PM64's 7th Annual Christmas Special

by PokeMaster64

Holiday tomfoolery has arrived once again to cap off the year, though we will be taking it a little easy this year. Join us once again for holiday fun, and to see what awaits us at the end of the year.

2. Chapter 2

"Annnnnnd, welcome back!" I announced. "We've got a lively bunch of comments and questions submitted by all of you for this session! I'm sure we're all looking to seeing what they'll entail from this session. The good, the bad, and the strange!"

Laura smirked. "Who wants to bet AvalonArrival will be handing out new weapon ideas to Pandora?"

Pandora smirked and tapped her claws together. "Ooh, my favorite minion returns from the shadows to bring me his futuristic wisdom? My, my, he proves his loyalties well."

Juniper rolled her eyes. "Why do I get the impression you would become a powerful CEO if you were in my time?" She sipped her soda.

Armant crossed his arms. "I have to say, I do find this all fascinating. A way to connect with the people and part on them your own brand of wisdom. Truly inspiring."

Angel giggled. "I'm just happy to be invited."

"I want presents!" Cheri exclaimed.

"Cheri! Don't be rude."

"Do you know what's going on in Secret of the Idol right now? I think I'm entitled to some presents!"

I laughed nervously. "Um, I'll fix something up for you later, Cheri."

She raised her brow. "Promise?"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"I'm holding you to that, mister!"

"Uh, right." I cleared my throat and pulled out a remote. "Anyway, why don't we get started with our first question?"

Laura looked around. "So, will it be a giant monitor like last time or—"

"Well, it's on the fritz this week, so no. Instead, I hired a Pokémon to deliver the questions to us."

Ryder raised his brow. "Which one?"

Just then, a giant rock punched through my roof and slammed down on the coffee table. Everyone leapt back from the flying debris. On the rock was a message etched into its surface.

I awkwardly tapped my fingers together. "Definitely not a Bombirdier…?"

Juniper rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh yeah, this is going to be one holy Christmas by the end of the session."

Angel giggled. "Ooh, I need to write that one down."

I cleared my throat. "Right, uh…anyway, this one's from AnimeJewel246. And—" My eyes widened as the rock split open, and diamonds spilled out. "…Yep, definitely from her."

DID SOMEBODY SAY...THE GREAT JEWEL? *throws diamonds everywhere*

Yes, that's right. The...chapter email I got did! Ahem. In any case...Happy December! If we ignore all the winter depression, this time of year really is the best, if I do say so myself. Of course, I am lucky that I also have BOTF to help me through all the crazy shenanigans I've had to put up through in school. And now I am spreading the message. For instance...my sister is reading BOTF now and absolutely loves it! (And taking a screenshot of all the grammar mistakes she finds.) I've never been more proud of her. :3

(Admittedly, this is probably a bad idea given what happens in book three, but uh...eh, I'll deal with that later. XP)

I laughed. "Oh goodie, someone else to mock me for my hot-off-the-press writing style. The price to pay for these consistent uploads, I suppose. Though, uh…yeah, good luck with that whole revelation in Part 3 when she gets there."

Melissa shivered. "The less I think about that, the better."

Gosh, I really wish I could ask Armant and Pandora questions, given how the two of them are absolutely amazing and fantastic and deserve nothing short of the best(for instance, Armant: I named my plant after you!); however, I actually have two things prepared for everyone's favorite crazy princess. XP

Pandora crossed her forelegs and smirked. "You will have a great future in my evil empire, Jewel."

Armant scratched his chin. "Well, I'm quite honored to have a plant named after me. I should take up gardening, it sounds relaxing."

Melissa pouted. "Geez, you make a few reckless plans a couple…dozens times, you're labeled for life."

Melissa, first, and admittedly an odd question: have you ever been involved in planning those great big parties you love so much? Whether indirectly or directly. I'm curious because I feel like party-planning is something that not only requires a lot of work, but leadership skills as well. Perhaps it could be something to consider when working on your heist and abilities as a leader: you can look at it through the lenses of your own life experiences.

She scratched her chin. "Hmm, I never thought of it like that. I didn't get too involved with the party planning back when I was still a princess, though I was often tasked by my father to make small talk with young socialites and noble children around my age. I was still awkward around most people, and most of the noble children were from the Verde Kingdom. I couldn't even trust myself handling nobles from other kingdoms during that time. Nowadays, I probably could." She smiled. "I like to think I've grown a lot since those days. I try to use what little I learned back home to get by. Perhaps I'll look more into my experiences with those parties and see what else I have left to work on about myself."

I smiled. "Always room for growth for you, Mels."

"Aww, thanks."

Second, this isn't really a question, but this is also directed mainly toward Brad: I really do have to give my thanks. Throughout the entire run of Withered Spirits, my life was kinda just going in a downward spiral, so relating to Melissa was easier than the alphabet. Reading about how she was able to grow and move forward, however, was not only excellently written, but also helped put a smile on my face after a stressful day of...school. XD I think the one thing that deserves more appreciation than anything else in terms of what writers DO is the feelings and emotional responses that stir within the reader. BOTF, in my opinion, does an amazing job at it. So...keep at it, Brad! And you keep on growing, Melissa! XD

"There's a reason I'm proud with the way Bandits of the Forest is turning out. I put a lot of time and effort into getting everything just right, learning from my shortcomings and…regrets during the early days of my time on this site. I see a lot of myself in Melissa, too, about how we can overcome a lot even if the path ahead seems daunting. I'm glad BOTF gave you ease of mind after a long day of Hel—school! School, that's what I mean."

Melissa giggled. "There's plenty of potential still waiting to be unleashed. I'll keep fighting on and prove to everyone I'm not some weak, little princess."

Armant patted her head. "But you'll still be a shrimp."

She pouted. "Rude." Armant threw his head back and laughed. She lightened up and laughed as well. "Thanks a lot, Jewel."

Anyway...I'll cut the ramblings here. XD It was cool seeing everyone! (Even if I admittedly don't know some of you... :-:)

Happy Holidays! : D

(P.S: I hope you don't mind the snowstorm I left outside. I...may have accidentally angered that wind god again.)

~Jewel

"Take care, Jewel!"

"Have a wonderful holiday!" Melissa exclaimed.

"And can you toss in some more diamonds next time you come by?!" Pandora exclaimed as she hurriedly scooped the pile of diamonds off the floor.

Angel tilted her head. "What was that about a wind god?"

I laughed awkwardly. "Uh, inside joke." I cleared my throat and continued, "Anyway, thanks again, Jewel. Alright, next up is—"

A boulder came crashing through the roof and landed in front of my armchair, nearly crushing my feet. I slowly sank back into my chair and took a deep breath. "These are the mistakes I make."

Laura leaned over. "Ah, it's from Void Reader."

Melissa sighed. "Please be something normal…"

Where did I start? Well then, Melissa, if your heist were to be a success, on the scale of which I envisioned if u all remember, would u considered taking Jet up as one of your knights like Jason n Luna? I have a feeling his loyalty can be pledged to u once he sees what you've done in Echo Bell. Looking forward to more Forest Tales. If there r glitches needed to be fixed in the new games then I guess I can wait a bit longer before seeing their plot. Update soon.

She scratched her chin. "I mean, Jason offered his services to me, and I officially knighted Luna as a gesture of goodwill, so I'm not exactly recruiting knights for the sake of it. Still, he could make a good knight. His loyalty rivals that of Matthias', even down to unhealthily following commands down to the letter." She paused. "Actually, no, Jet's worse in that regard."

I brushed the dust off my pants. "I wouldn't bother getting the games if you're waiting for the glitches to be fixed, Void. The latest patch didn't really do much for the framerate issues, and any glitches they did fix weren't ones I encountered, so I haven't noticed a substantial change."

Ryder raised his hand. "I recall you claiming you gave Sword and Shield a pass last time in hopes Gen 9 would turn out better."

"I did, and this was the final straw. Unless the inevitable Gen 10 gets a massive overhaul in production, Pokémon Scarlet may be the last mainline Pokémon game I'll ever play. So yeah, these might be the first Pokémon games I don't recommend based off principle."

"I see."

"Anyway, thanks for dropping by, Void. Have a wonderful holiday."

Melissa looked up at the ceiling. "So, how many more boulders do you think your ceiling can take?"

I sighed. "I have no idea…" I tucked my legs against my chest and gulped. "Alright, next question!"

The next boulder crashed down next to the one on the coffee table. Armant waved the dust aside and leaned forward. "This one appears to be from Fiction Realm."

Juniper smiled. "Right, he's the fellow that wanted to make a BOTF Fighting game concept, right?"

"That's right," I said.

So Brad. That game concept I mentioned last time. Yiu think you can send over the rest of the characters so I can work on the profiles?

"I'll send over as many as I can, but it is a tad time consuming. I'll send over some villain characters and a few more Foresters when I get the chance."

Also this is fir everyone. GEN 9 Pokémon. Who is yiur favourite and who is the least liked?

Ryder flinched. "Kind of a weird question for us considering we interact with these types of Pokémon."

I sighed. "Well, I'll start. So, no surprise here, but my new favorite is Tinkaton. Just…the entries and concept alone make it amazing. Plus, mine was a powerhouse during my playthrough. Least favorite? Specifically Pawmo. The evolution of Pawmi into Pawmot would've worked better, but Pawmo barely changes in appearance when Pawmi evolves. Granted, the whole joke with its name does get the idea across. Mi, mo, and mot indicate it's becoming more of something when it evolves, if I'm remembering that right. So, Pawmot would be the most Pawmi of the Pawmi."

Juniper tapped her chin. "Hmm, Clodsire. He is shaped like a friend. No real least favorite."

Melissa smiled. "Mabosstiff seems really sweet." She grimaced. "I don't like the male Oinkologne, though. Nothing personal against them, but its dex entry…brings up unpleasant memories."

Pandora rubbed her paws together, laughing under her breath. "So many choices. Revavroom could revolutionize transport for my evil army. Annihilape could devastate my enemies on the front lines. Tatsugiri could be my leading tactician! Bombirdier will bombard my enemies from the skies! MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Laura patted the Growlithe's head. "Easy does it, girl. As for me, I'm quite partial to our new android compatriots, especially Iron Thorns. Sandy Shocks is a disgrace to all things artificial! How dare they revert back to primitive times!"

Ryder sighed. "Lokix or Spidops, I guess."

Angel smiled. "Maushold seems like a lovely family."

Cheri grinned. "I like Meowscarada!"

"A bold choice," I muttered behind my hand.

Armant crossed his arms. "Meh. Doesn't feel right to judge other Pokémon for their appearances. Not my style. In terms of who I'd fight, though? I'd love to go a few rounds against Iron Hands. I heard they're very useful in those Tera Raids."

I nodded. "Well, that was some wonderful insights from everyone. Take care, Fiction Realm, and I'll be sure to send over those details when I can."

Ryder glanced up. "Hey, we won't have to worry about one of those boulders dropping on our heads, right?"

I groaned. "I hope not." I hesitantly clicked my remote.

A boulder came crashing down in front of Cheri and Angel, spooking them. "Good heavens!"

Laura leaned over and grinned. "Hey-o, now there's a name I've been looking forward to seeing! My dude, Cappy, or rather mikepeashooter."

I smirked. "Well, by all means, you can read it."

"Why, thank you!"

What's loppin my fellow gents, ladies, and ESPECIALLY my fair lady, Laura! the catalyst of chaos that is me, Cappy. has come to ask some very dumb but entertaining questions!

firstly, directly to of course my favorite Android. What would happen if you got Isekai'd into the world of BOTF? you know what Isekai means, right?

Laura giggled. "Nice to see you, too, Cappy. You certainly know how to charm a superior, mechanical beauty such as I."

Ryder rolled his eyes. "Oh brother…"

"And yes, I am aware of what an Isekai is." She chuckled. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Brad was planning some big crossover story involving all the main characters fighting some greater, interdimensional evil."

"…" I looked away. "I make no comment on that."

She laughed. "Anyway, getting back to your question, getting sent to Virdis in its current state may pose its fair share of challenges. For instance, I still need power to run, and there aren't exactly magic plants like my time in the Forest of No Light. Then again…" She leaned over and nudged Pandora. "At least I know I'll have a bestie by my side to keeping me powered on."

Pandora grinned. "How could I possibly let anything happen to my favorite instrument of war?"

"If that problem was circumvented, I would already be a menace to Virdis society. An android capable of delivering devastation unlike anything their pitiful weapons could imagine! I would be a force of reckoning aiming to obliterate all who stood in my way! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Pandora laughed. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun! Brad, right up an Isekai for Laura, now!"

"Not after that display!" I shouted.

Laura pouted. "Spoiled sport…"

secondly, directed to Melissa, how does it feel to be in quite a huge series to the PM64 world? does the popularity feel overwhelming for a little rabbit like you or is it pretty cool?

Melissa blushed. "Oh my, I wasn't expecting so many questions pointed toward me." She smiled. "It's definitely an honor. I know Brad has been putting a lot of work into BOTF before it started, but hearing how much everyone's been praising me for my development warms my heart. I'm so happy I could rise up to the occasion as one of his best main protagonists. I hope to keep being worthy of everyone's praise as the story continues."

I nodded. "Well put, Melissa. And there's plenty more to come in the future. Lots of fun ahead."

"…I can see why everyone on the server can't take you seriously. Nothing you say brings confidence."

I laughed. "Yeah. Yeah…"

well, those are the questions i try to muster up to think about. I'm gonna be going and play TF2 Smissmas 2022 update and hope the cosmetics are actually good this year. see ya later everyone and have a "Cappy Holidays!"

P.S. hehe, see what i did there? Happy Holidays, Cappy Holidays. oh Arceus arent i... something.

Angel snorted. "Cappy Holidays. I love it!"

Cheri groaned. "Sweet Mew, there's another one…"

Laura giggled. "Cappy Holidays to you, too, Cappy. Take care!"

"Have a wonderful holiday, Cappy!" I exclaimed.

Melissa laughed. "I never expected so many questions to be directed at me. I wonder how many more we'll be getting like that—"

A boulder crashed down again, this time in front of Ryder. After recovering from the shock, he leaned forward and squinted at the writing. He frowned. "Uh, are you sure you want that?"

She blinked. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "This one's from PokeStreets. Ahem…"

So Melissa, any idea what you are gonna do to Darby when you see him again?

Melissa turned noticeably pale at the mention of the name. "D-Darby…"

Pandora bared her teeth and snarled. "Oh, I can tell you exactly what I'll do to him the next time we cross paths!"

Laura cracked her metallic knuckles. "Oho, don't leave me out of that—"

"No. No…" Melissa raised her hand and silenced the girls. "It's fine. I can answer this one myself."

Juniper frowned. "You sure, Mels?"

"I'm sure."

Armant patted her head. "Take your time, shrimp."

She took a deep breath and looked ahead. "It may be some time before I ever work up the nerve to confront Darby. I still deal with the occasional nightmare of that horrific day. As such, I've been trying my best to avoid thinking about him or what I would want to do if we were to meet again. And I want to honor the laws of the Foresters for what they stand for, knowing that I have to be the bigger Pokémon in this situation."

I smiled. "That was very mature of you, Melissa. I'm sure it must've been hard to—"

"That all being said…" Everyone's eyes widened as she drew a dagger and stabbed it into a nearby boulder, snarling. "If I ever see that rotten jerk, I'm going to tear out his eyes and tongue and feed them down his throat with fifty kilograms of rotten potatoes, burn and seal his beak shut, and stomp on him until they've been firmly mixed into bloody mashed potatoes!"

A dead silence filled the stage as everyone stared at the huffing Buneary. Pandora shakily raised her paw. "How long have you had that in your system?"

"A while, actually."

"Feeling better?"

She breathed a sigh and smiled. "A little better, yes."

"Good…"

Ryder thought for a moment and asked, "How would you even get fifty kilograms of potatoes down his throat? Most folks would start getting full off a couple."

"Very, very stubbornly."

"…Fair enough."

I laughed awkwardly. "Well, thank you, PokeStreets. You've certainly…enlightened us to the depths of Melissa's grudge. Have a wonderful holiday!"

Melissa let out the rest of her frustration and smiled brighter. "You know, I actually do feel much better after that. I feel like I can take on the—"

CRASH!

"AAAHH!" She covered her head as a boulder came crashing down on top of her, but Armant stuck his arm out and caught it. She shakily looked up and smiled nervously. "Th-Thanks."

I glared at the ceiling. "Be careful where you're dropping those! You already owe me a new ceiling!"

Armant set the boulder down and examined it. "This one's from Anime Profiler. Truly fascinating. Shall I read?"

I waved at the air. "Go right ahead."

For everyone I would like to say this.
Which anime would suit you based on occupation, life or experiences?

I shrugged. "Honestly, hard to say for me. I rather not get sucked into an anime world with a high mortality rate. Probably somewhere with more slice of life elements. The rest of you?"

Pandora smirked. "Gundam."

I facepalmed. "Of…course."

"Just picture it. Me, piloting a death mech that showers destruction across my enemies, bringing me a step closer to global conquest! MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh boy…"

Ryder sighed. "Spy X Family seems right up my alley. Not terribly different to what I already do for a living."

Laura tapped her chin and thought it over. "I wonder how much damage I could cause in Sword Art Online since I can hack computers."

Juniper scrolled through her phone and squinted. "Some of these titles are too long to read…"

Cheri looked over her shoulder. "What is…Attack on Titan—"

"Nope!" I ran over, picked her up by the scruff, and dropped her on the other side of Angel. "None of that!"

Armant crossed his arms. "Baki would be a good fit—"

"Wait, I changed my answer!" Pandora exclaimed. "Dr. Stone! I can rule the world by being its first conqueror! MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I facepalmed. "Let's move on before she finds the one with the most nuclear armaments."

Also what would your theme songs be?

Ryder shrugged. "Never really thought about it. Find Your Flame, I guess?"

Juniper grinned. "There's this one track by Brandon Yates called Stup-Ed Stars. I personally find it funny."

Melissa grabbed Juniper's phone and scrolled through a list of songs. "Ooh, I like the sound of The Resistance by Skillet."

Laura tapped her chin. "Everywhere I Go by ONLAP. I sometimes question who I am, but I'm getting better with that."

Armant took a look at the phone. "Hmm, some fellow named Therewolf Media made an interesting song called Ikari!"

Pandora grinned. "Voltaire's When You're Evil, baby!"

I chuckled. "Fitting for you, Pan. And I don't think we need to hear from Angel and Cheri."

Angel shook her head. "I think we're good here, dear."

Cheri pouted. "Aww, I want my own theme song."

"Anyway, thanks for your time, Anime Profiler. Take care!" I pulled out an umbrella and opened it over my head. "Please don't land on me, please don't land on me, please don't—"

Another boulder crash down onto the stage. Directly next to my armchair.

"…" I closed the umbrella and stashed it away. "Yep, definitely made a mistake hiring a Bombirdier." I shook his head and squinted at the boulder. "This one's from zarza7786. Nice to have you with us, zarza. Whatcha' got for us today?"

When will you continue Ryder's Fear?

"Ah yes, Ryder's Fear. Haven't touched that in ages. As for continuing it, it's hard to say. I'm currently in the midst of doing a small rewrite of the first two chapters as I wanted to take it in a slightly different direction than what was originally intended. So, I'm actually planning to delete the original Ryder's Fear and upload it anew when I get around to finishing that. I want it to be a fresh start and something I could actually appreciate. It'll be a while since I'm focusing most of my time on BOTF and entering the finishing stages of TSOTI. We'll see when it gets there."

Ryder crossed his arms and nodded. "Hopefully eventually."

Laura smirked. "Just as long as you finish up my short story, buster."

I chuckled. "Right, right. I will. Anyway, thank you for your time, zarza. Take care!"

Armant glanced at the roof and frowned. "So, how are you planning to fix all of this up?"

"…I have no idea." I sighed and facepalmed. "Just send in the next boulder."

Another boulder smashed down into the room, crashing front of Angel and Cheri. "Oh my!" Angel gasped. "Oh, I guess I'll be reading this one."

"By all means."

She smiled and leaned forward. "Very well. This one is from Umbreonic65. Oh, what a lovely name."

My, Ryder's, and Laura's eyes widened in shock. "Oh no…"

Marry Christmas Everyone tis I Umbreonic65! For those who haven't heard of me allow me to spin you a tail! I'm the guy who caused a bit of trauma to a few people with my hard hitting questions! That said I'm severely behind on stories unfortunately. Ain't gonna stop me though for tis the Season for my return! I'm not sorry in advance! Let's start with the Mother of the Dewott Thief… You are inflicted with a curse that causes you intense pain whenever you make puns and the only way to get rid of it is for a family member to give their life up! They are also fighting amongst themselves over who will give up their life i.e. Tony is saying he should, Cheri is saying she should, and your husband is saying he should (I forgot the Samurott's name apologies.) The choice is up to you who is giving up their life OR will you refuse their sacrifice and live with the curse for the rest of your life? Have fun.

"WHAT?!" Cheri gasped.

Angel pouted. "Good heavens, that seems terribly inappropriate. Downright rude, I would say."

I sighed. "Yeah, Umbreon pulled these kinds of questions on Jango before. And some of the others. They kind of enjoy stirring up traumatic situations for everyone on set. Angel, you don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable—"

She waved it off. "No, no, I am a guest on this show, so I must do my part…even if this young man should learn to mind his manners with such horrific questions. The answer should be obvious: I wouldn't be daft enough to put my family's safety below my own. I'd take on this curse proudly."

Cheri's eyes widened. "What?! But you love making puns! How could you deal with being in pain like that?!"

Angel smiled. "Sweetie, no mother in their right mind would put their children in danger. And for all of Leroy's…faults, it's not worth killing him over. Besides, I see it as an opportunity of a lifetime."

"…What?"

She chuckled. "Well, if I'm going to be in intense pain every time I make a pun, I have to change up my material. Dedicating the right moments to making the perfect pun for the perfect opportunity, making the pain worthwhile knowing I'm spreading comedic genius at precise moments rather than rattling them off every five minutes."

"…" Cheri's eye twitched. "You would willingly endure a pain curse just so you'd have more time to prime yourself to tell better puns?!"

Angel laughed. "Well, that's putting it painly, but one mustn't overdo their talents, lest they endure career sooner than later. It's all about quality, of curse!"

"…" Cheri picked up a pillow and screamed into it.

Laura smirked. "You are more of a masochist than I pinned you for, Ms. Sapienti."

Angel giggled. "What's the saying? Artists suffering for their art?"

I chuckled. "Once again, Angel Sapienti takes a miserable scenario and makes humor out of it. Please continue."

"Of course, dear."

Next Question is for the adorable Cheri I had originally thought of a dark question for you see how you react instead I have decided on a deep question instead. Out of the new Pokemon in Scarlett and Violett what you be AND your family? You can choose different species for each family member!

Cheri pulled the pillow from her face and thought it over. "Well, if it means I don't have to stick within two species…" She grinned. "I'd love to be a Dachsbun. I'd be so warm and toasty all the time and smell like fresh bread. Who doesn't love the smell of fresh bread?"

Melissa smiled. "That does sound lovely."

"And I can see Mom as a Bellibolt. Matches her…humorous personality."

Angel giggled. "Aww, you flatter me, sweet pea."

"And Tony would be a Palafin, because he's my big brother and my hero!" She paused and tapped her chin. "Not sure about Dad since I barely know him. Um…maybe a Ceruledge. Yeah, that seems appropriate."

I chuckled. "Sounds fitting. Alright, what's left?"

Also Brad hope you have good house insurance because I sent Tony and his Father a ransom note as a prank to see how long until they break through your wall trying to save Cheri and her Mother… Heh call back to the year I traumatized Jango.

"…" I looked up at my ceiling and frowned. "Not very long, I imagine." I awkwardly pulled on my collar. "You said you still needed to catch up with TSOTI, right? Uh…there's a slight chance both Tony and Leroy are kind of unavailable at this time, so your letter's probably not going to reach them. Trust me, you'll understand in time. Better for my house, at least…"

Laura chuckled. "You have no idea."

"Right, well…thank you for your time Umbreonic. Have a wonderful day!"

"And try to work on your manners, dear!" Angel added. "Starting off with questions like that doesn't leave the best first impression."

Cheri groaned. "Mooooom…"

Ryder jumped off the couch and peered through the holes in the ceiling. "Hmm, I can see the Bombirdier circling over the house again." He held his hands out over his eyes and squinted at the sky. "Uh huh. Hmm. Yep."

"What?" I asked.

"…You might want to scooch your chair three steps to the left. Your left, specifically."

I awkwardly pushed into my armchair, roughly moving the requested distance. "Like that—" I jumped as another boulder slammed into the floor on the right side of my chair. "Sweet flippin' Mew!"

"You're welcome." Ryder returned to his seat.

I took a moment to catch my breath and sighed. "Alright then…" I glanced at the boulder. "Looks like this one is from Drifter77. Nice to have you around, Drifter. Whatcha' got for us?"

Hey Brad!
Hard to believe that TSOTI is coming to an end soon after 7 years of writing. I may not have been there at the story's beginning, but you better believe that I'll be there to witness the end.

"It's hard to believe myself. I've been working on that story since my final semester of high school. I never imagined I'd be getting to this point, but the end is well within the horizon now." I laughed. "Almost don't want it to end, but perhaps it's for the best since TSOTI is a bit much even for me. I do hope to have it finished before the end of 2023. Maybe the summer at the earliest."

As a minor note for my story I mentioned last year and the year before that, I reworked one faction, conceptualized other characters and I changed the enforcer character from a chesnaught to a beartic. Maybe I'll share more details on the discord server someday.

"Huh, that's interesting. Yeah, definitely feel free to share it in the server. That's what the idea-sharing channel is for, after all. I don't remember too much about your story, so it would be nice to get a refresher."

With that out of the way, here are the questions!
1. Pandora, how far would your empire spread across? Would you settle for the region of Virdis, the entire planet itself, or would you reach across the stars themselves?

Pandora clicked her claws together and smirked. "Oh, there is so much potential out there. As it stands, I set my sights on conquering the Virdis region. Then, as I develop new technologies to increase the scope of my army, we shall advance beyond the waters of Virdis and set out to conquer other lands! Then, I shall instill the will of my evil into my descendants so they can continue my legacy and conquer the stars in the distance future! My evil shall exist beyond time and space itself, to where I shall be the true conqueror of all reality! MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Laura smirked. "So, in other words, you want to be the CEO of a worldwide company that has a monopoly on everything and shamelessly promote nepotism to ensure your legacy lives on."

"…" Pandora paused and thought it over for a moment. "Ooh, that's even better! That'll be my backup plan!"

I massaged my temples and groaned. "Pandora running a profitable, global company. Sweet Mew, we're doomed..."

Melissa giggled. "Well, she does reach for lofty heights."

2. Brad, once TSOTI is wrapped up, what ideas do you have in store for us?

I straightened up. "Ah, this ones interesting. I'm still in the process of deciding what to do as I have a few ideas waiting on the backburner. Maybe I'll take a break from writing two stories at once and use that time to focus on BOTF. Maybe even work on Ryder's Fear and Heart and Soul of the Machine. That said, if I were to start up another story, we have a few options.

"I'm definitely considering writing the side story to Bandits of the Forest. Bandit of the Outlands: Sand and Toxin. I'm not sure how long that one will take, but it won't be nearly as packed as something like TSOTI. There is, of course, finally writing The Phoenix Knight's Path or getting around to doing the sequel to Forest of No Light.

"There is one other story that I haven't mentioned yet. There was a time that I said I never wanted to do a sequel to this particular story, but I had a change of perspective by deciding to go in a new direction with it. It's still in the planning stages, and I doubt it'll ever see the light of day, but who knows?

"Honestly, I've been jotting down ideas for stories for a while. I have some…interesting plans for the lore of BOTF, but those are a long ways away from being written down. At most, I'm considering starting up Sand and Toxin next just to focus my attention on BOTF for a while. I have other ideas for short stories in the works, but those won't be officially announced for a while."

Ryder smirked. "Good grief, and you still plan on writing professionally?"

I shrugged. "I like stories, what else can I say? Heck, if I had any artistic talent, I'd be making my own comics!"

That's all and have a merry christmas!

"Have yourself a Merry Christmas as well, Drifter. I hope to hear more about your story on the server. I'm sure everyone else would love to learn more about it."

Angel giggled. "It's fun listening to others talk about their passions. You can hear the joy and enthusiasm in their tones."

"Yeah, I get like that sometimes. Holding a conversation can be pretty difficult, but once you have something to talk about, it's hard to stop." I shrugged. "I prefer listening to people, though. I have to work up the nerve to start a conversation. But enough about that. Let's get onto the next set of questions—"

A boulder crashed down onto my mangled coffee table, crushing one of the previous boulders.

"..." I sighed and facepalmed. "Good grief."

Melissa giggled awkwardly. "Um, I'll read this one. It looks like it's from our pal, Austin, or specifically HDK315." She cleared her throat and squinted at the text.

The discord server has been around for nearly a year now. It's a wonderful place, where we laugh, discuss, theorize, talk about video games, meme, fantasize about murdering evil penguins-okay, maybe that last one's just me.

Melissa pouted. "No, I dare say you're not the only one with those thoughts."

Pandora snickered. "Pretty sure everyone in the server has had the odd thought or two."

I still think starting the server just before THAT arc was a great idea. Part 3 of BOTF was fantastic all across, but I think that first act is the signature definer for the volume.

I chuckled. "Definitely wasn't planned that way, but it certainly made for an interesting topic in the first few weeks. Something of a turning point for the story and where it'll go."

Sadly, this year has been so... Packed and busy for me that the Holidays haven't fully sunk in yet. The less free time you have, the harder it is to enjoy things. That's why real life sucks; all I wanna do is watch anime, play video games, read and write fanfiction, go on YouTube, and listen to Christmas music but these freaking responsibilities are getting in the way of what's ACTUALLY important!

I sighed. "Yeah, those are my fears for the future. I'm still looking for a job (haven't had the best of luck with that) and worrying about balancing my life. I admit I need to work, especially since I've entered periods of doing nothing to pass the time, so the distraction would at least keep me motivated. Just afraid it'll become another thing to worry about. Guess that's part of life, which doesn't sound all that appealing. Still, it has to be done."

And speaking of what's actually important; Armant (the best bounty hunter of the Virdis-verse). You have been travelling a long time for the sake of discovery, money, and facing strong enemies. If you were put in a situation where you had to choose between multiple bounties to take, which criteria would be most likely to sway you: The job with the strongest opponent, the one that pays the most, or the one that takes you to the most exciting location (a landmark, city, some alluring uncharted area, etc)?

Armant grinned. "So many wonderful options. I do enjoy getting myself into a scrap and exploring different lands and cultures. However, I'd have to go for the jobs that pay the most. I'm a man of my word, and I have mountains of debt to clear up across the region. I can't move on with my life until I've left this world debt free."

Laura smirked. "You're more honest than most folks I know. Why hold onto those sorts of obligations?"

"Because if I don't pay off my debts, I'd just be another liar in a string of crime. I want to stay honest, so I work every day to ensure my debts are cleared. It's nothing simpler than that."

Melissa smiled. "Aww. You're a good man, Armant."

"Heh, I know."

To Brad: The lore for your stories has gotten a lot more complex (and by extension, possibly challenging to fit together) as time goes on. Between coming up with character backstories, setting history, the laws of each resoective universe, pretty much everything etc, which story did you have the most fun with brainstorming the setting and piecing together how the different world building all fits in with each other and thenoresent day narrative?

I laughed. "I'd have to go with Bandits of the Forest on that one. Compared to my other stories, I've put a lot more effort into maintaining and developing the overarching lore of this world. I put a lot of time into planning how I wanted this story to grow. In some ways, it exceeded into a direction I've yet to explore. Possibilities beyond the scope of the ending. I've dedicated time toward a calendar system, maintaining dates and times, developing internal histories for each kingdom, and so on. And there's a whole lot more being developed on the side that…well, I'm not sure if it'll ever see the light of day. I've just had a lot of fun developing BOTF's universe that I almost don't want to see it end."

Ryder raised his brow. "What does that mean exactly?"

"Heh. That awaits to be explored, I suppose. Could be a new project, or something that could've been."

Merry Christmas to everyone; try not to drink too much egg nog. Or do.

Armant picked up a tankard of eggnog and handed it to Melissa. "Don't have to tell me twice!" He leaned back and gulped down his tankard.

Melissa eyed it warily, but caved in when she caught a glimpse of Laura and Pandora snickering. She pouted, tilted back, and mirrored Armant as she drank the whole tankard down. She finished the whole thing off and slammed it down on the boulder in front of her. "Another!"

Armant laughed. "Sure thing, shrimp!" He picked up his barrel and poured her another.

Laura smirked. "She's so getting wasted."

Pandora laughed. "Oh yeah!"

I shook my head and chuckled. "Oh boy. Anyway, Merry Christmas to you, too, HDK! Thanks for being with us today!"

Angel raised her hand. "May I get one eggnog?"

Armant filled another tankard and deftly tossed it to her. "Order up!"

She caught it and took a sip, smacking her lips in delight. "Mmm, that's the good stuff right there."

"…" Cheri frowned.

"What?"

"Nothing. I was…expecting you to make an overused pun."

Angel grinned. "And here I thought you didn't like my eggcellent yolks."

Cheri facepalmed. "Ugggggh…"

I rubbed my hands together. "Alright, what's next?" A boulder crashed down and landed behind the couch, startling the Pokémon. I sighed and hung my head. "My poor ceiling…"

Armant reached over and effortlessly lifted the boulder to the front of the couch. "Looks like this one's from Luminoz1ty."

"Ah, excellent. Glad to have you with us, Lumi. What maddening explorations of the mind do you have to share with us today?" I gestured to Ryder. "If you would."

He nodded. "Sure." He leaned forward and squinted at the rock.

Hey, what's up guys? Luminozity here! And I'm back with some TSOTI and BOTF Abridged jokes!

...I'm kidding. None of that today, not this time around at least. XD

I won't be able to torture Wes with those anyway. Not that I was going to-

...Oh right... he's a sensitive topic...

*Ahem* Moving on...

I pulled on the collar of my shirt awkwardly. "Heh, yeah. Right…"

Laura sighed. "You think we should've put minor spoiler warnings in?"

Ryder shrugged. "Meh."

"Well, it's certainly a shame we won't get to hear any of your riveting ideas for an abridged series," I said. "I'm sure Melissa would've enjoyed them."

Melissa slammed her tankard down on the boulder in front of her and hiccupped. "Youse talking smack or something?!"

"…Melissa, how many of those did you drink already?"

"I don't remembleb!" She shakily waved her tankard at Armant. "Another!"

Man, this feels so weird now! It's been almost a year since you created the PM64 server, yet it doesn't feel that long ago. I got to meet so many wonderful individuals. Gotta say, we make an odd bunch, but I think that makes being in the server a lot more enjoyable. In all honesty, my time in the server is the happiest I have felt in recent years. This community has really helped me out of a dark place, and I have you to thank for that, Brad. So...really, thanks.

I smiled. "I'm glad I could help you out, even if indirectly. Seems not too long ago, yet so much happened over the last year. Many, many things to laugh about and to my utter detriment that they exist…like say certain memes." I chuckled. "It's been a nice, though. I never expected a whole lot of people to show up, but we've formed a decent community for everyone to chill and hang out. I'm happy with what we developed on the server. It was definitely the best decision I made."

Introductions aside, here are my questions:

1. To Armant: What do you think of Benedict Stonefist from TSOTI?

Armant grinned and straightened up. "Ah yes, a man of great strength and valor such as myself. I have much to say in regards of him. He's incredibly powerful from what I've heard, so much so that you lot on your server seem keen on seeing us duke it out in Ultimate Arena. I personally welcome the opportunity to fight someone outside my side of reality to test the upper limits of my strength. I want to see how the physical strongest magician compares to my pure raw strength."

I chuckled. "You found yourself a worthy rival, Armant. Let's hope something like that comes to pass."

Pandora smirked. "Ooh, I'm looking forward to analyzing that matchup."

2. To Brad: It's crazy that it's been nearly a year since the creation of the server. We had some wacky, emotional, and some not-so family friendly moments. What are some of your fondest memories from the server?

I thought it over for a moment. "Well, definitely one of my favorites was that one session of Gartic Phone. So many crazy and iconic drawings came out of that game, from the artistically gifted Cappy to some of the stranger drawings that went south fast. Definitely makes me want to set up game days more often. It's just hard to get a group going with everyone in different time zones. Still, best to make the effort.

"That's the one that stands out because I enjoy a lot of the interactions throughout the course of the year. Jewel's diamond antics, Grim's being the most wholesome reaper around, all the Ultimate Arena covers you made, all the wonderful art we got to experience from Cappy and Gab, and…well, just a whole lot. I'm hoping to keep the fun going through the next year."

Laura smiled. "You were right. That server was a good idea."

Some nice and short questions this time around, but that's alright. I'm very much looking forward to the live discussion we'll have on the Discord in a bit. Hopefully we can set up some game nights too.

Happy holidays, everyone!

PS: Stay adorable, Mels!

Melissa raised her tankard dizzily. "Annnnd a happy snarglefest to you, too~!" She fell over on the couch, spilling her drink onto the floor.

Armant nodded thoughtfully. "Four cups. Not bad for a first time." Pandora and Laura snickered.

I smiled. "I'm looking forward to the live discussion as well. A lot to talk about with Bandits of the Forest. Hopefully I'll have a date set up that works out for everyone. Worse comes to worst, it'll be during the first week of January. Hoping to have it before the New Year, though. Either way, take care, Lumi! Happy Holidays!"

Laura jumped up from her seat and peered through the ceiling. "Okay, where's the next one landing?" She scanned the sky and smiled. "Oh, there it—"

SMASH!

Everyone jumped as the boulder smashed down on top of Laura, sending gears and metal flying all over the stage. We all stared at it in shocked silence as one of her gears rolled toward us and fumbled onto its side.

Cheri gulped. "I…did I just witness a murder?"

"BESTIE!" Pandora shrieked.

"Chill, chill!" We looked over to the left as Laura entered, slipping on a blue sweater. "Fortunately, I have backup bodies laying around for situations like this. Anyway, who's reading?"

Pandora fainted.

"Guess I am." Laura walked over to the boulder, casually kicking pieces of herself out of the way. "Hmm…ah! How fitting. Looks like TheGrimReaper666 was the one who crushed me. Better luck next time, specter of death!"

I frowned. "Laura, you do realize the Bombirdier was the one who dropped that, right?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, but the rock's closer. Anyway…"

*forms from a mass of black fog*

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIIIME OF THE YEEAAAARR! Haha! Another year gone, and a new one dawns upon us. Just one year closer to the all encompassing eternal darkness, guys! Isn't that exciting! :D

Ryder frowned. "Was that a promise or a threat?"

"I have no idea," I muttered.

Lol, but in all seriousness, hello everybody! It is very nice to be apart of these once again. And I gotta say Brad, was not expecting these specific guests to visit, but it's a pleasant surprise. Like, Juniper? Geez, I haven't heard that name in a looooong time. How have ya been, Juniper?

Juniper groaned. "So exhausting! Did you know being an ambassador to improving the relations of Fusions and Pokémon requires paperwork? I nearly collapsed from the stress after signing my name three whole times. Ugh, I need a me day."

I glared. "Juniper…"

She waved me off. "Yeah, yeah, I have responsibilities now. You sound like Wash." She opened a new can of soda and sipped it. "Still, not all bad. I do get some sweet benefits out of it. Oh, too bad no one will get to see the stress of my new work life since Brad doesn't want to do a sequel to Tribe of Fusions."

"…" I looked away. "Put a pin in that."

Juniper grinned. "But yeah, life is good, Mister Reaper."

And Angel's here too? My, isn't this a "shocking" surprise! And you brought along your daughter as well?! Why, that's just the "Cherri" on top! Hahaha! (Sorry not sorry, Cherri! XD) I'm quite happy to see you two here for one of these specials. How delightful.

Angel giggled. "Oh my, you're quite the flatterer, Mr. Reaper. This dusk be my lucky day to meet someone who enjoys a good pun like I do. What a skeleton of fun!"

Cheri groaned. "Oh no, there's two of them…"

Angel laughed. "We're honored to be apart of this year's session. Not many from Secret of the Idol could…quite show up for obvious reasons."

Cheri chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe Brad will remember to put a minor spoiler note on the summary before this comes out."

Ayyyy, is that the indestructible chad of BOTF, Armant? What's up, man?! If you couldn't already tell, you're a favorite character of mine. Good to see you here! We should definitely get a drink together sometime! That is, if you don't mind a meeting with another Reaper, that is. XD

Armant bowed in his seat. "I am grateful for your appreciation, good Reaper. I would be honored to partake in drinks with you. You already are better company than the last reaper I ran into. Then again, you aren't in the room to chop my head off, but at least the conversation is pleasant."

Alright, with greetings out of the way, let's get straight to my question. To Brad: it's no secret that you have made quite a few characters over the years, mostly in your two recent stories obviously. And seeing all these amazing eccentric characters has got me wondering, what is your thought process of making characters for your stories? Of course, I know it isn't that complex of a process. It just would be fun talking about what goes through your mind when creating your characters.

I smiled. "This is actually something I wanted to bring up in the live discussion regarding how I wanted to develop the characters of BOTF. Though originally, ideas were a lot simpler. Obviously with the first stories I wrote, characterization and motivation were basic since I didn't put a lot of thought into the core of their personalities. Then I started pushing more towards giving an internal importance to some of these characters. BOTF is probably where I finally cemented how I wanted to write characters with TSOTI adopting more of that philosophy in the second half.

"All I will say for now is that there was a reason, when I first ask for BOTF OC submissions, that characters needed those specific, unusual quirks to make them stand out. And, I have to say, I think a lot of the submitters followed what I was going for, whether or not they realized."

Alright, that is all I have for now. It's still crazy to me how it's already been a year since I have joined your discord. Joining it was honestly one of the best decisions, if not the best decision, I had made last year. The hilarious messages, the chaotic shenanigans, the fun games we all play together, hell, just simply interacting with the most amazing people in the server that I can very confidently call friends (which of course includes you Brad)...it has been the most fun I had in a very long time, especially on discord. So with that said, I very much look forward to spending this new year with you guys. Oh, what kinds of chaos will we cause in this upcoming year? Only time will tell. XD

Happy holidays, everyone! And may mayhem and "discord" follow us everywhere!

*fades away*

"That honestly makes me happy hearing the server was a great idea. Somewhere fun for all of us to hang out and share our ideas over a common interest. I do hope to have more activities for the future. I would love to do something like Jackbox, but I have no idea how to set that up from my Switch. Though, if I ever do figure that out, that does increase the number of games we can do. Eh, something to figure out in the future.

"You have yourself a wonderful holiday, Grim!"

Angel waved. "Take care, dear."

Juniper raised her can. "Cheers!"

Armant raised his tankard and laughed. "Can't wait to share that drink with you, pal!"

Melissa drunkenly picked herself off the couch and hiccupped. "M-Merry Krimis…" She fell over again.

Laura finished adjusting her sweater and glanced through the ceiling again. "Ooh boy, incoming!" She dodged out of the way as another boulder smashed down on set.

"EEP!" Melissa staggered awake and fell off the couch.

Ryder groaned. "This is going to be a pain to clean up."

"Agreed." I stood up and investigated the rock. "Alright, this one's from Ninetales29. Glad to hear from you. What do you have for us today, buddy?"

Heya its Mystic Nineatles been a while, I know I haven't been catching up with the stories but I do remember something. In TSOTI, when talking about Mystero or... Mystro, one of the two, whats the difference between the real world their in vs like other worlds like Realms, Worlds, stuff like those?

"Well, first off, it's Mysto. Close enough, though. Second, I believe you're referring to the base realms and the dimensions scattered across Mysto. Well, it's not so much they're traveling into entirely different worlds or universes, but rather entering other planes of reality overlapping with Mysto on a…fourth-dimensional level. Think of it like entering a cave, completely remote from the outside world but still...there, in a sense. These different dimensions overlap with each other and have specific access points throughout Mysto. Essentially, Mysto is a lot bigger than it looks from a map as these different dimensions overlap the same space, but do not interact with each other barring any space magic shenanigans that disrupt the borders."

Angel nodded. "And these different dimensions don't harbor Pokémon from other realities. Everyone in these different dimensions are Pokémon from Mysto who just happen to inhabit one of these spaces."

I shrugged. "And there's so many of them that there's a legitimate business toward discovering them and purchasing them as owned land. The only major difference is that these different dimensions are a lot…stranger than base Mysto as they are entirely composed of wild magic. There may be some dimensions that have some crazy terrain, but that awaits to be seen. I hope that makes sense."

Pandora snickered. "Ooh, I could see the potential to use this to my advantage."

Juniper raised her hand. "Question. Does that mean there's a dimension entirely made of pillows?"

"…" I frowned. "Hypothetically, yes?"

"Sold! I found the spot for my new vacation home!"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh boy." I smiled. "Anyway, hope that clears things up. Take care, and Merry Christmas, Ninetales."

Armant raised his brow. "Wait, you said you were nearing the end of TSOTI. What do you mean that awaits to be seen?"

"Time will tell." I peeked up at the ceiling. "Okay, surely that was the last of—"

CRASH!

I frowned as another boulder smashed into my floor. "…Never mind."

Cheri raced over and inspected it. "Looks like this one's from a fellow named Akishyff, better known as JDunks878."

Heyo, JDunks878 here! …this is what happens when you develop an online pseudonym that's actually good and have to change all your usernames… anyways! Two questions per person?

Ryder tilted his head. "Huh. Wonder why they changed their username?"

I shrugged. "Who knows? Cheri, continue. Let's see what you got for us, JDunks."

Alright… Question 1: Have any of the Three Deadly Storms ever actually met and fought each other? And if they did fight, who would probably have advantages over who? (Feel free to ignore that last bit if it's spoiler-y)

"As it stands, none of the Three Deadly Storms have officially clashed, though there has been incidents of fighting other prominent characters. We've obviously seen this with Jason and Grim Deadlock's appearances, but Alban has actually battled Giles Grove years before his death. Considering Giles didn't die then means he put up good enough a fight to survive the encounter.

"Now, when it comes to a meeting with them, there is a bit of a spoiler when it comes to advantages over each other, as in something that hasn't been officially shown yet. Grim's still a mystery, and Alban hasn't been shown in battle yet. That being said, I can say one of them has a particular advantage over the other, and it's a pretty big advantage compared to most others who fought this Deadly Storm. What that is awaits to be seen."

And second question: Is that nurse lady looking after Dimitri (Die in a sludgepool, Darby) the Brinley from Jet's origin story? Maybe I shouldn't waste my second question on that, but I can't think of a better one.

Melissa picked herself off the floor in a daze and raised her tankard. "Amen to that!" She downed another sip and fell back over.

I chuckled. "So, while nothing has been officially said yet…let's be honest, yes. Same species, same name. That is in fact the same Brinley that Jet worked for as her servant. The younger Brinley and older Brinley have gone through a radical shift in character since the few times we've seen her. The only perspective we have on her younger years was Jet's hallucination and the flashback, but now we have Brinley, everyone's favorite doctor who threatens her patients with injury worse than what she's treating."

Laura tilted her head. "So, that means Jet lived somewhere in the Senbo Kingdom when that took place."

"Exactly. And sometime after that, Brinley took up medical training to become a doctor for the royal family. She really stepped up from her bratty self back in the day. Though, I suppose there remains the truth behind her history with Jet and what spurred this changed in behavior."

Juniper smirked. "Oh, you are just teasing us with questions."

I laughed. "It's a curse, I know."

Also, Pandora, got any homemade explosives up your sleeve? I know a few kids that could use 'em, wink wink)

Pandora smirked and rubbed her paws together. "Well, well, well! Since you asked so nicely—"

"Noooope!" I raced over and clamped her muzzle shut. "None of that—AAH!" I recoiled and saw saliva dripped down my palm. "Did you just like my hand?!"

She snickered and fell back into the couch.

I groaned. "Unbelievable. Anyway, thank you for your time, JDunks. Have a Merry Christmas—and never ask Pandora for explosives ever again!"

Pandora snickered. "Well, unless you ask nicely—"

"NO!" I smacked her with a pillow and returned to my armchair.

She kicked the pillow off and laughed. "What? I was joking. Kind of."

I sat back down and stretched. "Alright, is that the last of—" I flinched as yet another boulder crashed through the ceiling. "…Why?"

Ryder approached the boulder and inspected it. "This one appears to be from TheLatiKing."

I composed myself and straightened up. "Ah, that's cool. Thank you for joining us, LatiKing. What do you have for us today?"

Damn since the fanfiction update of no emails unless you press it missed a bit almost missed this now. Anyway been hearing about a discord server sounds cool and such never heard of it.

"Yeah, I heard that's been a recent problem for some people since it just…kind of showed up without much fanfare." I shrugged. "So, uh, to anyone reading this who isn't aware, go to your account settings and switch your account's email notifications on."

Laura snickered. "That sounds like it was annoying."

"For the most part. Anyway, yeah, feel free to join the server if you want. The link should be on my profile page. We've been going strong all year!"

1. Since Aeternus said he might try invading other universes with Voss how well would that go?

"Well, that depends entirely on which universe they go to. For instance, if they entered any of the worlds I created, they could cause vast amounts of destruction, though with some resistance. Honestly, I'd be a tad worried if Aeternus tried to invade Laura's universe because that means battling Dark and…well, if anyone knows how magic came about in TSOTI, that's not something Dark should be getting his hands on. At all."

Juniper shivered. "Yikes. Hate for either of them to show up in my world. I mean, could you imagine us having to fight some cosmic horror supervillain? Glad we'll never have one of those!"

"…Right. As for Voss, he'd definitely be a problem since his armor adapts to damage. Though, different worlds mean creative solutions. Honestly, the only world where the odds aren't stacked in their favor is Jango's world since demon powers have the potential to rival magic users."

2. How much chaos would there be in Mysto if we took all the magic away and left them with just moves again? (Post shadow king)

"I'd say you'd get a similar reaction to if Earth suddenly lost access to electricity and/or the internet. Magic has become so ingrained into Mysto's culture that it's become a vital resource. Granted, since Mysto is the only region in their world with magic, it's not completely hopeless as they can eventually adapt. No, the real issue is that magic keeps Mysto from being a nightmare world."

Melissa picked herself off the floor and drunkenly asked, "Wazzat?"

"Well, for starters, the biomes in Mysto are divided by magic. Temperature doesn't quite behave the same way as it does everywhere else. The second those magical barriers drop, real world physics will kick in. The real problem is the different dimensions as those are sustained by magic. If those lose magic, they will forcibly splice themselves into the main realm, possibly jettisoning everyone occupying inside the dimension and rupturing everyone and everything around it."

"…Wow, that sounds horrible when you put it like that," Juniper said.

Cheri shivered. "You mean if magic was suddenly deleted, we run the risk of exploding?!"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Ugh…"

I shrugged. "Of course, that would only happen if magic was, as you said, suddenly deleted. If anything like that were to happen, it'd be a gradual process causing anomalies. Still bad, but much more manageable."

Ryder smirked. "Sounds like an idea for a side story."

I chuckled. "I put a pin in it. But anyway, thank you for being with us today, LatiKing. Take care, and have a wonderful holiday!" I sighed and leaned back in my seat. "Alright, that has to be the last one—"

CRASH!

"Son of a—!"

Angel examined the boulder and smiled. "Oh, this one appears to be from a fellow named AllKorean."

I sighed and straightened up. "AllKorean, eh? Well, glad to have you with us today. Let's see what you've got for us."

Glad I finally found time to sit down and write this. Happy Holidays to everyone, and I hope you're all staying healthy and warm this season. How time flies, it still feels like yesterday that the discord server was opened. I've certainly been having fun…lurking in it…*cough* Maybe I should try to be more active…Anyways, I don't have many burning questions this year so I'll keep it simple.

I waved it off. "Oh, you're fine, don't worry. I do encourage being active on the server, but do whatever feels natural to you. Participate when you want, or just watch from the shadows. All perfectly acceptable!"

1. For Brad: Without going into spoilers if it applies, what are you looking forward to in 2023, whether it be new stories or things happening in real life?

"Well, a lot has certainly happened with me recently. I'm hoping to eventually get a job next year. Things have been a bit of a hassle, especially with some recent developments regarding how my brain functions. Aside from that, I'm looking forward to ending TSOTI and perhaps working on Bandit of the Outlands, which should be a fun side story to work alongside BOTF. And if things go to course, Part 4 will be done in 2023, meaning I can get started on the fun stuff in Part 5. Heh, I'm looking forward to that. Though, there is one surprise I have in store a few months from now. Hehehehe…"

Melissa waved her tankard around. "That don't sound suspicious at—hic—all!"

2. For everyone: Since it's the end of the year once again, do you have any new New Year's resolutions?

Ryder shrugged. "Try to get some therapy."

Laura grinned. "A new death cannon for my arsenal!"

"To take over the world!" Pandora exclaimed. "MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Juniper tossed her empty can over her shoulder. "Maybe buy my own cola company and make my own brand. Ooh, that'd be nice!"

Angel smiled. "I'm perfectly content with things…well, except with what's currently happening in Mysto. Uh, perhaps hoping that ends."

Cheri nodded. "Agreed!"

Armant raised his tankard. "Another good year of brawling!"

I shrugged. "And, for me, more time to write stories. Seriously, it's become an undying habit…"

I think that's all I have for now. Admittedly it is kind of short and broad and also cutting it close to the Christmas day deadline so I apologize for that. Again, wishing everyone a Happy holiday and a bright 2023!

"Here's hoping to that! And don't worry. Sure, it's kind of close, but no big deal—"

"Ah darn it, my internet's going out!" Laura yelled, banging across the side of her head.

"…" I sighed and pinched between my eyes. "This is the worse time for my internet to be on the fritz, too." I shook my head and smiled. "Anyway, thanks for being with us today, and Happy Holidays, AllKorean!"

Ryder checked through the ceiling again and saw the Bombirdier flying out of sight. "I think that's the last of the questions."

I saw another piece of my ceiling collapse to the floor. I sighed and covered my face. "Thank goodness." I straightened up and smiled. "Well, another year will soon be behind us, and new opportunities will open up in the future. I'm not sure if I should be excited or scared, but I can say it'll be something."

Armant slapped his knee and laughed. "That's putting it one way!"

Juniper raised her soda. "And a lot more to look forward to. Secret of the Idol is planned to be finished next year. Do you think it'll be done halfway through 2023, or sometime later?"

"Depends," I admitted. "Could be sooner, but these last chapters are going to be pretty dense considering everything that needs to be wrapped up. I'm still working on how to neatly compile everything, but I hope to have everything worked out. After that, I may continue with the side story for BOTF has something easy to write before we get into anything ambitious."

Angel nodded. "Best to pace yourself, dear."

Cheri snickered. "No kidding. No wonder everyone on the server calls you a robot. Take a break for once in your life! They practically demand it!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'll keep that in mind."

Laura crossed her arms. "And don't forget you have your BOTF Live Discussion for this week. Any ideas as to when you'll be doing it?"

"I'll probably make an announcement so I can get a general idea of who'll be available for what day and see which works out best for the most. I still need to make edits to my script. Still, looking forward to whoever can join the discussion."

Pandora clapped. "And hopefully more updates for your short stories."

"Right, right…"

Melissa picked herself up and wobbled around dizzily. "Sound offffff for the nEw YeAr!"

"…No more alcohol for her," I muttered. I smiled. "Well, to one and all, I thank you for sharing your time with me. Let's hope for more thrills and adventure next year! Take care! And from all of us—"

"Merry Christmas—"

A crack of lightning blasted through the ceiling, and Tony crash-landed in the center of the stage. He had a burnt letter in his hand. "Alright, who's the wise guy who sent this ransom note?!"

"HOW ARE YOU HERE?! And why my poor ceiling?!"