#in moderation. so i will fast— i will still fast. what i won’t do is attempt to inflict last winter’s rules on this winter’s behaviour.

[afieldinengland]

.

[pleaseeeimjustagirl]

It Girls Ramadan Guide

Hey babesss I am soooo excited Ramadan officially starts this week and I wanted to post a Ramadan guide for my fellow Muslim girliesss if you aren’t Muslim but are participating in Ramadan this is a good guide for you as well.

Setting Intentions

♡ Before Ramadan starts set your intentions. What do you want to improve on this Ramadan? What charities do you want to donate to? Even if you aren’t able to reach all the goals you set Allah rewards us based on our genuine intentions.

♡ Journaling. I highly recommend journaling your intentions and your experience this Ramadan. Keep track of your mood, as well as your Quran readings, and prayers. I will link a Quran Journal as well as a 30-Day Ramadan Journal  Ramadan Legacy Planner.

♡ Vision Board. I’ve seen some girls online recommend creating a Ramadan vision board and I agree! Create a vision board using Canva and Pinterest, or you can use a poster board and magazine. This will help you see your goals not just read them. Place your vision board where you can see it so you're reminded of your goals daily.

Nutrition 

Suhoor

♡ Eat a balanced suhoor meal. Eat a meal high in protein, protein takes a while to be broken down so it’ll help you at the beginning of the day. Eat carbs and fats you will need as much energy as the average hours we fast during Ramadan are 12 to 18 hours depending on where you are.

♡ Drink water. One of the things I struggle with every Ramadan is my water intake. Try to drink at least two 16oz bottles of water during Suhoor. Hydration is super important you don't want to pass out due to severe dehydration.

♡ Drink electrolytes. Drinking electrolytes is very beneficial before fasting they help your body retain water while you are fasting. Do not overdo your electrolyte intake because too much sodium is bad.

Iftar

♡ Do not overdo it. I know going a long period without food can make you want to eat everything in sight but it is important to eat a well-balanced nutritious meal after fasting. When you overeat this may cause indigestion and other stomach issues.

♡ Avoid eating too much fried, salty, and high-sugar foods. Moderation is key I know during Ramadan my mom makes all of our favorite Ghanaian dishes and they aren't the most healthy options. That doesn't mean you shouldn't eat them or avoid them you can eat them but in moderation. Eating too much of these foods in the moment may feel good because they cause us to release feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin but they can make fasting the next day very difficult.

♡ Eat whole foods. The best food to break your fast with is fruit! Specifically, a date to begin with and then other fruits like pineapple, watermelon, oranges, strawberries, mango, and other fruits you like. I would recommend you eat more water-based fruits to hydrate your body.

♡ Drink water. I mention this twice because it is very important that after you break your fast you drink water make it a goal of yours to have six to eight glasses of water daily.

Movement

♡ Create a Ramadan workout plan. I know a lot of us girliesss are on weight loss journeys and we want to be snatched before the summer but we also don't want to stress out our bodies while fasting and exerting needed energy. Create a workout plan that starts low and goes slow. Limit intense cardio, and train at a lower intensity, if you lift try to lift heavy before suhoor which means you’ll need to wake up earlier. If you prefer to workout after Iftar break your fast with something light so that your stomach won’t feel so heavy when you workout.

♡ Walking. I recommend getting in sedentary movement throughout the day, so instead of taking the bus walk if where you're going isn't that far. Walking is beneficial for so many reasons I’ll link this article.

♡ Yoga and Pilates. I love both of these exercises they are perfect for my girlies who are fasting. Pilates especially is perfect it is very low and slow in movements but still gives you amazing results. Yoga is perfect for relaxing especially if you deal with anxiety, sore muscles, back problems, and trouble sleeping I recommend trying yoga.

Increase Your Iman

♡ Prioritize Prayer. Make sure to pray all five of your daily prayers and do them on time try your best to not delay your prayers unless you have to.

♡ Read Quran. Some of you might be hafiz of the Quran and I know it is common for hafiz to try and finish the Quran from start to finish during Ramadan so maybe you can make that a goal if you are a hafiz. For my girlies who are like me and haven’t finished the Quran but Insha Allah we will! I recommend trying to read at least 10 verses of the Quran daily that's better than not reading it at all.

♡ Watch Islamic Lectures. I recommend spending your time online watching Islamic lectures like Omar Suleiman, Mohammed Hoblos, Mufti Menk, Dr. Sh. Haifa Younis, Akhi Ayman (he is perfect for younger men), and many other amazing lecturers. My favorites are Omar Suleiman and Mufti Menk they explain Islam in such a beautiful way and spread the message perfectly.

♡ Charity. This month is the best month to give to those in need. You can donate to many organizations, and help send aid to Gaza/Congo/Sudan, create a fundraiser for your local masjid in need, feed another fasting person, help prepare Iftar at home, and so much more. Charity not only blesses us with good deeds but there have been studies proving random acts of kindness are good for our mental health we produce dopamine when we donate or help others. 

♡ Pray Tahajjud. I swearrrr if you have anything you desire in this life this is the best prayer you need to pray! Allah is closest to the earth during the last third of the night and he is there to listen to our dua’s and repentance. You can only pray Tahajjuud after you sleep. Tahajjud is hard to catch because it involves having to leave our sleep for the sake of Allah. One Mallam explained Tahajjud so beautifully he said “Tahajjud is like a personal invitation from Allah Not everyone can get in most people are asleep during that time.” If you have anything you want badly pray Tahajjud for it, especially during this holy month.  So try your best to wake up an hour or two before the fajr prayer and pray Tahajjuud I will link a video on the benefits and how to pray Tahajjud for those who don’t know how.

These are a few tips for my girliesss I hope Ramadan is a blessed month for all of us! Thank you for all the support babes! we are getting close to 500 followers!!!

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group E Round 2: #E1 vs #E2

#E1: Dead people are revived with souls from the future. Hilarity and angst ensue.

#E2: Psychic girl is adopted by Yakuza. Hijinks ensue.

Details and poll under the cut!

#E1: Are You Ok (You Yao)

Summary:

People from the modern world transmigrating (Chinese version of isekai) into the ancient Chinese fantasy world has become a common and everyday occurrence that the royal court in the latter has decided to moderate them. If you’re a transmigrator, you must report your existence to Lou Zhu, the master of Best Tower. Once you pass his test and prove that you are indeed a modern person, you can then be assigned to work in different areas of the government and be given a high salary.

Because of this promised benefit, many impostors have showed up before Lou Zhu. And one day, Zuo Yunqi shows up for this test. Is he an impostor, or is he an actual modern person?

But some transmigrators also choose to hide their existence out of distrust in the government. Where are they? And with their advanced knowledge on science and technology, what are they planning in the dark?

Propaganda:

The setting is a genius mix of ancient and modern. Lou Zhu’s tower looks like an ancient Chinese building on the outside, but on the inside it’s like a hotel, complete with different entertainment venues and even a milk tea shop! And of course, what’s a hotel without an elevator? But since electricity isn’t invented yet, it’s just powered by different men (in fancy uniforms) on bicycles.

You’d expect that the locals would have some amount of horror, sadness, and grief over dead people coming back to life and moving and talking as if nothing has happened. Except there isn’t; at least, not much. They’ve gotten used to it. Life still has to go on, so why not enjoy it?

On one hand, You Yao shows us the transmigrators’ lives and how they cope in this unfamiliar world. Often in isekai/transmigration stories, the locals are portrayed as “backward” and “ignorant” to highlight the modern character’s supposed intelligence. But in You Yao, the two parties have an equal relationship. Transmigrators still have to follow the laws set by the Emperor, and their modern knowledge doesn't always prove to be useful. Unless they can invent novel things despite limited materials, their knowledge often fails to set them apart. I mean, what are you gonna do when you’re an art student whose only talent is drawing p*rn but people expect you to cook??? Or how about when you’re literate in Simplified Chinese but can’t read the locals’ Traditional Chinese text? Or what about when your soul ends up in the body of a mosquito instead???

Even with a high salary from the Emperor, being a transmigrator is not that easy. And as the show unfolds, we find that there’s more to them than comedic figures. 

On the other hand, You Yao is also about the locals and how they have to adapt to their fast-changing world. My favorite among them is Lin Kai. He has fully embraced the changes that he’s become akin to a transmigrator in his knowledge of the modern world. He’s not prominent in the novel, but the donghua treated him with a full musical sequence when he was about to confess to his crush 😂. As the only straight character, they probably had to highlight his love story to let the BL go under the radar—Oh, have I mentioned this show is a BL with several pairs?

Chinese censorship won’t allow the gay to be explicit, but they managed to still make it very fruity. The s1 ending song is literally about the second pair, Li Ke and Zhou Rongqi (aka Prince Yu).

Then there’s the animation style, which is a hybrid of 2D and 3D CGI. People not used to 3D anime may wince at this, but it’s actually common in China. You Yao’s style works quite well for it, too, giving it a distinctive flair.

To sum it up, You Yao is a compelling show that deconstructs the isekai/transmigration genre. If you’re after comedy with depth and an overarching plot, this is the show for you. There’s also some gay romantic angst sprinkled throughout, giving you lots of materials for fanfiction 😎

Trigger warnings: Guns, kidnapping, and imprisonment. Nothing too dark, though.

#E2: Hinamatsuri

Summary:

While reveling in the successful clinching of a prized vase for his collection, Yoshifumi Nitta, a yakuza member, is rudely interrupted when a large, peculiar capsule suddenly materializes and falls on his head. He opens the capsule to reveal a young, blue-haired girl, who doesn't divulge anything about herself but her name—Hina—and the fact that she possesses immense powers. As if things couldn't get any worse, she loses control and unleashes an explosion if her powers remain unused. Faced with no other choice, Nitta finds himself becoming her caregiver.

Propaganda 1:

Hinamatsuri is about…

Hina, who is a psychic metaphor for autism ala Mob but imo better. She’s not only a weirdgirl who’s friends are almost all other strange girls, but she’s also into stuff that is just so either unfitting for her age or she’s just really intense about.

Nitta, who deserves all the fangirls and husbando-ing that every other random guy in anime gets. He’s a bachelor who loves pottery and can cook so well that Hina convinces her friends they have a gourmet chef working for them. He’s also a yakuza and is beloved by the aniki for being incredibly tough and scary. (He is gentle as hell with Hina.)

A bunch of other weird girls (Admin: this part of the propaganda has been cut due to possible spoilers)

Propaganda 2:

Hinamatsuri is an absolutely hilarious anime with some of the best comic timing I’ve ever seen. It’s so funny, the various girls are such nonsense.

Hina starts as a violent blank slate and develops into a lazy greedy horrible little gremlin. Anzu starts as a prideful edgy rival but eventually becomes a wholesome overly grateful insecure mess. Hitomi is forced to become more and more competent, independent, and adult because she can't stand up for herself and say no to people asking her for favors.

Nitta is a fantastic viewpoint character because he outwardly takes so much in stride that it’s easy to forget how annoyed and stressed everything makes him until he snaps.

Trigger Warnings: There is child nudity, but only for a Terminator reference. There is some comedic child neglect and slapstick. There is a child who is homeless, but it’s treated very sensitively.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how they’re presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[neurodiversitysci]

Question for Readers: How do real Neurodivergent people exercise?

Hi, neurodivergent friends, especially those of you with ADHD/executive dysfunction, or dyspraxia. Do you regularly exercise or move your body? If so, what do you do? How often? How do you stay consistent, or deal with being inconsistent?

Knowing how real neurodivergent people exercise (not just neurotypical influencers/self help types) would help me immensely. Just like with cleaning and organizing, we often have to do things in a different way, and it doesn’t necessarily look like what you see in magazines and the like. I want to broaden my mind to the full possibilities of what exercising can look like.

Why I’m Asking:

I’m no longer young enough for my body to stay basically functional without regular physical exercise. I need to do regular physical activity that involves bearing my own body weight and raising my heart rate. 

I need to build up my endurance and develop some arm muscles so basic life tasks like grocery shopping don’t wear me out. 

I also need physical activity to reconnect me to my body. Pretty much everything I do (like reading, writing, and interacting with friends online) keeps me still so long I forget I have a body, and then it’s hard to start moving again. 

I also need physical activity that involves going outside, and people watching or even interacting with people, to connect me to the world and remind me that I’m real. You know, all those mental health benefits of moving and being in nature.

I also need a way to burn off those intense emotions that can stick around for hours, instead of distracting myself from them. And perhaps, burn off some anxiety/restlessness/hyperactivity, while I’m at it.

The Assets

I like walking at a moderate pace and could do for hours.

I love yoga, especially of the slow paced type where you focus on how you feel in a pose and intensify it to the maximum point you can stand.

I love dancing to music, including fast paced songs with a strong beat.

The Challenges:

Low endurance, physical weakness: I need something low impact and appropriate for someone with low endurance and something like exercise induced asthma.

ADHD Inconsistency and Discouragement: I need goals specific enough to actually do the exercise, yet flexible enough that I won’t get discouraged and stop. I need to either not trigger my perfectionism, or work around it.

Executive Dysfunction: I suck at building habits, especially keeping them consistently. These days, I’m so discouraged from years of frustration with trying to build habits that I rarely try at all. Also, I have difficulty setting SMART goals around exercise especially because I’m not very knowledgeable about what’s healthy and realistic (and am exhausted by the prospect of wading through “bro science” to find useful info).

History of dyspraxia; lack of confidence in my physical body and embarrassed about being physically unfit in front of other people.

Heat sensitivity -- it was almost painfully exhausting going outside last summer, which limited the opportunities I had to exercise.

How would you deal with challenges like these?

If you have similar challenges, how do you deal with them? 

Any ideas for what sort of exercises to do, how often, etc.?

Why Reply?

I will try any suggestions that seem promising. So, you might be able to help me.

I plan to write about what works for me, what doesn’t, and why. Maybe that information will help someone else in a similar situation. If so, you might help other people, too.

Thank you!

[vegitoswife-archive]

A/N: New indefinite fic project since, based on the last poll, a lot of people liked the idea of it! Certain parts may be chronological (which will be specified if so) but will in general be disconnected. Some parts may be lengthy, others short. It really depends on the prompt of them and what I can think up!

TAGLIST: @carnal-lnstinct / @yeowangies / @enayru (Like this post to be added to my tag list!)

Part 1 - Spending Time Together

CW(s): None.

★ VEGITO

-Despite how much he loved to train and exercise, you two actually got a lot of opportunities to hang around one another. Unfortunately, Vegito wasn’t really…used to it that much.

-All of Goku’s past friends very rarely sought him out for his company, his and Vegeta’s children all had their own lives, and he refused to go near Bulma or Chi Chi if he could help it, so he adapted to being alone virtually 24/7. Until you came along into his life, of course.

-He tried to hide it underneath his cocky and playful demeanor, but his fondness of you was incredibly obvious with how he sought out your company almost every day. You found it a little cute, but it additionally took on a different meaning when you learned that the chances of him being truly lonely were incredibly high. Too high. Even if he brushed off the questions, you could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t the happiest. Overall, it would likely do you both some good if you spent time getting to know one another better.

If you’re a practicing marital artist or someone who simply likes fighting, bonding with him over either or will be easy. Vegito would even be thrilled to spar with you, and see just how you’d fare against him.

If you have absolutely no combat experience, you could still have some engaging conversations with him over his own love of it. Being a Saiyan, he’s quite literally built for it. Vegito would easily get wrapped up in discussing his techniques and style, whether you understood the terminology or not, that he’d basically ramble with an enthusiastic shine to his eyes. It’s endearing.

-Outside of fighting-related activities, both of you would spend a lot of downtime in the comfort of your home. You have your own hobbies that you could try introducing to Vegito, but there’s a moderate chance depending on what they are that he either won’t understand them much or will think they’re a bit strange. Goku’s hobbies were very construction-based (the Son family’s home needed regular upkeep) and Vegeta…didn’t have hardly any hobbies at all, so Vegito wasn’t exactly dealt a deck of cards that helped him view the world outside the lens of a recluse. He was admittedly technology-inept on top of it.

-Don’t get him wrong, he likes to join you in doing things you find personal enjoyment in regardless of how weird or pointless they might come across as to him, but you’ll have to expect Vegito to be somewhat awkward with them…initially anyway. For example, he’s not going to be the best at playing a video game with you at first, but you’ll be surprised at how fast he can learn the ropes.

-If you’re an avid movie watcher, one activity you can always fall back onto with Vegito is sitting down on the couch and showing him the films you either like or think he’d get a kick out of. Especially those of the horror genre. He would be very amused in getting to see what typical things Earthlings define “horror” as being.

★ GOGETA

-If he’s not training, then chances are he’s with you.

-He honestly doesn’t really try to hide how much he likes being around you. He wouldn’t show it much on his face as he’s the stoic type, but if you ask him if he enjoys your company he’ll bluntly answer with something like “Yeah. Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

-He doesn’t talk to Goku’s past friends hardly ever, and he overall is a very reserved person. Being alone frankly doesn’t bother Gogeta much, but with you, the realization that ‘hey having someone else around is actually kind of nice’ lit up like a light switch had been flipped on. On certain days, he might even act like a puppy in a way. Just…following you around or just observing you quietly with a rather soft look.

-He’d like to learn about your hobbies, but if they’re tied to social media, he’ll definitely be staying out of them. He really values his privacy. If you’re into them: the only video games he’d ever be remotely interested in are puzzle games (especially the innovative types), but since those usually aren’t multiplayer you can’t count on him to play anything with you unless you catch him on a real good day & he feels like humoring you.

-Sure, it’s easy to discuss matters related to fighting with him, but you’ll find that he’s surprisingly very introspective; if not philosophical. There’s a lot on Earth and out in the cosmos that’s either barely known or utterly unknown. It’s not an uncommon thing to find the mysteries of life and existence itself engaging, and despite being one of the most powerful beings in the universe who has personally dealt with supernatural things, the same goes for Gogeta. His nature as a fusion already throws what’s accepted as “natural life” into disarray.

-It might be cliché, but he would greatly enjoy settling down with you somewhere quiet at night to stargaze or the like and chat with you about your own feelings about a variety of things. You can be a ‘deep thinker’ too or the sort who maintains a simplistic view of life, it won’t matter. He just wants to put in true effort to understand you, like how you do with him.

-Something else you may find surprising is that Gogeta does like to read. Have any books? You could lend one or more to him (don’t worry he’ll take good care of them) and see if they catch his interest. After he potentially finishes them, you could have discussions with him over them. Maybe he’ll have the same opinions as you, maybe not, or maybe you both could have fun ripping into the terrible story or characters.

-In general, your time with Gogeta will primarily be you both enjoying one another’s presence. Unless he feels up to talking, he’s content to merely sit or lie in silence with you. He doesn’t care for small talk, and definitely doesn’t need it to remain keen on sticking around you if you both aren’t doing anything at the moment. Expect most days to be relatively chill.

[colderdrafts]

3: The Party

The Great Assembly, gender neutral reader x monster (male naga). Sfw. Tw for alcohol. Previous Next

Day two comes with several staff meetings between departments, a sort of company ‘speed dating’, where each department has twenty minutes to discuss relations before shifting to the next. You and Irwin keep busy managing conversations and input from each of the ones who meet with you. Meeting with Elise and Amren proves as awkward as Elise warned, as she keeps the conversation going from their end, and Amren promptly refuses to speak unless prodded.

At one point you directly ask him what he thinks of your proposal to try and break the ice a bit.

“Reconsider point three. It doesn’t fit in this context,” is his response. His voice is measured and gravelly.

“Why is that?” you urge him on.

His tongue flickers in your direction as he stares at you. You try not to look away.

“Because you’re talking IT security for finance and talking about the night shift here doesn’t make sense. They’re separate jobs.”

“For separate personnel?”

“Obviously.”

“Alright, duly noted. Thanks for your input!” you say, sugary sweet.

You sense Irwin suppressing a snicker.

The timer rings and Amren uncoils himself and leaves the room without a goodbye.

Elise stands up, lets out an exasperated sigh, and follows him while mouthing a 'sorry' over her shoulder. You grin at her.

“Woah,” Irwin quips after they’ve gone. “I think the room temperature is back to normal.”

That evening you do your presentation for the rest of the department. Though your nerves were sort of on edge, Irwin’s performance talent carried you through easily enough, earning you both a polite applause at the end.

Each department go through their presentations to varying degrees of success, and to your surprise Amren and Elise do one of the better jobs. Apparently, Amren is a very good presenter, calm, cool and collected. Though, true to his motif, he slithers out of sight the second the last pair finish for the day.

It’s the day before the big hike, and excitement is buzzing. This evening, some alcohol is on the table, and though you keep moderate, some around you certainly do not, Irwin included. In only a few hours it’s a full on party in the common room.

Mira rejoins you at this point, and leans forward to hurriedly shove some cinnamon buns into you and Irwin’s arms.

“Hush, I stole them from the caterers while they were on break,” she winks. “Better eat them fast before they smell them out.”

Irwin beams at her. “You’re absolutely precious!” he grins, and happily digs in.

You smile, and take a bite. It's delicious. Sweet and soft, like all things should be. “Thanks, Mira.”

“Don’t mention it!” she smiles, but the her face turns serious. “Seriously, don’t. The caterers are antfolk, and they WILL eat me for stealing.”

She puts on a show of shuddering, before she continues: “I saw your presentation. You two really compliment each other well. I didn’t get half of what you were talking about, but. You know. Still impressive.”

Irwin flings an arm around your shoulder, and purposely gives you an uncomfortably tight squeeze. “Yep, me and my buddy here go way back. We’re a match made in heaven. Absolutely. 10 outta 10. They’re so smart and stuff, and I’m unreasonably charming.”

You shrug his arm off. “And unreasonably annoying.”

Irwin gapes at you. “That hurts my feelings. You have hurt my feelings, are you aware of that? I think you should be aware of that. That you have hurt my feelings,” he leans back on the couch and pouts, putting his feet up.

You push his feet off the table, and turn your attention back to Mira. “What are you going to be doing tomorrow? Since the whole partner thing is a two on two and all.”

Mira thinks for a moment. “I actually don’t know what the solution is. Maybe they’ll just make one group of three. OR I go alone, beat all of you smart cookies, and get TWO clovers for myself!” she puffs out her chest.

“Nu-uh! You won’t get a leg to the ground before they’re mine!” Irwin says, puffing himself up as well.

Mira gives him a toothy smile. “I’ve seen how fast you hums run, and trust me when I say I WILL get there first.”

“Oh, you wanna go, coyote?” Irwin smiles deviously and leans forward.

It’s all in fun, but you still put up your hands to intercept before they do something stupid. “Now now, you’re both pretty. Don’t do something I’ll regret.”

They both laugh, and settle down.

“Of course not, how could I ever offend someone so delicate?” Irwin scoffs, and looks over at Mira. “For shame, to let them witness such brutality!”

Mira shakes her head at him, and winks at you. “I think your partner here can handle more than they let on.”

A few hours pass at the party, and you even spot Mrs. Hansen at one point destroying her subordinates in a heated game of poker. You enjoy yourself with joining a few board games, and talking to the people around. Irwin has vanished to who knows where long ago, presumably getting very drunk and flirting with a cute stranger if you know anything of him, and Mira retired shortly after she handed you the buns.

However, soon enough the room becomes stuffy, the music blaring is giving you a headache and you decide to take the opportunity of being on a mountain, and venture outside the room for some fresh air. You almost immediately bump into a pair of clearly inebriated humans, who drunkenly apologize, before they snicker and stagger back inside.

You grin at the thought of them holding the 8am-sharp breakfast tomorrow.

You walk around the back of the main house past the conference room, aiming for one of the benches you saw earlier – to your surprise, you spot Amren lounging at the far end of the garden, coiled on his tail and looking up at the stars.

You sigh. Of course he'd be out here too. But maybe this is a good as time as any to try and apologize for stepping on his tail?

You walk over, and try not to flinch as his head snaps in your direction at the sound of your footsteps, steeling you with a golden glare. He watches you approach without a word.

“Hey,” you start, trailing off. “So uh. Not fond of parties?”

He blinks at you before narrowing his eyes. “No.”

You almost feel a chill going through you. “Usually me neither,” you say, rubbing your arms against the cool air. “Though it’s definitely warmer inside!”

He cogs an eyebrow. “Why would you come out here, then?”

You frown. “Wanted some air. Same as you, I’m guessing.”

“There’s air inside?” he says.

“It smells like beer and sweat in there.”

“That much is obvious.”

“Really? You can tell from out here? You’ve been gone all night.”

He flicks his tongue at you. “You carried it out here.”

You resist the urge to scoff at him. He’s obviously still mad. Instead, you sigh. “Look. I’m sorry I stepped on your tail. I genuinely didn’t see you, but I’ll watch better another time.”

He tilts his head at you. “You’re worried I’m angry about that?”

You give him an odd look. “You aren’t?”

“It happens all the time. Not worth my energy,” he shrugs.

“Why did you snap at me like that, then?”

“Snap – I didn’t snap.”

“I’ve literally never seen anyone so pissed off.”

“You must not see a lot of people, then.”

“Neither do you if you're out here.”

“I’ve seen enough.”

You pause. You didn’t plan on getting into an awkward back-and-forth with him like this. Elise was right, he is difficult to talk to. You change the topic.

“So, the clovers. Are you excited for the competition?”

He lets out a sigh. “Why are you talking to me?”

You blink. “Excuse me?”

“Why are you talking to me?” he repeats, looking at you with a deadpan expression.

It's a fair question. He’s been rude, slightly off putting and not approachable at all for all the brief interactions you’ve had with him, this one not being an exception. So why on Earth2.0 are you still talking to him?

“Honestly? I have absolutely no idea,” you shrug.

He flicks his tongue at you again. “You reek of alcohol but you’re not particularly inebriated. You came out here alone, so it’s not a dare or something.”

“A ‘dare’? Really? You’re not that scary,” you grin.

He doesn’t, and you realize that has probably happened to him before.

“Those two humans I bumped into-” you trail off.

He narrows his eyes again, and you decide to not push it. You stick your hands in your pockets and shrug. Maybe it’s best to back off.

“Look, as I said. I just wanted some fresh air that didn’t stink of trolls’ piss, and you happened to be out here as well. I’m not here to like. Antagonize you or something. I figured now would be the best time I’d probably ever get if I wanted to apologize."

You pause to give him space if he wants to reply, but he remains quietly staring at you.

You continue: "That you’re apparently not mad, but you evidently still despise me even though we’ve barely known each other for a day, is another thing. Glad we got that cleared up,” you turn around and wave at him over you shoulder as you stalk off. Somehow, you find it in you to give him a tired smile. Poor guy. “G’night.”

Amren coils in on himself again as he watches you leave.

After that uncomfortable encounter you head back inside to the warmth and smell of a room packed with inebriated people, and find Irwin sprawled over the back of a couch in the far corner. Elise is at his side, gently trying to pick him up, though he twists out of her grip like some sort of elusive eel. She looks exasperated across the room, and visibly sighs in relief when she spots you. She hurriedly waves your over.

"'been trying to get his squirmy ass to bed, but he refuses to move," Elise grunts in annoyance, grinding her tusks. "Can you please do somethin'?"

You stare at the Irwin-shaped deadweight on the couch, then back at Elise and her massive security-trained forearms, and put your own arms out. "What the hell am I gonna-"

"Heeey my favorite buddy!" Irwin slurs as your voice reaches his ears. "Great party, right?"

Irwin fumbles around in the open air in front of him, apparently searching for you. He frowns like he’s mad it's not working. "I wanna dance. Hey. Hey my buddy. You should dance with me!"

You look to Elise, who just shrugs with a bewildered expression.

"I'm taking you to bed, Irwin," you say firmly, grabbing his arms.

"Oooh, BUDDY. So forward. Wow. I'm blushing," Irwin grins as his eyes gloss over and he seemingly falls asleep right there.

You face burns, and you wince as Elise roars with laughter.

"You're on your own there, buddy!" she guffaws, and gives you a friendly pat on the back that knocks the wind out of you, before heading towards a poker table nearby.

"Elise!" you hiss, angry to be left alone with this, but she's either ignoring you, or simply can't hear you over the music.

Great.

You grumpily stare down at Irwin drooling on the couch with his arms raised in the air. You huff as you start the arduous process of hoisting your drunk office mate up over your shoulder, and he groans and struggles when you do so.

"No, no I wanna dance," he slurs.

"Then you have to get up, idiot. Come on, move your legs, we're walking to the dance floor."

"Yeees," he mumbles, heavily leaning on you as you manage to pull his frame over your shoulders. He reeks of alcohol.

"If you puke on me you're doing my work for a month," you snarl at him.

“I would do. Anything for you," Irwin says, drunkenly serious. He then awkwardly pats your back and tries to sway. "Dance, please."

You catch him before he knocks himself off balance. "Sure thing bud, can we dance this way, though?"

You hear people from the other departments giving a small round of applause and whoops when you finally manage to get Irwin standing straight and walking toward the sleeping quarters. Apparently they've been watching. Elise gives a mock salute.

You try not to think too hard on the implications.

Walking Irwin back through the hallway toward your shared room proves as difficult as anticipated, he stumbles, slurs, groans and tumbles all the way and you have to do everything in your power to keep him upright. When you finally reach your room, you realize actually opening the door is very difficult when both your arms are used for supporting Irwin's entire body-weight.

You look both ways for help, although the only other person you spot in the gloomy hallway is the one person you would rather not have to bother more than absolutely necessary.

Of course.

Amren has his hand on the doorknob to his own room a little ways further down the hall, and stares in your direction quizzically. You wonder briefly how long he's been watching you struggle to get Irwin to his room without you noticing. Though when he moves to go to his own room, you call out.

"Hold on! Could you please open this door for me? My arms are kinda locked in here, and he's VERY drunk."

Amren stops, and looks back over at you. "Drop him on the floor, he'll figure it out in the morning."

You don't know what you expected, but it wasn't a blunt refusal of common decency.

"Great. Thanks," you mutter grumpily, and start using your elbow on the handle instead.

Irwin is practically asleep on your shoulder, but when you finally manage to get the door open, you have to catch both him and yourself on the door frame before you both tumble over.

"Come on idiot, move your legs!" you growl at him, nudging Irwin with your shoulder which his face is currently buried in.

Irwin mumbles something about craving chips, but starts supporting his own weight slightly more. You manage to wrangle him through the room and into his own bed, his arms still around your neck, but before you can move back Irwin pulls you into his chest.

"The best-test office buddy in the world," he sighs into the side of your face. His breath reeks of alcohol, and you grimace at the pungent smell before pulling his arms off you.

"Eugh, you are impossible. Get some sleep," you mumble, pulling the trash bin from the corner and placing it next to his head. Just in case. Next, you pull a water bottle from his backpack and head to the bathroom to fill it up for him.

To your surprise, Amren is still in the hallway. You promptly ignore him when he looks you over as you open the bathroom door and fill the bottle.

You catch his eye in the mirror and raise an eyebrow at him. The light reflecting in his eyes in the dark gives him a slightly spooky look.

"What?" you ask flatly when his staring becomes awkward.

Amren tilts his head. "Why didn't you let him deal with that on his own? It's his own fault he got so drunk," he says, leaning against the wall behind him.

You note he still towers over you. You close the bottle and turn toward him.

"I care about him, so I help him out when he's in trouble," you frown at him. "Even if I didn't care, it's still common decency to help others, you know. Even Elise also tried to get Irwin up."

"Of course she did," he sneers, "she's nice."

He says ‘nice’ with some sort of scornful tone, like it’s a profanity. What the hell is this guy's problem?

It's late, and you don't feel particularly motivated to give a giant antagonistic snake a moral lesson, so you just shrug at him and walk off. "That's why I like her."

You leave Amren hanging in the hallway, and head to Irwin's room, put the bottle on his nightstand and put his unzipped sleeping bag over him, before heading to your own bed.

A few moments later you hear the sound of a door opening and closing further down the hall.

You pull your sleeping bag over your head and wonder briefly what caused the naga to stay in the hallway all the while you were shuffling around. Maybe he's genuinely curious about what motivated you to help Irwin. Or maybe he simply finds it amusing watching you struggle.

Whichever the case, you decide not to dwell on it, and quickly fall asleep to the muffled sound of loud music, and Irwin's gentle snoring.

You dream of howling wolves, a flowing river, and a large snake that coils around your torso and sinks its massive fangs into your neck.

[scham-wcan]

Combo 6+16 for cinwin as they're your giiirls.

Winter and Cinder fighting and Winter knowing she's in the wrong, but she sees Cinder still doing a chore she knows Winter hates because damn it she loves her, and so Winter does...whatever it is you think is correct.

My favourite tragic couple doing their doomed yaoi things while being married for years and devout to one another

Stomping feet filled the small corridor of their apartment in double, one chasing the other with righteous passion.

“But why would you even move it?!” Winter hollered, half her voice an incredulous hiss as a thick scowl cursed over her. She was barely out of her work outfit, a tie and collar messily hanging around her neck as her blazer fell down over her arm. “We do the same thing for a year and all of a sudden you change things without telling anyone?”

The other set of steps, which rushed ahead of the billowing Winter, were owned by a moderately well dressed-casual Cinder. In her arms she carried a fat wicker basket of used laundry while also letting a dry cleaning bag lay swung over her back.

“I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of it.” Cinder said with an excuse for a scoff. “Maybe you should pay more attention to your bags in the morning.” Sending a sideward glare over her shoulder toward the still angered Winter.

The glare forced a long hissing breath through Winter, her hands finding themselves tightly crossed. “I wouldn’t need to if you had done the decency of telling me the food you prepared was still refrigerated.”

“So in doing the kindness of making you good food to have for lunch instead of eating out every day.” Cinder began with a snarking laugh which held the inkling of turning sour, dropping the dry cleaning bag near their front door in the process. “I also need to tell you that sometimes it isn’t always going to be in your bag because it will spoil?” Turning more in full to Winter as she carried on toward their laundry room. “I thought you were adult enough to know that things don’t always stay good enough to eat.”

The Schnee only continued to glare at Cinder for another moment before she marched after her partner again, though this time definitely slower and more embittered. “You know I am not in my right mind in the mornings, help would have been appreciated.” Her tone too had dropped the passionate anger she had seemingly wielded before.

Only rolling her eye still as the basket hit the floor in front of the laundry room, Cinder turned on Winter abruptly. Her hands plastering onto her hips as she found the Schnee stopping fast an inch or so away from her.

“Why are you being so petulant about this?” Cinder’s vision narrowed on her partner. Holding her gaze for a moment as Winter’s scowl shrunk to a weak pout, her eyes twisting away for a moment as she said nothing. “What did you end up eating today if you-?” Though before Cinder finished her inquisition a small gurgling noise splayed out from the Schnee’s middle; making Winter’s face turn slightly pink. “Oh, that would make sense.”

“I didn’t want to cheat on your cooking so I didn’t eat anything, okay?” Winter spat, her arms tightening around her. “Now I’m mad cause I came home hungry and you were doing the chores I have been putting off and I got more mad.” Sighing as she knowingly sounded more petulant and belligerent.

Cinder could only continue to sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. With a swift kick, Cinder pressed the basket further into the room and shut the door. “So you’re saying we need to have an actual dinner then.”

“I can have the food you made for my lunch.” Winter winced quickly, her brows raising as she watched Cinder shake her head and march around her.

“No, that won’t be enough to make you less bitchy.” Cinder called from down the hall with a knowingly cross smirk. “Come on, you can whine and curse me out more for not seeing your lunch from the kitchen table.” Adding a small flick of her hand for Winter to follow her, which the Schnee begrudgingly and blushingly complied with.

It didn’t take long, featured with clunks and bonks of utensils and pots alongside ingredients, for Winter to lose her former anger and hunch over herself at the counter while Cinder cooked.

“I’m sorry for being so terse to you.” She called out abruptly in the midst of retelling how her lunch break was spent continuing to work. “I was being a clod.”

Chuckling shortly, Cinder spoke over top of the bubbling and stirring sounds of her work. “Indeed you were, but maybe tomorrow you’ll remember that we own a fridge for a reason and not everything can just sit in your workbag?”

An agreeing grunt left Winter as she glowed a soft red, dragging from Cinder a curt chuckle. Setting her spoon aside for a moment, Cinder crossed the threshold of their kitchen and allowed herself to fall over Winter’s shoulders in a hug. Winter’s hand gripping weakly onto the secured arms.

“Thank you for doing the laundry.” Winter hummed as she pressed her cheek into Cinder’s hold. “I know it was my turn to do so.”

“Well when you came home glaring and hissing I thought it would be simpler to make sure the clothing survived the experience.” Cinder lulled into Winter’s ear. “Less you tear something in your fit.”

Earning an agreeing hum from Winter, “Sorry I’m hard to love when bitter.”

“Pff,” Cinder snickered quickly. “If you’re hard to love what in Tartarus am I?” Before pressing a burning kiss against the side of Winter’s temple, making the Schnee smile as a weight dropped from her shoulders.

[multifandomfix]

Thomas Barrow Smut Alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Kind of distant. He can retreat into himself a bit unless you get him talking or get him to cuddle.

B = Body part (favorite body part of their partner’s)

Shoulders and collar bones. He loves to pepper both with kisses.

C = Collar (do they mark you as theirs in some way?)

No. He likes you to know you’re his, but he won’t mark it. Too afraid of being found out.

D = Dominant (do they prefer to dominate, or be dominated? are they a top or a bottom?)

He’s a bit more of a bottom, but he’s okay with switching it up every now and then.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He’s decently experienced. Enough to know what he’s doing, but you can open up new possibilities for him still.

F = Fuck (do they prefer to fuck or make love?)

Fuck. Love only really comes into play once he’s really committed and knows it’s something more than just sex.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He’s been known to laugh a bit once he’s comfortable enough with you. But for the most part he likes to be more serious.

H = Hot (what turns them on, gets them going)

Giving him bedroom eyes, or whispering the things you want to do with him are usually the two best ways to turn him on.

I = Insatiable (how do they act when they’re desperate to have you?)

Quiet, reserved about it, but easier to snap at someone when his mind is otherwise occupied.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He feels so guilty for masturbating to the thought of you, even though he knows it’s not a crime. And he’s doubly guilty if you happen to catch him.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Blindfolds. Thomas loves to be blindfolded, having to wait to see you as you tease him is really hot for him.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Anywhere that he can rest assured that there’ll be no interruptions. He’s petrified of being caught in the act.

M = Mood (what’s the foreplay like? how do you get them in the mood?)

Either he’s in the mood or he’s not. He’s a bit awkward at foreplay, but will go along with it for your sake.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

He wouldn’t like any sort of marking, unless it’s somewhere not easily visible. But even then, he’s not all that into it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He’s moderately skilled at giving, but his preference is to receive.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

He likes to take it a bit slower. Rough isn’t really his style.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

If it’s feasible to take in a quickie, he’s usually game, but he would really rather take his time.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Thomas doesn’t take very many risks. He prefers to play it safe. But you can get him to experiment and get out of his comfort zone on occasion.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Usually just one, maybe two, depending on his mood and how his day went.

T = Tryst (are they into casual sex or one night stands?)

No. He’s far too untrusting for something like that, at least as a general rule.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Not much at all. He’s not much for waiting, so a bunch of teasing would be torture to him.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He’s very quiet and prefers it if you are as well. He’s like to let loose and be loud but he can’t quite bring himself to be.

W = Wait (how long do they wait before having sex with their partner for the first time?)

As long as it takes him to believe he can fully trust you. He’s been burned before and doesn’t want to make that leap with anyone until he feels absolutely sure about them.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Thomas may be pale, but he is fit. A nice amount of muscle definition without going overboard.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Moderate. It’s not something he thinks about all the time, but it increases when he has a committed partner.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Not quickly. He tends to replay the events in his mind and get trapped in his own head for a while, causing sleep to be a bit difficult.

For @rapierblack

Thomas Barrow: @riveranddoctorsong123

[insanityplea]

Hey, word of advice, if you restrict waaaayyy too much (like under 500 kcal give or take) you may lead to a binging cycle. I know how much those suck and I don’t wanna see anyone having to go through the awful self loathing that comes with it.

I usually try to stick around 600-1,200 kcal and without exercising (exercising leads me to binge because I feel “oh, I deserve to eat after that” or “oh, well I neeeed the calories since I worked out” which is a trap).

Just cutting calories down and going about my regular life has been very helpful for me. I’m already down 10+ lbs overall (over the course of a month give or take). And even those slip up days where you’re closer to 2,000 kcal, won’t ruin everything. I’ve had like 2 days in the past month like that and I’ve still lost.

And I don’t have any foods forbidden to me (except 90% of meat because I can’t digest it but that’s different). So if I’m craving soemthing, I’ll eat a small bit, realise it doesn’t live up to the hype, get bored of it and pass it off to someone else for them to finish it.

Either that or finding clever ways to cut calories. Like instead of a burger (in my case an impossible whopper) in the form of a sandwich, get just the plain patty. It cuts the calories substantially and allows the focus to be on the object with actual nutritional value.

To my family I seem to be perfectly normal because they see me eat. Which means I can get away with this much longer.

Though I do know I’m also different. Food never actually aligns with my fantasy of it so I know I’ll always be disappointed by it and therefore will never eat too much of it.

But by forbidding certain foods for no reason other than trying to lose weight, that’s what would make me binge because of how hungry I’d get restricting so much (or fasting) due to the forbidden nature of those foods. If nothing is off limits (in moderation) then you won’t long for it too much.

Sorry for how long this ask is but I do hope that it’s helpful. Just gotta be nicer to yourself to succeed.

sorry I didn't see this earlier ! your advice has been noted 🫡

[imiisu]

Glow Up Tips

(remember you are already beautiful <3)

skin care 🌷

skin care is very important and doesn’t have to break the budget !

My personal go too’s are :

Teen Skin Fix Pore Blaster Wash (Nip+Fab)

Tea tree and witch hazel cleanser (boots)

Blemish stick (boots)

Nivea universal moisture (Nivea)

extra tips and tricks :

I use cucumber under my eyes every morning to depuff and brighten , every other day I put it all over my face for about 10-15 min before I go to bed .

I also use sudecreme once or twice every week all over my face in a thin layer after my skin care (minus moisturiser) .

I often find skincare with “ugly” or basic packaging works better than those that are aesthetically pleasing to look at .

Please remember this is just what works for me ! It’s important to find your skin type and what you can use .

Makeup 🌷

Personally I love wearing makeup !! It’s fun to do and a big part of my personal routine. I normally use makeup by essence or rimmel .

Primer and setting spray are often overlooked in their performance but I cannot stress it enough to use them , especially primer !!! Primer helps with pores and helps makeup to last .

I do natural looking makeup with a soft pink lip

Here are the products I use :

Essence primer

Essence cover stick

Rimmel stay matte powder

Laura Mercier blush

Essence crazy volume mascara

Highlighter ( I’m not sure of the brand )

I also use a dark brown eyeshadow on the outer corner of my eyes

For setting spray I recommend e.l.f makeup mist and set clear spray

Fashion 🌷

You should try and find your personal colour pallet and which styles and shapes suit you best , there’s lots of tutorials on all social media’s . However if you don’t have the means to do this there’s still things you can do such as taking care of the clothes you have and slowly buying clothes you like .

It’s important to remember how bad fast fashion is for the people who make the clothes and the environment. Many of my clothes I have had for a long while and I tend to buy things I know I will wear many many times .

It’s also important to not bin clothes (unless ruined or broken) and to give them to charity or sell them if you no longer want them . This reduces fashion waste and has a better environmental impact .

Make sure you wear what you feel comfortable in and what you like , not just whats trendy . Also remember clothes fit you , you don’t fit the clothes .

Scents and personal hygiene 🌷

Smelling good is so important ! Try finding your signature scent , personally mine is a perfume I found in a cheap makeup store .

I also use gentle scented moisturiser , I personally use simple smelling soap so it doesn’t clash with my perfume .

Deodorant is so important and so is regular washing of your body and hair .

In the shower I use :

Dove deeply nourishing body wash and Palmolive naturals milk and honey shower cream .

I use a loofa / scrubber to give me soft skin and clean me very well .

I use Monday hair care shampoo and conditioner for my hair , followed by a curl cream as it drys (i air dry my hair) .

Nails and hands wide i keep my hands clean and moisturised and i paint my nails with a pale pink or clear polish

Food and exercise 🌷

It’s important to eat a well balanced diet (it’s hard ik) but also please don’t restrict yourself !! There is no “good” or “bad” food , everything is fine in moderation.

Exercise wise i walk everyday and do Pilates every other day , i don’t like exercise that much but Pilates is very fun . Along with stretching .

Please don’t over exercise as it can become an obsession which is unhealthy . Remember all b0dy’s are beautiful , the way someone’s b0dy looks doesn’t always tell their health .

Personality 🌷

Personality is super important to become a better version of yourself , being unnecessarily mean and judgy can you down as a whole . If your personality is bad people won’t like you (sorry but it’s true) and you will tarnish yourself as a nasty person .

If I know I don’t like someone or they don’t like me , I keep my distance and don’t show them any attention. Being around the wrong type of people can really change who you are !

Don’t drastically change your personality for anyone but being nice and polite can get you very far and get you many more friends.

The end 💗

Please remember you don’t have to change yourself for anyone but if you want to change or become a better version of yourself these are some tips and tricks . Also remember try and find what works for you and what makes you happy and full filled !

Thank you so much for reading this all 🤍

[aeniqmata]

What’s your favorite trope to write? Do you write fights/battlefields threads? What kind of romantic ships do you like? Toxic or fluff?

And finally: I love your carrd/theme! Did you do it all by yourself or did you use some template?

for munday, anonymously ask the mun something you want to know about them, their portrayal, or what they will/won’t write. || always accepting

Heyo! So I'll answer the question about the Carrd first. I actually made it myself. I've used a few templates and paid for one early on that I learned how to use the website from. I have a degree in Graphic Design and Digital Communications, and I love designing things like that. It's cathartic and honestly really relaxing to just sit around and let it happen.

What is your favorite trope to write?

I adore the whole " strong character breaking " trope. So many games portray these characters, especially the title characters like Noctis or Clive, as people who can just keep on trucking through some god awful experiences. I'll use Noctis as an example, since 16 is still really new. You get to see him in the movie " Kingsglaive " telling Drautos to keep his father safe. While he will never learn this, Drautos is the one that kills his father, forcing the crown on his head and setting things in motion. We get to see Noctis break a little early on when Cor tells him about his father and Gladio's being dead, and then nothing since then.

The train to Cartanica is not something I consider canon in it's normal iteration, because of poor writing. Yes, Gladio is allowed to be upset and push Noctis a bit. Their strategist is now blind and Lunafreya is dead. From Gladio's perspective, Noctis shut down for seemingly no reason. Meanwhile, Noctis is fighting with the fact that all of this happened because of him.

Ignis is blind because he defended him from Ardyn, or in the more likely explanation given to him, to save his king's life. Lunafreya is dead partially because she was killing herself by healing those infected by the Scourge, and because Ardyn is a dick. Add this to finally getting the ring that they've been hunting down, and guess what?

The thing spends every waking moment whispering to him about how pleased they are to be with him, begging him to put it on, to fufill his destiny, to become one with the kings before him. He's allowed to be despondent.

All this is to say that the title characters tend to be unbreakable, and I like giving them depth and seeing them in ruins.

Do you write fights/battlefields threads?

I do! Not as often as I used to, but I was a moderator for Pledged Prelude and Crystatherum when they were active groups. We had lots of action based events and I helped in writing our Festival of the Hunt event. Besides that, I often find that I want to write out what may have happened in certain fights for my characters.

For example, my single Octopath Traveler muse - Therion. He's 5'3" and all of maybe 100lbs. With wind magic being a thing in Octopath, that poor boy would get thrown around a lot, nevermind that he's considered one of the front line fighters for the game. He's fast and strikes hard, but given his physique and skills, it would be incredibly easy to throw him off a cliff. I've written a few drabbles for asks based on combat situations for him and for Noctis.

What kind of romantic ships do you like? Toxic or fluff?

All kinds. The blog tends to run more on M/M ships because I am a lady and I write exclusively men it seems, but I am open for just about anything. Twilight Link has a ship with @txnichtgut's OC that I adore, Clive has a ship with @cidolfvs' Cid that is far more chaotic than I expected, and Therion has a ship with @asterisque's Alfyn because grumpy boy needs some sunshine.

Each have things in them that I absolutely crave, ranging from conflict to absolutely disgusting fluff and smut on occasion, and I wouldn't ask for anything else.

As for a preference on toxic or fluffy ships, I would have to say that I prefer fluff if only because I haven't had a ship that was truly toxic. Conflict driven and not always easy, absolutely.

Diabolos, my FFXIV character and the Voidsent/Summon from the series, has had a hell of a couple of ships, and is actually my primary poly muse. Dia fights with his spouses more often than not, and with him nigh constantly being used as a weapon for extra content in the game, that doesn't seem to be ending any time soon.

There was one ship I had with a friend that is near and dear to me who is actually writing out the story for our muses that was borderline toxic though. My Final Fantasy VIII OC and her iteration of Cerberus @ettriscapita ( @claireverie is her 'active' blog ) were fun to write!

[esmeeyd]

After a first, there's always a second: Chapter one.

"Had I never met Juliette Fairmont, maybe I could have loved moderately."

Calliope's legs began to tire. She had been running aimlessly for a while now. The effort and exhaustion had been a welcome distraction against her heartache. Her voice was hoarse from her screams, and her eyes dried out from tears. Calliope stopped midden in her pace, now standing in the middle of an empty road. Her breath was ragged, and she didn't know what to do next; for the first time in her life, Calliope Burns didn't have a plan.

Cal stood there motionless for a while. She replayed the events of the day in her mind. Theo had been turned and was probably already dead by then. Her father hadn't hesitated to treat his own blood like any other monster. What if it had been her? She shook that last thought away. Her mind then drifted to Jules. Her Jules, the one she had just started to love, only to lose her in the same breath. Calliope wasn't sure how true what she told her was. The hunter was angry at the vampire; it hadn't been her calling to make. Deep inside, though, she knew that Jules had done it to help. She knew Juliette better than she wanted to admit, and there had been no malice behind her action.

"I love you."

Calliope chocked up at the memory. She took her head in her hands and felt the tears well in her eyes. 'I should have said I love you too' was what her mind was screaming at her. A quiet sob managed to make its way through her lips, and before she knew it, she was crying again. Cal stayed like that for five minutes before deciding it was better to head home. She forced herself on her feet and began running once again.

The scene that welcomed her upon reaching her neighborhood was her father frantically loading the truck with Apollo: seemingly trying to talk him out of it. She approached them and caught a glimpse of their conversation. " We don't even know where they are," Apollo said, trying to position himself between their dad and the car.

" Well, I've got some idea." Her father forced her brother out of his way, closing the truck and moving to the driver's side. It was only then that both men became aware of Calliope's presence. "What's happening?" Cal asked, more confused than anything. She looked around and found her mom's absence. " Where's mom?"

"Baby girl, go inside; I'll handle this." Usually, Cal would oblige, but she could tell that something was up. She shook her head and stood her ground. "What happened, dad? Where are you going?" Her father looked like; he was ready to dismiss her before thinking otherwise. He let out an exasperated sigh. He motioned to the backseat, and she jumped right in. Cal saw Apollo hastily enter the passenger seat.

In seconds the engine was roaring, and they were on the road. Cal caught her father's eyes through the rearview mirror. "Your mother let the vampire out, and she won't answer her phone." He gravely explained. Calliope tried not to dwell on the fact that he refused to address her brother by name. At least she now knew that Theo was still alive. She discretely let out a relieved breath. " So where did mom take him? Where are we going?"

This time her question seemed to have fallen onto deaf ears as her father kept his gaze trained on the road. Apollo gave a quick worried glance, and she knew that they were both thinking the same thing. Suddenly the car came brutally to a stop, sending Cal slightly forward. It seemed that they had hit something. All three Burns looked at one another before promptly exiting the car. " What happened?" Apollo asked as they reared the front of the vehicle. There, on the ground, laid a deer.

"It just jumped before us; I couldn't stop the car fast enough." Cal had been through roadkills before, but this time was different. There was something chilling in the air. The deer was bleeding, but strangely it seemed to come from an injury unrelated to the crash. She glanced at the side of the road but met nothing but darkness. With their little accident on their hands, the Burns had no choice but adjourned their journey. Her dad notified the cops. Once everything was handled, she and Apollo successfully convinced him to head home.

The ride back home was silent. No one dared to break the building tension. As the car neared their driveway, Calliope could make out the silhouette of her mother sitting on the porch. Cal knew she hadn't been the only one to notice and could feel that a storm was about to erupt. Her assumption turned true as her father exited the car. He didn't make a move toward her mother, just opting to look at her. It was one of those times where they didn't need words between them, as a simple look conveyed what the other wanted to say. The huntress felt a pit in her stomach as her mother stood up and walked inside. Her father joined her with Apollo and her on his tail.

They found her on the couch, her head in her hand, and as she looked up, Cal could see how exhausted her mom looked. "Kids, please go to your rooms." Calliope knew that was no room to argue, and Apollo seemed to know it too as they both made their way upstairs. They stopped, however, at the top of the staircase. "How could you do this, Tee?" her father's voice resonated from the living room. "He could have hurt you; he could be killing innocent as we speak."

"He's my son Jack!" Cal gulped; she had never heard her mother's voice so emotional. "I just couldn't. I can't kill my baby."

"He's not our baby. That monster. IS. NOT. MY. SON!"

"He's not a monster. It doesn't erase who he used to be, who he is."

" You don't understand." They heard their father walk to the dining area, their mother's steps following him. "Then explain it to me, Jack. Explain how you can so easily think of killing your own son." The sound of chairs getting pulled back resonated, and quiet thuds, most likely from their parents sitting down. "Please help me understand."

"Theo's mom.." Their father started so quietly that they barely heard them from up there. "Aaliyah wasn't just killed by a vamp.." a breath. " The bastard that did it turned her into one." Calliope's breath caught in her throat. " When I found them both, she begged me to kill her, but I refused; I couldn't do it, so I let her go."

"Jack-..."

"Next thing I know, three people are dead, and I had to watch the woman I loved turn into a hideous monster. She was dead the moment that thing attacked her, and I should have ended her suffering before she truly turned into that monster. I still had to stake her and live with three deaths on my conscience."

It was at that point that Calliope stood up. She felt dizzy and couldn't bear to hear more. Apollo gave her a worried look that she tried to appease with a forced smile. Thankfully, he didn't probe further and let her leave. "Why did you nev-... does the guild know?"

"Only Mike and Sarah knew, and they helped me cover it up." It was the last thing she heard before her door closed. Cal wasn't sure how she was feeling. Outside of drained, it seemed that someone had made a dangerous cocktail of all negative emotions one could feel. She didn't know if she wanted to scream again or cry or do both. She had lost so much in the span of two weeks. In the end, the exhaustion won over everything else.

*************************

Blood, there was blood everywhere, from her hand to her clothes. The smell of a freshly dead body was omnipresent. She moved her head around, catching a patch of salt and pepper hair attached to a lifeless body. Her throat hurt, a telltale of her thirst. Hands-on her shoulders, a melodic voice whispering that everything will be okay, and then pain. A scorching pain ran through her ribcage, like something or someone was ripping her heart out of its dome. The pain kept getting stronger and stronger, and then, nothing.

Calliope woke up in a cold sweat. Her breath was short, and her heartbeat was erratic. She took her surroundings in, reassured that she was still in her bedroom. She got out of bed and took a look at herself in the mirror; she was still wearing her pajamas from the night before, no trace of blood. The huntress brought her hand to her heart; no pain there. Her dream had felt so real, but aside from a searing headache, she felt normal. With her nerves appeased, she went over her nightmare once more. It felt like that time she visited Jules' dreams but different. Just thinking about it made the headaches worst. Cal decided to leave it at that for now.

Calliope sat on her bed and went through the shitshow of the last 24h. Theo was alive -thank god- but a nightcrawler, she got accused of being a monster, the conversation from earlier, and Apollo's amnesia. Her thoughts drifted to Juliette for a split second, but she shot them down instantly. Eventually, the headache became too much to bear, and she went on the lookout for some aspirin.

She went downstairs and was surprised to see Apollo, all dressed up, rummaging in the armory. She approached her brother. "What are you doing?" Apollo jumped when he heard her voice before sighing in relief upon realizing who it was. "I'm heading to the Fairmont house. If anyone knows what happened, it's Elinor." He seemed to have found what he was looking for in the pantry as he closed it, a weapon in each hand.

Calliope looked at him incredulously. "Are you nuts? What's your plan? Attack her in her house in broad daylight? By yourself?" Her brother put the weapons in a duffel bag throwing it over his shoulder.

"Well, I have to do something. Elinor was there, Cal. For some reason, I cannot remember what happened that night. I think she killed Theo, well, hurt him. And it doesn't make sense because I was there, and I wouldn't have let that happen to him, so there must be something she did to me."

Apollo was rambling. Calliope wasn't sure if she had ever seen him look this much upset. Her brother looked frustrated with himself and desperate, for what she wasn't sure, but she sure as well was going to do her best to help him. "Okay, okay, but please don't do this alone. I'll come with you." She saw him open his mouth, already hearing his protest. "You can't stop me. I don't want to lose you too. I can't lose both my brothers, please." She saw Apollo's eyes soften, and he reluctantly agreed.

Calliope was on her way to the stairs when they both heard the doorbell. Both Burns looked at each other, confused. It was a Saturday, and they weren't expecting anyone. Apollo set his bag on the ground and went to open the door with Cal following behind him. The sight that welcomed them was a couple; a white man, and a woman next to him, presumably Latinx, holding between her hands a pie. "Hum...hello? can we help you?" Apollo tried, not sure who they were nor what they wanted.

"Hi, we're your new neighbors." The woman explained. At that moment, Cal heard two doors open upstairs and footsteps going down the stairs. "We wanted to introduce ourselves and brought a welcome gift." She raised the pie, and that's when Calliope caught a glimpse of her exposed arms. As a hunter, she had learned to be always conscious of her surroundings. It meant taking notice of spaces and observing attentively peoples around them. Thus, it was no surprise when she caught the lines on the woman's arm. Cal knew that she was a Guild member, and with the way Apollo gave her a subtle look, she knew that he had noticed them too.

Her parent arrived at that precise moment. "What's happening?" Her father questioned, eying the stranger with mistrust. "We were just introducing ourselves." The man said. "Also, we wanted to invite you to our place. After all, getting to know your neighbors is essential." He offered his hand for her father to shake, and Cal remarked the tattoo on his wrist. She didn't think much of it until she saw her parents' entire demeanor change. "Let's say our place tonight? Of course, we'll be expecting the whole family."

To the surprise of both Burns children, their parents accepted. Once the strangers had left, Cal turned to her father. "They're from the Guild right? Why were they here" Her father looked bewildered as he closed the door. It didn't look like she'd get an answer from him, so she turned to her mom. "Mom?"

"You're right. These two are from the Guild and that symbol..."

"That symbol is worn by one of the Guild's special force unit. I've heard about it before but never met one. Them being here can't mean anything good."

***********************

The Burns found themselves, hours later, knocking at the door of the house across theirs. The woman from earlier opened the door and welcomed them in. In the middle of the hallway stood Tess Franklin in all her glory. It was the first time Cal saw her since the attack on the Fairmonts. Without thinking, she went to hug the girl, passing her quick condolences. Tess reciprocated the embrace. They stood there for a second or five.

Once untangled from one another, Cal got the mindset to ask her what she was doing there, to which Tess replied that everything would be clear soon, guiding Cal to the dining hall. They were three people seated across a table; the man from earlier, a girl, and a boy. They both seemed slightly older than Calliope and Tess. Soon they were all in one room, the strangers and Tess on one side and the Burns on the other.

The tension in the room was Palpable. Eventually, the pie woman exclaimed herself. "We all come from the same Guild. There shouldn't be this much awkward tension between us." Her words had no effect on Cal's nervousness. Her mom, on the contrary, seemed to have regained some footing as she confronted them. "So, what is this all about?"

The man stood and was the one to speak up this time. "The four of us are part of Leviathan, a special unit inside the Guild." He once again showed his wrist. Calliope was able to get a better look at the symbol; it was a double-barred cross with an infinity symbol under it. "And, we're taking over the operation in Savannah."

The Burns exchanged glances. "I see that; the Guild didn't waste any time finding our replacement." Her father mumbled. The woman, whose name was still a mystery, intervened. "We're not here to replace you. We'll be your supervisors."

"Come again?" Apollo beat Cal to it.

"You heard it, pretty boy. You're working for us from now on." It came to the boy at the end of the table. Apollo looked at him, offended. "What did you say, kiddo?"

"How did you call me?" The guy was out of his chair in seconds. They were now facing each other off.

"Having a problem, shorty?"

"Well, the kid could drive up a blade right through your jugular before you even have the time to say oops."

"C'mon then." Apollo gave him a shove which only seemed to enrage the boy more as he prepared to swing at her brother.

"Apollo!"

"Saber!"

They were interrupted by Talia and the woman. It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes that they were there, and they were already throwing hands. If this was the climate they were supposed to work together in, Cal feared for their future. She saw the other, who till now had appeared bored by the whole meeting, sighed and stood up. "What an uncivilized exchange. If this is how you behave, I fear that; this collaboration will be rather tumultuous. But maybe we should introduce ourselves first, courtesy oblige."

The way she had been able to calm the situation was by all means intriguing. At first glance, the girl didn't appear to be older than Apollo, but the way she moved and talked, with such poise, showed that they were playing in different leagues. "Due to the nature of our operation, members of Leviathan aren't allowed to use their real name. We mostly work by codenames." She swept her eyes around. It was fascinating how she had the whole room in silence.

"However, in order to blend, we have cover's names. I'm Angel, but for the duration of my stay in Savannah, I'll go by Liz. That idiot right there-" She pointed in the direction of the guy presumably named Saber. "is Saber or, well, for now, Mattheo." Mattheo winked at Apollo before regaining his place at the table next to Liz. Cal heard her brother mock the boy's codename. Which thankfully, he didn't seem to hear.

Liz nodded in the direction of the man and woman" That's Eagle, Erick, Commander, or Kara, and you already know Tess. There. Now what we need to figure out; is the way we'll coordinate our operation during the next couples of weeks, if not months" This introduction session at least did work as a buffer as she could feel some of the tension evaporating.

"Wait a minute, the Guild already approved our move. We're supposed to leave in a few days." Her father tried to reason.

"The Guild is at its best when operating anonymously. That's why we try not to draw attention whenever operating." He gave them an accusing look. "Now, what do you think will happen if; a family that moved here three weeks ago, up and left as monsters made their comeback, three dead bodies were found with their daughters entangled in two of them and said daughter getting accused of being a monster herself. Wouldn't that feel suspicious to you?"

Something about the accusation in his voice didn't feel right with Calliope. "What are you trying to say?" Her mother was starting to get irritated. She could feel it.

"What Eagle meant is that for now, you have to remain in Savannah until further notice. And before you try to protest, it's an order from Guild's council." Perhaps it was shellfish, but Cal was happy that they were staying. It gave her hope of seeing her brother again. Although, the presence of this new 'family' put him more at risk than ever. And as if Liz could read her mind, she made a comment that made her nervous.

"Now that that's out of the way: aren't you guys a family of five? Where's Theseus Burns?" Cal's eyes immediately fell on her father. She was holding her breath, fearing what her father would say. Thankfully her mom came to the rescue, inventing a story about him running an errand. "May we know what kind of errands?"

"I don't think it's any of your business."

"Talia, everything concerning you and your family is our business. As your supervisors, we must know what you're doing, where you are, and what you know at all times. There can't be any secrets between us."

"So, what? We have to ask y'all every time we go to pee too?"

"Apollo-" Talia tried to stop him, to no avail.

"Nah, that's some bullshit."

"You're starting to get annoying. If you don't shut up, pretty boy, I might have to kill you." Calliope didn't doubt that he meant every word. There was just something with how Mattheo was looking at her brother with that sly smirk plastered on his face. No, she was sure he wanted nothing more. She could see her brother's response before he even opened his mouth. However, the words never made their way out.

The slap resonated through the room. Apollo looked up in shock at their mother. Feelings of betrayal and disbelief could be seen all over his face. Their parents had never hit them, at least not outside of training. Cal could see both; regret and rage in her mother's eyes as she ordered her brother to stay put. "Not a word."

Apollo's hot temper was really showing off right now. Even though Cal felt similar, she tried not to show it too much. It wasn't just other Guild members or Clayton Cook. She had heard of those units and how particularly ruthless they could be. If things were to escalate and it came down to fist, they most likely would be able to neutralize them without a hitch. They screamed danger. And seeing how her dad was balling his fists, she knew she was right. The worst part is that it felt like they were powerless in all this. She turned to look at Tess, who contented herself with staying silent in the background.

Kara took the reign of the conversation; in an attempt to mitigate the tension. "I think that as a token of our goodwill, we can trust your words on that one. Theseus Burn has one week. Now that that is out of the way, maybe we can actually start with the briefing?" Left with no choice, the Burns relent ad seated them around the table.

They had to recount everything that had happened since their arrival in Savannah. Throughout the first few minutes Cal would sporadically glance at her uncharacteristically silent brother. Whenever her eyes weren't on him, they were on Tess. Calliope still couldn't figure out their dynamic. They were not related, this much was clear, and at times it seemed more like they barely tolerated one another. However, she was unsure how Tess fitted in that painting.

Thankfully an opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with her former best friend presented itself when Tess got asked to get drinks for everyone. Calliope volunteered to help her and followed her into the kitchen. The hunter grabbed Tess's arm the second they were out of earshot. "What the fuck are you doing with them."

Tess wrung herself free from Cal's grasp and put some distance between them. "I'm here to avenge my family. I'm here to kill Oliver Fairmont." Cal was looking at her, worried. Her parents had told her about the Franklins; they didn't give her any details, just that they were deceased. She had no idea Juliette's brother had done that. To think that roughly 24 hours ago, she was ready to go to his house with Jules. Calliope shook her head. " It doesn't explain why you're them?"

"What? You don't think I'm a good hunter." Tess crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in challenge to which Cal just rolled her eyes. It reminded her of their old banter, only this time, it was a serious topic. "You know that, that's not what I meant."

The shorter girl uncrossed her arms, taking a more serious look. " I get what you're saying, but this is perhaps my only chance to get my revenge. They think that I might be helpful since I was present during the attack, and they're not all bad." that earned an incredulous chuckle from Cal and her best ' girl be serious' look. "I'm serious, for example, Mattheo. He and I have a lot in common."

Calliope's expression looked even less convinced than before. " That sociopathic asshole? Yeah, you're right. The resemblance is uncanny?"

Tess sighed. "He's not that bad. When I got here, he was the only one who understood me. We both bonded over being orphans, and he's been helping me through my grief plus, it feels good to have someone to share my Filipino heritage with now that my mom is dead. It makes me feel closer to her." Cal softened slightly. She could see that it meant a lot to Tess, and she didn't feel like raining on her parade. "Okay, if you say so. Just be careful."

During Calliope and Tess's conversation, a different one was ongoing at the dining table. They had reached the events of the attack on the Legacies party when something Kara mentioned had ticked Jack the wrong way. Leviathan got summoned the moment the Guild had been made aware of the presence of Legacies in Savannah. It meant that before the raid had even taken place, the special unit team was getting assembled. It was that particular detail that confused the Burns. " Pause. If the Guild sent you guys regardless of the outcome, why did they let us follow with the raid."

The answer that Erick gave him did nothing to alleviate the growing anger felt among the Burns; on the contrary, it amplified it. "As you know, spotting a Legacy is something close to a miracle, so a whole party full to the brim with them? It was a golden opportunity. The information you gathered from it is more valuable than you think."

The realization hit Talia first. "The spears. The Guild knew that they wouldn't kill them, did they?"

This time it was Liz who spoke. "We weren't sure if the arms would be effective. At least now we know."

"Weren't sure?! They sent the seven of us to place full monsters without knowing if we had the tools to kill them. And for what result? Our friends are now dead, and their daughter, who, for some reason, you brought back here, is now an orphan." Talia was barely able to control her rage. Learning that the fiasco of that night hadn't been just some big mistake but a calculated risk taken by the Guild with their lives on the line; was sickening.

"Why are you so pressed? " Mattheo countered. "They knew what they signed for when they enrolled in the Guild. If anything, they had a somewhat heroic death. It's more than some people get." Talia knew that he was trying to taunt them. She was grateful that there was a whole table separating them, or she might have already jumped him. Jack, for his part, didn't seem to think that the physical barrier between them was enough to stop him. He got up furious, and Talia had to restrain him.

"Mattheo!" The glare that Liz directed toward him was enough to cool even the hottest places in hell. The boy just shrugged before standing up. "Whatever, I'm bored. I'll be in my room. See you later, pretty boy. " He blew a kiss at Apollo before leaving the room.

The tension was still high even after Saber's departure. It took Jack of few deep breaths to calm himself. And, like a pattern, it was Kara, who yet again had to diffuse the situation." What happened to Mike and Sarah was a tragedy, but we should stay focused on our objective, which is to rid the world of those monsters to prevent tragedies like that from occurring again.

Jack just nodded and sat back down. Talia took his hand on the table to give him some comfort. No matter where they stood concerning their son: they would be there for one another. At that exact moment, the two teenagers re-entered the dining room. Both of them could feel that something had happened in their absence but couldn't figure out what. Cal did notice Mattheo's absence, so there was that.

Unfortunately for Cal, she didn't get much breathing time because as soon as she sat down, Erick shifted his attention to her. He gave her what she assumed was assumed to be a disarming smile. "So, Calliope, we heard about your particular relationship with Juliette Fairmont." Cal instantly blanched. She could feel the accusation oozing from his words. Cal was quick to refute his claim and lie that they were nothing other than classmates. However, that had seemed to be the wrong answer as Erick's smile dropped, and he sighed.

"Calliope, didn't we agree that there wouldn't be any secret between us? One of your classmates spotted the two of you making out hours after the raid at a bonfire, and plenty of individuals have seen you two together. And tell me why a horde of wannabe hunters was looking for you at the Fairmonts' mansion less than 24 hours ago?" At the corner of her eyes, she could see Tess staring at her. "I'll ask again; what's the nature of your relationship with Juliette Fairmont, and please, no lie this time."

Cal knew this was a trap. If she sincerely said that she and Juliette had been a thing -although they had never really officialized anything now that Calliope thought about it- she would probably get dragged to the Guild for treason. No, Cal couldn't disclose the truth. Yet, if she lied and they found out, the outcome would be the same, if not worst. Cal was surprised at how much this man knew about her. The fact that the Guild kept tabs on her had never crossed her mind.

The huntress desperately wanted to ask her parents for help but knew that if she looked in their direction, it would only incriminate her further. What she needed to do was bluff her way successfully. She subtly took a breath, dug her nails in her palms to ground her, and looked at Eagle with as much confidence and easiness she could fake. "I didn't lie." Erick looked like he was going to interrupt her, but she didn't give him the opportunity. "To me, we're nothing more than classmates, but to Juliette, we're more than that. She has feelings for me."

"And that means?"

Cal dug her nails deeper. "It means that I'm using her feeling for me to gather intel on the Legacies." The words felt nauseous in her mouth. She never would actually use Juliette feeling against her, no matter how angry she was with her, but for now, she had had to make them believe it. "It's only been a week, but I have made some progress."

Erick exchanged a look with Kara. "Really? What do you know." Cal had to be smart about this. She went over everything that happened with Juliette and tried to find something to throw their way. One look at Tess, and Cal knew what to say. She told them about how he killed Ashley and later turned her into a zombie. That and how he was working with a witch. Selling out Oliver wasn't a tough call. He murdered Mike and Sarah and wanted to transform her into a monster. She had expected a reaction from Tess but was confused by Kara's when she mentioned Oliver's witch girlfriend, Carmen.

The woman kept asking Calliope questions she had no answer to, and that detail seemed to frustrate her. There was a moment where Cal considered mentioning the snake she saw in Juliette's dream, yet something told her she shouldn't. For a second, she was afraid that her inconsequent knowledge of Oliver wouldn't suffice, but to her surprise, they accepted it as enough for now. The next shock came when they requested her to keep going with her and Jules' relationship. "Juliette Fairmont may be our key to eradicate all Legacies." were Erick's exact words. She now had to fake faking being in love with the girl she just promised to spend the rest of her days trying to kill.

Fucking great.

***************************

Calliope Burns had never been more grateful for Mondays. For the first time in her life, her house didn't feel like a safe place. The Burns house was bustling with nervous energy. Now that they knew they were essentially under close surveillance of the Guild, they needed to be discreet. Their main concern right now was Theo. Cal was still shocked that her dad didn't rat Theo out. Perhaps it was a shame or still existing love. Whatever it was, it had bought them time.

Her father wanted to kill him before the Guild got a hold on him, but her mom wouldn't relent. That had caused a weekend-long disagreement that the hunter was happy to escape. It was in those moments that she missed Theo. Her brother always knew what to say to make her feel better, to make even the worst situation seem harmless. She had hoped to find it in Apollo, but the latter had shut himself up in his room and didn't even come for dinner. The only proof she had that he was still there was his car parked in the driveway and the occasional noises coming from his room.

The fact that she had to keep attending school was the only good thing that came from the Guild's intervention. Who would have thought that high school would be the least stressful place for her, a teenage girl.

It was almost time for her class, so Cal opted to set off. Perhaps it had been the lack of sleep, absence of coffee, or wishful thinking that Juliette wouldn't be present, but the huntress seemed to have forgotten that they shared gym class. She made it all the way through the locker room and the field. She only realized her mistake when her ears caught the unmistakable sound of her vampire's laughter.

Whenever she wasn't thinking of Theo or worrying for Apollo, her thought went to Jules. Feelings were something she could navigate but never really understood. She wasn't always skilled at expressing them or even knowing they were there, so it was no wonder she struggled with understanding her feelings for Juliette. The anger was still there. Calliope still blamed Jules for turning Theo but somewhere deep inside felt relieved that no one truly knew a way to kill Legacies. Did she love her? did she hate her? Cal was conflicted and seeing Juliette standing just a few feet away from her didn't help at all.

Juliette was engrossed in a conversation with Ben and seemed normal, happy even, which was weird to Cal. She thought Jules would have been a little heartbroken after their last encounter. But if anything, Juliette seemed to be doing alright, and Calliope didn't know how to feel about it. Their eyes met, and Cal's heart skipped a beat. Jules still had that type of effect on her. But she quickly realized that something was off. The way Jules had looked at her felt so foreign. Like when you lock eyes with strangers on the train.

However, before she could dig deeper, the moment ended, disrupted by Mrs. Bridget's whistle. She paired in groups to play dodgeball, Ben on her team and Juliette on another. During their first match, Cal noticed the glares he kept throwing at her or how he would respond passive-aggressively to anything she said. She found it strange, knowing that the last time they saw one another, it was on a positive note.

The strangest thing, however, was that not once did Jules approach her when both of them weren't playing. She didn't try to talk to her or anything. Occasionally, Cal with catch her glancing her way but that was it. She ultimately reasoned that the vampire had chosen to ignore her. That seemed like the most plausible explanation for that strange interaction. For a moment, Calliope envisioned letting things as they were. If Juliette wanted to ignore her, maybe it was for the better. There was just one major problem; the Guild. They most likely expected her to keep the thing she had with Juliette going. If she started to distance herself now, they'd grow suspicious. Cal had no choice but to keep up appearances.

The next match was between Jule's team and another one. She was watching Jules move and realized that the girl seemed in pain. She was pretty slow and often frowning, not in concentration, more so in agony. The match was going well when one of the girls from Jules' team received the ball straight in her face.

Everyone gathered around the girl. She opened her eyes after a few seconds. Outside of light-headedness and a bloody nose, the girl seemed fine. Nonetheless, Mrs. Bridget insisted that she go to the Infirmary. Juliette volunteered to go with her, and Cal watched them leave.

The hunter didn't pay attention for the rest of gym class. She mindlessly went through the tasks, her mind being preoccupied with Juliette, so much so that she almost missed the end.

She pondered on the best way to approach Juliette. If the latter was really trying to ignore her, a direct approach was the best option. Cal settled for confronting her after the class. The only problem was that Juliette never made it back to class. It worried Cal slightly, but she tried not to overthink it. She did find her in the end. Juliette was in the locker room when they arrived. Cal noted that she looked out of it. She contemplated going to Jules, but with everyone in the locker room she decided otherwise.

She was out the minute she finished changing. The hunter positioned herself outside by the door and waited for Juliette to appear. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long as Jules came out second after her. Cal went in for it, gently grabbing her arm and getting them out of the entryway.

Jules let out a surprised squeal. She turned to look at Cal, seemingly ready to question her but froze. They stared at each other. It was as if time itself had stopped. It had been so long since they stood so close to each other. Cal could hear her heartbeat going crazy. She had forgotten why she was here or what she wanted. The moment seemed perfect, except it wasn't. One second, Juliette was looking at her; the next, she was squinting her eyes and seemed in pain?

Calliope released Jules's arm, thinking she had hurt her, Juliette being a vampire passing over her head. She brushed her hand through her hair to calm herself before explaining herself. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk to you." Juliette stayed weirdly silent, which was only increasing Cal's nerves. It wasn't like her to go into something plan, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to say right now. Cal may have told the Guild about using Jules feeling to her advantage, but doing it now felt weird. She finally opted to go with what her heart was telling her. "About that night. I don' regret saying what I said because that's how I felt, but I shouldn't have-..."

Cal stopped midsentence. They were just something unsettling in the way Juliette was looking at her, that and the fact that she was silent. One thing that Cal liked about Jules was her awkward rambling and how she would look at her. Like Cal was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, her eyes would always shine extra stronger when she looked at her. Right now, Juliette's eyes lacked that spark. She was looking at her funny. Like one looks at a stranger. Cal couldn't take it anymore. " Why are you looking at me like that?"

Juliette seemed confused. "Like what?"

"Like you don't know me." Cal could hear the distress in her own voice.

Juliette's frown deepened in her confusion. "Should I? I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are." Cal didn't know how to take that. To her, it must have been a joke. She tried to reason in her head that Jules was doing it to spite her. And, it was working. "It's me, Cal." For a moment, there was nothing, then came the telltale sign of recognition, and Call sighed in relief. She did it too soon.

"Are you Calliope Burns?"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Had I never met Calliope Burns, maybe I could have loved moderately."

Juliette jolted awake in a state of panic. Her breaths were short, and she could feel her clothes sticking to her back. She was sweaty and cold. Juliette took a second or two to calm her breathing. She has had a nightmare, a weird one. It was about Ben. In it, her best friend was running in the woods, like he was trying to escape something. She saw him scream for help and fall a few times. On one of those times, he twisted his ankle. The dream ended with Ben on the floor, bloodied and presumably dead, with two big gashes on his neck.

Juliette couldn't shake away the mental image of her friend's dead body. The vampire closed her eyes and took her head in her hands, only to be assaulted by the faint scent of something familiar. Juliette opened her eyes to look at her hands and was horrified to see dried blood on them. She quickly took off her blanket and realized her clothes, too, were covered in blood.

Juliette rushed to the bathroom, opened the tap, and washed the blood out of her hands. She caught her reflection in the mirror; she looked like a mess.

Juliette attempted to recall the events of the night before. But each time she tried, she got hit with a piercing headache. The last thing Jules remembered was Elinor getting arrested and getting into her car. She was driving somewhere but couldn't place where. Juliette had no recollection of going home either. If anything, she was sure she would have chosen Oliver's place over her own.

Then she thought of her dream. It had seemed so real, so tangible. She could still see Ben's body. That's when she started freaking out. Juliette ran back to her room and looked everywhere for her phone, but couldn't find it anywhere. Juliette knew that she would never hurt her best friend. Even so, the doubt was growing in her mind. Her best course of action was to make sure he was okay. But first, she needed to throw her clothes away and take a shower.

Thirty minutes later, she was tumbling down the stairs. The plan was to straight to her car, but she stopped when she saw the luggage in the hall. Juliette called for her parents and found them in the kitchen. "Why are they luggage around? Are you going somewhere?"

Her mother put down her cup of coffee and turned to her. "Honey, your father and I are going to Budapest."

"Why?"

Her mom looked at her dad and then back to her. "It's something about the council, don't worry. If everything goes well, we'll be back by Tuesday." Juliette didn't know what to say. She could tell that her mother was withholding information, but she didn't feel like probing.

"When are you leaving?"

Her father stood up and took her in his arms. "In a few hours. We left you with enough money, and if there's anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to call us." Juliette nodded. Her father looked her up and down. "Were you going somewhere?"

"To Ben's."

"Okay." He kissed her on the forehead and let go of her. " Go have fun. We love you." Juliette reciprocated with her own, I love you too and went on her way. She didn't question much the whole. Making sure that Ben was okay was at the forefront of her mind. She would be suspicious of her parents' antics later.

The ride to Ben's house had never felt this excruciatingly slow. She attempted t whole ride to remember that night but failed once again. Every time the headache got worst. There was also a weird feeling of emptiness. Like she had forgotten something important, something dear to her heart. Thankfully, she arrived quickly at Ben's driveway. Juliette didn't even make sure that she had parked correctly. She just dove out of the car.

Juliette banged on the door, praying in the name of Lilith that her nightmare was just that, a nightmare. She was going for the second round of banging when the door burst open. "Why the hell are you attacking my door like that?" Ben stood in the entryway, looking completely fine and alive.

Juliette took him in a tight embrace. She had never felt more relieved than then. The vampire wasn't sure what would have happened had he not been okay. Apparently, she was holding too tight as Ben complained about a lack of air. Juliette let go of him and apologized. "Sorry, I'm just so glad you're okay."

Ben looked at her, confused. " Was I not supposed to?"

"No, of course not, I mean yes, I mean... Can I not just be happy that my friend is alright?" Ben eyed her suspiciously. She was never really able to hide a thing from him. Well, except for her being a vampire. Thankfully he did insist.

"Well, not so alright. Bunny has been acting a little extra weird ever since I told her about going to my father." Oh yeah, she had forgotten that. Ben was leaving her. It wasn't that she didn't understand the why -if she could, she would go too- just that not having her best man around would make her life a little bit harder.

"What am I going to do without you?"

"Well, you still have me till Friday, and you'll always have your hot girlfriend to keep you company." That confused Juliette. She was a gay-disaster, the kind that barely managed to hold a conversation with her crush, so her having a girlfriend seemed unlikely. Not only that, she was sure that if she did have a girlfriend, she would have definitely remembered.

"What, girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I thought that ya'll were riding the love train. Did Cal dump you?" Juliette looked at him even more bewildered. Cal? The name sounded familiar, like she had heard it before. Yet as she tried to remember where her headaches just got worst. So much so that she winced in pain. Ben saw it and got worried.

"Hey, it's okay. We don't have to talk about it. It's Cal's loss anyway. You and I will consume a shit ton of ice cream, and you'll help me with my outfits. I'm having trouble choosing which one to take with me." Juliette wanted to argue, but the headaches were just so unbearable. It was like something was trying to bore its way out of her skull from the inside. So she just relented and let Ben lead her inside.

They spent the day eating gallons of ice cream, mostly Ben, watching their old favorite movies, and picking apart Ben's closet. The breakup therapy starter pack. After some time, the migraines eased up. Juliette ended up sleeping at Ben's.

********************

That night Jules dreamed of a girl without a face or name. She only saw snippets; eyes, lips, and strands of curly dark hair but never a visage. She awoke with a strange feeling. Like there was a hole in her heart, something missing. And it frustrated her that she couldn't figure out what.

Ben woke up later than her, and they got breakfast. Juliette decided to stay some more, knowing there was nobody at home. They didn't talk about her supposed girlfriend. Bunny spent the day out on a meeting with the other MAAMs. Ben's departure was giving her more reason to want to hunt monsters. Thank Lilith, the wine addict still didn't seem to suspect her true nature.

Something was plaguing her mind the entire day; if she hadn't attacked Ben, where did the blood come from? Juliette tried, but there was no way to rationalize it. If she did kill someone, what did she do with the body, and why couldn't she remember. Those questions kept her company during her ride home.

She found her house plunged in darkness. Juliette opted to head straight to her room, but something stopped her. A voice she wasn't expecting. "Welcome home, sweet little." Juliette turned in its direction, walked into the kitchen, and flickered on the lights. Elinor was seated at the kitchen table, looking at her sheepishly.

"Really? Isn't the whole villain sitting in the dark a bit overkill?" Juliette uttered as nonchalantly as she could.

Elinor shrugged. "You know I have a thing for theatrics."

"How did you get out?"

Elinor shrugged. "Let's just say that the evidence room caught fire, and by pure coincidence, my file was one of the destroyed ones. A human mistake, really. No proof, no crime."

Elinor stood up painfully slow. Juliette knew her sister well enough to know that behind that smile, she was pissed. "What do you want." She tried to make as much distance between her and her sister, backing away as Elinor approached closer.

"You see, I knew you've been incredibly naive and sentimental, but I never thought that you'll be stupid enough to choose Oliver's side or that your feelings for that hunter girl would blindside you to what's really important; family."

Juliette tried not to focus on the hunter-girl part of her sister's tirade. She kept moving deeper into the cooking area, looking for something just in case. Elinor was, by all means, faster and stronger. And while Juliette didn't think her sister would necessarily hurt her, she looked pissed off enough.

She found a knife on the countertop and weighted the idea. Elinor noticed and barked out a life." Don't tell me you're planning to use a knife?"

"Maybe"

As predicted, Elinor used her superspeed and had Juliette pinned against the floor-length cupboard. Her hand was pressing on the younger throat."You know I'm sick of that sappy shit of yours."

"We don't need to kill to survive." Juliette struggled to get her words out. Elinor had her suspended a few inches off the ground.

"The Juliette that I know would have never betrayed me. It's all that girl's fault. You've been prioritizing her over your own family." She got closer to Juliette's ear. "I want my little sister back, and you deserve some punishment for putting me in jail; that's why Calliope Burns must die."

Calliope Burns, the name was foreign but familiar all the same. It fell like an itch in her brain she couldn't scratch. No matter how hard she tried, Juliette had no recollection of a Calliope Burns. The headaches manifested themselves almost instantly. "Who?"

"C'mon, Jules, do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"I have no idea who that is." Elinor regarded her dubiously.

Seeing that her sister looked earnest, she attempted to force Juliette into telling the truth, but each time, the younger one's answer was the same. Juliette remembered the Burns. However, to her, there were only two brothers. She knew they attempted to kill her family, remembered Elinor wanting her to drain someone on her consecration, but gave an unknown name.

"Who the fuck is Vanessa?"

No matter how she asked, It seemed like all memories of Calliope had been either; completely erased or events rewritten. Her sister wasn't that good of a liar.

Finally believing her sister's words, she released her hold on Juliette, making her fall to the ground. Elinor was preocupied. Either Juliette was suffering from amnesia, or something unnatural was behind it. Neither options were ideal.

Juliette massaged her throat and looked up at her sister. She could see in her eye that the anger was receding, and a glimmer of worried emerged. It only added to Juliette's confusion. "Where's mom and dad?"

"In Budapest for a council meeting."

"Of course they are. Your little girlfriend is safe from now. Ripping her heart out won't be fun if you don't even remember her." With that, Elinor left. Juliette let out a breath of relief once her sister was out of sight. She got up on stood there for a second, thinking about the best course of action. Juliette could go to Oliver's, but for what? Jail had not contained Elinor, and she didn't feel like pissing her sister more than she already had.

The constant mention of a girlfriend, tho, was bugging her. She had half a mind looking up Calliope Burns but then remembered that she had no idea where her phone was. Dejected, Juliette decided to call it a night.

*******************

Juliette woke up once again in the wake of a dream of her mystery girl. From her mesmerizing brown eyes to her plump lips, curly hair, and smooth dark skin. She never got a full picture, just snippets. Juliette tried to reminisce the dream for as long as possible. Eventually, she had to get up for school.

Her first try at standing up was unsuccessful, as she got hit by an intense migraine. Juliette held her head in her hands, screaming out of pain. It was worst than the day before, and she had no idea why. She stayed like that for a while till the pain receded slightly. The only time the headaches had been that dreadful was before her first kill. The vampire thought it was a thing of the past, but it just kept happening.

After some time, Juliette managed to get out of bed and clean up for school. The absence of Elinor was at least a good reprieve for now. She was most likely off murdering people, and Jules could do nothing about it. Juliette didn't need more conflict to worsen her headaches. A well-filled thermos of coffee later, she was on her way to high school.

Juliette put on the radio if only to see if they discovered a new body last night. Nothing came, no body, no missing or missing person, only a weird amount of animals out of the woods, jumping up the road. Reassured of the absence of a potential murder she may have committed, she switched stations for the rest of the traject.

She met up with Ben in front of her locker. Midden in their discussion, the headaches just kept getting worst. Feeling her throat dry, she tried to assuage it with some coffee, but the thirst persisted. Juliette recognized it as a sign of hunger. It didn't make sense.

Vampires could last over a week between feeding, depending on how much they drank. The last couple of days, she had her first kill, then that time with Elinor and Theo Burns. Her first kill alone should have gotten her well within two weeks. She shouldn't be thirsty. The pain followed her to gym class. She tried her best not to let it shine and entertained a conversation with Ben.

Juliette felt it then. She looked up, her eyes locked with a mesmerizing pair of brown eyes, the ones from her dreams. The same curly hair, flawless dark skin, and kissable lips, it was the girl from her dreams. Juliette wasn't sure how it was possible. She was certain to have never seen her before, but it felt like she knew everything about her. It was like they were in a trance of sorts, unable to look away from her. It felt like being inside of a bubble. The otherwise harsh and loud world faded into the background. Same with her migraines. For a brief moment, there were only the two of them.

Unfortunately, every good thing has to end. The whistle broke the moment and brought back, in its wake, the rest of the world. Juliette blinked to reality. They got paired in groups, and she saw Ben ending up with her mysterious girl. Juliette thought that perhaps the girl was new, and in a sense, she could see it with the rather withdrawn way she interacted with the rest. But it was nowhere as awkward as a total newbie would be.

Throughout the games, Juliette's pain never left her. It seemed that with each passing moment, her thirst just became worst. Everything felt overwhelming; the noises, smells, lights, and that infuriating whistle. She needed to find a way out and thank Lilith, an opportunity presented itself. When Veronica Sinclaire passed out, she proposed to take her to the infirmary.

She led the girl there, where she subsequently dozed off. Apparently, Veronica didn't get any sleep the night before. Juliette planned to wait until one of the school nurses arrived. She made use of the moment to calm down. She managed for a little while until she got a whiff of a particular fragrance. The scent of blood engulfed her. Juliette turned to Veronica's slumped form. Of course, the girl was on her period.

Juliette could feel her fangs sprout out, and her thirst became unbearable. The whole instance felt surreal. One moment she was standing close to Veronica, and the next, she had her fangs buried in the girl's arm, drinking from the blood. The relief came instantly. It just felt right, and for a second, Juliette berated herself for not feeding. She kept going and going, it felt like Jules couldn't control herself.

She was reveling in it all when she a noise alerted her. Juliette sprang upright and turned in the direction it came from but saw nothing. She was sure hearing someone. However, the room seemed empty outside of her and Veronica. A Veronica, who looked sickly pale. Juliette hastened herself to check the girl's pulse. Thankfully, she was still alive but had lost a lot of blood. There was no denying that had Juliette kept going, she would have drained her. Horrified by that thought, Juliette ran away.

What happened had always been her biggest fear that one day she would lose control and attack someone. It just didn't make sense. Juliette shouldn't be feeling this way after her first kill. The only good thing was that now the headaches were gone, and so was her thirst. Altho she could still feel it but less persistent.

She didn't go back to gym class, preferring to stay in the locker room. The vampire used that time to go over the facts. She had lost control, almost killed a classmate, and was pretty sure someone had been looking at her. That and the blood on her clothes and amnesia from the other night was getting too much. She needed to talk to her parents. Juliette was still ruminating when the rest joined her in the locker room.

Juliette changed hastily, her thoughts still occupied with what happened. She was so much in her own head, she didn't notice at first someone grabbing her arm. Juliette let out a slight squeal as the person distanced them from the entrance. Once farther away, Juliette tune to her kidnapper, only to be met with her mysterious girl. Up close, she looked even more beautiful.

If she could, Juliette would want nothing more than to swim in the vastness of her gaze. The vampire was acutely aware of her grip on her. It felt like a hot iron burning the skin of her arm. And the pain that blossomed in her chest. It wasn't like the headaches, this one felt familiar, like a boa constrictor closing in on her heart. The pain made her squint, prompting her mysterious girl to release her. Juliette immediately missed her warmth.

She started talking, but the vampire couldn't make out a word she said. She knew the girl was familiar, but no matter how hard she tried, but couldn't remember from where. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Juliette heard that bit and was confused. "Like what?"

"Like you don't know me."

"Should I? I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are. "The vampire's confusion kept growing. Juliette was resolute that this was their first meeting because she would have never forgotten someone as beautiful as her. She could feel confusion.

"It's me, Cal." Juliette wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. The name felt foreign, but there was something in with how she said it like that name should ring a bell to Juliette. She remembered it then. The name Ben used when talking about a girlfriend she didn't have. It was easy to make the connection between that and what Elinor said.

"Are you Calliope Burns?"

The girl looked almost offended by Juliette's words. "Yeah....but you already know that. Why do you keep acting like we're stranger?"

Juliette wasn't sure how to react. First Ben, then Elinor, and now or well Calliope -what a lovely name, she thought- they all seemed to believe she knew her. "Look I don't know you, and I'm not sure why everybody is acting as I do. I mean you were in my dreams but that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is."

Calliope was going to respond when they got interrupted. "Cal, there you are. I was wondering if you could give me a- " The girl seemed only then to take notice of Juliette's presence. There was something in the way she looked at Juliette head to toe that sent a chill down the vampire's spine. It felt like she was being assessed, and she didn't like that.

"Tess? What're you doing here?" Calliope seemed surprised to see, what Juliette could only presume to be her friend, there. Not wanting to intrude on whatever conversation they going to have, Juliette opted to take her leave.

"Hum, well since your friend is here I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Calliope."

"Jules, wait"

Juliette's pace faltered slightly at the nickname. There was just something in the way she had said that. But she shook her head and resumed walking, only glancing back when she was far enough. She could help but murmur to herself.

"Who are you Calliope Burns, and why are you in my dreams?"

[imamxdel]

What are my goals for 2023? AKA a late new years resolution because I wanted some time to really think about it

Lose 20 lbs - isn’t this sort of basic for everyone? I’m in a healthy weight range, but I still don’t care for how my clothes fit me. I also love a cute, oversized look and I know I’ll feel better this way. I want to do this in a healthy way

Maintain a stable, active lifestyle - I always feel better when I work out, my goal is 3-4 times a week because my long 14 hour shifts I clearly won’t exercise those days

Stop eating fast food so often - even though I maintained my weight loss, I still eat out so much!! I just...really love it and I know it isn’t good for me. I need more moderation in my life

Good oral hygiene - it’s sad how little I floss. I would love to eventually get aligners, but those are some heft prices

Healthy hair - my goal is as little heat and dye as possible. I want less frizzy hair!!

Good skin care - we’re at that age now

Purchase a home - rent went up $300 last year and it no longer makes sense to pay what I do for a small apartment. I would love to invest in a long term purchase that gives me equity for my future

Save more money - one of the awesome things I did last year was start a small emergency fund and I would love to make it even bigger

Stick to my monthly budget - it’s difficult to not go over when you have leftover money instead of saving it. I’m a spender!

Start investing more in retirement - more than what my job matches, at least

Date more - I want to share my life with someone special

Continue minimalism - I can’t believe how much simpler my apartment is without all the stuff it holds!! I want to see how far I can stretch this, but not to an extreme measure

Continue taking vacations - I already have my next New York trip and a concert in Atlanta in March

[aeoki]

High and Low: Epilogue 2

Location: High and Low Stage Characters: Tetora, Hajime, Tomoya, Hinata, Midori, Touri, Mitsuru & Sora

Season: Autumn Writer: Akira

Midori: Ahh~ I’m tired… I tried to be all energetic but now I’m exhausted.

Tetora: That’s so fast! You’ve gotta train more, Midori-kun~

If you trained, people will probably stop being disappointed with you and won’t say there’s less than meets the eye! Hard work and muscles will never betray you!

Midori: That’s such a pain… They’ll just make me do all sorts of stuff if they think I’m “someone capable”, so I’m fine just doing a moderate amount.

Tetora: It feels like you’ve been pretty gloomy this whole time, Midori-kun. You were pretty cheerful when you came to save us.

Midori: That’s the whole reason why I’m so tired… It’s all your fault so I won’t let you complain, Tetora-kun. Don’t make me do something that’ll take a lot of time and effort.

Tetora: Osu. Sorry. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again in the future.

Midori: You say that but you're repeating the same mistakes over and over… I can’t trust you. It’s like you didn’t grow at all.

Tetora: I have a bit! You just can’t see it!

Here’s proof – Look, tadaa ♪

Midori: ………!?

Tetora: I might be someone experienced who’s not that smart but I’ve learnt a thing or two after repeating those mistakes. In order to make you motivated, gathering a whole bunch of cute things is the best method.

How about it? There’s this plushie? Stuck on the tree over there so I’ll take it off and give it you as a present ♪

Now, you’ll definitely feel motivated ♪

Midori: Ko-Ko-Ko…

Tetora: Ko-Ko-Ko?

Midori: It’s a koalaaaaaa ☆

Tetora: Woah, you scared me! What? Koala?

Is that a koala? This is really Australia, huh. They’re just hanging out over there.

Midori: No, this is just a decoration. It’s wearing clothes.

I’ve seen real koalas but they weren’t anything special… I was so excited to go and touch them but they got angry and scratched me.

Tetora: I see. I’m, uh, sorry that happened to you.

Midori: It’s okay. If it’s something given to me by a cute animal, then pain and scratches are more than welcome…♪

Tetora: Osu! You understand that too, huh, Midori-kun! Scratches are medals in the eyes of a man!

Tetora & Midori: “♪~♪~♪”

Hinata: Uh, I feel like what you guys are talking about doesn’t really make sense.

Touri: Well, they both look like they’re happy so it’s probably fine?

Sora: HaHa~♪ Exactly~! Everyone’s shape of happiness is different so it’s something no one has the right to deny!

If Tetora-chan and Mido-chan are smiling happily then that’s fine! It’s a happy ending~♪

Touri: …We still have a mountain of problems, though.

Like, what will happen to Kurone-san.

Hinata: Knowing Anzu-san, she’ll probably forgive him even after betraying her trust and causing all that trouble.

Anzu-san really loves everyone, after all.

Tomoya: Yeah. It seems “High and Low” will end in success too, although it was kinda forced that way.

We reached our destination, met up with Hajime and the others in one piece, and we’re now rounding it off with a performance.

There were some unexpected things that happened with the TV show but it’ll still be completed as planned.

You could say we’re in a favourable position since we managed to stand out with our weird trip, for better or worse.

They’ll edit the footage we filmed and there are some parts that weren’t filmed too. The people who watch it will have no idea what we were caught up in.

Their understanding of the show would probably be one where they see we’re forced to take part in a weird low-budget travel show and things turned out to be a mess.

It was the same for us during the “Old-Fashioned Sports Festival” but this time, we got to touch the thing that exists at the bottom of the idol industry.

The thing that Kurone is confronting.

He’s got some sort of goal and he’s definitely headed in a bad direction.

This time, he caused all that trouble for Anzu-senpai and us, and even went as far as doing something that would make us hate him…

Maybe he did it so we wouldn’t have to come in contact with that bad thing. Maybe he thought if we hated him, we would distance ourselves from him and we wouldn’t be involved.

Hinata: Ahh, the thing that our upperclassmen often do at Yumenosaki?

Tomoya: Yeah. But we’re used to that so we can’t hate him the way he wished.

He caused a lot of trouble for us but he helped us too. He’s also one of our colleagues, a “producer”.

I’d like to do something for him if that something exists.

Just what can we powerless children do?

Mitsuru: Baam ☆

Tomoya: Gyaaaaaah!?

Mitsuru: Tomo-chan! Don’t just stand there and talk. We’re idols so let’s get to work. Let’s sing and dance and have fun~☆

Let’s give our thanks to Australia for giving us such a fun time!

Hajime: He’s right, Tomoya-kun! After all that time thinking I wouldn’t be able to meet up with you!

A small miracle happened so let’s be happy! Together!

Let’s show the world how happy we are~♪

Tomoya: You’re so laid-back, you guys… I’m sure ignorance is bliss for Hajime but how are you so cheerful after going through all that awful stuff, Mitsuru?

Mitsuru: Heheh, that’s “Ra*bits” for you, y’know~!

Even if we experience something horrible, we’ll have the time of our lives with a smile on our faces! If other people see us like that then they’ll automatically be happy too!

Tomoya: Yeah… You’re right. That’s “Ra*bits”.

I’m the leader of “Ra*bits” on paper so that makes me the most distinguished.

But I’m still inexperienced and there’s so much I have to learn from you guys.

Tetora: Osu. I feel the same. I learnt a lot from Midori-kun this time.

A school trip is all about learning new things…! We had a blast so we’re probably the ones who got the most out of this school trip!

Midori: Yeah… It feels almost silly to think I was worried about all that stuff before we even came.

Oddly enough, you don’t really have to worry about every little thing that happens in life.

Preparing for a trip is the most fun but at the same, it’s also the most stressful.

Midori: But nothing will change unless you actually set out on a journey.

We still have no idea what the future has in store for us.

But if you make up your mind and dive right in, you’ll be surprised to see that things might just work itself out on its own.

“♪~♪~♪”

← Previous Chapter

[the-plot-blog-thing]

(originally published on 11/30/20)

DTVA/DTS TAGTEAM TWEET-ATHON MOVIE #62: KRONK’S NEW GROOVE (2005) 

Ok so, funny story. I actually saw this movie before I ever saw the original.

I remember seeing the trailer for the first movie all the time on my VHS for Toy Story 2 when I was younger, and just sort of piecing the plot together from that. I remember watching this movie all the time when we got the DVD because I figured it was the next best thing.

Anyway, I did eventually watch the original movie, and you all know the rest. It’s one of, if not my favorite, Disney movie ever made. But I’m just as familiar with this sequel as I am with that film, so I already had a lot of my opinions on this one already formed.

And my thoughts? While a lot of the jokes still have that same level of wit and charm as the original, I feel like a lot of this film’s runtime is wasted on trying to figure out what sort of a sequel it wants to be, and the final product suffers as a result.

This movie has like 3 different plotlines that sort of connect in the end, but not really well. 

1.) Kronk’s father is coming and Kronk wants to make him proud. 

2.) Yzma returns and scams Kronk into joining her again so he can get a house. 

3.) Kronk gets a girlfriend and loses her

All of these could be plots for movies on their own, but it feels like the script writers couldn’t decide which one to choose, and decided to do all of them under the guise of “The first movie was meta, so if we acknowledge that this movie is disjointed it will work!”

It doesn’t though. The Emperor’s New Groove is such a tightly made film, no scene or line of dialogue feels wasted. This movie just WASTES so much time trying to explain itself, and trying to connect all the plots, that there’s not enough time for comedy or fun animation moments.

And the problem is, only about 1.5 of these 3 plots are really all that good. The main Papi plotline is actually pretty funny for the short time spent on it, even if I feel the ending is a bit rushed.

The Yzma/ Old Folks plot is only good when Yzma is onscreen, and I couldn’t care less when she’s not. So I would say only about half of it is really any good.

The Birdwell plot COULD work, but the way it’s presented just doesn’t. It did get a few more chuckles out of me than I expected, but it is still the least funny out of all the plots.

I would’ve just picked one plot and ran with it, or better yet, just go back to the drawing board. I actually have like two different ideas for ways I think they could’ve gone, but I given the word limit of tweets, I won’t indulge them here...

Anyway, the animation is just ok. It doesn’t look bad, but it’s a little too stiff for a fast moving comedy like this. The music is good though, I like the opening song and I even like Yzma’s song despite it being a bit abridged in the actual movie.

The voice acting is still fantastic too. Patrick Warburton and Eartha Kitt are still fantastic, and it was nice to hear from John Goodman and John Mahoney. Tracy Ullman stands out as Birdwell even though that segment of the movie falls short.

I can only assume that they must’ve cornered David Spade in a soundstage and forced him to record a few lines as Kuzco because his role is almost nonexistent here. I do enjoy his few scenes though.

Overall, while I’ll always hold some nostalgia and love for this movie, I do acknowledge its flaws, and I just wish it were more consistent. 

6.5/10: Only a moderate raise of the thumb from Papi, sorry...

[pathfinderunlocked]

Evil Wall - CR14 Construct

An enemy based on the Evil Wall boss from the Final Fantasy series.

Artwork is in-game artwork from War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, copyright Square Enix.

An Evil Wall is a trap used in dungeons.  It’s typically placed at one end of a 10-foot-wide hallway of moderate length - perhaps 80 to 120 feet - that appears to have a closed door at the other end.  Players enter the hallway from near the Evil Wall.

The closed door is fake, and has nothing behind it except for a wyvern arrow trap that’s triggered by opening the door.  You may want to replace the wyvern poison with black lotus extract, increasing the CR of the trap by 3, or change the arrows to volleys of arrows that hit all targets in a 100 foot line, increasing the CR of the trap by 2.  If you do both (which I recommend), the resulting trapped door is CR 11 and is worth 12800 XP.

When a creature gets 30 feet from the closed door, the Evil Wall comes to life and begins moving toward that creature, initiating combat with a surprise round.  You can use a pressure plate on the ground to trigger the fight if you want, but that feels too easy to circumvent.  It’s a construct, not an inanimate object, so if you just put a torch on the wall near the fake door, then it can simply see when someone steps near the light.

You know what, I’ll just draw a diagram.

I regret drawing a diagram.

A dormant Evil Wall looks like a normal section of a dungeon wall with several skeletons chained to it.  If players destroy the skeletons before combat starts, this preemptively deals 20 damage to the Evil Wall, but doing so won’t actually cause the Evil Wall to attack unless they try to damage the wall itself.

Before combat, a player who inspects the skeletons or the section of wall that they're chained to can make a DC 25 perception check to realize that this 10-foot section of wall in the corner has several small holes in it that look intentionally placed, and also a tiny seam on either side of it, like a secret door.  However, there’s no obvious way to open or move it.

When it attacks, the giant bas relief skeleton is attacking with its longsword, and darts shoot out of tiny holes in the wall.  Typically, each round in combat it full-attacks and then uses Forward to move 15 feet down the hallway, closing in on the players until it eventually crushes them to death.

Having two types of DR on the same creature is unusual, but it’s part stone and part skeleton, so that’s what you get.  Essentially, if you hit it with anything but an adamantine weapon, it has 10 DR.  If you hit it with an adamantine weapon that isn’t bludgeoning, it still has 5 DR.  An adamantine bludgeoning weapon pierces all of its DR.

Evil Wall - CR 14

As soon as you step near the door, the wall behind you at the other end of the hallway starts to move.  The bricks on it start sliding away like panels, revealing a giant bas relief skeleton that looks fossilized in the stone wall, holding a glass sword.  The skeletons that are chained to it animate and begin pulling it south, and you can hear the clattering feet of many more skeletons which seemingly reside inside the wall.

XP 38,400 NE Large construct Init –4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 5, flat-footed 24 (-4 Dex, +19 natural, –1 size) hp 300 (20d10+130); fast healing 10 Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +6; +8 vs. immobilize or forced movement DR 10/adamantine and 5/bludgeoning Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10, elec 10, sonic 10, force 10 Immune construct traits SQ positive energy weakness

OFFENSE

Speed 15 ft. Melee mwk voidglass longsword +28/+23/+18/+13 (1d10+9), slam +22 (2d6+8 plus push plus grab) Ranged 10 darts +15 (1d6 plus giant wasp poison (DC 18)) (range increment 20 ft) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks forward, crushing push, push (slam, 5 ft.)

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 3, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1 Base Atk +20; CMB +29 (+33 bull rush); CMD 36 (44 vs. bull rush, pull, grapple, and reposition, immune to trip) SQ positive energy weakness, unstoppable force Gear large mwk voidglass longsword

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Forward (Ex) An evil wall can move up to its move speed in place of a 5-foot step.  When it does so, it can perform a free bull rush against all creatures in its way, attempting to push them out of the way as it moves.  If any of its bull rush attempts fail, the evil wall's movement is momentarily halted and it cannot move further this turn.  This bull rush cannot push a creature more than 15 feet, and the evil wall cannot move with the target further than its own move speed.

Grab and Run Over (Ex) An evil wall that is grappling an opponent can maintain its grapple as a free action, and gains a +6 circumstance bonus on bull rush combat maneuvers against the grappled target.

Crushing Push (Ex) An evil wall adjacent to a creature that is flanked on the opposite side by a barrier (such as a dungeon wall, gate, or another living wall) can spend a standard action to crush all such creatures against the opposite barrier, dealing 4d8+24 points of damage to each target (Fortitude save DC 28 halves).  The save DC is Strength-based.

Positive Energy Weakness (Su) An evil wall is damaged by positive energy and healed by negative energy as though it were undead, but only takes half as much damage or healing as normal.

Unstoppable Force (Ex) An evil wall gains a +4 racial bonus on bull rush combat maneuvers, and a +8 racial bonus to its CMD and saving throws against any effect that would immobilize or forcibly move it.  It also has a +160 racial bonus to its maximum hit points.