#(but yeah some things were. a bit more dub based and I could improve on that orz)

[seriouslyhooked]

The Best Bad Idea

Three-part CS AU where Emma and Killian are doctors working at the same hospital (world without pandemic). They’ve yet to meet, but Emma has definitely seen the sexy Dr. Jones in her travels at Mist Haven Medical. It’s generally a bad idea to get involved with a colleague, but a little fantasizing never hurt… right? Inspired by the song ‘Bad Idea’ by Ariana Grande and a TV couple who set the bar for true love stories. 

Available on FF Here and AO3 Here. 

A/N: Hey all! Here is a little something I made instead of being a responsible writer and finishing my other projects. I’ll be back to my other WIPs soon (God willing), but in the meantime here’s my 1000th attempt at writing a Captain Swan meet cute. I needed to get some words on the page, and this is the result. Hope you all enjoy, and thanks for reading!

Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, Thump. Steady, sure, and even. A solid pulsing sound with no inconsistencies and no delays or false starts.

In this particular patient, that fourth set of beats was the most important. Prior to his recent operation, Earl MacDonald’s heart had been weak and skipping needed pulses, then constricting far too harshly on every fourth measure. That type of arrhythmia had potentially disastrous consequences, but those worrying beats were seemingly behind them. The rhythm Emma heard through the stethoscope was a regularly circulating drumline, the tell-tale song of a heart that was working, and working well. Her surgical intervention had been successful.

She gently released the breath she was holding, a sign of the stress that she carried while waiting for patients to recuperate. Emma never let the patients see her sweat, but she had been worried on multiple levels in this case. Earl was going on 80, and not a logical contender for intensive cardiac mediation, but Emma’s gut had told her he could handle it, and she was rarely ever wrong. Earl forged through the surgery like a much younger man, and his outputs post-operation had all been extremely encouraging. It was shaping up to be another win, another life saved thanks to the power of medicine, and that filled Emma with real joy. She always did her absolute best to create good outcomes, and this time there was so much more on the line than one life. This was a man who was loved and cherished by the people closest to him, and who would be sorely missed if something were to happen.

“Anything you want me to note for the chart, Doctor Swan?” 

Emma bit back a witty retort at the pointed use of the word ‘Doctor.’ She was one of the few surgeons in this hospital who didn’t care what people called her, as long as they called on her early enough to actually save the patient’s life. But with Belle, a person Emma considered a dear and true friend, there was an added lilt of sass when using her title. Her friend was one of the nurse practitioners that Emma had been working with for years, since the day she landed here as a medical intern, but despite their differences in degrees, Belle was easily the most well-read and brilliant resource when it came to medical literature in this hospital.

“Just that Mr. MacDonald is healing nicely.”

“Did you hear that Lorraine?” Earl asked, with a Cheshire cat smile on his face, and the glint of true pride in his eyes. “Doctor Emma says I’m healing nicely.”

“Hard not to hear, seeing as I’m right beside you,” Loraine quipped, but she squeezed his hand affectionately, and offered a warm smile to her husband all the same.

“You know, usually being dubbed ‘nice’ is the kiss of death for a man.”

“Earl!” Loraine chastised, clearly not liking his word choice. Earl smiled wider, looking almost boyish in his delight.

“Well, so to speak. But I was going to say that I think we can make an exception this time. I’ve never been so happy to be referred to as ‘nice’ in my life.”

“Technically Doctor Swan was referring to your vital signs, Earl,” Belle taunted from across the room, holding back a smile Emma knew she was bound to let loose soon enough.

“Aw come on, you both know I am your favorite patient. I mean I’m not exactly pressed for competition. Have you seen the people on this floor? Good grief.”

“Ignore him, ladies. He’s all talk. He hasn’t left this room since we got here,” Loraine said, rolling her eyes, as if these antics were a constant occurrence. Based on her small window of experience with Earl, Emma would believe it. “Every meal, every visit, every moment has been within these four walls. Even his PT has been in here.”

“His PT has been here?” Emma asked, surprised that Mary Margaret, their head Occupational Therapist, had allowed for that. She was normally a by-the-book professional, and Emma never knew her friend to provide rehab consults outside of her studio.

“Yup. I told Miss Mary Margaret that I had a wife to keep an eye on and she relented.”

“No, actually what you said was, ‘Excuse me, Ms. Blanchard? You probably heard I just had heart surgery. Well, the thing is, my heart is sitting in this room. I’d like to be with her. Doesn’t seem right to be separated so soon, given what we’ve been through.’ Then you pointed at me, and used your puppy dog eyes on her. Next thing I knew, she had lugged enough equipment to fill the room here. No questions, just action.”

“I bet she ate that right up,” Belle said with a wink. “Mary Margaret loves nothing more than love itself.”

Belle and Mrs. MacDonald discussed Mary Margaret’s love of love, and Earl’s improved mobility, for a few more minutes while Emma continued checking his stats, but ultimately Earl’s patience was wearing thin. He really only had one thing on his mind, and he was now determined to ask about it. Emma was honestly shocked that he managed to wait this long. She knew it was only a matter of time and she was ready for the showdown.

“So, what do you think, Doc? Am I making it home in time for the party?”

“The one for your grandson on Sunday?” she asked, noting the three-day window between now and then. She had heard about this party non-stop, since the moment Earl woke up from the procedure. It was a central fixation for the old man, a celebration that would host his entire family, and a goal he had been carrying for over a week. Earl nodded and Emma hesitated for a few seconds, before smiling and giving the good news away. “Yes, I am confident that Jayden’s ‘Pop Pops’ will be in attendance when he turns four. But you know the rules…”

“I know, I know: no good food, no strenuous exercise, no having fun.”

“Earl.” Just the utterance of the old man’s name from his wife was enough to have him looking like a kid with his hand caught in the candy jar. Emma and Belle both chuckled at that child-like expression. It was hard not to; the old married couple was just too sweet.

“I’m sorry. I know this is serious, but what is life if you can’t have a little fun?”

“Fun comes in all shapes and sizes, Mr. MacDonald, and despite what you may think about your prescribed lifestyle changes, you’re forgetting two things. First, most of these less-alluring prescriptions will be temporary, and second, you’re a man who clearly loves a challenge.”

“Oh yeah? And how do you know that, Doc?” 

“Well for one thing, you somehow landed a lady as remarkable as Loraine. There’s no way she came easy with these corny jokes of yours. You must have worked harder than you ever worked in your life to persuade her to give you a chance.”

The laughter from the older couple was boisterous and heartwarming, and Emma knew she was right on the money. At this point, she had the ability to sniff out true affection, and these two had it in spades. Many couples she saw facing emergency room disasters together didn’t have the same good luck.

“You got that right, Doc. You know the first time we met was at the -,”

Earl’s story was unceremoniously interrupted by the crackling of the PA system specific to this room. It buzzed for a few moments before a message was delivered in a saccharine sweet voice that sounded nothing like the announcer’s normal tone.

“Paging Doctor Swan to the Nurse’s station. Doctor Swan to the Nurse’s station, code 741.”

Emma waited for the feed to cut off and began to tell Earl to please go on with the story, but the call came out again.

“Paging Doctor Swan to the Nurse’s station. Doctor Swan, code 741.”

“You know she’s just going to keep doing that until she gets her way,” Belle murmured. Emma nodded. It was no use. What Ruby Lucas wanted, Ruby Lucas got. That just seemed to be the way of the world.

“Belle, would you mind telling Ruby I’m with a patient at the moment? I will be there when I can. She can always proceed without me.”

Belle snorted out a laugh, knowing that last part would never happen, but gave a swift affirmation that she would relay the message before waving goodbye to the MacDonald’s and promising to see them soon. As her friend headed out, Emma sighed, knowing there was no way Ruby was going to give things up that easily. She had a matter of moments before some new tactic would be deployed.

“I’m sorry about that. You were saying?”

“Eh it’s kind of a long story, and you’ve got places to be, Doc. Just know, true love won out in the end with me and my Loraine. It always does.”

Emma couldn’t deny that their love appeared true even after their fifty plus years together. She personally had never experienced a love like that, but she was wondering more and more if maybe it was out there, somewhere in the later chapters of her story. For years she thought herself above that kind of need. She found validation in herself and in her work. She dedicated herself to helping others, and that had always been enough. But the loneliness that became a constant when she was growing up in foster care still lingered, and she wondered if someone might ever come along who could inspire her to take a chance and risk her heart.

“You know, I actually worked as a nurse before my kids were born,” Loraine commented easily. Emma nodded and smiled as she checked the last of Mr. MacDonald’s IV drips. Emma was aware of the older woman’s solid medical understanding. Loraine had continued to demonstrate it the entire time her husband was admitted in this ward. “I’m trying to remember if I ever ran into a code 741.”

“Oh, uh, I think – well, erm, I mean you probably didn’t,” Emma said, hoping she didn’t turn beet red at the passing comment from the older woman. She was already stuttering, which was completely out of character and eighty shades of embarrassing. Loraine’s words feigned ignorance, but her eyes told a different story. Still Emma tried to play it off. “It’s really not a big deal. Just a non-emergent protocol.”

Another alert sounded, but this time it came through the ceiling unit reserved for announcements to the wider reaches of the hospital. “Attention to all surgical ward personnel. We are paging Doctor Swan to the nurse’s station. Doctor Swan, you are needed at the nurse’s station immediately for a code 741.” The talking stopped, but the air crackled signaling that the line was still live. “Immediately.”

“Sounds pretty urgent to me,” Loraine replied. The curiosity in her gaze told Emma that the older woman was onto them, but it was Earl’s comment that cut too close for comfort.

“When I was in the war, all of our numeric codes corresponded to letters. So 7 was H, 4 was D, 1 was A. H – D – A. HDA, now what could that be….?” Uh oh. Now Emma really had to get out of here before she accidentally admitted Ruby’s code’s meaning – Hot Doctor Alert. That would be the cherry on top of a full-blown mortification sundae.

“All righty, well like I told Belle, all your scans look good. Doctor Whale is on shift this evening during the next series of rounds, so I’ll make sure your file is ready for him.”

“Of course, dear, and good luck with your doctor, er – I mean – code.”

Emma stammered out something like an ‘okay thanks,’ while leaving. She tried to get her bearings once she was out of sight of the room, but she had nowhere to go. Everyone on this floor had just heard her page, and there were bound to be at least a few who understood the meaning. She was so embarrassed, and more than a little ticked at Ruby. She was supposed to be her best friend, but she was always pulling these crazy stunts. They were mostly harmless, but for Emma, who hated being the subject of hospital gossip, it was anxiety inducing to say the least.

“Please tell me that you did not just broadcast that to the entire hospital,” Emma said, arriving at the nurse’s station with a sense of urgency, and watching some of the other nurses scurry off to avoid the confrontation. Ruby, however, was unfazed. Actually, the nurse manager just rolled her eyes, grabbing her bag and phone from her cubby, as if Emma was the one who was annoying and not the other way around.

“And here I was thinking we were the best of friends. Soul sisters, kindred spirits, friends for life. But no, ye of little faith, you actually believe I would broadcast the hot doc alert to all of Mist Haven? What kind of friend would do that?”

“But if you didn’t… then how did you…?” Emma’s questions trailed off, but her arms flailed towards the ceiling and the look on her face spoke for itself – how had Ruby used the hospital wide PA system without actually broadcasting to the entire hospital?

“You know Tink up in nuero?” Emma nodded, well acquainted with the nurse manager who had Ruby’s job on the fifth floor but with a specialization of the brain and nervous system. She was a tiny woman, but she ruled that ward with more than capable hands. “She and I bribed the IT guys to make the nurse managers an override. Now we can circumvent the PA software whenever we want. Bring some of you more stubborn Doctors to heal when it comes to answering our pages.”

“That’s… well, actually that’s genius,” Emma admitted.

“I like to think so,” Ruby teased, offering a genuine smile. The two friends laughed at all of this, and Emma felt so much better knowing that their secret was still relatively secure. The last thing she wanted was everyone knowing how she was spending her lunch breaks these days.  

“Gus, you’re holding down the fort while I’m gone, right?” Ruby asked, her smile turning slightly wicked with the purposeful jest aimed at the new nursing aid sitting behind the desk.

“Me?” The new hire replied, suddenly white as a sheet. Emma had never seen the man so stricken, and as a new nurse he had plenty of high-stress moments to look alarmed during. “I – uh – well – I -,”

“It’s called comedic relief, Gus. Commonly referred to as joking. Do me a favor, learn about it by the end of shift, kay?” Ruby pivoted to the person she actually trusted to man the fort. “Thirty minutes work for you, Belle?”

“I’ve got it handled.”

“Excellent. We’ll return with a full report,” Ruby said, grabbing Emma’s arm and moving them down the hallway before Emma could even say goodbye. “Newbies – can’t live with them, can’t pawn off scut work without them.”

“You are terrible. And yet… the look on his face just now…? Priceless,” Emma acquiesced. “But seriously, Ruby, can we PLEASE find another way to page me for this? My patients are not stupid, and the code isn’t exactly original. It’s kind of…” Ruby’s grin was so big that it stopped Emma in her tracks. She was currently trying to hold her friend to account, but Ruby looked like she’d won the lottery. “What?”

“You are so totally into him! I mean listen to you right now.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Emma said, feeling her cheeks flush against her will. 

“Exactly,” Ruby said. “You’re telling me to be more discreet when I send the bat signal, but you still want me to send it. Do you realize how unlike you that is?”

“Despite what you may think, Ruby. I’m a doctor, I’m not dead. I can appreciate a hot guy now and again.”

“Doubtful. Remember last month when all those pro hockey players were here after Ocheski collapsed on the ice? You had a room full of crazy sexy men. Like virile, hot, muscled men who get paid big money to beat each other up on the ice. Most women would die for that chance, and to make it even better, most of them were hitting on you. And what did you do? Nothing. You didn’t even blink.”

“They were not hitting on me,” Emma affirmed, but the words were hollow. They had been trying to flirt with her. A few had even attempted to get her number.

“They were hitting on you,” Ruby said adamantly.  

“He was a patient, and the rest of them were essentially his family. You know I’d never cross that line. Doesn’t count.”

“Fine, then what about Dr. King? When he came for that conjoined twins case last year, you had no interest. Zero. Zilch.”

“King was an asshole, you know that,” Emma said, belatedly catching her use of profanity and checking that no patients were around. Luckily the coast was clear.

“So? You didn’t have to marry the guy. Hot is hot, honey. That’s just how things are.” 

Emma barked out a laugh at even the thought of marrying someone like that. Arthur King was just about the worst person she could fathom to spend a life with. He was narcissistic and carrying around one of the biggest god-complexes she’d ever seen, and she was a surgeon, so she was an expert on god-complexes. 

“Your face really says it all, Emma. I mean honestly, poker would be a terrible game for you to take up. Your contempt for King is obvious, but, meanwhile, as soon as I mention Doctor Jones… aha! See, totally shifted.”

Emma didn’t know what to say to that. She could try and protest, but her friend knew her too well for that. The best thing to do was say nothing, and she was saved by their arrival at their destination. The coffee cart in the center of the action, near the entrance of Mist Haven. Here was where the wards crossed paths. Her surgical wing met up with the specialties departments, the ER, the community clinic, and more. It was also swarmed with both hospital workers and visitors. Typically, this was the last place she wanted to be, but recently it had become a highlight of her day.

“Emma? Ruby? What’s brought you out here?” a voice asked. It was Mary Margaret, and given her street clothes and jacket, Emma would guess she was just starting her shift.

“Haven’t you heard? There’s fresh meat from the ER. Two showings a day, but we favor the afternoon delight.”

“Oh right,” Mary Margaret said, nodding, like Ruby’s words were totally normal, and for Ruby they were. “I heard about the new ER Chief. Doctor Nolan? I meant to get down there and bring him something to welcome him, but I’ve been so swamped this week. My caseload is crazy at the moment. I hope he won’t think too badly of me for being a bit late.”

“Mary Margaret, literally no one in a hospital brings people cupcakes as a welcome gift, especially not new guys in other departments.” Ruby was not wrong. Hospitals were hardly the most happy-go-lucky of places. At least not usually. “Believe me, the man will be grateful whenever they come. If he even eats them. He’s fit – like fit, fit. Keto diet and a personal trainer fit. The kind of fit that makes you -,”

“Careful, Ruby,” Emma teased. “What if Graham heard you saying that?”

“God, I wish. You know how worked up he gets, and how he works out his frustrations.” Ruby’s tone was dripping in suggestion. “It’s one of the many reasons I live to drive him crazy.”

Emma and Mary Margaret laughed at Ruby’s apt assessment of her relationship with her boyfriend. Ruby had been dating the fireman for almost a year now, since he came in on one of the ambulance bays with a victim he’d rescued from a fire, but Ruby was hardly the predictable type, and Graham seemed to love that about her. They were still going strong despite her willful, wild child nature, and Emma suspected they may be built to last.

“Doctor Nolan must really be something to get you out here, Emma,” Mary Margaret said, moving forward in the line, inching ever closer to the mediocre coffee the cart promised.  

“Ha! Hardly. Emma’s not here for Nolan. She’s here for Jones.”

“Jones?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Girl, where have you been? Doctor Killian Jones, trauma surgeon extraordinaire. Chief Mills brought him here for a ‘collaboration’ with the ER, but she’s totally trying to recruit him for head of his own department. Turns out he and David Nolan are old friends. Same medical school maybe? I don’t know, no one’s gotten me those details yet. Anyway, Regina hardly leaves him alone. She only misses this little window because she’s hooking up with Doctor Locksley in the supply room on the 2nd floor.”

“She’s WHAT?!” Emma and Mary Margaret yelled at the same time and Ruby looked aghast for the first time today. Some other hospital staff in the area glanced over, but no one paid much mind beyond a head nod. Everyone was absorbed in their own need for caffeine, and no one was the wiser of the bombshell Ruby had just dropped.

“Oh shoot, I wasn’t supposed to say that. I promised Ella, damn it!”

“Ella, her assistant? I thought she quit,” Mary Margaret stage whispered.

“Oh she did. Made it a whole two months, which, you know, makes sense given the fact that Regina is a nightmare. But the last week she was here, she learned a crucial secret regarding her Majesty. She spilled last week at The White Rabbit, but I promised her I wouldn’t tell until she’s settled at her new job at GMH. So you did not hear this from me, and I did not hear this from her, capische?”

“I can’t believe the Evil Queen is dating someone,” Mary Margaret said, deeply disturbed by the idea. She shuddered at the thought, and this was someone who loved love. But love and Regina Mills didn’t really feel like concepts that belonged in the same sentence. Scratch that, they didn’t really even belong in the same book. “She’s just so…”

“Evil?” Emma responded. The nickname worked for a reason, after all. The hospital Chief was downright tyrannical.

“Exactly.”

“Well dating is a stretch. She’s screwing someone. But then again, who knows. Ella said she actually saw her smiling in those final days. And not that evil one she’s famous for. Like a real, genuine, I have a heart, smile.”

“No way,” Emma said at the same time Mary Margaret murmured, “Well would you look at that.”

“Don’t worry. I’m on the case. The temp is a totally easy mark – Sydney something. I’m buying him lunch tomorrow. I’ll have the whole story before you know it.”

“Won’t Graham be proud,” Emma chuckled, but her joke fell on deaf ears as something caught Ruby’s attention across the way. Her friend’s countenance changed immediately, putting Emma on alert.

“Ooh, they’re coming! Act normal.”

Normally, Emma would have laughed at that command, but she was too busy feeling the spike of adrenaline at the impending arrival of one Doctor Killian Jones. He really was a world-renowned trauma surgeon, who was working on a number of cutting-edge techniques that saved lives and gave critical care patients better chances to recover. She had actually heard of him a few years ago when reading about a new procedure to treat arrhythmia in patients with traumatic injury. He engineered it in the field, while serving in the British naval forces, and his paper had been circulating in cardiac wings around the country, but she never saw the man before last week when he arrived in Boston.  Suffice it to say she could not have imagined that this marvel of modern medicine would also be so roguishly handsome.

Spotting him today across the great hall, Emma was struck again by just how attractive this man was. She couldn’t even comprehend it really. All she knew was that she had yet to find a fault in him. Every day she’d stolen secret glances, and every time he proved better than her memory. It was crazy, and very reminiscent of schoolgirl crushes and teenage day dreams, but she couldn’t help the way she felt. It was intoxicating, and despite her best efforts, she was powerless to turn Ruby’s invites to the show down when she could witness this each and every day.

The first thing that she’d noticed about him was his general presence. His posture was strong and straight and assured. He looked ready for anything, but somehow laid back, like he was totally in control. People naturally parted when he walked by, as if he silently willed the flow of the hospital traffic. Ruby called it swagger. Emma called it… well something not quite safe for work. Couple that general aura of authority with the classically gorgeous features of his face, and Emma was lost. On that first day (and okay, maybe on the others as well), she actually felt her knees get weak. She always thought that was a bogus cliché, but nope, it was real, and she was the proof of it. From there she was hooked, and over time she’d chronicled more and more things to like about him.

Yesterday it had been his hair. As she watched him across the atrium, she noticed that the shade shone bright in the sun, but that it was nearer to midnight than any color brown. It was slightly longer than most of the other male doctors wore theirs, but not so long that it looked unkempt or unprofessional, at least not yet. She knew for a fact that the military never would allow for such a style, and it felt like a bit of rebellion, or maybe a lack of care for what others thought. Both sent a delicious thrill through Emma, even though she had no real confirmation one way or another. Maybe he was just lazy, but that wasn’t how she imagined him…

And oh boy did she imagine him. At first she hadn’t meant to. She just had these flashbacks to seeing him that she carried through the day. These visceral visions always started the same: he would walk by, looking downright delicious and impossible to resist, then he would turn his eyes her way here in the middle of the hospital hustle and bustle. She’d feel caught in his stare, sense the hunger even from the distance, and her heart would quicken to a maddening crescendo as he walked her way. The rest of the world would fade from view, and it would feel like they were the only two people alive. Her gaze would stay transfixed on his almost cocky composure and the hard line of his bearded jaw. The attraction in his blue eyes would light a fire in her, and then, without so much as a word like ‘hello’ or ‘nice to meet you,’ he’d pull her into his embrace and kiss her senseless. She could practically taste him on her tongue, and yet she’d never even heard him speak. People who had, who were later interrogated by Ruby, mentioned that he had an accent. British or Irish, or something along those lines. That tidbit had played oh so sweetly in Emma’s mind this week. God, she’d love to hear him say her name -,

“Emma,” a voice beside her said, but it didn’t pull her out of the fog. “Oh my God, Emma, he’s looking right at you.”

“He’s what?” Emma said, blinking back to reality before finding that Doctor Jones was looking this way. She’d been so busy fantasizing, she stopped paying attention to what was right in front of her.

In the middle of the room, the man who had intrigued her for over a week was standing totally still, disregarding the swarm of people on all sides. His entire attention had shifted from the task ahead of him, and he was looking at her, staring with a blend of intrigue and something Emma couldn’t describe. Doctor Nolan had stopped as well, but he was clearly confused as to the delay. He seemed to ask his friend what was wrong, and Emma watched spell bound, as the lips she’d envisioned kissing her moved in some kind of unheard reply. She couldn’t make out his words, but she shivered at the passion and determination etched across his being. David then looked their way, and Emma knew that Doctor Jones – Killian - had asked about them. No, forget that, he had asked about her. He was looking right at her, and that spark of heat and desire she’d always imagined was nowhere near as tantalizing as the real thing. He was looking at her with the same hunger she’d reserved for her wildest imaginings. Holy crap, what was she going to do?

“Ruby?” she asked, her voice squeaked out in alarm. She tore her gaze from the approaching object of her desire and looked to her best friend with overt confusion and mild panic.

“Took him long enough to spot you. It’s been almost a week. I thought I was going to have to hire a marching band or one of those giant arrow guys they have at outlet malls.”

Emma didn’t understand, and then it dawned on her – her friend had planned this. Emma looked at Mary Margaret, but she was still staring in the distance. Only when Emma followed her gaze did she realize that Mary Margaret wasn’t looking at Killian. She was looking at David.

“Hey, ladies, you looking to order, or what? I ain’t got all day!”

The three of them jumped at the barista’s interruption and Mary Margaret surged ahead to the line. She rattled off an order, giving way too much money to the attendant while grabbing her cup with shaky hands. Then she looked at David and back to Emma with an expression that said Mary Margaret may just bolt. Ok, what the actual hell was going on?

Before she could begin to answer that internal question, Doctor Jones and Doctor Nolan were within ear shot. Emma wracked her brain for something to say when they finally got here, but was spared when David broke the ice.

“Doctor Swan,” he said with a head nod and a polite smile. They knew each other peripherally at this point. Emma had consulted on numerous ER cases since Doctor Nolan started his new position. But she wouldn’t call them friends. They were very much acquaintances. “I heard Earl MacDonald is recovering nicely. He most definitely has you to thank for that.”

“And you too,” she said, offering credit where it was due. “A quick diagnosis makes all the difference. I’ve noticed the ER is filled with them since you started.”

“That’s kind of you. I don’t believe you’ve met my friend, Doctor Jones.”

“Killian,” Doctor Jones said immediately, before offering a heart stopping smile of his own. Emma had yet to see the man smile, and her heart skipped a beat, the rhythm of her pulse skittering in an almost blissful way. “A pleasure to meet you, Swan.”

He offered his hand to her, and Emma took it, shaking in greeting even though it was uncommon for doctors or nursing staff to do so. Chief Mills stressed that germ management was a top priority at Mist Haven, and she’d come as close to banning the practice as was legal in the state of Massachusetts. Usually Emma didn’t mind, but germs were the farthest thing from her radar when their fingers touched. Instead, Emma was filled with the zapping sense of promise and a thrill of warmth that made her head swim.

“Emma,” she whispered. A beat passed between them, and Emma lost herself for too long. Only the clearing of a throat beside them brought her back to the moment. She let go of his hand, but tracked the slight disappointment on his face when she did. It filled her with a rush of something long forgotten. A sense of peace and elation she hadn’t tasted in years. “Um these are my friends, Ruby Lucas and Mary Margaret Blanchard. Ruby’s the head nurse in the cardiac unit. And Mary Margaret runs OT for the surgical division.”

Emma tore her gaze from Killian, watching her friends make their greetings. Ruby handled her own completely, and Mary Margaret seemed to have gathered her courage, but now it was David who looked shocked and spell bound. Everyone appeared to be thrown off kilter, and it was only Ruby in control of herself. To say her friend was positively delighted with these new developments would be an understatement. That glee rang out clear as day in her invite to both the attending doctors.

“So… Doctor Nolan, Doctor Jones, any way we could convince you to join us? The coffee’s just all right, but the company’s not half bad.”

Both men agreed immediately, and Emma fought her hardest not to blush. It was hard though, and her pulse was racing in the face of this development. Killian came to stand by her, the space between them so small but still too much to bear. She tried to get her bearings as the cranky barista handed her a latte. She struggled to think of something – anything – to say, but she was tongue tied. Instead, she looked at Killian, finding an openness in his expression that said he felt the same exact way. That gave her comfort and removed some of the tension from the moment.

“The hospital’s been buzzing since you got here,” Emma offered, waiting with him while he ordered a no nonsense coffee of his own. “A lot of people are hoping you’ll stay on past the month.”

“And you, love? Have you such hopes?” his words were earnest but laced with an almost cocky easiness that sent Emma’s mind humming in delight. Still, she played it cool. At least she hoped she did.

“Jury’s still out,” she replied, smiling when he looked a little crestfallen. “Well can you blame me? I hardly even know you. Still haven’t seen what you’re capable of.”

“Only a matter of time, Swan. You can trust in that.”

His words may seem benign, but they were loaded with hidden meaning, and Emma knew he meant each one. She swallowed harshly, thinking of the things he might be capable of. Damn, was it hot in here? Or was it just the devil on her shoulder spinning another one of those dirty dreams of hers?

When they’d all gotten a coffee, the five of them moved off to the patio just outside, reserved for hospital staff. The grounds were manicured beautifully, maintaining an oasis that seemed totally disconnected from the hectic nature of the hospital. This was one of Emma’s favorite places here, and she was surprised to hear that neither David nor Killian had been here yet. They all spent a few minutes making non-threatening small talk, with mostly Ruby moving the conversations along. But despite the fluttering feeling she was grappling with, Emma couldn’t say she hated this building anticipation. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much. She was seated next to Killian, fully aware that all of his attention was devoted to her, and she reveled in it. At one point, while the others were talking about something with the OT department, Killian whispered to her and her alone.

“This might be presumptuous of me, love, but I find I’m helpless to resist. I was wondering – that is, I was hoping that perhaps, you and I, we could…” His eyes looked from hers down to her lips, and Emma wet them absentmindedly. She heard a low growl, and realized it was coming from him. She shifted in her seat, turned on in a way she had never been before. Instinctively she moved closer, sensing the sinfully sweet current between them, like lightning just before it cracked across the summer sky.

“We could…” she continued, hoping he would elaborate and put into words what she herself was wishing for.

“That we could -,”

“Paging all staff to the ER. All staff to the ER for an incoming trauma, category 4.”

This time the PA was most definitely broadcasting a hospital wide announcement, and the irony wasn’t lost on Emma. Ruby looked positively forlorn at the interruption, but it was somewhat poetic after how they’d gotten here.

“Category four,” David repeated, standing immediately, prompting all of them to do the same. “We haven’t had a four since I started. We’re gonna need all hands on deck. Killian?”

“Aye, mate. I’m with you.” He looked back to Emma, and only had time for the swiftest goodbye. “Until next time, love.”

Emma and her friends watched them go, running towards the ER. Belatedly, they realized that if a trauma of that magnitude was coming into the hospital, there were bound to be surgical cases flooding their ward soon enough. They hustled back to their wing, focused once more on their jobs and the lives on the line that they were sworn to help heal and make better. But Emma still carried that moment with her for the rest of the day, and when the shift was over and done, and she’d done all she could to help the people in her care, she was left wondering what exactly Doctor Jones was hoping to ask, and when, oh when, he may try to do so again.

Post-Note: So there we have it. This was originally going to be a oneshot for my CS mixtape series, but alas, the muse wants what she wants, and this time that’s a three part mini-story for all of us to share. Hope that you guys have enjoyed so far and I would love to hear what you think! As always, thanks so much for reading, and I hope you are all staying well in this crazy time! xE

[randomnameless]

what annoys you the most with 3H? The fandom or the missed opportunities from the game?

Oh.

The fandom takes the first place, because while it was funny to craugh seeing those bad takes, 2 years after the release of the game those takes are still endorsed and built upon and it’s just impossible to discuss about FE16 without being sure that the person you’re talking to is talking about the game, or the redshit takes.

Still, I firmly believe fandom wouldn’t be that cesspool of incessant drama if the localised version (especially NoA?) didn’t take wild directions with the game. It’s incomprehensible how a game in its OG version can be saying green but the localised version everyone talks about “corrected” it to “blue”. 

Scripts are more or less the same, but the directions given to the VAs?

rant under the cut about directions, voice acting and people arbitrarly pushing an agenda despite the media they’re supposed to translate/bring to non-jp crowds.

I pointed it in an earlier post (or earlier posts?) but as a french person I grew up with the 4Kids dub, which was infamous for, uh, “translating” things for western audiences, even at the cost of coherency and let’s not even talk about the source material this thing doesn’t exist. Remember the Shadow Realm from YGO? .

I watched a short anime a few years ago about the anime industry (Shirobako?) and I remember a character trying to become hired as a voice actor/seiyuu - she had to learn and to feel the character - she has to know the character as much as the author who created them. 

A few years ago, I didn’t feel as if the dubbing cast worked on their characters as much as the OG!voice actors. For a recet exemples I was rewatching a certain anime with the fr dub - basically a former underling fights against his superior who became a traitor, and even if his superior doesn’t regret turning into a traitor and ultimately became a giant fly, the underling always respected his superior and treated him with proper forms of adress. In the “early 2010 dub” I watched yesterday? Yeah no, guy’s talking to him as if he is talking to his friend in a pub.

Even now, while the quality of the voice acting has improved (and I feel like people take their jobs way more seriously for the dubbing industry) - i was the first surprised with SoV’s VA - we have now directions. Because the manga/anime/game isn’t, uh, good enough or whatever, the dubbing team decides to go off and do its own thing, regardless of coherence or, worse, what was the intent/core of the og game.

I am playing MH:Rise, the game is set up in a more or less traditional “ninja” village, with a lot of old japanese (? feudal? idk) aesthetics. The devs said they wanted to return to the roots of the saga and based new monsters on Yokais, mythological monsters from the japanese folklore. When you meet a new giant monster to hunt, you have small cutscenes to introduce said monster sung with a Noh theater aesthetic (i just looked up on wikipedia i thought it was kabuki but kabuki isn’t the only form of theater whatever the more you know). 

NPCs in the MH series speak their own language, often called the MHese (a bit like the sim language). IDK if it is because this opus has a japanese aesthetic, but you can pick a jp voice acting instead of the MHese (same voice actors but talking in a different language). Or you can pick the US/ENG dub, with, I suppose, US VAs. I’m not complaing about the lack of FR dub, I’m rather happy with it tbf. But, for some reason, despite the aesthetic, the yokais, the pagodas in the background, the samurai flagship cat, the katanas and whatever, I thought the Noh style cutscenes weren’t going to change, or maybe someone would try to sing in English. But it isn’t the case, the US/ENG version of those cutscenes aren’t Noh style sung, they were completely revamped, so no traditionnal songs and instruments in the background, instead have a dude describing the monster you’re about to face in a cheap National Geographic imitation.

Why remove this? Was it because US!Capcom thought the western world wouldn’t understand the Noh references (but could still understand the general “aesthetic”, just, ban on the songs?) or some shit? They couldn’t remove the flagship cat’s samurai armor to swap it for a GI uniform, so they banned the Noh cutscenes? Why?

It is the same shit NoA pulled out with the Fates localisation, Suzukaze became Kaze because... reasons?

Maybe I’m biased because I’m french, and apparently Wonder France is one of the biggest consumer of anime/manga outside japan, but the mere idea that something can be changed because it’s not “western enough so the audience wouldn’t get it” pisses me to no end, and this is why, in the beginnings of Internet (YT videos with 4 parts, megaupload etc etc) everyone I knew who watched anime ditched everything dubbed to watch the very same episode but subbed (one of my friends even worked on her english with subs!).

Back to FE16 because this is your question and I ranted enough, I cannot stress it enough regarding Rhea, but while I do not doubt Cherami Leigh made a great effort and worked her best with the tools given to her (to this day I still cannot fathom how she managed to dub Mae and Rhea, they’re so different or not seiros is genki!rhea if only leigh was given that script) Leigh!Rhea isn’t Inoue!Rhea. NoA (I harp on NoA but I suppose NoA oversaw the dubbint process/effort, NoE is inexistent) had an agenda and a reading of Rhea that isn’t the same as NoJ.

“You worthless piece of garbage” doesn’t exist in the og!script - but more importantly, delivering this, Inoue!Rhea isn’t furious, she is upset and desperate. Leigh!Rhea is furious, Cherami Leigh does an admirable job at conveying NoA!Rhea’s fury - but this is not the same character NoJ wrote. If NoA gave the same directions NoJ gave Kikuko Inoue to Cherami Leigh, I’m pretty sure the “Rhea BaD” crowd, the eating babies takes and whatever shit redshit comes up everyday would be way reduced.

Maybe @nilsh13 has redshit take saved talking about this, but if we’re not talking about the same character, what kind of discussion can even happen? (I’m sure someone someday pulled the “well i played the localised game so i’m not talking about the og script with you but with the localised script” to defend some smelly take)

Missed opportunities can be fuel for fanfics.

Discourse based on fandom drama (at this point NoA itself is part of the fandom with their “religious extremis/zealot” take)? Nothing can salvage it. I genuinely like to talk about FE16 (especially lizards), but since every topic became a landmind because of the fandom drama, even making posts in good faith can be used as a fuel for drama, or completely diverted from their original goal to suit, again, some faction war between lizards and a certain someone.

Tl; dr : Fandom.

[llama-milk-for-the-egg-nog]

Thoughts on Mulan (2020)

Ok so I had heard some stuff beforehand about this movie, but I didn’t wanna let that tint my experience too much, though it kind of did in the form of noticing western influence on certain things. Here’s a list of thoughts more or less in chronological order.  First I wrote these in a notebook, and now I’m putting them here.

The beginning sequence reminds me so much of Kung Fu Huslte

though honestly it might just be that stephen chow’s movies are pretty much the extent of chinese-made media that I watch

Rosalind Chao is here, I’m a Keiko O’Brien stan so she reminded me of DS9

Fa Zhou saying something about “emissary” also reminded me of DS9

The music where the rourans first attack is cool I guess

idk if the brass made the music of the imperial city sound kinda western or what, but it certainly did sound militaristic (which I guess it’s supposed to)

Why does mulan have a little sister instead of a little brother? to add more female characters to the story? she doesn’t really do much though

After mulan’s whole childhood sequence, it cuts to a shot of the witch in the desert, which if you didn’t already know the story, might make it seem like mulan grew up to be the witch

although this makes some sense too bc the movie likes to compare them

the witch twists into a hawk (?), neat!

I saw people earlier comment about both men and women in china (and other parts of the world) keeping their hair long, so when mulan’s hair fell out of place in the matchmaker scene it made me notice that both the men and women also wear their hair up, which in turn causes the part of the movie later when mulan emerges after the avalanche to make way less sense since how would they know she’s a woman?

ok this is the thing I’m upset about, its a small thing but still, Why don’t we get to see the sword form?? If you remember in the animated version, her father does this straight sword form. (It’s a real form, not just made up for the animated movie). So I was like “ok maybe mulan will do it later” and then it NEVER HAPPENED. (possibly she did it during the “make a man out of you” training sequence, but the odd camera angels and quick cutaways make it impossible to tell)

I also had heard earlier that the script was not subtle at all,,,y’all were right

oh look, a phoenix

mulan: “the phoenix”

yes, we know

Commander Donnie Yen Tung’s entrance is iconic

BAHAHFHDSK mulan’s reaction to seeing naked men skjfdk

uh oh,,only 40 minutes in and the forced romance is already upon us

although, in retrospect, the way they resolved it at the end didn’t make me cringe that much

I’m a slut for butterfly kicks

the scene where mulan bathes in the lake has a much more predatory undertone now, especially now that Ling, Chien Po, and Yao are missing

the trio made the scene funny in the animated movie

can the not-Li-Shang-love-interest Honghui please leave Jun/Mulan alone?? ffs

speaking of no Li Shang, I liked the Donnie Yen mentor character half better than the Honghui half

Honghui kind of comes off as a simp ngl

what’s with the witch’s makeup/outfit? are they based on something?

speaking of outfits, awhile ago, I saw a really cool doll alteration video for mulan 2020

Commander Tung’s monologue/ mulan’s and the army’s training sequence about Chi where the words “Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within” are spoken is actually my favorite part of the whole movie. As much as I would have liked a musical remake, I think they translated the visual elements and the words together well in a way that was different enough from the animated version, but still satisfying to watch (at least for me).

They also integrate the music of Reflection here really well imho.  In the animated version, there’s a point where mulan modulates to a higher key, but the live action version doesn’t do that, which further pushes it away from sounding like disney’s classic musical theatre style.  They also changed a few of the notes, and I think the overall changes to Reflection in this part of the movie really improve this montage.

Compared to the Spiderman where they changed the notes from harmonic minor to (normal) minor (idk if that’s the real term I’m not actually a music major) in the MCU opening sequence, the note changes in Reflection don’t actually upset me.

my brain: oh look!! flowers!! cool! whooshhhh (honestly I couldn’t even tell if she was doing flowers right in the first part of the movie until here)

Mulan/Jun is gonna marry Commander Tung’s daughter? Yeah girl!! Get it!

oh look at me I’m a rouran and I gotta turn around on my moving horse to shoot arrows let me just swoOP

1:01:56 WHY ARE YOUR FINGERS IN FRONT OF THE HILT oh ok they fixed in the next shot but its still annoying

Unsubtle phoenix imagery not subtle

I guess I was warned about it :/

oh look its my fav interval a major 7th, I wonder if that’s supposed to be like “the last step before rebirth/the octave” bc of how Jun “dies” after the witch throws a weapon that gets stuck in her chest binding

at least she’s not using ace bandages or smth but idk much about binding

WHY ARE YOU THROWING OFF ALL YOUR ARMOR WHEN YOU’RE GOING INTO BATTLE? ACCEPTING AND PRESENTING YOURSELF AS WHO YOU REALLY ARE DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF YOUR ARMOR

ok I know it was so she would be visually distinguishable from the other imperial soldiers, but still

the soldiers doing the turtle thing with their shields reminds me of the “we irritating 😂😂😂” meme

brass to signify that mulan is going to have a heroic moment (causing the avelanche) seems western to me. Idk much about traditional chinese instruments but it seems like they could use more of those.

Guys,,,I’m so fucking stupid I- .... it took me an hour and ten minutes to register the Lucky Cricket stand-in character,,,excuse me,,,,

the scene where mulan saves hongui and puts her hand over his heart gives me r*ylo vibes and I hate it

the witch, 1:14:40: “🎵yes I~ am a girl like you~🎵”

damn the music even reminds of the barbie movie a bit

The emperor’s voice reminds me of the mentor character from Kung Pow Enter the Fist which in itself was a western guy making fun of old cheesy martial arts movies (and how movies sometimes have a white male protagonist when they’re deadass set in asia and everyone else is asian)

the mentor characters voice was dubbed into english (and you can tell) but to me the emperor’s voice also kinda sounds like that

I’m disappointed that we didn’t get some kind of scene like the part in the animated verison where Mulan leads Ling, Chien Po, and Yao to cross dress to help save the emperor.

to me, that scene in the animated ver. is a reminder that it isn’t shameful for men to act/dress feminine

in general the animated version, to me, sends the message that it is ok to have both feminine and masculine traits, and that they don’t undermine each other or your identity, so they should all be embraced as a part of one’s personality (which tbh really helped me as a young kid)

the 2020 ver,, just doesn’t really send that message, instead its more broad like “be true to yourself”

I’m a slut for butterfly kicks

the witch taking an arrow for mulan really didn’t do it for me tbh, it made her seem a little wishy washy

like, I get that she wanted acceptance/validation, and that a part of her was glad that mulan found that for herself, but what about the rest of her motivation? Isn’t a desire for power or something what separates her from mulan?

Unsubtle phoenix imagery and dialogue is unsubtle

The music playing during the Mulan v. Khan duel reminds me of Duel of the Fates

actually the setting of the duel and other things really remind of of the Maul v. Ahsoka duel from Clone Wars s7

damn I really wanna watch the Maul v. Ahsoka duel cause the fight choreo is just,, so much more interesting

aww! Cricket is alive!

Around 1:34:39 , the music does not feel like it should be building up to Reflection here.  At this point, I think the melody had been reprised too many times and was getting to be overused (I still like it in the training sequence though).

I was happy to see Ming Na Wen!

Mulan is going home and ugh! Honghui! Don’t you know she’s betrothed to Commander Tung’s daughter? smh. homewrecker simp.

the matchmaker reminds me of Baron Harkonnen (Dune)

cheezy credits song is cheezy, even cheezier because they reprised reflection again

[composereggwrites]

Imprint Zine: New Creators’ Spotlight

This is my full article for the twewy @imprintzine!!! There’s still digital copies available of the full zine, and some merch left too!!! It was a blast to write and work with the other participants!

If you like this and wanna chat with me about it hit me up here or in my twewy discord!!!

Ao3

NEW CREATORS SPOTLIGHT

Hello again readers, and welcome to this month’s New Creator Spotlight! We find up-and-coming artists of all types to highlight! From fashion, music, and art, we know how to find the hidden talent in Shibuya and illuminate them all for you to see!

Mr. Mew Creations

First up is Mr. Mew Creations, a new fashion brand led by the fabulous Eri and Shiki Misaki. This duo has taken the fashion scene by storm with their innovative ideas and inspiring designs. From dresses to bright three-piece suits, these two push the boundaries of how we define outfits.

The star of their debut collection is a marvelous dress suit! It’s a dress, and a suit, combined into one! The top half is styled as a silken tuxedo jacket in bold fuchsia, with a pale lavender undershirt and iridescent pearl buttons. The bottom half, however, is a skirt designed to evoke the image of an elegant ball gown. The slip is comfortable enough to wear all day, while providing a backing to the outermost layer, which is a cascade of feathers dyed a stunning cobalt blue.

They have a myriad of other pieces in this lineup, going beyond the binary while staying fashionable and comfortable. From a simple purple shirt with embroidered orange foxes along the hem, to a yellow sweater with a detailed pink squirrel on the front, there’s a wide variety to choose from!

We sat down with the girls for an interview in their studio to talk about their threads, and they had a lot to say!

Thank you for interviewing with us. Could you both introduce yourselves for our readers?

Eri: Yeah sure! Thank you for interviewing us! I’m Eri, the lead designer of our two-person team, Mr. Mew Creations! I do most of the conceptual work, putting ideas down on paper and seeing where that gets us. Shiki definitely helps with that, but her talent shines in, well-- She can tell you!

Shiki: Hah, yeah! I’m Shiki Misaki! I’m the seamstress, so I made all the outfits you can see here in our workspace! Taking what Eri gives me, I bring our ideas to life! We’re both good in each other’s field, but together it feels like we’re unstoppable. She’s handed me some amazing designs to work with, and some I never thought I’d be able to turn into reality. The star of our show, the dress, was one of those. It almost ended up in the trash on more than one occasion, actually. We had to completely redesign it multiple times because we’re both perfectionists, and because someone sees the laws of physics as a challenge to beat. Eri likes to see how far we can push things past their limits, but we work best together because I can reel her back in if it goes too far.

We’re glad you two make such a good team! What led you to make the half-dress, half-suit outfit?

Eri: We wanted to design something that ignored gender norms. Something that defied them, without defaulting to a vaguely-masculine, androgynous look. The fact that clothing is gendered is ridiculous, and there’s this idea that men’s clothing is the default when you want a “gender neutral” item. We decided to go in the opposite direction, and add as much gender as we could, without being limited to one gender.

Shiki: It, like most of our line, is inspired by one of our friends. This dress was originally designed for him, before we decided to use it as part of our lineup. Gender is weird, and the society we live in makes navigating it more confusing than it needs to be. To be able to wear what you want, without worrying about the perception others have of you, without worrying about the way you’ll be labeled? That’s the ideal we strive for, and we hope our work can make a difference.

You said your friends inspired your line. What can you tell us about your creative choices?

Eri: Our friends are unique individuals, and we are too, so we know how to take a look at what people want, and what they need. Not everyone has the perfect model body. Not everyone wants to wear the high-fashion bling, or keep up with all the latest trends. The trick is to find what people want to wear, and design that, instead of chasing what’s trendy. If it’s stylish, people will want it, but it has to look nice and fit right.

Shiki: Just because something is comfortable, doesn’t mean it can’t have style. People are going to notice if you’re not at ease in the clothes you wear, and that unease ruins otherwise perfect appearances. We custom make everything here, and as the seamstress it’s my job to take what Eri gives me for the design and bring it to life. Doing that, while taking sensory issues into account, and ensuring nothing irritates the person who will be wearing it, is of the utmost importance.

Can you tell us a bit about  yourselves and your brand? How you got started, or where your mascot came from?

Shiki: Oh! Our mascot, Mr. Mew, was the first thing I ever made. I still have the original, and I carry him around with me. My quality of work has improved a lot, but he’s a big comfort item. He helps me face all the big scary monsters of the world, and I want him to be there to help others too.

Eri: We met when we were younger, back in middle school. I’ve always been good at making friends, but Shiki was a lot more shy then. Actually, we got in an argument, once when we were 15. I was so worried, I thought I was going to lose my best friend forever over a misunderstanding. Thankfully, we worked it all out, and here we are now! She’s a wonderful seamstress, and all of our friends are so supportive, so it’s nice. I don’t think we’d be where we are today without each other, and the help of everyone in our lives.

 It’s clear that these girls put lots of effort and dedication into what they do!

These girls offer more than some great threads! The namesake of their brand, Mr. Mew, is an adorable cat, and you can get merchandise of him too! Show off your love by picking up one of their plushies, cat ear headbands, and more!

Check out their full line at https://MrMewCreations.Com

 Neku Sakuraba

The artist of the month is none other than Neku Sakuraba! If you’ve taken a walk around Shibuya, you’ve already seen his stuff! This graffiti expert has been gaining a name for himself with stunning displays of color and intricate designs. If you frequent 104 or Molco, you’ll have seen his stylish bold lines on ads for some of the stores!

He first started making waves in the art world last December, when he put up a mural in the Miyashita Park Underpass. Dubbed Hachiko’s Guardian Angel by the public, it features a glowing figure standing over Hachiko, with white feathery wings stretched out over Shibuya’s night-time skyline. There are people at the base of the statue, and musical notes fill the outer space. We reached out to Sakuraba himself for commentary, and managed to secure an interview in his studio!

The space was big, half-finished paintings and sketches scattered across the room. Cans of spray-paint, colored pencils, and charcoal were everywhere. Interestingly, we also spotted a couple Mr. Mew plushies laying around. A second guest, a friend of Sakuraba’s who insisted on being called Joshua, was also in the studio.

But without further ado, the interview:

Thanks for welcoming us to your studio! Can you give us an introduction?

Neku: Right, hi, thanks for interviewing me. I’m Neku Sakuraba. Music geek, CAT fanboy, unwilling follower of fashion trends. That one over there [he gestures toward his friend] is Joshua. Please ignore everything he says. He decided to be here for “moral support,” but I think he just wants to tease me.

[Joshua, at this, gasped, and said, “I would never!” but as requested, his further commentary has been cut from the interview.]

Got it! What inspired you to start making art?

Neku: I’ve always been a doodler. My mom has artwork from back when I was six. The big moment of inspiration for me, when I went, I want to do this, was when I saw CATs art. Looking up at the mural in Udagawa for the first time, back when I was ten, I felt a spark, and I haven’t let go of that feeling since. It’s been rough, I’ve struggled with mental health issues, but art has always been a solace in the dark. I never thought I’d make it this far, or get as much recognition as I have. It’s amazing, and wonderful, and terrifying all at once.

You first got popular because of the mural you put up last December, in the Miyashita Park Underpass. Can you tell us anything about it?

Neku: Oh, yeah! It was the first mural I’d ever done, and I drew a lot of inspiration from Shibuya. In my head, I’ve nicknamed it Shibuya’s Composition. The piece is loosely based off a dream, if I’m being honest. The glowing white figure in the center, with the wings, is meant to be a guardian of Shibuya. Someone who helps the city grow. Meanwhile, the people at Hachiko are waiting for their friend to show, but he can’t, because he’s watching from above, protecting them from afar.

Fascinating! Do you feel like there’s a story you can make from that, one you might tell in the future?

Neku: I don’t think this is ever going to be a story or comic, unfortunately. It’s more of a personal piece. A few years ago, I only had one friend, my first friend, but I lost him. When he died, I isolated myself, and it took a lot from some special people to draw me out of that shell. Even now, I wish I could see him again, and the idea of him still being out there, watching over me and my new friends, comforts me when I miss him the most. I guess I’m like Hachiko, waiting for a dead person to come home.

I’m sorry for your loss. Can you tell us anything about your other artwork?

Neku: I do a lot of graffiti-style works. There’s no other big murals out there by me yet, but I’m working on a few designs right now. People have commissioned me to do stuff ranging from tattoo designs to album covers and store promotions. One of my favorite things to do when I make art, though, is to take the mundane and re-imagine it as something mystical. Why can’t you make foxes purple? Who says there isn’t danger lurking in the shadows? What’s stopping me from adding fire and lightning as weapons, from creating fantastical fights?

Another big source of inspiration is Shibuya. I’ve grown up in this city, it’s my home. If I can look around and see things others don’t? Then I can put that down on paper. Whether it’s as simple as catching the neon lights illuminating the Scramble, or the leaves falling around Hachiko, I can see that, pull it apart, and let my imagination run wild.

That’s pretty cool. You mentioned doing album artwork earlier, so can you tell us what it was like to design the cover for the latest album by The Albatross?

Neku: It was fun! I can’t tell you anything about them, obviously, but it came as a shock when they asked me if I could take on this project. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense. But what I can say, without getting myself vaporized on the spot, is that it was enjoyable, and they’re fun to work with. Even if they’re kinda a priss. The amount of artistic freedom I had was nice, and I think we collaborate well together. So there might be more partnership between us in the future, but nothing’s certain yet.

Wonderful! With that, one last question: what motivates you to create?

Neku: Art has always been an escape for me. It can be pretty, or loud. It can shout your thoughts from the rooftops or disguise them under the rustling of leaves in the wind. You can influence others with it, if you’re lucky. I create art for myself, first and foremost. But if I can provide a glimpse into my own secret garden, and let others see pieces of who I am in my work? Then I’m glad. I want to share it. I want to make my mark on the world, and provide others with the escape I once sought.

 This up-and-coming young artist is going to be a big name someday! With his talent, dedication, and heart, Neku Sakuraba might just be the next CAT!

If you want to support him, you can find information about him, his store, and his commission prices at https://nekusakuraba.com

 The Albatross

Our final creator of the month, someone a bit less new, but never interviewed, is The Albatross! Their first album, Noise, featured CAT artwork on the cover: an albatross in flight, with TV static cutting through the image. These two are a mysterious duo, but The Albatross takes the title of most elusive. Despite gaining fame from fans latching onto CAT art, The Albatross has never given the public a single word.

Until now, that is! With their second album, Pulse, set to release in a couple of weeks, they have consented to an interview for the first time!

The album artwork was done by Neku Sakuraba, and it features a feathered white wing, sprouting from the right-hand side of the image. Some of the lower feathers have been replaced with graffiti-like designs.

As for the music itself, their first album featured orchestral tracks, heavy on the violin, alongside electro-punk tunes! Some were instrumental, while others had lyrics. Pulse is looking to be the same style, but rather than the dark themes of Noise, it contains brighter, more hopeful songs.

We went through a lot of paperwork, involving multiple non-disclosure agreements, and the interview took place over a call while they utilized a voice changer, but it was worth it! And we’re happy to share what we’ve learned with you!

Thank you for choosing to have your first interview ever be with us! Can you give us an introduction? Nothing too personal is required!

Albatross: You were the only ones I felt were trustworthy, and the only ones completely willing to honor my anonymity. Also, a friend may have bribed me into it with promises of ramen. As for introductions… I am The Albatross, composer of music, avid Tin Pin fan, and a nerd when it comes to all things Shibuyan. History, culture, the trends. I thrive off her, it’s like the city’s got a pulse that matches my heartbeat.

Shibuya is amazing, we agree. Can you tell us why you chose your alias?

Albatross: There’s a lot of symbolism in the albatross. The bird can be a sign of good luck for sailors, historically. In the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, though, one of the sailors kills an albatross, and thus it becomes a curse. He bears the burden as the other sailors hang the bird around his neck, reminding him of how he’s doomed them all. I’ll let fans keep speculating on why I picked it, though. I can’t give away all my secrets here.

Of course. We wouldn’t want you to spoil all the fun! How do you make your music?

Albatross: It’s amazing what you can do with technology! I know how to play the violin and piano, so any parts in my songs with those are actually me playing, but for the rest I use a few different music programs! For vocals, I outsource it to Shibuyan singers, but all lyrics are still written by me. In the end, I weave everything together, and finagle it so it fits.

Sounds like a lot of work. Where do you get your inspiration for it all?

Albatross: From Shibuya! This city has a life of her own. Feet tapping against pavement, voices reaching through the air, all the beeps and honks and the myriad of noises that resound in every corner; it all creates a rhythm, it creates music. Sometimes I’ll sit and let it all wash over me. The city holds so much, a million stories fighting for attention. They echo in my head, begging to be told, so I write them. I turn them into music in the hopes of expressing their messages for everyone to hear.

The tone between your first and second album has changed a lot, from what the previews are showing. Is there a reason for this?

Albatross: Yeah. I’m going to be blunt. When I wrote and released my first album, I was suicidal. Completely isolated from the rest of humanity, with no friends or good experiences to fall back on for comfort. My only outlet was music, and because I was so depressed and misanthropic, my work reflected this. I saw the world as poisoned, felt like people would never change, and thought my existence contributed to the negativity.

But now? I have friends. Someone entered my life, not quite of their own free will, but they stuck around. They dragged me into the sun, undoing all my self-sabotaging attempts, and they helped me grow. Helped me learn to see the good in humanity again. Shibuya is full of life, full of creativity, of people trying to do their best and help others. I wasn’t able to see it before, vision clouded with my own preconceived notions, but they… Removed the tinted glasses from my face, so to speak. And this is why my new album is more hopeful and lighthearted.

You mentioned mental health, just now. Are you able to elaborate on any of that?

Albatross: Mhm, I can. It’s not pleasant, but… Mental health isn’t talked about enough, even though it impacts so many people. I’ve had depression for years now. I still do. Some friends and a few bonding experiences doesn’t magically cure everything. There is no magic cure. What helps is finding people you can rely on when things get tough. If I lock myself in my apartment, I used to hide away for weeks. Now, though? One of them comes knocking after a few days, with ramen and orders to shower. Sometimes it can feel like you’re going to shatter into a million pieces. But instead of falling apart in secret and cutting myself on the shards of glass, I have people who hold me as I break, minimize the damage, and help me piece myself back together.

Recovery is not a straight line, and there’s no end to the winding trail you take. What’s important is having friends there with you. People who help you stand up when you stumble, who help you make camp when you need to rest. Find someone who makes you feel safe enough to fall apart. Someone who can be there to pick up the broken shards, and help you create something new and beautiful with the pieces.

 The Albatross is still a mystery to us all, but hopefully their words and music have reached those of you who need to hear them!

They don’t have an official website, but you can find The Albatross on your preferred music streaming service, or head to a local music shop to pick up their stuff! Don’t forget to pre-order their newest album, Pulse, and if you haven’t grabbed Noise yet, be sure to snag that too!

And that’s all for our New Creators Spotlight this month! Be sure to get next month’s issue for all our latest stories, and to discover the up-and-coming talents of Shibuya!

[composeregg]

TWEWY Imprint Zine Article Preview!

This is my preview for the Imprint Zine!!! I wrote a really really long article (which is like 3 mini-articles in one) that’s over 3k words! It was super fun! Sadly tumblr messes with the formatting a bit, but I’ve done my best to preserve the essence of it!

The @imprintzine is absolutely gorgeous and I love it, everyone did amazing! I’m super honored to have been picked as a writer for it!

Preorders are open until July 28th!

There’s also a giveaway running until July 19th! You could get a free physical copy of the zine!

---

NEW CREATORS SPOTLIGHT

Hello again readers, and welcome to this month’s New Creator Spotlight! We find up-and-coming artists of all types to highlight! From fashion, music, and art, we know how to find the hidden talent in Shibuya and illuminate them all for you to see!

Mr. Mew Creations

First up is Mr. Mew Creations, a new fashion brand led by the fabulous Eri and Shiki Misaki. This duo has taken the fashion scene by storm with their innovative ideas and inspiring designs. From dresses to bright three-piece suits, these two push the boundaries of how we define outfits.

[---]

We sat down with the girls for an interview in their studio to talk about their threads, and they had a lot to say!

Thank you for interviewing with us. Could you both introduce yourselves for our readers?

Eri: Yeah sure! Thank you for interviewing us! I’m Eri, the lead designer of our two-person team, Mr. Mew Creations! I do most of the conceptual work, putting ideas down on paper and seeing where that gets us. Shiki definitely helps with that, but her talent shines in, well-- She can tell you!

Shiki: Hah, yeah! I’m Shiki Misaki! I’m the seamstress, so I made all the outfits you can see here in our workspace! Taking what Eri gives me, I bring our ideas to life! We’re both good in each other’s field, but together it feels like we’re unstoppable. She’s handed me some amazing designs to work with, and some I never thought I’d be able to turn into reality. The star of our show, the dress, was one of those. It almost ended up in the trash on more than one occasion, actually. We had to completely redesign it multiple times because we’re both perfectionists, and because someone sees the laws of physics as a challenge to beat. Eri likes to see how far we can push things past their limits, but we work best together because I can reel her back in if it goes too far.

[---]

Can you tell us a bit about  yourselves and your brand? How you got started, or where your mascot came from?

Shiki: Oh! Our mascot, Mr. Mew, was the first thing I ever made. I still have the original, and I carry him around with me. My quality of work has improved a lot, but he’s a big comfort item. He helps me face all the big scary monsters of the world, and I want him to be there to help others too.

[---]

Neku Sakuraba

The artist of the month is none other than Neku Sakuraba! If you’ve taken a walk around Shibuya, you’ve already seen his stuff! This graffiti expert has been gaining a name for himself with stunning displays of color and intricate designs. If you frequent 104 or Molco, you’ll have seen his stylish bold lines on ads for some of the stores!

He first started making waves in the art world last December, when he put up a mural in the Miyashita Park Underpass. Dubbed Hachiko’s Guardian Angel by the public, it features a glowing figure standing over Hachiko, with white feathery wings stretched out over Shibuya’s night-time skyline. There are people at the base of the statue, and musical notes fill the outer space. We reached out to Sakuraba himself for commentary, and managed to secure an interview in his studio!

[---]

Thanks for welcoming us to your studio! Can you give us an introduction?

Neku: Right, hi, thanks for interviewing me. I’m Neku Sakuraba. Music geek, CAT fanboy, unwilling follower of fashion trends. That one over there [he gestures toward his friend] is Joshua. Please ignore everything he says. He decided to be here for “moral support,” but I think he just wants to tease me.

[Joshua, at this, gasped, and said, “I would never!” but as requested, his further commentary has been cut from the interview.]

[---]

Fascinating! Do you feel like there’s a story you can make from that, one you might tell in the future?

Neku: I don’t think this is ever going to be a story or comic, unfortunately. It’s more of a personal piece. A few years ago, I only had one friend, my first friend, but I lost him. When he died, I isolated myself, and it took a lot from some special people to draw me out of that shell. Even now, I wish I could see him again, and the idea of him still being out there, watching over me and my new friends, comforts me when I miss him the most. I guess I’m like Hachiko, waiting for a dead person to come home.

[---]

The Albatross

Our final creator of the month, someone a bit less new, but never interviewed, is The Albatross! Their first album, Noise, featured CAT artwork on the cover: an albatross in flight, with TV static cutting through the image. These two are a mysterious duo, but The Albatross takes the title of most elusive. Despite gaining fame from fans latching onto CAT art, The Albatross has never given the public a single word.

Until now, that is! With their second album, Pulse, set to release in a couple of weeks, they have consented to an interview for the first time!

[---]

Thank you for choosing to have your first interview ever be with us! Can you give us an introduction? Nothing too personal is required!

Albatross: You were the only ones I felt were trustworthy, and the only ones completely willing to honor my anonymity. Also, a friend may have bribed me into it with promises of ramen. As for introductions… I am The Albatross, composer of music, avid Tin Pin fan, and a nerd when it comes to all things Shibuyan. History, culture, the trends. I thrive off her, it’s like the city’s got a pulse that matches my heartbeat.

Shibuya is amazing, we agree. Can you tell us why you chose your alias?

Albatross: There’s a lot of symbolism in the albatross. The bird can be a sign of good luck for sailors, historically. In the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, though, one of the sailors kills an albatross, and thus it becomes a curse. He bears the burden as the other sailors hang the bird around his neck, reminding him of how he’s doomed them all. I’ll let fans keep speculating on why I picked it, though. I can’t give away all my secrets here.

[---]

[---]

And that’s the preview!!!

If you liked it, you can check out the pre-orders and enter in the giveaway here!!!! A digital copy is only $10!

[nymphl]

Bloodbound - A vampire!Hux x Reader - Ch. 1 - Tangled up in Red or... the bloody Journalist

A/N - Hi, darlings! xD Welcome to the first chapter (named 1st, but actually the 2nd installment xD) of Bloodbound. As promised, here I am to upload to tumblr chapter 1. Before I forget, this story is non linear, so I’ll be going back and forth in its chapters. If you enjoy this chapter, you may give me some notes or leave a comment here, reblogs are also very much appreciated; anything will do xD To those who’ve done it for the Prologue, my biggest thanks and I love you all <3 I hope you like it and liked I said... here on the chapters will get bigger, ok? Happy reading <3

Story summary:  Bound by blood… After you left the First Order and joined the Resistance, moved with a deep hatred for General Armitage Hux, you never expected to meet said man in a Gala in Canto Bight, nor that your past was intimately interlaced with his. When the past is written in blood, can you start anew, a new chapter of your own, or are you forever bound to him? When all is said and done, can you still keep on hating a man who has all eternity to hate himself?

Warnings for the entire story: Will contain at times; graphic violence, sex, drugs and manipulation, coarse language and OOCness.

AO3 tags:  from lovers to enemies; from enemies to lovers; partners to lovers; eventual romance; vampire!hux; vampires in space; vampires, blood, blood binds; First Order; Resistance; power play; politics; Hux backstory; political alliances; political betrayals; vampire sex; shameless smut; memory loss; mesmerizing; vampire powers; vampire politics; Starkiller Base; military prowess; empire; emperor; Emperor!Hux; dhampirs.

Wordcount: 7403.

PREVIOUS CHAPTER *** NEXT CHAPTER

Canto Bight Casino, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Six hours ago

“ENOUGH.”

Several pairs of eyes focused on you as the words — a bit louder than you intended — left your lips. With a small smile, you tilted your head in a polite gesture and continued to glide along the illustrious guests.

On the other side of the connection, the silence lasted but a second. Soon, your ears were filled with a loud, incessant argument that in spite of your attempts, you couldn’t make a thing of.

This time, when you spoke, you were careful to place a wineglass in front of your lips. Even if you despised Canto Casino and the annoying Galas to which only the wealthiest — thus the nastiest — were invited, you couldn’t say you hated it when they served Bespin Port. By far, that was one of the finest wines you’ve tasted in your entire life.

“I said enough!”

“But mom—” And once more, even if you tried, you couldn’t understand what the twins were saying. You felt like rolling your eyes, but stopped before you could draw more attention to yourself.

“Don’t mom on me!” You placed your wineglass in a nearby tray and took another with a small smile. “Nik, you go first!”

“But mom! I’m—

“The oldest, Steela, I know.” I was there when you were born, remember? you felt like saying. Instead, you inhaled deeply; your patience wearing thin. “This time, let’s do it in alphabetical order, shall we? Nik, you may start.”

You were about to say that if one of them said mom again, you’d… Before you could finish the thought, you spotted different security guards from what you were used to whenever the feeble General Mitaka attended those annoying Galas in Cantonica.

“Okay…” You bit your bottom lip. “Can we talk about it when I get home?”

“Yes, mom.”

“Don’t— Oh!” You shook your head. You were so used to your children going But mom all over you, it was a surprise when they simply complied. Your eyes softened a little. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

Your heart clenched with guilty. If your children spent so much time arguing and yelling at each other, it was because that was one of the fastest ways to get your attention.

You bit your bottom lip to suppress the anger boiling inside of you.

How could you blame them when you were the one to spend so much time outside? Being a single mom wasn’t easy for anybody, but between your job, the Resistance and parenting — even after seven years, you were still getting the hang of it — things tended to get a bit messy from time to time. Honestly, it was far easier when the twins were just toddlers smearing their clothes all over the house. Far more tiring as well — you recalled how you’d nurse them and at the same time do your little magic and jam the First Order with your cunning words. There were times in which Nik would leave the nursery, crawl all over the house and sleep with his pillow at your feet in one of those endless nights in which you had to force yourself to keep awake while you wrote something for The Canto Bight Gazette.

“But mom!”

And there we go…

A tired sigh left you. Yeah, things were way easier back then.

“Steela, not now.” This time, when a waiter passed nearby, you took a glass with Corellian brandy and drank it in one gulp. Your hands were trembling slightly — part of you wished you could for once get at least a bit lightheaded. If General Mitaka wasn’t the one to attend the Gala tonight, you feared you wouldn’t be able to uncover the truth regarding some negotiations regarding both the First Order and the Resistance. “We’ll talk when I get home. I love you two. Over and out.”

Before any of them could say anything else — before they could go mom on you —, you shut off the connection. With a deep breath, you scanned the entire Ballroom, looking for any clues that General Mitaka had just been promoted — to Grand-Marshall, hopefully — and the Supreme Leader — or Emperor as you affectionately dubbed him — merely decided to improve his loyal employee’s security and thus his standing in society.

So far, all you could see — apart from the new security guards — was the wealthiest people from all over the Galaxy dressed in black and white, drinking to their hearts content. Some of them had their eyes glued on you, watching you with hawk-like attention through their expensive masks.

Part of you wondered if it was the lack of a mask or the fact you weren’t dressed in the same colors as them or… even because you were a renowned journalist. Or so they thought.

In fact, no one could say you didn’t do your job right. You did. It’s just… You had another job. Being a columnist for The Canto Bight Gazette was something you did occasionally… Something you prided yourself for being a part of, your main activity, but a disguise for what you did undercover.

In such dark times, it felt only right to be a part of the Resistance — both in practical and intellectual terms. As far as you knew, the new Supreme Leader wanted to give off an impression that his precious First Order wasn’t an authoritarian organization. As if… The talk about Freedom Press could only go so far… It could only deceive a few…

…And certainly not you.

You wondered what General Organa would say if she knew what plans you had in store for tonight. You bet she’d reprimand you; ask for you to leave at once, and this time she’d have Commander Dameron’s support — and even the Maker would find it surprising for them to agree over a topic.

“Widow?”

Speaking of the devil…

You nodded, forgetting completely that you were equipped with an archaic technology that contrary to a usual comm didn’t allow you to see your collocutor’s face, “I’m working, Dameron.”

“So am I, Minara.”

A shiver ran down your spine at how he addressed you. It wasn’t your true surname, but ever since you left the First Order — you could barely believe it was almost a decade ago —, you decided to lay low for the sake of your children — and your own safety — and took in another last name.

“Are you at the Gala?” he asked. If there was something you liked about Poe Dameron was the fact he went straight to the topic. Friendship aside, both of you were working right now.  

“Yes,” you replied, accepting a Green Champagne a passerby waiter offered you. Dear Maker, when would the alcohol start taking effect? “Why?”

“And I assume you didn’t get the ‘black and white masquerade memo’.”

You smirked.

“You know me so well.”

There was silence for a moment. You could almost see his face contorting in the telltales of a smirk. You smiled in spite of yourself.

“I’d advise against red—

“Oh… I’m already wearing it.” You brought the glass to your crimson-colored lips, tasting the champagne. The bubbly beverage was refreshing, if not a bit sugarier than the Port you’d just had.  

“It’d be way easier for you to just put a target on your back.”

You sighed.

“Who knows? Perhaps I want to draw attention.”

As a journalist, you were always seeking attention. You didn’t become the main columnist for The Canto Bight Gazette by keeping a low profile. In fact, it was because of your meddlesome behavior that you could get valuable information for the Resistance and, once in a while, get Dopheld Mitaka talking. Part of you pitied him — he’d been the one to support you when you needed most; if not for him, you’d probably be on the streets, begging for credits so you could feed your children —, but it wasn’t your fault he wouldn’t leave the bad guys.

General Mitaka was a good man — more than you could say about the Supreme Leader, a man you hated with every fiber in your being. He just had… To see it. The day he removed the blindfold they put in his eyes, he’d know he’s been fighting for the wrong side all along. For now, you were grateful he didn’t rat you out and fed you tiny bits of information concerning that hateful organization of his once in a while.

“What for?” His voice dragged you from your thoughts. It sounded genuinely confused for a moment, but shortly after — as if the whole galaxy made sense again — he added, “The twins again? Did they tie D-Five up?”

You even opened your mouth to comment on how difficult it was getting to keep those two off each other’s throats, but closed it immediately. The orchestra had just stopped playing and the soft, pleasant notes were smothered by the imperious silence. Then, a few whispers here and there — barely recognizable for anyone but you —, hit your ears.

“Minara?”

You furrowed your brows. A few guests shifted their attention to the main doors located at the entrance of the Ballroom. You followed their gaze, seeking confirmation for what you’ve heard when you saw it, a tall man with strikingly ginger hair crossing the threshold with Dopheld Mitaka on his heels.

A gasp left you — and several other guests as well.    

“Say, Dameron…” You wetted your bottom lip. “Does the Emperor appear in your guest list?”

“What?” You grimaced as he all but shouted in your ear. Kriffs! “Emperor as in Supreme Leader… As in Armitage Hux? The tall, skinny guy? Kinda pasty?”

“Do we know any other?” It wasn’t like the Propaganda Boy — or Poster boy, as you once called him in one of your sharp comments in the beginning of your own career as a journalist — shied away from state posters. His face was very, very remarkable. You used to stare at one of his holovids wondering why you hated him so much. Needless to say, you never found an answer.

You shook your head and cast a glance at your left hand. Your fingers were trembling around the glass. You didn’t even understand your own reaction. “Poe?”

“Minara... Leave.”

You even thought about saying you couldn’t — the Emperor and General Mitaka had already spotted you; the latter had his eyes widened —, but the words died in your mouth before you could speak them out loud. You stared at both of them, unable to even step aside — like all the other guests did.

For the first time, you really felt like you had a target on your back.

“Minara?”

It was with relief that you felt a corpulent man with a feathery mask enclosing his hand around your wrist and pulling you aside. As if the spell had been broken, you shot him a grateful smile. You didn’t know him, but you felt like you owed your life to him.

“Minara?”

Swallowing, you walked to the outskirts of the Ballroom, trying to get invisible. Suddenly, you regretted wearing red tonight. If you knew the Emperor himself would show up at this kriffing Gala, you’d have stuck to the black and white boring dress code.

“Poe… If anything happens to me, please…”

“Minara?” His voice was raspy; the connection was getting worse. "Are you leaving?”

“Please, take care of Nik and Steela. Over and out.”

Canto Bight Police Headquarters, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Now

You spat your blood on the floor. With extreme care, you moved your head from side to side. It ached. A lot. Even your wrists, bound with heavy handcuffs, were a source of discomfort.

For the past two hours, you spent in the company of a young police officer — really, the man was fresh as a baby; you could bet it was his first interrogation —, being questioned. For… your own safety, they said.

You could’ve smiled if your jaw didn’t hurt so much. The coppery taste of blood in your lips left you partly nauseated — and for the Maker, you’d lose it if you tasted any more of your own blood tonight — but you fought off such reaction and focused on the task at hand. It is, getting out of this stinking cell in Canto Bight Police Headquarters.

If you knew you’d get caught so quickly, you’d never have asked Poe to hack Cantonica Radio 1 and broadcast news regarding the construction of a new Death Star — which they ominously baptized Starkiller — with hopes to destroy the Hosnian System and, Hosnian Prime, the Capital of the New Republic — the uttermost symbol of resistance against the tyranny that kriffing organization represented in the Galaxy. You’d hoped to at least be able to flee the city — in the impossibility of fleeing the planet so soon —, but your boss was fast to appoint you as the one behind the news.

A sigh escaped you.

Honestly, you didn’t regret it one bit. Every single soul residing or even passing by the Corporate Sector had listened to the voice report. Besides the allegation of your boss — out of sheer despair; you didn’t judge the man that harshly — there wasn’t a single proof you were the journalist responsible for the news report.      

“I-I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

The whispered voice made you shift your attention back to the man in front of you. He paced from one side to the other.

“I really, really didn’t mean to hurt you.”

You almost rolled your eyes.

“You didn’t.”

He grimaced; guilt evident in his vibrant irises. He approached you, with a handkerchief in his left hand, but you shook your head.

“You’re supposed to interrogate me, not to me help me.”

He lowered his head, as if ashamed. In that moment, he resembled General Mitaka — from when he was a mere Officer and later a Lieutenant. You did you best to brush off such memories and stared at him.

“I-It’s just…” He bailed his fists. “It’s just not right…”

“Listen to me.” You waited till he stared back at you to continue, “You didn’t hurt me.”

“I didn’t prevent him from hurting you either.”

That much was true — yet, you didn’t judge him either; it seemed you were in a forgiving mood today. His boss, the Police Chief, was the one to assault you. What could you say? You once wrote a news reporting regarding the endemic corruption in the corporation. As a result, he’d been removed from office for a year or so, before he returned and was actually promoted.

You closed your eyes, attuning to the approaching steps outside. The sound was vastly different from when the Police Chief dragged you to one of the interrogation rooms. Soon, the steps came to a halt and a voice was heard.

“Your Highness…” There was a small pause; the speaker sounded surprised. “The culprit is being interrogated right now. You sh—

There was no answer from the other part. That or your heart was beating so madly against your ribcages you couldn’t hear anything else.

You sucked in a breath, trying to control yourself, so you could listen to the conversation unfolding. Sadly, your hearing wasn’t as good as your children’s and it was even worse after the incident — if you could qualify that as such — with the Emperor. However, that wasn’t so easy. The bloody Emperor — Supreme Leader, you’d better call him by his right title — was in the CBPD to visit — or kill, maybe — you.

There was absolutely no reason to believe he came to free you.

And here you were, expecting to be freed by the end of the night. Or, at least, the next day. You could only hope your children were alright. And away from your house. So much for wishful thinking…

In a few more seconds — or a few more steps — an officer opened the door of the interrogation room, holding it open for the Emperor to come in. You bit your bottom lip as he stared at your form, bluish eyes darkening at your disheveled appearance. Before the officer could speak — or even the approaching and breathless Police Chief could open his mouth —, he cut them to it, his voice sounding imperious and unbelievably cold,

“Uncuff her.”

Canto Bight Casino, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Four hours ago

It took a few minutes and some more glasses of Green Champagne for you to calm down.

Kriffs!

The Emperor — and you really, really ought to stop calling him that, however difficult it was —, his presence… it changed everything.

Ever since you’ve found out the First Order started working on a second Death Star, you’ve seen more and more planets pledge their loyalty to them. Cantonica was one of the few planets that decided to remain neutral… So far. If Cantonica could show some strength by choosing independence, so could other planets.  

If the Emperor decided to show his face at this Gala, it was either because he was trying to woo the Representatives of Cantonica, or because… You swallowed at the idea… He already had their loyalty.

Downing the Green Champagne at once, you placed the glass on a tray and walked towards your boss. The owner of the most important newspaper in all the Corporate Sector would know. He’d have to.

Honestly, you were counting on the first scenario — in such case it wasn’t all lost and you somehow could… make them see reason. Well, not exactly you, but someone else… Your boss, Nilim Taa, for example. But if it was the second… You didn’t want to think about it.

For the maker!

You plastered a smile on your face and made your way to him. A huge man, the Rutian Twi’lek of 7 feet and massive bodily proportions, he hid whomever he was talking to.

Even before you could reach him, he turned to you. An inviting, warm smile on his lips as he outstretched his hand for you.

You smiled back, but it was short-lived. Casting a curious glance to his companion, you spotted the one his huge frame concealed. You swallowed.

“Minara, what a pleasure.” His voice, an eternal singsong, didn’t make you feel at ease as it always did. “Let me introduce you to our esteemed Supreme Leader, Armitage Hux.”

You bowed your head slightly and offered your trembling hand for him to shake — you could only hope neither would notice how nervous you were. However, he all but surprised you when he brought it to his lips and bestowed a gentlemanly kiss on your knuckles.

“This is Minara,” your boss announced you. “(Y/N) Minara.” He smiled. “Minara has some problems following the guidelines,” he finished, shaking his head because of the lack of a mask and the proper black and white clothes — and, if you could probably add, because of other things to. “But she’s one of the finest journalists out there.”  

The Emperor didn’t seem to mind this or simply decided not to comment on it — if he did, you could promptly comment he wasn’t wearing a mask either, it is, if you dared to look at him. Needless to say, you were unable to meet his eyes. Yours remained on the floor, looking at your high heels. In any case, a shiver ran down your spine at the contact with his cold lips.

“Enchanted to make your acquaintance, Miss Minara,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he continued to hold your hand.

Unable to find your own voice, you merely nodded.

“She usually isn’t this shy,” your boss commented, his cheerful — even if worried — intonation made the Emperor look intensely at you and General Mitaka smile nervously. “Right, Minara?”

“No, she isn’t…” The Emperor was reticent in his agreement. Even if you couldn’t muster enough courage to look at him, you knew he didn’t deviate his attention from you for not even a second. You could feel his eyes on you and it was… extremely unsettling.

Behind the Emperor, General Mitaka cleared his throat, “I wonder what she’s going to write about tonight.”

“Certainly only the best, General!” Nilim interjected, his nervousness showing more at each passing second. His usual cheerful tone long forgotten; in its place, only a fragile, small man whose ideals of Press Freedom mattered very little in front of someone such as the powerful Supreme Leader. “Only the best, I assure you.”

“If the best matches the truth…” Your voice was finally heard. Your eyes finally met his and you couldn’t help but swallow. They were of the most intense blue color you’d ever seen. “Now, if you excuse me.”

You bowed your head and tried to remove your hand from his. Nevertheless, he held onto it, keeping it — keeping you — within his grasp. His unseeingly strength fazed you for a brief moment.

“I was hoping you would give me the pleasure of accompanying me in this dance.”

You looked at him speechless. Mouth hanging open, you bet you weren’t the only one flabbergasted. You bit your bottom lip and took a step away.

“I-I... No.” You shook your head. Your boss stared at you completely horrified — after all, who were you to deny the prestigious Supreme Leader? —; you felt as if you had grown thirty heads at once — a hideous image to look at and yet, something one couldn’t simply look away. “If you kindly excuse me…”

Canto Bight Casino, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Two hours ago

Your lips were still tingling — your body was trembling, your head was spinning; what, for the lava of Mustafar, was that? — when Poe’s voice was finally heard through the speakers for the entirety of Canto Bight Casino.

The Supreme Leader was still holding you — his body went completely rigid as he heard the breaking news — in his arms, and now you didn’t wonder anymore why he was so strong, considering his lean physique.

He was looking past you, bluish eyes set on the horizon — or the next speakers, you didn’t know for real —, crushing you into his embrace. With your arms on his shoulders, you pushed him away, but you were aware he’d only let go if it was his wish.

This… The Emperor… He… wasn’t a regular man. On the contrary. Among the most feared beings in the galaxy there were the almighty force users and vampires. This man — the one holding you — was the second.

Licking his plump lower lip, he wiped away any traces of your blood.

It explained his strength and why you felt lightheaded in his company — why you felt watched, even when you were away from his inquisitive eyes. He was trying to read your mind. You couldn’t guess his reason, but you thought he was looking for some clue on what you’d meant to write about him and the deal between Cantonica and the First Order — every dictator’s dream was to be able to know what media would write about them ahead of publication; he couldn’t be that different, right?

You were glad you did your homework and didn’t let him in more than necessary — which, was, perhaps worse. When he wasn’t able to get whatever he wanted out of you through the conventional means — if one can call prying into someone’s thoughts and memories conventional —, he did the unthinkable.

He listened to the whole news reporting with you still in his embrace; his dead heart started beating quickly in his chest, pumping blood through his veins. His right cheek pressed to yours, slowly warmed up his otherwise cool, unnatural face. Except for the way his fingers around you pressed you against him, you had no idea how he took the news of his secret — not so secret anymore — weapon becoming breaking news.

However, there wasn’t any time for explanations, for he let you go and suddenly after the doors were jarred open. Through them, you saw not only your boss’ trembling finger pointed at you, but with him a few officers from the Canto Bight Police Department.

Canto Bight Casino, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Three hours ago

“Kriffs, Dameron!” You placed both hands on the baluster, analyzing the distance to the floor. Right now, jumping over seemed the only way to escape this night alive. “I knew it. Cantonica is pledging loyalty to the First Order right now.”

After the ceremony started — after the most important person in all of Cantonica decided to bend the knee to some sort of authoritative jerk and all the wealthiest people decided to do the same —, you left the Ballroom — not unnoticed, you knew; all the time the Emperor had his eyes set on you — and headed to the much-needed privacy only the balcony could provide right now.

“Minara, what are you still doing there?” You thought he sounded worried; out there, in the open, the connection was even worse. At least, you weren’t feeling watched anymore, nor there was that slight pressure on the back of your head. “It’s too dangerous.”

You smiled as a Chagrian couple walked past you. It seemed the ceremony had just ended, and a few unimportant guests left the Ballroom to chat over expensive drinks and watch the fathiers running in the racetrack. You waited till the couple was out of earshot to speak, “I know… But till last week, Cantonica’s decision was for neutrality.” You lowered your voice to a whisper, “It’s even worse than we believed, Poe! They decided to move the Capital… They… He’s choosen Cantonica! I’ve to do something… I have to!”

You shook your head, the amount of alcoholic drinks you’d had was starting to finally affect you. When it only made you dizzier — and everyone knew how difficult it was for even Port in a Storm to knock you over — you decided it was time to take a walk at the gardens; it would help you clear your mind and set your ideas straight.

Just like pretty much everything in this kriffing planet, the gardens — the ocean as well — were artificially created. You were still to discover something a few millions of credits couldn’t buy.

“You don’t seriously intend for me to release your news reporting while you are at the Gala, do you?”

“Do you have a better idea?” you whispered smiling back at an old Rodian lady; your face was starting to hurt given how much you smiled that night. Inside, you were about to cry from desperation.

As expected, he didn’t reply. Of course he didn’t have a better idea. Poe Dameron wasn’t known for his plans — in fact, he wasn’t known for following other’s plans either. He was more likely to have no plan at all and make decisions out of the blue.

You were beyond frustrated.

If Cantonica, one of the few remaining neutral systems decided to pledge loyalty to the First Order, it meant all the other planets would as well; including those loyal to the Resistance — just like the Emperor said that night, the New Republic was no more, for now only metaphorically, but soon, literally, and all that was left was a small group of rioters whose main objective was to set the Galaxy ablaze — would leave neutrality behind.

You were on the verge of losing everything you’ve been working so hard for the past years — all you and your friends have been working were on the brink of extinction. You could only imagine what General Organa was feeling right now. If it was difficult for you to deal with it, right now… you could only imagine how it was for someone who had fight her whole life to set the Galaxy free from the reigns of a dictatorial organization.    

So far, you could hide your association to the Resistance given Cantonica’s neutrality. Free Press wasn’t only valued but expected. If you could criticize a government and still have your rights guaranteed it was only because the planet decided not to pick a side. Now…  

Now…

Given his silence, you decided to press him further, “Would you back down if you were me?” You bit your bottom lip. “Would you back down when you know you can make the people fight this bizarre decision?”

Once again, he chose to stay silent. A tired — and yet relieved — sigh left you.

“That’s what I thou—

Before you could finish what you were saying, you heard some commotion in the balcony. There were whispers all around you and then silence. Utter, sepulchral silence. You were on the first steps leading to the garden, but given the commotion — or lack thereof —, you decided to stop where you were and look back. At the same time, another voice sounded in your ears in a firm and commanding tone.    

“(Y/N), this is General Organa, and this is an order: leave the Gala right now.”

You furrowed your brows.

Your heart quickened.

At the center of the balcony, there was the person you’ve been running from all night, the Emperor. All the guests made their way back to the Ballroom, till there was no one else outside. It is, except for you and the Supreme Leader — Emperor — himself.

“I-I can’t,” you whispered and before she could say anything else, you shut off the connection without even saying over and out.

With your head held high — there was no point in trying to make yourself invisible right now —, you climbed up the stairs and headed back to the Ballroom in silence. All this time, the tall, ginger man — Poe’s words didn’t sound so funny now — had his back turned to you. His hands were entwined at his back; his head was slightly upwards, as he faced the starry night sky. When you placed your hand on the doorknob, his voice startled you.

“You aren’t dismissed, Miss Minara.”

You held your breath.

What?

“It’s mistress,” you corrected him. “Now, if you kindly excuse me, Your Highness.” You didn’t even try to hide the bitterness in your tone. There was something about this man — something about his looks, about his voice, about his standing… about his nature, that made you feel very strongly about him. And it wasn’t a good feeling. Not at all. “I’m needed elsewhere.”

He turned to face you, but you remained exactly where you were, unable to even cast a glance at him over your shoulder. You closed your eyes, hoping that such action could bring you some calmness.

It didn’t.

You felt once again that pressure in the back of your head. You brought your hand to your neck and let it fall to your sides.

“Nilim Taa dismissed you for the night.”

Kriffs!

You opened your mouth to give him a reply — some reply, any reply — but closed it shortly after. What would you say? What could you say? Your heart was on the verge of breaking your ribcages. There was so much you wanted to say — so much you could say — and yet, you found yourself unable to even talk to him. You were usually a calm, collected and even rational person, but somehow… Somehow, this very man — this stranger — blinded you. All you could feel right now was a bubbling anger. You hated him to your bones. It came so natural to you, you couldn’t even begin to understand such feeling.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” he asked. Whispered. And you tensed. Suddenly, he was right behind you. Quite but not touching. Yet, you could feel every hair in your body bristling.

“Yes,” the answer — the truth — rolled off your tongue with ease. You flexed your fingers, unable to decide whether to keep your standing or to turn around and face him.

There was a moment of silence. It was very long and somewhat even more uncomfortable and awkward than any other situation you could remember. You could hear the soft melody of a Waltz being played. If you dared opening your eyes, you’d see his face reflected on the glassy doors; the look of longing on his face.

Instead, you felt his fingers slithering over yours. And even if you felt deeply about this stranger, it felt… good to have his skin pressed against your own.

You shuddered.

“What are you doing?” you asked; too shocked with yourself to even process the fact you were leaning against him.

He chose silence.

For some reason it didn’t seem odd. It felt as if… You’ve been there before… In this situation. It felt as if you were used to expect silence from him. When he placed his smooth face against yours and slowly… very slowly… ran his nose over the side of your neck, inhaling deeply, you felt like losing it.

In a force breaker that had yourself even surprised, you stepped away from him. Get away from me died in your lips, for his odd comment had you furrowing your brows, “Your heart is accelerated.”

Obviously, ‘as it should’ should be your first reasoning, but it was quickly foreshadowed by ‘how in the force can you hear it?’. There wasn’t any time for such questionings for you felt that again. The pressure in the back of your head.

The probing.

Your eyes widened.

Two creatures — if one could qualify as such — did that. It is, probed people’s minds, force users and vampires. As far as you knew, the Emperor hated force users. Being the Propaganda Boy, he’d certainly promote force users if he were one of them.

You bit your bottom lip and stepped backwards. If the thought of the first left you with mixed feelings, the latter made you feel… exposed. Vulnerable.

Worried sick for your children’s safety.

You brushed them off. It’d do you no good to think about them now. Even if you were good — quite good if you could add — at reining in your thoughts and blocking your mind from intruders, if he really were a vampire, it’d be easy for him to catch onto your feelings and read… whatever you’re trying to hide from him.

“A widow… I see…”

Cornered and afraid, you asked, “What do you really want?”

He didn’t reply.

And you wondered how sickly he must be to enjoy torturing others with his silence. You bit your bottom lip, staring at him with your chin held high; your eyes intensely focused on him.    

“Your feelings regarding the First Order are quite intense.”

He was polite to mention the First Order and not he himself. Instead, you boldly clarified, “I hate you.”

And everything you and your organization stands for.

Somehow, you felt as if you shouldn’t expect an answer.

Yet, he nodded.

If he was taken aback by your answer, he didn’t let it show. With his hands placed behind his back, in a very General-like mode — rumor has it that he killed both the previous Supreme Leader and his force user apprentice when he was a mere General and took up on his role as the mastermind for that awful organization a few years ago — and walked towards you.

As you backed down, your back met the baluster. You even thought about jumping down, but he beat you to it, “I’ll catch you before you can even blink.”

You drew in a breath when you realized how close he was. In a heartbeat, he was in front of you, invading your personal space.

“I know what you are,” you spoke, more like whispered, when he took a hold of your left hand and with his nail punctured the skin of your finger. You gasped, unable to tear your eyes from the crimson drop sprouting from the small wound. “And I-I…” Your mouth hung open as he brought your thumb to his lips.

The moment his cold lips made contact with your skin, you lost the ability to speak…

…to think.

You stared at him, speechless as he closed his lids and sucked vigorously on the small wound. A shiver ran down your spine and you slowly let your eyes shut. Part of you wanted to fight it, to yank your hand away from his grasp and to keep your thoughts to yourself.

It didn’t take a genius to understand that once he realized himself unable to read your thoughts in the conventional mode, he’d find far more Machiavellian means to get any information out of you. But if in the mind probing you’d some control of what he saw, in this fashion, you’d no idea of what unfolded behind his very lids.

With a growl, his eyes fluttered open and he let go of your already healed finger. In a heartbeat — a moment of utter confusion, really —, the Emperor took your lips in a rather chaste kiss.

Or so you thought.

Before long, his fangs pierced your lower lip. Both of his hands slid to the small of your back, bringing you closer to him. A gasp left you as your body met his, your own hands stationing on his shoulders as you dizzily let him take you — and part of you wondered if it was the first time this kind of situation took place.

He insinuated his leg between yours at the same time he ran his left hand through the slit of your dress; his fingers slowly tracing the exposed extension of your thigh. His right hand crept through your hair as he licked your lip, stroking his tongue along yours leisurely. Boldly. A gasp died in your throat as a shock of electricity ran through your body — and you thought his too — forcing you to open your eyes to stare at him, wide-eyed.  As for him, he quickly jerked away from you.

The Supreme Leader kept his eyes closed and even with your messy senses, you could hear the slight growl rising in his chest. To your surprise, it was a confused… pained sound; his arms immediately tightened around you.

With your head pressed to his chest, you couldn’t see his expression. Nor you could make a thing of the entire situation. It was just… Unbelievably. Drained and bleary, you tried to push him away, till you heard his voice, “I’ve a proposit—  

However, it was cut off by Poe’s voice on the speakers…

…reading your news report.

Canto Bight Police Headquarters, Canto Bight, Cantonica

Now

It took the officer in the interrogation room a moment to heed the Emperor’s command and uncuff you. He did it with trembling hands; it was a surprise he didn’t let the keys fall noisily to the floor more than once and as you — and everyone else — expected.

The Police Chief watched the whole scene with his jaw set, but if he were against the straightforward command, he didn’t comment on that. His eyes were on you, watching you with intensity. It seemed getting promoted wasn’t enough for him, he’d have to have you at his mercy.

Guess it wasn’t his lucky day.

As for you, you were sure this was absolutely not your best day. Luck was never really something you counted on, but it seemed you’re running out of it tonight.

You massaged your wrists lightly and then flexed both of your hands as soon as you were set free. Part of you was dying to wipe the dried blood out of your face — and you were somehow unable to decided whether you should wait for the Officers to leave the room —, but you did want to give the Police Chief a good look of you, because if you left the CBPD alive, you’d make sure to write about him and how his corporation handled the Press.

And another part, well… You didn’t want to draw more attention to yourself in the company of such villainous creature.

“Leave us.”

You received his words with bated breath. Part of you was afraid to be with him — alone. Even if you hated him with every fiber in your being — this man represented everything you fought against, to get rid of —, you couldn’t deny how you strongly you felt when he held you in his arms.

It’s not that it felt right.

No.

It didn’t.

But it didn’t feel wrong either.

It felt… bittersweet.

It sparked something in your memory. Something you couldn’t quite grasp yet, but that left you desperate to get away from him.

And there he was.

In front of you.

He waited for a few minutes after everyone left in eerie silence; his impossibly blue eyes never focused on you for a moment. And this time you made sure to have your own set on him, watching for any minimal reaction or any suggestion that he’d get anywhere close…

…to do nothing.

It wasn’t as if you could do something.

Even if you could take care of yourself fairly well — and if not for having been waiting to use the Police Chief’s strike against him and his corrupt corporation — you’d never let him abuse his power. But this man… this very man in front of you was… something else.

It was no man.

It was a creature.

An evil one…

The ancient lore removed from horror stories that you — having two of them at home; having giving birth to them — knew to be true. Not that your children were alike him. They were, and they weren’t.

You shook your head.

You’d lost too much blood already, if he wanted to read your mind — if he didn’t see all he wanted before when he sank his fangs into you —, now would be the perfect time. If you just so let yourself lose control of your thoughts, it’d be too easy for him to get whatever he wanted now.

And you didn’t want to think what he could want.

Next thing you saw, he shifted his blue eyes and stared at you pensively. He outstretched his hand and offered a handkerchief you promptly accepted. You brought it to your busted lip and cleaned it. You usually healed faster than an average human, but this time — but tonight and after everything that took place —, your body didn’t seem to do the trick. It burned when the fabric met your skin.

You fought a grimace and busied yourself by looking at the detailed needlework. It had not only his initials embroidered in it, A.H as in Armitage Hux — part of you expected to have read Emperor somewhere, and the thought made you scoff lightly —, and the symbol of his precious First Order.

The sight made you bit your bottom lip and screw all your earlier work of cleaning yourself. The coppery taste of blood reached your tongue fast as you threw away his handkerchief.

If he felt offended by your gesture, he didn’t comment on that. He’d walked way, but you could see his face through the almost shiny surface of brushed steel of one of the walls. His image was rather distorted, but you guessed it was just fine for a creature such as him. His hands were entwined at his back and his head was held high as he spoke,

“I know it was you.”

You bit your bottom lip, and this time, a drop of blood hit the floor. Even if you couldn’t see it — for it was such a small reaction —, you could hear him inhaling sharply.

“But you can’t prove it,” you spoke confidently. To prove your association to the Resistance was the same to say his new ally — the people of his new home — was conspiring with his enemy. And that spoke more of his precious First Order and he himself than of Cantonica and its representatives — its people. Not a good move if you’d a say. “You can’t.”  

He looked at you over his shoulder; his expression blank.

“I don’t care.”

You furrowed your brows.

“Y-You don’t?”

Your heart beat rapidly against your chest. Your bravery of seconds ago vanished completely. It could mean one thing… Actually, it could mean a lot… But you felt… you knew… to expect the worst.

The First Order and its assets — it’s most powerful asset — had nothing good offer. They couldn’t.

Furthermore, he was a vampire.

And vampires couldn’t offer anything good. Because goodness came as easy to a vampire as giving up came to you.

“I said before I’ve a proposition for you,” he spoke, approaching you in light steps. When he stopped in front of you, you’d no other choice, except to crane your neck to stare at him. “I came to discuss it."

A/N - Well, that’s all. Like I said, the chapters for this story are way too big. But I hope you’ve enjoyed it.  The names Steela and Nik were taken from SW. Steela is a homage to Steela Onderon from TCW and Nik is a homage to the Resistance fighter in ROTJ.  Each of the 4 chapters (not much I know, this story takes time to write) I’ve posted on AO3 are going to be posted here on Wednesdays. See you then xD

[darkzorua100]

So...Blue Maiden vs Haru has been confirmed for 85...yeah I’m getting flashbacks to a certain controversial duel that happened during season 1 and I’m very worried that this is going to happen again. I know I said I wanted a Blue Maiden duel but this isn’t it.

Well on one hand, it looks like we are finally getting to the climax of season 2 with the final battle matchups. Based on the cast list for 84 and just who has been the main focuses of the season this far, I’m going to guess it is going to be Playmaker/Ai, Soulburner/Flame, Blue Maiden/Aqua, Revolver, Spectre, and Ghost Girl as our main six fighters (I count the human supporting Ignis as one with their respective partners) vs Lightning/Jin, Bohman, Haru, Windy, and probably Blood Shepherd. Now that’s only five on their end and with this show’s obsession with perfect numbers (such as with 3 and 6), I’m willing to bet that Lightning has a sixth member on his side somewhere or he will gain another member from Playmaker’s team. Now before this matchup was confirmed, I was expecting this as our following matchups for the first round.

Playmaker/Ai vs Bohman round 4

Soulburner/Flame vs Lightning/Jin

Blue Maiden/Aqua vs Miyu

Revolver vs Dr. Kogami

Spectre vs Windy

Ghost Girl vs Blood Shepherd

I didn’t think Haru was going to duel and instead was going to have a different role to play in all of this based on the fact that Lightning didn’t include him when he talked about who was on his side (being Windy and Bohman). Now that he is, and against Blue Maiden, I’m thinking the writers are going to do what they did for Spectre during season 1 with Haru. Before the Tower of Hanoi, we knew nothing about Spectre other then the fact that he was a Knight of Hanoi and Revolver’s second-in-commend. During the beginning stages of that arc, we got to see him duel, more of his personality when he’s left unsupervised, and the big plot twist of him being a Lost Child in a span of 5 episodes. Haru is in a similar position because we know nothing about him. All he has done this far has been Bohman’s sidekick and the only detail we have got about him was that he was the second generation of A.I. created by Lightning after Bit and Boot but before Bohman’s creation. Haru was supposed to be the vessel for the Ignis to fuse into but Lightning instead chose to make another model in the form of Bohman and that has always made me wonder why. Why was Haru dubbed as a failure? I think we will be getting these answers during this duel and I don’t see that fairing well for Aoi.

Now Aoi just been put into absolutely sh*t positions as of late when it comes to her duels and just the timing of them. Episode 56 aka "Blue Girl's First Battle!". Yeah that duel was just an absolutely disaster. Aoi just got this new avatar, has been build up to seem that she has matured as a duelist, with with a title like that, it would seem like it was all uphill for her right? Yeah...Blue Girl’s first battle was her only battle and only her battle was a lose against Soulburner who at the time wasn’t going to be losing any kind of duels. That duel was just so badly timed, even more in hindsight since Blue Girl didn’t even stick around to duel again. Now we have Blue Maiden, another upgrade for Aoi as her resolve to save Miyu from Lightning. She even has a Ignis now, meaning she has to have plot armor now right? She got this update in episode 77 and now finally she gets to duel again to show off all her improvements. Yeah...

I just don’t see Blue Maiden winning this duel. When the first few characters of season 2 were revealed, Haru being one of them, he was described as this character who held a secret to the bigger picture and yet he hasn’t done anything. Now that he is, I don’t see him just getting beat by Blue Maiden and thrown to the side like garbage. And this is just so frustrating because the writers went through all of this effort to make Aoi important to the story, gave us this shoehorned in backstory with Miyu in order for her to team up with Aqua, gave her another avatar when it wasn’t warranted, only to have her lose during her first duel in her new form, again, making this whole thing just completely meaningless. The writers really just put themselves in a bad position right here because both of these characters desperately need the win. Blue Maiden to make all her development worth something and Haru because he hasn’t done anything and needs to reveal his role in this story and also because Lightning’s group as a whole needs another win.

I very much want Blue Maiden to win but I seriously think she’s just going to be a scapegoat, the first to fall in this final battle, even with Aqua. After Earth’s death, and even before that with Windy’s lose to Revolver and almost getting murdered himself, just how much plot armor do these Ignises have anymore in this show? Lightning’s end goal is to fuse him and his kin together so if Blue Maiden loses, and Haru gets ahold of Aqua’s data, he will be one step closer to fulfilling his goal. We could very well see the Divine Ignis by the end of this season if they do decide to go that route with Lightning’s group or save that for season 3 with SOL since they also share the same end goal of merging all six Ignis together.

Regardless of the end result, I am interested to seeing how this duel will play out. Blue Angel vs Spectre, regardless of the end result, was still one of the best duels, in my opinion, of season 1, and I hope Aoi will play just as good during this duel against Haru. With a title like “Genuine Tears”, it really does make me wonder if Haru will be trying to play some mind games on Blue Maiden to break her down to tears. Since she has Aqua, she has protection against truth and lies but at the same time, that might just be even worse. We know Lightning is the reason Miyu is in a coma right now and if he wants to hurt Aqua, he might have given Miyu’s consciousness data to Haru to use against them or if we really are going for the plot twists, like with Spectre turning out to be a Lost Child, Haru could end up being Miyu. That would cause some genuine tears right there, especially considering with Aqua’s powers, the truth of having to face against her Origin would hurt more then a lie of it. Either way, I’m expecting Miyu to be brought up during this duel and whatever form she ends up taking, hopefully it will lead to some good drama. Either way, these next few episodes should be interesting. 

[niiwa-angel]

Sick day at Skylands

Spyro woke up with a fuzzy mind, not a head ache per say, but like he was thinking through a fog. He rolled over to check his clock, his curtains were drawn and his room was dark, from down the hall, he could hear Eruptor snoring. As gently as possible he tapped the top of a little copper box with a dark front, immediately the dark front displayed a time. 4:12 am. Spyro quietly groaned, /it is to early for this!/ he thought to himself as he tried to think of what in skylands had driven him awake. He knew it wasn't Eruptors snoring, he had long since grown used to that and now could barely sleep without it, it wasn't the sun, his room was to dark for that. Then he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, like a stone was resting in it, his mouth filled with saliva, he moaned in pain and disgust as some of it slipped out his jaws. He curled around himself, a childlike whimper emitting from his throat. Almost instantly, he shot bolt up right and ran from his room to the bathroom, barely shutting the door behind him. He ran to the toilet, his claws gripped the sides as his body heaved, sweat dropped down his snout and tears sprang in the backs of his eyes. Finally, having emptied itself, his stomach settled.

Spyro flushed and rinsed his mouth with cold water before slowly making his way back to his room, careful to not wake his house mates. He crawled into his now cold bed, shivering slightly as he did, he pulled the blankets tightly around himself. His whole body hurt, his head was now pounding and he was really cold, the tears fell now, slowly making their way down his face. A small part of him wished he were still young, when Eon would sit with him and tell him stories of the skylanders when he was sick. He was older now though, to old to want the man who had raised him and cared for him since he was a hatching. Besides, it was just a small cold, nothing more, he was Spyro! He was a skylander, a hero! This would pass quickly.

~~timeskip to morning~~

Eruptor woke up slowly to the sound of his alarm, he listened to the incessant beeping before turning it off. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, moving his legs off the side of the bed. He stood and stretched, yawning as he did so. He worked his way to the kitchen to find Stealth Elf sitting at the island with her phone and Jet Vac leaning against it with a thick hardcover book in his hand, both skylanders looked up as he entered.

"Good morning Eruptor! I hope you had a restful sleep, ready to start the day?" Jet Vac asked in his typical fatherly way. It was no secret that JV saw the trio as his kids, often checking up on them, helping them with their studies and assignments and listening earnestly to their fears, worries and troubles without judgement. Eruptor smiled.

"No troubles to speak of JV, how was your night?" Eruptor started rooting around in the cupboards, pulling out flour, baking powder, salt, mixing bowls and spoons before taking milk and eggs out of the fridge. He smiled to himself as Jet Vac answered his question.

Stealth Elf smiled as she watched the two talk and work. She was looking forward to Eruptors pancakes as well as the traditional scuffle between her and Spyro to grab the last one. Her face fell as she noticed Spyro wasn't here.

"Hey boys, is Spyro up yet? He's normally down here by now." Stealth Elf straightened herself up to look town the hallway Eruptor had just come from, it was lit with skylights but there was no one in it. Eruptor shrugged off the question, to focused on his pancakes to anwser Elfies question. Jet Vac looked annoyed.

"Now that you mention it, no, I haven't seen Spyro today. I swear he can be so lazy sometimes. I'll go wake him, be back in a minute." Jet Vac placed a slim piece of paper that had clearly been ripped from something into the book he had been reading and closed it with a light 'thump' and started off down the hallway. Once he was out of sight he let his walk slow and his face relax. He wasn't angry or even disappointed that spyro had slept a little late, the boy had improved, he worked harder, was doing better in all of his classes and was becoming a respectable young dragon that Jet Vac was proud to teach and work with despite his young age. So, if the boy slept in a few times, Jet Vac wasn't angry, he certainly wasn't going to be like his father and yell at Spyro until he cried and then yell at him for crying, he would just gently wake him up and let him know breakfast was ready. He reached Spyros door, which was slightly ajar, he gently knocked twice and entered, taking in the room. It was tidy-ish, the round bed was in one corner with some blankets hanging off the sides, the desk had papers and textbooks covering the surface with a pencil next to the computer, the bookshelves in the opposite corner had long since been filled and some books were fit in in odd ways, spines a short bit off the shelves, cover facing forward. The curtains were drawn, casting the room in shadows that would have made the high ceiling look sinister had it not been for the hanging paper models of islands, stars and odd origami shapes. Jet Vac smirked, he remembered Stealth Elf learning to make origami and gifting it to her friends, it was sweet to see that Spyro had kept them. Looking at the corner where Spyros bed was, Jet Vac could see pictures covering the walls, as he got closer he could make out different faces, a young Spyro with Master Eon, Stealth Elf and Spyro covered in mud, the trio on Eruptors 13th birthday with the fire elemental covered in frosting with Spyros claw pushing a piece of cake into his face.

Looking on the bed itself, Jet Vac's heart sunk. Spyro contradicted his room in every way, rather than welcoming, he looked tense, his face looked pained. His eyes moved quickly behind his tightly shut eyelids and he was murdering.

"Stop it, lemme alone. I don wanna, please." Jet Vac frowned at the words his pupil was whimpering, Spyro was clearly in the throws of a nightmare. Jet Vac slowly sat on the edge of Spyros bed and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently.

"Hey, hey Spyro, it's just a dream,wake up my boy. That's it, your alright." JV smiled as Spyro opened his eyes, only to frown at how pale he was. Spyro looked around slowly before settling on his mentor and friend. He blinked like he was trying to get water out of his eyes before he lifted his claws and rubbed at them.

"Oh hey JV, sorry bout that." Spyro threw on his infamous smirk, but even in the murky shadows of the room, Jet Vac could see that the normal cheerfulness that always followed Spyro was missing. Jet Vac grimaced.

"Sorry about what?"

"Falling asleep in your class." Spyro said with such earnesty that Jet Vac knew something was up.

"My boy, this is your room and it's saturday!" Spyro blinked a few times and shook his head.

"Oh yeah, I was just messin with ya. Hey let's head downstairs. I smell food." JV narrowed his eyes, his mind working fast.

"Spyro, are you feeling alright? Your look in pale?" JV would swear up and down for weeks that he could see Spyro freeze.

"Oh of um, of course I'm okay, why, why would you think I wasn't?" Spyro stuttered, avoiding eye contact.

"Spyro, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that you can tell me if your feeling ill. I want to make sure you're feeling alright. If you need to take the day to just sleep I'm sure Master-"

"I said I'm Fine!" Spyro snapped, turning away and stalking out the door. JV was at a loss, Spyro rarely spoke with such anger and disrespect. JV sighed. It was going to be a long day.

~~timeskip to Eons library~~

Eon considered himself to be very in touch with his Skylanders, he knew Jet Vac still harboured a fear that he wasn't 'man' enough, he knew Eruptor was always worried he was to hot to be around, he knew Stealth Elf was always worried about people being nervous about her pupilless eyes, and he knew Spyro needed reassurance that he was good enough to be with his team. So when the 'troublesome trio' as he had affectionately dubbed Stealth Elf, Eruptor and Spyro came in with Jet Vac trailing behind watching them closely, he knew something was up.

"Ah, Skylanders! So glad you could make it! I have a surprise for you all!" It didn't escape Eons gaze that Spyro wasn't bouncing, or flying or doing any of the typical Spyro things. His tail was dragging and his wings looked limp, as though even feasting them on his back was to much effort.

"Alright sir, we can't wait!" Stealth Elf exclaimed, following Eon out to the training arena to see a huge climbing structure, complete with ropes, Rockwalls, tight wires, and swings. Stealth Elf looked giddy.

"Holy Sheep!" She cried teleporting to the other side of the contraption and back again.

"Yes, I thought it would be good for you all to get some training with heights. And I thought thus would be a fun way for you to pass your weekend." Eon was rewarded with a quick hug from Stealth Elf, quickly followed by Eruptor. Eon braced himself for Spyros tackle but when he looked for his young ward, he saw that he was gazing off into space. Eon was more than concerned.

"Spyro, are you quite well?" Eon asked, startling the purple dragon out of his trance.

"Perfectly fine Master Eon." He replied in a flat, monotone voice, a shocking difference from his usual voice. Eon glanced at Jet Vac, who discreetly shook his head. Eon knew that if he wanted to get honest anwser from Jet Vac or Spyro, he would have to talk with them alone. It would be easier to talk to Spyro first, knowing he would get suspicious and leave, something he had done since he was small. Eon gestured to the climbing structure, that was all the encouragement Stealth Elf needed, she ran to a rock wall and was nearly halfway up before Eruptor even reached the base.

"Spyro, may I speak with you please?" Eon's heart sank at the look of panic that came over the dragon he had parented, he remembered how Spyro had always come home bursting to tell him about his day, now he looked scared to talk with him. Spyro dragged his feet the whole way over, watching them the whole time. Eon could hear the wheeze in his breaths, as though he were out of breath just from the walk.

"Spyro, are you well?" Eon wasn't sure how to continue with this, Spyro rarely got sick but when he did he was always honest about it. Spyro looked positively shocked.

"Of course I am, why, what, why wouldn't I be?" Eon cringed at his voice, it was weak and raspy. The poor young dragon looked like he was trying to hold back a cough, knowing that pushing him for anwser would only drive him further away, Eon sighed internally and nodded.

"Okay then. But you know you can talk to me about anything, right Spyro? You know I will always have your back." Spyro turned with a nod, slowly making his way across the lawn to the climbing walls. Eon waved Jet Vac over.

"So I take it you've noticed something is up with Spyro." Jet Vac said upon being close enough to quietly talk without being heard.

"Yes but he won't tell me. He's so distant and is being very secretive. I just don't understand!" Eon exclaimed.

"Well I noticed that he didn't eat much this morning, he's slightly feverish, and he's got a cough that he is try it desperately to hide. All in All, I think it's something that should pass with proper rest," Jet Vac broke off as he heard Stealth Elf hoot from the top of the structure, turning to face the trio, he saw the three of them on a tire that was swinging back and forth. "Not that he is."

Eon shuddered at how high up the sick youngster was. He couldn't have flown up there so he must have climbed.

"When did you notice he was sick?" Ron asked the professor.

"This morning, he slept in. When I went to wake him, he didn't know where he was and he was warm to the touch." Eon was happy to know he could trust that Jet Vac would always get to the point, he rarely beat around the Bush, and it was good to know that he cared for Spyro as much as Eon did. Still, the troll in the room hadn't been properly addressed.

"What should we do?" Eon asked, glancing at his boy, who looked like he was holding onto the rope of the tire swing for dear life.

Jet Vac followed Eons gaze. "I think we wait for him to come to us, he's prideful Eon. He won't forgive us if we force him to recover."

"You and I both know that he won't come to us. He'll collapse from exhaustion before he asks for help," Eon thought back on how Spyro used to be when he was young, the late night talks about his nightmares, his fears, his passions. Then he had gone to the academy for training and even though Eon still saw him everyday, Spyro had pulled away. And it pained him to see his boy go through this alone.

~~with Spyro~~

Spyro honestly had no idea how he managed to get up the damn tower. His head was pounding, made worse by his friends cheers and laughter, every part of his body hurt and he felt sick. Looking down, he could see Master Eon and JV talking together, but he was to far away yo make out what they were saying.

"Hey Spyro, you okay?" Eruptor asked, his fiery brow furrowed in concern. "You're paler than Elfie." Spyro quickly shook his head, trying to clear the fog he was thinking through.

"Oh yeah, I'm perfect. You know me, I cannot be brought down." Eruptor didn't look convinced.

"Okay, prove it then. Jump leap frog style to the end of the tires and back again!" Eruptor knew this was stupid, if his friend wasn't fine, he wouldn't be able to make all those jumps. But Spyro straightened his shoulders and look as indignant as possible.

"Ha! Not only will I cross the tires, I'll do it with my wings tied behind my back!" Spyro kicked himself mentally, he could barely cling to the rope of the tire swing! There was no way thus would end well, but Elfie had just pulled a length of rope from her pocket and gestured for him to turn around. There was no backing out now.

With his wings tied firmly behind him, Spyro and his friends made their way to the starting platform, Spyro kneeled into a runners start and waited for Elfie to give him the go ahead. His heart and head pounded in sync as she counted down.

"3, 2, 1! Go!" Spyro leaped from the platform onto the first tire, which swung with his momentum, using it, he leaped to the next one, and the one after that. All was well for the first few jumps, but soon he started to have trouble catching his breath, by the 7th jump he felt like he was trying to breath underwater. He managed to reach the end, and turned around to go back, barely catching the tips of his claws on the edge of the first tire, relying on luck and the pattern of the tires, he miraculously made it to the start again.

"See? Told you... I could... make it..." the last thing Spyro remembered was his vision going dark, Eruptors voice calling his name, and the odd feeling that he was falling.

~~with Eon and Jet Vac~~

Eon looked up from his conversation with Jet Vac just in time to see Spyro leap recklessly across the gap between a tire and a platform, pause for a moment and then fold like a house of cards. He watched in horror as the young Skylander plunged like a stone through the air and land with a cruel thud against the unforgiving ground. He could vaguely hear Stealth Elf yell his name while Jet Vac, Eruptor and himself called Spyros name. He made it to his mentees side and saw that, blessedly, he was still breathing, but his one leg was bent where there wasn't a joint, and he was bleeding from a cut on his head. Taking a breath, Eon took control of the situation.

"Stealth Elf, Eruptor. Climb down from there as quickly as you can and go tell Hugo to get a bed ready in the med bay. Also tell him to call a doctor. Jet Vac, I need you to run and grab the first aid kit from the Library. Go! Now!" Eruptor and Stealth Elf climbed down in such a hap hazardly manner that under normal circumstances, Eon would have scolded them. Elf looked at her fallen friend and choked on a sob before Eruptor grabbed her wrist and the two of them ran off, Jet Vac followed them before branching off onto a separate path to get to the Library. Eon looked down on the young boy on the grass before him, his breaths were laboured and short, and he was covered in a sheen of sweat.

"Oh you foolish, foolish child," Eon shook his head, "What in all of Skylands were you thinking?"

"Master Eon! I have the kit!" Jet Vac ran up the path toward his Master, kit in hand.

"Ah yes, thank you Jet Vac. Now I need your help. You and I need to make sure that Spyro is alright to move without hurting him more." Eon gently cradled Spyros head in his hands, Jet Vac cleaned the gash on Spyros head with the the tenderness one generally reserves for newborn infants. With the two of them working as a team, it wasntblong before Spyros head was bandaged and they had made sure his neck wasn't broken. Eon carefully gathered Spyro into his arms and lifted him gently, slowly making his way through the academy grounds to the med bay. They were greeted by an anxious Hugo and a doctor Eon had never met before who gestured to a neatly made up bed. Eon and the others were escorted from the room the minute Eon laid Spyro down on the crisp white sheets.

~~timeskip~~

After what felt like days but was probably a few hours, the doctor opened the door. Eon had long since sent Eruptor and Stealth Elf back to their dorm with Jet Vac to make sure they recovered from their shock, so it was just him waiting on the steps waiting for word about his boy.

"Master Eon." The doctor called out, Eon turned and stood towards the doctor, concern painted on his face, making him look older than he was.

"He has a badly fractured leg, a mild concussion and a bad case of the flu but I think that with a few days bed rest and proper eating should clear it up. The concussion and broken keg will take longer. He isn't to walk on the leg, wake him every four hours to make sure he hasn't slipped into a coma, and don't you dare let him fly." Eon thanked the Elements that Spyro was going to be okay.

"Is he awake? May I see him?" Eon pleaded with the doctor, who shrugged.

"He isn't awake yet but you can go sit with him if your quiet. Just remember that he might be a little slow on the uptake when he wakes up." The doctor stood to the side to let Eon through the doors. Spotting Spyro was easy, he was laying on his side, look in like he had been running, with his mouth slightly open. There was a cast around his left front leg as well as a thin line of stitches running across the area where previously there had been a gash.

"Oh Spyro, my boy. What were you thinking?" Eon pulled a chair closer to the bed and settled in to wait for his son to wake up.

~timeskip~~

Spyro groaned, his head hurt worse than before and his leg hurt. Opening his eyes, he noticed Eon sitting in a chair next to him. Eon heard the dragon wake up and looked down at him, a look Spyro could only describe as disappointment on his face.

"Your awake. Good." Spyro felt his heart sink, he was in for it. Eon must be so mad.

"When are you going to learn how to be part of a team?" Eon asked, frowning down at the young dragon. Spyro instantly jumped to defend himself.

"Master Eon, I swear, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to, I promise I will never bother you with something like this again!" Spyro said in a rush. Eon narrowed his eyes.

"Bother me with what again Spyro?" He asked, leaning closer to the bed. Spyro gulped.

"Being sick." He murmered, looking down at his paws. Eon softened.

"My dear boy, being part of a team means trusting the others on it to help you when you need it! I'm not angry your sick, I am, however, frustrated that you didn't tell anyone you were feeling ill! We could have helped you, or at the very least have known and made it slightly less miserable for you." Eon gently pulled the young dragon to his chest.

"Spyro, you are fourteen years old, I don't expect you to deal with an illness completely alone! Even I like having others around when I'm sick!" Eon felt the child shudder into his robes, his breathing hitching into sobs.

"My poor Spyro," Eon rubbed circles into Spyros back, "you and I used to be so close, why didn't you come talk to me?" Spyro cried a little harder.

"I didn't want to bother you." He choked out, pull in back to wipe the tears from his eyes. Eon moved his hand to Spyros face.

"My brilliant boy, you could never bother me. Never." Eon laid Spyro down on the bed and curled up next to him, whispering comforting words in his ear until he fell asleep.

When Jet Vac came in to check on his student and his Master, he found them both fast asleep, Spyro curled in Eons arms. He smiled and left them to sleep.

FIN

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

Dragon Ball Super: Battle of Gods Arc REVIEW:

Hello everybody, my name is JoyofCrimeArt and as I've said in the past screaming and punching is awesome! This is just an undeniable fact. And when it comes to the "screaming and punching" genre of cartoons there is none that does it better than Dragon Ball Z. (Okay, that's probably not true at all, but shut up alright? I'm trying to segway into this.) The best way to look at Dragon Ball Z, and the Dragon Ball series as a whole is to look at it as just a really cool superhero series, that doesn't try to come across as needlessly "dark" or "mature." It has dark and mature moments for sure, but not in the way that some comic books do where they try to shoehorn in these elements in order to be shocking or edgy. Dragon Ball does something that a lot of superhero type stories now of days tend to forget to do, and that's just be fun. From the over the top characters and powers, to the tonnes of convoluted lore that they make sound important, even though ever arc just ends up being a contest of who can punch the hardest, Dragon Ball was just a fun series. Flawed for sure, yes, (Seriously, next time you watch a Dragon Ball series play this game at home, it's called "Find the inconsistency.") but still a lot of fun regardless.  After finishing up the story of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z the original author, Akira Toriyama, decided to step away from the series for almost twenty years. He did help with some designs for some spin-off properties based off of the series, but for a long period of time Dragon Ball was pretty much over. But, and this a true story, after seeing the American live action adaptation of his series, Dragon Ball Evolution, and hating it so much, it inspired him to make another Dragon Ball Z movie. One that he would be directly involved in. That movie was 2013's "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods." and the movie was a huge success. So much of a success that it got a sequel called "Dragon Ball Z: Reserection 'F'." The Dragon Ball franchise was given new life. And naturally with all this success, it was only natural for Toei Animation to announce a new Dragon Ball tv series. After 19 years there would finally be a new series, and that new series would be called "Dragon Ball Super." Fan's were hyped....

 ...Until it was announced that the first two arcs would be adaptations of the two newest movies.  

Yeah, fans were not happy to learn that they would have to wait 26 episodes before getting any "new" content. Especially since the movies had just came out a few years ago. But, who knows, maybe this could be a good thing. Maybe these longer versions of the movie could expand on the movies, and add new scenes or different plot elements to improve the movies story, and make it even better. How did this movie retelling work out? Well, let's dive into this and find out. But first some context.  First things first, when it comes to these reviews I will be reviewing the dub. This is because I started actually watching Dragon Ball Super at episode 63, when the website Crunchyroll started subbing it. I was following what was happening in the series before hand using online recaps and such, but I never really went back and rewatched the first 62 episodes, save for a few. So I'm using the new English dub to actually see for myself what I have missed. And since most fans of Dragon Ball seem to like the dub more anyway I think it be better to do it like this. Also, I just want to say that I will be comparing this to the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods film. It's kinda hard not to what with them being the same story and all. Also I want to state for the record that I LOVE the Battle of Gods film a lot. I was a casual Dragon Ball fan before watching that film, but after watching that movie I fell in love with the franchise. I loved the more comedic feel the film had, while still keeping in the drama that was needed. I loved the way it built upon the lore, and how it created a story and a villain completely different from anything that Dragon Ball had seen before. I consider the film of version of "Battle of Gods" as not just a great Dragon Ball film, but a great film in general! So keep all that in mind. Also, SPOILERS for everything Dragon Ball from here on out. Okay, ready? Let's go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsPw7x8LZC4

So just a quick rundown for anybody not in the know. Dragon Ball is the story of Goku, a psychopath man child alien who loves to fight things. He was sent to Earth as a baby to destroy the planet, but forgot about his mission after his adopted grandfather accidentally drops him into a motherfu*king canyon. Goku and his friends travel the world collecting the Dragon Balls, magical orbs that can grant any wish, but over the course of the series pretty much just becomes there "get out of death free" card. Then half way through the show suddenly becomes about fighting aliens. One of these aliens they fight is named Vegeta. A member of Goku's race called the Saiyans who, over the course of the show, goes from evil big bad, to anti hero, to just a frickin' tsundere by the time Super comes around. The Saiyans have the power to become more powerful using the power of "Super Saiyan" transformation, which increases there power and hair mass exponentially. Also this arc takes place four years after Goku defeats the evil pink bubblegum man, but six years before he abandoned his family to train some random Indian boy. HOPE THAT CLEARS EVERYTHING UP FOR ANY NEWCOMERS!  Anyway, this arc begins in space where, in typical Dragon Ball tradition, we are introduced to a new villain who just happens to be way stronger than our last villain, and has just happened to never be mentioned by anybody until now. This new villain is Beerus, a God of Destruction. His job, as we learn, is to go around the universe destroying planets in order to maintain the natural balance in the universe. Beerus looks like a giant purple cat, and this reflects his personality a lot. Because like a cat, all Beerus cares about is eating, sleeping, and being a general dick. Only this cat has the power to effortlessly destroy planets with a touch of his fingers. Beerus also has a helper, named Whis. A flamboyant but snarky blue guy who's job is to look after Beerus and make sure he's doing his job. He also acts as the straight man to Beerus's antics, and these two characters have great chemistry together. This is helped by the great voice talent of Jason Douglasas as Beerus, and Ian Sinclair as Whis. They do a great job portraying the duo.  We learn that Beerus has been sleeping for the last thirty seven years, so he just conveniently been sleeping for most of the Dragon Ball series. But he was awoken by a premonition dream, as he foresaw something called a "Super Saiyan God." and this "God" would provide him with someone he could call a rival. Beerus, like most characters in Dragon Ball, has a love for the thrill of combat. But since he's so powerful there are few who he can fight without just obliterating in an instant. So thus, he is really dedicated to finding this Saiyan. However, despite having the dream, he has trouble remembering the details of it, so he goes around destroying planets and eating, hoping that doing that will somehow jog his memory.  The way Beerus is portrayed is a point of contention for some Dragon Ball fans, when comparing the film to this arc. In the movie, while still mentioned that he was a destroyer of worlds, we never really saw it. And it seemed like he did it less out of malice and more because, as a destroyer god, it was his job to. While in the anime we see him destroy the planets, over petty things like the food he eats on the planets not being tasty enough. Most fans prefer the film version, but I actually don't mind the change that much. I mean we still knew that he had destroyed planets, so I don't see why showing it matters much. What I don't like about Beerus in the first half in this arc though, is the fact that they really play up him bumblingness a bit to much. The Beerus from the movie was able to really balance being a wacky, fun character and a real threat. He acted silly because he was so powerful that he didn't have anything to prove to anybody. Here they push it a bit closer to the comedic side, which I think is a miss because the movie got it just right, in my opinion.  After obliterating some more planets Beerus fully remembers his dream. He ask Whis how many Saiyans are left in the universe and Whis answers five And so Beerus and Whis decide to head out and find out which one of them can be the "Super Saiyan God." But enough about our villains, what are our hero's up to? Well, it's Bulma's birthday and everybody from the original series is invited. I really like this, because after being away from the Dragon Ball series for almost two decades it's great to have ever character from the old series, major or not, show up and just be themselves. It's nice seeing these guys when there not fighting and just hanging out. In the movie the party was just held at Bulma's mansion, but here it's on a cruise shop. I kinda like the former better, but it doesn't really matter.  Goku and Vegeta are both uninterested in the party, and want to spend there time training. Goku goes off to King Kai's planet to train but Vegeta is forced to go to the party because Bulma's his wife and more importantly scary. Meanwhile Old Kai and Kibito Kai sense that Beerus has awoken from his slumber. They are worried that if Goku finds out the Beerus is awake, and is as strong as he is, Goku will try to fight him, and that fight could risk that fate of the universe. By the way, I love how the gods view our hero and our villain as equal threats to the universe...There not wrong. We also learn that it was Beerus who trapped Old Kai in the Z sword. It doesn't say why, but I like to imagine that it was because Beerus wanted to make a SICK prank video for his GodTube channel bra!

 Old Kai tells King Kai to not tell Goku about Beerus. However, this doesn't work out very well as Beerus is already on his way to King Kai's planet to find Goku. When Beerus does find Goku he challenges him to a fight to see if he is the prophesied Super Saiyan God, and Goku accepts. In the original film Goku goes straight to Super Saiyan 3, but here he goes through each form one by one. It is kinda cool to see the fight extended a bit, but it is definitely there to pad the length, and also doesn't make to much sense on why Goku would start at a weaker stage, but it's kinda cool to see. Which version of the fight is better though will depend on what your looking for. Something quick or something a bit more drawn out. (And I'm not going to talk about the bad animation, because it's beating a dead horse at this point, plus they fixed it by the time it aired dubbed so who really cares?)  Regardless of which version you watch though, it's a complete curb stomp. Goku doesn't even land one hit on Beerus, and Beerus takes Goku out in three hits. Goku is left beaten and wounded, and Beerus decides to head to Earth to see if Vegeta is the Super Saiyan God. King Kai uses his telepathy to warn Vegeta about Beerus and tells him that if he can keep Beerus happy, they all might just live. Vegeta suddenly has a repressed childhood memory about a time where Beerus visited Planet Vegeta, and made a mockery of his father, using the King of all Saiyan's as a mere footstool. This knowledge, plus knowing how easily Beerus defeated Goku, makes Vegeta decide to suck up to Beerus. The only problem is that none of the other people at the Bulma's party knows who Beerus is, and Vegeta has no time to tell them. (They assume Beerus is some friend of Vegeta from space. Which is dumb because Vegeta has only been a "friendly" person for a couple of years at this point, and none of those years was he in space to our knowledge.) So Vegeta has to make sure that nobody at the party annoys Beerus, or else they'll all die. It's actually some good stuff as we get some good comedy and some actual character development out of Vegeta. The prideful Prince of all Saiyans has to swallow his pride and act a fool for the sake of the planet. It's good stuff. In the original movie we get to see Vegeta singing and dancing to a ridiculous bingo dance to distract Beerus from his rage, while here we see him being an over the top sushi cook. Both are good but...come on, bingo dance has this in the bag. No contest.

 Oh, something that I forgot to mention is that the Pilaf Gang are in this arc. The reason I forgot is because they really don't contribute anything to the story here. We learn that apparently at some point off screen they managed to find the dragon balls and wish to be younger, but they didn't specify how young and were turned into babies. So now they've naturally aged back up to about Goten and Trunk's age. They basically act like Team Rocket from the Pokemon anime, which is fun to see in a Dragon Ball series, but my problem is that the tv version cut out all there best scenes from the movie! They cut out the weird sudo-romance with Trunks and Mai, they cut out the hostage scene with a drunk Great Saiyan Man. Why? I mean we were trying to extend the film out the twelve episodes anyway, and heck that Trunks Mai romance thing actually comes up later in Super, and only makes sense if you saw the Battle of Gods movie, which I don't think is even cannon anymore. (Though I do like this one scene later on of Whis and the Pilaf Gang just kinda chillin'. It's funny seeing the most pathetic Dragon Ball villains and one of the most powerful characters actually getting along.)  Anyway, back to the main plot Vegeta is actually doing a good job of making sure that Beerus stays happy. This is until Beerus decides that he wants to try some pudding, but finds out that Buu is hogging all of it. Buu refuses to share and this enrages Beerus to the point of him deciding to blow up the planet. If there's no Super Saiyan God AND no pudding then what's the point, right? At this point all of the Z fighters start to realize that this Beerus guy is trouble and try to take him on, only to be very quickly clobbered. Bulma actually get's so fed up with all this crap that she slaps Beerus and tells him that he's ruined her birthday party. This causes Beerus to back hand Bulma, and this infuriates Vegeta. It's a touching and awesome moment showing how far Vegeta has grown since his first appearance as a sadistic killer. (Though this scene drags on way to long in the series.)  Vegeta channels his anger. He refuses to stand by and watch Beerus walk all over him and his friends. Vegeta's rage is so strong that it actually causes him to get stronger. Stronger than even Goku! Vegeta has finally surpassed his rival for the first time since the Cell saga and is about to unleash all of this new found power on Beerus head on!  ...It goes as well as you would expect...

(But hey, at least you landed a few hits onto him Vegeta. Be proud of that.)  Beerus is about to destroy the Earth, but he decides to give our heroes one more chance. If they beat him at rock-paper-scissors he'll spare their planet. Oolong is chosen to represent our heroes. Finally, after like four hundred combined episodes it's time for Oolong to enter the spotlight once again and save the Earth. Also THEY SPEND AN ENTIRE EPISODE ON ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS! OH MY GOD! AND YOU WONDER WHY MOST PEOPLE PREFER THE MOVIES!?  Anyway eventually Goku shows up, healed from his previous battle. Goku decides that if he doesn't know what a Super Saiyan God is, he can just use the dragon balls and ask Shenron about it. Beerus decides to let them, and we get a funny bit where even Shenron is scared by Beerus. (Though is this really a surprise? I mean even King Piccolo could kill him.) Shenron tell the legend of the Super Saiyan God, and how it can only be achieved by six pure hearted saiyans combining there power, and channeling it into one host. This is a problem though, because even with the half saiyans they still only have five. But threat not, as  Gohan's wife Vedel reveals that she is pregnant, and thus the baby is a quarter saiyan. It's a long shot, but they might have a chance to actually pull this off. They all hold hands together, and channel all there power into Goku. And then, Goku starts to transform and OH MY GOD THIS FRICKIN' TRANSFORMATION IS CARTOONISH LEVELS OF OVER THE TOP! It goes on for almost five minutes and has everybody glowing, the sky turns gold. It goes from day to night and back again.(Somehow? Seriously is that effecting the rest of the Earth?) It rains, it snows. It's all just to over the top. Especially since (outside of the manga) we NEVER see this form again after this arc. It really feels just like padding.

Anyway, after what feels like an eternity we finally see it. We see Goku's new form, the Super Saiyan God! I really like the design. After Super Saiyan 3 there was no way to make the Super Saiyan form buffer and with more hair, so like Super Saiyan 4 in GT they chose to reinvent the look. I like how it's slimmer, and the hair isn't as spiky. It works because it's reminisce of his base form, which works as this is suppose to be a new starting point for Goku. I like the way the red looks, and I like the touch of his eyes and even his skin turning red as well. It's really cool.

 Goku and Beerus begin to fight it out, though Goku has the disadvantage as he is still getting use to his new god power. Here Beerus's personality reverts into something a lot closer to the film version, which is very welcome. Old Kai and Kibito Kai monitor the fight and note that it doesn't seem like Beerus is actually trying to kill Goku, but rather teach him how to use his new found power. (After all, all Beerus wants is a rival who can challenge him, so why not help Goku reach his full potential.) It's really cool to see that element in the fight, as Goku and Beerus take on the student and mentor roles. The fight very quickly escalates into upper orbit. Then, as one of my favorite online reviewers Mr. Movie Sunday would say, "They punch for a bit then they're mates."  There are pros and cons to both the fight in the movie and the fight in the series. In the film the fight, in my opinion, feels a bit to brief due to the movies time constraints. The series has the opposite problem though, as the fight seems to drag on in some points. It's weird to say that, considering that the fight only last about five episodes, which is nothing by the standards of the Z. I think it might be because the fight mostly takes place in one location, and the quicker tone of Super makes all the stuff that seemed common place in Z just feel a bit off from a pacing perspective. I wish maybe they spent maybe one less episode on the fight, and devote that episode to more of Beerus at the party.  The film's fight also brings up the idea that Goku actually doesn't like using Super Saiyan God, because he doesn't like the fact that he needed other people's power to obtain it. (Though the Spirit Bomb is just fine I guess?) The theme is touched on in the series, but only in one line or two. Which is a shame because I actually think it's an interesting look in Goku's character.  The series also adds some additions to the fight scene that weren't in the movie, and these additions are very hit or miss. Some things are really cool, like how Goku actually mimics the three attacks that Beerus used to knock him out in there first battle. There's also this really powerful scene where Goku is drowning that really shows what Goku's character is really all about and has AMAZING voice acting from Sean Schemmel. We also get a great scene of the prideful and arrogant Mr. Satan begging for Whis to stop the fight, not because of he's scared for his own life, but because he's scared for the life of his pregnant daughter. It actually really touching. There's a scene of Piccolo getting up in Whis's face that's pretty bad ass and episode fourteen in general is awesome, feature voice acting and even animation that comes close to rivaling the film, which is beyond impressive for a tv budget.  But then there are some less good changes. Like there's this bit where the shock waves of Beerus and Goku's fight are so powerful that it might destroy the universe, and even does destroy some random planets. This is weird because, while Beerus is stronger than anybody we've seen fight in Super afterwords, he's not using full power in this fight and Goku get's way stronger in later arcs. So how come the universe is becoming torn apart here but not say next arc when a stronger Goku is fighting Golden Frieza?  Why is this needed? The fate of the Earth is already at stake, we don't need more risk. Also we get Vegeta dramatically staring up at the fight without talking FOR THE ENTIRE FIGHT! Why? what is this suppose to be indicating? YOU CAN'T SEE THE FIGHT VEGETA, THERE PRACTICALLY IN SPACE!

(D-Don't worry. That planet was PROBABLY not inhabited...Goku PROBABLY didn't just accidentally help commit a global genocide...hehehe.)  Anyway, as the fight goes on we learn that Goku's Super Saiyan God transformation is only temporary and he loses the power half way through the fight. However, he absorbed the godly power, making it a part of him. I honesty don't like this, cause it just confuses things on how this power thing works. Is base Goku now stronger than Super Saiyan 3 Goku was before this arc. And if so, are all the Super Saiyan forms stronger? And how does Blue work? Why couldn't God just be a transformation like it is in the manga, it's design is so cool! (Sigh) Well whatever. So Goku is now fighting Beerus in Super Saiyan Classic, but with the power of a god. But even so Beerus still out classes Goku and actually beats him! Yeah, that's honestly something really interesting to see. Goku isn't able to actually beat the bad guy, even with a new form and all of his talks about breaking his limits. Beerus is just to far out of his league.    Beerus heads down to Earth, ready to destroy the planet, and there's nothing our heroes can do to stop it. Beerus however, so tired from the fight, ends up falling asleep right as he fires the death beam and just happens to miss the planet. Or at least how it appears to be. What we learn afterwords is that Beerus never fell asleep, but rather chose to spare the Earth on purpose, as he finds the two Saiyans on that world most interesting. Probably regrets telling Frieza to blow up planet Vegeta now, huh. (Oh yeah, apparently Beerus did that. You would think that that MASSIVE Revelation would impact something, right?....nope.) In the movie, Vegeta demands that next time they use the Super Saiyan God ritual on him, while in the series Goku suggest doing it, Vegeta refuses, as he believes that he doesn't need some cheap ritual to shortcut his way to more power. I honestly like the series version better here, as I think it's more befitting of Vegeta's character.  So yeah, that's where the arc ends. Do I recommend it? It's kinda tough to say, honestly. Some of the new scenes that are added are really cool, and are definitely worth seeing. But there is also a LOT of padding, with scenes like the Super Saiyan God transformation and the rock-paper-scissors game that are a drag to get through, and only exist to help turn this hour forty minute movie into a fourteen episode saga. If you love Dragon Ball and really want to watch those really good moments, then you'll probably enjoy this arc. You'll just have to slog through some REALLY drawn out padding in order to get there. This arc isn't bad by any stretch, but in my opinion it just doesn't top the movie. The movie is much quicker, has better animation due to having a theatrical budget, and for ever good scene they have in Super there's a good scene in the movie that they cut out. (Seriously, they cut out Beerus break dancing!) You can watch the Battle of Gods film and then just jump into the rest of Super without missing much.  HOWEVER, if you do chose to skip over this arc, I do recommend you watch the first two episodes of Super anyway. These are the "filler" slice of life episodes, and there amazing. One of the best things about Super is the slice of life episodes where we get some fantastic comedy seeing the Dragon Ball gang in pretty much sitcom situations. The first episode is about Goten and Trunks trying to get a wedding gift for Videl, and the second episode is about Vegeta going on vacation with his family. Yeah, remember that one line from Z where Vegeta says that he'll take Trunks to an amusement parks if he's able to hit him? THEY BRING THAT BACK! Akira Toriyama forgot about who Launch was, but remember that! THESE WHERE THE FIRST TWO EPISODES OF DRAGON BALL AFTER ALMOST TWO DECADES OF WAITING! AKIRA TORIYAMA IS A MASTER TROLL!

(I don't care how many flaws Dragon Ball Super has, this one images justifies it's existence to me.)  So yeah, that's my review of the Dragon Ball Super "Battle of Gods" arc. Not as good as the film, but still with some really good elements in it. But what do you think of this arc, or Dragon Ball Super in general? Leave those thoughts in the comments down bellow. I'd love to start a discussion, even if we don't see eye to eye. Also tell me what you think of this review. I hope to review every arc of Super as the series airs on television, so I really hope you all like this review. If you did like this review than please fav, follow, and comment and have a great day! (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review all credit goes to there original owners.)

https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/Dragon-Ball-Super-Battle-of-Gods-Arc-REVIEW-678214005 DA Link

[zedpercyfan]

Sun and Moon’s Problem (An Honest Opinion)

For a while now the current state of the Pokémon anime has been something I’ve had mixed feelings about, and it’s been a far cry from its predecessors for sure in terms of characterization and progression. But what’s been really gnawing at me is the fact that for as bad as I find Sun and Moon, it’s shockingly what is making Pokémon — as far as some people see it — popular with the anime community and the general public!  But for as positive as that is, considering that Pokémon is something that is meant to have a wide appeal range, I can’t help but feel that it’s also at the price of loosing what made Pokémon unique.

Allow me to explain, one of the appeals for a show like Pokémon is that it’s an escape from reality where you aren’t bogged by reality where everyday you can travel across forests, mountains, deserts, oceans, and through vast cities collecting badges, meet trainers and Pokémon, and to me that was amazing.  Sure the battling aspect was amazing to have, but the adventure aspect of the anime was a wonderful factor to have, on top of the small cast of characters who could have varying reactions and solutions to deal with the issues of day-to-day travel life.  But then here comes Sun and Moon and completely messes up the formula, Ash suddenly goes from adventurer to school boy in a matter of moments, which is without a doubt one of the biggest flaws to immediately surface for the show.  Ash in all other instances has shown that that isn’t something he’d want to do, most other times he’s clashing with others, and generally it’s clear he isn’t the sort who’d want that kind of life.  It isn’t to say it’s the worse thing ever, but right off the bat putting Ash into school just felt like the first mistake, because by taking away the adventure aspect the show now feels as bland as every other ordinary school based show, and hell, it’s only ‘special’ because — hey viewers — there’s Pokémon at this school...!  ...Yeah, sure...I’m meant to be fascinated by that?

Another annoying point I’ve seen thrown about is that somehow this is making Pokémon ‘better’, now obviously I’m aware that this is subjective to the individual who is more than welcome to their own opinion on the matter.  But what’s infuriating is when these people play these changes off as ‘better in the long run for the whole series’ just solely because it’s less about battling and more about the more slice of life side of the show...but...I really question if that’s beneficial.  Pokémon lately suffers from the most mundane filer episodes ever, people say that the filler is ‘part of the story’ but I fail to see that, characters never really seem to get anything out of their experiences, the reviewers make this sound like the story is continuous but I fail to see that, there aren’t the connections established to make it look like anything was gained at all.  There’s no progression, and hell, barely any of supporting cast have interesting Pokémon, let alone gags, after Marowak and Poipole none of the characters have really had a notable encounter afterwards, the likes of Mallow, Lillie, Sophocles, Lana, and Kiawe feel trapped in this void of nothingness.  Sure Lillie has the most development but I feel she never really goes anywhere with that, and it’s even harder to see her growth when she has nothing to compare it against, she’s not talking over Ash’s battles, she isn’t catching Pokémon, she’s just so underwhelming.  Heck, the other characters supposedly according to one reviewer ‘gain more growth in one episode than the original cast did in the entire series’...what?  I’m sorry but is that really the case with Sun and Moon?

The characters aren’t a group in my view, they feel more like individuals that are crowded without any real reason to get into each other’s businesses, and they never really have any meaningful conversations with one another, there’s never a change in them or their dynamic.  They don’t fight and make up, they don’t go from acting one way to another via any particular event, there’s no change in them.  People say the OS group had trouble but at least they experienced change, Ash and Misty went from hating each other to inseparable, Brock went from not confident to stand up for himself to being able to take the lead in his life.  With Sun and Moon...you really don’t get that feeling, Lillie’s barely shown improvement aside from touching Snowy and the others, and it’s not like Sophocles is helping others out with their issues of telling the truth...heck, Mallow feels like she’s experienced nothing at all so far.

Another issue is the handling of the Pokémon...it just doesn’t feel right, at all.  Isn’t the whole crux of having Pokémon is to have partners who can grow to be strong and have their own quirks?  Hell, remember when Togedemaru seemingly had a thing for Pikachu?  I miss that now that I remember it was a thing, sure at first I hated it (btw, as of the dubbed Marowak vs. Electivire episode, that has returned) because it kept popping up and ruining the stories flow, but heck, even that every few episodes wouldn’t be bad because these days it’s as if Ash’s Pokémon don’t have any developed relationships among themselves or with any of the others.  It never feels like there’s anything going on, they feel generic, they don’t have enough interactions with each other because we seem too focused on Ash and co. instead of equal Pokémon and human moments in the past.

Another thing about the Pokémon anime is the inconsistent idea that Ash is trying to be the best, I’m sorry but Gladion is hard to process as a rival, aside from being strong, there’s not a lot that seems to be driving Ash to call Gladion his rival. Gladion isn’t Gary who Ash just hates because of personal reasons, Gladion isn’t Paul who Ash is trying to prove a point to, and Gladion isn’t even Sawyer, who for as much as I hate, was at least someone tat Ash was showing off too, heck Misty wanted Ash to get stronger...but here in Alola it feels like he’s just goofing around with no one trying to make him improve.  In other series Ash was always seen battling his friends and rivals to get better, his Pokémon sparred against each other whilst others watched and cheered, but here there’s something extremely static about it, Ash never battles long enough, nor shows off any skills, instead it’s just an exchange of moves without anything behind it.  Maybe I’m speaking into the void, but the lack of this consistent training on screen, learning new moves, maneuvers etcetera makes every battle Ash has seem...not as cool as it used to be, it’s like he only trains when it’s important to the plot according to a case by case importance in each episode, as opposed to the long run.  Not only that but it’s like he’s not striving for victory...though maybe that’s just me.  Look, I’m not asking for the return of something akin to this apparent ‘Shojo Battling’ theme like in XY, but the least they could do is give us back the relevance of what it means to train strong Pokémon like say in OS-DP. Make the training look good, and show some progress, not simplistic class battling.

I just can’t bring myself to say this series is good.  With the changes they’ve made, it feels like Pokémon have alienated their older viewers who liked them back when they were more focused.  You see one thing about content making is that, yes sure, try to appeal to a wide range, get the most viewers in, but see that’s the problem, when you try to get out to a larger whole you’ll always miss a few people, whereas if you actually try and focus on a specific cohort, you will see the most success because you are capitalizing on what that group wants, as opposed to try and reach out to everyone.  Now I should note that I am by no means a media expert, I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m a veteran critic or that my words should have significant weight.  That isn’t me, I’m not like other people online who act like they’re experts, this is just my a collection of my opinions as a long time fan of Pokémon speaking out to those who are like me.  I don’t wish to invalidate anyone over their views on SM, but to me I feel alienated, the show isn’t as good as it could be, there’s an inferior dub, and the dynamics and direction of the show just doesn’t strike me as special.

I’m not asking for hyper focus, but I’m asking for a more quality writing and characterization, something that actually has a cause and effect on what is happening let alone for it to be actually entertaining.  I’m not asking for it to reach the point where every episode is a must watch, but I ask for at least dynamic consistency, and a bit more entertainment value and character growth, puh-LEASE!

David, aka zedpercyfan’s ramble over.  By the way, I wrote this quite a while ago, and only now am up to publishing it.

[pomrania]

Mandarin journal, week 5b

(week 5) (week 5c)

I'm being productive today; I started working on my homework, and it's only Friday. Admittedly this is only the second homework we've had for this class, but yeah.

I don't know if I'll end up doing more work on it today -- there's also a group that I might or might not go to tonight, because I'm feeling slightly sick, and I still need to prepare more for tomorrow's D&D session -- but I've completed the part of my homework which requires internet. That means that I can do the rest of my homework wherever I happen to be, so long as I've my books and a pencil.

The stuff I've completed is the "listening comprehension": audio files, and we answer multiple-choice questions based off of them. Two of the audio things were from our textbook, the dialogues that we went over in class (and thus I already knew the meaning pretty well and would be able to cheat by looking up the words), and the others were just short things that were specifically for the workbook, where there wasn't any written form of it available.

Those exercises, where I could only listen to things and had to extract meaning from them, were... I don't even know if there's a term for it, despite having read ahead in my ling chapter to "affective factors in language learning". They were kind of frustrating, but in a tolerable way; it wasn't easy and it took time, but I managed it with only a flicker of mental stress towards the beginning. If I'd been in a bad mood, things would have gone differently, but I wasn't so they didn't. It probably also helped that I was in a low-stress situation; my room is designed to be comfortable for me, I could take all the time I needed on this, and there was nobody else around.

For any language, including my native language, once I became literate I've always been better at reading it than hearing it. Words on paper are concrete; sound streams are complex to extract relevant features from, and also you can't just look back at things if you didn't catch something. I fully expected myself to be better at reading Chinese than listening to Mandarin; but I want to be able to understand it spoken, that was one of my main starting motivations (to be able to eavesdrop on the Chinese international students).

What I could have done for these exercises, and what I'd mostly done last time, was to look at the questions first, and then listen specifically for the answers. Instead, I very deliberately did not look at the questions, and just listened to the audio. I put it on repeat, because there was no way I could understand more than a few phrases the first time around. Sometimes I paused it, when I wanted to pay attention to a particular bit; just go over it in my short-term memory, without it being overwritten by the next phrase in the dialogue. Once I felt like I had a decent understanding of the stuff from the audio, only then did I look at the questions.

I think that approach is a good one to take, if "understanding" is the main goal. And like, it should be, but sometimes you're in a rush and you just need to get the homework ready to hand in; or, if I'm being uncharitable (and I try but it's so hard to not harshly judge the people in class who don't seem to care about learning the language), sometimes it matters more to just get a good mark. If I can manage to stay on top of my stuff, then I won't be in a rush and I can take my time on working to fully understand things.

There's another thing that's been frustrating to me, that I keep forgetting to write about. It's that I cannot for the life of me seem to pronounce Mandarin either accurately or with proper flow. I mean, I know how pinyin translates to sound, and I have in my memory what tone something takes; I just can never seem to express the tones in a way that sounds proper, and every syllable I utter is highly isolated, and I still for the life of me cannot figure out how to say the final "e". I don't think that practicing by myself would help with any of those; it could improve the "flow", but I don't want to speak inaccurately quickly, and that's what I'd end up with. This might have been helped by a Mandarin conversation partner, but -- did I mention this before? -- he never responded after I said that I don't have Facebook.

What I need is more exposure to spoken Mandarin, to fully absorb the sounds and the rhythms of the language. Music would work, but I don't even know where to begin with finding songs that I'd like. I am uncertain as to the efficacy of watching Mandarin-dubbed anime, in this regard; I find myself following the story (even when I've already watched it multiple times), and trying to isolate words I might recognize, as opposed to paying attention to the sound. I don't know what I'm going to do with this.

Speaking of Facebook, albeit two paragraphs ago: when I mentioned that to the prof, she started talking about how Facebook (and Google, and other things) was blocked in China. China is a dystopia, even just from that; any government that enforces that type of censorship is evil, it's a simple metric. But it's not just that. There's multiple violations of human rights that take place over there. Whenever I mention any of that, the prof just says that this isn't a political science class, this is a language class. And, well. Maybe it's not the best environment to talk about everything wrong with the Chinese government, but "let's not get political" should NEVER be used to shut down a conversation about things like that. A more valid response, on her part, would be something like "we aren't discussing this at the moment", or "this is a language class and your comment isn't about the language"; the best possible response would be something like "mention this in Mandarin and then we can have a conversation".

I'm used to people telling me to shut up; I talk a lot, and I go off on more tangents than I stay on the original topic. But I expect a proper response to things; by which I mean, an accurate response, not necessarily an in-depth response. "We need to move on now" and "ask me after class" are responses that I'll always accept, and the best profs use those without me having to ask about it. I'm also the kind of person where I generally respond to the literal meaning of what somebody says, instead of what it was intended to convey; even when I know what they meant to get across, and even when I also go by it, I'll still normally mention the exact words. And I hate invalid arguments, whether they're for or against me. I could deal with the prof saying that this isn't the time or place to talk about such things; what I cannot accept, is her following up with unnecessary and inaccurate and irrelevant limitations for when and where such things SHOULD be talked about. This might seem like not a big deal to most people -- and for most people, it isn't a big deal -- but for me, it's like, imagine someone hands you a chocolate bar and says that they had to throw out the other chocolate bar because they found bugs in it. If they'd just said nothing, you would have been fine, but now you're wondering if there's bugs in the chocolate bar you were just given, and you can't stop thinking about it.

I should mention that the stuff in the last two paragraphs, none of that is specific to Mandarin or language classes; that's representative of who I am at the moment, and just happens to have popped up there. (I'm often quite an angry person, when I think about some things; that's why I try to not think about them too much, but if they're mentioned, I can't just be quiet.)

[stars-and-branches]

1, 7, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 30, 31, 38, 39, 42-51, 53, 57, 58 (would just love it hear more about), 60, 65, 70, 72, 73, 78-83, 90, 93 (hate this term being used outside of indigenous contexts but an animal you connect with), 94-97, 99

Answers under the cut!

1. What’s one animal you wish you could have as a pet but can’t?

A snake, I think they’re really cool! I don’t really know enough about reptiles to be able to have one and care for it properly though.

7. Chocolate or fruity candy?

I am,,,,, a fruity bitch. I like fruity candy most of the time but sometimes chocolate hits the spot.

12. Any hidden talents?

Not really hidden but I don’t talk about it a lot on here. I know how to play the piano! I took lessons for a decade.

15. Favorite board game?

Mexican train, my family plays it sometimes for game night and it’s fun.

17. Heat on or keep it cold with lots of layers?

Layerssss. It could be below zero outside and I’d still keep the windows cracked open so I can layer on more blankets.

19. Favorite song to belt out at the top of your lungs when you’re alone?

Any song Hozier’s ever made, the My Chemical Romance Danger Days album, or just whatever is living in my head rent free. Lately it’s been sea shanties.

21. At what age did you first have alcohol?

I think I was in middle school? My Dad gave me a sip of his beer expecting some dramatic reaction and uh, that didn’t happen.

23. What’s the most amount of money you’ve spent on a single item of clothing?

I don’t really like spending money - paying the housing deposit out of pocket is a little painful rn - so I guess $40ish?

24. What do you typically wear to formal events?

When I was younger I never had a choice and was always shoved into a dress. Nowadays I’d probably go by how dysphoric I’m feeling. I want to wear a suit at least once!

25. Favorite memory?

Hoooo boy that’s hard to pick. I guess going to see Dead and Company for a three day show at the Hollywood Bowl a year before my Mom died. We had a lot of fun, it was really beautiful, and there were a lot of good moments.

27. Favorite shoes?

I have a pair of black leather heeled boots with red laces. I refer to them as my “stompy boots”. They’re the only thing I own that emits top energy and I never wear them because they have a five inch heel and I have lots of foot pain.

30. Have you ever had braces?

Unfortunately. I got them taken off a few months ago though :D

31. Most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

Drive. I’m the walking talking stereotype of gays being unable to drive. I almost crashed my grandmother’s car with my entire family in it. Not a fun time.

38. What color do you wear the most?

I answered this in a different ask but black. I’m trying to incorporate more colors into my clothes though!

39. Favorite season?

The rainy season where I live. For a few months the usually barren desert teems with life. It’s beautiful and the only time I can actually grow anything.

42. First car you ever owned?

I have a 2001 Honda Accord.

43. What time do you usually go to bed?

Early. My friends often give me shit for having the sleeping hours of a retiree. I used to be a night owl but I had to get up at 4am all throughout high school so I started going to bed immediately after dinner. I haven’t been able to kick the habit.

44. Are you a competitive person?

Yes but I don’t like competitions. I’m competitive in the sense that I’m constantly comparing myself to how others are doing and I try to be better than those around me. Of course, I’d never admit this out loud but the internet is fine apparently a;kjnvdfdasdvdf

45. Least favorite color?

Orange.

46. First pet you’ve ever owned?

A small tabby cat named India. I still have her, my parents got her when I was 4 months old :).

47. Sweet or salty?

Yes.

48. Favorite pasta dish?

Ravioli!!!

49. Favorite kind of chips?

Limon chips. Though black pepper is a close second.

50. Talk about something you’re passionate about.

I did this in a previous ask and I’m tired so this question gets a skip.

51. What are some of your hobbies?

Baking, gardening, video games, reading, journaling, drawing.

53. Favorite kind of pizza?

Either vegetarian pizza or margherita pizza.

57. Favorite labels about you?

I take pride in my queerness and being disabled. The latter because I love the spoonie community and it’s a huge part of my identity.

58. Are you a religious person?

Yes, in the sense that I’m a very spiritual person. I’m a witch. I’ve considered myself a pagan for the past five years, and I’m currently exploring Christianity since my religious path has grown too stagnant.

60. What size shoe do you wear?

It depends on the phase of the moon just about, lmao. I wear a 6 1/2, as wide as the shoemaker can make it. I have really short but really wide feet.

65. Favorite fruit?

Yes. I love most fruits (fuck pears).

70. Favorite dessert?

I don’t really have a set favorite? If I had to pick I guess it would be a fruit tart.

72. Age you learned how to swim?

Either 6 or 7.

73. Tell a funny story.

I used to be friends with a guy who was like. Ridiculously tall. Ultra flamboyant, very loud, like if the color neon orange was condensed into a human being. In my sophomore year of highschool we sat on some bleachers during the homecoming pep rally. He refused to stand up for the national anthem. We were sitting directly in front of the football players in the most redneck school in california. I sat down with him because I didn’t want to witness him getting jumped and thrown off the bleachers. We got called a bunch of slurs through the whole anthem and screamed at. Stuff was thrown at us. They kept kicking us repeatedly. One dude was kicking his neck over and over. The football players were more of a disruption than we were. Eventually, everyone sat down and they finally got bored and stopped. Aside from the one kid who was kicking the person I was friends with, he passed time by throwing pieces of food at us. 

This kid, who I’m dubbing Dipshit McGee, kept doing this until I heard him suddenly yell, “Oh shit!”

I looked over my shoulder. My friend at the time started guffawing. Dipshit McGee dropped his phone from the top of the bleachers and it shattered into a million little pieces on the dirt below.

78. What’s your favorite compliment to give?

Usually simple things that express my appreciation. I use “I love you” a lot with my family. There’s only so many times that you get the chance to say it.

79. What’s your favorite compliment to receive?

Honestly any compliment. I’m not used to flattery so my brain just shuts down instantly.

80. Has your opinion changed on something recently?

Yup, that’s why I’m looking into abrahamic religions.

81. Do you always order the same thing at a restaurant or order something different each time?

If I go to the restaurant a lot then I’ll usually just order the same thing. If it’s somewhere new I’ll switch things up a bit.

82. What’s something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?

Crochet. It’s something all the women in my family do. I have all the tools I need (except for yarn) but haven’t brought myself to work on it.

83. If you could learn to do anything right now, what would it be?

On top of all the other stuff I’m learning? Maybe increase my cooking/baking skills! I want to work with pastry more.

90. What’s something you wish you had more knowledge about?

The occult, spirituality, religion. I’m always chasing after knowledge in those areas.

93. What’s your spirit animal?

Yeah, I hate this term being used in a non-indigenous context too. As far as an animal I connect with goes, it’s a tie between snakes and cats. Cats because I love them dearly and have connected with them my whole life, we vibe. Snakes because I love their spiritual significance: connection to the earth, constantly shedding their skin and changing.

94. What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you?

Managing to steer the car away from crashing in the incident I mentioned in 31.

95. Are you the type to have an organized mess, or no mess at all?

No mess at all, preferably. I like to keep my space relatively tidy. Mess makes me really stressed.

96. Do you tend to make decisions based on the past, present, or future?

All three.

97. Are you a planner or a more spontaneous person?

I’m more of a planner. Spontaneity is very difficult for me but I’m trying to improve.

99. What do you hope never changes?

My ability to romanticize the small parts of my life, to find joy in even the simplest of things.

[tearasshouse]

Mostly vidya ramblings pt 3C

Previous post here.

Right, software time. A cursory glance at my PSN Profile will show that I’ve met my personal quota of getting the platinum in at least 10 PlayStation titles over the year, with a few PC titles sprinkled in for good measure since hey, I have access to a Windows machine again (though it’s not exactly a games machine, unless your definition of a “gaming rig” is something with a 15W Core i3 and modest laptop Radeon graphics). While I didn’t start out meaning to rank these games, I find I have a tendency to do so anyway and while I’m certainly not saying these games are outright bad, they were absolutely lower on the rung, so I’ve dubbed this part “C” (again, no disrespect to the devs or any who rate these games higher than I do; these are just my personal assessments). These are OK games.

The Darkness 2 (Steam)

Enjoyable, somewhat! I put this down like, ages ago when I picked it up for a song on PC, feeling it was too basic and uh “console shootery” at the time. Often times, having restrictions placed upon something can net great results, and hamstrung as I am by my less-capable hardware, I’ve only been picking up Steam games that could run on lower end hardware, or anything released prior to say, 2015. Surprisingly this runs at something stupid like 200 FPS on my machine with V-Sync off and all settings on High at 1080p, so go figure. Anyway, it’s a short and enjoyable shooter. I don’t know anything about the comics upon which the game(s) are based, but Jackie is a likeable character, the Darkness powers are fun enough, the locations are varied, the supporting cast surprisingly interesting and the plot was actually pretty cool too, with a major sequel hook that we’ll probably never get. 

Ori & The Blind Forest (Steam)

It sorta hovers a bit below 60fps while running at 1080p, but it’s all just a bit reductive when one spends more time looking at the framerate counter than playing a game, no? The blessing and curse of PC gaming I suppose. Anyway, as a Metroidvania the game is a bit annoying. As a piece of interactive fiction, it’s too saccharine and feels like a B-tier Dreamworks production for children which, I suppose shouldn’t be a knock against the game but I have to say --  wasn’t my cup of tea. Reminds me a bit of Child of Light by Ubisoft -- gorgeous to look at, benign if not frustrating to play (those escape sequences can piss off), and young gamers would probably find more to like in the...emotional tidbits than most adults.

Crysis 2 (Steam)

So apparently this got delisted off Steam but now it’s back up or something with EA deciding to put their back catalog on the platform or something? Anyway, like this list implies, Crysis 2 is an okay game, nothing more and nothing less. The nanosuit energy depletes a bit too quick for my liking, and you’re really made to feel like a badass only some of the times, in quick and short bursts, not unlike BJ in the new Wolfenstein games by MachineGames (any more prolonged exposure to hitscan weapons and other bullshit will quickly send you to the loading screen). Thing is, I don’t want to feel like a badass only some of the time? I mean, you put a ripped supersoldier type doing the Badass Looking Back At the Viewer Pose on the cover and I expect to be able to do certain things without stopping for a breather every 20 seconds, ya know? If you’re going to give me the power fantasy, commit to it. Or, find ways to keep the flow up and reward mastery to make players earn said fantasy (something the new DOOMs  have done and why those have been so successful). I certainly don’t envy game devs for having to balance this shit, but id Software showed you one way of how you might do that while the Crysis games and those of their ilk just feel slow and unrewarding. 

Quantum Break (Steam)

Really surprised I was able to get this running on my PC but hey, it runs on the Xbox One so how hard could it be? I dearly love Remedy’s games, even if they’re a bit straightforward at times and you get the feeling they’d rather be in the business of non-interactive fiction than games making at times. Well here is a TV show hybrid! Made exclusively in partnership with Microsoft as part of their TV & STREAMING, TV & STREAMING, SPORTS & STREAMING strategy of the 2010s. I didn’t care for the plot, nor the endless email / audiobook / loredumps scattered around, nor the characters, any of it. I will say the final stage with the super high tech offices was a delight (boy wouldn’t I love to live the corpo life in such beautiful, clean office environs). Lance Reddick was a treat as always. Peter “Littlefinger” Baelish shows up to do a thing. Yeah, it’s a Remedy joint through and through. 2019′s Control was such a highlight for me that I’ll take any kind of prototype-y take on it (and QB certainly feels like a rougher, worse version of Control, at least mechanically).

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs / Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (Steam)

These titles were certainly...things that I installed onto my PC and sat through... Yes. Look, I’m not one to dog on walking simulators, and I know the devs have faced tough times recently but I still feel these are acquired tastes and could be appreciably improved in too many ways to name. Of the two, Dear Esther is the one I’d rec because at least that one was quite pleasant to meander around in while Amnesia left me disappointed that I’d wasted my time, physically sick with its subpar performance and muddy graphics, flaccid with its stodgy plot and left absolutely disappointed that I’d wasted my time on such a bizarre and confusing payoff towards the end. Chinese Room, I mean this in the most constructive way possible: maybe try a different type of game next time.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein (GOG)

I remember putting in some decent time into the DEMO version of RtCW’s MP mode, being amazed at the time by the particle effects, with child-me just running around the D-Day map with the flamethrower out. Anyway, years later and I finally played the SP campaign. It’s maybe better than Allied Assault’s? It feels more consistently entertaining anyway. Hell I think I like these boomer shooters better than MachineGames’ recent efforts (which isn’t saying a whole lot because I find those games just merely okay). I promise you I’m not just being a crotchety old fart.

Ys: Memories of Celceta (PS Vita)

I’d been playing through this over the spring on my Vita TV, before it bit the dust eventually and I’ve been meaning to go back and wrap up the cheevos. I was a bit lukewarm with Oath in Felghana (my first Ys), but could definitely see the appeal in the series, as boss rush games aren’t really my cup of tea (ie. it’s the journey and not the destination of say, a Souls game that is the meat for me). Definitely a game that would benefit from a 60fps refresh and cleaner graphics than what the Vita can provide. I’ve already got a copy of Ys 8 in shrink wrap and have my eyes set on emulating Ys Seven or grabbing the GOG version. A game where action is king and story or character development is secondary; I would prefer more of the latter to make this more of a JRPG and less of a “predominantly Japanese action game with superficial RPG elements”.

Catherine: Full Body (PS4)

I paid $70 for this on day one and I’ve gotta say... should’ve waited for the price drop. I’m a somewhat lapsed Atlus mark, and I still hold the original Persona 5 as my no. 1 in the PS4′s lineup (with Dragon Quest XI possibly being a tie), yet I bought this knowing it wouldn’t really be for me. Why? High difficulty in a genre I don’t play, like at all, a relatively short clear time (in itself not an issue and frankly welcome these days HOWEVER...), and a somewhat unsatisfying payoff despite being a supernatural romance thriller. I bought this as seed money for Atlus’s P.Studio/Studio Zero, in the hopes that Project Re: Fantasy will knock my socks off just like the latter day Persona games have. Because in spite of the contents not really appealing to me, it’s still supremely well made, and it’s not everyday that games like these get made, so there you go. Look, if I could go back in time and put this money towards 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, I probably would, but then the Catherine steelbook is ever so pretty... 

Tearaway Unfolded (PS4)

The OG game is one of the most charming little 3D platformer/collect-a-thons out there, and as far as children’s games (or er, “games that also appeal to children”) go, more of these and less of those please (your Child of Lights and Oris). I’d go as far as to say the OG version is better than the PS4 version, though the PS4 version is also quite good. Really, if I wasn’t going for that stupid Misplaced Gopher trophy, this would probably be an easy shoe-in for the B-tier list, but I place this demotion firmly at Media.Molecule’s feet. That cheevo is cursed.

The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories (PS4)

I’d almost forgotten about this! If that doesn’t qualify for making the C-tier list then I don’t know what else does. I only know of Swery65′s qualities through osmosis, having watched the 2BF’s legendary LP of Deadly Premonition and the gone-too-soon D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die. He’s an interesting person with interesting ideas but crucially, as a game dev, his output is just... kinda mediocre? If not outright bad? Case in point with this game. It looks and runs like garbo; it plays like garbo; the character designs are cute; the dialogue is pretty good; there is a wonderful and gradual “twist” to the main character that was super spoiled for me when people were discussing and promoting it (like, that is my bad, but also internet discourse on any kind of entertainment media is just *fucked*); there’s a lot of semi-colons in this sentence so I’ll stop here. 

And the balls to charge like, what, $40+ for the game on PSN?? I’d gotten it for way less on a sale but in a day and age when $1 could buy you 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and MS might also throw in a curio like this in there just to fill in the gaps, it makes you wonder if these kinds of games can ever turn a profit, especially when the end product is this jank. And these are commercial goods, make no mistake, any aspirations to being an art piece or social critique notwithstanding, so that also brings to the fore the whole aspect of pricing games, relative value, production and marketing costs, blah blah.

IF you like something different, can appreciate games made on a shoestring budget with arguably bad gameplay and technical deficiencies, but has...heart? Then look no further to the output of this man. The most C-worthy of all the titles listed here. 

[backstorywithdanalewis]

Iran and The Bomb Back Story with Dana Lewis podcast.   Link :  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1016881/6653866

Netanyahu: (00:00) Covert and over key part of the plan was to form new organizations to continue the work. This is how dr. Musen  is a day and a project about put it, remember that name [inaudible] the general lame is to announce the closure of project amount, but then he adds special activities. You know what that is? Special activities will be carried out under the title of scientific know-how development. Dana Lewis - Host: (00:32) Hi everyone. I'm Dana Lewis and welcome to another edition of backstory that was Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018. Talking about the Uranian senior nuclear scientist, who on November the 27th was assassinated by a remotely operated series of weapons in Iran, Wilson,  resided. It was a Brigadier general in the Islamic revolutionary guards, an academic physicist, and he headed up the nuclear program of Iran. Netanyahu has always been a proponent of military action against Iran and likely ordered the killing. It's ironic that just a few days before the heat on [inaudible] [inaudible] newspaper in Israel ran an analysis piece saying Netanyahu warns Biden. As if he's Iran strategy hadn't failed miserably with Obama and Trump in terms of actually influencing the nuclear deal. It said the prime minister never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The essence of that article was in warning incoming us president Biden, not to go back on the 2015 nuclear agreement. Dana Lewis - Host: (01:40) Mr. Iran, as Netanyahu was often dubbed in Israel could have taken an active role in the original nuclear talks with Tehran and made the deal to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb air tight, but Netanyahu preferred to sulk on the sidelines and then heavily criticized the agreement, poisoning his relations with the Obama presidency. And now probably he's doing the same with the Biden administration on this backstory analysis from the Soufan center think tank on what he run may do now, but first, a rare opportunity to hear from a man who was on the European team, negotiating the Iranian nuclear deal. He was a former national security advisor here in Britain, incredibly well briefed with firsthand knowledge on Iran and its attempts to arm itself with nuclear weapons. Dana Lewis - Host: (02:39) All right, in London where I am now, I want to introduce you to sir, Mark Lyle grant, who previously worked for the foreign and Commonwealth office as high commissioner in Pakistan. And he served the UK is a ambassador to the UN for six years, and he was national security advisor to two prime ministers, David Cameron and Theresa May until 17. Hi Mark. Thanks for joining us. Thanks Dana. Pleasure to be here, mr. Ambassador can I say, I mean, you, you were in Iran, you went there as part of the negotiations. Um, how many times? Mark Lyall Grant: (03:14) Well, just once, um, I was the UK, um, Iranian nuclear negotiator for basically a two and a half year period when I was the political director in the foreign office in London and together with the France Germany, United States, China and Russia, we negotiated successfully whilst I was there, but eventually leading to the joint comprehensive plan of action, uh, which was a great infinity 15. And as part of that process, uh, we went to Tehran in, uh, 2008, um, present, uh, an agreed plan by the foreign ministers of those six countries. And then we met Iran twice more, uh, in Geneva, um, as follow up meetings to that first one. So we had just the one visit to Taylor. Dana Lewis - Host: (04:02) And what was that like? What was the atmosphere like in Tehran? Mark Lyall Grant: (04:06) Well, I mean, Tehran is a, I hadn't been there before. It's a very interesting, uh, city. I mean, you've got the mountains in the background. I wouldn't say it's a beautiful city, but the setting is, is very pleasant. Um, and there's a lot of people who, if you meet them privately can speak perfectly openly. One of the paradoxes about Iran and, and particularly the rupture between Iran and United States since 1979 is that Iran is probably has a population that is more pro Western than any of the Arab nations in the region. It has great internet titration than any of the neighbors near the, in the Arab countries. And therefore it is a quite a sophisticated population. And when you meet in private, as I met with various, uh, uh, NGOs and think tankers after the official tools, and you can have some very interesting discussions, Dana Lewis - Host: (05:00) Let's fast forward to where we are now. I mean, a lot has happened. So, right. So now you have, uh, people who are calling, uh, in Europe, diplomats that are saying France, Germany, the UK must move quickly to set out a roadmap for Iran so that the, the incoming Biden administration, uh, we'll get the U S to come back to the table, get Iran to come back to the table, especially now given the escalating tensions. Do you think that's happening in the background and it's got to happen? Mark Lyall Grant: (05:30) Yeah, I'm sure it is happening and it, it should happen. Um, because there is an opportunity with Joe Biden coming in in January to see whether there is a possibility of reengaging Iran on this, uh, nuclear deal. But cause personally, and I think I I'm speaking, uh, certainly for the three European governments, uh, it was a mistake for president Trump to pull out of the deal completely in 2018, the deal perfect. Let's be a hundred percent clear about that. And we can talk about that and weaknesses in the deal, but it was certainly a lot better than the potential alternatives at the time. It was therefore mistake to just pull out of the deal rather than see whether it would be improved in some way. So I think Dubai, Dana Lewis - Host: (06:16) If I can jump in there, I mean, John Bolton, the former national security advisor of Trump and a lot of different Republicans have poured so much water on this deal saying that it's unverifiable, it's the, you know, Trump himself is saying, it's the worst deal ever. Why did they say that? If you say, essentially, Mark Lyall Grant: (06:33) Let me, let me, let me address some of those criticisms because essentially there are three criticisms that you can make legitimate criticisms you can make of the deal that was struck. Uh, the first is that it covered only the nuclear weapons program. It did not cover a ballistic missile technology program, which of course is important. Secondly, it did not cover Iran's malign regional role it's support for terrorist organizations for them. Fears is below et cetera, in the region and its attempts to destabilize some of its names. And thirdly, the deal was time limited. There was a sort of sunset clause in the deal. So it would last only a maximum of 15 years. Now those are all legitimate criticisms, but you have to put that against the alternatives at, because if I just could delve into the history a little bit, there was a time when I was, uh, in the negotiating where the intelligence was clear that Iran had the capability to acquire a nuclear weapon, a bomb, and you feel a bomb within a less than one year period. Mark Lyall Grant: (07:48) Now this deal, it prevent, uh, Avon, former nuclear weapons for at least 15 years. Of course it had some very important characteristics in it. It had in it, um, the need to eliminate entirely the stockpile of medium enrich uranium. It had to get rid of the, reduce the stock pile of low in which germanium, um, 80, 98% of that. And he only allowed very limited amounts of low enriched uranium for the next 15 years. It also reduce the number of centrifuges by two-thirds. And most importantly, and this is a based some of the commentary that you've mentioned. It was entirely verifiable. There was a whole regime of inspections by the energy, by the international atomic energy agency, which is a thought off, uh, affiliated to the UN if you like, where they could go with, uh, inspections whenever they wanted in all the facilities that were covered. Mark Lyall Grant: (08:55) So it was, uh, I think a good deal. And what it meant was two things. One that it prevented everyone acquiring a nuclear weapon for first 15 years and 15 years is a long time in politics. So in that 15 years, you could have regime change into Iran. You could have, uh, new abilities to attack the program, perhaps offensive, cyber weapons, et cetera, that could be used against the program. So buying 15 years, when it looked as though they would have that capability within one year was very important. And he did this famous musical, um, the fork in the work that as you approach the period where you had a fall, where you had to decide, are you all gonna bond me around and try and take out militarily? All its nuclear facilities, incidentally would not be easy because they are deep, deep, underground. Uh, many of them or the other folk is that you accept, like we have for India and Pakistan so that they have acquired nuclear weapons despite the nonproliferation treaty. Mark Lyall Grant: (10:03) And you contain them in some other political diplomatic way. That is the fork in the road that the JCP airway avoided or pushed back at least the 15, 15 years, what we're faced with now, having president Trump, having pulled out of the deal and essentially the team falling apart, although the Europeans have never sort of formally advocated isn't normal in fact is Iran completely, but it has started reaching the deal is that you're going to just bring that fork in the road to get closer. So there is an opportunity now to try and reverse that bad decision that I think president Trump made. Why did he do it? Dana Lewis - Host: (10:45) You say, you know, people like Bolton and Trump say it wasn't verifiable, but I mean, clearly it's just not your, just not your opinion, but I mean, the UA, the UN the IAEA clearly is showing us pictures and life camera feeds. And they said it was absolutely verifiable. And that's why Europeans were willing to stick with the deal. Why did the Americans want to pull out of it just for political a headline? You know, how was it understandable? Mark Lyall Grant: (11:15) I think there's a lot of politics in it. I mean, you're right to, to quote the fact that president Trump had said it was the worst deal ever. And he said that before he was elected, I mean, this was during his sort of campaign rhetoric. And at the fundamentally it wasn't a bomber deal. You know, the deal was done by president Barack Obama and everything that president Obama did, president Trump didn't like whether there was a pharma care in generally or, or lots of the foreign policy issues. So given the, a bomber considered the nuclear deal to be a sort of shiny example of his achievements in foreign policy. And to be honest, he didn't have a huge number to point to, but, Dana Lewis - Host: (11:54) And you're not the first one to say that. Yep. Mark Lyall Grant: (11:56) Well, listen, it was an opportunity to, to attack it. I think it was probably more that than anything else. I think then you fold in Israel probably a bit played a role in it because don't forget that, you know, president Trump had two years in office before he pulled out after the deal, and it's not complete coincidence that he did so shortly after John Bolton was appointed as national security, Dana Lewis - Host: (12:18) Right? Bolton was never a favor of dealing with Iran, negotiating with Iran, uh, and was always a proponent of military action against Iran, but without really ever laying out how that would be successful, otherwise Israel probably would have done it on its own, but you roll in Israel too, though. I mean, there is another interloper and a state, which didn't think it's a real deal and didn't think that it was verifiable and thought all along that Iran was slowly making the bomb anyway. Mark Lyall Grant: (12:46) Yes, he made that case publicly that the United nations over call with a big sort of cartoon picture of a bomb and, uh, an hour threatening that was, and I attended talks between, um, present upon it as an engine yard who, and Theresa May in Downing street when we argued back and forth about the merits of the, of the nuclear deal. Um, I think, uh, and I post me argued the case with, um, with Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon, uh, and Trump's team when, um, when they came into office. So, you know, we knew the arguments that the Israelis were going to make, and we knew the arguments that president Trump's team were going to make, but we simply didn't agree with them. And I think they had a, perhaps a lack of understanding, not being raised, but the Trump team and a slight lack of understanding of the history that had gone into this on the sort of 15 years of negotiations that had led up to up to the deal. I think there's in yarns point of view, of course he wanted, uh, Trump to, uh, advocate the deal who, because he wanted a free hand to try and actually force the fork in the road. I think Israel fought came. He could persuade the Americans to do the bombing. I mean, Israel could do some itself, but it could wipe out Iran's nuclear facilities on the turf. Dana Lewis - Host: (14:04) And now you have Israel that has carried on this allegedly this assassination of most in fact Rosati. And of course, Netanyahu hasn't commented. And I think the head of his intelligence services has said they don't know who carried out the deal, but certainly Iran thinks it was Israel. And maybe some of the Iranian opposition that is based in Europe, they have accused them as well. Does it achieve anything? Does it roll back a nuclear program by killing the head scientist? And who do you think did it? Mark Lyall Grant: (14:35) I, I don't, I mean, I, I don't know who did it, but I don't think it's unreasonable to conclude that it was probably the Israelis. Um, and I don't think it's reasonable to conclude that the timing is linked to the fact that president Trump has two more months in the office, but I think, whereas you could argue, and I think by probably would argue that the killing of general Soleimani in January, this year by like eight have quite a, uh, substantive impact on the ability of the COOs force to, uh, carry out terrorist operations overseas, but the was ahead. And he was a very powerful figure. I'm not so sure about factories. Are there, I mean, he's certainly an important scientist with other scientists and Iran already has the nuclear know-how, it's not as though it needs a research. It's more about the development of the program rather than actually, uh, initiate things, such semi to get the technology. Mark Lyall Grant: (15:37) Right. So, so I, I'm less convinced I'm not, I don't know, back resigned his background and his pitch size wrong. Um, I don't think it will have a particularly substantial impact on the, um, program itself. And I think there is a risk that it could be counterproductive, but do reasons one, it will reinforce, uh, Iranian, um, incentive and determination to plus, and with the program. And also, let's not forget that there are presidential elections in Iran coming in 2021. And president Rouhani may not look like a sort of moderate Democrat, and certainly isn't a moderate Democrat, but as we know from Ahmadinejad and others who have proceeded him, there are people who are much more radical and much more hard-line than him, uh, who will leave on notes of, uh, attacks. And it will certainly improve their chances on election. Dana Lewis - Host: (16:34) If whoever carried out this attack was interested in carrying up the pavement for a Biden administration, to re-engage with Iran and hoping that Iran will fiercely respond and make the gap between dialogue with a new American administration, even larger. Do you think that Iran will disappoint them? Are they, are they smart enough to hold back and wait for that moment where they can move to dialogue rather than move to some kind of response, whether wherever it be. Mark Lyall Grant: (17:14) I think it's difficult to judge that because one called, think about Iran as a political entity. Yeah. You can say in Saudi Arabia that all the decisions are taken by one, maybe two people, you can't say that in Iran, you know, it's not a democracy, but there is a plurality of politics in Iran that is completely absent from the Arab States, for instance. So there is a precedent, he has a role, Ronnie, but there is the Supreme leader. There's the IGC, there's the bizarre is there's the Magister shooter. Now all of these bodies have an influence in the eventual decision at night be taken in. So I think if you look at president Mahoney or the foreign ministers a week, they will certainly want to not close off the possibility of engagement with Joe Biden, but equally Israelis probably absolutely. For the reasons you say, have an interest in making it much more difficult that we engagement to take place. And president Trump in his last couple of months may help to facilitate that. So I think there is a risk that Iran will be, will be pushed into a retaliation, which would make engagement more difficult. Certainly Dana Lewis - Host: (18:28) Last question to you, you know, you said you got to that fork in the road where, you know, you, you, you either had to choose them getting a bomb or you had to choose dialogue. Um, and then the drawbacks in the deal with the fact that you didn't take into it, it didn't, uh, put a new surround their rocket program, or it didn't bridal malign activities. I mean, it's, it's almost naive to think that a, a, a new agreement, even with the best intentions, uh, is suddenly going to deal with all of that. I mean, it's, it's almost a lot of people would say, you have to start somewhere, go back into, uh, a nuclear non-proliferation agreement with Iran. And then while you have whatever the period is going to be this time, whether it's going to be another 15 years or up to that 15 years, then you start dealing with some of these other issues. Or do you think it should be a more encompassing in retrospect, a more encompassing deal? Mark Lyall Grant: (19:27) Well, I think you can try and make it a more encompassing deal. I mean, let's not forget that the original deal, yes, it was restricted to the nuclear program, but that didn't prevent other action taking place at the same time on the ballistic, besides, and particularly on the regional, well, it didn't rule out anything either then, or indeed on the nuclear program at the end of the 15, 15 year period, know, John Bolton is a good example of someone who says often let's make the problem bigger. So we made the problem bigger. We bring in these other two issues and then let's sit down and negotiate. And I think there may well be, uh, an effort to try and do that, but whether it will be successful or not, we'll see, um, it wasn't successful in the sort of 15 year negotiations in which I was involved. Um, but it's, there is no doubt that what is constraining, the Arabians is the sanctions. They do have economic sanctions. The UN security council is United against the nuclear program. So the opportunity for tougher sanctions, so they are suffering and that may make them more amenable to some of these wider discussions, Dana Lewis - Host: (20:38) Ambassador, Mark Lyall grant. Great to have your perspective, somebody who's been in the room and we're part of the negotiations as a former national security advisor to two prime ministers here in Britain. Great to talk to you, sir. Thank you. All right. Let's go to Pittsburgh now. And Colin Clark is a senior research fellow with the Soufan center. Hi, Colin, how are you doing Dana timing? You know, talk to me about the assassination of the, the senior nuclear scientist. What, why now? And who do you think that? Colin Clarke - Soufan: (21:18) Well, I think there's considerable concern. Um, at least by the Israelis that, uh, Biden administration is not going to be, um, as open-minded to, uh, you know, Israel's kind of point of view as the Trump administration was. And I, and I think that's probably correct. Um, there are concerns that the Biden administration will re-engage with the Iranians and attempt to reinsure, uh, the multi-lateral, uh, nuclear deal. And that's something that, um, the Israelis are very adamant against Dana Lewis - Host: (21:48) Why isn't it than Yahoo, so adamantly against it. And then I also talked to John Bolton, Trump's national security advisor and former ambassador to the, to the, to the UN before. And he said, it just wasn't verifiable. I mean, they, they really, um, you know, they really put holes in the agreement. And yet you talk to other people, Europeans here who some of them I've talked to who helped negotiate this agreement and they say it was verifiable and it was a good agreement. And it stopped Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Colin Clarke - Soufan: (22:19) Yeah, well, clearly Netanyahu disagrees. I think, you know, many hardliners within Israel are uncomfortable, uh, where there comes to an element of trust with the Iranian regime. And I think that's born over decades of, uh, mistrust and, and, and so, uh, in some ways I do see the perspective of Netanyahu, however, um, you know, it's my belief that the only really viable way forward is engaging with the Iranians diplomatically. And even if we are able to kind of, uh, you know, renegotiate a deal, I'm not one for blind trust. I'm, I'm more of a guy that believes in, you know, trust in God, but lock your car Dana Lewis - Host: (22:59) Trust, but verify as the Russians or as, um, as president Reagan said to glory, you know, trust, but verify. And in fact, in this case, they had, uh, UN inspectors in there verifying, and the UN the IAEA seemed like they were pretty happy with the outcome. Look, do you believe, and I've just read your report that you wrote for the Soufan center. Um, do you believe that, uh, the Saudis were approached in this meeting by, by Netanyahu to lay the groundwork for a military strike against Iran by the Trump administration? Colin Clarke - Soufan: (23:36) I don't know. I hope not. Um, I do believe it's feasible that the Saudis were approached. Um, but you know, if you are the Saudis, the MRR or, or, you know, another country in the region, and you think that, um, you know, you've got leverage or you've got some chips to play, I don't know why you'd cash them in now with the Trump administration. You're more likely to wait, uh, and, and engage with divided administration because you're, otherwise you're dealing with a lame duck. Uh, I know that Trump's approach has been one of scorched earth. He's trying to break everything on his way out, uh, which is really, you know, in my opinion, that's detrimental to us policy, uh, you know, it's really a policy of vengeance, uh, and you know, so it's, it's going to be something we're going to have to spend a lot of time repairing. Um, so, so, yeah. Is it feasible that the Saudis were approached about this? Probably. Um, but I don't think it's wise to, uh, begin a conflict, uh, right. You know, full stop, much less, um, you know, with less than 70 days left in the administration, uh, and really no mandate, right? I mean, this is someone that's, um, spending most of this time trying to discredit free and fair elections in his own country. Dana Lewis - Host: (24:51) Well, he's always worried about his record and wiping out, uh, president Obama's record. And this deal by the way was part of the Obama administration's deal that he wanted to get rid of in the campaign. But you mentioned the word vengeance. Talk to me about Iranian inventions. I mean, what are they capable of doing? And do you think that they'll pull the trigger on retaliation at this point, Colin Clarke - Soufan: (25:15) Could be, uh, if you go back to September, 2019, you see exactly what the Iranians are capable of doing operating through the region, putting the Houthi rebels, operating from a Rocky soil, uh, you know, in areas kind of nominally controlled by Iraqi Shia militia. Uh, if you look at, uh, again, going back to the who these, their capabilities, you're talking about a violent non-state actor with the capabilities of a nation state, I mean, really fairly sophisticated, um, you know, ability to use drones, um, ability to use, um, some, some pretty high-speed weaponry, including vessels. Dana Lewis - Host: (25:54) You can go after who Colin Clarke - Soufan: (25:57) And attack the Saudis attack, Saudi infrastructure, uh, primarily. And I think, you know, when you go back to September, 2019, I remember, I think I was on Bloomberg, uh, television a couple of days after the attack. And the interviewer said, well, so what's the United States going to do? And I said, what do you mean we weren't attacked Saudis were, and he was kind of taken aback that, um, you know, I would even suggest that the Saudi should defend themselves. I made a Quip, which, you know, I think, um, you know, drew, uh, drew a lot of flack from it, but I said, we sell them the weapons. Do we have to pull the trigger for them as well? Um, so, you know, I'm certainly not concerned, Dana Lewis - Host: (26:34) Uranian missile assault on a oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, but then there have been many other, what, what else could Iran do? I mean, what, what are the targets terms of Israeli, uh, targets, uh, American targets abroad? What do they have? What are they capable of? Colin Clarke - Soufan: (26:51) People have a lot look through Lebanese has Bola. They have global reach. We've seen, has Bola, uh, Stripe, you know, all over the world in Latin America and elsewhere. Um, there's been plots that have been disrupted, uh, in Georgia and India and Thailand. We've seen the bus bottling in Bulgaria. So I have no, um, no doubt that the Iranians are capable of responding. The question becomes how wise is it? Uh, you know, the Israelis are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Uh, and I just don't think getting into a kind of tit for tat conflict with Israel right now, um, you know, the Israelis have, have shown what they're capable of doing. Um, and, and, you know, they don't really feel compelled to hold back. So it would be unwise on the part of Iran, um, to, um, to respond in full force. But what I will say is Iran is kind of the master of walking right up to the line without crossing it, these kinds of nibbling attacks, you know, around the edges. And for that they they'd likely use proxies whether, you know, Shia militia in Iraq, um, or Lebanese Hezbollah or another kind of Iranian prophecy. Dana Lewis - Host: (27:56) And I guess the big question for the Biden administration now is can they easily reenter this agreement with Iran? Um, because a lot of things have happened on the ground. And in fact, the Iranian, the program has moved, the nuclear program has moved forward. So what is the challenge for a newly elected president Biden to, to try to bring not Iran to heal, but to have some kind of agreement on transparency within their nuclear program and, and to try to get them to step back. Colin Clarke - Soufan: (28:30) It's, it's a real challenge. I mean, it's certainly no fait accompli, as you know, some analysts have described and commentary and various hop takes that. I've read that just because there's a Biden administration means we're going to have an Iran nuclear deal. I think far from it, the region looks quite different than it did even four years ago. Um, you know, some of the alliances, uh, have shifted. So I wouldn't say that it's a certainty, uh, that the us will reenter the deal. And I think, you know, there's a lot that Iran still needs to do, um, including curving its behavior through the proxies that we just talked about, uh, before, you know, we should, you know, just blindly reenter a deal, um, and reward the Iranians. Uh, I just don't think it's smart. Dana Lewis - Host: (29:15) Do you really think that the discussion should be that broad, that, that not only do you talk about their nuclear program, but you start talking about malign activities, you start talking about their missile programs. A lot of people think that that's just becomes unwieldy and impossible in a, in a discussion to come to an agreement that you need to start somewhere and you at least start building blocks on that agreement and the sanctions around it and their nuclear program. Colin Clarke - Soufan: (29:42) I do think it's worth discussing because one, you need to raise the issue that it's unacceptable now, what your expectations are in terms of what you're going to get out of that is totally different. But yeah, I do think it needs to, uh, uh, to be broached. Uh, and I, and I think, you know, it all depends on how you view your own leverage, right? Um, with economic sanctions, that's one of the problems I've had with the Trump administration over the last four years. I've never really gotten a sense of how effective the Trump administration itself believes this maximum pressure campaign has been, uh, because it's been, and I've written about this with, uh, with my colleague Aryan Tabatabaie, we've called it a tautology of sorts because no matter what Iran seems to do, the administration trumpets, uh, you know, the success of the maximum pressure campaign, but then also paints Iran, um, as this, uh, actor that can't be stopped and that's, you know, dominating the middle East. Colin Clarke - Soufan: (30:38) Well, if that's the case, then maximum pressure hasn't worked, right. Uh, if Iran acts out and increases attacks, you know, the administration has said, look, maximum pressure is working. And if the attacks decrease, they say, look, maximum pressure is working. So, uh, you know, I don't know what the administration really believes. I don't know if they do well, it's up to the next administration. Now. It looks like that this contemplation of any kind of military action in Iran, um, th that shadow seems to have passed. Although I wouldn't put anything past a desperate, uh, president Trump right now, but, uh, we'll see what president Biden does in the future then, and whether they can bring them back into some kind of a negotiated settlement. Yeah. I mean, I'll just say, you know, lastly, I think it speaks to the incoherence of, of Trump's strategy in the middle East. Colin Clarke - Soufan: (31:25) If the goal, as you stated before us and endless Wars, he's going to start one right before he leaves office. I think we haven't had a coherent approach to the region. It's been one of transactionalism. Um, and, and so I'm looking forward to a more cogent, uh, you know, pragmatic relationship or, you know, uh, strategy formulation with a Biden administration, with someone like a Jake Sullivan that knows the region. Well, that knows the players that actually works across the aisle and consults with, you know, so-called hardliners within the United States. And so, um, I'm hopeful that, uh, we're, you know, we're able to make progress on that front. Thank you, Colin. Thank you. Dana Lewis - Host: (32:10) And that's our backstory on Iran and the bomb in case you didn't know, as we speak, there is a trial underway in Belgium of an Iranian diplomat and several others believe to be from Iran intelligence network for smuggling explosives into Europe, and then plotting to carry out a bombing of an Iranian opposition group in France. The bomb was handed over at a pizza hut in Luxenberg. The intent prosecutors say was to blow up a rally in France of a prominent opposition group to the Uranian government. Hundreds would have been killed the Uranian diplomat Asadullah Assadi allegedly carried the bomb a little more than a pound of tea, TP, explosives, and a detonator to Vienna from Iran in his luggage on an Austrian airlines flight. He then drove it to Luxembourg in a rented car and handed it over to an Iranian Belgium couple on June 30th, 2018. And it was the Israeli Mossad who tipped off French and Belgium authorities. Iran has denied the plot and said the charges were designed to embarrass Tehran just before president Hassan Rouhani traveled to Europe to rally support for the 2015 nuclear deal. Thanks for listening to backstory, share this link, subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen. We're on most major platforms like Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon music, Pandora, Deezer, and many more. If you would like to sponsor this podcast, let us know. I'm Dana Lewis and I'll talk to you again. 

[edsbrak]

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 Coming Soon

Read on Ao3 | New Kid AU

It's senior year and Eddie is determined to get through it with ease while also scared about what awaits him on the other side. But then a new kid arrives in town and turns Eddie's life completely upside down, in ways he never would have expected.

Tags: Modern Setting, Strangers To Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Coming Of Age

Chapter 2: Prescriptions and Mixtapes (5.1k)

It’s Saturday morning and Eddie’s mum sends him over the road to pick up his standard refills.

Eddie’s certain he and his mum are the pharmacists best customers based on how frequently they visit here. He can’t even place the time when he’d started regularly picking up his prescriptions by himself, and now he’d often wonder if there would come a day when he wouldn’t need to take all of these different drugs to help ‘keep him better’ as his mum put it simply.

He blows into his cupped hands thrice and steps inside the store, saying his greetings to Mr. Keene before the man wonders off behind the counter to collect Eddie’s refills.

Saturday’s were always Derry’s busiest mornings. Most shops stayed closed on Sunday’s, so people in their town were all forced out of bed early in the morning to purchase the week’s shopping supplies. Which is where his mum was right now; Eddie always takes the pharmacy while his mother did the grocery shopping (her tastes always differ so she insists on taking charge of the food).

Eddie was fine with that – the disgusting floors and ridiculously confusing shelving of the grocery store was something Eddie prefers to avoid.  

“Here you go Eddie,” Mr. Keene says once he returns. “And say hi to your mum for me.”

Eddie nods, taking the small rattling jars quickly and walking away. “Thanks. I will.”

He exits the store and squints into the light as he glances down the street. He can see his mother’s car still parked out the front of the shop, so he decides to wait outside on the footpath.

He observes other residents of the town as they walk past; a girl and her mother, an old man and his small yappy dog, two kids from his school who both give him a look as they pass. Eddie clutches his bag closer to his side and avoids any eye contact after that.

When a few more minutes pass and his mother still hasn’t shown, Eddie peaks halfway into the sliding doors of the grocery to see if he can spot her.

She was in the confectionary aisle, seemingly flirting (if her shrill giggles were anything to go by) with the man that Eddie thinks owns the dry cleaners around the corner. He sighs, knowing his mum will probably take her time now, and reluctantly leaves to go and find something else to occupy his time.

There’s a second-hand bookstore across the street that sometimes has magazines out the back that he can flip through. But before he can enter the shop the bell on the door rings out and another customer bumps right into his shoulder.

“Hey—” starts Eddie, but he’s cut short by a familiar laugh.

He looks up to see Richie standing in front of him, giving Eddie that all-knowing grin he’s seemed to master in the past week. His signature leather jacket has disappeared in favour of a denim jacket that’s covered in patches and politically-aware pins. He’s also branding a t-shirt that says ‘Death To The Man’.

“Well, well, if it ain’t ol’ Eds,” says Richie in a particularly horrible English accent. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”

“Pure coincidence,” says Eddie, figuring his plan to hide away behind the magazines have now been cut short. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

“Our meetings are always a pleasure, Eds. Don’t deny it,” winks Richie, and Eddie looks away with a huff.

Eddie then realizes they’re standing quite close, so he steps away quickly to allow Richie to leave the doorframe of the shop. They make eye contact, and the longer it lasts the wider Richie’s smile grows. Eddie looks away again. Ugh.

“Sorry, did you have somewhere to be?” asks Eddie flippantly, mostly out of politeness and slightly out of curiosity. A ridiculous part of him hopes Richie says ‘no’, which he ignores.

“Want me to stick around, eh, Eds?” coos Richie as he crosses his arms over his chest. There’s a book clutched in his hand Eddie hadn’t noticed before. “I would if I could, but my uncle wants me back at his shop in five minutes or so.”

His uncle? thinks Eddie, until he remembers. “Oh, right. You said in English class you live with him.” He pauses to remember anything else. “You finally get those supplies so you don’t need to borrow off of me anymore?”

“Aw, Eds, you know you love being my sole provider,” says Richie, leaning in closer.

Eddie doesn’t step away and instead tries to make himself appear taller. “Well, from the looks of it you are capable of buying things, although nothing related to school, it seems.”

Richie glances down at the book he’d just bought. “Oh, yeah. Well, this is a classic, so you can’t blame me for that.” He shows the cover to Eddie proudly.

“Eva Luna?” says Eddie. “I don’t think something that’s only existed for a handful of years can be dubbed a ‘classic’.”

“This is an exception to the rule, then,” says Richie. “You read much?”

“Occasionally,” shrugs Eddie. “I’m guessing you do?”

“Oh, not really,” admits Richie, and Eddie frowns questioningly at him. “I tend to get distracted easily. So, reading’s always been kind of hard for me. But there are a few books I’m willing to put the extra effort into reading, you know?”

“Not really,” echoes Eddie. He can’t really think of anything in particular he feels that passionately about, to do just for himself. His mother likes to disapprove of a lot of things.

Richie turns and makes a slow step away in the opposite direction of the grocery store. Without thinking, Eddie follows him almost instinctually, as if knowing their conversation hasn’t quite finished yet. Richie seems pleased, and he swings his arm out to tap Eddie’s shopping bag lightly.

“What’ve you been shopping for?”

“Oh, uh,” says Eddie slowly, wondering what Richie might say in response to his many, many prescriptions. “Just… my medication. Um, my mum… says that I’ve always needed them from a young age. Before I can even really remember.”

Richie hums lowly, but doesn’t appear to want to push him further. Eddie finds he’s kind of thankful for it, since trying to explain the inner workings of his mother’s crazy mind to someone who is essentially still a stranger can be a tedious process. Suddenly, some kids run past them at full speed, and Eddie finds himself bumping into Richie’s side to avoid a collision. Richie’s hand reaches out to steady him, and Eddie’s previously spiked heart-rate morphs into a different causation.  

“You okay?” asks Richie, clearly trying to hide his smile.

“Yeah,” dismisses Eddie quickly. They fall back into step as Eddie rubs where Richie’s warm hand had just been. “So, um, what’s your uncle’s store?”

“Oh,” says Richie, and points up ahead. “He owns the pizza parlour. I help him out with deliveries on weekends.”

“Your uncle is Mr. Chernik?”

“Yeah. What, you two friendly with each other?”

“It’s the only pizza place in town,” says Eddie. “My friends and I go there at least once a week. We love it there.”

“Yeah well,” says Richie, and his tone turns slightly bitter. “I guess my parents think the same thing, since they decided to send me up here to quote ‘improve upon my character growth’ unquote.”

“Oh,” says Eddie, feeling slightly awkward. He’s not sure how much he can ask about Richie’s situation. He’s not even sure why he cares to know at all. He plays it safe: “Where did they send you from?”

“Portland,” answers Richie, and he sounds happier. “My friends said they’d come up and visit as soon as they could. It’s strange, being in a small town like this.”

“I wouldn’t know what it’s like living in a big city,” offers Eddie.

He can imagine what it must be like though; taking into account what he’s seen in movies and TV. The only thing he finds less appealing is the higher crime rates compared to a small town like Derry. He wonders how much Richie must feel like a fish out of water right now – to be sent away by his parents doesn’t exactly scream great home life. Eddie can sympathize.

“I guess if one good thing has come out of all of this, it’s been getting to know you, Eddie Spaghetti,” says Richie, turning to smile at Eddie.

If Richie hadn’t have sounded so sincere, Eddie would have brushed it off as another one of Richie’s ploys to annoy him. But instead, it merely causes a bloom of warmth to burst in Eddie’s chest.

“That’s the only good thing?” he tries to deflect with a laugh. “So, okay. You live with your uncle above the pizzeria. And you do deliveries. So, that means you drive?”

Richie nods, looking down at the pavement. “As soon as I turned sixteen. My plan is to save up enough money to buy myself a scrappy car to fix up, and then travel the country.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely,” says Richie. “Haven’t you ever wanted to just… escape? To leave everything behind and start fresh?”

Eddie opens his mouth and then closes it. He has no idea, honestly. Up until now, the possibility of ever leaving Derry had been slim to none. As much as he tries sometimes, he just can’t see past life after high school. He knows his mother is the cause of a big part of that, but how much is because of himself? Where had this fear come from?

“Eddie,” says Richie, and Eddie’s attention snaps over to him. “You okay? You spaced out for a bit there.”

Eddie clears his throat and resists reaching for his inhaler. “Yeah, yes. I’m fine.”

Richie still gives him a concerned look, but lets it slide. They finally reach the end of the street, and there’s some noise coming from the alleyway next to the pizzaria. A man covered head to toe in flour appears from around the corner, and he startles slightly when he spots them near the entrance.

“Ah, Richie, you’re back,” says Mr. Chernik. “Eddie, almost didn’t see you there.” He walks over to them and nods while he cleans off his hands. “Nice to see you’ve made a friend, Rich.”

“Yeah, yeah,” says Richie on an eye-roll.

“Alright, well I need you inside to help Robert out back in storage, okay?” says Mr. Chernik to Richie, and says his goodbye to Eddie before stepping inside the shop.

“You said you were saving up, right?” asks Eddie. “So your uncle pays you to work? That’s nice, at least.”

“Yeah,” Richie says after a moment passes. “I guess that’s a silver lining.”

There’s s shrill call coming from back down the street, and Eddie turns around to see his mother has finally left the grocery store and is having trouble trying to pile everything into the trunk of their bangwagon. She calls out for him again and Eddie knows it’s really time to go.

“Well, nice seeing you,” says Eddie, and finds he actually means it this time. Huh. “But I have to go.”

“Me too,” Richie gestures behind him, and then they both hesitate for a moment.

When nothing life-changing happens Eddie finally makes the first move and begins to walk away out of ear-shot, but not before Richie can call out to him in that familiar teasing tone:

“Hey, tell you mum I say hi! She seems like a positively charming woman!”

With a disbelieving snort, Eddie swivels around to shout back: “You’re such a goddamn trash-mouth, you know that?”

Richie simply finger-salutes back and disappears inside the store. When Eddie arrives at their car and his mum asks him why he was taking so long, Eddie lies and says the pharmacy misplaced his prescriptions.

On the ride home, Eddie finds himself actually looking forward to the coming school weeks.

*

Tin the end, the weeks pass by relatively uneventfully.

Classes do start to become that little bit harder, when all of the teachers collectively decide to pile up their homework when it’s clear to any outsider that they already have plenty to deal with as it is.

Eddie never realized that the life of a senior really wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be, if up until now you still hadn’t joined a sports team or a popular clique. Really, it was all just an elaborate popularity contest that Eddie had no intention of winning. He was content, in this moment, to get through the year unnoticed and to continue living out a perfectly normal life.  

Fuck the system, Eddie thinks.

And during those first few weeks, Eddie regularly saw Richie hanging out around the school (and again a couple of times on the roof). He was almost always alone, unless begrudgingly copping it from a faculty member. And no matter when or where, he was always occupying his attention either with a book or doodling or skipping through songs on an old walkman he carried around with him.

Often times when Eddie had hung out with Stan and Bill after school, he’d see Richie walking along the main street in their town, or sometimes sitting outside the library with a book under a nice shady tree.

Eddie felt like he should be asking Richie to join them, perhaps; to see if he wanted to come with them down to the quarry he probably hadn’t visited yet. But then he stops, wondering if maybe Richie preferred to be alone, and soon the moment passed and Eddie would just see him the next day at school.

Although there were always their trips walking to and from school, something they’d done a few more times since that fateful first day. Eddie can admit (only to himself, of course) that he rather enjoys their conversations, and each morning catches himself hoping to see Richie approaching on his bike.

And then one day he realizes something.

“Hey,” he starts, and waits for Richie to acknowledge him. “You live above the pizzeria, and yet you bother to bike way off of your route to travel to school.”

“Uh, yeah,” says Richie, and if Eddie didn’t know any better he’d say he sounds nervous. “I just thought, may as well grace you with the pleasure of my company, of course.”

Eddie doesn’t satisfy him with a remark, finding sometimes he quite enjoys keeping Richie on his toes.

*

Walking into English class the following Monday morning, Eddie takes his trademark seat and greets Stan with a casual nod when his friend takes his spot beside him. The room starts to fill up slowly, as per usual, and through no fault of his own it’s only natural when Eddie’s gaze continuously glances over to the door in the hopes of spying out one Richie Tozier.

Call it habitual biology, if you will.

When Mrs. Crawford begins handing out permission slips for the viewing of an 18+ film she’ll be showing in class, it distracts Eddie long enough that he doesn’t notice a body plop into the seat to his right.

“Hey Eds.”

Eddie would argue he does not twitch like a frightened animal when Richie greets him, rather he was more shocked by the lack of black clothing Richie was sporting today therefore Eddie couldn’t recognize him. The obnoxiously bright colours of his Hawaiian shirt stood out considerably amongst the bleak senior class, as did his almost neon yellow shoes. Where does one even find shoes like that? More importantly, who even makes shoes like that?

“Hey,” Eddie eventually replies.

“Hey Stan,” Richie adds.

“Hey man,” Stan says, and passes along the slips to them.

Eddie looks at it and knows he’ll have to forge his mother’s signature, otherwise he won’t be watching the film. Unfortunately, he’s not so good with his copying skills. Fortunately, he thinks Richie might be. He makes a note to ask him later.

“Now everyone,” calls Mrs. Crawford, “We won’t be viewing the film in class for another two weeks, so until then, I am assigning you all a brief, partnered essay on whichever two topics you wish off the board up the front. It must be no less than one thousand words.”

Eddie groans, hating partnering up for assignments. Maybe he’ll be paired with Stan, which would make it a lot more tolerable.

“When I call your names, find your assigned partner and talk amongst each other. I insist you have your topic outlines completed by the end of class.”

Eddie scribbles in his notebook as he waits, and then slumps considerably when Stan’s name is called out along with someone else. Finally his name pops up:

“Eddie, and… Richie.”

“Nice, high five,” whispers Richie, and Eddie thinks it could be worse.

Mrs. Crawford tends to whatever other work she deems more necessary and allows the students to organize their assignments by themselves for the remainder of the lesson. Instead most take the chance to simply talk about movies or pass along school gossip. Stan leaves to take a seat next to his new partner sitting up the back, and Eddie turns to face Richie and hopes to have this sorted by the end of the lesson.

“Fate sure likes to throw us together, right Eds?”

At this point, Eddie has already stopped correcting him on the nickname.

“Sure,” he agrees easily. “So, any thoughts on the topic selection?”

“You can pick whichever,” says Richie. “I’m happy to follow your lead.”

“As long as I’m not stuck doing everything,” warns Eddie.

“You have my word.” Richie places his hand over his heart dramatically and gives him a wink. Eddie wants desperately to believe him.

“I’m holding you to that.”

Eventually, Eddie narrows down the topic choices and selects two for them to study, all the while Richie had pulled out a pen to doodle throughout most of the lesson. Eddie observed him occasionally, and thought Richie was actually quite a decent drawer. He seemed to specialize specifically on caricatures.

Eddie really did hope Richie wouldn’t flake out on him with this assignment, but from what little Eddie knew of him, somehow he felt Richie wouldn’t just leave him in the dust. He appears to be a smart guy, too, although with trouble actually applying himself, it seems.

When the bell rang out and students piled out of the classroom left, right and centre, Eddie caught sight of Stan and they began walking down the hall together. Only then did Eddie catch himself and turn around to search out Richie.

“Looking for me?”

Eddie jerks slightly away when Richie pops up to his right. “Jesus, stop doing that! And, uh… yeah.”

“We’re heading outside for our break,” says Stan. “Would you like to eat with us?”

Eddie can clearly see Richie is mildly surprised by the offer, and his gaze switches over to Eddie, as if asking for permission. It hurts, slightly, for Richie to think that Eddie might not want him there. But then again, Eddie has never voiced otherwise.

“Come with us,” insists Eddie. “I mean, we can figure out a plan for days we can meet up to study, right? And you haven’t met Bill, either.”

“Right,” says Richie, pausing slightly. And then he smiles. “Yeah, okay. Well then, led the way my good fellows!” he brings out his poor English accent again.

Stan laughs, and that almost surprises Eddie, in a good way.

“That was terrible. I like it,” says Stan.

“Happy to be of service.”

“Come on,” says Eddie, and they all continue on down the hall. Eddie brushes against Richie’s side a few times, and suddenly, as if it were completely natural, Richie slings his arm around Eddie’s shoulders like a steady vice. Eddie hopes Richie doesn’t notice how tense he becomes.

And only after Richie steps away can Eddie feel like he can breathe properly.

*

After their impromptu hang out session at school and Richie had formally met Bill, Eddie had suggested they all meet up at the library after school on Wednesday to study. Everyone seemed to have some other commitment either on Monday or Tuesday, so eventually Wednesday became the default.

On Tuesday, Richie had joined them again at lunch, fitting in almost seamlessly and chatting away with Stan and Bill as if he’d always been there.

It simultaneously made Eddie glad and irritated.

It was still hard to dissect if he liked Richie or not. The other boy was funny when he really wanted to be, and Eddie enjoyed his company most times they ran into each other. But he could also be cocky, and brash, and sometimes it was hard to differentiate between his jokes and when he was actually being honest. He was a puzzle, really, and Eddie had never really been a fan of puzzles before.

When Wednesday morning rolls around, Eddie wakes up in bed feeling like utter crap.

Something like this would be downright impossible to hide from his mother, so he did not even attempt to act as if everything was okay and leave for school like usual. She checks his temperature immediately, fussing about in a panic and shoving what feels like 20 pills into his hand to swallow.

She calls up the school to inform them Eddie will not be coming in. Sent back to bed, she continuously checks up on him every hour on the hour, refilling his glass of water and changing the damp cloth resting over his forehead.

When Eddie feels himself growing irritated of her pestering, he fakes that his illness is acting up so she will have to leave the house to buy more medicine. It works, and once he hears the car pulling out of the driveway he groggily stumbles out of bed and rummages the house for some loose batteries. When he successfully finds some he retreats to his room and pulls out his old walkie-talkie that his mother thinks she threw away years ago. Eddie knows Stan and Bill still have theirs.  

He places the batteries in it and crosses his fingers it will still work.

“Hey guys, it’s Eddie, do you copy? Over.”

It’s just after when school finishes, and Eddie knows his friends like to swing by Stan’s house to get some snacks before heading out to the library. He can only hope he’ll catch them.

He repeats his phrase plenty more times over the next ten minutes, and just as he’s about to give up, he hears Stan’s voice crackle on the other end.

“Eddie? Was that you? We’re here, over.”

Eddie brings it back up to his lips at lightning speed. “Yeah, it’s me. I’m at home with the flu. Over.”

There’s brief static and then: “That sucks. I’m guessing you can’t make it to study then? Over.”

“No, sorry. Over.” he says, before adding: “Is Richie with you? Over.”

“No, we’re meeting him there. I’ll let him know you’re sick. We’ll probably just hang out, anyway. Over.”

Eddie feels a pang of jealousy. And about what? “Okay, thanks. Um, have fun. Over.”

“Get better, man. Oh, and it’s nice to hear you over the walkies again, dude. We’ve missed you. Over.”

Eddie can’t help but smile. “Thanks. I’ll see you guys real soon. Over and out.”

“Over and out.”

Once the room is silent again Eddie sits there for a while, just fiddling with the buttons and listening out for his mother to return. He ends up putting the walkie-talkie in an old shoebox and hides it far under his bed. Soon his previous jealousy acts up again and he can’t help but fester on it for a while.

It was irrational, and he knew it. It wasn’t like they were five years old again and dumping old friends for new ones were a weekly occurrence. He knew Richie wouldn’t edge him out. He knew Stan and Bill wouldn’t suddenly realize what a nuisance Eddie was and drop him as a friend.

And yet, even knowing all of this he still couldn’t help but feel left out.

Later his mother makes up dinner for him and somehow includes every steamed vegetable known to man on one plate. Eddie picks at it after a few bites, his stomach not agreeing with him anymore, and his mother cleans up his room before leaving him to an early sleep. And he might have been fine with that if his body wasn’t still intent on murdering him on the inside and allowed him to actually rest.

A little after 8 o’clock Eddie hears the doorbell ring downstairs.

Curious, he gets out of bed and cracks open his door, trying to listen in to who could possibly be visiting at this hour.

“Yes? Who are you, what do you want?” his mother says.

“Um, is Eddie around? I’m a… friend of his.”

Eddie feels a flush of heat not related to his flu course through him. Richie. What on Earth?

“He’s sick. Why are you here?”

“I, uh,” stumbles Richie, clearly not used to his mother’s unrelenting personality. “I just… had some homework to give him. From today.”

There’s a moment of silence, where Eddie guesses his mother is probably looking over whatever pieces of paper Richie must have handed her. Eddie holds his breath without meaning to. Finally she says:

“Okay, I will give it to him. You can go now.”

“Right. Sure. Thanks.”

The door closes and Eddie wishes he could have been the one to open the door instead. Quickly, he turns around and crosses his room, lifting up his window as quietly as he can, and tries to spot Richie leaving their property. Around the corner a figure and a bike appear, and Eddie is sure it’s him.

“Richie!” he whisper-shouts.

The figure seems to stop and search around for the caller, and eventually he looks up to see Eddie waving to beckon him over. Richie dumps his bike again and inches closer, and soon the moonlight is showing Richie’s patched-up denim jacket and that shit-eating grin.

“Eds? Thought you were asleep. Cheeky.”

“I tried. Can’t.” says Eddie. He lowers his voice in fear of his mother hearing. “Did you really come over to give me homework?”

“What?” asks Richie, clearly not hearing him properly, and then he shakes his head. “Hold on, I’m coming up.”

“Wait,” says Eddie, panicking. “Wait, you can’t, my mum—”

Only Richie has already started to climb up the tree that grows along the side of their house. It takes him a few good minutes, but he’s getting higher and closer and Eddie cannot believe Richie Tozier is now climbing through his window like this is some goddamn 80s teen rom-com.

“Hey,” grins Richie, slightly panting.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” Eddie grits out. “If my mum catches you—”

“Then I’ll just charm her, obviously.” Richie winks lewdly before looking around the room slowly. Eddie shuffles on the spot, still a bit dizzy from his flu. He goes to sit down in an attempt to settle it.

“Yeah, ‘cause you did so well downstairs,” jokes Eddie before he groans uncomfortably.

“Sorry, I know you’re not feeling good,” apologizes Richie. “I did actually bring over the homework from English class. I started on both topics today at the library, and I thought you might wanna check over it.”

Eddie blinks at him. That had almost been the last thing he’d expected. “Oh. Thank you.”

“I know you want a good grade, so I put in the effort for you,” says Richie, and perhaps so they don’t have to talk so loud he goes to sit right next to Eddie on the bed. Eddie tries to stop his eyes from widening. He reaches for his water desperately.

“What, you don’t usually put in any effort for yourself?” asks Eddie when he’s done.

Richie shrugs noncommittally, and doesn’t answer.

Richie Tozier is in my room, Richie Tozier is in my room, thinks Eddie over and over.

“Sad you couldn’t make it tonight,” says Richie after a moment, and he sounds completely honest. Eddie flushes again. “Bill and Stan were good company, though. You have cool friends.”

This time, there aren’t any stabs of jealousy, only pride. “Yeah, I do.”

Richie smiles at him and Eddie can’t bring it in himself to look away. And then Richie is pulling out a small box from his jacket pocket and handing it to Eddie.

“Remember when I said you could come over any time and look through my music? Well, I couldn’t really wait, so… I made you a mixtape.”

“You did?” asks Eddie, accepting the tape shyly. The cover reads: Eddie Spaghetti Volume 1. His fingers run over the smooth casing as Richie answers him.

“Yeah. It’s uh… well, I know we’ve never really talked about other artists, so I kind of just took a gamble and put this together. I think you’ll like it, though.”

Eddie realizes, with striking clarity, that no one has ever cared to make him a mixtape before. He’s not sure what to think knowing Richie has made this one for him, and he’s instantly curious to listen to whatever is on it.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“I should um… go, I guess,” says Richie as he rubs his hands along his thighs. He stands slowly and looks back down at Eddie. “I hope you feel better soon. And… yeah.”

It was startling to see Richie acting so out of his element. Eddie nods, and watches Richie retreat to the window, and he’s halfway out when he angles around to give Eddie one last smile.

“See you soon, Eds.”

The minute Eddie is sure Richie has biked around the corner and is out of sight he goes to fish out his old tape player from his wardrobe and sets up the mixtape from the very beginning. Making sure the volume is on low, he presses play, and lies back on his bed and listens along with only the beating of his heart to accompany him.

Song after song goes by and Eddie hasn’t skipped any of them. It’s frightening, almost, how eerily accurate Richie is tuned to his tastes. The mix comes to a song that Eddie can recognize from the first two chords, and he rolls over onto his side to curl up better.

But I won’t cry for yesterday, there’s an ordinary world, somehow I have to find…

Eddie draws in a deep breath, letting the words blanket him in a moment of calm.

And as I try to make my way, to the ordinary world, I will learn to survive…

When the song is finished, Eddie stares up at his ceiling, eyelids heavy as he feels as though he’s sinking away and going happily. He thinks of Richie one final time.

“What the fuck?” he whispers to himself.

*

*

*

the next chapter will be up much sooner this time I promise! :D

let me know if you wanna be added to the tag list! xxx

@just-an-akward-fangirl @trashmouth-smashmouth @jas6236 @klancelets @emptygreyspaces @kikyomibu @kkfra808 @ageorgymi @allycatlovesoakleshineplusphan

[thedeadflag]

@dreamsheartstory​ said:  if you find any good sci fi, let me know… it’s so rare…

It really is. For a genre that has so much potential, it rarely makes the small screen without being corralled into a few very specific tropes (sci-fi cop procedural is so, so overdone, but I’m desperate haha)

Still, this is what I’ve watched over the past...3 years? 3 years, yeah. At least, the notable ones, not including the obvious big name Netflix marvel shows, Sense 8, orphan black, etc..

SOME MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

The Expanse:

Harder sci-fi. Essentially, it’s the future, where humanity expanded across the system, and Mars split off to do their own thing after a civil war. The people working on “the belt”... as in the asteroid belt and other such unsavory places and stations...are the clear have-nots and are generally abused at will by both Earth and Mars, and the show starts where tensions are at an all-time high, with the belt a hair’s trigger away from revolt, and the Earth/Mars tensions coming to a head

Great casting, the crew of the Roci is fantastic. Though Thomas Jane is...a Thomas Jane character. He’s such a perfect fit for Miller, because Miller checks all the boxes for his strengths, and hides his weaknesses well enough in the flaws of the character. So i can’t blame the show for that, but I hate looking at his face. Still, the casting is just top notch. And they have Shohreh Aghdashloo, who is always fantastic, and Frankie Adams pops onto the scene in S2 and does quite well. Essentially, casting = A+

Only real complaint is that i read the book, and there’s a pansexual lady character that is exceptional and amazing and I love her and her mouth of a sailor. The show cut that and made her more passive and scared in S2, which is bullshit, and led me to stop watching because I was furious at that decision, but in the end, it’s still absolutely 100% worth watching. If just for the Roci crew alone and the endless shenanigans they get into (and sometimes out of)

Binge-worthy. Pacing of the first two episodes is a bit inconsistent, but they’re covering an absurd amount of ground, so that’s expected.

Killjoys:

Lighthearted space-faring sci-fi, set in a totally built from the ground up universe. It slowly leaks out the lore as to not jeopardize the general tone of the show. However, it does turn serious for stretches.

Easily binge-worthy. Takes 3 episodes to get momentum, but after that, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

My only real quibble is with the origins of Dutch. We get a hint of her growing up essentially as property, abused into being a living weapon/assassin, before we get a good read of the world, and that...really comes off as a bit exploitative, given she’s a woc. 

The ship is an A+ lovable sassy ladybug

Dark Matter:

A bit “harder” sci-fi than Killjoys, but it has its lighthearted moments

Super super slow burn. I finished the first season and only then did I really start to dig my claws into the show. It’s slow. 

That said, interesting lore, and the overarching series of narratives are solid and worthwhile, they just take an egregiously long time to lift-off.

There’s apparently wlw content in season 3. I haven’t finished S2 yet, but I’m hoping it’s solid.

Westworld:

Western meets Wizard of Oz featuring Anthony Hopkins with an old west fetish. Set far off in the future. There are, like, androids and stuff

I didn’t get through it since western shows give me the creeps, but most of my friends who watched it says it was pretty great. I only watched the first episode, but the acting and cinematography and music were all very well done.

Ascension:

A sci fi mystery, set in a space-ship, if that space-ship was sort of like one of the Bunkers in the fallout games, full of people from the 50s.

The show is not without its warts, but it’s a miniseries (so it’s not long), and it’s surprisingly well done.  Doesn’t cover all the themes it brings up with the greatest nuance or skill, but I’d wager it’s probably worth a watch? 

The OA:

Another mystery! Sci-fi in the vein of alien abduction and strange abilities.

It’s kind of surrealistic? It makes you pay attention, and if you slip up, you’ll probably miss out on something. There’s a decent chunk of content mashed into those surprisingly few episodes.

Didn’t like that it robbed a character of a disability. I think it would have worked just as well with the character still being blind. They could have made it work. 

Trans guy rep in this show, which was a plus

American Gods:

I’m not sure if this counts? It kinda counts. I’m saying it counts. It mixes sci-fi and fantasy. 

I haven’t finished this yet, mostly just because it’s hard to find torrents that aren’t tracked by the network. My ISP is okay with me getting one or two notices a month, but past that, it’s tricky, and I can’t afford a good VPN, so I’m playing the waiting game for a bit.

Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane were fantastic in the episodes I did see. The show is, if nothing else, visceral and beautifully shot.

3%:

Sci-fi in the vein of Hunger Games, but a better premise, and better executed

I only managed to get it with the dubbed audio, so that was flat out atrocious and made me weep over the injustice

Still, despite the absolutely grating audio, I pushed through that and enjoyed much of the rest of the show. it’s solid. Not, like, the best show out there, but it does what it does well, it covers its themes well, and the visual elements of the acting seemed strong.

Find the sub-titled version with the original language (portugese iirc?) audio. I think that’s available on Netflix now, or at least Netflix USA, from what I understand.

12 Monkeys:

It’s a police procedural time jumping sci-fi with a dystopian, post-apoc future.

It’s okay. Nothing special. The two leads really do try to put the show on their back, btu the writing’s not real strong. Watchable, but lots of plot holes, plot armor, and writers shoehorning in sudden/coincidental events out of nowhere to increase tension. if you want something to watch for background noise, or maybe if you want a procedural show and have checked out the others already, maybe this will be for you.

Agents of Shield:

Superhero-based sci-fi

First season is slow and full of filler because they were waiting for that Captain America Winter Soldier movie to come out before tying their show in with the events. There are guides to watching the first season. I thought it was all decently fine, and good writing alla round, there’s just too many episodes that season to justify the few meaningful narrative events.

Season 2 has Dichen Lachman. The final half of that season character-assassinates her (and the other inhumans) to provide the show a late-hour villain to root against. I hated that. It’s the weakest season, thankfully, and I’m sure there are watch-guides to skipping through that because...

Shit gets real in season 3, and it’s worth watching even outside of S1-2, I’d even rec skipping those if there wans’t so much character-building in those 2 seasons. The writing is better, the acting is better from S3 onward. There’s still some fumbling of themes, but not to the degree of the previous seasons. Same with Season 4, where it arguably has it’s greatest few episodes. Ends with a brief Hydra-AU arc that IMO is skippable, but some adored it. I didn’t, but eh.

Colony:

Harder sci-fi. Aliens invaded and swiftly won. Now they’re ruling us from a distance, using human figureheads to do so. Really neat lore, and worldbuilding.

Unfortunately, it’s the most frustrating sci-fi show i’ve seen in years, because the male cop lead always has a gut feeling that always aligns with what the revolutionaries are planning, so he always intercepts them. And they get unbelievable plot armor to escape the writers’ ham-handed tension-building, ensuring the writers don’t pay any consequences for the shitty bullshit they keep pulling over and over.

If you can take that sort of crap, and care enough about worldbuilding/lore/etc., then go for it. There’s definite value, and things improve greatly in season 2. But my lord, season 1 is so frustrating.

Person of Interest:

You’ve probably watched this one

Hard sci-fi in the vein of "Hey, maybe writing a secret intelligent AI is just a really bad idea” *five minutes later* “Oh no what have we done”

It’s a really bad idea.

But we get fun police procedural moments out of it, because John is solid, and Carter & Root & Shaw & Bear are excellent. 

Bear is best.

The show has watch guides for getting through the first season, and parts of S2. 

Avoid the final 3 episodes of the series. Maybe the final season altogether. Otherwise fantastic and heartwrenching stuff.

The Last Ship:

Naval Adventure to Rebuild the World After a Rampant MegaVirus sci-fi

Surprisingly decent for a show that’s basically funded entirely by the American Navy.

Just keep in mind that there will be shitty patriotism bits of bullshit tossed in here and there, and there won’t be so much shock when those bits show up.

First two seasons play out like a mix of The Hunt for Red October and Jesus Camp. It’s bizarre, but sometimes it works? Rhona Mitra and Christina Elmore are probably the reasons for that. And Dichen Lachman is in S3 and she doesn’t die, so that’s a plus.

It definitely has its dips into shit-tier quality, and self-righteous bullshittery, especially in S3.

But it also handles a national political arc halfway decently for a sci-fi show in S3. 

Anywho, this is good for, like, background watching? Or low-intensity, low-effort watching. In that context, it’s a good enough show.

The Leftovers:

Three seasons of super depressing and heart-wrenching drama with sci-fi at its core (huge amounts of people vanish one day...the show is about the world finding out how to move on, what ti all means)

Excellent acting. Top notch. Like, some of the best on TV. Some stunning stuff.

The show only gets better. I didn’t like the first half of S1, it’s very slow and arduous, but it’s worth it. 

Not very sci-fi, at least not until S3, but still. It works with sci-fi elements and it’s a very thoughtful, smart show.

Wayward Pines:

It’s sci-fi in the vein of Under the Dome, but it manages to be even worse somehow don’t ask me how

Oh my god don’t watch this, the cast does not make up for it, they flounder in atrocious writing. i’m only mentioning this here because it’s just so bad, don’t waste your time like I did.

That’s...well, the stuff that’s not far below mediocre.