#beet the broadcast objective

[unastrawberrywolfartist]

What If Lizzie/Beet (The Broadcast Objective) Is Becoming A Vampire?

[pastel-fox-the-silly]

the broadcast objective took over my brain agian

She gonna get ya

[urayuli]

be careful or she may jeff the kill you

[funky-art-cactus]

Oh So Like Two Posts With Lizzie/Beet (The Broadcast Objective) Is Becoming A Vampire? That's Awesome!! So What Do You think of that?

Omg hi!!! I love it!!! I'm actually the co-creator of the show! I always love to see your posts about the show even though it's just the 2 so far, I hope to see you make more :)

[bananawolfpower]

the broadcast objective is amazing

idk why the beet root guy is getting freaky but the others look super duper cute oh my gosh

[mspobjects]

some osc valentines cards but they get progressively worse (+ a silly oc one )

[theboxfort]

Guess who my (current) favorite character (from The Broadcast Objective) is (Extra Hard Mode)

[panthera-ephemera]

found her digging through my trash last night

[tbo-beet]

original post

[crazycuties]

[alpacaparkaseok]

Could you repeat the question?

pairing: Taehyung x reader, oc x Yeonjun (TXT)

premise: a joint interview with your group, BTS, and TXT two months after you met your soulmate.

word count: 2k

[2/2] continuation of Can’t Keep My Hands To Myself

requested by anon - a picture of your request will be at the bottom of the post! 

------------------------------------------

“Please don’t tell them.”

“Me? Why would I say anything?”

“You...you have that look.”

Yeonjun whirls around to face Taehyung, who just entered the room. “Do I have a look?”

Taehyung winks at you in greeting, something that nearly makes you swoon and your group members snicker. 

“A look?” He frowns for a moment before giving his dongsaeng a pitiful smile. “Oh yeah, you do. Definitely.” Taehyung smiles at Jiwoo, my band member who is busy sending death glares at her soulmate. “He’s gonna spill it.”

Yeonjun jumps up from his seat at the same time Taehyung settles down beside you, placing his arm on the back of the couch and brushing your hair off to the side. It’s enough to make goosebumps rise on your skin, which of course he notices. 

Oh, how you’d like to wipe that knowing little smirk off his face right now. 

“I can’t believe this! I’m not going to say a thing-”

“Yeonjun, and I’m saying this with love, if you say a single thing about it, I will personally unplug your refrigerator when you least expect it.”

Your attention is pulled away when you feel Taehyung leaning in to whisper something in your ear. “So, do we know what they’re arguing about?”

You can’t help but giggle. “Nope. Jiwoo won’t say anything.”

“Neither will Yeonjun.”

The smitten couple have been teasingly arguing for the entirety of the morning, leaving the rest of us in complete and utter confusion. 

Oh well, I suppose it’ll help make the broadcast a bit more exciting. 

It’s been two months since Jiwoo and I first *ahem* teleported to our soulmates at the MAMA awards. Or rather, since I landed in Taehyung’s lap and Jiwoo was nearly knocked unconscious when Yeonjun was thrown into her at full force. Of course, Jiwoo claims that it was horribly embarrassing, to which I’m always quick to say that she should feel lucky that at least she didn’t end up in a grown man’s lap. For all to see, no less. 

Ari, our other group member, just rolls her eyes and tells us that beggars can’t be choosers. 

Yeah, whatever that means. 

The past two months have been busy, with hardly enough time to spend with my soulmate. Between the busy schedules and BTS and TXT and our own schedule, we’ve had to settle for late-night FaceTimes and the occasional lunch at the Bighit building. I’ve become really good at sneaking in and out of that building in broad daylight - so far I have yet to be discovered. 

Today, however, is an important one. It’s our first official schedule together as soulmates. Naturally, all three groups have come together for the interview/variety show. 

“Alright, time to head on!” A manager shouts into the room, and suddenly there’s a flurry of movement as we all head toward the door. “I need all the soulmates to stick to their own groups, ok? We don’t want to be causing a riot today.”

Right. With a gloomy expression, Taehyung parts from me to head back to his members. Jiwoo and I glue ourselves to Ari’s side, much to her chagrin. “Ready?”

Both you and Jiwoo respond simultaneously. “Nope.”

Ari just sighs, feigning annoyance. Together, the three of you await your cue as one by one, your groups are introduced. 

TXT goes first, the hosts making a big deal out of swooning over Soobin who now has a cult of his own due to his MC abilities. They make a show of handing the microphone over to him, begging him to take it over from there. He politely declines, while the rest of the boys bicker and chat in the background. 

Then your group is called out, and you find yourself walking out before a huge crowd. You didn’t realize that many people could fit in this building, but here they are. And all of them are here for the same reason: to get a look at the soulmate couples that have newly formed. 

And that have been trending on Twitter and Tumblr for two solid months, breaking all kinds of records. 

As BTS is introduced with an almost reverent tone, you understand why you’ve been trending for so long.

It has a lot to do with one of the men walking out right now, smiling at the crowd and waving, graciously bowing his way across the stage. 

Taehyung wears a gray casual suit which has him looking like he just stepped off a photoshoot. Hair perfectly styled and eyes glowing with adoration for the fans that roar and wave, he commands the entire room with a single raise of his eyebrows. 

Your soulmate, ladies and gentlemen. 

Today is the day where you prove to the rest of the world how much of a perfect match you are for this man. The notion is terrifying. 

“Wow!” The host, a jovial man named Donghyun shouts out, exaggerating how amazed he is by the crowd’s reaction to all three groups sharing the same stage. Indeed, it’s a rare sight. “Ok! Should we get started?”

After a few minutes of more introductions, a few cursory questions (he asks Yeonjun what he’s been up to recently and you’re pretty sure Jiwoo manages to telepathically threaten him, because he chooses the most vague answer imaginable), and instructions on how to begin the next activities, you’re off to the races. 

Painting races, that it. 

Donning a frock and eyeing the empty canvas before you, you glare at your opponent across the way. Taehyung, to his credit, refrains from winking at you. He thinks you’re adorable when you’re flustered, but now’s not the time. 

“Taehyung-ssi!”

Taehyung blinks up at Donghyun. “Yes?”

“Are you going to let your soulmate win?”

The game is simple: paint the listed object with as much detail as possible in a sixty second period. The others will have to guess what it is. 

Taehyung pouts his lips a bit, glancing over at you with a glint in his eye. “I’ll have to see, I think.”

Donghyun chuckles into the mic, turning to face you. “What about you? If Taehyung-ssi falls behind, will you help him win?”

You wiggle your eyebrows at your soulmate, heart soaring when he delivers a boxy grin. “Oh, of course not. I came to compete, not hold hands.”

The crowd bursts out laughing, and someone yells out, “I’ll hold his hand for you!”

You all dissolve into a fit of laughter at that, your cheeks blushing madly. “Yeah, thanks for the offer,” you say between giggles. Readying your paint brush, you wait for the signal. 

You’ve been given the word ‘Iceland’, which you figure shouldn’t be too hard. 

What you failed to account for was the fact that you’re perhaps the worst painter you know. What should look like a globe looks like a basketball and what should be a cube of ice instead looks like nothing more than a cardboard box. 

In the end, you’re pretty sure you laugh more than you paint. Your team members, consisting of a mix from both teams, look utterly confused at the end product. Eventually it’s Jin - who happens to be on Taehyung’s team - that accidentally calls out the answer. 

The rest of the games pass by in a blur of laughter and covert glances toward Taehyung. He always manages to find a way to make you laugh, even though he remains on the other side of the stage for the most part. You don’t miss all of the fans that look at him dreamily, and you can only hope that they’re happy with your overall performance today. 

At the end, you all squeeze onto a couple of couches. Donghyun makes a fuss over allowing the soulmates to sit together, and you can’t hide your smile as a beet-red Yeonjun sidles down to the couch to sit beside Jiwoo, placing his hands in his lap and trying not to do anything that will go viral. 

Taehyung sits on your right, crossing his arms in a way that pulls on his suit jacket enough to expose the outline of his biceps. You catch your eyes wandering, snapping your attention back to the front where Donghyun reads some questions off of a card. 

“I believe that this was the first time soulmates have met while performing at MAMA, is that correct? What were your first thoughts when you suddenly found yourselves face to face with your soulmate?”

The four of you that now have all the attention riding on your shoulders look to each other for help. Finally, with a racing heart, you answer first.

“I think the obvious answer is that I was shocked,” you smile as knowing chuckles ripple through the room. “But I was also really grateful, because Taehyung was so kind and understanding. The staff were very professional and helped us quickly. Overall, I really can’t imagine it having happened in any other way.”

There’s a few ooh’s and aww’s that greet your ears, but you look down at your lap as you blush. Taehyung slightly nudges your knee with his own, and in that simple movement you feel the comfort that he’s trying to give you. 

“I’d actually been talking to Jiminie earlier about soulmates,” Taehyung pipes up. 

“Oh, yeah! That’s right!” Jimin says, giving his friend a slap on the shoulder. “What are the odds?”

Taehyung flashes a shy smile. “I told him that I felt like I was ready. It can be strangely lonely sometimes, and there are times when I just felt like I was missing something. Now, all I have to do is pick up my phone and my missing piece is on the other side, ready to talk with me.”

Now people are really swooning, you included. You dare to peek over at your soulmate, heart nearly melting when you see that his shy smile is paired with pink cheeks. You wish that you could snuggle up to him right now, but that would definitely not end well. Instead, you lightly nudge his knee with your own, returning the little slice of comfort he provided you earlier. 

“And you two?” Dongyun asks after wiping fake tears away from his eyes. 

Yeonjun chews on his bottom lip, Jiwoo too lost in thought to notice that he has that look again. 

“I, er...” Yeonjun begins, squirming a little in his seat. “I was...really happy.”

Donghyun urges Yeonjun to continue. “Of course you were! What about finding Jiwoo made you so happy?”

Jiwoo looks up in horror, but it’s too late. Yeonjun has already opened his mouth and begun to speak. 

“I was so happy because the first thing she said to me was that she thought I was so hot.”

Radio silence. 

And then-

“Oh-ho!! Yeonjunnie you’re so dead!” Hueningkai laughs, and soon everyone follows suit. Even Donghyun has to throw his hand over his mouth to keep himself from snorting with laughter. 

Jiwoo looks at Yeonjun, who completely avoids her gaze as he stares unblinking at the floor. Then, quietly enough for nobody to hear except for you who sits beside her, she whispers, “Say goodbye to all the perishable items in your fridge.”

In the chaos that ensues, Taehyung discreetly traces circles against your arm and mumbles, “Why didn’t you say that to me when we first met?”

You smack his shoulder. “I should be asking you the same thing!”

Just before everything calms down again, Taehyung leans over to grab the abandoned canvas on the ground. Taking the still-wet paint and dipping his finger into it, he draws something out on it. Nudging you to get your attention, he flashes the canvas for you to see, hiding it from the cameras. 

It’s hard to keep a neutral expression as you see his handiwork. It’s just six words, but they’re enough to have your entire face flushed a moment later. 

I think you’re hotter than Yeonjun ;)

Stifling a laugh, you roll your eyes. “I hope you know I’m keeping that,” you mumble. Taehyung grins.

“Great. We’ll get it framed.”

A few days later, you do. It hangs in the front room of your apartment, for all to see. And for Jiwoo to loathe, as it serves as a constant reminder of her embarrassing first words to her soulmate.

Oh well. In the words of Ari, “Beggars can’t be choosers.”

masterlist

[unastrawberrywolfartist]

Here's My Own Fan Created Non Canon The Broadcast Objective/TBO Short Film: Lizzie The Bloody Vampire Beet: A The Broadcast Objective Movie.

Transcript: Lizzie the Bloody Vampire: A The Broadcast Objective Movie

[Opening Scene: Exterior - Sunny Day in Transylvania, Romania]

(The camera pans over a picturesque Transylvanian landscape: rolling hills, quaint villages, and a looming gothic castle in the distance. The TBO cast—Apple, Worm, Rachel, and the other 15 contestants—are unloading from a colorful bus, stretching and chattering excitedly.)

Apple (Host):

"Welcome, everyone, to our well-deserved vacation in Transylvania! Land of mystery, culture, and… vampires?"

Worm (Co-Host):

"Uh, Apple, you sure this is safe? I’ve heard some spooky stuff about this place."

Rachel:

"Oh, come on, Worm! It’s just a fun trip. Let’s explore the culture—maybe meet some friendly vampires!"

Lizzie:

(smirking darkly) "Friendly vampires? Heh. We’ll see about that."

(The group heads into a village square where local vampire objects—a candelabra with fangs and a velvet cape-wearing wine bottle—greet them.)

Candelabra Vampire:

"Welcome, travelers! Vampires have roamed these lands for centuries. We’re creatures of the night, sustained by… well, you know." (winks)

Wine Bottle Vampire:

"But don’t worry, we’re civilized now! Mostly. Want to hear about Vlad the Impaler?"

(The cast listens, fascinated, except for Lizzie, who looks intrigued in a sinister way.)

[Scene 2: Night - Exterior of the Dark Gothic Vampire Castle]

(The gang decides to explore the ominous castle. The moon glows full, casting eerie shadows. Inside, cobwebs drape the halls, and bats flutter overhead.)

Rachel:

"This place is creepy… but kinda cool! Look at these old portraits!"

Apple:

"Careful, gang! Let’s stick together—where’s Lizzie?"

(Cut to Lizzie, alone in a shadowy chamber. She finds a dusty mirror and stares at her reflection. Her sharp teeth glint, and she grins wickedly.)

Lizzie:

(to herself) "This place… it’s calling to me. Time to embrace what I really am."

(She stabs a strawberry from her pocket with a dagger, letting the juice drip like blood. She drinks it, chuckling evilly as her eyes glow red and fangs fully emerge. Her body shifts—bat wings sprout, and she cackles.)

Lizzie:

"I’m no mere murderer anymore… I’m Lizzie the Bloody Vampire!"

(She takes flight, switching between bat form and her vampire self, disappearing into the night.)

[Scene 3: Interior - Castle, Moments Later]

(The rest of the cast stumbles into the same chamber, finding the stabbed strawberry and a trail of juice.)

Worm:

"Uh… is that strawberry blood? Guys, something’s wrong!"

Rachel:

"It’s Lizzie. I knew she was up to something! Look—vampire stuff everywhere. We’re in trouble."

(Suddenly, Lizzie swoops in, eyes blazing red, fangs bared.)

Lizzie:

"Surprise, fools! Your blood is mine now!"

(She lunges at Rachel, biting her neck. Rachel screams as the others scatter in panic. Lizzie bites a few more victims— a teacup and a lamp—leaving them dazed.)

Apple:

"She’s a vampire! We’ve got to stop her!"

[Scene 4: Interior - Castle Showdown]

(The gang regroups, armed with anti-vampire gear they’ve scavenged: garlic cloves, a wooden spoon stake, and a rosary made of beads.)

Rachel:

(weak but determined) "She bit me, but I’m not down yet. We need sunlight—that’s her weakness!"

Worm:

"Garlic first! Take this, Lizzie!" (throws garlic, which Lizzie dodges)

Lizzie:

"You think that’ll stop me? I’m unstoppable!" (flies at them, claws out)

(A chaotic fight ensues: Apple swings the rosary, Rachel jabs with the stake, and Worm tosses more garlic. Lizzie laughs maniacally until Rachel spots a window.)

Rachel:

"The sun’s rising! Everyone, get that curtain open!"

(The gang pulls the heavy curtain aside. Sunlight floods in, hitting Lizzie. She screeches, her wings smoking as she collapses, defeated.)

Lizzie:

"Noooo! Curse you all!" (fades into a pile of ash)

[Closing Scene: Exterior - Sunny Day in Transylvania]

(The cast, battered but relieved, enjoys the rest of their vacation. They’re laughing, eating local snacks, and taking selfies in the village.)

Apple:

"Well, that was… eventful. Who’s ready to head home?"

Rachel:

"After Lizzie? Definitely. But Transylvania’s pretty cool—minus the vampire part."

Worm:

"Next vacation: somewhere with zero castles. Deal?"

(They all laugh as the bus rolls up. The camera pans to the castle, where a single bat flutters away, hinting at a possible return. Fade to black.)

[End Credits Roll]

I Hope You Like This Short Film!

[colemacgrathtkz]

Buying time

Previously. Next

Fair warning: This one is long.

A few days after her return, Noceda made her way into the Blight manor. She hadn't seen anyone else from the "good old days".

Today, Amity should be finished moving back into her old room. Now that the "empress" had returned, Luz needed a place to stay.

The Owl house didn't seem like it would be accepting new tenants. Amity said she could stay at the "New Coven" HQ. Belos's former castle might as well be put to good use.

Stepping through the front door, she expected to be greeted by either stuffy parents or mischievous siblings. Neither seemed to be home. Just a familiar face waiting to report her news.

Luz: "Good afternoon, my lovely gf! I'm ready for my homecoming party!"

Amity: "I've already updated Willow and Augustus. They should be ready to speak with you after some time."

Luz(folding her arms): "Why so formal, Blight? Is it the house? Maybe we should get our own-".

Amity: "Everyone's going to need time to take all this in, even me. But what about you? Any trouble moving back into your old castle?"

Luz (sarcastically): " You mean Belos's hand-me-downs? You know, after I killed him. Not so bad once you get passed the stares and constant reminders of who I was."

Amity: "Sorry."

Wait, why was she apologizing?

Luz nonchalantly shrugged.

Luz: "Meh, there was vacancy."

Speaking of vacancy, even for a big house, this was unusually quiet.

Luz( jokingly): "So, when's the party? I want to see everyone. Where are they?"

Amity: "That's going to have to wait. My family's already on their way to a conference. We'll be gone for four days."

Luz: "Sounds like high class stuff. Perfect for a romantic getaway, like in the movies. Ok, I'm in!"

Amity: "You can't come."

Luz( pouting): "Huh, why not? I was technically at the top of this food chain. What could possibly stop this empress from returning to high class society?"

Amity: "Me. Remember, everyone was afraid of you. You're supposed to be a secret. Everyone at HQ has orders not to mention you being back."

Sticking her hands in her pockets, the sulking latina turned to leave.

Luz: "Fine! I'll just hang out with Willow and Gus."

Amity: "Those two are busy. Willow has official coven business. Augustus works with his father. They can't drop everything just because you're back."

Stopping mid step, she glanced back to hear about the others.

Luz: "Eda? King?"

Amity dodged her gaze.

Amity: "We haven't been able to reach them. They left Bonesborough to cure the curse... with Lilth."

For a brief moment, red flickered in Luz's eyes. Unfortunately, Amity caught glimpse of that. She made her way to the staircase.

Amity: "Enjoy the alone time."

Being left alone wasn't a fun thought.

Luz: "Hold on, you sure there's no way I could tag along?"

Amity: "Not without some assurances."

Luz: "Like a certain glowing circle floating in midair?"

Got her...

Amity: "The everlasting oath will only work if we're both on board with this. If you're willing to promise give up your magic, it could work. Just for four days, ok? I want to breathe easy. "

Luz: "Ok, but on one condition. We don't tell anyone else about this. There's probably a line of witches who want to take a shot at me."

A purple halo was spawned before them. Amity held her hand out, ready to begin. But just as Luz held out hers, it crackled. A burst of red in its hue, it zapped both their wrists before dissolving. The slight scorch marks seemed to send a clear message.

Amity( disappointed): "I knew this wouldn't work."

Luz: "Hang on, one more time. Close your eyes."

If you looked up "suspicious" in the dictionary, you'd see this moment.

Amity's narrowed eyes tried to read Luz's intentions. The suspect raised her right hand and put the other one on her chest.

Luz: "No tricks, I swear."

Complying with her request, Amity didn't peek.

Luz's eyes darted for the closest reflective object. Settling on a mirror, she knew who else was staring back.

Luz( mouthing the words): "Come on, help me out here."

Trying once more, two hands joined together without fail.

Luz: "See? No sweat. Now, when do we leave?"

Amity: "Tonight, I'm almost done packing. But there's something else I've got to say. My family's arranged for all of us to have our own rooms, for privacy. So..."

Amity brought a hand to Luz's face, smiling.

Amity( patting Luz's cheek): "Good luck finding a last minute vacancy."

And with that, a slack jawed girl was left to wait at the door.

Luz: "Fine, I don't need magic. I've got a dangerous rep!"

[The morning after Luz's return, at New Coven HQ]

Gus: "We've got to drop everything and deal with this!"

Amity: "No, we need to focus. How did she even get here?"

Willow(sarcastically): "Maybe you can find the answer at your next book club meeting? Spoiler alert! Luz's pages ahead of us."

Gus has been working with his father. Though, keeping his finger on the town's pulse was definitely a useful thing. From hearing rumors to reading reports, Gus was the group's ears.

He'd barged into Amity's briefing. Reports of crystal balls disappearing overnight. That definitely seemed like New Coven business.

Of course, it seemed like a good time to inform them of last night's visitor.

Gus: "This can't a coincidence. First, she shows up. Then, robberies happen all over town, overnight! What next? The town gets knee deep in a potion flood?"

Willow: "That doesn't sound that bad, all things considered."

Gus(hysterical): "Oh, sure! Why don't we just ask our former dictator? Hey, Luz, how bad are things going to get?"

They took the news about as well as could be expected.

Gus: "We can't just ask her. She'd probably get scary and wipe out the town."

Willow( putting a hand on Gus's shoulder): " Come on, Gus, this is Luz we're talking about. She's got a big imagination. She'd probably come up with something way worse."

Ok, that's enough panicking.

Amity: "She's not going to wipe out Bonesborough... today. Look, right now we've got questions that need answers. And each of us still have jobs to do. Augustus, I want you to keep up to date on the investigations. Willow, I need you to go to the tree. The portal's gone, but there might be something left behind. Anything that could give us a hint.

Get to it!"

This was normally the part where everyone's dismissed. But Willow waited to shut the door behind Gus.

Willow: "Now that he's gone, we need to clear the air."

Amity just sat down, resting her head on her arms.

Willow: "Do you know why I became your personal assistant?"

Amity(sheepish): "Because you're that nice of a witch and couldn't let me fall apart?"

Willow: "Luz meant alot to us. But she meant a whole lot to you. If anyone was going to get her back, it was you. You were the key to seeing her again. And I wanted to be there to see my friend again.

...

Guess I dropped the ball on that one, huh?"

These two might not be friends, but they had each other's backs.

Willow: "So, do you trust her?"

Amity: "I don't know."

Smirking, Willow wrapped one arm around Amity's shoulder.

Willow: "Well, maybe we can do something about that? See, while you were obviously crushing on her from afar..."

Amity(slightly blushing): " Obviously?!"

Willow(smug): " I was learning up close about schemes, plots, and ruses from a master of shenanigans."

Willow's confidence had improved.

Willow: "I've got a plan. If everything goes well, you might get everything you hoped for.

Twoo wuv's kiss saves Luz and both of you get a happy ending."

She took jabs at her new boss when she could. Payback for the years of bullying.

While Amity became beet red, Willow continued.

Willow(whispering): "Here's what you need to do..."

[Bonus]

The afternoon after the conference, at the Blight manor.

The "undercover" duo knocked at the Blight manor entrance.

The family should be back, by now.

They were met by the twins, Emira and Edric.

Willow: "We need to talk to Amity."

Emira: "She's sleeping."

Gus: "It's four in the afternoon."

Edric: "She didn't get a wink, last night."

A smiles appeared on Amity's siblings.

Edric: "Want to see why?"

Not even waiting for an answer, he brought up a scroll. The footage was ready to go.

Edric: "We had a ball to cap off the night."

Emira: "But Luz wanted to do something special."

There, on the screen, Luz stood in the spotlight. Holding the mic and a spanish guitar, she broadcasted for the dance hall.

Luz: "This one goes out to a special someone here tonight. It's called, 'You're in my heart'."

Amity could be seen hiding her face, as she tried to excuse herself.

Emira: "We told her, Amity left during her performance."

Edric: "So, she asked for our help in finding mitten's window."

Pulling up another recording, this one seemed to take place outside.

Luz: "I saw this in a movie, once."

As the shot panned out, the eyes of these two detectives nearly popped out at the screen. What they saw could only be described as an army of Luz clones. The one up front, holding the guitar, began to play. The rest of them sang behind her.

Luz army(echoing): "Love of my life, you've hurt me.

You've broken my heart, and now you leave me."

The Blight twins collapsed from laughter.

The two guests looked at each other.

Gus(confused): "Are we... sure that's not the real Luz?"

Willow: "I thought Luz wasn't supposed to do magic?"

Edric(astounded): "That's why she asked for our help!"

Emira: "I just thought she was trying to get in good with her future in laws. Those powers glyphs weren't a bad start."

Before Willow could ask about that, Gus had his own question.

Gus: "When did you even learn this song?"

Blight twins(in unison): "Last night."

Willow: "No one tried to stop her during any of this?"

Emira: "People were too sacred they'd set her off. I mean, even we had trouble believing she wasn't going to start... you know."

Edric: "That is, until she wanted to pull something over on Amity. And really, who are we to try and stop her from redeeming herself?"

Emira: "Yeah, shame she made Luz walk home."

Slowly, Willow pieced together a realization.

Willow: "Time's not up yet and she's walking back alone.

Wait, did you post this on Penstagram?!"

Author's note:

Admittedly, the bonus was inspired by this moment in the show

and a song on the radio.

[d-l-dare]

“The Broadcast”

Intelligence from a human is something that is so average that if a person doesn't exhibit it, they deem them as unfit in society. Yet when something that's been believed to be inanimate, suddenly seeming to show signs of communication, suddenly the world is interested and consumed by curiosity. But sometimes what the object has to communicate across isn't exactly what you want to hear.

Standing outside the recording booth, my radio co-host and I were having our usual pre-show conversation, to make sure everything is going okay and if we need to cover incase someone is feeling under the weather. Fortunately for us, we were both doing perfectly average. I'd say fine but my co-host, John, and I weren't exactly ecstatic about our jobs. Sure, it came with its perks. The pay is amazing, the attention is phenomenal, and the people we get the chance to meet because of the job makes it far better than anything he and I had worked.

Since John and I were feeling fine and nothing new was really happening in our lives, we figured talking about what today was going to hold would break the tension some.

"Did you see the plant that guy brought in?" I asked, pointing to the inside of the booth. "Why do you think they spent the entire morning hooking it up to our computers?"

"I dunno, Kathy," he replied, trying to get a better look at the plant. "I think that's a beet. Ughh, I can imagine they're going to make me recite some kind of beet and radio station joke." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Jeez, I can't wait to fake laugh along with it." I said.

Not too long after, the executive came out and told us we'd be on the air soon and to take our places. John opened the door and waited for me to walk in before following behind and letting the door swing shut. It was nice of him to do this every time we came in. I knew he had started to develop feelings for me. Sure, we'd known each other for a while, but the way he treats me and flirts with me when we are off air makes me a little uncomfortable. But I'd rather put up with it than leave my job.

The light over the window in front of us flashed red. We were on the air. We put our headphones on and music swirled through my ears before fading into silence.

"Good morning, you lovely people," John said in his regular radio voice. It sounded lower and better controlled than his real voice, though there wasn't a massive difference between the two. "Welcome back to 97.1 The Roll. We give you the rock and we keep it rolling."

Words flashed on the computer screen that told us to answer a call with a Dr. Lunk.

"We are live with Dr. Lunk, the botanist from New Jersey. He's here to talk about his research on a new finding in veggies." I said, reading the prompt on the screen.

We answered the phone and a man's voice came through. It was a higher pitched voice than I was used to with a slight accent I couldn't quite place my finger on. European? He started talking about a new study that was done recently at his facility. They ran tests on beets and found they hold a frequency that they use to communicate. They found a way to harness the frequency and let it make its own choices.

A prompt appeared on the screen in front of us. We'd finally found out what the plant was hooked up for. It was hooked up to our system to randomly choose songs from our entire catalog. It was going to be hooked up to play for the next eight hours, which is when we go home for the night and let the station go full shuffle.

After the phone call, we let the machine run, picking songs at random. Some of them were really good songs that we played every other day, while others were songs we forgot we even had in the catalog, bring us nostalgia.

Eventually, John and I had decided to go on our hour long break. We put it on full auto, to play commercials and previously run commentary bits of us.

We stepped outside and lit our cigarettes. The early spring air was cold against my bare arms. I knew I should have brought a jacket. John saw me shiver and offered to let me wear his suit jacket. I would have said no, but it was cold and I'd rather suffer than freeze. I disliked the feeling that I might be leading him on.

As we were smoking, I came straight out and told him to stop hitting on me. He acted shocked as if I had no idea what he was talking about. I pointed out all the things he did for me and came back to say he was trying to be nice. I shook my head. There's being nice and let me open the door for you every time I'm around you. Not just that, but I informed him of the way he speaks to me, almost flirtatiously.

He was about to reply back, but a phone call from our boss broke things up.

"You both need to get your asses inside now!" he exclaimed in a fury we had never before heard.

"What's going on, boss?" John asked.

"The plant is playing our emergency recording we would have looping incase of a nuclear attack!" he yelled. "Get in there and shut it down before we get our asses sued!"

We hung up the phone and ran inside. Sure enough, echoing through the speakers inside the building was the message about the nukes. We were in a complete state of panic and charged back to the booth. We tried the computer to let us override the broadcast, but the way it was set up, if you leave everything on auto, ads and all, there is no way to override it. Instead it will only let you pause the autoplay after what's currently playing. We had no choice, and our boss agreed, that we had to sit through and suffer the excruciating knowledge of knowing we were telling thousands of people that the world was going to end.

We tried not to think about the horrible repercussions of this.

[emospritelet]

Desperation - chapter 5

12: “So… apparently we’re in lockdown.”

Prompt list here

[AO3]

x

Once Gold had gone to bed, Belle cleaned up in the kitchen, washing the cups and saucers (and her hands) and wiping down all the surfaces and furniture with disinfectant. She knew she was taking a chance by staying with the Golds, but if she was careful, perhaps she would be alright. There was only silence from the bedrooms, and she hoped that Bae and Gold were getting the rest they needed.

A quick check of the fridge found it well-stocked with milk, eggs, cheese and fresh vegetables. They certainly wouldn’t starve. She made another pot of tea, and put the pie that Ruby had given her in the fridge, and the packet of cookies in the bread box. Perhaps Bae could be persuaded to have some later. 

The door of the kitchen led out onto a rear porch, and Belle carried her tea out to sit on the wooden bench overlooking the garden. It was a cold day, but sunny, and she was warm enough bundled up in her coat. The house sat on the farthest edge of town, bordered by woods at the rear. Reddish trunks of pine stood like sentinels around the perimeter, their branches covered with shining coats of dark green needles. The garden itself contained rows of vegetables, kale and beets and carrots thriving now that the snows had passed, a small greenhouse in the sunniest spot containing trays of seedlings. There were rows of bamboo canes tied together in pyramids, no doubt awaiting beans and peas, and squares of damp, dark earth that had been cleared for planting, She imagined she now had an explanation for the jars of homemade produce in the kitchen. The thought made her smile, even as she wondered how Gold managed to make time to rest.

She drank her tea, leaning back on the bench and listening to cheerful birdsong from the trees. Storybrooke seemed a pleasant town, from the short time she had spent there, and its inhabitants friendly and helpful, for the most part. She decided that she had made the right choice to move there. Pandemic or no pandemic.

The sound of a car engine made her look around curiously, and she picked up her cup and walked down from the porch, around the side of the house. A police cruiser had pulled up outside, and for a moment her heart was in her throat, thinking it was bad news. A young blonde woman got out, nodding to Belle and smiling briefly to lift her grim expression.

“Hey, don’t look so scared, I’m not here to arrest anyone,” she said, walking up to the fence. “I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Sheriff Swan. Emma Swan.”

“Uh - Belle French,” said Belle, still hovering near the front porch. “I’m the new librarian.”

Emma looked interested at that.

“Oh yeah?” she said. “My kid’s been going on at me for weeks, ever since we heard about the library opening up again. I keep telling him he’ll have to wait to check out books.”

“Well, as soon as I can open up, I’ll let you know,” said Belle, with a smile. 

“Great! Trying to entertain a ten-year-old’s pretty much a full-time job now school’s out.” Emma frowned slightly as she looked up at the house. “I thought I heard you were taking the apartment above the library.”

“Oh, this isn’t my house,” said Belle hastily. “I just came over to help out a - a friend.”

“Ah.” Emma winced. “Well, you might want to get home while you can. I’m doing a house-to-house, letting everyone know about the lockdown.”

“There’s definitely a lockdown, then?” said Belle anxiously, and she nodded.

“Yep. Starting eight this evening. The Mayor did a radio broadcast earlier, and it’ll be repeated every half-hour, but for anyone that didn’t hear it, I’m doing the rounds.”

Belle took a step closer.

“What - what does that mean?” she asked. “What’s being locked down?”

“Whole town,” said Emma. “Everyone in Storybrooke is being told to stay in their homes. Only people allowed out are hospital workers, police, and a handful of people who’ve already had the virus and have been issued with permits to make essential deliveries.”

“For how long?”

“Next three weeks, to start with,” said Emma. “Theory is, it’ll stop the virus spreading, let the doctors treat those that already have it, wipe the thing out. That’s the theory, anyway. It’ll only work if everyone plays their part, so if you need to get home, I’d go now.”

Belle chewed her lip.

“But - but they’re both sick,” she said. “Father and son. They won’t be able to care for each other.”

Emma looked troubled. 

“Look, I can ask at the hospital to see if there’s any space, but I doubt it,” she said. “They’re overwhelmed right now. That’s the reason for the lockdown.”

Belle took a deep breath, and nodded.

“Then I’ll stay here, and wait it out with them,” she said. “I can take care of them.”

“In that case, I’ll add your name to the list at this address,” said Emma, and reached inside the car to pull out a clipboard. “Belle French, right? I’ll put you down as staying with the Golds. That way they’ll know to deliver extra groceries.”

“Who’s delivering groceries?”

“If we want people to obey the lockdown, we need to make sure they eat,” explained Emma. “The Mayor’s organised a distribution centre at the docks. Small team of people with the all-clear will be making up boxes of groceries for every household, to be delivered twice per week. That way all the damn hoarding stops, there’s enough to go around, and people stay off the streets.”

“Right.”

“You’ll get your first delivery Friday,” added Emma. “Remember: after eight tonight, the lockdown begins. I see anyone out after that, it’s a big-ass fine, got it?”

“Got it,” said Belle hurriedly, and Emma smiled again.

“Well, good luck,” she said. “You tell Mr Gold and his son to get well soon, okay?”

“I will. Thank you, Sheriff.”

Emma nodded to her, and set off to the next house. Belle went back around to the rear of the house, climbing the steps to the porch and heading back inside. She poured herself another cup of tea and drank it seated at the table, thinking. A glance at the kitchen clock showed that it was approaching five. Lockdown in three hours.

She looked around sharply at the sound of coughing from upstairs, and put down her cup, climbing the stairs and keeping her ears pricked. The coughing sound came again, from Bae’s bedroom, and she opened the door to peer in.

“Hey,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

Bae glanced around, taking shallow, rapid breaths.

“Not great,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Where’s Papa?”

“He’s sleeping,” said Belle, slipping into the room. “I think he’s exhausted.”

Bae nodded, and coughed again, face pushed into the crook of his arm. Belle spied a thermometer on the nightstand.

“Let’s take your temperature,” she suggested. “Did you drink all your honey and lemon?”

“Yeah. Is there any more?”

“I can make you some. Let’s check that fever first.”

Bae stuck the thermometer in his mouth obediently, lying back against the pillows. Belle waited, hovering in the doorway until it beeped, and he took it out, squinting at the digital screen.

“One hundred,” he said.

“Still a little higher than normal, then,” she said. “I think the medication must have helped, but we’ll check again in an hour or so. You get some rest, okay?”

“Okay.”

Bae wriggled back down in the covers, watching her with dark eyes that seemed a little brighter than they had been. Belle smiled again.

“I’ll get you your honey and lemon,” she said.

“Thanks.”

She closed the door, pausing on the landing as she looked around. There were two doors to the left of her, and she turned the handle of the furthest one cautiously, opening it as quietly as she could. A bathroom, with a corner shower and bath. The door next to it was a linen closet, with piles of neatly-folded towels and bed sheets. Which made the door on the other side of the landing Gold’s bedroom. She tiptoed closer, pausing outside to listen, but there was nothing but silence. Belle hoped that he was sleeping. At least there was no sound of coughing. 

She went back down the stairs, pausing halfway down as she realised something. Two bedrooms. Two beds. Oh. Bugger.

Hesitating, she glanced back up, thinking. Well, I can’t leave them alone. I’ll have to sleep on the couch. Nodding to herself, she reached the foot of the stairs and turned right instead of left, opening the door that led to the lounge. She paused in the doorway, looking around curiously. There was an old couch and a squashy armchair, both stacked with red cushions. A wooden coffee table was atop a rag rug, and a TV on a stand was against the opposite wall. Shelves filled with books lined the walls, and in the other half of the room behind the couch was a box of toys and, of all things, a loom and spinning wheel. Belle’s mouth fell open at that, and she walked closer, eyes roaming over the objects. A skein of yarn was taking shape on the wheel, and the loom held a thin section of woollen cloth, a deep cobalt blue with what looked like the beginnings of an edging pattern in a paler shade. Well. This man is just full of surprises.

Having satisfied herself that there was a couch, and that it looked comfortable enough, Belle closed the door, heading back to the kitchen. She made up the hot honey and lemon for Bae, and after a moment’s hesitation made another cup for Gold, stirring them well and gazing out over the garden. The sun was heading towards the horizon, casting a warm glow over the rows of vegetables, and she glanced at the clock. Five-thirty. I’ll see if they want some dinner.

She carried the cups upstairs, careful not to spill. Bae smiled at her when she gave him his, and she crept along the landing to Gold’s bedroom. Hesitating, she knocked quietly on the door, hoping that if he was asleep, she wouldn’t disturb him.

“Come in.”

Gold sounded tired, but she opened the door, peering in. He was in bed, sitting up with his elbows on his raised knees and running a hand through his hair. He wore a T-shirt, which clung to his chest and arms. His muscles were small and wiry, and she suspected he was strong for his size. He sent her a tired smile.

“Hey,” she said, setting the cup down on his nightstand and stepping back. “I was making one for Bae, so I figured I’d make one for you.”

“Thank you. That was kind.” 

He picked up the cup, breathing in the fragrant steam. 

“How’s Bae?”

“He still has a fever, but only a mild one. I’ll check it again after dinner.”

“I’m not sure if he’ll eat anything,” said Gold. “Hasn’t had much of an appetite these past few days.”

“Maybe Granny’s apple pie will change that,” she suggested, and he smiled.

“Maybe so. There should be some ice cream in the freezer. Not exactly a balanced meal, but as long as he eats something, I’m happy.”

“I’ll see if he wants some.” She put her head to the side. “What about you?”

He wrinkled his nose much as Bae had done, and sighed.

“I suppose I should eat something,” he said. “Keep my strength up, and all that. There are meals in the freezer. All home-cooked and labelled. Anything will do.”

“Okay.”

He took a sip of his drink. Belle bounced on her toes, and he glanced up at her.

“Are you alright?”

“The Sheriff stopped by,” she said. “So… apparently we’re in lockdown.”

“Lockdown?”

Belle nodded.

“Three weeks. Starting at eight. On pain of—in her words—a big-ass fine.”

“Oh.” Gold ran a hand over his face. “Well. I knew it was serious. That’ll hit some people hard.”

“The Mayor has ordered a small group to make up and distribute grocery parcels,” she said. “First one gets here Friday.”

“That’s something, I suppose.” He took another drink, and set down his cup. “Thanks for everything you’ve done, Belle. You should go before the lockdown starts.”

“What? No, I’m going to stay!” she protested. “You’re sick, you can’t care for Bae and yourself alone!”

“And if you stay here with us, you’ll get sick too.”

“Not if I’m careful,” she said, and gestured between them. “See? Social distancing. And I’ve been washing my hands every five seconds, it feels like. I can do this.”

He shook his head, but it seemed more surprise than denial. A tiny, tired smile was curving the corners of his mouth.

“I’m afraid there’s only one bed,” he said. “If you give me an hour or so to pull myself together, I can remake this and take the couch. At least you’ll have somewhere comfortable to sleep.”

“I’m taking the couch,” she said firmly. “You stay there until you’re better, got it?”

She fixed him with a stare, and after a moment Gold sighed and nodded.

“Okay, I don’t have the energy to argue,” he said. “But when all this is over, Belle, I’m gonna try to make it up to you. Don’t know how yet, but I’ll try.”

[broadcastingbartender]

[Transcript File Name: "ᵇᵉᵃᵘᵗ△▼"]

[Date Recorded: "=/×/=*"]

[Prerequisitional Notes: Patrons that were at the 'talking-head''s bar after the previous broadcasting day are exiting the establishment far more disallusioned and positive towards life than most other days. This swell in lack of positivity is abnormal.]

[Begin Transcript]

Broadcaster: Welcome back, lovely listeners! My formal apologies to whatever had occured. I simply felt a surge of joy, and it must have manifested itself into a physical form of expelled fluid most found vile. It is an incredibly strange occurance, but nevertheless, I have put such a fluid to a positive use. But pay no mind to its use, we are here to discuss the knowledge that I have been permitted to tell you by are adoring, dominating legal system that keeps us all in check from the shadows.

DiscJockey: Yea! We got a whole lot of news for you guys today! We have an update on Carrot, (y'know, the farmer?), the establishment of a new facility in the outskirts of town, a new piece of the weather by your's truly, and even-

[There was a gentle hush, and the DiscJockey's speech stopped abruptly. A hush sounded off like millions of tiny pillows being placed around one's body, and acting like the most drowsy-inducing marshmallow fabric one could conceive.]

[The DiscJockey's speech is notably soft from this point forward, as if speaking to a resting child who just spent the equivalent of 8 hours attempting to disect the meaning of life, and mentally scarring themself for such a wild prospect that holds no meaning and no conclusion.]

Broadcaster: Now now, aquaintence of mine... No need to spoil the surprises, hmm?

DiscJockey: I... Guess so... Ahaha, I'm sorry dear $£@=()*.:... I don't know what I'm talking about, anyways...

Broadcaster: Oh, none of us do. Even if one expects that they have knowledge of the topic, one will always be corrected and wronged and all of the above and below... Even deities aren't free from spreading accidental fallacies. Nonetheless, we speak with confidence- as if there's no untruth in the first place.

Nevertheless, the news is always considered to be the truth. And today's truthful knowledge of typically unknowable proportions is the heightened sales of Carrot's (you know, the farmer?) mysteriously grown veggies. Seems there's a new red food that certainly is all the rage. She has claimed that her ended rivalry with Beet has- quote- 'Certainly taught her some new intracacies in the possibilities of intercropping with dough'.

Carrot (you know, the farmer?) has found herself with so much profit that her criminal record has been scrapped clean. Bystandards suspect that there will be new crimes to add to that scrubbed up list. I, for one, expect manslaughter to be the first upon that soon to be long list. Others suspect that thievery or breaking and entering...

DiscJockey: I say thievery. Haha, 'cause she's always stealing people's tastebuds with her food... Though, I think Miss Mala does that with mustard bastards. Ha...!

[Drowsy laughter, one that grew distant for the moment, as if the DiscJockey were leaning back in whatever chair they happened to have. However, leaning against an object is impossible for a ghost on their current ring of aftermath reality. Explanation: They're Tired and Unstable.]

Broadcaster: No matter the crime, it bares no semblance or meaning upon our next announcement. Upon the edge of our fine little town, last evenight, a facility made entirely of mushrooms had sprouted from the ground. Apparently, the owner and self-proclaimed mycologist that had sprouted up with the building itself claimed he held an ancient, arcane knowledge to spread. Utterly preposterous, I say. The way he shambled along to the streets to the townhall for his business to be recognized, how the mushrooms that spouted from every orafice wobbled and bobbed like eyeballs hanging from the sockets by the pink chords behind them alone...

That is the figure of a man who spent too much time under a different type of drug. The one that gives you falsified truths by ascending to the plain of liars where fairies and fae strip your organic material away in favor for some magical powder that will eat you away from the inside out. The only type of drug you all should be partaking in is liquid forgetmenot. After all, if there is something scarring that occurs within this town... It is best to forget, so you no longer have to forgive, and smile in ignorance.

[There is a quiet 'mhm', obviously from the other broadcast participant who seemed far too out of it to actual participate at all. Too exhausted.]

DiscJockey: Can we move on to my tuuunes? It's a reaaaal good one, I promise.

Broadcaster: Well... I suppose it is about that time, hmm? Then let us play it. No harm in playing a little late...

[Today's weather consists of... Absolute silence. Ah, but not entirely- A single ringing bell, chiming in E Minor. It chimes, again and again. No other sound or tone is heard. Nothing but a singlular, repetative chime is heard over and over between bits of void and null. When the audio of the broadcast returns, silence remains momentarily, though white noise comes through as the mics attempt to make up for lost sound.]

DiscJockey: That... Wasn't my tunes, but aight. I can vibe with that, I guess.

Broadcaster: How odd... Hopefully the Mistress of the 73rd dimension isn't upset by this abrupt change in music. Nevertheless, we must swiftly move on to our next story. A tale that I personally find myself overjoyed to read.

[There is the clearing of the throat, much akin to those of graduates speaking to the subjects before them. No one actually cares, but everyone listens and has the possibility of spacing out of due to the fact that it was very much mandatory and simply rude to ignore.]

Our favorite little mechanic, Hero, has finally gotten over his attraction to mustard! He paid another visit to the local restaurant, and passed on such a despicable condiment! Not only that, but he has finally found a stable place of residency. Granted, the housing itself typically becomes unstable and phases into serveral different plains of existances with the chime of some underground society's gilded bell.

This beautiful man, glowing with all the grace of a star student before they are inevitably picked up and tossed into the desert much like any other too highly educated citizen... Although he will be lacking the desert treatment... Oh, how the joy of him adapting for his own survival fills my lungs with honey-laced tar. It is utterly euphoric to think of such a man, though imperfect, being so utterly perfect all the same. Watching him, too, is another layer to this state of utter bliss. All because this mechanic, this twig of a marshmallow-y man...

[Due to the rambling nature at what is supposed to be the end of the broadcast, the audio mixing turns DiscJockey up, and the lovestuck broadcaster down. The broadcaster seems cognizant of this, yet continues anyways.]

DiscJockey: Yeaaa... This is gonna take a while. We're pretty much out of time, so like. See you later, listeners. Remember to come down to the bar later and drink up... And maybe chill with me, huh? Heheh...

[End Transcript]

[Postrequisitional Notes: The chimes of the weather were not randomized. Investigation shows that the single tone was used in some form of morse code, but an unfamiliar type of it. 'E', 'T', and 'P' were able to deciphered, but this is not finalised in any manner. Continued research is required.]