#absolutely even. the only exceptions are certain multiples of 5. BUT NOT ALL.

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

This is another post that has nothing to do with being lgbt+ and is just me musing on another internet phenomenon I noticed: the (forced?) hype around excessive hygiene. 

Shower routines that require 25 different products. “How to smell good” guides that tell you to use at least 5 different body washes within one shower and then layer 3 different deodorants on your armpits or else you stink and everyone hates you. “Tap into your divine feminine and reclaim your female power” by washing your genitalia with these 3 scented products every day. “Find your Wellness Girl aesthetic” and each aesthetic requires you to - you guess it - buy a ridiculous amount of products to all use simultaneously. 

This common thread may already reveal what this is really about: not physical health,  not emotional wellness, not even empowerment - they just want you to buy stuff.

More precisely, they want you to feel insecure enough to keep buying stuff - which is a really horrible marketing trick, considering that excessive hygiene and the underlying social fears can be so damaging. 

Washing yourself too often or using too many products will actually irritate your skin. It can disrupt your natural microbiome, cause painfully dry skin, itching, rashes or contact dermatitis, especially if the products are fragranced. 

(An extra note for those with vulvas: you shouldn’t use scented products at all down there due to risk of increased infections (like bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections). If you notice strong and unusual odor, that’s actually a typical sign of bacterial infections, so don’t just change your shower routine - visit a gynecologist.)

For most people and on an ordinary day (as in, you haven’t been explicitly instructed by your doctor to do otherwise etc.): Using one product for your body (shower gel or body wash or soap) should be absolutely enough to get germs, sweat and dirt off. Of course you may also use additional products for your hair or face - that does not fall under excessive since those are different body parts with different needs. But there is no need to use multiple products of the same variant, like multiple shower gels. That offers no proven benefits - except for getting the company more sales and more money. 

If you regularly feel sweaty or smelly after an ordinary shower with one shower gel, there are a few possible explanations: underlying physical conditions (for example hyperhidrosis (overactive sweat glands), thyroid issues, some neurological disorders, bacterial infections or even certain medications) can cause you to sweat a lot more than needed to regulate body temperature. This isn’t fixed by just buying and using an increasing amount of products. It’s something that needs to be checked out by a doctor. So if you notice an unexplained (I.e not related to increased activity or temperature) change in how much you sweat or how your sweat smells, take that as a potential symptom and see a medical professional. 

If you’re not actually sweating through your shirt after you just showered but you often find yourself worrying about that happening, then there could also be an underlying mental health issue. Ruminating (excessive worrying) about hygiene, sweat, germs, body odor, being “gross” or repulsive to others etc. can be connected to various conditions such as OCD, anxiety (health anxiety, social anxiety etc.) or body dysmorphia. 

Marketing that invents new things for you to feel insecure about - like “only” using one shower gel instead of multiple ones - preys on and exploits vulnerable people. It encourages overconsumption (bad for your finances and the environment), hurts your skin and your mental health. 

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad 

[rivnedell]

50 nsfw questions for Joel Miller

Hey there, again ✨ Ok, I love this list and I want to write those for.. So many people now 🫠

Have fun with our dear survival man, he really needs some good time..

Also please excuse if there're mistakes, english is not my first language.

Gifs by @manny-jacinto

18+ MDI

1. Biggest Turn-On

Admiring you when you dress up in the morning, spooning you in the few lazy mornings you're both granted. Seeing you lingering in the house, just wearing one of his shirts, underwear or not. 

2. Biggest Turn-off

Lies. Do not lie to him. He's a survivor and he doesn't need people who would abuse his trust in his life.

3. Quickest way to get horny

Lingering gazes as you walk into him through your kitchen, leaning your body into him while kissing him, and jumping on the countertop, wrapping your legs around his waist. That would certainly lead to a quickie, both keeping your clothes on, or a long torrid night.

4. Top 3 places to be touched

Joel is a sucker for gentle touches and tickling while he sleeps. He loves when you travel your fingers through his dark, grayish hair, helping him soothe and calm from what he has seen outside during the day. Number two would be the small of his back and his ass, grabbed when he pounds into you.. And number three would be his gorgeous thighs, more precisely the groin. No need to tell you how much he craves you for kisses down there.

5. Do you like the idea of a threesome or moresome ?

Probably not. Joel is possessive and intense at love. He would never share you, and you would never accept another woman to own him as he lets you claim him as yours, don't you Honey ?

6. Sex or Masturbation ?

Oh both. That man is a passionate god surviving through hell. He needs to indulge, and to fuck. He needs you. All the time. He needs those moments with you, either tenderness, comforting and listening. But gods he needs good sex. And he would absolutely pleasure himself thinking of you if you've been far away from for too long.. Even for a few days. The man would miss you as soon as you're not in his sight.

7. Spit or Swallow ?

Girl. He wouldn't ask you. You just gotta swallow, ‘til the last drop.

“Look at you.. Such a good girl for me, aren't you ? That's it.. Swallow it for me, all of it,”

8. Rough or Romantic sex ?

Both. Joel adores you when you take care of him. And you would pretty much be the only one in this scorched world he would return that care to. He loves your tender and soft nights, full of caresses and long, wet kissing, but he's is a wild man, seeking, and needing roughness and wilderness.

9. Loud or quiet partners ?

You better be loud and significant to how he makes you feel.. But Joel is anyway going to make you scream, whether you're loud or not.

10. How much foreplay ?

Sometimes there is no foreplay. If Joel needs you right away as he sees you, he will take what's his for sure, wasting no time. But he is also known to be an exceptional lover. Making love to you, amusing and pleasing you for hours, watching you coming over and over on his fingers, or on his lips, would absolutely content him and make him hard as hell too.. Let's be honest.

11. How much teasing does he like ?

He likes it very much, but to a certain point. You better manage the man or he will manage you, and ravage you. He's very fond of public teasing, like discreet side eyeing while Tommy or the others are around, stolen kisses at the back of house while no one is watching. That is good teasing to him, a promise that a great time is awaiting for him at night.

12. Hooks up or only partners ?

After Sarah's mother he had multiple hooks up, but since he's with you he wants to be only yours, and of course you should never betray him.

13. How much kissing during sex ?

He simply cannot resist your lips Honey. Most part of the time he could cum while kissing you actually.

14. Favorite place to have sex ?

Bedroom, kitchen (he loves to take you right before you have breakfast, still dizzy from sleep, not even dressed up, probably wearing one of his check shirts, barely covering your intimacy and your breasts)..

15. Would he have sex in public ?

That's something you could ask him, he would probably be turned-on by the getting-caught thing, but since Austin is not a very safe place anymore, he would prefer to make love to you where he feels the safest.

16. Last place he had sex?

His truck, both of you on the driver's seat..

17. Where would he most like to have sex?

His bedroom, or his living room, on the couch after enjoying a nice meal with you.

18. Spontaneous sex or does he need to be in the mood?

Joel is a busy man, worried about everything and everyone to be safe. So you probably will have to hold his face in your hands as he talks about what incautious move Tommy did again today, and crash your lips on his to stop him speaking. That would immediately soothe him and he would take you to his lap, letting you straddle him, a promise of, finally, a nice and intense moment.

19. Would he go for a hookup at a stranger's house?

Before you, yes. Surviving is hard, so he needed to indulge sometimes without any romance involved.

20. Biggest kink?

Don't ask to have mercy if you're wearing a mini-skirt, or a nice summer dress that stops above your knees. He loves those, and above all he loves to fuck you while you keep them on, from the back against a wall.. Pulling your hair back so he can kiss you, his other hand resting on your throat. He would also be likely to dive half of a finger or two too into your mouth while you both are coming. And on top of this.. He would become mad if you let him call you his Babygirl, looking at you sucking those thick digits as cum inside of you.

21. Is he ok with name-calling?

Sometimes. If you've been very taunting in public with him he shall give you what you deserve once at home, and call you once or two.

22. Would he do BDSM?

Probably not. That's not what he really is into..

23. Would he prefer to tie you up or be tied up?

It would grow as a kink for both you for Joel to take you while.. He has your wrists tied behind your back, naked and exposed before him on his bed, at his mercy to fuck as roughly he wants. And he would lose his mind knowing you couldn't do anything but.. Take him. On the other side, Joel would totally let you tie his wrists, also behind his back while you're sitting on his lap, or giving him a nice time. Joel would curl his chest, hovering your head busy to pleasure him, unable to grasp furiously at your hair, nor to guide you to take him deeper.. And that would frustrate him to the utmost, but excite and amuse him for sure.

"Do not dare to think I will let you do this every time, you naughty girl,"

24. Does he like orgasm denial?

He likes you to play with him, but be careful. The man is wild and probably will deny your orgasm at least twice the time you did for him.

25. Does he like overstimulation?

He won't let you play with him too long after he comes, but.. He would love to play with you and make you cum multiple times in a row, holding your thighs tight, curled on his shoulders while he plays unmercifully with you.

26. Does he like pain being involved?

There's enough suffering in his daily life for having painful moments in his bed. The maximum he would do to you would be spanking you.

27. Does he like dirty talk?

Goodness, YES he does. Joel is talker in bed, he just can't help whispering, moaning how much he likes you for being so good to him, so good to fuck and just for him to possess.

28. Does he own sex toys? How many?

He does own a cockring, the one you offered him.. And he loves it to a point that he maybe has used it alone, when thinking of you, desperately missing you.

29. What does he masturbate to?

Memories of you mostly. Of your body framed between the wall of the shower, and him, both naked. And oh, he's terribly demanding when things start to get spicy on the phone, even just through texting. He would even read again your spicy conversations if you're not available, shamefully watching those evocative pictures you have sent him.

30. Multiple rounds or will he settle for one orgasm ?

If his work has spared him some strength, he would probably ravage you so roughly and give in multiple times.. In a row.

31. Does he enjoy giving oral?

Sometimes he would spend an entire night just giving you pleasure Honey, that's what we would call Joel's special. He would switch between being tender, slow, loving and going fast and wild, unmercifully ravaging your bundle of nerves, admirative of the mess on the bed sheets he would be responsible for.

32. Does he prefer giving or receiving oral?

He likes both. Although, he likes his babygirl to take care of him after a long day..

33. What makes him orgasm the fastest ?

Either watching you sucking him, yours eyes dove in his or when you're crying his name as he fucks you ferociously into the matress..

34. Does he like/do anal/pegging?

Nope.

35. Favorite position?

The lazy dog, and missionary are equal tops to him. Being able to ravage you, pounding his hips against you, his burning body laying on your back, pulling your hair and your head back so he can kiss you roughly, desperate to fuck you as deeply as he can.. And of course just being on you, facing you, or both of your faces buried in each others’ neck, sweaty, undone, groaning and screaming your names when reaching the Stars.

36. Does he use protection?

Joel is a careful man and would always ask to use it. Although he would crave to feel you raw around him.. And just make one with you.

37. Does he masturbate with clothes on ?

Yes he does when he thinks of you and misses you so much when you're gone.

38. How does he prefer his partner's hair/grooming?

It's survival here in Austin, so he would absolutely not mind taking you roughly after both of your work days, bodies still sweaty and tired. 

39. What does he wear to bed?

Nothing, so his Babygirl can enjoy his scared body right against her, hold him, tickle his hair and kissing him everywhere.

40. What does he like his partner to wear?

Sexy black lingerie would have him hard the second he sees you in it. He would never resist you if you would come to him dressed up like that. He either would back you up against a wall or immediately carry you to his bed, but he would have you right away, sometimes about to rip your underwear in parts.. But he would never do without asking you. He knows about much you like those.

41. Does he like his balls played with?

That's one of his favorite things his babygirl would do to him. That would absolutely drive him crazy if you do so.. While you're giving his manhood a great time.

42. What is his sexuality?

Joel loves women and their bodies. He would kill to be able to enjoy your's all the time Honey. Unless he already had..

43. Does he have extreme or unusual kinks?

Fucking you in the back of his truck, from the back while you're bending before him, on your knees between the seats and gripping at the dashboard. The risk to be seen while fucking you wild drives him mad, Honey. Be aware of this if he offers you a drive.

44. How often does he masturbate ?

As soon as he can, when or if he's not too exhausted. Though he might need a good time to help him fall asleep.

45. Favorite toy?

His.. Member. He's a proud man. Proud of the thickness and the length, and proud of how far it sends you every time.

46. Does he like roleplay?

Yes, God yes. You had dragged him down into this, and he discovered himself in a way he wouldn't have thought of.

47. Any fetishes?

Hair pulling. Oh Lord you better be ready when Joel's about to cum because his strong hands will grasp and pull your hair while his lips are on your mouth, groaning as he pounds furiously into you.. While being on you, or behind you..

48. Aftercare ?

Joel is a kind heart. So even after an exceptionally intense, savage moment with him, he would wait for your body to ease, for you to recover your breath, littering the sweaty skin of your neck with wet and sloppy kisses.

“You okay Babygirl ? Was it good ?”

49. Does he ever go comando ?

If he's alone only with you yes Honey he would, but you would have to be asked to be dressed the same as him, at least.

50. Phone sex?

Oh definitely if he is given some spare time to call you. He would firstly simply be sexting with you, but as time goes on and you get along with each other.. He would beg for you to scream his name on the phone and to not give a fuck about your neighbors. He wants (needs) to hear you crying and screaming to the world you are his.

"Say my name, Babygirl, scream it !"

~

Yes I was.. Inspired. He is to blame.. I really hope I got him right, feel free to tell me what you thought ! 🫶

Thank you so much for reading ! ✨

Tagging : @evolnoomym @thegreatwicked @crowandmousewritingco @the-mandawhor1an

[t1meslayer]

T1meslayer Wrapped ~2024~

2024 was a bit of a rollercoaster year in my personal life, but in terms of creative writing it was a vibrant one!

Two of the zines I've participated in published their physical copies: poképocket (@pokepocketzine) and Homemade in Hyrule. Four additional fandom zines are also at different stages of active development, so there's no shortage of "big projects" on the way.

However, I still managed to slip in time for my own independent pieces — perhaps too much time, in some cases. There was a lot of feverish writing for ideas lodged in my head at the cost of whatever other video games or TV shows or drawings I wanted to do, in just the right way to trigger my terminal sense of opportunity cost.

But that being said, I am drawing more actively! Isn't that fun? I've even begun incorporating a few of those sketches into my fics, as was the case with "Peanut Butter & Jelly" and "Live Wire."

Overall I published-

22 fanfics

-to Archive of our Own throughout 2024. That's not to mention the chapter count for stories with multiple parts — except in that one edge case with "Stone-Cold Lovers," wherein I merely published the final chapter of a revived story from years prior. But yeah... Edge case.

When I dropped the first part of my long-form Pokemon Scarlet and Violet story "Fallout" in May 2024, I heralded it as my special 30th Archive of our Own fic (to not get muddled counting the handful of pieces still exclusive to FanFiction.net). Yet, when I published my final story "Live Wire" for Mariver Week on December 21, the total count read-

45 Works

Here's how the backend statistics shook out for last year, as captured on Monday, January 6, 2025:

To celebrate the end of a wonderful year, I thought it would be fun to give y'all a "Top 5 T1meslayer Fics You Should Read (or Re-Read)" list. Because hey... Who doesn't love a numbered list?

I decided not to count any stories attached to zines or similar projects (sorry Pokemon Holiday Exchange 2024), and I'm going to mostly avoid sharing unfinished multi-parters. As much as I love "Drowning," it feels bad to recommend it when I'm still dragging my feet on the second half.

That all being said, click on to see the list :)

=====

1) Scrambled Eggs

If you've ever read a T1meslayer fic, this is undoubtedly the one you've read. It's far and away my most popular story yet, garnering over 3,000 views and 300 Kudos. I originally write it to have a piece for applying to a certain @dunmeshizine, but it is also the first breakthrough of creativity for a series that well and truly changed my life for the better.

Seriously, I love Dungeon Meshi so much. You can't read this fic if you're anime-only because it does have endgame spoilers, but I hope you enjoy the hell out of it if you can! My "waking up at three separate times" opening drove the initial idea, but I feel it spread its wings so much further by the end, thanks in-part to good use of food-based puns and descriptors.

=====

2) By Moonlight

Most of my Splatoon 3 output rests upon the mighty shoulders of Shiver, the character who really rotted my brain away... Mostly because of how much I love them together with Marie. However, I do love other pairings too! The first part of "All's Fair in Love and Grand Fest" is all about Callie and Acht, for example, and "By Moonlight" here is inspired by Pearl and Marina.

Despite playing a lot of Splat2 with my friends, it wasn't until I really listened to Off the Hook music like Candy-Coated Rocks that I realized just how much I missed. So, with the Side Order DLC coming out, it seemed like an appropriate time to finally break out an Off the Hook fic! This one does a lot of fun formatting for elements like music awards, as well as cool visual storytelling inspired by discussions with my sister about music and emotional writing. Absolutely one of my more stylish fics.

=====

3) Neurocysticercosis

As previously mentioned, I have a lot of friends who are obsessed with specifically Gojo and Geto's relationship in JJK. So... That's pretty easy to milk when I want to write some birthday fics for the good peeps.

Where "Neurocysticercosis" stands apart from my prior GojoGeto fic "Infinitesimal Distance" is in all the ways my background research informed themes throughout. I found a new artist I really like while trying to dig up era-appropriate subjects for Japanese museum galleries, and it's amazing what you can get out of a character with some well-placed visual similarities! Plus... I may have done Shoko a little dirty... But her entrance into this story is one of the funnier things I wrote all year.

=====

4) How You Get The Girl

If you didn't discover my work through "Scrambled Eggs," you may have instead found me via "How You Get The Girl" — somehow my most popular Stardew "Sapphic Valley" piece despite being, like, the fifth one. It's the first in that series which isn't purely about introducing the cast, instead delving more into the relationship between my character Alex and Haley, and I think that narrow focus did the story a huge favor.

The centerpiece of "How You Get The Girl," in my humble opinion, is the long description of clutter in Haley and Emily's house. All of the individual elements are fun to sift through, but more importantly, it says a lot given just whom those elements belong to. One of the better bits of subtle characterization I feel I've done in the fanfiction space.

=====

5) Fallout

Okay. I know I said no unfinished multi-part fics.

"Fallout" is a bit of an exception to the rule.

If you want something standalone, my Halloween story "Obsidian" is probably your best bet — and it introduces Steven Stone's rock club, so it's a good best bet to have. However, "Fallout" holds a very special place in my heart for the insanely long buildup and all of the auxiliary multimedia elements I've been putting together for it.

Elements I still can't show yet because I hold true to my desire for fun surprises. But trust me when I say there's good stuff here.

I intend to return to this very soon (if other unfinished pieces don't monopolize my time first), but I feel less bad about recommending it over others considering it's the tip of the spear for an even longer-running series of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fics that weave one huge narrative. There's plenty to read for any hungry fans... And if you just want the quick summary, I made a flowchart infographic for that too!

=====

In 2025, I want to try and be better about discussing my fics for longer than the shelf life they get through my Fanfiction Debrief posts (another thing I'm woefully behind on).

However, I do also think 2025 is going to be a year of subtractions. As of this writing, I've decided it's probably time to retire FFN as a posting hub. As much as I love making Featured Images for that platform, I can still make my cover arts without having to balance all the extra work with no response beyond a billion bots asking to do commissions based on my fics. It's also probably time to shutter the ol' Twitter page in favor of something like Bluesky, as much as I loath the idea of creating more social media accounts.

Bigger standalone posts should be on the way for those subjects.

But finally, I think it would be best to wrap this sucker up by thanking not just my lovely audience, but also the great friends I've begun fostering throughout this last year of creative writing!

There's a half-dozen people from various projects and Tumblr cat boopings and AO3 comment threads I could mention here, but @alchemicallymoon, @duelbraids, and @outsideexistentlines are the three I talk to nearly every day in some capacity or another. I really couldn't imagine this particular phase of my life without them, cheesy as it might sound.

Seriously, I cannot thank everyone out there enough for your support these last couple of years. Hoping to have even more stuff to share as soon as I'm no longer exhausted by the process of moving to a new state!

[5-pp-man]

another tierlist because ppl actually liked that first one;

the crème de la crop;

the first 2 eps i thought it was fine, but it didnt really captivate me as much as id hoped. but then ep 3 changed everything for me. i started to think "how could living armour work logically? everything so far has been edible, so this must be too, right?" i actually managed to think of the exact thing that this series did. that really made me realise the worldbuilding in this was something unique, and it only got better and better with each episode. its really managed to captivate me and i look forward to "delicious donderdag" every week :)

ANIME ORIGINAL LETS GOOOO absolutely bonkers show that almost slipped by me because it initially tried to fool its audience into thinking it was a regular dramatic military show. it still is but theres also a giant robot who plays by saturday morning cartoon giant robot rules. if that sounds like tonal whiplash to you, trust me, it is. and its amazing. have i mentioned how homoerotic this one is as well? yeah. originally a tier below this one, but immediately after finishing this post i watched the newest ep. i had to make an exception and edit the list because ep 9 changes everything. i havent been gobsmacked by a show this hard in a while.

(return of the) show(s) that execute their own premise very well;

i havent read the manga for yubisaki to renren so i cant compare, but the quality of this adaptation has been very consistent. you need a little sweet romance every once in a while :) this is one of those series where the characters really grew on me the longer it went on. im always a fan of mixing realistic struggles with romance and this one has been doing it well so far

adaptations that are ok (i read the manga for both of these);

i've been a mashle fan since before s1 aired. and the anime has some good changes and additions here and there! but its not very consistent in terms of quality, it does that shonen thing where the animation quality suddenly spikes for certain action sequences, but it also frequently had a lot of scenes where they recycle shots a lot and nothing interesting happens on the screen for a considerable amount of time. still! its a fine adaptation. and yeah the op for this. blew tf up lmao? very strange to see happen in real time

i actually rlly like the manga for this one. i read the whole thing up until vol.6 before the season started (all that was available back then) and it made me cry multiple times throughout. i was sort of missing that connection with the show, though some of the later episodes still hit. its mostly to do with the animation quality, which isnt that great unfortunately. the voice actors are knocking it out of the park though

wghere am i;

is this show good? i. uh. will you hate me if i say yes...? objectively, i know its not that good. especially in the animation department. but if you like other Umatani shows, you'll like this one. it's got the same brand of goofy reactionary humour mixed with gimmicky tacky characters and crazy stupid plot twists. ive been faithfully watching this one each week and I'm afraid i've become very invested. overscientific indeed

bro you fell off...;

i was so beyond excited for this one. i replayed the op a million times, watched each preview, rewatched multiple episodes. and then. ep 5 happened. and i started to realise. oh this show kind of sucks doesnt it? the pacing of the first ep was great, but the rest? way too fast. it became clear with ep 6 that theyre trying to do a double cour show with half the length, which is why they started hauling ass plot-wise. now. i was an arajin apologist for the longest time. but at that point i honestly started to loathe him. even when he stepped up, his praise still felt sort of unearned. and to top it all off, shindou's motivation sucked so he felt like a lousy antagonist. ep6 was better than 5, but it really made me lose my enthusiasm and hope for the series. and right as we were talking about them probably not having time for a filler ep, ep7 happened. feels like a waste of time to do an ep like that when you've still got a whole 2nd arc to go through. but who am i EDIT; I've been wanting to add this for a long time, but Bucchigiri?! actually made sort of an insane comeback after the nothingburger that was episode 7. The 2nd arc of the series was incredibly gripping and the final confrontation was so good. I ended up falling back in love with it, and it was one of my favourites from this particular season. It was the only one that I watched twice during it's airing, actually, which is something I've never done before with any show. So that certainly says something about how obsessed I was.

it started off pretty good honestly. but then chris went to the hospital and it kind of just dwindled from there. this season does so much with characters that have not even been properly introduced like how am i supposed to care about these people if i barely know who they are. the stuff with finn and leo respectively was good though. but the lore dump? lord help me. also vijay just kind of. exists to be there in the background huh? i would not call him a main character they never give him any attention. wendy had another ep again and he didnt get shit. again. also i think finn was stupid as fuck for not listening to lala but again. who am i. i know we cant destroy high card because we need a show but. cmon man.

i am severely behind on these;

reason why im behind is because most of the eps are a bit heavy so i kept. not watching them. its starting to get rlly interesting though so i'm def gonna catch up this is one of those robo-racism shows so i have to really watch out to see where its going. dont want another marginal service situation...

sorry this is just. a little too boring for me. its charming, sure. but i think this wouldve worked better as something with an 11 min timeslot instead of 23 min. theres just a bit too mu- or well, too little for me to rlly get into this. i think reading it would be more fun for me personally

[zippdementia]

Metroid Retrospective: AM2R

Metroid AM2R

Completion: 5 hrs + (I haven't beaten the last boss)

Percentage of items found: 90%

2016's Another Metroid 2 Remake is an incredible project. I won't be covering the full development history here but it's worth your time to find and read about it online. All you need to know to be properly amazed is that its creator, Milton Guasti, did not know programming when he started the project, and over the course of 10 years built a game that is good enough to be considered a must-play for Samus afficiandos.

Ostensibly a remake of Metroid 2, AM2R might better be considered a massive upgrade. It is less a reimagining than what Nintendo would ultimately give fans in the (also amazing) Samus Returns for the 3DS and stays very true to the original's format, map layout, and overall feel. Except that everything has been given a sheen of "extra." Everything is more alive. The music has gone from digital beeps and bloops to awesome remixes of classic Metroid tunes; the world has depth and feels like it makes sense, with lots of signs of the Chozo who used to reside here; enemies feel like living creatures reacting to your presence. Some don't even attack you but are simply part of an ecosystem you are irrevocably changing as part of your hunt of SR388's alphas on the food chain -- like these little animals that have no gameplay effect but return to feed on the fauna only after you've cleared the area of Metroids.

Perhaps one of my favorite things is the emphasis placed on lore, with Samus keeping an electronic journal of her explorations of the planet. Lore is something that definitely is more desired by a Western audience than a Japanese one -- a conversation too long to have for this review but which you can see in other famous series, such as Resident Evil. Being a Westerner, I am partial to it, as well, and outside of Retro Studio's endeavors in the series, this is the only other place I've seen it given a lot of attention. A nice little perk of this being fan made and not an official remake.

One of my favorite upgrades is how powerful the weapons feel. I am not being dramatic when I say this is the best certain weapons have EVER felt in ANY Metroid game. In even the most modern of Metroids, Power Bombs for instance can feel a little underwhelming, being flashy but lacking weight and sometimes frankly not doing much damage. Here they blast whole screens with blinding effects and absolutely decimate all regular enemies (most bosses are immune). Super Missiles slam into monsters with heavy, satisfying thuds, dealing 5-7 times the damage of a regular missile. The Ice Beam doesn't just temporarily freeze enemies, it ice-nines them. If they happen to be flying monsters, they fall from the air and shatter upon the hard stone. This game just FEELS good to win at.

Winning at it is not an easy task, however. This is definitely a Metroid game for the player who is already familiar with the series and seeks a challenge. There are multiple modes which can make it easier but even then you are required to pay attention to the way nearly every enemy moves and to learn a set of responses to how to best deal with them -- usually involving a surprising amount of accuracy in both your shooting and positioning. I decided to conquer hard mode for my playthrough and was given what I asked for: an experience where every enemy, if approached incorrectly, could devastate my health bar, and where bosses had to be taken down in Dark Souls-style near-perfect runs. And yet, it hasn't felt unfair or cheap. With a couple notable exceptions, saves are never far and as they restore all your health and ammunition, you rarely have an excuse not to leap back into a failed attempt and try again.

As I write this I have yet to defeat the Metroid Queen. I know I can do it, but it is an endeavor that will take some pattern learning and faster twitch response then I've been up to in the last week or so. And it is hampered by being one of two boss fights where the save is woefully far away, an oversight of amateur design that shows itself surprisingly rarely throughout the game, with most of the experience being so tightly designed that you forget you are controlling a game and enter that fabled zone of connection between you and the on-screen character where you feel you only have to think a command and have it happen. Truly, a remarkable accomplishment for a fan made remake.

In fact, it is the remake nature that holds the game back more than anything. As a very faithful remake of a decades old Gameboy game it suffers from the pacing of that experience without the benefit of being a handheld experience that can be easily picked up and put down, leaving it lingering in a sometimes uncomfortable position between ambitious and restraint. There are moments where the ambition is allowed to fully shine through -- a segment involving a run through an abandoned power plant comes to mind, as do several of its new, multi-phase boss fights -- and these make the rest of the game feel at times like a necessary chore to get through in order to reach these moments.

That doesn't lessen my awe at what has been accomplished here nor does it make this in any way a bad video game. On the contrary, this project achieves levels of tightness in its controls and challenge that many mainstream developed games do not reach. Sadly, the game may one day not be playable at all: it relies on the fan community to continue supporting it and I noticed that it has some RAM leakage and other memory issues which never crashed my game but make me worry for its future if the community's interest fades. I did have my saves erased once, early on, and so kept copies of them afterwards but never ran into this issue again.

If you are a hardcore Metroid fan, I highly recommend it and can promise the link here is safe and that you won't regret it.

1) Super Metroid 2) Metroid Fusion 3) AM2R 4) Metroid 2 (original) 5) Metroid Zero Mission 6) Metroid Prime Pinball 7) Metroid (original)

[scythegameing]

Conflicting Lives Island and Districts

Hi! This is an explanation of the Island that Conflicting Lives takes place in!

Warning! This may change slightly over time as I further develop the story of Conflicting Lives! This is still a new project, especially now more than every, so as I think further about certain areas of my story, some aspects may be slightly tweaks!

Esempy

Esempy is the name of the island where Conflicting Lives takes place. It is split up into 5 separate districts, each based on a Minecraft SMP and group of MCYTs. These districts are Hermiton, Survas, Empyria, Wynnra, and Drimas.

Hermiton

Hermiton is the district of Esempy based off of Hermitcraft and the Hermits. All of the characters that live in Hermiton are either only on Hermitcraft(in comparison to the other SMPs on this list), or were on Hermitcraft before any other SMP. Xisumavoid, Bdouble0100, GoodtimeswithScar, ImpulseSV, Joehills, Zedaph, and Keralis are all part of the Hermiton Hero District, With Xisuma(Voidling) as the Head and Bdubs(Spore) as the Second in Command. Impulse(iWork) is the healer of the district as he had studied medicine and healing magic profusely to help his friends and coworkers with any injuries they may endure. The role of the other heroes will be revealed as each character sheet comes out! Docm77, MumboJumbo, Stressmonster, TangoTek and GoodtimeswithScar are all Hermiton Villains, causing chaos and mischief wherever they may be. Doc(G.OA.T.) is one of the two most powerful villains in all of Esempy, and the strongest villain in Hermiton. He and The Blood God control virtually all villainous activity, instructing others to go on missions against the Hero Districts. Scar is a special case, as he is both a Hero and a Villain of Hermiton, but more of his story shall be revealed with his character sheet! Hermiton is the most advanced of all the Districts in terms of technology, often selling their tech to other districts to fund further technological research and advancement. Their buildings are also the most modern in terms of architecture and design, and walking the streets of Hermiton can oftentimes feel like a fever dream with how much there is to see around every corner. The terrain of Hermiton is relatively flat, with large hills/mini mountains dotting the landscape, making some areas hard to navigate. Hermiton is also the centermost district on Esempy, landlocked with no direct access to the sea surrounding the Island, except for a medium-sized river that crosses over the Survas District border.

Survas

Survas is based on 2 different minecraft servers, one far more known than the other. These two servers are The Life Series server, and Project:SSC. The characters that live in Survas either first appear in the life series before another server, or were placed here because I felt that they fit in Suras better than the other Districts. The Life series is a bit self-explanatory, but Project:SSC is a modded superflat survival server that I play on with friends which was made by one of them and is their passion project. It’s been so fun and absolutely amazing to play on this server over the 2 seasons it has, and I would recommend checking it out here! (https://ssc-info.carrd.co) Hira, Skizz, and Scythe are the three heroes of Survas, and are also among the strongest heroes as well. Hira(Atlas) is the head of the Survan Hero District, though initially they didn't want to. SKizz(Archangel) is the second-in-command as Scythe is too young to be that large of a position, even if he is stronger than most heroes out of training so recently. Rendog, Martyn, and Scythe are all Survan Villains, with Etho and Hira(RevvlChai) being Vigilantes. Rendog(Red WInter) is a very powerful villain, but not quite on the same level as G.O.A.T. or THe Blood God are, although he is still well-respected nonetheless. Etho(Argentum) is among one of the most powerful vigilantes, escaping capture multiple times from both heroes and villains alike.  Survas is just under Drimas in terms of technological advancement, often preferring a more simple way of life without large and fancy tools, relying on the handiness and comfort of handcrafted tools and weapons, especially those of which coming from a local provider. Survas is the least populated of the districts due to its odd terrain, but those who do live there know their neighbors well. Everyone knows the best bakery or crafts place in town, and regulars are everywhere you go. Survas is the district with the most variation in terrain; it has rivers and streams flowing throughout its entire area, many of which split out into other districts before returning to the ocean. Most of the areas are flat, but the areas of Survan that are the farthest inwards are much more hilly and elevated then the rest, with a mildly dense forest covering most of the area, spare for about 100 meters from the coastline.

Empyria

Empyria is based off of EmpiresSMP. The characters that live in Empyria are EmpiresSMP members, and were likely part of this server before any of the other servers on this list. All of the EmpiresSMP members are included in this list, even ones I myself have never watched, so please forgive any mistakes I make with how most of these characters act. Fwip, Joel Smallishbeans, Katherine, Pixlriffs, MythicalSausage and Smajor are all Heroes in Conflicting Lives. Fwip(Tinkerer) is the head of the Empyrian Hero District, with Pix(Guardian) as his second-in-command. Sausage(Protector) is the main support of the Empyrian Heroes, and more will be revealed about his abilities later in the story and in his character sheet! Joel Smallishbeans, Joey, OwengeJuice, Pearlescentmoon, and Smajor are all Empyrian Villains, with GeminiTay and Jimmy Solidarity as vigilantes. Joel(Tanuki) and Smajor(Chroma) do both lead double lives, but manage it very well thanks to their respective partners and support systems. Empyria is the second most advanced District in terms of technological advancement. Thanks to the close relationship Empyria has with Hermiton, Empyria gets almost every single new piece of technology, shorting out at the most advanced weaponry. Tinkerer is both the head of the Empyrian District and a Weapons Developer for his heroes, so even if he cannot get the weapons that Hermiton makes themselves, he is able to use his status and connections to get the materials and make powerful weapons himself. Empyria is the District of Esempy with the most land area, though also the most land unoccupied. This is due to the extremely hilly and borderline mountainous terrain on the eastern side of the Esempy island. The best places to live and  build in Empyria is inland, as the largest of the hills/mountains dot about the coast, making trips there difficult for those unfamiliar with the terrain it holds.

Wynnra

Wynnra is based off of Wynncraft. The characters that live in Wynnra are mainly considered to be dangerous or at the very least unpredictable species. In short, these characters have grown up in a harsh environment, gaining more street smarts than people who have grown up in other districts have. Grian is here because well, he was one of the people that made Wynncraft, so it kind of fits in my eyes. Grian, Hypnotizd, and Iskall85 are the known heroes in Wynnra. Grian(CuteGuy) is the head of the Wynnran Hero District, with Hypno(Sting) as his second-in-command. Iskall(Cybernetic) makes weapons for the others, often using them to help his fellow heroes get out of any sticky situation they may find themselves in. ZombieCleo, Grian and Sam are Wynnran Villains, with Lunaris being a vigilante. Grian(Xelqua) is both a villain and the hero district head, but he keeps his work strictly separate, often going to the other side of Esempy to Survas before doing any sort of villain activities as to not draw attention to himself. Cleo(Wildfire) is an extremely strong villain and well respected by others due to her power and strength, similar to how The Red King is. Wynnra is the farthest behind of the other districts in terms of technological advancements. They have transport of very old models and methods, but oddly enough, they don't mind and even prefer it that way for the most part. Trying to help out in any situation where a District like Hermiton needs all available heroes can be a little difficult sometimes due to the difference in available technology, but that never stops them from doing what they can to help anyways. Wynnra is the southernmost District of Esempy and has a very flat landscape, with small patches of trees and foliage scattered everywhere. The coastline is dotted with fishing towns and boat docks, and Wynnra profits a lot off of this fishery trade to the other Districts.

Drimas

Drimas is the District of Esempy based off of DSMP. All of the characters that live in Drimas are from DSMP, though not all content creators that have been on the server are in Conflicting Lives. This is for various reasons that I will not go into, but the creators that do have a character in Drimas are characters that I enjoyed watching while the server was still active, and still sometimes watch now. Philza, JackManifold, Nihachu, and Eret are all heroes in the Driman Hero District, with Eret(Strawberry) as the district head and Niki(Sirenade) as the second in command. Sirenade is also the Drimas Hero District main support and healer, as being part fairy allows her to heal most all injuries her team receives. The others roles as heroes will be released as their character sheets come out! Technoblade and Philza are both Driman Villain, Tommy Tubbo and Ranboo being Vigilantes. Technoblade(The Blood God) is one of the two most powerful villains in all of Esempy, with Philza(The Angel of Death) as his right-hand man. The Bench trio mostly stay on their own, but sometimes appear on the same scenes as some minor villains do Drimas is somewhere in the middle of all 5 Districts in terms of technological advancements. They aren't really near Hermiton’s level of technology, but are also not as old-fashioned as Wynnra is, so to say. Buildings in Drimas have a sort of business-casual feel to them, seeming professional and thought out, yet relaxed and welcoming at the same time. Drimas is the Westmost district of Empyria with a very hilly landscape and densely forested areas in non-populated areas. There is a smaller-than-average river running through it from Survas in the north and out into the ocean along the western coast.

[unitleada]

#UNIT LEAD " I AM THE HEAD OF UNIT!" Rani's Kate L.ethbridge-Stewart. Canon Divergent. 25+ follows back from CarbonDated. Private and Extremely Anti R.TD **not affiliated with the BBC, b.ig finish or the UN.

. UNIT RPC SERVER Affiliated with: Starwent & Crazypaving | Triple1st | Whatspoilers UNIT FAM: Strtravels | Spacereflected | Chloevlinder | Earthdcfended | Inventrules & Drmacmillan | Isbrilliant | Wcrpbubble |

. GENERAL

first and foremost. I'm a hater. I just hate things.I hate d.octor who.sdhfjh no I'm kidding. While I have a lot of opinions about the show I wouldn't be here unless I didn't like this show. I love classic who. I love the eu. I love parts of modern who.If you can't handle my criticisms of the show I ask that you either refrain from following me, OR just ask me to tag hate for you.

Heavily plot driven. ( with great, amazing, stellar collaborators) I'm trying to build a UNIT and portrayal of Kate that I feel more aligns to her motto of 'science leads'. I want to build stories here, with verses spanning multiple arcs the way the show would.

please do not let the above intimidate you.I am always looking for new friends to write with. And if multi-para story like threads are not your thing we can just do smaller more sporadic threads instead.

act will vary here. I work 4-5 days atm and when i'm not doing that I'm volunteering.

Kate's backstory is under co. I do not acknowledge certain aspects of d.owntime ( vid and novelisation ) for entirely personal reasons.

. SHIPS AND VERSES.

I am multi-verse, multi-ship. for now. This is always subject to change, I really like the idea of single verse but I find it difficult to execute bc I like writing with everyone so much lmao.

OC friendly. oh I love oc's sm. make ocs please. Only oc's I'll hesitate to write with are child ocs. The only exception to this rule is Brandy's Moira. <3

You have to be 21+ to ship. and 18+ to follow. Kate is bi.

I will not ship her with anyone directly under her on the chain of command. You all know what i'm talking about.

In fact the only time I can see a relationship panning out with anyone at U.NIT is IF they are someone at the top of their dept. bc it's much more a case of just "colleagues" then a weird power imbalance. Please note, even then it will take work. She will be very hesitant to act on any feelings she may or may not have.

. MISC.

Kate is the head of a secret fictional alien investigation taskforce funded by the UN. ofc there's gonna be very obvious political overtones present. Again, if you can't handle that, this isn't the blog for you. I'm a community organiser outside of this. it's kind of everything I am I'm not gonna tone it down for you. <3

Do not follow me if you are a Z.ionist or some other type of idiot. idk. you fill in the blanks.

Rani | South African Tamil | she/her | absolute legend.

[exampleofinconsistency]

Hi! So, this is my first May the 4th, as in I'm a shiny in this fandom. I mainlined TCW and TBB back to back in January and have not known peace since. I have nothing finished to offer, but maybe something hopeful.

This is a snippet from a much larger fic that I've been working on the last few months.

Canon divergence AU feat. Fives and Echo (in a way); Loosely inspired by the concept behind the show Person Of Interest (come scream to me about it if you know this) and my absolute rejection of Fives' death.

Echo has been trying to get Fives' attention but he needs a few more pointers.

1,089 words. No warnings that I can think of, except: This is absolutely meant to be shippy and the finished product will contain cloneshipping up the wazoo. Just saying. Also, fun crimes against the Empire like treason, cyber fraud, analog fraud, highway robbery, impersonating an Imperial officer, aggravated assault in multiple instances, grand theft spacecraft, a prison break, destruction of property, and general chaos and mayhem, to name a few.

Happy May the 4th!

It turns out a new datapad costs an arm and a leg - from his point of view at least. He manages to pawn an extremely desolate model off a trader by the docks, but soon finds out that it’s even more defective than the previous one. It’s not running numbers, but it also has only one half of a working screen. Fives just has to hope that any messages he receives will have the important part at the top.

He takes the zig-zag route home. He’s a little too focused on getting that bottom half of the screen to work to notice the speeder bike. It’s a brand new model with a rider whose expression is that of someone who would very much like to get off this ride.

The speeder bike stops mere inches from Fives.

“Whoa!” Fives exclaims, giving the rider a disgruntled look. “Watch it, womp rat.”

The rider gestures wildly. “I don’t know what– I’m so sorry! I have no idea– I swear it was speeding up on its own. I wasn’t doing anything!”

Fives makes a face. “Yeah, sure. Magic speeder bike goes places on its own.” He shakes his head. “Just be more careful next time, all right?”

The biker nods with a certain amount of confusion and, to his credit, apologizes again. He tries to restart the engine as Fives walks on. Nothing happens.

Fives stops and sighs. He’s ridden some speeder bikes in his time, had to repair more than one in the field (occasionally under heavy fire); it shouldn’t be too hard to get a civilian model working.

“Need help with that?” He asks as he walks back to the biker.

The biker shakes his head in disbelief. “I don’t know what’s going on. It’s brand new. It was working fine.”

Fives takes a look at the holo dashboard. The tank level is stuck at 5, so is the speedometer, for some reason. That thing isn’t going anywhere. The mileage shows a distance of 5555, which is kriffing creepy.

Fives frowns. “Are you sure this is new?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” The biker seems equally concerned about the dashboard readings.

Fives gives him an empathetic pat on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I think you got ripped off, my friend.”

The biker is adamant. “No. That’s not possible. It has the proper certifications and everything.”

Fives shrugs. “Nothing that can’t be forged.”

“Nooo…,” the biker whines. His shoulders sag.

Somewhere down the street something makes a shrieking sound that Fives has never heard before. They both turn to look at whatever is causing the commotion. It turns out to be a droid.

There’s an R3 unit that is bolting through the crowd like a miniature bantha stung in the ass. It forces people to jump to safety left and right, and it’s coming directly at them.

“Uhm,” the biker says, “is that normal?”

Fives extrapolates the path of the droid and comes to the conclusion that he’s in it. With all that’s been happening lately a psychotic murder-droid is completely within the realm of possibilities. He turns on his heel and shouts over his shoulder as he starts running, “Apparently.”

That thing is faster than any droid has the right to be. Fives is skidding around corners indiscriminately, in hopes of shaking that blasted thing, but it just keeps on coming. He can’t believe he’s being chased by a flipped-out widget on wheels. He used to be a clone trooper who dismembered clankers on a daily basis, and now he’s getting run down by a vengeful R3 unit. Normally, he wouldn’t bother, but that thing looks angry. It’s making noises that are vaguely reminiscent of horny Loth-cats. It is not cute.

He ends up in one of the main squares. This is bad news because it has the most surveillance and the highest concentration of Imperial troops - ordinarily. Today, it seems, they’re elsewhere. Fives doesn’t come across even one trooper, even though he is pushing his way through the crowd with little concern for collateral damage.

The crowd, however, parts willingly for that damned droid. It comes at him, shrieking like a varactyl and barrels into his legs with full force. Fives tumbles to the ground. He tries to get back up but that hellish thing pushes him over until he’s on his back, looking up at the most furious R3 unit he’s ever seen in his life. It opens a compartment, and Fives throws up his hands to protect whatever he can of his body.

The droid unfurls a screwdriver, which it points not at Fives but at something overhead. Fives ignores the curious onlookers and tries to find out what that infernal heap of switches is pointing at. He doesn’t need to look far.

Every single holo screen in the square is showing the same thing.

5555

A murmur goes through the crowd. Fives is having a brain freeze. He slowly gets back onto his feet, never taking his eyes off the curious display. Everywhere he looks is his CT-number. 5555 - like it’s the only thing the universe knows.

This is definitely not a glitch; it’s not an aberrant transmission, and certainly not a coincidence. This is someone who knows. Someone’s trying to send him a message, but who–

All the screens switch at once. There’s a new number, and Fives knows that one as well. He knows it as well as his own.

1409

Fives’ heartbeat grinds to a halt. It starts up again, loud as a drum, and fills his entire head. Echo. Could it really be? Could this really be a message from his best friend, who he had thought dead all this time?

“Ech–....” It’s hard to say his name out loud. Fives hasn’t done that in so long. It’s like he needs to dust off the parts of his vocal chords that are needed to make the right sounds. “Echo? Is–... Is that you?”

The holo screens erupt in a whirl of videos of fireworks. Everything that is even vaguely illuminated blows out all at once.

The crowd panics; people are fleeing in all directions; speeders crash into each other as their drivers try to take the quickest exit. Droids get knocked over when they fail to get out of the way fast enough. And amidst all of this there’s Fives, with tears in his eyes, and bathing in a hail of sparks.

Echo is back.

[rhyme-or-rising]

Mejia, Tehlor Kay, and McLemore, Anna-Marie

“Miss Meteor”

Rating: 1/5

Truly, I would give this a 0/5 if it didn’t have some redeeming qualities.

Let’s get those out of the way:

I truly enjoyed (some of) the characters. Chicky and Kendra felt remarkably cliche, but Lita, Cole, and Chicky’s sisters were actually very interesting, especially the latter.

Despite the plot being predictable point-for-point in all other ways, I appreciated that Lita didn’t end up winning the pageant.

Queer representation, regardless of how flawed it was in certain spots.

…

That’s it. That’s all I’ve got. Now for the complaints. I have many small grievances and one major one.

As for the small ones: Too many unnecessary slurs. Incredibly cliche plot. Punctuation errors. Use of “Latinx”.

The Quintanilla tradition of all the children being named after the great-grandmother’s dreams, that ended up culminating in Chicky and her sisters being named after fruits, seemed like it was making an incredible mockery of real, important family traditions like that. It was mentioned once for comedic value and never again.

There are inconsistencies regarding the ways many of the characters behave. For example, most people are incredibly intolerant and hateful in all ways… except when it comes to the transgender “golden boy” who nobody seems to bat an eye at. Nobody even deadnames or misgenders him.

On the topic of the transgender golden boy, I hated the fact that he was seen as the savior of all the “misfits” in town. He— white boy jock extraordinaire— defended all of them and protected them all from harm, and this was seen as the greatest of all great acts.

All the bullying was absolutely ridiculous. Nobody is still bullying people in the way that was shown at 16/17 years of age. Absolutely nobody. Of course, bullying absolutely happens in high school, and there were maybe two decent depictions, but most of it seemed straight out of kindergarten.

While I’m talking about their ages: It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize the main characters of this book are all supposed to be over 16. They can drive. Considering I felt like I was reading something for fifth graders the entire time— and everyone was certainly acting like fifth graders— seeing them get behind the wheel of a car was confusing. I also don’t understand what’s happening with the ages of most characters relative to each other. Is Kendra two years younger than Cole? Older? Either way, it makes something else not add up— it either places Lita as a 17-ish year old girl dating someone 19ish, or she’s getting cartoonishly bullied by a 14 year old.

The descriptions of underage drinking and frankly unnecessary graphic make out sequences were a little bit out of place too, considering again that this book feels like it was written for 10 year olds.

And my biggest complaint with this novel: The misplaced magical realism.

There is one singular element of magical realism in this book that I could pick up on. Nothing else was fantasy, supernatural, or magical in any way. It took multiple Goodreads reviews for me to realize this book even included magical realism in the first place— while I was reading it, I was just confused, trying as hard as I could to figure out what on Earth they were talking about.

I thought Lita had some sort of chronic illness that she was metaphorically describing as “turning into stardust.” I thought she was dying. I thought the “patches of stardust” on her skin that she was ashamed of, that she insisted on hiding, that grew every day, were some sort of indication of a disease that was going to be the reason she only had a few years left.

Imagine my surprise when the patches of stardust began changing shape, appearing, and reappearing in seconds. I only grew more confused as they became a more prominent plot element. I thought for a moment that Lita was hallucinating them, or something, but other characters saw and acknowledged them. I truly did not understand.

Apparently she was supposed to be literally turning into a star and evaporating. That did not come across at all. Wrapped up in the rest of the (entirely unnecessary, obnoxious, dare I say cringe) star/space/meteor metaphors, I didn’t realize it was meant to be taken literally, and I was entirely lost.

Anyway. This book was the worst book I’ve ever read. It was over 300 pages long, and I knew I hated it before the second chapter was over, but I like to finish things I start. Even when they come at the cost of my sanity.

Don’t read this.

[heelachilleshowl]

❝​🇹​​🇭​​🇪​ ​🇲​​🇺​​🇸​​🇪​​🇸​❝

1. Describe your OC physically- what do they look like? What notable features do they have, or what’s your favorite part of their design?

Gabe is a lean dirty blonde who stands at 6 foot, his short hair is unkempt and his face has a controlled stubble that gives him a subtle charm. He has piercing baby blue eyes, a long upturned nose and a mesmerising smile with slightly yellow teeth from his coffee consumption.

His muscles are softly defined and he has sparse dirty blonde body hair, most notable on his chest, forearms and calves. He has sparse freckles here and there which is always a favourite physical trait I give to many OC's. He's not out in the sun a lot and is on the paler side.

2. What role would your OC fill in a friend group?

The flirty clown, he likes to playfully flirt with friends who are comfortable with it and he never passes up an opportunity to make everyone laugh. He loves being in the spot light, especially of people he cares about.

3. What is their stance on religion? Are they a devout believer, against the idea of gods, or somewhere in between? Do they make their practice or their opinions public, or keep it private?

Gabriel is pretty resolute in his faith but he's only vocal about it among other people of his faith. He attends church every Sunday and prays multiple times a day, he does all he can to support local churches and takes it upon himself to help the local pastors and preacher's however he can even if that means a free meal at his diner here and there. The only time his practice is public is when he prays before eating a meal.

4. How do they act when they’re sick, and does it change depending on who they’re around or how sick they are?

He is a mega crybaby when he's sick, it doesn't matter what level of sick he is he will curl up under the covers and phone someone to come take care of him. He will make it everyone's problem that he's not feeling well, the only exception would have been around his dad or extremely macho-manly men like Jacob; he knows they'd just tell him to suck it up.

5. What’s one hill your OC will die on (anything from a guiding moral position to a strong opinion about combining mint and chocolate)?

He believes a few foods/meals are meant to be had a certain way and if you do it any other way you are wrong and he can't look at you the same ever again. Aka he doesn't think pineapple has any place on a pizza and he will never have pizza with you if you do; another example is he believes French toast should only be had sweet and anyone who makes it savoury is unwell mentally.

6. How did you choose your OC’s name?

So his faceclaim plays Jack Kline in supernatural and I had that in the back of my head when I was making him; seeing as fc5 and spn both heavily focus on religious themes I was just playing with names tied to that. Gabriel in spn is also very sassy so that had a hand in my choice.

The last name Stokes was one of the rare times I don't deep dive through a hundred sites searching for menaings and I just kinda liked the sound of it in my head.

7. Lots of people don’t have a favorite food when put on the spot, but what’s a food or drink that your OC would never turn down if someone offered it to them?

Pancakes and a strawberry milkshake, the pancakes are always fluffy and light and the milkshake refreshing and sweet. He's a simple man with simple pleasures.

8. What’s something that your OC owns that means the world to them? What’s something they own that they don’t like, but can’t bring themself to part with?

He has his dad's key chain that he's had since he passed away, it has chips and scratches that he runs his thumb over and it makes him think of his dad. He inherited the diner and someday it's a dream and others it's absolute hell. He tossed aside any dreams he had to run it and tries to find fulfilment in feeding the folks of Hope County.

9. How do they fare in cold or hot climates, and which do they prefer?

In the cold he will be bumbled up in a thousand layers, in the heat he's stripped down to board shorts and flip-flops so he can jump into any body of water at a moments notice. He prefers hot weather since he has more summery clothing and likes showing it—and himself—off.

10. Share a sentence of dialogue from your OC that you think represents them well.

"They're not normally this impressive but I buttered up the chef just for you," [Hello Handsome — paragraph; 38, line; 152]

This line represents Gabe really well as it shows his flirty nature and need to impress, he wants to be liked and praised and he goes to certain lengths to be on people's good sides. Especially if it happens to be a the hot new guy in town, he will whip him up the fluffiest pancakes ever made with extra maple syrup and he'll give him a discount all in the hopes he comes back or gives him his number.

Some could say he's desperate, i'd say he's a people pleaser with a need to be wanted.

11. How are they seen by people around them - family, close friends, colleagues, or strangers?

His family always saw him as a kid with a big heart and big dreams, friends see him as a goofball with a big heart and strangers often see him as either alluring and fun or attention-seeking and annoying.

12. What does their bed and/or desk look like? Tidy or cluttered - are they both the same, or is one neat and the other messy?

His bed is a mess when he knows he's the only one whose gonna be in it but he tidies it up and puts on his series covers/sheets when he knows he'll have company. His desk in the diner is a complete mess, the whole office is, it looks like a tornado went through it. He keeps saying he'll organise it but never does.

13. How do they deal with pain (physical or emotional)?

Gabe has a very low pain tolerance, he cries when he stubs his toe. He's the type to openly seek out comfort from those around him no matter the type of pain he's going through, he really just wants to be held and comforted until the pain goes away. (And if the pain never goes away he never wants to be let go.)

14. How comfortable are they relying on other people, and what situations would change their comfort level?

He relies heavily on other people, he relied on his parents when they were alive, he relied heavily on his friends and co-workers in an emotional sense or to keep him accountable at the diner, etc. Eventually he relies on Joseph for stability, seeing him as a safety net when the world around him is getting pulled out from under him.

15. How does your OC take up space? What do they do with their hands when they talk, or how do they sit in chairs?

Gabe has very expressive hands, he likes to move and gesture while he talks. He's motions around, he crouches, he twirls, whatever he feels will get his story across. He usually sits cross legged on chairs or with his feet on the chair in some way.

16. Point assign D&D ability scores to your OC (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA; out of 27).

STR: 5 | DEX: 4 | CON: 1 | INT: 3 | WIS: 4 | CHA: 10

17. What are three moments in their life that impacted your OC the most?

His first relationship in highschool with a footballer who dated him for a semester than dumped him and spread rumours about him, leading him to getting bullied for the rest of his highschool career.

His parents funerals, saying goodbye to the pillars of his world and dealing with the whirlwind of emotions and the dread of his new reality where he's completely alone.

Meeting Joseph Seed absolutely flipped his world upside down, he very quickly filled up the guardian/parental hole he was left with and Gabriel was very ready to once again throw away most of his life to stay by the preacher's side.

18. If they can or would drive, what would their car be like?

Gabe always hitches rides with his friends bc he's a freeholder who doesn't have a license. If he did have a car he would have just kept his dad's truck and it'd be surprisingly clean, solely bc he'd fear his dad rising from his grave to berate him for letting it get dirty.

19. How do they connect with the people around them? Love language, how they offer comfort, etc.

He's an extrovert so he's very friendly, affectionate and open about his feelings, etc. With his friends he sends playlists, spam texts, sends memes and videos and buys trinkets that remind him of them, that sort of thing. He offers comfort with how he wants it, physical affection and encouraging/comforting words.

20. What kind of clothing do they feel most comfortable in? What kind of clothing do they wear most often?

He really enjoys wearing low-cut tank tops and ripped jeans, he thinks it's a hot look that shows off his physique and is fashionable and fun. He feels most comfortable in just a pair of sweats/shorts, which he only usually wears at home.

[jovialenemywitch]

5 Qualities the Best People in the fake bags Industry Tend to Have

My ally advised me the opposite working day that she obtained herself a pretend bag.​ She mentioned that it was just a cheap a person as well! After i listened to that, I used to be like, "What?! You merely received a pretend bag?" She seemed to be all enthusiastic about it, though.​

I remember strolling throughout the markets of Hong Kong one time and getting intrigued by all the incredible reproduction bags on sale.​ Staying an avid lover of designer goods, I was right away drawn to them.​ I discovered how intricate they looked and the attention to depth was almost nothing short of exceptional.​ I planned to question close to to see far more but I wasn't confident if it was legit or not so I just saved it to myself.​

Minimal did I realize that These duplicate bags had been basically extremely popular and commonly acknowledged.​ Absolutely everyone wanted a piece of luxury without having to pay the hefty cost tags.​ I could see why persons were being getting so directed to it.​ It had been as In case the luggage ended up an extension of their identity, allowing them to specific their style and class quickly.​

The widest choice of replica bags seemed to occur round the spring.​ Every corner of the marketplace had a variation of sizes, models, and prices.​ The shopkeepers have been satisfied to reply all my queries and I even managed to choose up a couple of exceptional parts.​ The intricate finishing and quality good quality truly stunned me.​ I could not consider the level of expertise which was put into your bags although the positives unquestionably outweighed the negatives.​

I took my replica luggage house and applied them on multiple events.​ I am able to confidently mention that I received my money's really worth when it comes to use and high-quality.​ I felt like 1,000,000 pounds each time I put on a whole new accent.​ It made me a great deal far more confident and complemented my attire in a method that only designer items can.​ I've now turn out to be relatively of the collector and never ever overlook a chance to take a position in a brand new duplicate bag.​

The secondhand marketplace of duplicate luggage is developing massively over the past few years and This may be an excellent location to get them at a cheaper price.​ There are plenty of committed Web-sites and apps for purchasing and marketing significant-stop reproduction bags so it's starting to be simpler to uncover gorgeous pre-beloved items.​ I have managed to choose up some fantastic offers from thrift retailers far too.​

Because of their flexibility, my duplicate luggage may transition from day to night time appears to be with ease.​ There's something quite lavish about possessing a piece of great Italian craftsmanship which can elevate any outfit.​ Regardless if I am inside a rush and only have time to pick out a handful of components, I am particular that my duplicate bags will generally make the Minimize.​

Among the finest matters about replica baggage is that they haven't got to suit into a certain design or trend.​ You can layout them any way you like and Specific on your own in ways in which actual designer luggage are unable to.​ As well as they occur in a number of shades and elements so I'm normally spoilt for option.​ I am also surprised to discover that they're a lot more resilient than actual designer baggage in specified predicaments.​

I now understand why so many people are so fond of reproduction bags.​ They're inexpensive and fashionable and rather ideal for day to day use.​ No matter if you are a maximalist or maybe a minimalist, There replica handbags exists a duplicate bag available for everybody.​ You cannot go Mistaken any time you spend money on a piece of substantial-finish craftsmanship that oozes with appeal and sophistication.​

To start with, I didn't understand why she was so content over it.​ I imply, does not she are aware that faux products do not have precisely the same good quality as the real ones? I used to be stunned that she didn't Believe twice over it.​ I undoubtedly told her to reconsider her determination.​

But then, she started to explain to me why she wanted to buy the fake bag.​ She mentioned that the initial bag she preferred was way too highly-priced and he or she was looking for a more affordable just one.​ Now, I kinda comprehended her.​ I mean, we've all been there ideal? We want a thing really nice but the value tag does not suit our spending budget.​ This is exactly why A growing number of people are turning to fake luggage.​

But which is not all.​ My friend also pointed out that a number of the fake bags she observed on-line search even better than the first types.​ I used to be like, "That is unquestionably not accurate!" But she insisted that it was correct and confirmed me a few photographs.​ I gotta say, the bogus ones did seem pretty good.​ I had been beginning to adjust my mind about bogus luggage.​

Then, considered one of my other good friends chipped in.​ He said that buying a pretend bag may not be this kind of negative thought mainly because it's more affordable, and that the standard of the faux could possibly be pretty much as good as the initial kinds.​ That is when I started to really see why folks acquire fake luggage.​

Of course, I'm nonetheless not convinced that it's all right to buy phony merchandise.​ I necessarily mean, It really is even now a counterfeit merchandise and I'm from the idea of supporting the those who steal other makes' styles.​ But I can now realize why men and women would Opt for fake bags, especially when their budget is limited.​ I guess everything boils down to your own preference.​

[linbrgart]

The cat is actually a cryptid.

because of course it is. this is just dipper's luck. he can't escape the paranormal. something about him just... attracts all kinds of weird stuff. he's totally exuding some pheromones or something.

... except he doesn't even notice the cat isn't normal. because of course he doesn't. this is the same guy that thought 5 gnomes in a trenchcoat were a vampire. what did you expect????

dip: /brings a wet, shivering, decrepit little creature in his jacket/

bill, utterly disgusted and seemingly uncomfortable: WHAT in the everloving FUCK is THAT????

dip, irritated by his dramatics: jesus christ, its just a cat!!! dont be so fucking annoying about it!!!

bill, befuddled: ITS NOT A CAT. ITS SOME FUCKING- *T H I N G*???

dip: UGH you're so clingy and jealous and territorial I KNEW you'd react like that-

bill: /is outraged by such accusations, but won't stoop so low as to try and defend himself, because that would only make him look guilty right?/ ...it doesn't even SMELL like a cat!!!

dip: what do you *mean*?????😩

dipper is smitten with the kitten. its a tiny fluffy black thing with disproportionately big yellow eyes. it's also stupid as fuck and clumsy. it walks a bit weird, but dipper just thinks its some old unchecked injury from living in the streets affecting its posture, making it lump and crawl. not a big deal!

bill being extremely pissed at and almost... apprehensive of the cat, is the most hilariously annoying thing to him, but definitely not a concern.

bill is livid with dipper for being so brainless and naive and careless and stupid, bringing this stupid fucking *pest*- even BILL HIMSELF, the great demon, obliterator of worlds, doesn't know what this fucking thing is!!! and it aaaaaabsolutely *enrages* him. that's the thing: he's not scared of this stupid thing, and DEFINITELY not jealous of it (uhuh sure. liar), but he's so unused to not knowing something that it makes him seethe, being unfamiliar with something that he now has to share living space with.

and most infuriatingly, dipper STILL doesn't believe him!!!

months go by. bill gets used to the cat. its... whatever. they're mostly civil with eachother, except for when they fight for dipper's attention, which is 'all is fair in love and war' type of situation,

and the cat's little pranks on bill.

they're harmless if not for hurting bill's ego.

the cat is sentient. bill's fairly certain of it. and it truly enjoys fucking with bill by only acting smart around *him*, and pointedly playing stupid with dipper.

that conniving little shit.

bill endures it though, because the thing is harmless and kinda cute if he's being real honest, and dipper LOVES his little pet. and bill loves seeing him happy. so it's whatever.

more time goes by, and dipper secretly starts believing in bill's theory.

because sometimes things happen that he cant explain as the cat being up to its usual cat shenanigans.

it's one thing that the cat loves staring into empty spaces and hissing at nothing in the windows; it's something entirely different when at times dipper thinks it's anatomy doesn't make any sense. he can pass three yellow eyes as a trick of his imagination, but new multiple joints in absolutely unreasonable places????

the only time he tries to take the cat to the vet for routine check-up, the vet freaks out over cat's scans and bloodwork. dipper gets banned at the clinic.

but, again, the cat is nothing but friendly to him, so he doesn't worry too much.

Not sure if this has been brought up before but, Billdip with a pet?

Neither of them really seem like Pet guys to me, more like Stuff In Jars kinda guys. But maybe petsitting for Mabel or someone else? I think the minute Dipper showed any affection for something other than Bill he would get really jealous and Dipper would think it's very funny and very annoying. I specifically like the idea of Bill vs a cat bc I think they would HATE him on instinct and they'd definitely hiss at eachother. Bill's very much of the opinion that pets are useless brainless hunks of flesh that eat your food, but he's also got very little competition in terms of Affection coming from Dipper and if HE doesn't get pets and treats, neither does this stupid creature that skulks around the house eating spiders and ripping up the carpet. That's BILL'S job

They really are both kinda Stuff In Jars guys, aren't they?

That being said, Dipper's absolutely the type to get suckered in by something cute if it showed him attention and affection. Likely he found it on the street, or rescued it from a monster; then of course claim he'd only keep it for like a day before bringing it to a shelter. Maybe two.

And he would, too! He is Responsible™ and wouldn't want to introduce a poor innocent animal to the vicinity of Bill.

UNLESS said creature was very Clever and Conniving and wormed its way into his heart, using all kinds of dastardly tricks and loving affection. Then two days turns into three, and to a week, until Bill knows with Dread Certainty that this slimy little hairball is here to stay.

It's probably a cat, let's be honest.

If for no other reason that Bill doesn't seem at all like a Dog Person. If he had to take that thing for WALKS and PICK UP after it, it'd be about two hours before he 'accidentally' left the door open during hours of heavy traffic - whereas a cat is standoffish and independent enough that they can safely spend their days ignoring each other in the same room.

But you just KNOW that he seethes with jealousy anytime Dipper gives that miserable feline a gentle kiss on the forehead.

[sephrxn]

how to cleanse ur energetic vessel (step-by-step)

:｡･::･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:｡･::･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

⁺˚⋆｡ °✩₊⁺˚⋆｡⁺˚⋆｡ °✩₊⁺˚⋆｡°₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺*ੈ✩‧₊˚°₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺*ੈ✩‧₊˚⁺

so even though it's obviously normal to constantly be taking baths and cleansing ur physical body and surroundings...when it comes to ur auric field and energetic body there's absolutely nothing. and as abstract and subtle the word "energy" sounds, it can hit hard and change the trajectory of EVERYTHING...except you'll be left not consciously knowing why becoz it'll seem as though you are doing everything right.

'✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹🪼▶• ılıılıılıılıılıılı. 🪼'✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹˖ ࣪ . ࿐ ♡ ˚ .˖ ࣪ . ࿐

so even though most of know that trauma is something that is physically stored in the body...if you're not regularly releasing emotions, then you'll start to turn almost murky and jaded inside, but not really know why. another effect of neglecting the needs of your etheric body is that because certain areas in ur "being" could be blocked and stagnant, it might make you more sensitive to attracting energetic parasites "aka irl narcissists". things could also trickle down and turn into physical blockages and diseases in your physical body.

✩*ೃ.⋆ .⋆ ੭* ‧₊° ◞♡ ⋆.*ೃ✧ *๑♡՞ ༉‧₊˚✧

with that being said, here are some steps that yew can incorporate into a routine to maintain ur energetic vessel and make it more clear n protected 💓💓. ideally the best time to do this is at night right before you sleep, but you could also do it in the morning too!

find a dark, cool, quiet and sort of comfortable space that you can lie down in. NOTE****-> even though many people want to think of meditation as something that you do to stay alert, awake, and focused..... our goal is to ultimately slip into a less conscious state so that any unreleased subconscious emotions can come to light

take a few slow, deep breaths in through ur nose and out through your mouth **this will ensure that you could more easily slip into a relaxed state quicker**

one by one, start to feel ur muscles tense up and then relax them **you don't have to do it all at once. you can focus on your feet, hands, and slowly work your way to your core and face

continue to slowly breathe as you feel yourself fall into deeper states. you might start to feel ur immaterial vessel come out as you get tingles. some powerful emotions could even come up, you might feel waves throughout, and sometimes when you're in a deep enough state...you could feel like you're floating.

5. last but not least, stay here for however long you like 💓💓!! when you feel ready, start to subtly inch into and feel your thumbs and fingers as you slowly come back into your body.

practice this daily, multiples a week, or as often as you would like !! only you know what's best for youself <33

tip: throughout all of this, you also want to keep your core locked in, as that is the main source where you will be drawing your breath from

also note that i am by no means a qualified spiritual coach or practitioner, so proceed by ur own discretion. these are just things that have helped in my life personally, and so i might not be totally aware of how it might affect other people.

[manjiroscum]

la isla bonita

Character/s: All of Bonten

Warnings: f!reader, explicit sex, mature language, gangbang, cunnilingus, throat fucking, cum play, cum eating, nipple play, exhibitionism, voyeurism, degradation, sanzu threatening reader multiple times, reader gets injured (not due to any character), mentions of stalking, mentions of suicidal thoughts, light angst, hints of breeding kink, overstimulation, unprotected sex (they pull out tho), and use of pet names. Minors do not interact.

Note: hello everyone! here is the 5th chapter of the series and hope u like it 💖

➴masterlist

Synopsis: Other than giving great financial advice, Koko was a good listener too, especially when it is about a terrifying co-worker.

✃WC: 8.9k

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5

chapter iv | chapter xi

CHAPTER V - PIÑA COLADA

The sun’s warm rays kissed every pore of your sweaty, sticky flesh that wasn’t covered by the casting shadows of the men towering above your quivering spent body. This was a mess, you were certain of it. From the way Takeomi and Koko could only groan on the sidelines at how this got out of hand to Sanzu eyeing you from a distance in obvious disgust towards your actions. It might even run deeper than that. It wasn't your fault—you never asked for this to happen nor did you coax the other men into participating in what Mikey had in mind to appease the group and Sanzu. It was either this or angering the boss. Yet, you didn't have the heart to stop them either. In the throes of lust and absolute bliss, one might never want this debauchery to end, and neither did the men surrounding you fueled by the obscene sight of you spread wide open for them under broad daylight, tongue out as semen coated your face and every part of your body they could spurt it on.

“Look at that pussy. Like creamin’ around Mikey’s cock, huh?”

“Such a naughty slut getting off of us jerking to her.”

“You’ll leave space for our cum in that pretty cunt, right doll?”

A wandering eye might wonder how did you all get to this point, letting the temptations of having no judgemental eyes of society cloud the minds of these men and yours. Except for Sanzu Haruchiyo, of course, who refused to be bewitched by your charms and join the little show. The sole thought of cumming and painting your skin with their essence was enough motivation to have the notorious executives stripped naked as the day they were born—even if it was in front of Bonten’s fearsome leader whom they all revered. All for the sake of pleasuring you and themselves that they have been denied for far too long.

Yet, despite your muddled mind running on the sole thought of cock and the urge to climax again, you knew this wouldn’t have happened if you kept your mouth shut and just went with the flow.

But how could one stay pliant and silent when Sanzu Haruchiyo was making baseless accusations that could get you killed in cold blood?

Certainly not you.

To bathe in the middle of the afternoon wasn’t something you did often back in the city. The rushing water of the falls cool against your back and is quite relaxing as the pressure hits your back. Fingers massaging your scalp while thoroughly washing the remnants of the hair conditioner you borrowed from a certain silver-haired treasurer. Your body could feel the heat leaving your system after an hour of gathering wood with Kakucho.

In fact, this was another way to have fun other than swimming in the ocean and looking for turtles.

Well, if the whole situation of being stranded on an island is fun…

You never had the luxury to indulge yourself, really. If one was employed by Bonten as their secretary, their presence was required each time papers and booking were involved. No wonder those who came before you either resigned, left, or were shot down. The pay was high, but so were your emotions and your blood pressure.

Because if you weren’t the one doing all the desk work, who else would?

To get these executives to pick up a pen and go through documents would be akin to asking them to shoot themselves. Well, not everyone entirely. There was the ever dutiful Kakucho and Takeomi who knew what he was doing. Koko was alright with handling his paperwork, especially when it involved the organization’s funds, as long as he had his reading glasses or the promise of a delicious dinner afterward that fuels him to finish his tasks before evening rolled in. The boss of Bonten didn’t want to be troubled by bothersome affairs so you were tasked to do his.

However, the three pain-in-the-ass executives, namely Sanzu and the Haitanis were a force to reckon with. The three would usually flock to the bars like hydrangeas blooming in the summer, so pretty and at home in the luxurious part of the drinking establishment. This left their poor secretary—unfortunately you—to do all the work. A scolding or two from Kakucho would have the brothers listen and do the work albeit begrudgingly depending on their mood. But Sanzu? Oh boy, there was no helping him. After the second week on the job, you left it up to Mikey to do the reprimanding because you valued your neck more than anything.

That value has certainly increased since the fateful sinking of the yacht and ending up here, especially once he deemed you as a traitorous snake in his eyes.

The second in command of Mikey’s trusted men was certainly not someone you could bump shoulders with nor gain sympathy from unless you were Sano Manjiro himself. Even now as you bathed in silence, you were quite sure Sanzu was lurking around with watchful eyes. As much as you wanted to keep your dignity, whatever was left of it, to complain would be a death sentence.

His dislike for you was certainly as strong as his taste for liquor to brush off your observation that someone—someone who wasn’t in Bonten—could be on this island. The words he shot at you left a bitter taste on your tongue.

“Don’t try to fool me, slut. I’ve been circling this island for weeks and haven’t seen this person your stupid mind imagined while you were probably getting fucked dumb by Rindou.” He clicked his tongue, a sneer on his features. “If you wanna try and pin the traitor badge on someone, make sure they’re not make-believe, yeah?”

Hands wringing the cloth you’ve improvised as a washcloth, you bit down on your lower lip out of frustration at the memory. Mind imagining the poor thing as his neck. There was no way your brain was conjuring things up that day. But sadly, no one believed you nor took the time to question it. Even Rindou was skeptical, reassuring you that you must’ve seen an animal and mistook it for a man.

Ears picking up rustling from nearby shrubbery, you paused on your washing and stood still. What the fuck was that? Gaze still trained on the plants, you slowly resumed your actions and waited. Waited for whoever or what animal was behind the shrubs to come out. Now, if it were Ran or any of them stumbling into you bathing and opted to hide behind the plants to save themselves from embarrassing you both, that wouldn’t have your heart pounding like it was about to escape your chest in fear. After all, it wasn’t like they haven’t seen you naked. Perhaps you could live with that rather than having a total stranger standing behind it with ill intentions or entertaining their perverse thoughts.

Or both.

Either way, you didn’t like how everything was suddenly all so still. Making a grab for the towel you hung on a nearby rock, you felt a scream bubbling up to your throat while the hairs behind your neck began to rise. Goosebumps littered your flesh especially your thighs at the obvious stare bleeding through the cracks of leaves, burning a hole into the back of your head and worming its way into your thoughts to induce panic. The rational part of you yelled that maybe it was just the wind or the bugs that made the shrubbery their home. Yet, your intuition was glaring at you, commanding you to wrap the towel around you and run.

Your feet were close to slipping on the mossy rocks when you heard it again, the rustling of the shrubs behind you. Swallowing a squeak, you made a run for it. The other end of the towel you failed to wrap tightly flapped against the wind as you held onto the rest for dear life. The sound of heavy footsteps gaining behind you almost seemed like death about to make a lunge at you and go in for the kill. Panting heavily, you turned slightly to face the perpetrator when your whole body slammed into something—or someone.

Kakucho was quick to steady you, hands gripping you by your shoulders to keep you from falling flat on your ass. Dual-colored irises stared down at you in concern as you caught your breath, your hand pointing down the path where you’ve been.

“Calm down, love. Deep breaths. What’s the matter?”

“S-someone… There was someone w-watchin’ me and suddenly,” Lungs expanding as you took in more air, you continued in a strangled voice close to a whisper. Fingers shaking at the rush of adrenaline mixed into terror. “The person, uh, he started chasing me after I took off. I-I don’t know who it was or…” Voice trailing off as Kakucho immediately headed to the falls in search of the individual who interrupted your afternoon bath, you shivered under the breeze that passed by, reminding you that you were still in a mere towel. Ran and Koko, who were probably assisting their third in command in gathering for tonight’s dinner, was instantly by your side. Worry and confusion are etched on their features.

“T-thank you,” you murmured at the gesture of Ran removing his white shirt and draping it around your shoulders, having noticed you freezing. “I’ll make sure to wash this l-later.” Upon hearing your statement, the older Haitani shook his head and grinned. His hand reached out to rub your shoulder in an assuring and comforting motion. His bare upper body tanned due to the numerous days of being under the heat of the sun was coated in a sheen of sweat that glistened under the afternoon golden glow. An obvious stubble was growing on his handsome face, a sight rare to see with the Bonten members who kept up with their appearances despite usually hiding from the public.

Right now, Ran had become too lazy to shave with the razor blades, fearing he’ll cut himself. It was either that, or he didn’t want anyone else to shave his stubble other than you—not trusting the others to be careful. Even Rindou.

“No need, doll. Just glad you’re alright,” Ran chuckled, “So, what spooked you, huh? A huge spider? Or maybe a lizard? Rin spotted tarantulas here so I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“No… It’s a person.”

“You saw somebody?” Koko asked, stepping forward with his eyebrow raised. “Did you see their face?” Seeing you shake your head, the treasurer sighed and crossed his arms. “I don’t wanna be rude or say you’re a liar, but maybe your mind was playing games with you? Or maybe it’s just one of us, ‘ya know? Sanzu and the rest are also out there looking for wood and gathering coconuts.”

“But that would be odd,” Ran murmured, hand tucked under his chin in thought. “Normally, no one would be hiding or chasing our darlin’ secretary to scare her out of her wits. Unless it’s Sanzu, of course. Maybe it was just him and he’s too shy to say so.”

Him? The Sanzu Haruchiyo? Shy? That doesn’t sound like him at all.

The response you were about to give sat on the tip of your tongue as Kakucho joined you three once again, a pinch in his brows. Facing your hopeful expression which he hates to ruin, he sadly shook his head and exhaled aloud. His form slightly drooped in defeat.

“I didn’t see anyone or anything that indicates someone other than you was there. Plus there are too many footprints on the muddy parts to figure out which belongs to who.” Red and silver orbs caught sight of your dejection, prompting him to ask for forgiveness. “I should’ve stood by closer. Could’ve seen who it was. I’m tasked to look after you and—”

“No, no, it’s alright,” you smiled softly, hugging yourself. This was pointless, you figured. Other than gathering evidence, you should’ve turned around and faced whoever was tormenting you. To curse your cowardice now would be pointless since it had already happened. You had your chance to see who it was, yet you didn’t take it.

Perhaps if there is a next time, I’ll definitely take it.

“Still…” Kakucho pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning softly. “I should be on the lookout. Strange people aren’t the only things that will pose a threat here. Poisonous snakes, sharp rocks—even the jellyfish in some shallow parts should be accounted for.”

“It’s totally alright, Sir. I can take care of myself whenever you’re doing other things.” Plus, they don’t seem to believe you actually saw someone. No matter, you can always find pieces of evidence on your own when it was time for you to gather wood. Maybe then, you could find something that’ll prove you weren’t having wild imaginations. “You were quite busy, Sir. I’d only get in everyone’s way and be a bother if you had to do that always.” After muttering words of gratitude, you then excused yourself to get dressed. Kakucho’s hand immediately reached out to grab your arm, halting you on your way back to the wooden house. “Yes, Sir?”

“As I said, Kakucho is fine.” He grinned lightly, those eyes of his usually aloof or guarded at times now excluded kindness. It took all of your power not to kiss him on the cheek in front of Ran and Koko. “And we’ll talk about this later during dinner, yeah? I’m sure the others wouldn’t mind. If there really is somebody else on this island, they could’ve seen him.”

Easier said than done. Kakucho was too caught up in grilling the fish Rindou and Takeomi caught to assist you in addressing the scare you had that afternoon. Ran and the rest were either chatting by the fire or cracking the coconuts they managed to get. The only one who wasn’t present was the same person the older Haitani suspected. Eyes scanning any nook or cranny for any familiar pink mullet or the usual dirty glare he’d give you, surprisingly there were no traces of Bonten’s number two in the vicinity. Mikey, whom he was normally attached to, sat by his chair made from logs. Onyx orbs drinking in the hypnotic dance of the flames to notice his right-hand man was nowhere in sight. However, you didn’t want to be the one to announce that to him. The last thing you want was to disturb him in his peaceful state.

He can’t still be gathering firewood at this time of night, right? Does he know it’s dinner time? Unless… he’s up to something.

“Who you lookin’ for?” Almost flinching at Koko’s voice that was too close to your ear, you turned to face him. He was holding out banana leaves for you to take, serving as plates. Murmuring gratitude at him, you took the makeshift dish and gave him a little smile. Snake-like eyes scanned the area, hoping to see what you were searching for. “Are you… looking for Sanzu?

Guess you could never hide anything from your employers. Nodding softly, you then let out a heavy sigh. “I, uh, have been thinking. Can this be… just between us? Although I don’t think it’ll stay much of a secret for long since I have a feeling everybody is gonna find out whether I want to or not.” Upon hearing no response, you faced him and found the silver-haired man donning a sheepish grin. A brow raised, you started to fear for the worst. Did I say something I shouldn’t have? “What? You’re not allowed to keep secrets? Oh shit, am I now allowed to say something bad—”

“No, no… It’s just that, if you’re gonna beat around the bush, you’re just gonna lose me.” Koko couldn’t help but laugh at your flustered state. “Just be direct to the point. But no, it’s alright to keep secrets.” Tongue sticking out, he then winked playfully. “It’ll cost you, though.”

You blinked once, twice. Lips parting, your tongue was tied at the executive’s statement. Was he being serious? Weighing between asking if he was or what he wanted, you swallowed your apprehensions. There was no harm in asking after all. Yet, your question was immediately answered when Koko chuckled, delighted at your puzzled expression. Those dark hues twinkled in amusement.

“I was just teasing you. There’s no need to pay me,” he mumbled after laughing, tucking his hand under his chin. Truly entertained and sprinkled with intrigue by whatever you had to say. “Well, do go on… Surely you won’t wait around before the subject of our topic returns. There’s no fuckin’ way Sanzu would let you talk shit about him while he’s around, that’s for sure.”

You decided to forget his teasing and cleared your throat, voice lowering to a whisper. “Thank you, Sir. I normally won’t express this aloud, but I’m convinced that, uh… Sanzu hates me.”

“You’re wrong.”

“What?” Confused at Koko’s words, you made sure to keep your voice on a down low while you continued to converse. “What do you mean I’m wrong? Have you seen the way he acts around me? Sanzu fuckin’ hates me. Forgive me, but I thought you’d be more attentive, Sir.”

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that,” Koko snorted while shaking his head lightly. “And I’m right. If Sanzu hates you—really hates you, you’d be fuckin’ dead by now, sweetheart. Probably have been before this whole hellhole of a situation happened.” Silence occupied the space between you two momentarily, more so because you were in deep thought.

As much as you wanted to argue on that, Kokonoi Hajime was somehow on the money. Sanzu Haruchiyo would have shot you right in the face the moment you addressed him as Akashi instead of his current last name. A grave mistake on your part, but what does a new employee know? He certainly had the power and position to do anything he wanted in this organization. You could’ve been pronounced dead that day. But still, you weren’t convinced that Sanzu didn’t harbor any ill feelings towards you.

“Instead of pondering so hard on it, let me just remind you that Sanzu is a hard man to please. Unless you’re our boss, of course.” Koko then sighed, hand shooing a hermit crab about to head towards his foot. “Be honest. What do you really wanna tell me? I know this barely got under the iceberg of your worries.”

Tongue darting out to lick your lips, you exhaled shakily. Of course, he had to know. It wasn’t news to anyone here that Bonten’s number two disliked your guts ever since. “I shouldn’t be having these ideas… But I can’t help it sometimes. Especially when I lie awake while expecting Sanzu to come to my room and just straight-up murder me.” Fingers flicking off the sand that stuck to your thigh, you gazed up to look at Koko. “I have no evidence, but I think Sanzu is trying to frame me—”

“Sanzu, what took you so long?” Mikey inquired, steely black eyes following the pink-haired executive’s form walking towards him. Whether anyone saw you flinch or dart your gaze away from any observant eye, you focused on the banana leaves still sitting in your hand and stared at them like it was the most interesting thing in the world at this moment.

Speak of the devil.

Koko never said another word, keeping his questions and curiosity sealed tightly as he glanced at the man who has returned. At the appearance of Sanzu, the rest finished their task on time and started to gather into a circle around the fire. However, you didn’t have to be a mind reader to guess what was running in the treasurer’s mind, and to be honest, you were quite taken aback by your own conclusions.

Why on earth would Sanzu Haruchiyo frame you? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to claim such a thing?

From the day you stepped on this island and leading up to this day, he has been nothing but hostile to you. What boggled you, even more, was how he easily concluded you were the traitor responsible for allowing that bomber to infiltrate. Is it because disposing of a mere secretary than an executive was easier? Was he covering for the true suspect? If that is true, then who is it? Is it someone he respects so much to protect their ass?

But then, this was the same man who listens to no one other than his king—Sano Manjiro. For him to side with the suspect who could’ve killed Mikey that night did not seem to align with who he is. To accuse Sanzu of betrayal or aiding the bomber is akin to claiming a fish can’t swim. Koko had the exact same sentiments if his staring wasn’t obvious enough.

And yet, why the secretary out of everyone? Is it because accusing another executive of such treason is a messy endeavor? Why was there a need to blame someone? Why can’t he just conclude that the bomber acted alone? And, more importantly…

What is Sanzu Haruchiyo really up to?

“I’m sorry, Mikey,” Sanzu responded, setting down a few logs and sticks next to the fire. Those blue irises were as biting as the cold breeze when they landed on you. It was almost as if he knew what you and Koko spoke of which caused a chill to run down your spine. What the fuck? Did he hear us? That’s just fucking impossible. “Got caught on surveying the area for tonight as per your request.”

“Good,” Mikey muttered before he stood up and grabbed the coconut shell Rindou was holding up for him. Everyone waited for his signal to start eating, never wanting to displease the boss. Holding up the drink, Mikey then gave a silent toast that served as the cue for the feast to start. Almost immediately, every executive was making a grab for what their stomach fancied for this evening. You waited for them patiently to finish, yet it was more due to the fact that your appetite had significantly decreased at the thought of Sanzu eavesdropping on your conversation with Koko.

There’s no way he heard us. He wasn’t even around! Maybe I’m just being paranoid right now—

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” A stubbled chin was rubbing against the side of your face, Ran’s baritone voice filling your right ear as your body instantly reacted to the surprising touch. Your ear grazed your shoulder at the strange sensation whereas your eyes shot the older Haitani a glare.

“Cut that out, Ran. Your stubble doesn’t feel nice.”

His pink lips pouted at your comment. “If you only agreed to do the shaving, you wouldn’t be complaining right now, doll.” Instead of standing up and returning to his usual spot next to Rindou, Ran made himself at home next to you while pointing at his own fish. “Can you help me get rid of the bones, love?” When you made an exasperated sigh, he merely grinned. “Come on, ‘ya can’t stray from your secretarial duties now. You can’t have your boss choke on some fish’s bone—”

“Let the woman eat first, Haitani,” Takeomi grunted, making a face at the unbefitting display Ran did. “You’re causin’ such noise there that we could barely hear ourselves chew. And getting someone else to get rid of the fish bones? Are you serious?”

Laughter erupted from the circle, little from you as you watched Ran get up and join Rindou once more. His cheeks tinted with pink at Takeomi’s comment, muttering under his breath. Thankfully, that was enough to peel him off of your side. You didn’t want to have any other prying eyes or ears to hear you and Koko if you both were to resume your conversation earlier. However, as Kakucho cleared his throat to bring up what occurred that afternoon as promised, you kinda wished Ran stayed.

“What? She saw a person?” Sanzu repeated, one of his brows raised at what Kakucho relayed to the group. Those icy blues shot to your squatting form, certainly annoyed. Instinctively, you lowered your head. Of course, he wasn’t going to believe you. “Are you sure she isn’t tryin’ to trick ‘ya? I just circled the whole island, you know, and saw no soul out other than us. What’s next? Is she gonna say she saw a headless man walking down the shore at night? Bullshit, I tell ‘ya.”

“Did you go and check?” Mikey turned to his number three for the answer, to which Kakucho replied with a nod. “Well? Was anyone there?”

“No, Sir—”

“Bitch is seeing things, that’s what,” Sanzu spat. Contempt and irritation swirled in his azure irises as they stared at you. It took everything in you not to stand and start yelling that you indeed saw another human being on this island. Yet, even if you did, there was no way Sanzu Haruchiyo would back down. He seemed complacent and for good reason, too. No one saw this mysterious person other than you and every time that you did, there was no evidence that suggest so. In short, he had everyone’s backing despite barely lifting a finger to tip the tides. “She’s probably tryin’ to shift the blame onto some imagination of hers. Why won’t you just admit that ‘ya slipped the bastard into that boat, huh? What’s it gonna take?”

“But I didn’t—”

“Speak up!” The pink-haired man almost roared, his tone had you close to tears yet you fought them back. Weaknesses weren’t what you wanted to be on display now. Balling up your shaky fingers into a fist, you gathered up your courage to do exactly what Sanzu wanted.

“I said, I didn’t let that bomber into the yacht,” you spoke up, lifting your chin to see Sanzu eye to eye. Nobody mattered at this point, only him and your determination to make him see that you weren’t what he thought you to be. “Neither do I have any connection to the fucker—I am not a traitor, Sir. I don’t know what I have to do to prove it to ‘ya, but I know for a fact that I work for Bonten. I’ve handled sensitive files and could’ve easily turned that over to the police or whatever organization that is out to bite our asses, but I didn’t. If I wanted to, I could’ve done so back in Tokyo or any other day where I’m not in the most vulnerable position I am in now. So, you saying that I’m a traitor with no backing is as good as horse shit.”

Mentally patting yourself on the back for getting those words out of your mouth without stumbling over them, you felt your legs lose their strength despite not even standing up. Just even sitting a few feet away from the clearly fuming Sanzu was terrifying. He didn’t expect you to actually speak up or even say that he was wrong.

The sweat rolling down your back was akin to ice upon seeing Bonten’s number two, the mad dog and the most dangerous man of Tokyo second to Mikey, started to walk towards you. You know, even if you started running, he was most likely to catch and pin you down. Staying still, you held in a breath when Sanzu leaned close until there was barely an inch keeping your noses from touching. The scars on the corner of his lips were so vivid that you swore you could tell where they started and ended despite the odd shape.

“‘Ya think you did something, huh? Yet even with that, you don’t have any proof you’re not the traitor. You act so smart and all, but a slut is a slut,” he sneered at your frightened expression. “What? Gonna spill to us your dirty little secret after you’ve tasted every available cock here? I bet my fuckin’ gun you would. In fact, I bet you’re just putting up this vulnerable act to fool us, yeah? Just shut up and drop dead, cunning whore.”

Scarlet. Your vision was shrouded in scarlet at Sanzu’s words. Doused with unforeseen anger that was all bottled up within, now spilling out and marring your rational mind. Nothing was on your sight that bled red except the back of his head, his legs moving him to stand next to his ‘king’. The complaints and comments the others had over what he said turned to white noise. You didn’t know how you did it—standing up and grabbing the empty coconut before hurling it towards his retreating back—but you did. The husk hit Sanzu Haruchiyo squarely on the head, the force knocking him forward that he was sure to have landed on Mikey’s shocked form that mirrored the rest if he didn’t steady himself on time.

“Fuck—what the…?”

The rest of the evening was history. All that you remembered after receiving a verbal warning from Mikey was how it took Kakucho, Ran, Rindou, and Takeomi to keep Sanzu from going after you. His screams of “I’m gonna kill ‘ya!” and “Get back here, bitch! We’re not done yet!” filled the entire evening air that came to a halt once you were out of his sight. Dinner was cut short and you ended up sitting in your room to replay the horrific decision of throwing a coconut at one of your superiors. You were quite sure you would be sleeping on a barely filled stomach and the threat of welcoming the morning already dead when Koko knocked on the wall and pulled back the cloth that served as a pathetic door.

“That was stupid.”

“It was…”

“I can’t believe you did that.”

“I know.”

“But I’m kinda glad you did,” Koko chuckled, taking the empty spot next to you and handing the banana leaves that contained an assortment of fruits. “Here, I managed to grab this before Sanzu could say you shouldn’t be fed for what you did tonight. I would be vile not to give you food.” Once you took the food from his hand, the silver-haired man continued in a small voice that was almost carried off by the salty breeze that entered through the gaps on the wall. “Mikey said that he’ll punish you tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”

Stilling at the information, you visibly swallowed at what that entailed. If Mikey decided to punish you, it was either he felt the need to or it was a request. You figured it was the latter.

“Ah, of course. This was bound to happen. Gotta prepare myself,” you mumbled, not caring whether Koko was listening or not. Picking up a slice of plum, you bit onto the fruit with a defeated sigh. Could you consider this your final meal before being sent to the gallows in the form of Sano Manjiro? You didn't know. Images of either getting shot, sliced on the throat, strangled to death, or just the classic drowning murked your hopeful wishes of him just giving you a simple task of cooking for the next few days. Whatever he’ll decide to do with you, you were quite sure you’ll never see it coming. “Did… he say anything about my punishment?” Swallowing hard a second time, you added almost hesitantly, “I-is he going to kill me? Mikey’s gonna kill me, isn’t he”

“Mikey won’t do that—”

“Don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying—”

“Maybe I-I should just go kick the bucket to make it easier, huh?” Tears that blurred your sight started rolling down your cheeks one by one, frightened at the thought of dying tomorrow. Ah, what a truly pathetic sight it is to be crying in front of one of your superiors. Yet, you couldn’t hold back the waterworks, letting it all out. Who wouldn't be terrified? “Should I just shoot m-myself? Isn’t that w-what Sanzu wants? Will that m-make things better? Am I really that disposable? You know? These thoughts have been popping up in my head for a while now and I try to keep them at bay. But sometimes they just won’t quiet down, you know? And yet, I feel like this is unfair ‘cause I’m not the traitor…” The rest of your depressing inquiries that only lead you down further toward an endless spiral of hate and despair were muffled by Koko’s shoulder. His arm wrapped around you and held you against him tightly, his lips next to your ear as he clicked his tongue in a scolding manner that had your eyes widening for a fraction.

Is Koko really hugging you right now?

“What on earth are ‘ya talking about, huh? No one is dying—especially you,” Koko sighed after patting your back, hoping to soothe down the sobs that wracked your body. “There, there. Stop cryin’, okay? You’re just gonna let Sanzu win if you let him hear you cry. That bastard has already said enough. Don’t cry… Yeah, that’s it. Deep breaths.” Pulling back, the silver-haired Bonten treasurer grinned down at you, his lithe fingers wiping away the tears you didn’t manage to graze away. Once you started to calm down, he couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Cheeks hot, you looked away. How embarrassing. “Seriously, what made you think Mikey’s gonna kill you, huh? He hasn’t even decided what to do. You do let your imagination run wild, huh? Besides, Sanzu’s alright—he’s not dying anytime soon.”

Blinking a few times, you inhaled sharply to prevent snot from running down your nose and further humiliating yourself. “H-he is? Honest?”

Koko scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Of course. It’ll take probably ten bullets to bring down that guy. Getting hit on the head with a coconut is not gonna give him permanent brain damage, trust me,” he muttered. “Other than just a small bump, Sanzu’s fine. He’s still standin’ on two legs after all.”

“Still, I hit my own boss,” you groaned onto your palms, mentally chastising yourself for letting your emotions get the best of you. “I shouldn’t have done that. If only I could turn back time…” Mulling over something that has already occurred was pointless, you knew. There was nothing else to do but sleep and accept tomorrow’s punishment—whatever it might be. But removing the fear for what it may be proved to be impossible as you bid Koko good night once he stood up. Everyone was tired after a full day of moving about and Koko was no exception to this.

“Just don’t worry too much about it, ‘kay?” Koko grinned, patting your shoulder. The action soothed your concerns, just a bit. “Mikey won’t do anything of the sort you’re so scared about. He might just ask you to gather wood or cook tomorrow, you’ll see. Okay?”

“I just hope so…”

His hand moved effortlessly to your head, patting it. A small smile now gracing his softened features. Normally, this wasn’t something that occurs between an employee and their boss but for your sanity’s sake, it was a necessity. Nevertheless, you relaxed your stiff shoulders. Koko’s silver strands shone under the moonlight streaming through the half-assed made window. “Don’t worry your pretty lil’ mind. If it makes you feel better, I’ll make sure nothing bad is gonna happen tomorrow morning…”

“You’ll… do that?”

“Yeah, why not?” Koko laughed at your surprised expression before shrugging. “It’s not a problem at all. I’ll try and talk to Mikey to lighten your sentence, ‘kay?” Gesturing at your bed, he waved his hand in farewell. “Get some shut-eye, sweetheart. See you in the morning.”

Whatever horrific scenario you were capable of imagining as you laid on the hard bed that was just cloth and dried leaves continued to plague your head like a buzzing fly. And yet, despite this annoyance and dread, you fell asleep at the stroke of midnight and awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside. Immediately you were up, scared that you might make Mikey wait too long outside.

Walking out, you figured he was either bound to be in a foul mood due to the early hour or would be apathetic as he always is. Each step you took was shaky, heart imbued with horror and panic. Still, you did this to yourself—should’ve held your tongue back, remained motionless, and taken the insults to the face… But how could someone just take that all in and not do something?

Whatever. Just gotta have to take the punishment…

As you stepped out, the salty breeze greets you along with the strangest sight of Mikey laying out a piece of cloth, waiting for you by the beach. The shortest yet most dangerous man out of all the Bonten members appeared freshened up, judging by the way his hair was damp and his clothes were different from last night. The greeting you had at the tip of your tongue was pushed back when those dark irises fell on you and then pointed at the cloth. Alarm bells started ringing in your head at the motion.

This was it—no backing out or running now.

“Strip and wash or do whatever you have to do. We’ll start your punishment once you come back.”

“Y-yes, Sir. Right away.”

The punishment you had in mind played out in numerous ways. One was to lay on the cloth naked all day until your skin would be littered with sunburns and etched with blisters. The second was to be doused in the essence of any sweet fruit until ants started biting your skin for hours on end. The list goes on and on because frankly, you knew Sanzu loved to torture those who did him wrong. Back in Tokyo, you often had to cancel most of his appointments because he was far too busy beating the shit out of someone. You didn’t even know if Mikey followed his number two’s suggestions on how to punish you—until your legs were spread wide for the earth and sky to see. Cunt out in the open for anyone—anyone to use like a classic whore in a glory hole as what Mikey muttered to you.

Maybe this was Sanzu’s idea after all…

However, whether that was true seemed dubious for he was obviously taken aback the moment he emerged from the wooden house to eat breakfast only to find most of his colleagues were with you.

Which led you to this moment, getting used like a fleshlight by Mikey below you and his loyal men from above. Ran, Rindou, and Kakucho towered above you two, either rubbing their cocks or letting you do it to the sight of your ruined cunt and body painted with thick streaks of semen. They were careful not to spurt it at Mikey unless they wanted their dicks cut off. Your hands fell limp to your sides, forearms tired after stroking cock after cock since they started to flock around you. Mouth agape, you felt another spurt of cum coming from Rindou land on your tongue. To be honest, you assumed they’d be tired and start shooting blanks by now—not goading one another to see who could paint your skin to the color of their cum. Really, you’d think they would have grown tired or hungry by now as breakfast hasn’t been touched since they saw your naked form upon leaving the wooden house. All the blood rushing to their lengths fueling their appetite for your pussy.

“You’ll leave space for our cum in that pretty cunt, right doll?” Ran bent down to wipe the stray glob of cum from the side of your mouth before popping the digits into your mouth, pressing down on your tongue. “You look so pretty like this, baby,” he cooed upon hearing you mewl at the pressure. “You love this, don’t ‘cha?”

“Naawh…” you moaned against his fingers still in your mouth, close to choking down on it when Mikey thrust up, eliciting a groan from you. Your initial answer did not coincide with how you keened and whined. “Pweash, wanna… wanha cum ‘s bad.”

“Hey, Mikey… Is this even a punishment?” Rindou chuckled at the delirious expression etched across your face. It was such a sight to behold, paired with your delicious moans and the quivers that ran through your body. “Look at her, enjoying this too much. Fuck, wanna breed that pussy.”

Instead of answering the younger Haitani, Bonten’s head reached for your nipples and pinched them hard that it had you squeaking. Ran smirked at the reaction, retracting his fingers and situating his cock near your mouth. The sight was such a nasty one, especially to those who decided to just sit on the sidelines and watch—namely Takeomi, Sanzu, and Koko. Well, Takeomi and Sanzu. Just one call of his name by Mikey had the Bonten treasurer trudge towards the spectacle of you being used like a toy. Whether he knew your punishment or not, Koko remained silent as he stood by your exhausted form.

Contrary to Rindou’s belief, you might be enjoying the position you were in right now, but there were conditions that had you worrying. Conditions that you knew you could never meet unless you conceded. It was either to stay like this until dinner—let any one of them use you to their heart's content… or apologize to Sanzu for throwing a coconut at him. The rational part of you preferred the latter. There was no way you could keep this up until evening without eating or taking a break. Even now you wanted to concede and have breakfast. However, saying sorry to the same person who accused you of being a traitor and stating you were delusional would be a huge blow to your pride. You assumed this was what Sanzu wants, for you to admit defeat.

Never.

You didn’t want to admit defeat—not when you were in the right. Not when you weren't the traitor he is trying to write up as.

Yet, you should’ve realized you shouldn’t ever underestimate your superiors, especially when they had no access to pussy on this island other than yours and that it was offered freely. The thought had your heart pang with something akin to hurt at the idea of them just using you but that was instantly wiped from your mind at the sudden intrusion of Ran’s cock in your mouth. The red tip of his dick easily hit the back of your throat, tears forming in the rim of your eyes at how full you felt. It wasn’t when he started to fuck your throat that you almost cried out at the oversensitivity and the whole thing overwhelming you. Hairs on the back of your neck stood when Mikey commanded Koko with clarity to eat your pussy and clean you up there.

Awkward. It should be awkward between you two. Not too long ago, he did promise to make sure Mikey wouldn't kill you or do anything that may have harm befall you. Yet, here he was, finding himself in a scenario where he couldn't say no.

Not that he wanted to object, though.

Despite your lidded eyes, you could make out Koko’s silver hair gleaming under the morning sun as he got down, crawling past Ran’s legs to sit in front and be face to face with your slick pussy folds. The moment his tongue darted out to lick your clit, hot breath hitting the sensitive bundle of nerves, you gurgled around the older Haitani’s cock at the delicious sensation. Mouth and jaw already turning sore. Thank whatever deity up there that Mikey made sure to have them pull out before cumming. You didn’t want to get pregnant in the whole ordeal and nurse a child that was conceived out of a situation such as this. Especially when they didn’t love you or even hold you at the same level of regard as they would with a lover. Seeing you only as a means to wet their dick whenever they want to on this island.

And that hurt.

It hurts…

“Fuck, she’s tightened up. Suck on her clit, Koko,” Mikey grunted, speeding up his thrusts to a point your tits were jiggling and your nipples were as hard as pebbles. His fingers still pinching them that you swore they’d feel hot to the touch. Koko, being obedient, did as he was told and spread your cunt apart. His dark hues drinking in the way your pussy was swallowing his superior’s cock. One wrong move will have your pelvis hit his head. Holding onto your waist, he did his best to lick and flick at your throbbing clit, cleaning up your juices. Koko couldn’t help but let out a moan, delighted at how you taste. You screamed, muffled by Ran’s cock about to spurt out cum down your throat. “She’s gonna cum again—oh shit, fuck!”

Too much, this was all too much!

Eyes rolling back, you saw the whole world turn upside down. Then, darkness shrouded everything and you found yourself floating in that endless void.

It took you a while to realize after waking up in your room that you blacked out. Well, it was expected since you barely slept the night and didn’t have the strength to continue. It should be noon by now, but the storm clouds that blocked out the sun and the howling wind made it seem like the day was about to end. Bemoaning your sore back and lower regions, you slowly sat up and found yourself already in a clean shirt and shorts. Whoever washed you up and dressed you had your thanks, making a mental note to ask and return the favor later.

“You’re awake, huh.” Mikey must have known you would be up now for he entered your room like it was destined to happen. At the sight of him, your cheeks lose their warmth at the reminder that you failed to meet the conditions he laid out for you. There was no use in struggling or trying to weasel your way out. Luck certainly favored Sanzu Haruchiyo because now, since you blacked out and did not last until the evening as what was required, you had to apologize to him. Your sorrow must’ve been quite evident in your features for Mikey sighed. “You should’ve conceded from the start. Would’ve saved you from all that trouble.”

“I’m sorry I caused trouble, Sir.” Lowering your head, you muttered softly. “I will apologize to Sanzu right away.” You then lifted your head to look at him, hoping he would show you or give a hint as to where the pink-haired man was. When he didn’t respond, you tried to ask. “M-may I know where he is at this hour?”

Lightly shaking his head, Mikey leaned against the wall. “He’s out. But I can’t pinpoint where he actually is.” Observing your face for any change of expression, he continued. “All I know is that he’s out surveying the area, probably nearby that cliff. I suggest you hurry up and say it to him before he comes back.”

Before Sanzu comes back? Does he want me to venture out there? Alone?

“Can I bring Kakucho with me, Sir?” you inquired, almost terrified of what his reply may be. Venturing out there all alone in this weather and with that stranger out there you were quite sure to have seen, you obviously had your reservations. “He’s tasked to keep me safe after all…”

Mikey’s answer was instant.

“No. Kakucho is busy with other matters, and so are the others. You must do this alone, [Y/N]. If you go out there with someone else, Sanzu will not like it.” Sensing your hesitance, Mikey added softly. “If you think he’ll hurt you, he won’t. Sanzu will not make a move to harm you unless I say so.” Exhaling deeply, he nodded to the exit, urging you to head off. “Go now. It’s gonna start pouring soon. If you wanna bring anything to defend yourself, I don’t recommend it. Sanzu will think you’re out to kill him.”

Trusting Bonten was akin to letting an alligator into your home without any protection and expecting it to be tamed. It never does end well for those who don’t expect them to bite back or do anything if you betrayed them, no matter whether it was a great deal or not. However, the words of Sano Manjiro were not to be taken lightly. His word has always been the law in the organization and is now applied to this island. And if you have learned anything from being their secretary for three months, it was the ultimate fact that Sanzu never disobeys his ‘king’. To go against him would be the death of who Sanzu Haruchiyo was and what he embodied.

And so, you put your trust in Sano Manjiro. Minutes of walking and searching for any bright pink or any sign that may suggest Sanzu was in the area had you anxious. The wind was picking up and the leaves rustled to their tune. It was growing darker as the angry clouds continued to grow and pour their wrath onto the island any second. Not to mention, that person could be anywhere and could bring harm to you if they wanted. Time was of the essence and you wanted to get this done. Shelter called to you like a siren and frankly, you almost heed its call.

But where is Sanzu?

The second you turned to a corner, raindrops started to fall one by one. You had to turn back. There was no way you could find Bonten’s number two under the harsh rain. For all you knew, he could be back at the wooden house while you’re out here searching for him. However, just as you were about to turn back, clothes already wet, you heard it—the sound of footsteps crushing dried leaves. Whether it was out of desperation or the urge to just finish this, you unknowingly followed the sound and grumbled, “Sanzu? Is that you? Can I talk to you for a sec—” You barely managed to piece the rest of your sentence when you saw a different man standing in front of you, unreadable black eyes staring right back at you. He wasn’t Sanzu nor anyone in Bonten.

A stranger.

It was him—the person who have been stalking you in the falls.

He must’ve realized you knew about his presence, for he eerily smiled. You took off without a second thought. Frightened beyond relief. Panting hard as your legs ran, careful not to trip or slide on wet mud, you swore you could feel him gaining on you. Neverminding that your body was still sore, you swatted and avoided the plants that obstructed your view. The goal of reaching the wooden house or a clearing directed your brain to keep pumping adrenaline into your veins. Time seemed to have gone slow, teasing you as you grew impatient.

Where am I? Where’s the way out? Fuck, am I even headed in the right direction?

A whimper escaped your lips when you turned around to see the stranger still catching up to you. Curses flooded your head, serving as a chant to keep you going. Lungs and heart pumping, the beat almost drowned out the sound of rain falling. You dare not to look back, terrified that he was inches away from grabbing you and having his way. Rain and your tears blurred your vision, your hand hastily wiping them away.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck—

You tripped on a huge limestone that was hidden well by overgrown wet grass, causing you to slide a few feet away into a bush. A cry of pain slipped from your mouth, hands applying pressure to your ankle that was undoubtedly sprained. Some parts of your cheeks also stung, cuts made by leaves marring the flesh. Holding back a sob, you tried to stand but to no avail. There was no way you could limp back to where the others were and avoid the man.

Hiding deeper under the bush, you held in a breath upon seeing a flash of white that went by. Hours, it seemed like hours have passed by as you waited for the clear when it was merely seconds. And just as you were about to relax, the color grew larger as it approached. Heart about to leap out of your throat, a gasp shuddered out of your shivering form as you peered up to see who has found you.

It was none other than Sanzu Haruchiyo, in the flesh. “S-Sanzu…” you sobbed, his name falling out of your lips like a sacred prayer. He was a sight for sore eyes indeed.

“Wha…” Sanzu squinted at your fallen form, damp pink strands stuck to his face as the storm raged on. But even with the rain cruelly surging down, close to blurring your eyesight, you saw it, his features riddled with concern and shock to see you here. It was more evident once his blue irises laid eyes on your sprained ankle that you were still holding onto. For a moment, you braced yourself for his insults or anything that is set out to hurt your feelings. However, Sanzu remained uncharacteristically silent.

Questioning you would have to wait. Without saying anything, he bent down with his back faced to you. Immediately you figured out what he wanted you to do and latched onto him. A hissed of pain was what you elicited as a stinging feeling shot up your leg at the slight movement. Once he made sure you were comfortable on his back, Sanzu grumbled, “Hold on. I’ll find some shelter.”

Whether this was a dream or not, Sanzu helping you was something that slightly warmed your heart. Your body willingly leaned against his heat as the cold rain beat down on you both as you sought shelter.

🎐taglist: @wakaslut @ranilingus @blueparadis @rizakari @cryptred @festive @emissaire @toobsessedsstuff @s-shinichirosgf @amerillyss @erenyaygirl @omi-replies @nameless-shrimp @riszu @the-et-haggis @leavemealonebutinpink @zuuki @keijisprettygirl @this-harl0t-shant-be-unalive @reapersimps @lalunanymph @meganemoon @tokyometronetwork

[getvalentined]

Okay so while I'm 99.999999% sure that BoTW and ToTK take place on their own timeline (I've even figured out where the divergence must have occurred for the events in those games to take place as they did and wrote a spoileriffic post all about it), there is at least one other option. Maybe two.

Spoilers and 1300+ words of lore and theory nonsense under the cut.

There are some things I've noticed that, when put together, form a very interesting possibility. It's not nearly as solid as the concept of this being an entirely different timeline altogether, and separately these things don't mean much of anything. Viewed together, though, they do seem to point in a fairly distinct direction.

Key points:

The Depths are full of massive ancient fossilized tree roots

Hyrule as a whole is heavily populated with the remains of absolutely enormous fossilized tree stumps

The Koroks exist, but the Kokiri don't

The Rito exist, as do the Zora

These Zora can live in freshwater or saltwater without suffering negative effects

Ganondorf refers to Sonia as being Hyrulean, not Hylian, in spite of Hyrule as a kingdom being founded by her and Rauru

Triforce imagery already exists back in that time period, to the point that Sonia has it tattooed on her body

This...may actually be the far-flung future of the WindWaker timeline.

Points 1, 2 and 3:

In WindWaker, the Deku Tree created the Koroks out of the Kokiri so that they would survive in some capacity after the Goddesses flooded the world. They traverse the world dropping seeds in the hopes that the trees born from those seeds will take root deep enough to join together and recreate land.

The Depths are full of ancient fossilized trees. Hyrule is covered in their remains. The Koroks travel the world for reasons unknown. The Lost Woods contain both a Lake Saria and a Mido Swamp, which we can say are just shout-outs to previous titles—except that Urbosa mentions Nabooru by name in BoTW, meaning that she existed. And if she existed, in the capacity that we know her from Ocarina of Time, then Saria existed. And yet the Koroks exist, and the Kokiri don't.

Points 4 and 5:

In WindWaker, the Rito used to be the Zora. They were magically evolved over time because they couldn't survive the flood, there was something wrong with the water. In Ocarina of Time, Zoras appear to be strictly freshwater entities; there are oceanic Zora in Majora's Mask, but that's either so far back on the timeline that Hylia and Demise haven't landed yet, or it's an alternate timeline altogether. In BoTW and ToTK, the Zora are very clear that they can survive in basically any water. They've tested this. They know they'll be fine no matter what.

Rito and Zoras in BoTW and ToTK have very, very similar body shapes, with long torsos and long arms and short legs, very limited sexual dimorphism, and expression of features similar to multiple different real-world animals that live in their respective environments. Teba is a harpy eagle, Kass is a sapphire macaw, Revali is a Steller's jay, Penn is a pelican; Mipha seems to be a false killer whale, Sidon is a hammerhead shark, King Dorephan is a blue whale, Yona is a devil ray.

Unlike the Rito in WindWaker, these Rito are literally just birds. They don't have to go earn their wings, they grow flight feathers at certain levels of maturity just like normal birds. Unlike the Zora in previous titles, who seemed to age at a rate on-pace with Hylians, the Zora age similarly to some some rare deep sea animals—coelacanths, for instance, reach physical maturity around 40-60 years old. (Reminder that coelacanths were also assumed to be wiped out, leaving behind only differently-evolved relatives.)

If we assume that the Koroks' mission was successful, then the Zora could very well have come back into being intentionally, the same way that they became the Rito in the first place. Some remained as Rito, while others chose to branch off and recreate what they used to be, using magic and careful breeding to make sure that they wouldn't die if the water turned against them again. Likewise, the Rito changed alongside them to become more suited to the changing environment, until they reached a point where they don't even remember that they came from the same place. (EDIT: Lending further credence to this possibility, the Stormwind Ark literally looks like two seahorses swimming side by side. Not birds. Nothing airborne. Seahorses.)

Points 6 and 7:

The existence of the Triforce as a holy symbol and the use of "Hyrulean" to describe someone of Hylian descent indicates that Rauru and Sonia didn't create Hyrule as a place, but organized it as a nation. The land of Hyrule already existed, it just wasn't under anyone's rule. Rauru and Sonia, with the power that they possessed, were able to organize the land on which they lived to create a kingdom—it was already called Hyrule, they just took control.

This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever in any context that I can think of outside the WindWaker timeline, where the destined bearers of the Triforce and the Hylian royal family haven't existed for ages. One of three points in the timeline where Ganondorf was killed, not just sealed away. (The other two being Twilight Princess and ToTK.) Until this point, Ganondorf is always the same Ganondorf. He's the same person as he was in Ocarina of Time—the Triforce of Power made him immortal, that's why all anyone could ever do was seal him up. The Master Sword is the sword that seals the darkness, not the sword that destroys the darkness.

There's a really interesting bit in the Twilight Princess manga that, while I know it's noncanon for the games, lends a lot of credence to the idea that Ganondorf in ToTK is the first time that Ganondorf has been properly and truly reincarnated.

Trigger warning for mention of suicide, and spoiler warning for the Twilight Princess manga.

Toward the end of the manga, during the final battle, Link is losing. Link is going to lose. He comes to the realization that he can't kill Ganondorf not because Ganondorf is stronger than him, but because he's just one part of a whole—and Link and Zelda make up the rest of it. Link realizes that he doesn't have the right to kill Ganondorf, because they need each other to exist. He was chosen by Din for a reason, like Link was chosen by Farore and Zelda was chosen by Nayru, and even if nobody knows why Din allowed that to happen that doesn't make it the right of one Goddess' champion to kill another. Ganondorf refuses to accept this, and kills himself so that he can finally be swept into the reincarnation cycle along with Link and Zelda, rather that just living forever and meeting new versions of them again and again. He demands the opportunity to reset and do what he wants without the fetters of his previous attempts weighing on him, with a promise to return someday and take what he deserves.

Ganondorf dies at the end of WindWaker, and it's very possible that he wouldn't be reborn again until the time period where Hyrule would be revived. Ganondorf is the destined bearer of the Triforce of Power—and Rauru is the Sage of Light, but he very clearly serves as a stand-in for the Triforce of Courage, while Sonia presumably stood in for Wisdom until Zelda arrived. At that point, given that Zelda is the destined bearer chosen by Nayru in order to bolster her ability to interface with Hylia (or to house her outright), any protection that position could have granted Sonia was lost, and Ganondorf was able to kill her where he couldn't have killed Zelda.

Do I think this is the case? Almost certainly not. Do I think it's possible? Absolutely.

The other possibility is that Ganondorf in WindWaker succeeded in his wish to reset the timeline and undo everything and the Goddesses took advantage of the wish and rolled it back so far that they removed the Triforce from the timeline altogether in the hopes that Ganondorf would never come into being at all. This new timeline would thereby be the result of that, but there's not much to indicate that beyond the fact that the Imprisoning War is literally the events of Ocarina of Time without the Triforce or Link, down to Zelda watching him kneel in front of the King of Hyrule and ask for allegiance, then telling that king that Ganondorf is obviously evil. I swear it's almost word for word. Zelda. Don't be racist.

[valy-gc]

Please stop me...

So, here is the Prisme, it's basically their phone, but work fully with magic, no technology. It have a little handle to attach charms and also can be attached to the belt or anything by there.

It's the size of our actual smartphones.

More under the cut

So I also created a sport...

Color Clash

Teams and Gameplay

Number of Teams: While six teams (one for each dorm) could add unique dynamics, it might be chaotic if everyone plays simultaneously. A good compromise might be:

Rotating matches with two teams battling at a time during recurring events.

A six-team free-for-all for larger, more chaotic rare events or tournaments.

Team Members: Teams could consist of 5(six teams) to 7(two teams) players. This allows for strategic play while keeping the matches manageable.

Playing Area: The sport could take place in a dedicated arena designed to resemble various terrains and obstacles, such as forests, caves, open fields, and ruins. Alternatively, for special events, the entire campus could be used for a massive "battle royale" version.

Rules and Objectives

Objective: "Paint" members of opposing teams with arrows (colored magical powder). Each successful hit earns points for the team.

Scoring System: Players are assigned point values based on their skill level. Before each match or tournament, players are ranked based on their performance in trainings and skill tests. This ensures fairness and adds an extra layer of strategy as teams must protect high-value players.

1 Point - Squire: Absolute beginners, bad or first-time players. Could be a player that is really good at shooting his arrow but bad at dodging the opponent’s.

2-10 Points - Adept : Average players, ranked incrementally based on skill and experience, with tiers such as Adept II, Adept V, Adept VIII ...

50 Points - Elite: Highly skilled players with notable achievements during training. Usually the captain if there is no Champion.

100 Points - Champion: The best player, often the team’s captain or standout star. Each team can only have one Champion.

It is mandatory for each team to have at least one Elite or Champion, but both at the same time are not always necessary, as not all team always have a Champion.

Points are calculated at the end of the game, and the team with the highest total wins.

Rank Titles :

Instead of saying, “That’s a 100-point player,” you’d say, “They’re the team’s Champion.”

The ranking titles could also play into the strategy:

Teams could call out, “Focus on their Elite!” or “The Champion is exposed!”

Elimination (Optional): Players could be "eliminated" when hit a certain number of times (10). This adds an extra layer of strategy, as players would have to decide whether to go on the offensive or protect high-value teammates.

Strategic Importance

Protecting High-Value Players: Teams will need to strategize to keep their Elite and Champions safe while using lower-point players to distract or disrupt the opposing team.

Not focusing too much : The lower rank players could think they are less important, but if they are eliminated, or permit the opponent to mark lots of points by touching them multiple time, they could makes the team loose even if the high-rank are safe.

Risk vs. Reward: Opposing teams may focus on targeting high-value players, leaving them vulnerable to counters.

Dynamic Rankings

Rankings could shift between matches or seasons based on performance. For example:

A player in the Adept X tier who performs exceptionally well could move up to Elite in the next game. The number of points earned in a match can play a huge part in the promotion.

Conversely, underperforming high-tier players might drop to a lower point value. (not after a one-time fail, of course, only after repeated defeats)

A player reaching the Champion rank will automatically take the captain place. But a Elite don’t necessarely become captain, except if there is no other Elite (and no Champion either)

A player reaching the Champion rank while there is already a Champion in the team will have to either decide to leave the team, change team, or the other player will have to make this choice, as no team should have more than one Champion.

A Champion or Elite disguised as a lower rank will lead to the immediate disqualification of the team. (in the situation of the others players are perfectly award of his real skill. If a Champion or Elite pretend to be lower to his own team, his teamate not knowing, then only the guilty player will be disqualified and forbbiden to join another team.)

Scoring System (Extra Points)

Player Elimination Bonus:

Every time a player is eliminated (hit 10 times), the opponent who lands the 10th shot earns 50 extra points.

If multiple players contribute to the 10 hits, only the final player earns the elimination bonus.

Chain Elimination Bonus:

For every consecutive opponent eliminated by the same player, the elimination bonus increases:

1st elimination: +50 points.

2nd elimination: +75 points.

3rd elimination: +100 points.

4th elimination and beyond: +150 points per elimination.

Entire Team Elimination Bonus:

If one player manages to eliminate an entire team (all members), they earn an extraordinary bonus of 500 points, in addition to the chain bonuses.

Last Player Standing Bonus:

If a team has only one player left, and this player wins the match (survives or eliminates all opponents), they earn an extra 300 points for their victory.

If the last-standing player of a team is eliminated, the player who lands the final hit earns 200 extra points, regardless of who dealt the previous hits.

Why extra points ?

Encourages Team Play: Collaboration is still critical for securing eliminations.

Rewards Exceptional Skill: Outstanding feats like eliminating entire teams or clutching a win alone are significantly rewarded.

High-Stakes Showdowns: The final moments of a game become more tense, as eliminating or saving the last player has huge scoring implications.

Magic and Special Elements

Magic Use: Magic could be allowed with restrictions, such as:

Spells must be harmless and non-lethal (e.g., creating distractions, shields, or minor obstacles).

Magic usage is tied to a temporary power-up system.

Power-Up Spheres : These floating objects can grant random temporary bonuses, such as:

Allowing harmless magic use for a limited time (depend of the power-up).

Shielding the player from one arrow.

Granting a "stealth" mode (invisibility for 10 seconds).

Doubling points for a short period.

Speed boost for a short period.

Freezes all opponents or arrows in place for 5 seconds

Emits a shockwave that knocks back opponents or clears arrows in the immediate vicinity.

Restores one "life". (Allow to be touched once more before getting eliminated)

Grants the ability to jump to high platforms or hover for 10 seconds

Allows instant teleportation to another part of the map, chosen randomly or directed by the player. (depend on the power-up)

Creates an illusory double of the player that moves randomly

Allows the player to place a one-time trap on the map that immobilizes or slows opponents who step into it.

Nullifies the effect of traps or hazards for a limited time

Temporarily causes all incoming arrows to change direction and return to the sender.

Randomizes everyone's positions on the map by teleportation, creating confusion and disrupting strategies.

Permit a one-shoot elimination (very rare)

Equipment and Mechanics

Bow and Arrow:

The bow transforms into a bracelet when not in use, making it easy to carry.

The arrows are tipped with harmless "pompoms" filled with colored magical powder.

Type of game :

Standard Matches: Two teams face off in a timed match.

Battle Royale: Six teams compete simultaneously until one team remains or the time runs out.

Infection Mode : One team starts as "infected," trying to tag players on the opposing team. This mode don’t use bows and arrow but gloves soaked in the magical powder. Tagged players become infected and switch sides. The game ends when all players are infected or time runs out.

Mystic Duel : Head-to-head duel with only two players of two different team or even the same team. The arena transforms into a smaller battlefield where they must outshoot each other. Often used when two players on the same team fight for the captain place or the Champion rank.

This sport is a traditional practice for students to sharpen their focus, strategy, and teamwork.

The power-up spheres are said to channel ancient magic from the Writers, rewarding clever players with bonuses.

Each dorm's strategy reflects their core values (e.g., Scarletfang play aggressively, while Verdance focus on defense and teamwork).

Additions or Clarifications

Audience Engagement

Magical displays show player stats, power-up activations, or instant replays during matches to entertain onlookers.

Spectator areas with enchantments allowing a "first-person view" of any player could immerse viewers.

Tiebreakers

In case of a tied score, there is a "sudden-death" shootout where each team selects one player of the same level of a Mystic Duel.

Seasonal Variants

Seasonal power-ups or obstacles (e.g., icy surfaces in winter, blooming vines in spring) to keep the sport fresh and tie it to the world’s calendar.

The magical bow (and the arrow) used in game... yeah I got lazy, decided to just drawn it once and not with all the colors.

So of course each dorm have their own color Astraquartz: Icy blue Everswell: Teal Mousetrail: Brown/beige Obsidianspire: Black Scarletfang: Red Verdance: Green

Help... I have another game idea again, that will never become real because I have no programmation skills....

It would be a dating sim, a mix between Obey me and Twisted Wonderland Game Title

"Legends of the Written Realms"

World Name

"Scriptoria" A magical world shaped by the memories and writings of the legendary Writers, who recorded the lives and deeds of its inhabitants.

Locations

Austreim: Inspired by European fairytales (Germany, France, Scandinavia). A realm of picturesque forests, cobblestone towns, and grand castles. Home to tales like "Cinderella" and "Little Red Riding Hood."

Beasthaven: A country inspired by La Fontaine’s animal fables. Predominantly inhabited by beastmen. Features lush forests, rolling meadows, and lively markets.

Seafoam Dominion: A kingdom of mermen and aquatic fae. Draws inspiration from Andersen's stories. Has shimmering underwater cities and shores dotted with mythical artifacts.

Ebony Sands: Inspired by African folktales such as "The Man Who Never Lied." A sun-drenched land of deserts, savannahs, river deltas and ancient temples.

Celestial Plains: Based on East Asian folktales, blending Chinese and Japanese stories. Features rolling hills of bamboo, cherry blossoms, and mystical shrines guarded by spirits.

Myrcadawn (Mythic Wilds): A borderland filled with ancient ruins, magical storms, and creatures from forgotten tales.

School Name

"Fablewood Academy" An institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of the writers and their stories. Located at the heart of Scriptoria, blending all cultural styles. Where the Writers’ legacies are studied and the world's future is shaped.

The Writers :

The authors of fairytales we knows, they are called the "writers" not because they have wrote the tales (since it's supposed to be all real stories in this world) but because they were keeper of memories, noting everything that was happening in the world, which permitted the actual characters to knows all about the stories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Resonance Ceremony

When a student enters the school, they undergo a Resonance Ceremony, a deeply symbolic ritual that determines their connection to an Historical Character (a figure from the school’s vast archive of fairytales, legends, and myths).

Ceremony Description:

The Setting: The ceremony takes place in a grand, mystical chamber called the Hall of Echoes, a circular room lined with glowing murals of countless legendary figures. In the center is an Ethereal Mirror, which shimmers like water and reflects not the student’s image, but fragments of their potential resonance.

The Ritual:

The student steps up to the mirror, guided by a faculty member.

The mirror reacts to their essence, glowing brighter as it identifies the Historical Character whose moral compass and essence most closely align with the student’s.

The chosen figure materializes as a spectral image above the mirror, accompanied by a brief vision of their story, morals, and defining characteristics.

The student receives an Artefact Sigil, a magical mark on their wrist or hand, symbolizing their connection. The sigil also acts as a key to their dormitory.

Outcomes:

The character determines the student’s dorm assignment. Dorms represent shared principles or traits rather than region or story type, which creates unique diversity within each house.

The student begins to develop their Legacy Arte, influenced by their resonance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resonance Dynamics

Living By Their Resonance: Students are expected to uphold the values and morals of their Resonance Character. Deviating too far from these principles leads to a Resonance Crisis, where the bond becomes unstable.

Resonance Crises: In a crisis, a student’s personality and abilities are warped by the unresolved conflict. They might embody the antithesis of their Historical Character, becoming a distorted, corrupted version of their story’s ideals.

Example: A student resonating with The Happy Prince may hoard wealth selfishly, spiraling into greed, causing their Legacy Arte to malfunction.

Resolution: To restore balance, the student must confront their choices and find a way to realign with their character’s core principles, often with the help of peers or the protagonist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Legacy Arte

Each Legacy Arte is tied to the unique essence of the resonated Historical Character. These are not static powers—they grow and evolve as the student’s connection deepens. It can be an offensive or defensive ability, a practical one for everyday or even a constant unseen ability (enhancing strenght, magic powers or anything else)

For example:

A student resonating with Princess Kaguya might have an Arte called Moonlit Grace, allowing them to summon moonlight to shield themselves and others. As they grow, the Arte might evolve into Celestial Radiance, granting healing and offense.

Classes Taught

Lorecraft: Study the stories and lessons of the legendary writers.

Fairmagic: Spells and enchantments derived from fairytales.

Mythic Combat: Swordsmanship, magical duels, and defense techniques.

Alchemy & Potionmaking: Potion-making and elemental magic.

Transformation Arts: Changing forms or appearances, inspired by shapeshifting tales.

Astronomy & Prophecy: The study of stars, constellations, and foretelling destiny.

Musical Resonance: Using music and sound to enhance magical abilities.

Beastcraft: Understanding and taming magical creatures.

Tactician’s Lab: Strategic thinking, inspired by heroes' cunning solutions.

Magic Application and Arte Development.

Dorm Names & Founders

Astraquartz (Inspired by Cinderella, Charles Perrault): Represents perseverance, humility, and transformation.

Scarletfang (Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, Grimm Brothers): Represents courage and cunning.

Everswell (Inspired by The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen): Represents sacrifice and longing.

Mousetrail (Inspired by The Lion and the Mouse, La Fontaine): Represents cleverness and loyalty.

Obsidianspire (Inspired by Mamad in "The Man Who Never Lied", unknown writer): Represents honesty and wisdom.

Verdance (Inspired by "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter", Minamoto no Shitagō): Represents grace and adaptability.

Guide Creature

Fibbles

A grumpy but wise talking owl that stay around the MC.

Created by the Writers to guide those who would one day become "chroniclers" of new stories.

Faculty

Headmaster Solon Arclight

Role: Oversees the Resonance Ceremony and the school’s moral code.

Resonance: King Solomon

Legacy Arte: Judgment’s Wisdom – Can reveal the truth behind any action or lie.

Personality: A composed and enigmatic figure, Solon carries an air of wisdom that commands respect without words. Though his judgments are firm and sometimes intimidating, they are always guided by fairness and compassion. Solon believes in nurturing potential but expects integrity and dedication from everyone under his care.

Professor Liora Scheh

Role: Lorecraft Teacher.

Resonance: Scheherazade (One Thousand and One Nights)

Legacy Arte: Storywoven Threads – Can manifest objects or illusions from stories he narrates.

Personality: Charming and eloquent, Liora has a gift for captivating his students with vivid storytelling, often weaving humor and life lessons into his lectures. He is approachable yet mysterious, with an almost uncanny ability to make each person feel like the protagonist of their own tale. Though gentle in demeanor, he encourages creative thinking and bravery in both life and academics.

Professor Lucan Galehart

Role: Magic Application and Arte Development.

Resonance: Merlin

Legacy Arte: Arcane Tempest – Manipulates elemental forces in battle.

Personality: An intense and dynamic teacher, Lucan inspires both awe and terror in his students. His passion for magic and innovation shines through in every lesson, and he demands excellence from those he teaches. Beneath his tough exterior lies a mentor who respects perseverance and originality.

Master Anton Silkthorn

Role: Ethics and Resonance Guidance Counselor.

Resonance: Anansi the Spider

Legacy Arte: Weaver’s Insight – Creates webs of energy to detect and influence emotional states.

Personality: Anton is warm and approachable, often seen with a knowing smile that puts students at ease. Though playful and witty, he can be surprisingly serious when offering guidance, emphasizing personal growth and self-awareness above all else.

Professor Ozwell Puzzlereign

Subject: Fairmagic teacher

Resonance: The Wizard of Oz

Legacy Arte: Emerald Enchantment – Can create magical paths that guide or deceive.

Personality: Playful and enigmatic, with a penchant for riddles and puzzles.

Sir Thorne Evenshade

Subject: Mythic Combat – Swordsmanship, magical duels, and defense techniques.

Resonance: Thalie (Sleeping Beauty)

Legacy Arte: Thorned Sleep – The power to induce deep, peaceful sleep, not unlike a curse, but only for healing or protection. This magic can also be used defensively to create a barrier of sleep around someone in danger.

Personality: A quiet, thoughtful soul who prefers reflection and solitude. Magnus often feels out of sync with the bustling world around him but is intensely loyal to those he holds dear.

Professor Neige Snowveil

Subject: Alchemy & Potionmaking

Resonance: Snow White (Snow White)

Legacy Arte: Mirror’s Reflection – Ability to create magical illusions that reflect the truth, whether it's a vision or emotion. This power can be used to either deceive or reveal hidden truths.

Personality: Gentle, composed, and deeply empathetic. Alistair is a listener who often chooses diplomacy over confrontation. His natural kindness makes him beloved by those around him, though he hides an inner strength when faced with injustice.

Professor Hans Wilderkin

Subject: Transformation Arts

Resonance: Hansel (Hansel & Gretel)

Legacy Arte: Courageous Heart – Can summon the willpower to fight back against overwhelming odds, often with unexpected results.

Personality: Mischievous but insightful, he delights in surprising students with unorthodox teaching methods.

Professor Beaumont Nocturne

Subject: Astronomy & Prophecy

Resonance: The Beast (Beauty and the Beast)

Legacy Arte: Beast's Curse – Can tap into a raw and untamed power, but only at the cost of something deeply personal.

Personality: Mysterious and introspective, speaking in cryptic riddles.

Maestro Lino Minuet

Subject: Musical Resonance

Resonance: Thumbelina (Thumbelina)

Legacy Arte: Tiny Dance – Able to manipulate small objects or animals to carry out his will

Personality: Passionate and elegant, he believes in the universal language of music.

Professor Swan Ellisar

Subject: Beastcraft

Resonance: The Sixth brother (The Six Swans)

Legacy Arte: Swan's Grace – An unmatched ability to move with fluid, elegant precision in combat or any artistic endeavor.

Personality: Calm, reserved, and deeply graceful, though he has a quiet inner strength that emerges in moments of great need.

Professor Malvyn Frostthorn

Subject: Tactician’s Lab

Resonance: The Snow Queen (The Snow Queen)

Legacy Arte: Shattered Glass – Can create ice barriers or weapons, using his emotions to fuel the power of cold.

Personality: A quiet thinker, detached at times, but deeply moved by the trials of others.

Students

Dorm: Astraquartz

Represents: Perseverance, humility, and transformation.

Founder's Story: Inspired by Cinderella (Charles Perrault).

Tsuki Laito

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-A, Seat 5

Race: Human

Homeland: Celestial Plains

Best Subject: Transformation Arts

Resonance: Princess Kaguya

Legacy Arte:Moonlit Grace – Allows him to summon moonlight to shield themselves and others.

Personality: Quiet, reflective, with a natural talent for seeing beauty in challenges.

Cygnus Downwood

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-B, Seat 8

Race: Beastman (Swan-based)

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Lorecraft

Resonance: The Ugly Duckling

Legacy Arte: Swan’s Rebirth – Can temporarily enhance his own abilities, emerging stronger from adversity.

Personality: Shy and self-doubting, but gradually gaining confidence.

Faylen Charmwright

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-A, Seat 2

Race: Fae (fairy)

Homeland: Myrcadawn

Best Subject: Alchemy & Potionmaking

Resonance: Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother

Legacy Arte: Miracle Weaver – Transforms objects for brief periods.

Personality: Charismatic, a little flamboyant, loves helping others.

Dorm: Scarletfang

Represents: Courage and cunning.

Founder's Story: Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood (Grimm Brothers).

Lupin Vardred

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-B, Seat 3

Race: Beastman (Wolf-based)

Homeland: Beasthaven

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood

Legacy Arte: Predator’s Instinct – Temporarily sharpens senses and reflexes.

Personality: Bold, somewhat arrogant, but fiercely protective of friends.

Archer Verdain

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-C, Seat 10

Race: Human

Homeland: Celestial Plains

Best Subject: Tactician’s Lab

Resonance: The Huntsman from Snow White

Legacy Arte: True Aim – Can strike with unerring accuracy when under pressure.

Personality: Practical, resourceful, always calculating the best move.

Reynard Foxlyn

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-A, Seat 4

Race: Beastman (Fox-based)

Homeland: Beasthaven

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Fox from La Fontaine’s fables (the fox and the crow)

Legacy Arte: Cunning Shift – Can change appearance momentarily to confuse opponents.

Personality: Mischievous and clever, always a step ahead of others.

Lyricis Farahdein

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-B, Seat 4

Race: human

Homeland: Beasthaven

Best Subject: Elemental Magic

Resonance: The twins in « The Dancing Water, The Singing Apple, and The Speaking Bird »

Legacy Arte: Song of the Spirits – Can summon ethereal beings that assist in difficult tasks.

Personality: Enthusiastic, energetic, and occasionally flighty, but always willing to lend a hand.

Dorm: Everswell

Represents: Sacrifice and longing.

Founder's Story: Inspired by The Little Mermaid (Hans Christian Andersen).

Marinus Tideshade

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-A, Seat 6

Race: Merman

Homeland: Seafoam Dominion

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Little Mermaid

Legacy Arte: Ocean’s Lament – A wave of sorrowful energy that can weaken opponents.

Personality: Reserved, thoughtful, burdened by a deep sense of responsibility.

Myama Bluaji

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-C, Seat 1

Race: Merman-beastman (lion type)

Homeland: Ebony Sands (Coastal area)

Best Subject: Magic Application and Arte Development

Resonance: The Blue Lions (African Myth)

Legacy Arte: River's Roar – can channel the river’s currents through his body to control water, striking with powerful waves or using the flow to disorient his opponents.

Personality: Free-spirited, empathetic, loves nature and tranquility.

Rowan Delicate

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-D, Seat 7

Race: Human

Homeland: Celestial Plains

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Princess and the Pea (Hans Christian Andersen)

Legacy Arte: True Sensitivity – Can detect even the smallest lies or disturbances in his surroundings.

Personality: Sensitive, thoughtful, and attentive, though sometimes overly cautious.

Dorm: Mousetrail

Represents: Cleverness and loyalty.

Founder's Story: Inspired by The Lion and the Mouse (La Fontaine).

Micah Thistlemane

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-C, Seat 5

Race: Beastman (Mouse)

Homeland: Beasthaven

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Mouse from The Lion and the Mouse

Legacy Arte: Tiny Titan – Temporarily grants him immense strength despite his size.

Personality: Loyal and helpful, with a knack for getting out of sticky situations.

Lazlo Quickstride

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-E, Seat 5

Race: Beastman (Cat-based)

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Stealth & Strategy

Resonance: Puss in Boots (Puss in Boots)

Legacy Arte: Cat’s Agility – Can move with unmatched speed and silence, capable of evading any attack.

Personality: Charismatic, witty, and often uses his cunning to charm or manipulate situations to his advantage.

Aurum Hearthwell

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-A, Seat 8

Race: Human

Homeland: Ebony Sands

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Happy Prince (Oscar Wilde)

Legacy Arte: Golden Heart – Allows him to heal others through sheer willpower, but weakens him with each use.

Personality: Kind-hearted, empathetic, always seeking to help others even at his own expense.

Rune Spindlewick

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-A, Seat 9

Race: Fae

Homeland: Myrcadawn

Best Subject: Magic and Alchemy

Resonance: Rumplestiltskin (Rumplestiltskin)

Legacy Arte: Weaver's Trick – Can weave illusions or manipulate small objects with magic to deceive or create pathways.

Personality: Mischievous, intelligent, and a bit unpredictable, but he always keeps his word and helps those in need.

Dorm: Obsidianspire

Represents: Honesty and wisdom.

Founder's Story: Inspired by The Man Who Never Lied (unknown writer).

Imran Frosham

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-E, Seat 1

Race: human

Homeland: Celestial Plains

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: The Princess and the Frog

Legacy Arte: Swamp’s Blessing – Calls upon the swamps to provide strength and protection.

Personality: Mischievous and full of energy, with an affinity for loyalty and making friends.

Mahdi Alclaris

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-D, Seat 3

Race: Human

Homeland: Ebony Sands

Best Subject: Ethics & Philosophy

Resonance: Mamad (The Man Who Never Lied)

Legacy Arte: Eternal Clarity – Can discern truth in the most complicated situations.

Personality: Calm, reflective, and deeply devoted to truth.

Imperius Wovengale

Age: 16

Year: 1

Class & Seat: 1-B, Seat 7

Race: Human

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Strategic Magic

Resonance: The Emperor (The Emperor's New Clothes)

Legacy Arte: Illusion’s Veil – Can create illusionary garments that shift in color and form, deceiving the senses.

Personality: Proud yet gullible at times, learning to discern truth from deception while grappling with his vanity.

Dorm: Verdance

Represents: Grace and adaptability.

Founder's Story: Inspired by The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Minamoto no Shitagō).

Jin Haruto

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-D, Seat 5

Race: Human

Homeland: Celestial Plains

Best Subject: Mythic Combat

Resonance: Mulan

Legacy Arte: Warrior's Resolve – A form of combat magic that empowers him when he fights for a just cause.

Personality: Fierce, disciplined, and honorable, with an unshakable belief in equality and integrity.

Rhys Luminspire

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-B, Seat 11

Race: Human

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Elemental Magic

Resonance: The Ghost of Christmas Past (A Christmas Carol)

Legacy Arte: Past’s Light – Can see and communicate with figures from the past to learn lessons and find guidance.

Personality: Strong-willed, kind-hearted, and driven by a deep sense of responsibility.

Raphael Goldbriar

Age: 17

Year: 2

Class & Seat: 2-B, Seat 6

Race: Human

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Alchemy & Healing Arts

Resonance: Rapunzel (Rapunzel)

Legacy Arte: Golden Touch – The ability to transform mundane objects into valuable or healing ones with a touch.

Personality: Kind-hearted, isolated but with a strong desire to learn and grow beyond his limitations.

Kael Thornweald

Age: 18

Year: 3

Class & Seat: 3-D, Seat 8

Race: Human

Homeland: Austreim

Best Subject: Ancient Lore & Rune Magic

Resonance: Carabosse (Sleeping Beauty)

Legacy Arte: Dark Affliction – Can inflict a curse on someone with a single word, but only when driven by pure malice or anger.

Personality: Wise and somewhat distant, he possesses a deep knowledge of both light and dark magic, always seeking balance.

Game Summary

As a new student at Fablewood Academy, you are mysteriously invited after stumbling upon an ancient storybook. Among peers who resonate with legendary characters from fables and folklore, you stand apart—unable to resonate with any historical figure. Instead, you uncover a profound connection to the mysterious Writers.

Navigating the competitive dorm dynamics and building relationships with students and teachers, you begin to unravel the secrets of Scriptoria, the world of stories. With your unique bond to the Writers, you hold the key to saving it from an ancient force threatening to rewrite history itself.

Gameplay Features

Story Exploration: Unique narratives for each dorm, including personal routes for students.

Relationship Building: Dialogue choices, gifts, and interactive events to build friendships or romantic bonds.

Quests: Both individual and group quests, tied to fairytales and lore.

Classes & Mini-Games: Gain points in activities like potion brewing, combat practice, or beast taming.

Card Battles: Collect "Memory Cards" tied to story moments for strategic duels.

Customizable MC: Players can choose their character's gender, appearance and personality traits, influencing in the dialogues choice possibility. Certains choice can also direct the MC personnality in another direction, while some will be just unavaiable for some Mcs (choosing a quiet and sweet personnality will lock any « rude » answer choice)