#Also I wanna bomb the place I hate everyone in charge they can go get crushed up by a plane turbine my fuckin GOD

[vinegar-doppio-official]

if my therapist wants me to quit my job and my psychiatrist wants me to quit my job and I want to quit my job. Why am I not quitting my job

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Wanna Hear a Joke?

A Maoist tries to explain Food Not Bombs to an anarchist.

That's it. That's the joke. If you were an anarchist, you'd get it.

I don't think they intended to explain it to me and the spouse, but they put up a flyer with a scannable code and we almost went to their event this weekend. Red and Well Read sounds like a group we could vibe with! But, uh, no. Not just no but HELL no. In fact, halfway through the article, I decided if I did go, I'd go with a protest sign. A very simple one with large print:

HUNGRY PEOPLE AIN'T LISTEN.

But that may be a bit reductive, and doesn't address the authoritarian need for cannon fodder that's all over this hot take. I don't want to roll up and try to get some authoritarians to listen to me, especially when they make it this clear they see me as a problem that needs solving. But I can typing! And the internet void beckons me to leave no thought unexpressed!

Food Not Bombs will tell you, in broad strokes, what they are about:

To combat poverty and homelessness

To facilitate community gatherings of hungry people

To allow anyone to volunteer to help cook, and then eat.

It's broad strokes because anarchists. If it's not working for us, we don't say "do it anyway," we hash out something that works for us. And, oh, boy, do tankies HATE that. They want to strongarm their way to a Revolution - somehow, they believe that will go well - and anything that gets in the way is a problem. You can't just feed people! That decreases their motivation and makes them dependent! (And conservatives agree with that! Which should be ringing alarm bells, but it never does.)

The point is that you CAN just feed people. You totally can. It's good for them, it's good for all of us, and if you're willing to push back against the status quo (and maybe go to jail or end up on the receiving end of some police brutality) you can do it.

If there is anything in that for "the Revolution" it's the simple fact that hungry people do not make good decisions, and anarchists (ancaps are not anarchists, please, I don't want to have that discussion!) want to help people make good decisions, because everyone has a right to self-determination - but if you're in a really bad place, you will not exercise that right responsibly.

And we don't know how to deal with that! (To be fair, we don't know how to deal with anything; we have ideas but we need YOUR input.) We'd rather just help get you to a better place and keep our fingers crossed for less toxicity. If you're not able to participate in the process of bettering the world, we need to make some adjustments so you can. A very simple thing to do is ask, "Are you hungry?" and go, "OK, let's eat!" And if, after they've eaten, they might not want to do your Revolution, WTF even is your Revolution? You need to starve people into cooperation? If you're willing to do that before you upend society, won't you be willing to do it afterwards? History says: YES!

History also says starving people are willing to throw in their lot with an authoritarian shitstain who promises to feed them eventually. Willing to kill for them, to die for them, to help them win elections. And this person will not necessarily have to deliver on the food if they don't want to. Deep down, that's what anyone arguing for this kind of "Revolution" wants. As if the only thing wrong with the status quo is who's in charge. All we need is one of those GOOD dictators. That definitely ain't it.

I really feel like I shouldn't have to explain this, but: the main goal of feeding people is to feed people. Are they eating? OK, then that's a win. If they get a little more radical by association, that's fine, they can come back and help cook, or come up with something else to do. But the food is not contingent upon the radicalization! We're not trying to train them like dogs! They are people! They need a little help and they'll probably get back on their feet if society stops kicking them in the groin. A human being needs no Master, and if they want one (outside of kinky playspaces!) something has gone wrong. They have a need that's not being met and they're trying to meet it in a bad way. So maybe we can help them meet it in a better way!

For all the above blog post insists that we must get out there and talk to people, it doesn't provide much space for listening. Y'all wanna get out there and talk AT the chronically unseen and unheard some more? "Hi! Would you let me dictate your needs today?" Maybe they will. Hungry people don't make good decisions. But they won't listen either. And you may find that most of them aren't willing to die for you like you want. Sometimes they are, but often they are not.

Can't we just help each other? One-to-one without anyone having to be the Boss of Help? A take-a-penny/leave-a-penny situation? If we can - safely, without the people in power trying to kill us for it - that's all the Revolution I need. And it's hard enough trying to get that.

Because authoritarians of any political stripe are scared to death of it, and they will try to stop us.

But we're not going away. And it's hard to sell us this bullshit - maybe a couple of us will buy, but not all of us. We don't march in lockstep. Anarchists will resist. And if that's not effective... Why does it bother you so damn much?

[danieyells]

Romeo is so pathetic (affectionately) I can't take any of his threats seriously lmao.

He is just so... all bark, no bite, it makes me wanna be mean to him sooo bad. He will try to make money from almost anything, Taiga suggest butchering and selling Ritsu and he backs off. He chases Kaito with his shotgun... filled with nothing but smoke bombs, nothing (ghoul)damaging. His underlings dont care when he threatents to shove one of them under a truck for insurance.

Now, the nsfw thoughts. He is sounds just so whiny, it brings the sadist in me out. Like, he gives me the vibes that he would complain endlessly in bed. That its too slow, too fast, too little, too much... Tying him up and overstimulating him until he stops complaining and cries... He feels too prideful to beg, but one can dream.

Like, I get why Taiga likes him so much, he is just so biteable, probably sobs so prettily too.

I GET WHY YOU WOULD THINK THAT HIS THREATS ARE EMPTY maybe it's just my wishful thinking but i'd like him to be a threat lol. Like we know he has no problem locking up Kaito, so we know the 'strip you and put you in a cage' threat is legitimate. And surely people wouldn't be so loyal to him if he was all talk--although they may also be loyal because he runs the casino. And he can't really shoot you close range because his sniper is a glorified grenade launcher because, in his own words, he shoots bombs, not bullets. Like yeah he only brought smoke bombs that day--he wasn't going on a mission so why bring actual explosive rounds or something useful? And according to Taiga he does actually fire off his gun all the time, and it can't possibly only ever have smoke bombs in it.

Although since he ains to capture his targets alive they presumably aren't explosives that'll kill you. . .or at least they won't kill anomalies. Humans, however, are fragile.

"I shoot bombs, not bullets!" I think that is genuinely worse and more dangerous depending on the nature of the bomb, Romeo

But he hates getting his hands dirty--Taiga and their underlings are responsible for the hardcore messy stuff, he's content to snipe from the back and lead from the shadows. And even then he cringes away from when something bloody has to be done--just seeing Taiga kill and eat an anomaly made him cringe. On the other hand, there's a chance he doesn't want Taiga to go gutting anybody because they're already on probation and he knows about Article 78. The last thing he needs is for Taiga(or both of them!) to get imprisoned to make them money--there are other ways. No need to go to extremes before they have to.

And I think the Sinostra students did care about the threat! That's why the pc said they figured the casino would be open as usual--because everyone started working harder lol

BUT YEAH NO HE IS ABSOLUTELY A BITCHY PILLOW PRINCESS. I think he has the capacity to dom, he'd have to really like someone to let them be in control, but when he lets someone else on be in charge he is such a fuckin bitchy perfectionist. Complains so much you just wanna gag him or choke him til he shuts up. He'll complain about that too of course, but he might enjoy being put in his place. Taiga certainly doesn't bother with it.

Just a demanding brat. I don't think he'd cry easily but he'd definitely cry sooner than he begs unless he really, REALLY trusts you. And even then the natural response of tears might come first. Curse the absolute shit out of you, threaten you(mostly empty this time), but that means you're doing a good job. I bet he looks pretty when he cries too. Looks pretty, sounds pretty, and if you tell him how pretty he is even like that he gets all proud of himself because of course he's pretty. Do you know how hard it is to look pretty when you're getting choked and fucked raw? Not that he's putting on an act, he is just naturally pretty under all circumstances.

He is an absolute perfectionist and he wants things just how he wants them. And he will complain all throughout unless it's perfect. Ignore him, defy him, keep his mouth busy however you want, mock him--he'll complain when it's over too. About your performance, about being in pain or discomfort, about marks and mess. You really can't escape hearing him bitch and moan unless you've completely worn him out. And even then he might still have a few gasps and whines for you unless he is totally drained.

Unlike Taiga I don't think he's particularly masochistic but. . .I think he could get into it. As long as you have anomalous medicine on hand to clear up any bruises and aches you give him. Every single time he says "just this once" but he still lets you do it again and again. . . .

[omnitf]

Credit for this image goes to @dissolving-time. Story is mature for some language. This is another story from the Coach Stone universe. I hope you all enjoy it. :D If you’d like to see more of these stories, please join my Patreon.

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

Stone Cold

“Coach said you have to get your shot, bro.”

I gazed at the meathead that had once been my fellow prisoner. He’d already donned the dog tags that were locked in his footlocker. Muscle rippled over his body as he gazed at me holding one of the biggest rifles I have ever seen in my life.

“Chapman, do you know what that is?” I asked as I eyed the gun warily. The caliber alone would be enough to splatter my brains all over the wall.

“The name’s Champ, bro.” He said it so casually, so matter-of-factly. Had they really brainwashed him so thoroughly?

“Your name is Lance Chapman, from Enfield, North Carolina. You specialize in computer programming, like me. We were brought here against our wills, remember?”

“Nah, bro.” “Champ” let out a deep vapid chuckle. His camouflage draped over his legs, but I could see the hints of growing muscle bunching, just waiting for a good pump to press them tightly against the confines of the cloth. “Coach wants my bod first, my brains second. Huhuh.” He grinned at me, revealing perfectly white and straightened teeth.

I’d hoped to reason with him, but it was clear he was beyond that. I brandished my own pair of dog tags. Like I said, computers were my thing, both programming and the hardware. It took me a while, but I managed to get my lockbox to open, too. And without reducing myself to a wannabe army poster boy. “I have my tags, Champ. You can’t keep me here. You know once I get my tags, I’m supposed to leave. I’m supposed to report to Coach, remember?”

“But you’re not gonna, are you, bro?” he asked seriously as his brow furrowed. “You just wanna get out.”

“I have to get out to see Coach, now don’t I?” The exit was right there in bold black lettering. The lock had already disengaged on cue when I seized my tags. I just needed to get past him. If I could distract him somehow or incapacitate him, I could run.

Chapman spread his legs in a broader stance as he planted himself firmly in front of the door. “You’re not ready to see Coach yet, little bro. And Coach hasn’t called you.”

“I am ready.”

“Prove it.”

I knew a few basics from martial arts training in my youth. I’d been fortunate enough to keep up the practice in my free hours. The meathead in front of me may have had a weapon, but we were in tight quarters. It would be difficult to get that barrel pointing at me if I could stay close. And while he may have had raw strength, I had experience. I also still had my wits about me. I sighed and let my shoulders droop as I approached him. “Look, Champ, just ... let me go, okay? You and I both know this is wrong. It’s against the law to kidnap someone.”

“No can do, little bro. Coach says we need more training. Coach says we have a project to help with. Coach says muscle CHAMPs like me need to train and obey. I listen to Coach. I obey. This Champ o—”

The mantra was what I was waiting for. It doesn’t matter how big you get if you haven’t got the trained reflexes to deal with a sudden change yet. And Chapman’s mind had been either short circuited or rewired to reinforce his thuggery. I’d heard it enough times through the door. It wasn’t soundproofed. I think that was deliberate on the part of this “Coach” to give us a taste of what’s in store. Demoralizing a captive is a large part of ensuring that he or she remains compliant, after all. And I’d heard enough, “This meathead obeys,” to know this was a fulltime operation made heavy on the brainwashing. It had to be to change someone so drastically. This wasn’t just a sign of subtle change. This was downright breaking them and building them back up again into the equivalent of obedient machines.

In this case, it played in my favor, and I hate to think of it this way, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was grateful for it. The mantra made him vulnerable. I laid a hand gently on his shoulder, being sure to get close enough that he couldn’t put the barrel against me. His eyes were glassy and unseeing as he uttered the mantra that he and everyone else like him had been conditioned to speak.

Then I took him down. It was simple to sweep his feet out from under him, and the move flowed like water. Bruce Li would be proud. I followed up with a heavy blow to the side of his head with my boot. Part of our imprisonment had included removing our personal affects, so I had no idea where my street clothes were. I didn’t give the blow enough force for any serious damage, but it would be enough to daze him, maybe even knock him out if I was lucky.

I threw the door open while he groaned on the floor. I managed all of maybe two steps before my arms was seized and I was slammed against the wall. I swear, my bones vibrated from the impact. I saw a helmet with a reflective visor and the broadest chest I had ever seen in my life. This man was huge. And unfortunately for me, he was also very skilled. My arm was yanked behind my back faster than I had time to process. He pulled, and I felt my socket strain to send stabs of pain through my arm and neck. Another faceless mook strode forward. But unlike Chapman, this one was decked in full body armor.

“Well done, recruit. You’ve passed Coach’s test. You will serve in Coach Stone’s cyber unit and in Research and Development. You will obey.”

“Like hell, I will,” I swore. That rewarded me with another painful jerk of my arm while a targeted blow forced me to my knees.

“Meathead recruit will comply.” The man withdrew a syringe from a side pocket and tapped the chamber to dislodge any air bubbles, then pulled off the protective cap with a deliberate casual air of the well-practiced. The substance was green, and the soldier had no qualms over pulling my sleeve up. I squirmed, but a yank of my other arm followed by a crushing iron grip on my free arm left me tense as he stabbed the needle into my arm and depressed the syringe. He removed the needle casually and replaced the cap, then inserted the syringe into another pouch.

The two visored faces stared at one another for the briefest of moments in a silent exchange. Then they nodded as the one who injected me rose, turned and entered the room where I had been held prisoner. A low groan emanated from the space, followed by a series of loud cracks.

“Rise, meathead. Follow.”

The voice that emanated in reply was deeper than I remembered. “This meathead obeys...” An even greater shock greeted me when the lumbering brute emerged. Chapman’s muscle mass had increased dramatically, and the man’s skull had completely reformed. Sharp, angular, square features blunted his face now, and his eyes were a vivid shade of green. The oversized gun didn’t look so ridiculous for him anymore.

“What the hell...?” I murmured.

“Meathead Champ will listen to orders. Meathead Champ will obey. Meathead Champ will fire on his roommate on command. Meathead Champ will prepare to fire now.”

“What?” I balked. I wanted to squirm again, but once more, my captor brought me to heel. I tried to shift out of his grip, but the hold was too strong. Even if I went limp, he’d still be able to haul me back up again. That didn’t stop me from trying, however.

I heard a whine not unlike the sound you hear in a sci-fi movie when a blaster is being charged or a bomb is being primed. The barrel was soon directed at my face. My heart hammered as Chapman uttered his mindless acknowledgement.

“Meathead Champ obeys. This meathead is ready to fire.”

“Fire.”

There was light, a strange tingling that bordered on the pleasant, and then blackness. I came to in an empty barracks. When I rose, everything felt ... heavy, awkward. The sight of the muscles bulging against the fabric of my shirt was more than enough to unsettle me as my throat clenched and my mouth went dry. I wanted to scream, but at the same time I knew better. I journeyed over my torso, my arms, everything. All of it felt in order, albeit significantly enhanced. It was my face I dreaded the most. And true to my fears, I could feel each sharply defined contour from my own transformation that was doubtless facilitated by the rifle. As a test, I ran through pi to see just how far in the infinite decimal sequence I could get. Then I searched through the other parts of my brain. I felt no compulsion, no absentmindedness, no blank emptiness or cotton or wool. I was clear, surprisingly so, given how quickly my mind seemed to jump from place to place.

“Comfortable?”

The question came out of nowhere, and I balked and bawled as my body sent me crashing into another bunk with the increased force of my new mass.

“Well, clearly not anymore,” the voice replied urbanely. I rounded on the figure only to see a man standing at least a head taller than I. His manner was relaxed and composed. His blond hair flickered like silver in the light. And though he was completely relaxed, his body oozed that smug command and intimidation that subconsciously demanded respect from those around him. “Please, take a moment to acclimate yourself. I find a blow to the shins is never pleasant.”

I decided to stick with sitting, rather than rick another launch with a body I had absolutely no experience with. “Who ... are you?” I winced at the depth of my voice. Logic only dictated it would have changed with the rest of my physique, but I had hoped it wouldn’t.

“A scientist of sorts. Biochemistry is my specialty, though I’ve branched out into many other fields.” He chuckled. “Why don’t you just stay there and we’ll have a nice chat between the two of us?” He lowered his broad frame onto the bed I had just launched myself from and gazed at me with vivid blue eyes. “My name is Stone. And you doubtless have many questions and expletives you want to voice, most likely not in that order.”

I felt like a broken record as curse after curse and swear after swear flowed out of me in an invective tirade. Denunciations and questions boomed from me like the retort of a cannon, emphasized by a number of curses and swears until that was all I heard winding down ... and down ... and down....

“Are you finished?”

A plaintive, almost defeated, “Fuck,” hissed from me as I rested my head in two massive hands.

“Glad you could get that out of your system. Now, do you have any real questions you wanted to ask me?”

“Why?” I finally managed to ask.

“You’re a programmer. You should understand. If a program doesn’t work the way it’s intended, you go into the code, find the bug, and fix it. Sometimes it’s messy work, but the end result is worth it. I’m doing that on a global scale, or at least I will in time. Getting rid of bigotry, erasing the divide between the strong and the weak to produce a better world for everyone.”

“You broke Chapman.”

“Champ is happy where he is. He chose it. He wanted it. You two had virtually the same IQ scores and talents, at least when it came to computer engineering and programming. Unlike you, though, Champ was fighting conditions that would make it so that he could never enjoy the same level of fitness and activity that you do. Such a lack eventually results in fantasies, a longing to experience what one never has had. Chapman threw it all away because he reveled in the chance to grow and swell. And, I admit, I fed that desire while he tried to hack the mainframe. I let him see where he would ultimately end up. And I gave him a simple choice. He accepted my offer to obey. He lied to you, pretended to fail, and complied with everything I told him whenever he signed in. He is living his fantasy now, and is deliriously happy to be receiving training as a part of my Meatheads.

Rage curled my lip, but I couldn’t do a thing. I wanted to lunge at the man, strangle him, but my body wouldn’t comply. All I could do was sit and watch.

“You may have noticed by now, but my meatheads can’t do anything against me. I’m their authority figure, their alpha. Or as they like to call me, Coach. You can’t attack me because I told you to stay there. And though you may want to deny it, I know that deep down, you’re enjoying the sensation of your new body just as much as Champ is.”

“How?”

“My formula.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “It’s not perfect yet, but the iterations I’ve produced from my original notes have been very useful in extending my control. I don’t want to be a dictator, but I’m not about to let the world stay as it is either. Shadow politics, assassinations, pointless bombings and wars, genocides, suicides. This world is a mess. I have the tools to fix that mess once and for all. And I intend to do just that. To sum it up for you, I’m my original test subject. And the formula worked wonders for me as a result, but it also rendered me ... incapacitated for a time. As a result, much of my research was lost, and I’ve had to rebuild using different iterations of my creation until I can find that special mix. On the plus side, as derivatives of my original formula, it seems that anyone exposed automatically becomes subservient to me. It makes things much simpler when dealing with intruders and espionage. It also helps with recruiting.”

“Then why didn’t you just ask me?”

“Because I wanted you to sample the goods. That, and because there are still those who can resist the full effects of my injections and other sources of integration for a certain period of time. As I said, the formula still needs work. But I like to use the less effective iterations for special cases like you. Your specialty in coding and computer engineering is something I need right now. And I want you to keep your mind focused on the task at hand, rather than on weights and muscle. That’s why I’m assigning you to our MEAT department.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I think we both know you can’t.” Stone smirked. “For the record, MEAT stands for Muscle Enhancement and Accelerated Transformation. You’ll be helping us to design and improve a number of methods and technologies to help smooth subject transitions into becoming Meatheads. And more importantly, on how to preserve their skills and knowledge while still incorporating them into the collective. In other words, research and development. Your specialty, if I recall correctly.”

“I don’t want to.”

Stone chuckled. “On the contrary. I think you do.”

“I do—” My tongue stuck. My jaw locked. I tried again. “I do—” Again, I had the same problem. Again, I couldn’t finish. “I ... do....”

Stone’s smirk widened into a sneer. “Glad we got that settled. Oh, and for the safer ones, I want you to experiment on yourself. I’m intrigued to see just what a smart obedient Meathead will look and act like.

I groaned another curse, which only further emphasized my captor’s glee. “Spoken like a true Meathead.”

“Whatever....”

“That’s right. Whatever I say, Meathead.” The cocky arrogance was gone, leaving behind a chilling glare that could cut through diamond. “And you will address me with respect as either Coach Stone, Coach, or Sir. Do I make myself clear?”

I clenched my mouth shut.

“Answer me,” Stone demanded.

“Yes, ... Sir.”

“Good.” His eyes flashed as he rose from his position. “Now follow me. I’ll guide you to your lab. You have a lot of work ahead of you, don’t you, Meathead?”

I couldn’t stop myself as I rose to follow him. “Yes, Sir, Coach.”

“That’s right.” He chuckled. “On second thought, let’s get you dressed first. Then we can visit the lab.”

“Whatever you say, Coach.”

“Good boy,” he purred. I shuddered in revulsion, both at his cold dominance and ... at the jolt of pleasure that surged with that acknowledgement. If that was how it felt now, how would I feel after a few months or years of working under him? Would I be able to resist?

...

Would I even want to?

I shuddered again. Hopefully, I would be able to find a solution before Coach made me a permanent team member. Or worse yet, before I did.

[darealsaltysam]

what your paladins main says about you

a comprehensive essay by a paladins player of right around 4 years

this is like really long so i’ll make it under the cut so my followers don’t have to scroll through this if they don’t wanna

(for context i’m a current maeve main, i used to main skye and sha lin and played tyra a long while ago)

.

Androxus

it’s not a phase, mum

“i don’t care we don’t have healer, i’m really good at him i swear”

you ult every time it loads in and you die before the final shot

your favorite mode is siege because you can fly up and shoot the whole point on ult

you’re usually really stand-offish and don’t communicate much and/or a 13 year old boy with anger issues

.

Ash

you are level-headed but in a scary way

you will hold the point solo even if it costs you your streak

“get on the point” “guys get on the point” “attack the objective”

you’ll ult to save yourself 99% of the time

good leader

.

Atlas

you probably used to main lex or androxus before he came out

“he’s like a flank, but a tank, he’s great!”

you chase after solo kills instead of sticking to the point

healers hate you, flanks and damages fear you

your favorite mode is death match

.

Barik

you’re a former/current tf2 player looking for something fresh

you don’t like working too hard so you spam turrets on the point and hope for the best

“healer stick to me i’m boutta ult”

actually really nice between rounds

but you don’t communicate much mid-game and kind of do your thing

.

Bomb King

you’re a really old player. you have the beta makoa skin and you were there when lex was first released. veteran’s discount.

your favorite maps are the old ones and they barely show up any more

the team always underestimates you

“who plays bomb king in 2021 lol?”

you need a hug

.

Buck

“wait, he’s a flank? i thought he was a tank??”

you’re also a veteran in the game

you’re a dying breed. i like never see you. do you even exist?

you’ve been here since like the first day of the game

buck gets so many skins and you want all of them but the best you have is a random recolor

.

Cassie

sweetest person alive

“we can do it guys! let’s try to all rush the point this time!”

you are the bane of every flank

the opposing team hates you, your own team kind of doesn’t notice you’re there

*casually gets a pentakill*

.

Corvus

you know those weirdly political kids who like ww2 and know the details of every tank to ever exist? yeah that’s you

but like that’s corvus. as a character.

but no one ever plays him.

like i never even see him do you exist???

you are a cryptid.

.

Dredge

yo ho you’re a hoe

no seriously the other team views you and they FEAR you

“yeah i just got a penta kill” “YOU WHAT?” “eyes on the point mate don’t get distracted”

hella good at the game and hella casual about it

you like onslaught on the one sea map the most

.

Drogoz

another veteran, are we?

you’re either useless or can wipe out a whole team in seconds. there is no in-between.

you always have a really cool skin.

dovahkiin, dovahkiin...

“i don’t care about the point i gotta get them trips”

.

Evie

you bought her because you thought she was cute, admit it

*turns into ice right before dying* *turns into ice right before dying* *turns into ice right be

your personality type is identical to her. no question about that.

always buys faster reload and better speed

strangely good communication with the team

.

Fernando

gay gay homosexual gay

“he’s kinda hot if you look at him the right way”

fernando is the tank for gay people

you are gay people

i don’t have much more to say

.

Furia

mum energy. not as much as inara mains, but still, mum energy.

will protect every member of the team with your life, even the flanks

you’ve been maining her since she was first added

i bet you didn’t even know she’s canonically seris’ sister

“we’ve literally failed to capture the point the last 3 times we might as well give up and go to another game”

.

Grohk

“yeah i have a gremlincore tumblr blog, how could you tell?”

i honestly have no words

you’re kind of like a catboy but a racoon

do you even heal the team or do you just pretend

you were there when lex got announced and thought he was cringe, now everyone finally agrees with you

.

Grover

he was your first purchased character and he’s stuck around ever since

he’s the only healer you can play well

“i am groot lmao”

you would never say a word to your team

would give your life for the tank but that’s about it

.

Imani

daenerys targaryen on drugs

your favorite anime is my hero academia

your husbando is todoroki

you see where i am going with this

“team protect me i’m gonna ult” *dies 5 seconds into ult*

.

Inara

BIG MUM ENERGY

your team is your family. you will protect them with your life.

can only hold your own with a good healer so you have good teamwork going for you

*cutely places wall in front of your ult*

useless in tdm so you stick to onslaught, siege and koth

.

Io

are you a furry, furry, or a furry?

“victow! dont ult on my tweam pwease! uwu!”

you 100% find her attractive in some way shape or form

you are either a 30 year old redditor who enjoys loli content or a 16 year old teen who is playing a shooter for the first time

she’s kind of cute, i guess

.

Jenos

i can never tell if i’m going to absolutely destroy you or if you’re gonna kick my ass

*cutely holds you up so the whole team can shoot you to death*

kamehameha

you’re a healer??? i guess???

your character has such deep lore and i bet you don’t even know half of it

.

Khan

one day you were playing and your team desperately needed a tank. you picked the first one you saw. suddenly, you’re lian’s foot stool

despite 2 layers of heavy armor, you’d still let this man walk all over you

“this skin is really cool, wish it wasn’t behind a pay wall...”

YEET

you actually know the game’s lore, for some reason

.

Kinessa

i never trust people who are good at a sniper. if you’re bad that’s natural and you’re 99% of the population. if you’re good you are definitely up to something

you’d sell your sister for 5 pennies if you could

you’re missing from the team all game and somehow have the most kills

“we have a kinessa???”

you are an urban legend to your team

.

Koga

someone’s been watching naruto

you are so shit at the game. like i’m sorry. no one’s good at koga i’m so sorry

how do you have so many skins for one character???

you’re always missing from the point

healers hate you. so does the enemy kinessa.

.

Lex

quit the game /nm

“who mains lex in 2021??? lmao???”

wall hacks, aimbot, and it’s all legal for you as an ability. you are a hacker in a world of puny vanillas. you like it easy so you go for the easy min max character. have fun getting hated

you think he’s hot and press on his loading abilities just so he can scold you and you can hear him being mad at you

*bonk* go to horny jail

.

Lian

"she could step on me”

you used to main some sort of healer but switched over when you got sick of everyone being needy

you can hold a point all on your own for a really really long time but the moment your team gets there you start flunking

you wish you had more skins for her

you don’t

.

Maeve

so imagine this. it was like 2018 and you were just chilling playing the game. you kept getting killed by maeve. in every game. she was in every game you went to and she kept killing you over and over and over again. you got frustrated, snapped, and bought her to see if you could do the same to others. you are now the maeve in every game. the cycle repeats.

your whole team doubts you but then you casually get a quad kill and they just sort of look away

you die a total of two times each round and 99% of the time it’s because you go too fast and fall off the map

you repeat everything she says in her accent because you think it’s cute

“welcome to ze meant streets, kitten!” “can you shut the fuck up” “i hate to cut and run, he-he!”

.

Makoa

you have the plushie skin or the beta skin, otherwise you don’t main and only play casually stop lying to yourself

“attack turtle go brrr”

you’re really good if you get paired with a good healer

otherwise you’re useless

you wish you could get better teammates because you could really thrive with an organized group. but on paladins you won’t get that, i’m sorry-

.

Mal’Damba

i always forget this guy is even in the game

you’re definitely under 6 foot IRL

you have an older sibling you always fight with

you’d love to have a snake irl

you’re really chill outside of the game, but when playing you hella rage

.

Moji

you are so precious

but also such a little shit

you annoy me but i also want to give you a hug

“let’s go guys!! to the point!! wheee!!”

please never change but also get out of my sight

.

Octavia

you always main the new character until the new person drops

somehow always have enough credits to buy the new champion whenever they come out

you don’t like having a stable main cuz you get bored

you like hanging out at the training rage

hate siege and love team death match, you like your games quick

.

Pip

you are the worst and best thing to ever happen to this game

you only pick him to heal yourself and hardly ever heal your team

no one notices you there until you ult

then you get focused

honestly you just seem like you wanna do your thing and i can respect that

.

Raum

you probably go to therapy or desperately need it

“BIG MAN BIG. HE IS BIG. BRRRR”

you always love the demons in media

you like being in charge of the team and wreck the point any time you are there, you like fighting on your own but having a healer nearby is nice too

you probably have daddy issues

.

Ruckus

you think ruckus’ and bolt’s dynamic is cool and that’s one of the main reasons you started playing him

he’s the only tank you can play

you used to main either inara or ying at some point but chose violence instead

really short irl. you physically relate to ruckus and spiritually to bolt.

“funny goblin man :)”

.

Seris

certified girlboss

you can hold an objective all on your own or heal your whole team no problem. either way you are SLAYING

“alright. who’s ass am i kicking today?”

mum energy is inferior to inara but still kind of there

i’m like 50% sure you have a foot fetish

.

Sha Lin

*pointing and chanting* incel, incel, ince-

whether that’s about you or the character you can decide

you like minecraft bedwars on the side

“if i don’t get this headshot i am literally going to spontaneously combust”

really useful when there’s no other long distance people - otherwise a nuisance

.

Skye

AWOOGA *jaw drops to ground, eyes roll out of head* BOOBA BOOBA BOOBA

you bought her for the tiddies, didn’t you?

she’s actually really satisfying to play once you get the hang of her, but can be real tough on rough days

you need a break i think - maybe play some other game for a bit?

*casually gets team kill with ult*

.

Strix

you own at least one pretty knife

you played him when he was unlocked on rotation, fell in love, and spent a whole evening collecting credits to buy him fully

“haha bird man”

i’ve said what i said about snipers. if you’re actually good at him you are hiding a body somewhere. i fear you.

why does everyone ship him with viktor????

.

Talus

little furry child

he reminds me of tommyinnit because he is small and annoying

if you play him you are tall and intimidating 

i’m friends with a tall scary talus main

i can’t say bad things please spare me

.

Terminus

you always ult at the worst time and just get killed again 5 seconds after

“hey losers watch this” *goes on the point, dies, revives, kills one person and dies again*

you’re only a good tank if you cooperate

you don’t

on your own you’re a pretty good player

.

Tiberius

*sigh*

you think the cat is hot, don’t you?

“his accent is kinda cute tho hehe”

you saw that one ending scene in zootopia with the dancing tigers and it CHANGED you

you are probably a furry. if not your awakening is coming. be ready.

.

Torvald

you’ve been playing this game for too long

you’ve seen skins rise and fall. you’ve seen nerfs and buffs. you’ve seen reworks and remakes. you are ancient. older than the dragons and wiser than makoa. respect.

people see you on the opposing team and get really annoyed

“the point is really crowded, we can’t move in” “don’t worry guys, my ult is charged up”

you’re really good at all the characters but you like this guy a lot because you think he’s funky fresh

.

Tyra

you’re either new to the game or have been playing for too long

either way you can KICK ASS but you need to keep behind your team to do the most damage

flanks are the bane of you, especially the fast jumpy ones

you really want one of the cooler skins but you can only ever get the basic ones. such is the curse of maining one of the OG characters.

“bite me”

.

Viktor

you are level 100+ guaranteed, and everyone fears you

“oh shit they got a victor. flank focus him”

you probably play COD and CS:GO normally and wanted to go with something familiar and easy. your skill from the other more advanced games DWARFS everyone else

but why are you playing “guy with gun 132″ in a game with magical elves and fairies. like come on bro.

you don’t have any in-game friends because paladins is your guilty pleasure game you would never admit to

.

Vivian

“step on me” syndrome cranked up to 100%

this woman could spit on you and you’d still respect her more than your own mother. good for you

“i’m not a simp. i’m just tier 3 subbed to pokimane ironically”

you sweat the game hardcore. former victor main or he’s your secondary.

you’ve got her on level 50+ at least

.

Vora

like the maeve mains but somehow worse

bought her out of spite or played her while she was on rotation, now here you are grinding credits for her a day after she became unavailable

honestly you’re really good at the game i have nothing else to say

you enjoy the newer characters more than the OGs - you’re either a former vivian or lian main

you miss the play of the game feature in the game because you’d get all of them with this girl

.

Willo

you seem like the moji mains at first but show your true colors soon after

“fuck you” x50

you are a trash talker on max overdrive. you need to sit down, do some breathing exercises and have a drink.

you hate your own team more than the opposing guys

when you see a willow on the opposing team you make it your sole goal to eliminate her as many times as humanely possible

.

Yagorath

i bet you didn’t know she was canonically female until you read this

you don’t like sweating too much so you pick the tank that leaves you heavily relying on your healers and damages

you can hold a point really well so you like siege and onslaught

“are vora and yagorath connected in the lore somehow and do i really care?”

you have a friend who you always party up with to be your healer, otherwise you might switch to another character

.

Ying

“tanks love me, flanks hate me”

you are too powerful. literally. how are you so strong

you’ve mastered the most difficult healer in the game. the others are really easy for you to play but you have trouble with seris

motivate your team a lot but start shading and trash talking if they don’t cooperate

you’ll gladly play someone else for a long while and like taking breaks from her

.

Zhin

this is your first main after switching over from overwatch. we can smell it on you.

you’re really annoyed with his personality and voice lines but the character is too good to play for you to pass him up for that. you respond to his voice lines aloud very aggressively to let him know he’s an ass

“YES ZHIN HEALERS AREN’T USELESS YOU SELFISH PRICK”

you try your best but you’re not a great team player

infinite trips on a good day, die repeatedly without kills on a bad one and you switch over to vora or skye for a bit.

.

this took me hours to write out pls leave reblog and note thanks uwu

[babyyweebbitch]

Please stay with me...

A/N: Hey Resident evil fans 😀 im sorry I’m gonna make another part to this btw

Genre: Angst

Warnings: Death, Blood and funeral

Summary: Chris and his wife went on a mission a few months after Piers’ death but his was shot and killed by the enemy trying to protect Chris and the team

*bonus* Funeral (it does get kinda triggering so if you get triggered by funeral talk, skip that)

Chris, His wife and new men from the BSAA were on a mission again but this time in America, everything was going smoothly

All they had to do was take out the enemy, get the three hostages to safety and deactivate the bomb placed in the building they were in

“Boys listen” Y/N said, for someone who was 5’0, 147lb and currently the youngest on that team at 28 she was very intimidating to the men on that team, even Chris was intimidated by her — She’s his wife!

She was also the new captain of the team since Chris decided it wasn’t for him anymore — So he chose his replacement to be his wife

Not just because they were married. She had talent, she was tough and was hard on everyone and anyone when she had to be

“We will split into teams of three, one team is in charge of getting the hostages; the other are in charge of deactivating the bomb and my team will take care of the enemies. Corey, John and Andrew, you’re in charge of finding the bomb and deactivating it”

“Yes ma’am!” The three men said in unison before leaving to find out the bomb

“Phil, Jean and Mark, you’re In charge of finding and taking the hostages to safety”

“Ma’am!” The three said before doing their job

“Chris and Eric you’re with me” Y/N said as she turned to walk out the door, Chris watched her and was amazed by how amazing she was doing

“Is she always like this, Chris?”

“Only when she has to be” he smirked as he followed behind his wife and he was thinking about a lot of different things at once, his time as captain, his former men, Piers

He hadn’t realised he was already at the door of the room the enemies were in until he was tapped on the shoulder by a smaller hand

“You okay?” Y/N asked as she looked at Chris, an obvious worried expression on her face since he was zoning out

“What? Oh yeah. I’m fine... Sorry” Chris said as he looked at the door and let a sigh escape his lips as he backed up and kicked open the door, gun fire already heading towards them

Luckily the three hid in time before firing back, for about what felt like forever the three came from wherever they were hiding from and let out a sigh thinking they had got everyone

“Good job b— Chris!” Y/N called out as she had saw one remaining enemy stand up from behind a counter pointing a gun towards Chris

Out of instinct she ran towards Chris and pushing him out the way not even thinking about herself and that was the moment she was hit in the sternum, shockingly they had a powerful gun that can puncture anything

“Gah!”

Everything was still processing in Chris’ head right now, trying to catch his kind up, Eric used his last bullet to shoot the last enemy before running over to catch Y/N

“Captain!”

*flash back*

“I don’t want you joining the BSAA, Y/N! You’ll die!”

“I’m perfectly okay with that... If I die I know that I at least tried to help the world somehow. I hate sitting at home all day and doing nothing while I worry while you’re on your missions”

Chris knew exactly where she was coming from she she said that, he wanted to protect the world too but it was one thing if he was the one to die doing it, but his wife? He’d hate to see her die or get injured on the job

“Plus... ever since my parents died in Raccoon city I promised them I’d do something to help the world and stop all of this from happening again when I got older. Well I’m older”

Honestly, when she brought up her parents he couldn’t argue with her anymore... He knows what it’s like to lose both parents

“I get it... I’m not going to stop you.. I hate thinking about you getting hurt but your parents would want that for you..”

*currently*

Chris ran to his wife and he felt his eyes water, the tears flooding his eyes as he stared at her

“No... Please stay with me! Don’t leave me goddamnit!” Chris refused to believe she was dying, he didn’t want to believe it

“Chris... Please” She reached inside of her pocket to grab her wedding ring, she never wore it on missions so she didn’t lose it, grabbing his hand she placed the ring inside

“I’m gonna see my parents again, Chris... Isn’t that good?”

“No no no no, Y/N please!! Don’t you die on me!”

“I love you, Chris...” His heart went numb the moment he felt her hand go heavy and almost fell out his but he held onto it

“Please don’t go! This isn’t funny anymore, fucking please don’t leave me alone!!” He knew she was dead... He knew he just didn’t wanna believe it, he wanted to believe she was pulling a fucked up prank on him and got up like nothing happened, he wanted her to sit up and say ‘sike motherfucker’. He wanted that more than anything right now

When she didn’t do that he hugged her body, not caring about the blood getting all over them and he just cried as he held her, he felt responsible for her death, if only he was paying attention he wouldn’t have lost the love of his life...

*bonus*

The day of the funeral, Chris looked horrible. He couldn’t sleep since that day and the house was a mess, Claire stayed with him to make sure he didn’t start drinking again to get rid of the pain

“Chris? You getting ready?” Claire asked as she was already dressed, opening the door to what used to be shared by two people

He sat on the bed looking at a picture of his wife on his phone, he had put her ring on a necklace he always wore

“Yeah... I’m ready” he said as he stood up to walk out with his sister, his hair was slicked back and he had a nice black suit on, Claire had on a black dress

After about a 30 minute drive they arrived and Chris didn’t wanna leave the car but Claire dragged him out

First his partner now his wife... He regrets even letting her join the BSAA and if he could change the roles and take the bullet for her, he would in a fucking heart beat

After about two hours, the ceremony happened, everyone close to her gave their speeches and the viewing it they lowered the casket and everyone had went inside to eat and talk

“Hey Chris, how are you holding up” Leon said as he went to sit with him and Claire

“I’ll be fine...” was all Chris said as he picked at his food, he was so depressed he barely ate anymore, basically all he did was sleep, workout and do paperwork.

He couldn’t bare handling a gun since in all honesty... he didn’t trust himself around one anymore

“Look... Chris I know you feel like shit and don’t wanna do anything anymore but, she wouldn’t want you picking at your food and not eating.. She’d want you to continue being yourself. She wouldn’t want this.” Leon commented

“....I know... But, I just miss her ya’know... she was my everything and I just feel so empty without her now. We were gonna start a family. I only wanted a family with her and only her”

Leon and Claire didn’t have any words since they didn’t want to say the wrong thing around Chris, the three ate and after eating they headed home

The car ride was silent — The silence was deafening you can hear a pin drop

Leon was right, Y/N wouldn’t wanna see him like this. He didn’t want to disappoint her so the first thing he did when he got home was cleaned up the way she liked it and how she liked cleaning

It was difficult but it was the process to healing...

[borat123]

Analysis Pro NH Anti NS

Naruto Manga Part 2

Part 7

Naruto has transformed into the Six-Tails with the worst emotions he ever felt after witnessing Hinata getting stabbed by Pain. The seal reactivates as he grumbles in anger and is seen looking at Hinata before doing his next move. (Hinata is the ONLY reason he even transformed in the first place, as he didn’t transform when the old frog died in front of his eyes or when he heard that Kakashi died. This is also confirmed in chapter 490).

He takes the seal in his fist and crushes it before he goes to attack Pain. But notice how he isn’t charging right at him, but he moves to the side instead.

He circled away from her body so that she wouldn’t be caught in the attack.

He then looks at her (more clearly now) and is seen getting more enraged and then fires a tailed beast bomb at Pain.

He outright bitch-slapped Sakura when he was only in four tailed mode and with a stronger seal, but here we can see load and clear that Naruto deliberately didn’t attack Hinata’s body, he actually tries to protect her and is also seen getting vividly more angry as he looks at her body. BUT HE HAD SIX TAILS AND NO SEAL AT ALL. Its true love, no one has ever given him this amount of control when transformed let alone six f*cking tails of it. And this brings me to another topic.

This is Naruto’s reaction to seeing Sakura being in danger of death. ”What are we supposed to do?”. If Naruto ”loved” her he wouldn’t hesitate and say what are ”we” supposed to do, if he ”loved” her he would have activated kyuubi’s chakra out off pure anger and had no hesitation in attacking Gaara. But that’s not the case at all. His fear of Gaara is clearly superior over his concern for Sakura. When Gaara threatened to crush Sakura he hesitated and then screamed ”DAMMIT” before attacking Gaara and then being pathetically defeated.

It was SASUKE who had to TELL HIM to rescue her and then do his speech about his precious comrades before he finally decided to fight for real. So another person had to tell him to rescue someone he ”loved” because he was to much of a coward to do it himself. If Sasuke hadn’t been there Naruto would have either ran away abandoning Sakura or he would have been killed along with Sakura. If this doesn’t prove that Naruto only had a pointless, shallow ”crush” on her i dont know what does.

This right here proves that Naruto wouldn’t transform for Sakura, also if he did care about her as much as the NaruSaku’s like to say then why didn’t he activate kyuubi’s chakra like he did when Sasuke was in great danger on the Great Naruto Bridge? He was more angry towards Neji after his provocations since he immediatly charged at him when it concerned Hinata, but here he hesitated and forced himself to attack Gaara. He had a certain protective instinct when it concerned Hinata (which is also confirmed as stated above with the six-tails) but he had absolutely zero instincts at all for Sakura. Also which stabbing made him react with SIX-TAILS and with the worst emotions he ever felt, and which made him barely react at all? The point of this is to debunk claims that Naruto would transform for Sakura.

This panel here also confirms that Naruto only transformed because of Hinata. Shikamaru also says ”that triggered it, huh”. He didn’t seem too suprised, makes you wonder if he saw something going on between them of panel perhaps?

Naruto doesn’t know what to do anymore. He doesn’t know anything, he doesn’t have an answer for anything. He wants an answer on how to face all this hate. The Nine Tailed Demon Fox tells him to destroy everything that causes him suffering. Naruto was about to go on a rampage and destroy everything that made him suffer, well except Hinata who he could avoid hurting even when possesed by a demon full of hate.

Naruto had transformed into eight tails. He almost completly resembeled the Kyuubi now, only missing the fur. Naruto is seen walking towards the seal. Naruto had reached such a level of HATRED that he willingly lets himself go. He hates Pain so much that he’s willing to destroy himself just to kill Pain. Remember how the Uchiha clan are said to be driven by love and how that turns into hate and gives them more power. Pain has just talked about how love leads to hate and suffering. Hinata declared her love to Naruto, and seeing her get stabbed made him sync up with the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, a being filled with immense hatred. Is there really any doubt that he loved her? Just as Hinata was ready to sacrifice herself out of love, Naruto was willing to sacrife himself too.

Because of how the seal is designed, Naruto is rescued from the Fox by his Father and he returns to normal after their talk. Naruto is informed by Katsuyu that he had caused all the destruction around them after he had transformed. Naruto’s first thought and worry is about Hinata (reminding us why he even transformed like that in the first place). He clutches his shirt near his heart while saying ”did i destroy Hinata or any of the other villagers”. Hinata is the only one he lists by name and everyone else is just the ”villagers”. When he finds out that she’s alive he clutches his shirt tighter around his heart. He clearly cares about her a whole lot. I wonder if Naruto would have turned evil if she turned out to be dead. Considering that he was about to transform into a walking ball of hatred after her ”death” it wouldn’t seem to far fetched would it?

Naruto cries tears of relief and thanks God that she’s alive and that she wasn’t hurt in the rampage. Naruto clutching his shirt near the area of his heart shows that she had a special place in his heart. Hinata is also seen simultaneously thinking about him too and also thanking God that he’s alright. Nice pararell Kishi.

That will be all for now, here are the other parts if you wanna read them.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Part 8

[diaryofabeautyfiend]

Some warnings: Implied violence then some magical violence. Just covering my bases.

This chapter is long and it gets weird. Continuing on with a very slow burn. I hope you are all still enjoying this fic. Comments ❤️❤️ and reblogging all encouraged and appreciated. Please don’t pass this off as your own writing. I’ll find out and laugh at you.

Small Time Witch (5)

When you got back to the compound Steve’s phone rang. He walked several feet away from you to speak to whomever was on the other end. When he came back he looked flustered. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah. I’m actually going to have to run. I had a lot of fun with you today. I’d like to do it again. Maybe without stabbing?”

Before you had a chance to answer he kissed you on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

You felt like he rushed out of there really quick and that made you nervous. You walked back towards the building from the garage and tried to call Loki. No answer. You tried Wanda but the call kept dropping. No texts from either of them. You pressed then elevator button several times. It was taking forever. You decided to take the stairs. All of the hair on the back of your neck stood up. You looked around and saw nothing. When you opened the door to the stairwell something (or someone) clocked you hard on the back of the head. You blacked out.

STEVE

Steve hated everything that was about to happen. He got the call on the way into the building that he needed to leave you there. It was time. Two masked agents would be waiting for you in the stairwell. They would blindfold you and take you to a small dark room. There, you would remain bound and blindfolded while someone would repeatedly ask you about sensitive information while you were being “tortured”. No one was going to physicality hurt you. Loki would use his methods to trick your mind into thinking you were being hurt. All SHIELD agents with high level security clearance went through this training.

Everyone was waiting in the upstairs viewing area. Steve sat down with a huff and prepared to watch. “You said this was to test her endurance under pressure. This is torture. For the record I hate this.” he said to Loki.

“Duly noted, Captain. I’ll have an ear piece and Dr. Banner will be able to monitor her vital signs. This is ultimately for her safety.”

“It’s cruel.”

“As a habit I do not deal in cruelty. I will keep her as safe as possible. I assure you no physical harm will come to her.” Loki felt guilty. He’s never experienced the emotion before but now, with a pit in his stomach, he had to betray your trust.

Nat tried reassuring Steve the best she could, “Look, Steve, we’ve all been through the real thing at some point in our careers. No one likes this. Better that she experience it now so she knows what she’s up against.”

He wasn’t convinced. Bucky sat next to him and patted his thigh. “She’s tough. She whooped your ass earlier. She can handle this.”

“How can you of all people believe that?”

“Because I have to or else I couldn’t bare it. If things get too dicey we’ll stop it ok?”

The room they were in was sound proof. They had mics to be able to hear you. It was all two way glass so, even if your blindfold came off, you wouldn’t know they were there. The agents brought you in. You were awake and fighting hard. They were instructed not to hit you or fight back but to secure you. They both looked extremely frustrated. One of them had a cut above his eye. They tossed you in the chair and slammed the door. When they went in the room with the rest of the team everyone stared.

“What the hell happened?” Steve asked

“She threw an elbow, sir. She almost got away. Had to taze her.”

Steve bounded across the room pinning the agent to the wall, “You were told not to hurt her.”

“Yes, sir. We were also told not to let her get away. We didn’t want to hit her again.” His nostrils flared and the back of his neck was red a splotchy. Nat put her hands on his shoulders and directed him away.

“Good job, guys. You can go.” They couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

“See? She did exactly what I taught her. She’s going to be ok.” He shook his head and went back to his seat. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

They removed your gag but kept the canvas hood on your head. You struggled against the bindings trying to free your hands. They bit at your wrists. You called out demanding to speak to someone in charge.

Sam laughed, “Damn. Is she asking to see the manager?” Mostly everyone laughed. Steve’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t understand how anyone could make jokes right now.

“She’s remembering her one day of training so shut the fuck up, Sam.”

“Sorry, Cap.”

“Does anyone else feel disgusted that we’re having a public viewing of our colleague being tortured?” No one would look at him.

Bucky was the only one who was quiet. He was remembering himself in this very situation. He knew your mind was racing which is why you couldn’t magick your way out of this. If he could only get you to calm down. That’s when he saw Wanda pressing her face to the glass. She looked distraught. He went to sit next to her. Neither of them spoke for several seconds. They held hands and wallowed in their shared trauma. “She’s screaming for me, Bucky. I can hear her.” She wiped a few tears from her eyes, “She’s so scared.”

“You can’t tell her what’s happening? Can’t she hear you?”

“Loki put up a barrier. She’s alone.”

“How can he do this to her?” Bucky was furious with Loki.

“He is doing as he was ordered. You know what that’s like.”

“Ordered by who?!” he said in a harsh whisper.

“Director Fury. The Security Council. They won’t give her clearance for this or any future missions unless she undergoes the same training as any other agent. It was Loki who convinced them to do it this way. He takes no pleasure in this.”

“Then why did he agree?”

“Because if he didn’t do it SHIELD would have. She would be in the middle of nowhere being tortured for real.” Bucky was seething. Surely Steve didn’t know any of this. He went to tell him when you let out a blood curdling scream.

Everyone was silent. All that could be heard was Wanda sobbing. Nat tried to comfort her to no avail. The interrogator asked you another question. You played dumb. You screamed again.

“I hope Loki is enjoying himself.” Steve grumbled

“He’s not. How dare you say that?! This is hurting him too.” Wanda was pushing against Steve. Her eyes glowed red. He couldn’t think of anything else to do so he hugged her.

“Nat, call down to the booth. Tell them stop. Tell them now.” She grabbed the receiver to call the booth when the line went dead. “It’s dead. Somethings wrong. I’m going down there.”

Bucky was already out of the door running to where you were.

The whole place was plunged into darkness. Wanda smiled knowing that you were fighting back. A brilliant white light emitted from the room. You were floating above the chair with your hands out. You lifted the interrogator from the ground and flung him against the wall knocking him unconscious. Steve and Wanda ran down the ramp leading to the booth to stop you. Loki was already in the room.

“Y/N! Stop this! Listen to my voice. You are safe.” You lifted your hand again slamming the door behind him. The two way mirror shattered. All of the shards of glass were pointed at Loki.

“Y/N! Please. I’m not going to hurt you.” Wanda was behind him now and tried to use her magic to subdue you. You whipped your head in her direction and pointed a shard at her throat.

“We will not be trifled with any longer.” Your voice was calm and steady. Behind it echoed many more voices. “We are the daughters of the moon. Daughters of Diana. Daughters of Hekate. You seek our power. You will receive it in abundance.”

“Enough!” Loki shouted, “I know you can hear me, Y/N. Fight this.”

“Loki?” you whimpered.

“Yes, pet. I’m here. Please. You’re safe now.” The glass dropped to the floor and so did you.

He was at your side at once brushing your hair from your eyes whispering your name. Begging you to wake up. His eyes were wide. He looked at Wanda pleading, “What have I done? What have I done?”

“Bruce! Someone get Bruce! We need help.” Bruce rushed in and instructed Loki to put you on a gurney. They rushed you into a room and started examining you. He and Tony hooked you up to electrodes to measure your brain waves and monitor your heart.

“Tony I can’t find anything medically that would be causing her to be unconscious. But look at her brain waves.” There were several lines spiking indicating that there was more than one brain essentially.

“I’ll call Strange.” Tony went pale when he looked at the monitor.

Loki and Wanda refused to leave your bedside. Steve paced the hall outside of your room. Fury walked in looking actually worried for once. “How is she?” he asked Nat. Before she could answer Bucky was lunging for him. Fury regarded him unfazed. “You wanna take your hands off me, Sergeant?” Steve pulled him away.

“Come on, Buck.”

“She didn’t deserve this.” He walked away to get some air.

“Is this how you do it? You pit them against each other under the guise of ‘security’ so you can break them down? Are you so afraid of someone else having power...” Fury raised his voice to interrupt Steve.

“Yes, Captain Rogers, I am. I am especially afraid of the one in the bed who is basically a nuclear bomb. I’m afraid of her teaming up with the other one to become a formidable force. If a demigod joins them they become unstoppable. It is my job to squash that before Loki gets the bright idea to take over the world again. Those two can be more powerful than the entire Chitauri army of they wanted to be.”

“She’s just a kid, Nick.”

“A kid with a lot of power.”

“Yep. And we just pissed her off.”

Wanda was asleep on the couch in your room. Thor patted Loki on the shoulder, “Brother, why don’t you rest? I’ll stand watch for a while.” Loki didn’t take his attention away from you.

“I’m not leaving her. What if she wakes up and I’m not here?”

“Loki? What’s come over you? I’ve never seen you worry over someone like this.”

A smile ghosted over his face, “Only over you, Brother.”

“Is this love or guilt?”

“Perhaps a little of both. No matter. She has feelings for the soldier. And, when she wakes up and realizes what I’ve done, I’m sure she’ll hate me.”

Thor’s brow furrowed, “Tell her the truth. She’ll understand your position.”

“I should have crushed their skulls. That should have been my position. I’ve hurt her. Who can blame her if she never wants to see me again?”

Thor returned to the common room where the rest of the team was sitting.

“Any change?” Sam asked

“No. I’ve never seen Loki like this.”

“Like what? Remorseful?” added Tony

“This is on all of us, Tony. We should have put a stop to it. We watched it happen. Given Loki’s criminal status with SHIELD he wasn’t really left with a choice. He did what he thought was right.” Steve scolded

They all looked up when they heard faint footsteps. “Were you defending me, Captain?” he didn’t give Steve a chance answer, “The wizard’s here.”

They all went into your room where Doctor Stephen Strange was ruminating over your chart. Dr. Cho was already there talking to him. “Dr. Banner join us won’t you?” Strange adjusted hung your films from your MRI. “What were the results of her CT?”

“Her brain was functioning at an extreme rate mostly around the hippocampus.”

“That’s her memory center” Bruce explained to Wanda who was still sitting vigil by your bedside.

“Well team medically, with the exception of the heightened brain activity, she’s healthy. Magically speaking, it looks like the spell she cast had a built in safety feature.”

“Can you fix her?”

“I can. I need everyone out. Not you.” He pointed at Wanda, “You stay.”

“I’m not leaving.” Loki said sternly

“You’ve done enough. Bye.” He waved his hand and Loki went flying through a portal into the next room. Strange waved his hand, “Let’s have some privacy. This should keep out the riff raff.”

“Can you fix her?” Wanda was hopeful

“Oh yeah” he waved a hand over you “She’s good.”

“That easy?”

“Yes. You know you could have done this?”

“I wouldn’t know how or where to even begin.”

“Yes, you do. I know you know that you are more powerful even than me. You are so afraid of disappointing those fools out there. You shouldn’t be.”

“They are my family.”

“Your family fears you so you think you have to muzzle yourself. You don’t.”

You opened your eyes and sucked in your breath, “Where am I?!”

“There she is. Y/N it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Stephen Strange. You gave them quite the scare.”

“Loki! Is he ok?”

“He’s fine. He’s the one who put you here.”

“I need to see him.” You started pulling out wires and ripping off electrodes.

“Honey let me go find him. You need to stay in bed.” Wanda was trying to stop you.

“The newest Avenger. How does that feel?”

“I’m not an Avenger. I’m helping out. I work for SHIELD.”

“Either way you’re backing the wrong team. I know what the Kale’s did to your coven. If you ever want real answers here’s where you find me.” He handed you a card with an address on it embossed in gold. He winked at you and excused himself when Loki appeared in the doorway.

“Wizard” “Sabrina” Loki cocked an eyebrow but Strange kept walking.

“Darling. Are you ok? I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” You knew of only one other time that Loki looked this wrecked and that’s when his mother was killed. Poor guy.

“You didn’t. I mean not really. The spell has a fail safe. Only meant to scare my attacker.” He sighed with relief.

“Are you very angry with me?”

“No. I couldn’t hear your thoughts but I could feel you. I knew you were there.”

“So you knew I was hurting you.”

You put your hands on the sides of his face, “I thought you were trying to protect me.” You stared at each other for a moment. His heart was racing. He placed his hands over yours. You brushed an errant hair out of his eyes. “Darling I...”

Steve burst in the room wrapping you in a hug, “I’m so sorry I left you. Are you ok? Are you hurt?” Loki stood watching what was unfolding. You looked back at him. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. He left the room to give you and Steve a minute.

“Steve. Shhh. I’m ok. I swear.” For reasons neither of you could explain he grabbed your face and crashed his lips into yours. Your eyes went wide then you acquiesced. Your tongue massaged his. He leaned his weight into you. When he broke the kiss he said quietly, “I’m staying with you tonight.”

“You really don’t need to. Loki will be there. I’m ok. I promise. I’m much stronger than I look.”

“I would feel better:”

LOKI

Loki sat alone on the big fluffy couch in the common room. He toyed with the frayed edge of a throw pillow. It was silent but he could hear your heartbeat quicken. Your breath catching in your chest. Your racing thoughts. He felt your butterflies when Steve came into the room. You liked Steve. He supposed the captain was a decent enough guy. That didn’t mean he had to like him.

For a moment when you were touching his face he felt something. He wasn’t sure if the feelings were yours or his. It felt deeper than just a crush. The way you looked at him. Almost like you were committing his face to memory. Your eyes studied him. For a moment he felt seen.

Thor sat next to him and pulled him in for a very firm embrace. “Get off of me you oaf”

“You’re staying with me tonight. It’ll be fun. We’ll bunk together just like when we were children.”

“Do you still snore?”

“That depends. Do you still talk in your sleep.”

“I wasn’t talking in my sleep. I was whispering spells to silence you.”

Thor smiled, “I hope you remember them.”

[scorpio-skies]

OC as a Companion Meme!

NAME: Nora Hart

FOUND: Near Sunshine Tidings Co-Op, fighting raiders at the church. 

COMPANION PERK: The Bear Necessities - Acquire Honey the yao guai as an extra companion.  

ROMANCEABLE:  Yes 

(I was tagged for this a very long time ago, but always wanted to do it! Tagging: @eluvisen​ @mrninjapineapple​ @ariejul​ @sociallyacceptablemadness​ @lothrilzul​ @slothssassin​ @mars-colony​ @lookbluesoup​ @tarberrymentats​ @leporidaefluff​ @charomiami​ @beckiboos​ and anybody who’d like to do it! If you’ve done it before feel free to rb your original unless you wanna make another for a diff OC >:3c but no pressure at all!)

 WEAPON OF CHOICE: 

Lucky (.357 magnum revolver from FNV ;p)

Combat rifle

 I THINK WE SHOULD TRAVEL TOGETHER:

“Then let’s hit the road!” 

“Time for another adventure? Count me in!”

“You can count on me, boss!” 

“Let’s get going, then!”

“The road’s a-calling.” 

“Sounds like fun!” 

(Romanced) “Good! I was hoping for some quality time with you.”

(Romanced) “I’d follow you anywhere, love. Lead on.”

 USE MELEE:

“This is too close for comfort!” 

“Let’s hit ‘em hard and fast!” 

“Just go down already!” 

“It’s about to get messy!”

 USE RANGED:

“I’ve got your back!” 

“They won’t get past me.” 

“Nothing like a long-distance relationship!” 

“Got it!”

 OPEN INVENTORY:

“That’ll be twenty-caps. Just kidding!” 

“What do you need?” 

“Here’s what I’ve got!” 

“Sure thing -- just don’t mess up my pack.”

(Romanced) “Oh? Did you get me something nice?”

 IF OVERENCUMBERED:

“See, this is why caravans have carts and brahmin.” 

“Shame Honey isn’t here to carry that for us… / Why don’t you see if Honey’ll carry it for ya?” 

“I mean, I love junk as much as the next gal but... don’t you think you’re overdoing it?” 

“Let me carry some of that for you.” 

“You’re gonna hurt your back like that!” 

“Your pack’s gonna pop…”

 STAY CLOSE:

“I’m with you.” 

“Right beside you.” 

“I’m here.”

 KEEP DISTANCE:

“Gotcha.” 

“You got it.”

"Sure."

STEALTH:

"The sneaky way, huh?" 

"Like shadows." 

"Alright, let's go quietly." 

"They won't know what hit em." 

 BACKUP:

“Oh! Sorry."

"I'll give you some space." 

“Sorry -- don’t mean to be stepping on your toes!”

BE PASSIVE:

“Always worth negotiating!” 

“I definitely prefer talking to violence.” 

“Sounds good to me, boss. I’d prefer not to shoot if I don’t have to.” 

“Turn on the charm!” 

“You’re quite the people person.” 

“You’re a real charmer, ain’t ya?” 

(Romanced) “That’s my hero!”

 BE AGGRESSIVE:

“Just say the word, boss.” 

“I’m ready.” 

“Guess it’s too late to ask them nicely?” 

“Alright. Let’s bring the mayhem.”

“Well, if we can’t talk them down…”

 USE STIMPAK:

“Ow… thanks, boss.” 

“Ugh, needles… remind me not to get shot again.” 

“Phew that’s better.” 

“Thanks -- I’m good.”

“Back to it!”

WAIT HERE:

“Don’t go too far, okay?” 

“Alright. Hurry back before I get too bored though, yeah?” 

“Okay, I’ll be here.”

FOLLOW ME:

“Welcome back, boss!” 

“Alright, let’s get back to it!” 

“Lead on, boss. I’m with you.” 

“Glad to have you back.”

LOVER’S EMBRACE: 

“That was a good roll in the hay…” 

“Jackpot!” 

“Now that’s what I call a rodeo...”

“Morning beautiful/handsome!” 

“Could stay all day in bed with you…” 

“I love you. I want you to know that.” 

 DISMISSED:

“Well, you know where I’ll be.” 

“Alright then. Take care of yourself, boss. You know where to find me.” 

“Okay then. I’ll tell Kammie and Honey you said hi.” 

“Alright -- you be careful, though. You hear me?” 

“Time to head home then -- come and see us soon, yeah?” 

(Romanced) “If that’s what you want, just… come home safe to me, alright? I’ll be waiting for you.”

 ENEMIES (LONG RANGE)

“Today is not your lucky day!”

“You’re gonna regret this!” 

“Shouldn’t pick fights ya can’t finish!”

“Hope you’ve made your peace!”

(Raiders) “You’re not gotta loot us!”

(Raiders) “You’re not hurting anybody else!” 

(Raiders) “Time to answer for your crimes!” 

(Gunners) “Let’s teach these thugs how to shoot!” 

(Gunners) “I ain’t losing to the likes of you!” 

(Gunners) “Hope those caps were worth your life!”

(Insects) “Ugh. These things creep me out!”

(Insects) “Buzz off!” 

(Synths/Robots) “I’m gonna sell you for scrap!”

(Synths/Robots) “Time to shut you down permanently!”

(Super mutants) “Why are they always so big and angry?”

(Super mutants) “We’re not on the menu!” 

(Super mutants) “I’m not going in some meat bag!”

(Behemoth/Mirelurk Queen) “Holy shit!” 

(Behemoth/Mirelurk Queen) “The bigger they are, the harder they’ll fall!”

(Feral ghouls) “These things creep me out.”

(Feral ghouls) “Boss! Ferals!” 

(Deathclaw) “Deathclaw! Run!” 

(Deathclaw) “Deathclaw! Look out!” 

(Yao Guai) “Don’t tell Honey!” 

(Yao Guai) “I’m sorry bear!” 

(Dogs/Radstags/Brahmiluff) “God I hate having to do that.” 

(Dogs/Radstags/Brahmiluff/mole rats) “I’m sorry -- you left me no choice.”

(Critical Kill) “WOO! Nice shot!”

(Critical Kill) “Lucky hit!”

ENEMIES (CLOSE RANGE)

“Bring it!” 

“Let’s dance!” 

“Look out!” 

“They’re on us!”

(Insects) “Ugh -- I hate these things!”

(Insects) “Disgusting!” 

(Insects) “You’re really starting to bug me!”

(Synths/Robots) “Where’s the off switch?”

(Children of Atom) “Hope you said your prayers!”

(Super mutants) “Wow, you’re a big fella.” 

(Super mutants) “What do these guys eat? No -- don’t answer that.”

(Super mutants) “I am not a snack!”

(Feral ghouls) “Get away from me!” 

(Feral ghouls) “Shit!”

(Feral ghouls) “Way too close!”

(Mirelurks) “These guys sure are crabby!”

 WHEN ENTERING:

GOODNEIGHBOR

“Well, this looks like a good place to get mugged.” 

“Ah, Goodneighbor. Crime capital of the Commonwealth -- watch your back here, boss.” 

“Yeah, Goodneighbor has walls but it’s got plenty of cut-throats within them. We’ll need to watch our backs. Also our caps.” 

“Oh, boss. You always take me to the ‘nicest’ places.” 

“Is everyone’s staring at us, or is that just me?”

 DIAMOND CITY

“So, this is the great green jewel of the Commonwealth… I’ll have to get Kammie a souvenir.”

“Hey -- mind if we stop by the market? I wanna see if I can wrangle us some deals.”

“Noodles? Served by a robot? Kammie is not gonna believe this...”

“Do you think these people ever get tired of looking at the walls?” 

“So this is the infamous Dugout… You hear a lot about this place in the caravans. Home of Bobrov’s Best! Fancy getting a bottle?”

 BUNKER HILL

“These guys are miserly, even by trader standards. If you need anything, let me do the haggling, yeah?” 

“Bunker Hill’s a popular stop for caravans. Me and Kammie were planning on stopping here, but I’m not sure they’d let Honey through the gate…”

“I’ve been here before, you know. But it was a long time ago.”

 BOSTON AIRPORT

“Do you really think those wrecks could fly? I can’t even imagine what that’d be like…” 

“If we could still fly like that… think of all of the places we could see.”

(After Reveille has triggered) “Wow… Just look at that airship!”

(After Reveille has triggered) “Looks like the Brotherhood mean business. Maybe we should move on?”

(After Reveille has triggered) “I don’t really wanna tangle with the Brotherhood, boss. They’re bad for business.”

 THE PRYDWEN

“Wow -- just look at that view!”

“This ship is amazing -- and look at all the power armour!”

“Hey, do you think they’ll sell me a suit if I ask nicely?”

 THE CASTLE

“The Castle must have been a sight to see when the Minutemen were in charge. Shame about the current tenants...”

(After Castle is restored) “It’s great to see the Castle back in Minutemen hands!”

(After Castle is restored) “The Minutemen have done a great job fixing the Castle up again!.”

(After Castle is restored) “I bet the sunrise is something to see from those walls...” 

(After Castle is restored) “Me and Kammie were talking about whether we should join the Minutemen or not… do you think they accept bears?”

 QUINCY

(Before clearing Quincy) “I heard about what the Gunners did to Quincy… nothing but a bunch of murderers.�� 

(Before clearing Quincy) “Look at what they did here… The Gunners are no better than raiders.”

(After clearing Quincy) “I really hope Quincy can rebuild and recover someday.” 

 THE GLOWING SEA

“So… which of us will turn ghoul first?” 

“Is there a way to turn the Geiger counter off? It keeps reminding me we’re dying and I don’t like it.” 

“This place… it’s like we’re in a nightmare.” 

“I keep seeing things moving in the fog…” 

“Do you think they really knew what they were doing when they dropped the bombs?”

“We’ll have to drink a few pints of radaway after this…”

 CONCORD

“That vertibird makes an interesting installation...”

 LEXINGTON

“I heard Lexington is overrun with ferals… are you sure we can’t go around?” 

“I feel like there’s something around every corner...”

“Why can’t the ferals just eat the raiders?”

 SALEM

“This place belongs in a horror comic.”

(Devil’s Due) “I don’t like the sound of that...” 

(Return egg to the deathclaw) “I’m proud of you, boss. Those deathclaws deserved better… now, let’s back away nice and slow and leave them to it, yeah?”

 LYNN WOODS

“Those claw marks on the rock… Deathclaw territory. Stay alert.”

“Try not to make too much noise. If a deathclaw comes after us, I don’t know if we can stop it.”

 NAHANT

“Keep an eye out. There’s a floating raider fortress nearby.”

“Caravans have disappeared around here, and the survivor stories...? They’re not good.” 

“I don’t think we’ll find anything other than crabs and scrap around here.”

“I hope there’s no big mirelurks around…” 

“What kind of maniac wants to live out by the sea, anyway? You don’t know what’s out there!”

 CAMBRIDGE

“That police station’s well fortified -- here’s hoping they’re friendly.” 

“Why is this place so quiet…? I don’t like it.” 

“I thought raiders had taken over the place… not that I’m complaining.” 

“Oh. Ghouls. God I wish it was raiders.”

 SANCTUARY

“So this is your old home, huh?” 

“We should set up a supply line between here and Sunshine! We can help each other out.” 

“This is quite a nice place!” 

 SUNSHINE TIDING’S CO-OP 

“Home sweet home!” 

“You think we can stop by for some of Kamal’s lasagne?” 

“I’ll check in on the animals while we’re here.” 

(when greeted by Honey) “Hey there, Honey bear! How’re you today?” 

“I’m gonna go check on Kammie.”

“Home is where you keep your bear!”

 AGGRESSION: not aggressive/aggressive/very aggressive/frenzied

CONFIDENCE: cowardly/cautious/average/brave/foolhardy

ASSISTANCE: helps nobody/helps allies/helps friends and allies

 LOSE AS COMPANION PERMANENTLY:

Too many dislikes

Siding with the Institute 

Choosing Institute option in personal quest 

Destroying the Railroad

Selling Billy to slavers in Kid in a Fridge

Killing Kent Connolly in The Silver Shroud

Siding with Covenant

Destroying Acadia 

Destroying Far Harbor 

Siding with the Nuka-World raiders

Raiding the Commonwealth for Nuka-World 

Bringing X6-88 near (will turn Nora, Honey and Kamal hostile) 

Attacking Honey or Kamal 

Killing Phyllis Daily 

Killing Paladin Danse in Blind Betrayal

Killing Jules in the random synth encounter

 PERSONAL MISSION: Override 

Nora can be found fighting raiders at the church near Sunshine Tidings Co-op with Kamal and Honey. After the player helps them dispatch the raiders, they introduce themselves as traders seeking a safe place to set up their business. If the player has unlocked Sunshine as a settlement, they can send them there. This unlocks Nora as a companion, and Kamal as a trader. Honey operates as a guard-bear. 

After the player unlocks the Institute for the first time, they return to Sunshine to find the settlement under attack by coursers. 

Once the coursers are dispatched, Nora and Kamal have a panicked discussion where Nora worries that the Institute is on to her. Nora and Kamal lead the player to a quiet area of Sunshine and Nora tells Kamal that she trusts the player. 

She then confesses that she’s an escaped synth, and that the coursers were after her. She doesn’t know much about her past other than her time with the caravans, but over the years has been the victim of attempted reclamation by coursers. She and Kamal returned to the Commonwealth to try and learn how to stop it. 

If the player has not taken Nora to the Railroad or discovered them, Nora and Kamal mention that they’ve heard of the Railroad and were hoping they could help them. The player can then offer to find out more. 

If the player has taken Nora to the Railroad before, she will ask the player if they can convince the Railroad to help her. 

If the player goes to the Railroad, Tinker Tom provides a holotape. If the player uses it in the Synth Retention Bureau, it wipes Nora’s record from the system as well as some other escaped synths. 

After the player wipes Nora from the Institute’s records they can assure her that she’s safe and doesn’t have to run anymore. Nora and Kamal are overjoyed that they don’t have to keep running, and they agree that they want to set up a ranch at Sunshine. 

Nora will mention that Honey’s overjoyed too and has taken a liking to the player. The player has then unlocked Nora’s perk, The Bear Necessities, and Honey shall accompany Nora when the player character recruits her. 

Honey can be ordered much the same as Dogmeat, but she has a greater carry capacity, health and damage. She can be told to stay at Sunshine. 

The player can, however, choose to instead inform Ayo of Nora’s location. 

When the player next returns to Sunshine, they’ll find Kamal waiting for them with Honey. He’s injured and frantic, informing the player that coursers took Nora. If the player admits they handed Nora over, both Kamal and Honey will turn hostile.

 If the player feigns innocence, Kamal will insist he knows something’s not right. 

If the player tries to convince Kamal Nora’s gone forever, he’ll swear to keep looking for her no matter what it takes. 

When the player returns to the Institute, Nora can be found but renamed with her synth designation, C9-42. She reacts to the player character with the same deference as other synths, but knows them only as Father’s parent. Although she has the same bland smile as other synths when talking to the player, outside of conversation she will have a sad expression.

[gamerwoo]

Seventeen headcanon: Seventeen as mall workers

a/n: I’ve always lowkey wanted to do some sort of mall series but never actually had a solid plot so we gonna just do this instead. and Pentagon will be mentioned bc I wanna do one for them and I want them all to work in the same mall and no one can stop me 😤

-

Choi Seungcheol

currently works at GameStop

he quit his job at GNC a few months ago because he decided he hates working out

while he hates having to restock things or go into the back for stuff, he at least likes video games

definitely not the dude you want to end up yelling at on the phone

there have been so many times he’s had to give the phone off to Wonwoo or another co-worker because he would definitely lose his job

too high of a temper to work at GameStop tbh

but he knows what he’s talking about, so

has definitely recommended you games even before he worked in there

you’d just happen to be in there when he was and he’d notice you looking between two games and he’d tell you which one was better suited for you after asking what you normally play/what you like

now that he works there, he always puts in his two cents and will give you his discount on top of your own

-

Yoon Jeonghan

the current manager at Starbucks

he used to be the manager at American Eagle but he hated working there because retail sucks

unfortunately, the only other job he could snag was in -- you guessed it -- still retail

but at least he gets yelled at slightly less in Starbucks

and it’s probably only because he makes everyone else do things for him so he doesn’t have to

will take his sweet ass time making a drink

refuses to work the register

would rather stay off toward the back and make the drinks than deal with the people

always says he’s too busy to do things because he’s still training Yanan even though Yanan’s worked there longer than Jeonghan has

he’s also slightly salty at Yanan because he might be the better looking barista

one time he asked you if him or Yanan was cuter and you said him so he gave you your drink for free

refers to you as his “favorite customer”

-

Joshua Hong

works at Guitar Center

between him, Jihoon, and Jinho, he probably knows the least about instruments

pretty much only knows guitar things

but all he does is sit at the counter and play the guitar and sing

you are literally the only person who likes hearing him sing Sunday Morning

Jihoon told him to stop before he smashed the guitar over his head but you were in the store to kill time before your break ended and you said you were enjoying it

so Josh smirked and continued while Jihoon rolled his eyes

“’customer’s always right’ my ass...”

whenever you come in or he sees you walk by he’ll be like “got any requests?”

has offered to give you guitar lessons but you're always busy with work so you say “maybe another time”

but he continues to ask

-

Wen Junhui

works at the pet store downstairs

there hasn’t been a single time you’ve gone in there or walked past there and he wasn’t holding an animal in his arms

loves all the animals

also makes animal noises at the animals but it’s weird because he actually sounds like the animals

notices you come in to play with the animals during your break so now he always tries to get you to bring one home

“it’s not for the business, I just want them to find homes”

once got yelled at for actually getting in one of the puppy pens to play with them

-

Kwon Soonyoung

currently works at Hot Topic

the only reason being that store could not give less of a hell what goes on

he’s been fired from literally every other place at the mall

got fired from Starbucks for drinking too much coffee and shaking so badly all the time that he would spill drinks

fired from Build-A-Bear for exploding a bear with stuffing and making a child cry

fired from Bath & Body Works for dropping candles and spraying perfume in a customer’s mouth on accident

dropped and broke a guitar at Guitar Center

basically his last hope was Hot Topic but if Wooseok can work there and do absolutely nothing, Soonyoung was safe working there

he does attempt to do his job, it’s just that when it comes to basically existing, he’s bad at it

knocks things over, trips on things, is the loudest thing in the store

but he’s friendly and he does his job so who can complain

-

Jeon Wonwoo

the manager at GameStop

the youngest one working there but he’s in charge

usually the one to deal with the shitty customers but Wonwoo is thankfully good at containing his anger

well, at least until he hangs up the phone or the person is gone

goes in the back to yell about it to whoever is back there, even if they’re listening or not

Shinwon and Seungcheol give him a hard time for being the manager and always laugh and go “glad we’re not you!”

but he does love his job because he gets to work with video games

lowkey not very good with the girls who ask him for help though

gets blushy and can’t look them in the eyes

actually he’s really shy with people in general so tbh he’s always somewhat flustered

but he’s always feels happy when he helps someone find a new game or something so he likes his job

he’s usually the one who checks you out at the register and he’s the one who signed you up for a rewards card because you were in there so often

you don’t know this but before the rewards card, he would just give you his discount because you were literally always getting games or stuffed animals or pop figures from there

-

Lee Jihoon

the manager at Guitar Center

again, the youngest at his store, but the one in charge

his assistant manager, Jinho is slightly angry about it

but Jihoon knows everything about everything

any instrument you need fixed or need info on, he’s your guy

he comes off as very serious and not too friendly, but if you make him crack a smile, he suddenly seems super approachable

if he sees you having lunch at the food court when he’s on his break, he joins you sometimes

“you don’t give me a headache”

you assume that’s a compliment

some customers don’t take him seriously because they’re rude and assume he’s “a child”

but of course he schools their asses in his knowledge of instruments, so

sometimes his work is so satisfying lmao

-

Lee Seokmin

works at Bubble Bee

between him and Kino, it’s no wonder they get a lot of business

they’re both so cute and sweet and smiley

there was a short period of time where Soonyoung worked there and tbh those two were a mess

suddenly they only shared one braincell and poor Kino was stuck cleaning up their messes

but Seokmin and Kino work well together

not to mention Seok looks really adorable in the uniforms

always makes really good bubble tea

likes when the straw color matches the color of the drink though

you’ve never spoken to him much but he’s always smiling and cracking jokes and tbh you’re soft for him

-

Kim Mingyu

he was hired at GNC like, a month ago

he used to work at Starbucks but he got fired

because even though he made good coffee, the poor big idiot is clumsy as hell and kept spilling things and dropping things and knocking things over

Hongseok and Matthew knew him sorta so Matthew decided to hire him

he doesn’t really know what he’s doing but it’s fine

Hongseok’s training him while Matthew does most of the work since he’s manager

people started calling them the Big Tiddy Committee which you think is kinda funny

he’s usually in there when you go in to hang out with Hongseok and he’s really sweet

a lil dumb, but sweet

-

Xu Minghao

works at Lush

he originally planned to work at Sephora because he’s good with like, fashion and stuff

but he didn’t feel like dealing with that and Lush seemed less...annoying

he does seem kinda quiet and a little cold at first because he doesn’t really smile a whole lot except when politely greeting someone

but it’s easy to make him laugh

and he has a cute laugh and a really pretty smile

so when you first went in there to get a bath bomb and he asked if you needed help, you were really tempted to just say you were just looking

but you let him help and you got to talking and Minghao was really sweet

sometimes he has lunch with you, too because you just like talking to him

you found out he’s friends with Jun from the pet store and Yanan from Starbucks

it seems like a weird group of friends but hey, you also thought Minghao was a lot colder than he turned out to be

he always texts you when your favorite items are in stock and he may or may not use his discount and set them aside for you to pick up

“cash app me later it’s fine”

-

Boo Seungkwan

works at Sephora

he really wants to do makeovers but he’s not allowed to lmao

mostly just works the register and like lowkey judges everyone’s makeup

he will hype the hell out of you if he thinks you did something well

“your eyeliner is insanely sharp, oh my god”

“your eye shadow is beautiful!”

“that lipstick color looks so good with your skin tone”

has no frickin idea what to do with his discount because he doesn’t wear makeup

you once went in there and asked him for help and he just blinked at you and went “okay, let me find someone who knows what they’re doing”

at least he’s honest

-

Chwe Hansol

works at FYE

makes playlists to play at work in the store

literally just always vibing

the chillest worker in the entire mall tbh

one time he helped his manager, Hui make you a mixtape because you were looking for new music

so then he got interested and started talking to you as well about music

at this point, you’re going to befriend the whole store

looks like he doesn’t do much because he’s usually sitting at the counter and vibing

but he loves helping out customers and picking out music for them or fining things for them

he just loves to help out and talk about music

-

Lee Chan

works at American Eagle

when you see him in those jeans, you get it

he’s like a walking billboard because damn he looks r e a l n i c e

usually working the sales floor so folding and getting things from the back if someone can’t find a size

doesn’t work the register too often

so whenever you go in, he’s usually who greets you at the door with his beautiful smile

honestly he just looks like he should be working at that kind of store y’know? he fits

he doesn’t mind the job even though Jeonghan couldn’t stand it

despite that, he still is human and understand that shit is expensive

and since he recognizes you as a fellow mall worker, he sometimes goes up to the store you work at and let’s you know when they’re having special sales and stuff

[yikesharringrove]

Hi there! Can I get something with #13 and #39 with lots of hurt!Billy?, please friend?

Thank you for your request!

13: “Does it hurt?”

39: Stranded with a broken-down car

Prompts!

This got very long, and very angsty although I tried to throw some sweetness around. I hope you enjoy! I have included a lot of my own headcanons about Billy’s mom and his early life soooo. I was also thinking this takes place after season 2, maybe late April? idk.

There isn’t all that much hurt Billy, more Billy’s hurt leads him to word vomiting at Steve and them bonding 🤷‍♀️ I really hope you like it though!

Steve was fucked.

The engine of the BMW was cold. It wouldn’t even try to turn over when he turned the key in the ignition. No sound came from the under the hood.

Steve was on the edge of Hawkins, he had been at the quarry, wiling away some time while he couldn’t sleep. It was probably close to four in the morning now, so he said fuck it, got out of the car, and started walking home. He would hopefully make it with enough time for a shower and some coffee before walking to school. Maybe his old ten-speed was in the garage still...

Headlights blared at him from around the corner, sweeping over and past him before the car stopped and reversed, pulling up with the passenger door at Steve’s elbow.

“Harrington, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Billy Hargrove, his knight in shining denim was speaking through the window, near shouting over the loud purr of the engine and the screaming of some metal band Steve didn’t bother to know the name of.

“I’m walking.”

“I see that, dumbshit. Why are you walking down the fucking highway at four-thirty in the fucking morning?”

“Car broke down by the quarry. Figured I would walk home.” Steve shuffled his feet, looking down. “I, uh, couldn’t sleep. So. Went for a drive.”

“Get in.” He almost didn’t hear Billy’s command, but Steve knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth. So, he got in.

“Thanks, man.” Billy just nodded slightly, his face mostly hidden by the darkness of the night. He floored the car, speeding along away from Hawkins. “Um, you know my house is-it’s the other way.” Steve took in how tense Billy was, his jaw clamped and his shoulders raised. His grip on the steering wheel was nothing like the lazy one-hand her usually kept.

“You ever just need to escape? Even for a little bit?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I really do.” Steve settled in his seat. He was not opposed to taking a drive with Billy, who seemed to relax a bit. Steve was always good at reading other people. Sometimes he ignored his gut feelings in favor of something he so desperately wanted (the whole Nancy situation was example enough for that), but he could tell when something was wrong. And something was really fuckin wrong with Billy Hargrove tonight.

They drove in silence, flying down the main highway, past the Leaving Hawkins sign.

Steve turned down the music a fraction. “You wanna go get breakfast? I know a good all diner in Indianapolis. They’ll probably be open by the time we get there. My treat.”

Billy just shrugged, but he didn’t turn the music back up, and Steve called that a win.

It was nearly two hours to the city, longer if the person driving you wasn’t a speed demon, so the sun was rising by the time fields began to give way into suburbs, suburbs blooming into urbanism.

Steve sat up, ready to direct Billy to the diner on the corner of Shelby and Norton when he caught sight of Billy in the weak morning sun.

“Jesus fucking Christ. Billy, what happened?” His left eye was puffy, the cheekbone below it swollen and purple, a cut right on the high point. His jaw had long bruises on either side, as though, well it looked as though someone had grabbed him by it.

Steve thinks the worst thing were Billy’s hands.

His knuckles were white, his grip a vice on the steering wheel, but they were free of any bruising, any splits. Steve had been on the receiving end of those fights. He knew Billy fought back, and well, so if he didn’t.

Maybe he couldn’t.

The thought sent a chill down Steve’s spine.

“Can it Harrington. I’m fucking fine.”

“You’re obviously not ‘fucking fine’, Billy. What happened? Who did this?”

“Look, Princess. I’m not one of your fucking kids, so just shut your fucking mouth and leave it the fuck alone or I will make you get out of my fucking car and WALK back to shithole Hawkins. Give me directions, or get out.”

Steve sighed and led Billy along, only speaking when absolutely necessary.

They pulled up in front of Joe’s Shelby Street Diner just as a kind looking waitress with a round face and a gray ponytail was flipping the sign from closed to open.

“Welcome in boys. Take a seat anywhere you like and I’ll be by with some menus.” She blinked at Billy’s face. “And some coffee.” Steve just nodded at her and led Billy to a corner both against the windows.

“My parents used to take me here.” Steve was staring down at his hands on the table, not knowing where to look. “When I was little my dad opened a branch in the city and got an apartment out here. He would only come home on weekends so every Tuesday my mom would pick me up from school, and we’d drive out here together, and meet my dad for dinner.” He doesn’t know why he’s telling billy all of this.

“My mom worked at a joint like this. I would come and hang out after school. She would sneak me rootbeer floats and help me with my homework on her breaks.” He was smiling bitterly. Steve had never heard Billy say anything about his mother before.

“What was she like?”

Billy took a breath, his own hands nervously tugging on the sleeves of his jacket. The denim one. Steve liked it.

“She had me real young, dropped outta high school when she got pregnant at fifteen kinda young. My dad was in Vietnam when I was born. Married her when he came back. I was six. She was a total hippie, she got kicked outta her house when she got knocked up, and lived on a commune with a buncha people until my dad came back. I think she only married him so she could have a place to sleep that wasn’t a tent in a field. I don’t remember a lotta that. didn’t eat any meat until I was, like eight years old. And she fuckin’ named me after William Pester, this like hippie leader who was real famous or something. ”

Billy took a break from his story when the kind waitress returned to get their orders, both boys loading up on breakfast. Steve tried not to speak so loud, afraid of breaking this spell he had created in this booth with Billy.

“Once my dad was back in the picture, it was pretty different. He’s an asshole. Made her change everything about herself. She was always real Catholic, but kind of a free spirit. Only listened to the parts of The Bible that were nice and said to love everyone, but my dad said pickin’ and choosin’ from The Bible was just pussyfooting around religion. She didn’t like that.

“He was a piece of shit from the jump. Married her because ‘a good man supports his family’ or some garbage. Good man my ass. He would yell at her about how she was raisin’ me. Said he left to defend our country, and here she was making sure his only son grew up to be a fuckin’, well. He has a few choice words about me.”

Their food was set down before them, Steve absolutely enraptured by everything Billy was saying. They ate in silence for a minute.

“Do you mind if, I mean, did she pass away?” Steve wanted Billy to keep talking. He liked learning more about him. Every word he said only softened the edges, made him so much more human.

“Nah. She left. Packed her shit one night and was just, gone. She called me a few weeks later and I fuckin’ BEGGED her to take me with her, but she wouldn't come back. I think she went back to her commune or something. I haven’t seen her since I was ten.”

“So, you’ve been with your dad ever since?”

“Yeah. He’s not jazzed about it. Always likes to remind me that I’m a bastard. He’s the one that fucked a fifteen-year-old. He was like, twenty when he did that.”Billy rolled his eyes, shoving a piece of toast into his mouth.

“Did he, do,, that?” Steve asked the question slowly, carefully. Billy snapped his eyes up to meet him.

“So what if he did?”

“I mean-I just, does it hurt?” Billy just stared.

“Are you stupid?” Steve recoiled. “Of course it fucking hurts. He got me real good this time. He’s been especially bitter since we moved here.”

“I’m sorry. That was a stupid, stupid question.” Steve pushed around the scrambled egg on his plate. “Why did you guys move here?”

“You want Neil’s fake answer, or do you want the real one?” Billy leaned in conspiratorily. Steve mirrored him without even meaning to. “Can you keep a secret, Pretty Boy?”

Images of tunnels, of monsters, of staring death in the face and charging it with a spiked bat, dreams of hard, muscular masculine bodies flashed through his mind.

“Yeah. I’m good at secrets.”

“So Neil likes to say it’s to get a fresh start. Move somewhere where nobody knows us. We can have a clean slate as a family.” He spat the last few words out. “But the real story is, he wanted to get my gay ass outta liberal, free lovin’ California, to a shitty hick town where I would be the victim of a fuckin’ hate crime if I let my impulses run wild. He caught me with a guy. We weren’t even doing anything good, just makin’ out. Dad went apeshit though. Threw me down some stairs.” He rolled his eyes and casually kept eating like he hadn’t just dropped this enormous fucking bomb on Steve. 

“I’m so sorry, Bill.”

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t hit me. It wasn’t the first time, sure as shit wasn’t the last.”

“Is that why your mom left?”

“Yeah, she was gettin’ it pretty bad there. I mean, so was I, so I don’t get why she left me there with him. Sometimes I really hate her for it.”

“I’m sor-” Steve cut himself off when Billy gave him a sharp look. “You don’t deserve that, is all.”

“I don’t get you, Harrington. You sit there, after I dumped all this shit on you, gave you some incriminating facts about me, and you just tell me I don’t deserve to get hit by my old man. I beat the shit outta you, remember?”

“Yeah, but honestly, I was being super shady that night. I shouldn’t have lied to you about Max.” Steve shrugged. 

“That wasn’t all you, Harrington. I had gotten into it with my dad about her, how she’s my responsibility and all that, and then Mrs. fuckin’ Wheeler was all over me when I went there-I mean, don’t get me wrong. I definitely flirted a little to get some information from her, but all I really did was like, stand there. I think I ate a cookie. Usually, older women just get a little flustered, but she was, like, into it. So, I was runnin’ pretty hot by the time I met you.”

“Oh my GOD, Karen used to flirt with me all the time! I would just sit and awkwardly smile and be like, yes hello, I am here to see your teenage daughter, since I am her teenage boyfriend.” Billy laughed at that, a real boisterous laugh Steve had never heard from him before. Steve decided he liked it. 

“That’s fucking disgusting. Just because she’s unhappy with her life, doesn’t mean she gets to throw her cat at teenage boys.” Steve choked on his pop, trying not to spew it all over the table. 

“Please never say that again,”  he coughed out as Billy threw his head back and laughed. He slowly regained himself. “And, you know, I mean what I said. I’m good at secrets. I won’t, I’m not gonna tell anybody.” Billy smiled at him. 

“Yeah? King Steve got some secrets? Any you’d like to share with the class? You know, so we’re on even turf here.” Billy winked. Steve’s face went hot. 

“Well, I mean, you and I may have some things in, uh, in common.” 

“What, like shitty dads?”

“No. Well, I mean yes, but other things.”

“Mommy issues?”

“Oh, definitely, but like, OTHER stuff, too.” He willed Billy to understand. He didn’t know if he’d be able to say it out loud. 

Luckily Billy got it. A look of pure shock spread over his face, followed by a huge grin.

“No fuckin’ way. No fuckin’ way you’re gay too, Harrington.”

“Well, I mean. I don’t know.”

Billy’s face fell.

“You don’t know?”

“I mean, like, I like girls. A lot. Like I love girls and everything about them, but there’s also, there’s also guys. And I-there’s definite interest, is what I’m saying.”

Billy smiled again, a softer one this time. 

“That’s okay. Y’know some people are into both. Bisexual, is the word. David Bowie is bisexual. For some people, it’s more about the personality of the person, less the, bits I guess.”

“There’s-I mean-Bowie? Sorry, I just mean, like, there are people like that?”

“Yeah, the whole thing doesn’t have to be black and white if that’s not what you feel.”

“Fuck. That was-thanks man.” Steve mulled the word around in his head. Bisexual. It made sense. It felt, good. “Bisexual.” Billy smiled at him again. He returned it.

Billy checked his watch, yawning like a huge cat. 

“Fuck, Pretty Boy. We should probably head back. If we go fast we could probably only be a little bit late for class. 

“I mean, or we could say fuck it.” 

Billy’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah? What do you suggest we do?”

“I don’t even care man, but it’s been way too long since I’ve been in the city, and I feel like we could both use a break from fucking Hawkins. Plus, I don’t know. I like hanging out with you.”

Steve ducked his head, studying the patch of table by Billy’s left elbow, face hot and undoubtedly red. 

“I could go for a nice day of playing hooky with you.” Steve beamed at Billy, throwing some bills down on the table. 

“Then lets fucking go then.” He bounded back to the Camaro, Billy’s sweet laugh ringing through the diner.

Oh yeah, Steve could definitely get used to this.

[thekidultlife]

To Aru x SVT: Jihoon | Short Story #1

Author’s Notes: Hi this is Hyeri!! I’m trying something new with this series where there would be minimal romance and more on action, friendship and general world building! I wanna try practicing writing action packed scenes because I don’t think I’ve really ever focused on it before. Anyway, this story is of three parts, and based on the anime/light novel A Certain Magical Index and its spin-offs! I hope you like this one? I tried ;;w;;

Pairing: Jihoon x fem!reader (if u squint)

Genre: Sci-fi, Action, Romance (if u squint)

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: N/A

JIHOON’S PROFILE

A_Certain_Ordinary_Day

 Seventh Mist Mall , School District 7, Academy City

11:32 AM

 “This is Judgement! Surrender now before—“

—!!

On a rather monotonous and boring day in Academy City, a large explosion shook an entire mall. 

“This is Y/N from the 166th Branch Division.Yanagi can you hear me?!”

Billows of smoke filled the entire seventh floor of the building, as shards of glass were scattered everywhere. Seventh Mist which was supposedly a popular meeting place for students with schools inside the district was in disarray, yet it was difficult to ascertain the status of those inside the mall as dust and debris covered everything like a thick blanket. 

“Goddamn it, they’re not responding. We need ground crew in there immediately!” 

Your heart was racing, but this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. As the chief officer of the 166th Branch Office of Judgement, which is a city-wide, student-run disciplinary committee, you were in charge of directing and planning what actions to take during emergencies like this, which isn’t really a rare circumstance, considering the fact that Academy City offers powerful abilities to hormonal teenagers. 

“I’ll send in a message, Chief,” a colleague of yours, a middle school student with telepathic abilities, offered through your earpiece.

“Alright. Tell them we need to evacuate those inside the mall,” you replied back, closing your laptop as you ran outside your apartment with plans to go near the area as much as possible. 

“To all Judgement members around the vicinity of Seventh Mist, please confirm your safety to your branch office immediately. If you are fit to perform emergency measures, please do so with caution. I repeat, to all Judgement members—“

You could also hear the message inside your head as you took off on your bicycle, tires screeching as you arrived at the 167th Branch Office, just a few meters away from the mall. You could smell the scent of burning and pulverized concrete as you waded through the streets, the surge of adrenaline keeping you alert.

“Chief of the 166th Branch Office, Y/N reporting!” you shouted as you entered their office. 

You could feel the tension in the air as three people busied themselves to and fro inside the room. Papers were scattered and phone calls were being made while some were in their laptops providing tactical support to the ground team.

“Oh god, thanks for running all the way here Y/N!” Their chief, a high school student stood up from his seat in a panic. 

“No problem,” you replied coolly, keeping your excitement at bay. “So, what’s the situation? Have you called Anti-Skill already?”

“We have. They’re helping as of the moment,” he replied as he sat back down on the chair in front of the computer. “So far the evacuation process is under control. A lot of injured but no one dead, fortunately.”

As you peered behind him, you could see numerous windows on the numerous screens before you. Some showed footage of surviving cameras, some contained information of all known people who entered the mall using facial recognition software and electronic data of those who had transactions in the mall at the time the explosion happened. 

“So, the explosion happened at half past eleven this morning,” he began explaining as he moved the cursor around the screen, looking for something. “We suspect that these three students are responsible for the explosion—Erizawa Rena, Nakamura Aoi and Ito Shizuka—all students from Kirigaoka.” 

As he brought a video footage on the forefront of the screen, you narrowed your eyes and watched closely. 

“There was a big fashion event being held on the seventh floor and they thought it’ll be a nice place to set off an explosion,” the chief narrated as it happened on the footage. “They themselves created it. One of them wrapped the whole floor with copious amounts of propane and the other girl seemed to have pyrokinetic abilities and ignited the place. A Judgement member spotted them but they were too late.”

You raised your brows at how fast Judgement processed the data. “What about the third girl though?”

“We have suspicions that she might be in charge of defending their group from the explosion,” he replied with a shrug. “Not that surprising considering they came from Kirigaoka.”

Kirigaoka Girls’ Academy. It was a prestigious school at the ranks of Nagatenjouki Academy and Tokiwadai Middle School, yet it was different than all of them because they only take students with rare and unusual abilities. What could’ve caused these three girls to bomb an entire mall?

“Chief! We found them!” 

Your thoughts were interrupted as someone in charge of tracking the culprits yelled from behind you. Immediately rushing to her side, you took a peak on the laptop screen and saw live footage from a street cam just a few blocks away from the mall. 

“Good work, Rika!” the chief of the 167th Branch smiled and then gave you a pat on the shoulder. “It’s your time to shine now, Y/N. Judgement is ready to mobilize.”

With a bright grin that was almost bordering maniacal, you sprinted to the four-monitored computer and then opened your own laptop. Cracking your fingers as the software booted up, you read all the details you needed to know about the location, the targets and the Judgement members at your disposal. 

“Alright, here we go,” you muttered on an earpiece which was connected with a cable to your laptop. 

“On your mark, Y/N!” 

A voice crackled on the ear piece, the rush of adrenaline rising in your veins once again. Time to catch some bad girls.

“Teams A and B flank to the left; at 13th to 16th street. Team C and D, got to the other side. We’re going to surround them,” you ordered as your laptop began whirring. “I hope everyone has fireproof gear.”

You watched as points on the map on one of the monitors began to move into a pincher attack, all proceeding smoothly and swiftly. You then closed your eyes. 

12.56% chance of attacking Judgement head on. 32.06% chance of escaping underground. 65.77% chance of creating another explosion to scatter our forces and escape.

Your ability on simple terms was called Precognition. It allows you to see fifteen minutes into the future, but it was far from the likes of spiritual practices like divination and horoscope. You would calculate probabilities of how the future would unfold and categorize them into percentages, much like the chances of drawing a yellow marble in a mix of seven different colors. After calculating those probabilities, you choose one which has the highest chance of happening and then exercise appropriate action. It was much more complicated than that of course, which is why you would often borrow the computing power of your laptop so your brain wouldn’t overload. 

“Electromasters, I want you to disperse the gas molecules as much as you can,” you said through the earpiece. “They’re gonna burn up the place so anyone who can control air particles and so on would be a great help.”

—!!

A powerful shock sent static to your earpiece. You inhaled sharply. 

They’re already starting? This is definitely a diversion. I was right.

“You guys okay?” you asked, worry in your voice as your brain processed their next steps. 

“We’re fine, Y/N. Good thing you warned us about the explosion,” the team head answered. “But at this rate, we couldn’t get close to them at all.”

You clicked your tongue. They were right. 

The fires keep anyone out of close contact with them. You’d guessed they wouldn’t have any combative ability, just a lot of cleverness.

“Alright. For now, continue chasing after them and stop them from creating more explosions,” you instructed them and then turned to the chief of the 167th branch. “I need you to get someone.”

*

It was almost lunchtime. 

Lee Jihoon stepped out of Nagatenjouki Academy with an aloof disposition. Today was another boring day in class and he just wished he could stay in his apartment and write songs all day. Maybe he should get a proxy too, like that other Level 5.

With his headset on, he blocked the incoming noise from the outside world with loud music. He hated it when he could hear things he shouldn’t be hearing; like his apartment neighbors at night. But then again, it was useful. He just needed to control it.

His life since being sent by his aspiring parents to Academy City aftet he just graduated from kindergarten was rather eventful. Maybe it came with the title of Level 5, maybe it was something about his overall luck, but there were just a lot of things going around in this city which many people wouldn’t really notice; things just hiding in plain sight. 

~!!

Jihoon’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing—rather, it was the tingly feeling of sound waves moving against his skin as it vibrated into frequencies he can detect despite the noise cancelling headset. Removing the headset on his ears, Jihoon answered with an irate tone. 

“What is it?”

“It’s Judgement. Y/N is calling for you.”

*

“He says he’s coming.”

You could hear the chief of the 167th Branch call out to you as you continued to maneuver Judgement’s forces to stall the three girls. It has been a few minutes. 

“Make sure he’s coming in quick because most of my calculations are reading huge possibilities of escape, and they’re already tired with all this running around,” you replied back before checking the camera feed of where Lee Jihoon was. 

It should be noted that you didn’t meet him in any kind of Judgement operation or some kind of battlefield. Lee Jihoon was a classmate of yours in Nagatenjouki, and you were the kind and responsible Class President who would go out of your way to deliver class notes to him if he often inclines himself to skip class during afternoon periods, which was a lot of accumulated debt for Lee Jihoon. 

“Alright guys. Just a few more minutes. I sent for some help and—“

“Hi, Class Pres. Heard you need me?”

The person you were talking to didn’t even have the chance to reply or for you to even finish your instructions at all before a familiar voice spoke through the earpiece; probably snatched from the previous owner.

“Hi, Jihoon. That was fast,” you replied back. 

“If you have a bicycle, an esper ability and loads of boredom, nothing is impossible,” Jihoon replied with a truly jaded tone. “So, what do I do?”

*

Jihoon stepped in the middle of a wide road. 

People were already evacuated as per your instructions, and any kind of traffic was diverted away from the area. It was too dangerous.

The plan was already in execution but his role will be coming in much later. So with an eager look, Jihoon just stood there with hands in his pockets, waiting. He could hear the rumbling noise in front of him even though he couldn’t see it. It was probably a few kilometers away. 

“Judgement will be chasing the targets to your position and until they come, stay put and don’t do anything funny.”

He remembers you reminding him sternly of his job and he might’ve replied unenthusiastically to you, but truly, he was brimming with excitement. As the rumbling of explosions and the whistling of wind coming from the firestorms grew louder, the wider his smile becomes. 

“Once the targets come within fifteen meters of Lee Jihoon, get away as quickly and as much as possible.”

Jihoon hears you warn the Judgement units through their earpieces. Even at more than twenty meters, he could still hear you. That was probably a sign of his abilities growing, or maybe your voice was just distinctive that he could easily pick it up. Whatever. That was a question for another time. 

He could now see the three targets you were talking about—just three girls in their school uniform looking weary and exhausted. Just because you have powers doesn’t mean you could run around forever. It’s just a matter of using them effectively. 

Jihoon grinned and prepared himself. 

“Let’s turn this shit up.”

—!!!

A low and heavy vibration immediately fell around the area like waves of force that washed around every object in the vicinity. It was so strong that it seemed like the whole area was shaking continuously.

The targets were instantly on their knees, clutching their chests. 

“What…what is this….?” 

Low frequency noise—one could say that bass sounds, if loud enough can easily emit this kind of noise and cause nausea, heart palpitations and weakness to anyone susceptible to it. Yet with Jihoon’s sound wave manipulation, he can easily increase the intensity of this noise enough to incapacitate anyone within fifteen meters of him. 

“That wasn’t too hard, was it?” 

Jihoon spoke as he walked towards the targets and looked down on them with a smile, as they gazed at him in horror. 

“Who—“

He smirked. 

“Time to go to jail, girls.”

*

“I didn’t know you were friends with Shockwave!” 

The chief of the 167th Branch exclaimed after confirming that Anti-Skill members had brought the three girls into custody. Though you were still curious why they did it.

“He’s a classmate. Nagatenjouki isn’t really short of Level 5s, you know,” you replied as you removed your earpiece with a sigh; your braincells tired of all that fuss. 

“That means you’ve seen the Number One Level 5 esper? I heard he goes to school there.”

“Nope. He has a proxy, which is totally unfair,” you replied with another sigh. “I wish I had a proxy to do my equations for me.”

“Same here, but like hell, seeing Level 5s in combat is just so cool! It's like you're watching a movie. He easily brought them to their knees in one move.”

“That’s true. They’re like superheroes—“

“Y/N, you there?”

Jihoon’s voice echoed from the doorway of the office and you instantly stood up and greeted him.

“Oh, I’m here! Good job out there, Jihoon!” you replied with a big smile. 

He only shrugged at your comment. “I do need some exercise from time to time. Sitting in a classroom isn’t really going to make my abilities improve.”

You laughed. “You’re right. Oh, by the way, how would you like to be compensated? I know last time you declined but this one was pretty tricky.”

“No, it’s fine,” Jihoon held up his hands. “You don’t have to and you do bring me notes from time to time, so there’s that and—“

His stomach growled. 

You glanced at him with a grin. “Well, at least your stomach is being honest.”

-Hyeri

TO ARU x SVT series

[the-goddessfighter]

[Werewolf-Vampire AU -SEQUEL VII: The Last War- ]

 by : Little1993lamb

for: Temperans-sama / @the-goddessfighter

Words count : 6378

Warning : long sequel is looong, super lame action scenes (i'm so sorry if it sucks!), slight satisfying gore scene in the end (you will know what is it! i promise it will satisfy you mmmh, especially if you hate the resident douchebag lol)

 Disclaimer: Gaman, the Batarou love child, is Original Character created by amazing @the-goddessfighter. Not mine, I just borrowed him temporarily for this story at her permission ;D

  @kaincuro @metalbatandzenko @dies-first @beautifulnightmareus @guppys-paw @ruby-ess

- VII -

Back to several minutes before, on the Fortress frontyard, Bang and Bomb along with their packs alliances successful on defeating the royal guards who were in charge on guarding the outside Fortress easily. Now they just waiting for Garou and the other rescue team to take Badd and Zenko back to home. But Bomb sensed there's something wrong with this situation, he'd heard with his werewolf's supersensitive ears that there's a horde of people coming towards them. And from the smell of it those scents were similar to pureblood vampire scent are, and it gets stronger as those people approaching them at a steady pace.

Bomb asked everyone to stay alert because these can be more dangerous than their previous opponents. Bang followed his brother's instruction and set his fighting stance right away with Bomb. A few seconds later, they saw an army of pureblood vampires marching towards them from the forest direction. Bang thought it seems that whoever instructed those army to come here, they have an intention to destroy the place or the people inside it. This cannot be good, Garou and the others still in the Fortress and they still haven't know what's happened on Badd's trial right now. Only one way to sort this out: fight those vampires back to prevent them entering the Fortress until everybody inside are already saved.

Finally the army of pureblood vampires stopped their march in the front Fortress gate. From the close distance, their appearance seemed like either trained assassins or mysterious stalkers, with all full body suit and black mantle plus half mask covering the upper part of their face, to prevent sunlight from touching their sensitive skin. On the mantle there's an insignia of highest rank of pureblood vampire family clan, to be exactly Amai Mask's own family.

That moment, Bang immediately understand what's actually happened here. Amai's family planned to wiped out every people in this Fortress along with the evidences so they could overthrow the royal family's Vampire Order. What a horrible clan, Bang thought. He knew from his life experiences that some of the vampire clan are nasty, but never once he encountered a clan nastier than this before. It disgusted him.

Anyways, he wont let those nasty people get their dirty hands on his family. Don't let the tragedy of Badd's own family repeated again now, his beloved son-in-law already suffered the loss and traumatic painful memories too much. He'll doing his best to prevent that from happening once more. With understanding nods to each other, Bang and Bomb ready to lead the packs alliances into the battle against the pureblood vampire army at the front line.

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

At the same time inside the Fortress, the rescue-fighter team trying to evacuate the royal family and all of the civillians to another solitude building in the back of Fortress which is looked more secure. The said building is the Imperial Palace, owned by the royal family as the authority of Vampire Council. Hopefully it could accommodate the refugees and hold back the treacherous clan army's invasion until the battle ended. Garou, Badd, and Gaman defended the civillians from the front side while the rest of rescue and evacuation team on the back side. Because there's also a group of pureblood vampires who sided with Amai's family clan and the remain of Amai's lackeys, they must protect the people from those enemies during moving from court house building to the Imperial Palace.

Currently, they still in the court room to open their way from the remaining enemies in there, so they can open their way to move forward towards the Fortress corridors. As expected, Amai's lackey attacked them from inside the room and from outside the room or from the corridors. In the front line, Garou and Gaman fighting side by side while Badd covering their back. It was amazing to see how those three in action as teamwork.

Garou was like the spear for them, excels in brute strength and flexibility, combinated with graceful movements using complicated techniques that has been perfected by him. Also, as a werewolf he has more powerful regenerative ability than any vampire ever have, so it doesn't really worrisome if he got wounded from enemies' offensive attack, because he wanted to protect Gaman who's still a child and Badd who's his vampire Mate. The protectiveness from being an Alpha Werewolf with a Mate strenghtened his skills and sharpen his natural instinct to keep his family safe no matter what happen.

And to do that thing, he doesn't mind to kill his enemies with his bare hands if it's absolutely necessary. Of course he still taught Gaman to not kill the opponent, same to Badd who's softhearted. Because of that, he wanted to spare them from the guilt of killing a person. Just him alone to shoulder the sin is enough for Garou, no need to made them a "killer".

Badd was like the shield for them, excels in defense or guarding especially to protect his beloved people, yet he also capable to deliver deathly blow if he wants with his metal bat. He's guarding the back of his Mate and his child from behind. Maybe Badd lacked the gracefulness and doesn't really have any technical martial arts, but he's very strong as powerhouse and he got excellent speed to deliver his attack during combat. Also, he could fights both on the ground and in the air because his ability to fly gives him a lot of advantages, especially to fight against his own kind like in this situation. Plus the activated "Fighting Spirit" made him very durable in combat with incredible amount of stamina during a battle.

Gaman's fighting style is more like his dad, with additional advantages which inherited from his father. As a WereVampire hybrid, he could combinated the gracefulness of Garou's martial arts and the hunting instict like what both his parents taught to him. After Gaman was transformed into his Awakening WereVampire form, he unlocked all of his hidden potential abilities such as flying with his vampiric wings, excellent eyesight of werewolf, heightened vampire and werewolf senses, got clawing hands and strong legs like a werewolf, also the most important is his leveled up "Fighting Spirit" which he inherited it from Badd with some upgraded element like glowing aura when it's activated.

So much like some choreographic battle dance, those three fighting along together against their opponents also protecting each other and the civillians at the same time. Garou opening the way by delivering offensive attacks towards enemies who blocking them, he prefer to aims for the vital points to make his enemies lose the ability to fight back very quickly, that way the evacuation process could be done much faster. Badd defends them at behind and at their side, also because he has incredible reflexes combinated with his sharpened vampire senses, he'd know if there's any opponents who's approaching them in the air using their wings or sneak around them. Badd would bashing his opponents into submission before they could even touch his family, the rescue team, or the civillians. Gaman fills the gap by attacking enemies who wanted to attack Garou's and Badd's blind spot, because Gaman is still small so he takes advantages on his agility and the ease of mobility he has during fighting.

They did all of that until there's no remaining enemies capable to fighting anymore from the inside Fortress. Finally all of them had reached the outside building and moving towards the Gate of Imperial Palace. Suddenly they heard loud battle cry from the frontyard area and realized that werewolf packs alliances were in the middle of battling the traitor pureblood vampire clan army. Some of them looked heavily injured but still continue to fight. Garou becomes worried for Bang and wanna joined him fighting at the frontyard with all the fighter team. Badd also want to follow Garou but Garou asked him to keep Gaman save on the back, guarding the Gate of Imperial Palace from enemies who intended to breach the evacuation area.

It's still too dangerous for Gaman to join fighting the most skillful assassin vampires like those army, moreover Gaman had just only transformed for the first time so Garou couldn't risk their son's life in the front lines. About Badd, Garou believed he absolutely capable to fight along with him. But he had to entrusted Gaman in Badd's hand, keeping their beloved son safe and sound. Also he didn't want to lose Badd again, worst if it's permanently. Both Badd and Gaman are very precious to Garou so he must protect them from any danger, included this kind of battle.

Garou said to Badd that he doesn't have to worry about him getting injured, he could heal very quickly and he's nearly invulnerable in his Alpha Werewolf form. Even if he's heavily injured, he still have great endurance to hold it until the battle ended. Only if Badd giving a good luck kiss again. Badd know Garou just teased him, but he's begrudgingly agreed with Garou's decision about coming to the front line alone without them.

With a wide smile, Garou hugged both his Mate and their son before departing to the battlefield. Once he released the hug, he kissed Badd deeply, taking it as his good luck charm from his lovely Mate, and as promise to come back for him again. With heavyness in his heart, Badd letting go of Garou and went separated way: Badd and Gaman rushed to the Gate of Imperial Palace, while Garou running towards the frontyard battlefield.

 -------------------------------

With the guarding from the rescue and evacuation team from werewolf alliances, the royal family and also all of civillians from the Fortress successfully moved into the Imperial Palace hall. For the injured vampire civillians or the werewolf alliances member were treated by the medic team who consists from a teamwork between vampire and werewolf medical staffs, including Zenko and Tareo. Zenko treated the internal injuries, while Tareo treated the external injuries. Both of them were very busy treating and healing the injured people, or assisting the others medical staffs. As teamwork, they're never differentiate the race of their patients, whoever needed health care will be treated equally.

On the outside of Palace, the werewolf alliances guarding at the gate so no enemies could entered it. Only medical team and injured people who need medical treatment allowed to enter. And that's where Badd and Gaman keep an eye for any intruders who's coming from the battlefront.

Since so many fighter team from werewolf alliances has fallen after demolishing a partial of the vampire army and couldn't keep watching the enemies anymore, either too exhausted or heavily injured, it opened the chance of the assassin vampires to infiltrating Fortress. Thus, the evacuation area become at risk as the next target of those army. Badd told Gaman to stay alert whenever there's enemy coming at any time right now.

They must be more careful because this time the enemy were not someone lackeys or unexperienced fighter anymore, those are professional killer thus the next level of dangerous. So they should protected themself, each other, the comrades, and the civillians in the Palace. But whatever happened later, Badd will always protected Gaman, as what Garou asked to him before. Understand fully about what his father saying, Gaman nodded to him as agreement. Both of them activated their "Fighting Spirit" to prepare the upcoming battle.

As the co-leader of the werewolf packs, Badd stood in the front of his team as the vanguard, while Gaman is right behind him. Like what they predicted before, there's a group of vampire assassins coming from the Fortress which already breached by them, not so many like on battlefront but still dangerous enough. Badd and the team were ready in their fighting stance, then they're moving forward to start attacking. The assassin vampires was indeed stronger than their previous opponents, made it difficult to won this battle easily. Even so, they also wont give up easily, too.

If Garou-Gaman-Badd combination fighting style was side-by-side or go around in circle outward-facing, then Badd-Gaman combination fighting style was back-to-back. Badd shielding Gaman from any offensive attacks while moving forward delivering his deathly blows towards enemies using his signature weapon metal bat, channeling his "Fighting Spirit" upon it for every smash of the metal bat. He will absorb all the damages that the opponents gave to him as long as they wont touch Gaman, then he bashed and smashed them out of his way, knocking them unconscious.

While Gaman keeping his father's back or his blind spot safe with his super-agile defensive attacks using his graceful martial arts taught by his dad, combined with his new unlocked werewolf power and vampire senses. Sometimes he'll flight towards the enemies to disarmed them, especially if they tried to sneakily delivering attack behind Badd's back or when he was busy smashing the enemies around. Gaman prefer to used his werewolf-like legs to plain kick, drop-kick, or choked his opponent's neck by swinging his legs and spinning them around when he's flying, because it's more easier to do in the air than delivering punches. Punches usually followed by some clawing to make the damages worse.

Many assassin vampire enemies were shocked about the new revelation of hybrid child's secret power. All they know about him from Amai was there's a werevamp hybrid child who looked like normal vampire kid and were taught martial arts by both his parents, but they never heard or known that this hybrid child already evolved into his awakening form. Especially when said child turned out to be more stronger than they've expected before. They also underestimate Badd's skills at being Fighter Vampire with inherited ability, come from the vampire clan who they've let it perished years ago.

It seems this time Badd wanted to repay what those pureblood vampire clan had done to his late family and his own current family, so delivered his ultimate attack to end this battle at once very quickly by wildly spins with his metal bat strong enough to create a small tornado, wiped out and destroying any opponents on his path. The result, he'd totally demolishing nearly half of army troop that come to evacuation area by himself with the help from Gaman. Such a tremendous power he had on that battle.

It finally ended after half an hour of fighting, with the result most of assassin vampire were killed or in unconscious state after suffering heavy injuries and already restained, many captured alive so they could be interrogated by the royal family's law enforcer. While nobody on the werewolf alliances side had died, many of them really need emergency medical treatment in the Palace so unfortunately the remaining guards keeping on the gate reduced by half.

Resting for a while after battling, Badd felt a bit tired from using too much "Fighting Spirit" today, unless he gulped some of Garou's blood again as his energy fuel. Gaman leaned on Badd, who's already back on his normal form, said he felt sleepy after fighting too much. Moreover, this was his first time using leveled up "Fighting Spirit" with his final transformation form, so it'd drained his energy rapidly.

Badd asked if he wanted to sleep in the evacuation area with Auntie Zenko's and Uncle Tareo's supervised him, Gaman answered no, he still wanted to be with Badd, accompanying him guarding the gate. Ruffling Gaman's hair fondly, Badd offering him his lap so he could sleep more comfortable. Gaman plopped on his father's lap with his head leaned on his father's chest, eyes already closed. Badd hugged Gaman from behind, keeping him warm, safe and secure in his embrace like a protective mother hen.

Back to his duty on keeping the gate with remaining rescue team, he listened the battle noises coming from the frontyard. It seems the war still hasn't ended yet. He's wondering what Garou does right now, so many thoughts invaded his mind: Is he still fighting with Bang? Is he hurt? Why is the battle still not done yet? Are the enemies in the frontyard are much harder to defeat than the ones he just defeated? He really wanted to meet Garou again...

Hopefully he's alright and will come back in one piece, because if it's not, Badd will personally bash Garou's stupid head with his goddamn bat and kick his sorry ass. He didn't want to worry his head off for Garou just to have him fatally injured, or worst, dying. But he trusted Garou's promise and will waiting for him on here with their son. Wishing everything's gonna be alright soon.

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

Meanwhile on the battlefront, Garou, Bang, and Bomb still fighting back the assassin vampires with all their might. The condition was so much worse in there than what Badd had experienced in front of the Imperial Palace's gate.

It seems most of the more skilled assassin vampire was placed in the frontline to fight werewolf alliances because the werewolfs are stronger, while the less experienced ones was instructed to infiltrate the Fortress and Imperial Palace because the royal family or the civillians are deemed weaker by them. Because of they're underestimating the unexpected situation, such as not knowing Badd the Fighter Vampire's and Gaman the Hybrid Child's participation on guarding the place, thus more easier to defeat by rescue team.

In this battle zone, it's more difficult because the experienced assassins were concentrated in the front line. There's already many werewolfs warrior in fighter team were killed, some of them were Garou's close friends and colleagues. But it doesn't mean the werewolf side was losing.

Despite of the situation, they're also be able to push back the army's advance until it just 1/3 of them who still remained capable of fighting, 2/3 of them either being killed or surrendered after suffering fatal damages on their bodies. It showed that the teamwork for werewolf alliances with Garou's leadership in this battle were quite successful, with the guidance from Bang and Bomb. The combination power from those three were devastating, considering they had same root on martial art styles but Garou had his own style already perfected. So, Bang and Bomb were become the shields for the fighter team as defensive forces while Garou becomes the spearhead for them as offensive force.

As the Alpha Werewolf who had his protective instinct heightened after having a Mate, a son, and a whole family packs, really made Garou becomes much more stronger than ever, compared with his past-self back then when he's still a youngling member of Bang's Alpha pack and a student in Bang's dojo. Being a family man truly suited Garou, his desire to protect everyone he loves strengthen him. Watching how Garou grow from an overly ambitious reckless kid who wants nothing but to challenge everyone he deemed strong, into a more matured humble young man who wants nothing but keeping his family safe, made Bang feel very proud of him.

Especially when he proved his amazing skills in this battlefield while they're doing teamwork together fighting those vampire army, Bang didn't regret teaching him his martial art and handing his leadership along with the packs to him. Now that Garou asking for his help to save his family, why not showing off all of his power in full capacity right there, so those nasty vampire clan will realized how to not messing with werewolf packs family, ever. Because Garou's family is also his family, too.

At some point, when Garou in the middle of demolishing vampire army, there's one assassin vampire behind a different kind of mask who's watching over him intensely from a close distance. That assassin looked like he's on stand by, ready to strike an attack towards Garou. Bomb was the first one aware of that, shouting a warning to Garou. At the same time, that assassin quickly swishing forward to attack Garou with sharp clawed hands. It happened so fast that Garou was late to respond or even ready to defend himself, but the blow was already deflected by Bang using his arm. He's not fatally injured but Bang felt something wrong with the wounds, as he becomes slightly dizzy. Was he poisoned? Were those claws coated with poison?

Bomb caught Bang before he could fall, he roared furiously at the assassin who's wounded his little brother. Garou couldn't believe he let his guard off that it would lead into Bang getting hurt. It's all his fault at being not aware his surrounding enough. Quickly Garou asked his subordinates to bring Bang as soon as possible into the Imperial Palace where the medical team could give Bang emergency treatment. Angrily, Garou barked at the assassin to reveal himself right now. He heard amused chuckling for a moment, then when the vampire assassin revealed himself, opened his hood and took his half-mask off, Garou becomes more enraged. It was Amai Mask! How dare he hurted his family again!!

Amai Mask let out cynical laughing once he looking at Garou's mad expression, said he already promised before to fight Garou once more again like the old day. It's unfortunate he couldn't deliver that surprise blow to Garou like what he's planned before, but he's happy somehow it still worked out fine. Afterall, the old man is Garou's close family, his father figure. Nice unexpected target and sacrificial pawn for Amai. Hearing Amai talking about Bang like that, Garou couldn't hold back his anger anymore. He transformed into his Alpha Werewolf form and ready on his fighting stance, intended to end this vampire's life right here and there. Glad his taunting works, Amai Mask responded back with his own transformation into Fighter Vampire mode.

Yes, not only Badd and his tame vampire family clan who could transformed into Fighter mode, Amai Mask's own family could transformed as well. But it's different. While tame clan had Brawler type Fighter mode, then his pureblood clan had Assassin type Fighter mode. It allowed them to move more gracefully while delivering deathly blow for minimal effort. Even though the form looked more nastier than Brawler type, with BrownBat wings, long clawed vampire hands and longer fangs also sharper face features made him less beautiful than usual, it gave him lots of convenience especially to fight Alpha Werewolf.

They clashed so fast, striking attacks to each other ceaselessly, with almost the same gracefulness, trying to suppress the other with murder intention. Because Garou didn't want to accidentally hurting his comrades who's also still in the middle of fighting assassin vampires around him, without ever stopping his strikes he changed his direction for combat location into the forest so he could attacking Amai Mask more freely. Amai sneered at him for being too soft, as expected from a family man and not a true warrior. Garou trying not to listen his taunting talk anymore, it's useless because he's already wanting to kill Amai quickly without any fuss, focused on finding Amai's weakness. Because of that, Garou find a chance to tricked him by giving wrong prediction for movement's direction so Amai become unguarded for a moment. At that time, Garou managed to pummel his body repeatedly before he send Amai flying towards nearby tree by strucked a werewolf kick hard in the face. It even caused the tree fall to pieces.

There was a moment of silence between them while the view obscured by the dust and dirt. When it's cleared off, Amai Mask trying to get up from his current position with enraged expression showed on his bloodied face. Garou ruined his beautiful face, how dare him! With a scream, Amai charging towards Garou again only to have him already moved fast behind Amai's back and kicked him hard on the nape with devastating impact. Garou thought it would killed him by that attack. But he's wrong. Amai still got up once again while laughing maniacally, couldn't believing himself to be cornered into taking his last resort. Confused, Garou asked what last resort. Amai only smiled and picking a small blood vial from the box inside his mantle.

Amai Mask said that it's a pureblood vampire blood, his father's blood. Same like tame vampire clan, when they drink a human's or another supernatural being's blood, they'd activated their "Fighting Spirit". This similar like pureblood vampire clan, but also different. Drinking human's blood just quench their thirst and satisfy their hunger, nothing else more. But when they drink a fellow pureblood vampire's blood? It'd boost their energy and raised their killer instinct into the fullest capacity, same like those "Fighting Spirit", but it's more like "Murdering Spirit" that truly fits for assassin clan like him. But the downfall from this, once they used last resort they wouldn't come back to normal anymore as they swallowed into insanity from drinking a fellow kin's blood. So if he could kill Garou with that form and have all of his plans worked smoothly, he doesn't mind getting a little bit insane. Amai then opened the vial and drink all the content.

Garou had a bad feeling about this, moreover he's already used a lot of his stamina for the battle before, he really needs a rest. And a homemade cooking meal. A cheer up charm hug from Gaman. A kiss of life from Badd. Badd. He really needs Badd right now. What's his Mate doing right now, is he alright? Garou hoped he could seeing Badd again after finishing his business with this maniacal vampire in front of him. A loud growl bring Garou back to reality, and he's shocked at what he saw. Amai transformed further more into an ugly monstrous creature, something like abominable thing that very far from his previous vampire appearance, also he looked like lost control of himself.

Not waiting any moment longer for Garou, Amai flight towards Garou swiftly and kicked him hard on his side as a payback from before. He isn't done yet, Amai continued to punch Garou several times before he lifted him up to the sky and smashed him down fastly onto the ground. Garou could feel his bones shattered by that consecutive attacks, luckily he got excellent regenerative ability so he could heal again at any time. But if Amai still continue to do this repeatedly, he's in fatal danger. Garou got up before Amai stomped his foot onto him, crushed the ground he previously lay on before. He spun around to deliver kicks and punches to Amai, but to no avail because Amai blocked all his attacks. Then Garou tried to clawed at his side only to be deflected by Amai, but he gave surprise attack by stepped onto Amai's arm, spun around in the air then clawed Amai's unprotected neck with his foot claws.

It worked, the vampire's blood gushed from the wound, shocking Amai for being caught off-guard again. It angered Amai. He grabbed Garou's head and smashed him on the nearby tree, hit him on the stomach, and stomped on his chest, leaving Garou unable to move. Not even giving Garou a break, he slashed Garou's torso with those sharp as knife claws repeatedly. That's really hurts, Garou feels like he's being torn apart. He screamed, trying to grab Amai's arms so he could be stopped but his own arms were restrained by Amai's legs. He can't move, his body numbed by the exhaustion and the sheer amount of pain that Amai's caused.

In a moment like this, why did he remember Badd's words? That a "Fighting Spirit" can be learned by anyone who has strong determination, not limited to his family clan only. What the hell was that? And what exactly is the "determination" itself? He started to see his entire life flashing in his mind, was it his time to die? NO! He didn't wanna die like this! Not before he could reunite again with his family, not before he could embrace his sweet Mate again. Badd. The love of his life who he found as the most beautiful being in the world.

Aah.. he could see Badd in his flashing memories. Their first time meeting. The agreement to become his Mates. His awkward courting phase. The moment Badd was finally falling in love with him. Their first time making love as they become Mates. Bang giving his blessing for his relationship witj Badd. Their wedding. All the times he and Badd working as co-leader of their family packs. Badd's surprising pregnancy. All the time he's being a try-hard protective husband to Badd. Gaman's birth. Raising Gaman together as new parents. All the years he watching Gaman grow up along with Badd. Their family moment together with Gaman in the wood, or when just two of them making love all night under the moonlight. His promise to Badd to come back for Badd alive. Badd, who's with heavy heart letting Garou go to the battlefield, he must be so worried right now.

All of his family packs waiting for him. Bomb. Bang. Tareo. Zenko. Gaman. Badd. He wanted to come back alive so he can be always protecting his family. He wanted to save his family. Don't really care if his body was being ripped apart. He had to do it NOW!

As soon as he thought of his final decision, Garou feels a new surge of energy and his regenerative ability kicked back in, healing any injuries and damages he suffered from Amai Mask's attacks. He could feels his entire being humming with new power he unconsciously activated, as the glowing bright aura emanated from his body. His mind also becomes more clearer, his eyes not clouded anymore. Garou could move his body again until he could rise up from his former position. Amai's eyes were wide with shock as his mouth gaped at the sight of Garou's rapidly recovering state. He just watched him in disbelief, because he was sure Garou was supposed to be death now, with all the poisoning from the poison-coated claws he used to slashed Garou's body.

Garou wondering why did he suddenly got this power, but seeing it's so similar with the ones Badd and Gaman had, there's only one answer: [ Is this the so-called "Fighting Spirit"? ] He smiled at the thought of it, because now he finally learned how to achieve the legendary power of "Fighting Spirit": it's a Power of Love. Born from the strong determination to protect the beloved ones or people, with the pure good intention to always keeping them safe.

Garou truly understand it now, how Badd always capable to activate his own power at ease everytime someone in their family need his help. Or how Gaman suddenly could transformed when Badd need their help after nearly assassinated. Or how he finally obtained it after he remembered his promise to Badd to come back safely, reminded his oath and vow to always protecting his whole family. It was because of LOVE. Afterall, Love is the strongest force in the earth!

Garou smiling even wider, borderline smirking. Now the table has turned, time to payback then ended this battle as soon as possible. Then when he goes back to Badd, he will thanking him for teaching him the most important knowledge. Thank you Badd.

Already having new energy to transform back to his Alpha Werewolf form, he's setting up his usual fighting stance. This time Garou prepared to end Amai Mask's life. Couldn't accept his failed plan, Amai charged towards Garou while roaring his frustation. Garou, who got enhanced senses, instinct and reflexes, could predicted Amai's movement pattern so he quickly dodges his attack, grab his arm and twist it hard until it break. Amai yelled in pain. Seeing Amai being distracted by the sudden pain, Garou struck Amai's body by kicking Amai's torso with tremendous power he had until he's slammed back onto the nearby huge trees, collapsing the whole rows of them that caused a huge blast of dust and dirt in the air. Garou just waiting any moment Amai decided to get up again.

And as expected, Amai flapped his huge BrownBat wings to clear the view from the dust so he could located where Garou is and try to give his final blow. But suddenly Garou vanished from his vision, it shocked Amai. Without any warning, Garou appeared from the ground below Amai and uppercut punched him so hard it send him flying and broke Amai's jaw instantly. Then Garou moving forward to deliver the consecutive attacks using his fists, strike him on every vital points of Amai's body so the result of damages become more devastating.

Still didn't want to lose by the werewolf even though his body is beyond broken, Amai decided to attack him from the above in the air using his wings. He'd soar into the sky then diving down fastly towards the werewolf to slash him with his clawed hands or high speed slammed him down to the ground then crushed his body. But before he could do any of that, with the enhanced speed Garou grabbed one of Amai's wing then smashed him first to the ground repeatedly. Not finished yet, Garou threw Amai to the air then he jumped from the ground so Garou slammed Amai right on the back with his strong werewolf leg, and smashed him again on the ground.

Paralyzed and unable to move after Garou got his spine broken in pieces, he just laying down while trembling from the sheer amount of pain. Garou landed beside him while watching Amai with killing intent. He stomped on Amai's broken back, then he ripped his wings apart one by one. Not even the ear-deafening screaming coming from Amai's throat made Garou feel satisfied. The hatred in his heart for this nasty vampire who harmed and hurted his family for so many times after all this year, causing so much pain and grief for Badd, and nearly killing Gaman, not to mention he still doesn't know Bang's fate. All of those because of this scumbag he called himself a noble man. Noble from where?? All what he did were just inflicting pain to others to satisfy his ego and pride. Even willing to do it once more, adding more people to suffer. Now it's Garou chance to end the cycle, so nobody will suffer from Amai's wrongdoing anymore.

Garou threw the ripped wings on the ground, then kicked Amai's side hard enough so he's on his back now. Nearly on the death's door, Amai Mask glared at Garou, insulting words already on the tip of tongue but couldn't speak it out loud because the pain he suffered succumbed him into silence. Garou started to speak, why did Amai doing all of those malevolent acts towards Badd? Was the massacre of Badd's entire family clan not enough to him? Did he held some grudge for Badd? Because Garou was sure Badd never wronged the people around him, even when he did he never get himself away without some sincere apologize first. He demanded Amai's answer.

Spitting blood from his mouth to Garou's feet, Amai hissed his answer, that he just hate weakness those tame vampire clan showed to Vampire Order. He's not talking about their physical power's weakness, for they possessed incredible inherited traits same as his family clan, but he's talking about tolerance and the willingness to lower themself on the same level with any peasants people that have lower social status than them. Not to mention they had been too soft at handling the problem Vampire Order had about the rivalry between vampire race and werewolf tribes. Suggesting that vampires should getting along and coexist together with savage barbaric werewolfs? It must be a joke! He wanted to throw up thinking about that. Just like their namesake, tame vampire clan, they're really too tame to have a dignity as superior vampire race. Too weak for possesing a great power in their hands, too soft to deserve an honourable position in Vampire Order. He hates it so much. They deserve to be just perished.

Garou narrowed his eyes dangerously, snarling at Amai once he implied Badd's family tragedy. But he quickly calmed himself, no need to be more angrier than now at the eventually dying vampire in front of him. Garou coldly explained to Amai, that what Badd and his family did was not a weakness, it's called COMPASSION, something Amai would never comprehend. The feeling to symphatize and emphatize for the other, putting aside the differences between each other, so they can coexist together to make peaceful and better life. That's why tame vampire clan got their strength from, the LOVE, to protect their beloved one and keeping them safe. Even Garou as a member of werewolf tribe could easily understand that. There's nobody would fits the job to guard royal family and their community except the tame vampire clan, his own Mate's clan. And Amai Mask's family dared to make them cruelly murdered! Mentally traumatized Badd and Zenko for their entire life! Garou couldn't forgive him!

So, to make Badd's suffering end, Garou would dirtying his hand. Calmly, he stepped on Amai's heavily damaged body, bend over slightly towards Amai's chest area. With sharpened claws, Garou impaled his chest and grasped the heart, pulled it out forcibly. Leaving Amai Mask gasped from the sudden force while coughing his remaining blood out, struggling to take his last dying breath. Garou clutched Amai Mask's still beating heart, waiting for it stopped as he watched Amai's struggle gasping finally have ceased and his blood red eyes gradually becomes dull. Now the cruel vampire who tortured Badd's life has died, in his hand. Garou made Amai Mask's last moment of life into what he was when he's still alive: a HEARTLESS MONSTER, both figuratively and literally. What a poetic justice, Garou thinks. That bastard totally deserved it. He wondered if the battle has already ended or not, maybe it's time to go back to his family, his son Gaman, and his mate Badd. Badd. Finally Badd is free now, noone will torture him, not anymore. With a soft smile, Garou rushing back to the Vampire Council Fortress to reunite with his family again.

  -TBC-

 Notes:

YOOO we have 3 awesome family moments of them fighting together as a team! We have:

1. Garou-Badd-Gaman teamwork (badass WereVamp family!)

2. Badd-Gaman teamwork (duo father-son!)

3. Bang-Bomb-Garou teamwork (Alpha Werewolfs united!)

I love all of three scenes because it showed how badass they're as fighter family. But I also like soft moment like when Gaman sleeping on Badd's lap while Badd hugged him with so much care. Awww.. motherly love from Badd is beautiful! 😍💕💖

 And in the end we have Garou vs. Amai Mask with satisfying ending. Are you enjoyed it, too?? RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU AGREE! 🙋😆Huehehehehe... *villainy laughter* 😈😈😈

Yeah I kinda like to make Amai to become a super douchebag bish in this story, so I could killed him as a "Heartless Monster" in the end of the story. No excuse to let Amai get away from his wrongdoing, so no sobs story from him, just pure evil. See? He's figuratively known as a Heartless Monster, now he died as literally a "HEARTLESS" Monster. And Garou is totally me in here (yes I'm projecting myself, lol!) 😈

Plus I added some canon moment in here like when Garou discovering himself capable to use "Fighting Spirit" like Badd. I really love that! Thank you Murata for Batarou canon crumbs!! 😭💗💘

And I like to think that "Fighting Spirit" is the Power of Love, always adored this kind of theory. Besides, it fits Badd's protective personality! And to make Gaman and Garou used this too are so hearttouching, they're truly love each other as family awww... 😚💕💞

I'm so sorry if all the fighting scenes are so lame! I never write any action scenarios before so this was my 1st attempt. Forgive meeee aaaaa---!! 😭🙏🙇

Sorry for too long sequel, I was meant to split it to become two parts but it would decrease the tension of story. So, this is the result: gigantic sequel exclusive for battle scenes 😅

Next part is the conclusion of the story, which will showing situation after the war, Batarou family reunion, Garou giving a present for Badd (GUESS WHAT IS IT?), royal family thanking Batarou family, Gaman's recognization, and many more!

Thank you so much for reading this sequel, please keep stay tune with me until the end! 😊😘💕💞💓💖

 -Little1993lamb-

[ericsonclan]

A Bruised Heart

Summary: Violet comes to Ericson's Diner with a black eye. Everyone tries their best to help.

Read on A03:

It seemed like the beginning of a good day at Ericson's Diner. Louis had showed up a bit early bringing with him drinks for the staff. He figured everyone had been working so hard that they deserved a surprise treat. Especially for Violet. Every last Friday of the month she would visit her mom, giving her part of her monthly paychecks to help her out. Her relationship with her mom was rocky at best, but Louis hoped that having some chamomile tea afterwards would make it better. As he placed the drinks down the front door squeaked open as the bell rang overhead. He turned to see Violet walk in.

“Hey, Vi! How was the meeting with your mom?” His smile quickly disappeared when he saw her pass by him. Her hoodie had the hood pulled up as she pushed a baseball cap down to further cover her face. Louis followed closely behind her, shutting the staff room door before speaking. “Vi? What’s wrong?”

Violet had her back turned towards him. “I left my phone in here.” She quietly muttered.

Louis took a step closer.

“Back off, Louis.” Violet's voice was heavy and filled with warning, but Louis could see her body shaking slightly.

He paused. He knew that if he handled this wrong it could end up blowing up in his face. But when he looked at his best friend he knew he had to take the risk.

“Vi... What happened?” He put a hand on her shoulder.

She pushed his arm away before turning around and revealing her face. Even though the hood was still on Louis could see that she had a black eye. The eye was forced shut and covered in a purple bruise. As he continued to search her face Louis also noticed her busted lip. It was swollen and a cut had formed on it. Blood slowly oozed from the cut.

“Oh my god! Vi! Who did this to you?” Louis asked, concern painted on his face. It only took moments for him to realize who it must’ve been. “Was it him?” Louis’ voice was deadly serious. “Did your dad do this?” Anger carried throughout his voice.

“He wasn’t supposed to be there.” Violet finally spoke, her voice cracking.

“We should call the police.”

“No!” Violet screamed. “Even if I told them, it wouldn’t mean shit! They’d need a witness. My mom wouldn’t do it. She’s terrified.”

Louis stood there unsure of what to say.

“Besides, even if he does go away it wouldn’t be long before he’s back and he’d make my mom’s life a living hell.” Violet’s eyes were wet with tears as she sat down. Her body shook with the effort of holding her emotions inside.

Louis hated seeing his friend like this. His heart twisted in pain at the sight of her pain. “We need to get that eye iced.” Louis grabbed Violet’s hand.

She silently nodded, holding on to his hand as they made their way out to the front of the diner. Louis stopped by the bar, running to the ice box and beginning to make an ice pack.

Violet looked around before noticing that they weren’t the only ones there. Prisha was also there. Shit. She must’ve shown up when Lou and I were talking which means the others will be here soon too. Violet's stomach turned with anxiety.

Prisha stood there staring at Violet with a concerned look on her face. She slowly took a step forward and reached out one of her hands.

Violet quickly turned away, running into the kitchen. Shit! I look so pathetic right now. No, I am pathetic. Violet leaned against a wall catching her breath before she heard a familiar voice.

“Oh, hi Violet. Oh my gosh, what happened to your face?” Ruby ran over to Violet. Her hand gently reached up to Violet’s face.

Violet recoiled. “I-I should go. Shit. I’m sorry.” Violet whispered.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Come here.” Ruby guided Violet through the kitchen and stopped by the freezer. She quickly pulled out a steak and placed it against Violet’s eye.

Violet winced in pain before letting out a sigh. “Thanks, Ruby.”

“Oh, sug, it’s nothing.” Ruby smiled. “Omar! Whip up the finest order of chicken nuggets!”

Omar glanced over and quickly pieced together the situation. He started on the order right away.

“Ruby? Are you in here? I’ve got a question about…” Aasim froze as soon as he saw Violet’s face. “Violet, what happened to you? How did you get these injuries? He paused. “Did your father do this?”

Ruby looked surprised as she saw Aasim’s body language change.

“You should press legal charges. I know what forms you need. I can help.” His voice was gentle as he spoke.

“Fuck off, Aasim!” Violet snapped before realizing her mistake. “I just… I can’t. Okay?”

Aasim nodded solemnly. “Whatever you need. I just want to help.”

“I just need a little space.” Violet murmured..

“Alright. I’ll let the others know that you won’t be in the front of the house.” Aasim turned to leave.

“Do you want me to leave too?” Ruby asked.

“No. It’s fine that you’re here.” Violet felt her eyes fill with tears.

Ruby gently placed her hand on Violet’s back. “I’ll stay then.”

---

Louis pulled Brody and Clementine aside in the staff room. Both seemed concerned as they hadn’t seen Louis act this serious before at work.

“Louis? What’s wrong?” Clementine asked with concern.

“Vi. She’s having a really hard day.” Louis said, his voice cracking before he took a deep breath. “So I need you two to run the front of the house.”

“Of course!” Brody replied. “Is she okay?”

“She… she just needs some time.”

“Yeah. Totally. Brody and I will cover for her. She doesn’t have to worry about a thing.” Clementine put a hand on Louis’ shoulder.

He drew a shaky breath. “Okay. That’s good. Have either of you seen Prisha?”

---

Prisha stood outside at the back of the diner. The look on Violet’s face was so full of sorrow and fear. Prisha’s heart ached as she thought about it. I never want to see her that sad ever again. Rage seething inside her, she drew a deep breath. She couldn’t do anything rash. But that didn’t mean that she was going to do nothing at all. She knew what she wanted, but she needed help to make her plans a reality. Luckily she knew just the right person for the job.She took out her phone, quickly inputting a number before placing the phone by her ear.

“Hello? Who the fuck is this?” Mitch’s voice sounded annoyed.

“I work at Ericson’s Diner. Do you wanna stink bomb a place?”

“Hell yeah I do!”

“Okay, meet me at Ericson’s diner in 20 minutes.”

Mitch showed up on time. Prisha quickly filled him in on the situation. His face darkened at the news. “That bastard.”

“So you know who did it?”

“Yeah, her old man. Shit! I thought she was finally free from that fucking bastard. If only I could beat the shit out of him without jail time. I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

Prisha's heart dropped. She figured Violet’s home life growing up wasn’t good, but to think it was this bad... She felt her heart twist in disgust. How could a father do that to his own child? “I’ll drive. Just show me the way.”

Mitch nodded.

---

When they arrived, Mitch's face filled with shock. “Holy shit! I see we’ve been beaten to it.” He said with a smirk as he pointed at a beat-up car. Its windows were completely smashed and its hood was dented to hell. “That has to be Marlon’s doing! Fuckin’ A! Good one, Marlon!” Mitch laughed. “Serves the old bastard right! You ready, Prisha?”

“Yes. Let’s stink bomb the hell out of the place!”

They both quietly made their way to the trailer. Within seconds Mitch had picked the lock and they were in. Prisha looked at the inside of the trailer. It was so small. They went to work right away, setting the timer for the bombs so that at five when he was supposed to be home the first bomb would go off. Then every hour on the hour the next one would go off.

As they reentered the car the two high-fived.

“It’s totally gonna smell like ass in there for weeks! He won’t be able to get the smell out!” Mitch laughed.

Prisha smiled. “He deserves every single minute of it.”

Prisha and Mitch drove off, proud of a job well done. After a quick stop to drop Mitch off, Prisha drove back to the diner. She had missed most of the day. Maybe she should’ve told someone where she was going but she didn’t want anyone stopping her.

---

Violet sat in the staff room. The day was almost over and she had spent most of it in the kitchen with Ruby and a ribeye. She sighed. I should probably talk to Prisha.

Suddenly the door to the staff room opened and Prisha walked inside.

Violet stood up and the two stared at each other in silence. Violet suddenly ran forward, enveloping Prisha in a hug, burying her face against her as tears ran down her face.

Prisha returned the hug, gently placing her head on top of Violet’s. “Let’s go home.”

Violet looked up and nodded, giving a small smile. Even through all the shit, I still have people who care about me.

[peacekeeper-xiv]

Serious Events

A series of events…

Aeritria and Arakiel meet accidentally inside Samael house.

Aeritria Locklair stopped dead in her tracks when Ara turned around. The blood drained from what little he could see of her face, and her eyes narrowed moving over him to look for weapons, surprises, explosives, all the things he might have on him while in Soren's house. It took her a couple ticks to reconcile the sight of him in Soren's house. Alive. Not dead. Not even thinking of the advantage that came from him not knowing who she was, she finally spoke, "Well bloody damn hell... you look surprisingly healthy for a dead man."

 Arakiel agrees to travel with Aeritria east, having decided that Ikara had been gone for too long and he was going to look for his daughter. They discover that they still have some disagreements though.

Arakiel Etemorah smirked. "Wrath?" He chuckled smarmily. "Kinda daft name to call a kid. He pick that out himself?" Still, he didn't seem intent on keeping up his teasing. "And what do they all mean to ya? What would you do if they were in danger?"

Aeritria Locklair rolled her eyes, "Its short, for Rathorin... " When he questioned her on what they meant to her and what she would do there was clearly a reaction. She tried to keep the calm, snarky demeanor, but too many things had already happened where she had given a whole lot for those three. There was the briefest of haunted looks before it was replaced with tense shoulders and a defensive posture. "Enough..."  Her lips pulled into a thin line, "Is that supposed to be a threat?”

Arakiel Etemorah smiled knowingly and shook his head. "No, but that's answer enough." Sheathing his katana, he stood. "I have a daughter. She should have returned by now, but she hasn't. That's what's in the Burn." His expression turned somewhat grim. "I wanted you to know before you decided to follow me. I'm willing to do -enough- for her.”

 Aeritria agrees to accompany Arakiel in his search for Ikara and together, they make for The Burn. Arakiels insistence on drawing out Aeritrias ire though, nearly sets them at odds.

Aeritria Thorne had never been good at reining in her temper, it was why she made such a good marauder. It was also why she had made such a good criminal. There was a sudden shift from her that would hit every one of his senses. The growled words came out with cold fury, "Fuck you Arakiel. I came out to help you, but that was just another dumbass mistake on my part. Everything is fucking fine. Its more godsdamn fine than it has been in over a twelves damned year, but you just can't leave well the fuck enough alone. I don't want to fucking talk about it cause its none of your gods damned business. You don't get to fucking come back from the dead and act like I should just fucking ugh!" Axe or no axe, there was a hint of red glowing in the abysmal darkness of her eyes before she turned around and started storming away. "Fuck you!"

It would be some time after that they managed to work out their difference, but once they had they concluded, wandering the desert in search of one small Au Ra was futile. Aeritria then turned to a dangerous source of power to send out the needed signal flare, her Dark Knight soul stone.

Aeritria Thorne took a few moments to try to catch her breath and shake away the voices that still tried to reach her from the stone. Running her fingers through her hair to push it out of the way she glared over at it for a moment. "I tried to warn you the darn thing isn't... as helpful as I like sometimes. I really did kick Rath's balls all the way into his throat last time I used the damn thing." Aeri rubbed the back of her neck and looked away, "Sorry... I haven't used it in a long while. With my other soul stones... it’s easy. It’s like they want to help. That one... there is still a bit of a fight going on with who is in charge of who."

 After some time arguing with the voices in her mind, Aeritria finally was able to cause a large enough explosion of aether that could be seen from malms around. The fact that it nearly killed herself and Arakiel was of little consequence.

Arakiel Etemorah wasn't a hero. It just wasn't in him. But he wasn't the same man he'd been a few years ago either. The blade in his hands was quickly sheathed and he rushed forward to where Aeritria stumbled. He wasn't about to pick her up and carry her away from danger like some knight in shining armor. But then, she'd have hated that. He grabbed her by the wrist and literally dragged her behind him. "Come the fuck on!" He wasn't going to let her go until they were behind enough rock to guarantee they would be safe from the explosion that was likely coming.

 Several bells later, their fishing attempt proved fruitful and they noted the appearance of an approaching figure. Unfortunately, it was not exactly who they had been looking for.

Arakiel Etemorah sheathed his blade, looking at her curiously as his hearing had not completely recovered. "One of them?" He looked to where the creature had been sniped and put two and two together. "The boy..." The unknown Miqo'te still seemed rather protective of Beta and stood between them and him, even if his weapon was put away. Beta's familiar voice shouted across the sands as he approached. "It's okay Aasifa, they are... family of a sort I guess?" The one called Aasifa seemed to relax a bit and plopped down in the sand as Beta and Ara and Aeri approached his location. "Aasifa is still thinking there are better ways to fish." He said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. Arakiel's steps seemed to hasten as he approached.

 With so many differing personalities… and because Aasifa is Aasifa, some troubles did arise.

 Aeritria Thorne saw Arakiel start choking after Aasifa did whatever the hell it was that he did and her attention snapped to the Miqo'te. Her chakrams came out and pinned Aasifa to one of the rock walls by his sleeves, "The Fuck you think you are doing you piece of shit! What the hell did you do to him?!"  She stood between Arakiel and Aasifa, and if looks could kill he would have been dead a thousand times over. She held a finger up to Beta to shut him up before he tried to 'help'.

 Eventually though, a peace was brokered, and the quartet left in search of the large sources of aether that Beta’s instruments had detected after the explosion Aeritria had caused.

Arakiel Etemorah might have moved to stop Aeri if she had still wielding her chakrams, but he did not expect the idiot cat to die from a punch. Beta called out in frustration as the punch landed. Aasifa for his part might have dodged the attack, if he'd bothered to try. Instead he took the hit to the throat and grinned at her as though he almost enjoyed all the chaos he'd caused. "Was... good... hit." He croaked out from a damaged voice. "Proud... of... sister." He ripped his sleeves free from the blades and found his feet on the sand once more. He didn't retaliate, simply rubbed at his throat and looked at her expectedly. Beta however was exasperated. "I swear to Alexander! Everyone's crazy!" He huffed and put away the smoke bomb and electric charge he'd been prepping if they hadn't stopped. Aeri's words had registered with him, but he knew better than provoking her further and refused to retort. "Can we get back to looking for Ikara now? Since you and I are the only ones who can speak now, I'll take your word for both of you."

Aeritria Thorne grit her teeth, dug her sharp nails into her palms and drew blood from her own hands to keep from murdering Aasifa right there and then. She reached over, grabbed her Chakrams, held them tight for a moment, still wound up and considering putting them through the rest of Aasifa's neck. It was Beta that managed to draw her out of it with his ridiculous cursing, "For fucks sake... didn't anyone ever teach you to curse properly?" She looked to Arakiel then took another breath. "I came out here to find you and Ikara... if Aasifa so much as touches that damn necklace again I will cut it off his neck, and I'm sure Arakiel will help, so if you want to find your girlfriend before something fucking happens to her you better tell you -friend- to behave or leave. Now, if you have an idea of where to go... let’s go."

Beta took in a deep breath and let out a long exhale. "I was trying to..." He frowned at Aasifa and pointed at the necklace. "No more chaos magic!" Aasifa looked like he might argue but Beta glared, and he stopped. "For all you know that thing might have called a hundred sandworms to raid the burn and it would've put her in more danger! So, no more til she's safe!" Beta looked properly angry and despite his inability to curse properly, seemed to convey the same feelings. He then turned to Arakiel. "And don't act like he's all innocent. Stop acting like you are gonna gut me 'cause I didn't know Ikara was out here! Cause I didn't and now I'm gonna find her! Aasifa could easily have seen you as a threat to his friend." Ara narrowed his eyes at the boy but simply turned his chin some and sneered. Finally, he turned to Aeritria. "He goes for the necklace again... stab him... ‘Cause I said not to. But you stop threatening him if he doesn't, 'kay? I've been wandering the burn for weeks now. I'm ready to be done with this place... so I just wanna find Ikara and then we can all go home." He huffed out another breath and continued. "And thank you for helping Arakiel look for her... I'm sorry this is all a mess, but I was trying to do good. So, let's... just do what you came here to do please." He continued a moment later in quieter tones. "And I don't like everyone else’s profanity. It's boring."

 Elsewhere in the Burn though the target of their search was about to have her own random encounter.

Ikara had been wandering the burn for what felt like an age. Trying to track Beta had turned into a much bigger problem than she had originally anticipated. She had made her way into Garlemald, stealing a uniform and posing as a Garlean soldier. Eventually she found the site where the popularis had their operations that Beta had been a part of. She searched every ilm of the area for any signs of Beta or which way he might have went. She eventually found Beta's tomephone, cracked and busted with charred and melted edges. She picked it up and searched the area even more, moving rubble. Eventually she resorted to carefully questioning a few citizens and was told that the rebels had flown off in the direction of the burn via magitek armor. She breathed a sigh of relief in the hope that Beta was on the airship, as she did hear from someone that no one was taken prisoner. All the rebels were killed or escaped, and she hadn't found his body yet. If he wasn't there, he might still be alive. Clutching the little scrap of a tomephone she went in the direction that the few citizens had pointed her in. She eventually found the wreckage of the armor and searched the entire thing from top to bottom. There was still no sign of Beta, but she found some disturbances in the sand and hoped they were the remnants of footprints. She followed them until they disappeared, eaten by the shifting sands. Then she kept looking. She wasn't sure how long she had been searching, but she knew she was lost, and she didn't care. If she was lost, it meant Beta probably was too, and they would eventually find each other.

A few malms away, Lloire had left the simulacrum of Cartenaeu that his mind had created as a battleground for himself and his reflections. Now he wandered the desert sands of the Burn once more, sorting his thoughts. He had no clue how to go about finding the people he needed to find or what order to find them in. Even as that were, were there enough people he worried for to face all the various aspects of his soul?

Some had been quoted as saying that the universe around them had come about in the beginning due to a massive explosion of aether, the same catalyst woke him from his indecisiveness. He hit the sand as an enormous shockwave of aether flew past him, stealing his feet from him.

"The fuck was that?"

As his senses returned to him, Lloire closed his eyes and focused not on where the explosion had been, but on any source powerful enough to have caused it. There was a massive pool of energy to the east of him that was far bleeding aether into the air. It was more than reasonable to assume that who or whatever it was, they were responsible for the massive explosion he'd felt. His fights would have to wait, leaving anything that powerful this close to Doma's borders would be irresponsible. Gathering his feet under him, he took off at a run towards the source of aether.

Ikara had been wandering in the Burn long enough that she felt like she was going blind. The land being so drained of aether meant she saw the world as everyone else did. She felt sorry for them, all the color was gone from this part of the world. She had found a small outcropping of what she originally thought were rocks but had eventually realized was the skull of a very large beast that had once dwelled there, and hidden away for a bit to get some rest and get out of the sun.

Then the world exploded in color far away. She felt it before she ran out and saw it. Her eyes watered from all the colors and she started searching the horizon for any signs of something that would explain it. Clutching the tomephone she started in the direction of the explosion, hoping that maybe if Beta was out there, he would investigate too.

Lloire travelled swiftly across the sand as he rushed towards the source of aether drawing at his senses. Eventually he climbed over an outcropping of rock and saw a figure in the distance. They didn't seem to have noticed him yet but were moving closer to him. If he held his position, he could wait until they were close enough to engage before revealing himself. He moved back behind one of the jutted-out stones and waited.

As Ikara made her way towards the explosion another source of aether caught her eye in the distance and closing in on her position. The aether was wrong, fractured, broken, and extremely potent.

The tomephone she clutched in her hand was tucked into her pocket and replaced by her staff. She had been conserving her aether the whole time she was out here, to the point where it was overflowing. Her necklace had been filled to the brim, but she had waited and not wasted it in case of running into a Garlean contingent or some beast.

She held her staff to her side, loosely and in a nonthreatening manner, but she was ready for whatever was on the other side of the ridge. When she got close enough, she yelled to whoever was there, "I can see you! Come out before I decide that I'll cast first and ask questions later. This is your only warning!"

Her voice was unmistakable. Lloire came out from behind the rocks with a curious expression worn on his face. "Ikara? What are yo--" He wasn't able to finish his question though as the sounds of the winds and shifting sands in the area were pierced with the sound of shattering glass. Ikara, who had the unique advantage of always seeing aether would see a fragment of Lloire's aether break away from the rest.

As for Lloire himself, he collapsed in a heap in front of her while the image of a younger Lloire remained where he had been standing. The Lloire-image began to solidify before finally seeming as alive, even to her vision, as Lloire had moments ago. "I should've known we'd run into you first and I'd be the first to fight..." He sighed. "You remind him... us... of Aliya sometimes." A staff materialized in his hands and a blackmage soul stone pulsed with aether beneath his robes. "I'm called Kid... And so that your older brother can live, I have to fight you with all my might... and you gotta kill me."

As he spoke, the similarities between who Lloire used to be and who Beta was seemed all the more pronounced. "Show him... us... what you're made of. That you won't be another Aliya, okay?"

Ikara was equal parts confused and relieved when Lloire stepped out from behind the rocks. "Nii---..." She watched his aether shard and split then him collapse to the ground and started running for him, without thought to her own safety. That was until a shard split off and started to solidify. Ikara skid to a halt, her staff still out at her side as a younger version of Lloire appeared before her.

"Halone's frosty tits... what the hells?" She eyed the fragment for a moment before flipping down a visor to see if he was still there without her aether sight. Her frown deepened as she tried to piece together what she saw with the visor down, verses what she was seeing with it up, "Oh.... what have you done to yourself big brother..?" His aether had somehow split off and manifested. The younger version of him was real in a sense, but only in so much as the creations she made from aether. It would disappear with time, but not until the wielder or spell was completed or removed.

Mention of Aliya had her frown deepening, "I'll take that as a compliment. Aliya was your best friend." She shook her head at the aether spirit. "I won't fight you. It could hurt the whole of him. He is completely fractured. Let me fix it instead." She wasn't holding her staff weakly at her side anymore though, it was ready in case the splinter decided to attack.

For his part, Kid-Lloire didn't seem to be in a rush to attack her. "It was a compliment. Look, you haven't seen us for a while. The Lloire you know. Nii-san I think? Anyways, he's prolly more messed up now then when he stabbed himself in the chest. He just fought each and every splinter of himself and killed each one. Well, except me and Erioll...." He shook his head energetically. "But that's off subject. The point is... He's finally realized what's got him so screwed up. He's scared that the people he cares for are gonna die. Usually ‘cause of him. There's a lot to unpack, but the basic gist is he needs his friends to prove they can handle their own against him when he's not in control. He's scared of his black magic... or his anger issues... or being you know... Hyur. But the truth is he's only really dangerous when he's whole... and then, only to his enemies. But we gotta prove it to him... us... so, you have to kill me. I'd rather you went into this with full knowledge and not making me force the issue." He huffed a breath, having spoken more than Lloire usually would. "So, what do you say?" The younger Lloire lazily lifted his staff and nodded to Ikara. "I mean, if nothing else... you kinda need to blow some aether." A small almost shy smile was half hidden behind his staff.

Ikara listened and it was clear she was starting to nurse a headache from how dumb it all sounded. Then again, she really wasn't too much different than her brother. She had run off plenty of times without people to protect them. She wasn't sure she trusted any of them to take care of themselves. It was why she was in this gods forsaken desert in the first place.

"Let me examine him, to ascertain that you are telling the truth, though I doubt you are lying. I have to be sure it won't kill him. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I killed him without checking first. Let me do that, and sure... I'll kick your ass." She smirked at him, "I mean, Nii-san is tough, and he taught me a lot, but it’s been a while, and the collective you haven't seen what I'm capable of anymore. Just you know.... do me a favor and let me check him first and I'm down. Also... beforehand... Did you cause that other explosion? Cause really, I can't spend a ton of time here if you didn't. I've god a cute moronic Miqo to save."

The younger manifestation lowered the staff and stepped aside to allow Ikara past to check on Lloire's unconscious form. "Too true, but don't forget... Lloire's been out to war just as long as you presumably have. Don't take this too lightly please." True to his word he would stand still and let her examine Lloire. "Also, no. We thought it was you. You've the largest pool of aether out here beyond our own. The other sources of aether out here are weaker... except one particularly bright spot further south..." His head tilted as he considered -who- she was likely speaking about. "Though, large sources of aether wouldn't help you find Beta but large explosions might. Guess that would make sense. We didn't know he was out here though." He shrugged. "Well, like I said, I can't hold back or we'll know... so I'll try and make it as fast as I can... but no promises."

Ikara was wise enough not to completely let her guard down but moved over to examine Lloire's unconscious form. She examined him as well as she could, even checking to see if he would wake with prodding. He didn't, and she obviously was looking at something with concern, 'These threads of aether tying you to him. If I hurt you, I'm hurting him. To be fair, you are only a portion of his aether, but you are an important part of his being. You won't be destroyed right?" She considered what he said about the spot further south and frowned. "If there was an explosion, I doubt that Beta caused it. He wouldn't give his position away like that... especially when there are Garleans after him... so I'm sorry but I won't be holding back either."

She jumped back and her staff spun in the air as aether pulled not from the land, or from her, but from a single crystal in her necklace. The necklace drained in but a few breaths as she unleashed one of the most powerful spells she had on the fragment of Lloire. She didn't have time to play. Those could have been Garleans killing her boyfriend and she loved her brother, but damn if she was going to let her boyfriend die cause her brother was being stupid. The magic flared bright and large with destruction so that it could be seen for several malms.

When the smoke cleared, Kid was standing in a charred crater, his staff held up as though he were blocking with it and the aether of his mana wall shimmered as the spell dissipated from absorbing the attack. Nevertheless, Flare was an impressive spell and she could see some singed edges around his clothing and armor. Another side of Lloire might have spoken here. Warned her or threatened her, but Kid understood her and knew she was only doing what she needed to in order to protect her loved ones. Instead he returned the attack. He vanished and reappeared nearly on top of her. It was completely against everything one was taught as a thaumaturge and would have been insane if he was fighting a sword wielder. With her so close, she could see the lightning flash in his eyes as his aether swelled. The first strike was a blast of lightning aether that dropped down from the sky towards her. The second was a blast of weak fire that seemed almost pointless in its intensity. Finally, he wrapped up the triple casting of spells with a much more potent fire spell as his entire aura seemed to pulse with heat. The spells complete he took a step back from her to examine their effectiveness.

Ikara honestly would have been disappointed if the first spell had done all the work. It would work for piddly little Garlean soldiers, but this was a part of her brother, and she expected more from him. There was a small smile at the fact that he had gotten his manawall up fast enough. Then again, the spell took plenty of time to cast and gave him amply time to prepare.

When he teleported right in front of her, she laughed. "You should have been a redmage, kid. Its more fun, but to be fair less destructive." to illustrate her point she stepped out of the way of the lightning blast and wacked at his nose with her staff, holding it like a rapier. Which, to be fair, wasn't nearly as quick to maneuver, but was much harder to dodge due to the size of her staff and his proximity. Soul stone or no, she had learned how to leap and fly as a red mage and those things were all body, not magic. She couldn't wield those same spells, but a quick backflip and she was out of the way of the weak fire spell, only to land at the point where he struck with the larger fire spell. It singed her hair and clothes before she managed to get up her own manawall and protect herself from the subsequent blasts.

Already she was working to cast again, though there wasn't a huge explosion this time. Instead she targeted his mind, addling his sense to weaken his spells, then attempted to put the shard to sleep.

The back to back spells struck and Kid felt his mind cloud with the enfeeblements along with the ringing in his head from the staff hit. Still, he seemed immune to sleep spells. It did allow fog his thoughts enough that he responded to her banter rather than continue incessant spellcasting. "Wasn't readily taught when I was around... I'm sure Azure can show you what Lloire's learned though." Wiping idly at his nose to ensure there was no bleeding, he only managed to fire of a scathing blast of energy from his staff as he moved away from her and she saw his aether pool into the ground as leylines became visible beneath him.

Far in the distance of the Burn the group of misfits that were wandering and looking for Ikara could see the mushroom cloud from her first flare, and the subsequent explosions of lightning, fire, and magic lighting the horizon. Aeri immediately turned to Aasifa with an accusatory look, "You do that too?" She was guessing whoever was blowing up the horizon was likely pissing off the little lizard though.

True to Aeri's thoughts, Ikara was getting annoyed. She had hoped to put Kid to sleep long enough to check and make sure her brother wasn't actually being hurt by the fight. "What? I have fight all of you? I ain't got time for that shit. You're wasting enough time as is."

She tried to examine Lloire from a distance to make sure he was still okay, and that moment of distraction gave Kid the opening that he needed to hit her with a blast of energy and make her shake her head to get her vision back. Fighting mages was a lot harder as everything was so damn bright.

Aetheric symbols swirled around her as she started to vent her frustration on the shard of her brother, "Will..." A giant glacier was dropped on him, "You..." Another one, "Just..." Another one... "Piss off!" Aether flared around her in crystalline light and she tapped another crystal in her necklace, though this one didn't drain all the way, instead only draining two thirds of the way as she dropped another huge flare of magic on Kid, then tapped the rest of that crystal and cast a second flare. The power off the flurry of spells back to back was enough to send a shockwave out in all directions.

Kid attempted to ward off the spells but was only able to block off the first set. Those crystals she wore were going to be his undoing if he didn't deprive her of them sooner rather than later. Still, his own pools of aether were rather large and he wasn't exhausting them on flares. Still, the second one she'd unleashed in a row was more than his wards could handle and the explosion blackened his staff arm, leaving it near useless. Still, he wasn't one of Lloire's sides that reacted to anger as easily, not even in the significant pain he was in now. "I... told you... Not going to make this... easy on you!"

He stood up with flames flickering out around him on the ground and took the staff into his other hand. "Enough of this..." Runes began to glow around him as he activated Enochian. "The highest tier of fire magicks he knew was unleashed where she stood, the leylines fed him aether faster and another was cast at her to follow it. "This ends now!" One more swift cast and he'd have the power built up he needed to unleash his largest spell. Another fourth-tier fireball exploded where Ikara was standing and even the group further out could feel the swelling of aether at the battleground.

Hundreds of yalms away Aasifa shot a look around him at the others, looking hurt that he'd been accused. "What? Cannot... be Aasifa, he... is needing to say ...word. Aasifa... has been... quiet. That is a war zone, ...yes?" He croaked out before he grinned widely. "Let's go... and see!" Arakiel frowned and growled but started off towards the explosions before anyone else.

Aeri glanced between Arakiel and Beta both before speeding up the pace the group had set. Which, in all honestly didn't take much as the others were in just as much of a hurry. "I get Ikara can blow shit up... but ... thats a lot of firepower." She shook her head and they all moved as quickly as they reasonably could towards the battle. Aeri had her misgivings about it, as she wasn't really feeling like being blown up in this gods forsaken place, but she had given Ara her word, and she wasn't about to go back on it now.

 Ikara got some satisfaction from Kid's blackened arm. Even thought she had said she was going to put her all into this fight, she was still doing her best to only tap the aether in her necklace as she didn't know what she would find where Beta was. "Oh for Halone's sake... you think this is easy for me? The hardest part of this is not turning the hell around and leaving you to sulk in the fact that I won't fight you. You have the WORST timing ever... I've got places to be! I'm supposed to be saving my boyfriend, not my brother. For fucks sake... worst older brother..."

Fire exploded all around her, but before he could get off all his spells she was moving. This time it was her turn to teleport to him. One moment she was where his spells were aimed, and the next she was standing on top of him and wrapping her arms around him in a bear hug, then smashing her forehead into his nose to interrupt his casting. The first fire spell missed her, the second engulfed both of them, and she aimed her knee for his family jewels when he tried to cast the last spell, aiming to knock him to the ground and just punch him in the face. The whole time she was aiming physical spells at him she was building up her own aether to counter with her own spells.

Kid didn't have a chance to respond right away, her brow had found his nose and it gave a loud crack and blood spewed from the quickly bruising part of his face. "Little brother right now!" He shouted back at her. "You're older than I was!" His aether appeared to stop wavering at all and grew very sure and still as he began reciting the last spell, his eyes locking on her with intense focus. "This ends sis!" The spell was likely one she'd not seen him cast before. It was one that Lloire had learned only recently on the frontlines. His most powerful spell was building over both their heads and it was clear that he meant to put his everything into it, even if it meant a draw and a draw meant they both lost.

Ikara was splattered with warm blood that spewed from Kid's nose, and his words hit a chord with her. It was one of those things she always forgot. She wasn't a kid anymore. She was an adult now. She mostly never felt like one, but she was. She had been through more than most kids ever went through and come across the other side. She had lived to see adulthood. The train of thought was disrupted by the pure aether building as Kid started a spell that she didn't know. She knew if he got the spell off that would be devastating for her, and for Lloire. She had to win, or Lloire would stay broken.

She wiped the blood from her face, and her vision focused on it for a moment making her realize that while it felt real, it still wasn't real. It was all aether, and one thing she was good at was controlling aether. "You're right! I am older than you. I'm an adult, and I don't need Lloire to take care of me. We take care of each other because that is what family does, but I made it this far... and I'll be fine!"

The last five crystals in her necklace started to drain as she pulled the specific types of aether from them. Earth, Air, Fire, Ice, and Lightning... the catalysts that made everything in the world. "I won't destroy you. You're a part of my brother... but I don't have to destroy you to beat you!" She started disrupting the flow of aether in Kid, pulling the elements apart, as she had done so many times with her 'paintings'. Normally she had more time, but right his moment she didn't. She poured all the aether from her necklace into rearranging the aether in this fragment of her big brother. She worked desperately fast, trying to reform him into something else. At the last moment she poured her own aether into building the strongest manawall she could and prayed to Halone to make this work. "I can take care of myself, and you're an egotistical jerk for thinking I can't manage without you!"

 The last words were spoken as his spell went off, and the aether that he was created from shifted into the form she thought of when she thought of their lessons when she was still learning how to cast the simplest spells.

Kid seemed to know that he'd lost in that moment. Despite the spell above them and his own aether breaking down, he smiled. "Good. Remember that... And learn the lesson it took us this long to start to learn..."

Ikara grit her teeth and forced the last strands of aether into place where she wanted them, just as the spell overhead exploded. It could be seen for malms and malms around.

[natashasbanner]

Endgame should have been Natasha’s movie. Period. 

And if there was at least one woman on the creative team (screenwriters/directors) I think the narrative of the entire movie would be different. 

*Spoilers ahead*

You have been warned. 

Now I will admit that I am a huge Natasha fan and would like to see her live at any cost but that doesn’t take away from the fact that her death feels empty and purely for shock value alone. Newsflash, if you have to kill off someone to get a reaction out of your audience you need to reassess your script. 

Natasha has never really be given the treatment she deserved. Her character was the second Avenger introduced in the MCU and she’s the first female hero we get to see. She is IMPORTANT. She’s just as much a part of the team as the guys, if not more so because if you all remember correctly, Fury sent her to assess Tony’s ability to fit on the team. They have this rich background to play with and explore but more often than not she’s used as eye candy or Cap’s sidekick. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Russos don’t care about Natasha, or anyone who isn’t Steve for that matter. 

Endgame should have been her time to shine, but of course she gets the ax right before the final showdown. And the writers had the audacity to say that a big funeral would have been a disservice to the character. FUCK YOU!! Yes, she might have started in the shadows, but our girl has come a long way since IM2 and was the only one trying to keep the team together even when everyone else had moved on. 

And you wanna know the worst part, is they’ve been setting her up to take Steve’s place for years. Since the end of Age of Ultron. (Sidenote: Remember when everyone said that was the worst Avengers. Y’all can kiss my ass on that one because Endgame takes that title.) She was his right hand and the voice of reason in Civil War, but no one wanted to listen to her. She wanted to do good and if that meant compromising with the governments of the world, so be it. As long as they were together and kicking ass she was fine. But no. 

If you watch closely in Endgame, she’s not even the focus of her own death scene. When Red Skull appears, she’s shadowed and slightly out of focus, while Clint is crystal clear. God, men are frustrating. If you’re gonna kill her, do it right. But it wasn’t necessary or treated with the respect the character deserved. Which is why everyone is so pissed. 

They could have very easily have centered the movie around her and still have the emotional wrap up they were almost trying too hard to achieve. I watched Endgame for the fifth time tonight and cleaned up the whole plot in my head. 

Here’s how:

The first act remains virtually unchanged. Nat’s still the only one at the compound, doing her best to keep it together and be the leader of what’s left of the team. (What really pisses me off is that once Scott shows up Steve just takes charge again like he hadn’t spent the last five years lying to civilians while she was doing all the work alone. Ridiculous.) 

When it comes time to figure out when and who should go after the stones that’s when shit starts shifting. You’ve gotta be shitting me if you think Nebula didn’t put two and two together or that some of the smartest people in the world in one room couldn’t figure out that maybe there’s an exchange factor for the stone. And she would not keep that info to herself. Yes, she’s new here, but she also spent the last five years helping Nat make sure everything was going smoothly. You expect me to believe she let them go in blind. Horse SHIT!

No, instead of Scott’s “not it”, joke, you have the team have a real talk about the stone. They need it to bring everyone back, but are they willing to lose one of the few they have left for a plan that might not work. Natasha volunteers of course because that’s who she is. She’s put in the work for the last five years, but if her life means bringing back everyone else, she’d do it in a heartbeat. It’s who she is, giving it her all for the greater good. 

But it’s Steve who says it’ll be him. It has to be. The team argues of course, because they can’t lose Captain America, but Steve silences their protests. He always talked about making the sacrifice play and now it’s his turn to step up. He missed his chance at the life he wanted, with Peggy. She’s gone. But everyone else still had a chance at that if they pulled this off. Tony had his family, Nat had the team to lead, etc. He was always the man out of time and it was him who would do this for the team. Nat is the one who goes with him. She still tries to go instead but he won’t have it. They share a heartfelt goodbye and Steve passes the torch so to speak, but she was always the one in charge. And then he goes over the cliff. No gratuitous scene of his brain matter on the rocks. Just his shield in Nat’s hands as the sky goes white. Natasha wakes up with the stone, heartbroken, but determined to see this through. For Steve. 

They rest of the team mourns when Nat returns alone with the shield, but they all agree that Steve would have wanted them to keep moving forward. 

BOOM. The entire theater is in tears. Emotional pay off complete, let’s get to the action. 

They get the stones into the new gauntlet and Bruce still is the one to do the snap and bring everyone back. But it drains the gamma radiation from him leaving him as just Banner once more. (Because me and everyone I’ve talked to irl fucking hates Hulk/Banner and I want that shit reversed). 

Back on track. Clint gets the call from Laura and then Thanos bombs the place. Nat ends up in Steve’s place facing off with Thanos alongside Thor and Tony. She has the shield and is ready for this to be over. Whatever it takes. The fighting is the same and when it comes time to lift the hammer it’s Natasha who does it. The theater still gets that awed silence because literally no one saw that coming. 

But Macenzie, how is Nat worthy, she was an assassin you ask. She was, but ever since Clint brought her in, she’s tried to be better. She’s fought on the good side and been willing to lay down her life to save others. She encompasses what it means to be a hero even if she doesn’t believe so herself. Natasha Romanoff can lift the hammer and we finally get an answer to the question they left hanging in AoU. (I’d really like to see Nat get some lightning armor, but that might be pushing it since it didn’t happen for Cap). 

Boom the plot thickens. And just when you think she can’t take any more, Sam’s voice crackles in her ear. 

“Widow? It’s Sam. Did you miss me?” 

AAAAAND PORTALS!!!! Avengers freaking Assemble around the best Avenger, Natasha and whop some alien ass. And my all female scene is complete it the OG. 

Natasha lives to see Tony die and the audience again gets that emotional character ending. 

The funeral at the end is for both Tony and Steve, they send off a piece of his shield with the arc reactor. AND THE THEATER IS SOBBING!

Nat is the one to take the stones back, because duh and she makes a detour to the moment after Steve decided to give his life for the stone. She tells him they won and that she loves him and they hug. She offers to bring him to the future, but he can’t do that to the current reality. Natasha returns to the future and is seen at the sight of the old compound, looking over blueprints. She’s in charge and the rest of the team rallies around her.

The camera pans to the sky and fades to black. Before the credits role, the music changes to the song they had Peggy and Steve dance to and we see Steve and Peggy finally getting their dance together. 

Credits role. The theater is wrecked. Goodnight. 

But in all seriousness, there are so many better ways to do this movie that actually do the characters justice.