#and it's very windy out right now so i'm hoping the power doesn't go out!!

[expelliarmus]

[thewertsearch]

I'm sure he wants Slick to kill her - but Scratch has this all planned out, right down to the second, and it's not quite time for this.

Slick is supposed to kill her, but he can't do it until all the dominoes have been set up.

Now that's a goddamn resurrection.

It's arguably flashier than John's original ascension, which makes me wonder if he's going to be more powerful after coming back a second time.

AG: Still not alive yet? Man. AG: You 8etter hurry up! She pro8a8ly doesn't have much time left. AG: Trust me, what she's going through on Derse right now isn't much fun. […] AG: You have to wake her up! 8reathe some life into her. Do the windy thing, with your lips!!!!!!!!

I think this is our first successful resurrection kiss since Hivebent.

...I mean, I certainly hope it's successful, and I don't see why it wouldn't be. Rose is probably fine, now - but she no longer has a backup body to deliver the Tumor. I guess you're up, Dave.

That's awfully intimate for a murder attempt, Slick.

I guess Kismesissitude can bloom, even on a battlefield. Especially on a battlefield, come to think of it.

AG: Gotta kiss her. AG: Don't worry, I still can't see you, so there is no reason to 8e 8ashful or anything. AG: And since we are a couple of professionals here who are focused on winning, we 8oth know it doesn't have any meaning. AG: It's not l8ke I would 8e jealous even if I could see. AG: Why wo8ld I 8e? AG: Or may8e that didn't even cr8ss your mind…….. haha. AG: M8n, why am I ev8n t8lking a8out th8s.

I'm actually not sure if John's reading these messages as Vriska's sending them, or if he's seeing them all after her death. Probably the latter, just for the sake of maximum tragedy.

Either way, I think it's very telling that John's not even trying to respond. His dad's dead, he just died, the whole world is ending, and he's finally lost the ability to be casual about it. Look at his face!

Yes, he'll read his messages, just in case they're important. Yes, he'll do what needs to be done to save Rose's life. But he's not in the mood to shoot the shit with Vriska - even though, unbeknownst to him, it's the last chance he'll ever get.

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #204

The power is out at my house. It has been out since 1:30pm. It is currently 7:43PM. The estimated time that it will come back on is midnight tonight. But… I'm a little skeptical of that. Because the first estimate was 3:45PM. Then it was 5:15PM. Then it was 8:15PM. Then midnight. And now 5am tomorrow. I wonder what happened. It must have been a bigger problem than they initially thought.

It's extremely hot and windy at my house today. It got up to 94 degrees F today (34.4 degrees C). The humidity is at 75% and climbing. That hurricane called Beryl is moving over the Great Lakes right now, in some kind of northeasterly fashion. Check it out:

The Great Lakes are those big ol' blue blobs of water to the west. The land is the white stuff with all the fancy labels in black ink. We have the Atlantic Ocean to the east; that's the super big ol' blob of blue on the east side. And the rain is the green-yellow-red blobs.

We have tornado watches in my area, which is very unusual for the geography and climate of where I live. But it looks like the bulk of it might just squeak right past us, for the most part, maybe. There's still that westernmost blob of precipitation that still might hit us later, though...

Hell, to have a storm system travel so far over this continent is unusual by itself:

But I went to work at the bakery today, and that was very nice! Normally, my supervisor Mi and my coworker Ma is with me. But today it was different; Mi is on vacation and I'm not sure where Ma was; maybe he just wasn't scheduled for today. But this other lady L took Mi's place, and there was some other lady, Ra, who was there! And both of them were delightful! I won't see Le as my manager again in the coming weeks, though; someone else from some other store will be coming; I hope they're nice, whoever they are. And I found a feather along the way:

My outfit for work is all black, like this:

...And my hair has to be tied back and out of the way, like this:

But!! Under all this black, I get to wear my crazy colorful socks!!!

...Sometimes I wonder if you wear colorful socks under ordinary things, just like I do.

We ended up going to the library, because our house has no power. They had a fish tank!!! It had three Plecostomuses, and two were albino, and there were so many others, too!! Look!!

Sometime after that, I had to go pick up the dress for my best friend BB's wedding. I got a picture of a robin at her house:

...And then I got a picture of a rabbit on the way home:

...Don't worry. I chased this one away from the road. It doesn't belong there.

Now we are at a hotel, because M and I need it for our CPAPs. Can't sleep without 'em unless we wanna suffocate multiple times in the night. I need mine because my lower jaw is too small to properly accommodate all the soft tissue on the inside of my face, and so when it gets relaxed (like when we sleep), my airways collapse because there's simply not enough space for everything. It's really super lame like that...

It becomes late; goodness, I got distracted a bunch of times while writing this. It's like 12:31am now. So I guess I'll stop writing, because I'm well into "rambling" territory at this point. Sorry about that.

...I really hope you liked the pictures of the cute scaled and feathered and fuzzy animals, though.

I love you. I'll write again soon, okay? So please stay safe...

Your friend, Lumine

[pesterloglog]

Vriska Serket

Act 5, page 3849-3859

arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling tentacleTherapist [TT]

AG: John!!!!!!!!

AG: You're heading into the 8lackout, so I won't 8e a8le to see you until you leave.

AG: 8ut don't worry, I can still sense you are there. 8ecause of awesome powers, remem8er?

AG: Smooth move, ditching your computer like that, 8y the way. That was some incredi8le leadership you showed!

AG: Now I have to contact you through Rose, thus exposing me to the risk of actually having to taaaaaaaalk to her........

AG: Your carelessness has put the Heroes of Light in a very awkward position, John. I hope you're satisfied.

AG: Hahahaha, just kidding. She's o8viously a little too "preoccupied" at the moment to 8e sassing me.

AG: Just 8orrow her computer and talk to me when you get the chance, ok?

AG: I will 8e waiting. ::::)

AG: ........

AG: ........x8

AG: ........x8x8x8x8x8x8x8!!!!!!!!

AG: All of the dots, John. All 16.777216 million of them.

AG: Still dead, huh?

AG: Or are you too 8usy weeping over her corpse to pick up that headset and answer me????????

AG: You can't fool me, John. I know you are not staying dead for long.

AG: And it is not just 8ecause I can clearly see you're alive in the future! ::::P

AG: You see, we are 8oth the 8est there is, and therefore we have special privileges when it comes to mortality.

AG: It's hard to keep a god dead for good. We can only die under very specific circumstances. Didn't I mention?

AG: Nothing too glorious a8out the way you just died, I 8et.

AG: Let me guess, even after all my lessons, you allowed yourself to get sucker sta88ed, right? Pretty lame!

AG: I mean, lucky for you it was lame. I guess 8eing lame pays off when dying a hero's what gets you killed.

AG: If our Hero of 8reath reached god tier, he would have 8een completely indestructi8le! Lol.

AG: Damn, I forgot, I was going to stop ripping on that guy, since he got sta88ed through the chest and died. Haha, whoops.

AG: Anyway, I figure you're pro8a8ly safe from a just death too, since I'm pretty sure you haven't done anything all that despica8le.

AG: Yet. ::::)

AG: I don't know for sure, 8ut I'm 8etting that if I go to fight Jack, it will wipe out all the 8ad things I've done.

AG: I think if I die it'll 8e a hero's death, so it ought to stick.

AG: Pretty good motiv8tion to win the fight though, don't you think?

AG: One way or another, I think this will 8e my last 8ig challenge as a gamer.

AG: As such, I would like to pass my dice on to you.

AG: It is very important to me that they stay in good hands, John. That you continue their legacy, and that of my ancestor.

AG: 82THE8TH

AG: Use the code! I'm sure I can count on you to make something awesome with it.

AG: Still not alive yet? Man.

AG: You 8etter hurry up! She pro8a8ly doesn't have much time left.

AG: Trust me, what she's going through on Derse right now isn't much fun.

AG: Ok, I guess I should mention why I'm trying to contact you now of all times, rather than just skipping ahead.

AG: Remem8er how we talked a8out your 8ackup plan? The one you have devised to defeat Jack, in the off chance I fail?

AG: Well, it's not going to work if Rose is dead, is it?

AG: You have to wake her up! 8reathe some life into her. Do the windy thing, with your lips!!!!!!!!

AG: You know what that means........

AG: Gotta kiss her.

AG: Don't worry, I still can't see you, so there is no reason to 8e 8ashful or anything.

AG: And since we are a couple of professionals here who are focused on winning, we 8oth know it doesn't have any meaning.

AG: It's not l8ke I would 8e jealous even if I could see.

AG: Why wo8ld I 8e?

AG: Or may8e that didn't even cr8ss your mind........ haha.

AG: M8n, why am I ev8n t8lking a8out th8s.

AG: Let's just forget I said that. This isn't really how I wanted this convers8tion to go!

AG: I guess I was assuming you'd 8e talking 8ack 8y now. So now I'm just talking and talking and spinning my wheel device like an idiot.

AG: May8e I don't actually know how I wanted it to go.

AG: I guess I could just shut up and skip ahead on your timeline a little, talk to you when you're alive.

AG: That would make sense.

AG: So

AG: I guess

AG: I will do that.

AG: 8ut then........

AG: May8e if I did, I wouldn't actually say what I wanted to say.

AG: So

AG: I will just say it.

AG: To 8e honest, I am nervous a8out this fight.

AG: 8ut I'm still going through with it, for a lot of reasons.

AG: To save my friends, or at least the ones who are still alive. Oh, and I guess to save reality itself from 8eing totally fucked up. There's that too.

AG: 8ut I think what's motiv8ting me to win this fight the most is........

AG: The possi8ility of getting to meet you when it's all over!

AG: May8e I can finally put all this terri8le stuff 8ehind me.

AG: And I won't have to worry a8out 8eing the 8est anymore, or proving what a ruthless killer I can 8e.

AG: May8e I can try out whatever is supposed to 8e normal for a human. Who knows, it might not 8e as 8oring as it sounds!

AG: May8e

AG: If you're not too freaked out 8y all the 8ad things I've done........

AG: Or the fact that I am an alien

AG: We could go on a d8? ::::O

AG: Don't worry, it could 8e a human d8, whatever that entails.

AG: No weird alien stuff, I promise! And no killing or murders, or even talking a8out killing or murders and such. Just whatever you like to talk a8out and think is cool.

AG: I could even 8e persu8ed to watch more of your a8surd human films.

AG: Do you like any others which feature that rugged human with the long hair and wounded arm?

AG: You know the one. The sweaty guy with the mutil8ed animal and the speech impediment.

AG: Those would 8e tolera8le to watch, I 8et.

AG: Well, think it over.

AG: 8efore I go, I'll get in touch one more time l8er on, when you're alive and may8e have something to say a8out it.

AG: Oh yeah........

AG: Sorry a8out your adult male guardian. I wasn't trying to 8e deceptive 8y not telling you.

AG: I decided not to, 8ecause I didn't want to 8e the one to make you sad a8out it.

AG: Was that selfish of me? I dunno.

AG: You would have found out regardless. Like we all did. There are things we care a8out that we just have to leave 8ehind.

AG: It just sucks for those who aren't in as much a hurry to leave it all 8ehind as me!

AG: W8.

AG: Someone's coming, hang on.

AG: Oh god.

AG: She's wearing her RP outfit! What the hell is she up to?

AG: Man, she's got her dum8 dragon doll and everything. Guess she means 8usiness this time.

AG: Dammit, I've got to go deal with this now.

AG: Anyway, if you actually get around to reading any of this, thanks for listening, John.

AG: If my outrageously gr8 luck has any say in the matter, we will 8e meeting up in no time!

AG: Just please consider what I said.

AG: Ok........

AG: L8r! <33333333

[hollyleaf-understander]

compiling some thoughts so far - I started this blog way too late. readmore break if you care to check it out.

I loved the prophecies begin, obviously. who doesn't. pulpy, action packed, violent, gory, extremely transgendered. loved em. I thought fireheart was a total dickhead to cloudpaw the whole time he was an apprentice and for a fair bit of time after. the naming ceremonies made me tear up literally every time. something that a lot of art touches on but never really seems to do more than scratch the surface is the idea of the power held within a name. other trans people will understand why I say these books are extremely transgendered. I cried several times in each book. firestar is a girl to me.

I did not like the new prophecy. the pacing was really inconsistent, most of the characters felt very flat, I don't give a shit about squirrelflight and brambleclaw. it was fun having different protags in each book, especially switching between the questing cats and leafpool back home in the forest. I think they should have committed to the bit though, and given one whole book to each of the six questing cats. I would have loved to read from crowfeather or feathertails pov. overall crowfeather and leafpool are basically the only cats I gave a shit about the whole time, obviously not including cats from the prophecies begin. there were a couple of fucking good ass moments with the old cats. . I like how the Erin's write a few male characters to be totally clueless dipshits. cloudtail is completely oblivious that he's been rizzing up daisy for like three moons. themes from series 1 made a reappearance but never seemed to carry as much weight. the only times I cried were crowfeathers naming ceremony and [REDACTED] death (and I was fucking weeping let me tell you). book 6 was particularly underwhelming.

I'm halfway through book 3 of power of three right now. the gang just left to go back to the mountains to help the tribe. I'm gonna get windy on this since everything is fresh in my mind.

I love jaypaw. I love hollypaw. I feel like lionpaw is going to be killed unceremoniously. I do not care about him. I love breezepaw. I love crowfeather. I love leafpool and I love cinderpaw. I love that dustpelt is a dick to everyone except his wife. this feels like a return to form after the new prophecy.

the reveal like, 60 pages into book one that jaypaw is blind hit me so good I literally put down the book and walked around the room clutching my head lmao. it was heartbreaking watching him try so hard to train as a warrior and you know he can do it, but every time someone is watching him he fucks up so bad. the fight against owlpaw built up my hope and the fallout of it after knocked it down like a very long game of jenga.

I LOVE that jaypaw hates his job. relatable queen.

I was excited to read jaypaw learning how to live and find a place for himself in a world not built for him, but he's got so many psychic powers and shit that it doesn't even matter. I guess the Erin's did brighthearts training arc and decided that was good enough. that's fine whatever.

Hollypaw is really compelling to me so far - she feels the most dynamic of the three. training under leafpool and almost immediately being like, ah no I was wrong fuck that, then having a legit gender crisis about not wanting to fulfill the clans female-only roles is extremely based. she doesn't really know what she wants - but she definitely knows what she doesn't want. she doesn't have many friends, and the friends she does have seem to treat her as second priority to their other friends. she's the loneliest girl in thunderclan for real. I don't even know who her mentor is, cause even her mentor doesn't really like her that much (is it brackenfur? I think it is).

I already said I don't care about lionpaw. he's a character archetype that has never interested me. I'm excited to read more of the dynamic between him and ashfur evolve - I know ashfur is an antagonist in this series, but it hasn't happened yet.

I have read plenty of spoilers for later arcs, I don't know if bramblestar is dead yet. I really do hope hollypaw becomes clan leader after him. I know she would do a good job.

minimal tears shed so far in the power of three. this could be because I haven't changed my hrt dosage in a while and my moods in general are more stable lately.