#tips and tricks for not immediately dying

[heretyc]

Tips for Barbi trials

Barbi's hot but he's also a major fucking douche and I'm here to save y'all from his clutches that we call "trials". Both of his trials are most disliked or described as hard, so here are some tips from your certified Whore™.

Not really accounting for perfect grades, so if you're fond of speedrunning and getting a good grade, this probably isn't for you lol

Poison the Medicine -

It's long and annoying as fuck. We all know this. You THINK it's gonna be easy, but nooooo. He's EXTRA.

Keep an adrenaline on hand for when you need to push the cart. It occupies a spot, but pushing it is easy as pie and the ex-pops aren't too much of a concern. You can outrun a large grunt easily (assuming they're a decent distance away from you BEFORE you push).

There will always be a large grunt at the spawn. Like fucking clockwork. There are two spawn points for them, and there are two entrances you can take if they spawn right in front of the main entrance (with the metal door). If they spawn on the docks underneath, just be cautious and crouch the whole way. Three in total spawn on this map; one at the start, one after waking Barbi and one after you get all of the drugs from the train station.

When you get to the machine, open all of the doors and walk to and from depositing the drugs. The ex-pops are hella annoying but walking will make sure they don't hear you as much.

The symbols can be hard as shit to spot. The decoder will go off if you're near one. Make sure you're not near the symbol right at the beginning because that, too, will make it go off.

Franco loves chilling in the upstairs after he first spawns. Let him spawn, then let him fuck off to the upstairs before you begin your search. Another ex-pop will be present, so just stay cautious. Barbi's much worse than an ex-pop, though.

I say this with love but Franco's kinda stupid in the dark. I've stood in place for 3 minutes one time because the symbol wasn't lining up and all he did was run back and forth...back and forth...back and forth. If you're in the dark, don't worry too much about hiding from him. He does, however, shoot behind him if he hears noise. Stay motionless until he's in another room or around the corner.

The gas chamber is lowkey the worst part and nobody likes it. Make sure you have the door bashing amp and run and break amp. You have 20 seconds in the room before you start taking damage; the room has hiding spots, so take advantage of those. Quickly hop in and hop out to reset the timer. The canisters aren't always in the gas chamber. There's a few doors you can open to other areas that DON'T have vapours in them [hence why I recommend the door bashing amps above] and you'll be given a notification if there's a canister nearby. Once you have one, place it in the chamber so you don't get lost. When you get both, simultaneously carry them both to the machine. Carry one for 10 seconds, carry the other for 10 seconds.

The worst part, in all of this trial, is the end where you need to stuff the drugs. Barbi will shoot the glass and run into the room. Best thing to do is jump out after him, but DON'T immediately go down into the ship as he'll run in and fuck up your time with the mules. Let him get lost and begin to search the area ABOVE SHIP before you go down there. Cutting the mules makes no noise, but Barbi just LOVES running in and out of the room if he thinks you're down there. Because his dumbass is a mouth breather, you can pretty much hear him coming. Keep your inventory completely clear so you can cut and go. Best way to do this is cut one mule, stuff him, then go back and get more drugs to lead Barbi away from the room itself. Assuming you don't have the amp that silences your running, he'll be lead elsewhere. You need 6 drug bags, and even with the extra slot, you'll only have 5 in total, so you'll need to go back anyway. Once the mules are full, now's the time to leave the trial. He spawns at the shuttle doors, so go UNDER the docks and try to trigger a soundtrap.

Pleasure the Prosecutor -

...Yes, he's literally jacking it right in front of you. Lupara's on the table, see?

This isn't a tip, I just thought I'd mention it. For no reason. [Also would you believe me if I told you I wrote "lord have mercy" with a mouse? Why the fuck is that so clean...for a MOUSE.]

Not as annoying as Poison the Medicine but still extremely hella annoying. Best way to hide is to stick to the shadows and use hiding spots whenever possible. Remember the lights will come on after you flick the switches, so quickly make your way into a hiding spot or dark corners. THE EX-POP'S AI HAVE BEEN MODIFIED, so they will IMMEDIATELY search the area for you after breaking chase. That's why this trial is insufferable. If you can, try not to reuse the same hiding spot. Keep moving around the area to prevent them from catching you.

Mannequin locations vary. One may spawn in the dining area, one may spawn in the clothing store. The clothing store is the best and the worst; it's big. And it's...big, which means more switches to keep an eye on.

There are two mannequin spawns where large grunts will be present; in these, keep a bottle or a defensive rig on hand if they spot you.

BARBI WILL ALWAYS BE PRESENT ON THE MAP. Unlike Poison the Medicine, he will NOT despawn. After you trigger the first mannequin, he will spawn and stay on the map until the sequence near the end. In my experience [and the millions of times playing this trial], he'll linger in the motel area UNLESS you lead him away from there. You can hear him breathing and everything so avoiding him is disgustingly easy. He can, and WILL, fuck up a mannequin for you if you let him and lead him to where you need to sit and wait. He will also scare the Scapegoat if you're not careful.

There are three Scapegoats; one you will need to trigger !!THREE!! times and the other two will only need a trigger once. For the hard one, keep an eye on the tracker as he can spawn in the same area, just a bit further away. If you can, move in a way to make him attack you; it's possible to trigger him twice if you time it just right.

The sequence at the end will always end in blue. The blue mannequin is what kills the DA off by decapitating him. If you're not the best at remembering sequences, just remember the first four colours. I hope this helps! If he makes the trials hard for you just fling Yo Mama jokes at him 💕🤭 what's he gonna do, tell his mom??

[p0orbaby]

act ii: date @ 8

summary: that’s what happens when you get it on in a multi-storey

warnings: SMUT 18+

a/n: a little something something to tide you guys over

word count: 1.3k

-

Strangely, Leah’s still in her kit, socks rolled down, Arsenal crest stretching across her thigh, and yet she still looks fucking good. Post-win adrenaline still buzzing under her skin, jaw clenched, hands twitchy, like scoring wasn’t enough. Like the energy still needs somewhere to go.

You. She needs you.

That’s why her hand is already between your thighs before the car door even properly shuts.

“We should get home,” you say, voice all weak, half-hearted, because you both know that’s not happening.

Leah smirks, fingers flexing against your thigh. “Nah.”

She tugs, you move, and suddenly you’re in her lap, back hitting the steering wheel, knees pressed into the cracked leather of her seat.

“You’re obsessed,” you mutter, just before she kisses you, open-mouthed and filthy, tongue brushing over yours like she’s been starving for this, starving for you.

It’s messy, rushed, teeth clicking together in your eagerness. Leah groans into your mouth as you roll your hips down against her, her hands gripping your waist, guiding you exactly where she wants you.

“Fuck,” she mutters, head tipping back against the seat.

You take the opportunity to press your mouth to her jaw, her throat. It’s an old trick, one that never fails, and sure enough, Leah lets out a sharp breath, her hands tightening around you.

“This is not fair,” she murmurs, but her hands are already pushing up under your top, fingertips dragging over your stomach, higher.

“You started it.”

“I’m finishing it, too.”

She says it like a promise, like a threat, and then her fingers slip into your shorts, and all you can do is gasp, clutch at her shoulders, bite your lip to keep from moaning too loudly.

It’s desperate, all of it. The way she’s touching you, the way you’re grinding down against her fingers, the way the car windows are already fogging up, condensation clinging to the glass, blocking out the world beyond.

Leah is muttering something against your skin, words you can’t make out, her breath hot, her fingers faster—

And then—

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Your brain doesn’t immediately register it. It’s Leah who stills first, head snapping towards the voice, the very familiar, very exasperated voice that is much, much too close.

“Oh, shit,” you whisper, heart sinking, stomach plummeting straight through the fucking floor.

You both turn your heads at the same time.

Lotte.

Standing right outside the car, eyes wide, looking like she’s just walked in on her parents going at it.

Behind her—oh, because of course—Katie McCabe, hands on her hips, eyebrows so far up her forehead they might never come down again.

You feel Leah’s hand move between your thighs, hastily retreating, and you think about maybe dying, right here in this car.

Lotte makes a sound like she’s been traumatised for life.

“I knew it,” Katie says, way too fucking delighted. “Told ya, Lotte. Told ya they’d be shagging in here.”

Lotte looks at her like she’s just been betrayed in a deeply personal way. “And you still made me check?!”

Katie shrugs. “Had to be sure.”

Leah groans, dragging a hand over her face, already slumping against the seat like this is physically paining her. “You two are actual weirdos.”

Katie grins. “Bit fucking rich coming from you.”

Lotte still hasn’t recovered. She’s rubbing her temples like she’s suddenly developed a migraine. “I can never look at you two the same way again.”

Leah glares at them both. “Okay, well, now that you’ve had your fun, you can leave.”

Katie just leans against the car, looking entirely too smug. “Dunno. Might stay a while. It’s kinda nice out.”

Lotte looks physically ill. “I hate you.”

Leah makes a strangled noise, already reaching for the door handle, but Katie’s quick, hopping backwards, hands up in surrender, still grinning.

“Alright, alright, we’re going.” She winks, throwing one last glance at Leah. “Try not to fog up the whole fucking car park, yeah?”

And with that, she drags Lotte away, their laughter ringing through the otherwise quiet garage.

The moment they’re gone, Leah groans, forehead dropping against your shoulder.

“This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.”

You can’t stop laughing. You can still hear Katie and Lotte laughing somewhere in the distance, but Leah is seething, muttering expletives under her breath, forehead still pressed against your shoulder like she’s genuinely considering murder.

“They’re fucking dead,” she grumbles.

You’re still laughing. You can’t stop laughing, even as Leah pulls back, eyes burning with frustration, cheeks flushed red, hair a mess from your fingers.

“You think this is funny?” she asks, and fuck, she looks hot like this—pissed off, turned on, all adrenaline and leftover aggression from the match.

“Kinda,” you admit, biting your lip, your hips still very much straddling her lap, very much pressed against her, and when you shift even slightly, the way she hisses is enough to kill any amusement.

Her hands clamp down on your waist, holding you still, her breath ragged.

“I was fucking you,” she says, voice low, dangerous. “And they ruined it.”

You swallow. Hard.

Because she’s still looking at you like that. Like she needs you. Like she’s about two seconds away from saying fuck it and taking what she wants anyway, caught somewhere between frustration and feral.

You push at her chest, just enough to lean back slightly, your fingers dragging down the sweat-damp Arsenal jersey, over the embroidered badge, the ridges of her toned stomach underneath.

“We could still…” you start, teasing, but Leah’s already moving, already pushing the seat back as far as it’ll go, fingers gripping at your thighs.

“I’m gonna finish what you started,” she murmurs, dragging you closer again, her mouth hot against your jaw. “You’re gonna let me fuck you properly this time.”

It’s not a question.

Her hands slip under your top again, this time with more purpose, rougher, more desperate.

The first time was rushed, messy. This time, it’s something else.

Because now she’s pissed off. And she’s going to take it out on you.

She tugs at your shorts, pushes them down just enough, her fingers slipping past fabric, past heat, and fuck—she groans at how wet you are, her forehead pressing against yours, her lips parting in something close to disbelief.

“Jesus Christ.”

Her fingers drag over you, teasing, taunting, and you let out a shaky breath, your hands gripping at her shoulders, nails digging into the material of her jersey.

She doesn’t even bother being slow. She’s already worked up, already there, and she wastes no time pressing two fingers inside, stretching you open, swallowing your sharp little gasp with her mouth on yours.

The pace she sets is fast, unforgiving, her other hand gripping your hip, guiding your movements as you grind down against her.

She’s muttering things, half under her breath, between kisses, between ragged exhales—

“Wanted to do this all fucking day.”

“You feel so good.”

“Gonna make you come right here.”

And you can’t even answer, can’t even think, because she’s relentless, her fingers curling inside you just right, her thumb pressing against your clit, her mouth trailing down your neck, biting just enough to make you squirm.

The car windows are fogging up again, condensation clinging to the glass, and you think about how obvious it must look to anyone walking past, about how you should care—

But Leah groans, low in her throat, and you stop thinking about anything else.

Your body tenses, your breath catches, and Leah—fucking Leah—she knows, she feels it, her pace quickening, her grip tightening, her voice going all low and coaxing—

“That’s it, baby.”

“Come for me.”

And when you do, when you break apart above her, clenching around her fingers, gasping her name against her lips—

She doesn’t stop.

She doesn’t stop.

Because she’s still pissed off.

And she’s still not done with you yet.

[justakiro]

WHO THE HELL IS DAVE?

୨୧ — ꒰TWISTED WONDERLAND X READER

୨୧ — ꒰in which the boys who have fell head over heals for you, but you mention another name when having a romantic moment with them. Leading to many misunderstandings

Ft. Ace, malleus, idia

A/N: I most likely was on steroids the whole time I wrote this. Anyways reblogs and likes are appreciated.

THE TWO OF YOU - had just finished classes and planned to bond with each other, for you and him did not have any other plans. Unbeknownst to you, he had already planned this out. He planned to get closer to you using the time and utilize it as an opportunity to ask you out.

Ace

You and ace were chilling inside your dorm, chatting casually and exchanging light jokes with each other. He fidgeted with his hands, patiently waiting just for the right moment to take the hit and ask you out right on the spot.

"You have something in your mind?" you questioned him, the look on his face gave away everything. It was now or never!

"Yeah actually-.. Do..you mind if we could hang out after school? Maybe play some arcade" Ace took a glance at you while he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, seeing how you nod your head, he suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline through his veins

"I'd love to Dave"

Well damn.

-Word's couldn't express how his excitement went from 0-100

He thought you were just playing with him till he heard you apologize, saying Dave was a friend you used to hang out with alot.

He brushed it off of course, acting cool and smug at the outside. But in the inside he was basically dying

He didn't want to accept it, but he was beginning to think this Dave person was someone very close to you. So close it made him shudder for it was so unbearable.

You two still went out together after of course.. But the look on his face made it seem like the light had sucked out every single soul in him.

Asked cater to find this Dave person even though there was probably a million of them.

It wasn't long though before his jealousy turned into determination.

Oh so what, this Dave was close to you? Pfft, that was all in the past. HE was gonna be the closest to you now, not him.

Idia

You and idia always hang out with each other after classes but today was different! Since idia himself invited you to his dorm to play games, give each other tips and tricks on the games you both shared a common interest in.

But little did you know this was the final step into finally asking you out! (staying in his dorm more)

See idia wasn't an oblivious person when he started to develop feelings for you.. He was just thinking about how you deserved someone better. But to be honest if he DID see you with someone else he'd immediately feel jealous.

So it was now or never!! He mentally prepared himself for 3 weeks for this moment! Also Ortho was hiding somewhere with a earmic to help Idia steal your heart!

Both of you were just in his room playing games like usual, Your eyes were fixated on the screen though, the only sounds being the keyboard tapping and how focused you are in defeating this boss once and for all.

And when Idia caught a glimpse of the word's 'You Died' pop up, he knew it was go time. Ortho rooted for him... And probably was the only one rooting.

With a final deep breath he tapped your shoulder with his finger that was shaking immensely "I-Uhm, (Name)... Since you're still you know getting wrecked by this boss... W-Wana h-hang out more in my dorm?...." Idia just continued to shrink more and more as he continued to talk, don't blame him though this was his very first time asking anybody out.

With a joyful smile you nodded your head at him "Mm! Sure Dave" you immediately covered your mouth accidentally saying the name of your friend back at earth.

You swear you saw Idias soul start descending to hell with his face flushing in embarrassment while you tried to comfort and apologize to him that it was a mistake.

-Idia you sad sad man...

His mannerisms show how he wanted to dig himself a hole and never return on the surface ever again

3 weeks of mentally preparing himself and he got called another person...

When you left his dorm thinking he needed some time, Idia immediately wailed on the floor using his hoodie to cover himself further

Ortho emerged and comforted him, already trying to track down who this Dave person was.

A tiger is strong but not as strong as Idias mood swings. At first he was depressed over the fact that his crush called him someone else but then got frustrated.

Does this mean Dave frequently plays games with you? Bring him to the ring and Idia will show them how much of a pro gamer he is

He programs a virtual person of Dave inside a game and just spam kills them over and over again to make his frustration subside.

Happy ending though since both of you still played games and you finally defeated the boss.

Malleus

Malleus had always been a gentleman to you the moment his eyes spotted you at the ramshakle, he often showed a softer and sweeter side towards you and nothing like what people imagine him as a cold and mercy less dragon.

He didn't try hiding his feelings either;holding hands, playing with your hair, gifting you things he thought would suit you, all of that kinds of things.

So expect that one day he would abruptly climb your window and ask you if you'd like to be his partner.

Now listen, imagine at 2 in the morning you wake up to the presence of green eyes staring at your soul politely saying to be his partner.

So you took the most reasonable answers, you were either high or still dreaming.

"O-Okay Dave" you accidentally spurted out the name of your closet friend back in your childhood.

Malleus was full on ready to get on one knee until you suddenly said 'Okay Dave?'

Who is this person named Dave? A friend? A significant other? Friends with benefits? Whatever it is Malleus felt something awful inside his stomach

Went to Lilia to ask him for dating advice and told him to 'climb up a window and propose your love to them right away' !

Is this Dave person trying to steal you from him? He doesn't like sharing you know.

You swore a bright flash of thunder strook and hitted a tree nearby making you almost jump outta bed.

You calmed the pissed dragon off though saying it was a mistake, coming up with an excuse that Dave was a made up.

This made Malleus slightly calm down and not strike everything down on his way.

You saved a life of a unfortunate Dave...

But Malleus still got on one knee and proposed to you, but you said you still weren't in the age of marriage yet making Malleus understand your reasoning, he'll just wait patiently for the right moment again.

[iphyslitterator]

WIP Wednesday

tagged by @jamieroyjamieroy, and, uh, also a lot of other people in the past few weeks - thanks!

Guys, I have NOT been adapting well to the loss of the daily drabble structure, I haven't worked on anything :/ So I wrote something for the tag game; I'm tentatively trying to expand "find" for angst week's "crash that helicopter."

"Nicely done," Tommy says, evenly. He's jittery all over. "Getting past the brain fog." "Yeah, well," Eddie says. "I took a guess." Tommy nods and immediately regrets it when his head throbs. "Was it true?" Tommy doesn't look at Eddie, but the silence is answer enough. "No," Eddie says at last. "Actually he has a girlfriend." It's like being punched in the chest. He closes his eyes and swallows down nausea. At least if he throws up, he can blame the concussion. "That was a dirty trick, Edmundo." "I'd do it again." His voice is hard. "You're not dying on my watch." They're quiet for a while. Eventually Tommy says, "Maybe this is a sign. We fly to Vegas to save our friendship, I crash the helicopter, and you lie to me about—" He clamps down on the love of my life and suddenly remembers to be humiliated. Eddie grabbed a fistful of his pathetic heartstrings, yanked him through the forest like a marionette, and Tommy hates him. "Maybe we should let this go."

not tagging anyone because it's no longer Wednesday

If anybody wants to share tips on how to be disciplined about writing regularly, I'm all ears, I feel like I don't remember how to write longer stuff, and I'm sad and worried about it :(

[hughiecampbelle]

The Boys Preference: Finding Out You Have Panic Attacks

A/N: Not requested. I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't calm down. It's so hard to sleep. I think nights are the worst. This happened after my dad passed when I'd break out in stress hives almost every day for a year 😅 If anyone knows any tricks or tips or hacks, please let me know. I hope this can offer comfort for anyone experiencing similar issues 💕💖💓🩷💗💝💘

Butcher wasn't sure what was going on. Truthfully, he thought you were dying. All of a sudden, you're gasping, trying to catch your breath. You're shaking, curling into yourself. Tears are welling up in your eyes. You can barely explain what's going on and what you're thinking, and he isn't very comforting in the moment. He panic himself, asking you what you need. You don't know, though. After it's all over and you've spent some time apart, you go up to him and apologize. It was completely out of the blue. Nothing you could think of brought it on. At least, nothing specific. Everything, it seemed, put you in a panic these days. He shrugs it off, not wanting to make it a thing. He brings it up later, though, when it's just the two of you, asking you when it all started. You admit it started when you joined The Boys. Danger was around every corner. You were wanted. You'd spend hours worrying about every scenario that could ever play out. They all ended badly. He understands to a degree. Your lives are hard, complicated, and full of danger. It's only a natural reaction to be afraid. To worry.

Hughie learned about your panic attacks one night after you were cleaning yourself up, splashing cold water on your face. It was over, thank goodness, but it took a lot longer to get rid of the feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. You admit you've been dealing with this for a while, but was afraid to bring it up to anyone. It could be embarrassing. You were hysterical. And the worst part was you knew it was irrational. Hughie assures you it's not silly or irrational if it's causing you this much stress. He doesn't want to pry, of course, but he does want to know about it. When it started, what kinds of things worry you, how he can help, etc. Hughies had his fair share of panic attacks. He's no stranger to them. When you're feeling overwhelmed or like your brain won't stop thinking, he's the first person you go to. He tends to use distractions. Goofy stiff about movies or TV shows or random facts he's acquired through the years. Anything to take your mind off things. He's completely free of judgement. He just wants you to be okay.

Annie could kind of already tell. With the way things were at Vought and being part of The Seven, it was a pretty anxiety inducing situation. Homelander was cruel and reactive and all over the place. You could never tell if he'd laugh off something major while tearing everyone and everything apart over the smallest mistake. Annie found you hiding in the bathroom just before a team meeting, trying to talk yourself down. She knocked softly on the stall door, assuring you it was only her. It all comes out. The fears and worries, the stress making you so sick you were barely eating or sleeping. She opened up about her own fears around Homelander and pretty much everyone involved with Vought, slowly coaxing you out. When you've pulled yourself together, you immediately apologize. You don't know what came over you. It definitely wasn't right to put it on her. Annie thinks the opposite, glad you could trust her, reminding you you can always come to her. She gets it 100%.

M.M. never knew you struggled with panic attacks. You hid them so well that no one did. It isn't until you're at the Sage Grove Center that you're faced with Lamplighter and Stormfront that he sees fear and shock and panic. You freeze, your breathing ragged, tears welling up in your eyes. You have to move. You have to think quickly if you're going to get out alive. But first, he has to calm you down. He holds your shoulders, talking you down, reminding you to breathe. It takes a little while, but eventually, it starts to soothe you. After you're out and safe, far from the both of them, you thank M.M. apologizing for your behavior. He tells you there's no need to be sorry. He's just glad he could help. Marvin becomes a confidant when you're feeling anxious. Now that he's aware of it, he can pick up on the little signs before it becomes a full-blown panic attack. Even when it does, he's always there to help. He never wants you to feel like you have to face it alone or that it's an inconvenience to him. He cares about you. He wants you to he okay, to feel safe.

Frenchie found you one day, music blaring in your headphones, trying to calm yourself down. He startled you, his hand on your shoulder, making you jump. When he asked what was wrong, you were hesitant to say why. You didn't want to come off as weak or like you couldn't handle being part of the team. You loved the cause you were fighting for. It was just a lot. Finally, you told him, unable to keep it under control. You even tell him about your worries that if any of them ever found out, they'd kick you off the team, out of the friend group. Frenchie assures you they need you. Panic attacks don't change that. He wishes you'd opened up sooner instead of suffering alone. They had plenty of issues, this isn't as big a deal as you thought it was. It's hard, of course, but they've seen this before. You tell him music helps, but there are still so many times you can't stop it. You feel like you're dying. He offers the support he can, wanting you to come to him when you feel it coming on so that you're not alone, so you can figure it out together.

Kimiko finds you up late one night, curled into a ball on the couch, watching TV. She can see the tear marks on your cheeks illuminated by the screen. By the time she finds you, the crying has mostly subsided. When she asks what's wrong, it all comes out. The fear, the anxiety, the panic attacks. They used to be so much more manageable. Lately, it's been out of control, especially at night when there are so few distractions and you're all alone. You try not to bother anyone with it, having had poor experiences in the past. She tells you those people suck and you shouldn't feel like you have to hide it. Ever. It just ends up making it worse. She thanks you for telling her, asking if there's anything she can do to help. You're not really sure. After that, Kimiko is always checking in with you. She doesn't make a big scene about it. Keeping it between the two of you, she'll ask if you're okay or if you've been feeling okay. You're always honest with her, knowing she'll catch you if you fib. She ends up sitting with you at night, watching TV together. Her presence alone is comforting enough.

[quillsandcravats]

Middle of the Night | Benedict Bridgerton x fem!Reader | Ch. 1: My House of Stone

Summary: The year is 2025. When you move into Bridgerton House as its new curator, you don’t expect to fall in love with Benedict—a charming, enigmatic artist who seems to belong to another time. But as your connection deepens, the house begins to whisper its secrets, and you uncover a devastating truth: Benedict died over two centuries ago. Bound to the estate by betrayal and an unfinished life, he is forever thirty, a love you can touch but never truly hold. And when the past finally catches up with him, you must face an impossible choice. Pairing(s): Benedict Bridgerton x fem!Reader Rating: M Warnings: modern!AU, paranormal!AU, ghosts, hauntings, major character death, paranormal romance, angst, whump, descriptions of violence, death/dying, grief, trauma Crosspost: AO3, do not repost my fics anywhere! A/N: Here is Chapter 1 of a fic I cannot stop thinking about. I haven't felt this passionate about writing a multi-chapter fic in years. I hope you enjoy! Thank you to my beta @monaskydancer <3 SERIES MASTERLIST

“This is Bridgerton House.”

The taxi driver's loud voice snapped you out of your half-asleep daze in the backseat. You jolted upright, your mind still groggy and fuzzy, and ran a hand through your messy hair, attempting to tame it back into place.

"Thanks," you mumbled, rifling through your purse for a tip. You handed it over through the center console and quickly pushed open the door.

When you stepped outside, your gaze immediately fixated on the imposing and elegant structure towering before you. The red brick walls were lovingly adorned with wisteria vines, exactly as they appeared in the photographs. It was clear that the Bridgerton Foundation had poured their heart into nurturing those vines, letting them thrive and blossom year after year. Nearby, a plaque adorned with a delicate bee and an ornate, swirling 'B' was affixed to a metal stand beside the green door, its weathered paint peeling and chipping away.

As you lifted your eyes to the towering structure, a flicker at the edge of your sight snagged your attention. It seemed as though a pair of eyes were fixed upon you from one of the distant windows. But, as you inhaled sharply and tried to focus, they disappeared.

‘Seriously? Calm down, y/n. It was a trick of the light, or maybe a curtain that caught a breeze. Think rationally - you cannot walk into this house paranoid,’ Your inner monologue rambled on.

The cab driver placed your bags beside you, drawing you back to reality, and carefully lowered the cat carrier next to them. The bulk of your belongings had already been shipped from your old apartment —a modest collection, since your new place came furnished. The idea of settling in seemed doable; as long as you had your smartphone, your espresso machine, and Mr. Darcy, you figured everything would be just fine.

Just then Claire Watts, the CEO of the Bridgerton Foundation stepped out of the front door. As a proud descendant of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, her gait seemed to echo the legacy of her esteemed lineage. She wore a tailored camel coat that highlighted her slim figure, with a fitted turtleneck underneath and a chic black pencil skirt. A sparkling, jewel-encrusted bee-shaped brooch added a touch of flair to her outfit. Every detail of her look was perfect, with nothing out of place.

You suddenly cringed at your clothing choices, wishing you could magically switch out of your sweatshirt, leggings, and Crocs like Cinderella prepping for the ball. Luckily, you had remembered to refresh your deodorant after touching down at Heathrow.

She sauntered down the sidewalk towards you. "Y/n! Welcome! It's so great to meet you face-to-face finally," she said, reaching out for a handshake.

You grinned, "It's good to meet you, too. I'm super excited to check out the house in person, and to be here, of course.”

Claire smiled softly, her eyes drifting to the pile of your luggage at her feet. "There's no elevator in Bridgerton House, I'm afraid," she said, a hint of apology in her voice.

"Oh no, that's okay!" You chuckled, adjusting the strap of your shoulder bag. You reached down and picked up Mr. Darcy's carrier and hoisted one of your suitcases. "I'll just have to make a few trips, I guess."

Claire shook her head, her expression turning determined. "Oh, no, that's okay. I'll help you."

"And here are your quarters," Claire announced, her hand firmly pressing against the door, which creaked in complaint as it swung open. The wooden door unveiled a medium-sized room, bathed in the glow of the afternoon sun filtering through large windows. A queen-sized bed stood proudly in the center, its quilt neatly folded at the foot. Against one wall there was a polished dark oak desk paired with a matching dresser.

"You'll have full access to the bathroom down the hall," Clare continued, motioning towards the hallway. "It's fitted with a claw-foot tub, but be warned—the plumbing has a mind of its own and is overdue for another update." She hesitated before adding, "And you have a kitchen available, though it's situated on the opposite side of this wing."

"That’s all perfect. Thank you again for the tour.”

As you spoke, your nose suddenly tingled with an unexpected scent. It wasn’t necessarily unpleasant, but it was reminiscent of aged leather, smoky and musty, like the inside of an old library. Confusion washed over you as the aroma shifted, morphing into the rich, earthy scent of tobacco, then transforming once more into the sharp, pungent tang of turpentine. You coughed lightly, your eyes watering as they tried to adjust to the sudden assault. It dawned on you that the paint on the walls might be quite aged, which could explain the turpentine.

"Oh, the smells," Claire offered you a knowing smile. "People complain of these smells that come and go. They’re harmless; the team and I think it is because of the ventilation system we’ve been trying to get set up," she explained.

You nodded, attempting to buy her words. "Right, right," you chuckled, stepping into your room.

‘Weird smells and messed-up electricity. It’s giving ‘Amityville Horror’, you thought as you chewed your bottom lip nervously.

"Well, it’s getting quite late," Claire mentioned, glancing at her Apple Watch. She sighed as a text message illuminated the small screen. "And I’ve got to take my daughter to her ballet class, and I have pilates during that, so…" Her voice trailed off.

"Of course, of course, go right ahead," you encouraged. "I’ll try to get the WiFi set up."

Claire nodded a hint of relief in her eyes. "Good luck. The electricity can be a bit unpredictable in here. Every time we try to set up the Internet, it goes haywire. We can’t figure it out. Maybe you can help us with that?" Her words lingered in the air as she typed out a message on her phone before dropping it into her large designer bag.

"Yeah! Totally," you replied with a bright smile, watching as Claire waved and turned to walk down the hallway. Her heels clicked against the floor, creating an echo that lingered even after she disappeared from view. Mr. Darcy meowed softly at your feet, weaving himself in graceful figure-eights around your legs. "Okay. Okay, I know, you need to eat," you said with a sigh.

Later that night, you laid curled up in bed with your dog-eared copy of Little Women nestled in your hands. The cover was faded and the spine was cracked, evidence of how many times you had read it. You had propped up your pillows just right, forming a cozy nest, and were snuggled under a pile of mismatched blankets. You never tired of following the March sisters' lives. You could probably recite entire passages from memory by now. With all the change swirling around you, having something so familiar and comforting felt needed.

Mr. Darcy was on your lap, his rhythmic purring vibrating through the fabric of your pajamas. Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the tranquility, as if someone had dropped a stack of plates in the kitchen. You jolted, sending your cat scrambling off your legs with a yowl. His fur bristled, but you had no energy to acknowledge him as your heart raced.

"Hello?" you called out. You got to your feet, hesitantly inching toward the door. You debated whether or not to grab your bedside lamp as a weapon. You chose your phone instead, flicking on the flashlight feature as you headed into the hallway.

Mr. Darcy darted under the bed. It was unlike him to be easily spooked, but you figured he was still adjusting to the new environment. You walked slowly down the hall, bypassing multiple sets of doors. In some ways, the house felt like a labyrinth.

You heard the floors creaking around you, the noise echoing ominously from the last room on the right. "Screw this," you muttered under your breath, shuffling forward hesitantly toward the door. Gathering some courage, you pushed it open, your hand frantically flipping on the light switch next to the wall, ready to confront an intruder. Instead, the room was empty, except for a window slightly ajar, letting in the soft night breeze.

"Of course, it was just the wind," you said out loud, relief evident in your voice as you switched off your phone flashlight.

As your eyes got used to the room's lighting, a feeling of awe hit you. The walls were adorned with incredible portraits. Faces from history gazed back at you, their tales woven through time, stretching over generations. You moved in for a closer look, feeling the coolness of the hardwood under your bare feet. You glanced up, absorbing the intricate details of each portrait. First, you focused on the portrait of a young brunette couple. You observed they were surrounded by seven children, not eight.

As the memory of the Bridgerton family history unfurled in your mind, you quickly connected the dots: the distinguished gentleman with the poised demeanor must be Viscount Edmund Bridgerton, and by his side, the graceful presence of Viscountess Violet Bridgerton. Edmund had passed away before their youngest, Hyacinth, was born, indicating this portrait was likely painted about two years prior. The cherubic infant in the painting was unmistakably Gregory, the family's second youngest.

Strolling through the gallery, your eyes danced over the various portraits lining the walls until one captured your attention. It depicted a young man exuding an air of refinement, his posture upright and his expression serene yet commanding. He was dressed impeccably in a high-collared white shirt, adorned with a finely tied baby blue cravat, and a tailored navy blue waistcoat. The painting was so expertly rendered that it seemed to breathe with life.

You leaned in closer to the painting, your gaze tracing the intricate interplay of light and shadow across his face. The artist had masterfully captured the sharp angles of his jawline and cheekbones, which stood in striking contrast to the gentle curve of his lips and the soft arch of his brows. His eyes, painted in a deep, almost mesmerizing shade of blue, seemed to lock onto yours with an intensity that made your heart race. The fullness of his lips was accentuated by a subtle hint of rosy pigment, suggesting a warmth that softened his otherwise cool demeanor. You couldn't help but let your eyes rest on those lips, lingering a moment longer than you had intended. Your gaze then drifted upwards, taking in his hair, deep brown strands that tumbled in a thick, slightly wild mane, as though his fingers had just tousled it.

As your fingertips brushed against the intricate patterns of the ornate frame, a tingle traveled down your spine, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. You shivered slightly, reminding yourself that Bridgerton House’s heating and cooling system was still a work in progress, and attributed the sudden cold to the draftiness of the old mansion.

Leaning closer, you squinted at the small brass plaque affixed below the portrait.

"Benedict Charles Bridgerton, Born 1786, Died 1816," you read aloud. "You were only thirty," you murmured with a furrowed brow, half-expecting the painted eyes to blink in response.

The scent returned, a heady mix of tobacco, turpentine, and aged leather lingering in the air. You sniffed again, turning on your heel to pinpoint its source, your footsteps echoing in the silence. Just then, a faint creak resonated from the distant shadows of the hall. The sound sent your heart racing, and you stifled a scream when, without warning, the lights flickered out, plunging you into the suffocating blackness of the portrait hall.

series taglist: @monaskydancer @dorianellle @benophiepie @folkwh0relover13 @whatcjdidnext (message me to be added to the tag list!)

[amywritesthings]

I love the Hallo-sleepover idea! Can I request "my friend abandoned me at this halloween party and I don't know anyone. But you look as miserable as I feel" at a bonfire with Levi (:

hallo-sleepover '24!

of course!! this was the most requested prompt in 5 separate asks, so of course i wanted to present you a little levi on halloween day. xo hope you enjoy!

homemade.

pairing: levi ackerman x reader word count: 1.2k tags: modern au, adult language, halloween parties, first meet, levi ackerman as ghostface, reader as bride of frankenstein, mention of annie as your friend credit: dividers by @saradika-graphics

read on ao3.

Everyone’s too loud. The Halloween music keeps repeating.

Not even swirling the bright orange plastic cup in your hand can salvage the separation of pineapple and white rum.

At least the warm crackle of the open fire pit in the backyard feels nice.

You’re not sure why you agreed to come to this Halloween party with Annie — you knew she was going to see one solo cup and run for the pong table to demolish the competition — but you’d worked tirelessly on your costume this year.

Not that you had anywhere to go to show it off — cons got too expensive this year, work days blurred into nights, and before you knew it the date of October 31 was sitting impatiently on your doorstep. 

Waiting on your front porch handing out candy to little ones wasn’t a bad idea.

Trick or Treaters are cute.

(Except you can’t imagine any of the kiddos willingly taking a Snickers bar from the hands of a screen-accurate rendition of the Bride of Frankenstein.)

So you'd get dressed up, fill a pumpkin bucket, and hang out for the night, right?

Wrong.

That plan wasn’t acceptable to your friend, Annie Leonhart.

The moment she arrived at your doorstep in full costume, Annie acted as if staying home was a cardinal sin.

“You didn’t have a plan for this?” Annie asked incredulously. “Are you joking, dude? Come on. This costume is sick.”

Before you stood an elaborate (see: terrifying) rendition of Lady Death: Annie’s blue eyes were sunken in by copious black eyeshadow, her lips cut into the illusion of teeth under a terrifying black veil obscuring most of her face. On her body was what looked to be a dyed thrift store wedding dress, dark as the night sky above.

She gestures to your wrapped mummified dress and large cylindrical white-and-gray wig — all hand-sewn, all homemade — with equally blackened fingertips, gooey with fake blood.

“What?” you murmur, looking down at your dress like something has gone astray.

“What?!” she repeats with a snort. “Oh, no. You’re not wasting this on sitting on a porch. C’mon, we’re going to Reiner’s thing.”

“Annie,” you groan, giving her a pleading look. “You know I hate parties.”

“Yeah? And I hate idiots who waste good costumes,” she retorts, grabbing your hand with hers to fly into your house. “What do you need? Grab your keys and phone, we’re going.”

(Yeah, you’re used to her bulldozing by now.)

It’s what brought you here — stuck at a bonfire, waiting for an appropriate time to ditch and call a Lyft back to your house.

Annie’s no doubt in the semifinals of the competition, so you can’t imagine you’ll see her for the rest of the night.

It’s fine.

It’s fine, you’ll just wait another ten and—

A flash of black clothes shuffles past you to flop unceremoniously into a lawn chair. With a grunt, their legs extend towards the bonfire, the tip of their boots tapping the brick surrounding the pit. 

Slumping into the chair, you recognize the costume right away: it isn’t a traditional Ghostface given the dark denim jeans and the black henley shirt with rolled-up sleeves, but the elongated white and black ghoulish mask is unmistakable.

Unable to help yourself, you watch as the fire illuminates the veins in their forearms. His gloved hand palms the entire mask and rips it off of his face, causing your whole body to have a hot flash.

Oh.

Oh, no.

The Ghostface at the party is hot.

Immediately his bluish-gray eyes find you when he sits back in his chair once more. The black fringe of his hair clings to his forehead like the mask had been suffocating him to a sweat, complimenting his high cheekbones. 

Lips parted, you note the way he gives your costume a once over before speaking in the most rumbled, honey silk voice.

“Bride of Frank, right?”

Blinking twice, you continue to stare. When a few beats of silence pass, the stranger’s chin drops closer to his chest, brow expectant with an arch.

“You’re looking at me like I missed a reboot this year.”

Wait.

He’s talking to you.

Clearing your throat, you sit up taller and absently reach for your tall wig to make sure it’s in place. 

“No, you’re right. The Bride from the 1935 film.” 

You try to smile, though it gets lost somewhere in your anxiety. 

“And you’re Ghostface, right? From the movie Scream?”

The stranger nods. 

“Sort of. Found a mask half-off at the store, but I wasn’t wearing a damn nightgown.”

“The black clothes still fit the look,” you try to reassure, and he snorts.

“You’re far more forgiving than the Michael Myers I came here with,” he states, “but that friend abandoned my ass at this Halloween party, and I don’t know anyone else here, so.”

Crossing his legs by the ankles and his arms over his chest, he continues to observe your costume. From the flicker of the fire, his expression almost seems appreciative of your work.

“You did a damn good job,” he adds, “which is a shame, because you look as miserable as I feel.”

The surprise praise causes your face to heat up.

“I wouldn’t say miserable.”

“Bored?”

“Oh, definitely bored.”

He snorts. “Yeah, me too. I hate this shit.”

“Parties?”

“Halloween parties,” the stranger clarifies. “If everyone showed up to this shit dressed as elaborately as you, then I’d probably eat my own words.” He tosses a thumb back to the house. “I can’t tell you how many goddamn half-baked Jokers there are in that house.”

Somewhere in the midst of his rant is another compliment.

Toying with one of the ends of the mummified dress you wear, you find yourself shrugging a shoulder. “Not everyone has busybody time like me to make a costume, to be fair.”

“Wait.” He sits up more, sitting the Ghostface mask on his lap. “You made that?”

When you nod, you feel your body match the bonfire’s temperature. Annie gave you compliments by the plenty, but that was Annie. Everyone else at this party had been too busy getting drunk or too occupied to notice.

But he did.

“How’d you do it?” he asks with what seems to be genuine curiosity, though you wave it off.

“It’s boring.”

“Doubt it.”

“No, it really is,” you state, but the stranger leans closer with intrigue. You can’t move away, too mesmerized by how damn gorgeous he is. “And knowing me, I could ramble on for hours, so—”

“Hey, I have time.”

The man clears his throat and holds up the Ghostface mask as if it’ll somehow convince you.

“Might as well make the most of this damn thing while we’re stuck here, right? If anything, you’d be saving me from another goddamn Scary Movie reference inside, so you're doing me a favor by rambling for hours.”

The mention brings a slow and relaxed smile to your lips.

Right.

The ye ol’ wasssssaaaaaap to anyone with a Ghostface mask.

“Fine,” you relent, and you swear your mind is playing tricks on you when it sees a half-smile form on his own face, but the fire swipes it away just as fast. “But at least tell me your name — unless you want me to call you Ghostface.”

The man shakes his head, the fringe of his black hair following with him.

“Levi,” he introduces, softer this time. “Just call me Levi.”

[thirdsaltyhunter]

4th of July

Dean Winchester x Reader

Summary: 4th of july campfire gets a get a little steamy after everyone goes to bed

Warning: drinking, kissing, lap dances, implied smut, cringy drunk flirting

A/N: This is the first drabble I've written and posted, so I'm sorry for the writing and Dean's terrible joke. Not proofread.

_____________

You had proposed the idea earlier of having a campfire this 4th of July. Just be able to sit back and relax in the brief time between hunts. The boys immediately went along with your idea, Sam going to build a fire near the door to the bunker while Dean cooked up his famously delicious burgers.

Sam had invited Eileen and Cas had even popped in for a bit. It turned out to be a great night of drinking, talking, good food, and setting off sparklers that you had found in a drawer.

After a few hours (and a few drinks) Sam and Eileen decided to call it a night and said their 'goodnights' to you and Dean before going into the bunker.

"Last ones standing," Dean said, tipping his beer bottle towards you.

"Barely standing," you giggled, clinking your bottle against his.

Ever since you and Dean started dating you usually ended up being the last ones awake. You were more late night kind of people than Sam, it was one of the things that brought you and Dean closer.

Sometimes those late nights turned into talking and drinking, and sometimes talking and drinking turned into more X-rated fun. Judging by how tipsy you were and how good he looked in the fire light sipping his beer, you knew that was probably how tonight was going to end up.

He never failed to make you feel sexy and loved, you had more confidence with him than you had ever had in you life. And right now that confidence, the alcohol, and his gaze on your tank top and short-shorts clad body, was making you want to do sinful things.

After talking a while you got up to tend to the now dying fire and throw some more logs on it. When you bent over to stoke the fire, Dean smacked your ass, igniting the fire inside you. You honestly weren't trying to tease him when you bent over, but you were happy with the result. You chuckled and looked over your shoulder, he had a very relaxed smirk on his face.

"Enjoying the show?", you asked bending over further and pressing closer to him. Now you were trying to tease him. He nodded, biting his lip in appreciation.

You dropped the stick you were using to poke the fire and reached over to grap you phone to turn up the music that had been playing quietly in the background. You set down your phone and started swaying your hips to the beat of the music. You're going to put on a show for him alright.

Your back was still turned to him, but you could hear the slight moan that reverberated in his chest at your actions. He gently ran his palms up the back of your thighs, not being able to resist touching you. At this point you were almost grinding down onto his lap, pulling out every trick you knew in the 'lap-dance handbook'.

After you felt you had teased him, and yourself, enough you turned around and moved to straddle his lap. You could see, even in the dim light from the fire, that his pupils were clouded with lust. His hands moved to your hips, holding your slightly intoxicated body steady on his lap. You smiled, leaning down to kiss him. He hummed into your mouth and kissed you back with the same passion and desire you felt within you.

His hands smoothed up and down your arms, palms warm against your skin that had cooled in the night air. "You're so gorgeous," he said, fingers moving from your arms to tangle in your hair and gently pull your head back, trailing kisses down your neck.

"And you're frustratingly handsome" you said, lost in the feel of his lips. You felt him release a breathy chuckle against your neck. When you ground your hips onto his crotch, you had to bury your face in his neck to conceal your moans. Not that anyone could hear you, the bunker was miles away from any people.

He turned his head to whisper in your ear. "How 'bout I take you inside and see how long before I can get you seeing fireworks".

[wolfiafuntime]

Who Fell First, Who Fell Harder? But Make It Yandere!

Wanted to do this with all of the Mondstadt & Liyue men, but I lost inspo immediately after writing Aether's part. Had to force Albedo's part out... Planning on making sequels with all the other boys in the future, but idk when.

Ft. Yandere! Aether, Albedo (separate) X Yandere! Gn! Reader

Tw: Soft yanderes

Published: October 12, 2023

Words: 657

Pages: 2

Aether: You fell first, he fell harder!

 You fell for him when he saved your life from an unexpected Lawachurl. How could you not? He looked so perfect, jumping in front of you and slashing at the monster with his sword. And the interaction that followed was equally as perfect, starting with him pulling you up from the ground with ease as a floating child asked if you were okay. He didn't talk much, the child- whom you soon learned was named Paimon- doing most of the talking, but his expressions said enough.

 You couldn't help but follow Aether around, and you learned how he was searching for his lost sister, but unfortunately had to spend most of his time helping others. The second-hand offense you had felt was so strong you vowed to personally handle every problem dumped on him. And upon being reminded that you couldn't fight, you changed that vow to 'personally handle every social problem'. You hated being away from him, but his grateful smiles and his occasional quiet 'thanks' were great motivators to keep your promise. And on the plus side, all of your hard work got you a good if not great reputation in every nation you guys visited. Which, in turn, allowed you to threaten greedy merchants, scummy villagers, and shady military personnel.

 He fell for you after you had taken a bullet from a Fatui Skirmisher from him. At first, he was irked as he took the formerly unnoticed Fatuu out; bitter that you had gotten hurt. Although the reason why was a mystery to him. He always knew this would happen! Why did he let you come? Why did you have to follow him around so much?? Why did that stupid skirmisher think he could get away with this?! It wasn't until he killed the Fatuu and returned to your slowly-dying side that he realized. Despite Paimon's cries, and the horrid smell of burnt flesh, you weren't worrying about yourself. You were worrying about him, even using your seeping strength to place your hand on his cheek.

 He could never explain the relief he felt when a doctor saved your life. He helped you through every step of the healing process, making sure to wrap every one of your bandages himself, gathering the best materials for the healthiest foods, and helping you re-learn how to walk. When you were finally healthy again, he made sure to never leave your side. He'd follow you around help you deliver letters, or settle arguments. And when he'd have to go on commissions, or deal with disgusting perverts and annoying hags, then he'd tuck you away into his Serenitea Pot for safekeeping.

Albedo: You fell first, you fell harder!

 You fell for him a few weeks after your first love broke your heart and ran off with a harlot. When he had comforted you with some magically healing words. After that, you started following him around as best you could. And unlike the concubus who had tricked you, Albedo actually cared about you! Like when you tried following him into Dragonspine, he recommended that you stop so you didn't get yourself hurt. And when he learned that your 'stalking' was interfering with your job, he recommended that you get a new one in the Knights of Favonius Investigation Company!

 You continued to fall for him as he personally taught you alchemy. And when he'd give you tips for surviving Dragonspine's harsh conditions. And as whenever he took the time to make you and occasionally Timeaus food while you were up there. Naturally, you did all you could to repay his acts of love. Such as getting him rare paints to use. Or handle his friends for him. And even use your newfound power as a Knight of Favonius to hurt every harlot stupid enough to think they deserve his love!

[c-h-pictures]

TGCF as Taskmaster

Hua Cheng: I hope this doesn't seem disrespectful, Pei Ming, but when I heard you were booked, I was A, delighted, and B, I suspected you would drag this show into the gutter.

Pei Ming: *nods*

Hua Cheng: But. Shi Qingxuan, it would appear, is the person I should have kept my eye on. You said "ooh, look at you with your big pipe", "not even if I took it right to the rim would that one work",

Shi Qingxuan: Is that rude?

Pei Ming: *silently dying of laughter*

Hua Cheng: and then, correct me if I'm wrong. You shook your chest at us

Shi Qingxuan: It was a shimmy!

-

He Xuan, clearly terrified: That's right, I love you and I love my wife. Equally.

-

Xie Lian: *carries in a cactus and puts the doughnut on top of it* That's not bad, is it? Through. There you go.

He Xuan: Yeah?

Xie Lian: Are there any spare doughnuts?

He Xuan: To?

Xie Lian: Nibble.

He Xuan: To nibble? Yes, I can get you another doughnut to nibble, that's fine.

Xie Lian: Okay!

-

He Xuan: Here's a doughnut for you to nibble.

Xie Lian, fiddling with objects: Okay, and that's also a test doughnut.

He Xuan: Did you trick me into getting you a test doughnut?

Xie Lian:

-

Xie Lian: My time spent collecting scraps. Finally coming in good!

Xie Lian: I've... I've stuck my hands together. That's a bit of an issue.

-

Hua Cheng: The only thing that's through that doughnut is.

Shi Qingxuan: Yeah?

Hua Cheng: Less than a centimeter of cactus tip.

Shi Qingxuan: I said to Ming Yi, is it through, Ming Yi said, yes.

Hua Cheng: He misled you.

Shi Qingxuan: Why would you do that to me? I thought we were friends.

Hua Cheng: Yeah.

He Xuan: Did you?

Shi Qingxuan: Yeah!

He Xuan: No one's ever said that to me.

Shi Qingxuan: I can't believe you've turned on me like this.

Hua Cheng: Yeah, he does that.

Shi Qingxuan: Yeah.

Hua Cheng: He's no loyalty to anyone.

Shi Qingxuan: Two faced!

Hua Cheng: No loyalty to anyone!

Shi Qingxuan: I'm sat here between sexy and brainy side and then it's ol' chump in the middle.

-

Jun Wu: I would not have had the courage to pass the toy giraffe...

Hua Cheng: Yeah?

Jun Wu: ... through the doughnut.

Hua Cheng: God, it really does work having an emperor. I almost started to believe it was important, passing a giraffe through a doughnut. It does work!

-

Hua Cheng: This is going to drive an even bigger wedge between you and Shi Qingxuan, because I'm going to allow Feng Xin the cow.

He Xuan: Well, the cow is the biggest this, it's 800,000 centimetres cubed-

Mu Qing: No, no, hang on. But the image part-

Feng Xin: NO JUST SHUSH HE'S MADE HIS CHOICE

-

Shi Wudu, putting on the gloves: It's very Qingxuan.

Shi Qingxuan: *poses immediately after getting the gloves on* They work.

-

Shi Qingxuan: It doesn't have to be standing, does it?

He Xuan: Most accurate sculpture wins.

Shi Qingxuan: Scene! Can you lay on the floor?

Shi Qingxuan: Right, what colour's your hat?

Scene:

Shi Qingxuan: Is it purple? Silver?

Scene:

Shi Qingxuan: Azure? Lemon? Russet-grey?

Scene:

Shi Qingxuan: WHAT COLOUR'S YOUR FUCKING HAT?

-

Hua Cheng: Mu Qing, I think I saw a moment where you finally realised what show you're on, where you went "Why would he be holding a duck?"

-

Hua Cheng: During the break. Xie Lian dropped his mike and pack into the toilet.

Xie Lian: I did, I did.

-

He Xuan: Here's Feng Xin's sculpture.

Hua Cheng: See, I don't know if it's good.

Feng Xin: Excuse me!

He Xuan: Here's the lollipop man they were trying to sculpt.

Hua Cheng: Well, first things first. Xie Lian, you were right. He's a powerhouse.

-

Hua Cheng: In third, and no one is more surprised about this than me, Pei Ming, is Pei Ming, with three points.

Shi Qingxuan: I'm doing worse than the haunted baby?

Hua Cheng: You're doing worse than the haunted baby. But you will be taking home some points, in this case, two. And in last place, is whatever monstrosity Xie Lian created.

Xie Lian: *laughing and curling up on his seat*

-

He Xuan: You're going to set fire to it?

Feng Xin: Well, it said the lightest tower.

-

Hua Cheng: Join us next time to see a highly successful god take home some dirt cheap disco lights and a bop-it. FEEL THE ADRENALINE HIGH!

-

Hua Cheng: Not long until someone claims this finely crafted trophy. *Motions to trophy of his eyebrows*

He Xuan: Yes, Hua Cheng. I thought this was quite a silly show but it's got quite *motions to the trophy* eyebrow lately.

Hua Cheng: Why don't you shut your stupid mouth?

-

He Xuan: Is there anything you're looking for in particular?

Qi Rong: Not really. I'm trying to figure out how I could cheat.

-

Hua Cheng, to Xie Lian: I think you should start a cult or something. It's really compelling, every time you said "I've had a really good idea", I found myself going "yeah, he has".

-

Hua Cheng: Shi Wudu, please reveal your item.

He Xuan: It's a triangle.

Hua Cheng: Shi Qingxuan, please reveal your item.

Shi Qingxuan: What if I don't want to?

Hua Cheng: REVEAL IT!

Shi Qingxuan, pulling out a triangle: WUDU YOU RUINED MY DAY!

-

Pei Ming: The first two of those were... Lacking in deliberation.

Hua Cheng: I'm glad you confessed to your crimes early on because I was going to say "Pei Ming doesn't deserve to be punished because he's the only one firing in my direction" and as we were walking down, He Xuan said to me "he was firing at you on purpose".

[shrimpalbuspotter]

Cc dark world au stuff yet again

The relationship between Delphi (whos full name will be Delphini Black) and Albus.

I said In a previous post that Delphi views Albus as a pet. This still stands.

Delphi, unlike her father, was born without any love potion to affect her. She is shown to feel genuine want for a loving father in the play

Delphi IS capable of love! But the love she has for Albus is unlike one you'd have for a child or even a sibling. She sees Albus as a cute little thing, who she can teach to perform tricks and do her bidding. But she does love him, its just more similar to how you'd love a dog you've had since you were just a little kid.

She buys him gifts, I've also mentioned this before, things like expensive jewelry and robes, so that she is seen as more wealthy when she is strutting around on meetings with him (or he is away giving someone a message for her). This is still something reserved for only the richest purebloods who can afford a mudblood (although usually an imprisoned halfblood, as a lot of blood purists hate the idea of a mudblood even being in their sacred home) to have as a servant. Its incredibly expensive and the best job a halfblood slash muggleborn can have. The only difference between them and Albus is that Albus isn't really a servant, and was free

Then, she makes sure he's well groomed. When she was still a teenager she'd sit and prune him for hours, cutting his hair, filing his nails, and making sure he looks clean. To her it was just a bit of fun, but Albus was grateful to even get bathed. From ages 7-10, Albus actually had his hair dyed a bright cyan colour at the tips, but when Delphi turned 18 and "matured" as she called it, she decided it looked stupid and turned it black again. Similarly, she taught him some basic etiquette so as to not look like her pet didn't know how to behave, so he walks and talks like a pureblood when he isn't half way to a panic attack (which is almost all the time)

And there's the fact she dotes on his every move. It had gotten better now she's 22, but when she was 15 she'd make him do all sorts of silly tricks and would instantly order all the human servants to come and look and berate them for not being as talented as her little Munin (the name Albus is given). It got to the point Voldemort had to punish her for continously disrupting them from their work and she threw such a teen Bellatrix esque tantrum Albus had to do 10 whole hours of damage control. Now that she's older she'll mostly just dote on him in private, but she feels all the same. If she's at a ball or its voldemort day, she'll have him do a few tricks on stage for the people.

She tells him everything and doesn't even stop to think "maybe this is a bad idea". Like, you know how you have a long day and you just come home and vent to your dog even though it doesn't understand you? That's what Delphi does. "You wouldn't believe it, Munin. How dare they speak to me like that? Right? It was as if they forgot who I was! I sorted their behaviour out easily, ofcourse, but it still made me angry. Stupid kids... Anywho, i need you to go to Hogwarts and hand this to my Headmaster, Umbridge. Off you go." It's so fucking stupid but Albus is bored out of his mind and just happy to get the gossip, even if Delphi is known for being slightly dramatic.

Speaking of, Delphi is prone to temper tantrums that often lead to something or someone being thrown against a wall or out of a window. Delphi usually crucios people atleast 30 times a day, yet she has only used crucio on Albus around 20 times in the 7 years she has had him. All spread out. But Albus has been physically Injured by her, accident or not. Sometimes he'll simply be standing there and she will go into a huff, throwing a vase at the wall that just so happens to smash against his face. All of his injuries are dealt with almost immediately after. But even then, she usually just resorts to yelling or shouting as a reprimand, grabbing him by the scruff of his feathery cloak and screaming in his ear.

If something were to happen to Albus, like he was greatly injured by another or was given punishment by another, she'd freak out. They'd be avada kedavrad before you knew it. Once, whilst both Albus and Delphi were at Hogwarts, Delphi told Albus he had her permission to go explore. He was caught wandering the school by Umbrdige, and was petrified. He had tried to explain that he had been allowed by Delphi but she simply said "tch tch,I always knew you were a bad sort, child" before going to reprimand him with her wand. That was, until she was spotted by Delphi with her wand to Albus' chest, and by god was she lucky she was useful to the cause or else Delphi wouldn't have let her off with a mere crucio (which she then got punished for by her father. Ugh, take a hint dad!)

On that note- Voldemort and Delphis relationship leans more into the funny haha crack universe this was supposed to be. Because yes, it was originally just Albus being a deadpan dick to everyone and Delphi experiencing lesbianidm.

Delphi acts rather spoiled as a teenager, and takes her role as The Augurey more seriously when she is in her twenties. Delphi was prone to fits of anger where she'd want her fathers attention, and would get it in ways she didn't particularly enjoy, such as crucios. But alas, she was spoiled silly. If Delphi wanted some snot faced preschooler halfblood gone, they'd be found face down in the Black Lake not a day later. If she wanted her very own dungeon to keep Mudbloods in to play with, she'd get that too. And if she wanted to take in the 7 year old son of his newly dead arch nemesis as her pet, he wouldn't be able to think of a reason to oppose. Besides, his daughter would get bored quick as, and he could reunite the boy with his family soon enough.

That day obviously never came. Not that he was upset by the outcome, Albus- or "Munin" as his daughter named him- was a very useful tool indeed. He was incredibly pliant, willing, even when it came to things morally dark. Ofcourse, Voldemort was able to see the boy was truly terrified, but he could applaud the lack of expression on his face that would only slip away when Delphini was around, were the boy would begin jittering and fidgeting much more often than usual. Nevermind that, he was glad his daughter had a confidant as compliant as Munin. They were very rather useful! (Momentarily, he wonders if he would have been able to turn Harry Potter into something similar, but knew the boy was much too stubborn and morally righteous for that. He supposes the apple toppled from the tree and rolled straight down into a well at the bottom of the hill.)

On ANOTHER note... I've been thinking of giving Albus the Augurey skull mask from another au of mine, and rather add a feathered hood to his cloak or make a feathered neck piece similar to a ruff but smaller. Just any type of ruffled collar that protrudes below the chin really. This would make me redo his design as the collar would attach together at a bolo tie then turn into his cape at the back. The skull would be black, because Delphi is extra, and she isnt a fan of the yellowish white colour.

[oxensun]

Having Religious Trauma when your family Wasn't Religious; A Story Time

This was a super weird memory to unpack and honestly I was laughing at it the whole time. You can too, its okay. Its funny.

My family was not religious. My dad was a '60s Catholic school dropout who worked on a farm at 8 just to get by, and I now fully believe my mom's ancestry was full of cunning folk from Poland that fled to USAmerica during WWI. They had assimilated, so we took turns making Polish food on Christmas, but that was the closest thing I had to a tradition my entire childhood. Not even the language had been past down. However, there was an unspoken understanding about things like the horseshoe above the front door ("It brings us good luck") and great-grandma's terror around dolls.

I grew up a Harry Potter kid. My dad was my best friend and loves reading but it gives him a hard time, so we watched the movies together and its still a pillar of our friendship (He Knows). My mom read me real old-timey fairy tales like she grew up on, and was obsessed with The Brother's Grimm. A copy follows me everywhere I live even if I barely read it now as an adult. My mom was another kid who grew up outside with her brothers and sister just playing in the woods and has always has been obsessed with owning a farm and being surrounded with animals and greenery. Growing up she made sure I always had a yard to play in and chickens to hold. It was natural to catch me running around the yard naked as a toddler, but I was chronically bullied by my peers in school and my cousins at family gatherings. My only solace ever was in the trees in the yard and those trees became my best friends and at times my only friends.

The way my childhood went, I grew up way more attuned to nature and spirit, a comfort I never felt in my culture or around people, any people.

So cue middle school, and some of my friends start talking about this youth group. I've never heard these words before, but I would love any opportunity to meet new kids my age who might not instantly hate me. I begged my parents to go. I knew nothing about religion other than it existed, and sometimes they spoke in funny languages and did things with their arms that- holy crap that looks like a spell! Those guys are wizards!! I'm in!!!! My parents had no idea what was going on but they gave in and I went to a church youth group and I was forever scarred.

You guys know what happened. It was a stuffy, mildewy building that was not old enough to be as dusty as it was. The music was Not Good, and the messages kept contradicting itself or dropping in and out of tune. The crafts weren't fun and everybody looked like they hated being there. We did. I was so MAD!

These guys were supposed to teach me how to do spells! I know its real, so why are you wasting my time! I came here to learn MAGICK! I knew that I felt magic, but this church was making a mockery of what the sacred is supposed to be. Religion is supposed to uplift us. Spirituality is meant to heal us and our wounds. Our souls are designed to bring us together in harmony. But in that building, I felt none of that. It felt like an elementary school gymnasium. I knew immediately there was no spirit, no Gd there, and they were lying about being holy men.

As a 13 year old, the conclusion I drew from this was that Gd was dead and we had killed him. I felt cheated, and my instinct was to refute the entire institution.

I had absolutely lost all faith in myself. I don't know what I was hoping for, maybe I was expecting lightning out of my finger tips, but this experience had eroded any idea that magic could be inside of me. It gave me the illusion that religion is just a cheap trick and magic was just a fantasy plot meant to entertain us while we all just accept that we're dying a slow and agonizingly boring death. I began to believe this about all religions, and religion as a concept. Up until this point I had never met a religious person who genuinely enjoyed it. Going to church always was treated like a chore, and so I thought hating religion was going to save people from this same fate.

This left me super confused and frustrated. I already had a full and flesh belief of animism and the power of the universe and then within a couple of hours it was all stripped away. I knew things about spirits and the fae and I think I was already Hellenistic by then, too. I was desperate for materialism to not be all there was to life. I could not accept it. I knew there was something mystical going on behind the scenes and nobody could describe it to me or even admit that they were as confused as I were.

The trauma I got was the underlying perpetuation that I was misled by my own senses and that what I had understood so fully in my heart was a lie. I did not have anyone in my life to reflect my experiences to and no one who could relate, and this institution had been a massive joke. I realized I would have to find out on my own what religion and spirituality meant. As this went on, I got stuck in a loop of;

"Well I'm getting correspondences and I'm reading all the spell recipes and I'm reading about paranormal experiences and I'm obsessed with ghosts and cryptids, but like I'm still not really understanding. Like nobody can just give me an answer! Is magic real or not?! How does burning leaves make me rich?!"

I think that in some sort of effect, I had turned off my emotions and intuition once I had the idea in my head that it was just stupid background chatter and my feelings were annoying and cumbersome and getting in the way of my learning. And then I beat myself up for not understanding spirituality! Not only were my feelings painful, they didn't make sense, but they didn't actually matter in the grand scheme of things. All Gd wanted from me was macaroni art and pony bead bracelets.

The moral of the story is this; even events that don't strike you as traumatizing can still have long term effects on your life. This is why we do shadow work because It wasn't up until I really sat down and picked apart this particular feeling that kept following me, that I was able to really understand how to let these beliefs go. I had accepted religion to be exactly what someone had told me it to be, instead of what I knew I had felt to be true in my blood and bones, and this crushed my confidence and faith in myself. Then I finally realized that I can just follow however I feel, and I can just do that with an infinite success rate for the rest of my life. Maybe I was right and there was no Gd in that building. But I have met Gods in forests, waterfalls, in my best friends' laughter, in my kitten when she falls asleep in my lap, in the jewelry I make, and in my tarot readings. Religion is meant to connect us. Spirituality is meant to uplift and empower us. Our Souls naturally want to draw us together through art and music and love. In this way, each person's spirituality will always be as unique as they are, and that's something to be celebrated. That is Magic.

[bleached-socks]

My attempts at the stupidly difficult 9th Anni Extra Senkaimon Quests

I have heard other people complain about them, so with only a day and a half left of them, I wanted to talk about my attempts using at them. I've beaten 6/10 of them and have made attempts at the other 4 so here is what I've done. Putting it all under the cut because I've included pictures of my setup for each stage, which makes it a really long post.

Extra Stage 1: Beaten

This level wasn't actually too bad. My Ulquiorra is only 1/5, but he does enough damage that I was able to just stand in place and win. His SA 2 is a lunge attack so I had to watch where it was aiming when I used it, but otherwise it was fine. You'll notice that most of my other attempts do have a Last Ditch Survival link, but I didn't need one for this level.

Extra Stage 2: Not Beaten

My best attempt was with this setup, but even then I kept dying before I got to stage 3. My second best attempt was with a 1/5 parasol Shunsui and I was able to stay alive the entire time since he has drain and can heal, be he never even made it to stage 3 before time ran out. I think I can do it with Wonderweiss but it'll be difficult. He is 2/5, which isn't awful. And honestly this is the only level I haven't beaten that I actually think is possible for me to beat.

Update: I got to stage 3 and Shuren absolutely destroyed me. I had even managed to keep my LDS until the boss fight, but I still died. Idk if this one’s gonna be doable.

Extra Stage 3: Beaten

This one was also a matter of doing enough damage without having to move. My White is currently 5/5 (but I think he was only like 3/5 when I actually completed this, since this was the first one I beat). But I was still doing massive amounts of damage and that's what let me beat it so easily.

Extra Stage 4: Beaten

This one I think had some of the easiest rules to get around, assuming you have a character with a Break Iron Skin skill. My Ikkaku is only a 1/5 and actually only has level 15 link slots. My biggest tip for this level is to dodge like crazy. Get as much Reduced Strong Attack Cooldown as you can and add a Last Ditch Survival and you should be fine. Look out specifically for the guys in white since their attacks are hard to dodge, and also the blonde ones since their attacks do a lot of damage. I was dreading this one the most due to the human enemies but I think this is actually one of the tamer levels.

Extra stage 5: Beaten

This one was easy enough, just attack without moving and avoid the Insta-Kills as much as possible. I don't actually remember much about this stage but I beat it with a 1/5 Mugetsu (that was only powered up to level 5) and having only level 15 link slots so I guess it wasn't too bad, but when I retried it again to research this post, I died almost immediately cause I didn't dodge an attack properly and I don't feel like trying again. So maybe I just got lucky, who knows?

Extra Stage 6: Beaten

This was the most recent one I've beaten. The trick is staying alive long enough to destroy the traps so you can use SAs. I have a LDS link, which I used just destroying the trap against Senjumaru, but then I beat her with SAs. Tenjiru I got lucky against and weakened him immediately so I could destroy the trap without being killed, and then I beat him with SAs. Ichibe I just Soul Bombed him immediately which destroyed the traps so I could finish him off with SAs.

Extra Stage 7: Beaten

The simplest extra rules. It felt like an actual Senkaimon Quest that wasn't ridiculously inflated in difficulty. My Mashiro is 2/5, level 20 link slots, and she beat it pretty easily. She's immune so paralysis which made it significantly easier. My biggest worry was the human affiliation attacks that I talked about in stage 4.

Extra Stage 8: Not Beaten

Genuinely don't think I'm beating this one. It was clearly designed for Candice, but I only have her 1/5. I have not gotten has Quilge. He isn't doing enough damage fast enough, and dodging doesn't work because of the statue traps that limit where you can dodge to. I don't think this is beatable with her only 1/5, but I'm most using a Special Move Source just to get 10 orbs and a summons ticket. So this one is unbeatable.

Extra Stage 9: Not Beaten

I don't have Gremmy, but I'm still summoning for him so this may change, but the best character I have to beat this level with is Ichigo, and he's just not cutting it. He is ranged, which is allowing him to destroy the SA Disabling traps, but they don't stay destroyed for long enough to beat the stage. And he's not doing enough damage anyway, so there's no chance of him beating the level. If I get Gremmy in the next 2 days, then I may update this, but for now I'm calling it unbeatable, at least for me.

Extra Stage 10: Not Beaten

This is the one I'm most angry about. It should be beatable. It's designed for Kenpachi and I have him 4/5. So why is it so unbeatable? Because he's melee, and gets down to half stamina before he can destroy the trap that would let him actually use his attacks. The first stage is a pretty small room with a lot of enemies that he doesn't actually have killer against. He can barely dodge, and his potential as an op character is wasted because he wastes half of his health just to be able to attack. I have not gotten to stage 2. And maybe I'm just playing badly but I have no idea what else I'm supposed to do here.

And that's all I've got. Good luck to anyone else attempting these stupidly hard quests, I wish you the best.

Also if this was Tier 1 of the 9th Anni Tower, what the hell are the other 3 Tiers going to look like?

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight - April 2024

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family, along with a little info about them!

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

@elf-punk -

Other SM names? - Discord: crumblemoon, AO3: queen_karnilla

OTP? - Destiel all the way

Other fandoms? - Doctor who, Dune, Harry Potter, Marvel (Loki specifically), Sandman

Looking for in the Pond? - Mainly to meet and hang out with other SPN fans, and share/read fanfic and headcanons! Nothing super specific.

Pairings you read? - Reader inserts/OC mainly involving spn angels (michael and cas are my favourites!)

Genres you read? - Romance, friends/enemies to lovers, angst with a resolution, all things fluffy! Will read smut as part of a longer romantic narrative, but not for the sake of it.

What do you like to write? - Reader-inserts/OC, introspectives and character studies

Masterlist!

@jinkieswouldyoulookatthis -

Other SM names? - Discord: jackiefour, AO3: jinkieswouldyoulookatthis

OTP? - Wincest (Sam/Dean)

Looking for in the Pond? - Just looking to strengthen ties with the general fandom community and it's always nice to have other writers/readers to talk with.

Pairings you read? - SamDean in all its variations, either of the brothers/reader together or separate is good too.

Genres you read? - Angst, smut, crackfics are my preferred, although some fluff is nice and appreciated too. The trope doesn't matter as much to me as the overall quality of the writing.

Favorite writer(s)? - Gah, too many amazing writers to narrow it down to a favorite, but @applecrumbledore, @dyed-red, leonidaslion, candle_beck, deadlybride immediately spring to mind.

What do you like to write? - Currently been writing wincest (SamDean) but I used to write reader inserts for both of the boys.

Masterlist!

Most underappreciated fic? - Probably this one because it's a body swap/gender bend with low key non-con elements to it (so I get why it doesn't get as much love as some of the others): Make A Wish

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? -I am currently working on my first long fic, just getting going on it and am a little intimidated by the scope, but I don't deal with deadlines or anything like that well, so I'm hoping that just being around other people writing and talking about writing will help keep me motivated to finish it. Basically, I'm just looking for passive motivation and community.

@i-already-know-im-going-2-hell / @aceing-on-the-cake -

Other SM names? - AO3: i_already_know_im_going_to_hell

OTP? - Honestly I think Wincestiel can't be beat when it's done well, best of both worlds

Other fandoms? - I enjoy a lot of fandoms but to be honest I'm really only making content (writing and drawing) for supernatural.

Looking for in the Pond? - Honestly I'm just looking to hang around, meet fellow writers and artists, and pick up tips and tricks along the way. I find I'm motivated so much more when I have others around me who are just as into the things I'm into.

Something to signal boost? - Honestly the only thing I'm currently working on bigger project wise is a supernatural au I'm doing a lot of drawings for. This is the original post --Guineanatural-- and it has all the links in it towards currently running polls or completed artworks.

Pairings you read? - I'm a multishipper, I will read almost any pairing that's not parent/child honestly.

Genres you read? - Angst and Hurt/Comfort are my jam. Smut, fluff and crack are great if they're included, but I'm truly there for pain of angst and then the comfort that comes after.

Favorite writer(s)? - @applecrumbledore on AO3, is the author of one of my all-time favorite Dean/Sam fics I've ever read, Acid

What do you like to write? - Angst/Comfort with a whole lot of character analysis thrown in

Something you haven't written but would like to try? Why not? How can we help? - Unfortunately, my bane in life is to house more fic ideas in my head than I actually ever have a reasonable amount of time to write and to have crippling adhd caused executive dysfunction, which can truly only be fixed by Earth changing to a day cycle longer than 24 hours and absolutely using body doubles in any form I can take those. The first problem truly can't be fixed by mortal men unfortunately, but for the second honestly me just hanging around with other writers or seeing other writers work on things too helps to work as a body double for my brain a lot of the time. So honestly, just hanging in the server itself and following the tumblr should be plenty of help.

That's all for this month, folks! (If we're missing anyone, let us know and we'll add them to next month's list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, and @heavenssexiestangel!

[tokiro07]

Another thing that bothers me about the Earth Flames being so rare is that they have no bearing on anything

The Tri-ni-sette are the Vongola Rings, Mare Rings and Arcobaleno Pacifiers, and together they maintain the world's balance (somehow), but the Simon Rings, which are of supposedly comparable power to the Vongola Rings, just...exist independently? For no purpose?

Then I started thinking about how Mare means "Sea." Why did the Tri-ni-sette use so much water imagery (clams, the sea, rainbows) when it represents the Dying Will Flames? It just doesn't line up very well conceptually

If I were to reboot Reborn, I would recontextualize the Tri-ni-sette specifically to represent the Dying Will Flames of the Sky, Earth and Sea

Sure, having 22 different Flame types would be a lot, but I don't think that's much worse than the 15 we already have, especially when you consider that Amano didn't care enough to elaborate on them anyway. What's another seven for her to ignore?

Anyway, here's my ideas for the Sea Flames

Sea Flame: Adaptation; as a sort of reversal of the Sky Flame's Harmonization ability to make other flames like itself, the Sea Flame changes its own properties to best match the situation, like liquid filling its container. To continue my spear example from a previous post, a Sea Flame-coated spear could become flexible to keep from breaking when hitting a particularly tough target, sturdy to block attacks, or fluid to maneuver around barriers; the Sea Flame is a deep but clear blue

Wave Flame: Conduction; like sound traveling through a medium, the Wave Flame can enter and travel through objects, though its speed may be affected by the properties of said objects. A Wave spear could be made temporarily intangible to bypass defenses or could allow the force of its strikes to propagate through a struck target; the Wave Flame is a billowing green (for the green room of a tidal wave)

Current Flame: Direction; with fluid properties, the Current Flame always flows in one direction at the user's will, able to drag anything caught in its wake in said direction. A Current spear could be thrown and controlled from afar by altering the flow, leave a trail that would force others who cross that trail to move along it, or be manipulated precisely during close-range combat; the Current Flame is a pale and somewhat cloudy yellow

Vortex Flame: Rotation; immediately upon production, Vortex Flames begin spinning around their point of origin, and similar to Current Flames can affect the movement of objects caught within, albeit in a much more specific and localized manner. A Vortex spear can be spun along its center to convert its head into a drill or spun along its length to convert its pole into a helicopter, as well as inducing a spinning motion onto whatever is struck; the Vortex Flame is a spinning, frothy orange (because I came up with its color last and orange was all that was left, though it coincidentally brings to mind Naruto)

Geyser Flame: Explosion; requiring a charge to build up pressure, the Geyser Flame creates explosive force when released. A Geyser spear can have its flame concentrated on the back to propel itself forward or on its tip to explode on impact with a target; the Geyser Flame is a boiling, glowing red

Surface Flame: Distortion; like the surface of water, the Surface Flame refracts light, allowing the user to deceive an opponent's senses by altering the position and proportion of an image. This is distinct from illusions as new images cannot be introduced, the extant image can only be warped. A Surface spear can be made to seem to disappear, teleport, become intangible, or any number of other optical tricks so long as the user is clever and skilled enough. The Surface Flame is a shimmering, rippling light blue

Depth Flame: Compression; by applying pressure from its edge towards its center, the Depth Flame's density increases inwardly. Objects that enter the Depth Flame's radius are drawn to the middle and are met with increased resistance and pressure. A Depth spear can increase the density and efficacy of its blade, draw foreign objects to itself, or create crushing pressure on the struck area; the Depth Flame is a gradient, opaque purple

With this, the Vongola, Mare and Simon Rings make up the Tri-ni-sette while the Arcobaleno are their own thing distinct from them. Kawahira says that the Arcobaleno are so massively important that the Vongola and Mare Rings are basically irrelevant anyway, so who cares if the Pacifiers aren't part of the Tri-ni-sette anymore?

[chorusfm]

Liner Notes (January 18th, 2025)

Quick one this week, but some early thoughts on the new Coheed and Cambria record and surprise release from The Maine. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here. If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here. A Few Things * Last week I wrote about popcorn coconut oil, and everyone reached out with all kinds of fun popcorn tips and tricks. Many recommended Flavacol popcorn salt, and I can confirm it’s a very nice addition to our popcorn routine. * I’ve been trying to spend far less time on social networks over the past few years. I kicked all the apps off my first home screen and have been trying to replace my previous aimless social media scrolling time with catching up on my RSS feed time. By and large, it’s worked. I’ve basically stopped reading any text-based social media, except for a few occasions when I’ll flip through a few things. I have stayed relatively active on Instagram because it’s been the one I find the most value out of (not only seeing what my real-life friends are up to but also seeing a lot of cat and nerdy memes and photos). I also enjoy posting a monthly collection of pictures from the past month to remember what I did, a mini photo diary of sorts, and sharing photographs of vinyl records and writing a little about them has been great too. But all the latest bullshit from Meta has me once again thinking about just how much time, content, and attention I want to give any of their platforms. I’ve also been thinking a lot about the Ev Williams piece about the difference between social media and social networking, and I don’t know how much I need the media part in my life these days. It’s something I will keep thinking about this year, but I know I feel better when I am reading blogs from people I like or writing myself or making stuff on my own. In Case You Missed It * Review: The Maine – Dyed (2008 * The Maine Surprise Release New Album * Paramore’s Zac Farro and Hayley Williams Unearth Williams’ Grandfathers Album * Coheed and Cambria – “Someone Who Can” * Mayday Parade Announce Anniversary Tour * GoFundMe Started for Marko of Sugarcult * Chorus. fm’s Top 30 Albums of 2024 * Albums in Stores – Jan 17th, 2025 Music Thoughts * The Maine surprised released a fun project this week where they took old ideas from past album eras, cleaned them up with a modern touch and production, and released them to the world. The whole thing is pretty great, but the songs starting at the American Candy era onward are particularly impressive. I don’t find that shocking, given that’s where the band stepped up to the next level of songwriting/creation-wise in their career. I used to say the most significant musical surprise in my life was Hellogoodbye releasing Would it Kill You? But, given the catalog depth, and we’re five (six including this one) albums in now, I need to re-think my answer. The Maine going from a band that didn’t seem for me to being one of my favorites, and not just a favorite, but actively being one of the more interesting bands making music! That is one helluva turnaround. And Lovely Little Lonely and their self-titled album are both up there with my favorite albums of the last decade. That’s a special band on a special run. * Spitalfield released their first new music in years with the new single “Remembering Right Now.” A perfect mix of nostalgia meets the classic Spitalfield sound — an immediate smile. I hear more is on the way, and I can’t wait. * Coheed and Cambria released what might be my favorite song from their new album. In many ways, the upcoming release piggybacks on what they did on Vaxis II. It has a similar production sheen, similar sound profile, and works very well as a sequel to that album. And that album was the one that re-kicked my interest in that band up again, so I couldn’t be happier. I need more time to pin down where it ranks in the band’s catalog, but it’s about everything I… https://chorus.fm/features/articles/liner-notes-january-18th-2025/