#especially if you already happened to fight the bosses during the actual story

[pandaemoanium]

one of my favorite things in games is all the different ways you can combine worldbuilding/lore into the gameplay, like for example in ffxiv all high-end content (extreme, savage, ultimate raids) are what-if scenarios, you unlock the raids by talking to a bard who gives the stories you tell him..a bit...of embellishment, and the high-end raids are totally imaginary instances where you end up fighting beefed up versions of the bosses because of all the bullshit the bard added to the story

[hallucinateonpaperspines]

How do you think cybertronian society would react (pre war) to ashlyn like unleashed on their planet, because personally I think that would be hilarious and also terrifying. Do I ask this mainly because the thought of young D-16 and either current story Ashlyn or pre story Ashlyn interacting is both terrifying and interesting? Yes.

Honestly, it could go so many different ways, *evil cackle*

Speaking of the new movie, is everybody else hyped? CAUSE I AM SO EXCITED! FINALLY, we are getting a fun animated Transformers film ヾ(*´ ∇ `)ﾉ

I saw that cross-eye megatron reference from Bumblebee, tfp anyone?

ᕕ(⌐■_■)ᕗ ♪♬

ehem, happy dance aside, here's what I think a Golden Age Ashlyn would have been like...

Presuming that she fell into this situation as a Human things get awkward very quickly. Organics aren't very well received on Cybertron nevermind how their products are luxury goods apparently

Running through the streets, ducking under vendor stalls, and darting between peds like a literal street rat, Ashlyn is very very confused on what the utter frag happened to her.

Unfortunately, as an organic alien lifeform, especially as one that is currently undiscovered, she is VERY distinctive. Her small size helps her a bit with sneaking, but eventually, it becomes common knowledge that a weird creature is hanging around. It doesn't help that her need for breathable air severely restricts potential roaming areas, and only a handful of stores/merchants carry edible food items.

Already making a name for herself as a pest... in a surprisingly literal sense.

When she's eventually spotted and caught by a Cybe with particularly good reflexes, Ash is forced to come up with something fast so she doesn't get squished. By now, you all know where her self-defense tendencies tend to point to.

On the plus side, the twerp survived. On the negative, he's going to need a new servo since the wiring that articulates his digits is beyond saving. Also, a small feral organic that goes for joints is apparently entertainment enough for these people. Welcome to the mini and illegal gladiator battles, Ashlyn! The unregulated leagues for those who can't afford to go watch the real thing.

Look at her go, gaining all the XP fighting alien bugs and other mini-bosses.

Of course, 3 things occurred during this time period. 1) Ashlyn is actually picking up on Neocybex and proving surprisingly adept at it. 2) She's starting to gain a legitimate reputation and doing Humans Are Space Orcs proud via creative/brutal takedowns of her opponents, and biological features that can be terrifying to an alien. 3) Someone in Iacon has quietly been looking for a creature resembling her specifications, but due to the fact that Ashlyn is in Kaon and an asset of an illegal fighting ring, she is unidentifiable.

Of course when Ashlyn finally gains enough of an affinity for Neocybex, (with a very thick kaon accent) she wants to wait to reveal her sentience until it's at a point where she can't be knocked off or ignored. That plan does not last. No.

Because Ashlyn Moore, covered in robot gore, looks up one day to see a very familiar outline.

"ɎØɄ"

D-16, for his part, is very confused as to why the little alien just looked at him and started chittering like a sparkling while shaking.

The crowd is in an uproar.

See humans do look very similar in structure to a basic Cybertronain model. Even more so when you compare it to a sparkling model which is squishy. eh, Unicron connection?

The point is, an unidentified, kinda sparkling-ish thing, that sounds like sparkling, has also just fulfilled one of the oldest Sparkling-Guardian rituals of choosing an adult to protect them. Look at ze adult, go to ze adult, don't let ze adult leave without you.

Ashlyn might not have had such... noble intentions when she launched herself at D-16 while rambling, but such is the beauty of cultural miscommunications. And dehydration and malnourishment. And an almost chronically activated stress response. You get situations like these!

"ɎØɄ!-гЅ₮₳₭Ɇ ₴Ø₥Ɇ ⱤɆ₴₱Ø₦₴ł฿łⱠł₮Ɏ! …-₣Ɽ₳₲ł₦₲ ฿Ʉ₲₴ ł'VɆ ₭łⱠⱠɆĐ?"

Ashlyn is only half understandable in this state, but it's fine. D-16, and soon all of Kaon understands perfectly.

A scrappy deformed sparkling, likely originating from an unidentified hot spot, beat the odds and has chosen an ex-miner and soon full-time gladiator to be her sire/mentor. What a spark-warming story.

Oh yeah, and someone in Iacon is still hunting that human.

The end result would probably culminate in an overly suspicious Ashlyn accidentally causing a chain reaction that would lead to a Decepticon Orion Pax, a proper coup of the High Council, probably Emperor of Destruction Starscream, and Big Villian Shockwave. The Autobots would not exist. Does anyone want to try and theorize why?

D-16 would realize pretty quick that this tiny bundle of chaos isn't an actual sparkling, but it's an argument he'd use to keep her should any outside influences try and take Ashlyn away. Why? Because a highly intelligent and vicious mystery just dropped into his lap, and someone on the Council wants it really badly. That's more than enough of a justification.

Now, if only he could find out why the organic hates him so much... and why she's so valuable.

Now Ashlyn as a bot would be VERRRRRY different.

Same as the first, she pops up in Kaon (may or may not be a narrative reason for that (・ω<) )

Unlike the human version, the poor girl is caught almost immediately.

Turns out, stumbling around a foreign area, being unable to speak the language, and lacking identification doesn't get you the best treatment. Unfortunately, her more bestial-looking design doesn't help much either in a Functionist society.

Actually, the Enforcers processing her are pretty confused by it, the wings and taloned servos say Seeker, but the spines and fanged denta hint at something else completely... and the subject refuses, or is unable to, transform into an altmode...

Oh well, can't put it in a category, and then toss it out.

Flagging the weirdness for the bosses to deal with, the anomaly is sent to the mines, and a record containing her image and newly given designation is sent to the higher offices. YN-013 is soon forgotten.

Ashlyn, by the time she figures out written translations for Neocybex, finds the designation hilarious. Her fellow miners don't understand why she giggles when she introduces herself.

The mines are horrible, that much is undeniable, but at the same time, Ashlyn can't help but feel like it should be worse?

Her form proves adept at collecting energon, her claws far more efficient than the half-rusted pick-axe she's handed every day. The energon is easy to find too, almost like there's a sixth sense in her brain for where those shards are hiding.

She doesn't realize that the tunnels she's stationed in quickly gain a reputation for being more productive. That her peers end their days not quite as run down anymore. That miners switch shifts and bribe to be in the same branch of tunnels. She's quickly become an omen of good luck and temporary revival.

Ashlyn also doesn't realize that someone in Iacon is tearing through every rumor on Cyberton looking for her... or the organic her.

D-16 hears rumors about the newest unfortunate spark that's been sent to join them in the dark, but he doesn't believe it. Not until he sees it.

There is something about this individual that's different, maybe the stories are true. Solus reforged, perhaps? The missing Thirteenth? Or is this a new prime, come to save them and bring Cybertron back to its glory.

Ashlyn for her part is vibing collecting pretty rocks, and would prefer the future genocidal maniac to stay far away from her, please.

The not-yet-future-genocidal-maniac does not leave. Instead, he talks.

D-16 is actually the one that teaches her proper Neocybex, not the fragmented version she's been getting by with. In return, she tells him what the surface was like for the brief bit of time she was there.

Over time, the strange happenings around YA-013 are normalized and forgotten, but not by D-16. He knows she is not just some wild-forged thing that had the bad to stumble into the wrong city-state. He knows that she can't just be some bestial new-forged, because her optics are far too aware, too knowing. She hesitates, as though shuffling through information when she speaks. The alien babble she talks to herself in, while basic, is too natural to be anything but a primary language. Her smiles are sad even if the laughter is easy. She says things, and calls him Bucket Head, and Mega-arse.

She already knows who his favorite Prime is.

YN-013 never comments when he explains his plans to become a gladiator and gain his freedom. But he can feel the judgment. The resignation. Like she already knew. "Forget about me when you become one of the most famous bots to walk on Cybertron, yeah? Little old me will be nothing compared to the masses that'll scream your name."

YN-013 never talked about her own future, not in a way that sounds lasting. "I'd like to sightsee while I can. Never know when city walls will go tumbling down."

Megatronus doesn't forget her. Not in the Pits as he battles against foes and realizes how much healthier his frame is compared to his opponents, how much stronger, despite them all feeding off the same scraps. He doesn't forget as he meets an Archivist and hears all the snide jokes about his type being "boys in red and blue. Sweet nerds that take forever to commit to ending you."

Orion Pax, quickly becomes a close friend. Megatron never comments on his paint job. He's yet to see Pax exhibit anything but an agreeable and slightly excitable disposition... but he can't help but hold back even as he chides his own superstition.

"I don't think you'll have much luck in the friend department, Bucket. "

Why had he never gone back for her? Why had she never joined him in the arena?

"That's your origin story, D, and I'd hate to incinerate your undefeated record."

Megatron doesn't forget the stranger hidden in the mines. Not when he meets Orion's mentor, not when he stands before the Council, not as every veiled barb, sorrowful mutter, or hidden revelation comes true.

Even when he goes back for her and finds her gone, the Warlord never forgets the seer of the mines.

YN-013 had never realized, that just as D-16 had taught her a language, so too had she taught him hers. Every private word, every thoughtless exclamation, he remembered.

No, that unfortunate spark in the mines was not a wild-forged femme with bad luck. She was not a prime, remade, or replace. She was something different. A puzzle, a friend, an asset.

Lord Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, never forgot.

So how strange was it, to find a planet that spoke that same tongue?

The Autobots seek a relic and the Decepticons search for a seer. Optimus inherits a charge that can only be fulfilled through a missing person and Megatron wants closure to the fate and identity of someone he might've considered a friend.

Ashlyn struggles with guilt over choosing to not change the timeline and has been hiding on Earth since the last few centuries of the war. She's spawned more than a few stories in her wanderings, triggered some changes she never realized. A shifter who went rogue after a drunken conversation at a bar and never swore his loyalty. Bartering fuel with an Autobot vessel, allowing the Ark to avoid Decepticon Scouts and remain unharmed. A Prime who learned the truth about his predecessors early, and resolved to do more than simply restore his planet to what it used to be.

Ashlyn can't hide from the plot forever. War or not, things have changed, and now she's part of that story.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

One thing I am curious about is how much Chuuya is important to the central story? Like he just appears when he needs to be here and then just gone

You know, at first my answer would've been just this: "Chuuya is not a main character and is not important to the central story but I am convinced he will be going forward."

But then I paused and thought about it... and realized something.

Chuuya hasn't shown up very much in the main manga, that much is true. However, the timing of his appearances is interesting because he always shows up during or slightly before a turning point in the story. Take a look at this:

Chapters 10 + 11, Port Mafia Arc: We are introduced to his character - he's one of the major character's (Dazai's) old partner. At the same time this is happening, Atsushi and Akutagawa are having their first real fight and shortly after, Chuuya tells Dazai that Akutagawa has the information on who placed the bounty, which brings the Guild into play.

Chapter 16, Guild Arc: Chuuya, along with many other mafia characters, is present when Mori is revealed as the boss, another significant event.

Chapters 21 and 22, Guild Arc: Chuuya is part of Mori's plan to pit the Agency and Guild against each other. Shortly after this, Q is released, marking another turning point.

Chapter 29, Guild Arc: Atsushi sees Chuuya ordering the protection of Yokohama from Q's curse. It is highly likely that his decision to form a temporary truce with the Mafia was a result of seeing Chuuya's actions.

Chapter 31, Guild Arc: The well-known Double Black chapter. Not only is this the first instance of the truce, but it is also the template for Dazai's later plan reveal - that he intends Atsushi and Akutagawa to be another Double Black.

Chapter 47, Cannibalism Arc: It's Chuuya who makes the first move and kickstarts the actual conflict. I believe this is the only time his actions and choices directly affect the main plot (which is... interesting actually...). Unfortunately in chapter 49, he is immediately sucked into Poe's book with little fanfare sidjcn

Chapter 62, Hunting Dogs Arc: Chuuya rescues the Agency members from the Hunting Dogs, which is the first semi-decent turn of events for the Agency in that arc.

Chapters 98 and 101, Vampire Infection Outbreak Arc: Chuuya shows up as a vampire (rip man). I don't know yet what the consequences of this will be but there will absolutely be consequences.

Idk, I do find it interesting that Chuuya appears to show up at transitory spots in the plotline, despite not playing an especially active role. I find it difficult to believe that's not significant in some way; after all, I've already commented on how Chuuya influences changes in Dazai. I'm starting to wonder if Chuuya's role from a meta sense is to induce change in some way - that would be a tad ironic, considering Chuuya... hasn't really changed much, and is still very much stuck in the same place he was, but now without a personal drive.

Whether you agree on the above though, I feel really confident that we're building up to something with him in the main story. What's more, I think this actually was always the plan, and not a decision made because Chuuya became really popular. While I don't think Asagiri is the type to really plan future events in any detail, I do think there is some general sense of where the characters are going. I have a few reasons to believe this.

Chuuya was in the manga before he even made his first appearance. If you check out Dazai's profile, Chuuya is mentioned as... one of his dislikes. Lol.

Chuuya was always going to be Dazai's ex-partner. It was the first thing decided about him, to my knowledge anyways. I've also noticed that Dazai, despite how much he appears, doesn't undergo a lot of development in the series proper (most of it's in the light novels, same as Chuuya). I suspect their development in the main series will once again run parallel as soon as Chuuya winds up with a more major role.

Asagiri and Harukawa spent the longest on Chuuya's design. And Asagiri always felt he was going to end up as a popular character, which is part of the reason why it took so long - he needed to look perfect.

Fifteen's afterword implies Chuuya's backstory was always going to be told eventually. Yes, the story was requested, but the response from Asagiri was "it's finally time to write this" not "oh ok if that's what the fans want".

Chuuya and Atsushi haven't even met yet, which is weird. Remember that Atsushi's decision to suggest a truce was likely influenced by his observation of Chuuya's actions. Also I find it strange that the Atsushi-Akutagawa duo are meant to be a new Dazai-Chuuya but one of each of the pair have... never met each other.

Chuuya's story is tied closely to the concept of singularities, ability user experimentation and the government (as well as the war's aftereffects by proxy). These themes run all throughout the world of bsd but have yet to be truly expanded on in the main manga.

Adam and Shirase are in London where the Order of the Clock Tower is. The Order is highly likely to play a major role going forward.

"His destination is still a secret" and "his will not be a peaceful, easy path" from the Stormbringer afterword. So, he's going to suffer more in the future. Yippee?

Anyways. This was a very long answer to your question anon but yeah. Chuuya will be important to the plot going forward and I believe that this was always the intention. It just doesn't make sense to have all this backstory and then not have any kind of payoff for it.

[sapphire-weapon]

another broke take i keep seeing is that ashley develops feelings for leon but that it’s not mutual, which is dumb bc even if leon isn’t as open about it (the ‘running from creeps’ and ‘good company’ lines notwithstanding), his body language is very telling imo.

holding on to her a little longer than he needs to during the church escape, touching her shoulder to check on her (when they’re saved by luis) or in reassurance (post-stabbing), gently cupping her head and tracing his fingers down her arm, reaching for her face again when she’s on the altar, grabbing her hand to pull her into the lift, and the way he always stops to help her up with both arms when she’s downed by enemies

even the fact that he’s literally being paid to protect her can’t justify the tenderness of all these little touches. i highly doubt “touch the president’s daughter like she’s the only thing that keeps you going” was in his job description. don’t even get me started on his boyish, almost bashful, “i can catch ya” like literally what the fuck

I think, after being forced into the shadows for eighteen fucking years by this fandom -- and by Aeon fans especially -- I've been hesitant to make any definitive statements on Leon and Ashley's relationship outside of its effects on Leon's character arc (and reaffirming over and over and over again that Ashley disappears from the series, as though to soothe people's reactions??).

But I was on discord talking to @godtier earlier, and once I actually said it out loud and then actually got an agreement from someone who could not be paid to give a fucking shit about this ship -- I'm just going to go ahead and say it for the wider fandom.

Resident Evil 4 Remake was written as a romance, and the romance is between Leon and Ashley.

With the new scenes they've added in, it's literally structured like a romance story is. I'll even outline it for you.

1) Call to Adventure / The Meet Cute

Literally their first meeting in the church, culminating with the catch and that moment of longing as they lock eyes while Leon continues to hold her just a few seconds too long.

2) Refusal of the Call / Rejection of the Relationship

At first, Leon treats Ashley solely as his mission objective. ("Hey can we take a break?" "Sorry, we need to keep moving.") And Ashley, for a good bit, doesn't trust him at all but goes with him because she has no other choice. ("Seriously, this cannot be happening.")

3) Acceptance of the Quest / Giving the relationship a chance

The escape from the cabin sequence up to the "seems this isn't your first time running from creeps." line. This is where we see them actually start to warm up to each other, and Ashley, for the first time, believes Leon can and will really get her out of there.

4) Trials and Temptations / Three Dates

The three dates are:

1) Ashley busting the window open after the Mendez boss fight, helping brush the embers off of Leon, and helping to pull him to his feet

2) Salazar's introduction ("The girl's just fine. With me.")

3) The road to the Water Hall (Leon jumping across the chandeliers + this is the first time the "knight and the princess" allegory is stated)

5) Midpoint Crisis / I-need-you-but-can’t-have-you

The stab followed by Ashley running away in tears, terrified of hurting Leon again and horrified that he saw her like that. This is also the second time that the "knight and the princess" allegory is stated.

6) The Road Back / Pulling Back Together

The pep talk. Leon is openly vulnerable for the first time ever in this game, and Ashley is grateful to have him with her. Note that Luis calls Leon "Prince Charming" immediately following this scene.

7) The Fall

Ashley stating "I won't run. Wait for me, Leon." And then Leon following up with the "I can catch ya" line.

8) Dark moment / The Break Up

Leon sitting at Ashley's bedside waiting to turn and ready to shoot himself. He's already half given up, and some part of him has started to believe that they won't actually make it out of here -- not together, at least.

9) The Sacrifice

"This time, it has to be different." Leon is forced to challenge the assertion by Ada and Krauser that he hasn't changed, and he even has to prove it to himself. He destroys Ashley's plaga, holding her hand the whole time, smiles breathlessly, then collapses to the floor.

10) Declaration

"Hey... we're a team, right?" "Keep this up? I'll be out of a job."

11) The HEA

Leon and Ashley literally ride off into the sunrise together towards a happily ever after.

The original RE4 is not structured this way. Even if I tried to, I couldn't slot Leon and Ashley's scenes from OG into this outline.

And the romance angle is reinforced over and over and over again through repeated use of the "knight and the princess" allegory beyond what I've even listed in the outline. You know, the fairy tales about the knight who saves the princess and they fall in love and live happily ever after. In addition to Salazar saying it, there's the "Prince Charming" line from Luis, Ashley references it when she jokes that Leon should literally put on the knight's armor -- and, on a meta level, Leon has a fucking fantasy hero costume.

There's even goddamn dialogue in the game where Ashley says to Leon, "I knew you'd come" -- which is basically just ripped right out of the Princess Bride.

And to continue the meta reinforcement of it, Leon and Ashley literally have a matching set of alternate costumes called "Romantic" -- and they are fucking Romeo & Juliet inspired. Come the fuck on, man. They couldn't have been more on the nose about it if they'd tried.

And this is in addition to all the other shit you already pointed out in your ask.

And there's the fact that they completely removed any hint of Ada possibly even remotely being a love interest for Leon in this game. The focus remains solely on Ashley and the bond that she and Leon build together.

Leon and Ashley's relationship in RE4 Remake is canonically romantic in nature, and I'm so fucking tired of pretending like it's not.

[sussysatann]

MY THOUGHTS - HALLOWEEN EVENT: SPECTRAL SOIREE

[Spoilers for a Twisted Halloween: Spectral Soiree under the cut!!]

OKAY, SO...

I started playing TWST around February/March time this year, so I haven't been able to play the first Halloween event from last year. Though I'm missing context from what happened in the previous event, I still enjoyed playing through the story. There were some good moments during the story and really seemed like the stakes were high, but I can't help feel that the ending diminished that and left me feeling unsure. The ending twistune was super cute! It was nice seeing everyone come together and I did find the ending humorous, but also wished it had leaned into those high stakes more and have actual consequences for it?

I haven't seen many people posting about this event. I thought there'd be more posts about it since it's a new second part - I didn't realise until much later on that the EN server already had the event later last year. Why would they re-release it in August?? It's such a strange choice, but I've seen many people theorize they did it to prepare for the Masquerade event, which might be next (I will scream if it is i have been SO EXCITED to play this!!) and will hopefully happen either in September or October. We will have to wait and see...

Anyways,

Short story short, I liked the event. The never-ending Halloween concept was super cool and the ghost fights and possessions really upped the stakes, making for a really suspenseful and fun story. There were several memorable moments throughout, one of my favourites being when Leona and Ace were trying to get Floyd to not touch a possible dangerous artifact and Ace questioning Leona's entire party boat story afterwards. I really loved the group pairings in the spectral realm, it was so nice to see the different dynamics and interactions they had with one another. Riddle, Ruggie and Ortho's conversations about adventures and puzzles were so sweet!

Speaking of puzzles and escape rooms...

I can't help but feel a little bit pissed off at Lilia and Malleus for putting them through all this. But then again, they didn't know what was going down behind the scenes and weren't informed of the ghost fights, so they're not entirely in the wrong for that.

But they DID make it incredibly cryptic in the worst way possible, to the point where even the teachers were concerned. Students vanishing into thin air, appearing to be kidnapped, is not something that'll get taken lightly. Especially when Lilia was yelling outside Silver's dorm, seemingly getting kidnapped too. That really must've fucked him up, especially since no-one else heard him scream. I felt so sorry for him - he genuinely thought his father was in danger the entire time, only to find out he was helping Malleus host a grand party for the ghosts. Obviously I'm glad they ended up being okay but MAN that wasn't fair on him. Sebek as well - they both thought Lilia and Malleus were in peril and were so genuinely distraught over the whole situation, it made me pretty annoyed that they didn't think through Silver and Sebek's reaction to something like this.

On the one hand, it was the ghosts' fault for fighting and possessing students. On the other hand, Malleus and Lilia are also to blame for the setup of the 'prank'. And on the other other hand it was also technically the students' fault for fighting the ghosts in the first place, but when you're put into such a seemingly dangerous and unpredictable situation, you go straight into fight or flight mode. I don't blame them for reacting the way they did.

That aside, I also kinda wished that the event was actually that dangerous, that Lilia and Malleus really WERE possessed. Imagine if there was an actual boss fight. An actual enemy. Someone who genuinely DID want an eternal Halloween, and needed the mirror shards to create a mirror portal to the human realm and take over even more bodies of the living. A ghost uprising if you will.

Imagine the teachers and the few survivors having to fight off an entire army of possessed students with a genuine intent to harm.

Imagine Malleus and Lilia being genuine threats and holding the prefect and Grim captive while everyone is trying to fight back without overblotting.

...That might be a little overkill.

BUT.

It would've been interesting to see actual consequences arise from this. I can especially imagine the prefect being really affected by the Spectral Realm.

They're already in a world that's not their own, so being thrown into that world's literal afterlife would really mess them up - whether emotionally or maybe even physically. Maybe they get really sick once they get back, maybe they were (unknowingly?) on the verge of disappearing permanently. Maybe that's why they were so worried about joining Malleus and Lilia. Because they were scared of what could happen to them, Grim not really understanding that. I love that Ace was so concerned about them both, he really is a great friend and I kinda wished these concerns were brought up a bit more.

Anyways, if you've made it this far thank you for reading!!

Feel free to add on to this, I'd love to know your thoughts and opinions! ♡

[itsclydebitches]

Can someone ezblain why we had that whole roy vs jamie over keeley fight revived? I was happy that they were being friends. Then they went to keeley's house and wer liek you pick and I was so sure she was going to be like why not both? I was on that train. Her canon reaction made sense but then made ask why bring it up at all? They were doing fine. Their relationship grew beyond fighting over a girl, after what they went thru togtherr? Idk

I really wish I could explain it, anon. Personally, I think the problem started an episode before when they suddenly introduced the "I don't want to just be friends" conflict when, from where I was standing, Roy and Keeley had already gotten back together, concluding the journey we've known they were on since the start of Season One. Keeley starts falling for Roy, they date, have some struggles, overcome them, and presumably conclude the series as an item, demonstrating that Keeley can be a strong, independent boss while also indulging in the romance she's been interested in since her introduction.

But then, suddenly, their night together + Rebecca's realization doesn't mean they're dating again. Okay, weird to introduce that in the literal final hour, but I guess they wanted one last conflict for the finale. I got ohhhhh so excited when Roy admitted to being anxious about "stuff" because what could that possibly be except him grappling with feelings for Jamie too? He and Keeley JUST slept together, he JUST wrote her a love confession, he JUST said overtly and without reservations that he wants more than friendship, so there's nothing Keeley-only related that he'd be this nervous about. It's got to be the poly plot-line that's been happening in the background. This is why everyone looks to Jamie during Colin's coming out scene. This is how we confirm Beard's reminder that there are more queer people in the room. This is why we see Jamie's bedroom with a sexualized Keeley AND a poster of Roy right beside it, positioning them as equals. This is why we got moments like Jamie attending Roy's uncle party because yeah, they haven't just become friends, they've become intimately close. Holy shit, Ted Lasso's actually gonna do it!

So I went into the bar scene not liking the regression to jealousy -- and I hated that Jamie used the video to try and one-up Roy, especially after all the good work the writing did with that: having him apologize and keeping that information from Roy when it was none of his business -- but I figured this was just the messy way the story was getting us to that poly ending. They need to act in the traditional Manly Fashion over the girl, going so far as to demand that Keeley choose one of them, in order to access the opportunity for her to say (and I could hear it so clearly in her voice): "Why should I choose just one?" The lead-up to this could have definitely been done better, I thought, watching the three of them sit down at the table, Like, I hate that we're suddenly regressing to set this up, it's stupid, but a canonical poly ending will be worth some missteps. Hell, I'll forgive a LOT here because we almost NEVER get that representation and in a show this popular? Hot damn, that's amazing.

And then Keeley just kicked them both out.

Thank god she remained single, like she always should have been. Strong and independent! I've seen a lot of fans say post-finale and I'm just in my corner going wait, I'm happy for you, truly I am, but I'm asking in the nicest way possible if we watched the same show?? The one where Keeley has ALWAYS wanted a romance? How she's an amazing character in part BECAUSE the writing allowed her to love romance and sex and being a badass boss? Where she and Roy were set up to be the True Love story from the very start? How a Keeley/Roy/Jamie story has been happening subtly in the background, now primed to become canon in the season largely focused on queer identities? How Keeley did not need to be the narrowly defined strong, independent, single woman when Rebecca Fucking Welton was right there, loving her life post-divorce, and instead the story decided to give her a man and a little girl at the last possible second?

They'll at least address that and have Keeley announce her intentions to stay single for a time after that mess with Jack, as a way of wrapping up her story, I thought and then that never happened.

They'll at least address Jamie and Roy's lingering feelings for Keeley because surely, after that bar confrontation, resulting in an actual FIGHT, they won't just shrug this off over some kebabs, I thought and then that never happened.

Well, it sucks that we didn't get a poly couple, but I suppose it was always a long shot--

[Dani slams in with two model women we know nothing about, just literal arm candy at a wedding where Beard marries his abuser that, intentionally or not, is kinda framed as a dream and wait wait wait THAT'S the canonical poly rep we're ending on??]

I've seen a couple people say that they enjoy the finale more after a re-watch and hell yeah. More power to you. Wish that were me. Unfortunately, outside the stuff I liked right at the start, I've enjoyed the finale less and less the more I've returned to it. So much just feels like it came out of nowhere, regressed the characters, contradicted long-term setups, and generally left me feeling disappointed about things they I believe we had good reason to expect from the show. These weren't things we simply hoped for and thus fans are in need of a reminder that this is not their story. This was stuff Ted Lasso textually and thematically implied... and when you're the feel good show of the quarantine era, pulling back from those implied promises feels even worse. The long-running couple break up in the most confusing, backsliding way possible. The last episode cruelly teases one of the most popular ships. Nate's entire redemption arc was rushed/had key moments pushed off-screen, giving him almost no time to re-connect with Ted. The established abuse plot-line is played straight at the end. Ted goes back to Kansas and, according to the montage, full-on abandons his found family in the name of doing right by Henry -- a level of sacrifice I don't think this kid needs or, if given the chance to have a say in all this, would necessarily even want.

Idk, there were a LOT of fantastic moments (the sign reveal makes me SCREAM!!!!!) but overall the bones of the finale left me feeling sad. The Roy/Keeley/Jamie situation is pretty reflective of that feeling.

[n3felibata]

"Millie's side of the Chaz thing will be explained eventually!"

Well firstly, there's no implication (that I know of) that this is even true. Secondly, if it is, it wouldn't be as impactful since Chaz is dead now and the moment's passed.

My main issue with the Chaz thing is that this isn't the only time something like this happened. It'd be one thing if this was a one time thing, but you can't create a pattern where every opportunity to give Millie spotlight is consecutively overshadowed and expect Millie fans to NOT get frustrated. Especially when it's specifically her husband of all characters, so the writing can be read as instilling the notion that men come first in opposite sex relationships. Like seriously, has it never occured to anyone else how odd it is that it's never Loona, Blitz (individually), or Stolas overshadowing Millie? It's always Moxxie specifically. Isn't that weird?

It wouldn't have been as frustrating if the episode didn't start off with Millie ranting about Chaz. Like not even 5 minutes in, she bursts in yelling about how angry she is at him. Someone who hadn't seen any sneak peeks would assume that this would be a Millie centric episode and be set up for disappointment. If they're not even going to briefly explain her past with Chaz, they shouldn't make it seem like it's going to be the main conflict of the episode.

They didn't even HINT at anything. Like even with most characters who's backstories were explained later in the series, we get some sort of foreshadowing. Before Oops, it was already established that Blitz and Fizz were best friends that performed at the same circus. It had been implied before The Circus that Blitz seduced Stolas for the book. We know that Loona was adopted by Blitz from a dog she was 17 going on 18. But Millie and Chaz? Basically nothing. All that's known is that Chaz did something to piss Millie off, which... isn't a lot.

I really feel like Chaz's introduction and Crim's first appearance should've been 2 separate episodes. It would've slowed down the pacing & have more time to get to Millie's side of the story.

And then the episode ends with this dramatic scene of Millie killing a bunch of people and I feel like the only one who was annoyed by it. It made me realize that the Helluva Boss writing team seems to value female characters being badass over actually being well written. They even go as far as to have Crim pull the "how is she beating you when she's a woman?!1!!1" card in an attempt to make her seem even more like a feminist character, as if they haven't been reducing her to just a man's wife this whole series. May seem shocking, but writing women goes deeper than just putting them in fight scenes.

I remember someone not too long ago saying that a female character that exists primarily to be bad ass has little more agency than one that exists to be saved by a man, and I think about that a lot. It's so sad that Helluva Boss has seem to fallen into the trap of writers not understanding the difference between a strong female role and a female character that is literally strong.

This whole episode was a very good example of Millie being little more than a romance filler until an action scene is needed.

An episode taking place on Millie's childhood home being about Moxxie wouldn't be as frustrating if it weren't for the fact that an episode taking place on Moxxie's childhood home is still about Moxxie.

And the funniest thing about this? This episode was released during Women's History Month

[shamera]

NaNo day 27

DID IT, this is where I originally envisioned part 1 of the hunter AU ending, lol. If anyone has read the manhwa, they will now know which one had a ginormous influence on this story.

unedited, part 1 came in at 46 pages and 27,447 words. (i am FEAR) I guess I should go back to the time loop story tomorrow, especially since I'm in no rush now that I passed the NaNo goal, so i can take my time to try and get as much done as I can in the next two days before November ends!

It was nearly two full days before Fang Duobing was allowed out from under watchful eyes and got his things back. Two days of interviews, interrogations, doctor check-ups and psych evaluations to ensure his injuries would heal properly, especially the poison in his legs. Two days of deflecting when asked what happened in the dungeon, telling things accurately all the way up until everyone else left and it was only him and Li Lianhua. 

He didn’t know what to say. How could he tell anyone what actually happened?

To the world at large, Li Xiangyi disappeared and supposedly died ten years ago. Fang Duobing could change that supposed fact now, he could rub in the faces of disbelievers who all thought Li Xiangyi actually perished fighting a dungeon boss. As if! How could the founder and leader of Sigu Sect, the one who took out reams of dungeon bosses, be felled by one?

(Especially when Fang Duobing just watched Li Lianhua defeat one in just a little over a minute.)

The news from the television in his hospital room kept covering the sudden and unexpected dungeon, the first one in China in two years, and the shock when it opened only to close again within an hour of its inception. 

The first dungeon, in fact, to close in the past decade. 

It brought about plenty of questions, especially since no one understood what happened, and the number of dungeons throughout the world was close to reaching its starting point. The common theory was that once the earth held enough dungeons as when the event initially occurred, then unexpected dungeons would stop appearing, and there would be a sort of stability and civilizations would stop having to worry about unexpectedly being pulled into a gate the same way Fang Duobing did twice in his life now. 

He didn’t know if he believed that theory. It sounded nice on paper, but there was evidence to back it up, and it just— didn’t feel right to him. 

So. He feigned amnesia for the duration of his time in the dungeon. Terrible side effect, so sorry, and it only prompted doctors to do extra tests and scans that came up with nothing. 

(Besides, there were plenty of other people from Wansheng Sect within the dungeon all the way to the end, searching for people, and they should know far more than he did!)

Every time he asked about Li Lianhua, the answer was the same. 

He hadn’t woken up yet. 

When his parents came to visit him, sitting by his bedside as he tried to protest that he felt fine, that he was okay with only surface wounds that would heal within a week or two, they stayed quiet with a strained smile, their hands white in their laps. 

His father had to leave after half a day being the busy man that he was and the fact that he would be the one taking care of any media slip-ups from this incident, and Fang Duobing only breathed a sigh of relief when his father gave him a comforting squeeze of his shoulder and was ushered out the hospital room by his harried assistants who already had things they needed him to read over and liaisons that were searching for him. 

His mother, on the other hand, stayed the entire time with a grim countenance. 

“We could have lost you,” she murmured as she held onto his hand, running her thumb over his wrist over and over again. It made Fang Duobing feel horrible, remembering all the times during his childhood where his mother would sit by his bedside doing the same thing at the height of fever or recovering from treatments. “I would ask what happened, but… we won’t talk of it here. Once the doctors release you, I’m having both you and Li Lianhua transferred to private care.”

Fang Duobing couldn’t prevent his tense frown. “...He’s still not awake yet?”

He Xiaohui’s hand tensed over her son’s and she gave him a stern look. “No. He’s… we won’t speak of it here.”

A government liaison gave him back his things when he was finally discharged with orders to report in the moment he remembered what happened within the dungeon. Within the plastic bag were his dirtied and ripped clothes and his cracked phone. 

Fang Duobing gave a hollow smile at that moment, glad for the one privileged of being a Hunter that allowed him to conceal items on his person at all times like an invisible Qiankun pouch. He didn’t want to be questioned about the wooden dagger he had.

In the western countries, it had often been compared to video game inventories, but for Fang Duobing the space had been too small to be of proper use. He tended to only shove his wallet, keys, and phone in a space that amounted to a tiny purse (along with whatever might end up in pockets normally so he tended to have a napkin or piece of candy and some paper bills now that he got used to living with Li Lianhua). His cracked phone had been shoved into his pocket on instinct as they ran, a holdover from before he Awakened as a Hunter. 

The government liaison gave him a squinty look as Fang Duobing attempted a polite smile back, but there was no law yet requiring Hunters to empty out their inventory and Fang Duobing was prepared to refuse if asked. 

He didn’t have anything to hide, not really, but it was a matter of privacy. And if forced, then he could show what he had and turn the situation into one where he wasn’t trying to hide anything, but rather that his rights were being violated. 

(It was a suspiciously Li Lianhua thing to do.)

With the tower of Tianji Hall still under surveillance, not the mention a portion of the building still gone and the surroundings cordoned off as workers demolished the top of the building so that it wouldn’t fall on unsuspecting civilians before it could be rebuilt— Fang Duobing found himself bundled up back to his childhood home rather than the apartment he had been renting away from his family. 

(It was a bet, really, and a concession. Living away so he wouldn’t be pressured by his family on the regular, but also proving that he could live away on his own. Proving he could be the person his family wanted him to be, but that he just didn’t want to— that had been his way of proving to them that he had the capability to choose his own path rather than having it chosen for it. It was only meant to be for a year, just long enough to drive the point home.)

The home of the Fang and He family was a lavish and luxurious one, one that He Xiaohui inherited and her husband moved into despite his own prestige and wealth. Fang Duobing knew he was lucky in this way, to have parents so content with each other, who were in a happy and harmonious relationship in an era of divorce, especially for the families of wealth and status. While his father was extremely serious with his job, he was far more relaxed in his home life, often content to leave decisions to his wife and support whatever she wanted. 

Pulling up into the ridiculously long driveway and beyond the gardens specifically designed to both look beautiful and hide deadly traps for anyone who might think their family easy to infiltrate, Fang Duobing had a moment where he wondered if all his adult years had been just one fever dream. 

There were people in the gardens tending to the plants, and Fang Duobing parked carelessly along the driveway, slipping on his sunglasses against the bright afternoon before he left the vehicle, taking even that basic level of protection against the barrage he knew he was about to get. 

“Fang Xiaobao!”

And there it was. He tried not to cringe as his aunt shouted, somehow coming up behind him even though he hadn’t seen her on the drive in. Fang Duobing mustered up a sweet smile, hands up placatingly as he turned to face her. 

“You sure do have some nerve, not responding to any of my texts! Do you make a habit out of making trouble for me, while pretending to be a good son for my sister, huh? I had to take care of all the clean-up and the PR with your dad, and shareholder meetings since my sister obviously deserves to spend time with her injured son, but what about me? If she hadn’t been keeping me updated on if you were okay, I would have thought you died in the hospital! Maybe the doctors strangled you to death for how annoying you can be!”

“Xiao-yi,” he pleaded, “I just got my phone back today, I swear. I wasn’t even allowed out of my room the last two days, how could I have contacted you? I was being watched around the clock! Didn’t they do the same for you? So you have to be a little more understanding for your favourite nephew, alright?”

She took a step forward to jab a finger at his chest, and he was glad to see that she looked far healthier now, merely a bandage on her arm exposed by the sleeveless sundress she was wearing and the dramatic makeup gone now to reveal a more familiar look. 

“Oh, you think you can sweet-talk me, mister? I ought to—”

“Xiaobao.” They were both interrupted as He Xiaohui called out from the front door. “Do come inside before you catch a cold. You too, Xiaofeng.”

Fang Duobing wanted to give his mother an incredulous look as he glanced up at the blue sky. Catch a cold? In this weather? But his aunt was already dragging him forward by the arm, and he only protested mildly, letting her get her way. 

After the door closed behind them, Fang Duobing realised that there were no servants in the foyer to greet them. Even his aunt calmed down immediately, her earlier expression of indignation fading away fast enough for Fang Duobing to grab that it was a front all along. 

“Anything outside?” He Xiaohui asked her younger sister, who shook her head. 

“Not that I can find.” He Xiaofeng responded, unusually serious. “But we wouldn’t know all the abilities that they have at their disposal.”

“What is this about?” Fang Duobing demanded, pulling off his sunglasses. He looked between his mother and aunt, remembering the wording while he had been in the hospital. “...Are people spying on us?”

His mother, her mannerism impeccable even now, merely pursed her lips in response, the muscles of her jaw tightening. 

“There’s no proof of it.” She admitted, and ushered him along down the hall to the main room. “But there have been some suspicious inquiries being made. On what happened to the dungeon, of course, and on whether Tianji Hall had anything to do with it as it appeared right in our building, and then disappeared before a Sect could confirm that it would have been a harvesting dungeon.”

With dungeons placed in different categories and ranks based on how dangerous they were, harvesting dungeons were the most convenient for people, with weaker monsters to allow for Hunters to go on and look for goods they could bring back to the world. It meant the location would be protected for the Sects to use so long as they logged the items they brought back and paid a portion of it as taxes. 

That meant, however, that Tianji Hall would lose their entire building location to the Sects due to that. 

“Why would anyone think that?” Fang Duobing demanded. “It wouldn’t benefit us at all! Not to mention, it was our people who got harmed in the process— who do they think they are? No one can predict, much less command the location of new gates—”

A whap to his ear halted his complaints, and his mother responded fondly, “Of course all you say is true. But rumours are hard to dispel once it’s been released.”

“Not to mention,” his aunt added, “just how unusual it is for a dungeon to disappear like that. It’s the first time it’s happened, so people have a right to be suspicious, even if we had nothing to do with it.”

Fang Duobing stared between them. 

“Actually.” He said, then halted. Then he thought better of saying anything, but then thought at least they should know. “About that.”

He Xiaohui held up a hand. “Explain later. I know there was more to your story, Xiaobao, but there’s someone you should see.”

Fang Duobing’s childhood home was large and sprawling, situated just outside a metropolitan city for quality real estate, and there was an entire wing dedicated to when He Xiaohui felt like working on her unusual inventions at home. That meant there was also a makeshift medical room besides her laboratory, in case of emergencies. It had been something her husband asked her to build, worried about her burning or electrocuting herself. He fitted it with hospital worthy equipment, and no one questioned its existence after He Xiaohui’s experiments nearly shut down the city power grid when Fang Duobing was thirteen.

Now, the room was renovated yet again, with another occupant in mind. 

Fang Duobing felt his breath catch as they entered. 

“I took the liberty of securing Lotus Tower out of harm’s way,” His mother said quietly, settling behind him. “Your aunt made sure to visit him when she could since they didn’t have him as tightly guarded as you, and the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. The Hunter specialist they sent in thinks there might be signs of a curse, but they dismissed that soon after. After several… suspicious individuals were found around his room, she called me and I made the arrangements to have him brought here instead. As he didn’t have any family listed, a more determined organisation would be able to keep him until he woke otherwise.”

“You think someone would have just stolen him away?” Fang Duobing asked, his eyes still on Li Lianhua, connected to several machines and resting atop a makeshift hospital bed. The man was so still underneath the connected wires and breathing tube that the only consultation was the heart monitor steadily ticking away. 

“There were a few fake names on the visitor registry,” his aunt said darkly. “I left Zhan Yunfei to keep watch, and they were definitely there for Physician Li. We didn’t manage to see their faces in the hospital, but… well, I have people checking the identities against CCTV. They should get back to me today.”

Fang Duobing had the nagging feeling that someone knew. 

After crossing back through the gate, Fang Duobing barely had a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, of being safe now, before Li Lianhua just. Dropped. Next to him. Dropped like his strings had been cut, nearly bouncing on the ground before Fang Duobing noticed and dropped to his own knees painfully on the uneven pavement as if he could still catch the man. 

Everything had been fine right before they crossed the gate— and for a single shameful moment, Fang Duobing imagined that Li Lianhua arranged something like this just so he could get out of the conversation he promised. 

Then he noticed the blood staining his mouth underneath the darkness that was still fading away from where they had originally been drenched, and the panic turned very real as Fang Duobing made to carry Li Lianhua the rest of the way to the paramedics. 

He thought perhaps it was the fight that caught up to the man, the exertion that Li Lianhua usually could not expend. But the doctors could take care of that, couldn’t they? They would fix him and he would rest, and then Fang Duobing would be able to confront him about what happened in the dungeon. 

“Xiaobao,” his mother said gently. “The two of you were the last ones out of the dungeon. I know how you are when you lie, and you’re not very good at it. And with Li Lianhua like this…”

“It really does look like a curse.” His aunt interjected very quietly. 

Fang Duobing could understand why the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong, and why the Hunter specialist might dismiss the idea of a curse. Curses only applied to Hunters, mostly because civilians tended to die immediately rather than be afflicted. Yet a curse shouldn’t have— shouldn’t have taken him down like that. Not when Li Lianhua had no trouble battling the dungeon boss, not when he could yank Fang Duobing from the darkness, and not when he was just fine as they left. 

All sects had curse specialists, the way they aspired to have healers. Too many times Hunters would come back from dungeons with a debilitating curse that would need to be seen to, sometimes taking the specialist months before they could figure out what it actually was and how to break it. 

“Did the two of you… encounter something? Something unusual, something out of the ordinary? Did he touch something or, god forbid, accidentally eat something—”

“Not like that.” Fang Duobing interrupted his mother. “But we… The entire dungeon was unusual, wasn’t it? We found a place that… well, everything he touched, I must have as well. But I’m fine, nothing’s happened to me.”

“You’re a Hunter,” his aunt said quietly. “It could be different.”

So is Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing thought, but did not say. 

“Whatever it is,” He Xiaohui gave a frustrated huff. “So far I haven’t figured it out. And I wanted to bring you first because events at the hospital were far too fishy, and because— Xiaobao, you might have to prepare yourself. He’s not doing better—”

And then he thought of letters he had seen in Lotus Tower before, that niggling feeling when his mother said Li Lianhua had no one to claim him from the hospital. 

“He did have someone.” Fang Duobing said suddenly, realising only in that moment he had sat next to the man’s bedside when he had to look up at his mother. “He often wrote to… a temple. A monk. Not even emails or anything, but actual real letters.”

That must have been a close friend. Li Lianhua certainly never wrote him letters before the times Fang Duobing had been dragged back home, not even emails. 

Once more, Fang Duobing was struck by the idea that he had never really known Li Lianhua. 

Above his head, the He sisters exchanged troubled looks. The silence stretched for a long moment until He Xiaofeng’s phone alerted her of a message, and she hurriedly pulled it out in an effort to focus on something else. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled, checking through her message. “It’s an alert—”

And then she quieted, and Fang Duobing looked at his aunt when she didn’t continue. “What?”

“I’ve got hits for three of the people who tried to visit Li Lianhua at the hospital.” He Xiaofeng said, eyes glued to the glow of her screen. “All three are ex-Jinyuan Alliance members.”

Fang Duobing stiffened. Jinyuan Alliance. The very reason for Li Xiangyi’s disappearance, now looking for Li Lianhua. 

“All the more reason to keep him here.” His mother said firmly. “Whatever specialist he needs, we can bring them here instead. I’d like to see anyone try to send a spy here or break through my defences. I’ve been needing new test subjects for my experiments.”

“And I keep telling you that you can’t say things like that aloud if you don’t want the lawyers to come down on us,” He Xiaofeng grumbled with a pout. “Xiaobao, what happened in the dungeon? Do you know why it closed suddenly or why the Jinyuan Alliance is now sticking their nose where they don’t belong?”

It made sense for the Jinyuan Alliance to investigate this. They disbanded a decade ago just as Sigu Sect did, when the last dungeon had been closed. And now ten years later a new dungeon appeared and closed. If Li Xiangyi hadn’t died in that disastrous event back then, then what about the Jinyuan Alliance leader Di Feisheng who was said to have died alongside him, was said to have killed Li Xiangyi…?

“I don’t know,” Fang Duobing admitted. He turned his attention to Li Lianhua, far too quiet and pale and still on the bed. “I’m still working that out myself.”

It must have been enough of the truth to pacify his mother, as she only sighed and laid a hand on his hair, fingers curled to sift through the strands above the ponytail. 

“Don’t take too long.” She told him. “In fact, sort through your thoughts today and tell me by tomorrow if you can. Whatever you can manage, that is. Whatever this situation is, there are forces we’re not aware of at play here and I’d like as many details as I can to better prepare. Tianji Hall can’t sit on the sidelines this time, not when we’re right at the centre of it.”

“I know, mom.” Fang Duobing told her. 

“Find me those letters,” she continued. “Not to read through it, but so I can send a message to this monk to tell them what happened. And don’t spend all day in this room. You need to eat a good meal and take a shower— you smell like the hospital. You know where to find me if you need me.”

Then she pressed a brief kiss against his hair and left. 

“I’ll be back in the evening,” his aunt told him.”First I have to follow up on those three— Jinyuan Alliance doesn’t even exist anymore, but if they had anything to do with this dungeon, then I’m going to find out about it.”

She followed her sister out the door, closing it carefully behind her, and then it was just Fang Duobing left. 

“And then there were two,” he said to himself, sitting back against the chair (and did they have to imitate the hospital so much that the chairs were uncomfortable as well?) to relax his knees as he stared at Li Lianhua’s form. “...You were supposed to tell me everything by now. I still don’t know…” he trailed off, uncertain as to what he meant to say.

He reached behind his waist toward his belt where he usually reached for his inventory, and pulled out the wooden sword, which looked more like a dagger now that he was all grown up. Despite using it in the dungeon, hacking through thick monster carapaces, the wood was still smooth and polished, entirely blunt and safe enough for a child to practise with. 

The name ‘Li Xiangyi’ was carved into the base. 

“What’s the truth?” Fang Duobing mumbled to himself, smoothing his thumb over the characters. “You old fox, always avoiding me when I need to hear from you. Even now you’re running away.”

He spent so long— more than half his life, even, chasing after the ideal of Li Xiangyi. To be just like his childhood hero, to live up to him, to continue where he left off… It was really no wonder he felt such a connection with Li Lianhua when he thought about it. It wasn’t that much of a stretch that he could anticipate Li Lianhua’s words and actions when he spent so long scrutinising every detail of every interview and observed moment in Li Xiangyi’s life. Fang Duobing spent his teenage years daydreaming of finding the Hunter again, of perhaps just… meeting him where he stood, and Li Xiangyi would look at him and remember him, and he would smile and look proud and— 

It was a silly dream, especially when he couldn’t even make it into Baichuan Court. 

He didn’t know how long he stayed there, sitting vigil over Li Lianhua and lost in his thoughts of just how he really should have recognised him, have realised everything, from the fact that despite how very different Li Xiangyi and Li Lianhua were (and they were so, so different), at the core of it all, Li Lianhua threw himself into danger the same way Li Xiangyi did to help other people. 

And wasn’t that the crux of how he influenced Fang Duobing’s life? Wasn’t that the very same will, the strong instinct to protect, that Fang Duobing was chasing after? 

He couldn’t reconcile the two, not really. They stood different, they moved different, they looked different no matter how similar. Li Lianhua had tics and habits that Li Xiangyi definitely did not have ten years ago, and one was so earnest and truthful most people took it for arrogance and disrespect while the other lied with a silver tongue in such a way that he always got his way. 

To Fang Duobing, they felt like two entirely different people. 

“Li Lianhua,” he said quietly. “Just… be okay.”

Even if he never got his answers, Fang Duobing would rather be angry at the man for years and years more than to think he might come to some conclusion only to have him leave forever. 

He sighed, listening to the calm pulse of the heart monitor, and tucked the wooden sword back into his inventory, frowning when he found barely enough space for it. 

Why…?

There was something there that wasn’t the usual, and it felt heavy now that he was paying attention. He grasped at it, the item small in his hand, and pulled it out of the inventory, feeling the weight of it like a metaphorical thing. 

It wasn’t physically heavy, but it had such a presence that Fang Duobing couldn’t believe he didn’t realise it was on his person before now. It was round, and as he put it to the light, he could see it looked like pearlescence caught within a ghost. Like a shimmering aerogel shaped into a sphere where the core was denser as it went in, visible despite being only the size of a bottle cap. 

It wasn’t the same, but he recognised that feeling of metaphorical weight. Of the denseness, the heavy presence. 

It was the very same as that black ball that prevented them from exiting the dungeon. Sure, all dungeons had drops, but he had never seen anything like this before. Tianji Hall specialised in Hunter gear and materials, and that included all materials brought back from dungeons. 

“What?” Fang Duobing asked dumbly, raising it against the light. 

“I told you,” Li Lianhua’s tone was cranky, the same as when Fang Duobing used to wake him up too early in the morning. “Not to take anything out of the Black!”

Fang Duobing snapped his head to the side, elation running through his veins for a single moment before he registered the sight. 

Sitting on the edge of the bed next to the prone and unmoving body, was the irritated ghost of Li Lianhua.

(Fang Duobing would later deny the shrill scream that brought his mother racing back into the room.)

[cantspelldragoonwithoutgoon]

Character theme

What instrumental track would play in the background of your character's story during their most meaningful moments?

tagged by @booty-uprooter

Unfortunately i am a soundtrack person and you made me listen to... All The Things. which is to say THANK YOU SO MUCH ಇ(˵ಥ_ಥ˵)ಇ

Ahem. *cracks knuckles*

Eclaire Hautvent

Stars At Our Backs (from Monster Hunter World)

Maybe a bit too epic (read: over indulgent) for this scholar turned blackmage but she is a bit of a drama queen. While her (back)story has a lot of darker themes she's also very much about overcoming barriers (many of them internal) and (re-)assuming control over her life, hence a theme in a major key with an overall positive vibe of adventure, accomplishment and building new homes. plus the underlying sailing mood really fits for someone choosing to live in Limsa Lominsa of their own free volition ;3 (Listen, i know Eclaire is my awful dramatic little meow meow emotional punching bag but i don't want her to be miserable all the time.)

AND ANOTHER THING this theme comes with a free romance cozy version :D

Haru Xuee

ZipangU (from Sengoku Basara, by Hiroyuki Sawano)

Haru is just... Very Anime, hence a song from the most ridiculous samurai themed anime i know. He's very young and originally from Yanxia and is still struggling to find his place in his new surroundings. i think that comes across pretty well in this theme. (especially remembering a scene where it plays in the series, where a character is very much struggling with finding his own place as well, and has some realisations) Haru joins the Scions/WoL party after arriving in Eorzea with Yugiri as a way to thank them for their providing a new home for him and the other refugees. He thinks since he's not good at much else he might as well put his sword in their service... And he's very, very good with that... Which of course, is just an excuse for me to add an extra Extremely Anime battle theme for special occasions with the shinsenbunny >:3

(ps: the very apparent feather that looks like a hair band is from the sword animation LMAO)

A little Bonus:

the very bad no good extremely awful AU that will never actually (hopefully) happen in which Eclaire fully turns into a voidsent and ends up as a boss to fight

Unlaced (by Emilie Autumn)

Her battle theme might be something like this. Unhinged, erratic at times, all that pent up rage and grief finally exploding, it's all been too much and she's going to make you feel just how bad she's hurting. After all, Warrior of Light, her greatest loss is on you. Have fun with that chase marker.

Passing this on to @pumpkinmagekupo, @starrealmdream, @aethericfist, @wtf-amiru, @picturesofashe, @yloiseconeillants (especially curious about louhi if i may be so bold :3), @whatsthisascianbullshit, @mirrim-moondreamer, @blucifer08, @dreadwyrmz, @sasslett, @healersadjust

in case everyone has already done this ages ago or anyone just doesn't want to, feel free to ignore of course! :x

[jutpa]

My theories regarding the future of DELTARUNE and why I believe them.

I consider myself a bit of a theorist, and I occasionally get ideas for a DELTARUNE future chapters take that I will probably never make, so I might as well get my ideas on how DELTARUNE will go forward out of my head and into the internet.

I mean yeah, there's the more popular ones like Chess Theory and Papyknight, but I'd be amazed if you didn't already know about those.

The next theory I have is that Mike is the superboss of Chapter 3. The reason I initially believed in this (before changing my mind until a certain fox changed it back) was because I believed that Jevil actually foreshadows both Queen AND Spamton, or at least the Spamton NEO fight. You see, Jevil's "Final Chaos" features the voiceline "THE TRUE AND NEO CHAOS". That is literally all of the evidence I had. However, with R.V. Pine's own Mike analysis suggesting the exact same thing but for different reasons, I realised that there might just be some more merit to my theory than I had previously thought.

Now for the real big ones. I have seen people discuss one of them, but I haven't really seen much discussion on the other one, especially it's likely implications for the future of DELTARUNE. These two theories are:

THE DARK WORLDS REFLECT UNDERTALE'S AREAS IN REVERSE

I've definitely seen discussion on this one before. The evidence was barely there in Chapter 1, maybe some visual similarities between King and Asgore with both of their battle sprites holding a weapon, as well as King basically being exactly how Toriel was making Asgore out to be.

But then Chapter 2 came out, with a technology-themed Dark World + a computer main boss with legs and a banger theme in the final castle that plays over encounters. Yeah, that sounds like the CORE to me.

The implications of this aren't too big, but at least it'll make it a bit easier to tell what Chapter 3's Dark World's going to be like. Given all the Mettaton game shows in Hotland, I predict a similar sort of thing will happen with Tenna, although I personally see them being more like Muffet.

Anyways, as for the other Dark Worlds, it's highly likely that the one after Chapter 3's going to be in the Church, and this Dark World, should my theory be correct, will parallel Waterfall in some way, with the main bosses (don't forget about chess theory) paralleling Undyne and Mad Dummy.

For reasons relating to the other big theory, the next two Dark Worlds will occur in one chapter, and will parallel Snowdin and the Ruins. The Snowdin Dark World will obviously involve Papyrus, given that he's the Knight in my interpretation. The Ruins Dark World, on the other hand, will most likely be in the Castle Town Dark World.

But what happens when you run out of areas? Well, that's where I seriously get into speculation. I believe that the Dark World after that... will be all of Hometown. Specifically, it will be created during the Festival, and could also be a prelude to the Roaring. It'll probably also be created when Asriel returns, and might just involve Dess as well.

And in case you're wondering, don't forget that there are two Knights in chess. Actually, no. There are four Knights in chess, and Kris is a pawn that got promoted to a Knight, thus making a total of 5. The black knights are Darkners, the white ones are Lightners. Maybe it's Alvin, maybe it's the Mayor, hell, it could even be Gaster trying to keep the story he wants to tell from being fully derailed if you want it to be that way. Either way, there's going to be another Knight involved after Papyrus realises that starting the Roaring is a very bad idea.

Anyways, onwards to the other big theory, that being...

THE SUPERBOSSES PARALLEL THE FALLEN HUMANS

This theory is sort of an extension on the previous one. My evidence for this one actually doesn't need any Spamton shenanigans. It just needs two things: Jevil and the Shadow Mantle.

Firstly, the whole deal with the Shadow Mantle foreshadowing, because that seems pretty important as well as being very straightforward. I mean... just look at half the fanmade Chapter 3 superbosses. They all use the green soul because the Shadow Mantle protects the user from the otherwise fatal attacks.

Now that I've got that out of the way... time for Jevil.

Jevil is... strange. At first glance, he doesn't reference any UNDERTALE characters (except maybe Sans with the slippers?), so why would I even mention him? Well...

His face looks like the Chara jumpscare face.

He uses a knife that sometimes turns red.

He thinks he's free, which is the most hilarious reference to the fandom I have ever seen. If you assume my theory true, then freedom (being something the superbosses have in common) is the replacement for determination (being something the fallen humans have in common). And of course, everyone knows that the popular fandom interpretation of the red soul is that its trait is determination. I've got my own headcanons regarding the red soul but that isn't important for this analysis so whatever. The fact that Jevil thinks he's free but isn't just feels like a joke aimed directly at the fandom... Anyways the fact his motivation is literally just to be pure chaos and probably kill people implies that if the red soul does have a trait it's definitely love/LOVE.

He also can't be killed. This doesn't reference Chara. It references Temmie Armour, which is for a related by-product of this whole thing.

Anyways, yeah. Jevil parallels Chara, and more specifically the version you encounter at the end of the Kill Everyone Route, a lot. Of course, we have no way of comparing Spamton to any version of the yellow soul human, because we don't know anything about them. However, Spamton does seem to be motivated by vengeance, which can be considered a corrupted form of justice (which would parallel Jevil's motivation of being pure chaos and probably killing people being a "corrupted form" of love (aka LOVE)).

What are the implications of this? Well, Mike already seems to be a sympathetic character, so there's the kindness. As for the rest of the bosses, they'll probably be: Integrity or Perseverance, Perseverance or Integrity, Bravery, Patience, and then Frisk.

Now, here's where the other implication comes in. You may have noticed that I'm not calling them secret bosses, I'm calling them superbosses. The reason? I predict that KRIS is the final superboss of DELTARUNE. Now of course, such an important battle cannot be locked behind a random side quest. Instead, Kris (along with the possibility of a few other superbosses), is a required superboss that you face no matter what.

So... there you go. Kris might just get to have their turn on the Freedom-mobile, while Hometown might just end up turning into a Dark World at some point.

[khytal]

octopus adventurer 2 thoughts :)

-negatives first (this is the only one). my biggest criticism is how the beastlings were handled; we got rid of the awful dancer design but received “‘savage and uncivilized’ natives” in return. which. what the fuck

-if you liked ot1 to any degree you will enjoy the sequel I can almost guarantee it (but try the demo first)

-there are improvements in nearly every aspect (essentially there’s a lot more variety in everything, but especially the sprites for both regular characters and enemies)

-most importantly the party feels like they’re actually traveling together :) and the crossed paths chapters are fun, although I wish they were a little longer x)

spoilers section (only to be read if you’ve seen the credits roll)

ochette: -aside from the shit subplot between the colonizers and beastlings (which was resolved by abruptly slapping a bandaid on it in ochette’s last chapter) I thought ochette’s story was passable -it wasn’t anything super special but I like ochette as a character. she’s fun and honest and her travel banter was very sweet (especially the one about gil’s piano playing wahhh) -she also gets the “tempest on the battlefield” song, which only plays 3 other times in the game so. yeah :]

castti: -hey check out how hard i can cry -my favorite comparison between alfyn and castti is that even though both of them were forced to take a life to save several others, for alfyn it made him reconsider what it meant to save lives while castti had ZERO qualms about killing trousseau -apothecaries also get the best pre-boss fight prelude themes for no reason -idk how else to describe castti other than “strong”. in more ways than one. she’s my favorite of the girls for sure -and she definitely had one of my favorite stories (although I guessed pretty early on that malaya was already dead x’) ). I love how her path/job actions played into the last few scenes o(-<

throné: -yeah hi what the fuck -genuinely just. what the fuck -i don’t even know what to say. I love throné I like that she’s socially awkward but not necessarily shy, and she’s not exactly closed off either -she’d look better with pants (it’d also be way more practical for her job) but that’s beside the point I guess -good god her last chapter had me reeling. I thought they were going to reveal at the garden that all of the blacksnakes were like. clones grown in a laboratory and that’s what the garden was but it was so much worse. wdym this guy’s been fucking for decades -oh also shoutout to the writers for letting throné actually go through with killing mother in front of the little girl desperately begging her not to do it (bc usually that leads to “maybe i should reconsider” but that didn’t happen and it was nice for a change lmao)

osvald: -you know how I said I didn’t really care much for him. yeah that opinion flipped by chapter 4 -idk if this is accurate or not but the travel banter between him and the rest of the party felt like it got more amicable as it went on (obviously this is. tracked in the “wasted time” series but I mean in like other travelers’ conversations) -I’m glad he got his daughter back, and that he at least plans on reuniting with her instead of being like “no I must stay away for her own good forever” -also the voice acting is really good. it’s really good across the board but especially for osvald’s last 2 chapters

partitio: -sorry before i say anything I need to mention that partitio’s ch1 is one of the 4 times that “tempest on the battlefield” plays and it’s SO funny to me that it’s even there. because otherwise the song plays during 3 major, high-stakes confrontations and meanwhile partitio’s here beating up some thugs in the mines sdkjfhgkjdf. anyway -i love him he’s everything to me -honestly surprised that they managed to make partitio more connected to the overarching plot than agnea, who was only tied in because she encountered tanzy. the fact that he’s so selfless that he was able to give one of the antagonists hope in humanity.,.,.,augh -the scent of commerce stuff was fun and I liked that that, along with his story, really did end up taking him all over solistia -he doesn’t kill anyone BUT he was absolutely prepared to end giff’s life in ch1 so I 100% believe that he wouldn’t have any issues with committing murder under very specific circumstances (hope this explains why I put “murder is okay” for him in that one meme) -huge props to his VA. unfortunately “yeehaw” is now a part of my vocabulary because partitio was my protagonist and I have 104 hours logged lmao -also something he and alfyn (my fave from ot1) have in common is saxophone being their associated instrument x)

agnea: -she’s so sweet I love her.,,.. -her story was also really good!! again nothing special but I enjoyed the execution + her final fight was really cool (esp with the unique song wahhh) -did not think she would be one of my favorites but she’s definitely up there :)

temenos: -temenos. -I ended up liking him a lot more than I expected x’) -me when characters have a seemingly infallible, confident mask and it only slips because they’re angry on behalf of another. me when temenos does this twice for crick’s sake o(-< -god. what do you MEAN crick is dead. orz

hikari: -in ch2 I was like “haha what if kazan betrays hikari” and I was relieved when that wasn’t the case. and then I went into the final chapter. -ngl i did tear up a little in the scene after the fight with rai mei. the voice acting was fantastic there -also the travel banter with osvald where hikari smashes osvald’s train of thought by going “but you have magic”. lmao -I really expected a moment where the cursed blood forces hikari to take a life against his will and he has to deal with the consequences afterward but that didn’t happen. probably because mugen was the endgame rather than figuring out what the cursed blood was -related note everything about the archmage dar’qest went in one ear and out the other I do NOT remember what he did x’) -other than that I liked hikari a lot. I’m glad he wasn’t a brooding character, though he’s not exactly one for jokes. he’s just very humble and polite. straightforward

final chapter: -I was so SO excited that there were scenes where all of the travelers got to talk together. one of the few things I desperately wanted out of ot2 and I got it :’D -ALSO I’m glad that this was a mandatory chapter bc it really pulled everything together in a much better way -my only complaint about it is that at vidania, only the protagonist you chose talks. and I know hikari has a comment about kazan before entering vidania but it’s just a little weird that they don’t all have something to say when directly facing kazan/vide. like of all the times to cop out on the travelers being together.,...,,.lmao -having all 8 travelers on the screen was SO cool btw -the epilogue was really sweet too I had a huge grin on my face when it was over :’)

thanks for reading all this sorry that it’s so long o(-< anyway this is a standout sequel it’s very very very good. easily one of my favorite 2023 games so far

[fizzypopsoda-comics]

So tell me about The Boomtown Boys? What crime have they committed? Where the idea came from?When I saw them I literally felt loved them already and take your time<)

The Boomtown Boys have all committed destruction of property in their own "unique ways" to say the very least, and surprisingly enough, they've all committed their very acts on the same day unintentionally, and the three were all sent to the same jail into the same jail cell where they all just so happen to meet for the first time.

Bobby Bomb was a short-tempered demolition worker, who take part in blowing up old buildings in a city for construction workers to build new ones in. One day, he was ordered to blow up another old building during one of his times away from work, and so he carelessly planted bombs inside one of the empty buildings without double checking with the others. 'Cause of his stubbornness to listen to what the other workers have to say, he blew up and wrecked the wrong empty building, that was the newly constructed one the others tried to tell him about, which in turn fell down and destroyed parts of the city. 💣

Dylan Dynamite was a cautious gold miner, who works in a mine shaft with a bunch of other mine workers digging out any gold they could find. He plans out where to set explosives in carefully in the mines to create new areas to mine gold in, in which some of the mine workers are a bit reckless when it comes to solely looking for good. Then one day, one of the workers tried smoking a cigar by lighting a match while on the job, which Dylan quickly took noticed and took the lit match to toss away. But the wind blew the match around and into a mine cart full of explosives and ignited all the fuses, Dylan panicked from the sudden turn of events as he pushed the cart away from them out of quick thinking, only for it to then roll down into the mine shaft, which let out a giant explosion and cause the entire gold mine to collapse and filled up of broken rocks. 🧨

And Carl Cannon was a big strong member of a pirate crew, who he used to set sail on the big blue sea for their own adventures, which he enjoys sailing across and especially seeings the whales they happen to come across. During one of their travels with a whole loot of treasures, he lay eyes on a nice lady who was part of a royal ship while passing by, as he formed a big soft little crush on the woman and secretly lended some of his crew's loot to hers in secret whenever their ships stops by an island together. One day, as Carl was admiring the lady on the royal ship while passing by on his crew's ship, he then took a smell of the big sea breeze as caused his "nose" to itch and let out a big sneeze. In which the big sneeze caused a cannonball to be fired out of him and aimed directly at the royal ship, causing it to go down under and all of its passengers including the lady he likes. 🏴‍☠️

I mostly been brainstorming some bosses and their themes that would fit into their level on another Inkwell Isle they're location on, but after watching the "Jailbroken" episode from The Cuphead Show" and listening to the catchy song "Lucky Ducks" from The Bob's Burgers Movie, the idea of a boss level taking place in a jailhouse where you fight a small group of prisoners came to mind. The name "Boomtown" was heavily inspired by an actual place called "Boom Town" from Minecraft Story Mode, that consist of inhabitants who are known for their explosives, in which the idea of the small group of prisoners being actual bombs came to be. And thus The Boomtown Boys were made!

Also thanks for loving their first appearance, btw, Angie! I wanted to draw how each of their crime looked, but I might do so some other time. I got their reference sheet in the works, which I hope to get done soon enough. ^^

[smash-64]

2022 Game of the Year Countdown 4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Nihon Falcom Nintendo Switch, 2022 (orig. 2011)

The Crossbell saga is finally being officially localized and I was highly anticipating this release since I was not able to play a proper translation of the games. There was a highly polished fan translation, but I was unable to play it as they originally promised PSP support, only to change course once work got underway on the PC versions. So, I was stuck with a mostly unedited machine translation that was only passable. When I first played Zero a few years ago, I had a good time and would have said that the poor translation didn’t really affect my enjoyment. However, after playing a proper translation, I can see how it severely limited many of the best aspects of the Trails series.

The NISA version brings the same level of detail and immersion that was lacking in my last playthroughs. In fact, I would say it was almost like playing Zero for the first time again, which is an experience I wish I could have with every game in the Trails franchise. The characters are unique and fun, well designed, and accentuate the tropes they fit by growing instead of just fitting a label and never moving from it. 

There are aspects of the combat that I enjoy in later Trails installments, but Zero has the best of the classic combat in the entire franchise. Complex arts system (magic) that is fully customizable? Yes. Flexibility of roles in combat? Yes. A party that compliments each other? Yes. I never got tired of combat in this turn-based JRPG, and sought out as many special/hidden monster fights as possible. Planning out your attack is really fun, and by swapping specific accessories, you can create really powerful units. And unlike later Trails games, it’s not as easy to break the game with 100% evasion or guaranteed critical hits on characters with an already double boosted attack stat. Do I like those things? Absolutely. But I also like the challenge of not being able to do that, or at least not as easily.

Zero gives you a full party of four characters right from the start, and they all fit together so well that it feels only natural for these complete strangers to form a powerful bond as a group. I think part of why Crossbell is such a beloved pair of games comes down to how the initial party fits together so well, supports each other, and grows to form a group that becomes emblematic. 

In addition to the new characters from Zero, we see a few returning characters from the Sky trilogy, including my two favorites in the entire franchise: Estelle and Renne. Their storyline was actually the driving force that kept me playing during my first playthrough a few years ago, and to see it fully realized with a proper translation was amazing. I cannot get enough of these two and the way that Falcom was able to write them into the story without overshadowing the new cast was phenomenal. 

One negative about Zero is that the start of the game can be a bit slow, and maybe even a bit boring if you don’t immediately fall in love with the city of Crossbell or your party of characters. Very little of consequence really happens until you pass the halfway point, which can turn some people off. I’m down for this sort of thing, especially in the Trails series, so it wasn’t a big negative for me, personally, but I can see it being a speed bump for others.

Falcom is well known for having great music, so of course this soundtrack is filled with bangers. Inevitable Struggle is an all time great when it comes to boss fights. Afternoon in Crossbell is a calm and relaxing location tune. Firm Strength has a creeping sense of confidence to it. Even Get Over the Barrier is a great tune, despite how overplayed it is. 

Trails from Zero is an all time classic. If you haven’t yet jumped into the Trails series, I might not recommend this as your entry point since there is a lot of background knowledge you’d need to fully appreciate the plot, characters, and overarching setting, but I cannot stress enough how JRPG fans absolutely need to play the Trails series. It’ll ruin RPGs forever for you because nothing else can even compare, but it’s absolutely worth it.

[joelmmd]

kingdom hearts post again. dream drop distance is kind of sucking dick right now so i've been playing very little of it at a time. i might not come back to it ever so i'll just give my thoughts now the story hasn't actually gone anywhere yet, it's just teasing you with the idea that maybe it will! here are a bunch of randos from the other games isn't that crazy! pretty frustrating, i want stuff to actually happen. also, sora's more kh1 reminiscent design here really clashes with the post-2 voice and it bugs me. there are these optional story things in-between worlds (sometimes in the middle). the chronicles are nice and i appreciate it telling me what happens in the games i didn't play, but the optional cutscenes are weird. is it just so people who're only kind of engaged in the story can skip those but watch everything else? the gameplay has been sped up, which i'm not against but it was done in a weird way. feels like only the startup was reduced and the recovery of everything is still the same. combos are especially rough, the actual attacks are faster but you have to wait as long between them?? commands are back and they're good. they still work. balloon is kind of busted but that's probably for the best anyways. i just don't like how you have to fuck with the spirit system to get new ones. i don't like spirits. they really easily just get lost and stop engaging in the fight, never feels like they contributed all that much aside from a heal once or twice. also sometimes they'll teleport to catch up and it always startles me because they don't look that different from the enemies. speaking of, the enemies feel too strong here. not numbers or stats-wise, moreso their moves. so many of them have attacks with a lot of range, and you can be fighting like 7 at once, so you're just gonna get hit by stuff that was offscreen all the time. most enemies can be skipped through flowmotion though. i like having a movement system to make all the walking a little more engaging but this is kind of too far, you can just fly over everything as long as wherever you are has walls and a high enough ceiling. can't get staggered during flowmotion attacks so it's at least useful for normal encounters. kind of annoying for bosses since they don't do that much damage and you can trigger flowmotion from, like, rolling into a wall. bosses are already annoying enough, too. they're all big guys that don't get staggered by anything and most of them don't have reasonably sized windows to attack after you dodge something, so they kind of drag on. though part of that's probably just critical mode + skipping a bunch of enemies and missing out on xp talking, i wasn't doing that much damage with non-balloons. the drop system is fine? i think the timer isn't super well paced, without any modifiers you end up dropping ~90% of the way through most worlds so you go do riku's 90% and drop back to wrap up the like two fights you had left. though you get so many drop-me-nots and there's the thing that slows it down, so you can get past that annoyance pretty easily.

overall it's like on the edge of being fun. i'd probably enjoy it enough if the bosses and basic enemies were more fun to fight, but as it stands there's just not much to enjoy. i'll probably just watch the cutscenes online and play re:coded instead.

[polaranimal]

Jojo bizarre adventure dio

The first half of the adaptation already showed plenty of Stands ranging from one that can attack via reflective surfaces, a parasitic being that can enter a victim’s brain, or even a Stand that can attack in dreams with Freddy Krueger style. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders: Second Season (or Egypt Arc) provokes the question of what the audience wants to see next.

Kakyouin - Really stayed the same from the first season though his bonds with his comrades grows stronger.ĭefinitely wasn't as enjoyable as the first season as the encounters with the other Stand users felt very repetitive and monster-of-the-week.Īt this point, it just became repetitive until we came to the final showdown between Dio and JoJo.Īn action-packed adventure of fun, bizarreness, crazy gimmicks, and dangerous distinction. Things actually happen to him which makes him feel mortal and human. Iggy - I initially didn't like him as his existence felt out of place most of the time as he didn't do very much, but in later episodes his character really develops and I liked him near the end.Īvdol - A firm, stable character that really cares for his friends and even sacrifices himself. Polnareff - Basically the comic relief of the show but his character really shines during his emotional moments with his comrades, especially Iggy. Jonathan - Not as cool as when he was younger with all his predictions but still a staple character that is hilarious when he swears/yells in Engrish. Any encounters that involve Joutarou is basically resolved before it even begins and all you're left doing is thinking how far his legs are going to be apart this time and how angled is his body going to face. Initially, this was kind of cool, the nonchalant, tough without overtness attitude, but after two seasons of this composure, it starts to become dull and repetitive. Joutarou - If you can call standing around, posing 'cool' and saying "Yare Yare Daze" as being a character. Each one was basically just 'bad guy with certain bad trait' repeated over and over every episode until we got to Dio.ĭio - Dio maintains his arrogance and threatening nature which definitely made him feel like an end raid boss and reinforces his antagonistic role. The villains felt very cliched in that they're always over the top sadistic with no redeeming qualities. The voice acting is the same as the first season so if you liked it there, you'll like it here, especially hearing Jonathan yell "AWEEE MAIII GAWDDDDD" or "SHIIIIITTTT". But this second season's op just reminded me of Rozen Maiden, it doesn't fit. The op of the first season was really good and it got you pumped up and it made you feel manlier just by listening to it. The characters themselves are very detailed with proper shadings of clothing which makes them look 'realistic'. Good view of what Egypt looks like (at least from someone who hasn't been there). The art style definitely made everything feel more dramatic and dark, while the backgrounds gave a really The fights varied somewhat but in the end I was expecting a little more than what was essentially an RPG grind until you hit max level and go do an end game boss. It became a monster-of-the-week series and it just felt really bland. Most of the episodes were: Go from current point to next point, encounter enemy Stand user, defeat stand user, repeat until we reach Dio. The story became very repetitive at this point. Definitely some spoilers, don't read if you don't want to be spoiled.

[lord-explosion-baku]

Trident Tale

Merman!Shinsou x reader, Kirishima x Reader

Warnings: adult themes (Minors DNI)

A/N: read the prologue on AO3

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

(Original image by @maewoahoah)

Synopsis: Moving to an island where everyone is big on the surf scene and other oceanic happenings might not have been the brightest idea for someone so afraid of anything that has to do with water, but you make do by spending your days looking after the Bed & Breakfast, trying not to burn the house down when you fry a few eggs, and obsessively scrolling through Eijirou Kirishima’s social media page. He’ll never notice you, and you think you’re fine with that, until a mysterious force washes into Ms. Shuzenji’s pool after a particularly nasty storm.

Hitoshi Shinsou is a pain in the ass from the get-go, but you put up with him, fins and all, when he promises he can help unite you with your soulmate. The catch? The fish is hellbent on taking back what was stolen from him, and he won’t lift a gracious finger until he gets what he came for.

You’re helpless to lend him a hand, so long as you stay dry. Unless, of course, he has other plans.

You know how the saying goes: you rub his fins, he’ll rub yours.

Storms have never really been your cup of tea. Though you keep yourself locked inside a good percent of the time, there’s nothing quite as suffocating as the compress of clouds overhead. It’s not like you always have to see them to be uncomfortable, but you definitely feel them pressing down, closing in, and caging you, even when you’ve got yourself tucked under a blanket on Ms. Shuzenji’s couch.

It’s been a little over a year since you first moved to the island. All you needed was a new beginning, and you got that, but you got that, and the tropical weather that you’re still getting used to. It’s currently typhoon season, and holy seaweed-on-your-doorstep, is it storming.

There’s little you can do to distract yourself while staying and working at Shuzenji’s bed and breakfast. There are currently no guests, aside from you, so all the rooms are made, and the old lady is on another one of her long vacations, so you’re basically being paid to lounge. You’re grateful for that, at least. But the only thing that’s keeping you physically separated from the terrifying weather is a thick glass pane that water sloshes on every time a wave laps over the backyard walls.

The things that separate you mentally are the old-timey recordings of Shuzenji singing alongside an ensemble cast, and the little device in your hand. If you didn’t have your boss’s haunting melodies echoing throughout the house, and some big, beefy, tatted eye-candy to gawk at during the storm, you’d surely go insane.

Eijirou Kirishima, one of the island’s best surfers, is out on his board, live-streaming his current fight against the waves. His whoops and hollers can be heard over the crashing tides, getting even you excited for what’s about to come. That’s the thing about Kirishima; he’s wild, you’re not, and it’s hot as hell. Oftentimes, you catch yourself daydreaming about joining him out in the surf—he guides you through the waves, maybe yoou impress him a bit with your sudden affinity for wave-riding, and the two of you wash up on shore where you’ll both share your first kiss. It would be feasible if you could swim. It would be feasible if you bothered to learn how to swim, but for now, you’re content with your imagination. At least he can make you hate the terrible weather a little less.

The conspiratorial smirk he shows the camera is borderline swoon-worthy when the swell begins to pull him further out. It’s impossible not to bite your lip every time you catch a glimpse of his arms forcing themselves through the sea. He makes this look easy—like the storm is child’s play, and as the winds blow Shuzenji’s trash bin into the sliding glass door, you welcome the delicious distraction.

As Kirishima stands up on his signature trident board and rides one of the biggest waves he’s seen all day, you’re once again struck with how much of a coward you are. He can fight the elements, while you can hardly bring yourself the courage to talk to him. Mind you, he’s constantly surrounded by a close group of friends—a close group of friends you find intimidating—and when he’s not with them, he’s out in the water. Where there’s water involved, you’re spoken for. Unless, of course, you’d like for the first time you guys actually speak, to be when he’s giving you CPR.

Not the most ideal “meet cute”, but if it works, it works.

A loud crash snaps you out of your admittedly salty daydream. Mango, Shuzenji’s orange tabby, yowls at the blanket of water cascading down the windows, and your stomach sinks. There’s only so many minutes you can pretend that the storm Kirishima is facing isn’t the one that’s destroying Shuzenji’s yard.

With a sigh, you roll off the velvet couch, and grimace when crumbs that were nesting in your shirt fall to the carpet: a mess to clean up later. Without any guests to mind, you don’t have to worry too much over keeping the place spick-and-span, so long as things are nice and tighty by the time the old lady gets back, which will be awhile.

You have an easy enough job—at least, when there aren’t bunches of thick seaweeds crashing over the yard’s wall, flooding the pool.

“Shit.”

Water sprays in every direction. The already trash-infested pool overflows as more kelp rolls in with the maniacal waves, and angry, white foam bangs on the back door. It's a disaster outside, and you’re not sure what to do about it.

Fingers wrapped around the back door handle, you struggle to think of a way to prevent a bigger mess, but even if you could manage to clean anything, nothing is stopping the tempest from wreaking anymore havoc. Best case scenario, you stop a plastic soda-chain from washing out to see and becoming a deadly necklace for an unlucky seagull. Worst case scenario, you slip, crack your head open on the pavement, and drown before you can ever utter the words “mahalo” to Kirishima.

Needless to say, you’ll take your life over a gull’s any day.

Another sigh.

A greater wave collides against the wall, bringing more of the Great Unknown into the pool. This is going to be a fun job to clean. Good thing you’ve got Shuzenji’s service boy, Denki Kaminari, on speed dial. You think if you sound particularly distressed in the morning, he’ll show up to help you out with just about anything in the matter of minutes. God bless desperate fuckboys.

So, for now, you cuddle back up on the couch, watch Kirishima shake saltwater out of his thick, red hair, and pretend that his storm is not the same thing as your storm.

It’s early morning when you finally rise out of bed. You hadn’t gotten a whole lot of rest—something to do with the wailing winds shaking your bedroom window nonstop, but after you finally drifted into dreams about snakes and dragons, you woke to clear skies, and light seagull calls.

From the second story, you can see early birds have already gotten the jump on cleaning up the beach. The sun is shining, the ocean blue and vast. The only trace there was ever a storm is already being taken care of. There are lifeguards riding around on ATVs and younger civilians with trash bags and grapplers picking up seaweed and absconded debris. The respect everyone has for the island is something to be admired, and you half-consider going out there yourself, after you’ve dealt with your yard, which is sure to be a wreck.

There’s no interest in picking out a cute outfit for the morning you’re going to have, even if Denki might see you, so you throw on a already-worn-this-week crop top, some pink shirts, and you’re good to go.

The first thing you do after Mango’s fed is check your socials. Kirishima posted a picture of his breakfast: a hefty plate with three eggs, sausage links, bacon, cut avocado, and what seems to be low-carb toast. The post reads, gotta eat ur gainz 2 gain ur gainz, and it’s so ridiculous that you’re infatuated with this reckless himbo. You wonder if you’d ever be able to hold an intellectual conversation with him, if you could ever manage to speak to him in the first place, but conversation wouldn’t matter if his mouth was between your thighs.

Following his example, you crack two eggs over a frying pan, sigh at the mostly empty fridge, then agonize over the state of Shuzenji’s yard. It’s worse than you thought it’d be. The pool is a sickly green color, and from where you’re standing inside, its murky depths seem to be almost opaque from the seaweed and garbage stewing together. Kelp litters the beige pavement, and there’s trash hiding in the shrubs. There’s a chocolate donut floaty bobbing around in there, too, and Shuzenji doesn’t own any floaties.

What a drag.

Before you get too far in your head about everything you’ll need to do to clean up, you quickly dial Denki’s number. He picks up after a ring and a half.

“I know what you’re about to ask,” says the boy on the line, and from his cocky tone, you can assume it’s not going to be about the cleanup. “I am absolutely free tonight. If you wanted to grab drinks at the Salty Barrel, maybe go on a romantic rendezvous out on the beach, watch the sunset on or in a couple blankets, I wouldn’t complain.”

“I’m not calling to ask you on a date, Kaminari,” you say as you step outside. The pavement is cold underneath your bare feet, and you have to tip-toe around to be sure not to let any kelp touch your skin. Yuck.

“But you’re not, not calling about a date, either,” he counters. By the volume of his voice, you can tell that he’s in his van, talking to you over the speaker. Good. So he’s already out and about.

“I need you to tell me how to drain Shuzenji’s pool.” Call you cold, but you’re used to Denki’s flirty nature by now, and you’ve learned that the best way to deal with it, is to not acknowledge it. Of course, you can’t be too callous when it comes to him, especially when you actually need his help. You eye the dangerously complex-looking valves off to the side of the house, and grimace. “There’s too many twisty thingies! I’m not sure what to do!”

“Now, hold your horses, little lady! Don’t go twisting any thingies just yet. Draining a pool is a process.” There’s a long pause, the loud growl of an engine, then silence. He’d pulled over to talk to you. “How’s your TDL? And what kinda PVC pipes you got?”

“The huh and what?” You don’t need to pretend to be in distress—you have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Listen, don’t touch anything. You’re calling because the pool’s a mess right now, right? You don’t need to drain it; at least, not yet. I can swing by in an hour or so to clean it, but I’ve gotta make some stops first. You’re not the only single woman who wants to watch me do my thang, especially not after yesterday.”

“It’s so bad, Kaminari.” The water in the pool sloshes around, like there’s actually something in it causing the water to ungulate and burble. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Don’t worry your pretty, little head over it. You've got me, okay? It’s my job to protect and serve.”

“You’re not a cop.”

“Nope, I’m better than a cop. I’m a pool guy.”

He goes on to ask you to check out what kind of drain the pool has, if you can find the drain, then loses you when he starts talking numbers and gallons. While still on the phone, you send a few texts to Shuzenji, explaining the predicament, then Denki mentions rates. You’re getting the cutie pie discount, doubled because he counts Shuzenji as a “cutie pie” too—something you mention to her because she’ll get a kick out of it—then he drops all business to ask about food.

“I’m cooking my breakfast,” you say with a wary glance back at the house.

“But is your breakfast fries and a shake from Tiki Burger?”

You bite your lip as your stomach growls its empty sorrow. “No.”

“Would you like it to be?” His knowing grin is heard through the line.

“…I’m not gonna go out with you.”

He chuckles and you’re grateful that he can’t see your answering smile. “We’ll see how you feel after you see me work my magic. And hey, if you’d like me to wear a Speedo while I work—“

“You’ll be here in an hour?” You cut him off, because Denki in a Speedo is the last thing you need on your mind. The thought of Kirishima in a Speedo, however, gets you a little hot, which is saying a lot, since you’re a part of the Speedos and Dolphin-shorts Are Abominations To Swimwear belief system.

“Maybe sooner. I think my next client just needs me to check out their chemical levels. Inside pool and all. Everyone else knew to put a tarp out.”

The tarp you had blew away, but you don’t bother explaining that to Denki. Let him believe you’re the dim-witted “little lady” he wants you to be. If it means Shuzenji gets a discount, not that she can’t afford any bill Denki’s company throws at her, then let him believe you can’t open a pickle jar without a man’s help for all you care.  

“See you then,” you say, and end the call. There will be time to work on your charm once Denki gets here. Until then, you figure you could do some investigating so you’re not completely helpless.

Leaving your phone on the pavement so you don’t accidentally drop it in the water, you make your way around the pool to where you think you remember the drain being. You can’t say you’ll know what kind of drain it is, but if you remember correctly, it’s circular, and like, kinda meshy? That description simply won’t do.

Dropping down to your knees, you peer down into the pool, squinting, as if that can help you see through all the muck. There’s definitely a lot of kelp and algae, sand drifting through the water, someone’s wayward brazier, and oh. A school of fish—little babies circling about. It’s wild, but you suppose it could be possible if all the chlorine washed out and there was enough salt water to sustain marine life.

The fish move together, bopping into each other, mouths gaping open to eat whatever they find in their temporary home. You don’t know enough about marine life to know what kind of fish they are. Silvery little things. Maybe Denki has something that can help transport them from the pool to the ocean. It’s not far—Shuzenji’s house is on the beach. It would be a shame if all the little fish had to die. You don’t particularly care about touching or feeding fish, but a life is a life, and if they can be saved, you’d at least like to try.

But all your thoughts of saving fish life stop when you catch something moving in the water. It’s not the fish—they’re not that big, but it’s definitely fishlike. Fish plus. It moves like a shadow, serpentine and fluid. You catch a glimpse of scales, so it’s definitely not a dolphin—even then, it’s bigger than a dolphin, and more graceful than a shark. You begin thinking of leviathan, and other mythical creatures, as ridiculous as that is, when you see a long flowing fluke.

Okay. This thing is not just big. It’s gargantuan, and to see this much of the creature without seeing its head makes your skin crawl. You imagine falling in and being swallowed whole, suffocating in the dark, drowning in a monster’s belly.

The thought spooks you static, just in time to meet a pair of eyes in the water. This is your overactive imagination—you’re scaring yourself insane, but you don’t look away, and those eyes, almost human and curious, don’t disappear.

You’ve consumed enough media to know how these impossible interactions go. The creature is inquisitive, but keeps its distance. It often has to be coaxed out of hiding, and even then, the thing is skittish and untrusting. You’re certainly not one to go “pspsps, hey little guy, I’m not gonna hurt you,” but even if you were, you don’t get the chance, because this thing you’re looking at isn’t the least bit skittish, and in one second, you’re making eyes at at it, and in the next, the thing is exploding out of the water.

A large, broad chest towers over you. The thing pushes itself up with arms, human arms, but it’s anything but human. Sure, it has hair, although an odd purple color, framing its angular face and jaw, which are both human enough. Also framing its face are a pair of long, pointed fins sticking out from where human ears should be. Water dribbles down its chest, down to its navel—its navel. Your brain screams mammal, but underneath its navel are scales, rippling down to where its legs should be. Not human. Not fish.

Fish plus.

Man.

Fish plus man.

Fish-man.

Its eyes are almost the same color as its hair, only a shade lighter, and much sharper, narrowed in on you. It’s glaring. You realize this at the same time you realize that you're staring at it with your mouth agape. This would be so rude in any other setting. It’s also rude to pop out of a pool that isn’t yours without any other warning, but you’re not about to chastise the thing. You’re far too scared.

Then the thing reaches out to you, sprinkling water on your thighs and your shirt. Its hands look like a man’s hand, but its long fingers are connected by thin, indigo webbing that matches its tail. Its tail. You lose focus trying to find the word for this creature that’s barely on the tip of your tongue, when you realize the palm of its hand, its fishy, webby hand, is hovering over your cheek, the other carefully placed next to your knee to keep it upright.

You open your mouth to speak, but only a hiss comes out. The creature, wary, brings its hand back, but only slightly. Not enough to put you at ease, but enough to allow you to gain your composure, and scream.

“H-help!!!” You screech. “Help! Somebody! Help me!”

It claps its hand over your mouth, knocking you back. Water drips down on your shirt as it leans in, mouth curling up with distaste. Then, it does something impossible.

It speaks.

“So loud,” it growls in a low, masculine timbre.

It speaks, you think, it speaks and it has no manners!

You try to yell back, probably something with little thought, but you have a mouth full of fish-man hand, and the more you warble in its palm, the more apathetic it appears.

“Be quiet and still,” it commands, as if obeying it is supposed to be the most natural thing—something it expects from you. It catches you so off-guard that you actually listen, only trembling a little bit as those indigo eyes scan over your form. It’s uncomfortable having an unknown but cognizant creature observe you so closely. You shiver when its gaze roams over your belly, down your legs. You want to curl your legs up, move away, but you’re afraid if you even twitch more than it’s comfortable with, it’ll grab you and drag you into the pool. Your nightmare.

Instead, it does something slightly less worse. It moves its hand from your mouth to your cheek. The palm of its hand warms your skin in an unnatural way, like you’ve been laying in the sun for half an hour and it’s only your cheek that heats up. The creature's eyes widen as light begins to emanate, either from you, or from it, you’re not sure, but definitely from where it touches you. Tingles run from your neck down to your spine, and you wish you’d put a bra on before going outside, because this thing’s touch is making your body react in a way that it shouldn’t.

“So easy,” it purrs appraisingly, somewhat less insolent, but you’re still taken aback, ears hot with embarrassment.

Un-fucking-likely.

“Easy?!” You squawk out. “What do you mean by easy?”

It doesn’t answer you, and instead, moves its fingers from your cheek, down your jaw, to your chin. It begins leaning closer, heavy lids closing. You notice its lips for the first time: a defined line and a pretty bow. If you were in a less dire situation, you’d be able to admit that they’re very nice lips, but they’re getting closer to you, closer still, and you realize with a jolt what it’s trying to do.

Your foot meets its chest in a heartbeat.

“Nope!” You belt out, extending your leg so there’s more distance between you and the impolite beast. “Not today, fish-breath!”

Unperturbed, it lifts a lazy brow. Then, to your absolute horror, it presses both of its hands into your bare leg, and again you’re lit up, warm, and tingly, only far worse than before. Stomach tightening, you make a choked noise, trying to hold in the sigh that claws at your throat.

“Fish-breath.” It repeats your insult like it’s a balled-up piece of paper to be thrown in the trash. “I’ve been told that my aroma is quite appealing.”

“By whom? Other fish-breaths?!” You wriggle your leg out of his embrace, or whatever you could call that invasion, only to have it slip down so your foot rests in the fish-man’s hands, bright as the stars in the sky. “Eww ew! Don’t touch me! Get away!”

The creature scoffs, but let’s you go, and you both watch as the light disappears from the arch of your foot where he’d been touching. Fish-man slinks back into the murky water, hiding under a blanket of algae.

You have enough time to gather your composure, wipe the water droplets off your face, and rub your eyes. For a moment, you try to convince yourself that this has all been a sleep-deprived hallucination, but you’ve never really been one to delude yourself, unless your Kirishima fantasies were involved, and you know that you’ll have to try another tactic to accept the reality of your situation. Perhaps you can try to be civil with this creature, ask it if it’s…hurt, or if it needs a late night escort to get it back to the sea. But then, the thing resurfaces on the opposite end of the pool. It faces you, and leans back against the wall, arms spread out against the pavement, basking.

“You know,” he says, “your decorum is severely lacking. Don’t humans have classes that teach them proper etiquette—how to be more polite towards their guests and such?”

What’s lacking is your patience for marine life.

Standing up, you take in the thing, which you’re now pretty sure is in fact a man of sorts, in its entirety. His tail is long, longer than human legs, extending past the halfway mark of the pool, if your measurement counts his fluke. There’s a golden cuff on his right arm that spirals around, accentuating his large biceps. You stubbornly admit that it’s attractive—he’s attractive, at least, he would be for people who were into fish and not surfers. You brush whatever you’re feeling in the pit of your stomach off by telling yourself that you’re simply awestruck, and move on.

“Where I’m from-“ you begin, straightening your sodden crop top- “we offer our guests various beverages and snacks, depending on the time of day.”

Annoyingly, he looks interested.

“Since it’s the morning, I’d offer a guest tea, or coffee, and if I’m looking to impress, I’d maybe cook them a hot meal.”

The creature offers you a sardonic smile. “I happen to be famished.”

“However, with home-invaders, we’re more likely to pull a gun on them before heating up the earl grey.”

He loses the smile, and you’re glad that he might have an inkling of what a gun is. You’ve never owned one, and they don’t allow firearms on the island, but the threat stands. But if he was intimidated, even for a moment, he doesn’t show it anymore, and proves just that by turning his back on you, and resting his head in his arms. He has a dorsal fin with what looks to be a deep, x-shaped scar near his tailbone. You try not to wonder what that could’ve been from.

“Then how do you propose I go from a home-invader, to a house guest?” Asks the creature with little interest.

Cautiously walking around the pool with your arms crossed, you begin to list things off for the far-too-comfortable fish-man.

“You can start by telling me who you are, what you are, why you’re here, what you want, and why you think you can lay your webbed hands on me.”

“Oh, is that all?” He hums noncommittally. Content. Aggravating. “Why don’t you start then? Who are you, and why are you here?”

The back of your neck grows hot and uncomfortable. “How entitled do you have to be to—!” You start, but you’re swiftly cut off by the shrieking of the fire alarm. Smoke plumes from outside the house’s windows, and you curse under your breath before darting towards the door. You’d completely forgotten about your eggs.

In your haste to move the pan off the stove, you burn your fingers and drop the pan to the kitchen floor, two blackened egg crisps flaking off and diving in different directions. Mango yowls at the commotion and investigates one of the fallen egg crisps. Before you can tell him to buzz off, he loses interest in your mess, not bothering to give it a taste. You don’t blame him, but the eggs didn’t appear to be cat-bad. Ah, you can’t kid yourself. They are cat-bad. They’re completely inedible. Now you’re going to have to head to the market, while worrying about a man trapped in Shuzenji’s pool.

Your stomach roars at you.

After cleaning the mess as best as you could while desperately and ruefully wanting to return to your guest—no, not guest—invader, you get the alarm, half-heartedly fan the smoke out of the house, and return. Angry. This guy better start talking soon, or things are going to get ugly.

To your utter displeasure, he looks all the more amused at your newer, messier state.

“Was that supposed to be the hot meal,” he asks, cocky. “Because if so, I’ll pass.”

Instead of biting his head off like you’d like to, you present him with the still-dirty frying pan, pointing it at his head like you intend to use it.

“Start talking, fish-for-brains.”

The beast snickers, raising his hands in the air in mock-surrender. “Easy there, tiger shark. You know how to use that thing?”

You refuse to humor him. Instead, you keep your scowl tight, your arms steady. If he’s not threatened, he’ll lose interest in this game, then he’ll have to talk.

Lo and behold, you’re right. The fish-man rolls his eyes, and looks at you, again, with apathy.

“My name is Hitoshi Shinsou,” he says, lackadaisical, like he’s already bored of himself. “I’m one of Ryūjin. What humans have learned to call merpeople are actually descendants of the sea gods who lived centuries ago. I’m here, simply because the storm washed me here. What I want is to retrieve what’s mine. I thought I could lay my webbed hands on you—well-“ the corner of his mouth tilts up-“darlin’, it was because your body reacted to me.”

Mouth forming the beginning of a question that never comes, you stare in disbelief at this myth. Then the last thing he said dawns at you.

“I did not react to you!” You rebuke, steady hands now shaking.

“Oh no?” He says, but it’s not a question. It’s a challenge.

Hitoshi grabs the flat end of the frying pan and yanks it, and you, closer to him, closer to the water. You cringe and whine when a wet, webby hand closes around your wrist. Inadvertently, you drop the pan, but he pays it no mind as it sinks past his tail. Your skin begins to glow underneath his palms, and the tingles come back, shooting up your arm, causing tiny goosebumps to appear.

“Would you look at that,” Hitoshi croons, slow and almost sensuously. His indigo eyes narrow on your index finger where you’d burned yourself. To add to this nightmare, he closes his lips around it, and begins to suck. Your stomach flips, and you’re not sure if it’s because you’re disgusted, or scared, or…enjoying the feeling of his warm mouth, his tongue, touching your skin.

“Stop.” It’s a whisper. It means nothing. You think you want it to mean something, but your thoughts are buzzing into a blur. Knees growing weak, you descend, leaning closer to him, not caring about the water or the seaweed or the fish, and instead, entirely focused on his mouth. It’s glowing, his mouth. Faintly. Like a single candle lit in an otherwise empty room.

When he eases off of you, he runs his thumb over your now-healed finger, and let’s your arm fall limply at your side.

“All better,” he whispers back at you.

There are prickles all over your skin once you regain an ounce of dignity.

“What the hell was that?” You ask, breathless for no other reason than shock.

“The glowing?” He asks. “The healing?”

“Both.”

“Your reaction to me.” He’s cocky again. This is something sick. Mythical creature or not, this has got to be a game he plays, washing into people’s pools, causing problems, sucking on lonely girls’ fingers. He probably gets his kicks this way, and uses whatever other kind of magic he has to erase whoever he’s tormenting’s memories, if he doesn’t end up eating them when he’s done. Bogus.

You won’t let him get to you.

“Alright, Hitoshi Shinsou, how would you like me to get you back into the ocean? You healed my finger-“ although it’s essentially his fault you were burned to begin with, if you take into account the sequence of events-“so helping you out is the least that I can do.”

“I could use your help,” he muses lightly, turning his body back around to his chest and abdomen are turned towards  the sun. You tell yourself not to stare like you know he probably wants you to. Though his eyes are closed, he peeps at you, sneaking a glance. “I don’t want to go back into the ocean, though. Not until I get what’s mine.”

With the might of a girl who just wants to go back inside and scroll through her phone, you swallow your bite, and ask, “what would that be?”

“Oh, this and that-“ he waves his hand around dismissively-“other things.”

With the might of a girl who just wants to go back inside and find another frying pan, you say, “alright, listen. Someone is on their way to the house to clean the pool. I don’t know what one of Ryūjin means, but I’m guessing people like you don’t always want to be discovered by people like us. So you either tell me what it is you need, or see how my pool guy reacts to a mermaid lounging around in my backyard! I wouldn’t put it against him to call the local news station. Get this place flooding with cameras. Does that sound like a pretty picture to you?”

Absolutely none of your threats penetrate Hitoshi’s cool nature. In fact, he laughs.

“When he gets here,” the merman drawls, knowing he’s got you hanging on every word, “invite him to swim.”