#*telekinetically throws my switch into the wall

[ex0toxin]

frostyfest save me. save me frostyfest. help m

[hellowkatey]

The Plights of Force Vision: Chapter 3

Rating: T for language

Summary: He tries to relax, but of course the Force can’t give Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi a break. Anakin gets out of class early and finds Obi-Wan in the midst of a vision.

Read it on AO3 

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Chapter 3: Knight Kenobi

There are coveted moments in Obi-Wan's day when the apartment is finally quiet. His thirteen-year-old padawan is not babbling about something or the other that happened in his philosophy class. No excruciatingly loud reverberations echoing through the wall while Anakin fiddles with his latest project. No gaggle of various other padawans running in and out of the quarters, swiping meal bars and grabbing glasses of water as though it is their own home. (The last bothers Obi-Wan the least-- he is pleased to see Anakin making friends and quite enjoys that they feel comfortable traipsing around their quarters. He even picks up extra snacks to leave around for them, but their frequent presence is in no way quiet)

Luckily, there are always a few hours during the week in which Anakin is in class and Obi-Wan has completed his own training sessions and extracurriculars with other knights. He has the freedom to take a nice, long shower, lounge on the couch with a book or watch a holovid, and maybe even take a nap if he's feeling a little wild. It's his guilty pleasure, a time he lets himself relax in a fashion other than meditation.

Today is like any other. He returns from a spar with Luminara Unduli and wastes no time in stripping off his sweaty robes and turning on the shower. After a revitalizing soak, he steps out, wiping off the steamy mirror. His own face stares back at him, and for the hundredth time, he considers the beard.

He never thought he'd be a beard-guy but after a very elderly Master scolded him for not being in his padawan classes at the ripe age of twenty-six, he decided maybe a beard might do him good. For a few weeks, it was horridly patchy, looking as though Anakin had glued pieces of hair to his chin while blindfolded. He got a bit of teasing for it, but Jedi are meant to be patient and so he waited. Eventually, it filled out, cupping the bottom half of his face with an impressive ginger-colored mane. He's taken to trimming it short-- with the amount of saber training and conditioning he does, it gets quite hot and itchy-- but every time he looks in the mirror he gets the urge to just shave it all off.

Then he remembers another interaction when they were on Zonama Sekot and a stranger thought him and Anakin to be brothers. Usually, masters and their padawans are equated to parents and children, so the sibling comparison was... not ideal. Not with a padawan who already likes to test the limits of his master's authority. (It certainly put a glimmer in Anakin's eye, though.)

So he grew the beard. And now, the beard stays.

Obi-Wan finishes getting dressed, throwing on a fresh pair of Jedi robes and running some product through his hair. He feels refreshed, unwound after the tough spar. The knight pads into the kitchen, puts a kettle on for tea, and pulls out some leftovers from Dex's. As his food reheats, he senses a sudden whiff of mint. His body goes still.

"Drat," he says under his breath, using the Force to turn off the stovetop. He walks carefully to the couch, his vision already starting to tunnel. As he has done many times throughout his life, he shuts his shields. Tight. Then lays down.

Darkness pulls him from reality quickly. One moment he is staring at his ceiling as it spins, and the next he is somewhere else entirely.

______

Anakin Skywalker hates philosophy. Hates it. Nothing in the entire galaxy could make him enjoy an hour and a half of learning about what? Theories that don't even make sense? Questions that have no answers? It's infuriating.

He is always glad to leave the class, even though it's Master Yoda's course and he likes the old green guy. (Though, Anakin has a sneaking suspicion that Master Yoda's weird speech patterns aren't making philosophy any easier.)

Anakin says goodbye to Master Yoda and heads to his next slot. It's mathematics-- math at least has a clear right and wrong answer, and Anakin is fortunate enough to find the right answer more often than not. As he approaches the classroom he is surprised to find the door closed. He turns to another padawan he recognizes from his class.

"We have math today?"

"Cancelled," the Mon Calamari boy says with a big grin.

"Wizard," Anakin grins back, pulling his bag off to shove his datapad in. No class means he is done early! Maybe Master Obi-Wan will spar with me!

It's a longshot, but Anakin always hopes that one day he will catch his master in the best of moods, and he will finally agree to an impromptu sparring session. It's not that Obi-Wan doesn't train him in saber fighting-- it's just... always katas and short fights where he spends half the time instructing him or deliberately on defense. For once, Anakin wants a challenge. He wants to show his master that given the chance, he can step up the challenge and put up a good effort.

Maybe that would help him get better quicker. He is already the best fighter of all the junior padawans-- even those a few years older than him! But he wants to be the best of all the padawans. Junior and senior. If he is going to get there, he needs to be practicing against real challenges. Master Kenobi type of challenges.

It's no secret that his master is one of the best fighters in all the order. He killed a Sith! Though Anakin hasn't watched him spar in a while, he has heard rumors from the other padawans of his superiority among the other knights. It brings a smile to Anakin's face to hear them whispering about his master. He was skeptical when Obi-Wan told him he was going to start specializing in Form III-- I mean, who the heck switches Soresu when they are already awesome at a form as cool as Ataru?-- but from the Temple gossip, it must be paying off.

So Anakin walks quickly through the halls, his imagination running wild about the potential spar he and his master could soon be engaging in. He knows better than to let himself get his hopes up, but he just has a good feeling about today. By the time he reaches their shared quarters, he is practically bursting as he rehearses how he is going to propose the idea.

Anakin walks into the quarters and immediately can feel that something is strange. He hadn't noticed it before, but his bond with Obi-Wan is quiet. Not the usual quiet, but a different quiet. He scans the room, his gaze falling on his master lying quietly on the couch. Anakin tiptoes over, rounding the side to look at his master's face. His eyes are closed, but he is not sleeping. Sleep feels different in the Force. No... this is that weird state that he gets in sometimes.

A part of Anakin is a little annoying. A little disappointed. Of course, he'd be having a vision the one day I get off early!

It isn't Obi-Wan's fault. They've talked a lot about visions and how they work, but he still has the urge to curse the Force.

He sets down his bag and runs into the kitchen. There is already a kettle full of water sitting on the stove and an abandoned container of takeout in the heater. Don't mind if I do, he thinks, restarting the heating process. He turns the stove on to boil the water. Anakin glances back at his unconscious master to ensure he is still in his fugue state before using the Force to telekinetically select and bring a teabag to his hand. He grins slyly and puts it into a mug.

The food finishes heating and he takes it into the living room, settling down on a chair next to Obi-Wan and digging into the sandwich.

Now, he waits.

______

Obi-Wan is walking down the corridor of the Jedi Temple. It's bright outside, sending streams of light through the massive windows. He feels a tinge of nostalgia like he hasn't seen such a beautiful sight in a long time.

From behind him, there are quiet, rapid footsteps. A familiar Force presence. The next moment, an arm hooks over his shoulders, and the weight of a taller human being presses into his side.

"Master Obi-Wan, you thought you could hide from me, huh?"

"I didn't realize walking to my quarters was considered hiding,"

"It is when we have plans and you are definitely not dressed."

Obi-Wan finally turns to look up at the young man. Staring back at him is the wry face of an older Anakin. His hair is longer, slowly growing out past his ears and in a bit of an awkward stage. Darker, too. Without the suns of Tatooine to continuously bleach it, his natural light brunette color has taken a sturdy root. Paired with his dark robes, the contrast makes his blue eyes look even brighter.

"I don't recall making plans, Anakin."

"You. Me. Rex, Fives, and Oddball. Drinks." He pats Obi-Wan's shoulder before releasing him from the half-choke hold. "You can invite Cody, too, if you want."

Obi-Wan chuckles. "I quite doubt you actually want to get drinks with me. You go have fun with your men,"

A groan and then Anakin is suddenly in front of him, stopping his forward progress. It's much easier to take in the hulking height of the young man. His sturdy stature and the maturity in his squared jaw. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have tracked you down if I didn't you to be there, Master."

There's a seriousness to his tone. Just a tinge.

"I suppose there is a logic in that statement."

"You act like I'm not logical."

"That is precisely what I was implying, actually," Obi-Wan grins. Anakin rolls his eyes, falling back to Obi-Wan's side as they continue walking toward his quarters. He presses a hand to the back of his head dramatically.

"Master, you wound me," Obi-Wan can feel his eyes on him once again. "So you'll come?"

Warmth spreads through him. The bastard is funneling positive feelings and encouragement through the damn Force.

"I suppose a few drinks could be nice."

Anakin grins, patting him on the shoulders twice. "Landing pad 2, one standard," and then he turns and runs off.

Always on the move.

As Obi-Wan opens his eyes and a familiar sharp pain presses against his temples, he is met with the blurry sight of a blonde-headed boy standing over him. He blinks through the headache and the face of his padawan appears clearly.

"Good morning, Master," Anakin smiles. The same smile as the older version of him. Some things never change...

"Anakin," he slurs, reaching up to rub his eyes. "What time--"

"Nearly three."

A pause. Obi-Wan's hands drop from his eyes and he pushes himself up onto his elbow. "Shouldn't you be in--"

"Cancelled today," the padawan rolls his eyes. "Leave it to you, Master, to come out of a vision and think about my class schedule."

Obi-Wan scoffs, deciding to let that quip go. Besides, he can smell the familiar scent of his favorite post-vision herbal tea somewhere nearby.

"Oh, right," Anakin says, turning and picking up a mug from the table. Lo and behold, a fresh cup of tea still steaming. He hands it to Obi-Wan.

For a moment, he just stares at his padawan standing before him. Those bright blue eyes looking at him expectedly. Looking for approval. The same eyes he saw in his vision. The same man, though right now just a boy. The feeling of warmth still blossoms in his chest, though now it is not the figment of a Force vision, but his real-time feelings. Anakin is a headstrong, arrogant, padawan. Talented, witty, and a royal pain in Obi-Wan's ass most of the time. Yet, beneath it all, he is the special boy Qui-Gon saw the world in. A boy that has nothing yet offers everything.

Even if it's just a cup of tea to ease a headache. When he's coming out of a vision, that is everything.

"Thank you, my dear padawan," he smiles. "You spoil me."

Anakin beams. "Anything to make you less crabby, Master." It's Obi-Wan's turn to roll his eyes, attempting to reach out and tug at Anakin's braid, but the boy manages to evade him. He goes to sit down on the adjacent chair, picking up a tray of food from the side table. Obi-Wan eyes it suspiciously.

"Is that my leftovers?"

Anakin freezes midbite, his eyes flickering over guiltily. "Master I... found this."

"Found it did you?

Anakin holds out the plate. Half a sandwich still remains with only a bite or two taken out of it. "Want the rest?"

Obi-Wan sighs. "No Anakin, that's fine. It just gives me an excuse to go again sooner."

He retracts the plate, still looking guilty but Obi-Wan can feel his faint satisfaction. There are a few moments of quiet. Just the sound of Anakin chewing, and he quickly tunes that out. Finally, the boy finishes his lunch and looks up with a tentative expression.

"What was the vision, anyway?"

Oftentimes his visions are horrible. Graphic depictions of war, carnage, or death. Or all of the above. He doesn't like to tell Anakin about those so he just says it was too vague to tell. At least not while he is so young. No use in worrying him over a silly vision that likely won't come true.

Anakin always asks, though. This time, his outlook isn't so grim.

"Well, as a matter of fact, it was about you, my padawan."

Anakin stops chewing. "Me?"

"Yes, though from your lack of braid it appears you were not my padawan anymore."

"Not-- A master?"

"Knight, probably."

"Wow," the young boy looks wistfully into the distance. 'Was I tall?"

"What?"

"Tall? Was I tall?"

"Well... yes, you were."

"Taller than you?"

"Anakin."

"Taller than you, Master?"

Obi-Wan sighs. He recalls the image of having to look up at an older Anakin. He reminds himself that the future in visions is not concrete. It is always possible his padawan will cap out at an average meter and three-quarter height...

"Yes, Anakin, you were taller than me. Now, do you actually want to know what happened?"

The padawan sobers and nods.

"Right, so I was on a lovely stroll in the Temple and suddenly I am grabbed from behind by an unruly Jedi Knight," Anakin giggles, seeming far too comfortable with his implied designation as the unruly Jedi Knight. "And then you asked me to come to a cantina with you and your friends."

"So we were hanging out?"

"It seems so."

"Did you say yes?"

"Well yes, do you think I would say no to spending time with you, my padawan?"

A grin appears across the young boy's face. A grin that has a suspicious amount of trouble behind it.

"Was there anything else in your vision?"

"No..." Obi-Wan says, eyeing the scheming padawan.

"Well, in that case, when your headache is gone will you spar with me? It would be a great way to--"

"Oh, don't say it, Anakin--"

"Spend time with your padawan."

He said it. Obi-Wan sighs, staring at the hopeful padawan. "You know I hate it when you use my words against me."

Anakin takes another bite. "I like to think of it as active listening."

It seems he walked right into this one, but Obi-Wan doesn't mind today. Not with his headache already waning, a fresh cup of tea in his hand, and a rare vision that didn't ruin his entire day. He sits up to take a long swig of the hot drink, feeling it lesson the tightness behind his eyes even more. "I suppose it has been a few weeks since we have had a proper spar,"

Anakin's face lights up. "Really, Master?"

"You better hurry up and change before I change my mind."

In a flash, he is running for his room. Obi-Wan chuckles to himself, knowing very well the boy is throwing his robes into a haphazard pile on the floor. Silly boy, that one.

Yet, his mind keeps going back to the vision. The young man Anakin will eventually become. Confident. Still snarky, but his underlying kindness was evident even in the short interaction. A man that actually wanted to spend time with his old Master. It's something he often thought about in the wee hours of the night of his own master. If Qui-Gon were... still alive, would they be friendly? Or would they be estranged like he is to Master Dooku?

He imagined it would be the former. Maybe as a knight and he a master, they would see eye-to-eye more.

Obi-Wan hardly hopes his visions come true, but this one is different. This one, he will tuck away and hope to one day find himself walking alone through the temple on a lovely day and hear his former padawan running after him. Feel his arm affectionately wrap around him. Talk to him as though they are quarreling brothers.

Brothers. Huh.

Maybe in this future, however distant or near, he will finally shave the beard.

[halfblood-fiend]

Star Trek Bingo 2020: Vertical Prompt 1/Horizontal Prompt 4

TRANSFORMATION

Show: The Original Series

Words: 7,940

Rating: General Audiences

Warning(s): pining! and Kirk is an idiot! Also, this was the last prompt that I speed wrote today so, hopefully the editing isn’t 100% awful!

Here, There Is No Golden Ball

A First Contact with a hyper-telekinetic race called the Haijinn turns quickly from routine to devastating when Spock has an un-frog-ettable run-in with one of the race’s priests. Captain Kirk, with the begrudging help of Bones, has to find a way to turn Spock back or doom him to a long and des-pond-ent life.

Read it on AO3.

“Captain’s Log: Stardate 4846.1. We have encountered a new post-warp civilization on the outer reaches of Federation space. Xenosociologists have been monitoring this planet’s rapid technological march and were pleased to ask the Enterprise to be their Federation liaison. As part of our routine First Contact procedure, we have invited a handful of delegates to break bread with us up here on the Enterprise. They are a fascinating people on paper, but their unique telepathic and telekinetic abilities far surpass my own lofty expectations. On the surface, they seem able to conjure matter out of thin air. While basic laws of physics say this is impossible, it is still a wonder to behold. If I believed in such things, I could almost describe it as… well, like magic. Luckily, the Haijinn’s are just as fascinated with our own technological advances, but for a far different reason…”

The High Priest Mailak blinked his large, bulbous milky blue iris-less eyes at the control panels in the Engineering Room. His small head on his long, spindly neck swayed side to side, reminding Kirk a bit of an ostrich from Earth. With the large, but squat body hidden under the many folds of his robes, the similarities were striking. All the High Priest and his people were missing, Kirk thought, were the long legs.

“And you have managed to build all of this on your own? With your hands?” Mailak inquired in a gravelly dialect punctuated by clicks emanating from the back of his throat and deep within his chest.

Scotty waited until the communicator in Kirk’s hand had translated Mailak’s sentence to Standard before he answered, “Well, not by meself, personally, but, aye. Other Human Beings built the Enterprise with their own hands and tools. And maybe a service droid or two, but ship buildin’ is mostly a work of the people.”

A pause while the communicator translated back into Haijann, and then Mailak and his entourage emitted a high-pitched series of clicks that Kirk felt fairly confident interpreting as “oohing and ahhing.” He smiled. “Scotty is my Chief Engineer, and it’s his job to see that I never lose the total functionality of my ship. He keeps the Enterprise running in top shape.”

Scotty bit his lip and clasped his hands behind his back. “If yeh don’ mind me askin’, Your Excellency, sir, how do you make your ships, if not by your hands?”

Mailak’s wide, flat mouth and delicate, thin lips parted in a near grimace. Kirk wondered if he was trying to mimic a Human smile or if the Haijinn normally did that. The first possibility was somewhat endearing; the latter would take some getting used to. “We envision the creation and it becomes so.”

Blinking, Scotty cocked his head at the High Priest before turning to Kirk. “Is that communicator warkin’, Captain?”

Not all his senior staff had a chance to look at the dossier, apparently. Kirk decided to give Scotty a break—this time. Smiling warmly, he answered, “I assure you, Scotty, it is.”

Mailak looked between them both and then, bobbing his head in such a way that Kirk wondered if there was a body language component to their language, said, “For such a large object as a space-faring vessel, the oiimaige takes many highly tuned minds working in conjunction for long stretches of time. But for my people, anything we can imagine, we can create. It is our unique gift, our connection to the Oiim. Hold out your hand and observe.”

Even as he did as he was told, Scotty glanced at Kirk and said, “Now I know that thing’s busted.”

“Not everything has a perfect translation all of the time,” Kirk reminded him gently as Mailak closed his eyes and concentrated.

The ship-wide intercom chirped from over on the wall and a voice rang out from it. “First Officer Spock, to Captain Kirk.”

Mailak’s eye’s fluttered closed as he focused, and Kirk decided that Scotty would live for a few moments without the Universal Translator. He strode towards the intercom and pressed the switch. “Kirk here. Spock, what is it?”

“Captain, we will most likely be unable to rendezvous with you in the briefing room at the appointed time.”

“Why the delay, Mr. Spock? We are nearly finished showing His Excellency, The High Priest our Engineering Room. That should have been plenty of time for you and Her Eminence.”

“Indeed, Captain. However, Her Eminence, the Southern Priest, is quite enthralled with the ship’s library computer. She requests that she should be granted more time for study.”

Well, that certainly rubbed Kirk the wrong way. Glancing back at Mailak and Scotty, he spoke in a low voice and hoped the Haijinn’s hearing wasn't extremely good. “I don't think I have to impress upon you, Mr. Spock, the danger of—”

“Quite right, Captain,” Spock's voice cut him off in an equally low tone. “I already took the liberty of locking her out of the more strategic data regarding the Federation. Her interest does appear to be genuinely curious, but it seemed prudent not to take chances. At present, she is studying Terran folklore.”

Both the relief of the stress in his shoulders and the image of a Haijinn reading things like Paul Bunyan made Kirk smile. “What kind of folklore?”

“Fairy tales, Captain.”

Ah, so stories like Rapunzel. Even better.

“Well, carry on, Mr. Spock, and let me know if anything else arises. I'm sure we can entertain the High Priest for another hour or so.”

“Thank you, Captain. I believe Her Eminence will be most pleased. Spock out.”

Kirk flipped the switch on the wall-mounted comm panel and wondered which part of the ship that Mailak and his Entourage might like to see next. The Rec Room, perhaps? That might be diverting enough. Or maybe even a holodeck? Or—

“Captain!” Mr. Scott's excited shout drew Kirk's attention “Would you look at this!? It's like nothing I've ever seen before! I cannae even believe it!” In his outstretched hands was a clear flower that was unfamiliar to Kirk. He decided that it must be something native to the planet below. It was beautiful and dazzling, catching the light and throwing rainbow arcs across the bulkhead.

Mailak shook his head. “A pale comparison,” he sighed, “but the oiimaige has its limits. We cannot create living things by thought alone. It defies nature, and so does not allow for us to do it as we are living creatures ourselves. The Oiim, however… it is the Great Creator, and has made everything we know.”

Kirk nodded, another smile gracing his face. The Haijinn culture must be a fascinating one. What kinds of creation myths did a people who had the power to create things themselves devise to make sense of their universe? He made a note to inform Marlena and ask if she had ever heard anything else about the Haijinn from her contacts back on Earth.

“Real or not, Your Excellency,” Scotty replied with a laugh, “it’s all amazin’ to me!” He held up the flower and turned it in his fingers so that more colors bounced off into boundless arcs.

“Yes, well, if Your Excellency is ready, we can move on with our tour. There are other parts of our ship that you might find—ah—fascinating.”

Look at him, he was starting to sound like Spock.

“Certainly, Captain, though it was our belief that we would soon sit to discuss the merits of trade with your Federation.”

Kirk nodded. “In good time. Mr. Spock had just informed me that Her Emminence, the Southern Priest requested more time in our library. I am nothing if not an accommodating host. We have more to share if you wish to see it.”

Mailak made more high-pitched clicks, his neck swaying forwards and backwards. “Ah, that girl. Always so eager for knowledge. I do hope you will not find it tiresome, Captain Kirk.”

“Not at all, Your Excellency. It’s certainly no trouble.”

An hour later and Kirk, along with Mailak and his people were gathered in Briefing Room Two, with no sign of Spock and the Southern Priest. He seated Mailak and his most important attendants and served everyone replicated refreshments (that the Haijinns all found rather amusing) but nearly twenty minutes later, there was still no sign of his first officer, nor any word from him at all. The unusual behavior from Spock was making Kirk as anxious as he was getting cross.

Mialak blinked his large eyes at Kirk and swayed his head. “You must not be so angry, Captain. This is just like Eimmeel. She can hardly be torn from her studies. It’s what makes her such a serviceable chronicler and devotee to Oiim.”

Kirk made a mental note to add ‘emotional telepathy’ to the list of the Haijinn’s already formidable range of traits. But maybe, he was just being obvious, with his knee bouncing and his hand cupping his chin as he leaned on the table. He quit all these actions and sat up with a shake of his head. “It’s not like Commander Spock to be so late. My first officer is also stubborn, Your Excellency, so I’m sure he and Her Emminence would have figured something out by now.”

And Spock hadn’t even comm-ed him… It was highly unusual.

“Or, Captain, they are locked together in a battle of wills and we will be here all day if we wait for them to arrive.” Mailak did his strange impersonation of a smile but Kirk felt far from better.

Kirk swore that the reprimand Commander Spock was going to receive from him would be legendary…

He reached forward and flipped the switch for the intercom laid into the meeting table. “Kirk to Spock.” His voice sounded brusque, even to him. “Commander Spock, come in.”

But the line remained dead. There was no answer from any comm anywhere on the ship.

Kirk pressed a button on the interface that linked him to the bridge directly. “Uhura, is there any problem with the ship’s intercom systems?”

He knew that there wasn’t, but Kirk wanted a record of his attempt at troubleshooting before he disciplined Spock.

Lieutenant Uhura’s voice came in over the speaker, confident and clear, “No, sir. No communications malfunctions of any kind.”

So, Spock was purposefully ignoring him then. Just perfect. “Thank you, Lieutenant, that’s all. Sulu, find Commander Spock using a ship-wide scan. Then connect me a direct line to him.”

Both Uhura and Sulu answered with sharp, “Yes, sir”s.

Kirk’s fingers drummed on the table. In all the first contacts that they had overseen together, all of their separately given tours, Spock had never been so…thoughtless. Spock, who arrived twenty minutes early for every shift, suddenly late to a meeting without any warning? It didn’t add up. And something in Kirk’s gut was making him uncomfortable. A bad feeling. Bones might have agreed with him, but Spock would have reminded him that his feelings had no influence on the possible outcome of events. They couldn’t tell him one thing or another. Spock would remind him that Kirk couldn’t make any assumptions without all the facts. And the only fact that he had was that his First Officer had not appeared when he was supposed to, and that was out-of-character.

“Captain, we really can proceed. Eimmeel’s presence here as record-keeper was merely a precautionary measure. There is nothing she knows that I do not.”

Kirk listened but didn’t respond—How to explain that his desire to find Spock was more on principle now? —when Sulu’s voice cracked over the speaker. “Er…Sir? Commander Spock is…not on the ship, sir.”

His eyes drew sharply to the intercom as though Kirk could see Sulu’s face through it and intimidate him into telling the truth. “What do you mean, ‘not on the ship’? Have there been any unauthorized shuttle launches?”

“That was the first thing I checked, sir.”

“Unauthorized transports?”

“Negative, sir. There have been no unauthorized functions of any kind. Ship’s log places the Commander’s last known location in the computer library facility.”

The last place Kirk knew him to be…

He glanced up at Mailak, who looked just as shocked as Kirk was (so far as he could tell). The High Priest leaned over to the Haijinn on his left and spoke quickly to them in sharp tones. They spoke so fast that the Universal Translator couldn’t catch any of it.

Convenient, Kirk found himself thinking, but quickly reigned in any suspicious lines of thought until he had more information.

Mailak stretched his neck to the ceiling and pressed his hands into the base of his throat, one folded over the other. A low humming filled the room.

“Captain, what—”

“Just a moment, Sulu,” Kirk ordered, watching the High Priest with rapt attention.

A heartbeat later, Mailak resumed his normal posture, although the humming hadn’t completely left the small space. Kirk thought he could still feel the ghost of rumbling echoing on his skin.

“Eimmeel is still where your crewman says, Captain,” Mailak said. “She has not moved for much of the duration of our visit.”

Kirk’s eyebrow raised. “And…Spock?”

“Him, I cannot find. He is not a part of the Oiim,” the High Priest replied, rocking his head forwards and back.

Understandable, but worth a try.

“If you do not mind the continued delay, Your Excellency,” Kirk said, choosing his words carefully, “I would very much like to find my missing First Officer.”

Mailak’s head swayed. “Of course, Captain. The Haijinn will assist you in any way we can.”

Kirk rose from his seat in a fluid motion when he heard Sulu again. “Orders, Captain? Shall I send a security team?”

He had almost forgotten the intercom was still on. It was strangely thoughtless of him.

“No need,” yet, Kirk added mentally. “Maintain orbit and communication with the planet. We will speak to Her Emminence, the Southern Priest. I’m sure she will know what happened to Commander Spock and this will all be sorted in short order. Kirk out.”

And if not, Kirk would lock down the ship, and report the Haijjin’s malicious intent upon the Enterprise, and let them deal with the fallout of it.

While the library computer could be accessed from nearly any terminal on the Enterpise, they still maintained a specific room for those crewman who wished to research outside of their quarters or the usual terminals located at every work station. The room was lined on three walls by data banks with glowing lights, while the last wall opened to the exterior hull, allowing a spectacular view of the planet in orbit down below, the yellow pinprick of the system’s sun in the distance, and the spattering of far distant stars in inky space. It was a semi dim room, opting for personal lamps at the worktables instead of overhead lighting, to suit each individual’s need.

There was only a single occupant in the room when Kirk stepped over the threshold. Seated at one of these worktables, her personal light switched on, illuminating a scattering of colorful isolinear chips all around her, was another splendidly robed Haijinn.

The Southern Priest, Kirk assumed, was larger than all her male counterparts. Her skin was lighter and more wrinkled than Mailak’s and Kirk couldn’t tell if that was age or merely a variation in sex, because he realized, upon seeing her alone, she was the only female Haijinn to have come aboard.

Maybe not anything worth noting, but Kirk noted the discrepancy all the same.

Mailak brushed past Kirk and approached Eimmeel in the Haijinn version of a huff. He was already clicking before he had made it halfway to her. “What is the meaning of this, Eimmeel? What are you still doing here? You and Commander Spock were supposed to have been at the meeting place already!”

Eimmeel’s long furrowed neck raised from her terminal, and she swung her orange gaze upon her intruders, although she appeared to look through them as if she didn’t quite see them.

Kirk strode forward as well, his eyes searching for any sign of the Vulcan among the tables or data banks. The fact that he found nothing churned unease heavy in his stomach.

She blinked and then spoke in a much higher and clearer voice than Kirk had expected given all her wrinkles. She said, “Has it been a ‘Standard Hour’ already? Time for these outsiders flows so quickly. How do they ever have time to write all these stories?”

“Your Eminence,” Kirk began, fighting to keep his voice even, “where is First Officer Spock? I…must speak with him.”

He couldn’t help continuing to let his eyes rove around, trying to probe the shadows for any sign of Spock. Kirk felt his heart race as panic began to grip his chest. The ship thinks he isn’t here, and if no one left on a shuttle or was transported, that could only mean—

Kirk didn’t dare finish his thought.

The Southern Priest turned her gaze on Kirk as if she had only just realized he was there, then her neck swung around in several directions. Like a bird looking at something past their beak. “He was only just here…” she muttered. “Where could he have gotten off to?” Then she swung her face back to Kirk and said something that chilled him to his bones: “You had better not let anyone else come inside, Captain. And mind where you put your feet. Until we find him.”

Mind his…feet…?

Mailak placed his hands at his throat again and rocked his entire body back and forth. “Oiim al’mak teek. What have you done now, Eimmeel?”

Ice froze in Kirk’s veins as he looked around him. His eyes began scanning the floor now. His hands curled into fists. But he could not afford to lose his temper. He could not afford to jeopardize the mission or his duty as Captain but oh, the things he wished he could do about now!

And Spock! What in the hell had this woman done to Spock?

Kirk took tentative steps forward, now almost too scared to move, as Mailak uttered a long series of high pitched clicks and words that were too fast for his Universal Translator to decipher. This time, Kirk didn’t care.

He bent forward and peered beneath the nearest table.

Oh, god, Kirk didn’t even know what he was looking for! A body? Or something worse?

"Ribbit!"

His head snapped up. Mailak fell silent.

That couldn’t have been a…

"GrrrIBBIT!"

Kirk leaped to his feet and followed the bellowing sounds of a frog­—of all the things on his ship!

“RrriBBIT, ribbit, grrrrRIBBET!”

Close to the window, Kirk found it: a mottled green and brown bullfrog the size of his hands and… with dark, knowledgeable eyes…

“Ribbit!” the frog’s throat expanded to reveal brilliant green skin as it…ribbit-ed at Kirk.

Open-mouthed, he looked back at the Haijinn priests.

Eimmeel waved a hand and emitted her gleeful high-pitched whine. “Ah! There he is!”

Kirk looked back down at…Spock, the bullfrog, who ribbit-ed again, indolently.

“Now, with all due respect, Your Eminence,” Kirk really had to focus in order to remember that he needed to attach the Southern Priest’s diplomatic title when he spoke to her, especially when all he wanted to do was rage, “I do not think I am being particularly unreasonable with my request to restore my first officer to his proper species, however, I am starting to think that you are being purposefully unhelpful.” Without thinking, Kirk waved Spock the Frog around as he spoke, his little limbs rather comically swinging through the air.

“Ribbit,” croaked Spock the Frog dolefully, punctuating Kirk’s final word with a poignant sense of irony.

With Mailak’s help, Kirk had been able to wrestle Eimmeel from the library computer room, though not without her grabbing a handful of isolinear chips as she left. Not knowing what else to do, Kirk had scooped Spock the Frog up in his hands and comm-ed Bones to come straight away the second they had made it back to Briefing Room Two.

The Southern Priest blinked her large pupil-less orange eyes at him. “I’m sorry, Captain, but I cannot. I cannot disrupt the oiimaige from its intent once it has been woven.”

The High Priest made several sharp, agitated movements in his chair beside her. He asked her, “Why would you do this to another being at all, Eimmeel? We were their guests! The Federation has only just arrived—”

“You did not read their stories, Your Excellency. I thought it was a gift. I did not think it would be so difficult for them to change him back themselves!”

Kirk’s brow furrowed and he bit his lip to keep from screaming out of sheer frustration. “Our people are not like yours,” he said to her when he had more control. “We can’t just… wish for something to happen and then it happens! Where did you get the impression that we could restore Mr. Spock by ourselves?”

Back and forth went the Southern Priest’s head. “From all your wonderful stories, of course!”

“They’re fairy tales!” Kirk ground out from behind his clenched teeth.

“Ribbit.”

Ever with the best timing, the door slid open and Bones strode into the room with a medical kit and a tricorder slung over his shoulder.

“Now, Jim, I’m not sure what all the fuss was about, but you sounded nothing short of hysterical over the—” His eyes fell on the frog still clenched in Kirk’s hand. “Funny. I didn’t think they made those on other planets. Are we having a grade-school dissection, then?”

Kirk clutched Spock the Frog to his chest and held him away from Bones reflexively. “I should hope not. Doctor, this…this… frog is Spock. They… Her Eminence, the Southern Priest, has turned Spock into a frog!”

Bones raised his eyebrow and glanced over at the fretting High Priest, speaking to his counterpart in low tones. “Why in the world would Her Eminence do that?”

“Good question.” Kirk held Spock out to Bones. “Just take him and look after him until we can figure this out.”

Wrinkling his nose some, Bones took the wand from his tricorder and reached for Spock with his free hand, and began scanning him. “Seems fine, Jim," he announced. "Perfectly healthy.”

“Perfectly healthy,” Kirk echoed with a shake of his head. “For a Vulcan or a bullfrog?”

“One and the same now, I think,” Bone replied, holding Spock up with a smile as he replaced his wand.

“Just…take care of him. And try not to seem too happy about it. And, uh, don’t let him…dry…out…” Kirk shrugged and went to wipe his face with his hand—before he remembered it was covered in frog mucus. He wiped them on the front of his pants instead.

“Don’t you worry, Jim. I think I’ve got a nice little terrarium with plenty of water to swim in and some pond scum to eat. I'll keep him away fro the flies. That'll just give him indigestion.”

“Bones…”

“You’ll figure it out, Jim,” his friend told him in a low, soothing voice, clapping him on the shoulder. “You always do.”

“Ribbit,” Spock agreed.

Grinning, Bones held Spock the Frog up to their faces. “Do it for him, will you?”

Kirk shook his head. “Won’t you try to treat him with a little respect?”

“’Course! Wouldn’t dream of doing anything less.” Bones then turned to their guests and bowed to each in turn. “Your Excellency. Your Eminence.”

The Haijinns looked up at Bones and clicked distractedly.

“Now, one more time—” Kirk began with a sigh as soon as the doors had hissed closed behind Bones.

Mailak stood. He looked, for the first time, deflated, like a tiny creature wearing too many clothes that didn’t fit him. “Captain,” he crooned, “while regrettable, it is as Eimmeel has said. There is nothing we can do to undo the oiimaige once its intent has been sealed by the Oiim. I am sorry.”

Kirk waved him away and leaned forward onto the table, not yet ready to believe what he was saying. “There were some words that aren’t translating. I don’t want to misunderstand. Can you explain—”

“When my people create something, we must define certain…parameters around our creations. A set of rules that can cause our will to exist in the physical plane. Once something has been created within the confines that we set, it cannot simply be undone unless the creator has made specific rules to do so. We cannot help your first officer. Our interference was not woven into the fabric of the reality of his transformation. I am sorry, Captain.” And he did look sorry, for whatever that was worth.

Which was very little to Kirk in this particular moment.

He tapped his finger on the table.

They couldn’t change Spock back because of some law of physics around their powers and how they connected to it, that much he understood. He hated to hear it, but he refused to believe there weren’t other avenues to de-frog Spock.

Someone had to have the technology or the ability. Kirk just had to find them.

“I can’t very well have an amphibious first officer,” Kirk sighed. “And what do you think I should tell his family? There has got to be another way and…you are the only ones that can help me find it. Please. No one else in the galaxy will know your Oiim the way that you do.”

The Southern Priest bobbed forward and chittered excitedly. “But I did factor in the parameters to change him back, Captain,” the translator recited her words through its speakers.

Kirk hardly dared to hope. “Great. How?”

“I was inspired by all your stories!”

“Our…fairy tales. Yes, you’ve said that. But, how does that help Spock?”

“You have to change him back like in the story!”

Dread trickled into Kirk’s chest and made it difficult to breathe. Which story? There were thousands—no, millions—of possibilities. He was already calculating how long it might take for him to search the computer terminal where the Southern Priest had sat and attempt to decipher which story had inspired her.

He didn’t need Spock’s computer-like brain to know that would take too long.

“Forgive me, but, you’ll have to be more specific,” he said hoarsely.

Eimmeel turned sharply to the pile of isolinear chips beside her and picked through them until she produced a blue one. Kirk took the proffered chip, and glancing at her, slid it into the slot beneath the table.

An image appeared on all the triangular screens. It was the title page of a very old and well-worn Earth book. An illustration of a violently green frog gazed demurely at them from a lilypad. The gilded golden lettering over the cover read: The Frog Prince.

Kirk blinked. He really had no idea what to say.

But Eimmeel rocked back and forth with obvious excitement. “A gift!” she squealed. “So many of your stories are centered on true love. I asked Commander Spock if he had ever known it and he replied that his kind do not love. I felt so sorry for him. The stories all made it sound so beautiful and fulfilling. I thought, that if he became the frog in the story, then he could find his true love and become whole! True love's kiss will turn him back!”

So many thoughts rushed through his mind but Kirk was stunned into silence. True love’s kiss? For Spock?

Oh, god…

Kirk was going to have to inform Sarek that his son would be a frog forever.

After profuse apologies on both sides and a joint promise to reconvene to discuss trade relations at a later time, Kirk had seen all the Haijiin transported off the Enterprise—good riddance—and half-sprinted to sickbay.

He was out of breath with a small stitch in his side when the doors slid open to reveal rows and rows of unoccupied biobeds beneath bright overhead lights. Kirk nodded at Nurse Chapel and continued straight into Bones’ office in the center of the room.

“How is he?” Kirk asked as soon as he entered.

His friend looked up from his PADD and glanced back at a glass terrarium on the wall behind him. Within sat Spock the Frog, half-submerged in water, half sitting on a raised flat stone. He croaked, his throat expanding briefly… and then licked his left eye with his long pink tongue.

Kirk sighed.

“Never did understand a single word he said, Jim, but we do always have a mighty fine time,” Bones said with a smile.

Kirk stared blankly down at the doctor. “Glad you’re so enjoying yourself,” he said dryly.

“It’s not so ter-ribbit-able.”

“Leonard, please!” Kirk cried, throwing himself into the chair sitting across from Bones’ desk. He propped his elbows on his knees and let his head fall into his hands.

“Oh, come on, Jim. I’ve spent the last hour thinking up a whole plethora of frog puns!”

“I don’t want to hear them.”

“Well,” his friend replied, chewing on the inside of his lip as he turned his attention back to his PADD, “your loss, then.”

“What am I going to do?”

“They say anything about how to turn him back?”

“Apparently, it’s all linked to that ancient story, The Frog Prince. They said ‘true love’s kiss’ would turn Spock back into a Vulcan.”

Bones looked up at him, his eyebrow arched. “That so…?” he murmured thoughtfully.

“I know!” Kirk cried. Unable to contain his restless energy anymore, he leaped from the chair and started pacing the small transparent aluminum-enclosed room. “Does such a thing even exist for a Vulcan? True love doesn’t even really exist for Humans, and we’re the idiots who made the damn thing up!”

“You need to take a deep breath, Jim,” Bones sighed, laying his PADD aside and interlacing his fingers over his stomach as he leaned back in his chair. “Why don’t you think about it logically?”

“Ribbit!”

Bones grinned and stuck his thumb out over his shoulder. “See? Spock agrees with me.”

Kirk thought Bones was taking the entire thing too lightly— making jokes at Spock’s expense, sticking him in a terrarium, and now trying to tell him to relax. He was about this close to exploding on his friend.

“Is there anything you can do?” Kirk asked instead. “Anything in some medical file or—”

“That’ll undo magic? No. Can’t say that I’ve found anything like that.”

“It’s not magic, Leonard, it’s—”

“I know what it is, Jim,” Bones raised his voice over Kirk’s and the tone surprised him out of pacing. “It’s far too advanced for anything we have in the Starfleet medical database and it’s like nothing that I’ve ever heard of, besides in tales about evil witches. What do you expect me to do? I can’t turn a frog into a Vulcan through medical science—it’s simply not possible! The only option we have is to follow their directions. If we need ‘true love’s kiss,’ then that’s what we need. You need to think logically and figure out what you should do next.”

But Kirk was flummoxed. He had no idea what to do next. Spock never loved anyone. ‘True love’ wasn’t something that he thought any Vulcan would be familiar with.

Unless the definition of ‘true love’ could be broadened somehow…

Bones broke Kirk’s train of thought by speaking softly but with determination. “Think, Jim. Think back to all of Spock’s past actions. I think you’ll find his ‘true love’ there.” He leaned forward, a partial smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I think you’ll know what you have to do…”

Kirk narrowed his eyes at his friend. “You’ve already got an idea, haven’t you? Well, out with it, then.”

Shrugging, Bones leaned back into his chair and picked up his PADD again. “Just a theory, really. I’d rather you come to the same conclusion yourself. If I tell you, well, then that’s just too easy. After all, the frog prince had to convince his princess to kiss him, didn’t he?”

“Ribbit!”

“You’re incorrigible,” Kirk told him, rapping his knuckles on Bones’ desk. He decided not to call his friend’s bluff because Kirk didn’t need his help. Kirk already had his own idea of what he needed to do. He just hoped that it would work.

Nerves bunched up in Kirk’s stomach long before the lovely face of a grey-haired Human woman appeared on the screen on his personal communications terminal in his Captain’s Quarters. A thousand explanations had run through his mind, but in the end, he’d decided that saying as little as possible would probably be the best course of action. After all, no mother wanted to hear that their only son had been cursed into a frog.

“Captain Kirk,” Amanda Greyson greeted with a bright smile. “This is a most unusual but welcome surprise.”

Kirk smiled back, but it only went skin deep. “Hello again, Lady Ambassador. I hope I did not disturb you.”

“Oh, no. It’s quite alright, Captain,” she replied with a wave of her dainty hand. “The Ambassador is resting and I was happy to take your call in his stead. Tell me, how is Spock?”

Kirk’s gut wrenched painfully. “Doing well,” he lied. “Busy…with the First Contact we are delegating.”

“How just like him, to be so busy working and miss his mother’s call. He is so like his father.” Her eyes grew unfocused and faraway. Any other time, Kirk might have asked after her. He was quite smitten with Spock’s mother and liked to think the two of them got along quite well.

But he was here for business, not pleasure.

“Lady Ambassador,” Kirk began, tapping his fingers against his chin. He’d rehearsed his question several times over before even making the subspace communication to Vulcan, but that didn’t stop him from being anxious about the questions Amanda might ask back. “I was wondering if you had a way that you could put me in contact with…with T’Pring.”

Even over the video, Kirk could tell that she started. “Spock’s betrothed? Whatever for?”

And here it was. Remember: keep it simple! “I…believe that she might have some…invaluable insight on our current mission.”

Amanda tilted her head, regarding him, and Kirk hoped she wouldn’t ask any more questions. “Doesn’t Starfleet have its own xenoscientists, Captain?” she asked in a calculating voice.

“We do,” he responded too quickly. “However, this race… they have strong telepathic and telekinetic abilities.” An idea occurred to him. “Spock had recommended I attempt to contact her about them. He would have done it himself but…after what happened…he didn’t think she would be as responsive to his call as to mine.”

“So why call me and not ask my son for her communication code?”

Kirk shrugged and a hysterical laugh escaped his lips despite his best effort to contain it. “I just didn’t want to bother him. Besides, I didn’t think about it until it was too late.” Hardly a good excuse, but it might just do the job. “Please,” he continued quickly, leaning forward and batting his eyes, “will you help me?”

She was silent a few moments more, with a crease between her eyes and then she sighed. “I can connect you to her, but I’ll make no promises about her responsiveness.”

“Wonderful!” Kirk released the breath he had been holding. Relief blossomed in his chest as he smiled. “I greatly appreciate it, Lady Ambassador.”

“Of course, Captain,” Amanda replied offhandedly as she pressed a series of buttons Kirk couldn’t see. “But, James?”

“Yes?”

Her eyes flashed. “I do hope you will tell me the truth the next time you call for a favor.”

“I—” he choked.

But Amanda had transferred his video. Only a series of Vulcan words remained in her place.

T’Pring had not answered. Kirk left her a message detailing their predicament as best as he could, but he didn’t really believe that she would return his communication. Something in his heart told him she wouldn’t, anyway.

He rubbed his face in his hands and tried to think of another logical thing to do.

How to find Spock’s ‘true love’s kiss’ and change him back? There was nothing he could think of because Spock didn’t actually love anybody. It wasn’t in his nature! He had said so himself over and over again.

Briefly, Kirk considered calling Amanda back in the hopes that a mother’s love would be considered ‘true’ enough to do the trick, but he immediately dismissed it. Not only did the original story not use such a loophole, but it would never matter how much Amanda loved Spock. That wasn’t how he remembered the story going.

Spock had to love the person who kissed him, in order to break the spell.

So who in this wide, wide Universe did Spock love?

Kirk dropped his hands to his desk and shook his head. He was about ready to hang up a sign on the sickbay doors and make it a free for all. Any woman willing! Come, line up to kiss a frog!

With a deep sigh, he decided to slouch his way back to sickbay. Maybe he could convince Bones to tell him his secret theory.

“Back again, I see,” Bones greeted the second Kirk was through his door. He glanced up from the biobed whose control panel was in pieces in front of him. When Kirk threw him a questioning look, Bones answered, “Just some software updates. Routine things, you know. You find what you were looking for?”

Kirk narrowed his eyes as he stepped closer, about to give the other man a piece of his mind, but he was interrupted by Uhura’s voice coming from the intercom.

“Lieutenant Uhura to Captain Kirk. Incoming subspace message from Vulcan, sir. Priority One.”

Grinning, Kirk grasped Bones’ arms and shook him gently. He didn’t bother explaining, despite Bones’ look of confusion. He bounded to the intercom on the sickbay wall and smashed the button.

“Go ahead and patch it into Doctor McCoy’s office. I’ll take it there.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Jim! You can’t just go and commandeer a man’s computer console—”

“Ah, yes I can,” Kirk sang, wagging his finger at Bones as he strode away and into his office, “because I’m the captain.”

He sat at the terminal, nervously ran his hand through his hair, carefully wiped the smile from his lips, and punched the accept button on the side of the screen.

T’Pring, as regal and unaffected as he remembered her to be, appeared on the monitor.

From somewhere behind him, he thought he heard Bones swear.

Kirk held up his hand in a Vulcan salute and T’Pring returned it. Though, somewhat begrudgingly, he noted.

“Thank you for answering my communication, T’Pring. I hope you are well?”

If possible, the hard line of her mouth deepened. “Save me the Human frivolities, Captain. I am uncertain that I understood your request. I require more clarification from you.”

“Well, you see, Spock is—”

“A Terran amphibian.”

“Er. Yes. And we need for you to—”

“I do not understand what the merits of ‘kissing’ would be.”

Kirk gulped. Somehow, he hadn’t anticipated T’Pring to be so… uncooperative. Thinking back to the way she acted on Vulcan, it was a wonder that he ever thought this would work.

“Its merit is that ‘kissing’ Spock in his present state appears to be the only way to turn him back into his regular self. I said that to you already in my message,” he said, staring hard at the screen, willing her to understand.

“And why should I kiss him?”

He had gone over this too, but Kirk drew a long breath and willed himself to remain calm and not let the hysteria that threatened to engulf him edge into his voice. “You…were betrothed to him. Surely there is some residual—” Not 'feelings', because she was Vulcan and Kirk didn’t want to offend his only hope of getting Spock back. Kirk wracked his brain for a different word. “—affection, that stems from that connection. Enough, to turn him back into himself.”

T’Pring raised a lovely slanted eyebrow and ‘harumf’ed so sharply that Kirk could have almost mistaken it for a laugh. “There was hardly affection when we saw each other last, and there certainly is none now. I am not the savior you seek, Captain Kirk.”

Kirk couldn’t help it. His face fell. His shoulders caved forward into his chest.

“Frankly, I am astounded that you contacted me at all—” She looked away for a brief moment, collecting herself. “—given your display in the ancestral sands.”

His eyebrows knit. What was that supposed to mean?

Behind him, Kirk heard Bones groan.

“I…” Kirk blinked, shook his head, and tried again, “I-I-I don’t believe I understand your meaning, T’Pring.”

She scowled. “It is not for me to say,” she responded roughly. “I cannot help you in this.”

A second later, her display darkened.

“Sir,” came Uhura’s voice, “I’ve lost the communication to Vulcan. Should I attempt to re-establish—”

“No, Lieutenant,” Kirk sighed. “Thank you.”

That was it. There were no more options. There was nothing else that Kirk could think of to help Spock. This was it! The end!

And now Spock would remain a frog for the rest of his life.

Would he have a frog lifespan or a Vulcan lifespan?

Kirk didn’t want to think about it—his friend trapped in a tiny frog body for another hundred years… What kind of life would that be?

“Are you finished making a damn fool of yourself?” Bones exclaimed so suddenly that Kirk jumped in his seat.

He turned to look up at his friend, confused. “What?”

“All this nonsense about affection—T’Pring was right! She can’t help you! I didn’t think you’d be fool enough to call her, of all people.”

Kirk’s mouth worked but no sound came out in the face of Bones’ icy stare. “W-well, now, see here, Bones—”

“No, you see here! I tried leading you to the obvious answer. I tried tellin’ ya to think back to Spock’s past actions and you thought of T’Pring? Lord in high heaven, have mercy. You’re more hopeless than I thought!”

Bones stomped past Kirk to Spock’s terrarium. He reached in and unceremoniously plucked Spock from his large, flat stone with a soft squelch then brought him back to Kirk. He watched Bones with his mouth open as his friend adjusted his grip and then held Spock the Frog out to him.

“Pucker up.”

“Are you out of your mind, Leonard McCoy?!”

“Kiss. The DAMN. Frog. Jim.”

He shook his head. Bones was crazy. This was his big theory? It was never going to work!

Softly, Spock croaked, and Kirk looked at him longingly. If only it could have been true, but Spock didn’t love him. They were friends, maybe. A team, definitely. There was no one else in the universe that Kirk trusted more, but…

No, it was impossible.

He looked up straight into Bones’ eyes. “You’re crazy.”

“Am I?” Bones replied softly. “Who did he trust with his greatest secret when he was starting to go through that Pon Farr? Who helped you identify your vicious half from your good half, and who brought the two of you together?”

Kirk shook his head.

“Who insisted you were innocent, even when Commodore Stone had all the evidence against you? Who pushed you out of the way and took those poisonous flower darts for you, for christ’s sake?”

“Yes, you’ve made your point, Bones…”

But he didn’t stop. “What did you say Spock told you when that infection from Psi 2000 ravaged the ship?”

“Ribbit.”

Kirk shook his head, but he remembered the words as plainly as if they were yesterday. “When I feel friendship for you, I…I’m ashamed.”

“Yes, Jim. Now, what do you think the only logical reason for a Vulcan to feel something like shame could be?”

“It’s not going to work,” Kirk sighed, but something new rose sharply in his chest. A question he hardly dared to dwell on.

But what if it did?

“So? Will you kiss the frog now? Or do you want to take him out to dinner first?”

He shook his head again, but Kirk held out his hands. Bones carefully placed Spock in them and took several steps back. He looked excited. Kirk glanced up at him, still doubtful.

But what if?

His heart raced.

What did kissing a frog feel like, anyway? Would kissing Spock’s wet cheek be enough?

Spock adjusted his delicate legs and nestled snugly into the palms of Kirk’s hands. “Ribbit,” he croaked quietly.

Kirk lifted Spock up to his eye level. He could almost believe the Vulcan had retained all his intelligence, and he knew what was about to happen. His gaze looked soulful and longing. It was much the same sort of expression that Kirk had caught a time or two on the bridge. Always when Spock thought he was too busy to notice.

But he had noticed, Kirk had just convinced himself that it was nothing.

True love’s kiss…

Would Spock really change back? For him?

“Ribbit.” Get on with it, he seemed to say. It is illogical to waiver when there are no other avenues open to you.

Kirk took a steadying breath through his nose—

—and raised Spock’s little frog lips to his own.

Heat tingled and blossomed between them. If the sun could be contained within a being, then Kirk thought that this was what that might have felt like. Kirk couldn’t pull away, even if he had wanted to.

The air crackled and swirled around them. The frog he had known to be in his hands grew larger and larger, expanding until a heavy weight settled comfortably in his lap, his hands laying on either side of it.

Kirk couldn’t hear anything outside of the roaring in his blood. He was overwhelmed by the sensation in his lips, in the pressure there, and in the soft caress of a nose against his cheek.

Spock pulled away, but Kirk didn’t want to open his eyes.

The weight in his lap, the mass in his arms… it had to have worked… but he was terrified that if he opened his eyes, the spell would be broken.

This spell, the spell of the true love that Kirk had kept himself from dreaming of.

“Captain,” Spock’s deep voice reverberated through his body from where they touched. Almost a purr.

Kirk allowed his eyes to flutter open and he found exactly what he’d always wanted: Spock, close to his face, his hands resting on Kirk’s chest, with his head tilted and the forbidden ghost of a smile on the edge of his lips.

Kirk wanted very badly, very suddenly, to kiss him again.

Bones grunted and had an obnoxious coughing fit, drawing both of their attentions.

“Now, we are all very glad that Spock is Spock again, and I will tell you that I told you for the rest of your life, but if you two are going to keep canoodling like that, you need to find a different room to do it in.”

Spock shook his head. “Doctor, after my dubious treatment at your hands, I believe that ‘you owe me.’”

Bones spluttered. “Dubious!? I didn’t feed you flies, did I? Get out of my office before I make you wish you were still a frog!”

[kpopisamood]

Queen’s Clan { 18 }

Summary: y/n is plagued by nightmares. She realizes that the more she runs away, the less frequently they haunt her. However, in running away, she’s also running straight into her ultimate demise. Will she be saved in time by those who would lay down their lives for her, even if they don’t know of each other’s existence?

Monsta X/Reader, Human/Vampire(s), Reverse Harem

Warnings: none

Word count: 2.06k

Tag list: @noonaduck @lovinggalaxies @elenaramos1 @girlwith-thecinder-blockgarden @snowythellama @stargazersara @luvthatleader-nim @jooheonbee @vincent-stargogh @perrshian @kurochan3 @imbxckytrash @joonsgotthejuice @mymymywonderland @2ka-tja2 @qween-of-trash @senpai-creampai

***

12 years ago

An incessant pounding rounded on the door, causing him to tear away from one of his servant’s necks. He was about to dive back in, when the pounding resumed and he growled, shoving the meek body away from him and stalking towards the door before throwing it open.

“What.” He ground out.

The two guards’ eyes widened in panic as they took in their master’s appearance. His shirt was tattered and torn across his chest and sleeve, showcasing fresh lacerations that were rapidly healing underneath. Blood dripped from his mouth, staining his perfectly porcelain teeth with a pinkish hue.

Before he lunged for them for interrupting his meal, the other guard spoke. “Sire, it’s Kihyun.”

Those words were enough for him to run past the two in a blur, leaving them in a stupor.

Kihyun was everything to him. If he was hurt or worse, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

The lean man stormed into his room, nearly ripping the door off its hinges to see his Clan Mate in shambles on the ground.

Kihyun was worse for wear. He was shaking and in a cold sweat, mumbling miscellaneous phrases and words that made no sort of sense to him but he knew Kihyun saw a bigger picture. He just couldn’t voice it yet.

“Breathe, Ki. Just breathe with me. Come back to me.” He murmured, overtaking the older boy and holding him against his frame.

He listened to his heart racing, slowly coming down to a normal pace while Kihyun took deeper breaths and counted to himself. It would take approximately 1,200 seconds to come down. Or, 20 minutes to others. But he counted each moment just the same. Every single one precious.

Episodes like these were few and far in between, but were taken as seriously as a heart attack and dealt with only by Hyungwon.

But this episode really shook Kihyun. And anything that caused him this much panic, caused Hyungwon panic.

“What did you see?” Hyungwon prodded while leaning on Kihyun’s shoulder.

“We won’t be alone for long.” He sighed against him.

“Oh?” He questioned, inhaling his intoxicating scent and zeroing in on a pulsating vein.

“A lost Queen will join us.” Kihyun closed his eyes before he felt the younger one’s teeth pierce his flesh once more.

***

Hyungwon was relentless. The man sent gifts upon gifts to your new house, which was conveniently closer to his domain than the boys’ house was, entirely unplanned.

Your new nest had three stories and had a homey vibe, complete with a rustic decor that contained exposed ceiling beams in rooms like the living room and bedrooms with stone fireplaces in the dining room and den area. You’d made sure to ask specifically for a deck where you could escape to every so often and you realized the accounts left in your name were still intact even after spending enough for a lifetime. You didn’t want to seem shallow with your newfound wealth, but your Mates reassured you there were far worse divas that nearly went bankrupt to express their extravagant lifestyles and you wanted to put the rest of your money into savings should anything happen.

The gifts Hyungwon sent weren’t huge or expensive, ranging from a simple chocolate chip to a small orchid, but they were rather annoying to your Mates. One, because it got your attention. Two, because a Queen Killer was getting your attention. They tried desperately to get your mind off of whatever Hyungwon wanted from you and their possessive sides were coming out now more than ever.

But you weren’t going to be pushed around.

Hyungwon could send you all the gifts in the world and try and make you join him. Your Mates could try and boss you around and keep you sheltered.

But you were a Queen.

Not just in that, you’re a strong, independent being phrase but an actual Queen. You had your own land and could set your own rules and no one could tell you what to do.

The testosterone was downright annoying and you needed a break from everyone wanting your attention. So, naturally, you called Sonaelina and Astor for a weekend getaway.

***

“You mean, we’re ditching our Clans?” Astor asked, laughing at the idea of it.

“Taking a break.” Sonaelina corrected. “Y/N needs time to just relax and honestly, so do I.”

“You went on vacation with Jaebum last weekend.” Astor pointed out.

“And do you really think I got time to relax with him? I didn’t think so.” Sonaelina huffed.

Their exchange made you laugh and shake your head. The relationship between the two consisted of bickering but it was all love.

“How did you guys get so close?” You asked, taking a sip of your slightly alcoholic juice. You’d taken the offer Sonaelina had given you up and Astor was already here when you arrived. All three of you now sat outside on Sonaelina’s porch, watching the rain and talking about life.

“Astor was around six years old when we met. She was already Awakened a year prior when I came into my own.” Sonaelina explained, mixing her drink around with a straw and sipping it once more. “I was around thirteen and saw this little shit running around and found her infuriating as hell but somehow couldn’t turn her away whenever she needed help.”

“I’m kind of accident prone,” Astor started, looking off into the downpour that enveloped the space outside the covered porch. “When I first Awakened, I terrified the Elders. They didn’t think I could control my affinities and they were...right.” She smiled sadly. All at once, the temperature dropped and the rain turned into ice flurries.

You almost forgot about the powers.

“‘Ria, Louisiana isn’t supposed to get this much ice.” Sonaelina reprimanded softly before a streak of lightning flashes across the sky and the ice flurries turned back into thick drops of rain, pelting the muddy ground once more.

“They tried locking me up. But when you try cornering a child with no known limits on their affinities, it doesn’t end pretty. Sonaelina was the only one who could get close enough with her gifts that I just had to let her in. Ever since, we’ve been family.” Astor chuckled.

“What do you think about Kings?” You asked.

“I don’t.” Sonaelina laughed before sipping her alcohol again. “I’ve got everything I need right here.” She smiled fondly in a daze, thinking of her Clan and her home. She had a real family dynamic going for her and she wasn’t about to turn things upside down for a King.

“We’ve all been approached by Kings who are deteriorating in status, but why would we want to give up everything for them?” Astor nodded along thoughtfully.

“You’d have to give up everything?” You asked.

“Well, yes. Kings are very prideful. They would never allow a Queen to keep her Clan if they somehow got together with her. Has a King approached you lately, Y/N?” Sonaelina asked tentatively.

“Chae Hyungwon has.” You replied hesitantly. Not exactly knowing if this was something you could trust with the two but wanting to be able to depend on them. There was something so authentic about their relationship and it made you want to open up to them. To have friends like them.

“Ah, the Queen Killer.” Astor nodded, taking a slight sip and wincing.

“Has he killed a Queen before? I’ve heard rumors but do you two know if there’s a factual story behind it?”

“His mother was a Queen and she died giving birth to him. But there are other stories. Long story short it’s just, whenever he’s around a Queen they end up dead in some bizarre way that no one can really explain. I honestly think Kihyun has something to do with it; his Clan mate. Kihyun has the gift of sight and I’m sure Hyungwon uses his gifts to his advantage.” Sonaelina answered solemnly.

“Clan mates can have gifts like we can?”

“Erm-speaking of gifts, what are yours Y/N?” Astor interrupted.

The change of topic wasn’t lost to you but if you were to keep these two as friends, you couldn’t push too much. Not yet. “I’m not too sure about my gifts. I didn’t exactly grow up in this life and I’m still a bit hesitant on the whole blood thing let alone powers.” You stated with a slight frown. Would you be in control of fire and lightning like Sonaelina? Or ice like Astor? You hadn’t given much thought to the powers you could possibly have, but now it bothered you that you hadn’t tried to see exactly which kinds you’d have. Surely, as kids, we all tried to see if we were Telekinetic. That if we stared long and hard enough at our light switches across the room, they’d magically flip to the opposite circuit. Wishful thinking at its best.

But now, checking to see what kind of powers you had wasn’t just an imaginative activity. You could actually have some form of powers and all you had to do was check.

“I’ve got an idea.” Astor smirked before hauling you up and nearly ripping your arm off in the process of cackling at your confused stare. Sonaelina shrugged and walked after you two, in no sort of rush.

Astor had pulled you into a double door studio, complete with a whole wall of mirrors to one side. Sonaelina waltzed in not too long after, drink still in hand as she watched Astor set things up with an amused expression.

“Ah, shit. I forgot. Do you want to try and find your power with us? It’s usually an intimate thing you know before you’re Awakened, but we didn’t think to ask!” Astor sputtered.

“We?” Sonaelina chuckled while Astor sent a glare in her direction.

“I guess we could try a couple things, right? It wouldn’t hurt.” You agreed.

Astor had set on three items on a row of pillows on the ground and she gestured you to come sit across from her. On one pillow was a patch of grass. The next one contained a teacup of water and the last had dark rocks with scraps of material surrounding them.

“All you’re gonna do is focus on each one and we see if it reacts. Nothing too strenuous since these are the basics! Usually, Queens have an affinity for at least one of these elements so I thought to just bring these out and test our luck! Try to focus on the embers! They’re just about put out but maybe you can rekindle them?”

You frowned before turning your attention to the rocks on the far right. You kept thinking of fire as you stared down at the rocks, picturing a massive fire or even a quick flick of flame.

No such luck.

“Bummer, maybe you’re a water hoe?” Sonaelina reassured.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being a water hoe!” Astor admonished before letting you focus on the teacup.

Same result. Nada.

You sighed before massaging your temples, getting slightly frustrated.

“Maybe you’re an earth girl? If not, you could always control more complicated elements! Don’t lose hope.” Astor added.

Each element was not to your liking. Or rather, you weren’t to their liking.

Sonaelina was on the ground with you two now and trying to comfort you as best she could while encouraging you to keep trying, but it was futile. You’d had enough. You huffed and rolled your eyes before asking if you could just go back to hanging out and both girls quickly agreed, not wanting to upset their newfound friend.

The moment all three of you left, activity erupted between the elements simultaneously.

The fire sizzled out, the water dried up, and the grass patch was burnt to a crisp.

Please do NOT repost! All rights reserved!

[buggeredson]

The Power of a King

Crowley wields an ungodly number of powers throughout his tenure in canon, many of which are picked up only to be forgotten by the writers later. As I’m trying my hand on the DL at ore action-oriented threads, I find myself paying more attention to the quirks of those powers, especially while I rewatch the series to look for fresh notes. (I’ve just finished 5.21: “Two Minutes to Midnight,” but I’m only watching Crowley’s scenes at the moment.) Generally speaking, Crowley’s powers exist within one of two categories: Demonic and Witchery. Each different power set comes with different rules, and I happen to think now is a good time to outline them.

DEMONIC.

These are the powers Crowley has because he’s a red-eyed demon: things like telekinesis, biokinesis, reality warping, command of hellhounds, the ability to move through space near-instantaneously and be invisible when he so chooses, smoking in and out of bodies, the demon-eye blink, possessing different vessels, etc. These powers aren’t unique to Crowley but are often shared between multiple different ranks and types of demons--however, there is no indication that these powers are anything short of “natural” to demons, meaning that no amount of study or practice will confer the abilites onto a demon. A demon already possessing them may hone them in that way, but they’ll never learn a new one like that, if they can learn a new one at all.

For the sake of threads, I further categorize demonic powers into sub-categories, voluntary and directed.

Voluntary powers are those that tend to be shared by all demons and be “voluntarily” switched on and off as needed. They happen with little more than a thought and occur quite naturally: there’s no additional effort needed to control them. These tend to be things like the demon eye-blink, body possession, smoking in and out, stepping through space, etc.

Directed powers, meanwhile, take a little more training to fully control and a little more focus to fully maintain. These include things like biokinesis, telekinesis, electrokinesis, pyrokinsesis...essentially, the fun powers that only the stronger/older demons seem to possess. The amount of effort required to accomplish a task with these powers is directly equivalent to the difficulty of the task: to turn a lock, for example, is an easy task a telekinetic demon can accomplish with little more than a thought: however, throwing a human body halfway across the room requires more effort than turning a lock, and so the power has to be more closely directed. This is where we get what I call the “wand effect:” the power is channeled through a physical conduit in order to be accomplished. This can be with the eyes for moving furniture or with a flick of the hands, fingers, wrist, or arm for less willing targets. The target goes where the energy directs it, and the energy directs it according to channeled focus. (In other words, Crowley flicking his wrist away from him sends the Winchesters sprawling against the wall opposite him: the target follows the focus.)

Different demons direct their focus differently, but the rule of thumb with Crowley tends to be in the hands: flicked wrists and balled fists are his primary means of enacting directed powers. Similarly, if he needs a strong power output with an effect in multiple directions, he may choose to channel it through a snap, where the power follows the instant of the noise rather than the direction of the motion. This is why Crowley rarely if ever snaps outside of using his powers. If a demon is unable to physicalize the focus, there is a high chance their intentions will fail, as the magic cannot be strongly enough directed to act upon the target.

WITCHERY

These are the powers wrought through time and study which could technically be picked up by anyone willing to put the work in. They include things like hex bags, sigil magic, blood magic, warding, etc. These powers are usually channeled through a created physical object--a bag, a painted-on symbol, etc.--and so tend to be more limited in scope and effect despite often being more effective than demon magic due to the lower frequency. Generally, Crowley learned this magic through watching his mother, reading, and studying over the years.

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Mob vs. Tatsumaki

Two Psychic Powerhouses do battle!

Mob′s Preview.

The preview opens up with the hosts describing Shiego Kageyama, whose name can sometimes be read as Mob. So that’s what people generally call him.

Apparently, he accidentally took over a local gang, founded his own cult,

(as seen here)

And is an incredibly powerful psychic warrior.

Keyword being “psychic.” Physically speaking… He’s…

Yeah…

But, thanks to his psychic powers, Mob can throw all sorts of debris around to slam his opponents.

He has an incredible powerset that would give Mewtwo a run for his money, and with all that power, he’s pulled off some insane stuff, something that the hosts are about to get into now.

Well, the fact that Mob’s psychic abilities are reliant on his emotions is a bit strange. When he was younger and tried to use them, he accidentally hurt his younger brother. So he wanted nothing to do with them.

But like all emotions, it would never really go away. When Mob gets angry enough, he explodes in whatever emotion he’s feeling at the time.

Each of these are incredibly powerful, but it’s the ???% form that’s the most powerful.

Mob has caught lightning, flew several kilometers in seconds, and one time, he powered up so quickly, he apparently caught fire. Taking into account as to how fast he would have to have been moving to pull this off, on top of taking it literally, this speed comes out to…

5626.64 feet per second.

Another time, he tanked a strike from another psychic,

(This one), a feat that measures out to over 80 tons of TNT.

Mob has created entire spheres out of buildings in the same fight!

(Katamari Damaci is on the Switch right?- I kinda want to give it a try after seeing this).

Mob even moved clouds to great effect. In real life, it takes a friggin’ _Hydrogen Bomb _to pull that off.

So, Mob’s definitely benching way more than your average joe. This feat is worth more than all of the nuclear warheads in the world!

Mob isn’t invincible though. He does have his limits, and those limits are pretty clear.

But for average middle school student Shigeo Kageyama, this is all in a day’s work. He’s even managed to work past his past and accept his powers and his emotions.

So look out, he may not look like much, but he’s one heck of a powerhouse.

Tatsumaki′s Preview.

In a world where monsters and villains constantly threaten the world, mankind is fortunately protected by superheroes. Some of which are so powerful, that they can use psychic abilities to combat the bad guys. They’re known as Espers, and the best of them is the Tornado of Terror, Tatsumaki.

At the age of seven, Tatsumaki was taken to a facility to test and study her psychic powers. Seven.

Thankfully, she was rescued by a hero who… told her not to always rely on someone to save her. Well, she decided to become a superhero despite or maybe even because of those words.

As an Esper, Tatsumaki can fling all sorts of things at her opponent. She mainly likes to focus on telekinetically throwing rocks at her opponents. Big rocks, small rocks, rocks from outer space, she doesn’t really care. And for all the non-rocks out there feeling left out, she also throws those as well.

Trains, buildings, monsters, she doesn’t really discriminate.

Tatsumaki is so powerful that she can create extremely powerful earthquakes.

Her power is above all other Espers, even more than her older-looking but still younger sister, Fubuki.

Because anime is weird.

And thanks to her horrible upbringing, Tatsumaki is kinda a brat with some major trust issues. To the point that she doesn’t want Fubuki to have friends.

Tatsumaki’s powers are precise enough to the point that she can do all sorts of crazy-ass things. But Boomstick wants to focus on one thing in particular…

(Well, there’s Wiz’s good deed for the day).

She can mess with any other person’s psyonic abilities, so long as they’re weaker than hers. Which translates to pretty much everyone else.

And while that “Pulling a meteor from space” thing isn’t actually present from the source material, it’s still plausible given her abilities.

At one point, she pulled a bad guy hideout from under a city that was about 1500 meters underground. Since Z City is similar to Ginza Tokyo, there’s some calculations that can be made from that feat.

This means that Tatsumaki can psychically bench over 3,200,000,000 tons. That’s like benching 62 Great Walls of China all at once.

And she’s insanely quick too. At one point an alien named Boros attacked City A with a bunch of bullets. Tatsumaki redirected them back at his ship at a speed of 647,300 meters per second.

She’s extremely tough too. To the point that she can withstand multiple hits from significantly powerful attacks like being hit with 300 times the weight of Earth.

She’s even managed to fight the One Punch Man himself, Saitama. She still lost, but it was probably for the better, as she was humbled by the experience, and finally mellowed out about Fubuki having friends.

But Tatsumaki isn’t invincible. Espers in her world aren’t great at multitasking in the sense that if she’s attacking, she can’t be defending.

Still, very few can rival the power that she has at her thoughts.

The Battle Itself.

Luis, Jerky, Kiid, and Kayas on animation. Mob will be voiced by Beau Bridgland and Tatsumaki will be voiced by Jennifer Alyx. one hundred percent by Brandon Yates, and Chris Kokkinos lead on audio.

So, the fight starts because Mob is lost, and mistakes Tatsumaki for a student of the local middle school. She takes offense, and slams him into a wall.

Mob, of course, retaliates, and the Tornado of Terror also starts the fight.

(Look at this scene! It looks like it could have come straight from the anime!)

Anyways, about ten seconds later, Tatsumaki is pushing Mob to his first limit, and is striking at his shield.

Had this been anyone else, they would have been dead. But as for Mob? 

He goes to 100%.

For the record, Mob gets all the badass lines in this fight.

Tatsumaki gets her shield up in time, but Mob’s more varied arsenal gives her a run for her money.

But all this attack does is just push Mob to his full maximum.

The battle is eventually taken to a crater, where Mob disables Tatsumaki.

Finishing Blow in

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Okay, I lied. Tatsumaki gets one badass line.

Verdict + Explanation.

First off, Wiz says the typical line.

And then they go into how much of a stomp it was for Tatsumaki. According to the DBC, whenever they say this, it usually means that it was hard to get to this conclusion, and that they had no idea as to who was going to win.

But to be fair, Mob does have some edges. Like the simultaneous offense and defense ability, and a few others.

Unfortunately though, he’s just a middle-schooler who never wanted to use his powers to begin with.

Tatsumaki is a high-ranked Superhero who trained at an early age. Experience advantage: Tatsumaki

Mob catching lightning seems impressive, but it’s not quite what you might think. There’s two types of lightning. The leader, and the return stroke.

Mob is clearly catching the leader. While impressive, it’s not quite on the same level as Tatsumaki.

The bullets she caught were all solid, with no explosions attached. Saitama proved this by him punching them with no boom.

Given their size and how much damage they could do, the speed they would be moving at would mean that Tatsumaki’s reaction would be nearly 9 times greater

Now, as for Mob’s absorption abilities, there’s a clear limit that he has, considering that he had to transfer some of that energy into broccoli.

So yeah. There’s research involving broccoli.

Impressive. Now take in mind as to how powerful Tatsumaki is.

Tatsumaki launching those bullets back comes out to about 470 gigatons of TNT. More than enough to overpower Mob’s shield.

Simply put, Tatsumaki’s output exceeded Mob’s.

By about a factor of 9, to be precise. And with her speed, she could switch between offense and defense so fast that it wouldn’t really matter if Mob could do both at once.

And Mob is more of a defender than an attacker. And with defense not being something that could outlast Tatsumaki, he was kinda dead in the water. Especially since Tatsumaki wasn’t dependent on her emotions to use her powers like Mob is.

The winner is Tatsumaki.

Overall impression.

If they were trying to get people to watch and/or read these guys’ adventures, they certainly succeeded. Overall, the feel of the episode has great humor to it, and the animation is top-notch.

I was even under the impression that Mob would win thanks to his simultaneous abilities of offense and defense. So, they were pretty good about keeping some people on their toes.

7.8/10

Next Time…

Oh god. I feel so bad for the animators for this one.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Total Insanity

[biolabs-soldier]

Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 2 intro sequence!

Stage directions by me!

(LoK is a great game series. I highly recommend it for any gamers who love rich, engrossing stories. Graphics are great, but a good story makes the game!)

Kain:

At last...

I must say I'm disappointed in your progress. I imagined you would be here sooner.

Tell me - did it trouble you to murder your brothers?

Raziel descends the small flight of stairs, never taking his eyes off Kain, as if enraged.

Raziel:

Did it trouble you when you ordered me into the Abyss?

Raziel says this with sarcasm and disgust, knowing Kain had no issues with casting him into the Lake of the Dead.

Kain's merely chuckles. He steps backward to one of the chronoplast dials and prepares to turn it.

Kain:

Eternity is relentless, Raziel.

Kain says this with a hint of joy and interest.

Kain:

When I first stole into this chamber, centuries ago, I did not fathom the true power of knowledge.

Kain follows through with turning the switch, and the Chronoplast device wakes up.

Kain:

To know the future, Raziel - to see its paths and streams tracing out into the infinite...

As a man, I could never have contained such forbidden truths.

But each of us is so much more than we once were. Do you not feel with all your soul how we have become like gods?

And as such, are we not indivisible? As long as a single one of us stands, we are legion...

Kain descends the staircase, heading towards another dial. He continues his lecture.

Kain:

Our futures are predestined -

Moebius foretold mine eons ago. We each play out the parts fate has written for us.

Free will is an illusion.

Kain shows the importance of his notion by switching the dial as he concludes his statement. Raziel stares at him from the floor of the chamber.

Raziel:

I found the Tomb of Sarafan, Kain.

How could you profane a priest by turning him into a vampire?

Furious, Raziel lunges at Kain - who easily stops Raziel in mid-air with one hand. Kain holds him by the throat.

Kain:

How could I not?

One must keep his friends close, Raziel - and his enemies even closer.

Kain effortlessly tosses Raziel to the lower floor of the chamber, and then drops down. He approaches Raziel's sprawled figure.

Kain:

Who better to serve me than those whose passion transcends all notion of good and evil?

Raziel rises slowly, enraged. After readying himself, Raziel launches a verbal attack.

Raziel:

The Sarafan were saviors, defending Nosgoth from the corruption that WE represent.

My eyes are opened, Kain - I find no nobility in the unlifeyou rudely forced on my unwilling corpse!

Raziel leaps at Kain. Kain evades the blow, but Raziel attacks again, sends Kain flying, and pins him against the wall. Raziel's forearm is held to Kain's throat.

Kain is unscathed by Raziel's attack - he is composed and slightly amused. He lets Raziel to pin him. Kain continues to taunt him, their faces inches apart.

Kain:

You may have uncovered your past, but you know nothing of it.

You think the Sarafan were noble, altruistic?

Kain breaks Raziel's grip and hurls him away with a blast of telekinetic energy. Raziel flies backward and slams into a buttress with unimaginable force.

Kain laughs and moves toward the final dial.

Kain:

Don't be simple.

Their agenda was the same as ours.

Kain throws the final switch. The arms of the Chronoplast device descend, and the portal appears.

Kain: (mockingly)

You nearly had me, Raziel...

Kain vanishes in a flash of light, and reappears in front of the portal.

Kain:

But this is not where - or how - it ends. Fate promises more twists before this drama unfolds completely.

Kain turns and strides through the portal tauntingly. Raziel gets to his feet and races up the stairway. He stops momentarily, then follows Kain.

Raziel finds himself floating in darkness, and hears an voice calling to him out of the blackness. As Raziel descends to the floor and the chamber is now visible, Moebius the Time Streamer steps out of the mist to greet him.

Moebius:

Raziel...

Redeemer and destroyer.

Pawn and messiah.

Welcome, time-spanned soul.

Welcome... to your destiny.

[luninosity]

I’m not sure if or how to put the screenplay first scene of Demon on AO3 (is that a thing one does?) so I think I’ll try it here. It’ll need to be in a few parts, probably. And I expect the formatting won’t be perfect. But let’s try.

(I still don’t know why my brain wanted to do this. But I couldn’t seem to say no.)

A Demon for Midwinter, the Screenplay Version of the Opening Scene, Post #1

FADE IN:

 EXT. NEW YORK – AFTERNOON

 It’s winter. Holidays sparkle and dazzle in the air. Lights glint and entice and catch eyes. Ice rinks and decorated trees invite everybody out to shop and laugh and play. It’s a storybook world, as we see it from above, leisurely, getting closer.

 It’s not our New York. The stories are different.

 This is a New York with magic, with folklore imbued in its bones, with demons and witches. We start seeing glimpses: a girl walking on air while holding her mother’s hand, a winter-dressed couple out shopping while packages bob behind them, displays and lights moving on their own in shop windows. A man makes a little fireball to warm his fingers, cold, bustling along his way. A street musician’s harmonizing with himself. The spires of the towering Randolph building, the heart of that news media empire, has gotten into the spirit, all glass and green and gold.

 Even the street signs, the architecture, tell those different stories. Gargoyles and fanciful dragons. Hannah Clarence, the weather-witch who made the city’s harbor. Young George Turner versus the Red Demon of Manhattan. Roads named after people with unfamiliar names. Banners and decorations shout merrily about Midwinter festivities.

 Someone’s singing. We’ve been hearing it for a while, in the background. It sounds exactly like you’d expect a holiday-themed adaptation of someone’s hit eighties ballad to sound, which is to say: rather depressingly forced. The singer’s not thrilled about it either.

 We swoop down through streets, following the voice, following music.

 A recording studio. Classic. Cozy. Legends on the walls, awards, all of that. Various photos. Steve, who owns the place, has been around a long time. He’s halfheartedly stuck up a few Midwinter decorations. An undecorated tree. A garland or two. As we wander down the hall rock history gazes back: in black and white, in sepia, in color. One of those photos, maybe the one we linger on for a second or two, just a glimpse, is in faded color, decades old; it’s the original line-up of Starrlight, all just teenagers with big hair and flamboyant glitter-rock outfits and laughter, taken right here at the studio, capturing while throwing together their first bestselling record. The boy on the left is gone. The boy on the right has retired from music and gone off to own vineyards and lounge around in sunshine. The boy in the middle, caught mid-gesture and laughing, looks like someone who could change the world, who could make people sing along, who knows he wants to be famous and knows he can.

 The singing’s obviously live, now, though the backing isn’t. We wander into the recording space in question. STEVE—getting older, large and bulky, cranky but compassionate, an old friend—is sitting at the soundboard. He’s playing with switches and dials, sometimes with hands, sometimes without; Steve’s got a very minor telekinetic gift.

 STEVE

(to the singer)

Do it again. You sound bored.

 KRIS

(as we cut to him; he’s been the one singing. He’s also very clearly an older version of the boy in the middle, from the photograph.)

 I am bored.

 Kris takes off headphones. Glares at Steve.

 KRIS

(cont.)

It’s awful.

 STEVE

(unmoved)

And you’re an empath, which means everyone else’ll think you’re awful too. Do it again.

  Kris sighs. Glares more. But starts over from the top, a holiday-flavored version of the classic-rock love ballad “Little Black Dress.” He’s not wrong. It’s pretty awful.

[multiverseofmiracleshq]

AVENGERS V X-MEN STAGE II : ROUND I : QUICK STATS 

MATCH-UP → marvel girl v magneto LOCATION → genosha WINNER → avengers CASUALTIES → magneto switches sides

JEAN: Erik Lehnsherr had officially reached the end of Jean Grey’s patience. In all honesty the last straw had been pulled weeks before but she had tried to hold it in. He had broken her goddamn nose and put the younger Jean in jeopardy but she had remained somewhat composed. Jean wanted to help stop the Phoenix Five, not engage in fights unless she had no choice. But this? This had pushed her over the edge and she had hit her breaking point. The second she had heard the news she was airborne. Her feet had last touched Genosha when she was barely older than her younger self was now. She had been young and scared because the Phoenix was eating her mind away. Erik had turned her away. He hadn’t been able to help her. Once again she was coming to his island because the Phoenix was jeopardizing the world, but this time she wasn’t a scared girl. She was a woman and she was enraged. If anger could be tangible then Jean’s would have been composed of flames. White hot in intensity and burning in her veins. She wanted to lash out. She wanted to set him on fire. With luck she could find a way to swallow the explosion. Still, red hair snapped around her head as she touched down on the island. Walls shook as her feet hit the ground. Erik Lehnsherr may have believed he was a god but he was very much a man and men bled. Her path didn’t falter as Jean stormed towards where the man was sitting. Maybe not waiting, but he was breathing and alive and terrible in his arrogance. It was more than he deserved. “You’ve crossed a line.” Her words were amplified even in the open aired space. “My child? You killed my child?There’s a rule on Krakoa, Erik. Harm no human or mutant. You killed my son.” Jean’s heart beat so fast it felt as if it had stopped beating at all. “I don’t care how righteous you believe yourself to be. You killed Nathan and you’re lucky I’m not going to kill you in return.” Because that wasn’t what Jean Grey did. She was the heart of the team, the golden girl. It didn’t matter that time had forced her to grow up. She wasn’t Emma or Erik. Jean would never enter the dark place no matter how much her heart was breaking. “You, Erik Lehnsherr, are a disgrace to mutant kind.”

ERIK: Erik wasn’t quick to react. When Jean landed he turned his attention over to her, but waited where he sat until she was close. After what he had done, he had expected her to do something like this. It didn’t phase him. There was a pause after Jean finished speaking as Erik stood up and took one step closer to her to close the gap even more. “Well, we aren’t Krakoa, are we?” He motioned around them, voice steady. “Your son chose to come here and attack me with his little friends. Perhaps you should have thought of that, hm? Battles are full of risk. And I do what is necessary to stay alive.”

JEAN: “It doesn’t matter. That rule is a lifestyle, and no matter how much I hate your guts I won’t stoop to your level.” Jean braced herself as he came closer, chin held high and gaze unwavering. “My son came here to see what was going on and you attacked him. It doesn’t matter if he came onto your land. He was a child, Erik. You have children too. You know what it means to protect them. Regardless of if he sided with the Avengers, Nate was a mutant. He was our kind.” It was then that her eyes began to glow as Jean took a step back. “Emma had her fun and you had yours but this is ending tonight. You should have been stopped the minute you walked into her office.”

ERIK: Erik’s eyes narrowed. He was happy to move on from their current topic of conversation, but he was hoping he could get her to leave. But Jean, yet again, was bringing up the idea that somehow Emma had done something with his mind. She wouldn’t let it go. And while he knew that such an event hadn’t actually happened, there was the smallest drop of doubt forming. “What are you talking about?” He hissed, taking a few steps back as Jean drew on her power. If there was to be another fight, then he would fight. He readied himself, feeling his surroundings for anything he could use against her. “You know nothing!”

JEAN: What a fool. Jean had never been a fan of Erik. The man she knew had been like this one, militant and fearful. He had watched her die and in the time since everyone said he had grown. Changed. Overall, Jean was not impressed with his progress. “I know more than you. Whoever you are now is not the man you can be. I’d be more than content to let you remain miserable and alone for the rest of your life, but that’s not right. Some people need you so that means you get another chance that you don’t deserve.” Rubble began to rise around them, looming in the air. “This is happening, Erik, whether you like it or not. How difficult are you going to make this?”

ERIK: As Jean’s power built, Erik was as stubborn as ever. “Since when has anything ever been easy between us, Jean?” He replied with a scoff as he opened his hands and moved them up to raise himself into the air. “It seems that what happened with your son taught you nothing.”

JEAN: “Oh, Erik.” Jean followed him up into the sky. “I’m not my son and I’m not the girl you let die either. I’ve been the Phoenix and I’ve come back from the dead. You don’t know who you’re messing with now.” And then, every rock on the ground shot up into the sky towards one metal target.

ERIK: Erik didn’t have much time to react. As he saw the objects being hurled up at him, he threw his arms up in front of himself to form an X– the metal pieces around him followed. The largest ones he could find surround him as a shield, and Jean’s assault him them square on with loud clangs. The metal dented and cracked, staying together well enough, but a few smaller rocks managed to get through. Erik clenched his teeth as they hit him. One small rock brushed his face, right underneath one of his eyes, and he felt it sting and begin to bleed. After the assault was over, Erik motioned with one hand and formed a dozen sharp shards from a cracked piece of metal– then let out a yell and shot them at Jean. He was out of breath, feeling the bruises start to form where he was hit.

JEAN: Of course they had to do it the hard way. Maybe when this was over and Erik had been recalibrated Jean would kill him. Wishful thinking, wishful thinking. She cursed under her breath as the metal went flying towards her. A piece connected with her gut and sent her back onto the ground. For a moment Jean tried to catch her breath before shooting back upwards. Holding her hands out in front her, she did her best to block any of the metal from coming towards her again. It took a lot of effort and black dotted her vision but with a push all the metal went flying back towards him in one telekinetic wave.

ERIK: It was stupid, but Erik hadn’t been expecting Jean to throw his own shots back at hime. Once he sensed them coming he was forced to throw up both his hands and repel the metal shards away from him, and they flew past him on either side. For a moment he held that pose, panting, and then he lowered himself to the ground. “This is pointless, Jean.”

JEAN: “You’re right.” She slowly fell to the ground as well. Standing there with a heaving chest and a few small cuts, Jean found herself staring at Erik face to face with nothing between them. There was a part of her that wanted to unleash everything inside of her but it wouldn’t get them anywhere. She wanted to get back to Jean. And, a part of her was ashamed to admit, she wanted to talk to Scott to see if there was anything to pull him back from the brink of losing himself entirely. Her words were calm even though her eyes glowed. Her power clamped itself down on either side of the metal helmet, tugging until it broke about.  Metal clattered to the floor as the two pieces rattled into silence. “So let’s end this.”

ERIK: What Erik felt at first was intense pressure against his skull. Jean’s eyes began to glow and then he realized what was happening– she was going after his helmet. Erik reached up with both of his hands in a useless attempt to stop her from ripping it to pieces. “No!” She was going to get in his head. She was going to do something to him, and there was now nothing he could do to stop her. The pressure stopped, and then two metal clangs sounded in his ears as the helmet fell to the ground on either side of him, broken. Erik glanced down at one of them, breathing heavily, and then looked to Jean. ”Don’t you dare.”

JEAN: Overwhelming. Minds were, to simply put it, overwhelming. The sheer magnitude of thoughts could drown you before you even realized that you were submerged. Telepaths had fallen prey to madness before, but Jean Elaine Grey was no ordinary telepath. Her tenure as the Phoenix had showed her more minds than most knew existed. She had kissed the stars and seen the universe and and there were still things that she did not understand. One of which was the human heart and mind. It didn’t matter if she had known Erik intimately or not. His mind was a complicated maze. Jean could see the strands that Emma had woven. She had to admit that the craftsmanship was impressive. She had spun a new story so elaborate that it would be almost impossible for anyone else to see. While Emma had clearly spent time rewiring things Jean moved towards Erik and pressed her palms to his temples and let a flood of memories slam their way back into his mind. It wasn’t going to kill him but it wasn’t gentle either. He didn’t deserve white glove services. Whatever twisted perceptions Emma had put in place died out one by one as the icy residue melted under Jean’s flame. Throughout his entire life they had to trace a path up until the day he had stepped foot in Frost’s office and she had put her mouth on his. It had only been minutes when Jean stepped way as the glow died from both their eyes. She didn’t have to tell him that she hoped he’d be ashamed. She knew that he was.

ERIK: It had been a while since Erik had felt a jolt of fear like the one he felt when Jean took hold of his mind. As she placed her hands on his temples, he tried to lift his own and scrape off her grip, but he was far too occupied to do something like that. Jean burned her way through his mind, ripping away barriers and crashing through walls that he had never guessed were there. He saw orange and white hot energy and the best he could do was clench his jaw and wait for it to be over. It was painful but it was freeing. It was weighing him down but also opening himself up to everything he had lost. He wasn’t even sure if he was breathing the entire time Jean had control. But when she eventually let go, he collapsed forward and barely managed to catch himself on his hands and knees. He was left gasping for air, but his lungs were working just fine. His chest felt heavy. His mind was cloudy but clearing up more and more every second, and with shaking arms he pushing himself up just enough so he sat on the ground with his legs tucked underneath him. This was painful, heavy self-realization and Erik found himself and the versions of himself colliding and clashing together as he pieced his world back into place. He lifted his hands, still shaking, and looked at them, and then glanced up to Jean. His face was contorted in horror and confusion and his mouth hung open, but words escaped him. What had he done? How did he end up here? And why had he done it all? Now it was panic that was squeezing at his lungs, and as he searched Jean for more answers, tears welled up in his eyes and spilled over, streaking his cheeks. “Jean, I..” What? What could he say after everything he had done? Nothing that mattered. Nothing that would fix it, or change the decision he had made back in Emma’s office. Erik betrayed the people he cared about. He killed two young mutants. He had been cold and harsh to everyone around him. That was someone he remembered being, back when he was younger. He was ashamed of it then, and he was ashamed of it now. But what could be done? Erik dropped his hands back down to the ground and took in another raspy breath. “I’m a monster.” It was stated as fact, and he believed it. “But you spared me. Even after everything I did. Why?”

JEAN: Where was the satisfaction? Jean had done what she had come to but there was no feeling of joy or sense of pride to gloat over him. His hands had struggled against her own but she hadn’t let go. No matter how much it had hurt she hadn’t let go. Jean knew that the weight of the pain he was feeling was his own, but she wasn’t foreign to it. You couldn’t go through someones mind so intensely and not find it biting at you too. Years of practice and honing her skills had taught Jean to differentiate what she was experiencing and what she actually felt. A taste of his pain made her empathetic to his plight but she knew that his guilt and grief were not her own. Hers still ached dully under her rib cage. Every time she thought of Nate and his body that they would not let her see the burn flared up in intensity but she kept choking it down again and again. Her chest rose and fell. Sobs were shoved back, breaths were taken. You learned to live with the pain. Some underestimated the importance of memories and just how integral they were to a person. Memories composed beings and feelings sealed it all together. Having them lost or taken meant having an intrinsic part of yourself shifted. Erik was caught in the thrall of that moment and as a result he was vulnerable. Broken. Jean could have torn him apart. She could have made him feel the hurt and anger and fear that had been building inside of her because of his actions. But she didn’t. Instead Jean reached out and telekinetically brought the two pieces of his helmet into her mind. A broken helmet for a broken mind, a crown fit for a King. For a long moment Jean just stared at her reflection in the dented metal that showed how the dust and tears that marked her cheeks. Her body ached with weighted limbs but she still came to crouch down and gently put the helmet pieces by his side. “Maybe,” her voice was quiet. “But I am too. And Scott as well. We’re monsters but we aren’t beyond being saved. We get chances to try again that others do not so when we are able to be better we have to. You have done terrible things, Erik, but that does not give me permission to be your executioner. You can deal with the consequences over time in your own way. But me?” She finally sank down on the ground next to him so that they were face to face. “I forgive you. I forgive you, Erik.” She had to. Jean couldn’t let  that anger suffocate her. She remembered what it had been like to be the Phoenix with a searing intensity unlike any other. Jean Grey had always burned bright and fast. Now she was learning to live in moderation. One hand reached out to fall over his own. He had killed her child. Nate was gone because of him, but she held on all the same because Jean wanted to be more than her hate. “No matter how angry I am, I forgive you and I let you live because I don’t think you deserved to die. Now, you have to make things right. That’s on you.”

ERIK: When feeling such shame and guilt, it was hard to look someone in the eye. Erik wasn’t sure if he had ever felt this much guilt in his life. It was overwhelming, a constant feeling made stronger in waves that engulfed him. Jean brought everything back at once and the clashing sides of himself were not meshing well. Magneto was supposed to be a fortress– strong, unbreakable, a force to be reckoned with. It was a mask he had chosen to wear, proudly, and for the longest time he was unwilling to let it go. It was his only important quality. But time wore him down. He grew old, he saw more of the world and realized it wasn’t as black and white as he one thought. Erik was someone who cared for people– deep down, that was a part of him. All that locked away softness began to seep through the cracks as time went on. He was different. And even while he denied it left and right, he liked being different. The change was nice. His world was warmer and he was happier. And now, that version of himself was being reminded of all the cold and broken and rage filled things he was capable of feeling and doing. He was a murderer. He cut his heart off and let it get turned to ice. He was worse of a monster than he had ever been. And yet– here was Jean. She had every right to take him down and cause him all the pain she wished, but instead she had chosen to give his identity back. Erik had a life that he was working hard for. It had been difficult and at times he wondered if it was all worth it– and that doubt had won him over when he was with Emma. That was the biggest mistake he made. Letting the doubt win. But Jean gave him another chance. He couldn’t understand why she was forgiving him. He could still feel the weight and strain as he clenched his fist and drained the life from her son. The memory forced him to close his eyes for a moment, but when they opened again he managed to speak. “I’m not sure that I deserve any of this. But I am grateful for it.” His body was feeling less weak than it was a minute ago, and the air in his lungs flowed more freely. But Erik was far from alright. “Thank you, Jean.” The glint of light off of his helmet fragments caught his eye, and he grabbed hold of them. In the reflection he saw how worn down and weary he was, and saw the new cut underneath his eye given to him just minutes ago. This was not Magneto. This was someone else completely. And he was going to have to figure out what to do next. “You should go. This island has become a place of bad memories for the both of us, and you don’t need to stay.”

JEAN: He didn’t. Plain and simple: Erik didn’t really deserve a second chance. But he wasn’t the only one. Jean knew that she didn’t either but the world had given her one. What was life if you weren’t getting knocked down and then finding a way to stagger to your feet once more? Erik’s fall had been hard. Tragedy always sought out a figure who had it all and lost it all the same. Whatever Erik had before looked different now. Jean had once found herself in the rubble too. She had found her back on the ground with the impossibility of ever standing upright again more daunting than ever seemed possible. You just had to do it then. Even if it was hard. Jean had pushed herself through and Erik would learn to do the same despite tears and pain and guilt. God, the guilt. They had told her what the Phoenix had done. It’s not your fault, Jean. That wasn’t you. But she knew that it was. Even if the Phoenix was there Jean had not been blameless. Every day since her resurrection she had been determined to make both herself and the world a better place. Some mornings it was harder than others but Jean Grey had never been one to quit. Even if it meant sitting in front of the man who had killed the child she hadn’t gotten to really know, Jean was determined. Her hand fell off of his as he moved to grab his helmet. Taking that time, Jean wiped her own swollen face. More dirt ended up in her eyes but she did it all the same, desperate for a brief shift in attention. “And you should come with me.” Her voice was firm. “Jean may hate you, but with what’s coming… She’ll need you. I’m not going to be enough. Trying to keep her and Wanda safe while they train and prepare isn’t easy. This is more than just me or her. So, please. Come with me. We’ll call that the beginning of your amends.”

ERIK: If he had his way, Erik would have chosen to stay here– to wallow, to think, to be alone. That’s what he was good at, and it seemed like the better choice for everyone else right now. He also knew that the next time he showed his face, he would have a lot to answer for. He couldn’t and wouldn’t hide the fact that he was no longer the version that Emma made him to be. But living his truth came with a lot of pain and anger– so when Jean asked him to come with her, he hesitated. The younger Jean will hate him. That was one of the worst parts of all this. He was supposed to help her, and he abandoned her and treated her like dirt. He wasn’t ready to face that. But she was right. They were practically at war, and this wasn’t the time to sit and wallow on an island full of regrets and bad choices. Now was the time to get up, and fight for everything he vowed to fight for before this mess happened. Erik took in a sharp breath before answering and gave her a reluctant nod. “I’ll come.” Erik stood up, steadying himself and then offering Jean a hand while holding the fractured pieces of his helmet in the other. “The next step starts now. I’ll do my best.”

JEAN: First steps were hard to take but they were most important ones. Taking Erik’s hand, Jean used the extra help to pull herself to her feet. “Between my nose and stomach,” she shook her head ruefully. “You’re really doing your best to bang me up.” That was only the tip of the iceberg but there were things she couldn’t say out loud again. Not without breaking. So Jean just swallowed Nate’s name and turned to the horizon. “I wasn’t supposed to leave. No one knows where they are. It’s all meant to be classified for their protection. You know that me bringing you means that I trust you, right? If you betray that trust you get not only your daughter killed but Jean as well. They aren’t ready.”

ERIK: Erik winced as he remembered punching Jean. Violence was easy for him but it wastoo easy when his mind had been altered. It made him sick to his stomach. “Thankfully I didn’t do any more damage.” He replied as he pulled her to her feet, then took a few steps back. “I understand.” Erik’s voice was sturdy but he was feeling anything but. There weren’t many that trusted him before he made the choice to let Emma into his mind, let alone now. For the first time, Erik was shaken deep down into his core and felt the need to be guided. That level of dependency and vulnerability made him extremely unsettled, but he was doing his best (per usual) to not let that show. Even if he was a disappointment and a traitor, he was needed. And that terrified him. “That is what I should have been doing all along. So it’s the least I can do now. Please–” He motioned forward. “Lead the way.”

JEAN: “They think it’ll heal normally, if it’s any consolation.” Jean tried to ignore the residual discomfort in trying to breathe through it. She was lucky that he hadn’t done any more damage to her. His damage had been huge in other places. If anything, she was just collateral. “At least you’re here now. Just remember, they may not be as forgiving as me.” Without saying anything else took a few steps towards the shore of the island before rising in the air to fly back towards the real fight.

[squiggelsquirrel]

I’m gonna braindump my BnHA OC ideas (mostly quirk ideas) here so that I can come back to them later. Keep reading if you want a wall of text.

(Names are a work-in progress)

Yuki, quirk: Timewarp. A speedster who creates a bubble of warped time around herself to move super-fast, but can’t get too close to anyone else while she’s doing it, unless they’re inside the bubble too (it “bursts” easily). It gets really cold inside. She’s a chubby goth girl with a cynical attitude.

Sarutobi, quirk: Force beams. Firing beams that either “push” or “pull” from his hands, he jumps and swings around a lot like spider-man, and can also throw stuff. I was thinking he’d be non-binary but I’ve pretty much settled on him being a trans boy now. A bit too carefree and laughs a lot.

Angel Girl: Temporary super-strength, speed, healing, toughness, quirk-resistance and flight, can shoot lightning, but has a severe time-limit. Her quirk hasn’t fully developed yet. She’s a kinda ditzy anglophile and an eternal optimist. She has non-functional wings that sometimes glow.

Ghost Boy: Makes spectral copies of his body-parts, only one copy of each part at a time, usually has a pair of ghostly hands floating around. Was a bit of a delinquent, but is trying to reform.

Slice: A villain who makes barriers, and uses them to cut through things (if there’s something in the way when the barrier materialises, it gets cut). The barriers aren’t very hard, though.

Switch: A minor crook. If he touches someone with his hand, their name appears on his palm (only one person at a time per hand). By touching his own body, he can then switch places with them (teleport). Clapping his hands together makes them switch places. The names disappear when he’s asleep or unconscious.

Quirk: Composite. This guy’s body seems to be made of translucent crystal. He has smaller crystals that he can remove, if someone else holds one they can temporarily give him their quirk. He can hold multiple quirks at a time this way.

One-for-one. Quirk exchange — with a touch, he can trade his quirk for yours, either permanently or with a time limit. The quirk can’t be passed straight back to its last holder, but can go back to them indirectly. This quirk can also be used to “read” other quirks, learning what they can do, but that takes a bit of practice and most people just end up triggering the “exchange” part the next time they touch someone.

Doll Soul (Villain). Quirk: Possession. She can transfer her own mind into any animal, some inanimate objects, or even other people if they’re dead or unconscious (she doesn’t like possessing dead bodies, though). She can then control the “host” body as if it were her own, but that leaves her own body unconscious. She needs physical contact to make a transfer, including returning to her own body. She doesn’t know what happens if her original body dies while she’s not there, and doesn’t want to find out.

Weldstroke (Support course). Can temporarily melt the surface of almost any solid with a touch, uses this quirk to “weld” objects together. Can also un-fuse them later.

Floatstorm (Also support). Can telekinetically control a large number of small objects very precisely, so long as she’s first touched them. Usually has a workroom full of floating tools while she’s making things.

Cyclone. Creates and controls small cyclones, whirlpools, etc.

Blaze. Can superheat their own body to white-hot, powers up from heat, also slightly enhanced physically (speed, strength).

Crush-hammer, the heavyweight hero: Can make any object he touches heavier.

Centaur. Literally just a centaur. That’s all I’ve got but I want to make this a thing.

Quirk: Armour. Looks like a sort of tortoise-armadillo thing. Not sure, but very well armoured and can curl up into a ball.

[sleepofgiants-blog]

Prodigal Fathers (A Star Wars Story)

The glossy black floor was cold and spotless. The structure in the center of the room was under harsh spotlight and the reflective surfaces created a resemblance of moonlight across still water. The hermetic seal on the meditation chamber was broken with an angry hiss as the upper level of the clinical sphere was mechanically shorn away and brought to the ceiling. A stoic black figure is revealed in contrast with the chamber's sever white walls and pastel flashing panel lights. The silence is accosted with a sharp pulmonic strike. The first in a unnatural and constant rhythm only a computer could call breathing. Darth Vader stepped from the platform as the meditation chamber began its hibernation mode. The overhead light was cut and replaced with another off to the side revealing a second platform. Vader's tall black form pulsed across the room and ended in a kneeling position next to the holotable, his cape blooming at his feet. “What is thy bidding, my master.” He asked, as a disembodied profile crackled into view. “The Jedi are all but erased.” Emperor Palpatine said, “The time has come to reach into the pitiable holes they have cowardly climbed into. There is a purulent world in the Sluis sector that is satiated in The Force. The Jedi were so kind enough to keep document of such things to aid in their own destruction. I expect they might think it clever to hide among the muck and mire of this planet. Go. Rip any remaining Jedi from their perceived safety.” “Yes, master.” Said Darth Vader without hesitation as the image of Palpatine was cut. Vader rose and toggled a switch on the platform triggering another profile of a man, only this one much smaller and much less intimidating. “Lord Vader?” He managed. “Prepare to make a launch to the Sluis sector. I've fed the specific coordinates.” Vader ended the transmission before the receiving end could answer. He already knew how they would respond. If Vader's breathing apparatus had allowed for scent, the mud pit of a world tucked away in the Sluis sector would stink like the entire surface of Felucia was uprooted and flipped over. It certainly looked that way. Temperatures were hot and the humidity was high, but Vader could only tell that by the readings in his suit and the condensation forming on his lenses. He felt nothing but dense anger. The troopers had been sifting through the region for a week, each time returning with less men but more tales of the swamps and trees coming alive and swallowing troopers whole. Tales of a creature lurking in the mists. Finally, when scans showed an underground structure, troopers confirmed a small nearby camp with fires still hot. Landing on the jungle floor was not difficult after the bombardment of thermal charges reduced a number of trees to a charred black landing pad. The armor clad band exited their shuttle, the gleaming white troopers followed behind their dark leader into the depths of the wet forest to the location of the temple. When they arrived, they saw just a small cave-like opening and vine covered steps leading down into the submerged castle. Vader paused at the entrance. “I sense something down there. Powerful. Steady.” “Yes, sir.” A trooper dimly yet dutifully replied as they made their way down. Vader ignited his Lightsaber to cut away vines and snakes and anything else in his way. The short stairway led to a hall, which seemed to close completely with swamp life in the distance. “Hold.” Said Vader and the troopers stopped. There was an accelerated slithering sound as the vines and roots and mud swirled to life and choked the hallway. The troopers opened fire at anything that moved and Vader swung his Lightsaber as he walked forward to his undiscovered goal. The enclosure was filled with plant life and dirt and water until Vader and his men were forced to their hands and knees or on their backs. They were being swallowed whole by the lost temple. Though they could hardly move themselves, they were being carried away in dizzying speeds and patterns. Vader felt through the Force when one of his troopers’ head turned 180°. It would seem this was a journey not to be survived by weaker men. Vader called upon his rage and pushed out with the Force and ripped through the green torrent of deadly flora that delivered him and his followers to an atrium. And a 30 foot drop. Ancient bricks and freshly torn vines share the freefall with once crisp armor. Vader corrected his path and slowed his descent. Two lucky troopers were saved the fall by being close to the Dark Lord's telekinetic field. One was not. The unfortunate trooper hit the ground first with a pathetic crumple. Vader and his last padded lightly on the ground next to him. Vader's cape had been damaged and now fell to the floor behind him as they carried on through the stale abattoir. Ornate carvings and busts surrounded them. Relics of a budding Jedi order. “Pain. Hatred. Leave here, you will not.” The voice shook in the emptiness of the dark, tired but firm. “Ah, another of my old masters.. Beaten and hidden. Now your destruction will be complete.” Yoda jumped down onto the head of a statue of a stern faced Jedi Master. He wore a tattered beige cloak with holes cut in the hood for his ears. He threw his arms out to full length in front of his chest, his palms toward the faraway ceiling already damaged from Vader's entry. He pulled inward as he tightly closed his three fingers into fists and the stone collapsed. Giant portions of rock were now speeding to meet Vader below. Vader unleashed a burst of Force speed to dodge to the right and avoid a boulder, which instead caught a Stormtrooper by surprise. There was a short yell and a wet crunch as Vader was already dashing forward to avoid the next slab. When the remaining Stormtrooper began firing at Yoda, the old master deflected the first bolt and sent it back towards Vader, causing him to ignite his Lightsaber and backhand strike the bolt  carelessly returning it to the shooter behind, killing him. Fluidly, he reversed momentum of his arm into an underhanded throw of his Lightsaber in the direction of Yoda's perch. Sacrificing his advantageous position, he lept away from the spinning laser sword and landed on the floor to face his enemy in close combat. Yoda sprinted low to the ground and vaulted at the helmet clad monster, grasping his Lightsaber with the Force and switching it on midair. He swung down at Vader's imitation face and was blocked by the length of crimson heat protruding from Vader's gloved claw. Tense vibrations held weight before an entire planet of life, silencing every detail until Yoda expelled a fierce shout and jumped over Darth Vader, spinning overhead to grab at the exposed swath of robes covering the cyborg's back and yanking him to the ground and delivering a series of Force assisted blows to the head with his free hand. On the last of the punches, however, Vader caught Yoda by his arm and hurled the small opponent twenty feet across the arena, giving himself time to stand. Vader's face plate had been dented and the left lense had been shattered but the vacuum seal remained intact for now. He had had enough. He knew the Dark Side was more powerful. He drew from it deeply. The dank room grew cold and the various plants accumulated a layer of frost. Countless insects and small vermin fell dead, their life energies drained in an instant. Yoda knew the advantage had changed. A typical being might feel fear at the face of this challenge. Yoda only felt determination and sorrow. The ground beneath them rocked violently, though it was clear that it wasn't Vader's doing as he dropped his stance when his automated legs attempted to steady in the quakes. No, this wasn't the Dark Side nor the Light. This was the living Force itself, making a decision to protect the safety of the planet. Not choosing sides, just enforcing the balance. Vines clinging to the walls flexed and broke free of the newly formed ice and darted like whips at Vader, nearly clipping Yodas pointed ears in the process. Vader cut down the first volley with his Lightsaber, and the second, but the vines were coming too fast and too frequently for him to stop them all. Yoda backed slowly towards the wall and watched in trepidation as nature smothered machine. Vader was largely covered in mighty flowered vines. His body was being lifted up and pulled. Sparks came showering from his suit, his robotics cracking and failing. The constricting green ropes had dragged Vader up to the thin remains of the ceiling. Hot jungle sunshine was trickling in through gaps as Vader was being crushed by the planets will. No, this was assuredly not the end of Darth Vader. He would not allow it. He coalesced his dark energy into a swirling sphere of survivalist rage. Tearing the vines to pieces and tearing the pieces into mulch. Sections of the temple ceiling were coming with it, turning into a dark powder, letting more and more sunlight in. There was now a massive hole in the world as Vader levitated in the void. “You are no match for the power of the Dark Side. My master has broken your order and now I will finish what he started. You, alone are no rival to me.” “A Jedi is never alone, Anakin.” The soft voice lilted on the air like a warm breeze on a spring afternoon. “What is this.” Vader demanded as he at last planted his feet back on the ground. The wind spiraled slowly to a stop and soil and miniscule debris scattered around. Yoda came out of the shadows into the golden light in the center of the temple and closed his blade. He looked up to the sky and watched as the sun seemed to swim closer. Magical light brightened next to Yoda and room the form of a translucent man with long hair pulled back and pleasant robes. “Good to see you, it is. Qui-Gon.” Yoda said. Qui-Gon smiled and nodded somberly before directing his attention to Vader, who seemed to be immobilized with anger. “Anakin, what has happened? Your mother would-” Qui-Gon is interrupted by Vader who has charged at the two Jedi, hell-bent on seeing this finished. Vader swung his Lightsaber through the Force Ghost, which shimmered back into thousands of small lights and wafted away. Vader, hungry for a tangible target, turned to Yoda and struck just as Yoda rolled to the right and curved around to the unguarded backside of Darth Vader. He lit up his Lightsaber and sliced across Vader's legs, making him fall to his knees. Yoda aimed his Lightsaber at Vader's head, but Vader blocked with his right hand, saving him from death but taking away his fingers. His helmet was partially severed at the top, breaking the hermetic seal and exposing his scarred flesh. It was hard for him to breath now. He would lose this fight. Reaching out once more to the Force, Vader swept up a barrage of rocks, bricks, and other debris and sent it against Yoda in a gale. Taken by surprise, Yoda suffered many blows to the face and chest before being sent back and to the ground giving Vader time to wearily stand. Vader crouched and flexed, preparing to attempt a Force jump out of the dilapidated temple. He pushed with everything he had left and stiffly ejected from underground. Upon making it to Dagobah’s topside, landing was another challenge he would fail. His broken armored body crashed against a tree about a mile away from the temple. Vader pressed a button on his chest module with his remaining metal fingers. This would contact the Devastator above for a retrieval. Some lucky pilot was about to get promoted for their discretion. Or eliminated for their disloyalty. Vader sat in his meditation chamber. Helmetless, he focused his rage and humiliation of defeat. He cycled his thoughts over and over. Thoughts of Qui-Gon, of Dagobah, of Obi-Wan. Thoughts of hate and betrayal.

[janehopperra]

OOE:

So in order to take back some of the order on my blog, I’m gonna keep the tally for today’s stuff on one post, then when I’m done watching tomorrow, I’ll put that tally on here as well.

This is also to save the dashes of whoever likes to keep them clean. I apologize for the mass ooc. I just finally felt like I could safely let my saltiness over s3 run rampant.

Bad: The makeout scene Good: Will taking care of everyone in the party making sure everyone has snacks for the theatre Bad 2: Mike being a whiny brat right off the bat Good 2: Steve immediately flicking the switch on and off to spite Robin Good 3: Jane playing pranks with the party with her telekinesis. Bad 3: The Karen and Billy Thing Good 4: IT IS CONSTANT… CONSTANT. Bad 4: ‘Curfew at 4:00pm’ Bad 5: The apparent focus of Will’s character only being that he’s jealous of Mike and Jane and also that he can sense the mindflayer. literally nothing else. Bad 6: Karen and Billy Again Bad 7: Joyce eating tv dinner alone while thinking about bob :( Bad 8: Makeout scene 2.0 Good 5: Hopper yeeting himself to another plane of existence in the next room Bad 9: Mike whispering to Jane right in front of Hop ( As if I didn’t find this creepy enough ) Bad 10: I gotta admit Hop lying about Mike’s grandma is bad Good 6: Hop being an actual dad and placing boundaries between Mike and El makes up for that though. Like that needed to happen. Bad 11: Dustin being left alone at the radio tower. Bad 12: Karen??? what the fuck are you doing??? Good 7: Karen coming to her senses. Bad 13: Billy.. jfc

First episode - 7-13

Good 8: Boundary establishing actually working. Bad 14: Mike lying through his teeth, keeping the lie up even after Karen caught him in it. Bad 15: “You lie?” “What? No! Friends don’t lie!” Good 9: Hop scream singing his song in the Blazer. Bad 16: Nancy’s boss being an absolute??? Jerkwad??? They were that way in the 80′s to women yeah but yikes. Good 10: Dustin and Steve’s handshake Good 11: ‘Mike’s a piece of shit!’ Snaps fingers hell yeah he is Bad 17: ‘You don’t understand lucas! He’s lost his mind!’ How about stop??? Blaming other people??? For how you acted Mike??? You had a choice not to lie dumbass. Bad 18: The boys acting like this is some sort of battlefield where you need combat strategies when in reality you need to speak the truth. Bad 19: Them constantly leaving Will hanging, poor boy just wants to play dnd :( Bad 20: More Karen and Billy like tf Thank god Billy told her to stay away Good 12: The girls going out and having fun!!! To hell with the boys!!!! Bad 21: Joyce forgetting about Hop to solve the magnet issue ( wasn’t her fault but yeah ) Good 13: The Material Girl skit!!! The photographer session! High heels! Jane pranking the binch that rejected Dustin at the snow ball. There’s more to life than stupid boys! Bad 22: “Can we play DND now???” “NO!!!!” Bad 23: Mike trying to change the subject and recoiling when he’s caught at the mall, like he thought he would get away with the lie??? Good 14: I dump your ass. Bad 24: The face Mike makes when Jane walks away, like you’d think if he’s so??? in love he’d be at least a little more devastated??? He looks like a brat. ( No offense to the actor he’s great, the character’s a brat ) Good 15: IT’S CUTTING EDGE STUFF MAN!!! Bad 25: Hop being left at Enzo’s :((( He was so excited man Good 16: The scoops troop solving stuff. Bad 26: Hop taking the whole bottle of alcohol and leaving, kind of shit faced, DRIVES HOME SHITFACED. You’re a cop, Hop! For fuck’s sake.

Episode 2 mark - 16-26

Good 17: Jane and Max acting like best friends Bad 27: “I don’t understand what I did to deserve this why is she treating me this way I’m the victim” I honestly can’t. Bad 28: ‘We’re trying to solve the great mystery of the female species’ oh yikes. Bad 29: Hop arriving home drunk and barging into Jane’s room thinking Mike was with El and the door was closed. Bad 30: Hop.. acting like a bit of a creep and then cracking open the bottle of wine for more drinking!!! In the presence of El. After what he just did. Good 18: Honestly I think it’s kind of cool that Max and Jane have made a game utilizing Jane’s powers instead of shoving them away. Bad 31: The boys mocking Will for taking the chance to play DND. Will honey its okay Bad 32: Hopper being a weird disgusting bear, and also being kind of spiteful towards Joyce. I get she hung you up but like come on man, you know she wouldn’t do that without good reason. Bad 33: “You stand me up, no phone call no apology because you had to go to Scott Clark’s house” NOW IT’S TIME FOR HOP TO GET BASHED. Bad 34: Hop pretending to understand how Joyce thinks the magnetism loss thing was the lab then going back to being spiteful and a smartass. Bad 35: Max in denial about the Billy situation Good 19: Scoops troop being funny little shits. They’re the only pure group in this nonsense of a season. Bad 36: The boys still mocking Will during DND. Guys just humor him for fucks sake, he’s been dealing with yalls shit all summer. Bad 37: Mike recoiling when Will finally has enough of their shit and leaves. Bad 38: “You guys are never in the mood anymore! You’re destroying everything and for what, so you can swap spit with some stupid girl” “It’s not my fault you don’t like girls!” Honestly, low blow on both ends. Yikes. Good 20: Honestly the horror in this season is good so it gets it’s own good point for that. Good 21: Hop actually going to the lab with Joyce to soothe her worries about the magnetism loss. ( Also poor joyce remembering Bob’s death ) Good 22: The scoops troop again being on the case, only to then find out the guy they’re chasing is a yoga instructor. Good 23: Hop trying to make sure everyone feels safe and at home. Good 24: Hop opening up just a tiny bit about what he did after Sarah died, trying to relate to Joyce. Bad 39: The fact that Will felt so alone and outcasted to the point that he felt the need to tear the castle down after looking around at all the memories in it and bursting into tears. My poor lad. I’ve been in the same boat, fuck the boys honestly. Good 25: The scoops troop at it again, actually being productive in their side of the story. Bad 40: Something I just don’t get at all is the fact that Jane just.. introduces herself as El, giving herself away almost immediately. Hun, you have another name, you’re not still a number. Idk that thing just irks me. Bad 41: And again, Will just being used for the ‘woe is me/enemy locator’ trope.

Episode 3 mark - 25-41

Good 26: Max introducing the wonder woman comics to Jane after listening to her. Bad 42: Max still being in denial about Billy and Heather. Good 27: Joyce taking care of Hop, SOMEHOW dragging his ass back to the cabin. Bad 43: ThIs iS a CoDe ReD ( I don’t blame Max for turning the radio off I’d throw it across the room after all that’s happened ) Bad 44: Again. Will’s only purpose being that he senses the mindflayer– like what the fuck he could be used for so much more. Bad 45: This is just a thing– I honestly hate that we only get one scene with the hoppers and also the byers acting like a family. All that build up in season 2??? wasted. All that potential wasted. Bad 46: The mayor taking a jab at Hopper and his ‘dead daughter sob story’. Damn right you deserved that fucking punch. Good 28: Joyce pulling the phone line when the receptionist tried to call the police. Good 29: The scoops troop and their hilarity. Bad 47: Max continuing to be in complete denial over Billy’s role with the mindflayer. Good 30: “Don’t you love your country” “You can’t spell America without Erica” I love Erica so much Good 31: “I want you to forget about sales and come work for me at hawkins pd.” “And have to look at your face every day? I don’t think so.” I have to admit that was cute Good 32: Karen actually being a mom for a change and listening to and supporting Nancy. Good 33: “He made me lie, I mean–” “What if he’s right?” “No no no he’s just a crazy old man” “No, if I only see you and I’m a different species, maybe I should be with my own species more.” Bad 47: “Wait you spied on me? That’s totally against the rules!!!” Mike she’s a telekinetic who can locate people and also implode your brain. There are no rules. Good 34: “I make my own rules.” Except hers. Good 35: “If you die, I die” “Okay” Dustin’s such a ride or die bitch I love it. Bad 48: How many times has Will been used for mindflayer location? 4-5 times? Bad 49: Jane relenting when protecting herself and her friends. I’m sorry but if someone’s had a hand to her throat or face or anything she’s thrown whoever did that through a wall, caught off guard and not. Good 36: She eventually did throw Billy through a wall but still the point remains

Episode 4 mark - 36-49

Bad 50: Joyce’s bad throwing skills. Hun you’re throwing a gun not a baseball. ( jk ilu mom ) Bad 51: This terminator guy gets a bad point. I don’t think they explained him at all? Even if they did.. eh. Good 37: “Why wouldn’t he be safe? Nancy?” For once someone’s worried about the welfare of these kids. Good 38: Hop’s big butt sprawled over the Blazer gets a point. Bad 52: Hop calling Alexei Smirnoff gets an… eh point for me. Idk why it turns me off a bit. It’s a funny name and all but eh. Bad 53: The beloved Blazer exploding gets a bad point. Shame on you for killing it, st writers. Good 39: “Ill-annoy” cute. Bad 54: “ThEy’Re CoNsPiRiNg AgAiNsT mE” Not everything’s about you, Mike. Good 40: “She was making bad screams” “What’s a good scream” Max: “Doesn’t matter–” Bad 55: Hop making the joke that every man Joyce talks to must be another version of Clark. Yikes man, she burned you that bad? Good 41: “He’s a dangerous child murderer” As Alexei smiles whilst sipping his cherry icee.

[techtonsombra-blog]

Tale of the Crimson Stone & Inky Death: Secrets of the Stone Chapter 6

As the two Chimeras approach the group, Edward and Bendy were not intimidated by the chimeras. "So do you want to take on the Bull Chimera or the Lion Chimera?" Asked Bendy as he placed his bag on the ground. Edward clapped his hands as he said: "I got the Lion." He then placed his hands on the ground and used Alchemy to create a spear out of the stone floor. "So that's why you earned your state title! However," Said Cornello as the lion chimera clawed at Edward, cutting through his spear and leg, as well the bull chimera charged at Bendy with the force of a large truck, "Your tiny spear is no match for claws that can slice through iron." Suddenly, the bull chimera came to a screeching halt as Edward said: "You shredded my pants."

At that moment the lion chimera's claws snapped right before Edward kick the lion chimera's face as Bendy used his superhuman strength to throw the bull chimera into the lion chimera. Bendy then stretched as he said: "Man! That was a workout." Edward chuckled as he said: "So you have Superhuman strength?" "I sure do Ed. Hey Priest! Why don't you just hand over the Stone and no one gets hurt." Requested Bendy as he cracked his knuckles.

Out of rage, Cornello used the Stone to transmute his cane into a mini-gun and fired it at Edward and Bendy. Edward quickly transmuted a wall to protect himself and Bendy from the bullets. "That was a close one..." Edward stated with a nervous tone. SK then used her telekinetic powers to break down a wall to allow herself and the others to escape. "This Way!" SK shouted at the Elrics and Cromwells. The four quickly followed her out of the room.

(Later in Cornello's office)

Cornello ran through the church looking for the five that threaten his plan. As he ran by his office he noticed that Edward and Bendy were inside waiting for him. He entered the room as he shouted "You infernal brats!" Bendy sighed in annoyance as Edward stated: "Look Priest, all we want is some straight answers about the Stone. Tell us what we want to know and we'll be out of you're nonexistent hair. Unless you want me to get the military involved." Cornello growled a bit before checking outside if anyone was nearby.

Once he knew that the coast was cleared, he then closed the door behind him and said to the two: "Ask your questions." "You can do anything with the Stone right? Then why waste all that power on phony miracles?" Asked Bendy. "Because with every miracle, I gain new believers for the order. Believers that would willingly lay down there lives for my sake. I'm slowly building an army. In a few years, I'll have enough soldiers to tear this country apart and I'll reshape it in my own image. Who knows, maybe I'll carve out a slice for you two!" Cornello stated. Suddenly Bendy and Edward started to laugh hysterically. This confused Cornello as he asks: "What's so funny?"

"Should we tell him?" Bendy asked Edward. "Nah. It's better to show him." Replied Edward as he held up a switch to his radio mic, which was on, as Bendy pointed to the floor. Cornello looked down and saw a microphone at his feet and at that moment he realized that his plans were exposed.

[bloodborne-on-pc]

Over the course of three days - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday(today) - I have, with one of my siblings, watched all the Showa era Gamera movies. And I, I have come out a changed man. Or woman. Person. I dunno anymore. Back on subject, I just. Need to talk about them. Screaming into void about movies I recently saw is therapeutic - especially if they piss me off. And hoo boy were there times when I couldn’t stand these fucking movies - as in, there were only two whole-ass movies, out of eight, that I liked unironically. Everything else was either unintentionally funny, or just made me angry. Especially after being introduced to Gamera through the Heisei trilogy, which is AWESOME as FUCK. Probably raised my standards. Also, I’m just gonna put the rest under a “Read More” because this is gonna get reeeaaalllyyy long.

First, we got Gamera, the Giant Monster. This is one of the genuinely good ones. Technically this isn’t my first time seeing it - I saw the English dub, Gammera the Invincible. But I may as well have been seeing it for the first time - aside from the English version adding a bunch of new footage, there’s also this awful fucking song that I’m like 60% sure has some kind of amnesia curse on it, because it seems longer every time I’ve ever heard it, and I barely remember the English version except for two parts, one of which has the previously mentioned cursed song playing during it. BUT. Back to the original, un-cursed version of Gamera. Gamera gets woken up when a plane carrying nukes crashes in the Arctic, and he busts out of the ice, making a regular mess of things. He sinks a research vessel, rampages through Tokyo a bit - knocking over Tokyo Tower, which is kind of obligatory in these sorts of movies - and then stomps all over a power plant and eats some fire, ‘cause that’s just what he does. The humans try all sorts of tricks, ranging from just good old gunfire to freezing him - but none of it works. Dude’s just unkillable. So they lure him to an island by spilling a bunch of oil on the ocean and setting it on fire(insert BP joke), and then they trap him in a big rocket, which they launch into space.

Then, we get to Gamera versus Barugon. Not to be mistaken for Baragon, a completely different monster. This movie is...boring. The fights between Barugon and Gamera are kind of entertaining, but they happen near the beginning and at the end. The middle of the film just really drags on and on and on and ON. Barugon is kind of an interesting monster, at least. He has a chameleon-like tongue that shoots gas out of the tip and freezes stuff. He can also shoot rainbow lasers out of his back - which can be reflected back at him with a big enough mirror, something the humans do once the movie decides to stop being boring and let things happen again. Until Gamera shows up and just drowns the fucker. Also forgot to mention - the whole “shoot Gamera into space” thing was made moot when a meteor smacked into the rocket transporting Gamera to Mars and broke it open, freeing Gamera. He then just flew back to Earth and went back to stomping on power plants and eating fire.

Next, is Gamera versus Gyaos. This is the other good film. The explanation of Gyaos’s biology is pretty strange, though. There’s some shit about it having two spinal cords and two throats, which is how it can produce the sound necessary for its sonic beam - and these features essentially make it impossible for it to turn its head; something that plays into Gyaos’s defeat. Gamera gets behind and just whales on it, and Gyaos can’t do shit because it can’t turn its head to shoot the sonic beam. Also, Gyaos can’t stand sunlight - being out in the sun gives it god-tier sunburn. That was another contributing factor to its death - Gamera beating the snot out of it during the day make things a little easier. It also had this weird ability to shoot yellow gas out of its torso that put out fires. Seemed kind of random, but when you have a turtle that breathes fire, eats fire, and flies by spewing fire out of its leg and arm holes, it makes for a more interesting fight.

And from here on out, it’s downhill motherfuckers.

Film number four - Gamera versus Viras. This is the first film where a different but equally annoying song about Gamera shows up - and is then in almost every other movie afterwards, each with its own slightly different rendition of it. It’s enough to drive someone insane after hearing it enough - and watching this series, you are going to hear it a lot. There’s a lot of bullshit in this fucking movie. At one point, Gamera get stuck under a forcefield with a submersible - ya know what fucking happens? Gamera lifts up part of the forcefield to let the submersible out - but then, doesn’t continue to lift it up to free himself. He just sits there like a dumbass. Then some aliens read his mind, and look at stock footage of the fights from vs. Barugon and vs. Gyaos. Then they mind control him, and make Gamera wreak havoc on Earth, depicted through even more stock footage - some of it from when he destroys a power plant in vs. Barugon, and some of it from when he smashes Tokyo in the first film. Oh, did I mention that the first movie was in black and white, and the others are all in color? This means there’s a random part in vs. Viras that’s just in fucking black and white for no reason, because it’s fucking footage taken from the original movie! There’s also this one big plothole: at point, a pair of kids(b/c the protagonists of these movies from Viras forward are annoying-ass children) are trapped on the alien’s ship. They get shackled to the wall, but manage to free themselves, and try to find a way off. At one point, they find a monster in a cage. Eventually, the kids decide to distract the aliens(who are identical to humans) so they can teleport themselves off-ship. They run into the control room with the aliens and yell about how oh no the monster is free! And the aliens fall for it - not even questioning why the kids aren’t imprisoned anymore. If that sounds stupid, it gets worse. The monster? Is their fucking boss, Viras. Even worse, they’re not even actually humanoid,  but the exact same type of creature - they’re just wearing human skins as a disguise; kind of horrifying in hindsight, but at the time I was too busy being confused by how this made no sense. After that’s revealed, they all fuse with the boss monster, making him tall enough to fight Gamera. They duke it out, kind of interesting, especially the bit where Gamera gets impaled several times in a row by Viras. Reminder that this is when the franchise became aimed more at children. Gamera wins by flying high into the atmosphere, which freezes Viras, and then chucks Viras back down to Earth, killing him. There’s a lot more bullshit I could have covered, but I need to save my energy for the next four films and I feel exhausted writing about this already.

Next, Gamera versus Guiron. A pair of kids accidentally steal a spaceship and end up on another planet. This is witnessed by one of the kid’s sister, who tries to tell her mom, who denies that aliens even exist - even though, in the previous movie, the UN surrendered to aliens after Gamera’s mind control-fuelled rampage. On the planet, the kids meet two nice lady aliens who are the last of their species there - everyone else left because there’s a bunch of silver Space Gyaos making a mess of everything. The alien ladies have control of another monster named Guiron, who helps fend off the Space Gyaos with the giant knife on his head and telekinetic shuriken that rest on the underside of the knife. Oddly enough, they never actually showed the back legs of the suit on-screen - sometimes there’d be a puppet where you could see Guiron’s back legs, but never when it was a guy in a suit - I can’t help but wonder if the suit was unfinished and they tried to hide it. Anywho, Gamera - who chased after the ship to try and save the kids - is kind of a little bitch in this one - he seems to make a much bigger deal out of relatively minor wounds in this one than some of the others. Like, as previously mentioned in vs. Viras, he got fucking impaled and kept going right away - but here he makes a big stink about getting hit with one of Guiron’s shuriken. Also, the ladies are actually planning to eat the kids, but seem to switch back and forth between raw and cooked - not in “they argue about their preferences” way, but in the “in one scene they say raw and another cooked” kind of way. They also read one of the kid’s mind to see how strong Gamera is, resulting in stock footage from the previous three films. Ultimately, said annoying kids help Gamera kill Guiron - after Gamera lifts up Guiron and drops him on his head, getting him stuck in the ground thanks to a pointy head. Guiron shoots his shuriken at Gamera, but Gamera manages to dodge them; the kids shoot some missiles at Guiron, but they miss. Gamera managed to catch one - the hole where the shuriken were resting Guiron’s head is now empty, so Gamera throws it like a dart into the hole and breathes fire on the missile, causing it blow up. You see Guiron’s corpse fly into the air, headless, but then you see it on the ground with his head still attached, just slightly scorched, which is bizarre as shit.

The sixth film, Gamera versus Jiger, does not have aliens or stock footage, making it more tolerable than the others. Mostly it’s the latter that pisses me off, but there’s a lot of aliens in these movies. Jiger is, instead, an ancient monster from the fictional Wester Island off the coast of Africa. The statue that kept her imprisoned is removed and she is free to wreak havoc. Gamera tries to stop her, but Jiger shoots spears out of horns on her snout and impales Gamera’s limbs, then knocks him onto his back - bad news even for giant turtles. Jiger then swims off to find the statue in Japan. Gamera pulls out the spears and makes chase, but gets his ass beat a second time. He gets stabbed by the stinger in Jiger’s tail and falls comatose half-submerged on a beach. Turns out she laid an egg his lung and the baby Jiger is sucking his blood - which is fucking weird, because the stinger didn’t have a hole in it or anything. So a pair of kids steal a submersible and steer it into Gamera, then accidentally kill the baby with white noise from a walkie-talkie. The adults set up a giant speaker system to kill big Jiger with while the kids connect a bunch of powerlines to Gamera’s heart to jumpstart him. The first thing doesn’t work, the second does - they fight again, Gamera manages to dodge stinger and spears, and wins by picking up the statue then shoving it into Jiger’s brain. There was also some shit about how the statue was able to imprison Jiger because it made a low-frequency sound, which was harmful to Jiger because she could shoot high-frequency heat beams, and those two things are “opposite”, and, I dunno, this doesn’t make any fucking sense.

Now, we have Gamera versus Zigra. More aliens. One of who is a big fish, Ziger, who grows larger in Earth’s ocean because of the lessened pressure, even though that’s not how this shit works - the reason most deep-sea animals die when brought up isn’t because they suffocate, but because they can’t survive in lower/no water pressure. There was also some shit about SeaWorld or whatever. Fuck SeaWorld. There was also a part where some people got hypnotized into having dolphin brains, and the only way to fix them was to scream into a walkie-talkie. That, at least was hilarious. I honestly can’t remember much about what happened even though I watched it today - I think the other Gamera song might have an amnesia curse too.

And now, last, and agreed by everybody to be the least - Gamera: Super Monster. This, I actually did not watch all of - partway through, one of my parents texted me to make dinner, and by the time I finished the movie was basically over. Based off what I did see, and the fact that it’s primarily stock footage, I have no intention of seeing anymore. It started off kind of wacky, with a bunch of alien ladies on Earth doing some kind of Superman/Power Rangers type transformation. There was also another evil lady alien hunting them down. There was also a kid, who got a pet turtle, and then released it a couple days later because his mother convinced him that the turtle would be “happier” in the pond, and that makes me angry because that’s how invasive species happen, and please don’t release your pets into wild, people. There was some stuff where this kid played the organ and sang a really annoying song. There was also some boring stuff I can’t be bothered to write down. Then there was some stock footage of Gyaos from the third movie, because a new one just kind of showed up, I guess. That’s all I saw, then I had to make pizza burgers. I apparently didn’t miss much, though my brother mentioned there was one part where there was a train or something in space that was clearly ripped from some kind of animated movie, and Gamera chasing after it, probably also stock footage. Fuck this movie - I haven’t seen it all but fuck it.

In conclusion, fuck the Showa series, except for the original and vs. Gyaos. Those are the only good ones. Honestly feeling kind of disappointed. I expected more from these movies.

I think I’m gonna go watch the Heisei trilogy, AKA Gamera movies that are consistently good. My hands hurt from typing too much.