#truly the no choir ending they deserve

[dragonologist-phd]

Naia and Shadowheart in their little bog cottage filled to the brim with all the animals Shadowheart adopted 🥹 including Buttons the wolf pup 😭

(how do they maintain so many animals on their own, you ask? Naia's skeleton army, of course. undead farmhands to help enable her animal-loving wife)

[hell-drabbles]

I've been binging your Embittered Companion AU and with the new story event I've been having brainrot so fucking bad. This might be a bit inaccurate to the lore since I'm only towards the end of Chapter two. (The game is fun, but it also really fucking drags.)

I also took some liberties with the angelification of the reader.

I'm apologizing in advance for my rambling.

Hurt with no comfort and gore coming right up, be warned!

Spoiler warning for the current Story Event!

You know how Lucifer made himself fall because he ripped out his wings? Make that the reader/companion when they are aware/lucid after they were turned into an angel.

The charm the angels used to turn them into an angel had been flawed. Their angelification could never be truly be completed from the very beginning. It was meant for devils after all, and they were never a devil to begin with, being human through and through. It had left them inbetween, stuck being angel and human, both at the same but neither in a single breath. It left them torn between their humanity and the Angelic Grace forced on them. It left their mind broken, the few moments where their mind resembled being whole enough to remember who they were so very rare and so very short. But that was enough. Because in those moments were long enough for them to remember their friends left behind. They would not let themselves be used to hurt those they cared for. No more will they let themselves be treated like a puppet and thosr angels their puppeteer.

That moment of lucidity was just long enough to rip out those wretched feathered wings. They dig their nails into their fragile skin, their own blood painting their hands and body as it splits apart underneath their own hands. It hurts, the feelings of the muscles ripping and the tendons snapping. But the pain is nothing to the agony of the holy light always burning behind their eyelids and the loud choir of angels they were never supposed to hear beckoning them to join the masses always ringing in their ears. So they claw at the bones that were never supposed to sprout from their body, the wings that were never supposed to be attached to their back.

They fall from the Heavens, leaving the wretched beings that think only themselves deserving of God.

They fall. Finally silence, finally there is darkness where previously those grating screams were heard and the painful holy light glowed without mercy.

So they fall from the Heavens, past the Earth were they were born and lived and to Hell.

They are a bright streak across the red sky. They burn like a star falling, their body breaking apart.

Their scattered memories flash across their mind as they fall.

It's been months since they were turned. They remember seeing Ra-On and those devils that always sticked to him like glue. They remember hurting the devils and being used for Ra-On's torment by those damned angels that kept them on a leash for so long.

What would Ra-On think, seeing them now? What would poor Mhinyeok think, left behind on Earth like he was?

Maybe they would think them dead. It feels very much like they are dying, they think with some dark humour for their current situation as their consciousness fades to black as they slam into the ground with the force of a thousand suns, burning alive and spilling rivulets of red and glowing white-gold on the grass beneath them.

Awaken ye, you who has been reborn twice.

The You who is not Human, neither Angel, nor Devil now and yet all three the very same, You who no longer belongs to any place.

For You have been made anew, this Your third Dawning after Your Life ended twice.

Come forth, return to those You wished to protect.

I hoped you liked this and let me know what you thought of this! It was a fun writing practice and great way to get those thoughts rattling in my brain out.

Heheheh oh I love the good ol hurt with no comfort. Just, blast me with that angst. I'm glad to see that people love the Embittered Companion AU as much as they do. I was a little worried initially that it would set people off, since I'm aware of how protective people are of self-insert MC's but I'm glad there are people that have the same reservations as me.

Anyways, hohoho, here's a drabble that popped in my head. Warning: we be exploring the body of the Companion after they made impact on the ground.

Nothing and no one came to gather what lay in the center of that great crater. The only visitors were rain, snow and hail. Isn't it strange, though, to see that no matter how much times passes, the body within continues to bleed? You were in pieces, consciousness no longer a part of the waking world, and yet you continue to bleed.

Perhaps you would think it strange, if you were awake at all. But you weren't. You were simply there, still, as time moves ever forward. As grass, once singed, regrew back. As birds flew over and picked at what pieces were left of your clothing to make for their nests. As bugs began to make new homes near and around your body.

Nature, no matter what you may be, will never treat you any differently. Be you a devil, an angel, or a human, the earth will seek to swallow all the same. The flora and fauna would treat you as another thing of everyday life.

Perhaps, such treatment would've made you happy, at least for a time.

Nothing, in all your barely hanging on pieces, grew back. But nothing rotted further either.

Instead, your blood continues to flow, red sinking to the bottom, white slithering to the top. All the same to the plants growing around you, for they care for nothing but more nutrients.

The sun rose high in the sky, blind to way it highlights all of your broken limbs. The moon loomed over, oblivious to the pulsing, painful pieces of your wings. Celestial bodies, useless to you, but they continue to exist nonetheless.

Time passes and you continue to lay, not found or touched by anyone.

But then, there was a voice.

Your blood lost all its white shine, lost all its red luster.

Then you opened your eyes.

[five-miles-over]

How Tom Hiddleston Characters Would Spend the Winter Holidays (Plus Presents They Would Give You)

(Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or images. This is just a fun listicle, not designed to offend anyone. As always, please feel free to leave comments and/or constructive criticism below. Thank you, and without any further ado, please enjoy!)

A/N: I hope you all have/have had a wonderful holidays! Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Characters in this listicle include: Will Ransome, King Henry V,  Prince Hal, Prince Loki of Asgard, Loki of Asgard and Jotunheim, Bill Hazeldine, Caius Martius Coriolanus, Jonathan Pine, Robert Laing, Magnus Martinsson, Oakley, Thomas Sharpe, and Jaguar Villain Tom Hiddleston

Will Ransome from The Essex Serpent

• For Will, celebrating the holidays would most certainly include a special service at the church on Christmas morning. The bells would ring, inviting everyone in Aldwinter to gather. Will would read from the scriptures for all to hear. Then, the choir would perform a series of carols, and Will would sit in the pew along with the rest of the attendees. Offering you a genuine smile, he would gently hold your hand while the choir sang.

• After the service came to an end, Will would offer you his coat if you seemed cold, gently draping it around your shoulders while you walked home together. If you needed anything for the Christmas dinner or for the night 

• And in the evening, Will would watch you prepare Christmas dinner for the both of you. He wouldn't know much about cooking, but he would happily stand near you and talk to you, keeping you company while you toiled. Then, he would recite a small prayer thanking

• Christmas present Will would give you? Perhaps a simple gold pendant with a small gemstone like a diamond or an emerald. After supper, he'd approach you and whisper "Happy Christmas" while placing the necklace around your neck, pushing your hair out of the way.

King Henry V from The Hollow Crown

• On Christmas morning, King Henry V would attend a special service at the church alongside you, his beloved queen.

• After the service, you and Henry would distribute alms (food, clothes, candles) among the poor citizens in the kingdom. According to the king, even the lowest are deserving of a proper Christmas

• Then, you and Henry would either take a carriage ride around the snow-laden city, waving to the citizens and wishing them a happy Christmas

• Or, you and the King of England would spend the rest of the afternoon inside your chambers, snuggled together by the fire with Henry resting his head on your lap while you caressed his auburn curls. 

• Christmas present Henry would give you? A beautiful new red or blue gown with a set of gold jewelry.

Prince Hal from The Hollow Crown

• Drinks! (Shots, shots, shots, shots - alright, I'll stop and retrieve my maturity)

• But truly, Christmas would be a time for Hal to indulge in all sorts of mischief in the tavern, including snagging Falstaff's most precious stash of liquor. 

• He'd dare any willing patron to outdrink him, in the process getting them to do all sorts of stupid things like sing silly bards or flirt with someone.

• By the time you found your beloved prince, he'd probably be heavily tipsy with endless amounts of energy and whisky on his breath. As soon as he saw you, he'd jubilantly hug you and kiss you on the lips.

• Christmas present Hal would give you? A small gold ring, perhaps one with a ruby, that you could wear either around your neck or around your finger

Prince Loki of Asgard from Thor:

• While Asgard doesn't celebrate Christmas per se, there would be plenty of Yule celebrations in the kingdom. As a prince and member of the royal family, Loki would be present at each of the important feasts, dressed in his signature emerald green robes and golden armor. 

• He would have to listen to Odin and Thor drone about their various accomplishments - many of them brutish in nature - over the past year, entertaining the guests before the entrees could be served. But at least, Loki could entertain himself by enchanting Thor's cutlery to run away from the table, or by playing a trick that hypnotized Thor into speaking gibberish out of nowhere. 

• Odin was not pleased with the amount of laughter from the guests directed at Thor

• But other than that, Loki would find reasons to enjoy the holiday season in Asgard - he would 

• Yule Present that Loki would give you? A beautiful tiara embellished with emeralds and diamonds. For his rightful queen.

Loki of Asgard and Jotunheim from Avengers: Infinity War

• In the days leading up to Christmas, Loki would find himself unwillingly stuck with Thor shopping around Midgard. It turned out that Thor was part of something called "Secret Santa" with the Avengers, where each of them had to buy a present for someone randomly assigned to them. Thor was given Wanda Maximoff, so he was combing through the shopping malls around New York City to find something for her.

• "Yes, yes, buy everything on the rack," Loki sarcastically remarked while Thor eyed a rack of gift baskets filled with soaps, bath oils, and body lotions. "It's not like you have a servant to carry your bags around for you."

• "Cheer up, brother! It's the season for joy…Do you want to sit on Santa Claus's lap?"

• But there was one reason Loki always tagged along with his brother's visits to Midgard in December: you

• While Thor was hanging out with the other Avengers, Loki would visit you - especially when you had days off from work or school - at your home. 

• He'd arrive at the outside of your window, holding a bouquet of poinsettias or a bag of Christmas-themed candy for you to enjoy.

• And then, you and Loki would walk hand-in-hand through the town, admiring the colorful decorations. Loki personally wouldn't have cared for them a few years ago, but seeing your face light up with adoration made his heart absolutely warm with joy.

• On Christmas day, Loki even surprised you with a horse-driven carriage ride. He proudly showed up at your place, wearing his signature green robes and golden armor, as befitting a true prince of Asgard. Loki took your hand and seated you next to him, an arm around your shoulder. At the end of the carriage ride, he sweetly kissed you on the lips and murmured, "Merry Christmas, darling."

• Present that Loki would give you? A collection of your favorite books, with hidden notes handwritten by Loki between the pages.

Bill Hazeldine from Suburban Shootout

• For Bill, Christmas is a time to be with the ones you love. He'd be happy to have you visit Little Stempington and meet his parents

• You might be a little intimidated at first, but Bill would assure you many times that his parents would like you

• You were courteous to bring his mother a box of French macarons since Bill told you his mum enjoyed French cuisine. And for his dad, you brought a bottle of liquor, which made him laugh.

• His mother thought you were a gem compared to Jewel, and his father jokingly said you were out of Bill's league ("you better hold onto this one, son. Don't let her get away.")

• After meeting his parents, Bill would take a chance to get some alone time with you in his bedroom, showing you things from his childhood - toys, trophies, rugby jerseys. You laughed and "aww'd" at the sight of one of the photos in his room; it was a one-year-old Bill wearing a nappy and crawling with a smile.

• Bill would chuckle, putting his arm around your amd stealing a kiss...only for his mother to walk in. (It didn't help that his dad loudly reminded Bill to "use protection")

• Still, you and Bill would have a lovely time with Bill's parents, getting to know each other better and helping prepare Christmas dinner for the four of you.

• Christmas gift Bill would give you: a snow globe with a waltzing couple inside it, and a silver bracelet he picked out

Coriolanus from Coriolanus

• Coriolanus was always a serious man. Even when you came into his life and he married you, he was serious - hardly indulging himself in things like wine or opium

• (The one exception was you, his darkest kryptonite. Coriolanus couldn't seem to get enough of you, holding you close whenever you were in the same room. He just had to come to you and touch you and kiss you.)

• On the morning of the festivities, Coriolanus woke you up with a long, slow kiss. "Io Saturnalia," you cooed, slowly opening your eyes.

• He'd absolutely refuse to participate in the traditions he viewed as ludicrous, such as cross-dressing and the reversal of roles. But he would be more than happy to stand at the balcony with you and watch the plebians indulge themselves in shenanigans.

• And when he got tired of watching masters serve their slaves, and people breaking all sorts of rules in various states of intoxication, Coriolanus would pepper your neck with kisses and beckon you to your shared bedroom.

• BRIEF SMUT ALERT

• Whispering sweet nothings in your ear, he'd take the opportunity to kiss you all over

• With a naughty grin, he'd place you on the bed and lift the hem of your garment up to your hips and pleasure you with his tongue.

• It was an act considered vulgar among most people, so why not do it on the day of no rules? It was Coriolanus's one and only indulgence about it

• END OF SMUT (and time for me to atone for my sins)

• Saturnalia gift Coriolanus would give you? Perhaps a small trinket - like a small statue of Venus - or a new dress that made you look like a goddess.

Jonathan Pine from The Night Manager

• Christmas was always a busy night for Jonathan, one that he would always choose to work without question. There would be lots of guests looking for rooms to stay durng their vacations, honeymoons, and holiday getaways.

• Still, he would find a way to have some alone time with you, even if it meant you visiting the front desk at 2 in the morning to see him.

• Jonathan would give you the gift he'd bought a few days ago, you would give him a set of cufflinks or a new tie for him to wear.

• Taking your hand, Jonathan would lead you to one of the hotel lounges (finding an empty suite would be highly unlikely given the amount of guests) to share a bottle of wine and some dinner, just the two of you.

• You'd both raise a glass to the holidays, and enjoy each other's company, talking about anything and everything.

• Christmas gift Jonathan would give you: A local piece of decoration from one of the local markets (like a small cowbell from Switzerland) and a box of sweets

Robert Laing from High-Rise

• Christmas with Robert Laing would most certainly include accompanying him to one of Royal's parties (parties held by the so-called "architect" of the high-rise building)

• You would get dressed up on Christmas Eve, wearing something fancy for the occasion, before Robert picked you up at your place

• At the party,  the two of you would be near each other for the most part. And after a drink or two, Robert would get a bit more...flirty with you, stealing kisses from you while you conversed with the other guests and inviting you to the dance floor

• ("I've got a lovely lady on my arm," he'd tell them with a chuckle. "Can't really help it.")

• Robert would show off his dance moves, especially the ones that he knew would make you laugh. For someone who didn't laugh much, Robert sure enjoyed seeing you smile.

• And during the slow songs, Robert would melt a little on the inside when you rested your head against his chest and swayed with him.

• He'd take the opportunity to whisper, "Merry Christmas, darling....why don't you say we have a party of our own? Do a little...unwrapping before we celebrate?"

• Giggling, you would follow Robert into the bathroom -or just go to Robert's apartment - and...celebrate, just enough for the other guests to hear.

• Christmas present Robert would give you:  probably something elegant Iike perfume or a gift basket of lotions, soaps and body washes.

Magnus Martinsson from Wallander

• The police station was having their own Christmas party, which was really nothing more than some alcohol and pudding

• (Wallander warned the officers not to drink too much in case there was an emergency...but who was listening?)

• Magnus brought you to the party as his date, and had an almost-protective arm around you while you mingled with his colleagues.

• After some insisting from you, he'd dance with you to some of the holiday songs playing on the radio, twirling you so you could show off your pretty red dress.

• Christmas present that Magnus would get you? A vinyl record of one of your favorite songs or recordings.

Oakley from Unrelated

• You originally thought that Oakley would be going with his family to their Italian vacation home to spend Christmas while you stayed with your family, so it was a surprise when Oakley insisted on inviting you to accompany them.

• You agreed on a compromise, that you would join Oakley for Christmas and spend New Year's with your family

• While the two of you were in Italy, Oakley took on the role of "tour guide", giving you his personal insight while he showed you around the city. (And totally not bragging about how much Italian he knows)

• And he would make sure to show off in front of you every chance he got, especially if it involved something that made you laugh

• His father seemed to like you, and for once, they thought that Oakley might finally get some maturity now that he has a wonderful lady for a girlfriend.

• On Christmas morning, Oakley would sneak into your bedroom with a panetonne for the two of you to share with coffee, expecting to be paid with kisses

• The two of you would spend the rest of the day with Oakley's friends, playing "spin the bottle", "Truth or Dare"...all while getting very, very drunk.

• Christmas present that Oakley would give you? A bottle of Italian liqueur like limoncello (that you will hopefully ask him to help you drink), a framed photo of the two of you (so you can have a "piece of him" whereever you go), and a kiss under some mistletoe

Thomas Sharpe from Crimson Peak

• After spending Christmas morning with his sister at Allerdale Hall, Thomas would go to visit you in the city.

• The two of you would enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets of London, enjoying the crisp, winter weather.

• And in the evening, Thomas would escort you to a Yuletide Ball that he and his sister- as well as your family - were invited to.

• Like a gentleman, he would pick you up from your residence, assuring your family that he would get you to the ball without any harm

• The two of you would spend the evening at the ball, waltzing in each other's arms, with Thomas praising your beauty throughout the night and whispering how he cannot wait to be your husband one day

• Christmas gift that Thomas would give you? A beautiful locket with portraits of you and him inside

Jaguar Villain!Tom Hiddleston

• Tom absolutely loves to spoil you, his lady love and his darling, even during the holidays.

• Starting in early December, he'd give the bodyguard he hired for you a Black Visa card specifically to buy anything you looked at - jewelry, shoes, designer gowns, cosmetics, special chocolates, anything

• Tom wouldn't display any overt interest in "decking the halls" or "getting into the holiday spirit" but he would certainly give his associates and henchmen Christmas or Hannukah bonuses

• And he would totally let you decorate the apartment however you pleased, even if it means coming home to a "winter wonderland" every night.

• Christmas Day would be exclusively his time with you (and he would not take no for an answer)

• In the morning, he'd wake you up with a room filled with gifts for you, and plenty of kisses with your morning tea/coffee

• Seeing the amount of presents he bought for you, you would feel a little intimidated about giving him the tie and watch you bought for him.

• But Tom would immediately love it as soon as he opened your gift, promising to wear it as often as possible.

• After spending the afternoon with you in the bedroom...thanking you for your gift, Tom would take you out for the night, giving you a chance to get dressed up for him.

• He'd reserve a fancy dinner for the two of you, having the five-star restaurant book a private room so you could enjoy your meal

• Then, the two of you would go to the theater to see either a production of The Nutcracker, or a production of Shakespeare's Henry V - whichever you preferred.

• Christmas gift that Jaguar!Tom would give you? Without a doubt, he'd buy lingerie that he believe would suit you the best, and anything else that would even seem to tickle your fancy.

Taglist: @lokischambermaid , @lokiismineforever @mischievoushiddleston @lokisprettygirl @lokisgoodgirl @cakesandtom , @icytrickster17 ,@sallymagnoliaposts  @winterfrostlovetriangle , @the-haven-of-fiction , @tom-hiddleston-imagines , @turniptitaness @jennyggggrrr , @tom-hiddleston-imagines @thatdummy-girl @lady-rose-moon , @lokisninerealms @muddyorbsblr @holdmytesseract

[sharpnothashtag]

My dad was a music minister. I was at church every time the doors were open. I watched VeggieTales before I could speak. I spent long nights in the church while Dad worked and Mom prepared for VBS. When I was too sick to go to school, I slept in my dad's office on a handbell cushion.

I was at church almost as much as I was at home. I did my homework there; I ate meals there; I worked one of my first jobs there.

When I was 12, I joined the youth group. My friends left me. I still had baby teeth when my Sunday School class, who had decided I was gay, gang sodomized/raped me with a box of tampons. When I asked them why, they said this was for when praying the gay away didn't work.

I put it out of my head. They were trying to save my soul, right?

A few months later, the leadership team (older people from the youth group) beat the shit out of me in the garden my mom and I started years before as a mother-daughter project. When I asked them why, they said they cared, and they didn't want me to go to hell for being gay. They HAD to beat it out of me.

I cleaned myself off and put it out of my head. This literally meant that they cared enough to keep me from eternal damnation. I was worth saving, right?

No one talked to me. I stopped talking at church. I was kicked out of every group except for my dad's choir. I only sang--I wouldn't speak unless I was with my dad. Every once in a while, I would muster up the courage to say something, but then my entire body would tense up. I didn't deserve to be there. Something was wrong with me.

I had accepted Christ. I read my Bible every single morning. I prayed for God to change my circumstances or change me. The Jesus they were talking about didn't seem like the one I read about in the scriptures, but that didn't necessarily mean that I was right about that.

I was truly, truly alone.

Through all of this, I was a teenager who LOVED VeggieTales. So, at the end of the day, even though I was alone, I had Bob to give me a good talking to; I had Larry to keep me laughing. I had Jimmy and Jerry and Jean-Claude and Philipe and Junior and Archibald and Scooter and Madame Blueberry and the Scallions to keep me going (and yes, all the rest, too). When I had a question about scripture, I brought it to Grampa George. When I was having a bad day, I'd go talk to Laura and Annie. When I needed a hero, LarryBoy was always there for me.

At 14, I was an on-and-off member of the Praise Team. We sang contemporary Christian music by Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, Casting Crowns, etc. I listened to it and sang it constantly. I did that kind of singing nonstop for different churches until I was 24.

My background in Dad's choir was mostly Hymn arrangements and Gaither Vocal Band. I sang a LOT of that as well. When I got to college, I was hired to do that at churches as well as the Contemporary thing.

Finally, at 24, I discovered that I was NOT past my church trauma--in fact, I was just remembering most of it. I changed denominations to get back to a more traditional service.

I've worked hard in therapy on my church trauma, and church is still hard for me. I keep going, and I continue to heal in new ways every day.

In my head, I still had the community of Veggies. Even though I also had people, the Veggies were always there to keep me grounded in what my faith was really about.

Today, on my way to church, God told me to play some Christian music in my car. As a rule, I don't listen to that in my car unless I'm working on something specific. I kept trying to find something that wasn't going to trigger me.

I stumbled across this:

This album is every bit as silly as you think it is.

Every single one of these songs is really triggering for me. They make me feel like I don't belong, even though it's been years since I experienced that. My heart rate skyrockets, and I can't breathe.

Not today.

Because today, Bob and Larry were there to remind me that God can redeem anything. The silly voices in my head/on this CD reminded me that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God. Not barbed wire, or a mean dog, or a really bad haircut. Not people who hurt me beyond what I'm ready to talk about here. Not my dad's death. Not PTSD. Not anxiety. Not OCD. Not Prozac. Nothing.

Why?

Because God made me special, and God loves me very much.

[lawrence-songs]

rant

I love you, anon. 🖤

Crazy man ramblings under the cut. You've been warned.

Strap in, folks.

I said I'd post about this, and I'm feeling very.. worship-esque tonight.

The ink demon.

Why did I worship him?

My first response is, "a man made machine built a god", but I know that's not technically true, nor is it apparent in meaning to anyone but me. So, we'll start at the beginning.

The ink demon was the first thing created from the Ink Machine.

If memory serves me correctly, it is also the only thing that came out of the machine that has managed to allegedly survive without a soul.

The rest of the ink creations, all of us, we are, on some level, humans reborn. Remade in the image of the machine.

But what came before us?

What managed to be of the machine, and only of the machine, the same way Jesus was only of Mary, and not Joseph?

Perhaps coming out with nothing human separates his existence from us-

But it also makes him wholly, and entirely, of the thing that created him.

Pure and untouched by any other source.

The closest thing we have to a personification of what had literally forced us to become something new.

Now, to be fair, that's an absolutely whack reason to start worshiping something.

But consider:

The ink demon was seen as a giver of life due to the machine, but also due to the nature of Henry's loop in the studio.

The Ending reel is half of what restarts the loop.

The demon, at the heart of the machine, every single time, is the other half of that process.

What brings all of us back into existence at the end of the day- no matter pushed, pulled, shoved, squashed, or torn up-

The machine, the demon, the loop, and Henry, all ensured that we returned to our rightful places in the cycle.

Dark ends, and new beginnings.

This is why I believed he would ultimately be able to set us free. Perhaps not on his own, but if anything was the key to the machine, it was him.

He had to be.

With the way he had control over it, over the dark puddles, the way he was able to hear things so far and make the building bend to his whim, and the ability to jump from one place to the next without succumbing to the ink,

Because there was nothing to lose amongst all the others scrambled by it.

Like a snake resilient to it's own venom.

If anything could free me from that existence, it had to have been him.

The one thing that controlled the world just as much as the world controlled it, until Henry came along.

Do I remember any of this? Unsure.

But do I know enough from research why I'd think it was a decent idea? Yes.

Frankly, to be fair, if I was trapped in an endless time loop of misery after being abandoned by the beings who brought me into existence, I'd be crabby too.

Now that I'm done preaching to a choir who likely has no interest, I may take a moment to speak personally-

But he doesn't deserve to be treated like a monster.

Not all that's.. freakish, or scary, is evil incarnate. Possessive, sure, and territorial. But the ink demon often appeared to me as more of a cornered animal than anything genuinely malicious.

Also, I want to kill the keepers. Like, genuinely, and truly, I would like to absolutely murder those guys. What in the fuck gives you the right to literally trap and experiment on not only something alive, but something so crucial to keeping your life as well.

I am so. Deeply passionate.

I miss it every day, if for nothing but the fact that I knew he was around, and that there were things we could do to combat.. all of that.

Here, things are just lonely. There are no pats on the back when I write a new song. There is no chance for me to sing a lullaby into the abyss, because I know no one is listening.

There is no point in saying a prayer for a God that cannot hear me.

But I hope he knows I am here.

And what I would give for his approval at times is something I don't think I should particularly speak on for my dignity. I sound nuts enough already, haha.

But there's my rant for tonight.

If you've actually read this, thank you. I appreciate your interest in my thoughts. Feel free to give me feedback if there is ever something on your mind. 🖤✒

[hersterical]

Conversations at the Evil Single-Fathers of Alternative Teenaged Daughters Support Group

Doofenschmirtz: Hello, is this the SFATDSG?

Silco: The what?

D: The Evil Single-Fathers of Alternative Teenaged Daughters Support Group.

Mayor Wilkins: Wow, that is a mouthful. We really oughta work on a better name for the group. And it sure is! What’s your name?

D: I’m Doctor Hienz Doofenschmirtz

S: Wait, I have a few questions for the good doctor before he joins us. Just to make sure he truly belongs

D: Hey! I’m not good, I’m literally evil. If anything I’m a bad doctor.

W: Now Dr. D, can I call you that? Dr. D, just because you’re evil that doesn’t mean you’re not good. Mr. Silco here is as evil as they come and he’s also just about the best father I’ve ever met. He’s a strong leader and a good man and I would bet money that you are as well.

D (wipes tear from his eye): Wow, I really needed to hear that today.

S: Yes…thank you Mayor Wilkins. But I am not evil, I simply am trying to ensure that the Nation of Zaun receives all that we deserve.

W: Yes, but you’ve also committed a lot of murders and other atrocities. Not that I’m judging, who hasn’t right? But that just proves my point, just because you’re evil that doesn’t mean you’re bad.

D: Hold on, back up a bit. You’re a mayor!? My brother, Roger’s a mayor as well and he makes it look so easy! Meanwhile I’ve been spending years, literally putting all of my blood sweat and tears into taking over the tri-state area with no success. It’s just not fair! How’d you do it?

W: I feel ya Doc, it can be frustrating to work so hard and have nothing to show for it. As far as how I did it? I built my platform on being a man of the people. A family man who looks out for the little guy and listens to what the voters have to say. I also used some dark magic, ritual sacrifices, and some minor bribery.

D: hmmm…I’ll have try that. Not the dark magic stuff because I’ve tried that before and it…uh…it didn’t end well.

[a moment of silence passes]

S: You mentioned a brother? I too had a brother. We weren’t born brothers but forged an unbreakable bond. Or at least, it was supposed to be unbreakable. We were friends and partners in all things. Then one day he decided he no longer cared for our cause and tried to kill me. He said it was for the sake of his daughters. It wasn’t until years later that I finally understood when I had a daughter of my own. I would burn down the whole world, including my own aspirations, if it would mean that Jinx is safe.

W: It sounds like the two of you were “brothers” the same way my Faith and that no-good Buffy were “sister” slayers. But we can wait until you’re more comfortable with us to have that conversation if you’d like. But I feel you. I was so close to Ascending but all it took was the mere mention of Faith for me to lose all sense and logic. If I could go back the only thing I would change is I would do better at making sure Faith didn’t get hurt.

D: You guys are preaching to the choir here. More of my evil schemes have been foiled than I can count because I needed to prioritize Vanessa’s needs over my own. And I wouldn’t change a thing. Except it would be nice if Vanessa showed just a little more interest in evil. She has potential she just doesn’t seem to care. She’s so talented and clever she would really thrive in the field.

W: Not my Faith. She took to evil like a duck to water and she’s got a real talent for it. She considers herself to be a bit of an artist and I’m liable to agree with her. I just wish she didn’t care so much about what that Buffy and those other kids thought of her. All they do is hurt her, try to distance her from me, and get in the way of my plans.

S: And I wish Jinx would distance herself from Vi, her sister. She confuses Jinx and tries to change her into something she isn’t instead of just loving her for who she is. And Vi is also always trying to get in the way of my plans.

W: Isn’t that just so frustrating? How about you Doc? Does your daughter have a complicated relationship with a young do-gooder with a penchant for punching first, asking questions later, and getting in the way of your plans?

D: You mean…like a nemesis? I have one of those! He’s my best friend. Our relationship is pretty simple but I’m not sure what his relationship with Vanessa is like. You know what, I’ll just call her and ask.

[Doof calls Vanessa]

D: Vanessa, you picked up! I’m putting you on speaker because I need you to answer a question for me. What’s your relationship like with Perry the Platypus? Would you describe it as complicated?

Vanessa: I mean, he’s a cool guy and I have fun hanging out with him sometimes. But I also don’t exactly love that he regularly hospitalizes my father and also blows up the apartment that occasionally has some of my stuff in it. Plus, he’s also a platypus which is kind of weird. So yeah, I guess you could say that things are complicated between us.

D: Thank you sweetie, that’s all I wanted to know. I’ll pick you up later, love you bye! She said yes.

W: Life is just so complicated for young women nowadays all around. You all know that I think my Faith is perfect, but sometimes I do wonder if she could benefit from seeing a therapist.

S: I’ve briefly considered the same thing for Jinx. Her hallucinations and violent outbursts have gotten worse ever since her estranged sister who she thought was dead broke out of jail and started running around with that enforcer who’s trying to hunt Jinx down.

D: My ex-wife, Charlene, paid for a therapist for Vanessa while we were going through our divorce and it seemed to really help her. I personally wanted to get her a nemesis of her own for free, but I think the therapist was probably for the best looking back. If you guys want I can give you the phone number. It sounds like you guys could all benefit from it because I don’t think your nemesis’s are doing enough.

W: Well gosh, Dr. D, I sure would appreciate that! I gotta say, I’ve really been enjoying our time together gentlemen. We should hang out outside of this little group of ours. Say, how do you two feel about golf?

S: It is a pointless game meant only for the elite to rub their abundance and disregard for their access to land, and clean water in the faces of my people who are choking on the very air that gives them life as the privileged laugh and grow fat on their wealth and power like pigs. Unknown to them they are only preparing themselves to be slaughtered and feasted upon by the very ones they oppress in order to desperately hold on to their tenuous hold over us.

D:…Wow. You’ve got some intense vibes, man. But yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with you. Golf is so boring. How ‘bout a round of mini-golf?

W: Even better! How ‘bout we bring our daughters along? I bet they’d all be fast friends.

S: Mini-golf is…acceptable

[cryptid-manor]

FAQ, Q&A, Resources

Hi, I’m new in town and you lot have been very kind to follow me.

Here’s a little blog post that I update occasionally.

Do you have any technique or app recommendations?

If I’m on-the-go, on my tablet or phone, I use a lot of different applications. Procreate w/ an Apple Pen, Midjourney, Dalle, Glitché, Filmm, GlitchCam, Groovo, Canva, PicsArt, VSCO. I’m getting into Lightroom, Photoshop and Adobe Express editions. Save and edit and save and edit and save and edit and save and edit.

If I’m at my desk, I use GIMP a lot. I use or add a few old school glitch art techniques that can only be done on my Mac or on my PC. Versions tend to jump from phone to laptop to phone to laptop.

Here are two tutorials if you’d like to learn some, ever more seemingly, old school techniques for yourself. I’d be utterly pleased if this was your first entrance to “glitch art” —

Do you sell prints or shirts or any fine, fine merchandise anywhere?

Not of anything I make with MidJourney. Well, technically, no merchandise of anything right now. If you see it sold online, it’s a fake. If you see anything of mine go viral somewhere other than this Tumblr account, it’s fake.

Maybe I’ll make postcards, some day, out of sheer novelty. But, honestly, right now, a lot of this blog is going to turn into behind the scenes, drafting, etc.

…

i.e…. “~•*•THE PROCESS•*•~”

…

At 800 followers, I feel like I’ve cultivated a scene that I can trust with feedback on my other passion projects.

Wait, other projects?

Oh yeas. Have you ever read House Of Leaves? That’s what the inside of my brain looks like if I don’t Make Things.

Ok cool.

Yeah, for sure, of course.

Can you recommend any fandoms or other accounts that you like?

I like stuff. Stuff is good. Have you seen some of the stuff out there? It’s everywhere. Stuff is all over the place, and I love it. And I love that for me. And I love that for you.

Stuff for everyone, stuff for all, I say, at times when I’m going from here to there.

Here’s some of the stuff I like. Do you have any stuff you like?

— Degenesis (TTRPG)

— Trevor Henderson (@slimyswampghost on IG)

— Plastiboo (Artist)

— @louceph (seriously, a truly amazing artist)

— @hannahorca (wow wow wow)

— LIMINAL_ (TTRPG)

— MORK BÖRG (TTRPG)

— Mayfair Watchers Society (Podcast)

— Quiet Part Loud (Podcast)

— Welcome To Scarfolk (Book)

— Uzumaki & Gyo (Manga)

— Elden Ring (Video Game)

— Lovecraft Country (Series)

— Blasphemous (Video Game)

— Berserk (Manga)

— Oats Studio (Series, Netflix)

— District 9 (Movie)

— Love Death + Robots (Series)

Any more?

Sure but they might be “off-brand” for the aesthetic.

— Hollow Knight (Game)

— The Long Dark (Game)

— Frostpunk (Game)

— Nausicaä (Movie)

— Princess Mononoke (Movie)

— Scavenger’s Reign (Series)

— Raised By Wolves (Series)

— This War Of Mine (Game)

— Midnight Gospel (Series)

— The Beginners Guide (Game)

Okay, so hey I’ve fallen in love with one of the Monsters on here. Can I adopt it and name it and feed it and call it mine?

Listen your head-canon is your head-canon but for god’s sake remember that I have to read the fic and you have to write the fic. A curse on both our houses if ever used for PvP combat.

Do you sell NFTs?

No.

Okay…have I thought about it? Yes. Sure. Whatever. But I don’t sell NFTs. No “legitimate” NFTs of my work exists. If you see it, it’s fake.

I’ve told myself there’s only one way I’d use an NFT or Ethereum — if someone would like to “legally” adopt one of my OC critters. I would literally draw up the novelty adoption papers. That sounds like so much fun.

Conclusion

Thanks for hanging out and reading my words. This kind of came to an abrupt end, didn’t it? Yeah, pacing isn’t something I’m good at yet. But am I not deserving of love, simply as one voice amongst the many spiritual echoes singing the tune of our grand eternal choir of life? Am I not worthy of perhaps a little treat?

[ella-ashmore]

Ok. first off, that sounds amazing and I’ll watch it soon. Second, what do the choirs songs sound like? They all break into song and dance, so what’s the vibe and theme of their songs :)

oceans is kind of similar to sugar cloud !! very bubbly and upbeat, high energy, mostly talking about how meaningful constance is to her. how happy she is to have her in her life and the choir. it gets mildly dark at the end but im not sure what those lyrics would entail. probably something about not feeling as if either of them are truly happy at all. ocean kisses constance, infecting her in the process. definitely not the worst way to go but she still ends up in the hivemind so, not the best either (the intent of the kiss was to infect but ocean just wanted to kiss her i think)

noels would be very somber. not very similar to noels lament but kind of the same genre yk?? he would sing of his tragedy and how he never felt as if he fit in here in uranium. but now he does! now that he's one with the others, he feels so welcome and loved, wouldnt you want to be one with them too? he sings of heartbreak, and longing, and how maybe the real tragedy of his life was living in uranium, not becoming infected

i think constance would get a song with ocean and noel as vocal backup (what gets the remaining three to figure out something is deeply wrong if they hadnt already encountered infected before finding these three). its also a bit similar to noels lament in genre, talking about how shes so much more than the nicest girl in town, theres so much more to her than that shallow image everyone else has given her. its about her wants, her desires, her dreams, just.... herself. ofc, there is a bit at the end where she acknowledges that theres nothing wrong with being the nicest girl in town. she deserves to figure that out

ricky gets to sing about zolar i cant take that away from him. however, he also sings about how he felt kind of... discarded maybe? because of his disabilities and the ableist way hes been treated throughout his life (ocean infantilizing him, etc etc etc). he wont be treated as something other than normal anymore, the hivemind will make sure of that, wont you please join us?

its a few hours before mischa is infected. he and penny think theyre safe, locked away somewhere secure, somewhere theyre sure the infection cant reach them. they dont know how it happened, the door is blocked, they can hear the people they once knew as neighbors behind it, clamoring to be let in, shouting and screaming and banging on the one barrier keeping them apart. but... somehow, a few got in. a woman dressed in a wedding gown, flanked by ocean and constance. she sings of a love he can still have. she sings of his yearning for talia, and how the hivemind can bring them together. how he can hold the love of his life in his arms. hes so tired. he gives in, allowing them to infect him, much to pennys horror, and takes lead of the song. he sings so desperately for his beloved, he sings of his longing, the pain in his chest when he thinks of the distance between them. he sings of the anger he feels at that separation. he sings of how he wishes, with all of his heart, to be united with her for eternity.

penny doesnt get a song of her own. shes backed into a corner by mischa and the others. she can see the pain in his eyes as he infects her without showing any mercy. finally, all of uranium is one. finally.

[judasisgayriot]

7, 9 and 19 for wrapped plsssss also begging you to tell me what you love about the songs and how you feel about their ranking!!!

:D thanks! and I can certainly do that!!

7: Bad Thing Twice - Carly Rae Jepsen - The song that ended up capturing me most from The Loneliest Time! It's such a catchy little song about making baaaad decisions haha, and the pre-chorus that goes "cross the rivers of my mind, you're my little rock skipper - skipper - skipper - skipper" gets stuck in your head so easily! This is the only Carly Rae song in my top 10 but it's v worthy.

9: So Much (For) Stardust - Fall Out Boy - what can I say about this incredible closer to a magnum opus of an album that had me going truly insane this year. The orchestral swelling, the choir, the lyrical harmony with Love From The Other Side, 'I think I've been going through it and I've been putting your name to it'.... beautiful and to think Patrick didn't want to show it to anyone!!! SMFS the album is all over my top 10 and broader list haha and they all SO deserve to be there.

19: Cry - Carly Rae Jepsen - well, it's Carly Rae again but actually, I think this may just be her best song. And I know there's stiff competition from such icons as Run Away With Me. But something about Cry hits different. The plaintive, yearning yet resigned ode to an emotionally unavailable guy who you just can't quit. Lyrically and musically this hooks me in completely. King of the castle, whenever you're here you know it feels right... Probs should be higher, I can't stop listening to it ever

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

As my third night of this grueling nightshift comes to a close, I breathe a sigh of relief and cry tears of joy. Not because I have survived another night, though yes that is important, but because I have finished the one thing that I set out to do back before November ended. Though I am supposed to be on holiday, I knew that I would finish this, no matter the cost. There are so many things I could say, about how much you have done for me, how important you have become to me on this journey. But I know that not a single one of them would sum up the immense amount of gratitude that I truly hold for you, V. The things that I have learned from watching your love for Stephen, the strength that it has given me about my own feelings for Tony, they are the things that I am truly thankful for.

Before I met you, I would have kept my love for him silent, mourned in my darkness and never spoken out about it. I would not have sought help here to process everything that I was feeling, how I want to feel these things. And the more I watched you, the more I realized that I truly didn't have to feel bad about the love I have in my heart for him. It's okay for me to want him here, to want him to have survived so that I can still dream of him. And while there are many, many others that I extend my thanks to, you were the first one that showed me loving a fictional character is okay, no matter what people say. And for that, I gift you this, one last thing before I rest my weary soul for the winter.

Thank you, beautiful flower, for all you have done for me - myself and for Tony - on this long journey. And I look forward to seeing where we go from here. Merry Christmas, my dear.

Oh my heart💗 - in all the best of possible ways!

I am so grateful that something that comes as naturally to me as breathing touched you in such a way that you felt freed to love and mourn and heal. I suppose I didn't get that you'd tried before to tell me this; I can be dense that way at times. But I understand now and I will forever love & treasure this amazing, beautiful, shining labor of your love. Love that comes from an immense heart, and that deserves to find its expression without hesitation or concern for appearences to the wider world.

The details of the gorgeous piece take my breath away. A ring on Beauty's finger...and a baby bump as well! Stephen looking so comfy (especially in that hoodie) and relaxed, holding not only his beloved, but the future they will share. I first saw this when I was half-awake, watching the end of the PBS Tabernacle Choir Christmas special (so I was in no fit state to reply) and as I fell back to sleep, my mind's perpetual fancy had me imagining Stephen finally saying, 'Yes...yes, let's make a baby together...' What a wonderful dream that would be!

I love seeing Tony & Damon together and happy, and that you included Tony's injuries from when he sacrificed himself to save the Universe. And a ring on Tony's finger too! I suppose it won't be too much longer until Stephen & Beauty invite their friends to take on the mantle of godfathers to Baby Strange (baby girl, much to Beauty's understated longing, as it took her mother six pregnancies to get her girlchild). After the first sketch you gifted me, I never would've imagined more--so this is the sweetest surprise and I'll adore it forever. In fact, I'm going to work on a way to make it my icon (although it may mean editing it down to just S&B, but I know you won't mind).

Mere thank you's will never be enough to portray my gratitude, so I will simply say: go rest your weary mind and soul, and may your dreams be blessed with those things you long for most, for you've more than earned that joy. Come Spring, I will be looking forward to hearing and seeing the ideas & artist visions that come to you in your hiatus! You have all my love ~ V

💜💙💜💙💜

[megraen]

Two Quiz Game

Tagged by the lovely @socially-awkward-skeleton

uquiz 1 - What does your OC’s heart look like?

A guiding, golden light - Just because you cannot see your own heart doesn’t mean that others can’t. Your heart is blinding, captivating, a fire so bright that others can’t bring themselves to look away. It illuminates the path they follow and cements you as a guiding star for their own wayward hearts. Every experience you’ve lived through has built your lighthouse heart up just a little higher. You are inspirational, a light that doesn’t go out.

uquiz 2 - What does your OC’s path lead to?

The Wisp - A glow dancing along the moors, that what you left behind to free yourself. A twin or a shadow? A mirror? Do you know, do you care? (A moonless night, cold stars gazing down.) Do you remember, you had prayed for so long (someone, please someone help, please-)? Is it murder if you cleave yourself apart until you can’t even remember what you lost? You have left the forest, left the parts you couldn’t shoulder, behind. Sometimes, you have to break yourself apart, sometimes there is no other way

uquiz 1 - What does your OC’s heart look like?

Broken, missing pieces that once were there - Your heart has been torn before, chipped and maybe even shattered. Some pieces will never be recovered, and you are shaped by the loss. But it can still be shaped into something tangible, something good, even with its flaws and imperfections. You don’t have to do all the work of rebuilding by yourself. Allow other hands to leave their fingerprints on the new heart you create from the remnants.

uquiz 2 - What does your OC’s path lead to?

The Messenger - A creature of flesh and bones but wrong, wires wrapped around limbs and a steady ticking accompanying each step. His home is in the forest, pale trees with dark eyes, and he clutters on, his bones creaking with every step. The clock keeps on ticking, every moment a blink in the eye of the universe as the years fly by. His steps continue forevermore, an ouroboros lumbering on and on, a mechanical being made from the dead. On and on he clatters, a void that can never be filled, with bloody feet and a chittering voice.

uquiz 1 - What does your OC’s heart look like?

A compass that doesn’t waver - You are someone who is certain of what you want. Maybe you always have been, or maybe you made a discovery that you haven’t been able to tear your eyes away from. Your heart is set and certain. You fight endlessly for your goals. Above all else, you know who you are and what you are trying to achieve. Just be careful not to tear yourself or others apart in pursuit of your ideals.

uquiz 2 - What does your OC’s path lead to?

The Luminosity - You opened a door. There is light. (There is a door. You open the door.) The light is blinding. (There is a door. Will you open the door?) It feels like you're the only real thing left, the only tangible thing. Time is rushing past in dizzy streams, parting around you and leaving you untouched. You wander, there is no way back and no way forward and you wouldn't be able to tell if you had moved at all. Time moves around you but it doesn't affect you. You are there for a second, you are there for a life-time, for thousands, for the end of everything, and the beginning of the universe. It is beautiful in a terrifying way, an unshakable knowledge that there is no way out, that this is it, the point of no return. So you wait, you don't know for what or for whom but you wait. And when it arrives in a choir of equations with the lorenz attractor for wings you find yourself weeping crystalline numbers.

uquiz 1 - What does your OC’s heart look like?

A cage with iron locks - You are an enigma. You take care to remain that way. You aim to keep people guessing; your motives are uncertain even to yourself. What is it you truly want? You’ll never know if you keep your heart locked away like that. You deserve to be known, truly and fully. Stop being afraid of what you might find if you open your heart up to self-reflection. Stop thinking that no one will love you the moment they understand you. You are more than the facade you put on.

uquiz 2 - What does your OC’s path lead to?

The Corruption - Error. Data not found, try again? yes [ ] no [ ] who am I? [x] You have been here before and you will be here again, the cursor is blinking at you but the words are swimming before your eyes, blurry and searing at once. The room is dark, the only light your screen. You don't remember where you are, you don't even remember who you are. The cursor keeps blinking, a rhythmic pulse, and you feel numbness creeping into your thoughts. The words on the screen sharpen, form a short message, a cry for help, before being wiped away again. Darling, what are you nervous about? Darling, why are you crying? Darling, do I have to take you apart again?

Tagging: @ladykatie512 @miss-jennifer-cormier @glitchinginthegarden

[decoysouled]

unprompted asks // accepting // anonymous. Lovely Rainbow Rose, If I were yours, then every morning would be filled with sunshine simply by virtue of waking at your side. I'd wonder how I'd ever gotten so lucky, and getting out of bed would prove even more difficult than it already is, because I would have no desire to leave you. My heart would sing in knowing that you had chosen me, just as I had chosen you. I would need no gifts because you, Aether - my Rainbow Rose - would be the greatest that I could ever receive. Yours Truly, Your Mysterious Admirer [for modern!Aether]

IF HEARTS COULD TRULY SING, then his own would remain a choir for so long as this note lived within his mind — he had never imagined that anyone could write something so sweet about him, if only because his existence had always been rather unremarkable. When he stood next to his friends or his family throughout his life, he had simply the shadow to their sunlight, an addition that was noticed if only for the way it showcased imperfections in the lighting.

That isn't to say he doesn't know he is cared for, in some regard, even if he's not so sure anyone he knew would ever admit such a thing to him, simply because Aether has always seemed self-assured — he has never asked for love, has never begged for care, his worst moments remaining in the dark clouds that hung above his head, unnoticed & unmoving most of the time. Perhaps it is that feeling he does not deserve it at all that keeps him both from asking for such reassurance he is wanted & saying to others that he cares for them deeply.

( it is easier through notes, they know, because there are no consequences to saying the wrong thing & eventually, this game would end & they could go about their days knowing that for just a moment, they had felt wanted. )

Aether's fingers are gentle as they smooth the paper over the wood of the desk in their hotel room, as if he is afraid to cause even the slightest crease in it that does not already exist. As if he worries that should he be any less careful, it would end up in shreds. As if he wishes to preserve it for as long as he can, like he does the memory of a singular hug from his mother years ago or the last time Lumine said she loved him. It is almost pathetic, he knows, to cling onto such small things.

( to want for gestures that meant so little to the other person. )

The words themselves are as sweet as the previous note, striking as deeply as they once had & for a moment, he is reminded of something he had been told not so long ago by someone else ( you'd be my preferred choice rings in their ears ) albeit he dismisses it as coincidence, or perhaps he is simply attentive to being told such a thing after so long of being second choice to everyone he has ever met.

Not that he can blame them — closer friendships would always take priority & he can't find fault in anyone for that. There has never been any use in wishing to be someone's favourite, thus he had given that endeavour up long ago, yet now... It didn't seem so far-fetched, the idea of being someone's favourite, of opening his heart up to love & having it returned rather than an infestation of melancholy taking root where happiness should be.

He isn't sure how long he spends there, reading the same lines over & over again with that soft & small smile on his lips, the sparks of joy within his eyes that would later become sadness when he must remember that someday, sharing these notes would end. Yet, that day would not be today & he will, as he did last time, cast such a thought from his mind. After all, once is a chance & twice is a coincidence, but perhaps the sender would leave a third & it could become a pattern.

( perhaps writing words onto scented paper would become routine, if they dared to hope. )

To my mysterious admirer,

If you're going to call me something so sweet, then I should come up with my own nickname for you. What about my starshine? Or my moonlight? If I'm bright enough to be your sunshine, then you should be something equal to it — without the moon at night, we wouldn't appreciate the sun, & without the stars in the sky, we wouldn't look to it so often. I'll leave the choice in your hands, whatever it may be.

I think, if anyone would be lucky, it'd be me. Although, I have to correct you, it'd be more likely I'd already be awake by the time you were. I've been told I'm a pretty early riser on my best days, but don't worry, I'd make you some breakfast to wake up to in that case. I think my days would be infinitely brighter, too, if I could wake up at your side each morning. Maybe someday, you'll let me find out what's it really like, because I doubt my imagination could ever measure up to it.

I can say the same about you, too. Being loved, having someone who cares for me & who I care for the same... There isn't anything that I could be given that I would treasure more than knowing that.

Dearly sent from, Your Rainbow Rose.

[awesomeuchuu]

@genusfortis​

"Toooori~!" Eichi said in a sing-song voice, holding out a mountain of presents, all wrapped in pink or white or golden paper, and that he probably shouldn't be carrying all by himself, but details. "Happy Birthday, dearest~♪"

There were a lot of things that Tori came to expect over the years. Perhaps it was part of his upbringing, or part of being… what most would describe as a ‘spoiled brat’. Not that he bothers to acknowledge the second notion too much; he knows himself best of all! And amongst the things he knows is that he’s come a long way, actively trying to better himself for the past year and a bit.

A lot has changed, while some aspects of his daily life remained at a constant. For Eichi to be one of those constants, it was something that brought him happiness unlike anything else; the blond still made his heart flutter, for the adoration Tori harbored for him never truly faded away. Suffice to say, the moment he caught sight of said individual and heard his name fall from those beautiful lips so sweetly, Tori felt as if the skies had opened and a choir of angels sang just for him. Truly, a never-ending symphonia.

“Eichi-sama!” He gleefully exclaims while rushing over to Eichi like an excited child, ready to take advantage of their height difference to trap him into a hug by ducking underneath the pile of gifts. The plan fails before it comes to fruition, due to the large number of presents that Eichi was carrying. In turn, it makes Tori mellow out; all of that for him? Even if it was expected, it didn’t make him any less emotional.

“All of them for me? Huhu~ It feels like you’ve outdone yourself again. Ah, but—!” Feeling as if he’s delayed this long enough, Tori attempts to relieve Eichi of some of the presents' weight. “Let me help you carry these?” Going to the dorms might be a bit tricky, but they could always use one of the empty practice rooms. “There’s a practice room nearby that we can use… After all, I’d like us to open them together! That way, I can thank you properly for everything you’ve gotten for me. ♪”

That their birthdays were so close together had never posed a problem for Eichi. He found it... Sweet. Comforting, even. While he was wont to spoil Tori rotten whenever he got the chance, he never felt that he overdid it, because didn’t Tori deserve the world? Any gifts he might bestow upon him were only a small part of said world, barely even worth mentioning, even though they were worth everything, as they were meant for one of his closest friends in the world. That was how Eichi reasoned - excused - his excessive spending where Tori was concerned anyway. 

And it was worth it, wasn’t it? Simply seeing how Tori lit up - well, truth to be told, he couldn’t see him all that well, given the gifts that obscured his line of vision, but he could hear the boy’s joy radiating from his voice and he could easily imagine the rest.  He half expected the pinkhaired boy to pounce him in his delight, but perhaps the presents was making that a thought difficult. They were starting to get heavy to carry as well and Eichi couldn’t hold back a small sigh of relief when Tori picked a couple of them to carry himself. 

“That’s a good idea. That’s my Tori, I’m glad you have your wits about you even today~♪ Maybe I should have brought something to carry these in but I felt that wouldn’t be as eye catching. Silly me~ But yes, I would love to see your reaction to the gifts so I’d be happy to stay while you unwrap them. Let’s see, this way, right?” At least now, with the mountain of gifts having shrunk down, he could see where he was walking properly and he smiled radiantly down at Tori. “I’m glad to see you in such high spirits. How’s your day been so far?”

[beardedhandstoadshark]

Katfl commenthough, part 7

The lore, the loooreee

HAL labs cut the pause-screen descriptions out but to compensate they just straight up put all the lore right in front of us this time (…still miss the cute ability descriptions tho)

The one time the maxim tomato before a boss was needed, and thank the void for that tomato

Going in with fire dragon Kirby!

Also hold on wait a minute why was Kirby authorized to use that elevator that bought us here in the first place-

Oh thats fucked up actually

(Didn’t get spoiled about this fella though so that’s nice to know)

Does the lion guy know "half“ refers to 50%? Equal parts? 1+1 = 2? Because Elfilin sure isn’t big enough for that

They went to a "Land of Dreams“…Dreamland.

Wait…is that why the big one‘s ear looks all shredded..? Because that chunk is Elfilin…? D:

LEOPOLD oof that’s kinda goofy a name

This lion is shooting void-lasers out his mouth, help- also glowy aura, struggling at some points when attacking, aforementioned lasers- smells like possession

Even if I hadn’t seen spoilers, that was just. Way too easy to not have the thing shoot out the background when I go collect Elfilin- also Elfilin!!! My buddy!! I missed you so much!!

The calm lullaby version of the main theme that’s playing in the background is nice though :]

Called it :)

OH THATS MESSED UP

OH VOID THE EYE DID NOT NEED TO SNAP OPEN LIKE THAT

WHAT THE HECK WHAT THE HECK WHAT THE HECK-

AHHHHHHHH GO AWAY GO AWAY

You can see all of them in the goo, you can see them with those soulless half-dead eyes all mushed up together oh that’s so messed up

And why is the part that used to be Leopold‘s face so…fleshy and red? Did the goo burn it off when it absorbed him?? Does it act like acid to melt its victims inside itself like a horrifying Venus fly trap it’s prey??? Oh void I‘m looking too much into this and the eyes are still staring everything about this feels so wrong and twisted

This definitely explains the PEGI warning for fear

ELFILIN NOOOOOOO

…

…There‘s no music. There is. No music.

All abilities to choose from. This is it, isn’t it? Fire it is.

It’s a truly beautiful sunset outside. Perhaps it marks more than just the end of the day.

There is music, and it has a choir

It still looks as uncanny as when I first saw it, yet in a rather weird way…also beautiful?

"Ultimate Lifeform“…Shadow the Hedgehog?

Second half- the sky darkened, the music switched, the choir gained one clear voice (that goes high with the notes holy-)

Seriously. The music. It is just. You’d think it were from an epic dramatic PS5 game or something similar from its sound, yet it’s Kirby. And it absolutely deserves all of it. Just goes to show another reason you can’t judge the quality of a game by its age rating. Such a good soundtrack.

Oft of course that’s how we save Elfilin-

Oh shot

oh shot

Oh that’s a cool shot with planet pop in the focus while Elfilin and Kirby are out of focus in the foreground

NO WAY HAHAHAHAHA WE’RE REALLY DOING THIS TRUCKIRBY LETS GOOOO

AND WITH A REMIX OF THE INVINCIBILITY CANDY MELODY with a whole chiptune part thrown in between too, absolutely amazing

Ngl this part is genuinely quite epic

ELFILIN YEEESSSS

OH SHOT

ELFILIN NOOOO

Nooo ;-;

???? :D?

:D !!!!!

Hell yea, credits! This is really just an anime outro lmao - these pictures are adorable

Wait, there’s a hidden HAL room here too? Huh

Ayo?? To be continued?

Post-game?? Guess there‘ll be a few more parts of this then!

Man this game was fun as heck, HAL labs wasn’t holding back huh, they absolutely nailed their first attempt at 3D!

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

4.1.24 Monday

2:40 am

I still have windblow....I wanna leave Cavite,there are so many unfair things that is happening...

They damage my entire future....I can't find a bf, I don't wanna end up on someone who wanted a trap on me here...

I really wanna end-up with someone pretty and real and with stability....I hate church of christ for being well-organized in the society...

I feel so ugly, this is not my ideal aging... I still want vanity....

Uncle DD is still fake???There is a big mystery on my 2 Uncle's that affects my present situation... My 2 Uncle's can't assist me correctly.What is the mystery of Uncle DD???

2:53 am

I'm thinking of money and job....But I wanna end-up with stability and pretty...

I'm trap here I need a spark of love but of course it must be mutual and mature... Though there are so many pretty faces along the way but who is real and who is fake???

Still,Mark and Mitch are still on my head now separately....

I wonder if Mark was already here from year 2007 until now....Windblow came into my life year 2007, that makes my 17th year now... But I have no personal progress that gives me self-pity .

I know the pattern, they just want me to be fat and ugly and be ordinary looking that will be unfair in my part. I was really spoiled or pampered and I can't accept that someone from my past was just observing me and they fixed themselves like they already did gluta or any enhancement...

Or any exes who got a wifey now and he fixed his wifey to compete me but just there somewhere, simply observing and laughing at my back...

I don't wanna be friends with anyone who perfectly fixed themselves those are INC's or Church Of Christ!!! I hate them for having beauty than me... I was religious and still religious that in reality I deserve to be Egypt but then they planned to make me ordinary!

3:12 am

I did 69 and do believe on it... But my heart was truly religious... If I did it thrice, there will be more of it coz it was a pure care and wisdom and it was my innocence but genuine... I deserve to be Egypt but Filipino's smashing me unfairly...

EGYPT... There is no one here but me! But they wanted me ugly...

3:32 am

I still have windblow... Whew! I'm thinking of my future and money and they took away LIFE that I now value... I know now the value of LIFE, it is Egypt!!!

I now value LIFE but it must have STABILITY and LOVE...

8:34 am

Mga tarantadong INC or Church Of Christ! Be a super tagalog they can't go in! WHAT IS THIS RADIO STATION! TARANTADO KAYO! I'm not a child!!!

17 years they damage my entire future!

We should kill Church Of Christ??? What is their mystery???I was a good girl, I was a member of a choir before in INC or Church Of Christ? What is the mystery???

Is Mitch somewhere, dihd ey "shimpol bhateri ohn meh"? Wat iz d trutz Mitchang??? Wer iz shi?

Still, have windblow...

9:48 am

Will just give Ely 120 coz I asked extra money from Uncle DD he said he doesn't have extra money but 120 only...

235-120= 115

But still asking a favour on Ely....

Hoping to get a bf with stability... Ely is just a friend... I feel shy and it is violoation...

9:53 am

I'm thinking of money and job... Hoping I can leave Cavite...

I still wanna end up with a Barbie's face or someone that I think I can end up with like Pilot Garret or Mark's face but I want a good soul who can accept me...

I wonder if Mark is just around nearby, it is violation as well...

10:02 am

I want someone who can accept my vanity...Mark can surely accept my vanity even Pilot Garret...

Coz they have higher mentality and view about life...

10:49 am

I made a boiled water yesterday just about 3 liters but I still asked a favour from Kuya Erning... Guess what the boiled water I made then I put in the freezer tastes yummy but it doesn't have minerals and salt.... But it is somehow extra work for me...Still,better to order mineral water on Kuya Erning. But if in case...

11:38 am

I'll go back to tattoo... But I want only those good soul... How did they get some of it?

I'm thinking of a product to sell angels....I wanna get fame and some have earnings...

2:37 pm

Hi Pilot Garret...

Care for a coffee???

3:59 pm

Oh! Shit...Pilot Garret got a gf angels....Oh! Headache... Should I move on??? PERHAPS....

4:03 pm

This what happened this afternoon coz I'm so focus on watching Pilot Garret's youtube.

I forgot coz of his fucking pretty face but there are more out there who is single and pretty as well... Moving on...

4:39 pm

Sorry Pilot Garret you gotta gf... I thought I can be your shorty Dharma.

By the way this is "Dharma and Greg"...

So what if just "Shorty Dharma" if Greg loves me.... ;) If someone will love me...

11:37 pm

I still have windblow... I feel fat,ugly and old...I still wanna leave Cavite...

Done,doing some laundry... I feel bitterish this poorish situation we are having...

Uncle DD brought us a burger.. About the 120 that supposed to be given to Ely as payment... He said just keep it and pay me next time... So, funny right???My credit on Ely is still 235!

Did Mitch somewhere nearby as well, gave me a "simple battery"? I have windblow... I feel self-pity...

Mark? Weird... If he is just nearby and simply observing me? Why? Longing to see him coz of the weird situation... Is he nearby??? I have windblow...

I need to get a bf... I feel bitter... I feel a trap in here, I can't get progress even on getting a bf.Hoping and praying for pretty,stability and kind-hearted....

If only Pilot Garret is single, I will keep on bugging him but unfortunately he is taken already... His face is wonderful for a yellowish skin and really pretty... I wonder how old is Pilot Garret now?

Mark's eyes is a pretty chinky eyes... I like his eyes for chinky people... Is he nearby? It is painful...One of the Mickey Mouse? But why???

[bloomboxygo]

And here I am again! This chapter is set AFTER CHAPTER 49 of A Blossoming Legato. Just making it clear now.

So yeah, this one's a bit shorter than most of my chapters, admittedly. I'll play looser with these side chapters and stories, and that includes the lengths. I hope you won't mind.

Comments and Criticisms are appreciated, as always!

Characters in this chapter: Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir, Yuzu Hiiragi, Yuya Sakaki, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - Now including Performapals! - Spoilery new Monsters as well (from Chapter 49)

“Every time I look at this Card… I struggle to believe it even exists. Yet somehow, many trusted friends, Monsters, and others believe I deserve this. I just can’t help but feel it’s too grand for me, but… Here I am.

I’ve become Etoile, and I now stand fully with my Melodious, as their Ace Monster.

It still feels unreal… Don’t you think so, Yuya?”

The sun had set down, leading Maiami City to an end of yet another serene day, and You Show School past a joyous school session. As the tales of Yuya and Yuzu and the ideals of Entertainment Dueling spread across the city and its surroundings, more and more children gathered to a new age of Duelists bonding with their Monsters. It proved to be a fun yet tiring day for Yuya and Yuzu, as well as their aces, and they would share a moment of respite and thoughts before returning to their homes. Bloom Diva and Odd-Eyes would observe them, and while the pinkette was still a bit unsure of her newfound role and being, she would be reassured by Yuya’s proud smile and sentiment… Which the Choir also shared.

“In a way… It was destined to become like this. I could ask no less for my Maestra. I could not be any more gratified by her presence.”

“It sure is fantastic that Yuzu joined your ranks like this! I really think she’ll do great!” Odd-Eyes would communicate with the Choir as their Duelists had their moment. “That also means she can be with you in the Spirit World?”

“Well yes, yet it is unwise to do so carelessly.” Bloom Diva then explained. “She falls unconscious in this world to enter in ours. As such, she was hardly able to meet us during the day thus far.”

“Huh… So you’re worried that something might happen to her in the real world while she’s with you?”

“Precisely, however unlikely that might be. However, just like us Monsters, she feels a sensation whenever either her body or her Card is touched. At least it gives her a warning…”

“Well, that’s good at least! If you find out new stuff, don’t hesitate to tell me! Or anything at all that involves her! We gotta prepare so our boy can get the welcome he deserves!”

“Naturally!” Bloom Diva reassured the Dragon with a tender smile. “I may only imagine your meeting will be as joyous as ours! I truly want all of you to enjoy it at your fullest!”

“OH, you're SO right! Every single one of us wants to thank him for all that he’s done! We even tried to OH-” Odd-Eyes stopped when he noticed Yuya was about to pull a Card out of his hand, and managed to instantly identify as the Choir asked:

“Uh, what is the matter? Yuya seems to be…”

“Tell Yuzu about what I meant to say! Oh, strap in and listen to the conversation, this is gonna be good!”

While the Aces were having their talk, Yuya was also proudly reassuring Yuzu after she expressed her thoughts on being Etoile.

“No, I don’t think that’s crazy, Yuzu! Z-ARC and Ray had become Monsters too, didn’t they? So it’s not impossible that you could become one too. You were doing your best out there, and you deserved it.

Also, this outfit really suits you!”

“Aw, stop it!” Yuzu laughed at that last part. “I don’t think I would have ever imagined looking like this! Look at me, it’s like Mikiyo decided to go for a floral theme!

But…” She looked once more at Etoile’s card art, noticing little familiar details that are reminiscent of her own life and adventure, as well as one of Yuya’s… And tenderly concluded with: “You’re not wrong. It even felt natural back as I was like this in the Spirit World. It’s not as clunky as it seems.”

“I wonder what I’ll look like when I join Odd-Eyes and the others!” Yuya then wondered: “The Odd-Eyes, the Magicians and the Performapals should be all there together, right? What do you think I’d become?”

“That’s really a good question…” Yuzu then speculated. “Probably Odd-Eyes, since Bloom Diva told me that our thoughts resonated as she called me to the Spirit World and dueled Z-ARC. Maybe that’s how you’ll get to them all in the first place. Maybe you and your Monsters could work together for it somehow?”

“You know, I don’t think you can just do that. You see… Odd-Eyes and the others kind of tried already, unknowingly.”

“Oh? They tried already… Unknowingly? What did they do?”

“Well… I need to show you this first!” Yuya then reached for his own Deck and swiftly pulled a Pendulum Card and showed it to Yuzu. It showed a fully shadowed figure standing proudly on top of a wired platform from which a dazzling light show background projected, and that figure became immediately familiar to the Pinkette, taking her completely aback.

“Y-Yuya? Is that… Actually you?”

“Not really! But this was made by Odd-Eyes and the others, kinda like Bloom Diva and you made Etoile… With a little help! I’ll explain!”

To a confused Yuzu and bewildered Bloom Diva, Yuya would then recite the short little tale of a little, yet grand gift.

DUEL SPIRITS’ WORLD - ???

“All right, the hay did the hair just perfectly! The arms are in position and… This should be good!”

At the top of a metal platform, a purple-haired, twin-tailed, crowned young girl with a purple and black attire with a cape and a small book tied to a necklace was fixing, with a giant glove on a stick with surprisingly stunning dexterity, a humanoid dummy figure made out of stage props, with green and red colored hay made to be styled like Yuya’s hair. She made sure it was all sticking together with collants she grabbed out of thin air with her glove on a stick. She tested them out and blew on them, and they didn’t budge an inch, resulting in the girl clapping gladly for a job well done. Odd-Eyes had been there for a bit to assess her progress.

“Fantastic work, Helpprincess! Looks like the body’s all done! My only question is… From the angle we’re taking, would Yuya’s goggles stand out?”

“Hmm… I don’t know, because they’re mostly stuck in his hair anyway! But I have a proposal!” Helpprincess then summoned her trusty pink phone horn and stuck it right in the middle of the figure’s head, surprising the Dragon with a mix of bafflement and awe.

“I don’t know what you were on about… But if this works… You rock!”

“Tee-hee! All it took was imagining it as a purely black figure! I’m 100% sure it’ll work! Now, I just need the final touc-”

As the Helper was talking, she was interrupted by a howl from another trusty companion of Yuya, Silverclaw, who announced Hip Hippo’s grand entrance, complete with a jacket in his mouth that he was quick to bring to the Dragon.

“Excellent timing, Hip Hippo!” Odd-Eyes lent his horn to catch the jacket as Hip Hippo ran by, and he kept swinging it until he produced enough momentum to be able to fling it into the air so that the Princess could catch it with her stick. It would only take a moment for her to put the jacket in its proper position as Hip Hippo ran up Odd-Eyes’ tail, torso, then head to have a better look, and made a cry of approval in which Odd-Eyes joined!

“FANTASTIC! Since the wind’s also set up, I guess we’re ready to try this out! You can come down!”

“I can’t wait to see how it looks! WEEEE!” Helpprincess jumped off the platform and Odd-Eyes prepared his torso to be a slide and lowered his head so Hip Hippo could jump off of it. It made for a really fun ride for the girl, but she inadvertently struck Odd-Eyes to the back of his head with her stick afterwards, but he shook it off harmlessly and all had a laugh afterwards, but Helpprincess’ was a nervous one.

“Sorry! I was caught up in it all… This is going to be our message to Yuya, and I’m so excited for how it will turn out!”

“Hehe… If anything, I love that you’re so excited about this! I bet Yuya can feel it from here!” Odd-Eyes responded, with a confused look from Hip Hippo as a reply, to which the Dragon continued: “Well, if not now, definitely when the show’s starting! My eyes will be 100% focused on this! I gotta make sure our boy will have it clear!”

Just then, three more figures have come from the inside of the tower: a purple tapir balloon like creature, a tiger with a march drummer’s outfit, and a dark blue firefly with a bow-tie. The tiger first saluted the Dragon, who responded with:

“Ah, Salutiger! I assume everything’s all in check! Fireflux, you must have charged up the lighting, right?” At that point, the insect saluted and nodded in response, and the Dragon nodded back. “And Inflater Tapir, are the windboxes ready to go?” The balloon did a backflip in the air as a response, which Odd-Eyes took as a yes.

“All right! It looks like we’re ready and raring to- uh?” Just then, he turned around to see a very familiar face, a white and green haired friend of his with Magician’s robes, who was distracted by the setup that the Performapals had put out.

“Um… Am I interrupting something there, what is the-”

“Z-AAAAARC!” Odd-Eyes rushed towards his friend, inadvertently tackling Helpprincess and making her spin around, rendering her woozy for a second. That face was unfamiliar to her, but the name surely wasn’t.

“Wait… That Z-ARC?!” She exclaimed in worry, and Hip Hippo joined in, but they were quickly tranquilized by the sight of Odd-Eyes nuzzling up to his original master, who repaid in kind by hugging his head and petting it.

“Hey, Odd-Eyes…! It’s been a while, I know!” Z-ARC then calmed down alongside his Dragon and explained. “You see, Ray and I have been traveling around this world after we separated and I made you meet Yuya. We discovered A LOT of cool locations, even completely new ones… Born by the power of Pendulum!”

“Pendulum?! You mean, the thing that changed me and gave me all these orbs!?” Odd-Eyes swiftly asked. “It’s so cool that it can do even that! But wait… You two have been traveling together? Where is Ray?”

“Ray’s caught wind of a… Certain festival that her descendants’ Ace Monsters are holding.”

“Wait, THAT festival?!” Helpprincess barged into the conversation. “I really wanted to meet all these ladies myself after hearing about them from Odd-Eyes, maybe get some tips for our shows! But as far as we know, it’s far away…”

“Moreover, aren’t you with her?” The Dragon asked, to which his Master replied:

“She insisted on joining them first, and on calling me when it’s time… So while she’s doing that, I took the opportunity to give you a visit, knowing you’re here. Ray can’t come, she’s all about a certain experiment she’s trying to pull right now. That girl really hasn’t lost the knack for these. 

Speaking of…” Now his attention was directed to the Yuya dummy, which he now recognized and was interested in: “You did all of that to put a Yuya figurine on that platform? What are you trying to pull?”

“We’re giving Yuya a show just for him!” The Helper exclaimed. “We wanted to let him know just how much he means to us! By making Odd-Eyes see that show clearly, he can show it to Yuya in the other world, and POOF!”

“I instructed them a bit on how to make it because of how I can communicate it to Yuya! He’ll have that glorious image of himself burned in his memory! Because that’s how he is to us!”

“Very interesting… Very interesting indeed!” Z-ARC then had a lightbulb in his mind. “You wouldn’t mind if I also saw that show, would you?”

“You don’t even need to ask! We do the opposite of minding when it comes to our friends!”

With Odd-Eyes’ response, everything was set for the show to start. The whole of the Performapal tribe, as well as the Odd-Eyes, gathered in front of the platform to prepare to witness the marvel that Odd-Eyes and his trusted helpers put forth.

And so it was that the dazzling spectacle was for everyone to see. The placement of the Yuya dummy worked to perfection, with the wind bellowing from below making that figure look like he was an alive silhouette, all obscured and contrasting the dazzling light show during which various members of the Performapal crew were created in colorful drawings of light, imbuing the sky, as well as the walls that were made to look like the buildings of Maiami City that Yusho himself swung in between as he performed his shows. Overall, it was a light show imprinted into everyone’s memory, with everyone cheering for Yuya, except Odd-Eyes, who despite trying to concentrate, remained starstruck by it all, with this image burned into his memory…

And Z-ARC remaining silent, focusing on a mysterious sensation he felt… A mysterious, swinging sensation which told him the power of Pendulum was at work.

And so… He felt something new was created.

“Hey, it worked!”

“What worked?” Odd-Eyes got distracted by Z-ARC, but the latter reassured him.

“Don’t worry… Once you’ll join Yuya again, you’ll find out! Let’s say you’ve left a present that he’ll never forg-

AH!” Z-ARC suddenly stopped in his tracks, and shortly after it really looked like he was in a hurry. “Ahm, gotta go! Ray’s calling me!”

“Ray’s calling you NOW?!” Odd-Eyes couldn’t help being shocked. “We’re almost done here, I-”

“Nope, sorry, gotta duel! I’ll have you hear why later bye-!” And Z-ARC suddenly rushed towards a portal, confusing the Monsters nearby, especially the Dragon…

“...did he just say duel?”

STANDARD DIMENSION - YOU SHOW DUEL SCHOOL

“So that’s how it all happened?” Yuzu asked, struck by the story, then recalled: “And Z-ARC mentioned that Ray wanted to conduct an experiment… Which is exactly what she did with Bloom Diva!

And the connections between us and our Monsters…

How much we want to meet one another…

How grateful we are to one another…

As it was for me and Etoile, that message as Duelist Extraordinaire is what happens when we reach out to each other hard enough…”

“That’s more or less like it, as we understood.” Yuya responded gladly. “Because you and Bloom Diva wanted to prove that you hadn’t lost hope yet, you thought both of that and you came out as Etoile! Maybe there’s also some other thing… But really, not even Z-ARC and Ray know. We don’t need to think too hard about it!”

Bloom Diva, instead of thinking about what that Card implied, was more so moved by the sincere and kind message Odd-Eyes and the Performapals wanted to tell, and the lengths they went through in order to convey it. She couldn’t help tearing up a little bit.

“What a wonderful message… Your adoration and dedication is worthy of the highest, most sincere praise!”

WHOMP!

“Ain’t it mad sweet?!” Odd-Eyes exclaimed so as he unexpectedly smacked Bloom Diva’s back with his tail, meaning it to be a good natured pat. “Even Z-ARC came to give that message with this! I can’t help but feel real good about it. It was a job very well done by all!”

“Well, eh… No doubt, such an outcome would fill you with pure joy… All deserved after such hard work!” The Choir shrugged it off after a tiny bit, understanding the message, although she felt a bit of a sting from it… “Pardon me, could you not find another way to do that gesture?”

“Can’t do much with these tiny arms! A dragon’s gotta improvise!” Odd-Eyes shrugged, and the Fairy gently patted him on the back as a sign of understanding.

With all these explanations, these recollections, and the Monsters’ antics, Yuzu returned to observe the Card and couldn’t help being a bit worried.

“Still, with all of that, you haven’t managed to join your Monsters like I did…”

“Eh, it’s no biggie!” Yuya responded without a hint of worry, attracting the pinkette’s attention. “I know that my Monsters are my friends, and I’ll be their friend forever and always! Also, I have Odd-Eyes with me! I’m no longer fearful, Yuzu… I’m no longer alone and I know I’ll never be.”

This pleasantly surprised Yuzu, who asked a bit of a backhanded question:

“That’s a bit funny coming from you, huh?”

“Eh?!” While the guy wondered if he said something wrong, she clarified:

“You’ve changed, haven’t you? Back then when all this began, you were… Ah, I’ll just say it. You didn’t take it well when something didn’t go your way regarding your Monsters, or Pendulum, such as when Reiji created Pendulums of his own, or you couldn’t reunite with Odd-Eyes while I could with Bloom Diva. No matter the situation, whenever something was wrong, or taken from you… It hurt you. It made you feel like you weren’t worthy of it somehow.

But here you are just not worrying about this at all! It’s like the news of me being with my Monsters now only made you happier and more hopeful!”

“I’ll admit, you’re right, but that was the Yuya of the past!” Yuya reassured her happily. “You getting to that point first means I just need to try harder! No use cowering, I know Odd-Eyes and I can do this!

After all, the goal remains to make people happy with my Entertainment Dueling, and that doesn’t really change with that. That only means I can go even higher! Or a different direction entirely, who knows! I’ll just have to take it in stride and press forward!”

“Yuya… I’m really proud of you.” Yuzu told him these simple yet impactful words, only showing a sincere smile for what Yuya demonstrated, and Bloom Diva and Odd-Eyes too were drawn by Yuya’s words with nothing but glad pride in their faces. The pinkette then flared up a little.

“Well, that means our rivalry’s renewed!”

“Uh… Oh, of course it is!” Yuya took a second to recollect himself. “You’re ready to go more than ever as well!”

“Yeah, it was I who was in a bit of a block lately…” Yuzu admitted. “And it didn’t feel great. I tried hard to not let it bother me, but it did. It’s a bit hard to keep up with your Entertainment Dueling if you’re growing stale.

But deep down, I had full belief that we wouldn’t. In the end, our efforts paid off, and we’ll keep going higher. Right, Bloom Diva?”

“Undeniably, Yuzu!” What was the Choir’s response to Yuzu was accompanied by a strong nod that Yuya and Odd-Eyes could understand easily.

“Count me in then!” The boy forwarded his hands so that the Pinkette and he would shake it firmly, and with grit. “Let’s grow our Entertainment Dueling to new heights!”

“Let’s, Yuya! This is a promise I made to the Melodious, my friends, your father, and you. I intend to keep it!”

At that last lovely exchange, Bloom Diva swiftly got to the point and held her hand forward to meet Odd-Eyes’. “Our Masters’ words also apply to us. Even as we may contest each other, let our lives and shows be a crescendo of inspiration, talent, and joy!”

“Y’all couldn’t have said it any better! We’re SO IN!” Odd-Eyes, with some effort, shook hands with the Choir for this promise. It was almost mirrored to Yuya and Yuzu’s handshake, albeit the latter had started to form more tender via both hands being held to one another…

“Bravo! Bravo!”

That was interrupted by Yusho stepping in and applauding the two, and it did shake them a bit, albeit with not much embarrassment. The Monsters would get into position behind their Masters as Yusho approached them all.

“I can easily see and hear that your passion has been reignited! And after the great lengths and ordeals you went through, it’s fantastic to see you this bright!”

“Mr. Sakaki… I know I’ve had some bumps lately, but now… I’ll work harder than ever from now on!” Yuzu reassured with a bow, and the Choir followed.

“No need to stress yourselves!” Yusho replied. “Progress won’t come in a day, after all. Well, your case was a bit sudden… You have truly gone even further beyond in terms of being one with your Monsters…”

“Now she’s a superstar amidst the Melodious too!” Shuzo came in shortly after Yusho, and declared: “But superstars need super rest for their hard work. Today was a fantastic school day, and more people are coming than ever! I finished receiving them just now!”

“Principal… I wonder if I can get used to it all.” Yuya remarked. “Back when all of this started, when Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya first came here… It felt like a close family! But it was slowly and slowly extending… And it’s now getting faster than ever!

Oh well, the more people who smile, the better!”

“That’s the spirit! But… We need to close off for the day.” The principal remarked, to which everyone nodded and said their goodbyes, though not before the boy added one last time…

“I’m really happy for you, Yuzu! And you too, Bloom Diva! I’m sure your Pendulum Monsters will make you proud!”

“Well, they made you all teary, so I definitely think so!” The pinkette half-jokingly responded, before adding more tenderly… “Good luck, Yuya. I know you can do it.” Bloom Diva nodded in approval to all of that, and then it was time for the goodbyes…

YUZU’S ROOM (A BIT LATER)

After the school day, a rather tranquil dinner came not too long after, frugal and relaxing. But Yuzu and Shuzo had one other thing in mind before the Pinkette would finally call it a day. 

“Well… Let’s try this out for real this time.” Shuzo started as his daughter sat on her bed. “Say hi to the other Melodious for me, Yuzu!”

“I will, for sure!” Yuzu replied. “It’s nice that I can afford it now, since we don’t have school tomorrow! This’ll be ideal to find out more about this whole thing. I’ll admit, I don’t even know if I’ve actually turned into Etoile.”

“Hmm, why so?”

“I… Feel somewhat different when I see through Etoile’s eyes. I’m much calmer and graceful than I usually am, but at the same time I’m firing up… Just like you usually do, even though I don’t really show it. At least, that’s what I felt like the first time.”

“Well, but the first time you dueled, so of course you wanted to give it your all! That was your big moment!”

“Hmm… You may be right. I’ll tell you more as I find out, and… I’ll be careful. I promise.”

“I know you’ll be alright! Good night, Yuzu!”

“Good night, Dad!”

As they said their goodnights, Yuzu’s thoughts were focused on Etoile herself and her bracelet arm was raised. This led to Yuzu passing out as expected and soundly sleeping. All her dad did was return her arm to its proper position to make her sleep as comfortable as possible. Then… It would be just her, and the Melodious.

DUEL SPIRITS’ WORLD - CONSERVATORY (A BIT EARLIER)

Parallel to the day at You Show School, the day at the Conservatory had also been one of hard, but joyous work. Many Duels to be had, and many songs to be sung, all ending neatly in a relatively quiet evening, shortly after the practice sessions.

Refrain and Couplet were sitting outside, at a part of the garden that was closer to the woods around them, so that they could share a moment together.

“Ahh… Wasn’t this day a ton of fun?” Couplet started, bubbly as ever. “We just met so many people on the other world! The new students at You Show were all so eager!”

“And good too!” Refrain replied, still a bit shocked. “Dang kids were more powerful than I expected.”

“Well, don’t be too surprised! Yuzu’s teacher was a kid, after all!”

“UUUGH!” Refrain grasped her own head in frustration upon hearing that. “Did he really have to come in the middle of the day, duel us, and stop my song with that white-robed nuisance?”

“Refrain, please-” But Couplet’s words were somewhat in vain, as her red-haired companion slumped forward for a bit before trying to recollect herself and breathe in. Upon seeing her recover, the pink-haired continued: “Refrain… I know stuff like that hurts your pride, but it was just a friendly Duel!”

“Friendly Duel or not, one should always give it their all! It’s disrespectful otherwise to the opponent and the audience!”

“OK…” Couplet approached Refrain much more softly now. “You’re right in this, but this shouldn’t mean you should let an obstacle get to you. In these Duels, anything can happen, and we need to press on regardless.”

“I can’t help it…” The redhead calmed down, but still didn’t feel completely at ease. “I know I can do a lot here, so if I end up doing nothing at all…”

“Well… You and I wield the power of Pendulum, after all. It’s a great power, but also a great responsibility because we can support in place of our scripts. 

But I’m sure the Melodious here have gone through many obstacles themselves. It’s all a matter of never giving up, never letting it set in. Simple as that, but… It’s not instant. I know you can do it, Refrain. You’re strong.”

“Yeah… I am strong. Probably it’s because of this… That I feel so weak if something goes wrong.

You’re strong too, Couplet… Don’t you feel the same when your song gets interrupted?”

“Well… I feel a bit bummed for sure, but it’s no biggie! You can get back in the flow the next turn, after all! The flow… You’re fully in it, and nothing can really stop you!”

“The flow… What do you mean-?”As Refrain finally looked up, it seemed as if Couplet got into the flow and started humming to herself while swinging her head side to side gracefully.

“Uh, Couplet?” The redhead tried to call her, but seemingly to no avail.

“Hello?” A Refrain was had, but Couplet kept bobbing peacefully.

“Are you here?!” She was starting to get angry, so she instinctively pinched Couplet’s cheek, making her stop right there.

“Aah! Uh… Sorry… And owie.” The pink-haired finally snapped out of it. “I reminded myself of the Duels we had today… They were just so stimulating!”

“Uh, sorry to have done that.” Refrain humbly apologized to her companion. “But I got… Actually worried for a sec. I know sometimes you act like you’re by yourself, but at least a call would have woken you up.”

“Oh…” Couplet turned quieter as well. “It’s a bit of a tic of mine, but with all these Duels… I lost my train of thought entirely! There was just so much good to process!”

“Don’t worry… I’ll be there to help you.” Refrain finally started smiling. “It’s the least I can do for you, girl. Our Yuzu wants to climb higher to the top and to entertain more people… And I know we’ll be shining together. So… I’m here for you, as you’ve been here for me. Thank you.”

Now that the redhead’s gaze became more tender and relaxed, couplet repaid in kind and held hands with her. “Yes, we’ll do this together! We won’t let anything get to us! With your fire, I know we can all do it!”

“And I know we can, because of your… Bubbliness!” Refrain briefly pinched Couplet’s nose and both had a quick laugh at this before they touched each other’s foreheads in joint gladness. However…

“Refrain, Couplet… My apologies, but we have to receive Yuzu now.”

“Mozarta!” Both Songstresses instantly rose up, and Couplet spoke, a bit flustered. “Sorry that we were a bit away, we just-”

“Needed your moment together? My dears, I know of such a need, and it would be rude for me to stop it. Yet…”

“We’ve got a job to do. Right away!”

With Refrain’s last words, the Songstresses followed the Maestra while holding their respective bracelet hands and nodding. As all felt revitalized after such a day, they were more than ready to enjoy this evening to the fullest.