#congratulations to our siblings in japan!

[ceciliasxx]

—:: around the world

mv1 | instagram au

pairing: max verstappen x reader

summary: traveling around the world allows for some down time to explore the places formula 1 takes you and max, or to simply stay home in the comfort of your shared apartment with your cats.

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1 and 194, 913 others

tagged: maxverstappen1

yourusername he says dogs are his favorite animal, but don’t let him lie to you

comments have been limited

theodosia.almot jimmy and sassy continue to have supremacy

— view 2 replies

matthiassluloc still think he’s probably a dog person

— yourusername i didn’t know max had

a secret account he hides from me

— view 3 more replies

phoebe.likings context lol?

— yourusername we’re at our apartment

since max has some downtime before the

Japanese gp and he tried to tell me he is a

dog person (in front of jimmy and sassy)

— view 2 more replies

maxverstappen1

629, 148 likes

maxverstappen1 Truly amazing! Another win with the amazing execution of the team @/redbullracing ! Thank you for everything Japan, until next time 🙌

redbull 💪💪💪

tagheuer Congratulations 👏

— view 6 replies

maxvermaxstappen 3rd wdc title loading.. 🏆

— deanwint it’s coming soon !

— view 2 more replies

yourusername an amazing race as usual, max, congrats on the win! ❤️

— view 14 replies

loganaltornop another win added to the books 🥇💪

— view 2 replies

kellian_bridger 🔥🔥🔥🔥

redbullfan4lifers max verstappen 🔛🔝

— view 1 reply

peterqewnown Bravo, max!

— view 3 more replies

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1 and 274, 284 others

tagged: maxverstappen1

yourusername cat island but i try to convice max that jimmy and sassy would be better as a trio instead of a duo

rena.sowona okay but did he give you an answer at all

— yourusername he told me no 🥹

— yohani_pown drop him y/n

— view 5 more replies

matthiassluloc they’re definitely better staying as a duo

— yourusername im going to block you

— view 1 more reply

whatisadrssssss stop jimmy and sassy would be adorable with a kitten

— view 4 more replies

hannahflanyar don’t listen to him, get a third cat anyway

— view 2 more replies

porschewillow all in favor of y/n and max getting a third cat say i ✋

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen and 177, 264 others

tagged: maxverstappen1

yourusername so i may or may not have been surprised with a kitten today

comments have been limited

maxverstappen1 You forgot to add the reasoning: she threatened to kidnap a cat on the street unless I got her another cat

— yourusername don’t listen to him,

he’s lying to every single one of you

omani.bobani have you and max decided on a name yet?

— yourusername not yet, but we have

some ideas we liked

— view 2 more replies

madelinesopuln aww jimmy and sassy have a new sibling 🥹

[twinkodium]

I was tagged by @avida-heidia-5 & @jennarations 🫶🏼 I’m truly honored, thank you very much 🥺

I’m tagging @sebsdaniel @slugesh @formulahuh @norribobs @landoom @jethro-in-the-tardis @481boxboxbaby @izzief1rambles @mctwinkdom @princesspiastri @otterpiastri @someominousecho & whoever sees this and wants to participate (feel free to ignore) 🧡

1. Who or what got you into F1?

My grandpa and my dad. It was a tradition of the family that whenever my grandpa and uncle came to visit we watched f1 together after lunch. My sister and mom weren't too interested, but I somehow got so obsessed I started watching races on my own. I can't pinpoint when it happened, around 2003 or 2004 maybe. I remember following Fernando’s journey to his two titles.

2. Who was the very first F1 driver you supported? Do you support them now? Have your opinions on them differed or stayed the same since then?

Michael Schumacher. I was drawn to the rapid red car winning almost every race. Wish he was still on the grid, he'd be still my biggest favorite. Absolutely loved his passion and dedication to the sport, and what he achieved in his career.

3. Who’s your current favourite F1 driver?

My polite cat, Oscar 🥺 I have followed his career since his f3 season, watched him win both f3 and f2 in his rookie season, and got heartbroken when he ended up without a seat. Celebrated his contract with Mclaren like it was my success and I'm so proud of his achievement in his first year. Many more podiums and wins to come, mark my words.

Lando is a close second, followed by Charles, Alex and Max, rounding out my top 5.

4. Is there a driver pairing or pairings you support? What made you attracted to that pairing in the first place?

Landoscar, not just shipping-wise but also as teammates. They completely charmed me which is not a surprise considering I love both of them. Their dynamic is just so smooth, they're competitive but respectful and show support for each other. Showing up to celebrations despite having a shit race, going over to congratulate even after a disastrous Quali season. Worked so hard to bring back mclaren’s glory days and I’m fully convinced if these two can’t succeed, no one can.

I adore Lestappen too. The enemies to friends storyline will always work for me. They just work so well together, I can't explain why and how it's just perfect!

5. Do your parents, siblings or relatives have a favourite team and/or favourite driver(s)?

Don't think any of them are into f1, but we all shared the same favorites. My sister and I were big Fernando/Michael supporters in the beginning, but then Seb obviously stole our hearts. My dad supported literally everyone who beat Lewis 🫣

6. Do you have any favourite races? Are there any that stand out to you the most?

Have to say the Qatar sprint and the main race this year, also Japan 2023 and Singapore 2023. But my all-time favorite is Brazil 2016. Extremely wet race with a masterclass drive from Max.

Germany 2019, absolute chaos but such an exciting race.

7. Do you have a favourite circuit? Can be from the past or from the current calendar.

Spa, iconic with gorgeous surroundings. From the past, Sepang. Wish we had it back, such a cool one.

8. Have you ever been to an F1 race in real life? Feel free to tell us your experience going to one if you like.

Nope, I was planning to visit my home race in 2020 but we weren't allowed to go due to covid.

9. Have you ever met an F1 driver in real life?

I'd be fainting and get hospitalized if I ever met an f1 driver, especially one of my favorites.

10. Do you have a favourite F1 car? If so, what is it?

MP4-23 chrome Mclaren

&

Renault R27 with the ING livery

Don't ask why, I can't explain.

11. Do you have a favourite one win wonder?

Maldonado was a kamikaze driver with all kinds of reprimands and penalties in his active years of racing. It’s impressive he still bagged a win (legally).

12. Do you have any favourite quotes from the F1 world? This can either be inspirational or hilarious.

‘If you no longer go for a gap which exists you are no longer a racing driver’ Aryton Senna

‘Leave me alone, I know what I am doing’ Kimi Raikkonen

‘Mate, is Carlos blind or what?’ Oscar Piastri

‘I’m trying to get my first win, not my first therapy session.’ Lando Norris

‘I’ve got two balls but none of them are crystal.’ Sebastian Vettel

‘There is something loose between my legs. Apart from the obvious.’ Sebastian Vettel

All DRS tweets from Oscar, but they're from his f3 years so dunno if those count or not.

[bprpg]

CONGRATULATIONS, CATE! Your application for Deacon Wood Yamada has been accepted. We are very happy to have them here and we hope they enjoy our charming little town! Please make sure to read over our checklist and send in their account as soon as you can.

OOC information.

NAME / ALIAS:  cate

AGE: 30

PRONOUNS: she/her

TIMEZONE: est

ACTIVITY LEVEL: solid 6

TRIGGERS: all are on there

IC information.

NAME: deacon wood yamada

FACECLAIM: darren barnet

AGE: 27

BIRTH DATE: august 13, 1992

ZODIAC SIGN: leo

GENDER: cis man

PRONOUNS: he/him

OCCUPATION: paramedic & model

Other details.

HOW LONG HAS YOUR CHARACTER LIVED IN BARTON POINT?: he moved here not even a week ago after getting left at the alter in los angeles. he wanted a fresh start after his heart got broken and pointed at the map and though it was bangor first he found his way to barton point since his aunt lived there.

PERSONALITY TRAITS: + enthusiastic, helpful, playful - conceited, impatient, transparent.

3 CHARACTERS YOUR CHARACTER RELATES TO (optional): derek shepherd (grey’s anatomy), danny zuko (grease), thor odinson (mcu)

WANTED CONNECTIONS (optional): he started out as a model so maybe someone was his pr girlfriend and he gained popularity that way, he has an aunt in barton point and used to visit some summers maybe he had a fling, he doesn’t get along with everyone though he tries maybe someone he rubs the wrong way and they fight sometimes. he also could have had some online game friends, tinder or bumble matches, anything you can think of.

ANYTHING ELSE?: hospital tw. car crash tw. his dad is a famous film director and they have their differences, they never see eye to eye. his mother moved to japan to get away from him but visits time to time and his siblings are actors, also in movie business, or trying to get into the business, either way he is the black sheep of the family. he also secretively sends most of his money to his childhood friend’s family so they can take care of her (she’s an unresponsive awakefullness patient from a car crash theyboth were in with two other friends, feels guilty because he was the driver) so he lives in the motel in town. he likes to dance, play video games, hang out at the bar, and camp out every once in awhile.

[prodbyblush]

hey, blush! i know your request inbox is likely to be full but may i request hc's for nijiro murakami with noncelebrity reader in we got married japan. you can write it when you have time, no pressure! 🌻

ｎｏｗ ｌｏａｄｉｎｇ …

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ 100%

ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!

・❥・ requested

AN: the moment this entered my inbox, i immediately wanted to write it lmao someone get into my inbox as well and request a Dori ver of this!! plus i really enjoyed writing this because i used to watch wgm as a teenager too : (((((

Taglist: @ahahawowwwwww @chishiyaslosthoodie @dorizone @bangtannie7 @fruity-frutta @miniminnie27 @itsmeaudrieee @andreeasancheez @cherriruto @cmterygates @animefan7420 @loevngyuno @x-lulu @greengummyworm @valiirie @boowoomuu @aikerx @lowilaufeyson @lily-purple @fangrox @kittyoverraven

→ fem!reader

• though the wedding isn't real and only for show, it still felt like you were getting married to nijiro for real • upon receiving a letter from the producers that you would be his bride, a huge wave of excitement and happiness coursed through your veins • and so immediately the preparations for the wedding took place the following day • prior to the big day, you've never met nijiro to begin with • and it was because the producers were preventing you two from meeting each other • they only left little to subtle hints about their partners • and with the hints being given, you and nijiro were very much dying to get to know each other • and so on the day of the pre wedding photoshoot, you and nijiro finally met on set • with the cameras rolling, they caught everything from the looks on your faces to getting to know each other behind the set

How did you feel when you first met your wife?

Nijiro: From walking in and finally seeing her, it felt like a fairy tale. Does that really happen out of children's books?

How do you feel marrying alone in Japan?

Y/N: I'm far away from my friends and family and since they couldn't come due to our given situation, I couldn't invite them.

• when the wedding day arrives, it was only you, nijiro, the producer's and the cameras filming you two • but that wasn't all! nijiro especially planned something • taking out his phone before handing it to you, you were surprised to see your parents, siblings and friends in his screen

Mother: My Y/N is getting married..you look so pretty in white! I'm sorry that your father and I cannot be with you.

• it was safe to say that even nijiro is sweating buckets when he hears your mother's voice

Nijiro: Hello mother in law!

• the way nijiro greeted your mother was enough to have you and the producers laughing

Mother: Nijiro, I'm sending my congratulations to you and Y/N. I understand your feelings so please take care of Y/N preciously.

• since you're marrying in japan, of course nijiro still invited some guests • when the sun goes down, the people who arrived were: his father, kento yamazaki, aya asahina, dori sakurada and tao tsuchiya

Nijiro's Father: The first time I saw her? I've seen pictures of her, Nijiro sends me their pictures. And it seemed like she's got a nice personality and is opinionated now that I see her in person. She has a kind and innocent feeling too.

• after the wedding, you and nijiro lived in a house provided by the producers for a month and a half • though the marriage is only for show, you and nijiro experienced the domesticity of a husband and wife • decorating your home together • cooking your everyday meals together • nijiro showing you around the memorable spots of his childhood in and out of tokyo • comforting you on days wherein you don't feel okay • supporting and cheering for him when he's called to film for a drama or movie • there was never a dull day for the two of you within a month and a half of being married • but of course, all goods things come to an end • so on the last day of your marriage, the producers gave you two your final farewells • for nijiro, he took you to one of the many places he's never been to • simply because if he took you there, then it becomes a new memorable place for him • when the final farewells have been announced, you were the first to get up and leave nijiro behind • nijiro? everything happened so fast he couldn't process it yet • his mind and body were still enjoying and processing his marriage with you • he didn't mutter or say any word, just tears rolling down his cheeks • nijiro didn't take his wedding ring off, because why should he? • because the moment you walked away from him, nijiro misses you already

[proxylynn]

Underfell: File Name not Edgy Enough #27

Chapter 27: Burden

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. SO TAKE THIS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

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

[A quick recap]

My melancholy blinds me to my current surroundings. I only come out of it once a spotlight hits me.

"The hell...?"

Things look funny. No doubt it's a setup by Mettaton. But I'm unsure what this act is. I mean, it looks like a receptionist's waiting room. A desk and some random chairs.

"GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTS...!"

Mettaton zips in wearing a red suit and shoves me in a chair as he takes center stage.

"FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HERE AT MTTTV WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACK OF ME OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM. DUE TO THE LACK PREP WORK WITH MY COSTAR HERE, WE SADLY HAD TO FORGO A THRILLING ACT BACK IN LEVEL TWO INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF EXPLOSIVES!!"

I so freaking called it. I should let him have his moment...Nah!

"I thought you said that act was shit anyway?"

He extends an arm to cover my mouth.

"FORGIVE HER. SHE'S LOST A LOT OF BLOOD AND NOT ALL THERE MENTALLY."

I leer at him flatly.

"BUT...DARLING HERE IS GOING TO MAKE AMENDS WITH US ALL RIGHT NOW. IT'S TIME TO ANSWER SOME BURNING QUESTIONS."

I'm so confused as he lets go and leaps onto the desk, posing dramatically.

"IT'S TIME FOR..."

A large neon sign shaped like him drops from the ceiling.

"BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL WITH A KILLER ROBOT! THE LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOSTED BY YOURS TRULY."

Huh. Not a bad title.

"I thought you were working on a courtroom trial program?"

He scoots to now sit behind the desk.

"UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE I DO HAVE THE FUNDS, I DON'T HAVE AVAILABLE WORKERS TO MAKE SUCH A SET. SO...WE'RE DOING THIS INSTEAD."

"Heh...Must be hard to meet your expectations."

"DARLING, YOU HAVE NO IDEA."

A tense dramatic score plays.

"SO, DARLING...ARE YOU READY TO TELL ME EVERYTHING?"

Ah. I see now. Fine, Metta, have it your way. Just be careful what you wish for. You may not like it. Now don't get me wrong. I know my limits. I'm not about to tell him EVERYTHING. I'm not that stupid. But if he wants truth, he's going to get a version that's missing some characters and other junk.

"As you wish. You wanna know the truth? You want to scar the entire Underground? Sure. Why not. What else do I have to lose at this point since you exposed me? So congratulations! I hope you like the prize you've been longing to get. Because I sure as hell don't."

Let the show commence.

[Now our featured presentation]

"RIIIIGHT...ANYWAY...WHY NOT INTRODUCE YOURSELF. LET THE UNDERGROUND KNOW JUST A BIT ABOUT YOU."

I wave with a stupid grin to where I think a camera is.

"Howdy, monsters of the Underground. My name is Lynsie. Last I checked, I'm 5'8'', twenty eights years old, born November 7th, am a Scorpio, blood type A+, and enjoy long naps by the beach."

Am I introducing myself or recording a dumb dating profile video?

Mettaton whips out some cards from his desk.

"REALLY? YOU'RE THAT OLD? HUH."

"Yeah. Why?"

"YOU LOOK OLDER THAN THAT."

I sneer.

"It's the raccoon eyes. Insomnia is a hell of a slap to the face."

"THAT ASIDE...HOW ARE YOU FEELING? YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT SINCE THIS PROGRAM STARTED."

"I'm grateful to have this reprieve. It's nice to not be flung into fight after fight for a moment. I don't like fighting. I'd much rather avoid any conflict if able."

"SUCH A KIND GIRL. ARE ALL HUMANS THESE DAYS LIKE YOU?"

I eye him funny.

"WHAT?"

"Do mean 'kind' or 'stupid'? Because every monster has called me a fool for being nice."

"STUPID IS A STRONG WORD. NAIVE IS MORE LIKE IT."

I rumble lowly in my seat.

"But...To answer you properly, no. Not all humans are like me. Or...I'm not like most humans."

"OOOOH~, SUCH AN AMBIGUOUS ANSWER. FINE THEN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIKE THAT, I'LL HAVE TO BE MORE BLUNT IN MY QUESTIONS. LET'S SEE..."

He flips through some of his cards.

"OH! HERE'S ONE...HOW DID YOU COME TO FIND YOURSELF IN THE UNDERGROUND?"

Blunt? I'll give you blunt.

"Easy. I tried to kill myself."

[SNOWDIN: Skeleton House in present time]

The mood in the room sours as the human continues.

"Yep. You see, Mt. Ebott has a reputation, a legend dating back lord knows how long, that those who climb the mountain never return. This has made it a popular place to die. Not as bad as the literal 'Suicide Forest' of Japan, but it does the job okay."

Mettaton's screen blacks out.

"Don't give me that look. You wanted this. You wanted the truth. So take it. Take the blunt no holds bar truth of the matter. And you know what else? It wasn't the first time either. I can think of at least five other attempts. Each more pathetic than the last. But, if memory serves me right, I do believe my very first try was when I was still so very small. Somewhere around age six to eight. I had learned that apple seeds contain cyanide, a very toxic poison. Of course, there's not a heck of a lot in a single seed, but if you ingest a lot...well...Kid me didn't know how many were needed. Just that it was deadly. As you can see, I didn't have enough and I didn't try that form of suicide again. I don't try the same kind twice. I'm too fearful of messing things up the second time. What if it only partly works and I end up surviving? Heh...Trying to end it all only to live but in even worse condition? The irony would be such a hilarious joke. Then again, that's my life in a nutshell. One big cruel unrelenting joke."

Toriel's eyes water. She knew her child had her demons, but she knew not just how far back they spawned. Mettaton's screen relights.

"I...I WASN'T EXPECTING..."

"Yeah, no one does. No one expects me to be so dark. But what can I say? I do a damn good job hiding it."

"BUT...WHY THOUGH? WHAT WOULD MAKE A CHILD THAT BENT ON KILLING THEMSELVES?"

She takes a deep breath and lounges back in her chair.

"You ever feel guilty for something? Something you have no idea why you should feel that way for but you just do?"

She runs her hands over her face.

"I don't remember why I asked her that question. Maybe I was just morbidly curious. I knew my siblings were unexpected pregnancies. The eldest never came to be, so whether it was a boy or girl is forever unknown. My brother came about in the randomness of my mom hooking up with my dad. She married my dad because, well, she did like him but also so that he wouldn't be deported once his school visa ran out. He and his family escaped their homeland to start a new life...but did so illegally. Even on the surface, there's no true freedom. Four years into the marriage, I was born. Things only seemed to spiral from there. Dad would stay out drinking. Mom would be pissed. Bro and I would hide in my room and try to keep the fighting out. Mom gave up on him, someone else charmed her heart and would later be the father of my sister. Eight years into this world and they divorce and months later sis is born. She was unknown and with how old mom was at the time, she now suffers from spontaneous seizures."

The girl looks up in thought.

"So a few years ago, I asked mom...Was I unplanned like they were? Was I another surprise baby?"

She looks back down, her face holding a more cold expression.

"No, she told me. You were the only planned one. ...I should've stopped there. *sigh* I then asked...Why? She answered..."

Emotion leaves her.

"We had you in the hopes that you'd fix our marriage."

Silence. Dead silence.

"So much pressure. And to put that on a babe? How was I supposed to solve your problems? How is it my fault you couldn't stand each other when things got rough?! How is a kid supposed to make sure you don't start taking drugs and acquire sixteen felonies?! How is it my job to make sure you don't regret loving someone else?! How is that fair?! Why not take some fucking responsibility for once in your god damn life?!"

She becomes irate, grabbing one of the chairs and beating it into another one till both are useless before ending with a guttural roar that pains the throat in its harshness.

Toriel recalls similar words from her not long after they became close and she found her.

"Child? You're trembling. Is everything all right? Child, please. Just speak to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"I hate you! I hate all of you! You fucking pieces of shit! Why?! Why is it so hard for any of you to care?! I've been missing for days or weeks and none of you care! *sobs* Did you ever love me?! Why did you even bother having me if you don't even care that I'm gone?! *bawling* Why? Why? Someone tell me why...please..."

"I know this isn't the most pleasant of times to ask...But since we've come to know more about each other, I have been curious about something. The humans that fall down here...They tend to not fall down for the happiest of reasons. If it is not too painful...Can you share with me your reason? What made you come to a cursed mountain where none ever return from?"

"*hard sniffling* They used to care. I used to know what it was like to know others cared. I can't remember when they started to pull away. When I became invisible. I just want to know why. Was it something I did? Did I do something wrong? Did I not make them proud? I thought I did everything right. I was a good girl. *voice cracking* I'm a good girl. Aren't I?"

Even Grillby had memories of such talk pop into his head.

"You are an amazing person. You live in his cold place and open this bar to every sad face willing to cast aside their mean spirits for spirits of another kind. You put up with a lot of nonsense, a good bit came from me today, and I'm sorry about that."

"Where is all this coming from?"

"I'm not done. You have been nothing but nice to me. And doing that isn't easy in this world we live in. Since meeting you, you've shown me more kindness than I got from my own family, and this is only our second meeting. Heh, how pathetic is that? I fell into the Underground trying to die, only to end up wanting to live because of the few that showed me any decency. And for that, I give you my thanks."

"Pussycat?"

"I don't know if it was the punch or I'm just in a weird mood. I'm probably making things awkward. No one wants to hear someone ramble about lame junk when at a bar. This is a place people go to forget things. I know I've got a lot I want to forget. Like the three or four times I ran away from home but never had a plan and always had the cops take me back. Or the time I cussed out my grandma because I thought she lost my dog when it turned out my mom had dumped the pup at a shelter and told me it escaped. Or the suicide attempts..."

"Attempts?"

"Oh yeah, there was more than one. Hard to believe, but I'm a very sad person. No, that's being too nice. Depressed is more accurate. 90% of the smiles you see me do are fake. Just part of the mask I wear to hide how truly miserable I really am."

"God, I hate myself. I'm a sad pathetic mess."

Sans now gets a clearer picture of the baggage weighing on her.

"oh! and don't forget, you're making dinner. pap only let that slide because you were practically dead. so don't get any ideas thinking you can get out of it."

"Did you just really say that?!"

"the hell is your problem?"

"Did you really just insinuate she'd harm herself?"

"i dunno...maybe?"

"You can't say that kind of stuff to her!"

"why not?"

"You...You don't know how she came to the Underground, do you?"

"she told me that she fell."

"I'm not comfortable telling you this, seeing as she hasn't and I don't think it's my place, but I can't let you say idiotic things like that."

"okay, weed, you have intrigued me. if she didn't fall, then how did she get here?"

"Well...Falling is how she came to the Underground. But...She didn't fall from an accident."

"you're telling me she..."

"She fell on purpose. She...was trying to die. I don't know about her life on the surface. She doesn't tell anyone about that stuff, not even Mom. But I have been with her since the start and I can tell...Under all that toughness and pass the goofy dork innards...She's very sad deep down."

And that moment that recently happened at Grilbby's.

"enough with the act! you act all calm, with your little quips and remarks. making you look so well put together. but i know better. i know you're just as messed up as the rest of us. so why don't you get off your high horse and get out of my life!"

"You're right. This is an act. Every day, I wake up and I pretend to be this way. To play this role of the girl that never gives in and can smile through it all. I put on my mask and face this world as best that I can. But inside I'm dying. I'm being crushed by insecurities, doubt, depression, and so much negativity that I let myself fall into a pit hoping for the sweet embrace of death. I have attempted to end my life a good handful of times. Each more pathetic than the last. Even now, I'm just a few triggers shy of crumbling into a blubbering mass of tears. Yet there are few things that keep me from doing those bad things now that I'm here. And if putting on this act keeps me in, relative, ease...Then yeah. I'm gonna pretend my ass off that all is fine with me. Because I'm a fucking moron that is too afraid to open up to those closest to me and ask for help!"

Papyrus, of course, takes all this in as vital information he could use against the human. Her emotional and mental instability can be used to manipulate her. Grooming her to be more obedient to his will.

"I'm sorry."

"DAMN RIGHT YOU'RE SORRY."

"No...I mean, I'm sorry for earlier. It was wrong for me to hit you. You just...*sigh* How do I say this without sound like a dweeb?"

"JUST...SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY. DON'T ALTER YOUR WORDS. THEY LOSE IMPACT THAT WAY."

"If that's true, then don't make a big deal out of this."

"W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I am an emotional wreck and going through so much internal bullshit that it ain't funny. So know that the stupid things I'm about to say are true because this is making me feel very vulnerable and uncomfortable which I think you feel too."

By now the human was breathing heavily over the shattered remains of once recognizable objects, slowly regaining her composure. She stares at the mess for some time. Mettaton doesn't even try to do anything that could get her attention while in such a state. Eventually, she drops the bits in her hands and takes a seat in the chair she spared. Slumping in remorse and holding her face.

"I'm sorry. That...That was shameful. I'll pay you back for the damage."

"DO YOU NEED A MOMENT?"

She rubs her eyes of faint moisture.

"N-No...No. I'm fine. That...That was just a moment of venting weakness. I normally cry this crap out of my system. But...I'm so sick of crying. Yet...That felt good though. So much pent-up bullshit I don't or can't let out was just dropped like weights off my back. ...Does this count as therapy? Because this feels better than that child physiologist mom sent me to after I ran away...the first time."

"SOUND LIKE YOU DON'T CARE FOR YOUR PARENTS."

"You'd think that, but no. Don't get me wrong. I love my parents. They could've been far worse even with the flaws I've mentioned. Dad never missed work and made sure bills could be paid. Mom always made sure we could eat even if it meant she didn't and often broke the law to do so."

Her head lolls back as she lounges.

"It's easier to dwell in the negatives than the positives growing up. It can make for a bitter soul. This is just the tip of a massive iceberg, there is so much more crap hidden below. But now is neither the time nor place to dive deeper into those murky waters. I'll drown if I stay under too long. *sigh* I don't hate them for the life they brought me into. I'm just...disappointed. Disappointed by the choices they made and things they expected to get from them. Disappointed in myself for allowing all that to have so much of a hold on me. Disappointed...So very disappointed...*long drawn out groan* Could we please leave the personal questions for now?"

"VERY WELL."

He flips through the cards.

"YOU'VE BEEN IN THE UNDERGROUND FOR SOME TIME NOW. HOW HAS THAT BEEN? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A HUMAN AMONG MONSTERS?"

This gets their attention. The human knows better than to tell all. But she's so far been extremely open. They hoped she was of sound mind enough to remember to keep some secrets.

"Even after all the attempted murder...I prefer monsters to humans. Because at least once the fighting is over, things can be somewhat normal. It's like 'hey, I know I just tried to kill you, but do you wanna maybe hang out for a bit?' and then that happens. It blows my mind how there's no animosity or spite afterward. After Humans fight with each other there's no calm, no peace of it being over, hell, a war might break out if it was bad enough. You never know how bad someone feels after and if the grudge they carry will make them go to extreme measures to make them feel better. Well...Except for the Irish. Those lads can tussle and then be all chummy after like it was a bonding experience. Nice folk. Always fancied them. Heh...Kinda like Monsters. A tough outside but nice inside. Maybe that's one of the reasons they were persecuted too. ...God, my kind is trash. All it knows is hate. We even hate ourselves. And one day...That hate will be the end of us."

She moves some hair from her face. A small smile coming to her.

"Moments like this...It's nice. Brief pauses of reflection and repose. Typically I end up doing this kind of thing in my head or I talk to myself. Funny how that works, the mind I mean. It is a self-aware entity in itself that can be both you and not you at the same time yet won't confuse itself by doing so. Probably why the imagination is such vital part of it. *pause* Heh...My bad. Lost myself for a moment. Back on point...Sure, this all began with you nearly killing me and it's probably just leading up to something else. Something good or bad. Yet till that happens...This is nice."

"SPEAKING OF NICE...YOUR LV HASN'T GONE UP FROM ITS BASE LEVEL. WE'VE SEEN YOU GO INTO FIGHTS, SO IT'S NOT THAT YOU'VE AVOIDED THEM COMPLETELY."

"As I've said...I don't like fighting."

"YOU MUST BE AWARE THAT PACIFISUM IS NOT A RECOMMENDED OR AN EASY THING TO DO IN THE UNDERGROUND. IS IT HARD BEING NICE FOR YOU DOWN HERE?"

"Is it hard for a fish to swim or bird to fly? Nice is my default. I don't have it in me to be genuinely mean. I can be rude or even a bitch, but that's only if that was how I was treated first. The real hard part about it is getting others to understand this niceness is real. Some pick it up with no trouble. But others are difficult. Going so far as to think I'm trying to lull them into a false sense of safety as part of an evil human trap. Can you believe that?"

Sans eyes Papyrus who rolls his sockets at his brother, both knowing damn well she meant him.

"EVEN SO, HAS THERE BEEN A TIME WHERE YOU WANTED TO FIGHT BACK? SURELY EVEN I PROBABLY INCURRED SOME IRE FROM YOU?"

She looks at the mechanical machination with a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"Ire is a strong word. True, I'm not happy about this situation. Exposing me for ratings. One of your goons bashing me over the head. The creepy stalking behavior by watching me through cameras. The needless puzzles and fighting. All of it wasn't necessary."

"I DISAGREE. EVERY BIT WAS COMPLETELY NECESSARY."

"Bull crap."

"NOW NOW, LET ME EXPLAIN. REGARDLESS OF YOUR INTENTIONS, YOU HAVE TO AGREE THAT YOU BEING HUMAN DOES CALL FOR CERTAIN MEASURES TO BE TAKEN. HUMANS DEAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE AND MONSTERS ARE WEAK TO SUCH ATTACKS."

"I know that. Get to your point, Metta."

"MY POINT? VERY WELL. MY DATABASE CONTAINS THE COLLECTED INFORMATION WE'VE GATHERED FROM THE PREVIOUS HUMANS THAT CAME BEFORE YOU. EACH WEAKER AND WEAKER AS TIME PASSED. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE BEEN DISPLAYING STRANGE ABILITIES..."

A monitor comes down, displaying the human in her earlier distress and giving off that strange energy.

"NOT TO MENTION YOUR SOUL HAS BEEN CHANGING IT'S COLOR WITHOUT MAGIC INFLUENCE."

The monitor shows the many different colors her soul was throughout the show.

"SO, DARLING, AS YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETELY NECESSARY. EVERY LITTLE OBSTACLE ALLOWED FOR MORE OF YOUR UNKNOWNS TO BE REVEALED. HOWEVER..."

The monitor goes back up.

"I GET THE FEELING YOU'RE STILL HIDING SOMETHING."

She glares at the robot.

"I repeat, this wasn't necessary. All you needed to do was ask."

She sits up straight and focuses. Her soul emerges...it is a deep dull blue.

"I don't know everything. Seeing as this whole 'soul' thing isn't known on the surface anymore. To use now, the soul is an intangible thing. It leaves when we die and does whatever since no one truly knows what happens after death. But...I do know my soul isn't normal. Not normal from what I've learned here anyway. I possess ten traits for which my soul can become."

Shock smacks them. Even Mettaton spits oil from some port.

"T-TEN?!"

She nods.

"Ten traits. Ten colors. Nine of which are completely fine."

Her breathing falters as she concentrates harder, forcing the soul to change color to her will.

"Blue, integrity. Cyan, patience. Green, kindness. Pink, passion. Purple, perseverance. Orange, bravery. Red, determination. Yellow, justice. White, hope. ...These are my main traits. The nine that make up my core personality. Yet...There is one, the last one, that I will not show you. No matter what."

A question mark appears on Mettaton's screen. Toriel and Sans know full well which one she means.

"WON'T SHOW? HOW COME?"

"That soul is too dangerous. One that I can't control. The black soul of relentlessness."

Papyrus sockets widen. Sans wasn't making it up after all.

"IF YOU TRULY EXPECT ME TO BUY INTO THIS BLACK SOUL NONSENSE THAN YOU BETTER FIND A WAY TO PROVE TO ME THAT IT'S REAL!"

"and how do you expect me to do that? have it triggered and let her kill half the town?"

"OF COURSE NOT! SHE'D NEVER GET THAT FAR INTO SUCH A SPREE ONCE I SLAY HER."

"YOU DON'T THINK I CAN KILL HER?"

"her? sure, you'd kill her no problem. she'd probably let you do it if things got really bad. but the black soul? that's a different story all together."

"YOU TALK AS THOUGH YOU'VE SEEN THIS 'BLACK SOUL' IN ACTION."

"..."

"YOU HAVE, HAVEN'T YOU?"

"that thing isn't something you want to mess with. don't go after something you can't handle."

"YOU DARE THINK THAT PITIFUL CREATURE CAN HARM ME?!"

"no! i don't think it would harm you! i know it would kill you!"

"I have no will over that trait. It consumes me utterly. Coldly targeting anything and everything as a threat, then calculatingly eliminating victims brutally with no remorse by any means. Pain doesn't phase it. It has no fear. But I do. I fear this soul. I fear becoming that...that thing. That beast."

The robot's screen blips.

"YOU MAKE IT SOUND TERRIBLE. IF IT'S AS BAD AS YOU SAY, HOW HASN'T YOUR LV INCREASED? SURELY A MURDEROUS SOUL LIKE THAT WOULD HAVE A BODY COUNT ATTACHED TO IT?"

"I have thankfully been taken out of that state when it happens. My brother down here, the flower you may have seen me with, he's the one that saves me. I don't know how he does it as I only barely register what happens when the Black Soul is in control. But it's one of the reasons why we stay together. He doesn't want to die and I don't want to hurt anyone, so it's a good deal for us both."

"AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT TRIGGERS SUCH A STATE TO HAPPEN?"

"I'm not 100% sure but I have a theory. The worst of times. Moments when I lose all hope or can't take the pain. Mentally and/or physically. It takes over when I can't deal with things. And I guess it tries to 'solve' the problem...by getting rid of it."

Her demeanor is becoming more unsettled as she continues.

"I...I normally am unwilling to share this information. I don't like being personal with strangers. But since this is a live broadcast, and I've basically torn open a can of worms full of my emo baggage, I want this to be known. I need others to understand the danger. Because you all seem to view me as an easy kill. The dumb nice human that doesn't fight back. It'll be easy to get her soul. Hell, if it weren't for the black trait, I'd have given this thing to you guys ages ago. But it's not worth it. There's no point going to the surface, otherwise I'd be more inclined to leave and be subjected to the crap I deal with. And trust me...You don't want to know what I deal with."

Her eyes get dark and her expression serious to the point it's unnerving.

"The death that can possibly happen if the black soul activates and isn't stopped could be limitless. As the bearer of this curse, I remain here. Not because I see less harm if it triggers around monster, hell no. I trust my death to you because I have faith in monster kind being able to handle it. It's because I don't want to risk it being weaponized by humanity. Magic...REAL magic like this is gone from the surface. If it were to be discovered now...Magic will be coveted like any other valuable resource. Blood and dust will be spilled over ownership. The experiments to find a better means of harvesting it, the torture, the suffering, the endless cycle of hate feeding upon the lack of morality. I have no doubt monsters wouldn't even be seen as people. We've done it to different creeds of humanity throughout history, hell we still do it. I...I don't want that for Monsters. Part of me is saying I'm overthinking it, but I can't that optimistic side of me knowing all the fucked up shit Humans do. I don't want you guys to suffer. I don't want to cause harm. I don't want to see any more death! Please!!"

Her eyes are watering and her body trembling.

"I...I-I hate this feeling. This h-helplessness. I'm caged. I'm useless. I'm nothing on the surface. I'm a danger underground. I'm my own worst enemy and I don't know how to fight. *struggling* Why? Why didn't the fall kill me? Why can't I just die? Why am I so weak? I can't even bleed to death!"

She's a mess, weeping into her gloved hands. But Mettaton dismisses this display and keeps going.

"WEAK? YOU SELL YOURSELF SHORT. CLAWING INTO YOUR OWN BODY ISN'T A VERY WEAK THING AT ALL. COME TO THINK OF IT...IN YOUR ENCOUNTER WITH MUFFET, YOU TOLD HER WHY YOU DID IT. CARE TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEANT?"

A recording is played.

["I have just spent an ungodly amount of time trapped in that elevator over there having my soul violated by people that don't even exist anymore on this plane of reality. I have clawed my skin off to stop feeling their hands on me."]

Her face has the look of someone biting their tongue fairly hard to stay in control.

"What's to explain? I meant what I said and said what I meant."

"YOU'RE AVOIDING THE QUESTION, DARLING."

"No. You're refusing the answer."

"YOU SAID YOU'D TELL THE TRUTH!"

"I am!"

Agitation mounts.

"BULLSHIT! HOW THE HELL CAN ANYONE BELIEVE THAT?"

"I don't give a crap if you believe me or not! You weren't the one there!"

"JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

"It doesn't matter! You can't do anything about it! No one can! You can't stop people that break the laws of reality!"

Sans didn't like what he was hearing. And none of them liked that her still exposed soul was sparking with that strange energy.

"THERE ARE NO PEOPLE LIKE THAT!"

"How would you know?!"

"IF EVEN A FLY FARTS ANYWHERE IN THE UNDERGROUND, I KNOW ABOUT IT. IF ANYONE WITH ABILITIES LIKE THAT WERE HERE, THEY WOULDN'T BE UNKNOWN FOR VERY LONG."

"Did you not hear my words? They don't even exist anymore on this plane of reality! You can't find people that are outside time and space, you fucking idiot!"

"I'M THE IDIOT?! DO YOU NOT HEAR YOURSELF?! OUTSIDE TIME AND SPACE?! YOU CAN'T EVEN MAKE A CONVINCING LIE!"

"I'm not lying, you insufferable ego-maniacal narcissistic jackass!"

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!!"

"I did! Accept the fact there is shit in life you can't fathom or comprehend yet is true! Like Bigfoot, life on other planets, or stigmata! Unexplained phenomenons are the backbones of reality! Deal with it!"

"THAT'S NOT AN UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENON! THAT'S A PURE IMPROBABLE IMMPOSSIBLITY!"

"By who's rule?! Are you God?! Do you know every infallible law the universe runs on?! No! You know nothing! No one does! So stop digging for shit that isn't there before something bad happens!"

"THEN GIVE ME A REAL ANSWER!"

"Stop...Please stop!"

"DARLING..."

"I s̷ái͟d͝ s̷t̢̛o̧͘p̀͟!̵̕͜!̧"

A surge of energy bursts from her soul, the flash whites out the screen and hurts the eyes. While blinded they all can hear the garbled sounds of pain and the sudden thud of weight hitting the floor. Their sight comes back to see the human writhing on the ground and gripping her soul, teeth bared in restrained growling.

"DARLING?"

She struggles to make her body move. Just slightly getting her head off the floor.

"Th͜i͞s͠...͜T́h̴i̵s̸ ̛įs ̕y̕our ̛f́aul͝t͏..̢.̴I͜ ͟a͡ske͝d ͠y̕o͏u t̷o͜ ͜s̛top..̢.̵"

The energy courses from her soul over her form, a brighter than normal light emanates from her clutched soul. She weakly pulls herself up to be supported by her free arm and the reason for the light is made clear, a crack has marred her soul. But that is far from the worst part. Sans spots it before Toriel but she's the one that points it out.

"Oh no!"

"What's wrong?"

"The darkness!"

Indeed. Black began to appear in the human's heart. The darkness corrupting the white light and faintly leaking out of the crack. The girl feels this. Panic flashes in her eyes but she's in no condition to handle so much on top of what has already happened.

"Wh̸en̢ wil̡l҉ ̛yo͡u̶ le͘ar͜n.͞..̡Y͘ou ̴fuc̀kín͜g id̴iot.̸..W͢hén wil̡l yoų ́a̶l̢l͜ léar͘n that͏ ̵y͘our act̵i҉o͞ns ͏ha͡v̛e ͘co͡n̴seq͘uenc͘e̶s͘?͘!"

The distortion. The off tone. The malice that seeped out. Perhaps it was enough proof for the automaton to believe her earlier words. For Mettaton seems to be distracted one second and then takes it all seriously the next. One of his hands snakes under his desk and the next thing to happen is the floor beneath the human opens up, dropping her into the unknown. Glitched roaring echoes as she plummets. A sickening crash leads into dead silence.

"WELL...THAT WAS INTERESTING."

His nonchalance about the whole thing is upsetting.

"SADLY, MY CO-STAR SEEMS TO BE HAVING A BIT OF TROUBLE. NOT EVERYONE CAN HANDLE THE STRESS OF BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT, LIKE MOI."

His flamboyance is rubbing them the wrong way.

"HOWEVER, DESPITE HER TEMPER TANTRUM AND LACK OF COOPERATION, I WILL ASSURE YOU ALL SHE IS NOT DEAD. I MERELY GAVE HER THE SMALL BREAK THAT SHE CLEARLY NEEDED."

It's likely that the break involved her bones or some body part.

"BUT...I CAN GIVE YOU ALL SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO...THIS WAS THE LAST PRELEWD ACT. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE US TOGETHER, IT WILL BE FOR THE MAIN EVENT. THE FINAL BATTLE APPROACHES, MY ENCOURAGABLE VIEWERS. DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS HISTORICAL MAKE OR BREAK MOMENT."

The show shifts into a commercial break.

Toriel begins shaking. She can't deal with this much longer. Grillby does what he can to give her support, but he too has much on his mind. His pussycat unloaded a TON of things and a lot of it was incredibly concerning. Papyrus ushers his brother away from the other two as not to be overheard.

"SO...HOW LONG?"

Sans looks at him funny.

"uh...what?"

"HOW LONG WERE THE BOTH OF YOU GOING TO HIDE THIS PART OF THE SECRET FROM ME?"

"um...which part?"

"THAT POWER. SHE HAS TEN TRAITS, SANS. JUST HOW STRONG IS THAT GIRL?"

Sans scratches his skull.

"i honestly don't know, pap. i didn't even know she had that many. my main worry was always the black trait, so i never asked about others."

Papyrus folds his arms and shuts his eyes in thought.

"i swear, i ain't lying to ya."

"I KNOW YOU'RE NOT."

"then...what's wrong?"

"*HUFF* I DON'T LIKE THIS. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF THAT WEAKLING BEING POWERFUL."

His eyes open but look at nothing.

"I SHOULD'VE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS OFF THAT NIGHT...THAT PUNCH...SHE WAS HOLDING BACK SO MUCH..."

Papyrus clenches his fists into tight balls of rage.

"THAT BITCH."

"ya know she didn't want to hurt ya."

"THAT'S THE THING. SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD HURT ME. HOW WEAK DOES SHE THINK I AM? THAT'S WHAT'S PISSING ME OFF MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW."

Sans sighs. One day his brother will taste humble pie and not like it.

[HOTLAND: LAB]

Undyne finishes off her sixth bowel of ramen and looks at Alphys.

"Well...That wasn't how I thought it was going to end. Was it really necessary to tell him to drop her?"

Alphys takes a few more notes and ponders.

"Would you rather there be no main event? Besides..."

She adjusts her glasses.

"If what the human said is true, then the Black Soul being triggered in an open area would result in mass casualties. The zone in which the ending will be shot in is, for the most part, closed and under my remote control. So even in the event of something going wrong, which the odds of such are highly unlikely, then any and all threats can be dealt with in an optimum manner."

Undyne nods.

"I guess that makes sense. Still...I don't what I saw. There was real fear in the human's eyes."

"Good. She should be afraid. She should be very afraid of what's to come."

"And what's that?"

"That would be spoilers."

"Damn it. *sigh* A human soul with ten traits...Sounds tough. I wanna fight it!"

"It does raise a lot of questions. One, in particular, is on my mind."

"What's that?"

"If a human soul, deprived of magic, possesses ten traits and begins gaining magic...What will happen when it attains 100% magic?"

A cold chill runs through the captain.

[HOTLAND: SOMEWHERE ON LEVEL 3]

I am getting so sick of this crap. Why can't I just die at this point?

"*muffled* Lynsie?"

The voice and light jostling is bringing me back to consciousness. Damn it. Here I go again.

My eyes weakly open to the sight of dirt and rock. Just an inch away from losing the ability to see. Like I need a handicap in all this.

"Lynsie? Are you okay?"

Ah, Flowey. It's about time we met back up.

"*groan* H-Hey, bro. I missed you."

He smiles sadly.

"Are you okay? Can you move?"

I roll over on my back and check myself.

[HP ██████████ 10/40]

[HEARTBREAK level ONE in effect]

I figured that's what happened. No wonder the Black Soul was triggering. Thank goodness for the fall knocking my ass out or things would've gone bad fast.

"I think I'll be okay. Sore, but okay. I'm sadly getting used to falling and possible brain damage."

My answer has him pout.

"What's with the face, bro? You know I'm a tough cookie. I'll be fine."

His face gets full of concern.

"I...I heard what you told Mettaton."

Yeah, you and the rest of the Underground.

"I...I understand now why you didn't talk about your past. Why you kept to yourself. I'm sorry."

God, he's too sweet for this place. I reach over and gently stroke his petals.

"I love you, bro. You have no idea how much it means to me that you care. But don't pity me. I do that enough on my own."

I wearily sit up, shaking my head of all that baggage I brought up for the show.

"I wasn't pitying you. It's just..."

He fiddles with his leaves in a shy way but I cut his words off.

"Bro, I get it. I do. It's the same feeling like when you told me your history. Yet, let's be honest here, you're more mentally mature than me and I'm still not completely okay after getting all that off my chest. We can talk more about it later after this ordeal is over. Maybe over mom's cheesecake? Deal?"

"...You mean it?"

"Yeah. I promise."

He smiles brightly.

"Okay. I'd like that."

I pick myself up and stretch, taking a look around at where we are.

"Don't tell me he dropped me back at the start."

"Nope. This is still Level Three. In fact...I do believe MTT Resort is just past this place."

"...For real? Is it a safe space?"

"Yep. There are shops and rooms to rest."

I hear a heavenly choir sing in my head.

"Finally! The universe throws me a decent bone!"

I regret saying that the moment it leaves my mouth. Flowey looks at me funny.

"Don't take that out of context, you know what I meant."

"I don't know. You and Smiley Trashbag are eerily close."

My eye twitches. Things I wish Gaster didn't show me try to pop into my head.

"Are you okay? You look like you're about to puke."

"Never insinuate something like that ever again."

He shakes his head at me. I try to change the subject before I have a heart attack on camera.

"So...Are you able to follow me to the resort? I'm sick of being separated."

"There's ground outside of it and parts I can reach beyond it, but the resort itself I can't get in without some sort of aid like a pot. Cement and tile flooring is a pain to break into."

"Damn, bro, you hella strong."

There's a deactivated reversed conveyor belt that's attached to the artificial platforms.

"Is it safe to cross? It's kinda giving me 'trap' vibes."

"You should be fine. This is normally the part where the colored tiles would be used again, but you know, stuff changed. It's probably off."

"Ah. Gotcha. I guess...See ya soon?"

"You bet."

He ducks into the ground so I take it as my time to leave this pit. The entire time I feel on edge. With my luck, the trap will turn on and I get screwed. Thankfully nothing happens apart from some jets of flame randomly going off in the distance and making me jump like a wuss. At least it got me to the stairs quicker.

After a quite the climb, I reach the top perturbed yet undaunted as a four-way crossroads greets me, though the two paths on the sides are blocked. More Royal Guards, a cat to the left and some kind of insect on the right, both in that imposing armor.

"Well if it isn't my best customer..."

The Ice Scream rabbit pops up from behind the cart I wasn't paying attention to.

"Fancy seeing you again."

As odd as seeing him here is, he's a familiar face that is a sight for my sore eyes. I approach.

"Hey, guy, what's up? Haven't been seeing you much in Snowdin Forest for a bit."

He leans on the cart like a cool guy.

"Yeah...Been moving around seeing if I can make mad gold somewhere where the weather isn't the same temp as my product."

"Any luck?"

"Waterfall wasn't so bad. Even started a new program with rewards cards. Turn in a card with ten punches and get a free doubling of your next order. Speaking of which..."

He reaches into his pants pocket and hands me a punch card. Some holes have already been made.

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had the funds to get this far. So...Instead of starting your card full, I may have added your previous buys. Can't say I haven't gotten better at my wonderful salesmanship."

I can't help but smile. He's come a long way. I'm proud of him.

"Well then, wonderful salesman, I'd like to add some more holes please."

"Heh...sure. But I'm warning you, prices have gone up. 25G. Got to charge more here 'cause of the heat."

"Understood, my dude. Um...Just curious...Got fudge pops? Kinda have this hankering for something chocolate."

He shakes his head.

"Sold out. The Royal Guards bought those like crazy."

"Damn. Oh well. One blue, orange, grape, and blood. All bisicles."

He fills my order and I pay the 100G.

"Here you go. All five ready to enjoy."

I look at him funny.

"Five?"

"Yep. Five. I definitely didn't toss in a strawberry one because of customer loyalty. Nope. Didn't do it."

Must...resist...the urge...to HUG!!

"...Thank you. That...That means a lot."

He gives me a wink and I practically skip away up another set of stairs. I place the treats in my inventory for now. I know not what crap will happen from here, so healing items are a big help.

I am met by a large complex. Redbrick that's been tagged with graffiti, yellow-tinted windows with some broken, a gold MTT sign with two Mettaton images with devil horns, a black & white checkered awning over the door, two large plant potters that have dry withered flower remnants, and a blood-red or just stained that way rug embroidered with gold MTTs.

"Classy."

I'm about to head inside when something hits my leg. A paper airplane? I inspect it to find it's a note.

[Hey! Go up the creepy alleyway on the right for some great deals!]

"...I'm gonna get mugged, aren't I?"

It's against my better judgment, but this is a neutral zone, so I should be okay. I wearily creep around, following spray-painted arrows, to end up finding two girls gossiping among garbage. They notice me and straighten up.

"Hey! Check it out!"

"Yeah! Check it out!"

"So, like, what's up? I'm Bratty, and this is my best friend, Catty."

"I'm Catty, and this is my best friend, Bratty."

Oh no...More valley speak!?! Why is that a thing down here?!

Bratty is a tall, green alligator or crocodile monster that wears a primarily black shawl with yellow and red details on the sides. She has yellow hair that flows into curls and red lipstick.

Catty is a plump purple cat creature who wears a set of black overalls with yellow buttons and tufts of red fur with yellow highlighted tips coming out from under it on either side. She has black hair with a red streak in it and a yellow earring on her left ear.

"Uh...Hi? So...This is a shop?"

"Like, the best shop!"

"You should buy ALL our stuff!"

Catty gets this blanket out and opens it out to show me their items. They don't have much, just four things, but I can't turn away from these items.

[25G - Junk Food - Has a big bite out of it]

[350G - Rusty Revolver - Bullets NOT included]

[350G - Tattered Western Hat - ATTACK up when worn]

[600G - Mystery Key - Probably to someone's house LOL]

A gun...How the fuck is that here?

"Oooh! I know that look!"

"That's the look of some wanting something!"

"Bratty! We're gonna be rich!"

"Where did you find this stuff?"

"I mean, like, where does anyone get guns, or food, or..."

"We found it in the garbage!"

I so called it.

"It's GOOD garbage."

"It's like, really good garbage."

"Where do you get the garbage?"

"Like, the garbage store, duh!!! ...Waterfall mostly."

"I found a gun in a dumpster!"

I check my gold...I don't have anywhere close to 1,300G for their garbage.

"Um...Maybe we could work out some sort of arrangement?"

They glare.

"That's poor talk."

"You need WAY more money."

What I need is to get that stuff away from them. That stuff is bad enough with humans, I don't want monsters messing with crap like guns.

"Ladies, I'm sure there's something we can do. Shops run on trade. This is just a trade of a different kind. I can't give you the gold, but I can get you other things. There's gotta something you'd both want that I can fetch for you in exchange?"

They mull it over.

"Thanks, but we, like, don't really need anything."

"Oh my god, can you go get us some Dazzleburgers?"

"We don't. Really need. Anything."

"Wait! I'll pay you 1000G if you get Mettaton to autograph my butt!"

Catty seems to be the easier one here. Maybe I can work with this.

"While I do know the guy, I'm not sure I can get Metta to sign your butt."

"Damn."

"Wait...You know Mettaton?!"

Their eyes sparkle.

"...Yes?"

They squeal with fanatical glee.

"Oh my God. Mettaton."

"Oh my GOD, METTATON."

"He's like...My robot husband."

"Actually he's like...MY robot husband."

"I think we're like...both going to marry him."

"We're both like, ALREADY married to him. He just, like, doesn't know it yet."

They're insane.

"Okay...Can I ask what's a Razzburger? I could try to get that."

Their eyes widen in shock.

"You don't know what a Dazzleburger is?"

"Do you, like, live under a rock?"

Don't we all do since this is a mountain?

"Dazzleburgers are epic!"

"They're only sold in the resort."

Interesting.

"Inside huh? Let me guess...Very pricey."

Bratty nods.

"The stuff inside, is like..."

"TOTALLY wicked expensive."

"But, like, this stuff we found is like..."

"TOTALLY wicked cheap."

"You should..."

"Like..."

"TOTALLY wicked buy all of it?"

"Cheap? You're selling a random key for 600G!"

They giggle at me and I sigh. Bitches, man...bitches.

"So where inside am I gettin' them?"

"The MTT-Brand Burger Emporium."

"You have to get them from Bugerpants."

That name...That name brings back memories...as well as sore spots. Douche-cat...

"Burgerpants."

"Yeah, that guy from the store. Yuck, what a creep."

"Yeah! He's a creep! But he's kind of cute, too..."

"C'mon Catty, don't you have ANY standards?"

"Nope!!!"

...You need standers, Catty.

"Yeah, I met him. Not so much a creep but he is a massive prick."

"OK, like, the annoying thing is..."

"He'd be OK if he just treated us with some respect."

"But he just acts..."

"Really weird."

"And then acts like it's OUR fault he acts that way!"

"Like, when we asked him to get those Dazzleburgers..."

"He dropped them and ran away before we could even say anything!"

"We were, like, going to share them."

"Really? I wasn't."

"Catty!"

This zone is full of awful people.

"One last thing...How many you want?"

Catty waves her paws.

"So many! Enough to fill a dumpster!"

"The mega value pack should cover us."

I give Bratty a thumbs up and leave their shady establishment. Now I enter the main building and this time I'm greeted by someone for once. It's either very diamond-like or very origami-like, but above all, it's a tiny monster.

"Welcome to MTT Resort - Hotland's biggest apartment-building-turned-hotel! Whether you're here for a night or still live here, MTT Resort prides itself on a great stay! Just passing through...? Nice! MTT Resort prides itself on being passed through!"

"Interesting business model. Does it work?"

"Oh, indeed it does, human."

"You know what I am?"

"Oh yes! The staff has been informed of your coming and instructed on how to handle you upon arrival."

Oh god, what now?

"Over on your left, we have a dine-in restaurant complete with a stage which hosts a wide cast of live acts. Either comedy done by locals or Mettaton entertains when he isn't too busy."

"Neat."

"If you're feeling like you hate yourself, behind me is the MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Dazzleburger!"

Well, they know how fast food works.

"All further questions can be taken to my coworker behind the desk."

I scratch my head and shrug.

"Thanks."

I walk away and head for the other receptionist. It's not a bad-looking lobby at least. Red & yellow checkered tiles and the rug from outside continues forward into parts unknown. The obnoxious fountain of Mettaton is gaudy though. I reach the desk and the monster behind it is a weird one. It's blue and its head is a hand with very well manicured red nails.

"Yes, we know. The elevator music volume is super loud and the song is stuck on a three-second loop. We are working on it. Because of this incident, rooms are running at a special rate! 200G a room. Interested?"

Someone sounds grumpy.

"No thank you. I was told to come to you. I'm the human if that helps."

Their head fingers extend in alert.

"Oh! Sorry. I was instructed to inform you on where to go next."

"That would be helpful, yes."

It motions to where the rug is heading.

"If you follow the rug there, you'll be lead out back to the entrance of the CORE. Mettaton will be waiting for you at the top."

"Could I use the elevator instead? All this travel is exhausting."

"No can do. The elevator leads to the Capital and main residence of our people. You're not allowed to go there."

"Oh...That's fine. I didn't want to go there. Just trying to take shortcuts if able."

"*ahem* If you require a small rest, might I suggest renting a room?"

"I don't the gold, sorry."

"That's fine. Mettaton has pre-paid a room for you. One time only."

I'm stunned. Damn him! Why does he confuse me so much?! I want to like and hate him at the same time!

"Um...In that case, sure. Where are rooms?"

They motion again.

"Down the hall to the right."

I wait for them to give me a key or card but nothing is there except awkwardness.

"Is there a problem?"

"No...not really. But...uh...Isn't this the part you give me a room key?"

"What? Room...Key? No, we don't do that. If you leave your room, you'll have to pay again."

So if I enter I can't leave or else I'll have to pay? That's insane!

"On second thought, maybe later."

"Shame. Do let us know if you change your mind. Have a sparkular day!"

I'm getting the feeling they're being nice because they were told to be. Otherwise, I doubt I'd be given such a warm welcome. Oh well. Time to pay a certain someone a visit.

I stroll up to the emporium and find myself paused. I can go about this in many ways. The different choices and outcomes play out in my head super fast. After a few, I settle on something...something that'll leave an impression. I push the doors open. A digital bell sounds. I look at what appears to be a sadder version of McDonald's. And like a mindless corporate drone, he speaks while moping the floor before seeing "who" just walked in.

"Welcome to MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Dazzleburger. Sparkle up your day (TM)."

He begins to turn around.

"What can I do to..."

His eyes widen seeing me, grinning sadistically at him like a lunatic.

"Uh...help?"

This hurts my throat to do, but it really sells this whole thing. I deepen my voice to imitate Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget and just laugh. He is unnerved to say the least.

"*menacing* No one will help you."

"H-Hey now...Don't think of doing anything funny."

I walk up to him and he backs away slowly before leaping behind the counter.

"Stay back! You can't hurt anyone in shops!"

I keep the deep voice.

"*menacing* Hurt you? Foolish boy...Why would I do that? It's not like you put a cigarette out on my wrist and bashed my head with a bat!"

That last part was done a bit too harsh and I end coughing. All seriousness leaves.

"*coughs* Nah, man...*normal* I ain't gonna do anything. For reals. I was just messing with ya."

He eyes me funny.

"Riiiiiight...What do you want then?"

"Preferably, my phone."

He flinches, his eyes looking quickly down then darting back up.

"I..."

"Metta doesn't have to know."

"What do you mean he won't know?! He knows everything that goes on here!"

"Look, you either give me my phone, or I'm gonna go back there and take it."

"You're not seri..."

My dead stare shuts him up. He seems to freeze up now. I sneer and put my hand out. He looks at my hand and then starts sweating. I'm beginning to lose my patience.

"You have five seconds."

His fur stands on end and he suddenly slams his face on the countertop, giving himself a bloody nose.

"Sorry, (Ha ha) it's against the rules to talk to customers who haven't bought anything. And talking with you this long has put me in serious shit. If you want this 'exchange' to continue, you're going to make a purchase."

I'm not happy.

"...What do you have?"

[60G - Sorebet - Very popular food.]

[120G - Dazzleburger - Very popular food.]

[300G - Mythical Villain - Anti-Hero Sandwich. ATTACK UP in battle.]

[500G - Biltong Slab designed to look like Mettaton - Don't ask. Please.]

I huff through my nose and shell out the 60G.

"That Sorebet better come with my phone."

"Yeah yeah. Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Fuck you. I wear boxers."

He eyes me with a blush before heading into the back. Might as well chat him up while I can.

"So...Do you know the chicks behind the building?"

"Huh? Oh...Them. Yeah, I know them. What of it?"

"They were talking about you."

"The girls were...Talking about me...?"

Hooked him.

"They mentioned you threw burgers at them and ran."

"Bullshit! That is not what happened."

He comes back to the counter with a glass of frozen dessert and my phone.

"Care to enlighten me?"

He sighs and lights a cigarette. I wonder if he can do that while on shift?

"Never interact with attractive people. Unless you're 'one of them', they're just gonna take advantage of you. Those two chicks asked me to sneak them some Dazzleburgers. And I, the naive teenager that I was, said yes to them. Bad idea."

"What happened?"

He takes a dag and lifts the collar of his uniform shirt open, blowing the smoke in there.

"Does that really keep the smoke from spreading?"

"It's worked so far. *puff* So I went out to the alley to see those two ladies, and uh...you know, see what'd happen next."

"Like...Naughty stuff?"

"...Maybe."

"Nice."

He blushes.

"Anyway...Then my boss comes out of nowhere, sees me, and demands to know what I was doing. I was so startled, the hamburgers in my pockets tumbled out onto the ground. Not wanting to lose face to the girls, I scrambled to pick them up! But, as I was bending down, the weight of the remaining hamburgers...*puff*...caused my pants to fall down."

He expected me to mock him. But I can't feel anything more than pity for the guy. This surprises him and he continues his story.

"Then the girls laughed at me. Everyone calls me Burgerpants now. It's gotten to the point I can't remember my name half of the time. It's even on my name tag for fuck's sake!"

Poor douche cat.

"I think you're the first to not laugh at me or that story."

"Why would I laugh? That's...That's messed up, man."

He takes another drag.

"You know something...I misjudged you, human. I know it ain't much, but, I'm sorry for being an ass."

I rub the back of my head.

"I'll be honest, guy...Since the bar thing, I've seen you only as a prick. The idea of you having hard times and lashing out didn't cross my mind at all. That's my bad right there. Sorry on my part for being a bitch."

He smirks.

"So...You're really not going to tell Mettaton about this?"

He hands me my phone.

"Dude, this stays between us. Besides, he's kinda been pissing me off lately."

"Yeah, he does that."

He takes a deep drag before putting the cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe.

"Can I give you some advice? I'm getting on in years, so take it from me...You've still got time. Don't live like me. I'm 19 years old and I've already wasted my entire life. I'll probably be trapped at this stupid job forever. But wait! There's one thing that keeps me going! If ASGORE gets just one more SOUL, we'll finally get to go to the surface! It'll be a brand new world! There's gotta be a second chance out there for me! For everyone!"

"Maybe. So, what did you want to do before this?"

"Oh...I wanted to be an ACTOR."

"Neat."

"When I first came to Hotland, it was my dream to work with Mettaton. Well, be careful what you wish for! God, look what that idiot has done here. This place is a labyrinth of bad choices. And every time we try to change something for the better, he vetoes it and says that's not how they do it on the surface. Oh! Right! Humans are always eating hamburgers made of RHINESTONES AND GLITTER."

"...I can assure you we don't eat that. Eating that would be very bad for our health. Maybe even fatal. Monsters don't really eat that...Do they?"

His eyes shift and I facepalm.

"And you guys think I'm gonna hurt ya?"

"You should probably get going. The boss will get his gears in a bunch if you take too long getting to the CORE."

"Fine."

I put the Sorebet in my inventory and remember my awkward side-quest.

"Oh! Before I bounce, can you help me with something?"

He tilts his head.

"What?"

"The chicks, Bratty and Catty, they have items I want but don't have the crazy amount of gold. They say they'll trade for a mega value pack. Any way you might be able to help make this trade happen?"

He sighs.

"Really? Do you know how much that is?"

"1300G close? Because that's how much I need."

"...What kind of shit are they selling that's worth that much?!"

I goofily shrug. He groans and rubs his face.

"I can't just give you that much for free."

"Catty thinks your cute."

"...For real?"

I nod. He fidgets, fingers tip-tapping and pitter-pattering.

"Okay, I'll tell you what...You score me a hook up with her and I'll give you the burgers."

Damn you rule of three in side-quests!

"Argh...I guess I can try. It won't be the weirdest thing I do today but it is on the list though."

His eyes light up with excitement. I can't mess this up now. How often does he actually smile like this?

"Thank you! *ahem* I mean...Cool."

I slink out of the emporium and head for the exit.

"Um, excuse me, human...The CORE is the other way."

I groan.

"I know. I'll be back."

Exit building, go into the creepy alley, and meet the girls again.

"Look who's back."

"Do you have the Dazzleburgers?"

I show my empty hands.

"Ha! I knew she'd blow it."

"Sucks to be you!"

"Hold up. He'll give me the goods. But..."

"But...?"

"Catty...Do you really think he's cute? 'Cause he thinks you're hot."

Catty's face flushes. Bratty rolls her eyes.

"For reals? He wants a date?"

"A date? A hangout? A simple meeting while he's working? I don't know. For all I know she can walk in, say hi, and that's it. All I need is confirmation and you get all those shiny burgers."

"Yes!"

"Catty...?"

"What a deal! A cute guy and free food! It's the score of a lifetime!"

"Catty, he's a loser. You hang out with him once, then he wants to hang out... All. The. Time."

"But don't you feel bad for him, Bratty? Poor Burgerpants...Think about how cool we are compared to him!!! We'd be saving his LIFE with our awesomeness!! His LIFE, Bratty!!"

"Uh, so?"

"Think of all the Dazzleburgers he could get for us!!"

And just like that, I feel like shit for doing this.

"...So is he free after work?"

"*huff* I'll be back...again."

Leave the alley, enter the building, meet up with Burgerpants.

"I don't like the look you have there. Did she say no?"

I can't lie to this guy.

"Dude, I'm really uncomfortable with this."

"What's wrong?"

"She said yes. But..."

"She said YES?!"

"I mean, she agreed, but please listen..."

"Ha! Ahahaha!! Yes!!! You've brought a tear to the eye of this old man."

I feel so bad.

"Dude, please...I'm, like, 100% sure she's gonna use you for free food and maybe gold."

"...So?"

I'm taken back.

"Look, you don't think I didn't think of that? I know she's probably going to use me. Everyone does. If it's for the food, I don't care. That's just another way I can stick it to my boss. Speaking of..."

He plops this cardboard case down on the counter.

"A deal's a deal. The mega value pack for the girl."

...Okay, they're made for each other. Everyone here is trash!

"So, uh, what time did she say she wanted to hang out?"

I hate everything about this!!

"I'll be back again."

Take food, leave, exit, alley. At this point, I nearly shove the shit at them.

"Oh my God!"

"Is that the mega value pack Dazzleburgers?"

"OH MY GOD!!! GIMME!!!"

"God, Catty. Try to have some self-control."

"Sorry..."

"'Cause they OBVIOUSLY brought the Dazzleburgers for ME."

"NO WAYYY!!!!!"

I point to the items.

"Trade. Now."

Bratty puts the key and gun into the hat before handing it over to me.

"Thank you."

I put the key in my inventory and equip the other two.

[You equipped the Tattered Western Hat]

[You gain 12 Defense and 5 Attack]

[This battle-worn hat makes you want to crew on straw for some reason. It also raises attack by 5.]

[You equipped the Rusty Revolver]

[You gain 12 Attack]

[An super old gun. It has no ammo. Must be used precisely, or damage will be low. Duh.]

[HP: 40 ATK: 62 DEF: 50]

I am becoming OP!!

"Oh! Give burger-boy this!"

Catty hands me a scrap of paper with her number.

"Fine. I'm just glad this is done."

Back to Burgerpants. I slap the paper down.

"Here's her number. I hope you don't regret this."

His face contorts in a weird way...Is he...Happy?

Sweet! I need to pick a spicy outfit for my little shindig later. Though, now that I think about it, I had to throw away all of my clothes to make room for the outfits Mettaton gave me."

"...What?"

"Don't take it the wrong way. They're just all these...Weird getups. 'Promotional' costumes. For 'holidays'. Or 'specials'. Or 'because he felt like it'. The thing IS though! Most of the time I'm the only employee who has to wear this stuff! Sometimes he even calls me into his office just to...Make me put something on...Then he laughs and lets me go back to work as normal."

My pity meter is breaking.

"Anyways, I won't sweat it. I'll take it casual. NEVER let hot people think you care. That's how they GET you."

And the pity meter dropped dead.

"Good luck with that."

I leave on that note. Fuck this resort. Fuck this quest plot. Fuck this whole damn thing!

Wanting this shit show to be over and done with, I do as instructed by following the rug's path out some doors that have a giant sign above that says "CORE". Lazy-ass designers, I swear.

Weirdly this leads to a balcony. A balcony that has been opened and a walkway built that connects to the massive facility. The light from the resort barely shows half of the path as the CORE itself surprisingly gives off the faintest glow. The CORE is an entirely mechanical complex that is largely black and yellow with red accents. The blah colors aside, what gets my attention are the two monsters that were minding the entrance that slip inside when I show up. I don't like this.

"Flowey, you better be able to get here. I have a bad feeling about this."

Approaching shows more of this crazy thing. The CORE appears to be the most industrial and modern region of the Underground. Ozone, a byproduct of electrical power, is omnipresent below the floor level of the CORE. This could mean the CORE might be made of stainless steel, titanium, or platinum; as ozone is highly corrosive to most organic materials. If this is the case, they could use this stuff. The CORE could be a source of ozonated water, which cleans clothes, sanitizes food, and purifies drinking water. This also implies this might be the greatest source of oxygen in the Underground as ozone simply decomposes into oxygen at high concentrations and temperatures. The only hazard I can think of is that oxygen is a shitty thing to breathe. Breathing pure oxygen at high pressures can cause nausea, dizziness, muscle twitching, vision loss, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Breathing pure oxygen for a long time can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/or shortness of breath. Higher exposure may cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs and subsequent death. Guess how much more O2 is needed to do this to a person? 20% more. God, Humans are so freaking weak. I'll need to be careful here.

The lobby of the CORE has an elevator to the north and two paths to the left and right. Not a bad looking place, very lavishly decorated, the floors are engraved with intricate patterns and multicolored neon tubes serve as wall ornaments and embellishments. I check the elevator, which is disabled, I'm not shocked at this point. Not much else to do, I go to the path on the right, which turns out to be a small room with a square platform overlooking a pit of fire. Not bad. I do enjoy looking at fire. It's pretty. Moving on! Going through the left path leads to a rectangular stretch of wall-less hallway with a doorway at the end.

"Hmmm...My bullshit senses are tingling. I'm willing to bet a random encounter/ambush is about to happen."

As if cued by my words, something cracks the back of my head and then hits my gut as I turn.

"*wheeze* Called it..."

My attacker appears and my dull cracked purple soul is forced out to play.

[Madjick pops out of its hat!]

Madjick has a typical appearance of a wizard. It wears a curved wizard hat, a pair of boots, and two rotating orbs emitting cross-shaped particles. Madjick has a sly smile on its face, but a pair of bright eyes are hidden just under its hat.

[FIGHT]

[ACT]

[̴͝SP͜͞E͡L̵͜L͟͠͏]͘͢

[ITEM]

[MERCY]

I wonder if SPELL will work on this thing? ...N-No. No. Can't chance it. Stick to normal tactics.

[ACT selected.]

[New options available.]

[CHECK]

[TALK]

[STARE]

[CLEAR MIND]

...The fuck kind of options are these?!

[CHECK selected.]

[MADJICK – HP: 190 ATK: 29 DEF: 24 – This enemy can only speak in magic words.]

Finally! My states aren't shit compared to my attacker. Also, only speaks in magic words is the most fucking adorable thing I've ever heard.

"Abra cadabra."

An orb spawns off to my left and rapid-fires crosses at me. I dodge and the orb tries to cut me off by going where I'm headed. It fires about eight times and moving around is not so great.

[HP ████████████████ 16/40]

Thank goodness my defense got increased during all this crap. I could've been really messed up.

[Madjick flaunts its orbs in a menacing manner.]

It snickers.

"A smug one. I like that."

[TALK selected.]

"You know...I can do magic too."

It looks at me intrigued.

"Yep. I can make your smile disappear."

It pauses before sneering at me.

"See? I made it vanish before your very eyes!"

It didn't seem to like my humor.

"Hocus pocus."

[Madjick begins chattering to itself. Its gibberish dizzies you...Your DEFENSE drops by 1.]

My head feels fuzzy. Did it just jinx me? Are there more types of magic than what I've been told?

One of the orbs begins to chase me while deploying harmful but immobile crosses. Yet due to the jinx, my sense of direction is ass-backward. Left is right and right is left. Up is down and down is up. However...much to Madjick's dismay...I'm used to being incredibly dizzy. My childhood was filled with countless hours of boredom appeased by spinning around till I couldn't see straight.

[HP ████████████████████ 20/40]

Ha ha...Suck on those magic balls, wizard-boy!

"*slur* Is that what you call magic? Boo! Disappointed!"

[Madjick whispers arcane swear words.]

"*slur* Oh...Someone needs to put some gold in the swear jar. I'm gonna tattle!"

It growls.

"Eh eh eh. It's not your turn."

I slap my face a few times.

[CLEAR MIND selected.]

"I wonder where Flowey is?"

[You think of pollen and sunshine. Your confusion abates. Your DEFENSE increased by 2.]

"...What?"

"Alakazam!!"

It tries to surprise me with that following orb trick. But now that I know that move it's not so bad.

[HP ██████████████████████████ 26/40]

Huh? Am I auto-healing faster? Sweet! Surely that only means good things for me.

[Madjick peers at you with strange eyes.]

"What? You scared? My sick moves and auto-healing too much for you? No worries, wizard-dude, we cool. I got you."

The hell did I just say? Am I magic high? Fuck it.

[MERCY selected.]

[New options available.]

[FLEE]

[SPARE]

[SPARE selected.]

It looks at me funny. Then it looks at my HP.

[HP ████████████████████████████████ 32/40]

It flinches.

"Please and thank you."

Madjick accepts my act of mercy.

[YOU WON!]

[You earned 0 XP and 120 gold.]

The fight ends, my soul returns to my body and I give my opponent claps of approval.

"Good show, buddy. Keep up the good work."

It seems confused but nods, hovering away behind me towards the exit.

"Well...That was weird."

My head still feels odd. Nothing a few brain sloshing shakes of the old noggin won't fix. Anyway, no time to question strange feelings or whatever. I gotta get through this so I can get back to Toriel. Onwards I go.

Continuing forward, I enter a room with a bridge that is cut off by a tesla coil. Wow. Hadn't seen that in a long ass time. How much do I wanna bet there's a convenient off switch nearby. Oh, look! A super obvious switch right there on the wall. Who could've ever had guessed! I flip the switch and lasers fire at me! First blue, then blue again, and orange. Thankfully they're slow, so once I triggered the first blue laser I easily hit the deck to avoid the others that pass by.

"Setting booby traps on top of other traps now. Geez, Metta, I'm starting to think you don't like me very much. Well, that's fine. I don't like me either! So come at me already and quit this pussy bullshit!"

Calm down. No need to get riled up. Get through this and go home. Then I can just stuff my face with Nanny's awesome cheesecake and pass out happy. I march on, doing my best not to look down or notice how some of the walls and floors are chipped away. Now I'm paranoid about if any other laser that turns up is functional or decorative.

The path leads into a crossroads with a path to my left and a path straight ahead. My bullshit sense is tingling when I look at the left path. Straight ahead it is.

This room contains a bridge with many blue and orange lasers followed by a massive wall of blue lasers.

"Nope. Just nope. Screw the rules! I have plot armor importance and common sense!"

Fuck this outfit. Fuck this shit! I have lost all my fucks! I get down on the floor and combat crawl the long as fuck cold metal catwalk.

"*muttering* Stupid bullshit. Why do I have to be nice? If I wasn't nice, I wouldn't have to put up with shit like this. Bitches don't end up in laser catwalk traps. But no...I have to be a decent person. *getting louder* I have to be a good girl. I have to not give in to the overwhelming urge to punch assholes for being assholes because that's wrong for dumb reasons! *shouting* Why am I pissing myself off?! This is extremely counterproductive given my current situation! Fuck!!"

I blame all this on Mettaton. That's a healthy way to look at it. Probably not. But I'm not a mental health doctor! The fuck do I know?! After crossing the bridge, I storm grumpily along another walkway only to reach something called "Core Branch".

Turns out the "Core Branch" is a four-way intersection. Fan-fucking-tastic. Man, my mood is fucking sour. Maybe the digital sign can be useful and give me directions.

[North, the warrior's path. West, the sage's path. Any path leads to The End.]

"*growling* This is so...FUCKING STUPID!!"

Nope. Not falling for anymore of this. I choose neither side and go straight. This middle path of the "Core Branch" has me entering a vertical room with a right path leading to the eastern portion of the "Core Branch". There's nothing to my left. It just drops into the ozone, so it's certain death. I'm so sure this place followed all safety measures. There is a sign on the wall that is telling me to "Get lost...And stay that way".

"Wha...Why have signs telling me to leave when you told me to come here?! Stupid metal moron giving me dumb mixed messages."

I hate everything. No monster better encounter me while I'm in this mood. I take out a gold piece and flip it. Heads for straight and tails for the right. It lands on tails so right I go. This has to be the stupidest designed building ever! What the hell was Gaster thinking?! Was he on the drugs? Because this seems like he was on the drugs! 'Cause now I'm at another four-way crossroads. Only now I have two digital signs.

[To the East! This is The End.]

[I cannot fight. I cannot think. But, with patience, I will make my way through.]

A third, and hopefully final, tesla coil blocks what has been established as the exit. This means there's a switch somewhere. F that shit. Know what? You know what'll piss everyone off? I'm gonna do what that sign said. I'm going to be patient. Because if I know Mettaton, and I know massive egos very well, he won't want boring content to be televised and eventually spice things up. I plop my edgy tush under the sign and...wait. Using this time to chill. Let this negativity go and...

*Clank-clank-clank*

Oh hell no!

A large monster ominously approaches. Knight Knight is a monster that wields a great staff with a sun symbol in her right hand. She wears a suit of black armor and what resembles a horned helmet with a crescent moon emblazoned on her forehead. The helmet's eyepiece occasionally widens and un-widens as if it is her mouth. Her torso is dominated by a dragon face whose beak occasionally opens and closes, revealing a small eye. It is unclear whether which face is the true face.

"Let me guess...You're here to make me move?"

"Yes."

"No."

She's confused.

"...No?"

"Did I stutter? I'm not moving."

She readies her spear.

"Then prepare for..."

"Let me stop you right there. I get that you're doing your job and following the law, and blah blah blee bloo, whatever. I have been through one of THE worst days in my life. My mind, soul, and charitable goodwill have been pushed to limits that are very VERY thin now. I am in no mood to deal with any more crap. So I'm going to say this once because I ain't fighting you or moving from this spot till this electrical blockaded is gone...Turn around and go home."

She doesn't take me seriously and laughs.

"Heh heh...You have no power to give me orders, human."

She takes a step closer and I snap.

"I͏͟ ̧̀̕W͝IL͘͡L̴ ̶Ŗ͟͜I͝҉P͘ ̵O͜F̧F̛͞ ̸̀Y̧͡O̡͢U̡͠R ͠H̸EA̶͏D͏͢ ̸̕A͜N͢D S̢̛͜Ḩ̶Į͢T̵̕ ͝D̶̀OW͞N̷̴͠ ҉͞Ý̸̢O̡͡U̡͢R ̸ŅE̴͝CḰ̡̧!͞͞!̧͢"

She stumbles back in shock. The strange energy sparks off me. I regret everything.

"I̵'͘͟͏ḿ͢͞ ̧̕͞so̧̨͡r̴̢ŗ̷͜y̧.̵̛.̢͞.̛p̢l͝ea̷se͢.͟.́͢.leave me. I'm so sorry."

I seem to have disturbed her. She slowly steps back and turns around when she's convinced I'm not going to move.

"Adieu...Human."

She leaves me and I let out a shaky exhale. It's getting worse. I'm losing control. I can't do this for much longer. I haven't been given any proper time to deal with this shit. My internal bottle has been shaken too much! It's going to explode! I...I...

"What the heck was that?!"

Flowey pops up beside me and I'm too freaked out to be startled.

"Sis? What's wrong?"

I hold myself in an attempt to squeeze into a tiny ball of self-loathing. This only worries him more.

"Lynsie?"

I...I can't...I need a break. If only I had my music. I could drown out all this. Lose myself in the lyrics.

"B-Bro..."

"Yes? Talk to me. I can help. Tell me what you need."

"...H-How fast can you get to Snowdin?"

He frowns.

"You want me to get 'him', don't you?"

All I can do is nod.

"I...I can help too. You don't have to turn to him."

My eyes dart to the blocked path. He puts things together. He is a smart boy after all.

"True. Mettaton is that way and the room his encounter takes place in is an elevating platform. I can stretch from my roots pretty far but not THAT far."

He pouts.

"*huff* I guess there's no other option. He does have experience helping you out when things get bad. And he can teleport."

I feel bad that I'm making him do this...again. Like in the dead timeline.

"I...I'm sorry."

"Wha...N-No! Don't apologize. I understand. You're worried. It's okay. We'll get through this. Family helps family. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't do everything to help? Even if that means getting others to help when I can't."

"...I need a hug...please?"

It pains me to see him hesitate. But vines come out to wrap around me for a bit.

"Thank you."

The vines retract and he extends to nuzzle my cheek.

"It won't be like last time. I promise. You won't kill anyone. No one's going to die."

"H-How do you know?"

"Because you're strong. You just have to believe in yourself. I know I do."

...I needed that. I give him a smile.

"There we go. There's my sis. Now keep that smile. I'll get Smiley Trashbag and we'll be back home with mom in no time."

He really is too sweet for this world. He sinks into the floor and I forgot to ask how he was able to get through this floor. I mean, I guess he said he can get through cement so metal can't be too far of a long shot. Asriel sure is a super strong boy even as a flower.

*BUZZ*

The power to the coil suddenly is shut off remotely like I so knew it could be. Damn it. I was hoping to have more time. How impatient is Mettaton for this? Reluctantly, I get up and walk down this new road. Halfway along this bridge, I am blocked by three vaguely familiar monsters that look like tougher versions of monsters I see in the Ruins.

Final Froggit has spike-like protrusions on its head and eyelids, accompanied by a crown-like muff on top of its head. Its lips are marked with lines, as though wrinkled from age. Its "shoulders" are decorated with sharp excrescents, while the silhouette between its legs forms a face with a triangular smile and cross eyes.

Whimsalot has a more human-like appearance than Whimsun. Also, its antennae are thicker, and there is a muff on their head that branches in two. Whimsalot's appearance is also accompanied by a double-bladed spear and a knight mask. Its ghost-like torso is skinnier and shorter.

Astigmatism's body consists of a large ball and four spiked limbs. The ball is accompanied by two "horns" on each side. When idle, a large eye can be seen on the ball also with three eyelashes. However, it changes from this face to another where the eye hollow is changed with a smile. When having its eye closed, the two side eyelashes become Astigmatism's eyes, while the middle one simply becomes a marking.

I don't know what I must look like to them. Probably dreadful. Because they move aside with not a word being side. I nod in thanks, proceeding to the end which for all I know might be the most tragic moment of my life second to Grillby dying. No! Stop it! Do as Flowey said. Smile. Stay chipper. Think of something silly. Like how dumb this place is. Honestly, was Gaster high making this place? I'll have to ask him later. Nah...I'll ask Sans. Less hassle.

The bridge comes to an end, leading to a shadowy doorway and an elevator that probably would've been super handy but was out of order to pad out the length of this bullshit subplot. Augh...It's so much easier to think my life is a fictional story or internet abridge series. It's the only way my brain allows most of this crap to make any sense.

"So this is it, huh? The epic conclusion of this grand show. Heh...I want to feel accomplished for making it this far. Almost. But all I do feel is..."

I can't finish my sentence. The weight I thought I got off my back earlier begins pressing on me again.

"Nothing...I feel nothing. *sniffling* Damn it...Don't fucking cry!"

With a breakdown seconds away from happening, I enter the doorway to the room of darkness and a door shuts behind me then locks. There is no going back now.

Please...I made a promise...Please...Don't make me have to RESET...Please...I'm begging...Please...

[luvdsc]

yeah our relationship would be long distance since he’ll be a six hour drive away :/ that being said, i do think he’s worth it though and i like him enough that I’d be willing to try it out. i think I’m really just scared of the odds not working in my favor which is why i keep debating on bringing up the question instead of actually doing it ahh plus the fear of rejection is scarier because he’s the first guy i have genuinely liked in years and can actually see myself getting over my commitment issues for. thank you for the advice :) omg if you wanna know more details about him i don’t mind sharing hehe

my first half of the summer was really great and now idk :/ there’s still good memories from time to time each week so I’m not “depressed” per say, but i feel like everything is just falling apart in terms of my relationship with my sibling and mother. i don’t want to go into detail, but it’s pretty bad and it’s very mentally draining for me.

but on a happier note, yes i have graduated! I’ll taking my ged courses at one of my local community colleges in less than a month :’) i switched my major to business admin and honestly I kind of am excited to be taking classes i know i will actually be enjoying. I’ll still have my best friend with me LOL so everything will be more bearable. my goal is still to transfer down to a socal college and study abroad in Asia at some point. i’ve lived in the same old norcal city my whole life i really need a change omg. and for the longest time, i wanted to go japan, but I honestly think I’m leaning towards hong kong or korea at the moment. we shall see i really do hope the virus gets better - 💐 anon

cat completely ignore the first paragraph in the ask i sent a couple days ago HAHAH to make a long story short, men ain’t shit and this one was no different 👍i’m okay. looking back on it, i am disappointed right now yes for things to end this way, but i know that everything happens for a reason, i learned a lesson from this experience, and there’s definitely someone better out there.

anyways, college starts pretty soon for me! i’m actually looking forward to a new start 🥳 i hope you have/had a good day! - 💐 anon

——

honey bee, I’m so sorry to hear that it didn’t work out ): it’s his loss, and good riddance to him. I’m glad to hear you’re okay though, lovebug 💗 plus, it’s good you didn’t waste any more time on him, and you know what? You’re now one step closer to finding the right one 💘

I’m also sorry to hear that you’re having a tough time with your sibling and mother ): I have family issues too, and I get how mentally draining it is. I hope you’re able to take some time for yourself and focus on yourself and relax and destress 🤍

Big congratulations for graduating, honey bee !!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 omg that’s so exciting, and heck yeah to majoring in business !!! 🤩🤩 fellow business major here :’) and I’m happy to know that you have your best friend with you, sweetpea 💞 omg yesss SoCal is so much fun !!!! 🌸 I hope you’ll be able to transfer soon! And studying abroad aaaaa that’s so exciting!! 💓💓 I always regret not going abroad, but it’s so expensive and I was always changing my majors so I had to stick to a specific class plan I had outlined in order to graduate on time and studying abroad would’ve thrown it off 😔 Hong Kong, japan, and Korea all sound so cool! I’ve visited japan, but I want to visit the other countries someday as well. Do you speak any of the languages? :o

I hope you have a good first day of school, sweetpea, and have fun with your best friend there !!!! 🌼🌼 please let me know how it goes 💖 and thank you so much, I hope you’re having a lovely day/night as well, angel 🌷🌷

[365daysoftododeku]

28th December 2019

Author: Kenyoda

________________________________________________________________

People always act like fate is a stone maze from which no man can escape. But the truth is that reality is the maze and fate is a collection of runaway bullets that ricochets off one wall into a person before bouncing off another wall and breaking another one. People can choose to bow to it and await their end or continue on to see what havoc it has wrought until their time is up. In this world full of mysterious and wonderful Quirks, the people living in it are not exempt from this truth. In fact, in this realm, those bullets can split into pieces that can have long lasting consequences.

One of the more fascinating paths is the one involving All For One and his brother.  A man was born in Japan during the most tumultuous time of Quirk manifestation. He had a powerful Quirk that could change the face of Japan or even the world for good or ill. Unfortunately, ill became his mark as he succumbed to the lure of power. The man nearly bent Japan and possibly the world under his foot, but he made a mistake. He split the bullet by forcing a Quirk onto his younger brother. From then on the two pieces raced in parallel to one another bouncing from incident to incident, person to person. The Quirks within his brother being cultivated into One For All, a Quirk that could change fate...

It was again split when the two collided with a heroine named Shimura Nana. The brother’s bullet splits, a piece ended up with the son she abandoned for what she believed was his own good and safety… the other in the hands of a young man named Yagi Toshinori. He later goes on to become All Might, one of Japan’s Greatest Heroes. Meanwhile, her son let his part turn bitter and brittle. He ends up launching it at his family, his son Tenko specifically. It would lead to an incident that would leave Shimura Tenko alone, broken, and vulnerable. 

Easy pickings for the embittered All For One. 

While the villain was poisoning his possible replacement into Shigaraki Tomura, Yagi was plowing through rankings and villains, barely able to function around the injuries he had sustained in his final clash with the villain. His bullet also split, half ending up in the hands of his bitter rival, Endeavor. When the time finally came that he had to give One For All up, he was drawn to another young Quirkless boy with an impossible dream. 

He gave the other to the boy when he passed down All For One. 

Midoriya Izuku clung to it like a lifeline. Training to wield it effectively as he could. His journey to UA would put him in the firing range of Endeavor’s pride, his son Todoroki Shouto. The boy was forced to hold the bitter piece of the projectile by his father. Midoriya, by choice, gives him a piece of his to free him from his father’s folly. The two combine in the boy bring the shards back down to 4. 

At the moment our story begins, there are 4 shards of fate that are on a collision course for one another and in the middle of them was the fate of Japan. So what will happen? After all, a handful of choices have lead to this point.

Another possible divergence point is brewing on the horizon, All For One, Shigaraki Tomura, Todoroki Shouto, and Midoriya Izuku all holding onto a piece of fate... what will they choose? 

It turns out, one decides to listen….

Shouto was panting and sweating. Bakugou was an opponent that was miles above his other opponents, including Midoriya. He was not going to be able to rely on his ice for much longer. He was already starting to flag horribly, but Bakugou was just getting more and more wound up and his explosions were getting more and more powerful. It was the worst match up possible. 

As he continued to shield himself using his ice, Shouto thought he could hear someone calling out to him over the noise. Ganbatte Todoroki-kun! It’s yours! You can do it! Shouto blinked. Midoriya. Was he right? Could he really make this fire his own and not become him? Was it right to do so? The uncertainties were singing through his veins making him shiver… or was that his ice slowly freezing him to death?  But he refocused. He was not sure about the fire or anything else but what he was sure of was that his… friend?... had given up his chance to be where he was to help Shouto.

And Shouto was going to be damned if he squandered it. 

Flames leapt from his fingertips, just as eager as they were during the match with Midoriya. He hits the pillar with it and the arena is instantly covered in smoky steam. Shouto quickly darts around the pillar. Hitting it with another burst of fire. He strained his ears to try figure out where Bakugou was. He then heard the sound of ice cracking. He turned and noticed he was directly behind Bakugou. The orange glare of Bakugou’s Quirk shining like a beacon on a lighthouse in a sea storm. Shouto slammed his foot down and then suddenly the sky darkened and the explosions stopped. As the wind blew the fog away, a smaller glacier than the one he trapped Sero in, was before him and the crowd. He cautiously worked his way around to the other side. Once again, his opponent was encased in ice unable to move. Bakugou’s heated glare was a far cry from Sero’s defeated one.  

The crowd cheered as Shouto moved to free his classmate from his prison. He resolutely ignored his gloating father’s roaring. Once Bakugou was free, he bowed and left. His normally volatile classmate, silent for once. Shouto stumbled on numb legs to the 1A waiting room and collapsed onto a vacant bench. 

He did it.

He used that bastard’s fire to win. He broke his promise again. What other promises would he break? His vow not to become mindlessly violent? His vow not to be like his father? How long before he was excusing all of that, too? It’s mine. Said a small voice. It’s mine and I can do with it what I want… Shouto shuddered. He knew what he didn’t want to do with it at least. The rest was still foggy in his head. He sighed miserably. A familiar, tinny sound echoed through the room. Shouto stood up and retrieved his phone from the locker he stashed it in. He looked at the device.

There were several texts, most of them from Fuyumi. All of them were nice and encouraging, although she did scold him about the glacier and Sero (Someone could have lost an eye, Shouto! Be careful!). Then there was a single one from Natsuo. The most Shouto knew about him was that he was going to medical school and that he openly hated their father as much as he did. They did not talk much otherwise. 

It had been a simple congratulations text. It was the most recent. He replied with a simple thanks and asked as he was busy. Shouto was not sure why he wanted to know. When he answered that he was not busy. Shouto found himself hitting the call button.

“Hello, Shouto?” Natsuo greeted. 

“Hi… I hope I didn’t disturb—”

“You didn’t! So, congratulations on your win!” 

“Yeah thanks… I guess,” 

“You don’t sound very excited.” 

“I honestly… I don’t know how to feel,” Shouto said, surprised to feel the prickle of tears in his eyes. 

“Is it about the fire…?” 

“How did you know?”

“Fuyumi has mentioned more than once that you refuse to use it.”

“Yeah… I used his— my fire to…”

“To win a school competition, Shouto. It’s not like you burned the arena down and killed people with it.” his brother’s voice a weird mix of amused and exasperated. When Natsuo put it like that, Shouto did feel a bit silly. But there was so much history tied to his Quirk that it was difficult to separate it all.

“I know that in my head, I guess. I am just so used to hearing about how he gave me power and…” 

“I know, kid… trust me, I know. He had a fit when mine manifested. He almost… never mind. Shouto your power is your own and your life is your own and you can do with it what you want. Ok?” 

“He won’t see it that way. He will make me train with it more…”

“Of course, you need control over it. You have a good handle on your ice, but even that can slip at times,” Natsuo cautioned. Shouto winced as he remembered the first glacier. He was right as much as Shouto hated to admit it. He did need to learn to control it, before he did hurt someone. But he did not want to learn from him… but he may need to. 

“You’re right… I just don’t know if I want to learn control from him…” Shouto sighed. “ I don’t think he knows the meaning of it.” Natsuo laughed at that. That made Shouto smile. 

“You may not have to, there are plenty of heros that have powerful abilities that require focus and control. Fire Users don’t have to train with fire users… while studying with one could probably lower your learning curve. But that is all, it’s up to you.” he said. 

“I guess I have to think about things. I just don’t know what to do or feel?” he said. “Midoriya said the same thing that its my power… that I can choose what to do with it… but it can’t be that easy.” Shouto said, a single tear making its way down his face. 

“Yeah, I know the feeling. You question if you can change things that easily. But I can say the first attempt is always the hardest. After that, it gets easier! You made a pretty big one today. Don’t beat yourself up too much! Take your time and do what you can ok?” Natsuo said, he could hear the smile in his voice.  Shouto found himself smiling, too. It had been awhile since he really spoke with any of his siblings, truly talked with them. He should probably do it more often. 

“Thanks, nii-san… It was nice talking to you.” he said awkwardly.  There was a soft chuckle from the other end. 

“You, too! When I get settled at my internship, I will send you the address! We can hang out sometime. Of course, you can always give me a call and if I don’t pick up, I will call you back as soon as I get a chance. I promise,” Natsuo said. “I love you, little brother. I am sorry I never said it as much as I should have.” Shouto was thrown but touch nonetheless by the sentiment. 

“Same. I will talk to you later then?” he asked, slightly affronted at how eager he sounded. Natsuo’s immediate confirmation made him feel happy and warm. The two said their goodbyes and Shouto hung up. He still felt conflicted, but it did not seem so heavy in his mind anymore. The sound of footsteps brought him out of his thoughts. He was tense, expecting to have to deal with his father, but the footsteps sounded far too hesitant. He relaxed completely as Midoriya Izuku opened the door. 

“Ah! I thought I might find you here.” he said softly as he shuffled into the room. Shouto winced at the state of his classmate. His arm was still in cast and he was wearing a leg brace. 

“Should you be walking?” Shouto asked, concerned. He then winced at how tactless it sounded. Midoriya laughed. 

“Probably, not,” he said sheepishly. “But Recovery Girl said I was fine as long as I didn’t over do it.” Shouto gave him a weak smile. The action still felt a little foreign on his face, but the beam he got in answer from Midoriya lit him up from the inside out. 

“Did you need something Midoriya?” he asked, wondering why he was looking for him. 

“Oh, well not really… I was just worried when you left. You did not look too happy…” he said. Shouto blinked. They were practically strangers and yet Midoriya was asking about his well being. This was definitely different.

“I am still— conflicted about some things. I am still ashamed of the way I treated Sero, and Bakugou was—” he tried to explain.

“Trapped in a glacier, too. Yeah, I could see how that would be a little awkward. But I am glad you did your best, though,” Midoriya said sincerely. Shouto nodded. “And I also wanted to apologize. I know I was being rather pushy during our fight.” The smaller boy scratched at his cheek self-consciously. Midoriya’s nervous disposition was rubbing off on Shouto as he unconsciously shuffled his feet as he stared at the ground. 

“I don’t think you should apologize… I needed to hear that. I want to apologize as well. There was no reason for me to come after you the way I did. I took a personal problem out on you and that was not fair.” Shouto said, bowing. He was adamant that he would not become his father, but today had shown him that denying part of himself while still behaving like him was not the way to go. So, it was paramount that he start by humbling himself and apologizing to the classmates that he had been unjustly rude to. 

Midoriya’s eyes grew wide and his face turned pink.

“Oh! I— you really don’t need to—” he protested. 

“No, I do. I meant what I said. I don’t want any part of the man that my father is. That means accepting who I am and the consequences of my actions. I behaved abysmally towards you and others in our class today. I owe you an apology for that.” said Shouto, slowly. It was not easy but it’s as both Midoriya and Natsuo said, it was his life and he can choose what to do with it. 

He was choosing to be better. 

[glorifiedsnickersbar]

Farthest North

Chapter 22 - Country-Hood

Word count: 1201

     The crowd cheered, and a toast was given to the newest Country. Alaska's flag didn't change, in honor of it's creator, and all hoped that she herself wouldn't change either. Those who attended the festivities congratulated her, giving her presents, small and large, even America as he stuck out his hand for her to shake, 49 States permanently etched onto his face. Despite the sudden drain from his systems and the lingering headache from after it was finalized for Alaska to become a Country, he kept a smile on his face.

         "You're highness," he curtsied, making the woman giggle, "today I give you the finest of gifts!"

         "You can't top China's shipment of tea, silk and porcelain!" Egypt hollered over the crowd.

         "Can I not enjoy a small moment of bravado?" America huffed, glaring at the Country.

         "Your life is a moment of bravado," Cuba rolled her eyes, "I think you can deal."

         "Now, now," Alaska shook her head, pointed teeth hidden by her red scarf, blisters and burns covered by a long sleeve and pants, "As true as that is-"

         "Hey!" America whipped around, hands on his hips as he took offense.

         "-Everyone is getting their moment. Let's not forget that this isn't only about me, but you all as well. The finalization of our future work together, thanks to U.N.," the man nodded toward her, having taken to the sidelines, "I can provide military aid, medical support and financial support to those who truly need it, and I know that you all are willing to help  me in return. I can't wait to work with you."

The crowd applauded to her small speech, the blue and gold Country waving for America to continue his "moment of bravado". He cleared his throat, dug in his jeans pocket for an Aspirin, swallowing it before continuing.

         "Today I give you the finest of gifts: Twelve Million U.S. dollars, as a cushion for your developing economy; three shipments of basic necessities, such as food, bottled water, clothes maybe a candy or two," the crowd chuckled, "And my blessing as your step father, for your wondrous life ahead, as a Country, and not my State."

Alaska cried as she wrapped her arms around the shorter man, lifting him up so she wasn't hurting her back. The crowd clapped, a few 'aws' coming from the onlookers as they found the exchange adorable. She set him down when he started to wheeze from lack of oxygen, making them both laugh.

     As festivities continued, America grew worried. Most everyone had no clue of Alaska's current summer time state, and it may be a major factor in most deals, Israel was for sure going to be wary, Finland and Sweden perhaps... U.K. was never too keen to mention Third Reich, and to have a trade partner so close to having the same mentality when angered? Oh dear... He knew Alaska intended to inform her newly made friends during the party, but he was unsure if now was the right time.

         "Maybe after you've been in business for a little while," he suggested, pulling the taller woman off to the side, "If you tell them now some might retract their deals entirely, without a second thought."

         "I've hidden this side of me long enough," she shook her head, just as America feared she would, "It's time to spite my father and be more than he ever thought I could be, even with this... handicap."

The American frowned. A hindrance? Yeah, sure, but Alaska's condition couldn't be a handicap, could it?

     When the room finally settled down, Alaska brought their attention to the front of the meeting hall, where a projector and white screen waited after being hastily set up. She sighed in frustration as Germany fiddled with the wiring, only to be pushed aside by China as he mumbled something about sticking with the sciences to Germany. When the projector was up and running, it showed a fanciful picture of one of Alaska's vast fields filled with Fireweed.

         "I'd like to introduce you all to something I like to call, 'Death by Powerpoint'," she earned a laugh from the crowd, "It's not too long, I assure, but it's important. In it I have my... well I'll just show you-"

She quickly brushed the mouse pad on the laptop beside the projector, the slide moving to multiple bullet points.

         "These are my goals for the first year. I hope to affirm my trade deals with you all, military aides, and peace treaties for those of you who would prefer me your territory -ahem- Russia."

         "Hey," the Country took offence, but those who knew it a simple jest chuckled at the poke of fun between siblings.

Alaska moved to the next slide.

         "Here you see my readied military," she explained, pointing with a red laser light, "these are those ready to fly or sail out at any time to aid those who I have offered my help to. If this is unsatisfactory, I can discuss further offers."

The crowd was silent, so she assumed she could move on.

         "I explained my exports already, but for those who would like to reconsider or expand your demands, you may write down whatever you would like from this list, if there is something not listed, you will have to speak with me at an appointed time."

There was some frantic writing or tapping of phones, so she paused on this list for a moment before continuing.

         "One last thing..." she paused, bringing up her scarf as she nervously fiddled with it's tattered and worn out ends. The next slide shown as ready to present, but her finger hesitated, "I... I realize all of your perception of me is of good report, it's why you all voted me in as a Country, that and my resources were profitable to you, and at a fair price," she turned to her waiting audience, who all stared at her with attentive expressions, "but I... I must admit, I did not give you one specific piece of information."

China stood by her side, looking up to give her a reassuring glance before looking to the audience, daring them to go back on their word already given. America stood as well, placing  a hand on her back, soon joined by Germany, Japan, Canada and Russia.

     Alaska made one final tug at her scarf, the linen which had hidden her menacing features for years, now brought into the light for all to see. The room filled with a synchronized gasp.

         "Fires are what cause it," she explained, a shy smile an attempt to be less threatening-like, "It's only for the summer months, unfortunately it came early this year, so I'm a bit more irritable than usual, I'm afraid..."

         "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Egypt questioned accusingly, "No wonder your father sold you like some palace slave."

America was about to retaliate with a come-back, but Alaska stopped him as she gave a hideously sweet, pointed smile.

         "My dear Egypt," she giggled, making his colored face pale at her equally as sweet tone, "You couldn't afford this slave even if you sold all the golden idols in your land."

[syncopatedid]

Since the novel ended on Kakeru's 4th year what if you continued it? what would write about future lives of our kansei boys?

*whispers*  thank you for this ask! ヽ(＊>∇

I know this ended up being the tsunami wall of text that absolutely nobody asked for, but my feelings for the Aotake squad go really deep and I doubt I will ever get a Kazetsuyo ask as indulgent as this one again. It’ll make me very happy if someone enjoys all my headcanons (and then some).

Akihiro cleaned himself up and graduated properly by the following spring (he bowed out of the ekiden on his fourth year to concentrate on his finals). After graduation, he pursued a career at a non-profit organization as a software developer engineer. At the reunion timeline, Version 2.0 of his tracking software* has just been slated for an international release. Akihiro became an active member of Namban Rengo (Tokyo’s International Running Club), and continues to participate in various running activities across the country with like-minded fellows.

*I didn’t mention this in my Q&A, but in the novel, Nico actually came up with a running simulator software program (with Yuki’s assistance), that was supposedly able to track, compare and calculate each runner’s speed and final positions in the race. It didn’t work very well though, because it was running so slowly that the rest thought it’s just faster to calculate with pen and paper, lol!

Yohei was still out of work for a good six months after graduation, so he accepted a sales job at a Television network when it opened up. While it’s not his dream job, he did find that he was good at it so he stuck with it (he could keep a conversation going, and was good at making pitches to achieve a sale). Working at a TV station also has its perks, as it brought him closer to the variety shows that he enjoys watching. At the reunion timeline, he’s already at a senior rank where he gets to train new recruits. He still has difficulty connecting with people on an intimate level*, but recently, a new starry-eyed junior who just joined his team has showed interest in his favourite show, and his enthusiasm reminds Yohei of someone he knew back at Aotake…

*Yohei explained his thoughts a lot clearer to me in the novel than in the anime. Yohei sees the ekiden as also fulfilling his dream - to feel that intimate connection with others he never got in real life. And yes, even with the Aotake members, he has always felt left out until they started running together, and he admits that because of his pride and timidity, he’s not very likely to change, and he may never feel this closeness to others again when the ekiden ends (hence a dream he did not want to wake up from). But I wish for good things to happen to him, I really do. Don’t give up, Yohei!

Yukihiko reconciled with his family shortly after the ekiden (he called his mother after the race was over to talk), and by the time graduation rolled around, he had already secured a job as an intern at a respectable law firm located in Roppongi, and was confirmed as a graduate associate within a year. At the reunion timeline, he is still ambitiously working his way up the corporate ranks to make partner (which he aims to succeed within six years or less).

Yuki never moved back in with his step family and still prefers to live on his own (a guy needs his own space to invite dates home, so he says), but now he contacts his mother regularly, and dutifully visits his step family every New Year’s Day. He is also fairly over-protective of his step-sister (whom all her potential suitors get rigidly screened by him).

Takashi took over as captain of the Kansei U track and field team after Haiji left, and participated in the next ekiden running in the same section, where he ranked 6th. After graduation, he returned back to Yamagata to manage the family business, but still travelled regularly between Yamagata and Tokyo to visit his friends (he’s the one who diligently keeps in touch with everyone from Aotake). At the reunion timeline, his family has recently expanded into the sake export business, and Takashi is in talks with some of his dad’s partners to set up a business branch in Tokyo.

This year, instead of Musa coming to visit his hometown, it’ll be his turn visiting Musa’s family in Tanzania.

Musa stayed on in the Kansei U track and field team, and took part in the ekiden on his third and fourth year (he ran in Section 2 and Section 9 respectively, averaging 5th position for both). Since his first trip to Yamagata, he’s been visiting Shindo’s family back in his hometown every year, and has learnt to ski! At the reunion timeline, Musa is pursuing another year of studies at Kansei U. He then went and studied some more, and eventually obtained his PhD. He also became very fluent in Japanese*, and a position as adjunct professor in Kansei U happened to open up, which he applied for and got accepted.

He served as club advisor to the Kansei U Track and Field team after Mr. Tazaki retired, and remains as the oldest member of Aotake who is still affiliated with Kansei U.

*More as an additional headcanon than footnote, but I’ve always pegged Musa as being bi- or trilingual when he arrived at Aotake - being fluent in English, Swahili and a third dialect (since he’s from Africa), just that none of those were useful when he was in Japan!

Akane never participated in future ekiden races again, but remained in the Kansei U track and field team as a perfunctory member (so he could stay in Aotake till he graduated). He continued to dabble in all things manga for the rest of his uni years, but always made time to help out at the ekiden, mostly as Kakeru’s assistant in his section since he already has experience with it.

At the reunion timeline, he’s working as a Junior editor at the manga department of one of the top four publishing houses in Japan, where he handles shojo manga titles (he’s extremely popular among his female colleagues). Despite his constant complaints of tight deadlines and pressuring working conditions, he continues to remain in that industry, and in a couple of years he gets promoted to editor-in-chief and takes over managing the sports manga section.

Jojiro found his affinity with running after his first ekiden experience, and opted to stay on with the track and field team to continue to pursue running seriously. He took over as vice-captain after Kakeru was promoted, and can be credited for pulling in a record number of members that year. After graduation, he was recruited into a prestigious corporation along with his brother and joined their Running Club, and meets Kakeru and Haiji’s team regularly as friendly rivals in the races held in the Kanto region. Although he has yet to best Kakeru’s time in the races, there is one thing he did win over Kakeru, and that’s being the first to confess to Hana-chan after graduation. He also goes on to be the first among his same-age peers to get married, and Kakeru was his second best man together with his brother Jota.

Jotaro left the Kansei U track and field team* in his second year (with Kakeru and Joji’s blessings) and went back to his first love, soccer. He joined the Kansei U Football Club and earned his spot as a regular, and even got to play in the Kanto league. Since their “separation”, the Jo brothers were closer than ever, and they discovered something interesting that came out of them doing different things – that they’ve had even more successes pranking juniors in their clubs, most of whom had no idea they came as a set! After graduation, he joins his brother Joji in the same corporation, but doing work in a different department (and the pranking continues, lol). The brothers and Kakeru remain very close friends.

*My headcanon of Jota obviously diverts from anime canon where they’re both still in track and field, but I’ve always had a stronger impression that Jota never planned to stay on in running after the ekiden, from what I had interpreted from his thoughts about his brother, as well as his conversation with Yohei before the run. Also, in the novel’s epilogue, a junior from the Kansei track and field team had only mentioned about “Joji-senpai”, but not Jota. While it doesn’t prove anything, it really does make me wonder if perhaps it was because Jota had chosen to move on from running. I never believe it’s a sad thing for them to divert on different paths though, because siblings are like that and their bond is strong.

.

.

.

.

YOU’D THINK I SHOULD BE DONE BUT WAIT I HAVE MORE. 

BONUS BITTERSWEET HEADCANONS!!!

Kakeru had been visiting Haiji in hospital daily after class since his operation, but by autumn, Haiji announced he was moving back to his hometown to recuperate, and his contact with Haiji naturally became less frequent. (Kakeru wondered if Haiji was deliberately avoiding him but he never asked. Knowing Haiji’s character, he’s not going to be honest about it anyway. Also, Kakeru was not good with texting or calling, a weakness he suspects Haiji knew and used it to put some distance between them). Kakeru felt hurt that there was nothing more he could do for Haiji, but chose to respect his decision for some space.

In response, Kakeru ran in Haiji’s section (Section 10) in the next ekiden, besting his own time from Section 9 and breaking records that were previously set. He believed that Haiji would not be able to resist watching the ekiden (because he knew Haiji’s weakness too), and that was his answer. His efforts to reach out finally paid off (Haiji sent him a very long text message scolding him for a minor flub he did in his run… but also “congratulations”.) Kakeru would continue to run in Section 10 for the remaining two ekidens, and on his final year, Haiji appeared out of the blue again, this time in person to recruit him into his running team.

Kakeru took over as vice-captain of the Kansei U track and field team from the second year, and later as captain after Shindo graduated. Since he’s been on the team, Kansei U has never failed to earn a seed in the ekiden for subsequent years, a legacy that would carry on long after Kakeru’s graduation.

Haiji had to be rushed to surgery after the ekiden, and as expected, his injury had been aggravated and the damage was severe. A knee replacement surgery had to be done, and the year would prove to be a painful time for Haiji, who had to re-learn to walk all over again. In autumn that same year, he decided to move back to his hometown, citing family reasons (in truth, it was also because Kakeru wouldn’t stop visiting him in hospital, and it really was harder to be around Kakeru at this point in time than his family, so he picked the lesser of two evils).

Haiji would spend the next few months coming to terms with his situation while thinking about where to go from there. There were days where his mind wandered a bit too dangerously far, but his determination not to go back down that same path before manages to pull him back. Between his physiotherapy sessions, Haiji would often stop by his alama mater and watch his dad at work, lost in his own thoughts. And when he saw Kakeru running in the ekiden on TV again, his heart began to stir, as if a gust of wind had lifted his spirit and was pushing him towards the answer he was looking for.

He had found his second wind.

Haiji talked his father into letting him go back to school…. this time to pursue a sports degree (while their father-son relationship remained fairly complicated, the dad was more receptive to Haiji’s request since it’s to do with running, and Haiji was smart enough to leverage on his dad’s knowledge and connections to his advantage). His dad managed to pull a few strings and got Haiji enrolled into Rikudo (!!!) for a post graduate course, and Haiji moved back to Tokyo and threw himself into studying while nursing himself back to health. At the reunion timeline, he is armed with a sports coaching master’s degree, and has joined a relatively new corporation that hired him to set up a new running team. And Haiji knows exactly who he plans to recruit as soon as that person graduates.

Thank you for reading all the way and may your day be filled with wonderful thoughts!

[ssttitdramon]

Ready To Hear It?

Ramón Morales x Stella Nicholls

Request: Ramón x Stella thing where Ramón comes back from the war and Stella confesses her feelings to him and idk what else to put

Word Count: 2,769

Note: Sorry that I posted this later than promised. You might’ve just wanted a Ramón x Stella moment, but the thought of the three in college, letters from Ramón in Vietnam, and Ramón’s family was something stuck in my head so I included all of that too. If you’d like to send in a request, take a look at the rules.

Also: The random u.s. state generator gave me Texas so that’s where he’s from in this fic (M.G. is actually from there btw!) and I made up family members because the ssttitd writers really didn’t give us much on Ramón’s backstory.

Warning: Brief mentions of the Vietnam war, including an injury/surgery (left hand + broken ribs)

Stella riffled through her backpack once again, checking that she had everything she needed before leaving to Texas. Two years after Ramón left for Vietnam, he came back on a stretcher with three broken ribs and on the verge of losing his left hand. 

According to his sister, Elizabeth, he was finally home from the hospital a week and a half later, recovering from a broken hand and lower rib removal surgery. 

When Stella received the first phone call from Elizabeth, she and Auggie were in the middle of flipping through flashcards for an upcoming major government test. The knocking on her door woke up Chuck, who was passed out on the floor and tried to reach for it.

Stella beat him to it first, opening the dorm door to the bossy redheaded RA, “Yeah?" 

"There’s an Elizabeth on the phone for you down there.” she scrunched her face at the sight of Auggie and Chuck in the room.

Stella turned to look at them, both shrugging. The boys still followed Stella downstairs and stood close by, trying to figure out who the mysterious Elizabeth was.

“Hello?”

“Ah hi, Stella Nicholls?” answered the quiet voice from the other end.

“Yes, this is she. May I ask, who are you?” Stella asked, looking over to the two boys in confusion.

“Oh, I’m Ramón’s sister. He gave me your number some months ago, but I wanted to let you and your friends know that Ramón is back home now and-” her voice cracks and she sniffs, “I’m sorry. He’s injured, but he’s okay.” she manages.

Stella was stunned, “Ramón is back…” she said softly, trying out the words in her own mouth. Stella was afraid saying it any louder would somehow make it false.

“What?” Auggie and Chuck snap in unison, getting closer to the girl.

“Ramón is back.” Stella declared, bringing her hand up to her mouth. “Wait, so he’s injured? Have you seen him?" 

"No, he came in four days ago and is held up at the hospital. They won’t tell us more, but we’ll get to see him tonight.” Elizabeth answered her, voice shaking and on the verge of tears. She couldn’t help but to think about her older brother, she lost him and can hardly handle the thought of losing another brother too.

Stella quickly thanked her for thinking of them and asked to be called for any more news on his recovery. When she hung up, the three were all silently staring at the phone, no one knew how to react. 

“So Ramón’s back? How is he?” Auggie broke the silence, eyeing his friend carefully.

As Stella started to explain the call, she didn’t realize she was tearing up until Chuck wiped her cheek with his sleeve. She pulled the boys in for a hug, the three letting themselves wallow in a pit of emotions. 

Now, while she was packing up to visit him, she couldn’t stop the onslaught of questions she’s already mulled over since the first call. 

How much has the war changed him? How is his family dealing with his return? How different could he be now since he last wrote? Is he in a lot of pain? What if he doesn’t want to see us? 

She frowned at the last one, she couldn’t think like that now. Not when the three were practically invited by his family with his consent. Plus, Chuck finally convinced his roommate to let the trio borrow his car and make the 20+ hour drive to Houston, Texas.  

As Stella walked over to her shelf to grab her journal, the metal tin box containing all of Ramón’s letters caught her eye. Her heart jolted, she opened it up and peered inside, feeling warmth at the sight of the boy’s slanted, tall handwriting. On the nights when Stella had panic attacks, she would open the box and read over bits and pieces of Ramón’s day, finding comfort in his letters.

Stella flipped through some of the trifolded letters, catching random sentences from the top of the papers,

“My mom finally wrote back and she’s not mad at all, I forgot how much I missed her worrying over me…” 

“You’re not much of a flower girl, are you? Here’s this neat flower I pressed, the villagers around here call it Hoa Dao-“

“Sorry it’s been so long, the sky’s been pouring buckets on us in the past month and we’ve only…" 

"Tell Chuck I won’t be able to write him back until next week, but tell him I said congratulations for winning…”

“but I might go to Japan for R&R in a few months,”

“My dad’s still learning English and he’s practicing some on his letters. It’s the best thing seeing chiquillo next to ‘today I took your sister to the tienda y ya ni la hacen aquí, mijo-’” 

“I’m telling you, you’ll be a famous writer. You’ll be selling out all over the world, just wait.”

“oh and there’s this guy here who laughs just like Auggie.”

“This one will be short, the Sgt just got back and already complaining about one grain of sand too many inches to the right- the boys here call him Ol’ Knuckles,”

“Also, remind Chuck to add 5th platoon to my address,”

“but the package that my sister sent me lasted a good two days because-”

“and he had to tackle this stupid scrawny kid to the ground as soon as the dirt started kicking up,” 

“the team did lose two men before we got there though, they left a rosary behind and I didn’t even notice there was a-”

What if I tell him?

That’s a question she’s been avoiding, but it still managed to pop up out of nowhere. Stella never really figured out when she started to have strong feelings for Ramón. Maybe it was when they were running around Mill Valley together trying to figure out the Bellows girl. Maybe it was in the midst of writing back and forth, finding ease in his words. Stella felt silly, she knew she liked him the minute she barged into his car at that drive-in, but she did not expect for the small crush to stick around for that long.

Stella felt conflicted with the idea of confessing to her first real crush. What if he could only see the two as friends while she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him for the past two years? Plus, Ramón just came back from Vietnam and if she considered the stories of those who have come back, would he even care about something like this right now?

She felt her heart twitch at the thought of Ramón’s head still stuck on the other side of the Pacific.

The knock on her door snapped Stella out of her thoughts. Putting the box back on the shelf, she grabbed her journal and went out to Chuck. He flashed her a goofy smile and dangled his roommate’s car keys by the fingers, “I’m driving first, already argued with Auggie about it and it’s settled.” 

The drive to Texas was a long one, the three would switch between driving, reading off from the map and sleeping in the backseat. The first time Auggie was on the wheel, they accidentally veered off course because Chuck apparently doesn’t know how to hold a map. The pair argued in hushed voices, but Auggie’s frustration still woke up Stella. She groggily pushed her way up front and looked over the map, commenting on Chuck’s great sense of direction. Immediately, she pointed her finger at the new route they found themselves in and flopped back down.

In a small town where they stopped to get gas, a couple of middle school students were playing baseball in a nearby field and nearly missed the car’s windshield by an inch. In a split second, Stella was having to hold Chuck back from freaking out on them and had Auggie throw the ball back to the apologetic kids. 

Later that night at a lonely rest stop’s restroom, the boys rushed out of there swearing up and down the men’s room was haunted. “Stella, I’m telling you, the only flickering light was the one in the last stall. We were washing our hands and we suddenly heard shaky humming from there, with no one inside.” Chuck widened his eyes and wiggled his fingers at Stella. 

The tall grass that surrounded the rest stop waved about from the light wind, seeming to make waves towards the woods. As the three looked beyond the pasture, following the waves into the trees, they could barely make out several tall, slender figures in the moonlight at the edge of the woods.

“Those are just tree trunks right?” Auggie asked quietly, until one of the “tree trunks” seemed to let itself glide back like a blade of grass from the wind.

“Alright, I believe you.” Stella admitted as the three rushed into the car, she began to pull out of the parking lot, “I’m so not dealing with this shit again.” 

They drove a few towns over before agreeing to stop at another rest stop that wasn’t completely abandoned and slept in the car for a few hours.

Once they reached the Louisiana-Texas border, Auggie and Stella kept their eyes peeled as they drove an hour into Houston. They managed to find Ramón’s house after passing by it twice and knocked on his door.

Elizabeth welcomed them in, “Hey, my parents are out right now, but Ramón’s awake upstairs.” she noted, closing the door behind them.

Chuck and Auggie immediately noticed the wall of family pictures by the entrance. Elizabeth was quick to point out Ramón’s baby pictures and mentioned the charming resemblance between him and their older brother. Stella looked closer at the image of Ramón and his siblings at a pool before following Elizabeth upstairs.

They stopped at the first white door to the right and lightly knocked, “Ramón, your friends are here.” 

After hearing his “come in”, she opened the door to see Ramón sitting on his bed, occupied with his younger brother. The toddler was too distracted with his plastic dinosaurs to notice the visitors, only looking up when Ramón stopped playing with him and finally noticed everyone at the door.

“Vente,” Elizabeth held her arms out to the small boy, “en un rato juegas con Món.”

The toddler hesitated with leaving Ramón, but after getting his older brother’s go-ahead he walked over to Elizabeth’s arms. The two disappearing into the hallway.  

“Món?” Chuck asked cheekily as Ramón carefully got up.

“Mateo can only pronounce Món and it stuck,” Ramón smirked, “also, I can’t hug you entirely, so you’ll have to do with my right side.” he informed, getting closer to the three.

Stella was the first to hug him, careful with his left side as she buried her face into his shoulder, “If either of you start crying, I’ll start crying too.” Ramón jokingly warned, hand stroking her hair. 

“You hear that, Chucks?” Auggie nudged Chuck’s arm before hugging Ramón.

“Yeah, whatever. I’ll start bawling for our guy here any minute now.” Chuck quipped before turning serious, “No really, we missed you dude.” 

“Me too Chucks, even when your letters would keep on ending up miles away from me.” Ramón pulled Chuck in. 

The four settled on his bed, catching up with him for hours into the afternoon. Chuck even took the liberty of drawing on his small arm cast, “Does your hand hurt?” he asked, doodling himself onto the white. 

“Right now it doesn’t, mostly numb thanks to the pills. I still don’t know when I’ll be able to move it and use it.” Ramón noted as Stella grabbed another marker and started to draw a dragon onto his cast.

When Ramón’s parents came home, they invited the three to stay for dinner. Despite the awkward communication and Auggie’s choppy Spanish, they were all comfortable at the table. Most of all, Stella felt content with Ramón sitting next to her and seeing him with his family. Even considered confessing her heart out later that night, but she was still anxious about his reaction. 

After hearing that the trio planned on staying at a hotel for the night, Mr. and Mrs. Morales did not like the idea. “En un hotel? No, como crees. Diles que por lo menos se queden aquí esta noche y ya ven si se van a un hotel mañana.” Mrs. Morales told her daughter, eyes darting between the three. 

“Mija, deja que se duerman en tu cuarto, tú te vas con Ramón.” Mr. Morales added.

Elizabeth smiled, “My parents want the three of you to consider staying here at least for tonight. You guys can sleep in my room, there are two beds there.” she translated. 

Chuck’s eyebrows shot up, “Really? There’s no trouble?” he asked.

“Nah, you guys are fine. My other sister, Ana, is out of town this week and Elizabeth will sleep in my room.” Ramón assured. 

The three thanked Mr. and Mrs. Morales with an awkward, but genuine “gracias”. Chuck and Auggie even got up to help Mrs. Morales gather and take the dishes to the kitchen, much to Ramón’s amusement. Left alone at the table, Ramón and Stella decided to go back upstairs with Mateo on her hip. 

Ramón went into the restroom, took out a bottle of pills from behind the mirror and started to brush his teeth, “Ever since the surgery I’ve been getting tired easily and these pills knock me out.” he explained. “Won’t be able to stay up with you.”

“It’s no problem, we need some sleep too.” Stella let Mateo down once he nudged at her arm to get down. 

I should tell him now.

There it was again, she pondered over confessing as she followed him into his room. For a while, the two were deep in conversation on his bed until he started to drift off, “Sorry if I just fall asleep on you.” he apologized with a small smile.

“Ramón, I…” Stella hesitated, biting her lip. Ramón’s eyes fluttered open a bit, trying to listen to anything else she had to say.

As Ramón’s eyes grew heavy, Stella tried again. “I think I…” she began, hands fidgeting on her lap. “I think I’m in love with you.” she whispered, it was finally out but Ramón was already asleep. 

The next morning as everyone went downstairs for breakfast, Ramón winked at Stella and pulled her close for a hug, “Good morning, how did you sleep?” he asked with a raspy voice.

“Alright, you?” she chirped, the idea of him having heard her last night racing through her head.

“I actually slept pretty well, no nightmares. Think it helps that you’re all here.” Ramón smiled, not knowing what he was doing to the poor girl’s heart. “Tonight, you, Auggie and Chuck should stay in my room to keep the jungle away for another night.” he added.

After breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Morales rushed to work, promising everyone they’d come home early. Everyone settled to watch TV in the living room except Elizabeth, who had already secured plans with her friends. 

“Mateo’s fine with four babysitters today, huh?” Elizabeth commented, carrying the toddler over to Chuck and Auggie’s place on the couch. The two kept the smaller boy laughing by mocking the voices of characters from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! on screen. On the other couch, Ramón and Stella sat close with his right arm over her shoulders, hand mindlessly playing with her hair. 

Once the three boys tired themselves out from imitating random noises from the TV, they fell asleep with Mateo sprawled out over the older boys. Stella took the opportunity to tell Ramón how she felt, again.

“Ramón, last night in your room.” she recalled, feeling his gaze on her. “I told you something I don’t think you heard.” 

“I heard you, Stella.” Ramón nodded, “I can tell it’s hard for you, but I know what you said last night.” he kissed her temple reassuringly.

“Yeah, it’s hard but I feel like I need to make myself clear.” Stella explained, finally turning to look at him.

Ramón shook his head, “That’s okay, every time I got your letters it would become more and more clear. I feel like I’m the one who hasn’t made myself clear,” he cooed. Hearing that, Stella felt her heart at ease.

“Ready to hear it?” he asked with a knowing smile. 

Before he continued, Stella spontaneously began to pepper kisses all over his face, drawing out a soft giggle from Ramón.

*Feedback is always welcome!*

[wildtige429]

Surprise

Taken after Star returns to Earth and meets the new Diaz, Mariposa and Star and Tom breaking up.

What you are about to read will make you laugh and squeal.

----

That was fun, Toshi thought.

Returning to Echo Creek, his second home that he grew up in for four years with his mom, was like a reunion of loved ones. 

His father is at the house trying to house train his raptors after he, his dad, Marco and Star rescued them from the auction in Crimetopia, a dimension where criminals ruled, at a moment before he joined them. He would probably wonder if any of the neighbors would report seeing a pack of living, breathing raptors in the backyard.

Dad can handle that, he reassured himself.

What surprises the trio was when Marco's parents introduced the new member of their family. Marco's baby sibling, which was revealed to be a girl instead of a boy, named Mariposa. 

He had to admit, it is a pretty name considering that it means 'butterfly' in Spanish, just like her sister figure, Star. Toshi and his mom has taken a liking to the little Diaz, making his mom tell embarassing stories of him when he was a little lizard to his friends and the family.

To make it worst, she brought the family photo album and showed them his childhood photos. Through the rest of the time, he had his face planted on the table and groaned like a zombie.

"Well, that's mothers, Shirogane," his father once told him, laughing. Then karma hit him when Mint began to show everyone HIS photos of the time he was a teenager. The moment she begins to tell his story, surprising everyone that Toffee was a rebellious kid when he was Toshi's age, he joined Toshi's zombie groaning.

"Like father, like son," Mint chuckled at their embarassment.

In the meantime, he recalled from Star that she and Tom have finally broke up and decided to stay friends. He felt awful for the both of them, reassuring both Tom and Star that it takes time to heal and his new friend thanked him for his advise. He even tells him that if he were to meet a girl who would catch his eye, he just have to wait and see if his heart would beat for her.

"Isn't that a lizard thing?" He once asked Toshi.

"Lizards will have the urge of mating if they see a girl they like," he answered, "But we have to keep ourselves together or we'll make big fools out of ourselves."

"Unlike your parents?"

"Mom and Dad never said they had the mating urge when they first met each other in their teens."

After bidding farewell to the demon, Toshi prayed that he will find someone special. As he lends a shoulder for Star to cry on.

----

It was night time and the teens were returning home after having tacos at the taco stand. Toshi suggested himself bringing them over to his favorite Japanese joint called Nippon Daisuki, wanting them to try real authentic Japanese food like how he introduced his father to the place right when he asked on going on a little father-son bonding adventure to Crimetopia.

"Guys, I have an announcement to make," he called out.

"Go on," they urged.

"Guess what date is today," he grinned, putting his hands behind the back of his head. 

"Its 14th of April so....," Marco answered before Star gasped in delight, "It's your birthday!!"

"Yep, I'm now 17 you guys," he grinned.

"But you look like you're 15," her comment made them laugh, remembering the first time they met and became the closest of friends that day.

"We need to celebrate, dude!" Marco suggested, "Well, we already had tacos so that's out of the celebration list."

"Maybe I can introduce you to my joint where I can clear my mind," Toshi suggested, putting a hand on the doorknob to his house, "I hope you don't mind wasabi."

"What's wasabi?" Star asked as they enter.

"A root of the gnarliest stuff in Japan," he explained, "So gnarly, it'll clear your nose of any boogers!"

This made the Mewman girl 'ooh' in awe. The living room is littered with The Seven Deadly Sins, the name the Mewman soldiers picked during the war for the raptors' names and personalities, roosting around and curious about some things. His dad didn't plan on turning them into house raptors, but he does know that he would let them out of the house for them to roam.

"Toshi?" Marco spoke out as they head upstairs to his room.

"Hmm?"

"How do you feel about being a big brother?"

He froze to a stop, mid-step, "Beg your pardon?"

"Toshi, I've always thought I'm going to be the only child in the family," his friend confessed, "But when I found out I'm going to be a brother, I was at first stumped. But when Mariposa came, I....decided that will be my responsibility as her brother."

The friends didn't know that the young lizard was pondering at that thought about having a sibling. Sure, he and Marco are the same on being the only children in the family. But when he heard the news of his mom being pregnant, he was stunned out of belief.

The very thought of becoming a big brother is....unexpectedly great if you're younger. Becoming a big brother at the age of 14 is unexpecteded and shocking at first..but exciting when he learns to love his younger sibling.

"If I ever become a big brother, I would jump out of the window," he answered.

They paused at his answer. And burst into laughter while they continue to climb up the staircase until they reached the top.

"Seriously guys, I will jump out of the window if that ever happens," he said in a deadpanned serious tone after they stop laughing.

"You're serious?" Star gaped, wide-eyed.

"I'm dead serious."

They perked out of their seriousness when they noticed Toshi's mom sitting on his bed, looking pretty nervous with a sheepish smile on her face. They thought she must have trouble with the raptors pooping in the backyard or eating the neighbors' pets when they approached her but she spoke out, "Hey kids, how is....everything?"

"Uh, Mom...?" Toshi spoke as he, Marco and Star got in front of her, "Is...everything okay? Did Dad's raptors cause trouble?"

She shook her head, much to his relief.

"Hey, Mint, guess what?" Star tried to sound cheery, "Toshi's turning 17 today."

"Even though he looks like he's 15," Marco added with a wary chuckle.

Mint nodded in gratefulness and rose up to her level, "Well...to make it easier for you three to hear, I have an annoucement to make."

They looked at each other. What kind of annoucement is she going to make that makes this moment suspenseful?

She cleared her throat, beginning to pace around the bedroom while twiddling her fingers, "I heard you three talking to each other about siblings. And did I hear it right that Toshi wants to jump out of the window?"

The trio blurted out, all them declining and laughing nervously that its just euphanism or just a figure of speech. She sighed in relief and halts her pacing,stopping before them, her sheepish smile widening into a joyful yet sheepish grin.

"Happy Birthday, Toshi," she congratulated, "You're going to be a big brother."

The news was something that caught them of guard. They were so quiet from the shock, you can hear a pin drop. 

And the moments of silence was broken when Marco crashed through the nearby window, shattering glass in the process. They heard him grunt in pain followed by another from the ground floor.

"I'm okay!" Marco called out, "Toffee broke my fall!!"

"Owwwwwwwwwwww!!" Was Toffee's moan of pain.

The blonde girl giggled hysterically for a short while from the news, "You're not pulling our legs right? You're not...! Right!?"

"You're PREGNANT!? How did this happen!? How long have you not told me this!? Were you pregnant the whole time after we came back from Mewni!? Does Dad know about this!?" Toshi babbled, the surprise to much for him.

She sheepishly nodded. Just as he and Star laughed heartily before they fell on their backs with loud thuds. They have fainted from the news.

"Huh? I was expecting something similar to Toffee's reaction," she hummed at their fainted bodies.

"You think!?" Toffee called out, his voice strained from the pain after Marco landed on him, "Now help me get this boy of me!"

She sighed, rubbing her belly that bears Toshi's new sibling. She shouts out that she's coming, still rubbing her belly, and headed downstairs.

---

Hey guys!! I always think about Toshi being a big brother just like Marco after I watched Gone Baby Gone. 

What gender shall his new sibling be? A boy or a girl? Who knows after it's born.

Right, @lynea-kureji and @julayla ?

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, LIA! You’ve been accepted for the role of CAESAR. Admin Jen: I simply can’t express how happy I am that you’ll be holding on to our beloved Chiko, Lia. There’s this singular quality to the muse that you bring to him; a magnetism that is so essential to Chiko as a character yet very distinct to your portrayal of him at the same time -- and I honestly can’t get enough of it. It comes together with everything else you’ve captured in a way that only leaves us wanting more and more, and since it can really be no other way when it comes to the glorious Caesar, it makes us all the more appreciative of your lovely take on him! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Lia

Age | 21

Preferred Pronouns | She/Her

Activity Level | I would say a 6/10. I’m a fulltime student, but I’m pretty good about getting my replies… eventually. I also try to actively plot as much as possible.

Timezone | EST

How did you find the rp?  | The wonderful RP tag.

Current/Past RP Accounts | Provide any current or past roleplay accounts that you think best showcase your writing! This is OPTIONAL.

IN CHARACTER

Character | Caesar / Tamura Chiko

What drew you to this character? | Julius Caesar is someone I’ve always been fascinated by, in art, literature, and as a historical figure. He was a man who put all of his faith in his own ability to be great— and many may even argue that it was this pride that led to his own assassination. But no one can deny Caesar of the immense impact he had on the world. He was successful at being immortalized, just as he believed he would. I honestly was super excited to hear we would be getting a Julius Caesar, and although I was initially too intimidated to apply, I finally decided to go for it. There is something about Chiko and how deeply he believes in himself that I was drawn to. I also love how his personality is more nuanced than I anticipated. Occasional gentleness is not something I had expected from a Julius Caesar figure, but in my eyes, that makes him that much more incredible. Chiko is a force— and he isn’t volatile or prone to depravity like many who roam the streets of Verona. He wants power but not solely for the sake of just having it. He wants influence. His interest in the mobs has more to do with his potential influence and what he has to offer to them. There is no one really quite like him in Verona— and I am very much interested in seeing how his presence will affect everyone.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

1. CHIKO FT. THE MOBS— As of now, Chiko is merely feeling out the mobs, he hasn’t yet determined whether either would be of any interest to him. He isn’t interested in joining persay, as he has already loaned his soul to one man, and does not plan on doing so again anytime soon. He wants the mobs to take interest in him, to recognize his own brilliance and how easily they could profit off his potential. But I am very much interested to see how exactly Verona will react to his arrival, and whether they will be intrigued or threaten by his rather extreme ambition.

2. CHIKO FT. INVESTMENTS— I want Chiko to began investing his money in different places, and to potentially have different alliances with all sorts of people. When you’re as brilliant as him, you don’t limit yourself to a single pursuit, and instead spread your ambitions into multiple roots. He may have lost his money once but he’s very much capable of flipping his money into various sources.

3. CHIKO FT. THE DRUMS— The fire never quite left him, he only restrains it, for the sake of himself and the world around him. I wonder what would happened if someone sent Chiko over the edge (This has only happened once before, so it would it something drastic for this to occur). But I would love to explore his inner darkness. This is something that I believe the mob would ultimately benefit from as well.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Of course.

IN DEPTH

In-Character Para Sample:

(translations are at the bottom)

1. He determined his mother had never truly loved him and how could he blame her? You have those eyes— those fryktelig*, ondskap* eyes. O-Oh my poor beautiful boy, she would slur into his feeble body, the thick scent of vodka practically radiating off of her. It is because of his parents that he cannot stand the smell of liquor. This drew nothing but alarm from him at 6 years old, but as they grew older, they hadn’t a choice but to acknowledge it. Chiko was the product of a volatile mixture— his father, Kono Noburu, was a hitman for the Yamaguchi-gumi* clan and an attack dog to the clan’s kumicho, Kenichi Shinoda, just as his own father was to Shinoda’s own father, and so on. His mother, Katrine Bjorklund, was the daughter of the Norwegian mafia boss, Svein Bjorklund, and his Swedish-born wife, Elisabeth Bjorklund. The pair of them had crossed paths when the Bjorklund’s found themselves in Japan for business, a week long fling that had not been meant to amount to anything more. A few months later, a very pregnant Katrine would arrive at Kono’s doorstep, and from that day on, the two had been forcibly linked.

2. How selfish Chiko had been for wanting a sibling— a tactless desire from which no good could come. A union more chaotic did not exist, not since the marriage of Hera and Zeus. Katrine, who had shown little interest in the union, did not spend a moment with Kono in which she was not terrified. He was everything like her father, and though Kono had done everything in his capacity to make Katrine more at ease, nothing truly came of it. She could no longer stand the sight of him and eventually, he would return these sentiments— only overcoming their differences when they made love. Though it was never love being reciprocated, but a concoction of anger, terror, and disgust— which in the  Noburu household, made for a gratifying mixture.

3. Do you know the most moronic mistake I ever made was, segare*? their father demanded as if the 11-year old Chiko were somehow capable of drawing such a conclusion. Falling for a whore. Not a woman, but a whore. I fall into her trap each and every foolish time when all she’s ever done is offer me falsehoods. Whores are always acceptable for fucking, but seeing them as something more is when you’ll run into some trouble. So I beg of you, segare, do not taint our lineage further with the blood of a whore. Learn from your father’s mistakes. I am not sure how much more our blood can withstand. He appreciated the moments in which his father spoke candidly with them, as this was the closest thing to parental bonding that they would ever get. Though he would grow to resent and denounce his father’s misogynistic tirades against his mother, the effects of such teachings had their lasting effects. His sweeping mistrust of man would make his lovers few, and his affections fickle, as well as the prioritization of his own ambitions overall. 4 . You were the most beautiful baby I laid eyes on, min blomst*, his mother crooned to him one day. To think something so beautiful could come from such desolation. It was a mockery— why would Kono and I deserve such a beautiful boy when only ruin would become of him? Just as his father’s drunken denunciations had etched themselves into his brain, his mother sullen tirades would stick with him as well. Especially as he grew older, and began to liken his father more and more. There were times where her eyes would gloss over and she would attempt to “extract the demons from inside of him,” or so she’d explained after attempting to claw his eyes out. When he woke up short of breath, with a pillow plastered against his face, is when he officially began sleeping with his door locked. It has been this way since he was 16 years old.

5. He was freshly 17 when it happened. 17 years old and forced to face the depravity that permeated through every inch of his being. Chiko had never seen a dead body before, but it was not the body that exasperated so, but circumstances of his death. It was the fact that his father looked upon them and their mother absent of any and all remorse. He had been purposeful in his decision to kill the man in their house, Kono’s own way of sending some sort of message to Katrine. It was the fact that Katrine had betrayed their father, and continued to do so time and time again. He could not have cared less about what she spent doing in her pastime, but he could not overlook her absence of loyalty. And so he damned their name. He damned the gods and the universe and all who he felt were responsible for his being born. He had not asked for this life— but he would no longer allow his parents’ corruption to devour him so. He was gone that very night, without as so much as leaving a letter.

6. “You,” Chiko says in a low growl, his eyes in the direction of his bloodied, wreaking father. For once— his father was silent— quieted by Chiko’s rage burning throughout his body. “I will never be as cruel as you. Even if it means I bottle it away and lock it without a key. You didn’t have to do it in front of her. Even she did not deserve that.” He turned slowly to his mother, disappointedly, but without sympathy. She clutched at legs almost pleadingly, but he shook her away. “I could care less about what you do in your free time— you are my mother, and I could never pass judgment for something like that. But I can never respect a person who betrays their family. That, I can never forgive.” He looked between the both of them— disgusted by how self-involved they were, to the point where they forsook their own potential and ambitions. “How pitiful the pair of you are. You ruined each other. But you will not ruin me. I will not waste my potential as you two have. They will remember me, but not by your names. I am a product of you two, but I will not be tainted by your depravity. So have at each other all you want. That is no longer my concern.” He looked at them disappointedly, before making his way to the stairs, careful not to step in the pooling blood.

Extras:

***Just a drabble from the perspective of a lover***

You were permitted snapshots of his brilliance, acquired in bits and pieces, but still, he kept you at a comfortable distance. Comfortable for him, that is. For you— it was never enough. A moment with Chiko is never enough. He’s someone who allows minimal viewers into his inner workings, making him all the more enticing. But the spontaneity of it all— the sudden bursts of passion are what keep you around. Seldom people exist who so skillfully render their own passion into the framework of another. Creativity surges through your flesh, and you are reminded of what it is like to be someone’s muse with each continuous eruption of pleasure. How exhilarating it was being left at the discretion of Chiko’s brilliance. The living canvas in which he enacted his hopes and dreams, his deepest desires. You believed in each and everyone, and truthfully speaking— how could you not? With him, all horizons felt closer, the distance between you and the stars felt lesser.

****some drabbles involving their parents***

It is from your father that you learn PRIDE. Refuse to accept anything less than immortalization, he tells you time and time again. Refuse to settle for anything less than greatness. It is that very pride that guides you in your pursuits and for that you are thankful. Nevermind that it was your father who was always the source of such pride. It was your father’s own superior blood he spoke so highly of. He assured you that you would be fine, despite the blood of a traitorous whore pervading through your veins. But he neglects to teach you the horrors of pride in excess, and how dangerous the world becomes when one wallows in their own excess. It is from him you gather your FURY, a demon you’ve been taming since your youth, dreading the chaos that would potentially ensue. You’ve always hated purposeless chaos. You know what you are capable of, you know of the depravity that is nestled between your skin and bones. Your own greatness becomes less of a pursuit and more of an ultimatum for yourself. The path was always singular for you— your own immortalization or dying trying.                        

                   “I could be well moved if I were as you.                         If I could pray to move, prayers would move me.                                But I am constant as the Northern Star,                      Of whose true fixed and resting quality                              There is no fellow in the firmament.                   The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks;                      They are all fire, and every one doth shine;                              But there’s but one in all doth hold his place."        

     —Julius Caesar, right before his assassination, William Shakespeare

It is from your mother you learn TENDERNESS. You were her greatest accomplishment, her most exquisite creation. Beauty illuminated her horizons, her worldview merely a concoction of her own distorted realities. Chiko with his plush hair and lofty cheekbones had been nothing short of perfection, and for this reason alone, he earned her fickle devotions. Though their outward beauty remains intact, Chiko’s features would be bound to darken, to sharpen, the resemblance almost uncanny. They were every part their father, but they would develop their mother’s HEDONISM, the pursuit of her own realities in which Kono did not exist, as she clawed for his ruin time and time again. Katrine would often get this look about her, identical to the look she would give to their father, and Chiko knew that her devotion had met its limits. But the devastation was not shown, his shield of ALOOFNESS practically impenetrable.                    

                 “A coward dies a thousand times before his death,                              but the valiant taste of death but once.                  It seems to me most strange that men should fear,       seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.”                                      —Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare

It is from both parents you inherit AMBITION. Both Kono and Katrine clawed for domination, the struggle for power ultimately driving their son and world away. They prioritized their own ambitions over their own child— and it is for that reason Chiko will never have children. Selfish people are better off without kids. That way, their priorities can continue to be aligned with them and them alone.

Translations & Info for various words used: fryktelig= horrible; ondskap = evil; Yamaguchi-gumi = the name of a notorious yakuza clan; kumicho = the Japanese equivalent of a mafia boss; segare = my son; min blomst = my flower;

[steve0discusses]

Yugioh S2 Ep 33:  ᵇˡᶦᵐᵖ ʙʟɪᴍᴘ  BLIMP ԀꟽI⅂ꓭ

I usually don’t really do these during weekdays but lets just say today was a day where I felt the need for a healthy distraction.

Ah, it is episode 33. There are...so many episodes in a Yugioh season, guys. I was just not aware. But, here we are at episode 33 and we are finally going to start the finals.

For reals this time, no one’s going to get engaged, no one’s going to randomly murder a bunch of people. We are officially starting the finals this episode.

Sort of.

Man, Kaiba and his butterfly-wing shoulderpads. Sometimes it just looks like he’s just going to gently flutter away.

Also in this stadium with Kaiba and Mokuba is Marik and Odion, who is just as confused as to where the hell everyone went and why the hell Mai just flew by being carried off by a ninja in a jet pack. The hours it must have taken to wait for Yugi’s crew to walk 2 single blocks was enough time for Marik to formulate yet another back-up plan. I want to say this is plan #9.

It’s a good thing Pharaoh can’t read anymore, considering that Marik’s just walking around in a crop hoodie with a tattoo that just reads “SEASON 2 SPOILERS, PHARAOH, DO NOT READ” in hieroglyphs.

But if you wait long enough, even Yugi and his friends will accidentally wander the correct direction and actually show up.

(read more under the cut)

Not a joke, this is actually an unfinished public works project, congratulations, Kaiba Corps, there is nothing that Kaiba won’t try and then fail at, at least once.

Anyways, this shady-as-hell unfinished stadium seems kind of like a good place to get murdered and then tossed into a cement slab. Which honestly, would have been a very likely end to this season, considering what we have been through so far.

Marik decides to sneak around the bleachers, probably on all fours so no one would spot him, jump out a window, and then come in through the front door like he’s not been here this entire time. As he did, apparently he made everything very, very windy. In fact, everyone with a millennium item brought with them a spooooooky gust of wind except I think Yugi, who is probably too short to pull that one off.

Yugi did manage to get the vibe of “something bad is coming” before Marik entered the field, but like...there’s so many bad things at this point, Yugi. So many people that could be. It feels like that might be half the cast. You could say that at any given moment in this season and be absolutely right.

So, after possessing Tea for a second, for...some reason? Did she need threatening? Anyway, after doing that, Namu is in with the gang because literally nothing will prevent Yugi from becoming a friend with you, especially if you are trying to hide the fact that you just tried to kill him by drowning him in the ocean.

Funny how instead of them asking how the hell Namu got away from cultists, they have to fixate on the mystery of “is Bakura good at cards!?” because, and I kinda forgot about this, I guess they don’t remember the last time they saw Bakura play. How far up their own ass is Yugi and Joey to assume that just because Bakura doesn’t brag about cards all day, that Bakura hasn’t been equally good at cards? They kind of deserve this.

Yeah and PS Kaiba absolutely did not check the satellite to get the DL on why the hell Bakura got so many cards. Dayjob Saruman I guess went home for the evening so...although that shadow game was definitely being recorded on a computer, we’ll never know what that mess looked like on Kaiba’s end. Like there’s just three duel disks covered in ectoplasm hanging out in the cemetery and no one seems to have noticed?

Like for a competition that was huge about security and tech, they only seemed to watch the God Cards players and then Mokuba randomly monitored Joey Wheeler for some reason. That was it. That was all the people the Kaiba’s cared about.

So although Marik and Odion and Bakura could probably take on everyone right now. Like riiiight now. They decide not to because, well, I nearly forgot about someone that I was really looking forward to seeing again, that’s right, my favorite boy!

AW THERE HE IS!

to quote one of my actual favorite earworms,

Where has this big boy been hiding!? He’s freakin ginormous, but apparently he was just hiding behind a soft cloud or something, in anticipation of this grand reveal in a very sketch unfinished stadium that’s probably being used to bet on bum fights.

Mokuba gets excited for the first time since...I don’t remember if Mokuba’s ever actually been excited before. Like I’m digging through my memories here and no, Mokuba’s been mostly abducted, angry, bored, or scared, this is the first time he’s exuded that pure pre-teen energy.

PS a blimp’s max flying height is 1500 ft, and what surprised me the most about this was realizing that this entire time we’ve been watching this show, we’ve been getting measurements in US metrics. Didn’t realize that before today.

Also, on my wikipedia deep dive into blimps, I found out that like...this is probably not a “blimp,” but actually a semi-rigid airship but...I’m gonna keep calling it a blimp. Don’t @ me, blimp fandom on tumblr.

It’s so good to see more Blimp. Even though...probably the worst place to throw a tourney? Like...how many people are you even gonna fit in there? Like...is this televised? I mean I don’t know how Kaiba’s marketing works for this, honestly, he took over every TV in the city to get people to join this tourney, and now that it’s in full swing no one can watch it?

Whatever, it’s a blimp.

Duke Devlin is still here, despite the fact that I don’t think he’s going to do anything for the rest of this season. I guess they had to promote that gameboy game so his face will just be in the background always although as a dice player he um...he has no purpose here.

In fact it makes no sense, he works with Pegasus who straight up killed Mokuba and Kaiba like a month ago, why are they just letting him on their airship? Whatever.

I dunno, maybe there’s more that Duke will do eventually, but he just seemed like a replacement for Bakura at first--and Bakura’s back now, so why’s he still here?

Ishizu is here, and while every other time we’ve seen Ishizu, she’s been talking our ears off, the one time she should probably say something, she instead decides to lock herself inside her bedroom and avoid everyone.

I guess she was mostly avoiding Marik so they don’t have a sibling laser fight in the hull of a Blimp. That would have made things so awkward for Yugi and Bakura. Especially Yugi, who still doesn’t know that thing around his neck shoots freakin lasers.

Props the background artists who had to draw billions of small little buildings AKA the worst background in the world to draw. I will go through hoops to avoid drawing even a single building, but to have to sit down and paint just a whole page of buildings that someone’s going to smack a foreground on anyway? Mad respect. If you look closely you’ll see that this artist had to use a ruler and perspective and other annoying tools that take up time and energy. Even using editing tools like using blocks of black color to imitate the look of rooftops and crowded structures, it probably took them a few hours to make the background that went in a .2 second scene.

They’ll probably reuse these buildings later, don’t get me wrong, but oi, I feel for them in my carpel tunnel bones.

Seto keeps telling Yugi that they’re rivals but I don’t think anyone on this show other than Joey thinks of Seto as much of a rival at all. You almost feel a little bad for him, like he’s in a weird...hate triangle, but very much on the loosing end of it.

Next we get a good look at Kaiba’s interior design decisions, and much like his mansions, it’s a lot of very unexpected soothing pastels. Like this is a lot of seafoam blue. How can someone so angry make something so grandma-zen? Is it actually Kaiba’s grandmother who is just slapping down all these paint chips when he’s not looking? I mean it’s got muted pink stools even, with a makeup station.

Tea, Tristan, and Duke have no rooms to go to because they aren’t actually part of this competition, so they’re just squatting around until they’ll probably all end up crashing with Mokuba, the only other person who is not dueling in this competition. Reminds me a lot of the first week of college, where everyone is just coasting dorm room to dorm room and there’s like 10 people there who actually don’t actually go there but want to hang out with their high school friends and they just end up sleeping in your room for 7 days until they read your other friend’s diary, get hella indignant, and then storm off back to California. My apologies to my Freshman year roommate who had to put up with all that girl drama.

And because it’s this show, the men and their bottomless stomachs decide to raid the smallest little mini fridge and you wouldn’t believe what takes up about 1/4 of it

There is so many cheese wheels in this Japanese show, guys. So, I felt like doing a quick google search of Japan and Cheese and it’s just a bunch of ex-pats talking about how the European cheeses most of us are familiar with is harder to find in Japan. So, maybe that’s why? It's a status symbol that he can find round cheeses?

But even if you can only get your hands on a 30$ Swiss wheel every so often (because that really is just Swiss cheese, like lets be real.) how much Swiss cheese can one man eat??? Especially since, looking closely, there is not a single baguette here. No man can eat that much cheese without a bread!

Sorry, stuffing your face full of free cheese you pulled out of your friend’s mini-fridge is also giving me vivid flashbacks to my Freshman year of college.

Also little edit--just realized that flag is flipped 90 degrees from French so that’s probably a Holland flag? Although I looked up European flags and there is...none that have that color order so I don’t know which country they were originally going for.

YO I just realized there’s no curtains on any of these pelvis-height level windows. So, you can’t sleep because of the lights, and you can’t change into pajamas because like--the whole city will see.

Kaiba does seem like the type that would on purpose not install any curtains on any of the windows he’s ever owned, though.

Keto is gone, and now we just have Roland, who is probably too terrified to ever abduct the Kaibas by picking them up by the neck with one arm.

Anyway, in case you were wondering--since the show has decided to make a huge fuss over card prep time--how can they prep for a card game if they only have the cards they brought with them and they don’t know what the other people are even playing or which person they’re playing first?

Kaiba did nothing. He sat there and thought “If Yugi doesn’t even put that God Card in his deck this entire tourney will be absolutely pointless.”

Mai took little sips of milk. Probably paired it with Swiss cheese. Just a huge bite out of a wheel of Swiss cheese.

Odion never found the refrigerator.

Marik took a nap on this bed that looks like it’s just made of foam. Why is this the only one on the show who’s like “Youknow, I should sleep at some point.”

And Yugi’s prep involved talking to himself a whole lot, which explains why none of his friends wanted to stay here for that. I doubt very much Yugi kicked him out of the room. He was probably like “no, stay, stay” in that high pitched-low pitched voice combo until they were like “nooooo I don’t want to be present for your daily seance checkup byeeee.” while slowly backing out of the room.

Yo remember that time we were worried about Bandit Keith stealing the puzzle?

Apparently...Pharaoh could have just sort of done that dizzolving thingy and appeared right back on Yugi’s neck.

And remember that time Yugi handed that puzzle to Joey?

Apparently...Pharaoh could have just sneezed and then bam--right back around Yugi’s neck.

Like remember any time this season that we’ve been like “Oh no, the puzzle! We’re gonna lose it!” no that...that was never a problem.

I mean to be fair when it’s dismantled it might not work but um--apparently you can’t lose an item after it’s decided it likes you. At all. Which is kind of weird because Pegasus totally lost that eyeball, and aren’t all these items property of Pharaoh anyway?

I’ll try not to think about it as this rule seems to only really apply to Bakura. 

Anyway, next week--I’m pretty sure the finals are indeed actually starting next week. I could be wrong as I have been every single episode but maybe--probably--the finals are actually going to start. We shall see.

[r3almellow]

It Started With A Touch 2 Dabi X F!Reader

I was surprised that you liked the first part! I honestly was super nervous and wasn’t sure if it would be well received! I guess I was wrong! Sooooo  I have here part 2 for you lovely people! Please enjoy and sorry for any typos!

P.s: This is an AU so the timeline is a bit different.

You sat at your desk chewing on the end of your pen absentmindedly. Your eyes were glued to your computer screen as you typed away on your keyboard. You had just finished with two back to back sessions with clients and began responding to the various emails before your next meeting.

You liked your job as an EFT or an emotionally focused therapist for families and heroes, but it was hard at times. You had to talk with families and heroes of all types who were dealing with things like PTSD and so much more. The stories that each person brought to you were mostly gut-wrenching. From the loss of a family member who was killed in the line of duty to a hero continuously reliving traumatic events in their life. Your boss told you, you’d get use to it, but being so in tuned with emotions the way that you were it was highly unlikely.

A small knock sounded from beyond your door before you saw an older man walk through it. “Hello, y/l/n!”

You looked up and smiled softly at your boss.

“Hello, sir! What can I do for you?” You asked.

The man made his way over to you and stopped just short of the chairs that were in front of your desk. “I just wanted to congratulate you on your progress here. You’ve been able to breakthrough to some of our patients that most have had a difficult time with for years!” He exclaimed.

You hated the word patients. You liked to see the people who come here as...well as people. Patients made it sound like there was something wrong with them when all they needed was someone to listen and place where they would not be judged.

Your smile widened trying to hide the slight irritation.

“I do what I can sir. I want people to leave here feeling like they have a new purpose.” You said with pride.

“That’s good to hear. I actually wanted to know if you would be interested in being our spokesperson for an upcoming ambassadors trip.”

You looked at him quizzically. “Ambassadors trip?”

He nods with enthusiasm. “Each year we send our best out to U.A. to speak with the future heroes about mental and physical health. After talking with some of the higher ups we feel that you would be a great fit.”

“M-me?!” It had only be a few months since your start here, so being chosen for something as big as this was something you wouldn’t have expected until you were there for at least a year.

“Oh, yes! Since you are an U.A. alum, we think the students would be able to relate and with your bilingual background you can also communicate with the foreign students as well.”

Bilingual was a bit of stretch. Sure your Japanese was way better than when you were younger, but having to do full on speeches in Japanese was a whole different story. You would need another person there to translate or at least help you not make a fool out of yourself.

Despite the nervous feeling in your gut you accepted the offer. These kids were in for a lot and needed to know that while there were many trials ahead they had a support system behind them every step of the way. Not many had the luxury of having their families or teachers in their corner, so this was the perfect chance to show that there are alternatives.

Your boss’ eyes lit up. “Great! I’ll get the paperwork together! We will send you and a few others out there next week.”

“Looking forward to it!” You leaned back in your chair with a smile once your boss left the room. 

For the rest of the day you were grinning from ear to ear. Even as you made your way home the happiness you felt refused to go away.

You were going back to U.A. after five years. You wondered how much things have changed since then. Were all your old teachers still there?

You heard the Symbol of Peace himself, All Might, had begun teaching there. You’d have to find a discreet way of getting his autograph or risk losing your job over fangirling over such an icon. It would be a small price to pay if you wanted to brag about having a future family heirloom on your wall.

And what about the students? Where they going to like you? From your understanding the freshmen were a very interesting group this year especially the class of 1-A. 

If you weren’t mistaken Todoroki Shouto was one of them. You remembered seeing him on TV during the Sports Festival. He was an extremely talented young man and clearly made a name for himself. Not really surprisign since he was the child of the number two hero Endeavor. Your growing smile quickly faded at the thought.

You saw Shouto only once when he was younger. It was just by chance you saw him with his older brother. There was only a quick introduction and a goodbye on Touya’s part. The child only looked at you with wonder as he followed closely behind his brother. Touya never really brought you around his family which you completely understood. You learned he had other siblings who he didn’t live with because of their “family dynamics.” 

Touya...

It had been six years since you last saw him. There were rumors circling around that he died in a horrible accident involving fire, but something told you that if that was true it wouldn’t have been an accident. Another rumor was that he ran away from home. You couldn’t blame him, but he could have at least said something to you.

The last time you saw him was the night he revealed he had no intention of returning to school. You had voiced your concerns, but he simply waved you off. You remembered caressing his hair and watching him sleep against your lap. You weren’t sure when you had fallen asleep, but you woke up in the morning and found yourself in bed completely alone. You didn’t think much of it and figured you would see him again that night.

You didn’t realize how wrong you were.

Days had passed and you had yet to see Touya. You would visit the abandoned warehouse where he often spent his time, but there was still no sign of him. You even tried calling his phone which went straight to voicemail for a time and later went out of service by your 50th call.

You muscled up the courage to visit the Todoroki home only to be met with grim expressions, unanswered questions and a door slammed in your face. It was like you were the only one that cared to find out what happened to him.

Days turned into a year and by the time you were ready to go to college, you made the decision to travel back to the states where you spent your college years. There wasn’t a day that went by you didn’t think of him. You had to be honest and say he was part of the reason why you returned to Japan. There was something in your gut that told you there was a chance he might still be out there.

You found yourself at the warehouse where it all began. It seemed you were so lost in thought that your body decided to go on a little joyride. Except without the joy...

Against your better judgement you walked in. You were soon filled with sentimentality as you looked around. Not much changed about the place. It was still a rundown deathtrap that should have been torn down years ago.

With a hand you gently caressed the walls that had scorch marks on them. Some of them you remembered from Touya’s time here, but other marks were unfamiliar to you. You touched one of them and analyzed the black soot by rubbing it between the pad of your fingers.

“I was wondering when I’d see your pretty face here again.” A male voice calls out making you jump slightly. You quickly turn around to see a tall man a few feet away from you with an unreadable expression on his face.

“I thought this place was abandoned. I don’t think you’re supposed to be here.” You say effortlessly hiding the nervousness in your voice. It wasn’t your best response seeing as how you were kind of trespassing too.

He doesn’t answer but circles around you slowly, surveying what you assumed was your appearance. The anxiety in your stomach continued to bubble up with each passing second of silence. 

“You haven’t changed a bit.” He finally said in a low tone. 

He stops next to you facing the opposite direction, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Not a damn bit...” You followed where his gaze fell which was directly on your ass. Your cheeks immediately flared in anger as you take a few steps back from the man. While you were a bit unnerved by this encounter that didn’t stop you from sending him a death glare. “Excuse me?! Who the hell do you think you are?”

While you weren’t the best fighter there wasn’t a doubt in your mind you could get the upper hand if he decided to get handsy.

He straightened himself and frowned at you. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about me already, sweetheart.”

Forgotten? You didn’t keep track of all your old classmates, but you would have remembered this guy. His long coat, casual clothing underneath and his most notable being feature was his skin had weirdly symmetrical burned patches in areas like arms, neck, and under his eyes certainly didn’t ring any bells. The staples that were holding his skin together where the next thing you noticed. Then there was his jet black hair and indifferent blue eyes.

He sighed as the aloof expression he had slipped into annoyance. “Do I really have to tell you?”

You were done trying to play these guessing games. Especially with someone who looked like they kill pretty young women for fun.

“Listen, Frankenstein, I don’t know who you are but I-” Suddenly his hand shot out and grabbed your wrist. You quickly recovered from the gesture and put your quirk to work. If this guy thought he could get away with touching you he had another thing coming.

You were ready to give this guy the worst pain of his life, but something was off. There was a sense of nostalgia that surged through you as you probed through his emotions. A feeling of sadness, anger and loneliness clouded your senses. It was almost suffocating. However, there was a distant feeling of warmth that felt welcoming, safe and...familiar.

Your mouth turned into the shape of an “O” then closed again.

There was no way that this could be...

You looked up at the man and stared into his striking blue eyes. You studied his face long and hard. Seconds passed and your eyes widened as the realization struck you. 

“Missed me, gorgeous?”

No fucking way...

Welp...I think this just turned into a small fanfic. I don’t know whats happening, but I can’t stop typing! Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this part! Please let me know if you want the next part!

And before ya’ll correct me I know the difference between Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s monster! Please comment and tell me what you think!

[yegarts]

2018 Second Round Artist Project Grant (Small) Recipients

Twice a year, the Edmonton Arts Council provides grants of up to $5,000 to artists through the small Artist Project Grant program. Artist Project Grants are intended to invest in the specific projects of individual artists and artist collectives as they pursue their artistic and professional advancement.

Edmonton Arts Council awarded 33 artists grants of up to $5,000 for the second round of small Artist Project Grants in 2018. Congratulations to all of the recipients! The next deadline for small Artist Project Grant applications is February 15, 2019. Click here for more information.

Cellist and composer Christine Hanson received an Artist Project Grant to perform the Canadian Premiere of her original composition “The Cremation of Sam McGee Suite.” Photo by JProcktor Photography.

Singer-songwriter Andrea Nixon held a live performance of her album Diary of a Housewife at Sunrise Records West Edmonton Mall.

Visual artist Ania Telfer is creating a series of acrylic and mixed-media paintings to promote conversations about creativity, healing, and health.

Trombonist Audrey Ochoa is recording a new album that mixes chamber music, string arrangements, contemporary and Latin jazz, and electronic remixes.

Singer-songwriter Ben Sures is collaborating with electronic music artist Brian Kobayakawa/Brava Kilo to create a three-song demo. 

Musician Brenna MacQuarrie, as iamhill, is writing and recording a new EP.

A cappella vocal group 6 Minute Warning are creating 12 short music videos.

Cellist and composer Christine Hanson performed the Canadian Premiere of her original composition, “The Cremation of Sam McGee Suite,” inspired by Robert Service’s poem of the same name.

Clint Wilson is creating a multi-media video installation called Wonderland, which resembles an artificial forest ecosystem.

Cynthia Fuhrer is creating a series of paintings based on animal rights and environmentalism that will be on display in 2019 at the Art Gallery of St. Albert and Bleeding Heart Art Space.

Composer Daniel Belland participated in a residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to work on writing a new musical about queer dating, friendship, and technology.

Elisabeth Belliveau curated a multi-media exhibition of work by five artists, including herself, called Offerings: Ikebana in Practice from Japan to Canada.

Sound artists Isael Huard and Chris Szott of Little Hook Sound are creating an interactive Edmonton Sound Map comprised of sounds unique to Edmonton as resources for the local music, art, film, and media communities.

The band Electric Audrey 2 is producing a music video with filmmaker Barrett Klesko for their song “Accidental Beach.”

Faith Healer is recording a new album, Slang Teasers.

Musician Kate Blechinger is composing, arranging, and recording work for her debut album Under a Dancing Sky.

Katherine Koller is writing and producing a radio play, Hope Soup, which will be performed at the 2019 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.

Kelsie Acton is developing an integrated dance piece, Orbits, that investigates the practice of timing in integrated dance.

Kiruthika Rathanaswani is developing a visual production to accompany her new bharata natyam (Indian Classical dance) performances at Expanse Festival.

Visual artist Madison Dewar is creating a series of woodcut prints that explore the ethics of livestock production.

Musician Mallory Chipman is recording a new EP featuring four original compositions featuring jazz, rock, and folk influences.

Musician Mark Segger is curating a bi-monthly late-night showcase of a variety of local musicians from new music, jazz, and free improvisation communities. 

Megan Dart is creating a multi-disciplinary immersive musical theatre production that explores the stories of Canadian women throughout history.

Pyretic Productions is producing a new version of the multi-disciplinary play Blood of Our Social, which will explore personal accounts from Ukraine during WWII and the country’s current conflict.

Rebecca Lappa is recording original music reflecting the #MeToo movement for a new adult-alternative EP, Deep Water.

The band Whale and the Wolf are recording new music for a new EP, One The.

Filmmaker Sheena Rossiter is attending the Raindance Film Festival in London, England and Reykjavik International Film Festival in Iceland to show her documentary short 3 Siblings.

Filmmaker Simon Morgan is producing a short dark comedy film called Finding Kevin.

Filmmakers Sylvia Douglas and Sara Campos-Silvius are producing and directing a short film, K.O., about gender-based violence.

Tatiana Peet is writing a collection of short stories about immigration, displacement, and intergenerational trauma.

Vivian Zenari is writing a poetry collection about Alberta’s six natural regions.

Visual artist Wei Li is developing a new series of digital paintings, drawings, and sculptures.

Electronic media artist Will Bauer is working a project that translates physical movements into an “audio skin” sound portrait.

[phonghoinghi]

Scary Details About Japanese Bride Exposed

As well, this one for the older Japanese girls relationship websites has many further choices to boost the connection information. The consumer can order flowers, home decor, goodies, perfumes, phones, and toys. His present might be delivered in a a variety of enterprise days and the top person may have a Photo Survey Photo of his buy. This website has a financial institution card price system, which implies you only pay if you work with it. There are a number of reductions for this website online often, similar to you now can buy 100 25 credit in a promotional value of $ forty four. You can use this platform for free, but you possibly can only view the profiles of brides. Which has a paid subscription, you should use fast messaging, video calls, and make an precise assembly.

We work strenuous to assemble and course of the purchasers’ suggestions and share their professional judgment with our visitors. On TV reveals a woman getting undressed all the way down to fall was the code for getting fully undressed. I recall watching “Poor cow” a tv japanesse brides enjoy about a que tiene coming out of jail and heading straight to bedroom with his partner. You can imagine he was happy to look at her but she nonetheless went to crib together with her slip on.

JapanCupid clients can merely consider selecting the needed choices and making use of the equipment quite than being regularly distracted. Anyways, there are by merely least six hundred Japanese faculty…uhm…girls on-line whenever you need. All in all, is definitely a prime-high quality on the internet relationship site inside the Japan relationship specialized topic. Omiai is regarded as one of the in fashion Japanese courting websites in addition to a Western relationship iphone app. It is designed for many who're on the lookout for a vital relationship, and it serves as the right system for a international to discover a Japanese woman. Each of our Compatibility Coordinating System® matches Japanese single women and men relying on 32 measurement of abiliyy, like heart values and beliefs. The software is a crucial take into consideration eharmony’s matching success and the first level of differentiation among our company and that of numerous traditional Western courting businesses.

Prices range relying on the precise design and materials, nonetheless a apparel that tack an additional 100 fifty,000 yen onto the bill aren’t distinctive. If you want to meet a future wife in Japan, you should use completely different tricks to charm women.

You had been courting women with a particular mindset, completely different wishes, and beliefs, and so forth. The traditional Japanese wedding ceremony brides also have utterly different traditions and customs associated to the quickly-to-be husband and the star of the event. The groom’s family typically arrive to supply the congratulations and a traditional marriage ceremony shock. Many image brides had been in their thirties and forties when World War II began and skilled internment with their husbands and children. Connect this picture to the article about Japanese internment included in the curriculum guideWWII & NYC . A photograph of newly arrived picture brides that embodies the particular challenges of immigrating to the United States from Japan and a technique the Japanese American community sought to resist these challenges. During and shortly after the US-Allied Profession of Japan, the Japanese ladies who fraternized with troopers sometimes realized opposition from their owners and had been shunned by completely different Japanese.

Giving Japanese Mail Order Bride As Items

Between 1911 and 1919, 9,500 Japanese brides arrived within the Islands, starting a interval termed yobiyosei jidai , the period of summoning households. Currently should you need to be hoping to search japanise brides out your bride among Japanese e-mail buy antiques, it might susceptible to benefit from prospects you’ll be found by you. Prior to you even set ft in to Vietnam, you have to research slightly bit regarding the nation first. This will help to you establish how yow will discover one of the best Thai brides in your metropolis. If you perform a little analysis, yow will discover away lots of info concerning Vietnam simply sooner than you actually go to. You’ll want to understand in regards to the meals, the historical past, chinese, and the dad and mom that stay within the area. By doing this, you presumably could make a properly prepared decision regarding the place you need to have your bridal ceremony.

The important factor that drags men in Japanese girls is their very own unbeatable magnificence. In truth , it might even be unacceptable to marry inside one’s village or for a few siblings to marry companion pets from the the identical village. However , for some residential areas in Southern India, it’s frequent designed for Hindu crossstitching cousins to marry, with matrilateral cross-cousin (mom’s brother’s daughter) relationships being particularly favored. Inside the area, “uncle-niece and first-cousin unions are particular and with each other account for several 30% of marriages”. It was projected in 60 that completely no. 2% coming from all marriages among Roman Catholics had been among first or second cousins, however no longer any latest nationwide research are usually carried out. It is definitely unknown what amount of that amount have already been first cousins, which can be the group coping with relationship bans. To contextualize the group’s size, the entire percentage of interracial marriages in 1960, the past census month earlier than the most effective of anti-miscegenation statutes, was zero.

As there are brides birdes-to-be from Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. Naturally , we handmade omit the situation of usually there nonetheless as being a stigma towards this idea of mail order bride companies.

Image is essential for Japanese individuals, so should you don’t have lots of relations and your aspect will look type of… empty, well, you can always visit a particular service and rent a mom, two sisters and whoever you want. Those actors will act like your usual household, cheering and greeting you. Some of them will baltic to manage the home cleansing as a substitute of experiencing a career – all things thought of, if they may have the prospect to probably not work. Internet courting of children, it’s not widespread with respect to Handmade brides to acquire various children. Over the years, folks within the Baltic blended website genetics strongly with Western and Southern Europe, and through Soviet guideline, this mixture obtained extra family genes from the East. In this manner, you possibly can easily find wonderful trying brunettes and redheads.

For the most powerful finish end result you’ll have the ability to choose a paid membership. The going out with web site has been in Japan for close to twenty years, and in that period, it has verified itself as being a reliable website the location people will get love and date. Dating a Japanese girl is a superb experience that’s filled with satisfaction, pleasurable, and excitement.

Of course, it could’t be mentioned that all the ladies in Japan look like this, nevertheless most of them truly do. Just take a look at the pictures of these women – we guess making a various among these beauties received’t be a straightforward task. There is not any denying the fact that there’s one thing particular about Japanese ladies. Their attraction is unimaginable to explain or describe, nevertheless that doesn't indicate that we're going to not try. Here are the explanation why these women are thought of to be excellent girlfriends and wives. No hidden seeing frauds uk cougar relationship free search After all, your group of associates might be a yoga stretches class—or solely a flick of the finger—away a person. So, many successfully educated, extreme incomes Japanese single girls have started trying in the path of foreign males these days.

The Japanese beauty commonplace is understood everywhere in the planet and there are numerous girls in the world who attempt to emulate it with various degrees of success. The key features of Japanese beauty embody porcelain pores and skin with barely rosy cheeks, tasteful eye and lip make-up, and a flawless hairdo.

The resettled inhabitants’s inclusion as “loyal” Americans was finally bought on the worth of their alienation from both the white and Japanese American communities. 5 After the struggle, in 1947, President Truman went further to ascertain the Commission on Civil Rights. Thus, although the Brown alternative was pivotal, it was on no account a surprising choice or an isolated event. The annual variety of marriages has dropped given that early Nineteen Seventies, while divorces have proven a fundamental upward pattern. Newer suppliers like Pairs, with eight million customers, or Omiai have launched ID checks, age limits, strict moderation, and use of synthetic intelligence to rearrange matches for critical seekers.

This score of the best Japanese mail order brides websites is created in accordance with our personal opinion. However, if deepen and delve into this, one sees that the Japanese are good on this respect.

Coi thêm ở : Scary Details About Japanese Bride Exposed

from Phòng Hội Nghị - Feed https://phonghoinghi.com/scary-details-about-japanese-bride-exposed/ via IFTTT