#minus the scorched

[tanlotts]

Greetings from Appalachia! 🐊💚

Drew my Fallout 76 vault dweller OC, she loves visiting all of the Appalachian theme parks when it’s hot outside. And yes, she also NEVER takes off her Russian ushanka hat, even if the weather is melting hot (she’s gotta keep the aesthetic Russian, especially if she’s wearing an American flag bathing suit that she found while scavenging).

[the-physicality]

i really do love the phoenix mercuries

[kamipyre]

examine: lucien.

hello, world, i’m right here ( ft. rpg description meme w/ @bloodxhound )

send “examine!” and an item or person and i’ll write an RPG description of it/them.

Did they get a new dress again? Because it looks like the paparazzi have them surrounded…again. It must be hard being a model- oh! He’s waving at you, is he trying to signal for an SOS? Hmm, they look pretty busy over there though and you wouldn’t want to bother them. You wave back instead- have fun with the PAPARAZZI Luci ( @eternasci )!

[fools-ramblings-and-whatnot]

Fool's Ramblings #15: Adore me (HC)

Bored with nothing to do, you decided to clean up the Ramshackle dorm Gardens. With your phone with Grim, you opted to just hum so tunes from your homeworld while cleaning up,unaware that a visitor/passerby heard you singing some suggestive lyrics.

Characters:Maincast minus Ortho

Adore me~

Hold me and explore me

Mark your territory~~~

Tell me I'm the only, only, only, only one~

Adore me

Hold me and explore me

I'm so fuckin' horny

Tell me I'm the only, only, only, only one

Heartslabyul

Riddle: Flustered and red in the face. Forgot what he came here for. Turns his heel around and leaves instead of reprimanding Yuu for such vulgar language. Will probably scold them the next day.

Trey: Surprised. Doesn't immediately leave. Listens in a bit more and collects himself, makes sure he isnt blushing anymore. Waits for a moment before going in the gates to fulfill the purpose of his visit.

Cater: Records it, keeps it to himself. Pops out the bushes and asks the Prefect what they are singing and if they know any more songs. Urges them to sing with them in the Light Music club.

Ace: Taken aback at first. Teases them for singing such lyrics boldly in the middle of the day. Shameless. Ears red from blushing,tho.

Deuce: Poor boy is a blushing mess. Exclaims in surprise and alerts Yuu. Cannot look them in the eye.

Savanaclaw

Leona: Listens in until they finish singing. Finds a comfortable place behind the bushes to nap while listening to your next songs. Will definitely tease you later about the lyrics, if he remembers after his nap.

Ruggie: Enjoys the free show. Watches the prefect give him a free performance. Tries to wipe the blush on his face when he comes in to deliver an errand.

Jack: Startled at the lyrics and your ability to sing it nonchalantly. Red in the face. Feels like he's intruded on something private.

Octavinelle

Azul- Flabbergasted! Aghast! Stands there like a statue. Missed the blackmail opportunity of a life time. Goes away to compose himself and returns later on.

Jade: Amused and interested. Shamelessly approaches and inquires about the song and lyrics. Enjoys your embarrassed reactions like the sadist he is.

Floyd: Kinda wants to bite you, with the way you're singing. Is that an invitation?

SCARABIA

Kalim: Lyrics goes over his head, his mind focusing on you dancing around with your broom and singing happily. Will ask to join you in on it. "Does he even know the meaning of the lyrics", you wonder.

Jamil: Shocked. Blushing yet appalled. Will likely reprimand the Prefect on their choice of song in broad daylight. Can't deny the fact that the way you sang kinda hypnotized him for a moment, will never admit it to you or himself either.

POMEFIORE

Vil: Apalled. You're gonna get the scolding of a lifetime. An hour long lecture on why you should not have said what you sang even if they were catchy lyrics. Doesn't get your voice out of his head later that night. Clearly, you have potential even if you don't have tact.

Rook: Claps and sings you praises after you sing the song. Will call for an encore. Will boast about your singing and passionate choice of song to others, will not elaborate tho.

Epel: Startled at the lyrics, kinda cringest when you do your silly hand movements before grabbing the broom again. Enamored by your voice, nonetheless.

IGNIHYDE

Idia: Alerts you immediately of his presence as his hair flew into giant pink flames. Scorched a tree. Does not look you in the eyes. Regrets personally going out to tell you something. He will not sleep for days due to embarrassment. Wished he caught that all in video

DIASOMNIA

Malleus: Amused listening. Just watches you perform. Was surprised by your choice of lyrics, however it was an amusing performance. Something in the back of his head tells him to keep your closer (the lyrics demanded he mark his territory). Laughs at your reactions and offers to sing for you his own song. A tit for tat.

Lilia: Surprised at your boldness. Will shamelessly approach you and ask you to teach him the song. Invites you to sing for his club, too. Will probably want to sing with you, same song and all. Will look you in the eyes while singing (He's teaching you a lesson about mindfulness)

Silver: Surprised at the lyrics. Doesn't comment on it. Leaves politely and returns later when you're not busy enjoying your time. Probably forgot to return though and fell asleep. Tells you he'll keep your secret the next day.

Sebek: Burns bright red. Would have yelled. Did yell at you will sporting pink dusted cheeks and red-tipped ears. He's very loud but then his voice dips down at certain words."HOW COULD YOU SING SUCH vulgar lyrics IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.. HOW CORRUPTED! HOW APPALLING!HOW CAN YOU SAY those words IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY?! " You thought he was gonna explode from redness. Scolds you until the next day. Never lets you forget your blunder. Hard to take him seriously when he looks like that.

Lyrics from Juno by Sabrina Carpenter

[partikron]

The fact that Godzilla's atomic breath actually scorches him in Godzilla Minus One is a fantastic little detail.

Remember when we all saw this clip and we thought "what the hell did that to him?"

But that was him! His wrath, his fury, his flames burned so hot that it boiled the water around him and burned his flesh away. His roar isn't merely one of absolute victory, but also of indescribable suffering. A hate so powerful that it burns the one holding it is an apt metaphor.

Imagine the kind of pain he must be in, and yet he continues to freely use this terrible weapon, like stabbing a knife into someone while holding the blade. It's as if he couldn't care less.

"I know I will heal." he's probably thinking, "But you won't."

[expirednukacola]

ORANGE COLORED SKY 🏜️ || The Ghoul x Fem!Reader

𐚁⊹₊ ⋆☆

AHHHH! The first chapter is getting so much love and attention! I can’t believe it- This is making me cry! I love you all so, so much! SUMMARY: After two hundred years of some much needed beauty sleep, reader wakes up and realizes she has been given a second chance at life.. only to look like a piece of scorched summer sausage.

TW: GORE + GHOUL CANNIBALISM? + A BRIEF MENTION OF A “BIG IRON” 🔫

og gif made by: @lousolversons

“Don’t they know it’s the end of the world..”

“..‘Cause you don’t love me anymore.”

As your limp body fell to the brown, dead grass beneath you, you look up at that disgusting orange sky with such hatred and contempt before — Darkness. Nothing but darkness shrouded your senses alongside Death’s eery, cold chill.. At least death provided some relief for your decrepit, burnt body.

You finally felt.. free. Free from life’s fleshy binding that attached you to the mortal plane. Free from life’s troubling trails and tribulations that would’ve dragged like heavy chains on your body until the weight of them became too much. Free from pain, free from suffering, free from fear — Free from the horrible world itself.

…Until some asshole decided to turn the damn lights back on.

You woke up with a loud gasp and almost immediately, the pain of hunger and thirst was overwhelmingly evident in your facial expression. “Fuck- W- Water..” Like a zombie who was ran over by an 18 wheeler, you stood up on your little “Bambi” legs and looked around the wasteland that surrounded you. Nothing but patches of dead grass, cracked and crumbled dirt, and the occasional tumbleweed was all that you could see — Besides the dilapidated remains of Mr. Shit-Stain’s house.

“..How the hell is this thing still standin’?” You rasped out as you fumbled towards the tumbledown remnants of the house, the P.O.S. glass shard still sticking out of your leg like an annoying family member that never wanted to leave when it’s Christmas- or any holiday for that matter. Carefully stepping over the pieces of glass, you cautiously entered the house through the large broken windows and looked around what used to be a living room. Some things were still standing, like the couch, the television (minus the ginormous crack its screen had), and one of the most rinky dink coffee tables you have ever fuckin’ seen. “..Pretty sure ‘Bobby’ picked that shit out-”

You cut yourself off by letting out a much needed laugh and after a few minutes of laughing and snickering like a hippie high on mary jane, you staggered on over to the kitchen.. and that’s when you saw your saving grace- THE FRIDGE! Somehow, that piece of metal was the only thing unscathed from that damn blast! You thanked the heavens for this one of a kind gift that you most definitely deserved and you opened it to find-!

…A shit ton of mold and one dead and pretty large roach. “…After all I’ve fuckin’ gone through, I am gifted THIS?! THIS IS WHAT I GET?!” After kicking the fridge door shut, you went to pinch the bridge of your nose only to find out that you no longer had one. That’s when you finally looked down at your hand and your arm. With your heart now starting to collide with your ribcage, you quickly inspected both of your arms and then both of your legs, noticing how one of your arms was more skeletal than the rest of your limbs. “No, no, no, no..!”

You quickly ran around the decayed bits and pieces of the house until you finally found what used to be a bathroom. Immediately gazing into the shattered mirror, you saw how your once beautiful and youthful face had now become twisted, corrupt — grotesque, if you will. On one side of your face, it resembled shattered porcelain and your eye was milky white.. the other side was just a burning memory of what you used to be.

After a few minutes of pulling yourself together, and pulling that damn piece of glass out of your leg, you finally ventured out of the house and back to the “wild, wild west” of Lost Angeles (see what I did there?), and began your little adventure to find something to eat and at least a pond to drink out of. As you hobbled around the wastelands of an already wasteland-like city, you finally stumbled upon the rotting “corpse” of someone who looked just like you. He had the same red, fleshy blotches all over his face and his entire body, and his nose was missing as well. You guessed it was some type of peculiarity people like you shared.. well goddamn-

But something else about him struck a tender little chord in your hungered state.. His chest cavity was busted wide open, like the doors of a Golden Corral on a Sunday afternoon. Your mouth started to salivate, your stomach started to rumble, an animalistic growl spewed from your vocal cords.. and you ran as fast as your legs could, despite your leg that was still in its healing process. Once you were right next to the decaying and rotting body, you quickly dropped down to your knees and began to feast.

Dark, thick blood covered your hands, your chin, and those sweet lips of yours as you stuffed your mouth with that man’s flesh and what remained of his organs that once nestled underneath his ribcage. The only thing that was left whole was his heart.. his delicious, succulent heart. Slowly, you lifted his blackened heart out from his body and began to suck the little bit of blood that dripped out from the aorta, lapping it up as if it were the best water you have ever drank.

“Oh, sweet heavens above!” -were the first words you have uttered in a hot minute when you finally had your hunger satisfied — your thirst quenched by your newfound animalistic appetite for flesh and blood. “..Fuck- Thanks for your help, sir.” As you stood up and wiped your bloodied hands on your top, you heard the familiar sound of a gun getting cocked.. Well shit-

“Hold it right there, missy.” That voice.. That southern twang.. That teeny tiny lisp that’s barely noticeable unless you really listen.. You quickly whipped your head around, but instead of seeing your beloved cowpoke with those sweet dimples you love oh-so much, you saw someone who merely looked like him. You let out an audible gulp and reached your skeletal hand out towards the creature’s face, but he stepped back in response.

“..Cooper?”

“..Y/N?”

Your vision slowly began to fade in and out and the one to catch your collapsing body was that sweet, tender man you knew and fell so deeply in love with before The End. “I got you, missy.. I got you.” Were the last words you heard before you finally gave into the darkness once more. The Ghoul cradle you close and tight to his chest — Oh, how he craved feeling your comforting warmth against his own once more. How he yearned to hear your sweet, gentle voice again. How he ached to gaze into those kind eyes of yours; those pools of life that he had to be careful with because he didn’t want to drown in them.

Now, he’s finally got you safe in his arms..

..Or does he?

———————

I apologize for this chapter being shorter than the first one so consider this chapter 1.5! I was a little busy today with some personal stuff but you all asked so kindly and I hope you all liked this one as much as the first one!

TAG LIST: @lexiway121 @onyxclown @hellolettuce444 @leo4242564 @minaxcarter @a-case-of-attachment @hiddenworld666 @looneylooomis @sunnexaltation @coolrobloxkid28 @enaelyork @foggyturtleknightangel @ghcstvibess @haleymaccosplay @classaysstuff

[edgeray]

Peruere is a Person.

Inspired by my blurb series, "Arlecchino is a Person."

A/N - I did not write this. This was written by my wonderful friend @myfriendscallmebun. However, she didn't want to post it on her blog, so I'm posting it for her. All I did was some minor editing a little bit but almost every single word (minus like 2 or 3 words) was written by her. Every single like, comment, or reblog on this post is for her. I claim no ownership over this piece.

Arlecchino is not a person.

The Knave, Arlecchino, Father of the House of the Hearth, Fourth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers is not a person: she is a personification of lies and deceit spread amongst the populace, a conglomeration of exaggerated half-truths spread by veteran Fatui to scare the new recruits. Made of misconceptions and inferred information that paints a picture of a crazed and ruthless assassin–a wolf in sheep's clothing in essence; a bloodthirsty and manipulative patriarch whose tongue draws as much blood as the blade she so rarely uses. 

She’s a woman whose title alone carries a reputation that paralyzes opponents who catch just a whisper of her name. A woman whose flames scorch at the heels of those who were frozen in place by her ice cold presence alone. Arlecchino is a name that has people moving aside to let her pass by, a name that mothers hear and pull their children back into the houses from. She’s everything they say: a boogeyman–an icy breath you feel down your neck in your last waking moments, the shadows lurking around corners when you least expect; the thin veneer of an aloof diplomat that barely conceals the true mania beneath its surface. Arlecchino is at once everything she is made out to be, and nothing at all. Because Arlecchino is not a person, nor has she ever been.

Peruere is a person. She’s a woman, about 30 years old and 5’7”, although you wouldn’t realize it because she’s always wearing heels. She’s a woman who took on a title and responsibility far too young, a woman who was thrust into adulthood and the brutal world of the Fatui too early. She’s a woman who keeps few friends, and keeps her own children at an arm's length. She’s someone who has seen those around her–friend, ally, foe, and bystanders–be scorched and burned away to ash by her own hands. 

She’s someone who keeps her kids on a tight leash and strict discipline regiment, but the leash she keeps on herself is tighter. She allows her children to reprieve from the rules every now and then–turning a blind eye when they take a cookie before dinner, allowing them to keep a lizard they found as a pet for a while–but she does not afford herself the same. She’s harsh on herself, keeping every moment of her day regimented and as strict as the schedule she had growing up. Her children will live and experience far better than what she had, but she will still silently carry the burden of that time with her. 

Peruere is a person who is willing to look Dottore in the eyes–a man who she has watched take away what remaining, broken and mangled siblings she had, and knew full well what would be happening to them once they left with him- she is willing to look him in the eyes and allow him to experiment with her, with the balemoon bloodfire that curses her veins, on the hope that something good may come of it, something that can help her children.

She’s a woman who loves her kids, no matter how she can’t seem to show it. She’s a woman whose affection lies in the unspoken words behind what she actually says. 

“You’re home late.” (“I was worried about you.”) 

“Impulsiveness leads to failure.” (“I don’t want to see you get hurt.”)

“Your defense was weak, I know I’ve taught you better.” (“I cannot bear to lose another child out in the field. Please.”) 

Peruere is a woman who in some deep, dark part of her chest that she doesn’t like to acknowledge, allows herself to yearn for normality. She stares out her windows at the crowds of pedestrians and citizens making their way through the streets of Fontaine, “People-watching is a rather pleasant activity, in my opinion.” (“I would join them, if they would allow me.”) 

Peruere is a person who allows others to dictate what she should be–she allows the rumors and misconceptions to run freely amongst those who dare utter her name, even adding fuel to the metaphorical fire by being sure to live up to the reputation others have created for her. She allows her image to be muddy, full of contradictions and mistruths, and more than some mixing-ins of her predecessor. “It’s beneficial,” she says. (“It’s easier to be what people expect you to be, than to be yourself.”) 

Peruere is a person, even despite her best attempts to hide it.

[jmliebert]

bg3 on a beach (modern headcanons)

some little beach-day headcanons ˙ᵕ˙

𓇼 Astarion 𓇼

the one who brought sunscreen with SPF 50

and basically an entire beach bag of skincare essentials— lip balm, hand cream, hand sanitizer, hair comb (gold-plated), facial mist, perfumes….

….a chic umbrella that screams "I don't do tan lines" (you didn’t know umbrellas might be chic? wel, you’ve obviously never met astarion, you poor soul)

struts around in Dior or Armani swim trunks that probably cost more than everyone else’s entire beach wardrobe (taste, darling)

throws subtle shade at anyone who dares to get sand near his setup

𓇼 Gale 𓇼

sitting next to Astarion under the chick umbrella, reading a brick-tome that looks way too heavy for a beach day

loose, unbuttoned shirt flapping in the breeze, looking like he's ready to casually narrate the next chapter of his life

dips into the water only to cool off, then returns to his book (wears a wide brimmed hat while swimming because sunburns are for novices)

brings some fruits, maybe homemade snacks i(f he’s feeling particulary extra)

puts on sunglasses, claiming it’s for “eye protection,” but really so he can unashamedly observe everyone else (astarion observes everyone at the beach as well, but making no effort to hide it though)

𓇼 Halsin 𓇼

totally would have preferred to go to a nudist beach, but hey, what won’t he do for his party?

sunbathes directly under the scorching rays, basking in nature's warm embrace

gives off major retired surfer vibes—minus the board, plus a lot of wisdom about underwater ecosystems

spends most of the day diving, befriending the fish, and enthusiastically recounting his underwater adventures to Shadowheart

as the sun sets, he meditates, he’s body looking positively glorious as the golden light hits just right

𓇼 Wyll 𓇼

rolls in with a cooler full of chilled beer, instantly becoming everyone’s favorite person

the one who’s super into every beach sport there is

performs cartwheels and somersaults, showing off a little (endd up with a head full of sand)

borrows Halsin’s goggles and disappears for an hour or two, only to resurface with a story about an underwater adventure

comforts a crying child who lost their bucket, instantly becoming a hero of the beach

𓇼 Karlach 𓇼

alexa, play starships by nicki minaj

fearless of the sun—probably doesn’t even know what sunscreen is

the most grateful for Wyll's beer, probably cracking open a can before she even sets up her towel (if it's a bottle, she’ll open it with her teeth)

hypes everyone up for a beach volleyball match, whether they want to play or not

dominates the game with killer serves, yelling “BOOM!” every time she scores

𓇼 Shadowheart 𓇼

aka Wednesday Addams on vacation, complete with a black swimsuit and a hat so big it casts shade on half the beach

floats around on an floatie, giving off strong “don’t bother me” vibes

quietly builds a sandcastle that turns out to be an architectural masterpiece (It’s somehow both gothic and impressive)

doesn’t know how to swim but hasn’t admitted it to anyone. Instead, she’s perfected the art of looking mysterious while staying close to the shore

smiles at dogs playing in the distance

𓇼 Lae’zel 𓇼

laughs in the face of sunburn

side-eyes Astarion and Gale applying sunscreen, muttering something about “weakness” under her breath

joins Shadowheart for a few minutes of sandcastle building, then pretends she wasn’t enjoying it

hyper-competitive during beach volleyball, diving for every ball like it’s a life-or-death situation

inevitably gets sunburned, grudgingly wears Gale’s hat, and glares at anyone who dares to mention it

𓇼 Jaheira 𓇼

doesn't have time for this shit

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

you can find more of my works about bg3 ♡here♡

the summer is ending, I feel it in my bones, so I just had to write this one hihi

[mantisgodsart]

@bug-oc... round ONE! Finally! Still counting this as "round one" of transmutations because of the blog round numbers despite the fact that we've already done a round of like two bugs! We... didn't realize how many of these characters were yellow until it was actually time to draw them. It's like we went in with a theme, and then stuck to it. Except for with Holly, who presumably lost the dress code along with their head. Please vote for our cool dune cricket in the handful of hours before this round ends, and thank you!

Individual characters and transmutation notes below cut.

[...though I briefly considered another form, limiting surface area relative to the size of the entity is crucial for stability in ectoplasmic entities, and I don't currently intend to attempt to form a "swarm", as similar entities often form in the wild - a more simple, and thus more stable, form is better. The energy pack in the subject's possession upon intake appears to be either nearly or fully impossible to reclaim, unfortunately - ghosts can be hard to separate from things with sentimental value, so it's likely a lost cause. I'll continue obsevation...]

Beera by @longeth-dayv. An actual design, this time, rather than our fucking-around-with-maybes! This one, we think, does a lot more for the actual character, though from our understanding of Luigi's Mansion the species choice might be slightly more "generic". We particularly enjoyed tinkering with the wire of the power pack - ghosts and transparent things are VERY fun to draw, and we liked working out where that wire would go in the areas normally hidden by the body. Long, winding lines are very fun to draw sometimes. Hopefully this one works better for you, too!

[...successful partial isolation of the fungal element proves both that it can be isolated and that transmutation of cordyceps symbiotes may be less of a barrier than previously thought. Results appear similar to "Moka" back in the first year of experiments, where the cordyceps remains untransmuted within the new body - is this a quirk unique to vertebrate physiology? The failed transmutation with Fulminis pulled from a largely bug pool, whilst both successful cordyceps transmutations have been with beasts.]

[The avian physiology doesn't seem to have produced much difference from reptilian, minus some differences in visible fungal growth, but the subjects started with varying quantities of visible fungal growth to begin with, and the magic present in both of the previous round's subjects presents an additional variable... at the very least, I know that the fungus on its own is either resistant or immune to conventional transmutation, considering Mop, though I still need to work out how the host-symbiote synthesis alters things...]

[I'll have to do further testing- I dearly wish that these subjects were easier to get my hands on, but I don't know where I would be able to source them in my own universe, much less if they even exist there, since I'm no longer certain if the time portal event through which I met Holly Holiyxeiul was from the past of my universe, the past of another universe, or the present of somewhere else. Omelette's successful transmutation proves that I can manufacture them, but I won't be certain as to the limits of this until I can collect samples...]

Butterscotch from @w-krajobrazie-zapomnienia. The wings on this took... FOREVER. Deciding to make Butterscotch a bird with individual "charring" on the feathers was an act of monumental hubris, and EASILY the most labor-intensive part of this page. Doing this in watercolor would have been easier, probably. Alas, if we want to be capable of using a marker, we must put effort into marker drawing. At the very least, we think the effect came out fairly well! We like the sort of "scorched" effect that Butterscotch's base design has, and though difficult to recreate in marker form, we think we pulled it off! Hope this works decently well for you.

[...expanding lizard experiments from the ones found in the former grounds of Five Pebbles to their closest resemblances in the fleshbeasts of our world, I found quite a few points of similarity. Though for obvious reasons, I haven't had the opportunity to observe any specimens of the original species, given that most vertebrate beasts have been extinct since before I was hatched, the underlying biology is similar enough that I could carry through a significant amount of understanding forward.]

[Though majority of traits seem typical for what I can observe from preserved specimens, I am noting some minor divergences - typical for the lizards of RW9089-1, but not, as far as I know, typical for the reptiles that once roamed the wastes. The subject has developed sensory whiskers, narrower than those observed on Black Lizards but seeming to serve a similar function of detecting scent and motion in the air.]

[Additionally, the subject has developed a short coat of setae across the back, with a similar texture to the subject's former ruff - some surface-level similarities have been found to the hair on the pelts of Northern Moths, particularly those found in areas where significant quantities of water make leviathans a dietary staple. Though fur "coats" can be found in RW-9089-1 specimens such as Strawberry Lizards, this trait is, as far as I can tell, unique to this specimen.]

[When following up, I'll want to examine the dorsal frills to be certain that former shape's traits are not overwriting the end shape's traits to too significant of a degree - this is not an unknown trait in salamanders, but I'll need to be certain the structure isn't too similar to insect wing structure, as this many traits carrying over may indicate mid-point speciesation, which will mean any parts harvested will have wholly different traits from the originally sourced...]

Lote from @fallenvoidhere! We went through a handful of design iterations on this, mostly trying to home in on making it clear that it's the character - we sort of underestimated how much blue we'd need to add, but when you're turning into a lizard several times your normal size, it's probably understandable to lose a lot of your accessories…? Since the black on the design, respectively, is mostly accessories, most of these markings are improvised - we based our placement at least partially off of an orca whale, after going through a lot of markings from IRL salamanders. Originally, we planned to make the wing further in to the body a bit more transparent, but… well, as it turns out, we're probably a bit too used to watercolors for our own good, and working with markers is a bit of a different beast. We still think it came out pretty decent!

[...previously noted properties of fireflies appear to ease the rougher edges of this, though it will still need some refining before it's ready to go to market. A working prototype is better than I've gotten with previous generations of this recipe. I'll have to spend some time going over the readings to work out how to route things on anything that isn't a firefly.]

[With the way that most of these particular transmutations have gone, forming a "chamber" for the light before the light-producing compound itself is produced appears to be key for the survivablity of the subject. I suspect that there's a reason that the gas compound found in the component-introduction artefact hasn't been found in natural beings; despite the multitude of uses it has in charmcraft, mercury tends to be quite toxic with continual exposure, and mercury vapor in particular can be deadly. Another reason to stick to proper PPE..]

Nox from @erijuice! This one's quite a dramatic modification to the body plan. We may have gotten a bit carried away with things here, but... okay listen we will be fully honest with you this is just an elaborate plan on "glow wyrm". We based this one heavily off of tatzulwurms and similar creatures, and from there mostly just went into "having fun with it". The wings might grow in more later, or they might not - this was one of our personal favorite designs to draw, and though we sort of wish we tinkered with the pose a bit more, it's a bit hard to do here without running into issues with... space. Such is the consequence of making a big page o' transmuted bugs.

[...more experimental brews have their pros and cons, and with this one, it's a bit hard to define which is more present. On the plus side, the resulting form seems stable; lack of mandibles aside, it's standing and walking, and seems in fine health from the readings that I can see. Subject is alert and appears to have either full or very close to full former cognitive capacity, as shown by the multiple attempts at escape via manipulating the lock. It's just that I don't have the slightest clue what it is, or how its biology... works.]

[I intend to collect samples once the transmutation settles enough for properties to solidify. From initial testing, I think that its digestive system may rely partially on the fur-like... appendages, on its ventral side, but it's presently somewhat unclear. Upon coming into contact with some spare biological waste (see: Vessel project, Voidless transmutation attempts), the material appeared to "tangle" in the ventral fur, and was gradually dissolved over the course of about eighteen hours. From what I can gather of the data, this appears to have given off similar readings to a more conventional being having eaten a large meal? Will test with other forms of biological material once I can gather enough material to recreate the end organism if existing subject is lost.]

Yasmine from @darth-moth - and this is one that was very fun to do! The lines in this were very, VERY fun to work with, and we had quite a lot of fun just banging this out! - the design here is, probably fairly obviously, based heavily on Rain World's Rain Deer, as well as the multitude of "creepy deer" type stories that are practically everywhere on the internet. We were tinkering, if vaguely, with the concept of something like a terrestrial filter feeder, or similar - did you know that some whales have begun hunting behavior of pretending to be shelter so that fish will hide in their mouths and, thus, be eaten?

We'd picture that this, whatever it is, wanders places and passively snags prey with the dangling "fur", avoiding any sort of need for energy-intensive chases while keeping itself fed on whatever it walks over. A passive scavenger, probably with not a lot in terms of personal self defense. The vents on the sides, though they might be slightly unclear as is, are just about the only active method of offense - releasing toxic gas or something similar in an attempt to choke out predators. Our greatest desire in life is to design enemies for a soulslike poison swamp and we think that Yasmine is an excellent poison swamp candidate. We hope that this is a normal and usual motivation and ambition to have, we had a lot of fun with it.

[...uncontrolled crystal growth took over before the transmutation had completed, at roughly 4 days, 8 hours after the initial administration of the formula. I was lucky to be awake at the time - the remote monitor that I imbedded appears to have been consumed by the same phenomenon shortly before my arrival. I can only assume that this is due to pre-existing contamination - if not accounted for, Crystals can react very unpredictably to transmutations, and I didn't account for contamination of this assumed level.]

[Though I've observed this sort of effect before, it's been years since I've experienced a bloom of nearly this extent. What really surprises me is that the subject appears to still be moving, despite the extensive damage to... everything. The head appeared to have been fully destroyed at the time of arrival, and the crystals sprouting from the back have to have gone right through the ganglia - the weave of the transmutation has been fully destroyed, so it can't be sustaining itself on the former body's imprint, so I can only assume that the crystals captured some of the host body's mind during the overgrowth event and are attempting to continue to run the same old patterns of behavior.]

[I am currently unclear on how much of the former bug remains. What scans that I've taken suggest that the new crystals may have linked up with their companion Warden, though to what degree is still unclear. If I want to properly analyze this, I'll need to take it back to the lab. From there... diagnosis work, and maybe trying to work out how poor Snakemouth Den's lab security is, really.]

Holly from @thetroupemaster! Our first transmutation failure of the tournament! Holly, unfortunately, fell victim to poor lab safety - a more open-ended formula intended to gather a form from environmental factors, combined with some unfortunate lab contamination. This actually links in to a few personal headcanons on how Crystals work, though we don't think we've posted them before.

A crystal is a colonial organism, much like coral, storing both data and magical energy. Generally gathering energy from the sun to power itself, it grows so slowly as to be unnoticeable to the bug eye, but it does grow, and when exposed to, say, a charm engineered to allow for rapid change of a physical form, it has the potential to rapidly grow and consume that energy, stopping its growth either when it grows out of magical energy or when the handful of elements present in the original weave to let it change and grow are consumed.

Some people in external kingdoms do this to avoid having to constantly ship in Crystals from Bugaria, but it's not particularly common, as this method of growing Crystals tends to consume things like your other projects, or the lab shielding you probably want to keep intact, or yourself if you have the poor foresight to not properly protect yourself against contamination. Under control conditions, the chances of this happening are nearly zero! Under these conditions... well.

Crystals are very, very good at preserving memories. The rest of Holly's body, on the other hand, might be a bit of a lost cause at this point. You can work in a lab without seeing things, right...?

...yeah, we aren't counting on it, either.

Bonus: for those who scrolled down this far, a quick compilation of labels. As well as, of course, a teaser for what's yet to come.

[...the most complimentary thing that I can say about Mal, I think, is that Hobbes would get along well with xir. Terrible lab safety protocols. AWFUL cross-contamination protocols. Just looking at this bug's methodology is giving me hives. Venus give me strength. I suspect that any brew that I attempt to use will suffer from enough unknown, uncontrollable outside variables that none of the data I get will be even remotely applicable to any other situation. "Edge case" is generous - I struggle to call this sort of tampering anything less than an utter abomination of science.]

[I will be using one of the more heavily conceptual brews for this. The REMW-19 formula is reasonably stable enough that the weave shouldn't just collapse in on itself, but it has been remarkably poor at producing organisms capable of surviving on their own once the transformation has set enough that they don't have enough former anatomy to "fall back" on - I suspect, currently, that the survival of targets afflicted with the effect I am attempting to recreate relies the support on some sort of internal magic system, and if so, the sheer amount of lingering cross-contamination likely seeped into every ounce of aer chitin might actually boost survivability. I have no positive expectations for this, however.]

In spending ingredients on this, I hope to assemble an encyclopedic list of all of the ways that a charm's effects can go stupidly, horribly wrong. Venus willing, it will not double as a list of ways that my lab can be destroyed, or a list of ways that tampering with Charmcraft can go wrong. I have had enough recent trouble with repairing the lab's seals after the Vessel experiments - I have no particular desire to replace anything else now.]

[creative-frequency]

What if Raphael teleported himself to Tav and she just so happens to be completely naked? Like they haven't really begun courting yet, and BAM! Now he is in her home and he is seeing the object of his affections interests in all of her glory when he wasn't expecting to.

Bonus points if Tav is super calm about it - minus any initial surprise - and just sighs and casually goes to start covering up, maybe while saying "So what can I do for you, Raphael?" or mumbling something like "And this kind of thing was why I asked Korrilla to tell me when to expect you. So much for 'that would never happen'... "

You can decide what happens from there.

You can decide what happens from here >:D

Raphael x GN!Reader: Put on Some Clothes

Multiple things happen simultaneously and your train of thought speeds through the initial panic to relief and back to mild chagrin. First, you smell the hint of sulphur that permeates your dim bedroom. There is no time to react or put on any clothes as the familiar scent is quickly followed by an almost blinding ring of hellfire right in the middle of the floor.

Grinding your teeth, you hastily pull a tunic over your head. You’re painfully aware that Raphael just had seconds to stare at the full glory of your naked backside. And that you’re wearing nothing underneath. And that the tunic hem now barely covers your bottom. You could swear the bastard timed his arrival on purpose. At least this time he waited until after you were done with the bath.

“So what can I do for you Raphael?” you turn to ask and force your expression neutral.

Raphael surely sees the faint red of embarrassment flushing your skin as he stalks closer with a smug smile. What a bastard.

“Apologies if I arrived at a bad time,” he says and you could swear he knows perfectly well that it was indeed a bad time.

You clear your throat, deciding to suffer bravely as Raphael’s gaze rakes over your bare legs. You refuse to shrink back from the carnal attention that licks your core with hot flames. Raphael’s eyes flash with delight. This is how it always was with him – the play of cat and mouse, temptations and unsaid things. You swallow and hope he doesn’t notice it.

“As per our standing contract, I have a job for you,” Raphael says as if he is discussing the weather. His eyes still brazenly skim over your form, up and down. Each swoop makes your insides clench and you try your hardest not to brush your thighs together.

“Right,” you sigh. “Can it wait until after I’ve put on some clothes? Or are we in a hurry?”

Raphael’s smirk darkens and it shoots a scorching wave through you. You hold his gaze.

“Of course, my dear. Allow me to assist you in picking out the perfect outfit for this job.”

[contentloadingandstuff]

Bounty Of The Heart - Bounty Hunter!Male!Reader x Candace

A/N: This is a long one. Hope you enjoy! CW: Mild violence, moral ambiguity. Themes: Enemies to lovers.

They say Sumeru is a nation of wisdom. A peaceful people who, with their gentle Archon above them, pursue to examine the world and contain its secrets within tomes, fathomed by both human and divine mind. 

They are wrong. 

Mora and fame are the true pursuits of the men and women of Sumeru. Science is only a means of achieving wealth and status, different from sell-swording only by the lack of physical violence. Those who can navigate the maze of dusty tomes and old, bearded, complaining professors can achieve a high position and see eight figures on their monthly pay. But to reach this level, one must have determination and a patience of cold steel. And you? Had neither of those things when you were young. 

You craved money, but also adventure. You just couldn't force yourself to sit down and study boring and mostly irrelevant information, only to pass a test unreflective of your actual knowledge. You needed something more - adrenaline. Just like many other young and inexperienced men, you decided to join the Eremites. The promise of gold and fame lured you in quite effectively. Clad in red, you served a few years in that organization. You were immediately picked up by some scruffy-looking old man, assigned to a sizable band, and sent into the desert. Even if you were fully aware of how dangerous and harsh the conditions were, you could hardly adjust to them at first. Especially that the pay was surprisingly meager. But you served nonetheless, gaining valuable experience and learning the craft. The first kill was quite shocking, but the more blood there was on your hands, the less you cared. You put in three hundred percent, but you never rose that much in the ranks. Your efforts were never appreciated, and you didn't enjoy that. So, you faked your death on one mission and moved on to make a name for yourself. 

Surprisingly, contracts weren’t that difficult to find, even right from the start. The jobs were dangerous, there was scarce information, but the pay was mostly better than you received in the Eremites, especially that you didn’t have to hand the lion’s share to your superiors. If not for your skill, determination - and mostly just pure luck - you would have already shared the fate of many like you. 

Time flew by. You completed job after job, killing monsters and humans alike. The majority of your earnings went towards upgrades of your weaponry and armor, and it’s not like you could afford a lavish lifestyle. You had the money, yes, but flaunting your wealth would attract unwanted attention. You may have kept your true identity a secret from both your victims and contractors, but it’s better safe than sorry after all. In spite of what the amount of mercs in Sumeru may suggest, it was hard to find equipment that would meet the demands of both dense, humid jungles and barren, scorching deserts. You picked a mixed armor set of mostly hardened leather, cloth and a chestplate, coupled with an armored but fairly cool helmet. You made sure to use dark green cloth and paint to outfit the set specifically for jungle bounties, also buying a separate second set with various modifications - like fingerless gloves and a Hydro-infused chest piece - for the deserts.

Many prideful Vision Holders reject the crossbow, labeling it as a weapon much more primitive and crude than the bow. You gladly showed some who happened to be your targets that it all depends on who uses it - a perfect shot in between the ribs from a hundred meters is nothing to scoff at, after all. The only minus was that reloading it is fairly difficult and requires plenty of strength. It’s all worth the armor piercing capabilities though, no doubt about that. You purchased two flintlocks and one high-caliber buckshot and kept them sealed tightly in your pouches so as to not let any humidity or sand break them. They were high quality and expensive, even by your standards - Fontainian quality costs.

The selection of a melee weapon was a fairly problematic matter. You weren’t a Vision Bearer - at least not back then - so there was no way to just make the weapon disappear and appear on demand. You needed something universal, hard hitting and able to be wielded with just one hand. You picked a hand ax as your main weapon, and it served you well ever since you first used it. It was wonderful both against humans and monsters, and could help by chopping firewood or hacking hunted animals apart on longer commissions. Even when you finally managed to snatch a dying Vision of one of your targets and claim it for yourself, your preference stuck. Quite soon just the image of your signature steel weapon prompted a quieter tone and wary looks from the people discussing you. 

With such a kit, hardly anything was a challenge. No matter if human or monster, you hunted it down for the right price. After some practice, you managed to form a routine on equipment management and optimize your spendings to secure even more funds for yourself. This in turn allowed you to afford your own house. The location you chose was the desert. People there weren’t very nosy and often dabbled in the gray area of the law, which went by a few rules, one of them being a saying regarding why ignorance is bliss. Aaru Village was welcoming, especially that few were interested in buying property there due to the harsh conditions, borderline unbearable to the jungle dwellers. For a sizable amount of ill gotten Mora you purchased a decrepit storage building and, with some creativity and patience, transformed it into a cozy base of operations. 

You rested and maintained your equipment by day, and went to do your job by night. Quite the comfortable routine, maybe minus the cleaning of blood from your clothes. The jobs were plenty, but under many names since you never officially introduced yourself under a specific alias. It's not like the people could come up with anything suited to your tastes anyway. With time and a lack of reinforcement, these tags faded away, replaced by just your occupation - bounty hunter. If one were to ask for a chance to contact you in the right places, they would ask for not ‘a’ hunter, but ‘the’ hunter, and you responded. When the money was worth your time, of course. 

Your nighttime activities didn't go unnoticed, however. How could they fly under the watchful eyes of Candace, defender of Aaru Village, descendant of Al-Ahmar? 

It took only a bit of observation from a considerable distance - which wasn't hard for Candace, a desert dweller since birth - and a conversation with Dehya to learn who you are. She wouldn't mind (that much) if you were just another smooth-brained run-of-the-mill mercenary, looking for luck in the endless sands. But someone like you? If the tales she heard about your deeds, you were a dangerous, very dangerous man. Candace made many enemies amongst the Eremites, who would have no qualms about raising funds to pay for her head. Candace’s concern only grew the more she stalked you. The sheer brutal efficiency you showed was nothing to scoff at, especially that you seemed to slaughter both monsters and men with the same emotionless professionalism. There were rarely any survivors, especially amongst humans. And if they were, you let them go on purpose. 

For her, you were a danger. For you, she was a hindrance. Ever since you first caught her spying on you during one of your clean-up jobs, Candace became a stable thorn in your side. You knew she aimed to protect her home first and foremost, but there was no certainty what she would do in your case. Those that threatened the village were dealt with swiftly, while those that weren't malicious were left to their business. Since you never attacked civilians or officials - to keep these sweet and stable contracts from both the Corps of Thirty and Aaru Village Chief going - you weren't a threat. Why then was she spying on you? An uncertainty, maybe? Her personal anxiety? Maybe fear or jealousy? It was hard to tell, but you certainly enjoyed the attention and silent respect, even if it was mixed with hostility. Well, you would more if she wasn't such a headache. Not only was she following you with unclear intentions, but she, as a respected figure in the eyes of the chief, could potentially break your contracts and cut your earnings. 

Even if the distant glances at each other over the dunes were tense, there never was a direct encounter. It was a bloodless and quiet conflict - a cold war of mutual mistrust and wariness. 

Your activities were a benefit, certainly, but they were far from enough to convince her to overlook your presence. Despite knowing his intellect, Candace didn't fully trust Uncle Anpu’s judgment. Your loyalty was a commodity that could be purchased by anyone with enough funds, and it wasn't as her Vision gave her a massive advantage either. She wasn't as cold hearted and ruthless as you were. For the moment, although with a heavy heart, she resorted to simply keeping tabs on your actions. Meanwhile, she used her spare time to get more sleep, finally go shopping with Dehya and relax at the village’s meeting house. 

Though most times she was drinking with either her friends or by herself, she has been hanging out with a stranger she met there, usually at dusk. He was about her age. Candace found him kind, well mannered and intelligent - quite interesting in general. 

You looked at her with a knowing smile while she was going on about what deeds she handled that day or what kinds of trespassers ended up on the wrong end of her spear. After all, you saw her in action more than once, always from a safe distance. But up close, you met a kindred soul with a similar sense of diligence as yourself, even if she didn't know about your true identity. Candace was a wonderful person to be around, and, soon enough, you found yourself enamored by her maturity, sense of responsibility and caring attitude. Although you introduced yourself under your factual name, you still had to maintain some sort of cover for your true identity. You fed her a story about how you were a statistician working for the Sumeru Academia. Although your muscular stature wasn't quite like that of an overworked mathematician you painted yourself as, she accepted it - partly because she lacked even the fundamental knowledge of the subject. Variance and standard error were things of Academia, not the desert. You could explain the basics to her and write out a few random formulas you remembered from your cut-short time in the university. Even if you developed a mild crush on her, work came first. After all, she was a potential enemy.

And Candace returned the feeling. It wasn't anything beyond a crush, but she did really enjoy your company. In your long, flirtatious conversations you discussed many things, from culture through history to recent events. The topic of The Bounty Hunter was a prevalent one, and soon enough you brought it up to Candace as if she wasn't sitting right in front of the perpetrator. With care not to blow your cover, you probed her opinion of your actions, and teased her a little by complimenting your own actions’ contributions towards the safety of the village.

This sparked a certain, unusual envy in Candace. Her crush was complimenting the work of some (un)common outlaw? And what's more, in an area she takes pride in? While not one to act reckless, Candace did allow her emotions to set the directions that time. The woman disregarded the additional self care time she had on her hands for monster hunting. Her plan was to snatch your prey from your hands before you went out hunting, cut your earnings and hopefully discourage you from working around the village. 

And she did succeed. Your professional wariness turned into a competition, as with less kills came less money, and less money meant less satisfaction. But what annoyed you more than the smaller paycheck from the Aaru Village Chief was the fact that Candace was attempting to root you out. And, on top of all that, the casual Candace was mostly busy or tired, delaying your official date each time you mentioned it. For the moment, Candace stopped appearing as your sympathy, but rather as a competitor. A competitor that had to be put in her place. You needed something more impressive, a proof of your capabilities and talent. 

You knew exactly what to aim for. 

Consecrated Scorpions, rare as they are, pose a significant threat to everyone that happens to stroll by their territory. Having feasted on the remains of defeated gods and absorbed a part of their power, these often ancient monsters weren't picky eaters, meaning it made no difference whether their food was Hilichurl, animal or human. With their terrifying size, elemental affinity and thick carapace, these creatures were nigh unkillable, even for most Vision holders. But you weren't most, were you? Such a proof of capability would fetch a mouthwatering amount of Mora and respect. 

And you? You'd do anything for fame and fortune, as that was your way of life. 

After giving Candace a cover story about a work trip to Port Ormos, you packed your supplies and moved south into the Land of Upper Setekh. Finding a massive, dangerous demigod beast proved more troublesome than you assumed. You knew scorpions tend to reside in dark caverns, but poking your head into each lightless crevice you found was far from a good idea. The creature could easily kill you, especially if it had the element of surprise on its side. You stalked the gorges and ravines by night, as it is the time when they are hunting. After a few unsuccessful escapades you finally managed to spot one, feasting on a Sumpter Beast. You followed it though the sunless hours, carefully memorizing the path it took when that oversized arachnid felt drowsy just as morning rolled in. The scorpion made its lair inside a sizable crevice underneath the cliffside. 

Upon relocating your base camp and concealing it behind sand-colored cloths, you started your research. Scorpions, especially the giant man eating variety, weren't your forte. There were little details to go off of when it came to common knowledge, and even scientific studies. Thus, you had to experiment. 

Your guinea pigs were the common, yet still quite sizable scorpions of the desert. You tested their sensitivity to light, sound, scent and visual stimuli. 

Just as you thought, their eyesight was exceptionally poor. They could hardly see where they were going, often falling into pits and cracks in the rocks, usually getting out thanks to their spiky legs. A bright, white flare could make them panic if thrown at them during the night, causing them to shriek and escape. When you tried this on your prey, with whom you've gotten quite closely acquainted with due to your constant nightly tracking of the beast, turned aggressive instead of frightened. Assuming the characteristic defensive position, with claws tight to its body and the abdomen raised, it prepared an attack, and struck the flare with its massive stinger. Interestingly, instead of the venom of its smaller kin, this one delivered a powerful Electro discharge through the stinger, scorching the sand and burying your tool underneath it. Soon after it lost interest and went back to its routine. But there was an even more important discovery. When it was in its offensive pose, a fact of its anatomy revealed itself. Due to the massive and unnatural size of the Consecrated Scorpion, the exoskeleton plates weren't tight to its body, creating large openings when it was ready to strike. A well aimed shot could severely debilitate, or even kill the creature. 

Scorpions, as you found out, were mostly interested in three things. Things that move, things that smell and things that are bright. This gave you enough information to formulate a plan. At dusk, you would lure a single Sumpter Beast into the small gorge near the scorpion’s lair, keeping it there with a pile of hay until the scorpion would wake and attack it. To make things more enticing for it, you would leave a burning campfire beside the animal. Then, as the stinger would be lodged deep in the prey, you would take the shot laced with a very potent horse sedative. The scorpion would pass out, and you’d have plenty of time to end its life undisturbed. 

It was such a brilliant plan, the fruit of a week’s worth of meticulous observation. So much so that you felt a bit sorry for it. But ultimately, work was work, and the creature would most likely appreciate your respect by ripping you to shreds and shoving your remains down its mouth. 

You set the ambush, and waited.

-

You breathe steadily. This is not your first time. Your gloves hands grip your empty crossbow securely - an accidental misfire would waste the precious poisoned bolt. You peer out from behind the plain cloth covering your dark campsite, spotting the oblivious creature unfortunate enough to trust you and end up as your bait. The animal is sleeping in the hay. You glance up, seeing the red remnants of sunlight painting the horizon. Any second now. 

As you check your equipment, a sound reaches your ears. Footsteps. Continuous, measured - human footsteps of a single person, off to your left. Even if your helmet is painted to prevent the metal from reflecting light, you still look out with care. Your brow furrows as you spot the figure walking down the rocky cliffside towards the fire. Though she is covered in clothes, you recognise Candace by her deep blue locks of hair poking out from underneath a fabric. 

You mutter to yourself. “Come on. Not you. Not now.” 

You watch on as she approaches the bait and examines the campfire, before walking over to the snoring beast. She stretches out her hand and scratches the back of the furry creature while examining the hay. Candace turns sharply in your direction, causing your heart to sink. She looks around the ravine, standing in place without a word. You let out the breath you held when you realize she is oblivious to your presence. 

Candace summons her shield and spear and moves down the ravine, sticking to the left side of the cliff. 

The side on which the scorpion's hiding place is. 

Though trying to suppress it, you feel anxious. She might just blow your whole operation wide open with her little trip. Why now, of all times? Does she have too much free time on her hands? Maybe taking contracts in her area wasn't such a good-

In a flash, a huge dust cloud raises up where Candace stood mere seconds ago. The bait wakes up and runs, kicking up even more sand. You spring into action, aiming the crossbow at it and ripping the cover tarp down. Screams and screeching resonate through the canyon as you squint your eyes on focus, using your elemental vision to see what's going on. You see the vibrant blue figure of Candace fighting with the hulking, deep purple shape of the scorpion. 

Grabbing the tranquilizer bolt, you take off along the ravine’s edge towards the ongoing fight. When you find yourself directly across them, you assess the situation. Even if the scorpion assumes the stance, you won't be able to take a clear shot at your bounty. Thinking quickly and dropping your main weapon to the ground, you pull out your high caliber with a trained movement. You aim it at the rough center of the purple abdomen, and pull the trigger. 

“Roar, mighty duel!” 

You scream, with a loud pained hiss of the scorpion following suit. Moving to the side and out of the smoke cloud the shot created, you pick up the crossbow, lower it to the ground, hold it down with your foot and pull the string back into place. You place the bolt carefully on the wooden body of the weapon, and take aim. By this time, the smoke cleared enough for you to see what's going on without using your vision. The scorpion was wounded - a sizable chunk of its carapace has been shattered by the bullet, enough for a good chance of hitting your mark from your position. 

Candace meanwhile was fighting for her life. She was jumping back, dashing between the claws of the monster in a tight dance of death. Her spear was a toothpick, and had just as much use against the Consecrated Scorpion. Now, wounded and agitated, the scorpion moved its trunk-thick stinger into action. The woman dodged the first stab, just barely avoiding being impaled on the massive stinger. The second sting, however, finds its mark. Candace manages to bring up her shield just in time to stop the tip from embedding itself in her flesh. The beast instantly tries to pull it back for another attempt, but it's stuck in the wood. Candace bashes her shield downwards, trying to break the stinger. While she struggles, and the scorpion stays still, you fire. 

The bolt lands in the damaged area, embedding itself in the exposed insect flesh. Your game shrieks and struggles harder, to get its weapon free. Candace fights with all her might as you grab a handful of flares from your belt bag and tie them with a piece of rope. She manages to break the stinger, causing the monster to hiss and back away. You jump down, flare bomb in hand. You recover from the fall and set off the flares one by one. Then, you throw it straight at the scorpion. 

It shrieks, using its claws to cover the six sensitive eyes it has. Candace, shield still raised, backs away towards you. You stand beside her, pistols drawn and pointed at the monster. Suddenly it turns and scurries away in the opposite direction, further down the ravine.

Candace is panting heavily, but you hit her on the back.

“Come on! It will be out in a moment. We need to catch up.”

She nods, and both of you run after the fleeing scorpion’s tracks. It doesn't take long for the poison to kick in, making it weak and slow, letting you catch up. By the time you two see it again, the monstrosity is low to the ground, claws lowered and stinger relaxed. You slow your pace, quietly watching as it slumps down, relaxing completely. 

After a solid minute of staring at it, you make your careful approach, making sure to keep your distance just in case. You examine the thing's mouth, making sure the smaller pincers located there aren't moving. When you confirm that is the case, you finally lower your pistols. Candace takes a deep breath. 

“It's dead?” She asks, voice raspy from the pursuit. 

“No. Just out. Will be for a few hours.” You reply, holstering the weapons. You turn to her. “You alright?”

The woman closes her eyes, breathing rapidly, and dismisses both her weapons. “Yes. I’m fine.”

She walks over to a nearby rock and plops down, trying to calm her body. She looks back at you with her blue and golden eyes. 

“Was this your bounty?”

You nod.

“And that animal? Was it the bait?”

“Correct.”

“I see.” She sighs, rubbing her temple. “Thank you for helping. I disrupted your hunt and damaged your prey, didn't I… I would offer to compensate you, but I don't think I have the Mora. If there is anything I could do to make up for this, tell me and I will do it.”

You smile underneath the faceplate of your mask. You move your hands to undo the straps, and pull the metal helmet away from your head. The cold night breeze is refreshing on your hot and exhausted face. You turn around. 

“You could finally let me take you out on that date we planned, Candace.” 

She sits there, wide eyed. Blinking a few times, the struggle to comprehend the new reveal becomes visible. She silently nods a few times. 

“Alright. I can… do that, Y/N.”

You turn back to the scorpion, approaching it with your axe in hand. From the side close in on the left claw, and give it a gentle poke. The scorpion doesn't react. 

“Or you can help me get the poison gland and some other valuable stuff out of this thing. I could use a pair of hands, you know.”

Candace frowns. “Ugh. Being elbow deep in insect guts wasn't my plan for the evening, but…” She gets up, and smiles warmly at you. 

“A promise is a promise.”

Thanks for reading!

[eris-snow]

𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞.

Tags: Deku's birthday series 2023, izuku x fem!reader, angst

“There are so many things I wish I could tell you. I want to be done with all the white lies and ambiguous phrasings. So here, I’ll say it, my last secret to you: I love you, Zuku. Please remember me. Please.”

“Get up, you lazy ass!” Katsuki barks from the doorway, barging into his room fully dressed.

Startled awake, Izuku almost tumbles out of bed with a squeak. “Ka-Kacchan!”

“Deku!” He mimics, not looking the slightest bit fazed. In fact, he looks angrier than usual. “If I don’t see you dressed in 5 god damn minutes, I’ll make sure to punch you so fucking hard it’ll make One For All look like a love tap.”

“If I don’t see you out of my room in t minus 5 seconds, I’ll use said love tap to get you out!” Izuku refutes, rubbing his eyes groggily. “What is up with you? It’s only 10 am—”

“Shortie and I stood outside your shitty apartment for half an hour until Auntie came home from the grocery store. You slept right through 30 minutes of endless knocking and doorbell rings.”

Katsuki’s face was the definition of terrifying and pissed, and it didn’t help when his hands started steaming. “Be glad that Shortie was there, if not there would be scorch markings on your door—”

“I’m so sorry, Kaccha—Starlight’s here?!” Izuku yelps, this time actually tumbling out of bed as he scrambles for his drawers. “I thought we gave you a spare key, Kacchan! I—why is Starlight—”

“You changed your fucking locks without telling me after the war, shit nerd! I ain’t have your new keys, so I was half contemplating blowing your door off its hinges—”

“Cut me some slack, Kacchan!” He rushes out, rifling through his closet for suitable clothes. “It’s my birthday.”

“I don’t cut any slack, Izuku.” Katsuki spits, throwing the nerd’s towel in his face. “That’s Shortie’s job.”

“Mean,” Izuku pouts.

Katsuki simply smirks back. “Happy Birthday, Izuku.”

--

“Happy birthday, Zuku!” You greet him, giggling when you saw the towel wrapped around his neck. “What time did you wake up?”

“About 10 minutes ago,” He admits, stealing a glance at the blond. Katsuki’s eyes were scanning his phone screen, a lazy, smug smirk plastered on his face.

“What do you want to do today? We get free rein until dinner time, because your mom wants us back so we can cut the cake.”

A smile plays on Izuku’s lips, and he almost tears right then and there. He was so fortunate to have friends like Starlight and Katsuki. He’d completely lucked out.

“Well…”

--

It was just like the old times. You, Katsuki and Izuku had always been a pack since you were little, and you force yourself to focus on whatever was happening now instead of what would happen after.

Even with the sun beating down you your neck, you survived with the sun hat you’d brought along with you. As you put it on, Izuku comments on it as he digs into his ice cream.

“That’s a nice hat there Starlight! Where’d you get it from?”

“Quite a while back,” You reply, tilting it upward so you can meet his eyes. “The person really knew what I liked.”

--

Izuku couldn’t name a day more perfect. Sure, it wasn’t anything fancy, definitely not as amazing as his meeting with All Might or the day he’d gained his Quirk, but it seemed like the world had decided to give him a peaceful day where nothing went wrong. By the time the three of them had gotten back for dinner, he’s grinning so widely he didn’t know it was possible.

He blows out the candles with a wish and a note in his pocket, praying for his friends, his family, you and Kacchan’s safety because he can’t stand it if you get hurt. He prays you’ll always be here, and that he’d be the number 1 hero (It’s been his dream his whole life, after all.) It’s only when everyone had started digging into the cake, did he realise you were missing.

“Where’s Starlight?” He frowns, checking the balcony. No, you’re not there either.

“She said something about taking a breather,” Katsuki said, poking his slice of cake with a fork. “When I asked her where, she just said, ‘It’s a secret’ and left.” He points his fork at Izuku. “Eat your cake.”

Blood rushes to his head, and for some reason, he’s getting dizzy just thinking about you.

Strange.

“I think I know where she is. I’ll bring her back. The sky’s dark already, Starlight shouldn’t have to walk back by herself.”

Katsuki eyes him suspiciously for a moment, something flickering in his eyes before they drop down to the slice of chocolate cake. “I’ll tell Auntie for you. Go do what you need to do, nerd.”

Izuku smiles at his best friend and thanks him, wearing his dumb bright red shoes and leaving in a hurry.

Katsuki stares at the cake, an icing drawing of himself and you on the cake next to Izuku’s face. He smudges the icing drawing of your face, standing up with a sigh.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Starlight.”

--

“Hey.”

You whirl around, shoving the lamp in the direction of the voice. Izuku’s shadowed face smiles back gently, making you relax slightly. “Hey.”

The clearing looked different at night. A swarm of fireflies danced around the meadow without a care in the world, making the lake almost sparkle as pretty yellow dots dance around the beautiful glade.

“Kacchan said you stepped out. I got worried.”

You laugh, shaking your head as your fingers creep into the note in his pocket. “Sorry. Needed a breather.”

“No, no! Don’t apologise!” Izuku sits down on the grass next to you, face warm in the glow of the light. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

That phrase causes your smile to wobble.

“Right!” You dig through your pockets, not allowing even a moment of awkwardness. “Now that you’re here…”

Three small, wrapped present emerges from your pocket. Overpowering emotions are surging behind a fortress you’d encased them in.

You made a promise. You’re not going to cry.

Izuku’s mouth falls open into a small “O” as he takes it tenderly in his hands. He cradles it gently, with scarred hands you’ve come to know.

“What is it?” He asks dumbly.

You chuckle, gesturing. “Just open it, silly. I want to see your reaction.”

He rips open the first one and finds a shimmering silver watch, staring back at him in a shiny transparent box. He sputters indignantly. “Th-This must have cost a fortune! How did you-”

“I may or may not have saved up for it by using my internship money.” You scratched your head, blushing slightly. “It was a little pricy, sure but—”

“How did you know I wanted this brand?” He asks, shaking a little as he pries the lid off and holds it like it’s worth an entire building. “I-I never got it because—”

“You’re afraid it gets damaged during a fight,” You finish. “I know you don’t like accessories, so I asked Hatsume to reinforce the entire thing. I paid her for the modifications as well. Plus, you’ll need something to wear for formal occasions. They never have clocks in ballrooms.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” Izuku warns, looking at you with glassy eyes.

“You have two more gifts left, Zuku. Don’t cry now.”

Izuku takes that as a cue to shred open the next present. Your gifts may be small, but you sure know how to make them impactful because he absolutely loses it when he sees the next gift.”

“Prototype pins for his merchandise from his U.A days,” Izuku whispers, fingers quivering as he counts the pins. “Fi-Five? You got all five of them? I-I’ve never seen it before, how did you—”

“I pulled a few strings,” You say, gently. “It’s yours now.”

With tears bubbling over, he tears open the last gift. At first, it confuses him, and he has to will himself to put the waterworks on hold so he can actually see the gift properly. “Is this…” He cranes his head around, squinting. “Is this a photo of this place?”

“Yeah, I manage to paint this really good painting—”

“You painted this?” He interrupts, full-on sobbing now. “Why would you do this much? I don’t understand, I—”

“It’s a photo of this painting.” You correct. “So you can slot it in your wallet or use it as a bookmark or something. It’s your birthday, Zuku. Of course it’s important to me.”

Izuku tucks all of these precious gifts into his pocket and turns to wrap his arms around you in a tight hug. “Thank you so much, Starlight.”

You’re startled at first, but slowly, you adjust yourself and hug him back. “You’re welcome, Zuku.”

Fireflies dance around you for a little longer until Izuku finally pulls away, wiping the tears out of his eyes. “I, uh, I wanted to pass you something, actually.” He unfolds a note and hands it to you, a practice you’re so familiar with seeing that you instantly know what this is about. “I didn’t get the right time to pass it to you.”

The note is pure white, and you take a deep inhale and read the words to yourself.

I’m so glad I met you. Today was a blast. Thank you for today.

Somehow, those three sentences are what push you off the edge. One tear slips past your barriers, and soon another flows after as more tears join the first.

Dread and a feeling of longing engulf you a whole as you break down into quiet sobs, clenching the pocket that held your note, your last Secret to him, so tightly your knuckles hurt. You were almost contemplating not giving it to him.

“It’s not fair…” You mumble, body convulsing as you try to clear your tears.

“I promised not to cry.”

Izuku panics almost comically, leaning over you and trying to find a way to stop you from bawling. “Hey, don’t cry! I-I didn’t mean to make you sad, I swear, I just—”

“I told myself that I wouldn’t this year. I never follow through on it.”

Izuku frowns. “What are you talking about—”

“Can I get another hug? Please?”

Izuku relents cautiously, and you wish you could explain it to him but you can’t as time slips away fast. You bury your head into his shoulder, trying to memorise everything. The way you fit into his arms, the way he smells, the way his voice is quiet and so gentle and raw when he’s with you.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Izuku asks, patting your head gently.

“Everything.” You mutter, pulling back a little to sit beside him with your back against the tree.

Your tears keep falling, a waterfall of emotions suffocating you as you struggle to get that one word out.

“Stay with me, Izuku.” Your voice comes out broken, as you lean against his shoulder. “Don’t go.”

He’s so much taller now, compared to when you were kids.

He’s stronger too, and he’s not even quirkless.

All things considered, he doesn’t need you anymore.

But you still need him.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Izuku soothes. “I’ll be here tomorrow, too you know.”

That only makes you sob harder.

Memories filter in and out of your head as you finger his note, reminiscing on how the past month has gone.

“You will?” You ask, so small and scared because you know he will, but he won’t and it tears you apart inside. “You’d be here so we can continue to tell each other to sleep earlier, even though we’d go ahead and sleep late anyway?” you swallow thickly, throat running dry. “We’d-we’d have so many more Sunday breakfasts that you’d only eat katsudon no matter how hard I’d try. I’d tell you how much I admire your eyes because they’re just so bright despite everything that happened because you’re Izuku, and I’d tell you how I got your nickname because then, I wouldn’t have to lie to you.”

The words are pushing out of your mouth faster than you can process them, and Izuku just listens to them wordlessly, letting you ramble.

“We’d help each other with our nightmares like we always do, 'cause despite the fact that we have therapists I know that going to you is so much better. We can have more Movie Nights until Shoto is finally caught up with his childhood shows, and come here more often for more picnics. When we get into villain attacks, I’d know you’ll always have my back just like you have mine. We’d figure out our shit together by talking on the rooftop, and I’d tell you how I found this clearing as we light up 17 candles on your birthday cake next year…”

You trail off, fingers wrung together tightly. Tears fall as your voice loses all stability. “I’d have more birthdays with you, and I’d actually be celebrating it with you without having to push my thoughts back down. I’d be happy, and I’d be there for you…” You break off into a whisper.

“…And you’d remember me.”

Izuku’s frown creases deeper. He hates seeing you upset. His head is throbbing, spinning as he tries to focus on you. “I won’t forget you.” He promises. What else can he do?

“I wrote you a note.” You finish, completely ignoring him as you shove the note into his hands with your face hidden. “I wrote you a Secret, too.”

Izuku glances at you with curiosity and concern before his eyes drop down to the lime-green Post-it. He has no idea why you’re busting out all of these memories on him as someone had perished, but all he knew was that you—

I love you.

Izuku drops the paper in his lap and whirls to you with shock, eyes blinking rapidly as he stares back at you.

“What—”

“There are so many things I wish I could tell you. I want to be done with all the white lies and ambiguous phrasings. So here, I’ll say it, my last secret to you: I love you, Zuku. Please remember me. Please.”

“I do, I will, I—” Izuku sputters, face turning red. His head is pounding now, and he struggles to stand when you do. “I don’t understand! Where’s this coming from? What’s with all these lasts and—”

“Shouldn’t we discuss this tomorrow?” You divert, finally wiping your tears away. You square your shoulders and manage a watery smile, before you turn heel and make your way to the path back home. “I’ll explain it all tomorrow. It’s getting late, and I should get home before my parents get worried.” You pause and turn back. Izuku is nodding slowly now, hand outstretched like he wants to catch your wrist, but he doesn’t.

“We can do that. We-we can do that. Just—promise me that you’ll explain everything. I don’t want to be kept in the dark anymore. I need answers. Starlight, please?”

You don’t want to lie, you don’t want to lie, so you just maintain your smile as you whisper, “Whenever you're ready.”

Izuku takes it as a promise, and relaxes with a wobbly smile of his own. “Okay. Goodnight, Starlight.”

You smile, even though it’s painful, and take in a deep breath even though it feels as if you’re inhaling shattered glass. Finally, you work up the courage to say those words, even though it felt like the world was ending in just an hour now.

“Goodbye, Zuku.”

--

Izuku arrives back at the dorms to be greeted by a new face. His smile lights up his entire face when he bows and greets. “Hi! You must be the new transfer Kacchan told me about. I’m Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you!”

The girl smiles back at him with a warm smile, holding the door wider. Her eyes sparkle like the stars above, and she sticks her own hand out as a greeting.

“My name is Y/n L/n. I can’t wait to spend the rest of the year with you.”

[unluckyservice4]

Out of curiosity, what are the other remnants of despair like in your universe?

Oh, uh. Hmm...good question. I don't....really socialize with most of them these days for reasons, but uh...

Sonia's in Novaselic committing global domination and colonialism. She's one of the Big Three. The remnants who hoard power over the entire globe, minus Junko herself. Gundam's usually with her, or at least aligned with her. Last I heard he was in the Americas stampeding and ruining their cities. They don't really need the help tbh after the cults took over.

Imposter's in the states too, they're considered one of the other Big Three, they're impersonating some important governmental figure, though I'm not sure who. They're a big reason why the cults got out of hand and run a huge faction in that area, at least that's what I last heard. I dunno the state of that location so they might've moved on.

Fuyuhiko's got most of southeast asia, pretty much this whole place is his Territory, though Towa's a provence under it's own power. That's part of the deal Towa made with the Remnants after all. He also doesn't have much control over where sections like the Future Foundation and other such corperations have settled. FF's got it's tendrils riddling all throughout everyone's territories, so far they've set up a kind of hit and run strategy of coming to a place, outfitting people with supplies and weapons and then dipping, when they aren't trying to go into all out mini wars with one of us. They've mostly been Fuyuhiko's headache since the lions share of their force is in Japan, though Sonia and Imposter have to deal with their own headaches, especially Imposter. The next Hope's Peak building was meant to be in the states but now that means Munataka's got connections over there. I hear there's an underground rebellion in New York or something.

Next is the smaller forces, most of us are still in Japan physically but the influence can still reach global. Mahiru's got a radio station, it's surprisingly practical past the propaganda, gives you updates on what we're doing or any public plans and about famous killers-there's like a top ten serial killer hitlist it's...uh. Graphic. Ibuki and Hyoko are doing their concerts, which end in death or brainwashing or spreading more propaganda. Oh, Peko's still with Fuyuhiko, though I hear she might branch out now and again. She's a trained hitman so personally I am......not eager to look too deeply into her exploits.

Akane is........I honestly don't know where she is. She spent some time with Nekomaru's training area-he runs a training area, but it's extremely dangerous and unhealthy. Steroids, extremely dangerous diets and workout routines, he's got a whole subset of cult members who're like, super beefed up and probably ready to burst a blood vessal at any moment. It's.......It's honestly horrifying. Anyway, Akane spent a while with him and then she came out extremely weak and malnourished and yet somehow still a terrifying powerhouse. She wanders around leveling buildings for fun, I think. I think it's for fun. It's...um....it's like getting hit with a natural disaster honestly.

And Teru-ah....Teruteru's in the party business. And by party I mean sex party. And by sex party I mean you get a full course meal that makes you high and then you end up either dying in very horrificly gruesome ways or you end up going crazy and tear each other apart. um. Sometimes in even more disturbing ways than I just described. Don't go to his parties.

OH I almost forgot Souda. Probably because he doesn't actually do much himself, but he's got his machines set up everywhere and if you try to tamper with any of them you're probably going to set off a trap. That's all he does though, his machines are awful, the entire reason the sky's scorched is because of him, but beyond his machines he's actually harmless. All he wants is to bury his head in a project, it's kinda...kinda sad.

I think that's everyone....?

[astarionconsort]

TAVQOTD COMPILATION

Compilation from TAVQOTD that I saw on Twitter, get to know with Lord Astarion Ancunin's Dark Consort, Mother of All Vampires

Does your Tav/Durge have any regrets they wish they could go back and fix? If so what are they!?

He'll rescue Astarion from Cazador earlier and ascend Astarion FASTER! "OH MY GOD CAZADOR IS MY NEIGHBOUR! ASTARION BABE! YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU WERE NEXT DOOR?!"

What job would your Tav/Durge have if they never got picked up by the Nautiloid?

"What job? A noble has no need to slave around under the scorching sun like a peasant. My trust fund is enough to keep Baldur's Gate running. But I'll take a wedding proposal"

If somebody held your Tav/Durge upside down and shook them like a ketchup bottle, what would fall out of their pockets?

A lot of money 10k minium, make up kit, diamonds, condoms, an expensive tiny cocaine bottle, his diary and spell book, jewel encrusted wine flask

Your tav/durge is dead and one of their companions uses “speak with dead” on them to find out their last wishes…

"Daddy, are you proud of me? Oh... I think I see maman in the distance... J'espère te voir bientot"

What does your tav/durge smell like?

Astaroth smells like lavender, water, marigolds, lightning and just a hint of milk. Like breast milk. Because they are so mommy (and did lactate at some point, the vampire ascendant love to suck on that tiddy) Ascendant Astarion morning routine:

Wake up, wash your face and brush your fangs, eat your he/they wife's pussy, suck on their tittie milk and blood, take a shower, breakfast (coffee and pastries), work on your plan to rule the world

We’re at least halfway in until Halloween comes back. what matching costumes would your tav/durge and their romantic partner wear to the party?

Astaroth cosplay as Furina and Ascended Astarion will be forced to cosplay as Childe (minus the wig) to please his consort

[classicanalyzer]

The Calvary Has Arrived Thoughts

Omega taking the initiative to free herself and the other children shows how much she's grown.

ZILLO BEAST RAMPAGE. I love seeing the TK Troopers and scientists suffering. I wonder Hemlock's choice to send them to try to stop the literal Godzilla beast. I hope the Zillo Beast becomes the Apex Predator of Wayland.

Crosshair's trauma once again kicks in as they get in. I really like how Hunter and Wrecker refuse to let Crosshair go in alone and they'll face death together. As terrifying as the CX team is, it's creepy to know that they're a dark foil to the BB. I forgot for a moment that one of the CX Troopers cut off Crosshair's arms with my anxiety kicking into high gear. I'm also glad Tech is actually dead and not one of the CX Troopers. I really like the theory that the CX team could be Delta Squad and I really vibe with that. It would be poetic if they were in that case.

Omega’s confidence in herself and skills as she stays behind to free her brothers. Emerie Karr’s redemption was nice to see as she does everything in her power to save the children.

The Clone Rebellion or rather the Clone Prison Revolt happens! It's so satisfying seeing the Clones being able to fight back and kill those Stormtroopers. Likewise, it's horrifying some of the horrific ways some Clones are killed by the CX team.

Hemlock being stressed and frustrated is always fun to see. At that point, Tarkin is using this as an excuse to finally get control of the facility.

I love how Nala Se always planned to let herself be killed to destroy the research and prevent her knowledge from being used by the Emperor. It's a fitting end to her character who helped the Emperor get into power and for her to help frustrate the Emperor's Cloning plans. Likewise, Rampart's death is both hilarious and karmic. Kamino has been avenged.

The BB working together to survive against their dark foils is heartwarming. There are so many times one of them could've died but they all made it out. Crosshair looking at his specific dark foil in particular.

The confrontation and showdown in the rain parallels both S1 and S2’s finales (Kamino’s rain and Hemlock taking Omega) Scorch dying is so satisfying after his complicity in the crimes of the Empire against his own brothers. Scorch was also shot 5 times which was how many shots (stun that time) Scorch was taken down in S1. I love how much Hunter and Crosshair trust Omega in her plan without her saying anything other than gestures. Likewise, Hunter's trust in Crosshair to make that shot, which he did even without his hand. Omega's reunion with her brothers are everything to me. I hope the Zillo Beast (heard in the background) eats Hemlock’s corpse.

The first ISD in BB animation (outside of the tease in Tales of the Empire). Tarkin taking over the funding is so Tarkin. It's poetic that the Clones saved the galaxy by delaying Project Necromancer it's still being worked on in 9 ABY and given Palpatine's state in TROS, they did a really good job.

I'm so happy they got a happy ending. I thought we would get a bittersweet ending but it's nice to see everyone make it out. Seeing the final shot of the BB team minus Echo together on Pabu is so heartwarming. I wonder if we'll see what happens to Echo and Emerie in the future.

Older Omega and older Hunter! Omega joining the rebellion opens a lot of doors. We were robbed of seeing old Man Wrecker and Crosshair haha. I really hope the next animated show is a Starfighter one.

This show is so special to me. I'll put out a retrospective of the show one day.

"The Calvary Has Arrived!" Wrecker

Themes I noticed:

BB's theme, Omega's theme, Crosshair’s theme, CX's theme, Hemlock's theme, and the Clone's theme.

[tomorrowxtogether]

The 10 best Tomorrow X Together songs

Ahead of the boyband’s 2024 ‘Act: Promise’ world tour, NME picks the best cuts from their enchanting back catalogue 

There’s always been something magical about Tomorrow X Together, even before they started adding elements of enchantment to their music in late-2019. Over their first five years together, the Big Hit Music boyband have been consistently spellbinding in their approach to sharing their experiences of youth, whether weaving colourful creations in their early days or dialling up the angst as they screeched into young adulthood.

Along with their penchant for genre-hopping, it all makes for a vibrant back catalogue that doesn’t always follow the expected path. TXT will always keep you guessing and never stay in one spot for too long. Ahead of their upcoming 2024 ‘Act: Promise’ world tour, which kicks off next month in Seoul, NME looks back on their enchanting catalogue.

Honourable mentions

‘Blue Spring’ (2023) ‘MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari)’ (2021) ‘Puma’ (2020) ‘Wishlist’ (2020) ‘LO$ER=LO♡ER’ (2021)

10. ‘Ghosting’ (2020)

The opening track of 2020’s ‘minisode 1: Blue Hour’ glistens in its gloominess. Through clouds of shoegaze-y guitars, the five-piece tell stories of friends who’ve become like spectres and the isolation that comes with growing apart from those you love. It’s a beautiful piece of songwriting that highlights TXT’s knack for taking trending lingo and using it to share their tales of youth.

9. ‘New Rules’ (2019)

Since their beginning, Tomorrow X Together have served as guides and companions through life and that’s no different on ‘New Rules’. The funky hip-hop track details rebellious phases sparked by the frustrations of life, piled on by social media, teachers and class. If you’re looking for a way to break free from it all, this addictive cut will help you.

8. ‘Can’t You See Me?’ (2020)

Even without watching the flame-filled music video for ‘Can’t You See Me?’, you can feel the scorching emotions that course through the song. Rather than showcasing them in the big rock anthemics that would come later in TXT’s journey, it’s the more seemingly subdued moments that sizzle here. “With resentment, my heart is heavy / ‘Cause you don’t understand me,” Beomgyu and Hueningkai murmur in the second verse, every ounce of that weight pouring through their words.

7. ‘Good Boy Gone Bad’ (2022)

On the lead track from 2022’s ‘minisode 2: Thursday’s Child’, TXT fully embrace the moment when it feels like you’ve hit an emotional rock bottom. Instead of wallowing in the misery, they make it their new super power – there’ll be no more “pathetic days” left on the calendar when you rise up with hearts “gone dead”. Set to searing rock, it’s become one of the most electrifying moments in the group’s concerts, not least Yeonjun’s bridge that ends in the laughter of someone truly cold-hearted and the declaration: “I like being bad.”

6. ‘Crown’ (2019)

The song that started it all. Tomorrow X Together’s debut single ushered in a boyband who sounded refreshingly bright but, beneath the bubbling synths, were dealing with the complicated growing pains of adolescence. Years on from its release, it still feels like a perfect snapshot of the dichotomy of youth – at once energetic, curious, self-doubting and concerned.

5. ‘Tinnitus (Wanna Be a Rock)’ (2023)

The boyband dabble in Afro-pop on this standout from ‘The Name Chapter: Temptation’. Despite its slinky rhythms that are practically a call to groove onto the dancefloor, lyrically it finds the group wanting to sink into a stillness caused by a crisis of confidence. “Rockstar minus the star / Just a rock, OK?” Taehyun sighs, preparing to descend.

4. ‘0X1=LOVESONG (You Know I Love You)’ (2021)

The moment TXT leaned all the way into the raw, serrated sensitivities of emo. With the help of featured singer Seori, ‘0X1=LOVESONG’ wears its feelings on its sleeve so viscerally it’s hard not to get swept up in its storm of emotion. Although the five-piece’s storyline would later disavow the need for connection, here it was still an essential, the group crying out for a loved one to “take my hand” and save them from being swallowed up by life.

3. ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ (2024)

The concept of fate emerges on this sunkissed house jam, the beats forming a linking pattern between TXT and the person they believe is “meant to be”. ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ is fresh and breezy, while its post-chorus refrain of “there’ll be no more sorrow, I’ll see you there tomorrow” could serve as a slogan for the comfort that spills out of the group’s catalogue.

2. ‘9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)’ (2019)

The title track of ‘The Dream Chapter: Magic’ more than lives up to the sorcery in the album’s title. Sprinkled with sparkling melodies that form the aural equivalent of the magic dust that accompanies wands casting spells in movies, the song captured the heart of much of TXT’s early storyline. It’s an ode to friendship and the feeling of finding people to run alongside you as you buckle up for the rollercoaster of life.

1. ‘Eternally’ (2020)

Tomorrow X Together have never been ones to shy away from trying something new, and that spirit quietly fuels ‘Eternally’, the stand-out track from ‘The Dream Chapter: Eternity’. What starts out as a gentle lullaby pleading soon morphs into something darker and prowling. The beat switch is tellingly signalled by a rapid-fire gunshot and the verse that follows feels like a villain origin story. That the group are able to pull off the revolving door of switch-ups on this track with such elegance is nothing short of impressively exhilarating.