back, taking your mouth off his cock completely. The pretty face of the polite Iudex momentarily scrunches up in a tense, heady groan of frustration that leaves tiny little wrinkles at the corners of his eyes when he opens them to peer down at you. The intensity in those slit irises, the pupils blown wide and dark, inspires a nervous shudder down the length of your spine. You had no idea he could look at someone like that. Like so much meat. Prey that was his for the taking if only he would reach out with a sharp taloned claw and slice into laughably soft flesh to spill whatever was inside. 
Your pussy achingly throbs, though you aren’t entirely sure if it’s from sexual excitement or mortal fear. Perhaps it was both. 
“Are you enjoying yourself, Monsieur Neuvillette?” You speak softly, as if to avoid setting off the predator before you, but the only response you get is a single, hissed word. 
“Yes.” 
Then he’s pushing on your head just as demandingly as the first time, maybe even more so. He forces your face to his lap. Gives you no choice but to open your mouth wide and accept his cock again. Down, inch by inch, you take him straight to the edge of your throat and then you take him inside. Your gag reflex puts up cursory resistance for all of a single second and then he’s wedged as far down your gullet as he can go. You noise a pitifully muffled sound when your nose presses into his pelvis hard enough to bring tears to your eyes, the soft, nearly translucent hair tickling your skin. The muscles in your throat work around the intrusion as if to expel the blockage but it does very little in the way of good when he was already this deep. All you can do is heave on his cock and writhe there on the floor, your shoulders shuddering with each dry gag that assaults your body in violent waves. 
And you couldn’t remember the last time you’d been so painfully aroused. 
Groaning in deeply felt pleasure, Neuvillette gingerly leans back into his chair while keeping his hand pressed firm against the back of your head to hold you in place. You blink through the tears and peer up at him, committing every detail of his stricken face, his posture, his breathy voice as it tumbles out of him to memory even as you reach under your travel dress for what’s between your legs. Pressing your fingers into the crotch of your bloomers, you start to rub hasty circles into yourself while you watch him stiffly shake towards his own release. Never mind the fact you couldn’t breathe like this. It was just going to make for an even more powerful orgasm than what you were already anticipating. 
“Your throat is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” He grits out through tightly clenched teeth, his brows knitted so deeply that a small wrinkle had formed between them. “Du ciel à la terre, I can’t hold out any longer, mon petit, I am going to — nnghnnn!” 
Neuvillette cums with a sharp, rumbling grunt. The sound seems to vibrate through his shuddering frame and bleed into you, your eyes practically rolling to the back of your head when his cock gives one, pulsing throb before shooting thick ropes down your gullet. You choke at the sensation even as your throat desperately tries to get it all down before you can asphyxiate. It doesn’t feel like such a far off possibility at this point as you start to grow faint and dizzy from a lack of oxygen. But you just keep rubbing your cunt and swallowing, spurt after spurt of thick, creamy discharge until he finally hisses one final noise of pleasure before going lax underneath you. 
Without his hand holding you in place any longer, you quickly rear back and come up off his cock with a highly undignified, ugly wretching sound. You suck in a hungry mouthful of air even as sheets of drool and bubbling spit leak from your numb lips. You’re not half as concerned about that as you are with your quickly fleeting orgasm though. Like low tide, it seems to tauntingly lap at the edges of the shore line even as it quietly recedes out into the void of endless ocean without a second thought. You could almost sob at the loss as you rub yourself faster, harder. Even reaching up with your free hand to paw at your own breast through the thin material of your dress doesn’t bring it back. And you’d been so close too. 
“And what is this, Traveler?” 
Abruptly realizing that Neuvillette has recovered from his own orgasm and has been watching you for the last moment or so, you tip your head back to look at him. That glimpse of the dragon is gone and in its place is the same respectable Iudex you were usually accustomed to dealing with. The sole exception in his demeanor was the weight with which his gaze has settled upon you. There was a hunger there. An innate sense of superior dominance that had not been present when last he’d looked at you before this. 
It occurs to you then that you have perhaps awoken the beast in him with all your poking and prodding in more ways than one. There’s something in the way he looks at you down the length of his nose that sets your blood to boiling. You wanted — no, needed him to subjugate you to his will. That was what was missing. That was why your orgasm had fled at the first sign of reprieve from his iron will. 
Whimpering softly at your own helplessness, you lean back to press one hand against the floor and reach up with the other to tug one side of your dress down. He attentively watches your breast spill out into the open, drawing a subtle breath at the sight of you like this. So desperate. So needy and vulnerable. He doesn’t act on it though and you bite your lip to stop yourself from begging for it as you gather the front of your dress. You wonder if your sticky cunt had bled through the soft cotton of your bloomers yet as you present them to him without an ounce of shame to show for it. 
A small yet no less pleased smile plays across Neuvilette’s mouth. Rather primly, properly, he tugs the fabric of his justice robe to cover his lap and hide his softening cock from your voracious sights. The fact he doesn’t put it away, only covers it, makes your blood pound somehow even harder. It feels like you’ve got a second heartbeat in your cunt as he carefully shifts in his seat and brings the toe of an expensive shoe close to your pussy. 
“Is this how one handles human women, Mademoiselle?” He sounds vaguely amused, as if he already knew the answer. Like that one single exchange had enlightened him to a whole litany of sexual knowledge that he hadn’t been fully aware of before. 
You weren’t sure if it was just a result of his undeniable intelligence and he’d merely pieced everything together in record time or if it could really be a shared understanding with his past life. Did the Dragon Sovereign’s mate the same way people do? You didn’t really care about any of that right now. 
There’s only one thing on your mind and, at your nod, Neuvillette brings his foot closer. Slips it between your legs. He thoughtfully hums, as if considering his next move, and then presses up to flatten the top of his shoe along the pudge of your cunt. Even with the thin layer of your bloomers in the way it damn near makes you see double and you gasp. Your reaction seems to please him a great deal. Chuckling to himself, the Chief Justice of Fontaine slowly works his limb back and forth, up and down, to tease your slit with pressure that is simultaneously too much and yet not near enough to make you cum. You felt like you were going to be sick. 
“I must admit that this is quite interesting, Traveler.” He tells you softly, almost secretively. “You’ve certainly piqued my interest, at least. I had no idea touching you like this would make you look at me with such a … needy expression on your face. I wonder what will happen if I keep going. You’ll teach me this too won’t you, mon petit?” 
Of course you would. Anything for the birthday boy.
67 notes · View notes
Text
HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSERY TO
CHARLIE THE CURSED PHONE GUY
MAY HE STAY WITH US FOR ANOTHER FIVE AND BEYOND!
and now a special message from the man himself.
Tumblr media
"Well, Well, Well... look how far we've come huh? Genuinely, honest... And Truly."
"Five years ago I was made and cursed the world of tumblr with my presence, time sure does fly! I've lost a few friends, but gained plenty more in return!"
"I wouldn't even be here today without them, now granted I'm not gonna name EVERYONE! But I am gonna name a select few and tell you how they've impacted me... AHEM..."
"First and foremost the man the myth and the legend the one who is the reason behind everything, the man where if he didn't exist I wouldn't exist!"
"Henr- ... we all know I don't mean him we're talking about real people."
"If your name isn't listed, it isn't because the mod dosen't care but it's because he's a dumbass and these are the ones that came up at the top of his head when writing this post, totally not a forth wall break."
Tumblr media
@directdogman
"The Creator of the DSAF/Dayshift At Freddy's Series Direct Doggo himself, sure okay I was a late edition to the fandom.
but it is fully thanks to DSAF 3 and him that I even exist, what can I say about doggo other then what has been said before one thousand times? He is a man of many skills and many talents."
"He is creative, smart and genuinely an inspiration to everyone in the community of both DSAF and Dialtown... no matter how much time has passed, I will personally continue to respect the man I owe everything to him. So thank you doggo genuinely for your support and your amazing games."
Tumblr media
@cook-ie-chip
"One of my oldest friends in the community, I've known you since almost the start! we have alot of memories together, some laughs, some cries! you also created my blue prints
(though in lore they were written by henry and will) let's look past that! You remind me of how things used to be a long time ago, and I'm glad to still know you even now."
"and with any hope I'll curse you for many years more."
Tumblr media
@lazy-charlie / @chuck-the-fanboy
"I remember how we met, you found me and we both realized we had the same name, and so I decided to charge you extra for like a pizza party lmao."
"But ever since that day we have only grown closer and closer... to the point your apart of the roomba fazbender family [no you will get no discounts] ..."
"You've done so much for me over the years though, you helped create the Roomba's we have here today, you drew some of our lovely walrus friends!"
"AND ... ough... Okay Okay I'll be honest you made Chuck The Fanboy originally a joke just to tease me with, but over the years he's grown on me... DO NOT LET HIM HEAR ME SAY THIS, but he's like a lil bro... and if anything happened to him I'd be devastated."
Tumblr media
@clownsuu / @not-robert
"... well well well if it isn't the shadow in black and the big buff zombie, what can I say about both of you?"
"Hmm... Clownsuu here teases me, has DRAWN ME MPREG, HAS DRAWN ME EMO, IS THE REASON WHY THE EVIL VERSION OF ME EXISTS!..."
"and yet life wouldn't be the same with out him, jack is... an anomaly someone I met because someone thought he was stealing me! HA no one can steal this perfect face~"
Tumblr media
"Gotta say though, all jokes aside... life just wouldn't be the same without him, alot more boring you know? I must admit he is someone I will never forget, you've also drawn photos of a few of my walrus I still have hung up in my office, I appreciate you for absolutely everything you've done."
"And don't get me started on Robert that big buff baby, I've put him in just about every costume under the sun, and yet he still puts up with me and stays still no idea why. But it's because of him my restaurant has expanded so much, from a bowling alley, a karaoke bar and dumpsters full of meat."
"Don't tell Robert this he'd likely call me an idiot, but guy's one of my best friends genuinely thankfully he's immortal so I'll never worry about losing him but ... the thought still scares me."
"Never change Robert."
Tumblr media
@weirdozjunkary
"You turned me into a furry... I got nothin else to say I just had to point that out."
"..."
"..."
"Okay, fine you did alot more then that, you introduced me to bedlam someone who can FINALLY truly be a sponge to my cursed and chaotic behavior, honestly I'd hope so considering he's the god of chaos."
"I only met him recently but I'd fuken fight his version of god for him ... seriously don't tempt me I will kick that old man's ass."
"I'm glad to have bedlam in my life and hope I know him for many years more."
Tumblr media
@an-artist-place-for-extra-art
"you simp for the evil version of me I..."
"I have no words for you..."
"I just question... why?"
"though honestly? never change, I care for you just the way you are, your amazing."
Tumblr media Tumblr media
"Alright, Alright enough of the mushy stuff and forth wall breaks it's messing with my circuits and servo's ahem..."
Tumblr media
"The most important thing about this day is one..."
"I'm so fucking cool"
"two"
"I AM NEVER GOING ANYWHERE HATERS, FIVE MORE YEARS AND BEYOND OF ME!!!"
"and three... and most important lore wise"
Tumblr media Tumblr media
"HAPPY 50TH ANNIVERSERY TO ROOMBA FUCKING FAZBENDERS!"
"50 YEARS THIS PLACE HAS BEEN OPEN WITHOUT ANY DEATHS JUST A FEW INJURIES AND I'LL TAKE THAT WITH STRIDE!"
"AS THE ULTIMATE FUCK YOU TO FREDBEAR'S AND FAZBENDER ENTERTAINMENT!"
"THE GUY WHO IS A LITERAL ELDRITCH HORROR AND EATS SHOES WITH HIS BOOTLEG RESTURANT LASTED LONGER THEN ALL OF YOU SUCK IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"
Tumblr media Tumblr media
"... thank you... genuinely out of pocket with full seriousness..."
"thank you everyone for sticking around none of this would be possible without you, and I HONEST AND TRUELY can't wait for another five amazing years."
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Moderator Monnie: And happy anniversary to everyone from me to all of you!
Have a fantastic day! and thank ya'll for reading!
41 notes · View notes
dduane · 1 year
Note
Hello Mrs Duane, sorry to poke at you on here so late. I haven't had the pleasure yet of reading your books, but a cursory look at your Wikipedia page makes me realise you had a significant involvement in my childhood (Star Trek:TNG, Ducktales, Gargoyles, Batman the animated series, etc), despite me having no idea. I just wanted to say that, having you on my dashboard here makes me feel really ...welcome, happy? You remind me of when I was a teenager online in the early 00s and would meet people older than me who were kind and patient with me, and had this over all calming aura to them. I've been on tumblr since like, 2012 but no one has given me that same feeling of exploring LJ or talking on smaller forums with someone a lot wiser than I am. So thank you for being you, and all your hard work. I hope you and yours have a wonderful rest of the year. c:
Thanks so much! Except for annoying physical stuff, t's been pretty good so far.
And I'm glad to be here and be found a generally positive influence. May matters so continue. :)
123 notes · View notes
liyawritesss · 1 year
Text
ᴅᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴜꜱᴇɪ ꜰᴜᴅᴏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅᴇ...
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Pairing: Fudo Yusei(YGO!5DS) x Black!Fem!Reader
Genre: Headcanons
Synopsis: What would it be like to date the Satelite Rising Star, Yusei Fudo?
Warnings: pre + post grand prix headcanons
A/N: Meet my childhood crush, yall.... there is absolutely no demand for this man. Literally none, but its 10pm and i was reminded of my love for this series from going to c2e2 last weekend. So. If I have to reminisce, I'm taking
Tumblr media
Yusei is one of the guys that literally every girl wants; He’s kind, compassionate, and has an unnerving drive for justice and equality for his people.
Yusei is the kind of guy who’s comically nervous about asking someone out
It’s not like he had any examples of healthy romantic relationships, or any relationships at all for that matter, growing up in the Satelite. He was more focused on survival since it was every man for himself in that literal trash heap
He may attempt to reach out to Martha for some advice, but it would not help in the long run considering her views are a bit...outdated.
He’s not going to Crow or Jack, that is out of the question - they can’t even take care of themselves.
The twins’ view on love and relationships is more refreshed for the times but still, with no offense intended, childish
The only person he virtually had left to even think about asking for help was Akiza, who, like in any cliche case, just told him to ‘be himself’
With virtually no other option the boy asked you out for a night-time ride. It was the only ‘romantic’ thing he could come up with, so he was glad that you enjoyed it regardless
Dating Yusei requires lots of patience, not just because he’s always working to upgrade his runner or practice new duel tactics, but because he’s just never done this before.
He’s aro-ace to me, and I think it's further backed by that one episode where Martha tries to set him and Akiza up and he's very much against the idea, because a) the world is quite literally on collapse, and b) he never sees akiza like that. He was indifferent to the idea of love and romance, having been so fixated on survival for all his life, and so he needs time to get used to the idea of caring for someone in more than just a friendly way, and vise versa
He’ll probably gift you with little things you find interest in, like flattering rocks or crystals he just so happens to pass by on his rides - “I saw this crystal-looking thing on my patrol the other night, I thought you might like it.”
Will almost always be looking for you in a crowd if he’s in a duel for encouragement and good luck. Offer him a good luck kiss on his forehead or his deck, it will calm him down (even tho he knows hes gon win regardless) while inadvertently flustering him, but he’ll promise to make the duel quick so as to not worry you
As the years go on, his priorities change. After finding out the truth of his birth parents and what happened in the Ener-D reaction incident, he opts to lay down his deck and take up his fathers unfinished research in Neo-Domino City
He misses his old life and is still in contact with friends like Crow and Jack, and often goes to visit them and you back in the satellite every once in a while
Yusei still takes you on those late night rides, and still does things to show you how much he values your relationship even after years of turmoil and the world literally almost ending like twice
Yusei is probably one of, if not the most genuine people in the world, who wants to see the good in everyone and be the person people can rely on
The one thing Yusei will ever probably ask of you is to help him zone out if he’s overwhelming himself, which he will because he’s a workaholic by blood, and needs a daring little lady to bring him down to a chill level when he’s overworked himself.
Tumblr media
If you enjoy, please leave a like, comment, and reblog for others to see! And don't be shy to send a request!
156 notes · View notes
rayofmisfortune · 16 days
Note
Throwing this ask over for if you ever want to ramble about Bendy ✨/nf (we are getting fed lately, 3 more games??? A movie??? Ink demon at a rave??? What???)
BENDY RAMBLE PERMISSION? OH HECK YEA!!
We are SO getting fed! I can't wait for what the games have in store for us. With The Cage supposed to release some time this year ANS THE MOVIE??? OH DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT!
I love the Bendy series to bits. Like actually
I've been keeping up with it since chapter 3 of BATIM- haven't read any of the books sadly but that can be excused right???
ANYWAY
The Cage is supposed to be a look behind the scenes at what happened on the other side of things while Audrey was busy explaining the concept of personal space to Wilson, if I remembee right? Also supposed to be darker and gorrier SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT
Then... in Secrets of the Machine we get teasers for B3ndy and Bendy Silent Town...
I hope B3ndy's gonna pick up on where BATDR left off, Gent taking away the Ink Machine to GOD KNOWS WHERE??? With Bendy now being out in the real world... it begs the question of who the role of big bad and smiling (traumatized, very much traumatized) will fall on... As for who we may play as.... maybe it could be this Riley Wells (hope I got the surname right) character we found out about in Secrets of the Machine? They ended up being a GENT employee so it's not completely out the question? They were employed at Joey Drew Studios before but- got fired because their ideas were too grotesque and dark for Joey's liking (EXCUSE THEM for having trauma you entrepreneur a-hole).
As for Bendy Silent Town... I feel like that game may be a look at mayhaps the genre of Bendy cartoons Riley had scripted? As I said, their ideas were dark. And what is Silent Town? A complete turn to the left at what Bendy games are. Unsure if the hand in the teaser image is Bendy's but- the char has a revolver named Alice FJFJ does that say anything? I dunno! Fjfjfj Getting to shoot cartoon bad guys in a cartoon tho? Aw heck yea! I suck at shooters but I'm willing to try my hand at one if it's Bendy
This is getting long lmfao
AH I haven't realized, but Secrets of the Machine came out on 4/14 (cuz- not american, use a different date format heh) which is the last loop that took place before Wilson or Audrey right? Some significance there
Oml I'm gonna fall into rambling about Bendy and the Ink Demon aren't I?
When you break all the cutouts in Secrets of the Machine, you get instakilled by the Ink Demon. Which. Deserved. I ended up doing that a lot cuz I didn't KNOW what I was supposed to do??? And destroying the cutouts was the quickest way out nfjfjc sorry Benders I promise it wasn't personal.
Anywho- yea it's been over a year YET I'M STILL NOT OVER HOW THE INK DEMON LITERALLY HAD BEEN TORTURED BY THE KEEPERS??? Like- YOU CAN'T JUST THROW THAT AT ME AND NOT EXPECT ME TO WEEP LIKE A BABY- My man's gone through literal hell even before he's been carelessly thrown into the machine "because he was imperfect" my ass, I bet the worst he ever did while in the Real world was walk around and be curious about everything while the only thing decisively threatening about him was his appearance... WHICH ALSO he had nothing to do with??? That's all on Joey and GENT for fucking up and only looking at the outside and not the inside. Is it obvious how much I need this guy to have a happy life?? He has a chance for that with Audrey now which I'm honestly so damn glad for nfnfnc Poor guy had been forced to follow a predetermined script where he was cast as the villain... tbf.. wouldn't anyone end up embracing that role when they've had to go through it for hundreds of loops?? I'd grow tired of trying to change anything as well.
Can... can you imagine? A little scene with Audrey and Bendy in B3ndy where they're just hanging out with eachother in Audrey's apartment.... PLEASE
Ah this got long hehe nfnfjfb
ALSO still not over Henry. My favorite father figure. Pls be a dad to them I beg
I STILL DUNNO WHAT THE RAVE IS ABT 😭😭 Haven't seen anything abt it YET- BUT AYYYYY
AND OML YEA THE MOVIE PLEASE GIB SOME BEFORE THE INK WORLD SNIPPETS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?? Could you imagine? Just- getting to see how the studio was before it all went to hell??? I- GETTING TO SEE THE PROGRESS ON THE INK MACHINE??? MAYBE EVEN BENDY'S CREATION????? And and oml SAMMY before he went "My Lord, My Saviour, coocoo in the head" THE VAST WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
12 notes · View notes
underlockv · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
I recently made a gift for Hocus' birthday and I forgot to post about it here until now! Behold, The Unofficial Unlicensed Talking Magnetic Karl Heisenberg Plush!
More pics and info under the cut!
I've made dolls like this in the past, and had a pattern for it, but this project took me a while. Partially as he was hand sewn (and hand embroidered) and I have a mild hand tremor, partially because I kept adding stuff to him and making him more detailed as I went along (so much so he was late for birthday, sorry Hocus!) but I'm glad Hocus likes him thats the most important part! He wasn't entirely a surprise because I had said I wanted to make him for them, but I think maybe they weren't expecting how overboard I went on the project (nor was I! I just kept having ideas).
Tumblr media
I really wanted to be able to make an alternate outfit for Karl based on a fanfic my friend wrote so I made a base doll body and then made Karl's clothes with a bunch of little buttons and snaps. The shirt buttons are decorative (made of sculpey, I couldn't find small enough regular ones) and it has a hook and loop (velcro) tab on the inside. The pants are a combo of this and some snaps. The belt has snaps but technically works like a real belt and then the undershirt also has snaps as do the "boots". His necklace accessories (sculpey, wire, paint) just tie on and off loosely with strings of embroidery thread. The hat has a cardboard/maskingtape base for shape and just an eyeballed-pattern sewn around it (I think it turned out nice!)
Tumblr media
(this is prior to me adding his scars in embroidery thread).
The Glasses though are attached with his second feature
Tumblr media
I knew I wanted to add some semi powerful magnets to his hands so he could pick up metal objects because that just MAKES SENSE with Karl's powers. I also made him his hammer (paper mache, paint and sculpey again) and added in a magnet to it's handle (as I wasn't working with actual metal for it lol, but I forgot to photograph it before I sent him off) . But in the process of doing that I realized if I attached some magnets on the inside of his head I could also make glasses that snap on and off, and that solved the issue of them staying in place.
Tumblr media
Third feature: HE TALKS! Yes, just as advertised on the box if you squeeze him he says a voice line. Just one voice line really, but it's a long one. I'd argue it's probably the most important line he says in the game that really decides his fate with our protagonist (not in his favour, unfortunately). I used a voice recorder for plush toys that allows up to 20 second recordings. one of the unlisted features is there is a zipper on his back so they can take the recorder out for battery replacement, or to rerecord the message if desired.
POV: you're about to go in the hole (I only took a vid for this in the middle stage lmao). The last part of the manual goes over the alternate outfit and then includes a personal message for Hocus I won't show here. The alt outfit, is like I said before, based on a fanfic. But it's actually the unpublished portion of Hocus' long running fic series so its technically SPOILERS. I may post about it later because I actually tea-dyed fabric while making it and it was a more involved process than expected lmao. I hope you enjoyed reading about all the details of this ridiculous project! Oh! btw the box is actually the box the Chris statue came in for the RE8 collector edition. I bought it a few months ago from ebay (found a good deal!), and inspiration struck when I realized I still had it so thats why Karl got an official looking unofficial box lmao. I just cut chris' face off it for the window haha.
95 notes · View notes
nicosraf · 2 days
Note
I just wanted to say the cain chapters were my favourite chapters of the entire book, finding out the Cain & Abel lore had me messaging my partner (my christian bible gamefaqs guide) feverishly late at night to tell them abt it. But also the line "who remembers cain?" And the response... i GASPED in the bus!!!!!!!! IT MADE ME SO EMOTIONAL. the writing and repeated lines between the paras of that chapter was so insane i was shaken by The Prose!!!!!! Another moment i was so taken aback by was ohya and hahya sheltering the human children bc oh FUCK THEYRE STILL LIVING BEINGS... THEY HAVE FAMILIES N LIVES TOO...THEIR ONLY SIN WAS BEING BORN TMT i started doodling that scene (i cant draw good but sometimes ur compelled by Emotion to) bc it struck me so much how even the giants are innocents... its been two weeks n thinkin abt the fate of azazel n samyaza's family unit has destroyed me irreparably
Spoilers for A&M!
Ahh I'm really glad you liked the Cain chapters! My ideas for Cain were one of my biggest motivators for turning the idea of ABM into the idea of a trilogy. I remember hearing once that Cain is really Lucifer's child, and I have a gay brain, so I imagined Lucifer taking in a little Cain. And here we are! Cain may be a fav character of the series for me. Agh I just love him
And Ohya and Hahya.... Aghh ive said this before but I originally planned to have them talk, and it made it halfway into the finished draft. I decided the ambiguity about their humanness was better, but yeah! You hit the nail on the head. They're also living things with families. It's not their fault they're hungry :(
Thank you for reading A&M! I'm really happy you enjoyed it!!
16 notes · View notes
pokestar-rosa · 9 months
Text
Tumblr media
Hi hi hi, everyone! Its me, the one and only Lucario Girl, or, as I'm known in my civilian identity, Stella Black! But that's supposed to be a secret so don't tell anyone, kay?
In all seriousness, hiya! The name's Roselia Florence Annie Bridgewood, but you can call me Rosa! I'm a professional actress, screenwriter, songwriter, costumer, and singer! I also direct sometimes! You may recognize me from such films as the Brycen-Man series (still made he gets top billing, he doesn't even appear in most of them, but I guess having the ex-gym leader at the top attracts a larger audience), Timegate Traveler, Everlasting Memories, and my personal favorite, Mystery Doors of the Magical Land! You may also recognize me from the time I saved the Unova region from a madman with stupid hair, but who cares about that!
Of course, an actress is nothing without her stage crew, so why don't I introduce you too my supporting cast!
Showstopper the Lucario: My very first ever Pokemon! He starred with me in the first Brycen-Man movie and every Brycen-Man movie since then! There's no bond closer than ours!
Plot Twist the Blaziken: He's called Plot Twist cause I wasn't expecting to run into a Torchic all the way in Unova. Glad I did, though, cause he's been a real asset.
The Heart the Flygon (or just Heart): The heart of the team (hence the name) Heart always knows how to pick us up when we're down.
Smoke the Zoroark: I was asked to take care of Smoke by Anthy and Connie when he was just a Zorua! Once my journey was over he decided to stick with me and get into acting! And those illusions come in handy for special effects too!
Herald the Serperior: Herald's more of a battling Pokemon than an acting Pokemon, but I love him all the same. I called him that cause he was the Herald of my Heroes Journey.
The Smart Guy: A bit of a late addition too the team, Smart Guy really came in clutch against Skyla. Her electric type attacks are no joke!
Hat the Mankey: So named because he stole my hat. Not much of an actor, but likes hanging out on set.
Levi the Leavanny: My partner in Costuming, I don't think I'd get things done nearly as fast if she wasn't around.
Anti-Roxie the Ekans: I named her that because I caught her as a counter too Roxie, eheh. Poison's not very effective against poison, you know. That didn't really pan out but she always preferred being a lap Pokemon anyways.
Big Guy the Gigalith: Named as such because he was super strong, even before he was big. If there was something in the way, he could smash it.
Invader the Elgyem: Maybe its a bit mean to name an Elgyem Invader. Especially since he inspired the Invaders series.
Ghost the Sableye: A mischievous little guy who loves too play pranks on set almost as much as he loves acting.
Sidekick the Flaffy: She was my sidekick, of course. Unfortunately, my proposal for "Lucario Girl's sidekick Flaffy Boy" got rejected.
Junior the Ariados: I don't know why I named this Ariados Junior. Something just came over me and I felt I had too.
Comic Relief the Snover: Okay, maybe this one's a bit mean too, but he's so silly.
Confidant the Scolipede: Obviously if I need to go to anyone for advice or to just talk, its Showstopper (or Nate) but Confidant is also a good option.
Deus ex Machina the Magnezone: My real Anti-Roxie, Deus came out of nowhere and saved me in that battle, hence the name (also cause its a machine). Still have no idea where it came from.
Heel the Spiritomb: Heel's not really evil, but they play the part well. If you need a villain, they're your swirling conglomeration of imprisoned and tortured souls.
Unexpected the Litwik: I named him that cause he surprised me.
Dawn the Empoleon: Another unexpected catch. Since the name Plot Twist was already taken, I named this Empoleon after a famous trainer from the Sinnoh region.
Sixth Ranger the Gallade: A Sixth Ranger is a character that joins the team late in the series run. Sixth over here fits that perfectly, being one of the last Pokemon to join my team.
I'm also friends with a whooooooole bunch of Legendaries but I don't, like, own them or anything. They're just my friends. Sometimes they help out on-set.
22 notes · View notes
taro-666 · 4 months
Text
Posting for my second giftee in the @pedrostories 2023 gift exchange! :-D
Merry Christmas!
My giftee: @5oh5 ! | I hope you can forgive me for being extremely late with this one, from battling a nasty infection in my lungs to forgetting my iPad at home while traveling…. I present to you the first part ( out of 3) of Retrograde!
I really hope you enjoy the start of this mini series, it originally was going to be in one part but then I thought up a little more and liked this idea for you after reading some of your works, in which 🥹🥹🥹 you are so very talented! So again, please enjoy, and happy holidays my friend🎄🎄🎄💗
Tumblr media
Din Djarin x fem reader!
Word count: 1.2k
Rating: nothing explicit in this chapter but pls minors do not interact!
Retrograde
Part 1 of 3
Din was soaking wet. It wasn’t quite raining, but the air was heavy with mist so thick that it dripped from the worn leather that covered his fingers. Din turned his helmet to face you as he fastened a bolt into its place. For the past few hours, the two of you had been working side by side, tinkering with wires, adjusting settings, and troubleshooting on the Razor Crest. And now, as the sun began to set and the last bolts were tightened, you both stepped back to admire your handiwork.
“Took all day, but it looks like we managed to fix everything!” You said with a smile, wiping the beaded water off your goggles.
Din admired your ability to stay positive despite the setback of needing to have an emergency stop on an unfamiliar planet "Thanks for your help. I don’t know what I’d do without you." He replied.
Your heart swelled at his words and you smiled back at him, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having found a solution to the tricky wiring inside the panel. "No problem," you replied. "I'm just glad we could get it done before nightfall."
Din nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we don't want to be stuck in this forest any longer than we have to be." He gestured towards the dense trees surrounding them.
Grogu cooed from the inside of his pram, “I think he agrees.” You giggled, bending down to pack up your tools.
He watched as you carefully stowed away your tools, your hands moving deftly as you secured everything in its proper place. He tried to ignore these feelings, telling himself that he needs to focus on the task at hand and that he couldn't afford any distractions. As you made your way back to the entrance of the ship, Din couldn't help but notice how you moved.
Graceful and with a confidence that belied your stature. He wondered what it would be like to hold you in his arms, to feel your body pressed up against his. Fingers intertwined and your breath against his neck.
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. This was not the time or the place for such fantasies. They had a job to do, and he couldn't let his emotions get in the way. But as you worked side by side, his desire grew stronger with each passing day.
You lifted Grogu into your arms and made your way up the ramp, his pram following closely behind you. The child flashed a contagious toothy grin and you gently massaged his ear.
“Ohhh” you cooed “Someone is excited to get moving again!” Grogu squealed, his big glossy eyes locked onto yours.
Din watched the interaction between the two of you endearingly. You were so good with the kid. He remembered the day you met him, almost instantly Grogu had taken a liking to you; and without the presence of food at that. He made his way up the cockpit to set course to the next planet: Nevarro, to turn in this round of bounties.
As the ship took off, you watched the forest planet disappear beneath you. You take a deep breath, letting the air fill your lungs, and feel a sense of relief. Another successful batch. The bounties were becoming more and more dangerous so you were glad Din had made it through almost completely unscathed. Hopefully it stayed this way.
Din doesn't say much as you travel; which may not be saying much since he is usually quiet but, this time you catch him looking at you a few times, and you can’t help but wonder what he's thinking.
As you approach the dry ashen world, Din turns in the automatic landing controls and finally breaks his silence. "We'll be landing soon," he says, his sudden voice making you jump slightly.
“Just in time, I made a list of things we should restock while we can.” You tapped a few buttons on your datapad to display the make-shift inventory list you decided to create. “That’s- not necessary.” He replied promptly.
Your fingers froze and your head turned towards him slowly, your brows furrowing together as you shot him a confused look. You opened your mouth to try and explain but were cut off, “You’re staying in the cockpit until they finish unloading the bounties.” He spoke with his back facing you, “You don’t have to worry about the kid.” He added. His fingers tapped a series of buttons on his vambrace. He made his way out of the cockpit, Grogus pram following him closely.
You sat there in disbelief for a few minutes, it wasn’t until the ship started its bumpy landing sequence that you snapped back from your daze, bracing yourself on the arm rests. What the fuck? you thought to yourself. Your hands trembled slightly as your fingers gripped around the data pad. You didn’t know what to think or feel, just half a day ago he was talkative and then spent the last few hours stealing glances at you, but he was being so cold now of all times? You sighed loudly and crossed your arms over your chest, allowing yourself to sink into the seat.
Even after the carbonite slabs were unloaded you stayed inside the cockpit, anxiously awaiting the mandalorians return. You tried your best to keep it off your mind, but before you knew it, your brain had conjured up some ridiculously complex reasons as to why his attitude could have shifted so much.
You sat there for a few hours until he returned, only getting up to stretch out your legs momentarily. By that time your emotions had calmed a substantial amount, it wasn’t anger that lingered but rather a slight sadness and fear that he might dismiss you from your position. You jumped at the sound of the ramp descending, you looked around almost as if you wanted to crawl up into the flight control panel and hide. But you couldn’t. So you did the next best thing which was to stay put. You listened carefully to Din shifting things about in the hull, you smiled to yourself hearing Din speak to Grogu.
After a moment Din finally came back up into the cockpit, you purposefully stared straight, not paying him any mind. He easily could tell you were still pissed, rightfully so. He immediately started the take off sequence, he carefully punched in some coordinates before sitting down. He was looking at you for some time before deciding to drop it. You felt embarrassed for how you were acting, you always thought yourself to be reasonable and level headed . But this whole ‘feelings’ thing has thrown you completely out of whack.
Neither of you wanted to address the current tension that had formed. It was a lot of whiplash; suddenly realizing your new feelings for him, and then him treating you so coldly. It all happened so quickly. It was as if one day you woke up and saw him in an entirely different light, no longer was he just the man you worked for. Now you had hoped it could evolve into something more. But for that to happen one of you needed to break the silence, and out of pettiness you also decided that it was not going to be you.
8 notes · View notes
game-boy-pocket · 5 months
Text
Tumblr media
Well, today I beat the Super Mario RPG remake. Only 4 days did it take, but i'm a veteran who knows this game very well and I was using almost every moment of free time I had to play. Not that i'm saying less experienced people are in for a 100 hour game, it's a very short game for an RPG... but I kind of like that it's not overly long. If any series can get away with being a short RPG, it'd be Mario.
I have almost no complaints with this. There's a few changes I don't care for, but none that are significant enough for me to care that much about.... except for two things...
Enemies that know sleep abilities really love to spam them, and it annoyingly reactivates the sleep status. Yeah there's accessories that prevent sleep, but I don't always know when these enemies are going to have these abilities, and they didn't spam them so much in the originals anyway.
The other one is the fight against the boss, Boomer. There's frame rate issues here that throw off the timed hits. I couldn't get ANY timed hits right because of the lag.
Those are the only real significant blemishes on the game. But they're not significant enough for this to not be the definitive way to play the game for me ( I still might pop in the SNES version once in a while for shits and giggles, but this is better in almost every way )
Tumblr media
I will say, this remake solved one problem I had with the original. Once I got Bowser and Peach in my party, I almost never switched Mallow or Geno back in. I liked them. But Bowser was a powerhouse and Peach was an OP healer. There were only three active party members, and no switching out mid battle. Because of that, the only time i've ever beat SMRPG playing mostly as Mario Mallow and Geno was me forcing myself to do it as a self imposed challenge run.
Well this game feels like it buffed both Mallow and Geno, or in Geno's case, fixed him so that his special attacks actually functioned as intended. It gave Mallow a purpose of finding out weaknesses and reistences, as well as getting completed entries in the monster log book. The triple specials are also different for every party combination, and if one party member falls in battle, or is put to sleep, or just because you feel like it, they can be swapped out in mid battle. So for once, I was actually using my whole party, and even swapping out strategically so I could buff someone with Geno's boost, or swapping in both Mallow and Peach to do a super healing move on specific turns, it was great, it feels like this is how the game should have worked to begin with.
Now it might sound like this change makes things a bit too easy... well first of all, let's not kid ourselves, Super Mario RPG is a very easy game, especially if you know what you're doing, and even if you don't grind... second of all, this game imposes limits on recovery items you can carry, so only six revival items instead of filling your whole inventory with them. They also introduce the occasional special enemy that provides more challenge and a frog coin on defeat... that's another issue addressed because Frog Coins were way too tough to come by. They're still rare in this game, but you no longer have to grind ridiculous jumping challenges to get them.
This remake is very faithful, but every mechanical change they made is more than welcome in my eyes.
Tumblr media
I've taken a little peek at the post game, emphasis on little, I really don't know what all is in store for me, but I have a general idea of how it's going to go... how they've implemented it seems very clever, doesn't seem to step on the toes of the ending much. But it looks like it's going to be a hell of a lot tougher than the main game, so I may need to do some level grinding. I'm just glad there's still some things to do, because, and I know i've said this with almost every major release lately, i'm not ready to be done playing.
It feels so fucking good to be a fan of Mario RPG right now. I do hope the Thousand Year Door remake makes Paper Mario fans feel similarly happy. I still think it's an odd choice not to remake the N64 game first but the fans didn't campaign for that now did they? Here's hoping Mario and Luigi RPG fans have something to look forward to as well.
That's it for now, maybe i'll give further thoughts when I beat the post game, but this covers most of the important stuff I think.
10 notes · View notes
lkwritesthings · 9 months
Text
I last wrote a pinned post in June of 2022. A lot has changed since then, yet not as much as I'd like.
First, what's stayed the same:
I am (was?) an author of fanfiction. I primarily write for the 'Boku no Hero Academia' fandom (a shounen manga) and my work generally focuses on the romantic relationship between Izuku 'Deku' Midoriya and Ochako 'Uravity' Uraraka, two teenage superheroes. As of writing this post, I have published 1.5 million words of fanfiction and the vast majority is about these two beans. Most of my work is finished, although not all. You can find my work principally on AO3, where it is hosted for free. I do not take commissions or requests.
As of October 2023, my work is only hosted legitimately on AO3. If you see my work elsewhere, please do let me know.
You can find me on other social media sites here.
I am responsible for two AO3 collections. The one probably most relevant to you is The IzuOcha Fic Collection, a project meant to help with how people are fundamentally incapable of tagging their work on AO3 properly, especially when it comes to secondary ships/ship bashing work. This one doesn't discriminate based on content, other than that fics submitted must be about IzuOcha, although it has a preference towards content that are not dark/triggering for ease of use.
That is to say, while this blog is SFW, some of my work, and some of what is in these collections, may not be. Read tags before engaging with any fic. There are rules/guidelines for submission on this collection, should you be an interested author.
I also have a recommendation list, which just functions as 'IzuOcha fic that I think is good and worth experiencing, often as a starting point.' I'm no longer as current on IzuOcha fandom as I was at the start of 2022, so I can no longer be certain I've read 'all of the good IzuOcha fic' as I was at the time, but I think this list will serve nicely for anyone new to the fandom.
Now, for what's different:
My life has changed a lot since that magical summer of 2020 when I fell into this endless rabbit hole of MHA content. I'm no longer enamored with the manga like I was then, I have largely lost interest in the fandom because of its toxicity, and I personally have changed. If you're curious, I am in my late 20s, I am married, I live in the United States, and as of writing this post (mid-August 2023), I will be returning to university to finish my degrees.
I do still desire to write. If not fanfiction, then some of the ideas I've had for more conventional novels. If I'm ever actually published, I'm sure I will make it known here.
In real life, I am also a storyteller. My actual intended profession is in history education. I have a lot of mixed feelings about my time as a fanfiction author. I feel many days like I made no impact on a fandom I contributed an enormous amount of work to. I don't associate positive feelings anymore with a series that really, truly changed my life. At the same time, I still smile whenever I see Deku and Ochako together, and maybe that's enough.
I can't promise I'll finish all the stories I posted, even though I'd like to. For that, I'm sorry. I no longer have the same drive to write, nor the same free time. Things are just different now, as they always become. But if you read some of my work and you liked it, I'm glad. I hope you let me know, and why, so that I can thank you.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are able to experience the kind of joy I did from MHA, Deku, and Ochako for almost two years.
Have a blessed day.
13 notes · View notes
flowercitti · 11 months
Note
Hey Flowercitti :)
I read you don't bite... so I wanted to say hi. First I may say, I was reading your works bout Vashwood lately and I adore them. You really are blessed. It hits my taste on the point. Maybe you can already read, that english is not my motherspeaking language. I'm from germany. I watched trigun in my childhood and grew up with it. I had hard feels for Vashwood in the past. With the new series it came to my mind to read the old manga and damn... what I have lost! So I'm in the fandom again and my fingers are tingleing (can I say it that way?) Dosen't matter, i have lots of ideas in my dump brain. I'm already writing it down by myself, but i really want to try it this time in english. Do you think i can do it? Maybe you know someone who would do a betareading for me, when I'm finshed. It may take a while anyway. It wouldn't be short. I'm counting to 30 - 50k words. Thank you, for taking your time. :D
Best regards
little-badger
Ahh that’s so cool! I totally hope you work on it! I’m in a few trigun servers that have beta-readers that I’m sure would b willing to beta it for u! Really glad u enjoyed my work too thank u sm 🌸🫶🌺
A Vashwood server I’m not super active in anymore, but still open!
This is a smaller server that’s open to anyone 18 and older (sry, no minors but I spend more time here personally!)
21 notes · View notes
Note
I'm so intrigued by JRPG-style from the WIP game!!! Would love to know more about it
(unrelated to the WIP game but: I really enjoyed reading both 'engrave the silhouette of you' and 'thus, friends absent speak' after seeing them linked on the WIP game post! Good epistolary tomarry fics hold my heart, and amnesia + a whole relationship with your fated nemesis that you're left to grapple with (also, losing a WHOLE decade!) is such a fantastic idea that you've really breathed life into. Thank you for writing and posting, both have gone straight to my bookmarks 👀).
Oh goodness, thank you so much @known-concepts!! I'm so glad you enjoyed those two fics ヽ(;▽;)ノ
So. JRPG-style is me mashing my love for late 90s and 00s JRPGS (especially the Tales of series) with the HP universe. I've been working on plotting it out for a couple months now and finally figured out a couple of the beats that were holding me up last week, so I'm hoping to make some progress on writing this one soon because I want to write this so badly.
Harry is the Chosen One, whose task is to reinforce the seals across the land keeping Voldemort contained. Except Dumbledore, who was involved with the last pilgrimage several decades ago, has found a way to destroy Voldemort once and for all -- by releasing him.
Featuring quirky adventures, HP plot points, more worldbuilding than I've ever done before, and a hefty dose of tomarrymort for flavour, and that's where this one is heading. Probably not the most original idea, but I'm gonna have fun with it!
Thank you for asking! ( ˘ ³˘)♥︎
Edit: Since I don't have a snippet of JRPG-style to post yet, here's a snippet from the next chapter of "engrave the silhouette of you":
Now that he’s speaking with Voldemort, and he’s seen how the man looks at him and reacts to him, it is impossible to deny how deeply Voldemort feels for him. And it’s a very Voldemort concept of love: obsessive, heavy, portentous – consuming. It should be stifling, but to Harry it feels like warmth and devotion. He’s been alone and unloved for so long, it makes a grim kind of sense that he’d gravitate towards someone whose affection for him is so undeniable. There is one thing Harry has wanted for as long as he can remember. More than food, more than comfort, Harry wished for someone to love him. Dumbledore told him that his mother’s love for him was so great he survived the killing curse, but Harry’s only memory of her is her dying moments, and being told someone loves you is rather cold comfort. The magical world’s love for him due to Voldemort’s defeat has always been more of an oppressive burden than something from which to draw strength. But Voldemort loves him. To an almost unhealthy degree, it seems.
And here's a snippet I may or may not use in the fic, but it's amusing and I want to share:
Voldemort pulls back from the kiss, and Harry's so dazed it takes a good five seconds for him to understand what's happened and try to correct it. The other man is not co-operating. “Harry, you need to tell me to stop,” he pants. “What? Why would I do that? That’s a terrible idea–” “Harry–” Voldemort’s voice is decidedly strained, breaking on Harry’s name. “Get back here,” Harry demands, trying to pull the other man’s face back to his. “We shouldn’t–” “Since when do you care about ‘shouldn’t?’” He’s so focused on getting back to kissing that his mouth runs away with him. “You’ve had a lot of awful ideas, and that’s one of them, who lets you run a country–” Voldemort drops his head to Harry’s shoulder, and he starts to shake. Harry’s suddenly concerned he broke the other man. Surely he hasn’t made Voldemort cry…? Ah, no, Voldemort is laughing. Probably at him.
6 notes · View notes
zdbztumble · 4 months
Text
Yet Another Kingdom Hearts Revisit, Part VI
Atlantica is my favorite world in KH I. It may be my favorite world in the entire series. That isn't because I love the movement mechanics of the underwater world, though I do enjoy them. And it's not because I love the storytelling in this world, though I do think it's a brilliant section for plot, character, and lore (more on all those momentarily). It's my favorite because Ariel is an option for your battle party.
That might seem a slight reason, but The Little Mermaid is not only one of my favorite Disney films, but one of my favorite films full stop. Depending on my mood on a given day, it may take the top slot on a Disney list. But the one substantive issue I have with it is a big one: despite Ariel being the heroine, every other element of the film existing to service her story, she has almost nothing to do with defeating the villain who manipulated and betrayed her. Worse, she ends up a damsel in distress at the bottom of whirlpool. For Kingdom Hearts to make Ariel a party member who can fight against Ursula - in both forms - was so gratifying the first time I played this game, and it's remained so ever since. If KH III deserves credit for nothing else, bringing back Ariel as a Link Summon (the most useful one after Simba IMO) was a great move, but combat-ready Ariel in your party as part of a story that pays off all her talents and personality still takes the cake, and it's one of the best things this series has ever done with a Disney character. (It also removed the only possible rationale for giving The Little Mermaid the live action remake treatment, but I'll spare you my thoughts on that ongoing enterprise today.)
Ariel's dynamic with Sora is also one of the strongest between him and a Disney character from outside Mickey's realm. They've got a nice big sister-little brother vibe. Had the Kingdom Hearts TV series ever panned out, it would've been great to see that expanded on. But there's also some nice thematic work achieved through their relationship, Ariel's wanderlust mirroring Sora's from earlier in the game and Sora having become world-weary by that point. Given how pronounced that quality became in KH II, it's a shame that aspect couldn't have been tapped again.
And then there's King Triton, better-versed in Keyblade lore than Sora, Riku, the Traverse Town crew, and even Genie. Whoever's idea that was in the writing process, it was a great choice, and well-placed within the narrative. Had the possibility of a destructive Keyblade master come up too soon, it might have made it too easy to predict some of the twists in Hollow Bastion; too late, and there wouldn't have been time for a sense of foreboding to build. Though I do wish the graphics of the time would have let Triton's destruction of the crystal trident been a little more like his attack on the grotto from the film (the scariest scene in a Disney film for little-kid-me).
Gameplay wise, I prefer Ursula's first stage to the second. Once you get the hang of avoiding their attacks, the big-head enemies in KH I are a little too easy IMO. The first stage is more involved. On the other hand, defeating the big-head Ursula with Ariel in the party is a more cathartic experience, for all the reasons mentioned above.
Finally, I'd be curious to learn more about the music decisions for KH I. How did Atlantica and Halloweentown come to be the only worlds (besides the Disney Castle cutscenes) to use music from their respective films? I'm glad they did; playing along to "Under the Sea" is great. But Yoko Shimomura could certainly have come up with something fitting.
4 notes · View notes