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reminiscingtonight · 1 year

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The Reveal

Leah Williamson x Bronze!Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: Lucy finally returns in this last installment of the Setback prequels. I hope you guys have enjoyed the journey as much as I have writing it!

Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Setbacks

[WOSO Masterlist]

Waking up to Leah will always be your favorite activity. You come to consciousness to tiny breaths puffed against your cheek, arms wrapped tight around your torso. Your legs are tangled together, the only evidence of what happened last night being the soreness in your body and the lack of clothes on both of you.

You snuggle against Leah, letting yourself bask in her warmth before beginning the daunting task of untangling yourself. The defender’s clingier than most, never letting you leave the bed without a fight. Usually you would fold without much prompting and go cuddle with your favorite person, but today you have plans to make Leah breakfast in bed, and you’d be damned if you let her charm you out of it.

“No! Don’t go,” Leah whines, coming to consciousness just to try to pull you back into bed with her.

“I’ll be right back, promise,” you whisper, secretly delighted that Leah still puts up this much of a fight even after a couple months into dating.

She mumbles something incoherent into her pillow but doesn’t let go of the death grip she has on your arm.

“Leah,” you tsk out, happily giving her a kiss when she drags you down for another one. When she attempts to go from cute to sexy, however, you stop her right in her tracks. “Let me do something nice for you. Please?”

Leah gives you a blank look, hand pausing from where it’s attempting to trail down your body. When you give her your best puppy eyes, she sighs before letting you go. That’s the one trait the two of you share, never being able to say no to what the other wanted.

“Fine. Hurry back, I miss you already.” Leah’s pout almost gets you to break. Almost.

Pressing a quick kiss against her lips, you quickly shrug on a hoodie and some underwear before slinking out into the kitchen.

Thankful for your pre-planning, you already have all the ingredients necessary to make breakfast. You pull them all out quickly, mentally ticking off your checklist. You’re ducking under your cabinet, trying to pull out a plate when you hear the distinct sound of keys in your locks.

You spin around just as your front door swings open. When you catch sight of brown hair in a familiar bun, you’re suddenly glad you threw on a hoodie to cover your state of undress before leaving your room.

“Luce! What are you doing here?” It’s hard to hide the panic in your voice, especially when you’re aware of the body in the next room.

Lucy gives you a weird look, mistaking your panic for confusion. She drops a bag of muffins and some coffee onto your counter. “What, I can’t come visit my sister?”

“I just wasn’t expecting you,” you shrug, hoping to play off your disarray.

Lucy eyes all the food on the counter, taking note of the two plates, two cups, double of everything really. “The amount of food you’re preparing says otherwise.”

You blink owlishly, silently cursing your sister’s perceptive eyes. You could never get anything past Lucy when you were younger. Her BS detector has only seemed to improve as the two of you grew older.

“Did I tell you I was coming over? Damn, I was really hoping to surprise you. Give you an early birthday gift since I’m in town right now and all.”

“What? No. No! I’m surprised, very surprised. You did a great job, totally didn’t see it coming or anything. When did you even get into town? I thought you had a game yesterday.” You’re really hoping your rambling has confused Lucy enough to forget about all the extra food you’re preparing, but in the end, none of your distractions are enough to stop Leah from joining the party.

“Baby, what’s all the nois--” Leah stops abruptly when she takes in the sight in front of her.

Your first step is to grimace. You’ve been thinking about the best way to break the news of your new girlfriend to Lucy for weeks now. Although you haven’t hid your relationship anywhere close to as long as Lucy did, you know that your sister would still be hurt that you hadn’t told her right away.

Lucy stiffens next to you and you’re trying to come up with the proper explanation when you notice what Leah’s dressed in. Or more plainly, how little she’s dressed in. All Leah’s got on is one of your flannels and a pair of boxers.

You bite your lip, not able to push down the sudden surge of attraction that arises when you catch sight of her abs, the low swells of her-- Leah seems to gather her lack of clothes at the same time. She quickly closes shut the flannel, hiding the excess skin she had on display. Leah’s face is a rosy hue, no doubt embarrassed to be caught in this state by your sister.

Speaking of which…

“Why is there a barely dressed Leah Williamson in your flat?” Lucy grits out, turning her glare towards you.

“Surprise. We’re… dating?” The way your voice raises at the end makes your statement sound more like a question.

Lucy raises an eyebrow. “Are you asking or telling me?”

A tense silence settles over the three of you.

Leah fidgets uncomfortably under Lucy’s piercing eyes. “I’m just gonna,” she gestures over her shoulder towards your bedroom, but stops the second your sister’s voice rings out.

“No, stay. Please. I’d like to see how you guys try to explain this away.” Lucy crosses her arms, staring pointedly between the two of you.

“There’s nothing to ‘explain away’,” you frown, not liking what Lucy’s implying. “Leah’s my girlfriend and I’m hers. We’re dating.”

It’s not like it’s a secret. While you and Leah are keeping things on the downlow, most of your club teammates have already figured out that you and Leah are together. The great thing about not playing on the same team as your sister meant not sharing every second of your life with one another. You’re sure Lucy’s happy for the slight reprieve, after basically coddling you to your interests your entire life.

You make your way around the counter, picking up a discarded sweatshirt on the way and handing it to Leah. Your girlfriend murmurs a quiet thanks, hurrying to pull on the piece of clothing. You can feel Lucy’s gaze burning into your back as you block Leah from Lucy’s view.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know she was coming,” you whisper, noting the way Leah’s eyes keep darting nervously behind you.

“When did this happen?” Lucy’s voice interrupts the two of you before Leah can respond to you.

Rolling your eyes in annoyance, you turn around to face your sister again. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Her eyes narrow dangerously and you can feel Leah stiffen beside you. You’re used to Lucy being short with you, not that it happens often, but you understand why Leah’s more jumpy than usual. If you weren’t related to Lucy you would probably be quaking in your boots too.

But you are related to her. And you know exactly how to push Lucy’s buttons without the disastrous consequences that usually come when people challenge her.

You square your jaw, trying hard not to snap at Lucy. “You know Leah. You like Leah. There’s no need to give her the third degree.”

Lucy’s mouth pinches in displeasure, but you cut her off again before she can argue with you.

“Leah makes me happy. Like really stupidly happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time, okay? She treats me amazingly and dotes on me to the degree that it should be annoying but instead only makes me love her more. She’s wonderful in every way possible and most importantly, she loves me. So. Take all of that into account before you say whatever you’re going to say.”

Lucy blinks, not expecting such a long, thought out declaration.

Leah also seems to be taken aback, mouth parted in surprise. It’s only when the silence drags on and no one says anything that you realize how raw your declaration was. The heat crawls up your neck and your fingers start nervously drumming on your thigh.

Leah’s hand is quick to lace themselves with yours, stopping your nervous motion. She gives you a light squeeze, and you watch as Lucy’s eyes drop to your intertwined hands.

It almost feels like a lifetime before Lucy says anything. When she does, you’re not sure if it’s supposed to make you feel better or not.

“Okay. Well. You’re an adult so.” Lucy sighs, looking as if she’s about to get up and leave.

From the corner of your eyes you can see a matching frown form on Leah’s face.

“Just because I’m an adult doesn’t mean I don’t care about what you think.”

And it’s true. You’ve always idolized your sister, wanting to do everything you could to impress her. Her perceptions on everything you do is always important to you. And while you’re ready to defend Leah to the moon and back, Lucy’s approval would only make you breathe a little easier.

Lucy silently stares at the two of you, trying to weigh whether or not you’re being honest. The corner of her mouth twitches before she turns her attention to Leah. “You really love (Y/N)?”

Leah nods, hand tightening around yours. “Yeah, I really do.”

Lucy looks like she’s considering it for a moment before she shrugs. “Okay, well that’s all I can really ask for.”

You want to let out the breath you’ve been holding in this entire time, but then Lucy actually does head for the door.

“Wait, where are you going?”

Lucy pauses, already slipping on one of her shoes. “Uh, well it’s clear I’m crashing your guy’s breakfast so I’m just going to--”

“You should stay!” Leah’s outburst takes all of you by surprise. A blush forms on her face as she throws out a mumbled, “Please.”

Lucy looks between the two of you, from Leah’s embarrassed face to your pleading one. You know you have her when Lucy takes one look at your puppy eyes and then mutters something in Portuguese to herself.

“Alright then, if you guys insist.”

Your smile is blinding as Lucy makes her way back to the kitchen. Leah passes you another cup that you quickly fill with coffee before sliding it to your sister. Lucy mumbles a quick thanks before handing out the muffins she brought this morning.

“Maybe we should invite Keira next time,” Lucy hums under her breath as she takes a bite of her muffin. “Make this a proper double date. I’m sure she would love it.”

Lucy stops chewing when she notices the way Leah has stiffened up again. She turns her questioning gaze towards you, but you turn your eyes upwards, suddenly finding your ceiling very interesting.

Lucy chokes.

“Oh my god, you guys haven’t told Keira yet?!”

#leah williamson x reader #engwnt x reader #engwnt imagine #woso x reader #woso imagine #Ace writes

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littlejuicebox · 6 months

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Remember how it feels to have a heartbeat

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Chapter number: Six Themes: BG3, slow burn, original female character x astarion, dialogue heavy, canon adjacent behavior, angst, feelings realization, trauma, the slighest of smuts in this one Masterlist: Click here. Song inspiration: "Two Ghosts" - Harry Styles Notes: Don't do drugs, kids. :) I probably need to make some edits, and I will, but I wanted this up before the weekend and it's been a crazy work week. I wrote two different versions of this chapter and settled on something somewhere in between. The next chapter will prob be the one you're all waiting for.

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Astarion was ripped out of his trance by the Shar-worshipper before dawn; the rude awakening left him thoroughly perturbed. Shadowheart hadn’t allowed the vampire more than a quick breakfast of squirrel before she hauled the entire group out of camp, snapping orders every step of the way. Gods, he couldn’t wait until Wren was reinstated as group leader and the cleric could go back to being the ranger's unofficial second in command. The pale elf was certain this temporary change in leadership would cause a mutiny, led by him, if balance weren’t reinstated soon.

The bog was quiet when they began their journey toward the goblin camp; the last few fireflies bid their farewells with a twinkle of lights dotting the horizon. The pale elf brooded, lamenting the thought that the world was still asleep, and yet here they were, trudging through the mud to save some fool that got himself locked up in a goblin camp. Survival of the fittest would never win as long as the merry band of misfits insisted on being do-gooders... and the rogue was, much to his disappointment, always outvoted.

“Frankly, Shadowheart… it seems a waste of a lockpicking kit.” Astarion mumbled through a yawn, rubbing at his scarlet eyes, cursing himself for not going to bed sooner. The excitement of last night kept him up for longer than he'd intended; part of him had desired to crash back into Wren's tent and take her then and there. The other part sat frozen in place, unsure what his next move should be. She had taken the chess game he’d been playing and flipped the board, scattering its pieces about and leaving him at a loss. Over 200 years of life hadn’t quite prepared him for this.

Did he actually like this woman? Had she accidentally become more than a pawn in his chess game? If he went back into that tent, would he still just be toying with her... and what would come of that when they got to Baldur's Gate? Was he to introduce his new girlfriend to his vampire overlord and expect that they would be one big happy family? Gods, the entire thing was ridiculous, and the rogue knew he had more pressing matters at hand, like a damned parasite and an obsessed master, for instance... but all his thoughts contained the smell of strawberries and cinnamon. 'You really are an idiot spawn.'

“We spoke to Volo when we did our reconnaissance mission, while you were off playing bucket brigade with Karlach.” Shadowheart huffed, “If we can get him out alive, there is a chance he can restore Wren’s vision. He showed us a magic eye that he’d hidden from the goblins and he says he knows how to install it in Wren. Gale examined it; it’s legitimate.”

At this delicious piece of information, Astarion practically beamed. One step closer to getting his favorite companion back in action and ceasing the militant behavior of the shar-worshipper... this was the best news he'd had since he found himself able to walk in the sun. The pale elf dramatically draped his arm around Shadowheart and smiled. “Darling, I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to kiss you.”

“Please don’t.” The cleric grumbled, shrugging away from the vampire's touch and rolling her eyes up at the heavens. She was probably praying to Shar to smite the vampire where he stood. Or, at least to smite him after the lock on Volo's prison cell was broken. "I truly believe I would rather kiss a goblin."

Astarion sighed, pouting at the cleric. Everyone lacked humor when Wren wasn't around; it was so dreadfully boring. “If you insist, dear... but you don't know what you're missing."

The vampire picked up the pace with renewed interest in the plan. His strides became longer, and suddenly he was ahead of the rest of the group, ready to throw himself into the action. Once Wren was back in the game, they could get out of the bog and back into doing his favorite thing... drawing blood. The rogue spun his dagger between deft fingers, practically giddy as the first rays of sunlight burst into the sky. "I suppose it is quite a beautiful day for a jailbreak."

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In the mid-morning, Wren stirred from her sleep to discover a barren camp; to her disappointment, she was greeted by an overly chipper Gale and a sulking Lae'zel. The archer’s heart sank when she realized she would have to spend another day out of action and withstand being babysat by the Gith woman…. again. She had originally intended to pass time with target practice, but after a flurry of misaligned arrows the ranger quickly called it quits, too frustrated with herself to continue. It was painful to suddenly be so poor at a skill that had once been as natural to her as breathing. As she haphazardly shoved arrows back into her quiver, the half-elf inwardly chastised herself for her own stupidity and irrationality causing her to lose an eye and throw off her aim. ‘Damn the Gur and damn my own stupidity.’

“Darling, I’m home!” The vampire called as he tore through the tree line, the exclamation directed perhaps toward no one in particular, perhaps toward Wren. He was nearly skipping as he made his way to the center of camp, the rogue's jovial mood an odd juxtaposition to the dots of crimson splattered across his face. He gravitated to the half-elf woman and took a deep breath of humid bog air as he pulled a final arrow from the target and handed it to her, eyes twinkling with post-battle excitement. “Oh, how I adore the smell of spilt blood in the morning… and have I got quite the surprise for you, little bird.”

“Have WE got quite the surprise for you.” Shadowheart interjected, rolling her eyes at the vampire as Lae’zel sauntered over from her tent to undo the straps of the cleric's armor. “Don’t think I’ll let you run away with all the credit, Astarion. You merely picked the lock.”

Wren's attention turned from her quiver to the silver-haired elf as she looked him over for injury. He was in too good a mood to be that badly wounded, but she'd grown so used to having knowledge of his status during battle that the flecks of blood on his person unnerved her. The lack of control she'd experienced over the past few days was infuriating. This, paired with the piss-poor target practice, had soured the ranger's state of mind; she was in no mood for surprises or games. Instead, Wren crossed her arms, eyes narrowed. “You didn’t say anything when you left this morning.”

“My sweet, forgive me and my poor manners but your beloved Shar-worshipper left no time for such social graces this morning." Astarion responded with a good-natured eye roll, not fully sure why the half-elf was upset with him, but assuming it was because he'd left her tent so abruptly last night. He'd been nearly as upset with himself at the time, truth be told. The rogue used a small pout of his lips as an all-encompassing apology, hoping to smooth the beautiful little bird's ruffled feathers; he didn't particularly enjoy the feeling of not being in her favor. But, he was in far too good a mood after a successful jailbreak and a few severed goblins to really let it ruin him and shrugged off her glare. She would forgive him in mere moments, once she understood the gift they’d brought.

Karlach and Wyll now entered the camp, escorting an eccentric man who appeared so out of place in the wilds that Wren chuckled on the spot, forgetting all about her brief quarrel with the rogue. Volo made his way up to the half-elf woman and introduced himself, all pomp and circumstance. The bard made some off-color joke about the Gur having taken "an eye for an eye" literally and Astarion bristled, tongue ready to lash Volo for the offense. He was interrupted by a burst of laughter and was shocked to discover the noise had come from Wren.

'What an unpredictable, dark and twisted woman...' The vampire mused as he turned his attentions and assisted his campmates with preparations. His hands meticulously smoothed at the blanket Wyll draped over an oblong boulder. Shadowheart began piling various tools and tinctures onto the rock, slapping the vampire's hands away as he reached out to examine a particularly interesting vial.

Volo was explaining the magical eye and the installation process to Wren as the camp bustled around them. The little bird listened intently, eyebrows furrowed in a look between confusion and trepidation. She considered everything for a moment before shrugging, "Hells, not like I can be blinded twice in the same eye."

Astarion examined the boulder's set up suspiciously before turning to Wren, clapping his hands together in an impatient chop-chop. “Well, come on then, darling. Let’s give it a go.”

As the sharp tool made its way towards her eye, Wren began to panic, and grasped desperately at the bard's wrist. Shadowheart offered a calm emotions spell and the half-elf accepted, releasing Volo's arm as visions of squirrels and red eyes crinkling in laughter flooded her mind, wrapping her in a blanket of comfort.

At the little bird's spell-drunk request, Astarion scooted closer to the boulder and held her limp, drugged, hand, his gaze completely averted. Karlach settled on a boulder nearby and gave Astarion a knowing look, pointedly mouthing "your girl" before cackling at the eyeful of daggers the rogue shot her way. Everyone else hung much further back, interested in the results but unwilling to come close to the scene.

Volo’s “surgery” was quite a grotesque affair. Shadowheart, always the miracle-worker, despite her claims otherwise, did everything she could with drugs and spells to reduce the pain. Wren barely registered a dull throb as the bard scooped her necrotic eye out of its socket with a slimy pop. To everyone’s disappointment, the blue-clad man made an unsuccessful attempt to extract the wriggling parasite before he placed the magic eye in Wren’s barren socket.

“Welcome to the one-eyed club!” Wyll cheered, raising a glass of wine to the half-elf as she sat up, clutching the side of her head.

“So?! Don't leave us all in suspense, what’s the verdict?” Astarion asked, an edge to his voice that Wren couldn’t quite identify.

The ranger sat silent for a moment, turning her head to look about the camp. Her expression was vacant as she examined her surroundings, switching her focus from the faces of her friends to the edges of the camp, where small yellow marigolds dotted the tree line. She could see everything with exceptional clarity and turned to beam at the vampire that had been watching her with bated breath. "I think it was a success."

Half a week’s worth of stress melted from Astarion's face and turned him back into the playful, silver-haired rake. He practically glowed. “Wonderful news, darling! I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to slaughter another man in the middle of our camp. The clean up last time was quite awful, you know.”

The camp was alight with happiness as soon as the procedure was declared a success; Volo was thanked profusely and invited to spend the night before heading his own way. Everyone began chattering all at once about the information they'd gathered, Halsin's location within the camp, and all the ideas they had for breaking him free.

Wren declared herself fit for battle with a few perfectly placed arrows on the target that had seen only misfires earlier that same day. Hours rushed by as the group busied itself with preparations, all focused on getting closer to finding a way to rid themselves of the parasite. Astarion left to hunt as the sun began to kiss the horizon goodnight, but Wren noticed, with some sort of childlike embarrassment, that he'd returned to sit by her and read in relative silence as she ate her dinner and prepared a few more arrows for her quiver.

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After everyone called it an early evening, Wren lay awake in her tent, walking the tightrope between wakefulness and sleep. Her mind began to wander, and soon it drifted to the lustful events from the night prior. The sound of Astarion’s gasp when she’d touched his ear had ignited a fire inside her, the feeling of his lips on hers stoking the flames. The grip he’d had on her forearm caused her still sore layers of bone and muscle to radiate stabs of pain down her nerves and quelled the passion between them almost instantly. Before Wren could assure the vampire she'd been okay, the moment fizzled out and he was gone, leaving her a hot mess that she’d had to handle herself. The ranger silently cursed her bruises and the missed opportunity as she drifted to sleep, the embers of that fire still glowing within her psyche.

The familiar croaking of frogs and chirping of cicadas welcomed the half-elf as she rustled out of her bedroll a mere hour later, drenched in sweat. Had she experienced a nightmare or a memory? She couldn’t be sure. Much of the time after she'd married Kol was covered in a fuzzy film; the memories were a blur the woman couldn't ever pull from the fog. The flashes from her sleep, all violent jolts of lightening and screaming, left a pit in her stomach and a sudden, urgent need to escape the confines of her tent. The pre-battle jitters were surely getting to the ranger... she just needed to relax.

The little bird dug through her pack and pulled out both a pipe and small sachet of fragrant herbs she’d snatched from the Druid Grove. Seconds later she was stoking the final embers of the campfire, coaxing it back into a small flame. The stillness of camp and the hushed snores of her companions provided an odd sort of comfort; just a few puffs and she would head right back to bed.

Wren packed the pipe with the herbal mix, whispering a small thanks to Halsin and a promise to break him out of the goblin camp as a thank you. She lit the contents of the bowl and lifted the stem of the pipe to her lips, dragging a long, deep inhale of smoke into her lungs. Hazy rings of gray floated through the air as she exhaled and looked up towards the star-speckled sky.

“Couldn't sleep?"

His voice startled her; she’d nearly dropped the pipe. Wren was always remarkably quiet in her approach, but Astarion had her beat... he was silent. Deadly. She spun to look at the vampire; one eye that familiar shade of honey and one eye a shocking blue-green. His eyebrow arched, amusement playing at the edges of his mouth as he sauntered over to her. "I didn’t peg you as a smoker, little bird.”

Another drag off the pipe and the ranger shrugged as the comforting rush of warmth floated through her, the intoxicants flooding her system. “I’m entitled to a little fun before I march into a deathmatch, aren’t I? Blame Halsin and Nettie for leaving it out… or thank them, I suppose.”

Wren proffered the pipe to the rogue with a small wiggle. He took it from his female companion and inhaled as he sat down next to her, gaze focused on the night sky. The silence between them spread, warm and comfortable, a direct parallel to the sensation spreading throughout their psyches as the druidic herbs worked their magic. The half-elf turned to the vampire, head cocked as she analyzed his profile. She eyed, with some small measure of adoration, the straight bridge of his nose that turned into a perfect point, the soft curls that weaved around pointed ears, and the nasolabial folds that framed his near-perfect lips.

“Like what you see, darling?” The rogue taunted, a cocky smirk playing across his lips as he took another drag from the pipe and turned to meet her eyes with a lifted brow. He passed the pipe into waiting hands, locked into the spell of her gaze as she analyzed him through half-drooped lids, pupils blown wide.

“What color were your eyes before they changed?” Wren responded, her voice soft, almost sleepy.

“I… well, I don’t know. I can’t remember.” Astarion murmured, brows knitted together as he searched his memories; he hadn't thought about it in 200 years, and no one else had ever asked such a question. His heart dropped. The pale-elf shook his head and scoffed in frustration; his lips pulled back in a sneer. “I don’t know what my face looks like at all. I haven't seen my reflection since I was turned."

The ranger stared at him, part of her admiring, part of her pitying, but all of her fully doped. In truth, Astarion’s face looked like it had been carved out of marble by the gods. But the little bird knew from all his stories that the people he’d lured to Cazador had always seen the vampire as attractive. That had been his entire identity for over 200 years and his greatest weapon.

Wren knew she could tell her companion that he was beautiful... it was the objective truth. But her gut made her think that wasn’t the answer he truly wanted to hear. It was too one-dimensional, predictable, and easy; he would never ask, but he wanted something else. All pretense melted away as the glow of the medicinals lit her up inside and her freckled hand reached out to run a thin pointer finger down the bridge of Astarion's nose. The vampire snapped his head to look at her, face tensed, lip still slightly sneered, almost offended, mouth open to chastise her before she interrupted him, one finger covering his lips.

“You have a very straight nose bridge,” she murmured, before moving her finger to cross his upper lip. “Your top lip is just slightly larger than your bottom lip, and they both seem to be perpetually stuck in a smirk.”

Astarion relaxed, still confused but no longer offended, as her finger grazed along his face, tracing the contours of a visage he could no longer see. She continued to trace along his face, examining him intently. He tilted his chin up slightly, suddenly quite flattered by the amount of attention she bestowed upon him and, unbeknownst to himself, yearning for her touch. Wren brushed her hand along the elf's eyebrows and then over his eyes, causing his lids to flutter as she grazed against white eyelashes.

“Your hair is a beautiful silver-gray, like moonlight. Your eyes are a shade of deep crimson... like the wine you adore so much. And they are rather round when you aren’t busy glaring at or judging someone; they can be quite soft and portray all manner of emotions. I think they may be my favorite part of your face.” She murmured, pausing for just a moment before continuing, almost coy. “Save, perhaps…” She dragged her hand through his curls and then daintily pulled her finger up the helix of his ear, tracing the pointed pinna with the gentlest of touches. "Save perhaps this part right here."

She’d stolen Astarion's breath away with ease as her finger grazed against his ear. The pale elf felt that familiar flush of desire rise up again, spurred on by the fresh blood from his evening hunt. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, letting Wren trace circles along his ear. Their sensitivity had been enhanced by the powerful herbs running through his system and he basked in the thrilling sensation her touch sent through him.

“Darling, I’m not quite sure you know what that does to me.” He murmured, his voice just above a whisper but laced with excitement. His eyes snapped open when he heard Wren’s response, her lips skimming his ear, hot breath tickling him on the exhale.

“Oh, I do.” She whispered just before enveloping his ear in her mouth and shocking a gasp from the rogue, so similar to the one he'd uttered last night that it set her body aflame. “And I’m not as fragile as you think I am, either.”

At that tempting invitation, Astarion turned and crashed his lips into hers once more, desperate to drown in the familiar taste. Strawberries and smoke rings flooded his senses. Wren eagerly responded to his advances, her lips parting to welcome his tongue as he delved into her mouth, fraught with the desire to explore its depths. His hand found her hip, where he grasped as the kiss deepened, unleashing the tides of their mutual arousal.

Astarion broke away from the half-elf's lips and trailed kisses down her neck, just behind her ear, extracting a low, satisfied purr from the ranger. His hand walked the distance from her hip up to her chest before cupping the underside of her breast with long, pale fingers. The thin material of her chemise aided the rogue in finding the centrally located nub on her pert breasts. He teased Wren's nipple between thin, dexterous fingers and pulled a keening sound from her lips, the sound so deliciously tempting that his entire mind fixed itself on forcing that noise from her once more.

"Little bird..." The pale elf whispered, voice all gravel and lust as he continued his ministrations and the gentle kisses he placed along her neck, teeth just grazing his favorite spot where her pulse fluttered with excitement. "I could devour you right here and now, but perhaps we should make our way to your tent."

Wren pulled the rogue into another kiss before grabbing his hand and practically running to her tent, both of them half-stumbling in their intoxicated state. What further surprises did the two of them have in store for one another? The night was still young, and had much to tell.

#astarion fanfic #astarion fic #astarion x original female character #astarion x tav #baulders gate 3 #baulders gate astarion #baulders gate tav #bg3 fanfic idea #bg3 fanfiction #slow burn

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ecargmura · 2 months

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Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode 23 Review - Dungeon Raid

The second exam is about getting to the bottom of an unexplored dungeon! In all honesty, I love roaming around dungeons, so seeing these mages explore them like how one would in RPGs got the gamer in me excited! I relate so much to Himmel when it comes to dungeons because it’s always more exciting to see what a floor has before going down to the next floor! Sometimes, I can find extremely helpful items if I explore every unlooked corner!

Because the requirement is for the participant to reach the dungeon, it doesn’t matter if someone goes in alone or with others as long as they reach the bottom. Some people go in on their own while others are grouped up. Frieren and Fern go in together with Sense, the proctor, tagging along. Wirbel’s group go in together. It’s implied that Land and Ubel go in together. Kanne and Lawine go in together. This leaves Denken with his group and two more people. Methode and Lange group together with them and tread the dungeon. I do like seeing everyone’s different approach when it comes to a dangerous dungeon. Frieren likes to see what it has to offer. Some are pragmatic and prefer less risk while others want to group with familiar faces. The only way to fail the exam, other than dying, is to use the golem Sense provides

I do like the different approaches to dungeon raiding. Denken and a few others are pragmatic and try to be as cautious as possible. Then, there’s Frieren who walks around as if she’s the most seasoned dungeon explorer (which she is) and still gets caught up in mimic traps. I think the funniest part about all of this is that before Frieren gets caught in the mimic trap, Richter and Denken talk about how there wouldn’t be anyone foolish or stupid to fall for simple tricks like mimics, and then Frieren, the main character and the most OP mage in the story, falls for it. Why does she do this? It’s because mimic detection spells are 99% accurate, but she seeks out the 1% in hopes that it contains a rare grimoire. She’d be a gacha whale if she lived in the modern era.

As an RPG enthusiast, I love seeing people explore every nook and cranny and fight all sorts of monsters. Seeing that there are replicas of the participants make the dungeon raid even more difficult. I loved the scene of Denken’s group fighting Replica Laufen. The way the real and the copy go at it with their staffs was really good animation. Also, I feel bad for Denken’s group because they legit ran into the most OP replica of them all: Replica Frieren; his group is already down one person due to Lange using the golem to escape a spike trap.

Oh and two new voice actors were revealed for two characters. Methode is voiced by Reina Ueda. I’m familiar with her role as Miyo from My Happy Marriage and Mayu from Wonderful Precure. I didn’t expect to hear her voice a hot older lady and be good at it; she should do more. There’s also Taito Ban as Ton, the guy who went in by himself. He’s the voice actor for Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling. I guess there’s a reason why he went in by himself in a dungeon; let’s just hope he doesn’t run into any statues with creepy smiles.

Watching all of this just makes me want to play an RPG. Man, I haven’t played games in a long while. Frieren gives off that RPG vibe that I miss playing at times. What RPG franchise is your favorite? I love the Tales series, but their dungeons in recent installments have been very subpar… What are your thoughts on this episode?

#frieren beyond journey's end #sousou no frieren #frieren #fern #sense #himmel #denken #laufen #richter #methode #ton #lange #review #anime #anime review #ecargmura #arum journal

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popculturebuffet · 9 months

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It's Not the Years, It's the Mileage Finale: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Comission for WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy archelogists and welcome to the final installment of my Indiana Jones Retrospective, It's Not the Years, It's the Milleage. For those just joining us for the epic conculsion, i've covered all four previous Indy films over the past few months, from the good with great action set pieces, iconic lines, and deft character work, to the bad with the uncomfortable amount of brown face, temple of dooms theme park version of india and support of colonolisim, and Crystal Skulls sterotpyical 'savage tribesman", to the just plain weird with aborted ideas such as a haunting in scottland, a chess game to the death, sun wukong vs indiana jones, and an out and out alien invasion which Indy makes out during suprising no one.

IT's been one long, LONG journey and today.. it ends, as does the film franchise. With Dial of Destiny. Dial is the main reason we did this: a fresh fim with ford, with a fresh director in Logan maestro James Mangold, a final chapter for the ages.. and it has been recived with a resounding

Yeah while there was some hype for this film from Fans of Mangold or Indy (Of which i'm now both) it's now gotten to the point Wikipedia has out and out labeled it a box office bomb and Naturally the failure of this film has been taken with grace and restraint by the internet

It hasn't helped that Indy has come out in a summer with plummeting box office from usual money makers, so people are only more on their "Why aren't people seeing these films" kick. When really the reasons aren't new. We have "Doing the same shit a diffrent day instead of going with what was new and working " (Transformers rise of the beasts), "Another film outboxing it" (Elemental), "The company behind it simply not promoting it at all" (Ruby Gilman, which I intend to review at some point), " or "Oopsie we hired a pedophile as our leading actor, have no idea where we were taking this franchise when we started this film, and our company is ran by an evil overlord no one likes whose actively made the media landscape worse ever since he took over, better hope our promotoinal tactics work..."

The issues aren't new, their simply finding hitting people over the head.. and that's what happened here. Indy had an uphill battle: I was only invested at first because James Mangold was directing it and Logan is still one of the best superhero movies ever made. I got more invested thanks to this retrospective. Given Disney's slipshod treamant of star wars and terrible treatment of last jedi as well as the mcu being a mess right now, it's not a huge leap that many audiences really didn't want to gamble on ANOTHER disney live action movie that just looked okay, no matter how much Phoebe Waller Bridge or Antonio Bandareas it had. While it's sad as I honestly don't think the film deserved THIS much of a bomb.. I can't blame audiences for waiting for Disney Plus. We simply live in an era now where most people have tons of streamers or will get one for a month to watch one movie and anything else they've caught up on. We're simply entering an era where having a big brand name isn't a guarantee and in this case can be a curse if that name is disney. Big franchises can work, see Spider-Verse and Scream VI making great money, but you have to have something to offer.

So come with me under the cut as we see if Indy has just that or is best left in the past

MASSIVE SPOILERS AHOYHOY

When I'm Gone, He's Gone

As you'd expect, Lucas still wanted to make a 5th film after Skull, with Speilberg and Ford on board as always. This time though..

Lucas himself went to the press saying he wanted to do something new and Speilberg was stuck in the past... which I translate as Lucas once again went kinda nuts on the premise while , much like after Temple of Doom, Speilberg wanted something a tad more grounded to avoid making the same mistake twice. It comes off as the two just could never quite agree on what to do and eventually.. decided to let the franchise move on without him, selling it and the rest of Lucasfilm to Disney. Disney naturally wanted an indy film right away and after getting the distribution rights one year later in 2023.. it took them a decade.

Yeahhh while we got the sequel trilogy pretty fast in hollywood time it took a good decade for Indy to put his hat on. At first there were rumors floated about about recasting, then it was settled on ford, then Speilberg was set to direct and the film proceded to go through a ton of writers, from Crystal Skull's david koepp

And even Dan Fogelman of This is Us royalty was floated as one of the writers. The film also got delayed thanks to Speilbergs work on Ready Player One and the Post, before he eventually stepped off all together. He claimed it was to pass it on to a fresh director, but it really feels like his heart wasn't in it anymore, and it was best someone whose heart was took the lead.

Enter James Mangold, director of The Wolverine, Logan and Kicker of ass. Mangold was a solid choice and my book and along with his usual co-writers Jez and John Henry Butterworth, who I assure you are real people but cannot assure you aren't old timey prospectors sent forward in time, hashed out the script.

Casting went smoothly, as did filiming, with the only hiccup being production's start being delayed because of COVID. They shot in morocco, england, ireland and spain, along with the us as you'd expect. Speilberg wasn't entirely detached as he still advised and watched dalies, ultimately loving the final product. So now we can actually look at that product let's start with how it writes Indy himself. The Mileage Adds Up

One of the things that made me not really enjoy Doom or Crystal.. was a lack of character work. Indy was about the same as when he started the adventure in contrast to Raiders and Last Crusade taking him on a wonderful character journey, in the former getting his passion back and in the later reconcliing with his dad. Dial of Destiny dosen't reach those highs, but I still think it does a decent job. The opening.. is okay detailing Indy having an adventures in the last day sof the third reich, setting up both Helna's Dad and our big bad, as well as Archimedes Dial, basied on the real life Antyhkiera Mechanism. I really do love the dial as a plot device as it's a departure, being the only one of the five to not involve a god of some sort, and yes the alien counts. It's just a time machine a famous philospher made. It's still fucking neat, I mean IT'S A TIME MACHINE A FAMOUS PHILSOPHER MADE, but it's a bit more grounded while still being pretty damn nifty.

So while the intro is mostly.. eh for me, what it does really well... is contrast the indy we know.. with where he is in 1969: Unlike Crystal Skull, which glossed over the massive amount of time passed, here were with an indy who feels both his age.. and that he's been left behind by the world. That time has taken everything from him: his friends, his father, his marriage.. and his son. He's left to yell at the neighbors, go to a class that dosen't pay attention and have a retirment party he clearly dosen't want. Granted his retirment does feel like a missed opportunity as wikipedia mentioned it pre-release as being forced out due to speaking out against operation paper clip, something that I either missed.. or more likely simply ISN'T in the film. It's a real shame, the idea is great it's just not present. This creates a really intriguing Parallel: Indy at the start of the last adventure of his we'll see is a broken down man whose years of adventuering have left a mark on him, who is estranged from Marion, has not a ton to live for, and is clearly only loosely holding it together. And the Indy we met in Raiders.. is a broken down man whose years of adventuring left a mark on him, is estranged from marion, has not a ton to live for and is clearly only loosely holding it together. The diffrence is how tired Indy is. In his late 30's he's beaten a bit and reduced to graverobbing.. but the minute he gets a real assignemnt int he grail, he jumps to it. He has his job, he has his friendship with marcus, and he's able to fix things with marion. He's not completely gone, he's just lost. Indy in Dial... has watched all his friends and his son, more on that in a minute, die, his marriage fall apart, and his job slip out under him. Without his job.. he's a man without a purpose.

This also ironically creates another Scrooge McDuck parallel, another bit of symmetry and one I didn't plan on till I started writing this and thought of the story: Indy reminds me a lot of Scrooge in the final part of Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck. Both are seasoned adventueres who have either pushed away anyone they have left or lost them and feel they just have nothing left but to slowly rot away.

And like Scrooge it takes a bolt of inspiration from the new generation after him to get Indy back in the game. In this case it's the highlight of the film, Helena Shaw, played by the wonderful, funderful fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. WB likely dosen't need any introduction but just in case she was showrunner of the successful and inventive stage show turned amazon prime show fleabag, showran killing eve and in general is pretty delightful. So it's no huge suprise she's great as Helena Shaw, daughter of Marcus Indy's sidekick for the intro who became obessed with our titular macguffin, Archemedis Dial, which can travel through time some time, though not to the end of all man kind. Helena is a neat character in that they managed to make her distinct while still giving her enough similarties to indy to serve well as his shadow, his ghost of sins past, him in his prime. She's also a brilliant archelogist, has a kid sidekick like indy did in temple of doom with Teddy Kumar (Ethann Isidoore), sells priceless artifacts for a profit, has a messy love life, kicks plenty of ass, and tries to command every room she's in. What helps seperate them is their demeanor: Indy is gruff, snarky and surly. While Helena can snark with the best of them, she's fast talking, fast thinking, and tends to use charm as much as the old Indy Guile both heroes posses. The main diffrence is rather than sell to museums, she sells to private collectors...

Okay the REAL difference is that she's only in it for the money while Indy at least, on some level, cared about the history even at his lowest. Helena just sees all her father could do and all she learned from being around him before his passing as a way to get. Once again like Indy.. she had a father who cared more about some big treasure than her child.. and a godfather who cared more about what was going on in his life than ever checking up on her. She's a person whose been left to her own devices and feels she's doing just fine.. but honestly could be putting her talents to better use. Maybe not in a school like indy, but she could help return artifacts to their countries... probably still for a pretty penny, but not just to some random asshole to sit in his den.

You can tell dealing with her just makes Indy feel even more tired, which is somehow possible after all he's been through. He's once again seeing a ghost of his past and this time can't seem to get it through her head. When she celebrates shortly after his friend Renaldo dies, he has to sharply remind her. Nothing seems to get through to her.. till we get to THAT scene. Probably the best scene of the film. The climax is awesome.. but it's this one moment. On a boat at night, Helena asks Indy what he'd do with the dial, clearly thinking some grand adventure.. instead Indy: I'd stop my son from enlisting Helena: And how would you do that? Indy: I would tell him that he would die, that his mother would be overcome with a grief so intense that his father would be unable to console her, and that it would end their marriage. The sheer PAIN Ford conveys during that monologue.. may be the finest acting he's ever done. You can just FEEL Indy's loss; his son is gone, his marriage is torn, and he blames himself for both. It gives a horrible pathos to why he's so broken down. Both developments.. coudl've been really cheap. With how much everyone but me seems to hate mutt, and how rightly no one can stand shia suprise these days, most were expecting..

Instead Mutt's death is used as the catalyst for Indy's slow spiral into dispair. He would've been happy in retirment.. but he lost his son, his wife.. he's a man truly with nothing left he feels. And while he gets some old spark back unlike Scrooge.. he's fighting it every step. He dosen't want an adventure, he dose'nt want anything but his son back, and he knows damn well that even if the dial could... the sad truth is it likely has some horrible cost to it. The grail gave eternal life but bound you to a spot. The Skull gave you the knowledge of an unknowable alien god, but drove you mad. The arc killed anyone who looked. If the Dial even works... he knows it can't bring his son back, and he's only going after it because it's better in a museum than in the hands of Nazis. We also see a change in Helena. She goes from following Indy's lead out of nececity, to seeing his point, to seeing the beauty of the world instead of just the dollar signs. She still wants the money.. but she starts to see the beauty in history instead of the dollar. I also like that this isn't easy on Teddy, who sees her postive changes as coming between him and his surrogate mom, when really she fully intends to stick with Teddy no matter what and shows nothing but loyalty.. and in the end.. they dont' really finish that arc

I like Teddy a lot, and I wish this had more of a bow on it, though we do get him taking down a nazi and trapping him to drown and later getting into a dogfight. Teddy slaps is what i'ms aying> He dosen't have a ton of deep character to explore, but he's fucking great.

This all really cumulates in the climax.. which is so great i'd rather save it for after we cover one last major character, our antagonist. Our big bad is Mads Mikkelsen as Jurgen Voller, a thereoticain who wants the dial. At first Indy assumes, as most of the audience would that Voller simply wants the dial, which he's shown to obess over to win the war for hitler. Turns out Voller's plan is more complex. We see in the intro how Voller is the ONLY one who both sees the dial's value among the nazi's and the writing on the wall: Hitler is almost gone, he fucked them over. It's over. And thus the horror of Voller isn't like with Thot , at the giant horrifying nazi machine and all their power, and more at evil allowed to hide in plain sight. At a society who forgives horrible people because their useful. Voller got a free pass thanks to operation paperclip.. and the film shows while that idea got us tons of advances including space flight.. it came at the cost of giving horrible people real power and influence. The president is outright giving voller a MEDAL. And he hasn't changed: a truly chilling bit has him talking to a black bellhop delivering meal and asking where he came from.. and dismissing him saying he came from america. Voller is every bit the white supremacist monster he ever was, he's completely loyal to the idea of the nazi's. .just not to hitler. Voller's whole plan isn't to help hitler.. but to take him out, replace him and have someone compitent win. And he only gets as fara s he does because the goverment willingly works with him, gives him agents, goes after Helena and the dial. They know what he his but fully aid and abet him. Sure they eventually realize he's gone rogue, that his pet agent is entirely in his pocket.. but they don't turn on him till far too late and with one of their great agents dead. Concidentaly I feel Agent Mason is wasted: she's the calm rational agent.. but she's also the only major black character in the film and gets killed by a nazi. That's.. entirely fucked up and while I suspect inteitonally fucked up it just dosen't work for me.

Voller is also once again, much like with Belloc, an evil mirror of indy: Both are geniuses who adore history.. but one's a good person despite being gruff while one seems harmless when we first meat him but is actually a total monster. Mads does a great job showing just how evil the guy is without going over the top. Voller is determind to change history... and he does.. just not how he wanted to.

This Ain't 1933!

The climax.. is fucking awesome. Like Crystal Skull it goes beyond what the series had done before, if not more so. It's arguably even MORE over the top. But it works. For those who haven't seen the film... INDY GOES BACK IN TIME. The dial DOES indeed work.... but it's set up to ONLY go back to this point. Helena points out the idea of "loaded decks' earlier.. and realizes the dial is one. Archimedes only left it behind to create a stable time loop.

Indy going back into actual history is nuts, entirely and my jaw dropped at it.. but it's so damn fun. Our heroes not only have to escape the plain and get the dial back after it drops onto the coast, but survive the Siege of Syracuse, the roman invasion that eventaully resulted in Archimedes end. So we have two planes flying overhead, arrows everywhere and nazis versus romans. It's over the top but not in a way that really undermines the franchise, and frankly as what's intended to be the final act of indy ever, it's a fitting finale: the man whose explored history in the present.. gets to LITERALLY go to the past for his final adventure. I do get how not everyone will agree, and it won't work for everybody, this may be a bit tooo over the top, but I love it and feel it nicely ties up everyone's character arcs.

For Voller he gets to join history.. but instead of "fixing" it like he wanted he dies horribly and is forgotten to history only the "dragon" (his palne" is left.. and cleverly foreshadowed earlier when Teddy watches a puppet show. His nazi's all die and it's glorious to watch nazi after nazi go down from arrows or our two heroes escaping the plane while teddy takes the rest down with the help of a hapless pilot.

We then get the payoff for both Helena and Indy, as Indy gives the dial to archimedes.. and plans to stay. After all we established he's lost everything... why would he go back? He'll die soon.. but he's cconvinced he'll die soon back in the present. It's Helena who'se ultimately changed realizing both the value of history.. and ultimately the movie's moral: you can't change the past, but you can live for today. Helena can't change her awful upbringing or the things she's done.. but she can be better. And Indy can't save his son from death, save archimedes from death or be a better husband to marion during the greving process.. but he can be better to her and still live now. He still has so much to offer. He taught helena to love history and to try and be better. He gave his son a better life even if it was sadly cut short. He can be better. And when he can't be convinced the easy way she proves she's fully earned her way to being indy's succesor and just clubs him and takes him back (the dial has to go back with them as archimedes needs to make his own). The end scene also mostly works for me: Indy is back at his apartment.. but finds he's not alone as when he woke up there last time: Not only has Helena forgiven him, having realized much like Indy himself that warts and all, he's family, but Sallah, who I haven't gotten to talk about is here. Sallah is great in this film, not only helping Indy when he needs to lay low but enocuraging his friend it's not over. It's also nice to see Indy helped him and his family immigrate and that he's teaching his grand kids egyptian. It's also a nice way to still have davies play the roll.. but have him get a bit more depth and make up for a white guy playing the roll.

And last but not least.. Marion returns, and the two reconcile. I thought it was a bit easy when I frist saw it.. but I see now i'ts more the idea they have a long road ahead.. but both are willing to see it together.. Indy admits he was wrong and Marion is willing to give him another shot. For the third time but at least this time it's likely she just needed some psace to realize he wasn't being callous he just wasn't processing his grief.. and now he's ready to.. maybe they have a shot. It's a nice way to close out the films: Indy's life isn't over, he's got friends, he's got his wife.. and there's always another rainbow.

Assorted Other Stuff: The action set pieces as usual are fucking great, my faviorites easily being the climax and the diving adventure. The latter reminded me a lot of Tin Tin, Red Rackam's Treasure. Antonio Banderas is great as Reynaldo and I only wihs he had a bigger part.. and survived. It's not a huge suprise, saying Antonio Banderas is great. While I LIKED the finale with Marion, I'm with Karen Allen. They could've used her more. She deserves better dammit. WHy is it with the sequels they just can NEVER get bringing her back right?

Last but not least.. ther'es this weird subplot only brought up in the first two acts where the government frames indy for Murder that just.. never gets resolved? Like they never adressed it and as far as I can tell there's no resolution. Now granted I still think Indy isn't going to be arrested: He's clearly been unconcious for a week and Helena did have to get him back into the US, so it's likely the goverment found out about voller, got a debrief from helena.. and agreed to clear her and indy's record and absolve him of murder in exchange for never talking about this to anyone, as a Nazi escaping and killing one of their agents , after they pardoned the guy wouldn't look good. But we needed a line. It's easily the most baffling decision in otherwise a really godo film.

So finally we're , like indy back where we started.. was the film that bad?

When writing the reviews for Crystal Skull and Temple, I honestly hated the films MORE the more I thought abotu them, the more I found wrong, the more I realized how little they did. With this film. it's the opposite. The more I examine dial, the more I find to like. The character arcs, the action, the payoff. It's not perfect, again Indy is still kinda wanted for murder among other little plot gaffes, but I do think Dial is a solid entry in the series and better than both temple and skull at capturing what made the series graet. It dosen't nail it perfectly.. but it's still a fun ride with some really good character work and phenominal performances. Really indy failed.. because no one cares outside of fans of the franchise. As my brother put it when talking about this very film recently, kids don't know indy. It's not the big hit with kids star wars was and is. Star Wars will likekly rebound someday because Kids still dig it and kids will grow up with the sequels the way I grew up with the prequels, warts and all. Disney just assumed Indy was enough to carry it and he wasn't. I'm sad at it because not only is this a good film, but I was hoping for more pulp adventure films. But i'm also happy at what we got and to have done this journey. I saw the good, and the bad. And I saw a franchise I ended up really loving. In the end I got what I needed out of this franchise

#Indiana jones and the dial of destiny #dial of destiny #phoebe waller bridge #harrison ford #indiana jones #helena shaw #marion ravenwood #jurgen voller #disney

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rollercoasterwords · 2 years

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hello i am thinking thoughts abt crimson rivers

this is gonna be another essay nobody asked for but this time i'm thinking about crimson rivers specifically + fanfiction wips in general and the ways in which they actively preserve forms of storytelling that are slowly being lost to the meat-grinder of capitalism (buckle up this is gonna be a long one)

okay so this thought started to form the other day when i was talking to my sister about how i think crimson rivers is so cool because it's so much truer to like...the actual message behind the hunger games when compared to the movies. like, the movies essentially became everything the original hunger games critiqued--flattening the characters to focus on a contrived love triangle, obsessed with the spectacle of celebrity, prioritizing financial gain over everything, white-washing characters, and just overall taking the bite out of most of the radical messages behind the story. cause like...let's be honest, it's hard for a hollywood blockbuster to truly threaten the system that creates it.

in comparison, crimson rivers isn't driven by profit. it's being created out of a love for writing + storytelling, and also (at least, based on the impression i've gotten) from a desire to share stories about a diverse cast of characters, unpacking varying forms of trauma + oppression in the process and overall turning a critical eye on entrenched power structures that reflect those in real life, thereby encouraging readers to remain both aware + critical of the systemic oppression surrounding them. and that's just...so much truer to what the hunger games was about.

ANYWAY so i was pondering all that and then i was like y'know it's also such a cool and unique experience to read a story that is currently being written. Like. throughout history, it was much more common for storytelling to be this...journey, where you'd get a magazine or a newspaper or turn on the radio or the tv and there'd be a new installment or episode or chapter or whatever every week (or two weeks, or month, etc etc etc), y'know? like, it used to be so much more common to pick up a story that hadn't been finished yet, and to follow along with the writers as they crafted the story, and to get to experience the process of storytelling with them. even going back before film and radio and written word, think about like. the experience of sitting around a campfire and telling stories or just like oral storytelling traditions. like i have not by any means studied the entire history of storytelling worldwide, but if we think back to our oldest forms of sharing stories, it was about telling and re-telling and tweaking and changing and stories were these fluid things that evolved as they were shared amongst people and communities. and that's!! so!! cool!!

and nowadays i feel like a lot of that tradition has been lost. with the advancement of late stage capitalism--with the advent of streaming services, of entire tv show seasons posted all at once, of books churned out at a rapid pace by these mega-huge corporate publishing houses, it's like more and more there's this expectation created where stories are products for consumption. like. as an audience, we are so used to demanding an entire finished product all at once--we don't want to wait anymore, we don't want to pick up something unfinished, we want it fast and we want it now and it's a product we're buying--we're consumers and we're paying for it and we want to consume it all at once, alone, and then go on to find the next product for consumption. and we are all getting caught in this spiral where media and stories and everything is just....a product. it's not a journey; it's about what's going to make the most money. and that creates this like...cultural deterioration where we're losing so much depth and diversity in our storytelling because all these publishing houses and tv studios and hollywood producers care about is what's going to be palatable to the broadest audience, what's going to make them the most money. and it sucks!! it's soulless and mind-numbing and it fucking sucks.

and when thinking about all that i am just...really amazed by how unique fanfiction is as a form of storytelling. like. it is so unusual these days to find stories that are completely separate from any form of profit, from any sort of product-consumption economy. and because fanfiction isn't concerned with profit, there aren't the same pitfalls with trying to market to the broadest possible audience and in the process censoring and flattening stories to remove the most radical and meaningful messages. in so many ways, fanfiction actively pushes back against consumer culture by fighting to make space for stories that would otherwise go unheard.

and along with that, fanfiction continues to preserve this experience of storytelling as a journey, where you can follow a writer as they tell their story and you can oftentimes even talk to the writer and like build community and just....it's so cool!! and it's so human!!! like i know that there is community surrounding books and finished stories and people will get together and talk about stories they've read but there is something so unique and beautiful about finding community in a story that isn't finished....like i think reading a story that is being written lends itself to finding community in a way that finished works don't, because there's this broad room for imagination. the story's not done, so anything is possible!! and it's not done, so of course you want to find other people to talk about it with!! and it's not done, so it becomes a little piece of your life, and it grows along with you as you read each new chapter. there is something so beautiful and so incredibly human about that.

anyway, i think this all applies to anyone following any wip, but crimson rivers is just so cool to me because i think the popularity it's gotten (aside from showing that zar is just an amazing + talented writer) really illuminates that as humans, we have a desire for this form of storytelling. we want stories as journeys, we want stories that are about finding and sharing community, we want stories that challenge us and engage our imaginations and reflect the pieces of ourselves that we don't see reflected in mainstream media. and i just....idk!! it's so cool!! it's so human!! i'm emotional about it!!

in conclusion @zeppazariel thank u for creating a story that is also a journey and providing a space for community and also writing something that has made me reflect on the cultural storytelling zeitgeist at large this essay has been unknowingly sponsored by u

#crimson rivers #the brainrot strikes once again #when i say i will never be normal about this story i mean it #and i also mean it that all these points apply to any fanfiction writer!! and any wip!!#fanfiction is just genuinely really cool guys #being part of a community that actively resists the capitalist agenda for storytelling...yeah <3 #txt #ranting and raving

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wearingaberetinparis · 8 months

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Fic Stats Game

Rules: Give us the links to your fics with the most hits, second most kudos, third most bookmarks, fourth most comments, fifth most words, and your fic with the least amount of words. =

Tagged by @mppmaraudergirl 💛

Most Hits: It Only Takes A Taste (Incomplete, Jily Royalty AU) - I truly should complete this one!

Lily Evans is 28 years old and far too busy saving - according to her friends - the world to enjoy an epic romance. If you were to ask her, she would say that the last thing she needs is a complicating relationship that will distract her from all that she deems important: 1) her organisation for teens and young adults: Exceed Expectations, 2) her friends and family, 3) Mary's Instagram cooking vlog, 4) her favourite novels, 5) her favourite shows and films, 6) actually going to bed before midnight. Enter Prince James, heir to the British throne and the world's most eligible bachelor. There is no way she will allow him to sweep her off her feet. It's out of the question. It screams trouble. Yet... it only takes a taste, because - as Mary always likes to say - sometimes one bite is more than enough, to know you want more of the thing you just got a taste of...

Second Most Kudos: Knocked Up By My Ex (Complete, Sequel to Shout Out To My Ex, Jily Modern AU)

James Potter and Lily Evans, two Phoenix Radio employees who had secretly admired one another from afar, pretended to be fake exes for their show "Shout Out To My Ex". When Lily and James started falling for one another for real, however, they had to keep up the charade – pretending to be fake exes, who once secretly dated – whilst actually secretly dating. To make matters even more confusing, Lily Evans finds herself knocked up by James Potter, who is now her actual ex after their initial lies were exposed through the worst betrayal imaginable. The soon-to-be parents find themselves in quite a pickle and what better way to get through it than by airing their confusing journey through a radio show that, this time, is based on the truth alone: "Knocked Up By My Ex". A Jily Modern AU inspired by Rachel Lynn Solomon’s “The Ex Talk” and sequel to “Shout Out To My Ex”.

Third Most Bookmarks: Shout Out To My Ex (Complete, First Installment SOTME Series, Jily Modern AU)

Phoenix Radio is going through a rough period with the arrival of the new and controversial Riddle Radio. Albus Dumbledore, founder of the country’s number one radio station, asks his team to get ready to rebrand. Gone are the days of family friendly radio, a show where two exes talk about where their relationship went wrong and deliver relationship advice live on air, named Shout Out To My Ex, is exactly what Phoenix Radio needs. Who better to co-host this show than Lily Evans and James Potter, two Phoenix Radio employees who absolutely despise each other, or do they? A Jily Modern AU inspired by Rachel Lynn Solomon’s "The Ex Talk".

Fourth Most Comments: The Platonic Roommate Chronicles (Complete, Jily Modern AU)

“I think we should have sex.” He promptly choked on his tea. “Excuse me?” “Sex,” she repeated, oh so casually. As if she hadn’t just turned his entire world upside down by voicing his deepest, darkest desires which he needed to remind himself – like a daily affirmation – would never see the light of day. “You and I should have sex.” Or: Lily Evans and James Potter are very platonic roommates, who definitely aren't in lust or love.

Fifth Most Words: Lily in the Sky with Diamonds (Complete, Jily Celebrity AU)

A series of interviews with the UK’s hottest band, The Marauders, and the singer-songwriter Lily Evans, conducted by Nymphadora Tonks, as they prepare for the UK Tour after the release of their album “Lily in the Sky with Diamonds”. Everyone worships The Marauders. Everyone loves Lily Evans. Together they make hearts bleed. Inspired by "Daisy Jones & The Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Least Amount of Words: Stars Up In The Astronomy Tower (Complete, Jily Canon Oneshot)

"Stop being a baby! When he gets back, you only need grab him by the tie, yank him towards you and snog him until he's convinced he's up in the Astronomy Tower at midnight for the amount of stars you'll make him see."

Tagging @practicecourts, @annasghosts, @athenasparrow, @annabtg, @possessingtheproperspirit and everyone else who would like to do this!

#fic stats game

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outrunningthedark · 1 year

Note

I just don’t get why Kristen won’t show Buck and Eddie’s friendship even if she has no intentions of making them canon

Because of how people react whenever they do have scenes together.

Fandom tries to talk a good game about “missing the friendship”, but we all know that most of those people will take any interaction and “analyze” it to support a canon romantic relationship. She doesn’t want to deal with those questions every time she agrees to an interview. She’s just gonna keep repeating herself unless things change.)

And on a different note, I don’t think it’s a Buddie problem as much as a Buck and Eddie problem.

Yes, Kristen used this season to try out different dynamics and thus had an excuse not to put Buddie together very much, but let’s look at them individually:

Buck:

- This is a season where he is learning to rely on and listen to himself instead of looking to others for reassurance or validation

- The Buck and Hen talks from 6x02 and 6x04 could be hand-waved like so:

*Hen being interim captain meant Buck should (logically) go to her if he’s struggling with something related to their job. Buck sought Bobby’s help the week before, but Bobby wasn’t an option that day.

*Hen has experience with choosing a sperm donor. She understands what a parent or parents are sometimes asking of another person - “Donor, not dad.”

Now, a lot of this fandom convinced itself that Buck and Eddie were avoiding the sperm donor thing because “they weren’t ready” to say certain truths, but with Buck having no regrets…the conversation is of little importance in 6B. That’s the one area (IMO) you could point to and ask yourself why the friendship wasn’t deemed valuable.

Eddie:

Eddie just had a season-long journey about mental health and recovery, so (unfortunately) it should have been assumed that he’d have a lesser role for this installment.

His main story lines were Chris wanting to gain more independence/attending a school dance and helping out an actress the 118 meets on a call.

Buck isn’t going to get involved with Eddie’s struggles or milestones as a dad unless it’s time to show how Buck truly is the co-parent. When he helped with the adaptive skateboard and took care of Chris while Eddie was in the hospital, Ana was a clear “obstacle” on the road to canon.

Buck…had no reason to be part of what Eddie was dealing with in Cursed, really. (Not with his own stuff going on, anyway. Convenient.) And that episode appears to be an example of different dynamics just because Kristen could - Eddie and Athena isn’t one we see very often.

If the limited Buddie scenes continue into s7, then yeah, we got a problem, but with both guys healing from personal trauma in back-to-back seasons, I think the biggest (potential) roadblock moving forward will be the relationship status. If one or both has a gf again, we’re not supposed to be expecting anything. But if they’re single for some of the first half… 👀👀

#anonymous #tina speaks #tv: 911 #tv: 9-1-1 #buddie #eddie diaz #evan buckley

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the-al-chemist · 1 year

Text

The Hexley Saga - Author’s Notes

And just like that, it’s over. 2 years, 7 novels, 117 chapters and over 500,000 words later, the Hexley Saga has come to its conclusion. I’ve probably written enough, but before I officially call it quits on the series, there are some things I want to say, and some people I want to thank.

It’s hard to know what to write here, because I was not expecting to have to write this. The very name “The Saga” was a facetious nod to how out of control my little practice exercise had become by the time I came around to publishing the first instalment. I had thought that I would write it until I felt confident in my own style and then move on. I did not start out thinking that I would adapt the entire game, and the fact that I have done so (and have been the first to do so) is thanks to several people.

Firstly and foremostly, I need to thank two people outside the fandom bubble. So, I’d like to thank my Year 3 teacher Mr Randall, who taught me joined up handwriting, let me read Harry Potter books in his lessons, and once made me promise to remember him when I published my first ever novel. Thanks and love also go to my friend Naomi, the first person outside of the HPHM community to have read and supported the Hexley Saga, who gave me her frank opinions on the story as someone who had no idea of the plot and characters other than reading my writing, and even went so far as to take it with her to read on her honeymoon.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I don’t have children (this series has been my baby) but I can vouch that writing a half-a-million word novel adaptation of a mobile game does take more than a little outside help. So, I need to thank Erin @thatravenpuffwitch, JD @that-scouse-wizard, and Flare @flareshogwarts for allowing me to borrow their characters for cameos (and Erin for her Wattpad cover designs); my favourite poet E.M.G. Somerwill for assisting me with writing a full poem in rhyming French; Kate @kc-and-co for helping me see past the statistics to get into the head of Murphy McNully; and Val @whatwouldvalerydo for reassuring me whilst I was writing some of the harder parts of Circle of Khanna.

No one has helped me more in writing this series, however, than my dearest Anni @lifeofkaze. As well as lending me her darling LizzieJameson and assisting in translating Orion Amari’s dialogue, Anni has been my sounding post for ideas, the person I go to when I need to puzzle something out, and the one who has held my hand through and checked over the scenes I was most unsure of and intimidated by. She has also been my biggest cheerleader, my emotional support, trusted confidante (she has known all the plot twists for months!), and - most importantly - my friend. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her, and I am so glad to have her in my life.

Finally, I’d like to thank everyone who has joined me and Artemis on this journey together. So many people have been reading and supporting this story that I can’t list all of them, but if you’re still here reading this now, then this dedication goes to you. I still don’t know exactly what I expected when I first decided to publish Artemis Hexley and the Mystery at Hogwarts back in the first few months of 2021. I obviously hoped that people would read and enjoy it, but I have been blown away by how many people have developed a love for and been genuinely touched by Artemis and her story. Thank you. Really, thank you. I honestly don’t know if I would have gotten to this point if it weren’t for each and every single one of you.

But, reached this point I have, and that point is this: the end of the Hexley Saga. However, as Dumbledore said in the final chapter: “A circle has many endings. In fact, it has a multitude of endings, an infinite number of them, but each of those endings is also a beginning.”

I wanted to gain confidence in order to start writing my own original fiction, and I fully intend on doing so, but Artemis has been my constant companion for the last two years, and she isn’t ready to let go of me just yet. Both she and I have stories to be told, and though I cannot promise when we will be ready to tell them, I can tell you that we will. One day.

So really, this isn’t the end, and nor is it goodbye. It’s just

For Now, With Love,

Al and Artemis

Artworks in the edits above by: @thatravenpuffwitch @slytherindisaster @ag907 @flareshogwarts @usernoneexistent @cursebreakerfarrier @cursedcrusaders @kc-and-co @pathofstars @gaygryffindorgal @deafeningwizardsquare @alstroemerian-witch

#artemis hexley #hogwarts mystery #hphm fic #hphm #the hexley saga #al speaks

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umbrahighpriestofgiratina · 3 months

Text

Hello! This is the latest installment in my Snippets series (collections of drabbles from my playthroughs of mainline Pokemon games). Some things you should know:

-This one is a direct sequel to a previous installment, Violet Snippets: The Sorceror's New School, so reading that first is probably ideal if you want a bit more context.

-You can also see the original run here , here and here. (Tumblr link is in reverse chronological order, Twitter link is in chronological order)

-Obviously having played or watched a playthrough of either Pokemon Scarlet or Pokemon Violet's DLC would be ideal too.

-Also! This stars one of my non-Pokemon OCs, Vaespar, who you can read about here and here.

-As for feedback preferences:

--These are not full-blown journey fics, and were never meant to be. Don't review them like they're supposed to be or need to be.

--Don't complain when things are disconnected or don't have much context because I was literally writing these things on the fly as I was playing. If you want more context I linked to the original run.

--Overall just be nice. I'm not looking for super academic feedback on these, I just want people to have fun reading them.

-These will either be posted all in one go or in multiple installments, depending on the place. For places where I'm doing the former, just enjoy the fic; for places where I'm doing the latter expect updates every week or so until it's done (if things don't veer wildly off course).

Anyway here we go into: Area Zero Snippets: The Tyrant's Tera Treasure

Vaespar was sitting in his lair. Slouching. Where was Lovelan d anyway he was supposed to get-

Suddenly. A voice. "Vaespar! I need your help!"

A strange individual suddenly teleported before Vaespar. They had white and gold clothes, dark hair, and odd green and red irises. But what waa strangest was that they seemed to be human. Ridiculous. Vaespar was the only human left. Partially anyway. There was only one explanation.

"No soliciting, even from other universes," he said with a dismissive hand wave.

"No, Vaespar! I know you! I'm from the Pokemon world! Or, the one you just got isekaied to. You need to go back!"

"That one? Pah. That one burned me. I got taught the power of friendship only to get kicked right back out!" "That was... An administrative mistake," the person said, wincing. "But there's something going on with Area Zero! Paldea knows you! You can help!"

"And what's in it for me?"

"There's a great hidden treasure in Area Zero... A great power. Surely you want that for yourself?"

Vaespar thought to himself. He had seen Area Zero while he was there and could sense phenomenal power there. If he could use it for himself..."

"...You know what? Deal. Let's see how it goes."

"Excellent! I'll put you right where you left off. Good luck!"

A glow formed around Varespar...

-------

...And he ended up in a child's body again, in the same part of Paldea he was before he snapped back.

Suddenly his Rotom Phone rang. He picked it up. "Vaespar The All-Devouring Darkness speaking?"

"Hello, hello, Varespar. This is Jacq."

Oh. Him.

"What do you want?"

"Sorry to bother you while you're probably out there searching for some nice treasure...You see, we have a school trip every year around this time. It's a splendid collaboration between our academy and another school. And would you believe it Vaespar? Your name was one of the ones chosen to attend!" Convenient.

"You'll get to go study and experience the great outdoors off to the east - in the Land Of Kitikami! It's a long trip to get to this year's destination, so we can't send too many students this time. You really are a lucky one, getting selected as one of the participants!"

Vaespar doubted it. The mysterious human probably arranged this.

"Come to the school's entrance hall when you're ready to hear all the details, " said Jacq. "Of course, you don't HAVE to take part. Hut this kind of chance isn't likely to come again, so you should really give it a shot if you're interested!"

"I'll be on my way." said Vaespar.

"Great! Hope to see you soon!" said Jacq. He hung up. Vaespar immediately started ringing up a Flying Taxi...

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

Vaespar As soon as Vaespar was summoned back to the Pokemon world, Vaespar was invited to every school child's dream:a field trip. To facilitate this, he met up with Briar, a cheerful woman who was related to Heath, the author of the Violet Book, and wants to prove the Legendary Terapagos is real. Vaespar had no doubt this "Terapagos" was real. And he was determined to acquire its power before Briar did.

Regardless Vaespar and several other students were transported to the land of Kitikami, which Vaespar brought Denny Jr. Jr.the shiny Flamigo along for, and later caught several other Pokemon, including a Flygon he named Anis. Then he battled a strange girl named Carmine who talked about making him her "grunt" (was she trying to form an Evil Team, Vaespar wondered) before finally escorting his companions to the community center, where they prepared for a long rest...

Denny Jr. Jr.

This was it. Denny Jr. Jr's big moment. His father, veteran of the initial run, had raised him for this moment. This new land was strange and dangerous, but he knew he could make it! ...Could he? That Carmine girl WAS tough...

Anis

Well this was great. Anis was just chilling with the other Yanma in the rice paddies when suddenly some kid from Paldea comes and catches him. Ah well, he;'d heard traveling with Trainers builds character, and he'd manage to best that Cartmine Girl. ...With the help of a Revive from Vaespar. Okay maybe he did need the Trainer's assistance a little bit...

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

Vaespar

Vaespar was sent on a quest to find signboards... but acquired an annoying tagalong, a boy named Kieran. Nevertheless he managed to trek across the land and find two of the needed signs, Kieran battling and expositing him all the while. According to the signs this land was once occupied by a fearsome ogre wielding four powerful masks, who was driven off by three heroic Pokemon at the cost of their lives. Despite the ogre's antagonistic nature Kieran was fascinated by it and wanted to be its friend. Vaespar doubted his ability to do so. But if he could harness the power of the masks...

This would have to wait. After beating up Carmine again he had to go to The Festival Of Masks. In the meantime he had picked up and evolved some new team members..

Smoothie

Wow! This Vaeespar was taking Smoothie the Sinistcha all over the place, and evolved them super quick too! They never knew having a Trainer could be so enriching! They'd have to prove themself to Vaespar - an awful lot! Ben

Well this was a pickle. Ben the Sandslash had run smack dab intro a Trainer minding his own business. Ah well. This Trainer seemed tough. A lot of experience under his belt. And Ben had gotten to do some good clobberin' under his wing. Tamamo

Ohohoho, did thisVaespar really think he could best the Fey Fox Tamamo the Ninetales? This was only a temporary alliance. With her Tera Fairy power and cunning wits she would get the best of him!

...Eventually. Eventually...

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

Vaespar

Things had taken some turns.

During the Festival Of Masks, Vaespar encountered the ogre, and sought to gain its power, but the ogre fled, leaving only its mask, and Carmine forced him to keep it a secret. In the morning, Carmine and Vaespar learned more secrets - the myth was in reverse, the ogre was actually the hero and the so-called Loyal Three the villains.

This knowledge in hand, Vaespar went to the final signboard. Along the way obtaining a Chewtle he named April and evolved into a Drednaw) with Kieran, only to notice the boy was acting odd. Vaespar was almost concerned, but had other things to attend to. Like fixing the power of that mask.

To do so he traveled to Oni Mountan's crystal pool with Carmine, where he found suspiciously familiar and enticing crystals of power. Despite the interference of a Milotic and Briar they obtained some for themselves

Unfortunately it turns out Kieran had overheard the secrets and ran off with the mask. Vaespar needed that mask.

He managed to wrest it from Kieran but somehow The "Loyal" Three had returned and made off with the other three masks. Vaespar was going to have to teach them a lesson...

April

April the Dradnaw knew something was going on with her home region. She knew the strange crystal spires, the ogre who lurked in the night, and glittering forms some Pokemon took weren't natural. She wanted a scoop. A scoop on what was really going on. And maybe this Vaespar could get her it...

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

Vaespar

Vaespar found the "Loyal" Three basically curbstomping Ogerpon. He attempted to claim the masks from the lot of them by beating Munkidori, but after Carmine and Kieran interfered the trio ran away, leaving only Ogerpon. Vaeespar reluctantly teamed up with the two humans and one Ogerpon to track down the "Loyal" three and their masks of power, and after gathering intel in the village managed to nail down their locations. Carmine and Vaespar managed to trounce the Lousy Three oner by one and get each mask, and Kieran managed to convince the villagers of the truth of the matter so Ogerpon was no longer treated as an outcast. A seeming victory for Vaespar - he had gained easy access to Ogerpon and all its powerful masks...

...Except Kieran wanted to battle him to see who was truly worthy of being Ogerpon's companion. Ugh. This was going to be a headache...

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

Tamamo thought this was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Couldn't they just share Ogerpon or something? Why was Vaespar so desperate for those masks anyways? Oh well. She could most definitely take his Shiftry. She flinched at it slapping her in the face with a Fake Out (the audacity!) but burnt away att its Focus Sash with a Flamethrower before cutting past its Leaf Blade and finishing it off with another.

----------

One down, five to go. But next was Gliscor, one of the troublesome ones... He'd need to think carefully. He sent out April.

-----------

April knew this Gliscor was tough. But she needed to do this for the squad. The team.

Vaespar Terastalize her, dampening an incoming Earthquake, before she slammed the Gliscor with a Liquidation. A second slam knocked it out of the air, onto the ground.

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

Okay, one troublemaker out of the way. Now for Ben Vs, Probopass...

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

Ben didn't like the look of this thing's nose hairs. Heknew what'd wipe them right off.

He slammed the ground with an Earthquake. The Probopass retaliated with a Flash Cannon, which stung, but another Earthquake straight to the shnoz did the trick.

-----

Come on, come on...

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

Anis was getting sick of this stupid sticky apple. Oh well. He could take it.

He cut into its rind with a Slash of Air only for it to spray him with sticky goop. Rude. A very loud Bug Buzz took care of the rest.

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

Now for Kieran's Yanmega. Another troublesome one. Vaespar would have to think carefully...

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

He has his own Yanmega? Ridiculous, thought Tamamo. Oh well. She could try to beat it...

She breathed a Flamethrower onto it, burning it to a crisp.

Excellent! She did more than try! Ohohoho!

----------

Yes, a troublemaker out of the way! But Vaespar knew his work wasn't done. Poliwrath was next. He knew only one Pokemon could handle this...

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

Oh hey it's Poliwrath again! Thought Smoothie. Time to serve it up a order of Matcha Gotcha!

They whipped and stirred and yaaaed matcha all over the Poliwrath, The Poliwrath tried an ineffectual Belly Drum in response, to no avail. A further torrent of matcha caused it to faceplant onto the floor.

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

Vaespar cheered. He did it! THe power of Ogerpon and its masks was his!

...He almost pitied the kneeling, defeated Kieran on the ground. Almost.

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

Well this was a delicate matter, thought Tamamo. We were aiming to catch, not defeat.. This would get messy.

And what was this? Its fire mask was full of Terastal power!

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

So this was the power of Ogerpons masks, thought Vaespar. Excellent...

----------

Tamamo started peppering the oni with Shadow Balls, but its Grassy Terrain healed much of her blows. She did, however, absorb a fiery cudgel with her Flash Fire.

Finally, a Slam took her out.

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

This thing was clearly a Fire type,:Vaespar thought. So he had a few options...

One came to mind in particular.

--------

This was it! April's scoop! Part of the secret she was looking for! She HAD to know more about this Ogerpon!

She took it out with a Liquidation. But what was this? It switched masks! April tried for a Stone Edge but a cudgel to the head took her out. ---------

Shit. Vaespar would have to adapt to the situation...

-------

Whee! Thought Smoothie. Look at that mask! So pretty!

They started showering it in Matcha Gotcha. All the Matcha Gotcha in the woooooooorld. But uh-oh, it switched masks! But that didn't mean Smoothie had to switch tactics! Matchaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

But rude, it switched masks AGAIN! NOW Smoothie needed to switch things up. Shadow Ball time! Shadow Ball Shadow Ball Shadow Baaaaaal!

Yay! It kept hitting them with a cudgel but that did it!

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

Now was Vaespar's chance!

He hurled a Dre4am Ball.

It sucked Ogerpon in. Wobbled three times. And clicked. The power of Ogerpon and its masks was now his...

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

Anis was annoyed at this Mightyena Howling in his face. He could make more noise thanTHAT. And he did, with a Bug Buzz, wiping it out. ------

Vaespar wasn't as worried about Carmine as Kieran. But she was still formidable. Next was her Morpeko, which was a problem...

-------

Ben wondered what was up with the lil' rodent before him. It seemed on edge. He guessed he'd make it more so.

A critical hit from a sudden Seed Bomb didn't stop his Earthquake. But the Morpeko was still standing and hit him with an Aura Wheel, only for Ben to clobber it with a second Earthquake square to the jaw.

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

Leavanny next?? Vaespar knew he'd have to bring Anis back out...

-------

Uhggh, this again? At least this Leavanny didn't look tough. And indeed one Air Slash did the trick.

----------

Getting there, getting there...

----------

Fiona wasn't sure about this.

This Ninetales was demure and graceful and cool. Nothing like her. But she felt Terrestrial energy welling from Vaespar and felt a surge of determination. Her rocky cudgel in hand, she brought it crashing down, past a Flamethrower, straight onto its head. It didn't last long after that.

-----------

A Sinistcha huh? Anis time again Vaespar supposed.

---------

Anis was doing all the work here huh...

He hit the Sinistcha with a blade of air. Its porcelain body hung on, but it spiraled, unable to hit back. A Shadow Ball did the rest.

----------

Phew. That was one Carmine dealt with. Though oddly she didn't seem to hate Vaespar for losing.... Damn. He liked making his foes squirm.

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

Vaespar

After a long struggle, Vaespar succeeded in defeating Kieran. He then went on to fell Ogerpon and her four powerful masks and secure their power for himself. Kieran was devastated and ran off, but Vaespar had a bad feeling about him...

The next day, he met up with Carmine, who confirmed Kieran was still shut up in his room, and battled her. He trounced her soundly, but she wasn't as much of a sore loser as Kieran, and she almost let something slip to Vaespar before they were suddenly summoned back to the village. Vaespar would not be forgetting that slip of the tongue.

At the village, Vaespar learned from Briar that Kieran and Carmine were returning to Blueberry Academy, and said something about Area Zero that ALSO didn't escape Vaespar's attention. Kieran was still in his room, but Carmine vowed they would meet again. Normally Vaespar wouldn't really care about such pithy promises. But there was that thing Carmine almost said to him. And the thing Briar said about Area Zero. And that bad feeling about Kieran. Something was afoot. But he couldn't worry about it right this second. They were gone for now. His more immediate goal: track down the so-called Loyal Three and secure THEIR power for himself as well. After some backtracking he managed to find Okidogi, and prepared for battle...

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

Anis knew what he had to do. Stuff this nasty dog in a ball.

He summoned blades of air that cut into the beast's fur, causing it to flinch. It was weak.

"Vaespar, now!"

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

Vaespar grinned and loaded up the Pokeballl Cannon.

Dusk Balls to stat. It burst free. Too light out. Ultra balls then. He started blasting them out of the Pokeball Cannon as hard as he could. Meanwhile Anis kept enduring anything the Okidogi could throw at him - Crunches, Superpowers, the like. Until - oh no. Anis was poisoned. He'd have to work fast.

He quickly sprayed Anis with a Full Restore. "Thanks!"

"Hey that's not fair-" Okidogi started to protest, only to be sucked into another Ultra Ball. It broke free quickly, but Vaespar kept up the assault.

Finally, one ball shook once. Shook twice. Shook a third time. And clicked. Vaespar let out a "Yes!". Okidogi was his. Now for the others...

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

Really? Tamamo had to be the one to fight this disgusting monkey? Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Let's get this over with.

She hit Miunkidori with a Flamethrower, her breath burning hot.It did not like that and started Plotting Nastily, but she continued to bring on the flames. "A little help here, Vaespar?"

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

"No problem."

Vaespar brought out the Pokeball Cannon and started firing.

First couple of times, the balls did nothing, and Munkidori managed to wear down Tamamo with its powerful attacks. But Vaespar knew this would happen. Which is why he brought an ace to this one.

He sent out a Kingambit. A Shiny Kingambit.

---------

Susanoo knew well the way of the warrior. But he also knew today he was on the line of defense. He steeled himself. This Munkidori thought it was tough. But Susano was ready for anything it threw at him.

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

Munkidori cried out in frustration as its attacks did nothing to Susano. Vaespar kept firing balls.

Finally, after going through many, many balls, one clicked. Vaespar sighed in relief. One to go...

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

Susanoo knew many ways of the blade. But he knew one would be useful against this Fezandipiti if Vaespar wished to catch it - the False Swipe. He performed a Dance of Swords, then struck true.

------

Vaespar loaded up the Pokeball Cannon and started firing Ultra Balls.

Ball after ball after ball this bird would not budge. But its efforts did nothing to Susano. Thenn, finally, one clicked. Vaespar grinned. The "Loyal" Three were now all his...

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

Vaespar

Vaespar managed to capture and control Okidogi with relative ease (helps Okidogi could easily be bribed with mochi). Munkidori and Fezandipiti were noticeably more difficult (with the latter being hard to find again) but Vaespar broke out Susano the Shiny Kingambit, who allowed them to be captured (and also bribed with mochi) eventually.

Next Vaespar was curious as to what that Perrin woman wanted with him.. He collected 150 Pokemon for his Kitakami dex (helps he had most of them for completing his Paldea dex) and came to her. She said she had a big scoop she wanted Vaespar's help with (April was thrilled)...

...But she wanted to battle him first.

Great. Utterly typical of people in this universe.

So Vaespar prepared for a throwdown...

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

This Bloodmoon Beast was uncouth! Unrefined! Unthinkable! Attacking Tamamo in the woods like that! While she was POISONED!

She Plotted Nastily for the beast's demise even as it slammed her with an Earth Power, then breathed a torrent of flame onto its body.

It barely made a dent. AnotherEarth Power took her out. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

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

Shit. Vaespar would need the big guns here. Especially with Perrin standing by and snapping photos. He sent out Smoothie.

-----------

Oooh, big bear friend! Smoothie wondered what to do with this one... Their Plotrting a;lso got a bit Nasty...

Oh no! They got hist with a blood moon beam! Time to act! They started spraying the beast with matcha. Lots of matcha. The Ursaluna was clearly in great pain, but steeled itself, Calm ed its Mind. It swiped its matcha away and continued to do so. Another matcha assault from Smoothie! But oh no, a blood moon bla-

-------------- Shit. Smoothie was down. But Vaespar still had one team member that could deliver a super-effective hit. He sent out April.

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

This Perrin was a kindred spirit to April... The truth mattered. Her scoop mattered. Her creative drive mattered. No way was April failing her. Her body welled with Terastal energy as she slammed into the Ursaluna with the mightiest Liquidation she could. It was weak. Vulnerable. "Vaespar NOW!"

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

Vaespar brought out the Pokeball cannon. Loaded a Moon Ball. And fired.

The ball shook thrice. And clicked. Perrin's mission was complete. As was Vaespar's.

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

Vaespar

Vaespar successfully trounced Perrin, at which point she gave him a proposition: Help her find the legendary Bloodmoon Beast. Seeing it as another being of great power he could control, Vaespar accepted.

Theory went off into the woods in the dim of night to find it, with Vaespar and Perrin photographing the local wildlife to filter out the beast's signals.Afterwards Perrin vented to Vaespar about her creative struggles, to which Vaespae replied "that's rough buddy.".

Eventually they narrowed things down until they could locate the beast - a frenzied, bizarre-looking Ursaluna.

After a notedly rough battle Vaespar managed to capture and secure the Bloodmoon Ursaluna. Perrin was not able to get good photos, but she left with newfound confidence anyway, giving Vaespar a free puppy before she went. Enough of a percentage of Vaespar felt bad he tried to take his own pictures of Ganondorf the Blodmoon Ursaluna for her... only for him to not cooperate.

Bah. Fine, Whatever. In the meantime he still had one more goal for this region.. Find a Shiny Pokemon. And then the others' talks about a Blueberry Academy intrigued him...

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

Vaespar

In searching for an elusive Shiny Pokemon, Vaespar found a ~mystery outbreak~ on his map and headed there.

It turned out to be a bunch of Gurdurr Vaespar shrugged and went "sure, why not", then started mowing through them with Anis. After several minutes of this Vaespar noticed something odd about one of the remaining Gurdurr. It was orange.

...It was orange!

Vaespar quickly lobbed a Quick Ball at it. It wobbled three times and clicked, and the Shiny Gurdurr was his. Vaespar was victorious. He named the new recruit Cheeto. After this, he felt he'd explore Kitakami a bit longer. But he had to wonder what was next...

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

Vaespar was going after raids. Powerful raids. Legendary raids. When suddenly his Rotom Phone rang. He sighed and answered it. "This is Clavell. Do I have the pleasure of speaking with Master Vaespar?"

Vaespar did like how he called him "master." "Yes."

"My my. It certainly does this old heart good to be greeted with such a... Lively response. Now if I could take a moment of your time, there is something we must discuss."

Vaespar raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Master Vaespar, you're about to be presented with an exceptional opportunity. You already know of the Unova region's Blueberry Academy I presume?"

Right, wasn't that where those Carmine and Kieran brats went to? "I've heard of it."

"Indeed. Tales of your school trip to Kitakami with the Blueberry cohort reached even my office! In any case, the director of Blueberry Academy happened to be an old friend of mine. And he told me he would be delighted to host you as an exchange student at his school."

Wait, so he was going all the way across the world again?

"I believe it would be a fine chance for you to learn even more about this world."

Well there you have it.

"One should always take advantage of new challenges like this, don't you think? Though I must confess, I was a bit surprised that Blueberry's director would specify you by name..."

...This was Carmine's fault wasn't it?

"Still I think it best that you meet the man at least once to find out what he might be thinking. He is admittedly a bit of a character, but not to worry - I'll be there when you meet him.

From what Vaespar knew from knowing Clavell that wasn't reassuring.

"Once you feel ready to respond to his offer I ask that you come by my office so we can discuss the specifics together. "...Very well," said Vaespar.

"Now I won't take up any more of your time. Do take care until we speak again."

Clavell hung up.

Vaespar sighed. Hopefully THIS trip would unveil the secret Arceus spoke uf he was still seeking...

--------

Vaespar Vaespar was introduced to the very blue Blueberry Academy by the ditzy Cyrano and the more straight-laced Lacey. The latter was a surprisingly powerful foe in battle and Vaespar knew he had to build up his team beyond just Sticky.

The good news is the school had its own giant Terarium powered by its own mysterious-green-goio-fueled Tera Orb, and it was filled with wild Pokemon. Vaespar met Perrin again and added her Growlithe Oatchi to his tea at her request, but after much searching he found the Ground type he needed to hopefully counter Lacey's Electric types: an Alolan Diglett he names Bon Jovi. Now, didn't Lacey want him for a class on the beach...?

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

Sticky

Sticky had been a gift to Vaespar from a traveling Trainer.As such, he was honored to be used on Vaespar's team, especially as he was evolved right away.

...However he preformed poorly against Lacey, even with assistance. He knew he'd have to get stronger to please Vaespar. ------------

Oatchi

Oatchi was a good pupper! He knew this because Perrin said so. Perrin said Vaespar would take care of him so he trusted Vaespar too. He just needed to prove his worth - he was itching for a battle...

----------

Bon Jovi

Aw yeah! Bon Jovi had only just joined the team, but he was ready to take the Terarium on! This Vaespar Trainer seemed shifty but to be honest, he didn't care - it was his life!

----------

Vaespar

Vaespar continued exploring the Terarium, acquiring a fourth team member in the form of Amonduul the Galarian Slowpoke (and later painstakingly gathering enough twigs to evolve him into a Galarian Slowking), but was ultimately forced to confront the supposed reason he was here - education. Thankfully the lesson was "catch an Alolan variant" and he already had Bon Jovi, so the lesson was aced, to Lacey's pleasure. But then Carmine came knocking. Or perhaps ringing, on his phone. Shewanted to meet up with him and Vaespar begrudgingly obliged -

After a couple battles with her - the first Vaespar refused to admit he lost and the second Vaespar refused to admit he used Vergil and a Palkia from a raid as as "backup" - Vaespar found out she was worried because Kieran had lost his marbles, taken over the League Club, and was ruling over it with an iron fist - which Vaespar had to admit was incredible chutzpah.

Then however, he was interrupted by the ditzy Drayton, who was determined to add Vaespar to the league club. Vaespar went along with it - if that was the fastest way to powe4r here, so be it.

---------

Amonduul

Amonduul could tell he and Vaespar were kindred spirits. The lust for power, the h u n g e r, the cold, calculated way they did things... Yes, it'd be a beautiful partnership. At least until Amonduul made sure he was the one in charge.

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

Vaespar

After being told by Carmine that something was up with Kieran (highly obvious) and not to trust Drayton (Vaespar trusts no one), then gaining two new team members in Milkshake the Milcery (later Alcremie) and Lae'zel the Scraggy (later Scrafty), Vaespar ignored Carmine's advice and went on a "lunch date" with Drayton. There, he encountered the rest of the local Elite 4, including Kieran, who Drayton used Vaespar as a psychological weapon against. Despite several people's protests Vaespar was inducted into Blueberry Academy's school Pokemon League, and told to take on the Elite 4 across the Terarium. Vaespar felt he'd be cheeky and challenge Drayton first - but ran into a snag when Sticky and Oatchi were barred from the League Trial. Still, the rest of his team prevailed, and Vaespar prepared his FULL team for the showdown against Drayton...

------------- Milkshake

Milkshake was here to help! When she saw this exchange student needed a helping hand she jumped at the call. But she saw inklings both the exchange student and the help were questionable... Oh well! She'd give it her best!

---------------- Lae'zel

Lae'zel was done with this. Paired with inferior warriors, sent on a pointless mission to defeat some elite four, and for who? Some slimy human named Vaespar. Oh well. At least there would be many opponents to cut down gloriously along the way. Fruitful conquests to be had. Yes... If it was not worth it at first, she would make it worth it by force.

-----------

This Drayton guy clearly thought he was all that.

Vaespar would show him he was mistaken.

As soon as Drayton sent out a Flygon and Dragonite, Vaespar sent out Masamune the Hisuian Samurott and... Mewtwo.

"Woah dude, I thought Mewtwo wasn't even real!" said Drayton. "Did you really think I'd adhere to your stupid little Terarium Only challenge the ,moment you let it up?"

Ice Beams and Ceaseless Edges dug into Drayton's Pokemon

"...No?" Drayton said. "That was just for the-"

"Listen here you little bitch," said Vaespar. A Sceptile fell to Masamune's X-Scissor. A Haxorus to Mewtwo's Ice Beam. Drayton desperately sent out a Kingdra in its place, which started Rain dancing

"You may think you're the one in control here. False. It's me who's in control. And I will not hesitate to crush you into dust."

:"We'll see about that!" said Drayton."Go Archaludon!"

He sent out a very strange bridge-like Pokemon. It Terastalized and sent a massive blast of electricity at Masamune. "Ugh... I have failed..."

Masamune collapsed.

Shit. Vaespar had to actually strategize now. "Go Boudicia!"

He sent out a Clodsire. "Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo", said Boudicia.

The Kingdra attempted to Hydro Pump Her, but Boudicia soaked it up like a sponge, knocking the Kingdra out with a retaliatory Poison Jab. Mewtwo meanwhile took out the Archaludon. "That's what I'm talkin' about." Drayton seemed oddly pleased at his defeat. People of this world could be Like That but Vaespar had his eye on him...

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

Vaespar Vaespar attempted to fight Drayton once. Then again. And then a third time before finally relenting and siccing various mons he had gotten from or used in raids on him. Just to teach him a lesson.

Vaespar knew his team wasn't strong enough, and he didn't feel like relying on backups more than he had to. So first, according to Drayton's advice, he used the TM Drayton gave him on Sticky, causing him to evolve into a Hydrapple. Then he went on a quest around the Terarium, challenging Raids and racking up Rare and EXP Candies and LP for his team. Hopefully soon they could challenge the Fire Elite 4...

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

Crispin was serving up a Talonflame and Heat Rotom, huh? Well Vaespar had a plan, hopefully.

"Oatchi, Rock Slide! Milkshake, Decorate Oatchi!"

"Rock Slide! Rock Slide!!!!" said Oatchi!

"Here to help!" said Milkshake.

Milkshake flinched as she ate a Will-O-Wisp but gave Oatchi a boost with her sweet energy, allowing him to take the Rotom out. The Talonflame was still standing thanks to a Focus Sash, but started Roosting it off as Oatchi decimated an incoming Exeggutor with a Flare Blitz. The Talonflame countered with a Flare Blitz of its own to Milkshake, but she hung on and kept decorating.

"Sugar rush! Sugar ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!" yelled Oatchi as his onslaught of rocks took out the Talonflame and an incoming Camerupt.

All that was left was a Blaziken and a Magmortar. Vaespar knew the former was dangerous to Oartchi, but if he was fast enough...

"Oatchi! Keep going!"

And his gambit paid off. Crispin immediately Terastalized his Blaziken in a burst of shining crystal... leaving it more vulnerable to the incoming avalanche of rocks. It and the Magmortar were taken out in one fell swoop

Vaespar rubbed his hands against each other. Things were finally coming together...

---------

Vaespar

Vaespar went to challenge the Fire Elite 4 and was promptly forced to make the world's spiciest sandwich beforehand. After way too much time battling and bartering for ingredients Vaespar managed to create a catastrophic capsaicin calamity to Crispin's satisfaction. The battle with Crispin afterwards was ironically much easier due to the dream team of Oatchi on offense and Milkshake on support.

However Kieran and Drayton showed up afterwards, applauding his progress and Kieran telling Vaespar to never surrender until he got to him. Psh. Like Vaerspar ever surrendered to anyone. Much less the jealous brat who went insane over him and Ogerpon.

Anyway Vaespar quickly made his way over to the Steel Elite 4, where the stern steely girl in question fed Dante a strange plant - a new Herba Mystica?- that enhanced his flight capabilities for a flight-based time trial. However, the test run was... a little dicey, and even Vaespar admitted they needed some practice...

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

Vaespar couldn't believe he was doing this again. But multiple attempts left him little choice.

Mewtwo and Chi-Yu took the field against Dugtrio and Skarmory. Mewtwo scoffed at being forced to do this, but Chi-Yu...

"Yay, happy! Burny burny!"

The revelry did not last long as an Earthquake rocked Chi-yu's world and Stealth Rocks (accursed Stealth Rocks, Vaespar thought) were scattered by the Skarmory. Chi Yu was taken out by a Stone Edge,but its flames had already weakened the others, and Mewtwo took out the two rapidly with Aura Spheres. An Empoleon met a similar fate as Vaespar swapped in Masamune the Then came the Scizor and Reunclius. Mewtwo did not take note of them at first. But then the Reunclus cast a Trick Room. And the Scizor lunged and dug into him with a Pounce. Then again. "Ugh... How could I possibly..."

He fell.

Shit, Vaespar thought. There goes his ace. But he brought a backup. He sent out Zakuro the Delphox. "Hmph. We've got cleanup work to do," she said.

"Let's make it quick," said Masamune. She downed the Scizor with a Flamethrower (despite its Coba Berry) and Masamune cut down the Reuniclus with a Ceaseless Edge.

Then came the Metagross, which immediately Terastalized. But Masamune and Zakuro knew what to do. Zakuro fired another Flamethrower, its flames cascading across the Metagross. Masamune cut into its crystalline hide with a Sacred Sword.

The Metagross quickly fell. Vaespar breathed a sigh of relief. This Amarys, he admitted, was tough even when he went all out...

--------

Vaespar

Vaespar and Dante, after some practice, finally managed to conquer the flying time trial. Vaespar was feeling pretty good about himself. Then Amarys was tough. Very tough. Vaespar was forced to bring out the big guns again and STILL had trouble. He won in the end, but.

This wasn't right. Vaespar shouldn't have to use his maximum power just to deal with these Blueberry fools. He should be able to swat them aside without a care in the world. What was going on?

He did a few tasks to earn his way into challenging Lacey, and passed her test with flying colors. But as he geared up to challenge her Vaespar considered a possibility he hadn't in millenia.

Was he... weak?

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

A Whimsicott and a Granbull. Right, both of these needed to be taken out fast for what Vaespar had planned. "Milkshake, Decorate! Amonduul, Sludge Bomb!"

"One serving of sweetness coming up!" said Milkshake

"Pitiful pup. You're no match for me!" said Amonduul. A Light Screen from the Whimsicott and a Stomping Tantrum from the Granbull did not stop the defending pair's combo from decimating the Granbull. The Primarina that entered was not so kind, taking out Amonduul, but a Dazzling Gleam from Milkshake wore it and the Whimsicott down. He sent out Bon Jovi.

:"Iron head that Whimsicott!"

"Oh yeah! Livin' on a prayer!"

Bon Jovi slammed all three of his finely haired heads into the Whimsicott, taking it out. However, the Primarina immediately sung a Sparkling Araia at Bon Jovi. "Oog... I guess you may be the better singer..."

He fainted. But the Whimsicott was out of the picture. Vaespar knew what he had to do. "Sticky, go! Terastalize!"

A crystal aura surrounded Sticky as he became... a Water type?

"Heehee! Bet you didn't expect that, did you?" said Sticky. His Energy Ball took out the rimarina, as Lacey sent out a Slowbrto and her own Alcremie. The Slowbro smacked Milkshake with a side arm only for her to hold on and Decorate Sticky. Sticky hit the Slowbro with a Tera Blast, knocking it out.

An Excadrill was sent out in its place, KOing Milkshake with an Iron Head, but Sticky Water Tera Blasted that into oblivion too. But then the Alcremie hit Sticky with a Giga Drain. Shit. He needed to act fast. And he knew just who could. :"Oatchi! Extremespeed!"

"Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarge!" yelled Oatchi.

IHe slammed into and left a dent in the Alcremie, but not enough to stop it from sapping more of Sticky's health. Sticky perservered, however, and blasted it away with Water Tera Blast.

Vaespar did it. He had beaten all of the elite four. He should be celebrating. ...But he had a suspicion what was next...

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

"Heh. Heh heh heh heh," said Vaespar.

Mewtwo was on the field again. As was... Milkshake?

"Oh... I'm not really sure I can compete with the Big Guns team..."

~Hey.~ said Mewtwo. "Huh?" said Milkshake. ~Trust me. You'll be fine. Just keep supporting us.~

"Right! I'll do my best!"

Mewtwo fired a couple Ice Beams at Kieran's Dragonite, ignoring the Politod's Weather BallBlasts. The Dragonite was knocked out,but an Incineroar came out in its place and Faked Mewtwo out.

"Fool!" Vaespar yelled. "You think you're the only one who can break out a ridiculous hyper- optimized team?"

The Incineroar fell to an Aura Sphere to the face, but a weather Ball finally took out Mewtwo. Not too worry. Vaespar had Vergil.

The Miraidon was sent out just as Milkshake's Dazzling Gleam cut into the Politoed and took it out.

"This kid my inferior sibling mentioned?" said Vergil. Pathetic," said Vergil.

"You need to face the facts. You will never truly best me. I will always be one step ahead," said Vaespar.

A Porygon Z was sent ou- Nope, Vergil was deleting that. A Hudrapple and Grimsnarrl were sent out, the former Terastalizing into a Fighting type - odd choice - and the latter being decimated by the Electro Drift.

"So STOP BASING YOUR ENTIRE SELF AROUND BEATING ME!"

An Electro Drift from Vergil slammed into the Hydrapple. Its crystal armor exploded as it fell.

"Hmph. Good riddance."" said Vergil.

"I... I did it. I did it!" said Milkshajke.

At first Vaespar was enjoying the look of shock etched into Kieran's face. Then a voice cut into his brain. You're just as pathetic as he is.

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

Vaespar couldn't believe this. He had been invited to an expedition to the very darkest depths of Area Zero, to find the true Hidden Treasure, Terapagos, the being he'd been seeing all this time...

...And Kieran just snatches it from him! The audacity! Vaespar would not let this stand. "Go Milkshake! Dazzling Gleam!

"I'll dazzle it up!"

She blasted Terapagos with sparkling light, but its hide seemed to change, adapt, almost to better take the hits. There was a further back and forth of this until Milkshake was finally forced to Recover. She flinched to one Zen Headbutt but dodged another.

"I.... I want to help Vaespar!"

She dodged another. Filled the whole room with sparkling light. And Terapagos was down.

...Or was it?

Briarr had made a discovery. A revelation that would turn the tables.

Vaespar did not approve of this.

But Terapagos Terastalized anyway. And that's when things went wrong. "Hang on!"

It was Dante. He shielded the party from Terapagos' out of control energy.

Kieran tried to recall Terapagos but his Master Ball shattered. Even Briar was starting to panic.

But Vaespar and Carmine stepped up.

Carmine's Sinistcha healed Milkshake with a dose of her matcha. "Thank you kindly!" said Milkshake as she let loose a Dazzling Gleam.

Briar pointed our a barrier... Maybe...

"Milkshake, come back! Sticky, come on!"

Sticky entered the battlefield being barraged by a Tera Starstorm. He hissed at the impact.

"Now that's not very pleasant of you. "

The starstorm continued, but Sticky held on and spat a Fickle Beam at Terapagos' core.

"Now Sticky! Terastalize!"

Sticky glowed with watery power as he became Water Tera, firing a matching Tera Blast. The blast made a dent in the barrier as Vaespar quickly sprayed a Max Potion on Sticky.

But then a powerful Starstorm obliterated Sticky.

"...Milkshake, you're back in!"

"Oh, okay!"

Milkshake and Terapagos started hammering away at each other, Chipping away bit by bit at one another. But Milkshake fell first.

Vaespar was nervous. But as he sent out Amonduul,he realized his Tera Orb was still charged. "Amondull, Terastalize! Psychic!"

"Foolish being of power, I will crush you!" said Amondull.

Amoonduul shone with Terastal energy and shattered the barrier... only for Terapagos to absorb the Terastal energy and make another.

"Urk..."

Amonduul recoiled at repeated Earth Powers but still whittled down the barrier with a few Psychics before falling. Meanwhile Vaespar snuck a Revive to a team member...

Lae'zel came to face Terapagos next. "You will di-"

She was taken out quickly. But then Sticky took the field.

"I'm back! Hehehe," he said, lobbing Syrupy Bombs to slow Terapagos down.

Knowing it would make him a bit vulnerable, Vaespar Terastalized Sticky to break the barrier. And that he did, only for his own Tera energy to be stolen. Vaespar was on the ropes.

Then Kieran entered the fray, with his own Hydrapple.

"Excellent!"

Sticky was taken out again, but Vaespar had a plan - sneaking a Elexir and Max Revive to one particular team member...

"Milkshake, you're back in!"

"We... we won't lose!"

She began firing off Dazzling Gleams again. The Hydrapple supported with Syrup Bombs and Dragon Cheers before being taken out and replaced with a Dragonite. Then Vaespar saw a familiar gleam from his Tera Orb. "NOW!"

Cream turned to crystal as Milkshake Terastalized. Her sparkling light hammered even harder as the Terapagos shook and trembled from her and Dragonite's attacks. It hung on with one more HP, attempted to attack...

Then Kieran's Dragonite cracked it wide open with an Extremespeed.

Vaespar saw the opportunity, heard Kieran cheering him on, and tossed a Luxury ball. It shook once and clicked. Vaespar did it. The Hidden Treasure Of Area Zero was his.

He was NOT weak.

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

Vaespar did trounce Lacey - it took some finagling, but Sticky and his Water Tera won out in the end.

Then came Kieran. And. after the first attempt... nope, he was going to have to bring out the big guns. And also Milkshake.

With Kieran fully humiliated, as both Drayton and Vaespar had planned, they and Carmine werre suddenly invited to a expedition to Area Zero with Briar, on Geeta and Rika's behest. Drayton decl;ined, but the other three accepted, With Vaespar eagerly taking the Indigo Disk Geeta offered him. Finally, what he was seeking all along was ahead...

Once they were in Area Zero, the group used the Indigo Disk to delve into the Underdepths, solving puzzles along the way until they found the core - Terapagos. Vaespar had barely any time to contemplate how small such a powerful, reality-warping being was when Kieran immediately snatched it from him with a Master Ball, and Vaespar had to fight for it back.

But then things got worse. Kieran's attempt to Terastalize Terapagos sent it out of control, and he, Carmine and Vaespar had to team up to take it down. This time Vaespar caught it - finally, the Hidden Treasure Of Area Zero was his.

The quartet returned home triumphant, Kieran being determined to repair things with Vaespar, to Vaespar's chagrin. Briar started writing a book, and gave Vaespar an early copy. But on a whim Vaespar took Terapagos to the Crystal Pool, sensing a connection.

And that's when Professor Turo showed up. After a conversation where both parties were very confused (and Dante was overjoyed) the two exchanged books, then Turo vanished. Vaespar was left wondering if he had altered this timeline or another.

What was clear is he needed to look into harnessing Terapagos' power. But he had other things he needed to take care of too. He started collecting Pokemon for Perrin's new quest, including a strange musical one he found through an odd ritual...

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

Vaespar

Vaespar had finally collected 200 Pokemon. He presented his Pokedex to Perrin, who was impressed and in turn presented him two photos - one of a beast called Iron Boulder and one of a creature called Iron Crown.

Vaespar delved into Area Zero to find them. He looked over and over and over and over. Until he found both Pokemon and caught them. He returned to Perrin, who snapped a few photos of his catches and rewarded him with... a rare but otherwise unremarkable Pokeball called a Sports Ball.

Oh well. At least she was happy now.

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

Vaespar Vaespar was beginning to give up hope.

He wanted to find a Shiny Pokemon in Blueberry Academy, just as he had in Paldea and Kitikami. But he had been surging through countless Duraldons with no hope. But then finally Susanoo refused to fight one.

Finally one was a slightly different shade than the others. Finally one sparkled. He caught her in a Moon Ball. Named her Kaikyo. Made sure to evolve her as soon as possible.

She was beautiful. And she was his.

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

This creature certainly had given Vaespar all sorts of annoyance. Turning his "friends" and all of Kitikami into mochi-obsessed dancing zombies just to get in his way... awfully rude, wasn't it? BUt if Vaespar could capture it and use its powers for himself.... "Susanoo, Iron Head."

"It shall be done."

The creature spat a Shadow Ball, but the Shiny Kingambit shrugged it off with his Defiance and slammed the blade on his head into it. "Ramp it up! Kowtow Cleave!"

This time the blade was cloaked in inky dark energy as it sliced through another Shadow Ball - and straight into the creature's body.

Vaespar heard Kieran shouting he had an opportunity. He knew what he had to do. He grabbed the Sport Ball Perrin gave him and hurled.

The ball sucked it in, shook three times, and clicked. Vaespar grinned wickedly. Another powerful being for his collection...

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

Vaespar Zombies. Really. Here of all places?

But they happened. His "friends" had forced themselves along to Kitikami to meet his other "friends" while he was in the middle of IMPORTANT preparations! But then Carmine fell to the mysterious conjunctivitis zombie curse, then everyone else started falling to it, leaving Vaespar and Kieran to fight the source - a mysterious Pokemon named Pecharunt and its intoxicating mochi. Eventually Kieran held the zombie hordes off as Vaespar took down both the zombified Nemona and Petcharunt itself, catching it in the Sport Ball Nemona provided him. His "friends" had a good rest of their time together and said their heartfelt goodbyes, but Vaespar was more focused on this Pecharunt - with it, Ogerpon, and Terapagos' powers combined....

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

Vaespar had all the right ingredients for success. Before him stood two Pokemon - Terapagos and Pecharunt, as well as Ogerpon's msks..He was using his power and their power to create... something while the mysterious stranger watched worriedly nearby. Finally, it congealed. Settled into clumps. Until Vaespar lifted up a platter of it in triumph. "Yes! My own patented stellar mochi! This will turn anyone who eats it into my superpowered servants!"

"That sounds awfully sinister," said the person. "I'm not sure I can let you do that." Vaespar raised an eyebrow. "You let me run all around your world to do this."

"You helped me solve several problems along the way! I assumed the best!"

"Well too bad. I know better than to beat you in a fight, but I'm taking these back to my home universe whether you like it or no-"

There was a blip. Vaespar disappeared, and the mochi clattered to the floor,

"Phew!" said the person. "Good thing I can in fact put him right back where he came from."

"Oh! Those are the snacks we made!" said Terapagos. "I wanna try some..."

He moved toward the crystal mochi. The person hurriedly scooped him up and cradled him close to his chest.

"No, those are bad for you!"

"Damn," said Peecharunt. "I coulda controlled Terapagos... I coulda made it love me..."

"Don't you start!" said the person

Pecharunt sighed. With a glow, the person transformed into none other than Arceus.

"Now," said Arceus, "I'll have to think on who I pick as the trainer hero for next time... Maybe someone less risky."

"...Maybe."

#umbra plays pokemon area zero #the hidden treasure of area zero #the teal mask #pokemon scarlet and violet #the indigo disk #carmine #kieran #briar #original character #ogerpon #terapagos #fanfiction

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scandinaviansim · 2 years

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THE SCANDIESAVE V1.0

Behold the very first version of the ScandieSave! ... and my very first save file ever, for that matter. This project have been in the works for a whooping 25 months and I have put all my effort and love into creating a version of the game that I would want to play with myself. I hope you'll enjoy it too and use it as a base for your own game play ideas!

What can I expect from the Scandie Save?

All pre-existing townies have had a makeover.

50+ new families with stories, skills, careers etc.

A bit of lore, some relationships and

Backstories for all families

The return of old, familiar characters

50+ new clubs.

Many all new houses and community lots.

Renovated versions of Maxis houses and buildings.

DOWNLOAD SCANDIESAVE V1.0 HERE.

What do I need in order to play the Scandie Save?

You'll need a PC or a MAC, sorry console players...

The savefile is not packrestrickted, see complete list below.

No mods or CC is needed for this save file, but I do recommend the More Club Icons Mod if you are a frequent user of clubs.

How do I install the ScandieSave?

Back up your saves folder.

Download the Scandie Save.

Put the save in your SAVES folder. Most people will find it here: Documents > Electronic Arts > Sims 4 > Saves.

If you already have a file with the same filename as the Scandie Save, please rename the save file to a name that is not currently in use but make sure to keep it 8 digits long.

What packs do I need to own in order to use the savefile?

The sims 4 base game - free to play!

Expansion Pack: Seasons / Get to work / Get together / City Living / Cats&Dogs / Cottage living / Snowy Escape / Eco Living / Discover University / Island Living / Get famous

Game Packs: Outdoor retreat / Spa Day / Dine out / Vampires / Parenthood / Jungle Adventure / Stragerville / Realm of magic / Journey to Batuu / Dream Home Decorator / My wedding Stories

Stuff Packs: Luxury Party / Perfect Patio / Cool Kitchen / Spooky Stuff / Movie Hangout / Romantic Garden / Kids Room / Backyard Stuff / Vintage Glamour / Bowling Night / Fitness Stuff / Toddler Stuff / Laundry Day / My First Pet / Moschino / Tiny Living / Nifty Knitting / Paranormal

Kits: Throwback fit kit / Country Kitchen / Bust the dust / Courtyard oasis / Fashion Street / Industrial Loft / Incheon Arrivals / Decor to the max

I want more, where can I get it?

I post sim, townie-remakes, lots and renovations on the sims gallery. Follow me if you need more sims for your gameplay. Im called Scandinaviansim at the gallery.

Are there any known bugs in this save?

YES! Please note that The Sims 4 is a very buggy game, and that some issues are out of my control. During the creation of this save file I have experienced the following bugs that you might also encounter when you play this file:

Some babies shows up as darker on thumbnails or in neighborhood view.

Any other mistakes? Please report them to me, and ill see what I can do.

Anything else I need to think about?

Feel free to enjoy the #ScandieSave however you want to, but please do not reupload sims and buildings as your own creations.

#ScandieSave #savefil #save file #the sims 4 #the sims #TS4

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thegamecollection · 11 months

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UBISOFT FORWARD 2023!

Good morning/afternoon/some time of the day or night from across the pond! I'm making the most of this jet lag with some Peanut Butter m&m's and a blog on our time at yesterday's Ubisoft Forward event! It was a morning accompanied by popcorn that showcased their (very) impressive lineup for this year and beyond!

Before I get into it, can you believe there's no coffee machine in this hotel room? Why must I suffer? It's simply unacceptable.

Now that I've had a moan we can get into it. Thanks for listening.

We had planned some video content for TikTok but upon arrival and having passed the awesome Assassin's Creed cosplayers above, we were met with this potentially day-ruining sign:

We're sorry. It's not our fault.

JUST DANCE 2024

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The event got underway with one the most popular music game franchises (if not THE most popular) of all time, back for 2024 with 40 new tracks and a vibey trailer that somehow transitioned from screen to live dancers on stage! I'd be lying if I said Just Dance was personally my thing but its player numbers around the globe speaks for itself! Fans will be pleased to know that "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus has made the cut, as well as all-time banger "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston!

Launching on 24th October, you can now pre-order with us here.

AVATAR: FRONTIERS OF PANDORA

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Getting to see more on this first person action adventure that gives us the opportunity to become Na'vi and seek revenge on the invading RDA, well, it was absolutely fantastic. We weren't exactly sure on how this title would play out but after yesterday's gameplay, consider us SOLD. Set after the events of the first Avatar film, you’ll embark on a journey across the Western Frontier, a never-before-seen continent of Pandora! Fans of Far Cry will no doubt have also been frothing at the choice of weapons, skills and stunning scenery that awaits on this breathtaking planet! Oh and we got a release date too...

Launching on 7th December, you can now pre-order with us here.

THE CREW MOTORFEST

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Car enthusiasts, fasten your seatbelts! The Crew Motorfest will officially launch on 14th September and will be using the vibrant island of O’ahu, Hawaii as its playground! The 3rd instalment in the franchise looks the part, that's for sure. From the Lamborghini Revuelto to the Toyota Supra, Hummer EV or Porsche Taycan Turbo S, there's a set of wheels and a racing feel for EVERYONE!

We were told no photos but I did manage to snap this beauty as we were leaving! Sorry, Ubi - it was too good to leave without memento.

You can now pre-order with us here.

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE LOST CROWN

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No, we didn't get any news on the Sands of Time Remake but after its announcement at Summer Game Fest last week, we did get to see more on this epic side-scrolling, sword slashing, time-dashing new adventure in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown! Play as Sargon and evolve from sword-wielding prodigy to extraordinary legend as you master acrobatic combat and unlock new Time Powers and unique super abilities.

Having seen this earlier in the year on a confidential presentation, its improvements since then are astounding. This metroidvania type game has found huge popularity in recent years with many titles adopting the style! But nevertheless it stands out from a crowd and looks to be an absolute MUST play for me!

Launching on 18th January 2024, you can now pre-order with us here.

SKULL AND BONES

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We're all familiar with this right me hearties? Of course. It's been due to set sail for a number of years but has regularly been met with choppy waters and uncertain tides...

Yesterday didn't deliver too much on when we can actually expect Skull and Bones to get those anchors away, but we were treated to this new trailer accompanied by a live performance from the band 'Home Free' as they sang their tune from the game!

The Closed Beta will be available 25th-28th August and you can now register here.

Of course with this already being announced, you can pre-order on our website here!

STAR WARS OUTLAWS

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Having seen the trailer a couple of days ago for the long awaited open world Star Wars game that was originally teased in 2021, we've already been feeling pretty blessed... But seeing a 10 minute gameplay walk-through yesterday has excited all of us scummy, villainous gamers to no end!

Seeing Kay Vess and the adorable Nix in heist action reminded us of the loving relationship between Cal and BD-1, and that is NEVER a bad thing. From the heat of blaster-fire battle to the foot-down freedom of a speeder chase, this footage shows that 2024 will be a great time to be an Outlaw!

No official launch date has been confirmed and so there's no pre-orders just yet! But sit tight, watch the gameplay again and prepare to revel in what will be the first and incredibly ambitious open world Star Wars game to date!

ASSASSIN'S CREED MIRAGE

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We're finishing up here with the extended gameplay section we saw from Assassin's Creed Mirage, and its back-to-basics stealth-centric footage that fans in the presentation were cheering for with joy and rapture!

Our assassin Basim is light on his feet and making even lighter work of those that stand in his way... The gameplay showed that mixing stealth with creativity really does deliver supreme results! Smoke bombs, blow-darts, hidden blades, it's all in a day's work for this agile and acrobatic executioner!

Ninth-century Baghdad has never looked better and we can't wait to take our place with an ancient organization known as the Hidden Ones...

Launching on 12th October, you can pre-order with us here.

If you've made it this far then I thank you for reading! For those wondering exactly how I've made it without that coffee, a five minute break at Dunkin' Doughnuts around the corner has gotten me over the line!

God bless America.

-Jack

#Youtube #ubisoft forward #assassin's creed mirage #avatar frontiers of pandora #the crew motorfest #preorder #star wars outlaws #video game news #blogs for gamers #just dance 2024 #skull and bones #prince of persia #thegamecollection #tgc

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sissytobitch10seconds · 5 months

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Celebration and Traditions

Fandom: The Umbrella Academy Summary: They didn't have anything like this when they were kids, so they've decided to make it a tradition as adults. After all, now that they're married, they have complete control over their own household. The holidays are for them and them alone. Warnings: Mentions of canon-typical child abuse Word Count: 3,592 Ship(s): Five Hargreeves/Viktor Hargreeves

Archive link!

A/N: We've made it all the way to the end! I'm honestly really surprised that I was able to make it all the way to the end. I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to do that because I was worried I was going to get sick of TUA. Even though most of my other mutuals that love it have moved on, I'm still mostly here lol. I was also tempted to write all twelve installments at the beginning of the year but decided that it would be a better idea to write them a month prior to their upload to show my progress. I think it turned out really well! Thank you all for following me on this journey and enjoying each installment. Stay sissy and bitchy everyone <3

The morning crept slowly into the afternoon, and Viktor knew that he had to get on with his tasks if he wanted to have time for joy. He had spent the early hours burrowed under his heavy winter quilts to try and stave off the storm that was threatening to cleave his joints in two. It wasn’t rare for him to have high pain days after concerts when they were in the winter months, but that didn’t make them suck any less.

Slowly, he removed the duvet and then forced himself to his feet. He didn’t know that getting up into his forties was going to result in him being in so much pain compared to when he had been heavily medicated and in his thirties, but life was coming to laugh at just how wrong he had been. One hand moved to cup the hip that was hurting him as he dragged the blankets and sheets back to where they belonged. Boomer, the rescue bloodhound that they had picked up from the pound only two years ago, was going to make a nest out of their bed if he didn’t put it back to some semblance of rights. He didn’t have the energy to tuck the sheets back in where they belonged, though.

He was glad that he had showered the night before instead of putting it off until the morning as he stagged over to his chest of drawers so he could put some clothes on. He settled for a comfortable, soft pair of cotton pants and then the blue sweater with little snowflakes on it that Klaus had given him the year before. It was soothing enough on his borderline overstimulated skin that he knew he was going to be able to actually wear it without an undershirt, which would prevent him from getting too hot.

He walked past the office, expecting Five to be where he always was. It had bothered him when they had first gotten married, the amount of time that Five spent working, but he had learned to understand it. In the same way that his brain was always cycling through songs and music and tasks, his husband’s was doing with math. He had to have a release for that so that the numbers didn’t eat each other in his mind. Today, though, Five wasn’t there.

Viktor paused for only a moment so that he could listen to the sounds of their house. The heater had kicked on again because the windows of their home leaked, but over that was the sound of crisp, clear piano cords. A smile crept over his face as he realized what that meant and he immediately headed towards his living room.

Neither of them had grown up watching much television so even with the technological advancements of the new universe, their living room was set up with a myriad of other things that they could do. They had the huge bookshelves containing all of the novels that they had wanted to but had never gotten the chance to read. They did have a TV in their entertainment center, as well as a couple of gaming consoles, despite their disuse of them both. The thing that Viktor loved the most was the vintage piano that he had personally helped refurbish.

Five was currently perched on the bench for it, his eyes boring holes into the page in front of him. They would flicker down to his hands and he would move them over slightly as he continued to play. He had only recently started to learn so that he could make accompany Viktor’s violin, but he was excelling greatly.

He was so wrapped up in his work that he didn’t even turn his head towards his husband like he normally would have. The time when Viktor thought that it was fun to startle his husband had long since passed, so he sat down on the bench and waited until he was noticed. Several minutes passed before Five turned towards the other man like he had assumed that Viktor was by his side the entire time and then asked, “What’s this note again?”

“You play it like this,” he replied instead of just telling the other. One of his arms wrapped around Five’s back to hold onto the arm that was further away and the other came to rest on the closer one. It meant that they were squished together, Viktor’s face pressed flush to Five’s shoulder but neither of them were going to say anything about it. They could only touch each other like this, could only derive love and care from their spouse. It was their tender, private moment and nothing was going to be able to break it.

Viktor carefully reoriented Five’s hands on the keys and then pressed down so that they next part of the song rang through their house. “Do you want to show me the entire song?” he asked. Instead of moving back so that he was sitting in his own spot, he settled his arms into his lap and kept his head resting on Five’s shoulder.

“Would you like to hear the rest of the song, beloved?” Five asked, a small smile creeping up on his handsome features.

“You know that I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to. I’ve grown up at least a little bit since we were six,” he chuckled playfully. Viktor tilted his head up, running his hand through the salt-and-pepper locks that were now hanging down over Five’s forehead.

“I would certainly hope so,” Five replied. He leaned down and brought their lips together in a chaste yet sweet kiss, one that made Viktor feel like there was molten chocolate in the center of his chest.

When they broke apart from each other, Five turned back to his piano and began to play. Viktor let his eyes fall shut and cuddled into his side enough that he could feel close but not so much that he was going to be hindering the play. He hummed along with the familiar parts of the song and didn’t say anything when the notes were missed or a bar was in the wrong place.

“That was nice,” Viktor commented when the last couple of notes finished playing through the back of the piano. “What made you choose it out of all of the songs in this book?”

“I know that it’s one of your favorites, I thought that it would be nice to wake you up with it,” he replied softly. Now that he was no longer playing, he moved so that he was straddling the branch and could face his husband properly. Viktor responded to that by tucked his legs up underneath himself, despite how much it made his already creaky knees ache in the process.

That same warmth that was caused from hearing the song leaked through his veins again. Carol of the Bells was a song that he had to play almost every year with his orchestra. Some would argue that should have made the song his least favorite, but the haunting cords and slow crescendo made it feel like his bones were vibrating at the perfect tempo to heal everything bad that had ever happened to him. It was his favorite because he got to play it so much, because he got to bask in that feeling. The fact that his husband had picked up on that, even after all their years of marriage and the assumption others would make, was almost as good as getting to play the song with a professional orchestra.

“It was a very nice thing to wake up to,” he murmured. “I always play this song before I make Christmas cookies, like Mom used to.”

“I was thinking that we could make them together this year. I already did all of the chores that needed to get done today and I finished grading a week early. Is that okay?” Five asked.

Viktor was going to laugh before he saw that there was genuine worry in his husband’s eyes. There hadn’t been any kind of celebration for the holidays in their childhood home despite Grace decorating for all of them. The closest that they had gotten to a celebration was the pageants that the Umbrella Academy members got asked to go to during Christmas and New Years, as well as the day off that they were awarded on their birthday. Five had been lost in the apocalypse when he was an adult and hadn’t been able to celebrate anything or even properly conceive the passage of time, so there hadn’t been anything for him there. Viktor had only known the holidays as a time where everyone else started getting off work and he only had more because he was a concert violinist.

Now that they were adults and they owned their own home, away from their father, they were allowed to do whatever they wanted. Five got extra time off when he wasn’t working at the university and Viktor still worked a lot, but now it felt like a blessing and something to be excited about. They decorate their home in the way that they liked, with fake tinsel made in silver instead of the classic red and green. They got a fake tree that they put with a skirt that mostly hung off the collapsable table instead of hiding the legs. They decorated the fake tree with ornaments that they had made themselves, found in thrift stops, and received from their siblings. They also had their own little traditions that they liked to do, that had formed naturally over the years.

They did several things throughout the actual month of Decemberin preparation for Christmas, but this tradition was by far Viktor’s favorite. They baked cookies on Christmas Eve every year, even though they had never had a child living with them and thus never had to pretend that Santa was real. Usually Five was too busy to help with them, which Viktor was fine with since he liked cooking on his own. This year it seemed like his husband was making an effort to appreciate all of the things that made the holiday special for him.

He was also aware that Five was under the impression that the world was very rickety and he was terrified up upending the balance. The crease on Five’s nose and the worry in his brow spoke to his anxiety about whether or not what he had done was right. Viktor moved forward on the bench so that he was essentially sitting on his husband’s lap. He linked his fingers on the back of his husband’s neck and brought him in so that their foreheads were pressed together. “I would love it if you and I could bake cookies together this year. Thank you for being the best husband that I could ever ask for,” he whispered.

Five, with no hesitation, reached out so that his hands were grasping his husband’s hips. They were impossibly close together, not kissing or speaking to each other, just basking in the life that they each brought to the relationship and the fact that they got to experience the world together. “I love you, Viktor.”

“I love you more,” he replied mischeviously. He pressed a quick kiss to his husband’s nose and then got off of the bench so that he could go to the kitchen. He was walking slowly and keeping his weight off of his left leg because the winter storm blowing in was bothering him, but he was excited enough that he was ignoring the pain.

Back where he had been moments prior, Five just chuckled affectionately and then shouted after him, “Make yourself something to eat for lunch, first!”

Viktor let out a grumble but didn’t try to fight with his husband. It was around noon and his stomach was trying to eat through itself because of how hungry he was. He hadn’t woken up earlier due to the sensation because he had eaten something when he had gotten home from his show late the night before. He made his way to the fridge and then found one of what he and Five affectionately called ‘Adult Lunchables’. They were a good thing to stick into a bag with an ice block so that he could eat them during rehearsals without having to get something big out. Now that he was on break, he had to get them out of the fridge before they went bad.

By the time that he had finished his lunch, Five had packed up whatever he had been doing with the piano and was able to walk into the kitchen. They greeted each other with another sweet kiss and then got to work.

Viktor pulled the recipe from the stack that he had on top of the little Rolodex that he kept them in. He had gotten most of the recipes that they would need for that season out the week before so he wouldn't try and fail to find them like he had the year prior when he actually needed them. "You're going to get the ingredients out for me, right?" he asked with a cheeky smile.

"Whatever you need me to do, beloved," Five replied sweetly.

It was enough to make him melt back into being lovey instead of trying to tease. His husband always had that effect on him, which was part of the reason why Viktor had fallen so heavily in love with him even after all of the time that they had spent apart from each other.

He hopped up on the counter with some help from both of his hands. He wasn't as spry as he used to be, but the holidays made him feel like he could be young again. He held the card in his hand as he read out the ingredients that they required, slow enough that Five could find them in the maze of their cupboards.

Soon, everything that they could need to make chocolate chip cookies were spread out on the counter. "Do you want to do the wet or the dry ingredients?" Viktor asked as he lowered himself off of the counter.

"I have to be able to follow a recipe and you never actually wrote down the spice amount on the card," Five teased in his way of explaining. He grabbed the butter, sugars, and vanilla from the counter so that he would walk over to the stand mixer.

Viktor rolled his eyes affectionately at the teasing from his lover. Their recipes had made a lot of changes over the years. It was only in the last three that he had actually consolidated them all from where they had been stuffed in cookbooks, under appliances, and with ingredients all over their kitchen. Even then they had all been printed pages of recipes found online or written on varied pieces of lined (or unlined in the case of the Easter Ham recipe) paper. Now all of their recipes were hand-written and the same size with the same style, ingredients on the side without lines and recipes on the side with them. Viktor wasn't perfect and had left out some of the steps that were ingrained in his mind, though.

In a manner that he hoped was inconspicuous, the violinist grabbed the eggs from their pile of ingredients and then slid them next to the stand mixer for Five. His husband didn't notice and asked, "How was your concert last night?"

"It was good! The one before Christmas Eve is always packed, so that was a little stressful. I'm almost glad that I had the crazy idea of signing up to help with cleanup because it meant that it was easier for me to get out of the parking lot," he explained. He set the little note card down on the counter in front of him, propped up on the pot of a spider plant that Five had gotten Viktor for his birthday the first year they had been together.

"Did the soloist fuck up again?" Five asked. He turned around so that his chest was pressed against his husband's back. He was bending down far enough that his chin was on Viktor's shoulder while he noisily dug around for the measuring cup he needed.

“Surprising everyone, she actually managed to play through the entire piece without stumbling. I was every impressed,” Viktor chuckled. He had made first chair during the second audition for it after they had gotten to the new universe. He made sure to be kinder than Helen had been to him back in the day, but that didn’t stop him from being snarky and just a little bit mean concerning the woman who had the cello solo in one of their songs.

Five laughed and then kissed at his neck. Viktor squirmed away from the attention before he gasped and rushed to the other room. He returned with a Bluetooth speaker and his phone in his hands, much to Five’s obvious amusement. He spent the next several minutes getting the music set up so that the notes were gliding through the air as they got everything ready. He sang along to every song that he knew by heart and hummed to the one that he only knew the melody to. Five helped by singing the parts that he knew as well, but he was far less musically inclined than his husband.

They got the dry and wet ingredients prepared separately before they had to converge on the other side of the kitchen. Five held the mixer down with his hand and cupped at the sides were the powder was going to escape while Viktor dolled it out into the bowl with one of the measuring cups that they had used for the flour.

“Chocolate chips?” Five asked as he detached the bowl and placed it on the counter next to the stove. By that point, the dough was almost overflowing in the container and would have made it very hard for the mixer to actually evenly distribute their add-ins.

“I think that we should make a dozen with the orange ones,” Viktor said. He clambered on top of the dryer despite his husband’s protestations so that he could look for the aforementioned chips.

“Orange?” Five asked. He was hovering behind his husband like he was terrified that at any second, their sturdy metal dryer was going to cave in and Viktor was going to tumble down to the ground. He had been able to teleport his entire life and then tall when he lost his powers, so didn’t relate to the other man’s struggles with being able to reach the upper parts of their cupboards.

“Yeah, the ones that we put into those cookies that we made with the oats,” Viktor replied dismissively. He pulled them out and then handed them to the other man, his mouth once again stretching into a grin.

“Sweetheart, I think that word that you were looking for is caramel,” he laughed. He leaned down and kissed Viktor as he took the plastic baggy that they had placed the leftover candy into.

Viktor got all the way off of the dryer and then washed his hands off. Five was portioning out the dough very carefully and then pressing an even amount of chips into it so that they didn’t add the specific flavor to all of the cookies. Once he had finished, Viktor dumped an entire bag of chocolate chips into the dough and began to mix them in with his hands. They had filled up two whole sheets with tiny cookies-to-be before they put them into the oven.

The next two sheets had been prepared and were resting on the dryer so that they didn’t start to melt as they got the dishes into the dishwasher to clean up some of the mess.

When the first batch came out, they were immediately removed to the drying racks on the table. Viktor made sure to put the squirt bottle down in between them to deter Princess, their ancient alley cat who liked to steal any human food she thought she could get away with.

Once the next set of cookies were in the oven and the pans were cooling so they could get the next round started, Viktor slowly wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist. One of the slow songs was playing over the speaker, which made him feel soft and warm with the spirit of a holiday he had never celebrated before getting married. “Thank you for doing this with me,” he whispered.

“I would do anything for you, Viktor, you know that,” Five said it like a promise. The words traveled directly to the heavy ring on Viktor’s finger, reminding him of the other vows that they had exchanged.

“I love you. I’m so happy that you chose me to be your husband,” he grinned.

“There would be no one better,” Five murmured. They shared another kiss just as Viktor noticed that the storm had turned the whole outside of their house white, which was going to heavily impact their ability to go visit Diego’s family the next day. Viktor didn’t mind, he didn’t even say anything. He was happy to be wrapped up in the arms of the man that his soul belonged to with the sound of his favorite music and the scent of cookies filling up the home that he had fought tooth and nail to make.

#fanfiction #fanfic #writing #ao3 #archive of our own #year of fiktor series #year of otp #celebration and traditions fic #fiktor #five x viktor #viktor x five #viktor hargreeves #five hargreeves #tua #the umbrella academy

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