#i was just always waiting for Her movie where she’s a legit main player in everything

[vendriin]

Vampire Elder Amelia -

Underworld: Evolution (2006)

[strawberryjamsara]

was wondering what your thoughts are on the women of persona 3? I've seen you talk about yukari a lot but what do you think of mitsuru, fuuka, aigis and chidori?

I sort of had a big review of Persona 3 a while back where I talked about my feelings on reload and loving it after seeing a let’s play of the original and hating it. But to reiterate:

Mitsuru: She has a lot of shortcomings in the narrative, but I still think she’s pretty solidly written. I can at least see why she cares about her dad, in opposition to Haru’s cartoonishly evil father, though I wish the story spent a little more time having her grapple with the implications of inheriting the big evil coorporation that started this mess. Like, I know I’m biased because I hate capitalism, but I think she should have denounced the Kirijo name and did her own thing, and also punched that cop in the face too. I enjoy her arc about learning to open up and enjoy being a teen though. I will say, her social link is rubbish. Clearly written with shipping first and exploring her character waaaaaay last. So yeah, good character, could have been better.

Fuuka: I think too much of Fuukas arc was fromtloaded. When she shows up she’s seemingly weak willed, shown through how she can only sit back and scan enemies, but powerful in how she can get her bully to respect her through her kindness, and her scanning ability wins you the fight. But for most of the game, her dialogue is mostly just her finding the full moon enemies which is a shame. I think her final awakening might be the best in the game however, though it’s in stiff competition with Junpei. I think her bond with Natsuki is legit great. I got emotional when Natsuki was like ‘the biggest bitch in the school is leaving and you’re sad’ like noooooo Fuuka cares so much about you and that’s her strength! I will say, again, her social link is really bad. It’s not shippy bad like Mitsuru, but could they not think of a better story for this main character than learning how to cook?

Aigis: I said before that in my first watch of P3 I hated the game, and I REALLY didn’t like Aigis. Having this robot who buries her face in your bare chest and watches you sleep made me feel like I was witnessing somebodies fetish put into this jrpg. On a playthrough of reload however, I grew way more attached to her. The whole ‘robot learns to feel’ trope is very standard, but it’s one I love all the same, and there were a lot of moments I appreciated like Aigis getting excited over ladybugs, or imitating Junpei. I also think that SEES felt way more like actual friends when playing reload, which made me far more convinced that Aigis would come to see them as a found family rather than in the original where the mc would only interact with the other characters if they were romancable, and also cheating is mandatory. I also watched the movies after beating reload and this isn’t really relevant but: I sorta see Yukari as the main love interest in the game version and Aigis as the main love interest in the movies. But yes, it took me till reload but I really like Aigis. Oh yeah and her social link is 10/10. Just hanging around with her and letting her enjoy life. It’s always cuter, and more romantic when they do this with the social links instead of GET YOUR WAIFU GO FETCH.

Chidori: Chidori is so good. It makes me wish that the Persona series would have more ‘canon’ romances instead of making every woman that moves a romance option for the player because the romance between Chidori and Junpei is so fucking good. I think she’s a real embodiment of the themes the game has, of loving life and living to the fullest because it will end someday, instead of moping around waiting for it to happen. I think her existence also shows off how horrid Stregas mindset is, because they’re readily willing to dispose of her because of their belief that nothing in life matters. I love that she has a full character arc learning to appreciate life through the people around her, as her art begins to reflect this new state with her drawing of Junpei, and I LOVE if you engage with her and Junpeis love story and help encourage Junpei that it’s worth trying for this relationship you get to save her in the end! It’s a nice little ‘Okay, did you understand the themes we’re trying to put forward here? If so, you get a reward!’ moment. My one nitpick is, I wish that in the route you save her, she showed up during the ending. Maybe in the segment where you’re walking around, you see Junpei talking to her and when you question it he’s like ‘What are you talking about, Chidori’s been in this class for a while.’ I think it’d be cute. But yeah, 10/10

[captainsspnanon]

C2E72 - Clay and Dust - reaction

Alright, let’s see how many months it’s gonna take me to watch THIS episode. I am SO desperate to get to next episode, aka livestream of all time. (not long at all, luckily!)

Matt what the fuck is up with your mic quality??? I’m assuming that’ll get fixed shortly.

I adore this ad bit so much. First of all, Sam pretending that he can’t remember his kids’ names and how many he has??? This guy is the most loving father! But honestly, it’s all Liam’s monologue. We all know it’s all Liam’s monologue! SO GOOD. (I still have not seen the movie, but I think I watched the clip from it)

I’m so hyped for ‘please don’t kill me at a liveshow’ and ‘fuck it I’m a mammoth’ that I legit forgot that this was the episode where Fjord is a badass.

Honestly I’m surprised we still haven’t gotten the new art yet. I keep seeing Fjord without his beard and I’m like – wait that’s wrong. It’s a plus side of the pre-recorded, we get the art pretty much right away.

MAP MAP MAP MAP MAP I will always and forever love this group getting a map they are SO excited! Also it’s so weird that they are sounding out Uthodurn and not recognizing it (until Travis suddenly remembers EVERYTHING without even glancing at his notes). Oh hello little note that says Ruins of Molaesmyr. (….I literally just saw it and already forgot how to spell it. FUCK the name of that place, omg, I get it wrong every time.)

Knowing how this turns out, it’s fun to watch them all get very tense about the ghosts. Even Caduceus goes to ‘punch first’, with his whole aversion to undead. Travis definitely has a point though, C2 definite has a lot more of the ‘spooky’ combats as compared to C1. I also appreciate that Travis/Fjord is the first to point out that the ghosts aren’t messing with the Nein or acting aggressive.

(I just realized this is a very good episode to be watching on October 1st)

Is there ANYTHING more Mighty Nein than them walking along a lake packed full of ghosts and reading Tusk Love to them? I love it so much!

I am surprised that Matt nitpicked that Eagle!Caleb and Eagle!Jester can’t understand each other. I do get where he’s coming from, as Polymorph only changes the form to the animal and who knows if two real world eagles would be able to communicate such complex ideas as ‘take our friend and show her the smoke that we’re seeing so that she can communicate it with our other friends who we can’t currently talk with’, but I also feel like in a magical world where you can become a giant eagle through a magic spell, that intelligent creatures of the same form would be able to communicate with each other.

Sometimes it’s really the small quiet moments that are some of the best RP moments. Nott offers to help Caduceus do something alchemical with her residuum wholeheartedly, Caduceus turns and quietly asks Caleb what alchemical means, and Caleb gives a gentle simplified (maybe not fully accurate) explanation. It’s a small beat and doesn’t take it’s time or distract from the main conversation, just a little additional life for the PCs.

Unsure if Caleb/Liam is reacting to them talking about refined residuum, or if that’s just standard Caleb face. XD

Aaagh, Mom wants to watch CR together, which’ll be the liveshow. Guess I’m doing my rewatch SLIGHTLY out of order, as I still have two hours of this left to go, but I want to watch with her. XD Also means that next episode’s rewatch post is gonna likely be limited, as I won’t be sitting down and constantly pausing to type.

I appreciate that Taliesin/Caduceus asked if Whitestone was the closest place to get the refined residuum and Matt was able to say no. As much as the players clearly would have been down for it, Matt was still trying to keep things more separate. And I really appreciate the fact that, aside from Allura really, C2 is able to stand on it’s own feet. Even Artagan is so entwined into C2 that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know him from C1.

LOL at Marisha’s sheer excitement over Beau being able to read Dwarvish.

CORE ANVIL!!! Unsurprisingly, I was actually able to understand in my first watch through that this was a reference to C1. Knowing now that it’s where VM forged the trammels is a fun shoutout, but again, me not knowing for my first watch really didn’t have impact.

……...look I’m still trying to hold my resolve about not typing anything about C3 during these writeups, but oh it’s so fun to hear all sorts of hints dropped for stuff that we now know from C3.

Love the little tidbits of Jester writing smut and Caleb being so happy from just being able to read something new.

I completely forgot that Fjord asked Jester to message Vandran!

I’m guessing Matt rolled to see either if Vandran would be willing to answer, or rolling insight or something similar.

Travis is such an amazing role player oh my fucking god. Seriously *insert he’s got the range meme here* it is pure chefs kiss. I’ve loved all his PCs, main campaigns or one shots, but the introspective Fjord moments, the moments where he is insecure and freely accepts comfort from Jester (or later from the whole team), it just tugs at all the correct places of my heart. Caleb and Beau might be my favorite PCs (of all three main campaigns, actually), but I think Travis has steadily moved to be my favorite player at the table. (though that’s actually really hard because it’s actually all of them just depending on what moment I’m watching)

HE TOLD JESTER ABOUT HIS LOSS OF POWER!!!! Oh my god I completely forgot about this. This episode, despite being something that you’d think would be 100% Caduceus, is just FILLED with amazing Fjord moments, and we haven’t even reached The Part yet! Travis really made the decision that Fjord would be having a turning point here, with Vandran, sharing his fear, talking about his loss, and then The Part! I forget if we ever find out what triggered the change in behavior.

Fjord’s panic when Jester starts raising her voice when talking about bringing him to the Wildmother being their new mission, and his FACE when she keeps talking and promises to keep it quiet. I can’t pinpoint the moment where he starts to fall for her, but he’s definitely in the thick of it now.

I forgot about the dream too!!! I don’t think Fjord would have broken his pact the way he did if not for that dream, on top of all the conversation he had earlier. It was the exact right impetus to get him moving immediately, versus trying to puzzle out a way. It makes me wonder if Matt was prompted to make the dream because of the conversation Jester and Fjord had, or if Matt already planned for this to happen this night.

YOU. NEED. ME. MORE. THAN. I. NEED. YOU. GIVE. IT. BACK.

ONE OF THE BEST LINES OF THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!

No thoughts, no analysis, just me freaking out over one of the best moments EVER.

Fjord revealing all the truthes to the group, Caduceus being a great support, Nott making the greatest joke about Fjord’s strength EVER.

What an amazing second half of the episode, SO GOOD.

Gonna go watch the live show now with Mom, so who knows how that write up will be.

[study-coffee-chicago]

Stupid Game...But They’re All in High School This Time AU (A Halstead Brothers + Halstead Sister Imagine)

Trigger warning for very graphic attempted sexual assault

"What are the rules?" Jay asked you as you double-checked your backpack to make sure you had everything for the first day of your freshman year of high school.

You sighed and zipped up your backpack. Your two older brothers, Jay a junior, and Will a senior, had already gone over and over this with you. "No spaghetti straps, no backpacks in class--"

"Not written school rules," Jay told you, abruptly cutting you off. "Unwritten school rules."

"Oh," you said as Will entered the living room, holding his car keys in his hand. "Walk on the right side of the hallways, always remember your locker combination or write it somewhere so you will remember it after long breaks, and no talking to the varsity football players unless it's Adam, Kevin, or Kelly because all the rest of them are absolute douchebags."

"There it is," Jay said and grabbed onto the handle of your backpack. "And if someone does this?" He tugged hard and you flew backward.

"Turn around and swing," you told him and quickly regained your balance once he let go.

"Jesus, Jay," Will said and smacked Jay upside the head, resulting in Jay letting out an ow in response. "Don't scare the poor girl. No one's gonna do that. It only happens in the movies." He turned back to you. "Don't listen to him."

"So, all that unwritten rules stuff I can just forget?" you asked.

"No, that was all legit. Just the backpack tug thing was a lie. Now let's go before--"

"Will, Jay, Y/N!" The three of you groaned when you heard your mom's voice calling you and then stepping into the living room. "Take off your backpacks and go on the front porch."

The three of you groaned again.

"Mom," Jay whined. "Do you we have to take a first day of school picture every single year?"

"Yes. And it's your brother's first day of senior year and your sister's first day of high school in general. So, get out on the porch and quit complaining. The faster I take this picture, the faster the three of you can leave."

You all grumbled and then went out on the porch to take a picture. Even though it was early September in Chicago, it was sweltering hot out. You thanked your lucky stars that Will's car had working AC because you knew that some of your friend's older siblings didn't have working AC in their cars and they always complained about how hot it was on the ride to and from school. But, it was better than taking the bus.

Once you had finished taking the pictures (and Jay pulled your hair in one of them so Will told Jay he has to sit in the backseat on the way to school and you got the passenger seat), you got in Will's car.

***

"So, meet you right here after school?" you asked Will when you entered the high school through the double doors of the main entrance.

"Yup. Jay, you got a ride home from soccer practice?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Adam's dropping me off at home. But I swear to God if I have to sit in the backseat one more time--"

"Give it a rest. I could've stepped on your foot, but I figured you'd need it for soccer. So, I let you off easy."

"Whatever," Jay mumbled.

You started to walk towards the freshman hallway and wondered why Jay and Will were still walking with you when you passed the junior and senior lockers. But, then you saw a huge group of varsity football players in the long hallway between the sophomore and freshman hallways, pointing at girls they thought got prettier or skinnier over the summer or new freshman girls for them to hit on or have a one night fling with.

"I'm gonna need to tell Kelly to keep his boys in line," Jay said to Will.

"No shit," Will replied.

"Don't you creeps have anything better to do?" Jay yelled at them. "And, I see at least three of you who are eighteen, so I'd recommend you stop ogling at minors and get back to watching tapes or something so we can actually make it to the playoffs this year."

"And what are you--" a football player who was obviously new on varsity stepped forward and started to say, but another one pulled him back.

"Dude, he's stronger than he looks and they're both best friends with Severide. So, shut the fuck up," he told the new varsity player.

"Yeah, listen to your friend," Will said. "C'mon, Y/N, just keep walking."

You did as he told you and shook off the weird encounter.

"They stop after homecoming," Will told you as he took a piece of paper from you and looked at what locker number you had.

"What do you mean after homecoming?" you asked.

Jay and Will shared a look. They had never told you about the game the football players had from late September/early October until homecoming which was usually mid-October/late October.

"We'll explain later," Will said. You walked a few more steps until you found your locker.

Next to you, there was a girl with blond hair who was wearing a flannel and jeans and brown combat boots who was helping a freshman with their locker as well.

"Alright," Will said. "So, this is your combination. Don't feel bad if you forget it after Christmas or spring break. Everyone goes to the office to ask for their combo when they get back, so don't feel embarrassed about it."

Will showed you how to unlock your locker, but it didn't budge. He tried it again. Nothing. Then, he let Jay have a go at it. Again, nothing.

"Need help?" the blond next to you asked. She was now done helping the other freshman with their locker.

Jay opened his mouth to tell her no, but you said yes faster than he could answer.

Will handed her the paper with the combination and she tried it. Nothing.

She looked down at another paper she was holding. "Ah, I know why this one isn't working. It's on the flagged list."

"The flagged list?" you asked.

"Yeah. They didn't have time to fix  some of the lockers during the summer, but they'll be getting to them this weekend, so you should only have to deal with it being crappy like this the first week," she answered.

She tried your combination again, pushed up on the lock, and then kicked the bottom of the locker.

It opened.

"Upton!" A teacher yelled. "No kicking lockers!"

"This one was flagged!" she yelled back. "Only way to get it to open!"

"Fine. I guess it's okay for this week." The teacher narrowed his eyes. "Halstead."

"Mr. Williams," Jay said and then turned back and rolled his eyes.

"What's up with him?" you asked Will.

"Yeah, Jay may or not have fired spitballs at Mr. Williams freshman year," Will answered.

"That was you?" the girl asked. "I remembered hearing that a soccer player did it, but I never got the name. Guess now I know it was you, Jay."

"Yes, it was me, Hailey." So, this girl's name was Hailey.

"Wait, you two know each other?" you asked.

"We had what, an English class together last year?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, first semester because then I got put in the honors class," Hailey said.

"That class always seemed so much more for than the normal class," Jay mused.

"Too bad you can't write papers for shit," Will told his little brother.

"Shut up," Jay groaned.

Will looked up at one of the digital clocks in the hallway. "We should get going," he said. "We've only got fifteen minutes until we have to be in homeroom."

"Good luck, fresh meat," Jay joked and you rolled your eyes as your two older brothers walked off to their wing of the school that housed their lockers.

"Want some help putting your things in here?" Hailey asked. "I have a pass to get to class half an hour late since I'm on student council and helping you guys out."

"Uh, sure, since you're here. Mind if I close my locker and then try opening it myself?" you asked.

"Go for it."

You closed your locker and then did the exact same thing she did to get your locker open, including the kick. It opened on your first try.

"Perfect!" Hailey said. You unzipped your backpack and you and Hailey stooped down to grab folders, binders, and notebooks out of it. "I'm sorry, I never actually introduced myself. I'm Hailey Upton."

"Y/N Halstead," you replied. "Those two doofuses who just left are my brothers, Jay and Will, seems like you already knew Jay, though."

"I mean, I don't really know him. I guess I know of him if that makes sense."

"Makes total sense."

The two of you continued to put stuff in your locker until everything was in there, just in time for the five-minute bell to ring.

You looked at your schedule. "You don't happen to know where Mr. V's room is, do you? My brothers told me it's not in the freshman or sophomore halls."

"Oh, yeah. You just go down the connecting hallway and past the junior and senior lockers and then you'll see-- you know what, I'll walk you there. It's kind of hard to find."

"Thank you."

"No problem. We've all been freshmen before."

***

Hailey entered her AP biology class just as the late bell rang. She took the first empty seat she saw...which ended up being next to none other than Will Halstead.

"Hey," Hailey said. "This seat wasn't saved, was it?"

"No," Will replied. "It's yours now." He looked at Hailey. "You were the one who helped my sister with her locker this morning, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm Hailey."

"Will," he told her.

"So," their teacher, Mr. Davis began, "since this is an AP class, there will be a lot more homework than a typical biology class. I also know some of you are juniors, so I hope that you take AP anatomy and physiology next year with me if you do well in this class. As for you seniors who are taking this AP class and AP A and P--which stands for anatomy and physiology by the way--I know that the first three chapters of this class overlap a lot, so I'm sorry if you get bored.

"But, the person you have chosen to sit next to, will be your partner for any projects we have this semester. And, they aren't typical projects like presentations and the like. They're mostly practice AP tests that I want you to take with another person so that you can talk over the answers and make sure you don't make the same mistake twice. Obviously, around February, I'll ask you to take the practice tests by yourself so that you can practice for the real tests.

"Every chapter there will be presentations. I will give each pair a sub-topic of the chapter and I want you to do a five to ten minute presentation on it for the class. I also want you to put together a Kahoot for your subsection after the presentation because I found that that makes students pay way more attention than when there isn't one because everyone wants to win."

Hailey raised her hand. "Yes, remind me of your name," he said when he pointed to Hailey.

"Hailey," she told him.

"Hailey," he repeated and scribbled her name on the piece of paper with the seating chart on his desk. "Oh, and after I go over all this, I would like all of you to come and write your name on the seating chart. Hailey of course won't have to write her name because she doesn't need to be on there twice. Anyway, what was your question?"

"I was just wondering how many practice tests we'll have to take and how often you were should meet up with our partner outside of school?" Hailey asked.

"Both great questions. For the practice tests, we'll start taking them in November because that gives us time to go over the format and content. Don't worry, I won't put any new content on the practice tests. I'm not that mean. You'll take one in November, one in December, and one in January. These will all be done with your seat partner. Then, from February on, you'll have one every month, but these will be taken by yourselves so that you get used to it before the actual test.

"As for meeting up with your partner, I'd recommend every two weeks. That way you won't fall behind on the presentations."

Hailey nodded and scribbled this information down in her notebook. But, she was also nervous. She couldn't let Will come to her house. She just had to hope that Will would have all the meetings at his house.

***

"How was your first day?" Will asked when you met him at the main doors after school.

"It was good. Not as scary as you guys made it seem. Still need to make sure I get to my classes on time, though," you replied as the two of you walked out of the building and through the parking lot towards his car.

"They'll give you a grace period to get to class on time," Will told you. "It's usually a week, week and a half until they start handing out tardies."

You were about to ask how his day was, when someone yelling stopped you.

"Nice ass, Halstead!"

Your jaw dropped and your eyes bugged out of your head as you and Will both turned around. Of course, it was a varsity football player who yelled that, of course, it was.

Will put his hand in front of you. "Y/N, I'm gonna give you my keys and you're going to unlock my car and get inside."

"Will, he's not worth it," you argued.

"Y/N, take my damn keys. I don't want you anywhere near this."

You relented and took his keys and then went and got in the passenger seat of his car. But, you watched as everything unfolded.

Will stalked up to the football player, who he knew was Derek Evans, the school fuck boy who every girl liked because he was a shoo-in to get drafted by the NFL right after high school and had really good looks even though he was a total sexist asshole.

"What the fuck did you just say to my sister?" Will roared.

"Said she had a nice ass," he replied while shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"You son of a--" Will lunged at him but Kevin and Kelly ran in to hold him back. Turns out they were walking out of school and saw the entire exchange.

"Will! calm the fuck down!" Kelly shouted as he pushed Will back.

"Did you not hear what he said?" Will yelled as he kept reaching out to Derek.

Kevin was pushing Derek back, too.

"We did. But you can't be fighting on the first day. If you're gonna do it, do it somewhere else not on school grounds."

"Both you, take a damn breath and walk away," Kevin told them.

Kelly pushed Will back and then grabbed his arm and walked him towards his car while Kevin walked Derek towards the football field.

"You better fucking do something about that, Severide," Will told him.

"Believe me, I'll make sure he runs lap for the entirety of practice."

"I meant punch his face in."

"Can't do that, man. I got scholarships on the line."

"At least let me bring my baseball bat to school and bash his face in. If my batting average is any indication, I could knock him out and kill him in one swing."

"That would be murder and then you'd be in prison instead of going to med school." Kelly paused and took a deep breath. "I guess now's not a great time to tell you, but freshmen are up for grabs in the game this year. The players all said they weren't going to do it because the coaches banned it, but they're going to try and be sneaky. Only writing the points down on paper and burning it, no texting about it or putting it on social media, you can only talk about it on the phone or in person, and it can't be talked about at school."

"Fuck. So the girls won't really know what's going on until it starts."

"Exactly. Just, let Y/N know, okay? And have her pass it on to some of the other freshmen...because we both know if they go to Principal White he won't do shit."

"Yeah, he's as much of a son of a bitch as Evans. But, I'll tell her. Thanks, Kelly."

***

"Jay!" Will yelled when Jay walked inside all sweaty after his soccer practice.

"What? Dude, I need a shower," he said as he threw his soccer bag and his backpack down by the door.

"Better pick that up before Mom gets home. She'll be pissed if she comes home at 3 am and trips over it."

Your mom was a nurse and worked from 2:30 pm-2:30 am, which meant she only saw you in the morning for four days a week...even though she's only supposed to work three days a week, so 36 hours, but she always picked up an extra day so that she could put some money in all of your guys' college funds. Sometimes, she'd even work five days a week and she'd be exhausted once her week was over. But, she was the hardest worker you knew and inspired you to work as hard as you possibly could at everything you did; you never did anything half-assed because you never saw your mom do that. She always gave it her all.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I want to shower," Jay said.

"Wait five minutes. This is important," Will told him.

Jay sat down on the couch next to him. "Fine. What is it?"

So, Will explained what happened when he and you walked out of school today and how Kelly had to hold him back so that he wouldn't beat Derek Evans to a pulp. He also told him that the game was still on...and this time freshmen are fair game.

"Fucking hell," Jay muttered.

"Yeah," Will agreed.

"Should we tell her?"

"Probably. The sooner the better, too."

"Okay. Let me jump in the shower and then we can tell her and tell her how to protect herself."

Ten minutes later, Jay was out of the shower and he knocked on your bedroom door, Will right behind him. When he didn't get an answer after a few rounds of knocking, he opened your door.

"She's sleeping. Guess we'll have to tell her when she wakes up," Jay said.

"As long as we tell her tonight," Will said. "The more time she has to prepare for what's to come, the better."

***

"Jesus. Fuck," you muttered as you rolled over and looked at the time on your phone. After stretching and jumping out of bed, you walked from your bedroom into the kitchen, to see your brothers both eating pasta. "Neither of you two bothered to wake me up? It's 6:30."

"Figured you needed the sleep," Will shrugged. "Dinner's in the fridge. Mom made lasagna."

You grabbed yourself a plate and then put some lasagna on it and put it in the microwave. Then you sat down across from Jay and Will who were both sitting on the same side of the kitchen table.

"How was your first day?" Jay asked.

"Good...other than Wiliams making me sit in the front right in front of his desk. I don't mind the front because then I can see the board easier, but his desk, really? This one's all your fault." You pointed your fork at Jay.

Jay held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, really wasn't thinking about you when I fired those spitballs."

"What were you thinking about?" Will asked.

"That I needed to aim for his head."

"My god, you're a child," you laughed. "And, Will about ripped a football player's head off today. I think his name was Derek? He would've, too if Kelly didn't hold him back."

"But he said you had a nice ass," Will quoted. "Pretty sure that warrants me ripping his head off."

"Will's right," Jay agreed. "I would've pushed past Kelly and beat Evans to a pulp."

"Good to know you guys have my back. But, I'm in high school now. You can't keep fighting my battles for me."

"Too bad," Will said. "You're stuck with us."

"Ugh," you groaned and took a bite of your lasagna. "How was your day, Will?" you asked once you had finished the bite. "Any talk of what the senior prank will be?"

"We didn't actually talk about that. But, the girl who helped you with your locker, Hailey, she's my partner in my AP bio class," Will answered. Jay coughed. "You alright there, Jay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine."

"Anyway," Will began, "she'll be coming round here a bit because we have to do these presentations. She said her brothers are usually home, so she'll probably come here most of the time. Oh, Y/N, she also told me to tell you that if there's ever a day where you can't find anyone to sit with at lunch, that you can always sit with her."

"Really? That's so nice of her. I wish I had classes with her," you said.

"Okay, since it's obvious neither of you is going to ask about my day because I'm the forgotten middle child," Jay started, causing both you and Will to roll your eyes, "I'm just gonna tell you. Nothing important happened. They just drilled that we have to take the SAT into our heads. Oh, and we have read like this 16th century crap in English 11, so that sucks."

"English 11 is the worst," Will agreed. "Good luck."

The three of you continued to eat and the Will started talking again when he and Jay were finished and you were almost done.

"So, Y/N, there's this sick and twisted tradition at school," Will began with a worried look on his face. "And it ends after homecoming."

"So that's what you were implying earlier," you said.

"Yeah, so what happens is that the football players kinda sorta get dares to do, but they aren't specifically dares. It's like there's a list of things they do with a girl and there's points attached to them. Like, apparently if a guy grabs a girl's ass in the hallway or anywhere else on the school's campus or at a school event, it's 50 points. But, since that's pretty tame, that's the only one that actually has to be done on campus. The rest of them can be off or on-campus...but they'd probably be off-campus," Will explained.

"I'm confused. So they get points for assaulting us?" you asked.

"Technically, it's just harassment...but some of the other ones could be classified as assault. But, those ones are supposed to be consensual, so the only risk you really run is having your butt grabbed in the hallway. Jay, you wanna take it from here?"

"Uh, yeah," Jay answered. "Usually freshmen are off-limits, but this year they changed the rules, so they're allowed. But, Kelly, Kevin, and Adam opted out because they're decent human beings, so if you see them in the hallway, you're safe; you don't have to be scared of them."

"But the rest...?" you trailed off.

"The rest of the varsity football team you need to be aware of."

"So, when does this game start and what do I do?"

"It starts in two weeks and goes on for a month, so until homecoming. As for what to do, well most girls just wear long shirts to cover their butts and not wear super tight pants," Jay told you.

"And if me or Jay have a class close to one of yours, we can walk you to your locker or to your next class. That should help a bit," Will offered.

"Thanks. That might help. But, why hasn't Mr. White stopped it?" you asked.

"Because he's as much of a sexist asshole as the football players. But, it's only a month. You can get through it," Will promised.

"God I hope so."

***

It had been two weeks since you started high school and in two days that stupid game of grab ass would begin. Hailey and Will were currently working on their presentation in the kitchen and Jay was playing at an away soccer game...which is where your mom was, too. You were sitting in your room working on your planner for next week.

You looked at your planner and saw Monday was circled and said The Game in black ink. God, why did guys have to be such sexist pigs? Just because they were the football players didn't mean they got on pass on all the school rules and hell, even all the general rules of society.

You shook your head and turned up your music and started writing in your classes for that week in your planner.

A few songs later, you thought you heard a knock on your door, so you took out one of your headphones. "Yeah?" you asked.

"Y/N, it's Hailey. Can I come in?" she asked from the other side of your door.

"Yeah," you told her as you took out the other headphone and paused your music. "What's up?" you asked when she entered.

"Will told me you're really nervous for the game starting this week?" she motioned to the spot next to you on your bed. "Can I sit?" You nodded and she sat down. "Honestly, you just have to be on high alert for a whole month. Try to walk by other people whenever you can and, I think Will said they already told you this, but don't wear tight-fitting clothing."

"They did. I just don't know what to wear."

"Well, I can help you with that. Let's go through your clothes and we'll take out what you can't wear during this and put it in another drawer, okay?"

"That sounds good." You closed your planner and you and Hailey began going through your dresser and closet.

"Another tip," she started, "if you have the chance to knee one of them in the balls, then do it. Why do you think they stopped coming after me halfway through the game last year?"

"You kneed a football player in the balls?" you asked as your eyes went wide.

"Mhm. Did it to the captain of the football team last year. He was a senior, so he's not here anymore, but now all the football boys know not to mess with me."

"I will most definitely keep that one in mind."

***

Jay met up with you that Thursday after one of his classes because it was in the same hall as yours. "Day going good?" he asked as his eyes darted side to side, clearly in overprotective big brother mode.

"Yeah, and no one's tried anything yet, so I guess that's a good thing," you told him.

You were focused on dodging people in the hallway so you had time to stop by your locker and change out your books, go to the bathroom, and then get to your next class all within the span of five minutes (your school really needed to make passing time at least seven to eight minutes instead of five), so you didn't hear the booming laughter of a few varsity football players behind you...but Jay did.

"Back the fuck off," Jay growled as none other than Derek Evans reached out to grab your ass. But, Jay stopped him by turning around and walking backward to shield your backside and then grabbing Derek's outstretched hand.

"Aww, look guys, the little freshman needs her big brother to protect her," Derek mocked.

"From you, yeah she does. You're a sick fuck, Evans...and that goes for your posse, too."

"Let go of my hand, Halstead."

Jay narrowed his eyes, but he let go. "Next time you try to grab my sister, that arm will be twisted so far back behind you that you can kiss your senior season goodbye."

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and then turned around to go back the other way, towards his actual class.

"Thanks," you said as you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

"Don't mention it."

***

Jay made his way out of a classroom later that day and saw Hailey, so he made his way over to her.

"I don't need protecting, Jay," she told him.

"I know," Jay replied. "Everyone knows about you kneeing the captain last year. Great job on that by the way. I know I'm a year late, but that was a good move on your part."

"Thanks. It was just a reflex, honestly."

"And thanks for helping Y/N with the clothes thing. She was really nervous."

Hailey waved a hand flippantly. "That was nothing, just a girl helping another girl out."

"As the world should be," Jay agreed. Hey, his mother taught him to look at women as equals and he was going to treat Hailey as such...now that he knew she could protect herself from all these assholes. Because if she hadn't kneed that captain where the sun don't shine last year, you best believe he'd be on high alert for the varsity football players just like he was with you a few classes ago. "So, our practice got canceled because of the rain and the football game got canceled, too. So, me, Adam, and Kelly were gonna go out for tacos at that place across the street, but Adam's bringing his girlfriend, Kim, and Kelly's bringing his girlfriend, Stella, and I don't want to third-wheel, so do you maybe want to go with me? That is if you don't have to be home right after school."

Her dad didn't get home until 5:30. "Sure," she told him. "I just have to be home by 4:30. But, I normally take the bus, so unless one of you can bring me home, I can't come." She figured getting home an hour early would work well so that she wasn't rushing.

"Adam's bringing me home, so I'm sure he can stop by your house, too. Where do you live?" Jay asked. She told him her address. "That's only a block away from me. I'm sure he can bring you home. I'll text him and then text you." He held out his phone. "Put your number in."

So, Hailey put her number in his phone. Then, she handed it back to him and they hurried to get to their respective classes before the late bell rang.

But, she was wondering why she was blushing so much as she turned away and why all these butterflies had erupted in her stomach when their fingers brushed against each other's when she handed his phone back to him. She wasn't falling for Jay Halstead. There was no way, right?

***

"So, party this weekend. Everyone in?" Adam asked as the six of them ate tacos.

"Whose house?" Kelly asked.

Adam said a name of a football player and told them it was Saturday night,  and they all agreed to go...except for Hailey, who spouted off some excuse about how she had to be up early on Sunday, so she couldn't go. Jay was disappointed that he wouldn't have an excuse to dance with her, but he figured there'd be other parties.

"Mom's working that night," Jay said. "So, as long as I'm home by like 2:45, I should be good. Will will probably be down, too. Then Natalie will probably come."

"Great. I'll text him so he knows how much beer to have his older brother buy...but I'm sure they'll buy extra because more people usually show up anyway."

They talked and ate for another hour before they had to leave so Hailey could get home on time.

Jay and Hailey sat in the backseat of Adam's car while Adam and Kim sat in the front.

When they pulled up to Hailey's house, Jay offered to walk her to the door, but she told him no, that he didn't have to. He insisted, but she still said no, so he let it go and she got out of the car and went inside her house.

"Dude, you so like her," Adam said as they drove another block to his house.

"I do not. I don't know what you're talking about. She's just a friend," he argued.

Adam snorted. "Yeah right. And I'm the fucking king of England."

"You should ask her to homecoming," Kim suggested.

"Kim! Not you, too!"

"It's obvious. You should ask her. She might just surprise you."

***

You woke up Saturday night to your phone ringing and breaking you out of a peaceful sleep. You rubbed your eyes and looked at the time and the caller. Why the hell was Jay calling you when it was past one in the morning?

"Hello?" you asked sleepily.

"Y/N, me and Will need your help," Jay said.

You immediately sat up. "What do you mean? I thought you were home. Where the hell are you?"

"We went to a party and we couldn't risk you telling Mom, so we snuck out around 11 when we knew you were sleeping. But, Kelly's the DD and he had two drinks, so he can't drive us home. He's not drunk off his ass, but if we get pulled over and they pull out a breathalyzer, we're all shit outta luck."

"Why can't you do it?" you asked. "You sound pretty sober to me."

"I'm two and a half beers deep and it'll probably be four by the time you get here."

"Fucking  hell, Jay. And me? You seem to forget that I don't have my license yet, just my permit. I can't come get you. You're just gonna have to wait until Mom gets home and call her."

"No! No way is Mom finding out!"

"What's in it for me? I'm not breaking the law and coming to get your dumbasses for free. And I need something from both you and Will."

"Fine," Jay huffed. "Name your price."

"You do my laundry for a month and Will does my algebra homework for a month."

"Two weeks. We'll do those for two weeks," Jay said.

"No. Three weeks or I'm not coming and you get to suffer the wrath of Mom."

"Fine," he relented. "I'll text you the address."

***

You drove Will's car like an old grandma on the way to the house party, sometimes going ten miles under the speed limit. There was no way you were getting busted for your brothers.

You turned off your car and parked in the closest spot you could find to the house where the party was at. Then, you pulled out your phone and texted both Jay and Will that you were there.

Five minutes passed...then ten and still no answer from either of them.

"Fucking hell," you muttered as you unbuckled and then grabbed the keys and got out of Will's car and locked it, safely zipping the keys in one of your sweatshirt pockets. "I swear to God if both of them are three sheets to the wind and I have to drag their asses out of there, I will not be fucking happy."

You started to walk towards the party, looking at your phone every couple of seconds to see if either of your brothers had texted you back.

You gasped when you felt someone grab your ass.

"Fifty points," he whispered in your ear and then grabbed your wrist.

Derek Evans.

"Let me go!" you told him as you tried to pull away from him.

"No can do, freshman. It's 500 points for fucking a freshman and there's no way I'm passing up that opportunity."

"Let me go!" you screamed. You even dropped your phone to the ground to try to use your other hand to pry his hand off your wrist. But, he just laughed and kept holding you. Then, he stomped on your phone, breaking it into pieces.

You kept screaming, but the music was so loud that no one could hear you. And, you tried to dig your heels into the ground to stop him, but it was no use; he was too strong.

Eventually, he got tired of dragging you and just picked you up. You punched and kicked him, but it didn't seem to work. It was like this senior was immune to pain.

He got to a shed near the side of the house and quite literally threw you against it. You groaned and took a few deep breaths. In that time, Derek had ripped his shirt off and grabbed your wrists with one hand. You dug your nails into his hands. You weren't going down without a fight.

"That's cute," he laughed. "You think some nails are going to stop me."

He dragged you over a few inches and then used some of his shirt to secure your wrists to the fence that separated this house from the one next to it.

"Help! Help!" you yelled. "Somebody help me!"

Your head flew to the right as he slapped you across the face. "Shut the fuck up!"

You whimpered and then started kicking your feet. But, he just walked away and watched you struggle as he removed his pants. Then, he sat on your legs. You couldn't kick anymore, so you started screaming even louder. He slapped you a few more times across the face until you finally  shut up because, fuck, that hurt. That just left you whimpering at his mercy as he fumbled with the string on your pajama pants. (You hadn't bothered changing your pants when you came to get your brothers, only threw on a bra on under your t-shirt.) You didn't know what to do. No one was going to save you and you were completely and utterly helpless.

***

Kelly Severide knew you were coming to pick them up as Jay had told him that when he was on his way to grab his fourth beer. He hadn't heard anything from Jay or Will yet but figured they were both shit-faced. So, he tried to text you. No reply. He tried to call. No answer.

So, Kelly walked out onto the back porch and started around the side of the house to see if you had parked. But then, he heard whimpering and what sounded like a slap and then a yelp. He started running.

When he saw what was happening, he saw red.

You were lying on the grass whimpering while Derek was just in his boxers. You wanted him to stop smacking your thighs and face because god, you were fucking hurting and you were also fucking terrified about what was going to happen next.

"Please," you whimpered. "Please, st--"

"You son of a bitch!"

Before you could even register who yelled that, Derek was thrown off of you and to the ground.

You caught your breath and just laid there panting and crying while Kelly did a number on Derek's face. He sent more punches to his stomach until he finally doubled over and groaned in pain. Then, he kicked him in the back and he fell to the ground. Kelly placed his foot on Derek's back. "Stay the fuck down you fucking bastard."

He pulled out his phone and called 911. "Hello, I'd like to report a sexual assault."

***

Will felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. "Kelly, where the hell are you, man?" he asked as he dirty danced with Natalie on the dance floor.

"Will, you need to come out by the shed now," he said, still with his foot on Derek's back, keeping him down. Kelly felt terrible that he couldn't untie you, but he couldn't risk Derek getting up and trying to finish what he started.

"Why? You snorting coke out there? Because count me out. I don't do that."

"No. It's Y/N. She was- she-- It's that stupid fucking game some of the bastards I call teammates are playing. An ambulance and the cops are on their way."

Will's mouth went dry. It went dry when he heard the game part, but now it was as if it was sandpaper.

"Jay's by me. We'll be there in a second."

Will pocketed his phone and let go of Natalie. "Baby, what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Y/N. I think one of those football players got to her."

"Fuck a freshman." Adam's eyes went wide as he let go of Kim.

"What? What about fucking?" Jay asked as he went to take another sip of his beer, but Will swatted it out of his hand.

"We need to go. Now." He grabbed Jay's arm. "Adam, explain."

The three of them started running, Jay barely being able to run in a straight line and Natalie and Kim hot on their heels, and Adam explained how he heard about one part of the game that was called fuck a freshman. But, he thought it was a joke because he didn't know for sure because he didn't sign up for the game.

"Well, obviously it's not a joke!"

Will saw Kelly with his foot on Derek's back before he saw you.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" he yelled.

"Will!" you cried.

"Y/N, hold on. We're here, we're here." He knelt down next to you and untied the t-shirt that kept your wrists tied to the fence.

It took Jay a minute, but then he realized what happened...it also took Kim shaking him and telling him she was going to slap him across the face and then actually doing it. Now that sobered him up.

You could hear sirens in the distance.

"Me and Natalie will go get them," Will said. "You three good here?"

"We're good. Now go get help," Kelly said.

***

The ride to the hospital was a blur. You were still freaking out, so the paramedics had to give you a light sedative to calm down. You remembered your brothers being in the back of the ambulance with you and you remembered Jay puking in a bucket from all the beer he drank.

You vaguely remembered the doctors asking you questions and taking pictures of your bruises. You also remembered them telling the three police officers that they couldn't question you yet. And then, you fell asleep.

***

You slowly opened your eyes and squinted against the bright hospital lights.

Damn, it must've taken me a helluva long time to get the boys out of that party if I'm waking up when the sun is this bright, you thought to yourself.

But, then you looked at your surroundings and it all came flooding back to you.

"Mama, Mama," you cried.

"I'm here, honey, I'm here," she said as she gently grabbed your hand.

You tried to sit up, but your thighs and stomach hurt so bad from Derek hitting you that you couldn't.

"I want a hug but I can't sit up," you cried as tears started to stream down your face.

She stood up and bent over the bed and wrapped her arms around you. It was an uncomfortable position for her because she was bending over to hug you, but she didn't care. You were her little girl and she'd do anything to make you feel safe and loved.

Will and Jay sat in the chairs on the other side of your bed. You hadn't even realized they were there. Will had tears in his eyes and Jay had a hand over his mouth trying to stop a sob from coming out. God, if he wouldn't have called you to pick them up, then this wouldn't have happened. It was all his fault this happened to you.

A knock on the door sounded and your mom let go of you and the two of you looked towards the door.

It was Hailey.

Jay looked to you to see if it was okay that she came in and you nodded.

"Hey," she said as she entered. "I brought donuts. Figured you might be hungry."

You were glad she didn't ask if you were okay because it was apparent that you most definitely were not okay.

You nodded and she walked over to you and opened the box. "You get first pick."

You picked a raspberry-filled one and then proceeded to take tiny bites of your donut. It hurt too much to open your mouth a lot because your cheeks and chin were heavily bruised.

You almost finished your donut, when there was another knock on the door. This time it was three police officers. Then, they opened the door.

"Y/N, I'm Trudy Platt and this is Detective Alvin Olinsky and Detective Hank Voight. We're here to take a few statements about what happened," the officer told you.

"Am I in trouble?" you asked. You did drive without a license.

"No, not at all. We just need to know what happened. We can give you a minute to finish eating if you would like?"

"Can I do it now?"

"Of course." She turned to your mom. "Mom, you want to stay in the room?"

"If I can--"

"I don't want you to know the details, Mom. Please," you pleaded as more tears fell.

"Are you sure? I'll love you no matter what, honey. Good or bad, you're still my little girl."

"I know. But I just- I want to be alone."

"Okay, me and the boys and Hailey will be right outside."

The four of them left and the two detectives left as well, leaving only you and this officer known as Trudy Platt.

"Am I in trouble?" you asked when the door shut.

"Oh, honey, no," Trudy said as she sat down in the seat your mom was previously sitting in.

"But, I drove without my license be- because they asked me to pick them up and then- and then--"

"Y/N, you are not in any trouble. Kelly Severide told us most of the story about what happened, but we need to hear it in your own words. And you can take as long as you want. Take as much time as you need."

So you told her what happened.

"It's all my fault. If I would've never agreed to go pick up Will and Jay--"

"This is not your fault. None of this is your fault," she told you.

"But why does it feel like it is? If I could've just fought him off, maybe this wouldn't have happened." You wiped your eyes with the heels of your hands and let out a strangled sob which was more like a yell. "Why do boys get away with everything?"

She pulled the chair closer to your bed. "Y/N, you have my word that he won't be getting away with what he did to you. I promise you he won't get away with it."

"But how do you know that? You can't possibly know that!"

"Because I have two of the best detectives working with me and I just know that he won't get away with what he did to you."

After a few more minutes and explaining that you really didn't want to go through a trial, Trudy left the room. She also handed you her card in case you changed your mind about the trial.

Then, Trudy Platt went to the bathroom where she saw the other girl who was in the room with you while she was washing her hands. As the girl was scrubbing her hands, Trudy noticed a bruise on her arm, a little above her wrist. It was low enough that it could be hidden by long sleeves, but that it could also ride up when the girl was washing her hands.

"You're one of Y/N's friends?" Trudy asked.

"Yeah. Me and her brother got paired up for a project and I was supposed to meet him this morning, but he texted saying family emergency. So, I thought I'd bring them breakfast," Hailey answered.

"That's very kind of you. Were you at the party last night?"

"No, I was at home."

"Is that where you hurt your arm?"

Hailey quickly pulled on her sweatshirt sleeve "No, I uh, I hit it on my locker a few days ago."

Trudy knew this girl was lying. She had worked enough domestic and child abuse cases to know the usual excuses. So, she pulled out her business card and handed it to Hailey. "This is my business card. My cell phone number is on there as well. Call me if you need help getting out."

***

Trudy, Hank, and Al entered the district and then went into the basement where there were no cameras.

"I think we can all agree on not putting that the girl was driving without a license in the reports," Trudy started.

"Agreed," Al said. "What about the boys?"

"We leave out that they were drinking, too," Hank said. "The only people who know that they were drinking are us three and them since they obviously can't take a breathalyzer now, there's no use in putting it in the reports. They were just kids being kids."

"Yeah, except for the asshole who assaulted her," Al stated.

"Yeah, except for him. We're throwing the book at that bastard," Hank agreed.

"She said she didn't want to go through a trial," Trudy said.

"What? Why not?" Hank asked.

"She said that she didn't think that anyone would believe her. He's a senior who everyone likes, hell, this whole town knows he's going to be drafted. So, she thinks he wouldn't get in trouble if he does actually go to trial."

Hank sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Well, we have 48 hours to hold him, and then me and Al will figure out how to take care of this."

***

"Are you hungry?" your mom asked when you got home later that day. The hospital had discharged you since all your injuries were superficial, such as the bruises on your face, wrist stomach, and thighs.

"No," you muttered. "I'm gonna go to my room."

"Okay, well if you want to be alone, that's fine, but I took FMLA leave, so I'll be home for a while. Take all the time you need, honey."

You nodded and then walked into your room and cuddled under your blankets. Since it was the afternoon, there was still a bit of sunlight coming in from beneath your blinds, which you were thankful for. You turned on your fan and allowed it to blow lightly on you. You were glad that you always used your fan for white noise so that you could sleep, but it also helped to muffle your quiet sobs as you cried into your pillow.

Meanwhile, Hailey, Will, Jay, and your mom were in the kitchen. Hailey had come home with you and your family so that she and Will could work on their presentation. She said it was fine, that she could go home, but Will said working on the presentation would be a welcome distraction.

"What's FMLA leave?" Jay asked.

"It's the Family Medical Leave Act," she answered as she sat down at the kitchen table. "It means I can have up to twelve weeks unpaid leave at work and still be guaranteed a job when I get back. But, I'll probably just take half of that, because uh, I won't be making any money during that time."

"I can see if I can get my summer job back," Will immediately offered. "I know I said I can only work during the summer, but I can work on the weekends even if it's only ten hours a week and I've only been off for a month, so they should probably be able to rehire me--"

"Honey," your mom said, cutting him off. "I really appreciate you thinking of that. But it's your senior year and you're taking four AP classes. School comes first. We'll get through it. This is only temporary and I do have a savings account in case of emergencies and we should be fine."

"Okay, well, you can always tell me to talk to my boss if I need to," Will said. Then, he turned to Hailey. "I'll go grab my stuff and then we can work on the project."

Will walked away to his room, leaving Jay, your mom, and Hailey. "Can I get you anything, Hailey?" your mom asked. "Water, coffee?"

"Oh, no. I'm fine," Hailey said. This wasn't about her. She knew that you needed your mom and that your mom needed time to feel what happened as well. "Thank you, though."

"I'm gonna go check on Y/N and then go for a drive. If anything happens with her, Jay, I need either you or Will to call me right away."

"We will, Mom, don't worry."

Your mom pulled Jay into a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom." Normally, Jay wouldn't have hugged his mom when his friends were around--or whatever he considered Hailey--, but he knew his mom needed it, so he returned her hug.

"Be back soon."

Then, she checked on you and seeing that you were asleep, grabbed her keys, and left.

"I'm gonna put on a pot of coffee," Jay said. "I know you said you were good, but you can have some if you want." He made his way to the cupboard and grabbed the container of ground-up coffee beans and started putting them into a filer.

"Thanks. Might take you up on that when me and Will are working. A little liquid focus never hurt anyone," she replied.

"No doubt."

Hailey paused, she wanted to keep talking with Jay but didn't know what to say. She didn't want to mention last night either. "So, are you taking any AP classes?" she asked. "You know, since Will's apparently taking four."

"Will's a psychopath and no, I'm not. Too much work if you ask me. If I was planning on going to college, I might take a few, but I'm not."

"Oh. Then what are you planning to do?"

"Maybe the army. My mom doesn't like the thought of me fighting in wars, but she supports my decision. I just don't feel like studying is for me."

"What branch?" Hailey asked.

He raised his eyebrows at how interested she was. "I was thinking the Army Rangers. They're the first ones on the ground in war zones."

"Sounds dangerous. You're practically flying blind."

"Oh, but that's what makes it fun."

Hailey laughed. "You're an adrenaline junkie, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah. I love rollercoasters...and anything else that gets my heart racing."

"Hear about that new coaster at Cedar Point?"

"Yeah!" Jay exclaimed. And, before he even had time to process what he was about to say, he blurted it out anyway. "Maybe we could go together sometime."

Did he just ask me out? Hailey thought to herself. "I'd like that." She smiled.

"Am I invited?" Will asked as he walked down the hallway, overhearing their conversation.

"Uh," Jay blanched.

"Dude, chill. I know you were trying to ask her out--"

Jay's phone rang before he could yell at Will to knock it off and Hailey just took a seat at the table blushing really badly while she did so.

"It's Kev," Jay said while glaring at his older brother. "I gotta take this." He accepted the call and started to walk down the hall to the bedroom that he shared with Will. "Hey, man."

Jay closed his bedroom door and sat on his bed. "Adam just told me that Evans tried to rape your sister?"

Jay ran a hand down his face. "Uh, yeah, if Kelly wouldn't have gotten there when he did, who knows what would've happened."

"Is she okay? Is he in jail? Is she in the hospital?"

Jay knew that Kevin would react protectively since he had a younger sister, Vanessa, who was in seventh grade, just two years younger than you.

"I mean, physically her injuries are just bruising." He took a deep, shaky breath to stop himself from crying. "I think they're holding Evans and we just got home from the hospital. Y/N's sleeping now."

"Evans is so fucking lucky I wasn't there. Adam said that Kelly beat his face in pretty bad, but I'd do worse. I probably would've killed him, at least given him brain damage from a concussion."

"You and me both."

"And, uh, Adam said the cops are gonna talk to all the football players?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. The detective did mention that. He also told me and Will not to go after Evans, but--"

"You're not gonna listen?" Kevin asked.

"I'll probably wait two weeks so he thinks he's safe and then go after him. You're more than welcome to help."

"I'll cover for you that night."

"Thanks, man. So, the cops talk to you yet?" Jay asked.

"Not yet. But I really don't have anything to say. I didn't participate and I would never participate. Might mention that White never tried to stop it and Coach Davis said it was off-limits, though."

"You think Davis knew what was going on?" Jay asked.

"There's no way. If he knew, he would've kicked all of them off the team. He doesn't fuck with stuff like that. White, on the other hand, well, we both know how that cat rolls."

"I should've mentioned that when they were talking to me earlier this morning. I was just, I was so worried about Y/N."

"I get it. I'd be the same way if this happened with Vanessa. I'll tell them about it. You just make sure she's okay. And, if you, her, Will, or your mom need anything, gimme a call. I'd be happy to help."

"Thanks, Kev."

"Good luck planning your revenge. Tell me what the cover is."

"Oh don't worry, I will."

***

Two weeks later

Jay popped the screen out of his window. "You can put this back in, right?" he asked Will.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Go give Evans hell for what he did to Y/N," he replied as he got out of bed and stood by the window.

"You know, still time for you to come with me."

"I got accepted to college already. I'm not about to jeopardize that. Cover still that Kev called and needed help babysitting Vanessa and Jordan?"

"That's the one. I'll crash at his house after this is done just so it seems believable. See you tomorrow."

"See you. Don't get beat up too badly."

Jay scoffed. "Yeah right."

Then, he started the three-mile walk to Derek Evan's house.

So, Jay had decided not to actually beat him up because his parents were home and he didn't want to have to deal with the parents. Derek and the cops he could handle, but having his parents yell that they want to press charges and scream at him, yeah no. He had stashed a can of black spray paint in a bush in his front yard and grabbed it when he was leaving. He planned on spray painting rapist on Derek's white car. Even though he didn't technically rape you, he tried to, so the word still stands.

Jay got there and pulled his hat down over his face. Then, he walked up the driveway and to Derek's car. He shook the can of spray paint and took the cap off. His finger was down on the button--

"Chicago PD!"

Fuck.

***

"Your last name's Halstead?" the cop who picked him up asked when they entered the 21st District.

"Yes, sir," he answered, his head hanging low and the can of spray paint still in his hand.

"Well, I need you to take a seat right there while I make a phone call. Do not move."

"Yes, sir."

Jay sat down on the bench across from the front desk and pulled out his phone. He sent texts to both Kevin and Will.

Cops caught me. At a police station right now. Will, don't you fucking dare tell Mom.

They replied that they were shocked, but Kevin said he could always come pick Jay up if he needed it. He figured Jordan and Vanessa would be okay by themselves for half an hour. And Will promised he wouldn't tell Mom...unless Jay needed bail money, then he'd have to tell her.

"Halstead," a gruff voice barked from the side of him.

Jay looked up to be met with one of the detectives who had worked your case. But, instead of being in his uniform, he was in normal clothes. The only thing that could tell anyone that he was a cop was the badge pinned to his jeans and the gun in its holster at his side.

Jay stood up.

"I had a feeling something like this might happen," Hank Voight stated. "So, I put a patrol car in front of the Evans' house."

"Am I under arrest?" Jay asked.

"You're not. But follow me."

Hank opened the door to the office next to where the bench was and Jay followed him in.

"Have a seat." Jay sat down in the chair in front of the desk and Hank sat in the chair behind the desk. If Jay didn't know any better, he'd say he was in the principal's office. "Jay, listen."

"Wait, how do you know I'm not Will?" Jay asked.

"I know that Will had red hair. And, you told the responding officer your full name, remember?"

"Yes, sorry."

"It's okay. A little questioning never hurt anybody. But, Jay, listen. You can't go and beat this kid up or destroy or vandalize his property." Jay opened his mouth to protest, but Hank put a hand up to stop him. "I understand that you're angry and want to get revenge for your sister. But, that's not going to make it like it didn't happen. And, you'd be the one getting in trouble, not him. Severide already did a number on him."

"But, Y/N doesn't want a trial because she doesn't want to relive it!" Jay argued. "I just have to let him get away with it?"

"He's not going to get away with it, I can promise you that. I just don't want you to be the one getting in trouble for bringing a little justice to the world. I can promise you justice will be served, though."

"How? If there's no trial and I can't go after him, how will justice be served?"

"Jay, just let it run its course. Now, I'm assuming your mom doesn't know you're here?"

"No, she doesn't. I planned on going to a friend's house after."

"I'll drive you there. All this vandalism stuff will stay between me, you, and the patrolman."

Jay's jaw dropped. "Wow, thank you so much."

"Hey, I would've done the same thing if I was in your shoes. Now, c'mon, let's get you to that friend's house."

***

One month later

It was your mom's first day back to work. She said she would stay home longer if you wanted her to, but you told her you were fine. And, she thought that as well because you had been coming out of your room more these past two weeks.

You walked to the kitchen to go get some water which was normal for you. All you had been doing since you were almost raped was sleeping. You'd occasionally have dinner with your family, but that was it. You also started seeing a therapist a week after the attempted rape, which helped immensely. But, when she saw your symptoms, she had suggested anti-depressants after you had talked to her for a couple weeks. So, you were on them.

After a week, you started to gain some energy back. It wasn't back to normal yet, but it was enough that you would watch movies and tv shows, read, and journal in your room instead of lying in bed staring at the ceiling and sleeping all day.

You were on your way back to your room with your glass of water when you heard a familiar opening line to one of your favorite Disney Channel movies: Lemonade Mouth.

You poked your head into the living room. "Are you guys watching Lemonade Mouth?" you asked your brothers.

"We were gonna change it to watch some hockey," Jay said. Then, he saw Will's pointed look. "But, if you want to watch Lemonade Mouth, then we can."

Will paused the tv. "Are you sure?" you asked.

"We're sure," Will replied. "I'll go make us some popcorn while you get comfortable."

And thus started the plan of watching a movie every night to get you out of your room. Sometimes, Will would have too much homework, so you'd watch a movie with Jay. Sometimes Jay would have a soccer game, so you'd watch a movie with Will. Sometimes, Will would have a ton of homework and Jay would have a soccer game, so you'd watch a movie with your mom. Either way, it was nice to know that they were there for you and that you didn't have to talk about anything with them.

"Hey, like my new shirt?" Jay asked.

"When did you go shopping?" Will asked as he looked up from his textbook.

"Practice got canceled because Coach is sick and Hailey wanted to get some food and go to Goodwill, so we got food and went to Goodwill."

"Jesus, man, you are so whipped. Didn't you just become boyfriend and girlfriend last week?"

"Yes. Y/N you-- what's wrong?"

Your breath was caught in your throat and you felt like you couldn't breathe. If you could see yourself right now, you knew you'd look like a ghost.

"Nothing. I- I just need to get some water and then I'm gonna go take a nap."

"Okay," Will started, "you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

You walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, but you also grabbed your bottle of antidepressants and put them in the pocket of your sweatshirt. Then, you made your way to your bedroom and locked the door.

How the hell did Jay manage to find the exact same shirt at a thrift store? It was a navy blue shirt with the Abercrombie and Fitch logo on it...the same exact shirt Derek was wearing on the night of the party.

It all came flooding back to you. You screaming...him slapping you...you crying...

You couldn't breathe.

"Ahhh!" you sobbed and dropped to your knees and curled up into a ball, taking the pills out of your pocket.

You continued sobbing and then you heard a knock on your door and heard the doorknob rattle.

"Y/N, Y/N, I need you to open this door," Will told you.

"No! Leave me alone!" you yelled.

"Can't do that. Mom left us in charge since she went back to work. If you don't open this door in three seconds, we're coming in somehow."

He got to two and you relented and opened the door.

"Y/N...what--"

You thrust the bottle of pills in his hand. "Take them! Take them, please!"

"Were you...?"

"I don't know! I don't know, Will! Just get them away from me!"

He pocketed them. "Okay, what's going on? What happened?"

Jay came around the corner.

"It's the same- the same--"

"Y/N, I need you to take a deep breath for me and then we can talk about this."

After five minutes of Will calming you down, you were finally able to catch your breath enough to talk.

"Jay's got the same shirt!" you wailed.

"The same shirt as who?" Will asked gently, careful not to touch you for fear that it would send you into another anxiety attack.

"Derek!"

Will turned around. "Jay, go rip that fucking shirt off and fucking burn it!" Jay just stood there, shellshocked. "Jay!"

He turned around and went to his room to take it off and get rid of it.

"Now, can I give you a hug?" Will asked. You nodded and allowed him to embrace you. When he pulled away, he asked, "Were you really going to do that? With the pills?"

"I- I don't think so," you told him. "I just saw them when I was getting water and grabbed them. I don't want to die."

"That's good. That's really good. But, you know we have to talk to Mom about this, right?"

"Yeah. And, I know I'm supposed to go back to school next week, but I- I don't think I can handle it, Will."

"Then we'll talk to her about that, too."

Jay ran out of his room--in a different shirt--holding his phone in his hand and looking frantic. "We have to go now!" he yelled.

"Why?" Will asked. "Where?"

"Mom just called and said she had to check out Hailey in the hospital."

***

"Hailey!" Jay yelled as he entered her room. He saw her bruised face and her arm in a sling. "Baby, what happened?"

"He- he--" And then she erupted into sobs and reached her good arm over to Jay.

You noticed that one of the officers who worked your case was also in the room.

"Hailey, honey, do you want to press charges?" Trudy Platt asked.

"I can't!" she wailed as she lifted her head off of Jay's chest. "I know I called you, but he's my dad!"

Jay let go of her. "Your dad did this? That son of a--"

"Jay!" your mom yelled.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Hailey reached for her water, but you noticed it was slightly out of her reach so you handed it to her. You hated seeing the girl who you considered your best friend in this much pain, at the hands of her father of all people.

Since you were only in school for less than a month before everything happened and didn't have time to form real, long-lasting friendships you didn't really have any close friends besides Hailey. And now, you knew how she felt when she saw you in that hospital bed six weeks ago.

"Hailey, I can't let you go back to that house," Trudy said.

"But I don't want to press charges! Can't you just pretend you didn't see that? That I didn't call you?" Hailey argued.

"Honey, since you're a minor, I'm supposed to press charges no matter what."

"But he's my dad!" she cried. "I know he's horrible, but I don't want him to rot in prison."

"Hailey, listen to me," Trudy began. "I am giving you an out here. I won't press charges, but for me not to press charges, I need you to be in a safe home."

"You're saying I need to find to find someplace else to live?" she asked.

Trudy nodded.

"Mom, can she...?" Jay asked as he looked up at his mom.

In that moment, your mom saw in Hailey what she had seen in you six weeks ago: a scared little girl who needed the comfort and love of a parent. And, your mom knew she wasn't her actual parent, but she had been over so much recently that it was hard for her to see Hailey as just one of Will's classmates...especially now since she was your best friend and Jay's girlfriend.

"She can stay. As long as she doesn't mind sharing a room with Y/N," your mom agreed.

And, it was that day that Hailey Upton decided that she wanted to become a cop.

***

Hank Voight pulled over Derek on his way home from school.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Derek asked as he rolled down his window.

"First of all, it's detective. And second of all, there is a problem. The problem is that you almost raped a girl," he stated.

"And she didn't file charges, so until she does, I didn't do that."

Hank reached over and grabbed Derek Evans by the collar. "Listen here. In two weeks, you are going to write a letter to your parents saying that you're running away because of all the ridicule you've faced because of this. And then, you're going to meet me at this address." He thrust a piece of paper into his hand. "Oh, and if you think I'm not serious, let me know if your principal shows up to school tomorrow because I can promise you he won't be there. He'll be in prison...or dead. I'll let you think over which one it is." He let go of his collar. "If I were you, I'd show up or it will be a whole lot worse for you."

Derek swallowed. "Okay."

***

Two weeks later

Hailey was settling in at your house, but you still weren't ready to go back to school.

"Y/N," your mom called from the kitchen. You walked out there. "I talked to one of your counselors. They said that they think online school would be helpful. Is that something you might be interested in?"

You never thought your mom would cave to this, but you were on cloud nine. "Yes, please."

"Okay, but can you try to go back at the beginning of next year?"

"I don't know, Mom."

"That's okay. I shouldn't have asked you that. You'll know when you're ready." She paused. "But, one of the things I'm worried about is you not getting any social interaction."

Will walked out of his room. "What if I do it with her?" he asked. "I could go to school for my AP classes and then take the other ones online. The AP ones are really the only ones that matter."

"Will, it's your senior year," your mom argued.

"I know. I can still do all the fun senior stuff, but I wouldn't have to be at school all day."

"Can I do it, too?" Jay asked. "And, I can still go to school for math and English because we know how I am in those subjects. I can even ask Hailey and text some friends if they want to do online school, too," he suggested.

Tears formed in your eyes. Your brothers were giving up their high school experiences for you.

"Boys, I don't know--"

"Mom, you said the issue was social interaction," Will began, "if we're there and other people are there, she wouldn't be missing out on social interaction."

Your mom sighed. "Are you two sure about this? This isn't a decision you can take lightly." They both said they were sure. "Okay, I'll call the school."

"I'll ask Hailey and make some phone calls," Jay said.

And so, three days later, you, your brothers, Hailey, Kim, Adam, Kevin, Natalie, Stella, and Kelly were all sitting in a coffee shop working on online school.

***

Derek Evans walked a block before he got in Hank Voight's car.

"You have everything?" Hank asked, referring to Derek's backpack filled with clothes, toiletries, and other necessities.

"Yes, sir," Derek answered. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all Hank said and then he started driving.

They pulled up to a dirt area on the water with four huge silos. "What are we doing here?" Derek asked.

"Get out of the car."

Derek listened and then Hank followed him around the car. He pulled his gun out of his holster and pressed the cool, black metal against Derek's temple. Derek froze.

"Walk," Hank commanded.

Derek listened and he walked with Hank still holding a gun to his head.

Hank told him to stop and then he drew a line in the dirt with his foot.

"You see this line?" he asked.

"Uh huh," Derek answered while visibly shaking.

"If you ever cross this line again, there will be a bullet in your head. Walk and don't come back." Hank lowered his gun and Derek started walking, not looking back, doing exactly as Hank had told him to do. "Nobody fucks with my city, Evans," Hank said to his retreating back. "Nobody. Not even you."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this rewrite! Thank you for reading! Please remember to reblog/like and comment because I always love when those notifications pop up and I love reading your comments!And, if you like my writing, you can support me at buy me coffee here. It's only a dollar and it's through Paypal and any currency can be used, no subscription required! (I write these fics for free, so I figured I'd try this out!) As always, if you want ti be added to my taglist, just comment that and I’ll add you

taglist: @theambracer88 @virtualreader @kelelas-life @celyndavies @brookerz122493 @musicismyescape27 @anotherfan07 @thexplosivegirl @dreamingwithlens @xoxmariaxox @onechicago18 @iamasimpingh0e @i-like-sparkly-things @herecomesthewriterwitch @liampayne88

[crhinge]

Breaking Down The Classic Rom-Com

I feel like I haven’t written a fun post in a hot sec so lets talk about one of my favorite subjects: Rom Coms

According to wikipedia, a Rom Com, also known as Romantic Comedy, is “a subgenre of comedy and slice-of-life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles.” In the past, Romantic Comedies have also been called “Chick Flicks” but I think this is devaluing of both women and  the romantic comedy genre. 

The other day, I woke up to find that the most wholesome rom-com couple of all time reunited: Matty & Jenna (Aka Mark Ruffalo & Jennifer Garner). This got me thinking about the beauty of the Rom-Com and how unappreciated they can be. It has been years since we have seen a rom-com with the cultural impact of 13 Going on 30, and I would like to petition for more of them after a sad and painful year. 

I can already hear the millions (in my head this blog is extremely popular) of comments “What about To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before?!?” “What about The Kissing Booth?!?” And too that I say, "Good Riddance!” If you’re rating your rom coms on a TATBILB scale, or even WORSE The Kissing booth, I feel sorry for you. Truly I do. So let's dive into the best Rom Coms of all time, but first... 

What makes a Rom-Com good? Well let's start with a relatable as hell main character. I am talking a girl (sometimes guy), who has many flaws, but the audience can see themselves within her/him. Let's use Jenna Rink from 13 Going On 30 as an example. Well, she's literally a 13 year old in a 30 year olds body, but don’t we all still have a preteen hiding inside of all of us? She is 100% willing to be herself at every step, even if that means dancing thriller all alone. She touches on all of our insecurities, while teaching us how to break down our walls. 

Rom-Coms also need characters to make realistic choices. This does not mean that the movie itself is realistic, but rather than you can understand the choices the characters make. Again, 13 going on 30 does a fabulous job of this. Obviously, Jenna traveling in time because of wishing powder is not realistic, but the choices that her and her past self make are. Due to the insecurities of her childhood and a need to feel included, relevant, and powerful Jenna pushes important people out of her life, which happens to so many people in the real world. These decisions force her to miss out on the love of her life, and ultimately, the story ends sadly: the love of her life marries someone else and she is left with tears, wishing powder, and an old doll house. That is until she is able to travel back in time and change the course of her life. 

Lastly, Every classic Rom-Com couple needs to have chemistry. There. I said it. Hollywood loves just casting random famous actors without giving them a proper chemistry read. One great example of this is Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel in Safe Haven. Both fun, famous, Hollywood actors who have zero chemistry. Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner had more chemistry throwing back Razzles than those two did during an intimate sex scene. 

Alright, now that we have broken down the requirements of a Romantic Comedy, let's jump into the best and worst of all time.

Best: When Harry Met Sally. 9/10. A classic. A tale as old as time. Both Sally & Harry are very flawed, yet relatable characters. Sally is too picky and particular, while Harry is a player. They both suck at relationships, but make rational decisions based on their motivations. We all have friends like these two and their chemistry is on point, both on a friendship and romantic level. They bounce off of one another splendidly. 

Worst: Sleepless in Seattle. 1/10 I know, this is a strong take, but this is a terrible movie about a stalker. Meg Ryan (I don’t even remember her character's name) is the stupidest most unrelatable character I have seen in a long time. She is extremely unlovable, cheats on her SO emotionally, and flies across the country to stalk a man that she has never met before. And then you’re telling me that Tom hanks FALLS FOR HER? Nope. No. I refuse to except this. Plus, their chemistry in this is pretty mediocre (You’ve Got Mail is Way Better) and we only get to see them together once. 

Best: 10 Things I Hate About You. 8/10. I was tempted to leave all high School Rom-Coms off this list, but Heath Ledger is my exception. Talk about likability. Kat is a strong, powerful, independent woman who learns how to be more vulnerable while still being a feminist badass. We all wanted to be Kat growing up. Meanwhile Heath Ledger is the classic bad boy with a soft side, and who wasn’’t into that? Both characters grow into new people throughout the movie making them relatable, complex, and realistic. Not to mention the angel that is Joseph Gordon Levitt, who keeps the audience up beat and smiling throughout the course of this Shakespeare tale

Best: My Big fat Greek Wedding. 10/10.  Have you seen this film recently? Because it is an absolute DELIGHT and so relatable. It dives into the difficulty of family expectation and cultures merging. It also has the cutest proposal of all time with a realistic couple that fights for one another on a daily basis. You laugh. You cry. You get a dynamic cast with wonderful chemistry. You feel invested in the family and the relationship. Just a joyful wonderful film.

Worst: Something Borrowed. 0/10. If you’ve never seen this movie, don’t. Ginnifer Goodwin sleeps with her best friends fiancé and we’re supposed to be okay with it because she liked him first. Hard pass. And she ignores John Krazinski who is right in front of her. She is unlikable, unreliable, and makes dumb decisions that no one else would. 

Best: He’s just not that into you. 9/10  I will go to bat for this movie. It follows several realistic storylines in a Love Actually manor, except they actual seem legit. A woman realizing her boyfriend is never going to marry her. A girl facing the fact that maybe some guys just aren’t that into her, and she isn’t an exception to the rule. A man slowly making the decision to cheat on his wife as they are growing apart. A woman realizing that she is worth way more than her bastard husband. A woman realizing that the person she’s sleeping with will never leave his wife for her. It's compelling, has realistic characters that we can relate to, and still warms your heart in the end. 

Best: The Big Sick. 8/10. Okay to be fair, this is based on a true story so it automatically has realistic characters and decisions. Maybe I should leave this off of the list, but I wish this film got the recognition it deserves. Two lovable main characters who make mistakes that are understandable. Wonderful chemistry between Kumail and his girlfriend as well as her family. 

Best: About Time. 11/10 This is hands down the best Rom-Com of all time and Potentially the best film of all time as well. If you don’t cry in this movie you do not have a heart or soul. The characters are SO insanely likable and adorable.It touches on the importance of family and valuing time and how little of it we have. The chemistry within the whole cast is palpable, and we can all relate to at least one character, whether it is the protagonist Tim, his wife Mary, his sister Kit-Kat, or his father. 

Well it is important to point out the obvious here: this list is lacking diversity in a huge way. All but one of these movies follow a cis, straight, white couple, and that is extremely concerning. People have attempted to make more diverse rom-coms over the past few years, but they all seem to be lacking one of the three core components of what makes a rom-com great: Relatable, realistic, and great chemistry. For example. Crazy Rich Asians was a fantastic film, but the high level of wealth that Nick Young comes from, made his character difficult to relate to, and I’m sorry but the chemistry just wasn’t there for me. Always Be My Maybe’s characters fell flat and it’s not a film I would want to watch more than once. Love Simon made some huge waves for LGBTQ representation in the media, but that ending kiss was unrealistic along with his friends reaction to fining out he was lying, which left the movie anti-climactic by the end. 

Now, the most recent film on this list was made in 2017. And before that 2013. So where have all the Rom Coms gone? Why don’t we see more of them. There are a few Rom Coms that could be contenders on the “Best” list from the last couple of years that include a small amount of diversity: 

Yesterday 7/10. The big question here is does this count as a romantic comedy? The love story isn’t the main plot, but is definitely a large sub-plot. This movie features an interracial couple and is highly re-watchable. The main characters are entertaining, relatable, and have pretty good chemistry. We will see if it stands the test of time. 

The Broken Hearts Gallery 7/10. This movie has gotten NO recognition. The main character, Lucy, is an extremely likable 20 something, not unlike our Ginnifer Goodwin in He’s Just not that Into You. The plot is fun and predictable but keeps you watching. I don’t know if this one will stay on my list long, but it’s definitely up there. 

But here is my challenge to Hollywood: create some new, beautiful Rom Coms that celebrate diversity but that don’t throw away the relatable, realistic, and high chemistry characters that we are just waiting to fall in love with. It’s got like 16 ideas up my sleeve, so just give me a call Hollywood. 

[hikarikaishi-blog]

Why Caleb did what he did in ep127 – my theory.

This is my theory it can be super wrong, maybe I am right at some points, I just want to put it out there, maybe some of  you will like it. Here we go:

Caleb is my fav character the whole campaign so far and what he did in that episode shocked me, it was so not like him. We did see him when cornered he would go rampage but was he cornered here? So I was shocked.

I was shocked he didnt discuss the problem that might come from this with the M9, they didnt talk about it might be a trap they just went for it. They didnt think twice and that was alarming for me and the second they interacted with the guards it all went south and Caleb ignored Astrids tip of being stealthy to avoid Trent. And in the end he did appear and I was like „that is what you get when you just go full rage and dont think a second about it and Caleb you were the thinker in this campaign why did you do all of that?! Next episode I want an explanation for this or I am out!“

Caleb knew what he was doing all the time, he knew if he would do all of this Trent would show up.

There is no way he did forget that because Astrid told him super clear that Trent isnt there so they should be STEALTHY.  But he didnt. He ignored the warnings and put Astrid in danger with that as well, a soon as Trent sees the maps he knows who helped and Astrid will be punished. He said he cares for her and puts her in this danger! It was all a lie? Astrid deserves so much better than this! Boo Caleb for treating a girl that was obviusly in pain so she cried because of you like that! I was at least a bit happy that Matt clearly said Trent did appear because of the rucus, not because of Astrid. She didnt sent Trent. She didnt do it.

Caleb ignoring Astrid and her advice and destroying the bit of Trust that was building up between them – shatterd. „Caleb thats so stupid why are you that stupid.“

I was all that. I was so disappointed.

I woke up next morning and was still disappointed and a bit angry that Caleb went this route with all the murder. He knew Trent will maybe show up and catch them while stealing his stuff and he did it anyway. It was like Caleb wanted Trent to show up. To show him how much he hates him and to show him what he is capable off. Because Trent knows that now because he sees the display of raw power he might want to get Caleb back under his thumb and make him work for him again. There is no way out of this situation for them, than to bargain with Trent and he imo will let them got when they will do him a favor later. Caleb must have known that and still did this.

He is just playing into Trents hand where everyone wanted him to escape from. Because Trent is so bad.

And I was: Wait a minute.

Let that sink in for a secong.

He is playing …

playing Trents game. Do you get where I am going with this?

What if all of this, the killing and blood everywhere, is an act made up by Caleb? What if he is playing Trents mind game back at him?

He is giving Trent a view on him like Trents want to think of Caleb: Powerful, full of hate against the Volstruker and Trents experiments, full on revenge and wants to kill him, Trent, but also is no match for him with getting so easily caught in the middle of his home. He has power but he isnt clever enough. What if Caleb wanted to get caught by Trent? Pretend he is not clever so Trent thinks he isnt clever and can be a puppet for him again?

While  pretendign being a puppet again, Caleb can get closer to him/the Assembly to learn more about him and his connections in the Assembly. To learn how to root out all the corruption in the assembly wich is his main goal this whole campaign! He wanted to learn about all that from Ves, we know that, but that didnt work out so he has to do it another way and now he doing it on his own.

He knows, he can not fight the Assembly heads up. He knows he has to get inside first and root out evil from within. He has to earn some trust to get the info he wants to have. He cannot trust anyone so he goes on his own and wants to plays Trents game and maybe be better this time and beat Trent. What better way to beat someone than in his own game right?

And do you remember who talked about beating someone at their own game? Do you? It was Astrid during the dance scene. She said „...either we walk into their trap or beat them in their own game.“

In that scene i thougt she was talking about the TT because she touched his spots with the red eyes a second before and it bothered me that she said „we“. Was she planning on going with them to Eiselcross? That wont happen anyway (she would need trents permission/it would be to obvious and Trent would not let them go so they can come up with a plan to kill him) this is stupid. So now I get she was talking about „we either beat Trent and whomever we are fighting here or we walk into their trap.“

So what I proclaim is: Astrid and Caleb in general know they are dancing the „can-i-trust-you-tango“ but they know they have one common enemy: Trent.

So they were discussing during the dance without saying it, if they want to work together in bringing him down. Caleb wasnt sure if he wants/can work on the „Trent-problem“. He has more importand stuff to do right now and he doesnt want to face all that stuff from the past that will come up during this working against Trent.

He cares for Astrid as he said. He isnt against helping her but maybe not right now.

What made him change his mind was Astrid crying in a spot where nobody would have seen her crying all on her own. He knows her, he know how much is to interpret in her crying. I think she is rarely crying. She has doen the same training as Caleb did, she is used to be cruel and to murder and be a bad human. But she wont cry because of that. She said so herself in their first meeting. Her crying is super special and Caleb gets that. And because he cares so much for her, maybe you can relate when you know a person you care for is crying in the mud. You want to help so they dont cry anymore. That is why he decides he wants to help her,/wants to start working on the problem now and not later. He knows she is using him, but he is using her as well. He doesnt care. He wants to help, to help her, help his country. He made this decision over night and Astrid gave him the time to think about it, but she needed a signal from Caleb. Ans anwer to her question if he wants to do this now or not. She said „I will see what I can do for you“ aka says „i want to work on this now, how about you?“

He sent a red firey bloody signal back. A signal as bright as the fire Warning beacons of Gondor

in „The return of the kings“ when Gondor sent signal to Rohan asking for help. The fun part is nobody gets it beside Matt and that is exactly the kidn of pranks the people on the table like to play. Remember Sam/Scanlan? I do. it was stuff he planned for weeks and nobody was expecting it and it was a big suprise for everyone.)

He could have been stealthy and just get the stuff he wanted during the heist. It would have send the signal to Astrid „thanks for the help, I cant work on this now. Maybe later. See you“.

But Caleb did not do that. He send a signal like: „I am full in, I want to play this game, starting it right now and either we win this game or loose and run into his trap. Lets do it.“

Its amazing how they comunicate without saying a single word about it.

The three different papers you ask? For me its the answer to his „for the love that we three shared I need to ask a favor“. She answeres with the box „Here is what i can do for you and yeah we three are in this together“ the paper are symbols for the three of them. The three people from Blumenthal. Its brialliant.

Why she is thankful in the message: Because he comes back and contacts her. He is her only hope.

Why she is sorry the day after: Because she thinks she is guilty to drag him into this. She knows this will be hard for him and will cause a lot of pain. That is why she says she is sorry.

(Is she for real? We dont know. They are still dancing the „can-i-trust-you-tango“)

They are playing Trents game of saying the truth and show whats obvious. Matt and Liam are playing this game so good they fool the other players and me and other fans. Its brilliant.

To let everyone think its a Trap set up by Astrid? - Its fine because people will focus on her (and its legit because she is shady and in this game as well) while Caleb is the one whom they should be worried about.

Let everyone think he does all the stuff he did here because of the Drama, Trauma and the pain etc – Yes it is exactly that to a percentage and that is the truth he is showing here, but underneath that is the other truth that he just wants to get closer to Trent. Caleb knows how he has to behave to get what he wants. He does it all the time because he learnid it from Trent! (remember the scene he wanted to work Essek as he needed him to work in that moment on the ship, because Caleb wanted the peace talk to happen? Because Caleb didnt want Essek to run away but to stay and get done what he Caleb wants?) He does not like those methods but he has to use them to get what he wants.

This is a brilliant plan from Caleb and Astrid and you know, they worked together before. They know each other so well when it comes to work (and probably more). They were a team for a long time and its like: watching a movie where old action heroes that worked together for a time suddenly have to work again. They just work together like they always did. Its like one comes visit the other one after 10 years of both of them living their lives, and they just look at each other and the person stands up goes to a shelf, gets his old gun out that was hidden there all the time and only asks: how is the weather? And the other says „its clear blue sky“ and they dotn talk anymore and just to their thing like in old times and know exactly what to do. Caleb and Astrid are Assassins in this but you know the dynamic is there.

Another way to put it:

With the dinner invitation trent put up a chess board. And invited Caleb to play. Caleb doesnt answer. Astrid asks him at the door in private: „you said you want to play this game last time you visited me. Do you still want to play? „He says „yes“ and she answers „race you to the top“ wich was clever. It seemed like she wanted to play the game herself, and that is again one half of the  truth here: she wants to play this game, but not on her own because she knows she cannot win this alone. She needs help and playful/tricky invites Caleb to play this together against Trent. Like she would say: „I want to play the game and I would want to know who is more clever/better here, you or me“. This is the dynamic I think they had as teens: always challenge each other who is more clever and gets the solution to a riddle first etc. but always playful never hating and i think that is how they connected in the beginning and fell in love at some point. We will see that maybe in the comic in summer.

During the dance she said: „You have to decide soon if you want to play this chessgame because Trent is a bit distracted anyway right now. Also time is of the essence. You have eyes on your back?“ this mental chessgame wont be a game that will finish soon, or in 2-5 episodes. It might go on for half a year because its a chess game where you have to think a lot and think a lot up in front. With the „i will help you with the necklaces“ she holds out the first pawn to Caleb, and with his rampage he takes it and sets it on the board and the game is on.

And its all covered up in half truth and some scheming but never blunt lies because that would be to easy to find out and could be the end of the game.

So Astrid and Caleb are workign together against Trent while behaving like nothing happend. She does her stuff, he does his.

They will meet sometimes because they both have the working connetction to Trent and who knows how this will end? Trent I think is aware that the game is on and I think he will play (move his figures in the next episode. With the maybe task they have to do for him so he lets them go.)

He set the board on the table in the first place.

Tldr:

Caleb wanted to face Trent. He was aware of what he did, he knew their actions did lead to Trent appearing. He wanted to seem to be the scholar that breaks into his old teachers house to get stuff so he can get closer to Trent again, to gather information from inside the assembly so he can take the system down from inside. Astrid might have gibt him the idea, and maybe there is some planing going on between Astrid and Caleb that we can’t see.

[kdtheghostwriter]

SNK 116: V Has Come To

Alexa: play “Roundabout”

When I first saw the Kanji that represents “rumbling,” my first two thoughts, in immediate succession where as follows: “Oh, shit, is it already happening” and “Oh, no, wait it’s just like JoJo.” (Fun fact about that ED, since Ded Memes live here. The little To Be Continued arrow always flies in before the drums hit. Like everything it gets adjusted for the purposes I suppose. Anyway!) Honestly, every chapter in this volume has ended like the episode of an anime, including this one with its hero/villain stare down and triumphant proclamation from the narrator. More on how those tables have turned later.

 I want to spend most of this essay talking about Eren, since I spent most of the last one talking about his older brother. I’m not so much surprised at the direction his character has taken after so many years of pain and abuse. What does take me aback is how so many people are apparently sympathetic to Zeke while hating Eren, especially considering how Eren had a comparatively awful upbringing while spending a lot less time being shitty to people.

But maybe I shouldn’t be too shocked. Even as the main character, he’s always been controversial. Whether by people who want him to be paired with one character or another, or those who just plain don’t like him. Even in-story, good will has been hard to come by. One minute they’re honoring you and your friends in front of the Queen. A few years later, you’re locked underground as a fugitive of the military-controlled government.

It was the Chapter 112 recap where I broke down the nuance of a pro wrestling storyline – specifically in regards to their character-driven nature. I used performers like Shawn Michaels and Brett “The Hitman” Hart to outline the natural progression of a character from fan favorite to hated ne’er-do-well. Now, I’ll be using an example much more relevant to the story. The Rise then Fall then Return then “Turn” of Daniel Bryan.

Most important thing to note about Daniel Bryan is that he’s not supposed to be in the ring at all. A series of concussions and other injuries forced him to retire from active in-ring competition. This was directly after a year-long saga of him trying to prove himself as a main event player. After what seemed like endless waves of red tape and front office hurdles, he achieved the absolute pinnacle of the business. Winning in the main event of the year’s biggest show, WrestleMania, and becoming the World Heavyweight Champion. It was always going to be downhill from that point. What couldn’t have been predicted was the suddenness of it.

Three years pass and Daniel Bryan announces his imminent return to active competition. His first match back is yet again at the Showcase of the Immortals. He receives a hero’s welcome and for several months is riding a familiar high as the most popular superstar in all of wrestling. And then, he fights AJ Styles and something changes.

I must note here briefly that at this point in the latter part of 2018, AJ Styles himself is enjoying a year-long run as champion of the world’s largest federation. He and Daniel Bryan were scheduled to have a match at the Crown Jewel event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Yes, the same Saudi Arabia that allegedly orchestrated the murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Daniel Bryan, along with other members of the roster, refused to make the trip. As such, his WWE Championship match was pushed up a week to be contested on TV. Bryan lost this match, but that would not be the last time they faced. In fact, the very next time the two squared off, Bryan captured the title, albeit via some nefarious means. It was after this match (followed by a match with former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar) that something broke within Daniel Bryan.

The WWE’s relentless media schedules as well as the punishment of months of fighting on the road finally broke him down mentally as well as physically, and he decided that enough was too much. Daniel Bryan utilized his newfound platform as champion and killed the movement that catapulted him to worldwide fame. In its place, a message of repentance. He replaced the leather strap of his title belt with one made of hemp and naturally fallen oak. He railed against the paying fans for their unchecked consumerism and even admonished his boss, billionaire Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment Vince McMahon, for exploiting their more reductive tendencies.

This is going to sound weird because, honestly, these things change month-to-month but, yes, Daniel Bryan is supposed to be the bad guy here. And for a segment of the audience he absolutely is. Live crowds across the country (excluding his home state of Washington) hate Bryan with a fiery passion. Meanwhile, all of Twitter asked all at once, “Wait, you want us to…boo him?” It’s the most famous Heel Turn in recent memory due in part to the circumstances and the performer involved. This was the most popular wrestler in the world not six months prior. But even though the crowd still loved him, they were not clamoring for him like they had been. The magic of the Yes Movement was largely gone.

In Shingeki no Kyojin, I’ve witnessed this cycle ad nauseum. It’s the ebb and flow of fandom. I’ve been reading this series long enough to recall a time when Eren was seen as a useless, whiny geek as opposed to the badass world-beater he is now. There was a time, believe it or not, where Reiner was as polarized and hated as Eren is now. Before that even! Reiner was little more than the cute, air-headed jock before he and Bertholt revealed themselves as spies. Isayama reveals him as his favorite character and he’s been the darling of the fandom ever since. Second perhaps only to Commander Handsome himself who is even more popular in death. Annie still has her fans, despite only being in maybe fifteen percent of this manga.

My point is the same that Isayama has been getting at for the past three volumes or so. (Maybe more than that if we accept Kruger’s monologue as the first example.) Your notion of how the world works has been fucked from the start. Good and evil; right and wrong; Marley and Paradis. Reality is only as good as your perspective. The author was not content with just stating this, though. To prove his point, he deconstructed his own carefully planned narrative, rebuilt it backwards, then flipped it upside down so that now, we’ve come back ‘round to this.

Funny thing, life is. When your idols become your rivals. Eren once confided in Reiner for support in his darkest moments. Now, it’s very likely he’s going to try and kill him. Simply for getting in his way. This is more of the framing I’ve talked about before from Isayama. This looks like any other match card from an actual title bout. To show you what I mean, I’m going to line up several examples.

Seeing it now? Classic promoter tactics. Building up the hype. People rib on the Dragon Ball series for doing this sometimes – in the case of Z – to a comical extent. But really, this method can be seen elsewhere in stuff like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho, Lupin the Third; I really could just name twelve more titles.

This is a rematch four years in the making. Yes, they met in Liberio but I don’t count that as a fight, considering Eren won long before anyone even transformed and Reiner was literally begging for his death. In present day, the Warriors have caught The Usurper off guard and they have much needed backup. This conflict has been set up like the apex of any Marvel movie. The mismatched group of heroes converging on one point, because the only hope they have of defeating the super villain is if they do it together.

This is why Pieck didn’t pull the trigger when she had the chance and also why Eren didn’t transform and splatter her and Gabi against the dungeon walls. Pieck is part of a team. A team with a plan. Part of that plan involved getting Eren Jaeger out in the open where he would be exposed to an all-out attack. Eren had prior knowledge of the Warrior Unit’s arrival and knew his best option was to track their location and cut them off. Pieck was likely dead whether she cooperated or not. What Eren didn’t account for was Porco, who was actually in plain sight amongst the other Jaegerists, but in a world where photography has just recently been introduced, one could not expect them to recognize him out of his Titan.

 Pieck trusted her friends, and now they are all dropping in to Shiganshina to aid in her rescue. Eren did not trust his friends, and now they are all dead, mutilated or locked in a cell and they won’t be coming to his rescue. In another manga, this would be the turning point of the story where the Big Bad got his comeuppance and learned the ultimate lesson about the Power of Friendship and the series would end with the two brothers embracing in a pile of rubble. This is not any manga. Eren has three Titan powers at his disposal. (Four if he can get his hands on Porco again.) Unless there is a legit airstrike of some sort or some other secondary offensive, Reiner has no chance of winning this. Maybe he doesn’t have to, depending on what the plan is.

We still don’t know what Eren’s plan is either! That’s probably the biggest difference between him and Daniel Bryan. The Daniel Bryan character was developed weekly on television over many months and his motivations up to this point have been fully fleshed out. Eren’s motivations are a mystery to everyone except Eren. Even his brother Zeke doesn’t know what he’s up to. Zeke who, by the way, can magically appear in this upcoming battle as well. No, I don’t think Eren is the final “bad guy” of this story. I just wish he was, because he’s damn good at doing it.

I do not know how this ends. I am, however, sure of one thing.

  Stray Thoughts

- I wouldn’t say either Eren or Pieck had the other fooled at any point. They were at an impasse and Eren decided to move the plot along.

- Eren isn’t the classic mwahaha villain (yet) but wow is he angry. And not the violent, explosive anger we know him for. Cold, cunning, calculated. I genuinely feared for Pieck’s life despite her holding the gun.

- I know we’ve been conditioned by this story to search for subtext, even when it’s not there, but I wouldn’t read too much into certain…stuff that happened with the 104th. The point here was to re-establish what we already know about the crew. Jean is a very perceptive lad and almost certainly the next Commander if anyone survives this story. Armin is…having a moment.

- I have to wonder how good Magath’s intel is for this op. Does he know that Shiganshina is deserted? Has he accounted for Zeke’s appearance? Does he know the God of Destruction is nearby?

- Yelena has been a favorite of mine since her debut, when everyone thought Connie grew three times his size. I won’t call it a Heel Turn because it doesn’t count if you weren’t wearing the White Hat to begin with.

[lovemesomesurveys]

When was the last time you swam in a pool? It’s been like 4-5 years. Do you like to party? Who doesn’t like to party? Not me. If your ex suddenly kissed you right now, what would you do? I would definitely be caught off guard. I’d kind of just be like uh wtf are you doing.

Are you a virgin? Yes.

Is your best friend dating anyone? My best friend is my mom, and she’s married to my dad.

Describe the shirt you’re wearing? It’s a gray shirt I got from my UC. Could you go out in public without wearing makeup? I do all the time. What is one feature that you don’t like? On me? I hate my smile the most. Would people describe you as happy? No.

Do you have a Tumblr? No, what’s that? Sleep with or without clothes on? With. I don’t like being naked. Like after I shower I can’t wait to my clothes on. You’re offered free tickets to a Justin Bieber concert. What do you do? Sell ‘em. Does it bother you if people swear around you? No. I find it funny whenever our family friend cusses in front of me because she always apologizes to me for it. I’m like, I’m almost 30 it’s fine. Do you prefer Wednesdays or Thursdays? They don’t make a difference to me. Converse? I like them. Prefer black or blue pens? Black. Dress up on Halloween? Not anymore. Like to travel? Yesss. Like someone? No. Does he know? Who sleeps with you every night? No one. Think you’re attractive? Nope. Want to get married? No. Are you a good student? I was, yes. I’m not in school anymore. Are you currently happy? No. Have you ever cheated / been cheated on? No and no. Birthplace? California. Christmas or Halloween? Christmas. Colored or black-and-white photo? Colored. Do you believe in astrology? No. Do you believe in love at first sight? No. If you could move anywhere in the world for free, where would you move? Hmm. I’d have to really think about that. Has anything been pissing you off lately? Yes. Do you have a favorite Blizzard flavor? I’ve only been to a Dairy Queen as a kid, so I have no idea what they have now. What did you do this morning? It’s only 12:40AM. What time did you wake up this morning? I haven’t gone to bed, yet. Have you ever hugged someone you didn’t know? No. Did you follow the World Cup this year? Nope. If so, do you have a favorite player? Who is playing guitar in the song you are currently listening to? I’m not listening to any music. Do you like Lady Gaga or does she try too hard? I like some of her songs. Who was your favorite Beatle? I don’t have one. What’s the ugliest trend you’ve ever seen? I don’t know. Can any songs make you cry? Yes. What’s the genre of the current song you’re listening to? I’m not listening to music. Do you say ‘legit’? Sometimes. What’s the funniest nickname you have? Boob or Boobala. lol. Would you ever keep your favorite animal as a pet? I have a dog. (: I unfortunately could never have a giraffe. Were any of your close friends born in January? Nope. Did the last hand you held belong to a male or a female? Female. Could you survive without Google? I think I’d get along okay. It’d suck, though. I love Google. Do you listen to Kanye West? I like some of his stuff. What would you do if you were stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean? Freak out. ha. When was the last time you played Guitar Hero? It’s been yearsss. I want to play. Where did you last wear a bathing suit? I don’t wear bathing suits. Who did your last notification come from? I don’t remember. Who is the funniest person you know? My younger brother. When did you last see that person? Earlier. When sitting on the floor, in what position do you normally sit? Cross legged. Did you remember to wear deodorant today? I haven’t put any on yet today. Who’s the main actor in your favorite TV show? I have a lot of favorite shows. Do you get along with your parents? Yes. My mom is my best friend. Does the last person you kissed know what color your eyes are? I believe so. Do you feel more comfortable with a male or female doctor/nurse? Female. Do you miss anyone? Yes. In the past 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? My brother. Is there anyone getting on your nerves at the moment? No. Do you remember the first time you kissed the last person you kissed? Yes. Have you ever walked on the beach at night? No. What was your last thought before you went to bed last night? What I wanted for lunch. lmao. Is anyone else in the room with you? No. Do you like being kissed spontaneously or asked? Spontaneously if it’s a person I want to be kissed by. Well, if we’ve already kissed before and we have a thing going on that is. What are you excited about? Summer being over. What are you not excited about? My upcoming doctor appointments. Do you know anyone who has the same last name as you, that you aren’t related to? Yes, actually. it was pretty weird because my last name isn’t a common one. Ever cried so much you threw up? No, but I get to where I dry heave. What were you doing at 2 AM this morning? It hasn’t been 2AM, yet. When was the last time something bothered you? Earlier. Do you believe teenagers can be in love and stay in love? Sure. Where do you wish you were right now? I’m good with being in bed right now. Have you done anything embarrassing lately? Just being me. Ever been kissed on the forehead? Yes. Is there anyone who doesn’t like you? It’s possible. How many kids do you want? None. Is anyone overprotective over you? My parents, but I don’t mind that. I know they just love and care about me. They worry about me a lot. Do you trust all of your friends? Yeah. Do you have a reason to smile? Not at the moment. Are you completely over your last relationship? Yes. When was your last cigarette? Never. Is anyone ignoring you right now? I don’t believe so. Last song you listened to? I don’t recall. Have you ever passed out on the bathroom floor? No. Do you like to cuddle? Yes. Tell us about your latest ex? Nahhh. You’ve heard about him in other surveys if you read them. How tall is the last person you hugged? 5′6. What is something you wish you had more of? Just better health. Do you have an addiction? Caffeine? Your last ex said they were in love with you, what would you say? Oh, I wouldn’t believe that for one second. Has anyone ever said they would die for you? Yes. Do you like thunderstorms? I do. What would you say if you were to die tomorrow? I have no idea. What is your current mood? I’m tired. Who do you know that can make you feel better if you’re not feeling happy? My pup can always put a smile on my face. Do you hate when people call you when you’re sleeping? Yes. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? Health crap. Who will be your next kiss? No idea. What’s going on between you and the last person you kissed? Absolutely nothing. Have you ever tried to break someone up? No. Are you a bad influence? Maybe I am now. Would you ever get a tattoo? I want to, but I’m too big of a baby. Do you get nervous before going to doctor appointments? Always. Even to the one I go to weekly and pretty much know what to expect. How many drugs are in your system? 2. How tall is the last person you kissed? Not sure. What’s on your schedule for tomorrow? Hang out with my mom and catch up on some of our TV shows that we’re behind on. Do you currently have any bite marks/hickeys on your body? No. Do you usually answer your texts? Usually. Do you call anyone baby? My pup sometimes. Who was the last person to text you? My brother. Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? No. I tried to look nice, but it wasn’t something that I wouldn’t wear otherwise. When is the next time you will kiss someone of the opposite sex? I. Don’t. Know. Do you have to sleep with a television on? Yes. Do you think you are a good person? I try to be, but I could use some work. I don’t feel like I have been as of late. Are all of your friends virgins? No. Are you wasting your time on the person you like? I don’t like anyone. Think back to the last person you kissed, how many times have you cried in front of them? Zero. What do you want right this second? Sleep. If you were offered to smoke some weed right now would you accept? Maybe, honestly. Do you think it makes him weak if a guy cries? Absolutely not. Are they not humans with emotions? What would you do if the last person you kissed told you that kissing you was a mistake? He probably did feel that way, but it didn’t stop him. Do you like it when people call you babe? I didn’t when my first, and only technically, boyfriend called me that. Joseph didn’t call me that. Can you control your dreams if you realize you are dreaming? No. What were you doing before filling out this survey? A different survey. How late did you stay up last night? Until like 4ish. When was the last time you cried really hard? A few days ago. Are you afraid of roller coasters? Yep. I do not do roller coasters. Have you ever done something outrageously dumb? Oh yes. Do you think you can last for an hour without talking? Yeah, I do that a lot. Has anyone put their arms around you in the past 7 days? Yes. Is your hair longer than your shoulders? Yep. It reaches my butt. Do you know anyone else with your name? Yes. Last person who gave you a ‘good morning’ text? I don’t remember. Have you ever watched a movie in another language? Yeah. The last person that made you angry, did you tell them? No. What did you purchase last? Makeup. What are you listening to? Catfish. Have you ever changed clothes in a vehicle? Yeah. Are you an alcoholic? Nope. I don’t even drink at all. Is anything bothering you? Yes. Do you believe that everything happens for a reason? Yes. What is your favorite perfume to wear? I don’t have one as of now. Do you drink water? Yes. Do you go to the mall on Friday nights? No. I haven’t been to the mall in forever. Where do you buy most of your clothes at? Online these days. What is your favorite thing to watch on TV? I watch Catfish, The Golden Girls, and I Love Lucy a lot. And then there’s my other shows that I watch on certain days, but those are shows I watch all the time and have seen every episode. Have you ever been to “Dollywood”? Nope. Do you listen to country music? Yes. It’s Friday night. What are you doing? Same thing as any other night. Do you wear a lot of make up or not that much? I started wearing foundation and concealer now as well. Do you even care what people think of you? I do. Do you have a cousin who is like your own child? No. How to spend your birthdays? With my family out to dinner. You can go back to one time in your life: Where do you go? Childhood. Do you use Victoria’s Secret spray? It’s been years. Do you shop at Pacsun? I have. At school, are you always getting in trouble? I never did. Are you close to any teachers? I’m not in school anymore. Who is your best guy friend? I don’t have one. What do you two do when you hang out? What is a movie that you thought you would hate but you ended up loving? Napoleon Dynamite. I actually did hate it when I first saw it and thought it was so stupid. it is dumb, but I somehow grew to really like it lol. Do you even like horror movies? Yes, some. Do you live in the country? No. Have you ever had a boyfriend your parents didn’t like? No. If so, did you hide it from them? Were you ever a trouble maker? Nope. Do you shave your legs? Yes. Don’t you love the feeling of how they feel when you’re done shaving them? Sure. Which do you prefer to write with: pencil or pen? Pen. Have you ever drove? Nope. Do you have any person in your family with an addiction to beer? No. Do you take a lot of pictures? Of my pup. What did you want to be when you were younger? A teacher. Do you like small or large dogs? I love dogs. Have you ever watched “The Blind Side”? Yes. Who is your favorite cousin? I do not have a favorite cousin. I used to be really close to two of them (I have way over 30 cousins), but I’ve become distant from everyone over the last two years. Do you have a favorite aunt? I am close to one of my aunts on my mom’s side. If you could be anywhere else but here, where would you be? Somewhere on a nice vacation. Right now I’d love to be lying in a nice hotel room with a beautiful ocean view. Has a boy ever spent the night at your house? Just family. Who was the last person to sleep over? My aunt and cousin. Do you have a MySpace? It still exists out there, but I haven’t used it since like 2008. Do you own anything zebra striped? No. I have stuff with giraffe print, though. What is the most expensive thing you own? My MacBook Air. Do things always have to go your way? No. It’s not in my hands. What is something you eat but everybody else thinks it’s gross? Hmm. I like Pizza Rolls with mustard? I know some people find that weird and a lot of people don’t like mustard in general. Do you use the internet heart (<3)? Every once in awhile. Do you forward the chain letters in your email? Uh, no. I hated those. Does drama always seem to follow you? Not drama, just other stressful stuff. Do you like watching motorcross? No. Does anybody in your family race? Yes. How many pairs of shoes do you have? I think about 6 pairs. Do you support your best friend’s choices? Yes. Are you in a relationship? No. Are you closer to your mom or dad? My mom. Do you have a laptop or desktop? A laptop. What color is it? Silver. I have a rose gold case on it.

[imagine-that-haikyuu]

Tooru's sister sneaking Kageyama to her room to hang out and watch movies. She is secretly dating behind Oikawa back. She thought that Okawa will not come home, because he is hanging out with his college friends. Oikawa is in college while his sister is a third year and kage is a second year.

so this didn’t quite turn out the way i imagined it in my head. legit didn’t mean for kageyama to not have many lines lol, i hope you can forgive me (but he loves his gf to bits he’s just a shy blueberry)

i hope y’all like it!

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- admin may

“Come on, come on,” youwhispered, waving Kageyama inside your room and gently closing the door. Onlyyour mother was at the house with you and even she didn’t know that you weregoing to invite your boyfriend over. She knew you had one, but she didn’t knowit was Kageyama. You’d been trying to keep any meetings at your house at aminimum, for fear that your mom might find out and gossip about it to yourbrother. He was a little insufferable when it came to Tobio, and you didn’twant to subject your boyfriend to any of his teasing remarks.

Kageyama was seated in front ofthe low study table in your room, already laden with two glasses of milk and aplatter of cookies. He delicately munched on an oatmeal cookie as you set upthe TV. It was the main reason you invited him over today: Kageyama said therewas a volleyball match being shown live on TV, but he didn’t have one in hisroom, and his parents always watched their afternoon drama at this time. Youknew your brother was going to be out with his friends today—at a mixer, hesaid the other night—so you took the opportunity and invited your boyfriendover.

“What channel did you say it wason?” you said, flipping the channels. Before Kageyama got to answer, youstopped a channel that was doing coverage of the Orange Court in Tokyo. Youfelt Kageyama sit up beside you and reach for another cookie. You smiled andtook a sip of milk.

Throughout the 3-set match youwatched your boyfriend’s reactions to the different plays and occasionallymumbling, “We could use that” or “Man, that’s so dang cool” under his breath.Honestly, watching Kageyama was more fun than watching the actual game (but ofcourse you wouldn’t tell him that or his face would become an explosion ofred).

The rally for the next point wasrunning long and the two of you were eagerly trying to follow the ball on thesmall screen. The middle blocker on the blue team’s side one-touched the balland flew over the heads of the other players, past the back line. It lookedlike the red team was going to get the point if the blue team’s libero wasn’tas fast as he was—he ran to the ball and his leg shot out, kicking the ball andsending it flying to the net. The ball hit the top of the net and rolled along,finally dropping to the red team’s side. There was a player waiting as close aspossible when the ball fell and saved it. The rally continued.

You and Kageyama sat back on thebed, breathless from cheering on the blue team and screaming at all of thetimes they almost lost the points. You reached for your glass and found it wasempty. You turned to your boyfriend. “I’m getting some more to drink. You wanta different one? Or more milk.”

Kageyama stopped and pursed hislips in that cute way you loved. “More milk, please.” A slight blush tinted hischeeks—or maybe that was from all the screaming.

God, he was so cute. You leanedin and kissed his cheek. “Be right back.” You quickly grabbed the two emptyglasses and carefully tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen. Setting your emptyglass in the sink and Kageyama’s on the counter, you spotted a note.

Out for groceries. Be back before around 5. Ask your boyfriend if hewants to stay for dinner, okay? –Mom

You smiled at the note andfigured it wouldn’t hurt. Your brother wouldn’t be back for a while afterdinner, and you knew your mom had wanted to meet him for a while now. Turningto the fridge, you topped of Kageyama’s glass and filled yours with water—thoseoatmeal cookies were seriously chewy.

As you put the carton away, youheard the clicking of the front door and froze.

“Mom?” Oikawa’s voice called.“Y/N? Are you guys here?” You saw him pass the kitchen and backtracked. “Y/N!My amazingly cute little sister!” He bounded to you at the kitchen counter andcaptured you in a hug. He smelled like grilled meat and fruit juice.

“Uh, hey, onii-chan,” you said,and returned his embrace. “I thought you weren’t gonna be home until later?”

Oikawa let you go and carded hisfingers through his effortlessly coiffed locks. “Ah, it was a bust. Most of thegirls didn’t show, so it was either let everyone go home or let the guys flirtwith each other.” He took your glass and drank a long swig. “Where’s mom?”Without waiting for your answer he looked around and slid to the other side ofthe counter to read the note she left.

“Oh, uh, onii-chan, um—,”

“Boyfriend?” Oikawa looked up atyou questioningly. “You have a boyfriend?”

“Um. Yeah,” was your brokenreply. “It’s no big deal, though, he’s—,”

“Where is he?”

“Um—,”

“Is he here? He’s here, isn’t he?Is he in your room?” Without a word he dashed out of the kitchen and ran up toyour room.

“Onii-chan!” you yelled, chasingafter him. You’d been so out of shape lately that when you arrived—panting—atyour room you brother was already yelling at Kageyama.

“Tobio-chan?!” He turned to you,incredulous. “Y/N, you’re dating Tobio-chan? My Tobio-chan? Seriously???”

“Good afternoon, Oikawa-san,”Kageyama said, always respectful to his idols and elders, even if said idol wasmaking all sorts of jabs at him.

You sighed, knowing this wouldhappen if your brother ever got an inkling of who your boyfriend was. “Yes,onii-chan, I’m dating Tobio. Have been for a while now.” You smiled at yourboyfriend and walked over to him. You linked your fingers together and watchedas the heat rose to his face. “It’s not a big deal.”

“But you’re older than him!”Oikawa sputtered.

“Mom’s older than dad!” youdefended. “By four years!”

“But—but! Tobio-chan?”

You sighed again. “You have toget over this thing you have, onii-chan. And please don’t do that at dinner.Mom’s gonna make you weed the garden again if you do.” You pulled Kageyama tothe ground and made yourself comfortable as you watched the remainder of thegame. “Do you want to watch the match? Oh, but it’s almost finished.”

Oikawa shook himself out of his shock“Uh, no, it’s fine. Reruns are a thing, so.” He fidgeted at the door a moment.“I’ll just, uh. Coursework. Yup, I’ll just.” He stood frozen a moment beforegetting out and rushing to his room, leaving the door open.

As you two watched your weirdbrother go, Kageyama said, “Dinner?”

“Yeah,” you replied, resting yourhead on his shoulder, eyes on the game once more. “Mom invited you. Can youcome? She’s dying to meet you. And Dad, too.”

Kageyama had this habit ofwatching you and smiling lovingly and smitten at just about everything you did.He supposed it was because he liked you so much, and that he didn’t think you’dlike him for the awkward teenager he was. But when you looked at him directlyhe got too flustered to say more than a few words at a time. You didn’t mindthough, and could always tell what he meant; Kageyama was always grateful forthat. He knew that she’d respect whatever he said about anything, from themundane stuff to things like meeting the family after almost half a yeartogether.

“I’ll go later,” he said finally,wrapping an arm around your shoulders as the coverage on the game wrapped upand one of those cheesy variety shows started up. Kageyama’s face flushed asyou scooted closer to him.

“Hello?” Oikawa said, pacing acircle on his bedroom floor. “Iwa-chan? Oh my god, you have no idea who Y/N isdating—,”

[highglossfinish]

Tattletail

Welcome to the 'highglossfinish' room.

Leo: Maybe um... give it a moment? It takes them a little time to see posts... Cardinal: Hello! Knock Out: That would be the purpose of the frogs. Knock Out: Cardinal! Hello! Cardinal: ((*rollin my sick *** into the chat vroom)) Knock Out: Is the stream cooperating? Can everyone see the frogs? Cardinal: Alternate!  It's been too long! Knock Out: Hasn't it though? Cardinal: I . . . see a beautiful "Offline" screen. Cardinal: Very colorful. Leo: ... there's frogs? Leo: Oh dear... Leo: It was just working! thenightetc: Same thenightetc: I mean, same that it's offline.  Also it's lagging horribly, I can't even see what I'm typing Knock Out: Any better? Faeline: Well, there's video and sound this time... >.> thenightetc: oh! thenightetc: There it is Faeline: Why are there frogs? Knock Out: Excellent! Knock Out: Who cares? There's something!

Cardinal: I see them! Faeline: And flute music accompanied by... quacking? Cardinal: Very nice. Knock Out: Hmm...still there? Leo: I don't know why it could have started off like that, we checked it ten minutes ago. Thenightetc changed their nickname to thenighetc. thenighetc: *switches browsers* Leo: That creature is unsettling... Faeline: Is it some kind of demented furby? Knock Out: So you can still see it? Knock Out: It is indeed. thenighetc: Yyyyyes Leo: Yes, doctor. I'll ping you if something goes wrong on our end. Cardinal: ((A++++ design, totally looks like a legit 90s toy Knock Out: Excellent. Then without further ado, Tattletail! thenighetc: So this is what, a horror game? Knock Out: It is. Faeline: Looks like. Leo: I-I still can't believe... um, that I almost let Radar watch the stream with me... Leo: O-On Thursday! N-Not tonight! Knock Out: Please never let Radar see this. Knock Out: Or know that it exists. Thebes: Hello, I hear we are watching the furby-being horrors! Leo: That was why, um, I had a caretaker... um... come get him. Faeline: Why is the creepy music box tune a Christmas carol? Cardinal: Because Santa is about to show up and shame Rudolph for his noseglow. Faeline: Do not shame Rudolph! He can't help it. Faeline: >:( Cardinal: Don't tell me, tell Santa. Leo: ... what are you talking about? Faeline: Is this going to be Gremlins: the Game? Faeline: Rudolph is from a children's story. Leo: ... what is it? Faeline: He has a bright, shiny red nose. The story is about ~accepting your differences~ Faeline: with the unfortunate implication that as long as you're useful, you can be as weird as you want. Leo: ... I-I haven't read much Cybertronian history, but... wasn't that the basis of the caste system? Faeline: Maybe? I'm not much of an expert on Cybertronian culture. Leo: ... y-you would think that I would be, but... well Leo: I-I missed the mechanics, what does the yellow symbol mean? Faeline: I thought you were... whatever Cybertronians are instead of born... after the war had... uh. thenighetc: That you're making noise? Faeline: It's a sound symbol. Not sure what they're using it for here. Leo: W-Well... I... remember some things... th-they're not my real memories, but I can use them sometimes... thenighetc: (by the way everybody, do NOT update Firefox. :') Flash hasn't worked at all since I did this morning.) Faeline: Sorry, that was probably awkward. thenighetc: (*is slumming it in IE now*) Leo: N-No, i-it's okay! Faeline: (Thanks for the heads up.) thenighetc: (Going to see if I can roll it back a version or two after this.) Leo: Our patch is similar to um... "Google Chrome," and ours work just fine... Faeline: A french fry? Ewwww. thenighetc: (Don't have that one, just Firefox, Opera, and IE.  :S) Leo: "Nope!" thenighetc: (But thanks!) Leo: Oh dear... that noise... Faeline: Yikes. thenighetc: I'm sure it means something GOOD Leo: It sounds... um... like an engine stalling out... Cardinal: . . . thenighetc: ...are they implying they blindd her Cardinal: Is the horror aspect that these hideous toys aren't returnable? Thebes: this can only be a good thing Leo: N-Nexus below... th-this is horrifying... Knock Out: Just popping up to save the chat log, don't mind me! Faeline: So what do we all think happens on Christmas? thenighetc: ...presents? Leo: I-I don't even want to think about it... Faeline: Maybe it'll be good! Maybe Ninja Santa will come to save us from the hell-furby. Leo: W-w-wait... wh-why are there two now... Leo: AHHHHHHHHHHh thenighetc: !! thenighetc: You know, this is just like that Elf on the Shelf movie. Leo: ... wh-what? Faeline: There was a movie about that? Why. thenighetc: You know, I don't have a good answer for that? Faeline: The Elf on the Shelf is a doll that you tell your kid is watching them. It's supposed to be cute, but it's actually horrifying. Leo: ... wh-why does it want to watch them? Wh-what does it want? Faeline: It's an inanimate object. It doesn't want anything. Faeline: The whole thing is made up as a ~flight of fancy~ for the kid, because clearly kids are incapable of playing pretend on their own. /sarcasm Leo: ... b-but why does it "watch them?" thenighetc: It's made up to scare them into behaving. Faeline: I'm not sure? I think it's supposed to be reporting to Santa but I'm not sure. Faeline: I never had one. thenighetc: ...What just happened Faeline: Who knows? Faeline: Maybe we're having a nightmare and at the end of the game we wake up. Maybe we're feverish and hallucinating. Maybe this is hell. Leo: N-Noises are, um... certainly a... um... main mechanic, aren't they...? thenighetc: "no I hate parties" Faeline: How can you brush it if it's solid plastic? thenighetc: Nah it has fur.  Short fur, but stil Thebes: well this isn't at all creepy Faeline: Here's a better question: what if I smash mama with a poker? What then? Leo: I-It's like that game where there's the... um... what are they... trees. Faeline: Trees? Faeline: There's a horror game where you're menaced by trees? Leo: W-With the trees. A-And the notes. Faeline: Oh, Slender. Leo: M-Maybe? Faeline: For some reason I was thinking more along the lines of When Trees Attack. Leo: I-I'm sorry... Faeline: Nah, it was my misunderstanding. Faeline: Slender makes more sense, I was just thinking about the villains instead of mechanics. Leo: I-It's like the tree game... and um... and the fox game. thenighetc: Yeah, there's definitely some similarities to Five Nights at Freddy's thenighetc: ...combined with the worst escort mission ever Faeline: ...the worst escort mission ever? Leo: N-No, th-there's worse ones. thenighetc: You know.  Having to bring some terrible little creature everywhere with you and look after it and stop it from getting you killed. thenighetc: ...I'm just saying. Faeline: I know what an escort mission is, I just wasn't sure if you were referrring to a specific one? Leo: ... th-there's an old game that R-Ratchet had a copy of... um... th-there were /so many/ escort missions... thenighetc: Oh!  Nah, I just mean fffffffffffffffffffffffffff Leo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Rangers_Dino_Thunder_(video_game) Leo: Th-This one. S-So many escort missions. Faeline: Huh. Sorry, I haven't played that one. thenighetc: Huh Leo: A-Always have to um... escort the big one and i-it moves S-SO SLOWLY! thenighetc: ...Yeah, there probably are worse ones than this.  Just.  Y'know.  There are similarites. Knock Out: I'm turning up the lights and it's not cheating because I already beat this disaster once. thenighetc: Apparently there's this WOW escort mission where you have to escort some old lady somewhere and she moves incredibly slowly and makes all these digressions. thenighetc: And then as soon as you finish she SPRINTS off Faeline: y i k e s Cardinal: You know we would support you even if you were cheating, alternate. thenighetc: Pure trolling Leo: A-And target damage i-is the worst! Faeline: Leave it to WoW to take it way past extreme. Cardinal: ((holy *** neighbor's cat just popped up outside my window and scared me Leo: Y-Your neighbout should w-watch their cat... Leo: Y-Your neighbour, excuse me... Knock Out: Scrap. Am I supposed to look straight at her or away from her? Knock Out: I STILL don't know. thenighetc: Ah well you see the uncertainty about what you're supposed to be doing is all part of the... ludonarrative... mumblemumblemumble... Leo: Th-The text says she moves when you don't look... I think you're not supposed to look at her... thenighetc: ...I just noticed that your footsteps are really way too loud on the grass, carpet, etc Knock Out: SCRAP SCRAP DRAINING GLITCH. Leo: A-And if you make a loud noise too close, like that thenighetc: Actually, too loud on the tile and stone, too!  Like the player character wore big heavy boots to bed for some reason Thebes: then again, we've all had those times when everything was so quiet we felt too loud thenighetc: True.  Maybe it's just loud in their imagination. Leo: I-I think that's what the yellow symbol is for? I-If you make too much noise while the "Mama" is close... maybe it makes her attack? thenighetc: (Imagine if Audrey kept saying "Give me a treat!" instead of "Feed me") Leo: ... th-that's the plant that sings and kills humans, right? thenighetc: That's the one! Leo: R-Ratchet listens to songs from that film... a lot. I-It's one of my favourites now... thenighetc: Yeah, it's pretty great. :) Cardinal: So you have to keep fulfilling the demands of the small Tattletails to keep the noise down so Mama won't find you? Leo: W-Well they talk anyway... thenighetc: It actually creeps me out how they're having you build this sort of shrine in the basemen thenighetc: t Knock Out: Oh, thank the Allspark. Leo: ... th-that's the plant that sings and kills humans, right? thenighetc: That's the one! Leo: R-Ratchet listens to songs from that film... a lot. I-It's one of my favourites now... thenighetc: Yeah, it's pretty great. :) Cardinal: So you have to keep fulfilling the demands of the small Tattletails to keep the noise down so Mama won't find you? Leo: W-Well they talk anyway... thenighetc: It actually creeps me out how they're having you build this sort of shrine in the basemen thenighetc: t Knock Out: Oh, thank the Allspark. thenighetc: What? Leo: I-If the game is moving, he doesn't um... doesn't answer. thenighetc: (What is this thing eating.  HOW is it eating.  Its mouth clearly doesn't go anywhere) Faeline: its mouth goes directly to hell. the food is dissolved by lava. Thebes: (also, what consitutes 'real food' that lets a toy differentiate from, say, humans) Leo: L-Literally stared death in the... um... demon holes Thebes: So this is happening thenighetc: ...apparently? Cardinal: . . . Leo: Wh... Wha... thenighetc: imagine the parents being woken up by this and coming downstairs Faeline: My mom would've killed me. Just, bam, grounded until I'm dead. Thebes: possibly would also have trouble sleeping for a while Leo: Sh-She doesn't move if you look at her... thenighetc: I guess the downside is she doesnt move AWAY if you look at her...? Leo: W-Well... that's why she wasn't leaving... a-and why he got Mama'd Leo: ... I-I think Bumblebee is getting a little freaked out by the audio... if he can even hear it... considering all the jokes latly... Leo: ... oh no, "lately," excuse me... Faeline: Is this phase just going to go on forever? Knock Out: Just...hard. Knock Out: Oh no, it's beatable. Faeline: Oh, you're reloading. Not sure how I missed that. Leo: Y-You could have fooled us... Leo: ... oh dear, that was rude... where did that come from... Faeline: Sorry, my brain seems to have turned inside out. Leo: ... um, y-you know what's a r-really fun horror game? Th-The Park. thenighetc: What's it like? Leo: Um, you um... y-you play as a... a human, and she goes into a... um... amusement park? Is that what you call it? A-After closing... um... because her... um... offspring ran in there Knock Out: Hah! Did it again! thenighetc: So there are... monsters?  Spooky rides? thenighetc: *cheers* Leo: U-Um... a lot of just... um... jumps. N-No monsters... thenighetc: so what would have happened if you'd answerd the phone...? thenighetc: Hmmmm. Leo: B-But the um... the human? She... um... sh-she's not so uh... not so sane... a-and the park h-has things about it... thenighetc: What kind of things? Knock Out: And that's that! Leo: ... wh... but... wasn't she g-gone? Knock Out: And I have no idea. Knock Out: Apparently not. Faeline: I'm a bit confused myself. Knock Out: Collecting all the eggs is supposed to do something, but then...well. Faeline: But there's over 200 of them. Holy crap. Leo: A-and The Park um... has... th-there's a lot of "accidents" that happened... a-and the... what is it... um... they wear animal costumes... Faeline: The mascots? thenighetc: Maybe you have to collect the eggs before the ritual Knock Out: It said you just had to find 22, but clearly that was a lie. Knock Out: What filth. Faeline: We could check youtube and see if anyone else was that crazy. Leo: ... i-is this a mascot? http://blog.timesunion.com/christopher/files/2009/08/102_2509.jpg Knock Out: I could and I will. Faeline: Yup. thenighetc: Yep! Knock Out: Right now, I'm just glad Livestream didn't choke and die on the floor in front of us again. Faeline: Yyyyeah. thenighetc: That was a trip, anyway. Knock Out: It was, wasn't it? Knock Out: Thank you all for coming along on...whatever ride that was. thenighetc: Thank you for hosting! Knock Out: Always a pleasure! Faeline: Yeah, thanks! 0u0