#the stars start to explode ( first timeline. )

[lazysoulwriter]

little clues in polish. - pedro pascal.

requested! thank you. ♡ content: pure fluff, soft launch fun, social media/fan speculation, teasing, affection, subtle intimacy.

---

It starts with a star.

Just one. A tiny, silver thing sitting on Pedro’s pinky nail, barely the size of a freckle. You almost miss it entirely until he slides into the booth beside you at the little diner your friends frequent post-premiere.

Your hand is on the table already, freshly manicured — a galaxy theme this time. Deep navy blue with scattered constellations, starbursts on every nail, some shimmer catching the light. He sees it, nudges your elbow, and grins when you finally catch the match.

“You noticed,” he says, like it’s nothing. Like his heart’s not beating wildly because he picked that little star with you in mind.

You smile. “It’s cute.”

He shrugs. “Felt right.”

And that’s how it begins.

No Instagram stories. No red carpet hand-holding. Just a trail of quiet matching details — fingerprints of affection only the two of you know to look for.

You start getting playful with it.

He shows up to a press junket with a thin line of gold wrapping the tip of his thumb — the same gold that outlines the marble design on your nails in a photo you'd posted earlier that day. Fans notice.

“Okay but why is Pedro’s nail giving the same vibes as [Y/N]’s???” “Matching... again?? Coincidence or coded??” “Is this… a nail soft launch?????”

Threads start popping up. Nail art theories. Timelines. People making little charts with circles and arrows, zooming in on blurry pap pics where you’re both walking five steps apart — but your nail colors are suspiciously complementary.

Pedro finds them one night while you're curled up on his couch, legs over his lap, popcorn between you. He scrolls through the fan theories, chuckling, eyes gleaming.

“They’re obsessed,” he says. “They think I’m trying to launch you like a Marvel movie.”

You snort. “Soft-launch you like a Sephora collab.”

He grins. “You are my favorite limited edition.”

He kisses you after that — slow, sweet. Like he doesn’t mind the build-up. Like he’s savoring the soft part before it gets loud.

The first time it gets close to loud is when you go to an awards afterparty. You’ve kept it lowkey, arriving separately. But you're both seated together inside, and your nails — well. There’s no denying it now.

You’re wearing pink. Pale, glossy, with tiny white hearts on every nail.

Pedro’s hand wraps around his drink, and there it is again — the same heart, tucked neatly onto his ring finger. A different base color, sure. Matte instead of glossy. But unmistakably a match.

The internet explodes.

You scroll through the tweets later with a giggle, curled into his chest. He watches you with that sleepy smile — like he’s been waiting for this moment. Like he’d match your nails a hundred more times if it meant he got to hold you like this.

“You know,” he says, pressing a kiss to your temple, “if they’re gonna analyze our hands so much, might as well give them something to really talk about.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

He shrugs. “Thinking next set — matching and we post them. Together.”

You blink. “A full launch?”

He kisses your shoulder. “Let’s give ‘em a reason to finally stop guessing.”

---

✦ please do not copy, repost, or translate this work. © lazysoulwriter // i write with a lot of love and care, so please respect that.

[questionablecuttlefish]

Okay Fine Let's Talk Timebomb and Season Two.

I do want to talk about this because I have a Lot of thoughts and feelings and it has been building up and building up, not only based on what's happening in other social spaces, but what people keep bringing into mine despite my best efforts to avoid it.

This isn't any kind of hatepost, I don't think I could hate Ekko or the ship if I tried, I just want to explain my very mixed feelings about the whole thing.

My likely-to-be-very unpopular take on Season Two's Timebomb romance is that it left me feeling uneasy and uncomfortable.

Not with what was in the show itself, I feel like that was perfect. Powder and Ekko sold me completely. They made me feel things. I even liked how Ekko and Jinx's story ended. I think it was beautiful, poignant, perfect...

...until.

'The Discourse' since, the way the fan culture has exploded around it, and particularly some of the creators' commentary on it, has made me sour on the whole thing.

It feels like I'm suddenly part of an increasingly small subset of people who saw what they did with S2 Timebomb and applied our media literacy to what was on our screens and got something very different to what the fandom consensus seems to be.

For context, I semi-shipped TB before this. Though I've always been Team Lightcannon, I had a lot of respect for timebomb, I understood it, I had read a few very good fics, I was just in the space of "Jinx has hurt Ekko too much for him to ever fully forgive her for murdering his friends, they might come to an understanding, and there will always be a silent undercurrent of love beneath the hurt, they may fight together on the same side again someday, but whatever bond they had as kids is broken and they can't go back, and both know it."

I respected, and still do, people who shipped them romantically, but I've always seen them as a broken childhood friendship being a much more interesting dynamic, and being hot for each other lessening that to an extent and not really adding anything to it.

All of his interactions with Jinx in season one are violent; she murders five Firelights point-blank in front of him in her intro scene, and Ekko reacts particularly upset to the pink-haired girl, Eve or Eva, whom Jinx shoots in the back. It's clear this isn't even the first time she's fought them. We don't know how many of Ekko's found family she's put on the Memorial Wall or how close he was with any of them.

Ekko is clearly convinced that "Powder" is gone, and the person who replaced her is a cold-blooded killer who can't be reasoned with. Leading to the Bridge confrontation, and this:

This is the first time Ekko catches a glimpse of "Powder", yes, but more importantly, this is the first moment he recognizes Jinx's humanity. He's hurting her, killing her, and he can't do it.

....and she knows he can't do it.

So, to save him the weight, she pulls a grenade, with the intent to kill them both, foreshadowing quite neatly where Ekko/Jinx (but not Ekko/Powder) is going to go in S2.

Fast forwarding from Season One here, Ekko disappears for 2/3rds of the second season, completely offscreen.

When we catch up with him he's woken up in the S2E7 AU; the Powder Timeline.

Here's where I start to get a little confused by the fandom take. Because, you know, I've seen enough Star Trek and Stargate and Supernatural and Batman the Animated Series and Quantum Leap to know exactly what this is.

This is the 'bottle episode', this is the 'Perfect World' trope, where the protagonists find themselves in an alternate universe - or trapped in a dream - or they've died or think they've died and this is their 'heaven' - where they have everything they ever wanted.

This is familiar storytelling and E7 follows a familiar pattern, the protagonist struggles to adapt to the surreal new circumstances, they are seduced by the illusion, particularly falling in love with someone in the Perfect World, but eventually, they start noticing something incongruous - something isn't quite right - (In this case, it's Vi's death, and Powder holding back her genius and hiding her grief to be support girl for others) - that reveals the Perfect World to be not as perfect as it seems.

And the hero has to choose to go home, because he realizes that this isn't real, it doesn't belong to him, he doesn't belong here.

Which is exactly what happens with Ekko in E7.

Which brings is to AU!Powder and Jinx.

And here's where I really start to struggle with the seeming consensus that the romance between Ekko/Powder automatically leads to Ekko/Jinx, like you can just transfer the one to the other.

I'm sorry, fam, I thought my basic media literacy was telling me that this girl:

Is not the same person as this girl:

....and I am not getting into any debate about "Jinx" vs "Powder" as identities within our current Jinx. I'm talking about Powder in the E7 AU.

AU!Powder is literally a different human being.

She may have been the same person up until the explosion in Jayce's laboratory, but from that fork in the timeline, she becomes a FUNDAMENTALLY different person to Jinx, shaped by different experiences, different relationships, different life events.

Powder's physicality with Ekko, as you can see in those GIFs, the casual intimacy, the clear affection, the way she touches him, looks at him, her awareness of him in her space, is so utterly opposite to the way Jinx interacts with him that if anything, it nailed home to me how savagely absent this kind of feeling is from his relationship with Jinx.

Powder loves Ekko. She leans on him, snuggles into him, touches his hands, dances with him, kisses him.

Jinx cares so little about him she barely makes eye contact and would casually kill him without blinking.

And I thought that was the point.

I really thought that was the whole point of E7. Being in the perfect world, getting his perfect love story with his perfect Powder, the girl Jinx could have been, but can never be, drove home for Ekko that his feelings for Jinx, both romantic and resentful, were tangled up in his illusions of "Powder", and it took living those illusions as a physical reality for Ekko to see his mistake.

To be true to himself, and true to her, Ekko had to let that go and go home.

To face his world's Jinx, and be there for her in her darkest moment, even if it meant giving up the love he'd found with Powder, a love that belonged to a different Ekko, for someone who could never love him back.

To me that was Ekko's most heroic moment, an act of selfless sacrifice. But that's what it was - a sacrifice.

Meanwhile, Season Two Jinx is not aware of any of this. The last time she saw Ekko was on the bridge where she nearly killed him, and for all we know she might have thought she succeeded.

She never talks about, thinks about, refers to, or even has scribble-nightmares about Ekko, not even once.

Season Two Jinx is, instead, having a love story of her own.

And Isha was and is a PUZZLE to me. Because she's more plot device than character, she isn't necessary except as a way to give Jinx a villain-to-hero arc and a way to reconnect to her humanity.

But she could have been Ekko.

If they really, really wanted us to have Timebomb Canon, instead of confining the entire arc to a bottle episode in an alternate timeline with a literally, physically different girl, they could easily have given all of Isha's considerable screentime to an Ekko and Jinx romance.

I'm sure Amanda Overton would have been on board with that. But that's not what we got. It's almost like reading two different fix-it-fanfics for the same character, put into the same show and running in parallel.

I'm not crazy, this is what's happening for Ekko in s2;

While this is happening for Jinx at the same time.

But Jinx's love story, too, ends with a tragic sacrifice.

And here's where the two stories finally intersect.

When Jinx is in her darkest moment, her absolute rock bottom, Ekko comes back into her life, a miracle, impossible, a Boy Savior.

But she's still ready to kill him.

Because she didn't dance with Ekko. She didn't invent a time machine with him. She didn't sit and watch the city lights with him and share a tender kiss and a heartfelt gift.

That was Powder.

Jinx and Ekko are resuming right where they left off on the bridge, right back to "I pull this pin and we both blow up".

They've both loved and lost, but their stories are absolutely unknown to each other. Ekko Doesn't Know About Isha. Jinx Doesn't Know About Powder.

It's only when Jinx (a genius, a reminder here) sees monkeys of her own design inside the Z-drive - recognizes her own handiwork, but knows SHE didn't make those - that, I think, sheer curiosity stirs her out of her darkness.

She has to know what that was about. She hesitates, just long enough for Ekko to speak. And, though offscreen, he tells her his story, and maybe she tells him hers.

And it's enough, just enough, to set Jinx back on her Redemption Arc, to become the hero Isha always saw in her.

Maybe even the hero Vi and Ekko saw in her, too. Her new costume is full of references to all of the people in her life who never gave up on her.

(side note, the yellow stars and crowns puzzle me, though - they're quite prominent, but who are THEY for? Isha? Maybe? Yellow isn't a color associated with anyone in Jinx's life, but that crown's identical to the one she scribbled on Demacia in Fortiche's map, is... this a very subtle future Lightcannon tease? Nah. I'm not that crazy.)

I mean her costume is also almost literally both a Fishbones and a Fiddlesticks cosplay, with her hair as Fiddle's tongue, so take from that what you will.

It's clear Jinx and Ekko war painted each other for the battle, but the Firelights are also similarly painted up, and (with Linke even confirming this) there really wasn't time to develop anything else, guys.

And I am, honestly, fundamentally angry at anyone who would suggest that, even if she'd been in any space to want it, our boy Ekko, one of the most genuinely good men in recent fiction let alone in Arcane, would take advantage of a girl he just talked out of suicide.

Moving on. During the battle, Ekko is knocked out and lying not far from Jinx. She doesn't even look at him, she leaps up to defend Vi instead.

And that's their final interaction on the show.

Instead of returning to Ekko, Jinx chooses one final act of sacrifice.

Ekko's final shot of the show is this.

He's sitting, alone, burning a mourning paper, where he sat with AU!Powder - where he and AU!Powder kissed - a place that has no significance to himself and Jinx, whatsoever.

It's little wonder who he's thinking about here, and which name he's burning on that paper. The girl he truly loved and lost.

For all he knows, Jinx is dead. But it's not only her he's mourning.

Or maybe he does know, or suspect, she's alive.

But either way, he's making one final act of sacrifice, too, with that paper burning into the breeze.

He's letting her go.

He's choosing his own story.

He's staying where he belongs.

Jinx may have become a symbol of the revolution, but it's Ekko who is, and always will be, the true hero of Zaun.

And this is Jinx's final shot.

Because let's face it, we all know she's on that airship.

She's "breaking the cycle". She's "walking away". She knows that Jinx has left too many scars on the people she still loves - on Vi, on Ekko, on the cities of Piltover and Zaun - for her to pick up the pieces.

She knows that if she's going to find out what "Jinx" might stand for now, she has to go very far away from everything and everyone. She has to leave it all behind and find something new.

Maybe even someone new?

And ultimately, that's why I feel the Timebomb we got was perfect, they shouldn't touch it, they shouldn't try to force it to be "Endgame", not because it couldn't have worked, but because that's the opposite of the story they told.

For the rest of my analysis, lol, this got a bit long but i have FEELINGS.

Now, I'm not saying I wouldn't buy Jinx and Ekko as a love story if they had actually told that love story. But they didn't. It had no screen time. They have less interactions in S2, maybe even in both seasons added up, than Vi and Loris. Let that sink in a bit.

We know it's Amanda's favorite ship, so she may have intended more, and may even actually give us all more at some point, but please, dear god, let's stop pretending they fucked or kissed or even held hands offscreen.

That's honestly a bit insulting to both of these characters, to insist hell or high water that this very important milestone in their relationship happened, but they just didn't even bother to depict it. That an entire love story (because it would be a whole one, remember, Ekko and Powder had a romance but Jinx did not experience any of that, she and Ekko are back at Square One) would just be cut for time.

They both deserve better than that.

Let's stop pretending there was some grand, horny, Forever Love story with 60 minutes of cut footage, all of it timebomb content, somehow left on the cutting room floor of an animated show where every single frame has to be deliberately hand painted.

Because if in some insane universe they had written, storyboarded, voice acted and animated an entire 60 minute additional timebomb storyline and then cut it from the show, that would itself be a searing indictment of the quality of the storytelling in that imagined arc, but that's not what happened. Anyone who knows how filmmaking works would shoot this one down, and the showrunners already have, so let's leave it behind.

I know Timebomb blew up hard, and I get it, but what we got on the screen is not confirmation that there is any relationship at all between Ekko and Current Timeline Jinx. If anything, Ekko and Powder's beautiful romance only highlighted the tragic 'never to be' of Ekko and Jinx.

And it's absolutely fine to look at the art book, look at the creator comments, and imagine what could have been. Draw the fan art, write the fanfic, imagine the what-ifs and the fix-its, those are all beautiful and valid expressions and deserve their space.

But don't go insisting it's "the canon" and going after the shippers of other ships for these characters as "not canon" or somehow offensive for existing, especially toward one particular ship that, yes, has been around much longer than timebomb, is uncool.

I think this is mostly people who are New From Arcane, it's Baby's First Ship and they don't know how to share space. The timebomb fans I knew pre-season two didn't do this, at least not often enough for me to notice or care.

But I'll just say to them, if a Timebomb follow up happens and they actually tell a good love story for Ekko and Jinx, I will accept it. Grudgingly, because I think Lux/Jinx is an untold, untapped story full of incredible character dynamics that would complete Jinx's story in ways that as much as I love Ekko, he's too tied to her past, he can't.

But I love Ekko, and I love Jinx, and I will accept it.

But I'll also say to them, if the followup doesn't eventuate, if things take a turn they don't expect, if Jinx's airship is heading for Demacia, maybe they'll have to experience just a taste of what it's been like for Lightcannon fans for ten long years.

And maybe that's healthy. Maybe that's okay. Maybe our endgames don't need to be 'canon' to have value and that's a lesson we should learn.

Maybe there's a new Light on her horizon, and that's okay too. Maybe Ekko won't be alone forever. Don't forget - until Arcane - his story had nothing to do with Jinx, and there was a whole lot of it.

More with the Firelights, maybe bring in the original Lost Children of Zaun from his old stories, his inventions, his parents, all could yet be in his future. Who knows? He might find a way back to AU!Powder - or she might rebuild what they worked on together, and come to him, no matter what butterfly effects that could set in motion...

But if Jinx is heading for a Light on her horizon, maybe Ekko might Explore some of his possibilities. Find a new Spark of connection. Just saying. Jinx isn't his only ship, either 😌

And it is okay for people to move on, and let go. Maybe, for two characters whose themes are letting go of the past, living in the moment, redefining their identities, and moving on, that's what their story should be.

[mashtatosworld]

drama

summary: the timeline of the 'back to you' series

*not an accurate representation of real-time - im a human that's bad at maths

Step into the world of y/n and Gdragon - featuring the highs and lows of an idol couple.

The Start:

The couple first captured headlines in 2015, when y/n starred as the lead in BIGBANG’s dreamy Let’s Not Fall in Love music video. At the time, y/n was still carving her own path, a fresh face in the industry with more potential than recognition.

That all changed just a week after the video’s release, when the pair surprised fans by announcing their first collaborative track. The song was an instant sensation, earning them multiple awards and solidifying their status as both artistic partners and the industry’s newest power couple.

Later that year, the 2015 Melon Music Awards became the stage for their highly-anticipated first public appearance together - a moment that sparked endless headlines and fan theories about their off-stage romance.

Though they toured separately, the two couldn’t seem to stay apart for long. Fans were regularly treated to surprise appearances at each other’s concerts, moments that only added to the couple’s mystique. Behind the scenes, insiders revealed that GDragon and y/n were secretly engaged for three years - a private promise that was repeatedly delayed by their demanding schedules.

By 2018, the strain of their global fame and conflicting commitments appeared to take its toll, leading to the heartbreaking end of their whirlwind romance.

The Separation:

As 2018 drew to a close, GDragon offered fans an unfiltered glimpse into his world with the release of a raw and intimate tour documentary. Gone was the invincible K-pop icon - in his place stood a man unraveling, visibly fragile in the wake of both creative exhaustion and personal heartbreak. It was clear to the world: GDragon was at his lowest.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the spotlight, y/n's career was blazing brighter than ever. Her post-breakup album became a global phenomenon, striking a chord with millions of heartbroken souls who found solace in her words. With every award she accepted and every chart she topped, it was evident - the pain of her past was fuelling her rise.

Despite their individual successes, it was obvious that both stars were mourning the same love story, albeit in very different ways.

The Song:

As y/n’s career flourished, GDragon disappeared from the public eye to complete his mandatory military service - a quiet two-year stretch punctuated by rumours and speculation. During this time, y/n faced growing pressure from both media and fans to address her relationship status. After months of silence, she finally confirmed: there would be no reunion with her ex. She was seeing someone new.

Just two months after her public statement, GDragon released Still Life, a hauntingly reflective track that left fans dissecting every lyric, searching for traces of their once-iconic love story. And then - silence.

For both stars, the world went quiet.

The Speculation:

For years, their story seemed to have ended - until 2024 reignited the flame.

It remains unclear whether the former couple reconnected before that year’s MAMA Awards, but rumours exploded after the two were spotted making a swift and discreet exit from the afterparty - hand-in-hand.

Fans’ suspicions only grew weeks later, when GDragon introduced his newest family member to the world - a cat named Zoa. In the photo, a glimpse of a mystery woman sparked immediate speculation. Longtime fans were quick to draw comparisons to y/n, especially since the pair had famously adopted their first cat, Iye, together back in 2016.

The internet was buzzing - was this a new chapter, or the revival of a love story once thought to be over?

The Secret:

Then the world went into shock.

After years of piecing together their love story through cryptic lyrics, subtle stage moments, and whispered rumours, fans were finally gifted the ultimate confirmation - and it was a moment no one could have predicted.

Seven months after their unexpected reunion at the MAMA Awards, y/n returned to the stage alongside GDragon. Stepping into the spotlight, y/n's growing baby bump was impossible to miss, as was the sparkling diamond ring adorning her finger.

The revelation sent shockwaves through the industry, though perhaps the biggest clues had already been there for those willing to see them.

Just months earlier, GDragon had made a rare appearance on bandmate Daesung’s YouTube series, ZIPDAESUNG, where he teased his long-awaited comeback tour and album. During the chat, the rapper hinted at “major life changes” - and eagle-eyed fans couldn’t help but notice the simple wedding band now sitting comfortably on his finger. After years of playful hints and carefully guarded secrets... the world finally had its answers.

The couple then gave fans a performance for the ages - returning to the very song that first sparked their romance in 2015. This time, they weren’t just co-stars or collaborators. They stood side-by-side as husband and wife, performing their love story in front of the fans who had followed every twist and turn.

In August, the pair welcomed their daughter into the world - a new muse for their ongoing love story. Though they’ve shared glimpses of their life as parents on social media, they’ve chosen to keep their daughter’s face private, protecting her from the spotlight they know all too well.

Now, as they step into this new chapter together, one thing is clear: after years of heartbreak, healing, and finding their way back to each other, GDragon and y/n's love story is far from over.

We're glad to see that the two are happier than ever.

𓆩♡𓆪 𓆩♡𓆪 𓆩♡𓆪

starting to like making these social media posts but bOY do they take time

taglist: @petersasteria, @mirahyun , @allthoughtsmindfull , @gdinthehouseee , @infinetlyforgotten , @redhoodedtoad , @kathaelipwse , @lxvemaze , @loveesiren , @sherrayyyyy , @getyoassoutthetrunk , @shieraseastarrs , @ctrldivinev , @xxxicddbr88 , @onyxmango , @tryingtolivelifeblog , @tulentiy , @bettelaboure

[blossominghunnie]

𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞

Pairing: Matthew x 10th!fem!member

Summary: Fanservice can be helpful sometimes, especially when you’re trying to hide a secret relationship from your fans and the world.

Genre: Fluff, established relationship

Warning: None

Notes: I just love writing for this man. 🙂‍↔️

Fans have always liked you and Matthew together, they live for every interaction you have with him. This started since pre-debut, right after contents of zb1 started being uploaded. Back in your boys planet days you didn’t really interact a lot with the boy, but some star creators had the hope that you would end up working together in at least one presentation, it didn’t happen unfortunately but they were over the moon when you debuted together.

Since you were the only girl in the group, you were shipped with basically every one of the group, minus Yujin, since you were an 03 liner. But their favorite pair was with Matthew, which was actually ideal because you two had been dating for about 4 months now. It was the perfect way to hide it.

You were always next to each other, leaning your head on his shoulder or viceversa, him being your helper while you cook (he doesn’t do much, he just likes being near you), him always touching you in any way (hand on your thigh, hands clasped together, arm around your shoulders or waist, etc).

At first you were pretty careful when the cameras were on, until a live where Matthew leaned his head onto yours (he was sitting behind you) and placed his arms around your shoulders. You moved your head upwards to look at him, a loving look on both your eyes and a small blush could be seen on your cheeks if you looked closely (which was what happened.) It was a quick exchange that fans weren’t supposed to catch since you were on one of the ends of the phone’s screen but surprise, surprise, they did.

That small clip of the live went viral, it was EVERYWHERE. After this, you were much much more shipped with him, everyone thought you looked so cute together.

You didn’t think much about it, until your timelines were filled with edits of the two of you and even on fan signs zeroses wanted tons of more new interactions.

“Matt? Have you been seeing more posts of us?” You asked him a few days after the bomb exploded; you were lying together on his bed, just scrolling through your phones while playing with his hair, his head resting on your chest.

“Mhm, it’s entertaining to watch them. We look cute.”

You nodded, you did like them. There were a lot of talented editors.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen that many. And people ships us a lot.”

“As they should, we’re the cutest together.” Matthew turned around and looked at you with a smile while you giggled. He leaned and gave you a quick peck on the lips.

“Can’t deny it.” You agreed, a lovesick smile on your face.

Oh if your shippers could see you now.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Zb1 masterlist || Main masterlist

[vind3miat0r]

project meridian loop theory

oohhh boy, we're back with me putting on a tinfoil hat and yapping about theories again

this is, of course, about the newest Project Meridian audio, so spoilers for that!!

(putting everything under the cut because theres a LOT)

JESUS CHRIST. okay. thats a lot. lots to unpack here mhm yep.

okay guys hear me out: Asset is stuck in a time or a simulation loop

bear with me im about to get REALLY nerdy with this BUT

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Episode 18 — "Cause and Effect" is a time loop episode. the entire crew gets caught in a time loop for about 27 days (but they obviously dont realize this until theyre out of the loop) the loop always begins with Captain Picard's personal log, and always ends with the accidental destruction of the Enterprise brought on by their warp core exploding due to being damaged while attempting to get away from an incoming ship that lost control of its direction

throughout the episode, each time the loop resets, the crew experiences intense deja vu, brought on by the fact that theyre reliving the same day over and over. theyre able to predict small events that happen (what cards come next in a poker game, Beverly predicting Geordi coming into Sick Bay, etc)

AND in one iteration of the loop, the crew figures out that theyre IN a time loop, and devise a method to avoid getting hit by the previously mentioned ship, which would set off the chain reaction of the warp core exploding

they do this method by using big brain science time knowledge that im too tired to understand, but basically the motif of the number 3 starts showing up in the next loop reset, and when the Enterprise is once again faced with only two choices to get away from the incoming ship, Data realizes that the reoccurring 3s are connected to Commander Riker (who has three pips to signify his rank)

(for context, in every loop where the Enterprise gets destroyed, the Captain followed Data's plan of using the tractor beam to steer the incoming ship away from the Enterprise. Riker's plan was to depressurize the cargo bays) Data follows through with Riker's plan, and this time the Enterprise doesnt explode (yippee!!)

you might be thinking, "Vinn, you just explained the entire episode to us. what does that have to do with project meridian??"

well, using instances from "Cause and Effect," we can compare them to some instances that just happened in "Something's Wrong"

— the second phone call could be an outside attempt to break Asset from the time/simulation loop

— Asset knowing who the Solitaires are despite not having access to information on them could be from another loop where James told them who the Solitaires are, and Asset remembering

— the phone at the end could signify the end/restart of the loop

— Asset's uneasiness about the Meridian in the beginning of the audio and their want to "seek approval" before entering it ( could be brought on by them somewhat remembering whats happened in previous loops)

— the first phone call (the one James picks up), theres some spooky ooky ambience in the background (could be that the phone is a conduit to the "real" timeline/world and only Asset is able to pick up on that??)

— when Asset and James leave the first room and enter a new area, someone on the PA makes an announcement for the Deltas. this announcement glitches, but James doesnt seem to notice, as he continues talking (i cant quite make it out, but it almost sounds like someone else is saying something?) (again, it could be interference from outside of the loop attempting to reach Asset)

— when stepping out of the elevator, someone brings James "the latest simulation report." again, outside interference/echoes from a previous loop perhaps trying to signal to Asset that theyre stuck in a simulation

— phone at the end also as someone saying "pick up" or "wake up," didnt realize until someone pointed it out. its very faint, but its there (again, could be someone attempting to break Asset out of the loop)

one thing that i find interesting (thats not related to the loop theory) is that James says the force in the Meridian "diverts demons away" and "breaks human minds" when usually demons are allowed through the Meridian and humans just. die. then again, we have no idea when PM takes place, so it could be normal if this is like,,, a good number of years in the future

uhh hashtag yeah. im perfectly sane guys :3

[weirdghostcat]

Let's meet Pit!

Pit is one of the twin skeleton-bros. Pit and his brother are adopted by the royal Dreemurr family since they were found inside a burning village without parents after the first war broke out.

When the twins became young adults, the King and Queen gave them the roles of the Judge and the Guide. As the Judge, Pit is the right-hand of his father, the King, and pledges his life to always ensure the safety of the monster race.

After a second war broke out and the CORE's explosion trapped everyone inside a time-loop, Pit does everything to save his home and family. He sacrifices his freedom to split his timeline into a new one, where the Second War never happened and the CORE never exploded.

Unbeknownst to him, he also created other versions of his home, resulting in multiple different alternative timelines that are all tightly linked together.

✦•┈๑⋅⋯ FAQ's ⋯⋅๑┈•✦

Why does Pit have two stars hanging from his belt?

Those stars are called SAVE-Stars. Monsters used a SAVE-Star to save their progression every once in a year at a big festival. When the CORE exploded, it shattered the SAVE-Star into tiny pieces; some got absorbed by the CORE, others were scattered around through different timelines.

The two SAVE-Stars on his belt are two shards. One is connected to his old timeline, where the second war broke out and the time-loop started. The smaller shard is connected to the timeline that Pit created with Chara's help, where their friends and family currently live.

He always carries them with him since it's the only link he has to his home and family.

Is Pit aware of the multiverse?

Funnily enough, after he got trapped inside the CORE and lived there for quite some time, he gained some knowledge/awareness that the multiverse exists. But he is still unaware that he split his timeline into multiple different versions of his home. Till someone shows/says it to him, of course.

What is Pit's relationship with Chara and Frisk?

Pit is the first person who found Chara and uses his Judgment-ability on her for the first time. He will lead her to the King, and later became her brother when the King and Queen adopted Chara into their family.

After some time, they will see the other as family and will fight to protect each other.

Frisk's and Pit's relationship is not the greatest at first. Pit sees Frisk as someone who endangers his family's happy lives and tries to get rid of her. But in the end, Pit accepts Frisk and stops being hostile towards her.

[mybutcheredtongue]

I'll Love You 'til the Grass Around My Gravestone is Deceased

harry potter timeline sirius black x fem!reader

CHAPTER ELEVEN (see full series list here)

1993

You find yourself sitting in the Tower again. You dangle a string of wool in front of Dubh and she joyfully bats at it with her front paws. You smile lovingly at her, chuckling when she misses the wool and lands on your knee instead. The sky above you has darkened, and you look out over the grounds.

It's the best view in the castle, of course. You get to see the near-entirety of the grounds in all its glory. The Black Lake is still and calm; the tree' leaves are swaying lazily in the light evening breeze; the dark, scruffy dog is pattering across the grass...

You blink, and the dog is gone. You sigh, falling back to the floor and lying down, staring up at the sky above you.

Twinkling lights dot the sky above you, winking at you. Part of you likes to think that those stars have souls. That they can see you right now, and are wondering why you're admiring them so much. To them, they're just balls of gas. To you, they're the most beautiful thing in the world.

You think on the day, remembering your visit to Hagrid early this morning. The poor man was in bits, all torn up over Buckbeak. Hagrid doesn't deserve such stress and worry, and neither does Buckbeak.

A few clouds are scattered around, passing over the bright, full moon. Your mind turns to Remus: he is no doubt sitting in his office right now, all wolfish, probably having a hankering for red meat. You offered to stay with him on full moons, but he refused. Despite the Wolfsbane potion allowing him to keep his mind during the transformation, rendering him harmless, he stipulated that he wanted to be alone, just in case something went wrong.

You don't want him to be alone, but you respect his wishes anyway.

You've known Remus is a werewolf for a very long time. You weren't even meant to find out about Remus' lycanthropy, but you used to get so worried about him at school. He was always exhausted, always disappearing on full moons, not eating well...it had gotten to the point where you cornered him in the library and expressed your concerns for him. You asked him to tell you what was wrong because you couldn't watch any longer, worried that something bad was keeping him up at night.

And, well, you weren't wrong. But he confided in you, just like he had his other friends, and from then on you did everything you could to help him. While the boys spent full moons with him, you ensured he got enough rest during the remainder of the month, made him his favourite teas, helped with keeping his secret secure...he became like a brother to you.

Your school days are something you treasure immensely. Everything was just so right. When you and Sirius starting dating Christmas of your sixth year, everything clicked into place. It felt like you had another family at Hogwarts.

You and Sirius whispered to each other during late nights in the common room, and you would trace the outlines of his tattoos as you listened to him talk.

You, Lily, and Alice shared things together that you never could share with anyone else.

You and Remus played chess with each other and always forgot about using strategy, instead choosing to just try and annihilate as many of the other's pieces as possible.

You and James played Exploding Snap, which always ended with the ends of his hair singed and him sulking when he lost.

You helped Peter prepare himself for his first date, making sure he was mentally ready and feeling confident.

Life was much simpler.

The clouds part and the moon reveals itself, casting a glow around it. In the distance, you hear a wolf howling, and for a moment you think it's Remus, before you shake your head. He's in his office, probably sleeping it off right now.

Speaking of sleep, you feel extremely comfortable where you are right now. You let your eyelids drift shut and fall into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

You wake some time later, the cold air nipping at your arms. You sit up groggily, yawning. You nudge Dubh and she wakes, getting up to follow you out of the Tower. As you're opening the door to your room, you realise you left your wand up there and quickly run back up the stairs to grab it.

You locate the item on your desk, stuffing it into your pocket, momentarily getting distracted by a scuff mark on the desk, wondering how that got there.

There's a heavy thud from the other side of the room.

You look up.

Your heart stops.

There, at the railing, is Buckbeak, Hagrid's giant Hippogriff. And on his back is Harry, Hermione, and...Sirius. He hops down, facing you.

You lock eyes and your name rolls off his tongue softly, and never has it sounded so perfect.

He's wearing shabby Azkaban clothes, which are ripped and tattered everywhere. His skin is dirty and his face is sunken with dark bags under his eyes. He's grown a beard and his hair has gotten even longer, but has become matted.

"Sirius?" you choke, frozen in place. "Are you really there?"

He nods, a small smile on his face. "Yes, my love. I'm here."

You take a tentative step forward, unsure really whether you are dreaming or not. The rational part of your brain is telling you to stop, to run in the other direction — this is a convict in front of you, after all!

But your heart makes all the decisions for you. It reaches out, desperately trying to get to its other half because truly, you were half a heart without him.

Your steps are slow and it feels like hours have passed before you finally stop in front of him. You hesitantly reach out, placing your hand against his chest.

"Please, tell me I'm not dreaming," you whisper shakily.

Sirius brings his hand up to cover yours, moving it to press over where his heart is, where you can feel his racing heart beat. You can see a scar on his pinky finger, one he told you he got during a game of 'Pin the Tail on Kreacher' with Regulus when he was eight.

You feel tears prick your eyes, looking back into the face of the man you love more than anything in the world. You bring shaky hands up to his face, holding it delicately, like you're afraid he's going to break.

"I missed you," you say softly. "I missed you so much, Sirius."

"I missed you too," he replies. He gazes at you like he can't believe you're really in front of him, like you're some sort of a mirage. "How...how is it that you look just as beautiful today as you looked on our wedding day?"

You give a watery chuckle, sniffling. "Sirius Black, forever the flirt."

You lean forward and press your lips against his. This, this feeling. The overwhelming sense of feeling right where you belong, in the arms of the man you love. His lips are chapped but you don't care. His skin is rough but you don't care. His beard scratches against you but you don't care. You don't care about anything other than the fact that he's here with you. He's finally here.

"Please, darling..." he starts, taking a deep breath and gazing at you. "It wasn't me. I promise you with everything I have to give that I didn't kill those people, I was never a Death Eater — "

"I know."

" — I would never do that to James and Lily — "

"I know."

He pauses, looking at you in surprise. "You know?"

"I know, Sirius," you say gently. "I believe you, I trust you. I know you. I've spent the last twelve years of my life believing you're innocent. I know you would never do that."

He opens his mouth to say something but can't seem to find the words. "You — you smart girl. My smart girl. My perfect, smart, beautiful girl..."

His eyes are brimming with tears as he keeps them fixed on you, before he pulls you into his chest and holds you tightly, burying his face in your hair.

"I love you. I love you. I love you so much," he says, kissing your cheek. "Going so long without you has been torture."

"It's been torture for me too," you reply. "I love you. I love you more than anything, Sirius." You smile at him before adding, "And you have seriously got to take a shower. Why don't you come down to my room and get all cleaned up?"

Sirius pulls away, giving you an uncertain look and you sigh. He glances back at Harry and Hermione, who you've pretty much forgotten are even there.

"We...don't have a lot of time left," Hermione says apologetically.

"I'm sorry, my love," Sirius says, pressing his forehead against yours. "I have to go."

You clutch onto his arms desperately, shaking your head. "No, no. You — you can't go. You can't leave me again, Sirius. No, please. Please. Please don't do this to me again. Why leave when I've just found you again?"

Tears stream down your face and Sirius reaches out to brush them away with his thumb. "I have to, darling. The Ministry'll be here any moment now, looking for me. I can't put you in danger like that."

"I'll come with you!" You try. "Please, we can go away together — we'll figure something out, just please, don't leave me again. I've been without you for too long, please — "

"I can't do that to you," he says weakly. "You have to stay."

"Sirius, please — "

"Stay," he says, kissing your forehead. "I'll find you again. I will always find my way back to you, no matter how far."

You let out a quiet sob and kiss him again, desperate for even the slightest bit of contact with him to remind you that you actually have him here with you.

"Please, darling. Stay here," he tells you firmly. "You'll be okay."

"I just — I've been waiting for this for too long," you say weakly. "I hoped I'd have you for longer."

He brings you hand to his lips, kissing your fingers lovingly. "I know, I know. We'll meet again and then — it'll be like I never left."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He lets go of you, and it takes all of your willpower not to grab ahold of him again and never let go. Harry and Hermione jump off of Buckbeak, looking at each other awkwardly.

Sirius pulls Harry in for a hug, smiling proudly at him. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry."

Hermione looks at her watch nervously. "Quick, quick, you don't have time!"

Sirius takes one last glance back at you as he climbs up onto Buckbeak's back. He sends a wink your way and you shake your head amusedly, sighing.

He squeezes Buckbeak's sides with his heels. The enormous wings of the Hippogriff rise and you step back slightly, watching as it takes off into the air. Sirius and Buckbeak steadily become smaller and smaller until a cloud drifts past and...they're gone.

You swallow hard, sniffling as you brush tears off your cheeks. Before they can leave, you grab Harry and Hermione and pull them both in for a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you both so much," you say. "You — you are the most wonderful children I have ever met — you brought him back to me, how did you ever do it? How can I ever thank you?"

"It's nothing, really — " Harry says sheepishly.

"Nothing? You have both just given me the best gift in the world," you say with a smile. Hermione is looking at her watch again and you let go. "Go, go on. You look like you have somewhere to be."

Hermione nods, grabbing Harry's arm and they turn to run down the stairs.

"Oh, and Harry!" You call after him. He stops for a second and you give him a smile. "Come find me when you have some free time. I'm sure you have a few questions to ask."

He nods affirmatively and they run off again.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

"YOU!" Snape bursts into the Astronomy Tower, looking outraged. "You — what did you do?!"

You look up innocently from your desk, watching as Snape climbs to the top of the stairs, red-faced and angry. He's out of breath — you don't know if it's because he's angry or because walking up those stairs is about the most exercise he's gotten in a decade.

Behind him, comes Fudge and Dumbledore. Fudge is huffing and puffing, and when he reaches the top he lays a hand against the wall as he breathes in and out.

"You — you did something!" Snape snaps. "How else could he have escaped?"

"How else could who have escaped?"

"BLACK!"

"Well, I'd have a hard time getting him out of Azkaban, wouldn't I?"

Snape looks like he's about to burst. A vein is popping out in his neck and his eyes are bulging.

"HE — WAS — CAUGHT — AND — NOW — HE'S — GONE — "

"Wait, he was caught?" You ask, feigning oblivion.

Fudge nods. "Yes, we had caught him perfectly well...the Dementors were going to perform the Kiss — "

You slam your book down on the table, standing up from your chair, staring Fudge down. "Do you mean to say that the Dementors' Kiss was going to performed on my husband without my knowledge?"

Fudge visibly swallows, glancing at Dumbledore helplessly, who chooses to become fixated on one of the constellations on the wall.

"Well, er...we reviewed our options and seen that — um — we didn't have the time to inform you — "

"Bullshit," you spit. "You could have easily told me, you just weren't bothered, were you? Some Minister you are."

Fudge splutters, face going red.

Snape is still shaking with fury beside him. He jabs his finger in your direction. "YOU DID IT, I KNOW YOU DID — "

"That is enough, Severus. Why, the portrait of Eloria Floria in the corridor told us that she had not left the Tower since she first entered it three hours ago," Dumbledore says calmly.

Fudge glances at his watch. "Well, I suppose there is nothing more to it than that. I'd better go and notify the Ministry of this..."

Snape is seething. Absolutely seething. He gives one fuming look in your direction, before storming down the stairs once more. It's nearly comical because it's purely silent in the Tower but for the clunking of Snape's footfalls against the stairs, his anger evident in his heavy stomps.

It reminds you of a young child throwing a tantrum.

⁠✧⁠*⁠。✧⁠*⁠。

->-> read chapter twelve here!

→ all kinds of interaction are appreciated ♡

sorry for the shortish chapter but I just really wanted to get this one out. They've finally reunited!!!

+ a big thank you to my taglist loves for all their support and kindness:

@wholelottalove05 @izuoyarmin @carpe000diem @hyperspeedo

[dissvicious]

THE BARTO AND NINA SITUATION

Did Barto and Nina slept together during Uta's concert and does Barto has his place on the dad pool ??? Answer under the cut

🔞 MDNI - slightly spicy, drug use / chemsex

SO FIRST THING

the dad pool final results are sending me. Eustass CUCK-tain Kid much?? Anyway let's end the suspense now. Did Nina slept with Barto at Uta's concert?

Short answer: yes and no, anyway no chance in hell he can be the father of the baby.

To establish a thing this don't really fit my timeline since the baby was conceived at the beginning of the timeskip but since one piece film Red isn't really canon I decided if fit ok or let's say it wasn't the same concert idgaf it's just funny

So. Killer Kid and Nina never really settled grounded rules about being in an open or a closed throuple. The three of them are jealous and possessive each in their own ways so they are mostly exclusive, but whenever a special occasion shows up they talk about it and see if yes or no the other are comfortable with it (exemple : Kid: Can I hatefuck Law? Nina: if you do this babe I'll cut your dick with my chainsaw and give it to eat to the sharks 😊 Kid: ok. Communication 101)

when Nina decided to go to Uta's concert she was like "dudes I'm probably gonna get baked as hell and since you guys don't want to come with me to this 'normie mainstream commercial shit for pussies' I can't promise I won't gonna get laid" and they assumed she was just trying to piss them off so they snorted and agreed - yeah well ok I'll admit communication isn't their strongest skill ok

Nina spent the majority of the concert completely baked in her tent, met Barto in the picnic area of the camping next to the concert place while she was eating a big slice of space cake

They immediately became friends because that's what punks does at concert

She's the one who painted "UTA" on his face :3

"Oi wanna take some edibles and zone out with me in my tent?"

Nina got a small star projector she uses when she got high and they spent hours of just lying down together looking at low quality space pictures sliding her tent ceiling

🔴_🔴 🔴_🔴 "wow....."

One thing leading to the other they started making out, Nina was feeling alone without her boys and Barto reminded her of Kid.

Nina, caressing Barto hair: "Hanw you're stupid and you're wearing ugly pants just like my boyfriend I love him so much I miss him he's incredible.... Don't tell him I told you this tho he's an asshole and I hate him"

Nina would have loved taking things further than second base but...

It was a LONG dry period for Barto ok

Poor man only had the time to dry hump between her thighs for less than a minute before exploding like a powder barrel 😔

that's why he don't have his signature pants during the concert btw

She was slightly frustrated but she let him snuggled against her and sleep in her tent

Sobering up they forgot the incident and became good buddies, they often meet each other in concerts and raves.

Kid and Killer don't know yet what happened between Barto and Nina, not that she hide it from them, just she... Forgot it, it was really nothing to her.

If they find it they gonna get real mad at Barto for a little while. Poor dude.

So no, sorry to disappoint, Barto isn't the father of Chainsaw metal killer Baby.

I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE WAIT AND SEE FOR THE RESULTS

[tophat-69]

i really admire the way you place breadcrumbs of what essentially is going to make their relationship to explode (to be clear i am not blaming silco in any way for the river) you’ve done it in such a way where it doesn’t feel like in your face obvious but is still very present and makes me as a reader just feel like there’s a very nasty shark lurking just under the water i enjoy it very much

First, thank you! I've probably outlined "trapped by a singular fate" more than anything else I've ever written, sitting around with my serial killer-esque wall trying to work in references and rewatching scenes as they become relevant and skimming the art book and reading creator comments and keeping a timeline and a list of three generations worth of characters.

While I still think there are things that Arcane fumbled (which would be why everything Arcane I write seems to jump right back into the Zaun/Piltover conflict), one thing that I really appreciate is how much they implied about Vander and Silco's relationship without really pinning any of it down. While as a viewer it might have been more satisfying to see what we all inferred play out on the screen, as a writer it gives a pretty expansive playground for these two.

We know the key points and we can see that they've been intertwined with each other's lives for ages. And that leaves us a chance to play in the "fanfiction gap."

In most fandoms and ships--even other major ships of Arcane--that's just a relatively small time-skip or a few years if we're lucky (how much do we all love playing in the lab partner years of Jayvik?). But they've given us decades for Vander and Silco to come together, to start a rebellion, to lose a revolution, to fall apart, to work against each other, and to come so close to almost resolving their problems in a way that changed the world for everyone.

I don't want to hammer what happens over your heads as readers, but every fracture I can work in early plays into the idea that these two are star-crossed lovers in their way. They genuinely do love each other. But their rebellion is doomed to fail, and their relationship fractured from within. But both the cause and the relationship held merit, despite how they were doomed by the narrative.

So if I'm doing this right, you as a reader should still catch things that in the moment that the two of them miss. And that dramatic irony will keep on stabbing all of us!

[startrekprodigyfan]

Okay yeah… I binged the whole season in one day.

It was actually surprisingly easy to do so. And while that means my planned slower recaps and speculation are basically out the window, I also now just don’t have to worry about spoilers for weeks on end.

I’m still going to keep spoilers under a cut though. Even if you block key hashtags, stuff can get through, and just making the spoilers further down a text post you have to scroll past to continue browsing tumblr doesn’t help either. Hide that content behind a cut, please!

Non-spoiler thoughts:

It was so good. It was honestly more Trek than I could’ve possibly expected. And to all those early naysayers who were confused by the Protostar and where it was supposed to be in the timeline after the first episode of season 1, all of that gets answered and put into context by the end of season 2. Thank GOD! Every single plot point people brought up and thought was a “plot hole” gets filled and explained.

It’s not as emotional as the first season, but the situations and events definitely still have a lot of weight and the stakes are so high for so long too! There’s a surprising number of dark events that happen throughout the series. Way darker than even I’m used to watching the animated shows that I do. Kudos for not skimping on the peril and stakes of the mission for the sake of kids being traumatized lol

And while there is the potential for more, if we never get a season 3 this would still be an extremely satisfying ending all the same. I am very happy there aren’t any loose ends here.

Prodigy is without a doubt the most reliably consistent Star Trek show that’s ever existed. Not a single episode feels like filler. Not a single episode wastes time or characters. Even the goofy episodes have character development and callbacks later, and I genuinely don’t think there’s a single episode that I would skip or not watch again. That’s an amazing feat in and of itself, but as a Trek fan that’s just unheard of! Kudos all around!

Now for my longer spoiler thoughts under the cut:

Okay…

How the HELL did you guys make Wesley Crusher’s time traveling arc sooo good? As a TNG fan I was always annoyed with the “traveler” storylines and with Wesley’s character in general. Even as a kid I never really liked him. But this storyline makes him interesting and gives a lot of weight to his powers. He’s almost like The Doctor from Doctor Who, someone who has so much going on in his head that he’s sort of lost it.

That honestly was the biggest surprise to me. I was convinced that Hologram Janeway (and the construct) were somehow manipulating time and events because of the wormhole. Janeway would be trying to help them, while the construct was trying to stop them. That was my working theory for the start of the series. Imagine my surprise when it turns out it’s Wesley Crusher! wtf!?

I do like that he gets to reunite with his mom finally. And that he learns he has a brother.

Incidentally that’s something else I was not expecting. How MUCH of this series was going to be timeline connected to the events of Picard and Lower Decks respectively. Like, wow… they connected the Mars Shipyard explosion and the Romulan evacuation plot points that made sense for the story. Like holy crap, then FINALLY getting into Starfleet only for the shipyards to explode and Starfleet is severely crippled. I did not expect that to happen, and it’s sadly realistic too.

I still hate the Romulan evacuation storyline from Picard, but as a matter of keeping things consistent it makes sense for it here. And while I don’t like it being a canon event, it’s overall good for the consistency of “prime” trek.

I do like that Dal became a second in command. I’ve always felt like Dal was never really destined to be the captain and that he’s always been better at helping others be their best selves. So it makes sense for his character arc that he learns he doesn’t need to be in charge to make a difference and that there’s no shame in being second.

Overall I am still reeling from how much Trek happened in this season. There’s never a dull moment. Unfortunately I am not optimistic about a 3rd season. Netflix picking up a mostly completed series to broadcast on their streaming service is far FAR cheaper than paying for an entire season to be created outright. And sadly, as much as I want more Prodigy, I have a feeling it’s just not on people’s radars enough for it to do gangbuster numbers enough to convince Netflix to pick them up for a 3rd season. I hope I am proven wrong, but I will not get my desire for more season unrealistically hyped up.

I do want to rewatch the entire show now, because there were clues left in the first season that only get answered at the end of season 2. And I love closed loop time travel storylines like that! I can’t wait to go back and connect the dots knowing what I know now.

An excellent series. Probably one of Trek’s best in decades. A true love for the material and the characters and the legacy of Trek lore all rolled into an amazingly animated package.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Unexpected complex chemistry in primordial galaxy

University of Arizona astronomers have learned more about a surprisingly mature galaxy that existed when the universe was just less than 300 million years old – just 2% of its current age.

Observed by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the galaxy – designated JADES-GS-z14-0 – is unexpectedly bright and chemically complex for an object from this primordial era, the researchers said. This provides a rare glimpse into the universe's earliest chapter.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, build upon the researchers' previous discovery, reported in 2024, of JADES-GS-z14-0 as the most distant galaxy ever observed. While the initial discovery established the galaxy's record-breaking distance and unexpected brightness, this new research delves deeper into its chemical composition and evolutionary state.

The work was done as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey, or JADES, a major James Webb Space Telescope program designed to study distant galaxies.

This wasn't simply stumbling upon something unexpected, said Kevin Hainline, co-author of the new study and an associate research professor at the U of A Steward Observatory. The survey was deliberately designed to find distant galaxies, but this one broke the team's records in ways they didn't anticipate – it was intrinsically bright and had a complex chemical composition that was totally unexpected so early in the universe's history.

"It's not just a tiny little nugget. It's bright and fairly extended for the age of the universe when we observed it," Hainline said.

"The fact that we found this galaxy in a tiny region of the sky means that there should be more of these out there," said lead study author Jakob Helton, a graduate researcher at Steward Observatory. "If we looked at the whole sky, which we can't do with JWST, we would eventually find more of these extreme objects."

The research team used multiple instruments on board JWST, including the Near Infrared Camera, or NIRCam, whose construction was led by U of A Regents Professor of Astronomy Marcia Rieke. Another instrument on the telescope – the Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, revealed something extraordinary: significant amounts of oxygen.

In astronomy, anything heavier than helium is considered a "metal," Helton said. Such metals require generations of stars to produce. The early universe contained only hydrogen, helium and trace amounts of lithium. But the discovery of substantial oxygen in the JADES-GS-z14-0 galaxy suggests the galaxy had been forming stars for potentially 100 million years before it was observed.

To make oxygen, the galaxy must have started out very early on, because it would have had to form a generation of stars, said George Rieke, Regents Professor of Astronomy and the study's senior author. Those stars must have evolved and exploded as supernovae to release oxygen into interstellar space, from which new stars would form and evolve.

"It's a very complicated cycle to get as much oxygen as this galaxy has. So, it is genuinely mind boggling," Rieke said.

The finding suggests that star formation began even earlier than scientists previously thought, which pushes back the timeline for when the first galaxies could have formed after the Big Bang.

The observation required approximately nine days of telescope time, including 167 hours of NIRCam imaging and 43 hours of MIRI imaging, focused on an incredibly small portion of the sky.

The U of A astronomers were lucky that this galaxy happened to sit in the perfect spot for them to observe with MIRI. If they had pointed the telescope just a fraction of a degree in any direction, they would have missed getting this crucial mid-infrared data, Helton said.

"Imagine a grain of sand at the end of your arm. You see how large it is on the sky – that's how large we looked at," Helton said.

The existence of such a developed galaxy so early in cosmic history serves as a powerful test case for theoretical models of galaxy formation.

"Our involvement here is a product of the U of A leading in infrared astronomy since the mid-'60s, when it first started. We had the first major infrared astronomy group over in the Lunar and Planetary lab, with Gerard Kuiper, Frank Low and Harold Johnson," Rieke said.

As humans gain the ability to directly observe and understand galaxies that existed during the universe's infancy, it can provide crucial insights into how the universe evolved from simple elements to the complex chemistry necessary for life as we know it.

"We're in an incredible time in astronomy history," Hainline said. "We're able to understand galaxies that are well beyond anything humans have ever found and see them in many different ways and really understand them. That's really magic."

TOP IMAGE: This infrared image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was taken by the onboard Near-Infrared Camera for the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey, or JADES, program. The NIRCam data was used to determine which galaxies to study further with spectroscopic observations. One such galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0 (shown in the pullout), was determined to be at a redshift of 14.3, making it the current record-holder for most distant known galaxy. This corresponds to a time less than 300 million years after the big bang.  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Brant Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), Ben Johnson (CfA), Sandro Tacchella (Cambridge), Marcia Rieke (University of Arizona), Daniel Eisenstein (CfA), Phill Cargile (CfA)

LOWER IMAGE: Timeline of the universe: Although we are not sure exactly when the first stars began to shine, we know that they must have formed sometime after the era of Recombination, when hydrogen and helium atoms formed (380,000 years after the big bang), and before the oldest-known galaxies existed (400 million years after the big bang). The ultraviolet light emitted by the first stars broke down the neutral hydrogen gas filling the universe into hydrogen ions and free electrons, initiating the era of Reionization and the end of the Dark Ages of the universe.  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

[leviiackrman]

Ya’ll wanted to know more bout Elody, so here’s some more info before the main timeline!

Character Page | Pinterest Board

Well first things first, shes a qunari (duh)

Has vitiligo all over her body and hetrochromic eyes which makes her stand out a lot (mostly for her unique beauty)

Comes from a small family with 3 older sisters (originally from Par Vollen)

Her family had moved to Rivain but still followed the Qun

When she was 6, she was taken by slavers

Part of her thinks she was sold off by her family because they tried really hard to hide her due to her appearance

Was shipped around all over the place as a slave until she was 12 when she was bought by a Qunari War Lord

He had been collecting ‘jewel like women’ to be his many wives and Elody became one of them

Each was tattooed on the chest to indicate their order/rank as a brand to him

The stars along the top represent the order they were married to him (elody was 8th)

Got along with the other wives but they were still treated as slaves and didn’t get a voice in anything

The first wife was able to talk him down a lot, so Elody tried once herself, only to be beaten to a pulp (was when he was going to buy a 10 year old as the 9th wife but she wanted to stop him)

Had her horns cut off as a result (was seen as a weapon so he took them out of the equation)

Her horns were fitted as ornaments for special events where his wives were flaunted in front of everyone (also why they are now made of crystals so they were more ornamental and decorative)

The numerous beatings was also why she got the scar on her lip

When she was 18 she was assigned to begin ‘mating’ with him but the thought made her throw up (no other wives had bared healthy children)

It was about to happen when she fought him off enough to run out the room in hopes of escaping

Got as far as the kitchen before he caught her and beat her - but not before she grabbed a saucepan and beat him to death (or close enough)

Made efforts to get all the wives out but most were too scared to leave and instead were caught in the crossfire when he awoke

Elody managed to get out of his stronghold (with a few other slaves) only for the house to explode with everyone else inside

Managed to travel as far as she could - to tevinter - in the shadows so she couldn’t be caught again

Was then swooped up by the shadow dragons in Minrathous and joined them

Worked with them for many years (until she was 27) after saving many slaves but also causing A LOT of trouble (the canon shadow dragon backstory)

Hence why she got kicked out and recruited by Varric

Elody can barely remember her life before being a slave as well - doesn’t even remember her families names

Is a very kind and understanding leader to the veilguard - but never shares her past until Bellara insists, as she always listens and helps everyone else

Bellara is the first person to see her without her horns too as she shows her how they come off

Lucanis overhears their conversation from his room (they’re sitting in front of the dining room fireplace) and makes note that her past is FUCKED UP

Part of why they get along so well

Basically i chose all the ‘good’ options of the companions so they all have positive connections to her

Harding is her bestest friend so elody is very happy when she and Taash get together (still cant get over that its canon)

Taash is like her little sibling who she takes care of

Emmrich helps her navigate a lot of her repressed thoughts and feelings - manfred helps too

Has a playful flirt with davrin before realising shes leading him on and doesn’t want to hurt him (they are v good friends after)

Does anything and everything for neve to make up to for not saving minrathous (feels her faith in the shadow dragons was the wrong call)

(This game helped me suss out what happens to willow after she’s trapped in the fade so here we go)

During one of their many outings, they’re fighting antaam in the crossroads when a random person pops out after them and starts attacking anyone and anything

Collapses at the end of the fight from pure exhaustion and the amount of battering shes taken

Elody knows about ‘hawke’ from varric and patches her up at the lighthouse - but the next morning willow has ran off through the eluvian without anyone knowing

(Obvs not knowing varric is dead) she tells him about Hawke which she later learns it was just a way of letting him know his best friend is alive and he can be at peace (ish)

Anyway back to the main gal here: i am NOT writing out everything that happened in the game and choices etc because fuck that. -ill put it in the timeline

But baso she and lucanis are a thing, davrin died while fighting ghil’anain (trust me i am fucking devastated) and everyone else survived the finale

Yavanna got her closure with solas and he willingly kept the veil in tact

Took a while for Elody to be comfortable doing relationship stuff - if you know what i mean - but got there eventually (i mean the rumpy pumpy scene is canon soooooo)

Elody now lives in Treviso with her first talon husbando in the Dellamorte estate - but regularly returns to the lighthouse for shits and giggles

Understandingly - she avoids most of his fancier functions after the first one where she had to leave and panic in her room - so he lets her say hi and bye before finding her later on (people wanna meet the saviour of the world obvs but he’d rather she be comfortable than goggled by everyone like she was before)

I’ve decided she hires neve later on to track down her family as closure (cus they’re all probably dead) but actually finds out her oldest sister is alive but sold her out to the slavers because she was jealous of her

Goes through a whole thing of fighting her estranged sister (who is now a tevinter magister after the rest of the family died - haven’t decided how yet) but her sister is a mage and forced her spirit out of her body and back into the fade so Elody is basically in a coma and lucanis finds the whole team to help, but they get Yavanna involved (because shes a powerful mage herself) only to decide they need a fade expert who travelled through it for many years and came out the other side (willow) and thats how all my girls become friendly and hang out now cus they’ve all saved the world yada yada

They save elody from her fade prison (like the one solas put her in) after finding her spirit - except it’s her as a child and they all witness the awful things she endured and its like major clarity for all of them for why shes the way she is

Somewhere in there lyna comes back and is like ‘yo, some wardens helped discover a cure for the calling so im good but apparently you know them’ (meaning elody) and they become friends and yeh

I think thats everything (for now) so I’ll shut up. Okay byyyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeee

Tag list (ask to be added or removed): @carrionsflower @statichvm @risingsh0t @simonxriley @tommyarashikage @jacobseed @lasersinthejungle @unholymilf @florbelles @thedeadthree @shellibisshe @roofgeese @aezyrraesh @faerune @tekehu @jackiesarch @minaharkers @sergeiravenov @carlosoliveiraa @rosenfey @nokstella @queennymeria @heroofpenamstan @mistrias @viktorgf @d-esmond @solasan @bigbywlf @delzinrowe @fenharel @imogenkol @auricfog

[trentsambuccus]

Donnson (BM13 Au) timeline:

2027: was created by Donnie (Leo named him) (infant)

2030: is able to speak instead of chirp (3)

2032: uncle Raph gives him a heart and star sticker to wear (5)

2032: Cassandra and Raph die (Leo says goodbye to his arm) (5)

2036: got stranded outside with Casey when trying to move bases (First time gone feral) (9)

2036: it took a month but Leo found them (Leo decided to train him and Casey after that) (his mind starts becoming feral) (9)

2038: activated ninpo for the first time to protect papa (11)

2038: tries to find the cure with papa (11)

2039: papa died stupidly (Donnson goes fully feral) (12)

2039: Casey makes the suppressant (12)

2040: started to try to find the cure to the kraang infection (13)

2042: cure exploded onto his face, giving him the scar but the cure is successful at least (15)

2044: uncle Leo and Mikey die (17)

⬇️

2020: time jumped with Casey to stop the invasion (17)

2020: proceeds to slap real-time Donnie in the face (17)

2020: jumps in the prison dimension with Leo stupidly (ended up needing to wear a brace for his shell for a year due to almost breaking his spine trying to protect Leo) (17)

[crazycatgirl420]

Consequences of Time Travel

Dpxdc Danny is immune to Time shenanigans. Unfortunately that means Time and space just shift around him and he needs to play catch up on the current reality.

Part 1: Prologue? Prompt? Idc who continues it I just wanted some family angst and saw a comedy prompt that inspired this.

Danny sighed as the world around him went fuzzy. The first time this happened was when he was fourteen, after meeting Dark Danny and learning the Nasty Burger would explode one day killing everyone inside, Clockwork had reset the timeline to the day of his portal accident.

He'd figured out a lot about the Infinite Realms, about time and space and reality. A gift from Clockwork sat inside his core, long since absorbed and forever a part of his ectoplasm, Danny had an immunity to the effects of time travel.

The first time someone other than Clockwork reset reality with massive timeline changes, Danny had tracked them down and started an incident over it. He kinda missed the Flash family, though the second time they messed with history removed him from central city.

That time he'd found himself in Star city, adopted and learning archery with the Arrow family. At least he wasn't left an Orphan he supposed. He thought being an uncle was exciting, though Roy's taste in lovers leaves a lot to be desired.

Danny was investigating the League of Shadows with Batman and Robin, his understanding of the Lazarus pits and ectoplasm nessecary for whatever they needed to do, when time reset again.

Honestly Danny was so fucking annoyed now. Everytime he finds a family, the world is reset and everything he had is taken away.

He wasn't going to just accept it this time.

[sophinspace]

@briarfairchild MY HERO. Three snippets for three emojis…

🤯

Here’s a bit of Henry (slowly) figuring out what polyamory is:

Henry Allen is still new to this Flash business. When he got out of Iron Heights, all he needed was to see open sky above his head, to prove to himself that he’d never see a dank prison ceiling up there again. Barry was far too kind about it. Just a few months later, Henry couldn’t take missing yet more time with his kid, when they’d had so little of it. He came home to Central City.

Only to find Team Flash thick as thieves - pun intended - with Henry’s old cellmate.

It has long been obvious that Iris West is in some kind of relationship with Snart. It was a surprise, at first - Henry had thought Iris was smarter than that - but he also saw the way the guy looked at her. And then he heard the stories: how Cold had rescued her from the Reverse Flash; how they’d both got in the way of a Team Flash plan that sounded like a bad idea.

And then Snart went… straight was probably the wrong word, for several reasons. He started doing right by Iris.

And, coincidentally, by Barry.

Who, over in the corner, probably isn’t even aware that he’s holding Iris’s hand.

[Henry is fine with it ten minutes later. If still a little bit confused]

🧪

Cisco and Barry try to figure out timelines, and Gideon thinks she’s funny:

Cisco is gripping tight to Gideon’s control panel. “We’re having a time travel problem. That’s your area of expertise, isn’t it?”

“I am familiar with multiple methods of time travel. Time spheres, the temporal zone, time sto—”

“Thanks, Gideon,” Barry cuts in. His hands are stimming impatiently at his sides. “You can see when the timeline has changed, right?”

Henry can’t believe any AI could be capable of sarcastic timing, but Gideon’s little pause almost makes him rethink that opinion. “This is a time vault, Barry Allen. The technology was accurately named.”

🔪

Dying in another timeline (as seen in a Vibe) is hell:

“Len…” Barry tries to step forward. To do anything.

Another Leonard Snart has his hands in the round, open mouth of a machine. Blue-green energy courses around them - the only thing moving in this stalled timescape.

It takes Barry no time to realise where he’s seen that swirling blue-green before.

Locked in the moment between seconds, Len will burn at the heart of this explosion, for an eternity.

(Barry doesn’t know how he knows that.)

The scene doesn’t change. But Len’s voice reverberates around them in an endless echo.

There are no strings on me.

“Where the hell did you all go?” comes Harry’s voice. Before the Cortex explodes back into reality around them.

After the extra-temporal sensory barrage he’s just been subjected to, the last thing Barry needed was to come home to a panicking team. Joe has his hand on his gun. “How many of you went on that little trip?”

Iris is gripping Barry’s wrist with a clammy hand. She looks like she’s about to throw up. That answers half of that question.

There’s even less reason to ask Len, who is striding towards Harry’s marker-drawn approximation of a timeline, and the star-shaped explosion above it.

Where Harry has written AGENT, Len scrubs the word out with the side of a clenched fist.

In its place, he writes OCULUS.

Send me an emoji and I’ll share a ramble or snippet from my WIP

[leejenowrld]

given jenos star athlete status and how public his relationship is, what would be one the biggest scandals or rumors that have circulated the media after the wedding and after having kids? did jeno and y/n ever have a fight over any of it despite trying their best to have a private family life?

also i’m still so curious about yangyang since he was part of the og crew from the early bty chapters. where is he doing now and what does he think of y/n being a wife and mom?

𓆩 the scandal: blurred footage, sharpened knives 𓆪 it started small. a blurry video. a hotel exit. a stranger with too much lipstick and the wrong timeline. she told paparazzi she had just spent the night with jeno lee. said he was “restless,” “untouchable,” said something about the scar on his shoulder and the way he bit his lip when he came. all lies, not even poetic ones, just cheap. you were both home that week. serin was teething, junie had a fever, and jeno had barely left the bed except to refill humidifiers and kiss your spine through the haze of midnight exhaustion. but the internet didn’t wait for truth. sports media exploded. one outlet even labeled it jeno lee’s fall from grace, dragging up every reckless headline from his rookie days like it was prophecy. you, soft, loyal, protective, were suddenly a cautionary tale. a “tragic wife.” the woman who “should’ve known better.” it was vicious. personal. they dissected your body language in past interviews. zoomed in on old videos of you holding serin too tightly. the worst was the photo. you, holding your daughter in one arm, bags under your eyes, hair pulled back. junie behind you, one small hand tucked into your hoodie. jeno at the door, tension in his jaw. the world decided that image meant misery. it was an invasion of privacy considering all the NDA’s and legal protections, they were sued later for that. but they didn’t know what it really meant — that inside those walls, you were still in love, still fighting for it. that jeno had been up all night rocking serin so you could sleep. that junie had crawled into your lap whispering, “we’re safe, right, mummy?” and you’d promised yes. always.

𓆩 the fallout: silence louder than shouting 𓆪 you didn’t scream. there was no plate-throwing, no storming out. the fight was quiet. slow. bruised with everything you didn’t know how to say.

you sat across from jeno on the edge of your shared bed, your voice shaking as you said, “i’m tired of having to prove we’re real.”

jeno looked wrecked. raw. he ran a hand through his hair and said, “i should’ve shut it down faster.”

and he did. that night, he went live with no team-approved script. no filter. just him. holding serin to his chest, your hand resting over her back, wedding band catching the light. he said: “i don’t owe anyone anything except the people in this photo.” then came the lawsuits. the retractions. the apology from the network that ran the story first. but none of that mattered as much as what happened behind closed doors — when jeno kissed you like a prayer and whispered, “i’m never letting them take this from us.”

𓆩 the legacy: soft resistance, private love 𓆪 after that, you lived even quieter. tighter. not in fear, in reverence. for your children. for the love you built. you moved with intention. dated nights were phones-off, walled behind bodyguards. baby serin wore headphones in public. junie learned early how to spot flashing cameras and run into jeno’s arms. and somehow, in all that pressure, you still bloomed. jeno would say, my wife glows through every storm. and you did. you stopped trying to convince anyone. stopped giving access. the world only ever saw the edited version — a stolen smile here, a soft photo there. the rest was yours.

𓆩 the ghost: yangyang and the girl who grew up 𓆪 yangyang watches you now like you’re a myth. the girl who once stole his hoodie in a moment of weakness now kisses her daughter’s cheeks and reads bedtime stories in three different voices. the one who once told him, i don’t know what kind of love i deserve, now wears a ring that never leaves her finger. he’s in europe now — working on sustainable performance cars, the kind that could run on air and heartbreak. it’s awkward between you both, you only talk when you see each other. but he’s a good man and he has moved on. sends gifts. baby shoes. soft fabric dolls. a music box that plays “moon river.” once, he sent a note with no signature, only: you’re still the brightest thing i ever watched walk away. and still, he’s proud. of jeno, too. they weren’t always friends. but he watches how jeno looks at you, how he speaks to his children, how he chooses you over and over again, and yangyang thinks, good. she got the ending she needed.