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#the moment victor said I had to go home I'd be like:

feelingdozy · 1 year

Note

I love your writing omg <3 it's MARVELOUS I'm so jealous!! could you do finnick odair flirting with a shy!gn!reader? Like he calls them cute and they just freak out and hide into their shirt or a blanket, etc etc? And he just keeps flirting until reader just covers his mouth and they make eye contact and it's a HUZZAH moment before finnick just kisses them?? sorry if this is really specific!! thank you if you fulfill this request <3

A Little Shy

Finnick Odair x Reader

Hunger Games Masterlist

Summary: you go out to town to find some supplies for fishing as it's the perfect season. You find yourself inexperienced with tridents, and someone comes along to help you find the perfect one to fit your needs.

Note: this is a super cute request and will probably take awhile to post because I want to make sure it is absolutely perfect, also thank you!! I try my best to write as nicely as possible

Warnings: mention of death and killing, slap (hand over mouth)

You had wanted to go to the market in district 4 for awhile, wanting to see what there was to offer at this time of the month. It was the prime time for fishing, so a lot of people had been stocking up.

You stayed for a few hours getting the basic supplies, making your way over to the tridents. You had never been a pro even as a district 4 victor, but had always admired people who were able to use a Trident so easily.

You looked around slowly at all they had to offer, wondering at that point if maybe you should get your own and try it out.

"that one's nice, huh?"

You jumped at the voice that came from behind you, quickly turning around. You should've recognized the voice, of course it was Finnick.

Naturally, you got shy knowing how much you admired his Trident skills as he'd won with them as the youngest in the arena. You hated the games, but loved the skills of the weapons that came with it.

"are you good at using a trident? I've never seen you use one"

He was watching you? I mean he was your mentor back then, but you were really a nobody. You thought your win was a bit sad compared to other people who had won with skill. It was the career in you talking, quickly coming back to realize the horror that came behind it all and that you were lucky to be standing here alive right now.

"not really, I'd love to learn though.."

Your voice was quiet and faded off as you glared at other ones surrounding the two of you.

"how about you come down to my house later and I'll teach you a few tricks y/n?"

You turned to him, his charming smile placed on his face as he found your eyes.

"sure"

A blush found your cheeks, a little intimidated to be taught to use a trident by the Finnick Odair. Even though you should've learned how to use a Trident in the training for the games, you focused on your hand to hand combat and nature tips and tricks then the main weapon of your district. It made you feel a little more reassured that you wouldn't die by accidentally eating the wrong type of berry.

You picked out a trident fitting to your hand, comfortable in your hold. Then it was time to start walking to the victors village that was surrounded by ocean. Their backyards went out to a beautiful beach, and then water. Constant, neverending water leaving room to do anything you aspire to.

The walk was peaceful, as usual. The weather was hotter than usual so if you were going to be in the water, why not change into a bathing suit? You quickly went home and put on a bathing suit beneath your clothing, hiding it before you got to his house.

You knocked on his door, his footsteps getting closer and your heartbeat faster. The anxiety hit as he opened the door. You just now realized his height compared to yours and how shy you were. It's the Finnick Odair. How could you not be a little scared?

"come in"

He said with the same charming smile as before, gesturing for you to sit anywhere you'd like. His place was nicely decorated, ocean themed items around you at every turn. Tridents sat on the wall, some framed and some just hung as a decoration.

He had gone to the kitchen, his back turned towards the living room. You looked at his hair that always looked amazing and you wanted to ruffle it and run your hands through it- wait. We're you actually thinking of.. no. This was Finnick Odair. Loved by the capitol, loved by the people in his district and by the other victors. He was an amazing person despite what he had gone through, most not being able to handle it all.

He brought out some cookies and sat them on the table in front of you. He sat down, the couch dipping with the new weight beside you slightly pulling you toward him, slowly sliding. Your cheeks now had a light blush again from simply being in his presence. His eyes glistened in the light of his house, his hair fluffy and his face charming and cute. You thought Finnick Odair was cute. The Finnick Odair.

He stared at you for awhile before breaking the silence.

"soo, you've never picked up a Trident before y/n?"

You nodded your head no. He sort of knew when he was training you many years ago, just a year older than you, wondering why you didn't pick up a trident. He admired your other abilities back then, knowing how to identify different leafs or berries and hand to hand combat were great abilities in general, but especially because you got put in the arena where you'd need just those skills, like it was almost fit for your win.

It's funny because you were by far the shyest tribute he had ever seen, you didn't talk much or make a fuss like many other tributes had done, but instead listened and took any and all information and tips and tricks from the past victors that only wanted to help. Why did people go out of their way to make a fuss?

Your head was turned down from his, scared to actually make eye contact with him no matter your past relationship.

"you can look at me y'know. I don't bite?"

He laughed, your head hesitantly turning upwards, scared that you'll reveal the layer of red forming on your now heat-radiating cheeks.

"no need to be nervous, y/n."

He said, and you swear he was teasing you at this point. You looked into the distance again, seeing him taking in your facial features from your peripheral vision. His eyes widened a bit before his classic smile appeared on his face that he always wore, except it seems a little more.. genuine than before.

"you're cute."

Your eyes then met with his again, and now greatly flustered in front of the man. He memorized your face in the moment, how your cheeks gained more color and your eyes widened. You couldn't even make words come out of your mouth, your heartbeat pounding too loud and mind too fuzzy to make a coherent sentence.

"huh-?!"

Was all that came out of your mouth. He slowly lifted himself up to where his arms were to the side of your face. You quickly pulled up your shirt, covering your slowly reddening face to where you might've been radiating heat, heat that he must've felt through the fabrics that layered because it was so warm.

"You're so cute. Shy hm?"

Your heartbeat pounded louder and louder within your chest as you once again admired the man who was above your sitting, now laying form. You buried yourself even deeper within your shirt before he could see even more obvious and powerful hints of red on the rest of your face.

"look at you. So red. You like me calling you cute sweetheart?"

A slap echoed in the room as you couldn't handle it anymore. You put your hand over his mouth, your heart not being able to take anymore of his flirting. You could feel his signature grin form under your hand as he put his hand on your arm. His hand slowly slid up til it reached yours, taking it and kissing the outside of your palm.

Your eyes met with his sea green. His other hand creeped onto your cheek, his head slowly getting closer to yours.

his lips collided with yours with a deep need to feel your lips for the first time. He deepened the kiss, his soft lips feeling amazing on yours. You couldn't believe your first kiss was with the Finnick Odair. Part of it because you were already in your twenties and you had never kissed anyone before, not having any partners when you were younger. But mostly because it was him.

You let him take the lead, not knowing what else to do. You let go as you had to take a breath even though you never wanted to let go of his soft lips, feeling like you had been in another world while kissing him.

"promise me you won't explode if I kiss you again?"

He laughed as you nodded, going in again for another kiss that had sucked you in, captured you.

You had just kissed Finnick Odair. Twice.

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ilguna · 6 months

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Before I get in on the fun, I'd like to say 1. the theme of your celebration is flawless an 2. You deserve 3k and so much more, congrats!!

Now if it's not too much to ask I'd love to request a Finnick one, with a platonic reader where they're each others favorite person since their young age. Instead Annie the Capitol decides to take reader and try to get infos out of her that could be used against the 'rebels'. When the rescue mission takes place, they're capable to free her as well but she's not stable at all (not mentally though). Every detail as well as the ending is up to you. Thank you!

(I hope I didn't go against your rules with this one)

If you decide not to write this, not a problem at all, love all your works either way.<3

☼ see you again (Finnick Odair) ☼

warnings; swearing, needle, torture, blood mention.

wc; 2k

—

When Finnick finds out that you let the Capitol torture you in order to keep some information from them about the rebels, you think that he’ll kill you himself. Especially since you promised him that you wouldn’t let it get to this point, in the chance that you weren’t able to get rescued.

It wasn’t supposed to be a possibility, though.

The day of the reaping, Finnick stopped you before the two of you were meant to be on the stage in front of the Justice Building. He took your hands, squeezed them, and said, “Mags is going to volunteer, and you are not going to do anything about it.”

It was an order, and if it weren’t for his tone and the look on his face, you would’ve thought he was joking to some degree. He watched the way your mouth opened, and then shut. What could you say to that?

“She wants to protect you and Annie.” He clarified, thumbs rubbing over the back of your hands. “This is her sacrifice. Librae has agreed to be the female mentor, too. I want you to stay here, and be safe.”

“When have I ever purposely put myself into danger?” You’d asked him.

“That doesn’t matter anymore.” He pressed his lips together. “Once we get taken out of the arena, we’ll come for you. And on the chance we can’t, you do whatever you have to do to stay alive.”

At the time, it seemed ridiculous that he felt the need to tell you this. Obviously, you would do whatever it takes to get back to him. You can’t live without Finnick, and he can’t go more than a few hours at a time without checking in on you. He’s your best friend, and he has been your entire life.

It took a lot of convincing from Mags to get him behind the idea of keeping you in District Four, where you were going to be safe. Rather than in an arena with a bunch of victors that would stop at nothing to go home to their own families. He didn’t like the thought of separating the two of you so he could go into the Quarter Quell.

Once she got it into his head that it was going to be a temporary problem that would be fixed as soon as the arena went down, he could support the idea… a little. That didn’t mean he liked it.

Still, he promised that it wouldn’t be long, and you promised that you’d save yourself at every cost. It’s funny how you both have become liars without ever intending to.

It would be easier to tell the Capitol what they want to know now, considering that half of the plans have already been executed. If it weren’t for the fact that you know every detail there could possibly be to know. If you let one thing slip, the doctors will be all over you, and they won’t stop until they’re sure they’ve milked you dry.

It won’t be that different from what they’re doing at the moment. They’ve been extremely persistent, up until today. You’re not sure what made them stop, but the schedule they had was specific and well thought out. They’d come by every hour of the day to do something to you. Whether it be questioning, injections or plain torture, they would not leave the room.

You’ve been thinking that they’re resetting. Maybe they’re trying to give you a false sense of security by letting you assume that you’re safe and they’re not going to come back. And then later, when you’re sleeping, they’ll come by with worse instruments than they had before.

You won’t crack.

The details you know about the rebellion could make or break it. The tactics on how District Four were going to interrupt and fight back against the Peacekeepers are delicate. In order to spread it to the other districts to make them successful, they selected a few trained individuals to send beyond the fences as a messenger.

The combined information between you and Finnick about the Capitol Officials could tear their image and plant doubt in the citizen’s minds. If they can’t trust the important people to protect them, then who's to say they’re any better than the rebels? They can’t. It could convince them to switch sides from the inside.

You know all the spies from inside of the Capitol, giving out their names could be catastrophic. You know all the places the rebels were planning on targeting and how that would help them later on. Hell, if you tell the doctors that you know their own battle strategies and have passed it onto District Thirteen, they might just slaughter you on the spot.

So, while you could tell Finnick that you’d save yourself first, you’d never actually do it, it’s an impossible task. If you did, it’ll cost thousands of people their lives and their freedom. As opposed to just you, acting as a sacrifice, knowing full well that you’re circling the drain and it’s only a matter of time.

You can’t go yet, you have to see Finnick one more time.

The lights suddenly flicker. Your face twists, dragging your eyes from the white tile to the ceiling. It’s bright, hard to look at for more than a couple seconds. You don’t think you’ve ever seen the Capitol’s power malfunction before.

You place your head back on the pillow, and watch in stunned silence as the lights flicker, struggling to stay on, before they fail altogether. The room falls into darkness, the hum of electricity gone. You stare into the black, hands reaching for the bed railing, hearing the metal of your handcuffs clink against it.

A few feet away, the door to your room unlocks.

Your breathing picks up, bracing yourself for anyone that might come in. This is it, the trick that they’ve been winding up to play on you. Why else would the lights go out? Now you can’t see them coming.

You’re not sure how long you sit there for, waiting for them to open the door and come out of the blue. It’s got to be more than an hour, and by then, you’ve calmed down a bit. It’s not going to be any different from the last hundred times. You can hold on.

The sound of boots on tile makes you sit up, beams of light shining through your door’s window, only to be taken away. There’s hushed voices, as if they’re afraid of being too loud to attract attention. You watch as the light returns, a shadow of a figure appearing in front of the window, before your door slowly begins to open.

You swallow thickly.

You’re blinded instantly by the beams of light. You go to raise your hand to block your eyes, the cuffs digging harshly into your raw wounds. You have to turn your head away, cheek pressed against your chest.

“We’ve got one!” A man shouts.

The brightness isn’t directly pointed at you anymore, so you’re able to open your eyes to see what’s happening. The room has become crowded, with several people dressed in military gear holding guns. You stare at them wordlessly, not knowing whether or not this is a trap.

Another one comes to the doorway, the barrel pointed toward the floor. “(Y/n) (L/n)?”

Your eyebrows twitch. “Yes?”

He nods, “Let’s get her uncuffed and ready to be transported to the hovercraft. (Y/n), do you know where the other victors are being kept?”

You shake your head slightly. “No, they could be anywhere in this building.”

He doesn’t say anything, leaving the room. The ones that are left come to try and get you free, but every time they adjust the cuffs for better leverage, you begin to bleed again. The cuts and sores that litter your skin are easy bleeders. It’s because they haven’t been allowed to heal.

They realize this quickly, trying to be gentle. You have to tell them that what they’re doing doesn’t even compare to the amount of pain you’re put in each time you have to move. This makes them stop altogether.

“Are you able to walk?”

“Barely.” You murmur, “I can’t do it for long periods of time.”

“Gale, will you stay with her while we—?”

“Yes.”

They leave the room, but they don’t go very far. With neither of you talking, you can hear every word they say out there. You look like shit, you’re covered in wet and dried blood alike. And you should be dead by now.

“Is he safe?” Your voice is scratchy. You clear your throat. “Is FInnick safe?”

“Yes, he’s in District Thirteen.” Gale tells you.

You hum, sitting back. That’s all you’ve wanted to hear since the feed showing the Quarter Quell went down. They cut the districts off right around the time Katniss shot the arrow into the forcefield. You didn’t see anyone get rescued from there, so you thought that they were here with you, in the Capitol.

“I want to see him again.” You say. “That’s all I want.”

He doesn’t get a chance to say anything back, as the others come into the room. You watch as they pull out a collapsible stretcher. You grind your teeth, imagining all the pain you’re about to be in.

—

“Just hold on, (Y/n).” The nurse tells you, prodding at your elbow. “We’ve got to find a vein.”

You throw your head back against the pillow as she presses her thumb into the skin, tears appearing at the corners of your eyes. You thought that the journey getting here was unbearable, you didn’t think you’d have a team of doctors waiting to help you in District Thirteen.

They’re already talking to you about taking skin and blood samples to run tests. They think that surgery might be a good idea for you, and the physical therapy you’re going to need to be able to walk properly again. It’s like a merry-go-round that you can’t get off of.

First it was causing damage, and now it’s trying to fix it.

“Where’s Finnick?” You groan out between your teeth. “I want Finnick.”

“He’s on his way, I need you to sit still.” She tells you.

“It hurts.” You cry, tears running down the sides of your cheeks. “I can’t—”

“Can we get morphling, please?” The nurse calls, “We’re going to do everything we can right now to make you feel comfortable, (Y/n). Until then, we need you to relax.”

The idea of relaxing is so ridiculous that you can’t help the pained laughter that bubbles out of you. It’s not funny for long, it dissolves into sobs that aches your chest and makes it difficult for you to breathe. For a second, you think that it’d be easier if you were dead.

“(Y/n)!” A voice shouts.

Your eyes pop open as you fly into an upward position to see who the voice belongs to. It’s coming from the other end of the room, but you’re not able to see with the nurse being in the way. The needle is pushed through your skin, she lets out a sigh of relief and moves to the side.

On the other side of the room, you see him. You see Finnick, his bronze hair tangled at the top of his head, dressed in the same grey jumpsuit that everyone but the medical staff is wearing.

“Finnick!” You shout.

He begins to run to you, arms out in your direction. The nurse has to jerk in front of him at the last second. “Carefully. Her condition is delicate.”

She moves out of the way, Finnick takes your hand in his, squeezing tightly. The tears begin to blur your eyes again, bottom lip trembling.

“What did they do to you?” He whispers.

“I couldn’t tell them the truth.” You say. “I couldn’t ruin it for the rebels.”

“So you would let them kill you?”

“No, not if it meant I would never see you again.” You look away. “But I can’t be the reason why more children go inside of an arena.”

“You wouldn’t have been.”

You look him in the eyes again. “I couldn’t take that chance.”

—

this is part of my 3k celebration!! you can join until the cure is released on October 31st, at midnight!!

+ thank you anon!!

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lemonluvgirl · 9 months

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Katniss: Then you said that they had to have their Victor, and it made me think. So many thoughts flew through my mind in those few seconds while you were talking. Im sorry to say I wasnt really listening. I was thinking. About the games, about you and me and the rule change, and everything we'd been through. How hard we fought to survive. How many others died and how horrible their deaths were. And I thought if you died and I lived, even if I went home to Prim and my mother, my mind would stay trapped in the arena forever. Everything I had tried to do after losing Rue would have been for nothing. It would have just been for myself. All I would have to show for it would have been own my miserable life. Which I realized was no prize worth keeping if it meant losing everything decent and good about me. Just like you tried to tell me the night before the Games started. I didn't realize it until that moment, I had been too busy trying to survive to digure out what surving would cost. But Somehow, right then, when you asked me to shoot you, I knew that nothing would ever be the same. Not even going home to Prim would fix it. But if we went home together then at least it was something. At least we hadn't completely succumbed. We had kept a part of ourselves, however small, that refused to hate, refused to kill. That chose to protect and save one another instead. None of these thoughts were really clear at the time. They passed by so fast. It was just the vague impression of these things in the moment, all tangled up together like a great knot. But the feeling of all of them working together inside of me, was something I couldn't ignore. I'd never have been able to really go home without you. No part of me, the old me would have survived if you had died for me to win. Which was in its own way selfish, but... anyway. So that's why I pulled out the berries.

Peeta:*looks away thoughtfully*

Peeta: *after a long moment, looks back with tears in his eyes* I...

Peeta: *reaches over and wraps his arms around Katniss, pulling her into a deep hug. Presses his face into her hair.

Peeta: *mumbling* You're not selfish. You're not. Don't say that.

Katniss: *slowly raises her arms and hugs him back* I think I am. But maybe that's OK. Because in the end it meant keeping you. I mean, not that you're mine--I mean--

Peeta: *laughing/crying* oh, Katniss. I'm yours. I've always been yours.

#thg #everlark #fanfiction #i just wrote this on a whim #gbt phase #lemonluvwrites #writing #katniss everdeen #the hunger games

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like-rain-or-confetti · 1 year

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ok omg the rogues are on one of their usual schemes, stealing or heisting and whatever good rogues get up to on the daily, and they pick out something for reader because "this made me think of you" u-u

It's been 84 years...AND I FINALLY FINISHED IT. GAH.

I've got a surprise for you

Victor Zsasz: He snuck up behind you, hands on your hips. "I got something for you." He said quietly into your ear. "You did?" You tried to turn but Victor squeezed, holding you in place. "It's a surprise...!" He sang. "No peaking! Give me your hand." He said as he tugged your hand. You felt a cold band on your ringer finger. "Open." He smiled. You did and looked down to see a gold ring with four diamonds. "Holy-" You trailed off. "Saw it whilst I was out. Couldn't resist." Victor's eyes gleamed. "You like?" "It's beautiful, Victor. You...you didn't need to." "I wanted to." Victor replied with a smile. You pulled him into a kiss. "Thank you...I love it." "Good." He replied and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

Two-Face: He came home early, calling your name. "Harvey? You're back early." You raised an eyebrow, greeting him at the door and giving him a quick kiss. You felt his arms wrap around your waist, fingers tracing patters along your lower back. "We got you a present, gorgeous." Harv' said as you felt his breath along your neck and shoulder. "You did? You didn't go out of your way for me, did you?" You asked as he pressed lazy kisses to the skin of your shoulder he could get to. "Oh, nevermind that," Harvey replied, pulling you into him. "close your eyes. I'll walk us to the mirror and give you it." You felt something cold and heavy around your neck. "Ready, gorgeous?" Harv' asked. "Should I be nervous?" You smiled. He chuckled. "Of course not." Harvey replied. "Open." He mumbled and you did. There on your neck was a diamond necklace with at least 8 square chunky diamonds along the span of your collar. Each glinted and glimmered in the light. It was breathtaking and something you could have only dreamed of owning...until now. It almost didn't seem real. You gaped at your reflection making Harvey chuckle. "Wh..." You struggled to speak. "Cat got your tongue?" Harvey squeezed you, pressing a kiss to your neck. "This is...I don't know what to say." You finally said. "Well, do you like it?" Harvey asked. "It's beautiful...it's like...I've only seen celebrities and rich people wear this type of jewellery. I never thought I'd even be near one nevermind wear it. I feel almost unworthy." You breathed out a laugh. "Oh, gorgeous, if you are one thing- it's definitely worthy. I would know." He pressed a couple of kisses to your cheek. "You definitely suit it more than anyone else."

The Riddler: He was fast. Edward Nygma could run pretty quickly and usually his movements were quite quick to begin with. Therefore it was easy for him to get around you quicker than you could keep up with. He practically boxed you in between him and his desk. You exhaled with a smile. "You scared me." You breathed. He smiled widely, pleased by the admission. Yet he didn't comment on it, an arm tightening around your waist. "I got you a little something whilst I was gone." He said as he trailed his finger along your jaw. "You did?" You asked and he nodded with a smile. "You didn't have to, honey." You assured him. He pulled you closer by the waist with a hum. "I wanted to. I saw it and that was that. I may have had to make some adjustments too." He quickly added the last sentence. He pulled a rectangle box out of his pocket and held it out to you. You opened it to reveal a gold engraved bar and chain bracelet. In an engraving on the top was three little words. 'I love you'. However, the most important detail was that it was written in Edward's handwriting. Edward never said those words, your concrete evidence was how he kept you around. Sometimes that was enough, other times it wasn't. Edward always knew those moments were coming, would go and then return. "You can be so silly, doubting how I feel. So I got you a permanent reminder...for your silly...little...head." He tapped your nose. You felt a lump in your throat, eyes welling with unshed tears. "None of that." He shook his head with a smile and kissed the tip of your nose. "Help me put it on?" You managed out and he took the bracelet and pinched the clasp open. Edward is ambidextrous and was very smug about it often bragging. Yet raised time he said nothing. The second it was secured on your wrist you flung your arms around him and pressed kisses to his lips. He hummed with surprise and approval at your enthusiasm as you began to walk him backwards.

Black Mask: You had what you considered a rather embarassing quirk of straightening paper, books or anything in a pile what was messy. Almost immediately, upon passing Roman's desk. Roman was messy in general and so places like his desk had your attention mkre than they should. Especially since Roman wasnt fond of you going through his stuff. "There's my baby doll!" Roman announced himself loudly as he entered the room. You looked over your shoulder. "Oh hey, I haven't moved anything I promise! I'm just straightening it up." You turned back to the pile of papers. "Weirdo." He retorted with a snicker behind his mask. Next thing you knew, he was pulling you back against his chest, interlocking your fingers. He swayed with you left to right repeatedly like a dance. "I'm guessing today went well." "Uh huh." He replied. "I got you a present." He said closer to your ear. You could hear his grin behind his mask. "What do you mean, you got me a present? Literally?" You looked up at him. He hummed. "Gotta treat you some time, don't I?" He smirked. "Even if I give you something we can both enjoy quite a lot. Looks like I just spoil you all the time, huh doll?" "So you just...well you never fail to surprise." You said. "Good." He said into your neck. "That's how I like it." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. You took it from him, leaning against him as he swayed the both of you from side to side. You gasped as your present glinted at you in the light. A silver ring with a large blue, square cut diamond. "Holy- Roman, is that a blue diamond? Thats... I...I have lost the ability to speak." You said flatly. You stared at it. "Like it, baby?" He mumbled. "It's so beautiful but how much did this cost you?" "Oh baby doll, don't you worry about that. How about you just turn around and kiss me, huh? Show me just how much you like it."

Scarecrow: He had a talent for sneaking up behind you. You felt arms around your shoulders and a head nuzzled into your neck. "Hey you..." You smiled. "I have something for you." He said quietly. "Is it a kiss?" You asked. He chuckled quietly before kissing the skin behind your ear. "No, but you have one now. Dont move." Jonathan's fingers disappeared for a moment before you felt a cold, thin, chord tickle your neck. "Walk with me." He breathed as his fingers trailed along your shoulders and on them. Lightly he pulled you along with him. "Dont let me fall, Jon." You said quickly and he let out a small chuckle. Suddenly he stopped you. "Open your eyes." You did. On your neck was a gold bar necklace with designed lines across the bar. You looked closer. They're not lines- it's a constellation. You flipped the bar to see a date from two years ago. You looked at him questioningly. "You remember our first date." Jonathan began. "I remember something much more important to me." He smiled slightly. "This is the date we had our first kiss. It was night and this..." Jonathan flipped the bar back to its original place. "...this was the constellation of the stars of that night." Your eyes filled with tears and smiled.

#request #batman #batman villains #batman scenarios #victor zsasz #the riddler #scarecrow #two face #black mask #edward nygma #jonathan crane #harvey dent #roman sionis

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adalwolfgang · 10 months

Text

What shall I tell my ma...

Chapter 1

Teen!Beaugard (Bo) Sinclair x Teen!Fem!reader

Summary: You met Beaugard Sinclair back in 1989 when Ambrose was still heavily settled with people. This is how it yalls story started.

A/N for future chapters: Bo is 17 and you're 16 and the story takes place in 1989, back then if you told a kid to go left, they'd go right. I asked my ma who was born in 1974 in a rural town questions before writing this and all I got to say is, back then things were very different. Kids underage did things they shouldn't have been doing but did it anyway. That being said I don't condone kids under the age of 18 doing anything that's mentioned below or in future chapters. This is fictional, not real life. I also plan to make this a series if people ask for it enough.

Warnings: 1989, Victor and Trudy Sinclair, Bo being Bo, Small harassment, Characters might be a little ooc.

Credit to @cafekitsune for the banner(s)!

You step over the small grate as you make your way to the front door of the gas station. A canister held firmly in your hand. Your fathers truck ran out of gas, so he sent you into town with $10 to fetch some for him. In return, he'd given you 5 more dollars to buy a treat for yourself at the gas station. It wasn't uncommon for kids your age to be running errands like this for your parents or anyone for that matter.

The door chimed as you entered. Led Zeppelin meets your ears as you spot a radio resting on the counter. You walk around a bit, looking over the selection of drinks and snacks. As you do, a brunette around your age it seemed, walked out of the back room holding a dirty rag. When it spots you, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"How can ah help ya little lady?" He wipes his hands clean with the rag before tossing it over his shoulder and going behind the counter. His eyes never leaving yours.

You raise the canister a little in your hand, "In need of some gas. Whatever $10 will get me." You place the canister on the counter, along with a drink you picked up from the cooler. "I'd also like to buy this please."

"We got plenty uh fuel, no problem'." He took the canister off the counter and walked to the back. After a couple minutes, he came back, setting the now full canister on the counter. As he rings up your drink, he try's making small talk. "Are ya headin' sumwhere in particular or yer uh local?"

"I live just outside of Ambrose, just never really had a reason to stop by here until now," You explain to the young man as you watch him ring you up. You give him a puzzled look when all he charges you for is the drink.

"I see." That wasn't interesting at all he thought. When he notices your confusion, his smirk grows bigger. "On thuh house since yer uh new face." His eyes wander over your figure before looking back up at your face. "Yer uh purdy little thang though," he looks you up and down once more, clicking his tongue in thought. "Ya got anybody waitin' for ya back home?" he asked with a teasing grin.

You bite the inside of your cheek, your grip tightening on the handle of the canister. "Just my parents. I best get back before my dad runs me a new one for wasting time," You explain as you give a polite smile. His face falls a little in disappointment before perking back up as if his demeanor hadn't changed.

"How often do ya thank you'll come back here again? Sure ya can't stay uh bit? It gets quite borin' here alone..." He leans his elbow on the counter, resting his chin in his hand. His eyes traveling up your body, lingering for a moment on the curve of your hip. He smirked teasingly, "Ah promise, you'd enjoy yerself."

You give a nervous laugh nodding your head to him before muttering a small goodbye and retreating out of the station with the canister and your drink held firmly in your hands. Bo watches your retreating form, smiling and shaking his head to himself as he lets out a small sigh. His eyes spot a couple of bills laying under a notepad, this causes him to smile softly at the cash. "Touché darlin'...."

A few days go by as you carry on with life. The small interaction at the gas station long forgotten. You walk down the street of Ambrose, a small list of errands your mother had tasked you to do for the day. As you read over the list, you hear someone call out, "Hey!" You look around for the voice, quickly spotting the guy from the gas station a few days prior sitting in an old Chevy k-30. He hops out of the truck and start jogging over to you. "Where ya goin', purdy girl?" He walked right infront of you, blocking your path.

Your faces show a little of puzzlement and amusement. You ignore his question, instead asking one of your own. "Aren't you that mechanic at the station?"

"The mechanic, yeah. Bo Sinclair." He nodded with a grin, his eyes moving up and down your body before they meet yours again. "...And you?" He asked, casually wrapping an arm around your waist. "Purdy girl like you gotta' hav' uh name." He asked playfully.

Your face heats up a little from the bold gesture, a nervous smile appearing on your face. "Why do you want to know my name?"

"Cuz ah just wanna make sure ah git' yer name right when I'm introducin' ya to mah ma as mah new girlfriend!" Bo said, that teasing smirk back on his face, he was clearly not backing down. "So? Whut shall ah tell mah ma when ya come back home with may fer dinner?" He said, the playful tone in his voice clear.

"Mhm....well, as interesting as it would be meeting your ma, I have errands to do, so I'll have to politely decline. But I'll generous with telling you my name since you gave me yours. It's (Name)." You explain as you move away from his grasp, making sure your list wasn't crumbled. You start walking again, leaving Bo to talk to himself for a second.

"Name," Bo said, tasting how it rolled off his tongue. "I like thet." He had a grin on his face, the sound of your name on his tongue felt oddly charming to him. "Ah promise mah ma ain't scary," he cuts himself off before adding "atleast not tuh guest's." He comes back to reality when he notices you walking away. He lets out a short huff in annoyance before calling out to you, "The more ya reject uh man, the more he wants ya!" Bo shouted, as if it was the truth, a smug grin plastered on his face. "It's gist the way it iz!" He shouted, shrugging before he continued with a teasing tone. "But ya gist keep playin' chur little game girl! Eventchly you'll give into me!" He shouted one final time before you turned a corner, a smirk still plastered on his face. "I know it..."

Tags: @ninakuli

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woodelf68 · 6 months

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LOKI 2.4

I don't see why they can't keep Dox in Holding forever; they had no problem pruning Lokis into the Void for forever. >.>

Dammit, Sylvie, it would have taken OB and Victor five seconds to sign each other's copies of the TVA Guidebook; could you not let them have their brief moment of fanboying joy?

OB's explanation of the Loom is very helpful here; it reminds me of the Doctor on Doctor Who explaining sciencey things to his companions on screen so that the kiddies (and adults, lol) at home could understand what was going on. (Okay, so the TVA as a TARDIS, discuss. Look at all those long corridors its got for running in!) I loved OB's "...the backlog of branches that was created when someone...*looks accusingly at Sylvie* ...killed He Who Remains and released all those branches and ruined my life." (Aw, come on, OB, you're out of the basement now! You're making friends and meeting admirers of your work!)

Loki claiming that the little figure in the model was clearly not him so why did he have to be the one to 'hoof it' and lob the throughput multiplier into the Loom? Well, Loki, you have very long legs and can run fast, also tradition has been established that your character is the one who gets sent to do the hard jobs for others; just be glad you're not being asked to steal Surtur's flame and doom Asgard this time around. (Of course, your decision to abscond with the Tesseract has already caused the TVA to erase the Asgard of your timeline, people and realm both, so...uh, never mind, pretend I never said anything.)

MOBIUS AND HIS PIE AGAIN. I SWEAR TO GOD THAT THE TVA LACES THE PIE WITH DRUGS TO KEEP ITS WORKERS DOCILE AND HAPPY WITH HAVING NO LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK AND POSSIBLY ACTS AS A CONTINUAL DOSAGE OF SOMETHING THAT KEEPS THEM FROM REGAINING THEIR MEMORIES? MOBIUS CAN'T GO TOO LONG WITHOUT ANOTHER SLICE OF PIE BECAUSE HE'S EXPERIENCING THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS OF AN ADDICT. I was so happy to hear Sylvie call him out on his pie-seeking habits and his refusal to try to find out any information about the timeline he was pulled from. Like sure it might hurt to remember a family whom he'd lost, but I'd rather honour the memories of loved ones by remembering them than being too cowardly to do so.

I have to agree with the point I saw raised in another post of 'WHY do they have to fix the Loom? Surely all the multiple timelines managed to exist just fine on their own before it was created?' Also, hoo boy, did Loki's speech about how you can't free a people and then leave them to look after themselves remind anyone else of Asgard's justification of being the ruler of the Nine Realms? Keeping a military presence on those conquered worlds? AND NO, LOKI, YOU'RE NOT A GOD, YOUR DAD TOLD ME SO IN A BIT OF THE SACRED TIMELINE YOU DIDN'T GET TO EXPERIENCE. Although this time at the TVA is Loki's post-Thanos period when he was claiming the same thing in the Sacred Timeline, wanting to be a 'benevolent god'. So...that actually ties in.

Um -- do we all agree that Miss Minutes looked orgasmic watching everyone (except Brad) be crushed in the cube thingie?

(Was Loki pruning himself related back to the time slipping thing? I still don't really understand what the point of that was.)

OB: But if I reboot Miss Minutes, we'll lose the magic dampeners in the TVA!

Loki and Sylvie: THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF A PROBLEM!

Oh hell yeah, Bradley, prune that bitch! I HOPE YOU END UP IN THE VOID WITH A HUNGRY ALLIGATOR, RAVONNA.

Kudos to Timely for sensibly asking if it's safe before sticking his head inside some alien machinery and not just blindly following instructions.

LIGHT! BEAUTIFUL LIGHT IN THE TVA! I don't care what this means as long as I can properly see what's going on!

Oh. Oh shit. Spaghettification is what's going on, huh. *Salutes Victor Timely* May you get the afterlife you hoped for, sir, you died a noble death. Guys. Guys, stop staring into the blinding radioactive light; I'm sure that's not good for your eyes.

And...what a cliffhanger; it's like FINALLY all the pieces are falling into place and the story is getting to someplace exciting. That was a good episode; I hope it keeps up this pace next week and something good happens if the Loom is going pear-shaped. I gotta try to remember to watch this on Thursday for a change.

@delyth88 -- finally felt inspired to make a long reaction post! (And my stupid computer glitched about 2/3 of the way through and I had to rewatch what I'd already seen to remember what I had been commenting on! I blame the TVA.)

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stargazer-sims · 1 year

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Journal Entry #50

previously - Journal Entry #49 (part four)

Victor

It's Tuesday again.

I keep doing this, recording entries on Tuesdays. Unlike last Tuesday, nothing much happened today, but that's not to say I don't have news. Even if today wasn’t eventful, the weekend was.

I finally heard from Seiji. It took him until Sunday to reply to the multiple texts I'd sent him on Friday, but better late than never, as they say. What's going on with him will require some explaining, so let me come back to it, 'cause I'm sure you want to know how Yuri and I are doing too, right?

Right. Here comes the health update. There’s some good news and some not so good news.

Good news first; I'm feeling a lot better. It's like my body decided to kick itself into high gear and get some serious healing done since Friday. I’m still getting headaches, but they’re not nearly as intense as they were before, and the blurriness is completely gone from my vision now, which is super encouraging. Today, I didn't take any pain medication for my arms and rib, not even ibuprofen.

In hindsight, I think I probably should've had a little something in the afternoon, because my rib was hurting by the time I got back from spending several hours at the hospital with Yuri. The chairs in there aren’t particularly comfortable and it’s hard for me to sit for long periods of time. But, you know me. I was trying to be a tough guy about it.

My biggest problem right now isn't pain. It's that I'm restless and nearly bored out of my mind. I'm still not cleared for exercise, but I keep trying to sneak in some shoulder stretches and a bunch of leg work whenever I can. Normally, I'd be training, going to work, cooking and cleaning, and taking care of Yuri, but I can't do any of that at the moment and a guy can only take so much inactivity. I'm going kinda crazy with nothing to do.

As for Yuri, his progress hasn't been quite as good as mine. He's slowly getting better, but he's still in the hospital. It's been a whole week as of today, and I don't think he'll be getting out for at least another week.

He hasn't reached the stage where he's bored yet, probably because he's really weak and he's still sleeping a lot, but at least he's able to get out of bed on his own now. He was even up and walking for a few minutes this afternoon. I coaxed him to drink some water afterwards, which probably looked hilarious because I was holding the cup for him and I had to hold it between both hands while he sipped through a straw.

He's still not eating, unfortunately, so they're still giving him intravenous nutrition infusions. I'm sure he's capable of eating independently, but I think he's scared, and nothing anyone's said so far has been enough to motivate him to try.

Dr. Kasongo has already brought up the subject of tube feeding at home, but only with me because neither of us feel Yuri is ready for that conversation yet. Obviously, tube feeding will be an option of last resort, and we really don't want to frighten or upset him any more.

I’ll be honest, the idea upsets me too, not just because I hate the thought of how debilitating it’d be for Yuri, but also because I don’t think I grasped exactly how sick he is until I had that conversation with his doctor. Like, I’ve always understood that his illness is serious and chronic, but I don’t think I fully comprehended the magnitude of it, if that makes sense.

Dr. Kasongo is hopeful that we won’t have to go the tube feeding route, in any case. She’s certain Yuri will settle enough to start a liquid diet by mouth in another day or two, but I'm not sure it'll happen as soon as she imagines it will. Not without some kind of intervention, at least.

The nutritionist came to see him while I was there today, and he had a complete meltdown in front of her. It was pretty clear that he did not want to hear anything about the food plan she was suggesting for him once he's released from the hospital, and his solution was to dissolve into tears and ask her to leave. I think I've seen him cry more in the past week than in the entire duration of our relationship. Yuri hardly ever cries. He rarely shows any emotions really strongly for that matter, regardless of how he's feeling inside, and it's difficult to see him in such a vulnerable state.

The nutritionist told me she's going to ask the doctor to make a referral to a psychologist for him. I already know he's not going to like that, and I’m predicting he'll cause a scene over it, but I do think it's a good idea for him to speak to someone.

That having been said, I can also empathize with his reluctance. At first, I didn't want to talk to the psychologist Dr. Sato referred me to either, but now I actually kinda like him. The initial referral was supposed to have been to talk about the emotional effects of my accident, but I told him I can get over that by myself, so we discuss other stuff instead. I've talked to him about the death of my dad and sister, the stress of being the main caregiver for somebody with a chronic illness, and the challenges of being an immigrant.

He says I'm psychologically healthy and that I don't need long-term therapy. I agree one hundred percent, but having someone objective to confess all my doubts and insecurities to has really helped me feel a lot better mentally. I'm happy to have that support, to go along with the support I'm getting for my physical recovery.

We'll see how it goes with Yuri and his psychologist. I'm envisioning hysterical outbursts, but I'm sure one of us will let you know what happens for sure.

Okay, I guess now it’s time to tell you about Seiji and what happened on Sunday afternoon.

I'd been with Yuri for the morning on Sunday. Mom and Julian picked me up around noon, just after Yuri's grandmother arrived to visit with him. She had Yuki with her as well, so it was probably a good thing I was leaving. According to Yuri, the energy of me and Yuki together in a room can sometimes be a bit overwhelming for other people. The last thing he needed was to deal with that.

Anyway, Mom, Julian and I had lunch at my favourite sushi bar, which was kind of chaotic because neither of them knows how to use chopsticks and even though I'm a chopstick wizard, I can't use them right now either. We all ate with our fingers, which earned us a lot of disapproving stares. I think people were mostly staring at me because I was picking up pieces of maki with the fingertips of both hands together, but I didn't care.

Back at home, stuffed to the brim with salmon, eel, rice and vegetables, I was ready for a nap on the couch and was not at all expecting my phone to ring. When it did, I was startled out of my drowsy stupor, and nearly fell off the sofa. Then, I recognized Seiji's number on the caller ID and all thoughts of napping suddenly dissipated like mist.

I tapped the 'answer' icon on my phone's screen, and didn't even bother with hello.

"Hinamori-san! Where the hell have you been?" I demanded. "Sakura and I have been trying to reach you for days, you know."

"We're not on a first-name basis now, Nelson-san?" was his testy response.

"Really, Seiji? You ghost me for days, and you're annoyed with me?"

"Sorry.”

"Yeah, you should be."

"I wasn't ready to talk," he said. "I went out to the country, to my grandparents' estate, 'cause I just needed to get away for a while."

"What for?" I asked. "And why didn't you tell Masao you were going? Why didn't you tell Takahiro and Fox? Like, how do you leave town without even telling your best friend and his boyfriend?"

"I headed out when Taka was at work," Seiji confessed. "I left him a note."

"You... No, you know what? Never mind," I said. "Why did you need to get away. Did something happen?"

"Did something happen?" he repeated, his tone incredulous. "Dude, are you kidding me right now? How are you even asking that? Like, what do you think happened?"

"I... don't know." I said, perplexed.

"You're so stupid, Victor.” He sounded as though he meant it.

I did my best to force down the familiar sting of humiliation at hearing that. Kids at school used to call me stupid, and it’d always made me feel horrible. My inner child wanted to cover his ears and hide under the nearest desk so he could cry without drawing even more ridicule.

But then, a little voice in my brain that sounded very much like Sayuri Ishida's seemed to whisper, that's not true.

It really isn't true, and I need to keep reminding myself of it. Dr. Ishida had put that monster from my past to rest, once and for all, and I used her words like a shield in my mind. You have an eye condition called hyperopia. Your ability to read is normal. Your intelligence is above average.

“I’m not stupid,” I said, as calmly as I could manage. It was mostly for my own benefit, but still, I wasn’t interested In letting Seiji’s dig at me go so easily.

Seiji made a dismissive snorting noise. “Whatever. Must be the head injury, then.”

I pulled in a deep breath. "Seiji, listen. I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you please tell me what's going on? Me and Sakura and Masao have been worried about you.”

“Masao should know,” he said.

“Maybe, but Sakura and I don’t.”

Several seconds passed before Seiji finally spoke again. “Fine. I guess I owe you some kind of explanation. Can you… are you like, okay to go out? I don’t want to talk about it on the phone, but Taka said you’re in a wheelchair and…uh, you know…”

“I’m not in a wheelchair,” I said. “I had to use one for like, maybe three days after I got out of the hospital. That’s all.”

“So, you can go out?”

“Yeah, but you’ll have to come and get me if you want me to go somewhere with you. I’m not cleared to drive yet.”

"When's a good time?"

"Now? I'm not doing much, so whenever works for you, works for me."

"Okay," he said. "If you literally meant now, I can be there to pick you up in like, twenty minutes."

"That sounds good," I agreed. "That gives me plenty of time to grab some water and throw on a sweater."

You're at home, right?"

"I'm at home. See you when you get here."

He showed up about twenty-five minutes later, looking like he'd spent the week in a tent rather than living in luxury at his grandparents' sprawling country estate. His hair was a mess, there were dark smudges beneath his eyes, and he was moving like he was the one who was injured. He looked like he hadn't gotten more than a few hours sleep in the last several days.

"You look worse than I do," I commented, once we'd exchanged greetings.

"You look... surprisingly good," he remarked. He sort of nodded at my arms, where the bottom of my casts were peeking out past the ends of my slightly too-long sleeves. "You know, except for that."

"I'll be rid of these in a few more weeks."

"And then what? Back to the mountain?"

"Naturally," I said.

I couldn't interpret the expression that passed across his features. It didn't last long, but I hadn't missed it, and it could've been anything from disbelief to worry to disapproval. It could've been some combination of all three.

"Let's get going," he said, and although neither of us verbally acknowledged it, we both blatantly pretended the previous few seconds hadn't happened.

The car ride was weird. Normally, Seiji and I would be joking and laughing, listening to music a bit too loud, and talking about our favourite subjects. This time, we were silent, and the only sound in the car was Snowflake by Arashi, playing quietly on repeat.

Where we eventually ended up was in the valley, in Hanamigawa Park. The last time I'd been there was on Yuri's birthday, back in September. The park had been vibrant with colour then. Now, it was brown and grey and dismal, the last vestiges of winter not quite having given way to the tenuous first signs of spring.

We got out of the car, and I followed Seiji across the grass until we came to a bench.

"So...?" I prompted, after it felt like we'd sat there for at least five minutes, staring at our shoes.

"So, what?"

"About that explanation you owe me."

"Yeah." He scuffed the toe of his boot on the ground. "I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"I'm going to move to the city. Try to get a grown-up job. Maybe go back to college or something."

"What are you talking about?" I said. "Your job with the Recreation Association is a grown-up job. There's a lot of responsibility in teaching people how to ski and snowboard."

"It's not the kind of responsibility I want any more, if I ever did."

"What?"

"I quit," he said.

"You quit your job?"

"I quit everything."

At that, an awkward silence stretched between us for several seconds because I had no idea how to respond. I wasn't sure what he meant by 'everything'. I thought I could guess, but I didn't want to assume.

When the lull was starting to feel too long, I finally ventured, "Define 'everything'."

"Everything," he repeated. "I quit my job, I told Taka I'm moving out, and I'm hanging up my board. Masao already knows, so don't bother to ask if I've told him."

"You're not going to compete any more?"

"I'm not going to snowboard any more."

I stared at him. "Why?"

As if it were too difficult to hold my gaze, he looked away from me and began to fidget with his hands. "I can't do it any more," he said.

"But... why?"

"You know how people say the mountain is magical? That there's a guardian spirit?"

"Yeah."

"It's just a story," he said. "The mountain is nothing but a cold, dead rock, and it'll take everything from you with no regrets. With no feelings at all. I named my snowboard because, for some dumb reason, I let myself think it had some kind of spirit inside too, but you know what? It's just another lifeless object."

I had to admit that what he said was correct. From a purely factual standpoint, the mountain is rock and snow, and snowboards are just Fiberglas and wood or carbon, but I have to admit I like the idea of there being something more to them than that. I love the stories of the mountain spirit Yukimatsu and his beautiful sword Shirayuki, and I believe that Elsa is more than a piece of sports equipment. When Elsa and I are flying down the mountainside, I definitely feel something from her, and sometimes I imagine I can hear her singing.

"I thought you loved snowboarding," I said.

“Maybe I used to. Or maybe I still do, but it's like a toxic relationship that you can't seem to leave until it's almost too late. Like, you can't make yourself get out of it until it steals every last bit of hope and happiness you ever had."

"I don't understand," I said, because I really didn't.

"Do you know, I think I might've accidentally hurt Masao, trying to get to you when I saw you go down?" he said. "You know how tiny he is, and he was trying to hold me back."

"I didn't know," I said.

"If it wasn't for Fox, I probably would've..." He didn't complete the thought, but instead continued with. "Takahiro said I was literally screaming. The thing is, though, I don't remember. I don't remember Masao grabbing me, or me knocking him to the ground or... anything. All I could think was, you could be dying and the people you care about most wouldn't even be beside you."

"Obviously I didn't die."

"Yeah, but how were any of us supposed to know that at the time? You didn't see it the way we saw it. Masao said it looked like you could've broken your neck, and I... I couldn't handle losing somebody else like that."

It took a second for my brain to register what he'd just said. Somebody else. Had he seen another snowboarder go down like I had? Someone who hadn't been as lucky as me?

"Who...?" I began, but quickly closed my mouth because something told me I shouldn't pry.

But, it was too late to worry about it when Seiji started to answer anyway. "Didn't Yuri ever tell you about Tsubaki?"

I tried to recall if Yuri had ever mentioned anyone by that name. "I don't think so. Who is she?"

"I thought he told you everything," Seiji said.

"Apparently not."

"Tsubaki was our..." he trailed off, and then amended. "She was the woman I loved."

"Oh."

"She was our teacher in our final year of high school," he went on. "Me, Taka and Yuri were in the same class, so we all knew her. She wasn't that much older than us and most of the boys in our year had a crush on her, but for whatever reason, she liked me and Taka best. Maybe 'cause she was into snowboarding like we were."

"You went snowboarding with your teacher?"

"Not while she was our teacher," he said. "But, we all talked about it all the time, and we'd see her up on the mountain on the weekends."

I'd seen one of my high school teachers skiing on Granite Mountain once. It had felt strange and out of context to me, and I'd tried to pretend I hadn't even noticed him. But, regardless of my effort to ignore him, the rare sighting of my chemistry teacher outside his natural habitat had been enough to distract me, and it resulted in me getting yelled at by my coach at the time.

I'm sure I succeeded in forgetting about it almost immediately afterward, and I’d never even dreamed of bringing it up with him at school. I couldn’t help but winder what it would've been like to have a teacher like Tsubaki, who I could've geeked out about snowboarding with.

"Seems like she would've been a cool person to know."

"She was amazing," he said. "When we graduated, she said we could call her by her given name, and we became friends. We all used to hang out, me Taka, Yuri, Tsubaki and her best friend Mei. We went snowboarding together then, and we did other stuff like going on road trips or going to someone's place for a meal and to play games or watch movies. Or just talk. Tsubaki and I talked a lot."

"What happened?" I asked.

"With me and her?" he said. "She always told me that she didn't want to have a relationship with me, but towards the end, I felt like things were changing between us. She was starting to treat me less like a friend and more like... well, not a boyfriend exactly, but something deeper than snow buddies, you know?" He sighed. "Then everything... ended."

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Yuri really never told you about any of this? He never told you about Tsubaki's accident? How she..." He paused, closing his eyes. "How the mountain took her from me."

It was at that point when I realized Yuri actually had told me. I hadn't made the connection immediately because he hadn't gone into detail and hadn't used Tsubaki's name, and I hadn't wanted to press him for information. "He mentioned he had a friend who died in a snowboarding accident," I said. "We didn't talk much about it."

That figures. Yuri wasn't that close to her anyway." He gave a little shrug. "Yuri doesn't know how to be close to people.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Are you saying he’s not close to you?” I asked.

“Dude, from where I’m standing, he’s not even all that close to you,” he said. “I mean, where the hell was he when you needed him? At work, and even when all of us were at the hospital with you and we were trying to call him, he ignored us. You know how many times Taka tried to reach him?”

“He was probably in a meeting,” I said.

“Why wasn’t he on the mountain with you? That’s where he should’ve been.”

"His job is important, Seiji. Besides, what happened probably would've happened anyway, even if he had been there.”

"That's not the point," Seiji said. "The point is, he doesn't care about anybody but himself. Why was it you and Sakura who were checking on me? He's supposed to be my friend."

"Sakura and I are your friends too," I reminded him. "Yuri couldn't check on you. He's been in the hospital since Tuesday."

"So what? He's too sick to send a text?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, he was." I met his gaze. "Are you seriously mad at Yuri because he didn't text you for a week?"

“I’m mad at him because he’s an asshole. Because he got someone he doesn’t appreciate or even deserve.”

“So, you’re not actually mad at him. You’re jealous.”

“Whatever,” he said. “I know you love him, but wouldn't it be better to love somebody who gives a shit about you? If you'd died out there, he would've just carried on with life as normal."

"No, he wouldn't," I said. "You obviously don't know him as well as you think you do, if that's what you believe."

"I know him well enough," he said. "I've never seen him shed a tear over anything or anyone. But you? You treat everybody like they matter, and you deserve at least that much in return."

"Everyone deserves to be treated like they matter because everyone does matter," I said. "Where are you even going with this?"

"You didn't have to come halfway around the world for Yuri. You could've stayed safe at home and had anyone you wanted.”

“I want Yuri,” I said simply.

"I don't know why. He's a crappy partner."

“Yuri loves me just as much as I love him, and he treats me like I matter," I said. "Maybe you’re convinced he’s a crappy partner because he wasn’t where you thought he should be, but that’s not how it works. We don’t get to script real life to our tastes. It just happens, and sometimes it sucks, and then we gotta figure out how to deal with it.”

“You think I don’t know that?"

"Do you?"

"My life has sucked for the last three and a half years," he declared. "Worse than yours, probably.”

“My life doesn't suck," I said. "There are parts of it that suck. Like, everything's not always easy or fun, but overall it's good, and I'm happy."

"Then, you're delusional." He got up abruptly and started to walk away. "This was a waste of time."

Stunned by the suddenness of his decision to leave, I stared at his retreating figure for several seconds. When I pulled my wits back into place at last, I had to run — contrary to doctor’s orders — to catch up to him.

"Seiji, wait!" I called. "We're not done."

He glared at me. “Yes, we are.”

"You said you were going to give me an explanation."

"I did. It's not my fault that you're too dumb to figure it out."

That was the precise moment in which I lost my temper. I think that if I could've grabbed him and shook him, I would have, but maybe it was a good thing I couldn't.

"I'm not dumb!" I yelled. "I'm sick and tired of everyone saying I'm stupid! I'm probably smarter than you, but I'm not a damn mind reader, so if you want me to understand something, then explain it in a way that makes sense!"

"Fine!" he said. "You want it in language your brain can handle? Here it is. I'm done pretending I'm okay. I don't want to be in this place, hanging around with people who remind me how useless I am and how much I've lost. I don't want to be on that damn mountain every day, thinking of her."

“But—”

"I can't keep running the risk of putting my parents through what her parents had to go through. What I had to go through. It's not worth it. I'd rather have nothing myself than to leave my family with nothing."

"But, there's lots of other stuff—" I began.

“There isn't," he said. "Snowboarding was the only thing I was good at. I’ve failed at everything else. Like, I was rubbish in school, and I was useless as a medic. I couldn’t even…”

“What?”

“There was only snowboarding, but you know what? Snowboarding fucking wrecked my life, Victor! There's no part that it didn't touch, and I can't fix anything now. All I can do now is protect the people I love, and try to forget it."

By the time he was done with this speech, he was crying. Evidently not wanting me to see that, he wiped his sleeve across his eyes so fiercely that I'm sure it must've hurt.

"Seiji—"

"Leave me alone," he said.

“You’ll never forget, you know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You can go to the city if you want,” I said. “You can go to the other side of the world or a whole other planet, but you're never gonna outrun grief or anger or whatever. You might think you feel better for a while but there's really no place far enough away to escape from it."

"What the hell would you know about it?"

"You might be surprised by what I know about it," I told him. "But I'm not gonna give you a lecture. If you’re not ready, you wouldn't listen anyway.”

"I doubt you know about it like I do," he said.

"Maybe not exactly in the same way you do," I conceded. "But, you know what? I get what it's like when somebody who was the center of your world suddenly isn't there any more."

There was a lot more I could've said. I wanted to tell him I know what it feels like to think about someone every single day and picture how the future might've been different if they were still around. I often wonder about all the stuff Dad and Caroline and I might've said to each other, and all the ways I could've been a better person when they were alive, and how they'll never know what i learned because of them, and who I became because of them.

Tears were still leaking from Seiji's eyes, but he wasn't trying to hide them any more. As I watched, he stood there with his head bowed and whispered, "I couldn't save her. No one could."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

He shook his head, but regardless of that, he started telling me anyway. "It was just a normal Saturday," he said. "I was working with Mountain Patrol, and my team got the call about an accident up on the expert run. I didn't know it was her until we got there. The advanced care paramedic on our team took one look at her and somehow he knew right away that her neck was broken. It was really bad."

"That had to have been a shock."

"They took her in a helicopter down to the hospital in the valley." He went on as if I hadn't spoken. "You know, to assess her and try to stabilize her. They might've rushed her to one of the big hospitals in Kyoto afterwards, but... there wasn't time. Her parents were in Tokyo, and there wasn't time for them to get here, either. Me and Taka were the only ones with her, and I don't know if she was aware of us being there, but I was holding her hand when she passed."

"I'm sorry," I said.

I thought about my mom. I hadn't found out until many years later that she'd been with my dad in the hospital when he passed and had been able to say goodbye to him one last time. Caroline had been killed almost instantly, so Mom didn't get that final goodbye with her, and I can't decide if that was a blessing or not.

I mean, I can't wrap my head around how terrifying and soul-shattering it'd be to hold your baby as she took her last breath. Watching your partner die would be devastating enough, but losing a child...? And my mom had to suffer through both. The pain she felt must've been immeasurable, making even mine seem minor in comparison.

I don't know how she handled it. I don't know how she survived it. I think if something happened to take Yuri away from me, I'd die too, of a broken heart. Or maybe I wouldn't literally die, but I'd wish to stop existing if he wasn't by my side.

I had to resist the urge to hug Seiji as he stood there crying. His whole body was visibly rigid, and I knew he wouldn't want me to touch him. Takahiro probably would have if he were there, but Taka the compulsive hugger could get away with it and Seiji might even relax enough to reciprocate. In fact, Taka is the only person I've ever seen give Seiji a hug that didn't look unnatural or uncomfortable. Had Seiji always been that way, or had his trauma caused him to change?

He swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I shouldn't have told you all that."

"It's okay. You must've needed to say it."

"Maybe. It was just... that thing you said. About somebody being the center of your world? She was, you know. She would've been, for the rest of our lives. I would've taken care of her, and I think we would've been happy, but... None of that's gonna happen now."

"Have you ever talked about this with anybody before?" I asked.

"Only Taka," he said. "He's the only one who understands. Everybody else thinks it's ridiculous 'cause we weren't even in a relationship."

"A friendship is a relationship. So what if you weren't her boyfriend? That doesn't mean it should hurt less."

"You don't think I'm like, being dramatic or whatever?"

"Why should I think that?" I said. "I don't have the right to tell you how you're supposed to feel or what your grief is supposed to look like, do I? Maybe you're like Yuri and you hardly ever cry for anything, no matter how destroyed you feel, or maybe you're like me and you cry over every little thing, or maybe you're somewhere in between. It doesn't matter. It's all valid."

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me for letting you feel however you feel."

"Yeah, I do. Most people would judge me for it."

"I'm not into judging other people for their feelings," I said. "I've got plenty of my own that I'm busy judging myself for."

"You shouldn't. Like, if you can tell me my feelings are okay, you can tell yourself that."

I offered him what was probably a lopsided smile. "I'm working on it. My psychologist says I have to stop creating burdens for myself."

"You're seeing a therapist?"

"Yeah. Unbelievable, right? My doctor referred me to him after my accident, but we've been talking about everything. He's helping me get perspective."

"Perspective," Seiji repeated, as if he were contemplating it.

"You know," I said. "Like how some stuff in your life seems so big and overwhelming, you don't know how you're supposed to deal with it? Sometimes you have to break the situation down and manage it bit by bit."

"Like learning a trick," he said.

"Exactly. Remember when you first learned to ride? There were probably lots of people around you doing all kinds of crazy tricks, and you couldn't even do an ollie yet. Now, you're the one who's flying, but you had to build up to it, one skill at a time."

"So, how am I supposed to do it?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Maybe start off with figuring out what's really going on in your head. Like, are you sad or angry or scared, or what? And then... I don't know. Ask yourself exactly why. Like, if you're angry at a specific person, or you're scared about a certain thing."

He nodded. "I guess that makes sense. But... do you think I need professional help for that?"

"Maybe? I'm probably the last person you should ask about that. I didn't even know I needed professional help until I was getting it."

"But, it's working, right?"

"Yeah, but it's not magic. You have to want to get your shit together before you can get your shit together, and you have to work at it."

"Good to know."

"Listen," I said. "Everything's gonna be okay. It may take a while, and it might not look exactly how you wanted it to, but it eventually does get better."

"Thanks."

This time, I could feel my smile in my entire face. "You're welcome, but give credit to Yuri, too. He taught me that."

"Yuri taught you optimism?"

"He taught me about resilience," I said. “That’s better than optimism.”

“How so?”

"’Cause it’s realistic. And it’s honest.”

“I see how optimism can be unrealistic.”

“Resilience is sort of like body armour,” I said. “Having it on doesn't mean nothing ever hurts you. Sometimes it hurts like hell, but you get through it and you survive, and eventually the pain isn’t so bad any more. Yuri's constantly showing me that, whether he realizes he is or not."

"Okay," was all he said in response.

He started walking again, in the direction of the park gates. I fell into step beside him, and the quiet between us this time didn't feel quite so fraught.

When we reached the place where we'd left his car, I asked, "What are you going to do now?"

"Take you home, I guess," he said.

"I meant in general."

"Oh." He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow. I've got a couple of appointments to view apartments. Do you want to come?"

"So, you're definitely moving?"

"I guess so."

"What kind of job do you think you'll get when you move there?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not really," I said. "I was just curious."

"I'll probably end up in a convenience store," he said. "But, I was training to be a paramedic before, so I might be okay at taking care of sick people at home or something. And I like kids, so maybe I'd do all right working in a daycare. Or tailoring. I learned how to draft patterns and sew from my mother, so I could probably do that."

"I didn't realize you were training to be a paramedic. When you said 'medic' before, I thought you meant you had the certified mountain rescue course. The advanced first aid one."

"I do have that certification," he said. "But, I was in college for paramedicine. After she... after Tsubaki died, I dropped out because couldn't handle it any more."

"How far did you get?"

"Not very far. I finished the first in-class module, and Mountain Patrol was my first part-time clinical placement. That was it." He made a face that might've been self-disgust. "Useless, right?"

"Not necessarily," I said.

"What?"

An idea was starting to form in my head, but I didn't want to say too much to Seiji until I'd had a chance to talk to Yuri about it first. "You think you could drop me off at the hospital instead of at my house?"

"I'll drop you off anywhere you want," he said. "But, what'd you mean?"

"About you quitting college?"

"Yeah."

"There might be more options for you than snowboarding or working in some dodgy convenience store in the city."

"Right."

"I'll come with you to Kyoto tomorrow," I said.

He frowned at me. "You've got some kind of ulterior motive, don't you?"

"Maybe."

"You're trying to convince me not to move."

"No, I'm not trying to do that. If you want to check out the opportunities in Kyoto, there's no reason not to. All I'm saying is that you might want to go there with something better in mind than working at a convenience store. Like, if you're serious about home care or child care, maybe try it out and see if you like it before you take off to the city and commit yourself to a lease and everything."

"You think I should do that in Mt. Komorebi?"

"Think of it as a safety net," I said. "Stay home for a bit longer, try some different stuff and find out what you really want. Then go off and chase your dream, whatever it is."

"What if I really don't want to stay here?" he said.

"Nobody can force you to stay. All I'm saying is, before you leave, make sure you're deciding and not just reacting."

"Okay," he said. "But I still feel like you're up to something."

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow," I said.

"I'm not going along with it, whatever it is."

"You don't have to go along with it, but you should at least wait to hear what it is."

He drew back his arm as if he were going to punch me, but only flicked my shoulder instead. "You're a massive pain in the ass, you know."

"Yeah," I said. "I hear that a lot, but for some reason, people love me anyway."

"I hate you," he growled, but I knew he wasn't being serious. "Get in the car, Nelson. Wouldn't want to keep you from your pain in the ass other half."

"You didn't really mean what you said about him before, did you?"

If I was expecting an apology or a retraction, I would've been disappointed.

“Some of it,” Seiji said. “He is an asshole, and you seriously could've done better, but if you're happy..." He raised his hands in a gesture that seemed to indicate there was no further comment he could offer. "Anyway, you can tell him I'll come by and see him in a day or two. I'll make Taka and Fox come too, if they haven't been there yet, and I'll bring daifuku mochi. The strawberry kind."

"He's not eating," I said.

"Since when has Yuri ever said no to strawberry mochi? Me and Taka have literally seen him too weak to sit up, and he’d still be lying there demanding a little bite of our strawberry mochi. It's his all-time favourite. That, and tinned peaches, but they're probably already on the lunch menu at the hospital."

"How do you—"

"Just tell him," Seiji said, "And tell him I'll even feed him if he needs me to. Oh, and also tell him to expect a huge piece of my mind for what he did to you. He had no business abandoning you like that, and he definitely has no business taking you for granted. Actually, having somebody as devoted to his pathetic little ass as you are, he should consider himself the luckiest person in the universe."

I didn't show it on the outside, but inwardly, I was both relieved and amused. It might not be an apology, but I figured this was as close as Seiji would get to saying he still considers Yuri his friend.

Even if I hadn't liked hearing what he'd said about my husband, I couldn't blame Seiji for being upset. From Seiji's point of view, maybe Yuri's behaviour after my accident had looked horrible and uncaring, but Seiji hadn't seen him in my room with me immediately after. He hadn't heard the pain and guilt in Yuri's voice when he told me over and over that he was sorry, and he hadn't seen how hard Yuri worked to help me at home when he really should've been resting himself.

"I'll tell him," I said. "I think he'll be glad to see you."

"Yeah, whatever." He opened the passenger door for me, and I climbed into the car. A moment later, he slid into the driver's seat. "I'm leaving for Kyoto at eight in the morning. You'd better be up and dressed when I get to your place."

"Don't worry," I assured him. "I'll be ready."

((More about Seiji & Tsubaki from a different perspective, for anyone curious))

#ts4 #sims 4 #eagames #snowy escape #victorsworldadventures #victor nelson #seiji hinamori #tw death #dw accident #tw illness #tw chronic illness #tw hospital #tw trauma #tw therapy #stargazersims

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clatoera · 1 year

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Do you think Cato and Clove also have hint of / tendency toward romantic relationship? Or just platonic / district partner thing?

What do you think about their thoughts when the rule change that 2 victors from the same district being announced?

Thank you :)

@curiousnonny

OH BESTIE I AM THE WRONG PERSON TO ASK THIS QUESTION L M A O

See that URL. Clato era baby. Not platonic clato and clove. CLATO FOR THE WIN BESTIE. I am EXCEEDINGLY Biased. I am NOT an unbiased source here. Naturally I read into this and im like oh yes. My ship. the actual star crossed lovers in my heart.

If Clato has 1000 fans I am one of them. If Clato has 10 fans I am one of them. If Clato has ONE fan it is me. IF Clato has no fans I am no longer on this earth. If the world is against Clato the world is against ME FR.

All that to say, for me it was in the book when she calls for him at the cornucopia and he ACTUALLY comes running and calls back for her. And when he does so, Katniss hears pain in his voice. When she turns around sees him kneel beside her, spear in hand, begging her to stay with him in a moment he will realize its futile??? Yeah. 14 year old me said oh thats love. Why else would he care so much. I choose to believe that why he holds her as she dies, begs her not to leave, and proceeds to put himself in harms way by sitting with her. And in the books CATO is the one who goes after Thresh. CATO kills him, and Katniss even knew it. She knew Cato was going to follow Thresh, not her.

There was one single night in all of the games where they thought they had a chance to go home together. Imagine the fucking JOY and the fucking PRIDE. The camera was on Katniss and Peeta, and the story is in her perspective, but i'd give just about anything to know how they reacted and that night from their perspective. Like years of training and mental prep to kill each other (which they knew going in, because they BOTH VOLUNTEERED. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Cato and Clove BOTH volunteered for the games with the intention to win. They probably had an agreement that they were the only one allowed to kill the other, and it would have to be a good show), all of a sudden they can just go home together. They can finish the games and go home.

And then fucking Thresh has to fuck shit up. Nah. Also let me have that scene, let me see Cato fucking DESTROY him, because I know it was bloody and brutal and glorious.

Fr. Team Clato Forever. I could talk about them for years. I have 20k words written on them just in 3 chapters. I am a Clato stan before I am a human being. I am proverbially shaking screaming throwing up violently about Clato at any given moment.

The wrong person to ask, the wrong tree to bark up if y'all wanted me to say platonic/district partners LOL.

XOXO

ClatoEra (Clato life)

Thank you @curiousnonny ❤️❤️❤️

#cato and clove #clato #clatoera fr guys #the hunger games #thg asks #clove kentwell #cato hadley #Noone touch me its my Clato time #i am a clato stan before a human being

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justgayloringeverthrone · 2 months

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(Anyways back to the point, as I said, Gale doesn't apologize with words but over time admits he was wrong with his actions. )

but that's my point he knows what he's doing what he did was wrong and he doesn't apologize or take accountability if someone does something s***** and don't apologize or take accountability or try to change your action it's not a good thing.

(second he doesn't push her into a relationship when she isn't ready, that would be Peeta, Gale saw she didn't want it and then backed off after he kissed her, she is the one who continued something romanticl.) okay I don't know how you keep thinking that Peeta pressured her into a relationship when he literally says this (. "Look, Katniss, I've been wanting to talk to you about the way I acted on the train. I mean, the last train. The one that brought us home. I knew you had something with Gale. I was jealous of him before I even officially met you. And it wasn't fair to hold you to anything that happened in the Games. I'm sorry." "There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You were just keeping us alive. But I don't want us to go on like this, ignoring each other in real life and falling into the snow every time there's a camera around. So I thought if I stopped being so, you know, wounded, we could take a shot at just being friends," he says.) also there's a fact that he literally gives her a lockit with Gale inside and again is willing to die to make sure she can have a life with him but oh sure he's the one pressing her into being a relationship tell me how does that make sense to you. and this is what Gale says this ("Tell me about it," I say. "If I could've just hated him in the arena, we all wouldn't be in this mess now. He'd be dead, and I'd be a happy little victor all by myself.:"And where would we be, Katniss?" asks Gale.)

and mind you this happens after katniss told him about not being able to be in a relationship because she's scared of being killed and her family being killed and after the quarter quell was announce again bringing up a romantic relationship in an inappropriate moment

(He didn't manipulate her.) yes he did because again he knew she was going to act to him being in pain he purposely made her feel guilty about not being with him romantically even though she told them she can't even think about this s*** right now and yeah he did stop but it wasn't because it was the right thing to do is because she wasn't kissing him the way he wanted to kiss her and that's the problem. He was insecure. He was jealous. (You can't say he manipulated her just because he loved her in a different way than Peeta. )yeah Peter did love her differently just in a better and healthier way because he didn't let his jealousy or insecurity stop him from putting katnisses emotional needs ahead of his own and that's why he's the better partner for her.

(Gale was a morally gray character. He wasn't perfect, nobody's saying that he is. But he was realistic and complex and different and he sure as hell was better than Peeta. His motives and actions are much deeper than even Katniss' so I understand how most people can't even comprehend how morally complex he was. )

okay yes he's a morally Great character and honestly I do like him as a character I just don't like his personality or makes katniss kind of feel like she owes him a relationship because they're like so many moments were she just feels bad about being with Peeta with even if it's just for her survival. and even though Gale is morally gray that doesn't mean he's a deeper character than Peeta. cuz Peter is more than just a love interest . one of my favorite Peeta lines is("I don't know how to say it exactly. Only. I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?" he asks. I shake my head. How could he die as anyone but himself? "I don't want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I'm not." and katniss ask Do you mean you won't kill anyone?" I ask.

No, when the time comes, I'm sure I'll kill just like everybody else. I can't go down without a fight. Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to. to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games," says Peeta.) and in the beginning katniss doesn't't understand it but then she does when rude dies and realizes that rue and her are so much then competitors in a death match there are human beings worthy of compassion and that is what I love about Peeta he doesn't want to let the capital or his trauma change him into a monster and that's what makes his higjacking so much worse because he lived his worst fear. Peeta as a character is a reminder to katniss and the audience that it's important to stay true to who we are regardless of what happened. gale is sort of a cautionary tale of what happens when you let your trauma and your anger get the better of you and you end up doing something you regret. both characters are well written and deep and I think you can appreciate both characters and what they bring.

Okay honestly I can't with you anymore because you keep twisting the narrative into the favor of your purity culture, perfect German child boy aka Peeta to shame a brown boy who is just trying to survive and is admitting he isn't perfect aka Gale.

I'm not going to waste any more brain cells on this conversation just because you don't have any.

Now if you could just go to the hashtag "gale Hawthorne defense squad" blogs under that hashtag have already explained this and I don't feel like repeating them or myself.

#peeta mellark slander #gale hawthorne #gale hawthorne defense squad #jennifer lawrence #katniss everdeen #the hunger games

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unknownuncut · 7 months

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Masterpost for Sicktember 2023 (UnknownUncut)

Main Series: Sicktember 2023

Day One: Hopefully Bad At Self-Care

Title: It Takes A Village Summary: Link now lives in Tarrey Town after the events of TOTK and has been quite happy for the last few years and doing quite well for himself until he realizes there's one thing he's quite bad at. Series: The Rito Family Adventures

Day Two: Quest For A Cure

Title: Tulin's Side Quest Summary: Instead of waiting for his brother and dad, Tulin decided to go on his own quest for Link's cure. Series: The Rito Family Adventures

Day Three: "What happened to your phenomenal immune system, huh?"

Title: "Might be Dying but can still paint." Summary: Nancy got sick and accidentally texted the Hardy Boys, who were bored sitting around the house anyway and decided to come visit. Series: Cousins AU

Day Four: Hiding an illness

Title: "Hey, sorry for bothering you..." Summary: While on a case, Joe manages to get sick after exploring caves by himself while Nancy and Frank research at the library, instead of telling them, he thought it would be a great idea to hide it from them. Series: Cousins AU

Day Five: (Alt) Fuzzy Socks

Title: Fuzzy Socks for Cold Nights Summary: A little reminder of home. Series: Jack Marston

Day Six: Sick and injured

Title: I'll Wait Until You're Ready, Whenever That Shall Be. Summary: Jack slowly wraps the bandage around Linde’s hand, making sure that the burns aren’t too bad. The stove had been turned off and the iron pan had been placed into the sink. The only thing that didn’t go back to its rightful place was the phone that sat on the counter. Jack had been in the process of talking to Joseph about herding the cows back later when all this had happened. Series: Jack Marston

Day Seven: "You're a jerk when you're sick."

Title: I'd Just Want Your Heart Summary: Strangely, Jack can vaguely remember something about this back in the day. Most of that time felt like he was watching from above – all floating and in a strange sense of peace – until he came crashing back down and his father – tired, out of breath, and looking like a man who just fought hell – came bursting into the room; clinging so tightly to both Jack and his Ma. He never understood what happened that day until this very moment. Series: Jack Marston

Day Eight: Persistent fever

Title: Nothing Ever Last Forever Summary: Sean had gotten a fever at some point but things continued to get worse as time went on... Series: This Action Will Have Consequences...

Day Nine: (Alt) "I'm so sorry."

Title: Don't fret, you'll be safe here. Summary: Megatron goes on a hunt for Bumblebee for Optimus and gets more than he bargained for. Series: Grandpa Megatron/Honeybee, Wasp, Hornet

Day Ten: "The only place we're going is to the pharmacy."

Title: Laura's Crush Summary: Ernest had decided to finish school in America and ended up meeting Larua. (This is just a small snippet of their overall relationship). Series: Frankenstein (Sims Edition)

Day Eleven: Beginner's Guide to Faking Sick

Title: Nothing can get past Frank Hardy Summary: There are a few steps in faking that you’re sick. or Joe decided faking sick is the best way to deal with things. Series: Frankenstein (Sims Edition)

Day Twelve: Home Remedy/Old Wives Tales

Title: Home Remedy Summary: There's an old family recipe for sickness that got passed down through the Beaufort family. Victor had to go hunting for said remedy when Ernest got sick. Series: Frankenstein (Sims Edition)

Day Thirteen: Anxious Stomach

Title: Like Rider, Like Horse Summary: Rodeo stands before the starting line of the cross-country course and knows that something is wrong. Series: N/A

Day Fourteen: "I shouldn't be worried about you, but for some reason I am."

Title: A Normal Villain and Hero Story Summary: “I shouldn’t be worried about you,” Chaos shouts as he holds tightly to Berserk’s hand while the hero holds tightly to a sleeping toddler in the other. “But for some reason I am!” Series: The Media (Family of Troublemakers)

Day Fifteen: Sick in an inconvenient place

Title: Dial Druck Summary: Over the winter holiday, Logan hadn't any plans in place and almost everyone in the manor had left; even though that doesn't have a place to go had left for parties and whatnot. That was until Logan got a distress single from an unknown X-men and discovered that it was Scott, who was drowning himself at the bar until he made himself sick. Series: N/A

Day Sixteen: Consulting the Internet/Web Med

Title: Don't Trust Everything You Hear From The Internet Summary: All day Lady Wifi kept getting different council members to look up different things, and these last two finally broke her. Series: The Akumas of Anti-Paris

Day Seventeen: Magical Remedy/healing potion

Title: And I left you alone in a house, not a home. Summary: “With a dash of peppermint and a hint of nutmeg, we have ourselves a beautiful, and tasteful, healing potion.” Lilian smiles sweetly at the crown prince lying in bed as she swirls the bottle in hand; it’s a dazzling pink colour that changes to match her. Most potions and remedies tend to match her Ranger colours. “Take this and you’ll come all better, Your Highness.” Series: Original Power Rangers

Day Eighteen: "Wear your coat, you'll catch a cold."

Title: Together In Morning Air Summary: Four different times people told Jack to wear a coat and every time he didn't. Series: Jack Marston

Day Nineteen: Curled up with a pet.

Title: A Boy and His Dog Summary: The best sleep is when your pet is lying with you. Series: Jack Marston

Day Twenty: "I could really use a hug right about now."

Title: The Wilderness and A Blizzard Summary: Getting overwhelmed at a horse show is just part of the norm but it's nice to have friends to help you out. Series: N/A

Day Twenty-One: "But if you stay, you'll get sick too."

Title: Our Time Is Running Out Summary: John's trip to the Macfarlane Ranch went a little differently this time around. Series: A Reason To Live

Day Twenty-Two: Terms of Endearment/Nicknames

Title: You've Given Me A Reason For Livin' Summary: Trying to parent in an Undead Uprising isn't the easiest thing, and John learns it the hard way. Series: A Reason To Live

Day Twenty-Three: Coughing Fit

Title: A Part of the Family Summary: The past has always been spotty and hazy as if Link is trying to grab hold of sand and watching it slip through his fingers. Even though there are a few more stable memories to draw on, there are only so many that Link could help but feel awful for not remembering more. Even now as he lay sick in bed, staring up at the ceiling of his home in Tarrey Town while listening to Saki and Teba move about in the kitchen, Link can’t help but feel like a bad person. Series: The Rito Family Adventures

Day Twenty-Four: "Did You Just Sneeze?"

Title: Little Brothers Know Everything Summary: Turns out that neither Hardy Boys is good at explaining when they are sick now it's Frank's turn. Series: Cousins AU

Day Twenty-Five: Confused/Disoriented

Title: Waking Up In A Unfamiliar World Summary: Sadie Alder has seen many things over the years; you don’t get to her age without seeing some things. The rise and fall of an era, watching a strong man crumble, losing another friend, a husband, a family, and so much more. She had made the best of her life and continued to march forward until she reached death’s door. This is why seeing Jack lying on the white bed in a far too quiet room is far too much. Series: Jack Marston

Day Twenty-Six: (Alt) Forehead Kisses

Title: I Don't Know How To Feel... Summary: After Ben left for college off-world, his mom got sick and Big Chill went to go check on her. Relation: Keep the Charm But Don't Break My Heart

Day Twenty-Seven: Uncooperative Patient

Title: It's Okay To Ask For Help Or Continuing to Be Stubborn Is Fine Too Summary: Jack doesn't return before sundown and Linde goes to find him. Series: Jack Marston

Day Twenty-Eight: "I should have stayed home."

Title: A Quick Trip To Town Summary: Saki and Link go to town. Series: The Rito Family Adventures

Day Twenty-Nine: Side Effects/Adverse Reaction

Title: Medicine Box Summary: When bored, don’t read the warning label. Series: N/A

Day Thirty: Patient 0

Title: The First Of Many To Come Summary: What had happened when John left to get a doctor from Blackwater. Series: A Reason To Live

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day/night!

#ao3 series #ao3 fic #sicktember 2023

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goddamnwebcomics · 8 months

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My Brief Review of Alien Dice (Day 1 to Day 27)

When I first started reading this comic, I thought it was going to suck, but now that I've reached well past the halfway point after riffing it nonstop for almost 3 years, I feel that the comic is probably the most objectively well made comic in this blog. It has likable protagonists, cool worldbuilding and this comic knows how to have stakes, that being said I'd be a fucking liar if I said this comic had nothing bad in it, and sadly I'm afraid the bad outweights the good, let's get into it.

PLOT & WRITING

The comic starts with our protagonist, Chel, spending the night at her home when she meets a strange two-tailed cat and a blue alien named Lexx who is hunting for the cat. Chel then nurtures Lexx after he gets injured and learns that Lexx is an Alien Dice player, who has come to Earth to hunt for dice animals. Chel t´hen ends up in his spaceship, where she learns about Lexx's origins, the true nature of the game, the true nature of the dice, and soon is taken into an adventure of a lifetime as she meets Lexx's friends and foes. She also has to tolerate Lexx's unstable personality problems, ends up having her fed family go after Lexx, learns about the horrible society ADC has created in the galaxy, and finslly is taken through countless twists and turns, half of which make no sense.

In terms of writing, Alien Dice is probably the only comic in my blog that can create a good balance of comedy and very grimdark stuff. Comedy is often saved for lighter moments and not in the middle of a serious event. Granted, there is one aspect that can ruin the seriousness of a scene, but that has nothing to do with writing, more on that in the Art section. While Alien Dice has good balance, it often can sometimes take FOREVER for stuff to progress. At the beginning the pacing wasn't bad, sometimes there would be a scene that'd go way too long here or there, but once Chel gets kidnapped we spend an ungodly long amount of time in Riley's spaceship, where we see too many scenes of Lexx training and his pets arguing. It gets even worse after Trasik's incident, once the Greys come and reprogram Lexx and get rid of his evil side, we spend an entire year without conflict. It's like this comic is looking to do everything but progress the plot, we have long scenes of Lexx and Victor having repetitive conversations, we have a pointless subplot where Keith tries to get relay and Zaile teaches him how to use it, we have ANIMAL ROMANCE, we have scenes where Lexx learns what light soup and salad tastes like and more animals playing and fighting. It's really tiresome when you're waiting for shit to get serious, and there are many unanswered questions. We don't even see a glimpse of many of the central cast, like Riley or Damian during these segments, not that it's a bad thing, but it shows you how much comfort Tiffany likes to put into the comic sometimes.

Another thing I'm not a huge fan of is how characters have tendency to flip their plans over several times. For example, Lexx doesn't want to live with Chel, but then someone says something to him which immediately makes him state "oh I want to live with Chel now", and then several pages later he is suddenly like "I don't want to live with Chel" again. It's very annoying and happens a lot throughout this comic, it makes you question just what is the future of Chel and Lexx. And it seems other characters are very easily convinced over anything.

Then we have the technology of the Dice world, the usual sci-fi tropes and such are often left unexplained, but when this comic introduces something unique, such as the concept of relays and dice animals, or even non-living dice, things get confusing. The nature of the Dice Animals is explained early on that they're living entities that take over another animal, as it seems to have happened with Chel's former cat Mittens, who was replaced by Stealth. However, Stealth shares Mittens's memories but still remembers Lexx from the past, and then it's later implied she always was Mittens, as opposed to always being Stealth. There is also the question of sentience for the Dice animals, they're like Digimon at first, technological creatures with sentience, but then you get into the fact they're capable of breeding, and can also "go feral" and turn back into animals with no speech or human-level intelligence. At some point Keith even calls them not quite human or animal. Then you add in the fact Zeta talks like a caveman while other dice talk normally, and Zeta is dumber than most dice as he has no concept of parenting according to Riley, and if I started talking about whether or not him impregnating Epsy was done with or without her consent, I'd be here all week. The point is, a lot of shit regarding dices is murky.

Relay starts off as mysterious, and Stealth putting it inside Chel is the main reason why Chel and Lexx have to be close, but overtime TIffany expands on it, and reveals the reason Lexx and Chel's relays are less advanced is because they have certain features disabled. But also apparently relay can even store "mind creatures", such as soul echoes, which are basically ghosts inside people's minds, and even creatures created by nanites, which can somehow possess people to the point of manipulating their physical strength, and it's never made quite clear how these creatures exist, and I feel Tiffany sort of regretted how confusing she made them, because "Evil Lexx" was eliminated from the comic as soon as his big moment came. If you're confused by all these words, I don't blame you, because I was just as confused by all of this when I read the comic.

Lastly there are the plot twists. The way how this comic treats plot twists is rather odd. For the first half of the comic, the audience knows big plot twists before the characters do, these are "Chel has relay", "Zaile is Lexx's brother", "Kane is NOT Lexx's sister" and so forth. But there are also whole bunch of plot twists that are implied but never followed upon, like Lexx possibly being an advanced form of dice animal himself (granted this is not abandoned, just never outright stated, and the further evolution of this twist - dice players with animalistic abilities being treated as slaves by other dice players - is eventually abandoned) or the secret role humans have in Alien Dice. When the big plot twists that do happen are stated, they often happen off-screen. Probably the most bizarre example of this is when Lexx tells Chel she has relay, we see Lexx open his mouth, but we see no words, then we see Chel's reaction and then she leaves and we see her crying. It's such a bizarre moment, you don't think Lexx told Chel anything and she just left, but no.

Then we get to the second half of plot twists, which are just ass pull after ass pull after ass pull. We got two big comic-changing plot twists back to back which had virtually no foreshadowing, first we learned that Lexx's mom was alive this whole time, and then it was revealed that Trasik, who had kidnapped Chel, was actually a mimic all along, and she didn't find out until after killing her. It was just a really stupid attempt at making Chel not look like a murderer. Sometimes murder is okay.

Overall, the writing is competent but has it's own issues as well.

CHARACTERS

One of the first things about Alien Dice's cast is that it has something no other comic riffed so far in this blog has, likable protagonists. I would actually argue Chel is the best character in this entire comic. Although she first is in Audience Surrogate role and doesn't do much besides follow Lexx around and nurture the dice animals, she eventually starts doing more and more things, she starts calling out other characters for being assholes, we slowly start to get a good view into her psyche and we also see that she is not a helpless damsel who needs Lexx to save her. Her biggest highlight is killing Trasik, she just goes and stabs her to death without hesitation. If it didn't turn out to be a mimic, I would be praising that scene so much more.

But yeah, Chel doesn't really have any moments where she does stupid things, if she does a mistake it's on purpose, the stupidest thing she probably has done is blurt out to Lexx that his mom is alive, but it seems Lexx forgets about it as soon as it's mentioned. Granted, she does have the indecisiveness I talked about in the writing section, but that's not a problem unique to her.

Then we have Lexx, the other main protagonist, Lexx has a really sad backstory and he is a more mysterious character who really needs someone like Chel in his life. Sadly, he is more of a mixed bag than Chel. He often does stupid things and acts like a complete idiot at times, which I'm not sure is intentional, as sometimes he will suddenly get psychosis and try to kill one of his dice, sometimes he just acts like an asshole to Chel for no reason, sometimes he makes justifications for his asshole friends (we'll get to them later) and sometimes he is acting like a creepy simp. It could be argued Evil Lexx is influencing him during some of these moments, but just talking about Evil Lexx gives me a headache, so let's say Evil Lexx has only influenced Lexx's actions once and that was when he possessed him. Lexx becomes a better person throughout the comic, but sometimes reset button is hit which makes him lose all his development, but eventually he regains his development out of nowhere. I would still argue Lexx is a protagonist worth rooting for, because the world he lives in, his predicament and his own friends are much worse than he is.

Then there's Lexx's pets, the Dice animals. I feel like these characters purely exist for merchandising reasons, because during my riff I saw a ton of pictures of posters, totebags, pins and stickers with these guys all over them. Tiffany however does try to give them development with mixed results. The main Dice is arguably Stealth, she starts off as a decent character, and she acts as a good conscience to Lexx at the beginning of the comic. Unfortunately as soon as she turns into her white puma form, not only does she look more and more ridiculous, she becomes a massive dick who is always ANGRY. Both her backstory and motivation are also quite confusing, like I said it's never really established if she has the mind of Stealth or mind of Mittens, and she wants freedom but also she wants to protect Chel and Lexx. She hates other dice animals for "stealing Chel/Lexx" but doesn't also like it if Chel/Lexx disrespect her independence. Eventually she stops hating other animals, but continues being kind of a dick throughout the rest of the comic with occassional moments of decency, but she's probably easier to listen to than look at, more about that on the Art section. Then there's Sirius, Sirius started off as creepy dog energy dice we nicknamed Dog Sothoth, but he somehow evolved into a dopey dragon thing. Sirius also starts wanting independence from Lexx, but outside of arguing with Stealth he doesn't really develop any of this, and soon becomes horny for Serenity, the random hyena who wasn't used at all until that point and then she suddenly turns into a palette swap of Sirius, and every page from then on looks like they're coming close to fucking right then and there.

While Tiffany generally keeps away from writing blatant romance, the ANIMAL ROMANCE segments make me feel dirty, and I don't think that would be the case if it wasn't for the original main dice of the series, Zeta. Zeta talks like a caveman unlike other dice, and it is eventually implied that he raped Epsy off-screen because he tells her "Zeta sorry. Zeta not know what he did". And it's justified because Zeta did not have the ability to think? Meanwhile this whole event causes Epsy to go feral, and this is all Epsy's fault because she laid Zeta's eggs. The consent on this entire thing is never cleared up, and I feel like Tiffany should've had second thoughts about this whole arc. So yeah, that's why I'm not fond of any other romances the chinpokomon in this comic have.

The only other dice with any sort of personality are Dash, who eventually becomes Stealth's lover after being a prose-spouting, Zeta-mauling, MURR HELLOIng idiot who Lexx once wanted to kill, as well as Swiftpaw. He is a winged fox who eventually develops fondness for Keith, and he does whole bunch of cutesy shit. There's also other dice but they have one note gimmicks, and rest are just straight up gone, like Lexx catches them and then we never see them again, remember the giant bat? Drunk kangaroo? The weird raccoon thing? Yeah, the less dice-focused this comic becomes, the more their presence feels like an afterthought outside of Stealth, Sirius, Zeta and the rest.

And then there's Lexx's so called friends, these assholes are the reason Lexx's understanding of certain social issues are so warped, to the point some of his flaws may be almost justified. First we have Damian, he went from a supportive friend of Lexx's into a greedy partyloving womanizer with a Pinocchio nose who didn't contribute anything, then there is Claudia, she straight up wants to rape Lexx at first. However, Claudia seems to eventually just go from a wannabe rapist to a desperate lover, but she doesn't get any better as a character. Claudia and Damian want Lexx to be their comfort doll, and while they're willing to protect him, they really dislike Chel and don't want her to be around. But they're the most likable characters in the world compared to the one who I think is not only the worst character in this comic but also the worst character in this entire blog, RILEY.

Where do I begin with Riley? He is Lexx's best friend and soul brother, but he has never done one good thing for Lexx or Chel. In his first appearance, he first tries to hit on Chel and then tries to use her to get chicks? After that, we learn that Riley is working for Lexx's brother Zaile, who hates him, and Riley knows a whole bunch of shit Lexx doesn't know, which we learn throughout the whole comic, he also knows that LEXX'S MOM WAS ALIVE THE WHOLE TIME. He is the brother of Trasik, the crazy child trafficking psychopath who wants to kill Lexx because she is racist against rishans, and a whole bunch of other siblings AND THEY ALL PLAY. Riley also belittles Lexx and reads his mind by force but doesn't let Lexx read his mind, victimblames and insults Lisaan for being a slave and a prostitute, drugs both Chel and Lexx in their sleep, calls Chel's breasts "deformed", enables his sister's child trafficking business, the list goes on and on. He is a manipulative piece of shit fucktard that might as well be the main antagonist, because almost all the problems in Lexx's life are his fault.

Speaking of let's move on to the ACTUAL antagonists. We learn slowly that ADC, which stands for Alien Dice Council if I remember correctly, controls the whole galaxy except for greys and Earth, they monitor Lexx constantly and try to kill him. They have destroyed semantics around the word "parents" so that anyone who doesn't have a caretaker qualifies as an orphan and thus can be sentenced to play the game, and the game itself is a hellish meatgrinder that is impossible to win, you can't kill yourself because nanites take control of your body and create unstable mutations within your mind, but you can easily be killed at any time, and ADC might as well kill you solely because you're popular, and they can also send mimics that can easily impersonate your loved ones.

Sounds like a pretty good case for a hateable antagonist, right? Unfortunately, whenever ADC appears on screen, it's two people, an orange haired loser who loves to be evil and a purple rishan woman who also loves to be evil, and she wants to kill off Lexx for whatever reason. These two are bland and rather than being portrayed as a dark shadow totalitarian despot government they're just two rich assholes who do the ohohohoho anime woman laugh when they see children starving. In a similar train is Trasik, the secondary antagonist of the comic, she wants to kill Lexx for some reason and eventually we learn she one day decided to become racist, because her father liked to go out with Lexx's mom. Bigotry really isn't part of her character though, she just loves to traffic children and try to kill Lexx for her own amusement, and then when Chel finally kills her we learn she has been replaced with a perfect mimic. I feel that Trasik and ADC both work better off as antagonists when they're off-screen. When we actually see them, they're bland and not complicated enough to be part of this universe. An antagonist who does work better is Saign who runs an Alien Dice slave ring, she has a grudge against Lexx so she wants to recruit her into her ring. However she never shows up again so what's the point. Riley should be the main antagonist of the comic more than anyone else.

As for the rest of the noteworthy characters, we have Keith and Victor, the most prevalent earthlings after Chel to appear. Victor is Chel's father and a determined Alien hunter who goes from hating Lexx and wanting to dissect him into respecting him as a living creature. The problem is we have to run in circles several times before he starts showing his more humble side, but other than that he is not an awful character, and he is right about Lexx's "friends" treating him like shit. Keith is a friend of Chel's, and he is okay when he isn't being a manchild or when Lexx isn't getting green eyes in his vicinity. And the subplot about him getting relay is completely pointless.

Really the last character worth talking about is Maenae. I usually dislike kid characters, but Maenae not only is likable but also she has a pretty sad backstory, and I wish she was used more as opposed to Lexx's asshole friends. Just, make sure she has clothes on.

There's one more thing that I want to talk about in this comic and that is the background characters. Often in crowd scenes we see a wide variety of different Georgelucasian aliens going out and about, but most major characters and many of the background characters outside of large public venues are just humans with another skin color. I feel like it's odd that there are fantastical aliens and also humans with wacky colors and let's face it, just regular ass humans with few quirks to make them "alien" among the aliens. Lexx's first opponent is a donut head crab alien which was pretty cool to see, but outside of that we never get any major character that are non-humanoid outside of greys and the Dice animals. I blame that on the lack of risks in the art department, and boy I've got a lot to talk about that one.

ART

I am not an art critic by any means. That being said I am aware that I can point out when certain art looks bad, weird or goofy. And I can safely make the statement that the worst thing about Alien Dice is the art. The art is a gigantic ball of inconsistency, and I don't know why. It seems that Tiffany isn't drawing characters based on existing references, and instead she is trying to desperately find an artstyle to stick to. This is demonstrated best with the evolution of main character herself, Chel.

Just look at how much she has changed over the years, at first you'd be like "yeah this is natural character evolution", but the third row is literally the character's design changing within the span of a year. I know constant redesigning of characters is a webcomic tradition by now, but the fact her design can just change in the middle of a page is ridiculous.

I would argue that the current iteration of Alien Dice has the most decent art, it has been up and down though, sometimes the artstyle has been good, and other times it has been shit. The weird thing is Lexx, Victor and Riley don't have this issue. They can sometimes look weird, but they also keep most of their facial structure, like I can buy them having refs for them that Tiffany comes back, unlike Chel whose skull's shape has probably changed 35 times by now.

And what happens when you combine inconsistent artstyle with a design that is not good at all? You get Stealth. More specifically Stealth's fourth form.

Stealth is just a sleep paralysis demon, there are times she looks decent but it depends entirely on the angle, the size of her face and whatever random artstyle Tiffany is going for that week. I genuinely think she needs to evolve into something that looks less like a realistic cat with human hair. If Sirius's fourth form can be based on a made up animal, why not Stealth?

I've bitched enough about the artstyle itself and how certain characters are affected by it, let's talk about another universal problem this comic has that has something to do with art, the chibi faces.

I don't hate chibi but it needs to be used in moderation, and mainly in comedic stuff. However Alien Dice tends to use chibi faces whether or not they're appropriate for the scene. They're not your typical anime faces though, many of them are instead unique exaggerated expressions, that have a lot in common with chibi. The most notorious one is the "Riley Eyes", where characters eyes turn simple and oval shaped, and Riley gets them a lot which is why they're named after him. There's also moments when characters get huge pillow mouths or their nose and mouth turns invisible. I feel like Tiffany didn't have talent to give characters exaggerated expressions so she struck to chibi faces. However over time the chibi faces are used less and less, but they don't disappear completely. Lexx's eyes losing their sclera seems to be something he does everytime he is angry, to the point I'm questioning if it's not a chibi face but rather anatomically part of his rishan expression.

There's also times when characters are drawn with chibi proportions, mainly in Relay, and this comic can't seem to make up just how chibi they are. They might just have big eyes and chibi proportions, sometimes they just look like literal children, sometimes there is no chibi proportions, but characters just do chibi faces. It's so damn confusing and I think Tiffany just gave up trying to be consistent on that department.

Yeah, the art is very inconsistent as a whole and on top of that has it's own issues. The layout of the pages is often very short but outside of few questionable page placement and speech bubble decisions, I didn't have any major issues with it.

FINAL WORDS

Alien Dice is the best webcomic on this blog, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't an avid reader of webcomics. The most you're gonna get out of it is a pairing of likable and rootable protagonists, some interesting but also confusing concepts and good worldbuilding, but it's all hidden behind a sidecast of horribly unlikeable assholes, terrible plot twists, pacing that can drag at times and insanely inconsistent art style that never really goes above mildly decent. I only riffed up until 2014 though and it's possible some of the issues in this comic may have been fixed, but also not really.

I feel like both the comic's good and bad parts helped to keep my interest going. At one point I actually considered abandoning riffing this comic because it was getting too boringly decent, but then the whole Saign scene happened and the comic regularly kept my attention since. I think I'm going to miss Chel the most because I doubt we're going to be running into a protagonist that is as likable as her for a while.

Tiffany herself is somehow able to regularly update 5 webcomics at once, which I find highly admirable. If you check out the story and enjoy it, I recommend supporting her. Alien Dice will come back from hold once it's over, but until then I may check out those other webcomics she did.

#alien dice #review

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echantedtoon · 5 months

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A Champion Time For The Heart Ch6 The Entrance Ceremony

You had a ...peaceful time helping Mrs. G in the kitchen cooking up some lunch for the guys...but by the time they all came back it might as well have been their dinner instead. Victor looked tired but still smiled, probably still happy to be able to get home and see all his family and friends, and in his possession was a small little pokeball and a new band around his wrist. That must've been the extra starter pokemon from Sonia! When his mother asked him about it, he answered that Victor had in fact received a small eevee to help him on his journey to over come the gym challenge. Well that was a nice thing for Sonia to do. It was also nice to just to listen to him talk about the small adventure he had taking pictures for the online blog he had. And made Gloria squeal with delight upon surprising her with a handful of polaroid pictures for her pokedex book. Next thing you knew it was already night and you were fast asleep....Only to be woken up VERY early in the morning by Silver grabbing at your face demanding food. ..Whelp. You couldn't go back to sleep now even if you wanted too so with a groan you got up and dressed, and went to go fix Silver something to eat. Only to be stopped again when there was a knock at the door. Confused you went to go answer it, but was surprised when you saw none other than Leon there.

"Leon?" You blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Y/n!" He greeted giving a smile. "I decided to swing by before I head back."

"Back? You mean you're leaving now?"

To confirm your question he nodded again. " Yeah! But I didn't catch the morning train, got lost in the dark hours of the sun rise and somehow ended up circling my way back in front of my own house." He gave a sheepish chuckle and one hand came up to rub his head. "Not sure if I should consider myself lucky or not, but now I have to wait for the afternoon train at Twelve."

You rolled your eyes but smiled. Yep! That was definitely something Leon would totally do, game canon or not. You shook your head before looking back to him, not minding the Sobble who jumped onto your overalls and started climbing up you like a cat would. "Are you looking for Gloria? Her Mom said she left I think."

"Actually I was looking for you!"

That certainly caught you off guard as you blinked and your Sobble finally managed to flop itself over your shoulder as you blinked and pointed to yourself, "Me? Why?"

He looked over for a moment still rubbing his head nervously before closing his eyes and sighing. "Y/n...Never in a million years did I think Hop or Gloria would think taking off into Slumbering Wield would be a great idea, and honestly..That place is so unexplored and full of dangers I wouldn't be even caught lost in there." He looked back up to you. "Those two could've gotten seriously lost or...well I don't want to think about what could've been worse. I don't know how you figured out how they were in there, but that was some quick thinking on your part. As Champion I should thank you for your efforts, but as a big brother I could never thank you enough. But I'd like to try." He smiled real widely at you with that goofy grin you always saw.

You stood there for a moment brain processing what he said, before asking, "Huh?"

He chuckled at your reaction to him. "You lost all your stuff being chased by those wild corviknight right?" He gestured towards the door. "There's a local market and clothes store just across from the Pokemon Center in town. If you're going to be traveling all over the place with Gloria then you're going to need your own separate stash of clothes and food to sustain yourself. I can help in that department."

You stared......Was...W-Was Leon offering to BUY you new clothes?? Your brain finally clicked back to normal and you instantly shook your head holding up your hands. "N-No! I couldn't ask you to do that!"

"And have you travel around Galar with no supplies at all?"

That made you pause. You didn't really have any supplies did you?.....Literally nothing but the clothes on your back, a back pack, and one pokeball for the sobble on your shoulder. And now that he mentioned traveling with barely anything-.....You were REALLY under prepared and hadn't even thought of that! No food, barely any clothes, and overall no money at all to buy things with. So in much easier terms, you were absolutely hopelessly broke. BUT Leon was offering to pay for anything you needed- NO! You shook your head. You only helped out because you knew someone would be in danger and you knew the things had to progress in game if you wanted to get home. It'd be wrong to accept money just because you helped him out....But then again you still had nothing, and it'd be better not just for you but for Gloria too if you guys needed supplies for two people traveling around a giant region for who knows how long. Plus Leon is THE Galar Region Champion! He's the most popular person in all of Galar with millions of fans. Logically he'd probably have cash to spare for the supplies and not put a dent in any of his paychecks and you DID need the supplies. So technically he'd be helping out Gloria as well as endorsing her too if she insisted on having you come along.

"I mean-.." You started raising a brow. "Are you sure? I really don't mind and you don't have too!"

"If I didn't I wouldn't have offered, Y/n!" He gave a smile and again gestured towards the door. "Plus..I could use someone to help make sure I didn't get lost on the way there again. I wouldn't want to loop in front of my house again."

Well....Considering all the factors and that he was totally willing- "I mean....Sure! Ok!" You nodded and smiled. "I'm gonna need some supplies if I'm going to be traveling I guess. And since you're offering I guess I can't say no. Oof!"

That earned you a friendly pat to the shoulder from Leon as he smiled. "That's the spirit! Mrs. G won't mind if we leave now. She's already busy anyways."

You nodded in understanding and when he gestured for the two of you to leave again, you walked your way over to the door, Leon being the polite gentleman he was opening the door for you as you stepped out back into the world and the two of you were off. Walking down the road and passing all the normal things you all had done previously on your way towards the Center, which was pretty easy to spot as it was bright pink. And again people awed and waved at Leon as he smiled and waved back. At one point stopping and agreeing to take a picture with a young boy who couldn't have been much older than five or six as his presumed mother took his picture, before thanking Leon and allowing the two of you to continue on they're way. The smells of flowers and vegetation was in the air. You didn't see Hop or the twins on your way there though despite being out catching more pokemon. You just hoped they didn't decide on going back into Slumbering Wield again. Once you two got to about the center, Leon turned to you and gestured for you to follow him to the left past as a couple of elderly ladies walked past the both of you, both giving Leon a 'WOW!' kinda look. The building he led you too was a brick building with a green and white striped awning over the doorway and a sign above it reading 'Postwick General Store'. In front of the store was a couple crates of you assumed crops the local farmers produced.

"There it is!," Leon explained to you walking towards it as you two got close to it. "Should have everything one needs if they're going on a journey. It's where I got my supplies for my journey long ago, so it should have everything you all need." He assured as you two finally got near it. Once again reaching out and opening the door for you, a small bell going off above you, to which you thanked him and walked in. The inside was cool, and it ...looked exactly like a regular convenience store with a bunch of shelves with things labeled with prices and a few freezers stuffed with more foods. "See? What'd I tell ya?!"

Before you could say anything a different voice caught your attention. "Well, Well. As I live in breath." Both of you looked over to a counter and a middle aged man with dark brown hair and mustache smiled from behind the register. "If it isn't little Leon the champion, eh? Last time I saw you, you weren't much bigger than a beanpole. Now what pleasure does this old soul have to have you walking in here?"

The purple haired man happily waved to him. "Hey, Mr. Frederick! Long time no see!" He happily patted your shoulder. "My friend here needs some supplies, and being the best store in Galar, I thought you would have just the things we needed!"

The old man laughed and nodded smiling. "Well you ain't wrong! Look 'round and see if there's anything to your liking."

That was enough signal for Leon to grab onto one of those convenience store baskets and nod towards the food on the shelves. "C'mon. We'll want to find non perishable foods that'll last longer for long trips! So they should be in-..." He gave the aisles a look..and rose a brow. "Uh.."

"In the last aisle to the left," the older man corrected him.

Leon pointed to the left. "What he said! I remember now!" You chuckled at him, but he seemed to ignore them as he walked over and you followed. Taking a look at the aisles they seemed to stacked with the regular food you'd find in stores like back where you came from, and the aisle you guys went too could have what could only describe as camping foods. All packed away in plastic wrap and such so well they looked like a hiker's paradise. Especially when Leon hummed at what was available. "I guess a couple trainers already been here. Usually there's a whole lot of this available. But y'know what, that's perfectly fine." You watched curious as he just started grabbing a ...lot more than what you were expecting as he started just grabbing handfulls of packages from the shelves before you. "You can never go wrong with lots of rice and sausages."

"Uh..." You raised a hand.

''There's also plenty of pasta and salad mixes too," he mumbled to himself grabbing more handfuls of plastic wrapped packages of instant foods, "I think you'll like the moomoo cheese here. I used to use these a lot as cheese usually lasted a long time, like these bean tins here. Although steer clear of the pungent root. It's edible but has a strange smell too it. Coconut milk is also good to have on hand, canned moomoo milk is always good-"

"Leon," you interrupted his rambling as he hummed and looked to you. And you pointed to the now almost overflowing basket, "Isn't that uh....a little much for just me?"

He looked confused for a moment, before looking to the basket and seeming to get it. "OH! Nonono. I was grabbing some for the guys as well. ....I...probably should've mentioned that before we got here I guess, but it slipped my mind." He gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about that."

"It's alright." You assured him as he turned. "I think that's really nice of you to help us like this anyways."

"Well, a journey is never easy and if I can make it easier for them I will." Well you couldn't argue with that. By the time you two had walked out of there, Leon was holding two bags and you were holding two after helping to separate them between the four of you after paying the man with what must've been this world's version of a credit card, and you once again started following him after he turned to you once out of the store and said, "Follow me!" He nodded ahead of you and there was something you recognized. It was the clothing shop you'd encounter in the beginning of the game. It looked fancy compared to other buildings in town, with mannequins wearing clothes in the window, Sign above reading 'Cothes Mart'. "We can grab you two or three outfits in there and that should be that." He paused...before grunting and turning back over his shoulder. "Oh no."

you stopped and looked at him, before glancing at your sobble, then back to Leon again. "What?"

He stared at the pokemon center. "I forgot to stop by the center for something." He turned back to you. "And I have limited time...Here! How's this? Go inside there-" he nodded to the store. "And ask for Martha, she's the lady that owns the store. She knows my mom since she shops here all the time. Tell her that I sent you and to put it on my mom's tab, I'll digit my mum the money to pay for yours!"

You gave him a deadpanned look. "Leon, no offense, but wouldn't that just look like I'm trying to bum off you? If anyone could do that, then it probably would've happened a lot more with you in a lot of identity theft."

"Oh yeah! Tell her 'I got lost on a barn's roof!' That's the code I set up with her after one of my getting lost sprees. Hehe," he gave a nervous chuckle and you couldn't help but roll your eyes. How could anyone get lost and end up on top of a barn? Only Leon you supposed.

You nodded. "Alright. Won't you get lost? No offense."

"None taken. Ill wait for you outside the Center, just be sure to make it quick. I don't think I'd want to miss my second train of the day."

You nodded before the two of you parted ways, you going towards the building, semi heavy bag of foods in your hands towards the double glass doors. Once you reached the door open, a small bell went off and you stood in aw at the fancier looking store than the previous general store. There was....a LOT more included in here than you remembered in game. Much more clothes racks. Much more shoes on shelves. Much more bags. And MUCH more shelves of clothing.

"Good Afternoon, Young Lady." The lady's voice spooked you enough to make you jump, nearly knocking the chirping sobble off your shoulders as you turned to a middle aged dark brow haired lady who looked about the same age as Gloria's Mom as she smiled at you cheerfully. "Welcome to Clothes Mart. Feel free to ask for help if you need anything."

"Uh...." You blinked before clearing your throat. "Y-Yeah?....Martha?" You asked hesitating before pointing at her and she nodded.

"That's me! How can I provide you excellent service today?"

....You looked around a little bit before walking up to her, a few other ladies and young girls were looking at the clothing, this Martha raising a brow as you approached. Eyeing the others around you before clearing your throat and looking back to the slightly confused lady with uncertainty. "Uh...I got lost on a barn's roof?"

She still looked confused for a moment before her face instantly went from confused to overjoyed like a person had waved a full stack of a million dollars in front of her face. "OH! Of course. Would make sense since the Champion is in town." You sighed relieved as she stood from her place behind the counter with a smile. "Although I wasn't expecting Leon's cute country gal coming in.~ And just in time by the looks of it." She gave a criticizing eye over the overalls and green gum boots you wore.

It took a moment for you to register what she had said, and your Sobble gave this Martha lady a scowl as she looked you over. ...And you instantly held up your hands, red faced. "WHA- OH NO!! DEFINATELY NOT! I'M NOT-..HE'S...W-Were just..Friends." Well...You couldn't say exactly that you guys were friends since you've only know him a total of what...two or three days at most outside of a video game. But it was the only thing you could think of to call this.

She paused to look at you for a moment but shrugged. "Small mistake. Any friend of Leon's is a customer of mine." You lightly scowled at her as she smiled and sat back down. "Do let me know when you're finished, Ma'am. And don't be afraid to ask for assistance!"

"R-Right. Ok." You quickly shuffled away shaking your head from the encounter and looking at the Sobble. "Can you believe that?" The Sobble chirped and nodded in agreement with your statement and you couldnt agree more. "My thoughts exactly."

It didn't take long for you to pick out just a few shirts, two black with a pink pikachu and green eevee, and a blue one with an arcanine, and some plain black sweats to go with them. A pair of really good sneakers, a plain blue dress you thought was nice, and a jacket. Before you realized that it'd be impossible to carry it all with your small old backpack. Probably why Victor didn't want to take it in the first place you thought, but managed to find a rather large grey plaid rucksack, it was perfect with it's multiple pockets and size. You were quick to try and check them all out as this Martha lady wanted to chat but you didn't feel so talkative after the way she seemed to judge you with her eyes and quickly just left as fast as you could after she had apparently finished punching everything into someone's online tab she kept and wishing you a "Champion Time, with your 'Friend'!" and to "Stop by anytime!". Man you couldn't walk out faster and get outside holding the heavy bags of clothes and food you had gotten. Thank goodness because you surely just wanted to get back to Leon and help him back to the train station. Just your luck too as you walked past the Postwick's general store and towards the center, you managed to catch sight of Leon. He was leaning down and signing a small girl's book while her assumed mother watched.

"LEON!!," you called out and he looked up smiling at you waving a hand, one of the bags hanging from your wrist.

He waved a hand back, finished signing whatever the excited young girl was holding out to him before nodding to her and her mom before picking up his two large bags and walking towards you as you continued to walk towards him. "Hey!" He greeted once he was close enough smiling. Glancing at the new backpack on your back and the new bag in your hands. "I see you got some new kicks! Good! Sorry I took so long, but I got a lil caught up as you could see."

You smiled rolling your eyes, "I know. And it's fine....Are you sure about all this stuff tho? It's really no big deal-"

"Exactly!" He stated with a wink. "It's no big deal to me either, and I'm not bothered in the least." He gave that wide champion grin. "I make it a habit to use my position for as much good as possible, especially now with the power crisis." He turned to walk back down the road towards the train station and you followed.

"Power...crisis??" Oh yeah! Wasn't there a plot in the game involving that kind of thing? You tucked away that information just in case.

He nodded as you two walked. "Yeah. Been having it ever since I was about sixteen. The Chairman's been trying his best to help and look into the problem, I think?? But so far there hasn't been much progress unfortunately."

"Oh. I see..." You glanced down to the bags he held. They looked a wee bit fully than you last seen. "What did you get at the Center anyways?"

He seemed to perk back up at the mention. "OH!" He held up the bags. "Some more things that trainers would need for the long trip! Potions, antidotes, one or two revives and awakenings, and a few healers. Trust me. They're going to need them for their pokemon in case there's no pokemon center nearby to help them."

You nodded as the two of you continued to walk all the way to the train station, still no signs of the two children. You remembered someone saying that there was a lot of wild pokemon on Route 2 so maybe that's where they went?? The two of you walked the rest of the way to the train station and he was nice enough to hold the door to the station open for you to walk in, you thanking him. The inside wasn't anything special. A bunch of waiting seats, a man in a small stall like area who seemed to not pay attention to you, what must've been this world's version of an ATM next to a vending machine along side the far right wall, a clock above them, and a pay-to-enter entrance to a grey and yellow train. Well, at least Leon won't miss his evening train. Speaking of Leon he seemed ecstatic.

"Phew! Made it just in time! And not a minute too soon it looks like." He glanced at the clock on the far wall and frowned again. "Ten fifty eight! It's going to leave in two minutes!" He quickly turned back to you and you blinked as he held out the two bags. "Shoot! I'd sworn we had more time! I have to get on before I miss the second train in one day! Could you give these to the kids for me!?"

You took the bags from him as he nudged them towards you Sobble chirping in curiosity at them as you blinked again. "W-W-Wait! You're not saying good bye to them first?"

"Well I kinda don't have a lot of time," he said gesturing between the clock and train, "I can't be late for this one!''

"Oh right!" Your eyes widened at the clock. There was now one more minute before noon, when the train leaves. So you pushed Leon who blinked. "You should get going then! You only have one minute!"

"OH RIGHT!!" He quickly turned and made a run for the pay-to-enter entrance, once again taking out what must've been a pokemon world's credit card and either letting the machine scan it or pushing it into a small slot in the side, you couldn't tell past his cape that swished around with his movements. He managed to get past the bars and stopped at the other side to give you one last smile. "Thanks for helping! Maybe we'll get to see each other again-"

HONK!!

Both of you jumped at the loud train horn going off and you pointed. "LEON!!"

"I KNOW I KNOW!! BYE!!" Grabbing his hat he ran to the double doors that opened and closed behind him with a whoosh noise.

You sighed in relief and the train chose that exact moment to start pulling away with a metal groan. Followed by the click-clacking noises you knew only trains could make and you sighed. You did end up just sitting down in one of the waiting seats arms and feet sore from carrying all the things with yo-

"LEON!!" You and your Sobble jumped, the small pokemon tumbling into your lap as you turned your head and a familiar purple haired boy came running in and you whipped your head around to the blur of Hop rushing in. Sliding to a stop in front of the entrance to the train watching as it continued to go past. "AH MAN!" He deflated with a sigh. "...I'm too late."

"Hop?"

It was his turn to jump and snap to you as you sat there with a brow rose staring at him. And he relaxed. "Y/N! What are you doing here? WAIT! Did Lee come through here already!?"

Your Sobble chirped in annoyance righting itself up at Hop, and you nodded as the last car of the train flew by. "You just missed him actually...Hey. Where's Gloria and Victor?"

He groaned and reached a hand up to rub his head. "Ah man. I really wanted to say good bye...Oh. Glory's battling Victor down the road." He pointed his other hand out the door. "I was kinda hoping I'd get a chance to see him go, y'know..." He looked at you again and seemed surprised at the bags around you...and pointed. "Hey. What's all that you got there?"

You blinked for a moment before looking to the bags, and smiling. Holding out one to the younger boy. "Leon left you guys a fair well present."

You perhaps should've seen it coming when Hop's excitement was reignited when he heard Leon left him a present and you gladly handed over one of the bags to which he opened up in a hurry but looked utterly confused at all the healers and camping food until you explained the reasons why Leon got them all for him. Which he understood with a nod. And after a moment more of resting you decided to walk back with him towards the road, but the two of you ran into another familiar face in the form of the twins. Or more like she almost ran into the two of you as she ran into the train station pulling her brother behind her as you got up from your seat. Your sobble still sore over how many times he already fell from your shoulder and so resorted to gripping your shoulder sleeve harder.

"Geez Glory!," Hop commented raising a brow, "What's gotten you in such a hurry? I thought that was my thing."

"Sorry," she apologized leaning over to look around you and Hop at the station, "Did Leon leave yet? You said somethin' about stopping him so we could say good bye."

He again sighed and slouched a big bag in his hands. "Yeah he's gone back to whatever he was doing. I suppose I can't catch a train after all." ...He gave a small smile though. "But I guess I can't complain! He's the Champion! So of course he's gotta be like SUPER busy! We'll come face to face again soon enough!"

Gloria smiled back and nodded in agreement. "YEAH! Besides, maybe we'll see him at the Opening Ceremony tomorrow!"

You nodded at them. Although you knew he wouldn't be there as in game if the current events kept up, but you didn't want to break their hearts or anything so soon.

"Are you endorsed trainers?," a man's voice asked from behind the three of you turned around to the man in the small store like stand in the train station. His smile widened as he nodded to his side where a stack of books was settled. "Would any of you three be interested in joining in our charity dex events?"

"Charity dex?," you asked obviously confused.

And the man nodded again gesturing to the two different book stacks one smaller than the other. "Yes! For just five dollars you can purchase one of two dex books and enter the dex challenges to win a variety of prizes! All proceeds goes towards the power crisis fund raiser."

There was that mention again about the power crisis. You wondered how dire it was exactly. Gloria seemed to take interest in it though and walked right up to the stand staring at the books. "....What's exactly the challenges?"

"Well there's the Poke-Dex challenge and the Curry-Dex challenge?" He explained holding up one of the small books, it had a picture of a plate of some kind of food etched into it. "The challenge is too take a picture of every labeled curry, or pokemon, on the pages and when your albums are fully completed, you turn in into your local pokemon center to claim your prizes! And there's no time limit. It's all for charity and you get a neat scrap book out of it. We already sold a few to some people on their way on the train. Would you be interested in joining one of the dex challenges?"

"I dunno. Sounds like a scam to me, Glor," Hop commented glancing at the books. "I always thought photography was Victor's gig. And we're already got the gym challenges ahead of us tomorrow.......Glory?"

Dexes?? As in completing the entire pokemon dex for this game?? Was this how it was manifesting in this game? You guessed so. It WOULD be weird if Gloria just discovered her pokedex had a limit of numbers in order to 'complete' it like a game's challenge. but a curry dex?? You faintly remembered there being some kind of food challenge in game but you couldn't remember it too well.

"I can't believe you wasted twenty dollars on two scrape books and camera film." Hop gave a small frown at the rolls of film and books Gloria was carrying along with the bag of goodies provided by Leon from earlier. "You don't even have a polaroid camera for all of that."

"No, but Victor does! I'm sure he won't mind if I take his old one." She gave her brother a look and Victor rolled his eyes. "Besides! It'll be fun and easy! Just fill up a whole book with pictures of pokemon and curries! How hard can it be?"

Hop's face deadpanned. "That's not exactly what I meant."

The four of you had left the train station not longer after that and had taken a small detour to the grocery store you were previously in that morning so Gloria could buy herself a decent amount of film rolls. It was crazy how many rolls of film you could cheaply buy in this world for a mere ten dollars, although you were sure Hop disagreed. So you decided to change the subject by asking them a question.

"So," they both turned to you, "We're leaving for the Entrance Ceremony tomorrow morning right?"

"YEP! Bright and early! The morning train leaves at seven thirty sharp and we have to get our Dynamax bands from Professor Magnolia tomorrow! So we're gonna have to get up real extra early if we don't want to miss it. These train conductors are always on time, whether it's a good or bad thing. But those bands will be worth it to be able to dynamax and complete our Badge Circles!"

"I see. ...What's a badge circle??" You don't remember hearing anything like that from the game even when you played it way back when. "I don't think I know how these gyms and badges work."

They both gave you a confused look and for a moment you thought you goofed up before luckily Gloria unknowingly saved face for you when a look of realization came over her. "OH RIGHT!! You're not from this region so you wouldn't possibly know how the gyms work!" You thanked whatever god was listening for this great save as Gloria happily explained. "You see there's ten gyms each with their own gym leader unique to their own type of pokemon, but in order to compete in the finals at the end of the year you only need eight badges to complete your Badge Circle. A Badge Circle is like a puzzle but instead of carboard puzzle pieces you use badges to make it, then you present it to the official board who helps host the Gym Challenge. They're also the ones who's going to be checking to make sure your endorsements are legit at the Entrance Ceremony," she explained as you listened. Never knew when this info might come in handy later. "That's where four of the gyms are optional. While usually they give you they're own unique piece for the Badge Circle..Both Rock Type and Ice Type Gyms offer the same shaped badge. So does the Fighting and Ghost Type Gyms. So usually you'd pick either one of the two choices, grab it, and then move on. Lots of people don't see the point of battling both gyms for the same piece as it's not required." She smirked before pointing a confident hand forward. "BUT NOT ME!! What's the point of me joining the Gym Challenge if I don't at least try out every gym at least once! We have a full year until the finals anyhow! That should be plenty of time for me to get what I need!!......Plus...m-maybe because I'm also kinda hoping to get some pictures and a few autographs. It's not everyday you get to see such famous people. Hehe."

You rolled your eyes with a smile. Just like a teen meeting a famous person but Hop sighed again. "I just don't see why you're going through all of this trouble. Won't it make more sense to just focus on one thing?"

"Hop you need to broaden your horizons a bit! It's gonna be our first times away from home! It's not just about the Gym Challenge!" She smiled widely at him. "It's about seeing new things! Meeting new people! Getting to see all kinds of new pokemon! It's...." Her smile dropped for a bit as she looked down. "It's actually a bit scary.....but I guess that's what's also making it so exciting." She smiled again. "Plus I know you're also doing the challenge so it's not like I'll be going into it alone right? Ill have my best bud and bro going through it with me!"

Victor looked off to the side and Hop stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat and nodded looking away. "Y-Yeah! You're right. "

"See? Told you! It'll be fun! And I'll have Y/n as a traveling buddy anyways! So it should be fine."

You nodded in agreement as the three of you continued to walk back towards their homes, and both children mentioning the new pokemon they had been able to catch while out on their little adventure today.

"So how many pokemon did you guys catch?," you asked curiously.

And Gloria proudly answered, "NINE! And Hop caught five!"...Before she hummed. "Although Vic seemed to have o' bit of trouble with it."

You did a double take at the two. "Wait. You guys caught fourteen pokemon between the two of you in the few hours I was gone!?"

"Yeah! Hop's really lucky! He's got a shiny butterfree!"

Hop gave a sheepish smile and in a similar fashion to Leon raised a hand to rub the back of his head. "Well I guess I was just lucky to catch it off guard enough to catch it in the farmer's meadows."

Oh yeah. Weren't shiny pokemon a pokemon born with a rare color variety compared to most of their other kind? Wow. Well it sounded like the two of them certainly had a fun time out and about. "Wow. It sure sounds like you guys had a fun time." The three of you were coming up to the roads that split into to directions to both of the children's homes.

Gloria nodded again. "Hey! Hop! Come over to my house so I can practice my camera."

Victor's brow rose again, "Don't you mean my extra camera?"

"Same difference! If I take pictures of all the pokemon we caught then it'll be good practice and give me a head start on the challenge! Plus who else would have a picture of a shiny butterfree?"

He sighed. "I swear you can bounce forward on anything like a ball."

You chuckled as the three of you made it to Gloria's house. Finding her mother in the kitchen cooking food and the first thing you noticed was the delicious smell coming from the kitchen stove, whatever she was cooking smelt of spices and your stomach growled. She looked up for a moment and smiled at the three of you, asking what the bags were for once she noticed, so you explained to her what had happened with you and Leon that morning as the two kids went off towards the door outside. She chuckled when you explained how Leon got lost on his way to the train in the early morning and got lost to only somehow end up back in front of his own home. Calling him 'a sweet young man for helping the kids out like that' and asking how your day went. Overall it was pretty well and you soon found yourself sitting down at the kitchen table resting yourself from all the walking around town you did. It was still fairly early in the day being only twelve something in the afternoon- You jumped when your Sobble all of a sudden chirped curiously and half climbed onto the side of your head to look towards the opposite side of the house as a flash of light came from one of the windows from outside. A minute long pause. And then another went off. A total of fourteen flashes with about a minute pause between them and while you tried to wrangle your sobble from your face without hurting it and it was enough to catch Mrs. G's attention as she stared with a brow rose.

"Gloria, what are you kids doing? I hope you're not practicing electric type moves near the house" her mother demanded. "You already almost caught your bed on fire from teaching your scorbunny Ember inside!"

"It's fine Mum!," Gloria's voice came followed by her head appearing in said window and waved what could only be described as a polaroid camera. "We're taking picture of our pokemon! Can you believe that I already have fourteen pokemon for the dex challenge!"

Her mother gave her a confused look placing a hand on her hip, "Dex challenge? What are you talking about?" She asked just as her Munchlax came toddling him yawning with another green pokemon behind him. He must've smelt the food and woken up you figured.

However Gloria's eyes lit up with a gasp! "Make that soon to be sixteen! You caught a Budew!?"

"Oh?" She glanced at the pokemon at her feet glancing up at her. "Oh yes. It was one of the two that always hangs around the flower beds. I always thought they were rather helpful for planting so I thought-" She paused as Gloria was already gon-

BANG!!

Both of you and the three pokemon jumped and turned to Gloria in the door's entrance camera in hand and scorbunny at her heels as she grinned at the Pokemon at her mother's heels before lifting the camera at them. "SAY CHEESE!!"

"Gloria! What are you-" She was cut off by two flashes that blinded you for a moment and you reached your hand up to cover your face as a white coated your vision. "GLORIA!!"

"Whoops. Sorry Mum!"

"WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING!?"

"Taking pictures of pokemon. Duh."

"I can SEE that! Or I would if you hadn't blind sided me.....Wait. Isn't that Victor's camera? What on earth were you doing playing with it!? You know that's not yours!"

You groaned and rubbed your eyes as they contined to talk. You trying to rub away the white dots that came with the flash as your sobble sat there. And you suddenly felt a small hand pawing at your face, as if your sobble was mimicking the movements you made at the attempt of clearing your vision. It was cute....But it would've cuter if you could see it.

"But Mom," Gloria pleaded, "It's for a good cause I promise. There's this Dex challenge and if you fill up the entire book with pictures when you can win something! Plus it's fun! And he's totally cool with lettin' me borrow it!"

"Only cuz ah now you'd just take it anyways!," Victor called from outside.

"Well watch where you're pointing that thing! The last thing we need is you blinding someone."

"Yes, Mom." "Sorry Ms. G."

You finally opened your eyes still lightly rubbing them as you blinked and your vision was slightly blurry, but it quickly cleared revealing the two teens and their mother standing there as they looked at you. And Mrs. G held out a hand to you.

"Oh dear. Are you alright, Y/n?"

You nodded. "Yeah. I guess. It was just real bright for a moment." You paused as the camera was held out pointed at you by Gloria.

"Hey, Y/n. Can I take a picture of your sobble?"

A picture of your- "Oh. Yeah sure! Just lemme close my eyes for a minute." She nodded as she held the camera up to her face and you slammed your eyes shut as the words left her mouth.

"Hey Sobble!" The pokemon turned to her. "Say cheese!" Another flash of white lit up everywhere and your sobble chirped in surprise as his eyes went wide and it swayed as you reopened your eyes. Gloria smiled as the camera made a whirling noise and a moment later a perfect picture of you with your sobble staring towards the camera came out through a slot in the bottem as she grabbed it. Examining it with a smile. "Yep! That makes seventeen now!"

You gently took the sobble off your shoulder and into your arms as it swayed wide eyed, before shaking it's head and scowling towards the three teenagers, letting out a very loud squeak of annoyance at her before leaning back into your arms like a cat would still glaring at the two of them. You kinda felt bad so you ended up scratching it's back making it give a pleased sound and smile after a moment. What a cute newt thing!

"Hey Glory. Shouldn't we be dropping off some of your pokemon at the center for your rotomi boxes?," Hop asked

Gloria nodded before looking at him. "Hey. Doesn't your grandpa have a purrloin?"

"Yeah he sure does."

"Think he'll let me take a picture of it?"

"I don't see why not! C'mon!"

"Wait! What about lunch?!," Gloria's mother called after them already running out the door. She stood there for a few moments, before sighing and shaking her head. "I swear! If those two were pokemon they'd be rapidashes for how fast they head off to things."

You chuckled at her. The rest of the day went by very quickly. You had ended up helping Mrs. G clean up after she had started cooking and she gave you some curry as a thanks. You never had this kind of dish before. It was some rice with some kind of red sauce with the same spice smell from earlier, but neither of you were complaining as you ate. It was actually pretty good. Nice to have a peaceful meal considering the past couple days with how chaotic they were. Although you did have to keep your sobble from trying to grab food from your plate and to appease it you fed it a few peices of pokemon food after Mrs. G offered. Gloria and Victor didn't return until later that evening where you assumed she had dropped off some of her pokemon with Hop. The camera secured around her neck by a strap and her hands was one of the journals you noticed she had purchased. So you asked about it and her face lit up and she showed the both of you the eighteen pictures she had taken along with a bunch more Victor had given, something about him not needing them anymore anyways. Some of them you had recognized. Gloria's scorbunny. You and your sobble. Mrs. G's two pokemon of course, and a couple of Hop's. Including a yamper like Sonia's. What you didn't recognize was a few new ones which she gladly told you the names of them. But the most surprising one was her phone but it looked as if it was posessed by a rotom. When asked Gloria explained that it was perfectly normal for someone to have a rotom phone with their very own rotom. She probably assumed you didn't have any of that back in 'Kanto'. Time flew by and other than Mrs. G scolding Gloria for snapping a picture of the curry she had saved her for dinner, it was pretty easy for you to follow your routine before once again falling asleep on the couch and dozing off for the night. Until the very next day of course. You were just laying there peacefully snoozing away peacefully until you felt a harsh shake on your shoulder and a light was shown on you. Of course you being asleep ignored it in favor of turning over on the couch and curling into the blanket even more. Again a harsher shake made you groan in protest at whoever was trying to kidnap you from slumberland.

"Y/N!!" A young girl's voice shouted fairly close and loud next to your ear. Startling you awake with a snort, sitting right up and blinking and rubbing your eyes at the harsh light that extended on you. "Time to wake up or we'll miss the train to Motostoke!"

"Uuuuuhhh," you groaned peeking your eyes open and blinking groggily up at the form of Gloria smiling at you. You yawned a bit. "Gloria? Wha-....*yaawwn* What time is it?"

"Six o four in the morning!," she stated happily before leaning back up and it took you a moment to figure out it was still dark in the early hours of the morning and the light was coming from the light bulb above you. "You need to hurry up and get ready before we're late! I still need to pick up my Dynamax band from the Professor too!"

"M' up," you mumbled reaching a hand out to slowly toss off the blanket from your form as Gloria backed away.

She turned as you both heard her mother's tired voice call to her, asking what was up. What you needed to wake you up was a nice hot shower so that's exactly what you did. Dragging yourself out of bed, you trudged into the bathroom and took a deserving hot shower, brushing your teeth, and opting to instead of the overalls lent to you by Mrs. G wore the black shirt with the Eevee print, slacks, and the non rubber shoes you also picked up. By the time you came out, with everything else in the gray plaid bulking back pack of yours, the smell of food was already in the air and it didn't take you too long to find out why when you look over and saw Gloria holding what could've only been described as a plain waffle in one hand obviously in the middle of eating it, and going through her big brown back pack with the other as her mother looked at her.

"Uh huh. And are you sure you got plenty of clothes?," Mrs. G asked raising a brow, "Extra pokeballs? Your region map? How about the revives Leon was nice enough to get you?"

"Yes Ma!," the teen mumbled half way through eating, "I already went through this last night!"

"Well it never hurts to double check! Especially since you can't lose that endorsement letter or else they won't let you register for the challenge at all," she looked up and noticed you before smiling, "Ah! Y/n! Good morning, Dear. I hope you slept well."

You nodded shifting the backpack over your shoulders, "Yeah thanks! ......Hey. Where's that sobble?" You rose a brow while looking on the floor. Strange the little guy wasn't around.

"He was hungry so I gave him some food to tide him over for you. And speaking of which you must be hungry. I'll get you some breakfast. You aren't starting off your trip on an empty stomach."

"But Mom! That's gonna take even longer! Vic's already waiting for me! We still need to grab the dynamax bands before we go and we'll miss the train if we wait-"

"How about you guys go get the..bands and I'll *yaaawwn* meet you at the train station?," you suggested. You weren't really in the mood for any arguing in the morning, and to be honest you were hungry and the idea of starting a long trip on an empty stomach just didn't appeal to you.

You were lightly surprised when Gloria agreed to it and after a few more moments of going through her pack, left with Hop you assumed, as her mother kindly handed you over some food. More waffles but you weren't complaining. Your sobble at some point noticed you were awake and soon enough you felt that familiar feeling of the little guy crawling up your clothes only to plop itself into your shoulders. It really liked being carried around didn't it? Your muddled mind didn't know when but sometime after you finished the pancakes you were out the door bag in your hands, one hand holding it and the other digging through it to make sure all the few belongings you did own for now were secured. Sure enough you found the non perishable food Leon had given you, the few clothes, and of course your Sobble's pokeball tucked somewhere in the bottom of it all. You decided to keep your sobble out for the time being as it seemed to enjoy being out. The early morning light was starting to peek through with the light pinks and yellows of the sunrise. Already as you made your way to the train station, you saw the farmers and their wooloos out in the fields. Early to bed early to rise you guessed. You saw no sign of the teens besides Victor who waved at you and gestured for you to come wait with him, guessed they were still getting the dynamax bands from the professor, even as you walked right into the train station. So you did the only thing your tired self could do. You once again plopped yourself into one of the seats tiredly and waited for the two to arrive. It couldn't have been that long(or maybe it was but you didn't notice) but you perked up at a familiar voice.

"So out with it, Glor! How many did you catch again?"

"I already told you eight! You saw me take pictures of them yesterday remember?"

"Oh right! Sorry that's just the sleep talkin'. " You turned to the door as the young voices got louder. "But look at how many you caught! You're well on your way to building a fine team! I caught myself a special one not to brag."

" I KNOOOWWW!! I'm so jealous you caught a shiny before me!" Gloria walked right into the train station with Hop right behind her.

He shrugged with a proud smile. "Well what can I say? I'll make a difficult rival."

"Where are we heading again?"

"The Gym Challenge will begin Motostoke and our train's waiting so let's go-" He paused finally looking away from her and seeing you two sitting there. Upon catching his eye you smiled and waved mumbling something like 'Good Morning'. And he smiled. "Hey! Y/n you're here!" You stood up to meet them with a light yawn as they approached. "I thought you'd be on the train already.''

You chose not to mention you haven't gotten any money to pay for the ticket entrance and waved. "Nah. I said I'd wait for you guys at the station and I wanted to keep my promise." Looking to Gloria you noticed something around her neck, so you pointed and asked. "Hey. Isn't that your brother's camera?"

"Aye." Victor rose a brow crossing his arms at his sister. "Don't go runnin' 'round crazy with that thing if you value ye life." He jabbed a thumb to the awaiting train. "Anyways it's nearly seven thirty. We should probably get on before it takes off." He suggested and the lot of you agreed. Walking towards the small gate-

"Not so fast you three!," an older but familiar lady's voice cut through the air and the three of you all turned around as a result.

Hop's golden eyes widened. "Wha-? What're you doing here, Mum?" He asked turning around just as the two mothers of the children walked right in. You were confused at first two, before seeing what they were holding in their hands and you immediately understood why they had followed you here.

"I knew this day was coming since the moment you chose Grookey as a partner, Darling," the older woman smiled fondly at him, a smile you remember your own mother used to have way back when. She held up the small rolled up thing in her hands. "You took off so fast you two didn't take any sleeping bags. Did you forget you probably won't be able to afford hotels most of the time or won't be able to sleep in one every night? You can't expect a free bed around every corner."

Both looked immediately sheepish as Mrs. G spoke. "Professor Magnolia was kind enough call and let us know that you three would be setting out now." She held up a small looking back of her own. "So here. A little last gift to see you well set on your way. All the kit you'll need for camping! And the reason why you should always double check BEFORE you take off like your brother." Gloria made a face and looked away before her mother made her take the small kit, which consisted of a small compact tent you could carry over your shoulder and another sleeping bag, before crossing her arms with a frown. "Honestly! I swear you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck sometimes."

"HEY! I only forgot this one thing," she protested and her mother hummed.

" Ah yes. Like you forgot to tell me about how the two of you snuck off into the Slumbering Wield." In an instant she froze and you could've sworn a little color drained from Gloria's face in that moment. "And yes, I heard the news from young Leon. I'm glad someone bothered to tell me!" She sighed and her other hand was held out to you. "Here we are! A bit of pocket money for your journey. Buy yourself a little something at the pokemon center. Maybe some potions or something!"

You stopped and blinked at the small twenty bill in her hand before shaking your head. "Oh no! I couldn't possibly take your money! I-"

"Happened to save my child from a dumb idea. It's not much but something tells me you could use it anyways."

Well......It wouldn't hurt to have some money on you in case of emergencies even if it wasn't much. So you reluctantly took it from her. "I....Thank you."

She nodded to you before turning to Gloria and pointing a finger at her with a serious look. "Now. Remember that Scorbunny will battle to the very end for you so don't you go pushing the poor dear too hard! Come home to rest anytime that you need. After all east or west, home is best." She smiled. "No matter what happens out there, if you and your partner are together I know you'll be fine. Take my advice to heart Sweetie. As long as you have your pokemon at your side and the energy to carry onwards, you'll naturally find that you always have a smile on your face."

Gloria stood there for a moment before nodding to her mother and you blinked when she all of a sudden hugged the older woman, seemingly startling her too for a moment before she smiled and hugged the child back tightly like any mother would....Well except maybe yours. She was always seeming to be too busy working or making sure you worked hard to get good grades or worked hard enough to help out with the bills with your after school jobs. You didn't notice the frown come over your face as Hop mimicked his friend in giving his own mother a hug who like the other mother mirrored a smile and hugged back patting his head followed by Victor.

"Remember. No matter what happens out there, if you and your partner are together, I know you'll be fine."

Hop smiling pulled away and gave a big grin. "Thanks Mum! And just think of how lucky you are!" He raised a determined fist. "Mother to the first ever pair of Champion Brothers! Because I'm certain to be the Champion next! You'll see!"

She nodded in agreement but her face was amused. "Of course you will, Darling. Anyway, do have fun and take care of yourselves. And don't be too worried about not winning. You're welcome back home anytime."

Home huh- A loud train horn sounded off startling the five of you into turning to the train, then you happened to glance at the clock hanging upon the wall and noticed that it was seven twenty eight in the morning. Two minutes before seven thirty and the deadline for the train's departure. So you decided to point this out, having the two kids make a worried frown before taking a few steps back.

"We'll be off now!," Gloria explained lifting her hand a moment to give a quick good bye to the two mothers and turning to the train. "C'mon guys! We're off! Don't want to miss the train!"

You nodded in agreement tailing right after her with Hop behind you. "Wish us luck! Not that we'll need it!"

As the mothers waved good bye, the four of you went towards the gate and watched as Gloria slipped a single dollar into the slot of it. It made a ping noise and you guess it unlocked because the four of you easily slipped by and towards the train. The grey and yellow train's doors slid open with a whoosh sound as the three of you entered just as another horn sounded off startling your sobble a bit making it cling to your shoulder harder. Inside was who you assumed to be a train conductor who gestured for you all to exit through another door to the right which lead to the passenger cars and other people who happened to be on the train with you four. There was about fifthteen other people with you so the lot of you had to go to one of the back seats. Yellow painted metal bars were everywhere along with Blue seats with a table between the two of them. Above each pair of seats was a small area to put luggage. You sat down just as the train was starting off. Gloria breathing a sigh of relief from all the weight she was carrying. You assumed she was carrying more than you already along with the camping equipment she was given just a few moments ago. You ended up looking out the window and watching the station and small town of Postwick move away from your view and starting on your way. Beside you Gloria sighed and slumped into the soft cushioned seat.

"Man. We just left and I'm already feeling beat."

"Well look on the bright side," Hop suggested, "We're finally heading out on our journeys! And Lee told me Motostoke is a good place as any to start off an adventure."

"Oh really? How come?," you asked curiously as he explained.

"Well besides the obvious Opening Ceremony going on there. Motostoke is surrounded by a giant piece of land called the Wild Area. It's a real sight! There's all sorts of wild Pokemon just wondering about everywhere you look! Plus you can camp out, do a spot of fishing, and sight seeing! I don't think I could ever get tired of it!," he explained smiling widely, "But I don't think we'll be able to see it. The Entrance Ceremony's in the town not the wild. But on a lighter not! There's loads of brilliant trainers and all kinds of pokemon out there waiting for us! My excitement's running ahead of me faster than this train can go!"

"Yeah? Well it's too bad. Would've loved to take a couple more pictures." Gloria sighed leaning more against the wall of the train. " Im already starting to understand why Victor likes it so much. Like I wouldn't make it a living like he wants to but it's a nice hobby."

You nodded agreeing with her and extended your arm to allow your sobble to crawl along your arm and onto the table, watching as it curiously crawled up to the window and looked out at the world passing by. You all sat there for who knows how long chatting, the kids pulled out their phones and showed you a few pictures of what looked almost like a castle's high walls and beautiful scenery surrounding it. It was quite lovely. At one point someone said it would take at least a few hours to get to the town so all of you had plenty of time to relax but you couldn't help but let your mind wonder. What was happening back at your home? Was your mother worried about you suddenly going missing? What happened when she went to wake you up but found you completely gone? Did she call the police to file a missing person's report yet? Counting today it would've been five days that you had disappeared and that must've been worrying. And if this happened to just be a crazy dream you surely hoped you would wake up sometime soon. You were soon snapped out of any bad thoughts though. How? Simple the train suddenly slowed down out of no where it caught you off guard and you ended up hitting the table in front of you your poor Sobble chirping in shock as it was sent tumbling across said table and into Hop's extended arms as he thankfully caught the poor thing before it could splat onto the floor below. What the world was that!? Your head turned as Gloria nudged your side. you gave her a questioning look about to ask if she was alright but she pointed out the window and you looked. There was.....Nothing but nature?? Which wouldn't be strange since it was the out doors, and you WOULD have chalked it up to just being another stop on the way to Motostoke but then why did the train suddenly stop like that? Granted you never rode on a train before but you were pretty sure they weren't supposed to stop suddenly enough to ram yourself into a table. One of your hands rubbed your sore ribs where they had hit the table, surely leaving a bruise later but no real damaged luckily. So why had you all suddenly stopped in the middle of seemingly no where? Around you other people were also noticing, muttering to themselves, some getting up to peer out the windows or to take a couple steps up the alley way as to walk up to the engine car.

"Attention Passengers!," a man's voice blared from a loud speaker somewhere, "Due to some unfortunate events beyond our control we have decided to take a quick stop at Wild Station. We apologize for any inconvenience and to please wait patiently while we fix the issue. We thank you for your cooperation."

"Wha- Wild Station? That's just outside the town!," Hop exclaimed holding your sobble in one arm while staring at a map on his phone with the other. Confusion on his face. "Why didn't they just stop inside the city?"

"Let's find out!" Gathering her things into her arms Gloria was quick to jump past you.

"WHA- Hey wait!," you called out extending an arm out to her as she darted up the car past other people.

You stared after her for a few seconds before turning to Hop who shrugged and got up to after her which you followed obviously. The three of you hurried after her as Gloria trotted up to the exit and with a whoosh the doors opened with her stepping out and the two of you followed. On the other side was another train station. Only this one had slightly different colored brick walls and there was a whole bunch of leaves and twigs scattered about. Besides the four of you there was a couple looking over a map in one corner of the station looking confused and lost, a map just sitting in the waiting chairs, and someone who looked to be in some kind of uniformed green vest.

You gave a confused look around. "Where the heck are we?"

"Ill check!'' Before you could respond Hop had already turned to the man in the vest and asked, "Hey, Mr. Station Master!" The man hummed and turned to him. "Isnt this the Wild Area? What're we stopped here for?"

The man sighed crossing his arms. "Yes....This is the Wild Area Station makes no mistakes. I'm sorry to tell you that the train is halted due to a flock of wooloo."

"WHAT?!," both you and Gloria said at the same time.

A giant herd of wooloo!? Oh great! Now what were you all supposed to do?

Hop however wasn't the least bit concered. "What's there to be sorry about? This is brilliant!"

Gloria gave him a look that looked like he just did something crazy. "What is?"

He excitedly smiled widely at her. "This Wild Area is massive!" He explained the sobble in his arms giving a noise of annoyance at his sudden movements. "There are loads of pokemon to battle here! You don't get it do you, Glor? This is the best possible place to put together the greatest team!"

"I don't think we should be taking off, "Gloria pointed out and you nodded agreeing. "We have to get to the Entrance Ceremony soon or else we'll be considered forfeiting our sponsorships entirely!"

"That's the smartest thing you said all day," Victor mumbled.

"They take it that seriously?," you asked lightly surprised as she nodded.

"Something about a long time ago a lot of trainers tried to sneak their way into the challenge by claiming they were late to register or something like that. Since then the rules have been pretty strict. Which is why I want to register first and then come back here if I have a chance."

"When is the deadline?"

"Midnight. And as much as I'd love to explore around...Im kinda nervous about securing that spot."

You could totally agree with her on that point Buuut- You pointed behind you. "But the train's going to be backed up for a while by the looks of it. Maybe we can walk? How fair is this Motostoke?''

"Let's step out and see. The map said it shouldn't have been too far away I think."

That wasn't a bad idea and with no objections the four of you stepped out and what you saw made you pause. As soon as you stepped out you were hit with the strong rays of sunlight making you blink but once your (f/c) eyes managed to get a hold of themselves...Well....Breathtaking was a pretty good way to describe it. A giant meadow stretched as much as you could see with a giant lake, a few scattered trees, and A GIANT WALL! A giant wall was set up with a few bridge like structures to the right and you could see a few very tall buildings/structures ahead. You saw what you thought was oil rigs movie, a giant clock which reminded you of Big Ben back in your world, a few sky scrapers, and a few other things you were too far away to make out. Over all it was a very strange but pretty sight as the wind blew through the trees.

"Look at that!," Hop said in awe pointing at the buildings which must've been a decent half mile away. "That's Motostoke way off that way! And between here and there are countless new pokemon waiting to be met!"

Gloria hummed. ".......Well it would be cool to explore somewhere we won't get in trouble I guess."

"EXACTLY!!" He pointed towards the meadow. "Im itching to just see what's out there. It's not too far away and we can probably spare a couple hours. I mean we have until Midnight right? And we left pretty early in the morning."

She hummed again. "Well when you put it that way it does sound like fun!" A smile crossed her face again. "I can take a whole bunch of pictures for my scrapebook! And catch a few more pokemon of course."

You weren't sure that was a good idea- "Well well. You two running off again?"

The three of you turned- You blinked surprised. "Sonia?," you asked. True to your word the orange haired professor's assistant was walking right towards the four of you with a smile. "What are you doing here? I don't remember seeing you get on the train."

"Of course you didn't. I didn't enter the train through the station right side of the station," she smiled. "Besides. I figured it'd be an opportune time for me to travel for my research." Sonia gave a sigh and looked to the ground shaking her head. "My grab gave me a proper earful in her own way. 'Those two young trainers are setting out on a journey, but what are you doing with your life?' Her words not mine."

"Ouch Professor," you commented, "That sounds rough." You didn't mean to be so blunt but you kinda understood how she felt. Your mother had asked you similar things to that while simaltaniously pushing you to study more, go to college, and get a job-

Sonia waved you off. "Ah. Never mind that. Nothing to worry yourselves over. " Her eyes lowered back to the teens next to you. "Besides I've been more curious about that pokemon you two met in the forest. I'd been thinking I should look into it so the timing works out fine! If I discover something really huge then maybe even Gran'll admit I got some talent."

Pokemon- OH RIGHT!! You nearly forgot the legendary pokemon they saw in the fog. Although you were still unsure what it was exactly. A thought suddenly struck you. In the game Sonia would uncover some amazing things important to the plot of the game. If ONLY you could remember what it was!

"Yikes." Hop made a cringe face. "Being an adult got it's own challenges eh?"

You frowned and gave a chuckle and shake of your head which made him look at you. "Oh you have NO idea."

"I said you needn't worry about it," Sonia stated a little more firmly. "I'm glad to be on the road really! It's been ages. It'll be great fun to fish and camp and rough it outside again."

"Uh huh. Well you have fun with that! Meanwhile.." He turned with a smile. "I heard there's natural dynamaxing pokemon in the Wild Area! I'm off to go stick my head in as many of those red dens as I can find!"

"Not. So. FAST! Mr. Impatient!" He yelped when gloria grabbed him by the hoodie and with the same frown as her mother stared at him when she yanked him back. "We only got here and you want to run off again into the wild??"

"Oh c'mon Glory. I promise Ill meet you up back at the Entrance Ceremony."

The young girl hummed. ".....What time is it by the way?"

"Oh." You glanced to sonia as she rolled up her sleeve and glanced at her watch. "According to this it just turned Eleven thirty in the morning."

She hummed and slowly released her friend. "Fine. But let's agree to meet at the Entrance Ceremony at six or seven in the after noon. That should be enough time for the both of us to explore and get to the town before it gets dark." She gave a concerned frown. "I really don't want you hurt or lost."

Hop paused for a moment before looking away coughing his cheeks having a light pink hue. "Um....YEAH! I can totally do that!"

Her smile returned. "Then it's settled! Can't lose my rival before I even join the challenge."

"GREAT!!" He turned again. "I'm going to battle the snot out of a bunch of dynamax pokemon and fill in the tale of my legend!" And he ran off.

"DONT YOU DARE FORGET HOP!!," Gloria hollered after him.

Victor sighed before looking at Gloria and You, "I'd better go with him and make sure he doesn't really forget. I'll see you two later."

Both you and Sonia shared a chuckle at their childish behavior before she looked at you. What cheek. Dynamax pokemon are really on another level you know." She glanced to Gloria. "You'd better dynamax your partner pokemon too if you want to take on opponents that strong." She directed Gloria to the wild. "He's right about red dens. You'll find spots here and there in the Wild Area that emit a red beam of light. If you think you're up to it, check it out. They're usually cave openings with dynamax pokemon inside. But PLEASE be careful. It can be dangerous at times. I wish Hop would've waited for me to warn him before he ran off like that."

Gloria nodded in understanding as you looked down to your sobble climbing up your leg. Hop must've put him down when you weren't looking. "I understand Sonia! You don't have to worry about me!"

Sonia nodded to the two of you. "So with that Ill leave you two off here. The Wild Area is waiting for you. This is the start of your real adventure. Take care now."

You watched as she turned to walk away and....you weren't sure what really compelled you to say it in that moment but you reached your arm out after her. "Ms. Sonia!" She stopped and turned to you with a hum. You paused uncertainly if you should say anything. Would it affect the progress of the game's route? "I just....wanted to let you know that....You really are a great scientist already. And you're going to find a lot of things."

She blinked at you in surprise for a moment not sure what to make of your words, but settled on a smile and nodded. "Thanks. Your kind words mean a lot but we'll have to see what I actually accomplish. I wish you the best sights and experiences of Galar a tourist like you can have!" Before she turned and walked her way towards you assumed Motostoke.

"Wow." You jumped and looked to Gloria who smiled. "That was really nice of you. Even if it was a little out of no where."

You shrugged. "I guess I know how she feels a little bit. Sometimes a few kind words is what someone needs."

"Lee always says something similar, but I think he calls it 'champion encouragement'." She suddenly snapped her head forward and pointed. "Well you heard Sonia! I want to try out my first dynamaxing battle before I take on any gyms! We got about seven to eight hours to get some battling and sight seeing in so I say we give this day all we got!"

-time skip five hours forward-

You lost track of how many times Gloria pulled you along this way and that....but it was an eventful few hours.

You lost count of how many pokemon Gloria tried to battle. Key word being 'tired'. The first pokemon she tried to battle was one you remembered. An Onix. A. GIANT. MASSIVE!! AND CRANKY!! ONIX!! Probably didn't help Gloria snapped a picture of it before trying to battle it. You had to literally grab her and drag her behind you as you ran. Terrified scorbunny at your heels as it charged towards the two of you. Not the greatest start to be honest. But it wasn't as worst as her first dynamax battle. She had found an opening in the cliffside of a cave with red aura around in, one of the dynamax dens and she ran into it without a second thought with you chasing after her. Inside the dark was lit up by a GIGANTIC DIGLETT with the red-black cloud hovering over it's dynamax form. You nearly fainted then and there but when the thing ROARED you felt like you were about to have a heart attack!!! Your sobble poor thing made a small squeal of fright before forcing itself into your backpack to hide immediately. Things just went downhill from there when in the middle of the battle Gloria decided to dynamax scorbunny and all of a sudden you both were having a very hard time standing up from the shaking ground and the debry the attacks caused to the point you literally yelled that you both had to leave then and there but she couldn't hear you past all the noise and therefore barked orders to her gigantic scorbunny from her holding onto the ground. With you clinging onto the cave's wall for dear life hoping it would be over soon. Thankfully it did. It was all a blur really. You vaugly remembered Gloria somehow capturing the diglett and returning scorbunny to it's rightful size. And you two carefully climbed around disheveled cave floor until managing to get out of the cave....where the both of you collapsed onto the ground.

"HOW THE HECK CAN STADIUMS HANDLE THOSE THINGS!?,'' you yelled out dizzily into the soft grass. In the game you didn't have to worry about debry being flung at you or the ground giving away suddenly. BECAUSE IT WAS A GAME!! REAL LIFE POKEMON DYNAMAX BATTLES WERE NOTHING LIKE THE GAME!!"

Gloria raised a weak hand. "T-They were made a long time ago with top professors, contractors, and researchers to build them strong enough even a dynamaxed monchomp with the strength of a thousand earthquakes couldn't shake it. Dunno how but man I'm glad they did."

You could 100% agree with that! It took a minute for the both of you to recover before the two of you got up, dusted yourselves off, and went off again. Gloria managed to resume battling and taking photos of a few pokemon. Although some of the pictures were so blurry from the pokemon moving they would be no use at all and she didn't catch a lot of the pokemon she tried to battle. But she did win a few and even had two other dynamax battles within the dens you guessed the boys didn't come across. Catching one of them but not the other as you struggled to not lose your lunch or have a heart attack both times. You were not a fan of wild dynamax battles after that. At one point you even came across what Gloria explained was a wild berry tree and demonstrated how to get the fruits off them by forcibly shaking it until a couple berries fell off it. They all had a somewhat bitter taste you didn't like when you tried them tho, but your sobble seemed to enjoy up as you handed them right over when they extended their....hands?? Paws??...towards it. You couldn't remember how much time had passed before the two of you finally had a chance to sit down under the shade of a tree and have a break. Gloria took the time to go through all the pictures she took, must've been about thirty, but only twenty one were salvagable. Curious you took a peak at the pictures she showed you. The pokemon she got pictures of were a onix(of course angering it-), roselia, vespiquen, and a few others. Not a lot but certainly a decent haul for her. It was you who eventually asked the question-

"Hey. What time is it?"

Gloria responded by quickly pulling out her phone and checking the time on it. And she blinked. "It's four twenty seven! It's already been about five and a half hours!"

"Wha-" You looked up to the sky. Didn't look like sunset yet, but it was definitely about late after noon. You two hadn't even noticed the time fly by. "We've been out here nearly all day!"

With a hum gloria quickly scrambled to pick up her things. "I think we better head to Motostoke now. I don't really know how long it'll take to walk there and I did promise Hop we'd meet him there."

You nodded scooping the confused sobble into your arms. The walk there was pretty uneventful as you two walked what must've been half a mile, your eyes widening the closer you got, until you finally got there......AND. IT. WAS. NOTHING. LIKE IN GAME!! The entrance to Motostoke was all bricked with a medieval ages meets industrial period kind of look. All the buildings you could see were brick other than the familiar pink pokemon center and there was A LOT MORE people and buildings than in game you remember....makes sense you supposed. This was a real world and so of course there would be a lot more people and buildings. It was so crowded you were certain if Gloria wasn't walking beside you, you were sure you would've easily watched her. The first place you two stopped was the pokemon center where Gloria went inside to heal her pokemon from todays battle and put away any new ones she caught into those Rotomi box things. You were busy marveling at the busy streets and environment around you. You had never been in a city before let alone a town like this so it was quite a shock for you to see. This place even had GIANT WORKING GEARS BUILT INTO IT'S VERY WALLS!! It was like a real steampunk town. But once she came out she.....stopped and stared around her.

"So which way to the ceremony?," you asked her gazing at a few stores lined across the street.

She looked really unsure now fidgeting with the straps of her bag and looking around her. "U-Um...I don't know."

You snapped your head to her. "You don't what?!"

"Im sorry!" She apologized looking around. "I know it's here! I just.....don't know exactly where in town."

You wanted to facepalm but decided not too to avoid hurting her feelings and looked around as well as people and their pokemon passed you two. No signs of Hop or any indication of a ceremony anywhere in sight. No other trainers, no signs, certainly no ceremony!

Gloria suddenly held up her phone. "Maybe I should call him? He might already be there waiting for us-"

"HEY YOU TWO!!" A familiar voice called out and to both of your relief you turned and walking towards you with a shopping bag in one hand, yamper at her feet was your saving grace Sonia waving at you. "Over here!"

"SONIA!" Gloria smiled. "Boy are we glad to see you! We ran into a 'Leon situation' here."

That made her laughed. "Oh really? Real ace of you to make it through the Wild Area. And a Leon situation huh?"

Gloria nodded sighing. "We're kinda lost. Do you know where the ceremony is?"

"You're first time in a city and already lost? But Motostoke is big right?" Gloria nodded and Sonia smiled. "Not to worry. Sonia is here to show you around a bit."

"Thanks, Ms. Sonia." Gloria politely smiled at the older woman. "Could you point out where we gotta go?"

Sonia hummed. "The Entrance ceremony huh? I get a bit worked up when I think how exciting and moving it was to actually stand on a stadium's pitch for the first time." Sonia smiled off thinking of an old memory most likely. She shook her head. "Anyways. Brilliant young trainer who braved the Wild Area! Do you remember what your goal in Motostoke is?"

"I'm here for the Gym Challenge!," Gloria shouted determined smile on her face and Sonia nodded.

She nodded. "Yep! The Gym Challenge Opening Ceremony!" She pointed behind her at the busy street. You Guess since she once too here attending the Gym challenge with leon as kids she would know where it would be. "Use that lift over there to get to it K? OH! By the way the ceremony tomorrow is being held at the Motostoke Stadium ok?"

......You looked at Gloria. "There's a stadium here AND a second ceremony tomorrow??" Gloria shrugged at you.

"Well, laters!" She waved a hand at you two. "I'm going to swing by the shops while I'm here but don't forget to register at the Stadium,k?" Gloria nodded and Sonia went to tur- She stopped. "OH! I forgot. I got you a little something." Reaching into her coat pocket and fishing around, she pulled out what looked like at first glance some kind of training card before holding it out to Gloria who curiously accepted it...And her eyes WIDENED at it.

"NO!! WAY!!" She stared wide eyed between the card and Sonia. "Is this what I think it is!?"

She giggled. "Yep. I know Leon already sent myself and Hop a couple so I figured it would be the perfect start off to your own collection."

Gloria gave off a girly teen squeal and practically shoved it into your face making you blink. "OH MY MAGIKARP!! LOOK!! I GOT A LEAGUE CARD!!" You blinked and true to her word it was a card. And on it was a picture of Leon sitting down looking off somewhere. She smiled widely pulling it from your face. "Thanks so much So-...." She blinked. "Hey where'd she go?"

You shrugged. "I guess she left. Come on. We better get going."

She nodded ad the two of you made off for this lift at the end of the street. Along the way you guys passed a few stores. A flower shop, a cafe, a book store, a record shop, a barber shop, and another clothes shop. Once you two were at and on the lift....you became unsure again.

"Um. Now what?"

"I dunno..." Something caught her eye as she looked over and pointed. "hey what's that?"

"What's what?"

"This panel has a button." She pressed it.

"AH!!" You instantly fell to your bottom and Gloria grabbed onto the small pedestal as the lift suddenly lifted the two of you up and around, until it suddenly stopped again and you groaned. Pushing yourself up...and hearing a snicker. You shot a look to the teenager who was snickering behind her hand. "Nice to see you're still standing." You muttered pushing yourself up to your feet again and looking over, in front of the both of you was a giant building with glass doors, in front of the doors was two men in some kind of uniform and sunglasses like some bodyguard and some man with.....A Pokeball head?? Was waving to a few people passing by. A mascot maybe??.....You pointed at the building. "You think that's it or what?"

She went to answer but someone already beat here to it. "Gloria! Ms. Y/n!" Both of you looked over and the boys was making his way towards the two of you. "You made it too? "

You rubbed your aching back. "Yeah. Where are we?"

"Motostoke Stadium! This is where the Opening Ceremony will be held!" He exclaimed excitedly pointing to the large building behind him. "Everyone'll be watching the Opening Ceremony for the Gym Challenge! My mom, your mom, the whole world!! It's getting me a bit nervous really." He shook his head. "Naw. This isn't nerves. I'm only trembling because I'm so excited!"

"Well I say we go it and get registered before it gets too dark," Gloria suggested.

"You're right!" He turned back to the stadium still pointing. "Come on, Glory! It's time the world knows our names!"

As the three of you rolled up to the doors one of the two men standing in front of the door held one of their hands out in a clear stop motion in front of you four.

"Can I see your sponsorship letters please?," He asked holding out his hand and Hop didn't hesitate to pull his out of his pocket and have the letter over to the man in the meantime the twins had slung her backpack off her shoulders and went digging through it. You hoped she didn't forget it all the way back in Postwick. The security guard carefully examined the piece of paper in his hands. Running a hand across the red unbroken seal, holding it up to the light, and then taking a small device out of his pocket. A small green light came out and scanned it for a few seconds until there was a small ding from the machine and the man nodded before handing it back to him. "Head on inside and sign in Trainer. Next!" Saying a quick thanks Hop quickly snatched the letter back just as Gloria pulled out her own (thank goodness she still had it) and handed it to the man who repeated the same process from before he too handed them back hers and allowed them to go. But when you made a move to follow them he held another hand up. "Sorry, Ma'am. Only registered trainers, staff, and authorized personal are allowed inside. You'll have to wait out here. It's the rules."

You paused for a moment before looking at Gloria uncertain who smiled. "It's alright Y,n. Just wait for us out here ok? It shouldn't take too long. I mean we're just signing in!"

"Well...Alright if you say so." You gestured to a nearby bench. "I'll just wait for you two over there ok?"

They agreed and left you standing outside the stadium as they went inside. Not that you minded waiting of course. Your feet ached and your shoulders from carrying around your backpack all day, so plopping on the bench you gave your sore body a rest before slinging your pack off your shoulders. Your sobble had decided now would be a good time to fully crawl out of your pack from where its been hiding out this whole time and you let it climb on you when you placed your bag down with a sigh and leaned into the bench. FINALLY allowing yourself to rest for a while. You waited for a little while as people passed you, going up and down the lift and and streets as the body guards still stood there making sure no one entered without permission. A few teens Hop's age excited including" one boy with bright white fluffy hair and a long pink coat and you thought he looked rather grumpy. At one point you thought you heard a happy yell from somewhere but ignored it as it was probably a child playing somewhere. The sky slowly turning to a light pink as it got later in the day. Eventually the two did come back out but with what looked like white work out bands on their wrist that didn't have the dynamax bands on them. You waved at them as they walked right on over to you.

"Hey guys. Did everything go well?"

Victor nodded before smiling, "Although we might have to part ways for a while."

She gave her brother a confused look. "Whatcha mean?"

"I've decided to join Hop on this little adventure If he doesn't mind."

"Really!? That's awesome! Of course!" Hop was quick to agree with a friendly punch to Victor's shoulder. "Why wouldn't I want one of my greatest pals joining me while I write my legend? It'll be grand to have a traveling buddy of my own!"

"NO WAY!!" Gloria's large smile returned! "Oh this is great! We'll be able to see each other for a while more. I haven't been able to see you since you went on a journey last year so this is totally a win win for me in everyway!"

You nodded. "Oh. How'd the registry go?"

She waved a hand. "Oh y'know. We got our Challenger Bands we're apparently supposed to wear all the time so everyone knows we're a part of the registered trainers group. Our own League cards for the challenge. And we got to meet some of the rival trainers in there too! I liked the Sherry girl. She seemed really shy."

"I heard she was sponsored by the Gym Leader Milo but I can't be too sure," Victor replied before looking up at the sky. ".....But in any case I believe we should all head to Budew Drop Inn before the actual ceremony tomorrow." He turned to Gloria. "That way I can show you all the new pictures of pokemon I've gotten. You can use them for that dex challenge thing you told me about."

They turned and you nodded in agreement standing up and grabbing your bag, your sobble grabbing onto your bag as your hoisted it back over your shoulders and followed them guessing they must've known the way.

"By the way how many pictures of pokemon did you add to your collection?," Gloria asked glancing at her twin.

"Um." He made a thoughtful face. "Well let's see. Nessa's Aquarium has at least one of every water type pokemon...and with how many nature preserves I've stayed...and with the hundreds of tourists with different regions pokemon....and trading pictures with fellow photographers from different regions at the International Photographers Expo..........Six hundred thirty four different pokemon!"

There was silence for a moment.

"........WHAT?!"

The four of you made it down the street and over to the six story building that certainly looked like a fancy hotel. Along the way the children explained that the Chairman had not only endorsed as well but apparently paid the hotel in advance to allow all the trainers to stay the night before the actual ceremony took place the next day and the challengers were officially given the go ahead to start their journey. But a small surprise awaited the four of you yet in the hotel when you walked in and you looked around. There was a couple potted plants, two pairs of stairs leading up to another level with furniture, a sign in desk, and an elevator like a regular hotel but the thing your eyes were drawn to was the golden statue. It reminded you of those knights in ancient fairy tales. The golden man stood with his sword held up to the sky, a gleamering shield on his other arm in defense, and his face one of determination to not fail. Quite the craftsman ship. And standing right in front of it with a small yamper at her feet was-

"SONIA!" Gloria loudly greeted startling the poor lady and making her turn around.

Upon seeing who it was she sighed and smiled. "Oh it's just you guys. You gave me quite the jump scare there. But it looks like you both got yourselves registered." She nodded to the arm bands before her gaze drifted to Victor as she blinked. "....Oh. Hiya! I don't think we've met."

"This is my brother, Victor. He's gonna be with Hop for a while. But what are you doing here? I thought you were going out to study."

"Yeah." Hop chimed in. "What are you doing at our hotel?"

"Oh!" She shifted the many shopping bags in her arms. Guess she did go shopping while here after all. "I'm researching the mysterious pokemon that are said to be in the Slumbering Wield. I reckon if I look into some of Galar's lengends I might figure something out. Care to join me?" She gestured to the statue. "You're here already anyways."

"SURE! It'd be fun!" She turned to you."Hey. Y/n new to Galar. I don't think she even knows the legends."

"That's perfect then! While you're doing that, Im gonna go stand in that long like up there and secure a spot for us ok?"

"But I-" You raised a hand as theVictor turned and walked away leaving you with sonia and the other two...and you sighed. "I don't think I was that way when I was fourteen."

Sonia chuckled. "We were all like that at one point or another. But would you like to hear one of the legends? A newbie to Galar like you might enjoy some foreign tales."

"I'd like to hear too!"

You stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "Why not? I was just cast out from the little tribe."

She chuckled even more before she turned towards the statue. "Alright then. I'm sure you've seen the statue then.''

"Yeah." You rose a brow looking back up to the handsome man's golden face. "Who is he anyways?"

"It's a statue of the hero who once saved the Galar Region. I can run through the legend right quite if you fancy?" You nodded and that was all she needed to continue. "Long ago a great black storm covered the Galar Region." She gazed back to the statue. "People called it 'The Darkest Day'. The land was assaulted by gigantic pokemon but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield. This statue here is meant to depict the young hero of that legend. We still don't understand what kind of sword and shield the hero actually had. And what this 'black storm' is supposed to be is just another mystery. Whatever it was, it blotted all the skies across Galar. I suppose that tracks with it being 'the Darkest Day' but still..."

Hop blinked blinking at the golden statue's face and scratching his head. "Huh...I suppose that hero must've been about as strong as Lee then. Looks like you're going to have your hands full with plenty research though, Sonia. Black storms and swords and shields and all..."

"You'll be alright Sonia!"

She chuckled. "Heh. Thanks. I'll muddle through somehow. Don't you worry." She shook her head. "But legends aside. You three are staying at the hotel tonight though, right? Shouldn't you check in?"

"Probably so. Victor's holding our place in line." With a smiled similar to Leon he smiled widely at her. "And we'll look out for you too, Sonia! If we hear anything about any hero or whatnot we'll tell you!" Gloria nodded with a hum.

Sonia bowed her head in thanks to the two. "Thanks so much. Even if you don't find anything the thought's appreciated." As the kids said good byes and walked around her to a stair case you paused as she lifted her head and gazed at you. "I hope you enjoyed my little tale."

You smiled and nodded. "Yes. It was really entertaining. Thanks for telling me."

She nodded. "And thanks for taggin' along with the kids this far. I know we're practically strangers but there's just....I don't know....really good aura about you." You chuckled. You? Really good aura? That certainly was a first. "I'm sure Lee appreciates it too. He's always so worried about Hop. He practically raised him after all-" All of a sudden it was like a switch flipped off in her mind and her happy smile went to a sudden shocked face. "Oh no. I didn't mean to mention that. Please forget I even said that."

Your brow rose confus- "Y/N! C'MON! We got our room key already!"

You looked up to Gloria's call before back to Sonia before waving good bye and leaving. Wondering what the heck that was all about. Oh well. You had bigger things to worry about- Like the the fact that the three kids had gotten into a fight with four punk rockers!! You had just walked up the stairs and instantly was face to face with the three teenagers up in the faces of four people who dressed in black and red from their face paint to their outfits shouting something about they're going to cheer someone on and no one could stop them. You couldn't tell between the seven people shouting at one another and the front desk clerk trying to calm them down. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE YOUNG GIRL WHO STOPPED IT ALL!! She walked up the stairs and stopped next to your shocked state. A look of shock coming over her own face for a moment before she sighed and that snapped you out of your trance long enough for you to look at her. She was a teenager same around the same age as the other children with black hair tied back in two ponytails by red ribbon, a pink dress, with a black leather jacket and boots.

"What are you lot doin' here?" She had asked in what sounded what a brittish accent but you were sure Britain wasn't a thing in this world. Instantly the fighting stopped from the punk rockers as the they looked to her shocked like a couple toddlers caught taking candy. One shouted what you assumed was her name. Marnie you thought? As they stuttered out excuses. "I know you all are terribly curious 'bout the other gym challengers, but you gotta show a bit of restraint." Well it was nice of her to settle them down before she apologized. "Sorry 'bout them. They're just a bunch of my fans. Call themselves Team Yell and follow me around. cheerin' for me. I think they've let it all go to their heads a bit.....Come on you lot. Back home with you now!" She sighed as they guiltily slunk away past you down the stairs. "They're just so caught up with wantin' to support me and all that they tend to get a bit short with other Gym Challengers. Sorry if they caused you any trouble."

With that she simply walked past the lot of you, got her room key, and just walked away like it never even happened. You were still in a bit of shock but shook it off in favor of getting to the room you'd be bunking in with Gloria and have a small break from today. The inner workings weren't too different from the hotels you've been to before and was more than eager to plop yourself down and have a rest. The rest of the afternoon was a blur. At one point all three kids were sitting around the bed helping sort through Victor's collection of photos and helping Gloria glue in quite a lot of them into that small book of theirs. Hop mentioned about calling room service and Gloria suggested the four of you order each a different curry to help her fill in a bit of her curry challenge book as well. Which you had no problem against. It was free room service and you were interested in trying some of this world's curry since it was supposed to be world famous as Sonia told you. You ended up randomly choosing Sweet Curry as someone phoned it to the front desk and waited for it too arrive. It was pretty good. But it wasn't too different from Mrs. G's curry you had tasted other than the sauce on the rice tasted a mildly hot enough to be sweet. Of course that didn't stop Gloria was taking your curry's picture along with Hop's that had a massive egg in what was call a bitter boiled egg curry, Gloria's was a dry smoked tail curry(you hoped that wasn't an actual tail, and you think Victor's was leek curry with some kind of veggies decorating the plate. You ended up letting your sobble finish what food was leftover after you ate and soon you two found yourselves bidding the two boys good night and went to finally rest for the night. After getting a quick shower you decided it was best to go to bed since the actual Ceremony was tomorrow. Gloria had gotten the bed and you borrowed the sleeping bag Mrs. G had given Gloria. As the darkness slowly consumed your vision as your eyelids drooped you vaguely registered your sobble climbing on one of the shelves.

.........

CRASH!!

Both of you were startled away in the dark from a giant crash and a couple panicked chirps before you were tackled by an invisible spooked sobble burrowing under your arm as Gloria turned on the lamp to reveal the pokemon's mess.

"Y/n! Your sobble knocked over the shelf!"

"Uuuuuuhhhhh!!!"

#pokemon leon x reader #reader x leon #leon x reader #pokemon leon #pokemon sword #pokemon shield #pokemon sword and shield #pokemon swsh #a champion time for the heart

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house-of-slayterr · 2 years

Note

Hello self-claimed friend! Another though came to mind... What if y/n had a friend like Elliot from Euphoria? Cause I feel like Mags might pass out when she discovers them doing drugs together.

Maggie:

Also in Euphoria Elliot (kinda, I mean...) ruined Rue and Jules's relationship, so I feel like Maggie might get bad vibes. I can see her being on edge with the new possible home wrecker. This new character might get in the way of bringing mommy and daddy together 😆 (I'm sorry idk why this is kinda funny to me)

Euphoria in Dystopia:

So sorry this took so long love, I've been in and out of the hospital. But I think this is a devilish idea! I chose to change the name a bit because why not.

Tags: @howl-fantasies @keffirinne

TW: Drug use, I do not condone the glorification of said actions, but I do not condemn the people trapped in its cycle. Please reach out for help if you're struggling, your life is worth it.

Y/N POV:

I was on another inevitable path to self-destruction. It felt nice every once in a while to assure my own demise instead of someone else's. I sharpened my blades with reckless abandon as I let my thoughts carry me far away from this bleak reality. Victor broke my trust, and now I was going to break him into a bunch of minuscule pieces and feed him to the rats.

I'd sent Maggie to the store to get some supplies, I was sure she'd be out the whole day. It wouldn't be easy for someone like her to navigate the streets of the narrows alone. But I knew she could handle herself, she'd just be on a wild goose chase for a while. Long enough for me to make up my mind without her pesky interface. I swore sometimes that girl didn't have a menacing bone in her body. How could she be so open to forgiveness at a time like this? Why was she so attainment on making me forgive that traitor?

I'd have his head on a stake before I let him crawl back into my life. That was one thing Carmine taught me well, better than my own father did. Yet little miss goodie two shoes remained adamant that I get back together with my lying scheming husband. Sometimes I hated her for her optimism.

I glared at my phone as it rang from across the room. When the jingle started over I knew I couldn't escape the call.

"Hello." I breathed down the line, an heir of exhaustion hanging from my voice.

"Ciao mio vecchio amico!" a voice I hadn't heard in a long time spoke.

"Elios?"

"How's my Belladonna doing?"

"What do you want?" "Well, that's no way to greet a friend, open the door, I come bearing gifts."

I cocked my gun, checking the peephole to ensure it was really him. I unlocked the door and pulled him inside.

"Woah, what's with the hostility Amour Mio? Vickey really got you that bent out of shape?"

"Don't mention his name!" I seethed.

"Got it, I won't mention Voldermort again."

"I hate that I understand your childish reference."

"Yeah, but you love me though. Besides, I brought the foodstuff. The best way to forget an Ex, is to forget everything."

I smiled at him, the kind of smile that would make most people uncomfortable. But Elios excepted it with open arms. He always did, excepted every part of me. It was intoxicating being loved by him in such an unconditional way. Though not always romantic, it was appreciated.

An hour later we were reminiscing on old times, so coked out and cross faded, I was surprised I could even think in full sentences. It had been a long time since I'd been on anything harder than top-shelf liquor from Carmine's stash. I missed feeling like this, not having a care in the world, feeling safe, not on guard. But this moment wouldn't last forever.

I heard the key to the door turn, but I didn't bother to arm myself. Elios gave me a weird look.

"Since when did you become less jumpy? Not so trigger happy now are we sweetheart?"

I rolled my eye, shoving his face back into the couch. I watched as Maggie strolled in. Her eyes were on the floor as she greeted me.

"I got the stuff you asked for. I don't think I want to know what you're gone use... any, of this for. Don't you already have enough knives-"

She finally glanced up, seeing the dishevelled state of the apartment, of me.

"Who's this?" Her voice was cold, calculated.

"The names Elios Sweetness, what's yours?" He purred.

Elios had a one-track mind almost all the time, but especially when he was on heavy drugs. It was kinda pathetic, in an almost endearing sort of way. He was like a lost puppy, looking for its master. I watched her outwardly shutter at the nickname, Victor's nickname for me. I wouldn't admit that it stung to hear.

"Yeah, Elios was it? You don't have my permission to call me that."

She set down the bag on the table, kicking the door shut behind her before locking it again.

"Easy toots, didn't mean any harm."

She blew him off, making her way to the kitchen to prepare herself a cup of tea like she always did. It was strange how comfortable she felt in my house, around me. I was like a ticking time bomb, and she was certainly in my blast radius.

"Dove hai trovato questa persona innocente?" Elios mused.

"Mi crederesti se ti dicessi che i poliziotti l'hanno portata da me?" I joked.

He raised a curious brow to me.

"Impossibile, è incapace di essere subdola. Dove l'hai trovata davvero?"

"Osservare."

"Magnolia, darling can you bring me the bag in the cupboard next to the freezer?"

"Just a second." She shouted from her spot in the kitchen.

She came to sit on the other end of the room, her tea in one hand and my bag of goodies in the other. She gently placed it in my hand before returning to her spot. She sipped her tea with the ever-present smile on her face. The one a child wore on Christmas. How was she always this happy? It was almost disgusting. But I could tell she was on edge, she didn't like my company.

"How was your day?" She asked me.

I chuckled lightly.

"It's getting better. ELios here brought some fun with him?"

"I'm not sure I want to know your definition of fun either."

"How were the Narrows?" I mused.

"Don't go there right now, don't think I didn't know that little mission you sent me on was just to get me out of the house. I'm not entirely naive. I only completed it because I was curious. Now that curiosity is dead. I want no part in whatever you're planning, but I guess it's nice to see you not moping around for once."

I scoffed. "I don't mope."

She sipped her tea in silence, looking at me with her judgy little eye over the rim. She crossed her legs in a condescending manner, almost as if she were moonlighting as the mother figure this time. It was kinda cute, watching her try to play the manipulation game. She got up for a moment to go grab her book from the other room, another one gifted to her from this J.T. I honestly should look into this secret admirer of hers, but she didn't seem worried about it. You could never truly trust anyone in Gotham.

Elios gave me a mischievous look. I raised a brow at him.

"She needs to loosen up, don't you think?"

Normally I wouldn't approve, but this was harmless, right? I was right here, he didn't mean her any harm. Maggie really did need to stop playing mother hen and have some fun for once. He slipped a small amount of MDMA into her tea and stirred it with his finger, before offering it to me to lick clean. By the time Maggie came back, we were full-on making out on the couch.

"Really? I leave the room for two seconds. You both are worse than teenagers."

"What are you, my mother?"

She glared at me before taking another sip of her drink and cracking open her book. Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis. I gave her my best innocent smirk and continued to make out with Elios after flipping her off. She rolled her eyes and continued reading. Elios and I made a silent bet over how long it would take the drugs to kick in.

I watched as she became antsy in her seat, fighting with her book page every once and a while. This should be fun. She cleared her throat, excusing herself from the room.

Maggie's POV:

My entire body felt strange, I could practically feel every particle in the air touching my skin. My brain felt fuzzy, like how it did whenever I would get sick. I couldn't be disassociating now, not when Y/N was acting so reckless. Olive never told me what happens when I go away, just that he prefers it when I'm here. I didn't want to go away, not now, not ever.

My heart was pounding in my chest, and my skin felt clammy. The room felt like it was spinning, and I was with it. But everything felt upsideown. I splashed some water in my face, looked into the mirror and jumped back at what I saw. She didn't look like me, but of course, she was me. The girl before e looked tired, mentally at least.

I pushed the thought away, shaking my head as I left the bathroom, I couldn't let Y/N know I felt wrong, she'd see me as weaker than I already am. And with her new friend being here, it wasn't safe. So, I pretend everything was fine, despite the heavy pull on my brain, whipping very coherent thought I had from my frontal cortex. Maybe if I turned on some music, I could pretend t think clearly. I'm sure the two horn dogs on the couch wouldn't mind. Music had always been my escape, but only Oliver and Thea had heard me sing before.

youtube

I walked over to my speaker and turned on my playlist. I had to admit, the longer I looked at this stranger, the nicer he looked. I hummed the tune lightly as I made my way around the room, looking at random things like they were the most interesting thing in the world. I didn't even feel the four sets of eyes that were on me near the end of the song.

"You've got a lovely voice Kitten, you should sing us something." Elios complemented.

I desperately fought the blush creeping onto my cheeks. Why was I so easily flustered right now?

"He's right, I didn't know you could sing. Go on..." Y/N encouraged>

Really what did I have to lose? It's not exactly like this was some embracing screen that Y/N could use against me.

The next song on my playlist kicked up and I let my body flow to the music, letting my brain completely give way to this odd feeling.

youtube

"You like control, well I do too... take off my clothes and watch me move." I sang.

The clothes on my skin felt tighter, constricting. I hated the feeling.

"Help me with the zipper on my skirt, it's stuck. As you kneel, I'll be watching you fix me. This view of you, of the top of your head, makes me forgive you."

My brain wandered to Jim, back to that night. It all suddenly seemed clear in my head. Every memory flooding back.

"But your skin, did you notice your skin it cries a soft weep like mine."

I made my way back over to the couches, ignoring the eyes intently watching me. Soaking in my every move like I was the only thing in the room.

"How 'bout, how 'bout just a part of you..."

I was suddenly close to Elios, close enough to notice the detail now. I could see why Y/N Liked him. He was easy on the eyes, but clearly, he had to have a darkness about him that she would fall for.

"'Cause I want, I want, I want, I want... I want, I want, I want, I want, I want-" I trailed off.

I pulled him into a forceful kiss, which was unlike me. But it was nice, somehow exciting yet peaceful. Like I didn't have a single care in the world. He didn't pull away, instead choosing to bite deeply into my lower lip. I could feel the heat rise to the area as flesh and blood fell from the wound.

I licked at his lip, shoving my tongue down his throat, letting him taste my blood as I explored. Behind me, Y/N reached for the absinthe that had been sitting on the coffee table. Had they really been drinking that heavily earlier? But my thoughts were quickly brought back when Elios trailed a hand up my shirt, pulling a whimper out of me. God, I wasn't usually this needy.

Y/N sipped her beverage as she watched, a smirk permanently plastered on her face. What did they do to me? Those bastards, when my brain was clear I'd give her a piece of my mind. I threw my hand back, not breaking away from the kiss, as a grabbed the drink from her hand. I finally broke the friction, much to his dismay and gulped down the rest of her drink.

Fuck it, maybe I didn't want to remember tonight either. They always say if you can't beat them, join them. She let out a laugh, snatching the cup back from me and pouring more.

"Somebodies having fun, finally."

"Well excuse me for not relishing in your anguish Mon Ami. I'm not like you, remember?"

"Really, cause you all over Elios like I was the first time we met."

I looked back at the man in question and watched as he pulled something out of a bag in his pocket. He placed the contents of the bag on his tongue before pulling me in for another kiss, slipping whatever it was onto my own tongue. I fought to keep my brain stable, but it was a losing game. I knew I'd crash and burn, hard, soon.

I couldn't understand why Y/N insted on dragging me into all of her bullshit? Though I suppose it was my fault for caring even after the many warnings she gave me. She was going off the deep end, and I was sinking right with her. Where the hell was Victor when you needed him? Funny that a psychopath is the bolt level-headed one of us. Elios was dangerous, but every part of me craved that right now.

I tugged off my shirt, overwhelmed by the feeling of the fabric caressing my skin.

"Somebodies eager." He purred in my ear.

I rolled my eyes, pushing him down on the couch. The part of me that was still lucid was more desperate.

"What did you give me?" I slurred out.

"Nothing much, just something to help you relax sweetheart. Y/N favourite cocktail."

"Foolish of you to think she can handle that much Baby. I mean, she is just a baby after all, Isn't that right Maggie?" Y/N taunted.

"I can handle whatever this is, fuck you very much!"

"Whatever you say Sugar."

She lit a smoke, blowing it into my face.

"But if you're not gonna fuck him, I will." She finished.

I glared, pouting.

"What, still have that pipe dream of Mommy and Daddy getting back together? Not gonna happen Kiddo. Daddy bit the bullet, and he bit it hard. Something I have no doubt hell do over and over because he takes whatever I give him. Maybe you should learn a little something from Victor on that front, Doll."

She lifted me, almost too easily from my spot on the couch. Granted I didn't put up much of a fight, not that I could. I watched from my little corner of the world as they went at each other like starved animals. I knew she was just doing this to hurt Victor in some way, the only way she could truly do that was by hurting herself. The same way Jim was hurting me every time he ran right back into Lee's arms. That dreadful woman, I did not envy her one bit. Gotham would be her downfall, as it appears we shared the same fate. Doomed to love a man who was never truly available. Forced to watch as our lives crumble from the outside in, just pawns in the grand joke that was Gotham City.

AN: Not that I don't respect Maggie's right to be a whore, cause she's doing great at it. But I really have to stop traumatising her by making her sleep with certain people when she won't remember it.. why am I so mean to her? She doesn't deserve this. Also ouch Y/N being a bitch and using the nickname even though she knows about Maggie's other half. Brutal.

#maggie #magnolia blossom #elliot #euphoria #euphoria hbo #gotham oc #gotham #gotham imagine #victor zsasz #Y/N zsasz #gotham x reader #jim gordon #jim gordon x reader #dissociative alters

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ramblings-of-a-mad-cat · 2 years

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icl, i kinda miss Alanza. i know it’s an unpopular opinion but honestly i don’t mind her. she was in one of the assignments in the new year 7 chapter and it was nice to see her again even if it wasn’t in the main story. it’s almost like she doesn’t even exist outside astronomy lessons most of the time like i’ve literally seen a few ppl saying they forgot she even existed and honestly i can’t entirely blame them at this point. i don’t know why they even added Alanza in the first place, i like her enough but she doesn’t really do anything anymore. they never bothered to explain why she was staying an extra year either. maybe they originally had bigger plans for her but Alanza didn’t turn out to be as popular as they hoped so they changed their minds or something.

Y'know, I am convinced more than ever that there was some sort of alternative plan for Alanza's character, whatever it might have been, that was ultimately scrapped for whatever reason. Like you said, it's not at all clear why they added her to begin with, and while they may have just kept her around for mechanical reasons or to appease fans...they conspicuously never gave a reason for why she stayed. All it would have taken is one throwaway line.

There's something more. I've been leveling Alanza up recently. (Looking forward to donning those kickass robes.) and one of the questions that I constantly roll when I'm having butterbeer with her is "Who's necklace did I give you?" The correct answer being, her Grandmother's. There's just one problem with that. Alanza has never given MC a necklace. Not her grandma's or anyone else's. Maybe there's just some quest that I missed or haven't unlocked yet, maybe it's a quest in the code that never got released. (Think of Jae's cooking quest, it was in limbo for ages.) But if there is, I've not heard about it. And even if the quest exists, the fact is, my file has never completed it. So this bit of trivia doesn't make any sense. At the rate the game is going, I don't see us getting a necklace from Alanza either, outside of maybe in a TLSQ.

I haven't forgotten Alanza existed, but I frankly have no idea how to work her into my canon. Her arrival in Year 6 is something that I find difficult to describe as anything but filler. I don't want to think of it as filler, but similar to Victor, her character just hasn't really contributed to the plot much at all. I guess she recruited the Weird Sisters? But MC already knew them, Alanza wasn't necessary. I guess she told MC that Rakepick smelled like cinnamon? As if that ended up mattering, or did anything apart from raise more questions. I've said it a million times, but the story grinded to a halt to introduce Alanza, and then the universe seemed to conspire to ensure she found out about The Circle of Khanna...only...then she didn't join.

Am I alone in thinking that Alanza presented herself differently in Y6CH22 then she did for...the rest of the game, pretty much? In her initial appearance, she gave the impression of being the adventurous type. For crying out loud, she got lost in the jungle for a week. She lived on ants and rain! And then, after the player is forced to let her in on the secret organization that she was so curious about...she doesn't want to get involved? I know first impressions aren't everything, and any character can have their own cases of early installment weirdness, but...I'm not the only one who's noticed this, right? Alanza became significantly calmer and less inclined toward danger after her initial introduction. To the point that I noticed it, again and again.

Then there's her affinity for creatures, which they make such a big deal about, that I assume it has to be a Checkov's Wand. The scene where she sits in Rowan's seat, obliviously. Just a harsh moment for MC, or...is it supposed to mean something more? I'd suspect it might, except...Alanza has hardly done anything in Year 7, and I'm just left wondering...what exactly is her home situation like. I mean, she'll be seventeen by this point, so her parents can't make her come home, but...why wouldn't she want to? Doesn't she miss them? Did something happen there? I want to know, gosh dangit.

EDIT: I was wrong about the necklace, she does technically give us one, but it's still a huge error.

#Alanza Alves #HPHM Spoilers

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floraxfaye · 6 months

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Task 010 - The Interview

"Everyone help me welcome our next guest on stage! Ms. Flora Faye!" Calix Crystal quickly clapped while the whole audience cheered loudly.

With a small push of the stage hand behind her, Flora walked out on stage and was immediately blinded by the bright lights that shown on her. It was overwhelming and the thought of everyone looking at her was not a good feeling. Though trying her best to remain calm, she took in a deep breath before walking over to the chair. Her high heels clunking loud on the stage as she tried her best to walk in them.

"Flora, darling, please sit down. I've got some questions for you that I am just dying to hear the answers to." Calix said before Flora took a seat. She tried her best to keep her eyes on Calix, ignoring the crowd that was watching her. Nervous wasn't something she had felt often but now it was raging within her. "Okay, I'm sure the answers aren't as exciting as you may think but go ahead, shoot." The girl told him as she waited for her first question.

"What has training been like?" Calix asked her, placing a hand on his chin as he awaited an answer. "Oh.. well, training was a good time, I guess. It was pretty fun watching everyone learn new things and I even got to teach some tributes about plants! Which is obviously my favorite topic." She said as she placed her hand on her chest as she referenced herself. "Arden hit me in the face with a blunted axe which hurt a lot but I think prepared me in many ways. And then Calli and I made flower bracelets for all of the other tributes. Training is a great time. Ten out of ten, would totally do it again."

Calix stared at the girl for a moment. Flora wasn't exactly sure why but she stared back, a bright smile on her face. "Well.. that does sound like such a great time. Right, audience?" He said as he got the crowd to cheer again. "My next question is what has your favorite part of being a tribute been?" Flora thought about her answer for a moment before speaking. "Well, I'd say my favorite part is definitely getting to hang out with all of the other tributes. They are all so great and there is never a dull moment around them. Some of them make me laugh so hard, I love hearing some of their stories about back home, and some of them even make me feel like they are going to sneak into my room and kill me in my sleep but hey, it keeps things super exciting, you know?"

"Oh yeah, I can definitely see how that would keep things exciting." Calix said he kept a confused smile plastered on his face. "Another exciting part of being a tribute is getting to meet all of the passed victors, right? Which one would you say is your favorite?" He asked. "Eh, I mean, it's alright. I don't really know any of them. I can hardly tell the difference of a random tower worker from a Victor. They are just normal people." She shrugged. "But if I had to choose I would definitely say my mentor, Alder. He's great. He's super smart and super kind and just all together a great guy. I'm not going to miss much going into the arena but trust me when I say I am going to miss that guy."

"Well that is super sweet." Calix said as he made a puppy dog face at Flora. "That's enough Capitol talk. Now tell me, what is life like back home?" He said, gesturing to her. "Well, my home life is very simple. I live alone in a treehouse in the woods built by my parents. I have no neighbors and no friends or family.. but it's actually really great. I've made friends with the wild life and the trees so really, what more can I ask for?"

"Now that sounds nice." He started, "My last and final question to you, Flora, is tell me why people should bet on you?" The girl instantly laughed. "Oh, they shouldn't bet on me. Trust me, save your money people!" Flora yelled out into the audience before looking back at Calix. "I'm not winning this thing and I have no plans on winning this thing. I'm just a minor character in this story but if I'm your favorite tribute, I love you and you are amazing but save your money." She made a heart with her hands.

"Okay, well that's all the time we have. Let's give it up for Flora!" Flora stood up, waved, and walked off stage.

#134 #task #self para #mtotask

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