#i used to hate drawing on magma but now i love it there ever since i learned about sensitivity and opacity on there

[drag00ni]

Magma with friends

[ayamturd]

end│dreamwastaken

summary: dream was once your everything that you would do anything for; what happens when you finally confront the reality of his manipulation and sadistic destruction?

prompt: “we’re both at fault here, and now we both have to pay the price.” 

warnings: descriptive manipulation, a single curse word, angst

pairing: in-game c!dream

a/n: this is my entry for @sleepysoupi​‘s 1.8k event! it goes without saying how late i am considering she’s currently working on her 2.0k event, but still a huge congratulatory to her amazing success and obvious, well deserved recognition <33 we love soupi in this household, nothing less of the fact *^*

also i know the prison doesn’t work exactly like how i wrote it, but let’s pretend for the sake of this fic

wc: (1.6k) - m.list

“Don’t do this, y/n.”

The air was sticky and heavy. As the lava bubbled behind you, it felt as if the heat could reach out and smother you entirely; the subtle warmth that felt insufferably suffocating in the tight space was a large contrast to the dark, opaque walls. 

Although you stood in front of him by your own desire, habits quickly fell to place as he stood proudly above you. Chin raised, Dream’s shoulders were relaxed while he spoke to you. His words were firm, and with clenched fists, you swallowed harshly from his mocking tone. 

You could practically hear his condescending grin without looking in how belittling he addressed you, and you hated how familiar the speech was. 

“After all I’ve done for you, and you want to throw it all away?”

Despite all attempts, you unconsciously bowed your head down. Whether in unjustified guilt or the internal rage from his lies, you couldn’t say yourself. He noticed nonetheless, and played into your vulnerability further. 

He was the one defenseless in this scenario, yet he held all the power in the small cage between the two of you. 

“We made promises! ‘Till the very end, right?!” He began to raise his voice and feigned some form of heartbreak, taking a step dangerously closer to you while you stood there in frozen fear.

Staring harshly down at your feet, the weight of gravity pulled at your tears as they trickled down sparsely. This was different than when you originally confronted him mere hours ago. Here, you were alone and with no backing, no one to reassure you that you did the right thing. That he was a monster that had you blinded for so long.

That you were justified for betraying Dream. 

“Don’t play stupid with me now. You can’t act like I did this all alone. That I’m not the only sick fuck in the room who enjoys the-”

“Stop it,” you whispered with closed eyes. While your voice was small, it echoed so loudly and threw Dream off guard. He shook his head and with a dark chuckle, sneered disparagingly. 

“You really th-”

Your eyes opened as you unexpectedly interrupted him.

“No. For once in my life, I mean it. Shut your egotistical mouth for one goddamn second.”

Everything was in a frozen stand still as you snapped. 

Course tears ran steadily down your cheeks, yet your eyes held more strength than Dream could had ever perceived in that moment. It had been so long since you had lost your voice. Lost your confidence, your fire that drew him in in the first place. It had been so long since you felt like yourself again, the person you once were before he teared you down completely to his mercy. 

You swallowed sternly in exposed anxiety; when was the last time you saw his face like this? Saw his face at all, at that. 

The molten lava radiated the room, it being the main source of light in contrast to the faint glow of the lanterns built into the walls. When you had originally requested to see him one final time before he was officially locked away for good, you had no idea what you expected to see. You didn’t see anything, actually, since you couldn’t bring yourself to try and meet his eye line the entire time. 

Until now. 

As the magma shaded the room in a warm shine, his dull eyes gleamed a faded hue of ash green. His dirty blond hair was visible without his signature hoodie, his previous clothes stripped away and replaced with an attired uniform instead. He hid behind a mask for so long, it was surreal to see him as something so mundane and human.

Your mouth felt so dry from seeing him again. He almost looked like when you first laid eyes on him, that beautiful day when you thought you had fallen in love. How nice the sun felt, and how crisp the wind blew. The summer day was fresh and the sweet smell of honey pervaded the air. To think it was by mere chance he approached you in the white flower field, hidden in the depths of the forest with a charming smile and gentle hand.

How cruel reality liked to play with you and give you false hope that such love could truly exist. 

The memory brought a smoldering rage that made your heart race in return. Back straight, you dared a step towards him with a quiet, yet firm declaration. 

“I’m done making excuses for your lies. For your actions, for the hurt you cause, for you.”

Dream could barely register your words as you continued in growing fury. It was like the floodgates were open and you felt free to speak your truth. 

You were riding this new found wave and would hold nothing back anymore. 

“I let you get away with so much because I truly believed that I loved you. That my love could fix you, or change what you are.”

You stepped forward again, your finger shakily pointed at him. His mouth opened to respond but you spoke before he could try. You weren’t going to give him anything, you thought, he doesn’t deserve your silence.

“I went against everything I believed!” you suddenly yelled, “everything I stood for, everything I thought because of you!”

Your vision was a blur as your raw emotions came loose. You screamed from the top of your lungs to the point where your voice cracked with a head lifted high. 

“I let people get hurt! People I love and care for because I prioritized you over everything I had!”

Another step forward, your voice shook with quivered lips as a result of an ached and long scorned heart.

“To think I used to be so proud to say it, to say you were my everything and my world.” With a trembled exhale, you gathered yourself before finishing your thought. “Maybe I am stupid, but trust me when I say my ignorance was your freedom and my considered love a blind devotion.”

Dream’s face softened considerably, for he was at a loss for words and didn’t have anything to probe at anymore. It was his turn to suffer in a lost acceptance.

“I…”

Shaking your head, you scoffed with your head tilted in disbelief. Smiling darkly, you knew then and there you regained the power of the room and your self-assurance over him. How the turn tables.

“Funny how things change when you have no where to run. When you’re the one helpless and reliant.”

Standing strong with your arms crossed, you stared at him with such distaste. Dream’s brows furrowed with a clench jaw as he stepped even closer to you. He was now mere inches away and glared down at you from his given height. Even then, you wouldn’t back down any longer.

“I do love you, y/n. Everything I did, I did for us. You can’t leave me like this.” He gazed down with such intensity that your past you would have wanted to say something just to appease him entirely; you weren’t that person anymore, and you wouldn’t let him drag you down more than he already has. 

Dropping yours arms before stepping back, you messaged Sam without wavering your eye contact from him. 

“We’re both at fault here, and now we both have to pay the price of it alone.”

The sounded mechanics from outside the box indicated the lava dropping, signifying the end of your visit. Dream grew agitated at the thought of you leaving and dropped his eyes down in resent, a huge contrast to your relaxed and calm state. 

You moved backwards until your back threatened to be burned by the heat. 

“Here’s to loosing all those attachments you mentioned.”

Dream’s head snapped up from your words, but before he could attempt anything further, the Netherite divider rose and separated you both. The lava parted as you approached the platform, Sam visible from across the entrapping moat. He watched closely in regard to your safety and anything Dream might try with your back currently turned. 

Approaching the stone platform once deemed safe, you turned to face him a final time as the contraption slowly pulled you away. Your chin was raised, and your tears were dry in satisfaction to your found closure.

“You were right,” you affirmed, “we did make promises, and this is our end.”

Bonus:

Tommy had been tormenting Dream for the past few minutes or so, his obnoxious taunts a sign of recovery from all the trauma he had dealt with from his young age. He hid behind his humor, but was strong when confronting his abuser with no uncertainty then. 

“Who do you miss the most?”

Dream paused from fiddling with the leather of the book covers from the simple question. His hand began to curl around the thick material, and he drowned out Tommy’s rambling from behind him.

A familiar scent filled his senses, an old and precious memory uncovered from the oppressed depths of his mind. He pulled the book in hand open to a random, but intentional page, his callous fingers tracing over the stained ink.

He wasn’t an artist, and it easily would have been passed for messy, nonsense doodles, yet the drawing practically burned the paper as a reminder of his failed objectives.

The innocent azure bluets insulted him despite being his own creation.

Dream was done playing into Tommy’s confidence, and spoke lowly as his head turned further away from the boy.

“… I think you should go, Tommy."

[bamfdaddio]

X-Men Abridged: 1976

The X-Men, those fiery mutants that have sworn to protect a world that hates and fears them, are a cultural juggernaut with a long, tangled history. Want to unravel this tapestry? Then read the Abridged X-Men!

(X-Men 97 - 102) - by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum

If I ever participate in Drag Race, this will be my entrance look. (“Hear me, bitches! No longer am I the woman you knew! I am fierce! I am fashion incarnate! Now and forever, the winner of season 27!” *mugs at camera* ) (X-Men 101)

It really amazes me how quickly Claremont shifts things into high gear. One year in and he absolutely does not calm down, giving us both the Shi’ar, more Sentinels and the (motherfucking) Phoenix. SO LET'S GOOOO

You’d think that, as a telepath, Charles would be used to dreaming absolutely twisted shit, surfing everybody else´s freaky dream waves, but apparently, vividly dreaming of space is so exhausting that he needs a vacation.

To be fair, I’d be exhausted too if I dreamt of schizo space bugs on detailed splash pages. Get into it, Mr. Cockrum. (X-Men 97)

Meanwhile, Alex and Lorna have absconded to the sizzling Rio Diablo to work on their doctorates. It’s unclear what they’re studying (archaeology?) and where this Rio Diablo is (Panama, Chili, Ecuador?), but considering that Rio means River, I’m unsure whether drawing a dry dry desert is the appropriate setting. But hey, this was the pre-Google era and you’re not here for topographical nitpicking, so.

Lorna is shot by an unknown assailant and continues the long, long history of Polaris being mentally overtaken by other entities. Together with the equally not-himself Havoc, they travel back to NYC and attack the plane Xavier is boarding. The X-Men battle them, until it is revealed that these former not-quite-X-Men are in league with… Eric the Red?

Scott is all: But I was Eric the Red! Also, Eric the Red does not exist!

Xavier escapes, apparently not giving a fuck that all kinds of X-Men are demolishing the JFK airport, but the still-evil Havok and Polaris also get away. The X-Men are shook!

Some time later, The X-Men celebrate X-Mas at Rockefeller Square, where Claremont skips some steps in favour of narrative expediency. Moira and Sean are apparently in a relationship, Jean and Storm are the best of friends. It’s some pretty rough telling, not showing, but we’ll allow it, but only because the Storm/Jean-friendship is one of my favourite things.

What, you think only the movies indulged in Lee/Kirby-cameos? (X-Men 98)

Anyway, Jean and Scott are attacked by the Sentinels, who continue their trend of being way too sneaky for supersized racist robots! Xavier is kidnapped on his boat trip with super-duper scientist Peter Corbeau (seriously, he has two Nobel Prizes), while they steal away Jean, Sean and Logan in NYC. When they come to, there’s some gloating from Stephen Lang.

Jean Grey being a literal pin-up while delivering nazi-burns is such a big middle finger to everything she was in the sixties and I am here for it. (X-Men 98)

When the three kidnapped X-Men make a break for it and escape the Sentinel’s clutches, they burst through a wall, only to be greeted by the cold vacuum of space! They’re not on Earth at all: they’re on a formerly SHIELD space station! GASP! (literally)

In secret, Peter Corbeau, inventor of sliced bread, helps the X-Men back on Earth board a space shuttle, where Colossus remembers his brother Mikhail (objectively the worst Rasputin), a kosmonaut who died at the launch of another spacecraft. It’s another Future Plotline Seed©.

The X-Men dodge solar storms which sounds like a made-up contrivance but aren’t, while the Sentinels try to destroy the shuttle. In what the kids these days call a pro-gamer move, the X-Men instead ram the space station and go through to these apparently sub-par Sentinels like Magma through butter. Kurt’s showmanship and Colossus’ loyalty are highlighted, while Cyclops becomes more robotic and repressed the more Jean is in danger.

Colossus’ secondary mutation is apparently BEING THE BIGGEST DORK. (X-Men 99)

Scott almost kills Stephen Lang, but then Stephen throws his ace in the hole at them: THE OLD X-MEN? This reveal throws us right in the hallmark one hundredth issue!

And, look. Stephen, this is just a terrible plan. Instead of using most of your budget on making more impressive Sentinels, you blow half of it on making janky X-Men clones to… what? Confuse the real X-Men?

It works for a hot minute, but Kurt and Ororo quickly figure out something is wrong. This Beast, for example, isn’t hairy and this Jean doesn’t remember being in Storm’s confidence. Wolverine is the first to snap: acting on instinct, he kills ‘Jean’, proving she’s an android.

Stephen Lang, foiled by the X-Men’s logical thinking skills (which, to be fair, are notoriously unreliable), spews some hatred and accidentally blows himself up. Nothing of value is lost.

Too bad the X-Men can’t return to Earth: their space shuttle is too damaged. I actually love this: going to space is kind of a big deal for most people and the fact that the X-Men have trouble because they’re stranded in space lends them a kind of vulnerability that has been lost over the recent years. Jean steps up to the plate, herds the other X-Men into the protected life cell and assumes the pilot seat of the shuttle. This is after zapping Cyclops into unconsciousness and telling the other X-Men to kindly fuck off when they try to stop her.

As the X-Men descend onto the Earth, Jean’s telekinesis isn’t enough to protect her as she’s engulfed by solar flares. OR IS SHE?

Nothing funny. All of these panels are just beautiful. Forget those robot copy X-Men, this is why this issue is worthy of being the hundredth one. (X-Men 100)

The space shuttle crashes, rolls over JFK airport before dunking in the water. The X-Men emerge, safe, sound and very lucky and then, defying all odds, Jean emerges as the Phoenix. Fire, life incarnate, etc.

After a brief but melodramatic burst of energy, Jean collapses into unconsciousness and is hospitalized. Wolverine intends to bring her flowers (aw!), before throwing them out when he realizes the gal’s taken, establishing the X-Men’s most famous love triangle. (You can fuck right off with your Scott/Jean/Warren-bullshit.)

I’m not sure what my favorite thing is here: the absolutely bonkers everybody’s-elated-panel (special mention to Kurt’s boots and his bounce) or the subtle character beat where Kurt goes all heart-of-the-team and checks on Scott, who turns out to be not so stoic. (X-Men 101)

Charles orders all the X-Men (except Scott) to go on vacation, so he can take care of Jean. Like, Charles, you’d think they could just go hang out at the X-Mansion. Instead, they go to Ireland because Sean has conveniently inherited the ancestral Cassidy Keep.

All the X-Men dress up fancy for a welcoming feast, and it seems Kurt and Ororo are flirting? But sometimes, it also seems like Ororo and Piotr are flirting? Listen, I’m not judging: I love these polycule vibes from the early X-Men. Especially because neither Kurt nor Ororo have had particularly satisfying romantic plotlines for the past 20 years.

I’m not here to insinuate nothing, but last time I said “I enjoy being with both of you”, it ended up in a spitroast. (X-Men 101)

The soiree is interrupted by… THE JUGGERNAUT, BITCH, and Black Tom, Sean Cassidy’s evil cousin. They are hired by an unknown someone to kill the X-Men! Since nobody subtle is involved, they quickly wreck the castle and everybody tumbles into the dungeons. (Local news paper reports: gay power couple harasses ill-dressed American tourists.)

This story is mostly a vehicle to tells Ororo’s backstory: Storm, one of the few who could conceivably put up a fight to Cain Marko, feels caged by the cold rocks of Cassidy Keep and is incapacitated by her claustrophobia.

Back in the USA, Charles, who’s heard Storm’s mental anguish, is furious with Scott because he doesn’t hop in a plane to save the other X-Men, even though Scott correctly points out that he’ll never get there in time if he leaves now. Meanwhile, Jean awakens, convinced she somehow brought herself back to life. Yeah, you go girl.

While the rest of the X-Men fight the evil duo in Ireland, Claremont tells Storm’s backstory in a few gorgeous spreads.

“I could write a novel about Storm’s backstory.” “You get two pages.” “Deal.” (X-Men 102)

Another classic comics trope appears here, where family members are immune to one another’s powers. I have no idea how Black Tom is immune to Banshee’s sonic scream - he has ears.

Does Black Tom just have a voice in his ears going NEENER NEENER NEENER when Sean screams? (X-Men 102)

When Storm finally pulls herself back together, it’s too late: the Juggernaut has pummeled the other X-Men into a paste and she also falls to his onslaught. IS THIS THE END OF THE X-MEN?!

Other things introduced this year:

Kurt’s image inducer, which he abuses to look like Errol Flynn. (I would abuse it to look like an amalgam of Milo Ventimiglia (ca. Gilmore Girls) and Timothée Chardonnay. OR like Emmy Raver-Lampman.)

The fastball special!

All kinds of name confusion: Lorna is Polaris, Havok is sometimes Havoc and Piotr becomes Peter.

Best new character: Phoenix. Hit me with that iconic shit.

What to read: The Stephen Lang arc is not fully necessary, just read issue 100 and 101. Don’t skip issue 102 if you want to know all about Storm’s past.

[dr-stone-things]

Your blog is just perfect! I just love how you write the characters :) Can I have some headcanons for Senku, Tsukasa and Gen? How would they comfort their s/o after a nightmare? Thanks!!

Sure!! No problem!! I hope you like these ❤️❤️also!! manga spoils for Tsukasa’s one!! (these got kinda cheesy?? lmao) (also the nightmares are kinda shitty?? sorry lmao)

Senku, Tsukasa, and Gen Comforting S/O After Nightmare HCS

S/o and him were relaxing after a long day of grueling work. Both of them were ready to conk out for the day and sleep. And somehow, Senku was in the mood to cuddle. Well, Senku’s idea of cuddling isn’t really how most people cuddle. 

They were lying on the soft grass right outside the lab, both them of deciding that they were too tired to move an inch. The moon was high in the sky, the star’s twinkling. Senku’s arm was loosely wrapped around his s/o’s and he could feel s/o’s face nuzzle into his chest.

S/o slightly squeezed his hand and intertwined their fingers with his, mumbling a “Goodnight, love,” before quickly dozing off. Senku’s ears went red, it still embarrassed him when they said things like that. 

Senku is actually a pretty light sleeper, so the shuffling of s/o woke him up. 

Senku’s eyes slowly opened, blinking, slightly annoyed that he had woken up. A tinkle of pain shot through his chest as he snapped and was fully away now. 

Even though it was dark outside, the stars in the sky provided enough light to see s/o’s face twisted in pain. He felt their fingers grip into his clothes and his hand was being squeezed by theirs. 

“Senku…” they mumbled, “don’t go… don’t leave me alone..” 

For once, Senku felt a painful twinge in his heart. He knew what was happening. His beloved s/o was having a nightmare. 

Senku gently shook them awake, watching as their teary eyes opened. He ran his fingers through their hair, fully waking them up. 

“Senku…!” they gasped as they buried their face into his chest. They quietly sobbed. 

Senku wasn’t too sure of what to do. I mean, he never saw them act like this. He kept holding them and caressing their hair. 

“I had a nightmare about when Tsukasa killed you,” they began, “but you never woke up…” 

Senku remained silent. “S/o, look. It’s the Big Dipper.” 

“What?” S/o looked at him incredulously and then looked at the sky. “Yeah, I see it too.” 

He pointed to another spot in the sky. “Over there is the Orion.” S/o followed his line of sight and nodded. 

“And over there is Vega, the star of love. Of star crossed lovers,” he grinned, watching as his s/o’s face turned bright red. 

“S/o, you don’t have to worry about me leaving you anything soon. Tsukasa can’t do anything to us right now.” 

S/o smiled into his chest as their eyelids got heavy once again. “Thank you Senku..”

“Kukuku, anything for you s/o.”

“Mhmm… I love you, Senku” 

There was a pause. Senku softly smiled as he watched his s/o doze off once again.

“I love you too s/o, ten billion percent.”

“S/o-chan, s/o-chan! Let’s just go to sleep already!” Gen whined as he wrapped his arms around s/o and rested his head on the crook of their neck.

“Alright Gen, I’m coming! Geez, you’re persistent,” s/o huffed as they gave into his request. Gen cheered as he tugged on their hand. S/o gently smiled at his silliness. 

They both collapsed on their shared bed, their muscles sore from the days’ work. Immediately, Gen pulled s/o close, snaking his arms around their body and burying his face into them. 

S/o chuckled, responding by wrapping one arm around him and caressing his hair with the other. “Nighty-night, Gen.”

He grinned, tightening his hold on them. “You too, workaholic.” Soon, they both fell into a slumber.

In the middle of the night, Gen sleepily opened his eyes, his head still murky. 

Pull.

Gen furrowed his brows at the tug at his hair. Was it just his imagination?

Pull.

This time it was harder. Gen touched the spot where he felt the pain. He felt s/o’s hand. Oh, it was just them. As he traced the lines on their hand, he felt something was off. S/o’s hand felt agitated as if something was bothering them. And since when did they ever pull his hair this hard?

He decided to take a look at s/o’s face. They were sweating hard, biting their lip hard enough to draw blood. Their eyes were squeezed shut, as they huffed uncomfortably. 

Gen frowned. It was obvious what was happening, as he quickly woke s/o up from their nightmare. S/o wearily opened their eyes and blinked as they lifted their hand to cup Gen’s cheek. “Thank God.. you’re alive!” they sobbed as they launched themselves into his chest.

Gen stroked their hair softly as he held them, whispering “It’s ok, I’m here” and sweet nothings. Gen is actually really good at comforting s/o.

S/o’s crying reduced into just hiccups as their grip on his shirt loosened. “It was the worse Gen… you died.”

“I died?”

“Yea..! I dreamt the time Magma had beat you up and-”

Giggle.

S/o had abruptly stopped talking as they heard the sound. They looked up and to their surprise, Gen was trying to hold back a laugh.

“Gen!! This is really serious you know!” they pouted.

“I know but… the way you said it was so cute! And your limited vocabulary… yea Magma totally ‘beat me up’… haha!”

“Gen!” s/o bit their lip trying to stop their laughter, playfully hit his chest. “I can’t believe you!”

Gen smiled as he caught s/o fists and tangled his fingers with theirs. “S/o, don’t sweat the small stuff. I’m not planning on dying anytime soon. Why would I when I have my cute and adorable s/o by my side?” 

S/o blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed but comforted. “Thank you, Gen.”

“Anything for my honey.”

(I decided to make this take place after Hyoga had, you know, literally backstab him. But instead, he doesn’t need to get frozen!! And he’s fine!! Just sore!!)

S/o had insisted that he take a break and get some rest. So both of you were currently retired for the day. Tsukasa’s arms were wrapped around their much smaller body, as his legs were tangled with theirs.

“Are you sure you’re fine? You aren’t uncomfortable?” s/o fretted as they looked up at him with concern.

Ah, how pure they were…

He gently smiled as he intertwined his fingers with s/o’s, the other hand tucking back a lock of hair behind their ear. “I really am fine, s/o. You don’t need to worry so much,” he soothingly said.

“I can’t help it! You could have almost..” they stopped their sentences as they placed a kiss on the spot he was stabbed. He smiled at the tingly happy feeling in his heart.

Cupping their cheek, he pecked their forehead reassuringly. “You should get some rest as well. I will be right here.”

S/o made a noise of agreement as they snuggled into his chest. They both succumbed to their tiredness and fell asleep.

Tsukasa is probably the lightest sleeper out of the three so it wasn’t that hard for him to wake up.

The sound of soft sobbing and mumbling woke him up. “S/o?”

He rubbed his eyes, and sure enough, s/o was there, tears streaming down their cheek. He frowned, his heart ached as he hated to see his beloved crying.

He gently shook his s/o awake, watching as s/o’s eyes opened. “Tsuka..!”

Tsukasa held them as they cried, wiping away every tear that appeared. He soothingly massaged their scalp, as he let them tangle their fingers into his long locks.

“I dreamt when you got hurt by Hyoga, but this time you, you, you-” s/o sputtered, unable to complete their sentence.

Tsukasa placed his finger on their soft lips, and other tilting their chin as he leaned in and kissed them lovingly. As he pulled away he rested his forehead on s/o’s.

“S/o, don’t cry,” he began, wiping away the last of their tears, “I am never going to leave you. I’ll be by your side, forever, and I hope that you’ll be by mine as well.” 

“Tsuka… I’ll always be with you! No matter what happens… I’ll always love you.”

Tsukasa smiled as he kissed them once again.

“I love you always, s/o.”

[justalittlelitnerd]

By A Thread by Lucy Score

We weren’t touching. But it felt like the space between us was charged with something. It was acting like a defibrillator on my heart.

This book had everything I want in a romance: a sassy, non-damsel heroine and a hero with soft boi vibes (I am a complete sucker for assholes covering up soft, warm centers). 

Don’t let the office romance aspect dissuade you (it’s obviously a common, but controversial trope in romance b/c power dynamics and whatnot), this is not ~in my experience~ a conventional office romance. 

First, Ally only ends up working at Dominic’s company after he gets her fired and his mom (who’s also his boss at the magazine she also owns) makes the job offer in reparation.  

Second, in addition to the two characters being completely at odds from the first meeting (he got her fired after all), Dominic is staunchly against an office romance not only because of his own values and awareness of power dynamics but because of his father’s history of sexual harrassment and assault. When they eventually fall into bed together (because duh this is a romance) he immediately offers to quit his job so the power dynamics of the office wouldn’t be an issue. 

That being said Dominic is an overbearing, and at times straight up controlling, son of a bitch (sorry as Ally would say his mother is lovely) and it made me want to throat punch him sometimes, but at the same time so did Ally’s stubbornness and pride. 

Score has a talent though for balance because any time Dominic started to get out of control, Ally wouldn’t hesitate to go head to head with him and speak her mind and the honesty and directness was refreshing. 

The ending felt a little bit rushed because clearly Dominic was trying (although in ways that were grossly overbearing and were exactly what Ally didn’t want him to do) and she made it clear that she couldn’t forgive him and I wanted more of a conversation or thought process to why she finally did aside from “that’s what love is.” 

This book was fun and funny and sarcastic and their banter made the story flow and is definitely the main reason I would consider rereading this romance.

Keep reading for some top notch quotes!

It wasn’t out of the kindness of my heart. I had neither kindness nor a heart. I considered it atonement for being an asshole.

Clearly, she wasn’t intimidated by an asshole in Hugo Boss with a haircut that cost more than her entire outfit. I basked in her disdain. It was miles more comfortable for me than the terrified glances and “Right away, Mr. Russo”s I got in the hallways at work.

It had been too long since I’d squashed a disrespectful underling. I itched to do it now. She looked not only like she could take it but that she might even enjoy it.

“Fine. But if she poisons me, I’ll sue her and her entire family. Her great-grandchildren will feel my wrath.” My mother sighed theatrically. “Who hurt you, darling?” It was a joke. But we both knew the answer wasn’t funny.

I knew he felt it, too. That unexpected jolt. Like taking a shot of whiskey or sticking a finger in a light socket. Maybe both at the same time. For one moment of pure insanity, I wondered if he intended to take me over his knee and if I’d let him.

I’d assumed they’d all get used to me. Apparently I’d assumed incorrectly. I was the beast to my mother’s beauty. The monster to the heroine. When they looked at me, they saw my father.

Her tone was steely and anger all but crackled off her. I hoped she got the guy’s balls in the divorce.

“You know, you’d be a lot prettier if you smiled once in a while,” she mused, fluttering her lashes. No wonder women hated it when men said that.

It was fucking cold. February was right around the corner, and if there was anything colder and damper than January in New York, it was fucking February. Of course, fashion didn’t heed below-freezing temperatures. No. Fashion made its own rules outside of time and space and temperature.

I, on the other hand, didn’t trust myself to survive even basic contact. Ally was only safe, my soul was only safe, as long as I didn’t touch her.

He was looming over me, but rather than threatening, it felt intimate, careful, almost safe. Like I wanted to be exactly here with exactly him.

Tell me the top five things you hate STAT. (This is the secret to finding out just how bad a person is in case you need it for interviewing future wives or human sacrifices.)

Somewhere along the line, she’d started talking to me like we were friends. As if that moment of honesty in the bar, those emails exchanged, had somehow made us friendly. And while I craved her next confession, I also couldn’t handle the intimacy. I was ripped down the middle. Torn between wanting to know everything there was to know about this woman and wanting to forget she existed.

I hated it when she walked away from me. It always felt like she took the light and heat with her. I added that to my Hate List.

Those blue eyes weren’t cold now. There was a victorious fire burning in them. And I was acutely aware that I was in immediate danger.

My heart was trying to blast its way out of my chest. I didn’t know where the organ had gotten actual sticks of dynamite, but that’s what was happening. My insides had turned to lava… or magma, whichever metaphor was most appropriate.

“Lots of people dance for money. Prima ballerinas, Jane Fonda, Laker Girls, back-up dancers, Rockettes. All women who make money by moving their bodies. There’s nothing remotely shameful about it,” Faith insisted. “You aren’t doing anything wrong. And anyone who tells you that you are is—” “Part of the patriarchy.”

I hoped to God security was up to the challenge tonight. Because if anyone laid a hand on her, one single finger on her, I was going to lose my shit.

I wondered if I was leaving a trail of body glitter behind me like I was a Questionable Life Choices Tinkerbell.

If mystery bothered him so much, this son of a bitch—wait, no. His mother was a lovely human being. This alphahole was going to suffer. I’d make sure of it.

I wanted to believe in my bones that he was doing this as some stupid mind game, that he got off on playing puppet master with my life. But deep down, I was worried that it was something much, much worse. Dominic Russo was trying to take care of me.

I was so pathetically happy that she was speaking to me in multisyllabic words I would have let her slap me across the face with the folder.

I walked back into the room feeling like Cinder-freaking-rella. If Cinderella’s fairy godmother had given her a sexy, skin-hugging gown the color of crimson or, as I liked to think of it, Dominic Russo’s crushed heart.

Everyone was hitting the open bar like it was last call, and those little appetizers were doing nothing to soak up the liquor. It was entertaining, but I had a feeling this is how bad things happened at office Christmas parties. Inhibitions lowered, tongues loosened, and shit went down.

Oh, boy. I’d heard rumors of Drunk Dominic. But they hadn’t prepared me for the reality of him. He was adorable… and in no way capable of functioning as creative director right now. I needed to get him home.

Damn it. My shattered broken heart was trying to knit itself back together just so it could fall for him all over again.

I hooked my pinky around his and tried not to fall in love with the idiot when he pressed his lips to our joined fingers.

Nights like these changed lives and were retold as stories for years to come. But I didn’t know what my story would be. Would it be the time the up-and-coming designer made me temporarily semi-famous? Or would it be the night I finally realized my heart belonged to a man I was never going to be with?

Tacos and home renovation supplies with an entrepreneur, a male exotic dancer, and a drag queen on her day off. Just another glamorous day in the life.

I spent the rest of the day on the couch, which delighted Brownie. We watched the entire first season of The Great British Baking Show and then three episodes of Queer Eye. I was inspired to order and to eat an entire sponge cake from the bakery three blocks over and pondered growing a beard. Then I pondered what Ally thought about beards. And the shame spiral began again.

“I’m not hiding this,” Dom said quietly. “I don’t think I could even if you asked me.” Okay, coming from Dominic Russo, maybe that was kind of a swoony thing to say. It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was real. These feelings felt real.

“I don’t need to be saved.” Dalessandra and I blinked at each other as the words came out of both our mouths in unison.

I wanted to take care of her. I wanted to take her worries and concerns and problems and solve every last one of them so she could focus all of her attention on me. And Brownie of course. I wasn’t a completely selfish monster.

I didn’t want her drawing lines when I wasn’t thinking clearly enough to redraw them properly. She would live here. She would have anything and everything she needed. No one would ever take advantage of her or lay a hand on her ever again. End of fucking story. I was her Prince Fucking Charming.

“Dom, of course people are going to talk. Trying to avoid being a topic of conversation is a pretty lame way to live life. Sometimes, accepting the discomfort is how good things are earned.”

It was disconcerting to wake up one day and find myself… well. Here. Making plans for two instead of one. Looking forward to sharing things like beds and weekends and closet space. I’d dated before. But I’d never gotten this deep, this fast. I’d never made space in my home for a woman before. Change was happening, and I didn’t know how I felt about it.

Ally didn’t bitch-slap, but Faith did it like it was an Olympic sport and she was a gold medalist.

“Everyone has baggage, Russo. Most of us are just smart enough not to hurl full-sized suitcases at the people we love.”

But sometimes an inch might as well be a mile. And I didn’t know how to cross it. I didn’t know how to ask him for what I needed. Because I didn’t know what I needed.

[cant-blink]

Small Steps

Summary: Takes place after Point Proven, where Rodan conveys Ni’s message to Ichi, as well as revealing to the alpha head a small detail about San’s troubled thoughts... Anyway, Rodan’s trying what he can to help, and maybe, his efforts aren’t going unnoticed?

-

It came to a surprise to Rodan that it wasn’t San that takes the final shift of the night, but Ichi.

Ni didn’t even give San a glance as he pushed his snout with force against his older brother’s, waking him quickly with a growl. It was a bit of a disappointment, as Rodan wanted an opportunity to speak to San one-on-one, and knew guard duty was the best time. Honestly though, he should probably be a bit more annoyed that he kept himself up for nothing, but it wasn’t as if he would be getting good sleep anyway.

Everything still hurt.

There were no words spoken between the brothers, not even a passing glare as Ni placed his head onto their curled up right tail. He had made no acknowledgement towards the bird, seemingly uncaring as to whether he would actually go through with telling Ichi his message or not.

Ichi shook himself a bit before yawning; he was clearly not used to having the last shift, but it seemed he was taking it anyway. Probably because San was in no condition to be keeping watch, Rodan should’ve known that sooner. Damn. But as he continued to watch with droopy eyes, he noticed that the middle head seemed tired in another way, not just from sleepiness. The way he looked at San, who was still motionless and silent under the wing, and then at Ni... 

Rodan knew the lead head had a lot on his shoulders. He can almost feel the weight himself as Ichi let out a breath. Never before has he seen him look so... defeated.

He wondered if it was a good idea to talk right now, but he decided to take the risk anyway. He lifted his head off the edge of the pool. “Hey, uh... Ghidorah?”

His voice was soft and thick with sleep deprivation, but it seemed to have startled Ichi nonetheless, as the dragon lifted his head sharply before turning to look at him from the corner of an eye. Despite his own tired state, his voice remained its usual firm tone. “You are to be asleep.”

“Yeah, I wish...” Rodan muttered a response. Ichi probably can’t even FATHOM how much Rodan wanted sleep to come so easily. But at least the lack of sleep meant that he was able to talk to each head privately, so there’s that little perk. Totally worth it, especially during a time like this. “Anyway, I was told to tell you something by your brother.” He nodded his head softly towards Ni and Ichi had a glint of surprise in his eye. He was no doubt amazed that Ni actually continued talking to him, especially given the lack of any new injuries adorning the bird’s body.

“Is that so?”

Rodan again nodded, glancing at Ni to make sure he was truly asleep before leaning forward a bit and muttering like he was sharing a secret. “Yeah, and to be honest...” Another quick glance at Ni. “I think he’s afraid.”

This earned a slow blink from the dragon, Ichi’s brows furrowing as he turned to look at the bird completely. He stared at Rodan intently, scanning him as if looking for signs of deception. But Rodan knew he was clean and Ichi must’ve seen that as he lets out a snort. “You are mistaken, then. Fear is not something Brother Ni, -or I for that matter-, is capable of feeling.”

Rodan felt he could argue with that... 

He wanted to argue with that. 

It would be SO great to argue with that!

But alas, he decided not to. He had more important matters than fucking around with potentially dangerous pokes at the dragon’s ego. Maybe some other time but the situation now was too serious for that. He instead shrugged, wincing a bit as he does. Yeah, both his shoulders did not like that movement at all.

“Well, it’s something, then. Just calling it how I see it.” He glanced at Ni again before continuing. “He wanted me to tell you: He doesn’t want to care about either of you because it’s weakness to love someone, and how it can leave you vulnerable to be exploited. He said San proves that with what happened earlier, and he doesn’t want to be put into that same position.”

Ichi doesn’t say anything to this, and the bird took that as an opportunity to continue. “That has me thinking he’s afraid. Afraid of getting hurt, like San was. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know. You know him better than me, obviously.”

“I see...” was all Ichi muttered, his eyes moving to his second-in-command. But Rodan figured that if he was going to talk, then he needed to cover all the bases with everything he knew, as his eyes flickered to San.

“Also, I think I should tell you what San said to me the other night. Y’know, that night after we became mates...” Although Ichi hasn’t turned back to him, he knew he had his attention regardless. “He was talking to me, saying how Ni hates him and he was trying to figure out how to get him to love him, and... He mentioned something that really seemed to bother him.”

“Get to the point, slave,” Ichi says, although it lacked any sort of angry edge.

“He was beginning to wonder if you hated him too...”

At once, Ichi looked to him and Rodan turned his eyes back to meet his.

“He said Ni bites him all the time, and how you do too. I think HE thinks that since Ni bites him and hates him, you biting him means that you hate him too. I told him that wasn’t true, but with what happened earlier, I wouldn’t be surprised if he now thinks that it is.”

Rodan wasn’t sure how to describe the look in Ichi’s eyes as the middle head turned to look towards San. He lifted the wing hiding the little one, revealing an uncleaned face and two small gleams of light. Eyes reflecting the glow of the lava. San was still awake after all, but his eyes were half-lidded, glassy, and unfocused. It was clear he wasn’t all there, and made no acknowledgement to the wing being lifted from him. It shattered Rodan’s heart to pieces to see his mate in such a state.

The pterosaur still had difficulty comprehending that San attacked Ichi like that. When he startled awake at the shrieking, he was certain his eyes was playing tricks on him when he saw San’s jaws latched onto the alpha’s throat like that. He thought he was confusing his left and right, and had to double check himself just to be sure it wasn’t Ni acting out.

How horrified he was when he realized that it really was San, and the horror increased when Ichi refused to let him save the little one from punishment. The screams, the tears...

But even through the terrible memories, he forced himself to continue. “Whatever happened when San attacked you, just... Don’t hate him for it.” The wrathful look in Ichi’s eyes during the incident haunted him as he said that. “Please, don’t hate him. I don’t think he can handle anymore...”

Ichi didn’t seem to hear him, or at least didn’t acknowledge him. Instead, he just stared silently at the youngest brother, face expressionless. Slowly, very slowly, he leaned down and nudged San’s snout with his own. The left head did nothing to respond, not even blinking. Really, if it wasn’t for the fact that he was drawing breath, Rodan would’ve easily mistaken him as being dead.

Really, it reminded him of how Ni looked after they mated...

Rodan doesn’t say anything more, letting the silence settle over them as the eldest gently nuzzled against San. To be honest, this was the first time the bird has ever seen Ichi do this. He didn’t seem adverse to affection like Ni was, but he didn’t exactly encourage it either. Whenever nuzzled or groomed by either San or himself, Ichi just lets it happen.

Of course, Rodan thought it was clear that Ichi cared a lot about his brothers and he does show affection in his own way. Just ‘his own way’ was rather subtle. But now, it seemed the alpha knew that San really needed the nuzzle, if just to show that his love remained intact despite what happened. To destroy whatever doubt San harbored over the matter.

Too bad San wasn’t actually there to see it...

Hopefully, things can get sorted by morning. Rodan told himself that he would make sure they at least TRY to talk to each other when morning comes. Even if it meant another fight with Ni and the risk of getting himself killed. He just wanted his mates to be happy again and since he was the one responsible for this whole mess to begin with, he should do everything in his power to fix it. 

Even if it killed him.

Without a word, Ichi pulled away and replaced their wing over his little brother like a blanket. He lets out another breath, and returned his eyes to the horizon. To the sky. Rodan wondered what thoughts were going through his head, and if there was anything he could do right now to help. Maybe...

He pulled himself from the volcano’s magma pool, barely earning a backward’s glance from the hydra at his sudden movement. He limped over to his mate slowly, respectfully, before he pushed his beak into Ichi’s neck.

The muscles beneath the golden scales seemed really tense, and Rodan realized just how tightly Ghidorah must’ve been holding themselves the past couple of days. All the stress and hardship between them really seemed to be taking a toll on Ichi, and Rodan admired how he’s been able to keep himself together during all this. A strong leader, he was without a doubt, but it seemed even he could use a bit of outside help. No matter how small. 

The pterosaur delicately spread his uninjured wing over their back to rest over them, hoping the heat from his body can help them relax. Ichi was already watching him from the corner of an eye, but Rodan was undeterred as his nuzzles turned into grooms.

Gentle, loving grooms.

The middle head just kept watching silently and did nothing to stop him, as is usually the case. After a few moments, the dragon turned his attention back to his guard duty but Rodan swore that maybe, JUST MAYBE, he felt Ichi lean a bit into him.

Or maybe that was just his tired mind playing tricks on him.

[fabrowrites]

White

Quick ficlet that's been running around in my head for a while. Cross posted on ffn.net.

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

Gene's wings blend in perfectly with the dark colors of Darkley's School for Bad Boys. "My parents are high-ranking members of a biker gang," he brags. The proof is there for everyone to see, too. Green and charcoal splatter across the top of his coverts, joined by the little patches of color from his large circle of adopted aunts and uncles and cousins.

Brad's wings have bright silver tips and when his mom brings him a care package, the same bright silver gleams from the soul-feathers mostly hidden near her back. "I never knew my father," he tells Lloyd one night, in a rare moment of vulnerability. "Haha, see? No indigo anywhere here." He unfurls his wings and spins, and the only other color on his feathers is Lloyd's own.

Even Finn, the magician's kid, has acid green feathers scattered throughout his white primaries and secondaries. They glow when he's angry; he says it's a side effect of being created from pure magic. Lloyd doesn't have a problem with that, not really. But the fact remains that even the kid magically spawned on some isolated island has a heart-color brightening his feathers.

And Lloyd? Lloyd's wings are as white as the day he was born. There's not a splotch of heart-color anywhere on them, and he's checked, too, every night before he goes to sleep. White wings are the worst kind. They announce to the whole wide world that nobody has ever loved him: no, not his mom, not his dad, not the friends he's grown up with since forever.

Oh, he remembers his mom. He remembers the wings speckled with gold and purple, folding around him in a gesture of safe. The same wings betraying him, leaving him alone and abandoned on the doorstep of Darkley's. The olive green heart-color never appearing on his own wings, no matter how many times he looked in a mirror.

He doesn't remember his dad. He knows that he left before he was born and that he was the one to paint his mom's feathers in purple. But there's no face to go along with this knowledge- only rumors, stories, and gossip.

It doesn't bother him. Really. If he just ignores the ache in his heart and the repulsed yet pitying looks of his teachers, he can get through his day just fine. Darkley's, however bad it might be, is way better than the outside world.

That's what he thinks for a while, at least. But it can't go on forever, and something inside him snaps as Finn taunts him one too many times over his lack of presents on his birthday. Who needs love when you can have fear instead? he thinks, as he seizes a cloak on his flight out of the building. He slips the fabric over his blank wings, blanketing them in the darkest color there is.

The kids at Darkley's usually have just the one or two heart-colors from their parents. Lloyd's not prepared for the sheer amount of color that almost everyone has on their wings. He wanders, wide-eyed, for several hours in the village outside his school. Then his head kicks in and he shoves his heart aside. He's out here for a reason. He's gonna be the greatest villain in Ninjago ever, and then, people will stare at him for something far better than his white wings.

The plan is perfect in his head. The execution, well, not so much. Four ninja drop from the sky and carry him off, kicking and screaming, to their flying ship. Oh, he hates it at first. But the ninja slowly win him over and he starts to think of them as not friends, not yet, but not enemies either.

Kai's flight feathers are painted in gold and blue, but most striking is the large patch of dark red feathers that cover his entire mantle and stretch out to most of his outer coverts. Lloyd doesn't know much about winglore, but Kai tells him that the mantle feathers often represent the protector. The rest of his coverts are specked with a rainbow of colors, but the largest three sections are the colors of the other ninja.

Jay's upper coverts are colored in gray and pale blue. Lloyd catches flashes of color on his inner wings when he's training, but the lightning ninja moves too fast for him to clearly see. The feathers near his left alula are tinted in a maroon that darkens with each passing day and creeps down farther and farther- the same color as the feathers on Kai's back. Cole's, Kai's, and Zane's colors tint the edge of his flight feathers, climbing higher every time Lloyd sees them.

Cole's feathers are dyed in a rich gold and a faded orange, each covering a piece of his wingtips. "The orange used to be brighter than this," Lloyd overhears him telling Jay one night, as he sneaks into the kitchen for a midnight snack. "But she, well, you know. I guess that's why it's my favorite color." Jay's heart-color- a brilliant blue- is the largest of the ninja's colors on his coverts, but the others shine brightly too.

Nya's wings are tapered, built for speed. The secondaries on each side of her back are colored in the same gold and blue on Kai's, and a burnt orange color spreads across her mantle and creeps down to blend with the others. Many spots of different colors speckle her wings, but the biggest of them is the same color as Jay's that takes up a whole four feathers on her coverts.

Like Lloyd, Zane's feathers are almost completely white. A sea green colors the secondaries of his right wing, but slowly spreading across his wingtips are the colors of the other ninja. Something about the ice ninja draws Lloyd to him. They sit together in the crow's nest for hours at end, Lloyd talking and Zane listening, and something clicks into place for him. It isn't long before Lloyd sees his own green appear on his alula.

And Lloyd checks his wings every night, when he's alone, and he doesn't have to hide. And every night he's met with the same image- blank wings meeting his blank stare that doesn't, can't understand what's so unloveable about him that he still has no heart-colors.

He looses his cloak when the serpentine capture him. It's unnerving. He been with it so long that he feels naked and vulnerable without it's weight, but the snakes seem not to know or care about the human's winglore. Cramped within the metal cage, his wings grow dusty and ragged. Broken feathers hang from their shafts, bent at odd angles where they get stuck between the bars of his cage. His skin itches much the same way it did when he had to get out of Darkley's, but this time it's much worse and worst of all, there's no escape he can see for him anytime soon.

Lloyd's not sure what to think when he sees the dark man inside the Fire Temple. The tingling in his coverts surges as they lock eyes, and Lloyd is left gasping, but the moment passes and he's tugged away as Pythor tries to flee the volcano.

The man chases after them. He throws snake after snake over the edge into the lava. He fights whole groups of them at a time, winning every match. His eyes never leave Lloyd. Lloyd's throat feels dry. Is this-?

But his thought never gets to finish. Pythor jerks the cage on its hook and the door flies open and Lloyd falls.

He screams. His wings flare, but they are too damaged, too weak from the long term of disuse to be helpful. He crashes into rock.

He's not sure how long he stays that way, only that suddenly a presence is at his side and helping him to his feet. Lloyd stands up and it's Kai, face flushed and hair spikes dropping into his face and the gold on his wings arching in a protective stance above him reflecting the glowing magma below.

They escape somehow. Lloyd doesn't know how. But they're back on the flying ship and Kai is getting congratulated by the ninja and the dark man is still watching him. Lloyd gulps. He's been waiting for this moment all his life, but now that it's here, he doesn't know what to do.

"Hello."

The room goes silent. The dark man still watches him. Lloyd takes a breath and starts again.

"Are you my father?"

He doesn't know what he wants the answer to be. Or, at least, he doesn't think he does. But when the dark man nods, slowly, like he isn't sure himself, something breaks inside Lloyd and he covers the distance between the two of them and flings his arms around his waist. Garmadon stiffens. Lloyd feels tears breaking at the corners of his eyes.

"Why?" he whispers, and in that one question there hide so many more. Fingers card through his hair. Lloyd chokes on his sob.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd," Garmadon says, and like the question before, it holds more words than were spoken. His voice is low and rough. It's just how Lloyd imagined it.

"Lloyd," he says again, "I've missed so much. I did not know I had a son, but now that I have you, I am never letting go." Crimson eyes stare into crimson. And Lloyd feels the same shiver from earlier crawling down his spine.

He breaks away abruptly. Is this-? He hardly dares to hope. Not caring what anyone else might think, he stretches out his wings, displaying the vulnerable inner feathers, and brings them around so he can see. Lloyd scrubs at his wing. The soot falls off, the dust and the ashes, and there.

His fingers stutter over the inner coverts of his left wing, over the deep purple coloring the unkempt feathers. His mouth opens; no words come out. Something taps his shoulder; he looks around to see Kai.

"Over here, silly. I know you must have felt it earlier, and I've gotta say, you couldn't ask for a better mantle cover." He grins, easy and cocky but there's something else in his eyes, something more vulnerable.

Lloyd twists his neck. There, just out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of burnt orange. His heart definitively skips a beat this time. Two heart-colors in one day, after a lifetime of no color. He keeps staring, looking back and forth between the two.

"You're acting like you've never seen a heart-color before," scoffs Kai. He's scuffing the toe of his boot against the deck floor.

Lloyd only nods dumbly.

Kai's face morphs into poorly disguised horror. "Wait a minute. What did they do to you at that bad boy's school? They don't paint your wings black, do they?" he asks, like having black wings is the worst thing he can imagine.

Lloyd laughs at that. It's kinda breathless, kinda sardonic, all around astonished.

"No," he says. "No, not black."

[sinfuldclights]

I’d like for everyone to meet Maribelle Watts

Name: Maribelle Watts 

Alias: Maribelle 

Age: 18 at time of death

Cause of Death: Drowning

Year of Death: 2020

Likes: Reading, Writing, Poetry, Songs, The Moon, Urban Exploring, Water, and making Origami.

Dislikes: The Sun, The Heat, Lava, Her powers, Hell, Loud Scenes, Modern Music, and Dancing.

Abilities: Not quite pyrokinesis, Mari can manipulate lava and magma. She can secrete it from her hands, as well as manipulate existing lava and magma.

Appearance: Maribelle is rather short for a demon, standing at 5′0 even. She has red skin, even out of demon form. In her more human like form, she has brown hair tinged with red. She has big red eyes, as well as thick eyebrows. She has a rather petite figure, and her arms and legs are wrapped with bandages. She looks younger than she is, having a presence that makes her seem smaller than she actually is too. In her more demonic form, she has goat like horns and her teeth sharpen into fangs. Her hands become claws, and her ears become pointed. Her feet appear almost reptilian, bringing in mind a dragon. When using her powers, her eyes glow yellow.

Personality:

**Protective** : Maribelle is a person who protects what she loves, and who she loves. She gets a sort of big sister instinct to anyone younger than her and who comes needing help. She’s also protective over her friends, wanting to stand between them and whatever might harm them. She is willing to take all the suffering in the world if it means her loved ones are safe. She will fight for her loved ones too, fuck with them you fuck with him.

**Compassionate** : Maribelle is an incredibly compassionate person. She shows sympathy and concern for others, and is always willing to help someone out. Most of the time she sees the wrong in the world and tries to fix it the best she can, she sees others plights and feels them in her soul, she will go above and beyond for others. She’s highly empathic, and doesn’t like to let others go without helping her the best she can. She feels others pain, and doesn’t want people to experience it.

**Logical** : Despite her emotional temper, Maribelle goes about making decisions in a logical way. She’s one of the more mature people in Hell, she always thinks and asks the why and how behind something. She thinks things through not with her heart but with her head, even if her head might be relentless sometimes. She’ll think about options and weigh them all carefully before going about her move in a normal, rational state of mind. I.E whenever her temper isn’t flared.

**Slightly Gullible** : Maribelle has issues with believing every sob story ever told. It’s part of her bleeding heart. She can get manipulated if someone is consistent enough and plays to her heartstrings. Maribelle isn’t someone who will believe gullible is written on the ceiling, but she’s not impossible to get to believe something that’s false if you keep it up.

**Self Image Issues** : Maribelle has a fair amount of self image issues. Maribelle doesn’t actively hate her appearance, but she does look in the mirror and longs for a few different features. Maribelle doesn’t like to talk about her body or show a lot of skin, and her hair is a whole different thing entirely. Self improvement is at the forefront of her mind.

**Intelligent** : Maribelle is very intelligent. She consistently makes good grades and is very thoughtful about what to do. She knows a lot about a lot, and is a polymath. She has a thirst for knowledge, and seeks to fill it. Not to mention her common sense, but plays into a whole different aspect of her intelligence. She can figure her way out of a situation pretty well, and is resourceful to boot. She’s consistently someone people think of when they think ‘smart person’. She actively likes to study, so she’s pretty studious.

**Philosophical** : Maribelle tends to get on her soapbox a little with her beliefs. She thinks about the state of the world, and the universe at large. She draws conclusions based on deep introspective thought that she puts a lot of effort into.

**Sensitive** : Maribelle is fairly sensitive when things come down to it. She’s easily offended, and is a champion for other people who she gets offended for on their behalf’s. Her emotions can be triggered by a hair, and can go from perfectly fine to punching someone in an instant. Speaking of which…

**Short Tempered**: Perhaps one of Maribelle’s defining traits, she’s very short tempered. Quick to explode, quick to get annoyed, she will be yelling and throwing punches in no time flat. She generally abhors violence, but at the same time sees it as a means to ends, making her quite the hypocrite. She can go off the rails fairly easily. She’s down to fight anyone, anywhere, for any reason. She’s someone who shouldn’t be crossed when mad. Her temper can be explosive, and she has a habit of doing things she regrets in this stage. She’ll snap back at people teasing her, she’s not uwu baby. To be fair, it’s usually a righteous anger. **usually**.

**Analytical** : Maribelle analyzes challenges and situations very thoroughly. She has a million different calculations running at once when she’s in a new environment, and the first thing she’s doing is sizing up the place. She tends to analyze things before going through with something, and she doesn’t accept things at first glance. She’s always looking for the second level that’s hidden. Even though she’s relatively optimistic and trusting, she’s still skeptical and needs her analytical side satisfied.

**Moral** : Maribelle has an extremely strong moral compass. It’s one of the few things about her she rarely compromises, although she does compromise on her beliefs occasionally. She generally believes that people are good, but bad things happen. She sees things in a bit of a black and white way, there’s wrong and there’s right. She doesn’t like dealing in the muddy middle. Maribelle follows her own beliefs, even if it gets her beat up or hurt. She does the right thing, and always seeks to do the right thing, except in very rare scenarios.

**Defensive** : Maribelle’s naturally very defensive. She always has something to back up her point. This makes her highly argumentative, and she doesn’t like to be proven wrong or challenged on her beliefs, she’s very stubborn.

**Imaginative** : Imaginative, Maribelle has a big mind that can come up with concepts creatively. She has a big imagination, and can dream up schemes and ways to make things happen on the right side of morality. She also doesn’t like to confine her thinking into a box, and she likes to imagine the wilder things in life.

**Persuasive** : She is naturally very persuasive. She can get others to believe what she wants them to believe and she can move a crowd to do what she needs them to do. She often uses this in speeches, but she’ll occasionally use it to serve her own purposes.

**Germaphobe** : Fuck outta here with those germs, miss her with that dirty shit.

History:

Maribelle was born to a wonderful and loving family. An only child, she was doted upon and given everything she could ever want. However, Maribelle was an oddball who preferred hanging around the water, and if she had to be around people, it would be adults. She did quite well in school, making a few friends here or there on various swim teams she would join. In elementary school, she wanted to be a Marine Biologist, combining her love for animals with her love for the sea. She has since kept that dream, although it is rather moot in hell. As they lived on the coast, Maribelle spent most of her time down by the ocean. She was never really heavily bullied, more like ignored would be a better word choice. She was the kid who would sit in the teachers room for lunch and hang out in the library during recess. Yep, she’s a nerd.

As she grew older, Maribelle gained an interest in other things besides the water, although it would always be her first love. She developed a fondness for words, words she couldn’t speak but could write. She loved writing beautiful words by moonlight, rocking in a hammock while the waves crashed in the distance. She began to take up urban exploring, she enjoys the feeling of discovering something new in an old building, and her curiosity was limitless. She loved the sea, and all of her hobbies. Sure she didn’t have a lot of friends, but she found comfort in her pleasures.

Unfortunately, this is how she died.

One day while Urban Exploring, she came across a book. A rather strange book, but a book nonetheless. Curious, Maribelle picked it up and read it. it was all in Latin. Deciding to take the book with her down to the beach, Mari sat on the dock and read. However, something compelled her to read aloud from the book.

So she did.

Now I know you are all shaking your heads going how stupid is this bitch, and let me just say, she’s a dumbass your honor.

Long story short, called forth a demon. She didn’t have any offerings with her, so the demon decided to take the only thing it could take from her to account for the troubles the demon had endured while being summoned.

The demon took her life.

She was left drowning, and despite being such a strong swimmer, she was no match for a demonic force that was pulling her under, under, and under.

Trivia:

-She does not like vegetables, preferring sweets.

  -She’s salty that her new form doesn’t allow her to be near water for extended periods of time, she loved the water and would often play with it.

  -Her main sin is wrath.

  -If she were to be recruited to the Hazbin Hotel, if she was not a guest, she would most likely go into marketing for the Hotel, such as managing accounts or not.

  -Her current occupation is a sales clerk at a store that gets frequently robbed. She’s used to people holding guns in her face.

  -Has a fondness for animals, they don’t like her.

  -Hasn’t tried the alcohol down in hell, wants to. But no one will serve even her.

-Maribelle is a mommas girl.

  -Aroace

-Doesn’t like dancing due to the fact that she is very clumsy.

  -Not a pushover, don’t test her.

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #154

"Alex, Alex, Alex and Herabrine”

[Alexis] Is making her way down towards the bay-

[Alexsezia] Is fishing with several cats laying around her. Behind her Smudge is cropping grass while China and Hellion take a nap together in their pen. There's a splash in the distance of Herabrine swimming in the bay.

[Alexis] Knocks on the side of Alexsezia's house- Mind some company?

[Alesexia] Looks up - Not at all. It's just a lazy afternoon. Want some chase and crackers? There's milk in the little trunk too. - Indicates a small trunk beside the horse pen.

[Alexis] - Sure, why not.  So, anything new happen lately?

[Alexsezia] Oh not much. I went to town a couple of times since we talked last. It's really become a lively place with all the kids running around. But the Testificates seem happier, it's all the fun of players with none of the griefing.

[Alexis] -I see, and, sorry again for punching you the last time we talked...

[Alexsezia] Juts out her jaw a bit at the memory. - I forgive you. You were distraught, I know how upsetting this is for you.

[Alexis] - Thanks...  I really do miss him so much, but it's so odd watching him as a child...

{Alexsezia] There's a tugging on the line and Alexsezia flips up the string and catches a salmon before tossing it out again. The cats swarm on it like hungry piranahs and pick it clean of pixels. - It is strange, but he seems happy at least. I feel like this experience may help mend the rift between him and his brother.

[Alexis] - That will be so strange at first.  Stevie did his best to protect me from CP back on the other servers

[Alexsezia] Cp's a dork. It's fun watching Doc annoy him. It's hard to remember how scary he used to be.

[Alexis] - Maybe for you.  The last time we encountered him personally, well, that was the first time he really tried to kill me...  I didn't realize how much Stevie was protecting me

[Alexsezia] Yeah... Things are so different here. I admit I've been watching most of it at a remove as well. I'm just looking at the result.

-There's a few ripples and bubbles in the water a little ways out-

[Alexis] - Yeah...  I wonder how Lie and CP will react once their house ends up being quiet again?

[Alexsezia] But it won't be quiet. There's still Ashe and Willow and Oak.

[Alexis] - Yes, but the dragons seem to grow up pretty fast

[Alexsezia] I think that won't be the case with Ashe. Since he's stunted, I think he'll be under his mothers wing for quite some time. - There's a little tug on the line and Alexsezia draws back a pair of iron boots. - Sheesh. Well at least they're enchanted.

[Alexis] - That's the white one...  right?

[Alexsezia] Yes, the one with the googles. Need a pair of boots? It looks like they have a mid-level unbreaking.

[Alexis] - Nah, I've got a higher one at home- She pops some chase into her mouth

-Another little splash-

[Alexsezia] Narrows her eyes as she stares at the water and then reels the line in again. The lobster flops off the end of the hook and scuttles across the blanket snipping it claws- Yikes!

-Chuckle from the water-

[Alexis] Grabs an arrow from her inventory and stabs the lobster-

[Alexsezia] I know you're out there. Stop messing around. If you want to talk come over here and stop putting dumb things on my line!

[Herabrine] Pops up in the shallows- You're no fun.

[Alexsezia] Any new gossip Hera?

[Herabrine] Grins hugely - I saw something I shouldn't have....

[Alexis] - What was it?

[Herabrine] Weeeeellll - she twiddles a bit of her hair between her fingers. -I saw Flicker and Priestess Beanz taking an early morning stroll by the shore.

[Alexsezia] Sneaky brine...

[Alexis] - Who?

[Alexsezia] Priestess Beanz was the high authority in Jebs main church on my old seed, she kinda got dragged in with us in the chaos of our escape from there.

[Herabrine] And Flicker is a weird Testificate gal who dresses like a creeper and keeps a huge amount of them as pets. They have a kind of hate hate thing going outwardly. There are a lot of people taking bets on when they'll snap from the sexual tension and pounce one another.

[Alexis] - I see...

[Alexsezia] But they argue all the damn time.

[Herabrine] So I know next to zip about you Alexsis, tell me everything. - She's grinning and flipping her plastic monofin idly in the shallows.

[Alexis] - Uh, well, like most Alex's I'm an archer, I like cooking and cleaning.  I really don't like staying in one place...  Oh and rabbits seem to really like me

[Alexsezia] You actually like doing the domestic thing? I've cooked for TLOT and Steve before but mostly because neither of them are that good at it. Well... TLOT has gotten better since we came here. But still, I prefer making potions to food.

[Herabrine] I'm technically an Alex, but honestly, I suck with a bow.

[Alexis] - The taste of potions kinda deters me from making them a bit, but I like things to be organized...  And Stevie can't cook worth a shit

[Herabrine] GK can't cook either. So glad I live alone. Just me and Maggie under the sea.

[Alexsezia] Doc mentioned that with Cp's potions. Yours taste bad too? Have you tried making any since you got here? Maybe it's a local ingredient thing affecting the taste?

[Herabrine] Idly uses her fin to flip a luckless fish into the midst of the cats.

[Alexis] - I've never had any of CP's potions, but I know mine are a bit better than Stevies. I haven't made any potions since getting here

[Alexsezia] Maybe that's something we should try, because mine don't taste nasty at all. Though not as good as Doc's, but I suspect xe puts sugar in theirs when no one is looking.

[Alexis] - We could try- She eats a bit more

[Herabrine] Rolls over to look at Alexsezia upside down - Am I welcome in your house Alexsezia? Even with my wet feet?

[Alexsezia] Rolls her eyes- As long as they're nice to the cats, everyone is welcome in my house.

[Herabrine] Awesome- she notices the impaled lobster and lifts it up on the arrow. - Who did this?

[Alexis] - I did

[Herabrine] Then I'll show you a trick - She draws up a tentacle of water and englobes the dead lobster

[Alexis] Watches with interest-

[Herabrine] puts one finger in the globe and it starts to steam and boil as if it were in a hot glass ball. After a minute she shakes the water off and holds the arrow out to Alexsis - Ready for eating. Just break the shell open.

[Alexsezia] Best thing Cp ever gave you huh?

[Herabrine] Yeah, usually he just gives me a headache

[Alexis] Frowns- CP gave you this?

[Herabrine] I went on a little astral excursion into the real world with him and basically made him my butt boy as payment for my assistance. He bought me a ton of shit. But these guys have really adapted well to life here and they're common all up and down the coast now.

[Alexis] - That just seems...  So strange for him...

[Herabrine] He bought me this too- waves the monofin like a mermaid tail.

[Alexsezia] Yeah because you badgered him. That was a nice piece of work.

[Alexsezia] Come on anyway Alexis, let's go inside and butter your bug before the meat gets cold.

[Alexis] Frowns- Finding it difficult to wrap her head around CP being even remotely nice

[Herabrine] kicks up her fin and puts it away, as she climbs out of the water it steams off her clothes and hair.

[Alexsezia] gathers up the trunk and fishing pole before leading them inside.

[Herabrine] I've actually never seen the inside of your house before. It's cute.

[Alexis] Pets some of the cats-

[Alexsezia] Gets out some butter and gives it to Alexis - Thank you. It's modest since it's just me and the kitties.

[Herabrine] You say that like there aren't tons of cats in here.

[Alexis] - She does have a point...

[Alexsezia] You have your hobbies, I have mine.

[Alexis] Takes the butter and heads for Alexsezia's kitchen-

-Cats smell the slightly fishy scent and some of them investigate Alexis-

[Alexis] - Oh hush, this isn't for you

[Herabrine] So what do you do all day Alexsezia? I don't see you go out much.

[Alexsezia] well.... I've been painting a lot.

[Alexis] - You've been making pictures?

[Alexsezia] Yeah, I use the little dye blobs. I figured out a way to connect the sheets of paper without making them into maps first too.

[Alexis] - Interesting...

[Alexsezia] I can show you how if you're artistically inclined. And what about you Hera, don't you get lonely hanging out underwater all the time?

[Alexis] - Not really, never really had time

[Herabrine] I kinda.... I miss the temple I guarded before I was.... changed. So I've been doing underwater builds.

[Alexsezia] Like what?

[Herabrine] There's a shrine with a decorative roof and an underwater garden so far. I made some little roads too.

[Alexis] - Neat, you said you had a pet?

[Herabrine] I have a small magma cube named Maggie. I just keep her in a pen in my house mostly.

[Alexis] - I see.- Starts eating the lobster

[Alexis] - The only thing in my house is the kitten Alexsezia gave me

[Alexis] - Hey Hera, how has Lie been lately?

[Alexsezia] You know if you want more pets there's nothing stopping you Alexsis.   I bet if you asked Deerheart she could even get you a Pokemon next time Doc takes her out.

[Herabrine] I don't know Alexis, she seems stressed lately. I think her trip to the so-called manor was a real eye-opener. I had my fun there mostly because I was traveling astrally and could just bring myself out of it and wake up here if it all got to be too much, plus it filtered the worst of the smells. Lie is... Well like her flowers, she needs certain things to flourish. And none of those things can exist in Slenders house except for Cp himself. And while she does love Stevie, the constant crush of him needing attention and her not getting intimate time with her husband is wearing on her.

[Alexis] - I see...  I keep wanting to go over there and check on Stevie at least...  Even though it still hurts a bit to think that he doesn't remember me...  But it's the thought of CP that keeps deterring me...

[Alexsezia] You just feel vulnerable since you're a human in a brines house...

[Herabrine] He's got no reason to be pissed at you though... And I could go with you. Or, I'm sure if you asked Doc, or TLOT that they'd say the same.

[Alexis] - Thanks, I'll keep it in mind.- She sighs and eats a bit more

[Alexis] - Although the last time CP and I really interacted was when I was helping Lie escape...

-there is a loud thump outside vin is outside holding gem under his arm she seems frustrated and struggling-

[Alexis] - Uh, what was that?

[Herabrine] I doubt he's forgotten about that, but it's kind of irrelevant now, don't you think?

[Alexis] - Ah, weeeeeeell, I did kinda supply the weapon for Lie to send him back to respawn...

[Alexsezia] glances out the window and stares - wait? Lie managed to kill him?

[Herabrine] Holy shit.

[Alexis] - Yeah, we were in a swamp, and Stevie had already taken a good chunk of his health out.  She got a hold of my bow and quiver which had landed in a bush after he ripped me off of my horse.  She shot him right between the ribs in the heart.

[Alexsezia] Now that's ironic.

[Herabrine] No shit. Beauty killed the beast.

[Alexis] - She was pretty terrified at the time, she had just escaped the Nether, ended up in a snow biome, and CP was determined to drag her back to the Nether

[Alexsezia] It doesn't matter, it's still an acomplishment. Usually it's the players getting turned to mush by brines.

[Herabrine] Gives a little warning growl.

[Alexsezia] I didn't say it was right! But you guys have a bigger health bar then even the ender dragon!

[Herabrine] Still looks miffed. - We have to live here. Players can log off.

[Alexis] - Like I said, Stevie had taken a good chunk of his health out already, but that was a remarkable shot on her end

[Alexis] - I can't imagine what things are like from your perspective Hera, that is, since you're a brine yourself

[Alexsezia] Agreed, I didn't know Lie was good with a bow. I'm not sure I've ever seen her with a weapon, besides her plants.

[Herabrine] I'm a bit less beset then the others. The NOTCHs probably don't even know I exist. Well apart from the one who cursed me and GK... and he seemed content to just watch us suffer.

[Alexis] - I'd say Lie is almost as good as us Alex's with a bow, and I suppose you're lucky at not really being known Hera.  It makes you less of a target from those outside of the seed, and pretty much makes you an ace up our sleeves

[Herabrine] Hmph. You guys don't always include me in your little circles. I'll help Lie because she's my friend. But I'm not sticking my neck out unless the server itself is in danger, I know how important it is to GK to keep Steffan safe at least. Otherwise, nope. Not unless there's something in it for me.

[Alexis] - I see...  You know we could see if Lie would want to come out hunting with us

[Herabrine] That's not much of a challenge....

[Alexis] - Why is that?"

[Herabrine] Because if I want to kill an animal I can form a water block around it's head and drown it.

[Alexis] Leans away a little- Please don't...  I meant with bows...

[Herabrine] Why? It's efficient and they die really quickly.

[Alexsezia] I think you're missing the point Hera.

[Herabrine] I thought you wanted to go hunt? The point is to kill some food right?

[Alexis] - Not this hunt, it's more of a...  skill check

[Herabrine] Cocks her head at an angle.

[Alexsezia] She means like a contest.

[Herabrine] Oh.

[Alexis] - And it's for fun

[Herabrine] Okay, but when it's my turn I'm gonna use my water beam. I'm not good with physical weapons.

[Alexis] - That's fine.  Should we just go see if Lie's available now?  I mean the three of us are already here...  And should we invite Sweet Alex?

[Herabrine] Rolls her eyes but no one notices- Whatever....

[Alexsezia] Is already typing in the chat. - It looks like she's by the fountain, she says she'll meet us by Lie's greenhouse.

[Alexis] - Great, we can probably borrow some of Lie's horses too if we wanted

[Herabrine] Floats a little off the floor - Yeah, not gonna bother with that.

[Alexis] - What is with brine kind and floating?

[Alexsezia] I'll just take Smudge.

[Herabrine] It's fun. And quicker them walking.

[Alexis] - Lucky

[Alexsezia] Goes outside -

[Alexis] Heads outside- Well, we better not keep the others waiting

[Herabrine] Shoots quickly behind Alexis and grabs her around the waist, holding her forward and flying her quickly less then two blocks above the ground.

[Alexsezia] Runs for her horse and is soon hot on their heels

[Alexis] Yelps in surprise-

[Herabrine] Goes up a bit and makes a quick loop before shooting up the side of the fountain and fast down the opposite side.

[Alexsezia] Leaps her horse over the water.

[Alexis] - HERA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?

[Sweet Alex] Is laughing below -I think it's called hot dogging!

[CP] Growls from inside his and Lie's bedroom-

[Lie] - Calm down CP, they're just having fun

[Sweet Alex] Is chasing underneath merrily as Herabrine zooms along with Alexis in her arms

[Herabrine] Come on! It's fun!

[Alexis] - And a bit terrifying!

[Herabrine] Goes up and makes a wide curve around - Doc is worse!

[Alexis] - I've noticed!

[Herabrine] Hey I know! - She goes super high and pulls a pair of elytra out of creative.

[Sweet Alex] Is just standing there shading her eyes, looking very tiny below

[Alexsezia] She doesn't know how to use those!

[Herabrine] No time like the present! - Slaps them on Alexis and lets her fall.

[Alexis] Shrieks as she falls-

[Herabrine] tps below her and bumps her up so the wings catch and spread

[Alexis] May be gliding now but cannot steer-

[Herabrine] Is flying along beside her. - You have to turn. Unless you want to go to Doc's castle instead of Lies house.

[Alexis] - HOW!?

[Herabrine] Grabs a wing and bends it down so Alexis is turning-

[Alexis] Yells as she turns too far and is heading towards Alexsezia's house-

[Herabrine] Is floating at speed above her and turns her again

[Alexis] Is now heading towards Lie's place- How do we reach the ground1/

[Herabrine] They'll naturally angle down. Just kinda tuck and roll right before you hit.

[Alexis] - LIKE NOW!?

[Herabrine] Now is good

[Alexis] Slams into the ground-

[Herabrine] That's not good.

[Alexsezia] Gallops up. - That wasn't much of a landing

[Sweet Alex] Is already on her - Are you hurt?!

[Alexis] Pushes herself up- Owww, I'm okay, taken worse then that

[Herabrine] Still fun though.

[Alexsezia] Hera...

[Alexis] Maybe after more practice

[Herabrine] What? She said it so bitter, like she was jelous.

[Sweet Alex] Elytra are better with a friend who can fly. I'm pretty good with them thanks to GK.

[Alexsezia] I think I'll stick with my horse.

*Firebird glides down and circles around them a bit

[Alexis] - I think I like the ground better too, but it would be a decent skill to learn

[Herabrine] Either way, keep em, with my blessings.

[Aweet Alex] Oh! What a pretty bird!

[Herabrine] Pfft. He's not a bird. That's a NOTCH. Mix's NOTCH to be precise.

[Alexsezia] Gives Firebird a suspicious look - Did Doc clear this one to be here?

[Firebird] Chirp.

[Herabrine] Yeeeah. He's some kinda pacifist.

[Sweet Alex] I think he's beautiful.

[Firebird] Chirp. *Tries to land on Sweet Alex's head or shoulder. Anything that's available.

[Alexis] - I'm betting CP's already tried to kill him...

[Sweet Alex] Want a cracker pretty birdie? - Offers one-

[Herabrine] Yep. Doc stopped him. Mix vouched for him and since they're also a brine they took responsibility for him.

[Alexis] - I don't think I've met Mix

[Sweet Alex] Wobbles under him, she's only a block and a half tall.

[Alexsezia] Look for a brine with dark skin and glowing freckles. She's very quiet and sweet.

[Alexis] - I see.  So, do we enter the demons lair?- Jabs a thumb at Lie's place

*Firebird takes the offered cracker and holds it in his beak happily.

[Herabrine] Cp? A demon? - Laughs- He's a pussycat.

[Alexsezia] Snorts - That's one dangerous kitty. You should have seen the damage he caused in my house, fireball scoring and cat piss everywhere!

[Sweet Alex] Falls flat under Firebird- Oof!

[Alexis] - I've seen him a few times as a cat...  Trying to hide under our house...

[Firebird] ... *Awkwardly hops off Sweet Alex

[Alexsezia] Yeaaah, he really shouldn't piss off TLOT, he may seem harmless but it's just because he's trying so hard to be a nice person. He's incredibly formidable if you challenge him.

[Sweet Alex] Dusts herself off. She pats Firebird- It's okay.

[Herabrine] grumbles- I wouldn't fight with him....

[Alexis] - I was luckily on the other side of the house, Stevie barely managed to scramble out of the way

[Firebird] Chirp! *Flaps wings a bit and eats his crackers finally

[Herabrine] I remember.

[Alexsezia] Well Cp trapped Doc. And they are close friends. Nether, everyone in my group owes Doc just for bringing us here. You didn't see what we escaped from.

[Alexis] - What did you escape from?  The NOTCH I know has always been kind to Stevie and I so I'm not really able to imagine what you may have gone through...

[Alexsezia] You don't know? Our NOTCH is a monster. He did terrible things to both TLOT and Steve. Trying to part them, kill them, attacking them even in their dreams. At the end I didn't even see our NOTCH. Just the wave of absolute destruction as something invisible and titanic smashed our Testificate village and ripped up the trees and earth as it stomped towards us.

[Sweet Alex] Is staring - really? Notch's can do that?

[Herabrine] That and worse.

[Alexis] - That...  Is terrifying

[CP] Is growing more agitated as he tries to focus on Lie-

[Herabrine] Why do you think none of us trust guys like this?- thumbs at Firebird.

[Alexsezia] TLOT is terrified of the Nether because of our NOTCH, he was left to suffer there once, crucifed with swords on a crude throne. Steve saved him.

*Annoyed feather ruffle

[Alexis] - Ours was just always so kind, I know Doc has said there were two, but...  I've only ever known one...

[Herabrine] What about Markus? You met him at the baby shower, right?

[Sweet Alex] This one seems harmless though. But I wonder why he's a bird?

[Alexis] - Oh that's right.  I didn't really talk to him though...

[Alexsezia] He's nice enough. He seems to really enjoy taking care of Stevie at least.

[Herabrine] He's a dork too. Did you see the hair Doc gave him?

[Alexis] - Is that what that is?  I thought it was some sort of animal with how much he was petting it

[Alexsezia] chuckles- It's because he's attracted to Flux. He plays with it whenever he spots her.

[Sweet Alex] Awwwwwww!

[Alexis] - Flux?

[Herabrine] Yeah the magic girl. I haven't met her but I've seen her around. She's nine shades of purple. Apparently she's sorta related to CP and Stevie?

[Sweet Alex] Really, is she their mom?

[Alexis] - I've never heard of her...

[Alexsezia] She just got here, a few days ago? I've seen her name in the chat.

[Alexis] - Lie probably knows more

[Herabrine] We should go bug her- She chucks a dirt block at the side of Lie's room.

[Sweet Alex] HERA!

[CP] Has had enough and slams open the bedroom door, storming out onto the bridge- ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!?  STOP FUCKING BUGGING US!

[Firebird] *ducks behind Sweet Alex

[Herabrine] - dissolves into a gale of giggles

[Sweet Alex] Turns an embarrassed pink

[Alexsezia] Points at Herabrine- she did it.

[Herabrine] Choking on her laughter - why are you naked?

[CP] Growls- WHY DO YOU THINK!?  STEVIE'S MINING WITH STEVE, THE DRAGONS ARE OUT AND SO IS FUCKING NOTCH!

[Alexsezia] Starts giggling as well.

[Sweet Alex] We should go!

[Herabrine] Pffft!

[CP] - YES!  GO!  LET ME FUCK MY WIFE FOR FUCKING ONCE!

[Herabrine] Can we go kill things now?

[Alexis] - I really hoped Lie could come with us...

[Alexsezia] Lie is busy. This can be an Alex only outing.

[CP] - Go...  Shoo

[Sweet Alex] I brought a bow. Can the bird come with us?

[Herabrine] Whatever, lets go.

[Alexsezia] Turns Smudge. - let's go out on the savannah

[Alexis] - C...  CP?  Can you let Lie know I'm borrowing a horse?

[CP] - Yeah fine whatever, just leave!

[Sweet Alex] Looks around in the area slightly beyond the house and saddles a wild pig.

[Herabrine] You are such a dweeb.

[Alexsezia] Is trotting along on Smudge. - Come on guys, lets go

[Alexis] Goes into the stable and comes out with a light bay colored horse and easily climbs on-

*Firebird takes to the air above them

[Alexis] Trots to catch up with Alexsezia and draws up beside her, pulling out her own bow-

[Herabrine] Points out a cluster of chickens - there you go, those are small targets.

[Alexis] - So who goes first?

[Sweet Alex] Me! - She pulls out a normal looking bow and aims for the closest chicken. She hits it, but just barely.

[Alexis] - Nice, my turn!- She notches an arrow and takes aim, releasing a steadying breath she releases the arrow, it strikes right in a chickens head

[Alexsezia] Is moving the bow around, trying to decide on a target. Finally she arcs the arrow up gently and and it comes down at a graceful angle, nearly hitting the bird from straight above.

[Herabrine] Makes a sniffing noise and does a little spin on one heel before unleashing an energy blast that not only kills the target, but cooks it as well.

[Alexis] - Oh, we're doing that are we?- Pulls out a bow with flame and fire aspect on it

[Sweet Alex] is lining up for another shot when the pig under her bumps her arm. The shot goes wild and the arrow sticks firmly in Firebirds rear as he flies over. - SORRY!

[Herabrine] Falls over laughing- Perfect shot!

[Alexis] - Oh, ouch...

[Alexsezia] I heard what you did to Steffan, what is it with you and shooting people in the butt?

[Sweet Alex] I'M SORRY!

[Alexis] - It's okay, if he comes over here we can remove it

[Herabrine] Hey birb-brain! Get over here!

[Herabrine] Turns back to Alexis - Lets see what you got Alex.

[Alexsezia] Makes a quick gallop around and picks up the dropped items.

[Alexis] There's a determined flash in Alexis' eye- You're on- She spots some pigs at a greater distance and takes aim and fires, she hits the farthest pig and it alights, showing that she did hit it.  It quickly dies and leaves behind a cooked porkchop

[Herabrine] Does a little flip in the air and throws a hand dramatically at a small pool of water. A clear tentacle of it rises up and grabs a cow before pulling it under the surface with barely a ripple.

[Sweet Alex] Holy crap.... that's kinda scary.

[Alexis] - Hmmm- She decides to notch two arrows on her string-  Let's see how well we can hit multiple targets at once

*Firebird lands and awkwardly tries to remove the arrow himself, looking very uncomfortable and in pain

[Alexsezia] Well I'm out, I can't do more then one arrow. Come here birdie. I'll get that arrow.

[Herabrine] Is searching for suitable targets.

[Alexis] Releases her double arrows on the two remaining pigs, both hit, not as solidly as she would have liked, but they hit-

*Firebird  hisses a bit softly

[Herabrine] Well, I can make waves that knock lots of players down at once, or a cluster of tendrils from one pool... But I can only do one energy blast from each hand. It's not much of an effort to aim anyway, I can just point at stuff.

[Alexsezia] Is trying to get close to Firebird.

*He flaps a wing at her, but that's about it

[Alexsezia] Pulls the arrow out with a little 'pook'

[Alexis] - Well Hera?  It's your turn

[Herabrone] Throws a pair of short blasts, the one from her left hand almost misses, but both of them nearly explode the chickens into clouds of feathers.

[Alexis] - Hmmm...  Seems we're about even...

[Herabrine] Yeah I usually just use my right hand or both clasped together.

[Alexis] - Only reason I can fire two arrows at once is because of CP's mobs...

[Sweet Alex] Necessity will always keep you in practice.

[Alexis] - Exactly

[Alexsezia] I've gotten pretty good at just avoiding the mobs. I kinda feel bad fighting the skeletons at least since I know what they actually are.

[Alexis] - What they actually are?

[Alexszia] On our seed at least, they're the remains of dead Steves. All TLOT's failed experiments before the one he fell in love with.

[Herabrine] Ours are just grunts. They're their own species.

[Alexis] - They...  They were like us?

[Sweet Alex] You've never talked to Steve's 'brothers'? Navy is a little serious, but most of them are very polite.

[Alexis] - I haven't really been around there much, plus it never really occurred to me...

[Sweet Alex] Do what I do if you want to visit someone. Make some food and take it over as a present.

[Alexsezia] Just be prepared to pay close attention. They can't really talk, they kinda do sign language.

[Alexis] - I know CP can speak to and understand his mobs, but Stevie and I can't...

[Herabrine] Look for any skeleton wearing a sweater and a hat. Some of the mounted one's patrol outside the town regularly.

[Alexsezia] I can't either. Just wave and smile. You'll get the hang of it quite quickly.

[Alexis] - I'll try.  Stevie's also mentioned one named Sam?

[Sweet Alex] Oh I love Sam, he's the best.

[Herabrine] genuine smile - He's the bartender at the brine bar. It's the building with the lava fountain beside the library

[Alexis] - Oh, I actually haven't been there...

[Alexsezia] Well it's not just brines only anymore. But there is still a sign that says humans have to be accompanied by a brine. They keep it up mostly for chuckles now.

[Herabrine] We can go there afterwards if you want.

[Alexis] - I'm not so sure...

[Herabrine] Why? You've got me. - grins hugely-

[Alexis] - You nearly gave me a heart attack earlier...

[Sweet Alex] Oh hush, it's safe

[Herabrine] That was just a bit of fun, and Elytra are rare items.

[Alexsezia] For anyone who can't access creative....

[Alexis] - I suppose we could go there...

[Herabrine] It's the middle of the day. It's unlikely any of the other brines besides me are even out of bed.

[Alexsezia] TLOT is probably just getting his coffee now, he's not a morning person.

[Alexis] - And as much as I hate to think about it, we know where CP and Lie is

[Sweet Alex] Gk might be around, but he's probably napping.

[Alexsezia] And I'd bet you an emerald Doc is way underground in hir lab and has been working on some project since mid-day yesterday.

[Alexis] - Good point

[Herabrine] Gathers up the rest of the meat. - Come on then, it's not that far away, we'll cut around the huge tree and skirt the fenced off forest thing.

[Sweet Alex] I heard there's a spooky clown in there.

[Alexis] - Really?

[Alexsezia] Yeah, another creepypasta, I hear music when I go by sometimes. It's weird. I get the feeling there's a much bigger area inside that small fence.

[Herabrine] Makes spooky noises-

[Alexis] - How is that possible?

[Alexsezia] No idea, but I'm not going in to find out, and neither should any of you.

[Alexis] - Hmmm...

[Sweet Alex] Looks into the trees - I wonder why someone would hide in there all alone?

[Alexis] - You said it was a creepy pasta?  Who knows...

[Alexsezia] I know it has something to do with all the new human kids in the village.

[Herabrine] Maybe he eats little kids!

[Alexis] - I noticed that, it's a lot of kids, isn't it?

[Sweet Alex] Hera! That's horrible!

[Alexsezia] More then could have been in there unnoticed. - thumbs at the small fenced in forest.

[Alexis] - That's for sure...

[Alexsezia] Clops past the library - It's just over here. There's a horse pen in the front.

[Alexis] - Good, don't want to lose Lie's horse

[Sweet Alex] Unsaddles the pig and gives it a pat before letting it loose. - Thank you piggy

[Herabrine] Makes a show of holding the door for them.

[Sweet Alex] Thank you Hera

[Alexis] Jumps into the pen before dismounting and climbing out of the pen and follows Sweet Alex in-

[Sam] Stops and stares at them for a moment before shaking hir head.

[Sweet Alex] Hi Sam. I brought friends.

[Alexis] Nervously looks around-

[Herabrine] Slaps the dead chickens on the counter. - Could you cook and sauce these up for us Sam?

[Sam] Shakes hir head egarly and bustles off into the kitchen with the meat.

[Alexsezia] Picks up a handful of darts and lobs them gently one by one into a target on the wall.

[Alexis] Takes a seat at a booth-

[Sweet Alex] Hops up on a barstool and makes it turn back and forth while kicking her feet.

[Sam] brings back the chicken with what's obviously four different glazes and passes it around with cups of lemonade.

[Alexsezia] I see TLOT was here.

[Alexis] Takes a glass-What is this?

[Alexsezia] It's juice from a type of fruit that Lie made. Something from the outside.

[Herabrine] Just try it, it's puckery  and sweet. - Takes a huge bite of chicken and eats it noisly

[Sweet Alex] Nibbles delicately.

[Alexis] Takes a sip- Not bad

[Sam] makes a questioning gesture at Alexsis-

[Sweet Alex] Sam this is Alexsis, she's with Cp's group.

[Sam] Gives a Alexis a look that conveys some obvious pity and pulls out a nicely decorated dessert with apples and whipped cream before setting it in front of her. He does some more hand waving, mimes cat ears on his own skull and makes an obvious wanking motion. Herabrine laughs in his direction

[Herabrine] Alexis, if it wasn't blazingly obvious xe basically says Cp's a wanker and here's something nice for you since Xe feels sorry for you for having to deal with his crap before he came here.

[Alexsezia] Yeah Sam's had a front-row seat to Cps stupid behavior several times.

[Sam] Holds up a couple of bony digits and makes a gesture at the floor and indicates the shape of flames.

[Alexsezia] Yeah.... Who builds a bar for Herobrine's out of wood anyway? Don't almost all of you run super high body temperatures even when you're in peak health?

[Herabrine] I dunno, I'm not super hot. And Lie must run cold for a brine since lava actually hardens on her.

[Sweet Alex] Doc isn't that hot are they? I thought their glitch was more an electrical thing then a heat issue?

[Alexsezia] Yeah, but TLOT is crazy hot. Steve told me once that he had to use a ghast-skin condom to top him. I was there the first time he tried without one and he only lasted a few minutes.

[Sweet Alex] Steve is bad in bed?

[Alexsezia] No! He burned his wiener and had to quit!

[Herabrine] is laughing so hard she can barely breathe-

[Sweet Alex] Wait.... Alexsezia.... Why were you watching them have sex? I thought you were ace like me?

[Alexsezia] I am, it's complicated... Suffice to say I didn't want to be there and I was pretty scared that TLOT would somehow trick Steve and hurt him for trying that. But I couldn't leave him alone with someone i was pretty sure at the time was a horrible monster.

[Alexis] - Can't really blame you for thinking that- Finished her food - Pretty good. As for the subject of sex, I can't really talk since I really didn't know about or till Stevie and I came here

[Alexsezia] I was wrong about him though, he just a made a terrible first impression out of desperation. Some brines need human fear just to survive.

[Herabrine] I heard about TLOT's little download to Stevie. The god of lust strikes again!

[Sweet Alex] Most of us are ace though, that makes you unique Alexis.

[Alexsezia] Yeah, guys are a hassle. For a long time Steve was the only other human I'd met and I just wasn't feeling it. He was made for his brine, literally.

[Sweet Alex] They're such a cute couple.

[Herabrine] When I first met GK I had the option to go after him, but it was more fun just to be his friend and wreck shit up with him. I'm not into relationships either.

[gem] -runs in and hides behind the pool table her wings are flapping it making it not hard to see-

[Herabrine] Whoah! What the fuck?

[Alexsezia] Yeah honestly...

[Alexis] - Um, who is this?

[gem] -she peaks out her wings still flapping- i'm gem.

[Herabrine] You're the accidental brine aren't you?

[Sweet Alex] Oh dear.

[gem] yea a notch mistook me for a brine because space angels also have glowing eyes just slightly different and made me a brine.

[Herabrine] See Alexis, this is what it looks like on our end. If your eyes shine, you're a target. Doesn't matter if you're not hurting anyone.

[Alexsezia] You didn't have wings last time I saw you.

[Alexis] - And those like my eventual brother in law don't help any?

[Herabrine] Well from what's Lie's told me; he was peaceful before the pretender NOTCH tried to delete him.

[gem] oh yea doc fixed my wings vin one of my guardians is trying to get me to stop flying around but I just want to keep flying I missed it

[Alexis] - That's the one I know, right?

[Herabrine] Yes, he's not the one who raised Cp and Stevie. That one died, quite recently.

[Sweet Alex] Why doesn't he want you to fly?

[Alexis] - Died? How is that possible?

[gem] because I have been flying for a while he wants me to rest.

[Herabrine] Because the one that made you tried to delete Stevie  and Cp's real father too. He was much more successful since Insanity had no interest in saving him.

[Sweet Alex] Well then you should rest a bit! Have some chicken, sit with us. We have lemonade too.

[Alexis] A worried expression crises her face-

[Alexsezia] Alexis.... I know a bit about this secondhand. Cp got to see him very briefly before he glitched out of existence.

[gem] -her wings rest back down and sits down at one of the booths- I would love some lemonade.

[Sam] Brings Gem a glass-

[gem] thank you sam -starts to drink the lemonade-

[Herabrine] Yeah he was a mess. He just moped in his cat form. Hiding in Lie's room for days.

[Alexis] - He did? And I'm guessing they haven't told Stevie

[Sweet Alex] What was wrong with your wings? Did you break one landing wrong?

[gem] oh the notch that attacked me ripped them off

[Herabrine] Why the fuck would they tell Stevie? He's just a little kid right now and he thinks Markus is his real dad. He'd be confused as hell and cry his eyes out.

[Sweet Alex] He what?! That's terrible! Alexis? Did you hear that? What the Nether....

[Alexis] - Exactly, that almost seems like something CP would do...

[Herabrine] You don't get it, do you? Cp loved Stevie when he was little this is like the old times before all the bad shit happened for him.

[Alexsezia] I saw the fear in his eyes when I told him what it would take to fix Stevie. He can't do it.

This message has been removed.

[Alexis] - I know I know, you told me

[Herabrine] Then don't expect him to break Stevie's hearts. -turns to Sweet Alex- He fucking what?

[gem] they didn't respawn when I did none of my injury's heal though respawn when that happened when I came back I was bleeding had extrea eyes and the notch was coming for me

[Sweet Alex] So some of these bits, are not... you?

[Alexis] - Sorry, it's just, I've never been able to see past the wrongs someone has done unless it's Stevie, and I'm beginning to wonder if it has to do with NOTCH...

[Alexsis] You think there's a bug in your programming that makes you prone to certain attitudes?

[Herabrine] That's shitty. I'd go talk to Doc about that right quickly.

[gem] I use to have three eyes now I have seven I think it might because my old eyes glowed so I needed new eyes to show I was a brine at that point.

[Alexis] - Well so far every Alex I've met here has been pretty forgiving... And I was made by the NOTCH that tried to remove CP...

[Sweet Alex] But they all glow. Do you want some of them removed?

[Alexsezia] That makes me suspicious. Has Doc ever given you a checkup?

[Alexis] - No

[gem] nah I see just fine if I have them or not I also have gown attached to the extra eyes

[Herabrine] Do it. I know they look ten shades of crazy but they know their shit.

[Sweet Alex] Smiles- as long as your comfortable. My friend GK taught me about dysphoria, I know it can be traumatic.

[Alexis] - Whatever it is can't be to strong can it? I mean, Endrea got past her coding, and she was designed to destroy CP

[Herabrine] Yeah but Cp also made a bargin with her to protect her at her most vulnerable state. He likes to wheel and deal with people. I take it he's never offered you anything you wanted?

[Alexsezia] Wait.... don't do that. If you have some kind of coding to make you respond certain ways to him, you might be a sleeper and not realize it.

[gem] I am just happy to have made so many friends on this server.

[Alexis] - No, he never tried to make a deal with me

[Herabrine] Fuuuuck. Alexsezia might be right. For all you know you're programmed to go berzerk if you make a deal with him, since it would be betraying your creator.

[Sweet Alex] You should come fly with me and Gk one day.

[Alexis] - Perhaps I should go see Doc then...

[gem] I would love to join you.

[Alexsezia] Do it. Better safe then sorry.

[Sweet Alex] Come visit me anytime. Well, not too early. It's hard to get him moving in the morning.

[Alexis] - Yeah, I just don't want to interrupt them if they are doing something...

[gem] I bet he seems like he likes to sleep.

[Alexsezia] That's impossible! They're always doing something. Even Cp can't handle the sheer amount of energy what they are naturally generates.

[Herabrine] Yeah, that's why he went crazy a while back and was chasing Doc all over the seed. He can't handle what they did to him without that goofy looking sword Honedge draining his energy.

[Alexis] - It drains his energy?

[Sweet Alex] Yeah he's silly like that, I guess being a giant dragon is tiring. Plus he's an older brine.

[Herabrine] Constantly, it's a ghost sword.

[gem] I would say the younger the dragon the more active they are

[Alexis] - Weird... Well would one of you at least be willing to come with me? Since I really don't know Doc that well...

[Sweet Alex] He's lived many many lifetimes.

[Herabrine] I'll go with you.

[Alexsezia] That works, I'll take Lie's horse and put it away.

[gem] see older and I have a tiny baby dragon that chills in my pond who is super hyperactive

[Sweet Alex] REALLY? That's so cute! I've never seen a water dragon except for the thing with the shell that Silver owns.

[Alexis] - Thanks

[Herabrine] Just take one of the skeleton horses outside. Doc is constantly moving them back and forth as need between here and the castle anyway

[gem] yea aqua like to spray people with water so I added glass in front of the path so they couldn't spray ben and aven.

[Sweet Alex] Oh no! That's so naughty! Oh Aven and BEN? Hows the baby doing?

[Alexis] - Got it, but first, let's finish eating

[Herabrine] pushes away the plate of bones in front of her. - Been done.

[gem] hyrule is super cute and happy.

[Sweet Alex] Awww. And the parents?

[gem] trying to get use to being parents still but are getting better.

[Sweet Alex] Well I'd love to babysit if they need help. I'm all about cute things.

[gem] it's pretty hard to see them even let have someone babysit ben is territorial and they are both still scared of water.

[Alexis] - Err, well...- Is finished herself but nervous about going to see Doc

[Herabrine] What's that face for? Doc is weird as fuck, but they're also ironclad on consent. They ain't gonna knock you down and sew a pair of wings to you, Gem asked for those.

[Sweet Alex] Well this is thier first kid.

[Alexis] - I know, I'm just... Nervous...

[Herabrine] Wiggles her stubby fingers- gonna go to the big spooky castle and visit the crazy doctor - oooooooo

[gem] I bet they are going to teach hyrule all about video games

[Alexis] - YOU ARE NOT HELPING!

[Sweet Alex] Being able to gamehop is a pretty special skill. Especially since one of them is a creepypasta that's had contact with Slender. They might need to hide.

[Herabrine] laughs- Don't be a weenie. And Deerheart asked Doc for what they got as well.

[Alexis] Sighs- Alright, let's get this over with

[gem] I will help protect hyrule ben and aven from slender

*Firebird pops into the bar in his other form

[Sweet Alex] I'm glad. I think we all need all the defenders we can get here.

[Herabrine] Shrieks-

[Sweet Alex] Who is that?

*Firebird freezes and steps back

[Firebird] Sorry

[gem] -sees firebird an scrambles down the ladder of the bar-

[Herabrine] Why did you shift back?

[Alexsezia] Hows your butt?

[Firebird] Comfort? And it hurts. *frowns a bit

[Herabrine] Snaps her fingers and spawns a healing potion before giving it a little slide down the bar. It comes to a stop near where Firebird is. - hmph.

[Alexsezia] Well, it's okay. You just startled us.

[gem] -is in the corner of the downstairs of the bar-

[Sweet Alex] Yells down the ladder - Gem? It's okay. He's not here to start anything.

[gem] but notch

*Firebird drinks the potion and sighs happily

[Sweet Alex] I know, but he was playing with us earlier and got hurt.

[gem] -doesn't leave her spot-

[Alexis] - Hera, should we make or escape?

[Sam] Looks at Firebird and then at the leftover chicken and thinks better of offering him any.

[Herabrine] Yeah come on, the skeles already have saddles, just grab one.

[Alexis] -Got it. See you guys later, we should hunt together more often- She heads for the door and the horse pen

[Firebird] Just a water, Sam. I'm not hungry.

[Sam] Gives him a glass of water with a little smile-

[Alexis] Climbs on one of the Skeleton horses and waits for Hera-

[Hera] Zips along about two blocks off the ground - Let's go!

[Alexis] Spurs the horse onwards and follows closely-

[makingawkwardsexy]

Stuff I Liked In 2017

I guess I want to do a little round up of a few Best Of lists I have so I can look back on things I enjoyed! Though for it, I’m not sticking to things released in 2017 but rather things I experienced in 2017. I don’t think I started any new live action shows that were worth it. 

Movies:

Baby Driver - oh man, this movie. The editing is great, the music is great. It’s a musical without singing. The feeling when you imagine yourself in a music video, but conveyed in a movie. I liked the movie a lot, it’s safe to say. Edgar Wright is possibly my favourite director now with his meticulous filmmaking in the movie. It also hired a deaf actor to play a deaf character and it’s so charming. The bad side is Kevin Spacey is in it.

Boy (2010) - Taika Waititi wasn’t on my radar for long before I saw this. It’s got charm, humour, and emotion. I can’t say much about this movie other than it was a pleasure to watch. It’s a coming of age story that was told by a director that is a cross between Edgar Wright and Wes Anderson (in my opinion).

John Wick Chapter 2 - it’s even more fun than the first one. If you just want a fun action movie, this would be the best one for 2017 I think. It’s nonstop gunfights and cool choreography. 

Logan - the first of three superhero movies on my the list. Logan was just a nice break from the standard superhero story we’ve been getting. It was serious and dark at times, it was touching as well, in it’s own way. Possibly the best shot superhero movie as well. 

Spider-Man: Homecoming - so I love Spider-Man and this may just be on this list because of that mostly. But, boy was I happy with what they did with Spidey. Sure, there are some parts that could be changed, but that’s the case with almost everything. 

Thor: Ragnarok - this movie could’ve been awful...it ended up being amazing. It was hilarious (to be expected with Taika Waititi to be fair). He knocked it out of the park and made the funniest superhero movie I’ve ever seen, and one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. 

Anime Movies: A Silent Voice (2016) - this movie is beautiful. By the end of it, I felt like I had experienced a whole TV series with the characters with how well done the character development was handled. It’s about a boy who bullied a deaf girl, and was subsequently shunned by everyone for being a prick (fair enough). They’re in high school now and he is trying to redeem himself, and tries to make amends with her. It’s a touching story with gut wrenching moments. 

Majokko Shimai no Yoyo to Nene ( Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene) (2013) - I didn’t expect too much when going into this, but it has some lovely art and animation. The story is fun as well. A nice adventure story that uses the “Magic Users Trapped In A Different World” trope well. 

Patema Inverted (2013) - an accident took place in the past, and now there are people who live underground. But not only that, their gravity is reversed. There are complications when the rich, dictatorship above ground discovers them. But the story is about a boy from the above and a girl from below who befriend each other and try to get the girl back to her people. They start to discover secrets along the way! Again, very lovely looking!

Anime Shows:

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011) - made by the same team behind Toradora, it’s a story about a group of friends who have grown apart since one of their friends died. They all blame themselves for it as well, which causes some lovely moments that are touching and heart breaking. What makes it interesting, however, is that one member can see their dead friend’s ghost who has returned for some reason. They try to help figure out why, whilst grappling with the conflicting emotions they feel (and the fact that they cannot see or hear her).

Erased (2016) - about a character who can reverse time to stop an event from happening. He has used it to save lives before, and suddenly he is transported to the far past, when he was in school. One of his schoolmates was murdered, so he is trying to find ways to prevent her murder. 

My Hero Academia (Season 2) - kind of a cheat, but it was a fun ride. I don’t like it a lot, which is weird, considering it’s going on this list, but there’s something about it that just draws me to it. It’s shounen, and typically so, but not obnoxiously so. Unlike Naruto, for example, I actually like the protagonist and his close friends. It’s generally a feel good show.

Ping Pong: the Animation (2014) - an ugly art style? Check. Initially unlikable characters? Check. But, man, it has some cool imagery when they play. It’s also an interesting take on sports anime from my limited experience with the genre. The director did the movie Mind Game, which is also an experience. 

ReLIFE (2016) - there are some things not too great about this show, but it really resonated with me at the time of watching. The main character feels like he’s wasting his life and has found it hard to get into employment after his first job. He’s offered a chance to re-do his life, which he accepts in a drunken state. When he wakes, he is 17 again and enrolled in school (this is the dodgy part). But ultimately the anime is a nice story of him using his experience in life to help students out. 

Shirobako (2015) - about a group of female friends who all want to make it in the anime industry in their respective roles. It is a very interesting anime that shows how anime is made really. It really highlights how difficult it is to make an animated show, and gives a diverse cast of characters as well. It really put me in creative moods after watching episodes, so that’s the main reason it’s on here.

Video Games: 

Moon Hunters (2016) - this game has pretty pixel art and also the portrait art for things is also very well done. You choose a class and go on an adventure to save your tribe from the Sun Cult. Along the way you can meet random people and interact with them, as well as take part in random events. Each choice builds your personality and gives you traits. The main thing that makes this game fun is that you can also do it with up to 4 friends, so it feels like you’re in your own Fellowship trying to save the world. 

Persona 5 - okay, favourite game ever. I hate the colour red, and this game made me love it. I love Persona 3 & 4, and this managed to exceed those expectations. The characters in it, the gameplay, the style of it. Oh boy, I don’t think I’ve played a cooler game. It won’t be for everyone, but if you get a chance to try it out, I would recommend it. 

Stick Fight: The Game - a silly physics based brawling game with guns that spawn that are as likely to get you killed using them as they are to kill your enemies. You need friends for it sadly, but you can play with up to 4 players and it’s a quick, fun, round-based party game.

Tekken 7 - I just like fighting games to be honest. It also has a bunch of female characters that don’t just fight like female characters do in older fighting games. They have some real brawling moves, which I dig! 

Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition - another cheating item on the list, I played the original version years ago. It’s an isometric RPG set in Greek mythology (and Egyptian and Norse as well). You can mix and match from a variety of classes, and play with friends. I enjoy running around with two wolves, a lightning wisp, and a nymph following me, whilst my friend can summon a magma golem. Pretty rad.