Talkoverfrenchfries

Zu had spent, presumably, all day on the latest line of toys intended to sell away. It wasn’t until the work alarm went off that he realized that he should have checked with all the other workers underground a long time ago. As much as Zu lives in an skyscraper building, it was more like his house than anything. All the work done for the company is accomplished underground.

Zu takes the elevator all the way to the ground floor. Then he went to the back room from the front door and typed in something on a nearby screen on a stand. That made the floor open up and make a platform show up. The 80s ant stepped on it and let the platform take him back down.

Zu watched as he went down the dirt tunnels, still on the platform. Everything was lit up by multicolored chinese lanterns, something of which that visually appealed to Zu. The ant demon never ceased being enthralled by them as he swooshed past them.

It wasn’t long before he made it to the work room. It was wide open space with rows of desks, someone at each one. The place was lit up more properly so that everyone there can see what they’re doing. Cool air was being blasted through the vents that were set up there. Everyone present turned their heads up when they heard Zu coming in.

Of course, they stopped working and either waved to him or, as many of them did, got up and hugged the ant demon.

“Whoa, whoa, everybody, calm down! And you were working! I just wanted to check on you guys!”

“Oh, but Zuuuuu, we’re just happy to see you!” a humanoid male with black eye sockets exclaimed. He seemed like he came from 70s.

“Yeah, there’s not that many men down here worth a damn!” A female hellhound has shouted that.

“Whoa, hey, stop with the groping! STOP WITH THE GROPING!”

At the shouted command, the demons surrounding Zu, men and women alike, made sure to back away. Though some had to be pulled away to let go at all. Most people there couldn’t help but laugh at the ant demon’s reaction. It was partly why they always did it whenever he showed up. Zu took the moments he was given taking deep breaths. Once he was done, a big ol’ smile returned to his face.

“Hello, everyone, I’m guessing everything’s been good?”

“Yeah, of course, we are! We always are down here!” A moth demoness answered.

“Well, that’s great, everyone, but I’m just gonna check on the progress you’ve all made and then I’ll get back to work myself.” Moans and groans all around. “Don’t give me any of that. You know I still spend time with you.”

“But not enough!” Someone from the distance complained.

“What can I say? I’m busy, like, all the time. Or, practically all the time. Look, if I said I’ll hang out, I’ll hang out. You all still got each other at least. Now come on, show me your progress already.”

Several workers volunteered, Zu eventually settling on the actual supervisor, who is a mix of a lioness and lizard, what with top half and tail of the former animal and legs of the latter animal. It took longer than Zu wanted to just check on progress. So many were trying to talk to him and invite him. Some even tried initiating sex. It was frustrating to Zu, especially when he had to keep everyone at an emotional distance. Eventually, the 80s ant managed to do what he wanted and was ready to bolt. However, he was stopped yet again. This time, it was by a male hellhound.

“Hey, Zu, wait up!”

“Ok, Cross, I have been stopped by practically everybody else here and I told them all the same thing-”

“I know, I know, I just... I just wanted to.. ask you something, yeah!”

Zu doubted it but decided to give the benefit of the doubt. “Ok, what is it?”

Cross got in close to Zu, the latter leaning away. The ant demon’s smile didn’t fade but it did twitch. One could probably tell only if one was looking for it.

“You let us have sex and shit if we work it around our schedules, right? Well, what about you? You join me for some...”

“No.” Zu answered bluntly, cutting him off. He definitely had no interest in doing things like that. Not with strangers, anyways.

A mocking scoff. “I knew it.”

Oh, this was gonna be good, Zu thought. He knew he couldn’t count on the supervisor to intervene; she’s too apathetic to really care about anything other than her job.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. You’re some limp dick freak, never having sex with anybody.”

“As unnatural as it may be to you, no one’s ever been dammed to Hell for not having an interest in sex whatsoever.”

“You know, it’s sad that you can’t get it up. You might as well just be a toy for people to use to get off.”

“What does it even matter to you? Surely, you can find anyone else who can and would want to have sex with you.”

“...What is that ‘would’ supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit! I can so as fuck do it whenever I want, with whoever. In fact, I’ll prove it right n-”

Zu didn’t let Cross finish, not when he sweept the canine’s legs and made him fall to the ground. The next thing the hellhound knew, the ant demon was on top of him, resting an ungloved hand on the top of the snout by the fingers, his palm hovering just inches above.

“I think you need to forget that this confrontation ever happened. Don’t you agree?”

Cross gave a nasty sneer, getting ready to flip Zu off of him. However, that was when the 80s ant pressed his palm on the snout. Then there was a flash of orange light and made Cross look in front of him in a daze.

Zu quickly got off of him, dusting himself off. The half-lioness, half-lizard woman was still looking away, still intending not to get involved. Though now she seemed a little troubled. Not that the ant demon paid it any mind.

Cross soon sat up, looking confused. “Wait, what was I doing?”

“Oh, nothing, nothing at all,” Zu replied, trying to get the hellhound out of his sight. “You just wanted to ask about making time in your day for some personal time to yourself.”

“Huh, really? Weird, I don’t remem-ah!” The hellhound was cut off when he tried to remember, the symbol of Zu’s power flashing on his snout.

“You should give your head a rest. You landed hard on the ground and felt pain from it. You might feel more pain if you try thinking too hard, like how you did just now.” Not completely the truth but at least it’s not completely lies.

“Yeah, I guess... I guess you’re right. See ya, Zu.”

At that, the demonic canine have left, leaving the 80s ant where he was. Then the latter turned to the half-lioness, half-lizard, smile just as present as ever on his face.

“Well, if that’s everything, I’ll be on my way. You know to take care of everything you need to, right?”

The half-lioness, half-lizard nodded and then went on her way. Zu took the platform that would take him back up to the surface of Hell.

Zu talks back to the lobby to check in his receptionist, a female imp who goes by Kayla Koko, or double K or Koko or Kay as nicknames.

“Hey, Kay, it’s been slow today, right?”

Kay was busy reading a magazine, not looking up as she answered, “yep. And that was your first question. Use your next nine careful-like, ya hear me?”

Zu rolled his eyes, annoyed that his receptionist actually put a limit on how many questions to ask her per day. Just because he was probably a little annoying always trying to make conversation. As much as Zu has to put everyone at a distance, it didn’t mean that he didn’t want to talk to anybody ever during his existence.

“Ok, have you checked inventory?”

“Yep. You’re gonna wanna restock. Here’s a list.” At that, the female imp had slid a piece of paper towards the ant demon. “Eight to go.” She still never looked up from the magazine, even turning a page in it.

Zu took the list and looked it over. Then he was surprised at the amount that was used up. He was gonna have to restock practically everything!”

“Are- are you serious? This much? Goddamn, shopping trips are just the worst in hell!”

“Six questions to go. And that was one statement used. Nine to go on that one.”

“Wha- those two questions don’t count! My complaint doesn’t, either!”

“Argue all you want with me. It’s just making the counters go down faster.”

Zu let out a groan, his smile still not faltering. He was determined not to be visibly upset over a receptionist who clearly didn’t know her position between herself and him. Zu decided that he needed to take care of this first. Then he can have a clearer head for dealing with Kayla.

The ant demon looked towards the front door, knowing that he’ll have to go outside just for more parts to his toys. He groaned, not looking forward to it. It is Hell so outside’s not the best place to be. Still, Zu couldn’t bear the thought of having anyone else he knows do it for him. So the ant demon gets his cards and some cash and steps out the door. He makes sure to tell his receptionist to take care of any clients who want an appointment while he’s gone.

Kayla just had to say that Zu had seven statements to say to her to go as he left.

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Hey everyone. At least people who might be interested in this. So I finally got around to starting this up again. I think I finished tweaking my OC, as well, as others. So I’m gonna do this. Hope you readers enjoy

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There was a rather tall building in the neighborhood. It was a regular looking skyscraper but had a sign on it. The sign was a simple oval shape, the top line an orange line and the bottom line blue. Of course, the lines were stylistic, almost like they were painted on by a brush, and had words cutting through where they would have connected. The words were Akzep Kalt; Akzep was colored blue and Kalt was colored orange. It was against a sleek, black background.

Inside that building is a single, solitary guy, looking up at the red sky through one of many windows. This guy had dark orange skin or whatever one would call it, a pair of pincers in his mouth, a pair of antenna sticking through his pitch black hair. His hair was parted at the side of his head and the bangs have grown out to the point where it covers up one half of the face.

The ant demon gets moving, knowing that he has to do work today. Luckily, there’s no meetings. He really hated being friendly with clients. Especially with clients who, more often than not, actively look for ways to screw him over.

The 80s man was walking in his light blue demin jacket, yellow-striped white shirt, vivid red demin pants, and white shoes that have streaks on the sides. Let’s not forget the pale blue ascot around his neck. He stopped walking until he reached a desk. That desk had all sorts of things, from pens and nuts and bolts and screwdrivers and papers. However, that caught the man’s attention first was a framed photo.

He picked up the photo, seeing himself and someone else being side-by-side. They were having fun on a boat ride, by the looks of it. The 80′s ant was sitting on the other demon’s lap. The former was feeding things into the latter’s mouth, who was looking at the camera with a silent warning to whoever took the picture. The 80′s ant still smiled as he looked at this other demon, a bat.

It was rather obvious he was a bat because of the long fingers and the wings attached to them. Not that the 80′s bat ever flew, as far as the ant demon can remember.

The 80′s ant looked further up on the photo to see the written message there, written in neon blue. It said: Keep on working as much as you can, my precious Zu. Do that and you’ll always be my irreplaceable Geliebter.

Zu, the one who was looking at the photo and reading the message, cracked a smile. Well, he already had a smile prior but it was small. Now it was a little bigger. Even if it was only a little bigger.

Zu tried to find where he had left off from the last time he worked. He had decent organization but only when he knows he’ll get back to it soon. And, of course, when he remembers to do it. Apparently, Zu had forgotten to do that from last time.

It took some minutes but the 80′s ant have found it again. Zu was making some products to sell. Normally, there were other employees making them by large amounts. However, the absolutely best merchandise were made by the ant demon himself. It was small in numbers, thanks to being made by only one person, but they were the absolute best out of everything else. Zu had to make them in two months’ time, too. That was when the next auction party was.

Zu had grimaced at the thought. Ugh, auction parties. They were a lot more bearable when Kalt was still able to do it. Back then, I just had to supervise from the background. Like security or something.

Regardless, Zu continued working on the products, knowing that he’ll be Kalt’s Geliebter by the end of the day. Of course, he didn’t that he’d be getting one of his own, starting with first meeting them by the end of today.

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So I’m starting my criticizing series. I know I said I’d do Pokemon but, then again, I didn’t say that I’d be limiting myself to that. I just wanted to devote something to one of my most favorite animes and I have opinions about other things I’d like to get off my chest, too. Anyways, I’m starting my criticize series with, well, ‘criticize’ and then I follow it by whatever I’m criticizing. So here I go!

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So I only really have problems with two guys whose routes you can pick. Particularly in how they’re characterized. So the first guy is a blond named Elias. I have played several routes before him. Elias would show up because he’s the protagonist’s classmate and I would see he’s sweet, thoughtful, and always willing to help. I look forward to playing his route when I got around to it and what do I get? The exact. Damn. Opposite. Elias became hostile, distant, and, above all, whiny. What the fuck? He goes on and on about how his grades are important to him and the protagonist shouldn’t drag him down. Then Elias leaves, like that’s all he has to do. Except the protagonist isn’t the best academic student. She struggles in intelligence. So, naturally, she was gonna mess up. The reason why Elias says crap like ‘don’t drag me down’ is because, in Wizardess Heart, the protagonist is more often than not gets paired up with another student because of a buddy system in the school they’re enrolled in. One half gets poor grades and the other half gets poor grades as a result. I don’t have any sympathy for Elias because all he ever does is whine, complain, and be distant. For all that shit he spews out that his grades are important to him, Elias sure doesn’t protect him like how I would expect him to. If his grades were really worth anything to him, Elias would want to make sure how well the protagonist knows her damn stuff, tutor her in anything and everything she doesn’t understand. That way, the protagonist can actually get better grades and so it’d be protecting his grades. Except no, he doesn’t do that. He never does that. Not until the protagonist bends herself backwards just to appeal to the selfish whiner. If you ask me, it was likely that Elias knew that the protagonist was just a provisional student and was hoping she’d fail the initiation test that she’d have to take after the first two weeks of being enrolled at the school. Because, yeah, that’s a thing in this game and in the school’s system. If what I think is true, then that means Elias is willing to endure two weeks of bad grades because he thinks helping the protagonist with her grades is even worse. Either way, my rant goes to show that, whatever Elias’s priorities were, it was clearly not grades. I am just so disappointed that this guy, someone I was looking forward to imagining a romance with, is just so unlikable and unsympathetic. Elias’s brother had enough fricking common sense to tutor the protagonist so that his own grades don’t suffer. And he also did it for the protagonist’s sake! Elias couldn’t even do it for his own!

Another guy I was disappointed by was Zeus. Now, I’m not as disappointed by him as I am by Elias. That’s because Zeus was intentionally characterized as a jerk and the other characters acknowledge it. However, I found Zeus to be more likable outside his own route. In his route, the writing was kind of off. Sure, they’d acknowledge that he does selfish things, like banging on the protagonist’s window at the middle of the night just because he wants to hang out with her without ever considering or caring whether or not it’d scare and/or inconvenience her. However, I feel like they skip some steps in the process of Zeus becoming more caring and less of a jerk. For one thing, I don’t think that - as far as I played, anyways, I didn’t finish the whole route before wanting to quit - the writers had Zeus apologize for any part of his behavior. In fact, you wanna know what the very first thing Zeus said to the protagonist? That she had an ugly or plain face. Definitely not beautiful. Zeus still never apologized for that. Or anything else, for that matter, as I’ve said. Yet Zeus is just becoming nicer because the protagonist is learning to go at his pace; that’s what it felt like when I was playing his route. The saddest part is that he’s better characterized outside his own route. I mean, he’s still a jerk but he becomes nicer and the progress of that feels more natural. At least, outside his own route, Zeus has the excuse of becoming a better person off-screen or whatever you say for a dating sim phone app. In his actual route, the writing just feels like it skipped a step or two in the whole redemption thing. So Zeus is still disappointing. Just not as much as Elias, as I’ve said at the beginning. At least I wrote my own OCs for that!

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Here’s another one. I was already making posts and figured to add another to the series while I’m here. Also, this part might be important for getting more invested into the story and my OC. Again, any characters other than my OC as well as the settings and such belongs already to Vivziepop or Vivienne Medrano!

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Zu was walking down the halls, taking in details of the wallpaper and furniture and pictures and other kinds of decor. He was entertained immensely taking in details of the place on his. All the craze from coming here at first have died down.

It was certainly something, avoiding Charlie’s straightforward, even almost pushy niceness, Vaggie’s tense and skeptical aggressiveness, Alastor’s cheerful torture, and Angel Dust’s rather persistent flirting.

Zu stopped moving when thinking of the last one. Then he shakes those thoughts away. Sure, Angel Dust is very attractive but it’s gonna take more than that for anything to happen. Although, he’s probably how Zu is still here. On the bright side, Alastor hasn’t really bothered Zu since that encounter.

However, before Zu can think more about it, he noticed something that grabbed his attention. He gasped, having noticed a trestle coffee table in one of the rooms. He crouches down, touching the engraving as he muttered stuff to himself.

“This is great engravings, all the hands and apples and snakes, it’s all very tasteful. Of course, the history of the medium of wood engraving evolved from the oldest printing technique, woodcut—which, in Western culture, goes back to the fifteenth century. This ought to be a huge wood block to make this coffee table. After all, a wood block is cut from a smoothed plank cut longitudinally from the tree trunk so that the grain runs in parallel lines to the block. Once the design has been established by cutting away the wood around the areas that will be printed, the block is inked with a small roller called a brayer. To print the block, a moistened piece of paper is placed on top of the block, along with a protective layer, called the tympan, and then put through the printing press. Alternately, a circular tool called a baren or even a spoon or the palm of the hand can be used to create enough pressure to print the inked block. Is this how the coffee table was made, though? Or was a different process used? How many kinds of wood engraving is there? Man, I have to look it up.”

“Hi! I’m Nifty! You’re weird and boring! You should probably stop with the fact spewing to get a girlfriend, no offense.”

Zu jolts out of surprise and turns to the new voice that just popped out of nowhere. Nifty was standing right there in her fifties attire and a big smile on her face. Two things about her surprised Zu more once the latter took in more of the sight of Nifty in front of him. The two things were Nifty’s petite size and the one eye right above her smile. Although, Zu got past the one eye pretty quick. It is a rather common sight to see on people down here in hell.

Then Zu realized what Nifty had said and got a little bummed out. He’s gotten used to being called boring but he never learned to like it.

Zu opened his mouth, wanting to insist that knowledge itself is never boring. However, Nifty swiftly proceeded to cleaning the coffee table that made Zu go on about some of the history of wood engraving. Just as quickly as Nifty started cleaning, she already finished and had left the room.

Zu let out a sigh of slight frustration. Then he says “of course, enthusiasm for the wood block in Europe in the sixteenth century. But it did get revived again in the nineteenth century. Hopefully, people will eventually get interested in learning things like how I do.”

Then Zu, placing a hand on the coffee table, helped himself up from the floor. Zu decided next to open a backpack that has the same design as carpet found in an arcade you’d see should you walk into one during the 80′s. He rummaged through it until he takes out a chocolate bar. Zu zipped his backpack closed, opened the bar wrapping, and takes a huge bite into it.

The sugary goodness and the taste only chocolate can have was enough to make Zu crack a smile. He continued on his way, wanting to take more of the hotel in his sight.

Zu was slightly happier here than anywhere else. If only because there’s not a lot of people here. That means there’s not a lot of bitches and douchebags to deal with. Zu thinks that maybe it’d be okay to hang out here. Charlie’s not so bad. Hopefully, her girlfriend wouldn’t be so bad; she just needs some warming up too. Although, Alastor is the biggest problem and the biggest reason to not check into the hotel.

Zu walks to the front desk and see someone there drinking bottle after bottle. He was a cat-demon with big, bright red wings. He also seemed disinterested as Zu approached the front desk. He wonders what kind of personality this perpetual drinker has. It’s important information to know in whether or not to check in. Granted, Alastor will highly likely be enough reason not to but Zu couldn’t combat well against his curiosity.

So Zu says “hi, there,” as he raises his hand and put it down, clearly some kind of waving gesture intended.

The only kind of reaction the cat-demon gave was pointing his line of sight towards Zu. Then the cat-demon resumed drinking. Zu had mixed feelings, being happy knowing that he might have trouble with the desk guy if he leaves him alone but upset because he never liked being ignored. Zu takes a deep breath and turned around.

I just have to get used to that. If I decide to stay, that is. I think I met everyone who’s in the hotel regularly. So let’s weigh pros and cons.

Zu sits down in a couch in the next room and thinks it over.

Benefits would be interacting with the nicest person I ever encountered in hell. Charlie may be a little much at times but she’s still someone I can definitely call my friends. The others are more okay than others, as much as they’re still jerkish. Now cons -

That’s when Alastor popped in his mind. The tour he gave Zu invoked powerful feelings of avoidance in him.

Damn, it really is hell here. Gotta put up with a shit ton of crap just get a smidge of pleasantness.

Zu was thinking hard that he didn’t notice someone sitting next to him. It wasn’t until he was being touched on the thigh that he noticed. Of course, it also made Zu almost jump off the couch.

It certainly made Angel Dust laugh, the person who had sat down on the couch. “You know, you’re cute when you’re a hopeless dork. You should consider yourself lucky.”

Oh shit, Angel Dust is still interested in me. If I’m right, then he’s interested in only one thing but I can’t give it

Still, Zu sat back properly on the couch, while muttering, “thanks.”

Zu put a little distance between him and Angel Dust on the couch but the latter quickly closed it. The look on his face showed his interest very clearly. Zu tried hard not to look at him while keeping an eye out for hands. He jolted when Angel Dust spoke, apparently being surprised by the talking.

“You know, this hotel may not be much but this place can still be pretty fun. How about you let me show you?”

Zu thought that Angel Dust might be another reason to stay. That way, he can witness how beautiful and alluring Angel Dust looks without it seeming as creepy. At least, not as creepy as it would be if Zu didn’t check into the hotel. However, not wanting to see Angel Dust’s disappointment was another reason to not check in.

Zu felt like he was gonna freak when he saw one of Angel Dust’s hands head towards his thigh again. Then there was an explosion in the distance. Zu felt curious about it and got up, heading outside. He didn’t notice Angel Dust’s expression of disappointment over his flirting seemed to have immediately been forgotten.

Still, Angel Dust follows Zu, somewhat curious over the explosion himself. Not to mention, he intends to hopefully hook up with Zu someplace outside the hotel, since he’s following Zu and everything.

Zu saw in the distance a random terrorist throwing bombs everywhere. He debates whether or not doing something about it. On one hand, Charlie lives in the hotel and so Zu would want to protect the place. On the other hand, Alastor is there and, maybe, if the place is wrecked, Alastor will go elsewhere.

As Zu was standing there and trying to decide what to do, there was a flash of white and pink going by him. Zu had noticed that and saw Angel Dust running towards the terrorist with guns ablaze.

There was a bit of a fight between Angel Dust and the terrorist. Zu was in awe in what he saw. Angel Dust was just standing there firing off his gun the whole time, nonchalantly dodging the bombs. Angel Dust managed to get some good shots in, enough to render the terrorist immobile. The whole time, Zu thought that Angel Dust seemed chaotic and powerful, adding more to the beauty the latter already had.

Zu was standing there as Angel Dust walked back, walking a kind of power walk as he held his guns over his shoulders with one pair of arms and the other pair of arms resting its hands on his hips.

“At least now we don’t have to worry about getting interrupted anymore. And this is where I’m crashing so I wouldn’t want some dipshit wrecking it. So,” Angel Dust said, as he tilted up Zu’s chin with one of his free hands, “where were we?”

“I’m checking in.”

That was all Zu said before wiggling his chin out of Angel Dust’s grasp and running back into the hotel and to the front desk where the cat demon was.

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Also, the website link below is how I got the information I bothered getting about wood engravings. I also tried looking up different kind of woodcuts and engravings as well as designs of backpacks in the 80s and dialog and slang from the 40s. I hope I’m right. It’s way past 3 o’clock in the morning as I finished typing this and I’d like to go to bed sometime soon. My OC here is gonna be either tricky or insightful, if I’m using ‘insightful’ right.