#buy Crystal Ball Trophy

[thewisecheerio]

Crow Behavior in BG3

One of the delights of BG3 is all of the random items we can collect for no other reason than that it makes us happy; it allows us to indulge in crow behavior, collecting every little knick-knack for our nest. So here are the things I've collected just because I imagine it makes the various companions happy.

Karlach: The plushie collection is currently at 22 teddy bears and 2 owl bear stuffies, and growing. Clive, her original teddy bear, deserves some friends and we're here to find them for her. Additionally, every firework we can find in the game belongs to her, because she deserves to set things on fire and launch them at people. Also, I think she would find the sparkly colors enchanting.

Karlach also has multiple types of beer on hand in her camp space, so any beer we find is saved for her so that she can enjoy herself at mealtimes. If there were a distillery with tasting in the game, we'd take her to visit it.

Artwork by @paranoodle: https://paranoodle.tumblr.com/post/729302166910779392

Astarion: Astarion tells us that he enjoys petty vanity, and yet he has one (1) set of clothes just like everyone else when he shows up. Reading the description of his default clothing lets us know that Cazador largely did not afford nice things--including basic changes of clothing--for the spawn, as his clothes have been repaired repeatedly rather than being replaced. And Astarion struggles with owning his own body and bodily autonomy, part of which is possibly entwined with feeling right in his own skin.

So the man deserves as many nice clothes as he wants now. We got delicately embroidered clothes, clothes of expensive silks, slutty clothes, modest clothes, silly clothes, serious clothes, every change of clothes we can possibly buy or steal to allow the man to engage in some vanity while he re-learns to love himself.

Gale: I have a collection of over 650 books, and it's all for him. He and Astarion (the other one reading all day at camp) surely have a book club, and Gale maintains the collection they choose from. Also, the extensive scroll collection that I refuse to sell regardless of the fact that 75% of them won't get used is for him, because he deserves as many magical tomes as we can get our hands on.

Gale has a crystal ball and telescope in his camp, suggesting that magical and scientific paraphernalia would interest him. So we loot every crystal ball, every scale, every hourglass, every conical flask and separatory funnel, and every slightly-dangerous-yet-intellectually-intriguing potion we can find so that the man can nerd out on a whim.

Finally, Gale has a little space for Tara in his camp consisting of a pillow, a bowl, and a ball; when we find toys and supplies for animals, we keep them around in case he wants them for Tara.

Artwork by Konbu: https://konbu.artstation.com/projects/39Dzmv

Lae'zel: Weapons and armor, in comical quantities. Lae'zel spends all day grinding weapons at camp, so she deserves some nice greatswords and axes to grind (hah hah). We've also sourced every variety of armor we can possibly find in the game, just to allow her to play with and admire the workmanship of different types of craft. As someone with a strong interest in warfare, it seems only fair to give her new toys in the form of a wide variety of finely-crafted armor. Nevermind that we won't use the majority of them; that's not the point. The point is to make the lizard lady happy.

Lae'zel's camp has a bunch of stuffed hunting trophies. So if we could loot the stuffed heads we find or make some out of our various enemy encounters, we would. She deserves a hunting trophy collection larger than Gaston's. Screenshot by @arrenkae: https://arrenkae.tumblr.com/post/724752445632282624/companions-and-their-tents

Wyll: The man deserves access to the finest of wines. He's normally sipping something at camp from a fine-looking goblet, and we're here to provide the finest of drinks. The drinking horns you can find are for him, just to spice things up so that he's not using the same goblet every time.

We also loot every type of food. Yes, we could buy boring camp supply sacks from various merchants, but then how is he supposed to make appropriate pairings with his wine? No, friends: we collect as large a collection of treats as possible so that he can make a charcuterie board of delights whenever he wants.

Wyll's camp includes a quill and ink set, which suggests he likes to write or draw. So those quill and ink sets we find all over Faerun are for him. (On that note, he's probably also the one making the occasional portrait of the vain elf, since Astarion can't see himself in mirrors and would probably love a picture of what he looks like instead.) It's likely that if the inking set is for writing, he's sharing the books in Gale's collection as inspiration for his own writing. He might even join the book club.

And finally, the Blade of Frontiers deserves a nice rapier collection. Maybe Lae'zel even helps him maintain them in top shape.

Shadowheart: Shadowheart tells us that she likes a particular flower, and you have the option of bringing one to her. So we keep some un-extracted flowers around, just for ambience for her. She also spends all day praying at camp, so we loot some clean towels when we find them so that she has something soft to kneel on in place of a prayer rug.

Shadowheart's camp includes a collection of incense and candles. Whenever we find nice incense supplies and tapers, we save them for her to relax and/or pray with.

Artwork by @astrariem: https://www.tumblr.com/astrariem/728597416023080960

Halsin: Halsin tells us that he likes to whittle, and especially whittling animals. Any time we find a finely carved or manufactured object, we loot it for him as inspiration. The toad teapots in Ethels' cottage? A gift for the artistic druid man. The finely carved idols? For him. The delicately crafted music boxes? For Halsin. The slightly-suspicious-yet-well-made Whispering Masks? Also for him.

Halsin's lab is filled with all sorts of strangely preserved curiosities. So whenever we loot bottled blooms and anomalous coral and various seashells, it's so that he can have a curiosity collection away from home. The large bottles we collect en masse are so that he has the option of bottling his own curiosities. His camp has a mortar and pestle, so we take different iterations of those, too, to help with his preservation endeavors. He deserves to have access to a regular one and a silver one and a gold one, just for variety's sake. Artwork by Jackomoria: https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/16arqzc/halsin_and_his_ducks/ or https://www.artstation.com/artwork/PXBAwn

Jaheira: All the jewelry is for her. When we enter her hideout in Act 3, we find a beautiful necklace left by her partner, which suggests that she enjoys jewelry (or someone who knew her well thinks she does). She's even wearing a big ol' necklace in her default outfit. So the rings and the necklaces in number too many to use are all for her. The other thing of note we find in her hideout is a collection of stunning scimitars, which are her chosen weapon. So among the weapon collection that Lae'zel maintains are an extensive number of scimitars, which otherwise belong exclusively to Jaheira. Jaheira's camp has a bunch of "parent-ware", by which I mean she has stuff for cooking and cleaning and generally taking care of others. She also has a thousand children. Given how exhausting it is taking care of others, I think she deserves some time to herself. We take her to the perfume shop in Rivington, and we loot fine soaps and linens for her to relax with. The jewelry is also part of allowing her to spoil herself a bit.

Minsc: Minsc's camp site is pretty barren; as a ranger, he's likely accustomed to a fairly Spartan existence on the road. Boo seems to be his only (regular) companion. So the animal companions in camp are for him and him alone. Boo needs some friends, and so does Minsc. Scratch and the owlbear cub probably sleep at the foot of his bed regularly; in Elfsong, the owlbear sets themself up directly across from Minsc and I refuse to believe that is on accident.

Minthara: I haven't recruited her, so feel free to make suggestions. ;) But from pictures of her camp tent alone, I would think some things she might miss from the Underdark would be welcome. A few varieties of mushrooms and crystalline formations to remind her of home probably wouldn't go amiss.

The Dark Urge: Skulls. We have a collection of over 75 emotional support skulls in a variety of shapes and sizes for this precious little Bhaal-babe.

[heavensecnt]

— 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 of house 𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞, lady of 𝐥𝐲𝐬 .

sharp eyes but a sharper tongue, the softer shadow of her brother - with gold dripping off her fingers, a crystal cordial filled with tears of lys hidden upon her person at all times, soft steps - only detected when she wishes it so.

𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨

name : daria rogare nickname : ari title : lady of lys age : thirty-one height : 175 cm / 5'9" gender : cis woman, she/her

𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙

— she's the trophy child of her family. the one who laughs on cue, the one who slips a superficial compliment, the one who understands what her role is to survive in westeros. impressions were everything and impressions shaped reputation. she was content with the role she had, the role her father and brother expected of her. a good reputation is important, and because of her, they had been able to maintain a relatively positive look on their family despite their acts of greed behind closed doors. but soon, the content feeling she had would turn to boredom, and boredom is beneath her. and even worse, boredom pairs itself well with overthinking and overthinking is something incredibly unsettling to her. her decisiveness would fail to bring her mind closure on this topic.

— confronting her father and demanding to receive the same level of trust and respect as her brother would only have her appearing as a toddler throwing a fit. in their minds, she had no right demanding something she's yet to deserve. she had to be smarter, more meticulous, she had to prove herself and be granted the privilege without seeming as if it was what she was working toward. she knows how their world works and knows it won't change for her. instead, she would have to change herself to fit what their father sees in their brother.

— to her advantage, her plan succeeds. it took years, it took time and it tested her patience, a trait she didn't know she would have been able to develop. a spoiled girl like her was never been taught patience or humility. she's only ever pretended to be either when it conveniences her. being handed everything you ever wanted and then hitting a roadblock for something money can't buy had her experience a true conflict within herself. it was nothing like when she couldn't decide on whether to wear sapphires or emeralds to the ball last winter. the feelings between those two situations were completely different. they weren't even comparable! she could at least wear the emeralds for the next occasion.

— surprisingly, her brother and herself worked exceptionally well together. they were both different, but followed their father's lead without any sort of rivalry that would ruin their relationship. if anything, it felt relieving to talk and vent to someone properly about things. things their other siblings wouldn't understand.

— once their father passes, daria goes into a mild state of panic. the fortune, everything, it would be under their uncle's control. their life felt like a cliche! why did it always have to go to the uncle! yes, she doesn't feel ready for the extra responsibilities, but it didn't feel right for everything to be in the hands of someone who could easily strip it away from her and her siblings. she only associated overthinking with boredom, but now her thoughts were running over each other and this time it didn't have anything to do with being bored.

— her and her uncle clash, she’s someone who hates rehashing the same issue over and over again especially when she’s laid out a plan and solution for said issue. she’s a very logic and reason based person so she’s confident in her choices and for someone to not listen to her or not take her advice to heart is insulting and shows absence of maturity. she’s exceptional at tough love. she likes seeing results and when plans aren’t executed properly, she finds no hesitation in expressing her disdain however harsh it may be. her decisiveness and concise decision making is always right and you can’t tell her otherwise since everything she does is for the benefit for her family. however, the tough love method doesn't work with their uncle since there's no love to begin with. she has to reintroduce herself with feeling uncomfortable and to control the small rage she has that had been so carefully masked by her patience.

[bakersstreetirregulars]

In the Shadows of the Dunes - The Editor’s Hot Take

Okay… the update is over and we’re gonna see more Lotus lore soon, but in the aftermath of this burning mess of an update this March… LET’S GET THIS OVER WITH. No Cookie commentary. No seasonal things like Trophy Race and Guild Run. This is all talk with your Editor Meringue, AKA DerpyToad the blog mod, about the temporary main events and the Cookies as someone who’s been playing since August 2018 and slowly getting more burnout. If you want more of these hot takes from me in the future, or have follow-up thoughts and comments about what I had to say, do let me know.

Main Event- Village of Mirages

The concept of this event was recycled from last month. Just get the ranks using the new Cookies, then get the S rank to unlock hard mode. The primary difference was their execution of bonus content and rewards in the hard modes, which did- to their merit- award a Legendary Treasure which I’ve yet to examine: the Lamp of Endless Dreams. The Jobs seemed interesting, although some did take a few tries to do if you missed the mark by *that* much. Normal Mode basically dictates two options: get the new Cookie, or use GingerBrave. As we all know, score-wise, Brave can’t do much even if he’s maxed out. The story content was decent enough (no, this isn’t concerning the individual Cookies, I’ll get to them later) as a whole, and it was rather easy to unlock entire segments in one sitting. The minor rewards were substandard. What can you even buy with a whopping 20 Crystals from getting the rank? Absolutely Nothing.

April Fools- Doughnut Ball Invasion

Intentionally-shoddy MS Paint graphics and choppy music aside, this year’s event was the most intriguing of the lot yet (also counting stand-alone events like Brave’s Trial, Bright’s Trial, Brave’s NEW Trial, and Invocation Card Matching). The addition of an actual story (and making Mic Mac canon in CROB as a “coach” with his own voiceover commentary) makes it more engaging to a point until you finish it since the rewards besides the Costume, story cutscenes, and Title were a combination of 1s and 4s, which could make it either very high or very low. It put the running concept in a new light since you aren’t auto-running like Donkey Kong Country’s minecart segments. You have to punt your now limbless Brave with accuracy (blindly without crosshairs, I should add) so he lands where you want him, and so he doesn’t roll backwards down a hill and lose you progress. The challenges were reasonable to a point, but anything at 3-2 onwards was trickier to get due to intense platform-punting under the risk of rolling back down a hill or into a hole. Fall in the hole, and it’s Game Over immediately. Add the low gravity in area 4, and you’ll have yourself one helluva time trying to regain control while not falling in said holes while your energy ticks down.

The Cookies- Centipede and Peppercorn

*sigh* Once again… that’s a double yikes. Did they even bother to hire a historian or something to fact-check their work for sensitivity in SWANA culture? Bet not. The outfits are a considerable problem in stereotyping. The fact that Centipede has a whip and Peppercorn has bombs *ahem* smoke bombs doesn’t make it any better. Heck, Peppercorn having anything remotely similar to a cartoonish bomb 💣 (see that emoji for example) while being part of a Yogurca update (which dropped during Ramadan, I should add) makes it all a big red flag, clan’s assassins and rogues or not. I shouldn’t have to explain why this is a problem besides referencing tragedies that happened in the last thirty years that stemmed from explosions. Also add a BOMB JELLY SET to this mix, and that’s Strike Three and You’re Out!

Report Card

Here’s what I thought of it all using this grading scale, with F being the worst and L being the best:

F, E, E+, D, D+, C, C+, B, B+, A, A+, S, S+, SS, SS+, SSS, L

Village of Mirages

Gameplay: B

Maps: B+

Minor Rewards: E

Main Rewards: S

Side Challenges (Jobs): A+

Story: B+

Scoring Requirements: C

Fun Factor: C+

Overall: B

Doughnut Ball Invasion

Gameplay: SS

Map: B

Minor Rewards: D

Main Rewards: C+

Side Challenges: C

Story: A+

Scoring Requirements: B

Fun Factor: A+

Overall: B+

Centipede Cookie and Peppercorn Cookie

Gameplay Skill: C+

Story: D+

Appearance: F

Accessories: F

Pets: C

Overall Gameplay Utility: B

Timing of Release: F

Fun Factor: D

Overall: D

Final Grade: C+

Could Be Better, But Eh…

So… do you think I was too harsh? Not harsh enough? Do you want me to do more of these hot takes? Any suggestions for the future? I’m all ears for your input, and I hope they do better next time.

[skzhocomments]

I can read your smile - Choi Minho SHINee Fanfic - Chapter 3 - Work sucks

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 2 | Chapter 4

---

Chapter 3 - Work sucks

word count: 2k words

~third person POV~

At around lunchtime, Crystal returned to her new home and found Minho watching a football game in the living room.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Welcome back!"

"Hello." She took off her shoes and entered the living room.

"Where have you been?" The boy turned her attention to her briefly, watching her walk in the living room and bringing him a water bottle. "Thanks."

"Library." She smiled. "I needed to read something from a book I don't have, but they didn't let me borrow it, so let's just hope I memorized enough."

"Go check my room. I have all the books our professors recommended us, so you might find what you need." He replied nonchalantly, then scoffed loudly as someone missed the ball.

"Something happened?" Crystal asked amused. She knew next to nothing about football.

"Yes, this idiot just- whatever. He messed up big time." Minho sighed. "Go see if you find your book."

Crystal nodded and headed towards the forbidden room - as she liked to call it - Minho's bedroom. She was pleased to see his bed was made, and everything was kept as arranged as in her room, albeit him owning way more stuff.

She approached the shelves she previously saw the trophies on, and read each of them carefully, before moving them aside to see if he had the book she needed.

Swimming Competition - January 2019 - 2nd Place

Football Competition - June 2021 - 1st Place

Swimming Competition - December 2015 - 1st Place

Baseball Competition - July 2018 - 2nd Place

He dedicated a lot of time playing sports, Crystal noted. There were way more medals, but she didn't want to intrude too much. She moved everything aside with care and browsed through the titles of various books he's collected over the years, when she finally found her target.

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily, grabbing it and going to the living room to show Minho.

"Found it?" He chuckled as soon as she entered the room, holding the book over her head victoriously.

"You're gonna be my life saver this semester. I'm going to save so much time by not going to the library." She spoke happily, and he found her quite amusing, being so excited by such a trivial thing.

"I'm glad." He looked at her and smiled, almost forgetting that his favourite team was losing on the TV screen.

"Thank you. Truly." She smiled, and Minho wasn't sure how, or why, but it somehow felt like he was seeing her true, genuine smile for the first time. He simply nodded.

"Did you... eat?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Not yet."

"Uhm... can I maybe cook something for the both of us, after your game is over? Late-lunch."

"Late-lunch sounds good." Minho smiled.

"Great. When is it over?"

"In about 45 minutes."

"I'll get started, then!" She exited the room and headed happily towards the kitchen, humming as she pulled out the few ingredients she bought from the store on her way back.

She was thankful for the supermarket in the building, and she ended up buying quite a lot of vegetables, and found some fresh pork, so she thought of making some roasted potatoes with vegetables and cook the pork in the oven. An easy to cook meal, but delicious as heck.

~

Minho was getting annoyed at how his favourite team was playing. They seemed to do everything wrong, and it irked him to no end. By the end of the game, the team has unsurprisingly lost, so he got up from the couch, still annoyed, and opened the door to the hallway.

The house smelled heavenly.

He couldn't remember when the last time he cooked something was. Key was the one to cook sometimes, but with both of them busy, they resorted to ordering food more often than not.

He headed towards the kitchen where Crystal was softly humming a song he couldn't recognise while reading from the large book she picked off his shelf. He just stood there, in the doorframe, watching her scribble notes down in her notebook, reading so intensely she didn't even notice his presence.

"It smells good." Minho spoke.

"Hm?" She raised her eyes and watched him open the fridge and take some more water.

"What are you cooking?"

"Just some pork with roasted potatoes. I figured it's a good healthy meal for you to eat."

Minho smiled.

"I said it smelled amazing."

"Yea? I'm glad. It's gonna be ready in about 30 minutes, so you can go relax for a bit if you want."

"Hmm... why don't you tell me about your exam tomorrow? What are you reading about?"

"Would you really like to know?" She asked with a slight chuckle.

"Of course. I don't know if I'll remember anything, but try me."

Crystal started explaining everything she read for her test the next day, and they ended up having a very detailed conversation on this class and the possible exam questions.

They spoke all throughout lunch, and Minho offered to help her study for the rest of the day. While he made a quick salad for dinner for the both of them, Crystal continued reading and studying, and by the end of the day she was more confident than ever in what she's learnt.

Minho was also surprised by what a fast learner Crystal was; she was absorbing information like a sponge, and she was so smart. He genuinely enjoyed talking to her about her thoughts and ideas when it came to the subjects she studied.

---

~the next day~

Mondays have always been hectic.

For Minho, they meant classes from 9 to 16:00, a break until 18:00, then football training until 21:00, or even 22:00 if a game was approaching.

If he wouldn't have training, he'd hit the gym downstairs the building complex he lived in. Sport was truly something he enjoyed, and there was nothing better than a good workout.

Today, practice ended at 21:00, but he decided to go for drinks with his peers and talk a bit more about their strategies, and what other things they should implement, and even about themselves. They would do that sometimes, stay out a bit after practice just to catch up. Knowing people's achievements or struggles would strengthen the teamwork.

After spending time with his teammates at the pub, Minho finally headed home.

He was surprised to see that all lights were turned off, but maybe you were asleep; it was pretty late, after all.

He decided against knocking on your door, and instead made his way to his room to change, then went out in the living room and turned on the TV, browsing through the sports channels.

Unintentionally, he fell asleep in front of the TV, tired after the full day he had.

~

~Crystal's POV~

After a long shift, I was finally able to go home. Minho's place was closer to the restaurant than my older apartment, about a 15-minute walk away, so I enjoyed breathing in the 3AM air, filtering it through my lungs.

I always preferred night to day. It was quiet and pleasant.

If only I weren't so tired.

This day was hectic. I had the exam and felt quite hopeful about my answers; studying with Minho helped.

I should make sure to get him something, for spending his time helping me. Or maybe cook something again. He seemed to enjoy yesterday's meal a lot. He ate two full plates.

After Uni, I had a two-hour break before I needed to go to the restaurant, but instead of going home, I ended up spending time with Jude and Lydia at this new café that opened right next to our campus.

Another money wasted on bad coffee, I thought, but socializing with the girls was worth the 7$ at least.

Finally home! I sighed, opening up the door to Minho's apartment.

Faint TV sounds could be heard from the living room, and I wondered why he's not sleeping yet.

I quickly found out that was not the case. He was asleep in the most uncomfortable position ever on the sofa. He was manspreading in the middle of it, with his head rolled back.

Should I wake him up, or should I try to move him and get him to lay down, instead of sleeping with his head in that awkward position?

His neck will hurt like hell tomorrow if I leave him be.

Instead of waking him up, I placed my right hand on his cheek, and my left hand on his left shoulder, and I began pushing him down to the side.

When his head hit the sofa cushions, I removed my hand and went to grab a blanket, cause what if he caught a cold?

When I returned, however, he was up once again, rubbing his eyes.

"Crystal? Where are you going?" He asked, watching me up and down.

I was still wearing today's outfit, a red sundress with winter black thighs warm enough for the weather outside.

"Nowhere." I talked quietly, as he just woke up, and I personally hated people speaking loudly to me in the first 20 minutes. "I just got back."

"Huh?" He looked around confused, and I barely stopped myself from chuckling slightly. "What time is it?"

"3:23." I spoke. "You should go to bed. Otherwise your neck will be really stiff tomorrow."

"Why are you back so late? Where have you been?" He stood up and stretched a bit, and when he did, his t-shirt rode up a bit, exposing a small happy trail.

I shouldn't have looked.

"Work." I sighed. "I have classes at 9, so I'm gonna take a shower then head to bed."

~Minho's POV~

"Work." She let out a big sigh. "I have classes at 9, so I'm gonna take a shower then head to bed."

Why was she getting back home so late, on a Monday night? Why did she have to work so late in the first place?

3 AM is not the time for a girl to walk alone in the dark.

Our neighbourhood is pretty safe, but still, you can never be too careful.

I was somehow deeply uncomfortable with this thought, but I didn't say anything. What could I say, anyway?

"Okay, Crystal. Good night." I smiled and turned off the TV, deciding to go to bed myself. She offered me her signature smile as well, then left the room, and I could hear the shower running briefly, then her bedroom door opening and closing.

She turned on some music, soft tunes once again, and I noticed, as if for the first time, how thin the walls were. I felt like I never paid attention to Key and what he was doing in his room when he was living here, but I was hyper alert when it came to Crystal.

I placed my head on the pillow and listened to the song before I fell asleep. It was the same one she was humming in the kitchen yesterday.

When I woke up the next morning, she was already gone, but she left me an apple on the kitchen table, which I lazily ate on my way to campus.

My day was full again, but I finished a bit earlier thankfully, so I was already at home relaxing when 10 PM hit the clock.

This time, I decided to stay awake and see when Crystal turns up.

2:48 AM. A bit earlier than last night, but still late.

"Hey, did I wake you?" She frowned, but her expression quickly changed to a bright smile after I shook my head.

The next night, she was back at 2:15.

Then, 2:20.

Friday, however, it was already 3:45 and she wasn't back yet.

Should I text her? I pondered, then I started feeling a bit off. There was no reason for me to keep track of her schedule so closely.

Still, I couldn't sleep for some reason.

She came back at 4:23, I checked the phone for the time. However, this time I haven't gone out to greet her. I just listened to her steps in the hallway, to the running shower, then to her bedroom door closing. The music started again, and only then I allowed myself to fall asleep.

I asked her the next day at what time she got back, and why she worked so late, and she told me Friday nights are a bit busier than the rest of the week. It rarely happens for her to stay so late, but she doesn't mind it, for she gets good tips, and the owner pays her a bit more those days. Plus, she can sleep in on Saturday.

Win-win, she said.

That's all she did on Saturday, pretty much. She just slept, probably to take back her energy.

How did she survive on less than 5 hours of sleep per night?

---

Chapter 2 | Chapter 4

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[reflectionsofneptune]

little things about the saturn signs

little dreamy, abstract things about the Saturn signs in Astrology.

Aries Saturn

― Skin stretched across the ridges of the knuckle. Screaming into a pillow. Droplets of sweat formed at the base of the neck. Fight or flight mode. A slow tick in the jaw. Ice cold showers. One rep too many. Steam coming from the spout of a kettle. Boxing gloves, in a corner. Paying the price for impulsive decisions. Tunnel vision. Giving the ego props, but not all the credit. Pacing oneself. Coal catching light at a barbecue. Rugby uniform, two sizes too big. A toddler falling down on soft grass.

Taurus Saturn

― Pennies in a jar. A set, of fine china, accumulated over time. Vinyl played on a Crosley Cruiser. Scrambling to make rent day. Multiple bank accounts. Paying cash over card. White lilies, a centrepiece on the dining table. Buying the same product over and over again. Loyalty cards. Slow cooking. Aeration of bread. A short stroll after dinner. Shoes buffed and shined, by the front door. Crystal cut glass housing clear liquid. The finest dinnerware brought out for special occasions.

Gemini Saturn

― A tickle in the throat. Coughing before a point is made. Audiobooks. The chewed cap of a pen, between the teeth. Stuttering. Restless eyes. Amber glow of a traffic light. Staying up all night to consume information. Aux cables. Permeant creases to the spine of a thick reference book. Last call in a library before closing time. Indentations on a stress ball. A silver tongue. Taming the mind to find peace. Soft vibrations from an electric toothbrush. A keyboard resting on the wall. Breathing exercises before a presentation.

Cancer Saturn

― Photographs in a photo album. Tea stained letters of endearment. Arms crossed over the chest recreates a sense of safety. A tried and trusted recipe passed down. Hot cocoa before bed. Lullabies. Trepidation when it comes to emotionally charged situations. Casserole dishes containing humble portions of heaven. Birdsong as the sun rises. Family heirlooms kept in a velvet pouch. Height marked by notches on the wall. Necklaces made out of macaroni. Friendship bracelets.

Leo Saturn

― Trophies catching dust, behind a cabinet. The definition of achievement drilled in from a young age. Beads embroided on the curve of the back. Scarlett stained pointe shoes. Being painfully aware of a truth embedded in a joke. Bristles of a paintbrush splayed. Finger paintings. Heart playing Scatato notes. Fringing running along the back of a leather jacket. Slicked back hair. Opera glasses observing the scene from a height. Playing small. Playstation cables tangled. Cherry cola.

Virgo Saturn

― Suduko’s on a long train journey. The smell of fresh linen permeating the house. French horn-rimmed glasses. Filter coffee. Sticky notes poking out of an organiser. Multiple alarms set. Sneaking meditation in during lunch. Rush hour. Sweating the small stuff. Employee of the month. Burnout because enough isn’t good enough. Trips away that no one knows about. Tension released on the mat. Vitamins nabbed at bargain prices. Normcore. The curve of a nail bed. The quiet carriage of a train ride.

Libra Saturn

― The tall stem of a Martini glass. Spoken word in an intimate setting. Finding gems in a vintage shops. Mascara running down cheeks. Scented candles. Vintage perfume bottles. Elocution lessons. Fluffy slippers. Holding on too tightly to whats just. Learning forward in conversation. A Minor scale. Wind chimes blowing in the wind. Satin eye masks. Opening up to another requires a bit more effort. Frilly socks. Pouring into a diary at the end of the day. A blue box. Pearls around the neck.

Scorpio Saturn

― A toothpick hanging from the side of the mouth. Alarm bells set off at the slightest inclination of an intruder. Black latex pants. Street lights flickering in an alleyway. Fearful of deep bonding with another further solidifies a notion of isolation. A silver chain hanging from belt loops. The cold tiles of the bathroom floor. The point of incisor teeth. Silver tipped boots. Black matches with a red tip. Vantage point. Riding shotgun. Tight spaces. Sharp corners. Eagles circling the air. Lowered eyelashes.

Sagittarius Saturn

― Left ear ringing. Ted talks with breakfast. Neon lights flashing between the trees. Coins under the sofa. A cork board filled with memories. Floorboards vibrating because of music. Digging deep to find the light in a dark situation. A stainless steel water bottle. The smell of rain. Just catching the last train. Raw space. A painting on a wall, slightly crooked. Recognising a familiar face in a crowd. Fingerless gloves. Boy Scouts around a campfire listening to an Elder. Jumping off a diving board. A little pocketbook shoved into a back pocket.

Capricorn Saturn

― Wanting to fall off the face of the face of earth, not forever, but for a while. A five year plan. Engraved working buttons. An empty playground. Two kisses upon meeting someone new. Country clubs. Freshly mowed lawn. The nib of a fountain pen. Not wanting to fail can actually mean nothing gets started. Socks peeking out from suit trousers. A stiff upper lip. A three course meal, and then dessert. Dry cleaning home delivered. The heavy pressure of water at the crown.

Aquarius Saturn

― Licking postage stamps. A number written on a bar reciept. Blue light from an aquarium. Feeling the weight of upholding one’s personal truth. Drawers that won’t shut. Organised mess. Red booths in a diner. Reading glasses hanging from the neck. A tray filled with trinkets accumulated over the years. Struggling to feel confident to put one’s unique spin on structures in society. Cult movies on video. A soft hue from lava lamps. Tongue-in-cheek graphic t-shirts. Frayed jeans. Floorboards creaking under pacing.

Pisces Saturn

― Alpha brain waves. A packet of cigarettes, opened but full. Escaping to deal with responsibility. Feet dangling off the edge of the bed. Reaching for something tangible in the dark. The calm before the storm. Right ear ringing. Dreams, felt vividly in dream state but in waking state, difficult to pinpoint. Crystals under the pillow. Wanting to help in the world but unsure of where to start. Shadows creeping up a white wall. Guilt. Kiss of life. The soft glow from a pink salt Himalayan lamp. Putting money into a cup outside of a train station.

| little thoughts about mercury placements

| little thoughts about venus placements

| little thoughts about mars placements

[withoneheadlight]

oh man that one with billy convincing steve to skip work has got me thinking trophy husband billy

Oh, anon! 💗💗💗💗adkahdshdhdkhkhdYESSS. I LOVE this idea!

And I’m SURE he would be the happiest trophy husband. And also the kind that's showy. Has so much fun going over the top with it, being gossip material. All cliché-y, and Diva-like. Basically confirming what everyone thinks about him (about them) precisely because it’s the diametrically opposed to what it really is.

Doing things like:

Mowing the lawn in mini-mini-shorts. Working on his tan on their lovely backyard on the sunny Sunday Summer mornings (in that exact spot where –coincidentally– Mr. Walker, their blatantly homophobic next door neighbor, would have to get out of his own backyard with his eyes closed not to see). Being reaaaally polite with everyone around (Mr. Walker included), smiling and waving his hand like “Hiiii, Janice! How did that new face treatment go?” because they live in a Nice Place now, six years after Robert Harrington made Steve climb his way up the company ladder right from the bottom “Exactly like everyone else”, both as a punishment and a trial; after working their asses out of their shitty one-bedroom apartment, having to prove themselves in every single step (as Steve and Billy, but also as SteveandBilly), but,

Here they are.

And now Steve has a very good job, one he’s genuinely good at, one that pays for much more than hardly the bills and maybe having dinner out from time to time. And they’re happy and they are together and they fucking made it, despite barely anyone around them given two shits. Now, Steve slicks his wild hair back from Monday to Friday, wears the nicest suits, so fitting and sexy and oh so preppy Billy sometimes gets a hard-on just from seeing them all together in the dressing room, hanging in a perfectly tidy line, made of the same material of sins.

So. 

He just doesn’t see the point in not treating himself every once in a while.  Make Steve run late for work or not getting there at all. In no letting himself enjoy the way those tailored beauties emphasize the shape of Steve’s glorious ass. Enjoy the certainty that in a big, stylish, impeccably neat office downtown, Steve’s dad is rolling his eyes all the way back into their sockets.

And also.

In not letting himself revel in the exhilarating feeling of sliding full into this ‘hot-mess trophy hubby’ persona almost everyone around them assumes he is. Steve’s Harrington boy-toy. “That California scum. Must be real good at sucking dick to get a deal like that.” Make the rumors roll down the small streets of Hawkins and under the door of his own father’s house. Thrive in the knowledge that every time Neil Hargrove hears any or those rumors or gets even the tiiiniest glimpse of them two together, going out and about holding hands,  feels like he’s about to puke his guts out thinking about what his son has ‘become’.

And aside from that, he kind of––enjoys, this trophy husband thing, to be honest. It’s been ten years since they got together now. Billy likes to keep things spiced-up. So when Steve is promoted and they move to be close to the new office, along with the house Billy buys a pair of powder pink slippers, fluffy ball of floating fur on top, and a see-through, fur-riveted robe to match. Some days he goes to his morning cockteling&tanning session in the backyard wearing only that (“Heeeey! How ya doin’ Mr. Walker?”). Kisses Steve goodbye long and filthy at the door, where everyone can see, opening the robe wide to wrap it around them both together, pressing their bodies flush, biting at his ear and whispering “Bring me a diamond when you come back, honey bunny” making Steve snort but say "You deserve a million of them, babe" making Billy melt, feel a bit like he's dripping love out of all the pores of his body, making a puddle that will permanently stain the glamorous white marble of the entryway as he waves Steve goodbye, scratches with feign indifference at the trail of fair hairs coming out his flashy-green pants to counteract the way Steve's killer smile makes him blush as hard as the first time, a whole decade away, that cold November night when he grabbed Billy by the collar of his T-shirt and said "I'm gonna kiss you. And then you're gonna punch me. And I don't care.”

It’s like a fucking fairytale. The way things were going? The most Billy expected out of life was live if fast, die young, leave a beautiful corpse behind. But now, he’s got the guy of his dreams. He’s got a life he could have never dreamed of. He’s got Steve, now. Steve, who’s good, is caring. Always fights him back. Doesn’t buy any of the shit he tries to pull off. Steve, who's got lips like that moment the earth forgets about gravity when you’re riding down the hill of a rollercoaster. Got eyes that can rip out of you promises you never thought you'd make (like: I do and forever and not even death). That always see Billy when they look at him.

And now, he gets to wake up every morning before he does, put the Moka pot on the stove. Gets to see Steve’s sleepy face right after rolling out of bed, hair still untamed, pouty lips, bare feet dragging over the floor. See the way he beams, smile wide and devastatingly sweet when Billy tells him “I made you coffee, babe”. Gets Steve kissing him like a daydream, laying him over the kitchen table, fucking him before even touching breakfast with his fancy pink robe on.

And Billy thought he would have to change. Give something, to have something. Didn’t really mind. Too lucky to complain. Thought he would have to stop being mean once they got married. Play the tamed part. Thought he was going to have to behave to fit into the rich and respectable life they had landed at. But. No-No. Rich people? They’re way meaner than regular people, turns out. Billy’s just been upgraded to play for the Asshole’s World Championship Cup.

And he’s always been good at sports.

So he goes to the hair salon the afternoon before any important event. Gets a facial. Does his nails. Buys new clothes. Gets all Pretty Woman on himself just so Steve can show him off. And oh. OH. OHHH. Steve does show him off. To his dad. His mom. The whole party. Doesn’t give a fuck about whatever people keeps on whispering behind their backs. Offers his arm to Billy and Billy clings to him, keeps his chin up. He’s never been as afraid of anything as much as Steve not loving him back. He’s fearless now. Because here they are. So he lets Steve walk him through the crowd as the King he was born like. Brilliant. Proud. Letting Billy to deal with the vultures if he fancies to do that.

“Awwww. But look at you!! Anyone can tell you two are soooo in love!”

Fake boobs. Fake Louboutins. Fake Smile. Billy is Queen Bee now. He’s got this.

“Oh, no Miss Treadaway. I dearly appreciate you noticing how good my acting skills are. But it’s exactly as you said to Miss Walton the other day. I only married Stevie here because he’s got a big dick and it’s loaded. And he only married me because of how good I look on all fours. You’re too perceptive to hide it!”

But with Steve’s parents? With Steve’s parents Billy is relentlessly n i c e.  When Robert Harrington won’t even look at him. When Crystal Harrington blows saccharine all over him like in a bad magic trick, deceivingly sweet when she says, “Well William. Maybe it's time you get a real job too now our Steven is running his own branch" cold war buzzing between them when Billy spreads his most honest, open smile, not a millimeter of animadversion showing “But I already have a real job, Crystal. I take care of your son. And there’s also, you know, that side thing I do of running Garage” making her fingers clutch hard around her cup of fine champagne, making Steve’s lips fight to repress a grin, eyes fond, and soft and in love. And Billy will do whatever it takes, endure whatever he has to, if what he gets in return is this:  the way the narrow space keeping them apart feels like inevitability when they're about to kiss.

And everyone thought he was going after the money, when they married. Most still do. But Billy never actually asked for diamonds. Well, not for real. But he gets one anyway. Tenth anniversary and counting. It shines unreal on his finger, as much as this life he has now, as the liquid shine of Steve’s eyes when he says “They come from fire, just like you. I always thought they would fit so well. And looks like I was right” and just a few years before, Billy would have said “This is too much, I can’t take it” too afraid Steve would get the wrong impression too, too afraid to not be up to him. But now, he understands, that this is just another way Steve is trying to take care of him, to show him love. So now, Billy lets Steve spoil him as much as he wants. Take him out for dinner without reason. Hand him a sealed envelope saying, “What about showing me that ocean you love so much?” Kissing him in front of everyone, all the time, ringed fingers intertwined.

Lets him buy them a California King just to make a stupid joke, get Billy Hargrove to blush.

“We can ditch all of this, if you’re not happy. You know that, right? I don’t care about anything else as long as it’s you and I”

Billy shakes his head. “I am happy, pretty boy. Happier than I ever thought I could be” Tickles Steve’s nose with the fluffy, pink fuzz all around his robe until he sneezes and chuckles. “But I wanna know,” he says, tone pouty and tragic “It is true, what everybody says? Am I really a trophy husband?”

Steve shuffles closer, rumbles low in his throat. It’s an early Sunday morning. They’re gonna spend all time left until breakfast fucking in bed. Then cockteling&tanning together ‘till lunch. And then, after, he’s sure he can convince Steve to put on one of those gorgeous suits, let Billy grind against the soft fabric, make a mess out of him. Make him beg and squirm. Pull down his fly real slow, down on his knees. Suck him off. Eat him out. Make him moan I love yous brighter than diamonds when Billy gets inside him. But right now, Steve just kisses him silly, lowers down the covers to take a look down, at his leopard print, see-through, hideous new briefs. The cheapest ones he could find.

Because Billy’s trash. Will always be trash.

“Oh yeah, babe. You are. A fucking trophy. The best anyone could have”

But he’s posh trash now.

💎

The original post (xxxx) xD 💍

[pop-cloud]

Alright world building headcanons here we gooo!!

- There are a couple of big celebrations on the crob universe, the main ones are GCL, Christmas and the anniversary of the cookie kingdom ( the anniversary of ovenbreak for us) First let’s start with GCL, it’s like the soccer World Cup but like, just running, so it has a few tournaments and every 2 years the big championship starts, it last for about 4 months and the winner gets their own CL season and then their own GCL season, it’s a pretty big event in the cookie world, next we got the anniversary of the cookie kingdom, it’s celebrated with a big banquet where all the cookies are invited to feast to their heart’s content! It mainly celebrates freedom for the cookie kind. And last we got Christmas, friendship and family is a big deal in the cookie world so Christmas is a big celebration, every year there’s a big party in the cookie castle, it could be a concert or a grand ball.

- Magic candies aren’t made, they’re actually manifested through extreme emotions, for example if a cookie is feeling extreme happiness or sadness they have a possibility of them getting a magic candy, cookies who get magic candies are very respected because they often manifest during one’s greatest achievements or during a near death experience

- There are a lot of competitive sports in the cookie world! There are a few that are only available during specific seasons (custom run, battle run, etc) But Trophy race is one of the biggest of them! It’s mainly popular because everyone can participate, everyone can test their skills by running with a partner and trying to get the most trophies.

- You know costume gacha? Yeah it’s basically a super high class boutique (but they don’t scam you) A lot of super epic costumes are actually tailored by them! How do they choose the cookie who gets a costume, no one knows! They just randomly announce names of various individuals in the message board for them to come to the boutique.

- There are two types of currency in the cookie world, coins and crystals, coins are used to buy daily necessities like food, clothing, hygiene stuff, etc, while crystals are used to buy things like chests and treasures, stuff for competitive sports

- Family is a big thing in cookie “culture”(?) So it’s celebrated having siblings and parents, this includes found families too!!

- It’s not uncommon for children to have works in the cookie world, but it is frowned upon if the child is being employed for something dangerous.

- Since music can be used is technically magic and can be used as a weapon, its use is regulated by the royal magicians, it’s very dangerous if you don’t know how to control your own magic!!

- there are two types of establishments in the cookie world, public ones and cookie-owned ones. Public ones are managed by the royal court and don’t have an single owner so everyone can volunteer to work there! While cookie-own ones like their name, are shops that were made by a cookie, for example Avocado’s cookie smithy, since she owns it she has full control of it, whereas the milk well or the jelly bean farm are public buildings where everyone can volunteer to work there

- There isn’t a lot of religion in the cookie world (well apart for the whole pastry cookie church stuff) But it is common knowledge that there exists 5 elemental gods (Fire spirit, wind archer, you know the main 5) there are a few worshippers but more than religious figures they see them as “leaders” sort of

Hahah this is all I got for today, let me know if u would like to hear more!!

[perpetuallylocked]

Tag Yourself: Nancy Drew Game Aesthetics Edition

SCK: opening a new book for the first time, the nostalgia of VHS tapes, coca cola in a glass, remembering your locker combo, letterman jackets, watching true crime documentaries, empty high school hallways, 1950s diners, cramming before an exam

STFD: boxes of chocolates, tape recorders, the click-clack of typewriter keys, catching a taxi, shadows on the wall, stained coffee cups, sitting down to rewatch a tv show, perfume bottles, 1990s fashions

MHM: the sight of dust mixing with light, sightreading old sheet music, crystal chandeliers, old floral teacups, crystal balls, old rotary phones, grand staircases, intricate wooden floors, never-ending house projects

TRT: the glitter of diamonds, worn chessboards, snow-covered gardens, ink-covered hands, butterfly collections, cold tile floors, dull suits of armor, dusty history tomes, footsteps muffled by carpets

FIN: plush red velvet, the scent of popcorn, drawing art deco designs in the margins, worn carpets, old playing cards, the feeling there is still magic everywhere, meeting a childhood idol, movie posters on the wall, catching up with a childhood friend

SSH: jade carvings, steep stone steps, chocolate bars, being the only person in a museum gallery, clean lab coats, amazing sights through a microscope, visiting the hospital, remembering facts you've only heard once, checking the mail for your package

DOG: log cabins, the flapping of bird wings, the distant howling of dogs, the odd sensation when you can see the moon during the day, the scent of pine trees, old glass bottles, strolls along the lake shore, admiring 1920s fashion, long walks in the woods

CAR: antique roller coasters, old postcards, the golden light at dusk, loud band organ music, sounds of a carnival at night, ice cream sundaes for dessert, the delight of riding the carousel for the first time, paint-stained clothes, winning a prize from a carnival game

DDI: a steaming mug of tea on a foggy day, sea caves, light from a lighthouse piercing the fog, messages in bottles, approaching deep water, the sound of seagulls, vintage blue bicycles, spotting a whale on the horizon, crumb-topped blueberry muffins

SHA: worn plaid shirts, sunsets on the horizon, the clip-clopping of hooves, antique blanket chests, forbidden romance, mason jars of flowers, brown and blue eggs, playing piano by ear, faded rugs

CUR: leather-bound books, small potted succulents, curving staircases, old portraits, family secrets, four-poster beds, hearing strange sounds at night, food cravings, spending all day on your laptop

CLK: the ticking of an old clock, pearl and cameo jewelry, the scent of a pie baking, the whir of a sewing machine, reading in a window seat, flouncy dresses, bridges over creeks, driving around a small town, reading Shakespeare for your own enjoyment

TRN: ballet slippers, snow mixed with smoke, faded pastel embroidery, the far-off sound of train whistles, old parchment and wax seals, unwrapping a piece of salt water taffy, quirky local museums, organizing your collections and belongings, light shining through tiffany lamps

DAN: light streaming through stained glass windows, bold red lipstick, freshly baked cookies, tales from your grandparents' youth, long-lost love, twirling in a tulle skirt, the overwhelming desire to visit paris, planning out your outfit for the next day, park benches

CRE: wind in the palm trees, footprints in the sand, rustling in the jungle, small seashells, rope bridges, fruity shave ice, waves tickling your toes, the tangy taste of pineapple, watching surfers from the beach

ICE: frozen lakes, sitting by a crackling fire, snow-covered piles of logs, worn leather ice skates, paw prints, staying in bed after you've woken up, seeing your breath in the cold air, unexpected snowball fights, leather-bound journals

CRY: shadows emphasized by candlelight, dirt-caked fingernails, exploring a cemetery at night, wrought iron fences, the smell after it rains, shelves lined with tchotchkes, going back for second helpings at dinner, moonlight streaming through the window, a grandfather clock at the end of the hall

VEN: gelato cones, orange and brown buildings, soft italian songs, gold lockets, buying flowers for yourself, cobblestone courtyards, leaning over the balcony rail, the overwhelming desire to reinvent yourself, dancing like no one is watching

HAU: ocean waves hitting cliffs, hanging herb bundles, old stone fortresses, white lace and promises, wilting flower bouquets, whistling to keep yourself company, distant celtic music, simple diamond rings, sitting in a peaceful garden

RAN: old gold coins, wading in the cold ocean, a slow-moving hourglass, seeing where the sky meets the sea, old pirate legends, sand between your toes, looking down through clear water, buying yourself new clothes for vacation, eating fruit salad for breakfast

WAC: exploring a college campus, old trophies, distant cello music, milk and cookies, cardigan sweaters, texting your friends, bare tree branches, anthologies of stories, school supply shopping

TOT: wind rustling through wheat fields, creaking wooden staircases, white curtains on the window, golden hay bales, old fences lining the road, watching a storm from the porch, buying a new camera, hanging out in your favorite professor's office, sitting on a tire swing

SAW: the faint scent of cherry blossoms, origami cranes, taking a bath, hearing a new language for the first time, shards of glass, seeing your reflection in the water, buying a new stuffed animal, trying a new food on vacation, listening to your grandmother's stories

CAP: rereading favorite fairy tales, blood-red garnets, red hair in braids, mist in the forest, local legends, playing board games on rainy days, remembering your make-believe games of childhood, puffy-sleeved blouses, watching glassblowers make magic

ASH: blue roadsters, rapidly melting ice cream cones, white picket fences, pastel shop awnings, hand-lettered signs in front of shops, the act of simply being with your friends, revisiting your childhood bedroom, spending all day in an antique shop, visiting your friend's house for the first time

TMB: wind-blown sand, straw sun hats, the warmth of the afternoon, chipped statues, well-used research books, having an egypt phase as a kid, planning your next adventure, drinking cold water on a hot day, pushing your hair out of your face

DED: pencil-covered hands, well-oiled gears, the crackling of electricity, eating your favorite flavor of gummy bears, group projects, keeping to yourself at work, unironically wearing ugly sweaters, publishing your research, organizing your messy desk

GTH: peeling paint on a once-grand house, angel statues, sheet-covered furniture, porch swings, lit matches, lace masquerade masks, grand ball gowns, drinking a hot cup of tea and lemon, looking for treasures in the basement

SPY: old leather suitcases, distant memories, the lingering touch of your true love, piano keys, adrenaline rushes, popped trench coat collars, hugging your mom after not seeing her for ages, looking out the window on a train ride, hearing movie soundtracks in your head

MED: the view from the top of a mountain, the rushing sound of waterfalls, freshly dyed hair, shooting stars, wandering off the trail, vintage comic books, philosophical thoughts, binge-watching reality tv, feeling the sense of deja vu

LIE: hands coated with clay and paint, laurel wreaths, pomegranate juice, books of Greek myths, gold sandals, memorizing a monologue, flowing white gowns, spending all day in a museum gallery, exploring ancient ruins

SEA: the twinkling sound of old music boxes, a night shining with stars, cozy knit sweaters, curling up with your dog, model ships, old barrels, learning your town's history, watching gently falling snow, the beauty of the aurora borealis

MID: the dark colors of herbs, edison bulbs, copper kettles, slowly changing leaves, road trips with friends, carving a jack-o'-lantern, exploring cemeteries at night, small shops surrounding a courtyard, thinking you saw a ghost out of the corner of your eye

[satoshi-mochida]

Some thoughts and tips on my last Gamefly rental, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox.

This took quite a bit to fully finish, for various reasons, one being having to play through a third time for the ‘Clear on Nightmare’ trophy(you can’t switch to Nightmare partway through, you need to be on that difficulty or higher from start to finish), and another being the heat making me tired. ^^; Also, though it feels slightly shorter than Lacrimosa of Dana, it’s still a fairly long game, especially if you try to do everything.

The game borrows a lot of mechanics from Ys VIII(and some more recent Ys games with parties); each of the six playable characters having a ‘weapon type’(Crimson King/Doll have Slash, White Cat/Raging Bull have Strike, and Hawk/Renegade have Shot), having a base that you recruit many people to join who also help in the Grimwald Nox battles, which are pretty similar to Sieges from the other game(though there is a second type where you need to destroy Lacrimae crystals to win), recruit people to help at your base who also help out in Sieges/Grimwald Nox battles, and giving presents to raise the Affinity of everyone. There’s a few gameplay changes, such as SP automatically refilling when not using Skills(and apparently the SP needed for them was increased). You also get Double Jump automatically once you get the Monstrum powers.

One of the people who joins your base, Silhouette, can go buy items from any store in Balduq you find, with the exception of Present items; you need to go to the shops themselves to get them. All but a few of those types of items can be bought, with a couple being found in treasure chests, like the last one for Tito in the final dungeon.

Each of the Monstrums has their own unique skill that can be used for both fighting and exploring, such as White Cat’s that lets you run up any wall that’s completely vertical, or Raging Bull’s that does triple damage, breaks enemy guards and breaks certain walls. They can be used anytime(except Raging Bulls, which only works in front of breakable walls if you’re in Balduq), even if the Monstrum it belongs to isn’t in the active party. 

Amusingly, each party member changes into their Monstrum form when using them or are on platform a high enough altitude(most likely where they wouldn't be able to get without their powers), and immediately change back afterwards when landing somewhere normally assessable. No one comments on the change back, but will be surprised to see a Monstrum pop up nearby(the change is completely instantaneous and doesn’t affect gameplay). 

There are many collectables to find during the game:

Treasure chests, of course. They are marked on the map when found changing to a different one when opened, and their positions stay marked on NG+.

Graffiti on the walls, and some floors, all around Balduq. They are marked by a small ‘!’ on the map before inspected, changing to a small dot afterwards. Reporting them to Vallin at the Dandelion gets you rewards. A couple can only be read on a later sidequest with Doll’s Third Eye ability, and 6 of them give small stat boosts to each Monstrum, one for each.

Azure Petals hidden all over Balduq. They give off a small blue glow. Although they are NOT marked on the map at all, they can be easier seen with Third Eye, and are pretty well hidden.

Recipe Books to add new food to the Dandelion’s menu. Most can be bought at shops, though some are given or found.

Rubic Books to give to Tito to make new Sacramentals. I think all of these have to be found in treasure chests.

Medical books to give to Saradhi to make new types of medicine, including the stat booster items. 

Landmarks all across the city, dungeons and lands outside Balduq.

Like Ys VIII, there’s also a second character you switch control to at some points from within Balduq Prison(both main story and sidequests). I don’t remember how much of it was talked about in previews, but it seems like it might be a spoiler to say who it is, so I’ll let you see for yourselves. Unlike Dana, though, they can’t level up or increase their stats, so you’re always at risk of a trap one-hit KO-ing you, and a few enemies can do this, too, on higher difficulties. On New Game Plus, you can skip all but their final dungeon trek, though.

For each Chapter starting with 2, you need to collect 100 Nox to open up a vortex for a Grimwald Nox battle, which will open up more of Balduq to explore, and all Chapters afterwards, except 9, have a second one to collect Nox for. This is done by:

Touching small vortexes in the city to fight Lemures enemies; winning gives you a few Nox, the ones with a red core giving more

Completing sidequests, which give you much more.

 Also, at the end of each Chapter, any Nox left over is turned into Twilight Shards you can use on items from the Lantern of Crossing, so building them up is a good idea. It can be kind of tedious building up Nox the normal way, though, and it’s required to advance the story, too.

Out of all the Monstrums, I mostly played as Crimson King or Raging Bull, liking Renegade’s style the least of them.

An amusing bit early on has Adol getting interrogated, which brings up his infamy for shipwrecks, and losing legendary equipment. Which reminds me, Adol had the Isios Sword at the start of Ys VIII, which I’m guessing was the strongest weapon from the previous(chronologically) game, Ys V...and then it got lost in the sea near the Isle of Seiren. Getting this game’s best weapon for him also makes him think he’ll just lose this one eventually, too. XD

Speaking of Ys V, hopefully that gets a remake soon; it’s the only main Ys game we don’t have in English officially(there is a fan translation for the Super Famicom version, though).

Though like other Ys games, you don’t need to have played the others to fully enjoy this one, I think some stuff might have more impact if you have, like at least Ys VIII. Some other parts, like certain cameos, unfortunately flew over my head a bit until I looked them up(I’ve only played Ys VI and VIII). ^^; I do know enough of Romn’s infamy throughout the series, though.

I haven’t played it yet, but the Lemures remind me of at least one enemy from previews I’ve seen of Trails of Cold Steel 4.

Although the prison city of Balduq was a good setting, I think I personally liked the ‘mysterious abandoned island’ setting from Ys VIII more, but that’s just a personal preference. ^^; 

Next game being sent is: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

[elexica]

Second Chance Christmas {{ December 24 :: Four Years Ago }}

Four years ago, Christmas eve was devastating.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27832405/chapters/69012459

Full chapter under the cut.

The pit at the bottom of Joey’s stomach had been aching for the last three days.  It was like he swallowed hot coals and they refused to stay down, bile creeping up his throat every time he passed by that closed office door.

The house should have felt warmer—there must have been fifteen human bodies radiating energy and buzzing around the house.  He’d been preparing in a way—a strange sort of supervisory role he hadn’t particularly desired—for the Architectural Digest spread on their house.  Joey had been told that the article was going to place special attention on the picture perfect family that Seto Kaiba had accrued.

What a fascinating figure, the journalist had said, he must be a very interesting person to be married to.

Joey couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt interested in the life he and the CEO had built.  Instead the décor and ambiance of their home was so cold and so superficial, like Joey lived in a hotel.

With such esteemed guests visiting on Christmas Eve, with such a paper trail of coverage, the administration of the Kaiba Estate had gone completely crazy.  Joey couldn’t leave a glass of water on the counter and expect it to be there in an hour.

Even the kids were with a stylist this morning.  It had seemed unfathomably frivolous and somehow also a bit duplicitous.  Were they really trying to convince the readers of Architectural Digest that their children had an intuitive sense of fashion?  Alexis was still not out of her terrible two’s, and the more layers of anything they draped over her, the greater the risk that they would trigger some sort of tantrum.

He’d deserve that, Joey thought, meanly.  He had half a mind to interrupt Kaiba in his office and ask him that simple question: What are you trying to prove?  Who could possibly care how Kaiba’s five-year-old son dressed?  What their kitchen looked like?

How well his husband was handling the spotlight?

If anyone really asked, he didn’t know what he would say.  No one from this world ever really asked him how he was doing, not in that caring sincere way that real friends do, and so he lived half a life sometimes—the exterior half.  The part that was supposed to be making cookies, and volunteering at the daycare even though the kids’ nannies were really more involved, and posting fun little videos on Instagram.  He had his own publicist, and he wasn’t supposed to even do that without approval—he understood the reasons but it was like every drop of authenticity was drained… all that remained was the flawless artifice of a live lived perfectly.  

And the worst part was he was supposed to have an ally in all this.  One person he was on the journey with.

But instead, Kaiba felt almost like a client.  A person who had engaged him for husband and fathering services, who had certain specifications, certain resource allotments.  

There was a forcefield around the office door.

Not a literal one, though Kaiba probably could have managed that if he had tried.  It was decidedly low tech.  Heavy mahogany, thick enough to withstand an explosion, and mysteriously devoid of the mistletoe and holly that had been draped over every inch of the house in an attempt to seem more festive and spirited than goddamn Martha Stewart.

The anger radiating out of the room must have been enough to keep the decorators far away.

Over the last year, Joey had been subjected to some updates about Kaiba Corp. affairs.  They had just released a new phone model that incorporated holographic images for video chatting or something.  The launch had been a success, Joey assumed, because everything that Kaiba touched in the marketplace turned to gold.  Kaiba’s failures were few and far between, and his successes shined brightly enough that nothing bad seemed to stick.

The technology was supposed to be able to harness the capabilities that rendered Duel Monsters so realistically in Duel Disks, and use them connect people to distant loved ones with compelling holograms.  It was a technical masterpiece that had him and Kaiba travelling cross country to attend industry awards and galas.  It was exhausting, and half the time he felt like some sort of accessory.  Like Kaiba’s personal assistant had flown in the right suit, the right watch, and Joey to complete the ensemble.

It wasn’t like that the whole time.  There was a period, really quite a long time at first, where it felt like a game.  Joey’d try to smuggle food into venues that didn’t allow it or smuggle it out of galas for later, they’d conspiratorially make fun of other guests—especially mocking the ever-present Pegasus.  Sometimes Joey would pull one of his old tricks—they’d graffiti a bathroom stall after defiling it or do some harmless property destruction at a fancy house.

Weird nonsense too: who could steal the strangest object from the von Schroeder mansion, most absurd selfie with a world leader, that sort of thing.  Little adventures that had wracked up a collection of items that they could never properly explain: Seto’s signed copy of Warren Buffet’s biography, crystal low ball glasses from Pegasus’ house that didn’t match the set that Seto already had, and a very strange cellphone photo of Joey holding the coat of the Prime Minister of Canada while the head of state was puking in a bush behind him.

It had been fun.  It had been so fun.  Once they had let their guard down around each other, they had found excellent playmates.  Joey could be almost as devious as Kaiba under the right circumstances, and he was playful.  And Kaiba was always gunning for a competition.  A rivalry, any rivalry, any time.

It was not like marrying his best friend, but it was like marrying his favorite co-conspirator.

But over time, something about the events had turned so routine that it was merely another part of Joey’s very draining job of trophy husband.  And the snarky comments he was getting about the suit sizing from the stylist was the last thing he needed.  It just reminded him that he wasn’t a person to these people—he was an accessory, a decoration that could be trimmed and measured and posed just so like all the tinsel in the house.

Even if Joey hadn’t been living and breathing the new technology by virtue of listening to his husband’s egotistical acceptance speeches every other weekend for a month, Joey had seen the advertisements that had polluted his social media streams and had threaded themselves in between videos.  He’d even been featured in one—and he had to admit that hadn’t minded filming that—talking with a virtual Yugi, still bearing his King of Games title and the wild tri-colored hair, with his Duel Disk strapped to his arm and belt still wrapped around his neck.

That had been fine, but several of the other ads were geared at families.  And although Kaiba had for the most part kept the family out of the limelight, Joey’s publicist had been pushing harder for more of that humanizing presence.

“Everyone knows what your husband was like during ‘Battle City,’ and subsequent tournaments and product launches.  He had a legend’s status and we could work with the ‘Rogue Genius’ sort of thing,” the publicist had kindly explained, his tone perhaps a touch demeaning.  “But Kaiba Corporation isn’t just selling toys anymore.  And people do not want to buy the most essential equipment of their lives from a rebellious teen.  They want to see a man with integrity.  With a family, even an unorthodox one.”

Joey rolled his eyes at the last comment.

They hadn’t built this family in order to sell more products, it had been so… organic.  A natural expression of love.  Being in their thirties, having so much love for each other that it made so much sense to share it with children.  They could do it right this time.  All they had to do was the opposite of what their parents had done.

And they had!  Kaiba never raised his voice and Joey never picked a fight.  It was everything they hadn’t had growing up.  It was stable.  Neat.

And it had become absolutely miserable.  A set of formal relationships, scrupulously maintained and completely aesthetically flawless.  And now, it was even a saleable commercial product.

Joey was so close to breaching the forcefield and getting the door open, but he could just hear the faint traces of a conference call behind the door.

The phantoms were trying to tell Kaiba something about some supply chain problem.  Billions of dollars in contracts and products were flying back and forth in complex negotiations that rose to the level of international affairs.

Suddenly Joey’s problem—do the kids actually need a stylist, Kaiba?—seemed unfathomably small.  Heroically unimportant, embarrassingly trivial.

Did he even want to walk into whatever shitstorm was going on in the study?  Kaiba had his job, and Joey had his.

The only difference was that people seemed to value Kaiba’s job, and Joey’s was increasingly shitty.

Finally one of the maids—Joey thought she might even be in charge of that team, but was not technically the household manager, which was a different staff person—shook him from his frustrated position just outside of Kaiba’s study door.

“They’re ready to start taking the pictures,” she said.  It was so neutral, and Joey realized, a bit slowly, that she didn’t like him.

People usually liked him.  If they didn’t, he probably had picked a fight with them or something.  Anyone who spent real time with him couldn’t resist his signature Joey charm.  Maybe she’s new? Joey wondered.  Or was he just… not the same anymore?

Within the same minute, the children’s stylist beamed out of the playroom, with much the same announcement.  She was all smiles—and who wouldn’t be with such a fun niche.  They both looked at Joey.

The publicist was scaling the stairs, hand skimming the highly decorated banister and leaping over the twirls of pine leaves and luxurious red velvet ribbons, announcing that the Architectural Digest reporters were ready to begin.

Ah, it was time for him to do his job.  The only thing that he was supposed to really do.  Face his husband.

Joey could see why everyone else dreaded it so much.  Why he was so well-compensated for the task.

Joey extended his wrist, with a slow trepidation he had learned as a duelist, and tapped.

Within seconds Kaiba was at the door, eyes all blue fire, like a lion interrupted during a feast of antelope gizzards.

“Eh, we’ve got the thing?  The Architectural whatever thing?”  Joey figured the posse of people gathered behind him made half of his point.

“Yes.” Kaiba said, clipped, and looking still slightly pissed.

“So uh, you good?  You look good,” Joey gave him a once over, and was rewarded, as always with the handsome view of a perfectly put together Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba rewarded the compliment with a smirk.  “Yes.”

And the whole team descended together, with two of the more intense nannies handling the children and joining at the back of the group.

When finally down the stairs, Alexis was passed into Joey’s arms, and Atticus was handed off to Kaiba.

“How are your piano lessons going?” Kaiba asked Atticus, as if he was a colleague and not a five-year-old.

“Awesome!” Atticus answered with a smile.

“Do you know any duets yet?”

“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!” Atticus announced, pleased with himself.

Kaiba stood for a moment, as if wracking his brain for any memory of the song.  Then he nodded.  “We can start with that.”

The Architectural Digest reporter looked at Kaiba, having expected to have his full attention immediately.  Indeed, the reporter looked like the kind of person who expected to have anyone’s attention at any time.  Joey had spared the man a Google search at some point before the meeting, and he had been impressed by the guy’s list.  He had done articles on the interior design aesthetic—and the corresponding family culture—of two sitting presidents, the prime ministers of both Austria and Australia, and Oprah.  Oprah.

He dressed like it too.  His silk scarf was recognizably Hermes, and Joey could tell that his whole thing was how fancy people were expected to dress.  Flashy and complicated and matching, but only sort of?

The stylist had intentionally been playing up the new, everyman qualities of the updated Kaiba family.  It was a stark contrast to the Visual Kei inspired aesthetic that his partner used to wear, but honestly?  Other than changing the t-shirt to cashmere and making the jeans cost about $400 more, Joey felt like he looked pretty much the same as he used to.  His shoes were a lot less comfortable now.

The reporter almost raised a hand to interrupt, and Joey instinctually went on damage control.

“Hey, great to finally meet you!  Welcome to our house.  Looks like you’re in for a concert to start off!” Joey smiled warmly, and was pleased to see it mirrored in the reporter’s face.

“Your husband is an interesting fellow, huh?”  The reporter had something of a pan-Atlantic accent to his voice, making him sound a little bit like he fell out of the Turner Classic Movies channel.

“You don’t know the half of it!  But I’m sure he’ll warm up,” Joey lied.  Joey reached forward to loop an arm around his husband’s shoulders as they continued to make their way toward the grand piano in the living room.  “What are you doing?” he whispered in his ear.

Kaiba spared him a dark, sideways glance.  “I am trying… to demonstrate human connection.  That’s the instruction I received.”

Joey laughed, though it wasn’t easy.  “Well, could you smile or something?  Introduce yourself?  It looks disjointed like this, I think.”

Kaiba’s attention diverted, announcing that the conversation was over.  Joey withdrew, his speaking time already terminated.

But the comment made enough of an impact.  When they arrived in the living room, which had been festooned with just about every wintry icon available in the tri-state area—including a row of pinecones and decorative wreathing along the piano and the biggest tree that could fit in the tall space jammed with more lights and baubles than should be possible—Kaiba deigned to greet the guest.

Kaiba gestured to the piano, and Atticus happily plopped down.  Kaiba joined him, much more calmly.  “Now, for a rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” Kaiba announced, rolling back the fallboard.

Atticus nodded mutely.  Someone had clearly drilled into him the importance of not saying anything weird, and he had interpreted it as not saying anything at all.

Kaiba began the initial keystrokes of the song, only for Atticuls to slam both of his hands down on the keys and completely startle him.

Kaiba instantly stopped playing, but Atticus kept going cubby child fingers on random keys.

“Do you… actually know how to play the song,” Kaiba asked, as Atticus started winding down.

Atticus beamed, “Yeah Oto-san, but this is a special Christmas remix!”

Kaiba smiled softly, shockingly genuine, and Joey was sure the cameras captured it.  “Very well.”  Kaiba diverted his attention away from the piano.  “Now that we have performed a Christmas remix, I suppose we may as well continue with the interview.”

The reporter seemed to be in good humor, eyes energic as they tracked Kaiba and Atticus back to the couch to join Joey and Alexis.

Like a flip had been switched, Kaiba acted like he had a human interest in the whole situation, but let Joey do most of the talking.

Joey thought maybe he was nervous.  He was so comfortable when the topic turned to the impact of Kaiba Corp., on international growth this or technology development that.  But sitting there, on a couch laden with thick green and red ribbon, being asked about how he balanced raising children with being in the office, he looked almost nauseated.

“I have a great partner,” Kaiba said, robotic and dead-eyed.  “And great help.  I could not do it alone.”

Joey tried to beam, but it felt like a brutally minimizing note.

A great partner?  It was a performance review, not a term of affection.

After the interview finally ended and the additional staff began to disperse, Joey found himself trailing Kaiba back to his study.  The kids were whisked away—Atticus already had another piano lesson and Alexis was due in the ballet studio.  She had made the cut as one of the youngest among the 130 children to participate in the New York City Ballet Company production of Nutcracker, scoring a prestigious position as one of the angels.  It was very impressive and very cute, but it felt a bit odd to watch the two-and-change-year-old have so many appointments.  She just spun around a little… Joey had to assume it was another instance of her name opening doors.  But it was adorable, and she was a pretty serious toddler, and who was he to get in the way of high performance.

She said she liked it, as much as a two-year-old can articulate that they like anything, and he didn’t want to burst anyone’s bubble.

So, after everyone had scattered, it was just Kaiba in his study, and Joey feeling empty.

Joey knocked on the door.  When he didn’t get a response, he opened it anyway.

“What?” Kaiba snapped, not looking away from his laptop.

“I…” Joey thought about what he wanted to say, but nothing came to mind immediately, except for the simple truth.  “I can’t handle this.”

Kaiba didn’t look up.  “You can’t handle what?  Talking to a guy for an hour?  You did nothing.”

When Joey didn’t immediately leave, Kaiba paused in his typing, maybe realizing that he couldn’t really account for what had happened prior to his entrance.  “Do you need more help?”

Joey sank into the companion chair in the study.  “I mean no, I think there’s probably too much staff.  Do the kids really need a stylist?”

Kaiba looked up.  “I am so busy, Jounouchi.  Do you really want to debate the merits of having someone pick the children’s clothes for a photoshoot?  That cannot possibly be the best use of your time, and I know it’s not the best use of mine.”

Joey met his eyes for a second, but lost his determination.  “I just… I miss how it was. Things didn’t used to be like this, right?”

Kaiba sighed.  “Things have always been like this.  What do you mean?”

“You know what, never mind.  It’s fine.  It’s just, I guess it’s Christmas eve.”  Kaiba didn’t acknowledge the statement and Joey left the study, heart twisted, feeling more alone than he had in years.  “We’re supposed to do family stuff.”

Kaiba went back to his computer.  “We did.  And I’m sure more is scheduled for tomorrow—I know that I’m scheduled to attend one of Alexis’ performances tomorrow.  You should check your calendar, I am sure we have a dinner scheduled somewhere tonight… I think at the Governor’s estate.  You should check with someone about the required attire.  But not me, Jounouchi, I really am busy.”  The chillin blue eyes didn’t even follow Joey as he stalked out of the room.

Joey didn’t say it—he couldn’t find the will to say it yet, and he didn’t say it for another year.  But in that moment, Joey knew that their marriage was over.

[talkingismylifewrites]

But if Crystal makes anniversary breakfast in bed and Roger plans elaborate dates then Crystal thinks Roger has forgotten their anniversary because he looks absolutely startled when he’s woken up to see red roses everywhere but he’s only trying to work out how they can possibly be out of the house by 11 which they need to be if his plan to sail by the remote cove only accessible by yacht for the perfect beach picnic is going to work and basically they’re both romantic idiots pretending not to be

you fucking get it

you’re so right??? 

that’s exactly what happens

like when crystal turns 35 and throws a huge tantrum about it and decides that he doesn’t want anyone talking about it???

he wakes up in the morning and he’s expecting like birthday sex or breakfast or something??? 

instead what he gets is roger taking up half the fucking bed, snoring right in his ear and drooling all over the blanket

he wakes up roger so lovingly and tenderly (shoves him off the bed) and still??? roger??? says??? nothing??

he doesn’t even join him in the shower???? 

(everyone knows roger has one real weakness and its shower sex)

crystal obvi thinks roger has forgotten his birthday OR he’s so unattractive now that roger can’t even be tempted by him soaking wet

so crystal has an internal temper tantrum and is like FUCKING FINE

and he calls up ratty 

(which he HATES HAVING TO DO GODDAMNIT) 

and bullies ratty into taking him out golfing 

and he spends the whole day drinking beer and imagining that the golf balls are roger’s face as he forces himself to listen to ratty talk about his stupid life

its the WORST

crystal is such a masochist you have no idea

anyways

so ratty is like hey mate i know its your birthday why don’t we go grab some dinner?? or...is roger taking you out??

crystal nearly snaps his five iron as he grits out “sounds good” 

because even IF roger had something planned roger is in TIME OUT and NOT ALLOWED TO BE NEAR HIM 

ratty is like okay why dont we uhhhh put down the weapon...and i’ll buy you a steak

crystal allows himself to get bullied into the car and driven to a ridiculously expensive steak house

and crystal is like wtf bro you definitely do not have enough money to take me here because i definitely never had enough money for this wtf do you think i started shacking up with roger???

and ratty is like okay

don’t be mad

but roger asked me to take you here and buy you a steak

and crystal

sees

red

and he’s like I DO NOT WANT HIS PITY STEAK I DO NOT WANT THIS TAKE ME SOMEWHERE ELSE GODDAMNIT RATTY YOU RAT FACED LITTLE SHIT

and ratty just lets all the abuse roll over him because he’s used to it

and he’s like okay but....he gave me his credit card

and crystal kinda pauses 

he knows that its “whats mine is yours” and all that but he’s always been super diligent about not using roger’s credit card??? because he might be roger’s trophy wife but he’s not a gold digger

like roger’s rich but he’s not rich enough to put up with all the bullshit crystals been putting up with 

so crystal decides enough is enough and he gets out of the car

he’s picturing in his mind the whole bottle of glenfiddich he’s gonna drink and the expensive ass steak he’s gonna eat, so it makes sense that he doesn’t notice that no one else is in the restaurant?? 

and that’s why it comes as a goddamn shock of his life when all of his friends??? jump out??? and surprise him??? 

and there’s roger, all dressed up and smirking like the cat that caught the canary, holding aforementioned bottle of glenfiddich in hand with a goddamn bow on it

and like, crystal wants to be mad

but he can’t be

glenfiddich is TOTALLY his favorite whisky

basically they drink and they eat and roger boasts all about how he managed to pull off the greatest surprise party EVER and crystal moans about how his boyfriend is so terrible it MADE SENSE that he’d forget his birthday 

and when they’re all done he goes home and roger drags him into the shower to make up for the morning

it just makes it all the more sweeter when roger announced that for his birthday, crystal gets to meet princess diana aka the only woman in the world that crystal would ever leave roger for

crystal would literally rather die before ever admitting that its the best birthday he’s ever had

[necrokittytales]

Necrokitty Tales: Trouble in Inkwell Isle (Chapter 20)

Authors’ note: Necrida’s writing will be in italics and SPKC’s writing with be regular font.If you have no idea what this roleplaying thing is, you can start from the beginning here.

Goopy and the children walked down the first path, doing their best to remain optimistic. They were a little bit slow what with Harvey’s sprained ankle.

Mina helped Harvey to walk along the path, trying to think of a silver lining to this. Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder what Spike meant earlier when he said he had other scarier things to worry about. She was starting to feel guilty for dragging them all into this mess.

“Guys, I’m sorry for bringing you here. I didn’t thought it would be THIS scary,” the little bat said softly, looking at the mirrors around them.

Harvey softened at Mina’s apology. “That’s okay, Mina! It’s not your fault. I’m glad we get to hang out together at least.”

Hannah giggled. “If you two could beat up a grumpy flower, a clown isn’t that scary,” she pointed out

Spike roared with laughter. “Beppi’s just a balloon with legs, you babies.” The children and Goopy stopped at another branching path. This time it went two different ways. “Huh, looks like a fork in the road,” Goopy mused. He turned to the kids. “Alright, stay here, kids. I’m going to check one of the paths.” He started toward one of the paths before turning back to look at the children. “Don’t move, got it?” The children nodded and he nodded. The ball hopped down one of the paths and was soon out of sight. The children waited a minute before Spike started heading for the other path. Hannah hopped up. “Mr. Le Grande said we were supposed to stay put!” The little rabbit protested. Spike snorted. “That’s BORING. Come on, Mina! You and me right now go down the other way and see who really is a scaredy-cat here.” Harvey looked at Mina. “Don’t do it, Mina.” Spike laughed again. “Too scared to come huh? I didn’t know those bat wings were chicken wings. Bawk! Bawk! Bawk!” He taunted, flapping his arms.

Mina glowered angrily at Spike. If there was one thing she hated most in the world, besides broccoli, it was being called chicken. “I’ll show YOU chicken wings!” She started walking the path, turning back toward Harvey and Hanna. “You stay here!” she ordered to the bunnies, “if we find the exit, we’ll yell!”

Harvey watched his friend leave with Spike and groaned. “Oh gee, I was really hoping we could go play some games after this.”

Hannah hopped up and down. “Don’t feel too bad. Just think about what you wanna do for my birthday next week!” She suggested with a giggle. Harvey stopped feeling bad for himself. Oh yeah. Hannah’s birthday was coming up. He had just enough money to buy her the sewing needles too! It helped that Mina had stood up to Spike and not let him take his lunch money. He relaxed at that and looked over at his sister. “Oh yeah! You think mom is gonna make you a carrot cake?” “I want a blueberry cake!” “You better tell mom that now because I think she’s making you a carrot cake.” “Ah! No, I want blueberries!” Hannah walked over to the mirrors and started making faces in them. “Hey, I can make my face all squishy in these!” She started giggling. Harvey walked over to his sister and look in the mirror as well. “Hey, you’re right!” The two bunnies started making faces to their reflections together, unaware of the dark figure creeping up behind in the mirrors.

— Sullivan walked next to Amber, looking everywhere, hoping nothing else would try to attack them. The bear was terrifying enough without some other monster trying to get them. He wondered if this was a good moment to ask about her lockpicking abilities. He didn’t wanted to think about it, but maybe Porkrind was right about her… Was she the thief? He cleared his throat, trying to think of a way to casually bring up the topic. “T-thank you for breaking my fall… that was pretty impressive,” he added, watching her hopefully.

Amber realized she might blow her cover if she wasn’t careful. “Oh yeah! When you do interior work for some of those older houses, sometimes the floor just gives out, you know?” She tried with a silly giggle.

She gave him a gentle nudge. “But hey, thanks for trying to not let me hit the ground like a pancake, that was really nice of you. Maybe after this, we could do something more fun,” she suggested with a wink. Even fearful adrenaline was adrenaline and there were quite a few adult ways she’d like to use it up.

Every doubt Sullivan had about Amber banished from his mind as she winked at him. She was so lovely! He couldn’t help but turn really red at the idea she suggested. He felt the butterflies in his tummy again and couldn’t say another word without turning into mumbling nonsense.

Amber continued to walk when she suddenly felt her fur stand on end. She looked around, her face contorted in concern. “I have a really bad feeling about this.” She continued walking but let out a small, scared squeak as she spotted something in the mirror next to her. It was a thick, closed, wet burlap sack. Before she could stop herself, she instinctively hissed at it and clung closer to Sullivan. She didn’t like that sack.  

Sullivan was startled by her change in demeanor and looked to see she was indeed hissing at something. “What! What is-?” He looked at the reflection in the mirror as Amber clutched deeper on his arm. “I-it’s just a sack!” He exclaimed, try to assuage the irritated feline.  

“These magic mirrors are a bit busted if they think a bag can scare us,” he chuckled nervously, trying to lighten up the mood.

“Bags like that are bad news. That’s why I only use nylon bags,” she spat angrily, looking at the bag very distrustfully. She resisted the urge to scratch at the bag and instead continued to growl under her breath.

— Grim waited until the others walked down their respective paths and started walking the last one with Bon Bon.

“I-I hope they’ll be ok,” he sighed, looking at his deformed reflections in the mirrors. “B-beppi really overdid it with t-this ride!”

And that might work in his favor, he thought. Bon Bon might ask him to have a sleepover after all and he would be able to recover that stupid letter he drunkenly wrote.

The Baroness walked alongside the dragon, silently fuming to herself about what she’d do to Beppi if she got her hands on him. First, she’d strap him to a table with licorice and cut off each of his limbs with a candy corn saw. And then she would remove his head and put him in her trophy room with his mouth sewed up so he couldn’t make any more dumb jokes. She realized Grim was speaking. “I’m sure everyone will be okay, a bit spooked probably.” They continued to walk by warped mirrors and the Baroness glanced in a few of them. “I failed to see how my own reflection is supposed to scare me though.” She walked by one mirror, glanced in it, only to stop and look again.

Grim sighed hoping the Baroness was right and they will all be ok. He couldn’t help but look at his reflection in the mirrors around them only to freeze in fear.

Bon Bon stared at the mirror in disbelief. It was another dragon. A rather scary looking one with fire and teeth. It almost looked like it was moving. She scoffed at it, even as she thought she could hear the mirror growl. So that was Beppi’s game? Magic mirrors. It only made sense if he got them from Djimmi. She’d have to pay a personal visit to the genie tomorrow about selling anything to Beppi. She could hear someone childishly giggling and turned to see Beppi hopping up and down in one of the mirrors. “You really think I’m scared of a dragon?” She tsked. “Oh, not YOU!” The clown cackled. “Then who-?” She stopped as she heard some quiet whining. She turned to Grim to see the dragon very worried indeed. “Grim?”

Grim tried to hold himself but the vision of the terrifying dragon was just a painful reminder of what HE was supposed to be…and what he still could become. “N-n-no…” he muttered to himself. “You’re n-not real… I’M NOT LIKE YOU!” He roared fearfully. He broke the mirror with a quick devastating whip of his tail, sending shards of crystal glass everywhere.

– Spike and MIna walked down the empty rows of mirrors. He glanced at the bat. He had to admit. He was slightly impressed that the girl still wanted to do this. But she was a girl. And girls cried just as much as little boy bunnies. He looked over at the mirrors on the side and his hackles raised slightly. With the distorted images on the mirror, he almost looked like his dad. A fact that did not make the bulldog pup very happy at all. His attention was taken away by the appearance of a very large mirror at the end of the hallway. “Last chance to go back,” he teased, pointing to the mirror up ahead.  

The little bat smirked at the pup and passed by him, walking towards the mirror. “Ha! You’re dealing with a bat here! I’m part of the spooky folk!” She said with her head held high. She looked the huge mirror up and down bravely.

Spike looked at the mirror and his smile dropped as something large materialized in front of him. He didn’t quite see it until the image brightened and his jaw dropped open in shock.

—-

Goopy sighed in disappointment as his journey came to a dead end. “Shucks, and I was real hopeful about this one,” he grunted. He was about to turn around but stopped. It looked a bit too suspicious to be just a dead end. He stuck his hand through the walled off way only for the wall to give way like a curtain, revealing the exit. He grinned. “Well, Goops, looks like you did it again. Better go back and collect everyone before someone gets really spooked!” He congratulated himself, turning around. A little girl’s scream made him stop before he barreled down the path. Crud, Hannah must have gotten spooked. He better go check this out.

–

Harvey’s ears perked up and he turned around at the sound of an unfamiliar noise. “Hello, is someone there?” He called out. There was nothing there, just the empty mirrors looking back at him.

He shrugged and turned back to continue making faces with his sister only to see a monstrous looking figure in the mirror in front of them. He squeaked in alarm and pulled Hannah back away from the surface. The figure looked just like Spike. A scary, spooky form of Spike. The deformed dog laughed and laughed as his reflection spread across all the mirrors surrounding the rabbits. “G-Go away!” Harvey yelled at the laughing dog reflection. Hannah clung to him, burying her face into his side. The figure seemed to get even bigger and Harvey shakily reached into his coat, pulling out the training wand. “I’m warning you! I’ll make you go away!” He ordered. A really loud roar sent the rabbit into fumbling and muttering over the chant before dropping the wand, but the spell had been cast. A yellow bunny skull shot forward and connected with the mirrors before sinking into the reflection like a puddle of water. The figure looked really confused before it completely vanished, leaving the rabbits alone. Harvey let out a shaky weak chuckle. “Oh, oh that actually worked.” “Harvey!” A familiar voice yelled “Agh!” The little bunny nearly jumped 10 feet in the air before turning around to see Goopy rapidly approached them. “Mr. Le Grande?” “Is everyone alright? I heard Hannah screaming!” Goopy explained, kneeling down to check on the little rabbit Hannah unhurried her face from her brother’s overalls. “I wasn’t screaming,” she answered the adult. Goopy’s brow furrowed.  “Well, if you weren’t screaming, then who-?” A high pitched scream broke out again and now everyone jumped and ran toward the noise.

– Spike covered his mouth in horror at his second scream. He didn’t dare look at Mina, instead keeping his eyes staring at the figure in the mirror. “This-this looks just like my dad,” he finally managed, looking up at a scary bull dog in the reflection. His eyes remained wide and glassy still. “My aunt says I can come live with her but, my dad, he’s just tough on me to make me strong,” Spike tried to explain, not daring to look away from the reflection. Mina understood now. His father! Spike’s father was the reason he had turned into a bully. 

The bulldog was shaking now. “Please tell me you see it too?”

“Spike! It’s ok! It’s not real!” She tried to calm him down, hugging him with her wings, protecting him from the view of the mirrors.

“Pa is gonna be real mad at me that I screamed,” the bulldog whimpered.

“Look at me! He can’t hurt you!” She looked at his glassy eyes. “We’re gonna go back. Don’t look at the mirrors! Focus on me.”

Spike nodded quickly at the bat’s instructions and swallowed hard, his eyes threatening to tear up again, but he seemed to understand.

Mina slowly uncovered him and holding his hand they walked the path they came from. They had only walked a few feet away before a heavy thump sent Mina’s ears rigid.

Spike blinked and nervously glanced behind them and stopped dead in his tracks. The warped looking dog was stepping out of the mirror with a snarl. The pup couldn’t run - he was frozen to the spot.

“You’ve been a bad dog,” the big dog growled, reaching two gruff paws out towards the terrified children, “And you know what we do with bad dogs…”

– Sullivan paused in his observation of Amber as he could hear the screams of the other group members break out from the other parts of the maze. This was even more of a reason to get going! The faster they found the exit, the sooner they could get out of here and bring help.

“Let’s just keep going,” Sullivan finally stated, determined to keep walking past the mirror. He took a few steps in front of Amber to check the way, hoping to see nothing but their reflections from this point on. Amber looked like she was about to say something to his request only for her voice to die in her throat as the bag fell out of the mirror and slumped to the ground. This was just supposed to be a reflection! She remained rooted to the spot, hoping the bag would just stay there, even though she swore she could feel cold water up to her neck. The bag flopped to the ground before slowly slithering toward the salamander, who hadn’t seen it fall from the mirror. Its hole opened up to as if to eat Sullivan and Amber snapped out of her dark memory. She pulled out her gold claws and viciously attacked the bag, tearing into it with her clearly illegal weapons. It tried to roll away but she wasn’t having it, fur flying everywhere as she continued to attack the snake like bag.

The salamander heard the noise of cloth being torn apart and turned his head to see what the heck was going on. He froze when he saw the snake like movements of the once inanimated sac. Of all the creatures in this world, it had to be a snake, twisting around as his beloved Amber attacked it fiercely with her claws and… were those knives?!

“A-Amber!” He manage to yell and run towards her. He grabbed her paw and pulled her off of the terrifying creature. “We’re going back!!!” He shouted, tugging her in the direction from whence they came.

She was swearing an awful lot. She might not be a sailor but she certainly had the mouth of one. Amber threw one last knife at the ruined bag before allowing Sullivan to drag her toward where they came from.

—-

“I told those two to stay put!”

Goopy was very disappointed, but honestly not that surprised that Mina and Spike had charged off into the unknown. Those two were full of plucky energy, just like he was when he was just a small slime. But still, he was already planning on what he was going to say when he found the two small mammals. He led Harvey and Hannah down the path the other two had taken only to stop short. In front of Spike and Mina was a giant unfamiliar dog he had never seen before. It didn’t look friendly either. “Mina! Spike! Duck!” He hollered, winding up his fist.

Mina fearfully held onto Spike, not sure what to do, until the familiar voice of Goopy brought her back. She pulled her friend down to the ground with her.

And not a moment too soon. The second the children dropped to the ground, Goopy sent a fist flying, colliding with the dog monster, sending it stumbling back and falling into the mirror. Another quick punch shattered the mirror into pieces, leaving the group alone. “Is everyone okay?” Goopy wearily asked, completely forgetting whatever disciplinary speech he had prepared as he surveyed the children.

Hannah punched the glass just for good measure only to draw her little paw back with an “ow.”

“Mina! Are you okay?” Harvey asked, darting to his friend’s side. “What happened?”

The little bat tried to talk but she could only mumble nonsense as she was still scared.

“I’m gonna take this as a yes.” Goopy knelt down. “C'mon, we need to head back. We can catch up later.”

The little bat nodded and helped Spike back to his feet. The two followed Goopy, still shaky from the experience. –

Bon Bon waved her arms. “Grim! Stop!” But the dragon was panicked and continued to smash. He wasn’t listening to her! And there was no way she could, nor would she really want to, take down her much more physically impressive friend.

She saw Beppi laughing within his mirror and reached in to punch the glass…only for her hand to slide through the mirror and actually grab the clown by the shirt. He looked equally surprised by this development. “Uh, wait a second-?” The Baroness grinned darkly. She pulled him out and pinned him to the ground. “Stop the mirrors,” she demanded.

“You’re so forward!” Beppi chuckled, fanning himself.

Only once all but one of the mirrors were destroyed did Grim finally settle down. He panted sharply, trying to recover his wits. He spotted Beppi on the floor with Bon Bon on top of him, and his anger stirred back up again. His eyes started turning black and white and smoke came out from his nostrils. “You…” he growled. Beppi waved at Grim. “Hey buddy, having a good date so far?” He asked pleasantly, either unaware of the danger or entirely dismissive of it. Bon Bon lifted Beppi to his feet and nearly shoved him into the only intact mirror behind him, the nozzle of her candy cane shotgun jammed against his chest. “You think this is really funny, huh, Chuckles?” Beppi shrugged. “I think it’s pretty hysterical to be honest. Plus, you two should be totally thanking me! Can’t get anymore cozy than being trapped in a maze, am I right?” “Thanking you?! Grim is freaked out!” Bon Bon growled. “Imagine how I feel? Totally didn’t see that coming you getting me through the mirror!” He exclaimed. He leaned in toward her. “How’d you do the magic trick? That’s super cool!” Beppi marveled, holding onto her arm. “I have no idea what you’re talking about! But you better put a stop to this right now!”

Grim’s mouth lit up with a spark as he saw nothing but red. He  took a deep breath, about to release a powerful flame.

Bon Bon could feel the heat behind her and quickly turned around, alarmed to see Grim aiming for them. She held out a hand once more. “Grim, wait! We can’t set the place on fire! They’re still kids here!” She yelled at him. Beppi giggled. “Looks like he really has the HOTS for you!” Bon Bon turned on Beppi once more and now the nozzle of her gun was under his chin. “One more joke, Beppi and I’ll-I’ll…” Her eyes widened as she looked behind the clown. Beppi grasped the gun and peeked inside before looking at the pale Baroness. “What’s wrong, sugar? Something on my face?” He started to laugh only to stop when a claw reached out from the mirror behind him and wrapped around his waist. He looked down. “Huh. This wasn’t the plan at ahhhh!” He was yanked into the mirror with a squeal and the Baroness felt herself jerked toward it as well, too surprised to let go of her candy cane gun.

Grim’s flames barely licked the mirror before he could swallow them back in shocked surprise as Beppi and Bon Bon were dragged into the mirror. He charged the shimmering surface angrily. “Bring her back!” He yelled, puffing out his chest. “I will turn your entire carnival into ashes! WITH YOU IN IT!”

He had barely managed a scratch before something massive and reptilian shot from it, knocking down an angry, surprised Grim.

It was the dragon from the mirror, now even more bedazzled and luminous than before! The magic of the mirror must have influenced its appearance. Yet, despite its glittering exterior, the dragon retained its ferocity, spinning and swinging around wildly, growling and snapping at everything. Another spin revealed its two captives, Bon Bon and Beppi, held tightly in its massive paws. “Let us go!” Bon Bon growled, kicking out at the air but the dragon didn’t listen. It continued striking its tail around, smashing the mirrors. “Oh, come on! Those are expensive!” Beppi complained, even as the dragon started to open its wings. Before anyone could say anything else, the mirror dragon gave one flap, before jetting down the hallway, back toward the center of the maze.

Grim finally snapped out of it as he heard Bon Bon’s yelled echo down the hall where the mirror dragon took off. “Bon Bon!” was the only thing he had time to say before the crystallized creature was out of sight, and with it, the Baroness. He frowned and exhaled a huge cloud of smoke before gathering the courage to flap his wings and follow the dragon as fast as his wings could carry him.

–

Goopy hadn’t really wanted to run toward danger, or rather bounce to it. But it sounded like Grim was in trouble and the last thing the goop needed was to have to carry a massive lizard out. He hopped back to the start of the path and motioned everyone down just as Sullivan and Amber hurried onto the clearing. “Hey, old sport! Attacking any reflections lately?” He asked of the salamander with a grin.

Sullivan gaped at him. “You too?” He pointed behind them. “We ran into a crazy snake-sack down that path. How do we get out of here!?” He hold his head in disbelief. “You guys are okay, right?” He asked, turning to the children. Mina was still a bit shocked for what just happened but she managed to nod, still clutching Spike’s hand.

Hannah crept over to Harvey. “Did we do this?” She whispered, worried that Harvey’s spell had done more than they had anticipated… “I-I don’t know!”  Harvey bit his lip. “I didn’t mean to! I just was trying to make it go away!” He whispered back.

The other members of the party were unaware of the quiet exchange. Another loud howl from Grim did get their attention.

“Sounds like Grim is in trouble,” Sullivan shakily spoke, looking worriedly toward the third path that now had smoke practically billowing the entire hallway. A draconian silhouette started push through the smoke.

The salamander sighed in relief. “Oh! Here they come! Grim! What’s going oOAAH!!” He screamed at the sight of an unfamiliar dragon barreling toward them.

The group flattened themselves as the terrifying shiny dragon thundered over them, carrying something yelling within its claws.

Amber was one of this first to lift her head back up from where they all flattened themselves on the ground. “Hey, was it just me, or was that dragon carrying the princess and the clown just now?” “I think so?” Spike finally managed. Goopy looked back toward the smokey path only for his eyes to widen. “Duck!” This time everyone hit the deck once more as now Grim roared over them as he pursued the dragon.  Everyone looked at each other once more and chased after the two. There was a loud crash as the crystal dragon broke through a wall, followed shortly by Grim and the rest of the maze runners.

—-

There was lots of excited shouting and yelling in the carnival. Families and couples still walked and ran around, enjoying the delicious fried goods and circus games. It had been a stellar opening to be sure and there was still some time before the circus ended for the night.

The line for the haunted mansion was still pretty long. As the next group hesitantly started to walk in, they couldn’t help but stop at the sound of loud roaring and banging. The people in line looked at the mansion curiously only to see a large crystal dragon break through the wall and blitzed into the carnival. There was a quiet moment before the line members grew excited. “The haunted mansion looks way scarier this year!” One line goer noted as he watched the dragon charge away. “Definitely better than the bed sheets!” Another one agreed, now even more eager to enter the haunted attraction. The mirror dragon spun and thundered through the crowds, much to the unexpected delight and surprise of the islanders at “one of the most realistic attractions yet!” A massive flap of its wings sent the dragon to the top of the ferris wheel. It dug its back nails into the metal frame, grinding the ride to a shaky halt. The people still on the ride looked up, confused by the new development. Was this part of the ride? They didn’t remember this from last year.

Grim had dashed through the now open hole, followed closely by Goopy, Harvey, Hannah, Mina, Spike, Sullivan and Amber. The group looked around. Mina stood near her friends trying to make sense of what was going on and happy to finally make it out. Amber pointed to the top of the ferris wheel. “Look! Up there! That dragon thing got both of them…uh, that’s them, right?”   “I think so!” Sullivan realized, alarmed that Amber’s observation earlier was correct. “W-what do we do? What CAN we do?” Mina turned to Harvey, remembering that her friend’s father was a magician. “You think your dad can make it disappear?” Harvey squinted his eyes and looked up. “He-he won’t be here for at least another hour or so!” He explained. He pulled his ears worriedly. “Oh man, this is all my fault!” “Don’t say that, Harvey!” Hannah insisted. “You were just trying to be a good brother!” Spike looked over at the rabbits. “Whaddya talking about? Why is it his fault?” Harvey looked abashed. “I-I tried to use my wand to make it disappear and I just made it come out of the mirror instead…” Goopy, Sullivan and Amber were trying to brainstorm, once again oblivious to the children’s’ conversation. “I don’t think Grim is going to be able to listen to anyone while he’s like this!” Goopy pointed out. “We gotta get him to calm down otherwise he might just set fire to the ferris wheel!” Amber noted, watching the green dragon warily who circled around the ride dangerously, “Sully, got any ideas on how to stop Grim?” A high pitched scream broke out from on top of the ferris wheel and Amber bit her lip.“Oh man, I can hear Bon Bon screaming. She must be real scared,” Amber groaned, looking up. Goopy grimaced. “That-that was not the Baroness…” – “Shut up, Beppi!” The Baroness yelled, attempting to kick the shrieking clown but she was too far away to successfully do anything to him. “There’s so much I wanted to do! Drive a real car. Made of rubber and float it across the lake! Have my first kiss with a meringue pie and not just a lemon pie! Blast myself out of the cannon!” Beppi wailed. The Baroness rolled her eyes. “Will you just-?” She let out a startled shriek of her own as the dragon abruptly dropped her. It was only her quick reflexes that led her to grabbing the metal bar next to it attached to the ferris wheel. She tried to pull herself up but she was fatigued and only able to wrap her arms around it tightly. “Shit, shit, shit!” She openly swore now. The mirror dragon stomped up and down, shaking the entire ride and Bon Bon held on for dear life as Beppi continued to lament his missed opportunities.

Grim circled the ferris wheel, his eyes narrowed with anger. Everytime he tried to get closer to rescue Bon Bon, the mirror dragon took a swipe at him jostling and shaking the ferris wheel even more - loosening the Baroness’ precarious grip.

After a third attempt that brought him too close, the dragon managed a snap at his neck. At the frustrated cry of pain, Grim’s other two heads sprouted forth from his shoulders.  "No more games!“ He shouted. All three heads spat fire towards the dragon, avoiding the Baroness, and with any luck, toasting the clown as well.

The mirror dragon rocked the ferris wheel back and forth and with each movement, the attraction became more unsteady. The Baroness was furious when the dragon bit Grim and she landed a good hit on one of its paws. Unfortunately, that only angered the dragon and before she could react, the mirror dragon gave one good stomp on the ferris wheel and she lost her grip. She managed to grab the spoke of the ferris wheel a few feet below the angry dragon with two hands but it was slipping fast between her fingers.

“AH!” She yelled, realizing her situation was quickly looking grim, and not the way she would have liked.

—

“We’re running out of time,” Goopy realized, watching the Baroness slipping.

“How the hell are we going to calm down Grim?” Amber asked.

“Eeeehhh…. ” The salamander looked around, trying to find ideas. The only thing he knew that could calm the dragon was Bon Bon herself. But with her in danger, it was only a matter of time before Grim became frustrated enough to miss and really do some damage. “W-what if…evacuate the carnival? Maybe call the fire department!” He exclaimed as he watched a fireball bounce of one of the rails.

Mina scratched her chin before snapping her fingers. “I know what we can do!!” She yelled to her friends.

She hit the palm of her hand with her fist “If we can distract the bad dragon, we can give a chance to our dragon to rescue the princess and Harvey can send that dragon back to the mirror!” She turned eagerly toward her friends. “Spike, how good are you with a slingshot?”

Spike grinned maliciously. “I’ve hit a couple nerds off a tree before in front of their moms!” He bragged before clearing his throat. “Uh, yeah I’m good with it. You got your magic stick, rabbit?”

Harvey patted down his jacket. “I-I don’t have the wand!” He realized, “I must have dropped it in the maze!” He started to panic but Hannah thrust something else in his hand. He looked to see it was a churro. “Hannah, now is not the time to eat!”

Hannah shook her head. “No! Maybe you can use something that’s like the wand!” She insisted, pushing the churro back to his hand. “It’s sparkly, right?”

“I think that’s just the sugar-?” Harvey tried to explain but Spike give him a push.

“Just go with it.” He turned to Mina. “Alright, whaddya want us to do?”

The little bat couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea of making magic with a churro, but it was worth a try.

Mina dropped to her knees and began to draw on the ground. “Ok! Here’s the plan: Spike and I will go get slingshots and fire crackers and throw them at the bad dragon every time he tries to hurt anyone! While we distract him, Hannah and Harvey, you’ll get up the wheel and use your ‘wand’ to make him freeze or, just get rid of him!”

She heard Grim’s terrifying growl and realized they didn’t had much time. “GO!!!” She yelled, already running with Spike to gather what they needed.

Harvey made one step toward the ferris wheel only to stop. “How are we gonna get close enough? None of us can fly,” Harvey realized.

“And we can’t climb too good!” Hannah added.

Hannah, pointed to the cat. “Can we ask her to climb?”

“Worth a shot.”

–

Another slam of the crystal dragon’s tail against the metal structure sent the Baroness’ grip to just one hand. “Grim! Help” She desperately called out to her friend, knowing she couldn’t hold out much longer.

“Bon Bon!” All Grim’s heads yelled and the green dragon dove towards the baroness. The mirror dragon attempted another strike at Grim, but this time, he was ready for it. Right before the crystal claw could make contact, Grim did a last minute flip and pushed the mirror dragon backwards making him lose its balance, freeing the path towards BonBon.

He passed one of his heads through the metal bars and reached BonBon as she finally lost her grip. She fell onto Grim’s head and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. The other two heads kept an eye on the mirror dragon who had recovered his stand, ready to keep fighting.

Bon Bon tapped Grim. “The wheel won’t take both of your weights, we need to get down!” She ordered, pointing to the ground. She glanced over at Beppi who was still being rather dramatic about the whole thing. “I’ll deal with Beppi later,” she assured Grim.

Grim nodded, just happy to see the Baroness was safe. He withdrew himself from the wheel and  quickly descended towards the ground. The other heads approached Bon Bon.

“Oh thank God you’re ok!”

“It didn’t hurt you, did it?”

“You’re so strong!”

“Sorry it took me so long…”

– “You want me to what?” Amber stared at the children. “Harvey made him come out of the mirror with magic,” Hannah explained, “So we need to magic him back into the mirror!” Amber groaned. “Fine, fine. But I can’t take both of you. I can only take one.” Hannah was about to step forward but Harvey pushed her back. “I’m going, okay?” “Harvey!” “No buts.” Hannah pouted as Harvey approached Amber. “I’m ready.” Amber eyed Sullivan. “Gimme just a sec.” She strode over to the salamander and pulled him close to her. “Sully, I just wanna say you are the nicest possible serial killer I ever went out with.”

Before Sullivan could say anything, she pulled him into a passionate smooch hard enough to make Harvey shut his eyes before letting go of the amphibian. She pulled the clawed knife out of her pocket and sliced her skirt up to the thigh, allowing her more free movement of her legs. She gave a final wink to Sullivan before Harvey leapt onto her back and she proceeded to climb the ferris wheel. Goopy watched her go. “What did you say she was? An interior designer?” He asked, a bit gobsmacked.

Sullivan’s eyes widen and stood there like a statue with a silly smile for a few moments before her words clicked in. “Wait… did she called me a serial killer?”.

–

Mina and Spike dumped their haul on the ground and started putting it together, They had quickly amassed quite an arsenal: a couple of slingshots, some big firecrackers, some matches she had hidden within the folds her dress…definitely things that children shouldn’t be playing with. Which just made it all the more exciting.

“The princess is safe!” Mina exclaimed happily, “So all we gotta do is distract that bad dragon!”

Spike dumped the firecrackers at Mina’s and his feet. “Aw, I really wanna hit the clown,” he grumbled but notched up his slingshot with a lit firecracker.

Mina chuckled at Spike. “Resist the temptation” and threw firecrackers near the mirror dragon hoping to distract him.

– The cristal dragon hadn’t noticed Amber nor Harvey yet, but that didn’t mean anyone else was safe either. As soon as they realized that, the dragon reached down to paw at a couple in one of the carts to the side only to stop at the sound of some musical humming. It swiveled its head to see the clown humming to himself while applying lipstick. Beppi puckered his lips in his mirrored reflection of himself on the dragon. “If I’m going to play the damsel, I just HAVE to do things correctly, wouldn’t you agree?” He glanced down and squealed. “It seems my knight in shining armor is fast approaching too!” The dragon looked down to see Amber and Harvey closing in and growled. “Oops,” Beppi realized. The dragon reached down with its free hand to swat a struggling Amber when something detonated to the side of it. The dragon jerked up at the noise and looked around wildly only to hear something crackle to its other side. Spike and Mina continued to shoot the firecrackers as Amber and Harvey maintained their climb, successfully distracting the dragon. Spike whistled as Mina nearly landed a shot on its wing. “You’re pretty good at this,” Spike whistled, “maybe we can go toss crabapples at Mrs. White’s house next!” He laughed.

“Yeah, let’s put a pin on that!” Mina said to Spike, throwing another firecracker that nearly hit Beppi. She winced. “Oops, I gotta be careful!” – Amber’s eyes darted back and forth as she leapt side to side, quickly clamoring up the ride. “You got your magic wand ready?” She called as they got close. Harvey nodded and pulled out his churro. “Yeah.” “Is that a churro?!” Amber shrieked. “I couldn’t find the wand!” “Oh my God, we’re going to die…” the cat groaned quietly. “What?!” Harvey shrieked. “I mean, uh concentrate real hard, okay, Harvey? And maybe pray too just to be safe.” Harvey just hoped Goopy was watching Hannah. – Goopy had no idea where Hannah had gone. “Sullivan, did you see the little bunny? Sullivan?” He waved a mitt in front of the salamander’s face. Sullivan snapped out of it and looked at Goopy, a bit confused. “What? The kids? Amber?” He saw the dragon and the Baroness approaching “Oh! The Baroness is safe!” He paused, realizing the dragon only had one passenger. “What about Beppi?” Grim’s heads exhaled heavily toward the salamander, releasing some smoke, a warning that Sullivan quickly understood. Grim knew he shouldn’t leave Beppi but he was sore and tired and the last thing he wanted was for some lizard to tell him he had to go rescue him when he was the one who got them into this mess. He could only painfully flop on his belly and take joy in the fact that the Baroness stroked each of his heads. The sound of firecrackers got their attention and the adults saw Mina and Spike throwing firecrackers at the crystal dragon. “Well that’s a good idea!” Sullivan exclaimed, more than happy to get away from the sore dragon. He hurried towards Mina and Spike and joined them, throwing with much more accuracy at the crystal creature.

–

Beppi was starting to pout. “C'mon! Hurry up and save me already!” He whined to Amber and Harvey.

“I’ll give you something to save,” Amber growled under her breath as she neared the top. Now with more people throwing explosives, the dragon was certainly distracted…but so was Amber. A near crackle made her miss a particular beam and she really had to scramble to prevent her and Harvey from plummeting. Amber turned around as she reached the top. “Hey! Be careful down there, you almost hit us!” “Amber, watch out!” Harvey squeaked. The cat looked too late and had just enough time to push Harvey to the top before she was hit by the dragon. The cat landed with a thud on top of one of the suspended carts, dazed and not moving. The dragon advanced on the fallen cat now as Beppi started to boo the dragon. Harvey jumped in front of Amber, swallowed and held out the churro. “S-stay back! I’m warning you!” Harvey tried to bravely yell.

Beppi peered at the “wand.” “A churro? That’s a sweet way to beat a dragon!” He exclaimed.

The dragon edged closer, the firecrackers detonating harmlessly around it. Harvey planted his feet down and aimed the churro wand at the intimidating dragon. “It’s t-time to go back to your mirror!” The dragon roared and charged and Harvey yelled the magic words. A massive puff of brown and gold sparkles shot toward the charging dragon and hit it square in the chest. The dragon stopped and struggled to fly away, dropping Beppi next to Harvey in the process. It made it only about 30 feet in the air before the mirrored dragon shone a bright light and exploded into a fantastic display of colored sparks and smoke. The occupants on the ferris wheel were quiet for a moment before they burst out into deafening  applause. Harvey swore he could hear them remark on ‘one of the best fireworks displays ever,’ as he looked down at the churro in his paws. “I can’t believe that worked,” he breathlessly gasped. Beppi plopped himself next to Harvey with a manic grin. "Say! That was a lot of fun! How about you come back tomorrow night and explode more mirrors for me? The crowd will love it!” –

“I can’t believe that worked,” Spike gaped as he stood next to Mina, staring up at the night sky as the rainbow sparkles fell down like colorful snow.

Goopy whistled. “This has been one of the best nights I’ve spent at the carnival,” he admitted. He slapped Sullivan on the back. “Good job on those throws, old sport!” “A night like this must cost a fortune,” a gruff voice spoke up behind Goopy and Sullivan. The two turned to see Porkrind standing there, hoofs on his hips. He looked up and his eye narrowed, recognizing the thief as she started to stir.

Sullivan smiled at the view of his pall Porkrind but remembered why he was mad at him and decided to face him so he wouldn’t get to her.

Mina ran toward the ferris wheel and cupped her paws to yell up at her friend. “Harvey! You did it!” She gave him a thumbs up.

Harvey could hear Mina shouting at him and he looked down to see her giving him a thumbs up. He smiled widely at her. He looked toward Amber who was pushing herself back to her feet. “Amber, are you okay?” She groaned and stood up unsteadily. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay…Just…uh,” She glanced down to see Sullivan…and Porkrind. She swore. “Hey, Harvey, you can get down from here, right?” “What? I don’t-I can’t-!” She smiled and waved. “Great! I’ll catch you later!” She waved once more at Sullivan before dashing across the ferris wheel, leaping onto another attraction and disappearing into the crowd.

Sullivan waved sadly at Amber and watched her run away. He sighed and put his hands on his pockets. “Next time I’ll take her for a simple walk on the park….”

Unfortunately, her fast departure had left poor Harvey and Beppi stranded up on top of the ferris wheel. Beppi walked her go before plucking the churro from the rabbit. “Thanks for the snack, kiddo. Sorry about your ride!” He sympathetically spoke, his mouth full of magical churro.

Harvey looked down and swallowed. “Aww man. I don’t want to climb down.” Beppi patted him on the back. “Here, hold my hand, I’ll get us down.” Harvey reluctantly held the clown’s hand and Beppi…removed his head and inflated it, string and all into a giant balloon. The rabbit just stared weirdly at him as they started to slowly float down. —

Bon Bon was oblivious to the sounds of applause and instead continued to soothe an exhausted Grim. She wasn’t sure how conscious the dragon really was but there was no way she was letting the poor guy try to sleep this off alone in his own tower. He needed to be watched and she was already calling in the arrangements to have the spare bedroom made up so he could rest easy, without some clown knocking on his door.

Grim shook his heads until there was only the main one left. He was really tired but he managed to stand up. He looked at BonBon. “I’m s-s-sorry it took me so long… you could have~"  The words died in his throat as he looked away.

Bon Bon shushed the dragon. "You were very brave, Grim, just rest. Is it alright if I have you stay at my place tonight? I just want to make sure you’re okay?” She quickly added, hoping no one overhearing her would get the wrong idea.’

The dragon smiled at the baroness. “I would love t-to sleep over… thanks” he said shyly turning slightly red. He was glad, after all they’ve been through he would be able to recover the stupid letter. For a moment he wondered how Cagney’s notreallyadate-date was going, only for his mind to go blank as the noble woman led him away, continuing to stroke his ears just the way he liked it.

–

Goopy, Spike and Mina met Harvey and Beppi on the ground. “That was great!” Goopy exclaimed, “A real group effort for sure!” Spike laughed and grabbed Mina and Harvey into a rough smacking hug. “You dorks are lame, but I had fun tonight. We should do this again. Especially the fire crackers!”

Harvey was just glad he wasn’t getting beaten up. He looked around. “Hey, wait, has anyone seen Hannah?” Mina hugged back, happy her plan had worked, although it really got out of hand. She looked around and found Hannah wandering towards them. “There she is!” She pointed “Hannah! Over here!”. “Hannah!” Harvey exclaimed happily as his sister bounded up to him. He swept her into a big hug. Hannah waved at Mina as she was smushed. “Thanks for saving my brother!” She exclaimed happily. He let go of her and she bounced up and down. “You were so cool!! Do you still have that churro?” Harvey shook his head. “No, I lost it too,” he admitted sadly, “Just like I dropped dad’s wand.” Spike gaped at him. “Aw man, I always wanted to eat a magic churro!” Hannah reached into her coat and pulled out the wand. “Don’t worry! I picked it up in the maze!” She reassured proudly, holding it aloft. Harvey broke into a relieved smile. “Really?! You’re the best, Hannah. You should probably give it to me for safety.” “Awww, okay,” Hannah pouted, handing over the wand to her brother. Harvey didn’t remember the wand being this hot before but he put it into his chest, just happy to get it back. Goopy gathered the kids together. “Alright, let’s get all of you monsters home. I’m sure your parents are going to have a lot of questions.”

Harvey didn’t even know how he was going to broach that topic with his parents. No doubt they were already really worried that they hadn’t heard anything from them yet…

—

Mrs. Hare sprawled out on the bed, blissfully exhausted next to her husband. “Whoof!” She exclaimed, “That was amazing, Hopus, amazing!” She pulled the rabbit against her and pressed butterfly kisses along his neck. Hopus hugged his wife. “Yes, sooo good,” he yawned happily. Mrs. Hare ran a paw along his chest. “You know, the kids won’t be home for another 30 minutes. If you want, we have time for one more. You could even wear the bow tie if you wanted.” Hopus chuckled. “Might not be able to handle the bow tie right now. Remember, last time we did it, that’s how we got Harvey.” Mrs. Hare blinked in confusion. “Harvey? That wasn’t Harvey.” “Really? Who was it then?” “It was…”

–

“Hannah!”  

The little rabbit blinked at her name and looked back as she waved goodbye to Sullivan. “Yeah?”

“Come on! I’ll give you a piggyback ride home!” Harvey offered, his ankle feeling a lot better. She jumped on her brother’s back with such a happy squeal that the kids couldn’t help but laugh as they began the trek home.

Hannah went to wrap her arms around her brother’s neck only to realize her fur had all been mussed up from their adventure. She brushed out her fur, pausing only once more to finishing straightening out the bright red bow on her head before burying her head into his back with a happy trill.

———–

CHAPTER 01,  CHAPTER 02,  CHAPTER 03,  CHAPTER 04,  CHAPTER 05, CHAPTER 06,  CHAPTER 07,  CHAPTER 08,  CHAPTER 09,  CHAPTER 10; CHAPTER 11; CHAPTER 12 ; CHAPTER 13 ; CHAPTER 14  ; CHAPTER 15; CHAPTER 16 ; (nsfw) CHAPTER 17 ; CHAPTER 18 ; CHAPTER 19 (nsfw) ; CHAPTER 20 (You are here)

[mrs-yamada]

Coping Mechanisms

I realized I’ve posted a lot of stories about abuse, but none of the things I’ve learned over my 40+ years to cope with or lessen the everyday pain one goes through. It’s so hard to struggle through each day all by yourself by sheer will - as it certainly feels like, somedays.

You need to find some ways to deal with your pain! No matter how silly something may sound, if it works it’s not silly at all.

Obviously these won’t all work on everyone and some might irritate the heck out of you, because we’re all different. But if you put your own spin on them and think of what you enjoy to do, they could be helpful. 

I’ll add to these if I remember more, since I’m in sort of a downward spiral (parents visiting soon) myself...

Onward, under the break...

Sleep when you need it

If you can, that is. I have too many issues to work and luckily we’ve managed so far with one income, although it sucks. This does mean that I can cater to my individual sleep schedule, however, and I use that to my advantage. 

Don’t listen to neural typicals when they say “go to bed at the same time every night”. They’re normies! We’re not! Our bodies differ. You may actually benefit from doing as everyone will tell you, but a lot of us with mental differences benefit much greater from setting our own, very different (and rapid cycling) sleep cycles. I am currently sleeping from 6 am until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I simply cannot sleep until then no matter what I do - and in a few weeks, I know this will change and I’ll be back to 10 pm or maybe 12. The difference is I get the sleep my body so desperately needs, and it helps greatly. I know not all of us can do this, but if you can - go for it. Try it out. You’d be amazed how good you feel after actually sleeping.

On the flip side, though:

Don’t oversleep

No, seriously. We all have the urge to “never get out of bed”, but you’re just gonna feel like crap and get a headache. Sometimes it’s cool to do this but, you know. Don’t abuse the treat.

Clean up (yourself & the home)!

Yeah. This is another one of those “you see it everywhere” tips, but that’s because it does work. Even if you can only manage to brush your teeth, change your undies, whatever, you’ll feel a bit better. Same goes for your house/apartment/room. Clean a tiny space if it’s all you can do - you’ll feel like you’ve got more breathing room.

Don’t EVER want to shower/bathe?

We’ve been there. It stinks, no pun intended. Personally, I had to think of a great way to encourage myself to get the heck out of bed and bathe - bath bombs.

And not just the regular kind! Glitter, rainbows, especially the ones with little toys inside, those are the best for days I don’t want to wake up and shower. You can even use them (as I just said) in the shower. They act like shower steamers and smell the rooms up nice, too.

Make a “Power Outfit”

It could be a comfy sweatshirt, or animal pajamas (kigurumi). Maybe it’s a really wacky pair of socks or a shirt that features your favorite TV star or character from a series. This could include accessories, like a fun hat, headband, furry tail, superhero cape - whatever will make you feel great. Don’t overthink it. It’s not “weird” to wear what makes you feel better, no matter what.

Hide/buy surprises for yourself!

Again, this is one I absolutely love to do. I scroll around through etsy and eBay a lot as another numbing yet engaging brain exercise, and I look for the cheapest “blind boxes” and/or “surprises”. Blind boxes are packages where you don’t know what’s inside until you open it, just like the name suggests. If this doesn’t bother you, it’s great for buying yourself a surprise. I use this as stocking stuffers for myself, too. Ha.

Of course this works for things like a book you want to read or a puzzle you’d like to do. Maybe even wrap it and leave it in the “gift pile”. Gift yourself when you need a pick me up!

Another of my favorite things are called “surprise balls”. They’re balls of crepe paper strips you unravel, and each layer has a surprise in it. You unroll the rainbow-colored strips, dropping toys, novelty items, etc, as you go. You can unroll one layer at a time or all of them! Find them at etsy, you can even get them customised. 

Eat better. Exercise.

Trust me, I used to hate exercising (and when I say “hate”, I mean it). But it makes such a complete difference that I actually miss it when I skip on the weekends! Eating right (whatever is right for you, allergy-wise, dietary preferences, etc) also makes a huge difference. My mood lifted so high without the use of mind-altering drugs at all (societal approved medicine or otherwise).

Aromatherapy 

I’ve seen so many people FREAK OUT about this.

Relax. It’s not meant as a “cure-all” no matter what the MLM pushers say, it simply helps a little. And for those of us with a lot of problems, “a little off the top” is really a big help. There are different types of scents for different mood enhancers, but my favorites (bubblegum, lemon, orange) are citrus based because that lifts depression. (Google this if you’re want - there have been tests done researching depression & aromatherapy).

Use wax melts, incense, whatever - and remember that candles can be bought on etsy & elsewhere that have surprises in them, too! You take out the charms and gems and such as the candle burns. Win-win for a little pick me up!

Rainbows

Yeah, I know. I have little crystal rainbow catchers in my windows so that my rooms fill with rainbows throughout the day. You’d be amazed at how many times a surprise rainbow from one of them lifted my heart and made me smile. 

They’re not expensive, either. You can pop down to your local craft store and buy them in the beading section. Thread the bead with string or fishing line and hang it up on a suction cup or - really, wherever you can where light will catch!

Wait, did I mention craft stores..?

Arts & Crafts

I may be biased here, but there have been a lot of people that benefit from coloring books and crafts. They’re soothing, but be warned - they’re sometimes not good for mind-wanderers. If you’re “dump-trucking” bad thoughts, a mindless task will NOT be a good thing to do. I sometimes pair crafts and such with watching TV so that my mind and hands are busy at the same time.

Distractions!

Writing

*looks at self in reflection of monitor*

...yep.

This can help not only you, but others. It’s a relief to feel that you’re not alone, and when you come across something that helps you in a moment of need it’s awesome. It feels just as good to let it all out.

Write about your day, your past experiences, your hopes - anything. Heck, write fanfiction where the guys or gals or beings of your dreams help you get through things. Work it out. You don’t have to publish them. It will still feel good. And if you want to record your own in one area, or read specific fics, especially fanfics, I recommend the Archive (and not simply because I write there, ha)! 

Television/Movies/Games

Same thing for movies, games & TV. They may distract you, but that means you may get the odd, sneaky thought that creeps in. We all hate those. Oh, and watch out for triggers! Good flipping butt, so many triggers!

There’s a site that helps for tons of triggers (including books, games, etc) called “Does the Dog Die”. I use it constantly when watching new programs or movies. 

I personally do toon-fests where I watch so many cartoons, especially kiddie ones like “Molang” (so cute)! And I love using Minecraft for chilling out, game wise. Just, again... watch out for games. Man, they can be a pain sometimes if you’re getting frustrated. Stick with ones that you know are relaxing or you can play on “safe mode”. Don’t try to do a complicated campaign or grab that rare trophy/achievement when you’re stressed.

Music!

Yep. Music lifts spirits. And did you know if you search Google Play they’ve got free stuff? Like, a lot of it you might not want and there are a ton of religious readings, etc (if that’s your thing, then hooray)! But often I’ve found some really nice relaxing music with wave sounds, thunderstorms, etc. Of course you can buy albums too.

Voices

The same goes for voices. They can be very soothing and help you relax. There’s a whole bunch of Play apps where anime dudes and/or chicks talk you to sleep, or say comforting things. Well, technically, they’re real people speaking but there’s images of anime guys and gals. There are all types, so look around.

You could even ask your loved one to make a recording of them speaking to you or reading poetry, etc. It’s very helpful to hear a beloved voice - no matter who it is for you -- in times of need. 

Cuddles

Pets, stuffed animals, blankets, fellow humans... hugs help sometimes. Sometimes you really don’t want to be touched, but that stuffed animal or pillow can give you just the right snuggle to lift your mood.

Free stuff!

Every once in awhile I use a throwaway email and go freebie hunting on the internet. A lot of places will give you stickers, samples, and all sorts of stuff for free. If you have a PO Box or don’t mind giving out your address, this works so well. Mail surprises are the awesomest.

[wsmith215]

Countdown of the EFL play-off finals greatest games: 10-6 | Football News

This is the weekend when the nation usually stops to watch some of the finest, most frantic and fraught matches on the English football calendar.

The play-offs rarely disappoint, and so – in their absence – Sky Sports has been speaking to many of those who helped make past games so memorable.

Here you can enjoy our countdown from 10 to six, featuring two last-minute winners, a teenage penalty-scoring hero, and another Wembley screamer.

Let’s begin…

10 – Bolton 4-3 Reading – Division One play-off final, 1995 – “You get nothing for finishing second”

Reading hold the unfortunate record of being the only team to finish second in England’s second tier and not get promoted. With the Premier League – then the Premiership – reducing from 22 teams to 20, only Middlesbrough gained automatic promotion in 1995.

That forced Reading into the play-offs and two goals in the first 12 minutes from Lee Nogan and Adrian Williams had them dreaming of back-to-back promotions and their first-ever season in the top flight. But when your luck is out, it is really out.

Bolton secured their place in the Premier League for the first time in 1995 – but Reading could count themselves more than unlucky after a superb season

The Royals should have been home and dry when Stuart Lovell stepped up to take a penalty 10 minutes before half-time, but he missed and Bolton rallied.

Owen Coyle and substitute Fabian de Freitas forced extra-time and momentum proved key, as goals from Mixu Paatelainen and a second from De Freitas turned the game on its head.

Reading’s player-manager Jimmy Quinn did his best to lead by example and pulled a goal back late on, but the damage was done. It really was not Reading’s year!

EFL Future Stars

Sky Sports assess some of the future stars of English football currently playing in the EFL.

9 – Rotherham 2-2 Leyton Orient – League One play-off final, 2014 – “I was hoping his trousers would drop below his kneecaps as he ran down the touchline” 4:46 Alex Revell and Steve Evans recount Rotherham’s play-off final victory Leyton Orient.

Alex Revell and Steve Evans recount Rotherham’s play-off final victory Leyton Orient.

This game had it all: A second-half comeback, a 30-yard Alex Revell lob against his former team, penalties and almost a flash of Steve Evans’ underpants.

So comfortable were Leyton Orient with their 2-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox, that Evans said some O’s players “thought they were already in the Championship, the way they were behaving”.

Evans fired his players up and within 10 minutes of the second half, Revell poked home to pull one back. If that was scrappy, his equaliser five minutes later certainly was not.

Rotherham celebrate their penalty shootout success over Orient in 2014 following a superb comeback inside normal time

That sent Evans sprinting down the touchline, with his belt just about preventing an embarrassing Wembley wardrobe malfunction.

“I was so hoping his trousers would drop below his kneecaps, but he just managed to drag them up in time as he ran down the touchline,” then Orient boss Russell Slade said.

Embarrassment spared, Evans and his team regained their composure to win the resulting penalty shoot-out and earn Rotherham a second successive promotion.

At home… with Championship stars

Sky Sports joins some of the biggest names in the Championship at home… including Leeds, Derby and Nottingham Forest.

8 – Charlton 2-1 Sunderland – League One play-off final, 2019 – “These Charlton players write their legend!” 1:22 Lee Bowyer recounts Charlton’s dramatic League One play-off final victory over Sunderland.

Lee Bowyer recounts Charlton’s dramatic League One play-off final victory over Sunderland.

Two play-off titans who are no strangers to each other. Twenty-one years on from their notorious 1998 meeting, they met again at Wembley, desperate for an exit from a league arguably too small for them. It was a gruelling season in England’s third-tier though, with Luton and Barnsley going up automatically.

Sunderland had been vying for automatic promotion all term following heavy investment, while Charlton won seven of their remaining eight regular-season games, setting the stage for a mouthwatering battle between the two former Premier League clubs.

The Black Cats faced their second trip to London in a matter of weeks following their agonising defeat to Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy final, played in front of a record crowd of 85,021. Anyone who has seen Sunderland Till I Die on Netflix knows exactly what happened next…

Bowyer celebrates with the Sky Bet League One play-off final trophy

“These Charlton players write their legend!” screamed Gary Weaver from the commentary box, as Patrick Bauer won the game in the 94th minute. Two famous finals, two famous wins for the south London club.

“We just kept pushing and pushing and thankfully got that goal,” boss Lee Bowyer said. “My emotions got the better of me, but the fourth official told me there was only six seconds left and I knew they wouldn’t score in that time – so we could relax!”

7 – Crystal Palace 1-0 Sheffield United – Division One play-off final, 1997 – “David Hopkin looking to curl one… Absolutely amazing!”

With half a minute to go, it was more relief than joy for Crystal Palace when captain David Hopkin sealed a 1-0 victory to beat Sheffield United and win promotion to the Premier League. “I was relieved that it wasn’t going to extra time!” the Scotsman admitted.

“I remember the ball being cleared to the edge of the box, and running towards the ball and hitting it early. It was a fantastic finish on a fantastic day, on the back of a very successful season we were having.”

It’s pure jubilation for the Crystal Palace squad as they celebrate their last-minute winner against Sheffield United in 1997

Hopkin had enjoyed a stand-out campaign in south London, also scoring a key goal in the semi-final second-leg defeat to Wolves, which helped them progress to Wembley. “I spoke to somebody at Palace, and they said ‘You have to remember you got two Player of the Year awards, you scored in the semi-final and then the final… and then you left!'”

He arrived at Leeds, who paid £3.25m for his services. But his heart still belonged to Palace, and just four years after leaving, Hopkin returned to Selhurst Park for a second stint. “It’s a fantastic club and I have fantastic memories,” he added. “It’s a club that will be with me and my family for the rest of my days.”

Championship awards of the season so far

Sky Sports pundits pick out their Players, Managers and Teams of the Season.

6 – Birmingham 1-1 Norwich – Division One play-off final, 2002 – “Steve Bruce had us replicating the walk to the spot!”

Darren Carter promoted Birmingham to the Premier League with his match-winning penalty against Norwich in 2002, writing himself into Blues folklore. The Solihull man always had his heart set on taking a spot-kick thanks to boss Steve Bruce and his meticulous planning.

After downing Millwall over two semi-final legs, fifth-placed Birmingham set up a Millennium Stadium final with sixth-placed Norwich, which went down to the wire in front of 71,597 fans. Luckily, Bruce had put extra emphasis on penalty taking in his pre-match preparations.

Reflecting on the win, and asked if he wanted to take part in the shootout, Carter said: “Yes – I always get asked that question and people are always astonished by my answer. We practiced them all the way up to the final, Steve Bruce had us replicating the walk from the halfway line.

Birmingham’s players celebrate promotion to the Premier League in 2002 following a penalty shootout victory over Norwich

“He wanted us in a routine. We were taking penalties after every training session and I always felt supremely confident. I had no nerves, even when we got to the shooutout. To this day, I have Birmingham fans coming up to me and asking if they can buy me a coffee or a drink, it’s the same for my dad!

“I love it, it’s great, it’s been 18 years since the game and people still recall their enjoyment, what they did and how they celebrated. It’s such a great memory to have and be a part of.”

*Don’t forget to tune into ‘My Play-Off Final’ on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Football from 3pm on Monday.

Super 6: Dortmund to keep heat on Bayern?

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