Ask Max

Hanging back for a moment, he watched the young ghost flit from flower to flower like a little hummingbird. Almost as suddenly as it had hit him, the wave of joy began to recede, leaving him unnerved and frankly confused. Sure he was happy to be spending time with his grandson, but it almost felt like Max’s emotions were projecting onto his? Or strengthening them?

}Excellent lad, very good.{ he said, finally coming out of his stupor. }Yes, let’s – Let’s have a seat over there on the bench. It should be a good spot to make flower crowns.{ 

}Perfect!{ He at down on the bench and spread the flowers between them. 

}I like the newer games but that stuff is fun too. My Papa has a pac man arcade that I play with sometimes.{ He picked up a few of the fantasmal flowers and the red ones each. 

I should never post anything because my brain just goes “or how bout not?!”

Literally the best way to get a muse back for me is to put a blog on hiatus and suddenly the little shit reappears.

It’s why I don’t hiatus anymore because as soon as I do they come back???

But I am tentatively saying that the following blogs are going on hiatus for now because I’ve just not had much motivation and I don’t want people to think I have abandoned them.

Blogs going on hiatus:

@lordfruitloop

@fourthstateofbeing

{and the nsfw blog for these two}

@fightfirewithbetterfire

@ghostlymancave

@vladmastersofficialfruitloop

@coffeeandecto

@krackonkrackoff

@starsandfangs

@partimehero

Blogs I am staying active on

@royallyredacted

@historicalriches (give it a day or so)

@markwatneyspacepiratee (my personal)

@fruity-hub-blog (my muse hub!)

…

I have a shit ton of blogs jesus.

}There are so many of them!{ His eyes widened as he took them all in. }Can I pick any of them? Or are some off limits?{ The awe and excitement started to effect the very air around him as he started unconsciously broadcasting his emotions. }What colors are your favorite?{

It was so strange, but Atros could feel a sudden shift all around him. Pure, unbridled joy washed over him. The feeling was entirely overwhelming as he hadn’t felt anything quite like it in a very long time. So much so, he could hardly speak for a moment. It was like his heart was about to burst.

He started zipping here and there, picking all sorts of flowers in shades of red. He made sure to gather a few other colors for variety's sake but if they both liked red, why not?

}That’s perfect! Are they different colors? I bet they’ll look so pretty with the Phantasmal flowers here.{ Max let Atros lead him instead but he didn’t let go of his hand. He couldn’t say why exactly but he just felt comfortable around the man, almost like he was familiar somehow.

}So what kinda’ things you like to do Atros? I like video games and floating around the Zone and being with my family.{

}Why don’t you see for yourself?{ he chuckled, turning the corner to the back garden. There were flowers of all shapes and sizes imaginable. The colors were more vibrant than any one could find on Earth, or in the ghost zone. It was one of the things he liked most about enchanted flowers.

He blinked, looking up at Atros with a frown. }That’s no good.{ No one should be lonely. Especially someone so nice as this man.

}Well… that’s okay ‘cus now you got me and I can come over and play a lot. Just only until five because that’s dinner time.{ He grabbed Atros’ hand with his tiny one, leading him over to the house with a determined look. }I’ll teach you how to do all kinds of fun stuff with flowers and if you get bored of that I can bring my pet snake over and we can play with him.{ Obviously that was enough to last their friendship until forever.

}Oh! And maybe you can show me how you make a lair ‘cus you’re really good at it. I want a pretty one like this but maybe with a swimming pool. That would be fun.{

It took hardly any time at all and he was already swept up in grandfatherly duties. Giving Max’s tiny hand a gentle squeeze, he could swear he could feel a warm, fuzzy feeling in his heart. At least, he might have if he actually had one. 

}Wow!{ Max exclaimed as they came upon the lair. }it’s so pretty and big! Do you live here all by yourself?{ He had such a big place just like where he lived. }Ooo do you have any pets? I like cats an’ dogs an’ snakes an’ fishes! Other pets too probably.{

}I’m afraid it’s just me these days.{ he sighed, touching down on the gravel pathway leading to the house. Thanks to Maggie he’d lost control of his nightmare lackeys, and animals had never really been quite fond of him. Though he’d never been quite fond of animals either.

}Well... that's okay 'cus now you got me and I can come over and play a lot. Just only until five because that's dinner time.{ He grabbed Atros' hand with his tiny one, leading him over to the house with a determined look. }I'll teach you how to do all kinds of fun stuff with flowers and if you get bored of that I can bring my pet snake over and we can play with him.{ Obviously that was enough to last their friendship until forever.

reduced required blood sacrifice on startup from 10cc to 8cc

maddening whispers now support Spanish language setting

new accessibility options for players whose visual spectrum doesn’t include infrared and/or ultraviolet

adjusted blasphemous spawn malleability; this should address a reported bug where blasphemous spawn would become stuck when emerging from displays less than 14″ in size

}That sounds perfect! I’d invite you to my lair but I don’t have one yet.{ He gestured for Atros to show him the right way and once he started going Max started up talking. }They’re super easy to make. I’m sure you’ll remember in no time. And Phantasmal flowers just make you feel good so they’re perfect for it.{

Gently guiding him by his shoulder, he set off toward his old lair. It had been quite some time since he’d used his ghost zone lair, so he could only hope it was still there.

}Well I’m sure you’re a good enough teacher that I’ll remember.{ he said with a wink. Within minutes they had found his own, personal floating island in the ghost zone, complete with a Victorian style mansion and sprawling grounds full of hedges, flowers and at least half a dozen water features.

}Awesome!{ He cheered. }Where you wanna hang out at? It can’t be my house because only certain ghosts can get inside. Anywhere else is good though!{ Hadn’t he been so excited he would have probably noticed… something was off. }I can teach you how to make these super cool flower crowns if y'want!{

}Thank you!{ He looked pleased with that compliment. }You wanna hang out? If you got nothin’ to do…{ Max didn’t make friends all that often due to so many ghosts seeing him as a snack. }if not we should find a way to do that sometime if you want.{

If Atros had known how easy it would be to abscond with his grandson, he would have waited, rather than put in so much energy trying to kidnap him as an infant. Perhaps Maggie and Vlad should have taught him stranger danger a little sooner.