Of Avengers, WoW, and calling your female best friend "brother."

Well, that is a lengthy title. However, it is an apt description of this post. So, I guess there are two new fandoms being discussed in this post. I am a gamer, and I love Marvel (I love DC too.)

This post is really about friendship. 

Relationships are hard for me. Mostly because I have such a hard time trusting people. However, I do have a group of friends that I know will always be there for me. 

Now, the question is "What do your friends have to do with Avengers and WoW (World of Warcraft). Excellent question, absolutely nothing... unless you have the right context.

So, we are all nerds. I used to think people exaggerated when they said that we would be a nerdy sitcom. Then one day, I realized it was true. Nothing defines our nerd/friendship better than our WoW/Avengers personas.

And I'm just going to use our WoW names. I'm pretty sure they don't want me giving away their names to strangers on the internet (ha that would mean someone actually reads this.) So, in our WoW world we are as follows:

Junawe - Tauren, Shaman

Eisande - Blood Elf, Paladin

Dwyndolyn - Goblin, Hunter

Lockhart - Goblin, Warrior

Lokidottir - Blood Elf, Warlock.

Okay, and just so there is a lack of confusion I am Lokidottir. Well, still confusing other than who I am.

We also created our Avengers version on Mal'Ganis. But it's still the same even though we don't all have the Marvel inspired names.

So, Dwyndolyn...

Dywn is actually the "Hawkeye" of our group. And to be honest it cracks me up how accurate our Avenger association and WoW character fit.

Although, I have known her the least. (did I mention we are all girls... well now that that's cleared up) She is one of my best friends. Well they all are. I always saw Hawkeye as this guy who could see the "bigger picture" in situations, he was always very perceptive to me. Almost as if his astounding eyesight was a metaphor for his ability to see people, and events. 

Dwyn... is pretty much like that. I like when our group is together and I notice she is trying not to laugh because she can already tell where an argument is going to go. Also, in WoW, sometimes she just rushes in catching everyone off-guard. Something she does in real life, but it tends to be things that make us go O.O "Wow, you are a BAMF."

She also tends to threaten to shoot Junawe and I in the eye alot. (Mostly because Junawe is the one that starts our fights.)

But, having that person that you know has your back is always a plus. She actually went with me when I drove to Florida so I wouldn't have to go solo, and I will always be very grateful for that.

Eisande

Well, Eisande is our resident "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist". She is actually my sorority big sister. Her character is the tank, and she is pretty much the one that rushes into battle first, but it is always well planned out and as a paladin she also has healing capabilities. Her character is in the engineering profession and it's really hilarious how well it fits. Now, my big is not an ego-maniac (unless you demean her awesome editing skills) but she has the ability to make all of us facepalm, she is such an analytical thinker, and she is insanely devious when she wants to poke fun at us (mainly lockhart.)

Stark I always saw his Iron Man suit, and arc reactor as a metaphor for how guarded he is. She tends to be the same way but it has alot to do with her analytical-ness (is that a word? well I just made it one), but once you get through all that she's one of the most amazing people you can get to know.

Since I already talked about her Lockhart is our Captain America (isn't it just fitting?)

To be honest. I used to kid around that she'd be a better hulk. Then I saw the movie and remembered how cheesy and such a good guy Steve Rogers is and realized she is the Steve of our group.

She is honestly such a good person. She has this "knights of the round table" mentality, and is one of the most honorable people I know. She's always there for her friends, but can back off when it's time for us to be there for her. Somehow I just see Captain America fitting that. Even just looking at the movies it's always been a constant theme of him putting others first. I rarely ever saw him take a selfish action or stop to face his own demons (and when he did try and face his demons he was beating the crap out of boxing bags) Hilariously enough, she does the same thing.

Lockhart though, I've known almost as long as Junawe. I kid around that she is the Merlin to my arthur (if you don't get the reference seriously watch BBC's Merlin.) But it really is true. She has been there for me down to ridiculous things like me asking her if she could grab a binder from the floor cause I was exhausted from class(she was my roommate).What I find interesting about Steve is that even after he becomes Captain America, I see a part of himself never really letting go of his vulnerability and insecurity. But he faces his fears and finds a way to get through them. Lockhart is the same way. I know that one day when she finds that person who will take that chance on her like Dr. Erskine did Steve, she is going to soar. Her character on WoW is a warrior, and she tends to just charge into battle but she finds clever ways of surviving just like Steve. In life I find that it is the same way.

Finally, Junawe. Okay... I have known her the longest. I don't even know how to describe our relationship. In our group she is Thor... and OMG does it fit her. In many ways, our friendship is kind of what Thor and Loki would be like if they weren't at war. 

It's kind of awesome because like thor she has Derpty-Derp moments, and will walk around claiming to be the son of Odin (she is seriously into Norse Mythology.) But she is such a big softy, she is so kindhearted, and genuinely cares for her friends and sometimes hides behind the aloof arrogance but deep down is the most loving person I have ever met. 

In WoW, she is pretty much our healer, but she has awesome war-stomps, and totems that protect the guild. Even though thor is very much the "rush into battle" type. I still see him as someone that just wants to protect those he cares for. Even his fights with Loki. Sometimes it's even more of a "hey, no one can hurt my little brother but me." And it totally fits our friendship. But I see Thor as the slightly more gaudy version of captain America in some ways. 

I will say though. I think what separate Thor and Captain is that Thor is not afraid to go a little  dark. And she is so not afraid to get dark if it means being there for the people she cares for.

My Best friend can be a vicious MoFo but it's comforting to know that I am a part of that protected circle. 

And Me, I'm Loki. I mean it's kind of the same story as Junawe, we have loved the characters since we read the myths, loved them more in the comics, and now just have no words to describe our love after the movies that have been coming out. 

In WoW, I'm the warlock with a specialization in Chaos magic. I stand back and unleash my magical fury. Since I am a cloth armor, I am the squishiest of the group. Sometimes only having enough time to cast certain spells before having to run for my life. If it wasn't for my minion I'd die alot, but my spells are powerful. 

Like my warlock, I am definitely there for my friends but instead of running away from danger I runaway from feelings.

It is so hard for me to express how much my friends mean to me. Sometimes, I also feel so distanced. And alot of it is my own fault. If I could be more open I think I wouldn't worry about damaging our friendships. It's really hard for me to keep up with people. As much as I care about them, because I am horrible at expressing myself. So I hide behind snide remarks, and sarcasm... alot. Even my friendship with Junawe fits the Thor-Loki cycle. She is like my sister (except we have this bad habit of calling each other brother since we first saw thor. We get weird faces in public.) We can get into huge fights and hurt one another but we deeply care for one another, and can get into play fights. She teases me all the time, I retaliate, we get into fights, Dwyndolyn threatens to shoot us in the eye with her hypothetical arrow, Lockhart tries to stay out of it although we tend to try and force her to pick sides, and Eisande instigates and cackles madly. 

Well this blog was going to get slightly angsty at some point. However, sometimes I feel that it is so apt I am Loki. The others are a part of the actual "avengers team" Loki is just a part of their lives even though he is not part of the team.

Sometimes I feel like that, and it's mostly my fault. I am so busy all the time, and I left twice. I was gone for two college programs and there was definitely a shift in our group dynamics.When I first got back, I was slightly resentful. I let my insecurities dictate how I treated them, or how I thought they perceived me. It was all in my head, but sometimes you can convince yourself that the negative is true.

Having said that. I love my friends and I am so grateful to have them. After a lonely childhood where I was  by myself most of the time, and didn't have any friends or family to talk to, I have come to really appreciate the ones I have.  

Our group can be a little dysfunctional at times, but without them I'd probably go more insane than I already can be. 

I actually quit WoW for a month because financially, and personally it was a good choice for my current path. It's been so hard because with how little I get to see the girls, WoW was the one place I could hang out with them. Now, I rarely see them. However, I don't doubt that I'm still in their thoughts. 

With how busy work has been I missed this awesome celtic music festival they went to. The next day we all went to the midnight sale for Mists of Pandaria (new WoW expansion) they all got together to get me this awesome pin that says "It's good to have minions." I didn't tell them, but knowing that I was in their thoughts was really touching. 

I may not have any relationship with either side of my family. And most of them were never there when I needed a hand to hold, however, I have the best kind of family in my guild. A family I picked, and it's good knowing that there are people in my life I will always be able to trust.

Anyways, sappy moments over. All this saccharine is making my teeth hurt. I sincerely think you can't go through life without having a guild of your own. Whether the guild is comprised of blood relatives, or the family of your choosing, having them there to back you up can be such a breathe of fresh air.

Did I mention we were cosplayers? Well we are. =)This is our alice in wonderland (Tim Burton version) cosplay.