#the shitstorm that would have occurred... imagine

[ofdarklands]

switch 2 seems a pretty nice and straightforward upgrade, but my switch 1 is still perfectly fine so i shall be staying right here i'm afraid

[frownyalfred]

But how would Bruce sweep in to help the Kents without raising suspicion on himself? Even if he did it anonymously, theres few people in Gotham that could have the power to so quickly get them out of the public eye. And if he does it publicly, I'm assuming he claims he was doing it to protect the JL as Bruce publicly funds them? Or would he essentially release a statement saying that as a close friend of Clark Kent, he wishes to protect him from the media as he of all people knows how vicious they can be? Idk, I completely agree that Bruce would be the one to get them out, the question is just how?

My heart also breaks for Clark because this is obviously one of the last things he ever wanted to occur. Superman's love for humanity is obvious to everyone and the loss of his civilian identity destroys any chance of him being able to interact with them outside of his superhero identity. Its one thing having to wait for something in the media to 'blow over' but this isn't your everyday politic scandal or other media story, this is the reveal of the man behind one of the Trinity itself, the reveal of Superman. It could easily take months before it stops being the front page cover of every newspaper and after that, what then? How do they move forward?

And all of this doesn't even begin to consider the guilt Clark would feel for ruining Lois and the kids' lives. Everyone would reassure him it wasn't his fault but Clark would obviously take responsibility for this, telling himself he should have been more careful, more secretive, more vigilant. That as a result of his lack of caution, he'd ruined any chance his kids and Lois had at a (somewhat) normal life. I feel like I could even see him being embarrassed to accept Bruce's help, chastising himself for not planning for contingencies like Bruce had.

Sorry to dump all this on you, I'm just so intrigued by the aftermath of the reveal itself.

No it’s a very valid question! In that media/public world, getting them out of the public eye as quickly as possible is the number one priority. That doesn’t need to be attributed to Bruce right away, or even at all — the Kents (all of them) disappear as quickly as possible. They fly to an agreed-upon rendezvous or they are taken there by private security hired by Bruce.

Once there, that’s when the PR shitstorm hits. Superman and his family are found out, maybe there were a few brief videos of them leaving or being escorted out of their workplace (Lois) or flying away from their school (Jon) but nothing long, nothing conclusive.

The media cycle begins. Interviews with the Kent’s’ friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc proliferate the news. Everyone is cashing in on what they can. Bruce, if he’s smart, has Clark and his family locked down somewhere they can’t watch television and is handling the response on his own.

But the reality is, there is not much Bruce CAN do, for the reasons you mentioned. Publicly tying himself to Superman and his family puts WE under greater scrutiny. Coming out in defense of Clark’s lies suggests he 1) knew about them and 2) approves of Superman’s decision to hide from the public.

I’m not sure that conversation between friends will go well. Bruce telling Clark there’s no way to return to their previous lives, not without significant security risks (not to mention the social strain) and Clark spiraling as he realizes he’s inadvertently taken away his Ma’s knitting circle, Lois’ job, Jon’s school.

It’s all different now. If he’s lucky, Bruce has plans to funnel them into a sort of witness protection, maybe in a few years when things settle down. But that would mean splitting them up — and that’s non negotiable. Even keeping Ma and Pa together is a stretch. They’re too easily recognizable.

I imagine maybe Bruce can give them a sort of asylum in the Watchtower, operating outside of any Earth’s jurisdiction. But that puts scrutiny on the Justice League instead. And Bruce is the kind of person to keep the JL autonomous and take the heat on WE if needed — even if he never mentions it.

There are things that Bruce would need to step in on: connections starting to be made between himself and Clark, accusations of Clark not being a US citizen (and Jon too, but because he’s an alien) and Lois for lying to the US government. Accusations that the Justice League was culpable in any way for Superman’s civilian actions. Scrutiny on WE and how much Bruce Wayne knows or should know, or how his funding is connected to a JL that is now under investigation etc.

But yes: I think Bruce could get them out and hidden without tipping his hand. But everything else, yeah, he would need to step into the spotlight at least a little. And he would do that for Clark, because that’s his friend. He’s had this complex series of contingencies ready since…maybe Clark and Lois’ engagement?

Having been in some PR crises, you need a Bruce. Someone not affected directly and cool/calm enough to speak to media, move people around, and make judgement calls. Clark is lucky he has such a friend, even if he’s beating himself up over his own actions and missteps.

I have more (probably more coherent) thoughts about this, but that’s my initial reaction — Bruce gets them out fine, but next steps are very, very complicated. And things won’t ever be normal again.

[applesjuice]

How are the others taking Kieran's death ? Won't they think there's something fishy ? (Legends AU)

I'm SCREAMING this is the first ask I've gotten in ten whole years and it's about KIERAN 🤣

Putting beneath a read more because this got stupid long...

But real talk, Carmine would be taking it the hardest she'd be a mess for a while. In my mind the plot of LA takes places over about two years to complete the pokedex, so by then she'd have graduated school, and is trying to redefine who she is since so much of her identity was tied into being a big sister. She'd be antagonistic towards Briar for a while, blaming her for bringing them down there in the first place. But I like to think Carmine comes to understand that adults are not perfect after the fallout that comes to Briar and the Paladean Pokemon League as a result of a minor dying on a sponsored exception.

Briar I think would write her book but she'd have fallen out of favor in the academic world due to her irresponsibility. She'd face harsh criticism from the public and the guilt she'd feel would be tremendous because Kieran, despite being a little shit at the time, was a child. I like to believe two years later she's really struggling with her career, getting denied grants and project funding, having her papers get denied by academic journals. She's a mess.

Geeta and the Paladean Pokemon League would face harsh scrutiny over allowing this specific expedtion to occur. For years they refused to allow expeditions down in Area Zero due to a lack of strong enough, accredited (re: champion level) trainers who were not bogged down by workload. Its a media shitstorm. A research team with only three children as the safety trainers? Yes one of them is a certified Champion of their league but they are still a child with only a few months experience, and the other two were strong trainers in their own right but not accredited under Paladean standards. There wasnt enough prep or vetting. Geeta would as a result step down as chairwoman due to the backlash. Atm there is no top champion so if someone beats the elite 4 there's a hold on becoming a champion level trainer while Nemona is being trained for the position.

Now the BB Academy Elite 4, they're shook. Drayton takes it the hardest because he turned down going, so he's like "what if I was there what if there was one more trainer could I have prevented this". The other 3 did see Kieran as a friend, despite his recent behavior. Before that he was Carmine's little brother, and Crispin and him were pretty friendly too, what with being in the same grade. Yeah the kid was a bully but imagine coming to school one day and there's an announcement one of your clasmates died. Thats traumatic!

Now, the protagonist. Oh boy. Regardless of if they're Juliana or Florian, they'd be pretty traumatized. They considered Kieran a friend. At one point they loved his company, he was so kind and sweet and they already blamed themselves a bit for the whole Ogerpon situation. Yeah Kieran took it to the extreme with his reaction, but I find Kieran a really interesting character with how the game wrote him. He's a child, was lied to by the people closest with him, and he doesnt seem the type to easily connect with others. But the one time he finally finds someone he connects with, we continuously and unrelentlessly crush him at something he enjoys, join his family in treating him like he has no agency by hiding the truth of his special interest from him, and go out of our way to disinclude him with his sister.

And like of course Ogerpon got close to us we spent so much time with her, getting her to trust us and know us. I see this take a lot that Kieran just wants to enslave legendaries but thats definitely not it. He's trying to get back at us. We took something special from him, and he never really had the chance to put in his bid for Ogerpon's attention and he knew it was selfish, but he cared so much for her as someone that was always disincluded, bullied, looked down on by others, and he had to at least try because Ogerpon to him, is a projection of himself. He had to TRY even if as he stated, he knew it was wrong.

And then we take his spot as Champion from him that he like, harmed himself and those around him for so he could at least have *something* that put him on the same level as you. Like we as the protagonist are the villain of Kieran's story (sorry for the tangent I swear it's relevant), but he's 14 and had a mental breakdown. And he got killed before we could reconcile or get through to him.

I think the protagonist would do a lot of soul searching because their first thought is "i should have taken the blast." Or "i could have stopped it" and then they had the humbling realization of "what could i even have done? We're the same age. That could have been me, i could have died" because even if the protagonist would never like, try to catch Terapagos immediately with a Masterball, its still a wild and untrained monster with too much power. There's no telling what would have happened if Kieran wasn't there. It'd incredibly eye opening and humbling and I think they'd strive to be a better more understanding person from this. The whole game people are hyping them up, telling them theyre so strong, they're the best, etc. Thats gotta give you a bit of a big head. I think they'd look to the adults they can trust, their mom, their teachers who are genuinely amazing people, and lean on them for support.

And when Kieran gets back and kind of has no idea who they are, and here's that sweet kid they remember with all of his love for pokemon and battling, except he's so much healthier and confident about it (and traumatized in different ways thanks Kamado and Volo). They'd probably be so amazed by him and thankful for this second chance.

Tldr: i should probably just write a fic for this it got stupid long...

[officialdiegorodriguez]

With each word that Henry uttered, his throat hoarse from the choked-out sobs that racked his body, it became all too clear to Diego just how much he’d fucked up by hopping on that plane. He hadn’t been thinking – not about Henry, not about anybody. He’d just known he was angry and needed to clear his head, to get the fuck out of there and be alone with his thoughts. It hadn’t ever occurred to him that Henry might be afraid. That Diego’s actions could have caused such an outwards spiral was incomprehensible to him and yet there he sat next to the boy he’d grown so fond of, watching as his hands trembled, eyes bloodshot, looking as though he’d just endured the worst few hours of his life. 

Yet even all that concern and fear that Henry had felt in the last twelve hours, it didn’t even begin to touch upon the truth. He’d suffered through far worse than Diego dipping out on him. He’d been through the unimaginable and Diego had forced him to relive it. 

“No, Hen, you can’t think like that,” Diego gasped, eyes blown wide by Henry’s honesty. As awful as what had happened to Stefan was, he couldn’t imagine having to carry the weight of what Henry had just told him. All that guilt must have been eating him up this entire time and Diego had no idea. 

Carding a hand through his hair, Diego felt helpless. Nothing he could say right now would bring Stefan back, and there wasn’t anything he could do to mend that wound for Henry. The only thing he could do was remind Henry that he was there, and he wasn’t going anywhere, that they’d be able to get through whatever shitstorm life threw at them. Maybe it was an empty promise – hell, he’d just hopped on a flight mid-tour over the slightest inconvenience – but he wasn’t so desperately for it true. He wanted to see this through with him. 

“Whatever Stefan was dealing with... Whatever shit’s going on in my head? That’s not you, babe. That’s the rest of them, the rest of this stupid, shitty world...” he shook his head, edging closer to the other boy on the sofa. He pressed his hand to Henry’s shoulder, squeezing gently in some dumb, misguided attempt to offer sympathy. He had no idea what to do with his hands, no clue what the right thing to say was. All he wanted was to offer him the comfort he needed, to prove to him that he wasn’t alone and that none of this was his fault. “You’re my number one fucking reason why all this shit is worth it, you hear me?” 

He could see Henry working to protest, a look of indignation settling onto his features as he shook his head, muttered Diego’s name in protest. But he meant what he said, and he’d spend the rest of his pathetic life trying to prove it to him if he had to. He wasn’t always brave, nor was he always honest with himself or the people he loved, but Henry Bly was the surest thing in his life. 

For the briefest moment, he thought he’d gotten through to him. Before he knew it, Henry’s mouth was against his, the taste of him that Diego had grown so used to mingled with damp, salty tears. He moved in to press a hand to the other man’s waist as he parted his lips, desperate and ready to accept the other man’s affection, to let him seek comfort in whatever way he needed it right now. But then Henry was pushing him away, features screwed up in frustration as he apologised repeatedly. 

“Hen, no, c’mon. It’s okay, honey. It’s alright,” he reassured him, free hand moving to cup the nape of his neck.  

His fingers tickled his skin, thumb gently tracing his jawline as he dipped his head carefully, pressing their foreheads together. He held him there, firm and unwavering as he pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to the corner of Henry’s mouth, a reminder that he was there and that everything was okay. That he still wanted him more desperately than either of them could begin to imagine. 

“I’m safe, okay? We’re safe. And you’re gonna stop apologising and you’re gonna let me hold you for the rest of the night, alright? I won’t hear any arguments, baby,” he whispered, gently scolding him. 

He heard Diego’s faint warning and nodded numbly. As much as he appreciated the effort that Diego was putting into being gentle right now, he didn’t want him to think it was necessary. He didn’t want the other man to treat him like he was something fragile and easy to break. Henry was meant to be the dependable one, the one that people came to when they needed someone to lean against, a shoulder to cry on. He wasn’t the one that usually needed comfort.

Saying that, he didn’t shy away when Diego wrapped his hand around his. His breath caught in the back of his throat when he felt Diego’s lips against his knuckles and he lifted his gaze to stare at the other man.

He was sure that he looked a sight right now, especially after catching a flight from the other side of the country. His hair was sticking up in all directions, he knew that to be true, and he could only imagine the mess of his face. Flushed with red-rimmed, watery eyes, his eyelashes most likely clumped together. He’d never been a particularly beautiful crier, not like his sister, Val, was. She had movie star tears, their mother used to say. When Val cried, the sight was so beautifully heartbreaking and tragic that it inspired tears in the onlooker’s eyes as well. When Henry cried, it just made people uncomfortable. Probably because he didn’t do it very often and when he did, it felt like he shouldn’t. A sobbing Henry Bly? There were few people in the world that knew quite what to do with that.

Amongst his eldest sister though, and then Sylvie who had found him locked in the under-the-stairs closet on the day of Stefan’s funeral, Diego Rodriguez was a wildcard in that category. He seemed to be doing everything he could to calm Henry down at that moment and Henry directed all of his attention to the other man listening with a pained chest to his words.

“I keep thinking I pushed him to do it. That he couldn’t see another way out because he thought I expected something from him that he couldn’t give me, but I never - D, I swear, I’d never…” A trembling breath left him again as he pressed his knuckles harshly into his lips.

He wanted to make it clear to Diego that whatever the two of them were right now, whatever they might end up possibly being, Henry wasn’t the kind of person to drag someone out of the closet. He liked to think that he had never pressured Stefan into coming out, would never dream of it. But what if how much he’d loved the other boy had been pressure enough? Stefan had thought it was a burden, something heavy to carry. He was surprised that that particular realisation hadn’t scared Diego off yet.

“Diego…” he said softly, shaking his head. He knew that the other man meant well with his words, and he appreciated them, he really did. However, he couldn’t help but think that Diego didn’t really know what he was talking about. He’d only seen the good parts of Henry’s love, the parts that playfully wrestled with him underneath tangled hotel room bedsheets and left hidden bells on Poppy’s Animal Crossing island to surprise her. He hadn’t seen the jagged parts of Henry’s love, the parts that spilled over like slivers of glass because of the muchness of it. 

Henry’s parents had always praised him for how he regulated his emotions, even from a young age. Sitting on Diego’s couch right now though, he thought that was a woefully inaccurate assessment of his feelings. He didn’t feel like he was skilled at holding them at bay. Some days, Henry felt incapable of holding any feeling back at all, although he made sure to dampen them down out of necessity. 

Today, after a cross-country flight and a burst of fear that he hadn’t felt in years, he wasn’t sure that he could hold any of it back any longer.

He leaned in and quickly pressed his lips to Diego’s. A warm mouth against a warm mouth. He screwed his eyes shut, salty tears falling from them and spilling down his cheeks as his hands came up to gently push the other man’s shoulders back, as if they had a different brain than his mouth did.

Pulling back with a soft, agonised groan, Henry shook his head.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I didn’t… Fuck,” he cursed.

[oddthesungod]

As much ss I want spirk (or mcspirk) to happen in the Kelvin timeline, I remember Zach saying in an interview after the st:id release that he didn't like the spirk ship and only saw them as friends. So if he alredy said no, then it's not happening. A pity really😞

oh i'm under absolutely no illusion that spirk (mcspirk even less, can you imagine the shitstorm that would occur????) can ever in one billion years become canon, either in the Kelvin timeline or in the Prime universe with SNW aksjdakjhdjak

Like........ i'd LOVE it, but like, no it will not happen. But I've been in fandom spaces long enough that ultimately canon matters very little to me, other than as a base to stand on while doing my own thing.

I'd be happy if they made Spock and Jim canon queer tho and that's the only ones that actually have even a SLIVER tiny tiny sliver chance of being made canon.

(screenshot this post and show it to me in the event that spirk it DOES become canon and I'll deepfry my socks and eat them)

[felassanis]

Characters that I think will make a return in Dragon Age 4

Okay, So lets get the first two out of the way and the reasons why I think they are bound to return.

Dorian Pavus: Pretty much a given, he’s already in Tevinter. He’s got big plans for the city and he’s a fan favourite. it would be a crime if he didnt come back.

Fenris: Will the Blue Wraith release I can’t help but wonder if that’s setting up Fenris’s arc and how it’ll pertain to DA4. How this wonderful character will tie into the shitstorm that’s about to occur in the next installment. When you hear Tevinter, chances are a couple of things will come to mind. Mages, blood-magic, Dorian, Slavery and Fenris. His whole character is linked to this setting. Hes a character who's got the biggest reasons to be there so he better be there. either as the leader of a slave rebellion or possibly an agent of Fen’harel. Also, given how vocal the fandom has been about him coming back, I think Bioware will deliver. I just hope he’s intertwined witht the plot like Varric was, and not given a crappy cameo like Zevran was in dragon age 2. And even if you did (You fucking monster) Give him back to Danarius, then he’ll be in Tevinter too. Or if you killed him like a fucking moron, well Bioware have brought back characters from the dead before. Leliana I'm looking at you

And ngl, I really want a FenHawke moment

Now, these next ones are the “Realistic” few who I think will make a return based on theories and evidence but I’m also making a section of characters who I want to see come back even if it’s not likely:

Sten: I find it very likely we will see this guy again. There conflict between Tevinter and Seheron should be one of the focuses in dragon age 4 and given that our actions in dragon age 2 he becomes the Arishok and if memory serves; he’s in Seheron. More Sten? More likely than you think if I’m right.

Talis: Another one who should make an appearance given her allegiance to the Qunari. Talis was a really good character and criminally underused in Mark of the Assasins and dragon age 2 as a whole. I think she’ll make a cameo, doing her thing as a skilled assassin for the Qunari.

Krem: It would be interesting for this character to make a return, perhaps he could not stand to see what is happening in his home country and makes a return. Given how important Krem is for representation, him being from Tevinter and how popular he was, I think he will also be making a return.

Verania: A small cameo. But I think if you stopped Fenris from killing her, then his sister Verania will be making a return. Which could offer an interesting scene if Fenris also makes a return. She does return to Tevinter, and given that her master was killed (Hopefully) it would be a curious thing to see how she ended up.

Varric: The reason why I think Varric will come back is because of the Red Idol. Varric has history with that thing, it was him and his brother who made the expedition to recover it from the Deep Roads and given how obvious it is that the Red Idol will play a major role in DA4 I think Varric will feel compelled to try and get it back or destroy it. He hates red lyrium and he hates that idol and he knows exactly what it is capable of, so the thought of it ending up in the wrong hands must unsettle him. He felt at fault for the red lyrium and Corypheus, hence why he stayed with the Inquisition to try and sort it all out. I think it will be the same for the red idol, he feels a responsibility to stop it because he thinks it’s his fault it’s out there in the first place.

Scout Harding: A potential LI maybe??? I think she’ll play a vital role whether or not the inquisition was kept or discarded in Tresspasser. I hope she gets a more important role than a simple quest giver.

Isabela: With the recent concept art I am seeing A LOT of Pirates and I couldn’t help but think of Isabela. And that one concept art seems to confirm Isabela is coming back and I'm so excited.

Leliana & Cassandra: It sounds to me like Leliana and Cassandra will come back as advisors of sorts, I’m not sure what role they’ll play exactly in the grand scheme of things in the next game but I do think they will both come back in some capacity, because of their words and cameo in the ending to Tresspasser.

Abelas: maybe only a cameo if you killed him, but Solas essentially recruits Abelas and if hes alive I think Abelas could make a return. 

Unrealistically, but why I think they should:

Zevran: He’s has somehow been mentioned or appeared in every game since origins and I don’t want that streak to be ruined. I think there’s definitely a role for him given how much he adventures and explores, his wit and his tendencies to get into trouble, and how he is a fan favourite.

Oghren: Honestly? Just because we haven’t heard from him a long time.

Cullen: I highly doubt he will come back. Why? Because I feel like the option to romance him in Inquisition on top of his sort of redemption arc in that game is his...end. Like, he got closure, he got the focus he needed regarding all the shit he went through in the past two games and I honestly do believe that is where Cullen’s story ends. But...I could be wrong, they might want to keep the pattern of him appearing in every game and maybe they have something else planned for him since they strangely liked this character because he went from this minor dude in Origins to Meredith’s lackey in dragon age 2 to a fully fledged main cast member in dragon age 3.

Meredith: Speaking of Meredith, I think it would be so neat for her to make a return as a boss fight. Because fighting her in dragon age 2 was so much fun and I think with the return of the Red Lyrium Idol, having her come back somehow would be appropriate. Maybe the statue she turns into merely keeps her in hibernation? So under whatever the hell material the red lyrium used to ‘kill’ her, it actually didn’t snuff out her life but rather preserved it. She’s still alive and fiddling with the Idol brings her back. Edit: turns out shes super dead but I'm leaving it here in case I can somehow rationalise how this scary lady could come back

Orsino: I can totally imagine the theory that Varric lied about Orsino’s death in order to protect him so Cassandra and the Templars wouldn’t go after him. Even the devs said his death was a mistake, so this could be a great way to rectify how shitty a card he was dealt in DA2 and give him a better storyline and role in the next game. Orsino is just a really good character who would do well with more time and focus spent on him. 

Bodahn & Sandal: because I need answers about what the fuck Sandal is and I miss Bodahn. And given Sandal's massive fucking foreshadowing to Solas and the magic of the elves I think HE HAS TO COME BACK but also...idk what they would really do with him, if hed really play a role other than what he did in the first and second game. An enigmatic dwarf for comedic effect and also creepiness.

Anders: if hes alive, and if you didnt romance him. I want a cameo, since he was originally supposed to appear in Inquisition as a hermit in a cave. I'd like that concept to return in the area near Tevinter/Antiva. Because I think it would be tragic, if hes borderline insane and a wandering nomad hiding his identity. Maybe Justice has taken over, maybe we have to free him of Justice to recruit Anders. Maybe we need him to enter the Fade somehow? Maybe when the veil is broken Justice takes over completely that way? I just want an Anders cameo, see a tragic ending to a tragic character with the potential of redemption? Potential chance at happiness through helping the player fight Solas? And maybe, if Isabela or Varric come back...theyd have something to say? They might beg the player to help him? Mourn their friend or fret over him? Varric and Anders hug?

Spirit of Wynne: my girl Wynee gets no fucking love or mention from what I've seen and I will not stand for it. I'm sure she died, even by DAII's timeline. But if the veil is torn? Maybe her spirit will pay us a visit, give us words of encourage or wise lessons??? I miss Wynne so much.

Morrigan: I do think something is being set up with her character and Kieran. And with her being so woven with the whole Mythal thing, I wouldn't be shocked if Morrigan wanted to get involved, since Mythal wanted to live on through Morrigan. Maybe Morrigan has a bone to pick, maybe shes mad that Solas killed her mother.

[dessarious]

The Angel of Death Pt29

Inspired by this Story Starter by @someone-ev

AO3   Prologue   Beginning   Previous   Next

Tris didn’t respond. She was looking for cues from the others to see if or how she should. Gina was just studying Chloe and Tris got the impression she was surprised Chloe had actually put the pieces together so fast. Adrien and his mother both seemed lost in their own thoughts so no help there. Wonder Woman was studying Tris for some reason. Fu looked… pleased?

“You bastard, you meant for this to happen.” She didn’t need the small smirk to confirm her suspicions. “Why? What could you have possibly gained by putting yourself and all the Kwami at risk like this?” The man let out a disappointed sigh and it took everything in her to not throw one of her knives at him.

“I had hoped you would enlist the help of Tikki and Plagg’s holders rather than defaulting back to killing for one. It was not necessary to save me.” He sounded like he was explaining something to a toddler yet didn’t seem to understand the danger of doing so. She was going to have an aneurysm at this rate.

“I didn’t kill them to save you. If you want to get yourself killed that’s your prerogative. I killed them because you gave them information about me that puts me, the Kwami, and anyone who happens to be around me at risk of being tortured and killed. Well, stolen in the case  of the Miraculous but the point remains. You think Hawkmoth was bad? Imagine what all of them in the hands of assassins will do.” Everyone else seemed to be properly horrified by the idea. Fu actually rolled his eyes at her.

“It is very common in young people to think they are the center of the universe. I assure you others don’t see you as nearly the threat you think they do. When you get older you’ll understand.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to take deep breaths. She tried to tell herself that he didn’t understand the situation, which he didn’t. She tried to tell herself that his attitude made sense in most normal circumstances. Unfortunately she was too focused on not becoming homicidal herself to think about the others’ reactions.

“This isn’t some regular teen drama, we’re talking about groups of trained killers and you’re being flippant! How did you ever even become a Guardian?” Wonder Woman broke down into cursing at the man in various languages. Tris was impressed both at the originality and the fact that she didn’t know some of the languages.

“Especially considering you don’t even know which group of assassins she was affiliated with. The fact that you even thought she came out of that group of fools says how little you know about either their skill or hers.” Gina’s voice dripped with disdain and Marinette was glad there was someone there who understood the difference between those fools and other organizations. Especially the League of Assassins.

“You know nothing about my past other than the code name I’ve been operating under. I assure you I’m not exaggerating my importance or the probability of others coming after me. If the people who trained me realize I’m alive all hell will break loose and anyone close to me will be acceptable collateral damage.” She actually shuddered at the thought of Talia showing up in Paris. They would be begging for Hawkmoth’s return.

“I don’t understand why you would allow someone with that background near the Miraculous in the first place.” Mme. Agreste was splitting her frowns between Tris and Fu, though it seemed more confusion than anything else. It was obvious she had no idea exactly how bad of an idea it was to let Tris near them, of course neither did Fu.

“That was our decision.” Tikki was hovering protectively in front of her along Plagg. “Tris may have been forced into a life of violence but she’s still a good person at heart. She needs us and will make a good Guardian if she accepts the task.” Everyone looked at the Kwami in shock. Tris knew they wanted her to train with Fu but she hadn’t realized they were thinking that far ahead. She’d been constantly noticing how lax he was when it came to protecting them, but she hadn’t really considered taking over herself. She thought they just wanted him to humanize her again.

“Marinette has always been one of the kindest and most considerate people I’ve ever encountered. No matter what she was trained for she’s still herself. You can see that if you look at the aftermath of all her jobs.” She blinked at Chloe’s defense of her. Even knowing that her Nonna had planted the idea she was surprised Chloe had actually researched her. It was kind of weird to think about to be honest.

“And how exactly do you two know each other?” Fu’s question brought another flash of anger as she remembered the discussion she had originally planned on having with him.

“If you had ever bothered to ask me whether it was a good idea to house me with your holders you would know that I was born in Paris and lived here until my training. Chloe knew me at the time.” Fu seemed rather taken aback by that information. He obviously hadn’t considered the possibility when he decided she needed to be taught a lesson. She couldn’t really blame him but at the same time he was playing with her by forcing her into that situation and that she took offense to. “Which is why you’re going to be fully explaining anything that involves me in the future, assuming I don’t just leave you to your own devices now that you’ve unleashed this shitstorm.”

“What about the Miraculous?” Wonder Woman’s tone was slightly panicked and Tris could see her demanding the box for safekeeping. It would certainly be safer than Fu.

“That is up to the Kwami. I wouldn’t take or leave them without their consent. My life may not be the safest but I at least know how to disappear and take precautions. If that is their choice they will be safe. But again, I will not force them to go, that would make me no better than those who took me.” She saw concern on Chloe’s face moments before she marched up to Tris and pulled her into a crushing hug. She still didn’t really know how to react to that. The Agrestes shared a look before something seemed to dawn on Emilie.

“Wait… Marinette, as is Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” She winced at the reminder of her full name. It had been so long since she’d heard or been called that it didn’t even feel familiar anymore. That girl was dead, despite what Chloe had said.

AO3   Prologue   Beginning   Previous   Next

Ko-Fi

Tag List

@kceedraws @theatreandcomicfreak @krispydefendorpolice @magic-miraculous @chocolatecatstheron @mooshoon @northernbluetongue @interobanginyourmom @rebecarojas07 @dast218 @abrx2002 @damianette-is-life @yin-390 @fontegagrilledcheese @bigpicklebananatree @tbehartoo @nobodyw8s4evr @linim2503 @ladybug-182 @marinettepotterandplagg @daminett4life @thethirdwheelfriend @corabeth11 @emotionalsupportginger @shizukiryuu @toodaloo-kangaroo @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @hauntedfreakdeputyhero @sassakitty @my-name-is-michell @multplelifes @sassydepression @danielslilangel @winter-gardenflower @animegirlweeb @romanoff-queen @nanakeid @paradoxal-occurance @theg0ddesspersephone @hinata3487 @irontimetravelflower @the-real-gingakid @heaven428 @peachedpocky @justafanwarrior @gentlemanoftimetravel @18-fandoms-unite-08 @kittycatwowmeow @pale-lady-dreamer @i-is-mysterious @captainartsypants @write-for-your-life2 @queengeorgiaaa @schrodingers25 @thecaptainthunder @elspethshadow @stela-likes-drawing @loysydark @lozzybowe @renscorpio @elmokingkong @the-fusionist @tis-i-beanbandit @smolplantmum @iwantwhirlledpeasandlotsatrees @colorfulmongerpsychicranch @chocolateherringtacofan

[bookofmirth]

In response to your post about the elriel who took a cropped screenshot of a gwynriel opinion and commented on it on their page- I get where you are coming from. I do think, however, this fandom makes it terrifying for one to voice their opinions for fear of being ripped apart. Everyone is so quick to verbally attack someone who does not agree with their opinions, it is such a toxic environment all around. So in a way, I understand why the elriel chose to go into their own space to discuss why they disagreed. I am assuming they cropped out the OP’s name to avoid people then going to the OP with any nasty anon messages or to avoid stirring the pot which is why they also kept to their own tags as well but since I am not them, I can’t say for sure.

One thing I do want to bring up is that, while maybe that wasn’t the best way to go about things, the amount of gwynriels that attacked that user was brutal and complete overkill. A lot of people made comments on the post, sub-posted about the incident, sent messages to the elriel, and it just seems like kicking a dog when it’s down. Not to mention the amount of gwynriels who are guilty of doing the exact same exact thing here on tumblr. (Posting screenshots of elriel posts from tumblr and Twitter to then tear into the OP, calling them dumb or delusional or any other insult where they cannot see or defend themselves.)

I understand that tensions are high all around but everyone is attacking each other as if they’ve done something abhorrent (like using a racial slur or threatening violence, etc).

After all the attacks on both sides that have occurred this past week, can we please all just agree to be kinder to one another? Stick to our own tags and if a conversation isn’t constructive, please just walk away and block if you need to? This hostility is turning into violence and everyone who is contributing in any way is guilty of adding to the toxicity.

I definitely agree with you about some of this!! Probably most of it. Lemme explain. But before I do, let me say thank you! I appreciate you sharing your perspective. I cannot imagine what it's like being an observer of this shitstorm.

Usually, people do block out OP or the user to do exactly what you said - to ensure that people don't harass that person. In a sense, that is thoughtful, so I can see why you would think their intentions weren't all bad.

But - if you look at the thing I just reblogged, there is more context to that screenshot that will probably change your mind about the intent. A quick check around Twitter right now will show you that the screenshot of that post was first shared on Twitter, and then brought back to tumblr because certain people thought that OP was a favorite target of theirs. They were wrong, but we still have this mess.

However, I totally agree that the fandom is a terrifying place to share ideas. I don't have notifications on, I frequently think about turning anon off, I block people left and right because I get anxiety (and I don't use that word lightly, I am on daily meds for anxiety) when I comment on a post where I disagree with OP, thinking about what I might encounter when I get back on tumblr. Believe me - even if I seem comfortable and confident sharing my ideas here, I experience a lot of anxiety about it that is usually outweighed by the good.

I know that I have my circle of friends and mutuals and people I feel comfortable talking to. I also know that I have a tendency to block like it's going out of style. That has definitely given me a specific view of the fandom, and so what you say about elriel posts being put on Twitter, I've never personally seen it. I do believe you when you say it happens. Any statement I make about how the fandom should treat each other? I am not exempting my friends and mutuals from this. Trust me. I have a reputation for trying to talk them off the ledge. I could tag them but I won't :D they know who they are.

I think that if we could stop seeing each other as stans of a certain ship, and start seeing each other as individuals?? That would go so, so far. I am going to try to engage with people I know I will disagree with under the assumption that we can have a good conversation. I hate that we have to pretend like huge portions of the fandom don't exist in order to just... be in the fandom.

The purpose of my post about the issue was to talk about the problem of screenshotting in general. It wasn't to make anyone feel bad, and I never, ever say "elriels need to not do X" or "gwynriels are so bad about doing Y". It goes back to the whole seeing each other as individuals thing.

I don't plan on talking about that specific post past this ask because you are right - it was definitely rude behavior, but it wasn't something that we need to focus on. And I am already tired of it, and I don't want it to continue being a conversation. I've said my piece!

Okay one last thought - I say "I" a lot. Yes. But I cannot speak for everyone in the fandom. I am only talking about my experience and my behaviors. If there are people who jump on posts and attack and otherwise engage in the fandom in ways we don't like, it's on us to block. I do my best to be thoughtful in how I engage. Since I can't force others to do so, I just say bye.

I hope that made you feel a bit better. idk. I don't know what would make any of it better, except for how we conduct ourselves in the future.

[pillar--of--salt]

“I won’t delude myself. I‘m too old to continue to romanticize my relationship with Vincent. I got him to love me, more or less, and that’s all that mattered to me. I engineered that.”

“You didn’t care that he was married?” Mike said. This was the thing that almost surprised him about her. As cynical as he was, there were some lines he could never cross, and it surprised him that Nadine, with her unshakeable moral compass, would dissolve those lines completely. 

It hadn’t occurred to him that he might not know her at all. 

She shook her head. “I saw it as a surmountable hurdle, and I’m ashamed of that. I should have cared, but I didn’t.”

“Because you loved him back,” he said softly. 

“An oversight on my part,” she admitted. “But it wasn’t like that in the beginning.”

Perhaps she had lost herself, the heady excitement and tumultuousness of it all slowly weathering away at the boundaries she’d originally created for herself. Mike is sure that she no longer made that mistake in life. 

“You were just seducing him,” he guessed, “in the beginning.”

“Yes. And that’s all it was. It wasn’t hard.” Her voice held no arrogance, no self-congratulatory pride. No apology, either. “I’m excellent at my job. I’m easy to talk to. I’m reasonably attractive—“

Mike made a noise low in his throat, but Nadine ignored it, talking over him. 

“—and all of the late nights in the office, the work trips away, the congressional functions and galas —that took care of the rest.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Becoming Vincent’s confidante was practically inevitable. And then I turned his screws as needed.”

“To what end?”

She smiled ruefully. “I was molding him into a man whom I would be proud to serve. Someone I could believe in.” She paused, and then admitted, “He kind of shit all over that, in the end.”

Mike raised an eyebrow. For the first time since the microloans shitstorm, he was unimpressed. Disappointed? “You chose to mold him with sex.” 

Nadine barely reacted to his tone. He didn’t think he’d be surprised to discover how little she regarded his opinion of her in any matter; and in that of her reputation least of all. “He was the most suggestible when I manipulated him with sex.” She smiled then, and it held no warmth. “Most men are.”

“You’re very cavalier about this,” he muttered. 

She shook her head. “No,” she said, “I’m not. But neither do I have any delusions about what I wanted, or what we were. What we became.”

“And the Iran debacle, you didn’t...” he trailed off. 

She shook her head vehemently. “No. I didn’t know about any of that. If I had, I would have—“

“You would have reported him,” Mike finished. He knew her. Whatever else, Nadine was an unwavering patriot. “You would have turned him in.”

“I would have ruined him,” she hissed. He could see her working to control the memory of her anger and grief, of Marsh’s betrayal. Her eyes met his, fiercely clear. “My loyalty has always belonged to my country first.”

“I know that,” he said. He did. What she would have done to Marsh had she discovered his treason, Mike can scarcely imagine. 

She took a sip of her drink, quietly contemplative. “I didn’t know him quite as well as I thought I did, and I wasn’t manipulating him quite as well as I thought I was. Obviously.”

“He‘d been playing you, too.”

“And he was better at the game than I ever could be. My ignorance costed me.”

She would never make that mistake again, Mike knew. “You could have gone about it another way—“ he began tentatively. 

She cut him off. “I chose this way.”

“In politics, you—“

“Oh, Mike. Sex is politics.”

He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but then closed it again. She was right. 

When he stretched the silence, she continued. “I did what was easy. It was easy to teach him to consider me. Easy to make him want me.”

He resolved, then and there, to exercise greater professional caution around her from now on. And personal restraint. Since it seemed she liked to blur those lines. He did too, but not to this degree. 

There was a glint in her eye. She leaned into him, so close that he could feel the heat of her breath against his skin, and a tingle ran all the way down to his toes. 

In his ear, she whispered, “Now think just how easily I could teach you to want me.”

Oh, Mike thought but didn’t say. I think I already do.

[pipemurder]

sometimes i like to sit back and imagine the shitstorm that would occur if they announced they were making a tma netflix show but they decided that they decided sasha and jon were in love and that was also now the whole point of the plot.

bc that's how the a81 fandom feels rn but also it's pretty dead so like there's not too much noise about it. this post doesn't have a real point i just like imagining scenarios. ok *clicks my heels together and peaces out again*

[buddha-in-disguise]

Will this ever end?

Well I woke up to a shitstorm on Twitter and the Supergirl fandom, with David Harewood.

I can't say exactly what was said to cause David to post what he did as I haven't seen posts he might have done - but his subsequent reactions have unfortunately merely seemed to have exacerbated the issue and inflamed it.

My thoughts though before I go further into this. Also remember these are my own thoughts, I don't expect everyone to agree with me. However I hope I can make some kind of sense with what I'm trying to write down here.

Supergirl this season has one character I'm finding hard to relate to. This has absolutely nothing to do with potential storylines and relationship possibilty, but everything to do with what they have tried to do with William Dey as a whole.

I get the reason he came along in regards Russell and so the Andrea connection. That story made some sense.

What hasn't made sense - William being used as a journalist, when Nia is right there! Nia has barely had any screen time, and virtually none as a journalist; you know - her actual job. I'm not sure what the minutes on screen ratio has been this season between the two, but it has felt completely slanted towards William as a viewer.

First instead of Kara and Nia investigating Leviathan after William was 'exposed' in the earlier episodes, now Nia is sidelined again, because they want Kara to team up with William to investigate Lex.

Why? Why do they need that journalistic pairing, when Nia - who as a Superhero, is better placed if danger from Lex occurs. But no, they're making it about Kara having to work with William because Lex threatened to kill him.

They have a Superhero who is also a journalist right there!

Right. There.

Personally this simply makes no sense to me. Plus if I am being honest, William as a character is bringing nothing to the table for me. He feels more like a token male character because James has left.

That brings me to Dansen. While we had some scenes before Crisis, considering at SDCC we were being told how Dansen would strengthen after those events, again we have seen seconds worth of screen time of Kelly, let alone the lack of Dansen.

We accept it isn't the Dansen show and this isn't about that, but again it feels as if it is being pushed way into the background & Kelly is being underutilised. She works for Obsidian North, yet was nowhere to be seen at the launch of the new tech. Sure, it isn't her area of expertise within the company, but you would expect senior employees to have been at such an important launch.

Plus, she is ex-military, but again nothing has been utilised about that part of her character.

The problems with both these issues is these characters are LGBTQ rep on the show. Representation that is already severely underrepresented on TV. Even allowing for the LGBTQ rep on SG (which is above average), it is still well below the ratio percentages that GLAAD show as being the main demographic of viewers.

So LGBTQ fans also look at non-canon representation as well. They have to, because LGBTQ on screen numbers simply don't reflect what the viewer numbers are. I made a post about it to try & highlight this, which I will link to.

But needless to say, LGBTQ fans also generally have difficulties that a lot of people don't have to face.

This brings me back to David and his lack of understanding that many fans were (looking through the comments), trying to explain to him. That criticism wasn't aimed at him per se (at least that I saw), or his directing or acting of that episode. If criticism was aimed at him, that was and is wrong.

The main criticism I saw was being aimed about elements that the writers and producers had done (Winn's wife being another aspect that was problematic). It was unfortunate that it has coincided with David's directorial episode.

Look, David can direct an episode wonderfully, it can have some great aspects to it, but it can also be highly problematic to some fans, & receive valid criticism for it.

For example, the latest episode of Batwoman. The Alice/Beth story was great. The acting superb. What I found worrying was the way they made Sophie feel guilty for legitimate reasons why she had led a closeted lifestyle. That lifestyle is valid, for Sophie and many LGBTQ people, and for good reason, including keeping some people safe from harm. I felt it was a clumsy attempt for Alice to get into Sophie's mind; it could've been tackled other ways, so it felt wrong they used her sexuality as a way to achieve that. Being closeted for many literally keeps them alive. So that was one hell of a poor choice in my opinion. So, great episode, valid criticism.

I personally find it sad that David hasn't seemed to understand this. Especially considering he only recently tweeted about the lack of diversity on TV for black actors. His argument there applies to what the LGBTQ audience have been trying to explain so many times, both with Supergirl and beyond that.

Except for LGBTQ it goes further, as not only are there LGBTQ, there is further intersectionality that runs through us as a group.

So for example, Kelly is LGBTQ, but Black. She is also a woman. All areas that struggle in their own sphere and marginalised in their own right. Added together, and it makes her representation even more important.

Nia Nal is Transgender. And a woman. Also two areas of intersectionality. If we don't listen to all marginalised people, especially when that intersectionality comes into play, we fail.

David is Black.

But also heterosexual, and male, and honestly, seeing his reaction I felt the heterosexual male with no understanding what the LGBTQ audience was trying to explain come through far more than I imagined I would.

Now of course, it could be David had no intention of coming across in that way. Yet the way he liked certain posts also felt as a complete dismissal of the LGBTQ community as a whole. It felt like the reactions from SDCC 2017 all over again.

Without a doubt some fans were taking it too far. I get that. I don't know how often I have written about fandoms and the way some can behave. However, if David is putting everyone in a fandom as all being problematic (as his liking of Tweets seem to suggest), then that is a very poor take indeed by him, and one I hope he considers.

By taking those steps, he has angered some fans more than was necessary in my view. Like Staz the other day, I know we are all human and sometimes react emotionally. Unlike Staz, who tried to clarify his words and apologised for any upset he might've caused, David seems to have gone the other way and doubled down against fans, blocking even respectful tweets to him that were trying to explain a point of view.

Now before anyone thinks I am hating on David, I'm not. I have supported much of his work.

I am though disappointed that for someone who is marginalised himself, has had mental health struggles, he has seemingly failed to understand that LGBTQ are just as marginalised (if not more so) than he is, & that because of the issues LGBTQ people face, mental health problems are extremely high versus the general population. That some of his wording and liking of tweets have felt like a complete slap in the face for many, who have legitimate concerns about Supergirl at the moment.

As I say, I get some fans take it too far, in all areas of the Supergirl fandom. Outright hate towards anyone is absolutely unacceptable. I also understand that we all react at times that is instinctual because we feel hurt, and that reaction is not as good as it could be.

I just hope that rather than it implode more on us, that everyone takes a step back to try and calm down.

As for the issues of queerbaiting that has risen as a result of the teaser for the next episode of SG. Supergirl in earlier episodes of the season, used parallels to show Lena and Kara alongside canon relationships on the show. To then have other people call fans delusional for seeing those scenes as romantically formulated is not okay! It really isn't. That's hateful, because like it or not, those elements are there.

When I have people who don't watch the show asking if Lena and Kara are together because of clips they might see (straight people at that), that isn't delusional.

But, that isn't an issue the cast should address or make judgement on, or fans to insist they do.

It should though be something asked of the producers and showrunners, because if they have no plans to go through with it - it has been outright queerbaiting this season. Up until this year, they've not done things with notable intent to parallel other relationships. This season they have. The shift felt deliberate.

I know ultimately that this show is about Supergirl, but it is also about those around her as family & friends. I understand there are only so many minutes in one episode. What I don't understand is why those precious minutes are going to a character, when they have one perfectly placed to do the same role. Why they have to potentially explore another relationship, when we have one canon relationship & one relationship that while isn't canon in terms of romantic, it is a big story in terms of best friends, both seemingly sidelined. Which brings me to the Kara fighting for Lena's soul aspect. Again, I am not seeing a lot of fighting for anything, except more and more fans fighting themselves and cast.

I will be honest, I had high hopes for this season. I also knew it was likely going to be pretty confusing at times since it was given as 'our Black mirror season' and 'nothing is as it seems.' I accepted that.

However, all it seems at the moment is a jumbled mess from pre and post Crisis. They just doesn't appear to be any cohesion at all, which is making it really difficult as a viewer. Add in the changes post Crisis and it feels even more of a mess.

Of course, they could bring in more cohesive elements soon, but considering that we know episode 13 is 'It's a wonderful life,' and Alex Danvers in a later episode is wearing a Super suit - I just sense this whole 'nothing is as it seems' side we appear to be getting isn't changing any time soon, & with episodes running out, with so many strings running through at the moment, it feels really discombomulated. If by seasons end, they pull it off and you can look back and see how it's played out as a whole, I will be the first to say well done for that part.

I get that as more characters are added to a show, it can make shuffling screen time for those already established characters harder to achieve that will please everyone, especially when we get invested in those characters.

I do though think right now Supergirl feels chaotic beyond expectation, and no end in sight. I feel there have been too many character additions this season (particularly Andrea & William) that is taking screen time away from Kara, Alex, Nia, Lena, Kelly et al.

That is causing confusion for fans, that is also beginning to become frustration. That frustration is spilling over. Add in the genuine and legitimate concerns over the LGBTQ issues that have arisen, and the frustration has built even more.

Again though, that is something we need to be asking of the producers and show runners, and not pulling the cast into it.

Let's all try less to score points against each other, or make generalisations, as none of that is helpful.

If you can't do that, you will get other fans calling you out.

Let's all learn to step away a bit more when it is obviously getting to the point rational discussion isn't working, to let things calm down.

We all need to try and do better.

[sky-scribbles]

This might just be the fluffiest thing I’ve ever written, and unsurprisingly, it’s Flystep. Herald x m!Sidestep, ~1200 words, Retribution spoilers.

~

 ‘I really wish I’d gotten to be a kid.’

Which is a dumb thing to say in public. You’re practically begging the Farm to swoop down on you; normal people don’t drop remember how I was literally never a child? into casual conversation on a park bench.  But Danny’s snuggled up next to you, and the sunlight’s making you sleepy, and you have ice cream, so to hell with it. You’re feeling soft and reckless and you might as well roll with it.

Danny lifts his head, following your gaze over to the gaggle of kids queued up outside the ice cream truck. Their minds are bouncing, bubbling, packed with gleeful anticipation - and you can’t stop grinning.

How do they do that, kids? Think thoughts that are so easy, so bright?

‘How old were you when they...�� Danny hesitates; you can hear him wondering if it’s safe for him to say it aloud. It isn’t, but you’ve already decided you don’t care, not now. ‘When they... you know?’

‘When they took me out of the tank? Physically, I guess I would have been about fifteen.’

Danny swallows, and squeezes your hand. You can hear the realisation burning in his mind: you were nearly the same age he was, the day that Joshua died and Herald was born. Did he feel the same way you did? Clumsy and fumbling and raw, like his skin was only a single layer thick?

‘I mean it, you know. When I say I’m not human.’ You lower your voice; you’re not that much of an idiot. ‘I’m not just talking about being born in a tank, I’m talking about being raised in a cell. Being human is an experience, you know? Having birthdays and skinned knees and school, teenage crushes and ice cream. I never got that. Never even had a chance.’

Your voice catches on the last few words, comes out all shaky. Fucking amazing.

Danny’s thumb runs over your knuckles. Soft, like everything he does. ‘Miles. You are human. And… you do have ice cream now.’

It’s impossible not to laugh at that, and Danny smiles. That warm butterfly-cloud swells up in his thoughts – relief that you’re okay, delight that he could make you laugh. And you don’t want the Farm to invade this moment anymore, so you wrap Danny’s thoughts around you like a blanket. Snuggle your mind up in his certainty that you’re human.

‘I just wish I’d had a chance to think the way kids do. They’re great. You see her?’ You wave your hand at a girl who might be about eight, holding the lead of a cheerfully panting Labrador. ‘Right now, she’s thinking about how the clouds look kinda like icebergs and kinda like ice cream. She’s imagining ice-cream people living on ice-cream-bergs in the sky. I mean, that’s fucking amazing. She’s inventing an entire ice cream civilisation while everyone else talks about the weather.’

You lick some of the sprinkles from your own ice cream. ‘I’m not trying to spy on her. But… kids don’t have great shields.’

Danny squeezes your hand again. ‘I saw you on the TV, once. Before you retired. The Red Behemoth destroyed half an apartment building, and the press showed up to interview the Rangers who took him down. They were talking to Ortega, and you were in the background, playing with the kids who’d been evacuated. Making them laugh. You were great with them.’

He didn’t need to say it aloud; it’s vivid in his head. You can see him seeing you on the screen, surrounded by scared kids who were forgetting their fear. And you can feel his younger self’s admiration, his… bitterness?

You listen closer. Yes, bitterness. Not for you; for his parents. His anger at the contrast between their cold eyes and hard faces, and your warmth towards children you didn’t even know.

Normally, any memory of your Sidestep days would make you flinch, make you ask him to switch off the hero-worship. But right now, it only makes you let go of his hand so you can tuck your arm around his shoulders. Pull him in a little closer. ‘Guess you didn’t have much of a childhood either, huh?’

‘Maybe not.’ His head sinks back down onto your shoulder. ‘But I’m here now. With ice cream.’

And you. He doesn’t say that part, but he doesn’t need to. The words are shining in his mind.

A little way away, that little girl’s dog is running around in circles, thinking fuzzy, happy thoughts about pigeons and sunlight and his tiny owner. And suddenly you feel dizzy. Good dizzy. The impact of the girl’s thoughts and the dog’s thoughts and Danny’s thoughts on your mind is so bright, so happy, and it’s like being on a carousel, barely clinging to it as it spins. Like drinking light, or rolling down a slope, or laughing until it’s hard to breathe.

Heartbreak and the Farm feel very far away right now.

You’re drunk on your own contentment, shields down and out. So you hear the shift in Danny’s thoughts, the drowsy ideas that occur to him. He’s happy to see you happy. He’s remembering you being Sidestep, making those kids laugh. He loves that you love listening to kids’ minds and helping them smile.

He’s thinking that you’d be a great dad.

And then he’s looking away. Mortified, because he knows you probably heard that, and he’s sure you’re going to call him out for it. But you don’t. You just take a very sharp bite into your ice cream, kind of hoping that it freezes your brain, because that would mean you wouldn’t have to deal with the mental shitstorm that concept just unleashed. You. A father. The idea is –

… is not one you’ve considered before. There was no reason to. It was never even an option back in the Farm. As Sidestep, it was a possibility so minute that it wasn’t worth considering.

And it’s not worth considering now. You’re Nexus. A broken monster screaming at the world in a reckless attempt to make it care about your existence. Making yourself invincible so you can’t be hurt again. You don’t nurture things; you rip them apart, vent your soul on them, leave them bloodied and broken in the rubble.

Unless the regenerator works. Unless you can make yourself untraceable and untouchable. Shake the Farm off forever. If it wouldn’t leave your back wide open for the people hunting you, could you leave Nexus and your gang behind? Leave it all behind? Would you?

Maybe. Maybe you would. In this moment, with your thoughts full of warmth and everything around you bright and safe, it’s terrifyingly easy to think that you’d do it. For Danny. For the sake of the future he saw in that moment, when you talked about kids and made him think you’d be a good father.

Fucking amazing.

Or maybe that’s a future that you already destroyed, the day you became Nexus. Or a future that Heartbreak poisoned, that the Farm cut apart with surgical tools. A future you could never have, except in another time, another life.

But maybe you have a chance. 

And for now, at least, you have Danny. And ice cream.

[msjr0119]

Hold my girl

Part 4

No one really knows about TRR Main characters past …. Most of this series is based on flashbacks from her childhood. I’ve changed the main characters name to, Freya Johnson as Riley Brooks is used in my other series.

Freya is in love with Drake, but he hasn’t returned the feelings- instead just acts horrible towards her. Will Freya return back to Cordonia with the court or will she stay in the USA after the UN party.

Catch up with Part 3 here

Tags:

@annekebbphotography @burnsoslow @drakesensworld @ladyangel70 @kingliam2019 @bbrandy2002 @butindeed @bascmve01 @drakewalker04 @pedudley @captain-kingliamsqueen @duchessemersynwalker @insideamirage @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @kozabaji @texaskitten30 @ibldw-main @kimmiedoo5 @nikkis1983 @dangerouseggseagleartisan @gnatbrain @walker7519 @lodberg @cmestrella @hopefulmoonobject @addictedtodrakefanfic @angi15h @liamxs-world @rafasgirl23415 @notoriouscs @whenyourheartskipsabeat @jovialyouthmusic @nz1091 @yukinagato2012 @indiacater @seriouslybadchoices @rainbowsinthestorm @cordonianroyalty @custaroonie @beardedoafdonutwagon @dcbbw @qammh-blog

*******

“Lady Freya, how nice to see you’re sticking around.” Madeleine smirked, along with a sarcastic tone of voice.

God I hate her. No that’s really nasty Freya. Use your Oscar winning fake smile. Daniel would be proud.

“Madeleine. I’m here to do you a favour.”

“Oh and what would that be?” Madeleine laughed in Freya’s face, Freya just wanted to punch her in the face- forcing her to pay a visit to the nearest plastic surgeon.

“You need to call this shower off now!”

“Really Lady Freya? I’ve been more than patient with you. I’ve looked over Liam’s obvious affection for you, endured your presence on this tour but I see no reason why......”

Suddenly Freya’s phone buzzed in her pocket. It was an email from Justin with the attachment of Tariq’s statement. Smiling, she knew that the previous smirk on Madeleine’s face would soon falter.

“If you won’t listen to me Madeleine, watch this!” As Madeleine watched the video the colour from her face slowly drains.

Maybe she feels bad? No this is Madeleine, she has no feelings.

“I see. I’ll think of something to tell everyone. Thank you for bringing this up to me. If it had played in the middle of our wedding shower... I... thank you Freya.”

“Yeah well I know what public humiliation feels like. I wouldn’t put you through that.”

What the fuck is up with you Freya. If anyone deserves humiliation it would be a snake like Madeleine. Just proves I had a good upbringing from Grace and Paul for thinking about other people as well as myself.

“I suppose that you do at that. You’re far more generous than given credit for.” Madeline walks towards the stage leaving Freya alone.

Always remember that if anyone is nasty towards you in anyway- it is most likely because they are jealous of you. Don’t allow anyone to make you feel bad. Keep your head held high. I love you baby girl.

Freya you are my daughter, I am so proud of the young woman you have become. You are so strong and determined. Never judge anyone, always have empathy towards everyone, no matter how much you may ‘hate’ them. I love you

Nobody likes us? So what? Ignore them. You’re my best friend. As long as I have you and you have me, that’s all we need. I’ll always have your back. Team Daniel and Freya!

Freya was forced to leave her memories as she saw Madeleine about to make a speech.

“Ladies and gentlemen if I may have your attention please... I’m afraid we will have to.....”

Immediately the room is filled with buzzing noises one after the other- the same noise echoing all around.

Shit!

Freya’s friends come up towards her looking shocked.

“You told Justin to not publish the statement right?” Drake asked, looking concerned towards her. Wondering why Justin would ignore her wishes, wondering why Justin would cause more trouble for her.

“Yeah. I text him- look.” Shaking, she passed Drake her phone. Looking back up towards her, he had sorrow in his eyes.

“Well I don’t know what happened but....” Maxwell panicked, it was like deja vu- a vendetta against Freya occurring all over again.

Freya heard everyone whispering around her. Penelope mentioned Tariq’s name whilst Madeleine gave Freya dagger eyes, she then heard Liam.

“They found him!”

Everyone gathered around Freya’s phone as they watched the statement. Tariq had confessed the truth around what really had happened that night at Applewood. That he was in the wrong, he apologised for all the events that had taken place in the room, and for not coming forward sooner, explaining Freya had nothing to do with it. It was a mix up and that he had invaded Freya’s privacy. Freya looked around giving everyone who was looking at her a dignified nod.

“Excuse me guys, I’m just going to get a drink of water.” All her friends looked concerned at each other as she walked away. She needed some air. She could hear all the commotion happening inside but needed to speak to her friend.

“Hey Dan, can you speak?”

“Frey what’s up?”

“It’s all over, my name is cleared.”

“That’s great sweetie, are you okay?”

“Just relieved. It’s over. No more whispering about me behind my back. They are so petty here- it’s like being back at high school. In fact no it’s worse! The fact that they are nobles you’d think they have manners, school kids have the excuse that they are kids.”

“Well you got through it then and I’m sure you will now. You’re strong Frey, if you wasn’t you wouldn’t have returned to face that shitstorm. You are determined but stubborn at the same time. They should have been afraid of you and to learn not to mess with a New Yorker.”

“Yeah, strong thanks to mom, dad and you. Talking about mom and dad, I haven’t had chance to see them. I feel guilty, and I know that sounds stupid but are you free tomorrow afternoon?”

“Of course I am. I’m sure they’ve missed you. You need to update your diary. Erm Frey?”

“Yeah...”

“You know when I said I needed to ask you something in that text? That’s what I wanted to ask. To ask if you’d been up to see them.”

“No Daniel. I feel guilty not going. No one from Cordonia knows about my past. Just gotten through one scandal- didn’t want to cause another one.”

“Well I’ve been up a few times and explained to them, and kept their graves tidy. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I don’t. Thank you Dan! That means so much to me. Can you do me a favour? I need to send some things to your email - could you print them off for me and bring them tomorrow?”

“Sure thing Freya. See you at 2? Love ya sweetie.”

“See you then. Love ya”

Freya walked back into the room after talk with Daniel. She couldn’t believe what he had told her, he was a true friend. As she walked in Liam was on stage.

“ I propose a toast to Lady Johnson.”

Everyone in the room followed Liam’s toast. Freya saw Madeleine started to walk over just as Justin barged through the door.

No. Not dealing with this tonight. I feel like punching Justin.

“Hey guys, I’m going to head back. I’m really tired.”

“C’mon Jono, lets all get out of here before the press turn up and ask questions.”

Freya agreed with Drake, wondering why he was being so sincere for once. Along with Maxwell, Bertrand and Hana they headed back to the hotel. There was silence all the way back. She just wanted to go to sleep before seeing her mom and dad the following day but her friends insisted on coming inside with her.

“What a night!” Hana gently broke the silence between the friends.

“I can’t believe it’s over- finally.” Freya sighed as she kicked off her shoes and threw her bag onto the couch.

“Nor can I.”

“Liam?”

“I had a feeling you would all come here. I came as soon as I could. I can’t imagine how you are feeling after what my father put you through and what happened with Tariq.” Freya nodded and smiled at everyone.

How did I get lucky to gain such amazing friends? And I’m about to leave them all. Thank god for social media.

“I just feel relieved. It’s over. I’ve spent so long with schemes hanging over my head.” Maxwell jumps into the conversation- quite literally jumping. Freya raised her eyebrows at him, wondering how much alcohol he had managed to consume in the short time that they had attended the wedding shower.

“Now that you’re in the clear this calls for a celebration!”

“What did you have in mind?”

“What has amazing fried food, carnival games and crazy rides?” He said excitedly, with the biggest grin painted on his face.

“It’s Coney Island. He wants to go to Coney Island.” Drake now jumped into the conversation. He couldn’t bear anymore hints from Maxwell- they could possibly be there all night guessing. Freya laughed. “I see...”

“Yep! You. Us. Tomorrow morning? Liam can come too if he wants.”

“An excellent idea. I have things to do tonight but tomorrow sounds great.”

They arranged to meet at 10am before her friends left her room.

10am, that leaves me four hours to do Coney Island with my friends then get to my parents graves at 2pm to meet Daniel. How am I going to get away from them all without telling the truth of where I’m going? I don’t want to lie to them. Just then Freya thought of something. She had a plan.

*****

Freya couldn’t sleep after her name being cleared. Flashbacks occurred in the back of her mind from all the social season. Anyone else would have given up straight away.

Getting out of bed, she quickly showered and got dressed into a sports bra and leggings and decided to go for a run as she always did. It always cleared her mind for a bit. It was 6.30am. Plenty of time before she had to endure Coney Island with her friends. Not that she wasn’t excited to spend time with them, she just wasn’t as thrilled to be going. She went all the time. It was ‘old’ for her.

Grabbing her phone, headphones and bottle of ice cold water, Freya headed to the front door to leave for her run. As she got closer there was a knock.

Ffs Maxwell!

“Liam? I was just going to curse you thinking that you was my alarm clock also known as Maxwell!”

Liam stared at Freya, considering all the shit she had been through she could still crack a joke even at this time of the morning.

“Lady Freya, I thought I’d be disturbing you but looks like you are ready for the day and are going somewhere?”

“Yeah I couldn’t sleep. My New York brain kicked in. Whenever I couldn’t sleep, I’d go for a run to clear my mind. I’m just going now.... don’t worry I’ll be at Coney Island for ten. I’m not usually long.. scared of having a heart attack if I work out too much.”

“I don’t doubt for a minute you’d be late. And even if you was, this day is about you so we’d wait for you. I actually wanted to ask if you wanted to meet me before we went - for breakfast or a coffee somewhere? I’ve cleared my appointments for today.”

“Sure. What time? I’ll be an hour tops.”

“Ring me when you’re back. And I’ll come and collect you.”

“Okay. See you soon.”

Liam patted his pocket checking the box was still safe once Freya had left. They hadn’t been close recently- she kept ditching his suggestions of meeting up one to one. He believed it was because she didn’t want to cause another scandal whilst he was engaged to another woman.

But now her name had been cleared, he had considered asking her to become his Queen. She had won over the press during the social season, and now her name was cleared she could prove them all right that she is an amazing woman.

*********

An hour later Freya rung Liam, he immediately jumped out of his chair and grabbed his jacket. Just assuming he wanted to talk about her name being cleared, she didn’t think anything of it.

“Morning, did you enjoy your run.”

“Yes thank you. It’s good to be back to normality.” Liam wondered what she meant by the words back and normality.

“I see, so I thought we could go and visit the Statue of Liberty again?”

“Sure. Then we could beat those losers to Coney Island.” She laughed.

****

Liam admired the Statue of Liberty as he did that first night he met Freya, who went all out to make his dream come true about visiting her. Freya noticed that he was in a trance, assuming it was most likely due to the memory.

“We’ve come along way since we were last here.”

“Yes.” Liam couldn’t string a sentence together, deep down he knew she would immediately refuse his proposal due to their relationship drifting apart. Sitting down on a bench with the Statue in the distance, they both remained silent.

“Last time we was here, I was besotted with you. I always believed that if fate would bring us back together that I’d marry you.” Freya’s natural complexion suddenly drained, she wasn’t ready to break his heart. Any of their hearts in that case.

“I was going to ask you to marry me, be my Queen- but I knew deep down that you’d always say no after how my father treat you. I don’t blame you. I can see from your facial expression that you need to say something...”

“I ... I ...”

“Freya what’s up? I’ve never seen you speechless before. You’re strong. You’re determined.”

“Liam, I am those things. But deep down I’m constantly breaking down. I opened up to Duchess Adelaide at the UN party- I was drunk. I should have told you all about my past. Maxwell briefly knows. I’m so sorry Liam.” Liam looked at her bewildered, not knowing why she couldn’t talk to anyone regarding her past. After explaining about it all- he wore the same expression that Adelaide wore- both speechless.

“I’ve never seen you speechless before your Majesty.” She joked.

“You should have told us all. We all complained about our past to you. If you are feeling homesick- I’m not going to keep you tied up in a dungeon. You can leave Cordonia whenever. We can all make it a regular vacation.”

“Liam... I’m not coming back to Cordonia.”

[thereveriepantheon-blog]

1- The Romance of the Cosmos

[Mysterious music]

Time: In the beginning, there was nothing. Just endless empty void stretching on into eternity, and me in the middle of it. Watching. Waiting. Existing. Can you imagine that?  Can you imagine nothing? 

No, not that. That’s something. That's darkness. I mean nothing. The absence of darkness. The absence of light. The absence of absence. Can you imagine that, Truthseeker? 

…

No. I didn't think so. But that's what the universe was like when I was... not born. Created perhaps? -No, no, nothing so deliberate. Occurred. That is what the universe was like when I first occurred. There was nothing.

And then...there were stars. Swirling orbs of gas and fire blooming into being and igniting the void. Illuminating it. Illuminating that which it contained, that which I would swear upon every speck of stardust in the world that it had not contained mere moments before; the goddess Space. 

[Music changes from mysterious to romantic]

Her violet hair was pulled up into a complicated topknot and held in one place with a large gold spike, which shimmered in the starlight, and her dark skin was barely discernible against the void, her outline only certain where her image crossed in front of stars. Her eyes held galaxies instead of pupils. As she floated there, with a soft smile on her face, and a new nebula forming between her clasped hands, I was certain: she was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.  

Space: I was the only person you’d ever seen, you ridiculous flirt!

Time: And no once since has ever compared, Stardust.  

Space: [laughing] You’re incorrigible. Get back to the story.

Time: Oh, but what else is there to say?  What truth could possibly exist that would be vast enough to eclipse your ethereal beauty, my love?

Space:  A lot. There’s a lot left to say, Time.  You know what, I’m telling the story now.  You obviously can’t be trusted to stay on topic.  

So.  We met.  It was lovely, and life changing. All that nonsense. But the best part, well the best part was yet to come. Sure, we spent those early days flitting about each other, talking, flirting, working beside each other over centuries and stars, dust and days, and it was lovely, but it did not become truly perfect until we started to work together.  

By ourselves, we couldn’t do anything. I could create, but my creations were static, dull.  Time could change, but change means nothing in a void, is nothing without something in existence to change. So we collaborated. I would create, and she would advance my creations. Evolve them. Make them beautiful. Make them live. That’s what I fell in love with. Not the image of a grey skinned woman in a white dress, blue eyes wide and white hair standing up as if in shock, with one streak of black running through it like a bolt of lightning. No, I fell in love with the space between seconds, and the movement of hours into days. I fell in love with the progression of time.  I fell in love with the way her very presence made beauty out of stasis.  Art is change, and change only ever occurs with time.

Time [besotted]: And you call me a flirt.

Space: [embarrassed spluttering] Anyway, that’s how the universe began. For a long time, it was just us, creating and changing and destroying. And for so long, it was paradise.  Just us and unlimited possibilities. But…

Time: We got lonely.

Space: Yeah. It gets pretty boring only talking to one person for millennia, even if they are the most wonderful person you could imagine. 

[Music: Dramatic and sad]

After a while, conversations start to repeat. What was once bliss begins to feel like routine. We were stagnating  So we created her. Our daughter. 

The first human.

Time [devastated]: She barely lasted a second...she… We made a mistake.  She was made of the wrong things.: dreams and hopes and fears and magic. No bones, no ligaments. She was made of thought and not matter, and thought has always been a bit less stable. Too prone to shifting on a whim. She was made of the wrong things.

And she was made in the wrong order. Modeled after us but...we are old.  We are old and we are gods and gods do not grow, do not change. We exist, but we do not become.  Humans cannot come into existence like that.  They need to start small, young.  They need to grow, to age and become what they are as adults.  She didn’t have that opportunity. She...she… [sharp inhale]

Space [with forced composure]: She fell apart. Shattered. Sentient beings should not simply spring fully formed from nothing.  She was not prepared for her own thoughts, she was overwhelmed by her own mind. We should have known this already. We should have learned our lesson from the stars. We knew that things became more beautiful through time, through change, but we didn’t realize that things couldn’t start so complicated.  We didn’t realize that people could not be created, but rather had to create themselves. So. Our daughter ... 

[Music, crescendoing, climaxes]

Broke into a million pieces and scattered herself over the earth. And that shattering brought life.  The smallest particles of her essence became animals. The larger ones became humans, infants this time. Beings that could grow into what we had envisioned our daughter to be. Beings which had the chance to make themselves into whatever it is that they would become.

And the largest pieces, well, those became gods.  

Time:  We were… we are… heartbroken.  She may not have existed for long, but we loved our daughter.  And now, we were not the only gods. Now there was Peace and Loyalty and Freedom. Chaos and Order. Secrets and Lies. Rebellion, Sleep, Loneliness and Luck. 

[Music: upbeat and inspiring]

Now there was Death, and Fate, and Sacrifice. Now there was Joy! Now there was Love. In an instant, the world had grown more complex and complicated and beautiful, and she would not be there to see it. She would never know the world that had she had inadvertently created, would never experience the joy or the love that had sprung from her broken pieces. It tainted the beauty, made every laugh sound like a cry, every achievement feel hollow.  So we took a step back.  We raised four of our grandchildren until they were old enough to take care of themselves, gifted them with the ability to move across space in an instant, the ability to escape any danger that may befall them, and then we...retreated. And left the world in the hands of the others for a time.

Space: That’s the end of our story, I suppose. At least for now, for a moment.  We… we took some time to grieve and that’s okay. We needed it. And we left the world in good hands.

Time [dubious]: Well…

Space: Fine, we left the world in adequate hands.  But really, how could we have predicted the absolute shitstorm those ruffians have made of our creation? We took some time off, we took a break, because We. Were. Heartbroken. And because we thought that among the seventeen of them, they would have been able to handle it.  Evidently not. So. We’ve come back. We have returned from our retirement to fix the mess those buffoons have made of the world.   And this is how we start.  A record. A history.  A way to remember the mistakes of the past, to prevent the mistakes of the future.  A way to hold ourselves accountable. And it won’t stop here.  Will will record every major event, every squabble and every creation, from now until the end of, well, everything.  We will make sure that it is known who is responsible for every mishap, and every glory. We will seal it in this oracle and make the past immutable.  And then…

Time: We will hope. The gods cannot pray, for we have no one to pray to, but we can hope. We can hope with every inch of our being that our actions make a difference. 

[Music begins, dramatic and inspiring] 

That we came back for something.  That we can do something to solve the problem. … Even if we are the problem.  We created humanity.  We created everything.  Therefore we are responsible for everything.  And we have been lax in our responsibilities.  We have left the world in the hands of others and they have ruined it.  They have hurt it.  They have injured our creation with their petty squabbling and it is our fault for letting them.  We must be held accountable.  There is no higher power, so we appeal to you, to mortals, to our creation.  If there is no higher power than us, than we must look to a lower one. 

You cannot punish us.  You don't have the capabilities, but remember regardless.  Remember who has hurt this world. Remember who has broken it.  Remember who has wronged you and do not forgive. That is the purpose of this record.  That is why we have made this oracle. We leave the rest up to you.  We hope you will do with it what you feel you must. And finally...we apologize.  For all the wrong we’ve done you. For all the mistakes we’ve made. For all those we will make in the future.  We are … eternally sorry.  

[Music fades away]

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

Written by Maddie Dwyer

The Goddess of Time was voiced by Mai Elise Code

The Goddess of Space was voiced by Freya

Transcript edited from original script by Mai Elise Code

Thanks for listening!

Music from hooksounds.com (Clear Night Music, Absence of Hope, Romantic Night, Cinematic Inspiring Motivational Trailer)

[babyi]

Imagine the actual shitstorm that would have occurred if Ariana scrapped Needy lmaoooo

i would have definitely rioted 

[rebelheartsmustbefree]

*Gods Plan. Two words that are usually said to provide comfort to someone. Whether they're grieving the loss of a loved one or maybe to someone that has lost their way, a reassurance of sorts to most. But those two words mean something else to me. If you're just joining me on my ever fucked up journey, I am the son of Michael the Archangel and of Mary, a beautiful human who fell for the trap. Oh and that makes God my grandfather. Also makes me a Nephilim. In most mystical writings, the hybrid signals the end of times, all the bad things and blah, blah, blah. I mean, could I self destruct and scorch this planet, yes. Like the most powerful nuclear weapon ever made. One Oppenheimer would envy. But when the Garrison, (The Elder, grumpy, Angels) found out I was more useful than previously imagined, God set out to make a new plan. 

Usually when there's a hybrid, it's just a regular Angel and a human. That's where the bad news comes in. But when an Archangel, -THE- Archangel Michael procreates with ia human, that's a whole different level of shitstorm. But I found out something even more intriguing about my mother. She is a direct descendant of Adam himself. That's right. Of the first creation of man. So when you mix Archangel and that pedigree of human, there's me and the blood that's needed to create more Angels. 

That brings us up to the here and now….As I sit here across the ornate grand table of the one and only labyrinth of Heaven, I can see the seriousness emoting from the faces of the Garrison. Dark and desperate times for the celestials if they've got to come to me and actually fess up on some incredible bullshit.* 

Okay but how do you know this will work? And are you really trying to tell me this bullshit of my father just happened to procreate with the one human female this whole perfect storm would occur with? Just dumb luck, right? 

*I sat back in my chair, annoyed at the whole group of them. Trying to tell me to my face more lies.* Over two hundred years old now, I think you can cut the shit. 

*The hand that rested on my shoulder was one I was familiar with and it sent a chill through me. If he showed up for this meeting, then things were about to get serious.* 

Michael, you didn't need to come. We could hav- 

*The hand that was resting on my shoulder, now cut off one of the Elders. He then looked down at me and suddenly felt as if I needed to stand for some reason. Fight or flight? That's usually the theme of my visits home.* 

Isaac, it was no coincidence. Your mother and I. It was always written of the Prophecy. You are the child we planned upon to save our existence. That's your purpose. It is of Gods will, my son. *His hand was back on my shoulder, his eyes, just like mine, but icy blue and unwelcoming.* 

The only choice you have is to be willing or not. Either way, you will fulfill your duty. End of. 

*Now that hand was shoving me back down into my seat. Most of the time when he and I butted heads, I felt there was room for debate, room for me to speak up and rage against the machine. But this was definitely different. I looked back across the table at the amused faces of the Elders. Like they knew this was coming. I closed my eyes and calmly placed my hands upon the table. If this had been months earlier, I would have had a reason to fight. But without a word to snap back with, I already felt defeated.* 

So this is it? Forced into whatever scheme you made me for? 

*There was something aching in the center of my chest. Maybe it was the overwhelming realization that I was truly alone. There was no one to fight out of this for, no one to fight to keep me around. I'd never known hurt like this before. I blew out a breath, afraid to hear what's next.* 

You fight to keep your wings. Your actual life. 

*My eyes opened and I turned my head to look up at the mother fucker who said that. My father.* 

-My- Wings? Are you fucking serious? Did you forget I could blow us the fuck out of existence right now? 

*My hands that once lay calm on the table had turned to fists, squeezing tightly to try and maintain any semblance of composure.* 

You wouldn't do that. The humans have softened you. Relationships have broken you. Nice try though. 

*I didn't have the best relationship with my father but this.. my fists opened, hands flat on the table again. He. Was. Right.* 

Fine. What's the plan? 

#TBC