#now saving until god knows when

[zareleonis]

still feels like i dream that i actually managed to get c6 furina. i was SURE i wouldn't have nearly enough after r5 tfgm then won all those 50/50s :')

[deiaiko]

#19.3 Unravel

It had been some time since Agni felt this nervous. Not even talking with Jinsung Ha recently had made him feel like this. He fiddled with the mask on his hand as he waited for Grace to come back. He had thought hard on how to deliver the news, but he knew that no matter how he phrased it, Grace would be upset. Velt nuzzled under his palm and Agni gave her a few pats, before deciding that she would be better inside her bowl in his lighthouse, just in case the shinsu acted up around Grace after he received the news.

Grace came back wearing the comfiest shirt and shorts Agni knew Grace liked to wear on lazy days. He joined him on the floor, and they ate dinner together. Agni always finished last, so while waiting for him to finish his meal, Grace told him about his day with Bam. Grace was intrigued by how much his way of thinking had changed, and how glad he was to be able to be by Bam's side when he was having a bad day. It reminded Agni of the hidden floor, when Grace faced his sworn enemy.

They left the used bowls on the coffee table and went to brush their teeth. Afterwards, they turned off the light and went upstairs to sit on their bed. Grace's curious gaze never left him, and Agni curled his feet nervously.

Grace was the one who broke the silence. "So…what is it?"

Agni's breath hitched. This was the part he dreaded most. "I talked with the crocodile earlier. Did you know that he could manipulate stone already?"

"Huh." Grace needed a few seconds to let the information sink in. "Didn't Rak learn it on the Hell train? How does he know it?"

"Turns out our crocodile also traveled back to the past like us. He found the young crocodile and taught him."

"What?!" Grace gasped, wide eyed. "That means our Rak is–!!"

"He's dead." Agni quickly snuffed out that hope. They had been in delusion for long enough; it was time that they faced the bitter truth. "He suffered a fatal injury from the explosion. He couldn't have lasted long without proper help." Agni omitted the actual cause for Rak's death, but still kept his words true. "I'm sorry."

"…Oh." Grace looked lost, just like Agni was. His lips parted a little, but they closed before any sound escaped.

Agni gently squeezed Grace's hand, encouraging and comforting as he let the silence stretch on, giving Grace some time to process the information.

"Agni…" Grace whispered, "do you think Hatz and Isu…?"

Agni bit his lip and avoided his gaze, as the nightmare of that day replayed in his mind. He witnessed Hatz get his arms ripped off when trying to protect him. He could still recall the clang of a sword hitting the floor, and Hatz's suppressed scream that gnawed deep at his guilt. He witnessed Isu get beheaded after being taken hostage, the memory of warm blood painting them both still vivid like it happened yesterday. 

Agni refused to acknowledge their possible deaths, because it felt like a nightmare that one day he could hopefully wake up from. He avoided the topic when Grace brought it up, so he wouldn't have to say it aloud and make it real. He had been so hard on himself, because he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had failed Grace and everyone else involved.

Agni knew this had to change if he wanted to live better, now that they had gotten a second chance. So he swallowed down the lump in his throat that had built up over the years and asked mostly to himself; "What are the odds of their survival?"

"There's always a chance–"

"Grace." Agni looked him straight in the eye. "They were already severely injured before the explosion hit."

Grace fell silent and went still.

Agni felt a pang of guilt upon witnessing Grace's reaction. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Agni fiddled with his hands. He realized that he didn't know how much Grace knew of what happened. "My scar…do you know how I got it?"

"I…was told it was from the family heads' battle." Grace looked thoughtful. Agni knew he was trying to be careful with his words. "A stray attack?"

"It could have been worse." The memory of the scorching heat on his skin felt like it had only happened yesterday. He passed out right when he was about to heal Isu, and only found out later that he also lost sweetfish at that time. The days he spent recovering from the burn, to withstand the excruciating pain every second he was conscious, and finally coming to terms that it'd be a permanent scar, was one of the turning points that had changed him forever. Were Grace not there to care for him, he might have ended up destroying himself even more.

Agni hadn't realized he had his left hand clawing on his cheek until Grace pried his hand off and frowned, "You're doing it again."

"Maybe I should wear the mask…" Agni muttered to himself. After all, Grace gave it to him less so he could hide the scar but more to prevent him from unconsciously hurting himself. The only time he could safely take it off was when Grace was around.

Agni bit his lip nervously when Grace didn't reply. He no longer had the courage to look Grace in the eye that spoke so much concern, so he leaned close and rested his head on Grace's chest. "Rak, Isu, Hatz and Hwaryun were trying to get me out of that damned place. But we were caught while escaping, and…it was a bloodbath. I was…too occupied to react to the incoming heat. Rak shielded us from the explosion. And when I woke up…"

"They weren’t with you," Grace finished it for him after Agni trailed off a moment too long.

Agni nodded dazedly, "I've been telling myself that they're still alive, after a blow that could kill rankers. But…who am I kidding? I was lucky enough to survive with just this little–" Agni vaguely pointed to himself– "inconvenience."

Agni felt a hand gripping his arm, and he pulled away to see Grace looking at him with a pained expression. His eyes were glossy and his lips were pulled into a thin line. Trusting his instinct, Agni reached out to gently trace and cup Grace's cheek with his free hand.

"I'm sorry," Agni muttered. "I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner."

Agni silently witnessed tears that streamed down on his love's face. It was a bitter sight that Agni wished he'd never have to see again, that he had tried to avoid for so long by not telling him. He pulled Grace in and held him close to his chest, as if Agni was trying to gather his own crumbled heart back together.

Grace mumbled their late best friends' names as he held onto him tighter, shaking from each breath he took between sniffles.

Agni felt his own eyes sting with unshed tears. He remembered the years he spent climbing the tower together with his old team. Despite their banter being his source of headaches, Agni knew he too had come to acknowledge them as his cherished friends. Only when they were gone did Agni realize how much he'd miss having them around. Seeing the younger them didn't exactly close the gaping hole in his heart, but at least the emptiness was more filled.

Agni squeezed Grace tighter. "We have their younger selves with us now. We will protect them better this time."

Grace only nodded and sank further into his embrace. And Agni planted kisses on his hair, relishing the thought that after everything he had gone through, Grace was still a constant in his life. As long as he had him, everything would be okay.

When Grace started shaking again, Agni caressed his hair and hummed a comfort song they had known by heart. Still, it didn't make falling asleep any easier for Agni, especially not after admitting that his nightmare was very much real. However, as he had been through grief…this, too, would pass.

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[bartholomewillustrated]

Now it is only Most morning's that Lazarus gets up very early and does some warm-up painting, there are Some mornings where he has... other... business... to attend to..... ;;;>w>

Tried to do something more pushed and extreme with the lighting this time to get more of that Harsh Sunrise look I wanted in the Morning Painting piece but fell kinda short on and it ended up looking a bit toned-down.. I think I did a better job here! the blue in those shadows really comes out and looks nice and cool.. and I got a nice warm pink undertone in there somehow.. Just gotta keep trying one supposes... either way enjoy! The full picture is on my Twitter (@/bartholomewsart)

[eddis-not-eeddis]

.

[crossbackpoke-check]

Substance, Shadow, and Spirit [remixed, abridged] by Tao Yuanming

[prozach27]

.

[bylertruther]

kinda cool how in season one eleven escapes the lab thinking she's the monster & in season four eleven escapes the lab again knowing she never was and that none of what happened was ever her fault.

and how in season two she goes on a journey to figure out part of her past and is told by another of the lab's victims that she needs to find strength in pain and anger & in season four we saw that it was her mother calling her by her real, human name and telling her that she loved her that gave her enough strength to overpower evil and banish it from their dimension, not the hurt and rage she felt at her being taken away. and that again, she was able to perform a miracle and bring her friend back to life by thinking of the love she showed her and the way she had always treated her like she was a human being.

she and her story are just really cool, methinks.

[reginrokkr]

■ ■ ■ 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐋𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄.

𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐒: Long-living human. 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: ∅ 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐒: Clairvoyant. 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: Unknown. Irminsul?

■ ■ ■ 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘...

𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐒: Long-living human with draconic traces. 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐀𝐒: Clairvoyant, saint. 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒: Aether — Pneuma / Khvarena — as the most frequent use. Secondary uses of Cryo, Aero and Electro in combination with the former. 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: Dragon Sovereigns, Irminsul, Teyvat.

■ ■ ■ 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖.

Hsī's birth is the perfect example of taking place at the wrong place and at the wrong moment. When she was just an infant, her mother and the other people who were migrating as a means for survival from the onslaught of the Forbidden Knowledge's aftermath met their ends at the claws and fangs of the Abyss in Nantianmen. Her own survival a miracle in itself whose light would fade away soon thereafter, which it did. Nevertheless, her last cries were heard by Nibelung —who at that time took curiosity in humanity—, alas it was late.

With a touch lacking any intent, the Moonlit Tree under which Hsī has passed away illuminated and, as if listening to a tacit command from the real king of sovereigns of this world, it revitalized the infant thus bringing her back to life. As a result, Hsī's spiritual shape has been sealed from two sources besides her own as a human: one from the Moonlit Tree as one of Irminsul's extensions, another from Nibelung albeit more loosely.

This would cause Hsī's life to be unlike that of a normal human due to her extended lifespan —albeit not equivalent to immortality—. Given the connection established with Irminsul, she's able to glimpse into the past and the future as well as manipulate time (only on short term / minor things such as healing or altering time when endangered). And given Nibelung's merciful touch, she has access to elemental use from the Light Realm. The use of extensive powers, regardless of the source, cause the growth of crystalline horns on her head for a limited amount of time as well as that of iridescent scales littering her body.

As someone that counts with a bigger picture of the world's happenings, Hsī stands for the freedom of every creature to be masters of their fate.

[exopelagic]

everyone was so harsh to alola it deserved so much better. like this region is so well designed and so pretty and the story is actually really fun? will never forgive everyone for what we did to her

[la-galaxie-langblr]

screech

[mutalune]

really wish there was a tag that separated “I’m having Big Angry and/or Angsty Opinions about Star Wars” from “I’m goofing off with Star Wars I’m playing in the sandbox none of this is real so yes I will make my blorbo and this random glub shitto go on an adventure that makes no logical sense” posts because there’s too much of the former and not enough of the latter for my current mental state

[moe-broey]

I <3 blowing up my save files mid-playthrough or after I've beaten the game and feel aimless or I'm three hours in and incredibly indecisive and perfectionistic and have to start over Better this time or I just get really into One Idea and blow up the save for the sole purpose of achieving the One Idea and once I have it's like. Well. What was the point of that actually. And then I blow it up again

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Bsjdhdi oh my god Eddie being like "FUCK IT" and grounding Roxy in Meteors for the first time. She just pauses, mid-crime committing, turns to look at him and just says "I'm what?"

He just said it. He didn't think too far into it at the time but once she's been arguing with him on what the fuck he's talking about for a bit, (he can't ground her! How dare he!) and she's eventually sent back to her room to cool off, he realises how fucking hard it's gonna be to actually ground her. She's had nothing her entire life! How do you meaningfully use taking something away on a (kind of) kid when said kid is only just starting to get used to having something to take away? He doesn't wanna impose any kind of old restrictions that she's still learning she doesn't have anymore! He wants her to feel like she does have freedoms, that she does deserve them and that nobody is going to take them away ever again! And taking them away again so soon, even if just temporarily, wouldn't exactly help!

Like!!! He can't just stop her from going out on the grass by the tower block to play with Cassie!!! She's lived most of her life never knowing what grass looks like or what the sunshine feels like!!! It'd be cruel to deny her of that again, even for just a day!!!! He can't take away any of the toy cars she's been excitedly digging through cereal boxes for either, cause she's only just grasped the idea that something other than her keytar can belong to her (nevermind does) and that she doesn't have to give her stuff away to nearby kids!!! Limiting her video games??? She's lived her life lacking the dexterity and strength control to play any of the arcade games she's been surrounded by constantly!!! He can't do that to her again!!!

What's left?? Deny her of her favourite cookies when Fazbear denied her adequate food and time to actually eat it during her short time in their custody as a biological being??? Stop her from going to the Plex that she's pretty much one hundred percent emotionally reliant on going to pretty much every single day??? Don't give her the pocket money she's only just learned she can use to get things she wants??? That she earns herself on the paper round she and Cassie share???

How is he supposed to follow through with this and actually ground her now that he's said he's going to? He can't bare to give her a repeat of what she's already had when she's supposed to be safe from all of that!! But if he goes back on it, he's just telling her she can get away with everything and never face the consequences of her actions. Sometimes she just wants to be a troublemaker and he feels it's good progress that she feels she has that choice, but it's his job as her guardian to somehow teach her about consequences to being a little shit and a half, he can't just let her get away with it! Especially when Cassie doesn't! It wouldn't be fair!

Eddie sat at the table agonising over what to do for ages, eventually coming up with a possible solution. The next morning, when Roxy is about to rush off to the Plex like always, she stops in the hallway. Eddie's just sat there, on a chair, against the front door, reading the paper like this is perfectly normal. She stares at him for a sec and then asks what he's doing. He explains that he promised a while ago that he wouldn't mess her around and that he'd always keep his word, which unfortunately for her, means he wasn't joking when he said she's grounded.

"What do you mean I'm grounded?! Are you just gonna sit here all day?!" Haha of course he's not gonna do that! He promised he would never stand in the way of her going home to the Plex! It would be wrong of him to do so and he can accept that! But she is still grounded...

So he's just gonna sit here for an hour and slow her down instead. If she can get through the door? Well, she earned it so good job! But otherwise? She's gonna have to wait.

Listen, she is not fucking happy. How dare he!! She'll just make him move!! He didn't say she couldn't do that so it's fair game!!

This does NOT go to plan. Eddie planned for this. His chair has been weighted with every heavy item he could cram into the bottom of it. He's hidden the key to the door in his pocket so even if she does move him on the weighted chair, she'll still have to get the key off him, which he knows she's more than capable of doing, but also knows she wouldn't think he'd have it for a good ten minutes at least. And the deadbolt at the top of the door is locked and she can't reach it unless she gets something else to stand on.

Roxy tries every trick in the book but there's fucking tungsten cubes in this chair man, she's strong as hell but that chair's not budging. How did he even move this here?! She's so frustrated with it, she's tried pushing it, pulling it, biting it, tying rope to it and pulling on that with her teeth like tug of war, getting Cassie to help, scratching at it, getting in the tiny gap between it and the door, and finally, whining with the sad puppy dog eyes as she sadly nuzzles him and tries her damn hardest to look like she's going to cry. He doesn't budge. At all.

He and Cassie are kind of enjoying this ngl. Cassie had originally been annoyed at this plan because, well, she would have had something confiscated or not been allowed out to play with Roxy later. It didn't seem fair that Roxy wouldn't get the same punishment, but nah she gets it's now. Roxy's too impatient for this not to work lmao

She's so frustrated and annoyed with it, complaining about how unfair it is while Eddie just sits there, cool as anything, and patiently explains again that it's just until the hour long timer runs out. Literally as he's automatically started reassuring her that he's not preventing her from going anywhere, just slowing her down, she suddenly yells really loudly, then shouts to Cassie at the other end of the hall that her dad sucks, dramatically falling backwards on the floor to sit there and sulk about it.

She's got a whole week of this ahead of her and she's so fucking mad about it. She's taken to just seeing how much of her annoying the shit out of him can he take before he caves and gives up. She started small by flicking elastic bands at him, hitting him with a pillow and throwing a few eggs at him. By the end of the week with him still not budging on this, she threw a bucket of paint on him, then the bucket at him in sheer frustration. This is after her master ice water plan failed along with several contraptions she came up with to move the damn chair. She's taken this as a challenge and she's throwing everything at him, but he's just not fucking budging!!

She has until the end of the hour on the last day to successfully move him and she tries everything, right up to the very last second. The timer goes off. The grounding is over. She screams in frustration, she's genuinely devastated she's lost this battle. She can't stand it! She's free to go again, and just like every other day of this, she rockets away to the Plex again to take her anger out on random shit over there.

When she's cooled down and she's back at the flat several hours later, they have to have a long chat about it. She ends up with one more day of this because of the absurd lengths she was going to all week, so she spends half of it sulking in her room and the other half whining all sad and mopey Eddie won't let her out just a little bit early, come ooonnn Eddiiieeee it's just twenty minutes it's basically nothing, pleeeaaassseee let her out now please please please she'll never dunk him in ice water ever again she pinky promises so pleeeaaasssseeee-

This man is like steel. Never in all her life has she known someone so unwilling to cave to her. Fazbear Entertainment were awful, but she knew she could make them cave if she didn't let them break her. This guy though? Not even wasting any energy trying to break her. He's just fucking sat there. He's not hurting her, he's not taking anything away from her, he's not threatening to scrap her, he's just sitting there. She can do whatever she wants, she just has to wait sixty minutes first. Not even a day, it's just one singular hour, that she could easily fill with something else if she so chose too, but she's too fucking committed now. And that was the god damn plan.

The consequences of being an asshole are that she's now actively choosing to throw an hour away on this every single day for no reason. Her efforts even mean she ends up adding to that hour in clean up. She's caught by her own hubris. By her own stubbornness. The sunk cost fallacy has claimed another victim. She's gonna win eventually, it's just a matter of when.

[todayisafridaynight]

if i think bout ichi going to jiro kasuga's grave and arakawa accompanying him Maybe At Least Once i just might explode

[mydr3aminvi0let]

i wear a lot of skirts and pink and whatnot as my style has developed with me & my personality but when one of those age regression girlies latch onto me....i do not like that

[hannibalismos-jaaneman]

will wasn't crying for himself in ko no mono, he was crying for hannibal.