#its 1:30 am. i feel unhinged

[glitterrosesnzz]

Chalk Dust

i feel insane. here's a 1k word long W/anderer fic.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this…” 

“Hey, it’s your own fault for sassing the professor.” 

The Wanderer glared at Aether, who was sitting in the swivel chair behind the professor’s desk. The Akademiya classroom had long since been emptied of any other students, as well as it’s teacher. Usually, at this time, the Wanderer would be either running errands for Nahida, or simply resting in a tree in the forest. 

Unfortunately, today, he’d been assigned the duty to clean up the empty classroom- a task usually reserved for the teacher themselves. 

The Wanderer slowly released an angry breath of air, restraining himself from sending a blade of anemo at the Traveler’s head. That would get him absolutely nowhere in this scenario, and in fact, would probably add to his wasted time by earning him a lecture from Nahida. Aether spun around in the chair, seemingly unphased by the murderous vibes the Wanderer was mentally trying to project at him. 

“Why are you even here?” The Wanderer asked, crossing his arms, “Just to act useless, as usual? You don’t even go here.” 

“Well…” Aether placed his feet on the ground, abruptly stopping the chair mid spin. “Nahida got worried when you didn’t immediately show up after classes ended like usual, so she sent me to check in on you. I didn’t think you’d be in here cleaning, and I especially didn’t expect you to be doing such a thorough job of it.” 

The Wanderer let out a sigh. Cleaning was in fact the thing he least wanted to be doing right now, but well, if he had to do something, he was going to at the very least do it well. In fact, he was almost done. All that was left was the second chalkboard. 

Grabbing the bucket of water he’d previously set down on the ground, the Wanderer dipped the washcloth in it and floated up in order to reach the top of the chalkboard, ignoring Aether very obviously snickering about the fact that the Wanderer needed to fly to reach. Like Aether would be able to reach this high up either. 

He did his best to put the Traveler’s presence out of his mind, focusing only on getting his job done, so that he could finally leave. 

However, it was only a few moments later that movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. 

The Wanderer dropped his wet cloth and zoomed over, harshly gripping onto Aether’s wrists just moments before he could slam two chalkboard erasers against each other. 

For a moment, they both froze, staring at each other. 

“...Idiot.” The Wanderer relaxed his grip on Aether’s wrists, but didn’t yet let go. “I did not ask you to help. You’ll get chalk dust all over everything if you do that in here.” 

“Maybe I just wanted to help.” Aether said, and the Wanderer scoffed, finally letting go of the Traveler’s wrists.. 

“Keep your unneeded sense of heroism in check.” He said, turning away- 

Only to immediately get whacked in the back of the head by an eraser, sending a cloud of chalk dust into the air. 

“Gah- seriously?” The Wanderer stumbled a little, turning back to glare once again at Aether, who was whistling innocently, his hands behind his back. “Of all the immahH- …immatu-hiH- sh-shiH-shit-” 

The Wanderer harshly rubbed his nose, quickly trying to get himself back under control. 

“Oh, what’s this? Do you need to sneeze?” 

“N-nohH-hheH-...” 

 “Careful~!” Aether said, a little bit of sing-song in his voice, “Better hold it back, you wouldn’t want to accidentally get chalk dust all over everything would you?” 

The Wanderer didn’t bother to give the Traveler a response, continuing to harshly rub at his nose as he tried to stop hitching, his eyes flickering with the power of anemo. Despite the teasing way in which the Traveler had said it, he’d made a good point, if the Wanderer was to sneeze now, the anemo energy that would be released would likely spread the chalk dust over the whole room. He’d have to clean it all over again… 

Determined not to let that happen, the Wanderer made the decision to stop breathing. 

After a few seconds with no hitching, he slowly pulled his hand away from his nose, cringing. The itching, tickly sensation was still there, and it was annoying, but at least he wasn’t- 

“Hey, that’s cheating!” Aether said, one hand on his hip, and the Wanderer was abruptly reminded of the fact that there were, in fact, two chalkboard erasers as Aether held up the other one. “It’s not fair if you do something no human can possibly do.” 

The Wanderer gave him a look of utter befuddlement- followed up with a brief flash of panic as Aether started walking closer to him, eraser raised. He quickly started backing away from the Traveler, placing both of his hands over his nose and mouth. Aether let out a small laugh. 

“Looks like someone isn’t confident in his ability to hold back.” He said, patiently standing in front of the Wanderer, who’s glowing eyes narrowed at the challenge. After a beat, the Wanderer slowly lowered his trembling hands. 

In response, Aether reached out and gently tapped the Wanderer’s nose with the eraser, sending a new small cloud of dust into the air between them. 

“Ggh… hh-hAh- hIHh’t–... hH-” Small tears started forming in the corners of the Wanderer’s eyes as he choked back a sneeze, turning it into a false start. “HehH- ngh… h-hH-” 

 The marks along his body were starting to match his eyes and glow in time with his hitching breaths now. …He wasn’t sure he could keep this up for much longer. 

He wasn’t going to tell Aether that of course. 

And yet, somehow, the Traveler seemed to instinctively know when the Wanderer had reached his limit. An arm wrapped around the Wanderer’s waist, pulling him closer, and the Wanderer’s breath briefly caught on a startled squeak as Aether put his other hand against the back of the Wanderer’s head. 

The Wanderer was given no time for confusion as his breath suddenly hitched much more desperately. 

“Hh-ihHH-hH’IsHKiu!! HhiH’SHhkiu! Heh- hH’inKShhii!!” The Wanderer had no choice but to muffle his sneezes against Aether’s shoulder, the Traveler gently fiddling with the Wanderer’s hair while he waited for him to finish. “Hh-hiH’ksh! Heh’Shkii!! Hih- Isshiiu! ‘Kshiu! Heh- hhiH- hH’InKShiiuu!!” 

The Wanderer breathed heavily for a moment, his eyes slowly opening, the glow fading from them. 

“...You done?” Aether asked, and was immediately shoved away. “Hey, is that any way to thank me? There’s a reason we didn’t just have a miniature wind storm in here y’know.” 

“...Tch. You’re a freak.” 

“Would you hang out with me if I wasn’t one?” 

The Wanderer didn’t respond, crossing his arms and avoiding eye contact instead. Aether let out a small laugh. 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

[blessphemy]

Heehee, I'm really enjoying the mystery of all the seemingly disconnected things you tag as 'translation state.' You're making me want to read it <3

i'm hoping to create my translation state quotes hall of fame post soon, this book is actually a situational comedy masquerading as a political thriller star crossed romance with alien cannibalism garnish. you know, normal stuff.

i would recommend reading Ancillary Justice first though! first book in the Imperial Radch trilogy. then the rest of the trilogy, Ancillary Sword and Ancillary Mercy. i am dead serious i think the Imperial Radch trilogy is a modern sci fi classic, building on the sci fi canon that comes before it in such a fantastic way. Ancillary Justice is an absolutely beautifully put together work, master craft shit. no notes. (I do have notes on the structure of Translation State.) i have literally studied AJ's structure like I'm trying to dissect it and it's insanely clean. I can only think of like, maybe 1 thing I'd like to ask the author about regarding her choice of how she executed the ending. Leckie did you have Breq shoot the gun without public witnesses because it would've fucked up the logistics of the rest of a trilogy? part of me can't help but think the ending of AJ would've worked better as a final public showdown and it highkey felt like that's what it was building toward until—but on the other hand the ending as written mirrors the hidden situation with Awn so perfectly—anyway it makes me rabid.

GOD oh my god that scene with Lieutenant Awn (iykyk) when Awn dropped her mic on Anaander and then Anaander dropped her mic on Awn and I knew what was coming next and the whole arc of the book all clicked together right in the beating heart of the story I about screamed I had to put the book down and pace it out for a while before picking it back up.

the Imperial Radch trilogy punched its entire fist through my brain and i never truly recovered. it was everything i wanted. if you let me start talking about it i won't shut up for about 30-45 minutes minimum. it can be a little dense and I gather the tone/style is not for everyone but boy fuckin' howdy does it hit for the people it hits. every single character is my problematic fave. every single character is fucking unhinged in their own special way. <3 (except Queter. who may have built a bomb but she did nothing wrong ever in her life.)

Provenance and Translation State are in the same universe as the trilogy, but follow (mostly) different casts of characters. i suppose you could read Translation State first if you feel like a rebel, and I'd be fascinated to hear how it reads without the prior context. but also I really think it would land better if you read the trilogy first.

[caeli0306]

Hello! Welcome to the unhinged record of my writing and other obsessions

Hello! I'm Caeli. I'm 23 and a journalist by day, rabid Fourth Wing/Empyrean and Star Wars fan by night. FW got me back in to reading fantasy, and then IF left me with a crippling book hangover. I turned to writing fanfiction for the first time to try to get my mind off of it, and now I spend my days writing... and then go home at night and write some more.

My fics (all posted on AO3):

Completed:

Tales from the Airport Bathroom - Xaden/Violet spy/soldier AU almost entirely from Xaden's POV where Violet is Stab Happy and Xaden is a Simp, the meet cute is on an airplane, and Xaden gives wife guy vibes as Violet destroys her enemies. Completed, four chapters, 19.5k words. (1)(2)(3)(4)

the present, the past, and you in between - VERY angsty one shot from Xaden's POV where he reflects on his lifelong love for Violet. Completed, 1k words. (1)

Did Someone Say Shots? - One-shot College AU where Xaden thinks his feelings are unrequited but has to look out for Violet on an evening where she goes a little crazy with the Fireball shots. Completed, 10k words. (1)

Did Someone Say Roadtrip? - A short prequel to Did Someone Say Shots? based on the RQ War Games drabble prompt fics that were getting posted for the 1 year anniversary. Completed, 1.1k words. (1)

Did Someone Say Vacation? - A sequel of sorts to Did Someone Say Shots? that can be read on its own, where Xaden is vulnerable, Violet is emotional intelligent, and 🌶️. Completed, 12.7k words (1)

Violet Sorrengail's Guide to Spinning a Scandal - Xaden/Violet Modern Day AU where Violet is a political crisis consultant and Xaden is running for office. Mutual hatred turns to mutual pining, and of course, scorching sexual tension. 🌶️ eventually. Completed, 71k words. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)

cold woman - A very short character study one-shot of our favorite Lilith Sorrengail. Spoilers for end of Iron Flame. Completed, 1k words. (1)

in the eye of the beholder - Mira's POV of Violet and Xaden's budding relationship, plus some sibling bonding (beat up and drinking) time with Brennan. Major spoilers for both books. Completed, 7.1k words. (1)

In-progress:

castles crumbling - Xaden/Violet assassin-spy/soldier AU, aka the extended version of Tales from the Airport Bathroom. In-progress, chapter 23 posted 3/30, 199.1k words and counting. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)

Danger Zone - Xaden/Violet Top Gun AU. In-progress, chapter 3 posted 2/4, 24k words and counting. (1)(2)(3)

Xaden Riorson's Guide to Surviving a Scandal - aka VSGTSAS from Xaden's POV. While this can be read separately from VSGTSAS, it would be better if you read it after reading the original fic. In -progress, chapter 2 posted 1/26, 16.5k words and counting. (1)(2)

the art and science of a cruise ship hookup - Modern Cruise Ship AU where Violet was left at the altar and meets Xaden on a cruise ship. 🌶️ ensues. In-progress, chapter 12 posted 5/29, 173.8k words and counting. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)

On hiatus:

Swan Song - 2nd gen fic following Xaden and Violet's second daughter, Fen, as she tries to figure out who - or what - killed her sister Nora in a world where Tyrrendor is independent and the venin have been defeated for 25 years. Featuring the fan favorite Aidan Matthias, Rhiannon's adopted son with Tara, a brand new squad, and a squad leader with a very familiar name. Chapter 13 posted 4/14, 72k words and counting, on hiatus indefinitely. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)

Addendum - Companion piece for Swan Song. A series of one-shots expanding on the background of my Swan Song fic and giving perspective from different characters' POV's, especially Nora's. Chapter 3 posted 3/5, 4.6k words and counting, updated sporadically depending on story needs. (1)(2)(3)

Things to know:

Update Schedule:

I don't have one! Like I mentioned in my intro, I am a journalist by day, which means I already do a lot of writing on a daily basis. I love it, but that also means that during busy news cycles I might not have the time or the desire to write. I do this for fun and because I love sharing the worlds in my head with other people, but my first priority will always be myself. If I haven't updated in a week or two, that doesn't mean they'll never be updated! I will always put a note on my Tumblr if I'm putting something on hiatus, along with an estimate for when I plan to start updating again.

What I post about

In order to keep myself accountable, I post frequent updates on my writing progress here. As I said above, I write these stories because I love them, but also because I love sharing them. This helps me stay on track, while also letting people know the general progress of the next chapter.

How long will castles crumbling be?

TBD! Tales from the Airport Bathroom was no plan, just vibes. castles crumbling is the extended version, so it will obviously be longer. While I do have a general plan for this here extended version, I don't have a chapter-by-chapter outline the same way I do with Swan Song. This is partially because I'm still going back and forth on how parts of this story will go, but also because I want to try writing in a bit of a less structured way than I have been doing. I can't imagine it will be shorter than 25 chapters, but honestly, who knows? I'll update this when I have a better idea.

When will you update Addendum again? When should I read the different Addendum chapters?

I created Addendum because I wanted to give people insight into Nora without interrupting the flow of Swan Song. I expanded this concept by adding in a Violet POV chapter as well. These provide context to certain interactions, foreshadow future events, or otherwise flesh out the world in which Fen and the other characters inhabit. In short, it will be updated as needed.

Nora's First Addendum - Read after Chapter 4 of Swan Song

Nora's Second Addendum - Read after Chapter 7 of Swan Song

Violet's First Addendum - Read after Chapter 9 of Swan Song

Lastly, I love hearing from people who read my fics. Feel free to message me whenever, whether its to provide constructive criticism, ask a question, offer up a writing prompt, or just to say hi!

[mdzs-is-rotting-my-brain]

🎃 Xiantober MDZS Re-Read.🎃

Day two, three, four, and five.

Aggression Pt2

Aggression pt3 *

Arrogance Pt 1

Arrogance pt 2

Arrogance pt 3

*Between Aggression Pt 3 and Arrogance pt 1, I tweaked my back and took a couple of edibles to help with the tense muscles. Please enjoy my unhinged notes on everything after the end of Aggression pt2.

I also forgot to track which note came from which chapter. I am sorry for the mess this post is about to be.

The cultivation world had a strict definition for the category of “ferocious ghosts”—they had to kill at least one person a month and continue the behaviour for at least three months. The criterion was set by Wei WuXian himself, and it was probably still being used.*

"Agression pt3, ExR

So the Cultivation world just accepts both the use of Wei WuXian's tools that he made while a "demonic" cultivator. But Wei Wuxian himself is evil?

(This feels a lot like the Nuclear Warheads conversation happening over the last few years. "We the good guys (western Imperial societies) can have the power to end the world as we know it. Because we responsible with it.

Those other guys. (Typically darker than pantone 757, and typically colonized and or oppressed) would use it recklessly and dangerously"

Never mind the obvious harm the "good" guys have already done.

The Cultivation World used that logic. Even before Wei Wuxian was killed. They justified the attack on him by claiming, without proof, that he was able to hide the evidence of hundred-holes curse. Despite it never having been done before. They claim he is the first one to be able to do it. They use his genius against him to justify their own slaughter.

Does the Jiang Clan use these tools as well despite their leaders cries of "revenge" and "hatred"?

Why wasn't there a category of fierce ghosts before Wei Wuxian invented Guidao? Did each Sect and Clan just have their own internal system and Wei Wuxian was the first to create a generalized system of categories.

Does every sect use this system? Including the Jiang Clan?

with the last cut being the deepest and most hate-filled one Aggression pt3, pg 30, ExR.

There is so much about Mo XuanYu's story that is never told. Most of it is sad.

Wei WuXian casually looked at his wrists. Another cut had healed.

He's so fucking smart.

Lan SiZhui stared for a second, and asked in spite of himself, “Why?”

Its impossible to say if Lan SiZhui found this face familiar. It wouldn't be of course. But the expression might be something Wei WuXian made before. Something Lan SiZhui feels he knows.

Aggression pt3

Although he didn’t know why, in order to figure out what the creature was, they had to think in the direction of “left hands.” After Lan SiZhui realized this, he felt surprised and looked at Wei WuXian. He couldn’t help but to think, suddenly saying this… It doesn’t seem like a coincidence.

He's so smart. Lan Wangji taught him to listen and learn from those around him. No matter where they came from or how they look.

Aggression pt3

It was him. Inside of the Lan clan’s uniform jacket, there were compact stitchings of incantations using thin threads of the samecolor, included for protection. However, against strong ones like this, it could only be used once before it became invalid. During the emergency, he could only kick Lan JingYi and use his body to protect Lan SiZhui’s neck.

Wei "I have bad memory" WuXian. Maybe Wei WuXian was never bad at remembering things. Maybe just the things ppl wanted him to remember we're traumatic and in the past. The two places Wei WuXian does not dwell.

Aggression pt3

Wei WuXian found it both funny and annoying. He clapped his hands again, this time lighter. However, these walking corpses were probably born in Mo Village and died here as well, not having experienced life fully. They instinctively followed the summoner’s commands, but were also horrified at the summoner, lying on the ground and afraid to get up.

Lvl 99 arch-fey litch king would like you (shambling corpse) to not be intimidated by his presence and help the children please.

Could you imagine god just popping into your living room and saying "hey, can you go help these high-schoolers fight a demon arm-why are you screaming?"

Aggression pt3

The crueler the being was, the better Wei WuXian could control it. These walking corpses hadn’t been trained by him and couldn’t withstand direct manipulations from him. He didn’t have any materials on him, which meant that he couldn’t immediately make tools to ease the walking corpses. He couldn’t even muddle and assemble bits and pieces.

The book straight up said "the more resentment you carry in life, the easier it is to control you." But here comes this man painted like a hanged ghost, enjoying acting mad, and says "that's not doing you any good. Let me make use of it and you'll feel better"

Aggression pt3

Because female corpses were often especially fierce after they were modified.

Something, something, lifetime of suppressed resentment coming out after death. A resentment Wei WuXian makes room for, and allows them to express.

( @mxtxfanatic wrote a meta about Wei WuXian and his interactions with the rest of the female characters for Xiantober. Check it out! https://www.tumblr.com/mxtxfanatic/763431582363205633/wei-wuxian-the-girls-girl?source=share

((hopefully the link works, I'msorry if it doesn't!))

Aggression pt3

the echoes of two strums on a stringed instrument came from far away.

Eeeee!

Aggression pt3

I (platonicall) love Lan WangJi and his kickass introduction both here, and in the next chapter. He was such a refreshing break in characters similar to him in western books that I'd read before this.

As soon as he heard the two faraway strums of the zither, Wei WuXian turned around and began to leave.

Lol. Bye!

Aggression pt3

Wei WuXian made eye contact with him for one second, and was immediately touched by the minuscule amount of contempt in its eyes.

He loves stubborn things.

There were countless cultivation clans, but only a few were distinguished. Without the contributions from its ancestors, if an average clan wanted to become famous and receive respect in the cultivation world, it would have to show its abilities. Only if a clan captured a fierce monster or a terrorizing being, could it have then been treated seriously.

Who enforces this? How do small Clans rise to power if most of the territories are controlled by the Five Great Clans? What happens to Old Qishen Wen territory? Does it divided up among the other Four? Is there a world map of this? What's to stop a smaller clan say, in the Yunmeng Jiang territory l, tired if being frequently ignored by its Sect leader, rising to prominence? How would they be received in the wider Cultivation world? They have, essentially usurped the king, how would their allies take it? Would it lead to Clan wars? If the Jiang and the Jin were tied by marriage would they then have to pick a side?

How does this work?

Am I otherthinking this?

Arrogance pt1

He gathered a long stick and a fishing thread, hanged the apple on one end, and dangled it in front of the donkey. The donkey smelled the apple’s refreshing scent from in front of him and wanted to eat it, chasing the apple which was always a centimeter away from him. Its speed was faster than the best horses Wei WuXian had ever seen, leaving only dust behind it.

I aspire to this level of confidence!

Arrogance pt1

“Do you remember who created the Compass of Evil? I’ve never heard of anything that can interfere with its pointer’s direction.” “What do you mean? Are you implying anything with that tone of yours? Of course, I know that Wei Ying created the Compass of Evil. But, it’s not as if his creations are flawless. Aren’t we allowed the option of doubt, at least!"

They've never failed, but they aren't flawless. Sure this won't come up again.

Arrogance pt1

If there was ever a poll to find out whose popularity was the most lasting in the cultivation world, the winner would be no other than Wei WuXian.

That bruised a couple of egos. For sure

Arrogance pt1

so he had to put everyone through the inconvenience of using the imprecise version one.

His petty, salty, ass.

Arrogance pt1

What can we do? He’s a sect leader. No matter which clan you choose to offend, you shouldn’t offend the Jiang clan, and no matter which person you choose to offend, you shouldn’t offend Jiang Cheng. Let’s just pack up, leave, and feel sorry for ourselves!”

the storm clouds are gathering.

Arrogance pt1

using the king of all flowers to suggest that they were the king of all cultivators.

I'm absolutely sure this won't come up again

The young master already had an arrow on his bow and was preparing to shoot it, when he realized that the deity-binding nets only caught humans. After an initial moment of disappointment, he quickly became annoyed, “I find you idiots every single time. There are more than four hundred deity-binding nets in the mountain, but you guys have already broken ten or so, and I haven’t even seen the prey yet!”

This is such an intriguing way to introduce a character and exposition and world building.

Last chapter there was a "zoom out" (idk how else to describe it) the narrative takes on a more neutral tone to paint a scene for the reader, and then we jump right back into Wei WuXian's narrative "flavor" to introduce us to the scene.

And here comes Jin Ling. New narrative "flavor" and instead of going on another "zoom out" Jin Ling tells us everything we need to know about him, this moment, and the world at large.

After a few days of traveling slowly and listening to the intriguing conversations at Buddha’s Feet, Wei WuXian gathered a lot of information about the changes to the cultivation world. As the final winner of the hundred-year-long cultivational disruption, the LanlingJin Sect was the head of all clans and sects

Hold on. Wait....stop. everyone press on the brakes. Why was it bad when the Wens wanted this? How is this different?

Even before this, the Jin Clan was arrogant, admirers of extravagant splendor. After the years of being at the top and while strengthening the sect, it had trained all of its disciples to do whatever they wanted to. Even a slightly weaker clan would have to submit to their humiliation, much less a small, rural clan such as this one. This was why, although the people trapped in the nets were red with fury, because of the mean words of the boy, they could not talk back.

How is this different? Is it because it was done "democratically" and the Wens were being "aggressive"? This doesn't really dissuade me believing the watchtower were supervisory offices. Would were going to be.

The tone was made of twenty percent surprise and eighty percent disgust, making Wei WuXian blink.

He is so confused. This boy isn't even old enough to know him and is already disgusted.

if he (Jin GuangShan) could get his hands on one, he wouldn’t miss the chance.

Chekov. Gun.

After he grew tired a woman, he would forget about her completely, without any responsibility or whatsoever.

Did he really not worry that any if those children would come to him for revenge? The novel states that he would pursue anyone and Qin Su is proof of that. Educated, refined. If Qin Su had been a son instead of a daughter, would Madam Qin have have him seek revenge for her soiled honor? Would someone else? Did he think he was above such consequences?

The answer is obviously yes. Of course. No one thinks they have to pay for their actions until the check hits the bank and fucks over the entire Cultivation world.

This was too humiliating, and so, the LanlingJin Sect told the public that the old leader died from overworking himself. All of the other clans decided to keep silent about the matter and pretended that they didn’t know anything. Anyways, those were the real reasons behind his “fame.”

Okay, do, two things.

1) how did the rest of the Sects find out how he died? Who told them? Why was that information known but Xue Yang was not?

Again, it is obvious that Jin GuangYao was the one that spread that information as a final way to fuck his father's image and legacy. No on could pretend he died in some honorable battle or against some great devil. But what's interesting to me is that no one asks why that information was released. The situation is so embarrassing for everyone involved that they just pretend to go along with the official narrative while knowing how he died.

It's so intriguing to that Jin Guangyao had so much control over information in Koi Tower so quickly after being named and titled. And he then used that to manipulate the Sects into helping him murder innocent farmers and doctors.

Two.

No one. Absolutely no one in this "three or four days" of gathering Intel,did anyone tell Wei WuXian about Jin Ling? And with so many Clans here he didn't think the Jin wouldn't also come? He didn't think ask about what happened to his shijie's son?

Most likely not. It's the past, he doesn't live there. He doesn't know if he'll ever meet Jin Ling. If he does, he does. He's not going to be a neurotic mess about it.

During the siege in Luanzang Hill, aside from Jiang Cheng, Jin GuangShan was the second-greatest contributor. And now, Wei WuXian had taken over the body of his own illegitimate son. He really didn’t know if they were even with each other.

"My dad killed me in a previous life."

Wei WuXian thought that even if not for his own sake, he needed to return the humiliation for Mo XuanYu’s body,

I'm gonna lecture you about manners to defend the previous owner of this body, but not for myself!

What kinda logic is this? 🤣🤣🤣

"What an attitude! I suppose that you didn’t have a mother to teach you?”

Wei WuXian, please you're a genuis.

Wei WuXian examined it attentively, somehow thinking that the sword seemed familiar to him.

pleeeease!!

It was a makeshift “spirit-locking bag” that he had created a few days ago, using the scraps and pieces of things.

He just diy-ed a bag of holding.

I want those Content-creater writers to write Wei WuXian making make-shift spirit trapping pouches from odd bits lying around the house.

Although the cultivation method that he used in the past was often criticized and, in the long term, it harmed the cultivator’s health, it could be mastered quickly. It was also especially attractive because there were no limitations as to the cultivator’s spiritual powers or talent, making it so that there were always people who secretly practiced it to find a shortcut. The boy presumed that, after being chased from the LanlingJin Sect, Mo XuanYu had chosen the dishonorable path, which was a reasonable conclusion to draw, saving Wei WuXian from a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Oh you wanna believe the rumors about me? Sure, go ahead. rides away on donkey

Even his (Jiang Cheng) posture emitted an air of arrogance and overconfidence.

All that build up to slammed in the face with "he's a brat"

so many years, no matter how much hatred Jiang Cheng had held for him, it would have disappeared long ago. He didn’t expect that not only did it not disappear, it became richer, as if it was a jar of aged alcohol. At the present time, his hatred had grown to affect even people who cultivated like him!

the sword’s glare, causing him to trip. He fell toward the ground, right on top of a pair of snow-white boots.

What a way to be reintroduced to the love of your life!

What first came into his sight was a long, slender blade, crystalline and translucent, as if it was made of ice.

There are many crimes I will not forgive the Untamed from making. What I won't ever let go of is why they couldn't do this! It'd be so pretty!

“And I was wondering who it was. So, it is you, Second Young Master Lan.”

First of all, wouldn't he know? A paragraph above, Wei Wuxian was mentioning how he fought alongside Lan Wangji during the war. I'm assuming it was the Jiang and Lan. So how would he not know Lan Wangjis sword? Is he being petty? (Probably.)

Also, wouldn't the proper term.here be Hanguang-jun?

As he walked past the former, slightly brushing their shoulders, he made eye contact with him for a short moment, pretending that it was unintentional.

Bitch! Please. You're so desperate for this man to notice you!

nothing could help the bitter facial expression that made him look as though his wife had passed away.

I have seen this making the rounds. And it is funny, I laugh at every time. But it also.is a wonderful to tell the audience that Lan Wangji is mourning. He has gotten up, and gotten on with his life. And he is mourning. I would think he is chiefly mourning Wei WuXian, but there was also a war. And he must have lost friends and family members. It's only been 13 years since Wei Wuxian died. In the longevity of grief, that's just long enough to begin to forget the faces and voices. I love, though it's given in such a lovely, funny way, Wei WuXian sees that pain and clocks it in single moment.

Lan WangJi was silent, staring straight ahead, standing motionlessly in front of Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng was already exceptionally handsome, but as they stood face to face with each other, he still seemed a few degrees inferior.

We are still in Wei Wuxian’s "flavor." This is his observation. Based solely on the evidence that Jiang Cheng hunts all "demonic" cultivators, and that Lan Wangji did not judge him by the makeup on his face, nor that he was using "demonic" cultivation.

Powerful cultivators from prominent clans usually didn’t care to pay attention to lower level preys. However, Lan WangJi was an exception. He never cared for the prey of a night-hunt, and wouldn’t refuse to go just because the creature was not threatening enough to increase his fame. If anyone wanted help, he would be there. He had been like this ever since he was young. “Being wherever the chaos is” was the comment that the public gave him for his night-hunts and, also, praise for his moral character.

"I am going to force this world to be worthy of you when you are reborn." Lan Wangji, probably

Lan JingYi spoke straightforwardly, “Isn’t Sect Leader Jiang here as well?”

Everyone says that Lan JingYi is a Lan Clan Wei WuXian. And I disagree. He is Lan Wangji. His forthrightness, his honesty, and his intolerance of slander against his Clan or his sect or Hanguang-jun. He just doesn't have "You're not qualified to talk to me" Attitude that Lan Wangji does.

Lan WangJi seemed as if he didn’t want to engage in conversation.

Jiang Cheng isn't even good enough for Lan Wangji to talk to, Petty.

Lan SiZhui a look. The latter understood and told the juniors to speak among themselves.

Lan SiZhui, "mind your business"

"Young Master Jin, night-hunts have always been fair competitions amongst the different clans and sects. However, to set up nets all over Dafan Mountain is clearly hindering the cultivators, causing them to fall into the traps. Is this or is this not against the rules of night-hunting?”

Lan SiZhui is no slouch either. He didn't tell Jin Ling directly what the rules were. He asked him to confirm them. If Jin Ling answers that he does know the rules (which he would have too). Then he knows he was breaking them and being unfair.

Jin Ling’s grim expression was exactly the same as his uncle’s, “What can I do? It was their own fault for stepping into the traps. I’ll solve everything after I finish capturing the prey.”

Lan WangJi frowned. Jin Ling was about to speak again, but he suddenly realized that, shockingly, he could neither open his mouth nor make any sounds. Seeing that Jin Ling’s upper and lower lips became inseparable as if they were glued together.

And how does Jin Ling respond?

Victim blaming. He broke the rules and made the hunting grounds inaccessible for anyone but the Jin and Jiang clans.

Fortunately Lan Wangji has no time, tolerance or patience for such behavior and shuts it up.

[motheatenscarf]

Finally caved and watched Season 1 of Interview With The Vampire after like, twenty years of dodging any Anne Rice intellectual property and thought, yeah, okay, that was actually pretty good. I guess I get the hype. Some moments were kinda goofy for how self-serious it seemed to want to be, but admittedly still entertaining, so whatever.

Got like two episodes into season two before I realized, OH. The vampire theater murders people on stage to eat them and the audience just thinks it's part of the stagecraft? That's so fucking dumb, I love it, this is camp! Like, emotional truths within camp, sure, but, this is like, proper, gothic horror/romance in all its beautiful unhinged silliness. And boy does it not care if you think it is silly and that silliness does not prevent you from buying in.

I am now fully invested. I need something to be about 60-70% emotionally compelling in someway, and then like 30-40% dumb as hell in a fun or interesting way for me to get actually invested beyond "I enjoyed that." If it's too good, catharsis is achieved, I move on almost immediately. If it's too dumb, it's popcorn and I have zero object permanence for it. I doubt a scholar of this blog's history could name 5 shows I've watched in the last 10 years for this reason alone.

But yeah, finished the second season, love it. Horrifying fridging of women and all, I personally found it to be a compelling point exposing the horror of being a woman who was created to be a prop for a man's ego without her ever feeling like a prop character.

Still don't think I'll ever touch the books with a ten foot pole, but uh, yeah, show good! I think the first season is more 70/30 good-to-stupid whereas season 2 veers closer to that 60/40 range, but I still kinda love it. It's MY brand of stupid. Repo! is one of my most rewatched movies of all time. It's that kind of camp. I.... I really love it, lol.

[sapphic-agent]

Take your time to answer this but...on the intership arc...I have some things to say. I will listed it

1) ok so all eyes are on Sports Festival (more than Olympics suuuure) and Izu got, if I'm not wrong, #4 that should be amazing in itself considering he was from no big name family.

2) yet...all heroes saw Izu being "unhinged" and has a quirk that has a severe draw back(I want to inject here: it doesnt make sense for ofa to do this. "There an explanation" sure it has, but the explanation feels off...why not give a timelimit? "Izu you can only use 5% of your quirk for x time for a year as his body is getting used" this could open room to show how creative Izu can be) and no one wants to mentor him...and I ask here: so the point was to showcase your abilities on TV and hope the agencies like you? Winning is secundary)

3) If the whole thing is true...why bk got a mentor? Ah yes Beast Jeanist wanted to help him...why? Why he got a mentor who wants to help him and Izu...is saddle with Nighteye?

4) it makes me think...why make a show if the goal is to impress agencies? Sure could have a way to impress in other hands. I mean yeah the trope "time to combat" and blabla but it feel is unfair to a lot of kids...and if is by design than why ua is consider a good or the best school ever?

5) finally, what anyone learns in those interships? I ask bc Izu only learns to feel worse. Ochako learns one fight moviment (Never forget the panel where she was like "you won't fight quirkless" to Izu) and #girlboss and nothing. Really nothing. Does the intership advance their carrers...when they graduated people will hire them quickly based on their resume?

Its just the intership arc and Sport Festival arc should feel they are united but really arent. Izu didn't got one bc of his performace...he had to ask for one chance ....with creepy.

(AM is the biggest hero and cant ...help Izu intern in a nice place? "Ah but Izu wouldn't want that?" AM is the master and should be doing all on his best to make sure Izu suceed. But he trust on UA, unclear why, and does nothing )

To conclude: what is UA as academy if they do such Sport Festival and only.the fewer are reward by this? Excluding bk bc hori loves him.

You're right that Izuku got 4th place! He tied with Shiozaki, Mina, and Kirishima. It's unfair that they got plenty of internship offers and he only got one. It's weird because it's not like your intern reflects poorly on your agency. They're only there to learn and observe. It's also odd that a flaw in how Izuku uses his quirk is scrutinized, but Bakugou's behavior isn't. After seeing the absolute temper tantrum he threw at the Sports Festival, you would think he wouldn't have gotten so many offers. Izuku can learn how to control his quirk, but Bakugou's rotten attitude is another story.

I agree that winning should be secondary! The Sports Festival contributes to the toxic hero society of MHA. Though the reason that he can only use certain amounts of OFA is because his body can't handle all of it and he couldn't understand how to regulate it. Remember, it holds the strength of all 8 holders, All Might could only use it at 100% with all the muscles he had in his prime. And before that, he immediately understood how to get his body to regulate how much of OFA he was using. He probably wouldn't have been able to use 100% until he was at least 25-30. That's actually why I like that instead of pure strength, Izuku gets the other holders' quirks. It matches him better, I think, especially Blackwhip, Smokescreen, and Float. But them being turned off because he's "unhinged" makes no sense, Endeavor is (or was at the time) the #2 hero.

Well, Izuku got Gran Torino for his internship who was probably the best mentor he could have gotten. I actually like that Bakugou got Best Jeanist because he was the only one who genuinely wanted to correct Bakugou's behavior (even though it should have been more focused on his behavior than his style, but it's more than Aizawa ever did). He seemed to be the only one who actually saw an issue with the way Bakugou acted too.

I'll be honest, I think the only reason that UA is a good school is because of the prestige of their alumni. Namely, All Might and Endeavor. It's easy to be considered the best when the alumni are literally the best in the country. I'm confident most of the top 10 were also UA graduates (it doesn't say for most pros). I'm also pretty sure they get the most funding, they built entire dormitories in like 3 weeks.

I wouldn't say the internships were for nothing. They were only there for like a week(?), but Izuku did learn how to regulate OFA and learned the basis for his movement. That's quite an accomplishment. Uraraka didn't learn a lot, true, but she did learn the gist of the basics. Once you learn that, it's easy to build off of it. Would be nice if we saw her sharpening that skill, but whatever.

[walkawaytall]

Ooh very detailed asks, love it! How about 1 and 20?

Thanks! I've never written my own list before, but it was fun coming up with these!

On to the answers:

1. Have you pulled inspiration from media sources other than the property your fic is related to (a plot point from a TV show that has nothing to do with the characters/setting of the fic, a line from a book, etc.)? If so, for which story? Why did you find that media source compelling?

Well, I very openly ripped off an entire running gag from 30 Rock for the basic concept of Nemesis. The subplot of Jack having a nemesis who is a literal teenage girl who is just as into the rivalry as he is has always struck me as hilarious, so to shove Tarkin and Leia into those roles for a bit of crackfic was really fun, as was writing a Palpatine cameo that is sort of an unhinged version of Hank Hooper.

But, also, I am like 99% sure I had recently watched that episode of Community with Jack Black in it shortly before I thought of the idea for The Short Stick, and I think just the entire idea of "how annoying would it be to be a background character in this world where certain people are quite literally operating as main characters?" kind of snowballed into that fic.

Also also (and not entirely on topic, but it's topic-adjacent), I am positive I read a fic in which Han and Leia apologize to each other through gestures rather than words at some point during my Epic FanFic Binge Read of December 2022 and I immediately adopted that as headcanon. At the time I was not planning on writing fic, and I could not tell you which story it was (I seriously read so, so much during that time and a lot of stuff bled together and I didn't have an AO3 account yet, so there's no reading history for half of it), but that adopted headcanon sort of inspired the basic concept of Speak Louder.

20. Is there anything about any one of your fics that you have been dying to discuss but haven’t had the chance to?

Soooo, Han's motivations in Purpose of Heritage are not all Leia-centric. Like, a lot of his motivations aren't entirely Leia-centric at this point. The story's currently a little over a year past A New Hope on its timeline and while my intent is for there to be glimpses of their relationship with one another being different than their relationships with other people, he is operating on a mixture of motivations including but not limited to:

not wanting to be killed by a bounty hunter or Jabba

not wanting to be killed by the Empire

being friends with Chewie

being friends with Luke

being friend with Wedge

respecting Rieekan

finally kind of feeling like he belongs somewhere and realizing that he really likes that feeling

fearing the fact that he likes belonging somewhere and not wanting to face what that means about him needing others

shame over various aspects of his past

guilt for taking that damn reward money for sort of rescuing a person when like the only moral code that he is consistently dogged about keeping to is "don't treat sentients like product" (this is Leia-related, but still, I'd argue, not entirely Leia-centric)

and, yeah, caring for Leia in some kind of way

It's been really important for me to give him a mixture of motivations (even if no one ever sees them outright since this story is told entirely using limited third-person from Leia's POV) because I don't think it's likely that Han Solo was all-in on being 100% about the Princess all the time from the moment he stepped back on Yavin. I think he's a more complex and baggage-laden character than someone who is driven entirely by his affection for a woman he just met, and I promise that's the intent with which I've written his character even if his actions could be interpreted in a variety of ways.

Thanks for the questions!

fanfic writer asks

[icyfox17]

1, 4, 8, 22, 26, 29, 30, 32, 35, 40, 52, 58 (It’s Golden Hour Somewhere :) and 61 (Wilbur Soot and Lovejoy!)

I know that’s a hekkin ton, so you don’t have to answer all of them XD

1. Are you an albums person or a singles person?

Albums !!! I think . askdfjksd

4. Is there a song you love but don't like its music video?

oh i am sure there are lots... especially songs from when i was a kid bc radio music always has hypersexualised music videos and those always made me feel so so uncomfy... can't think of an example rn though :0

8. Is there an artist or song that you like, despite being of a genre you don't usually like?

OOOHH HTHIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION HMM

Scared of the Dark by lil wayna, ty dollar sign, and xxx. i do Not like mumble rap and i really didn't like the verses but the CHORUS WAS SOOO GOUGHOGHOUGHOG EXPLODES that i listened to it on repeat and now i love the song (even tho i find the guys voice in the verse funny)

29. Songs you love to dance to:

funny you should ask that bc i have a playlist~ ... I JUST DELETED IT BY ACCIDENT FUCKKKKKK AWOFEIJAWEFLK

anyways. i will fix that later welp KFJSAKDJF

come on eileen by dexys midnight runners is A CLASSIC AND MUST BE ADDED IT'S THE BEST DANCING SONG EVER IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY AND EVER SINCE I READ BEES FIC HONEY AND TANGERINES IT MADE IT EVEN BETTER I CANNOT DO THIS RAHSSSSSS

disco by surf curse is another song that is just INSTANT DANCE VIBES how can u NOT dance to it

kiss goodnight by IDKHOW is another really lovely song that always makes me want to dance :)))

30. Songs you love to sing along to:

now this one i ALSO have a playlist and i will NOT delete it this time ohmgyod im actually so sad i loved my dancing playlist HELPS FDKJKJD

songs that are Simply Bangers hehehe this one's for when i just wanna shout lyrics at the top of my lungs

but for specific onesssss

Locked Outta Heaven by Bruno Mars // IT'S SO GOOD IT MAKES ME FEEL UNHINGED IL OVE IT SO MCHUH ABRKARKJWBAEKAWJKB unfortunately the lyrics make me feel Uncomfortable singing bc . major ace here woOOO but it's fine i just live in denial and try to remind myself that most ppl are actually yknow normal about sex unlike me LMAOFASJKFKJ

You Make My Dreams by Hall & Oats // literally any 80s song makes me so inexplicably happy and i Need to sing the lyrics aloud at the top of my lungs man

40. Which was the best concert you’ve ever been to?

i love ALL of the concerts ive been to but... half alive . half alive was SO FRICKEN COOL DAWGWGAOJIAWEAAEWR THE LIGHTS THE DANCING I CANT I CANNOT GET OVER IT IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE /SRS IT WAS INCREDIBLE OHMYOGDDD

52. Do you make playlists to be listened to in a specific order or in shuffle? Or both?

so i used to. hate shuffling. bc i am very very picky about the order of songs i listen to (like when i shuffle i will just . look at the queue and edit it intensely). so i used to make them for a specific order and actually one of my favourite things to do is figure out songs that transition super super nicely into each other oguhoguhgo so making a playlist that is perfect from start to finish is my dream... however rn i have such a big?? music taste??? that the playlists are so long and curating it to be the Perfect Experience would take too much time so now i just add shit and shuffle ofssdlkfd

58. Send me a song and I'll tell you the colors it made me think of, without looking at cover arts or music videos.

well that's just kinda unfair the word gold is literally in the title HELPPP but i picture the field that's in the music video (wait help "without looking at the music video" too late for that buddy it's engrained in my memory with how many times ive watched it), like that greenish colour that's what i think of yellowish green

but okay okay im turning it on now and the colours i get while listening to it is faded pastel yellow from the guitar intro, it turns more brownish orange in the verses, DEF a deep yellow/brown when the bass comes in

the chorus is green to me, the ooOooOOo is green and yellow to me

gosh i love golden hour

61. Make me choose between two artists/songs/albums.

ooohhh this one is hard bc like lovejoy has so much more stuff but wilbur soot changed my life

im choosing wilbur bc of since i saw vienna but do know that this hurt me asdjkfasdjkhf

[heartsoulrocknroll]

Silver Dollar City First-Time Trip Report 10/21/24 and 10/23/24

We spent two days at Silver Dollar City, on Monday 10/21 from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM and on Wednesday 10/23 from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The park was closed on Tuesday 10/22, so we couldn't do two consecutive days.

Coaster Thoughts and Rankings

1) Outlaw Run (6 rides + 12 rides = 18 rides, including 12 night rides)

I expected this to be a great ride, but I loved it even more than I thought I would. It is packed with the classic RMC ejector airtime, it absolutely rips through the layout with fantastic pacing, and it feels way more out of control than a lot of other RMCs due to the wooden track. The first drop gives good airtime, and there are some pretty strong positives in the first half of the ride, at the bottom of the drop and the bottom of the overbanked cutback. Next, there are a couple of quicker ejector pops, such as the one at the camera. Then there are my two favorite airtime moments on the ride. First, the hill/drop right before the wave turn, which throws you all around, up and to the sides. You twist up into the hill to the left, get ejected from your seat, then twist down out of the hill to the right. Second, the wave turn itself provides excellent, sustained ejector. The two barrel rolls at the end are the part of the ride I expected to not really care about, but I actually loved them. They are definitely hangtime-heavy elements, but it's not boring Copperhead Strike hangtime. It's more chaotic somehow. I don't know how to describe it. The operator called one of our last rides the slowest train of day, with only 4 adults and 3 small kids on the train. The hangtime on the barrel rolls was so stupid, I wasn't actually sure the train would make it back to the station. You'd think this would be a bad thing and that the ride would feel super slow, but it still felt like it was tearing through the layout up until the barrel roll finale. This is one of the best and darkest night rides I've ever done as well. It just feels unhinged in the dark when you can't see what's coming next.

I know a lot of people think this ride has gotten rough, but the massive pothole at the bottom of the drop was the only rough spot to me. And that only really bothered me because it often ended up leaving me stapled. One interesting thing about this ride is that it does have a significant wheel vibration and makes a weird squealing noise throughout the entire layout. The vibration is way more noticeable on wheel seats (back of car). I could feel it in my bones, and it left me feeling tingly after the ride. I've never felt anything like that on any other coaster. The back of the train is definitely the best place to experience this ride, as it is on all RMCs, in my opinion.

2) Powder Keg (5 rides + 1 ride = 6 rides, including 1 night ride)

I am a little bit obsessed with the weirdness of this ride. The ride experience definitely exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy waiting to be transferred from the loading track to the launch track. It really builds anticipation. I love how punchy the air launch is and how different and sudden it feels compared to LSMs. The launch leads directly into a hill that provides the best airtime moment on the ride, an awesome 3 seconds of sustained floater air. The second hill provides another great, sustained airtime moment of about 2-3 seconds. There are some solid positives in the valleys of those first two hills, then a few shorter airtime moments on the following, smaller hills. The lift hill in the middle of the ride is such a strange thing, but I like it a lot for how unique it is and for the history of it. It also provides some nice views of the mountains, especially at sunset. This is an awesome night ride too, as its setting in the woods is very dark, and you really can't see much of anything. Launching into the darkness is just pure fun. The ride doesn't do much after the lift, just one more drop that gives minimal air and a turn with minimal forces. But it's still a fun ending that doesn't negatively affect my opinion of the ride.

3) Time Traveler (4 rides + 7 rides = 11 rides, including 5 night rides)

I didn't expect to love this ride, and I was still underwhelmed. It doesn't really have a lot of forces, and the quality of the ride experience is highly variable from ride to ride and from row to row. At first, we thought the front car was spinning more than the others, but we came to the conclusion that it probably depends on the weight distribution in the car, so it's really just random. The back car is the place to be, as the first drop doesn't feel like much of anything anywhere else on the train. In the back car, the the drop is quite fun, especially if you get turned around backwards or sideways. The launches are fairly weak and are significantly more fun if you get them going backwards. The loops have really similar hangtime to Copperhead Strike (not to keep invoking the name of that mediocre ride), so I found them fairly boring. The element that makes the whole ride for me is the twisted hill after the second launch. It throws you up pretty aggressively, and it's really crazy if you go into it backwards and don't see it coming. Night rides take this experience to a whole other level. People act as though there is a vast difference in the quality of rides on the Beast from day to night, but I think the disparity between day and night rides is much larger on Time Traveler. The darkness and the wooded setting really increase the unpredictability of the layout and make it feel much crazier than it is on its own. On our best rides, it was completely dark, and we got a backwards drop, two backwards launches, a lot of spinning, and strong ejector on the twisted hill. On our worst rides, we got forwards drops and launches and very little spinning. It's just too variable to be an elite ride. My new favorite thing is to call TT a family ride. It's highly overrated, but it's fun.

4) Wildfire (2 rides + 2 rides = 4 rides, including 1 night ride)

This is a fun looper with the standard B&M inversions -- Immelman, loop, cobra roll, corkscrew. It has good airtime on the drop in the back and solid positives throughout the ride. The positives aren't as strong and the profiling isn't as whippy as on most 90s B&M loopers like Kumba, Hulk, Alpengeist, etc. But it has one of the most beautiful settings and some of the best views of any ride I have done, which really adds to the experience. It's a decently fun night ride, but it doesn't compare to any of the other SDC coasters at night because of how many lights there are around it. All the other coasters offer much darker night rides.

5) Thunderation (2 rides + 1 ride = 3 rides, including 1 night ride)

This is easily the best and most intense mine train I have ever ridden. 48 mph is a stupid maximum speed for a mine train, and you definitely feel it. The train builds up crazy speed on the helix and just flies through the tunnel. The lift hill comes about 80% of the way through the ride, and it's such a tall lift hill for a mine train. There is another nice moment of speed coming off the lift. I just wish it lasted longer than a few seconds before hitting the brakes. The combination of the speed and the awkward Arrow transitions really makes this a wild ride. It is yet another great night ride in this park, with its very dark, wooded setting.

6) Fire in the Hole (1 ride + 1 ride = 2 rides)

I don't really have a lot to say about this ride. It's mostly a dark ride with a little coaster drop at the end, and it's fun for what it is. I obviously never rode it before the RMC renovation, but I imagine it was similar to Blazing Fury, in which case, I don't see much difference in the old vs. the new.

Trip Details

We left Six Flags St. Louis Sunday night 10/20 and drove an hour and a half to a hotel in St. Robert, MO. Then we made the remaining two hours of the drive to Silver Dollar City the morning of Monday 10/21. We had Culver's burgers and cheese curds for an early lunch. We got into the park around 11:30 AM after riding the tram to the gate. We stayed until closing at 9:00 PM. It was fairly busy for a Monday, especially earlier in the day, with 30-45 minute waits for most rides. It started to die down around 5:30 - 6:00 PM, and we were able to get more rides in during the last 3.5 hours of the day than in the first 6 hours. We rode Time Traveler first, since it was the first ride we passed. Thunderation was down at the time, and I was worried we wouldn't be able to get on it. We rode Wildfire next, then Powder Keg. We got some frozen lemonade and ate it while walking to and waiting in line for Outlaw Run. We rode it once, and I was starting to develop a headache. We took a little break to sit down, and I took some ibuprofen. We rode Outlaw Run for a second time. By this point, Thunderation had finally opened, so we went back toward the front of the park. We waited a stupid amount of time to get on Thunderation, probably about 50 minutes, with some really annoying kids right behind us. We walked across the park to ride Fire in the Hole next. It had a fairly long line. With all the credits acquired, we finally took a break for food. We got a skillet with sausage and vegetables from the place between Wildfire and Powder Keg. We sat at the tables by the waterfall, and it was really pretty. The food was fine, but I wouldn't say I loved it. By this time, the crowds were starting to thin out. We got three rides on Powder Keg in about 25-30 minutes. We went to Time Traveler for two more rides. We got on Thunderation again, this time in the dark. And this time, it was only a station wait, which was maddening after having waited so long to get on it earlier. We got our first night ride on Time Traveler next, followed by our first night rides on Wildfire and Powder Keg. We ended the day with an incredible series of four night rides on Outlaw Run, each with only a 5-10 minute wait. We got a total of 20 rides that day, which is pretty good. I bought an Outlaw Run shirt at the store at the ride exit, and we got a cinnamon roll at the bakery outside the gate on the way out. The park was really pretty, especially at night. It was decorated for Halloween, with hundreds of carved, lighted pumpkins with different animals on them. The atmosphere and decoration felt just like Dollywood. I love that all the coasters are on the outer edges of the park in secluded, wooded settings. You can barely see any of the coasters until you are on them. This feature makes this park the absolute place to be for night rides. I would love to come here at Christmas time, as I'm sure the decoration is beautiful. We stayed at a motel in Branson that night with great reviews for $65!!! I thought that was wild. I wish prices were like that everywhere.

SDC was closed Tuesday, 10/22, so we had to find other activities that day and wait until Wednesday, 10/23 to go back. This was a much less busy day than Monday. We got into the park around 12:15 PM. We started the day with two rides on Time Traveler. We rode Thunderation next, then Wildfire. We tried to ride Powder Keg, but I was told I couldn't ride with my fanny pack, which I had been riding everything with before, so I had to just leave and pay for a locker, because I'm not just leaving my stuff for people to steal. That left a bad taste in my mouth for a while. We just went on to Outlaw Run and got three rides. We ate lunch at the barbecue place in SDC. We split a plate with brisket and turkey, and I think the sides were mac and cheese and some sort of corn dish. It was pretty good. I was really tired, so we just sat and rested for a while. We could see the rapids ride going from our table outside. We rode Wildfire again next, then Fire in the Hole, then we got another ride on Time Traveler. We went back to Powder Keg and finally got a ride. We rode the Giant Barn Swing next. Just outside of the Outlaw Run entrance, we saw an armadillo in the bushes. He was just walking around and sniffing and digging in the dirt. It was a crazy thing to see, as someone who has basically never seen a live armadillo, especially in the wild. I couldn't stop looking at him. This guy walked by as we were watching the armadillo, and he said, "That's random," without even stopping and just kept walking. That cracked me up. After finishing with the armadillo, we had an EPIC Outlaw Run marathon with NINE back to back rides, eight of which were night rides (row 8, row 3, row 9, and the rest in row 11)!! Oh my god, it was incredible. I love me an RMC marathon. The park was so dead at this point that the trains weren't getting filled every time. It was running so slow and the hangtime on the barrel rolls was so crazy, I didn't think the train was going to complete the course. It was awesome. The operator said one of those trains we were on was the slowest train of the day. That op was a lot of fun too. He would list a different RMC that Outlaw Run is "better than" before each dispatch. He also called out Magnum, I guess because I was wearing a Magnum shirt. Lol. I didn't want to leave Outlaw Run, but Austin couldn't take it anymore and wanted to ride Time Traveler before we left. Lol. So we finished the day with four night rides on Time Traveler. This was the first time we really got to pick our row on Time Traveler and we were able to get three back row rides and one front row ride. I will say, these were probably our best rides on TT. Austin bought a shirt at the TT store, and the lady working there was violently banging on the buttons on the register. Weird experience. We got a total of 25 rides that day, which was better than our first day. It was a better day in general for the most part, with a lot less waiting in lines. We had Culver's for supper. I had chili, and we also got both the regular cheese curds and some different ones that they don't have at home called hot honey cheese curds. Both were good. We stayed at the same hotel as the previous night in Branson.

[pom0dorini]

spamano fic recs

some time ago i posted about wanting to make a list of spamano fic recommendations and quite a few people seemed interested, so here it is! these are some fics that i personally really liked, i also added a brief comment for every fic as well as eventual warnings. enjoy and support the authors!

Morning Glory by AroAceMess

Ludwig has something very important to ask Romano, if only he remembered that not everyone woke at the ass crack of dawn like him

He batts around blindly at the bedside table while Antonio continues to grumble into his ear, when he finds the screaming device he squints at the screen in disgust before answering it and bringing it too his ear. The too bright display had read 5:30 am and assured him that it definitely wasn’t someone he liked enough to warrant this disturbance of the peace.

chapters: 1/1 

if you’re in the mood for something fluffy and domestic this is the fic for you. it manages to be sweet and funny while still dealing with more angsty themes, and the feeling of domestic warmth is portrayed perfectly

Captain’s Log by LadyLisa

After months at sea, Antonio finally returns home to Romano.

chapters: 1/1

the writing and descriptions are simply wonderful. i feel like rather than the plot, the most enjoyable part of this fic is the way it perfectly captures romano’s feelings and the sense of yearning. definitely worth checking out (just like every single one of this author’s works)

Humors

chapters: 3/3 (bloodplay, underage, dubcon)

one of my all time favorites. the spain in this fic is absolutely unhinged, which is something i’m a huge fan of, and this side of his character is handled extremely well, although it may not be everyone’s cup of tea 

and maybe next time we can hold hands by lillialyce

“Their mouths move with desperation, but they are somehow elegant, a tragic dance before an impending, horrible end." Nations are forbidden from having relationships.

chapters: 1/1 (sexual content)

this is an angsty one but i really love the concept of nations’ actions directly affecting their country and how that translates to not being able to love each other 

Twisted With You 

chapters: 4/4 (smut)

i usually don’t love fics written in 2nd person pov, but this one stuck with me. there’s just something so sweet and intimate about it and i love the trope used here

Age Quod Agis 

Teacher!Romano x Student!Spain

chapters: 3/3 (smut)

spamano with bottom!spain is one of my guilty pleasures and i just love how cocky spain is in this one 

Door to Door by Canadino

Do not open the door. It could be a zombie, an unwanted boyfriend of your brother's, or a persistant salesman by the name Antonio Carriedo.

chapters: 1/1 

short but very funny, i often come back to this one

The only light in this darkness by SheenaWilde

Lovino, unwilling heir of a rich noble family, is forced to attend his grandfather’s every ball. But this night, a mysterious stranger captures his interest.

chapters: 1/1

i’m extremely weak for vampire!spain. this fic may be a bit on the “twilight” side but it’s worth a read if you enjoy stereotypical vampire romances (and i sure do)

Scars by The Cilantro Family

One year ago Lovino Vargas killed himself. Now, by some strange turn of events, he's returned

chapters: 1/1 (self harm) 

i don’t know what it is with this fic, but everytime i read it it leaves me with a lingering sense of desolation. it’s still really good and i personally think its themes are portrayed well 

Fever by Romanoma 

Romano discovers the electricity and excitement of World Cup 2010 causes all kinds of interesting reactions…

chapters: 1/1 (smut)

don’t have much to say aside from “great smut and writing” and “sweaty football player spain is a blessing” (every work by this author is worth checking out)

Spirito Di Punto by starshards

After Romano's driving skills send another car to super-car heaven, his boss decides that it's time for him to have something much more modest. Luckily for Romano, Spain's there to help him learn how to appreciate it.

chapters: 1/1 (smut)

i just really love everything about this one. hilarious, great smut and bottom!spain, what more could you ask for?

Liar by starshards

Spain cannot resist Romano, even though he hates himself for it.

chapters: 1/1 (smut)

i'm putting another work from this author simply because this one is up in my top spamano fics. this isn’t something i would recommend to anyone, but if you enjoy a darker take on spamano’s relationship it's a must

How to Care for Your Spain by AlexOfCoffee

A guide written and published by Romano Italia.

chapters: 1/1

highly recommended if you want something short and extremely fluffy/domestic

Esp by Soe_Mame

Il momento arriverà.

Continua ad aspettare, continua ad aspettare che arrivi.

Continua a sperare, continua a sperare che arrivi.

[1649-1738: È bastato meno di un secolo per cambiare tante cose tra il Sud Italia e la Spagna.]

chapters: 9/9 

i left the best for last. i can’t even begin to describe how much i love this fic. it’s in italian but if you have a way to translate it do yourself a favor and read it. the historical details, the characterisations, the tension, every single thing about it is amazing and it’s surely not my favorite spamano fic for nothing. 

[brbuttons]

Do you think that Charlie and the chocolate factory is the most underrated musical? I think it’s pretty good and pays nods to the original book.

Of the ones we've seen? Absolutely.

I think a lot of people dismiss the source material as they grow up- 'it's a horror story for children'- forgetting that it's as much wary warning to adults as it is kids. And I think this lead to a lot of people seeing a Musical version of this as nothing more than 'a kid's play'.

But oh god, anyone who's seen the musical... [insert nervous laughter] knows that's not the case.

--

For context, since versions differ: We saw the original West-End run in its final year, with Jonathan Slinger as Wonka. Which... whereas Hodge went more book-Wonka, and Jennings had this almost uncaring selfishness, Slinger's Wonka was unhinged. He was the perfect mix of 'I am genuinely terrified for my own safety, but if I don't follow this man, I will be all-consumingly curious for the rest of my life'.

He had the same vibe as creatures of myth that would lure people to their demise. You could tell me Slinger's Wonka was a fae, and I could easily believe it. You would have to have the willpower of the gods to not follow him into the dark.

I say all this, because I think a lot of adaptations ignore the cruelty of Willy Wonka. There's a cognitive bias in the story, as it's told from a star-struck child's view of a man who can do no wrong; and let's be honest, Charlie shrugs off trauma after trauma in that factory because of it. But the musical's Wonka makes choices and comments that just feel more true to the character?

The musical felt more adult, like it understood the assignment in a way no other adaptation did. It understood how- mind the language- utterly fucked up the whole tour is, it understood that Wonka is Ambiguously Evil, it understood that it is essentially a horror story mixed with a Wonderlandian Tale. And it didn't shy away from that.

And as someone who, as a child, was utterly confused on how no-one else saw these things of the story... it came out as, easily, our favourite version of the story altogether.

Perhaps it's because we've since grown up, perhaps it's due to our *ahem* personal biases within the system (see: our introject of Wonka was our primary persecutor during childhood), but the take not sugarcoating the whole story as 'look at the wonderful Willy Wonka!' and seeing it for what it is, was so utterly refreshing.

I wish more people had seen it. I wish Jonathan Slinger's run was recorded.

--

It wasn't perfect though. The first act is slow, but we do like that it took more time to explore Charlie as a character (we also still prefer that Wonka turns up at the end of act 1; something we know BW!CatCF changed).

The kids also felt incredibly flat. I think Charlie was a strong character, but all of the children in that version felt quite bland and too generalised? There was no subtlety to them, and they were incredibly in-your-face- which I guess is closer to the book, but if you grew up with the 71! & 05! versions, it's just a bit of non-taste.

Also 'Vidiots' is a boomer song about 'Technology Bad', and I know Mike Teavee is essentially that whole concept (even though that boy is obviously just undiagnosed ADHD, and hoo boy we have thoughts about that) but that song is very out of touch and could do with being removed or potentially taken from a more sympathetic angle. The only good thing that came out of it was Doris Teavee Jam Session lessss goooo baybee. hi we love west-end mrs. teavee if you could not tell, she's adorable and relatable when you're hitting 30 and stressed all the time.

That's all we can think of off the top of our head, but tl;dr: absolutely.

- Vi & Atticus

[ywecanthavenicethingsanymore]

I posted 8,312 times in 2022

That's 338 more posts than 2021!

88 posts created (1%)

8,224 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@alpineandbucky

@thedamageofherdays

@atlantis-is-burning

@elytrians

@musette22

I tagged 4,013 of my posts in 2022

#stucky - 1,056 posts

#chris evans - 353 posts

#ofmd - 302 posts

#sebastian stan - 182 posts

#steve rogers - 171 posts

#blackbonnet - 170 posts

#bucky barnes - 167 posts

#mhmm yes - 84 posts

#🥺🥺🥺 - 71 posts

#akaksjks 😂😂😂 - 69 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#and in a culture that loves to have the latest most expensive things (and partners tbh) it’s refreshing and sexy as hell that he doesn’t

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

ITS HERE!!

Not me hoarding this issue lol. 5 pages in we also got Sebastian!

And I wasn’t prepared to see my OG celebrity boyfriend on the next page. Could not be happier for my man Brendan Fraser!! 🥰

See the full post

35 notes - Posted November 13, 2022

#4

I think by now we are all aware of how completely obsessed I am with 3DWD and his Bunny Baby, so here is a moodboard I made for them.

Much love to @howdoyousleep3 for writing them and sharing them with us!! 💗

41 notes - Posted February 5, 2022

#3

Finally started watching The Boys season 3. Homelander is once again at the top of my Poor Little Meow Meow list. He’s so unhinged I just want to scoop him up and put him in my pocket. Someone swaddle him in a blanket and give him a bottle. Maybe he’ll calm down a little.

48 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

#2

Obsessed with the thought of Ed stopping in bookstores whenever they make port to refill Stede’s library a couple books at a time. I mean he probably steals a bunch too, but it’s the thought that counts.

78 notes - Posted April 6, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Once again in my feels about Bucky inviting Steve to live with him, which was CLEARLY a confession of love, and Steve just. Not getting it.

113 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[these-are-not-my-titties]

unhinged 30 days of otherkin challenge (marathon)

this was written in a joking tone (not moking), bc I kinda shifted and got zoomies

1. what type of dirt would your kintype eat?

wet, wet clay. WET clay, clay s o u p. lick cement tiles, eat cement, lick basement walls.

2. warm or cold ocean water

Capital W WArm

3. describe a pie made from three ingredients your kintype would eat, crust included, go

poisonous flowers i didnt know were poisonous

grass

a single butterfly

4. if your kintype suddenly opened their eyes, what would they be looking at?

the hospital bedsheets probably because I do NOT know what flowers I´m eating

5. do you like sticks

I have a stick right here

5. 5 again. do you like leaves

so taasyts

7. does your kintype migrate

no i am a stay at home housewife

8. sleepy or awakey

sleepy one moment and ready to kill the next

9. are you smaller or larger than a breadbox

perfectly breadbox sized

10. describe the vegetation around your kintype's feet

things that would kill me

11. what's the most specific or unusual shift (if you experience them) you've experienced

climbing through the little ventilation windows back and forth while on the EIGTH (8th) FLOOR OF A BUILDING

12. what website is your kintype most like

wikipedia

13. hey, how's it going

I feel myself spiraling into insanity

zoomies

14. if given a cellphone, what would your kintype do with it

bite it to shreds and then eat the plastic with all its innards

15. how do you make your room/home/surroundings more suited to your kintype

I have build myself a little sparkle cave under my be with stuff hanging from the cieling I can play with, and generally made my living spaces more confined while still biend big enough to do the big stretch

16. tell me about your favorite kind of fabric…like, just in general, unrelated to your kintype(s)

visually, the sparkly stuff that you can pet and it changes colour, payettes or smthng

sensually, the specific fabric one of my socks is made of

17. are you bitey

so bitey i become a danger to myself and others

18. how does your kintype feel about chia seeds

would eat a mouthfull and complain theyre gross while keeping them in my mouth

19. can your kintype knit? if not, could your kintype knit if given instructions

the abscence of opposable thumbs would theoretically pose a problem

20. describe your kintype's skin texture in great detail

very hard to reach because of all the fur, theugh when you get to it it turns out to be surprisingly dry. You´d expect there to be some flakes but none can be found. It´s pale and kinda grey, only turning black or pink at the unfurred parts.

21. glossy or matte

if its matte i will lick it to make it SHINE

hide ur matte stuff I´m coming for it

22. wildcard, I'm getting tired of writing these

fischcrackers

23. you hear a scratching noise around the corner, what does your kintype do

freeze

ears up

pupils thick

24. what's your kintype's most acute sense

smell and hearing baby, I cannot stand strong smells and become alert at every noise

25. alone in a forest with no provisions, how long does your kintype survive

as long as it takes me to eat a widely known poisonous plant and die

I may be a very succsesfull predetor but I am not a smart one

26. describe your kintype as a canned vegetable

canned cherries mixed with pickles

yes all in the same can

27. it's getting dark out, does your kintype sleep, wake up, or PANIC

panic all night brochachos

28. how many fingers do you have and why

I cannot count

29. what's a really nice smell

the smell of other cats

30. has 30 days of this unhinged you further?

I feel like I´ve lost my sanity this was divine

[laequiem]

Mal d’amour - Part 5

/5 times the High King of Elfhame missed his exiled wife + 1 time she had enough.

The package is there, on the front porch, but it clearly was not delivered by the postal service. There is no address, just a name: her name in elegant cursive letters. The same handwriting that is on the note she keeps on her nightstand.

Cardan’s.

read on ao3 • masterlist • part 1 • part 2 • part 3 • part 4 • last part

Cardan

It was already dark when I woke up from my dream and gave the package to Liliver. Due to mortals’ strange habit of living during the day, we have to wait the entire night before one of the spies can deliver the package. 

Needless to say, I do not pay much attention to the various meetings and meals I attend during the night. I doubt courtiers notice, given my usual blasé attitude. 

My participation in today’s revel consists mostly of drinking wine and asking the servants for more wine. Whenever someone approaches me for requests or conversation, I reply so shortly that they leave quickly. Nearing sunrise, the Ghost approaches and tells me the package is on its way.

I try to look like I am at least enjoying the revel in front of me. My tail is curled around my calf to prevent it from lashing wildly and betraying my nervousness. My fingers drum absentmindedly on the armrests of the throne as I stare distantly at nothing.

I only last half an hour after the Ghost’s appearance before I retreat from the throne room. 

The Bomb

The air of Portland, Maine stinks of iron and gasoline. Nothing like the mossy and flowery scent of Elfhame. Liliver lifts her scarf over her glamoured face, hoping the fabric will filter some of the iron out. It doesn't work, not really, but at least she will not be staying here for long.

High King Cardan has assigned her the task of delivering a package, as if her talents weren't better used elsewhere. She had agreed, or course—money is money. Plus, she hopes to sneak a glimpse of Jude and assess how her friend is doing. 

Ever since she left, she has been fighting the urge to peek at the contents of the package. It is about the size and weight of a dinner plate and is delicately wrapped in dark green fabric. Seeing how the King hid the thing, it must be quite valuable.

From the rooftop of the building opposite Vivienne Duarte’s apartment, Liliver can see Jude. She is sprawled on an old couch, numbly looking at some square box with moving images. She seems to be the only person in the small house right now—the perfect moment to deliver the package. The High King has made it clear that Jude has to be seen receiving it. Liliver cannot blame him for being careful. 

She makes her way across the street, climbing the stairs as quietly as she can. After placing the box on the floor, she presses the button next to the door and knocks twice. She then jumps to the roof of the adjacent building, making sure she has a good view of the door.

And then she waits.

Jude

Jude groans as she gets up from her spot on the couch for the first time since waking up this morning. Vivi left for work hours ago. Usually, she tells Jude when she is expecting a delivery. Maybe the person rang the wrong doorbell. Still, Jude makes her way to the front door. A peek through the peephole reveals that nobody is on the other side. 

It’s been 30 seconds, they better not have put one of those “sorry we missed you!” notices or else she swears—

The package is there, on the front porch, but it clearly was not delivered by the postal service. There is no address, just a name: her name in elegant cursive letters. The same handwriting that is on the note she keeps on her nightstand. 

Cardan’s.

Her chest tightens and she takes a deep breath. Is this hope or fear? It is her first time hearing from Cardan in more than six months. Part of her hopes that he will revoke her banishment and ask her to come back, but why would he? He is finally free to rule the kingdom by himself and be as cruel and unhinged as he wants to be.

The package looks out of place here, everything from the dried flowers used to decorate it to its delicate grassy smell scream Faerieland.

Jude closes the door behind her as she brings the package inside, certain that someone is out there watching her. She won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her reaction. She shoves the clutter off the coffee table and puts the package on it as she sits on the couch once again.

For a few minutes, she just stares at it, wondering if it isn’t better to just throw it out. 

Like he threw me out, she hears the intrusive thought over the roaring in her head, loud and unwelcome. 

She clenches her jaw, then undoes the strings tying the fabric together. Inside is a nicely carved wooden box topped by a folded piece of paper. She picks up the piece of paper and unfolds it. Her hands are shaking slightly, with fear or rage she does not know. 

When she reads it, however, the rage takes over.

I miss you.

Your devoted servant,

Cardan

Jude crumples the piece of paper in her hand and lets it fall to the floor. She opens the box and immediately sees red. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she screams to herself as she picks up the crown, its jewels sparkling in the artificial light of Vivienne’s apartment.

She has never seen it before. Cardan either found it deep in the vault or he had it made only to send it to her as a sick joke. In a fit of rage, she throws the crown against the wall and storms to her room. 

Her clothes are scattered everywhere, some of them lying on her air mattress for what might have been weeks. She picks out the darkest, most flexible clothes, then reaches under her mattress for Nightfell.

If it’s trouble he’s after, he’ll find her. 

Cardan

“I almost feel bad, Your Majesty,” the Roach says, “pay up.”

I knew trying to sleep was useless, so I headed for the Court of Shadow headquarters instead, where I have been playing cards with the Roach and the Ghost for hours now.

“I hope you’re not cheating,” the Ghost replies, “the punishment could be deadly.”

I lost every single game.

I am not paying enough attention to win.

The cards in my hands are blurry, their numbers and designs utterly meaningless. 

All I can think about is Jude.

Jude, opening my package and packing her things to come back here. 

Jude, opening my package and immediately throwing it out. 

Jude, immediately throwing the package out without looking inside.

This woman has occupied my every thought for years, and I still cannot predict her moves. She is a puzzle, a challenge I want to lose myself in solving. All I can hope for is that she opened it, at least. 

My last letter. My last gift. My last chance.

If this is all the time I had with her, I royally (urgh) fucked up. 

The Roach gathers the jewels from the middle of the table and brings them to his side.

I discard my hand and reach out to shuffle the deck when his attention snaps to the door, to the small form who just entered.

Immediately, I get up and walk to meet the Bomb.

“Did you find her?” I ask

“Yes,” she says, “She picked it up. I could not confirm that she opened it, but she brought it inside.”

“How is she?” I cannot stop the questions from pouring out of me.

“She looks… different,” she frowns.

I understand she is trying to find a way to phrase it without upsetting me. I do not even know what would upset me more, her being happy in the Mortal Realm, or her being miserable. 

“I see,” I sigh, “Thank you.”

The words feel wrong coming from me—yet they seem right in the moment. I do not know if I have ever thanked someone before. But these people, Jude’s spies, have been dealing with me for the last half-year. They have seen me at my lowest. I cannot go much lower than crying after a particularly gruesome nightmare.

I did not tell them this was my last time reaching out to Jude. From the look of pity in the Bomb’s eyes, she knows. I can’t stand it. I walk past her and leave the Court of Shadows.

The hallways are almost empty as I make my way to the cellars. The guards stand straighter as I pass the various rooms, but none of them stop me or try to talk to me. 

When I get to the cellars, I grab the worst bottle I can find. I wish the royal cellars had some really low quality alcohol—a budding brewer’s first try, anything that would taste as bad as I feel—but even the worst of the collection is still good. I drink the whole bottle.

Then another.

I drink until I forget.

Forget the responsibilities, the kingdom resting on my unworthy shoulders.

I try to forget about Jude, but I black out before I can.

[icecreamkink]

so i watched cobra kai all in two days and i have so many -

this show has so many cool and smart angles to it, but the same time.... its so stupid oh my god everyone is so dumb literally mr miyagi held all of the braincells in this whole universe 

like i am but at the same time i am not surprised it was made like this, bc in hindsight of course there were hordes of ppl simping over johnny lawrence ....  but it still amuses me that this is like... an Actual Official Thing

ok this will get long so cut it is

how much fun this cast has is super visible and i love it

i rly enjoy how the world was expanded ! i did grow up watching the karate kid movies, so watching how they progressed the world of the movies so organically was pretty cool. it rly feels like its the same universe

i fucking LOVE stories that are largely about a Thing. dancing ,skating, sports its just so thrilling to experience this all consuming relationship people can have with this type of activity? and martial arts are just that much more intense, so yeah, grown ass men kicking each other around at the lightest provocation and a war veteran caring so much abt teen karate is Ridiculous.... but i love it all because thats the intensity i find so thrilling

was kinda surprised with how much im missing mr. miyagi. first because, like everyone is so unhinged jesus christo, it just really throws into relief how much his character grounded the narrative of the movies. but also hes just a really great character

and on that note it rly Gets Me that the show itself aknowledges that and plays that into daniels angst and all the little ways they sorta weave myiagisms into the whole show........ im not getting emotional over this dumb karate dads show OK

related - i really miss hearing ‘daniel-san’ 🥺🥺

ACE DEGENERATE oh god oh no

they really went down the down and out johnny lawrence route huh. like i was always kinda bummed we see kreese choking him and then we never see him again in the movies, and while i love dumpster fire problematic trash himbo ck johnny, its like......................... actually really sad that his life turned out like this fjngn

everytime i hear ‘babes’ and ‘pussy’ i die a little inside. i know thats the point but i am a v cringe easy person, have mercy (ehe)

loved the way they are constantly drawing parallels between johnny and mr. myiagi of all people. hes the handy man of his building that has a bullied kid asking for help and eventually steps up to teach them karate, beats up a bunch of bullies for him, creates a friendship with said kid, estranged from family, drinks his sorrows away, surprisingly one of the least quick to anger characters (which says more about everyone else really but.... Well.), no schemes or ulterior motives hes just tryna vibe here.... oh and ofc magically heals miguel of is asthma apparently. the true disciple.. meanwhile daniel is his usual messy petty self even tho he wants to be mr myiagi so bad 

also interesting about that is how miguels character is a parallel of both johnny and daniel at the same time

overall the parallels in ck are done really well, drawing comparisons and also subverting them constantly. theyre well thought out

THE PARALELOGRAMS

fr tho, the angle being explicitly the cycle of trauma and its effects and how trumatized adults in turn traumatize kids, maliciously or not, is so interesting

but! on the flip side of that, it feels like the writers are getting in their own way @ letting the characters grow. especially this last season. theres only so many times you can do "johnny and daniel are getting along but 5mins later they are (literally) fighting over some dumbass random issue" or "johnny puts in 20% of effort with robby and then gives up" before it gets on your nerves yknow?

i see daniel no longer talks like macchio ingested 15 shots of espresso before every take and idk how to feel about that tbh

interesting tension in daniel, as in, in tkk mr miyagi was there and daniel was frankly, kind of a lil shit, this messy petty spitfire hot tempered sassy kid,(johnny lawrence voice: just... stop being so annoying) but now hes the adult, and he wants to be mr. miyagi... but hes just not, and never will be to his very core and it shakes him and in a way hes trying to find who he is now that he sees himself in a position to be a not! cobra kai figure. i kinda really like that 

plus how that relates to his cobra kai trauma. idk if the writers thought abt it Like That, i think so, but in any case, its interesting bc it seems like daniel has told everyone whod listen about johnny lawrence his Pretty Boy Karate Rival and high school and 84 cobra kai... But. no one seems to know what went on in 85 (or 86? idk) which was just so much worse

like ye og cobras were shitheads, but tkk iii is just two hours of daniel being emotionally and physically tortured. 

like, the third movie is.............chaotic, to put it nicely, and many people ignore it, but the writers clearly didnt. daniels actions are, in a way, responding so much more to the events of tkk iii than to the first movie ie. johnny himself, AND. daniel doesnt rly seem to have dealt with that trauma? he never told sam? doesnt feel like hes ever told amanda? he doesnt even say terrys name out loud? freaks Out over kreese ? the way he reacts to robbys deceit? his FACE when he walks past the new "fear does not exist in this dojo" paint or kreeses photo? hmMm i sense Pain

his fashion tho........... disappointing. where are the flower shirts daniel huh we had one (1) shirt what a tragedy STOP WEARING SUITS ALL THE TIME . also the band ts/grunge bi are a look for johnny but part of me longs for the preppy lovable 80s bully chic johnny lawrence getups

weird that they never used that last moment of karate kid where johnny kinda... snaps out of his anger and hands daniel the trophy almost in tears. like “youre alright larusso, good match” “thanks a lot”  that being their last direct interection seems like itd be perfect fruit for cobra kai but... they just dont. weird. 

especially when, the FIRST SCENE they see each other, suposedly in 30+ years, the first thing to come out of daniels mouth is QUOTE "u still got those golden locks huh?" WHO SAYS SHIT LIKE THAT DANIEL FUCKING SAN 

also amandas immediate reaction "your pretty boy rival?" like. can we talk about the fact that daniel had to have imparted to his wife the very important information that his high school bully/karate rival was like Really Cute and Fucking Hot Actually

 the writers Knew exactly what they were doing and honestly.............. power to them

tkk director voice: and billy was just so cute  

also I was thinking that daniel sounded strangely fond in that first scene, and i wonder if he developed a weird affection for johnny on the grounds that of all of his Karate Rivals johnny was actually the only one who didn’t actively tried to literally kill him

i was actually delightedly surprised with how great the chemistry between them is, like from the get go i am Invested. their rl friendship totally bleeds through and its fantastic

. granted, idiots enemies to lovers friends is my Thing so i am biased  

johnny lawrence: i am down in the dumps, i fucked up my whole life and my sons probably, largely in light of the trauma that the father figure sensei and the philosophy of my karate inflicted on me and all my friends. u know what i should do, as a traumatized, unreliable mess of an adult? teach that same philosophy to some other kids! what could go wrong! 

but really i enjoy the setup of it. i kinda like that i watched it late because, season 1 was johnny setting himself up for failure in a way and it was exciting to watch it all go to shit sjfn

Like. his heart might be in the right place, but theres just.... not a way to teach something like ‘strike hard, no mercy’ and not have it fuck up a kid 

case and point: aisha, miguel and hawk become annoying as all hell over that bullshit in the end of s1, even before shit gets truly fucked up

billys subtle panicked eyes when he sees hawk and miguel fighting dirty in the all valley was SO GOOD especially in parallel with the panic that is so visible in his face in the movie when kreese tells bobby to injure daniel and in the sweep the leg scene 

seen people question wether kreese should have returned and i absolutely think he needed to. johnny needed to realize that cobra kais fundamentals are flawed, at the root, beyond kreese himself being a toxic piece of shit 

also who are we kidding? we are here to see the tkk characters play on new playgrounds!

i get what they're doing abt kreeses backstory, ( also. cobra kai. pq eles caem nas cobras djjs sorry) but did it need to take up that much time? feels like they couldve  done it in half the run time and developed some other stories better 

martin kove has such an evil eye. i love it

love that we get a good follow up to kreese breaks johnnys trophy and tries to CHOKE HIM in the parking lot, which happened in the movie and then....................... was never mentioned again

“the gang is all back together again” aaaa u piece of SHIT 

also. terry silver is definetely appearing ha ha ha PAIN i cant wait

seen ppl say kreese was too much of a cartoon villain like..........................oh......... sweetie........... u dont even Know

interested how johnny will fit into that bc kreese was simping rly hard for johnny here. like i did not expect him to be so adamant to have him with cobra kai ... under his control, sure, but he really wants johnny by his side despite already having control of the dojo and how will terry silver self appointed jon kreeses forever simp going to feel abt that? 

like bitchs dropping by every episode like ‘joooooohnny ..... come bacc to me joooonny......... this ur last warning! for real this time johnny! i wont say it again! watch me ! im leaving johnny! im rly leaving ! im dragging a chair” and johnny is just like. dont let the door hit ya bitch it was so funny pls

and on that subject oof, johnny! doesnt! Know! he doesnt get that side of daniels cobra kai trauma. and i kind of.............. cannot wait for ck 2021 johnny lawrence to meet terry silver like. what a shit show i need a front row seat and popcorn (imagine terry tries some greasy charm and johnny just roundhouse kicks him in the teeth bc he just doest Not Have the Patience for This. glorious)

feels like we, as a society, should acknowledge that cobra kai will never die................ bc their sense of design is just chefs kiss. their name is COBRA KAI. they have sexie sleeveless black gis. theyve sneks. colorful leather jackets with embroided naja insignia, the get ppl thru the aesthetics. evil geniuses

the flashback cuts : masterpiece behavior

the other takes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of the movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the differente angles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! of the FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE CLOSE UP ON JOHNNYS FACE AT THE KICK 

that scene of daniel and johnny vibing to 80s music in the car. just. oh my god. the fan wish fullfilment. no thoughts head empty.

the new characters! theyre .... good. but. idk. i really like miguel (save for the annoying phase mid s1 - end s2) and amanda, who is a damn riot and has some functioning braincells, but everyone else is       

like dont get me wrong, i dont hate anyone,its not a jane and rafael from jtv situation,  and i am interested and invested in their arcs, but i wouldnt say i like   Like them, as in, personality wise 

like, sams grappling with ptsd was rly gutting and i enjoyed that plus her slight rage issues, 

which nicely parallel torys rage issues. torys background is all over the place tho so im pretty on the fence abt her so far

robby deserves better in every way, and i like how smart and cunning and surprisingly sweet he is

hawk............... is there i guess,

 demetri is annoying in the best way possible,

 carmen is sweet but. i just feel like her character is blunted to make the johnny relationship easier. like when shes furious with him after miguels injury but then forgives him like an episode later? and then convinces him to fight for the tournament bc she had a karate epiphany off screen even tho she was always against it? meh. feels like with the plot thiccening she was swallowed and now shes like a crutch for johnny mora than anything, which is disappointing.

aisha was cool and im kinda mad she wasnt in s3, especially bc a storyline with her tory and sam was like RIGHT THERE , but also... cant say i was super super fond of her... doesnt feel like we ever spent enough time on her

moon the bi icon, 

overall its a good cast but the main draw for me remains the og cast 

the tory/sam miguel/robby Thing. enjoy how theyre Narrative Foils and i like how their stories were so dramatically entangled but oh god give me a break with the teenage love square for the love of god. if u gonna put us through that at least have the decency to not make it so straight

and honestly some sam/tory        miguel/robby romantic tension would even make more sense. just saying! 

also im not sure how i feel abt the cobra kai: red miyagi do: blue theyre going with since some of daniels most iconic looks in tkk are also red. like it was a color they (johnny and him) sorta shared. i get it, opposite but complementary but idk... a little too fire nation and water tribe for me .

 and like the cobra kai kids are so funny abt it bc their outifts grow progressively more ridiculously coordinated. its like do they group chat every morning before leaving their houses? 

robby still sticks out like that tho. he went thru an athleisure/daniel san tsleeves phase and now hes back in the bandts grunge, but his color scheme doesnt fully blend with the other cobra kais. hmmmm.

LOVED LOVED LOVED both the okinawa episode and the cobra kais easy rider episode just such good good heart aching fun

bobby is an icon. he was in tkk and he is now ck hope appears more and more

 tommy is like the most iconic background character. all his lines, freaking gold then and now. sigh :( 

the framing in the okinawa trip was so good everything was so good

i stand by the fact that kumiko was the love interest daniel had the most chemistry with and shes is overall such a joy to watch, loved to see her again, idola, fashion icon

also tkk ii is good u guys are just mean

also really enjoyed chozens role in the episode, his evolution; i love that they introduced the pressure points (ty lee the blueprint) and! the honk + karate! cousins! absolutely iconic

when kumiko reads mr miyagis letters........ oh my god, my eyes FILLED with tears, it was so heart wrenching :(( tamlyns delivery was so emotional and lovely and its so obvious everyone involved in ck has so much love and respect for pat morita and mr miyagi as character, and i adore that it exists like this electric current through the show

when we were watching i told my sister i thought that ali would be miguels big shot surgeon and ngl i am so disappointed that didnt happen. hire me cobra kai writers

also the johnny ali daniel amanda chemistry? off the charts

AND the sassy retconning of daniel and alis breakup! LMAO ‘I HOPE U DIDNT TELL MR MIYAGI IT WAS MY FAULT’ HFDJJGNKFKSD

i am preeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetty sure back injuries dont work like that    but oke

daniel and johnny are so good together whenever, like they never actually help the kids or get shit done and end up fighting anyway but its just so much fun when theyre hanging

JOHNNY LAWRENCE AND DANIEL LARUSSO FIGHTING TOGETHER

daniels “plan” on how to get robby to juvie was so stupid. literally were u TRYING to make him hate you. dumbass

parents at those hearing rly brave for ppl that did not do ANYTHING as their kids got involved in a karate gang war until now

“bullshit i heard u were the real bully!” i mightve screeched

this s3 ending was SO DRAMATIC omg

everyone is such a MESS go to THERAPY u unhinged motherfckers

also im sorry but uh. a richass neighborhood in california doesnt have some type of neighborhood watch? the larussos rly dont have any security at all? neighbors wont hear the sound of a damn karate brawl happening next door??? also wasnt tory all like ooo i cant go to juvie, my mom yada yada yet shes always running around town getting into fights even at the rich girls house she was kicked out of school for fighting??   ?  ??    ??        ?                ?    ?          ??                  ?    ? girl??

stop destroying the larussos house, its so pretty :((((

sam finding her center looking at mr miyagis picture...  uwu maybe

robby yelling ‘U ARE WEAAK’@  johnny \as he is easily blocking him is like.... so funny and so sad to me. sweetheart. 

also i know it was meant as ‘oh johnny pushes him and HURTS HIM’ but it just looks like robby runs himself into the lockers and IM SO SORRY I FEEL SO BAD BUT IT WAS SO FUNNY 

i like that he and tory are the cobra kai kids now. we need ppl we care abt there to not revert to a good vs evil schtick, and this is the most engaging it could be... tho it hurts that these kids cant catch a break

ah yes "lets bet some real shit on the result of this teen karate tournament bc that is always a great idea" is BACK

so daniel saves johnny from kreese..... maybe johnny will save him from terry 🧐

and dojos unite ohohoho. lets SEE how that’ll work out 

miguels face of Despair when the ck defectors and the md kids are bickering like 'this is never gonna work' : gold

also. Johnny Lawrence is gonna learn some myiagi-do karate AHAAHSJAKDFH

 ive been waiting for this moment all my lifeeee oh lawrd 

final thoughts! there are def things i hope the writers will improve on the next season, but i am very excited for it either way AND i feel like it has made me enjoy the movies even more and that is a win for a reboot/sequel to me!!

[docstark]

Ignite (Avengers/Bucky Barnes Fanfiction) Chapter 1 - Everyone Has a Beginning

Hello!

I am going to start off with a little sidenote before we get started here. I started this as a side blog so it is not my usual writings (I usually write kpop ff) but I have been feeling the Marvel writing vibes lately so thought that I would put myself out there with what I've had in my google docs so please be kind.

Also, I appreciate constructive critisism, it helps me write and mold my characters/ideas and I also just love hearing what you think. I'm a bit rusty right now with my writing and there may be times where things aren't consistant with updates cause I'm getting back into school soon, but here we go!

Sincerly, Doctor Stark

Oh, I almost forgot...

If you have seen SHIELD you know who AIDA is but in this story she is the equialent of FRIDAY.

Also you'll see that my OC has the same power as Quake/Daisy Johnson because I was like "WHAT POWER COULD MY CHARACTER POSSIBLY HAVE?!"

N/N = Nickname

Warnings: None...some language?

"AIDA, if anyone calls please just send it to voicemail...I really don't want to hear from the New York Times for the...." I stopped as I set my keys on my kitchen island, "AIDA?"

"Doctor Stark, it seems that my security protocols have been over run," AIDA finally replied, "I tried contacting you but it seems that he has also managed to cut into my communications."

By now I had noticed the figure that was sitting on my couch and I cautiously approached my living room like I was entering the room with a wild animal.

"Should I try to see if I can get through to Mr. Stark," AIDA questioned.

"No," I said as I finally made eye contact with the man on the couch, "He came all this way instead of fleaing the country immediatly...he has questions. You won't hurt me, will you Bucky?"

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

Let me back up for a moment and introduce myself, my name is Y/F/N M.I. Stark aka N/N Stark better known as Doctor Stark. For the longest time I was just Howard Stark’s genius daughter who people barely remembered existed. I rather liked it that way though, while Tony spent his time in California soaking up the sun, partying, sleeping around, getting kidnapped for 3 months, doing some work on the side, and now becoming Iron Man (have no idea how Pepper does it)...I spend my time in New York between working at Stark Tower and doing some side consulting in DC and some...other business that takes place during my consulting. But other than that, I tend to stay in the shadows. Well, I used to be able to stay in the shadows. Then of course Tony decided that be would become Iron Man and I become someone that everyone had questions for but they weren’t going to get answers from.

Currently I live in New York just outside the city which has its perks; I have a decent sized house customized for my own needs, a yard, a pool, a fence (iron with perimeter security), a gate for my driveway, and neighbors that I can chat with.

You know, feel normal even if it’s just for 5 minutes.

Downfall is the commute. But since I am one of the owners of the company, being a little late isn’t that big of a deal for me unless I had something planned.

Now, even though Tony was Iron Man I couldn’t blame him completely for all the calls I get now. Now after the powers that I now have had been seen during the whole drone fiasco at Stark Expo. And that is something that should really be explained...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ever heard of an Agent Peggy Carter? She’s a wonderful woman and a close family friend, so close in fact that growing up I started to call her Aunt Peggy; after my parents died and Tony just about completely separated himself from the fact that he had a little sister who was 15 and in college, I could always count on Aunt Peggy when I needed someone to talk to. But as we know, a good Agent keeps her secrets and only reveals them when the time is right.

By the time I turned 21 I had completed my PhD in biomedical engineering and electrical and computer science as well as a doctorate in biochemistry (7 years of college and sleepless nights, taking more classes than I probably should have, but I did it). At the time I was just getting myself acquainted to my new office space at Stark Tower (during that time I only occupied the 80th floor) and my research and projects at a slow pace.

“Don’t feel like you have to run,” Tony said only half paying attention to me, “Start slow, you know Stark Industries just as well as anyone, you’ll be running the tower before you know it.”

I had to admit that he was right; I had been in Stark Tower thousands of times it seemed but this was new for me. But then Aunt Peggy came along and gave me that extra push that I needed.

She had said she had an office warming gift for me; what I wasn’t expecting was the almost 30 boxes of old files, some dating as far back as 1939.

“Your father was a great man, a fool at times, but a great man,” she started, “Throughout his career as both the founder Stark Industries and of SHIELD, meticulously hid his files and personal work in different places. He once told me and Edwin Jarvis the location of all the information and who to give it to should something ever happen to him.”

“Shouldn’t this be going to Tony then?” I questioned, “If this is his work then-“

She held up her hand and I stopped, letting her continue. “I remember one very particular evening when your parents had invited me out for dinner. You had just gone off to college...his little girl.”

I snorted trying to imagine my father gushing over his kids like any regular dad would and in my head it just wasn’t happening.

“He didn’t show a lot of emotion because he wanted you two to be able to face the world as it is...but for him it was hard seeing his little girl off to college even earlier than most dads would. But we did have a conversation that leads to the elephant...or should I say boxes in the room,” she said as she walked over towards them, “He said that both his children were born protégées, both were born to carry on what he had started. However, while they both possess the talents to change the world, one is more so the leader and the other the backbone.”

She opened the box in front of her that had a large ‘(Your Initials)’ written on the front of it. “He said, First born or not, had he not felt like Tony had the potential to lead, you would have become the head of Stark Industries,” she said, pulling a book from the box and holding it out to me, “Your father believed that you are the backbone to the very company that you stand in today, which is why I am now giving you these, just as he asked...keep them safe.”

And in Aunt Peggy style she left me to soak in the information that she had just told me, and to move the boxes to a room that only I could get into. I spent every waking moment going through the boxes, sorting them, trying to find what had gone wrong to make him tuck certain things away.

I found some items that I wondered why he even kept. Was it a reminder not to mess with it? A way for someone to know what to do should they see one? I didn’t know but it was staying under lock and key, that was for sure.

The book that Aunt Peggy had given me was essentially a journal, maybe even a diary, whatever you want to call it, it held the detail of things that had gone wrong, things that had gone right, and the one that she had given me wasn’t the only one. In the same box with my initials were more journals, just like the rest and there were almost 3 exclusively for Project Rebirth…

I don’t know how long I went through the boxes labeled ‘Project Rebirth’. The story of Steve Rogers, of Captain America was regular bedtime story for me.

My mother once said I should stop asking him for Captain America stories and at 5 years old it was the first time I had really seen my father get defensive about anything.

“If she wants to hear those stories then I will tell them, Maria,” he said.

But reading how long he searched the frigid waters, hoping for a signal to find his friend, I now know the look I saw behind my father’s eyes...sadness and grief.

For a time I stepped away from my file room, my workload getting heavy, ideas that my father thought of being brought to life but in a new and better way. As my projects expanded, my need for space grew, and to everyone’s surprise I now took up 5 floors in just five years, and with lab assistants and AIDA to help with the calls, I got a chance to finally step back into my file room.

I had barely touched the files over the last 5 years, but what I can say is that there was one box that I was avoiding. It was a wooden box, nothing intricate about it. It almost reminded me of my mother’s old jewelry box, a gift passed down in her family. But this box was odd. There was no mention of it in any of the journals, no note, nothing.

So I had to take my life into my own hands at that point and I carefully opened the box. When I opened it I gave a sigh of relief. Carefully cradled in the box was a vile of purple liquid, and of course, now that I have gotten past a close call with a heart attack, I found a note...taped to the inside of the lid.

“Out of the many things that I have come across in my time...blah blah blah speech about his accolades...while Dr. Abraham Erskine created the Super Soldier Serum for Project Rebirth, it was not the only serum that he created. The Terrigenesis Serum was created to react with the body’s own DNA and essentially bring forward any supernatural abilities that might be laying dormant within someone, should they have them.”

I stopped and ran my hand through my hair. They didn’t know when to stop, did they?

“Should you find this one of 2 things can be done; hide it or take it to SHIELD and only if they know what A21K609S means, are they to know about what you have….I suggest you start with the top.”

For the longest time I hid the Terrigenesis Serum, we didn’t need someone with superpowers who might be unhinged, running around.

But after I had started consulting with SHIELD for a few years and when Tony got kidnapped...my emotions got the better of me.

And I went to Fury…

He knew what the code meant, he questioned me over and over again telling me that there was a chance that I could die.

“IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEONE DO IT I'LL DO IT MYSELF!” I remember screeching at him.

I was taken to a lab and strapped down on the bed, since no one knew how the serum would affect me, on the screen of one of the computers I saw that Fury had pulled up the old file that SHIELD had on the serum.

I remember seeing Natasha up in the observation room looking down at me. By then we had become friends and by the look on her face I could tell that she did not approve of this.

But it was too late now…

The purple liquid traveled into my body, making me feel like every vein and artery was being shredded as it circulated. I couldn’t even tell if I was screaming, I knew my mouth was open but I could hear nothing.

I felt hands on me as the lab assistants and doctor who had been permitted in the room tried to push me back flat on the bed but there was this loud bass like noise and the hands were gone and everything went black.

When I woke up a few hours later the only person in the room with me was Fury.

“What’s this thing around me?” I asked looking purple, glowing substance around me.

Fury took a pen and threw it at the substance and it bounced back. “Some sort of shield that surrounded you after the serum took hold in your body...I suggest you try and figure out how to make it go away.”

Closing my eyes I tried to tell the shield that I was fine, I was safe, and that it could come back to me. It took a good hour but I figured it out and finally Fury was able to undo the straps that were holding me down to the table.

“So what? I’m some sort of human shield?” I questioned as a lab assistant came into the room and cautiously lifted the head of the bed up so that I could sit up. I finally got a good look at the room; equipment was knock over and strewn around the room, there was broken glass in the observation windows, and there were cracks in the walls. I gulped upon seeing this. “Did I do all this?”

“Vibration manipulation,” he replied, “Congrats Doc, you created a small earthquake right here in this lab. Not to mention you scared the hell out of the SHIELD science division when they got blasted back from that force field. But either way...looks like we have some work to do.”

TO BE CONTINUED...

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