#tedious but absolutely doable

[defiledtomb]

Got news today that there's a STRONG chance I get the apartment I've been hunting if I can just get the deposit together until November 1st. And it's not impossible to do so. Y'all I'm sobbing with joy. This would mean everything to me, I can't even articulate it. AAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaayayayayayayayayayaysjdjdhdjdjfkdkfjfj !!!!!!!!!!!!

[bitchfitch]

Tbh this is more me bitching about once again wasting money on a game I probably won't be able to finish due to cripple-itus but we're going to pretend it's a serious discussion on game design.

So to preface: my vision is fucked. Irrevocably. Like get discounts on insurance levels of fucked. But games, even very difficult ones still Often very doable and fun.

One of my favorite genres is "white dot goes on a combat platforming adventure" Ie metroidvania/soulslikes that either Are hollow knight or heavily inspired by hollow knight

And I just want to compare a Good white dot, against an extremely irritating white dot.

This is yi. He is an edgy cat boy. he is a good white dot.

No matter the amount of bullshit on screen or the background color, you can always quickly find the white dot that is Yi or his lil robe.

This Bo. They are a bad white dot. they look like they'd be a Good white dot, what with the really clear silhouette of their ears and strong red markings

This is Bo in the game.

Bo breaks the number 1 rule of being a white dot: they end up the same color as the background because neat light effects which do look Great, were more important than the ability to find you're guy while doing minute long don't touch the ground style parkour sessions.

Like Hollowknight and Nine Sols, Path of the teal lotus uses a lot of forground and back ground layers to create a very nice sense of depth. However the foreground layers frequently completely cover the lower half of Bo's body. often making them a light colored dot on a noisy light colored back ground.

The fact background and play ground elements are often the same color does not help. Nor does the fact the camera is . Bad. it just is. It zooms in and out in the middle of a screen making it extremely difficult to keep track of an already hard to follow character in a setting where. losing track of your guy means getting sent back to the beginning of a tedious boss fight or a prolonged parkour session (which to be clear, would be good if you could track your player character. not the bosses though. They are. bad. they need to attack faster, have more than 2 attacks, or at least have a fraction of the HP they do. so you're not just standing around waiting for them to decide to start up another attack to open a vulnerability window.)

And I'm just going to say it, Someone on the team knew the game had this issue. Because they gave you a fix that doesn't work. You can adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation. None of these fix the issue of Bo disappearing. The game is so blown out that no combination of settings produce a result where bo is consistently visible, and also you can tell whats background and what's something you can stand on.

Anyways Demos are an accessibility feature, and when they're not available don't be lazy like I was and just pirate it. If the devs aren't going to give you a way to check if their shit is busted or not, you'll just have to find one yourself.

Anyways anyways tldr absolutely Gorgeous game, Should've been a silent animated movie instead because it's nearly unplayable and the translators either did a Really bad job, or the writers just didn't get why the jokes they're copying were funny

[crvptyd]

Rank The Process Ask Game

Thank you @charmfamily for the tag! Tagging @daniigh0ul @morgynember @esotericas-sims @fallstaticexit @surely-sims and @fledermausbend

"As storytellers, there are so many pieces of our craft and I'm curious how you would rank each step of the process. Rank each of the following on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 lowest, 5 highest): Setting up the scene (building sets, decorating, etc), Posing the sims (creating / find poses, and setting up the sims), Styling the sims (cc hunting, time spent in cas), Writing the dialogue/story, Editing the photos. Send to three other story simblrs and get to know more about each others favorite and least favorite part of this crazy process!"

Gonna put my answer below the cut bc it's a little long.

Setting up the scene – 🌟🌟🌟🌟

There’s something really cathartic about building — I genuinely enjoy it, especially when it flows. But it can get frustrating when I’ve written a scene that hinges on a specific piece and I just can’t find it. I had a moment like that recently in When the Light Comes In — I needed melon bread, and it was like it didn’t exist. (I did eventually find two versions, but it left me frazzled!) That said, when everything does come together, it’s super rewarding.

Posing the Sims – 🌟

Absolutely hate this. Finding poses? Easy enough. Making poses? Doable, a little tricky. But watching Sims pop out of position mid-scene? A nightmare. Every time someone launches out of their chair or resets while I’m lining up a shot, a little piece of my soul crumbles. It’s the most rage-inducing part of the process for me, hands down. TOOL makes it easier though.

Styling the Sims –🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love this part maybe a little too much. I’ll spend hours tweaking a Sim’s look to get everything just right — and I’m constantly downloading new CC, especially when a character has a specific aesthetic or I’m aiming for the perfect vibe. I had like seven different uniforms lined up for When the Light Comes In and still defaulted to the Copperdale Set by CloudCat because it just sat right. That said, a lot of my stories have stalled after CAS — not because I hate writing, but because my brain goes, “Well, we made the Sims. Mission accomplished.” Also, I still love a good subtle colour code. Not full Berry, but the influence is definitely there.

Writing the dialogue/story – 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love to write. I’ve always wanted to be an author, and writing Sims stories — even if it’s just dialogue — is so deeply rewarding. I tend to go overboard, especially with dialogue-heavy stories, and will write the entire thing out before I even open the game. I have to actively stop myself from slipping into full prose, but I love how much can be told through just the dialogue and the Sims themselves in the shots I take. One day I’ll get around to writing my mostly-prose projects (Bondbreaker, Genesis) and then you’ll really see.

Editing the photos – 🌟🌟🌟

I enjoy editing, but it can be a bit tedious. I rely a lot on GShade in-game for most of the heavy lifting, and then move into Photoshop afterward. I typically use Intramoon’s Sonder actions to add a little drama — sometimes more than a little. Editing can get more meaningful when the story calls for it; for example, the saturation in When the Light Comes In shifts over time as Bob starts to realise he likes Eliza. Other times, it’s just about getting the basics right.

[darksonofsparda]

@pluviacuratio Thread move/ Continuation from here: X

{ ♪ } -- The idea of demons in the city was getting to be too "normal" for her liking.

While she typically didn't run in to trouble with them, managing to skirt around the affected areas and hide away long enough, she knew that this wouldn't last forever and she'd eventually find herself in a sticky situation.

Today seemed to be that day.

She'd been out and about, working on some tedious chores and errands that needed to be done. That was when they started... And shortly after she closed herself away, she could hear them coming in droves. The redhead couldn't fathom just how quickly they either multiplied or called to one another. It was... petrifying.

There was another sound after a while, and the ground started to shake. Immediately, the redhead shifted to drop low to the ground and do what she could to protect her head and other vital spots. After what felt like an eternity, though... It all stopped. Bella moved slowly, coming out of the little safe room and looking around. The window of the shop hadn't shattered, shockingly enough... But it was covered in blood spray.

Her attention shifted and she was on the move, jogging up to a man who seemed to be struggling to stand. With an expression of concern, she held up a hand.

"You're clearly not fine... It looks as if you'll fall over at the slightest breeze 'cause of how dizzy you seem. Here, you should sit."

She moved quickly, swapping between her feet and her hands to clear as much debris from right around him as she could. Considering the fact that he was in the middle of all this, she wasn't sure he'd be worried about potentially getting dirty on the ground, though his clothes did seem to be nice quality...

Taking the more cautious route, she shifted and pulled her cardigan from her shoulders, spreading it out on the ground for him to sit on. That was when she let her hands hover just before touching his shoulders.

"Don't force it. You'll make it worse if you fight the dizziness. Blacking out isn't a great experience, after all..."

[{ 🗡️ }] - "...Fine, but I only to catch my breath.." He gives in with an irritated grumble.

Using the wall to stand, there was no way he could continue to protest that he was alright, so as much to his dismay, he decided to just admit it, and stop being stubborn, if only he wasn't in this current position. He couldn't deny it any longer. Moments ago, Vergil had just expanded the range of his signature move, also carefully changing and adjusted his slicing paths, closely altering the trajectory of where he would go with precisive direction, he had to make sure he didn't accidentally kill any innocent civilians in the process, which was doable, but not even close to easy and would take a lot more energy than usual, thus leading him to lose his balance for a moment.

Vergil never changed his move too much, mostly since he always normally used it to clear large groups of enemies, this was the first time he unleashed it to save people while they were still in the area. In the end, Vergil was still glad he was able to clear the town and return peace, successfully saving several hundred-thousand people although it was safe to say, that he probably wouldn't use this altered version of his attack again, at least not unless he absolutely had no choice.

While the half-devil in midnight-blue, continued to catch his breath with the walls support, the sound of things being moved around on the concrete of the sidewalk near him, it sounded like this woman was pushing things out of the way.

Not even a few minutes later, he saw her set down the piece of clothing for him to use to sit. There was a slight bit of hesitance, but it was shorted-lived, as he eventually opted to have a seat where she had put the cardigan down.

[{ 🗡️ }] - "No.. I suppose not." He reluctantly agrees.

After feeling a gentle touch on his shoulders, he finally lowers to sit down, quickly shifting before fully sitting down so he could face who was helping him.

[{ 🗡️ }} - "You're help wasn't necessary.. regardless. I guess, I owe you my thanks."

[weepinqwillow]

cosmetology school is fucking horrible and i really need this to be worth it bc i’ve already spent 6 months and almost $15,000 on it and i am crashing and burning but the only way out is through

school opens at 9:00. if you show up after 9:05am for any reason whatsoever you will be sent home. they don’t care why, they don’t care if you tried to call or anything. you will be sent home.

but it honestly doesn’t really matter bc there are so many students and not enough stations. if you can’t be there by 8:30 to get in line for a station there’s no point because you won’t have anywhere to work. they say stations are made for two but the stations absolutely were not and they are tiny. there’s no room to move or work or breathe or think.

it’s so overstimulating and there’s no escape from that. if you go to the bathroom to decompress, the “principal” will come in and tell everyone in there to get off their phones. can’t even take a shit in peace. if you go out to your car to decompress/cry/whatever, the admins will come looking for you.

if you try telling people you’re tired/stressed out/whatever and not up to chat today, it falls on deaf ears. if you wear headphones they just tap you on the shoulder and talk to you anyway. i miss my job where i could come in and say “i’m tired and gotta save my energy for the customers” and they’d just offer me a coffee and leave me the fuck alone. it never had to be this big fucking thing.

i’ve been struggling. we have monthly worksheets that are super long and tedious and take forever to get through. i fell behind, partially because i was taking too much time off and not working hard enough when i was at school. and partially because i got sick for a whole week and my cat had to go to the emergency vet overnight, etc. once you fall behind, it’s super hard to catch back up. i’m about to get suspended over it next month.

i had a whole plan to get caught back up and it was really well thought out and easily doable. but the power went out and we all missed 8 hours to work. i asked if they were gonna do anything to help us get caught back up since they gave us an extra credit day when the heat went out over the winter. they said no. i crashed out.

i feel defeated and overwhelmed and stressed and like there’s no way to advocate for myself effectively. i’ve been losing sleep and crying all the time. i had to quit my job bc of the stress of both work and school combined.

at this point the only things pulling me through are my partner and my pets. my partner is so, so supportive and so empathetic and helps me a LOT with my anxieties. they’ve been through barbering school and they know how it goes. they know they can’t fix it so they don’t try. they just let me cry it out and encourage me to be my best but to take care of myself when i need to. even with that i feel like i’m hanging on by a thread. but i can’t go back to the service industry or having no prospects or anything.

[beast-mode-on]

Week Four: Stomach Bug Sucks

I literally haven't been able to do pretty much anything beyond the absolute baseline for most of the week, because of a really bad headache and occasional violent puking (regardless of stomach contents.)

However, I did watch a movie, the Oscar Nominee, Wallace and Grommit: Vengence Most Foul.

Yeah, its exactly what it sounds like, its a fun romp with all the charm you expect from something British and Claymated, but not a heck of a lot past that. The perfect movie for when you cannot concentrate on anything but also cannot sleep.

I also played through two entire video games: Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion and West of Loathing.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion: Tiny game where you play as a Sentient Turnip who has to collect a bunch of stuff for the corrupt Mayor Onion and kill a bunch of animals in the process, it is implied that its post nuclear war, and there are only like two humans left in a bunker. Seriously cute, fun art style, but honestly not anything mechanically interesting, and none of the combat felt very good. About four hours max. 6/10.

West of Loathing: Western open-world turn-based Comedy RPG. Like literally, its a western movie but with demon cows, necromancy, hippies, an entire quest about getting a guy's jelly bean collection back. Its great, combat doesn't suffer from the slow/repetitive feeling a lot of turn based rpgs can have, and the leveling system is unique so it doesn't feel grindy, consumables are just necessary enough that you don't horde, the dialogue and writing is witty, honestly one of the best open worlds I've seen (even if its not traditionally what you'd think of as open world), some extraordinarily funny stuff in here. I just wish it was longer. I got 10 hours, my brother got 19. Easy 9 out of 10.

In other news, I started Discworld. AFAIK they are not released in chronological order or anything like that, and the general consensus is not to start with the first one, so I'm starting with Mort, which is about a boy who gets apprenticed to Death. This upcoming week I'mma see if the library has it, if not I'll just keep reading it by PDF. The books are short, so I'm thinking I want to try and read two in february, and then maybe pick one of them and something else for future months if that feels doable.

I am currently playing through Earthbound, as much as I can tolerate (sometimes the tiny screen (its on switch and only uses like half the screen) makes my head hurt, and its old, which means tedious at times.)

Good news, the cold times should be pretty much over this week.

Maybe I can hit the rap playlist thing this week.

But mostly I gotta keep up with school.

Oh, also, I just realized that cooking can be in this. I think I will do that week by week (at least one cooking goal a week.)

All in all, I'm feeling really good about this coming out of the first month of this project.

[transflynnscifo]

i just realized that i actually dont know what the general consensus is with most tov minigames besides some form of contempt?(?) dislike(?) from repede snowboarding

so actually im kinda curious to hear what others think if anyone wants to weigh in on this post!

im going to try to recount all options for minigames, but please let me know if i forgot anything. anyway off the top of my head there are:

-the two dice games at the one vendor in capua nor

-resraurant serving

-the water cactus thing that you do exactly once

-warehouse sidequest should probably count even if you cannot play again once its complete

-dragon races

-repede snowboarding

-super chill (cold) rhythm game that you Also play exactly once

-nam cobanda poker

my opinions on how i feel about the minigames are under the cut:

-dice: i forgot that there were two options of games until i started typing the post lol. its extremely chance-based and in reality the only reason one would bother to spend time on it is to get a title for rita (doesnt even have a coatume with it!) personally is like a D or maybe even F tier

-restaurant serving: may be considered extremely tedious the harder the difficulties go. i know i got overwhelmed by it until i realized i could cheese it by writing down all the orders on paper because the dialogue bubbles only change if you press them. i think that aspect saves the minigame from being the worst. ultimately its funny because of how absurd orders can get but i can understand why people wouldnt be happy to play it. Personally, its B tier. at least you can get costumes out of them

-water cactus: this is a one-time game during the story so its hard to evaluate it. i think in concept its extremely interesting as its a brief moment to force the player into a rhythm to get through desier by making them manage the water in the party's canteens. its a shame it doesnt remain once you reach yormgen but i understand the choice behind it not being permament: if someone needs to fight gigantes or find materials in the dungeon, needing to manage the water at the same time could make the process less fun. C tier for interesting concept and wondering if it could have been possible to adapt this in a more fully-fledged minigame

-warehouse sidequest: in theory very fun, but its definitely not for me. i have to admit, i resorted to using videos to help me do them in the past, but i should try doing them by myself the next time i get the sidequest. the quest itself is cute and you get a really nice costume for karol. i think its pretty good especially because you dont need to do it all at once and hence take it at your own pace as opposed to brute-forcing it all like you can in the waiter minigame. high C/low B until further notice

-dragon races: now HERES a very fun and interesting mini game (imo!) the premise of it kind of expects you to have a good grasp of the world map, but it starts out easy enough to be doable with practice. its one of the minigames that feel worth coming back to because of the fact it 1) doesnt take too long 2) isnt convoluted in a way where you constantly need to write/pause/think. you just fly! plus you can get a very nice outfit for judy off of it. A tier, no doubt. the only reason it isnt S is that its not my absolute fave. im biased. however its still one of the best minigames the game has to offer

-repede snowboarding: hi. i love repede snowboarding. so much so that my sibling had me clear the courses on their save file of vesperia. i think admittedly the controls are a little bit janky, but at the same time, its because you arent expected to hold only to accelerate all the time. its a balancing act that requires some patience to manage. the reality is that there are two maps but with different weather conditions that change how hard the course plays. i ultimately enjoy playing it especially with the challenge of beating it under a certain time limit. using the overdrive dolls here as a means to get costumes for everybody is genius too. for me, this is S tier uncontested

-rhythm minigame: its another one that appears for exactly once and never again. in reality, the game could have made it happen 4 times in total and it wouldnt have been as confusing for why its even in there. i assume that by the time they were making it that the team was pressed for time and was unable to incorporate it the other 3 (possible) instances. i think its got a lot of potential but as it is right now it just awkwardly exists. honestly i feel bad for sticking it in C tier. but i also think i would have had put it into D had it not been my love for estelle. it certainly has more going for it compared to DICE

-poker minigame: HERE IT IS. the means of getting chips for nam cobanda. this is a very simple variation of poker, but in my opiniom, an engaging one. i think it says a lot that its possible to get sucked into playing it a while. its pretty straightforward and i think its actually the one minigame with most replay value because of the fact theres a chips vendor, whereas your incentive to do the other games are titles/costumes and those are finite. and while this is also somewhat chance-based like the dice, its less of a "guess randomly" and more of a "trying to predict the pattern and possible cards". S tier

ok thanks for reading id love to hear ppls thoughts too!

[omamervt]

I have fond memories of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for the Nintendo GameCube, and it really is incredible to see it lovingly re-created down to the last detail on the Nintendo Switch. It makes me happy to know people who were too young to experience it ~20 years ago are getting the opportunity now. I truly think it's one of the best RPGs Nintendo has ever made.

That said, there's a lot that I don't like about this as a remake, rather than a simple remaster. Things that I can forgive the GameCube version for since it was, you know, a GameCube game, that just feel antiquated on the Switch.

The QOL updates for travel and partner switching are great, but don't do much to help the fact that most of the Troubles are fetch quests with a tedious amount of backtracking involved.

Platforming always felt like an afterthought added out of obligation rather than an inclusion that was planned around and made with as much love as the rest of the game. And unfortunately, "down to the last detail" means they also brought back all the weird collision issues, jumps that look like they should be simple but really require you to be standing JUST so in order to even be barely doable, the fact that you're literally flat making forward/backward jumps deceptively more difficult than side to side ones, and so on.

The new music is incredibly hit or miss. It's nice that not every area has the exact same standard battle theme, and it's probably good that Twilight Town's theme wasn't quite so... unnerving. But there are some themes that I really wish they didn't mess with, especially the Three Shadows battle theme. I really regret not buying the badge that brings back the GCN edition sounds. It was cheap and didn't cost BP to use.

Also, the idea IS that they're paper, right? why did they make literally every surface reflective? There are so many environments where the amount of specularity makes absolutely no sense. I have to assume it'd be less resource-intensive to NOT do that, AND it'd make the game look better.

[girldirectionsource]

hey!! could you recommend any long wlw fics?? preferably more than 70k words. thanks:)

Hi! Unfortunately, there aren’t that many longer girl direction fics but I do have two amazing ones to rec you that are both over 100k:

You Make Lovin’ Fun by @homosociallyyours

Harry is a 28 year old travel writer at a gay magazine who gets the assignment to go a lesbian cruise. She figures it's a nice chance to have some fun in the sun, but she's not expecting much else-- even if her partner and best friend are both encouraging her to hook up with someone while she's there.

When she locks eyes with a gorgeous silver fox from across the room, she starts to think she could've been wrong. There are lots of things standing in the way of anything real happening with her and Louis, but that doesn't stop them from falling for one another. True love isn't always easy, but they do make lovin' fun.

Crazy and Infectious by @star55

“Y’know,” Louis starts. “While we’ve got our phones out, you should give me your number. In case they ask who referred them.” “Oh, they don’t do that,” Harry replies as she locks her phone. “They’re not the kind of company who keeps tabs on who refers who.” Louis raises her eyebrows and smiles at this beautiful girl. “Harry,” she says slowly. “I’m hitting on you.”

A Shades of Pink story in which we flash back to find out just how Louis and Harry actually got together.

(If you haven’t read it yet, the entire Shades of Pink (Crazy in Love) series is over 400k at this point and I highly recommend checking it out!)

more under the cut!

And then here are some recs between 50k and 70k:

I love your demons (like devils can) by ariadne_odair

"I am right here," she says loudly, and she can almost hear the crack when Louis' head whips around to stare at her.

"Why?" Louis asks, and Harry feels her insides shrivel up and die.

Harry didn’t plan to join the football team. She didn’t plan to sleep with the captain of the football team. She definitely didn’t plan to sleep with the closeted captain of the football team, who promptly acted as if nothing happened and left Harry a pathetic, pining mess.

The Changer and the Changed by @homosociallyyours

It’s the spring of 1977 and Harry Styles has just moved to New York City after graduating college. She knows she’s a lesbian. She just needs to figure out how to meet other lesbians.

Louis Tomlinson works at a popular women’s bookstore in the Lower East Side, Womon’s Direction, where she spends her days reading feminist literature, writing poetry, exchanging friendly barbs with her boss Niall, and dreaming of finding someone to love.

When Harry and Louis meet, their connection is instantaneous. Slowly but surely, Louis welcomes Harry into her community of women. Stonewall veteran and old school butch Niall; Liam, a land dyke who’s moved to the city for love; and Zayn, a lesbian musician who’s been ostracized by a vocal part of women’s community for being trans, welcome Harry with open arms, ready to help her find her place in New York City’s bustling lesbian scene.

It’s a time of growth for everyone involved.

If I Was Stronger by @haloeverlasting

Harry’s fingers find her lips, in a silent moment of wonder and reverie, and her knees wobble as she’s assaulted with the image of Louis, right here in her bedroom, with her light blue eyes, and her gentle hands, and Harry feels an overwhelming rush and longing to reach out and touch. She imagines Louis stepping towards her slowly, treading lightly with her fingers on her cheek, where Harry’s dimple may appear, and whether Harry would like it if Louis’ thin lips found hers.

With her eyes closed, she imagines Louis standing very close, and she finds the wait to be agonizing, but when she goes to close the distance, there’s no one besides herself in her bedroom.

Harry lets out a breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. She feels tingly, and hot, and absolutely terrified, but the next time she looks in the mirror, she sees someone she knows intimately. She sees that girl with bright green eyes, and unruly hair, and parted lips, and she loses her breath a moment, because while she knows that girl inside and out, she hasn’t been honest with herself until… well, now.

“I might be gay.”

A Girl Direction AU where Louis holds universes inside her, and Harry just wants to hold her.

That Smile and That Midnight Laugh by @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

Harry’s never noticed how lovely Louis really is. Maybe it’s just that she’s usually so guarded – a little tense, a little irritated, a little put out. At least when she’s at school, and also usually when she’s around Nick, which are the only times Harry has really seen her. Until tonight. Tonight Harry’s seen her with her guard completely down. Too busy laughing and enjoying herself to remember to be prickly, maybe. She seems different.

It feels different.

A Ferris Bueller's Day Off AU that picks up right where the movie leaves off, and imagines what might happen if Ferris' girlfriend and sister become friends. And maybe something more, too.

Sea Asunder by @cupcakentea 

It’s only then, as Anne elegantly sits at the other end of the table, that Louis realises there’s a third set of cutlery and plate laid out on the side between them. She feels something twist in her belly, right when the sound of small heels coming closer echoes from the drawing room. She looks at Anne’s side, where the door she came from remains ajar. But she realises, as the steps slow down, that the one on hers is wide open. She feels the hair on her neck standing up slightly with what feels like a shift in the very atmosphere of the room. A gravitational pull that passes right by her side with no words, no sound, just a disturbance of the air. There she is.

A Portrait of a Lady on Fire AU

i must admit i thought i’d like to make you mine by @disgruntledkittenface

Louis fell apart when her ex broke up with her and moved across the country. Just as she’s starting to move on, Zayn comes back to town for their mutual friends’ wedding – with a new girlfriend as her plus one.

Blindsided and scrambling to save face, Louis lets herself get talked into a fake relationship with her new friend Harry. Their arrangement makes Louis feel pathetic and embarrassed, but it’s only going to last a few weeks. She just has to get through the wedding – what could happen?

And here some fics I found while putting this together that I haven’t read yet but which look good!

into the great wide open by @ficshl

It only took a week or so for Harry to truly get into the routine of life on the road. They woke before dawn each morning, ate a small meal, packed up the tent and rounded up the livestock, all before setting out. On a good day, they could make it twenty miles. There hadn’t been many bad ones, but Louis confessed that on a previous trip there had been a solid week where they hadn’t made it more than five miles a day. Soon, Louis promised, animals would start going lame, and wheels would start breaking, and people would start going hungry. The beginning was the easiest, and the end was doable only because the hope of finishing the trek fueled everyone. It was the middle bit, with the tedious marching hundreds of miles from any settlement, that people succumbed to the journey.

Safe and warm in your coat of arms by frenchkiss

If she's being completely honest with herself, Louis didn't want a girlfriend. She had fully intended to head off to university, fuck around a bit, and be the lesbian that her hometown hadn't let her be.

Too bad fate wanted to throw a spanner in the works. A tall, curly haired cherub of a spanner who tends to answer to the name Harry, to be exact.

Me, Her, And The Moon by star55

All Louis wants to do is survive secondary school and her A Levels, be the best sister that she can possibly be to her five sisters, and train as hard as possible to be her family’s future alpha. She doesn’t expect to meet her mate on the first day of school and have her entire world changed.

[androgynousblackbox]

why do you hate 50 shades of grey so much? I have never watched or read (whichever one it is cuz im not aware if its a movie or book) 50 shades of grey but i heard you saying you hate it because it romanticizes abuse, i thought you said no matter how you write a work of fiction it will always be a work of fiction and that its okay as long as the creator dosent actually support it? So whats wrong? Or does the creator actually support abuse in real life? (If so thats disgusting)

I hate the book because Cristian Grey, the actual protagonist of the book, is the most boring, tedious, frustrating and toxic male character I had to force myself to keep reading just to finish the first book. The rest of the books I read through other people commenting on them and that is how I knew it only gets worse from there. And that would have been one thing, mind you. If asshole toxic men who are so insecure on their own masculinity that they get legit offended at their date planning to pay for fucking pancakes is something someone is into, good on you, but then the author E.L. James has refused multiple times to aknowledge any criticism of her book, even if these came from survivors of abuse trying to warn her about how they saw many of their experiences reflected on those books and were rightfully concerned about seeing it promoted as a “sexy romance” with no further nuance. Her excuse for doing this is that she is “defending women with these kind of fantasies” completely ignoring that women can take aknowledging that their fantasies wouldn’t work in reality. Fuck, most women are already aware of this anyway. But not E.L James. If she just said “oh, yeah, I get it, but this is just make believe, I don’t expect anyone to take this as a guide for their relationship” I would have 99 less problems with this book, but the fact that she actually promotes it as high sexy romance and has come out to show, again and again, that she doesn’t see anything wrong with Grey’s behaviour, well, that I think is fucked up. If you grab an average rape smut fanfic writer from the A03 and ask them about what they write, they will tell you to please read the warnings because there is abuse and abuse is bad and they are aware not everyone is going to enjoy it on their fiction. People who have written far more disgusting, explicit and out there stuff that James would never conceive would all go “oh, yeah, no, that is bad” at the prospect of anyone imitating their works because THEY KNOW the difference between a fun fantasy and reality. The fact that people were already ignorant about BDSM and E.L. James clearly didn’t consulted with anyone from the scene to despict it fairly or accurately is also pretty daming, althought this point less than others. It’s lazy and disrespectful to portray a community like she has done, but I don’t blame her for not being a documentary or a guide on how to be kinky. I don’t care that she is unrealistic or wrote a fanfic only after reading one wikipedia article, that is fine. But if you are going to do that, I don’t think it’s too much to ask you to not call it BDSM. Don’t call it kink because that is going to be even more confusing for people who didn’t know any better before and it makes real people look like absolutely shit. Or at the very least admit you didn’t do that much research from the very start. Like that is just irresponsible, no matter how you slice it. Imagine a world where E.L. James actually listened to people. A world where a major author of one of the most succesfull franchises in recent times comes out and say “this is a fantasy, it’s not real and that is okay.” Then we would have conversation about the power of such fantasies while fully recognizing that they don’t have to be based on reality and that doesn’t make them less valuable. Maybe we could have a talk about other fantasies that we know would not be doable in reality and how they are also okay. I don’t know, but we will never know about it 

[chacusha]

Trials of Mana remake liveblogging (2/3)

Liveblogging from Beuca Island to slaying the first seven benevodons:

Classes: I chose Mysticist for Angela (I usually go light path for her, so am changing it up). Partner chose Monk for Kevin (he thought it seemed more appropriate). And went Valkyrie for Riesz because I went dark path last time.

(I definitely like this “being able to actually preview what the classes do before switching” change a lot.)

Vuscav swimming is adorable. My partner absolutely loves his theme music too, so that’s also adorable.

Other than that, though, finding the last four elementals was a bit boring. Aside from searching for Li’l Cactus and trying to learn some new abilities post-class change, I find this leg of the game a bit meh.

The Duskmoon Forest is gorgeous though. I had to take a picture of the way the light hits the golden goddess statue:

The path to the Winged Defender (I forget the name) is beautiful. It really captures the feel of that area from the original of being the highest place in the world.

I also took a picture of the sun rising around the mountains:

The Mana Sanctuary is also beautiful!! I love this lush jungle with lilypads and sparkling water!!! The music is great although I would have loved some more vocally vocals, if that makes sense.

I’m using this game as a reward for finishing my work in a timely manner and this game is really a comfort game for me. The aesthetics and music of the game are so comforting, and I really like making my way through these maps. Poking around exploring stuff is really relaxing.

Angela continues to carry the cast in terms of having not terrible voice-acting.

I feel like Belladonna’s voice actress is trying, but the character movement and deadpan expression really DON’T allow for a plausible “mourning for Dark Majesty” speech, and deepening her voice to sound distraught isn’t working. This is painful.

Taking out some benevodons now. Water, Wind, Light, and Earth weren’t too hard. My allies really aren’t helping me on any of them, though. I’ve basically had to hang back as Angela and spam supereffective spells while my companions fail to dodge attacks and die. The wind benevodon on top of Flammie was the roughest because I didn’t know how to dodge the attacks from the side.

My partner wanted me to do the light benevodon early because when I played the original, I kept on getting repeatedly turned into a moogle and didn’t bring the Minor Mallet with me to allow me to cure the status infinitely by turning mini and then turning back. So I ran out of healing items and ended up with three moogles desperately trying to finish off Lightgazer by throwing handaxes and pumpkins at it (it didn’t work... I ended up having to restart). He found the image of moogles throwing handaxes at a demigod so amusing and wanted to see it again but I equipped stuff that protected me from moogle status. Maybe I should have been braver and gone without it, though... Would have loved to see the moogle status effect in this game.

Gem Valley is a very odd dungeon. I found it visually very stunning and enchanting in the original, but jarringly the music is so creepy and unsettling. But in the remake, they’ve made the dungeon as a whole more creepy, like you’re descending into Hell. It’s interesting.

Went to the Woods of Wandara, which was an interesting dungeon what with the fixed camera platforming, but uh... got wiped out repeatedly by Mispolm and found the battle just very tedious in general, what with my useless companions, the regenerating mobs that get stronger as the battle progresses, and the very difficult to dodge vine sweeps that take out a quarter or a third of my HP even when I’m standing at the very back of the clearing, which makes spamming spells from a distance very difficult. Will try it again after I’ve done a second class change, maybe.

Did the Fire benevodon -- also very tedious largely because I do not know what’s up with the statues. I ended up destroying two and leaving the third up and that seemed to be fine. Once again, we never managed to fulfill the requirements in time, nor do my companions like to use their specials even with full gauge, so it was an extremely long battle.

But I got enough ??? seeds to class change. Either I got very lucky this game or the results of planting these seeds are not random because the first six seeds I planted got me all 6 class change items.

New classes: Angela: Magus (dark/dark). Kevin: Warrior Monk (light/dark). Riesz: Star Lancer (light/dark). I really like the pink in Riesz’s Star Lancer outfit, but I wish the blue was a lighter/brighter color like in her SNES sprite.

Okay now that we’ve classchanged, Dolan was super easy. And Mispolm was much more doable too.

The Chartmoon Tower looks gorgeous, but I also miss the maze-like-ness and outdoor bridges of the original. This dungeon has such a good set of enemies, though -- definitely my favorite.

It’s a bit of a mistake to have both my strongest fighter and my healer in one character (Kevin). I basically have to always control him to make sure heals come in a timely manner and that he uses his specials promptly. Maybe setting his AI to be more aggressive with the support/healing spells might be helpful. I’m glad this game doesn’t deny KO’d characters EXP, because often it’s just easier to leave one or both companions KO’d throughout the battle.

[mlmdarkfiction]

Oh man I'm so into Josh Washington (I just rlly love Rami Malek tbh) and that short fic you wrote was so good!!! Would it be okay to ask if you could add/write more? I'm totally down for it getting darker (I'm not the original anon btw) also I totally love your blog!!! (P.S. I haven't seen BtD and I have no idea who Strade is but that "you're doing so good buddy!" murder scene you wrote reminds me SO MUCH of Trager from Outlast and it's def a 10/10 from me)

Dude agreed, I was talking recently and I wouldnt say I have a celebrity crush on anyone but if i had to pick it’d absolutely be Rami Malek tbh. I’m totally down for writing continuations of fics, this sadly didn’t get very dark, and kinda still left it to interpretation and where it can get continued so maybe it will lol

also that Strade piece is like…one of my favorite things I’ve written tbh?Tag List: @datenightfrightPart One: Here

Read Bellow:

The first thing you do after the realization is call your best friend Ashley. She’s able to calm you down, thankfully, after all she’s okay friends with Josh and Chris, and explains that it’s not all that weird. In all likelihood she’d probably mentioned where you lived once or twice, and Josh just remembered, according to her he’s good at remembering little details like that.

Thanks to her you’re able to spend the rest of the day in relative ease. You call someone to tow your car from the school parking lot toy our house until you can bother to get it looked like, do homework, and relax. A part of the time there’s a nagging guilt in the back of your mind.

From here on out you have to be nicer to Josh. After all he helped you today, even though he was under no obligation too, and for free.

-

You wake early the next morning wanting to prepare for the obnoxiously tedious, but totally doable walk to school. However when you open the door to leave you’re met face to face with Josh Washington. He looks equally surprised to see you, even though it’s obviously your house, and he looks to be mid knock.

Transfering your hanging poptart from your mouth to your hand, you finally ask,

“Josh? What are you doing here?”

He looks like he’s been caught doing something he’s not supposed to, eyes looking everywhere but you, and you have to admit, in a weird way, it’s cute.

“I just thought…if you couldn’t drive your car home yesterday, you probably didn’t have a ride to school today so…I thought I’d give you a ride?”

Oh.

Yeah, he’s much more thoughtful than you had originally thought. You really do have to be nicer to him from now on.

“That’s really sweet Josh.”

He seems to perk up entirely at your words.

-

Your cars been in the shop a whole week now. Meaning that you’ve been going to and from school with Josh for a whole week.

Despite what you may have originally thought about him, you’ve actually found yourself growing closer to him, and liking him. Hell, you’d even go as far as to call the two of you friends.

Still, aside from the rides, and the couple of classes the two of you share with one another you hadn’t actually seen eachother often, or really outside of school at all.

That’s why it’s kind of surprising to you when Josh stops you before you get out of his car this time.

“Hey, ____?”“Yeah?”“Would you want to like…see a movie with me this weekend?”

Does he mean like a date? Or just as friends?

Really, you aren’t sure, but…you don’t think you’d mind if it was a date.

Grinning, you decide to take the initiative,

“Sure…It’s a date!”

Not giving him time to react to your comment, or be forced to deal with your own humiliation, you practically bolt out of the car and up the steps to the home.

You’re still grinning, feeling bubbly and happy from the daring action and the butterflies in your stomach. You notice the light on the phone blinking, and with a sigh, let go of your happiness to check the message left behind on the voice mail.

It’s from the mechanic.

You don’t care to listen to the full thing after you hear it will take even longer for them to fix it, you delete the message, and move on.

However that just means you missed the part when the repairman mentions it looks like someone specifically sabotaged your car.

[godkilller]

ask meme // send “behind bars” to visit my muse in prison.  // NOT ACCEPTING. note: all asks will be answered within my prisoner verse, so characters unlikely to be within Soul Society should be wary. Gin is in the lesser levels of Muken’s equivalent meant for dangerous fugitives that pose a threat to the Gotei 13 - too important to just let mingle among low ranking criminals in the Maggots Nest - and too linked to Aizen to simply exile.

         The initial shockwave struck hard, throwing dust, debris, and stone akin to discarded leaves in an autumn breeze—-tumbling, snapping, breaking—-several massive cracks crawled up the splitting stone floor, ceiling, and walls surrounding Gin. An eruption from below; and Gin knew of no other culprit. The chilling familiarity in such warped, monstrous reiatsu… belonged to none other than the deformed, twisted remains of Aizen Sousuke. And the memories involving the dreadful sensation didn’t betray him whilst all else remained disoriented, dazed in the hurricane’s calm gaze lingering above, swirling. Gin straightened, steadying himself, and regained his balance, by the leftmost bearings of his cell. He knew that signature. The same power that now thrummed beneath him, surging, was of the same that seeped in the scars left by that godforsaken blade.

         The entirety of Muken shuddered and groaned, the aftershocks of thunder rolling through as guards shouted and delayed alarms blared. A blasting rush of power pulsed again from below in quickened waves, slamming, thrashing into the whole structured fortress of Muken’s walls which boasted itself capable of housing the most potent evils. How quickly that confidence in its security faded by the following seconds.

        Another shockwave, breathtaking, shook him into a stumble. Gin clutched for support in avoidance of nearly being thrown by the sheer weight Aizen was tossing within his aura—-of fucking course AIZEN WAS BREAKING OUT. Did no one else see this coming?! By the panicked shouting, escalations of protective Kido, barriers upon barriers upon barriers shouted into echoed corridors and down stairwells, futility dripping within feeble incantations, alarms, requests for backup echoing down otherwise emptied debris-cluttered halls, dust falling like snow from groaning ceilings–and even Gin’s guards rushed, abandoned their posts, taking up their spears. Tremors ceased for a breath, and the traitor breathed in deep, steadying again, to look above and inspect the integrity of his ravaged ceiling’s structure… how solid stone could be made to look and feel so vulnerable, fragile, now. Its wounds were gaping, fine dust and smaller debris shifting and raining down upon each settling of the thick stone as it gasped in its damages. Alone he stood, a muddled mind processing which would go first: the ceiling or the floor——and it entirely depended on just how abruptly Aizen intended to rip Muken apart. Footsteps retreated further, echoing, echoing… and nothing.

         No spears were discarded despite the panicked fashion in which the guards had collected and gathered themselves. So Gin took his chance to begin searching for a way to remove the reiatsu-absorbing seal placed upon his remaining wrist in another method, pulse racing despite the slower breaths he continued to upkeep. Stay calm. Work fast. He had to get out of his cell.

         Though subtly askew----lightly damaged during the tremors that shook his cell----the bars that made up one of the four walls surrounding Gin did not show signs of exploitable weakness. At his approach, the seal upon his wrist thrummed, heating in distaste and in warning to his proximity to the cell perimeter. Gin knew that if he attempted to touch or breach the cage he sat within... the seal would react with an unfavorably electric failsafe. But perhaps without the additional assistance of swarming guards… it’d prove to be a potential for his escape. He could overcome a few shocks if left otherwise undisturbed by any hounding guards shooting him with restraining Kido. He’d attempt that more tedious process if no other option presented itself.

         Gin would still need to weaken and break the seal placed upon his reiatsu, less he wished to remain a sitting duck. Would Aizen’s mere presence burn him if he had no ample aura to stay his oppressive air’s hand? What a terrible way to go------another brutal tremor, and Gin’s hazy senses felt several guards fall to nothingness, like lanterns blown out in the night’s wind, and the traitor then knew. Aizen intended to ascend the floors of Muken to be freed, killing all who opposed, and they would therein cross paths. By the rate in which the entire prison was unraveling, feeble failsafes dissipating, Gin had mere minutes before an unfavorable reunion.

         Eyes caught a glimmer of broken steel, a mangled piece meant to serve as reinforcement beyond reiatsu-negating stone now exposed—-and Gin wasted no time. Flaring what energies were available to him, the prisoner forced his wrist restraint to manifest against his skin----glowing faintly, though otherwise absolute in its retaining of his captain-ranked aura. Gin lined the Kido to the exposed steel, broken metal gleaming, and reiatsu-negating powers bleeding from its structure----and then promptly slammed his wrist into it. The first strike left nary a scratch upon the glowing band, though Gin swiftly struck it again, the sensation of breaking glass cracking upon impact granted him the beginnings of a result. Again, with another blemish growing in its dim light, he continued.

        Gin remained perhaps the LARGEST loose end to Aizen. Knowing so much, understanding so much, the inner workings, the casual desires, the details of his preferred method of dying even, and the secrets of Kyoka Suigetsu. Everything should have died with him that day. Or maybe it didn’t matter if Gin knew shit about his Zanpakuto—loose ends were loose ends regardless of relevance. Aizen was never one to skip out on such a formality, finality, to officially discard a piece that was used up.

        The mere thought of enduring yet another pretentious speech of his use to Aizen, how he couldn’t have ascended to this limitless plain without Gin’s failed attempt on his life, was enough fuel for the fire that snarled with a shattering blast. Shards flew, light burst, and reiatsu rose. His freed wrist scraped skin across sharp metal with no seal present to absorb the blow----though Gin hardly flinched at an ultimately small injury. Instead, he relished in the returning flow of energy, strength refining through tired veins. He had nearly forgotten the exact potency, how the walls could too tremor in his wake. Steady at first, then surging, growing--------overpowering the door’s protections felt more doable by the second.

         He’d break the door down, find Shinso, and seek out Rangiku in the midst of this breach. Get the hell away from Soul Society. Aizen couldn’t have good intentions towards the institution that so brutally and thoroughly caged him. Stole his hope to become Soul King with a single sentence given to him via the lips of a couple dozen old men he so loathed and found laughable. It’d come as no surprise if Aizen determined his wrath was best suited in fully destroying the entirety of the spiritual realm they called home.

         An outstretched hand placed upon the bars earned a mere spark in response, its restrictive powers negated by Gin’s own presence flowing, rising until the air thickened and the bars began to shake. Kido wouldn’t do well versus reinforced doors, though sheer power could provide the right amount of trembling, groaning, until bars began to bend----then burst. But the following explosion was quite the opposite of what Gin desired----rather than bars being thrown outwards, the cell structure caved forward as if abruptly forced to do so by approaching energies rather than inward force. Another shockwave much closer than all others all but threw Gin backward to swiftly strike against the opposing cell wall.

         Despite the daze of his rough impact against jagged stone, Gin had enough awareness to know that the blast hadn’t been his doing. Rather, approaching footsteps through the dark belonged to the culprit. Typical for Aizen to arrive just in time to snatch away any remaining flicker of hope Gin managed to have----------and a great heaviness persisted, pressing till breaths came shallowly----or perhaps he was beginning to lose the calmness he so numbly grasped onto during the initial panic. He felt no fear, and yet shook regardless----maybe in response to the fact that he felt all but pinned in his fallen state against the wall, cornered akin to a wounded animal now approached by its hunter, readying to administer the finishing shot. How darkly he loomed, Aizen’s form hardly visible in the black corridor. Gin’s sight shifted, fading in and out of sharpness via the straining air and a hefty strike upon his skull unhelpful to his focus. Was it just him, a trick of the light, or did Aizen have an inhuman silhouette?

         The calm before the storm as stumbling remaining guards came into the light, staggering in their bleeding futility, injuries gruesomely indifferent----Aizen likely meant no harm to them directly but dealt it regardless due to his higher power. Disfigured, whispering shadows prowled, snarled, and there was a looming power unseen. Aizen stepped closer, cloaked in darkness, and the nearest whimpering guard turned to ash in a swiftly silenced shrill scream. Instantaneous. Gin knew futility well, death well, and had welcomed both within the rubble of a fallen building. He had accepted it, looked upon Ichigo, upon a crying Rangiku, and then closed his eyes. Gin knew the futility of Aizen as a whole, how he had twisted himself to seek godhood, how far above others he remained even without the throne of Soul King within his grasp. Walking alongside him, Gin had witnessed the various victims of his ultimate indifference. How quickly he discarded a useless tool, an obstacle of laughable strengths. He could watch the remaining guard dissipate without a cringe of remorse, or fear for his own livelihood, due to the numbing familiarity of the entire scene. GIN DID NOT FEAR DEATH.

         The glimpse of multiple mouths, a distorted voice seething incoherent whispers, several eyes and limbs mangled, jagged wings flared, fanged teeth in rows, and a nose-less, skeletal and inhuman face greeted this lack of fear. There the monster of Aizen Sousuke manifested, and Gin found no shame in at last admitting to himself, in his helplessness and awaiting of death, an innate fierce fear of Aizen himself. Stone shuddered and fell in his proximity, crumbling till white lights rained in beams from above, signaling Muken’s thorough destruction by the hellish deity standing just beyond the rays of light. But his final steps from that very darkness revealed an Aizen free of distortion, mutilation, or otherwise deformed features. The nightmare faded in the daylight, the cool breeze of the Seireitei ushered in by his good work. Gin found himself at last able to breathe, slow, shaken. Aizen stood before the bars, cloaked in black tattered cloth, reminisce of his lieutenant’s uniform all those decades ago. Outstretched, his palm beckoned.

         How bitterly nostalgic, to feel small akin to a child once more.

         ❝ Come, Gin. Cages don’t suit beings such as us.❞

I made @keikakudori wait over a month for this bullshit.

[greengargouille]

((Until the end I hesitated on which fic to publish for Mimura’s birthday, and well, that certainly didn’t help being on time. On the other hand, it does raise probabilities for Valentine’s Day.

I did mention once I wanted to write about how group 2 interacts within the KoroQuest verse, but now I’m noticing that I ended up not using a lot of ideas I had as far as bug headcanons, so I guess I will need another one-shot))

Rating: General audiences Characters: Group 2, Mimura’s pov. Mentions of other students from Class E. Relationship: None

From the simple, basic monster nest in a cave to the maze-like caste full of traps, dungeons came in all shapes and sizes, and young students aspiring to be heroes would, during their education, be confronted to various structures.

Still, despite no dungeon being quite like the other (except the northern caves that all looked the same), the one Group 2 was exploring that day was quite unusual for them. It could be summarized, as Chiba had called it as one point, as an “architectural mess”.

Apparently, some decades ago, an alchemist had installed his research tower on top of a abandoned mine, and with the apprentices and family members over the years, multiple additions were made to the building, without consideration for what had already been constructed. Rooms without doors to their own floors that could only be acceded by ascending and descending two different floors, windows opening on another walls and doors opening on emptiness ; and, like any den from a rich alchemist a bit too paranoid about their work, the path to the research rooms was filled traps only the master the of place could deactivate.

This obviously turned out to be a mistake when it turned out the mines used as a base were filled with monsters. When the Big Bad then in place had been defeated, those creatures went dormant, but after ten years and a new monster king, they finally woke up and invaded the building, which became a dungeon ever since. What at its peak might have been a mismatch of different ambiance and decoration styles was slowly eaten by decay and dust and turned into an eerie place.

Though the different floors have been fascinating each in their own way to the group (though extremely frustrating in their attempts to draw a map as part of their exploration homework), nothing was quite as jarring as what they were currently seeing. Giant stairs of black stone, cut meticulously despite their size, illuminated by lamps of colored glass still working after all those years; on one side, not so much a wall than a reminder they were currently descending toward the underground floors, earth and mineral as far as the eye could see, not even properly cut; on the other, no guardrail, nothing to stop what would be a fatal fall. This would probably be scarier if a lone step of the stairs wasn’t large enough for the seven of them to sit at ease without touching, but it did make one wonder what have been the directives during the construction.

The lack of obstacle did make it easier for them to observe the lower floor from a distance, though.

“That’s,” Hayami commented, “a lot of monsters.”

An obvious assessment, but by now the group was used to voice those for the sake of Chiba ; it was best to let the boy rest his eyes when his bug was not needed.

“If we go downstairs, we should probably expect at least multiple battles in a row,” estimated Nakamura. “We’re already low on healing items, that will be tedious.” “Most of them are earth-aligned, through.” Fuwa looked at the monsters through binoculars, trying to deduce their skills from their appearance. “Most of them will be too slow to attack us every turn, and we already have the equipment against elemental spells. It’s doable. -Hmm. What do you say about that, leader?” Nakamura grinned as she said the last word towards Mimura.

Light teasing, he knew, yet he couldn’t help but feel bothered.

 It had started weeks ago, when observing the class representatives doing a report after the whole 3-E had finished exploring a dungeon. ‘It would be nice if we had a leader in our group’, Mimura had said without thinking. He didn’t have an exact definition of what he even meant with ‘leader’. Someone to take care of the documents each group had to fill for the main building, sure, someone to direct them into battle, but there was something more to it, a concept he couldn’t really put into words, nor had he expected to.

But this mere sentence had sparked a discussion among the group. What did it meant, exactly, to be a leader, and would they really be better off with one? Group 3 had Terasaka at its head, and he left all strategy and paperwork to Hazama and Takebayashi, respectively. As for Group 4... The closest thing to a leader they had would probably be Karma, though Mimura would be hard-pressed to explain why his choice would be him out of the six. Was it a question of strength? Of attitude? Charisma? Being able to intimidate people into obeying? Was there some inherent quality to leadership that eluded him? Nobody was really sure, though they could at least say the leader’s job was something to do with ‘giving orders’ and ‘uniting everyone’.

Nakamura had joked she wouldn’t mind having her ‘own group of slaves’ to do her work, before adding quickly it would probably be really tiring and would rather leave the responsibility to someone else. Chiba and Hayami both had seemed unwilling to push all the work on only one person, and though they hadn’t voiced it, unwilling even more for that person to be one of them. (Sugaya had whispered to Mimura it would indeed be a bad idea, given their prior experience to working in groups the precedent years, though he hadn’t told him any detail on this). Okajima might have been enthusiastic at the idea of being a leader, but he barely spoke three words before the girls glared at him, hands on their weapons. This was the moment Fuwa had chosen to blurt out a ‘You know, Mimura was 4th in the Leadership ranking of Volume 16’. He didn’t remember participating in any such ranking, but Fuwa’s most cryptic sentences weren’t to be taken literally most of the time, something to do with a 4th wall and spin-off that only her understood. It was best to leave the details to her and listen to her advice, as she was often spot on.

Which is how, over the weeks, Mimura somehow felt into the position of ‘leader’ for Group 2.

“Let’s go back and try it later.” He finally said after pondering. “For now, we need to find an healing fountain and level up some more.”

The truth was, being a leader changed absolutely nothing, and pretty much everything.

Mimura didn’t make plans for battle ahead, instead deferring this responsibility to Nakamura and Fuwa, who were much better strategists. He already tried to stop fights within the group even before being at its head, used to be the middleman in such situations -and, he had to admit, because if the girls reduced Okajima’s HP any lower after another skirt lifting incident, Mimura would be the only one left on the frontline in fights, which he would much prefer avoid if possible. And maybe, maybe, he felt the others tended to leave the final decision to him, now, but that might just be a bias of observation from his part. He noticed it because he expected it now, but it might not be any different from how it was before, and there must be important decisions in which he had no say that he didn’t notice because nobody asked him about it. Nothing that Mimura did had changed.

And yet, in his mind, it did change. The pressure. It was probably all a joke they all took only half-seriously except for him (and maybe Hayami and Chiba, it was hard to tell with how professional those two acted sometimes), but he couldn’t help but think they were all his responsibility. He had to make sure they were safe, and he avoided uncertain battles he would have previously attempted, or asked of his classmates to take an healing item when he might have felt before it could wait after one more fight or two. And he was getting worried, too, about how they leveled up slower than the other groups, and it took all their efforts for the gap not to grow any more than this. He had always been wary of his own skills ; he was average in most stats, not that suited for swordsmanship and only filling the role because most of the team was made of mages. But it had ceased to be about him as an individual, and had started to be about all of them, what they would all bring to the class against their teacher and the main building. His role was the same but his priorities clearly had switched.

“Ah, now that I think about it. There was that closed hall we met on the way, right? Okajima, you said we might find an emergency switch at proximity, what about the range? Do you think it could be down there? -That might actually be likely. Those kinds of doors are supposed to be opened and closed only from the inside, so the switch can’t be in a convenient place or people would be tempted to use it.”

While overall architecture was Chiba’s speciality, Okajima had an interest in traps and locks. It started from the idea of a giant trap for Korosensei, with dirty magazines as a bait, but recently he also used his knowledge in more varied ways -which might or might have to do with how the girls had started to lock the door behind them whenever they changed into PE clothes- and Mimura had started to rely on him in dungeons.

“And for how the switch might look like? Do you have an idea? -It’s might be more like a lever, actually. If it was a switch a monster would have stepped on it after all this time, and the emergency system for those is pretty basic, you can open but not close. Most of the treasure this deep into the dungeon were still there, so I don’t think another group could have come and closed the doors once again recently. -Right, this seems logical. Then... Chiba, is there enough light for you to see if you can locate a lever down there? If it’s accessible, I would like you or Hayami to try shooting on it, we might be able to activate it from a distance. -It’s a bit dark, but that much isn’t a problem.” The archer replied while getting closer to the edge of the stairs, observing the area below for a moment before declaring: “Ah, there. Behind the Iron Tortoise. -Big enough to hit with an arrow? -Yeah, but I won’t be able to get a good angle from here if the goal is to move it in the opposite direction. Hayami, you might be able to do it, though, if you use the wall next to it, with your bug it would bounce back to the target, right?” Chiba asked, turning his head to the left. “That shouldn’t be a problem,” Hayami replied to his right, taking a moment for locating said lever with binoculars.

Her shooting range wasn’t so high originally that she could have hit such a target, bug or not, but since Chiba didn’t need to buff his bugged skill, any item raising that specific stat was given to her. Given the pair only switched their original weapons to bows recently, one could say they truly were talented.

...It might be a bit inappropriate, but Mimura was envious of them. He wished he could switch to something else, too, a job at the back of the group, without having to get so close to the monsters or shielding his comrades. Maybe guys like Terasaka and his gang could endure a lot of damage, but he didn’t have their HP nor their tolerance to pain. Hell, if he at least had their strength, he might feel a bit more confident going in front, but no, he didn’t have that, didn’t have Maehara’s reflexes sharpened by training against Okano, didn’t have Isogai or Kataoka’s skills in support magic, and he was far, far away from becoming a magic swordsman like Karma. And, needless to say, he wasn’t competent with a bow or firearms either.

...So much for going into heroics.

“Did it work? -Yes, I’m pretty sure I heard something moving.” Nakamura replied. “Well, if we’re not going downstairs anyways it’s no point wondering, let’s go back. -Urg, I’m not looking forward for the climb.” Fuwa sighed before starting her ascension.

Her feeling was shared among the group, but while they all complained about dungeon exploration at some point or another, they were all used to going in circles by now. Mimura was ready to follow, last of the group as he had been head of the line during their descent, but immediately stopped when seeing that one of their member had yet to move. Sugaya looked at him, like he wanted to add something, but was unsure whether this was the right moment.

“...Sorry, you guys,” Mimura asked toward the others, “could you climb without me and Sugaya? We will catch up to you in a moment. -Sure,” Hayami nodded, “we didn’t met any monster on the stairs yet, so it probably won’t be a problem if we divide the group. -Well, don’t take too long,” Nakamura added, “or I will tell Korosensei you two are skipping homework to play lovebirds together, I’m sure he would love the story.”

Mimura only replied with an unimpressed glance, which made her smile before turning her head back to the next step. Trying to refute her attempts at trolling would only make her insist on it.

“So, is everything alright?” He finally asked the mage once he was sure they could speak unbothered.

“Ah, yes, sorry, I’m fine, you didn’t need to tell everyone to leave, it’s just... Well, I guess I could get your opinion on this.” Sugaya opened the item bag hanging out on his side, filled with items. As he was usually the first to get out of MP, he would often be the one to grab potions or antidotal herbs for the others, so naturally he ended up being the one to carry them for everyone. “I asked Okuda if she could create magic ink for me to experiment with boost-giving tattoos, and I did came up with something, but the effect only last a few hours, so I was wondering if it’s best to leave it for before the dungeon boss or if I should draw it while we’re not in a rush. -Good question. When you say ‘a few hours’, did you time it? -Not really. In fact, I’m not sure if it isn’t affected by the number of fights we get into. -True, some items work like that. Well, it’s still impressive if it manages to last that long, though.”

Mimura said that honestly. The idea was great: he had heard already about the strength-boosting ‘Tough guy tattoo’, but this was an adhesive item, which he knew was different from the tattoos Sugaya liked to draw on his arms sometimes. An hour-long boost that didn’t take place in their inventory would be a major advantage, if they could time it properly. Making sure they wouldn’t use it completely before the boss’ room while not wasting it by only putting it on the last moment would take some practice. Maybe they should ask Sugino for tips, with his bug he should have some experience in trying to time his own magic.

“I would be tempted to use it right now, we’re kind of in a tight spot if we don’t find a place to heal. I would feel more secure if we get a bit of help into battles. What stats is it supposed to raise, anyways, it’s not Coolness is it?” It wouldn’t be very helpful for fighting, given the mage had yet to learn any Charm spell. “Are you implying my tattoos aren’t cool by default?” Sugaya pretended to be offended, but when he raised his eyes away from his bag a small ink bottle in hand, he had a smile on his face. “But nah, it gives a 10% bonus to strength. -Strength? That... doesn’t seems very useful for a mage? -What? No, it’s for you.”

Mimura blinked.

“Ah. Thank you? But, shouldn’t you have tried for something more helpful for you first? -Eh, I’m fine like that.” Sugaya shrugged, before correcting himself. “I mean, sure, I wouldn’t mind a boost, but that’s no big deal, and lately you’ve been so... unhappy with yourself? You’ve been complaining more about how you should get stronger or stuff like that. -Was I?” Mimura had enough self-awareness to know he could be quite vocal when he wasn’t satisfied with his situation, but to that extent? “Sorry, I didn’t know I was getting annoying. -That’s not- Look, I just wanted to do something nice for you, there’s no hidden motive or anything.” 

Sugaya unbottled the ink in his hand while talking. A long, thin stalk was stuck to the cap, with hair on the other side. Mimura had not yet see the artist make tattoos with a brush, but he supposed it was more convenient to transport.

“Can I have your arm, please? -My- Oh, right. Wow, Can’t believe I’m getting a tattoo. What would my parents say if they knew. -If they don’t want you to get a tattoo then they should get you money to get more items. -Ha, I wish. It would be easier.”

Mimura expected a joking reply, a comment on how Sugaya’s own parents had restricted his pocket money when they figured out he was spending it all in art supplies instead of equipment, but the boy stayed silent as he painted strange arabesques on Mimura’s skin. The artist wasn’t usually against small talk when working, but maybe the task was demanding more focus than expected. Mimura went quiet. He didn’t want to disturb his friend, and it was interesting to see him work from such an angle.

“...You know, I like the way we do thing as it is.” Sugaya finally said. “Drawing boosts instead of getting them by items? -That too. But. You know. How the whole team acts.” As Mimura looked at him confused, Sugaya added. “Dismantling traps, using our bugs to progress instead of fighting. Maybe we’re getting behind the other groups, and we get into trouble because we don’t have an healer or a tank, but... we’re still finding a way to make it work, even if it’s not very conventional. I like it.” He stopped talking an instant as he finished drawing a rune. “And I like you being our leader, instead of someone like Isogai or Kataoka. I think you fit us better.”

Mimura wasn’t sure how to reply to that. He could understand it was a compliment, but he never have been that good on handling them. As for the group, it was hard to understand liking it. This messy team, where the girls always got in fights with their only proper swordsman, where they constantly had to go back on their tracks because the monsters were too powerful, where they had to count each gold piece they got because another potion could mean life or death for them...

“...Yeah, I think I like it too, leading this group.”

They might all be a team of barely organised brats, but as much as Mimura complained, they were all good friends, and if he was given the chance to change groups he didn’t think he would take it.

“Glad to hear that.” Sugaya sealed his ink bottle and put it away in his bag. “So, how does it feel? -Hmm, I do feel stronger.” A message appeared in Mimura’s mind, informing him of his stat raise. “Guess I only need to try it now. Come on, let’s join back the others, before Nakamura starts inventing another dramatic story. -As you wish, leader.” Sugaya grinned at him, before suddenly remembering something. “Ah, right, by the way, the effects only last a few hours, but the ink itself stay a whole week, so don’t use that as a reference point. -A whole- And you couldn’t have told me that before tattooing me?!”

Maybe Mimura was wrong, after all, he really should consider changing groups.

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There are such a lot of low-cost workplace chairs obtainable available in the market that discovering the proper one can show to be a really tough activity. As of late, nonetheless, an ergonomic pc chair is likely one of the finest methods of creating your office or gaming nook an extra comfy place. 

Whereas an ergonomic pc chair is primarily designed to go well with a variety of physique varieties and heights, you'll nonetheless do a little bit of looking earlier than discovering the proper kind of chair that's excellent in your private use. Every ergonomic pc chair is completely different from different related chairs. For instance, one chair may have armrests which are too far aside whereas different chairs may have armrests which are too shut collectively. Some chairs may additionally be too excessive for consolation, even after you have got adjusted it to its lowest settings. You must also contemplate your workstation when in search of an ergonomic pc chair. Some chairs might take up an excessive amount of house and also you may discover your workspace to be too cramped. Best Cheap Gaming Chair

Ideally, your ergonomic pc chair ought to fit your physique kind. If you're skinny, lanky and tall, then it is best to search for an applicable chair. This can make issues loads simpler for you in the long term.

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As of late, many individuals spend most of their lives working in places of work. Which means a big chunk of the inhabitants truly spends eight hours or extra sitting on a specific chair. This is likely one of the most vital the explanation why your chair ought to be as comfy as doable. Many individuals additionally sit on chairs even when they aren't but working in places of work. College students spend a number of time of their chairs attempting to check or whereas doing their homework. Kids who take pleasure in pc video games additionally spend a number of time sitting on chairs. Given the variety of hours you spend sitting, you chair ought to have the ability to give your again and the remainder of your physique ample assist. Utilizing an ergonomic pc chair will assist stop many well being issues in a while in life.

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ergonomic pc chair must also have quite a lot of vital traits. It ought to be absolutely adjustable. This can will let you alter the chair to evolve to your physique's dimensions. Your chair must also have a snug padded again relaxation. That is vital since your backrest will present assist to your backbone and your again.

You might use a tree stump or fishing bucket as a fishing chair. Each are certainly low-cost and simple to seek out. Nevertheless, avid fishermen would ask you to contemplate the results, a soar bottom, and maybe a depressing fishing journey. They advocate that you simply take the time to buy a fishing chair, utilizing a five-step technique. The underside line is you'll not remorse it in the long run.

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The second step is to find out what sort of fishing you are going to do. If you may be angling from a financial institution or a pier, then a primary fishing chair works finest. The essential chair to contemplate is the tenting chair. These fashions are often fitted to sporting occasions or campsites and are sometimes the most cost effective. If you may be spending a number of days at your favourite spot you could need to contemplate a 'quad chair' this chair is comparatively cheap, often lower than twenty dollars, very comfy, and fold as much as a measurement that's simple to place in your truck or auto. Specialised chairs are wanted for avid fishermen searching for lager sport fish.

The third step is to contemplate is the portability of the chair. Most manufactured chairs are constructed out of light-weight aluminum, thus permitting the angler the flexibility to hold the fishing chair to the campsite with relative ease. Most additionally present a strap that may be hoisted over your shoulder, releasing up your palms to hold different essential gear. Specialised chairs are a bit extra cumbersome and you have to to pay particular consideration to the burden. Best Cheap Gaming Chair

The forth step is consolation and ought to be crucial. The fishing chair must be comfy. Avid fishermen are prepared to spend many days on the lake and fishing is a tedious course of. Lengthy durations of time might cross earlier than the fish grow to be energetic and also you want a fishing chair that you may absolutely calm down in. The quantity of padding relies upon loads on the person angler, and what number of nights they plan to spend on the campsite. Typically talking, the extra days you are on the lake, a well-padded fishing chair will go an extended technique to give you the consolation it's worthwhile to keep alert throughout the fishing hours.

The final step is sturdiness. You need to get the 'finest bang for you buck.' The avid fisherman should additionally must think about how lengthy the chair will final underneath numerous climate situations. Aluminum components of a chair that has been handled towards oxidization are much less more likely to rust and corrode round water. If you buy a chair that's handled to forestall mould, it won't publish a well being hazard, and can look higher for an extended time frame. This can give your fishing chair an extended shelf life, maybe years, including most worth in your dollars spent.

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‎FLAC MP3 Converter On The Mac App Store

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is a measurement-compressed however lossless digital audio format with smaller file measurement than uncompressed lossless codecs like WAV FLAC is presently nicely-supported by many software purposes and hardware assist is rising. The bitrate of the MP3s this program makes is so bad I might quite put 500MB of FLACs on my cellphone than take heed to the horse crap this program spits out. After trying many purposes, we realized that VLC Media Player is able to changing audio and video information, too, which is great information contemplating we already had the software put in and we guess most of you do, too. Usually FLAC files are used by music fanatics, audiophiles, music producers, sound editors, and audio engineers, but there are different uses for them as effectively, virtually at all times related to both recording, modifying, or listening to absolutely the highest high quality audio version of a track or audio monitor. HandBrake has a few benefits over the Lion Automator and iTunes strategies. The primary is that it could possibly convert video files not natively supported by the Mac OS. You'll be able to, for instance, convertavi andmkv information. It also means that you can batch process files. Just select a file you wan to transform and click the Add To Queue button at the prime of the HandBrake window. Then add every other recordsdata you wish to convert, utilizing this same Add To Queue button. Once you're ready, simply click Begin. HandBrake will set about converting all the files within the queue. Run Free FLAC to MP3 Converter firstly, merely click on the "Add Media Recordsdata" button to pick out audio recordsdata out of your onerous drive. You can even add batch audio information by clicking menu "File -> Batch Add Media Recordsdata". Step 1. To free convert FLAC to MP3 using Video Converter Free, download, set up and launch the software program. Make sure that to select the Convert option earlier than utilizing the software program. Add information utilizing the Add Information choice or simply drag and drop the information on the primary interface. FLAC, or Free Lossless Audio Codec, is an audio format that compresses music files without losing any knowledge. However, as is the case with most lossless codecs, the information are often quite giant and may fill your storage space with only a few albums. Additionally, the FLAC format is not broadly supported on cell devices, so you may need to flip your FLAC recordsdata into the extra widely supported MP3 format to be on the secure facet. The easiest option to get this accomplished is through the use of Movavi Video Converter.

Large-scale digital media distributors, resembling Apple and Amazon, use DRM (Digital Rights Administration) encryption for copyright protection and to authenticate the media player you authorize to play the encrypted information. Once you purchase an album or track from iTunes, the DRM-protected file can solely play on an Apple machine that's related together with your Apple ID. If you want to play that music or album on an Android phone or pill, it's good to use a copy of the file that doesn't have DRM encryption. You possibly can tell if a file is encrypted or protected by proper-clicking on it and consulting its properties. Now go right down to Profile drop-down menu at the bottom of the window to reveal the export format record, and then select MP3 - MPEG Layer-three Audio (.mp3) from the Normal Audio checklist. With this simple-to-use converter, you'll be able to simply convert any Spotify music or flac to mp3 online playlist in simply four steps while retaining a hundred% unique high quality and ID3 tags after conversion. After that, you'll be able to freely take pleasure in Spotify music on any machine as you want. Earlier than you moved towards online instruments, we wish to introduce you to the best and probably the most beneficial desktop software for flac to mp3 online to MP3 conversion. It's Wondershare Video Converter Final which has many perks similar to video file format conversions. When put next with any free FLAC to MP3 converter online, you needn't preserve doing the tedious job of loading a web page, as the software program performs any operation swiftly. Your ALAC recordsdata possible stayed relatively small because there wasn't a lot information there for them to encode. If you had began with a lossless source (like a CD or vinyl) and encoded them to ALAC, then converted them to MP3, you'd see the files shrink so much. After I rip a CD to ALAC, it will normally use between 250mb to 750mb for a full album. My relatively small library is getting near 40gb already. Slower converting velocity than desktop FLAC converters particularly when changing a large or a number of recordsdata. WMA: Windows Media Audio is Microsoft's personal proprietary format, much like MP3 or AAC. It doesn't actually offer any benefits over the opposite formats, and it's also not as effectively supported. There's very little reason to rip your CDs into this format. Some audiophiles claim that FLAC provides you with the close to audio CD sound high quality whereas compressing the file measurement to more than 50%, making it the almost perfect" sound compression algorithm out there immediately. For those who hold around people with golden ears, you'll probably stumble into FLAC lots. Supports wide range of audio file formats comparable to AC3, AAC, MP3, FLAC, M4A, MKA, OGG, WAV, APE and so forth. A minimum of it factors out what is very important: good recordings, good original information, good converters, and, to keep away from jitter, a very good clock for the converter. To FLAC Converter can encode the unlimited number of media information and folders. Just add your audio and video for conversion. The application will maintain folders' construction, authentic tags and file names for all output MP3s. You can be supplied with detailed progress of every file's conversion and notified when encoding of all files is finished.It can be MP3, FLAC, OGG, WAV, WMV or any of the supported formats. Hello-fi: Of course, the largest benefit to FLAC recordsdata is that they're ideally suited to listening on a hi-fi machine. Allow you to regulate bitrate, sample value, channel of a audio file in order that you may reduce file dimension whereas holding audio prime quality as excessive as doable. Convert your FLAC recordsdata to MP3 audio. Bypass DVD CSS, Area Code, Multi-angle, Disney X-Challenge DRM and other advanced copy protections. Extract audio from DVD with 1:1 authentic quality preserved and convert the audio to MP3, FLAC, WAV, OGG, AAC and more with simple clicks.