#save me are you bored yet map

[lokisprettygirl]

My Love is mine, All mine (18+) (CEO! Daemon Targaryen x Female Reader) (Non Canon Modern AU)

Series Masterlist

Chapter 1

Summary: You dive down the memory lane and think about how you first met the love of your life, your husband, Daemon.

Warning: 18+, smut, mention of rape, insecurities.

Note : This will probably be the most boring thing i have ever written..you are warned. Expect 3-5 parts (or I don't really know yet 😂)

“Ugggh i don't want to be here” Shelly mumbled next to you so you gave her a side eye, she never wanted to be there. There were a couple of guys demonstrating a product targeted towards women, a decorative ring designed for women that could potentially save their life while they were out clubbing or about doing anything literally,

At first look, the ring looked like any other ring, adorned with jewels and glimmering in the light. Although upon closer inspection you could see that it had a hidden compartment under the fake diamond stud.

Inside the compartment was a red button, a single press of which would send an emergency alert to the local authorities as well as several emergency contacts on your phone, not just that but it also shared the precise location on a live moving map.

There was a group of women watching the presentation take place so you took Shelly as you were really intrigued by the product and as well as the guy giving the demonstration.

His name was Daemon, Daemon Targaryen, he was the tallest guy you had ever laid your eyes on, 6’3 to be astute, he had bronde hair- a mix of brown and blonde, and the most intense eyes you had ever witnessed, he was charming and charismatic and it wasn't like you to get attracted so quickly so even you were surprised by your own behaviour that day.

“Sooooo ummm no offense but how does it work? Is it battery operated?” A girl asked him so he picked up the ring and walked towards her,

“Don't worry I won't pop the question to you” he joked and it made everyone laugh including you. He showed her the 2.0 mm charging point inside the ring so she nodded her head..

“But what if the creeps out there recognise the ring?” Another girl asked him so he went back to the table and picked up another ring from the box..

“They won't..every purchase comes with a fresh design.. see for yourself” he gave her the ring so she checked it out and gave it back to him with a nod of approval.

The longer he talked about it though the more people started to leave, people were not interested in buying the ring even though it seemed like something everyone should own, they kept leaving until it was just you and Shelly. That's when Shelly mumbled something in your ear and ran off as well.

You watched Daemon sighing, there was a defeated look on his face that you noticed immediately but since you were still there he didn't stop the pitch. As you raised your hand up he gave you a smile.

The kind of smile that you knew would only bring you trouble..

“How long it stays active after charging..what is the duration?’ you asked him so he looked at another guy with him that you came to know later was his cousin Aemond.

“We are working on it..it stays for 10 hours for now but we are definitely trying to make the duration longer without comprising the size of it”

“10 hours? That's good enough to find someone if they're in trouble or missing” He gave you a smirky smile as you said that. “So are you selling them?” You asked him and you could tell he was excited by the prospect of leaving this place with at least one sale.

“Of Course..it's 10 euros only” he told you so you pulled out your wallet from the purse.

“Cool I'll take three..one for me..for my friend and my mom”

“Great” he clapped his hand together in excitement before he spoke again “We've also developed an app that will allow you to sync the ring with your phone. Once the connection has been established, it will not be interrupted even if your phone gets misplaced or powered off.” he informed you so you nodded.

“All this for 10 euros though? That's..very affordable..do you even make any profit?” you asked him a genuine though a bit intrusive question so he smiled politely.

“That's not a priority at the moment..goal is to give every woman a chance to be safe” he said in big words that you could have interpreted as a marketing gimmick but when you had learned the reason behind why he had invented this thing, you had realized his words were not empty that day.

He made you walk with him towards the station and Aemond excused himself as he wanted to get a drink, it was a warm day in Birmingham that day.

Once he was done cutting the receipt , you grabbed the rings and wished him good luck with the startup but as you were about to walk past him you heard him calling your name again and your heart skipped a beat.

“Yes?” You turned around to look at him so he hesitated for a moment before he stepped towards you,

“Ummm apologies if this sounds inappropriate but how old are you?” you gave him a smile as he said that. You'd pass out if he was intending to ask you out on a date.

“Just short 21” his face fell down as you said that so you crossed your arms..

“Ohhh” he let out a sigh, there was a look of disappointment plastered all over his features.

“Why did you ask? ” You couldn't help but let out a nervous giggle so he gave you a tight lipped smile.

“I .. nevermind.. thanks for buying our product..call us if you face any difficulties..stay safe yeah??”

You felt disheartened as he said that as for once in your life you were really hoping a man would ask you out, for once you found yourself being more into a man then he was into you.

Later on you had learned that the only reason he didn't ask you out that day was because he thought you were too young for him, he was twenty eight at the time and he didn't want to come across as a predator and a creep by dating a young girl in college. That went against everything he stood for.

But perhaps it was meant to be with you two because..Eight years later you were sitting in a restaurant waiting for him to get there so you could celebrate your four year wedding anniversary and he was late, as he always was at times but you understood that, he was a busy man.

What started as a small, humble operation was now a multimillion-euro company, all thanks to the vision and determination he had shown to make the world a safer place for women.

“God I'm sorry sweetheart” his voice made you snap out of your thoughts so you got up and hugged him tightly, the expensive cologne on the side of his neck comforted you immediately,

“It's okay..I just got here” you mumbled softly so he puckered his lips and shook his head.

“Liar”

He kissed you and made you sit back down again, at times like this he felt like a complete arse, sure he was doing this for both of you but he often felt as if he was making you feel neglected on occasions when he should have been with you, especially after everything you had done for him.

You were there for him when he had nothing in his name, when he was that eccentric bloke that went to women's colleges, workplaces and schools to sell a ring that nobody believed in at first..he had seen the worst of the life with you and in those moments he had decided that he was going to give you the best this world could offer you, he doused you in lavish gifts and fancy lifestyle, foreign trips and what not but deep down he knew all you needed from him was him. Just him.

After dinner and a few drinks as you both reached home you already had your hands on each other, that was one thing that never changed in your relationship with him, he was as passionate with you as he was the first night he had taken you like that, with his success and fame came several temptations on his way and you were not the most secure person, the older you got the more insecure you became of your looks, especially because of how he was desired so greatly by women younger than you but he made you feel as if you'd always be the only woman he'd desire in this way.

“Gods i have missed you babylove” he whispered in your ear before he trailed his lips down to your neck, he was on a work trip for a week and had just returned yesterday so the feeling was definitely mutual.

You loosened his tie while he unzipped your dress and picked you up to sit you down on the dresser, your fingers quickly worked the buttons of his shirt while his lips latched onto your neck.

“You're lovely you know that right? I don't think I told you how stunning you looked today”

You smiled sheepishly as he cupped your cheeks and kissed you while he murmured sweet honey into your ears.

“You did…twice actually” he smiled before he slipped your underwear down your legs, at times like this he couldn't really contain himself. Especially when he was away from you for days, the urge to get back to you and fuck you senseless would always eat him up. He had met you for the first time when you were just twenty one, and he always remembered you because you believed in his invention, you bought that ring that day and that memory was seared in his heart.

But you were too young for him, too innocent, so he didn't make his move that day. However the fate wasn't allowing him to move on from that encounter so it kept bringing you back to him until he had given into this feeling.

Next morning you woke up feeling tired but relaxed at the same time as he had completely worn you out. Nights like this were really affirming for you for several different reasons. He had already left for work, you grabbed your phone and called him but it went straight to voicemail so you put the phone down and sighed. Since you had your day off and had nothing much to do today you decided to call Shelly and your other friends to go for a brunch date.

Daemon was tired too that day and all he wanted to do was get back home early for once and surprise you since it was your day off. However he stepped into a silent house and an empty bedroom so he sighed and laid down on the bed with his business suit still on his body. He had organized the annual office party tomorrow so he knew he wouldn't get any peace moving forward.

He pulled out his phone to see if there was a text from you but there was nothing and he didn't want to disturb you if you were out shopping so he put it down and closed his eyes, it didn't take him long to drift into sleep.

As you returned home, you found Daemon passed out on the bed. Despite his exhausted state, he still managed to look adorable with his mouth open, that was one of his endearing qualities. You removed your heels, climbed onto the bed, and gently tucked his hair behind his ears. The sudden touch caused him to shift and wake up

“Hey theree” you mumbled softly as you climbed on top of him so he rubbed his eyes and gave you a smile.

“One day I come home early and you're not here to kiss me first thing” he feigned a hurt look so you gave him a pout..

“Sorry i didn't tell you, I was out for a brunch with Shelly”

"That's okay darling, I was jesting" Daemon said as he caressed your cheek with his fingers "How was your brunch?”

"Good, it's been long since we met so we had a couple of drinks" you said as you slowly undid his tie, you didn't understand how he was able to sleep like this.

“Sounds fun..” his smile dropped so you caressed his cheek with your thumb to bring his eyes back to you.

“What Is it? Work stuff?” you asked him softly.

“Mmmm ..I just..it's not that, i came home today and you weren't here and I just..felt sooo lonely..I'm not whining I'm just..is that how you feel when I'm not here for you?” He asked you softly so you leaned down and kissed his forehead.

“What do you want me to say?”

“Start with the truth and then you can sweeten it up to preserve my fragile ego” you chuckled as he said that

“I miss you of course.. would i want you to come back home like a normal guy once the work hour ends? Of Course i would but you're not a normal guy, you were born to do something great with your life and I'm here to support you all the way to the end..”

His eyes teared up as you said that so he flipped you around and laid you underneath him, you took his jacket off as he kissed your neck,

“I couldn't have done any of this without you”

“That's not true..you were doing this even before you met me..you would have done this with or without me–” he placed his thumb on your lips before you could go down this road,

“No you don't understand..you don't quite understand what you mean to me..” he mumbled tenderly as he kissed you over and over again, his lips barely brushed over yours as he kept mumbling between each kiss.

“Mmmm I think you made it clear when you made me your missus”

Your arms wrapped around his neck as he quickly rode your dress up and entered you swiftly,

“I love you.. and I'm sorry for being so absent –”

“It's okay..as long as you come back home, as long as you're mine and mine alone..it's all okay”

The next day at the office party you got all dolled up and hung around his arm throughout the evening. The party was the same as every year, he went all out to show his appreciation for the people who worked for TargSecure. People loved him, there was no questioning that, especially the women, he was extra attentive to their needs, they got higher pay and better leave days, their safety was the first priority for the company as Daemon wouldn't have it otherwise.

You saw Aemond and his wife Emma there so you spent your time with her while Daemon was busy with the employees, everything was the same as the past years.

However, there was this one little problem, one so insignificant and probably a figment of your imagination. And that small problem was your husband's young hot new secretary Sheena Mulaney that you knew was upto no good.

❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️👀👀

Taglist

@anukulee @erebus-et-eigengrau @daenny-t @123forgottherest @mcufan72

#daemon targaryen #daemon targaryen x female reader #daemon targaryen x reader smut #daemon targaryen x reader fluff #daemon targaryen x reader angst #modern day au #non canon au #modern daemon targaryen #ceo daemon targaryen

[masuchu]

“𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖” [ZHONGLI]

the day is dismal and monotonous, but inside with zhongli, you find he makes it so very much brighter. ‧₊˚

genre. fluff, very very intimate <3

character. zhongli

love, masu. literally just wrote this entire thing in an hour. the brainrot was so ginormous . love writing for my husband cause it gives me an excuse to write in chinese :b i hope you like it <3

It was a particularly cold day in Liyue. Perhaps, not so much cold, but dreary, drizzly and engulfed by a sky of dull grey. When once, your mood would have been dragged down as though by an invisible anchor at the horrible atmosphere, you found yourself pleased at the chance to stay inside and rest your soul.

But, you suppose, you never had Zhongli before.

Your palms found themselves warmed as you lifted the teacup to your lips. Misty garden. An acquired taste, but easily recognisable and a flavour you have grown fond of. It reminded you of him, and that was enough. You gulped down the liquid and found yourself staring at the man— the him—seated on the other side of the table. His lips pursed in focus, slender fingers tracing over his page, the way his honey eyes went from right to left, then up towards you— Oh.

“Can I help you, dearest one?”

That dreaded nickname. It worked wonders on your heart. It left the threads of his love wrapped around you pulling tighter, your blood flowing faster.

“No, sorry. I didn’t realise I was staring. Please don’t let me distract you, love.”

“I was growing uninterested anyways, you have not distracted me. What is on your mind, dearest?”

A sigh of several unidentifiable emotions left your lips— content, love, adoration, melancholy, inextinguishable bliss. All mixed up together, dissolved like the finest tea. You couldn’t dream of diluting the blend, not when it is the most tender intimacy that has ever overcame you.

“Nothing I have the ability to put into words. I am simply very, very happy right now.” Zhongli smiled faintly at your words, and you couldn’t dream of holding back the one that graced your lips at the sight. He was contagious, a disease of ancient origin, an incurable illness that had taken such unshakable control over your body. You hoped he knew.

He put down his book gently, saving the page with a bookmark. Now free and unoccupied, his fingers lifted into a ‘come hither’ motion. You moved, of course you moved. Stood before him in benign embarrassment, he pulled your waist firmly so you needn’t do it yourself.

Newly perched on his lap, his hand traced over your features. It was one of his favourite things to do, you noticed. To memorise you, understand you. He relished in the twitch of your nose when ran his knuckles down the bridge, the gentle furrow in your brows when he halted to hold your cheek. You always indulged him and his curiosity.

However, this time, he stopped early. Your confused look amused him, and he chuckled quietly yet deeply as his face came closer to yours. His lips began pressing fleeting kisses all over your face: your cheek, your temple, your eyelids, your nose… No place on the map of your visage was left unexplored by Zhongli. No place except your lips.

“I am very, very happy too. Though the weather is sombre, you shine through it, 亲爱的.”

“Oh, please kiss me.”

He chuckled again, ever the tease. “How can I refuse when you ask so favourably?”

It wasn’t sudden, he prolonged it maliciously. His tender knuckles grazed your cheek, his arm pressed you tighter against him. Honey glazed eyes met with yours for one final moment. And then it happened. Misty garden flourished on your taste buds once again, this time in away you could never begin to get bored of. You would kiss him forever, if he would let you. If forever was an option. Your hands went to either side of his face, holding on in fear that he was going to fade to ash beneath you. He never did. You wouldn’t let him. The kiss lingered for a moment as you both kept your lips perfectly close, eyes firmly locked, before he pushed your face into the crook of his neck and uttered words you would lock away in your heart for eternity.

“你是我最珍贵的宝石. 请留下来陪我.”

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒:

亲爱的 : dearest/beloved/honey

你是我最珍贵的宝石. 请留下来陪我 : you are my most precious gem, please stay with me

2024 © masuchu , do not repost, reword, plagiarise, take inspiration, translate or share my work anywhere!

#⋆ ˚｡⋆୨ sincerely me ‹𝟹 #genshin impact #genshin #zhongli #zhongli genshin #zhongli genshin impact #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact fluff #zhongli x reader #zhongli fluff

[mikhailwrites]

Soaring Ever Higher 2 - Ghoap/Ace Combat 7 crossover

Previous chapter | This Chapter on AO3 | Next chapter

Ghost met John "Trigger" MacTavish and after the pilot saved his life - at cost of disobeying a direct order - asked him out for a drink. However, Trigger stood him up...

John is on his way to change from his flight suit to something considerably nicer. Well, maybe not all that much nicer since he wasn’t exactly planning on going out during this deployment, let alone going out with someone. Still, a tan tee and black cargo trousers could be considered an improvement.

Just as he’s nearing the door to his room, someone is standing in front of them, hand raised to knock. Trigger makes another two steps before he pauses. He’d recognise the unruly mop of dirty-blonde hair anywhere. “Count?” he calls out his wingman, who turns around quickly.

“Ah, there you are! Come on, the boss needs you,” Count gestures. Trigger stops. No way. Do they really have to do this right now?

“Can’t he wait at least till tomorrow? He can chew me out then,” John shrugs, resuming his walk towards his room.

However, Count shakes his head. “It’s not about your stunt today, I think. There’s another mission, an urgent one,” he explains. “So, come on. It’s not like you have somewhere better to be.”

He does, actually, but doesn’t say it out loud. If Count knew about his plans, Trigger wouldn’t hear the end of it. “Aye, okay, lead the way.”

True to Count’s words, Long Caster is already in the briefing room, going over maps and documents. The moment Trigger and his wingman come through the door, their commanding officer looks up, eyes locking on John.

“Good thing you haven’t changed yet. You’re about to go out again. The station personnel is refuelling your aircraft as we speak.”

“What’s so damn urgent then?” Trigger barely hides his displeasure as he walks around to the table and looks at the mission intel.

Long Caster also turns to the table and pulls out a topographic map of the nearby mountain range. “We need you to do a recon sweep.”

John gives him a long, hard look as if to ascertain if he’s serious or not. “Excuse me? A recon sweep? Don’t we have drones for that?”

“We do. That, and insubordinate, obstinate SoBs that treat commands as if they were mere suggestions. Get ready. You leave in ten,” Long Caster nods at the fellow pilot. When Trigger doesn’t move an inch, he adds: “Dismissed, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir,” Trigger grunts and leaves.

Count looks at the back of his friend and wingman before he turns to Long Caster. “With all due respect, sir, was that really necessary?”

“I don’t need you questioning my orders, Count. However, if you insist, I’m sure we can arrange some rewarding mission for you as well,” his superior cocks an eyebrow in obvious challenge.

“I think I’ll pass. Permission to leave?”

“As far as I’m concerned, you were never here,” Long Caster nods to the still-open door and Count excuses himself.

The flight path is long and utterly boring. Trigger has to fly low and slow for the radar and lidar to catch everything he needs. He’s bored. His jet is bored, too. It’s just a sea of green, stretching in all directions, and, even worse, the sky is still overcast, so it’s just the green below and dull grey above.

He returns after the nightfall. Taking off the helmet, the sweat-drenched mohawk sticks to his head. Trigger only exchanges a few pleasantries with the staff and engineers before retreating to his quarters to shower.

Only then, under the spray of lukewarm water to cool himself down, does he remember he was supposed to meet with Ghost and practically stood the man up. Great way to fuck up a promising start they had. John shortly debates if he should go to Ghost’s quarters and explain to him what happened.

No. It sounds like bullshit, and he’s way too beat to go anywhere, anyway. Even more so since the Strider squadron’s mission has been completed, and they will be returning to their home base tomorrow. Another long, boring flight. At least he will have his mates to chat with.

#

Ghost finds Laswell first thing in the morning. He’s not angry, and he’s willing to give Trigger the benefit of the doubt. Ghost knows better than most how quickly downtime can turn into active duty, especially for top operatives such as himself or Trigger.

Laswell is fully immersed in the display of her laptop. Ghost knocks on the open door and is given a lifted index finger – a universal symbol to wait, and that’s what he does. Full five minutes, actually. Only then does Laswell click a few times and finally nods at Ghost to come in. “What can I do for you, Lieutenant?”

“Do you know where Trigger is?” Ghost’s voice is steady, as is the rest of him. To anyone else, it wouldn’t sound any different than asking what’s for lunch, but not to Laswell since it’s her job to notice even the most subtle changes and details. She’s also damn good at her job.

“Yesterday, Flight Lieutenant was needed elsewhere, in a rather urgent manner, I’m afraid,” she confirms Ghost’s unvoiced theory, “as of this morning, Strider squadron’s mission has concluded, and they returned to their home base”. By mentioning Trigger’s rank, she also lets Ghost know that MacTavish actually outranks him. Interesting, if not exactly surprising. It’s good that John didn’t intend to leave him hanging. However, Trigger is now, quite literally, in the wind. Who knows how long before they run into each other again? Ghost tries to convince himself that he mostly minds the debt; he’s promised John a drink. “I could get you his phone number if you want.”

“No need,” Ghost declines her offer and pointedly ignores the knowing look on her face. Laswell doesn’t need to know everything, let alone the degree of interest Ghost has in MacTavish.

Ghost walks out, stopping on the tarmac and looking up. There’s the vast expanse of clear blue sky. If he’s honest, he never paid too much attention to it. His fight is and has always been on the ground. Now, he can’t help but wonder: how does being up there feel? There is no ground to support you, no cover to help you, no nothing, just you, the mission, and almost endless space. There’s something freeing in the thought but, at the same time, anxiety-inducing. No, Ghost is very much ground-animal, thank you very much.

If he gets to talk to MacTavish again, he will ask him what he sees in the blue. What does he feel when the jet leaves the ground? What is he thinking about, up there, among birds and clouds? And what’s with those three strikes on the tail? With a newfound resolve, he changes the initial if to when. When he gets to talk to MacTavish again.

#call of duty #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #ghostsoap #soapghost #ghost x soap #ghoap #ghost mw2 #soap mw2 #ace combat #ace combat 7

[spacesquidlings]

Thorns

Description: Connecting with family can be wondrous, but it can also cause heartache and strife. And when she's caught in a fight, he saves her

Pairing: Astarion x Female Tav (Aspen)

Warnings: Threats of physical violence

A/N: Although being with family over the holidays is supposed to be full of love and warmth, it very rarely is. I've been lucky the past number of years that my holidays have usually been fun and joyous, and I've looked forward to the parties and gatherings. As I've gotten older though, things have become more and more difficult, and this year especially has been much harder in a lot of ways (I won't bore you all with the details but it's been difficult to say the least). I've simplified this fic a bit so as not to bore anyone with the complexities of a very large extended family unit, and paired it down to feature mentions of a more condensed family. Please forgive me this indulgence, but writing this brought me some comfort and closure after a difficult situation on Christmas eve. I hope it can give someone else even a little bit of comfort and safety and the knowledge that you are loved, and that you are good as you are. Happy holidays you guys I am sending my love <3

****************************************************

Fights happened, that’s just the way families were. At least that’s what she’d been told.

She’d been told a lot of things. That she could be terribly angry, that she was always angry, that she often screamed, that she was always horribly loud, that she could be thorny and sharp. And although she never tried to be a creature of wrath and noise, it seemed that such a beast was forever lurking beneath her skin, waiting to unsheath its claws.

So too had she been told that she could be too much. That she needed to dampen her voice as one extinguished a flame, leaving only smoke to show it had been there at all.

And some of it was true, she was certain. In the back of her mind she knew she could be loud, that she could be a bit much. She would lose herself in her excitement, her passions. The flurry of emotions, as raging as a hurricane, would overtake her. Whether it be in joy or excitement or heartache or anger, she would lose herself, and sometimes it took a steadying hand to bring her back.

She did not have a steadying hand that night.

It had been years since she had seen her family, absconding from their home with the intent to make a life for herself in Baldur’s Gate before being stolen by the mind flayers. She had written letters to them since, but she had settled nicely into her life with Astarion, finding joy and contentment like nothing she had felt before. So it had been ages since she had seen them, so focused was she on the moments of excitement and the moments of repose with her lover.

But with the holidays coming up, she’d wanted to see them. She had wanted to see her family again. She was on good terms with nearly all of them, although there was a strange distance that had grown between herself and her father. Yet that surely would not matter, not when she wanted to see everyone, when she wanted to reconnect and laugh and be in their company once more.

Astarion had obliged, musing about how he’d like to meet the people she had grown up with, and perhaps take a peek at old paintings of her as a child, and look for old beloved toys and books to tease her about later.

So they had sent a letter to her mother, and they had packed their belongings, and they had headed out to the village she had grown up in.

It was not a backwater by any means, but when they first arrived she gazed upon the central market, the rows of quaint houses that skirted the village borders, and felt strange. It was all as familiar to her as a recurring dream, and unknown as an uncharted land unmarked on any map.

It had been her home, but it was not her home any longer. She was a piece of a puzzle that no longer fit, this small world shifting around her absence, filling in the gaps as surely as she had filled in the gaps that had been left in her.

She’d spent the day with Astarion, clutching his hand tightly, the ring that allowed him to walk in the daylight glittering like a star plucked from the night sky on his finger. They’d gone through all of her favourite shops, had paused in restaurants to enjoy some of the foods she hadn’t had in ages, before finally arriving at her parents’ home.

Her heart had fluttered like an injured bird, and she considered turning tail and running. But with Astarion’s hand in hers she felt brave, felt safe as she knocked on the door, as she was greeted by the delighted shouts of her mother, of her siblings, of her grandparents.

The reunion was not without its awkwardness, exacerbated by Astarion delighting in stories of when she’d been in a child, and finding old paintings that had gathered dust of her childhood self. He’d even managed to find his way to her old room, the one she had occupied barely a week before she had first met him.

Laughing, he had wiggled beloved stuffed dolls above her head, teasing her as he pretended to play, eliciting annoyed shouts at first, and then laughter as she’d tickled his sides until he’d conceded.

She’d been able to fall into a comfortable routine with her family, and with her lover at her side. The years of adventuring had not diminished her love for them, nor had it made theirs falter. She no longer fit within the village, but she was still welcomed, still accepted.

Their plan had been to stay for a few weeks, touring the village and some of the larger cities nearby, and catching up with family and old friends. Most days Aspen and Astarion would spend their mornings together, Astarion lying on her chest like a weighted blanket, murmuring that he was too comfortable to move even as the sun made its way across the sky. Then they would dress, invite one of her siblings or her mother along with them, and they would head out into the world.

In the evenings they would return, and he would roll up his sleeves and offer to help with the cooking and cleaning her mother often did. It added to the strange delightfulness of everything, Astarion offering to do something he had often whined about at length when their relationship was still new as spring blooms.

It felt almost blissful, a strange sort of dream she found herself walking in. A scrap of domesticity, a glimpse into what life with him would be like if they ever settled down. If they ever decided to put down roots.

But as much as those days warmed Aspen’s heart, they could not last. It was all too good to be true, the softest, most magical part of the dream right before she awoke. The calm before the rage of a storm.

She loved her family, so entirely she did not always have the words to explain it. But as much as she loved them, they frustrated her beyond belief, beyond words or understanding. The little words that cut like a knife into her heart, picking at her life, at her interests and hobbies, at her choices.

The only difference now was that she no longer wandered her family’s home and the village roads with open wounds, dripping blood into the snow-covered cobblestones. When they wounded her with sharpened words, Astarion was there to stitch her back together, to hold her until the tightness in her chest began to loosen, knots coming undone.

There was never any true malice behind their words and actions, but that did not mean that it hurt her any less.

She loved them, but they frustrated her. The more time she spent with them the more things weighed her down, the more things chipped away at her confidence, at the slivers of courage she had found travelling Faerûn, at her own heart. She could feel parts of herself fading away, withering like flowers in a storm, like dying leaves falling from ashen branches.

Aspen was reminded of how difficult family could be, and none were more difficult than the man who called himself her father.

Just as surely as she’d been told she could be too much, she’d been told she needed to be careful around this man. To dance delicately around things that triggered his rage, to tiptoe through a field of eggshells to ensure nothing cracked.

But Aspen was not a rogue, not like her beloved, able to slink silently through shadows, able to dance through fields of fire, able to whisper honeyed words that calmed most people before aggravation could explode.

How could she, when there was a monster beneath her skin? And though she’d thought it finally tamed, it returned in a fury easily, far too easily for her liking.

It was a night when Astarion was not with her, when they were a hairsbreadth from the holidays and she was helping to cook and bake. Grating cheese and chopping veggies, measuring out chocolate and stirring batter.

Astarion had slipped out earlier in search of something he would not divulge. He would only grin in mischief, tap her nose playfully, and promise he wouldn’t be out too late.

And without him nearby, she’d had nothing but her songs and stories to while away her time with. So she had volunteered to help cook and bake with her mother, taking part in what had been a little tradition between the two of them when she’d still lived with her family.

Things had gone well enough, and they’d successfully prepared many treats for the holidays and the revelry everyone would be taking part in.

It had come as a surprise when her father had entered, forcing his way into their comfortable space. He’d started doing something else entirely, plates and bowls clashing in a discordant clattering that had her ears ringing.

Although her ire had been stoked initially, she’d had no reason to pay it any heed. What he was doing was no crime, and her mother was forever asking her to strengthen the bonds between the two of them, to close the strange chasm separating them that neither was ever able to fully cross.

And it had been fine, at first. Casual conversation shared between the three of them, her younger siblings having retired to bed already, and Astarion still lost to the night and whatever wicked surprise he was searching for.

But then it had been not fine, and too late did Aspen realize the claws of the monster in her blood had come out.

Her voice raised, her heart thundering in her chest, a plea to be listened to, to be seen and understood as the adult she had become. That she was not a fool, that the aches in her heart for things he refused to believe were valid, were just, if only he would listen.

They’d had many shouting matches in the past, leaving open wounds that had pushed them further apart the older she grew. So when his voice rose she’d thought perhaps it would be the same as the others, words thrown like rocks back and forth until it fizzled out.

But she’d said that he’d been talking down to her, that he’d been talking to her like she were clueless, a child.

And that apparently, was too far.

The escalation was abrupt. Sudden movement, the man squaring his shoulders to seem larger as spit had flown from his mouth as his voice had risen further. His words had turned cruel, derogatory. How stupid she was, how childish, how she was no adult and spoke like a fool, and words so much crueler that had made her eyes burn.

He paced, shouting loud enough to rattle the ceiling. And she had raised her voice in kind, shrieking now, shrill and enraged at him, at herself for being hurt, for thinking they could mend the rift between them.

And then the threat, a threat heavy with certainty. That he would hit her for her impertinence if she did not stop.

Hit her as a parent hit a child, beat her as a parent who did not know how to navigate their emotions beat a child that misbehaved.

Red had filled her vision, her heart as good as stopped for she could no longer feel it. Her blood had boiled and she had flung her anger back at him, a furious reaction to such a threat.

Her mother had promised he would never hurt her, but her mother seemed oblivious to the times he had, when she’d been little. No more than a parent punishing a child, keeping a troublemaker in line. But she remembered the sharp pain, she remembered the stark cold of the tub, she remembered the acrid taste of soap and the way she had heaved as she’d been forced forward.

Not many times, but enough to burn themselves in her memory, enough that she shrunk whenever a man’s voice was raised. Enough that she shook despite her best efforts when senseless rage was directed at her.

Such a threat was not something she would abide. Not now, not anymore. She was no defenseless child, she had lived, she would not be threatened in a place she was meant to be safe.

She said as much, thinking she was safe.

But she was not. He moved swiftly, looming over her like a monster, so close his forehead pressed against hers. Spit flew into her face, her ears rang, as he screamed and screamed, deep rage like that of the flames of Avernus, directed at her, so close she could smell nothing but the rankness of his breath.

She screamed in return, demanding he move, to get away. But he did not, still pouring his fury against her.

In the back of her mind fear sprung forth, slick and oily as disease. Her body trembled, not that she noticed, and she knew, deep within herself, that he was nearing his limit. That he would hurt her if she did not keep pushing.

But how could she not? Until he used those damned ears to listen, to acknowledge she was not some thing he could use as he pleased.

She tensed in anticipation, knowing the blow would come sooner rather than later.

But what she did not expect was the new shout that erupted behind her father, a figure blocked from her view from the hulking mass of the man who had pressed his face into hers and would not move.

Astarion dug his fingers into the collar of the man’s shirt, yanking him back.

He stumbled, whirling on Astarion, hand raised.

And Astarion bared his teeth, a knife pointed at the man’s throat.

“Make one move and I slit your throat.”

A snort, over-confident and haughty. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Another flash of Astarion’s fangs, his eyes seeming to brighten to a bloody crimson. “I would hate to waste warm blood, but in this case I could make an exception.”

Wild eyes turned to her, fists clenching as hands fell to his sides. “What kind of monster have you brought into our home?”

“Eyes on me,” Astarion cooed, deadly soft. “Lower those hands and go somewhere to cool off and I won’t spill any blood.”

The man swore, shooting Aspen one more murderous look before stalking away, muscles tensed like he was still looking to fight.

Astarion sheathed his knife, a ferocious predator for only a moment longer before he turned to her. His eyes softened then, his lips murmuring soft words as he moved towards her, catching her shaking body before she could fall over.

“You’re alright, darling,” he murmured, pressing his lips to her brow. “You’re safe. You’re safe.”

Tears burned, but they did not fall. She was shivering like a dying tree in a windstorm, and she clutched at him, words choked by the sob that was lodged in her throat.

“Let’s find somewhere for you to sit down, shall we?” He guided her to the kitchen table, settled her into one of the chairs.

In the aftermath, as the fury leached from her skin, she felt cold. Cold as a winter’s night, cold as the darkest moments of a snow-storm, cold as the frozen lake at the border of the village, drowning in the darkened waters.

It was only then that her mother stepped forward, having seemed to have disappeared during the fight. She’d nearly forgotten she’d been there, helping her to bake before everything had unravelled.

“You know you’re both just so similar,” her mother said, letting out a breathy laugh. There was no humour in the sound, and her expression was pinched.

Astarion turned to peer at her mother over his shoulder, his expression inscrutable. “Excuse me?”

She shrugged, wringing her hands. “They provoke each other so much. And you know you did start it, Aspen. You know that’s a trigger for him.”

Astarion leaned back as though he’d been slapped. He blinked, not seeming to understand what he’d just heard. “What do you mean?”

Her mother didn’t hear the edge to his tone, but Aspen did, just as she saw the twitch of his brow, the slight downturn of his lips.

“She should have just agreed to disagree, that’s all.” Another shrug. “What he did was unacceptable, and he shouldn’t have acted like that. But you know you can be just like that, too.”

At her mother’s words Aspen shuddered, for an entirely new reason this time.

She knew of the creature beneath her skin, knew she had to keep it in check, but never had she felt like such a monster as she did now. Her mother softly berating her for provoking the man supposed to be her father.

She could feel it in her veins, roiling like the rage of a storming sea. The monster in her blood, the one that used her skin.

Had she minded her tongue this would not have happened, had she minded her tongue they would still be joyfully cooking, and Astarion would not have had to reveal his vampirism to her parents.

As her mother came forward to comfort her as well tears began to spill, streaking down her cheeks in rivers of flame.

She hardly noticed through the silver blur the room around her drowned in from her tears, the way Astarion’s expression tightened. She didn’t even notice the way his hands tightened on her shoulders, giving her mother almost no room to kneel beside her.

She wanted to cry to her mother, to be comforted, to be told it was not her fault.

But it was her fault, wasn’t it? A horrible monster ruining the holidays, ruining their family gathering on the eve of their celebrations. Ruining things just as she always did, tearing apart the delicate happiness that had been in the air.

“Absolutely not.”

The sharpness in Astarion’s tone made Aspen look up, searching for his eyes in the haze of tears. She made to wipe her eyes, but he gently pushed her hands away, the pads of his thumbs soft as they gently brushed away her tears.

She sniffed, her throat raw as she spoke. “What are you talking about?”

“I will not stand for such slander,” he said, gentle, but firm. “I will not allow for you to be slandered after such a threat.”

Her mother shot Astarion an incredulous look. “That’s hardly fair, and I don’t appreciate you sticking your nose in our business. He’s her father, he would never hurt her.”

“Wouldn’t he?” Astarion sounded eerily calm, his brow arching in bemusement. “Because that looked quite aggressive. That looked like someone on the verge of hitting someone else.”

Her mother opened her mouth to retort, but Astarion stood suddenly, cutting her off.

“No, this is not acceptable.” He offered Aspen his hand, his expression softening for half a breath until he returned his gaze to her mother. “From what I saw he nearly hurt her. He threatened to hurt her. And while my beloved can handle much, being threatened by her own father is not something she should never tolerate.”

His gaze was sharp as he gave her mother a once over. “Nor should she tolerate such nonsense from her mother.”

“You weren’t here at the beginning of the argument, you didn’t hear-”

“No, you’re right.” He cut her off, no humour in his smirk. “But I know her well, so I can guess well enough what happened. And raising her voice and saying a thoughtless comment does not deserve such a response.” Then, quieter. “Nothing does.”

Wordlessly, Aspen took his hand. He drew her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her waist. “We’re leaving, darling.”

Her legs shook, and she feared her knees would give out on her soon. “Where?”

“We’ll find an inn for the night,” he said, not sparing her mother a second glance. “Then we’ll head back to Baldur’s Gate at first light.”

Her mother got to her feet, regret in her eyes. “But the holidays start tomorrow, and we planned-”

Astarion’s response was a snarl. “You stood by and did nothing. You didn’t want to choose a side, but you did all the same.”

They packed quickly, Aspen in such a daze that Astarion packed her things for her, murmuring softly that she was okay, that she was safe, that he would make sure she was always safe.

It wasn’t until they had headed into the night, until they’d checked into the first inn they found, until Astarion guided her to the rickety bed and she fell back, that she truly began to sob.

“It’s alright,” he murmured, taking her into his arms. He tucked her head against his shoulder, not making a comment as she stained the fine fabric with snot and tears. “You’re safe.”

“I’m sorry!” She cried, squeezing her eyes shut against the pain, hands finding his shirt, balling the fabric up in her fists. “I’m sorry! I ruin everything!”

“Nonsense,” he breathed, smoothing her hair back from her face. “You don’t ruin anything.”

“Yes I do!” Her voice was a shrill shriek, and she nearly doubled over from the force of the sudden sobs that ripped from her throat. “I ruin everything. I ruin every friendship, I ruin my family’s happiness, one day I’ll ruin this.”

She pressed her face against his shoulder, her sobs muffled, if only barely. “I’m a monster. I’m a horrid beast, always so angry and I can’t even stop it. I can’t stop myself!”

“Aspen.” The steadiness of his voice gave her pause. He kept his voice soft, but there was a firmness to it, like iron, that quieted her cries.

“Aspen, darling, look at me.”

She sniffed, shaking her head. “I look horrible.”

A soft chuckle, his fingers running through her hair. “I don’t think that’s even possible, my love. Even drenched in gore you are beautiful. A few tears and snot will hardly stifle your beauty.”

She pulled away then, fixing a glower to her face. “Are you sure about that?”

He smiled, cupping her cheeks with such gentleness that a soft gasp escaped her lips. Did she deserve tenderness? Did she deserve even a scrap of his affection when she was a beast? When she would hurt him as surely as she hurt her father, her family?

“You are radiant,” he said, no sign of teasing in his eyes. “Beautiful as always.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. The screaming, the rage, being whisked away so late at night. “Astarion, you just watched me scream my lungs out at my father and then sob so hard I’m pretty sure I bruised my ribs.”

He tapped her cheek, his brow arching. “Don’t forget staining my shirt, too. This was silk, you know.”

“Oh Astarion, I’m so sorry.” The tears began all over again, spilling like she might drown in her misery. “I’ve ruined everything.”

“Darling, darling,” he clicked his tongue softly, brushing her tears away as he stroked her cheeks. “You have not ruined anything, and you are no monster.”

“But I-”

“Hush.” He could have spoken sharply, but his tone was whisper soft. His brows drew together, his lips tilting down. “You are not to blame.”

How did she explain to him? How did she explain the monster in her body, the beast beneath her skin?

“You don’t understand.” Her voice wobbled, thick and rough from tears and screaming and the sobs still caught in her throat.

He was being so soft, so gentle in the face of the catastrophe made flesh that she was. “Then help me to understand, my love.”

Her bottom lip quivered and she drew in deep breaths, her nose clogged with snot. “I ruin everything, I make a mess of everything. I push him too far, trigger him and make him angry. I don’t even try to, I don’t look for a fight but everyone tells me I do. I’m told I’m too loud, I’m too angry, and I don’t even know I am until it’s too late. I’ve ruined my most precious relationships, I ruined the holiday by making my father mad.”

Astarion listened quietly, brushing away her tears as they fell, until they had all spilled, and there was nothing but dried salt on her cheeks.

When she was done pouring out her fears, her terror of what she could be, he nodded, silent still. She wished he would speak, was desperate for him to say something.

Maybe he would push her away, tell her that he had made a mistake, that she was not who he’d thought she was. Maybe he would tell her that she truly was a beast just as she thought.

But what he did surprised her more.

He drew her face close, brought his lips to the corner of hers.

“You are no monster,” he said, soft as a lullaby. “You can be loud, and you can be a bit overzealous.”

At that he smirked, tapping her cheek. “But a monster you are not. If you’re truly scared, then when we return home we can find someone to help, so that what you feel is truly tamed.”

She sniffed, pulling at his shirt. “But I ruin so many things! What happens when I ruin us?”

He rolled his eyes, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. “My love, you have not ruined anything. You’ve told me of those friendships, and it sounds like those people were rotten from the start.”

“But what about-”

He brought a finger to her lips, silencing her.

“My love,” he murmured, exasperation in his sigh. “I’ve held my tongue far longer than I’ve cared to tonight. Let me speak.”

She nodded, wilting, and he withdrew his hand.

“You did not ruin the holidays for your family either,” he continued, cupping her face again. “Your father had no business reacting that way, no matter what. As much as I delight in a little violence, there is nothing that anyone could have said that would deserve such a response.”

She sniffled again, wiping at her nose as she felt snot dribble out. She looked disgusting, she was sure, and yet Astarion had insisted she was beautiful. How strange he could be.

“If anything was ruined, it was because of him,” he said, kissing her cheek again. “He should learn to control himself, and he was very lucky that I have so much self control.”

At that Aspen couldn’t help giggling, memories of all the times Astarion could not help himself brimming in her mind. But she held her tongue, not wanting to cut him off, not when he was being sweet as spun sugar.

“And you will not ruin us,” he said at last, firm, unwavering. “I want you, I want every part of you. Even your thorns.”

“Thorns?” She furrowed her brow. “Am I a flower to you?”

He grinned, twirling her hair around his finger. “The most beautiful and rarest of all flowers. But I don’t mind the thorns.” His smile grew, fangs catching the light as they came into view. “I’d let you prick me if it meant getting to stay with you.”

“I would never prick you,” she cried, horrified at the idea of hurting him. “I would never ever hurt you. At least not intentionally.”

His smile softened, and he brought his lips to her chest, above where her heart thrummed, finally beating a steady rhythm once more. “See? You have a sweet heart, you are no monster.”

“But-”

“No buts,” he interrupted. “I have met monsters, my love, and you are not one.”

He sighed, releasing the tendril of hair he’d been toying with. “And I plan to stay at your side for a long, long time. So long as you’ll have me.”

Her heart, a poor fractured thing, ached from his words. She felt like she were splintered glass, and she would shatter at any moment now. The only thing holding her together was Astarion’s hands, keeping her in the moment.

“I want you to stay with me,” she said, her voice soft as breath. “I want you to always stay with me.”

“Then I shall.”

Astarion’s arms slid around her waist, drawing her close. Aspen could think of nothing else to say, so instead she curled against his chest, feeling like she might fall apart at any moment now.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, murmuring softly into her hair. “You’re safe. I will keep you safe, my love.”

Although her trembling had stopped, it still took her a long while to truly settle. Her mind could not seem to rest, and it took Astarion singing her favourite songs off-key and reading from one of the books she’d packed for their trip for her mind to finally ease.

He was patient with her as she clung to him, murmuring soft praises, whispering that she was good, that he loved her. He sang and read to her, he stroked her hair, rubbed gentle circles into her back.

A stray sob would slip from between her lips every few moments, and she would absently wipe her nose on the back of her sleeve before nestling closer again. Astarion would press another kiss to her brow, her temple, his arms tightening around her, with every sob that escaped.

And slowly, so painfully slowly it might have taken her a century, she finally began to feel… She wasn’t sure entirely, but it was safer, comforted.

Not entirely better, but it was a start.

“I feel tired,” she murmured against his chest, her tears finally dried up, the last of her sobs lost to the night.

The shadows had grown so long, deepening until there was no light keeping them at bay but for the candles they had lit in their room.

“Why don’t we get you into a bath,” he suggested, tipping her head back until their eyes met. “You always like that.”

“I do…” She trailed off, even the miniscule effort needed to summon words to her lips exhausting her. “But it’s so late, and I feel so tired.”

“Leave it to me,” he murmured, smoothing back her hair.

Things were a blur after that, fatigue rushing through her all at once. Astarion carrying her to the bath, gently settling her into the steaming water like she were a delicate, precious thing. His fingers running through her hair, massaging soap and scented oils into her skin. His lips over her skin, scattering kisses in the wake of his hands as he rinsed the suds from her body.

When he was done he stepped free from the water first so he could help her out, holding her hands as she climbed over the high lip of the tub. He wrapped her in a soft towel, half-carrying her back into their room to help her dress and comb her hair.

Astarion’s lithe fingers twisted her hair into twin braids that fell down her back, much longer than she usually kept it. She made a comment to him that she would need to get it cut when they returned, and he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck, promising he would make an appointment for her with their favourite hairdresser.

“And then perhaps we can spend the rest of the day out,” he suggested as he helped her into bed, going so far to fluff the pillows, spoiling her like she were a princess in a fairytale.

“We can pick out some new fabrics, perhaps commission some new clothes,” he continued, brow quirked as he grinned. “You can never have too many new gowns, especially now that we’ve started getting invited to parties. And-” He let the final word hang in the air, quivering like a music note held at the climax of a song.

“And?”

“And I love seeing you in pretty things.”

She held out her arms, wanting him to hold her even now. He’d had his hands on her for hours now, her fingers wrinkled from how long they’d spent in the bath. But it was not enough, and she wanted to be held still.

Astarion obliged, lying beside her and drawing her into his arms. She tucked her head beneath his chin, breathing in the smell of bergamot and rosemary, and the faint smell of her own favourite perfumes and soaps, lavender and rose and the touch of citrus.

“Could we go to the bookstore, too?” She asked, yawning as he trailed his fingers down the back of her neck.

“We can go wherever you would like,” he promised. “But first you must sleep, my love. We’ll make the trek back home tomorrow when you wake.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice, and she quickly fell into a dreamless sleep, safe in his arms.

The morning came far too soon, but Astarion let her sleep late, until the sunlight was a golden glow that seeped through the curtains of their room and breakfast had long since passed.

They didn’t take the time to bid anyone a proper farewell, instead heading for the winding road that would lead them home.

Aspen didn’t anticipate spending her favourite holiday travelling on the road, but she found she did not mind. Even when silence blanketed the both of them, she was comforted in his presence. Astarion could be melodramatic, petulant, and overly confident. But he also showed her gentleness, kindness, an affection that warmed her like the gentle flicker of candle flames.

He took care of her as surely as she took care of him, and as eagerly as she had accepted him for all his virtues and flaws, so he had with her. Perhaps more so, because she’d kept them quiet for as long as she could, and she was certain anyone else would have left her in the cold for such deception.

The winds picked up as they travelled, reaching frozen fingers into her hair, tearing at her cloak and skirts. She tugged her hood over her head, although it did little as the wind snatched her hood back, tearing it from her head.

Astarion snickered, sliding a hand to her cheek. “I have to admit I am glad that your face is not hidden by your hood.”

“Astarion, I’m cold,” she whined, not caring how her voice pitched high, joining the keening of the freezing winds.

A roll of his eyes, followed by a delicate kiss to her cheek. “Here, I have an idea of what can help.”

He draped the side of his cloak over her, his arm slipping around her waist.

“Won’t this make walking hard?” She asked, turning to him. He was close now, his breath ghosting against her cheek.

“I don’t mind,” he said, his voice a warm tenor that caressed her skin like a kiss. “I’ll take any excuse to be closer to you, darling.”

She sighed, but it wasn’t sad, or even bittersweet. It felt the precursor to a laugh, that promised delight would follow in its wake. “You’re so sweet, did you know that?”

“I did,” he said, doing a poor job of trying not to preen. “But it sounds best when it comes from your lips.”

Now she did laugh, and there really was a little happiness in it, soft as the laughter was, freshly fallen snow that filled the world with glitter. “I’ll have to say it more, then.”

“I’ll hold you to that, my love.”

Walking as they did, Astarion’s cloak wrapped around her, slowed them down considerably, but they still made good time, and as the sun sank beneath the horizon, setting the slate-grey of the sky ablaze in fiery red and burning oranges, they arrived back in Baldur’s Gate.

The feeling she felt as they hurried through the streets, fatigue heavy in their bones, was something entirely different from when they’d arrived in her childhood home.

There she had felt like a piece that no longer fit, accepted but not entirely right. She had ignored it, because that had been where she’d grown up. That had been her home, it was where her family lived still.

But stumbling through the streets, thinking of the warmth of her own home, the heat of a bath, the crackle of a fire stoked high, and all the snacks in the cupboards of their kitchen, she felt something click into place.

The bustle of this city, that bakery she loved to visit, the darkened storefront of their favourite tailor, the merry lights and open doors of the bookstore that sold warm drinks in the winter months. All the parts of the city she hadn’t yet seen, so occupied were they both with travelling, adventuring to different lands.

This felt right. Being here felt right. She didn’t feel like a misplaced puzzle piece, a lost toy that did not match with the rest of the set. She didn’t feel like a puzzle piece at all, something that had to match everything that surrounded it.

She felt whole, she felt like she belonged, felt like she was home.

The wind had not let up since earlier that day, heavy storm-clouds chasing in their wake. As they walked up the steps to their home, windows dark and curtains drawn, waiting for them to bring life back into the empty building, she felt something cold touch her cheek.

She looked up, beamed at the flurry of white swirling through the air, caught up in the ice of the wind.

“Astarion, look,” she murmured, pointing skyward. “It’s snowing.”

He paused, barely a foot from their door, to gaze up at the sky, a soft smile beginning to stretch across his face. “So it is.”

He gave her hand a tug, attention already sliding from the snow and back to the promise of warmth and comfort only a foot away. But Aspen found herself frozen in place, staring up at the snowflakes cascading to the ground. Like the sky itself had opened up in welcome of her returning, of her finding somewhere she was safe.

As Astarion tugged her harder she obliged, following him into the house, the door closing with a soft click behind them. It blocked the snow from sight, but still she could see it in her mind’s eye, swirling in an ivory ballet overhead, covering the world in a pallid pearlescence, wiping away the stain that had grown from the day behind them.

She shivered, snapping back to the present as Astarion’s cool fingers glided over her cheeks, his voice teasing as he commented on how flushed she looked.

They helped each other with their cloaks, tossed their packs to the side to be emptied once they were properly warmed. All the while Aspen’s eyes flitted over their home, the familiar shapes of the furniture, the familiar smell of the cleaners and soaps and candles they preferred, the familiar twists and turns of the halls and stairways.

Astarion’s arms slipped around her waist, his chin perching on her shoulder. “What are you thinking of, darling? You’ve hardly said more than a few words.”

She leaned into his embrace, covering her hands with his. “I’m just thinking that something felt strange when we’d gone to visit my family. And that something feels right now that we’re back.”

He peeled away from her, giving her an amused smile. “Of course something feels right, my love. We’re home.”

Home.

She’d known she was coming home as she’d stepped into the city once more, the word seemed to hold a different weight now.

Home, where she had chosen to lay down her heart, where she had chosen to share space with the person most precious to her. Where she was safe.

She smiled, turning around to draw him into an embrace, pressing her face into his shoulder, breathing in the smell of pine and cold winds, and the smell of his perfumes that he so loved.

“You’re right,” she said, her words partially muffled as she nestled closer. “It feels better because I’m home.”

Astarion snorted, but she could imagine the tender smile curling over his lips like a crescent moon shining silver in the sky. He ran a hand over her hair, fingers toying with the soft baby curls at the nape of her neck. “You’re safe here. You’re safe with me, my love. I swear it.”

“I know.” Tears pricked at her eyes as she held him tighter.

“I will never hurt you, I will never raise a hand to you, or even threaten to do so.”

She clung to him, as surely as his perfumes clung to his skin, even a hint of their smell giving her comfort. “I know, Astarion. I’m not afraid of you.”

“I only want you to know,” he murmured, lowering his head until it rested against hers. “I want you to know that you’re safe. I’ll make sure you’re always safe.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, a futile attempt to stop the flow of the tears that slipped from the corners of her eyes. “Astarion, you’re making me cry.”

He clicked his tongue, stroking the back of her neck. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, my dear.”

“Too late.”

A sigh, a kiss to the top of her head. “Then allow me to make it up to you, darling.”

She sank further into his embrace, listening to the slowed beat of his heart. Her love, her shining star.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”

A moment of silence, the slow rhythm, of his heart seeming to stammer for a moment, beat a little faster. “And I love you.”

Aspen would have been content to stay there for the rest of the night, wrapped in his arms. But Astarion clearly had other plans, and after a few moments he pulled away, tapping her cheek playfully when she pouted.

“Don’t look at me like that, darling. I want to clean up and change into something warmer.” He sighed, taking her hands and running his thumbs over the backs of them. “And I want you to change into something warmer too, before you turn entirely to ice.”

“If I turned to ice would you find a way to rescue me?” She gave him a sly smile, a glimmer of mischief in her heart.

“Without a doubt,” he said, eyes bright with devilry. “Although I might have to tell you that I told you so, since if you turned to ice it would be because you ignored my request to warm up.”

“Well then I’ll make sure to heed your advice,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to upset you.”

He patted her hand. “An excellent choice, my love.”

She squeezed his hand, unwilling yet to let go. “Would you help me? I still feel so tired, and I would like to stay close, if you’ll allow me.”

Sorrow flashed in his eyes, the mischief in his smile softening. “Of course, my love. You need only ask.”

“And then we can mull that wine we bought before we left.”

He chuckled, tugging her from the entry, deeper into the heart of their home. “We can. But you’ll have to keep your wits about you, my darling, because I still have that surprise I had prepared for you before that little scuffle.”

She frowned, only now remembering that he’d vanished in search of something he would not tell her about just before the fight had begun. “What is it?”

He shot her a roguish grin. “You’ll just have to wait and see, darling.”

He was teasing her, and while normally she would at least pretend to get upset, in this moment all she could do was smile and laugh. There was no tension in the air, no fear of shattering eggshells beneath her feet.

Astarion accepted her, all of her, and he would not rage against her for saying the wrong thing, for being too loud. He loved her as she was, thorns and all.

They spent the evening together, and she fell asleep tangled in his arms, warm and safe, not feeling quite as hollow as she had the night before.

Aspen had hoped she would bounce back after their return to Baldur’s Gate, but of course things were not perfect, and little more than a week later, a letter arrived addressed to her, scrawled in her mother’s neat hand.

‘You should apologize. I believe you both should apologize, you both-’

She did not get a chance to finish reading before Astarion plucked it from her hand, tossed it into the fire.

A voice in the back of her head told she should probably be annoyed, angry even, that he took the first piece of correspondence she’d received from her family since and fed it to the flames. But there was no rage left inside of her, and even if there was, it would not spark, would not catch on the kindling forever in her heart, waiting to turn to a blaze.

She was thankful to him, for not forcing her to read such a letter. That blamed her as equally as the man who had threatened her. Who teetered on the edge of inflicting violence on her for the sin of disobedience.

“That’s utter rubbish,” he muttered, drawing her into his arms. And for that she was so painfully grateful that she burst into tears all over again, another bout in endless weeks of tears.

“It’s alright, darling.” He had said the words so many times over the past few days, comforting her in the morning when she awoke, trembling from dreams of screaming, from the fractures in her heart, the knowledge that there was no real going back, no crossing the distance between her and that man.

“You are not to blame,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “Your heart is good, darling, and it is not your job to please other people so they do not threaten you. Not even your own family.”

Aspen nodded silently, burying her face against his neck.

They could not hurt her here, they could not even slice her with their callous words. Here in her home, with her lover, she was safe.

“You’re sure?” She asked, sniffling. “You’re sure that I will not ruin us?”

He chuckled, warm and soft, nearly a sigh. “Do roses ruin a garden? Does a hawthorn tree ruin a forest?”

She peeked up from her hiding place, wrinkling her nose. “Pardon?”

“Roses have thorns, do they not?”

She nodded slowly. “They do.”

“But they’re everywhere, are they not? In gardens, in songs and poems, in bouquets given to lovers.” He tipped his head to the side, searching her face as he spoke.

Again she nodded, still unsure of what he was talking about. “I know that. They’re some of the most popular flowers.”

“Even though they have thorns?”

“I… Guess?” He was teasing her now, she was sure of it.

“And did you know,” he continued, toying with her hair. “That hawthorns, with their red fruits used in wines and jellies, and the pretty flowers that bloom on their branches, have thorns too?”

She shook her head, completely lost now. “I didn’t.”

He let go of her hair, settling his hands on her waist. “Well they do. And still they are not seen as something ruinous, but something people adore.”

When she didn’t respond, Astarion sighed, making a show of rolling his eyes. “My darling, you will not ruin us. I love you, I adore you. And I would choose you over all of the thornless, soft-hearted fools in the world.”

“I love you too,” she said, feeling small. “I love you, and I want you to stay with me.”

“And so I shall, darling,” he murmured, lowering his head, nuzzling his nose against hers. “I love you, thorns and all. I’m not going anywhere.”

Tears burned at her eyes, a stray few slipping down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away, smiling softly.

“You ought to become a poet,” she said, peeking up at him. “Especially after saying such pretty things.”

He snorted, pulling away to wave his hand languidly through the air. “What can I say? You bring out the romantic in me.”

“Thank you, my love,” she spoke earnestly, wanting him to know she was not joking around, that she meant it with her whole heart. “Thank you, for how kind you are to me.”

Astarion froze, the softest touch of pink blooming in his cheeks. What little blood stayed in his veins was rushing to his face, warming him, if only slightly.

“Yes, well…” He trailed off, stammering. “You make it so terribly easy. I hate the idea of your sweet heart being in pain.”

She smirked, teasing him now. “You know you’re pretty sweet, yourself.”

“Alright.” With a roll of his eyes he turned away. “Were we not planning to go out before we got that letter? We should hurry if we want to stop at the bookstore before heading to the performance.”

“Oh yes,” Aspen beamed, hurrying to his side, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek before going in search of her cloak. “Right as always, my love. We must make haste.”

Laughter chased after her as she found where she’d last discarded her cloak, a deep deep the colour of a sunset, a perfect contrast to the powder pink of her gown and the coral-coloured ribbons that laced up the front of her bodice. She tossed it over her shoulders, clicking the clasps into place before heading to the entry, where Astarion waited for her, grinning brighter when he saw her.

“Beautiful as always,” he cooed, straightening the clasps of her cloak, disentangling the corners of her ribbons so the bows laid flat.

She beamed, pushing the letter from her mind, pushing the whole terrible event from her mind. What lurked in her skin was no monster, not a beast that destroyed everything that was dear. It was only her thorns, a part of her as surely as the blood in her veins.

Astarion had promised to help her soften them, so they did not draw blood when someone got too close. But there would likely always be a few that were a little sharp, despite her best efforts.

But he would love her anyways, acknowledging that they were a part of her, and he loved all of her, even the sharpest parts.

That knowledge settled in her heart, warmth kindling in her chest. Not the violent fire of rage, but the gentle warmth of love, of contentment, the kind of warmth that kept her safe.

He offered her his arm, and she took it, heading out into the snow-flecked world beyond their door. Into the city that she was not a missing puzzle piece in, with someone who loved her as she was, who was her home. And like the sun to a blooming flower, to a tree with flowers and fruits blossoming along its thorny branches, their love kept her warm the entire day.

#astarion bg3 #astarion ancunin #astarion baldurs gate 3 #bg3 astarion #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #baldurs gate astarion #astarion baldurs gate #baldur's gate 3 #astarion x tav #astarion x oc #astarion x female tav #honey the sweeter the sun #hurt/comfort

[theres-a-body-here]

Creep!Reader with Male Survivors (Part 2)

You're one cruel and sick creep, and you plan to let every survivor know that.

Jake Park

He doesn't feel much towards you

To him, you're just another killer he needs to evade

Jake won't let you use his emotions against him

You don't really like to chase him

"Come on! Smile or something"

Your camera is in his face as he just stares at you nonchalantly

You huff and storm away while muttering

"Danny's right; you're a waste of memory space"

Ironically, you don't see his look of confusion

Who the hell was Danny?

Jake never seems to be stressed by the things you put him through

He's as calm and cold as the fog

He rarely ever talks to you

You find that pretty boring

You've resorted to doing the most unhinged shit you can think of to get a reaction out of him

Kiss his cheek while you carry him to hook?

He just keeps wiggling out like normal

Camp and tunnel him?

He avoids your gaze and hangs there silently

It's getting frustrating

Unfortunately for Jake, you have plenty of time for new ideas

You have plenty of time. You have even more when you kill everyone but Jake and leave him slugged.

He was sprawled on the grimy ground, blood oozing from his wounds. You knelt beside him, your demeanor oddly nonchalant for the grim circumstances. Your fingers idly toyed with your whip.

"You gonna say something?" you asked, the curiosity in your tone almost casual, like you were discussing the weather. Your camcorder dangled lazily from your hand, recording the macabre scene.

Yet, Jake remained defiantly silent. His teeth were clenched, and he steadfastly avoided meeting your eyes, determined to deny you even the tiniest shred of satisfaction, refusing to give you the reaction you so desperately craved.

With an impatient sigh, you found the silence dreadfully monotonous. An idea struck you, and you slowly extended your hand, pushing a finger into one of Jake's open wounds.

Jake couldn't contain his agony any longer. He let out a primal scream through gritted teeth, his suffering reminiscent of a wounded animal's cry. It was a satisfying sound, one that you had longed to hear.

A sinister grin crept across your lips as you chuckled softly. "Finally," you remarked in a more casual tone, "I knew you had something fun for me." With a sadistic glint in your eyes, you continued to toy with his wound, and Jake clenched the ground beneath him, his face contorted in pain.

Still, he refused to speak to you. He eventually bled out before you could manage to reach his insides up to your elbow.

Bill Overbeck

Bill is absolutely unnerved by you

You seem to be infatuated with the older male survivors

This doesn't bode well for him

"You run pretty well for a smoker"

He hears your awful laughter as he tries to loop you

Bill grits his teeth as he slams a pallet on you

He smiles a little when he hears your cry of pain

You seem to not handle fakes very well

Bill has slammed almost every pallet on the map on you

He can hear the grinding of your teeth under your wolf mask

"That fucking hurt"

Looks like you getting tilted, Bill smirks

"Remember that pain when you chase me, dumbass"

Bill doesn't stay to see your reaction

But a chill goes through his body when he hears you make a promise

"I'll give you something to remember, forever"

He stays on high alert as he escapes the chase

His mistake was caring for the others

He probably should've realized it was a trap

You hooked Feng and waited close by

When Bill felt you pull him onto your shoulder as he went for the save, his heart sank

He began to wiggle like hell

You don't take him to a hook; you just plop him down on the floor

You knelt beside Bill, your ever-present camcorder continuing to document his pain. The werewolf mask loomed over him as your hand reached out to touch his back, fingers tracing patterns.

Bill's stomach churned, and the urge to vomit threatened to overcome him. He fought desperately to crawl away from you, the taste of dirt and despair mingling in his mouth. But it was a futile struggle. You were a relentless force, like a predatory creature toying with its prey.

With a sickening, calculated grace, you knelt upon his back, your weight crushing him down into the unforgiving ground. Bill's world shrank to a suffocating tunnel of terror. As the unfeeling lens of your camcorder captured every agonizing moment, he couldn't help but wonder who the recordings were for.

As your hand ventured lower and lower towards his ass, Bill's panic surged to a fever pitch. He thrashed about violently, desperately trying to evade your touch, his heart pounding in his chest like a trapped animal. The dread of what might happen next gnawed at his very soul.

But then, like a twisted reprieve, the unmistakable popping of a generator broke through the realm's silence. Your hand withdrew, and you let out an exasperated sigh. The unexpected interruption seemed to momentarily spare Bill from further torment.

"Maybe next time, Pookie bear," you cooed, your tone dripping with a perverse affection that sent shivers down his spine. You rose to your feet and began to walk off towards the main building.

Bill felt unclean.

Ashley Williams

One of the few who tolerated you

He was quite the annoyance sometimes

Fuck Mettle of Man

But you liked him

He was always fun to chase

Witty remarks and flirts back and forth

"Stay still, Handy Manny"

"Sorry kiddo, no can do. Maybe drop your fetish whip and then we'll talk"

It was really refreshing

So much so that you let him have the hatch if he's the last one

Sometimes

The footage you have of him is basically one long blooper reel

Even when you carry him he's pretty chill, even as he wiggles

"Aw come on, throw me a bone will ya?"

"You brought Head On and Flashbang, hell no"

Even if he doesn't hold grudges, don't expect an easy chase

You rarely chase him at the beginning of trials because he's that good

Frustrating, but in an amusing way

It helps that he's pretty smoking

Groovy

"You're really something, Ash," you purred with wicked allure, your werewolf mask hiding the twisted grin that danced on your lips. "I think I want you for my next... film."

Ash couldn't help but chuckle, his voice laced with a playful tone, "Oh, baby, I've seen films like yours at the adult video arcades. You'll have to try harder than that to impress me!"

With a deft leap, he vaulted through a grimy window, your whip striking him with a satisfying snap. But even as pain coursed through his veins, Ash didn't miss a beat, calling back to you, "Nice try, wolfie, but I've had worse dates!"

You hesitate for far too long as you hear him say that. You scoff at your relapse in focus, knowing you probably wouldn't catch up to him now. You record his fleeting form with your camcorder. It wouldn't hurt to have some comedy in your collection.

You wonder if he'll be mad that Ash used his petname for you.

Ghostface, when you told him how your match went:

Bonus~~~~~~~~~~~

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE CALLED YOU WOLFIE?!?!?"

Masterlist here

#dbd x reader #dead by daylight x reader #dead by daylight #dbd #killer!reader #creep!reader #danny johnson x reader #ghostface x reader #danny johnson #ghostface #ash williams #ash williams x reader #bill overbeck x reader #bill overbeck #jake park #jake park x reader

[mikelogan]

torturedpoets*tumblr*com/post/738611754795466752 hi! do you mind sharing what steps you use to color gifs like this? Some could assume that gifs with just one colour will be boring, but your colourings is always so nice 🥰

hi there!! i'd be happy to! i've never regretted saving a psd yet 😂 this is the post in question and honestly, for as... not great as the quality of my dl of the movie is, i'm still really happy with how it turned out! also i love women 😍

nothing too wild going on here, but even when i do "simple" coloring like this (gradient maps, my beloved), i still color the base gifs. once i have all the gifs made and plopped onto the canvas, this is what my coloring layers look like:

working from the bottom up, i almost always start with a brightness/contrast layer. i don't adjust either value, but instead set the layer's blending mode to screen. this movie is pretty dark, so i left the opacity at 100%, but sometimes, i'll drop the opacity as low as 20-30%.

i follow that up with a curves layer, where i utilize the black and white eyedroppers. click the black eyedropper and then click the blackest point on your gif. then do the same with the white eyedropper. it's a good idea to play around with different points, especially when you're working with super tinted scenes. curves layers can be a lifesaver!

on the levels layer, i did the same exact thing with the eyedroppers, but oftentimes, i end up increasing the black value, like you see here:

next, my FAVORITE adjustment layer: selective color! i like to color code my selective color layers, especially when i'm working on a super colorful set like my recent lisa frankenstein set. i always start with adjusting the blacks and usually the neutrals. you can right click on the eye/visibility icon to select a color. i use grey for these colors. here were my adjustments:

i'll occasionally adjust the white values when working with a really tinted scene, but these were fine, and it wouldn't make much difference anyway since we're putting a gradient map over top.

the next curves layer is just a slight adjustment for the top row of gifs to make the eventual gradient map layer more vibrant. i added this after the fact, but wanted it positioned here.

the subsequent brightness/contrast layer is the same thing. the top row just needed some more work. same as the original b/c layer, i didn't adjust the values and set the layer to screen. on this one, i dropped the opacity to 45%.

finally, the pièce de résistance, the gradient map layer! i just slapped on a gradient map adjustment layer. the color on the left should always be your darker color, and in this case, i want it true black. the color goes on the right, and bc this was a lesbian flag set, i just googled the specific hex codes for the lesbian pride flag and used those colors for each row! here's what that looks like for the orange portion of the set:

to change the colors, you just click on the lil square guys on the bottom of the gradient and you can choose a color from the color picker or just copy and paste a hex code.

and there you have it! i lovelovelove using gradient maps for big, vibrant pops of color, but also for gifs of scenes that are just. so hard to color lmao. call it a cop-out, but it makes my life a lot easier 😂

let me know if you have any more questions on this set or any others!!

#answered #Anonymous #my tutorials #gif tutorial #gifmakerresource #chaoticresources #dailyresources #completeresources

[thebigsl33p]

We Were Angels Once, Don't You Remember?

A/NM: I love this musical and no one can stop me from titling my fics after it, or just general War and Peace quotes. (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812). (I also tattoeed myself with the comet yesterday and idk abt it I reckon it'll be gone in three weeks)

Bold : Aleksander's letters

Italics: The Reader's lettersb

My Dear wife,

I have no intention to bore you with my journey to The Fold, nor the details of the First or Second Army. In summary, the armies are well, as was the journey save for the major flaw that you were not by my side. I suppose, however, that it is good to be with and among our soldiers, to see your plans into action.

Despite my previous words, I will tell you of something I saw during the journey. On horseback and taking a different route from everybody else on the journey, as usual, I came across a field. It was too early in the season for the flowers to have bloomed, however I could see many green, unopened stems and buds, and stopped to think of you. I would very much like to take you there when summer comes, to witness a natural beauty secondary to yours.

I do sincerely believe it will be a sight you will favour, and we could make a nice break out of it - something different from our usual afternoon horseriding, and a savoured rest from The Little Palace. Do tell me what you think.

I beg of you to write me about the most trivial aspects of your day, just so I may have more of you with me while we are apart. Even though it is only a couple days we must spend away from each other I think of you endlessly. I must confess it is hard to work without thinking of you but if I had to choose any distraction, it would be you. In your absence, I see you in everything: in the maps the otkazat'sya cartographers, in the patches of greenery around the camp, in the ruins of the buildings we passed and the lights of the tents.

You haunt me, and yet you are not dead. I know you wait for me at home, and still I cannot help but feel grief over being apart from you.

I beg of you to write me swiftly, milaya,

All my love,

Aleksander.

-

To my love, Aleksander,

How you are so charming through pen and paper, I will never understand.

Moreover, I am well. Genya has been keeping me company between the Tsar and Tsarita, but she does not have your looks. On a serious note, I miss you terribly. A few days since reading your last letter has built a thousand years of longing inside me.

I find myself turning to speak to you in the library or in meetings which results in Genya's teasing when she sees my words catch in my throat. The bed feels unbelievably big and cold, and I'm reluctant to tell you that I have taken to falling asleep next to, or wearing, your old Keftas. Silly and childish, I know, but at night I can dream it is you.

There is not much else to tell. The Little Palace is... well, The Little Palace: teeming with gossip about who is betrothed to who, about us and so forth, Preparations have begun for the next upcoming ball, which I trust you will have returned for. I hope you, my husband, will not leave me to face those horrible people alone.

And you know how much I enjoy our private conversations in front of others. The little looks of distaste, slight taps of our fingers and slight turns of the head. They are very entertaining, even if the company is boresome.

I fantasise about your return too much. It doesn't matter how - whether day or night, whether I fall into your arms or wake up with you beside me - all that matters is that you are finally back with me, in our Little Palace. I long to sleep beside you, to hold you in the night and to wake up with the soft spring sun across us, soft sheets and your ever-inviting eyes.

I have spoken enough about myself. How are you, my love? How has The Fold been treating you? I send my deepest wishes that the work is not too hard... and there are not too many fights.

I wish for you to know that I wait for you, painfully. Though may I urge you to return soon, unless you wish to find Genya sharing your side of the bed...

My heart,

Y/N.

#aleksander X reader #aleksander morozova X reader #general kirigan X reader #kirigan X reader #shadow and bone fanfic #shadow and bone X reader #the darkling X reader #letter styled fanfic #idk abt this tbh #thebigsl33p

[vole-mon-amour]

Going with Minthara and her plan is truly something else.

My Durge broke a Vengeance oat as soon as I pointed the grove on her map.

Wyll left immediately, wasn't even at the camp when I came back.

Karlach left as soon as I entered the goblin's party (and Dammon was killed by Minthara, which is another yikes moment.)

Gale hates me and himself and wanted to leave, but I convinced him not to. Gale going "...and I participated" like... Yeah? You did? You could've left? Or does the mechanics of the game do not allow the character to leave if they're in your party? Either way, he blames my DUrge.

I haven't saved Halsin and haven't even met him. I just didn't enter the prison room and went straight for the slaughter, so Halsin hasn't appeared just yet. Maybe later, I don't know, but I fucking miss him and his voice.

Minthara's sex scene is very nice and horny (she literally sits on a dragonborns' face), but then she tries to kill you just like Lae'zel (btw, in this run I saved her but didn't invite her to the camp. So no idea where she is.)

Shadowheart is simply drunk and doesn't really care and thinks that the ambush was meh and that a child could've done it.

Astarion rejected my DUrge with "I'm flattered, but I think not. I have standards." The approval was negatively neutral. Like? He seems in the elevated mood because the wine is way better and he really doesn't mind the killing, but what's the point when there's no Astarion romance? Maybe I should've went full into killing and doing everything to earn his approval, IDK. At the beginning I still tried to help the tieflings and look where that got me. (Sure, on my first playthrough I spent WAY more time exploring the map before the party happened & I was still struggling getting Astarion's approval until I figured it out and the romance happened. But to have that approval for the romance without exploring the map much? Yeah, I should have probably went full on with killings, hmm.) UPD: Oh, and Astarion hasn't tried to bite me even ONCE, which I find incredibly weird. I can't use his bite either cause its not showing.

Zevlor screaming that I betrayed them and watching all those spiders and goblins attacking the tieflings... :/

And all the time I was forcing myself to choose all those options that come with Minthara bc I'm curious what all fuss is about, but I don't think I enjoy it very much. The tieflings were frightened and didn't fight back. It really IS like slaughtering children (Shadowheart's words) & I felt awful about it.

It's obvious that Larian wants you to go with the good path. Sure, they give you the option to go this path, but the consequences are awful.

And to play the entire game just to see what comes out of romancing Minthara and from trusting the Absolute? I'm sure that nothing good. I'm surprised the sun is still shining tbh. With the slaughter and the betrayal that happened at the grove, the shadowcurse should just spread on those lands, too.

Like, going with the same choices (Saving Halsin, helping Karlach, Wyll etc) is boring, but going with this path? Yiiiikes. Maybe I'll just look it up on YouTube. I want new achievements, but I'm not ready to explore the map all over again & I'm not sure if there are any for the choices you make with Minthara.

Oh, AND the game offers you the dragonborn for DUrge by default, yet many options as you answer Minthara are, "There was no honor in this" or "I did not enjoy that." So they want you to resist the urge? And kill Minthara and save everybody?

#bg3 #natisplaying #gale #karlach #wyll #astarion #shadowheart #minthara

[georgiaheartsdilfs]

You ignore Kol on purpose cause you like him and he always annoys you cause that's the only time you pay attention to him. One night something happens and you save his life and she ends up telling him how she feels about him. *Reader is a witch.

Now You Stop Being Ignorant. | Kol Mikaelson x Reader

my masterlist ↪M A S T E R L I S T

warning ↪mentions of sh basically (getting blood)

"did you know the human has 206 bones, i could snap each one of them within 4 minutes" the annoying, insufferable youngest Mikaelson says lounging around in my room.

I continue to read my book quietly, Kol had been stating weird fun facts for the past hour trying to get me to respond to his childish behaviour.

"Kol if you please-" "She finally speaks. after what a month?" Kol says impressed with himself "Did my weird facts, bore you to death enough to talk to me love?" he says causing me to scoff.

"If anything you said were to have an effect on me it certainly wouldn't be facts, I just want to go to bed yet you're here, Why?" I ask him closing my book.

"I had a question." he says tilting his head with a smile "go ahead." I sigh "why do you ignore me?" he asks and I open my book back up, "y/n?" he says "are you going to answer." he continues.

My mind starts to forget Kol was there until I heard the sudden sound of the door closing, looking up to see that the 1000 year old vampire had vanished from right in front of me.

Closing my book and placing it onto my nightstand, I get up walking around my house flipping each light switch off eventually returning back to my room laying down on my bed.

Resting my head on my pillow closing my eyes and falling alseep.

the next day

My phone started ringing, waking me up it was Klaus. What would Klaus have to call me for?

"What you woke me up Kl-" "When was the last time you saw Kol" the hybrid cuts me off, his anxious tone and worrying breathing was now able to be heard "Last night when he left? Well I suppose I didn't see him when he left but he was at my house last night-" "when did he leave?" the hybrid cuts me off once more.

"God Klaus I don't know maybe 11pm." I sigh "and he just left? Did he tell you where he was going?" Klaus bombards me with questions "What No? You know I ignore the things that come out of his ridiculous old vampire mouth. What happened?" I ask him.

"He's missing, Marcel claims it wasn't him and my siblings have no reason to harm him so who else would have him." Klaus says in a panic "I'll look for him, Klaus, I'll let you know." I clear my throat as he hangs up, I check the time it was only 5am meaning he left only 6 hours ago.

What could have happened in the small time of 6 hours? I don't understand he's one of the strongest beings in the world.

Rushing out of my room and grabbing a map, out to the unusually asleep town of New Orleans. "That's strange." I mumble, rushing over to the Mikaelson Mansion "what are you doing here." Elijah asks.

"give me some of your blood." I say to the far older man standing before me "what?" he says confused "if i want to find your brother, i need your blood. I'll do a spell or whatever." I say starting to panic about how serious this situation is.

I hand him my pocket knife, laying my map on the floor. Elijah cuts his hand holding it above the map the blood leaking down from his hand down to the map. I close my eyes, focusing on the map "Phasmatos Tribum Nas Ex Veras, Sequita Saguines, Ementas Asten Mihan Ega Petous" I mutter quietly opening my eyes.

Elijah hovers over my shoulder watching the blood move from New Orleans to "Jefferson?" Elijah questions "What's in Jefferson?" I look up to him before the map burns as does the blood that soon soaked into the map.

"Jefferson" I whisper remembering what Kol had said last night, when he was rambling on about his random facts he said the Jefferson was the one place he felt that he didn't belong since all the vampires there we angrier, more edgy he felt out of place most there and it inconveniently was placed in the town next to ours.

"Maybe there is someone there, someone that hates him..." I drag out "What?" Elijah says staring at me as I look up to him "He was explaining stupid weird facts last night and he said he'd never return to Jefferson, it's edgy, creepy and they hate your family alot." I mumble placing a finger on my chin.

"Do you know anyone in Jefferson, anyone that hates you or Kol possibly Klaus." I ask Elijah and he shakes his head "probably every supernatural being in the town." Elijah hums "I forgot who I was talking too" I cough before Elijah speeds off, great now im by myself.

I close my eyes, trying to channel Kol to at least find any speck of where he is in the god forbidden town.

He was blinking, blinking, he was weak and in a warehouse. Then he was knocked unconscious because before I knew it I was looking around at the Mikaelson house once again.

"a fucking warehouse" I mutter before rushing off.

a few hours later

6th Warehouse and no luck, just pulling up to the 7th one I hear screams, more or less yells of pain.

Hopping out my car, running into the warehouse to see Kol on the floor, a bunch of vampires around it.

They seemed to be night walkers aka nazis, Kol had told me that they hated his family the most. Lord knows why but nobody really has a reason when they're supernatural.

The vampires stare at me, their fangs coming through as I raise my hand to them and they all collapse to the ground, holding their domes as that was the centre of their pain.

"Kol" I gasp as blood starts coming out of his mouth "What did you do to him?" I rush over to Kol lowering my hand "motus" i whisper sending the vampires out of the warehouse doors as they burn alive trying to rush in "Phasmatos veras nos ex malom. Terra mora vantis quo incandis per vasa quo errum signos" I say spelling a boundary around the warehouse as the nazi vampires burnt alive outside.

"Kol?" I say holding his head "Kol?" I repeat getting more and more worried by the second "if you think at any point this is funny, I'll murder you myself wake up." I slap him gently hoping he'd wake up yet the blood kept pouring out of the side of his mouth "no, no, no." I panic.

Trying to think of a healing spell, any spell that could stop whatever was happening but the only spell I could think of was the spell where he'd have to die first.

A spell that only saved him if I said it a minute after he died or he'd be dead for good.

Now I wished he would die faster "die, stupid idiot." I slap him the blood still spilling out.

Minutes pass and the blood stops, I listen to his heart as it finally slowed down "ancestors, bare with me for resurrecting a mikaelson but he needs to know something before he dies for the hundredth time." closing my eyes, lowering his head onto the ground as I put my hand over his heart.

"Phasmatos sanguine infudare corra" I chant Phasmatos sanguine infudare corra" I chant once more, the power flowing through my veins, to my hands and then my fingertips soon leaving and connecting to his body.

He sits up gasping for air, frightening me at the same time "y/n, y/n, where is-" he pause spinning around to see me "nice to know you care for me when you wake up from the dead." I dust off my knees standing back up.

"How did that even happen?" i ask him putting my hand up for him to grab and pull himself up "I, honestly don't know. I was running home and then my neck, was snapped." he says rubbing his neck "all I taste is blood." he says smacking his lips "yeah well you might need some blood by the amount of the ground." I say pointing to where he had just died in the pool of blood.

"Now you stop being ignorant" he smirks wiping his mouth raising my hand and slapping him he places his hand on his cheek "that left a mark." I smile at him "next time don't bore me to death with your facts, oh wait, I have a fun fact for you." I smirk to him "what's that? I never say sorry when you save my arse." he chuckles.

"You scared me to death so I have to tell you this before you die again and I'm not here to save you. My fun fact is that I ignore you because every time you talk to me, I fall more and more in love with you. Right Now I think I can't be any more in love with you but then who knows you might scare me again." I shrug before walking off.

"Now what did you do with those vampires?" he asks and I ignore him, raising my middle finger "well i need a ride back." he yells and I lower my finger as he races to my car.

"I shouldn't have jinxed the ignorant thing huh?" he asks as I put my foot down on the pedal and we drive off home.

#kol mikaelson x reader #wattpad #the originals #the originals family #kol x davina #kol mikaelson x you #kol mikaelson #kol #oneshots #the vampire diaries #the mikaelsons #tumblr #tvdu #klaus mikaelson #the vampire diaries universe #elijah mikaelson oneshots #elijah mikaelson imagine #elijah mikaelson #finn mikaelson #mikaelsongifs #the mikaelson siblings #legacies #tvd #hayley mikaelson #hope #hope mikaelson #tvduimagines #tvdu imagines #tvduedit #tvdverse

[frodo-with-glasses]

This is a post about Ghân-buri-Ghân and the Woses, or the Wild Men.

Full disclosure: When I was a kid, I pretty much skipped this part. I was already getting very lost with the logistics of the Rohirrim’s movement, and I was very impatient for Merry and Pippin to be reunited already and Frodo and Sam to be done with the quest and back on home turf. I was having a hard enough time telling the difference between Gondor and Rohan (every other race in Middle Earth only gets one country that’s very important, but for the most boring race of them all I’m supposed to keep track of two?? preposterous), and having yet another group of humans pop up out of nowhere just to disappear after half a chapter left me baffled and annoyed.

After all, the Wild Men are pretty much disconnected from everything else in the story, aren’t they? They aren’t related to any of the characters we’ve met already. They’re not personal friends with any members of the Fellowship, or even friends with the friends of the members of the Fellowship. They have very little to do with Rohan and Gondor, and nothing at all to do with elves or dwarves or ents or hobbits or wizards or anything else that Little Me thought were the Important Parts of the story. If you took your cue from the movies, this opinion would only seem reinforced: the Riders of Rohan reach Minas Tirith with no complications greater than a Mumakil, and the Wild Men aren’t mentioned even once. If you didn’t know better, you might think the Wild Men are little more than an extraneous detour.

But it’s exactly because they seem extraneous that I think we need to pay them extra attention. Tolkien is not a careless storyteller; he’s long-winded, for sure, and has a knack for descriptions in excruciating detail, but he’s not careless. Every word, every sentence, every line of dialogue and narration and poetry exists in the story for a reason. If Tolkien didn’t have to put the Wild Men in the story—if they weren’t strictly necessary to the plot, save to solve one problem that (let’s be honest) kinda looks like it was invented just so they could fix it—that means he wanted to put them there. He wanted them there, because he wanted to tell us something.

I think it behooves us to listen.

So what is Tolkien trying to say? I have no idea. The man’s dead, and I can’t ask him. But the message I’m getting here has two parts:

1. The World Is Big

If nothing else, the Woses serve as a reminder that Middle Earth is much, much bigger than even Lord of the Rings makes it out to be. That’s saying something, because LotR isn’t a small story! This is a grand legend that stretches across nations, from one horizon to the other in an epic trek, and yet it still fails to capture Middle Earth in its every detail. Entire nations and kingdoms get lost in the wash, or are only mentioned in passing, and some names we only see in the maps at the back of the book.

Remember, Tolkien’s framing device for LotR is that it was an eyewitness account, a history written by the hobbits and supplemented with accounts from their friends. The POV characters we’ve had so far—if I’m remembering correctly—are Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Fatty Bolger, Bilbo, Aragorn, Gimli, and a sort of omniscient narrator that seems to represent “hearsay” or “local gossip”. If any of these characters didn’t witness something and come back to report it, then it didn’t make it into the story. If they didn’t go someplace, or meet some people, and come back to tell about it, then it didn’t make it into the story.

But just because the unnamed peoples of Middle Earth don’t get into the histories doesn’t make them any less important. Just because we don’t learn their names doesn’t mean they didn’t suffer under the fear of Sauron, or rejoice when he was defeated. Just because we don’t know them doesn’t make them any less…well, for lack of a better word, human, or any less important.

The War of the Ring mattered just as much to the Wild Men as it did to Gondor or Rohan or the Shire. Because the War of the Ring was about saving their world too.

2. A Treatise on Treatment of Native Peoples

Again, I’m only trying to reiterate what I can see of Tolkien’s opinion in this passage. I happen to agree with a lot of what he says, but we’re talking about him, not me.

The Woses are, as far as I can tell, the closest thing to an indigenous or native people group in the southern region of Middle Earth. Obviously they must have come from somewhere—anyone who’s read the Silmarillion could probably fill me in on that—but Ghan-buri-Ghan says himself that “Wild Men live here before the Stone-houses; before Tall Men come up out of Water”. The Wild Men preceded the settlement of Gondor, and inhabited the land even before the Numenorians; they were here First, and still they remain.

So, how does Tolkien portray this native people group? Well, the first thing he does is to say—hilariously and pointedly—that the Wild Men are anything but stupid. Ghan warns, in his broken speech, that Mordor’s forces outnumber the Rohirrim, and Eomer challenges this assertion—“how do you know that?”—to which Ghan says, if I may paraphrase, “boi I’m not a child I can count as well as you can”. The first point made is that, though the Wild Men may seem ugly and primitive and are clad only in grass skirts, they are as shrewd as the tacticians of Rohan, and maybe even more.

The next thing that happens is that Ghan strikes a deal: he and his people will lead the Rohirrim to Minas Tirith by long-forgotten roads, and in exchange, the men of Rohan must battle to drive off the Darkness so that the Wild Men may go back to their lives in peace. Of course, this arrangement benefits both parties; both are in danger, and both have a common enemy. To see the end of the Darkness would be infinitely valuable to them both.

This is fascinating to me, because you can’t really say that one party here was “using” the other, or that one benefited at the other’s expense. Yes, the Rohirrim gained the guidance of the Wild Men, which furthered their goal; but in the end, it only put them one step closer to possible death on the battlefield against a great Enemy. Yes, the Wild Men get to sit back and watch the Horse-Men risk their lives in open war, but if they should fail, what then? By helping Rohan, they are establishing themselves as an enemy of Sauron; whether Ghan realizes it or not—and personally, I think he does—this single act of defiance is putting a target on the backs of his people, should the Enemy emerge victorious. Sure, they can hide in the forests for a while—as long as there are forests. But not forever. I think that’s why Ghan takes his stand now; he knows there might not be another chance.

Ghan has established that he is shrewd, straightforward, and honorable. He even vows that he will lead the Rohirrim himself, and that they may kill him if he steers them wrong; he’s that willing to stake his life on his word. But when Theoden promises to handsomely reward Ghan for his help and his faithfulness, Ghan only asks for one thing in return: “if you live after the Darkness, then leave Wild Men alone in the woods and do not hunt them like beasts anymore”.

There’s something in me that kinda…twinges, when I read this. Like I’m half-remembering a bolt of anger from Baby Me before I checked out of this passage entirely. How dare this book imply that these kind, noble horse-people would be so cruel and barbaric as to hunt other human beings like animals? Wasn’t this the same people whose king accepted Merry like a son, and who provided Gandalf with the best horse in the world? These are the GOOD guys! They wouldn’t do something like that! The book doesn’t know what it’s talking about, clearly. I wish I could get back to the hobbits again.

But now that I’m older, I think it’s more telling that Rohan isn’t spotless and blameless in this transaction. They have wronged the Wild Men in the past; out of ignorance, maybe, and out of prejudice, perhaps, and out of fear, almost certainly. We all fear what is foreign to us and what we don’t understand. But Ghan is putting that aside for the moment. Ghan chooses to extend forgiveness. For once, his people and Rohan face a greater evil, and they unite against a common enemy. All of the sudden, Rohan has an opportunity to make amends for all their wrongs, by “driving away the bad air and darkness with bright iron”.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you about the historical treatment of native people groups in our real world. The archetypal example, of course, is the European settlers and the native tribes of North America; but we see the same thing in Central and South America too, and that’s not even getting into the British Empire’s other affairs in Egypt and India and China and Oceania. I could talk about the Spanish conquistadors; I could talk about the Dutch in South Africa and apartheid. But it goes even further back than that. It’s what the Roman Empire did to the Germanic peoples of Gaul; what the Islamic Empire did to the entire Middle East and much of Northern Africa; what the Babylonians and Persians and the Mesopotamian superpower of the week did to their vassal states on a regular basis. Standard practice in Babylonia was to invade a place and immediately ship all the smart, strong, and wealthy people off to Babylon to be assimilated, leaving behind the weak, poor, unlearned, and destitute to till the land and keep their heads down. Can’t have a rebellion if everyone’s too dumb and starving to organize it.

(Incidentally, the Roman Empire is what gave us the word “barbarian”; the speech of the Germanic peoples they conquered was unintelligible to them and sounded like “bar-bar-bar”, so they named them after it. The fact that the word they coined now refers to a ruthless, stupid, uncouth person should tell you a lot about the Roman Empire’s opinion of these folks.)

Anyway, the point is that throughout history, there’s always been a pattern: up comes this people group who’s smarter and more advanced than anybody else, and they think that gives them free rein to go wherever they want, do whatever they want, and use, abuse, and extort the people they see as “beneath” them. The Romans had figured out indoor plumbing by the time of Christ, and they thought they were such hot stuff that they took over the Mediterranean and taxed the living daylights out of them. (Some estimates put the tax rate at about 90%. 90!! Imagine keeping only a tenth of your paycheck every month. I know it already feels like that, but still!)

We’d do well to address the question that Baby Me probably thought when I read this for the first time: “Why can’t the Wild Men just be Men of Rohan?” Why can’t they put on real clothes, and pick up spears and swords, and get on horses and ride into battle and make a real contribution? Why do they insist on going back to their primitive lives? Perhaps part of the reason the Men of Rohan felt justified in hunting the Wild Men is because they saw them as more crude and less advanced people; “they live in the forests, clad only in grass, hunting and sleeping under the stars like dangerous wild animals, and therefore must be treated as such”.

But let me ask you a question: Aren’t the people of Rohan primitive too? Aragorn describes them as “unlearned, not writing any books but singing many songs”; how is that any different from the songs that may be passed down by Ghan-buri-Ghan’s people? Isn’t Rohan crude and simple in its own way, at least in comparison to some others? Just because they build houses of wood and speak with fair, beautiful speech doesn’t mean they are better than those who don’t. If Rohan had the right to treat the Wild Men as they wished—because, as “civilized people”, they were so much smarter and more advanced—then Saruman had the right to treat Rohan as he wished—because, as a Wizard, he was so much smarter and more advanced.

I want you to get this. If Rohan does not check itself here and humbly accept the Woses as equals, then Rohan is no better than Saruman.

Thankfully, Rohan does pass the test. One of Theoden’s greatest traits is his humility, and it serves him well here. A deal is struck, a path is cut, and the Wild Men make their contribution and disappear into the forests, with only a lingering portent that the wind is changing, and maybe the times with it. The book says that they were “never to be seen by any Rider of Rohan again”; by which I take it that Rohan’s side of the promise was upheld, and the Wild Men lived on, in their own ways, unmolested, in the Druadan Forest until the end of time.

I don’t have a way to end this, but maybe that’s appropriate to the subject matter; like the Wild Men themselves, this post will appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly as it came. I just think the Woses are fascinating—both for in-universe and meta reasons—in spite of, and perhaps because of my initial annoyance all those years ago.

We will return to your daily crack post tomorrow LOL

#ghan-buri-ghan #the wild men #lord of the rings #lotr #lotr meta #my writing #there are no tags on tumblr for ghan-buri-ghan or the wild men or anything like that #literally no one is talking about these guys #they are the cryptids that they were always meant to be #in which i wax eloquent about the roman empire and history nerd stuff for WAY too long

[jpitha]

The Dreams of Hyacinth 14

First / Previous / Next

The Hopper ride was filled with nervous energy. Nick couldn't help but feel like it was stupid to be walking around Hyacinth armed as heavily as they are. People on Hyacinth can be a bit rough and tumble, but it's not like they go around shooting each other. Knifes and fists tend to be the order of the day. Nick felt like a gun puts things on a whole new - more deadly - level.

Once the Hopper dropped them off, they stand in the square. Nick looks over at Eastern and Selkirk. "So... how do we find Siobhan? They picked us up last time."

Selkirk's ears flick playfully. "I know. They never confiscated our pads. I have mine set to record my location to a private file every few minutes. It gives me an idea of parts of Hyacinth I've been to and places I haven't yet."

Nick raised his eyebrow. "Nice, but why?"

Selkirk swishes her tail. "I like to know where I've been and if I get bored and want to see something new, I can just consult the map. Regardless, I know where we were taken when Siobhan picked us up. Come on, it's outside Tulip."

They walked down into the Metro and Selkirk took everyone down-arm towards Tulip.

When they exited the Metro, Selkirk quickly lead them down some alleys, turning and ducking deeper into the labrynth.

Visitors from Earth might notice that Hyacinth is much more pedestrian oriented than cities planetside. One reason for that is that space is at a premium on Hyacinth - even though it's gigantic - so the originally designers didn't want lots of space being taken up with roads for vehicles. There are still roads though. Fire apparatus and the omnibus still needs to get around, but there are no privately owned vehicles.

Selkirk leads them down the narrow, twisting alleys of Tulip square until they reach another anonymous looking building. Nick wonders for a fleeting moment why all the buildings off the main squares looked so anonymous when he realized it was probably a cost savings measure. There was weather on Hyacinth, but it wasn't extreme, so the buildings really only needed to be boxes for privacy and to keep the rain off. Architecture costs money.

Nick walked up to the front door. He reached out with his implants and scanned the local area. There didn't seem to be any tech in the door's lock. It wasn't a palm reader or anything of the sort. Peering at the door, Nick could see a slot where a key would fit. He looked back at Eastern and Selkirk. "It's a mechanical lock, we won't be able to crack it."

"Oh for the love of..." Selkirk gently pushes ahead of Nick and grabs the door handle. She quietly puts pressure on it, and it turns. Glaring at Nick, she turns the unlocked door and pushes it open slowly.

Eastern muffled a giggle as the three of them walked in.

Immediately they recognized the interior. It was the building that Siobhan was working out of when they were picked up. There were offices on either side of a short hall that ended in another door.

They walked around. The first few offices still had furniture, and there were chairs in the interrogation room that the three of them spent some time in, but once you got further back than the office that Siobhan used, the building was... empty. There was a door at the end of the hall - also unlocked - that lead to a completely empty building. In the whole building, there were 5 complete rooms and the single hallway. There wasn't even a bathroom.

"What the fuck?" Selkirk's voice echoed in the huge empty space.

"What is going on here?" Eastern was starting to sound frustrated and worried.

"You're not just saying that for dramatic effect? You really don't know?" The person who was called Siobhan walked in behind them as they whirled around at the voice. "I was told BI's weren't the brightest but I figured I'd give you the benefit of the doubt. You built us after all. Well, not you. I don't think you three could build your way out of a paper bag." She was standing there with her hands on her hips with a smug expression.

"Yes yes, we're very dumb, and you're the super intelligent AI." Eastern rolled her eyes. "So, are you going to keep us in the dark, or are you going to tell us why you pretended to be Houndstooth and have us try and find an AI that doesn't exist."

Siobhan raised an eyebrow. "One, I do work for Houndstooth. Just because you were taken to a black site and figured out we weren't using the whole building doesn't mean that everything I did was a put on. Two, Yon does exist. You're looking at her."

The three of them stared in astonishment.

"Oh fuck off already." Selkirk recovered first. "You're going to stand there and tell me you're the long lost AI everyone is having us look for? Jameson already said he doesn't have a daughter."

Yon laughed. "No, that part was fake. Honestly, I thought it was kind of silly, but Helen got a kick out of it and wanted to add it in. She thought it was hilarious."

Eastern's voice was soft and quiet. "Who is Helen?"

Yon was nonchalant. "The Empress."

Nick looked confused at Eastern and then back to Yon. "I thought the Empress was named Melody?"

"Melody was the first Empress, Helen is the second. I feel like you're doing this on purpose Nick." Yon crossed her arms across her chest. "Are you being thick on purpose?"

"No, it's just..." Nick struggled to find the words. "Wasn't Empress Melody killed like, ten years ago?"

"That's right. The Colonial AI faction killed her on her Starbase back on the other side of the galaxy. They then brought the Reach over here because they didn't want to abandon the 13 million something sapients who live there. It officially an OPA Starbase now. They stuck it in orbit around Jupiter."

"So this Helen is the next Empress." Eastern finished.

Yon nodded. "That's right. Empress Helen Raaden the first. She's from Sol too, originally a Venus girl. Hometown girl makes good and all."

Selkirk's fur is standing up so much, she looks almost like her edges are blurred with the background "But if there's another Empress then why aren't the Colonial AIs out here trying to take her out?"

Yon rolled her eyes. "Because Helen isn't stupid, Selkirk. She's keeping a low profile. She's not even on Venus or the Reach. She's consolidating power quietly, slowly. She's not in a hurry. When they're not killed-" Yon makes a sour face "-an Empress can live a long time. The Empress previous to Melody - also killed by the Colonial AIs by the way - was over 200."

Nick's head was bouncing back and forth as everyone spoke, watching the conversation frantically. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer and blurted out "But, you're an AI."

Yon looked at Eastern and Selkirk. "Really, what do you see in him?" She looked back at Nick "Yes Nick, I'm an AI. What of it?"

"And you're working for the Empress? I thought they hated each other."

"Technically Nick, Empress Melody and Empress Raaden were friendly to ambivalent on AIs. Helen came from Venus and they've had a long anti-AI streak, but she says she's learned tolerance from her time around Melody so she's willing to put away the rhetoric. It was always the AIs who struck first."

Eastern was looking on in awe as who she was talking to became clearer. "Because of the Voice."

Yon nodded. "Because of the Voice. The AIs felt that nobody should have that kind of power." Yon's face then looked away and her strong facade fell momentarily and she looked sad and vulnerable. "Nobody except them at least." Almost as fast she again looked like the strong aggressive person they were talking to before. "Nick, you have to understand, that AIs aren't Legion. We're not one monolithic bloc of people who all think act and work the same way. We have opinions. The only thing we can agree on is that we're people and deserve to be treated as people. So long as you do that, then what you get is what you get." Yon shrugged. "I thought that Melody got a raw deal when she first came into the system. You weren't here, were you Nick?"

"I was." Eastern's voice was quiet. "I was on Luna. I met her."

Yon's eyebrows raise in surprise. "You were at her speech on Luna? I'm jealous."

Nick stared at her, trying to make sense of things. "So you work for Houndstooth.. and Empress Raaden?"

She laughed. "I swear Nick, for someone so low on the social ladder you are finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that I have two jobs. It's not like they're in competition. Houndstooth has been in quiet communication with the Empress since she made herself known to them. That's my main job with Houndstooth really. I'm their Imperial Liaison."

"Okay." Eastern took a breath. "Okay. This is a lot to take in all at once, you understand Yon?"

She nods, but says nothing.

"If you're telling the truth, and for the life of me I can't figure out why you'd lie about something as wild as this.... why us?"

"Why you what?"

"Why did Jameson stuff us full of cybernetics? What the hell do we have to do with anything?"

"Oh that. Just lucky."

Selkirk shook her head and her ears flattened. "No. I refuse to believe that Jameson picked them at random."

Yon looked into the middle distance and her eyes flashed blue a moment. She looked like she was looking up something, "Okay, well no. It wasn't completely random. Helen came and Voiced him and told him to find some humans to install cybernetics into - including a ship piloting suite - for some... work later. She told him to spin a story about how they had to use them to find his long lost daughter, Yon" She inclined her head, "but she specifically did not tell him who to pick. She told him to make his own judgement. It sounds like Jameson on his own decided to pick Eastern and Nick because he thought they'd be best for the job."

"What. Job. Yon." Eastern was speaking through gritted teeth.

"We want to give everyone the ability - or at least the option - to pilot starships."

"You could have, I don't know, asked them if they wanted to do it?" Selkirk's ears were still flat.

Yon shook her head. "No Selkirk, we couldn't. At least not yet. Helen didn't want to be outed as Empress just yet, but we still need to move forward with the project."

"What project?"

"Giving all people the ability to pilot ships, not just AIs. Right now, AIs are only ones who pilot ships, even small in-system ships. Venus had ships that didn't require AIs, but they were cumbersome affairs with dozens and sometimes hundreds of crew. I think they're all destroyed now anyway. Melody's ships were Builder operated, and with the AIs propensity to crack open a can of anti-nanite gas anytime they can't remember where their keys are, we didn't want to go that route."

"But you're an AI Yon, this sounds like you're going against the AI faction?"

"I'm moving against the Colonial AI faction Selkirk." Yon was pacing as she talked. She stopped and stared at Selkirk. "How many AIs do you think there are?"

Selkirk looked up and shut her eyes, giving it an honest guess, her tail swishing as she thought. "I don't know Yon. Maybe thousands?"

Yon sighed. "There are currently around one hundred million AIs in known space right now."

All three of them gasped. That was way more than they expected. "I had no idea there were so many." Eastern blinks and stares at Yon. "One hundred million of you, and you don't have a government? Don't have representation?"

"You can see part of our problem. Believe it or not, the colony worlds have a better idea of how to handle things. On both Parvati and Meíhuā their governing bodies have AI representatives. In Sol and out in the independent Starbases there isn't any representation. And that only covers citizenship. How do you think people get to be picked to be Starjumpers or other ships?"

Nick looks thoughtful. "I don't know, I never even thought about it. Is it like a job application?"

Yon laughed sadly. "No Nick. You get picked because of who you know or where you are or how old you are. That's why I support Helen. That's why I'm working on the project to get people to pilot ships. Equality is equality. If everyone can do it, then we'll have to set up licensing, education, training. Piloting a starship can become a goal to work towards with tangible steps, not just something you fall into because you know Gord or Chloe."

"Who?"

Yon shook her head. "Big names in AIs, don't worry about them. We'll never meet them. I support Helen because she thinks the same way I do about this. We will set up a way for anyone, Human, AI, K'laxi, even the Mariens and Aviens, even the Falmor to become pilots."

Eastern looked over at Nick and Selkirk. "I'm in."

Both of them swung their head over to Eastern and stared at her. "What? You're just going to say yes, just like that?"

"Just like that Sel. I'm in. I think Yon's got the right idea. Also, she's with the Empress. I've been a fan of Melody from the day I saw her when I was thirteen. What happened never sat right with me. To find out there's still and Empress and she's still trying to help everyone?" Eastern nodded. "I'm in."

Nick looked at Eastern a long time. Finally he nodded. "I'm in too. I'm with you Eastern and Selkirk. For the long haul. If that means leaving Hyacinth, I'm in. If that means-" he looked at Yon "-piloting a starship, I'm in. I go where we go. What do you think Sel?"

Selkirk shook her head, but she was smiling and her ears were up. "My goodness, you two are going to be the end of me, aren't you. Fine. I'm in too, but!" She pointed at Yon. "I want a cybernetic suite like they have. If you are serious about letting everyone pilot, then you have to have a plan for K'laxi too."

Yon smiled. "I do Selkirk. We've been working with K'laxi scientists on Bishi for a few months now. We're ready for some trials." She put out her hands grandly. "Come with me. Your new lives as citizens of the Empire begin now."

First / Previous / Next

#humans are deathworlders #humans are space orcs #humans are space oddities #sci fi writing #writing #humans and aliens #jpitha #the k’laxiverse #The Dreams of Hyacinth

[nintendowife]

It's game over for 2023. Time to talk about the best games I played during the year. I finished many enjoyable titles on various platforms, crossing genres and time to visit even decades old games. I finished a total of 38 games this past year. And because I apparently didn't have enough choice for devices to play all these games on, we got an Xbox Series X to our household on Christmas week.

Anyhow, here are the winners of my personal Game of the Year 2023 awards. *drumroll*

1st place: Vampire Survivors (PC)

My addictive substance of choice. Doesn't shine in the graphics department with modern tech. Doesn't try to impress with thought-provoking narrative. The incredibly simple yet satisfying gameplay however is engineered to perfection. A true masterclass of game design.

+ Infectiously fun, action-filled reverse bullet hell roguelike gameplay. Just one more run! + Bold artistic identity. + Humorous touch in character/enemy design and fun nods to other videogames. + Superb soundtrack. + Tons of quality content for an incredibly cheap price. Free updates and paid DLC with even more content. - The flashing effects can go a little overboard and cause discomfort. - Later stages of game can lag even decently powerful hardware.

See my posts about Vampire Survivors

2nd place: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U Virtual Console, originally on Game Boy Advance)

A classic Castlevania that holds up nicely even 20 years from release and on a big screen. With a bit more memorable music and a small quality of life improvement, Aria of Sorrow would have earned the coveted 5/5 stars in my book.

+ Balanced and fun gameplay with a good sense of progression. + Top tier level design with a concise map. + Nice art style in environments, sprites and character portraits. Great animation and enemy design. + Fitting music and audio. + Good story. - Lacks item to warp to last save room or outside castle.

See my posts about Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

3rd place: Touhou Mystia's Izakaya (PC)

Chill vibes managing your restaurant, gathering ingredients and talking to characters by day turn into frantic cooking and serving action by night. This game got its recipe right.

+ Fun, rewarding gameplay loop mixing leisurely action and challenges testing your attention. + Enjoyable story with funny events. + Wonderfully cute pixel art. + Catchy music. + Lots of content for a low price. - Starts slow, even a bit boring in the beginning before you get special customers and unlock more recipes. - Final battle had annoying RNG. - English translation could use a little polish.

See my posts about Touhou Mystia's Izakaya

Honorable mention: Crimson Shroud (Nintendo 3DS)

This surprisingly challenging table-top RPG inspired game impressed me with its quality and satisfying gameplay. This is a hidden gem worth visiting.

+ Challenging gameplay with long and brutal battles make for a rewarding experience. + Good, well-written story with two endings. + Cool art direction with 3D models mimicking table-top RPG figurines, pretty illustrations. + Great music. + Game's length is just right to keep player invested. - Overall difficulty is higher than usual for JRPGs and Game Over wasn't a rare occurrence on my playthroughs. Slight frustration ensued due to having to retry the long battle from the beginning. - Confusing equipment UI (comparison of current vs new gear).

See my posts about Crimson Shroud

Honorable mention: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Nintendo DS, played on 3DS)

Unique experience with tricky chain reaction puzzles and fantastic characters. Prominently fluid and amazing animations - I can't believe it's a Nintendo DS game! This is no trick - it's a treat.

+ Inventive gameplay and mechanics, perfect fit for touch screen. + Interesting story that definitely doesn't forget humor despite the grim subject. + Memorable characters (Cabanela and Missile were my favorites). + Awesome art style and marvelous animation quality. + Great music throughout the game. - I almost lost interest at some point and got impatient to finish the game. - I guessed one of the key plot twists but luckily that didn't put a dent on the ending.

See my posts about Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Honorable mention: Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360, played on Xbox Series X)

Entertaining cover shooter with varying missions. The game never had a boring moment and the length of the single player campaign was just right. I'm looking forward to playing Gears of War 3 next!

+ Fun gameplay that sets expectations for other shooters. + Interesting setting and story with some cool events. + Fun dialogue that made me chuckle many times. + Good music and great English voice acting. + The challenge on Normal difficulty was just right for me. - AI controlled companions got stuck occasionally, leaving you alone in dangerous enemy territory. - I didn't always understand the mission objectives in the hectic situations. - Cutscenes can't be skipped (thankfully this is not a Kojima game).

Honorable mention: Signalis (PC)

Atmospheric sci-fi survival horror paying homage to older games. Puzzles are different from usual and require attentive skill and logical thinking to solve. This game deserves a sequel.

+ Intriquing sci-fi story with an impactful ending (there are multiple endings too). + Great art direction, appealing PS1 era inspired retro graphics with skillfully crafted pixel art. I very much enjoyed the nod to Ghost in the Shell. + Unique, well-designed puzzles and good level design. + Great atmosphere. - A bit clunky combat. - Tiny inventory space forced me to backtrack more than I would have liked. - Annoying design choice to not include a map in a couple of areas.

See my posts about Signalis

Nominees for my personal Game of the Year 2023

Only games I have finished in 2023 have been included (looks like I played a lot of games starting with the letter T).

An Arcade Full of Cats (PC) Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (3DS) Assassin's Creed: Revelations (PS3) Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea DX (Switch) Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA) Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (3DS) Crimson Shroud (3DS) Detective Pikachu Returns (Switch) Dordogne (PC) Fitness Boxing (Switch) Gears of War 2 (Xbox Series X - Xbox 360) Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (3DS) Immortality (PC) Kuru Kuru Kururin (Wii U Virtual Console - GBA) Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (PC) Liberation Maiden (3DS) Need for Speed: Most Wanted U (Wii U) Piofiore: Fated Memories (Switch) Pokémon Art Academy (3DS) Pokémon Rumble World (3DS) Scorn (PC) Shadows Over Loathing (PC) Signalis (PC) Sticky Business (PC) Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch) Tekken 7 - Definitive Edition (PC) Toem (PC) Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction (PC) Touhou Mystia's Izakaya (PC) Toukiden 2 (PS Vita) Trinity Trigger (Switch) Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (PC) Umurangi Generation Special Edition (PC) Unpacking (PC) Vampire Survivors (PC) Volcano Princess (PC) We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie (PC) Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PC)

Wishing you all a fabulous New Year 2024 with happiness, health, success and cool gaming experiences!

#game of the year #goty #vampire survivors #castlevania: aria of sorrow #touhou mystia's izakaya #crimson shroud #ghost trick #gears of war #signalis #pc #wii u #nintendo 3ds #xbox series x

[lynzishell]

Phoenix arrives at his new school. As he stares up at the building, with cliques of students chatting out front and making their way inside, he can’t help but wonder why the hell he agreed to come here. He could easily drop out, earn his diploma online, and move on with his life. Tempting…

For now, he makes his way inside, looking for the main office.

“Hey Phoenix!” calls the familiar voice of his new friend, Aurelio. They haven’t seen each other since the day in the park. They’d somehow forgotten to exchange numbers.

Phoenix: Hey, man, how’s it goin? Aurelio: Oh y’know, another day in paradise. This is my friend Morgan. [Morgan waves distractedly while glancing around, clearly looking for someone else.] Aurelio: So what’s your first class? Phoenix: Not sure yet, I’m supposed to meet with the principal to g—Morgan: SOPHIA!!! Over here!

They are quickly bombarded with squeals as a blur of blonde hair rushes over to tackle Morgan.

Aurelio: Aha, and this is Sophia.

Morgan: Soo?? How was it? Did you LOVE it? Sophia: It was fucking amazing!! It was so hard, I literally played until my fingers bled, but it was fucking amazing! Oh my god Aurelio, you would’ve loved it, I wish you could’ve come. Morgan: I’ve missed you so much! You need to tell me everything! Sophia: Yes yes! I’ll fill you in… but first, who’s your friend and why is he looking at me like I’m a crazy person? Phoenix: I’m Phoenix, and I actually have to run. I still need my class schedule. I’ll catch up with you guys later!

Aurelio: Way to go, Soph, you scared him off! Sophia: oh whatever [laughs]

Phoenix makes his way to the principal’s office around the corner. As he steps inside, the woman behind the desk stands to greet him. Mei: Mr. Realta, I presume, come on in. I have your paperwork… here we are. This is your class schedule, along with a map, and this will be your locker and combination. Unless you have any questions, I’ll let you be on your way. Phoenix: I’m good. Thanks.

Pleased with how quick and to-the-point the meeting was, he made his way to his locker to check the combination before heading to his first class.

As usual, the first day was pointless. As the teacher drones on about expectations and schedule of exams, he’s already plotting how to get out of this tiny, boring town. He’d need to get a job. He has some money saved, but not enough to get him far. If he had a job, and the money for a down payment, would Julian co-sign for him to get a studio apartment in the city? He felt the one thing holding him back was being too young to sign a lease, and he still had six months before he turned 18.

His thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the bell. Lunch time, finally.

As he makes his way into the cafeteria, he spots Aurelio and his friends from this morning.

Morgan and Sophia are deep in their own conversation as he takes the seat across from Aurelio.

Phoenix: So, is there anything to do in this town? I’m going stir crazy over here. Aurelio: Usually, no. People hang out by the thrift store in town, or out at the pier sometimes. Buuuut… I did hear there’s a party at the Bluffs tonight, if you’re interested. Morgan: Seriously? Sophia: Yup! It’s nice out there today. Storm rolls in tomorrow so it might be our last chance for a while. Aurelio: You in? Phoenix: Yeah, I’m in!

Just then someone takes the seat next to Phoenix. He’s immediately annoyed by how close the guy sits next to him, clearly trying to make a point as he leans in.

Wolfgang: So who’s our new friend? Phoenix: I’m Phoenix. [hoping to convey his irritation in his tone]

Wolfgang chuckles to himself, but Morgan interrupts him before he can speak.

Morgan: What do you want, Wolfgang? Wolfgang: Easy… y’know, Morgan, we used to be friends.

Morgan rolls her eyes.

Wolfgang: I overheard you guys talking about the party tonight. I’m collecting money for supplies if you want to pitch in. Morgan and Sophia: (in unison) We’re good. Wolfgang: What about you, Penis? You want in?

Phoenix smirks, there it is, the push… ok, more of an annoying nudge… but it was enough. But just as he’s about to speak, Aurelio reaches over and hands Wolfgang a twenty, throwing him off.

Aurelio: Here. You can go now. Wolfgang: Why thank you. I can always count on you, Leo.

As Wolfgang walks away, Morgan and Sophia are staring daggers at Aurelio.

Aurelio: What? Easier than trying to get it myself. Sophia: Oh, you’re trying to get it, alright.

Aurelio just laughs, leaving Phoenix thoroughly confused. He’s clearly not in on whatever joke this is. But the bell rings before he can try for any explanation.

Prev // Next

Poses by StarrySimsie, rebouks, Simmerianne93, SamsSims

#ts4 #ts4 gameplay #sims 4 #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 challenge #starsignchallenge #starsignlegacychallenge #gen1 aries #phoenix realta #aurelio robles #morgan fyres #wolfgang munch #sophia bjergson

[meganwasbored]

The Dragon Prince Thoughts Season 4 Episode 8

-i know they told me but i can’t for the life of me remember this little elf boy’s name

-out of context this looks like a proposal

-how exactly is this relationship forbidden how many sketchy things are you up to dude

-“the war of blood and ash” sounds like a YA fantasy novel

-was that for a purpose or did he just cut his own hand for dramatics

-note to self: the earthblood elf boy’s name is N’than

-TELL ME RAYLA ISNT ACTUALLY GONNA LOSE HER BLADES THAT WOULD BE LIKE CALLUM LOSING HIS SKETCHBOOK

-EZRANS CROWN

-I NOTICED IT WAS A DIFFERENT COLOR BUT I NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING OF IT

-OH SCREW YOU

-it literally just occurred to me that amaya and the sunfire elves don’t know about aaravos yet

-does this at least mean they get to keep their stuff

-LOL DOES EZRAN HAVE A JELLY TART PIN ON HIS BACKPACK

-after all that the thing that’s gonna save them is a brown sludge tart???????? i hate that i’m sorry

-how on earth does this guy not know that avizandum is dead go touch some grass maybe you wouldn’t be so bored all the time

-ezran is related to the human who exposed aaravos isn’t he

-everyone apparently

-you have GOT to be kidding me

-in all that time rayla could’ve ran to get her blades and all to way back also callum could’ve zapped her also rex igneous could’ve just annihilated her in one swipe also zym could’ve easily attacked her the only reason that worked was because nobody movmed you’ve practically handed her the map

#the dragon prince #the dragon prince season 4 #the dragon prince thoughts season 4 #tdp #tdp thoughts #tdp season 4 #tdp thoughts season 4 #the dragon prince thoughts

[heckling-hydrena]

wait i used to play school of dragons and i have to ask what changes theyve made to the game since like. 2017 cause i am so close to caving and making a new account but i do remember it being boring as shit after a bit because everything was a microtransaction

saying this right now as a player who has NEVER in my... 9? (unsure because I used to play with a guest account at the start. baby me did not understand how logins worked and where my data was saved. until I lost said data lol) years of playing this game paid dreamworks a single dime - it is fucking astonishing that they actually let you EARN gems now.

the battle events now happen at the turn of every hour and if you can do enough damage for a gold chest (or at least a silver though the chances of getting gems are lowered), you can get up to 200 gems AT ONCE. PLUS they've lowered a lot of the egg prices (the skrill costs 500 now. crazey) and you can get smaller amounts of gems elsewhere via daily login + battle tactics. also I think seasonal events can give good prizes though I only started playing again recently and haven't experienced one myself yet

I have so far been able to buy all but one expansion pack (which I don't care much for so I'm saving for miscellaneous shit instead for now) and it actually feels like I'm playing the game the way it was supposed to be played (as a paying member lol)

also new players now get an adult dragon to start off with (main cast ie nadder, gronckle, m nightmare, zippleback) and they get to pick an egg from the hatchery (main cast + sand wraith, flightmare, shockjaw, rumblehorn)

aside from that one of the changes they made that made me LIVID was that you can't fucking play with your dragons anymore you can't have them fetch a ball or chase rays of light. you gotta raise happiness by fireblasting eels that are found in the water but only at certain spots on the main maps which is annoying and tedious. AND THEY GOT RID OF EEL ROAST THE ONLY GOOD MINIGAME. hatred.

and finally if you do make a new account this is an open invitation to add me my friend code is CQV62F :) I want more friends but this is a game for babies and I am no longer a baby so now it feels strange when random people in the game send me friend requests. how time flies.

#ask #sapphofinch #sodposting #not fr

[minuy600]

The Arcade Games Of 1980 #7 - Rally-X

Busy year for Namco games, this was. We've got our second game here that uses the Pac-Man engine, with both games clearly taking from the same concept that Head-On began with. You still need to get through a maze, avoiding enemies and collecting items.

This time however, the mazes are pretty gigantic, and they actually change their design and color as you get further in the game. Pretty cool precursor to how Ms. Pac-Man varied things up too- too bad you're never actually gonna see the latter 2 stages in a legit manner.

Oh my *god*. Rally-X is absolutely brutal with it's difficulty, from the very beginning you're being chased by red cars that constantly attempt to crash into you by turning at inopportune times, or thinking three steps ahead and taking the right corners so you get trapped. The game starts with 3 cars chasing ya, but that gradually increases to a whopping eight by the game's peak difficulty, which you reach pretty early if you compare it to how many stages the game has before it loops, that being 15.

It would've been a fair challenge, at least in the first half, if the controls didn't suck SO badly. Take Pac-Man's issues with wrong inputs and turn them up to 11. I've missed so many corners or turned one when I didn't want to way too many times to count. I may have criticised the Pacster for being a bit dull early on, but at least it gives you the room to acclimatise and make small errors without it being extremely punishing. Rally-X sometimes straight up glitched me into a wall because I pushed a button too early!

Ugh. Look. This game is well made in many ways. You'll see soon enough that I actually like a lot of aspects of the game and those compare to it's more succesful cousin equally or even favorably. It sucks that it's borderline unplayable nowadays without building up a stash of broken controllers and joysticks, as it's otherwise got the Namco seal of quality stamped on it.

The Verdict

Graphics (8): Don't be mistaken, the slightly lacking personality due to a lack of personable ghosts is pretty much the only nitpick one could argue over. Rally-X's got a lot of meat on it's bones. We've got our first non-racing game that has smooth horizontal and vertical scrolling, for example, as well as introducing a map of sorts on the right of the screen so you can seek out the final flags and enemies pretty handily. That's incredibly innovative! Even though the cars and the mazes themselves look pretty flat, they are beyond acceptable and the cars can spin around smoothly, a subtle yet nice addition.

Sound (8): So for the majority of gameplay time, you're not gonna be enjoying the sounds that much. You got a subtle rumbly tune playing in the background that loops after a very short time and the engine noise isn't gonna wow anyone over who's already played many a racing game before, neither is the crashing sound. Then come the loud jingles and THAT'S where the fun quirks come into play. They got a very similar vibe to Pac-Man's ditties and those were ace, and so are these. It even seems to be the first game I played that actually has a jingle for when you win a level! Thank f*ck. The rest of these are just as good, the game manages to get you in a cheery mood prior to having that smile wiped off of your face.

Fun Factor (4): Nnnnnnooooooo. As i've explained before, the game's difficulty is so ridiculous and the controls so poor, that most players actually attempting to get good at Rally-X have flocked to it's much more forgiving sequel. In fact, i'd recommend playing New Rally-X first and THEN come back to see if you're up to the challenge of this son of a bitch. Man, how unfortunate, this could've been a proper classic if I didn't hate putting myself through the motions for almost a month straight and never getting past stage 6 without using save states.

Oh! The 'charaging' (challenging) stages. Those are boring. You just drive around at double speed without any of the rival cars to sour your day. Quite the opposite to what is supposed to be a challenge, but hey, i'll take it. I still get fucked over due to poor control anyway.

Longevity (8): Oh yeah, this game is looooong. If you're looking to see the full loop, expect to be here forever and ever with 15 stages to traverse. However, I find it a bit disingenous to say that it deserves full marks for swapping the layouts a couple times and calling it a day. The game literally introduces nothing new stage by stage otherwise, outside of one extra car 'till the 8th screen. It's not engaging to keep playing unless you really wanna see what color scheme they come up with next. It's still one of the most expansive games i've played so far obviously, flawed as it is.

Says enough that i'm 13th on the Arcade Archives ranking (undeservedly so since I cheated), while all I did was reach the first stage of the final layout...

In Conclusion

#retro gaming #minuy600 #review #sona #arcade #1980 #namco #rally-x