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5sosxqueen · 1 year

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Luke Appendicitis

< Part 1 , ~Part 2~

I totally kept up with the updates last week... 😅 Welp, I'll be posting three today. (All Luke. Hope you guys like him!)

Warnings: surgery, hospitals, minor descriptions of the surgery

Written in 2018

Published (Wattpad) - Jan 28, 2018

Word Count: 1628

Updates are every Tuesday and Thursday

Also Available on Wattpad and AO3!!!

Part 2:

Michael's POV:

"SOMEBODY HELP US!" I was the worst kind of mess as I carried a, seemingly lifeless, Luke into the ER, Aston, Matt, and Calum not far behind me. "PLEASE, WE NEED MEDICAL ATTENION!" A couple nurses instantly ran over with a gurney and told me to lay him down.

"One of you needs to tell us what happened." One of the nurses told us while the other looked him over. Luke was beyond pale with a hint of green to his face, a sheer layer of sweat that glistened in the lighting, semi dried blood plastered onto his face and shirt, and his was hair disheveled.

"He's showing signs of appendicitis. I've had it... But I noticed he has redness and swelling on the left side of his abdomen, rather than the right. How is that possible? I thought the appendix is always on the right." Ashton informed them. The nurse checked Luke's stomach and sure enough, it was just as he had said.

"Ok we need to get him back right now! Page Dr. Moore." One of the nurses anounced to the other as rhey rushed him into the back. We were told to have a seat in a private waiting room and wait for his prognosis.

We had been really quiet for what seemed like forever. 10 minutes later I spoke up through silent tears. "Do you think he's going to be ok. I don't want anything to happen to him..."

"He will be fine Michael. Remember Ash has been through this as well and he's fine." Calum said wrapping me into a hug as I quietly sobbed into my hands.

"I'm so scared Calum... He looked so lifeless." I could no longer hold it in, I was bawling loudly by this point. He started rocking me back and forth slightly. I felt Ashton throw his arm around me and Matt's gental touch on my shoulder.

"It's ok to be scared Mikey, but he will be ok. Just breathe buddy." Matt cooed. We all stayed in that position until we heard a familiar name being called.

"Family for Hemmings. Are you guys here for Hemmings?" We all nodded. "Ok, are all of you his brothers?" Once again we all nodded. "Very well," he said with a smile. "Well we have confirmed your suspisions on it being appendicitis, but Luke also has something called Situs Inversus. Now, there are two subtypes of this disease. There is one called dextrocardia, which is where a persons organs are a complete mirror image of that of a you and I and there's another one called levocardia, which the heart is on the left, but the other organs are reversed, which is what Luke has. Depending on whether or not his appendix has burst, he could be in surgery for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. He will need to stay here for a few days to recover, however if it has ruptured he could be here anywhere from 1 week to a month, depending on whether his body develops an infection. We need one of you to sign these consent papers to perform the appendectomy." Matt reached for the papers and signed them before handing them back. The doctor nodded, rapidly retreating back into the double doors.

Another nurse came out and led us to another waiting room. We had been talking for a while and after 30 minutes had come and gone, we we're getting really worried. "It's been 45 minutes..." Calum stated looking at us with clear worry on his face. "You guys think it ruptured?"

"Unfortunately, I think it's highly likely, but it's also only been 15 minutes so we can't fully go based off of that speculation." Ashton reminded him. Another 15... "Shit." He said looking at his phone.

"So more than likely, his appendix did rupture." I added and everyone agreed. "I'm going to go see if there are any updates. I'll be back." I walked over to a reception desk nearby. "Excuse me, I'm not trying to be impatient, but it's been an hour since my friend has gone back for an appendectomy. Have you heard anything?"

"What is his name sir?" The attendant asked me.

"Oh sorry..." I smirked at my forgetfulness. "Luke Hemmings."

"Ohh... I thought I recognised you... I just didn't want to jump to conclusions." She said happily. "Oh, um, it says here that his appendix has ruptured. He's still in surgery Michael."

"Damnit... Ok thank you ma'am." I said with a sigh as I walked back to the eager boys.

"Any news?" Matt asked, beating the other two boys to the punch.

I sighed. "It's not good... His appendix did rupture. How long has it been now?"

"It's only been about 5 minutes... So an hour and 5 minutes since he's gone in." Calum explained. "Well would anyone like something to eat or drink? It's about to be 7:30am."

"Yes please, coffee and surprise me." I said. I don't normally drink coffee, but since I've been up since around 2am I need it desperately.

"You know what I like Calum, thanks." Ashton said, slowly falling asleep on Matt's shoulder.

"Just a coffee for me, thanks Calum. We will let you know if we bear anything." Matt responded.

Calum walked out of the waiting room and went down to the cafeteria while we sat in wait. Calum came back up after 20 minutes. "Matt, here is your coffee. Michael, I brought your coffee and a chicken salad for you."

"You trying to tell me something, huh, Cal-Pal?" I chuckled out giving him a huge grin.

"No, shut up Michael." He said playfully smaking my arm. "Ash, I brought you a parfait and a coffee. You look like you could use some as well." Ash nodded and we all thanked him once again. We ate our probable brunch within 10 minutes.

"It's almost been 2 hours guys. He should be out soon." No sooner than Ashton saying that, the man we assumed to be Dr. Moore reentered the room and appeared before us.

"Hello guys, I believe I hadn't properly introduced myself earlier. I'm Dr. Moore." He shook all of our hands. "So I'm not sure if you had heard, but Luke's appendix had ruptured. The laparoscopic appendectomy had taken much longer due to massive amounts of puss that we had to clean before we could suture the incision. He is in recovery now and you may see him, but you need to be wary of his stomach for a while. He is asleep for the moment and when he wakes up we will move him to a private room for observation. Now if you folks will follow me..." He turned around and started walking toward the double doors. He led us back to the post-surgery room and we all gathered around Luke cautiously and waited for him to open his eyes.

"Mmmmn..." Luke slowly opened his eyes and started looking around. "What- what happened?"

"Your appendix burst buddy." Ashton told him.

"So they cut me open..." He said making a disgusted face. "I feel so violated." Luke was still very loopy from the anesthesia. It made all of is chuckle.

"How do you feel though." Matt asked rubbing his hand through his hair.

"Very happy..." He said making the goofiest face. I covered my mouth turning around and busted up laughing, nearly falling to my knees from lack of oxygen. He turned to Calum. "What's funny Cally poo?" He was confused about my laughing, but his nickname for Calum only made me die. My damn sides hurt like hell.

"Boy, do I wish I had my camera..." Ashton said wiping a tear that was escaping his eye from cracking up. "This is gold... Oh my gosh... Huh. Glad to have you, somewhat, back Lukey."

"I think we should try asking him when he's a little more alert. What do you guys think?" Calum said through a teethy grin.

"Definitely." I said as I gained composure.

"I'm tired guys." Luke said as his eyelids started drooping.

"Go to sleep bud. We will be here when you wake up." He nodded and instantly fell asleep. I felt the sting of tears in my eyes again. I pressed my palms into them.

"Awe Mikey, what's wrong?" Calum walked over to me and threw an arm around me.

"He's going to be ok... I'm just so thankful he is alive. I was so worried." Everyone came over to me and enveloped me in a hug.

"We told you he'd be ok Michael." Ash said rubbing my hair.

Luke woke up an hour later and looked at all of us. "Hey bud, how are you feeling?" Matt asked again.

"I feel a bit sore, but my stomach no longer feels like it's being torn open... What happened?"

"Well that's ironic isn't it? You had your appendix taken out." Ashton said.

"Oh. So you were right then. Well I'm feeling a lot better now. How long do I have to be here?" Luke asked just as Dr. Moore walked in.

Luke ended up staying in the hospital for a week with no infection. He was almost back to his perfectly happy, healthy self, he was just a bit sore from the surgery. The stitches we're removed before leaving the hospital. He was really excited to get out and eat pizza and perform for his fans once again.

"Hello Luke, I'm Dr. Moore." He shook Luke's hand. "I can answer your question on how long you will be here. Since you had a rupture, you are going to be staying here for at least one week under observation. We will be checking your temperature periodically along with having you hooked up to telemetry. Hopefully you don't develop any infection." Luke nodded and soaked the information in. "Now that you are awake we can get you into your room so you can rest." We we're all able to walk with them as they transferred him to his room. Luke was already starting to fall asleep on the way there.

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #michael clifford #ashton irwin #emeto #calum 5sos #vomit sickfics #ashton 5sos #michael 5sos

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jcraft · 3 years

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It’s winter

(Haha old piece I started on in like October that I JUST picked back up and fuckin finished. yay! also hi tumblr pls do not eat my image quality pls pls pls)

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intubatedangel · 3 years

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Cold Snap: Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay, it’s been a rough couple of weeks but I’m starting to bounce back a little. This probably isn’t my best, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

Story Index

* * *

Carl couldn't take his eyes off of Anna as they pushed the gurney around a corner. She looked... Amazing. The way she rocked back and forth, compressing their patient’s chest, making her ponytail bounce each time. Her face was a picture of focus, gaze locked on the young woman beneath her as she forced blood through Shona's ice-cold body. Damn, she was so gorgeous. The way she put her entire soul through her interwoven fingers, into those chest compressions that bent in Shona's ribs rhythmically. He could see she was doing what he had suggested. Putting her passion, their shared passion, into her efforts.

He took a moment, just one moment, to let a small thrill of pleasure shoot through him. Images flashed through his mind, memories of last night and ideas for when they got home. All the toys they could play with. He took a deep breath, first things first, get their patient back. He let out the breath as they crashed through the doors into Trauma 4.

They pulled the gurney across, lining it up next to the trauma bed. Carl let Anna maintain compressions, as the rest of the team unclipped the straps of the backboard. It was a small risk, but they couldn't get Shona into the vest that was spread on the bed while she was still strapped down. The vest was capable of keeping her immobilised, the reinforced back and its own means of being secured doing a close enough job.

"Let's get ready to move her, nice and easy now." Carl commanded, watching as his other nurses and the paramedic got in position. The ambubag was disconnected and dropped on the gurney as Dave gets his hands underneath Shona's shoulders, Kirstie gently supporting her head. Others held her arms and legs, kneeling on the bed so they could reach. "Ok, we're all ready Anna, we'll move on your call."

She nodded, her lips moving, as she started to announce her compressions. "43...44...45...46...47...48...49...50!" She finished, pulling her hands away and rising on one knee, un-straddling Shona's ghostly white body. Anna helped with the transfer, her hands beneath Shona's waist and thighs. They moved her over as fast as they safely could placing her on the already warm vest. Everyone could feel the contrast, between the heat of the water filling the ribbed plastic, and the chill of the flesh of the young woman they were trying to save. They all knew it meant they had time, but there was still a primitive part of each of them that was scared by that cold.

As soon as they placed her down Anna stood on a step and placed her hands back on Shona's chest, resuming her barrage, counting in her head once more, to allow Carl to give his orders. "Let's ready the combo pads, A/P positions in case we need to pace her, then we'll get her wrapped up." Anna kept going with her compressions, in the rhythm enough to be able to look around and watch as Trish tore open some sterile packaging and removed a pair of large square electrodes. Trish peeled off the backing of the first pad, revealing the thick layer of electro-conductive gel. Without being asked Anna raised her hands from the ice-cold sternum beneath them and grabbed the other pad. Like a well-oiled machine, Trish placed the first pad, smoothing the edges to make sure the foam stuck well, a split second before the others log rolled the young woman, allowing Anna to slap the other pad onto Shona's back, similarly fixing it well.

Shona was rolled flat, and Anna's hands immediately settled back in their prior position, though the pad was now between her fingers and Shona's flesh. It had little effect on Anna's compressions. While flexible, the gel was thick and viscous enough that it held its shape enough to allow the force of Anna's professional chest compressions to translate straight through to Shona's sternum, forcing it down and simulating a pulse as her heart was squeezed against her spine. Around her hands Trish was folding in the various panels of the vest and clipping them together, tightening the straps to provide a little bit of immobilisation.

Carl continued to run the code. "Roger, grab me the central line, with the temperature catheter. Kirstie get the monitors changed over; did you get anything from upstairs?"

"No luck on the full ECMO, dialysis machine is on it's way though." Kirstie told him, as she pulled the thick lead from the portable monitor, connecting it to the large one that hung above the bed. It instantly began to whine the monotone cry of asystole and was quickly muted. Everyone knew the situation.

Carl didn't reply to Kirstie as she moved onto the other parts of the monitors. He took in the information, then focused on his next task. He moved around to Shona's head, Dave shifting out of the way. Roger placed a sterile wrapped pack on the corner of the bed, then retreated to the side of the room, where a dozen IV bags were being kept warmed. Carl took the large wide needle from the tray, lining it up along Shona's neck. He pressed it against the large jugular vein, barely visible thanks to the girl's blue skin, then in a smooth motion he pushed it in, sliding the length of the needle neatly into the vein. He wasn't finished though.

Also on the tray was a 20cm long tube, with a spiral that seemed to twist around the thin core, and a bunch of connectors at one end. Carl grabbed it, feeding it into the large opening on the central line, easing it forward, into Shona's body, deep down the vein, towards her heart. Her heart that only moved because Anna was still pressing down, rapidly and rhythmically, squeezing the organ that refused to beat on its own.

* * *

Anna was starting to feel the effect of her compressions on her arms as she crossed the 3-minute mark. She reached 100 in her head, then started over again, going for a fourth round. She could feel the way Shona's chest swelled against her hands as Dave squeezed the ambubag, forcing in air that was promptly forced back out by the actions of her own hands. The thick rubbery temperature vest surrounded the circle left for her hands, Trish having strapped it together, before working on the lower sections until Shona was wrapped up from her neck to her knees.

Anna watched Carl work, seeing his concentration as he slid the catheter into the central line, feeling the way it advanced, making sure it was going in correctly. Eventually the plug where it split into a half dozen connectors nestled into the port that stuck from Shona's neck. Two of the connectors were attached to a small device that began to circulate warmed saline, the device in turn was linked to the monitoring system and, after a few seconds of calibration, Shona's core temperature was displayed for the whole team to see.

"Core temperature of just 19..." Carl said, trailing off slightly with a frown on his face. Anna knew that signified he was thinking hard about a decision. It took a few seconds, then he gave a small nod to himself. Anna was pretty sure it was totally unconscious on his part. "Let's go ahead with the thoracic lavage, Roger, get me 4 chest tubes." Anna cringed internally, but she knew that it was probably Shona's best chance. Carl continued. "Anna, switch off after this round, Kirstie, you take over, Trish go ahead with the NG tube and then place a urinary catheter." It would be needed Anna thought, as warmed saline was being pushed into all of Shona's IV's, including the central line via one of the dangling connectors.

As her internal count approached 100, Anna began to count out loud again. "94...95...96" Kirstie stood up on a step on the opposite side of the bed and shared a nod with Anna as she wove her fingers together and straightened her arms. "...97...98...99...Switch" Anna finished, pulling her arms away. She stepped aside making sure she wasn't in anyone’s way as she shook out her arms, trying to recover quickly. She then set about the task that Carl hadn't spoken out loud.

In the corner of the room were two tall infusers. IV bags could be hung from the top, like a standard drip, but were instead fed into a console that managed the temperature, pressure and flow rate. Anna grabbed them both, one for each side. She placed them by the head of the bed, then headed for a different corner. There, she grabbed two chest drain units, carrying them to the bed, hooking one on each side roughly in the middle of the bed, just next to Kirstie’s legs as she leaned over Shona and delivered compressions.

In the meantime, Carl had almost gotten setup on Shona's other side, the small surgical kit laid out on a small metal trolley. Anna stepped forward, unclipping the straps of the vest and opening one side, revealing Shona's chest. Her skin was still ghostly white, the only visible colour being the soft blues and purples of the bruise forming in the valley between her breasts, caused by the compressions that continued to make her ribs flex inwards.

Roger had been waiting, an iodine-soaked swab on a stick in his hand. A moment after Anna revealed Shona's chest, he smeared the brown disinfectant across it, from up towards her collar bone, down alongside the soft curve of her breast, and over her lower ribs.

"Kirstie, hold compressions." Carl ordered, armed with a gleaming scalpel. As soon as Kirstie lifted her hands Carl lowered the scalpel towards the space between Shona's 2nd and 3rd ribs. He made a few decisive cuts, cutting through the layers of tissue. "Tube." He held out the scalpel, which Anna carefully took, while Roger slapped the chest tube into his other hand. Carl pushed the tube through the hole he had made, sliding it into Shona's chest, between her ribs and the front of her lung. It had taken 10 seconds since compressions stopped to get the tube in.

12 seconds later another tube stuck out, this one lower down between Shona's 5th and 6th ribs, basically on the opposite side of her lung. "Ok, Go." Carl said, prompting Kirstie to resume her barrage. The ends of the two chest tubes swayed and bounced for a few moments but were soon taken in hand by Anna and Carl and connected into what was effectively a loop. From the infuser warmed saline was pumped through the upper tube into Shona's chest cavity, washing over and around her lungs, providing warming throughout her chest, before draining out of the second tube into the sealed container. This container then fed back into the infuser, which would be able to keep the saline warm enough to be effective.

Carl monitored the loop until it was running through fully, ensuring the compressions were causing no problems. He nodded, satisfied. "Right, let's get ready to do the other side, Trish, take over compressions as soon as Anna has arranged the vest." Anna was already folding the vest back over, lining up the tubes to meet gaps and checking that nothing was kinked. As soon as she was done, she slipped around the bed and took position to repeat the entire process on Shona's left-hand side.

* * *

Lucy had guided Jones through the triage area, gratefully handing the wheel chair off to a nurse who came to assist. Zainab also approached, having just finished an exam on one of the collared patients.

"Hey Lucy, who do you have for me?"

"Zee, this is Matt Jones. Spent 5 minutes in near freezing water. No signs of inhalation or injury, just moderate hypothermia. He's been responsive throughout, but I'd recommend a full exam and observation." Lucy said professionally, despite her weariness. They were guided into an empty cubicle and Jones was assisted onto the bed. Lucy leaned against a pillar relaxing a little as Zainab took a chart and started to note things down. "You might want to give psych a call." Lucy's voice carried a joking tone. "I'm pretty sure charging further into a sinking ship falls under crazy."

Jones smirked a little, leaning back on the bed. "I'd say the crazy one is the one who followed me after being told to get off the boat." He still sounded tired but was definitely recovering.

Lucy shrugged. "Someone had to save your ass. You'd be at the bottom of the river if I hadn't."

"True...True..." Jones smiled faded, his tone becoming a little more subdued. "I just hope it was worth it."

Lucy nodded, looking at the floor. "They'll do their best. Just like you did. You gave her a chance if nothing else."

Jones bit his lip, nodding, but his gaze had drifted away from her, staring at nothing. Lucy knew what he was seeing. A mental image of Shona, pale and lifeless. She felt the same way.

Zainab broke them both out of their solemn contemplation. "We should really get you out of those wet clothes Mr Jones, they won't be helping you to warm up."

Jones nodded, groaning as he leaned forward and started to fumble with his uniform. A nurse moved in to assist him. Lucy glanced at him. "I'll be back." She told him, before nodding to Zainab and the nurse. Lucy left the cubicle, initially planning to get a coffee, but with her mind she drifting she was a little surprised to find herself standing outside Trauma 4. Her eyes were drawn to the table. Tracy was performing chest compressions on the young woman on the table. The vest covered most of her chest, but Lucy could see the tubes running out through slits to the containers.

She could see the doctor tidying away the surgical kit and giving more orders. She could see Dave, still rhythmically squeezing the ambu-bag connected to the breathing tube, stood at the head of the bed. And she could see the monitor, that constant, unbroken line that proclaimed Shona's heart was still completely inactive.

#Resus Writing #Medical Drama #Anna Swift #CPR #Defib #Dark Cardiophilia #intubation

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samanthadalton · 4 years

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Can you write fanfic ina x mc, mc teach ina how to cook? Your works are great💖 Thank you❣️

aww thank you anon for this idea i really loved it 🥺🥺

parings: Ina x mc (Bea)

warnings: implied sex but mostly just fluff i guess

taglist: @cloud9in

word count: 2.2k 😬 i got carried away

(if there any mistakes i’ll fix it later)

A recipe for disaster

After the convention, things between you and Ina couldn’t have been better. Even though your relationship was hidden from everyone else, Ina finally stopped closing herself off and pushing you away and you couldn’t be happier. You and Ina stole moments after class, where you would stay behind to help ‘clean up’ or moments in her office where you would do anything but work.

One day you randomly decided to teach Ina how to cook since the first time resulted in her totally butchering your ‘I’m sorry you had a crazy stalker dinner’ by letting the sauce of the pasta explode on her. You texted Ina, ‘‼️EMERGENCY COME TO MY DORM‼️’ and never had Ina run so fast in her life, throwing all her papers to the floor in her office, and dashing to your dorm worried that it was another Benji situation. How she managed to get there undetected by the other students is a complete mystery as when she approached the door of your dorm she banged heavily screaming out your name.

You rush towards the door and swing it open to find a wide eyed Ina, her hair slightly ruffled, sweat marginally glistening on her forehead, and her breaths heavy. Before you can speak, she barges into the room,, “So.. what’s.. the .. emergency?” She takes a quick breath between each word as she frantically looks around your dorm room until you can’t help but let out a laugh.

“Jesus Ina, I don’t think the whole dorm heard you shouting my name, why don’t you scream louder?” your voice dripping with sarcasm with a hint of playfulness. Ina turns to face you and sees your eyes gleaming with admiration as flustered Ina is incredibly cute. Ina slightly frowns and closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in. “Bea… is there an emergency or not?”

You guilty stare down at the floor, “well, um not exactly the kind of emergency you’re thinking, but i swear it’s important” you pick your head back up to look at Ina who is massaging her temples with her fingers, “dammit Bea I literally ditched my grading and ran here, what if someone saw me?” she continues to berate you as she goes on about her publisher and her deadlines but stops talking when you slide a finger seductively down her arm.

“I’m sorry Ina” you pout a little giving your best puppy dog eyes look and lean in to whisper in the shell of her ear, “Why don’t you let me make it up to you?”

Ina’s breathing shakes a little as you nibble on her earlobe and she places her hands and your hips and pushes you back slightly to meet her eyes which look less angry and more turned on and she completely ditches her earlier rant, “hmm, what were you thinking?”

Okay she definitely wants to do it right here right now but you mentally remind yourself that you’re on a mission to teach Ina how to cook so you place your thumb on her lower lip and begin to trace the outline of it, “well I was thinking of teaching you a lesson”

Ina perks up at the word “lesson” and you forget that she is wayyy too kinky for her own good. Her eyebrow raises a little and the grip on your waist tightens as her voice drops to a low murmur, “what kind of lesson?”

You lean in slightly teasing her as your breath ghosts above her lips, “a..... cooking lesson” you move your head back and take in Ina’s slightly disappointed but confused look.

“Bea, uh may I remind you of the last time I tried to cook, it didn’t end up so well”

“Well I remember getting you half naked and getting a massage so” Ina sighs heavily and before she can speak, because knowing Ina she’s probably against the idea of a cooking lesson you carry on speaking, “look I know what you’re gonna say and please, do it for me,” You once again pout your lips and stare at Ina hoping she falls prey to your charms as she usually does, “I’ll be guiding you the entire time,” you turn to face the kitchen counter and raise your arm to point at the ingredients placed upon it, something Ina definitely didn’t notice when she first came in. “Pleaseeeee Ina i’ve literally been planning this and it will be so cute.”

“And how exactly would it be cute?”

“I don’t know, i guess fulfilling a domestic fantasy of mine, cooking alongside the person i’m with while we spoon feed each other and all that romantic stuff”

Ina softy sighs and gives you a chaste kiss on your cheek, “fine but don’t blame me when this all goes south, I told you my kitchen skills are abysmal”

You laugh and being to tug her arm towards the kitchen and you place a cute blue apron around Ina’s head and move behind her to tie it up, “Just a precaution, we don’t want a repeat of last time”. Ina playfully swats at your arm and grins, “so what are we making?”

“My favourite comfort food ever, lasagna. My mom used to make it for me all the time back at home especially during times when I wasn’t feeling well or wasn’t having a good day. Lasagna always cheers me up. Well that and pizza.”

Ina stares at you like you’re the most precious thing in the world and then takes one of your hands in hers, “well I’m honoured you’re teaching me to make it, I hope I do it justice.”

You being to prep Ina on the basics of lasagna telling her “it’s all about the layers and cheese. Cheese is the most important part of this dish”.

You start by washing the minced meat as Ina begins to dice carrots, mushrooms, onions, and defrosts peas and sweet corn before washing them all and placing it in a bowl.

“Okay so we gotta cook the meat and the vegetables for a while and then we are going to add in the seasonings and the sauce and let it cook” you stifle a laugh, “make sure to not get it on yourself this time”.

Ina gives out a hearty laugh and shakes her head, “God i’m so embarrassed by that but you better watch out for when I become a culinary master”. She flourishes her arms a little and you retort, “not really a master when you can’t cook pasta”. She laughs and pinches some cheese from one of the bowls and flicks it at you.

You barely manage to dodge it, and your eyes glimmer devishly, “Oh it’s on now”. You and Ina begin to throw cheese at each other until Ina grabs your hands and intertwines your fingers before pulling you towards her, “I didn’t give you a proper thank you for teaching me how to cook” she kisses you sweetly on your lips.

“Well it’s pretty obvious you need to learn, and if we’re going to be together then you need to know how to cook my favourite comfort food at least”.

Ina intensely stares at you, her eyes full of desire and longing, she kisses you again, harder than the last one and the passion between the two of you quickly builds until you’re interrupted by the clanging on the lid against the pot as the water begins to bubble out of it.

“Crap” you quickly move toward the stove turning the heat down a little to let the meat simmer and then dramatically swipe your hand against your forehead, “that would’ve been a disaster, come on stop distracting me, you’re gonna let the food burn”.

“I’m sure the head chef isn’t easily distracted by a few kisses huh?” Ina moves towards you, pulling into another kiss. You indulge in it for a few more moments before pulling away, “nice try but I’ll make sure you know how to cook lasagna even if it’s the last thing I do” you push Ina back a little and she simply smiles.

.....

The two of you carry on cooking the meat and soon it’s time for you to begin layering the lasagna to get it ready for the oven.

“Okay like I said before it’s all about the layers” you give Ina a little demonstration, placing the pasta sheets next to each other before adding some white sauce and cheese and then repeating the step differentiating between using the red and white sauce.

Ina’s fully focused at the task at hand, attempting to perfect the “art of layering” as she called it placing the sauce and cheese in precise places until it’s ready to be put into the oven.

You grab the oven gloves and place the tray inside before closing the over door and turning to Ina, “and that’s pretty much it, it just needs to cook so we can relax for the next 45 minutes”.

Ina groans happily as she slides onto the couch and you pour two glasses of wine and make your way to the living room and give one glass to Ina before settling on the couch yourself.

“Cooking isn’t as hard as I thought it would be, in fact it’s kind of relaxing” Ina takes a small sip of her wine and you can’t help but just stare at her features, her sleeves are rolled up and small drops of sweat glisten on her face, most likely from withstanding the heat from the kitchen. Her lips are curled up in a small smile as she grips her wine glass.

“You’re a natural professor, it makes me wonder if there’s anything you can’t do” You pluck the glass from her hand and place both on the table in front of you and then you move to straddle her.

Ina runs her hands up and down your sides drinking in your demeanour as she tugs the front on your top down and whispers in your ear, “Well right now I want to do you.” She sharply inhales before clearing her throat, “I admit that sounded better in my head than out loud”. You laugh and kiss Ina indulging in her desires as she releases all the pent up sexual tension between the two of you that occurred while you were cooking.

....

A little while later you stand and move towards the hall, “I really gotta go to the bathroom so if the timer goes off Ina just take the tray out of the oven and place it on the stove okay?”

Ina gives you a nod as you go into the bathroom. Not a second later the timer beeps and Ina gets up to take out the lasagna.

While you’re washing your hands you hear a loud clang and you quickly dry your hands and run towards the kitchen. You stop in your tracks when you see Ina kneeling on the floor with the tray of lasagna flipped upside beside her knees while some of it’s contents have splattered all over the floor and somehow on the bottom drawers too.

You bring a hand up to your mouth to cover your gawking while Ina stares devastatingly at the food in front of her, “Bea I am terribly sorry, I didn’t realise how heavy it was and it slipped out of my hands, i-“

You move towards Ina and kneel beside her slipping the oven mitts off her hands, tears glisten in her eyes and you can’t help but giggle a little, “Wow Ina, I mean I knew you were bad at cooking I just didn’t realise you were this bad, I mean the food was practically ready”. You joking tone helps to alleviate some of the worry on Ina’s face but she looks down at the ground again and sighs.

“Hey, I was just kidding Ina seriously it’s okay” you place two fingers under her chin and lift her head to meet your gaze, “seriously I don’t care about the lasagna, I mean we had fun making it didn’t we?”

“Yes I suppose we did. I just wish we were able to enjoy the fruits of our labour.”

You give Ina a quick peck on her lips and whisper, “well how about we order in a pizza and then we can start cleaning up this mess?”. Ina lets out a small laugh, “Well ordering pizza, that I can do without fail”.

You manage to clean up every precipice of the kitchen that was covered in sauce and then you and Ina cuddle up beside each other enjoying your pizza while you put on a random movie to watch.

“I am sorry I messed it up Bea, if I had correctly estimated the heaviness of the tray then I could’ve-

You cut her off with a kiss which she happily returns, you break the kiss and place your forehead against hers, as your eyes bore into hers, “Ina seriously it’s okay, I had fun with you this afternoon and that’s all that matters, maybe next time we’ll do something less complex like burgers?”

You both smile and settle into the couch enjoying both the pizza and each other’s company.

#playchoices #queen b #ina kingsley #ina x mc #request #thank you anon for this

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zayamoone-old · 3 years

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It's a little late (despite the stress I caused for myself trying to get it done by yesterday), but here's my drawing for FNaF's 7th anniversary! Most years I don't do anything, but given this year's happenings in the community I figured I should do something special to show my appreciation for the community and Scott himself. FNaF means so so much to me and I know it does to so many other people as well. I wouldn't be as far as I am and I wouldn't have met some of my closest friends without it. So anyways! Here's the drawing I did. It took a total of 35 hours and 45 minutes (of just the pen touching, it doesn't count the amount of breakdowns I almost had while staring at the canvas and questioning my sanity /hj) and in total has used 120+ layers, though half of the drawing had to be inserted as a flat image to get around Procreate's 60 layer limit for this particular canvas size. It was... really painful to deal with. And a lot of layers were merged (which did end up screwing up the effects on the ghost kids in FNaF 3 and desaturating FNaF 2 but I think I fixed that with a last-minute color overlay?) For each panel I tried to pick the most important and/or well-recognized characters, and I think I did an okay job! FNaF 6's panel is actually a redraw of an older drawing I did, which is on my profile! And of course it's not a FNaF drawing by me if there's no Henry, haha. There are some aspects of the drawing that I don't like but it's too late to change, but the rest of it makes up for everything else I don't like. I'm overall super proud of this. It was worth the stress, I think! And I hope you guys agree 😅 Oh yeah, and the song lyrics are from Goodbye by TryHardNinja :) --- #fnafanniversary #thankyouscottcawthon #fnaf #fnaffanart #fnaf1 #freddyfazbear #fnafbonnie #fnafchica #fnaf2 #fnafpuppet #fnafmangle #witheredbonnie #fnaf3 #springtrap #fnaf4 #fredbear #cryingchild #sisterlocation #circusbaby #michaelafton #ennard #fnaf6 #henryfnaf #scraptrap #leftyfnaf #fnafhelpwanted #glitchtrap #securitybreachfnaf #glamrockfreddy #vannyfnaf Thank you @thrillthekiller, @noire.crimson, @charlie._jpeg, and a lot of others for supporting me while working on this!! https://www.instagram.com/p/CSXOFVIniwe/?utm_medium=tumblr

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algerbecher · 3 years

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vgm-in-irregular-time-of-the-day · 4 years

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youtube

DAY 1850) Tron 2.0 - Credits Medley

Composer: Nathan Grigg, Wendy Carlos

Given that this is a medley; there’s lots of timesig changes but they’re more like unrelated sections from each other, often totally fading in/out or with ambiguous pauses, so I’ll just talk about each section separately.

0:00 - 1:29 is all just 4/4, frantic drums, crazy synth sound design, but no odd time really for this section.

1:29 - 1:44 i’m counting as triplets in mixed meter: 4/4, 4/4, 5/4, 5/4, 6/4, 5/4, 4/4. if you were to count those as 8ths instead of triplets it’d be more like 12/8, 12/8, 15/8, 15/8, 18/8, 15/8, 12/8 (replace the 8s with 16s if you’re going to be weird like me and count them as 16ths if you find x/16 more natural to think about for some reason) !

1:46 - 2:17 is polymetric! The syncopated bell-like synth ostinato is in 7/8, but the slower synth hits and most everything else behind it really are in 6/4. For a short bit before 2:17 I guess there’s some 5/8 polymeter in one of the synth layers also. Some other more ambiguous stuff you might be able to interpret as even further layers of polymeter but the point is like, yeah this part’s lots of layers looping in different loop lengths from each other on top of each other!

2:17 - 3:06′s at a bit faster a tempo than the previous section. Also polymetric but a lot simpler case of it. 4/4 in that metallic bell-like synth rhythm, and 6/4 polymeter in the beeps under it from 2:17 - 2:42

3:06 - 4:03, here it’s 6/4 through most of the parts of this that have enough of a rhythm to latch onto something, which only really happens starting with the echoy drums that come in at 3:31.

4:03 - 4:45 is interesting; this is taken from “FCon/The Root of the Problem (Combat)”, which is one of the tracks I have on my biiiiig queue of possible tracks to eventually post on here but never happened to ever post. I’d count this snippet of it as all 7+8, 15/16, but just being aware that there’s a constant four-on-the-floor “4/4″ kick acting “polymetric” to it from the bits at 4:15 - 4:21 / 4:27 - 4:34.

4:45 - end is all loose, but just 4/4 stuff whenever concretely countable

Hopefully I addressed everything important here! there’s a lot going on in all of these sections, so it wouldn’t surprise me if I missed an obvious polymeter layer or something and just didn’t realize it! Lots of these sections come from other tracks in the game too, so are in a bit different of a context musically from their amalgamation here. Obviously wild tempo changes between each section that i’m not bothering to write out lol

This is a great cross section of the crazy stuff present throughout this ost though, tron 2.0 is totally one of the most odd time/polymeter/etc filled game soundtracks out there. Part of that’s obvious influence from Wendy Carlos’s original score to the 1982 film being much like that (and this game borrowing a lot of the material she wrote), but Nathan Grigg’s style is always full of that kinda thing as well, and he only adds to that intricacy in his original additions to the mix!

For all those reasons I thought this would be a pretty good sort-of-sendoff for this blog i’ve been running for over 5 years...........

....so...

...!

...THE FINAL DAY sort of...! As I said many posts ago (https://vgm-in-irregular-time-of-the-day.tumblr.com/post/623135939348365312/day-1828-shining-force-cd-track-25-composer) [probably a better read than my post right now here today], this will be my final post that’s in the “1 song presented with a text post daily” format; I’ll take a break but I will eventually shift to talking about this again in (most likely) YT video vgm mixes, including other related content besides just the very specific odd timesig stuff in vgm too!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me all this time! ULTRA SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO CHz who has helped me out with this blog FAR more than anyone could possibly imagine, he’s done far more work than anyone ever needed to do, far beyond my expectations to help me along with this. And he doesn’t get enough credit for that, this blog would’ve probably died a long time ago without chz’s help. Thank you so much CHz for all your assistance! Sharing me things you remember when I’m in desperate need of a new track to post at the last minute, uploading so much music for me, helping me organize so much, writing out timesig charts for me so many times, sharing overwhelmingly huge amounts of odd time vgm with me, probably even more than anyone else. So many other things all these years you’ve helped me with on here, I can’t thank you enough!

That said, thank you to EVERYONE who has shared odd time vgm with me (and this is like, a LOT of people, far too many to list, and i’m sure plenty would be uncomfortable being listed too, so i won’t subject this post to that).

I’m very bad at responding to PMs and other messages sent to me; I apologize greatly if i’ve left you hanging for months...or years...or forever. I’m just bad at that form of communication lol, but I’ve read the majority of what’s been sent and still try to keep as much as possible in my big list backlog of stuff to eventually post. I get excited and happy when I see people linking me new odd time vgm i’ve never heard and stuff like that; so if i’ve never responded or never posted stuff you’ve linked me here, please know that I actually do appreciate it even if i might not show it haha. I’ve honestly mostly only maintained this blog pretty sporadically and rely heavily on queuing everything in advance on occasion, rather than constant observation of it.

Once i shift to the new format of presentation i’ll still include the suggestions that’ve been linked to me, and stuff. I’ll maybe try to be more communicative in the future now that i’m not going to be bogged down by the load of keeping a constant daily stream of these posts. (though i probably won’t be paying too much attention to tumblr for a while during my break from doing this stuff)

thank you to everyone for every positive comment, every intent to help by sharing, and just...general inquisitiveness and enthusiasm about this THING i’m doing for no reason! This is all literally just me nerding out about my favorite combination of niche subjects together “proggy/mathy/etc music” and “video game music” at the same time as each other. I never expected this would get anything close to the following it’s gotten, but now occasionally it’ll get pointed out that this blog is me in some group i’m in or something and 5 people will be like “WAIT...that’s YOU?! I’ve been watching that blog for years!” or something; like i’m really startled by how many people follow this sometimes lol.

Really thankful for everyone showing interest in me just being me, having fun talking about things i like in music. I hope that can continue even if i’ll be changing what I talk about and how I talk about it!

It might be quite a while before I return to doing this kind of thing again, and it’ll definitely be a much less constant pace, but I think that trade-off be worth it. I’ll return to making posts here again when I finally have new stuff to post, big video mixes with animated visual transcriptions or WHATever i wind up doing (probably a new dedicated youtube channel for the new stuff too) and stuff! I’ll find out what that will be when I get there

Thank you all for everything!

THank you!

WOW

THANKJ YOU for all 5 years of this website being a fun place to post music i like inside of

BYE

OH WAIt here’s my twitter/soundcloud/etc links and stuff if you want to contact me in a place i’ll be far more attentive to than tumblr, since i won’t be paying attention to here for a while:

https://twitter.com/chimeratio_

https://soundcloud.com/chimeratio

ok now ACTUALLY BYE

THANK YOUI

(thank you part 2)

#vgm #video game music #tron #tron 2.0 #time signature #polymeter #polymetric #mixed meter #odd time #odd meter #odd time signature #irregular time #irregular meter #irregular time signature #uncommon time #uncommon meter #uncommon time signature

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etherealwaifgoddess · 4 years

Text

Maybe I Am? - Chpt.2

Characters: Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes

Summary: Steve takes a risk and the guys go out on a “date”. Master list HERE

Content Warning: first “date” cuteness, making out

Word Count: 2.5k

Author’s Note: Hello lovelies! Today is one of those days where I am eternally grateful for having a “draft” option. Because honestly, ya girl is exhausted. So yay for drafts! Enjoy chapter two. I’m honestly too tired to give ya’ll a better note right now. :-\ XOXO - Ash

Chapter Two

Steeeeve [9:32:08PM]: Hey, it’s Steve.

Bucky Barnes [9:32:47PM]: hi steve

Steeeeve [9:33:15PM]: I had a lot of fun meeting up today.

Bucky Barnes [9:33:39PM]: me 2

Steve huffed staring at Bucky’s second generic response. He was usually so much more lively. Steve took a long sigh and started texting what he needed to get off his chest.

Steeeeve [9:35:21PM]: I’m sorry if I came off as confused or misleading.

Steeeeve [9:35:26PM]: I didn’t mean to do that. But I am kind of confused right now.

Steeeeve [9:35:35PM]: I spent so much time liking the idea of you, and you in real life was even more amazing than I could have expected. But I’ve never dated a guy before and I never expected to want to. And now I think I do.

Steeeeve [9:35:49PM]: I’m sorry. This probably isn’t any less confusing. I’m apparently really bad at this lol. I guess what I’m trying to say is, will you go out on a maybe-date with me? I want to try and see how I feel. I don’t want to string you on, but I want to try.

Bucky stared at the flurry of texts coming into his phone. Damn, serial texter much? He read and re-read Steve texts a few times, chewing nervously his bottom lip, trying to find a response. He wasn’t willing to let his heart get trample on again, not after Brock. But he really liked Steve and if there was a chance Steve might like him too, it was too good to pass up. He had a distinct feeling he was going to regret it, but he tapped out the only honest response he could think of.

Bucky Barnes [9:44:13PM]: i like u 2 steve. i get that ur confused. lets try ur maybe-date and see how it goes? if it goes well cool, if not no hard feelings. k?

Steeeeve [9:45:20PM]: Thank you. Really, thank you for being so great about this. Can we get dinner one night this week?

Bucky Barnes [9:45:55PM]: im free any nite but tues

Steeeeve [9:46:10PM]: I can do Friday night around 7. There’s a really great Mexican place a few blocks over from the gym if you’re willing to schelp all the way over to Park Slope.

Bucky Barnes [9:46:31PM]: sounds good. see u then

Bucky sighed, putting his phone away into the pocket of his favorite old hoodie. He had a date. A maybe-date, but for some reason that felt good enough for him at the moment.

xxXxx

Steve discovered the best part of being able to text Bucky wasn’t just that their chatting was no longer limited to when they were both near a computer, but that they now had a full range of emojis, memes, and GIFs at their disposal. He could now send Bucky random funny things he found during the day and he felt a little proud when Bucky would send back a string of laughing emojis, knowing he had brightened the other man’s day a little. He had worried with their maybe-date looming things might be a little awkward but if anything they were going even better. By the time Friday came Steve was genuinely looking forward to their maybe-date. He had even gone out on Wednesday before his shift at the gym to pick up a set of clothes that were distinctly not gym wear. He couldn’t remember the last time he bought a button up shirt but he had to admit the blue and white checked shirt looked nice on him. He was trying not to stress over the maybe-date but he felt this gnawing need to know, definitively, if he was truly interested in Bucky, or just the fantasy of WinterBae.

Steve raced home Friday to shower and change, hoping he’d left himself enough time to do all that and still make it over to Los Aztecas in time. Taking the time to slick back his hair and do a quick shave, Steve was hustling out the door only to realize he’d forgotten the bottle of wine once he got outside. After a fast double back for the wine he was on his way, making it to the tiny authentic Mexican restaurant with three minutes to spare. He had barely stopped walking when he saw Bucky hopping out of an uber. Steve felt a little flutter at the sight of Bucky and he took it as a good sign.

Bucky looked amazing in his dark skinny jeans and a silky looking black shirt. A minimalist necklace was around his throat, the simple bar resting just below the wings of his collarbones. Steve noticed Bucky had swapped out the cheery beaded bracelets he’d worn on Sunday for a set of sleek silver and leather ones. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine and Steve felt ridiculous in what Sam had teased was his bible salesman outfit.

“Heya.” Bucky greeted warmly, extending an arm for a half hug.

“Hey,” Steve echoed, hugging back with his free hand. “Ready for the best Mexican food of your life?”

“Definitely, let’s go.”

Steve led Bucky inside the little restaurant, its cozy decor making the place feel intimate instead of cramped. Steve had called ahead for reservations so they were whisked off to a table as soon as he gave the concierge his name. Bucky was looking around fascinated, taking in all the colorful decorations.

“It’s really something, huh?” Steve prompted with a smile.

Bucky nodded in agreement, “Yeah, it’s beautiful. So much art packed into so little space. Thanks for bringing me here, Steve.”

“It’s one of my favorite places in the area, mostly for the tacos but also for the art. I got my degree in fine art before I switched gears and went back to get certified in exercise science.”

“That’s quite a switch.” Bucky laughed.

“Art will always be my first love, but it’s not exactly profitable. And once I got healthier I knew I wanted to help other people do the same. I was really sick as a kid and didn’t hit any major growth spurts until I was almost 21. After that, I worked out a lot getting used to my new body and fell in love with the gym.”

“Wow. I’m glad you were able to get healthier, and it’s sweet you’re trying to give back to others with that.”

“Do you go to a gym? I won’t be offended that it’s a competitor, I swear.”

Bucky barked out a laugh, “No. God, no. I am perfectly happy with not having abs or a totally flat stomach as long as waffles exist.”

Steve couldn’t help his eyes dropping to Bucky’s stomach which honestly couldn’t have had more than the smallest layer of padding across it. “That’s okay too. Waffles are pretty great.”

The waitress stopped by to uncork their wine and drop off a basket of fresh tortilla chips and salsa verde.

“What did you bring?” Bucky asked as he took the glass of white wine Steve had poured him.

“Albariño. A waitress here recommended it a few years ago and now it’s my go to. It’s light and crisp, and kinda citrusy? I’m not a wine snob but it’s damn good and goes really well with tacos. I hope you like white wine, I forgot to ask.”

“I’ve yet to meet a white wine I didn’t like, so you’re safe.” Bucky sipped the wine and his eyes lit up, “Oh yeah, this is good. I’ll be hunting this down next time I go shopping.”

“You can get it over at the little wine boutique near the farmers market in Sunset Park. They always have this kind.”

“Nice, I’ll have to check it out. My sister will love this the next time she visits.”

The conversation flowed as the basket of tortilla chips disappeared, only ebbing when their platters arrived and they tucked into their food. Steve had ordered his usual taco platter while Bucky opted for the taquitos platter, an assortment of slow roasted meats wrapped in thin crispy shells. He let out a groan at his first bite that had Steve’s heart stuttering in his chest. The maybe-date had mostly felt like a friend-date up until that point, though Steve had to admit there was a tiny flutter of like there too. But the noise Bucky made and the expression on his face had Steve thinking anything but friends only thoughts.

Bucky caught Steve staring at him as he licked a dribble of sauce off his bottom lip. He hadn’t gotten a distinct date-date vibe from Steve but the look on the blonde’s face was priceless. Bucky thought he probably had made a similar one the first time he saw Devon Sawa in Wild America when he was 12. He had never stood a chance of being straight after that. Testing the waters a little bit, Bucky smirked at Steve, making it abundantly clear he’d been caught staring. Steve flushed and Bucky’s smile widened. There might be hope after all.

Steve wasn’t sure if it was the wine or too many tacos but by the time dinner was over he felt glued to his seat. He hated knowing the evening was coming to an end and wanted to do something, anything, to prolong it. The waitress dropped off the sales receipt with a pen and Steve tried to steady his hand as he signed his name. He knew he needed to muster up his courage or he would be saying goodbye to Bucky in mere minutes.

“Thanks again for paying.” Bucky said after draining the last of his wine, “This was really nice.”

“It was.” Steve agreed, seeing his chance, “You know, I have another bottle of this wine back at my place if you wanna come over for a bit. Maybe you could help me find that movie app you were telling me about for the Fire Stick?”

“Sure, I’m happy to help. I won’t say no to more of that wine either.” Bucky stamped down the hopeful cheering in his chest that Steve was inviting him over. The poor guy probably didn’t mean that anything would happen other than wine and tech help but Bucky could always dream. He would be respectful though, he resolved to himself. He’d never dated a guy who was questioning his sexuality before and Bucky didn’t want to push too far too soon. Bucky figured it was best to let Steve set the pace and just hope his heart didn’t get run over in the process.

Steve’s apartment was only four blocks from the restaurant, a second floor walk up in an old converted brownstone. It was nicer than Bucky’s little hole in the wall apartment and even had a small second bedroom that Steve had set up as a home office. After giving Bucky a quick tour, he led them to the kitchen to pull another bottle of Albariño out of his cabinet. Passing a stemless glass to Bucky, he poured them both a generous amount of wine which they carried out to the living room so Bucky could show Steve the app he’d mentioned during dinner. A few clicks and a quick download later, Steve had access to a ridiculous amount of free movies.

“This is so great.” Steve praised, clicking through the different options. “Oh I love this one!”

“Hm?” Bucky looked up from his glass to see Steve hovering over 10 Things I Hate About You. “Oh that one is great. I remember wanting to be Patrick Verona when I grew up after seeing that.”

Steve gave an amused side eyed look at Bucky. “I think you did a decent job.” he teased, throwing on the movie out of sheer impulse.

Bucky laughed, “You’re sweet. But god knows I’ll never be that smooth.”

“You’re better off than me. I’ve been told I’m hopeless on more than one occasion.”

“You hold your own, Rogers.” Bucky assured him, reaching over to take Steve’s hand in his, stroking the pad of his thumb over the ridges of Steve’s knuckles.

Steve blinked slowly, looking from their joined hands up to Bucky’s face. It felt good, that fluttery feeling stirring in his gut at the contact. He gave Bucky a smile and squeezed his hand gently, making sure his consent was clear.

The movie rolled and they sipped their wine as Patrick did his best to woo Kat. Bucky slowly nudged closer to Steve until he was pressed against his side, his head leaning against Steve’s shoulder. He was warm and comfortable and completely unwilling to move by the time Letters to Cleo played into the credits.

“I can’t believe it’s after eleven already.” Steve yawned.

Bucky yawned next, set off by Steve’s. “Same. I had a really good night, Steve.” He looked up curiously, wondering if Steve had found any new revelations on their maybe-date.

“Me too. This was… really nice. Hey, um, I know this was a maybe-date, but maybe um…”

Bucky shifted so he could sit up taller and face Steve while he fumbled for words.

“I, um, I’d really like to kiss you right now.” Steve blurted out, looking equal parts excited and terrified.

Bucky’s smile was like the sun. “Okay, yeah.” Bucky reached out to cup Steve’s cheek, going agonizingly slow to give Steve a chance to bolt if he needed it. He leaned up a little and Steve craned his neck down, tentatively meeting Bucky’s lips with his own.

A soft press, a pause, another soft press, and then the kiss deepened, Bucky’s lips parting to slot Steve’s with his. Steve let out a choked off moan, unable to believe what he was doing and how good it felt. He let a hand rake through Bucky’s hair and it only made him want to feel more of the silky locks. The scent of cedar and teak from his cologne filled Steve’s nose and though it was very distinctly male, Steve couldn’t get enough of it. It was so much more than he could have expected but also not nearly enough. He was breathing raggedly when he finally pulled back, repressing a shudder at the well kissed expression on Bucky’s face. His full bottom lip was shining and red, his eyes heavy lidded and his chest heaving just as much as Steve’s.

“Whoa.” Steve finally breathed out in amazement.

“Yeah, whoa.” Bucky agreed. “So does this help in sorting out if this was a date-date?”

“I think it was definitely a date-date.”

“I’m glad. And do you think you’d want to try another date sometime?”

“When are you free next?” Steve chuckled, only half kidding.

“Easy there, pal.” Bucky warned lightly, patting Steve’s ridiculously broad chest. “We’ll find a day again soon.”

Steve nodded, knowing Bucky was right for wanting to take things slow. He led Bucky over to the door, giving him one last quick kiss goodbye before the brunette headed out into the early summer night. Steve was still floored by his own reactions to Bucky but it felt so right that he couldn’t agonize over it for long.

#steve rogers #bucky barnes #stucky #stucky fanfic #stucky fanfiction #idiots in love #confused steve rogers #gay bucky barnes #modern day au #no powers

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anxiousstark · 5 years

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緣分 ⎪Yuanfen {2}

Pairing: Tony Stark x Reader.

Summary: A relationship by fate or destiny; the blinding force of two people. But it is more difficult than that.

Warnings: Not yet.

Word Count: 1763

A/N: I’m really grateful for all the notes and positive comments from the last chapter. I didn’t really expect that. If YOU are reading this, thank you so much. And I’m going to let you know that I will appreciate a lot if you guys interact with the story liking, leaving comments and sending asks! I would really love it! Thank you!

IMPORTANT: Tony Stark is 45 years old in this story and the reader is 28.

"Has lava girl spoke?" Clint collapsed on the couch, an apple in his hand.

"Lava and sulfuric acid are not the same things. Their components and the effects they cause are totally different." Bruce couldn’t help but answer Clint, however, he hurriedly gave him the answer he asked for when he realized that Clint was looking at him fiercely. "And no, she hasn’t said a word." He looked at the ground.

Tony bit the skin around the nail of his thumb. The girl was sitting on the floor, this time inside the tower, in the living room. He wondered if it was a good idea to let her be inside.

"I don't think it's a good idea that she's here." The heart of the apple was left on top of the glass table. "This girl has appeared out of nowhere, almost naked. How the hell did she get here?" He got up from the couch, walking around her.

"That's what we're trying to find out." Natasha sighed. She didn’t like it when Clint didn’t have patience and wanted to resolve things his way.

"Has she come here intentionally or accidentally?" He ignored Natasha to continue with his speech. "I don’t think she should be...free. She could do something to us and we still don’t know anything about her. Was I the only one that has seen how she has supposedly consumed Tony's reactor energy, or how the blanket has begun to produce bubbles and melt?"

"And what do you suggest we do?" Asked Steve while rubbing his forehead. "We are not stupid enough to lower our guard that much, but we can’t ignore this either. Yes, there is a possibility that she will attack us, but there is also a possibility that she is disoriented and completely harmless."

Clint directed his gaze to Tony. "Didn’t create a kind of cage here in case Loki's mind went off?"

Tony hadn’t listened to Clint, his eyes were observing the girl while JARVIS was examining her, trying to find some kind of information to help them decide what to do.

"Agh." He complained. "If nobody does something, I'll do it." Clint took big steps towards the girl and trying to avoid her hands, he grabbed her arm. No more than two seconds passed when he started screaming and grabbed his hand in pain. "What the fuck?! Are you crazy?! Fuck!"

Everyone raised their guard and ran towards Clint, except Tony, who remained in place and Steve, who stared at the girl.

"She has burned you." Bruce affirmed while looking at his hand.

"Don’t fuck with me, Doctor. I hadn’t noticed.” He replied sarcastically while grabbing his hand.

"I don’t think you're in the place to be sarcastic right now." The doctor answered, taking out a first aid kit that Tony kept under the glass table in the living room. "This is going to hurt." He began to treat Clint's wound, still surprised at what she had done.

"Bubbles were coming out of my hand and it burned my skin, fuck." He still couldn’t believe it.

"And if you had left your hand a few more seconds on her arm, right now you would have a hole through it." Tony decided to participate in the conversation. "It is what we have said before, it has the same effects as sulfuric acid. It can cause severe burns and damage when it comes in contact with the skin or mucous membranes and when it is in contact with it for a few seconds it can reach all layers, muscles and bones. "

"It seems that her whole body does the same." Steve decided to talk. "Any part of her body being touched would cause the lesions of sulfuric acid." Bruce nodded, totally agreeing with Steve.

Tony licked his lower lip, approaching the young woman. He grabbed one of the couch cushions and extended his arm. "Can you touch this, sweetheart?"

The girl looked at Tony firmly for a few minutes. She couldn’t avoid analyzing some things that were more than evident. There were dark circles under his eyes which meant he hadn’t slept in a couple of days, or maybe weeks. He was also older than her, and without a doubt, he was attractive.

She extended her hand, letting only the tips of her fingers touch the cushion, which started to burn and disintegrate.

He nodded. "And it seems that she doesn’t control it either." He looked at the cushion. "I'll keep this to do some tests."

"What do you mean she doesn’t control it?" Thor asked.

"Just that. I don’t think she wanted to harm Clint. It seems like a self-defence mechanism that she doesn’t know how to control, and obviously, that means she's not a simple human, or maybe not completely."

"Great. We could have known that before she cooked my hand like it was meat in a barbecue." He said sharply as he avoided not screaming while Bruce bandaged the wound.

"She should have barbecued your brain." Natasha complained, walking towards Tony and ignoring her friend's protests. "And what do we do with her?"

"We can’t leave her out there." Steve looked at Tony. "She doesn’t speak and doesn’t control her power. She could harm someone, or maybe she isn’t controlling her power because she's trying to protect herself from something or someone." Everyone knew that Steve had a saviour's spirit and felt like he had to help all who deserved it.

"Oh no, no, no." Clint saw Tony's expression. "Are you going to keep her?"

At Clint's words, he turned around quickly, looking at him indignantly. "No, you keep things, we save people and give them a place to stay." He tried to calm his heartbeat. He didn’t know if the punctures he felt were because a few minutes ago the energy of his reactor had been consumed, or because that young woman seemed really beautiful. "Natasha, would you do me the favour of protecting her from this imbecile while I examine the cushion quickly?"

Natasha nodded. "It's going to be fun to try to get her dressed without burning the clothes...which makes me think about how she hasn’t burned that sheet." She smiled at him, who smiled back and ran to his laboratory, with the idea of investigating a little more.

"So you talk?" Natasha asked, startled. Without looking at her, she kept searching in her closet for clothes that could be comfortable for the young woman. And even though she had tried to lend her clothes, one of the times she touched a shirt, it had totally disintegrated.

The girl nodded, and then in a small sigh, she said yes when she realized that Natasha was not looking at her.

"Why haven’t you talked before? You could have defended yourself when Clint approached you." She spun around and realized that even though the girl had consumed energy from Tony's reactor, she still looked fragile. As if she was going to break at any time.

"I'm disoriented." She affirmed the speculations of many of them. "I...I don’t understand how I got here." She bit her lower lip. The redhead had noticed that she did that all the time and that she would look at the floor constantly.

"Don’t think badly of him." She sat on the floor in front of her. "Clint is a good person, he just cares about us, we don’t know you and it's very strange how you've appeared out of nowhere and..."

"Y/N."

Natasha looked at her confused. "Excuse me?"

"I think my name is Y/N, but I'm not sure. I don’t know where I came from and how I came here, but it's like I know some things. I know my name is Y/N and I'm 28 years old...but I don’t understand anything more." She bit her lower lip again when she noticed Natasha's gaze.

"Mmmh, at least we know a little about you." She offered a small smile. Natasha knew more than anyone that she shouldn’t trust any stranger, let alone lower her guard. But she had also learned to read people's gestures and could 100% assure that Y/N was just as confused as them. "Maybe Tony has found something about you or about your powers." She extended her hand that was grabbing a different shirt.

"Tony?" Y/N asked out of curiosity. "Is Tony the one that defended me? The one with dark hair and a beard?" She grabbed the shirt, quickly removing the blanket and putting it on.

Natasha looked at the beautiful blue eyes that were staring back at her. Stunning eyes of a colour that wasn’t natural at all. "Yes, that's Tony." She laughed. "I'm surprised he didn’t make any sarcastic comments during the situation, but...how did you do it?"

The redhead spy who is now part of the Avengers couldn’t help but smile when Y/N tilted her head to the side as if she was a puppy. "How did I do what?"

"Put on the shirt without damaging it." She smirked.

Y/N looked down, checking what Natasha had said. She really had taken off the sheet she wore and had put on the shirt without destroying it. She smiled.

"Let's try on the pants now!"

Meanwhile, in the lab, Tony rubbed his forehead frustratedly. His phone vibrated and for the first time in his life, he stopped paying attention to what he was doing so he could look at his phone. He had received a message from Natasha in which she let him know that the girl had spoken and that she only knew her name and age.

"JARVIS."

"Yes, Mr Stark. How can I help you?"

"Look for information on Y/N, age 28. Any type of information is welcome." He stroked his chin while he waited for JARVIS to show him documents and photos; he was proud when he didn’t have to wait long.

"There are only two girls named Y/N of 28 years that fits in the physical features that you had mentioned before." JARVIS showed the two possible girls. "One lives in the state of California and is married to Robert Hans, a criminal lawyer, they are waiting for their first daughter. The other Y/N appears as a girl who died in 1940 when she was stabbed by a rightist."

“Nothing more?”

“Noting more.”

“Thanks, JARVIS.”

MASTERLIST ⎪ Chapter 1 ⎪ Chapter 2 ⎪

“What happens when two people meet by fate but it is physically impossible to be together?”

TAG YOURSELF

Taglist: @vesta-ro ⎪ @lovely-geek ⎪ @kasiarella ⎪ @leia-saveourskins ⎪ @supernaturallover2002 ⎪ @alexandria-argent ⎪ @amanda-m-111 ⎪ @mybabyboytony ⎪ @loverholland ⎪ @buckybear97 ⎪ @havanaangel ⎪ @queenylime ⎪ @shallowshawn ⎪ @princessonly2 ⎪ @butterfly-writes⎪@the-frenchiest-fry-16 ⎪@a-manduhhhhh⎪ @stupididi0t ⎪ @spaceyabbs ⎪@fairies-and-glitter ⎪ @vibhati123 ⎪ @sugamin-suga ⎪@button-writtings ⎪ @officialmarvelwhore ⎪ @ellenjl ⎪ @moony127 ⎪ @velvetgcf ⎪@imnotmadeofstars ⎪ @moony127 ⎪ @baaangchan ⎪ @thevanishedillusion @txnystarkimagines ⎪ @selinbaskaya ⎪ @ifellinlovewithabrokenheart ⎪ @renesmeeharelds

Those three people in black I can’t tag them!!!

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yogaadvise · 4 years

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Inversions 101: How to go Upside Down with Grace

You're 45 mins right into an excellent class, you're in your vinyasa groove, or you're happy to be relaxing in youngster's posture, and after that the educator utters the dreadful words, "Alright, allowed's step right into an inversion practice, time to go upside down!"

Immediately your heart sinks, your stomach decreases, and you do whatever you can to avoid eye contact with the instructor as swiftly as feasible. You think, "I'm intended to put my feet, where?" Or you closed down entirely and remain frozen in youngster's present really hoping no person notifications you have not relocated for 10 minutes. Or perhaps you have actually been flipping around because you were 3 years of ages as well as you're in the Woohoo I Love Inversions Club (#inversionjunkie).

If the suggestion of balancing on your head/hands/arms/ shoulders simply lights your fire, you may jump right up. If you have fears surrounding inversions, you may need more inspiration. But whether inverting delights you or terrifies you, there is a heap of benefits readily available at your white-knuckled finger-tips when you go upside-down. Below are a couple of:

Gives you an energy boost

Allows for a total emphasis on the present moment

Provides an adjustment of perspective

Is healthy for the heart

Sends a rush of blood to the brain

Builds core strength

Builds upper body strength

Requires spine stabilization

Is really fun!

In my own experience, going inverted can be revitalizing, lively, and also stimulating. When you're up there, the globe slopes as well as all that is left is your breath. That is the power of now, friends.

The major advantages originate from the process of discovering to invert. Ah, yes, the old journey-not-the-destination expression. Well, it holds true. Headstand, handstand, forearm stand, and also shoulder stand are the classic inversions in the Hatha yoga asana method. Nevertheless, even when you get to your so-called destination-- the evasive balance-breathe-smile combo-- there's constantly another variation to try. The trip never ends. Which's where the fun begins.

Here are some ideas to start you on your means, on the floor covering (and in life).

1. Inquire

Get curious, and also encounter your fears. Are you afraid of going upside down? What is the reason behind the concern? Are you bothered with obtaining harmed? Are you worried of looking silly? Are you simply unsure just how to enter into the pose?

Remember, fear is a vital feeling! It is what maintains you secure. Some things are worth doing, despite having worry present: talking out of what you think in, defending justice, taking that leap of belief and also asking somebody out. Ask the tough concerns and obtain to the origin of your concern. You may be amazed by what you discover. As long as you're dealing with a skilled teacher and making use of required safety and security preventative measures, inversions are secure to practice.

2. Reset Expectations

Choose an alternative pose. Partial inversions (where your head is listed below your heart and/or your hips are above your heart) can give similar benefits to conventional inversions as well as are good prep work before copulating upside down. Presents such as Downward-Facing Pet Dog, Standing Wide-Legged Onward Layer, Legs Up the Wall, and also Supported Shoulder Stand with a block under your lower back are excellent places to begin. Keep in mind, also when you "obtain" an inversion, balance is different on a daily basis and it is essential to check your expectations each time you prepare to practice.

3. Play

This is the essential! Kick up. Drop. Provide it a shot. Laugh. Don't take inverting too seriously. Don't take yourself also seriously. Sometimes momentarily of spontaneity, when the expectations as well as the vanity have fallen away, your mind might allow your body to have some enjoyable-- that's when you'll discover on your own put on hold in the air.

4. Establish Objectives and also Write Them Down

Do you truly wish to discover exactly how to stabilize in a headstand? Hold a handstand for five secs? You've inquired as well as played and prepared? It's time to set some goals as well as work toward attaining them.

5. Practice

BKS Iyengar, reworded, claims if you desire to find out just how to do headstands, you require to practice them every day. Not simply every now and then. Not just in course. Every day!

Make it a morning routine to get your legs over your head before you get out of the door. Or kick your feet up on a lunchtime break at the workplace. Establish your objectives in movement by showing up to exercise. You make certain to be rewarded with a minimum of a change of viewpoint, some insights concerning on your own, and also a ruptured of energy.

6. Find Support

Use props like blocks, bands, and coverings for assistance. Ask a buddy to hold your foot in the air. Discover an educator you count on and demand inversions in class. You do not have to do it alone. We're all in this with each other as well as most of us have to hold each various other up.

Tripod Handstand (Salamba Sirsasana 2)

Here's a brief tutorial for pursuing a Tripod Headstand, among the structures for several various other upside down positions. It's an excellent one to start with and offers a preference of being inverted each action of the way.

Come down to your hands as well as knees.

Place your hands regarding as wide as your shoulders and spread your fingers wide.

Tuck your chin right into your breast and place your head down in front of your hands. There should be an equilateral triangle between your hands as well as your head. If you can see your hands and your joints are bent at 90 degrees, your base will certainly be most secure. Make certain you get on real top of your head, not your forehead.

Tuck your toes under and also lift your knees up off the mat.

Walk your toes in toward your hands, sending your tailbone up towards the ceiling.

Roll your shoulders up as well as away from your ears. Press right into your fingers for stability.

Lift your right foot as well as bring your knee to your joint or triceps muscle. Set that foot down and also repeat on the left side.

Bring both knees to your arms as well as hold there. Press into your hands and also discover stamina in your arms. If you really feel consistent, try raising one upper hand off your arm and bringing it back down. Attempt on the opposite side. After that attempt lifting both legs up.

Squeeze your legs together, press right into your hands, and also breathe.

If you're ready to take your yoga exercise technique to the following level, our trademark meditation and yoga resort, Seduction of Spirit, may be what you're looking for. Learn More.

#asana #ashtanga yoga #Hatha Yoga #kundalini yoga #meditation #prenatal yoga #vinyasa yoga #yoga #yoga alliance

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39isabop-blog · 5 years

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Somebody To Love

So this piece is for @fredthelegend‘s writing challenge. It’s based off the song “Somebody to Love.” It’s your wedding day to John Deacon and it’s going to be the sweetest :)

Word Count: 1800

Warnings: None, it’s total fluff

Also if you enjoy this, check out We Belong Together (Brian x Reader wedding)

You woke up in a cold sweat because your bed was empty. But then you remembered why. It was the morning of your wedding, and you and John had decided to spend the night separately. “It’s bad luck to see each other before the ceremony,” he winked.

It had only been one night, but you missed waking up to his cheeky gap-toothed grin. You roll over and notice that light is already streaming through your window. God, the apartment feels so empty without him. Roger, Brian, and Freddie threw him a stag night last night. You hoped it wasn’t too wild. Brian was really the only one who could control himself, and you hoped he was a good mother hen to the other three.

You turn on your bedside radio. Elton John’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” pours out tinny through the tiny speakers. John had brought the song home on a 45 after falling in love with it after Freddie forced him to listen to it. You had actually met Elton once, through Freddie. He was as delightful as you hoped he’d be. You sigh, and climb out of bed.

You weren’t sure whether you should get into your wedding dress straight away or what. You didn’t want bridesmaids to help you. This day was about you and John. One of the boys would be over to pick you up in an hour and a half or so. You go to your bathroom and do your makeup and hair, and then decide to get dressed. You had found the dress in a vintage market. It was a turn-of-the-century lacy gown, with a high neckline and puffy wrist-length sleeves. You modernized it, though, with a pair of platform sandals. Instead of a veil, you opted for a flower crown made of baby’s breath.

You had a bite to eat in the kitchen to calm your nerves before you heard someone honking violently outside. You peek through the drapes and see Roger pulled outside your flat in his candy apple red convertible. You gather your skirt in your arms and march outside.

“Morning, gorgeous,” Roger smiles when he sees you.

“Same to you,” you grin. Roger was wearing a grey suit (with tails, you might add) and white gloves, much to your amusement. However, his trademark sunglasses were still perched on the top of his head.

“Shame you didn’t choose me to be your bridesmaid,” Roger says.

“John called dibs on you. And I hate to say it, but Brian’s done a heck of a job as my maid of honor,” you laugh.

You had been friends with the boys since college. You went to the teacher’s college near Brian’s, and had met and became friends with him first. He had actually introduced you to John, thinking you’d be perfect for each other. Brian was never wrong, especially in this case.

Roger pulls up outside the hotel and helps you out of the car. He links his arm through your and you walk through the grand front doors into the lobby. The hotel still retained it’s 1920s glamour, from the art deco architecture to the gilded wallpaper. It was the site of your first nice date with John- he had taken you to the restaurant here. It was an expensive date, but John justified it by saying that you had put up with so many nights-in that you deserved something more, especially since “A Night At the Opera” was such a success.

This time, the entire hotel belonged to you. Freddie had insisted on buying the entire thing out just for you and Deacy. Your guests were able to stay the night before and after for free, and there was a penthouse-style suite for you and John to start your honeymoon in. For now, you made your way to the first ballroom, where the ceremony would take place.

You attempt to take a peek inside until you hear someone clearing their throat behind you. “Brian!” you jump slightly, startled.

“John told me that under no circumstances can you look in there until you are walking down the aisle,” he explains, taking your hand and guiding you to a bench in the lobby.

You both sit down. You were growing frustrated. It had been almost twenty-four hours since you had even seen John. It seemed like forever. You unclip your flower crown and lean your head into Brian’s arm. “I’m ready now!” you moan.

“There’s still at least another half hour, dear,” Brian pats your arm. “Can I do anything to make it go faster?”

“Yeah, tell me what John’s planning. I hardly know what to expect from my own wedding!”

Brian laughs, “That’s ironic, because he wanted to make it as stress-free for you as possible. He loves you so much that he wanted to take it upon himself to do everything to make it perfect for you. You heard his song for you, ‘You’re My Best Friend?’”

“Yeah, it’s the sweetest thing he’s ever done for me,” you sigh.

“Well, think of this wedding as ‘You’re My Best Friend,’ but times a hundred.”

You sit in silence with Brian for another few minutes before Roger peeks his head out of the ballroom and motions to you. You hear the swell of a string quartet, and a piano. Brian gives you his hand and helps you teeter to your feet on your platforms. He dashes inside the ballroom, leaving you alone in the lobby. This is it, you think.

You make your way towards the doors, and they open with a swoosh. Brian is at one door, Roger at the other. Guests, your family and friends, are seated in neat rows. Swaths of white silk and tulle drape elegantly from the ceiling, along with strands of fake pearls. Candles line the aisle, casting an intimate aura. You stand ready at the end of the aisle. Roger hands you a bouquet of white roses and takes your arm. Brian hooks his arm through your other elbow.

The music begins to play. It’s Freddie at the piano, but it’s a song you’ve never heard before. “Can anybody find me somebody to love?” he croons.

There’s a pause, and you lock eyes with John down the aisle. He’s wearing the same grey suit as Roger and Brian, but it looks stunning on him. It was tailored perfectly to him. His hair is neatly brushed, his spaniel ears, you teased him. His face is bright and eager, and he flashes you a huge smile, causing his eyes to crinkle.

Freddie resumes singing, “Each morning I get up I die a little…” You, Brian, and Roger begin your linked-arm march down the aisle.

“Can anybody find me somebody to love?” Freddie sings. Tears are already rolling down your face, and the ceremony hasn’t even officially started!

When you get to the end of the aisle, you realize that it’s just you and John. There’s no officiant. Your mind races, but then John begins saying, “Today is the day for just me and you. We’ve called these guests to witness us marrying each other, but we don’t need someone else to make it official for us. I have loved you for years now, and I’m ready to dedicate my life to you. Will you do this with me? Will you spend your life with me?”

“Yes!” you chirp, as if you couldn’t get the word out of your mouth any faster. “John, I love you so much. I love you beyond life itself. My life wouldn’t be a millionth of what it is if I didn’t have you. We’re a team, we take on the world together. Bad or good, let it come at us.”

John shuffles around in his pockets and pulls out two rings. He hands you the larger one. “Okay, we’re going to put these rings on each other at the same time.”

You put out your hand and slip the ring on John’s, as he does the same to you. You lean in and kiss, hard and slow. The guests erupt into applause, and you break apart, grinning. Freddie resumes the piano, playing “You’re My Best Friend.”

You two march down the aisle, and John leads you into the second ballroom, set up for your lunch reception. A dance floor seems to take up most of the room in the room, surrounded by round tables dripping with white roses. It’s just the two of you in the room. John takes your hand and twirls you on the dance floor even though there’s no music playing. You know the music’s in his head.

Roger, Brian and Freddie burst through the doors. Roger pops a bottle of champagne, accidentally spilling it all over the carpet. You just laugh. Nothing, not even spilt champagne could take you down from your high. The rest of the guests fill in, avoiding the wet spot on the floor.

Before lunch begins, there’s a round of toasts. Roger begins, “To the happy couple! May they enjoy much tranquility and peace, because God knows John doesn’t get enough of that around the band. Kidding aside, I wish you years of happiness and marital bliss.”

Brian stands next, raising his glass, “I take full responsibility for their happiness. As many of you know, I introduced them. Now I expect to be the godfather of your first child. It’s what you owe me.”

Finally, Freddie raised a whole bottle of champagne for his toast, “There’s an old wives’ tale that the number of ribbons you break while unwrapping your wedding gifts is the number of children you’ll have. Well, I’m just letting you know that I’ve wrapped my gifts entirely in ribbons.”

This elicits a roar of laughter from your guests, and another round of applause. John glances at you with a sheepish grin, and you smile back. You both desperately want children soon, and make no secret of it. Obviously, Freddie picked up on that.

After a small lunch, it’s time to cut the wedding cake. Brian smiles and hands you a pack of guitar strings. “What are we supposed to do with these?” you ask.

“Well, pull out a string. You take one end, John takes the other, and you slice the cake with it!” Brian explains with a shrug. “It was Freddie’s idea, actually. We all thought it was sweet.”

You grin and you and John do as Brian instructed. The cake gets cut neatly in half, and then you cut the top layer into smaller pieces. You and John grab forks and take a bite of cake for each other. You feed each other the cake, but pieces fall out of your mouth and frosting sticks to your cheek. John leans in and kisses off the frosting.

“I’m so lucky that I’ve found somebody to love,” he whispers.

#ftlchallenge #brian may x reader #queen x reader #queen fanfic #queen fanfiction #brian may fanfic #brian may fanfiction #roger taylor x reader #roger taylor fanfiction #roger taylor fanfic #john deacon x reader #john deacon fanfic #john deacon fanfiction #freddie mercury x reader #freddie mercury fanfic #freddie mercury fanfiction

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bluerosesburnblue · 6 years

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Liz Liveblogs Bravely Second: Chapter 3

Bravely Second Chapter 3: Up, Up, and Away is now on, and being posted in a decent amount of time. I think we’re gonna go steady straight to the end of the game at this rate!

Agnès seems to be okay in the wake of the Skyhold getting hit and going down. She didn’t even notice. Her knitting got messed up and she’s mad. God, if Agnès ain’t me

Oh, and Tiz spotted her lost yarn through video call. Cuuuute

SP reading from Luxendarc? VP Appleberry, explain!

There was nothing to explain. The laser energy was the same as the stuff we use in the Bravely Second hourglass. I sense a meta chapter coming on

Something is sealed in Skyhold. The Kaiser and Anne are worried it may break free. And they’re refusing to let Nikolai look into the laser. They’re sending Geist, who I remember from the demo. His asterisk job was kinda useless, at least for my playstyle. So they’re sending a torturer because... why not

I don’t know if I mentioned it, but they pronounce “Anne” as “Ann-eh” and that kinda messes me up?

Game is crazy if it thinks I’m not going to immediately turn around and grind out all of the ocean’s bestiary entries

Monoceros are terrifying oh gosh I think that was my first game over so far? I got unlucky with a group of four lurking out of sight

Also, Striped Rabbies are fish? Weird

Hey Liz what did you do today? Oh, you know, spent three hours completing bestiary entries

Man, I’ve gotta be about halfway through the game at this point. The team’s level 45, bestiary entries are about 50% complete in all categories that aren’t Dragons and Bosses... There’s supposed to be six chapters, right? Maybe some of the later ones are shorter

It’s the prettiest city in all of Luxendarc: Florem!

Staging, huh? Tell me it’s not another beauty pageant

Oh are those Ancheim NPCs there because I took deRosa’s side in the sidequest? Sorry guys... if it’s any consolation I intend to undo evicting you from your homes?

Ah. Flower Festival time. Of course. At least the festival workers seem to have realized their errors from last game and they’ve replaced the beauty pageant with another contest, and they pick both a male and female winner now. Exciting... I guess

Nobody in Florem knows anything about the Skyhold or the attack on it, but the Matriarch is gonna send their baby vestaling, Sylvie, with us to put up a shield. I... do not have high hopes for this child’s continued existence

Just put the barrier up and Sylvie is not dead yet, but I’m still worried for this mute child

Oh??? My God??? Is the “Revealing Outfit” that Magnolia found just a cloth diaper? Isn’t that the DLC outfit for Tiz?

Great, the Empire’s here for an inquisition. Because Florem totally has a giant laser cannon, guys! This random passerby definitely knows where that came from!

The Florem battle background is gorgeous, though

What is Geist’s accent? It’s as unplaceable as Tommy Wiseau’s

Also he just killed two guys on stage. I guess the Kaiser doesn’t care about subtlety if this is the guy he’s sending

And he’s using his gameplay gimmick of undoing turns to revive them. While I appreciate the nod to his job class, does this really count as a “turn,” Geist?

Also it’s kind of messed up that he can kill someone, revive them, and they retain their memories of dying. Though is it really any worse than normal JRPG resurrection?

How did this man, completely covered in blood, manage to make his way to the stage completely unseen in the first place?

Alternis, baby, back for the save yet again!

...aaaaand he’s down yet again. But now he’s taking advantage of his Dark Knight abilities to hit Geist back

“What a power couple!” They all ship Edea/Alternis

The crowd is naming Edea and Alternis the winners of the pageant because Edea would sacrifice herself for the city, and Alternis would sacrifice himself for Edea

“It seems that even with my helmet donned, I cannot hide my manly charms.” This isn’t Alternis, is it? Thought his line delivery was a little different. That’s gotta be Ringabel, at least in this scene

The mood whiplash in this scene is incredible! We’re going from Geist threatening to brutally maim everyone, revive them, and do it over and over until someone confesses, to “OH AREN’T ALTERNIS AND EDEA A CUTE COUPLE haha what a situation” gags

So no one seemed to understand Magnolia’s burst of French, which is understandable since contact with the people of the moon has been limited, but this guy in the crowd speaks French, too???

“Our” tongue? Do we have a moon immigrant on our hands or something?

“The language of the Sagitta”. So the Sagitta are an ancient tribe that defeats Ba’al. Speaking of Ba’al, I feel like we’re probably about due for another fight with one

So I guess we’re gonna go chat up the Sagitta elder. Give them info on the moon for their info on the giant laser of death

Lotus of the Sagitta. I see the symbolism. He’s gonna die, isn’t he?

Helllooooooo sidequest. Guide says Barras vs. Einheria

Well, Edea’s the new superintendent of Florem schools because the old one got tired of it and Edea was standing close by. Seems legit

So survey teachers on Co-ed schools vs. Non-Co-ed. So is that the big fight this go around?

“Ms. Rhea Veeling”? Ohhh boy

Swetti Tracsute... in Eternian sky night garb? Was he from the first game or has it taken me so long to play this one that it feels like he was from a whole other game

Eugh. It’s a battle of gender stereotypes. Can we noooooooot

For the record, my stance is that the owner of the school or whatever should be free to choose whether it’s co-ed or not. That’s it. If there’s sufficient demand for both, then neither of you are in the right. HOWEVER, since this doesn’t seem like it’s going to be about the school itself, per se, but about the equality of the sexes. In which case, uhhhh there shouldn’t be any discrimination by sex on a legal level?

Aaaaand Swetti’s lost me with his “school is about falling in love, not learning!” spiel

You’re both wrong. Sidequest closed. Give me both jobs already. I’ll fight both of you if I have to

So while Bravely Second’s sidquests are an interesting idea, I do wish they’d mixed it up a bit. Every single one of them feels like I’m resolving some petty childish squabbling on the side. None of them are relevant to the story and they’re just getting predictable at this point. Remember in Bravely Default when we had a sidequest where the party’s alternate-universe selves all died in one of the other universes they went to and got to see what the people they loved were like without them? Tiz’s brother Til, Olivia Oblige, Alternis and Braev... yeah, I remember when they were deep and poignant. Now look at us. We’re deciding what the Florem school district should do with its time, and it will inevitably end with two people from the last game fighting and us having to defeat one of them. They’re just so... irrelevant and not even well-written to compensate?

In general I’m on Swetti’s side. Cooperation between the sexes is the only way to get rid of discrimination between them, and Florem doesn’t have ANY co-ed schools yet, so opening one up is probably a good idea. So naturally I gotta kick his ass, for Worst Timeline purposes

Or kick Barras’s ass, since he’s here now. Hey, dick. How’s your bitch girlfriend doing now that she’s doomed the continent of Eisen to a slow economic death?

So Rhea was one of Einheria’s soldiers in the Bloodrose Legion in the last game, just like Swetti was one of Barras’s. There’s the tie-in, I guess

And Rhea is just being obstinate... for the aesthetic? To keep Florem beautiful? She isn’t even making a point! She just doesn’t like the idea of guys being around! “I’m all for equal rights for men and women but they’re just so grosssss...” that’s not an argument. Stop.

And now I’ve gotta battle through the Twilight Ruins to make my report. This is so aaaaaaarbitrary

The bestiary entry for the Twilight Ruins enemy, Dark Stomper, has Voice call the moon civilization “our civilization”. So Voice is a Moon man?

“Your decision is probably going to drag us into a battle against the losing faction” even Tiz is pointing out how same-y these all are

Guess the sidequest is over already. Just time to kick Barras’s ass for being right

I may have charmed Swetti and let him do most of the damage to Barras. Whoops?

Seems like the anti-co-ed argument is BUT TRADITION. CHANGE TAKES TIME. Yes but opening up a school with optional enrollment is exactly the small change that would... oh forget it

Innovation>tradition for me. Sorry, it just is

And Rhea has a crush on Swetti. Because that’ll be a healthy relationship where all they do is scream at each other

Whatever, let’s get back to it with the Sagitta

THAT GIANT OROCHI SKULL IS METAL AS HELL

And the Sagitta forest is gorgeous. I’m so glad this is what we get after that abysmal sidequest

I worry that a boss is coming up every time the Adventurer gives me the option to rest in the cottage

I never thought I’d hear “open sesame” spoken in French but there it is. The password for Sagitta Village

OH MAN IT’S ONE OF THOSE FLOATING VILLAGE DEALIES that’s rad

“You fear this is the end? True despair lies in the lack of a future. The unchanging world... We call it the end layer” The first NPC I talk to in a village shouldn’t be allowed to be so ominous OR title drop!

So the Sagitta were told that they descended from the moon people, but few believed it was true

And Elder Sirius is determined to blow the Skyhold to pieces, Agnès’s safety be damned. Okay, dude, chill for five minutes while we grab her, then you can do it. No? Christ, what a dick

Nooo Agnès is being self-sacrificing again through pendant call. I love how Edea turned Agnès’s “Unacceptable” catphrase back on her for that suggestion

“We’re Agnès’s Avengers, remember?” Hey, I thought we agreed that we were Yew Googlymoogly and his Three Yutzes now

At least Lotus wants to help us get transport to the Skyhold

Aww, Lotus has a son named Procyon. And his deceased wife was the Elder’s daughter, so Procyon is the big heir to the position

Procyon thinks Tiz’s hair is funny... but I have Tiz as a Catmancer so the zoom in on the ears was comedy gold

Confirmation that the Sagitta fired the laser, and they have no clue where their SP cannon comes from

Edea’s plan was to fire us out of the cannon... Edea, it’s not a normal cannon. It’s a laser. It’ll disintegrate you

They don’t know what SP is, just that it’s produced from “the flow of time” just like how wind turbines collect energy from “the flow of wind” which... they just convert kinetic energy into electric energy so that’s not quite how it works but okay

It’s also harnessed from people sleeping. I can see where this is going to get meta. The Bravely Second hourglass charges when the 3DS is in sleep mode, in other words, when the “player” is asleep. So to them it looks like it’s charging automatically, but it’s actually harnessing the player’s sleeping energy. Given that last game implied that the player was a Celestial watching the party, it has to be intentional

Now to have Lotus and Procyon guide us to Old Sagitta so we can see if we can use SP energy to fly!

Oh no another sidequest’s opened up

What on earth did Edea just throw at that man

And he sings every other line. Wow. That won’t get old

Rocca Pellar, grandson of bard Arca Pellar, owner of the baton that we used against Praline last game. She’s gonna be in this quest, isn’t she?

At least the party’s as done with his singing as I am

...why are we in deRosa’s molestation basement?

Buddy no. Do not use this as a studio. Some dark stuff went on in here

So Praline and Barbarossa are both harassing Rocca for an old song his grandfather wrote. And Rocca describes both of them as having voices so bad he couldn’t understand them. Rude

And Edea’s gonna help because they’re both Kamiizumi’s people and she feels responsible

This Jpop song is so loud I can’t hear what they’re saying. I see they haven’t fixed the mixing from the last game

Praline wants to remix the song and pass it off as her own. I’m gonna imagine Barbarossa wants it released in its original form. On the one hand: potential art theft on Praline’s part. On the other, since the original artist is dead, the song may be public domain. Though if she’s asking for rights the answer is probably “not yet”. In which case, she can wait and I want to side with Barbarossa

I forgot Yew was scared of ghosts. This ship must suck for him

Yeah. Barbarossa doesn’t want her to be able to mess up the song. I know I said tradition<innovation in the last quest, and I stand by that... but the song was never released, so it can’t be tradition. So release it in its original form, then, years later, we allow Praline to remix it. Problem solved, people just have to be patient

I like Barbarossa more. So I’m gonna kick his ass in this, the worst timeline. Which is great, because I prefer the Pirate class to the Performer class

Cutscene, cutscene, OLD DUNGEON FROM THE LAST GAME, pick a side, boss fight... I don’t even hate this quest but it’s formulaic as anything

Tent event reveals that Yew is Pellar’s #1 fan and he’s geeking out that Tiz and Edea not only spoke to his disciples, but also have his baton. And now he’s distressed that Edea used it as a backscratcher

Edea ATE the baton by accident?! Good lord, girl, how???

Another thing that bothers me about these quests is that there doesn’t seem to be much correlation between the jobs offered? Like, it’s never a choice of “defensive swormaster vs. defensive knight” where both are attacking classes that just fill different roles or something, it’s always, like, “defensive vs. summon” or “buff vs. attack.” I just think it would be cool if the jobs offered were similar in some way, just filled different roles so your choice was more necessary. Ninja vs. thief for speed-based knife users, Buffing Performer vs. Buffing Time Mage... etc.

So Pellar’s song even came with a dedication to all sailors, so Barbarossa was right that it would be disrespectful to Arca to change the song’s meaning. Though, Rocca has no problem with the remix. I stand by my previous judgement. If Arca wanted the song as-is, then give it some time as-is. Praline can wait to remix it. Especially since I’m sure she won’t be respectful to the intent of the song

To connect this to the last one in terms of innovation vs. tradition, that one involved whether to open up a co-ed school or yet another all-girl’s school. Florem had none of the former, and people willing to run it. The issue was more large-scale and governmental in nature. The old law didn’t have feelings, it’s not a person, so innovation was the go-to. This quest has the direct notion that Arca would not want his song changed. Arca may be dead, but his wishes for his work should still be respected. It was a personal project, not a governmental one, and one that never got released so he wasn’t able to control what happened to it. The school benefits all of the guys in Florem who are now allowed rights there, and would change the way the country works forever. The remix would just make people happy for a bit and then be dropped once it’s no longer popular. It’s fleeting and shallow. So I guess artist’s rights>governmental innovation>disrespectful innovation>gender segregation?

Also, Arca can’t be that long gone. At least give him 100 years in the grave before screwing with his work

WOW Edea, that logic SUCKS. “The world doesn’t care about your grandpa’s wishes, they just want Praline, so screw your grandpa. You don’t owe him”

“Let Praline make a mockery of your grandfather’s legacy because pleasing the masses is the only thing that matters!” What... the fuck, Edea?

God, I love Barbarossa. “If you want to be taken seriously, face their legacies head on! Put some blood, sweat and tears into accomplishin’ somethin’ of your own!” He’s having none of this. And I do agree. If Praline has to piggyback off of someone else’s work to be popular, is she really that good?

deRosa, DeRosso, Barbarossa... the last game really loved using similar sounding words that mean “red” for its villains, huh

Benediction Wall is so good holy shit

Praline’s song is kind of annoying. Also sounds like it would fit in Splatoon more than a fantasy game like this

Old Sagitta is AWESOME. Blue/green glowing mushrooms and ancient runes in a dark temple? That’s my aestheeeeeetiiiiiiic

The music is chill, too

I really like Lotus. He doesn’t like that his son’s the heir of the elder because he wants his son to be able to go out into the world and form his own opinions. Heck, he wants his son’s beliefs to be challenged so that he grows. Procyon shouldn’t be performing the duties of the Sagitta halfheartedly, but because he’s seen everything there is to and come to the conclusion that he agrees with their ways regardless. And if he decides he doesn’t like the way the Sagitta do things? Then Lotus will accept that. I’ve got a lot of respect for that. It’s open-minded, but the fair kind. The kind that implies thought, not believing everything you hear

It’s just a shame that that kind of stuff is a death flag. Especially with Geist running around

Neat gimmick. There’s invisible floors and illusionary walls, so the path forward isn’t always clear, though you can see them if you look hard enough due to their sheen

This Ancient Sagitta document is playing the same music box tune that shows up for the ending narration. It’s a gorgeous piece, but now I’m sure this document is really important to the story. Moreso than I suspected before

A Professor Altair of the Dimensional Bureau made a device that allows you to jump to any point in spacetime. The “spaciotemporal compass,” which I believe the Kaiser’s army stole in the chapter with Minette. So his aim is to travel across time, huh?

Seems Yew’s an amazing chef, while Magnolia is... not. I see who’s gonna be doing the cooking in that relationship

The spaciotemporal compass was stolen. The Sagitta people came about because Director Sagitta felt responsible, and dedicated his life to fixing his mistake. They boosted security, but it didn’t fix the problem

Altair was around when Eternia was founded. He died of colonic disease, and his dying words were a wish to see “Vega” again. Vega is probably a woman, and given the music box theme, I wouldn’t be surprised if she turns out to be that lady doing the monologues at the end of each chapter

Shit, Altair was 34? Damn, poor guy

Yew is not pulled in by this lore. We gotta hit up the Skyhold, guys!

It mentioned a Buster Ship, which Magnolia seems to think is significant. Was that the ship she came to Luxendarc on? I can’t remember

It’s pronounced “all-tire”???? “ALL-TIRE”??? Guys that’s... that’s a real name! And it’s pronounced “Ahlt-air”! You can’t just keep pronouncing things in the most asinine way possible!!! (It’s like KH’s “ay-vuh” vs “ah-vah” thing all over again)!!!

So Tire man’s got a tablet listing all of his inventions. He’s invented everything. Including the airborne battleship Sagittarius. Sagittarius. Sagitta. Duh

Lotus knew about the battleship. Because it’s gone. The SP cannon is all that’s left of it

“The Ba’al and the empire are quiet” OH GOD LOTUS WHY DID YOU JINX IT LIKE THAT. I CAN JUST FEEL THE DRAMATIC IRONY

Yew... where are you sneaking off to at night?

Ah, he’s going to sneak into the Sagitta underground and figure out how the village floats to see if they can use that. And Magnolia’s coming, because.

I’ve got such a bad feeling about this whole endeavor. No music... just wind sounds... ominous

Aw, Yew wanted to be a scholar. But after his big bro disappeared, he abandoned his own dreams to fulfill his brother’s. That’s some familial dedication

Giving someone a flower on the moon means “I will protect you for as long as we both live.” Yew’s flower meant everything to Magnolia because she was terrified and alone, and then Yew showed up with nothing but the promise of unconditional support. I’m actually tearing up right now, that’s really sweet and it’s paired with the most amazing music

And the thing is, Yew was alone, too. He’d just been betrayed by Janne and all he really had was Edea. He needed Magnolia. Someone to commiserate with. Who understood how afraid he was and who wanted to help, too

Ugh, Voice, you’re ruining the scene

“So, too, will your passion bear sweet, sweet fruit” VOICE YOU’RE MAKING IT WEIRD

Oh shit Yew fell off Sagitta and Magnolia jumped after him. They survived because it turns out the rock Yew broke off floats. Magnolia’s “I knew I’d be fine because I trust you” was... cute, but amazingly stupid

And Voice is a shadow against the sky? Or was that supposed to be someone else?

“I woke up and everyone was gone!” ...so where did Tiz go, then.

The shadow is both Tiz and Voice. I’m just gonna guess that the soulstone we shoved in Tiz to wake him up at the beginning was Voice’s soul

AND VOICE IS ALTAIR. Tire man you’d better have a good explanation for your bizarre vegetable rants last chapter

I guess this also explains how voice was writing in our journal. Tiz had plenty of access to it

An intruder? Probably Geist.

...definitely Geist

And he followed us here. Of course he did

Lotus stop telling him exactly what everything is and what it does! It’s just gonna make him want to break it more! This is not a man with empathy, he’ll use that information to cause more damage!

So Tiz is possessed by Altair for this battle, which seems to effect nothing but is certainly happening

Oh come ON. The fight ends when you get one volley of attacks off on Geist? I could’ve torn him a new one I’m so overlevelled!

Altair says that Geist’s pulling a Life is Strange and rewinding small bits of time every time he “undoes” something, but that makes him susceptible to being attacked by large bursts of SP. Lucky for us he decided to fight us next to a giant SP fuel tank, I guess?

Also lucky that Altair invented the tank and knows the secret override code (seriously, no one ever changed that in the hundreds, maybe thousands of years since it was made?)

...the fight seems to be taking place in the Ba’al dimension with the music box theme playing, and Altair says it’s his memories they’re seeing, because emotions and time are inseparable.

Just gonna guess now that the Ba’al are the physical manifestations of Altair’s memories, given form by corruptions in time or just time energy. Paradoxes. It’s Final Fantasy XIII-2 now. Everything is paradoxes

Also, Geist can still undo, just not as much. Can’t completely nerf him for the fight, I guess

Undo as much as you want, that Benediction wall I put on you heals us every time we hit you, doofus

Ah yes. Now we, too, can be blood-drenched time-warpers that look like we shambled out of Silent Hill

Lotus is gonna die protecting this tank isn’t he

OH SHIT PROCYON JUMPED IN FRONT OF HIM MAYBE I WAS WRONG ABOUT WHO RAISED THE DEATH FLAG

Oh thank God Edea jumped in and killed Geist with a katana I know she absolutely does not have equipped

His dying words were hoping that his son “Rev” is now finally free. Dude you literally almost just murdered a father and his son without mercy, now you want sympathy because you’re also a dad? Is this how you people think equivalent exchange works?

“The kaiser intends to unleash the power of the spacetime compass!” Nooooooo really, Altair? I thought he stole it because it looked nice on his wall!

So unlike the last game, where the “time loop” was actually traveling to an alternate reality, in this game it is an actual time loop. I actually knew that before starting the game, which is why I’m so flippant about getting the worst endings on sidequests. Unlike the last game, where bad consequences never got undone because we weren’t going back in time, just to a different world, in this game whatever we do here gets undone in the next loop

So Altair can only possess Tiz at night? That’s some serious gameplay and story segregation because I know you’ve been writing in our journal during the day, you hack!

God we’re gonna have to tell Tiz about this. “Hey buddy we found out your body gets possessed by an ancient scientist at night” “Oh. Is that why it feels like I haven’t slept in months? ...is that why I’m currently covered in wounds?”

Wait, Tiz has been active at night before, so it can’t be “Altair takes over Tiz every night.” So it’s just only an option to possess him at night, but he can still choose not to take control if he doesn’t feel like it?

“But before I go, I would leave you with some cherished words of advice” DO NOT RAMBLE ABOUT VEGETABLES AGAIN

He’s rambling about GRAPES well, I mean, I said vegetables specifically, so you win this time Tire-man

“Which means what, exactly?” I love Yew. He’s my son. I’m adopting him

Tiz says he kinda knew about Altair. Not specifically Altair himself, but that he could feel another presence within him. Poor guy must’ve thought he was going crazy all this time

Altair, when did you have time to write Tiz a letter explaining everything last night?

So, confirmation that Altair was the soulstone we used to bring Tiz back, and that he stayed quiet because he was worried Tiz would try to get him out of his body. But he got attached to these kids and started getting more and more involved, by writing in the journal and giving us advice while out of sight, because he basically emotionally adopted us and wanted to help protect his old world

He also gave Tiz permission to exorcise him. Altair, I may hate the way you pronounce your name and ramble about produce, but I kinda like you now. Welcome to the team, Team Dad Who is Also a Ghost

That’s such a Tiz thing. “I mean he may be possessing my body but I’m not gonna exorcise him! That’s mean!”

Time to corner the Empire at the Water Temple and put a stop to their plans!

Agnès is overloading the Crystal. And her voice is all echo-y. Don’t tell me she’s possessed, too, because I totally called that in the last liveblog

I knew the barrier wouldn’t work. After all, what’s a vestaling’s power to a full-blown Vestal?

Tiz, stop asking her to stop and grab her!!!

Now we know for sure why she was kidnapped. And why the empire’s plans didn’t seem to start until the beginning of the game

Aw, damn. Anne’s here. We’ve gotta be heading back in time pretty soon to undo this

Vucub Caquix? What... THAT’S a name

I thought this was going to be the end of the chapter, but there’s a whole sidequest and two summons on my list I never did. Did I miss them???

Actually, screw it. I saved just before this scene, I’m gonna go check

I did not. Guess this isn’t the end of the chapter, then?

Ugh. Sapp and Piddler are back on a mechanical bird that they don’t know how to fly. How dramatic

At least Anne’s amused?

It absorbs lightning damage, which would’ve been nice to know when I scanned it

And it transforms into a wrestler. I... hrm.

Nevermind, it absorbs all magic. Magnolia’s Summon in a Pinch is gonna sabotage us, I know it

Just glanced at a guide. It actually absorbs ELEMENTAL damage, so the Wizard’s Spirit spell works

So tedious. Rad death animation though

Bestiary entry stated the operation manual inside says the designer gave it “the name of one of the gods from my homeland.” I wasn’t aware that the Mayans existed in the Default universe

Oh, fuck off Nikolai. Are you actually gonna do anything or are you just gonna monologue at us?

Blah blah he was part of the original Crystalguard, they were corrupt and lost to the Eternian Anticrystalists and the disbanded Crystalguard did some shady stuff that he did nothing to stop, so now he feels guilty and joined the kaiser to go back in time and undo it. Okay. Sure. I get it. You’ve never read a time-travel story in your life so you’re unaware that “fixing the past” goes wrong 90% of the time. We get it

Yew, my precious child! Sticking up for his beliefs and telling Nikolai off by professing his love for his new family!

“He’s like a big brother to me!” I LOVE ME A TIZ/YEW BROTHERHOOD

And everything he’s said about Edea sounds like a younger sibling talking about their annoying older sibling I LOVE THIS FAMILY

MY BABYYYYYY! “The people who matter most to me are right here, in this world! And you are not gonna take them away from me!” THAT’S RIGHT KIDDO. This world may be broken, but there’s good in it and the bad can still be fixed! The sacrifice of your family is UNACCEPTABLE

“I’m gonna make it right. Here, in this world.” I. LOVE. YEW

FUCK OFF, NIKOLAI. THE ULTIMATE SIBLING TEAM IS HERE

You know, Nikolai, I can’t have Yew resurrect himself as a Bishop, so why can you?

Just stay down, Nikolai. “Show the world your coup de gravy” is some... awful dying words

Janne’s alive. Falling off a cliff has never killed anyone in fiction

Okay Kaiser’s voice sounded familiar to me so I looked it up. It’s Cam Clarke, who voiced what appears to be, no joke, a large portion of the cast of Back at the Barnyard, Toph’s Dad from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Simba in all of his non-first movie appearances, including Kingdom Hearts II, and, most pressingly the original Leonardo from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In my liveblog of the Prologue, I noted that Yew was voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas, the voice of 2003 Leonardo. Is this the most bizarre casting gag ever???

Nikolai’s bestiary entry is complete, so this really is the last we’ll ever fight him

Oops, Empire’s already about to shatter the worlds

The Rubadub can fly? Lotus taught Sakura the controls? Yew asked him to do it with the levistone? What???

Lotus join this family forever please

We use the hot springs to heat the levistone to fly. I can’t believe we have a flying hot springs boat

There’s the sidequest. It’s Grandship, moored in the Ba’al crater in Eternia

Oh the ship lets you fast travel anywhere. Sick

Heyyyy, Zatz, Datz, and the Proprietress! ...and they’re complaining about taxes

So Grandship ran out of power, and now they’re a refugee micronation

Oh hey, Alternis. Somebody ask him about the Florem competition. I want to see his face when he realizes his alternate self is ruining everything again

No, game, it’s not suspicious at all that you’re giving Alternis an introduction card right now when he’s supposedly been part of the main plot since last chapter. Not suspicious at all

“By what strange trick of fate do your paths cross anew?” NOT SUSPICIOUS AT ALL

This scene where we hang out with our airship buddies from the last game is really cute, I’ll admit

Alternis sounds so happy the second these orphan kids come up to him. Also really adorable. There’s a lot of reasons I love Alternis

HE GAVE THEM FOOD AND GIFTS. My heart! And it makes perfect sense that he cares for the orphans given the fact that he was an abandoned kid

He’s hanging out at Grandship because it takes care of the lost. I think he’s found the perfect home

Holy shit that meal was 1,825,890pg WITH discount?! Edea what the hell did you eat?!

Or it’s just absurd taxes. But I’ve got my eye on your share of the meal, Edea!

Oh god crazy Chompcraft guy is here abort abort let’s book it

“Everyone is responsible” jackass, that ain’t how taxation works, even with a council. Stop trying to cover your ass

...Alternis’s views on taxation are not something to love him for. Sure, some taxation is always going to be necessary, especially for general welfare programs. But a nation only has so much money to spend! Eventually there’s not gonna be any left, and now everyone needs the welfare, instead of just some people, but we already spent the money funding the welfare, so there isn’t enough to go around

“We must look after the orphans and the aged” Alternis, bud, your heart’s in the right place, but that doesn’t make the system any less broken

He’s acting like by abolishing taxes we suddenly stop all welfare programs. That’s... not how it works. It just needs another source of income. One that doesn’t completely use up the rest of the nation’s cash, so that nobody can pay for the kids. We need people to be able to make money, because that keeps it flowing, both within the nation and around it. And when you open up money to outsiders, they will return with more. That’s where the money for the kids should come from. Collaboration with the rest of the world, not a drain on an already impoverished people

Please don’t let this be a repeat of the Profiteur/Holly quest where the entire conflict was “sentimental dumbass flunked out of high school economics”

I just noticed that Agnès is missing from the pendant in the menu. Sometimes the gameplay and story integration in this series is fantastically on-point

Oh neato! Since the Charybdis summon is a debuff we don’t have to survive an attack, but instead fight the Anchorite while debuffed. Cool!

And don’t think I missed the fact that they put a summon named after the Greek monster, Charybdis, on a boat

I’m glad that Yew clarified that “end layer” is just another term for the apocalypse. So the title of the game is basically “Go Back in Time: The Destruction of All”

Oh good, ex-King Khamer is here. I’m sure he knows how to run a nation (it’s so unfortunate that he’s the most experienced here in that regard)

Makes sense, though. He and Profiteur are the only people in the world who worked with finances before, thanks to the Merchantry

There were THIRTY taxes? Grandship, what are you doing?

7000pg for a SLICE of bread? Are you guys trying to destroy any potential tourist income you have AND drive away your current residents?

And hey, Khamer isn’t saying it’s wrong to help the orphans. But unless there’s reform, the poor laws aren’t going to collect any money regardless!

“Your ideals have blinded you, and you refuse to see the truth.” He’s got a point. Alternis is too caught up in helping the orphans to see that no matter which option they pick, those orphans are gonna run out of state funding real fast

This is just Profiteur vs Holly, except it’s shorter and I like Alternis and the Grandship crew, so it’s instantly better if still really dumb

I’m so on Khamer’s side here. There is no “good” option for the orphans. Either they lose going to school, or they lose THEIR ENTIRE HOME NATION. So Khamer’s solution actually hurts the kids less. Alternis is just so emotional right now he can’t see it

Worst Timeline Prerogative states side with Alternis and doom Grandship, so that’s what we’re gonna do

“It might seems crazy to risk financial ruin just to take care of the poor” Seem? Edea, dear, the poor won’t be taken care of at all without cutting the taxes

“But, if you think of the country as a family, then it’s not crazy at all” Edea, it’s a NATION. They’re not equivalent! Governments have to do cruel things sometimes because it’s their job to benefit as many people as they can, not just the ones they want!

The worst part of all of these sidequests isn’t that someone’s usually wrong. It’s that Edea attempts to morally justify whatever she does to make it sound like the “superior” option, and never for convincing reasons. It just makes her come across as shallow, and I know that’s not who Edea is. She doesn’t moralize to everyone she meets, at least, she shouldn’t in this game. The Edea from last game might, but having her be team mouthpiece here forces her to ignore her character growth from last game in realizing that situations can be morally ambiguous and need COMPROMISE, not just picking one side and calling it a day. It doesn’t always have to be either-or, and this game’s Edea knows that! She just sounds really immature in these sidequests. Like she can’t conceive of ever doing something morally ambiguous because it seemed the better morally ambiguous option at the time, she has to be 100% morally correct all the time

You’re all just gonna make people move out of Grandship, and now who’s going to pay the poor laws? The poor?! If people can’t choose whether to support the poor or not with their the way their money is spent, they’ll chose with their bodies by just leaving

Alternis, darling, noooooo. You don’t have the money to buy them nice things. The poor laws should only provide necessities and the groundwork for them to work themselves out of poverty. Give them assistance, not freebies that they’ll never repay

I agree with everything Edea’s saying, but we literally picked the option that DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THAT PLAN

We just created a socialist hellstate. Great.

No one’s concerned that I switched Tiz to Exorcist and he’s just sitting there, covered in blood

They’re trying to claim that everyone’s making enough to support the taxes and that the kids are gonna grow up and help the nation, but... that’s blatantly false? We saw they couldn’t literally last night? And the nation’s gonna run out of cash in two weeks, so... this ending’s bullshit?

And Khamer wasn’t a citizen so he shouldn’t have been in the council in the first place and went broke, but he can take advantage of the poor laws despite that? Has anyone considered that he went broke BECAUSE THE TAXES WERE SO HIGH?!

Also, this whole thing comes off as just... desperately trying to justify bad decisions based on emotion, which it REALLY should not. The government needs to be held to different standards than a person. Just own up to the fact that you fucked up, guys. Stop trying to sugarcoat the fact that Grandship is gonna go broke in two weeks. It all sounds like a lie to make sentimental fools feel better

By invalidating Khamer like this, the sidequest loses ALL impact. Everything would be so much more poignant if he was a citizen, was really going to be effected by everything, and the choice had actual consequences. Heck, outside of this scene, people are still complaining about the taxes! You talk to anyone but the orphans on this ship and they talk about how they’re lucky to get by! Writers, it is OKAY to admit that your protags made a bad choice. No one learned anything here, and Grandship is still going to go bankrupt!

I really wished that quest had spawned before the battle at the Water Temple, because it killed the pacing

They’re gonna sell merch featuring the Warriors of Light. Yeah, sure, that’ll fix it. You solved the economy. Congrats. Just... someone buy Tiz that mug with his face on it and we’ll call it a quest, yeah?

I’m gonna go grind out Everlast Tower and snag the Girtablulu summon, then see if I can call it a chapter

Half of it’s locked down, but I snagged the summon and did as much as I could. Onwards!

Everyone’s saying it’s the point of no return. By name. Think it might be the Point of No Return™?

Wait, it’s the female voice. The chapter’s already over? Wow.

“I waited - how long I waited - for the day when the two of you would meet again.” I want to know who she means. She says “you,” not “us”

Well, I guess that was the end of the chapter! My guide says there’s only one Asterisk next chapter, so I feel it’s gonna be a short one! Definitely a Disk One Final Dungeon at the Skyhold

“Great Distance” is, as always, a pleasure to hear

I cannot believe how many characters raised death flags this chapter, and yet no one died. I also can’t believe there wasn’t a Ba’al fight! This game is screwing with my expectations and I’m happy Lotus and Procyon are alive but also???

I really enjoyed this chapter. Not the sidequests, which is to be expected at this point. It feels like they’re written by a completely different team than the main storyline, and I wonder if that’s the case, because they’re so tonally off and the main story is doing GREAT at moral ambiguity, which makes the complete lack of it in the sidequests despite the fact they act like there is, completely baffling.

But! We got some wonderful interactions between the main cast, especially the part where Yew tells Nikolai that he’s got a family now and he won’t just let them be erased, and then goes one step further and vows to fix the Crystalguard’s past mistakes without taking the easy way out and just undoing them! Some amazing lore reveals and worldbuilding with the Sagitta, my new Favorite Dad, Lotus, the airship (finally!), and the SP plot involving Altair finally makes its appearance. So I genuinely like this chapter, and I can’t wait to finish up the first “arc” of Bravely Second before things start getting real. Since Chapter 4 looks to be short, I’ll be checking back in real soon! ‘Till next time!

#bravely default #bravely second #liz liveblogs bravely second #as usual the sidequests bombed #but this was the best chapter yet #especially right at the final boss for the chapter #i can't wait to hit up the disk one final dungeon next round and hit this game's 'airy was evil' grand reveal next chapter

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samanthaknopper-blog · 6 years

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Salkantay Trek / Rainbow Mountain After Thoughts

I was going to make a video but basically since i have been back in Colombia i have been extremely tired and then i got the flu. I haven’t really had much of a voice for 3 days and it still isn’t great, and i often have coughing fits so i give up lol and will just go back to the old school typing way.

So... Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

1st.... It was the most difficult thing i have done ... ever. And yes for the people that know...I did walk the Camino de Santiago which took me around 3 weeks across ~500km. The Camino was hard and i was in pain every single day. Salkantay was a whole different game. The high altitude really effected my muscle stamina especially on the up hill stints. I was always at the back of the pack.

* guess i should explain the pack i was in. There was 10 of us ( well level with the guide) 2 women from USA, A couple form Denmark, a couple and another guy from The Netherlands, A woman from England, A guy from Australia and me and our Guide, Wayna. I was the 2nd oldest. Most of the were on the good side of 25 years old :/

Ok back to it.

So i was always at the back going up hill, especially, when it was on a super steep incline. The others just seemed to not slow down at all and not be effected by the lack of oxygen 4000+ meters above sea level. I would try to keep up with them but they just powered ahead. I would arrive 5 mins or more after them at stopping points dripping in sweat and they would be all laughing away eating snack looking like that were on a stroll in a park. Super helpful in the endless mental battle that is hiking.

When we went down hill i was usually in the middle of the pack, i could descend faster then some. It became quite painful going down hill as it was pretty steep and my knees were taking a hammering. But i can push through pain ( thanks to the camino) doesn’t really stop me much. Also, the help of gravity pulling me down was awesome. On flat ground i was usually at the front, but i was having to really walk super fast. I didn’t really enjoy the group speed. They were trying to break some sort of time record for completing each day. Every day Wayna would give us an estimate of how long it usually takes groups to finish the section and they would be like we can do it in half. I definitely am a slow walker and prefer to plod along at my own pace then be forced to rush at a super fast pace. I could barely even enjoy the view of where we were as i was so worried about my feet placement (especially downhill) and i would have to risk stopping to look around and enjoy it or take a photo and then try to walk faster to make up for the lost time of stopping.

I won’t go into the specific of the hike like for each day. The food was pretty good, and they fed us really well. I got alone well with pretty much everyone, but like didn’t really connect with anyone specifically. My shared a room every night with the chick from England and we chatted nicely at night, but it didn’t turn into some amazing connection through a hard experience, because i feel like she skipped up the mountain lol. I don’t generally think of myself as an unfit person, because generally my every day life is fairly active. However, my lifestyle in colombia is prettt sedentary. Just because I don’t have money to go places, i dont feel super safe just walking around the neighbourhood and my apartment is so small everything is with 10ms of my bed. On a good day i can maybe get 5000 steps if i purposely go out of my way to do more steps, but normal is around 2500 steps. Compare that to the, on average ,35,000 steps a day i was doing on the hike it was a big jump. That could be a major factor to while i was struggling a lot. I was exercising 30 mins 3-4 times a week to increase my heart fitness but obviously the step count matters more. I also think the basically lifestyle of the Danish and Dutch people gave them a huge advantage. They all rode their bikes to work everyday. Just the leg strength would have been extremely helpful. Advantage Europeans.

Anyways, when We finished my knees were so done especially after the 2000+ steps to get up to machu picchu and then walk around the city. It was super impressive and i dont know how the heck they can build stuff like that back when there was no real machines helping. I would not want to lug rocks up there.

There are 2 mountain options that you can climb to get like a more overall view of the city. One is a shorter, scarier walk that takes 45 mins and the other is like 2 hours up and 2 hours down. You have to pay extra.... but you have to pay like months in advance. No one mentioned that maybe you will be tired or have sore knees after the 5 day walk... and so most of us had purchased the extra ( including me) but not one of us did it. Everyones’ knees were done and couldn’t not mentally fathom walking up a mountain purely to get a better view of the ruins. Now, that i think of it... i don’t know why i wanted to do that. it was only $USD 25 so not a huge loss to take.

Most of us took the bus back down from the mountain as 1900 steps down didn’t sound nice. I totally fell asleep on the bus down ( it was only 20 mins) then we just hung around the town, Agua Calientes, until it was time to get our train back to (some place) and then we got a van to our hotels in Cusco.

The train was an interesting 1.5 hours. There was some random dudes doing dances in crazy masks and then there was a fashion parade of clothes made from alpaca wool. I assume the fashion parade was so people could see the clothes and then buy them.

When i got back to my hotel, i had a really long hot shower and then passed out. I had to check out of my hotel the next morning at 9am and then move to another hotel as that first one was with the package of my hike. I had a full days break and then i was going up Rainbow mountain. Was a bit of drama before that happened. I got to my new hotel at like 11am and they didn’t have my reservation. I had it printed out and they didn’t know what to do. PS these convos i had were all in spanish as they didn’t know spanish well. They seemed to have a paper system and me booking online didn’t seem to carry over. Luckily they had a room available, so i just took that. We then had to renegotiate the price as they thought the price i paid on the internet was to cheap and i was like well that was the point, it was a deal with my airline ticket. Anyways we made an agreement we were both happy with and i went into the room. I lay on the bed for a very long time not moving and then went to find food. Found a good vego restaurant and had a massive veggie burger and chips and orange juice. It filled me up for like 15 hours. I didn’t eat again until 6 am the next day when i was on my way up to Rainbow mountain.

So, my hotel room was a bit of a boom. When traveling in a hiking pack you basically need to empty it to get access to everything. I was planning to washing some of my socks and stuff just because i could. I normally do it in the shower with me... but as i was saddened to find out... there wasn’t really hot water at the hotel. Which was some what disappointing as the temperature outside at night is -5 meaning the pipes are gonna be freezing making the normal water super freezing. There was some sort of electronic thing at the top of the shower head which i guess was like an electric heating contraption that was heat the water as it passes through. I felt like it was a bit unsafe have electricity flowing and having water pass through the gadget. It was on and was live. I found that out the hard way when i was fiddling with it drying to make it work when i got a little electric shock. To be totally honest... when i turned it off at the wall there was a difference in temperature from freezing to ... mildly freezing. I am use to cold showers here in colombia but this was a whole different level. I just quickly soaped up my body and rinsed of before i got frost bite and then layered up and got into my bed. I didn’t wash anything as i thought i would be to cold for anything to dry.

So the next morning i wake up at 3am as my pick up time was between 3:30 - 4am to start the 2 hour drive to breakfast and then another hour drive to the start of the walk to the summit of rainbow mountain. So i go out of my room at 3:30am and walk to the road where they are gonna pick me up. I wait and wait... a few people are stumbling back from the clubs. It was super light in the street so it wasn’t really scary or anything. Heaps of people are out and about because a lot of hikes leave super early. One guy stumbled along on the other side of the street and was trying to open a door for maybe 15 mins and ended up napping against the wall. Was a bit entertaining to watch him. It got to 4am and i was like ok these people are late. I went back inside and started chatting to the lady and asked her if she could call and find out where they were. She called and they said 5 mins. Then she asked me if i was checking out and i’m like no i have one more day.. she says on the book there is someone checking into the room after a bit of back and fourth... we came to the conclusion that i had to get my stuff out as i only had it for one night. At that moment the guide rang the door bell for me to come out. I quickly rang back into the room and shoved all my stuff into my pack and then gave it to the lady who would hold on to it for me until i got back that afternoon. Then the whole 2 hours to breakfast i was thinking how the heck i am gonna get a hotel, and having not internet on my phone didn’t help.

We got to breakfast, which was a weird soup thing with meat and then fruit. I just had a couple cups of hot tea as my throat was killing me and some bread with some sort of honey / caramel spread. We drove the next hour and arrived at start of the walk. It took us maybe an hour and a half to get to the summit and again i was struggling. We were only a group of 6 including the guide and it was a bit of a slower pace. But again i was struggling with the altitude. This time we went up to around 5200m and it is crazy how little energy your muscles have. It is really amazing how the mountain just naturally has different colours. When i got to the top i kinda of collapsed on the ground and just sat looking out on to the other snow capped mountains. A black dog came up to me and sat next to me and rested his head on my legs. It was a bit cute. Also was very warm. It was freezing up the top. Any natural water that would have been flowing had frozen along the path. It was also super windy so that made it super icy cold. We stayed up the top probably for almost an hour, just looking around and then taking photos. We walked back down and then started the drive back to the restaurant where we would have lunch . Along the way kids would run along into the street and up to the car. The guide would give out extra snacks ( oreos and fruit) that we hadn’t eaten. The kids were super excited. Its crazy the small little kids that just run around free in the paddocks of the mountains, no parents in sight. The helicopter parents would be having a freak out.

Lunch was fairly basic again i ended up just having rice and some water. I slept most of the 2 hours back to Cusco. There was no head rest so it was a slumped head bench backwards over the back of the chair, my neck was sore for a few days after.

When i got back to Cusco i headed to Starbucks and bought a drink and then got the wifi and searched around for a hotel in the same street for a reasonable price but one that would guarantee me scolding hot water and a heater in my room. As it was my last chance for a hot shower for the next 3 months i wanted it to be definite. I found one for like $70 bucks in the same street and checked in. Again i had to come to an agreement with the reception as they thought the website quoted to cheap, these internet sites need to be better at giving discounts that the hotels will actual honor. I moved my stuff in after i checked in and then had an extremely long shower, hot water is so amazing and really makes washing your hair a pleasure instead of a mental challenge. I went back to the same vego restaurant and then snuggled into bed ready to leave the next day.

The hotel had the added bonus of a free buffet breakfast. I checked out at 9am and then grazed in the buffet until it finished at 9:30am. I then sat in the sun at the main plaza and there was a big parade for some reason. Went to starbucks again and had my last chocolate frappe for 3 months even though my sore throat was not advising it. Headed back to the hotel and picked up my bags then waited for my transport to the airport.

Overall the trip was a good experience. Definitely not relaxing or like super fun. But it gave me some amazing chances to see nature at it bets. I would not advise doing the salkantay trek for older people as a lot of people were struggling with altitude and had to take horses ( which cost more money). You can just catch a train or bus to Machu Picchu if you want to see it. Which does seem more logical but the experience you get in the mountains is pretty amazing.

I have 1 more week free and then i start the 2 week teacher prep before the students start at school. I am hoping my cold is gone within the next few days, i have been eating a lot of raw garlic which helps but my diet is not the best so the process is pretty slow. I’ll upload some pics on here of the mountains.

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themattress · 6 years

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My Top 50 OUAT Episodes

And now, as a final goodbye to OUAT, I give you this list of my personal picks for the 50 best episodes in the series, listed in order of airing. Two-hour broadcasts are counted as one here.

1. Pilot - 1x01. One of the best TV pilots of recent years due to how quickly it grabs you and emotionally invests you in its magical atmosphere and the plight of its central characters.

2. The Thing You Love Most - 1x02. Best watched immediately after the pilot, as it deals with the same story but from the dark and twisted perspective of its villain, the Evil Queen.

3. Snow Falls - 1x03. Snow and Charming are, well, charming in their first adventure together and the start of their romance, as is sweet Mary Margaret in the present day.

4. That Still Small Voice - 1x05. Jiminy Cricket of all characters gets a surprisingly dark and emotional backstory that resonates with him in the extremely intense present-day scenario.

5. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - 1x07. Jamie Dornan gives an incredible performance as the tormented Sheriff Graham / Huntsman, all the way to the episode’s tragic conclusion.

6. Desperate Souls - 1x08. We get our first true insight into the backstory of the enigmatic Rumpelstiltskin, and Emma becomes sheriff, making this a truly pivotal episode for the show.

7. Skin Deep - 1x12. A truly subversive, twisted take on the Beauty and the Beast story, with some unexpected layers added to Rumple’s character and Robert Carlyle’s performance.

8. Red-Handed - 1x15. Little Red Riding Hood IS the Big Bad Wolf. That is awesome.

9. Hat Trick - 1x17. One of the most terrifying, surreal episodes in the entire series, with the great Sebastian Stan knocking it out of the park as the deranged Mad Hatter, Jefferson.

10. The Return - 1x19. We learn why the curse was cast in a devastatingly emotional story that adds more to the characters of Rumple and August as the season enters its final stretch.

11. The Stranger - 1x20. August’s true identity is one of the best reveals in the whole series.

12. An Apple Red As Blood - 1x21. Part 1 of the season finale, as Regina in both the past and present gears up to finish off her nemesis, with the episode ending on a huge shocker.

13. A Land Without Magic - 1x22. Part 2 of the season finale, the best finale the show ever had, and quite possibly my all-time favorite episode. Almost everything about this episode is perfect and gives you the feeling of a story coming to its end as the threads come together.

14. Broken - 2x01. A solid season opener that sets the show on an exciting new course.

15. Lady of the Lake - 2x03. Things really pick up as Team Princess is formed, Cora is established as the new Big Bad, and we get some beautiful moments between Snow and Emma that make it all the more shameful that the show utterly ruins this dynamic later on.

16. The Doctor - 2x05. Dr. Whale is Victor Frankenstein. Did NOT see that coming!

17. Tallahassee - 2x06. The first adventure that “Captain Swan” (Emma and Hook) partake in together, while at the same time we finally learn about Emma’s sad past with her ex-lover.

18. Queen of Hearts - 2x09. A thrilling conclusion to the first arc of Season 2, where we finally learn Cora’s motivations and get an epic fight between the heroes and the villains.

19. Manhattan - 2x14. This episode is a real turning point, with Emma’s ex-lover being revealed as Rumple’s long-lost son, along with several new insights into Rumple’s past.

20. The Queen Is Dead - 2x15. One of the show’s most emotional episodes, in no small part thanks to Bailee Madison’s truly amazing performance as young Snow in the flashback.

21. The Miller's Daughter - 2x16. We learn about Cora’s fascinating backstory and the true nature of her relationship with Rumple. But then she dies, and the season totally falls apart.

22. Second Star To The Right - 2x21. Finally it feels like shit is getting done, and the concept of a terrifying re-imagining of Peter Pan in the flashback is immediately captivating.

23. And Straight On 'Til Morning - 2x22. The mess Season 2 became gets cleaned up in this gripping finale, with a brilliant new story set-up laid out to be followed in Season 3.

24. The Heart Of The Truest Believer - 3x01. OUAT is truly back at the top of its game here, juggling four different plot threads perfectly and introducing its greatest villain, Peter Pan.

25. Lost Girl - 3x02. The flashback here is meh, but the present day stuff is nigh-perfect.

26. Quite a Common Fairy - 3x03. For the first time, Regina’s potential redemption feels good and genuine, and Rose McIver’s re-imagining of Tinker Bell is a delight from the start.

27. Good Form - 3x05. Hook’s backstory is amazing, and Captain Swan truly begins here.

28. Ariel - 3x06. JoAnna Garcia Swisher makes a truly perfect live-action rendition of Ariel, and the interactions between all the characters in Neverland take a truly engaging turn.

29. Dark Hollow - 3x07. Belle and Ariel, on a mission from Rumpelstiltskin, team up to fight John and Michael Darling who serve the villainous Peter Pan. Only on this show, people!

30. Think Lovely Thoughts - 3x08. The “Nevengers” truly show how far they’ve come working as a group here, and we get one of the show’s most shocking and twisted reveals.

31. Going Home - 3x11. The perfect series finale that isn’t a series finale, with the action increasingly slowing down so that you can fully appreciate the emotions. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if the show had ended right here, I’d have been completely satisfied.

32. Witch Hunt - 3x13. Just plain fun and funny, with great dialogue and great character interactions that really get you re-adjusted to these characters and to life in Storybrooke.

33. The Jolly Roger - 3x17. Quite possibly the quintessential Hook episode, showing just what kind of a person he was and how he desperately wants to be a better man now.

34. Snow Drifts / There's No Place Like Home - 3x21 / 22. After the incredible letdown that was the climax of the Wicked arc, we get this two-part finale that really embodies the magic OUAT had and never quite will again, with Emma’s character arc coming to a fitting end.

35. The Apprentice - 4x04. “The Dark One lies. The Dark One tricks”. This episode does a perfect job at re-establishing Rumple as a true villain and a schemer to be reckoned with.

36. The Snow Queen - 4x07. Quite possibly the most heartbreaking villain backstory the show has ever had, plus riveting scenes between Elizabeth Mitchell and Jennifer Morrison.

37. Smash the Mirror - 4x08. It’s overlong and the Regina and Robin subplot is complete bullshit, but everything else in both the past and present is golden. The 4A arc peaked here.

38. Shattered Sight - 4x10. The boffo comedy in this episode is cringe-inducing, but all of the serious, emotional stuff centered around the Snow Queen and her family gets me every time.

39. Poor Unfortunate Soul - 4x15. Ursula’s backstory is kind of iffy, but the effect it has on Hook and his development here is really good, as are the villains and August’s return.

40. Sympathy for the De Vil - 4x18. “Evil isn’t born, it’s made”...except in this case, where it is 100% born and takes us on a twisted tale that could pass for a good Twilight Zone episode.

41. The Broken Kingdom - 5x04. The twist of the glorious kingdom of Camelot being a kingdom literally built on sand, and its monarch a disturbed megalomaniac, is a great one. Plus, Snow and Charming actually get do something heroic after a long period of inactivity!

42. Nimue - 5x07. The actors portraying Merlin and Nimue really sell the doomed epic romance between the two, as we get the most far-back flashback in the show’s entire run.

43. Labor of Love - 5x13. This episode can be summed up as “The Nevengers are back.” That alone counters the disappointment of how blandly Hercules and Megara are portrayed.

44. The Brothers Jones - 5x15. A touching tale of brotherhood, good intentions gone wrong, self-loathing and forgiveness, plus giving Hook closure with his big brother. I just love it.

45. Firebird - 5x20. The flashback is utter tripe, but the escalation in the present-day story, the performances, and Captain Swan’s True Love test makes this episode well worth it.

46. Last Rites - 5x21. Aside from that moment with Robin, this episode is awesome, especially the Underworld scenes with the duo I never knew I wanted: Hook and Arthur.

47. The Other Shoe - 6x03. This episode embodies what the show SHOULD have become: a more light-hearted series with adventures-of-the-day starring Emma, Hook and Henry.

48. A Wondrous Place - 6x15. Hook sails on Captain Nemo’s sub, the Nautilus, alongside Aladdin and Jasmine, meeting up with Ariel and facing down Jafar. Only on this show, people!

49. The Song in Your Heart - 6x20. Because really, who doesn’t love a Musical Episode? This one centering around Emma and her marriage to Hook makes it all the more special.

50. The Final Battle - 6x21 / 22. It’s got a LOT of problems, but the ending it reaches is truly one that fits the show, and we would have been better off if ABC hadn’t renewed it afterward.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

The Price of Gold - 1x04. Rumpelstiltskin’s first showcase episode, and he’s terrifying in it.

Dreamy - 1x14. Screw the haters, I really liked this episode! It was hilarious and sweet.

The Crocodile - 2x04. Our introduction to Killian Jones / Captain Hook. It’s a good one, and I’d have liked it better had Rumple’s role in both the past and present not been so disturbing.

Save Henry - 3x09. A tad anti-climactic and the Regina focus was misaimed, but still good.

New York City Serenade - 3x12. A damn fine start to a new beginning for the show.

Rocky Road - 4x03. Elsa and the Snow Queen are both fantastic characters, both shown well here. It’s held back by the introduction of Will Scarlet, who ended up being a waste.

Darkness on the Edge of Town - 4x12. This episode gives us the visual of villains on a road trip stopping at a drive-thru. You just gotta love that! Also, the Chernabog was awesome.

Operation Mongoose - 4x21 / 22. Despite Isaac’s (and by extension, A&E’s) terrible writing, the weird situations and performances from the actors makes this an entertaining finale.

Siege Perilous - 5x03. A good old-fashioned Camelot adventure is just what I wanted.

The Bear King - 5x09. Again, screw the haters. The show needed more episodes like this, a standalone where the plot takes a pause and the side characters are allowed to develop.

Broken Heart - 5x10. The present-day plot is absolute crap, but the flashback in Camelot is really well executed, and Colin O’Donoghue is clearly having a blast playing Dark Hook.

Souls of the Departed - 5x12. Not ideal for the 100th episode, but a good start to the Underworld arc, with a lot of familiar faces returning and a great new villain introduced.

Devil's Due - 5x14. Despite her fate in this episode, it’s great to see the writers presenting Milah more sympathetically than she was before, and Hades continues to be a delight.

Our Decay - 5x16. The first episode where Zelena feels truly human instead of the cartoonish psychopath she was before, with her and Hades’ romance being legit touching.

Sisters - 5x19. While I don’t much care for the subplot with Prince James, the main plot featuring the reconciliation between Cora, Regina and Zelena is great and beautifully acted.

Strange Case - 6x04. Oh, Mr. Hyde, you left us way too soon. The episode is sadly weighed down by Rumple’s textbook abuse toward Belle, which we now know is never truly punished.

Dark Waters - 6x06. A good bonding episode between Hook and Henry, plus a great new character from the Land of Untold Stories who is actually faithful to his source material!

Heartless - 6x07. For once, Lana Parilla actually gives us an old-school Evil Queen performance, where she’s scary and truly malevolent rather than campy and over-the-top.

Mother's Little Helper - 6x16. I really like the Dark Realm, and wish that more was done with it. The reunion between long-time rivals Hook and Blackbeard is also a lot of fun.

The Black Fairy - 6x19. The retcon that Rumple was born a Savior is ridiculous, but the titular Black Fairy’s backstory actually makes her an interesting character for the first time.

A Pirate's Life - 7x02. It was nice to see Emma again, and even better to see that the Hook in this arc is actually Wish!Hook rather than the original, who is still living happily with Emma.

The Girl in the Tower - 7x14. Robin and Alice are beyond precious as a couple in both the past and the present, finally washing away the bad taste left behind by “Ruby Slippers”.

The Guardian - 7x18. It may have been late in coming, but Rumple / Weaver actually becomes interesting here as we get to explore his relationship with his newfound friends.

Homecoming - 7x21. It’s good to see several old characters again, and even better to see all the loose threads from that abominable Season 6 Wish Realm two-parter finally addressed.

Leaving Storybrooke - 7x22. Except for Rumple’s end, most of what happens following Snow and Charming’s appearance is utter shit. But.....at least the show is finally over!

#Once Upon a Time #ABC #Opinion

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