Hey everyone, it's me, your Lord and Savior, your Once and Future King, and your new Admin-for-Life Unlimit Sendo. I'm here to drop some turnbuckle-diving elbows and awesome news. There's been some relatively small updates to rulings regarding summon familiars and single summons. Additionally, there's also been a pretty big update in regards to the AP shop which reorganizes it and adds a ton of new stuff. You can find that in the AP Shop section under Item Creation. Check it out.
Blitz swirled some apple cider in a mug as the minutes counted down to midnight at the end of the year in Fiore. Specifically, Mount Hakobe. He was there for two reasons - one, he owned a castle up there, and two, the remoteness ensured that no one would come knocking to bother him during his festivities - or experiments in his lab. Shoop, his talking hat, sat on the edge of his worktable, idly stirring a straw through his own cup of hot cider with a floating metal hand as his creator Blitz tossed his straw aside to take a big gulp of his cider, pant for a moment at the temperature of it, then pour his gaze over his blueprints laid out on the table.
"Remind me why you waited to do this until New Years, again?" Shoop asked, pulling the straw out to watch a single drop slide down the plastic and into the cup before flicking the straw into the wastebasket. "And secondly, why the hell did I get cider? I don't even have a tongue or throat to taste it with or swallow it." Blitz shrugged as he glanced over his notes. "The maid put one out for you, it would have been rude to refuse." Shoop snorted. "Or maybe just that you liked her too much to turn her gifts down." Now it was Blitz's turn to snort. "Oh, hush, you know I'm not like that." He ruffled his papers with a cough to cover his slight blush.
"And as for why, it's because if this causes an avalanche, I want to at least have a legitimate reason for accidentally triggering it in the first place. Though it shouldn't." Shoop rolled his eyes as Blitz hefted a large bundle of fuses over his shoulder. "Right, legitimate reason. I'm sure that'll be great comfort to whatever village you half-bury in snow.""Unlikely," Blitz retorted, letting a single fuse drop from the bundle and kicking it roughly into place near the firework. "All the fireworks are precisely aimed and measured. Even if one or two touch down before they go off, the result will still be minimal on the landscape."
"Mind helping me with the launch?" Blitz asked, taking a big sip from his cider mug with his free hand, his other hand keeping the fuse bundle secure on his shoulder. Shoop sighed, dumping the cider in his own mug down the nearby sink. "If I must." Shoop hopped off the table and over to the center of the room where most of the fuses that had been laid out already met in a tangle, the ends tied neatly together by Blitz. After waiting for him to lay out the last few fuses, Shoop struck a match and lit the torch propped by the fuses - one match wouldn't cut it, for the number of fuses and thickness of them. "Hope this ends well," he said with sarcasm, igniting the fuses as the flame jumped to the black lengths of rope and sped along them to their respective fireworks, aimed out various windows. All the fireworks, as one, shot out the various windows, save one that was a bit off target and shot off the windowsill, through a gap in the stair banister, between Blitz and Shoop, and out through one of the closed windows with a shattering of glass.
The remaining fireworks went off with a series of multi-color, and in some cases, multi-element explosions over the top of Mt. Hakobe, some with wheels of flames, some with spirals of ice, a few with curved forks of lightning. The overall effect made Hakobe resemble some kind of magical volcano that shot multicolor sparks instead of molten rock, filling the night sky with radiant light, and a few ooos and ahhhs from the few people who were in view of the mountain, thankfully at a safe distance.
As the explosions ended, Shoop shot Blitz a grumpy glare. "What?" he asked. Shoop pointed to the broken window. "Oh, chill, I've got a few spares in the basement, and it's not like I blew anything up or set something on fire, I was just a smidgen off on the angle with that particular firework." he said innocently. Shoop sighed, facepalming. "Fine. So, any resolutions for the new year?” Blitz looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, two: One, to fight that Toshiro again and whoop him at his full strength, and two, work on some slightly less destructive magics.”
New Years Resolutions:
#1: Defeat Toshiro at his full strength
#2: Work on a few magics that are a tad bit less destructive
It was a quiet night In Relyk's apartment. The bright blue Christmas lights that Relyk had put up before hand were the only source of light. They gleamed brightly, offering a positive aura to the place. The Dragon Slayer was sitting on his balcony, looking over the glorious city of Magnolia. His eyes were low, and in his lap rested a small fox. The fox was resting peacefully, only offering his warmth and company to the boy. The echos of New Year chants began echoing out, and it was apparent that the countdown had started.
"10! - 9!"
Relyk's ears would perk up, only for him to realize what was actually going on. He met face to face with the freezing cold breeze that threatened his comfort. With a sigh, he would advert his gaze to the stars, thinking of his past and what had actually occurred this year. "I've obtained the powers I have chased after for most of my life.." He thought out loud, speaking to himself as if another were there listening intently. He would blink a time or two, looking down to Lite.
"8! - 7!"
As time slowed, he would slowly start to reflect on his actions and his goals that went unmet. The way he treated others, and the very few he dared to call friends. He thought of the heart throbs that ended up in failure, though that was probably for the best. Sure he had his one night stands like any other man, but he couldn't help but feel a bit lonely. He had always been on his own, and despite the fact that Lite eased the feeling a bit, it wasn't completely non-existent. It's just, he was too damn picky. He wanted to find a woman who could knock him off his feet; push him to become a better person. To save him from the already engulfing darkness which was now taking a hold of the man.
"6! - 5!"
He quickly pushed these thoughts from his mind, seeing as they were immature. He didn't need another to be happy. That was a joke, and he was almost ashamed of the fact that he allowed himself to get so emotional. It wasn't in his nature to care, so why would he start now? No one ever went out of their way to help him, save Ristor, Lite, Fulminis, and Eric. He only owed loyalty to those four. As he thought of the last name, a simple thought peered into his conscious. "To join Grimoire Heart.." His words came harshly, though they muttered quite softly. This was something that he owed the anti-slayer. He was after all, always going to owe the kid his life. He might as well start now, and perhaps the dark child would be able to teach him a thing or two about magical power seeing as his own was so vast.
"4! - 3!"
Lights were flashing uncontrollably now, and he would find himself clenching his fist. A spark of lightning erupted forth, demanding his attention. That's right, he wanted to surpass a typical dragon slayer. He already saw himself as the strongest of his kind, but he wanted to be more than just a dragon slayer. He wanted to advance himself further, to become the most fearsome Dragon Slayer in the history of Fiore. To make Fulminis proud of him. That dragon was the closet thing Relyk had ever had to having a relationship with a father like figure. He knew, that his own power would be a reflection of the dragon's. "I will make you proud...dad"
"2! - 1!"
As the countdown neared it's demise, a shadow would began advancing towards the glass doors that separated the balcony from the living space.
His hair danced carelessly in the wind as a great change began taking over the landscape. He soon found himself standing, moving closer to the iron rail of the balcony. He kept Lite firm in his grasp, and lowered his gaze to the mob of citizens who were celebrating. The shadow figure, was now at the door, looking at Relyk. The figure appeared to be female, and as her fingers unclasped the sliding door, the dragon slayer would turn to face the new intruder. A faint smile crossed his lips, noticing the woman who he had brought home earlier. He shifted Lite to his right arm, freeing up his left. She moved closer, arms wrapping tightly around the Fairy Tail Mage. She rested her head on his chest as he held her close. The two both looked back down to the large New Year's Ball that was about to end it's descent. The small fox opened his eyes, just in time to witness the dawn of the New Year. Together, the three stood there fixated on the lights and the yells of the civilians down below.
"1!-0!"
A bright flash appeared, blinding all in it's path. And for a second, Relyk thought he could hear the distant roar of Fulminis, though he was probably mistaken. He wondered what Eric was up to, and even the metal giant. He thought of Kain, and what the wolf boy was up to. As his smile faded into nothingness, he would hold the mysterious woman closer. She wasn't the love of his life, but she would ease the pain of his loneliness. Together, the three would stand there. The story ending in the same way that it started, in thought.
New Years Resolutions:
#1: Join GH
#2: Advance his powers as a Dragon Slayer
#3: Escape the life of solitude through another
"And thus, the new theme for Relyk was established. A man not only torn by his beliefs, morals. But a man torn in affiliation, unable to choose his path. Forced to wander under the night sky, waiting to be rescued by the right, or perhaps wrong person."
At a corner of a street Shino stood behind other people whom watching the commotion happening as the new year would come in seconds now. He lays his eyes around looking at the crowd, anxiously waiting for the ring of the bell to start. The mood was very merry and everyone was happy. Even though his face does not shown any sign of emotion like usual, but you can see it from his eyes behind those shades his wearing that he was thinking of something. Something that he always tries to hide behind his neutral face and the stern personality of his.
In his mind was the memories of the past new years eve that he spent with his family...
"Shino-san, look! The firework party is starting!" Shino little sister, Miu happily yelled as the whole family peaks toward the big window of their house, watching as colorful fireworks rays around the town brightening their spirit. Filled with amazed sound of other people in the street gazing at the firework party like with they pupils smallen on each of the firework that went off.
Shino gazed with awe with his little sister toward the firework parade, a few things passes on his mind as he remember the training and all the hardwork he does to make himself stronger and inherit his Father magic and prowess. "Yeah... It is beautiful" Shino commented as he smiled. Like usual, his little sister runs around merrily and happily... "Mom! Look at those firework! Its very pretty!" Miu pulled her mother pants as they were busy with their cooking. "Now... now.. Mommy's busy cooking so go play with your dad and brother! the two siblings mother said sweetly as she cherishes the two.
"How bout you help your mother cook then Miu?" another voice came out from behind him, it was their father whom was happy as usual. Miu agrees to help her mother, leaving Shino with his father at the main room. He was very happy with his family, never wanting to part with them even though fate has separate them. "Let's go take a look at those fireworks then... Shino" his father carries him between his head, just like usual he is silent as ever even with his father.
The father and son duo heads to the roof to take a clear view of the new year eve night sky which was filled with fireworks. Gazed with laughter and joy, "Shino... Do you know what is a resolution?" the father muttered, looking up toward his son which was amazed by the fireworks. "No... What is a resolution, daddy?" Shino asked back plainly, doesn't know what his father was talking about. "Its something that you want to accomplish in the year" he grunted, Shino wonders what do he want for the year. It was a pretty easy question but for Shino it was hard to answer since he doesn't know what he want. His father stare at him as the silent continues on, "That's okay if you dont have one right now... since you already accomplish it" his Father praised at him. The words that Shino wont forget till the day he dies.
Back to the present... Those words whisper trough his ear again, remembering the time of the past with his father. Behind his shady figures, he regrets that he can't answer that simple question his father ask him. It left a guilt on his heart since his father has past away. "Resolution?... There's only one thing i can think off dad..." he whisper to himself. "I'll make you proud by joining a guild... and gain some friends like you always want me too" tears start flowing out of his eyes without him even knowing... Shino has make a resolution... something that he hope to accomplish for his father.
Bright… Ugh, did I forget to close my curtains last night? No, that can’t be it. This leaves us with only one possibility… “Suina, didn’t I tell you not to open the curtains this early?” “But it’s already noon.” Noon? Well, the clock does say 1 o’ clock. Shit, when did it get this late? Guess this Christmas break made me lazier than normal. I usually get up at ten, this holiday completely messed up my sleep pattern. I should take up a mission soon, I will get rusty at this point. And my wallet is not going to last forever. “What did you do about breakfast?” “I made some on my own.” Heh, dependable, isn’t she? It has only been a few months since I adopted her, sort of, and she’s already at the point where she can fend for herself. I might have been underestimating her all this time. Anyway, time to get up and ready. Where did I put my socks… All right, all dressed and ready to go have lunch. What day was it today, again? New Year’s Eve? Wow, I completely lost track of the time there. Doing nothing seems to do that to people. I should make a note of that and find some hobby or something to keep myself occupied the next time this happens. This reminds me, it’s been a pretty long time since I last read a book. I might check the guild’s library one of these days, who knows what kinds of books I might find there. Does the guild even have a library? I should check. “Come on, let’s go have lunch downstairs. As much as I hate the noise down there, I can’t stay holed up in my rook all the time.” “Ok.” I really have to find a better means of transporting her than this gourd. It’s unnecessarily heavy for no reason. Although, I have gotten quite used to it. Oh, well. When did it get this late? Time goes by really fast in this hall. And it’s already twelve. Still, this is quite the festive mood, not that it’s not like this every day anyway, Since I’m here I might as well join in. Nothing to lose. “A toast for the new year.” “A toast, a toast! What are we drinking?” “Is that all you ever think of? Isn’t water just fine?” “Boo, toasting with water is bad luck. Let’s have some wine!” And here I used to think she was a child. Should I really be giving her alcohol? I can be really irresponsible at times. “All right, all right, I’ll get us a glass of wine each. Satisfied?” “Very! Now, what is your New Year’s resolution going to be?” “New Year’s resolution? Where did you hear about that?” “Kuilei said that he heard San say that a guild member said that you should make a resolution for the New Year.” “I see. What’s your resolution going to be, then?” “That’s a secret!” Damm mischievous creature. That smile of yours is really something though. “Fine. In that case, mine is also going to be a secret.” “Eh? That’s not fair!” “Fair or not, I’m not telling you if you’re not telling me.” “Boo, fine. To the New Year!” “To the New Year.” A resolution… I never thought about this before. I suppose I could make one or two for this year. Let’s see now, what do I want to achieve with my life? I already took care of my past problems and have San to thank for helping me. I have grown kind of attached to this guild ever since then. This is kind of my home now. In that case, my resolution will be… to become a mage worthy of Tartaros’ name. Man, that sounds lamer than I originally thought. I should also make some more friends. I have been hanging out with the same people for quite some time. San is my partner, he doesn’t really count as a friend, what with that personality of his, Suina is more like a daughter to me, and then there’s Yovel who is a nutcase. Not that I’m any better. More friends it is. This year has been quite eventful, let’s hope I don’t do anything stupid to mess things up.
Curse those useless drunkards who spend their days in the guild hall, making merry and getting nothing accomplished. They can be simply so damn loud sometimes, and today they were worse than normal; I understand that the final evening of a year is calling for celebration, but when you live as if celebrating every day of the year already, is there really any point in being more active, of raising your voice even louder, of drinking more and acting rowdier than you already do?
And thus, why I am sitting here in the middle of a forest not too far away from Coreopsis; my standard retreat from the noise and the chaos that is Tartaros. Not that I despise the guild - just the masses of people who talk too much and do too little, perpetually sitting there in the guild hall and getting drunk.
"Master San, the new year is coming." Damn it, Kuilei, do you think I would not have known already? Why do you think I am even here? "Ah, New Year - is that not reason for celebration?" Damn you too, Horai, for playing the follower to the fool that is Kuilei. "Master San, are you making a resolution for the new year?" A resolution? "Resolution? What for?" Shouldn't have asked that question. Should've seen it coming. "Well...I heard Suina say that she heard Clear say that someone in the guild said that people around here make resolutions for the upcoming year." Like hell would Clear talk about something like that. He spends less time in the guild hall than I do, and I doubt he would care about anything random guildmates say. Still, this idiot golem's words are food for thought, and I have nothing better to do right now. "As you wish, then." "Oh, so you've already thought up something?" "Be silent, Kuilei. Thoughts do not come this fast." "I am thirsty. Excuse me for a moment, whilst I obtain some water from the river." Of course, Horai pops up again with some irrelevant comment - but he does leave, and Kuilei follows him, leaving me alone for the time being.
Finally, peace to think freely. As much as I dislike the fact, Kuilei is correct. He has never been wrong, irritating as it is to me; a new year is coming, I still have no idea exactly how old I am, but I feel ancient as the mountains and the seven seas. But this time around - I am in Tartaros now. There will be no retreat. I have professed my loyalty to the guild master and the Wildfire. I have no intention of backing out. I am dead, undead, and yet I am accepted into this guild. I must not disappoint them. Look what happened when I vanished- perhaps, Sinjin would not have been dead? The poor child, dying before his time, and I still have no idea how or why it happened. Cannot let it happen again. Not for Ryo, not for the guild master, not for Oberon, not for Clear- especially not for Clear. Even if he is far too business-oriented for one his age, he is too young to die. Not to mention, it would break his Suina's heart. Which would probably break Kuilei's heart. Not sure how that even began. Kuilei has some degree of hydrophobia.
Oh, and my summons...I really need to improve my magic. I wish to be no longer limited to throwing out a single one at a time. I am a summoner, I should be able to do so more proficiently. The guild has an ace, is by no means lacking in single-man powerhouses; but every leader needs an army. Of everyone, should not I be the most suitable to provide that? To obtain power, greater power- I can almost feel the air around me quivering, in my eagerness to obtain it.
Or perhaps it is simply the accursed fireworks being fired up from Coreopsis. Accursed celebrations.
New Years Eve- a time for celebration, partying, and for some reason wide spread violence. It isn't that surprising, considering all the booze and drinking involved. However, I'm a bit different. My New Years experience is a lot more peaceful and...weird. There's no beer, partying, or even family time involved. What I do every year is the same. I sit under the stars with the a couple friends, usually animals, as we count down the new year. Last year I sat in an oak tree with a group of bats and the year before that I was with a pack of dogs.
This year I decided to mix things up a bit. Lying in a bed of moss, I looked up at the stars with an owl named Big Horn, a stray cat named Silk, and a skunk named White. Strange as it seems, it was actually my idea to see off the year with the group, though the cat came at the last minute. Originally it was supposed to be just me, the owl, and the skunk. They were two friends I made on one of my adventures. I saved them both from a Wyvern, which I was actually assigned to take out. After that experience, they started following me around, thinking I'd protect them.
Not wanting to be followed for the rest of his life, I decided to make the animals a deal. I'd lead them to a safe place and they'd leave me alone. They of course agreed and I have been searching for a spot ever since. It was only today that I found a place devoid of predators and perfect for the small creatures. The New Years star watching scene was just so we could say our goodbyes. As for the cat...he had just been lured their by the smell of my rice balls.
While Big Horn and White were fine with their dead moles, the cat kept begging for my rice treats. When I finally forked some over, the cat decided to stay in hopes of getting more food. So that's how we all ended up watching the stars together on New Years Eve. "Five minutes left," I pointed out as I watched my sundile. It occurred to me then that I still hadn't made my resolution. Last year I'd resolved to join a guild and surpass Jack. Unfortunately, I'd done none of those things. Maybe what I needed was to set more realistic goals.
Looking at the animals around me, I came up with my first resolution: to get stronger. They were all with me because I was supposed to be the protector. However, even I was in need of protecting. If I wanted to truly be right for the job of protector, I needed to get stronger. "One more minute," Big Horn said. Up above, the fireworks were already providing us with plenty to look at. However, when New Years actually came around, the ultimate display would show up. "Thirty Seconds" Silk meowed. I was running out of time for my second resolution. However, I couldn't think of anything else to do. I'd already resolved to be strong so what else was there. That when I remembered...I still never joined a guild. "I'm gonna join some kind of guild." I said as the fireworks burst forth. It was the best goal I could think of that I could actually achieve. Nodding at the thought, I closed my eyes as sleep came for me. The next day I found myself alone on the bed of moss. All the animals had left when I slept.
The year is about to end. It was still cold outside. The big tree in the midst of the southern gate park was not removed yet. People was still walking outside. Some children still sing Christmas Carols even though Christmas is over. But New Year is not different to Christmas. People still celebrate it with their family. They still shop for new clothes. And of course, the shops are now filled with people. Among the busy customers, one would simply noticed the blonde girl who was looking for a new dress that she would wear. Unlike the other customers, she was not smiling. As if shopping was her everyday habit that nothing seemed to be special about it. She will not be attending any parties tonight. But still, she's buying a new dress. Reggie sighed as she lined behind a fat woman who was carrying a basket full of new clothes. She was the tenth person from the counter. She was already standing here for an hour. The line seemed to be endless even though she was already close to the counter. There were too many people inside the shop. Good thing the owner bought a magic mirror that has an extension spell that would provide the shop additional space. Magic seemed to be really getting common these days. Maybe one day it would be a basic commodity that the country would have an increase in number of wizards. More wizards, more competition in getting one of the gold keys.
The blonde fairy then thought that maybe she might lose her chance in obtaining one. Well, there were only a few number of celestial spirit wizard in the world. But what if there would be more than twelve wizards who would be looking for the gold keys too? Would she be fortunate to get one of it? Or would she be unlucky to lose against the other wizards? But why would it happen? Why would she lose to them? Because she's weak?
Reggie sighed as her head started to ache with all the questions inside her mind. But it would be possible that she might lose her chance to get those keys. The world is moving faster and she have to catch up. Or else she would be cast aside. She have to get stronger.
The blonde fairy then noticed that it was already getting late. Almost midnight. And she's almost near to the counter. She then turned to the dress that she was holding in her hand. It was a special edition Victorian dress. The designer was just selling two of it. And she's lucky enough to have this. But what if she didn't push her luck in buying the dress? Would she be able to get it? Or would she buy another dress?
Reggie was now in the counter. As she payed for the dress, she realized that her time is running out in searching for those keys. She have to pushed her luck now in getting the gold keys.
Reggie then carried the paper bag that contains the dress and headed back home. Fireworks started to show up in the sky. The blonde fairy then decided that she would have to get those keys and have to train harder.
It was quiet night in my house; I was sitting in an empty room, my ‘office’ so to speak, tending to my equipment. I simply sat there, polishing my armor and shield, sharpening the blade of my gunstaff and just giving once-over to my stuff. I enjoyed the activity, it was calming, since lately my life has been so hectic, so busy, that I often worry that I would lose myself in the rush. How different it was from my childhood, where time seemed to pass by without effect, as if time there stood still, save for the growing of the crops.
I miss home.
I finished my task and put away my stuff. I left the room to see what else I could do to occupy myself. I found it surprising how bored I felt during my supposed ‘vacation’. In the beginning, I was excited, a whole week without any guard duty? No late night patrol? No grunt work? Yet as the initial euphoria died down, I found myself more and more bored, after all, there is only so much one can do before they grow tired of idleness.
I left my room and entered the living room, where Laura was lying down on a couch by the window, reading a book. She was dressed casually, a pair of loose black pants and a blue shirt. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, leaving many loose strands that fell around her face. Mika was sleeping soundly on another sofa, curled up in a tight little ball of orange fur.
I headed for the fridge, opened it and started rummaging through its contents. I frowned in displeasure, we needed more milk. I took out some orange juice and started drinking straight from the carton. Laura hates when I do that, but I stayed out of sight, so she wouldn’t know. It didn’t work.
“Marcus, stop drinking from the carton.” Laura called, an annoyed tone in her voice. “It’s disgusting.”
She took me by surprise, making me accidently choke, and sputter some juice in front of me. I grunted acknowledgement and started to clean up the mess I made.
There was a period of calm silence before Laura addressed me again.
“Hey, Marcus?” She called again.
“Yeah?” I replied.
“What are your new year’s resolutions?” She asked.
I leaned from out the doorway, looking at her with minor confusion. “What makes you ask?” I said with a hint of wariness in my voice.
She shrugged, “Oh nothing, just curiosity.” She answered.
I scratched my head, come to think of it I hadn’t thought of any new year’s resolutions. Plus, I found them rather pointless, a lot of people’s resolutions were about getting stronger, but that was a given, does one expect themselves to remain weak all their life? Furthermore, I was willing to bet that most of the time, people failed to even make good on their promises. What are the use of ‘promises’ if they hold no value? How does one expect to ‘resolve’ when the effort isn’t made?
Words are useless; it is only when those words become actions that they acquire any meaning.
Still, what would the harm be in some reasonable resolutions, ones that I could easily fulfill?
I stepped out of the kitchen to look at Laura, who hadn’t taken her eyes off her book. “I tell you, you tell me.” I offered.
Laura regarded me from the corner of her eye. Did I ever mention how beautiful she was? She’s very much so. I regard myself a lucky man for having her companionship, I’m thankful for her every day.
A smile played on her lips. “Alright.”
I looked down at Mika, who was still sleeping. She was a still a puppy and therefore still required much attention, but even under our vigilant watch, Mika still makes little ‘accidents’. She’s very kind like that, leaving us little presents around the house.
“Potty train Mika.” I announced.
Laura raised a single eyebrow. “And? That’s it?” She inquired with a disbelieving voice.
“No,” I said, I grinned mischievously. “My second one is…well actually I wanted to flip your skirt or something.”
Laura’s face was devoid of any emotion. “Very mature, Marcus.” She said, her voice oozing sarcasm. “You want to hear my New Year’s resolution?”
“Sure.”
“No sex for the entire year.” Ever so casually, Laura returned her attention to her book.
New Years Resolutions:
#1: Potty train Mika
#2: Flip Laura's skirt
*Well I liked my idea so much that I made a 'continuation' of it, solely for my own amusement. This is just for fun and isn't part of my original submission (so I don't exceed the word count limit).
The Plan
It was a warm afternoon, which made the ordeal all the much worse for Laura. The heater had mysteriously broken down and was continuously pumping hot air into a house that didn’t need any. As a result, the entire house had become a furnace. Laura had tried opening the windows and turning on the fans but that did little to amend the issue. Marcus had tried to fix the problem, but all he did was make the situation worse. The repairman wasn’t due until tomorrow, so for now, they would have to deal with it.
Laura lay down on the couch, dressed in a short loose sun dress, fanning herself with a paper fan. She tried to ignore the heat by thinking of something else, like food. Cold food, lots of it, snow cones, ice cream and cheesecakes. Then she stopped because all that thinking of food made her feel fat.
Her thoughts were cut off by Marcus who walked into the room. He had adjusted himself to the heat as well, wearing a pair of blue gym shorts with a white undershirt. He had a triumphant look on his face, like he had accomplished some great deed.
“Return of the conquering hero!” He announced as he walked in.
Laura turned her head to give him an inquisitive look. “What?”
“I potty trained Mika.” He bragged, a wide grin on his face. “It took a lot of time, patience and bacon. I admit, I was beginning to lose hope, but just now, Mika did her business outside. And I didn’t even have to stand next to her.”
Laura was mildly glad, now she didn’t have to worry about finding dog poo in the corner of the room anymore. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” Marcus flopped onto another couch across the room; he pulled out a piece of paper and pencil from his pocket and scratched an item from it. “That’s one down, one to go.” He said as he did so.
Laura had no idea what Marcus was talking about and frankly, she didn’t care. Marcus was nice and all, but he had these odd mannerisms. For instance, he preferred a bowl of vegetable soup over a gourmet meal, or the fact that he insisted on fixing everything in the house himself. Laura had figured that this was due to his farm boy childhood. In the beginning, she used to get annoyed by it, but after some time, she learnt not ask questions.
“Hey Laurie?” Marcus called. “Could you open the fan, please?”
With a small sigh, Laura got up from her seat and went over to the fan. The fan was mounted on a very short base which meant that it was usually propped up on table or something, but this time it wasn’t. It sat on the ground, slightly tilted upward. Laura paused for a second, wondering why the fan was like that; she could’ve sworn she propped it up on the table about an hour ago.
“Is something the matter?” Marcus asked.
Laura started. “Oh, nothing.” She replied quickly. She pressed the button to the fan.
Suddenly, a burst of wind would billow under Laura’s dress, raising the hem of it above her waist. Laura caught a glimpse of Marcus’ face as he watched the spectacle with a smug look. She shrieked and rushed to push the dress down, making her look like a brunette Marilyn Monroe. After a few seconds of struggling against the wind, Laura gave up on trying pushing her dress down, she pressed the button to the fan and let the rush of wind die down.
When she turned around, Marcus was scratching on the piece of paper again. “Hey look, I finished my second resolution.” He mused. “Now I’m the one percent of society that actually completes their resolutions.”
Marcus crumbled up the paper and tossed into the trashcan. He adjusted his position on the couch to get more comfortable and closed his eyes contentedly.
Laura stared at him in complete bewilderment, blushing furiously. She placed her hands at her hips and gave him an angry look. “You planned this?” She demanded.
Marcus gave her a mischievous smile. “Yep.”
Laura paused for a moment, connecting the dots in her head. “…Don’t tell me that you’re the one who broke the heater?”
Marcus scratched his head. “I didn’t break it, more like messed with heat index system. I’ll fix it in just a bit.”
Laura kept staring at Marcus, who was pretending not to notice as he relaxed. A period of silence settled between the two. Mika entered the room and headed for her food bowl, the sound of her eating was the only audible sound in the room for a good ten minutes.
Finally, Laura broke the silence. “I hope it was worth it.” A menacing tone was beginning to creep into her voice. “Because you won’t be seeing anything for a while.”
Marcus smirked without making eye contact. “Totally worth it.” Then, he seemed to catch Laura’s tone of voice. His smirk melted away and his eyes snapped wide open to look at Laura. “Wait, what?”
Laura began advancing on him with a murderous look in her eyes. Marcus swore and jumped out of the sofa like it was made of lava. He made bee line for the door.
Poor guy never made it.
Techniques Used
Punching Marcus Silly - 10 Type: Buff Range: Self Effect: Laura taps into her Xena the Warrior Princess heritage to exact holy female wrath upon the ill-fortuned men. She gains a temporary increase in her physical stats. Speed +50, Accuracy +50, Strength +50, Stamina +50 Cooldown: A month, give or take.
There was a thunderous roar over the mountains. The gale was somehow unforgiving and the chilling mist ever coldhearted. But it was the best place to watch the colorful sky as numerous fireworks of varying colors splayed across the horizon that no peak nor mushrooming trees and forests could hide. Tyf was rather happy about it as he made a small camp just outside the cave he found hidden in that backside of the mountain. Sitting near the edge, not by the edge, just near enough to feel a slight tickling worry over falling over, but not entirely near that the smallest turn could end up his unfortunate dive. There he watched as the crowd's cheers resonated with the bangs and booms of fireworks and the festivities down below was teasing him endlessly. He sighed. He shouldn't have climbed the mountain.
He really wasn't supposed to but his ever curious mind after hearing about a strange and fascinating tale about a certain mammal so small and meek to be found in the tip of the curved mountains backside that he ended up with a spur-of-the-moment desire to climb and brave the unknown for the search. "Should be less gullible." he muttered as he curled by the small firepit which the last of its fiery life had been extinguished by the harsh wind and the only warmth he could feel was beneath his scarf-like cape and his heart overjoyed by the sight. "Should have stayed with them for the year ender as well. Wouldn't hurt to meet new friends. Wouldn't hurt to play around with Sion as well." He added before sneezing. He smiled at the thought of how his first Christmas was spent and the thought of the party Torm and Sion were probably doing at the moment.
At once, he stood up and with much fervor shouted against the cold wind before packing up his essentials to run back to town. After all, he was now resolute to change for the better. No use being a cautious fellow when his heart wished to explore. And if he wanted to let his heart feel loved to the brim, then he should start listening to it and at that very moment it said that it wanted to be with everyone back in town.
Three hours later, Tyf could be seen walking about from bar to bar in the lovely streets of Coreopsis. He was once again gawking at the piles of snow, if not playing with the town children and seeing who could throw a large ball the farthest before being chased by an angry woman whom he accidentally hits; or run around making snow angels with a drunk slur; or nag to no end about how he wanted Sion to be a stripper entertainer and Torm to feed him with the delicious gingerbreads from that famous bakeshop. Perhaps he drank too much celebratory drinks for his own good, forgetting how liquor of his clan was so much different from the sparkling wines and whiskies and gins, etc. He even had to expel behind the nearest lamppost, missing another set of colorful fireworks across the sky. But in the end, he would lie down in by Torm’s porch, tired from waiting for the two to return, and already making a strange promise not to drink without thinking ever again. He wasn’t even a drinker to begin with.
And that is how Torm and Sion finds a drunk and unconscious Tyf by the porch.
New Years Resolutions:
#1: Listen to what the heart really wants
#2: Don't drink so much when you can't handle your liquor
Once again, it's New Year. The world around us spun merrily. We walked down the alleys of Magnolia, through colourful streets and buildings that were illuminated like it was day. We went to a bar for a drink. Leaving the aspect of dealing with people to me, Li stayed dormant, not wanting to take the body over. I had known the bar tender from my recent travels, and impressed him with my mimicking abilities, so, even though I was underage, he let me have a few drinks. For a price, of course. I had a good time just drinking. However, before long, a very cute girl approached us. "Hey, drinking alone?" The girl cooed. "Ah er, yeah." I was drunk and the alcohol clouded my mind, although I just had two glasses of beer. Perhaps I'm not that good at handling alcohol yet. All I could think of is how fun it would be to have Li take the spot right now, just to see him fumble with social interaction. Before I knew it, my conscious starts to fade, and the world turned dark. I was in the middle of pondering a weird question when I felt Ming slip out of control of the body. My reflex kicked in, and I took control of it before the whole body collapsed. Adjusting to the flashing lights that illuminated the place, I realized that we were in a bar. I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts that I had not noticed the change of scenery. Pretty sure we were in our small, one-room apartment moments ago. Or was it hours ago? I lost track of time. Squinting, I made out a humanoid figure. After several long seconds of getting accustomed to the light, I finally saw what the figure was. It was a woman who was really really pretty. "Uh, who are you?" I managed in the most polite tone I could muster. Being around women makes me nervous, and my palms started to sweat. "I'm Rachael. What about your name, handsome?" Rachael tickled my upper arm with her finger tips. The sensation sent a shock down my spine. I shuddered. "Li Ming." Remembering to use our full name when introducing, I spat out the words stiffly. "What an unusual name." The woman smiled at me. My facial expression froze in an awkward state. My mouth was half lifted, as if I was smiling, but my eyes were full of panic and frustration. "I... er... Like birds... Yes, I like birds." Blank was the word that is most fitting for my current state of mind. To cover up my awkwardness, I forced out a smile, which morphed into a hideous upturn of the lips. "I... ah... Like birds too." Obviously confused by my sudden statement, Rachael replied with an awkward smile. "Uhhh... Some birds... can't... fly?" My mouth moved on its own, blurting out more random stuff before my cognition could appraise it. It was horrible, but talking with people isn't really my strength. What made it worse was that the other person was FEMALE! They are like the bane of my existence. "You're a very funny person" Rachael, who was obviously amused by my ridiculous behaviour, laughed out loud, her voice was like the jingling bells they sang about in that one song. My face flushed bright red. Usually I would stay away from situations that would involve human interactions and leave them to Ming, but now Ming was out cold. "I'll catch you later." Rachael said while getting up, and before she went, gave me a kiss on the cheek and stuffed a piece of paper into my hand. Resting without a body to restrain you is very refreshing. I had gotten rid of the alcohol pretty quickly, and was sober enough to regain conscious. I saw felt Li sitting there, the lady gone, and a piece of paper stuck in his hand. <Eh? What are you doing? ...What are you doing?> I had to ask him twice before he answered. <Nothing.> He tried to hide his emotions, but the previous event came flooding in to me, as if I had experienced it myself. <Woooo, Li. I never knew you were such a smooth-talker> I teased him. <Shut up.> Li said while unfolding the piece of paper. On it, a string of words were written in block letters. In the end, in an elegant handwriting, wrote the following: "Here's my address. Visit me, maybe?"
New Years Resolutions:
#1: Make new friends.
#2: Get Li to hook up with Rachael. I will KILL you, MING!!