#First Descendant optimization

[haplogamingchef]

First Descendant: The Ultimate 1-Hour Daily Farming Routine

Daily Farming Tips: Get Gold, Components, and Crystallization Catalyst in First Descendant

Playing First Descendant efficiently means having a solid, reliable farming routine. If you’re looking to maximize your daily material gain, gold income, and prep for upcoming updates, here’s a simple one-hour plan you can follow every day. Let’s dive into the exact steps I use daily to farm everything I need for upgrades and new builds.

Start with Crystallization Catalyst Research

The first thing to knock out each day is starting research for the Crystallization Catalyst. Here's how to stay on top of it:

Start one Crystallization Catalyst research session right after the daily reset.

Log back in later during the day to kick off another research session.

Mixed Energy Residue and Advanced Neural Circuits are the only tricky materials. To farm these:

Use Enzo in Agna Desert for Mixed Energy Residue.

Run the "Borderline of Truth" mission in White Knight Gulch for Advanced Neural Circuits.

Running Void Vessel missions also supplies plenty of needed materials.

✅ Tip: Always keep farming daily because when big updates hit, materials can disappear fast as you build new weapons and Descendants.

Daily Invasions for Easy Gold

Next, focus on daily invasion missions. Why? It’s a reliable, fast way to get gold — and lots of it.

Complete all four invasion missions each day.

Each mission grants about 1.25 million gold.

If you use a Gold Boost, you’ll snag an extra 30%, earning an extra 375k gold per mission.

Today’s example:

Quarantine Zone and Haven invasions are active.

With a Gold Boost, you easily grab around 1.6 million per set.

✅ Tip: Always pop a Gold Boost before you start for maximum gains!

Sigma Sector Runs for RK XP

After the invasion missions, head over to the Sigma Sector for daily RK XP farming.

Each Sigma map gives a 4,000 RK XP bonus plus 1,500 XP per normal run.

Choose a Descendant whose AR tree needs upgrading. (Right now, I’m using Walby.)

Running both maps nets you about 11,000 XP — easy upgrades without grinding.

✅ Tip: This takes only about 10 minutes and drastically speeds up leveling your Descendants.

Stockpiling Key Components: Focus on Reactors and Implants

Now, it’s time to farm for those high-demand upgrade materials:

Precise Ion Accelerators

Dimension Analyzers

These are absolutely essential for reactor enhancements and weapon implants.

You’ll need:

140 Dimension Analyzers per full reactor enhancement.

2,000 Precise Ion Accelerators and 200 Dimension Analyzers per weapon implant.

✅ Tip: Aim to stockpile enough for 4-5 reactors in advance. I personally target 750 Dimension Analyzers and 20,000 Precise Ion Accelerators to stay ready for new releases.

Farming the Tormentor Efficiently

The Tormentor Boss is your best bet for farming Quantum Crystals and Void Metal Fragments.

Drops include:

Materials needed for Precise Ion Accelerators.

Materials used for Dimension Analyzers.

Core Particle Disruptors and Core Binders for weapon unlocking.

✅ Tip: Farming the Tormentor 20–30 minutes daily can fully restock you for upcoming patches.

Void Abyss and Core Farming

If you still need Cores to unlock weapons:

Run Void Abyss Purges at Stage 30.

Now it’s easier than ever; soloing is manageable with skill-based Descendants.

Group runs take 2-3 minutes max.

✅ Tip: Prioritize chill-based skills because most enemies are now weak to chill effects.

Optional: Farming External Components

While doing Sigma and other missions, don’t forget to collect external components:

I’m currently working on the Enlightened Mage set.

Always try to complete full sets to be ready when you need a specific buff or loadout.

✅ Tip: Build up sets slowly; no need to rush unless a build demands it.

Blueprint Farming for Crystallization Catalyst

If you need blueprints for crafting Crystallization Catalysts:

Farm 400% dungeons with Fina.

Collect at least 5-6 amorphous materials.

Stop once you’ve banked enough, preventing burnout.

Summary of the 1-Hour Farming Routine

Total Time: About 60 minutes.

Here’s a breakdown:TaskTimeNotesInvasion Missions10-12 minsGold Boost activeSigma Sector5-10 minsXP Boost for AR treesTormentor Farm20-30 minsQuantum Crystals & Void MetalCatalyst Farming5-10 minsOnly if blueprints neededOptional Core Farming10 minsVoid Abyss Purge if needed

✅ Result:

Plenty of Gold

Crystallization Catalyst Research Progress

Stockpile of Key Components

XP Growth for Descendants

Prepped External Components

Final Thoughts: Stick to the Routine, Stay Ahead

If you want to stay ready for First Descendant updates without stressing about missing materials, having a simple, repeatable farming routine is the way to go. By logging in for about an hour daily, you’ll stack up everything you need — gold, crystallization catalysts, key upgrade materials, and XP for your Descendants.

Here’s the quick reminder:

Start Catalyst Research daily.

Run Invasions for fast gold.

Clear Sigma Sector for AR XP.

Farm the Tormentor for core materials.

Pick up Blueprints and External Components when needed.

Stick with it, and you’ll always be prepared for new content drops without having to grind for hours later. Plus, it keeps the game feeling fresh and fun instead of turning into a long, boring grind.

Thanks for checking out the guide! See you in the next farming session — and happy grinding!

🎮 Meet Haplo Gaming Chef 🍳

Level 99 Kitchen Warrior here! I'm on a quest to transform your gaming sessions into epic culinary adventures. When I'm not farming rare ingredients in MMOs, I'm crafting real-world recipes inspired by your favorite video games.

Specializing in: • Game-inspired recipe creation • Cooking quest guides • Power-up snacks for gaming sessions • Achievement-worthy meal prep

Join my party as we explore the delicious intersection of pixels and plates. Whether you're a casual foodie or a hardcore gamer, there's always room at my crafting table! #Gaming #GamingGuides #GamingChef #HaploGamingChef For More Visit: https://haplogamingchef.blogspot.com/

[maddymoreau]

My Thoughts on Poppy Playtime Chapter 3

Ollie is ADORABLE!!!! "No ouchies or lost body parts?" HE'S A BABY I NEED TO PROTECT!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! (¬‿¬) I have ZERO evidence for this but my theory is he’s The Prototype.

I’m REALLY happy to see the phone Ollie calls the player on is identical to the one in Project: Playtime! It’s nice seeing stuff introduced in Project: Playtime finally appear in the main series.

( ⚆_⚆ ) ESPECIALLY DR. HARLEY SAWYER!!!! WOW THE TAPE FEATURING HIM TALKING TO THE PROTOTYPE WAS DARK!!!! I knew a man like Dr. Sawyer would be a sick and twisted individual since he created the Bigger Bodies Initiative.

Despite that I was NOT prepared to hear the joy in his voice to experiment on children. It was revolting.

This exchange:

Prototype: "You stick us. Beat us. Tear at flesh. Do you feel it?"

Dr. Sawyer: "There is a secret inside you, 1006. Valuable beyond all measure. I cut and prod and burn at it, and I get closer with each session . . . So speak, or don't. Fight, or give in. Regardless, I learn something new about you every day . . . (Laughs) It excites me!"

Prototype: "Thank you."

Dr. Sawyer: "You . . . thank me?"

Prototype: "Absolutely. I learn something new about you every day."

THAT FINAL LINE WHEN THE PROTOTYPE IS MIMICKING DR. SAWYER'S VOICE AHHHHHH!!!!

＿|￣|○ I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO DR. SAWYER SO BADDDDD!!!!!! He wasn’t around for The Hour of Joy but I hope he suffered.

Leith Pierre: "Normally I'd have Dr. Sawyer do this but he's uhhh . . . out, let's say. So you got me until they find his replacement."

(o ´ _ ` )o The contrast between how Dr. Sawyer speaks to the experiments VS Leith Pierre the Head of Innovation at Playtime Co.

Both dehumanize the experiments in different ways.

Leith Pierre can’t even bother remembering Catnap's real name. He puts on this fake friendly facade. Referring to Catnap as his Pal and Buddy. It's so disingenuous.

Especially when he asks, "Heya Theo! How ya doin' bud?" Pierre could care less about how Catnap feels. It's only when Catnap responds, "The Prototype will save us." That gets Pierre to finally drops the corporate spiel. Admitting to what this place is. Catnap’s prison.

No wonder Catnap worshipped The Prototype after being save when this is what he’s told about his horrific situation.

Leith Pierre: "THIS is your life now. Get used to it."

I absolutely LOVED all the new features for the Grab Pack. The air jet looked SO FUN!!!! Watching people desperately shoot the flare gun against smiling critters in a cramped space WAS SO INTENSE!!! The smiling critter's small growls and whimpers made me sad.

(ʃƪ 〃’▽’〃)♡ The horror in this chapter was INCREDIBLE!!!! While I had fun playing Chapter 2 I remember feeling disappointed by the scares.

CHAPTER THREE HAD ME HORRIFIED!!!! EVERY JUMP SCARE HAD ME FLYING OUT MY CHAIR, THE ATMOSPHERE WAS AMAZING AND AHHHHH THE HOME ORPHANAGE SECTION!!!!!

It reminded me of PT ∑(; °_°) Especially with the radio informing us that in Elliot Ludwig's house it was discovered he HAD THE BODY OF A CHILD IN A DUFFLE BAG!!?!?!?!?!?!

ALSO THAT ONE RADIO'S REVERSE MESSAGE!!!

"8-8-1995 I find your presence intrusive. After all this time you return. You come in here and yet you kill and murder. You pilate and destroy. Your presence was demanded 10 years ago and yet you didn't show up . . . 8-8-1995 You were supposed to be here. Why weren't you here? You missed the event. You missed the meeting. You missed the party. You have no right to be here . . ."

AHHHHHH MOBGAMES KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THE LIGHTING IN THIS SCENE!!!!!

I thought I was going to see MY BOY 😭💔!!!!!!

Huggy Wuggy is completely fine.

Kissy Missy was so sad and adorable in this chapter. Seeing her stare at the picture and hug herself BROKE MY HEART ( o̴̶̷᷄ _ o̴̶̷̥᷅ )!!! She deserves the world.

Catnap acting like a child and avoiding school 😭💔

Miss Delight was a minor spoiler I knew about since people used her face in their thumbnail. However I was NOT prepared for her to act like a Coil-Head!!!!

Theodore being described as antisocial and having a peculiar relationship with an imaginary friend _(:ì」∠)_.

That “imaginary” friend being The Prototype. Who guided Theodore to help them both escape. Only for Theodore to get electrocuted since he was just a child who didn't know how to safely use a Grabpack.

The Prototype throwing away their chance to escape to save Theodore by bringing him to the staff. Showing The Prototype does care in some way.

Only for Theodore to be later turned Catnap.

THEN the player electrocutes Catnap the SAME way Theodore originally received his injuries. The Prototype comes to “save” Theodore once again but this time by making Catnap a part of him AND CATNAP ACCEPTS SO WILLINGLY (˃ ⌑ ˂ഃ )!!!!

It felt like I was watching a religious experience.

I love Poppy Playtime but I do think they show too much in their trailers. Dog day is a great example but even then his scene was *chef kiss*

All the smiling critters crawling inside Dogday as he desperately screamed in agony and for us to run away left me speechless.

I liked the detail of Dogday calling us angel. I'm excited to see all the AUs people create where we save him.

ALSO THE HOUR OF JOY WAS A BLAST TO WATCH!!!!!

I know Poppy is right that it was just senseless slaughter. How all that death didn't fix or help anyone. Especially when it didn't matter if those killed were innocent or not.

However imagining these characters being painfully experimented on and stripped of their autonomy. Going though years of hell and finally reaching their breaking point. It's hard to not feel good for them getting to release that anger. Even if I know it's wrong.

ALSO I GOT TO SEE MY SECOND FAVORITE CHARACTER BOXY BOO YAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

THERE WAS SOOOOO MUCH HUGGY WUGGY IMAGERY IN THIS CHAPTER AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I'M GOING TO OVER THINK IT!!!!!! I HAVE NO THEORIES I’M JUST POINTING DETAILS OUT!!!!!!

When hallucinating Huggy Wuggy's face is on the employee training video:

“Join the Innovationists, where the bounds of science are continuously pushed. Or join the Counselors of Playcare, whose diligence and care for our children will help shape a brighter future, just you see.”

“Now every one of you has your part in that future, so should you come back tomorrow feeling unhappy for where you are, or what you’ve done . . . worry not, for your supervisor is here and happy to listen! And . . . should you come back . . . years later . . . your conscience finally getting the better of you. May you descend into the dark and the dust, finding all that awaits you are incomprehensible horrors . . . each hungry for your return, each eager that they might find you. Perhaps they’d smile at you from a shadow, their smiling mouths full of teeth and meat and plastic, watching and waiting patiently for their turn at a warm welcome. Or perhaps they won’t allow you such a time to figure your place in the world you’d left. A world that’s theirs now. Welcome home.”

The video transforms into a manifestation of the player's guilt. Not only for their involvement for whatever they did while working at Playtime Co. but for being gone and returning after ten years.

This is also paired with the player's possible guilt for killing Huggy Wuggy and their fear of him.

The hallucination version being a more exaggerated version of the Chapter 1 Huggy Wuggy vent chase.

When Catnap causes the player to later hallucinate:

Poppy: “Do you even know what’s real?”

Poppy: “No you don’t.”

THEN AT THE END OF THE HALLUCINATION IT SHOWS US THE DAY OF JOY!!!! Which is very odd when you consider two things. We've been told multiple times we weren’t there and during this scene we didn't know what the Hour of Joy was.

So the player hallucinating being in front of Huggy Wuggy’s podium during The Hour of Joy with a large Prototype hand reaching for us IS ODD!!!

ALSO THE TAPE IT SHOWS THAT’S WHERE HUGGY WUGGY WAS DURING THE HOUR OF JOY!!!!!!!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?!?!?!

This is just speculation but perhaps the player's memories aren't as trustworthy as we think. After all we still aren't even sure who even sent us the letter or tape in Chapter 1.

"EVERYONE THINKS THE STAFF DISSAPEARED 10 YEARS AGO WE'RE STILL HERE FIND THE FLOWER"

It’s important to point out the characters from Chapter 2 made ZERO appearance during these hallucinations. Mommy Long Legs, PJ Pug-a-Pillar, Bunzo Bunny and the Wack-a-Wuggy.

Is the Huggy Wuggy imagery used because he’s who we encounter at the start of the game?

OR SOMETHING MORE AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

[skydigiblogs]

more talk about the apocalymon descended dungeon in puzzle and dragons lol

okay with a little more adjustment last night my team is now extremely consistent, albeit barbed orbs and weakened orbs are still both a pain lmao. idk if there's any counterplay for them in the game rn (i would assume enhanced orb skyfall is the one for weakened orbs at least actually i am finishing a run while working on this so i just noticed, it seems to be matching an enhanced orb with it?) but anyways

here's what i'm running now

leader: tai and agumon - flamie's firepepper (latent: leader swap resist)

sora and biyomon - masaki's CAD

sora and biyomon - altheos altrusta

sea wolf and daytona (wolftona) - flamie's firepepper

diaochan - amaterasu's timepiece (latents: 2x SDR, jammer surge resist)

the equips at this point are kind of superfluous on some of my cards (tai's and seatona's are the same, offering +2 SB while changing their sub att to fire, but i put the one on seatona not realizing it can't target the 3rd attribute). an equip i've seen on at least one or two tais in my friend's list that could also work is madoo's flame chain-bound destroyer god evolution. this gives you tape/cloud and 2+ SB. other red equips with 2 sb (at least that i can see in my box) are elio's g-pen, june bride ra's ring (also provides 1 SBR), shiva's brooch.

i don't know what the currently functioning database site for card info is so there are definitely more that i just don't have access to lol.

tl;dr though the equips that matter provide:

jammer resist (metalseadramon, machinedramon, and apocalymon)

poison resist (metalseadramon, apocalymon)

sbr if your version of the team doesn't have full sbr (puppetmon; this can also be achieved with the SBR badge if you have it)

tape coverage optional (piemon; there's a sub lead tai on my list that has it. since piemon always tapes the bottom row for 1 turn, it's not a huge hassle to deal with since you're running a tpa team)

skill boost. ultimately, you need 36 turns of charge, ideally on turn 1 (i supplement this with a SB+ badge to hit 29). this can be shored up with a haste inherit on diaochan. first turn, she gets both soras and wolftona charged. use wolftona first, then a mix of sora and tai to get wolftona transformed and everyone up to their final form. i haven't' figured out the perfect order for this yet, but it also doesn't matter too much since tai gives you 2 turns of damage void and at least one sora will be charged by the end of that.

base sora cleanly loops while offering an insane amount of haste. you'll go through the dungeon with a guaranteed 35% shield, damage void pierce, and 6x7 board cleric. it also doesn't hurt that she sets her damage cap to 9 billion.

with wolftona, you also have cleanly looping orb gen, albeit some off colors since wolftona generates 4 blue orbs, but it hasn't been too much of a problem for me. you'll alternate tai - wolftona - tai and so forth. wolftona also sets its damage cap and recovers 40% hp for the turn when it procs, which is very useful. the transform skill for stage 1 is also handy for ensuring you hit your max hp before moving on from metalseadramon.

make sure you have diaochan up to clear apocalymon's preemtive. she's a 2 turn charge at max level, so as long as you don't use her the last turn against piemon, she should be up since he has a 50% super resolve. she's also your move time debuff cleric, something that'll only come into play if metalseadramon isn't playing nice with you.

you may also consider trying to fit a debuff cleric for if you screw up skill timing and end up with machinedramon hitting you with the .25x for 3 turns debuff. it's liveable since this team is so tanky though. tai's mult is also so nutty that if you're hitting 10c with at least a few tpas, you are good to go.

once you have most of these hazard resists, everything else is just a skill check to see if you can handle working around debuffed orbs, roulettes, and barbed orbs. ultimately, you bring resists for the things you don't want to deal with or find most annoying (in my case, filler orbs and 5x4 board). VDP like sora's skill has is important if you want to run a tpa team since you don't inherently have it through any other looping skill (like, say, a cotton system in a daytona team).

as soon as barbed orbs are in play, i find myself using a lot of corner movement to avoid barbs as best i can. i don't know the exact numbers on how much they do, but it can stack up if you don't slow down and plan your moves ahead. the recovery on seatona is important for coming back from a bad barb skyfall. if you have a team with at least one heart orb enhance (like i get from diaochan), you'll also benefit from matching heart "tpas," so keep that in mind.

in general though, remember: if you can't match tpas, just make sure to match fire and light attribute orbs. your shield is tied to those matches. tai benefits from tpas, but ultimately, if you think you can't make the damage, low and slow should work with all the recovery available to you. sora's shield helps mitigate some damage, but it can't fully protect you from how hard some of these mons are hitting.

like i said with my much rougher version of the team last night, if anyone in the digimon fandom needs help building for this dungeon, hit me up in my inbox and i can try to help.

[carionto]

The terrifying sound of silence

"Where is the Human?"

A question that incites dread across the Galaxy. And no greater when the Human in question is an engineer.

For weeks after her arrival aboard the Coalition joint exploration vessel Ulmanar's Resilience, the Human Jenna had been pestering everyone about the technical specifications, tolerances, build schematics, design philosophy, power outputs, and countless other microscopic details.

At first everything seemed normal, Humans are known to be curios, especially the technically minded ones, and her job would entail managing parts of the vessel's systems, so everyone was as helpful as they could.

Then Jenna started tinkering.

'Optimizing' is how she described it.

Admittedly, most of her modifications resulted in marginal improvements to energy distribution and mechanical motion efficiency. Although the fact the power reactors started to make audible noise was... unusual, but the readings said everything was fine, and the fact a day passed without explosions put everyone at ease - this was partly why a Human engineer was brought along in the first place.

During a short stop at a supply station before our first descent onto an uncharted planet, Jenna was the first to rush off with several cargo drones in the direction of the shipyard district. She was the last to return mere minutes before the scheduled departure, all covered in dust and oil, and the drones straining under the weight of everything she had procured.

"Don't worry, it's gonna be awesome." she declared.

It had been a while since our training and none of us had encountered other Humans in the meantime, so all of us had forgotten to immediately be alarmed by those words and question everything she was doing.

The following weeks of transit to our destination were marked by a severe lack of Jenna interactions or even sightings. The shuttle bay was a mess of disassembled craft, loose parts flung about, and sparks and rattling noises coming from the bowels of whatever was going on.

Unbeknownst to us, for the idea itself was ludicrous, Jenna was only within the vessel half of the time during this period. The other half she was in her spacesuit tinkering with the exterior of the vessel. Laser cutters and cold welding, not to mention the vacuum of space, make for a very silent work environment.

Perhaps it was instinct for most of us to avoid the confusing actions of a predator species descendant, as once we arrived to the designated planet, we learned we only had two surface shuttles left. Out of sixteen.

"This baby can land now!" Jenna happily said.

Confused beyond measure, we asked: "What do you mean 'this baby?"

"The ship, you know, Ulmanar's Resilience. We can land the whole thing now instead of doing this boring shuttling down thing. Plus the terraforming bot wouldn't fit in a shuttle anyway."

"The what?" our confusion continued.

"Yeah, we're gonna terraform this planet, right? That's what I got from the briefing back before joining you guys." she explained with innocence in her eyes.

There must have been some miscommunication, but the work had been done, and as far as our own technicians (who were scolded harshly for not keeping track of such grand changes to the entire vessel) did confirm that, as far as their understanding of mechanics and physics went, Ulmanar's Resilience can now indeed endure descent and commence takeoff from up to a 6G world.

So I guess that's what we're doing now. Preliminary surveys from past unmanned missions had suggested this world was once in the past and potentially now habitable again, and we suppose the Humans had decided to just set that in motion before more detailed analysis had occurred.

"Oh yeah," Jenna interjected, "if it turns out this place is, like, super dangerous and a threat to the Galaxy if we accidentally wake something up, I modified one of the scanning dishes to be a deep drill laser. Two hours of firing it at the core of the planet and it'll go boom."

...

"The planet, not the laser dish. That will explode if left on for more than three hours."

...

[directdogman]

A little bit more information about Crown, Milt + Marla's leanings + role in their triumvirate

It's fair to say that while Callum Crown was just a guy, Callum Crown the leader was essentially three people acting as one. By the time Crown ran for president, three people pitched in on his speeches. I'm sure I've given bits and pieces of this away in other posts, but I believe there's a few points I haven't expressed thoroughly, so I'm gonna discuss what each contributed, what they excelled at, how they saw the world and how it shaped policy.

Crown was naturally the engine of the trio. He was the guy with the grand ideas, the boundless optimist who could never accept the way things were. He always thought bigger and was never content with anything, be it his own ideas or the ideas of others. He worked himself tirelessly and saw his whole life as something that was supposed to be led exclusively in the service of mankind.

Crown saw the world kind of like a big machine and everywhere he looked, he could see imperfections that wound up slowing the machine down and harming innocent people. He felt those in power were incompetent hacks, who were only placed in their positions by circumstance, by the same hand of fate he had to overcome. Crown, of course, was born with a disability and had to invent his own prosthetic limbs in order to leave his garage. His mother never could've bought actual working prosthetics for him, given the nail-biting poverty his household faced. Crown was keenly aware that if not for his gumption and stubbornness, he never would've left his garage.

Similarly, he saw career politicians as ignorant fools who were incapable of understanding how screwed up the world was and how far the rabbit-hole descended. The zany optimism and grandiose, sweeping ideas seen in Crown's speeches were certainly his touch.

Then, we have Marla. Marla, like Crown, also had a disability and faced hurdles in her professional journey that Crown did not, being a woman in the mid-20th century. Marla, if she had been a man, would've sought higher office for herself, but knew she never would've been elected due to gender norms. This caused her to coalesce with Crown and urge him to move further on his path, seeing him as a surrogate fighter on the political stage not just for humanity, but for herself.

Crown's mayoral victory had a lot to do with her, as she interviewed Crown and wrote scathing editorials attacking Crown's opponent for his opposition to Dialtown's saviour. Marla's main focus was the pursuit of justice, a fight which she fought with even more fervor than her husband. Her main strength when writing for Crown (and delivering speeches on his behalf) was rousing feelings of indignant anger. Righteous anger directed towards those with power who would not actively use their station to fight the system. Marla was essentially an anarchist and wanted to fight and dismantle the system, something that put her at odds with her husband's plan in the end. It's easy to see why Crown fell head over heels for her.

Marla encouraged Crown to prioritize ideas that righted systematic wrongs, continue his fight for labour rights and focus on fixing systematic mistreatment of people before seeking total efficiency and technological advances (which Crown believed would benefit humanity as much as, if not more than advancing social policy first.) Though, trusting her judgement, Crown often took her cues as gospel.

The Crown 'saviour' narrative was also Marla's invention. Indeed, Crown's political career allowed her to actively help shape a better world, something that she would never have been able to do to the same extent without him. When Crown's paranoia set in and he began confiding less in her as president, leaving her to run smaller projects of her choosing and deal with the increasingly agitated press on her own, she felt this was a personal betrayal, as her opportunity to right wrongs in the world and affect policy had vanished. At this point, Crown was now solely concerned with the 'big picture', things like technology and projects like The Dialup.

Milt, unlike Crown + Marla, did not grow up in poverty and had an upper-middle class upbringing. He was university-educated and understood the middle and upper class in a way the other two could not. He saw those in power not as evil, but rather short-sighted and ill-equipped. Milt's main skill was humanizing Crown and somewhat neutering Crown and Marla's socialist rhetoric by marketing Crown not as a left-wing pro-labour candidate, but as an independent populist who would target corruption + lobbying, tackle electoral reform and stand up for the working stiff, implementing balanced (but radical) policies that would benefit ordinary Americans.

Milt emphasized Crown's humble upbringing, the adversity he'd overcome just to leave his house, alongside his sweeping success running Crown Mechanics, which made him sound like the most competent man for the job. Milt also emphasized his patriotism, writing him as a candidate who sat between both political parties, but fought for ordinary people. This is how Crown roped voters like Norm in.

Crown and Marla had some reservations about Milt's alterations to their scripts, but the 'us vs them' populist angle appealed massively to Crown, given his view on the political elite of his time, and the emphasis on the idea of fairness and the push for electoral reform pleased Marla's sense of justice. Both knew deep down that by appealing to a wider range of voters, they had a chance at winning, so Milt's suggestions were largely used.

Milt's leanings were less justice oriented than Marla's, he believed that systematic change would heal people, create a world where people were more free. This angle helped massively in winning over certain states. Like Crown (and unlike Marla), Milt too was massively interested in technology over social reform and he encouraged Crown to escalate the space race once he gained office and even helped Crown pick researchers for a project from fellow university alumnus.

Of course, Milt wound up being eventually relegated to the sidelines during Crown's presidency just as Marla was, namely over his repeated opposition to the idea of the Dialup. Crown took his inability to sell the idea to Milt as a personal failing, one he was internally hard on himself over. He was convinced that the Dialup was the ONLY way to ensure the world could be renewed, the only way to make sure that all people could be free. He felt that if he could somehow figure out the right words, find the right evidence, get the ball rolling on his own so Milt could 'see' his vision, he could convince Milt that the plan was the right call.

He didn't confide in Marla about the Dialup, fearing his enemies could torture information out of her. Given Milt's military experience, he didn't feel it could happen. It's the same reason Marla was never told the recovery code for Crown's memory deletion feature. Crown chose very poorly by not confiding more in her.

Crown's time at the UN is something I haven't talked about much, but many of his speeches during that time (one I may show off soon enough) were erratic and frankly, sounded crazy. This is due to Crown's overwork, mental strain (+ guilt) from losing Milt/Marla and naturally, losing their input from his speeches. Marla's focused indignation at the injustices of the world and Milt's humanization of Crown were now missing. There was no longer any voice other than Crown's, explaining his sweeping ideas in a way others could understand. And so, he explained his grandiose vision, depicting himself as a man who would split the heavens just as mankind had split the atoms, with no idea of how he sounded. The human element was gone. Crown was back to being the zany salesman, peddling wares that nobody else could understand the value of. Alone again, except this time, the whole world could see it.

Hope this was insightful :)

[level2janitor]

Introduction to the OSR

what's an OSR? it's a game that's kinda like old-school D&D. or is old-school D&D. or is compatible with old-school D&D. an OSR game generally has some or all of the following principles:

low character power with highly lethal combat. in old-school D&D a 1st-level fighter has d8 hit points and a longsword does d8 damage, and you die at 0HP. this is not to ensure characters die all the time but to emphasize the next bullet point:

emphasis on creative problem solving. most situations cannot be solved by straightforward use of your abilities (such as charging into every situation with swords drawn, if a fighter), so the game tests lateral, outside-the-box thinking.

emphasis on diegetic progression. spells are found, not obtained automatically on level-up. you get XP by finding gold more than killing monsters. most of your cool abilities come from magic items. making alliances & hiring followers is encouraged.

focus on managing inventory, resources, risk, and time. the players are constantly faced with meaningful decisions; this is the heart of the game.

very sandbox-oriented. the focus on creative problem solving means the game must be accommodating to players taking a course of action the GM didn't plan for. use lots of random tables to generate emergent story. some elements of new simulationism.

high tactical transparency, i.e., the optimal course of action is rarely system-specific, and ideally very possible for a new player to intuit.

usually semi-compatible with old D&D, but not always. usually rules-lite, but not always.

what does the OSR mostly NOT do?

focus on character builds. these change the focus too much to be on the rules than the fiction, can create situations where stuff everyone should be able to do is an ability locked to one class, and impede tactical transparency.

resolve everything with a die roll. combat uses dice to be scary, unpredictable and most importantly not your default course of action. everything else should bring up dice rarely - dice are your plan B when your plan A fails. the best plans need no dice.

use linear storytelling or put players into a writer/GM role. linear storytelling gets in the way of the decision-making so core to the playstyle; letting players write details into the setting is mutually exclusive with them discovering it.

rules for everything. 400 pages of crunch is worse at simulating a believable world than the GM and players' shared understanding. OSR games rely constantly on GM ruling.

mostly still applies to all the above. making your system a "pure" OSR game comes second to doing what's best for your game.

System recommendations

old D&D or a retroclone

old-school D&D - or old school essentials or basic fantasy or swords & wizardry, which are old D&D's mechanics repackaged with quality-of-life tweaks (and the upside of not giving WOTC your money) - are usually the go-to when recommending someone's first OSR game. they're actually not my first pick, though!

PROS:

very complete, with more robust rules than a lot of the lighter games on this list.

100% compatibility: most OSR adventures are statted for old school essentials. converting them to other OSR systems is usually simple, but not 1-for-1.

easier to find games for. anyone interested in the OSR space knows what old school essentials is.

CONS:

jank. these games largely still have weird saves, level limits for non-humans, some still have descending AC, etc etc. it's not that bad but it is there

i hate thief skills. lots of essential dungeoneering actions are locked to the thief class as abilities, with abysmally low success chances. this is stuff i prefer being handled without a roll. thieves in this system suck and make everyone else worse at dungeon crawling by existing.

there's just lots of really cool shit in other systems i'm about to go into that you just don't get here

Knave 1e and its various hacks

this is a 7-page super-lightweight system that boils everything down to just the essentials.

rolling a character takes like 5 minutes. roll stats, roll gear, roll traits, go. done. it's great.

characters are defined entirely by stats and gear, no classes. wanna be a fighter, have high strength and carry a big sword and armor. wanna be a wizard, have high intelligence and fill your inventory with spells. item slots are elegant and pretty limited.

initiative is instant: roll d6. 1-3, monsters go first. 4-6, PCs go first. swingy, but god it is so smooth and shaves like the most boring 5 minutes off of every combat

monsters are so very elegant. old D&D gives monsters a "hit dice" rating to determine their HP, e.g. a 3HD monster rolls 3d8 for hit points. knave takes this number (HD) and uses it for attack rolls and saves (aside from exceptionally bad/good saves), so a knave statblock looks something like this.

spells are all one or two sentences long & extremely easy to remember.

7 pages is so light. i have the system basically memorized.

DOWNSIDES: there's no dungeon crawling rules (standard for meatier OSR games & something i consider essential) and no real bestiary, though the second point isn't a huge deal cause they're so easy to make. it also kinda assumes you already know how to run OSR games, so there's very little real advice or guidance.

KNAVE HACKS

knave 1e is in creative commons & comes with an editable word doc for you to publish with modifications, so there's a ton of variants (there was a spreadsheet of them somewhere, but i can't find it).

Grave is a favorite - i'm two years into a grave campaign and it's fantastic. it's a dark-souls-y version of knave with some really elegant innovations.

you have a set number of deaths before you for-reals die, as every character plays an undead as is dark souls tradition. makes it good for OSR beginners! being able to tell when you're close to your final death is really good - it lets you emotionally prepare for losing your character & raises the stakes more the more you die. (though honestly you should probably cut the number of extra deaths in half, it's super generous)

XP and gold are combined into one resource, souls. legendary creatures drop big souls you can make into magic items. this has ended up being the coolest thing in my current campaign. my players love finding powerful souls to make into magic items it's so fun

uses preset packages of stats/gear instead of knave's rolled ones, filling the role of more traditional character classes. has the wonderful side effect of not making you get stuck with low stats cause you rolled bad one time.

you have stamina equal to your empty item slots. you spend stamina on spells if you're a caster, or free maneuvers (on top of your attack at no action cost) if you're not. it's super elegant.

there's 3 classes of spells: wizardry for intelligence, holy magic for wisdom, and witch stuff for charisma. nice and intuitive.

there's a page of 50 magic items each a couple sentences long. this PDF is worth it just for the magic items.

DOWNSIDE: see the downsides for knave 1e. all still apply.

i enjoyed grave so much i made a variant of it with the dark souls bits removed (and some dungeon crawl rules added!) to use for my standard fantasy campaigns.

Knave 2e

sadly knave 2e is not purchasable yet (i backed it on kickstarter so i have access, though). but when it comes out i highly recommend it.

much larger and denser than knave 1e. it finally has dungeon crawling rules, it has GM and player guidance, everything is refined and the layout is so so nice and readable.

combat is a bit more interesting than 1e. you can break your weapon against an enemy to deal max damage. you get a free maneuver on high attack rolls.

there's rules for stuff like alchemy, warfare, building a base. it all kicks ass.

there are so many goddamn tables. i rifle through it anytime i need inspiration.

DOWNSIDES: some of the new rules are a little untested & wonky. introducing randomness into how often your rations spoil or your lights go out can cause issues.

Mausritter

you play tiny little mice! in a world full of big dangerous things that want to eat mice. cat = dragon. you get it. what more could you want

the mouse thing is just super intuitive. you get the dynamic between you and the big scary lethal world. fantastic OSR game to introduce kids

nice and robust ruleset; nothing feels missing

tons of super nice GM stuff! faction rules, tools for rolling up hexcrawls and dungeons, plenty of tables

super clean readable layout. font isn't too small to avoid being intimidating. guidance is really nice and clear.

combat is autohit. super fast & lethal.

100% free

look mausritter is just. good. i wanna run it so bad someday

Worlds Without Number

sort of a middle ground between OSR stuff and 5e. paid version here free version here

lots of classes, at least in the paid version. the free version comes with just the warrior, expert and mage. there's feats and more of a focus on builds than most OSR games. if you like more mechanical build variety than a typical OSR game, this is a great game for you!

extremely good multiclassing. y'know how in most games if you just mash together two classes you think are cool you'll end up with a total mess? not here! every combo is viable and works fine! easily the best multiclassing of any game i've touched

an absurd amount of GM stuff and tables. easily more than any of the other stuff i've praised for also having them. but personally i haven't dug into them as much, so i can't really comment on them

skills the way modern D&D has them. you roll dice and try to beat a target number. i don't tend to like rolled skills, but most people do, so if that's your thing WWN has them

DOWNSIDES

the layout is terrible. everything is a huge wall of text with very little use of bold text or bullet points to draw attention to the important bits. the table of contents has like 15 things in it for a 400-page book! i couldn't find any of the paid-version-exclusive classes for like a month after i bought it! looking up rules is a nightmare.

the way the default setting handles "evil races" is like an exaggerated parody of all the problematic aspects of how D&D handles it. like, it wants so bad for you to have an excuse to genocide sentient free-willed people. but at least the default setting is easy to chuck in the trash

Dungeon Crawl Classics

the goal of this system is to take all of the crazy gonzo moments people remember playing old-school D&D in their childhood and turn all of that up to 11 while cutting the stuff that doesn't add to that. i think a lot of its innovations have ended up kind of standard in newer OSR stuff (like fighters getting maneuvers with their attacks), but it still has more to offer.

the funnel: you start the game with four randomly rolled dipshit peasants that you then throw into a meatgrinder to get horribly killed. you pick one of the survivors to be your 1st-level character.

maneuvers: fighters roll an extra die with each attack that gets bigger as you level. if it's a 3 or higher, you get to do a cool thing on top of your attack. pretty standard for OSR games, but this game popularized it!

crit tables: fighters also get more crits and nastier crits as they level. every crit, you roll on the crit table. maybe you chop off a dude's arm. maybe you just knock them over. maybe you shatter their shield. it's very cool

spell tables: i don't really like roll-to-cast mechanics, generally. but DCC goes so all-in on roll-to-cast that it still looks fun as hell to watch. you cast a fireball and maybe it goes how you want. or maybe you explode, or you nuke everything in a half-mile radius, or from now on you permanently ignite flammable materials you touch, or whatever. casters just have to put up with turning into a weird mutated mess across a campaign

there's no dungeon crawl rules, no encumbrance - this game is all about the big over-the-top wacky shit, and is not really interested in the more down-to-earth number crunching. it's more in the you-die-hilariously-all-the-time area of OSR than the you-avoid-death-through-clever-play area. not really my thing but the system knows exactly what it wants to be and i respect it

iron halberd

this one is mine! as the author i'm not qualified to tell you what isn't good about my system, so just assume it's worse than i make it sound, but here's a bunch of the selling points

semi-random character creation where you flip back and forth between rolling dice and getting your own input. roll stats, pick ancestry. pick starting gear kit, roll different dice based on which kit you picked. etc etc. stats are random but all equally viable (no rolling incredibly low or high stats). every time i run this game the character creation is a hit. seriously go roll up a character it'll sell you on the whole thing

you start out a lot stronger than a standard OSR character but grow way more slowly. i don't like 4th-level characters being 4 times as strong as 1st-level ones; HP never gets that high. emphasis is more on diegetic progression instead.

way too many subsystems for alchemy, crafting, strongholds, warfare, renown, rituals, likes 9 pages of magic items, a whole subsystem for becoming a cleric mid-campaign. i couldn't help myself i love this shit

in my current campaign we had a player permanently sacrifice some max HP to become a necromancer after deliberating on whether that's a good idea for like thirty seconds, which instantly made me think my necromancy system is a success

also free

Adventure recommendations

(in rough order of size)

Moonhill Garden (by Emiel Boven): look at this. look at it! this is like the best template for a little dungeon in an OSR game. all of the little factions are tied together. this would be a great oneshot to introduce people to an OSR system with.

A gathering of blades (by Ben Milton): a system-neutral, one-page sandbox. i ran this for an iron halberd game and it went super well. lasted like 7 sessions. highly recommend.

The Waking of Willowby Hall (by Ben Milton): a single dungeon with a million things going on. it's super chaotic with half a dozen different factions crashing into each other and a big angry goose. highly recommend, especially for kids

The Black Wyrm of Brandonsford (by Chance Dudinack): small sandbox with a fun fairytale vibe and a very fleshed-out little town. and a big nasty dragon.

Evils of Illmire (by Zack Wolf): this is a very dense, entire campaign's worth of hexcrawl in a very compact package for like $5. it doesn't do anything particularly new, but the value-for-money is absurd and it's a really good template for how to do a sandbox if you're used to 5e adventures

Ask me anything!

if anything here is unclear or intrigues you, send me asks! i love helping people get into OSR games. i'll link frequently asked questions here if i get any.

[mo-ondrcps]

♖ ˗ˏˋ 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 ´ˎ˗

❛ how fate cruelly plays with your hearts while a stranger desperately try to save you in each dream you had, over and over again.❜

: ̗̀➛ dragon! jiyan x town folk! reader warning(s): reader drowning twice, mentions of death (no major!). content: fem! reader, magical town vibes like magic humans and mythical creatures, jiyan dragon protective of you genre: au — magical town, fantasy, reincarnation, soulmates, romance, slight angst word count: 2.4K author's note: i love protective jiyan, makes anyone feel safe in his arms.

    Water surrounded you, making it impossible to breathe. You couldn't decipher whether you're dead or drowning in the ocean, though a bystander would think you're suffering from both because of your lack of struggle, slowly descending deeper. The light from the waters above your clouded vision continued to fade until a figure above dove in, swimming towards your direction. Unfortunately, his face was only just a silhouette, attempting to reach for your hand and resurface to save you. You wanted to move forward, take the stranger's hand in yours, but an unknown force within you had no strength to do so.

"(Y/n)...!"

    Your name, or what sounds like your name, came out in thick gurgles of water from the stranger. They still persisted in swimming with much of their might to save you. Who is this person? If they continued to sink in deeper with you, there would be no hope for either of you to live. How foolish. Your eyes slowly gave in to the darkness surrounding them before opening once more.

    Your eyes take in the surroundings of your room, all dimly lit by the moon that glanced from the open peak of your window curtains. Your head turned in search of your wall clock.

2:37 am.

    A sigh left your lips, burying yourself further into the warm blankets for comfort. It was the same dream that haunted you for years, the ocean and you sinking into your demised. However, the small moment didn't strike fear in you, at least you hoped not yet. You haven't visited the beach for over ten years now and you always found yourself sticking by the sand whenever your family asks you to come with them.

    You rise up from your spot on your bed, leaving to grab a glass of water before returning to your room. They were both calm, your water and the ocean from your dreams, moving on their own except for the other being more dangerous if you sink in too deep.

    But that man, who was he?

    You thought of leaving it aside, knowing your work starts early in the morning, taking a sip of your water before resting back on the comforts of your mattress.

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

"But you never saw his face? That's a shame... You should've seen it if he was cute or not."

    Your eyes narrowed at your friend after telling them the entire story of your dreams again. They always knew what kind of stress you're dealing with, but never knew the answer to how to solve it. At first, they informed you to brush it off as a simple vision your mind had randomly come up with until it grew too frequent for them to ignore.

"You really had to focus on that detail?? I can't just fall for every random stranger in my dreams."

    A boisterous laugh came from the mouth of your friend before shaking their head at your deadpan expression.

"At least they treat us better than the men in this reality. Who knows? With how frequent you meet yours, he might actually appear right through that door!"

    Now a smile erupted your features before bursting into a laugh at how silly they were acting with you. Though absurd, you still appreciate their sense of optimism in your dream related problems. A small chime came from the door, signaling a customer walked into the shop. Your friend gave you a small nod, which you returned before watching them move to entertain them. You, on the other hand, busied yourself in writing a list of the potions you both need to make and what's available to write down and display on the racks.

"Excuse me?"

    A voice deep yet soothing to your ear came in front of you, making you look up to them.

"Hello, what can I get for you?"

    The man was dressed in simple black and midnight green robes embroidered by silk and gold accents, making him stand out only just a bit but not too much to get everyone's attention. It was clear he looked like a soldier or a protector of some kind because of the sword strapped around his waist.

    You thought you would have recognized him because of this small town, but then again, he might be a wandering traveler from afar so you can't assume too quickly.

"Do you have any good potions for healing? I seem to run out myself on the way here."

    The man replied with a slight scratch on his nape. You nod before smiling, taking out a regular sized bottle. It's mixture flowing through green and hues of blue gradient inside, shimmering in utter brilliance.

"That will be fifty gold for a healing potion."

    He reached out from his pocket, pulling a small pouch where he fumbled to grab the amount needed. The man set down sixty-five gold instead of fifty, leaving you surprised at the change. You took the extra, your hands moving to give it back.

"I can't accept this much."

"Please, this shop deserves much recognition for the work you and your companion put through for everyone who needs it. Keep my change."

    Before you could push more to give the extra back, the man bows slightly before leaving the shop. Your friend, who just came back, glanced at the man you just entertained before turning to you with a playful smile you knew you wouldn't enjoy.

"Who was that? He looks so good! I've never seen him before. Do you think he's-."

    Just when your friend was about to ask you for more information about the customer you entertained, you stopped her train of thoughts, speaking ahead of them before it goes in a direction you'll never get back from.

"And don't you think it's your turn to brew new potions to stock while I grab some herbs we need outside? The strength and healing potions won't produce themselves."

    Your friend groaned.

"Let me dream a little. My single life won't move by itself either!"

    Throwing your quill pen at them, you caused them to move aside but still took the blow from the quill thrown at them, laughing at your advancements before heading into the staff room to do their work while you prepared your journey in the forest for herbs. You pack containers, water, and a bit of snacks to aid your short travel. You bid goodbye to your friend, starting your walk into the forest.

    You had a list written by you with a few additions to your friend. You crouched down to pick up yellow and purple flowers, one that radiated like the sun and the other mirroring the deepest night sky of the auras. Since you were here, it shouldn't hurt to grab them for a potion of good sleep. Not that you never tried it before and have it mix with your cup of tea. Your friend suggested this once after experiencing four nights of the same dream in your sleep, but it never worked.

    You move to the next item on your list, which is dewberries, picking at least three before turning your head to the bushes rustling nearby. Your eyes scanned the area before resuming your work of collecting three more until a large hand grabs your mouth, pulling you back towards their body.

"Such luck of running into a lady."

    A skinny man walked into the scene, next to his companion, who took you by surprise. He spoke before smirking. The items from your bag scrambled down after being forcefully pulled away. The man who held you back took one of them, shaking the containers of herbs inside before turning his head back towards you.

"A smart one who can provide and heal too! How much do you think we can make out of her if we sold her to the palace?"

    The skinny man only laughed before ordering his companion.

"Stuff her in the bag. I know we'll make a fortune in that case."

    You struggle in the gruff man's hold who was opting to lift you up while his friend took the large sack they had slung behind his back. Your legs kicked and swung around, managing to injure the skinny man on the groin out of pure luck. But you knew you needed more than that.

"Feisty as well! You'll pay for all the damages you'll do to me and my companion. Now stay still or-."

    A powerful surge of wind ripped through the scene, causing all of you to shut your eyes while your captors try to stay in place on the grass below, gripping onto the strands before getting blown away a few steps.

"You!"

    The voice of a man came, commanding and stern, but there was no man. Only the figure of a large, bright green, slender dragon came in sight. He was exactly like what the stories you kept hearing as a child.

    The Midnight Dragon.

    Its nostrils flared in anger, watching the two men as if they were its prey. The men who held captive of you had their hands tremble beneath their fingertips, eyes staring wide at the force of nature they just angered without moving another muscle.

"Begone or I will banish you myself."

    The men cowered in fear, flinging your body to a shallow lake before leaving in a hurry into the direction of the city. The dragon quickly shifts into a human man, running to the lake before diving in to save you.

    Your arms flailed around to resurface from the water. You weren't sure if you should feel even more terrified now that reality is making you sink deep into the waters just like in your dreams. No, nightmares. If only you agreed with your friend to teach you a bit of swimming, but you were too stubborn, confident enough that drowning would never cross in a moment of your life.

    Right now, you were afraid.

    Maybe it was a warning that you stupidly ignored and now you've fallen deep to your demise. You allowed your eyes to shut, accepting the darkness with the faint figure of the man reaching for your hand.

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

    Jiyan thought he could never save you, blaming himself for how slow he was in every haunting nightmare that plagued his thoughts. As if his previous life wasn't enough to make him feel guilty about how much pain you've pulled through and now in this timeline? How much more does he need to suffer?

    He swam deeper, faster, just to grab a hold of your hand before pulling you up with him to the surface. Jiyan carried your body to a nearby tree, setting you down next to it before leaning his head to your chest and mouth to check for your vitals. For the love of the gods, please don't let him see you dead again.

    Using the heel of heel of his dominant hand and the other hand resting on it above your breastbone, he began to push, watching a couple of water droplets leave your mouth. Jiyan counted quietly in inaudible whispers, begging for your revival until slowly a cough came from your lips, causing him to step away a bit to give you some space.

"(Y/n)?"

"W-who- I-."

    You shut your eyes, rubbing away the water residuals that dropped from your hair, regaining consciousness from the events prior.

"What... what did you just say?"

    Jiyan's eyes widen but you didn't catch his surprise, only a clear of his throat before carrying you in his arms again as if you were lightweight. A feather, if he might add, but he'll tease you later. He valued your safety the most, so he took you back home while you had a million questions running in your head, especially how he knew where you lived.

"Stalker much?"

    You uttered above a whisper, making Jiyan shake his head quickly before you act on him.

"I-... You wouldn't believe me if I told you this."

"I'm all ears... Midnight Dragon."

    You didn't know how else to call him besides what the stories and myths had told you. It made Jiyan's heart sink, trying to accept the fact that you will never remember him. Maybe in this life you wouldn't, but it didn't stop him from being your sole protector wherever you go. Why did it have to be him to be cursed to remember everything while you were reborn to forget?

    Jiyan was silent through the entire journey, slipping into the crack of your window with you in his arms, which you forgot to close before leaving. He set you down on the comforts of your mattress before finally answering.

"I've been protecting you endlessly in our previous life and now... Believe it or not."

    Jiyan confessed. It made you confused.

"Previous life? I never remembered anything or been aware of... living longer like you do."

    If it has been that way, maybe you should've had some majestic powers to make you live longer like him. Your thoughts only made Jiyan chuckle softly before ruffling your damp hair, mind racing at what you both could've possibly been, but you had no memory at all whatsoever.

"You may not remember anything about me. But I'll make sure you'll always feel safe and maybe... feel loved by me again in this timeline..."

    Jiyan took your hand, kissing your palm gently. It felt as if a gentle breeze flowed against your skin, gracing you with the dragon's passion and attention. Everything felt like a dream, to actually see the dragon in person who has concealed its identity until years later. Did it have anything to do with your existence? It made you wonder. Most especially with the mystery laced in his words about you and him.

"If heaven ever gives us the chance to meet again, I'll always keep loving you at that time and the next."

    His words held a promise that strangely made your heart accept him entirely. Jiyan smiled, rising from his feet, making you scramble from your seat on the bed.

"Wait."

    He paused, eyebrows raised in question.

"What's your name?"

"Jiyan."

    He blew a soft breeze in front of your face, effectively hitting your eyes before watching you fall back asleep on your bed. It made Jiyan smile, admiring how peaceful you look, waving his arm above your figure to use his own magic, drying your clothes to avoid you from waking up with a cold. He pulled the covers over your body, leaning down to press a kiss on your forehead before leaving the room. Jiyan shut the windows behind him, taking a mental note to remind you about it before disappearing into the night.

    For the first time in your life, you finally got over your nightmares of drowning. Your dreams only painted the image of green and blue hues of a dragon before shifting to the figure of Jiyan, planning on your next meeting with him again.

author's note: took a bit of inspiration from the potions event of genshin. i was trying to find a good occupation for reader in a magical town and thought of that!

© MOONDRCPS. avoid stealing or translating my work to other sites. likes and reblogs on my works are appreciated ᵔᴗᵔ

[breelandwalker]

Frost Moon - November 15 2024

Grab your scarves and mittens, witches - it’s time for the Frost Moon!

Frost Moon

The Frost Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs in the month of November. In temperate zones in the Northern Hemisphere, November is the month during which the first frost or first hard freeze of the season is usually observed.

Like many full moon names, this is an English translation of a traditional name used by one or more North American indigenous groups, in this case the Cree and the Assiniboine. Similarly, the Anishinaabe and the Ojibwe also called this month the Freezing Moon or Freezing Over Moon respectively, as indigenous naming conventions usually refer to the entire lunar month and not just the full moon itself. Other indigenous names include Deer Rutting Moon (Dakota and Lakota), Whitefish Moon (Algonquin), Leaf Fall Moon (Catawba), and Digging (or Scratching) Moon (Tlingit). The latter refers to the habit of deer and other creatures scratching up the ground to find hidden food caches, as well as bears digging their dens for winter hibernation.

Another very common name for this month’s full moon is the Beaver Moon, due to the increased sightings of these busy little creatures shoring up their dams and food stores before the first hard freeze of winter. (Unfortunately, it’s also a reference to the peak days of the North American fur trade, signaling the optimal hunting time for beaver pelts.)

In some modern pagan traditions, particularly those claiming Celtic lineage, the November moon is also called the Mourning Moon. This occurs when the November moon is the final full moon before the winter solstice. In 2024, the November is not a Mourning Moon, as the December full moon falls on the 15th, several days before the winter solstice. (I was not able to find an original source for this claim, but given the celebration of the beloved dead in October, a subsequent period of mourning and remembrance makes sense. It may also be a reference to the Catholic All Souls Day, but that’s just speculation.)

This particular Frost Moon will be at peak fullness in the afternoon hours of November 15th (4:29pm EST). This is the final supermoon in the four-month consecutive series of supermoons for 2024, so make the most of it!

What Does It Mean For Witches?

This is the month when migrations are finishing up, animals are finishing their cold weather preparations, the temperature starts to plummet, and fall descends rapidly into winter. If you haven’t finished your preparations for winter, mundane or magical, this is probably your last chance to do it. (Don’t forget to prioritize and delegate!)

With the days getting shorter and the nights getting colder, the temptation to hunker down and hibernate is STRONG. But we have to remember that just like the eponymous Beaver, humans have to stay active during the cold months. Start stockpiling ways to keep yourself busy and motivated, since that Seasonal Slump is on the horizon for many of us.

Consider also the beaver’s dam. You’ve spent the whole year working towards all kinds of goals. Is there still something blocking your way? What might it be and how can you best address and remove the obstacle? Or, alternatively, is it time to stop and rest and see if that roadblock will clear itself with a little time and patience?

In keeping with the Mourning Moon moniker, this could be a good time for reflection and remembrance. Think back on what you’ve built this year and take time to be proud of yourself. Remember what is dear to you, take a moment to miss someone who is gone, and consider rekindling bonds that may have lapsed or grown tenuous during the hustle and bustle of daily life. It’s always a good time to tell someone you love them.

On a practical note, if you have pets that regularly stay outdoors overnight, start bringing them inside or make sure they have a shelter that is properly warm, clean, and secure against human or animal intruders. If it’s too chilly for you to be out without a coat, it’s too chilly for the critters, fur or no fur. PLEASE do not leave your furry friends out in the cold!

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

As we prepare for winter, this is an excellent time to shore up those magical protections. Check on your longterm spells to see if they need refreshing, or just go ahead and do a quick cleanse-and-reclaim as a proactive measure. Even if everything is solid, practice your technique by shoring up points of egress or adding a new layer to the existing wards or trying a new visualization or method for personal protections. Create a new charm or talisman to carry you through the winter or make something festive and decorative that could be given as a gift.

On the subject of cleansing, this is a good time to clear out any stale or disruptive energy that might be lingering from the recent change of seasons. Solstices can be times of transformation, but change is rarely a calm or peaceful process and it brings its’ own set of challenges and upheavals. If things have gotten a little more chaotic than you’d like, take a moment to put your house in order, metaphysically speaking.

If you’re partial to jar spells, consider putting one together to help maintain safety and abundance through the winter months. If you’re going to be traveling for the upcoming holidays, a bit of luck and protection for the journey wouldn’t go amiss either.

If you've been working any longterm magic over the past few months to coincide with the abundance of supermoons, this is the time to bring your working to a culmination. Finish setting things in motion, tie up loose ends, close loopholes, and send your magic out into the world. Be sure to document what you've done and when and what methods you used, as well as any indicators of success to look for later if (and hopefully when) tangible results begin to appear.

Try a frost divination. If your area is starting to see overnight frosts, take a moment in the morning to examine the patterns that the frost leaves on the windows of your home or vehicle. Do you see any patterns or images in the ice crystals? Check the weather forecast and whisper a question into the wind when the overnight temps will drop below freezing. Then in the morning, see if there’s an answer waiting for you!

Happy Frost Moon, witches! 🌕❄

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Beaver Moon Magic: November’s Vibrant Moon Meaning in 2024, The Peculiar Brunette.

Beaver Moon: Full Moon in November 2024, The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Beaver Full Moon in November - Buckle and Hocken, TimeAndDate.com.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

Image Source - ABC News.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

YWFTW#2 and the Positivity Sandwich (long post)

The scene begins with optimism. Ed is rightly showing off his fish framed inside a combat narrative reinforcing his developing confidence. Ed’s body language - ‘behold!’ - also signifies self-assurance. Meanwhile, Stede’s positive nonverbal conversation cues are exquisite - his eye contact, facial expressions, and little gasps of delight build Ed’s self esteem further, and reinforce his absolute delight in Ed’s tale. Stede shows further interest by a follow-up question, ‘What are your plans for it?’ before positively reinforcing the rather obvious answer with, ‘I like that, good plan’.

We get verbal mirroring from Ed next which reinforces the pair’s intimacy - ‘I like that shirt.’ Stede’s positive praise allows Ed a way in to flirt, turning Stede’s language back around as a compliment. And Stede plays along, with a verbal callback, ‘This new thing?’, because they are in tune with knowing which memory is playing in both their minds as they stand in the moonlight.

Ed continues to pull at that memory telling Stede, ‘You wear fine things well’, cementing the phrase in their couples lexicon. The repeating of it here, this time by Ed, and Stede’s clear understanding of the significance, reinforces where they both pinpoint the beginnings of the romantic stirrings of their relationship.

We then get the kiss that never happened the first time, and it’s beautiful. But we then get a tone shift as we realise they are not quite on the same page.

Stede deepens the kiss whilst Ed stiffens and pulls away. This is the beginning of a more cautious part of their conversation. After so much positive body language, and lexical mirroring and callback, their language become disjointed and unsettled.

There are a number of overlapping and unfinished sentences:

Ed: Can we take it ssssslow? Stede: Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t… I wasn’t thinking… Ed: No, it’s alright…. I just need to… um…[clears throat] Stede: No, I know.

Ed: [Big sigh]

Broken sentences and hedging don’t seem to be going anywhere as they both scramble for mental purchase. Ed also uses a number of nonverbal fillers to signify discomfort - throat clearing, sighing, long pauses. And ‘Can we take it slow?’ is so tentatively asked it signifies Ed’s continued struggle with agency.

The next part of the scene subverts much of the positive features of the first section. Ed again uses a phrase from their couples lexicon, as he did with YWFTW to initiate the kiss, but this time to slow Stede down. He tells him they’re both ‘whim-prone’ as Stede said, and this time Stede’s nonverbal conversational cues become negative. There is no eye contact, and his face falls at his words being used to block their relationship progress, and he remains completely silent as Ed says ‘sometimes it’s nice just to be patient and wait’.

In a further subversion, Ed latches on to the fish he’s holding, not now as a tale of triumph, but one of caution. We’ve seen time and again Ed thinks best in metaphor, and he has clearly learned something about himself on the boat today with Fang. But Ed still isn’t fully clear what his needs are. When Stede asks if Ed is ‘the fish’, Ed says ‘We’re the fish…’ suggesting he still has doubts over whether Stede wants to be caught. But then he descends into hedging again: ‘I guess. Maybe. I think…’. Ed still lacks confidence and clarity in expressing what is causing him to hesitate, he just knows what he feels.

And Stede is amazing because he doesn’t push any further. The veil of sorrow covering his face lifts into a ‘Huh.. okay…’ And this is where we get the positivity sandwich because Stede now takes the conversation and finds a way to lead it back again, layering the cautious part of their conversation between two positive interactions.

Stede takes Ed’s hand tentatively asking ‘Is this alright?’, but he allows Ed the agency of completing the handhold fully. Stede then waits to see what Ed will do next, and smiles with such affection as he admires Stede’s hand and place his own on top, adjusting the position with care. Now at what point this becomes a game is unclear, but I think Stede now putting his hand on top certainly indicates playfulness. Neither speaks, but Stede’s nonverbal cues are again exquisitely reassuring as Ed now cottons on to what is happening by raising a finger; Stede mirrors with a thumb, and Ed tilts his head and bests him.

It’s symbolic of the conversation at the start when they mirrored and synced up. The game shows Ed he’s been heard and Stede isn’t upset. It’s an example of how much they can be in tune with each other in the right circumstances (‘We can be a lighthouse’). And Stede’s pitch-perfect ‘You won’ with all its layers of meaning reinforces the positivity with which the interaction concludes after the wobbly middle, allowing them to walk away together happily in relaxed conversation.

[battlefrankies]

maybe i just have a lot of affection for skypiea cause that was the arc that was coming out when i first started reading one piece (don't look up the years on that) so i got it week by week, and i would absolutely recommend skipping most of the priest fights because they were kind of a drag...

but i genuinely do think the portrayal of the shandians and skypieans was done with incredible sensitivity and respect to the various factions at play in a settler-colonial dynamic in the sense that it neither villainizes the descendents of the settlers (who do want peace and to give reparations to the descendents of the people they colonized) nor the displaced indigenous people (who are fighting to reclaim their land, not always in the most constructive way) and it really digs into how even when people are willing to negotiate for peace, they can be set back by someone with enough power who's selfishly pursuing their own goals at everyone else's expense, who leverages the oppressor class against marginalized people and stokes fear and resentment to maintain the status quo.

gan fall admits in one of his very first appearances that the skypieans, who stole shandora from the shandians, were unequivocally in the wrong even while berserker wyper was firing payloads at them. it would've been easy (and many lesser authors and real life policy makers have done it this way) for the narrative to then say that because the colonized people responded with violence, that they were right to have been deprived of their homeland, or they needed someone else to manage it for them. one piece didn't do that. it consistently portrayed the shandians as being in the right, but still being people who make mistakes and act on emotion, just like every other person.

it's actually insanely politically and socially astute of oda to have portrayed these different groups in this way, neither villainizing nor valorizing either side but portraying them all with nuance and empathy, and to have the conclusion be that enel destroyed a huge chunk of skypiea, the skypieans returned upper yard to the shandians, and then had the two cultures help each other rebuild while learning from and exchanging knowledge with each other. it's an idealistic, almost delusionally optimistic conclusion, but it's the only way that the cycle of exploitation and violence ends for good (especially now that the skypieans' home has been devastated) and grows into something new. and one piece is all about the idealistic, delusional optimism that we all just want to be friends.

[ladywhistlewrites]

chapter 1: The very first morning

As the fresh morning air made its way into her room, caressing her skin, the young lady Y/N was fast out of bed, pacing around her chamber. This was the day. This was the day her parents had prepared her for so diligently, the day she had prepared for so fervently. At noon, she would be officially introduced to society as an eligible young lady. Eligible for marriage, of course.

She swiftly looked at herself in the mirror of her nightstand, almost seeking something in her own reflection. “There must be a way to escape Her Majesty today,” she thought as she started combing her hair with her fingers. Was marriage truly a woman’s only calling? Was playing the piano, singing, and being a polite, flawless young lady all that life held for her? These thoughts roamed in her young mind ever since she was a child.

Surely, a woman should marry and have children if she wished so, but what if she wished for something else? What if she wished to go off to Oxford as her brothers did? Y/N was torn between what her parents wished, almost demanded, for her life and what she desired.

As she was lost in her thoughts, a soft knock came from her door. “Good morning, miss,” a giddy voice said. Y/N turned around and found Miss Olive’s smiling face. “Good morning, Olive,” she said with a smile. Miss Olive was a young girl herself, no more than six-and-twenty years of age, with a kind face and lively eyes. She had become Y/N’s lady’s maid quite recently, but she had shown herself to be a true confidant many times, as well as a very good maid indeed.

“Are you excited for today, Miss Y/N?” Olive asked, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest.

Y/N gave a small laugh. “Excited? Perhaps nervous is a better word. I am to be paraded in front of all of London society and judged suitable or not for marriage by the Queen herself. How could one be anything but nervous?”

Olive’s smile softened with understanding. “You will do wonderfully, miss. You have a grace and charm about you that no one can deny. Besides, this is just the beginning. Who knows what the season holds?”

Y/N appreciated Olive’s optimism but could not shake off the feeling of apprehension. She had seen how the season could make or break a young lady’s prospects. It was a game, a matchmaking game, and she was expected to play her part. But Y/N had always wondered if she could be more than just a pawn. Could she be the protagonist of her own story, taking the reins of her own destiny? Or perhaps she would breathe the air of libertinism and embrace the changing times?

As the morning progressed, Y/N was dressed in her finest gown, a delicate creation of lavender silk with lace trim that complemented her fair complexion. Her hair was styled in an intricate updo, adorned with tiny pearls that caught the light. She looked every bit the baroness she was born to be, yet her heart yearned for something more.

“Miss Y/N,” Olive said softly as she adjusted the final pin in her hair, “remember that today is just the beginning. You have the power to shape your own destiny. Do not let anyone dictate your path.”

Y/N looked at her maid and confidante with gratitude. “Thank you, Olive. I will try to remember that.”

With a deep breath, Y/N descended the grand staircase of her family’s townhouse, where her parents awaited her. Her father, a stern yet proud man, gave her an approving nod. Her mother, ever the epitome of grace, took her hand and squeezed it gently. “You look beautiful, my dear. Today, you will captivate the Queen and all of London.”

Y/N smiled, though it felt more like a mask. “Thank you, Mother.”

As they made their way to the carriage that would take them to Buckingham House, Y/N felt a flutter of anticipation mixed with dread. This was her moment, the beginning of her season.

The bustling streets of London passed by in a blur as Y/N contemplated her future. The carriage came to a halt, and she was helped down by a footman. The grand entrance of Buckingham House loomed before her, a symbol of the society she was about to enter.

Taking a deep breath, Y/N stepped forward, ready to face whatever the day would bring. This was her debut, her introduction to the world. And in that moment, she resolved that no matter what happened, she would remain true to herself.

As the grand doors opened and the sound of polite conversation and laughter filled her ears, Y/N lifted her chin and entered the hall. The eyes of the elite were upon her, and somewhere in the crowd, the Queen awaited her presence.

Would she captivate the Queen with her kindness, wit, and grace? Only time would tell. But one thing was certain: Y/N was determined to make this season her own, to write her own story, and to find her own path in a world that expected her to conform.

With every step she took, Y/N felt a growing sense of empowerment. This was her season, her story, and she would make it unforgettable.

******

author’s note:

first chapter officially out!! see you next Friday!

[princesscait26]

Jazz Music

(This is my very first EVER story. It was written on my phone. I took inspiration from a few stories.)

(I would love feedback. However, if you don’t like it, please just move on.)

Summary: The newest member of Hazbin Hotel has caught the attention of the Radio Demon. How will this turn out?

Alastor x Doe! Reader

As Alastor leisurely strolled through the corridors of Hazbin Hotel, his ears perked at the familiar strains of jazz seeping from room 430. The melodic notes beckoned him, coaxing a ghost of a smile to his lips as he approached the source.

Intrigued by the vintage tunes reminiscent of a bygone era, a simpler time, Alastor paused in front of the door, his curiosity piqued. With a gentle push, the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room bathed in the soft glow of evening light.

Inside, a petite figure moved with grace, her silhouette illuminated by the warm hues of hells “sunset” filtering through the window. Alastor's crimson eyes widened slightly as he took in the scene before him—a woman, unpacking her belongings while white fluffy tail swaying to the rhythm of the music.

Caught in a moment of vulnerability, Alastor's smile faltered, replaced by a flicker of something he couldn't quite place. He watched in silence as the woman danced around the room, her movements fluid and unhurried.

Suddenly aware of his intrusion, Alastor quickly withdrew, retreating into the safety of the hallway. His heart pounded in his chest, a strange heat creeping up his cheeks as he grappled with the unfamiliar sensation stirring within him.

Descending to the lobby, Alastor attempted to regain his composure, though his thoughts remained fixated on the enigmatic woman he had just encountered. As he approached the bar where Husk and Angel Dust lounged, he couldn't shake the lingering image from his mind.

Before he could gather his thoughts, Charlie burst into the lobby, her vibrant energy filling the space. With her was Vaggie, trailing behind as always, and a newcomer whom Alastor had only gotten a glimpse of.

With a flourish, Charlie introduced the newcomer to the gathered residents as Y/N, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. Alastor observed from a distance, his gaze drawn to the doe-eyed stranger who stood shyly beside Charlie.

As Angel Dust playfully urged Y/N to step forward, Alastor's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her blushing cheeks and hesitant smile. He felt a strange pang of protectiveness wash over him, though he couldn't fathom why.

When Y/N finally noticed him, her eyes widened in surprise, and Alastor found himself momentarily transfixed by her gaze. Charlie's comment about their shared "deer-like" characteristics drew a small chuckle from the others, but Alastor remained silent, his mind elsewhere.

Unable to articulate the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him, Alastor offered a polite nod before excusing himself, retreating once more into the shadows. As he disappeared from view, the others exchanged puzzled glances, while Y/N's ears drooped in confusion.

Husk's gruff voice broke the silence, followed by Angel Dust's characteristic laughter, but Alastor's absence lingered like a ghost in the room, leaving them all to wonder about the mysterious radio demon and the woman who had captured his attention.

———————————————————————

Y/n hadn't set out seeking redemption; rather, she longed for a sense of belonging in a place where safety felt like an elusive dream. Damned to hell, she had navigated its treacherous paths with constant vigilance, always on edge. But fate intervened when she crossed paths with Charlie in the bustling city streets. Their chance encounter led to a conversation that sparked hope within Y/n's weary heart, and Charlie's unwavering optimism convinced her to give Hazbin Hotel a chance.

Though redemption wasn't her primary goal, Y/n embraced her new role with sincerity, channeling her innate kindness and sweetness, much like her shy and skittish animal counterpart. Yet, beneath her gentle exterior lay a hidden past, a tale of woe she dared not share with anyone. There is a reason she was sent to hell.

Finding solace in keeping herself busy, Y/n eagerly lent a hand wherever needed, particularly finding joy in assisting Nifty with her cleaning duties. The quirky little demon took an instant liking to Y/n, charmed by her selfless gestures and warm demeanor.

Angel Dust, with his keen eye for character, saw in Y/n a kindred spirit. He admired her intelligence, wit, and undeniable beauty, envisioning a blossoming friendship between them. Even Husk, typically reserved and aloof, appreciated Y/n's presence during late nights, finding solace in her company as they indulged in a casual game of cards.

Despite her growing rapport with the other residents, Y/n couldn't shake the memory of the red deer demon she had encountered only once. Charlie had mentioned his busy schedule, while Husk had cautioned her to steer clear of him. Yet, the more she tried to push him from her thoughts, the more his image lingered in her mind.

Determined to unravel the mystery surrounding the elusive demon, Y/n resolved to uncover the depths of his character, drawn to his undeniable charm and the allure of the unknown. With each passing day, her curiosity only intensified, fueling her desire to uncover the secrets hidden beneath his facade.

———————————————————————

A typical Monday morning at Hazbin Hotel unfolded in its usual chaotic manner, with the corridors bustling with activity as demons scurried about their daily routines. Lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, Y/n navigated through the labyrinth of hallways, her mind buzzing with a million different tasks demanding her attention.

Caught up in her own thoughts, Y/n's foot caught on an unseen obstacle, sending her stumbling forward with a gasp. Bracing herself for impact, she closed her eyes, anticipating the hard embrace of the floor beneath her. Instead, she found herself enveloped in a cloud of intoxicating scent, a mixture of cinnamon and pine that sent a shiver down her spine.

Opening her eyes, Y/n found herself locked in a gaze with none other than the infamous radio demon himself, Alastor. Towering over her with an air of elegance and confidence, he exuded an aura of mystery that left her feeling like a deer caught in headlights. Why is he constantly making her feel this way.

Muttering apologies and expressions of gratitude, Y/n's words stumbled over each other in her haste to regain her composure. Alastor's chuckle cut through the tension, his voice smooth as silk as he remarked on the importance of being careful in the bustling corridors of the hotel.

With a polite nod and a reassuring smile, Alastor assured Y/n that all was well, his crimson eyes twinkling with amusement as he watched her regain her footing. As she continued on her way, Y/n couldn't shake the lingering sensation of his presence, his charm leaving a lasting impression on her mind.

———————————————————————

As days turned into weeks, Y/n and Alastor's chance encounters in the hotel corridors evolved into deliberate rendezvous, their paths seemingly intertwined as if by fate. With each passing exchange, Y/n's smile grew brighter, mirrored by Alastor's friendly wave and the unmistakable twinkle in his crimson eyes.

Their bond deepened as they found themselves working side by side, tackling tasks together with effortless synergy. Y/n found herself drawn to Alastor's smooth, captivating voice, hanging onto his every word as he regaled her with tales from his past, his radio talk voice weaving a spell around her.

Unbeknownst to them, their burgeoning friendship did not go unnoticed by the other residents of Hazbin Hotel. Husk's warnings about steering clear of his boss fell on deaf ears as Y/n and Alastor became practically inseparable, their connection undeniable

As time passed, it became increasingly evident to those around them that there was something more than just friendship blossoming between Y/n and Alastor. Angel Dust, always quick to pick up on such matters, took delight in teasing Alastor mercilessly, earning himself a death stare in return from the radio demon.

Vaggie, ever the protector, grew increasingly wary of Alastor's intentions towards Y/n. With her keen angelic powers, she sensed a strength within Y/n that belied her gentle demeanor, suspecting that Alastor may have recognized it too. Determined to shield Y/n from any potential harm, Vaggie kept a watchful eye on their interactions, her concern palpable in her every glance towards the pair.

———————————————————————

With the Hotel buzzing with Lucifer’s impending visit, Vaggie wasn’t able to worry too much and found herself torn between her duty to protect her friend and to her girlfriends mounting stress, who was determined to make a flawless impression on her father. With Charlie frantically orchestrating preparations, Vaggie could do little but offer her support, juggling her own concerns alongside her duties to the hotel.

Charlie's anxiety radiated throughout the hotel, her relentless pursuit of perfection leaving no room for rest or respite. Alastor and Y/n, sensing her distress, stepped in to assist, hoping to alleviate some of her burden and quell her fears. Vaggie, though grateful for their aid, couldn't shake her worry over Charlie's fragile state of mind.

Alastor, however, harbored no such sympathies for Lucifer's impending arrival. To him, the king of hell was nothing more than an unwelcome disruption, his disdain for Lucifer's callous indifference towards his daughter and the inhabitants of hell simmering beneath his composed exterior.

Y/n, always attuned to Alastor's moods, noticed his brooding demeanor and instinctively moved closer to him, seeking to offer comfort in her own quiet way. With a gentle touch, she intertwined her arm with his, silently reassuring him of her support.

Despite his aversion to physical contact, Alastor found himself surprisingly comforted by Y/n's presence. As she leaned into him, he couldn't resist the urge to reciprocate, offering a rare pat on her head that earned a blush and a soft, endearing noise of affirmation from Y/n.

Caught off guard by the warmth of her response, Alastor felt a rare flush of warmth spread across his cheeks, a sensation he hadn't experienced before. In that moment, he realized just how much he valued Y/n's companionship and the solace she provided, silently wishing he could be the sole recipient of her affectionate gestures.———————————————————————

As Charlie's anxiety about Lucifer's impending visit reached its peak, she implored everyone to put their best foot forward, emphasizing the importance of making a stellar impression. Her visible stress prompted a collective agreement among the hotel staff to dress to impress, each determined to ease Charlie's worries by presenting themselves in their finest attire.

Y/n, always a vision of elegance, opted for a striking red 1930s-inspired midi dress that accentuated her curves flawlessly making her bosom and tail poke out more. With its puffy sleeves and collarbone neckline, the dress exuded vintage charm, complemented by her hair pinned up and a delicate set of pearls adorning her neck. A touch of matching lipstick that completed her ensemble, drawing admiring glances from all who crossed her path.

As Y/n made her entrance into the lobby, she commanded the attention of everyone present. Angel Dust couldn't contain his excitement, letting out a whoop of approval and a wolf whistle that caught Alastor's attention. When Alastor's eyes landed on Y/n, his breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding so loudly he feared it might burst from his chest. She looked positively radiant.

Unable to resist the magnetic pull of her presence, Alastor approached Y/n with a graceful stride, his movements fluid and purposeful. Taking her hand in his, he pressed a reverent kiss to her knuckles, his words overflowing with genuine admiration as he proclaimed her the most beautiful doe he had ever seen. Y/n's cheeks flushed pink as she bashfully covered her face, but Alastor gently removed her hands, insisting that she not hide her stunning features.

Linked arm in arm, they ventured into the corridor together, leaving Charlie in awe of the softer side of Alastor that Y/n seemed to effortlessly bring out.

Meanwhile, seeking refuge from the overwhelming emotions swirling around her, Y/n made her way to the bar in search of a drink to calm her nerves. Husk's amused chuckle greeted her request for something strong, while Angel's playful compliment about her bewitching effect on Alastor elicited a shy blush and a nervous laugh from Y/n. She secretly hoped there was truth to his jest.

As the final preparations for Lucifer's arrival unfolded, Y/n couldn't resist a tantalizing touch as she passed Alastor, her finger tracing a delicate path across his chest as she met his gaze through her lashes. The effect on Alastor was immediate and undeniable, his usual composure crumbling in the wake of her subtle yet potent allure. Ears flushed crimson, his tail betraying his inner turmoil, and a noticeable tightness in his pants, Alastor found himself utterly captivated by the enigmatic woman who had managed to ensnare his heart and unravel his self-control with a single touch. What was she doing to him?

———————————————————————

The atmosphere in Hazbin Hotel ground to a halt as a portal crackled open in the lobby, spilling forth the unexpected figure of Lucifer. Contrary to everyone's expectations, the imposing ruler of hell was surprisingly short, a stark contrast to his daughter, Charlie. Y/n, petite herself, couldn't help but note the irony, realizing she might even tower over him.

Charlie's nerves were palpable as she reluctantly approached her father, offering a hesitant greeting before embarking on the daunting task of introducing him to the hotel's residents. Alastor, ever vigilant, stood close to Y/n, maintaining a respectful distance while silently wishing he could be closer, especially when he noticed Lucifer's intense gaze fixated on her.

Lucifer's eyes lingered on Y/n, his appraisal unsettling as he took in her innocent beauty. Sensing her discomfort, Y/n found herself at a loss for words as Lucifer gallantly took her hand and planted a kiss upon it, his words dripping with a disconcerting charm. Feeling intimidated, Y/n's nerves betrayed her, causing her to giggle nervously in response.

Alastor, seething with barely-contained rage at seeing Y/n's discomfort, could no longer stand idly by. Stepping up behind her, he introduced himself to Lucifer, a silent gesture of protection that did not go unnoticed by Y/n, who smiled gratefully at him, internally thanking him for rescuing her from the uncomfortable situation.

However, Lucifer's audacity knew no bounds as he seized Y/n's wrist, pulling her towards him and demanding a tour of the hotel. Alastor's patience snapped, his demon form surging forth as his antlers grew, his fury unleashed at the sight of Y/n being manhandled.

Ready to defend Y/n at any cost, Alastor bristled with aggression, his intentions clear as he faced off against Lucifer. A confrontation seemed inevitable until Y/n and Charlie intervened, diffusing the tension and redirecting Lucifer's attention. As they redirected Lucifer's focus, Alastor stormed off in frustration, leaving Y/n bewildered by his sudden outburst.

As Y/n clung to Alastor's arm, attempting to calm him down, his agitation only grew, his temper flaring as he abruptly ripped his arm away, causing Y/n to stumble. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to comprehend what had transpired, seeking solace in the comforting words of Angel and Husk.

Meanwhile, Alastor paced in the radio tower, grappling with his conflicting emotions and struggling to understand why Y/n had such a profound effect on him. Realization dawned upon him, sending shockwaves through his being as he came to terms with the depth of his feelings for Y/n. She was his, and he would protect her at all costs.

Alastor, after his realization, went in search of y/n, finding her in her room, withdrawn and overwhelmed. As she retreated from the day's events, she changed out of her dress and into one of Alastor's button-up shirts that she stole a while back, still carrying his faint scent of cinnamon and pine. Despite her efforts to distance herself, a knock at the door disrupted her solitude. Expecting sympathetic friends, y/n mumbled her intention to talk tomorrow until she heard Alastor's voice, distinct and sweet, on the other side

Unlocking the door with her powers, she avoided meeting his gaze, her disappointment palpable. Alastor, visibly regretful, pleading with her to look at him, apologizing sincerely for his earlier behavior. He assured her that he never intended to hurt her, explaining that he was grappling with inner turmoil that needed sorting out. His gaze held such adoration that she forgave him instantly, though not without a warning that any future transgressions would not be tolerated. He laughed at her stern look. She was just too cute.

She stood from her bed, Alastor noticed the shirt she wore, his eyes lingering appreciatively at her body in his shirt before he composed himself. She turned on the radio, filling the room with quiet jazz, and Alastor approached her, his presence intoxicating. Offering his hand, he asked her to dance, his voice devoid of its usual static, like honey to her ears. As they swayed together, their tails wagged in sync, reflecting the emotions swirling inside both of them. She rested her head on his chest, humming to the song. He was content and could get used to this domestic life with her.

Alastor complimented her appearance, both in the dress and in his shirt. Y/n blushing as she realized her attire and apologized. He expressed that what was his was hers, a statement that surprised her but to which she readily agreed, reciprocating the sentiment.

After the dance, Alastor took a bold step, asking her on a proper date, expressing his desire to court her. Overwhelmed with emotion, she said yes without hesitation, kissing him before realizing the implications of her actions. Instead of being upset, Alastor seized the moment, pulling her into a passionate kiss, the intensity of which left them both breathless. Green and white powers intertwined, marking the beginning of a powerful and enduring love.

[raccoonfallsharder]

How old is rocket usually in your stories? I'm curious. Unless I'm mistaken his age is never talked about anywhere in comics, movies, cartoons, games (with the exception of edios) etc. James Gunn once called him a young man and that he was with groot for a decade before meeting the guardian but that's all we get. Assuming he escaped halfworld or the HE (depending on the universe) at age 12-13, spent a few years alone, met groot at say, age 17-18, then if my math is correct that would make him around 27-28 years old when he meets the guardians?

oh babe. have i told you how much i enjoy your asks? that said i am quite sure i never answer them in the way you’re hoping lol sorryyyy ♡♡♡

the shortest answer i can give is that i’d say he’s 34 in volume one because that’s how old pete is, and i not-so-secretly headcanon that they got scooped around the same time. my fics would more-or-less align with this philosophy accordingly.

but understand that i contain multitudes and also never wrote a short thing in my life, so buckle up if you click behind the cut

i think no matter what we decide, we always have to start with foundations. so, to begin: we have to pose with the question, what is rocket’s lifespan?

raccoons in the wild typically live around five+ years (however, about half of kits die in year one). in optimal conditions with plenty of food and shelter, they can live well over a decade. the oldest wild raccoon i have read about was estimated at 16 years old. in captivity, raccoons can live upwards of 20 years. now, rocket himself may or may not be considered "domesticated" depending on your definition, but he definitely has more survival skills and tools to keep himself alive than the average raccoon, so i'd guess that even in his "natural" state (if we don't consider the impact of genetic tampering), he'll probably live around 20+ years, depending on whether or not he gets himself shot or blown up first.

then i’d point out that we need to consider how long all of his manufactured bits-and-bobs were meant to last, and whether or not they can be replaced or repaired if necessary, and what impact they might have on his health and well-being. even if we assume the orgosphere can repair a lot, sometimes metal and wires just wear out (unless we decide they don't). rocket was also never intended to leave half-world so even if the high evolutionary had decided to keep him around, wyndham would’ve just expected to be able to replace anything that broke, so his prosthetic and mechanical innards may not be the highest-quality. all of this informs the type of wear-and-tear we’d expect to see on his body (or at least means we should consider solutions to the potential problems).

we also have to pose the question of whether wyndham picked rocket up as a baby when we’re pretty sure he first became inspired by earth (sometime in the 80s), or at a later date. or perhaps he's descended from earth raccoons, but was born later: the result of a breeding program that keeps the high evolutionary’s cages full. and has rocket been awake ever since he was picked up (or born in the lab)? or was he kept in stasis, for use when wyndham was ready? all of this impacts his age too.

now, let’s take all those decisions and all that information we just manufactured, then remember that we’re talking about fucking fandom, which means we can throw it all out at any point that it’s inconvenient for us and believe whatever the fuck we want.

i personally headcanon that thanks to the genetic manipulation of rocket’s body, our guy is going to live about as long as a Terran human (an arbitrary length of time i picked because i think it gives him the best chance of living a full sentient life while also not risking being “the last one left” of the og guardians, because i simply cannot abide that). some people might argue otherwise based on his line in vol 1 about having a short lifespan, but i respectfully disagree because that’s just too depressing for me lol. plus, i think the high evolutionary would want his toys to remain at an ideal level of functionality for a long period of time.

however, i don’t think rocket hits his stages of development the same way a human would. i think he goes through all his stages more slowly than natural raccoons (who fully mature at about the one-year mark), but i think the high evolutionary would want to maximize time spent in adulthood. this means that rocket's childhood and adolescence would progress more quickly than a human’s would. i imagine his growth begins slowing in young adulthood, and that he lingers longer than a human in middle adulthood, then speeds up again during late-adulthood (since the high evolutionary would have little interest in keeping a subject around past its prime, cell deterioration would be pretty rapid at that point).

also, let’s not forget that time in space is counted differently than terran years, so even when i assign him a terran “age”, it means nothing to him (or anyone but pete, probably).

for all these reasons, i think about rocket in his stages of development rather than his actual terran years. when he’s leaving halfworld, he looks (to me) like he’s on the cusp of transitioning from childhood to adolescence — the equivalent of somewhere between 8-12 Terran-humie years. models of psychosocial development are an oversimplified and often inaccurate tool, but in this case, they do pretty much align with the idea of him being at an 8-12 age range when he runs. do i personally think rocket spent 8-12 years on halfworld? i do not (probably more like 4-8, max). frankly, i don't think he would be so well-adjusted if he spent that long in that environment. however, do i think he’s developmentally in late childhood/pre-adolescence? yes, yes i do.

i believe that rocket spent most of his adolescence on the street, refining his ability to steal undetected and escape bad situations. he probably stowed away on a few ships (and stole one or two) to get from planet to planet, and learned quickly that he could blend in better in places with high criminality and low security. the few times he visits wealthier planets are probably the first few times he ends up in prisons, because he gets caught (fuckin cops). in Terran-human years, adolescence lasts from about age 10 to 20 (or 24 if you include the last few years of brain development). for rocket, i suspect it’s more like age 7-16.

now, as mentioned, with the high evolutionary wanting his subjects to stay in a stage of prime-functionality for a longer time, i think the middle of rocket’s life gets the most confusing in terms of how it correlates to a Terran human’s life. in humans, young adulthood is usually categorized as (roughly) 20-35 years, with middle age being roughly 35-65, and later life being 65+. for rocket, i think young adulthood is more like 17-30, and middle-adulthood is more like 30-75, but it’s all pretty fluid with such lengthy transitionary periods that the middle is sorta vague. and, as i said, i think his late adulthood is pretty quick, similar to his childhood — another 4-8 years.

now, i imagine rocket found groot and tibius lark somewhere in his early adulthood, and i like to think he and groot have been together for a decade or so when volume one happens. let’s say Rocket is anywhere between 22-25 when he meets groot, which would make him between 32 and 35 in volume one (at least, in Terran-humie years). i don’t know about gunn calling rocket a young man, but this age-range would fit by our standards. vol 3 takes place twelve years later, so he’d be 45-47 then.

according to my headcanon that rocket and pete were scooped around the same time, he'd be 46 in volume three. but remember that because of his slowed-down adulthood, 46 doesn't directly correlate. vibes-wise he's probably closer to 40-44. (which, now that i think about it, brings him more in alignment with pete still, because pete lost five years to the snap.)

when i write rocket, it more or less aligns with this philosophy. most of my fics are going to place adult-rocket spiritually in his thirties or forties, if not explicitly. but because of the way i headcanon his lifespan functioning, it’s a little more fluid than a direct alignment with Terran-humie years, and it means that a lot of his halfworld-trauma happened earlier, and that he spent a longer time free from the high evolutionary than most people might expect.

and honestly, no-one can convince me he doesn't have grumpy dad-vibes throughout pretty much the whole series. ♡

[mxtxfanatic]

"If He Catches Me..." a Meta on Lan Wangji's Unconditional Support Pt. 2

Not only does Lan Wangji unconditionally support Wei Wuxian in the latter's second life, he actually does the same in the man's first, too, despite many instances being either overlooked or outside of his knowledge. Lan Wangji physically protects Wei Wuxian on multiple occasions:

Wen ZhuLiu couldn’t attend to both sides at the same time, blundering amid the chaos. As he looked to the side and saw Wei WuXian’s cold smile, he threw himself at him. Both of the two on the roof frowned. Lan WangJi smacked down. The tiles shattered and the roof collapsed. Through the roof, he descended into the second floor of the courier station and blocked Wen ZhuLiu from Wei WuXian.

—Chapt. 62: Evil, exr

Jin ZiXuan dodged to the side and returned to him a sword attack, “If I don’t grab her should I let her walk randomly around the mountain alone?!” However, the sword glare was hit to the side by another glare, shooting into the sky. Seeing who it was, Jin ZiXuan was shocked, “HanGuang-Jun?” Lan WangJi unsheathed Bichen. Standing between the three, he maintained his silence.

—Chapt. 69: Departure, exr

At this point, Wen Ning pounced on him. As though he was hit by a large boulder, Wei WuXian flew back from the force, crashing onto a tree. He felt warmth rise up his throat and cursed. Lan WangJi saw this happen just as he returned. His expression changed at once and he rushed in front of him. Wen Qing had just shoved Wen Yuan into another’s arms. She wanted to check on Wei WuXian’s injuries, but he got there before she could. She paused with surprise. Lan WangJi was almost embracing Wei WuXian as he held his hand and passed spiritual energy to him.

—Chapt. 75: Distance, exr

“Not many of the people left were still conscious at the time. I myself could barely move. I could only stare as WangJi limped after you, grabbed you, and flew off on his sword even though his cultivation was clearly near its limit. ... Lan XiChen continued, “When my uncle reached him, he’d scolded him and asked him to explain himself. However WangJi seemed to have already expected us to find him, he only said, ‘There’s nothing to explain. This is what it seems.’ All his life, WangJi has never defied Uncle and I on anything. But for you, not only did he defy Uncle, he even drew his sword on the fellow cultivators of his own sect, and severely injured all thirty-three seniors of the Gusu Lan Sect that were with us......”

—Chapt. 99: A Hatred for Life Part 2, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

...offers him aid, at times without even needing to be asked:

Wei Wuxian’s sword was optimized for agility, and consequently, its strength happened to fall just short, and they were nearly pulled to the surface of the lake. Wei Wuxian steadied himself and held on to Su She with both hands. “Someone help! If I can’t pull him up soon, I’ll have to let go!” he shouted. Suddenly, the back of Wei Wuxian’s collar tightened, and his body was lifted into the air. He twisted his neck and saw Lan Wangji holding him up with one hand. Though the boy’s indifferent gaze was directed elsewhere, he and his sword alone had no trouble bearing the weight of three people, even fighting against the mysterious force inside the lake. They rose higher and higher at a stable pace.

—Chapt. 17: Elegance VII, fanyiyi

Lan WangJi put into Wen Yuan’s palm the butterfly that he dropped. He didn’t answer the question, but instead asked, “Why do you not mount your sword?” Wei WuXian, “Forgot to bring it!” Without saying anything, Lan WangJi took him by his waist and brought him onto Bichen as they rose into the air.

—Chapt. 74: Distance, exr

Wei WuXian pulled out Chenqing, “Lan...!” He wanted to entrust Lan WangJi with saving the others as he stayed to deal with Wen Ning. When he turned around, he had already disappeared. Just as he was beginning to panic, sounds of the zither vibrated through the sky, sending off a murder of startled crows. Before he could even ask, Lan WangJi had already gone over. Wei WuXian felt his heart settle.

...

Wei WuXian whipped out twelve talismans, “Don’t know where I put it!” The twelve yellow talismans formed a line in midair and began to burn. When they landed on Wen Ning, like a chain of fire, they held him down at once. With a flip of his wrist, Lan WangJi strummed the strings of his zither. Wen Ning’s footsteps seemed to have been hindered by an invisible thread. He paused, but continued to struggle forward despite the difficulty. Wei WuXian put Chenqing to his lips. Due to the blow he received, some blood sprayed out from his lips. He frowned, but he endured the pain and the blood churning within his chest, playing without a single tremble. Under the two’s collaboration, Wen Ning kneeled on the ground and let out a roar skyward.

—Chapt. 75: Distance, exr

...and defends Wei Wuxian against other cultivators who attempt to bad-mouth or slander him:

Nie MingJue’s gaze turned over again, “Why does Wei Ying not carry his sword?” Carrying one’s sword was like wearing formal attire. In such gatherings, it was a non-negligible indication of etiquette. Those from prominent sects saw it as especially important. Lan WangJi responded in a lukewarm tone, “He had probably forgotten.” Ning MingJue raised a brow, “He can even forget something like this?” Lang WangJi, “It is nothing out of the ordinary.”

—Chapt. 49: Guile, exr

He was the only one left to clean up the mess. How could he leave the scene? He reassured the crowd as he ranted, completely exhausted, “Young Master Wei really is too impulsive. How could he speak in such a way in front of so many sects?” Lan WangJi spoke coldly, “Was he wrong?” Jin GuangYao paused almost unnoticeably. He immediately laughed, “Haha. Yes, he’s right. But it’s because he’s right that he can’t say it in front of them, correct?”

—Chapt. 72: Recklessness, exr

Jin GuangShan shook his head, “In an event as important as the Flower Banquet, he dared throw a fit right in front of you, leaving however he pleased. He even dared say something like ‘I don’t care about the sect leader Jiang WanYin at all!’ Everyone who was there heard it with their own ears...” Suddenly, an indifferent voice spoke up, “No.” Jin GuangShan was in the middle of his fabrication. Hearing this, he paused in surprise, turning along with the crowd to see who it was. Lan WangJi sat with his back straight, speaking in a tone of absolute tranquility, “I did not hear Wei Ying say this. I did not hear him express the slightest disrespect towards Sect Leader Jiang either.” Lan WangJi rarely spoke when he was outside. Even when they debated cultivation techniques during Discussion Conferences, he only answered when others questioned or challenged him. With utmost concision, he overcame, without fault, the lengthy arguments of others. Apart from this, he almost never spoke up. And thus, when Jin GuangShan was interrupted by him, he experienced a far greater shock than annoyance. But after all, his fabrication was exposed right in front of so many. He felt a bit awkward.

—Chapt. 73: Recklessness, exr

While most of these instances are left to be revealed in the second half of the story, it makes clear that Lan Wangji has always tried to be there to catch Wei Wuxian, even if his efforts only bore fruit during Wei Wuxian's second life.

Pt. 1

[natsuki208]

My own Silver the Hedgehog headcanons! 🤍

Just Silver

• As a child, it was very difficult for him to take control of his physic powers and often caused unintentional messes; this led to his family cutting him off.

• Even if he learned to enhance his abilities as he grew older, occasional outbursts were still common. Luckily a tech friend built the bracelets to keep them intact.

• In the future, there are legends about an unstoppable hero who would always save the world with his speed and endless optimism (his name was lost through time) . Silver grew up with these stories and was inspired to be like a hero too.

• The Silver which has been seen since ‘Rivals’ isn’t the same Silver from 06; he can be more calmer and doesn’t go straight to killing his foes. However, his urge for justice is still somewhat there.

• Oddly enough, Silver has met some of his friends’ descendants before. How does he know this? Either with similar looks or the families praising their ancestors as old-time heroes.

• His favourite subject to study is history, which explains his fascination for what the past was like and how he stays there for some time after helping to save it.

Silver and Blaze

• Silver doesn’t usually talk about his troubles that much, not even to his friends, but Blaze is different. She’s mature for her age like him and is a good listener.

• He’s gotten to know both Cream and Marine pretty well thanks to Blaze; from the rabbit inviting them both for tea to Blaze allowing the raccoon to visit Sonic’s dimension once.

• Whenever Silver feels afraid to return back to his time due to possible resets (this doesn’t happen often) Blaze allows him to rest in her dimension for a short while. Another chance to meet Marine as well.

• Together with his psychokinesis and her pyrokinesis, they can be the most unstoppable duo together - possibly pass the ultimate lifeform himself.

• Despite them meeting for the first time in Sweet Mountain, they have his deep feeling of something familiar about each other. They’re confused about this, but they feel safe around one another, and work greatly in battle. Hopefully someday they’ll find the answer.

[nayziiz]

Speed | CS55

Summary: In a chance encounter at a gas station, a mysterious woman on a Yamaha YZF R6 catches the attention of Carlos, a charming Ferrari driver. Little did they know the journey they would both go on.

Warning: Smut, fluff

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x OC (Lola)

Masterlist

Chapter 2

Lola's scepticism lingered in the back of her mind as she went about her day, her encounter with Carlos just another fleeting moment in a string of casual interactions. She had grown accustomed to the attention her motorcycle garnered, but she had learned the hard way that most encounters rarely led to anything meaningful.

So when her phone chimed with a new message just an hour later, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. Tentatively, she unlocked her phone, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Carlos's name on the screen.

With a mixture of curiosity and cautious optimism, she opened the message, her breath catching in her throat as she read his words.

The first message was to the point: “Dinner tomorrow night?” and was accompanied by a motorcycle emoji. The second message was clarifying that it was him messaging.

Lola's anticipation surged as she re-read Carlos's messages, each word carrying a weight of possibility that left her breathless with excitement. With a quick intake of breath, she composed her response, her fingers dancing across the screen as she typed. “Dinner tomorrow night sounds perfect. Looking forward to it, Carlos.” and she added a blushing smiley face for good measure.

With each brief text exchange, Lola's anticipation for her upcoming date with Carlos continued to grow. His minimal yet decisive messages conveyed a sense of purpose and excitement, leaving her eagerly counting down the hours until their evening together.

When Carlos mentioned that their dinner would be at a fancy place, Lola's mind immediately began to race with possibilities. She knew instantly what she wanted to wear—a sleek, sophisticated ensemble that would perfectly complement the upscale ambiance of their destination.

As she carefully selected her outfit, each garment chosen with meticulous attention to detail, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement building within her. This wasn't just any dinner—it was an opportunity to make a lasting impression, to show Carlos a glimpse of the woman behind the motorcycle helmet.

With her outfit chosen and her anticipation mounting, Lola couldn't wait to see where the evening would take her.

As Carlos pulled up to the house indicated by Lola's pin location, his gaze immediately fell upon the unmistakable silhouette of her Yamaha standing proudly in front of the open garage door. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he realised he had arrived at the right place—a feeling of anticipation stirring within him as he stepped out of his Ferrari.

His eyes followed the sound of movement, and there she was, emerging from the garage with an effortless grace that took his breath away. Immaculately dressed in all black, she exuded an air of sophistication and confidence that captivated him instantly.

With practised ease, she kicked down the kickstand of her motorcycle and guided it into the garage, her movements fluid and purposeful. And then, with a smile that lit up her features, she made her way toward him, closing the distance between them with each step.

As she approached the Ferrari, Carlos couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the prospect of spending the evening in her company. With each passing moment, he found himself more intrigued by the enigmatic woman before him, eager to discover what the night had in store.

As Lola approached the Ferrari, she couldn't help but notice the unmistakable gleam of admiration in Carlos's eyes as he stepped out of the car. His chivalrous gesture of opening the passenger door for her only added to the sense of anticipation that hung in the air between them.

With a confident stride, Lola descended the driveway, the click of her thigh-high heeled boots against the pavement echoing in the quiet evening air. She felt a surge of confidence wash over her as she approached the waiting car, her gaze meeting Carlos's with a playful twinkle in her eyes.

Carlos, momentarily rendered speechless by her captivating presence, watched in awe as she drew closer, her every movement exuding an effortless allure that left him breathless. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, the sight of her in those thigh-high boots igniting a fire within him that he hadn't known existed. As she reached the passenger side of the car, Carlos snapped out of his reverie, a warm smile gracing his lips as he held the door open for her.

“You look incredible.” He murmured, his voice soft and sincere as he met her gaze with a warmth that made her heart flutter. Carlos's words washed over Lola like a warm embrace, his compliment sending a shiver of delight down her spine. 

“You don't look too bad yourself.” She replied, her tone teasing yet genuine as she reached out to take his hand. A playful smile curved her lips as she returned his compliment, her eyes sparkling with amusement. 

With his help, she gracefully settled into the passenger seat of the Ferrari, the soft leather enveloping her like a cocoon of luxury. As she buckled her seatbelt and adjusted her position, she couldn't shake the feeling of excitement coursing through her—excitement for the evening ahead, and for the chance to spend time with Carlos, whose presence already felt like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds.

And as Carlos closed the door and made his way around to the driver's side, Lola couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building within her—a feeling that whispered of endless possibilities and the promise of a night filled with unforgettable moments.

As Carlos settled into the driver's seat, Lola couldn't help but notice how effortlessly he carried himself in his all-black suit, the crisp white button-up shirt adding a touch of sophistication to his ensemble. There was an air of refinement about him, a quiet confidence that spoke volumes about his character.

And as she glanced down at her own attire—a sleek, all-black ensemble that mirrored his own—she couldn't shake the feeling that their outfits were somehow perfectly coordinated, as if they had unconsciously matched their attire for the evening.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she met Carlos's gaze, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. It was a small detail, but one that spoke volumes about the connection they shared—a connection that seemed to transcend words and manifest itself in the subtlest of ways.

As Carlos started the engine and pulled out onto the road, Lola couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within her. Tonight was shaping up to be something special, and as she settled back into her seat, she couldn't wait to see where the night would take them.

“So, where are we going?” Lola wondered, breaking the silence.

"One of my favourite restaurants in town." Carlos replied with a sheepish smile.

"I swear if it's a burger joint and you have us all dressed up for that, I might just run you over with my bike." Lola teased. Carlos chuckled at Lola's playful threat, his smile widening at her sense of humour.

“Don't worry, it's not a burger joint.” He reassured her with a playful glint in his eyes. “I promise you won't be disappointed.”

Lola grinned in response, a twinkle of mischief dancing in her eyes.

“I mean, I'd do a double cheeseburger, but still.” She joked, her tone light and teasing as she leaned back in her seat.

As Carlos pressed down on the accelerator, the sleek Ferrari surged forward with effortless grace, the purr of the engine harmonising with the rhythm of the city streets. Lola couldn't help but smile at his playful response to her joke, her laughter mingling with the rush of wind as they sped through the night.

Despite the increase in speed, Lola remained remarkably composed, her demeanour calm and collected as she settled into her seat. It was a familiar sensation, one she had grown accustomed to during her late-night rides on the highway—a sense of freedom and exhilaration that washed over her like a tidal wave.

In those quiet moments, with nothing but the open road stretching out before her, Lola would push her motorcycle to its limits, chasing the thrill of speed and the rush of adrenaline that came with it. At first, it had been about conquering her fear, facing the unknown head-on and emerging victorious on the other side.

But as time went on, something shifted within her—a subtle yet profound transformation that she couldn't quite put into words. It was as if she were no longer chasing the fear, but rather embracing it, allowing it to fuel her passion and drive her forward.

And now, as she sat beside Carlos in the Ferrari, she couldn't help but marvel at the parallels between their two worlds—the thrill of speed, the exhilaration of the chase. In that moment, she realised that perhaps they weren't so different after all—that they were both seekers of adventure, explorers of the unknown, chasing after the rush of life with all the passion and determination they could muster.

“How did you get into the bike thing?” Carlos wondered, his curiosity evident in the way he glanced over at Lola as they drove through the city streets.

Lola's eyes lit up at the question, a nostalgic smile gracing her lips as she recalled the moment that had sparked her lifelong passion for motorcycles.

“When I was ten, my dad took me and my brother to a MotoGP.” She began, her voice tinged with fondness. “I was standing on an elevated platform, and when the bikes sped past, the wind almost blew me right off the platform if I wasn't holding on for dear life. From that day on, all I ever wanted was to feel that way again, and then the bug bit.”

Carlos nodded, his smile widening at her animated explanation.

“I know the feeling.” He admitted, his fingers instinctively tightening around the steering wheel, as if he were back on the racetrack in his F1 car.

Turning the conversation back to him, Lola couldn't help but be intrigued by the man behind the Ferrari steering wheel.

“So, Ferrari, huh? What bug bit you?” She asked, her tone playful as she mirrored his earlier question.

Carlos hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal.

“I drive a Ferrari for work.” He explained vaguely, knowing that Lola likely had no idea he was a famous F1 driver for Scuderia Ferrari. “But, I've always preferred my VW Golf.”

Lola chuckled at the thought, the image of the dashing man behind the Ferrari wheel cruising around in a modest VW Golf adding a touch of charm to his already captivating persona. It was a refreshing reminder that appearances could be deceiving, and that sometimes, the things that brought us the most joy were the simplest and most unassuming.

“Well, I guess we all have our preferences.” She remarked with a grin, a shared understanding passing between them. “I can see the appeal. There's something to be said for a reliable ride that gets you where you need to go.”

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

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos