#the first time has been inspired by him pretty much......hes the blueprint :-D

[fluffystuffies]

New Installations [TSAMS]

Summary: Solar has been overworking himself and the Computer has had enough of it. Luckily, it has gathered some strategies on getting Solar to take a break. And the new limbs definitely help.

Words: 6385

Inspired by the amazing and adorable artwork by @lover-of-cuteness! Artwork being this lovely piece: https://www.tumblr.com/lover-of-cuteness/737495211989729280/figured-id-post-something-again-fuck-you?source=share

...so I decided to finally make a ticklefic-and this time with tsams!

I don't usually do these so I was kinda nervous making it-so there's like 2k words of exposition and an additional 1k of I guess buildup? So the tickling part doesn't start right away jfhsjfs-I've also only written these two briefly before so I hope I get them right jsfhs-

Anyways enjoy! :D

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It was probably common knowledge that headaches were meant to be a human thing. Especially headaches that derived from staring and squinting at screens for so long that it seemed like the words on the monitor were burned into the eyes of the person looking at it.

Solar was pretty sure he was the exception to that apparent rule. Or part of the group of exceptions with how many problems Sun and Moon dealt with on a near-daily basis.

At least for the moment, his was limited to his overuse of screentime. It even felt like the computer he was using was running slower.

He could feel the aching in his head getting worse by the moment, but he still couldn’t tear his eyes away from the screen. It wasn’t like what he was working on was that important. It was just an automatic shelving system so he could stock the items behind the theater counter easier. Because apparently he was expected to use a ladder every time he needed to shelve something.

Of course, that meant he needed to make proper blueprints and work out any kinks that could result in the items rocketing out from behind the counter.

Again, it wasn’t a difficult project by any means. Solar had made much more advanced pieces of technology before. 

It was more so the fact that he had been working on multiple projects in the same day and this was definitely past the fifth one of that day. So he should have expected the strain of having to make that many blueprints and adjust them as he saw fit.

But even so, his hands worked and typed of their own accord and the screen schematics ran past his vision at an almost sluggish rate. Sometimes he wondered if the workaholic part of his mind had spontaneously gained a sentient consciousness and forced his body to do ridiculous amounts of work against his body’s wishes to rest. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time an occurrence like that took place with the record of celestial-themed animatronics.

Something came into his vision.

Wait, what?

Solar blinked rapidly, then groaned as the object that interrupted his vision also interrupted the workzone that was preventing him from acknowledging his headache. He held a hand to his head as he closed his eyes, seeing faint images of numbers burn into his closed optics despite the fact that that shouldn’t have been physically possible.

Now to see what had come up in his vision.

Solar opened his eyes to the confusing sight of three…arms(?) dangling in front of his screen. Each arm had three, narrow-tipped fingers sprouting from the ends and appeared to be made of…well, something decidedly not metal, but metal-looking at the very least.

“What…?” Solar questioned quietly. Maybe he was working himself harder than he thought. Maybe he was looking at blueprints and mechanisms for so long he was starting to hallucinate them.

“Hello, Solar.” That was Spaniard. 

“Computer?” Solar paused. “...can I ask what these things are?” He had been sitting down so he slowly got up, glad that being an animatronic meant less cramps and no muscles to even get sore. He tilted his head as he observed the arms. 

“They are my new arms,” Spaniard responded, monotone as ever. Seemingly as a demonstration, the arms moved to make a waving motion after it spoke.

“Uh-huh. And where did they come from, if I might ask?” Solar was usually the mechanic who was called for these sorts of upgrades and unless he had a bout of amnesia, he didn’t remember installing any kind of arms for the computer.

“Moon gave them to me. He referred to them as a ‘Christmas gift’.” The arms performed ‘quotation mark’ motions with the last two words. “I have no desire for leisurely material possessions and my only purpose is to assist, so Moon decided to give me something that would allow me to physically assist you all.”

“So he gave you a Christmas present…sure, that checks out. But why am I only seeing you with them now?” Christmas had passed several days ago, so if Spaniard had received the arms on Christmas, then Solar should have seen them installed much sooner.

“Well, as I am sure you are aware, several events have transpired during and after Christmas that left Moon quite irritable. He did not have the functional and rational capacity to install them before now. I was not intending to bother him during that period of time,” Spaniard explained. 

“So he only recently installed them?” Solar asked, walking around to the front of the desk and looking up. The arms seemed…rather long, going all the way up to the ceiling rafters much like Moon’s wire would if he ever used it. Which he didn’t.

“Correct.”

“You could’ve asked me to install them if Moon wasn’t in the mood to,” Solar told it. He was actually kind of confused that he wasn’t asked to install the arms. He was normally the animatronic everyone went to if they had a mechanical issue or if they needed something made.

“You do enough as is. I was not intending to bother you, either,” the Computer responded simply.

Solar huffed out a small laugh. “I am kind of the mechanic of this place. Wouldn’t be any different from anything else anyone’s had me do.”

“I stand by my point. You do enough. In fact, I interrupted you to…in vague terms, have you do…less of that.” Well, at least it made it clear that the phrasing was meant to be vague.

“You can just say it,” Solar said, putting one hand on the front of the security desk area. His other hand held his face. The headache was…going away somewhat. It was definitely still there, but it was letting up slightly. He was sure that meant something, but he wasn’t keen on admitting it.

“Very well. I interrupted you so you would take a break,” Spaniard replied bluntly. “You have been working for…” It paused as it probably calculated the time frame. “22 hours straight.”

“That’s pretty standard for me,” Solar mumbled to himself, knowing immediately after that that was most likely not the right thing to say. 

“Many of the others have advised that you should integrate more breaks into your schedule,” the Computer stated, one of the arms moving downwards to type…something onto the keyboard.

“Yeah well, old habits die hard,” Solar said distractedly, leaning over the front of the desk slightly. “What are you doing?”

“Preparing for the shutdown of this program for the time being. I am saving it, so it will not erase your progress,” Spaniard told him.

Despite the assurance, Solar felt the smallest spike of anxiety shoot through him at the thought of the blueprints not immediately appearing in front of him when he would turn the computer on. He had worked for too long on those. “You don’t need to do that.”

“If I do not turn off the program now, you will not rest.”

“I don’t need to rest. The most I’d probably need is an occasional recharge,” Solar said, hoping that he wouldn’t have to admit that he hadn’t stopped to charge for the entire time he had been working.

“You have not taken the breaks to do that. And if I had not stopped you, you would have continued with that pattern.” Spaniard paused. “If I may ask, Solar, what is your battery percentage?”

“Can’t you just scan me and find that out?” Solar questioned, not wanting to admit that either.

“I want you to tell me.” Despite the fact that the Computer’s vocal tone hardly ever changed, Solar could sense the slightest hint of sass peeking through. To add to it, he looked up and saw two of the arms in a makeshift ‘crossed arms’ position.

Solar sighed, knowing that the Computer wouldn’t drop the topic even if he tried to change it. “...10%.” It wasn’t the lowest percentage he had gone down to in his workzone haze, but it certainly wasn’t high by any means. It would’ve probably been fine if he had a more upgraded body like Sun or Moon, but despite his own modifications, the body he had currently was still old. If he tried to get to the charging area in Sun and Moon’s room, he would most likely shut down before he reached it. And then he would have to wait for someone to find him before he could get back online again.

Spaniard did not speak for several seconds. And the arms did not move.

Solar could practically see the face of disappointment if the Computer had a face. But it didn’t and never had, so he settled on interpreting the attitude of the stilled arms.

“Look, even if I tried to go and charge, I wouldn’t make it up there anyways without shutting down first. So I might as well get those blueprints figured out while I’m down here.” Maybe Solar was just trying to find an excuse to keep working so he could finally finish that shelving mechanism, but if anyone asked, that wasn’t the case. Even if the headache was seemingly going away the longer he was distanced from that screen.

“I can carry you,” the Computer stated as if it were a normal, everyday statement for it to make. It was not.

In fact, Solar felt himself blink several times as his CPU attempted to catch up with the almost out-of-pocket statement the Computer had made. “You what???” he questioned incredulously.

“I have arms now. And they can travel throughout the daycare, including into Sun and Moon’s room. So I am able to carry you up to the balcony if need be,” Spaniard explained, which only made the idea slightly less odd. “Would you be alright with that?”

“Uh.” Solar hesitated. He…wasn’t entirely sure how that would look and he wasn’t keen on being cradled like a baby or carried like an eagle’s fresh kill. But…if it meant he would be able to charge sooner and not have to wait for someone to find his lifeless body to get back to work, then he…supposed he could deal with it. “Sure? I guess?”

“Very well,” the Computer replied, the arms moving forward and pausing once they were within Solar’s reach. 

Solar was about to question the hesitation before two of the arms suddenly grabbed onto his sides, stopping any words that might have escaped in that moment. He felt himself tense up a considerable amount as he struggled not to make any loud vocalizations.

“Are you alright, Solar?” Spaniard asked. Of course it would have noticed the sudden tenseness.

Solar took a breath to calm his voice. “...yeah. Fine.”

“...is this position uncomfortable for you? I can adjust if need be,” the Computer offered, lightening its grip slightly.

“No, it’s-it’s fine. It just feels weird is all. Do whatever you want.” Any other position would just be awkward, unless the Computer decided to lift him by his arms. Yes, he was ignoring the feeling and he was not going to address it.

“Very well.” Spaniard assumed its tighter grip on Solar’s sides. And maybe he was being a little paranoid, but he could have sworn it paused a little too long when he flinched at the contact.

Then the arms lifted him up, causing his shirt to bunch up slightly, and it wasn’t long before he was being rather unceremoniously dropped onto the balcony.

Solar grunted as he stumbled slightly upon landing. “Thanks for that…” he muttered, smoothening out his shirt and moving over to the plugin area while keeping an eye on his draining battery.

“I apologize, Solar. I have not had time to properly adjust to my new arms,” Spaniard responded, somehow sounding apologetic despite its lack of tonal change.

“Yeah. Fair enough, I guess,” Solar replied as he fumbled to plug himself in. Once he did, he looked up towards the balcony to see if the Computer’s arms would slither their way through the entrance. His assumption was proven incorrect when the arms came in through corners in the room’s ceiling, one arm for each corner. Which meant that there was now another arm.

“How many arms do you have?” Solar questioned. For some reason, there was a pit of…nervousness(?) in his stomach region at the thought of there being that many mechanical arms coming through the ceiling. Nervousness???

Maybe it was a phobia thing. Or whatever.

“I have four in total,” Spaniard told him simply. “I do not believe I need more than that.”

“Alright…” Solar acknowledged, allowing the conversation to end there unless the Computer wanted to continue it.

And turns out, it did.

“After you have completed your charging cycle, are you going to take a break?” Aaand of course they were back to this.

“Isn’t this already a break of sorts?” Solar questioned, watching his percentage go up minute by minute. He was just glad his battery seemed to charge quicker than it drained.

“No. This is a charging cycle. This does not constitute as a break,” Spaniard said. 

“I’m not working.”

“Correct. But you are planning to return to what you were doing directly after this charging cycle,” the Computer stated, not leaving any room for a question to be squished in.

Solar hesitated. He had been planning to go and finish the blueprints at the very least. “...yeah?” he told it despite that. “Why does this matter to you so much?”

The Computer seemed to pause slightly before speaking. “I have observed you over the course of several days and I have concluded that your work schedule is…unhealthy. And if I am not mistaken, your headache has lessened in your time away from work, which only proves my point.” How did-?

“So now you decide to scan me.”

“I have scanned you in both instances. I simply wanted you to relinquish some of your stubbornness in the first case.”

“I’m not that stubborn.”

“Yes, you are.”

Solar sighed. He had nothing to say in his defense to that.

“I am simply…concerned. I insist that you take a break.” Well, it was clear that the Computer was not going to drop the subject. “If it helps, it would be beneficial in the long-run for future work.”

“Look, I can take a break after I finish working out any issues with the blueprint I was working on,” Solar offered as a compromise in the hopes that the Computer would take it and let him work. The concern was…confusing. Sweet, but confusing. He knew that was probably due to…some kind of trauma or whatever, but still confusing.

Spaniard didn’t respond immediately. “...Solar, if you do not take a break after your charging cycle has completed, I will have to use…unorthodox methods to get you to do so.” Wait, what???

Solar lifted his arms slightly, unsure if he meant to position them in a defensive manner or not. “...what do you mean ‘unorthodox’?” he questioned, nervousness lightly breaking his tone.

“Do not worry, Solar. I promise I did not mean that in a threat of harm. If you wish, I can tell you what I intend to do,” the Computer amended. 

Solar glanced at his percentage, finding it to be at a decent amount. Still, he wouldn’t move until it was done. The Computer would see to that as well. 

He considered what the Computer said. Then sighed. “...yeah. Sure.” He glanced at the arms stationed around the room, noting that they were all facing his direction. He felt another firecracker of nervousness set itself off in his stomach region. He wasn’t sure if it was good or bad (it felt…more ‘good’ than not).

“Very well. I have observed some of your sessions as well as your talks with Earth about your exposure to positive touch.” Solar felt the nervousness increase when he heard that. Though, now that he was thinking about it…it was probably more akin to ‘anticipation’ than direct ‘nervousness’. “I have also noted Earth’s methods when enacting this prospect upon you-”

“Can you just say it already?!” Solar burst out, then instantly felt guilty. “...sorry.”

“Well, it would appear that you are already aware of my plan, so there is no need to elaborate further.” Was the Computer…teasing him???

“Oh, you-”

“It is your choice, Solar. Either you take a break, or I enact my ‘unorthodox’ method.” As if on cue, the fingers of the arms clawed the air in front of Solar a few times. “Though I have–as they say–a ‘feeling’ of what you will choose.”

Solar felt himself curl up ever so slightly at the sight of the arms. Ah…so that’s what that was.

“I will wait,” the Computer stated, almost smugly.

And then Solar was forced to wait as his battery gradually charged itself, getting closer and closer to fullness.

Well…the Computer planned to tickle him until he took a break. That was–

Solar forced down the anticipatory shudder that would have run through him the more he thought about it. Though he knew Spaniard probably sensed it. And would be looking smugly at him if it had a face.

It wasn’t like he was…against it. He had had some sessions with Earth on it after his initial overwhelmed reaction to Lunar tickling him the first time and she had gently introduced him to it until he was used to it. Something with ‘knismesis’ or whatever. After that, well…he had been more involved with it, but definitely not all that much. Really only Earth had done it on occasion (he suspected that Lunar stopped because of his previous reaction, which he still felt kind of guilty about).

But he definitely wasn’t against it.

…which was embarassing as all hell.

And he knew the Computer knew it as well. 

Which was probably why every few seconds, the fingers of the arms would move slightly to grasp at the air, sometimes even coming a little closer to him. And Solar felt himself die just a little, tiny bit on the inside when he flinched at the actions.

And while his imagination wasn’t the greatest at times, for some godforsaken reason, it was reeeal easy for him to imagine those narrow-tipped fingers scribbling and clawing at his sides and back while he-

He groaned, extending his charging cord just slightly as he covered his face and practically slid down the wall behind him like some kind of cliche movie scene.

“Is something wrong, Solar?” Spaniard asked and–oh, the little shit knew what it was doing. To make matters worse, it decided to wiggle its fingers right as Solar peeked through his hands to look. “I have not touched you yet.” The ‘yet’ part was not helping.

“...I’m fine,” Solar muttered quietly. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Of course you do. And based on my recollections of your sessions with Earth, you are already attempting to…predict my methods.” If the Computer had a proper laugh, Solar was positive it would be chuckling at him. “So I am not surprised that it does not take much.” It paused. “What is your percentage?”

“You know what it is,” Solar grumbled while glancing at his battery life.

“I want you to tell me.” The arms once again inched closer, one getting much closer much quicker than he thought and making him flinch violently. He was going to ignore the strangled noise that he made in response to it, choosing instead to glare at the offending limb.

Solar shuddered, then grumbled. “...72%,” he muttered.

“Then it would appear you have some time left to think on my advice,” Spaniard said simply. “...or think on other things. I know which one you are doing.”

“Shut up,” Solar groaned, bringing a hand to his face. “And stop doing that.”

“You will have to be more specific, Solar,” the Computer said, the smug bastard. As it spoke, it brought one of its arms closer to Solar’s face while wiggling its fingers, making him move his head away. “I cannot answer if you do not specify.”

“Y-yes, you can,” Solar responded with a brief stutter, which he mentally slapped himself for.

“No, I cannot. I am afraid you will have to be more specific. And I will need details, of course. I want you to tell me exactly what I am doing so I can be more helpful in my response.” There was definitely more smugness in that statement than not.

“You don’t need that,” Solar said a little too quickly for his liking. He was not specifying shit. “I don’t need to tell you anything.”

“Then I cannot stop what you want me to stop. Whatever it may be, it will continue to happen,” Spaniard replied with an air of casualness as it continued to wiggle and scratch and claw at the air around Solar, seemingly getting closer with every motion.

And good God, was his endurance for it dwindling.

He had never had this much…anticipation targeted at him all at once. Earth at least been…well, quick with what she planned to do. She never made him wait long.

But this? This was torturous.

His endurance was getting so low that the next time the arms came too close, he felt laughter that had already been bubbling up inside of him burst out. A loud, raspy burst of laughter.

Well. He wanted to die then and there.

The Computer actually seemed to pause at that–and dear God, did that not help at all. “...I have not touched you.” It sounded like more of an observation than a tease. “...that is intriguing.”

“Th-there’s nothing to be ‘intrigued’ about, trust me,” Solar said in an attempt to distract the Computer from its own processing unit. Which was…admittedly impossible. He wasn’t sure why he even tried.

“...what is your percentage?” Spaniard asked, not directly responding to Solar’s words.

And Solar knew what kind of response he would get if he asked why the Computer didn’t just use its scans of him.

He paused as he glanced at his percentage. “...99%.” How long had the Computer been-?!

…he was starting to regret the charging upgrade he gave himself, if only for this moment.

“Well then…have you made your decision, Solar?” Spaniard asked, almost innocently despite his knowledge that it was being anything but that.

Despite literally being threatened with tickles until he took a break throughout his entire charging process…Solar returned back to his previous compromise. “L-look, I just need to finish the blueprints for the shelving unit and then I’ll take a break.” He then unplugged himself from the wall.

If the Computer had more advanced forms of vocal expression, then it probably would have sighed or hummed. Instead, all it said was, “Incorrect answer, Solar.”

And it was then that the arms finally ceased in their teasing charade and attacked Solar.

“WaitwaitWAHEHEHEHEHEHEIT-” Solar burst out as two of the arms came to his sides and began clawing and scratching as they had done previously to the air and–oh God, the sharper fingers were so much worse than he thought.

“I think you have had enough ‘wait’ time, Solar. You chose this, as suspected.”

“IHIHIHI SAHAHAHAHAHAHAID I WOULD TAKEABREAHAHAHAHA-” Solar was cut off by a much more intense bout of laughter as one of the arms found one of his rays, scritching rapidly and continuously at it. “NOHOHOHOHO-TOOHOHO MU-HAHAHAHA-” Thanks to Earth, he had learned pretty early on that his rays were a really fucking bad spot. He grabbed onto the arm in an attempt to make it stop, but he only succeeded in holding onto it as the three arms continued to tickle their chosen spots. 

“Oh, my apologies.” 

The arms suddenly let up slightly, though they didn’t move at all from their places. Now it wasn’t as intense, but it still tickled.

“I forgot you are only used to prolonged exposure to gentler tickles. I will try not to remain intense the entire way through.”

“Yohohohohou caHAHAn’t fohohohorgehehehet like thahahahat,” Solar protested slightly, laughter only rising in pitch when the fingers on his ray sped up momentarily.

“Perhaps. Perhaps I simply wanted to test for myself. But I am sure you did not mind.”

“I dohohohohohon’t knohohohow whahahat yohoHOHOu’re tahahahalking abOAHAHAHAHOHOHOHOHOUT-snort-NAHAHAH-” Solar felt one arm sneak its way up the back of his shirt while the Computer had been talking, feeling narrow fingers run up and down his spine, all whilst they wiggled lightly with each movement. 

“From what I am understanding, this is another quite sensitive spot for you. Not that you have many that are not.”

“Shuhuhuhuhuhut uhuhuUHUHAHAHAP! STAHAHAHAHA-snort-HAHA-” He snorted once again as his eyes squeezed shut. The arm tickling his back continued its assault as the two on his sides seemed to pause. Then one of them moved upwards on his left while the other moved down on his right and–oh.

If he wasn't snorting with laughter before, he definitely was now.

The upper arm now had its claws under his arm and through the sleeve of his shirt, gently scribbling at the space where part of his endoskeleton was exposed between his body and his upper arm. “Nohohononono-snort-HOHOHO-” He then tried to grab the arm that was attacking his own, only to have the arm that had been previously tickling his back retreat from his shirt and grab his own before he could. Then his arm was stretched above his head, giving the Computer’s own arm full access to his armpit. “-snort-NAHAHAHAHOHOHOHOHOHOHO-” 

“Thank you for the access.”

Despite the tease, Solar felt the fingers on his ray let up and the lower arm remain still. Then he felt another set of fingers join the one on the left, targeting the more exposed side alongside his armpit. Now he had fingers doing the same thing that had been done to his back, wiggling up and down his side all while another set was still scribbling almost delicately at his pit.

Now Solar knew why the Computer had stopped the other attacks on his body because this combination tickled more than he thought he was ready for.

“THIHIHIHIHIHIHIS ISN’T NE-HAHAHAHAHA-NEHEHEHEHECESAHAHAHARY!!”

“It is if it means you are to take a break.”

“I DOHOHOHOHOHON’T NEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHEEEK-! NEHEHEHEED ONE! I JUHUHUHUHUST NEHEHEHEHEHEHEED TO CHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHARGE!!” Solar protested, refusing to admit that he squealed when the arm on his side began a sort of squeezing action, moving its fingers in little swirly motions with each prolonged squeeze. His legs began sliding back and forth to his person on the floor, not quite kicking but not quite not.

The fingers suddenly slowed in their motions, giving Solar a small break as his prevously loud laughter was reduced to raspy giggling.

“I thought we had established that charging did not count as a break.”

“Ahahahahand I thohohohohohohought I saheheheheid thahahahat I wohohohohohohould take a breheheheheak lahAHAHater,” Solar responded as best he could with the ticklish sensations still covering his left side.

“And I thought you were aware that I intended for you to take a break imminently. It would appear there was quite a lot of miscommunication between us. Regardless, I am not hearing a ‘I will take a break now, Computer’, so I see that I will have to continue my persuasion method.”

“Yohohohohohohu dohohohohohon’t neheheheheheed t-mmhehehehehe-” Solar began, then cut off his words to be replaced with mindless giggling. He wasn’t sure why he di-actually, he knew exactly why, but he wasn’t going to admit that to himself. Instead, he just let the arms continue their gentle swirling motions on his casing and endo.

“Care to repeat that, Solar?”

“Mmehehehehe…nohohohoho…” No way in hell he was going to repeat anything that would dig him a deeper embarrassed hole than he had already made in his mind.

And…he was starting to feel strangely relaxed now that the more intense tickling had ceased. The circular actions felt more…soothing now than anything else. 

…God, even that was embarrassing to admit to himself.

“Oh. I was under the impression that you were about to take my advice. That is quite a shame. I suppose you will need more persuasion then.”

Solar felt the arms leave him aside from the one still holding his arm up (though now it was more so simply holding it rather than forcing it upwards). For a moment, he felt strangely…disappointed(?) as he opened his eyes slightly while his giggling continued.

Then the odd disappointment vanished when the other arms returned, this time aimed towards his face and head. He flinched when one set of fingers began lightly scratching at one of his rays, setting off a more intense bout of giggles. They just increased when more fingers found the moon side of his face and began scribbling at his chin and cheek area.

Solar instantly started squirming much more than he was before, all while giggling and throwing his head around as if that would get rid of the ticklish sensation. “Whahahahahat-why thehehehehehehere?”

“I simply wanted to test a theory. And I was proven correct.”

“Whahahahahahahat theheheheheheheheheory???” While this tickling definitely was a lot less intense than before, it was almost just as bad with how borderline anticipatory the gentler tickles were. Not to mention, he felt like laughter was leaving his mouth more than words were.

“Moon has the same set of reactions when this area is tickled and I was wondering if you shared the same mannerisms. Which you do. It is quite amusing.”

Solar wasn’t even sure if the Computer was teasing him at that point or if it was simply making observations, but either way he couldn’t help the embarrassment that coursed through him at those words. “Ihihihihi dohohohon’t thihihihihihihnk sohoHOHOHOhohoho…” He thrashed his head around again when the arm focused on his face began gently circling his cheek, setting off another clump of giggles.

“Well, I do. And in our current situation, I believe I hold the higher power here. So I am not counting your opinion.”

Solar felt the scribbling on his ray increase in speed momentarily, ripping a surprised hiccup out of him accompanied by slightly louder laughter. “NahahaHAHAHA-”

“It would appear that you also share some traits with Sun, which would also make sense.”

Good God, this was torturous.

“Cahahahan yohohohohohou stahahahahahahahap?!” Solar pleaded, feeling the fingers slow down once more and leaving that absolutely torturous feeling of having one of his worst spots and one of his milder spots being tickled at the same intensity. Which wasn’t a lot.

“I am afraid I do not know what you mean. Once again, I implore you to be more specific, Solar.”

“Stahahahahahahap t-mhmehehehehe-dohohohohoing thahahahahahat so lihihihihihightly!” Solar cursed his strange inability to say the word ‘tickle’ in most situations. He had never been sure as to why, but he always felt a little too much embarrassment when attempting to say it, so he usually stopped himself before he did. Maybe it was the childishness of it or maybe it was just the embarrassment and flusteredness of being the target of that word. He wasn’t sure but it was hard for him to say it before and it was hard for him now.

“I am afraid I did not quite hear that, Solar. Please repeat yourself. Clearer this time, if you will.”

“I juhuhuhuhuhust wahahahahahant yohohohohohohohohou to stahahahahap ti-mhehehehehe…” Solar used his other hand to try and cover his face, forcibly pushing off the arm of the Computer so he could do so. It didn’t stop that arm from finding another tickle spot, this time lightly wiggling its fingers on his stomach region. “I cahahAHAHAHAhahahahahan’t…”

“Well, I would say you can, but from what I have seen from your sessions with Earth, along with other recordings, you appear wholly incapable of saying the word ‘tickle’ in any circumstance. So I suppose I can grant you the smallest fraction of mercy in that regard. In everything else, however, I will not.” It paused. “Unless, of course, you tell me you will take a break.”

“Ihihihihi alreheheheheheheady sahahahaid I wohohohohohould!”

“Now?”

“...mgehehehehe…” Solar knew it was probably a mistake not to respond but…

“That was not a ‘yes’.”

Solar let out a loud burst of laughter when the wiggling of the fingers on his stomach turned into rapid clawing and the ones on his ray shift to wiggling into his neck. Then he felt the arm holding his own let go and the other arm both grab onto his hips and begin squeezing.

“NAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAOHOHOHOHO-WAIEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHET-I DIHIHIHIHIDN’T-” Solar absolutely cackled at the multiple spots being viciously targeted at once, using both of his free hands to grab at the two attacking his hips, but ultimately being unable to do anything as he simultaneously tried to hunch his shoulders and prevent the one from tickling his neck.

Eventually, he just leaned to the side in an attempt to lessen the intensity of the tickles he thought he was going to be able to handle (and as it turns out, he was not). This led to him falling on his side, which did nothing to stop the Computer in its focused tickle attack. In fact, due to one of the sets of fingers on his hips being somewhat crushed, he felt the other ones seemingly try to make their chosen spots tickle more. Now the claw on his stomach began a set of squeezing motions, stopping occasionally to dig its narrow fingers at individual speeds on any part of the area they could. And the one on his neck didn’t let him get used to one area being attacked, wiggling and scribbling momentarily at one point then abruptly stopping and changing spots.

He then rolled onto his back and tried to hug himself, which he wasn’t sure what would accomplish in that moment. All he knew was that it tickled and he needed to do something with his hands. His legs were already doing enough with how much stomping they were doing.

“COHOHOHOHMPUHUHUHTER!”

“Yes, Solar?”

“STAHAHAHAHAHAP! LESS! LEHEHEHEHEHESS!”

Immediately, Spaniard ceased most of the tickles, removing two arms and moving the other two to lightly vibrate on his sides and good God why was that a feature???

“NeheheheHAHAHA-Ihihihihihimm…mehehehehehe…” Solar found himself unable to think of any proper wording in his situation. Worse of all, he began hiccuping in laughter again, ending a couple with a squeak if the lightly squeezing and rapidly moving fingers happened to hit a particularly sensitive spot.

“I think I have made my point,” Spaniard said in what was most definitely a smug tone. “I have also noticed that you have taken multiple alternate avenues to have me continue tickling you. I believe you also continued being stubborn so this would occur.”

“Nnnohohohoho…thahahahat’s nahahahahat whahahahat I meheHEHEHEheheant…”

“It is exactly what you meant. And it was also expected.”

“Nahahahohoho…” Good God, even if it wasn’t that bad, Solar could still feel the ghostly tickles doing their jobs on the parts of him that had already been attacked, leaving him sensitive and anticipating any other tickles.

The Computer seemed to pause, then Solar felt the arms retreat, in which he immediately melted onto the floor, rolling over onto his stomach and just…laying there. He was still giggling, still feeling the ghosts of the tickles from before, but eventually he was able to recover enough for them to leave him almost completely.

Then he sighed and lifted himself up to sit on his knees. He felt the familiar heat of embarrassment kick into his systems as he curled up slightly, leaning back into the wall.

“So…once again, I believe I have made my point clear?” This time, the statement was phrased as a question.

Solar sighed again, grumbling to himself. “Y-yeah. Sure. You made your point or…whatever,” he muttered, the flustered feeling not leaving.

“I can still very well continue if I have not made myself clear.” The Computer brought up its arms once more and flexed its fingers.

Solar flinched, leaning further into the wall and hugging himself. “Uh-no, I think we’re alright.” Then he paused as he realized something. “I…didn’t agree to what you wanted me to.”

“I am aware. However, I have forced you to take a break with this chain of events, so to speak. And I know that now you are more tired than not.”

That was…true. Solar could still feel his fans on high-blast in an attempt to cool his body down and despite charging beforehand…he could admit he felt tired. “Hm. So that was your plan all along.”

“Correct. And as I calculated, it worked. I win.”

Solar chuckled. “You ‘win’?” he questioned.

“Yes. I win. And as a bonus, you had fun as well. We both win.”

Solar let out a choked noise, then groaned and thunked his head on the wall behind him, closing his eyes. “Shut up,” he grumbled out.

“I have this event recorded should you need evidence of my claim.”

Solar’s eyes then snapped open at that, stiffening and sitting up straight. “You what?!” he exclaimed. Did-did the Computer plan to use that as blackmail??? He groaned, covering his face. “Please don’t show that to anyone. Neither Moon nor Lunar will let me live that down…”

“Do not worry. It is part of my personal folder for my own observations. And as a reminder of what will happen if you decide to overwork yourself in my presence and do not take my advice.”

“Okay, okay! I got it…” Solar slowly slid his hands off his face, sighing and staring at the couch in the room. He knew that he could very well walk over to the couch and lay down but he was tired. “The others probably won’t like it if I decide to sleep here. But whatever. I’m tired.”

“...I can carry you,” Spaniard offered in a wonderful bout of deja vu.

Solar huffed out an amused laugh. “Sure, Computer. And why don’t you tuck me in while you’re at it?” he joked lightly.

“As you wish.” 

Solar felt the arms lift him again, this time in a more…cradled fashion. He watched with lidded eyes as another arm went…somewhere and returned with…a blanket.

“Wait, Computer, I was joking-I was joking, Computer!”

“I am aware. I am playing a joke of my own. Suffer.”

And Solar just groaned and laid back, accepting his fate of being tucked in by a goddamn computer.

#fluffy writes! :D #fnaf tickles #tsams tickles #sun and moon show tickles #lee!solar #ler!computer #ler!spaniard #sfw tickling community #sfw tickle fic #do not tag as ship #if anyone decides to do that in any capacity #a lot of this also took inspiration from sunset's hcs that they showed me #also if you recognize my writing style from anywhere no you don't sjsjjfs

[cemoras27-but-writing-this-time]

Danny's Evil Jaunt Pt. 3

(this is the chapter but I have work soon so I will tag everyone later a swell as links) @little-pondhead @im-totally-not-an-alien-2 (you two get tagged because your the big inspirations :D

warnings: swearing

Word count: 1.3k

Let it be known that Fright Knight loves his job. It's literally why he still exists. He exists to serve the King of the Infinite Realms and stand as the embodiment of Halloween and similar celebrations. That said, he feels conflicted as he gazes at the mechanical husk his future king shows off. 

Compared to a normal mortal, its stature was massive. Though for Fright Knight it was about equal height, possibly a little smaller. The inspiration was clear and a little flattering. The metal was shaped into a stylized Fright Knight, complete with a (mundane) sword.

He eyes his king as the Halfa clings to its arm. He rambled about how he was planning on taking the husk to a pocket that was populated with heroes with him to guard him, and how he wanted Fright Knight to help with ‘teaching it how to do those cool sword moves you do Frighty!’.

Has his king replaced him?!?! No, surely not! There's no way this heap of scrap could ever compare! He had been around for CENTURIES while this thing hadn't even existed an hour ago! The king still had his hands inside it making adjustments yet!

“My Liege! Please forgive any misgivings about this… thing, but may I know the purpose of such a creation? You said that it was for protection yet I am here.”

His king turned his head towards him, arms still hidden within the side of the imposter. “His name is Fright-bot, and he's gonna keep the heroes off me while I work! They get annoying when you're trying to do some welding and all of a sudden you have like three arrows comin’ at ya real fast.” the young Halfa finally pulled his glove clad hands out of the monstrosity.

“He's also for keeping my other works safe, that's why I need him first. I’m thinkin’ of keeping most of my bots in my ‘therapy’ dimension that Clocky showed me for convenience, and they need a guard! But I can't just have you away to protect them! You need to do head guard stuff! I know you want to protect me and stuff but I can’t just let you just out in the living world with me all the time!” the king continued as he slid the siding back onto the almost finished robot. “Besides! It's kinda like you're protecting me from afar! Since it’ll be your techniques and stuff. I just gave it a body and Tuck helped me with the learning algorithm stuff so you can teach it.” his legs finally released his hold on the beings arm, dropping into a handstand and falling back onto his feet upright.

The flaming kight considered this. While it’s true that he can’t always accompany his king (as much as he would like to) it would be nice to have some assurance that the King would be safe. Perhaps he could convince the King into some sort of deal…?

Well Danny could say that he’s extremely happy with the events that happened at the castle! He and Frighty came to a deal finally! Frighty would teach Fright-bot how to fight and stuff but Danny would have to put in a built-in alarm system that notified Frighty that something bad was happening, so he could come in and save Danny’s day. Overall pretty good! Now to start working on those blueprints, he was so excited!

‘Ok, who gave the kid permission to build huge robots?’ Oliver thought as he saw the Fenton kid perched on top of the mecha-knight looking thing, and pulled back on his bow. Just as he released the arrow the thing’s head swiveled around like an owl and caught the damn thing! The kid looked up at Ollie and smiled.

“HI MISTER ARROW!! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?” the kid shouted at him and jumped off the robot. Oliver sighed and readied another shot but was forced off his rooftop position by the purple knight.

“Who's your friend there, kid? He looks like the wrong kinda crowd,” the kid’s grin grew wider as he unfolded that damn cannon and attached it to a slightly glowing tank on his thigh.

“Do Ya like ‘im?! I built him myself, his name is Fright-Bot!” The fanged grin of the kid did not get any less unsettling as the newly dubbed ‘Fright-bot’ landed next to Fenton again.

“Uh uh, real nice kid. Why don’t you calm down and give up for today, yeah?” Oliver made sure to keep the knight within his sight. It honestly looked like it could snap someone in half.

“Hmm? Ahh.. I don't think so Mr.Arrow, I worked really hard on Fright-bot and I wanna see how I can make him better y’know! I promise I’ll keep the damage to a minimum!”

“You have your fingers crossed behind your back, don’t you.”

“What nooo… I would never lie Mr. Arrow, it's very hurtful that you would even CONSIDER that I would do such a thing. I believe you owe me an Ice cream now!”

“Kid, there was a snowstorm yesterday. And I don’t think you need any sugar.” The bow pulled back and the Knight rushed.

It wasn’t a fair fight in the slightest, Ollie was out numbered and the goo that was glowing a slight blue-green did not help. Especially with the still slick roads, so it was only a matter of time before his legs were stuck to the concrete. Frozen actually, the goo turned into weird ice. Fenton had the big guy grab his arms while the kid himself searched his body, eventually finding his wallet. The one he brought on patrol in case he got a bit hungry. Guess he was really buying the kid ice cream after all.

“14..15..16..21. Nice! You think it’ll cover it Fright-bot? I don’t know the prices but I think it’ll be enough. You watch Mr. Arrow for me! I’ll be back soon I promise!” and like that the kid expertly glided over the iced roads and into the Ice cream parlor. To be fair to the kid, the Ice cream here was kinda expensive.

While the kid was gone Oliver tried to escape from the Ice and the robot, but neither were budging. Well until Roy came up and stabbed the focused robot in the back, somehow causing it to malfunction and release Ollie’s arms. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud as Fenton came out of the parlor. 

“Oh no! HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!” Fenton screeched. Then released a guttural groan and whine. “Come onnnn…. I still had an hour left! And now I have to leave EARLY!” he honest to god pouted at the two vigilanties. 

Then a lazarus green swirling mass opened in between the opposing parties and out stepped another Fright-bot, this time with a much more intimidating demeanor. This one was bathed in purple fire and held a sword covered in green flames that gave off the feeling of nightmares. 

“MY KING! I RECEIVED THE ALERT AND CAME AS SOON AS I COULD'' it bellowed. Shaking the ground around them.

King? What, did Fenton make them refer to him as King? That felt weirdly out of character for what they had seen so far. 

“Frighty! You were just WAITING outside weren’t you!” Fenton yelled at the knight. The knight didn’t take his eyes off the two perceived threats. And picked up Fenton by the scruff of his coat.

“My King! I knew we couldn’t trust your safety with that pile of metal! Only I- FRIGHT KNIGHT, is worthy of protecting you! NOW YOU TWO. YOU ARE HEREBY GUIL--” the knight spoke and was cut off by Fenton. 

“We get it Frigty! Just.. Can you grab the Fright-bot and just take us home please… I told you this was a trial run to see how to improve him!” the child pleaded. The knight stared forward for a few moments before sighing and coming forward, yanking Oliver out of the Ice and flinging Roy and him out of the way. Then picking up the lifeless metal and carrying Fenton away through another swirling portal where it closed behind them seconds after they were out of sight. 

“Hey Arrow, what the FUCK was that?”

“A massive pain in the ass that keeps getting bigger”

#dp x dc #cem's writing #dpxdc

[sneez]

titus groan by mervyn peake has been my favourite book for years, but rereading it recently has reignited my love for it and also made me realise that i have never drawn the majority of the characters, so this is my attempt at rectifying the situation :-) you want to read titus groan. you want to read it so much

#artwork #i just finished it last night actually! for like. the fifth time gfdhfg #i am not sad about that though because there are three books in the series! on to the next one :-D #i had So Much Fun drawing all of these i love them all with my entire heart even the horrible awful ones. i adore them #quite a few of them were inspired (directly or indirectly) by mervyn peake's illustrations but mostly they were inspired by his descriptions #i cannot emphasise enough how good this book is i truly think it is the best book in the english language it's unbelievable #the characters are........unlike any characters in any other book they are so tangible and alive and so incredibly unique and inspired #also i only realised during my most recent rereading that one of the characters in this book (my favourite one :-D) has i think been #more influential than any other in my preferences for fictional characters. like every character i have liked since reading titus groan for #the first time has been inspired by him pretty much......hes the blueprint :-D #i wonder if you will be able to tell who it is.......i feel like it is quite obvious because i am as we know Very Very Predictable #anyway he is i think my favourite character in anything ever. like my favourite character in All Media. a high honour indeed given how many #fictional characters i am obsessed with #i just love all of them though. i love them all So Much #i think i mostly managed to capture them the way i see them in my head! some of them were more challenging than others #i must say i find it hard to draw swelter in a way because the way he is described in the book is.........hmm. well it's wonderful in a #literary sense but it's also a bit uncomfortable because his character is very much defined by being Fat and Evil. both those things being #quite explicitly linked which is obviously not good so i wanted to draw him in a way which made less of a moral issue of him being fat #whilst not making him skinny or anything because that would be bad also. i dont think i succeeded though :-( i wanted to stick as close #as i could to the descriptions in the book but as i said the descriptions are pretty fatphobic so it was a challenge and i dont think i #navigated it very successfully........i'm not sure i explained what i mean very well there at all but hopefully it makes at least some sense #i love swelter. evil and delightful #all of them are delightful. i just love them!!! i love this book!!!!!!!!!!!! I Love This Book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #ooooooo you want to read titus groan you want to read it so bad ooooooooooooooooo

[invertedfate]

Random Ask Dump - Anniversary Edition (50+ REALLY OLD ASKS!)

Going through OLD AND CRUSTY ASKS to try and chip away at the inbox. HERE WE GOOOO...

That’s an interesting idea, and I could run it by Cake, but I think it would honestly be a LOT to track from a programming perspective. Especially ‘cause killing Sans is gonna result in a “bad ending,” so to speak.

An attempt was made by Undyne to have all three hang out at the same time. Papyrus was SUPER EAGER. ...but one thing led to another and there were many messy explosions of chemicals and lots of smoke. Alphys had to step in before things got out of hand. It was all very daunting for her. Pap and Undyne are VERY LOUD, VERY AMBITIOUS PEOPLE.

I actually have some ideas of some side comics I may do at some point! :o It’s just that right now there’s a lot going on.

I need to poke Carni about that at some point. He’s just been very busy with other projects!

Clearly he’s standing on the “out to lunch” sign.

I wanna say that it’s very possible in theory. :o It probably affects them differently since monsters’ emotional state affects their magic and their physical state.

I do like little easter eggs like that, though I’m not sure where I’d fit it in atm just ‘cause I already showed Pap’s room, haha.

I made the chase theme for Mad Dummy as well as Mad Mew Mew’s battle theme. @pinewsun​ made the battle theme for Mad Dummy, and @thomasthepencil​ made the Season Dude battle theme and MD’s overworld theme. :o

That’s a really fascinating conundrum! You’re absolutely right- if IF was a standalone game, then from a writing standpoint, having more subtle implications would make sense! The reason I chose a different approach for IF is because it’s set after Flowey’s already known to be evil and I like to give different POVs rather than stick to just Frisk’s.

That’s an interesting thing, actually- both fights lean heavily on the fourth wall. Both are treated as climaxes for their given routes. It’s funny because Asriel’s fight is a lot more straightforward and less meta by comparison.

I agree! The thing with Papyrus is that he’s extremely powerful- he just doesn’t want to kill. But it’s a deliberate choice not to kill- he’s able to force his attacks to do next to no damage. He’s also pretty darn crafty, as he made the Gauntlet himself. It really is just a case of Undyne’s personal biases and concern for him.

That was a deliberate choice. :O Papyrus is very influential toward Frisk. He is best skeleboi.

Papybot loves you, anon! He just wants to feed you WHOLESOME SPAGHETTI!!!

It is possible to whistle through teeth. ...alternatively, magic. As for the music, Undertale implies that the music is heard! Maybe it’s just... a thing that exists in this world. Or it’s just meant to be a silly meta joke. I try to keep it somewhat ambiguous other than occasional nods to it. Chara’s pants are lighter because I just... felt like it, I guess? Haha. I wanted their feet and pants to stand out more from each other, so they have khaki pants. As for the Undyne fight being animated, well, this ask is old by now, but Sparks was the one who was down for it.

Well, the teaser’s been out for a long time now, but that’s the idea! It’s also why this has been in production for so long. The Determinator has some really over the top attacks (that weren’t even shown in the teaser), and Sparks animated in Photoshop. That’s how hardcore he is.

Shhhhh. Don’t give me ideas. I’m already slacking on Tem Village. :P

Sometimes I do have slumps and burnouts (see Antipode’s lengthy hiatus), but breaks lead to me being refreshed and coming back with even more enthusiasm than before!

Oh, there are a lot of these throughout the comic. For instance...

Flowey appears in a few background shots in the Ruins!

When Sans says “or maybe...” he looks at the empty flower pot. This was one of the earliest bits of foreshadowing about who created Flowey, and nobody noticed it at the time!

The MTT vending machines initially look like this but have helpful items.

And then they look like this, with an angry face and pose- Mad Dummy has possessed them!

As of Part 38, it’s been revealed that he did first meet Asgore as “Santa.” As for whether or not he knows the truth, time will tell. :o

Oh, these are excellent suggestions for calls! I’ll try to keep these in mind.

So, I believe Glyde uses the Mysterious Door motif. Jerry uses the motif in its battle theme- I believe it’s a mix of original motif and Wrong Number song?

Sans is a master of power napping. He probably gets a decent amount of sleep, though.

There are a lot of ways to interpret Pap’s lack of sleep! In IF, he can get by without it, but he also has a lot of reasons to avoid sleeping. Some reasons include productivity but also due to a looooot of heavy baggage. More on that later.

I think sleep can definitely make monsters healthier. Rest = better mental health as well as physical health, and with how important mental and emotional help is for monsters, that’s very important!

They just really like socks. Socks are warm. Socks are slinky. And googly eyes are the best. So they took on the form of a really eccentric sock puppet and sock collector. Scandalous.

It also has Alphys’ motif, as the two are the leaders of the royal guard!

I would say the lack of Asgore as an influence has left Undyne slightly less grounded? Like, she had Toriel and Gerson in her life, but her relationship with Toriel is... definitely not quite as close? Like, Toriel by that point kept people at an arm’s length due to losing multiple children (including one from old age). So, while they were on friendly terms until the aftermath of the DT experiments and the tapes’ release, it was more like mutual respect and a sorta professional relationship with Undyne admiring Toriel and wanting to spare her from more heartache.

That is a really interesting idea. While that didn’t happen, I do need to maybe revisit the grumpy dog at some point or another. He’s still a lil’ salty.

I think in terms of layout it won’t change much, but there will be new/different content for sure. :O

Mad Dummy’s base design is mostly original, but she has a wig + headband from DIO from Jojo Part 3! Fun fact: While MTT has Kamina shades, Papyrus’ goggles are loosely based on Simon from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann in terms of color. :O

So basically, when Asriel defeated Frisk, he had the power over the timeline to reset it as he pleased- in theory. However, that power was overwhelming for him, and due his lack of understanding OF said power and one last ditch attempt at resisting from Chara, things went wrong.

There is a track that takes some inspiration from Rage Awakened. It’s not released, and it’s not exact, but it won’t be released for a WHILE. Like until the part comes out.

I think it’s just the fact that tacos are so random. Like, my biggest beef in that regard was that OG Underswap had a lot of arbitrary replacements for things in UT and not all of them made sense. Like, if Sans was to make a foreign food, ramen would’ve made more sense due to Alphys being weeb trash, haha.

Okay, so the rough timeline iiiis... Falling: - Cyan - Green - Orange - Blue - Purple - Yellow Dying: - Cyan - Orange - Blue - Purple - Yellow - Green

You know, it’s funny because this ask is super old, but that’s basically sorta what happened. :O It became a beach-themed resort.

Never forget MTT fangirl Temmie’s pool escapades.

I think Forgespring for me because I had to make the tileset myself (it took a few months, I think?), but Aquarius was definitely in the works for a while. But once I had the tileset from Fours, the rooms were very easy to design!

That woulda been pretty rad! Maybe I can find another spot for it one day, haha.

I think for Dohj, I’d have to check with Fours, but I’m certainly not opposed at some point? Right now, the following chars can take questions: - Frisk - Papyrus - Sans - Undyne - Alphys - Napstablook - Mettaton - Asgore - Chara - Flowey

Cyan appears in Part 45! :O No answer about orange for now, tho.

I do have vague ideas for Tem village. I just haven’t had time to go back and do it.

Stay tuned and you may find out! :O

Hmmmm... I had a lot of fun with MTT SPIRAL and the Determinator, tbh. They were both very time consuming, but I love how they came out! Also, buff Jerry.

Turnabout Storm. :)

It’s a really awesome fan crossover that works way better than it should. :P

None taken! We know that with headcanons, everyone is gonna have their own interpretations. These are just the voices we liked for Fireglobe Production, but everyone has their right to their favored interpretations!

Yeah, Knight Knight is one of the coolest CORE mercs in the original game. It was fun to repurpose them for Inverted Fate as royal guards. :o It made room for unique encounters in the CORE in the form of them robots- as Undyne would rather use machines than other monsters to do her work.

Personally, I see it as an Asriel motif, but I also acknowledge that at one point it WAS gonna be an Asgore motif. Toby has a habit of just using whatever music works for a scene (see sans. at the snail farm.)

I do have a few ideas, though I won’t say for what yet. :o

He’s likely made blueprints for that train. :P

It probably would just have different flavor text/progression!

So basically, I treat the starting motif for BAaTH/Power of NEO is just a “true hero” motif.

MTT is definitely major in IF! As for whether or not he’ll have a hangout, time will tell. There’s definitely more to resolve with him, though.

I’m gonna remake at least a few of the older tracks, including Regret. My goal is just to bring the OST to a similar standard of quality.

So, animated parts coming up: Part 47, Part 49, Part 50. There may be some other parts, but we’re gonna wanna scale things back for a little bit for the sake of all our sanities.

I go with both. ;)

Honestly, probably fairly similar to the bully fight in the Ruins- which is why I ultimately decided not to do one. Both fill similar archetypes, though I think if I did do a battle, I woulda still had Flowey interrupt at the end and scare them off.

It’s a very emotional scene. Far more tragic than her geno death, IMO.

Well, the main goal in that regard is the remasters (Part 9 is in progress). Otherwise, I do think these hiatuses are good for working ahead. I’ve still gotta do more work, though, because my buffer this time around is a lot smaller from the trial-hiatus buffer. Alas!

Honestly, the website is the best thing to happen to IF. It’s allowed us to do so much with the comic’s presentation that would be impossible with imgur. NORIX IS THE BEST...

#inverted fate #ask dump #asks #undertale au #behind the scenes #undyne #frisk #papyrus #asgore #sans #alphys #lore #toriel #fallen humans

[fmdjoosungarchive]

sung vs in-verse groups & soloists

word count: 1033

tldr; his Current ranking of the in-verse groups and soloists, and chats about his feelings on the groups

based largely on music, and ignoring person connections, from most favorite, to least most favorite, this is sung’s ranking:

1. wish i’m sure this is no surprise to anyone. besides element, wish is probably the group sung has mentioned most in his replies. he’s a fan of every soloist and group in the roleplay, but no one can touch wish. he loves their concept and blasts their music day in and day out

2. gold star soloist 1 (byul) this is also a no brainer spot. she was the first idol sung stanned when he became a trainee, and he fell in love with her music from the get go. when talking musical inspiration, gs soloist 1 is the blueprint for 2020 songwriter sung

3. lipstick an iconic group, sung holds lipstick high above the rest. despite talking about a group like knight more, because he’s a stupid gay, sung generally prefers female idols. they’re also another group sung feels like he’s grown up with

4. bee iconic, in a different light. sung’s trainee private twitter would have been filled with bee content, because they really lit stars in his eyes at the time. catch him coming back to his roots pretty soon

5. knight sung dumb gay. that’s it. he would risk it all for ash, or really most of the group

6. decipher this was the second idol that sung stanned, after immediately falling in love with gs soloist 1. he’s a really sentimental bastard, and though he has his issues with eunjae, even if personal relationships factored in more here, decipher would still rank this high

7. aria this group, weirdly enough, sung didn’t have an immediate die hard connection for. the biggest connection he has to aria, is that he Loves their music. he completely believes they’re a No Skip group

8. fuse would d*e for their bright concepts, and thinks their mature concepts are cool, but scary. their bright concepts are Blasted in the element dorm

9. charm if personal relationships factored in, charm would probably be higher, but as they’re not, this is where they stand. like the general public, sung connects better with their older releases than their newer ones, but as he’s been there with charm since debut, he’s die hard

10. dimensions soloist 3 sung was likely a fan of sapphire, and is always a supporter of love, so i Hc that he followed this soloist’s move to dimensions, and was rooting hard for her. she’s new, so she doesn’t get his entire stan self, but he’s really excited about where she might go, especially since her vocals are top tier, and sung is a weakling for good vocals

11. silhouette their more sultry side doesn’t hit As hard with him, but the group has several songs that have implanted into sung’s brain so deeply they’ll never come out

12. dimensions soloist 1 (dahyun) sung’s opinion on this soloist is that she’s cool. that’s the main thing, here. he’s not as deeply attached as earlier groups and soloists, but he finds her admirable in her ability as an idol, especially in stage presence

13. bc soloist 1 (chanmi) this one,,, only ranks so low because sung hasn’t had enough time with her. by the time stay tonight comes out, she’s going to be his second favorite soloist. it’s a slower climb with her, but he’s hopped on and ready to go for the ride

14. gold star soloist 3 (mav) as much as sung loves mav as a person, mav presents as male and has a ‘male voice’ which means he’s just Gotta go under a good chunk of soloists. HOWEVER he’s not the lowest, because sung truly does enjoy his music, and it’s very much his Style

15. dimensions soloist 2 in a twist of fate, sung actually didn’t watch k-pop star 3, so he didn’t have any prior connection to this soloist. like gs soloist 3, though, sung likes the music he’s released so far

16. unity another group that would be much higher if personal relationships factored in, unity rank down in the lower half because of the diversity in their discography. unlike a group like decipher, who has time and its loyalty on their side, sung doesn’t feel as connected to Every cb

17. gold star soloist 2 (lyna) i wish there was more of a reason for this ranking. it’s just a Feeling. he enjoys the music, and thinks she has an amazing voice, top tier, god tier, and yet, he’s not yet managed to connect with her as an artist more strongly than groups/soloists above her

18. 7rophy another concept struggle for sung, there are some songs/cbs that sung Lives for, but others he didn’t feel super close to

19. lucid again like the general public, sung much prefers the normal realm concepts to the nightmare concepts. he’s a romantic guy, and the romance genre is his place to be, but he’s also a scaredy cat who is frightened by the nightmare side, and he doesn’t connect as well with that music either

20. element while sung Likes element’s music, the only reason he Loves it, is because it’s his and the people closest to him’s music. based on them as a group, they would only rank higher because they’re a co-ed group, and sung thinks that’s cool

21. gal.actic they rank here because sung feels the connection to them that makes him want to fight for them, to be treated well and kindly, but at the same time, he never managed to connect with them musically. he likes them best as people

22. impulse the shadow of the ‘too many concepts’ thing sung has had issues with in other groups, impulse has yet to grasp sung by the shoulders as strongly as other groups/soloists

23. mars while sung really appreciates the group for their talents, more than many other groups/soloists above them, he’s not as attached to them, considering he, again, is a scaredy cat who can’t sit through their biggest hits without hiding under the covers

24. femme fatale simply not as connected to the music

25. origin see: femme fatale

26. alien see: femme fatale

#the last three are rly fuckin lazy huh #whatever i wrote 1k words for this yall will take it and like it #ask me specifically if u want more details lmao #self para #also should say this hc comes to you courtesy of luna and vi who made me come up w this ranking in the first place

[fracturedmirrorpower]

Typed Radio Show Episode 1

A. Sorry - Ciara

B. Can We Talk - Tevin Cambell

Music: The Kanye West Album was ehh.. ok I guess but I want more.

This past Friday October 25th came the delyed release of Jesus Is King(formally Yandi) the new Kanye West Album with an accompanied IMAX film. I have not seen the film the ticket availability was wide open for every showing near me. Just paying close to $17 for an extended 31min music video type didn’t seem worth it to me, rather just wait for an online release of that. The Album it’s self was not my type of new Kanye but it’s safe to say if you don’t want a disappointment in him musically just wait it out till the next album. It use to take years till his new music was released, the space between the past couple projects have gotten shorter and shorter. Although some may argue it’s like that for all artists these days in a stream ADD world. His albums take long to work out concepts and change directions all together. This new album seems like they took an inspiration and muse of church and chopped it up real quick. If more time was spent on this it would’ve maybe clicked with me more. Given that Jesus is in the name of the album he name drops Jesus way more than any of his past work. It definitely feels like a hip hop church album. He finally put the Jesus on the Drums like he set out to do with his debut and it’s in full force now. Can’t say I love it a lot and I can’t say I hate it. Just doesn’t have the sawg I wanted that has me doing repeats on the thing. Probably like two songs maybe just one song that you can add to your BBQ playlist but just know if you add it, you’ve invited Jesus to the party so no bikinis I guess... Excited to see where my favorite opinions think of this album. If you ask me Kanye needs to go back to making devil music with the illuminati.

C. TV Party - Black Flag

D. Teenage Lobotomy - Ramons  

Movie/TV: Bojack’s End Part 1 is here and clear. 

The first part of the last season of Bojack the Horseman on Netflix is out. I watched all of it in one day like it was a really long movie, kinda felt like it. Usually with a show like Bojack where I watch a lot of it in a short time frame I’ll forget what happened the last season. With this time the highlight recap really helped and the cliff hanger was a little polarizing compared the past season cliff hangers. To review and not spoil. Bojack gets sober, and pretty much stays sober so far. Actually the character growth is refreshingly real and consistent. Being so use to animated comedies that will use a character to contain a lesson but then turns around to throw jokes at it and the change in development doesn’t stick. In this first of the final installment growth has stuck harder than before and consequences are a bit more grounded. Excited to see Part 2. Sad to see this show go all things must come to an end. This series end comes to a morality complex for Netflix as they are pulling their content out of overseas production. Work environments being demanding and inhuman in animations studios out of the country is far from new but is news that isn’t mainstream. Most animated content from a major studio uses them as cheap labor and animation isn’t cheap so that’s where the corners get cut. Corners such as fair labor wages, equality among genders and poor work environments. There is one throwaway plot point joke the writers made about this subject, not so much as a throwaway more like a tip of the hat to the workers enduing the poor conditions. That considered I’m happy to see the end of this show. 

E. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You - Led Zepplin 

F. Cum On Feel The Noize - Slade

Sports: Diaz on full throttle, physically and personal brand wise.

Nate Diaz was hit with a negative drug test from the USADA due to “tainted supplements” His initial reaction was withdrawing himself from the fight, this is so that he can keep a clear and clean legacy. Diaz is well known for a plant based diet and tributes that in his defense. The content of his response seems to come out of somebody trying to keep him quiet, someone in the UFC entertainment division. Put on your sports entertainment tin foil hats, I smell conspiracies muddied in this situation. They’re no stranger to painting Diaz in a less than state and now that he has proving him self as a comparable player and the star power cemented. Hits are cheap and dirty and Nate is not here to play around with that given his social media response was so brash. Trash talking surely is involved but contrived bad test results with the press is not tolerated it’s a matter of a clear legacy. He seems to be quick to not that run his career he’s got the voice to change that and pave the way. Happy that Diaz is consistent with sticking up for himself. Exciting to see where this situation takes the athlete and entertainment dynamic in the future but even more excited to see where it takes the fight this coming Saturday. 

G. With You - Jessica Simpson 

H. The Greatest Story Ever Told - Ice Nine Kills

HALLOWEEN IS UPON US! I’ve done very poorly this year with halloween celebration festive behavior usually doesn’t hit me till the day before through till the day after. There’s a gigantic inflatable ghost across from my work in my window view, that has been quite nice to look at. Watched a little Scooby-Doo to get in the spoopy feels particularly the ‘Pup Named’ series. So far the celebrity costumes have been less than thriller, seeing my favorite starts in costumes is my favorite but so far few days to go I’m not impressed. I’ll probably give an update to my festivities but don’t expect me partying holidays equal amateur night and an easy way to get into trouble you don’t want to be involved in. Probably staying home and getting spoopy on my own. My costume will be a bunny. Always so that next year I’ll go all out but I got nowhere to go to be impressive so I won’t try.

I. Good Cry - Noah Cyrus

J.  Different - Tink

If you made it this far thank you for listening to me ramble on about different topics and things that get me excited or opinionated. Hoping for this to act as a blueprint for when I start my own radio show in podcast form, there’s some over head production that’s needed before it can get off the ground but this written form is for me to get practice in developing the subjects of content. Please check out the music listed, or at least some or one of them, it’s my goal to be a radio dj personality type and introduce dope music that I think is dope. 

More to come, this is just the beginning. Part of a larger package. 

K. The Carpel Tunnel of Love - Fall Out Boy

L. E.S.T.(Trip To The Moon) - Alien Sex Fiend

M. Weak - SWV

-DJ YEEDOGGY* 

*Name pending. Draft DJ Name. 

[idiotbrainjuice]

Used and Forgotten

Hey! This is sad and filled with Toxic Relationship. Take care when reading 

Ao3

The breath is punched from his chest with each thrust but he takes it, he always does. He winces as  Keith’s hand that’s gripping his hair grows near painful. Keith only takes from him but that's how their relationship works. Keith didn't get much love growing up like Lance did it's only fair as Keith says. as hes getting fucked and with an animalistic groan Keith cums and Lance... doesn't. That's fine he tells himself. Hell just finish up in the bathroom.  Chest heaving he rolls to his side facing away after Keith slides out of him. He clenches his eyes shut hoping that this time maybe? “Can you stay Keith?” There’s no answer and Keith’s weight lifts from the bed . Lance calls himself stupid for even hoping.

He remembers how it all began. A clash of teeth, the heat of anger. And somehow they were in his room flesh sliding on flesh, much too tight grips. Muted gasps and moans, a fierce climax that one of them will cherish, then nothing but the harsh pants of a fleeting moment.

There's a weighty silence. “That never should have fucking happened.”  A cold weight settled in Lance’s stomach at the words.Then Keith left after hastily shoving on his clothes and a sharp glare aimed at Lance. That wasn’t the last time it happened. It isn't the last time it happens. Its when Keith gets restless,and his technique becomes sloppy during training. Its Lance who hurts the most. The fragments of burning passion only to be doused by Keith’s cold detachment. He should have put a stop to their trysts months ago but Keith makes him feel something in the emptiness of space. This was the least he could do to make Keith feel better.

It is weighing on him though. He wakes up one morning sad and sore not wanting to get out of bed. Hunk is usually his number one go to when life has been beating him down. He always knows what to say.

He finds him in the workshop “Hunk do you think I’m unloveable?” Hunk looks up sharply from the machine he’s disassembling worry clear on his expressive face.

“What no! Why would you think that?” Lance shrugs thinking about all the time Keith leaves his room muttering about mistakes.  “Is this about you and Keith? Did he say something to you?”

“No, we’re fine, I just thought we would be more at this point. You know?”  

Hunk sets down his tools to fully face Lance. “Just talk to him, ask him what you guys are. Relationships without communication don’t work.” He puts down his tools and stands. “Come on, lets go turn that frown upside down.”

When he goes to look for Keith, he’s in the training room as always. Lance takes a moment to just watch him. Keith is fucking fit alright,  and his work ethic is incredibly sexy. Keith glances his way and Lance waves at him. With a show of annoyance Keith ends the simulation. “What?”

Lance’s question dies in his throat he wasn’t expecting the animosity. “I just wanted to talk.” “I’m busy Lance, unlike you.” “Oh sorry. Um I’ll come back later.” he flees the room embarrassed maybe he is lazy, there are things to be done that he could be helping with right?

He runs into Pidge on the way to the bridge. “Hey! Lance I wanted to talk to you.” What’s up?” I was worried about the mission what if I’m not fast enough, what if we get caught?” “Pidge, you are more than capable of pulling this off.” he can’t tell if his words have had any affect on her mood but she hugs him.  “Thanks Lance, oh hey c’mere.” She leads him back down to her  area of the workshop she and Hunk share. It's always awe inspiring to see the things she comes up with and he’s not disappointed.

“Here,” she hands him two devices, one that looks kind of like a headphone jack but sharper, and a usb. “I’ve been working on this if you can get to a computer or something when we go in, just jam this into it ok?”  “What does it do.”  “in theory it would siphon their data onto that handy dandy usb. If not, it’ll corrupt every file they have.”  

He scruffs her head “Pidge you little genius!” she laughs and the tight grip wrapped around his chest loosens.

As the days go by the mission gets closer and closer. Lance never does get to talk to Keith. Even with his nightly visits.  He tries, he really does but Keith brushes off his every attempt. It’s draining him their nightly trysts do nothing for his sleep schedule he’s exhausted and it shows during training and even meetings in general. “Lance! Wake up, what did I just say.” Allura’s voice is exasperated as he jolts awake. “I’m sorry, I haven't been sleeping well.”  Her face softens assuming “If you’re worried about the mission, maybe Keith should go?” “No! I can do it.” it's because  of the recon mission.

D-Day arrives and it’s already a bad day.  

The briefing goes like this  Allura: “Both of you need to be careful. Now you’ll both be heading in through the same vents but at this intersection Lance you go right and Pidge you go left. Lance has the bugs you need to place them in the General’s quarters.” She points to the location on the blueprint. “Pidge, you need to get to the storage bay we need to know what cargo they’re carrying.

He listens diligently, they’d been anticipating this mission for months. Storming bases until they’d gathered enough intel to pull this off. It was an intelligence extraction. The ship they’d been tailing was one of a high ranking general someone close to Emperor Zarkon. For as long as they’ve been fighting, they never had record of their supply lines, or where they built their ships, If everything went right, they would. A lot was riding on this.

Both don masks to conceal their identities before embarking. On board they sneak through the vents each going their own way with a whispered good luck. When he reaches his destination he peers in. “Bingo.” The layout is exactly as they assumed it would The Galra are a diverse bunch but when it comes to interior design everything is copy paste.

He rappels into each room adrenaline coursing through his veins. The first bug was placed under a desk. The second in a breakroom. The third and final one was the trickiest and required Pidge’s distraction.  He waited counting his breaths but nothing changes the bridge was bustling with engineers and the goddamn general was picking his teeth in his chair. “Pidge where are you?”  His vent is near the floor maybe he can sneak into they’ve only got one chance at this he has to do it.  

He removes the vent and crawls out staying low. In a way it remind him of home when he needed to sneak past his mother. But at home he wasn’t afraid that a misstep could get him killed. The purple lighting of the room does help him though as he slinks through the shadows.

There's a shout and his body locks in fear. “We've got hostile stow-aways, they're on the ship.” This wasn't part of the plan. He ducks under a control panel. There's a moment that soldiers run from the bridge then silence. He can’t wait for Pidge’s distraction its now or never. Still staying low he plants the bug. He's nearly out again when a metal barrel presses against the back of his head.

“Get up.” and he does. “Turn around slowly no funny business.” His mask is ripped off and the General’s face doesn't change in recognition.

“How did you get on the ship, who sent you?” He elects not to speak and the gun smashes across his face for his defiance. There's a blinding pain and he spits blood. A boot in his side rolls him over and the general squats down to his level. “I’ll ask again, who sent you?” He just smiles and quick as a whip he swipes the general’s legs from under him and and quick punch in the jaw knocks him out.

 Breathing hard he presses his communicator, “The misson’s been compromised we need extraction.”  he pulls out Pidge’s device and stabs it into the side of the main console and leaves again through the vents.

He sprints down corridor after corridor to where he knows Pidge should have been. He sees her lying atop crates and curses. He doesn’t have much cover and if he starts shooting they’ll know. But he can’t just sit and do nothing.  

The first shot towards them sends them scattering. One of their own dead out of nowhere. The second kills two. The rest flee not wanting to fight an enemy they cant see.

Lance and Pidge take this chance  flee down the corridor the soldier’s shouts in the background. “Guys! You need to pick us up we can’t make it to the hangers”

“What the fuck happened, Lance!” He grits his teeth at that, like it was his fault that everything went to shit.

“Just be ready!”

They’re ejected out into open space, no ships on their tail yet but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. But a red lion quicky scoops them up carting them to safety.

When they get back to the castle, everyone is stony faced refusing to even look at Lance. Pidge sniffles as she cradles her bleeding arm. Coran and Allura hurrying her to the Med Bay.  Hunk is still in the Kitchen stress baking. That leaves Shiro and Keith to probably ream him for what he did wrong. He wishes they could hold off, he's pretty sure he's concussed.

 “It was so fucking simple a child could have done it Lance. Jesus Christ can you do one thing right?” Keith stands with his arms crossed his glare heated.

“I did everything I was supposed to, I mean yes there were some hiccups but we completed the mission.” Lance bites back.

Shiro holds Keith back “It won’t do any good to blame anyone for what happened. What matters is that they made it out alive.”

��You were supposed to create the distraction Lance, Pidge is smaller than you and much less likely to be seen. Were you even listening to Allura when she told you?”

His heart beats faster limbs feeling heavy with dread.  “No, I was supposed to plant the bugs I distinctly remember being handed the bugs and told to take the left when we reached the intersection in the vents.” he’s gotten things wrong in the past but not to this extent.

Keith in all his rage grabs Lance by the collar. “It’s like talking to a fucking toddler. You were supposed to go right. You messed up Lance get that through your thick skull.”  But he had the bugs to place. Lance doesn’t say anything. “Keith, that’s enough. Lance go wash up we’ll talk later.”

Lance heads for the showers going through everything in his mind. He wouldn’t have had the bugs if he wasn’t supposed to plant them. That was his job this mission right? Shiro didn't defend him so maybe he was wrong he hadn’t got enough sleep maybe that played a part? He stands in the shower lost in thought until hands wrap around him.

He jumps heart hammering in his chest. It's too soon for what Keith wants and after this mission he’s just not in the mood. It sucks that now is when he can finally talk to him and now he has to tell him.

In between his hard kisses and frantic hands. “Keith no. I can’t-”  Keith stops abruptly “Is this about me yelling at you cause I’m sorry you know I lose my temper.”  

“No it's not that I just can't do this anymore, you don’t talk to me Keith and if you do it's only to yell at me. I don’t like that.” The words rush out after being trapped for weeks.

“What do you mean you can’t-”  there's a hard look in Keith’s eye as he takes a step back. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”  Silence, a clenched jaw. “Fine.”

Lance pretends that its just water cascading down his face while he showers.

~

The days after the mission are hard. Allura finds Lance and she thanks him for a job well done while Shiro reprimands him for not following directions. He doesn’t even know what to believe. Pidge hasn’t spoke to him since they got back and he wonders what he did to lose her companionship.

He sleeps longer than he should, deciding that the longer he stays in bed the less likely he is to make mistakes.

Everything returns to some semblance of normal or as normal as it could be between the two of them. Pidge heals and as always life goes on.

But now Keith would glare only to look away when Lance caught him.  As much as Lance wants to tell him we can pick up where we left off but let's do it properly this time, he can't until Keith owns up to his mistakes in the relationship. So the ice grows thicker.

Despite the rocky success of the mission, Lance can’t help but to muddle on it. Everything that went wrong felt like it was his fault. Directions had never been his strong suit mixing up his rights and lefts but always going the correct way.  Maybe he should have asked Pidge for confirmation? Or maybe if Pidge had planted the bugs and He create the distraction she wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Either way the mission was complete there was nothing else they could do now.  

New problems arise however.

Keith doesn’t talk to him. Their teamwork falters and guess who they blame. “Lance you need to patch things up with Keith. This rivalry thing has gone on long enough.” or “Lance he really liked you I can’t believe you would just dump him” That one surprises him because first of all he didn’t know anyone else but Hunk knew. And second, he didn’t even think Keith and he were dating.

After a lengthy talk from Shiro he finds Keith. So he approaches him wary. “Keith, we need to talk.”  As always, he’s standoffish “There’s nothing to talk about.” Keith continues slashing the training bots ignoring the other man.  “Keith, Please!”  He delivers a particularly violent blow to the bot severing its body in half. “End training sequence.”  He stands facing away from Lance breathing heavily. “There’s nothing to talk about, you broke up with me why are you chasing after me like a fucking dog.”  

Anger boils in Lance’s gut “How the hell could you call what we were doing dating? I felt used like I didn’t even matter to you. Every single time we fucked, I hoped that you would stay but you never did.”

“You're turning this on me? You should have said something Lance, I’m not good at reading people this isn't my fault.”

This isn’t how its supposed to go.

“But you never talked to me-”  “I did!” Keith whirls around tears in his eyes. “I did Lance but you didn't listen you never do. Not during meetings and sure as hell not during that last mission.”

Lance's got swoops like it does every time someone brings up that mission. All those times Allura asked if he was paying attention only for him to smile sheepishly and have her repeat herself.  There were small gaps in his memory he forgets if he ate the day before or even what he did. But he thought that was from sleep deprivation

Lance wasn’t the one who was in the wrong here right?  But he's in the wrong most of the time wasn’t he?  “I did so much for you and you just threw it in my face.”  Lance doesn’t remember a time where Keith has ever done anything for him, it was always the other way around. Maybe they just need to try again.

A moment passes.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Keith smiles “I forgive you.”

Later that night when Keith snores away next to him, Lance wonders if he missed something.

~

Even with them back together, the team dynamic still falters. Lance second guesses himself every single second. Worried that he’s going to make a mistake again. But it's not enough apparently. Because Keith is breathing down his throat constantly.

“Can you for the Love of God do something right?” “I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened.”Lance pants his eyes never leaving the burning structure till Keith grabs his face.   “I’ll tell you what the fuck happened. You killed all those people. Your inaction literally killed thousands of people.” “But I did everything I could, I shot all the sentries in the tower.” “Then why did the goddamn cannon go off?”  Lance doesn’t know the answer  but if he keeps quiet, Keith will keep yelling at him. “I don’t know.”  Keith throws his hands up letting out a sound of disgust before leaving the room.

He's shaking, he doesn't know why he's shaking. But all he wants to do is hide or lie down and not be for a minute. He doesn't want to worry about Keith yelling at him or looking over his shoulder every other second. He just wants to go home.

He goes to Hunk who assures him that it wasn’t his fault but he can see a tenseness in his jaw that makes him doubt Hunk’s assurances. Shiro is the same not making eye contact with him and brushing him aside when Pidge runs up tears in her eyes.  He watches from a distance as he comforts her explaining that what happened today wasn’t anyone’s fault, that no one could have know that the canon was still set to off no matter what they did.

So why was he getting blamed?

It's Coran who finds him. Curled up under a console. “Lance my boy. We’ve been looking for you.”  He can't even find the energy to move. He's so tired of this. He doesn't even realize when Coran pulls his head into his lap. “I wanna go home Coran.” Coran strokes his head, small comforts.

“Does he hit you?” Lance doesn't want to answer but this is Coran, he can trust him.  Lance shakes his head “No, never.”  “Are you scared that he will?”  His eyes dart to Coran’s face then quickly back down. And that's really all the answer he needs. Lance falls asleep not long after that.  Allura’s face peeks from above, worry clear in her face.  

“We need to do something.” Coran only nods.

Lance becomes a ghost on the ship. “The only thing they see of him is when Keith drags him around asking him for this and that. Or when they train but even then they don’t stay long Keith’s toxicity driving them all away.

On some fucked up level they’re glad that Lance is the one who takes the brunt of Keith’s anger but sometimes it's too much. They knew Keith was hot headed but not to this extent. Every attempt to confront Keith about his treatment of Lance and the negativity he’s exuding, he refuses to hear it. Lance doesn’t seek out any of them for comfort, internalizing his suffering.   

~

The Princess catches up to Shiro in the halls as he’s heading to his room “Shiro! May I speak to you for  a moment.”  He turns the smile on his face falling when he sees her grim expression. “What’s wrong, what happened?”  

“It’s Keith-” he already knows what this is about. “I can’t have him on this ship, he’s hurt Lance far longer than he should have. I’m devastated we didn’t catch it sooner.”

“Off the ship, Princess all due respect we need him to form Voltron.”

“No Shiro we need him to be better. Have you talked to Lance, given him someone to lean on?”  Shiro looks away.

“He’s hurting so much Shiro. He just wants to go home but we have a duty.”

The question is on the tip of his tongue ‘Why don't we just send him home then?’  but he doesn’t ask it. It's a selfish question. One that keeps his best friend close to him.  “Let me just talk to Keith then we give them some time.”

He finds Keith where he always does, in the practice room with Lance. It's not much of a practice Lance is on the defensive and he makes no move to go offense. Which in itself is unsettling.

With a staff, Keith knocks Lance’s bayard out of his hands and brings the weapon swinging towards his face.  

Shiro’s stomach turns when Lance’s yelp and subsequent cowering is met by laughter.

“How bout you two call it a day.” Lance scampers away and as he passes Shiro he’s shaking.

“Keith we need to talk.” There's a change in Keith's demeanor as Shiro walks up to him. He’s no longer tense or angry and that makes him hesitate.

“Yeah, what’s up?”  The words he means to say die on his tongue “Are you ok? You and Lance seem to be fighting more than usual.”  Keith looks surprised

“We’re doing great, I mean there are sometimes where we argue but that's normal in a relationship right?”

“Keith, I need you to be honest with me. We all see how you treat him and bud, its bordering on abuse.”  The anger is back but he doesn't lash out at Shiro, he never has.

“It's nothing, we're just having some communication issues but we’ll sort it out don't worry.” he just doesn't listen to me.”

Shiro knows for a fact it's the opposite. But he doesn’t say anything. ‘Coward.’ he thinks.

~

Lance has been walking around with a limp recently and Keith scoffs when he can’t keep up.

Lance doesn’t leave his room unless its for training or Keith pulling him out.

Lance isn’t anymore.

They all realize it on the same day. In the training room is the only place everyone can see everyone. Its two on two Pidge vs Lance,  Keith vs Hunk with Shiro spectating.  They see when it all goes to shit.  Keith missteps and trips over Lance who barely makes a noise as he falls.

Its so ugly what happens “You fucking piece of shit, every single time you’re in my way. Why the hell are you still around if all you do is get in the way.”   “I’m sorry.” Lance’s apologies are weak and he’s shaking again. (He’s always shaking now.)

“Keith that’s enough, you misstepped, it wasn’t Lances fault.”  Keith clenches his jaw at that and moves away not even helping Lance as he staggers to his feet.  The atmosphere is subdued as they go back to sparring.  

Shiro calls for a break and immediately Lance is out of the room. He doesn't come back till we'll into the second half of training where he's supposed to be sparring Keith. Keith grow increasingly agitated the longer Lance is gone and at some point he too leaves the room.  

Lance walks in a bloody tissue under his nose. “Oh Geez , Lance what happened?”  “Tripped.” is his answer but the truth lies in Keith’s clenched fist.

The silence is deafening until Allura breaks it.

“Keith you need to leave.”

“What, leave Voltron?” He laughs wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. “You can’t fucking do that you need me.” He moves to pick up his helmet but Lance snatches it up and moves away with it.

Keith’s face turns murderous. “Give that back you little shit.” Allura steps between them looming above him. “Get off my ship, you don’t deserve to be part of Voltron.”

“I belong here more than anyone. I’m a prodigy without me you’re nothing. Who do you think carries all of his dead weight.” he stabs a finger at Lance a sneer painting his features.

“Keith.” Shiro steps up and the betrayal on Keith’s face stabs him in heart. “What you’re doing, what you’ve done is so cruel. We’ve tried talking and you just don’t listen, you haven't learned.”

Nobody knows how to react when fat tears begin to track their way down his face. “Fine.”

His departure is quieter than they thought it was going to be. The Blades come, promising to teach him to be a better Galra and maybe a better human. Keith goes with them without a word.  

~

It takes a lot to pull Lance out of the shell he made for himself. But they do, he relearns how to take charge and that mistakes don’t mean the end of the world. Occasionally there are setbacks. Someone getting too heated about something and raising their voice a little. He can’t help the panic but they help him. When Keith left to join the Blades they knew that they occasionally they had to see him when they met up to go over their plans. There's a subtle tension that hovers in the air between them.  But Lance is better and that’s what matters for now.

The Blades update Shiro and Allura on Keith’s progress. There’s still a long way to go but he’s getting there.  

~~

Years down the road, When the battle is over and peace reigns over the galaxy. The Paladins of Voltron are five again.  Pidge taller and filled with endless potential, Hunk scarred but stronger for all the lessons each scar taught, Shiro finally got the rest he needed, and Lance,  the Black Paladin sits staring out into the cosmos.

“Lance can I talk to you?”  It's been years but the apprehension is still there.  He knew this day was coming but he doesn’t know what’s going to happen.  

Keith looks nervous its telling when he blurts out  “I’m so sorry for the way I treated you when we were younger. I don’t know how I didn’t see what I was doing. I was hurting you and I didn’t see anything wrong with it.” he takes in a shuddering breath. “I don't expect you to forgive me for what I did but I just need you to know I'm sorry.”  

Lance can't look him in the eye but being this close to him and his heart isn't jackhammering in his chest, he’ll count that as a win. “You we’re so selfish and you couldn’t see that you were killing me. It took so many years to dig myself out of that hole.” he sighs unconsciously shifting away from him. “I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you but I'm glad you've changed.”

“Me too Lance, me too.”

#hurt lance #dark keith #vld fic #voltron fic #volton #angst #langst #hurt/comfort #its like offscreen comfort? #idk #wriiteitdown wrote it down #I started this aug 17 2017 #it is now December 26th 2018 #progress #DippedQuill

[game-refraction]

Game Review: Agents of Mayhem (Xbox One)

  Developer Volition has been a studio mainly know for two franchises; Red Faction and Saints Row. While each game is very different in terms of story and its cast of characters, both games are generally about blowing stuff up, and while Agents of Mayhem is a step towards a brand new franchise for the studio, it seems that their feet are still firmly planted in the world of Saint’s Row, and it shows. While this hero based action shooter isn’t poor in any regard, it lacks fully realized ideas and concepts and comes off as more of a bare minimum effort from the studio, but it can, and often does, still entertain.

It doesn’t take long into playing Agents of Mayhem where you can see where its inspirations come from; Crackdown, Borderlands, and even Volition’s own, Saints Row. The problem with borrowing or emulating gameplay elements and mechanics from other games is unless you do them justice in yours, you become a pale imitation of the source material, and that is exactly what Agents of Mayhem is, an echo of much better games.

It’s very clear that Volition wanted to continue what they were doing with the Saints Row franchise after the series left its gang warfare and traded it in for super powered characters that could leap tall buildings and punch cars down the street. Agents of Mayhem may not go as full tilt as its predecessor, but you can easily see that this is the evolution of what started in the later Saints Row games. Hell, it even name drops Stilwater like 20 times and the Kingpin character is easily a throwback to everything the first two Saints Row games emulated.

As you start the game you will have a few agents available to create a 3 person team and while two characters are currently locked as pre-order bonuses, you have up to a total of 14 possible agents to mix and match to create your ideal trio. The Agents of Mayhem (Multinational AgencY for Hunting Evil Masterminds) are a GI JOE style unit comprised of a variety of personality packed soldiers that range anywhere from a Sports Hooligan, A Hollywood actor turned freedom fighter, a Roller Derby Queen, and many more. Each character has a wide range of abilities, combat styles, and traversal moves like double jumping or cloaking to get a drop on the enemy.

That enemy is LEGION (League of Evil Gentlemen Intent on Obliterating Nations) and is run by Morning Star, and while we don’t really ever interact with that character, we are introduced to Doctor Babylon, who is our main villain here. Babylon isn’t alone during our attempt to take him out and he is protected by a small group of other villains; an egotistical whiny pop star bent on controlling the minds of his fans, a cybernetic soldier who is in love with an AI program, a deranged weaponsmith, and a pair of crazy women who each want a different type of revenge.

Agents of Mayhem is told in episodes, with the final episode even titled as the ‘series finale’. Each episode is tailored towards a specific villain and ends in a fairly impressive final encounter with that boss, even if they do tend to show up again at various points during your city exploration. There are also bonus episodes that are centered around a specific character and usually last about 5-10 minutes each.

Where more recent open world games have been recreating North American based cities, Agents of Mayhem lets you run around in a fictional version of Seoul, South Korea, and while it’s a refreshing change of scenery, the city feels vastly copy and pasted and feels much smaller than it actually is as this is due to revisiting many of the same locations time and time again. The repetition gets so bad that the Lairs that you visit, LEGION bunkers that hide various collectibles and tech, are the same style of copy and pasted efforts that plagued Dragon Age 2 back in 2011.

Agents of Mayhem has your typical open world busy work with a variety of icons that lead to traversal races and other small combat encounters that will reward you based on your efforts. While the story missions feature some ok writing and some ‘so bad it’s sort of good’ dialogue, the creativity in the activities that fill Seoul is beyond lacking and comes off as incredibly lazy. The only activities that I even found rewarding were those that would allow me to unlock new skins for my agents or blueprints for new cars, and even then those rewards are part of a random drop and you may not even unlock anything for your trouble.

Traversing the city is reliant on which characters you have included in your team as each has their own method to jump, double jump, dash, wall climb, and several of them have no bonus jump or dash at all, instead, as I mentioned before, opting for a cloaking ability instead. While the jumping and wall climbing is fun, it can also feel extremely limiting when characters miss a ledge by mere inches and do nothing to clamber up or just hover there, mocking you.

Apart from climbing up buildings or progressing on foot, you have a small selection of vehicles at your disposal, each with their own skins to change up their look. You have pretty much the basics; sports cars, trucks, and behemoth size rigs that flatten anything in their path, they’re just a bit slower. While the cars are fun to drive and often are the best way to get around, their use in the game exposes one of the biggest problems I have with the game; distance.

I found that Agents of Mayhem really likes to make you travel the city and for the most part, it can be enjoyable and you may even find a Loot cache or Core shard for your trouble, but I found that the missions are designed solely around making that travel happen and it does this for nearly 90% of all missions in the game. When you travel to a mission icon, it will then play a cutscene and I’ll talk about those shortly, but after said cutscene, you will then have to travel yet again to go to where the mission actually takes place and often it’s a fairly sizable distance to make on foot, hence the reliance on the cars, but then that negates the exploration for items. This closing the gap on the icon and where the mission actually takes place really eats up a lot of the time you spend with the game and for the wrong reasons.

Each character has their own personal mission and it must be completed solo, without the help of your team. This separation away from your team is also felt in the dialogue throughout the game. Often you will be on the comm with someone from the Ark and these moments are usually quite fun, even humorous from time to time, but these conversations are entirely scripted to the moment and the game lacks any form of banter between teammates. It’s also worth noting that you don’t actually play alongside your teammates as you only control one of them at a time and shift between Agents with the D-Pad. Had the Agents fought alongside you, well, that could have been something great.

Bioware has created a huge library of games that have benefited from this form of conversation gameplay and with how engaging and fun these characters in Agents of Mayhem can be, it would have been really great to hear them converse with one another in a way that wasn’t part of a scripted mission moment, and even then it can be somewhat rare to even hear those. You do get a short cutscene with your team jumping out of the Ark while they shoot off a catchphrase or some other remark, but these are not conversations between the team and instead are just random sayings one after another. There are clearly characters that know each other and have some sort of deep history with one another, it just would have been really fun to hear them chat amongst themselves depending on the Agents you have included in your team.

Each Agent has a specific type that goes hand in hand with what weapon they wield. You have characters that sport dual pistols, machine guns, shotguns, mini guns, and even a Katana blade, which is the weapon of choice for  Scheherazade, my favorite character in the game, and yes, that is her actual name. Picking your team may very well be reliant on what weapon they have and whether or not they operate like a tank and can soak up damage or a fast paced character that is built around speed and agility.

Another factor that may go into choosing your team is what Mayhem ability each character can use and sadly, a lot of these special abilities are quite lacking. Each Agent has a weapon attack, a special attack, an ability move, and a Mayhem ability. Often, most character’s Mayhem ability is just a slightly better version of their special attack and if that special attack isn’t working out for you, then their Mayhem ability may be just as ineffective. Oni, for example, has a Mayhem ability that causes enemies to run in fear, and while that may sound great, it makes them even harder to kill as they are running around all over the place and by the time you can even reach them, your Mayhem ability has expired.

As you gain experience you’ll put points into each character to increase certain stats like melee damage, Mayhem duration, health, critical hit damage and so on. Each character has 4 categories to apply points into as well as 3 core abilities that have similar stat increases. The biggest change to how a character operates is through Gadgets. These are split into 3 categories; Special, Weapon, and Passive. These will have the biggest gameplay change on your character as these can make alterations to what style of weapon they will use. It won’t fully change their weapon class, but in some cases, like for Kingpin, it will swap his weapon choices from a Flare Gun, SMG, to a Plasma Gun.

Each Gadget also has a slot to equip what is called LEGION tech, and these will further add more stats to your stats. You can craft these from the crafting station and are often something you have to unlock as you find them. Gremlin Tech are consumables that can be useful when you need them and I really only found the resurrect item to be one that I came to rely on as it will resurrect your whole team should they all die. You’ll craft these from using scrap items, machine parts, and various fragments that you’ll earn from a variety of tasks as well as from the many Loot caches you’ll find around the city.

Loot caches also have the chance to unlock skins for your Agents as well as for your vehicles and you can boost that chance percentage by purchasing Agency Upgrades that do just that. Other upgrades also include faster boost regen for your vehicles or the amount of Agents you can send on field missions, which are side missions you can send in-active team members on for unlocking crafting items.

Agents of Mayhem has a very cartoony and stylish look to it and it can be a very good looking game when it wants to be, it just normally isn’t. There is a small amount of pop-up, but generally, it’s the bland textures and simplistic surroundings that often make the game feel empty. NPC’s often don’t do much more than a simple animation and I lost track of how many times 2 of the same NPC were next to one another doing the exact same animation. I often found that NPC’s just became fodder for the carnage that would take place in the streets, behind buildings or under the wheels of my car because they just usually stood there doing pretty much nothing. The animations for the characters are rather great and those characters are easily the best part of the game, it’s just a shame that everything else isn’t held to the same standard. I also found it rather odd that when aboard the Ark, there is a bloom effect that makes the game far too bright and adds a weird motion blur as well.

Tucked between each story mission and each of the character specific missions are cutscenes that further explain who a character is, their motivations, as well as just showing how certain story events unfold. Many of these cutscenes are fully animated scenes that have wildly different levels of quality from start to finish. Several of these are well made and feature some fairly fluid animations where others are simply static images where the art team couldn’t be bothered to fully animate and these stand out in a bad way.

Apart from the issues I’ve already mentioned, I have a few more that really impacted how much fun, or how little fun I had with the game at various points. I’ve had buttons just flat-out not work and it would require me to reboot my game to fix the issue and even the D-pad that is used to swap characters would often not register my button press and often I would have to double tap the button to swap, and even that wouldn’t work sometimes. I’ve had vehicles get stuck in the ground, or hit a random object on the map and fly into the air, or objectives just not work as they were intended too. It’s not a game that is littered with bugs, but when they appear, it is very apparent.

The game also doesn’t contain co-op and this might be the one thing that many people were probably expecting as the Saints Row games were a blast to play with another player. The game feels as if it is designed for it with the teams of Agents, the action and even the freedom you have when moving around the map. It’s an odd feature to leave out when the game you are mostly adopting from is known for that feature. It’s a huge misstep for me, but something that didn’t affect my overall rating of the game. I can complain about what isn’t here, but at the end of the day, I have to review what actually is.

Agents of Mayhem is simple but fun enough to entertain for a short while. The game isn’t great by any means and much of it can come across as unfinished or that it feels like it used to be far more involving. The use of humor will get a few chuckles out of you but lacks the persistence that the original trailer gave us over a year ago and many of the launch trailers show the game in very different ways than how it can actually feel when played. There are a few solid characters that will easily become your go-to selections to add to your team and unlocking them can be a rather fun quest in itself. I would strongly suggest waiting for a sale as Agents of Mayhem is just not worth the full asking price right now and unless Volition really commits to adding some worthwhile DLC, I may just have to rename this to Agents of Meh’hem.

Warning: The following launch trailer features some language, but the game does as well, so yeah, Be warned!

Agents of Mayhem was reviewed on a retail copy purchased by the reviewer.

All screenshots were taken on the Xbox One.

  Game Review: Agents of Mayhem (Xbox One) was originally published on Game-Refraction