#i think id like to teach her how to ground me

[sk3l3t0n444]

i think i could really benefit from a service dog but my other dogs would get jealous that i take one dog everywhere and not them lmao

[ifwebefriends]

My thoughts during “The Sign” [SPOILERS!!!!!]

ID in ALT

More thoughts under the cut

So I think most of us can agree that this is the best episode of Bluey so far. It was so emotional and satisfying in ways that are kinda new for Bluey. It answered so many questions while giving us a few new ones. I’ve been waiting for this episode for months and it did not disappoint in any way.

This is just a Chekov’s firing squad of an episode. As in a lot of stuff that was set up in earlier episodes all pay off in this episode. I kinda understand why people love soap operas now lol. I will say that this episode was a tad overwhelming for me in the best way possible. As in I had to pause and rewind every 30 seconds or so so I could emotionally process what was happening before moving forward (but that’s a me thing). There was just so much going on and I’m happy about that.

Now onto individual thoughts about specific things:

The callback to Baby Race (“you took your first steps in that house!”) really got to me because Baby Race was the first episode of Bluey that I watched and it immediately made me fall in love with it so it just got to me.

When Chilli said “Frisky and I came up here as teenagers to…um…think,” my mind started racing immediately with “what the FUCK happened at the Lookout?” “Who hurt Frisky and/or Chilli?” And I’m just so curious about what made Chilli say that line like that but we’ll probably never know what happened.

So yeah that scene at the end when the music was playing and Bandit ripped the sign out of the ground and Chilli tackled him to the ground ABSOLUTELY CHANGED my brain chemistry y’all. I can’t articulate my feelings any more than that.

I know some people were upset that Brandy ended up getting pregnant but I thought it was great for her! I’m happy for her! And I think that even though she got what she wanted in the end doesn’t negate the feelings she had about her infertility earlier. But I think we’re all wondering who the father is and I don’t know if the show really needs to answer that.

The whole message of “we’ll see” in terms of if something is good or bad is such a mature message that I never really thought of like that so I will be taking that philosophy forward in life. Congratulations Bluey, you managed to teach a 22-year-old childless person something new and insightful about life that I don’t think I’ve learned from another show.

I want to know more about what Bob was going through and feeling and why he went to India, but again, we’ll probably never know.

I just love how the wedding photos were beautiful but imperfect. Like of course we’re not perfect and nothing will ever be perfect but it’s beautiful and worth remembering anyway.

So many little jokes and moments were so funny in a mature way (I.e. “are we allowed to do that?” And Nana thinking there was about to be a baby announcement) were just so funny and memorable.

I think some people would say it’s a cop-out to end up not selling the house after building it up for 2 episodes but I don’t know, I think it works. I think Bluey and Bingo learned a valuable lesson and Bandit (and Chilli kinda) learned it’s not always about making their kids lives “perfect” in their eyes. Also I’m just personally glad they didn’t end up selling the house and I also kinda like that it wasn’t entirely their choice to keep it.

On a more serious note I think this episode has some interesting commentary on like gender roles and gender relations in straight relationships. In this episode Chilli and Frisky (both women) have to deal with their male significant others pressuring them to move with them far away from what they know and love. In the end they don’t end up moving and the men didn’t seem to have like malicious or selfish intent with it, they were just kinda basing their choices off their jobs instead of what’s best emotionally for their loved ones. But I think it’s interesting to have this conflict where gender is kinda brought up in a way (“because your husband is making you”). It kinda plays into the traditional idea of like men are the breadwinners and the family has to move with them regardless of what they actually want. And this episode kinda like deconstructs that and says “no, it’s not always about the job or money, it’s also sometimes about connections and emotional attachment.” And I’m not saying that you should never move or whatever, but really weigh your options. I just thought that it was interesting that this episode kinda touched on that.

So yeah that’s kinda the main thoughts I had on this episode if you made it this far thank you for reading my rambles and have a good one!

[agaypanic]

Can I request how the mbav characters would react id reader bit them and turned them? (with consent ofc)

Turning The MBAV Characters Headcanons

Masterlist

Request Something!

A/N: the scenario for these headcanons is that the characters asked to be turned, it’s not like a life or death situation like i did in that one rory fic. For their headcanons/scenarios, imagine that erica and rory got turned by you instead of jesse's cult

***

Benny

Would probably be so stoked about it

He’s a wizard and a vampire ???

Thinks he’s the coolest mf ever now

“This is so cool,” Benny said, staring in the mirror at his lack of reflection. He waved his hand around in front of him, but the mirror showed no evidence of him being there.

“Glad you think so.” You say, silently laughing at your boyfriend’s antics.

“Hey!” Benny exclaimed, whipping around to look at you. “Do you think if I got scratched by a werewolf, I’d become, like, the ultimate supernatural creature?”

“I dunno.” You answer. “And frankly, I don’t really wanna find out. I think being a vampire wizard is enough for you, Bens.”

Benny pouted, looking back at the mirror.

“You know what sucks?” He asked, and you started to panic internally. You hoped Benny wasn’t having reservations or regrets about this, because there was no going back.

“What?”

“I’m gonna be young and hot forever now, and I can’t even look at myself.”

Rory

If you thought Rory was excitable and hyperactive before, oh boy

Sometimes, you regret turning him because he’s not very secretive about his new identity and activities

But he’s so happy and optimistic that you forget all your worries

Teaching him how to feed at first was a bit funny

“You got your squirrel?” You ask, looking at your boyfriend.

“Yeah.” He responded, looking at the furry creature.

“Okay, now sink your teeth in and drink.” You instruct, doing it first as an example. Rory watched you with both fascination and disgust.

“Gnarly.” He muttered to himself. After taking a deep breath, he copied your actions. When you were both done feeding, he took his mouth off the blood source and started to spit. “Gross!”

“What?” You looked at him, confused. “Rory, the blood’s supposed to taste good.”

“It does, but now I have fur in my mouth!”

Ethan

Ethan being Ethan, I feel like he’d be having a crisis the entire time

Both before and after the turning

It takes a lot of thinking and convincing for him to agree to it

And then afterward, he doesn’t necessarily regret it, but it takes a while for him to calm down

“Oh my god,” Ethan muttered, feeling his fangs with his fingers. All of his senses were heightened; he felt so different. “Oh my god.”

“How are you feeling?” You asked worriedly, laying a gentle hand on your boyfriend’s shoulder in hopes of grounding him.

“Different.” He answered, still tracing the points of his teeth.

“Good different or bad different?”

“Well… on the one hand, I’m pretty much invincible now, which is cool. And we’ll never have to worry about me getting older than you, or me dying. I’ll live forever.” Ethan nodded along with his reasons, before his eyes widened in realization. “But on the other hand, I’m gonna live forever! That’s, like, a really long time!”

“Okay, okay, okay.” You grabbed Ethan by the shoulders, making him face you. “That may be true, but we can take it one day at a time.”

Ethan nodded, seeming to calm down a bit. But then another thought crossed his mind.

“What if blood is gross?!”

“Oh my god, Ethan.”

Erica

Being the biggest Dusk fan, she immediately said yes when you suggested it

After she turned and realized she didn’t need glasses and had gotten more attractive, she was ecstatic

Her ego and confidence went through the roof

But you’re the only one allowed to even think about her pre-vampire self

“What are you nerds doing?” Erica asked as you approached Benny and Rory, who were dressed like they were about to go on a safari.

“We’re gonna go hunt vampires,” Rory answered excitedly. He looked like he was about to elaborate, but Benny interrupted him.

“Don’t call us nerds.” He said to Erica, rolling his eyes. “Before you were a smoking hot vampire, you were a mega nerd, remember?”

Erica hissed and bared her fangs at Benny, making him jump back in his seat in surprise. But she grabbed his shoulder so he couldn’t get away.

“Remind anyone of that again, and you’re toast.”

“Got it,” Benny said with an even but stiff tone. Erica grinned.

“Good.” When she let go of Benny and turned back to you, her fangs and yellow eyes were gone. “Come on, Y/n.”

You walked away from Benny and Rory, hand in hand. Out of earshot of anyone around, you looked up at Erica with a fond smile.

“I remember when you were a mega nerd,” you said, giggling as she huffed. “You were a cute nerd.”

“Shut up,” Erica said, rolling her eyes. But you managed to catch a glimpse of her small smile.

***

Benny Weir Taglist: @batmandallyboy

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Sorry if this is a weird question - a friend of mine just found out she has a spider ball python (he was sold to her as another morph, but when she showed me a picture, I pointed out he looked like a spider and she ended up going 'oh crap you're right'), but he doesn't appear to have any wobble or other common spider traits. I know it can show up less in some snakes than others, but is this something he might deal with more as he ages? Is there a way she can prep for that to give him the best possible care if issues do arise?

Was he sold to her as a pinstripe, by any chance? Pinstripes look a lot like spiders but they're a completely ethical, unrelated morph. To ID a snake as a pinstripe, look for an even, non-splotchy headstamp, long lines down the body, and a gentle taper into lighter belly coloration.

Compare that to a similar morph, spinner, that actually does have spider in it. The spider has a splotchy headstamp, short lines of patterning, and splotchy light belly coloration up the sides:

If he actually is a spider, there is indeed every chance that a wobble can wax and wane throughout his life. It may not be a big issue for him, but it could pop up at any time, and it could progressively worsen or periodically get better and come back again. Here's hoping that he's one of the lucky ones who almost never suffer because of it!

A lot of the spiders I've owned (all rescues, of course) had severe wobbles, so her snake hopefully will not need this level of accomodation, but here's what I recommend to prepare for, just in case:

Teach him to eat his food by taking it off the ground instead of tongs. Feeding time is often the most frustrating time for spiders, as the wobble worsens when they're excited, causing them to miss their food. Gradually keep lowering his food closer to the ground until he expects it to be on the ground - it's easier for them to aim and find food that's sitting still on the ground in front of them.

Think about how to modify the enclosure to help him stay comfortable and navigate with confidence. Shorter, thicker climbing branches are easier for spiders to hold onto.

Have a plan to make the substrate softer to avoid any bumps and scrapes if he becomes clumsy. Mixing sphagnum moss into the substrate is my go-to.

Think about shallow water dishes that he can easily get out of.

With some spidrers, I've had issues with them scraping their faces along parts of enclosures, especially screen lids and vent slats. Gluing cardboard over the trouble spots seemed to help - just don't use tape inside a snake enclosure because it can get stuck to and damage scales.

Hopefully, he will have a long, healthy, happy life with as minimal a wobble as possible! With any snake in the spider complex, though, it's important to keep track of symptoms if and when they pop up. If he does start presenting with a wobble later in life, I recommend keeping a journal of his quality of life so you can identify specific areas of frustration for him.

[takerfoxx]

All right, this is probably one of the more cringy shipping things I've posted, but eh, who cares?

Now, I've mentioned a few times that for as ride or die as I am for the Israfel Special (Shinji/Asuka/Rei) triad, there's no way it would work given their personalities and hang-ups in just about every canon depiction, and some stuff would have to be altered if it even has a prayer of having a chance. Which got me thinking. In the healthiest possible version of that ship, what would their personalities actually look like, and how would they interact with one another?

Shinji? Malewife. Okay, I kid, but c'mon, it's basically what he does. Even so, he would definitely be the most grounded of the three, the one having to reign the girls in before they got into too much trouble. Despite this, he really does enjoy his partners' antics, and will allow himself to get swept up in them, so long as they're not trying something too illegal. And while he served as the superego in the original show, here he would probably be the ego: the calm, rational one that serves as a comfortable stabilizing force.

Asuka? Basically Haruhi Suzumiya. Still energetic and impulsive, but since she doesn't feel threatened by the other two and isn't constantly trying to compete with them, she instead turns that energy into this proactive force of personality, the one that keeps encouraging the others to get out there and try new things. Her insecurities are definitely still there, but she masks them with overcheerfulness instead of aggressive hostility. Loves pushing her partners to try newer and more daring experiences, but feels absolutely rotten whenever she goes too far and gets them hurt. Despite her impulsive nature, she is the superego of the group, as she is more chaotic than Shinji but also, surprisingly, has more inhibitions than Rei.

Rei? Autistic as fuck. I'm working off the assumption that she still had the same life up until meeting the other two and they're the ones to draw her out of her shell, so she's not exactly the most socially adept. Still, now that she's had a taste for actually having a life, she's boundlessly curious and quietly down for pretty much anything. Enjoys accompanying Asuka on her hijinks while also having Shinji teach her various creative outlets in equal measure. Basically, Rei Q from that heartbreaking slice of life montage from the last Rebuild movie. Also, in a change, she would be the Id, in that she comes into actually experiencing a sense of self and what she wants and enjoys very late and hasn't learned about things like, you know, a sense of restraint and a filter for her intrusive thoughts.

[bonefall]

Thinking about that one post about the 5000 year old teenager girl found buried with her collection of 180 sheep ankle bones but specifically the addition of how ankle bones were used as dice back then and she was a gamer.. what I'm getting at is: would clan cats make bone dice and Are They Gaming

First let me teach you a little bit about Knucklebones: The Game.

You probably know one of its variants better as Jacks, that game you play with a rubber ball and little metal spikes. There's a version of Knucklebones in nearly every culture, where the basic idea is to throw an object up in the air, pick up as many of the smaller objects as possible, and then catch the larger object before it hits the ground.

In cultures with a lot of access to livestock, usually the hand and ankle bones of sheep would be used. Places that don't have them might use rocks, seeds, shells, whatever. It was Ancient Greece that had such an extreme take on the game that it eventually evolved into dice-throwing-- a totally chance-based game where you would just throw the biggest foot bone of a sheep (the astralagus; equivalent to the talus in a human) and see how they landed.

So the girl they uncovered in Kazakhstan with the 180 sheep bones wasn't really buried "with dice," make sense? It's more like being buried with jacks. Central Asia is actually jam-packed with knucklebones-types games. Mongolian Shagai is recognized by UNESCO.

And it makes a TON of sense, because those regions are grasslands absolutely ideal for raising sheep.

SO. CLAN CATS.

There's two major considerations here;

ONE: The access to, and size of, sheep bones.

Clan cats don't kill sheep. TRIBE cats actually have access to sheep and kill one or two a year! I would actually like to give them a bunch of special uses for various parts of the sheep. I think the eagle-killing thing in canon is actually pretty ridiculous for several reasons

BUT THAT SAID, an astralagus is the size of a cat's paw.

[ID: A human holding an astralagus in the tips of its fingers.]

You'd need to play a different sort of game with this. It's more like a square softball to a cat than a little rubber ball.

Boar also have bones like this, though. A muntjac probably produces bones that are sized properly for a cat. Hares and rabbits are probably the BEST bet here though, which, somehow feels right. I'm not sure why, but WindClan seems like the gamerclan Clan that would think up these sorts of cute games.

Something about it fits their whole savvy culture, tunneling, emphasis on trade and invention pre-Heatherstar. ShadowClan and WindClan share a cultural value of innovation, but ShadowClan seems more... chemical and competitive.

Hard to explain it. ShadowClan invents flax retting and WindClan invents the drop spindle. There's overlap but it has a bit of a different flavor between them.

TWO: Range of motion

I've made BB!Cats have the same range of motion as the cats in canon, which is higher than a real cat. They're able to WEAVE, you can't do that without a basic pincher grasp. They're also able to mix herbs, wrap things up in leaves, and apply bandages.

I haven't actually given my reworked cats much more ability than they already had, I just codified rules based on what we already see.

But that said, they DO have less range of motion in their hands than humans. They have little thumbs and a better ability to grab, but can't twist their paws completely upwards. There's no way they can toss an object straight up, then catch it again.

So any games they do play would need to accommodate that. So far I've got Scratchstone, Teeterstrike, and an unnamed rhyme game. The bone game would need to look more like a game of marbles than jacks. Or, maybe more modified to accommodate swipes and strikes, somehow? Or a two-person game of catch?

Gotta think about it.

[rippleclan]

RippleClan: Moon 16

The war disrupts Clan routine, forcing everyone to adapt.

[Image ID: Halibutpaw, Graypaw, and Shadowpaw stand on the left with Downstar on the right. Downstar says, “If life wasn’t so chaotic right now, I would put all three of you on trial. But right now, we need you at your best. No more heroics, please. I don’t want to lose another kit.”]

(Halibutpaw: 8, male, warrior apprentice, impulsive, quick witted, lover of stories)

(Graypaw: 8, female, caretaker apprentice, bloodthirsty, careful listener)

(Shadowpaw: 8, male, codekeeper apprentice, adventurous, confident with words)

Apple Cider has decided to join the Clan!

[Image ID: Apple Cider stands in the center of the screen, saying “Hehe, hi again!” Under her, it says LEVEL UP! APPLE CIDER -> APPLEPELT.]

---

There hadn’t been too many skirmishes with AshClan since Downstar’s kits took matters into their own paws, but Oilstripe was still glad Scrubmask led the hunting patrol to the river rather than the border. Carnationspeckle wanted to teach Graypaw how to prepare fish (since Downstar was keeping the apprentices in camp as much as possible), so it was up to the patrol to catch suitable subjects for the lesson. The Great Northern River had turned cold, and Oilstripe shivered whenever the water touched her paws, but she pushed on.

It seemed everyone else in the patrol was far more skilled at fishing than Oilstripe. Burdockpaw surpassed Oilstripe moons prior and now carefully sat on one of the stones jutting out of the river, waiting for fish to bite at the small lure Puddlespeckle built. Scrubmask took to traditional fishing and stared unblinking into the water. Even Locustpaw, freed from their mentor for the day, was totally engrossed in their task and proudly waded through the thinner currents in search of prey. Oilstripe was stuck on a rock near the opposite side of the river without a single piece of prey to show for her time. 

Maybe Oilstripe should take a nap. The river’s hum was quite soothing after all. It reminded her of when she pushed her nest close to Weedfoot and heard her purr in her sleep. There were no ghosts around to bother her and earn weird stares from her younger siblings (she knew cats saw her when she spoke to a visitor, but what could she do?). Oilstripe laid her chin on one paw and closed her eyes as a soft mist dusted her whiskers.

Such rest could not last long, sadly. The gentle crackle of fallen leaves brought Oilstripe to her paws. As she turned, a warm brown figure stepped out of the late afternoon shadows.

“Hehe, hi again!” Apple Cider chirped.

“Oh, hello!” Oilstripe gasped. “I haven’t seen you since the storm last moon! I was worried about you!” She leapt onto the shore beyond RippleClan. Apple Cider’s ears tilted back and they glanced about, unable to lock onto Oilstripe.

“About that…” Apple Cider groaned, whiskers twitching, “my humans were out of the den when the storm hit. They didn’t come back.” Oilstripe’s spine shivered. She knew the storm had been bad; it was never a good sign when spirits of StarClan gathered around like they did by the AshClan border that night, as though waiting for a new friend. Still, she had never imagined the storm was strong enough to kill humans. Humans could build grand ships and had a mastery of wood and tools the Clans had yet to figure out. How could a storm take them from this world?

“I’m sorry,” Oilstripe sighed. “I know kittypets can be close to their humans.”

“I wasn’t that close,” Apple Cider stammered. “I was mostly there to catch mice for them. I figured I could stay in the den for longer, but new humans moved in. I don’t think they like cats.” They rubbed a paw into the wet ground. “I don’t want to live alone. I’m not very good at that. I was wondering if I could hear more about your Clan?”

“Yes!” Oilstripe laughed. “I’d love to talk to you! Come across the river with me.” Oilstripe hopped across the slick rocks, glancing about at Apple Cider at each step of the way. Apple Cider perked up and hurried through the water. The pair caught Burdockpaw’s attention before they got halfway across.

“Oilstripe, why are you letting Apple Cider across the river?” he huffed, placing a paw on his fish.

“She wants to learn about RippleClan!” Oilstripe explained as Scrubmask and Locustpaw joined them.

“I’ve heard others say you’re a little strict,” Apple Cider admitted, eyeing each new cat, “but who knows? You might be fun to live with. Do you have any good stories?”

“That’s a historian’s whole job,” Burdockpaw said, sitting tall. “We remember the Clan’s history and tell it to future generations.”

“Can I do that?” Apple Cider asked with a sparkle in her eyes.

“You don’t know any stories,” Scrubmask said bluntly, looking the warm brown cat up and down.

“Burdock and I can teach her,” Oilstripe said, bridging the gap between Burdockpaw and Apple Cider. “Apple Cider can hunt, and we can teach her how to fight! We need the extra paws!”

“I’m not arguing with you,” Scrubmask said, flicking her ears to the RippleClan side of the river. “We need to talk to Downstar. Let’s collect our prey and return home.”

“Oilstripe, Burdockpaw, Downstar…” Apple Cider hummed as Burdockpaw grabbed his fish. “Those are interesting names!”

“They’re designed to be changed as you grow up,” Oilstripe explained. She led Apple Cider the rest of the way over the river. “When I was born, I was Oilkit. When I was an apprentice, I was Oilpaw. Now I’m Oilstripe!”

“I want a name like that!” Apple Cider chirped, gleefully landing on RippleClan’s shores. “New life, new me! No more human names! Call me Apple… uh, Apple…” The brown cat glanced at the other cats, searching for a suffix. She looked at her own fur, and said, “Applepelt! Call me Applepelt.”

“I like that name,” Oilstripe chuckled. With her Clanmates carrying their catches, Oilstripe walked alongside the Clan’s newest historian all the way home.

(Oilstripe: 20, female, historian, charismatic, ghost sight)

(Burdockpaw: 10, male, historian apprentice, loyal, interested in Clan history)

(Applepelt: 25, she/they, historian, rebellious, lore keeper)

(Scrubmask: 33, female, warrior, gloomy, fast runner, good hunter)

Halibutpaw is left sore after intense battle training.

[Image ID: Halibutpaw stands in the middle of the screen. Under him, it says + CONDITION: SORE.]

(Halibutpaw: 8, male, warrior apprentice, impulsive, quick witted, lover of stories)

Eager to help her new Clan, Applepelt runs head-on into a border skirmish and is injured.

[Image ID: Autumnstar leers in the upper left, saying “If you want this land, you have to prove you-” but Applepelt runs up from the right, incoherently screaming. Under them, it says = CONDITION: CAT BITE.]

(Applepelt: 25, she/they, historian, rebellious, lore keeper)

[anglerfish77]

-Francois x gn!reader-

This might be a bit long!

Not a request. My original work! Love this butler so dearly:)

~

It was a regular day in the kingdom of science.

Except- not really.

In fact, today was quite special.

Today was the day that…

Actually, before that, let’s backtrack a bit.

You were revived by Tsukasa. He revived you for your well known kindness for others, considering you were a missionary that traveled to hurting countries around the world and helped them tremendously, at least before that dreaded green light turned you to stone when you were visiting Japan to teach English.

When you awoke from your stone slumber, you met the eyes of the well known long haired man.

He thought your Mother Teresa type personality would fit perfectly in his kingdom, but unfortunately he thought wrong.

You despised his idea. Only reviving the young? Practically killing the old? What a joke!

You didn’t want to pretend to go along with him. You stared at him with furrowed brows and simply stated,

“I don’t agree with you Tsukasa.

I am sorry.

I must leave now.”

Before he could react, you bolted out of the cave you two were conversing in, and ran into the woods.

The muscle-head guards didn’t think anything of it, but when Tsukasa walked out of cave with a conflicted look on his face, they knew something was up.

You ran. And ran, and ran, and ran.

You didn’t have any idea where you were going.

Your legs were going to give out any second.

You passed many people who have been turned to stone, even children and elders, which made you feel even more uneasy.

Everything is settling in now.

You’re in a stone world.

You feel lightheaded.

“Am I about to..?”

*flop*

…

“Woah.. look! Suika found someone on the ground!”

“Someone on the ground..? Oh. We must carry them back at once. Would you get Taiju please, Suika?”

“Of course Francois! I can be useful!”

…

I feel my eyes get less and less heavy as I slowly open eyes, taking in the wild green and white haired boy looking down at me with a puzzled expression.

“Yo,”

I copy his expression.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

“Call me Senku. You are currently in a makeshift infirmary at the kingdom of science. Might I ask how you got depetrified?”

“Petrified..? Ohh.. a man named Tsukasa freed me from the stone.”

His brows furrow and he nods in understanding. “You ran away, didn’t you?”

I look away. “Yes, that’s correct.”

Suddenly, two figures walk into sight.

A small feminine figure, likely a small child, with a melon husk on her head, walks up to your ‘bed’.

“Hello!! Senku here made sure you aren’t dead! Me and Francois found you while looking in the forest for ingredients!”

I give the girl a smile and thank her. I turn my head to a petite person with large blond curls standing behind her with a wooden plate with some type of bread on it.

“Please except this food. You must be hungry, I hope you enjoy it.”

The person smiles softly and places the plate in my hands as I sit up from my laying position.

“This is too much. How could I ever thank you all for this? You could’ve just left me in the woods. Id wake eventually.”

“That wouldn’t be right at all!” The little girl exclaims. “You looked terrible out there! We couldn’t just leave you, what if wild animals found you?” She states sadly.

“Oh, I guess I didn’t realize that.. still, this is probably the nicest thing anyone has done for me. Is there anything I can help you guys with? You aren’t with Tsukasa, right?”

“Hah, as if. In fact we’re the opposite. Instead of selective people, we’re reviving the whole world. 10 billion percent.” Senku states proudly with a grin.

“That’s wonderful. I’ll help in anyway I can. I think I’m ready to walk around and stuff. Got any stuff for me to do?”

“Ooh! You could help me and Francois collect ingredients! It’s really fun, right?” She turns her head to the blond person, who I now know is Francois. “Of course it’s fun. Then we can make the dish that master Ryusui has requested of me.”

They turn to me, a soft smile on their face. “Well, would you? Oh, and might I ask for your name?” They say as they bow with a hand on their chest.

I gasp at the formality and answer right away embarrassed.“Of course I’ll help. Oh! And I’m (name).”

…

As the months went by, I learnt that this ‘kingdom of science’ was in the midst of building a huge boat that would sail to where the petrification originated.

I met many kind people, Kinro, Chrome, Gen, Ryusui, and so on.

I helped in anyway I can, but I found myself drifting to helping Francois more often then not.

Anything they mentioned, or even if I saw them working on something I asked to help. They always excepted warmly, and I think I might even be a decent cook now!

Though, the more time I spent with the butler, the more a fuzzy feeling in my chest bloomed. It was like the feeling when I saw the faces of the families I’ve helped when their house gets rebuilt, or their child gets saved from a deadly virus, but it’s.. stronger. And different.

It used to just happen when they looked at me with their deep blue eyes and told me thank you for my help. Or when they would hold my elbows helping stir something correctly. But recently, it’s been happening whenever I look at them. Even the slightest glance in their direction makes my heart do flips.

I asked Ruri about this and she simply told me that I must have deep appreciation and admiration for Francois. I told her that of course I do, but I thought it might be something else.

“Like what? Do you maybe see Francois in a romantic sort a view possibly?”

I put my hands on my cheeks and look down at my knees. My face starts to turn warm and Ruri notices the tips of my ears turning red. She smiles warmly. “Guess I guessed right!” She chuckles at my flustered state.

So that’s it.. I like Francois romantically. I really do, don’t I?

It’s not they’d ever feel the same. They have duties to do, A master to serve, things more important then a lover.

But, I can’t keep feeling bottled up forever. They’d spill out eventually. That’s why I just need to get it off my chest. I need to tell Francois I love them.

…

That’s why today’s the day. The day I tell Francois that I love them with every fiber of my being. No problem, right? Yeah, no. I’m standing in front of the petite butler shaking in my boots like an idiot with my face all red.

“My dear (name), is something the matter? You said you wished to inform me of something?” Francois looks at me with those pretty eyes of theirs with a concerned expression.

It’s now or never.

“Francois, uhm.. you see..”

“Yes (name)? Whatever is it?”

“Well.. I guess the best way to frase this is, well.. I..

I love you, Francois.”

“I feel the same.”

“Now I know you don’t think of me that way, but I just wanted to- wait what?”

“I said, I feel the same way, (name).” Their eyes close as I see a hue spread across their cheeks, becoming almost as red as me at this point in time.

“Wait, really? You feel the same? You..”

“I love you (name). I have for quite awhile now.” They open their eyes and meet mine. “I hope.. I hope you would like to be my significant other, if that would be alright with you, my dear (name).” They look away in embarrassment, an unusual sight for the butler. I nod my head and wrap my arms around them.

When I head them gasp, I loosen the grip around them a bit. “Is this okay?” I ask worried that I made them uncomfortable.

“Of course. I’ve wanted to bring you in to an embrace for awhile now. This makes me ever so happy, my dear.” They pull me closer.

“YESSSSSSSS! WOOOOOOOOOOOO! FINALLY!” I hear a camera snap as Ryusui’s booming voice hits my ears. Francois looks as startled as I do, and later I learn that all of the kingdom of science was watching us and waiting for that perfect moment to catch a photo of a ‘cute moment’ as Ruri says.

Let’s just say that picture makes Francois feel more happy then they ever have before when they see it.

~ The End ~

Thank you for reading my work! Please consider supporting me by interacting! 💞

[gildedworld]

Accidents Happen, part 2

Summary: Not knowing what to do, Rosaria calls Alex. Alex immediately starts piecing together what is going on by talking to Rosaria and starts preparing to leave the Academy to fly to Greenwich in the X-Jet. Parallely, Rosaria is unconsciously in the middle of a power surge - she unknowingly erases the memory of the police officer giving her a ticket and telepathically hears Alex, despite Alex being well out of her telepathic range.

Vacations never mattered to Alex, really. Perhaps they did when he was younger, but since his mother died, it really made no difference. After all, vacations didn't really exist if you were homeless.

So when most students went back to their homes from the Academy, Alex and a handful of other students would stay back with the Professor and the other teachers. These students had no home to return to for a variety of reasons and had made the Academy their home instead.

During vacations, Alex's routine remained the same- he'd wake up before dawn and go for a run around the Academy grounds, head to the library after breakfast, pester any remaining teacher or Professor into teaching him advanced level topics in their subject area after lunch, and spend the rest of the day training in the danger room in advanced simulations.

He honestly liked it like this as well - no distractions, he didn't have to share the danger room, the library was empty, the hallways were quiet- if anything, this was his vacation.

Today was no different either.

Having recently finished his danger room simulation for the day, Alex headed to his room for a quick shower and then headed down to the library.

By now, he had finished every single book in the Professor's expansive collection at least once and was on his second round. Currently, he was making his way through a rather fascinating read on mutant genetics and how the ranking and classification system was established.

Flipping through the pages, Alex felt the table vibrate - his eyes skimmed from the pages of the book to his blinking phone screen. That itself was enough to catch his attention. After all, no one called him and the phone really was just for emergencies.

Furthermore, it was the called ID that really caught his attention - Rosaria. She never called him. If she was at the Academy or nearby, she'd communicate with him almost exclusively via telepathy or in person. But never via the phone. So if she was calling him now, it meant something was very wrong.

Immediately, Alex answered.

"Hi," he heard Rosaria speak - her tone was different, uncomfortable, and awkward.

"What happened?" He asked bluntly.

"Well-" Rosaria began with a light chuckle. Only her tone was not amused. It was uncomfortable. He knew her well enough to know that she used humor to deflect from uncomfortable topics, and the laughter was not amusement. Moreover, he could hear quite a bit of background noise.

"Are you hurt?" He asked instantly, cutting her off and not waiting for her response.

"No," she replied. "Well, I don't think so anyway, '" she admitted.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"It means I don't know," Rosaria snapped, frustrated.

"Where are you now?" He asked. Alex knew she had gone back to Grewnwich as she usually did every vacation, but he had to be sure. From the background noises, she was not at her house but was somewhere outside.

"Rosaria, where are you now?" He asked again, this time his patience starting to slip at her unwillingness to respond.

She was definitely not okay, he thought to himself silently.

"Downtown, " Rosaria replied quietly.

"With who?" He asked quickly. "Where are your parents?" Alex followed up.

"At work, " Rosaria admitted sheepishly with another chuckle.

Alex slowly pieced things together based on her responses - she probably snuck out of her home to Downtown Greenwich because she was bored.

"Let me guess, they don't know you're there, do they?" He asked dryly. Rosaria chuckled sheepishly in response. She definitely snuck out, he thought to himself silently.

"Ma'am, please step out of the car," Alex heard a man's voice in the background, followed by the opening of a car door.

"Are you injured?" He heard the same man speak, followed by silence. Alex assumed that Rosaria had responded by shaking her head as opposed to verbally.

"Well, we have the paramedics here just in case and they can get that cut treated for you," Alex heard.

Cut, he thought to himself silently. She hadn't mentioned anything about a cut. Alex assumed that either Rosaria hadn't seen the cut herself or she had intentionally left it out, dismissing it to be a trivial injury.

"Please provide me with the registration, insurance, and your driver's license, " Alex heard the man speak - by now Alex had pieced together that this was a police officer.

"Will a learner's permit do?" Alex finally heard Rosaria's voice. He could hear the quietness and sheepish tone in her voice.

Alex couldn't help but roll his eyes as he hung up the phone. Now he knew exactly what had happened - she drove her dad's car to Downtown Greenwich without telling anyone and got into an accident.

Closing the open book on the table, Alex stood up and plaved the book back on its shelf and left the library, heading to the Professor's office.

"Don't move. Don't say anything. Get the cut treated. I'm on my way, " Alex said telepathically. He doubted that Rosaria would hear it - she was too far, and he range was about 300 miles.

---

"Would a learner's permit do?" Rosaria asked the police officer standing in front of her with a sheepish smile.

The police officer glanced up from his notebook at her and looked rather unimpressed.

"Ma'am, you need an adult in the car with you ," he replied bluntly. Rosaria chuckled nervously in response.

"Don't move. Don't say anything. Get the cut treated. I'm on my way, " Rosaria heard Alex's familiar voice telepathically. That confused her - as far as she knew, he was at the Academy, well over 300 miles away from her. He should have been out of range.

"I'm afraid I'm-" he began, snapping his notebook shut, snapping Rosaria out of her thoughts.

And just as he was speaking, the police officer's eyes glazed, and his expression changed - he now looked strangely peaceful as if he was staring into the sunset on a beach.

"What am I doing here?" He muttered, confused. His eyes glanced over the scene of the accident and an equally confused Rosaria.

"You were giving me a ticket, I think?" Rosaria replied, equally confused at his sudden change in behavior.

"I was?" The officer asked, still disoriented and confused.

Rosaria nodded quietly in response.

"For what?" He asked.

That's when a thought occurred to Rosaria - he didn't remember what she was in trouble for. She didn't know what happened to make him forget, but the fact was that he did forget. That meant that unless Rosaria reminded him explicitly, she would get no tickets.

Rosaria shrugged her shoulders in response and offered a sheepish smile. She hated lying, and she hated liars. But she also didn't want to get a ticket and get grounded until her funeral by her parents either.

The officer glanced around once more. "Whoa, what happened to your car?" He asked.

Rosaria shrugged her shoulders again silently in response.

"Man, that's wrecked," the officer remarked. Rosaria winced slightly as she saw the sight of her dad's car - it was totaled in the back, completely crushed. The car that had driven into her by now had been completely removed from the scene - only broken class from its windows and windshield remain strewn across the busy street that had now been completely sealed off by the police.

He's going to be so mad, Rosaria thought to herself silently, dreading her father's reaction. How was she supposed to fix this now?

"I hope you have good insurance, ma'am," the police officer began as his eyes returned back to Rosaria. "Because that's going to be one monster of a job to fix," he remarked.

Rosaria nodded, a sign escaping her lips. "I hope I do too," she agreed.

She might have gotten out of a ticket somehow, but her dad was definitely not missing this.

[dazzle-writes]

ahajsjsjsjsjs hi!! i hope you’re having a good day! i was wondering if i could please get a matchup for trigun? (any era/form is cool! though stampede is my current hyperfixation i love it sm). im bisexual & use she/her pronouns :)

for my personality, id say im pretty bubbly and excitable. i’m an esfp & cancer, & i try to look on the bright side and try to cheer up people when they’re sad. im very affectionate with the people im close to, and i kinda cling onto my friends arms and hug them a lot. i love anything soft or cute, especially animals!! im kinda scared of bugs though, but i still always try to take them outside, even if i have to go kicking and screaming. i get distracted pretty easily, i also really like going for walks, shopping, yoga, baking, and reading. i really like to look after people, but sometimes that makes it so i kinda disregard my own needs. im a bit of people pleaser, and i tend to look for the best in others! though i can’t really tolerate it if somebody is overly cruel or rude to the people i care about. i can be really bossy & a bit unreasonable when it’s something i’m interested in. appearance wise, im 5’1 & have fairly long light brown hair. my eyes are hazel, im fairly pale with a few freckles sitting across my face, & my cheeks are perpetually rosy andjfjjek. i also really like to do makeup, both on myself and others. like, i’ll be in pjs and putting on lip gloss also since i’m on the shorter side, i like to wear really big shoes because it makes me feel cool!

thank you!! <3

UWA YOUR ENERGY IS SO CUTE!!!! be my friend pls.

Immediately Tristamp Vash, I can't help it!!! You are so bubbly and sweet and so is he!! Although I can also see you with 98 Vash as well!! Vash all around for you!!! But I'll stick to more Tristamp Vash

~Loves that you are short. Vash is already a tall guy, especially because he's a Plant, but he likes being able to just surround you with his embrace.

~Do!!! This!!! Mans!!! Makeup!!!

~He would LOVE IT if you would have a skincare routine w/ him at nighttime, or if you did something like his eyeliner in the morning! He can't stop giggling and winking at you, but it makes him feel close to you!!

~As a Plant, acts of service is a really big love language for him and others of his species! So he balances you out by over-caring for you as much as you over-care for him.

~Loves that you are also as big of a softie as he is!! He is also not a bug fan, so he will also scream and cry when he has to carry a worm back outside to the desert.

~Literally goes "Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew!" And gently sets them on the ground, furiously wiping his hands

~Wolfwood and Meryl take one look at you two and go "Oh god there's two of them"

~You occasionally steal his coat and it SWALLOWS you whole. You disappear. Vash thinks its the cutest thing ever, he loves how small you are!!!

~Loves pinching his own cheeks so he can go "now we match!" Whenever he glances at your own pink cheeks.

~Knives takes one look at you two and goes" Oh god there's two of them. Guess she has to come with us now." and will BEGRUDGINGLY allow you to live in his Eden simply because you'll make Vash happy.

~The amount of times Vash has begged you to teach him to bake is astounding. (He is a disaster in the kitchen, be warned). He loves when you make him

~Loves it when you teach him Yoga! Is actually super tight in a lot of places from his mechanical limbs being attached, so he loves it when you help him loosen up.

~It amazes him how much more limber he is after one of your sessions. He could dodge a million bullets!!!

~He counts your freckles at night instead of sheep when he's trying to fall asleep

~Has matching shoes w/ you. He loves the big shoes aesthetic too, so he loves having matching clothing.

~ This backfires on him when someone takes a look at a similar coat he got for you and mistakes you for Vash, trying to stake a claim to the sixty billion double dollar bounty

~Homie about threw away his "love and peace" ideals when he saw you get snatched away

~Definitely roughs them up more than he needs to

~As you guys get to Julai, facing off against Knives post gate-incident (So Vash is all dark and has the cube now) You absolutely tear Knives a new asshole, yanking on his ear and everything to chew him out for all the pain he caused Vash and others

~The doctor is staring at you like 0.0

~Vash just about proposes to you right then and there, realizing how much he loves that you go to bat for him like that

~Knives is like ???? In pure shock that you dared to touch him, then he starts listening to your words and realizing you may have a point in the fact that he's been unnecessarily cruel to his brother

~Lowkey you remind them both of Rem in that moment when she would scold them.

~Uh-oh, cubes about to explode!!

~Huh? Whats this? The cube didn't explode!!! Horaayyyy!!!

~You, Vash, and the others immediately skip town, and Vash is struggling to keep his hands to himself and try to make out with you as quietly as he can in the back of the van,

~You all split up and hide out in Julai for the night, Meryl and Wolfwood giving you two some much needed space

~He asks you to go on a walk with him when things quiet down enough in the city, and just absolutely melts into your arms

~"I was so worried, I thought you were going to die!!! I thought I was going to die!!!"

~Lots of teary kisses and sobs into your shoulder

~Clings to you for the rest of the night. After that night you two get closer, if that's even possible. He also gains a bit of a possessive streak over you, often standing behind you and kissing the top of your head when people get to close to you for his liking

~LORD HAVE MERCY Vash has no backbone when it comes to his brother EXCEPT for you (and the others too but mainly you). He gets all growly and his abilities start kicking in, he gets feral for you girlypop

~Still your sweet little Vash at the end of the day!!!

AHHHHH I hope you enjoyed!!! I see you two as such a pair, it kills me!!

[cosmicgrapevine]

Tabby sat with her legs crossed, not daring to move a muscle. They were easily a thousand feet up at the moment. There was really nothing keeping her from falling to her death, other than her own stillness, but she felt safe anyway. Lynd steered, and she wrapped her arms over him, like they were sharing a Harley speeding down an empty highway. “Why do you think he didn’t rat on us?” She asked. “Spite, I imagine. Travis was his captor, not us.” Tabby turned the mirrors over; she was holding them so they wouldn’t slip out of Lynd’s coat. “We should just keep these. Hold them for ransom so Florentino will let you in.” “I would rather not try to extort the most powerful Warden in the country, but…hm. Never mind, I’m surely mistaken.” “No, keep going.” “It’s just…the words he used. I kept mulling them over last night. ‘No power on Earth’. ‘Out of my hands’. And even if a sailor cannot stop the tides, he can navigate them. Wardens choose their words carefully, just like everything else. Perhaps he is saying there is a path, but I must discover it on my own. But if it exists, it will be near impossible to find.” “Let’s say we find it. You make it to Kahoti, what’s first on your list?” “Well…you said Melanie is already attending school again. I would like to join her.” Tabby started laughing, so loud that she worried someone on the ground would hear. “Dude,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye, “You did not risk death for weeks on end just to go to fucking high school, gimme a break. Like, hold out for college, at least.” “Markstepper education is very informal, focused on survival and pragmatics. I know nothing of history or the sciences…I can barely read, surely you have noticed; I learned all those languages by speech alone. And I cannot even drive a car: the whole ride down, I felt so useless. Where else would I learn these things?” “Look, it’d be great if that’s how it worked, just show up and say ‘I need knowledge! Teach me!’ But it’s not. Even if they let you in without an ID and stuff, you’re gonna do things their way. Their classes, their rules, their system. And the other kids…” Tears flew from her lashes again, and not tears of laughter. “They’ll find whatever you hate about yourself and cut you with it until all that’s left is scars. Just for fun, just because they can. I’m sorry, but there’s no way they’ll accept you.” They were close to Kahoti now, its winding streets almost forming a pattern to her eyes, some small piece of Florentino’s Ward, before it slipped away again. What if this is the last time I see Lynd? She thought suddenly. Florentino doesn’t want me here; if Rita pushes him he’ll ship Dad and me back on the next flight out. She couldn’t let that be the last thing she said. “I—I mean, my last school was like that, but maybe this one’s better…” “No, you were right. Idiotic of me to think otherwise. Once I get what I need from the old man, there’s nothing for me here. Try pushing your weight downward; we’re descending soon.” His voice was flat. “There are certain lies Marksteppers tell each other. One is that the civilized world is nothing but panicky cattle who would be slaughtered without our protection. Another is that actually joining that world is the height of dishonor, an unforgivable betrayal of your clan. We beat that into each other until we never forget it. And they must not have beaten me hard enough.” His voice wasn’t flat anymore. “I want to stay.” He said it with a mix of shame and bleak acceptance, like he was confessing to a crime. “You’re the first person I’ve told,” he whispered.

[heniareth]

Astala is a warrior, but i think you've mentioned your Adaia being a rogue, yes?

In a happier au where Adaia never died, do you think Astala would've still ended up a warrior in the end, or would the rogue training eventually work out for her if she didn't lose her teacher so young? Or of course the middle ground of ambush berserker is always on the table

Ah, a question for the ages. I’m still tempted sometimes to have Adaia come back to life (or be revealed to never have been dead) in my story, but her death is so imapctful, I don’t know if that would cheapen it. But I wish she was there. Thank you for the question!! This is very fun to contemplate >:)

I don’t think Astala would ever have become a rogue, no. She might’ve acquired more finesse, might’ve been better at stealthing or lying or made a habit out of running over rooftops, but she would’ve stayed a warrior. A better one, probably, but that goes without saying. She doesn’t lack dexterity by any means. It’s a personality thing (it also doesn’t help that she’s tall and lanky and will be lugging around a significant amount of body mass once the Joining and the three meals a day really kick in). She doesn’t like dancing around conflicts, and instead would much rather hit them head-on if there’s something to be hit. If not, then it’s verbal sparring, and there she follows the same principle.

In game, rogues rely as much on their dexterity as on their cunning to get the job done. I imagine cunning is a mix of being good at observing the fight and able to respond and adapt to it quickly. Astala is not good at that; she is much more comfortable when she gets to dictate the rhythm of the fight, when she can back somebody into a corner or knock them off their feet with a well-aimed blow. Having control over the fight in this way makes her feel safer than being on the defensive, and she doesn’t quite realize that there’s a third option which is to answer your opponent’s hits in such a way that you turn their actions against them. She’d struggle if she ever tried to do judo. She’d have much more fun in boxing.

I think my Adaia was kind of hoping Astala would get more into the rogue stuff later on, although I do think that, had Adaia survived, she’d have been more than happy with Astala being her warrior self and also might’ve found a very interested student in Shianni. So it would’ve been fine. Things as they are, it did bug little Astala that she and her mom were different in this (and, since she had no aunts or uncles around who might’ve had a temperament similar to hers, she often wondered why she was so different). It was fine enough until Adaia disappeared. After that, everything that made her different from her mom was terrible because she missed her, while everything that made her like her mom was scary because it meant she’d end up like her too.

So yeah. Astala would’ve stayed a warrior. Adaia would’ve managed to teach her to fight smarter, that much is certain. But apart from that, I think Adaia would also have found somebody who actually knew how to wield, idk, a sword and a shield and sent Astala to train with them. That way Astala could’ve shield bashed everybody to her heart’s content (in my first playthrough Astala’s proto-version actually did use a sword and shield).

Also, now you’ve made me think about the incredible duo that older Adaia and grown Astala would’ve been. Excuse me for just one second.

[ID: A black and white drawing of two elven women. The taller and younger woman is standing behind the older and smaller. She is looking angrily at the viewer and drawing a sword from her back with her right hand. In her left she holds a shield. The smaller and older woman is calmly pulling her sleeves up and holds a long knife in her left hand.]

(Someone's getting shanked!! :D)

Also, I'm thinking, what would Novhen's life have been like with Adaia around? Apart from a substantial lack of trauma, that is U_U'

[abyssmalice]

drabble: the game of diplomacy (or - the tsaritsa's guide for dummies to dealing with your adopted harbinger in her rebellious phase)

"Again, Tonia?"

"Again what."

To the unobservant, the Archon continues to wear a mask of blank neutrality. To anyone else, if quick enough, one would catch the twitch of an eyelid and the slight inflection of disappointment as she continues, "I believe you should know that best, my child."

"Well." The girl, aged a meager thirteen years old, folds her arms and stands her ground. "I think you do too, considering you should have read the reports by now."

A sigh. "So you understand there is an issue."

"It's considered an issue?"

A longer sigh. The Tsaritsa massages a hand to her temple for a moment before speaking again. "...Natlan appears to have not taught you much, beyond a spine for reckless speech."

"I'm a Harbinger," Tonia sniffs, almost petulant. "You all told me I have to be big and strong and confident - and mean."

"We did not."

"I'm paraphrasing, you old hag."

The god pauses to look over the other with a very obvious frown now. "Language, Tonia."

"No. Scaramouche told me I don't have to respect anyone who doesn't respect me back!"

And for a good five minutes, the Tsaritsa quietly cursed to herself how for the most part - efficient and powerful as her Harbingers were, not many of them counted as appropriate role models and adult influences to a young, growing girl.

Drastic measures were going to be needed, it seems.

.

"WHY AM I ON A BOAT!"

"Because we are traveling to Liyue, Lady Harbinger."

"That's not the point!" Tonia stomps her foot as she turns to the unfazed agent next to her. The small retinue of Fatui in the vicinity glance at each other, some with nervousness and some with uncertainty. "Why am I on a boat! Going to Liyue! Why me!"

"Because we are on a diplomatic mission, as ordered by the Tsaritsa and Lord Pierro." The agent pauses to look out to the horizon line. "And, I believe, they are trying to teach you a lesson."

"So you're saying I'm being grounded?!"

"Technically speaking, we're seabound, as there is no ground under us and—"

The Eleventh screams (both silently and loudly) for the entire trip.

.

As Yuheng, Keqing can be plenty open-minded. One does not reach a seat of governance without a sense of empathy and a mindset welcoming of change, good or bad. Though of course, she is a little protective too - every leader only wants the best for their people, for their home.

So as much as she wasn't having any fanfare over the news of a Fatui diplomat, Keqing was committed to performing her best as a representative and to give a cordial handshake, even.

Was.

"Ganyu," the Yuheng mutters in the secretary's direction, "Do you think you can snipe the Harbinger and make it an accident?"

"At near point-blank, in a closed room, perhaps not—"

"Hey! If you're mumbling something over there, you either bring it up or keep it out of this conversation!"

"Aha," Keqing quickly puts on a perfunctory smile - albeit slightly strained. "I apologize, Tartaglia. I was simply checking on my itinerary for the day." A pause. "This meeting has dragged on for a fair amount of time, after all."

"Well, that's because you won't let me leave already, so that's not my problem."

"And we would let you take your leave," Ningguang responds, "if you simply advised us of your purpose for coming to Liyue."

"And I told you, you should already have that information! I mean, there's no way the Tsaritsa or our nation's embassy didn't inform you I was coming - and you're basically the ones governing the city, right? If that's the case, I would be asking why a high-ranking representative is visiting out of nowhere, and decide if I would entertain something like that." A scoff. "Your borders, after all."

A few glances were exchanged by the Qixing in the room. Well, it certainly wasn't an incorrect assessment - actually, that was the proper protocol. It was more surprising that this unruly girl actually seemed to have an idea about appropriate procedures for receiving foreign dignitaries.

A Harbinger is a Harbinger, I suppose. Keqing frowned behind a quick sip of tea. ...Even if she's a kid with no sense of courtesy.

Ningguang smiles placidly in the meanwhile. "You are not wrong. The Snezhnayan Embassy did provide formal notice, which we did review and accept. However, a simple letter does not have an adequate amount of space to detail everything - surely, you understand?"

In response to that - the girl snorts. Loudly, and obnoxiously. "Well, hell am I supposed to know what was on the missive sent to you? I'm not going to bother repeating things you already know."

Keqing stifles a groan. If only to prove she has more decorum than a Fatui Harbinger with the attitude of a brat.

"Then, I am afraid we will have to remain in this room forever," Ningguang quips back, an idle wave of her hand getting an assistant to come forth to pour some more tea. "This is our policy, after all. Until we understand your intentions in full, we simply cannot move on."

Tartaglia just blinks for a bit. Once, twice, then deadpans, "No way. You can't just sit here for days and weeks."

"Ah, I suppose some of our more elder members will have to occasionally depart to meet their needs - health comes above all, even in consideration of policy - but the rest of us have plenty of endurance to remain seated indefinitely."

"T-That's just stupid!"

"And would you not say that not answering a simple question is equally ridiculous?"

The Harbinger's lips immediately set themselves into a firm, disagreeable line. In true childish fashion, she leans back into her seat and—sinks. Sinks and slides lower and lower into her chair, peevish eyes staring at everyone with a few gibbiersh grumbles slipping by. A solid five minutes pass like this.

Ningguang tastes her tea. Another five minutes.

And then ten more before the girl quickly rights herself and slams her hands on the table. "—Fine! I'm here for some stupid diplomatic stuff because I'm bloody grounded, okay!"

There's a brief flicker of confusion on the Tianquan's face, smoothed over in a heartbeat. "...Grounded. A punishment?"

More miserable grumbles under her breath before she puffs her cheeks petulantly, "Yes. Because the stupid Tsaritsa thinks I need to relearn manners - which I don't need to, I can be nice if I want to! But Her Majesty apparently doesn't think so, so she said I have to go to Liyue and learn to be on my best behavior through cultural appreciation, or something—whatever that means anyway."

No immediate response. Keqing pulls at the bridge of her nose for a few seconds, internally processing the nonsensical information provided before tentatively, slowly summarizing, "So... she dumped you here to teach you a lesson."

"I DON'T NEED ANY LESSONS, DAMN IT!"

No, clearly, you do, and the Cryo Archon knows it too. The Yuheng turns to the Tianquan, nodding quietly as the Eleventh continues to explosively ramble on about etiquette, making it clear she has none regardless - and in that unspoken agreement, it's unanimously decided that even if the Fatui have any ulterior motives, the fact they sent someone this uncouth probably doesn't bode well for said motives being carried out properly.

.

Footsteps echo gentle through the glided halls of the bank. Tonia yawns a little, following after her assigned tour guide and assistant - the flowery but warm incense floating through the corridors was of little help in keeping her attention focused on anything beyond the flitting thoughts in her mind.

"—This will be your primary office while stationed here, Lady Harbinger."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." The girl breathes deep, then exhales long and tiredly. "Just show me to wherever you put my luggage so I can nap for the next three days. Ugh, if I have to go talk to stupid adults for another three hours..."

Ekaterina notes a few things down before looking over the other consideringly. "I suppose your meeting did take longer than expected. Was it difficult to convince them of your visitation?"

"Hah, no." A wry smile. "I can tell the Qixing bought it completely. To them, I'm just here because the Tsaritsa is trying to parent me and force me to deal with my attitude. Of course, the smarter ones probably haven't dismissed any ideas that I'm here for other reasons - but the goal of that meeting wasn't to dismiss me out of hand, just underestimate me."

"Ah. Excellent manipulation, my lady." Ekaterina pauses. "That said, I was informed that you are also here due to throwing one too many tantrums and insulting Her Majesty—"

"Shut it."

[wolfvirago]

lore building prompts [always accepting]

@cnlyluck said: For lore questions id love to hear more abt the relationship between her and her brother :3. Do you have their reunion planned out in your story?

@streetslost said: tell me more about robin and her relationship with her brother. did they ever fight? did they have a favorite thing to do together? did he ever teach her something super cool she hasn't forgotten? what was his opinion on her being a shifter and not him? was their any aspect about his robin really admired or loved?

~ tell me more about robin and her relationship with her brother. did they ever fight?

Yes. I wrote a bit about it in the last post, but Robin and Haruki did have their sibling spats. They were only about 2 years apart in age, so a lot of their issues got resolved quickly. Their parents aided in more intense cases.

However, once they had gotten to adulthood, and their parents were gone, lots of their arguments were saved for really intense, serious concepts. Robin believes their last argument over what to do with an enemy was what tipped her brother over the edge and made him leave.

~ did they have a favorite thing to do together?

Robin and Haruki loved to play together most of all. They had adventures out in the woods, running and laughing, using sticks as swords. They would make maps on printer paper and use tea to stain it, make it look old.

~ did he ever teach her something super cool she hasn't forgotten?

Haruki was who taught Robin how to make maps and always find her way back home. He had studied from tons of books as they grew up, and eventually, he was able to point out the directions using only symbols in nature. They could never get lost in the Lost Woods because of this. His sense of direction was one of his strongest traits.

~ what was his opinion on her being a shifter and not him?

Haruki had never really made it that evident beyond little biting words here and there, but he did resent his blood not being "blessed" by the Sun Wolf of their mother's stories. Even if the kami did give his sister and mother the ability to shapeshift into glorious wolves, he had nothing. Even if their father argued that yes, Haruki was special, he could fight and navigate through life like any warrior could. Haruki never saw that. He was always, always hating himself for not being the guardian the spirits of their home deserved.

It wasn't until years later that Robin figured it out after he had disappeared. It's part of why she loathes herself too... Because she never really saw how much her brother was in pain.

~ was their any aspect about his robin really admired or loved?

To Robin, her big brother wasn't scared of anything. Not bugs, not mushrooms that could be poisonous, not the dark. He wasn't even afraid of yokai! He was never afraid to get thrown to the ground and get back up again, bloodied and bruised... Or so she thought.

I think every little sister sees their big brother as the world, as the strongest man. That he would always protect her. It was Haruki's tenacity that supported Robin, and when he appeared to give up, it broke her.

~ Do you have their reunion planned out in your story?

You have to just wait and see :)

[meiko3323]

Julien (Chiovreuse kiddo)

ok full disclosure - i actually dont know how i feel abt the final colours, i think i may have overcooked my boi a bit QQ chiefly the bottom "flames" part of his kimono (which turned into like grass or sth), and his sunset gradient socks. PLEASE lmk if its downright terrible and what would look better instead, im at a bit of a loss 😵‍💫

----------

alright, now to transcribe+ elaborate on my chicken scrawly design notes:

- he is left-handed! and thus the fingers of his right hand have bandages covering numerous cuts/ nicks from his needlework (oof i notice i forgot to flip the J in this closeup and its bugging me now QQ)

- he has the same embroidered arm band as Max, except w a (teyvatian) J and as you may guess, he is the redacted friend that made it

- he wears his vision around his neck like a choker pendant thing

- the kimono design is meant to be a zig-zag of pressed rainbow roses

- wears his right sleeve loose and left sleeve rolled up, and held in place by a rope that loops around these shoulder buttons (i rly did miss a letter in diamonD smh)

- the bottom part of his outfit is meant to be a pleated skort* ik i wrote shorts but it looks like a skirt anyway, so mb the middle ground is what it is

- the golden yellow ribbon on his back is tied into a rabbit, and he has a similar, smaller one on the front

- and finally, a pic of young Julien, from before he started wearing a mask to hide his buck teeth

and finally some lore!

Name: Julien (or Jules for short)

Pronouns: he/ him

Vision: Pyro

Weapon: catalyst

About Julien (childhood):

Jules was interested in fashion from an early age. Chiori used him to model her various designs, and it is through this process that he zeroed in on his more Inazuma-style attire, preferring it to the more constricting Fontaine garb. when he got older he even started sewing his own clothes.

though Chevreuse has her hands full catching criminals, she did take time to teach Julien some self-defense and how to handle a musket. but being a much less confrontational person than his parents, he dislikes using force to solve his problems. also, being very compassionate, Julien fears he will hurt the other party if he retaliates. instead he rolls with the punches and bottles up his pain.

About his mask:

Julien was born with very prominent front teeth, and was relentlessly bullied by his peers for this. he took to covering them up with bandanas and scarves, and eventually made himself a mask. he never leaves the house without it, and only takes it off while eating. as a consequence, Julien also doesnt like eating in front of other ppl/ strangers

Least favourite food:

Juliens young tormentors would among other cruel things, throw carrots at him while chanting for him to eat them. as such, hes developed a strong aversion to this vegetable. his parents of course accomodate this dietary choice, and will omit carrots from his dishes.

About Julien (hobbies):

under Chioris diligent tutelage, Julien masters all aspects of clothes-making, but has a particular affinity to embroidering. he even made arm bands for Max and [REDACTED] as a token of their friendship.

----------

and thats it for the introductory lore drop for Jules! i didnt realize till actually writing it all out how very close he is with Chiori, Chevvy barely got a mention lol. theyre not at odds or anything! but due to the nature of his interests and talents, he bonds w Chiori more.

and ofc i had to tease my 3rd child in a redacted mention 😉

oh, id like to include a footnote about how i picked Juliens name cuz its kinda incredible how well it lined up. so here was my process: im like ok, hes the son of a fashion designer and himself has interest in that, lemme name him after a famous couturier. *google list of couturiers, open the wiki page* hm no.. no.. nah.. ooh Julien, i had an old coworker i liked named Julian (w an A tho), how abt that? *click to that wiki page* turns out before getting into fashion bud went to uni for biology/ medicine! and Jules is a healer! also his last name means like furnace or sth and Juliens element is pyro. i must emphasize, these are all aspects of him i worked out BEFORE choosing his name. isnt that crazy? its like the universe aligned for me to make this boi 😸

[pokemedia-text-dump]

Teko vs Cera, Round 3

[Video ID: The Crystal Pool in the morning, taken from a Rotom Phone from behind Teko, who's sitting on the ground right in front of it.

"Wow...this place really is pretty, you know?" he muses. "I could just look at this all day..." A Koffing lazily drifts by over the pool.

"Alright, I'm here...Let's get this over with." a voice can be heard off to the side. Teko and the camera turn to face it, revealing it to be Cera on a Cyclizar.

"Ah, hey! You made it! You got everyone you need for the battle?" Teko says.

"Yep!" Cera says, smiling and patting her bag.

"One more thing. Uh...Can I play the music this time?" Teko asks as he gets into position.

"Huh? Why?" Cera asks in response.

"Well, the last two times we battled, you were playing the music, because it was more of a fight against you. You're fighting me this time!" Teko says.

"I'm not too fond of the idea of listening to your trash...but I guess I can allow it." Cera says begrudgingly as her and the Cyclizar get into position.

"Aww, how sweet." Teko says dryly. "But never mind that...You ready?"

"Hah! Are you ready to lose, is more like it!" Cera laughs.

"Let's see if you can keep up that attitude once I SMASH YA TO PIECES!!" Teko cackles in response, sending out a Tinkaton. He yanks the Rotom Phone out of the air and taps it a few times, and "YO, BUDDY - Deltarune: The Other Puppet" starts playing. "I don't think we can set up Stealth Rock with Truck Freak as her lead...Let's lead off with Play Rough, Cotton!" he yells. The Tinkaton charges forwards, screaming.

"Not on my watch! Truck Freak, teach this fool a lesson with Wild Charge!" Cera yells in response. The Cyclizar charges forwards as an orb of electricity begins to build up on its snout. Right before impact, it aligns the orb with the Tinkaton's gut. Once it meets the Tinkaton, the orb explodes violently, knocking both it and the Tinkaton backwards, the Tinkaton being launched noticeably harder, while the Cyclizar does a backflip and lands back on its feet, though it struggles to get back up slightly. Meanwhile, the Tinkaton tumbles a bit and manages to stop itself using its hammer, leaving a gash as it scrapes against the ground. It manages to get back up, battered.

"Hm...Impressive!" Teko muses. "She shifted most of the recoil to Cotton instead...Why haven't I thought of that?"

"Adequate job, Truck Freak. Finish this with Rapid Spin!" Cera says.

"You still got this, Cotton! Try to counter with Gigaton Hammer!" Teko yells in response. The Tinkaton's hammer glows as it assumes a defensive position.

The Cyclizar starts spinning on its tail to the point its entire body becomes a blur, then springs up and dives towards the Tinkaton, still spinning, like a drill. Upon impact, the Tinkaton catches the Cyclizar with the hammer, then smashes it against the ground with the Cyclizar on top, flattening it as the hammer gets stuck in the ground. The Cyclizar manages to get up again, struggling visibly. Cera thinks for a bit.

"Truck Freak...Wild Charge, again." she says. The Cyclizar nods in understanding.

As the Tinkaton struggles to loose its hammer from the ground, the Cyclizar charges, but this time the orb of electricity surrounds its entire head instead. The impact makes a much bigger explosion than the last time, and both the Cyclizar and the Tinkaton get thrown back, unconscious. Both trainers recall the Pokemon into their Poke Balls.

"Hey, that was pretty smart!" Teko says, surprised.

"Oh, this is your first time fighting someone competent, isn't it? Well, I'm certainly not about to disappoint! Cyno! Get out here and clobber this idiot!" Cera chuckles, sending out a Lucario.

"If anyone's about to get disappointed, it's you. You're up, Patapon!" Teko replies, sending out a Falinks with a satchel of SilverPowder tied around its horn.

"This one seems more squishy, I guess? Let's hit them with First Impression!" Teko says, hesitantly.

The Falinks stack up into a tower, with the brass at the top. The brass yells, and the Falinks curl up into a circle. Their horns glow as they roll towards the Lucario as one.

"Cyno, try to dodge it!" Cera yells.

Upon impact with the Lucario, it catches the wheel of Falinks, struggling to push them back. It eventually overpowers them, leaving them spinning in its arms, then suplexes them, breaking the circle.

"Whoa...Cyno's a lot more powerful than I thought! We'd best power up too...Patapon, use No Retreat!"

The Falinks troopers focus as a red aura builds up around them. Cera's eyes light up, realizing her moment to strike.

"...CYNO! PSYCHIC! NOW!!" she yells.

The Lucario's eyes glow as it raises its arms, and the Falinks troopers are lifted up into the air surrounded by a blue aura before they can finish No Retreat. The Lucario claps its hands together, and the troopers get smashed into each other, falling down to the ground unconscious.

"Nice job, Cyn...uh, I mean...Don't get too proud of yourself, there. It wasn't anything special." Cera says. She starts out excited, then quickly corrects herself.

"Hey hey, two to one!" Teko chuckles. "I might have to step it up a bit...You got this, Monty!" he says, sending out a Skeledirge. The Flame Bird on its head is holding a serving of Leftovers.

"...really? This is the one guy Cyno knows exactly how to deal with! Take him out with Shadow Ball, will ya?" Cera giggles.

The Lucario charges an orb of dark purple energy, then jumps. At the peak of its jump, it fires the orb directly above the Skeledirge.

"Sidestep." Teko says, bored.

The Skeledirge hops to the side, causing the orb to detonate on the ground, narrowly missing it with the explosion.

"...Oh." Cera says, dismayed.

"Well, what did you expect?! That was literally the same play you used every time you fought me, you goober!" Teko cackles. "Nice one, Monty! Finish this with Torch Song!" he continues.

The Skeledirge makes a low rumbling in its throat as the flame bird puts the serving of Leftovers on its head. It roars along to the song, and the flame bird swoops towards the Lucario, knocking it unconscious with an explosion.

"...As I expected. Cyno, you piece of junk..." Cera chuckles under her breath.

"Ouch...That must have hurt..." Teko muses.

"Not by a long shot! Bazelgeuse! Win this for me!" Cera says, sending out a Dragapult.

"Alright...Let's open this one with Phantom Force." she says.

The Dragapult turns invisible, and a portal opens up in the ground.

"Huh...Well, it turned invisible...Try to figure out where it is with Flamethrower!" Teko says.

The Skeledirge opens its mouth, and a stream of flames shoots from it. The flame bird adds to it, and they spray it around wildly trying to find the Dragapult.

Another purple portal opens directly below the Skeledirge's feet, and the Dragapult soars out, knocking the Skeledirge high into the air before disappearing into another portal. It appears and disappears into portal after portal, as it and its Dreepy juggle the Skeledirge higher and higher into the air with each hit like a Smash combo, Teko punctuating each one with a small "Whoa!" Finally, it catches the Skeledirge on its head, then races back towards the ground, slamming it down and knocking it unconscious.

"SIIICK!! Whoaaa! Man, that was AWESOME! Ha ha...I WISH I could do something like that with Rathian! Woooo!" Teko cheers, his body jittering even more than normal.

"Are you...cheering for me? I knew you were brain damaged or something, but...really?" Cera asks smugly.

"The distortion SHOULDN'T I?! THAT was something worth cheering on! Come on, COME ON! I KNOW that isn't all you got?!" Teko cackles.

"Right you are! Send out the next sucker, will ya?" Cera giggles.

"Oh, I'm not done just yet...You remember RATHIAN, don't you?!" Teko says, sending out a Flutter Mane wearing a pair of Choice Specs.

Cera's grin falters. "...Oh boy." she mutters. "Uh...Hit them with Phantom Force again?" she says to the Dragapult.

The Dragapult dives into a portal on the ground.

"Heheheh...Rathian, use Shadow Ball..." Teko giggles. The Flutter Mane charges up an orb of purple energy in its ribbons. A portal opens up, but the Flutter Mane immediately moves the orb above the portal. No sooner than the Dragapult leaves the portal does it crash into the Shadow Ball, which detonates and knocks it unconscious.

"...Clever. ...For you, at any rate." Cera concedes. "I can still do this, though...Let's show 'em what we've learned, Glaivenus!" she says, sending out a Baxcalibur with a Loaded Dice tied around its neck, which roars as it turns its dorsal fin to the Flutter Mane.

"Well, we've decided on a move...Hit it again, Rathian!" Teko yells.

The Flutter Mane charges up another energy orb and fires it. The explosion knocks the Baxcalibur back noticeably.

"...Wait, we know how to deal with you! Hit them with Iron Head, Glaivenus!"

The Baxcalibur charges as the plating atop its head glows white, leaping towards the Flutter Mane. It tries to escape, but the Baxcalibur manages to grab it by the ribbons, using them to strap it to its head as it dives down towards the ground headfirst, grinding the Flutter Mane against its head. The Flutter Mane rolls away, unconscious.

"...Huh." Teko says. "Let's see if Rathalos will fare any better..." he continues, sending out a Roaring Moon.

"Hmm...I don't know if this'll work, but...Glaivenus, hit it with Glaive Rush." Cera mutters.

The Baxcalibur stands on its head and charges a huge blast of Dragon energy in its mouth.

"I think she's planning the same thing as last time, Rathalos...Open wide!" Teko giggles. The Roaring Moon assumes a defensive stance, its open jaws pointed at the Baxcalibur.

The Baxcalibur uses the energy to propel itself blade-first at the Roaring Moon like a rocket, and the Roaring Moon catches it by the blade in its mouth.

"NOW! DOWN!! AIM IT DOWN, GLAIVENUS!!" Cera screams.

The Baxcalibur fires the Dragon energy downwards, lifting it and the Roaring Moon upwards, and sort of suplexes it using the fin caught in its jaws as they arc upwards, flipping the Roaring Moon on its back, where it struggles helplessly.

"WH-WHAAA?!" Teko yells as his jaw drops. "C-come on, Rathalos! You can still do this! Get up, man!"

"It worked! IT WORKED!! You saw that, right, Glaivenus?! Our plan worked!" Cera yells happily, pointing at the immobilized Roaring Moon. "It's on the ropes...END them with Scale Shot!"

The Baxcalibur shakes its upper back to the beat of the song, and fires out several bursts of scales, also in time to the song. It holds up its Loaded Dice, and the scales shoot towards the Roaring Moon like missiles all at once, knocking it unconscious.

"So...You ready to give up, and save yourself the embarrassment, or do I have to knock some sense into you myself?" Cera asks.

"Man, that therapy hasn't changed you one lick, has it?! Whee hee hee hee...I'm fighting to the VERY LAST!! Kick her shit in, Maou!" Teko cackles manically, sending out a shiny Kingambit.

"Hey buddy buddy, ga-puddi...Yo, buddy, ga-puddi!" Teko cheers along with the song, in an attempt to hype up the Kingambit. His body is trembling even more now from adrenaline.

"Oh boy, this is the really annoying one..." Cera muses. "Uh...try hitting it with Glaive Rush again?"

"Nuh-uh! Counter with Iron Head!" Teko yells.

The Baxcalibur hurtles blade-first towards the Kingambit, which is in a defensive position. Right before impact, it parries the Baxcalibur's fin with its glowing horn blade, knocking it to the ground after getting knocked back a little. The Baxcalibur falls to the ground, unconscious.

"Welp, here comes the sweep...Let's see what you can do, Grunty..." Cera says, sending out a Hatterene.

"This one should be easy for you, Maou! Let's set up with Swords Dance!" Teko yells.

The Kingambit focuses, and several energy swords spin around it, cloaking it in a red aura.

"...Hmm..." Cera muses, before her eyes light up. "Grunty, set up Psychic Terrain."

The Hatterene slams its tentacle on the ground, filling the battlefield with swirling psychic energy.

"Now's our chance, Maou! Put her down with Iron Head again!" Teko says.

The Kingambit jumps up in the air, then dives down towards the Hatterene horn-first. When the dust clears, the Hatterene is sprawled out unconscious.

Cera breathes out deeply. "Here goes nothing...I believe in you, Samus!" she says, sending out an Armarouge with a Focus Sash tied around its head. She pulls out a Tera Orb from her Bag, sets it on the ground as it charges up energy, then, after bouncing it on her knees a bit, kicks it towards the Armarouge, Terastallizing it into a Psychic-type.

"WOOOO HOO HOO HOO!! So much fun, fun, FUN!! Let's give this party the send off it DESERVES!!" Teko cackles, manic, as his entire body shudders. He pulls a Tera Orb out of his pocket, bites its rim, spins around as it siphons up energy, and tosses it towards the Kingambit like a shotput, causing it to Terastallize into a Fairy-type.

"Alright, its weaknesses changed! Now! Hit it with Flash Cannon!!" Cera yells.

The Armarouge slams its pauldrons together, charges up an orb of silvery light, then fires a big beam at the Kingambit, tossing it back. The Tera Jewel atop the Kingambit's head shatters, and it doesn't get back up as Teko's jaw drops again.

"I...I won?" Cera says, incredulous. "I WON?! ALL RIGHT, I WON!!" she cheers. The Armarouge hops on her back, and they begin dancing around together.

"WOOOOOOO!!! YEAH!! Man, that was EPIC!! So damn cool! I wish I could erase that fight from my eyeballs and do it AGAIN!! Aha ha ha haaah!!" Teko cackles, hopping up and down. His Rotom Phone stops playing music.

"W...wait, you're not upset that you lost or anything? ...Why?" Cera asks.

"Uh, because you won! Obviously! We agreed on this entire thing because you wanted to see how strong you had gotten, dumbass!" Teko yells, slugging Cera in the arm while grinning ear to ear.

"Wha...I...I guess? This was probably just a fluke, though..." Cera stammers.

"Nuh-uh! You've gotten plenty powerful, you know that? Did you SEE that cool shit you were pulling in that fight?! Like that thing you did with Glaivenus...You managed to turn Rathalos' jaws against them, and then you suplexed them and stuff, and it was all like 'PFWOOOM!!'" he continues, miming an explosion with his hands.

"I can't understand a word that's coming out of your mouth, you babbling lunatic...It sounds nice, so I appreciate it regardless, though." Cera says, grinning and blushing slightly.

"Woo hoo hoo...Grusha ain't gonna stand a chance against you in that Gym match, man!" Teko says, beaming with pride. "I'm so happy I got to watch you get stronger..."

"Well...I'm glad I got you got to teach me." Cera says. "...But if you tell anyone about this, I'm going to grind your bones into powder."

"Whaaaat?? Nooo, why would I tell people I'm proud of you??" Teko says sarcastically. "Let's go get our teams fixed up, huh? We gotta get ready to leave...There's a long plane ride waiting for us."

He grabs his Rotom Phone out of the air, and the video cuts out.]