#don’t take this too seriously in sure bedrock is great

[hd-cookie]

Asking Mojang to give us Minecraft Java Edition Users justice and give us access to 128x128 skin formats. The Bedrock users have had it good for too long (joking). 😭

[accesscounselling]

Counsellors in Dublin: 5 Red Flags to Avoid When Choosing

Counselling is an intimate journey of self-growth and recovery. It’s an experience that you need to undertake with someone you can trust: a competent and credentialed therapist.

But the process of selecting counsellors in Dublin—or anywhere, for that matter—can feel like traversing a vast and unfamiliar terrain. With patients having too many options and no idea of how to pick a suitable therapist, a mismatch can easily happen.

Working with the wrong counsellor can impair progress and even complicate any distress you’re experiencing. Imagine pouring your heart out to someone who dismisses your concerns, shares confidential details, or pressures you into unnecessary sessions. Such experiences can be disheartening and leave you feeling worse than before you began therapy.

As such, it’s imperative that you take the selection process seriously. We understand that this task can feel daunting, which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you find a counsellor who best suits your needs.

5 Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore When Choosing Counsellors in Dublin

While most therapists in Ireland are dedicated professionals, it’s crucial to be aware of potential red flags during your search. Here are five warning signs to keep on your radar to avoid picking a counsellor who won’t prioritise your well-being:

Red Flag #1. Lack of Proper Qualifications

The bedrock of an effective counselling relationship lies in the credentials of your chosen professional. Every credible counsellor in Dublin should be backed by certifications from respected bodies, such as the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP). These credentials are not just formal titles but are assurances of the counsellor’s adherence to the highest standards of ethical practice and competence in the field.

It’s also wise to consider whether they hold additional certifications or have undergone specialised training that aligns with your needs or concerns. For instance, if you are grappling with depression, a counsellor certified in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might offer the specialised approach that will resonate with you. Similarly, for issues like anxiety, anger or grief, there are additional qualifications that can distinguish a professional’s expertise in those areas.

Red Flag #2: Unclear Fee Structure

Everything about fees and payments must be clear right from the start. Your counsellor should tell you exactly how much sessions will cost, how often you need to pay, and any other fees you might need to know about.

If things seem a bit fuzzy or they haven’t told you about the counselling costs, that could be a problem. You don’t want to end up surprised by a bill you weren’t expecting, which could make you feel uncomfortable or cause you to lose trust in your counsellor.

So, make sure to ask questions like how you’ll be billed, how often you need to pay, and if there’s a way to pay less if you need to (this is usually called a sliding scale). It’s also good to ask what happens if you miss a session. Getting these details not only helps you budget for your sessions but also shows you how upfront and honest your counsellor is. This lets you focus more on your counselling sessions without worrying about unexpected costs or billing surprises.

Red Flag #3: Inadequate Boundaries

A great therapy session is one where you feel comfortable opening up in a space that’s all about respect and safety. But sometimes, things can go off track, like when sessions happen at odd hours or your counsellor starts talking about other clients they see. These are signs that they might not be keeping things as professional as they should.

When boundaries get blurry, it can make the whole therapy experience less effective and even uncomfortable. Hence, recognising when these lines are crossed is essential.

Effective therapy provides a safe, respectful environment where you should always feel heard without your privacy or comfort being stepped on. If things seem off with how your counsellor is acting, it’s okay to speak up or look for someone who better respects those boundaries.

Red Flag #4: The “One Size Fits All” Approach

When you’re choosing a counsellor in Dublin, watch out for those who apply the same methods across their patients, irrespective of their unique issues and needs. Each person’s therapeutic requirements differ significantly. So, it’s absolutely essential that your therapy plan is flexible and tailored to accommodate your personal journey.

Before you decide on a counsellor, have a clear chat about their treatment plan. It’s also worth asking your prospective counsellor about the therapeutic models they use and how they adjust their approach to address each client’s specific needs.

Remember, therapeutic help shouldn’t be a standardised solution. It needs to be as unique as your life experiences and challenges. The right counsellor will recognise that and adapt accordingly, ensuring that the guidance you receive is uniquely suited to help you in the most effective way possible.

Red Flag #5: Unrealistic Claims or Guarantees

Like there are no magic pills for life’s bigger challenges, be cautious of counsellors who offer instant solutions or promise guaranteed results. Healing and growth through therapy are not overnight processes. They require dedication and effort over time, and each person’s road to progress differs. While a certain level of optimism is healthy, promises made by a counsellor must be realistic and based on professional standards.

A trustworthy counsellor will be honest with you about the therapy they offer. They will discuss the possible benefits, the realistic timeframe, and what it will demand of you. They will also continuously evaluate and adjust your therapy plan as needed, ensuring it aligns with your evolving needs and life changes.

Remember, therapy is a two-way street – your active role and commitment are key ingredients in making it work. Anyone suggesting that success is guaranteed without your input should be approached with caution.

Beyond Red Flags: Qualities of Excellent Counsellors in Dublin

Searching for a therapist in Dublin is not only about avoiding the warning signs. There are also positive qualities to seek that will help you find a counsellor who can provide a positive therapeutic experience.

Effective Communication Style

A counsellor’s ability to communicate effectively is paramount. This includes demonstrating empathy and active listening, ensuring you feel understood and valued in your sessions.

Empathetic: Good counsellors don’t just hear your words; they genuinely listen and understand the emotions behind them. They can reflect your feelings in a way that feels validating and creates a safe space to explore difficult topics.

Active Listening Skills: Pay attention to nonverbal cues like body language and eye contact. Does the counsellor ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding? Do they offer summaries of what you’ve shared to demonstrate they’re engaged with your story?

Specialisation and Experience

As mentioned earlier, each person’s journey through therapy is unique, often requiring a specialised touch. Seek a counsellor with experience or specialisations that align with your needs:

Targeted Expertise: Does the counsellor have experience working with your specific challenges, like anxiety, phobias, or relationship issues? Look for therapists who actively pursue ongoing training and education in their focus areas.

Culturally Competent Care: If your cultural background is important to your experience, consider finding a counsellor who demonstrates cultural sensitivity and understanding.

Therapeutic Approach

The therapeutic approach a counsellor uses is the foundation of their practice, influencing how they understand your experiences and plan your journey through therapy. Here’s how to explore this aspect:

Research Common Approaches: Explore different approaches, such as CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or humanistic therapy. Each has its strengths and focuses.

Open Communication About Methods: During consultations, discuss the counsellor’s preferred approach and ask if it aligns with your goals and expectations. A good counsellor should be able to explain their approach clearly and answer your questions.

Client-Centred Focus

The best Dublin counsellors understand that therapy is a collaborative effort, but the emphasis lies on your unique needs and preferences. Here’s how to identify these therapists:

Your Goals, Your Pace: A client-centred counsellor prioritises your goals and works at a pace that feels comfortable for you. They tailor their approach to fit your needs, not the other way around.

Shared Decision-Making: The counsellor presents therapeutic options and explains their potential benefits. However, the final decision on which approach to use rests with you.

Openness to Feedback: A good counsellor is open to feedback throughout the therapeutic process. They actively listen to your concerns and adjust their approach to ensure it aligns with your evolving needs and preferences.

By actively seeking these qualities, you can increase your chances of finding a therapist in Dublin who provides a supportive, effective, and empowering therapeutic experience.

In conclusion, choosing the right counsellor is as pivotal as the therapy itself. It’s the foundation for a safe, supportive space where you can explore your challenges, develop coping mechanisms, and ultimately reach a place of growth and healing.  Being able to identify the red flags we’ve discussed is tantamount to ensuring your mental health journey is positive and productive.

Remember that therapy is most effective when it feels like a good fit. So, don’t hesitate to ask questions during consultations and trust your gut instinct. The ideal counsellor will be someone you feel comfortable with, someone who listens attentively, and someone who tailors the therapeutic approach to your unique needs and goals.

Therapy is an investment in yourself, and by taking an active role in choosing the right counsellor, you’re setting yourself up for success. Keep in mind, the journey towards mental well-being is unique, and with the proper support, you can achieve lasting positive change.

Feeling lost in the sea of counsellors in Dublin? Access Counselling Clinic can help. We offer a personalised approach to therapy, matching you with a counsellor who understands your specific needs.  Don’t waste time wading through options. Contact us today on 015240708 or click here and let’s get you started on a brighter tomorrow.

[theminecraftbox]

eldritch confession au: if you could relive one hour of your life, what would it be? nothing significant would change, you'd just get to re-experience it

/rp /dsmp

(Dream’s rigid in his chair. Sam’s pacing. Quackity is idly picking his fingernails with his shears.)

Dream: (grins, with teeth) Heh. Taking L’Manberg down to bedrock. Best—best hour ever.

Sam: You’re sick.

Dream: Sure. But I also keep my promises, Warden.

Sam: (disgusted) What’s that supposed to mean?

(Dream pauses.)

Dream: I mean, I told the whole server what would happen. I warned them. And I followed through. Not my fault they didn’t listen.

Sam: (exasperated) How can you say all that and still think—Dream, I warned you too! Over and over, I warned you, remember?

Dream: …Okay. And my options were—were what, exactly? I tried! You can’t seriously say I didn’t try to, to cooperate.

Sam: Really, Dream, really? Cooperate? That’s the last thing you did! Let’s see, there were the clocks, the books, the lava—oh yes, your trick with the lectern, that was very cooperative! Or how about when you murdered Tommy, or Ghostbur, would you say that was cooperation?

Dream: I mean—

Sam: (cutting him off) Or how you never gave me straight answers! It took forever before you’d answer me about Tommy, and then you didn’t want to tell me about your plans, or the bell, or the tnt, or about Techno! It was like—like pulling teeth!

Dream: …

Quackity: heh. It really was, wasn’t it?

Sam: and don’t get me started on the book. If you were so cooperative, why didn’t you tell me about the book?

Dream: Oh my god. Because you would have KILLED me, we’ve been over this! And—and when I say I tried to cooperate—I mean, I did offer to use the book for you, whenever you wanted, remember that? I tried to compromise!

Quackity: Weirdly, we weren’t in the fucking mood to compromise, Dream.

Dream: (icily) Yeah, I picked up on that. But you can’t—look, you can’t say I never tried.

Quackity: (chuckles) sure. You got pretty motivated. I’ll grant you that, Dream, I’ll grant you that. You never were a good listener though. Too fucking dumb to realize there was only one way out.

Dream: … (glancing at XD) that wasn’t an out. I didn’t want—I was afraid to die. I still am.

Quackity: (brightly) Great! Glad to know you’ll be pissing yourself when I cut your goddamn head off.

Dream: Sure.

Sam: Well, I’d pick the hour we arrested you. I’d relive that again.

Dream: That’s your pinnacle? Really? Kinda sad, Sam. You’re a loser, anyone ever tell you that?

Sam: quiet, Dream. And you still say you were a good prisoner!

Dream: I never said that. And I’m not a prisoner now, am I?

Quackity: really, Dream, really? you think you’re not? Where’s the door, then, if you’re not a prisoner?

Dream: …That’s true. I mean I’m not your prisoner, then.

Sam: (with grim intensity) You are. You always will be. You’re my responsibility, Dream.

Dream: …

Quackity: Face it, asshole. You’re in denial. You’re gonna get what’s coming to you.

Dream: (quietly) and what’s coming to you?

Quackity: You tell me, Dream! You tell me. You’re the one with the whole zen fucking honesty thing now!

Dream: …haven’t decided.

Quackity: “Haven’t decided.” You hear this guy, Sam? You hear this, huh? Here’s some honesty: can’t believe I was ever fucking scared of you, man. This is just pathetic. How’s that feel?

(Dream coughs and rubs his mouth.)

Dream: I have bigger—bigger issues. Other things to think about. Bigger fish to fry than you.

Quackity: oh, sure you do. I’m sure you do.

(A silence. Quackity taps the shears against his teeth.)

Quackity: … man, now what could I relive. So many good memories, huh, Dream? What was your favorite?

Dream: …

Quackity: (sweetly) oh, are we suddenly not in the mood for therapy? DreamXD might not like you holding back, buddy. It’s important to feel your feelings, remember?

Dream: (stiffly) I don’t—I don’t have to answer anything you say. Only what DreamXD asks.

Quackity: How about that first day? That was a good one. The way you screamed. And you actually thought Sam was gonna help you! Funny as shit.

Dream: …

Quackity: still nothing to share with the class? Okay, that’s fine, Dream, that’s just fine! I can reminisce for both of us. First day I brought in a lava bucket? You were crying before I even fucking touched you. No?

Dream: (clears his throat) I don’t even remember.

Quackity: Right. Of course.

Dream: …so that’s your answer?

Quackity: Nah. Actually I’ve decided I won’t fucking answer. For a change.

DreamXD: SCORES: 41-43-48 (max 54)

[raisans-art]

What the Fuck Are these Characterizations: The Essay

Full warning: This is only concerning Tommy's stream made today, 4/29/2021. I know Ranboo has streamed after Tommy but I haven't watched that.

On with the essay.

A lot happened.

Tommy tried to kill Dream, Dream actually killed Ghostbur, Wilbur is back (pog). It's a lot. A lot of plot and a lot of emotions. I will preface this with the usual "holy hell these people are pretty damn good actors for having no formal training as far as I'm aware." They get their emotions across very clearly and that's kinda why I'm making this in the first place. The way some of the characters acted in Tommy's 4/29 stream is a bit odd in my opinion.

Now, I will concede that I have not been diligent with the Dream SMP lore. I've been given broad strokes and have seen various clips but I have definitely not been on top of it. I may have missed streams entirely and you all more avid fans may be able to name scenes that I haven't seen that rationalize some of these reactions that I will be criticizing. If you can, please do so! I'd love to start a dialogue over this!

So, how I'm gonna break this all up is to take a look at Tommy, Wilbur, Ranboo, and Awesamdude and how their CCs characterized them during the stream. I'll sing praises where they are due and point out my criticisms where they arise. Then, I will try to surmise some meta as to why I think these characterizations came to be in the first place.

Tommy

Tommy, to me, has the best characterization in this. CC Tommy clearly has a very good sense of what he wants from his character and has been playing into that line of thought from the beginning of this whole debacle.

Tommy is scared, paranoid, and pissed off. Ever since he left the prison he avoids taking damage like the plague, rambles indecisively, is easily sent into a panic, and is hypersensitive to the people around him. He panics when he sees weapons out and one crucial thing that he made clear from the start was that he wants Dream dead.

Straight out of limbo, Tommy concludes that Dream needs to die. From there he plans this whole mission with Ranboo, Tubbo, and Ghostbur to get in and kill Dream. He says that Dream can't keep living with this power at his fingertips, and from before his final death, Tommy clearly wants to be rid of his abuser, adding a personal layer to his plan. Tommy is stubborn and determined since the beginning, sacrificing his life and disks for L'manberg and refusing to believe that his home is gone until the place is blown to bedrock. Of course, he would stick to his plan to a T.

Now, is this a smart decision to sneak into the highest security area in the entire SMP? Fuck no. It's a stupid idea. Even if Tommy hadn't messed up, Sam would've seen Dream die to a floating axe and kept Tommy and Ghostbur in that containment cell. It would've been a one-way ticket, especially given what we see of Sam in this stream.

But this all makes sense for the character CC Tommy is playing. Tommy isn't thinking about how smart of a decision this is and he hardly ever does when he takes action. He shoots from the hip, takes his first instincts, and acts on them.

It's easy to draw a clear line of progression of Tommy as a character from season 1 to this moment in season 3 and past Ghostbur's death. His hyperventilating as he tries to get his plan to work after it failed, Trying to save Ghostbur from what he went through, lashing out at Sam, and yelling at Wilbur. All of this in line with who Tommy is as a character and how events have changed him. This is a good characterization.

Wilbur

Wilbur has changed a lot since we've seen him last, both alive and dead. Since he's been alive, Wilbur has changed his tune from "I want to die" to "hell sucks, mate." What's particularly interesting is that this sentiment that he has from being alive carried for a long time into his limbo, as evidenced by his appearance in the season 2 finale on the bench. He wanted to "stay dead" at that point. Since we've seen him in limbo, he's gone from content in his situation and understanding why he's there and that he's there forever.

Now we have Revivedbur. Revivedbur is ecstatic to be alive again. He goes from numb to embracing feeling again. The fandom once thought that Revivedbur would be annoyed with or hateful towards Dream for bringing him back turned into joy and reverence. This is quite a drastic leap. Bad characterization.

But it isn't.

I have seen one clip from Ranboo's stream on 4/29 and that is Ranboo telling Philza that Wilbur is alive. In this bit, after mentioning that Wilbur has been in limbo for a perceived 13 and a half years, Phil says "13 years is a long time to be away... he almost certainly isn't the same person... people can change quite a lot in a single year, two years, three years, four years, even five years, Ranboo."

Wilbur has been gone for 13 years. He's been in the same place with no change other than Tommy for 13 fucking years. That's 13 years where we heard from him 2 times. We know virtually nothing about what those 13 years were like for him, but from what Wilbur has said, it was torture to him. He was stagnant, stuck in a fucking tube station for 13 years, unable to leave no matter how hard he tried.

We know so little about how his time in limbo changed him because it's such a long span of time with radio silence. I dare say this is fucking great characterization.

Ranboo

This is where I start having some issues, and this is where I have the least amount of context. From what I've seen, Ranboo is little miss angst who forgets things and is constantly on the verge of having a panic attack (hyperbole). From what I have surmised of his character in various contexts, serious and dramatic scenes and domestic ones, Ranboo really cares about the people around him and is scared of himself and his mind.

So why is it that he straight up just sneers at Tommy, saying "the hell did you do?"

I'm really just focusing on this because it just seems really off to me in the context of his character. Ranboo was in on this plan. It's pretty common knowledge that the only person with revive powers is Dream. Ranboo doesn't know everything that happened within the prison, sure, but why is he so quick to assume that Tommy was the root cause? Is it because he's been hanging out with the world's 2nd biggest Tommy hater, Niki (the character for clarification)? I honestly don't know where this jump-in assumption is coming from. Given what I understand of his character, this line and the implications I'm getting are just a bit out of character. Feel free to explain why I'm wrong because I am not in this loop whatsoever.

Awesamdude

Sam is where I have the biggest issue. How does a man go from living on an isolated island in grief over a death he could've prevented if only he had been quicker, to yelling at that same formerly dead person that he was at fault for the death/revival of another person?

Now, one thing that is strengthened by this characterization is Sam's dedication to the rules. He has his strict protocol and he is not going to let that slip up for anything. He wants to keep Dream in prison and never let him out.

But I'm just having a hard time grappling with a man so quick to blame himself last time something like this happened being so quick to place blame on a child he, from what I've seen, had a good relationship with. It feels like I'm missing something here.

Yeah, Tommy broke into the prison, but why is Sam's first thought that Tommy was trying to break dream out? This harsh turn on Tommy just doesn't come across right to me.

Why Did This Happen?

I do think there could be a meta reason as to why these don't land right to me. These two characterizations are centered around Tommy. How people are reacting to Tommy's actions. Tommy and Dream are the head of the prison stuff right now. at least as far as I know. I'm not sure if Wilbur has come back on as a writer yet but last I heard it's still Tommy and Dream handling their shit. With the writers in mind, I wouldn't put it past them to decide to add more conflict with Tommy and other members of the SMP right now. The Egg is a bit busy with other things, Jack is just running the hotel, and the Syndicate doesn't really have any qualms with Tommy on any level that they would act on. It could be the writers trying to add conflict to the prison storyline by generating conflict between Tommy, Ranboo, and Sam with Wilbur being a fuckin wild card.

I don't know mate, I just wanted my thoughts out there and maybe be fucking pounded into the ground by people more knowledgeable than me.

Have a dialogue with me I'd love to debate. (All friendly debate please I don't feel like taking this too seriously it is Minecraft roleplay after all.)

[almondmilks-posts]

Schlatt- executed pt2

*I am so proud of part 1

pls go show some love

Maybe a SERIES?? Maybe pt3??? Maybe some more angst?? Maybe some cute fluff with glatt?? Maybe idk if you would like to see more uwu

This took so long omg... I'm sorry

Context: in part 1 you became ghost!y/n much like Ghostbur  you forgot most of your memories including your death...

Life after death was weird. You had very vague memories of each member of the sever but other than that you completely forgot about your past life including how you died. You never expected that you would become a sentiant ghost on the server after death you also never expected Wilbur to become one either so here we are. You took a great liking to Ghostbur as he did to you, you both hanging out became a regular occurrence on the SMP you mainly liked hanging around quackity he had these homely vibes to him that made you want to be around him but you were not quite sure why although he had been seeing you less and less and when you did meet he seemed on edge always looking behind him, shaking his head off to the distance when you turn around, nothing.

You didn't know why Ghostbusr was obsessed with the colour blue, always handing out lapis lazuli to saddened goes by with a "here have some blue" but he always did. You guys can't mine down in the caves something about bedrock pressure?  but he always had stacks of blue on him at all times.

You- hey bur where do you get the blue from?

Ghostbur- oh uhhh umm I just have it sometimes I get it from Phill

You- oh cool. I want something I'm not sure I've decided on what...

Ghostbur- hmmmmm y/n how about

You- I know red mushrooms because they look so cool like lil toadstools.

Ghostbur- yes that's such a good idea

You- I need to ask Phil to see if he has any spare mushrooms adiós bur I'll see you later.

You began to float your way over the the snowy tundra that Phil resides in. You passed many different landmarks on your way only knowing by the names you and ghostbur had given them. Home home also known as the community House although in ruins after it was exploded by puffy. You did try to stop her however your attempts were unsuccessful. 

You- omg I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going here look I have some seeds take this as a sorry

You were in your thoughts so much that you had phased into a body. As a ghost you are able to phase through people However you phased into the body meaning whoever you walked into was not alive. You reached your arms into your pockets to see what you have as a sorry before the mushrooms which you still haven't been managed to find any. Thecno needing them for potions ofc knowing the butcher army was coming for him he planicked stealing so many resources including some of blue from Wilbur accidentally. You found three seeds in your pockets your had picked up from when you were hanging around Callahan (he's my fav on the SMP omg) and punz this one time just giving while punz went on a nether mission for ghast tears. You extended your arm out to the person, lifting your head up to look the person in the eyes.

Glatt- y/n?

He had Horns. Deep black horns protruding out the side of his head. His skin a pale grey ash colour, contrasting his flaming red eyeballs which looked down upon you due to the height difference. His suit a very dark grey almost black but not quite,  You looked at him than back at the seeds. He seemed like he didn't take any interest in taking the seeds from you as a sorry, you furrowed your eye brows at his sort of question? You really didn't remember your past life, thecno told you that most ghosts don't when they die the ones that do are 'poor damned souls of wrong doers' comforting you that you did some good when you were living.

You- uhh sorry I don't know a y/n?? Im ghosty/n! Well it would make sense that I'm y/n well was y/n hahahaha I don't remember much from my past life unfortunately

Glatt- you don't- you don't remember how you died do you?

You- uhhh no? Should I? I ask quackity you know quackity right? Small guy, blue beanie anyway he wouldn't tell me how I died he said it was a too long to explain anyway I gotta go bye uhhhh...

Glatt- oh it's glatt

You- well nice to meet you glatt if you see Phill tell him I need some red mushrooms

And with that you floated off on your mission to find some red mushrooms. Glatt stood there face slashed red. He felt embarrassed? Sick to his stomach? He wasn't quite sure what he felt, quackity had told him of your ghost life when he was pestering quackity this one time however he was scared. He was once a ruthless tryrant president drinking all day and all night because he couldn't handle the power and disappointment of his peers knowing he was struggling being president so he turned to alcohol. He was so plastered when he stabbed you he didn't even know what he did until quackity and Niki Walked out on him with some fruitful words.

Schlatt thought back to when quackity had confronted him, carrying your enchanted diamond boots Phil brought on your wedding day and never took them off since. Quackity looked so hopeless his eyes filled with tears, trembling hands as he screamed at schlatt so hard his vocal cords never recovered even after all this time and everything he's been through. Despite this he carried on trying to ruin quackity's life. Even after death the fucker never lost his need for power and bullying quackity is all he knew how. The issue was he could not find the small mexican, he floated all through what manburg was, he floated past the church, the target, the community house but no sign of quackity. He was searching through the community house for anything he could steal just because 'he was glatt he could do what he wants'; as a ghost he really didn't change. A fit of giggles rung through his ears, he hadn't heard that noise in years. Glatt knew that it was you of course you were married for several years before the incident. He caught himself smiling as he once did to see your face (which could easily fit between his larger hands.) He floated across towards where the noise would come from. To see you, a blue sheep with a wonkey eye and Wilbur? He felt anxious, his ghost heart started beating faster, if he wasn't dead he would be having another heart attack right now that would actually kill him. He wasn't sure of it was because you look so happy contracting the last time him saw your glum face as the XP dropped or knowing Wilbur might still be bitter about the election or what happened as a result of it.

You toyed with the blue sheep known as friend. Friend was the first thing ghostbur saw when he woke up as a ghost so there was a major bond between the two,.you would argue it was a closer bond than what tied you with Wilbur but nothing could compare to that. You both had years and years of history some even before Tommy was born but you both just didn't know that. (maybe pt3 y/n becomes human??) Friend was very entertaining for a blue sheep fried could make you and ghostbur cry with laughter but just standing there. ( Ok this is my HC so it's not cannon but I think it should be) The blue sheep had a lazy eye, so for long enough if the sheep did nothing the eyes would travel opposite directions as per usual you and ghostbur were dying over this. You bent down to pick at a blade if grass to feed to friend when a glum feeling came over you. Were you being watched? You wanted to cry, so you turned your head to Look at the assailant to see glatt standing there just looking at you or through you it was unclear.

You-oh hey uhhh glatt? Ah yes I'm right would you like to come hang out with friend, ghostbur and I would love it if you joined us and I'm sure friend doesn't mind you do you? No you don't because you are a cute sheep boopboop

Glatt- I'm not so sure

You- oh come on don't be such a killer it would be fun friend is very well friendly haha come on.

You grasped his cold wrist with your much warmer hands. The size difference between the two contrasted immensely. You blushed, a warm feeling coming over you almost as if you had known him for years. Which y/n did but you didn't know that.  Schlatt frowned at you calling him a killer, did you know? Did Wilbur tell you? A lot happened to manburg after you had died, stuff you missed that you could and would have stopped. You dragged schlatt closer to where friend was excited Wilbur could meet your 'new' friend glatt.

You- hahah bur meet glatt

Ghostbur- oh uh hey glatt nice to meet you, your a friend of n/n's huh?

Glatt- uhh yea something like that

Ghostbur- oh crap! I have to meet with Callahan (he's my fave member) I'm helping him build a forest, well you guys have fun with friend. And glatt? Its nice to see you again.

And with that he floated away from the pair riend looked at schlatt than back at you, than back at schlatt. Its pink tounge slipping out of its mouth. Glatt looked down at you sitting cross legged on the grass petting friend. He thought you looked beautiful with the sun on your ghostlike form, he felt shame wash over him he really ruined you.

You- sit next to me glatt, the sun isn't that bright down here

Glatt- no I don't want to get my suit dirty!

You sighed, why was he so cold? Was it that he didn't like you, was it the fact that he didn't like friend no that's not true everyone loves friend. You frowned over thinking lots of things glatt noticed your frown after he yelled at you; he felt worse that he yelled. Many nights after your death did he think about you and his actions. He numbed the feeling penultimately resulting in further alcoholism and finally his death. He kept your diamond boots in his desk draw so they could be next to him at all times he even picked up some of your XP but that stuff didn't matter to him. Nothing mattered to him. Expect you. He never was good at expressing his feelings to you, and you never pushed him to do that.

Glatt- do you seriously not remember your past life?

You- hmmmm not much

Glatt- what do you know tell me?

You- well, I don't really remember memories it's more feelings and smells towards something? Like Niki I feel very calm and peaceful around her she smells like bread, Wilbur it's like he feels like a brother to me and he smells like gunpowder almost, ummmm who else? Oh Tecno smells like potatoes I'll tell you about that some other time

Glatt- what about me? What do I smell like ( Father Fragrance??)

You- ummmmm it's a weird metallic smell? At first I was like iron smell but I'm not so sure. I was super anxious when I first saw you almost hmmm anger? Fear? But I also wanted to give you a hug it's weird what about me... Your a ghost I'm sure it's the same for you it is for wilbur... What do I smell like glatt?

Glatt- uhh well, it's metallic aswell

You-oh heyy look it's ranboo, Ran heyy look down here? Ranboo? Oh no he's enderwalking again ok well this conversation isn't over glatt

You followed the half enderman who appears to be on his enderwalking state. You don't say much to him as you know he won't hear or respond to you. You follow him past twitch prime, past the portal near to the prison? Confused you stood behind him a little, why was he going to the prison? To see Sam you hope...

But no. He didn't.

[redorich]

We Didn’t Start the Fire (part 4)

ao3 link

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 5

Wilbur receives some shocking news, and calls in the cavalry.

Wilbur pulled his phone from his front pocket. The other three men present in the clearing were taking care of the traumatized young man as best they could, and though Wilbur felt it was remiss of him to not join them, he knew this call was more important.

“Hello?” Grian picked up the phone.

“Hi, Grian…” Wilbur didn't know where to begin. He and Grian hadn't known each other for most of their lives, and when they found out they were half-brothers… They were glad to have found each other, but Wilbur didn't want to live in the shadow of his older brother. Thus, their relation was kept a secret, though both were quick to emphasize that they were most certainly not ashamed of the other. It was easier, that way. Almost like being an only child again.

“Wil, are you alright?” The frown in Grian's voice was evident even through the distortion of a long-distance call.

“We found out what happened to Tommy and Tubbo.”

“That's great, then!” Grian said. “But you don't sound happy about it.”

Wilbur looked over his shoulder as though someone were spying on him. He fervently whispered, “It was a Watcher.”

The line crackled with static. “I see,” said Grian stonily.

“Please, I need your help,” Wilbur begged. “I know you left that behind you, but you're the only person I know who can help.”

“For a child, Wil, you don't even have to ask.”

Before Wilbur could so much as thank his brother, Grian hung up. Wilbur couldn’t decide if that was a good or bad thing-- he didn’t know what to say anyway. He watched as an exhausted Tommy leaned into the side of a very stiff, awkward-looking Techno. Dream and Sapnap had taken to playing some sort of violent pattycake game in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I hope you know what you're doing, Grian.

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

Techno squinted at the sunset. The group from the clearing had moved to spawn, to better accommodate whatever drama was going on. Techno wasn’t entirely sure, to be honest, but both Dream and Wilbur were hiding something-- that much he was sure of. Whatever. They were both morons, so he’d find out eventually whatever the hell it was they were trying to keep secret.

Hm. Something about the sunset was off. The longer he spent analysing it (because, like all intelligent individuals, Techno’s hobbies included staring at the sun) the more apparent it became.

“Dream,” he said, “is it supposed to rain soon?”

“No, why?”

“‘Cause there’s a giant miasma of death and despair on the horizon,” Techno deadpanned. “Actually, it seems to be approaching rapidly. Yay.”

Dream blanched-- not that Techno could see it, of course. At least, not on his face, covered as it was. It was in the defensive raising of his shoulders, the half-step back he took, the minute fumbling for a weapon he didn’t have. While the black cloud of unrestrained summer fun drew closer, Dream seemed to be debating with himself internally.

“Techno,” he finally said, “protect my body.”

With that, Dream promptly passed the fuck out, leaving Techno to catch his body. Right as the Watcher (he presumed) made it to spawn, another Watcher materialized with enough force to create a minor earthquake. 

Looking up at the second Watcher directly above him, then down at Dream’s unconscious body in his arms, Techno muttered to himself. “What is it the guy says on Danny Phantom? He’s going ghost?”

Dream-Watcher shrieked at not-Dream-Watcher. The other watcher shrieked back, and Wilbur's return went almost unnoticed. He was panting, hands on knees. He was too far away to tell for sure, but Techno was near certain that Wilbur had sprinted all the way from wherever it was he'd been. Who in their right mind would sprint toward a Watcher without a reason-- ah.

“Grian, no!” Wilbur shouted. Ah, so the not-Dream-Watcher was Grian. Good to know. Techno hadn’t seen the guy since the last MCC.

“Mine,” Dream-Watcher hissed.

“Mine,” Grian-Watcher replied, pointing a weird shadow-tentacle-thing at Wilbur. Techno's eyes narrowed. Where had he seen that before..?

Dream-Watcher lashed out with a pointy appendage. The sheer force of it tore entire branches from nearby trees. Quackity was running around like a chicken missing its head, Nikki was clutching to the side of a hill for dear life, Wilbur was Panicking, et cetera. Grian-Watcher was gearing up to do some sort of attack which would obviously be noisy and cause lots of property damage. It was at this point Techno realized, hey, I’m the only one who’s figured out that these dumbasses are OUR dumbasses. He stood up to clarify the situation, ready to shout over the noise that these Watchers were known allies and friends, when he remembered with a gasp exactly where he had seen Grian-Watcher’s shadow-tentacle-thing. “Hentai!” he shouted.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks, staring at Techno.

“N-now that I’ve got your attention,” he continued, hoping his red cheeks didn’t betray the fact that he hadn’t meant to say that, “the Watcher guy to the west is Dream, and the Watcher guy to the east is Grian. If you could please not destroy the server fighting the guy who is on your side, I think we’d all appreciate it.”

Right before their very eyes, everyone watched in disbelief as the bigger Watcher shrank, coalescing into the friendly builder they all recognized. It was impossible to tell Dream-Watcher’s expression, being a gigantic cloud made of void, but Techno imagined that the weird chuffing noise Dream-Watcher made was indicative of some sort of moue of distaste. His entire semi-corporeal mass flew straight at Techno at mach speed, so Techno dumped Dream’s body on the ground like a sack of potatoes (except no, Techno treated his potatoes far nicer than that.)

Dream groaned, sitting up. “Did you seriously just yeet my body into the dirt?!”

“Did you seriously just yeet your body into my arms?”

Grian walked over, intercepting Dream and offering him a hand up off the ground. Warily, Dream took it. 

“If you’re here to help us,” Dream said, “why the fuck did you show up as a Watcher?”

Grian suddenly found his shoes very interesting. The tips of his ears were red. “Well… it’s faster, for one. Jumping from Hermitcraft to the MCC as a human is difficult enough, I don’t even want to think about how long it would have taken to get here. As a Watcher, I can jump straight to my territory, fly through some void, and make it here through some bedrock. I took off as soon as I got Wilbur’s call--” Grian gasped. “Oh no, did I leave Mumbo’s iron farm on?!”

“...Right,” said Techno, who understood some of those words. “Anyway, how are we going to get Tubbo back? That’s the important part.”

“Can you fix Tommy?” Dream demanded.

Grian took a step back. “I'll see what I can do for Tommy. If it's what I think it is, we'll need Tubbo along. Which brings me to my next point…”

“We're attacking an unknown Watcher in its own territory, aren't we?” Techno asked.

Grian smiled humorlessly. It had too many teeth. “Why yes,” he said. “Yes we are.”

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #471

Top Ten Settings for a Stardew Valley Spin-Off

Have you played Stardew Valley? It’s great. It’s this sort of farming sim-cum-RPG where you move into a dilapidated old farm and have to turn it around, selling lots of produce and turning a tidy profit. But as well as tilling soil and milking goats, you also have to mosey on down to the local village, befriend the curious townsfolk, repair the battered old community centre, and eventually settle down and get married. And on top of all that, there’s a really weird Lynchian mystery, with monsters in the mines and wizards and witches and a war between dwarves and some kind of race of shadow-people. It’s bonkers and it’s delightful and it’s incredibly, incredibly dense. It’s like a cross between a casual mobile game and six seasons of a prestige fantasy drama.

However good the game is – and it is very good – I never really got too into it. Possibly because in its structure I see too much of the “just one more turn” ethos of Civilization (time passes in days and you can only save when you go to bed, but every morning new stuff has happened or new crops have grown, so you always want to get up and see); as I’m already in the grips of a crippling addiction to the world’s greatest strategy game, injecting more of the same into my veins is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, my wife got addicted instead, and since the recent console update, we’ve been able to play together in co-op.

So anyway, the long and the short of it is I’ve been playing it pretty much every night.

Whilst I’ve been playing, I’ve been thinking of ways the game could be expanded. Not necessarily improved, but just sort of… spun off, in wild and exciting new directions. A different flavour of Stardew. New settings, new options, new challenges. Do you remember “total conversions”? When teams of modders or developers would essentially build an entirely new game out of an old game? Happened a lot with the Quake and Half-Life engines back in the day; I think it might even be how Gearbox got started, if I remember rightly. Anyway, how’s about a Stardew Valley total conversion? Something along these lines. It’d be good fun at any rate! So let’s play Stardew Valley…

…on Tatooine: you play a moisture farmer with a small place just outside of a bigger town – maybe someplace a bit smaller and friendlier than the likes of Mos Eisley and Mos Espa. You have to install moisture vaporators, buy droids to maintain them, trade with passing Jawas, and fend off Sandpeople attacks (unless you can learn their language and befriend them, Mando-style). Romance townsfolk! Save up enough for a new speeder! Take your T-15 down Beggar’s Canyon to bullseye womp rats! But seriously, the idea of farming in an entirely inhospitable location, and farming in a way that’s not done at all on Earth (except maybe you can also breed whichever animals make the blue milk), is really interesting.

…in the Wild West: you get to be an old-timey rancher out in the West. Are you growing corn? Are you raising cattle? Build yourself a cozy farmhouse. Get one of those windmills going. Basically, you’re creating the Kent Farm in Smallville. Perhaps this could go a bit more serious and look at the relationship between the settlers, townsfolk, and the indigenous people; maybe you could try to get everyone to get along? Or just make it stereotypical and wildly offensive. Godless meets Little House on the Prairie.

…in the Vampire Apocalypse: basically Stardew Valley by way of I Am Legend. There’s no romance here, you’re the only human. During the day you farm, you gather, you build; at night you hunker down as wave after wave of vampires attack. But just like in the book, there’s a deeper, creepier, much sadder mystery to unfold. I mean, this is probably the best possible adaptation you could make of I Am Legend, especially as presenting in a top-down pixel art style would rob it of any sensationalism.

…with Pokémon: you’re always shoving Pokémon in creepy breeding centres in the games, right? Well what if this was basically a Pokémon farm. You have to build specific enclosures for the different Pokémon, make sure they’re well treated, and also grow sufficient crops and foods to keep them happy. Your ultimate aim is to sell the Pokémon themselves (or their produce, I guess) but you can also sell what you grow. And, of course, you can wander into whichever little village in Kanto or Galar or wherever it is we set the game, and have your usual mild RPG entanglements and romantic sub-plots. Meanwhile Team Rocket are trying to mess up your lovely farm. The dastards!

…at the North Pole: kinda similar to the Tatooine farm, this has you managing a remote outpost in the freezing wilderness. Barely anything can grow outside so you have to construct and maintain habitats to farm indoors, and rear animals, etc. You can trade (or romance!) local indigenous people, befriend penguins, and ride polar bears, which I assume is a totally realistic thing to do. On top of all this there could be other research projects to complete and the opportunity to expand the station itself. If you explore far enough, you find a crashed UFO buried in the ice, but whatever you do, don’t let it anywhere near your dog…

…in Yorkshire: basically not much different to Stardew as it exists now, but it’s set in the UK. I think very specifically a small North Yorkshire village. Think of the comedy accents and regional humour! This is the sort of thing Team 17 could have made a lot of headway with in the nineties. You’d be growing and harvesting typical British crops, dealing with eccentric British townsfolk, encountering Sunday bikers and car boot sales and dancing round the May Pole… the more I think about it, the more it should basically be a Wicker Man game, to be honest.

…in Bedrock: farming great big huge caveman crops! Building big rickety stone houses! Driving cars with your feet! And – of course – rearing dinosaurs. Dinosaurs! Think about it: everything would have to be bigger and chunkier and funnier. Maybe you could invent fire or the wheel, or something. Who owns the rights to Chuck Rock? Because if the Flintstone people aren’t on board, this could be a great way to bring back a classic gaming icon.

…during the War: sorta similar to the Yorkshire Farm game above, but specifically set during WWII. I guess this is a more serious sort of game, but the added complications of rationing and a reduced workforce (I think maybe you’d have to hire land girls or something?), making produce for the army and stuff, would add a lot to the gameplay. Perhaps there could be bombing raids, blackouts, and maybe even enemy spies to deal with. All this combined with older technology could be interesting.

…on Cybertron: a totally different way of farming. Imagine: you’re in charge of an energon farm on one of Cybertron’s moons. You have to harvest energon from the ground and then convert it; there could be different energon ores and different ways of converting them. You could also drill for nucleon or something, or rear turbo-rabbits, sharkticons, and scraplets (but don’t let them get loose!). Meanwhile the war is brewing down on the planet below, and eventually you have to decide if you can remain neutral, or if you have to pick a side.

…in the Shire: on the one hand, it’s a fairly straightforward pastoral game, similar to Stardew as it exists now; plant seeds, grow crops, rear animals, do up your farmhouse. But your farm is in the Shire, you’re a hobbit, and everyone else is a hobbit. Grow pipeweed and learn to blow smoke rings! Expand your hobbit hole by digging further into the hill! Go into the Green Dragon and romance the barmaid! You can go adventuring, befriending wizards like Gandalf or Radagast, making friends with dwarves and maybe even meeting elves and men… but if you do, your hobbit neighbours might think a lot less of you. Man, now I really want this game! It sounds fantastic!

So there we are. Ten possible Stardew spin-offs. This started as a fun exercise and ended with me inventing a game that I want more than any other game that exists. This is crazy. Someone make me my gentle hobbit social RPG… please?!

[gffa]

Name ten favourite characters from ten different things (books, tv, film, etc.) then tag ten people

Tagged by @thewillowbends.  These lists are always hard, but that’s kind of the fun of them!  And that’s why we cheat and sometimes have lots of ties because no you can’t make me choose. 1.  Thor from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe - I am a sucker for a character who has their shit together but can still be human and face ridiculously traumatic experiences and come through them whole because they had a rock solid foundation to begin with.  From being thrown out of Asgard, made mortal, and taking that chance to suck it up and make himself better that he did that himself to the loss of pretty much his entire family and most of his people and his sense of purpose, the thing I love about Thor is that he keeps getting back up.  That kind of fortitude is even more appealing that the ridiculously hot lightning powers. 2.  Tsukino Usagi from Sailor Moon - I always loved her in the ‘90s anime, but reading the manga skyrocketted her into this special untouchable place in my heart.  The beginning of her journey is a girl who is so fragile that she would kill herself if she didn’t have the emotional support around her, who had to take step after step forward to find her inner strength, who wasn’t weak or terrible for her fragility, but instead her story was worth telling for it, that the point she started out as was just as valuable as the place she ended up, where she could be the one to stand up to save her friends and get them back herself, that journey was worth telling.  I LOVE HER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. 3.  Thranduil and Maedhros from Tolkien’s Legendarium - It was really hard to choose, because I love a lot of the characters (and I feel badly leaving Thingol and Maglor off the list and I will fight a bitch for Galadriel and Elrond and listen Glorfindel is pure joy and also the internet is too mean to Elwing and I kind of want alllll the Melkor and Manwe fic because sobs they’re brothers shut up you can’t make me not have feelings about that, but also trashbag Melkor/Sauron and--) but those are the two I usually wind up wanting to know their pov in a fic I’m reading or have them around when shit’s going down because I want to see what they’ll do or I just miss them the most when they’re not there. 4.  Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars - If you asked me to pick between them, I don’t know that I could.  Yeah, sure, I love Obi-Wan ridiculously, but if you give me five minutes, I’m pretty much always going to drift back to talking about Anakin and his issues instead.  I’m not sure I can even boil them down into a nutshell about why I like them so much, they’re the kind of characters that I love so intensely and with such big, sweeping thoughts, that I’d have to write a whole essay.  But my best attempt:  Anakin’s being both dumbass and genius at the same time, being charming and magnetic while also being a bag of garbage at the same time, who had such good in him but was also an absolute monster, who I desperately want to be happy, but I also struggle to forgive him sometimes and that’s saying a lot for a fictional character, he’s brilliant enough to truly carry an entire Saga about him.  And Obi-Wan is the bedrock of all goodness in that galaxy, he could be obnoxious at times and he didn’t always see Anakin clearly, but he always cared and he remained good and hopeful, he continued to serve the galaxy, no matter what it threw at him, and even forgave Anakin in the end, because he always rose above.  That’s it, that’s my shit right there. 5.  Inoue Orihime from Bleach - ORIHIME WAS MY GIRL FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, her unwavering kindness and care, her desire to be soft in a world (and, frankly, fandom) that wanted her to be hard and to fight everything, when she didn’t want to fight, she wanted to heal, she wanted to have fun and be weird, she wanted everyone to be happy, all of that made me love her.  Her loopiness is an absolute delight, but what I loved so much about her is that Orihime had the powers/abilities to be quite possibly the most OG of the entire cast, she could reject reality itself, and she never once wanted to use it to beat anyone up or to destroy anything, she wanted to make friends with her fairies and she wanted to help people.  That girl refused to let the world make her anything less than kind and caring and sweet.  She was THE BEST. 6.  Hara Akiha and Umeda Hokuto from Hanazakari no Kimitachi e/Hana-Kimi - Sometimes we all fall in love with those minor characters and they just fucking consume us.  A lot of it came from that they were both hot, they were both hilarious, and so they were just really fun, but what really got me was that I genuinely loved everything Nakajo did with Umeda’s character.  There weren’t a lot of gay characters in shoujo manga that weren’t complete comedic relief, where their sexuality was the joke.  Yes, Umeda was often a humorous character (all of the cast was) but he firmly was completely uninterested in high school kids, he liked adult men, and his advice to Mizuki may have been crabby as hell, but it was genuine and good.  His sexuality wasn’t the punchline of his character.  Then there was Akiha, who was also comedic, but his bisexuality (another rare thing to find in manga!) had nothing to do with the humor of his character, all of it was in the way he chased after Umeda.  He was a genuine suitor (and, reading the post-manga character interviews, apparently they got together, OMG MY HEART) and the kiss they shared was treated just as seriously as any straight kiss would have been.  That meant a lot to me, even though I’d have loved the characters just because they were so interesting and Umeda’s struggle to get over the guy who never cared for him and to let himself be vulnerable with someone that he could actually care about, was so great. 7.  Yuki Eiri from Gravitation - I can’t begrudge anyone for giving this show a lot of shit (and I definitely am going with anime!Yuki here, rather than manga!Yuki) or dismissing it as being god-awful, because it probably was pretty cringeworthy.  But Yuki got under my skin because he was one of the first characters I resonated with where his depression was real and it was ugly.  He could be cruel to people around him, he pushed them away, not just half-heartedly, but genuinely, and he couldn’t stand being vulnerable, because it touched on all the terrible places that had been damaged by what Kitazawa had done to him.  And he couldn’t just be magically fixed by Tohma’s devotion or Shuuichi’s unwavering amounts of love poured into him.  He couldn’t just be fixed with a hug or one good crying session.  He was damaged and it was going to be a hell of a long hike back up to anything even a little bit normal.  Especially back at that time, I felt like depression and trauma were never given any real weight, then along comes this ridiculous BL series that just refused to make Yuki anything less that genuinely damaged and it hit all these places in wee me that was struggling through my own depression that couldn’t just be cured with some hugs and people telling me they loved me.

8.  Hashiba Touma from Yoroiden Samurai Troopers - I’m not sure I could even say why this character got under my skin the way he did, other than that there was definitely a group of us who were SUPER into the show and it was fun to make a playground for ourselves, and Touma just really got to me.  The brilliant character who didn’t always know how to relate to others, but who cared very deeply about them, who gravitated to those who were better at social interaction than he was, who were better able to connect to people than he was, that he found this group where he really belonged, that just really touched wee me’s heart. 9.  Tendou Souji from Kamen Rider Kabuto - THIS OBNOXIOUS HOT MESS I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.  It was hard not to put Kagami on the list as well, because so much of what I love about Tendou is illustrated through his relationship with Kagami (whom I also love on his own), but I think I keep coming back to that I love his issues the most.  He’s the best at everything and so it puts distance between him and everyone else, all the more so because he’s so obnoxious about it and doesn’t slow down for anyone else to catch up, but the thing is that there’s a very caring heart underneath all that.  He loves his sisters, he loves Kagami, he even kind of tolerates the rest of their weird gang, and trying to find that difficult line of his superiority over the others versus that he wants them to catch up to him in his own way, all while being the most condescending dick ever, is absolute joy. 10.  Relena Darlian from Gundam Wing - I had a difficult path to liking Relena, because so much of fandom boiled her down to either being a creepy stalker who got in the way of Heero/Duo or they only ever wrote her in romantic pairing stuff with Heero, neither of which really encouraged me to like her.  But, as time went on and I rewatched the series a couple of times, I realized there’s so much more to her.  She’s a character who has to walk an impossible line between both of the legacies that weigh on her, the birth family that she never knew but maybe she could help bring peace to the world by taking up that name, by trying to bring back the Sanq Kingdom that promoted absolute pacifism and peace.  Yet, ultimately, for all that her relationship with Zechs is really important and she was the heir to that kingdom, she chose to be Relena Darlian.  She choose to try to bring peace to the world by standing up on her own as a politician, not a figurehead queen of the world.  The struggle to figure that out, who she wants to be and how she wants to achieve it, to go from a sheltered young girl at the start of the series to someone who has seen how terrible war is, is far more interesting than either of those first options for me! And I’ll tag @forcearama (and if I couldn’t put Obi-Wan as all ten entries, neither can you!) @belldreams @subskywalker @cacchieressa @bpdanakins @glompcat @writegowrite @fireflyfish @evaceratops @amarielah and anyone else who wants to do it that I’m not sure I feel quite like I’m able to try peer pressuring you into it.  ♥  I love seeing these from anyone who wants to do them, I’m just never sure if I’m allowed to go HEY YOU DO THIS THING.  orz

[mxliv-oftheendless]

Last One Out of Sphynxia

Summary: (Modern AU) As part of his effort to be a better person, Bomani agrees, along with Dalila, to go with Masika to a garage band show after Radames cancels on him, while Vinneketh has Date Night with Demon. While picking up snacks at the store, a Mystery Guy walks in... and Bomani is smitten. Craziness ensues. 

Listen, Bomani was trying to be a better person; he really, truly was trying. He realized now that his… he hesitated to call it a “crush” now, because looking back it seemed more like an obsession, but maybe he should stick with crush… his crush (aka obsession) with Vinneketh had resulted in nothing but pain for everyone that got involved in it, even Bomani himself. Looking back on everything, it was really Black Dahlia’s more nonviolent intervention that made him realize how horrible he had become. More importantly, it made him realize he needed to change, and moving forward, he eventually realized he wanted to be better.

His resolution (which he was really trying to stick to) was also making him realize just how lucky he was to have friends like his. Because not only did they all forgive him and his assholery (even Vinneketh), but they all supported his work to be a better person. Their support made it so much easier, and he felt like he had to repay them somehow. So he tried to kick his habit of practically living at Radames’s dojo-gym, and instead tried to spend more time with his friends. Well, really it was mostly Dalila and Masika—he’d decided to give Vinneketh some space (and not because he was a coward, shut up).

So yeah, Bomani was trying. He was really, seriously, honest-to-God trying. But so far it didn’t seem like he was making much progress—well, enough progress for him to be proud of, anyway. He was at the point where he no longer felt pangs of jealousy when he saw the dreamily smitten look Vinneketh got at just the thought of Demon, so at least he had that going for him. But other than that, he still felt like he was going incredibly slowly down the road of growth.

Which brought him to the present. It was a Friday night, and all four of them were in the loft they shared, preparing for whatever plans they had. Vinneketh was in his room getting ready for a date with Demon, while Bomani and Dalila were sitting on the couch, beginning work on a 500-piece puzzle. Dalila had actually invited Bomani to join him, knowing he had no plans and had as a rule struck going to the gym off his backup plan list. And Masika… Well, actually, Bomani wasn’t sure what Masika had planned. But whatever it was, it was making him incredibly excited. The younger man was on his knees the other end of the couch, jumping up and down with an eager look on his face. Dalila and Bomani mostly ignored him, but when they started hearing squeaking they looked up.

“Masika,” Dalila said to him, “you’re going to break the couch if you keep jumping like that.”

Masika stopped and sat down, but made a face at Dalila. “Ah, don’t be such a buzzkill, man,”

“I’m not a buzzkill,” Dalila retorted. “I’m a person who still has college loans to pay off and doesn’t want to spend money on a new couch.”

“We could just make Masika pay for a new couch if he breaks it,” Bomani suggested. “’You break it, you bought it’ and all that.”

“I wasn’t even going to break the couch!” Masika protested. When they both gave him dry looks, he scoffed and waved them off. “Whatever. I’m in too good a mood to be bothered by you two.”

“Are you going somewhere?” Bomani asked him.

Masika immediately perked up again, grinning broadly. “Hell yeah! Radames is taking me to a show!”

“Oh good, you could use a little culture,” Dalila sassed, without looking up from the puzzle. “What is it, Romeo and Juliet?”

Bomani snickered. Masika looked incredibly offended. “Dude, no. It’s a rock show! And Romeo and Juliet’s overrated anyway; I’d rather go see Much Ado About Nothing and watch Beatrice throw her shade.”

Bomani perked up a bit at his answer; their love of rock music was pretty much the bedrock on which the fours’ friendship was founded. “A rock show, huh?”

Masika nodded vigorously. “Yeah! And it’s a garage band show! It’s gonna be a band, in a garage, at a house, with a whole bunch of people hangin’ out and doing stuff! It’s gonna be awesome!”

The door to Vinneketh’s room opened, and he walked out, dressed in mostly black and gold. “Okay, how does this look?” he asked them, spreading his hands out to show them his outfit.

Dalila smiled and nodded, while Bomani stuck with a thumbs-up. Masika grinned and also gave him a thumbs-up. “Looks great! I mean, I still don’t see why it matters—it’s not like you’ll be wearing it for very long anyways once Demon sees it.”

“Masika!” Dalila scolded, even though he was smiling—hey, even he couldn’t deny the truth of that statement. Bomani covered his mouth to hide his snorting, while Vinneketh flushed pink and whacked Masika upside the head as he passed the couch.

He was about to sit down at the island in the kitchen area when his phone pinged in his pocket. He took it out and looked at the screen, then smiled widely. “He’s here!” He grabbed his wallet off the counter and ran for the door. “Bye! I’ll see you when I get back!”

Masika pumped a fist in the air. “Woo, go get some, Vinneketh!”

Vinneketh laughed and waved before opening the door and leaving. He hadn’t even been gone for ten seconds when the door opened again and Radames entered, knocking on the door. Masika perked up and jumped to kneeling on the couch again. “Radames!”

“I almost ran into Vinneketh on my way up here,” Radames remarked as he shut the door behind him. “He shouted hi before running past me. What has him in such a rush?”

Masika shrugged. “Eh, the usual. Date with Demon, round of sex that’ll probably leave him sore in the morning—y’know, the drill.” He grinned at Radames excitedly and hurtled over the back of the couch to stand. “C’mon! Let’s go so we don’t miss anything!”

But the older man had to stop him, looking very regretful. “I’m sorry, Masika… but I’m afraid we can’t go to the garage show.”

Bomani was sure he’d never seen Masika look that shocked, or that crushed. “What? Why?”

“I’m very sorry, Masika, but it completely slipped my mind that Red Lotus invited me and Mr. Beach over for cards.”

The look on Masika’s face made Bomani think it would be perfect for a cheesy teen movie, in the scene where the teen girl protagonist realized her boyfriend was breaking up with her. “Cards? Seriously? Can’t you tell her about the garage show?”

“I tried, believe me, but Red Lotus threatened to hold my mail if I didn’t show up.” Radames suddenly looked up and to the side solemnly. “And she’s not a woman of empty threats…”

Bomani and Dalila had to give a conceding nod at that. They may have all had black belts, but that didn’t mean they didn’t think Red Lotus was the scariest fucking woman they’d ever met. And even Masika, who still looked crushed, had to sigh in concession. “Fine… I guess I can go by myself…”

Radames patted his shoulder mournfully. “Again, I’m sorry I can’t go with you. But I’m sure it’ll be fun without me. I can send you the address of the house if you like.”

“Yeah, okay…” 

Radames left shortly after that. Masika trudged back over to the couch and flopped down beside Dalila, crossing his arms and sulking. “Man, this sucks,”

“I thought you said you would go by yourself,” Dalila reminded him.

“C’mon, man, you know how Radames gets when he feels guilty. I just said that so he’d stop feeling bad about ditching me. I can’t go by myself—half the fun’s going with other people.”

Bomani suddenly had an idea. “We could go with you,”

Dalila and Masika turned their heads to stare at him in surprise. “Really?” Masika asked.

Dalila’s look of surprise changed to agreement, and he turned back to Masika. “Yeah, we could go with you! That’d be fun!”

“No offense, Dalila, but you thought spending a Friday night doing a 500-piece puzzle would be fun,” Masika replied. “Have you guys ever been to a garage show?”

Bomani shrugged. “No, but I’ve always wanted to go to one,”

“And I can too have fun,” Dalila added. “I’m loads of fun. I just decided to do a puzzle because I didn’t have any—ooh, a sky piece!”

As Dalila excitedly went to snap the piece into place, Masika rolled his eyes and looked at Bomani, gesturing to the blond. “I rest my case,”

Dalila flipped him off, making him and Bomani laugh. Masika turned back to Bomani and sobered up a bit. “You sure you want to go, Bomani? I know you’re trying to get out more, but if you’re just going so I won’t be by myself…”

“It’s fine,” Bomani insisted, shaking his head. “I want to go. Like you said, half the fun’s going with friends.”

Masika stared at him for a second, then grinned at him, some of his excitement returning. “All right. Get your jackets, guys, and let’s rock and roll!” He jumped up off the couch and ran to his bedroom, pumping his fist in the air. “We’re gonna throw down in the pit! Woo!”

Since the neighborhood where the garage show was taking place was a bit of a drive away, they decided (aka Dalila insisted) they would stop to get snacks for the road. So they piled into Bomani’s Ford and drove to the nearby 7/11 to get some snacks. They all attracted a couple stares upon walking in, given their black leather jackets and their long hair that would have fit better in the 80s.  

Masika immediately ran for the candy, making Dalila roll his eyes, though he decided not to lecture Masika about acting like a child. Instead he and Bomani went over to the drinks and looked at the selections. “Do we want energy drinks, or beer?” Dalila asked. From the way he was talking, Bomani got the impression he wanted him to say energy drinks. And normally he would. But for some reason, Bomani was feeling rebellious; so wordlessly, he opened the refrigerator, took out a Bud Lite, and popped the tab.

Dalila gaped at him in shock, while Masika, who had come back with some packages of candy, looked on in surprise. “Wow, Bomani!” he remarked. “Not even gonna pay for it first, damn…”

Dalila huffed. “Fine, suit yourself,”

“Can I get a beer too?” Masika asked him.

“No,”

“Too bad, I’m getting one anyway.” Ignoring Dalila’s spluttering, Masika opened the refrigerator and took out a four-pack of Corona Lights.

Dalila shook his head with a disapproving look. “You two… I’m going to have to be the one to drive us home, aren’t I?”

“Probably!” Masika replied cheerfully, while Bomani smiled behind him.

Dalila sighed heavily. “Fine. So who’s the band performing at the show?”

At the mention of the show, Masika grinned excitedly again. “It’s Mike Kroll! He’s got a cool 90s garage band vibe about, like, being nostalgic for the suburbs and stuff!”

“Nostalgic for the suburbs?” Bomani repeated, not even realizing what he was saying. “They’ve only existed for what, seventy years?”

Then he realized what he said, and wanted to faceplant into the Earth’s core. Luckily, Masika laughed, which eased his anxiety somewhat. “Man, I am loving this new side of you, man! Who are you, and what have you done with Bomani Roboros?”

Bomani laughed. “Yeah, I’m pretty cool.” He took another drink. “I’m Powerline level cool.”

Masika snorted. “Whoa, man, no one’s as cool as Powerline. But that reminds me; when we get there, we can either just slip in and hang out, or we walk in like we fuckin’ own the place.”

As he was speaking, the doors opened and the bell dinged, and right as he said the part about walking in like they owned the place, Bomani turned his head to see who had entered… and nearly choked on his beer.

The person who had just entered the 7/11 was a man about their age that wore a black leather jacket, a Skid Row t-shirt underneath, and blue white washed jeans and combat boots. But holy shit he looked… the only word Bomani could think of was gorgeous—he had long blond hair that obscured the right side of his face and just added to the overall gorgeousness, piercing eyes that probably could have looked right into his goddamn soul, and… oh God, his lips. His lips were full and pink and probably the closest thing he had ever seen to perfect lips. And to top it all off, he had flawless skin. It was fair, a little on the tan side, but fuck was it flawless. He looked so badass and mysterious and… and so fucking hot.

The mystery guy walked past them to the coffee, and Bomani’s wide eyes followed him the entire way. Masika pointed at him. “Like that guy! Perfect example!”

Some of the Bud Lite suddenly dribbled out of Bomani’s mouth, and he jerked, came back to reality, and turned furiously red as he wiped his chin with his jacket sleeve. His action made Dalila and Masika turn to him in confusion. “Are you okay, Bomani?” Dalila asked.

“U-Uh… I-I… I didn’t know people still liked Skid Row…”

Masika sniggered. “Yeah, that’s what you were staring at,”

“I-I was!” Bomani stammered, flushing an embarrassing amount. “Does he… Does he even know who they are?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Dalila suggested.

Bomani could think of many reasons why he should definitely not go over and talk to this gorgeous mystery guy, but then Masika nodded his head vigorously. “Yeah, do it!” He began to pump his fist and chant. “Do it! Do it! Do it!”  

Not wanting the mystery guy to look over at them, Bomani quickly shushed him. “Okay, fine, I’ll do it, just stop!” He nervously handed his Bud Lite to Dalila, then blew out a breath, shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, and headed over to the coffee machine, his heart pounding the entire way. The Mystery Guy had poured himself a cup of coffee and was stirring it with a wooden stirrer by the time he made his way over. When he standing right beside him, he tried to casually pick up a cup from the stack between them, but his hands were shaking so badly that he instead knocked them all over; then when he tried to pick them up, he swung his hands out a little too far and nearly hit Mystery Guy, who had taken a step back in surprise.

Bomani steadied the cup stack, then looked up at Mystery Guy—oh shit, he was even more gorgeous up close. He gave him a wide, incredibly nervous smile. “Iiiiii…”

Sadly, Mystery Guy looked mildly weirded out. He stepped back, then turned and went to pay for his coffee at the register. Bomani sadly watched him go.

Behind him, Dalila winced at how badly it had gone, while Masika was actually rather amused. The normally cool and calm Bomani Roboros was reduced to a stuttering, awkward mess by this hot Mystery Guy. “Woooowww,” he said loudly, grinning widely. “Wowowow!”

Bomani turned and glared at him, his face completely red. “Shut up, Masika,”

Masika, frustratingly, didn’t stop grinning at Bomani as the trio got back into the car. “Well, ya certainly showed the cups who’s boss,”

“Shut up,” Bomani muttered, feeling his face grow hot. “I just got caught off guard.”

In keeping true to his personality, the grin stayed on Masika’s face. “Sure, man, whatever you say…”

“Shut up!” Bomani dug his keys out of his pocket. “You put in the directions, right?”

“Yep,”

“Great. Now let’s go have the night of our lives!”

He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, then the car started off down the road. For a while, the three men sat in relative silence, the only sounds being the occasional crinkle of snack packages and the rock music playing loudly over the radio. Bomani kept his eyes on the road, occasionally glancing down at the GPS screen to make sure he was still going the right way; Dalila sat quietly in the backseat, chewing on Sour Punch candy; and Masika silently jammed along to the radio, air-drumming and nodding his head.

The silence was relatively comfortable… but as time passed, Bomani slowly began to feel like it was getting awkward. Like, very awkward. Dalila seemed to feel that as well, since right as Bomani began to think of something to say, the blond man leaned forward. “Okay, if no one’s gonna say it, I will: he kind of looked like Vinneketh. You noticed, I noticed, we all noticed.”

Bomani’s grip tightened on the steering wheel and his face went hot again. Masika turned to look at Dalila while he spoke. “Oh…” Then it seemed to click in his mind. “Oh!” He grinned widely at Bomani. “That’s why you were acting like such a goon!”

“It is not!” Bomani insisted, though to whom he wasn’t sure. “That’s in the past; I’m done with that. Tonight, I’m all about the future. I’m a new person who likes socializing instead of spending all his time at the dojo.”

Once again, though, he wasn’t entirely sure on who he was talking to.

Masika crossed his arms and gave him a look of amused skepticism. “That’s what that was?”

“I—shut up! You weren’t over by the cups. I could’ve talked to him. The timing was just wrong.”

Thankfully, his friend decided to let him off the hook and didn’t tease him anymore. But he still couldn’t help but think about what Dalila had said, and think back to how Mystery Guy had looked. At a stretch, he supposed he did kind of look like Vinneketh, but even then not much… but what did that mean? He was over Vinneketh—well, he was trying to get over him—

“Guys! It’s him! He’s riding right next to us!”

Bomani’s train of thought screeched to a halt at Dalila’s exclamation. He and Masika turned to the left and looked out the window. There, riding next to them on a motorcycle, was none other than Mystery Guy. He had a helmet on, but there was no way Bomani would ever forget that hair.

“Aw, no way!” Masika exclaimed.

Dalila leaned over and tapped Bomani’s shoulder. “You’ve got another chance!” he said excitedly.

So this was what “butterflies in your stomach” felt like. “What do I do?” Bomani asked nervously. Should he flash his lights? Should he honk at him?

“Shoot him a look!” suggested Masika. Bomani started to turn his head. “Wait, not yet. Okay, you can look… now!”

Bomani turned his head. Mystery Guy was looking over at their car, and their eyes met. Then Mystery Guy smiled at him… holy shit holy shit holy shit that was a pretty smile.

Then several things happened in quick succession: Mystery Guy revved his motorcycle’s engine and sped past them; the light they were approaching turned yellow; Bomani slowed down; the motorcycle sped through the yellow light; the light turned red; and Bomani was forced to bring the car to a complete stop, and watch dejectedly as Mystery Guy sped down the road out of sight.

“Oooo,” Masika said sadly. “There he goes.” He glanced at Bomani. “I’m sorry, man.”

Bomani didn’t reply, just stared sadly up at the red light. Dalila leaned forward. “Don’t worry,” he said optimistically. “Maybe he’s going to the same show as us?”

“Maybe,” Masika replied skeptically. “But I dunno. He may not even be going to the show. Maybe he just lives nearby.”

His words almost went unheard as Bomani kept staring sadly up at the red light. Maybe he wasn’t supposed to see Mystery Guy again. Maybe he lost his chance when he choked in the 7/11.

But Masika’s words were heard, and suddenly, a wild, crazy, and definitely not legal idea popped into his head.

Bomani’s face hardened. Then, as the opening guitar and drums of “Kickstart My Heart” came over the speakers, he took his foot off the brake… and slammed on the gas.

The car tires squealed against the asphalt, then the car shot down the road right through the red light as the song launched into the intro.

The unexpected burst of speed threw Masika and Dalila back against their seats. “BOMANI!” Dalila screeched.

Masika looked dumbfounded. “Waat the…!” Then a wide grin drifted onto his face, and he began to laugh in surprise and excitement. “Hell yeah, Bomani!”

“Bomani, what the hell?!” Dalila shouted from the backseat, an edge of hysteria in his voice. “The light was red!”

Bomani felt the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smirk. “I know,”

They continued to speed down the road, well above the speed limit, as “Kickstart My Heart” blared over the speakers. Adrenaline ran through Bomani’s system, and he never once even thought about slowing down—he had never done before what he was doing right now. That was more of something Masika would do. And yet here they were, running a red light, speeding down the road twenty miles above the speed limit, chasing after a mysterious guy, and it was Bomani behind the wheel. It felt amazing.

All too soon, in the distance they saw a speck appear ahead of them. Masika pointed at Mystery Guy excitedly. “There he is!”

“What’s your plan?” Dalila asked, still sounding a bit shocked.

“I don’t have one,” And for once, he didn’t care.

“What?!”

“New Bomani. No plan.”

Masika’s grin couldn’t have gotten any wider, and yet somehow it did. Dalila slumped back in his seat, groaning, “No kidding…”

Suddenly, the darkness of the car was lit up by flashing red and blue lights, and they all tensed when they heard the wail of a police siren behind them. The grin dropped right off Masika’s face. “Oh shit,”

Dalila twisted around to look out the rear window, then turned back in panic. “It’s the cops!”

Bomani looked in the rearview mirror—sure enough, driving behind them was a police car, lights flashing and siren wailing. Masika’s eyes widened. “Oh shit!”

All the adrenaline and elation running through Bomani disappeared, and he gripped the steering wheel with whitening knuckles as panic set in instead. What the fuck was I thinking?! “What do I do?!” he asked fearfully.

“Slow down, pull over, and show them your license!” Dalila replied, and from the sound of it he was probably begging him in his mind to please do that.

But another jolt of fear went through Bomani as he realized a very important little problem. “I, uh… don’t have my license?”

Masika began to laugh nervously, gripping the car door and the side of the passenger. “Eh heh heh… oh man…”

Dalila gaped at him for a second, his look almost cartoonish if not for the situation, then screeched, “YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR LICENSE?!”

“It’s in my wallet!”

“Where’s your wallet?!”

“I forgot it at home!”

“Then what do we do?!”

“Gun it!” Masika suddenly exclaimed.

Dalila whipped his head around to him in shock. “We can’t do that!”

“Why not? They’re already chasing after us!”

Bomani bit his lip worriedly as his panic rose. He couldn’t stop; without his license, they’d be arrested for sure. There seemed to be only one option he could take. It was crazy, stupid, and they could possibly crash… but it wasn’t like he had any better ideas.

“They’ll just speed up and keep chasing us if we do that!”

“You got any better i—WHOA!”

Bomani floored it, pressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor, and the car shot forward. Dalila and Masika were catapulted back into their seats again, and almost immediately Masika began to laugh elatedly once more. “All right, Muscles!” he crowed.

“Bomani, you can’t just drive away!” Dalila shrieked. “This is serious!”

His eyes were on the road, so he didn’t see Masika’s look of admiration, but he heard it in his voice. “Bomani, dude! You’re a total bad—”

Bomani had jerked the steering wheel as they went into a turn, cutting him off. He wanted to say something you might hear in an action movie, probably about how this is why you buckled up, but instead he turned up the volume on the radio and shouted, “Hang on!”

“Kickstart My Heart” blared over the speakers as the car swerved through the turns and went over a small hill, incidentally passing Mystery Guy’s motorcycle as they went, and slowly getting farther and farther away from the police car. Masika threw his hands up in the air like he was on a roller coaster ride, cheering in adrenaline-fueled excitement, while Dalila cowered in the backseat mumbling “Oh boy…” anxiously.

Finally, Bomani caught sight of a large billboard sign up ahead, and got an idea. He took his foot off the gas and put on the brakes, jerking the steering wheel. The car went off the road and behind the road sign, and when he was sure it was out of view Bomani killed the engine and turned off the headlights. He lowered his head out of view, waving for Masika and Dalila to do the same. “Shh…”

They heard the siren as the police car sped past them, then it slowly faded away out of earshot.

Once the siren had faded away, Masika lifted his head. “Are they gone?”

Bomani nodded. “They’re gone,”

The three of them sat back, all heaving sighs of relief. Bomani still couldn’t quite believe what he’d just done… and had gotten away with. A smile of elation crept across his lips.

Neither could Masika believe it, it seemed, because he slowly smiled and began to laugh breathlessly. “That… was insane. Like, totally fucking insane.”

“I cannot believe you just did that, Bomani,” Dalila said from the backseat, still sounding incredibly shocked. “We could’ve gotten arrested! We could’ve crashed!”

“I know!” Masika said delightedly, turning to look at the blond. “Admit it: that was awesome!”

Bomani turned around as well. Dalila was still for a moment, still looking shocked. Then Bomani saw a hesitant smile inch its way onto Dalila’s face. “Fine… I guess it was kind of awesome…”

Masika grinned. “It was totally awesome!”

Dalila gave a huff of laughter and shook his head fondly at him. His laugh made Bomani start laughing, and Masika followed as they both turned back around and sat back. And for a moment, all three of them just sat there in the car, laughing.

Eventually, Bomani remembered they still had a garage band show to get to, and reached for his keys and turned them in the ignition. The engine spluttered, but didn’t rev up. They all fell silent and stared at Bomani as he turned the key again. The engine spluttered again, then died.

“Now what?” Masika asked.

Internally pleading for it to not be what he thought it was, Bomani looked at the fuel gauge on the dashboard. And just as he feared, the gauge needle was pointed at the E. He slumped in shock and disappointment. “We’re out of gas,”

Masika summed it up best by throwing his hands up in frustration. “Aw, come on!”

Dalila quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Don’t worry, I’ll find a gas station.” He typed for a moment then waited for the results to load. “Here we go! The nearest gas station is… twenty-three miles away.”

They all groaned, and Bomani face-planted into the steering wheel.

Since the car was out of commission, the trio was forced to walk the rest of the way, hoping that once they got to the garage show they could ask someone for help. So they pulled out the black car cover from the trunk so no one would steal it, locked the doors, then set off walking down the side of the road. Houses began to come into view, which Masika said meant they were almost there. He and Dalila walked up ahead, while Bomani trailed along behind, hands in his pockets and head bent towards the ground.

He still couldn’t believe what was happening. He’d driven to loud music, speeding at least thirty miles above the speed limit, could have crashed, and almost got pulled over by the police, all because he wanted to have even a glimmer of a chance with a Mystery Guy he saw in a 7/11. And now they were probably lost, and if they couldn’t call a tow truck or get gas for the car, they would be totally stranded and forced to call Vinneketh. Bomani didn’t even want to think about the earful they’d get from him.

Vinneketh. The thought of him just made Bomani feel worse. He was trying to move on and be a better person—he was trying harder than he probably ever had in his life. And even though there had been many, many times where he ashamedly thought about giving up, he ignored that part of himself and pushed through it. But he didn’t feel like he had gained any progress tonight—a part of him even felt like he had regressed. Dalila and Masika, although they supported him, probably wouldn’t have much faith in him after this. They probably hated him.

Bomani sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair. “I should’ve stayed home,” he muttered.

Hearing him, Dalila and Masika stopped and turned around. “What?” Dalila asked.

Bomani stopped walking and repeated. “I should’ve stayed home,”

“Why?” Masika asked in confusion.

“Because… Because then none of…” he gestured wildly “this, would’ve happened! I just—I was so ready to be a new person!” He started pacing around, running his hands through his hair as he rambled on. “I was going to drink beer, and rock out to garage band music, and hang out and do stuff, and you’d all go, ‘Wow, Bomani’s really cool!’ And for just one lousy night, I could feel like I’m actually doing better and I’m still not a shitty friend. But noooo… instead we drove to loud music, chased some Mystery Guy into the night and broke the law. And I don’t even look cool! Look at this!” He opened his jacket so his friends could see the DuckTales t-shirt he was wearing. “I’m wearing a DuckTales t-shirt. DuckTales!” Not wanting to stand anymore, he sank to the ground and hung his head. “I’m sorry, guys… I should’ve stayed home with the puzzle…”

There was a long stretch of silence. Dalila and Masika looked at each other, then turned back to him. “Dude…” Masika began, and Bomani worried he would say he was right. But then… “Do you hear yourself? Who cares about DuckTales—you’re a total badass! You gunned it from the cops, dude!”

Bomani looked up at them in shock. Masika was grinning at him, while Dalila was smiling. “He’s right,” Dalila said. “Who cares about your DuckTales t-shirt? You just drove forty miles over the speed limit, outran the police, and you didn’t crash the car once! That was amazing! I mean, it was totally illegal and you gave me a heart attack, but it was amazing!”

All Bomani could do was gaze at them dumbly. “… Seriously?”

They both nodded. “Seriously,” Dalila replied. “And listen…” they went over and sat down beside him. “You are doing better. I know maybe to you it doesn’t seem that way, but you are. You’re really trying, and we’re proud of you.”

Masika nodded in agreement. “Yeah. And we’re here for you, man. We’ll support you the entire way, and Vin will too, and if anyone tries to mess with your progress, we’ll gladly fight them for ya. ‘Cause we’re your friends.”

Bomani gazed at them both, not knowing what to say. But maybe… maybe they were right. Maybe he was making progress. And maybe he didn’t need to give up. But he did know, knew it with absolute certainty, that they were right about their support.

He slowly smiled at them. “Thank you… You guys are the best.”

Masika grinned. “Yeah, we know. Group hug!”

They hugged, then stood up and continued walking. But they ended up not having to walk for very much longer, as they soon entered a neighborhood from the back and began to hear the sound of rock music. They followed the music, and finally came to a house at the end of the block. Crowds of people were gathered in the driveway and front yard and the garage door was open, showing off flashing lights and the band playing inside.  

They all grinned. “Is this the place, Masika?” Dalila asked.

“It’s the place! I can’t believe it! We must have been pretty close by!”

Dalila nudged Bomani’s shoulder, smiling. “See? It all worked out, didn’t it?”

“I guess it did…” They still had to get help with the car, though. But he figured they could worry about that later.

As the trio approached the house, Masika’s eyes widened and he tapped Bomani’s shoulder. “Look!”

Bomani looked, and his heart nearly stopped. Standing there in the front yard was none other than Mystery Guy, looking down at his phone.

Dalila’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe it… He’s actually here!”

For a moment, Bomani just stared silently at Mystery Guy. This had to be divine intervention. He’d choked in the 7/11, but he’d successfully shot him a look on the road, so maybe that meant he now had another chance.

Bomani curled his hands into fists, and blew out a deep breath. “I’m going to go talk to him,”

Dalila and Masika gave him looks of surprise. “Really?” Dalila asked him.

For the first time that night, Masika gave him an almost worried look. “Bomani, listen—I know this is what you want to do, but… you can ease into socializing if you want.”

Bomani thought over his words, then looked back at Mystery Guy. And his decision was made. If he didn’t go for it now, he may never get another chance.

He turned back to his friends, smiling confidently. “I’ll be right back,”

Then he rolled his shoulders back and strode towards Mystery Guy with confidence in his step. Both his friends watched him proudly. Their pride faded, however, when Bomani went up to Mystery Guy and stuck out his hand. Masika face-palmed. “Oh jeez, he’s starting with a handshake?”

Then Mystery Guy, after a moment where he looked Bomani up and down, smiled back at him and took his hand. “Oh, he went for it,” Dalila observed.

Bomani started to talk, gesturing to Mystery Guy’s Skid Row t-shirt. Mystery Guy gave a reply, and they started talking back and forth, though Dalila and Masika were too far away to hear what they were saying. Mystery Guy laughed, then said something that made Bomani join in. Then after a moment of talking, Bomani pulled out his phone.

Masika grabbed Dalila’s elbow, eyes wide. “Dalila… is what I think is happening happening?” He sounded like he could hardly believe it.

“I don’t know,” Dalila answered, although he was hoping it was happening too. Then Mystery Guy put his phone in his pocket and waved to Bomani, then turned and walked off. Bomani waved to Mystery Guy and turned back around to them. “Oh, he’s coming back!”

They quickly ran over to him, meeting him on the edge of the lawn. “So… what happened?” Masika asked.

Bomani was looking down at his phone and smiling, and looked up at them. “I asked him if he listened to Skid Row, and he said yes, he did, and we talked about our favorite rock bands. I also said if I was a girl I’d totally throw my bra at Jon Bon Jovi, and he laughed and agreed with me.”

Masika looked like he was stuck between facepalming at what Bomani had said and being happy it went so well. Dalila just rolled his eyes. “And?” he asked.

Bomani looked down at his phone and smiled. “And… he gave me this.”

He showed him his phone screen. It was open to his contacts, and there was a phone number in blue numbers on the screen, with what had to be Mystery Guy’s name written above it.

Both Dalila and Masika gaped at the phone screen. Then a smile slowly emerged on Masika’s face. “Oh… no way…” The smile exploded into a wide grin, and he looked ecstatically at Bomani. “No freakin’ way!”

“That’s his phone number!” Dalila exclaimed. “Bomani, you got his phone number!”

In his excitement, Masika began jumping around with his hands on his head. “Bomani! You just talked to him about rock music and said some dumbass thing about your crush on Jon Bon Jovi, and got his number like it was nothing?! Oh my god!” He laughed happily. “Bomani, you’re a total rock star!”

Bomani looked down at Mystery Guy’s phone number again, then looked up and smiled wider. Maybe tonight hadn’t gone as smoothly as planned, but this? This was definitely a win. And for the first time since his resolution to be better, he finally felt like he was on the right path.

[twitchesandstitches]

Polypa Cosplay Comm

Commission for a hyper-muscular Polypa attempting to figure out cosplay with her massive body and a huge muscle-gut!

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

Cosplay competitions were very serious business in the circles that Polypa and Tegiri ran and sometimes fought to the death in, and it was complicated enough without the difficulties of a massive, atypical build like Polypa’s when it came to cosplay when slim and lean were all the rage now.

It was tough enough getting fitted when you had enough muscle for a whole army of sub-jugglators, let along a ab-studded muscle gut big enough to press all of them too.

In Tegiri’s hive, Polypa grunted through her masking bandages, desperately trying to pull on a special harness for anchoring clothes to a body like her’s. She was learning a few things about cosplay: the first important detail was that even when they did make something for trolls as buxom as her, getting the damn things on wasn’t actually factored in. Sure, they fit, but actually forcing your apocaly-globes into place was frustrating as hell.

The second thing was that while they made things for busty trolls, no one had factored in something like her gut.

Tegiri paced and fretted around her, doing his part to help, and they both agreed that his vastly smaller size would allow him to get at the areas she wouldn’t be able to reach on herself; she was envious that he was already fully dressed up.

The idea for both of them was to dress up like the main couple from Hardgrit Transmogrificationist, a series renowned for both the complexity of its title and the bitter fandom wars between the dozens of animated adaptations (and the very literal war between the studios adapting it, and the terrifying brownblood author). Tegiri was to be Winway Rockall, the mechanist maintaining the protagonist’s metallic limbs and serving as an emotional anchor for the story. His cosplay was simply enough; a slim tubetop, a worn bandana, and a jumpsuit made for a convincing look.

Polypa, going as the main protagonist Edowar Elrick, was having a signficantly harder time of it, given that the character was infamously small and lean, and she was… not either of those things, at all.

Polypa heaved and struggled, her massive biceps twisting like trees trying to drill to bedrock and fast-track the whole root system thing. She rocked in too-small room, her shoulders rising and falling, the air rippling around her as her violent motions did to the air what legislacerators typically did to those they accused, and all the while she tried as absolutely hard as possible to not rip the very expensive fabrics.

But the most impressive thing there was Polypa’s stomach. Well, the second most impressive thing was Polypa’s stomach. Technicallly it would normally have gotten number one status, but the dress’s continued survival, against all the odds, was somehow even more startling.

Troll guts tended to be pretty big; the prevailing scientific theory was that any troll who lived long and ate enough never really stopped growing, They tended towards bigger sizes compared to aliens of vaguely similar morphologies; larger curves, bigger hips, broader muscles, and so on. But Polypa’s metabolism had mutated in a very unusual way, layering itself into a bigger digestive tract located exclusively in her stomach like an internal furnace, dedicated to converting every bit into fuel for more muscle growth. This had resulted in her being absolutely gigantic and slabbed in so much muscle that she was nearly more muscle than troll now, and a lot of it had gone to making her stomach even bigger. Her abs encircled her gut, expanding it outwards by several feet with muscle mass alone, and the whole thing was a roundness nearly bigger than she was.

Impressive? Absolutely. A source of great pride and pleasure to her? Very much. But convenient for cosplays?

She was finding out the answer to that one was ‘fuck no, absolutely not’.

Polypa tugged and wrenched at the straps that would keep her cosplay clothing anchored and, hopefuly, safe from her muscle’s impact, but she just didn’t have the leverage to pull it right. She sighed and said, “Tegiri, I’m giving up on handling this one. Gonna need some help here.”

“Right,” came a voice near her, but out of sight. “Understood.”

Polypa looked around worriedly for Tegiri, but couldn’t see him anyway, and she tried to stand as still as possible to avoid kicking him or accidentally sitting on him, or landing her belly atop him.

The best she could say for Tegiri was that he was somewhere behind her. She could feel his dextrous claws, patiently zipping things up and assiting like an inverted gremlin; and his current role was fixing the supportive framework that would keep her cosplay outfit properly fitted once she got it on. He was buckling a supporting strap into place here, and there he tied a knot around massive thigh muscles wider across than his entire body.

Polypa turned her head backwards, squinting with the one eye not covered by her bandages. Her pupil dilated and she tried to see a hint of teal; no such luck. She was just too big, and she couldn’t make anything out past her gigantic shoulders, the outwards curve of her belly (so big it was going backwards), and the extreme musculature of her backside.

She did see some vague hint of Tegiri as he darted to the other side of her body. She felt him, rather than saw him; he moved close to one massive hip made even bigger by her muscle development, and ducked as a strap broke apart. He was on it right away, but moved at a very bad time; he approached just as she put some weight backward, her butt descending down, and it was so big, two round masses of muscle, and there was just the slightest impact from hyper-beefy butt to troll.

Polypa turned around at the instant crashing noise. There was a small grater in the hive floor, and across the room, there was a broken wall. No, several broken walls, shattered in an instant, and visible through them was Tegiri, imbedded in the wall and twitching faintly. “Shit!” Polypa said, rushing towards him. Her massive doom-globes, easily the equal of her backside but somehow looking smaller on her muscular frame, bounced and smashed some additional room through the walls as she ran towards him.

Tegiri twitched in extremely faint disapproval as Polypa charged. Her belly, that massive muscular round cannonball of a gut, left ab-shaped imprints on the walls extremely briefly before its sheer impact power totally removed them from existence. And she kept coming, nearly dropping to an animalistic lope in her instinctive drive to get to him, perhaps constantly reminding herself that her belly and rumblespheres were too big to let her do that without beaching herself.

She contented herself with just running through his walls, smashing everything in her way, and with some effort, leaning down to pull him out. Tegiri’s entire perspective was filled with nothing but Polypa; easily three times his size, larger even than a fuchsia-blood (not that they ever had a chance to see that for themselves), and his perpetually grim demeanor was almost comically understated as her fist closed around the entirety of his arm; she pulled him out of the whole with a slight ‘pop’, and very gently, she started to put him on the ground.

She reconsidered, as her belly started to lean against what was left of the hive wall when she did that and the framework made some very ominous creaking noises, and cracks. Tegiri was doing his best to be supportive and a proper moirail, but she saw him glancing at the wall, trepidation in his expression. She stood up and simply plopped him down onto her belly, just in front of her doom-rack.

Tegiri settled comfortably onto a plane of abs, sinking slightly into the very defined divide between them. “I may need to warn you of where I am at all times.”

Polypa nodded, and then when she realized that Tegiri’s view of her cleavage probably didn’t give him a view of her face, said, “Alright, I can do that.” She turned aside, staring at the walls ruefully. A few bits of bio-plastic fell down, some smaller chunks still dangling like stubborn bits of drool. “Sorry about your house. ...Again.”

Tegiri sighed. “I can afford it,” he said, though he winced. Getting ahold of authentic replicas of Edowar’s prosthetic murder-limbs would take a longer amount of time to obstain now.

Polypa didn’t mind, per se. She enjoyed the challenge of making do with ingenious, cheap methods of cosplay, but she did mind the impact she was having on his house. “My hive is bigger. Built for my bulk; getting sick of breaking your stuff, you know.”

Tegiri’s eyes widened. “I would not banish you from my hive!” He said firmly. “Such is absolutely unacceptable for a proper moirail, for the ideals I uphold!”

Polypa extremely large lips made an indent in her bandages as she smiled coyly. “Ya don’t say.” She bent to give him a pale kiss; bearing in mind the logistical issues of this, she thrust her mighty thighs against her belly, forcing up, up; and at the same time, she grabbed her doom-globes and pushed them up with him now between them, so that Tegiri was propelled on a sea of boob and belly, right to her face.

Her mouth was covered. Even so, she felt the coolness of his skin, and the taste of his cheek. And the rush of his blushing.

Tegiri leaned in, entire face turning a lovely shade of teal, nad Polypa grinned as they parted. His face went through an interesting display of emotions, apparently trying them out until it found what that properly captured his mix of embarrassment, delight, and doing its best to hide them all. “AHEM,” he said loudly. “We, ah. Must not dawdle all day. We do have an engagement to meet!”

Polypa made an air of considering it, just to see if he would take her seriously. He didn’t take the bait, so she shrugged. Various additional muscles as big across as several highbloods moved around each other. “If you think we’ll make it in time.”

“We will! We simply have to get the harness worked out, then we can fit everything else on.”

“All right then.”

Tegiri slid down and went back to the room they had started in, and Polypa followed.

They went back to the basics, this time with Tegiri wheeling in a complicated device Polypa had gotten for him for just such an event, though this one was originally meant for trolls who were much smaller than their lusii and needed to ascend upwards to perform grooming. But it had all sorts of attachments and fold-out platforms that made it ideal for their purposes, and it was able to be tall enough to even reach up to her face, or establish scaffolds around her shoulders.

It was just extremely cumbersome, and large. Even with a tealblood’s superior strength (at least by the metric of other olivebloods; Polypa’s individual muscle fibers packed more power than entire bluebloods had, and she doubted that even a fuchsia had anything on her raw strength potential now), he panted and struggled to move the huge assemblage, and he looked a little bit like he was trying to move an old-fashioned siege tower all on his own. She took it with a hand, lifting several tons of metal and wheely bits and not even feeling the weight, placed it down in the middle of the room.

She unfolded the device, and unfurled it too, extending several scaffolds that would encircle her, and in this, she sat down, looking a bit like a beast that was at a grooming station. “I’m thinking, got too much weight up top for the bottom bits to be holding on all on their own. Fix it up around my doom-globes first, and anchor it onto my shoulders, and the rest should be nice and fit. Right?”

“I think so, yes!” Tegiri agreed. He got the rest of the cosplay harness and, ascending the grooming ladder, carefully lined it up with her back and he ascended upwards. Her back was like a topographical map of mountain ranges, some of her muscles sticking out further than the span of his arms.

It was… imposing. And they were startlingly soft to the touch. As he placed a length of supporting fabric against her, his hand sank into a thorax-girder big enough for him to sleep on.

He could feel her grinning. Possibly more a sly smirk than a big grin, but he just KNEW she was doing it anyway, the fiend.

Polypa, in turn, felt him climb up behind her, the foundations put down. Then he looped it down one of her shoulders, descending down to tie it properly, and he swung around, doing it to the other shoulder. He climbed back up, lacking the harness and strapping it properly, and Polypa glanced at a nearby Polypa-sized mirror. She looked a bit like she was wearing a corset.

She was able to work the cups of her harness over her doom-spheres, and there was barely enough to cover anything at all, but it anchored right, and that was the main thing. She gave a few tugs, and the harness remained stable, at least up top. Tegiri started to go down, but paused. “This would be even more secure if we put it around your stomach-”

“No.”

“We won’t be able to get any clothing around it like this!”

“Yeah, that’s the point.” Polypa smacked her massive belly with a smug grin; it didn’t make a slapping sound, but a resonant noise like someone striking an especially bulky drum. “I am NOT covering this beauty up. No way.”

Tegiri scowled, displeased at the disloyalty to the cosplay, but he couldn’t argue about it with her. “Well, Edowar is famously always taking his shirt off; perhaps we could work that in, somehow?” He went down and kicked the wheels in, and in a smooth motion, kicked the ladder around; it wheeled about, as if on a track, and as it went, he stopped it to affix the harness to the bits on her hips and thighs, rather like sensual garter belts (though rather strained, the muscle mass almost more than they could handle).

Several more things were locked together, clicked into place, and connected, and Tegiri pronounced it as good as it would get. Polypa slowly got up, minding him, using the vast forwards weight of her stomach to leverage herself up. She looked in the mirror again, and while it wasn’t the point, she thought she looked kinda sexy; it felt a bit odd, like wearing a full body corset. She flexed and moved, enjoying the way it moved with her swelling muscles, and the loops around the base of her very sensitive belly; now that felt right!

“Mind getting the outfit itself?” Polypa asked him, now slowly walking around and getting used to it. There wasn’t any real problem moving around, but she was trying to see if maybe flexing the right muscle would snap a bit of fabric in the wrong place or something, and break the whole thing. He nodded and came back, pushing a huge wheelbarrow big enough for him to tote several beds in. Leathery fabrics, and something red, filled it to the brim.

One by one, Polypa took out the cosplay pieces and placed them down while Tegiri had a rest. She sorted them appropriately:

Item one.  A big red coat, with the sign symbol passed down by Edowar’s teacher, Izumii. Big enough to make a decent flag out of, and a primary concern for Polypa was that this wouldn’t cover up her stomach or keep her from showing it off at all. Simple enough to work with.

Item two: shoes and gloves. She considered this one item, because it wouldn’t be too tricky to work out.

Item three: A set of metallic dress pieces, meant to fix to a limb to give the impression of a prosthetic arm and leg. Very expensive and fitted to her beefy specifications, but hopefully, with the harness… they would stay on.

Item four, and she dreaded this one: a pair of skinny leather pants, and a shirt worn over a closed vest. In theory she could go with the open shirt of later plot developments but she was going for iconic looks, and this WAS her character’s iconic outfit.

She tried not to think about it: how the hell was she supposed to get this on?

Polypa shook her head, dismissing the thought, and one by one, Tegiri returned to the ladder and helped her put it all on.

First, the prosthetics. this was not too hard, as she simply had to lock them into place around her arm and leg; they snapped on, built to interlock and function very nicely. From shoulder to fingers, and knee to toe-claws, they snapped on. Soon her limbs were encased in slightly pitted metal (for that authentic look) and she moved around to see the different it made. A bit more weight than she was used to, but not so much it would impede movement.

The metal bits WERE very bulky though; a lot more than expected. (“Might be able to reuse those for a Fatehand cosplay,” Tegiri mused. “The size would fit!”)

Next, the pants and the torso wear, and she thought it best to get this done as soon as possible, not just for the obvious reasons of shoes and things, but because she wanted it over with. Tegiri had to help her do it in stages and she winced as he pulled her pants up over her massive legs, the leathers creaking very ominously with the slightest hint of leg twitch. It creaked much worse once it got to her backside, and she winced, waiting for something to burst, but they looped it onto the harness, and she twitched her hips as an experiment. Nothing happened, and she walked around, testing it some more. Again, nothing happened.

The undershirt. It got around her horns by being one of the kinds of shirt that opened on one side to be placed on the shoulder than then closed back up. This went fine enough, but then it wrapped over her rumblespheres, and that WAS a problem; she was too busty for even this shirt, and it was the largest one they had. It hung down, stressed in the middle, securing braces severely strained. Tegiri gave her a speculative look. “You, uh. Have some underboob at present.”

She KNEW she could feel some air there! “Never mind that.”

“But, the look is compromised. We could refit it-”

Polypa’s veins swelled, throbbing and pulsing, as she thought about the logistics of, of refitting her shirt now! Forget covering her doom-globes, if it got anywhere near her belly it would be destroyed! “No, no! We can work with this! Get the vest.”

Tegiri complied, pulling it up, and if anything, this was even trickier by far. The process involved a lot of swiveling around, some acrobatics on Tegiri’s part, Polypa working and flexing her muscles in some very strange ways to maneuver things right, and the real tricky bit came as they tried to force the underside around the base of her stomach; the region where her belly met her torso and rested beneath her doom-globes.

Try as they might, it just would not clip together.

Polypa tried to suck it in, to no avail. In the end, they just clipped it together, tugging it over her belly as much as possible, for something of a crop jacket look. It was, she admitted, strangely in character.

Then came the shoes, the gloves. They fit on properly; they were built for Polypa’s size, and better yet, were designed to work with the specific inserts she was wearing on her limbs for the cosplay.

Last of all, they slid on the coat (a positive relief after the complexities thus far), and tied up her hair into the signature braid of Edowar Elrick. Then, she and Tegiri clipped all the clothes onto the harness, so that it was mainly supported BY the harness and not her body, and thus hopefully protected from the destructive impact she could put out.

Once it was all done, they examined her look. Polypa looked into the mirror, moving left and right, and Tegiri rode on her shoulder, looking anxious on her behalf.

“Hrm,” Polypa said, very dubious and uncertain.

She turned left, moving as far as she could without her magnificent gut being entirely out of view. The coat helped a lot with keeping the looking as iconic as possible; it covered the harness that was keeping all the clothes attached, for example, and it gave her massive body a certain dramatic flair.

Her stomach, the vast and slightly pendous orb it was, provided a sense of reassuring weight. Yes, it really did not fit her cosplay at all, but part of the point of these contests was to push things as far as you possibly could without compromising the look. Perhaps she had done just that… perhaps. She turned some more, her coat flashing dramatically, her metal-covered limbs glinting beneath the coat, and she had to admit something.

She didn’t look entirely in-character, but she still looked damn cool.

Then again, a thought like that WAS in-character for Edowar, famed in-story for his terrible and gaudy taste. She shrugged.

“I still think we might be able to extend the top pieces…” Tegiri began.

But Polypa shook her head. “No. I can work with this.”

“...Really?”

She smiled. “Yeah, really. Come on.” She picked him up and tossed him onto her shoulder. “We’re gonna be late!”

“Oh, yes, right! We must hurry!”

The two of them took off, to the competition, and Polypa felt surprised at her optimism. At least she had tried!

As they left, Tegiri said, “You could have gone as Strong Armsta.” He wrote this down in a little notebook, perhaps noting it for future cosplays. “You have the bulk! The attitude! And his cosplays are not terribly hard, you just need the right build.”

The image brought to mind a boisterous, lovable purpleblood that Polypa could have carried in an instant. She thought about it. “Nah,” she said. “Not now, I mean. I wouldn’t mind it, but that outfit is totally topless and I don’t want to be fandom famous for that. Want to build up my reputation first.”

Tegiri pushed his glasses up. “Point taken.”

[firelxdykatara]

Alright, so I’ve finished the first season of VLD and had time to let things stew and simmer. Here is how I envision the Lion-Paladin bonds playing out (with bonus Castle inhabitants), and why, with the caveat that I am loosely adapting the VLD lore to fit the story, so if later information comes up as I continue the series I may either adapt it to what I’m building now, or disregard it entirely (so I don’t care if anything here is ‘wrong’ because it’s right for the story I want to tell).

Disclaimer: I’ve given the Gaang surnames (except Toph, who already had one), for worldbuilding purposes. This whole thing is like a giant Modern/Sci fi AU, I haven’t fully decided how the world of Avatar fits and I’m still on the fence re: bending, which wouldn’t be super useful in protracted space battles, they they may retain lesser bending abilities. Depends on how things shake out as I get further into the planning stages.

Black Lion: Sokka Nutarak

I know, I know, Lance is supposed to be the ‘Sokka’ of VLD, but hear me out. Sokka may have started the series as the comic relief in dire need of a whole lot of Respect Women juice, but by the end of the show he had truly come into his own as a brilliant strategist and leader. He didn’t start out perfectly suited to the Black Lion, but it was the one for whom he had the most potential. It seems to me that the Lions sort of function like the Sorting Hat--it’s not just about happening to find someone who starts out perfectly suited to pilot them, but who has the best potential to thrive with them. Sokka, who at the start is a bit of a joker who has a hard time taking his responsibilities seriously (he was This Close to washing out of command school entirely), truly comes into his own when thrust into the position of a leader. He has to learn to not only respect his teammates and their abilities, but to respect his own skills and potential, and it’ll culminate in him becoming a true leader who is capable of seeing the abilities of his people and directing them where they’d be best utilized, but also recognizing when to take a step back and trust that they can handle some situations themselves.

Red Lion: Zuko Himura

This one is a little more obvious than Sokka’s placement, but listen, the parallel between needing to earn the respect of his lion and needing to win back honor he’d lost is just too delicious to pass up. Obviously, since Zuko is starting out as part of the Voltron team, his personal story is going to be considerably different than it played out during AtLA. He’s carrying a deep, dark secret that’s going to come pretty close to tearing the team apart later down the line, and may have a moment of making the Very Wrong Choice (I know that Keith is revealed to be half-Galra later on, but Zuko starts out knowing full well who his father is [he still has the scar, and he’s very sensitive about it for obvious reasons] and struggles a great deal with the knowledge that he was sent to retrieve Voltron for his father and was never supposed to pilot one of the lions), and part of coming into his full abilities as a paladin and bonding fully with his lion is discovering and accepting his own self-worth.

Blue Lion: Katara Nutarak

This one was probably the hardest for me to place. Personality-wise, Yellow might seem like a more obvious choice, but in keeping with the theme of the lions choosing a paladin who would have the most potential to thrive and come into their own as they bonded, I went with Katara. I think her personal arc fits more with what I see as Blue’s--she is confident in herself and her abilities, but has trouble allowing herself to express it because she’s so used to being the Woman of the House that she never really had a chance to let herself be anything else. She wanted to leave home and go to flight school and learn how to fight, but her father was already gone to the front lines with the rest of the adults in her family, her brother was on the verge of flunking out of the command track, and she had the rest of her family to think about and provide for (giving her and Sokka a slew of younger siblings and cousins standing in for the SWT). She only wound up out on the edges of known space with the rest of Team Voltron because she heard that Sokka had taken a shuttle and hadn’t been heard from in over a day and she was planning to find him, kick his ass for scaring her like that, and then bring him home.

But damn if it didn’t feel so fucking good--no, so RIGHT--the second she slid behind the controls of big Blue and shot out into open space for the first time in her life, demonstrating a natural, raw talent she’d never gotten a chance to explore outside the crappy flight simulator in her room back home. And suddenly she was on a mission to save the universe. Her personal arc for the purposes of this fic is one of self-discovery and awareness, of finally shedding the shackles she placed on her own life since the day her mother died, of accepting her own strengths and using them not just to save the world, but for the sheer thrill of it. Of learning the joys of letting loose and being free. And of discovering she’s a damn good pilot.

Yellow Lion: Toph Beifong

As tough as Blue was to place, Yellow was arguably harder, because if not Team Mom, then who? But then, that was always supposed to be intrinsic to Toph’s character arc, wasn’t it? Going from this gruff loner who didn’t need help from anybody ever, to learning to rely on others and put their needs before her own? Learning to work as a team, learning to be the bedrock on which the others could always depend to be firm and steady. Yellow picked Toph not because she started out as the heart of the team, but because she needed to open up her heart in order to realize her true potential. And the thing about being the leg of Voltron, lifting them up and holding them together? That’s where Toph is truly going to shine, when she learns not to try and solve every problem herself but to give the others a rock-solid foundation, and to trust that they will carry out their parts just as efficiently.

Green Lion: Suki Park

Last, but certainly not least, there’s Suki. (I know, ‘what about Aang?’ Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten him--he’s coming up later.) Green is inquisitive and daring, and of the five of them, Suki is the one who has the easiest time bonding with her lion because she’s the closest to being self-actualized. I’m not sure how I’ll adapt the Kyoshi Warriors, but by the time Team Voltron forms, Suki is the one who is most secure in herself and her abilities, position, and worthiness to be on the team. Her personal arc, then, is going to be more external--she’s used to leading, not following, and will butt heads a lot with Sokka, as she doesn’t think he has what it takes to be a leader in the beginning (and it takes him a while to really start guzzling that Respect Women juice). Further, she’s got a great deal of pride (as she should, but pride goeth before the fall and all that) and even more than not trusting Sokka as a leader, Suki is used to doing things her own way and doesn’t hesitate to rush off on her own--daring can be a good quality, but it also veers all too easily into brash recklessness, and Suki has to learn to be a team player and consult with everyone before making decisions and haring off on her own.

Now, what about Aang, you asked? Which brings me to....

Avatar Castle: Aang, the lost prince

Aang: I slept for a hundred years in an ice berg! Allura: hold my fucking beer

No, but all jokes aside, this actually made the most sense to me. Like Allura, Aang is the one who, because of his past and his destiny, brought Team Avatar together. This is the aspect of the story I’m the least sure on at the moment, though I think he’s essentially the last remnant of the his planet which will be, functionally, the ‘original world’ of Avatar. His people had bending abilities, a la the original show, and the royal family was what brought the four nations together, and were the only bloodline capable of bending all four elements. They were a planet of peace, and Voltron was originally created by all four nations in concert with the royal family as guardians, once they attained space travel and discovered the brewing war. Voltron was a neutral party, meant only to protect its home planet, but the Royal family couldn’t just stand by and watch as planet after planet fell to the onslaught of darkness, so Voltron was ‘upgraded’ with offensive capabilities, and then bonded--meaning each lion would find and bond with a single paladin, to prevent it from being used for evil.

Aang was very young, only fifteen (aged up slightly, as everyone else is too) when the tide of war finally overtook his people. His parents fell in battle, followed quickly by the paladins, and in a panic (as his parents’ last words were to keep Voltron from the enemies hands by any means necessary) he scattered the lions and fled in the castle--but something went wrong. Instead of making it to safety, recalling the lions and searching for new paladins, the castle shut down, and Aang went into stasis, and would remain there for several centuries, until the new Team Voltron manage to find and wake him up. (I’m still fuzzy on the details, and some of this may change when I finish hashing them out, but anyway.)

AND THAT’S HOW I PICTURE ATLA!TEAM VOLTRON.

Good gods, I rambled on so much I fucking better sit down and write this fic at some point lmfao.

[catholicartistsnyc]

Meet: Peter Atkinson

PETER ATKINSON is a NYC-based actor and teacher. (petercalvinatkinson.com and peteatkinson@gmail.com) CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from?

PETER ATKINSON (PA): I came to NYC in Fall 2017, to train in Columbia University's MFA Acting program. For two years before that, I was founding a Shakespearean theater program down in Florida at a Catholic high school. Eventually I realized I needed to be practicing the craft and not just teaching it!

CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?

PA: I think that art helps us encounter our interior wounds in a visceral way. Without God, that artistic encounter with those wounds either turns to nihilism or to a mistaken celebration of those wounds (without calling them wounds). I think our faith is challenging us to encounter those wounds, call them by name, and remain with those wounds as God heals us. (Without a spiritual director or a spiritual community to support this, I've found it almost impossible to do that!)

I love theater because it can expose the raw condition of humanity - our great need for love and acceptance, the horrible things we do to try and fill that hole, the beautiful potential for self-sacrificial love and redemption. What is most beautiful to me is when Jesus surprises us by meeting that need with his own presence.

If anything, I hope that my work renews in people the hope that their hearts might be fulfilled. It's certainly been my experience that my journey in the arts has led to a deeper healing of my heart and a continuing encounter with God through the Catholic faith.

I suppose that being an artist is about being authentically present in the world in a revealing, vulnerable way - and hopefully, if you're a Catholic, that would necessarily communicate your yearning for God, right?

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

PA: Cole Matson was a wonderful welcoming presence in the city. Because of his Catholic Artists NYC meet-up, I worked with a Catholic playwright, ended up reading for a director, and starred in an off-broadway show at the Sheen Center!

Storm Theatre has been a huge support, as they cast me as Richard in their production of 'Ah, Wilderness!' at the Sheen Center. It was incredible to leave rehearsal and be able to stop in the Sheen Center's chapel to pray for a bit afterwards.

Quite a few priests have been incredibly supportive as well - both in spiritual direction, mentorship, hosting readings of plays, etc. etc. I'm so grateful to the spiritual community that the Church has provided for me.

Additionally, if I wasn't living at Ford Hall, I'm not sure I could afford the city! Ford Hall is a Catholic house for graduate students at Columbia University. We have the Eucharist in the chapel in our upper room, Mass said weekly in the house, and the cost of living is subsidized somewhat. Ford Hall has given me a Catholic family to come back to in NYC.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

PA: Almost all of my fellow artists in NYC are not Catholic. Pretty much all of them have been extremely respectful of my faith, though there have been some instances of being yelled at in disbelief that I believed in God when they saw my Ash Wednesday ashes.

I've found that the artistic training has deepened my experience of my faith and of prayer, regardless of the personal beliefs of any given teacher. Most of my experience has been that professional actors and artists are more interested in the craft and creating a piece of work than in condemning your faith.

One of my classmates actually came to Ash Wednesday Mass with me this past week - it's a gift to be able to befriend fellow artists and witness to the 'normalcy' (in a sense) of Catholicism. I think many lapsed Catholic have been 'burned' by their experience of faith and of religious institutions and simply befriending them and sharing life with them can be a powerful witness to the goodness of the Catholic faith.

But, fundamentally, I don't look to fellow artists to support my faith as much as I depend on my faith (particularly in Eucharistic adoration) to be the bedrock of my life.

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

PA: Pay artists attention. That's it.

Whether it's through paying artists financially, hosting get-togethers for artists to connect, having priests and religious preach about art, or whatever - making artists feel important and heard in the cultural life of the Church is fundamental.

But I don't mean the liturgy. Often people think "art in the Church" means felt banners or Gregorian chant - but since 90% of a Catholic's life is spent outside the Church's walls, it's important to nurture a Catholic culture in the marketplace, on Broadway, and in schools, etc.

I think one a major shift in American Catholicism has been the Magnificat, published by the Dominicans. Because of its focus on art, hundreds of thousands of Catholics are contemplating pieces of the artistic vision of the faith every week. They've had many reflections about the importance of being an artist and the artistic vocation - it's been incredibly useful and encouraging!

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

PA: Don't equate politics with religion or religion with politics. When people assume that they fully understand a person's views or feelings because of their creed, there's no room for relationship, much less conversation.

However, my experience has actually been very positive. Most every person I've met has been welcoming of my faith and curious about my beliefs.

But perhaps if the art world didn't caricature every religious group that it encounters, that might be an improvement. I think that theater could do a better job of taking the big questions seriously. Right now my impression is that there's a continual wallowing in pleasurable nihilism. I totally get it - it's an option. But it's not my choice and I'd like to hear some voices that propose real, challenging answers to questions like: is there a purpose to life? Is there evil? How can God be good in this world of suffering?

Those would make for some good drama. Right now it can sometimes feel like every New York theater show has a predictable set of moral conclusions it must reach. It would be refreshing and challenging to see a show that held open the possibility of God, wasn't caught in some predetermined Hegelian idea of progressive history, and maybe thought that maybe Freud wasn't the greatest.

But that might just be me!

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment? Do you participate in any church groups you would recommend to others?

PA: Because I live in Ford Hall, I am lucky enough to have Jesus as my roommate. Just down the hall there is a chapel with the Eucharist present, where I pray morning and evening prayer. Having a Catholic family to live with has been a beautiful gift to have in NYC. I also teach CCD at Annunciation Parish on Convent Avenue which is right across from my studios. And my spiritual director at Xavier Parish has been incredible for me.

I would encourage any Catholic in NYC to teach CCD at a Church near them. It only takes a few hours on Sunday and it constantly reminds me of how powerful learning about the faith can be. Without passing on the faith, some of these kids would never have the chance to come to know God - it's such a gift to help pass it on!

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment? Where do you go to get inspired?

PA: Training at Columbia University has been my main artistic work in the city for some time. Since I started my MFA program in 2017, I've been working 9-5pm every day to deepen my work. Besides that, I've been lucky enough to help teach at the Atlantic Theater Company and worked with a few theater companies in the city.

I've also trained as a teaching artist at Roundabout Theatre in Times Square. Their educational program is incredible! I'm traveling to a few schools over Spring Break to help teach workshops in classrooms, using Roundabout's work as a framework for these schools.

To get inspired, I simply slow down and meditate. A meditation practice in NYC is - for me - essential. It's counter-intuitive to the pace NYC asks you to run at, but it's essential with getting back in touch with your own heart and humanity.

CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?

PA: Ford Hall has been a god-send. But besides that, I've gone to theology on tap, a few summer Love and Responsibility talks, and other events. The young adult mailing list for the archdiocese is great and there are simply too many events to attend - but make as many as you can!

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? And if you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person?

PA: I get up at 5am and try to spend one holy hour in Eucharistic adoration. Often I'll journal, read two books that I'm working my way through, and read a selection of the Bible (I'm trying to read through it in one year!).

My spiritual director is at Xavier Parish and I simply pulled him aside after Mass for confession - I've always been fearless about grabbing priests for a quick confession. Well, within 5 minutes both of us were weeping and we both felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, so I figured I should probably stick with this guy for a while and emailed him later to be my confessor. It's been a wonderful gift!

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? And what are your recommendations to other artists for practicing their craft daily?

PA: I do a one hour vocal or physical warm-up every day, usually led by a Columbia University teacher. It's based in either Feldenkrais movement work or in Linklater vocal work. I also record every single one, so I have over one hundred warm-ups recorded. I'm preparing for graduation day, so that I can just listen to the warm-up recordings and use them to continue my warm-up practice throughout my life.

But I think the single most important practice is 'arriving exercises' or meditation practice. Anything to get you present in your body and out of the judgmental frame of mind.

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?

PA: Hoo boy - well, I guess this would have been when I was performing in 'Ah, Wilderness!' I woke up, went to a men's prayer group up town, came back down and had lunch with some Catholic friends who were visiting from out of town, and then performed two shows back to back!

I think the most joy I had was in registering how much progress I've made in my craft since I came to the city. It's easy to be discouraged as an artist in the city - or anywhere I guess - but it's truly gratifying to see how years of work start to enable you to artistically do things that you couldn't do before.

Of course, there's leagues to go before I'm anywhere near satisfied with my work (Martha Graham's "divine dissatisfaction" amiright?) but that was an exciting day!

CAC: You actually live in NYC? How!?

PA: Living in Ford Hall helps with rent, meal planning for food, and never eating out. Harlem is a great area and the commute is totally fine.

I found Ford Hall through an undergraduate friend of mine who connected me. Use your connections in the city! Seriously - this city runs on personal connections.

CAC: But seriously, how do you make a living in NYC?

PA: I work two jobs while in graduate school - both jobs through Columbia University. I'm also launching an educational non-profit company right now, but that won't be profitable for a few years anyways.

My hope is to make a full-time living from my art in about 5 years. Realistically, it takes time to build up reputation, get a network, and start to 'take off.' Hopefully it'll happen sooner, but I'm fine with being young, scrappy, and hungry for a while anyways.

CAC: How much would you suggest artists moving to NYC budget for their first year?

PA: You can make it by with about $25,000 - but that's a huge struggle. I would say $30,000 realistically.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?

PA: Jordan Puhala is the best headshot photographer (she's on facebook). Ray's Barbershop is the best barbershop. Email me for the best dentist, ENT doctor, podiatrist, and skin doctor - seriously. Or you could just use ZocDoc for that - it's an incredible app to find doctors in NYC!

CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?

PA: 1. Research the Catholic groups in NYC before you come and reach out to find about events. NYC can be incredibly lonely when you get here first - find your people! 2. Know your finances really really well - once that's not a stress-point, NYC gets a lot easier. 3. Get a spiritual director in the city! NYC is a hard city to live in sometimes - it's loud, it's brash, and it has every temptation known to man. Your spiritual life will either deepen *a lot* or get real shallow. Set yourself up to deepen your faith by getting resources to protect yourself with!

[centaurianthropology]

The Magnus Archives ‘We All Ignore the Pit’ (S03E17) Analysis

Hoooo … for those of you who listen to these on public transit, fair warning: this one was, for me, the scariest episode in a long damn time.  The statement is phenomenal, and got a real gut reaction out of me at one point.  And there’s a character who … you know what?  Just listen to it.  Because this?  This is the good stuff.  Come on in to hear what I have to say about ‘We All Ignore the Pit.’

It’s nice to get a proper statement read from Sims after so many either shortened ones or ones that are directly related to the larger story.  Sometimes it’s great to get something just a little more distant from the action, make everything feel less driven toward a single point.  And acting as a departure from the primary action, I couldn’t have asked for better.  It’s classic horror fare of a guy moving into a small town with a dark secret, but with a very TMA twist.  Plus it ended up bulking out the feel of the horror landscape of America in this universe, which was a lot of fun.  

Honestly, my only minor quibble with the episode was how obviously British the narrator was.  Trying to write in another cultural dialect is seriously hard, and usually requires a dedicated editor to go through the script and make phrasing suggestions, so I get why that might not have been feasible.  And honestly, as a native American, nothing was ever bad enough to drag me out of the flow of the story.

And what a story it was.  The feel of Bucoda was perfect, and really managed to capture the sense of a small town when you’re from the outside.  I also really appreciated how often the narrator mentioned that he might be blowing details out of proportion after the fact.  It lends the whole story a nice sense of the concrete.  This is a guy who had a weird thing happen to him, but he couldn’t say how much of it was weird and how much he invented to correlate with the weirdness.  

I also liked how well this story set up, in a thousand subtle ways, that the horror landscape, the powers in control, and the feel of the terror in America is decidedly different to that in Britain in this universe.  Having the Vast and the Below (which is what I’ll be calling it until I get a more official name) be the main focus of American horror works well, particularly given the sense that a lot of this horror plays out in the more rural portions of America (the majority of the North American landmass is rural), and calls to mind miners and clear and empty plains.  If Britain of the TMA universe feels like Robert Chambers and MR James got together and had a horror baby, America is unapologetically the purview of Ambrose Bierce.  And I really like the sense of contrast hinted at in these two horror landscapes.  

I also have to say that, of all the entities, the Below is starting to scare me the most.  Maybe it’s the creeping sort of scary it exudes.  Maybe it’s because we know so little about it or what it does or what its motivations might be.  It’s the most unknown of the major entities, at least to Sims and to the audience, and that makes it worrisome.  It also helps that the Below has had consistently fantastic stories.  Building on the strong foundations of ‘Dig’ and the absolute bedrock of this series that was ‘Lost Johns’ Cave’, this episode approaches the latter in terms of horror and narrative tightness.  The story told here is a classic horror tale, yes, but no less strong because of it.  Hell, the dream with the teeth and the tongue?  I actually started grinning like an idiot because it was so perfectly creepy.  I haven’t felt creeped out like this by one of TMA’s statements since some of the best episodes of season 1.  I know I don’t often dig into the statements during these analyses, since I focus on meta, but I just had to take the time to sing this statement’s praises.  Strong doesn’t begin to cover it.  It cracked my top 5 statements from this show easily, and has lingered with me for days.

And really, topping what was an utterly glorious horror story off with the introduction of Nikola Orsinov (and even explaining why she has a male patronymic!), played to eerie, horrific perfection by Jessica Law?  Oh, it was good.  She’s an utterly delicious villain, and deeply frightening on a fundamental level.  I’ve always found that cheery monsters were by far creepier than ones that seemed entirely serious.  The decision to make her as alien as Michael, but far more threatening was brilliant, and her entire approach to coming after Jon was a breath of fresh air.

I love that, instead of killing one of his assistants or menacing him, she basically pops by to ask him if he wouldn’t be so kind as to find that skin for her.  Sure, there are threats, but the line ‘that would be lovely!’ when he asked her if she expected him to just hand the skin over was fantastic.  And I also love the notion that she needs the skin to wear.  It’s so simple, but makes perfect sense for a plastic being that requires the skin of others to perform basic tasks.  

And of course, we find out in this episode what exactly happened to Gregor Orsinov.  Apparently, having created a monstrous daughter, she got bored one day and repurposed all his bits.  Nikola not only accepts that she’s a monster, she embraces it.  She has a fantastic sense of self-confidence and cheer which makes her horrific actions all the more powerful.  I loved her instantly. 

Another note that I think is relevant on a meta level is her use of darkness to hide herself from Jon.  I don’t know about anyone else, but I was more than a little convinced that when Jon stepped into that darkness, he was no longer in Georgie’s place, but in the same strange stone cathedral described in ‘Growing Dark’, a location that only seems to exist when you can’t see it.  Likewise, I think that this is yet more evidence that the darkness and the People’s Church are different extensions of the Stranger

Oh, and it wouldn’t be an episode of TMA in season 3 without Jon being a complete moron, apparently.  Who was still at Georgie’s place despite insisting that he should leave before she was endangered?  Jon.  Whose home is now known to the Stranger, and has been invaded by Nikola?  Georgie.  I swear to god, if Jon gets Georgie’s skin stolen because he was too stupid to move back into his own place once he got his job back, I’m going to smack him one.  And a flayed and undead Georgie, now fully claimed by the End, might well smack him too.

Seriously, Jon, get the hell back to your own damn apartment, and keep your problems safely in your wheelhouse.  

The final interesting tidbit that I found myself thinking about during this exchange was Nikola’s statement that she wanted to wear the skin when she ‘danced the world anew’.  What I realized was how much creation and art seem to be a focus of the Stranger.  Nikola wants to wear a taxidermy skin, the definition of turning death into art.  She plans to dance, creating a story with her body and a world with her movements.  Even Nikola herself is a deliberately crafted plastic being who creates other plastic beings like her.

I think that the Desolation might actually stand as opposed to the Stranger as the Beholding does.  As the Desolation destroys all, consumes all, the Stranger creates.  It remakes.  Nothing, from the victims of the Anglerfish to the bits remaining of Gregor Orsinov, are wasted.  

Everything can be reworked.  The world won’t end with the Unknowing; it will be made.  Hell, it might have already been made several times.  For all Jon knows, the world he’s living in could be the result of previous Unknowings.  With a soft apocalypse in which everything changes but very few die, how would you know hundreds of years after the fact that it had happened at all?  The change has become reality.  The vagueness of the concept of the Unknowing, the delicacy and the art of it, is fascinating.  I love the notion that everything about the Unknowing is actually cloaked in creation.  

The Stranger is beautiful, and active, and alive.  And that makes Nikola all the more terrifying as a villain.

Conclusions

I’m thrilled that, after last week’s disappointment, this show is very much back on top in my eyes.  This is a cracking statement and a hell of an introduction for Nikola, very nearly as chilling as the introduction to Michael last season.  Nikola feels infinitely strange and infinitely threatening in the most genial way possible.  Jessica Law completely nailed the delivery (I also love that TMA is quietly drawing on all the Mechanisms one by one).  She’s uncanny and terrifying, but also has a beauty and a joy to her voice.  Nikola, I think, believes herself to be the heroine to this story. ��She’s taking a boring world and creating something far more beautiful out of it.  She’s wresting control of it from the staid hands of the Beholding, and she’s actually DOING something with it.  

And I love her.  I’m thrilled that season 3 (and possibly more) has a villain this rivetingly unhinged.  Jon’s now stuck having to either acquiesce to her request, knowing he’s letting her get closer to the Unknowing, or to try and stop her.  I’m interested, honestly, to see if Elias can see in her darkness (I would bet he can’t, and that keeping out his prying eye was a big reason why Nikola wouldn’t let Jon turn on the light).  If he can, I want to know how he’ll react to all this.  If he can’t, how insistent is he going to be that Jon fill him in?

I’m interested in Elias’ reaction mostly because we can basically be guaranteed that Jon is going to do whatever seems stupidest at the time.  I love him, but the man is a complete and total disaster.  I despair that he’ll do something sensible like get away from Georgie before her skin gets repurposed, or talk to his assistants about anything of substance.  Could I at least suggest that he start small and try bringing them tea?  Maybe give them all spa days or something.  God knows they’ll deserve it after all this shit hits the fan.

[solisluccile]

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[dailyaudiobible]

09/24/2019 DAB Transcript

Isaiah 43:14-45:10, Ephesians 3:1-21, Psalms 68:1-18, Proverbs 24:1-2

Today is the 24th day of September. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is a joy to be here with you today to take the next step as we move deeper into this week and as we approach the end of this month and continue to take steps forward each day through the Scriptures. So, we’re continuing our journey through the book of Isaiah and we are continuing our adventure through the letter to the Ephesians as well as Psalms and Proverbs of course. And we’re reading from the Voice Translation this week. Today, Isaiah chapter 43 verse 14 through 45 verse 10.

Commentary:

Alright. Since we started this letter to the Ephesians we’ve been talking about, you know, wide open vistas, we talked about that a lot yesterday, these beautiful places in the world here you can encounter beauty so pure, so pristine, so vast that it's almost like you're not looking at something real. It’s like it's too good to be true and like at least for me that’s just like how the book of Ephesians reads. We just keep going up and up and we come to these vistas and it’s like we can drive right by the vista or we can park and go like, “this is gonna take a long while for me to sit here and soak in the implications of what's being said.” So, in the letter today, Paul says, “specifically, the mystery is this: by trusting in the good news the Gentile outsiders are becoming fully enfranchised members of the same body, heirs alongside Israel and beneficiaries of the promise that has been fulfilled through Jesus the anointed.” Alright. So, that's a verse in the Bible but it was a sentence in a letter and that sentence applies to every believer in the world Jew and Gentile alike. And the promise that's given here is the riches of God's blessings. So, we can sit here at this vista and go, “that is a beautiful thing and I need to think about that” but why would Go…I mean like…seriously…like I know myself and hardly ever can figure out why God would be so gracious to me, right? I mean, don't feel that way? Like, why would He? I don't deserve that. I'm thankful. I'm grateful. I receive it as a gift…I’m humbled by it. I don’t deserve it but according to the letter to the Ephesians there's a reason and you better buckle up. Here’s what Paul says, “here's His objective”, meaning God's, “here’s God's objective. Through the church, He intends now to make known His infinite and boundless wisdom to all rulers and authorities in heavenly realms. This has been his plan from the beginning, one that He has now accomplished through the Anointed one, Jesus our Lord.” So, have you ever thought about God's goodness and His offering this goodness, an eternal life to you, in part because it makes His wisdom known and displays its unseen realms.? Okay, you see, we are at a big picture vista of our faith that is vastly beyond us. And because of His goodness, according to Paul, “Jesus faithfulness to God has made it possible for us to have the courage we need and the ability to approach the Father confidently.” Like, I know that we read scriptures like that and hear that kinda stuff to the point that it does not impact us anymore. But since we’re going through and pulling off at all these beautiful vistas, we should understand we are talking about the only, the one true, the Almighty Creator, God of all things, everything that we think we know and everything that we for sure don't know, the God of all things. What Paul’s saying is, God has a master plan that is far bigger than we even are aware of, but He has come for us and freely welcomed us because we took Him at His word, we believed, we be put our faith in Him. He has brought us into His family, and we can approach Him confidently. Again, we’re talking about God, the God, I am that I am God. Think about the implications of knowing and being able to approach God, the only God, the Creator God. Like we can enter the presence of the Almighty God boldly and confidently as a son, as a daughter would with any loving parent. I…I don’t…I mean…what is better than that. Even Paul seems to not…like…he's…like…where do you go from there? And, so, Paul prays a prayer today just embracing all of that. And let's go back over…let’s go back…let's pray. Let's pray the prayer of Paul today and allow that to begin to shape what our day looks like.

Prayer:

Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen we Your people. Fill our souls with the power of Your spirit so that through faith Jesus the Anointed One will reside in our hearts. And may love be the rich soil where our lives take root. May be the bedrock where our lives are founded so that together with all of Your people, we have the power to understand that the love of Jesus the Anointed One is infinitely long and wide and high and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God may Your fullness flood through our entire beings. And we pray this from the Scriptures in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One. Amen.

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And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi, DABbers this is Sherry Running Desperately to Jesus. I’d like to pray for the young man that called in. God, it is amazing to me and it touched my spirit and brought me to tears God that this Young man Father has taken the step, Father to not only call in Father but to also pray for his enemies Father. God we are so quick to pray for our friends and our family Father, but hardly do we pray for our enemies Father. And its even more difficult Father for us to even pray a prayer for them that their heart be touched Father and that the turn toward You Father. Father, if he knows, if he remembers that no weapon formed against him shall prosper God and if he can also remember that if You are for him that nobody can be against him. God cover him with Your blood Father. Protect him when he comes in the presence of those other children Father. Let them see something about him Father that they don’t even know how to explain Father. You have something over his life Father, a calling for him. God, I thank You Father for this Young man taking the time Father to call in and speak good things towards his enemies and not wish bad things Father. God, I praise You, I bless You, I magnify You, I lift You up because You are the all and all. Father, and when You’re there nothing Father can harm him. God I would love to be present when You bring him to the walking that You’re planning for him Father, whatever the life his Father that You have planned for him Father we know that he’s going to include You in it. Your holy __ name. Amen.

Hello this is Ava I would like you to pray for my grandma because she’s super super sick.

Hello this is Luanne calling from New York City. I’m calling to pray for Wade the retired veteran who lives in Japan. I just listened to your testimony Wade and I pray that God lays upon you the sustainability that you need, the finances, the love in your heart to know that you are a wonderful person. You have devoted your life to this country and I’m so happy to be saying a prayer for you this morning Wade. Wade please hang in there. Know that God loves you. Know that the best is yet to come. Know that you will have the finances to make it back to America to see your mother. I pray blessings on your relationship with your son. Your father…your fathering is wonderful. You’re going to reunite with your son. You’re going to be the best father ever. He’s going to appreciate you. Lord, I pray that God just envelops you and gives you the love that you need in your heart to know that your wonderful and your worth all that he’s put you on this earth to be. Please don’t be discouraged Wade. In Jesus’ name I pray blessings upon you. Amen.

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this is Heidi calling from Minnesota. Today’s September 21st and as I listened this morning my heart just broke for two of our family members, Keira from Denver and Wade from Japan. And I just want to pray for them. Father God You are good. I thank You so much for this day that You’ve giving us, the blessing of a new day and that Your mercies are new each morning. Your grace is like a flood. You are so good. Lord when we go through hard times You are always there with us. You walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death. So, Lord I just pray that You would wrap Your arms around both Wade in…Wade in Japan and Keira in Denver. God, they are feeling alone, they are suffering, they are…they have challenges with their children and Lord You are with them. Would Your Holy Spirit please just make Your presence known to them? God, may they remember that they are loved, and they are loved by all of us out here listening and praying. They’ll love so much but You. God, I pray for people that would come into the life that would be encouraging to them and Lord that You would just fill their heart with hope and joy, and I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Thank You so much. Jill, Brian, this ministry is amazing, and I pray that you will continue…you will endure for many years to come. Have a great day everyone.

Hello Daily Audio Bible this is Lisa calling from Sweden and this is the first time that I’m calling, and I’ve been listening to Daily Audio Bible for over five or six years now. And this changed…this has changed my way of reading the Bible and I’m so so so happy and I’m part of this community and it’s so touching to hear all of you guys calling in to say your prayer requests. It’s really touching my heart. And I do have one prayer request myself now and it’s in my relationship with my boyfriend. And I know this sounds silly, but we really don’t know which way to go. Should we continue and get married or not? And it’s actually extremely confusing and we have a lot of doubt and a lot of fights going on. And I know this may sound silly, but I really need God pointing the way right now because I don’t know at all and he doesn’t know and we’re so busy but I would just like you to pray that I will hear the voice of God now because I really need it. And thank you so much guys for praying. I love you so much. And have a wonderful day. Bye.

Hi, this is Carmen from Germany again. I just listened to Brian’s reading September 21st and I heard the call and the prayer request from Wade in Japan. Wade I just want you to know I was just so touched by your openness, your request for prayer and the trust you have that we are all praying for you in a community that is…we don't even know what we all look like, at least the ones that haven't gotten together, but I just thank you so much for calling in. Not only am I moved to pray for you and lift you up and I have already immediately , but it makes me realize all the little things that I feel so bad and so hurt about just seem so diminished by the pain that other people are having. So, I just wanted to thank you for calling in. I want to encourage you to know that there are so many people out here praying for you now in this community, people…I don't know how many…hundreds…maybe thousands. And Wade we lift you up. And don't let the enemy tell you that you’re a bad father, that you're terrible. Don't let him take you down. Continue to look to the Lord daily, daily for your strength, for direction. And Wade I'll keep you in prayers and I know what people will too. And I just want to, yeah, send you a virtual hug and tell you that we love you brother and we're all praying for you and we’re knowing that God is taking care of you and that you're in his hands. Thank you so much for calling in and letting us know how you are doing and that you need prayer. And have a great day Wade. We love you.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #320

Top Ten Things the MCU Did Right

Blimey, we’re nearly there, aren’t we? Avengers: Infinity War actually opens THIS WEEK which means I might have even seen it by the time my next Top Ten goes out next weekend.

OH MY STARS AND GARTERS.

(Sorry, that guy’s not in the MCU yet is he? Okay, how about…)

SWEET CHRISTMAS.

(I guess he’s not in the films, but the Netflix shows are allegedly canon, so it counts, it counts!)

Anyway, before everyone dies horrible deaths at Thanos’ hands this week, I wanted to celebrate Marvel’s tremendous success here. I’m not a film expert, but I just don’t think this has really been done before; not on this scale, not with this many moving parts. Ten years, nineteen films and counting, a couple of dozen principle performers, multiple directors and writers, one overall storyarc that bleeds in and out of different individual stories… it’s a remarkable, unprecedented achievement. No wonder everyone else wants a bite of the cherry, even though nobody has been successful (and, as a big DC fan, it pains me somewhat to admit that).

The MCU is a minor movie miracle and we should all be supremely grateful that it’s around, still going strong, and hopefully will be for at least another ten years. And here, for the record, are my top ten reasons why it’s been successful; what Kevin Feige and his collaborators have done right.

Read it and weep, denizens of Universal’s Dark Universe.

They walked before they could run: I believe, initially, only three or four films were announced: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Although they started out with the intention of a shared universe, they also started small: four more-or-less origin stories focused on individual characters. There was an ambition to do Avengers, an intent, sure; but they didn’t take it for granted. They didn’t block out dozens of future release dates. By focusing on getting the first batch of films right, as individual films, it created a solid bedrock on which to build the rest of the universe.

They kept it grounded: The first batch of films were mostly set on Earth with threats that weren’t entirely world-ending. Nothing was a huge, huge deal until the Avengers happened. Eschewing the stylised world of, say, the Burton/Schumacher Batman films, the heroes of the MCU lived in the “real world”, and faced more “realistic” antagonists. This grounded the more fantastical elements; nothing was too wild or wacky. There were no talking trees, no alternate dimensions, no magic; even Asgard was presented more as a European royal kingdom in space, rather than metaphysical deities. They took their time to let viewers embrace the world, before cranking up the comic book aesthetic.

The films varied in tone and genre: This has become more apparent as the MCU has evolved, for good reason; whilst the first batch – coming out at a rate of only one or two a year – were content to be variations on origin stories, subsequent films have really tried to vary the style to avoid repetition or franchise stagnation. Even in just the Captain America films, we have a World War II movie, a 70s-style conspiracy thriller, and a globe-spanning epic action movie-cum-war film. Thor always leaned towards comedy, before fully embracing the crazy with Ragnarok; the Guardians of the Galaxy films are both action comedies, and Ant-Man is probably more comedy than action. Black Panther is practically a Bond movie. Meanwhile, the Avengers movies themselves have been content to play potentially world-ending threats relatively straight, and certainly the marketing for Infinity War has suggestions of epic tragedy. This means, even as we get three films a year, they never feel like sequels or retreads. Doctor Strange was the closest we’ve gotten in recent years to a “Phase One” style of movie, and even that was visually trippy enough to stand on its own.

Using S.H.I.E.L.D. as a bridge was a masterstroke: Represented initially by Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson, S.H.I.E.L.D. served an important plot function by being the connective tissue between films; he’d go from talking to, say, Tony Stark to uncovering Thor’s hammer in the space of the same end-credit sequence. “You think you’re the only superhero in the world?” has become an iconic scene. S.H.I.E.L.D. allowed Marvel to create independent heroes in their own stand-alone stories, but similarly build a framework across the entire franchise, seeding the Avengers before the film was even a certainty.

…and destroying that bridge was an even bigger masterstroke: by the time of The Winter Soldier, we thought we knew what to expect from a Marvel movie. S.H.I.E.L.D. probably played the biggest role we’d seen at that point; Cap was working directly for them now, and they’d just saved the world in The Avengers. But by pulling the rug on the audience and the organisation – by having them infiltrated by HYDRA and then forcibly disbanded by Cap and Black Widow – it upended the apple cart. We didn’t know where they’d go from here. True, not many main characters were dying in the films, but there was now a sense that all bets were off; if they could, effectively, kill off S.H.I.E.L.D., then who knows what else they’d do? Destroy Asgard? Reveal Wakanda to the world? It also helped establish a new MCU, where they needed the Avengers, which in turn lead to a world which required the Avengers to be compliant to the UN. These decisions were made gradually, building upon past decisions, but each was a stepping stone to a more coherent and connected MCU.

They kept it light: pre-MCU – and even during their early years, really – the most successful superhero franchise was Batman, and the most successful iteration thereof was Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. The po-faced seriousness of that, coupled with the rather morose tone of the DCU at large at that point, allowed the MCU to set itself apart with a focus on optimism, friendship, and wit. True, Bale’s Batman had the odd one-liner, but all of the characters in the MCU were funny, even straight-laced ones like Steve Rogers or Nick Fury. The colourful setting and witty repartee became a hallmark of the franchise, and a refinement of the style can be seen in increasingly sophisticated ways: Civil War is really a tragedy of misguided good intentions and conflicted emotions, yet still finds room for terrific moments of comedy, whereas Ragnarok is essentially a comedy that still gives us mass slaughter, major defeats for our heroes, corrupted patriarchs, and the destruction of an entire homeland. From the trailers for Infinity War, this style looks set to continue, with T’Challa and Okoye bantering about Starbucks before (I assume) literally everyone is murdered.  

They learnt how to fly: sure, the opening films were grounded; yeah, they mostly focused on Earthbound heroes; fine, the majority of characters were either powerless or had a low-key skillset recognisable as advanced tools or peak athleticism (as opposed to a Loki skillset, which is basically great hair plus bitchy put-downs). However, as the MCU grew and became more successful, they smartly took risks, but also broadened their horizons. Guardians not only took us farther into space than was hinted at in Thor; it also gave us a talking raccoon and a living tree, multiple primary-hued aliens, a space station inside a giant head, and Peter Serafinowicz calling the good guys “A-holes”. Let’s not forget, too, that this was a full-on space opera with multiple planets, creatures, and ships, starring characters way outside the mainstream, that ended with a dance-off. Since then, the scope of the MCU has only widened, with Ant-Man giving us the Quantum Realm, Doctor Strange taking us on far-out journeys across the astral plane, and Black Panther even possibly showing us a version of the afterlife. Panther’s treatment of worldwide black history, slavery, and racism in America is also further proof of a maturing, confident, and intelligent forward momentum for the MCU.

They caught Spider-Man: seriously, however they managed it, whoever we need to thank – Disney, Marvel, Sony – bringing Spider-Man into the MCU is one of the best things to have happened. It instantly gives the character a new hook, and an identity closer to the comics: a youngster pretending to be an adult superhero, in a world where there are adult superheroes to look up to. But the scene in Civil War between Tony and Peter really epitomises all of the great ideals not just of those two characters, or the film, or the wider MCU – even though it does – but the ideals of superheroes as a fictional concept. “If you can do the things that I can do, and bad stuff happens, and you don’t do anything, then it happens because of you.” Spider-Man is utterly crucial to that film, to Tony’s arc, to the wider MCU, because he represents – in a very Superman-ish fashion, and far more Superman-ish than Superman himself has been allowed to be in movies recently – the inherent goodness of a certain breed of superhero. Having this young, vibrant, intelligent presence going forward is a tremendous achievement.

They let directors off the leash: the first few Marvels had great directors, for sure – Branagh, Favreau, Whedon – but there was a sense of sticking, more or less, to the “house style”. When Edgar Wright left Ant-Man, it was assumed his flamboyant tendancies did not fit with the tone of he MCU. But, weirdly enough, ever since then, directors have been allowed to be themselves. It seems possible for auteurs to exist within the Marvel framework, and the universe is better for it. The Guardians films are resolutely James Gunn, Black Panther is very much the vision of Ryan Coogler, and Thor: Ragnarok could not be more Taika Waititi if it was actually set in New Zealand. These more personal approaches to iconic characters have resulted in better movies, and a better franchise overall, as it allows films to shine individually and for the overall filmscape to feel less homogenous.

They cast it very, very, very well: in my opinion, above all else, the single most consistently excellent thing across the MCU is how right the casting is. RDJ is Tony Stark, in so many ways, and his casting really set the tone. Hemsworth brings so much to Thor; sure, he can play the rich royal demanding horses and drink, the self-centred swaggerer, but he brought a humour that wasn’t necessarily there on the page, and gave Thor the richness and depth he deserved. Scarlett Johannsen, Paul Rudd, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland… I could go on. Mark Ruffalo is so great as Banner you forget he was a recasting operation (ditto Don Cheadle). But far and away the best is Chris Evans. Getting Cap right was difficult, and Evans did seem like a strange choice: he played the jock-tastic Johnny Storm to a tee in Fantastic Four, but could he add the gravitas necessary for Cap? Could he make this straight-arrow guy a charismatic leader and screen presence? Yes. Yes he could. He is, in my opinion, the most perfect piece of superhero casting since Christopher Reeve, and embodies the character at least as well. He’s practically Captain America off camera, too. And he’s just one of literally dozens of well-cast roles in the series.

So there you are. My reasons why I think the MCU has been the success it is. This is my patented formula, so if any other studios want a shared universe, you’ll have to pay me. My price is a four-pack of Guinness and a Blu-ray of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.