#it was a simple plan

[nelkcats]

The Phantom of the Opera

Jason had hobbies, despite what his siblings believed. One of them was as simple as reading while the other was a bit more...private. It wasn't that he was embarrassed, he just wasn't used to sharing it.

The crime lord loved musicals and theaters, he liked going to plays often, escaping patrols just to see a novice actor perform the life of Mr. Darcy, or the death of Romeo. It was such a simple thing, but one that filled him with joy.

So, when he was invited to a "new" and "unique" play he went immediately. The bright green paper on the ticket didn't seem so strange to him, even though he had never heard of "Amity Park" before.

Unlike Jason, Danny hated musicals, plays and so. But his friends were convinced that it was the best way to introduce "ghosts" to society, a way to counter the GIW and make it look like they were harmless (and had feelings). Danny rolled his eyes, but agreed that having a ghost playing "Phantom of the Opera" was hilarious.

What wasn't so funny, was being forced to play the lead in the play, as Phantom was the only one willing to risk such a thing, but he managed it somehow. The grin Clockwork kept sending him didn't give him a very good feeling, but he ignored it.

Most of the people in Amity seemed to be thrilled to see their hero doing something other than fighting after years. Some of them weren't so pleased, though.

Jason had been to a million plays before, but none in such a strange theater, the lead actor also seemed to be stealing his breath away. He frowned as he felt the pits stir after seeing him, but he was determined not to let that ruin his night.

Of course, when they were halfway through the play something had to go wrong: someone in the audience shot the lead actor (What the fuck?), and Jason got to watch in the front row as the boy watched the attackers in pain as he pressed on his wound, which was bleeding the same green as the Lazarus pits.

Well, that's definitely not how he expected his night to go.

[alynnl]

Now I know why nobody was recommending the iOS versions of Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice. I assumed it was more fandom division (which I have been quite tired of seeing.)

However…

Apparently the apps are glitched and they won’t let you play the chapters you purchase past chapter 1. There’s supposed to be a fix for this but it’s not guaranteed.

That’s the only way I would have access to AA 5 & 6 at the moment.

An actual 3DS + the hard copy would be both expensive and unplayable for me because I get headaches from the 3DS screen (bigger screens on the Switch and iPad are easier on my eyes.)

I can’t go the Citra route because my desktop is too old to run it.

And finally, the Switch port won’t be out til next year, and a lot could happen in a year.

I guess a Let’s play is an option, but I feel I wouldn’t be as immersed the same as pressing the buttons myself.

It all comes down to my plans coming to a screeching halt. I was gonna play 1 -3, I1 and I2, 4-6, and Chronicles last.

I heard Chronicles tells the better story and it would’ve been better to end my journey on that note vs. AA 6 which is one of the more controversial entries of the series.

I’m not sure where to go from here.

I know it’s silly to get hung up on a thing like “going through the series in a certain order” and the logical thing would be to start Chronicles now since I bought it a while back, but I’ve been putting it off the way people save the good chinaware for holidays.

[chloesimaginationthings]

Gregory, Abby and Cassie are the new FNAF trio

[breakbleheavens]

Nothing is permanent, so I’m very careful to be grateful every second that I get to be doing this at this level, because I’ve had it taken away from me before. There is one thing I’ve learned: My response to anything that happens, good or bad, is to keep making things. Keep making art.

HAPPY 34TH BIRTHDAY TAYLOR ALISON SWIFT Born December 13, 1989 | Reading, Pennsylvania.

[ashmcgivern]

A Draconified King

[lets-go-hurt-someone]

Durge (sighing dramatically like a besotted Victorian debutante): Do you remember our first date? Why don’t you do anything romantic like that for me anymore?

Astarion: Our first date? What, when we had sex in a forest?

Durge: No, our first date, not the first time we had sex. Gods. What do you think of me? I’m not a beast.

Astarion: Darling, we have been trudging through the wilderness since the moment we met. We have literally never been on a date.

Durge: Yes we have! It was on the beach, remember? It was perfect. You were perfect!

Astarion: Do you mean when I held a knife to your throat outside the smouldering ruins of a ship full of eldritch horrors and threatened to kill you?!

Durge (all dreamy smiles and googley-eyed): Yes, it was wonderful. Almost as good as our second date, when you bit me and finally made good on your promise!

Astarion: Absolutely none of that was a—oh gods. Was leaving me behind when the crèche blew up your idea of a proposal?!

Durge: Of course dear, I didn’t want you to think I don’t return your feelings!

[theelvishscribbler]

he's going through it. just give him a minute

[somethingsgottasaveyou]

blasting your comfort album on full volume through your headphones on a bad day is a must

[tomsmusictaste]

You don’t understand, that’s my emotional support black graphic band tee with a pattern that’s faded because I washed it improperly

[marlynnofmany]

The Indignity that is Hiccups

I leaned against the broom and yawned, tired in more ways than one. The mess in the storage hold was going to take a while to clean. And just because the universe has ironic timing, I hiccupped while my mouth was wide open. It echoed off the metal walls. Luckily for me, none of my alien crewmates were there to hear it. 

Or so I thought. A bundle of tentacles and a curious squid face peered around the doorway. 

I sighed, hiccuping again. “Yes it’s me; no I’m not doing it on purpose.”

Mur eased into the room, stepping carefully around the snowdrifts of flour from where a storage crate had broken. “Why are you making that kind of noise on accident?” He was carrying a bundle of something wrapped up in one tentacle, but seemed more interested in conversation than in whatever that was.

“It’s called hiccups,” I said. “I suppose it’s too much to hope that other species have to deal with this to-o?” As much as I tried to get the sentence out smoothly, I was betrayed at the end.

“None that I know of. So what is it? Some kind of compulsion?”

“No, nothing like that.” I went back to sweeping with irritated strokes of the broom. “It’s a muscle spasm that’s never been fully explained. It usually goes away pretty quickly for me, but it’s annoying. Much like this flour.”

“I bet,” Mur said, looking around the room. He uncurled his tentacle. “I brought batteries for the big gravity wand.”

“Oh, Paint just went to get some! Thank you. She’ll be back soon.”

“Good,” Mur said, wiping at the flour dust that was already settling on him. “Ugh, this is unpleasant.”

“Sure i-is,” I hiccuped, followed by an exasperated noise. “At least I don’t get acid reflux with the hiccups. Small mercies.”

Mur asked, “Get what?” as Paint arrived, wielding the big gravity wand like a broadsword.

“Stand back! Oh, hi Mur. These batteries are only half charged, so I’m going to clean as fast as I can!” As short as she was, she looked like a scaly child waving a grownup weapon that she had no business using. Which wasn’t entirely wrong.

“I am standing ba-ack,” I announced, taking my broom to the doorway where the air was clearer.

Paint gave me a sideways look, finger hesitating over the power button.

I sighed and brushed flour dust off my sleeve. “It’s a stupid human thing.”

“Muscle spasms,” Mur put in helpfully. “Apparently sometimes they come with acid?”

“With what?” Paint demanded.

“Not like that,” I hurried to clarify. “Some people get stomach acid splashing up their throat, just enough to hurt.”

“That’s terrible,” Paint said, concern all over her scaly orange face. “What causes it?”

“No one’s really sure. My favorite theory is that it’s evolutionary history, our brains trying to breathe with gills, but—” I paused for another hiccup. “—Pretty sure that’s not actually it.”

“Wild,” Mur said. “Here, Paint; I brought fresh batteries.”

“Oh, thank you! No wonder I couldn’t find them.”

That would have been a great time for the hiccups to stop, while the conversation had moved on, but no such luck. I leaned against the door frame and tried to breathe evenly.

Paint juggled batteries, finally setting the gravity wand on the floor to swap them out properly. After another loud hiccup, she asked, “What makes the muscle spasms go away?”

“They usually do on their own,” I said. “Some people get them for a long time, but I’ve been pretty lu-ucky.”

“Sure,” Mur said, picking up the old batteries. “Lucky.”

Paint stood back up. “Nothing makes them calm down faster?”

“There are a few things,” I admitted. “Mostly stuff to distract the person from paying attention to them, really. Drink water from the far side of a cup, get startled by something, hold your breath a long time. I usually just take a lot of deep breaths, and they go aw-ay.” I grimaced. “Not today, apparently.”

Something hard closed around both shoulders and yanked me backward into the hallway, to where open mandibles hissed in my face, surrounded by shiny black exoskeleton and terrifying faceted eyes.

“Ahhh! Good gods, Trrili!” I stumbled upright, gasping for breath as she released me with far too much smugness.

“You arrrre welcome,” Trrili purred. “Wasss that enough of a ssstarrrtle, orrr ssshould I find a nice hiding placcce to jump out frrrom?”

“I’m good; thanks!” I said. My heart was beating dangerously fast, but the hiccups were long gone.

“Hm. Disappointing,” Trrili said, dropping the hiss. “Let me know if you require further medicinal terror.” Then she glided off down the hallway on many quiet bug legs.

I shuddered a little. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll do that.”

Paint was wide-eyed, crouched to pick up the gravity wand where she’d dropped it. I’d dropped the broom too, and I hadn’t heard either of them fall. The batteries had fallen out again.

Paint asked, “Are you going to tell her next time you have those spasms?”

“Ha! No, I don’t think I will.”

“I might,” Mur said with a grin.

“Hey now,” I said sternly, bending to pick up the broom. “Don’t make me sweep flour on you.”

He laughed and danced out of range, and the three of us got back to work cleaning up with nary a hiccup.

I did sneeze at the dust, which started a whole other conversation, but at least they knew what those were.

~~~

The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!

[vaguely-concerned]

Merrill banters I am thinking about all the time always 24/7

merrill truly will incessantly worry she's stupid and missing the point all the time and then take you out with the most beautifully worded and compassionate breakdown of the thematic spine of DA2 you've ever heard. no actually daisy I think you're the only one getting the point here slowly but surely

especially this one, actually: (also why I could see how bioware would bring merrill into DA:D on solas' side, but also I really really don't want them to because her arc is just -- it's just incredible and I don't want them to mess with it lol)

'I don't think people are cleansed by fire'. people make mistakes and you have to believe in them anyway. yeah basically that's the thesis of dragon age huh

[a-pigeons-soliloquy]

do you think hannibal ever asked for someone's business card and they were just like "uh. no"

[goobygnarp]

i just wanted to complain about a music player app throwing screen-covering ads at me, and I guess Santa also disliked the change as well.

[mars-and-the-theoi]

Low energy Devotional Acts for when you don’t have a lot of energy (or time, or money, etc.) pt. 8

💀Hades/Plouton💀

- listen to a devotional playlist for Him

- learn how to budget if able

- if you have a dog- spend some time with them

- if able volunteer at an animal shelter or volunteer to walk dogs

- if able learn about your ancestors

- learn about death magic and spirit work

- learn about death doulas

- learn about the Underworld or afterlives in general

- listen to ‘dark ambient’ soundscapes

- if able visit a cemetery

- learn about cemetery and graveyard etiquette

- learn about funerary practices throughout time and around the world

- wear black (can be as simple as a hair tie or socks to your whole outfit and even makeup!)

- listen to goth music

- carry some coins on you if able

- do Halloween or gothic themed coloring pages

- learn about the roles of hospice workers, funeral directors, morticians, etc.

- honor deceased loved ones (can be pets, friends, family members, etc. doesn’t matter)

- be kind to spirits and respect* them and the dead (*I know there are some folks who don’t deserve respect in death so obviously you don’t have to respect them this is just a more…in general kind of thing)

🌺Persephone🌺

- if able go on a walk (can be as simple as down the driveway and back up if that’s all you can manage)

- if unable to do that try to sit outside or open a window/door to let some fresh air in and open the blinds/curtains to let some sunlight in

- listen to nature soundscapes

- pick some flowers or get a bouquet for yourself or others

- learn about herbalism

- enjoy some pomegranates, pomegranate juice, or something with pomegranate in it

- listen to a devotional playlist for Her

- if able visit a cemetery

- learn, read, watch stuff about ghosts (yes even those weird ghost hunting shows that come on at like 2 am and make you feel like you’re experiencing a fever dream)

- learn about reincarnation

- be kind to Demeter

- if able donate to or volunteer at a battered women’s shelter and learn about their history and importance

- if able do some baking (especially bread)

- learn about the underworld or afterlives in general

[piecesofmemp3]

[saradiation]

For 11/11 you get Jane & Roxy because I never draw them and they deserve some love <3