Anxiety is not activism.

The Healer Pt 4

The story continues. I'm still enjoying this one, so we'll keep going!

Part 1 / 2 / 3 linked here. (If I get to 5+ parts I'll make a master post)

Enjoy!

___________________________

ONE YEAR EARLIER

“Natalie! You’re here!”

Jack shouted with excitement when he saw me. Garrett and Rita trailed behind him, their expressions happy, if a bit mild and unenthused. I was still sitting on the ground, catching my breath after my first battle in this strange world. The corpses of the monster flowers had faded into the grass, leaving little evidence of my fight behind. I waved to them, feeling a strong sense of relief in seeing familiar faces.

The three of them had been my teammates in Fantasy Realm, even if they weren’t the kindest people I had ever known. While playing together they were often inpatient with me, unforgiving of mistakes, and constantly pushing me to spend more time and money improving my character when they knew I had very little of both. I had always given in, and disliked myself for doing so, hoping it would improve their opinion of me, knowing deep down it wouldn’t. I might call them friends… and I would be shocked if they called me the same.  But after waking up in this weird real world of the game, I was just happy to know anyone at all.

I was afraid to be alone.

The group reached me, and with a grin, Jack reached out and helped me to my feet. I brushed the dust off of myself and looked them over. They all looked like they had in our old world, the only difference was their clothing. Jack was dressed in leather armor, reinforced my metal along the chest and back. Garrett had a large sword strapped across his back, with scant coverings over the rest of his enormous frame. Rita had a simple cloth robe and a large wooden bow.

“We all chose our familiar classes.” Jack saw my studying look and informed me. “Seemed the safest thing to do given that we don’t know what happens if you die in here.”

Rita rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you guys are taking this seriously! This can’t be real. We're still in the game! It’s just some hoax, someone hacked the game. Eventually my dad will tear the VR company apart, sue them into oblivion and then we’ll be let out!”

I paused at that. “We weren’t playing the game when this happened though.”

“We just forgot.” She answered forcefully, her gaze annoyed as usual as she met my own.

Rita had always disliked me. Our parents knew each other, her father was a well-known lawyer who had pushed her to follow in his footsteps. As someone who had struggled with the weight of parents’ expectations, I sympathized. But she had quit law school after a week, turning to full time gaming instead. She didn’t do well enough to make any money, but fortunately her mother paid her bills.

Her father was disapproving to say the least. He apparently used me as an example to her of someone successfully “taking over the family business,” never mind that I hated the pressure, resented my parents’ strict expectations and escaped whenever possible. It didn’t matter. Rita despised me, and no attempts from myself or from Jack could smooth the rift between us.

Garrett looked me over from head to toe, confused. “You don’t have a weapon.”

I froze at his words. Garrett had a large sword, obviously a barbarian type class. Jack had a one-handed sword, a fighter or swordsman. Rita was an archer with her bow. But me…

There was only was class in the game that couldn’t use weapons.

The Healer pt 3

The story continues! Hope you guys like it!

Part 1 and 2 linked here.

Enjoy!

_____________________________

The Hero’s party stood with their backs to us, arguing loudly. They obviously didn’t hear Stephanie’s call, and kept their focus on the man in front of them.

“How dare you go back on our deal?!” Jack the Hero snapped, his face twisted with rage. “You have always been our chief supplier!”

Rita the Holy Archer spoke up, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder as she did so. “Yeah, you never turned us down before!”

The massive and imposing form of Garrett the Giant loomed over the group as he stood by with his arms crossed, nodding in agreement. The fourth and final member, Rebecca the Sorceress, leaned against the Hero, her eyes filled with tears as if everyone in the room had personally wronged her.

Seeing the group together again was… rough, to say the least. I had once considered three of them, Jack, Rita and Garrett,  my closest friends. We had played the game together before the Downfall, spending late nights going on raids and completing quests. They had been the brightest part of a life that had been greatly overshadowed by my parents’ expectations and disapproval. I had valued their friendship, so much so that I was willing to break myself over and over again just to stay by their side. I had lied to myself, that I was just as much a part of the team as they were. That I was valued, even if they didn’t always say so. That I was lucky to have them, given that I had chosen the class I did. I hated myself for my weakness, but refused to leave, too dependent on them to try to break off on my own.   

Until Jack finally betrayed me enough to wake me up to the truth:

They had never been my friends.  

As for Rebecca… my gaze settled on the pitifully crying girl. She was crying when I met her, too.

i cant believe you guys. NOT EVEN ONCE

Because it kills you!!! Why are you shocked and appalled!!!

Is just like that's great for you but HOW? you dont fall to peer presure and general social presure and family and curiosity and in general teenager stupidity ??? At All????

This is the autistic website. You know, the people who tend to not waver under social pressure

By the time I was at that age, the pressure was to try vaping. Which I eventually tried once or twice in college out of sheer curiosity. Do not get the hype.

bodypillow for the dragongirls that's a hoard of gold. i think I'm onto something here

I respect neopronouns and even played a bit with them myself back in the day but I also think I need a pronunciation guide for some of them

You need to be prepared to answer the question “How do I pronounce that?” when you come up with your pronouns.

I’m not trying to discourage you from coming up with weird pronouns. Be yourself. Confuse the cis and whatnot. But like. Know how your own pronouns are pronounced if you want them used irl. I’ve come across people with neopronouns who had only ever used them online who didn’t have an answer when asked how you pronounce that. Don’t let this be you. Have an answer ready.

This is a good post and these tags are a great addition

You are both poor and a werewolf. Also contrary to the belief, werewolves are not deathly allergic to any metal. You decide to pull the greatest scam any werewolf has ever done.

“DIE FOUL BEAST!”

The hunter stabbed the silver blade into shoulder of the werewolf, shouting in triumph as smoke poured from the wound and the wolf-creature screamed in pain. “It’s weakened! PRESS THE ATTACK!”

The villagers, who were standing a ways away, clutching pitchforks and other farming tools, their paces pale with fear, jumped collectively at his order. One of the older gentleman, his features worn deep by the wind and the sun, stepped forward, swallowing nervously. “But Sir… we don’t have silver… only you can kill the beast.”

“Distract it! Hurt it!” The hunter cried, trying to pin the werewolf to the ground. He was quickly bucked off, hitting the dirt with a grunt of pain, his knife left in the wolf’s shoulder. “Only then can I make the killing blow!”

The villagers shuffled slowly forward, raising their tools half-heartedly.

The wolf threw the Hunter against a nearby wall, roaring in rage. Stumbling to his feet, he pulled out a second silver blade. “HURRY!”

Three of the men ran forward at his cry, swinging their tools at the werewolf, who dodged their attacks easily. The Hunter followed and stabbed his second blade in the closest area he could reach… the thigh. More smoke, more screams of pain followed the blow, and the villagers cheered, rushing to help.

As if the creature had a second wind, it shook off its attackers, and with a roar of fear and pain, rushed away into the forest, faster than any human could follow.

The hunter and the villagers stared in defeat at the empty grove. Nothing remained as proof of the attack other than a small amount of blood and crushed grass.

“It escaped.” It was the villager who had spoken earlier. He stared at the path into the forest with a grim expression. “Who knows if it will return.”

The Hunter glared at him. “Well, it’s not my fault! I was the only one with silver! You all were useless!”

“As if any of us have the wealth to afford silver weapons. Even in times like these, with beasts roaming the nights, we can only tools for farming, not killing, especially of the silver variety.”

“Well thanks to you I lost two silver blades tonight.” The Hunter began packing his bag. “Do not call on me again, I will not help you.”

The man watched him go, shaking his head. “And if the beast returns?”

He paused at that. “Then I think you are simply too poor to survive.”

And with that, he was gone.

_________________________

The werewolf moved into the cave, breathing heavily as it shook itself off. I sat in front of the fire, stirring a pot full of a stew. Its eyes locked in on me, its eyes lighting up with a sudden hunger, reflecting the firelight as it moved forward, trailing small drips of blood as it moved closer. I looked the beast up and down, and then smiled.

The underground society known as the Community, the last known surviving humans on Earth, are facing a serious resource crisis. In order to survive, they must make a grim decision, one person must leave each year. You got the least amount of votes. You must now go up to the unlivable surface.

“I’m sorry.”

I looked up from the ground I had been forced to kneel on, lifting my hands slightly, feeling the cold weight of the shackles on them. My eyes met those of the man who I had grown up with, his own colder than I had ever seen them.

My brother.

I smiled at him, enjoying his surprise at the lighthearted expression. I could feel his many emotions from where I was: annoyance, distrust, and a mild anxiety… but no guilt. No guilt whatsoever.

“No you’re not, Benjamin.”

He looked away first.

“It’s not like I had a say in this, Meg. Someone gets chosen every year. It’s a blind vote. Just because I’ve got a higher up position, doesn’t mean I can change it. In fact… “ He looked at me again. “I’m held to an even stricter standard. I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his repeated apology. It was just as insincere as the first. He wasn’t sorry.

“Is that what you told Alicia?” I couldn’t hold back and asked with a mild tone, only to fall to the ground with a hard slap. The anger in his eyes burned brightly now, much more interesting now that he no longer attempting any façade at regret.

“Don’t say her name! You don’t understand it. You don’t understand anything.” He turned away. “I’ll see you at the Entrance, tomorrow. I hope your last night on this earth is a pleasant rest, at least.” At his words the prison door closed behind him, and I was left alone in the darkness, awaiting the morning of my sentence.

I was the Chosen, and it was my time to die.

_______________________

The next morning, I was woken up, fed a light meal, and moved out of my cell. Two guards walked me towards the entrance, each one holding an arm in a painfully tight grip. The younger of the two I recognized vaguely from school, we had been in the same graduating class a few years ago. He glanced over at me frequently, his expression troubled.

“This has to be done.” The other guard, a middle-aged man with a stern look, noticed his hesitation and spoke up. “It’s the only way to protect the Community.”

The younger looked even more anxious. “What’s out there?” He asked quietly, sending another look in my direction.

“Who knows?” The older guard shrugged. “It’s been centuries since the Time of Darkness drove humanity underground. Every exploration party we’ve sent out since has never come back. Whatever is out there… it doesn’t leave survivors.”

I stayed silent, unbothered by the discussion as if it had nothing to do with me. If anything, the younger guard seemed even more anxious.

“Maybe it’s not too bad? Maybe the world has changed… and no one has just been able to come back to tell us?” His voice trailed off as he spoke, obviously unconvinced.

The older guard scoffed at his words. “Look, Matt. I know it’s hard when the Chosen is a younger pretty girl like this…” he glanced at me then looked away. “Normally it’s an older person. But it’s necessary. We have limited resources in the Community, and too large of a population. The Choosing allows us to fairly decide who gets sacrificed. If you are going to stay in this job, kid, you’re gonna have to get used to this.”

My hand reached out towards the younger man and brushed his skin. I closed my eyes briefly, focusing.

Immediately he relaxed, his posture and tone less anxious.  “I was just asking. I didn’t mean anything about it.”

“Good. We don’t question the Choosing. That’s not our job. We just escort them to the Entrance.”

The rest of the trip through the increasingly complex tunnels was passed in silence. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was worried the young guard had gotten it into his head to rescue me. But I didn’t need or want to be rescued.

After all, I was the one who had submitted my name for the Choosing in the first place.

Guys! I have to show you this! This is fan art I received from @madishhatter of Lenora from I Can't Eat Love! and Bel and Liam from Please Fix the Story

I thought this was so awesome, so wanted to share it!

Thanks, @madishhatter for sharing it with me! You are an awesome artist and you made my day!

The Healer pt 2

Decided to continue this, let me know if you want me to keep going!

Part 1 linked here

Enjoy!

________________________

“What have you done?”

My voice was strained in a horrified whisper.

Jack the Hero was calm despite my obvious distress. He leaned back in his chair, his face smiling but his eyes freezing cold. “That’s the wrong question, Healer. The right question is: what have YOU done?”

“Everyone… they’re dead… you promised you needed it to clear the gate… you told me…”

“I told you a lie.” His smile didn’t change. “You were the fool who believed me. Their deaths are on your hands as much as mine.”

I stood up, checking my inventory and beginning to drop any group items. “I’m quitting your team. I’d rather die alone out there then stay on under you. After what you've done."

“I’d rethink that, Healer.” He held up a hand, and a bright red gleam shined between his fingers.

“You bastard.” I froze at the sight, unable to move, as realization slowly dawned on me of the extent of his betrayal. “You…”

He stood up, not bothering to listen to the rest of my cursing. “Save your energy.” He paused at the doorway, his gaze settling on my tear-stained face without much interest. “You’ll need it. We ride early tomorrow, Healer. Be ready.”

______________________

“JACK!” I sat up in bed, breathing heavily. I was filled with terror and rage, and it took a moment to realize my familiar surroundings. Light blue walls, intricate draperies, stacks of large books on topics ranging from anatomy to pharmacology. My room. I sighed with relief.

Thinking of my dream, and the bad memory contained within, I stiffened again, slowly slipping my hand into my collar and gripping the cold hard surface of the amulet within. I sat silently, clutching it so tightly that the hard edges began to dig into the skin of my palm. Eventually my speeding heart rate slowed, and my breathing normalized. I was in my house, out of Jack’s reach.

As I calmed down, a notice popped up in my vision.

**You have rested through the night. HP and MP are restored in full. Adverse conditions such as fatigue are eliminated.  You are encouraged to continue your mission in securing the advancement of the human race! Good luck!**

I waved away the notice with a frown. Since the Downfall, since we had woken up in this strange world crafted after a VR game, there had been only vague references to the “purpose” behind it. The original message had mentioned an “opportunity for improvement” but given little other information. Who was it that trapped us all here? Why did they do it? And are they still watching us?

I shook my head. All we knew was that there were one hundred gates to pass to “complete” this mission. Perhaps then we would understand the purpose behind all of this, the meaning of all this pain, death and suffering.

But we were only on the forty-second gate.

I went downstairs, and paused when I spotted Alton the Great Evil Wizard, looking nothing like his terrifying reputation as he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, calmly sewing a black robe. Hearing my footsteps, he looked up and grinned, waving with the hand holding the threaded needle.

“Good morning, Miss Healer!”

If you write down the results and properly format the paper, it even counts as science!

When I was in college, there was a solid year where our lgbt group did this with two bathrooms at the end of a hall that were used by like, maybe 20 people. They would put up gendered signs and we kept stealing them. And then we started writing random things on the walls INCLUDING full word for word copies of personal ads from the back of 1980′s advocate magazines.

It got to the point where the building management was on a hunt trying to find who was doing this and we had to start hiding our faces so as to not get caught on the security cameras. Our faculty advisor came down to the office one day and was like “do you guys know anything about this” essentially as we’re trying to close a comically full drawer of stolen bathroom signs, and we’re like “no” and they were like “great.”

They never caught us. 

Achievement Unlocked:

The Gay Science

Perform gender perception experiments without getting caught.

To anyone who claims it was fake/a mistranslation:

boys: jacking off

girls: jilling off

non binary : ferching a pail of water

Voice actor meet their characters✨🎙️ Meanwhile Amir and Alastor.....

funny phrases to use when something goes wrong instead of jokingly saying "i'm going to kms":

feel free to add on

THIS ONE WINS

oh you know

What is homestuck? Is it like goncharov?

How is he his brother and biological father please

dave is his genetic offspring but was adopted as a little brother rather than a son. all things considered, it's one of the less convoluted aspects of homestuck's family tree

LESS CONVOLUTED?

don't worry about it 🙂

relevant to this blog i think

I like to think i’m allowed to be proud of this

Bowl identification:

East Fork soup bowl in either Eggshell or Panna Cotta, featuring the brass flatware available on their website; Lucky Charms.

did you just... know this??

i fucking adore how hard posts on this website spiral out of control