#the puzzles are frustrating but I like the setting characters and story

[quibbs126]

With Witch’s Castle coming out and my fixation on the Ancients, now I’m just imagining this scenario of them first meeting in the castle

Like, they were baked by witches in the castle and all met up within the walls, becoming a team, and then eventually escaping the castle out into the world of Earthbread, and later on getting their Soul Jams and founding their kingdoms and stuff

I know this probably wouldn’t happen considering different games (even if I think they share similar worlds) and the fact that they have homelands, but it’s an idea in my head that I really like

[petday]

whats little magic?

It is a puzzle game for the Super Famicom and Game Boy Color video game systems. I like the Game Boy Color game much more for its art direction, and it's also just more fun for me to play with the 'bubble magic' mechanic in that version. I wrote more about my enjoyment below, in case anyone is curious.

The game’s box art is very beautiful, right? It caught my eye right away. The in-game 'cutscene' artwork appears to be carefully-made pixel art versions of the same artist's illustrations and they are similarly beautiful. (Sorry in advance if my photograph quality is not great.)

But the actual levels themselves look very haphazard. Clashing colors and tiles. It's easy enough to guess that a blue tile next to a white tile represents water and snow, respectively, but what does the yellow cluster-of-boxes tile represent? Yellow bricks of a tower…? How about the spike-y objects in the snow-water levels? I guessed they were underwater mines, but then there's the same tile in a later level too, just palette-swapped to be red… The two monochrome tiles in the third picture above teleports your character, but it has a two-frame animation that made me think of an ‘industrial grinder’ and ‘static noise’, so I assumed it was dangerous at first. Was it intended to be nondescript ‘sparkly magic’? Where are all of these levels taking place, anyway? No other humans are in these areas, just various animals and vague environmental indicators. There are cute snakes in some ‘yellow brick’ levels that end your life upon touching them. Seems irresponsible for a teacher to allow her student into perilous areas, no matter how eager she is to pass her final exam at magic school and become a magician.

Oh, I should explain the story. (None of the above photos are in sequence, just wanted to show more of the game.) The story is about a girl who attends magic school, and aims to pass a series of tests to become a full-fledged magician. Her teacher encourages her. The lack of explanation in the story is another fun point for me. Her magic teacher doesn't explain why 'learning magic' consists of pushing a heart into a heart-shaped hole that triggers a staircase to appear, which is what you need to do to complete each level. (It’s a beating heart – is it alive?) No explanation as to why snakes end your life instantly upon touching them. The context of 'because you want to pass your exams, a teacher is putting you through trials to help you become a master of magic’ isn’t an adequate explanation, because the teacher also tells you that she has not passed the final exam - why is a teacher putting a student through something that is too difficult even for herself? Who is in control of all of the strange areas you need to ‘complete’ in order to become a real magician, then? (After you complete the game with the student, you can play a different set of levels as the teacher, but even the usual sparse context-giving ‘cutscenes’ are not there… Mysterious…)

So, all of that is why my drawing about ‘Little Magic’ is about ‘confusion’, ‘going along with something that makes sense at first, but quickly unravels to not make sense any longer’, ‘growing distrust of authoritative figures’, and ‘frustration from stagnation.’ https://petday.tumblr.com/post/730315736066768896

Maybe the instruction booklet explains everything; I did not have access to that while playing, and I like that feeling. ‘Renting a game from a video game rental store that did not come with an instruction booklet, and being perplexed by it, forced to create your own context because you have nothing else’ feeling. Randomly selecting games to play that do not have much documentation online is enjoyable to me, because of that feeling.

A fan translation group translated the Game Boy Color game from Japanese to English in 2018. There wasn't a lot of dialogue in the first place, though. I like games where there is little to no dialogue because one can imagine a story/context besides what is shown. Up until 2022, I could not find a solution for the teacher’s final puzzle, so I interpreted the ending of the game’s story as, ‘The magic teacher thought she could harness a type of magic far stronger than what she could handle, accidentally designed an impossible puzzle for herself and is trapped for eternity.’ Of course, the puzzle has a solution, but I wanted to honour my strange interpretation regardless. When I play games and have weird interpretations of them, I am definitely not saying, 'I bet this is what the people who worked on this game were thinking!' I dislike that attitude. It's just imaginative interpretation, and working with the odd way I interact with things in order to maximize fun for myself…

A part about old games that I also love, is that they can never be updated; they had one chance to release a finished game, and maybe another chance to fix glitches in a re-release if they sold very many copies the first time. I greatly enjoyed the ‘imperfect’ tilesets and abrupt feeling of this game, which might have been ‘improved’ in a patch if it had been released in recent years instead of 1999.

(I wasn’t sure where to include this point, but I must also say, my favourite YouTube comments are about someone’s unusual interpretations of a game, when they did not have access to a guide at the time. I read one recently – the comment author and their brother rented ‘Final Fantasy IV’ from a rental store, and they did not know about the ‘Poison’ status effect that depletes the characters health. There is a strange pixelation effect and a ringing sound when you walk around the overworld while poisoned. Because the save file they were playing from was during a point of the game where you visit the moon, and because of the unfamiliar visual and sound effect, they interpreted the ‘Poison’ status effect as, “The moon must be running out of air.” Things like that are beautiful to me.)

(I also wasn’t sure where to put this point, but the main character, May, from ‘Little Magic’, is stylized differently in some ‘cutscenes’. She resembles a dragon to me. It’s cute.)

[three--rings]

to get back to ofmd bitterness for a minute, I'm increasingly over the oh-so-plentiful variety of post that's like:

oh but OFMD S2 is actually perfect, it's only problematic to people who OVERTHINK THINGS.

Like, hi, this is fandom, have we met? THAT'S WHAT WE DO HERE.

And no one is saying you can't enjoy it for what it is and enjoy gifs of actors being cute and kissing and everything, have a blast. You don't have to get deep into textual analysis to be a fan.

BUT, while OFMD has always been a funny, cute show that tells a brisk story, but what I really, really appreciated about it was that when you interrogated it more deeply, it HELD TOGETHER. In fact, there seemed no end of depth to it. Everything WORKED symbolically, thematically. I became used to looking at the story on that level.

And S2 came out and it SEEMED like it was the same. so much depth, so much seriousness it seemed to be treating things with.

And then...it all fell apart in the last half. And that's SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING.

As an example, when the opening scene was Stede's dream of killing Izzy and running to Ed on a beach, looking dashing and manly, MANY MANY people in fandom immediately were like, OH. This is the show telling us what's NOT going to happen. This is the schlocky, cliched version of things. Where the hero is masculine and violent and the evil are punished and the romance is easily happily resolved.

This is the show saying we're not going to do the expected thing.

And then the end of the show killed Izzy and had Ed and Stede run to each other on a beach while doing violence, Stede looking capable and rugged, and they didn't really have to work at resolving their issues they just were Fine Actually.

So it felt kinda like spitting in the face of all the people writing meta about the show. It was playing INTO expectations instead of against them, and that felt like a betrayal of the show's core Thing.

But if you're not someone who was thinking about that kind of thing, then sure, probably it felt like 'oh it's a happy ending, cool.'

And I'm just sad that when I try to analyze these characters and their arcs in this season in detail, as I really on some level feel I NEED to, I'm left holding a bunch of parts that don't fit together. I thought I was being given a bunch of cool puzzle pieces that was going to make a pretty picture but when I was told it was done it was just some random shapes.

And again, if you're a casual viewer, like my husband for instance, you can walk away going "I thought it was pretty good" and be satisfied and that's great.

But I'm here trying to write fic set in a post S2 canonical universe and I CAN'T MAKE THE CHARACTER PIECES FIT RIGHT. and it's driving me nuts.

[bun-lapin]

NRC Staff Story: Food Thief

Summary: Someone is stealing food in the staff break room

A/N: I feel like there's not enough crack fics featuring the staff characters! There are many days where I just want to laugh at the exploits of our beloved, silly teachers lol I love thinking about the funny hijinks they could get into as a ragtag cast of coworkers~! <3

Word Count: 1.3k CW: crack, silly, dramatic shouting, childish insults, someone says 'ass' lol

“There is a villain in our midst.”

Professor Crewel closes the fridge door with a decisive snap of his wrist and then turns to face his colleagues assembled in the staff break room. He crosses his arms over his chest, an expression of deep annoyance plastered over his elegant features.

Raising an eyebrow, Professor Trein peers over his teacup at the younger professor and dryly asks, “Would you care to elaborate on that cryptic remark, Divus?”

Crewel briefly closes his eyes and lets out a frustrated sigh. Opening his eyes once more, he levels a petulant glare at Professor Trein and explains, “There is a thief in this room. Snacks have been taken without permission all week and now the criminal has taken something of mine.” He raises his arm and then brings it down in a grand sweeping motion, pointing a red-gloved finger at everyone in the room, “It has to be someone in this room right now! I placed a slice of apple rum cake in the fridge, stepped out of the room for ten minutes, and now I find that my cake is gone!”

Trein looks over at Coach Vargas. Leaning against the far wall, the athletics professor shifts the dumbbell in his hand to the other and then silently shakes his head at Trein. They both look over to Sam, who is lounging on a small, red sofa filling out a crossword puzzle. He raises his eyebrows and shakes his head with a small shrug of his shoulders. The three men turn their heads to look back once more at Professor Crewel.

With a weary sigh, Trein states, “No one here has taken your cake, Divus.”

Planting his hands on his hips in a defiant posture, Crewel scoffs with indignation, “I’m telling you, my cake is gone! One of you has to have taken it because no one else has come in or out of this room this whole time!”

Sam chuckles quietly and flashes an easygoing smile at Crewel. He raises a hand in a calming motion and says, “Snacks have indeed gone missing this past week, Divus. But you should remember that everyone here has also been a victim of this food thief, myself included! A thief can’t steal from himself, can he?”

Professor Crewel’s stance softens slightly as he considers Sam’s words. Narrowing his eyes, he mutters with some reluctance, “I suppose that is a good point…”

Setting his dumbbell down carefully on the floor, Coach Vargas lets out a boisterous laugh and says, “I know I definitely didn’t take it! Today isn’t a cheat day and there’s no way I’d eat the useless calories from your little cake.”

Crewel’s posture immediately bristles and he yells at Vargas, “Oh shut up, you lumbering meathead! Why don’t you go suck an egg?!”

Vargas folds his arms over his broad chest and raises an eyebrow at Crewel. “There’s no need to shout. And for your information, I’ve already had my raw egg shake for the day.”

Professor Trein slowly shakes his head and turns back to the newspaper in his lap. Without looking up, he tiredly states, “Ashton. The phrase ‘Go suck an egg’ is a dismissive insult.”

“I- I knew that!” Vargas sputters out in obvious surprise. He quickly composes himself and then glowers at Professor Crewel. Stalking over across the room, Vargas points an accusatory finger at Crewel and shouts, “Just because you lost your dumb cake somewhere, that doesn’t mean you can insult me like that! You wanna take this outside and settle this like men, you scrawny beanpole?!”

With a small huff of exasperation, Crewel sweeps back the white hair framing one side of his face. Through gritted teeth, his voice low with barely checked annoyance, he growls, “I didn’t lose my cake, you useless pile of muscles. I placed it in the fridge just a few minutes ago and now it’s disappeared!”

Slowly rolling up the sleeves of his red athletic jacket, Vargas shakes his head with restrained outrage, “Now you’ve gone and done it. No one calls my muscles useless! Let’s take this outside where I can really kick your ass!”

The two men lunge towards each other with fists raised. However, before either can strike, Sam steps smoothly in between the two and firmly pushes them apart. “Alright, gents! Let’s cool it down now. Fighting is not going to solve this situation.” He shakes his head with a playful smirk on his face and asks, “What would the students say if they saw two professors of this esteemed institution duking it out like a pair of street thugs?”

Glancing up from his newspaper, Trein scowls at the young men and remarks, “Sam is correct. You two should know better than to jump to violence over something so trivial.” Turning back to his reading, he adds with a disapproving sniff, “Do try to keep some semblance of professionalism in the workplace.”

Both Crewel and Vargas take a step back, away from each other, and exchange irritated glares. Straightening out their clothes, the two men mutter barely audible excuses. Then, as the break room door suddenly swings open, everyone turns to look at the dark figure in the doorway.

Holding a small, white paper box in his hands, Headmage Crowley takes a few steps into the room and turns to address Professor Trein, “Ah! Mozus! Do you have the test scores I asked to see this morning?” Opening the box in his hands, he takes out a small wooden fork and nonchalantly takes a bite of the apple rum cake packaged inside.

Blinking rapidly with utter disbelief, Crewel furiously points at the box in Crowley’s hands and shouts, “That’s my cake! How did you get that?!”

Crowley, startled by the sudden outburst, regains his composure and answers in a matter-of-fact kind of voice, “I got it from the fridge, of course.”

Sam shakes his head in bewilderment and explains, “What Divus means to say is, how did you get the cake from the fridge, Crowley? None of us saw you come into the break room to take it.”

Taking another bite of cake, Crowley answers, “Ah yes! I’ve had a small mirror portal installed in the back of the fridge so that I can grab myself a snack without having to walk all the way from my office to the break room.”

A heavy, thoughtful silence fills the room as the group considers Crowley’s explanation. Without a word, Coach Vargas strides over to the fridge and opens it wide. Looking inside, everyone takes in the sight of a miniature mirror portal, about the size of a dinner plate, attached to the back wall of the fridge and half-hidden behind some tall juice cartons. A collective sigh of disappointment and frustration is heard as they all turn back to glare at Crowley.

Closing his eyes tight with a grimace, Trein pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs, “Crowley, those snacks all belonged to various member of the staff. You’ll have reimburse everyone you stole from.”

Professor Crewel raises a hand high in the air and angrily shouts, “You can start with me, seeing as how you’re literally eating my cake as we speak!”

Crowley glances down at the paper box in his hands and then looks back up with a nervous laugh. Taking a step backwards through the open door, he calls out in a fast-paced, reassuring tone, “Ah! Yes, of course! I’ll just go a fetch my wallet now so that I can pay you back for this delicious cake!” Crowley then turns and hurries off down the hallway.

The four men watch the animated headmage disappear into the distance and sit for a minute in silence. Breaking the quiet moment with a cynical laugh, Sam mutters to himself, “We’re never going to get paid back.”

[carlyraejepsans]

Hey, if you don’t mind the question. What’s your opinion on Undertale Yellow?

8/10 game. pretty good at being a game, not so much at being an undertale story. the gameplay itself was fun, the area/puzzle designs too, the soundtrack was untouchable it literally gave me the same rush i felt hearing sburb initiation for the first time. minor NPCs designs were fun but the primary cast was too monotonous, tbh. (all the main characters have tall gangly very detailed designs save for like, axis). its attempts at landing Undertale's humor were quite often successful, but it held back on exaggeration and caricaturing its original characters which took away that oomph from the canon game. the character writing was... lacking. which is a pity.

i love fucked up women so i was really disappointed that every single one of ceroba's actions/ideas/influences on the story were nothing but an extension of her dead husband. when you take chujin away she's just... A Good Wife and Mother. or starlo's past love interest ig. i mean both dalv and martlet's backstory were tied to her family and we never see them interact at all. but they do have an established dynamic.... with the dead husband. again. UGH. she's just really wasted as a character (she and chujin should've BOTH been scientists and she should've continued the project AGAINST his wishes after he died. she's the main cast character, she should be the driving force in the narrative, not him—even if chujin sets the plot in montion by inventing the serum first).

I'm not a huge asgore fan—not that i dislike him, he's just not a character i care about all that much—so congrats to this game for making me say "he would NOT fucking say that". the "fuck the royals" subplot thing was really unnecessary. actually, that was a bit of a recurring thing in the game. suddenly introducing these Huge Social Dilemmas like labor exploitation, anti-monarchic sentiments, misogyny (bro who on earth "needs to take a wife" this is Undertale) everyone realizing that clover is a child, over exaggerating the violence at stake... while also attempting to maintain Undertale's careless, bouncy treatment of the situation. that's... not how things work. undertale is able to maintain its light tone BECAUSE it doesn't let you take those topics seriously, they're not meant to be. the fairytale-like king, the battles, the child protagonist, they're all set dressings for the REAL story and REAL power imbalance it wants to highlight: that between player and game characters. everything is in function of that. you take that layer of separation and make everyone aware that theyre violently attacking and killing a literal child... that's not. a good thing dude. if it's not gonna impact the tone of the story, why acknowledge it in the first place? it's just unnecessary

anyway flowey neutral run was really, really fun. his dialogue writing all throughout the game was very solid and i had a blast having him around. however, they shouldn't have tried to anticipate his character development. this game is a prequel, you can't do that without undermining his arc in the canon events. pacifist should've had him doubling down on his frustration from the neutral ending. i do all this work for you keeping you alive and you make the same mistake i did sacrifice yourself for them??? are you BRAINDEAD???? what I'm saying is he basically should've thrown the biggest tantrum of his LIFE. oh and in the NM run he should've been terrified when he lost control of the SAVE file. this is the first time it's ever happened to him and now he's gonna die for good. he wouldn't have gloated like he did.

if you want to hear more criticism along the lines of what i said then this post by the fantastic @andreabandrea covers a lot of what i also felt during the game. i know this might sound like a lot of negativity, but the fact remains that UTY was an absolutely phenomenal work of fan creativity the likes of which we have never seen before in the fandom. considering the quality and polish, i thought it only fair to approach it as the piece of art it is and give it my genuine thoughts on the matter.

overall, still a really fun way to spend the afternoon with a pal. so. thumbs up

[elliewilliamsblunt]

(¯`·¸.-~*´¨¯`*·~-. 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕔𝕖 .-~*´¨¯`*·~-.¸·´¯)

Notes!: Hii!! This will be my first full series!! This chapter is pretty slow, it goes more into detail on the reader and her back story. I wanted to start a base for how the reader's plot will be about her feelings toward growing into her sexuality!:) Again this is BACKSTORY, Ellie and the rest of the characters are next chapter. There are a few OCs I wrote but they are just family and old friends they aren't major characters.

Summary: After a harrowing confrontation with her family, she finds herself fleeing from home, seeking refuge on the doorstep of a distant aunt's house. Desperate for a fresh start and eager to break free from the shackles of her past trauma, she dreams of embracing the freedom and joy that adulthood promises. Determined to carve out her own path, she sets her sights on attending a local college, yearning for the chance to rebuild her life on her own terms.

TW: self-image issues, identity struggle, trauma, ptsd, religious trauma, homophobia, internal homophobia.

(if you don't want to read the backstory just wait for the next chapter)

Past tense= italics

Present= Regular

↞chapter one↠

⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧• 𓆩⚝𓆪 •⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧

Winter…

Quiet murmuring gently purred in the back of your head. While cheek tingled numbly against the cold glass, and your arms lazily hugged your heavy duffle bag. Until an abrupt yet subtle jolt alerted your eyes to flutter sluggishly open. The long ride to Wyoming had finally ended, along with a peaceful end to the hell you went through. Your weary gaze swept over the quaint station, dusted with a rare powder unfamiliar to the Arizona landscape. Dormant trees stood sentinel, while locals huddled together like snug penguins. The site was gorgeous, comforting even. But you couldn't help but hold yourself a bit tighter in novelty. Despite the harsh factors that led you into a new state…you crumbled back to being a homesick child.

“You gettin’ off?” the elderly driver interjected, causing you to jerk your head away from the window, only to realize the bus was now empty, his puzzled gaze fixated on your attire, It was embarrassingly obvious you weren't a local…” Y-yeah! Sorry…” you stammered, hastily swinging your duffle bag over your shoulders and briskly shuffling off the bus.

The biting cold seemed to sting your skin like venom, eliciting a scowl and banishing your fatigue. Yet, given the abruptness of your departure from Arizona, there wasn't much opportunity to select the most suitable attire for these foreign conditions since you ran. So, you swallow back your frustrations like a cold pill shoving your hands in your hoodie pockets. Venturing through the busy station, hoping to start your new life freely.

༺♰༻

You'd never once seen your aunt, besides in the backgrounds of your baby photos. Aubrey was mostly a hushed name back at home—a figure who seemed to have disgraced the family name, severed ties with the church, and retreated to the solitude of the mountains. As a little girl you didn't quite get it, more so blindly following your parent's morals and bubbling a grudge against the distant kin. It wasn't really till your older cousins sneered and gossiped about her forbidden sins boredly awaiting Christmas morning.

“You know why Auntie isn't here?” Brianna hummed boredly to her older brother lounging lazily on his phone. “Cause she's a fuckin dyke?” He’d snort making you gasp over his vulgarity, and a small pout to settle on your lips. “I'm gonna tell your momma you're cussing..” You warned being the whiney girl you were, causing the older twins to scoff. ”yeah Dustin tone it down for the baby..” Brianna cooed mockingly, triggering your cheeks to flush in humiliation and annoyance. Dustin chuckled carelessly with a shrug. “Tone it down? It’s true, she's a total freak! That homo ran off with some girl. Abandoning the people who really cared for her.”

“You guys are such liars!” You exclaimed in annoyance trying to mask the tight feeling in your gut. ”Sure! We’d just make something like that up” Brianna interjected rolling her eyes. “You’re such a little brat, maybe you’re just like her too that’s why you’re callin’ us, liars!”

“I-I am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!!” You’d cry once more trembling slightly in anxiety.

“Are too!!” Brianna taunted back louder than before only for your bedroom door to be slammed open by their furious mother now awoken from slumber.

You vividly recall the fear that gripped you that night, promising yourself never to resemble that woman. Now, you stand, perhaps finally at the correct house, your entire life condensed into a duffle bag and a hopeful “prayer.” Like god could spare you any mercy now…Releasing a trembling sigh, you ascend the weathered steps of the Victorian residence, awkwardly lingering outside, feeling abandoned and cold.

The creak of the door opening was like a thunderclap in your chest, causing your heart to race and your palms to dampen even in the cold. What if she, too, turns you away? I'm sure she doesn’t want to care for someone kid! What if she insists on sending you back to your parents? What if... What if... What if...?

Your mind quieted as the woman's unfamiliar voice called your name, gentle yet tinged with confusion. Her soft, alarmed gaze pierced through you, triggering an immediate welling of tears. Trembling chin, pouted lips, eyes already puffy from your last breakdown. You couldn’t bear to even muster up a reason for being on her porch. You whimpered ducking your face into your palms sobbing softly until you felt her arms envelop you, in a comforting warmth.

༺♰༻

You had never been one for trouble, You were known for your impeccable character, attending church faithfully every Sunday and participating in Bible study. Your academic achievements were outstanding, consistently ranking at the top of your class. Beyond your academic pursuits, you dedicated yourself to cheerleading and even volunteered to support the homeless community. With a coveted acceptance to college, your future seemed destined for success and a much-needed break from the small town you called home.

You were a “good girl” under the terms of your teachers and your parents whom you cherished even after your clash. But even so, you weren't really….happy in a sense. You had gotten everything you wanted, god had given you a clear path to achievement. But there was no.….happiness. Guys your age found you quite boring, though you really showed no interest or care for them anyway. While girls couldn't seem to have fun with you, drinking? No. Skimpy fashion? No. Boys? No. Sex? Definitely not.

There were never really many characters to choose from, Arizona was more desert than home. Young people were practically running to get away from their faith and the old morals held in town. But you had always been the little girl who kept to her roots. Treading carefully away from danger and temptation. Even if it was boring…maybe even horrific to worry about even the slightest sin to send you hurling towards damnation. You remained pure and true to Christ. Just a lonely girl and her Bible well…until….

Hannah…

Hannah Whitlock

Lead cheerleader, blonde, freckled-faced, and cherished by everyone in school. Her dad was a lawyer, her mom was a home wife and they lived in the most perfectly white house on the edge of town. Accompanied by a pure golden retriever, a big green yard, and rose bushes lining their fence. She was the epitome of perfection, someone every girl wanted to be and every boy wanted to be with.….though you had trouble deciding which side you fell into long before you two had spoken. But despite that, she seemed like the answer to your loneliness, a miracle from god gracing your presence. Yet, you later realized she was more of a temptation from Satan than a divine gift.

It began when the family relocated to the quaint town, embodying the quintessential "American Family." Hannah's mother, fervently religious, compelled her husband and daughter to immerse themselves in the church community. She immediately caught your gaze being a girl around your age attending rather than the young babies, or the well-practiced elderly. Hence starting your spiral into temptation. Every Wednesday after school you'd attend Bible study where the lovely girl would already be dragging in newcomers with her charm. Her smile even eased you into speaking up in the group as the days went on, along with finally earning a friend.

Brief studies grew to become chatting at on campus, partners in projects, and small sleepovers at her lavish home. She had taken your breath away, someone who had shared your faith, your humor, even your music! You were so drawn to the blonde so blissfully happy you didn't care to spare a thought of your “unnatural” desires. Hannah made your heart pump, and your lips tug into painful smiles. For once in your life….you felt…alive. Everything was well, your families got along great, and your parents loved Hannah and you. Though there was a sliver of turmoil in you, and it was clearly evident you didn't want to be her…But be with her…The way your chest would tighten over her small boy toy obsessions. Or when she'd gawk over karate kid….The girl caught on of course…she wasn't an idiot…but more so amused.

However, one particular afternoon would etch itself into the fabric of your existence. It was the onset of winter break, and just like any other Friday, you'd follow the beauty home for a sleepover. Happily awaiting the plan set the next day when she'd let you accompany a trip to Alaska set by her affluent father. Through your anticipation had left the afternoon quiet, and dull. Hannah had suggested you two “prepared” to meet “hot” ski guys ranting on and on about a boy she had met the year before, stirring yet another fresh wave of frustration within you.

Your head snapped when her sweet voice called your name once more. Drawing you to take your attention off the nail polish you were messily smearing on your toes. “Hm?” you'd hum agitatedly causing her to giggle. “What's up?…” she whispered with a soft smile tugged on her glossy lips making you shift in embarrassment. Quiet and ashamed, you offered a shrug accompanied by a stiff smile. “Nothing…”

“Ugh….don’t be like that..” she whined as she tossed away a magazine scooting closer in bed for your attention. “Come on…you’ve been acting so weird since I started talking about Nathan..” She mumbled as she took the nail polish from your hand quickly taking over. “Weird…?” You snort in a tense tone watching her brush glittery nail polish neatly. “I can feel your annoyance from miles away babe.” She remarked with a soft laugh. Her smile effortlessly infecting your lips to curl up. "I don't know... I'm just not... I mean, I'm not into... guy talk?" you stumble over your words, cringing inwardly. "Guy talk?!" she huffs, laughter bubbling up even more. "Y-yeah... I just... I don't know... I mean, how can you be into those jerks at school..." you mumble in disgust, causing Hannah to give you a confused glance."Oh, come on, you don't think any of the guys are hot?" she teases, while you scrunch your nose in refusal, shaking your head. "Not even Warren?" she presses, as you firmly shake your head once more.

Hannah sighs with a soft giggle. “You’re weird…I swear if you weren’t a Christian I’d think you’re a total dyke…” That word….You felt ten years old again…sobbing to god you wouldn’t become so imbedded with sin….” as if…” you remarked with a weak smile. But part of you knew you weren’t like all the other girls, you weren’t boy crazy, nor did you even fathom the thought of simply holding a guy's hand. You were different, selfish even. You talked down about the boys she awes over…even going so far as to privately shred confessions slid in her locker deaming “It was for better.” Yet, you flaunt your smiles practically awestruck over the blonde when you were supposed to be praying to the man whom you “worshipped.” Too blind to see you were entertaining this fantasy of being satisfied as just a friend.

Let’s face it…you were a fucking hypocrite.

You dedicated countless hours to praying, determined not to succumb to temptation while harboring resentment towards those who seemed happy while you felt miserable. But, here you are, nestled in your crush's bed, her soft smile and infectious laughter filling the room. You were in deep... she had you right on the fucking spot. The girl was cunning, adept at charming others and effortlessly getting whatever she wanted with just the bat of an eye.

Hannah smirked, her touch gentle as she finished painting your toes, closing the nail polish with a flick of her wrist. The glint in her eye was mesmerizing, leaving you shamelessly weak, you hated her for that…even to this day. "I don't know... you seem to only hang around me," she hummed, purring your name, before settling back against her pink comforter, beckoning you to follow suit. Shyly joining her, your eyes tracing patterns on the ceiling, avoiding her captivating gaze. "Am I just that pretty...?" she added softly,

You tilted your head a little to look at her once more….feeling her warm breath on your cheek, your nose so close it could kiss hers. Causing you to shamefully fleet to your worried instincts, toying with the cross necklace resting over your breast. “No….just…sweet..” you hushed back with a gentle smile. “Do you have a crush on me…” she countered abruptly in a playful sense but it was more than enough to make your heart stop its flutter and slowly sink into your stomach.

"Please..." you groaned dramatically in response. "I meannn..."She hummed tauntingly, turning to lay on her side facing you, and you couldn't tear your gaze away. Hannah was... perfect... even when you were too scared to admit it. There was something about that moment that felt so serene, so beautiful, locked away in her room alone. It was as if God had granted you a brief moment of privacy with your true thoughts. You shifted to match her position, unable to resist the magnetic pull of her presence. Her laugh…her smile…the way her pretty nose would scrunch…or the way her hair smelled so disgustingly sweet…she was a magnet for desire.

"The way you talk to me... it's like no one else matters," the blonde whispered teasingly. But at that moment, your mind hadn't even processed the idea of amusement. You felt weightless, you felt... honest for once in your life. "Because no one else does... no one else is as amazing as you, Han," you confessed. The blonde girl's smile faltered slowly, confusion flickering in her azure eyes as they scanned your face. In your own confusion, you mistakenly interpreted her disgust as interest, sinking yourself deeper into oblivion. And then, without thinking, your lips met hers.

She was soft... her lips were sweet like strawberry chapstick, and her blonde locks cascaded silkily between your knuckles. And you instantly felt hungry…so deprived of something so gentle and sweet as a small kiss….you could finally understand why boys had been aching for girls…There was nothing…that could ever match such a heavenly feeling…

Your mind was clouded with affection…so eager to finally kiss the girl you've been aching for.

Leading you to miss how little of a reaction you were getting.

A͓͓̽̽n͓͓̽̽d͓̽ ͓̽t͓͓̽̽h͓͓̽̽e͓̽ ͓̽s͓͓̽̽o͓͓̽̽u͓͓̽̽n͓͓̽̽d͓̽ ͓̽o͓͓̽̽f͓̽ ͓̽h͓͓̽̽e͓͓̽̽r͓̽ ͓̽b͓͓̽̽e͓͓̽̽d͓͓̽̽r͓͓̽̽o͓͓̽̽o͓͓̽̽m͓̽ ͓̽d͓͓̽̽o͓͓̽̽o͓͓̽̽r͓̽ ͓̽o͓͓̽̽p͓͓̽̽e͓͓̽̽n͓͓̽̽i͓͓̽̽n͓͓̽̽g͓̽.

The rest became a hazy blur, a memory you desperately wished to erase. The soft gasp that escaped her mother's lips, the sensation of Hannah's hands forcefully pushing you away...Your gaze shifted to her, once gentle eyes now filled with tears, her hand covering her lips in utter disgust... Your heart plummeted as if a heavy weight had lodged itself in your chest, suffocating you, making it impossible to draw breath.

What the fuck did you do?…

You bolted from her bed, your breaths coming in sharp, ragged gasps, your ears muffled to the barrage of insults and slurs spewing from the girl's mother. Snatching your phone and hoodie, you shoved past the older woman, paying no heed to your packed bags. All you could think about was getting the fuck out of there.

You don’t remember ever crying so much….the way your head throbbed, eyes raw and glossy, nose so congested, each sniffle and huff echoing like uncontrollable hiccups. Walking through the quiet, fading streets of the town, you wished incessantly that you hadn't kissed her, hadn't committed that sin, hadn't ruined something so good to make you forget how grey your life looked.

That dying afternoon before you trudged homeward, you found yourself seated in the weathered church where your paths had first crossed. The scent of aged books lingered in the air, the lacquer on the pews chipped and worn, the church bathed in a somber yellow glow that only intensified with the onset of night. Your gaze fixated on the cross before you, its presence a haunting reminder of your transgressions.

You considered…wrestling with the idea of harboring resentment towards your faith…If God merely represented a distant promise of paradise after enduring a lifetime of suffering, was dedicating yourself worth it? Was it worth adhering to the moral teachings of a book your family had solemnly embraced? Yet, you refused to entertain such thoughts, staunchly forbidding them, even at the potential expense of your own elation.

With a softly whispered plea to the deity, you begged for forgiveness…cleanliness..and a promise of your devotion and focus. You got up and left the house of worship walking home with a small sliver of something better…

There was a brief respite between your sobs until a new menace emerged. You stood quietly beneath a dim, yellow light, your gaze fixed on your mother, seated upon your weathered veranda. Her expression was somber, devoid of discernible emotion—a blank stare. Yet, it was enough to render your legs as heavy as lead, dragging them slowly, step by step, until you halted just shy of the first stair of your porch.

Your mother, keenly aware of your tendency to evade her anger, rose deliberately from her chair—or so you surmised from the creaking floorboards. Yet, you couldn't bring yourself to meet her gaze. "Look at me," she demanded sternly, her voice cutting through the air.…to which you ignored watching tears already beginning to roll warmly down your chin vanishing Into the grass. “LOOK AT ME!” She yelled causing you to jerk and slowly lift your chin before you were met with a harsh smack across your cheek.

So violent, that a small whimper escaped your throat, leaving behind the metallic tang of blood on your gums. Your body quivered, fingertips rushing to soothe your split lip. Only for your wrist to be tugged back harshly by your mother. “Why did I get a call about you coming onto Hannah?!” she bellowed. Coming onto?…”w-what?!” you hiccuped in return. “Don’t play dumb with me! I heard from Mrs Witlock you forced yourself on her daughter!”

No…no Hannah would never say that…

"NO! I-I didn't do it!" You cried out in defense, tears streaming down your cheeks. "Her mom is lying!" Your mother's face contorted with a mix of disgust and anger as she delivered another stinging slap to your cheek. Sobbing uncontrollably, you felt her grip tighten on your hair, forcing you to meet her gaze. "Blaming others for your sins? You should thank your lucky stars your father isn't home to see this!" With a forceful tug, she dragged you back into the house, pushing you roughly inside, causing you to stumble and crash onto the wooden floor. “And don't you dare think for a god damn minute I'm gonna raise a fagget in my home! First thing tomorrow you're gonna get your shit together and head to a camp! you best pray you get your act together or you ain't coming home!” She hissed her chest ragged falling and rising angrily. “Do you understand?!”

You whimpered, stifling back sobs, utterly unable to find words to respond, which only seemed to stoke her anger further. She knelt, gripping your cheeks tightly. "Do you understand?!" she yelled once more. "Y-yes!!!" you screamed. Finally releasing her grip, she scoffed softly. "Get upstairs and pack…before you end up like your fucking aunt."

Relieved to be away from her wrath, you bolted clumsily upstairs. With hiccuping breaths, a busted lip, and puffy eyes, you retreated to your room, slamming the door shut behind you. Your mind raced a mile a minute, grappling with the events of the evening. How could Hannah say such things? How could your mother...even...No...

No…

You're done….

You're done living like this…

This town, Hannah, your damn parents, the church—screw it all! You're fed up with living the life they've prescribed for you. As you pack your duffle bag with essentials—shoes, soap, a measly seventy bucks—you retrieve the solitary photo hidden beneath your cluttered bed. —the one thing you have of your aunt, sent to you privately on your tenth birthday…along with a small note.….a pretty glittery card sent far later than your birthday…

“𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝒹 𝒾𝓈 𝑒𝓍𝓉𝓇𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒾𝓉! 𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝓉𝒽𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒! 𝒰𝓃𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓉𝓊𝓃𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒶 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝓎…𝐼'𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 𝑜𝓇 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝑒, 𝓃𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓂 𝐼 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓈𝓊𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝒻𝓈 𝑜𝓇 𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝑒. 𝐼 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉…𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓅𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈. 𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝑜𝓅𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒…𝑜𝓇 𝓌𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝓃𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒾𝓉….”

-𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒶𝓊𝓃𝓉

That moment crystallized in memory—the sparse words from your aunt, the postal photo capturing Jackson's snowy vistas, and her address. It became your lifeline, your sanctuary, the sole refuge amid familial discord. Perhaps it seemed impulsive, thoughtless, considering her estrangement from the family. Yet, you felt compelled, with no alternative. Tucking the card into your bag, you surveyed the dim hallways, noted your parents' silence, and descended the creaking stairs, bidding farewell to the familiar confines of home as you stepped into the enveloping darkness of the night.

The journey to the bus station was eerily silent, filled with a dreadful sense of foreboding. You were barely 19…you were running from the church…your family…college. Anxiety clenched your stomach as you purchased a ticket to Wyoming, boarding the dimly lit bus amidst weary locals. Doubts crept in—Was this really right?…what if things get worse...? No, you couldn't entertain such thoughts. With a heavy sigh, you brushed your sore lip, then rested your head against the window, succumbing to the rhythmic vibrations of the moving bus. Venturing out the south…and into the west.

༺♰༻

Aubrey—the woman vilified as horrible, selfish, and sinful—revealed herself to be among the kindest souls you'd ever met.….She even proved herself to be more motherly than her sister…. While her sister bore and raised you, it was Aubrey who cradled you through that tear-filled afternoon, offering solace without demanding explanations for your sudden departure. She tended to your wounds with care, nourished you, and refrained from prying into your painful past, instead embracing you in the sanctuary of the new home she willingly extended to you.

In the brief hours you spent with her, she effortlessly instilled a sense of calm, guiding you through the unfamiliarity of her home. She graciously introduced you to an unused room, assisted in organizing your belongings, and even insisted on joining you for dinner downstairs. Though her gestures were undeniably heartwarming, your paranoia about this newfound sweetness overshadowed any potential smile. Such warmth and wholesomeness felt alien, you were used to silent dinners after starter prayers, you were used to coming home to parents who lacked tenderness…you were used to bland. Yet, here you are sitting in your aunt's colorful Victorian abode. Enjoying the nurturing, the simple yet comforting conversations. But the sudden shift unsettled you—there lingered a nagging fear that if you grew too accustomed to this newfound warmth, it might vanish as swiftly as it appeared.

With that thought, the door opened, and in came another older woman down the hall peering into the kitchen confused. Tall, dirty blonde, simple jeans along with a neat blouse and cardigan…she seemed intimidatingly sophisticated. "Rachel?" Aubrey's voice rang out, beckoning the blonde to enter. "Aubrey...hey...um..." Rachel hesitated, crossing the room to stand beside her wife, her gaze flickering uncertainly towards you. "Who... is this?" Aubrey swiftly introduced you, moving to stand protectively behind you. "She's my niece... she... needs a place to stay..." Aubrey's voice softened, her hopeful smile unwavering as her fingers gently kneaded your shoulders. "I offered her the guest room... just until things... get a little easier for her."

In contrast to her wife, Rachel exuded a pragmatic aura, fully aware of the recklessness inherent in taking in someone else's child, especially a runaway. Shame flushed your cheeks as you glanced down at your plate. "Um...baby, how about we... chat in the hall for a second..." Rachel's voice carried a hint of timidity as she addressed her wife, prompting Aubrey to nod in agreement before giving you a final reassuring squeeze and exiting the kitchen, leaving you alone with your worries.

What are you thinking??? You can't just throw yourself in these women's lives?! You need to go home! Are you stupid?!—your mind spiraled while you tried to get a listen on what the two were debating.

“Aubrey…we..we can't…we shouldn’t plus what if your sister..finds out or…the cops get involved I-”

“So what we send her back to my sister? do you see her face? I know how my family is they’ll just fucking beat her and send her off to some psycho cult preaching about faith!” Aubrey hushed sternly in return making her wife immediately quiet and guilty.

“Look…I…I promise I’ll talk to my sister if…that’s what it takes..but I can’t send her back…I know..what it’s like to be in her shoes and…I had to deal with it alone..” Your aunt hushed. You peaked into the hall curiously seeing Rachel frown cupping her wife’s cheeks. And with a short nod and a sad smile she whispered. “Okay…” Quickly, you snapped your head back to your food continuing to eat before they noticed your ease dropping.

“Sorry, for my introduction I’m Rachel..” the blonde announced as she reentered the kitchen, taking her seat across from you at the table. You offered a quiet nod in response, prompting a slight frown to crease her lips. “It’s just…worrying to see a kid…in here…wait…how old are you?...” she questioned gently. "Nineteen," you whispered, to which she sighed in relief. "Well... then I suppose we don't have much of a problem," she attempted a joke, though it fell somewhat flat. Aubrey offered a weak smile, leaning against the kitchen counter. "You've had a long day... you should head up... and...you can stay as long as you need."

Your heart swelled with gratitude, igniting a flicker of hope within you. "Thank you... really, I... I..." your words stumbled softly before your aunt enveloped you in a tight hug, silencing your hesitant expression of gratitude. Meanwhile, her wife offered a small smile as she collected your empty plate to clean. "Don’t worry about thankin’ us okay?" Aubrey whispered as she pulled away, and you nodded in agreement once more, overcome with emotion. With a final exchange, you parted ways, heading towards the guest room to settle in.

With a soft sigh, you gently closed the door behind you, casting a fleeting glance around the dimly lit room. After slipping into a simple t-shirt and panties, you settled into the crisp, inviting bed. Weary from the day's events, your gaze drifted up to the ceiling, your belly content and your body longing for rest. Yet, despite the comfort, your heart still yearned for the warmth of the southern sun, the feeling of your skin kissed by its rays, and the presence of Hannah by your side on the steps of the church…..You let your hand drift to the cross between your breasts before allowing yourself to drift off….praying for a better day..

⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧• 𓆩⚝𓆪 •⛧°。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °⛧

More notes!: hey guys!!! Sorry this is so late and a little dry😭 I really hoped you like this starter though! I’m already working on chapter two which will pick up on reader meeting the characters :)))

Taglist!: @bready101 @vqxen @a-little-bit-of-everybody @shiimer

[imhenritz]

Giving him the love he deserves (Sanji x Reader) Part 4- Ending

Note: Reader is still Mc (Main Character), but I made it sound like it’s a name! I’m still too lazy to think of a real name. Forgive me!

The prompt for the story is: “The reader gets sucked into One Piece after wishing that someone would love Sanji like he is supposed to be loved, as nobody has given him a chance. She would love to give him that chance if only she could. One time, she was in her room, falling asleep while recording her voice for a cover request sent to her. When she woke up, she found herself in a boat floating, wearing pieces of jewelry fit for nobility. Her neck, ears, and bracelets were all glittering in the darkness.” Part 4 under the cut.  Part 1,  Part 2, and Part 3 are here!

Amidst the ruins of Arlong Park, the Straw Hat Pirates stood victorious, their figures illuminated by the soft glow of the setting sun. Luffy had triumphed over the formidable Arlong, and the fishmen who once terrorized Nami's village were now subdued and defeated. Nami's eyes shimmered with unshed tears of relief and gratitude as she rushed towards her saviors, her embrace tight and heartfelt.

"You guys did it! You saved my village!" Nami's voice cracked with emotion, her gaze moving from one crew member to another, her gratitude overflowing.

Usopp, grinned proudly, puffing his chest out. "We're the Straw Hat Pirates, after all! Saving villages is what we do best!"

Zoro offered a rare, approving nod. His injuries might have slowed him down, but the genuine gratitude in Nami's eyes lifted his spirits. “Not like we got a choice, you’re one of us,” he grunted, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Nami turned to Mc, her eyes softening with curiosity and affection. "And Mc, your voice! How did you manage to put the fishmen in a daze like that? It was incredible!"

Mc smiled mysteriously, her eyes holding a depth of knowledge beyond her years. “I just figured out a few years ago when I arrived in this world,” she replied casually, though her gaze hinted at hidden mysteries.

Nami frowned, puzzled by Mc's cryptic response. "Your world? What do you mean?"

Mc winked playfully. "I promise, I'll tell you all about it sometime. Oh, and by the way, nice choice on the new tattoo design. It suits you perfectly." Nami's jaw practically hit the floor in shock. It was as if Mc had read her mind.

As the crew basked in the glory of their victory, a sudden, ominous presence cast a shadow over them. Garp, the legendary Marine Vice Admiral, appeared before them, his stern gaze fixed on the Straw Hat Pirates. Panic rippled through the crew. Luffy's carefree expression turned serious, and even Zoro, in his injured state, straightened up, ready for a fight.

Mc's head was spinning, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. This wasn't how the story was supposed to go. She muttered under her breath, her voice a mix of disbelief and frustration. "This isn't right. This isn't how it happened in the story!"

Sanji, standing beside her, sensed her distress. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his touch gentle yet reassuring. "What do you mean, Darling? What's bothering you?"

She shook her head, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. "I... I know these events. I've read about them, watched them, but this... Garp shouldn't be here. We shouldn't be facing this threat now. It’s way too soon!”

Sanji's brow furrowed with concern. He pulled her close, his voice low and soothing. "Well, we've faced worse, haven't we? We'll get through this, just like we always do."

But Mc was hyperventilating, her panic rising. “You don’t understand, love. This skipped a whole lot of volumes. Oh god, it’s my fault being here.”

Sanji's eyes softened with worry. "Darling, don't say that. We'll find a way out of this."

Luffy, overhearing their conversation, chimed in with his usual confidence. “You don’t have to know everything! It won’t be fun that way, Mc!”

Nami, ever the strategic thinker, started considering their options. "We can't take on Garp directly, especially with Zoro injured. We need a plan, something that will let us escape without a fight."

Mc, brought back from her spiral of anxiety by Sanji's comforting kiss on her forehead, chimed in, her voice steady. “Fighting is not going to be an option ever. Garp is way too strong.”

Usopp, his eyes wide with fear, added, "What about the Going Merry? We can escape by sea!"

Nami nodded in agreement. "Good thinking, Usopp! Let's head back to the ship. Mc, can you use your powers to keep the marines subdued while we make our escape?"

Mc nodded, her confidence returning with Sanji's reassuring presence. "Of course. I'll do my best to buy us some time. Let's get back to the ship, everyone. We'll figure this out together." When they turned, the Marines and Garp were there. The plan failed from the start.

—

Amidst the fading twilight, Garp's unexpected decision hung heavy in the air. The tension that gripped the Straw Hat Pirates began to dissipate like a storm giving way to a calm sea. Mc, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, felt Garp's eyes on her, as if he had sensed the secrets she carried within her.

With the weight of Luffy's stubborn determination, Garp's formidable presence, and the unspoken words that passed between them, the crew found themselves in a surreal moment of silence. Garp, after a fierce clash with Luffy, had somehow been convinced to let them go. The focus of his rage shifted from the Straw Hat crew to the real enemy: Arlong and his vile pirates.

As the dust settled, the crew found themselves forced into a celebration. Cocoyashi Village, once under the oppressive rule of Arlong, was finally free. The nearby villages joined in the festivities, their gratitude palpable in the air. And amidst the joyous atmosphere, Sanji, the ever-chivalrous cook of the crew, took it upon himself to prepare a feast for the liberated villagers.

—

In the heart of the village, amidst the aromatic melodies of sizzling ingredients and the harmonious clatter of pots and pans, Sanji's hands moved with the grace of a seasoned artist. Each movement was deliberate, each touch purposeful, transforming humble ingredients into culinary masterpieces. The village itself seemed to come alive with the symphony of their movements, a dance orchestrated by Sanji's culinary expertise and Mc's careful serving, her every glance and touch laden with affection.

"You know, you never really taught me how to cook, Ji," Mc mused, her tone playful as she watched Sanji work his magic.

Sanji, the ever-charming cook, smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You never asked. You just kept watching me. Not that I don’t love that."

With determination in her eyes, Mc nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, give me recipes and I’ll try!"

Sanji's brow furrowed in mock seriousness, "I don’t know about sharing my recipes," he teased, his tone laced with feigned reluctance.

"But you just told me it’s because I never asked!" Mc countered, a playful pout forming on her lips.

A mischievous glint entered Sanji's eyes, and he couldn't resist a playful challenge. "Well, I suppose I can be talked into offering private lessons," he said, his voice lowering seductively, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

"Oh, I’d love some private lessons," Mc responded with a giggle, her eyes sparkling with amusement, fully aware of the effect she had on her flirtatious lover.

Around them, the villagers observed and interpreted them as signs of a budding romance. Whispers floated through the air like leaves carried by a gentle breeze, their voices barely audible but charged with excitement.

"Hey, lad! You ought to make her your girlfriend! She's smitten with you!" one villager teased, nudging his companion with a knowing grin, his voice intentionally loud enough for the couple to hear.

Sanji, his usual suave demeanor undisturbed, responded with a chuckle that danced through the kitchen like music. "Way ahead of you! She's already agreed to be my wife," he announced, his voice a velvety blend of confidence and charm that sent a ripple of amused laughter through the crowd.

The villagers shared knowing glances, their eyes twinkling with amusement. "Good for you, mate!" they chimed in, their voices a chorus of playful encouragement.

Caught off guard by his nonchalant yet audacious announcement, Mc felt her cheeks flush with a delightful mix of surprise and affection. She turned to him, her eyes wide with astonishment, her lips slightly parted as she searched for words amidst the lively banter of the villagers. "When did you propose?" she stammered, her voice a soft melody amidst the bustling sounds of the kitchen.

Sanji, his focus still on the pot he was stirring, shot her a quick, sidelong glance, his eyes smoldering with intensity. "You've racked up quite the debt with all the food I've been bribing you with," he replied, his tone teasing, yet laden with a depth of emotion that only she could decipher. And then, with a flirtatious wink that set her heart aflutter, he added, "I remember vividly you said you don’t mind and I’ve kept my end of the bargain."

A gasp of delight escaped Mc's lips, her heart skipping a beat at his words. His confidence, his unwavering certainty, and the promise in his eyes stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her. "You remembered!" she exclaimed with a radiant smile, her eyes sparkling with affection, marveling at his ability to recall the very words she had spoken when she asked him to take her out on the date. With a playful wink, it sent Mc down memory lane. He added, “I planned on keeping you with me forever right there and then. Didn’t know you were going to ask me to take you out on a date. But I’m not complaining that just pushed the plan along.”

“Planned it all along huh?” Mc playfully teased.

"Why do you think you are getting so much expensive food and snacks that last for years?" Sanji playfully questioned, his voice a low, intimate murmur, his gaze fixed on her, drowning in the depths of her eyes. "I'm holding on to that, just adding rings and all that."

In that moment, amidst the fragrant aroma of the feast he prepared, Mc felt a surge of overwhelming love. The world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in their cocoon of affection and promise. "Fiancé it is, then!" she declared, her laughter bubbling with joy, sealing their unspoken vows with the sweet melody of her voice.

"As much as that sounds amazing," Sanji added, his voice laced with playful affection, "I’d rather have the husband title and call you my wife."

Mc huffed playfully, narrowing her eyes at him. "Oh yeah?"

"My endearment, darling, seems lonely," Sanji continued, his tone flirtatiously teasing. "Making it 'Darling Wife'... well, it just makes it better."

Mc shook her head, her eyes softening with affection, unable to hide her smile. "You never cease to amaze me, Ji." With a playful glint in her eyes, she added, "Husband it is, then."

Amidst the laughter of the village and the backdrop of the endless sea, Mc found herself lost in thought, her mind drifting back to the countless meals and snacks Sanji had fed her over the years. She couldn't help but marvel at the fact that despite the indulgence, she didn't gain a single pound.

"I assure you, my darling, you look as exquisite as ever," Sanji purred, his voice dripping with flirtatious innuendo. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he glanced at her appreciatively, a habitual flirtation that never seemed to fade.

"I just can’t believe I haven’t gained so much weight from all those delicious meals," Mc admitted, her tone a mixture of awe and amusement, her eyes narrowing playfully at Sanji.

Sanji's grin widened, his confidence unshakable. "I don't think you ever will," he replied, his words laced with a hint of arrogance and a lot of adoration.

"How can you be so sure?" Mc teased, raising an eyebrow in playful skepticism.

“You burn all those calories-" Sanji said matter-of-factly, his tone confident.

"Serving is exercise. Huh?"

"-With me at night," he added, his voice dropping to a seductive murmur, his gaze smoldering with desire.

Mc gasped, her cheeks flushing crimson as she covered Sanji's mouth with her hand, a futile attempt to silence him. She glanced around, her eyes wide with embarrassment, but it was futile – the villagers nearby had overheard, and so had the rest of the crew, including Nami, who was trying her best not to burst into laughter.

"You know, I don’t know if I like the idea of a married couple on board," Nami teased playfully, her tone laden with amusement as she joined the banter, unable to resist the opportunity.

"Ah, madame, I assure you, we have mastered the art of silence," Sanji replied smoothly, his charm undiminished despite the situation. His eyes sparkled with mischief, fully aware of the effect he had on Mc.

"JI!" Mc exclaimed again, her embarrassment deepening, her eyes playfully narrowing at him.

"That's exactly how you gasped my name," Sanji retorted, his tone teasing, his gaze smoldering with affection and playful desire. He tapped his chin and grinned at his crewmate. “We also mastered stealth at this point.”

“Ji! We have been caught before!”

“I never said we have never been caught,” Sanji smirked. “We got better at it, didn’t we? People in Baratie think after getting caught we had stopped and have a chaste relationship. Little did they know-”

Zoro and Usopp shook their heads as Mc covered Sanji’s shameless mouth and he kissed her hand, reassuring her that's all the audience are getting.

She couldn't help but be flustered by Sanji's shameless flirting, even after all these years. But deep down, she cherished every moment of it, appreciating the unwavering affection he showered upon her.

The crew chuckled at their interaction, their camaraderie stronger than ever. In the midst of the lighthearted banter, their ship sailed forward, carrying the Straw Hat Pirates and their engaged couple, Mc and Sanji, towards new adventures, laughter, and the enduring warmth of love. The sea stretched out before them, endless and full of mysteries, just like the love that bloomed amidst the crew, a love as boundless and eternal as the ocean itself. ══════════════════

And that's a wrap for the series! 😊 From now on, I'll be sharing stories set before, during, and after the series – could all be standalone but connected to the series. I've got plenty up my sleeve! As a huge fan of established relationships and the crew's interactions, get ready!

Catch up on the series: Part 1,  Part 2, and Part 3, Check out the Masterlist too!

Stay tuned for more Future Fluffs aboard the Thousand Sunny, starring Mc and Sanji's adorable married life, and the Straw Hats joining in on the fun!

Don't miss out on the fluffs:

Breakfast in Sunny

Caught in Act

[jessfandrawer]

What do you picture Jin dynamic with the members of Team Avatar like?

Interesting question @pedanticat, ummm... this might get long. And keep in mind, while I like to puzzle out how my thoughts would best fit into canon, this is all still personal interpretations of the characters.

For the group as a whole, I think Jin would blend in. She'd get along with everyone, but would naturally find the greatest benders and warriors of her generation intimidating (Zuko: How come you were never intimidated by me?, Jin: Because when we met, you were just some guy named Lee!). She's ordinary in comparison, which is not intended as a dig because it's something I like about her, and by extension Jin x Zuko. I think she'd sort of fade in and out of the group dynamic, being the weakest combatant, but perhaps having some knowledge or perspective that occasionally proves useful (whatever you may headcanon that to be).

Individually speaking:

Aang - He wants to be friends with nearly everyone. Jin has no idea how to act around THE AVATAR, so she's too formal with him and Aang finds this frustrating. They bond over appreciating simple pleasures. I also think Aang would be the most taken by the story of how Jin and Zuko met. He's a romantic, but also, the date occurred very close before Zuko set Appa free. I think Aang would find that interesting. He's also happy to have a new person to show his marble trick to!

Katara - She'd do everything she can to make Jin feel included and welcomed. This causes an early misunderstanding where Jin thinks Katara is forcing a friendship between them, and Katara worries that Jin is being standoffish because she feels like the odd one out. Once they have a heart-to-heart, they relate a lot through self-care stuff. Katara is also the most confused by Zuko and Jin's relationship.

Sokka - She's chill and sometimes joins in on razzing Zuko. 4 stars, would go on a double date again.

Toph - Erm, not sure about Toph. I guess they would be the friend group members who are almost never alone together, so if they ever were, they would have no idea what to do or talk about. Maybe they can complain about the Earth Kingdom uppercrust together. 🤷‍♀️

Suki - Jin feels most comfortable with Suki (though she's still quite starstruck) and loves getting non-bender self-defense tips from her. I could see Jin/Zuko and Suki/Sokka going on lots of double dates together for those older team member vibes. Jin and Suki chat easily and have an easy-going yet confident air about them.

Appa and Momo - Flying with Appa is super fun, but as a city girl, Jin is not used to interacting with large creatures. She's more shy with him when they're on the ground. Momo could land on Jin and she'd give him continuous scritches until he decided to glide away without her even thinking about it.

[kujakumai]

So uh... This is might just be my shallow understanding but i did confused what Zorc Necrophades is.

I thought that Zorc is actually Priest Akhnaden that is turned evil due to his own corrupted heart. But i think i am wrong since almost every tv-troupes that i read that Zorc is Yami Bakura.

Maybe you could give me some insight to this

He's neither. Zork is this guy.

He's the ultimate embodiment of the darkness in all human hearts.

Zork likes to put pieces of his soul into things to corrupt them into being extensions of him, which is what happens to both Akenhadin and Yami Bakura. They are both part-Zork and ultimately subservient to his ends, to the degree that they do both claim to be Zork.

but the degree to which they really are him is...complicated. It's clear that both Akenhadin and Yami Bakura maintain portions of their individuality. Akenhadin, even to the very end, is insistent that Set become king, for example--why would Zork care for Akenhadin's son, especially when he intends to destroy the world anyway? They're still sort of themselves, I'd maintain, only Zork'd. Zorkened. Zorkified. To the degree that they can no longer tell the difference between Zork and themselves, even when there definitely is one.

The motif of putting pieces of your soul into things to create extensions of yourself is everywhere in YGO. It's how YB is in Memory World in the first place, because he sealed part of himself into the puzzle. It's all but stated to be how Marik's mind control works. Less literally, too. White Mage Bakura. It's basically what Heart of the Cards means, sort of--put your soul into your deck! Trust it as you trust yourself, and it will do what you need it to!

So if the question is "Who is Zork Necrophades?" That's easy. The guy with the dragon [CENSORED] up there is the only guy who is 100% undiluted Zork concentrate. He's Zork. That's him. The one and only.

If the question is "To what degree are Yami Bakura and/or Shadow Priest Akenahadin literally Zork Necrophades?" then that's not a question YGO answers clearly for us, besides "definitely at least a little yes, and probably at least a little no."

I dunno, to what degree "is" the dungeonmaster his NPCs? I mean, he made them. Gave them wants and needs and goals, put them where he wanted them, railroaded them into a particular role in the story he wants to tell, and ultimately controls them--but they're still their own characters, with individual statblocks, and sometimes the heroes interactions with them combines with their preset personalities in a way that frustrates his aims or produces a result he didn't expect. There's an attenuation that exists there.

That's probably not a good metaphor. But with these particular characters it's one I think about a lot.

[agent-calivide]

Sometimes I think about making an IEYTD tier list on my personal experience with the levels, but I think if I were to do that I’d have to make three separate lists. One for aesthetics/narrative, one for mechanics/puzzles, and one for completionism.

Like, Party Crasher? 10/10 story and setting, the environment is beautiful and the characters are so well done, but it’s one of the only levels you can get soft locked in.

Deep dive? Stressful and frustrating thanks to the constant flooding that can still happen even after your sub’s breeched, but has really easy achievements to figure out and is a great one to speedrun

First Class? Absolutely GORGEOUS. I fucking love all the small designs and the solutions are all pretty easy to find, but hidden enough you’re getting the satisfaction of solving the puzzles. But the achievements are a fucking nightmare because two of them rely on a stun grenade that’s really hard to finesse the timing of, you only have three of them, and one of them can only be finished in the last 5 seconds of the level, so if it slips your mind you have to redo the whole thing from the beginning of one of the longest levels in the first game.

Rising Phoenix is another one that’s fantastic narratively, but having two achievements related to charging the battery makes it so you have to redo the level multiple times, which is frustrating if you’re just trying to figure them all out and know there’s something with the banana and something with the cattle prod, but can’t do both. And having it be so you can only take down the sawblades with the prod and or the battery (as far as I’ve seen) and charging the battery with the prod makes it to you have no alternative to stop the blades when the game ENCOURAGES you to try that is irritating.

Blind spot is ingenious, driving is clever, the setting is beautiful, and I never felt truly stuck on a puzzle that wasn’t due to a lack of observation on my part, buuut it’s the only part of the game that makes me so motion sick I can’t do more than one speedrun attempt in a row, and tbh the knife in the gearshift did not feel intuitive or hinted at at all, especially when the steering tool looks a lot more like it could undo the screws.

Winter break is really pretty and cozy, and the achievements are really easy to find and speed run, but you spend half the level hunched over like shrimp with a high, screaming whir in your ear.

Some of the robot trophies would penalize the levels in IEYTD 3 because unlike the film trophies in IEYTD 2, they’re not hidden in an intuitive way, they’re just tucked into a tiny tiny corner that goes beyond being observant and straight into “how were you supposed to see that?” Particularly in Hot Water and Cold Shoulder where I honestly still couldn’t see them after watching a guide, I had to trust in the TK to highlight over them.

Cold Shoulder is wonderful design wise, making you feel cold and isolated even down to seeing your breath and the confrontation with Prism is just chef’s kiss, and the achievements are very direct in what you need to do and where to keep an eye out for them for the most part, but if you are near-sighted and can’t get your headset to focus on the Kanji for the mountains you are fucked. I spent seven hours on that level for two days because I couldn’t see the text and was blind firing by the end of it because all I had was “west” and “same level” so I was firing at the wrong mountain for ages.

That last one’s likely heavily influenced by bias from the nightmare that was trying to finish that level, I can admit that, but to try and rank them all on “what’s good and what’s bad” when they all have really strong strong suits and really weak weak points.

[truthseekerthedragon]

Eyes of a Writer: "Duties"

After having written a ~10k oneshot, I've decided to write a post detailing my thoughts on the story, inspirations, extra lore, and the like. I'm hoping this post helps other writers with their own stories and offers insight into their personal creative processes. There's a good chance I'll make more of these in the future, so keep your eyes peeled.

The story in question is "Duties," a Wings of Fire fanfic set within my Bloodbright AU (a comprehensive AU that involves overhauls to the canon, expanded worldbuilding, and events that occur centuries after the Wings of Fire timeline). The fic itself is about Winter getting tangled up in a coup, then discovering thousand-year-old secrets deep within the IceWing palace.

The fic can be found here. I recommend reading the fic first, as this post will spoil the entire thing.

Both the fic and this "annotation" have a content warning for verbal abuse and minor body horror. This post also contains images of hostile architecture.

Let's start with inspirations.

The design and atmosphere of the depths of the Shimmerspire Palace are heavily inspired by NaissanceE, a French indie game released in 2014. The game is a puzzle/platformer that takes place within a labyrinthine superstructure that defies words, a setting that I find extremely difficult to describe.

Image Description: The interior of a superstructure. It looks like the interior of a skyscraper if hollowed out, or perhaps an enormous rectangular tunnel that extends deep underground. The walls are lined with large, industrial blocks and overhangs and struts that may be pipes or supports. The walls sink down into a greenish-gray fog, and the occasional light or archway can be seen. Every surface is a smooth gray color.

Image Description: A... monument, perhaps? There are several sculptures all lined up in a row, each consisting of four overlapping cubes that point upward. The sculptures are lined up in the middle of a walkway with short walls inlaid with small lights to the sides. To the right a large building and light from an offscreen source can be seen. The monument is surrounded by enormous cube-shaped structures rising from a blue-gray mist or light. Rows of tiny lights shine from the cubes, making them resemble buildings. Some of these structures stretch to the ceiling, from which catwalks can be seen.

Such is the game's setting. The game has no real plot, only puzzles and platforming as you try to escape this place. NaissanceE is deeply unsettling to play (when you're not frustrated by failing the same jump 30 times, that is). Many parts of the Shimmerspire Palace's interior are lifted straight from the game's visuals.

If you want to know more about NaissanceE, you can find a video about it here.

The idea for the fic itself was something I had been tossing around for some time. I've wanted to write something with Winter in it, partially due to my frustration at how fanfics often portray his character (i.e. as a generic bully with no depth). I wanted to include Icicle as well, since I don't often see her in fanfics--and when I do see her, it's usually so the fic can treat her badly. I had the writer itch, or drive, or whatever, and I wanted to explore these characters.

I also had the idea for the eldritch IceWing palace. The Shimmerspire Palace's nature was part of my AU's lore and I had always intended to explore it in a story, but it was hard for me to come up with something. In the end I decided to tie it with Winter and the Protector Coup, another event that occurs in my AU (more on that below).

I used some music while writing. I've found that music can be an excellent tone setter for writing scenes, although I tend to be very picky with my music--for instance, songs with lyrics are a hard no, since lyrics are very distracting for me personally.

Here are the music/tracks I used for the fic:

The score of Swan Lake and, to a lesser extent, The Nutcracker for the scenes that occur in the normal sections of the palace. I find the Swan Lake score in particular to be quite fitting for the IceWing aristocracy. The music is grandiose, perhaps wistful.

Prométhée Part 1a for the sequence when Winter first enters the strange parts of the palace up to him meeting Foeslayer. It's part of NaissanceE's soundtrack. This track is beautiful yet unsettling.

The Deep Listening album for subsequent scenes deep in the palace interior. These ambient tracks are unsettling and, at least to me, convey a sense of scale. These are also in NaissanceE's soundtrack.

I used part of the Scanner Sombre soundtrack for the scene where Winter and Foeslayer crawl into the tunnel beneath the memorial. Scanner Sombre is a 2017 game about exploring a cave using nothing but a scanner, and the track does an excellent job at conveying what claustrophobia feels like.

Now, let's go over the fic itself with my notes in hand.

First, Winter's characterization. I spent some time trying to figure out how I'd write him. In canon, we rarely see Winter on his home turf; most of the time he's out and about in Pyrrhia. The way I see it, Winter's jerk behavior is a mask of sorts that he projects to gain a sense of security. He blames himself for Hailstorm's capture, so he tries to hide how weak he sees himself as by putting on a big, mean, tough-guy persona. We don't really see any jerk moments from him while he's in the Ice Kingdom, which makes me think that he drops the persona whenever he's placed in a situation where such behavior would be considered deeply inappropriate.

In this AU, there is no feud between the IceWings and NightWings, because in canon it was essentially a poorly done race metaphor and I decided to nix it to avoid bad implications. In addition, Winter never went to Jade Mountain Academy--in this AU, it was a failed project that didn't account for the fact that no one would want to go to school with dragons who were their mortal enemies less than a year ago. The wounds were still too raw.

Anyways, in the fic Winter is also quite knowledgeable in various subjects, such as history and his High Speech studies. This is all stuff he learned to climb the rankings and to make up for his subpar fighting skills. Him reciting the list of queens was an opportunity to show how hard he's working to climb the rankings, and it also let me sneak in some worldbuilding.

While there are IceWing guards in canon, I decided to add an elite imperial guard that was in charge of protecting the palace and the royal family. Looks like they're not very good at doing the latter.

If you're wondering why Winter had to wait so long, it's because coups in general can get very chaotic. It took a while before Hoarfrost could get everything in place for his dramatic little skit.

The Protector Coup itself is another AU event. I'm not a fan of The Dangerous Gift, especially not the scene where Snowfall destroys the rankings and most dragons respond to it by clapping. Why would most IceWing aristocrats respond like that to the destruction of the bedrock of their society? Absolutely ridiculous. It's more likely that we'd see a coup occur pretty much immediately.

Here's a little secret for you: Hoarfrost had actually been planning a coup for months, but seized the opportunity to depose Snowfall after she destroyed the rankings. Now he could definitively say he was doing it because of how utterly unfit Snowfall was to be queen. While Hoarfrost is doing it for the power, Taiga sees it more as a necessary evil. She's convinced that if Snowfall is queen for any longer, she'll destabilize the country.

Snowfall still destroys the rankings and the Great Ice Cliff in this AU, but there's no gift of vision (or, as I like to call it, the torture ring) that influences her here. So why did she destroy two animus gifts? That's something I might answer in another fic. Or not. I'll just say for now that it's related to Snowfall's PTSD.

You may have noticed that I changed the names of some countries in this fic, which I did because frankly, "Ice Kingdom" is just incredibly boring. "The Iceshard Hierarchy" is not only more distinct, but the name itself tells you something about the country's principles and how it sees itself.

In my AU, the High Speech works a bit like Latin: it's not spoken anymore, but it's still a prestige language that every dragonet in the Circles has to learn, ostensibly so they can read thousand-year-old archival documents. Translation is for suckers. Many aristocrats like Hoarfrost occasionally drop into High Speech for prestige/pretension points. I also wanted to add a sense of age, the sense that the IceWing aristocracy was very old, and I figured that introducing an extinct language was a good way to go about it.

Something else you may have noticed is Winter's comment that animus magic is "notoriously difficult to work with and [is] prone to error and misinterpretation." Animus magic works a bit differently in my AU, being more like a "soft" magic system that is difficult to shape to the caster's desires. You don't really see much of that in this fic except for, you know, the eldritch palace.

So. For those of you with the burning question, Is the palace alive like Winter thinks it is? Well, I have a definitive answer for you.

Yes.

Winter says the twins who made the palace died shortly after making their gift, but this isn't technically true. It would be more accurate to say that the animus twins (whose names are Quartz and Shimmer, by the way), disappeared after casting the spell and were presumed dead. However, my AU's animus magic operates by Fullmetal Alchemist rules in that you cannot create life from nothing; you have to use something that's already alive. I'll let you connect the dots from there. As a bonus, this also answers the "is the palace self-aware?" question posed by Foeslayer when she and Winter find the monument.

Speaking of Foeslayer, her introduction in my fic is very different from how she meets Winter in canon. For one, the nature of the enchantment that Diamond placed on her is much more horrifying! I decided to include Foeslayer in the fic because I didn't want Winter wandering through the eldritch palace by himself; that wouldn't be very interesting, and I knew I needed another dragon that Winter could talk to. I figured Foeslayer would be a good option.

The problem was, the nature of Foeslayer's enchantment in canon was extremely specific and didn't fit the rules of animus magic in my AU. I had to change it while keeping the spirit of the enchantment. So I thought to myself, "What is the most spiteful, petty thing Diamond can do to Foeslayer?" And I came up with "How about taking away her body autonomy while making sure she can't die?" And this is how I came up with mannequin Foeslayer.

This is how I imagine it went: After capturing Foeslayer, Diamond kept her around as a punching bag. Around this time Diamond also had lots of dragons who didn't like her style of leadership or that she had petty vendettas against, so she had these dragons locked up in the IceWing palace. Once these prisons were full, she realized she could feed these dragons to the bowels of the palace and never have to worry about them again. She got bored of Foeslayer and threw her into the deep interior as well, making sure to shred her wings so she couldn't leave by flying out the exit. And there Foeslayer remained for two thousand years.

When she meets Winter, Foeslayer says she had nearly forgotten how to think. Given how long she was down there by herself, no wonder. This also doubles as a JoJo reference.

Winter being able to understand her thousand-year-old language is both foreshadowed (when Hoarfrost spoke in High Speech) and serves as a worldbuilding element. Again, I use the High Speech to indicate age, but this time it's to show that Foeslayer speaks a long-dead language.

Foeslayer at one point says "longer than you think." This is a reference to Emesis Blue, a 2023 web horror film that is a dark reimagining of the lore of Team Fortress 2. The same phrase is repeated throughout the movie. In Emesis Blue proper the line references Stephen King's 1981 short story The Jaunt. References within references! Fun! Little does Winter know, Foeslayer has been alive for two thousand years, and she's been conscious the whole time, unlike in canon. She spent an eternity in there.

In case you're wondering why Foeslayer gave a fake name, it's because she was rather infamous in her own time, having eloped with a prince and all. She didn't want anyone to recognize her, because she'd rather just put all that behind her. The name "Discretion" comes from one of the NightWing diplomats in Runaway.

The part where Winter talks about his life was a tricky one. I kept going back and forth between writing out what Winter says as opposed to just telling the readers. I eventually settled on the latter since explaining Winter's character to people already familiar with him would be repetitive, but it wasn't an easy choice to make.

The panic attack scene was also tricky for me to write, but for a different reason--I've only experienced one panic attack in my whole life. Luckily there are lots of blog posts about what a panic attack feels like (thank you so much internet), and I think the scene turned out fairly well.

Given the mental and physical exhaustion that comes after a panic attack, I needed a scene where the characters could unwind. After some thought I settled on Foeslayer asking to hug Winter, sort of as a found-family thing. While Winter in this fic has an arc about learning to be himself and throw off the weight of the expectations placed on him, Foeslayer also has a mini-arc about learning to be a mother again. Having a mass murderer for a son and 2000 years with nothing but your thoughts for company tends to make you introspective. Winter needed a mother figure to support him, eventually allowing him to support himself, and Foeslayer needed a son figure after... you know. Foeslayer gets a do-over like in canon, but it's with Winter instead of her mind-wiped mass murderer son. The whole Peacemaker thing just never sat right with me, but then, I consider mind-wiping to be pretty heinous in general.

Hopefully you enjoyed the hugging scene as much as I enjoyed writing it. Warm fuzzy feelings for everyone!

Okay, now to the escape scene where Winter feels like he's being chased. This part is another shout-out to Emesis Blue, specifically the scene near the end where Soldier is running from an unseen creature that may or may not be a hallucination. If you're wondering what the Watsonian explanation for this scene is, I'll tell you that the palace feels bad about Winter and Foeslayer leaving. :(

Icicle in this AU really likes ruby earrings. They represent the blood of the Hierarchy's enemies.

Alrighty, now for the fun part: my breakdown/explanation of Icicle's character! In canon it's very clear that Icicle doesn't care for Winter, and the only dragon she seems to truly respect is Hailstorm. I extrapolated that Icicle has a personal honor code that she adheres to rigorously, one based around her view of strength. She sees herself as the ideal IceWing aristocrat: regal, intelligent, and deadly. Anyone who can meet her standards have earned her respect, perhaps even admiration and love; anyone who doesn't she views with nothing but contempt. I think Icicle's little monologue in the fic explains pretty much everything else about her character.

I think automatons warrant a quick mention. Automatons have been around for thousands of years, and during the early modern period were capable of complex tasks such as drawing pictures and playing chess (similar to what Winter knows automatons are capable of). Fans of The Magnus Archive will be familiar with the Mechanical Turk, which was actually operated by a human during chess matches.

Winter's metaphor of society fitting him into a mold is a nod to the manga short The Enigma of Amigara Fault. There's an excellent video that breaks down the cultural context behind the story, which can be found here.

And my final note for the story: The phrase "the cold does not forgive mistakes" originates from the Jacob Geller video essay "Fear of Cold," which can be found here. An excellent video about... pretty much exactly what it sounds like.

Thanks for reading my fanfic annotations. If you have a burning question about "Duties" that wasn't answered here, feel free to send me an ask.

[who-do-i-know-this-man]

OKOKOKOKOK NEVERHOOD PROPAGANDA the neverhood is a point and click game from 1996, made entirely out of clay! every single setting, character, item, even text is made out of clay. the animation has SO much personality its unbelievably, its just pouring with so much love and dedication. ALSO the lore is Fucking Gigantic, at the beginning of the game it just throws this giant hallway at you containing the entirety of the game’s bible, which takes 5 minutes to just walk to the end of the hallway (warning bertbert’s sections is Very gross and also has the r slur so if you plan on reading the hall of records you should skip that part, but other than that the whole thing is extremely interesting and fascinating) ALSO the music is fucking FANTASTIC and so unique. it was made by terry scott taylor, and can be described as some man mumbling nonsense in your ear while strumming his banjo in the most charming way possible. the songs that dont fit that description just go hard as fuck.

ok now anti-propaganda the gameplay itself is, Eh. puzzles in it were bad and frustrating even for 1996, which is why it didnt get that popular in the first place. if u wanna play it you ABSOLUTELY need a walkthrough or just watch someone else play it, it’ll save a ton of frustration. the game itself sometimes just purposefully wants to fuck with the player, shown by how it gives them a 5 minute long hallway theyre Forced to walk through to progress, and how some puzzles are just so confusing and insufferable. also the creator, doug tennapel, fucking sucks so much its unbelievable (hardcore bigoted christian is the shortest explanation). when looking at neverhood’s lore it’s obvious how much inspiration it takes from stories from the bible and just overall religious shit, which is upsetting once you know what the creator is like

there was also a sequel made of it in 1998, skullmonkeys! it follows the story directly after the neverhood, but instead of being point n click, its a platformer! the game again imo wasnt too great, the devs forgot to add music to the final and most climactic fight of the game and the gameplay was ehhhh, but it had the exact charm of the neverhood - being the charming animation and music. there was also a game called “klaymen gun hockey” released in japan bc NH was extremely popular there, and though it doesnt follow with the story at all and wasnt even made by the og devs, its Technically canon bc iirc dreamworks licensed the game? which i think is just a funny little fact. heres klaymen and fin fin :o)

^

[nihilnovisubsole]

is writing for video games exactly what you had imagined it would be? (also congrats on your success so far!)

not at all, but i think that's more to do with me not knowing what to expect from it in the first place. before i got into game writing, i'd only ever written prose, and you almost never get the chance to do "pure" prose writing in games. [of course, i'm just talking about the kind of game i work on right now. there's a wide indie market of interactive fiction, VNs, and other experimental genres if you want to see how prose and games can interact.]

i also had initial industry experience that didn't accurately represent what other game writing jobs would be like. at voltage, we were given extremely densely-plotted beat sheets and afforded no opportunity to pitch our own ideas. that's not to deprive the writers of credit. on the contrary: every voltage character got their spark from the authorial voice of the writer behind them. i'm just saying that we worked under really strict parameters, and we tended to only get our own beats in when there was slack to pick up. flash forward to coh3, where my lead told me in the first meeting, "go forth, do research, and come back with a set of soldier story pitches." talk about culture shock! at obsidian, it's more of a mix: sometimes it's my brainchild, sometimes i help flesh out another designer's idea.

the big thing i would say about "what studio game writing is like" is that you do a bunch of different things on different days. one day you might have to write barks. one day you might pitch a quest, which is all in-house documentation that players will never see. once that pitch is approved, you might have to write its dialogue. or you might get tapped to write examinables that aren't part of any quest. ["examinables" are those notes that you find and read throughout a game's world. you know, "dear diary, my super serum is complete!" next to a blown-up skeleton.] i get bored quickly, so this is good for me. but it's definitely nothing like sitting down my deep, dark well and picking at my prose stories.

the other - maybe more important - thing is you're not working in a vacuum. other departments will impose requests and restrictions upon you. in prose, you can write anything. your vocabulary and your imagination are your only limits. in game writing, you're often cooking with the ingredients you've got. you may pitch a mind-blowing idea for a fight scene, but it could require moves that the animation team doesn't have. or you may be assigned a mission that has some kind of puzzle, and it's your job to convincingly fit the puzzle into the story. it sounds frustrating, and it can be. believe me, i would love for all my game characters to get Super Deluxe Bespoke AK Outfit Designs. but after a while, you learn where you can dig into the details and where it's better to keep your options open.

[i mean, i think. i still die on all the wrong hills.]

[nullen-void]

A Random Skeleton Rates the Paper Mario Games

Paper Mario: 7/10

Paper Mario is charming and cute, but decidely primitive and unrefined compared to its immediate successor. I find the controls to be finicky and unreliable, but I admit my experience is only with rereleases and emulators, so perhaps on the original N64 it worked better.

Story-wise, it's the standard Mario story where Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach. It's not special but this particular execution is bolstered by the world it's set in. All the characters we meet are entertaining, the places we go start out simple but steadily get more interesting as we go, and Princess Peach: Super Spy is a delight.

It's a good game, but it's held back by ancient graphics and, in my experience, strange controls. If and when we get a remake that upgrades it to the same level of quality as TTYD, it might move up to a great game.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: 10/10

Yes yes, it's obvious and my bias is showing. I grew up with this one, it was a Christmas present, and it's nostalgic.

But in this case the popular opinion is just true. The game plays like a dream, the partners are amazing characters, and the story is a step or three above Mario's usual fare.

Admiral Bobbery's story is simple enough for a child to understand but sincere enough for even adults to tear up, and I wish Goombella was my best friend in real life. I use to name the Yoshi Kid Gonzap because I was also playing Pokémon Colisseum at the time and I thought it matched Mario's stage name of Gonzales.

Princess Peach: Super Spy makes a return and her story with a lonely supercomputer is fascinating, and all the more so for how little we see of it. My only complaint is it needed more Bowser.

TTYD is a truly great game, and the fact it's getting a remake makes me excited to play it all over again.

Super Paper Mario: 9/10

SPM is without a doubt the greatest story in the entire Mario franchise. The only thing holding it back is the complete and total alteration to gameplay. The only real thing relating it to the previous two games is the artstyle.

But man. It's just such a good story guys. Luigi gets brainwashed, an entire world gets turned into an empty white void, Mario suffocates in space, an incomprehensible Scotsman is best friends with a little girl who turns into a spider and a clown comes within a hair's breadth of destroying all of reality on a lark.

There are no partners, no badges, no real RPG elements left... it could have easily been the most polarizing game in the series, and for a time it was. But its failings are all made up for and then some by the greatest love story in Nintendo history.

Paper Mario Sticker Star: 5/10

Some of you will think I'm being too kind (he said, knowing less than ten people will ever read this). But Sticker Star is a perfectly fine game.

I was never bothered by the backtracking. I was annoyed by the battle system but never to the point of frustration. Some of the puzzles were obtuse but I freely admit that I'm not afraid of looking up a guide when I can't solve something myself. It's fine.

But it's only fine. It's not great, and I hesitate to call it good. It can drag on and on. But I had fun with it, after I got over the fact that it wasn't TTYD2.

Because that's the real problem here. In a vacuum, it's a perfectly fine game. But compared to the other games in the series, it's just... not Paper Mario. There's Mario, and he's made of paper, but there's more to it than that that the game doesn't seem to grasp. It's sad really.

It's fine. It's okay. But it'll never be more than that.

Paper Mario Color Splash: 6/10

It's pretty good. It has a lot of the same problems as Sticker Star, but... less so. Huey is more tolerable than Kersti, the paint mechanic is more interesting than just laying stickers everywhere, the levels are all more well-developed than any of the previous game's, and it's actually very funny.

It is once again Bowser kidnapping Peach, but at least this time it's because he was possessed by evil paint. Luigi saves the day in this game, so that earns it a whole extra point right there.

And the music is phenomenal. It always is, even Sticker Star has A+ music, but Color Splash is especially good. This game has good vibes.

In the end though, while I can call it good, it's still bogged down by the battle system and the lackluster story. The characters are okay, such as they are.

Paper Mario: The Origami King: 8/10

Yeah I put it higher than the first game, what of it?

Origami King gets it. It wants to be a good Paper Mario game so badly, and it very nearly accomplishes it. Olivia is a delight, Bobby is a startlingly effective character, and the villain isn't even Bowser.

It's back to being a connected world instead of being level-based. It has an extremely simplified badge system. The story, while not on the level of TTYD or SPM, is still fairly gripping (though it takes about two-thirds of the way through before you get the big twist of what Olly's deal is), and I would actually argue that Mario the character is more expressive here than the entire rest of the series. He emotes! He feels sad! He tries to stop his friend from committing suicide and FAILS! I swear to God that's a thing that actually happens in this game.

Origami King has issues. All of the bosses are oversized office equipment, and there's just no coming back from that, but even still, it's a fun ride.

This concludes this essay. I hope the five people who will ever read this enjoyed, and please feel free to give your own thoughts in the comments.

[thejonymyster]

What's your favorite game you played this year?

2023 games i havent played many of them this year have played some more recently as i have started streaming on and off gives me permission to play games instead of not doing so mental health issue etc

Games that stand out

Mosa Lina:

Groundbreaking new indie physics based "puzzle" platformer / "immersive sim" featuring aggressive randomization which ends up being intrinsically rewarding as a result of no challenge feels artificial as none are designed they simply occur

Level editor support increases continued play value but replay value without is already very high dev currently still supporting with updates to main game

Premise simple there are 24(asofnow) Tools and (i dont know how many) levels. 9 tools are selected from the pool of 24, to be put into your "deck", and 9 levels are selected from the pool of many. Then, you are placed in one of the 9 levels at random, with 3 random tools from your deck. You must collect or destroy all fruits in level and make it to exit portal. if you win, level is removed from pool. if you lose, level remains in pool. Either way, you are sent to a random level in your pool with another random set of 3 tools from your deck. Go nuts. You win upon defeating all 9 levels.

Tools are clever and engaging level designs are varied Game feel is great soundtrack is ambient game is good go play

(costs money)

Trouble In Terrorist Town:

incredibly modular first person shooter turned social deduction game, fun to play if you can arrange with friends, have been playing with discord server for thekla's the witness Some issues in that gameplay can of course annoyingly devolve from logic but can be frustrating as there is no voting system - players vote by action you simply kill the "impostor" group. Recommend minimum 5 players, Ideally 6-8. Not much to say else. Funny premise. "You are an innocent terrorist."

(costs money)

I Wanna Be The Guy: Remastered and I Wanna Maker:

I wanna be the guy - famous "unfair" precision platformer long time one of my favorite games of all time remastered not my first time playing remaster but recently revisiting and greatly enjoying game again nice to have less crashes. need to dive into alternate characters. newfound appreciation for retro collage style art of game and booby trap idiosyncracies. Recently watching lots of kaizo mario rom hack play throughs newer hacks have strayed away from what i find ideal in genre in older entries like Kaizo Mario World 1.

I wanna maker custom level editor game for i wanna be the guy type games interesting but weirdly feels limiting in ways i didnt expect despite massive customization + simple scripting options - feels almost too clean rejoyced when they added blood splatter death previously was unsatisfying poof now i have my character set to visceral blood explosion upon defeat but everything else still feels wrong often find myself using (one of?) the only tilesets present in original iwbtg everything else feels inappropriate or misplaced not sure i think theres a different sort of charm to being hit by mario paint plane vs making fake version in copyright safe form. great game constant updates cool features but just makes me want to just program a full game...

(free)

Cat Planet and Super Cat Planet:

cat planet random indie game fun floaty "platformer" (you mostly fly around so its a platformer in the sense that flappy bird is a platformer or like underwater mario) collectathon, very good easy thing tbh go play. Super cat planet fan sequel made by unaffiliated group boosts difficulty and depth of gameplay introducing light "story" elements and many secrets to encourage more exploration

super cat planet MUCH hrder than cat planet by large margin definitely would consider it a *precision* platformer. cool that it exists at all, go play if you feel up for challenge

(free)

additional notes sorry i still havent played retrush it looks really good will add to my stream list will most likely motivate me to play it as previous barriers prevented most gameplay in general

played many paper puzzle genres which i would not consider video games

played celeste wasnt always what i was looking for but still solid

started playing dustforce havent gotten far in enough to really review but so far so good

[licantropa]

Also is your banner from the game Little Goody Two Shoes? Ive been meaning to check it out and if you've played it id love to hear your opinion on it

Yes it is!! I loved the game, I did however have my issues with it.

The art direction for the game was excellent, I mean it’s beautiful to look at. Just walking around the areas and taking in the atmosphere that the game sets up for you, it does a really good job at building it up with the music and art.

and god the music was good too! I have the OST saved on Spotify because it’s an amazing listen.

I really enjoyed the story, although I haven’t seen all the endings, I do plan on going back and replaying to see them because I’m definitely curious to see the other routes.

however, there were some game mechanics that just confused me. For instance, there’s a suspicion meter that you have to be careful not to raise too high, and I, on my first playthru did a good job at not doing that. The mechanic I have an issue with is that everyday (the game timeline wise is a week long) you can bribe a character with food, that gets increasingly more expensive as the week goes on, and to me it never felt like it ended up mattering. There was a moment where I thought ‘oh it’ll come in clutch here’ and it just didn’t. So that felt flat to me.

There are romances you can do, and my one issue with that is one of the lady’s you can romance never seemed to matter in the main plot line unless you were actively seeking out her scenes. The other two romance options felt like they mattered in the story regardless of actually being romanced. (I didn’t know you could be romancing all of them at the same time so I missed out on her unfortunately).

While there where other game mechanics I had faults with (confusing desgin, unskippable cutscenes, lack of some sound in some places, kiss the rat) I believe it was fixed in the most recent update. I haven’t had the time to replay the game so I got that from quickly skimming their steam news page.

Unlike their other game, Pocket Mirror, I really enjoyed my time with the game even if at times I felt like I had to push myself through some of the horror/ puzzle sections. The update should make the game not as frustrating though, if you do play I do suggest saving a lot. Those chase scenes really bit my ass a lot!

also, here are some screenies I took of the game! because yea again, beautiful art!