#I like to think sparky was just a myth for him too

[chloesimaginationthings]

Michael learns about FNAF Movie Sparky...

[cats-and-confusion]

Okay this is like super interesting pls gimme a second-

Does Olive have God parents? What's their relationship with them?

What's the extent of Olive's power? What can they do with it? Can they make pumpkin golems with their powers? Can they revive people?

How many endings have they seen? Have they seen all the possibilities like Sparky getting skinned or Patches killing everyone? What was their reaction?

How much of a fucked up little guy is Olive?

Are there multiple players or just one? Does Olive get along with them?

How much of a Party animal is Brownie? How well does she get along with the rest of the students?

Could you elaborate on the powerful manipulator thing? Oh and the lawyer part too please!!

About Sparky, does he have good(or atleast semi-good) grades? And how well does he do with just sitting in class or studying? Also what do you mean by "usually"?

Does Angel have a favourite tea? How about Coco? Who's the one who cooks in the house? If they both do, who cooks more often?

Could you expand on the Angel having trouble eating thing?

How long ago did Angel and Coco's parents die? How long has Coco been raising him?

What are Angel and Coco's relationship like? Are they sweet siblings? Constantly fighting and disagreeing siblings? Leader-Follower siblings or something else?

What kind of siblingly scenarios do you imagine would happen with them?

Could you elaborate on how Patches' mom died and how Patches' dad sucks?

How do Sparky and Patches spar? What do they use to spar?

What does Angel urge him to write? Poetry? Novels?

Added question, since Patches is the vice president of the literature club is he good at writing either of those?

What kind of snacks does Brownie give him?

What do you mean by Coco beating him?

Why does Patches drink Olive's blood? Are there any repercussions for doing so because of Olive's Godhood?

Is Patches also aware of the time shenanigans? Can he see the hearts like how Olive can?

What's the extent of the bullying Ginger goes through?

What club would Ginger be a part of if she joined one?

I'm sorry for the question dump but I am heavily interested in your PA thoughts

(continuation of this post)

EHEHAHHEHAH I love these questions :3 I'll answer in the order they were asked!

I always kind of imagined Olive not having parents - or rather, their parents were mortal and didn't ascend to godhood like Olive did, and have been dead for centuries. Yes Olive is that old. To me.

I like to imagine they can do a lot with their power, but only in specific situations and boundaries! For example, they can summon and contact otherworldly entities whenever they like and travel between worlds, but depending on the world they're going to or the entity they're summoning, it places restrictions on them. In their own domain without any restrictions they can do anything they like, from summoning small items to changing the state of the moon and everything in between! They're particularly inclined towards October, and festivities done during the fall give them more power, no matter the culture it's from! They can exist freely unaffected in places that would otherwise only be available to souls, i.e. keeping their body in purrgatory. They can fly and do magic, but it's more of an arcane magic than cats' magic, less to do with portals and more to do with changing what's around them. I'd imagine they can do things like bring scarecrows and jack-o-lanterns to life! They also have a passive effect on their surroundings, which makes things fall in a more 'story-like' manner than reality would otherwise give.

I like to think they've seen everything! All endings, all dialogue, all sprites - because they've been around so long they're a bit desensitized to the shock of it, but that doesn't make it any less scary in the moment!

Olive is so fucked up dude. I love them. The headless horseman (horsedog?) myth in the PA universe was actually them. They enter a room and immediately rummage around in everything looking for things of use. Their love for everyone else is locked at maximum. I like to think they've cannibalized before, if only since they're not technically a dog and because they like meat so much.

I think all players who play the game apply to the universe. They're all parallel to each other, and Olive has experienced all of them. Olive doesn't know any player personally but I think they'd just be happy to have a helpful friend. When the player's NOT so helpful, Olive forgives, forgives and forgives again, because it's in their nature to do so.

Brownie definitely goes to frat parties. She's the kind of girl to liven the party, and goes to one or two every other weekend, just for fun. She doesn't drink but she's definitely tried it before, and she's always the one to notice when someone's put something IN a drink (nefariously). She's known for being the fun headstrong AND safe one, and other party girls sort of flock to her for socializing and safety in numbers, as well as judging how safe a person is at a glance. There are definitely some students who don't like her, but there's just as many who love her.

Also pertaining to Brownie, let's face it, she's smart. She knows how to talk her way out of a situation, she knows how to talk her way INTO a situation, and she knows how to get what she wants just through giving and withholding information in certain tones. If she had gone down a different path in life, there's a good chance she'd have been a better manipulator than Patches! I think her canon self would make a great lawyer for this purpose, since her skepticism and opinions are not easily skewed by emotion or clouded by thoughts. She'd also make a good businesswoman, maybe as a fashion designer? Essentially, she could make serious money in the world with her talents when she grows up.

Sparky is the type of guy to study well and still average at B+. He's a good student, and he definitely does his best - he's even part of the student council - but academics are not his strong suit. I think he manages to find a way to stay focused and study well in class, but it leaves him drained. The 'usually' in 'His self esteem is good, usually' pertains to the second PA game where he's possessed by Ginger, and then feels insecure about himself afterwards which guided his actions to steal the wand.

I think Angel would particularly like Bergamot tea with milk, uncaffeinated. Coco has less of a taste for tea, but when she does have it, she likes to go with something bitter and energized, with a hint of a floral flavor. Coco definitely cooks more often, but Angel knows how to make a few dishes for himself, since they have varied tastes in food.

Angel has trouble eating because I'm projecting and because he forgets to. It's part of the reason why he has low blood sugar all the time, and why he's so thin.

I think Coco's and Angel's parents died a while ago, maybe when Coco was the cat equivalent of thirteen or so. They've since moved on, which was easier for Angel because he was too young to really remember his parents all that well. They kept the inherited house and Coco's been working to keep them afloat since then.

Coco and Angel are wholesome siblings, but they're still siblings. They're very affectionate and soft, but of course there are the jokes that come with siblingness ("for now you're stuck with Angel's inferior twink body." "quit talking about my body like that!") I think they would have domestic scenes in their daily life. For example, if one of them were going to leave the house for a while, the other would say "Stay safe, don't die of (extremely specific thing)," and they'd promise they wouldn't die of said thing. Angel is a bit of a follower to Coco because of the dependancy.

Patches' mom is canonically dead, as is mentioned in the third game, and died when he was little. My basis for having his dad suck, well... you don't get to be a serial murderer by having a great home life. That, paired with how he doesn't really talk about his home life (and how when he stayed with Olive at their house for so long and wasn't worried about when he'd get home. Neglect, most likely,) doesn't pain a pretty picture.

I'd always pictured Sparky and Patches sparring with boxing gloves and padding, or maybe fencing if Patches is wanting more thrill instead of exerted force. I also think Sparky would enjoy letting off steam in that way, too. It's showcased in the games that Sparky's strong as fuck, but he's also a really sweet boy, so he probably holds back a lot of the time otherwise.

I think Angel would urge him to write anything he wants, but Patches himself would lean a little bit towards poetry and a lot into whump writing and horror. If the terrible things can't go in the reality then they go on the paper, yknow?

I think he has a good talent for writing, as well as a sense of plot and drama that he doesn't always apply to his self-indulgent works, but can identify no less.

I think Brownie would give Patches whatever is on hand. Sort of like a, "I want to kill something" "Here have a donut loser. get over yourself" dynamic type thing

What I mean by Coco beating him is literally. Coco would beat the shit out of him. Can't have urges to kill when you have more pressing matters, amiright?

It's said in the first game in a certain dialogue that Patches cleaned off the blood from his paws and uniform by licking it off. So, he probably has a taste for blood, and that doesn't just go away when you update your morals, so I think Patches and Olive compromise to have him drink when it's available. As for repurrcussions, well, I think he'd gain a bit of a longer lifespan, as well as a sort of sixth sense to vaguely detect magic.

Patches is very aware of the time shenanigans, but only to a certain point. After the second game, Olive transferred the Player over to Patches to try and speed up his rehabilitation, which means he experienced everything in the third game - but because he's not a god, the memories are muddled, and he only really remembers vague concepts. He saw the hearts during the events of the third game, but was no longer able to see them after that day.

I think Ginger was bullied the most in her younger years, in elementary school and middle school, when kids don't know what not to say. Since she was shunned as she was developing, she learned how to isolate herself and beg for forgiveness at the drop of a hat, and also how to hide the weird things about her (such as her magic). I don't think it ever got seriously physical, but it certainly left a lasting impact.

If Ginger were part of a club, I think she'd be in the literature and cooking clubs! She's stated before that she likes cooking for others, so it would probably be fitted to her, since it's both doing something she likes and giving to others.

Ehehahehahdjshhjg thanks for letting me rant :3

[dootznbootz]

YOOOO I LOVE THE HEADCANONS SO MUCH. Especially the one where the type of the water affectes the appearance, that's so so neat

Also,, what do you think happens to a naiad (or someone of naiad descent) when they stay out of water for too long? Do they get sick? Do they eventually die? Would only water heal them or could something else (eg. eating fish) at least "stabilize" them?

And how would rain affect them? Would they be able to spend more time out of water when it's raining? Or could they maybe even bend the rain to their will? Of course rain comes from the clouds/sky which is not in their domain,, but if the raindrops are low enough, could it work? :0

Sorry if this was too long, i just really liked the headcanons and they made me think hahahaha

sdlkfj Thank you!!! Don't ever be sorry, Niko! I'm happy you like them so much!!! And always feel free to chatter away with me!! :D I think a LOT about the Naiad dynamics as they're really fun!!!! And as someone who grew up with a lot of river stuff, it's really nice and fun!

It's part of the reason why Penelope's smaller and has straight black hair :D As she was born a month early, it caught Periboea by surprise and she just went into the nearest creak :D (probably was mostly alone too)

It was calm at first before suddenly the current got fast and Penelope was swept away. Obviously terrifying. To say the least, some ducks brought her back :P (I really love the duck myth. It's neat and to have Penelope be associated with ducks while Helen is kind of associated with swans itches my brain just right >:D (Swans are bigger than ducks as well. like how I think of Helen and Penelope!) I like the thought of Odysseus "always thanking the ducks" whenever he sees them even while away. He gives them peas to eat and just gets happy when they fly overhead :'D

Penelope is a bit self-conscious about being born from a creek while her mom and most of her other siblings are from the river. (she's also the youngest and smaller.) Penelope was actually really worried about this and even kind of tried to not say that her water broke and was just like "hey, let's go here! No reason! :'D " because she wanted to get to the "better source of water" to give birth to Telemachus.

Odysseus: I can't believe you did that! >:( Penelope: HEy! Me and our son are fine!! The contractions didn't even start yet and we still made it to the river!!! And he'll be so strong, Odysseus! :D

Honestly they'd kind of "dry" out and just... really uncomfortable. I can imagine they kind of shed scales and just feel sick and unwell. Probably if you gave them a glass of water they'd rather dump it over their head :P Would eventually die if they don't get enough :'D If you marry a naiad-born person and don't have what they need, then you're a shit spouse. It is basically common knowledge, even for non-naiad born. Leda, for example, with Tyndarius, makes sure he has his "dips" in the water if she notices it's been a while or that he starts itching his skin. (Odysseus makes damn well sure she has enough water. Not only did he carve her a "nest" as a wedding bed, but he also has a pool with a canal that could go to the caves if she needed that's basically right outside their chamber :D Where she and Telemachus go a lot (especially during the suitors). He thought of EVERYTHING. It's seeing the bed and the pool where she realizes that this man truly loves her and that she loves him as well. She knew before that "she would be happy with him" and did love him but this is where she was hit with "omfg this is like the tales poets sing about. holy shit." )

Oh boy the RAIN >:)

Yes they can do SOOO much with it. It's actually a very joyous and playful time for most naiads and basically, everyone leaves their spots of water to just run around and play and dance. (and Helen and Pollux :P but uh...they do make it "sparky" so they only run around where there's no big body of water.) And it's actually another thing that naiads have over nereids as rain has no salt :P

It also helps with yeah, Helen and Pollux, as when these two get pretty emotional the clouds start to form. Helen likes to mess with people by giving them a "static shock" as it's funny and "minor". And she loves doing it to Penelope as she likes her reactions. When it rains or they're near water, Penelope kind of gets her revenge >:D (They love each other, they're just cousins)

[aecholapis]

10, 13, and 42 for the oc asks?

Sure! This one's a bit shorter.

10. Introduce an OC with a complicated design?

The holder of the most complicated design title may be Ironwing but Altitude is a close second and he has only been referenced in asks about his brother or his bf so far which is why I think he should be the answer to this question. The biggest issue I have with him is the placement of his colors, not the design itself.

Dramatic, sociable, an absolute blast to have around, Altitude is the kind of person you'd want to invite to any kind of gathering for he will breathe life into it. He has a bright personality and an equally lively appearance to match.

His base form is a simple propeller plane, nothing special. Cybertron's atmosphere is comparatively thin and makes it nigh impossible for him or his brother to fly. They are bound to walk through their floating home city state Vos but they can fly just fine under a certain... altitude, hehe.

Like his brother, Altitude doesn't have an outlandish robot design either. They use extra parts to make themselves appear more formal in Azimuth's case and fancy in Altitude's. Sometimes, the actor walks around with his costume on (superficially added kibble) and refuses to take it down even when it inconveniences him.

They share colors too: black, white, green, red and a flash of pink to complete the look. Altitude sports orange parts as well while Azimuth has more blue and purple on his frame. The twins are walking fashion disasters and sometimes tricky to draw due to their odd color schemes.

13. Do you have any troublemaker OCs?

There are a bunch! Munchy and Chomper for example. They are two sparkeaters @cyber-streak-2 has shared custody over and both are generally timid, although when they're at ease they might play a trick on mecha they know well. They're relatively young and are still testing out boundaries. Exopulse and Azimuth have to be patient with them.

It doesn't help that they're considered to be preternatural creatures by Cybertroniankind and that their ghastly appearance is hard to hide. They gotta use those creepy vibes to spook a mechanism or two.

(Old, unfinished sketch of Chomper)

Another noticeable troublemaker is Sparkattack :) Sparky needs enrichment.

42. Which one of your OCs would be the most interested in Greek gods?

Not Helios haha, please don't mention the sun when he's around. No! Nooo! Helios come bACK-

Acidsplicer harbors a healthy amount of curiosity regarding the world and history happens to be a part of it. Reading is only one of her thousand unsuccessful hobbies but it is something she attempts to get into over and over and over again.

She lacks the patience to read through any book longer than a novella. Either because she keeps interrupting her reading by doing something else besides or If she can't finish it in one day or one sitting, she will have a hard time returning to it because there are always so many more things she should be doing instead.

It must be said that she would love short stories about Greek mythology. She's not a literary nerd, but rather an artist and she will seek the beauty in prose. Beauty which she can memorize and illustrate in a painting or form in a sculpture. According to her, literature does not always do it justice.

Like numerous heroes in ancient greek mythology, she is obsessed with being the best at something. She knows how to use every tool she comes across and has a broad basic knowledge, however, she cannot recognize how valuable this knowledge is and will complain about her inability to master a skill.

This is in no way connected to the myth of Pygmalion and she will never find her Galatea/something she is good at.

But yeah, she'd like Greek mythology.

Snowblast would be less interested in it, but if Acidsplicer recommended him anything, he'd become interested in it too.

[squishneedsahero]

Fortsatt Forelsket

The Earth Shaker

Part 3 of ?

Word Count: 1578

Loki x Reader

Just a 2012 style avengers fanfic that is Loki x Reader. Sometime you just need cute fluff that is absolutely nothing more than self indulgence.

Once Thor had finished recounting his tale of what had happened with him and Loki on Asgard since your disappearance, you sat there in shock. Your supposed death and betrayal had been the catalyst for Loki's downfall into all of this, it hurt knowing you hadn't been there when he needed you. You'd been stuck here on Midgard when he had learned of his true parentage, when he had felt betrayed by his family members and fallen off the rainbow bridge.

"Loki wouldn't do that," is all you can say, unwilling to believe that he had fallen so far from being the man you had loved. That he would risk the lives of millions just for power.

You open your mouth again but Thor cuts you off, "I know it is hard to believe Fayl, but he did. He killed hundreds of people, he's dangerous-"

In your anger you rise to your feet, "Thor I do not care. I DON'T CARE HOW DANGEROUS HE IS. I need to go see him. I need try and make amends for the hurt and pain I caused him, I will help with the mess and cleaning up the city, but I need to see him." Your arms wave through the air as you speak with your hands, your voice turning to a low growl for the last phrase.

Thor stands up to face you, "I do not have jurisdiction here. They have Loki in custody, I cannot promise you anything Fayl," he pauses, and meets your eyes, the pain in them all too real, too similar to the pain he had seen in Loki's eyes, "but I'll see what I can do," he finally promises.

You hug him again, holding your tears back, this time, "thank you Thor... I just- I hope I can help him..."

After the two of you talk and and catch up Thor takes you and introduces you to the rest of the team who had stopped Loki the day before, plus Nick Fury the director of SHIELD. They seem wary of another Asgardian thanks to their experiences from the day before, and you can't blame them. They seem like they'll trust you, up until the point where Thor and his big mouth mentions the fact that you were a friend of Loki's.

You elbow him in the ribs, "thanks, dumbass, but I don't think that is the introduction to get people to trust me at the moment." With a shake of your head you turn back to the others, focusing your attention on Director Fury, knowing he's the one holding Loki, "we were friends but due to circumstance I haven't seen him in 700 years, give or take."

Fury's face doesn't change, "and?"

"My point is that this taking over the world thing is new. I knew him when we were kids and was his closest friend," you aren't going to let Fury intimidate you. "He doesn't usually try to stab me, though I'm not sure how he will react to seeing me, but I'd like to see him and try talking with him."

Fury looks between you and Thor, before asking Thor, "and you think this will work?"

"I know Faylwyn," he immediately begins, "she is not a threat-"

"This is the woman who ripped open one of my doors last night right?"

You shoot a look at the one who had spoken, it was none other than Tony Stark.

"Yes, that was me," you smile and offer your hand for him to shake, "I apologize for the damage but I needed to be sure that I would be able to speak to Thor."

Nick shoots the two of you a look, effectively shutting you up for the moment as he turns back to Thor, for him to continue.

"She is not a threat, I can give you my word on this. She can be dangerous just as any warrior maiden of Asgard, but she is not a threat to the people of Midgard."

"How do you know this?" Clint asks Thor suspiciously, "didn't you just say you haven't seen her since for 700 years?"

"Yes, but I will stake my honor on the fact that she can be trusted."

"Thank you Thor," you say and look to Fury for an answer.

"I'll think about it," he says shortly before turning and leaving the room.

This meant you were alone with Thor and the other heroes. Most of them you'd heard of, but you turn to the one who seemed the most untrusting of you. You hold out your hand, "I am Faylwyn, or y/n if you prefer, you are?"

He reluctantly takes your hand to shake it, "Barton, Clint Barton." He eyes you again, "so what's your deal? We took down Stabby yesterday, and then there's Sparky right here."

"Rocks," you say with a shrug.

"Can I ask what you mean?" Asks the one and only Steve Rogers.

"Yeah, according to the so called myths you share on this planet, I'm known as Jordskjelv, goddess of the earth. They got it a bit wrong though as I'm not the goddess of anything and not the earth as a whole, more like the ground if anything else."

Steve looks more confused but nods, not wanting to have to listen to you try and explain again.

"So, if you're Asgardian why weren't you here to help?" Asks the other man you don't know, he pauses, remembering his manners, "I'm Bruce Banner, by the way."

"I've been on earth for 700 years. I've figured out how to lay low, it's easier to survive by going unnoticed," you shrug, "so I can only assume Fury had no idea who I truly was. Plus I can't fly, I had to drive here because I was banished from Asgard so I don't fully have all the abilities Thor does."

Bruce nods slowly, understanding somewhat.

With that you turn to Natasha, "do you have any questions for me?"

"No, I know everything I need too and you do not seem to be a threat as long as you don't want to be," she responds.

You incline your head, "very well, thank you."

It's days that you help with damage control, days go by and you don't see a single sign of Loki or Nick Fury. It's alright though, you don't loose hope, you just keep trying to build the trust of the other Avengers as they had been named. At least, that was the plan, gain there trust so that you could at least see Loki, and then after a week as you're taking a break, you see the Bifrost open up and all the hope of seeing Loki drains from you.

You spend that night crying, your spirit broken and wanting to remain that way. But you held back you didn't let the earth shake beneath your feet, you didn't bring the city down as your emotions wanted too. There was no chance for you to see Loki as he's on Asgard, you were stuck here on Midgard, never to return to your home world. It hurts, opening an old wound once again, but just like the last time you pick yourself up and move on.

You pick yourself up off the floor, and accept the offer Fury gives you to join the Avengers and defend the earth. You have no reason to not accept, might as well start doing something good with your banishment. You move into the tower along with the others, and for the first time in a long time let yourself have friends. It was nice, you didn't feel like part of the team for a time, you didn't have the connections they did having fought against the Chitauri together.

Eventually you got comfortable, it was about a year after the battle of New York had happened when you finally felt comfortable where you were. It was then that Thor reappeared, he came back to earth to help all of you with the troubles the world was facing. It was good to see him, even if it hurt, it hurt that he had taken Loki away without letting you even see him.

He hugs you and apologizes for having left without so much as a goodbye, and you can only forgive him even if you are still upset with him. He then tells you how he had gotten Odin to agree to letting Loki live out the rest of his sentence here on earth, Director Fury was still working out how it would work, but you didn't care. You had a chance to see him, he was sentenced for life but you didn't care as long as you could see him.

It is decided the safest place to keep him is in the tower, under the guard of all the Avengers, where he could be stopped before he could do anything. You're ecstatic, but they don't let you see him, apparently Thor had informed Loki of you being in Midgard and he wasn't happy to hear that you were alive. Thor hadn't told Odin that he had seen you again, or Loki wouldn't have some back to earth.

They try all they can to keep you from seeing Loki, for your own and everyone else's safety, but it only lasts so long. Eventually you are able to see Loki, the man you had loved, and whom you still wished to love, and hoped would love you.

[munohlow]

WANDAVISION SPOILERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

This time Agatha is the audience surrogate, critiquing Wanda and trying to piece the plot together lmao

Hol up hol up hol up. Vision has “always been alone??” Dude only existed as Tony Stark’s personal AI and then was immediately an Avenger but ok

I love Kathryn Hahn but she definitely a villain. First Sparky, now the twins, also her own ma (albeit her mom tried to kill her first), and that bug/bird. She ruthless! That’s just villain behavior. I just hope she sticks around tho, maybe becomes an anti-hero or neutral character. Just... please bring back Kathryn Hahn

Also Scarlet Witch as a mantle/myth? I dig it. There’s history there and Agatha can become her mentor and teach her stuff. (Bring back Kathryn Hahn)

The body horror in this show is fun. Let’s get more o dat. More spooks, more jump scares. In marvel anyway

She manifested the Vision! I mean A Vision. A the Vision. That explains his human looking eyeballs, they don’t look like camera lenses. Some people thought it was a budget thing, since it’s tv and there was that arm paint situation but multiple episodes of Paul Bettany’s own baby blues for multiple eps is too big a detail for marvel to slip up. I think her magic being part of the mind stone will be the last component to complete him like in Infinity War, she’s going to basically recreate his soul for the synthezoid body (well recreate his mind, it’s not the soul stone, amirite???). White Viso and Magic Viso are gonna combine, maybe they merge in a dramatic hugging scene or a Superman 3 fight. I hope he comes back more robotic and blank eyed like he is in the comics and not just red Paul Bettany again but that’s just me

Westview is straight up the Universal town square back lot. No wonder Wanda set up a sitcom there

[seyaryminamoto]

Lol at Ozai shitting himself thinking of the blood spear arriving when he'd been there. Its funny he told stories of it to scare his kids and now he is scared. He knew his assassin was only defense. I think that would end in spear and assassin killing eachother. Spear skewers assasin and drains blood. Assassin's grips and badly burns spear who badly hurts assassin back. Spear gets blood poisoning that burns it from inside. Spear and assassin crumble, die. Two less evils to threaten Sokkla! YAY!!

One more Ozai thing I loved was him showing more of his fatherly side, he very much cares for his daughter in your story, but is too bad he's a big jerk face. This spear arc was my favorite so far but was total torture waiting for updates on. But I must be truthful that I look forward to returning to simple old gladiator battles and get back to basics of what the fanfic name is as sparky sparky boom man still needs to get a boomerang to his big baldy forehead. Sad Sokka may need to kill busty.

I'm taking for granted that the same person sent both these asks due to the sense of continuity in the second one xD anyway, anyway...

It is funny in a really ridiculous way, isn't it? xD but I suppose in Ozai's pseudo-defense (not that I wanna defend him anyway *shakes fist at him*), much like Iroh and Zhao didn't believe it was real, neither did he. It's basically like hearing that some random person in modern times found the actual Excalibur and is demanding the House of Windsor moves over because they're king now, according to myth and legend x'DDDD it may not be the perfect 1:1 analogy, but that's more or less how distant the spear feels for them, and how easy it was to dismiss it as lore or folk tales.

As for whether Seethus could take on the spear... I've seen a lot of people thinking he could be the only person immune to it, and I actually agree with that notion, but I don't entirely agree with the concept of Seethus destroying the spear? Due to its nature as a spear, the spear could cut into him but basically not drain anything because they're basically made of the same strange anti-chi material, if that makes any sense xD his powers, however, aren't all that likely to damage the spear because of the similarity in the composition of both spear and himself: if he's immune to the spear's rot, the spear is immune to his. The multicolor-fire cage was a method to annul the rot for a brief time, a way to shut down the corruption briefly to render the physical spear... well, normal again, so to say xD with the corruption in full swing, the very essence of the spear is no different from Seethus's, so Seethus would just have to find himself an anti-chi-corruption weapon if he were to kill this thing...

... Which I suspect is something that doesn't exist since no one had to fight anything like this in recent times xD I guess that's the only way I could see that turning out the way so many readers would like to see it. It's complicated and I'm absolutely diving into strange waters within the worldbuilding of the Avatarverse, I know I am, but working with this spiritual corruption has still been interesting since it's definitely a kind of threat and problem that really can't be taken for granted. A lot of people were amused back when Azula and Xin Long took down Seethus, and dismissed his power after that... well, I kept thinking they might not be so amused anymore once we got to this point and we could see what Seethus could have done to Azula had he felt the need to, or had wanted to :'D she's definitely strong enough to fight against Seethus back in mid-Part 2, but the blow she's received after defeating the Spear is exactly what would have happened if Seethus weren't... well, as nice as he is xD ridiculous as it sounds to say so. The man's loyalty to Ozai is so fierce that even in the face of potentially dying he wasn't willing to hurt Azula... but will that be true to Seethus forevermore? :'D Who knows! Oh wait, I do...

As for the second thing, yes, Ozai has his occasional good moments and they definitely drive some nasty case of the feels home whenever they happen. If only he had the good sense to always stick to acting as he does in those good moments... :') *shakes fist at him again* Unfortunately, as compelling a character as he may be, there's no point to forgetting who Ozai really is or what he's been capable of so far, both in story and in canon. Touching as some moments may be... *sigh* he is not to be trusted, people, seriously...

And yep, we're returning to the good ole' Gladiator League once more in this arc. I think everyone sees it coming because the arc's title speaks for itself xD I'd say things will come full circle, somewhat? But the most important thing to know is... yes. We're gonna see our three strongest gladiators decking it out, and it's gonna be... :'D

... I'd say fun? But admittedly there's one of those fights that makes me scream internally quite a bit whenever I think about it...

[anyarally]

Logan Meets a Mer

Sanders Sides Fanfiction Virgil X Logan (Analogical) 3,133 Words   Ao3 Link

Logan was out on the sea yet again, dragged along with Roman and his self-proclaimed ‘merry crew’. He usually stuck to the lower decks, at his desk trying to study and write about any new findings he procured on these trips, but Roman called him and Remus, his co-captain and twin brother, up to the upper deck for a ‘bffs meeting’ as Remus called them. Or, you know, a top-secret meeting for the higher ranks, but tomato tomato. Little did he know he'd see something unbelievable that day.

Logan was out on the sea yet again, dragged along with Roman and his self-proclaimed ‘merry crew’. He usually stuck to the lower decks, at his desk trying to study and write about any new findings he procured on these trips, but Roman called him and Remus, his co-captain and twin brother, up to the upper deck for a ‘bffs meeting’ as Remus called them. Or, you know, a top-secret meeting for the higher ranks, but tomato tomato.

Logan sighed, putting a ribbon in his journal and his quill in his ink jar and going upstairs to where Roman and Remus were.

“Sir, this really isn’t a great time, I was about to-“

“Specs! How many times do I have to tell you now to call us sir! We think of you as an equal.”

“Yeah Logie-bear! Just because we’re captains and you’re not and we’re cool and you’re lame doesn’t mean we’re better than you!”

“Well, sirs,” Logan adjusted his glasses, “maybe if either of you simply called me my name, I wouldn’t be so inclined to not call you yours either.”

Roman loudly clapped his hands together, “Anyway! I have some very important and top-secret news for you all!”

“We have some top-secret news for you all! Jesus, Roman!”

Logan cleared his throat, “First of all, if both of you knew it shouldn’t be ‘you all’. Secondly, could you two please just tell me?”

“God, Logan, you’re no fun! Whatever,” Remus led the way to the back of the upper deck, pulling back a curtain to something Logan had never seen before. And that was saying something.

Logan looked up, mouth agape, at a merman. He always assumed they were just legend, he could barely believe his eyes. He slowly walked up to him, but when the merman started hissing he stopped advancing. The merman had short shoddily cut hair, giant pointy teeth, beautiful dark scales that shined purple in the light, left eye purple, right eye green, and scales on his face, specifically under his eyes.

“I, erm, you’re… magnificent.” Logan gaped, looking up at the mer.

The mer only hissed again, but if Logan hadn’t been so flustered himself he would’ve noticed the red forming on the fleshy parts of his face. Then, suddenly, the beautiful creature screamed .

A demonic double voice emanates from the beautiful beast, causing Logan, Roman, and Remus to hurriedly cover their ears. Eventually, it got high enough to break a glass mug, and then the mer took a break to breathe some.

Once he was done, Remus took down the net and looked at the two agape men, “Let’s get him downstairs. We don’t want the rest of the crew to see him.”

Logan and Roman nodded, finally broken from the trance, and helped Remus carry the now exhausted mer.

They laid him down in the tub for now, and Roman and Remus left, leaving Logan to watch him.

Logan scanned over the beautiful creature with his eyes, noticing his chest moving up and down. He has lungs. Good. He gently brushed his fingers against his tail, noticing the scales don’t feel… healthy. If he had been with the brothers when they caught the merman, he would’ve thrown him right back overboard. It’s dangerous and harmful to keep native sea life for too long, even though Logan wanted to study it far more than the crew presumably wanted to sell his scales.

Logan sighed, went to his room, got his journal and quill, and came into the bathroom to sit on the floor and write until the mer wakes up.

Sure enough, after about an hour and a half, the beautiful merman woke up. He slowly blinks his eyes open, but when he sees Logan, immediately starts hissing.

“Shh! You don’t want the boys to come!”

The mer turned his head in a questioning manner but ultimately quieted down.

Logan let out a relieved breath, “Thank you. Now, can you understand me?”

In response, he got a garbled mess of what sounded like dolphin noises? But then the mer coughed and replied, “Sorry, haven’t talked above water in awhile.”

“Fascinating! Do you have a name? Have you been above water before? Are your scales supposed to feel like that? Why do you have hair? Is heterochromia rare for merfolk too? Do baby mers nurse? How-”

“Hold up, you need to calm down like holy shit humans can talk. My name is Virgil. That’s all you really need to know right now.”

Logan sighs, “I suppose. Nice to meet you, Virgil, I’m Logan.” he held out his hand for Virgil to shake, and he just looked at it. “Very well, I understand your lack of trust towards me. If it means anything to you, if I were on the upper deck when you were caught, I wouldn’t have let them bring you on the ship.”

“Them?”

“Roman and Remus, the co-captains of this ship.”

“Co-captains?” Virgil said skeptically.

“I know, it’s idiotic, but their father only had one ship to give and they kept arguing about who could own it, eventually coming to the consensus that they could both be captain.”

They talked back and forth for about half an hour when Virgil started scratching at his scales. Logan grabbed his hand, and Virgil yanked it back aggressively, gently cradling it close to his chest.

“Apologies, I’m aware you’re not fond of… touch from me. I was simply trying to stop you from scratching, it can’t be good for you.”

“It gets this way when it hasn’t been in saltwater for too long.” Virgil snapped, anger clear in his tone.

Logan looked away, mumbling something.

“L? What was that?”

“Could I, erm, would you like me to let you go?”

“Dude that’s literally all I’ve wanted this whole time.”

“Oh. Ah, I see, you never said so.”

“I never thought you would say yes, and I thought my tone gave it away!”

“Apologies, again, I have trouble with emotions and tone and such,” there’s a long stretch of awkward silence, which Logan interrupts with, “anyway, escaping?”

“Oh, uh, yeah man I’d love that.”

“Very well. It’s almost sundown, after then the twins will go to the lower decks for supper and likely a party with the crew, then bed. It will not be suspicious for me to miss this, I rarely come anyway. If we stay quiet, they should not suspect a thing, and even if they hear my footsteps they will assume I’m coming out to look at and chart the stars like I do most nights. As long as we can hide the sound of your tail, we should be set.”

“That’s too many ‘should’s for me to be comfortable with. But, it’s the best plan we’ve got I guess.”

“Indeed.”

That night, everything surprisingly went off without a hitch. Logan managed to get Virgil off the side of the boat unharmed and undetected, but the next morning is where things get a little rough.

Logan looked out at the sea, sighed, and went back to his room. No going to sleep at this point, Logan decided to sit at his desk and write.

‘Sea Log #9.18 (CONT.)

Today, I met a rare creature I previously believed was simply a myth. I suppose the best name for him would be a merman.*

His scales were dark with a purple shine to him, and he thankfully was willing to answer some of my questions eventually,** but on this page, I have chosen to focus on this particular merman’s personality.

Once he trusted me enough to start speaking (English, surprisingly), he told me his name was Virgil. I learned that he doesn’t have many friends under the sea, just one best friend and a brother. His best friend’s name is Janus, he’s half eel as opposed to the more fish-like features Virgil has. His brother’s name is Patton, he’s very similar to Virgil, just with a blue shine to him and different scale placement on his face. He mentioned Patton’s vision is very bad, perhaps I could find a way to get a prescription and make waterproof glasses of some kind.

What am I saying, I likely will not see Virgil again, much less his family. I helped him escape, and I do not regret it.

Apologies, that was a falsehood. I do regret it, but not for the reasons I normally would. I feel something for this merman. I do not entirely know what, but it is something. I do know that I miss him. I miss him in a different way than I miss my work on land, closer to the way I miss my mother and Sparky, but still not quite.

I have made sure to leave space at the bottom of this page, so I will add more later. I believe Roman and Remus may be able to help me with this, but I will have to wait to ask. I didn’t bring any books on psychology along on this trip, and I suspect the twins will be less than pleased at me letting the merman go.

*double-check and correct if needed at a later date

**diagram and explanations on next two-page spread (pages 19-20)

Satisfied with his journal entry, Logan put his quill away and closed his journal, putting it away on the shelf above his desk.

He stretched his arms and glanced into his bathroom, seeing the light coming out and realizing he unintentionally pulled yet another all-nighter.

Sighing, he changes his clothes anyway to make it seem like he had slept, fixed his hair in the mirror, and started heading to the upper deck.

“Lo-lo! You’re finally up!”

“Sir, the sunrise just happened.”

“Ugh, you’re such a downer! Hey, where’d that mer get off to? I haven’t seen it since yesterday.” Roman asked whilst cleaning his sword.

“Sir, he is gone.”

“Gone?! Gone where?!” Remus screamed, Roman paused in his cleaning.

“I, ahem, I let him go.”

“You. WHAT.” Roman loudly stated in the most intimidating voice Logan had ever heard.

“Sir, it was inhumane to keep him here, you must know that.”

“It wasn’t human, Logan! Remus, throw him in a holding cell, we can’t trust him anymore.”

“Wait, sir-” muffled pleas continued to come from Logan as Remus muffled his mouth with his hand.

“Okie-dokie bro-bro!”

Remus quickly threw Logan into a cell, easily ignoring Logan’s cries as he did so. Logan wasn’t particularly known for his brawn, it wasn’t very hard to overpower him.

Remus waltzed on out, whistling as he went.

“Remus, didn’t Logan take the merman to his quarters?”

“Yeah, I think so, should we go check them out?”

Check them out, they did. In his quarters, the co-captains found his journal and Remus of course had no problem invading the sailing master’s privacy, so he opened it up immediately, flipping to the most recent page. On it, Remus saw a two-page spread of the merman, and when he went to the page before, his eyes widened.

“Roman, come here for a second.”

“What is it, Ree? You never use my whole name,” Roman looks over Remus’s shoulder, “holy shit. Remus, I think I’ve got a plan.”

They smirked at each other, taking the journal and going to the cell Logan was being held in.

“Hey, specs!” Roman yelled, causing Logan to quickly look up.

“Look what we found!” Remus holds the journal above his head mockingly.

Roman yanks the book out of Remus’s hand, “‘ I miss him in a different way than I miss my work on land, closer to the way I miss my mother and Sparky, but still not quite.’ You’re clearly in love with him, nerd! He must at least trust you, with all the personal info he gave you, so I think you’d make for perfect bait!”

“Wait, no! You can’t hurt him! It’s not our place, he belongs in the ocean!”

“Ooh, and maybe this Janus and Patton will come too, they sound pretty!”

“No! You can’t!”

The two twins just laughed. Remus opened the door to the cell and grabbed him, holding him while Roman put handcuffs on him, and then bringing him back to the upper decks. Once they get up there, Remus pushes Logan, making him stumble forwards, stepping on a net trap and effectively trapping him.

“Stop this at once! It’s not ethical! It’s not humane!”

“You can just say ‘right’ you know! Ugh, even when you’re dying you’re the biggest nerd in the seven seas,” Roman laughs while Remus just looks to the side.

Roman pulls a lever, pulling the net holding Logan up above their heads and putting him above the ocean.

“No!” Logan grunts, chained wrists grabbing the ropes.

“Yeah, keep that mouth talking, specs! The louder you yell, the faster that thing will come for you!”

Out of spite, the sailing master stays completely silent, not even moving enough to rustle the ropes.

He stays quiet for almost two hours, the co-captains trying everything they could think of without moving him from above the water to make the poor man yell, only making the ropes make some noise.

Eventually, Roman realizes he could look in Logan’s ship log for info on mers, and sees that they have an incredible sense of smell, especially when it comes to prey. They can apparently smell the blood of their prey and their friends, easily differentiating between them.

Roman smirked as he showed the line to Remus, but he just looked away again, “Ro, are you sure about this? I mean… I don’t wanna hurt him.”

“What are you talking about Ree, we need those scales!”

Remus raised his voice, alerting Logan of the argument, “No, you need those scales! I don’t care, Roman!”

“Oh fuck you, Remus. I’ll do it myself.”

Roman uses the lever to bring Logan close. He grabs his foot, yanking it through one of the squares in the net. Grabbing the boot and throwing it into the ocean, Roman uses his dagger and quickly slices the back of the struggling man’s ankle, hitting an artery before he levers him back over the water.

Logan tries to pull his foot back in the net but just ends up making the blood come out quicker.

Off in the distance, they hear a scream. Logan looks out to see a giant splash of water and what looks like but a black spec in the distance. He gulps.

The almost demonic screeching gets louder and louder until they see a giant splash right beside Logan’s net.

Virgil jumped up like a dolphin, doing a flip and diving back in, screeching the whole time. When he resurfaces to the right of Logan’s net, he hovers with the water just under his eyes for a second, and as he rises so his mouth is above water, two mers pop up behind him.

The one on the right of him has green and yellow scales covering the left half of his head, an eel eye on that side and a human eye on the other. The creature has long dark green hair growing out of the human half of his head which floats around him at the top of the water.

The other looks a lot like Virgil, with similar skin and hair tones, but instead of black scales with a purple shine, he has a grey tail with a blue shine to them. His scales also didn’t accumulate in certain spots like Virgil’s, they were speckled all over his face, like freckles.

“Virgil! You have to leave! It’s a trap!”

Virgil looked up towards the yell, eyes widening at the state Logan’s in. His bloody foot, broken glasses, his bruised cheek, and his reddened handcuffed wrists anger Virgil to the core. He sternly but lovingly says, “It’s okay Lo, we’ll get you out of there.” Virgil turns back to the co-captains, “Let him go, or we’ll sink your ship and take him ourselves!”

“Or,” Roman pulls out a pistol, mahogany with gold accents, and aims it at Logan, “We could shoot him now, and no one wins! Or I suppose you could give yourself and your little buddies over and he lives, whichever you prefer.” Roman smirks.

Remus gasped as he pulled out the gun and aimed it at Logan. “Ro, aren’t we taking this too far? We can’t kill Logan, right?”

“We’ll be fine without a sailing master for a couple days, Ree, we’ll kidnap a new one soon enough.”

“Roman, that’s not why and you know it!”

“Jesus Christ, Remus, we’re not gonna just give up mer scales for your stupid crush!”

“Why you-“ Remus growled, tackling Roman, making his finger slip and shoot the gun.

Time seemed to slow down for Logan as he did his best to get out of the way, the bullet hitting his shoulder. He yelled out, and Virgil screeched.

Virgil looked to the co-captains, eyes turning black, but was surprised to see Roman unconscious on the ground.

When everyone was shocked by the gunshot, Remus had hit Roman in the head with the butt of his dagger, effectively knocking him unconscious.

Remus and Virgil made eye contact, Remus sighing, “If I get the net into the water, can you help him? We don’t have a doctor.”

Virgil almost couldn’t hear Remus’s uncharacteristically quiet voice, but responded with a nod, “My brother knows healing magic.”

“Good.” Remus cut the rope to the net, making it fall into the water with a giant splash.

Virgil and the other mers immediately dove under, Virgil getting to the net first and cutting Logan free with his sharp teeth.

“Janus, cast the spell.”

“Got it,” the eel mer closed his eyes and brought his webbed hands to his temples, opening his now glowing eyes and saying, “KFIV VMVITB MLG HPRM ZMW YLMV IRHRMT ORPV GSV HSVKZIW GLMV.”

Logan opened his eyes and gasped, breathing water, and looked around confusedly. When he reached out for his glasses, he put more strain on his bullet wound, making more blood to float out of it and disappear into the water.

Virgil grabbed Logan’s glasses and handed them to him, continuing to scoop him up in his arms. “Shh, you’re okay now. I’ll explain everything as soon as we’re somewhere safe. Patton?” he held Logan out to the mer with a blue shine.

Patton nodded, gently touching Logan’s uninjured arm. Logan watched in amazement as the injuries on his arm and ankle went through an accelerated healing process, the bullet floating out of his arm and both wounds closing up until they were simply scars.

Virgil thanked the now panting Patton and closed his eyes as giant shadows enveloped the three merfolk and one human, transporting them away from Roman and Remus’s ship.

Don't freak out, there will be a sequel! It'll probably be in a bit though. I've already picked a prompt for it and a basic story outline though, so it's happening! Sorry this last chapter is so short, I just really felt that's where it ends. Oh and just an fyi Logan is (or was lol) Roman and Remus's sailing master, but he was not kidnapped! Pirates often kidnap sailing masters but Logan was there willingly. :) Everyone who read this story, you get a cookie! Anyone who solves the cipher gets a second cookie! Prompt: Trapped in a net

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 13

aka Caleo uni au

Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…

Chapter summary: Calypso meets Jason (domestic moments part 3)

A/N: I wrote a little longer rant on ao3 but let me just say that bless au:s. The fact that I can progress things my own way keeps me want to continue this fic. 

I hope you guys enjoy, and remember that I cherish every comment I get! (Ps. some drama is coming, let’s just enjoy the fluff for now!)

Characters in this ch: Calypso, Leo. Jason, Piper

Words: 2021

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort

Warnings: none

previous chapter / next chapter / AO3

...

Calypso and Leo didn’t have time to recover from the electric moment before there was already a knock on the door. After Leo opened the door and greeted the newcomers, they soon noticed Calypso still standing near the kitchen counter with a tint of red on her face. Piper, who had already met her, just waved her hand happily as a greeting, but Jason stepped closer, offered his hand to her and said: “So, you must be Calypso. I’m Jason, the one who used to live in your room.”

“Y-yes, Leo mentioned that,” Calypso stuttered as she shook his hand. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. And Piper you already know.” He gestured towards the brunette who nodded. “She told me about her visit. Leo, on the other hand, has been kind of vague about you.”

“Oh? The flatmate I know can be quite a loudmouth when he wants to.” Calypso looked at Leo with surprise.

“You two just met and she’s already roasting me to you…” Leo said, pretending to be embarrassed. “This is my life now.”

Jason snorted. “Maybe that’s good for Mr. Super Sized McShizzle’s ego.”

“Super Sized McShizzle? Oh my gods, the nicknames never end. Did he give that to himself?” Calypso asked, having to stifle a laughter.

“He did,” Piper confirmed and Calypso couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Even if she was doing it at his expense, Leo was happy to realize it was already the second time she laughed that day, in a short period of time. For some reason the thought made something bubble in his chest.

“OK, now that we have that established, can we move on?” Leo asked impatiently.

“No.” Piper smirked playfully, apparently interested in the current topic. “What does he call you, Calypso?”

“Sunshine. I don’t really know why, though.” Calypso shrugged. “Maybe he’s being sarcastic.”

“Aww, sarcastic or not, I think that’s cute,” Piper said. “His nickname for me is Beauty Queen. I hate that nickname, to be honest. He knows I don’t really care about how I look.”

“What about you, Jason? What’s his nickname for you?” Calypso asked, already feeling more relaxed with the guests.

“Well, sometimes he calls me Lightning Boy because I used to help around at an electronics store and once I accidentally blew a fuse there… It was easily fixed, though, but Leo thought it was funny. Sometimes he also likes to use Sparky or the nicknames my friend Percy has given me: Golden Boy and Blonde Superman. Don’t ask.” Jason rolled his eyes.

Calypso’s eyes flashed strangely when she heard the name Percy but then she probably decided that the name must have simply been a coincidence because soon she asked Jason something else. Leo was relieved to see that Calypso seemed to like both of his best friends as they kept up a light hearted conversation while setting the table for the dinner.

Once they were ready to start eating, Jason asked Calypso: “By the way, feel free to ignore my question if you think it’s too personal, but I noticed that you said ‘oh my gods’ in plural at one point. Do you have any specific reason for that?”

“I guess I kinda do,” Calypso confessed as she sat down on her seat and crossed her hands over her lap. “The thing is, I’ve never believed in just one God. I’ve done a lot of research on the Greek Mythology and… I don’t know, I like the idea that different things, say, for example weather, have different forces affecting them. Now, I’m not saying that I believe in the stories of Greek mythology to the letter - there are a lot of crazy myths out there - but when you look at the bigger picture, there’s a lot that makes sense to me. I don’t know. People always think I’m weird when I say that.”

“I don’t think that’s weird,” Jason said. “I’m interested in the old cultures as well and I’ve always wanted to do my share so that they wouldn’t be forgotten. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to become a teacher.”

“Oh! That sounds great,” Calypso said approvingly. “I’ve sometimes debated in my mind if I should become a teacher as well because a lot of history majors do but… so far I think I’m more interested in the research…”

Jason was going to say something more but Leo decided to interrupt. Even though he was happy Calypso got along with his friends, he had to admit to himself that he was a little bit jealous because his own beginning with her had been a lot bumpier than his friends’.

“Alright, nerds, that’s great and all but why don’t we start eating? The sauce supreme won’t be waiting!”

“Who are you calling nerds?” Calypso retorted back, attempting to throw her long braid over the shoulder before remembering that her hair was short now. “You must remember every single mathematical, physical and chemical formula by heart, and besides, I heard you humming the theme of Game of Thrones the other day.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Leo asked, surprised Calypso knew about his humming.

“I think it proves that you are such as much of a nerd as we are and probably even more,” Calypso teased.

“But I need those formulas to complete my job and that theme is epic… Eh, whatever. Let’s all be nerds then. Cheers!” he raised his glass of soda and took a huge sip. Jason and Piper looked at each other with amusement. The Leo they knew was very stubborn and might not have stopped the debate quite that easily. It must have been the Calypso effect.

For a while the group ate in silence, before Leo broke it again.

“Well, what do you guys think? How’s the papa Grace approved taco sauce tasting?”

“It’s good, Leo, just like the ones you made when I was living here,” Jason answered, maintaining his poker face.

“I think this has a little less spunk, this time, though,” Piper said, but after seeing Leo’s expression she added quickly: “Which is a good thing! I don’t need fluids coming out of my nose no matter what you say.”

“Make fun of me all you want, I know you like it.” Leo pouted but soon he started grinning again. “Hey, what’s you guys’ opinion on olives?”

“I like them,” Piper said and to prove her point, she took more of Calypso’s Greek salad on her plate.

“They’re OK,” Jason chorused. “Why do you ask?”

“We had a little debate…” Leo said before he had time to regret it.

“A debate?” Piper asked curiously, turning her head from Leo to Calypso.

“About olives,” Leo replied. “I said I’d eat all my olives in the salad nicely if she tasted this chili right here.” He showed her friends the half of the chili that Calypso hadn’t tasted, not caring about their horrified expressions.

“Eww, dude, I’ve once tasted those and I had to drink like 2 liters of milk after that! Why would you make her do that?” Jason asked.

“Because she wanted to,” Leo said defensively.

“Is that true, Cal?” Piper turned to her.

“Well…” it was Calypso’s turn to get embarrassed. “It kinda is. I did say I was up for the challenge.”

“Okay,” Piper said with amusement. “Then what happened?”

“She only tasted a tiny bit and I claimed that wasn’t enough for me to eat the olives,” Leo answered.

“And I started chasing him and…” Calypso started but she realized that it might be better if she didn’t continue that sentence. After all, she herself wasn’t sure what exactly had happened in that moment. “And?” Piper wanted to know.

“That’s when you guys arrived.” Leo covered for Calypso.

Piper had a feeling that there was still a bit more to the story but she knew where to put the limit so she just ended up chuckling a bit and saying: “Oh, that chasing part explains why you seemed a little out of breath when we arrived.”

Leo and Calypso looked at each other and nodded in unison.

“That sounds like something we would have wanted to witness,” Piper said, trying to stop herself from laughing out loud.

“Some of us play tag, some of us play Pokémon,” Leo decided to pay back. “We can have some fun too.”

“They play Pokémon?” Calypso looked at Leo with a funny expression. “You know what, Valdez? I used to be pretty good at it back in the day when I played it with my… um, when I played it as a kid. Maybe we should have a battle with them one day.”

Leo did notice the hesitation in Calypso’s voice when she mentioned she had played it as a kid, but decided to ask about it later. He grinned at her in response.

“Now we’re talking, Sunshine! Jason, how about you bring your Switch here next weekend and we’ll have a battle then! We can also play Mario Kart for the good ol’ nostalgia’s sake.”

“It’s a deal!” Jason agreed and Leo and he shook hands to seal the promise.

“We’re gonna have to have a strategy meeting before that,” Leo turned to Calypso again. “These two have played more so they have the advantage.”

“Oh yes, for sure,” Calypso agreed. “I didn’t know you had a Switch, though. Haven’t seen you use it.”

“I do, though. One customer broke theirs and I told them I couldn’t fix it…”

“Leonidas!” Calypso said disapprovingly.

“Relax, I’m just kidding. Gotta try to keep up my bad boy supreme image. In reality I bought it because I wanted to give Georgie a reason to come visit me more often, but between my studies and work I haven’t really had a chance to use it much.”

“You are not a bad boy supreme, you are a doting brother. I’m sure Georgie would like to spend time with you either way, though.” Calypso said as much to her as Leo’s surprise.

“Guys, as much fun as this is to listen to, your food is getting cold,” Piper pointed out as she stuffed more of her tofu tacos (Leo had made both meat and vegan options) into her mouth. The two quickly turned their attention back to their dinner while Jason and Piper casted knowing looks at each other. Leo may not have admitted it out loud but there definitely was something going on between the two. It was the way they casted shy looks at each other when they thought the other one wasn’t looking, how their faces softened when the other one said something they liked, and how they pretended to bicker but neither really wasn’t too serious with their words. Maybe they weren’t quite sure themselves what to think but Piper had a strong feeling eventually they would figure it out.

The group continued a relaxed conversation as they ate about all things possible; university, weird customers Leo ran into in his work, food, games, how Piper and Jason had met Leo, and so on. After the guests thanked for the food and said their goodbyes, Leo asked Calypso:

“So, those were my friends. What do ya think?” “I think they are great! I admit I was quite nervous at first but… they seem to be easy to hang out with.”

“Good! Um, listen,” Leo said, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. “I still have one project to finish today and I have early classes tomorrow, ugh… But I had a good time today. So thanks.”

“I had a good time too.” Calypso smiled. “Despite that chili!” she decided to remind him.

“Oh, right, sorry about that.” Leo ruffled his hair. “I won’t make you do that again. Maybe.”

“You’d better not,” Calypso said but not in a mean spirited way. “Anyway, I have some homework to do as well, so… Good night, Leo.” She smiled at him before withdrawing into her room.

“Good night, Cal.” He waved at her, noticing that one part of his brain was already looking forward to talking to her again later.

[aion-rsa]

Marvel’s WandaVision Episode 8: MCU Easter Eggs and Reference Guide

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This article contains WandaVision episode 8 spoilers and potential spoilers for the wider MCU.

“You didn’t think you were the only magical girl in town, did you?” 

Agatha Harkness makes good on that line from last week’s episode in WandaVision episode 8, which functions as a trip through Wanda Maximoff’s entire MCU history. Not only does it reveal previously hidden (and crucially necessary) depths to her character and her relationship with Vision, but it successfully adds new elements to her established origin story. These new wrinkles pull from Wanda’s entire Marvel history, and have massive implications for magic users and even mutants in the MCU going forward.

Here’s what we found…

Sitcom Influences

Among the bootleg DVDs Wanda’s father is selling we can see Bewitched, Malcolm in the Middle, I Love Lucy, Who’s the Boss?, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Addams Family, all of which have been major touchstones for WandaVision throughout its run. But Wanda’s favorite? That would be The Dick Van Dyke Show.

The Dick Van Dyke Show episode that the Maximoffs watch is season 2 episode 21 “It May Look Like A Walnut”, or as Wanda’s dad calls it “the walnut episode!” This installment finds Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) staying up late to watch a spooky sci-fi movie on TV, while his wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) tries to ignore it because it freaks her out. In the movie, aliens from the planet Twilo come to Earth in disguise to slow down humanity’s development by feeding us walnuts that contain the chemical element “absorbitron.” The walnuts take away our creativity and our thumbs – the two things that get us into outer space to challenge their Twiloian supremacy. The next day, walnuts seem to be the only food that Rob can find. He comes to believe that Laura is either playing a trick on him, or that the Twiloites have really invaded.

Why would WandaVision go out of its way to mention this episode in particular? Well, Wanda can certainly empathize with a protagonist who comes to believe his world is fabricated. And Marvel Phase 4 does seem destined to spend quite a bit more time in space.

The scene of Malcolm in the Middle that Vision watches but doesn’t quite understand has Hal build a deck, only for it to collapse on him. In the third WandaVision episode intro, Vision builds a swingset, only for it to suddenly collapse in front of him.

Wanda’s father sold DVDs as a trade and even had a Malcolm in the Middle box set in there. That’s pretty damn impressive, since he was killed by that bomb in 1999 and the show didn’t start airing until early 2000. That’s some Spaceballs VHS technology right there!

While at the HYDRA facility, Wanda watches The Brady Bunch. The episode appears to be season 1’s “Kitty Karry-All Is Missing.” When Cindy Brady’s beloved Kitty Karry-All goes missing, she thinks her brother Bobby stole her. The Bradys have a trial and everything! But it turns out the Bradys’ dog Tiger actually took Kitty Karry-All. Perhaps that’s why Agatha needed Sparky out of the way – dogs are unpredictable.

Wanda’s assurance that “He’s not really injured. It’s not that kind of show” is as much a commentary on superhero storytelling in both comics and in movies as it is about sitcoms.

Agatha Harkness

Kicking things off with an Agatha Harkness origin story is an inspired move…

Placing Agatha’s origin in witch-trial era Salem in 1693 ends up being a little piece of misdirection. She’s not on trial for being a witch, but rather by her own coven for seeking too much power. 

We get a sense of Agatha’s family here, with Agatha’s mother leading the coven against her while Agatha is still just a young witch. This doesn’t match her comics origin, where she was already centuries old by the time the Salem Witch Trials rolled around – she is old enough to remember Atlantis being above water. In the comics, she was a leader of the Salem community when the trials began. 

Agatha’s mother’s name is Evanora Harkness. She doesn’t appear to have a counterpart in the comics.

The Latin chant that the witches are repeating appears to be “mors monstru naturale” which would translate to “natural death is a monster,” which…given Agatha’s seemingly immortal nature, tracks pretty well.

The magical “crown” of energy that appears on Agatha’s mother’s head very faintly resembles the headgear that Wanda wears in the comics as the Scarlet Witch. Granted, it’s blue here.

Agatha’s use of “purple energy” may be the most damning sign of her intentions yet. In comics, purple is often coded as the color of villains.

We also learn the origin of the brooch Agatha has been wearing all through this series, with Agatha having taken it off her mother’s corpse. 

In the final scene with Agatha and the twins, she floats above them and holds them at will like marionettes. This is probably a reference to Master Pandemonium, whose reveal made the children look like hand puppets…except they were his actual hands.

Because comics!

Let’s dig into some of the spells Agatha says…is one of them “crystallum possession”. I also definitely heard an Imperio something in there, which calls to mind the Imperius curse from TERF High Harry Potter. The Imperius curse allowed the witch or wizard to control the victim’s body like a puppet.

The Scarlet Witch

Hoo-boy, we get a LOT of Wanda’s comics lore introduced in this episode…

This episode makes it pretty clear that Wanda was born with her abilities and that Strucker’s experiments merely amplified them. Should we officially welcome mutants to the MCU? If her powers were latent, then perhaps so were Pietro’s. The fact that Strucker’s experiments killed all the subjects except for Wanda and Pietro could be seen as further evidence of their mutant heritage.

We get some very different explanations of Wanda’s magical powers than we’ve had in the past, all via Agatha, and all of them referencing various ways Wanda’s powers have been explained in the comics in the past.

Why didn’t that Stark Industries bomb explode and kill Wanda and Pietro? She may have unknowingly cast a “probability hex” on it. For many years Wanda’s “magical” powers were explained as a mutant ability to alter the probability of outcomes, no matter how unlikely.

Later, it was revealed that she was a master of “chaos magic,” another term introduced here. Furthermore, now it seems that being able to wield chaos magic gives Wanda a specific magical title, that of “Scarlet Witch.” We…do not have to tell you where that comes from.

The vision (sorry) that the Mind Stone gives Wanda would appear to be one of her future, fully Scarlet Witch-ified self. This particular costume, which evokes a long jacket and crown, is very similar to the one she’s worn in the most recent Marvel Comics.

When Agatha finally discovers that Wanda is the Scarlet Witch, she says that the Scarlet Witch was supposed to be “a myth.” Big Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes in this exchange! Buffy often faced off against foes who once thought she was just a fairytale created to spook demons and nothing more.

Agatha’s “That accent really comes and goes, doesn’t it?” is a terrific joke at the MCU’s expense. As well as her “so many costumes and hairstyles” also feels like a nod to Wanda’s changing looks in the comics just as much as it is about the chameleon-like nature of the WandaVision universe.

Vision

The scene of Wanda coming across the disassembled remnants of Vision’s body in the SWORD lab is taken from West Coast Avengers #43 into #44. Instead of dying heroically, Vision was taken out of commission by the world’s governments for trying to take over all of the world’s computers. He was reduced to nothing but metal and circuitry in order for writer John Byrne to drive home Vision’s lack of human biology. 

That disturbing scene of Vision being “dissected” with his body stretched out across multiple tables is a direct nod to a panel from those comics.

It also reminds us a little of how Thanos had Nebula pulled apart in Avengers: Endgame. At least Vision is offline!

Vision was then resurrected in the white form that we see here in the mid-credits scene, and brought back without his emotions or any connection to his past life as Wanda’s husband or Billy and Tommy’s father. This was one of the catalysts for Byrne sending Wanda into her Dark Scarlet Witch phase that abruptly ended when Byrne stormed off of West Coast Avengers for the cardinal sin of “being edited.” For more on this, type “Why did John Byrne” into Google and let autocomplete take you on a fun ride.

We’ll have more on White Vision in just a moment.

The Stark Bomb

The toaster commercial from the first episode was always supposed to be a reference to the Stark Industries bomb that tore apart the Maximoff household. That commercial also had the blinking red light of the toaster show up despite everything else being in black and white. We now see that the bomb itself had a very similar blinking red light and sound.

The popular running theory was that the commercials tracked to the different stones, and while that may still be applicable, do they also/instead track to Wanda’s memories or key parts of her life? 

We saw the toaster match up with the blinking light on the bomb.

We know the watch had the Hydra face on it. Could this match if future Wanda floating in through the stone was actually a paradox and not just a vision?

The paper towel commercial mentioned Lagos too prominently to not pair with that moment of trauma.

Does the fruit snack commercial match up with her conversation with Vision in the Avengers compound?

The anti-depressant commercial does track fairly well with Wanda’s visit to SWORD.

It feels like the only one that doesn’t have an obvious pair is the tesseract bubble bath. Give us a shout in the comments if you can figure out what that matches to.

Westview

When Wanda drives through Westview for the first time, she passes by the normal versions of Herb (John Collins), Mrs. Hart (Sharon Davis), and Phil (Harold Proctor). Notably, Harold is putting up an ad for piano lessons when in the second episode, playing the piano was his talent. It’s also when Wanda magically turned his grandmother’s piano into an illusion.

As Wanda transforms Westview, we see a billboard for “Super” paper towels become “Lagos” brand paper towels (ala the commercial from earlier this season), which “makes cleanup a snap!”

When the Coronet theater marquee transforms, it’s showing two Walt Disney Productions films of the appropriate WandaVision episode 1 era, Kidnapped and Big Red. But before that it’s showing Tannhauser Gate. Roy Batty, call your agent, please.

Fake Pietro

It’s revealed that “Pietro Maximoff” was indeed a complete fake. A “Fietro” as Agatha calls him. He became her “eyes and ears” and she refers to his manifestation as “a crystalline possession.” We sense there will be more revealed about this in the finale, as Evan Peters has been M.I.A. since his appearance in last week’s post-credits scene.

The Post-Credits Scene and White Vision

In West Coast Avengers #45, Vision’s personality was wiped completely, so by the time he was reassembled, he appeared as “White Vision”. He completely lacked emotion and didn’t even understand why Wanda was hugging him upon entering the room. This became the status quo version of Vision for a while until his old personality, look, and feelings for Wanda were eventually brought back. But hey, this version got to be a playable character in the 1991 arcade hit Captain America and the Avengers!

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

What are the chances that White Vision will have James Spader’s voice?

We wrote more about that post-credits scene here.

Spot anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel’s WandaVision Episode 8: MCU Easter Eggs and Reference Guide appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2Pb5kUp

[bakugou-tm]

The Chosen Ch. 3 - Atlantia

Pirate Bakugou x Mermaid Reader Fic

Ground Zero and his Crew are introduced to the underwater world of Atlantia and its rare creatures. Though they seem to be fascinated by the new land, the mer-people seem to be unsure of how they feel about the natives, especially your father. Will the princess be able to connect the two parties for the sake of the world?

Soooo it’s been quite awhile but I’ve finally caught up! It’s come to my attention that I deleted all my drafts so this will be fun trying to catch up but I’ll try my best to work it out! This chapter is kinda just a filler to give more context and info before juicy shizz happens. Thanks for being so supportive and patient with me, hope you guys enjoy!

“I know you’re fucking lying,” The ash blond captain spat as he glared down to your annoyed expression, “Kissing a mermaid to breath underwater is a damn myth from the fairytales.”

“Who cares?! I’ll kiss her for fun!” Kaminari exclaimed with a grin as he began to kneel down to you eagerly before Kirishima held his arm out to block him.

Here you were thinking these humans would be eager, grateful to be able to explore the underwater world yet the stubborn captain thought you were ‘trying to trick them’ Looking up to the fiesty boy with a sharp glare you folded your arms.

“You asked what you could do for help and I’m telling you,” You snapped, jerking your head away from his gaze and to the water, “Time is running out to stop this evil and if you’re too big of a baby to kiss a mermaid then help me back to the water now so I can fix this myself.”

The five looked down to you with stunned eyes from your sudden outburst, each looking to their captain with expectant eyes while he glared down to your form.

“Bakugou, I know this all seems weird but based off of how cautious she was with us before, I doubt she’s leading us into a death trap,” Kirishima said as he placed his hand on his captain’s shoulder, “If anything, she’s probably scared to even let us visit her home. Besides, she can’t be that eager to kiss all of us, especially sparky over here.”

Kaminari’s blank expression turned to one of disgust as he whipped his head over to them, “Heyyy, I heard that!”

Watching as the small crew began to bicker amongst themselves you let out a long groan, beginning to rethink how good of an idea this was.

Admittedly you did need help, and for some reason you just felt connected to these people. A deep feeling in your gut just told you that you could trust them, but then again you knew not to just trust anyone.

Letting out an annoyed huff you began to snap your fingers up to the five, silencing most of them as they looked back down to you, “So are you going to let me kiss you guys or can I be on my way?”

With each looking to each other once more, Kirishima finally decided to speak up as he offered out a hand.

“I’ll help you princess! Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it!”

Blinking for a moment at his sudden kindness, your lips slowly curved into a smile as you accepted his hand, “Thank you ah.. what is your name again?”

“Kirishima! Pink haired lass is Mina, flirty boy is Kaminari, dark haired guy is Sero, and Mr. Grumpy Pants over there is Bakugou.”

Giggling slightly at his nicknames for a few of his friends, you smiled up to them all except for the few that were now glaring at the redhead.

“Well Kirishima, you can start off by calling me (L/n),” You said with a smile before pointing over to the water, “Next I’m going to need someone to carry me to the water so it’ll be easier to get to you all.”

Immediately Kirishima and Kaminari went by your side, each taking one of your arms before lifting you up off the ground and dragging you towards the water.

“Wait wait wait, can someone grab my tail it’s very sensitive.” You said wincing slightly as the smooth scales dragged against the rugged sand.

The feeling of calloused hands lifting your backside up made a small sigh of relief escape your lips before a matching scowl came along with the help.

“So damn needy..”

Narrowing your eyes, you waited until the three of them reached the water before letting your tail slap against the ash blond’s chest causing him to growl down to you as a grin peaked across your features.

The feeling of the cool water incasing your body felt miraculous, a soft hum escaping your lips before you looked up expectantly to the five pirates.

“Alright who’s first?”

Almost before you could even finish your sentence, Kaminari had already shoved Kirishima out of the way to get close to your face with a goofy grin.

Shaking your head with a grin, you placed a soft kiss on the boy’s lips before shoving his head under the water before he tried to get any deeper with the kiss. Mina was next to bounce in front of you, a grin on her features.

“Will my hair stay dry when I come above water like yours does?” Mina asked with a grin, only for it to droop when you shook your head.

Placing a quick kiss on her lips you chuckled at her pouting features, “Mermaids only.”

Soon Sero came to receive his kiss, then Kirishima, until all that was left was the scowling captain.

“I don’t know why you seem so annoyed, you certainly didn’t have that disdainful look when you were centimeters away from my face before.”

Bakugou’s eyes widened a bit before a growl escaped his lips as he lowered in the water, “That was fucking different! I was just looking at your weird ass features!”

Rolling your eyes you placed a warm kiss on his lips, leaving him no warning as the two of you collided causing him to jump in surprise. Pulling away slightly so your faces were still close you grinned slightly, patting his cheek teasingly.

“You know you’re actually pretty cute when you look all flustered, if only your ears weren’t so hideous.”

The captain’s face began to heat up even more out of embarrassment and anger as a string of curses escaped your lips when you both headed under the water.

But his angry rant soon came to a stop when he was met with his crew swimming around in the water like a bunch of eager dolphins.

“Cap’n look! We can breath like we’re above water!” Sero yelled while tackling Kaminari, sending both of them flipping through the water.

Bakugou’s own eyes widened when he realized he too could breath underwater, instead of water seeping through his mouth it was as if he was breathing normal air. 

Watching the five pirates adjust to this new world, you giggled quietly to yourself at their different reactions. While Bakugou just floated in place trying to process it all, the rest of his crew were having the time of their lives chasing each other around.

“I told you I wasn’t lying Captain Grumpy Pants,” You said with a grin before waving the rest of his crew over, “Now let’s all head to Atlantia before sundown, my father gets rather cranky if I’m late for supper.”

Bakugou scowled at the sound of Kirishima’s nickname on your lip, muttering how he should be referred to as ‘Captain Zero’ and how his crew had no respect for him.

Deciding to ignore the captain’s sputtering, you grabbed his large hand with question before dragging him to the others.

“Everyone hold on to someone’s hand, I will lead you all down so it’ll be quicker than you all trying to swim against the current.”

Though Bakugou growled as you assumed you could hold his hand, he kept his hand in your grasp while snatching Kirishima’s hand in his other until you were all linked up together. Making sure they were ready, you turned back forward and began to whip your tail leading you all down into the depths of the sea.

As the lights to your underwater kingdom began to grow closer, it was clear when the pirates behind you took notice by the ‘ooo’s and ahh’s’ they were making from behind you.

The five had never seen anything like it. Tall pillars wrapped around the outer edge of the small town that led up to a large gleaming castle. Tons of mer people and aquatic life swam below, everyone seeming strangely optimistic. The strangest part was that the kingdom looked exactly like it did in the story books.

“Princes- I..I mean (L/n), this place is amazing!” Kirishima exclaimed with a grin as his red eyes flicked across every building below them, “I’ve never seen so many people in one area, it looks like mermaid heaven!”

“Hell yeah it is..” Kaminari muttered, drooling at a few of the female mermaids swimming below them only for Mina to slap him upside the head.

Seeing all of their reactions was well worth it, a small chuckle escaping your lips before you swam forward toward the gleaming castle you called home.

“If you think this is cool, you should see the castle.” You said, waving down to a few of the mermaids as they watched the six of you swim by with aw-struck faces.

Bakugou’s red eyes observed as the mer people below them watched them swim by as if they just saw a pig fly, his glare settling on them before he looked back to the mermaid dragging them along.

“Why the fuck are they looking at us like we have two heads?”

Blinking for a moment you looked down before nodding your head in understanding, “Atlantia hasn’t had humans visit in decades, but that is about to change soon.”

The hearing of that made the five pirates feel a bit unsettled, realizing they may not be welcome to this hidden kingdom.

Swimming onward with a determined look in your eyes, you were surprised to see your friends from before all talking outside of the castle gates.

“Naomi! Alana! Jack!”

The three heads whipped back to the sound of your voice as you swam down to them with a smile. Naomi let out a loud cry as she swam over to you and englufed you in a big hug, squeezing you to death as her voice began to whimper.

“(L/n)! I thought we lost you and we would never see you again, then the kingdom would crumble.. and your father!”

Your blond haired friend placed a hand on Naomi’s shoulder to calm her down before looking to you with a concerned expression, “I think we’re all curious as to how you escaped alive.”

Laughing softly you hugged both of your friends back before swimming back and getting ready to gesture towards the five humans behind you until the sound of Jack’s battle cry filled the water, all of your heads whipping to see the crazy male pouncing on Kaminari.

“Humans! They must have brain washed (L/n) we must knock them out before they poison the rest of us!”

With wide eyes you quickly swam to your friend, tugging him off the poor blond pirate before swimming in front of the pirates defensively. Seeing as both groups were on the defensive now, you had to clear this up before it was too late.

“Hey hey hey, Jack calm down. I’m not brainwashed I promise,” You said calmly, holding your hand out to keep him back before slowly gesturing to the uneasy humans, “They all saved me from the Vanguard, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.”

Both your friends and the pirates looked to each other with untrusting eyes, each of them looking each other up and down before Alana spoke up.

“And why did you bring them here?” 

“They are also foes to the Vanguard,” You explained, telling your friends how they’ve been going at it with them for as long as you had, “After speaking with them, I just know they’ll be of great use to taking them down and ridding all evil from the world for good.”

Your friends all looked to each other, seeming a bit more relaxed about the humans than before until Naomi’s eyes widened.

“Wait a second, you’re not saying you are going to bring them to your father do you? He’ll kill you!”

Shrugging your shoulders you crossed your arms stubbornly and began to swim forward, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, besides I think if I explain my plan to my father he might actually say yes!”

“And how do you think you’re gonna get these humans past Mar-”

“(L/n) (F/n)!”

Jumping slightly you narrowed your eyes to clearly see your caretaker swimming towards you with worry written all over her expression.

Ever since you were a little girl your caretaker Margot had always been watching you closely, a bit of a worry machine and making sure you stayed out of trouble. Of course you didn’t make her job easier by being quiet the adventurous type, so whenever you would disappear like this she would go ballistic.

“Speak of the devil..” You mumbled, swimming towards the large woman as she gripped you by the shoulders, her eyes checking over your face to see any damage.

“My gods (L/n) you gave me a heart attack! Your friends told me you went up to the shore and those nasty pirates were there!” Are you hurt? Where did they attack you?” The old woman cried, lifting your arms up to check for any wounds before analyzing your tail, “Do you know what would’ve happened if your father found out- good heavens!”

Your caretaker suddenly stopped her mouth dropping as she shakily pointed to the five pirates still floating behind you with confused expressions.

“P..Pirates! How on earth did those no good scallywags get down here!” Margot cried, pushing you behind her with narrowed eyes as she glared the humans up and down.

“Miss Margot relax!” You said, placing your hand on her shoulders while giving your new friends a reassuring look to calm them down, “They saved my life and offered me help, so I am going to take them to father.”

The old woman suddenly gasped, dramatically fainting backwards to which Alana caught her, “You’re taking them to King Adamaris? Dear he will fry you into a fish dinner if you do that!”

Narrowing your eyes you let out an annoyed sigh before grabbing Bakugou’s hand once more, dragging the pirates down the large halls of the castle and toward your father’s throne room, “That’s a risk I’m willing to take for the greater good of the world Margot.”

The sound of Margot calling after you and your friends trying to coax her only pushed you forward, knowing you couldn’t be stopped, not when you were so close to the solution. Swimming towards the large gold doors you stopped and spun around to the five pirates, just realizing how chaotic and confusing this all must have been.

“Wait out here while I warm my father up, when I’m ready I will call for you all.” You said with a smile, getting ready to leave before you felt a familiar calloused hand grab your shoulder.

“Are you sure we should be doing this shitty girl?” Bakugou questioned, for once his orbs holding some sort of concern as he peaked his head in the room before looking back to you, “This doesn’t sound very safe.”

Smiling softly you moved away from his grasp, giving them all a reassuring nod, “It’s just my father, he would never hurt me. Margot is just a bit over the top, allow me to speak with him before you come in alright?”

Bakugou looked your form up and down, nothing about this felt right. But then again, he was floating in an underwater castle filled with mer people with a supposed princess swimming before him. So far trust is what got him here, so he reluctantly decided that trusting in this girl would get him out.

Though he couldn’t understand what it was, he felt this strong urge to believe in her, as if fate knew they would come together one day. Whatever the feeling was it was powerful enough to turn the boy’s confusion into annoyance. He hated feeling so unsure of something, and this was no difference.

“Whatever just hurry the fuck up, the ticking clock of evil waits for no human or fish.”

Puffing your lip out you rolled your eyes before nodding to the two guards before the glimmering doors to the throne room, both large doors slowly opening to present yourself.

Without surprise, you saw your father sitting firmly at his throne. Every time you saw him there he was in the same position, his aura giving off undying power. To you you saw his power as simply admirable due to him being your father, but to anyone else his powerful energy would give off intimidating vibes.

Nodding to the kind guards beside you, you swam down the long rows of pillars before bowing before your father. You couldn’t help but giggle as the king’s skittish courtier bowed before you before swimming by your side.

“M..My Lord, I present to you your lovely daughter, Princess (L/n) (F/n).” The frail man stuttered out, expectantly waiting for the king’s reaction.

Your father looked the two of you up and down, one of his thick eyebrows raising in suspicion before he let out a deep and hearty laugh causing a warm smile to spread to your lips while a small sigh escaped the courtier’s mouth.

“Of course I know my own daughter Charles, you do truly humor me sometimes,” The King boomed with a large grin before looking down to his daughter, “What brings you here my dear? Dinner isn’t for another thirty minutes you know.”

Offering a warm smile you swam up to your father, offering a warm hug to his side before resting your head on the side of the throne,

“Oh why do you always assume I need something of you? Can a daughter not show her love and appreciation to her kind and giving father?”

The strong man looked at your through your floating locks with a suspicious glint in his eyes as if he were trying to read your expression.

“Now I know there’s something that you want my little flounder, you never suck up this hard to your old man.”

Cracking a grin you both bursted into laughter before you swam up and sat down on the thick ledge of his chair looking at him with honest eyes, “Well you see.. it’s a bit of a long story but I promise you my plan is worth it-”

Just as you were about to begin your prepped talk, the sound of a knock against the large doors caused the two of you to look up to the doors that slowly began to be pushed open before the familiar group of five humans fell/floated down to the floor.

“You fucking idiot I told you not to lean to hard on the door!”

“I just was trying to see through the cracks! The mean mermaid guards wouldn’t let us in and I’ve always wanted to see a King Mermaid!”

“Would both of you just shut up!”

The sight of the five humans had your mouth agape as you mentally and physically face palmed, your face reddening as you realized the mess you were in now. You felt your father’s hand clench beneath your hold as he swam up from his throne, his hand gripped firmly around his staff.

“What are these heathens doing in my castle? How did they get past security, who let them in?”

Your (e/c) eyes widened at the sight of his trident glowing a bright yellow, that never meant anything good. Taking action quickly, you swam before the five clumsy pirates that were struggling to get up let alone run away.

“Father wait do not strike the humans!” You shouted, floating right in front of his line of fire to defend the five humans. Your father looked at you with wide confused yet enraged eyes as you defended the pirates behind you, his expression looking for an explanation as to why you were defending them.

Looking down at your fingers you rubbed your thumbs around slowly before looking up at your father through your eyelashes bashfully, “I..I brought them here.”

Suddenly the King’s trident stop glowing yellow but that didn’t stop the rage that grew across his face, “You brought them here? (L/n) what on earth were you thinking?! Do you realize these heathens brought the death of your mother!”

“No father they didn’t kill mom, the spirits from the underworld did!” You argued, immediately regretting it as his eyes grew wider with anger.

“Who do you think inspired those wicked creatures down here? Those humans had no good in their souls so they selfishly sent them down for us to deal with, they are traitors to the kingdom and must be destroyed or banished!”

As you saw his trident begin to light up again you heard the pirates behind you mutter half in fear and anger. Looking between the two you held your hand up to both parties and let out a shout to stop them.

“Father just wait a moment let me explain!” You exclaimed with a pleading look in your eyes, “These humans saved my life, the Vanguard attacked our cove again and if it weren’t for them not only would my friends be dead but I would be to!”

The King’s grip on his trident faltered, though his face still held anger it began to share a look of surprise as he looked to the defensive humans behind you.

“For this I hold gratitude, but this still gives me no explanation as to why you brought them here, for all I know they could have tricked you to bringing them down here so they could steal our fortune or tell others how to find us.”

Though you knew your father had a good point, you knew if you convinced him calmly he may understand, “Your point is valid father, I too was a bit worried at first but just believe me! I..I just have this gut feeling that I was meant to come across them, and I know the prophecy says..”

Your father let out a low groan as he covered his eyes in his palm, “Not this damned prophecy again..”

Clenching your fists you ignored his groan and puffed your chest out confidently, “The prophecy says that when the darkness arrives the god’s will send help my way, and together we will stop the force for good! Remember father!”

“And you’re claiming that pirates are the ‘help’ the gods are sending you? Gods (L/n) how can you be so naive?”

Blinking back in offense you bit your lip and folded your arms, “I am not naive father I am right! For years you have held me back from my destiny for what? I’m not going to stand by and let the world crumble because you’re holding me back!”

This must have set off the final string of patience in the King, his broad body swimming up from his throne once again as he looked down to you with a stern look in his eye, “I have been holding you back because I refuse to lose you like I lost your mother, she too rambled on about these crazy prophecies and look where that led her!”

“But father-”

“She’s dead!” Your father screamed causing you to jump back as your entire body froze, “She’s dead now and I refuse to let the same happen to you! You always get ahead of yourself like this without thinking rationally only so you can be put in the same spot as your mother. Now for the last time I said no!”

The loud boom of your father sent a wave of energy around the room, everyone stumbling back a bit in the water but you only remained their frozen, not from fear, but from shock.

These truly were your father’s true colors, after all the two of you had been through he still didn’t trust you. Biting your lip you blinked rapidly to hold back the tears from forming in your eyes before spun around quickly, shoving past the pirates who offered to speak up as you swam out of the room.

The King let out a sigh, watching his stubborn daughter swim away. His once angry aura died down into one of sadness. He hated yelling at you like this, it only left him feeling more empty and guilty than he had before. He just.. he couldn’t lose you like he lost his one true love, no matter what the damned gods said.

Looking back over to the pirates awkwardly standing before the King he let out a sigh, flopping back into his throne as he rubbed his temples.

“Get out of my sight humans and never return to my kingdom again, next time I won’t be so gracious to let you live.”

And without a word or doubt, the pirates swam away to leave the King to wallow in his sadness.

-----

You weren’t sure how you ended up on one of the sea gardens on the edge of a cliff, you supposed this is where you always went to seek asylum to yourself.

Never would you understand why your father acted like this, surely he loved your mother right? How could he love her if he didn’t even trust her?

All your life you endured the proper training, educating, anything and everything you needed to know to be ready to fulfill your prophecy yet he held back, for what?

Gritting your teeth you ripped out more seagrass from the ground throwing it out in front of you before letting out a frustrated growl. Why was nothing fair for you?

Upon your small violent fit to the poor grass you hadn’t noticed the five pirates swimming up behind you.

The pirates weren’t sure how to quite comfort you, after all it wasn’t quite an ideal situation for them either to watch a father and daughter have such a violent fight. Out of the five, they decided to sacrifice Kirishima to comfort you, after all he was the best at it.

Swimming up slowly he awkwardly kicked at the grass before sitting beside you, “Hey (L/n), how are you holding up?”

Blinking for a moment you looked up at him, quickly wiping at your puffy face as you didn’t expect him to appear out of no where like that.

“O..Oh sorry about that, yes I am doing alright. Just.. frustrated is all.”

You turned your head back to see the rest of the pirates with pity on their faces except for the ash blond one, his face looked rather concentrated which you supposed was better than his usual scowl.

“You know it’s no big deal (L/n), I used to fight with my parents all the time!” Mina said in an attempt to cheer you up as the four swam in front of you and Kirishima.

“R..Really?”

Kaminari laughed at this and nodded his head, “Oh yeah we all did, how do you think we ended up becoming pirates? You think our parents sent us to pirate school in hopes this would be our future?”

“We chose our own future because we knew what our own happiness was.” Sero explained with a soft smile.

Looking to them with incredulous eyes you nodded, “You all are so brave and bold...”

“What we’re basically fucking saying is you should join us.” Bakugou blurted out, causing all of you to gaze over to him. 

The sudden attention to him made the scowl return to his face as he rolled his eyes, “Not join us as in join the crew you dumbass, I mean let us take you to do your hero bullshit like the prophecy said so you can prove your shitty father wrong.”

Blinking you looked down to your hands in thought, disobey your father and leave? Could you do that even with your deep desire to help others? You knew how dependent he was on you, would he be able to hold up while you were gone?

“I..I don’t know guys...” You mumbled in an unsure tone before looking up to them, “As much as I know I need to do this, this place is all I’ve ever known..”

“Which is exactly why you need to go with them (L/n).”

The sound of a new voice behind you made you all jump, your eyes widening as you saw your caretaker before you along with your friends, her eyes surprisingly soft and sincere as she looked down to you.

“M..Margot? You really think I should go?” You questioned as you floated up from your spot on the ground.

Margot looked down, you could tell there were a few doubts in her mind but reluctantly she looked up to you as she grabbed your cheeks.

“Though it’s not something I wish for you to do, I know it’s what your meant to do,” She said as her thumbs rubbed across your soft skin, “I was very close with your mother, especially when she spoke about these dreams... I knew what she was saying was the truth because she had living proof from the gods, that living proof was you.

Your father was and always will be scared of you leaving because you are his lifeline to your mother, but with this in mind you must pursue your mother’s wish and the god’s plan for you young (L/n).”

With your mouth agape you couldn’t help the tears streaming down your cheeks at the remembrance of your mom.

Smiling softly, Margot pulled you into a tight hug as you nuzzled into her form, “Your mother would be so proud of you (L/n) (F/n), we knew for a long time this day would come, the day you go off to save the world just like you were born to do.”

Pulling away you wiped away at your cheeks, smiling down to her softly before looking back to your friends, “A..Are you guys sure you can handle it down here without me?”

Though your friends looked sad, they forced a happy facade for your own sake. 

“Pfft, we got it all covered down here shark bait, go save the world!” Namoi said with a hug as she roughed up your hair causing you to giggle.

“But please don’t die, because we would all be really sad if you did.” Jack said cautiously causing you to blink in surprise at his bluntness.

“Buuut you won’t because you’re the most badass princess out there and we trust you,” Alana said with a grin as she shoved Jack to the side playfully, “Now go kick some bad guy butt with those pirates!”

“And don’t have too much fun with them, they look awfully fine to be dirty old pirates.” Naomi said with a wink causing you to burst into laughter as you shoved her arm. 

“T..Thank you guys, I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am that you all support me.” You said with a warm smile.

Margot smiled as she brought the four of you together in her arms, “You can make it up to us by saving the world, now go follow your destiny.”

Looking down to them you nodded confidently with a proud smile before swimming over to the group of pirates waiting for you.

A chorus of goodbyes were heard from behind you as you swam away with the new group of heroes you had met, though you had never felt more scared in your life, you had never felt more confident in your life.

Everything about this felt right, and you knew it must be done.

You were the prophecy, these new faces were your new team, and together you were going to save the world.

[sweetcerac]

REVIEW

The Cupid’s Match Series (Cupid’s Match, Valentine’s Day, and Psyche’s Heart) by Lauren Palphreyman

Book Summary: “Lila Black doesn't believe in matchmaking, let alone soul mates. So then why is she constantly being hassled by the Cupids Matchmaking Service? But this gilded, cherub-bedecked dating agency isn't exactly what it seems . . . and it’s about to turn Lila's entire world upside down. It turns out that Cupids Matchmaking is the real deal. As in, it's run by actual cupids—who don't look at all like they do in the paintings—and they have a serious problem with Lila's “match.” Because this guy shouldn't be in the system. He shouldn't have a match. And while he's irresistibly hot, he's also incredibly dangerous. Because Lila's true love match is Cupid. The original bad boy of love. And he wants her. Now Lila's once-normal teenaged world has exploded into a mythological nightmare overrun by crime-lord sirens, wrathful cupid hit men, magic arrows that cause no end of trouble, and a mischievous, not-so-angelic love god she can't seem to stop herself from falling for . . .“

My Review

When Lila keeps receiving emails and letters from the Cupid's Match Making Service that she's been matched, she goes to straighten out the misunderstanding. She already has a boyfriend and never signed up to begin with. But once she arrives and speaks to Cal, not only does she find out that cupids are real, but Cupid himself is her match! And everything is just no stop adventure and excitement from there.

I saw this book sitting on the shelf in Barnes and Noble and felt compelled to sit in the aisle and read the first chapter. Loved it so much that it came home with me. Loved the Roman mythology twist of this series!

I devoured this whole series so fast because I just fell in love with all the characters. Especially Lila and Cupid. I think I really liked Cupid from the get go. James was so boring and Cupid was really exciting with a personality for days! Him and Lila clash in a sparky fun way that I loved reading as it develops into real love.

I’m reviewing this whole series here when I say that is always bugged me whenever Lila wouldn’t confide in Cupid things. Especially when Cal and Cupid’s brother, Valentine, comes to town in book 2. Valentine wants Lila, but it never really felt like it was actually for Lila herself but for what Cupid has.

Don’t get me wrong, Valentine can be very charming too. But he throws tons of wrenches into things.

I also really liked Cal in the series. I always thought he might have a thing for Lila too, but is too respectful of what her and Cupid have.

Cupid and Cal are an awesome team! While they are originally at odds, I loved how they come together as this amazing force who is always behind Lila in every fight.

Lila also has this amazing best friend, Charlie, who gets turned into a cupid. It’s sad that Charlie can’t live a normal life anymore, but neither can Lila really. They seem to grow even closer than before through all the trials and battles. Run ins with dangerous foes one minute, but able to confide their secrets to each other the next.

I absolutely loved this series!! Great world building, attention to details with the myths being pulled into the story as inspiration, and a really wonderful cast of characters that I really loved and cared about. This series felt very similiar to Shadowhunters.

I hope there are more books because I want more!

[fireandseaweed]

Baby It’s Cold Outside || Jason and Percy

Jason and Percy leave the unity feast early, missing the Dominus’ announcement, but they make their own discoveries that evening or early morning.

The Unity Feast had been, well, all told it had been mildly successful. Nobody had killed anyone, nobody had really done anything to shatter the fragile peace and Jason had gotten back to his apartment at a decent hour. Which was when the trouble had really started. Sleep eluded him for many reasons these days; phantom pain in his eyes, his anxiety, nightmares… so he was old comrades with insomnia. But tonight he had really been hoping for a good night's rest. Tiptoeing carefully past Percy’s closed doors he shucked off the vest and loosened his tie, letting the dark fabric hang loose around his muscular neck. He sat on the couch, whisky soda on the table in front of him and booted up his thin MacBook. Might as well get some homework done if he was going to be awake anyway. The clock on the microwave blinked a troublesome “2:30” at him but he shook it off. He could sleep I’m tomorrow. If sleep came for him at all.

After everything that had happened in the last few hours Percy had to admit that he should’ve been tired. It had been a good time, but a long time. His feet were sore from brand new dress shoes that he’d yet to adequately break in. He’d gotten home before Jason and passed out right away, or at least that was the plan. Rather he’d been lying there for a little while when he’d heard Jason return home, and a little while later he had given up on sleep all together, quickly rummaging through his bag and pulling out his small wooden box where he kept all of his paraphernalia. Pulling out a compact grinder, he quickly added and ground a sizeable bud of weed down to a relatively fine grain. Pulling out a pouch of tobacco, he layered a rolling skin with it and carefully poured the grains of weed on top of it. Placing a final layer of tobacco over the weed, Percy rolled a roach and tucked the paper before licking and sealing his joint. Stepping out of his room, he stumbled pretty tipsy still into the kitchen. Smiling as he used a pencil to pack the joint down before tying down the top. Looking up he finally noticed Jason. “Oh, hey man, couldn’t sleep?”

Jason was intent on the assignment when he heard Percy’s bedroom door open and watched his best friend stumble towards the kitchen with a joint in his hand. It took Percy a minute to notice jason sitting on the couch but when he did, Jason waved with a lopsided grin, “nah. You know how it goes. I hope I didn’t wake you, dude.” He leaned forward to grab his drink and took a giant swig from it. “All in all tonight could have gone worse. I resisted the urge to kill Cat Karavadra and nobody started the war back up again. So at the very least we can pretend to be united again. And pretending is the first step to making it happen for real.” He set his nearly empty glass down and slumped back onto the couch. “Remember when we were kids and we could sleep real easy? Before everything rested on our shoulders? I can’t remember the last night I fell to sleep immediately.”

“Wake me?” Percy asked remembering the familiar feeling of dread that always settled into his stomach whenever he thought about his nightmares, “I couldn’t sleep actually, I was hoping that this would help me feel a little better, y’know, try and take the edge off a little bit or something, get me feeling a bit sleepier…” he shrugged gently and nodded. “It was hardly perfect,” he agreed. “I don’t honestly remember that ever happening to me, I don’t think sleep was ever something I got to do. I always felt so wide awake and full of energy. Eventually I’d drift off, then I became a demigod and everything was kind of compacted and somehow it got worse?” He paused and looked around. “You wanna come smoke this with me?” he asked curiously. “We can keep talking, don’t wanna stink out your kitchen that’s all.”

Jason’s weak smile barely cut through the gloom of his dim apartment “I guess it was too much to ask that one of us actually got a good night’s sleep for once.” He draped himself over the back of the couch and looked across the room at Percy, nodding. “You know….. I can barely remember life before I came here. I think I can remember my childhood room. But. It’s vague and fuzzy. We’ve been doing this for so long that that kind of stress and tension just seems normal now. And that can’t be terribly good for us, can it.” He nodded and vaulted the couch, tossing his tie and shirt onto a barstool at his kitchen counter, “don’t want to get them all weedtastic.” He muttered before opening his balcony door and looking out over New Rome. “It’s been awhile since you and I got stoned together.”

“Getting a good night sleep feels like a bit of a myth right now, which is ironic considering our situation.” Percy smiled brightly at his friend and laughed. “Please, the weedtastic is everything that I want from one of these,” he looked at the joint in his hands before stepping out of the balcony door and gazing out over the city. Settling into his chair, he loosened his tie and undid a second button before pulling his belt off. “There, that is 200 times better.” He smiled brightly and reached out, scooping up a lighter and striking the flint confidently. “Too long since we got an opportunity to smoke together,” he agreed, “I missed getting to do this stuff while the war was on, now that I’ve got more time on my hands I’ve been doing everything that I can to enjoy that, and spending this last week with you has been …. I dunno, it’s been pretty great.” This was the happiest that he could remember being in a long time, and although it might’ve been somewhat of a once a year sort of thing, he was already looking forward to the next set of holidays where he was sure that this was going to become a tradition.

“I think the whole demigod aesthetic is sharp weapons and giant bags under your eyes. I know I’ve been sporting them since the year 2000.” Jason pulled one of the chairs on the balcony closer to Percy’s, settling into it and grabbing a blanket he kept folded under the eaves and spreading it over his lap, “Time to de-dapper? It was nice to get all dressed up… but… it’s nicer to undress afterwards and relax. Always feels twice as relaxing.” He cocked his head so he could look at his friend from his fuzzy blanket cocoon. “This is what we needed. Just… to be. No war, no temples. Nothing but being two guys relaxing at home.” He watched Percy light the joint, turning his attention back to the city spread out beneath them and the brighter lights of San Francisco beyond it, “I needed this. Desperately. Just to spend time with you. It recharges me. Can’t be properly sparky without my Percy time.”

Smiling gently, Percy lifted his joint to his lips and took a deep drag. Swallowing the smoke he exhaled gently a moment later, the smoke curling upwards and spiralling into the obsidian night sky. “You’re not wrong,” Percy leaned over to Jason and passed him the joint. A moment later he was fishing his pen out of his jacket as if to prove the point. I never really think all that much about always being armed. It’s normal, but really it shouldn’t be. It wasn’t before. So why do I feel so uneasy without Riptide?” He laughed, almost as if it were a bad joke lacking a punchline. Pushing the pen back into his pocket, he turned and smiled at Jason. “We all deserve a break after everything that we have had to go through, but you’re right, it’s been a real treat to recharge with just you.” He had never met someone like Jason. At times they were so similar that it was difficult to actually believe that Jason had spent the majority of his life living as a legionnaire in this very city. Despite their similarities they were still from different worlds. Not that that had ever stopped them. “Going back to real life seems daunting now….”

Laughing at the pen Percy held loosely in his fingers, Jason tugged the cord tied around his neck to reveal the bright golden coin it was threaded through, “I feel the same way. If this bad boy isn’t touching my skin it just doesn’t feel right.” A quick flip of the coin turned it into a glittering spear, and a second one turned it back into a coin and he tucked it under his white t-shirt. Casting an affectionate glance at his friend he held his scarred fingers out for the joint, “Recharging with you has been the highlight of my year, P. Just getting to spend time where we get to be us, with no pretense or shielding up. It doesn’t happen often, and I think I need it even more than I realize.” It was hard to imagine that there had actually been a time in his life before he and Percy had been best friends. It seemed like the son of Poseidon had been an integral part of his life for as long as he could remember. “Well… remember that anytime you need a break from real life I’ve got a bed with your name on it and all the baked goods you can steal.”  

Nodding gently, Percy was pleased to know that he was not the only one who still struggled with their demons. It hadn’t been easy, but he was hopeful that things would finally start coming together. They had to. This was the future that they deserved. It was definitely one where they got to have a happy ending. “I’m glad that I’m not the only one who is a paranoid lunatic,” he laughed gently, knowing that he was neither of those things. But it was nice to know that other people practiced the same habits as him. “That is awfully high praise, but I don’t disagree, I’ve really had a good time, it’s been nice just getting to hang out. Eat too much food. Drink too much. Smoke too much. Indulge ourselves generally I guess.” He looked to Jason once more and smiled weakly at him before taking the joint back and swallowing down several lungfuls of smoke. “Thanks man, but at some point in your life you’ve got to get back to it, right?”

“I don’t think it’s paranoia if you’ve lived your entire life in such a way where having a weapon instantly accessible is a necessity. Sad. But not paranoia.” Thick smoke flowed from between his lips and he twirled his fingers, watching a tiny cyclone spin through the cloud. “As cheesy and dumb as it sounds… you’re my anchor. When it all gets dark and loud and anxiety is beating down my door you’re the North Star I can turn to. You’ve helped me through a lot since we became friends. Hopefully I’ve returned the favor.” Jason watched Percy do some serious work on the joint as he burrowed into his blanket. “Yeah. You do. But getting back to it doesn’t mean you can’t hide out for a night and recharge. Self care, right? We’re millennials. We’re supposed to be all about that. And this can be your self care safe place.”

“The irony is that I constantly tell everyone that all I really want anymore is to have a more normal life. But I can’t help but keep a sword on me at all times like some sort of safety blanket.” Percy let out a gentle cough as he handed the joint back to Jason and gazed out across the early morning sky that had settled over New Rome. “I wouldn’t know what my life would look like if we weren’t friends, it sounds cheesy I know, but I feel the same. I’m no introvert, but if I was then I don’t think you’d count as people, being with you is just like me time.” He pauses and smiled gratefully at Jason. “What did I do to ever deserve a friend as good as you?” He fell silent as he felt a pang of happiness and joy at the sheer prospect of spending more time with his friend. “I’ll make sure to take you up on your offer,” he promise, “something tells me that we are going to need some time to ourselves with everything that’s going on at the moment.”

“We could do worse as far as security blankets go. But I get where you’re coming from.”  Jason’s fingers brushed the ever-cold coin resting against his sternum and moved to the scar on his lip, before settling on the ragged edges of the spiderweb of scarring around his eye, “Really, all of this is the same thing. Life is tumultuous but this… marring, as it were, helps me anchor myself. I am a warrior. I was a priest and I was a praetor but I’ve always been a warrior. There’s calm in the labelling, but it’s a double-edged sword, because if that’s my anchor, I’m never going to be able to be anything but that.” He took the joint and took a long slow drag on it, listening to Percy talk with a smile on his face, “You were a good person. One of the best people. That’s all. That’s why I love spending time with you. Because you’re just good and lovely and even as much of an introvert as I am… spending time with you recharges me even better than alone time.”

“Well, we could literally have physical security blankets and obviously that wouldn’t be ideal, two studs with eight packs and a blankey.” Percy smirked quaintly at the other and shrugged. The way that Jason spoke was interesting. It brought several thoughts to his mind and he frowned. “I don’t think you should define yourself by the things that happened to you, you’ve always been brave in the face of fear, in the face of certain death at times, but what’s more, you’ve always been compassionate and kind. You’re a good person Jason and that is what your anchor should be, remember who you are before you try to define yourself.” Percy took a moment to breath, grabbing a spare blanket and wrapping it around him to fight off the chill in the air. “I’m not sure that I’d call myself a definitively good person,” Percy replied, “I did some terrible things in the war. There’s so much blood, both Greek and Roman blood and it’s all on my hands. I led us through a war where hundreds died. Do I still get to call myself a good person after that?”

“I dunno man. I think we look pretty goddamn hot right now, two half-dressed-in-formal wear studs wrapped in blankets. That’s a calendar right there.” Jason’s face fell as he listened to Percy question his own goodness. “Percy. You can’t sit here and tell me not to focus on the bad things about myself and question your own goodness in the same breath.” He leaned over and thumped his hand against Percy’s chest. “That heart is the heart of a good man. We all did terrible things in the war. We all have the blood of hundreds on our hands… and believe me I don’t think it ever washes off. But I don’t think that’s enough to tip the scales for you. What you did you did for the good of all. You’ve fought, your whole life, to keep the world safe and to make sure we all have a life to keep living when the war is done.” He sighed to himself and leaned back in his chair, giving Percy’s shoulder a squeeze. “One day you’ll see yourself like I see you.”

“Don’t give anyone that idea,” Percy had a hard enough time with his renown as it was already, “it’s hard enough introducing myself at the moment, I don’t need my body plastered over every middle aged spinster’s fridge.” He hated that his name made people prick their ears and turn with hushed whispers about whether that was him. Could that be the Percy? He sometimes wondered whether people were disappointed by the average height, dark haired and green eyed latino they were met with. He often didn’t feel that he lived up to his … well reputation. He smirked gently. “Well I am a bit of an oxymoron myself,” he replied with a shrug, “being a hypocrite isn’t really that surprising on top of that is it?” He considered Jason’s words. Seeing himself like Jason saw him seemed unlikely to him. But then again he never truly felt as if his friend really saw everything that he did. “It’d be really convenient if we could stop being so self sacrificing and be really honest, but then I guess that’s just the nature of being a hero. Something tragic like that? Right?”

“Gods right? Advantage to studying at Stanford and not NRU. To everyone there I’m just another wounded vet non-traditional student doing his thing. Office of Integration decided that was the best way to explain me away.” The Office that handled the melding of demigod pasts into acceptable mortal stories had been incredibly non-plussed with his injury. Apparently this was old hat to them. “Yeah… well… take off the oxy and that’s what you’re being right now. A moron. I’m calling you a moron.” Jason really did wish that Percy could see himself the way Jason saw him; handsome and kind, intelligent and ferocious, all the little pieces added up to make a man so amazing he put the gods to shame. “It would be. But that really doesn’t seem our style now does it. I guess you just have to keep me around so I can tell you how amazing you are. I’ll keep reminding you, all the time, because I know it’s the truth.” He let his head loll back against the chair, unbraiding his blonde hair and looking up at the stars, “It’s nice to be somewhere where it’s quiet. That Feast was getting to be a bit much.”

“Maybe I’ll transfer out of NRU, although it seems dumb to do it when I’m so close to graduating…” Percy pauses and smiled gently. “Of course they weren’t concerned by something as trivial as injuries. Now if you’d been half satyr or something then that would’ve probably worried them some. But I’m sure you can’t be the first demigod to want to do something outside of the city with some sort of visible injury.” He fell silent as he took the joint back from Jason, or maybe he’d had it all along. To be perfectly honest he wasn’t entirely sure. He was starting to get pretty stoned and he’d drunk a lot at the party. He was hardly a notoriously heavy drinker. “As long as we can stop one another from being too humble then that will keep me nice and happy, can’t allow anyone to think we are braggarts now can we?” He paused and scootched his chair over closer to Jason, placing a affectionate hand on his friend’s shoulder. Squeezing it gently he sat silently for a moment, watching the cloud of smoke ride through the sky away from Jason’s balcony. “Thank you Jace,” he finally said quietly, “this week has done wonders for me.”

“Yeah. I still have a year and a half at least so transferring wasn’t as big a deal for me. But if you’re close then it doesn’t really make sense.” Jason’s laugh cut through the chilly night, “they invented a neat little background for me, falsified some paperwork, bing bang boom Jason’s got a nice backstory for his classmates.” Another laugh and he took a drink of his whisky, “I don’t think either of us are in danger of turning into Octavian. But it’s nice to have someone with a little objectivity to help you keep your head on straight.” Percy moved his chair closer to him and Jason leaned his head to rest his cheek on Percy’s hand, the warmth of it bleeding through his chilly stubble. “My home is always open to you. Always. This week has been amazing. Just spending time with you. When I’m with you the normal buzz and hum of my mind is actually quiet for once. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“Either way I’ve got to wait, either for the university to be rebuilt or for the university to be rebuilt so they can transfer me. But I’m making sure I keep nice and busy.” Percy wondered what Jason’s made up past was? “You’re not going to tell me about your backstory? Are you worried it’s going to be cooler than your real life?” Pausing for a moment he laughed. The truth was that Jason had lived a life that was so cool that it would be difficult to live anything comparable. But there was a big part of Percy’s life that was lived in hopes that it would one day become normal. He envied everyone else who’d gotten to grow up as normal. “I actually don’t think I have ever met someone that I got along with better than you and believe me it’s weird, me and Thalia never got along well. I almost dropped an entire river on her once.”

“Well yeah. Trying to fix the entirety of demigod society is certainly a way for you to keep busy, P. You’re definitely not lying.” Jason laughed brightly, moving his cheek away from Percy’s hand, “Explosive Ordnance Disposal in the Middle East. That’s the backstory. Lost my eye to some shrapnel from an IED on patrol. Nothing fancy, just gets the job done.” It felt a little wrong, co-opting his story from so many mortals who had had that fate befall them. But the Office of Integration had assigned it and he’d gone along with it. The good soldier to the end. “Well. In your defense. I also have wanted to drop an entire river on my sister and I don’t have hydrokinesis.” Thalia was a stormy personality at best. She wasn’t really a people person. “It’s true though. You’re just….. you work. With me. With all my crazy. You being around works.”

“I’m not trying to fix the whole of the society,” Percy replied with a shrug, “all I am trying to do is rebuild a city and get my people something better than they’ve had for the last nine months.” Although when he put it like that he didn’t know if that sounded any less like an impossible and insurmountable task. “Well, they aren’t entirely wrong, I know it is stretching the truth a little but IED does sound more normal than exploding ballistae bolt.” Pausing once more, he considered how different Thalia and Jason was. Jason was like a breath of fresh air on a rainy day. Thalia was like a hurricane in the middle of the ocean, tearing anything apart that came in it’s way. At least that was what she was like when she was pissed off. “It amazes me how well she and Artemis get along with one another, especially considering how wildly different they are from one another.” Pausing for a second longer he stretched out further in his seat, embracing the cold night air. “We slot together pretty well,” he agreed.

Jason sat in a very pointed silence in order to give Percy a chance to see that what he was saying was exactly like trying to fix the whole of demigod society. He laughed, self conscious fingers rising to brush his face, “Well… since the mortal world doesn’t know what an exploding ballistae bolt is, this is indeed the better option. Even if it smacks of dishonesty.” As Percy kept talking about his sister Jason laughed, “Well… from what I’ve heard, my godly sister Lady Artemis has a rage and fury that makes Thalia look like a docile little lamb. That’s probably why they get along so well. Though it seems like Thalia is angry constantly, and Artemis only some of the time. But when you’re thousands of years old you probably learn how to pick when to be angry and when not to be.” Watching Percy stretch out of the corner of his eye Jason listened carefully; wondering if perhaps there was a second layer of conversation happening. Though in the secret parts of his heart he was unsure if he was wondering about it, or hoping for it, “We do. Peanut butter and chocolate and other apt comparisons like that. We’re good together.”

Allowing the silence to settle over them, Percy pulled his own blanket around him more tightly. It was a cold night and despite leaving the feast early he was still feeling pretty sleepy. The joint was hardly helping either. “You don’t owe anyone an explanation for everything that you’ve had to go through in the last six months. Sure it’s dishonest but it’s none of their business whether you were hurt by exploding mortal weapons or whether it was of the immortal variety.” He knew that Jason was a traditional hero who thought of self sacrifice as a necessity. But the truth was that Jason had given up more than many in the war. Not to mention his reputation and everything that he’d worked towards as Pontifex Maximus, all for the Greek people. That wasn’t something that Percy would ever forget. If anything it endeared him to Percy more. There was a lot to be interested in Jason. Apart from the fact that he had the body of a literal God, Percy knew that Jason was kind. Thoughtful. Intelligent. Introspective. Selfless. It was really something. Not to mention that Jason was one of his oldest friends excluding Annabeth and Grover. “Red Wine and Steak?” Percy suggested with a smile, admiring the stubble that dotted Jason’s face.

As Percy wrapped himself tighter in his blanket, Jason flipped the end of his fuzzy blanket over the other man’s lap, scooting slightly closer as he did, “I stole the good one. Might as well share.” Heaving a sigh he shrugged. He knew Percy was right. But his life had been one of explanations, of transparency required by duty, and it was difficult to let go of those ideals. “Yeah yeah yeah. You’ve always gone too easy on me so I can’t really trust your opinion now can I. You’re my best friend. You’re hella biased.” He cocked his head to look at Percy as the other guy talked, stifling a yawn. He wasn’t ever quite sure how Percy managed to look like a male model and still be the humble amazing guy he was, but it was always the case. “French fries and too much salt.” He responded, laughing softly, “a bubble bath and beer. Whisky and a cold night. All the great things come in pairs.”

Taking the bit of the blanket that Jason had passed to him, Percy tucked it over his feet and smirked. “Well, this is your balcony, I’m not exactly going to start complaining because I think that you’re being selfish, you’ve put me up free of charge for more than my fair share of time.” He paused and considered Jason’s words. “I’m not biased, I am as objective as it is humanly possible for someone to be.” He smirked gently, knowing full well that he would always take Jason’s side irrespective of the circumstances. It was simply something that was outside of his control. He loved his friend too much to not always take his side. “Can you ever have too much salt?” he asked smirking gently before shrugging a little and stretching. “Who knew that we were such a dynamic duo?” he asked his increasingly handsome friend.

Jason laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the chilly night, as he squeezed Percy’s shoulder, “P. You could crash with me for the rest of your life and that wouldn’t be an imposition. I literally don’t think I’d ever get tired of having you around. It’s the best part of my day.” He waved Percy’s argument away. It was impossible for either of them to view the other objectively, which somehow worked because it balanced out how harsh they were on themselves, “You can never have too much salt. Nor too much hot sauce.” He squeezed Percy’s shoulder again and let go, watching him stretch languidly, “I mean… we did. It’s why we hang out together so much. We’re just great together.” He didn’t know if it was the whisky, the exhaustion, or just years of friendship all coming together, but Percy was growing ever more handsome in the dim light of his balcony, “It’s just the way it is. I’m better when I’m around you.”

“I don’t know,” Percy quietly replied with a smile drifting across his face, “I am sure that if I were able to stay with you for the rest of your life that you’d get sick of me soon enough. There comes a limit to the amount of human interaction that we can all take.” Raising an eyebrow thoughtfully, Percy slipped deeper beneath the pile of blankets that he was nestling within. Breathing deeply, Percy idly flicked at his lighter, it sparked on and off before he tucked it away too. His inability to sit still had always been famous, but he often wondered if his ADHD was getting worse with age. “That sounds like an advert for a hot sauce place, except I’ve never been anywhere in the world that sells just hot sauce on its own…” he laughed and shrugged, glancing at Jason and swallowing somewhat uncomfortably as new feelings washed over him uninvited. “My question was rhetorical,” Percy laughed, “You’re perfect the way you are, you just think you’re better when I’m around because you’re blind to your own abilities and the truth about it.”

The moment seemed like something special; which meant that Jason was ill-equipped to deal with it. “I don’t think so. I think you know me well enough to know when I need to hide in my room playing video games and when I’m ready for more people time. But. Having you here is a great thing.” Percy fidgeted and Jason sat, trying to avoid giving into his nervous energy that made him fidget just as much. Normally he was prone to the standard demigod amounts of ADHD but he tried to keep it in check as much as possible: a feat easier said than done. He kept his hands clasped in his lap, twirling the silver ring on his finger. “There are some shops that specialize in just hot sauce. I know there are a couple in the city. There’s one in Haight-Ashbury. We can go sometime if you want.” He listened as Percy talked, glad for the dim light of the balcony as he blushed violently. “You’re wrong. There’s always room for improvement and I’m far away from perfect. But…” he fell silent. Not even sure of the end to that sentence.

Maybe it was the amount that Percy had drunk. Maybe it was the fact that he had smoked half a joint. Maybe it was the time of the night. Either way Percy couldn’t help but think that Jason looked truly radiant in the dim light. It seemed to shine through his long blonde hair and almost cast a golden glow. At least that was what Percy imagined. “I get that you need time alone, you and Annabeth are similar in that way …” he shrugged gently, suddenly wondering why he had decided to make a connection between his ex and his best friend, “but I’m glad that you think so highly of me. It actually really means a lot Jace…” he sighed contentedly and shifted once more in his seat. “I’d like that. Getting hot sauce with you,” he smirked at the thought, “do they have a blue one?” He paused for a moment and shrugged. “Damn, I wouldn’t know what to say about that, it is pretty hard to argue with such a strong denial. It’s definitely changed my opinion about you. Good job bro.”

“Yes but she’s more likely to use her alone time to try to save the world with her super genius, and I’m more likely to use it to play Horizon Zero Dawn in my underwear until I’ve gotten all the trophies. Big difference there.” He laughed again, shimmying deeper into his mound of blanket and closer to Percy, “even if they don’t have a blue one I’ll dye it for you. We’ll get you a blue hot sauce that’ll make your eyes water. There’re some nice shops down there. We can make a day of it. Get out into the city, grab a nice lunch, just be touristy for once. I’ll even wear a Fanny pack so we blend right in.” He could sense Percy’s sarcasm in his response and head butted him in the shoulder “uh huh. I can tell when you’re being sarcastic, P. I’ve gotten pretty good at it over the years. We can’t all be handsome smart amazing guys like you. I’ve just gotta keep trying to be as good as the amazing Percy Jackson.”

“I don’t know about you,” Percy replied with a laugh, “but I would rather spend my day in bed playing HZD in my underwear then save the world. Besides you give Annabeth far too much credit, not that she doesn’t deserve it, but she’s as good at procrastinating as you or I.” Possibly even better. He’d seen her re-design Olympus and had experienced her procrastination first hand. “Damn, and I thought that you’d let me wear the fanny pack, I guess I’ll have to get a “I love Stanford” shirt or even a visor! But that won’t hold a candle to the level of touristry that you’ll have achieved.” Smirking gently, Percy reached out and wrapped a hand round the back of Jason’s head as he placed his forehead on Percy’s shoulder. “You don’t need to keep trying anything, there is a reason that you were Praetor for more than five minutes and I wasn’t, you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit.” He gazed into Jason’s stormy eyes and smiled contentedly.

“Absolutely. Trying to navigate one of the cauldrons is way easier than facing down Gaia, more fun too. I definitely don’t think I give Annabeth too much credit, that woman is scary smart. I think even her procrastination is productive. Which is more than I can say for me.” The image of them as a touristy couple made him laugh, and then the realization Jason was imagining them as a couple gave him brief pause, though it seemed he wasn’t too upset by the mental image. “I’ll lend you some of my Stanford wear. I’ve got way too much of it.” Percy’s hand rested in his hair and Jason took that as tacit permission to snuggle up against Percy’s side. “Yeah yeah yeah they’re gonna sing the ballad of Jason Grace for years to come and all that good shit.” He waved Percy’s comments away before resting his hand on the other man’s broad chest, “in the end it's not really the opinion of History that matters to me, I think. Just if I did right by my friends.”

“I once saw Annabeth construct a scale model of New Rome with an absurd number of playing  cards. It was both impressive and a little sad. I’ve never seen someone get so annoyed at someone opening the door and letting wind in…” Percy laughed at the memory before shrugging, “you’re doing it again, you don’t need to compare yourself to anyone else because you’re doing great just as you are.” He smirked gently at his own cliche, it was funny because if the tables were turned he knew damn well that he would be unable to take Jason’s advice. “I look forward to looking like a UCS advert / brochure. I never knew until now what my true calling was.” As Jason leaned against him, Percy felt his pulse quicken slightly as their bare skin caught contact. Swallowing a breath of air, Percy smiled as he tried to ignore the racing adrenaline that was pounding around him. Suddenly he felt somewhat light headed. He’d never felt this way before and in that moment he didn’t want to move. Despite everything that he was feeling, he didn’t want to ruin what was happening in that moment. “Of course you did right by your friends, was that something that was ever in doubt?”

“That’s so peak Annabeth I can’t even handle it. Of course she did. I’m surprised she didn’t start doing the whole of San Francisco.” Rolling his eyes Jason waved Percy’s words away, hand accidentally grazing his friend’s beard as he did. “Of course I am. And don’t give me that guff about how I should only try to be better than my previous self because you know that’s not how my brain works. I have to keep trying to be the best.” He could hear Percy’s heart thudding through his chest and was glad his friend couldn’t hear that his was doing the same thing. “Doing right is an ongoing process. I have done right. I want to keep doing right. Until I finally die. But I need to keep making a difference. Keep doing something. Just so I can always be there for you guys.” He heaved a sigh and twisted his head so he could look up into Percy’s eyes “you know how that is.”

“Annabeth is certainly one of a kind,” Percy replied, dipping his head gently in admittance to what Jason had said. Annabeth had a singular focus when it came to certain tasks, it was almost scary how hard she could work on something if she really set her mind to it. Laughing gently, Percy shrugged. “Maybe I just mean that I think you’ve done more than enough good to secure your place in Elysium a thousand times over. But if you want to insist on trying to get straight to the Isles of the blessed during your first attempt then who am I to try and stop you?” He chuckled gently and nodded.  “That sort of attitude is why you’re so good though,” Percy had never particularly had qualms with platonic physicality, especially not with Jason. Yet there was something making the breath in his throat catch. “You just insist on dramatising it, and then you claim you’re not a drama queen.”

“And I wouldn’t have her any other way.” Jason’s love for Annabeth burned almost as bright as his love for Percy. She was a genius and one of the best people he knew; he’d fought beside her through a hundred battles and he’d do it through a hundred more. “I mean why live three times if I can go to turbo-heaven on the first go? Come on, P. I’m trying to speed run this bitch.” He laughed and straightened up, leaving the warmth of Percy’s chest with a little bit of sorrow. It was comfortable, and in all honesty felt absolutely right. But he didn’t want to overstay his welcome. “I think we both know when I claim I’m not a drama queen it’s a goddamn lie. I’m super dramatic. I just like to say I’m not.” He brushed hair out of his eyes and smiled at his friend, admiring literally everything about the man sitting next to him, “I’m happy we have this time. It’s just… good. Everything about it is good.”

“Well as long as whatever it is that you decide is enough to make you happy then you’ve got my approval.” Percy smiled gently. That was what his mother had always told him. At the end of the day if what he did made him happy then that was something to be proud of. “Well acceptance of a state of denial is one of the first steps on the road to recovery.” Percy smirked gently and sat up as Jason moved away. Honestly he was somewhat disappointed by the fact that his friend had moved away from him. He yearned for his touch for a moment before snapping back to reality. “Dramatics have always been one of my favourite parts of your personality,” Percy admitted as he sat forward, leaning against his knees and rubbing his eyes gently, “I am never bored when I’m around you. Besides your dramatic flair is impressive. Having seen you use harpies as aerial stepping stones and still manage to impale a cyclops with your spear I can tell you it is somewhat impressive.”

“Oh gods. That was such a Sallyism. I’m pretty sure she told me that exact same thing earlier this year. You are absolutely your mother’s son.” Stretching languidly in his chair, Jason scratched his stubbly chin, laughing at Percy’s gentle teasing. “What’s the point of being the son of the god of lightning and the sky if you can’t use that to fuel your dramatic flair. I mean I’ve gotta treat each of my battles like a Cirque du Soleil routine, otherwise I’m going to disappoint my fans and I can’t do that. They’ll stop writing to me for autographs.” Percy leaned forward and rubbed his eyes and Jason automatically started scratching his back gently, before a jaw-cracking yawn brought his hands to his mouth. He gathered the blanket up and wrapped it around him, starting to head back down the hallway towards his bedroom as they moved from the chilly outside to the warmth of his apartment. Pausing at his door he turned back to look at Percy, sweeping hair out of his eye as he weighed a couple of options in his head, “Hey P…” his voice was almost soft enough to get lost in the ambient noise of his apartment, “I know that room gets chilly. I haven’t had a chance to replace the weather-stripping on the window yet and it leaks cold air in. But uh….” he could feel his cheeks getting a little rosy, “My room’s plenty warm… and there’s room for two in my bed. If you don’t wanna be cold all night, I mean.”

“It would be difficult not to be my mother’s son,” `replied with a laugh. “I’m not complaining Jason, I can definitely see the comparison between Cirque du Soleil and your fighting style, and believe me that wasn’t something that I thought I was ever going to say.” He smirked gently and shrugged, before rising to his feet and following Jason back into his apartment. As they slowly made their way back towards their bedrooms, Percy strode towards his room, folding the blanket and placing it in the lounge before moving through. Jason’s question however caught him off guard, and he took a moment to consider it. Pausing, he glanced down at the door of his room before turning back and nodding. “Sure, that sounds nice.”

[nyodrite]

@becausemyfriendskeptasking said:

BYE IM YELLING THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE GREATEST THING

THANKS I'M GLAD YOU LIKED IT

@kunoichi-ume said:

okay I am onboard.

Yessss, join usssss

@kitsune0neko said:

Yyyaaaaaaaaaaaay! I really like this. Especialky bc dragons r awesome and a love for them would totally transcend death.

This is absolute truth, dragons are awesome and love of dragons transcends such flimsy barriers such as  d e a t h

@seladorie said:

... i didn't know i needed this but i do

i want this so bad

i wanna see this team 7 meet kakashi

i want charlie!sakura to needle sasuke ONLY to see his fire dragon technique

plz

*CACKLES* REVENGE!

Kura meeting Kakashi would be a bit like, "HAVE YOU BEEN TO KIRI? DO YOU KNOW THE MIZUCHI MYTH? HAVE YOU SEEN OTHER DRAGON-BASED JUSTU? WHERE DID THEY ORIGINATE? HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE EXISTENCE OF A REAL LIVE DRAGON?"

While Kakashi is internally just,,,okay so apparently this one is obsessed with scaly, sparky flapper cryptids but at least she's not a fangirl??

@ruelukas22 said:

oh wow O.O senpai noticed me!

Does this mean you’re actually going to fic it? Because that could be amazing!

Would anyone else be reincarnations?!

How does Charlie like being an only child?

Does he refer to himself as a he in actual conversations sometimes?

Does he get a wild hair cut?

Does he like kunoichi classes?

We see the beginning of him interacting with Naruto, how does that continue, does he like Kurama and the other Bijuu? (“Giant, village destroying creatures. I love them.” “Honestly Sakura…”)

What does he think of giant summons? (“Sakura! The snake is trying to kill you, stop fawning over it!”)

.....sen...pai..? .....suddenly i feel more powerful then ever before.

Tentative yes on a fic but, whoa do I get distracted easily.

As for any other reincarnations, no? Not here, but @owldork1998 and @cassandrasdreamworld and I did talk about two people being reincarnated as Sakura around the same time. In fact there was talk about Charlie being reincarnated as Sakura while Newt Scamander was reincarnated as Inner Sakura.

Being an only child after being one of many is kind of lonely, but there's Ino whose kind of like a sister and who comes as part of a package deal with Shikamaru and Chouji so Kura makes do with pseudo-siblings.

While it wouldn't really matter or be noticed in English, since personal pronouns like don't lean towards a gender, Kura does do that. Kura's personal pronoun is "ore" all around instead of the expected "watashi", it's chosen simply because it's shorter and thus easier to say. This does, however, kind of affect things.

it's been, due to the time spent together at the academy, normalized for Kura's generation - in fact some of the younger girls at the academy start doing the same

ninja, on a whole, really don't care because there could be worse quirks for the kid to have - like peeping in bath houses, or wearing green spandex

clanfolk, even ninja ones, kinda do a double take but are generally just huh, alright then.

older people, even ninja, like the Council are disapproving it's partially about propriety but mostly about this fool kunoichi will endanger the mission if she is ever to go undercover or otherwise infiltrate some place

civilians range from shrugging it off as "ninja weirdness" or being scandalized, Kura's parents (who are in fact civilian in this) are on both sides - father shrugs it off and is even amused, mother is Not Happy

there's also little, awkward side conversations with first Iruka then Kakashi about if Kura is experiencing gender dysphoria and if it were better to use different pronouns or look into having a sex change

Wild hair? Kind of? Less cut though. Kura's hair is long, it is messy and pulled into a ponytail until it eventually grows so long - takes so long to clean in the shower - that Kura just hacks it off with a kunai. So, yep! Wild hair cut! (eventually)

Kura is ambivalient about kunoichi classes; sewings only practical, as is cooking, tea ceramonies and kimono are interesting in a foriegn way, make-up is kind of weird but mostly tedious given he was still around when little Ginny wanted to play with their mum's make-up and demanded he let her make him "pretty" and is now resigned to it, but he's actually good with flowers - entirely Bill's fault who once tried to impress a girl be carefully selecting flowers that were meaningful

Bijuu, yes Kura loves them. Once he finds out that they are actually real - and how are giant chakra monsters more believable then dragons?!? - he's stoked and all NO INO/NARUTO/SASUKE/SENSEI YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I HAVE TO MEET ONE I WILL LITERALLY DIE IF I DO NOT. Then he finds out about them being sealed away and is just WAT NO YOU CAN'T CAGE SUCH WONDERFUL CREATURES THIS IS A CRIME OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER

Giant summon, he loves them also and yes that's pretty much how it goes - that and a mix of frantically taking down notes because there's no Newt Scamander here to learn and write about the creatures of this world so now it is obviously my solemn duty to do so in his absence

and yes! i love you're tags - these ones also! sasuke is definitely the one shoved into the place of the Voice Of Reason between his two teammates - Let's Be Friends! and Can I Pet It Sensei, Please!? - and Kakashi is despairing the the tiny, traumatized ball of rage is the voice of reason out of his genin

kit123 said:

This was so much fun! Lol Ino acting like she is too popular to read but secretly being super smart. Hahaha Charlie "I don't have time for that stuff when I have to find dragons" Weasley KILLED me. He's going to annoy every Uchiha ever figuring out how that fire dragon came to be. I bet Shisui ends up semi-adopting him. The Uchiha massacre is averted just because a seven year old was obsessed with dragons.

nooOO YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO K N O W

more seriously, yes i was toying with the idea that the massacre is averted because Kura is just PLEASE CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT DRAGONS I NEED TO KNOW and shadowing random Uchiha who are too bewildered by this - usually people want to know about their eyes??? not??? dragons???????? - to do anything can even be misinterpreted as negative so the entire village sees the Uchiha tolerating a tiny, pink haired civilian girl following them around and pestering them and are just maybe they're not all bad???

on the other hand if the massacre were to happen and Sasuke gets his same team 7 intro, Kura would just be "Mate, don't lose you're nose" while thinking about Voldemort while everyone else is jusy "???"

[shamelessnerd]

I just want to say the following headcanon thing LEGITIMATELY was inspired by this thing I saw on a random Google search I don’t even know how it was there, Google is watching me. I typed it all out in a caffeine-fueled frenzy. If you know who made this pic/headcanon thing, let me know so I can give credit. This is the offender:

OKAY SO I NEED TO ADD TO THIS THING ABOUT HOW JASON WAS DIANA'S FAVORITE ROBIN. I NEED TO ADD TO THIS, AND IT'S GONNA BE REALLY FAN-DORK-TASTIC AND IT'S FINE, EVERYTHING IS FINE.

We need to examine this more. Brace yourself for the headcanon feels train. Choo choo, bitches.

I don't think Jason just adored and was respectful to her, no no, he fucking worshiped her. When every Robin has met the others of the Trinity it's always said something about them. When Jason met Superman, he was appropriately awed and flustered, you know, as boys do. It's Superman for shits sake, he's like a myth. How do you talk to a mythical freakin' god?

But Diana? Now she's a bit different. Sure, she flies, she's fast, she's got super strength and sword skills no one can touch, but she doesn't shoot lasers from her eyes or sneeze and make a tornado. She talks to kids, she treats them with respect, as equals. Jason likes that. He grew up fast. He hates being talked down to.

But this really didn't start with Diana being his favorite just because she doesn't ruffle his hair and ask if his studies are going well. No, this goes back to long before he was a Robin. When he was just a little kid with an abusive father and a mother that loved him but couldn't fight back.

Jason has always been a tootin' masculine character. Look at him, he's got all the traits, up and down. Bad boy look, check. Guns, check. Fast cars, check. Street rat punk, check. He's the tallest out of the Robins, and so much goddamn muscle he's got fifteen pounds on Bruce. (Suck it, old man.) There's memes about his thighs ffs. But on the same token he's always related to and sympathizes more with women than any other Robin. Why would that be?

Because his mother loved him. Really, deeply, adoringly loved him, even if he was adopted. She probably always wanted kids and a family but she just chose the wrong man to do it with. Things probably weren't always so bad, they never are when you start out but it got worse steadily, it snuck up on her and by the time Jason was five, she was a convenient punching bag whenever Willis Todd had a bad day at work.

It didn't take long before every day was a bad day at work.

So Jason grew up in a place that started out as pretty nice, they were poor as hell but he never lacked for love from his mom. She made games for him so he wasn't afraid. Charity clothes weren't shameful, they were adventuring gear and he could be anything he wanted, even a wizard or a ninja. She didn't eat her portion of dinner because a spell had been put on her and the only way to break it is if he ate everything instead, and then defeat the dragon guarding her and give her a kiss before bedtime. Then she would eat. When they couldn't pay the utility bills, the candles were the only light they had and they were adventurers exploring ancient caves and had to be very careful to sneak around and find the magic stones she'd hidden everywhere.

Catherine Todd loved her little boy and always sacrificed whatever she could to make sure he wasn't afraid at night. While he slept, she'd cry very quietly.

But no amount of pretend and stories could really hide the fear in her eyes when his father came home. Jason had to hide under the table his arm the around a street mutt, Sparky, and a phone clutched to his chest while his mom tried to hold back her screams as the leather belt, then the fists and the boots came down on her again and again.

His mother ALWAYS took the beatings from him. When Jason was getting a little older and taller and starting to outgrow his clothes faster than they could steal or trade from the charity banks, he started looking like a target. But she never allowed his father to beat him, she wouldn't have it. She made a deal, she'd take the beatings and he wouldn't touch Jason dammit, not him, not her little boy.

Afterwards, when his scumbag father sat down in front of the TV with a beer and some food while his wife cried on the floor, Jason would crawl out of his hiding place and put band-aids on the cuts and bruises. Then she'd hold him in her arms, sobbing, and tell him it's okay, she loves him and she'd never let anything bad happen to him.

But things always got worse for Jason. He loathed his father, he felt furious he couldn't fight back but he knew if he did, his mother's sacrifice would be for nothing. He learned to control his rage early, he had to. But that doesn't mean it didn't burn.

The look of defeat and apathy in her eyes is what hurt him most. He wished she wouldn't just lay down and take it all the time. He wanted her to get up. Fight back. He'd have these dreams where his mom beat down her husband and told him if he ever touched her or her son again, she'd kill him. But he always woke up.

Catherine Todd was Jason's first real hero. Even when she started taking heroin to get through the day, to not feel hunger and not feel pain.

And then there's Wonder Woman. Princess of Themyscira. Amazon Warrior. She was the best fighter in the world and she fought with a grace like poetry and a savagery like vengeance. She was amazing. A woman that was strong enough to throw monsters through walls. Monsters just like his father. He wanted his mom to be more like Wonder Woman.

He wanted Wonder Woman to be his mom.

Now lets fast forward a bit. When his father abandoned them, Jason became the man of the house and his mother was so deep into addiction she could barely function. She'd lost so much weight over the years, pushing her food onto his plate. She'd always cared for and protected him, now he could finally return the favor. He was an 11-year old with a baseball bat and zero tolerance for any assholes that wanted to hurt his mom. She couldn't fight anymore but he could. Any drug dealer stopping by learned that the hard way.

But he couldn't protect her forever. The will had been beaten out of her for over a decade. While he was out stealing food, she overdosed. The pain had been too much. He failed her.

Fast forward again. He's Robin now, he's learned to survive on his own before now, he's not shy about sticking up for himself because dammit, he's not going to sit on the sidelines ever again. That was a helpless feeling he never could get away from. He meets Wonder Woman for the first time and he's just struck dumb. Alfred and Bruce are amused, because this Robin has never held back what's on his mind or given any ground. But after he gets over the awe of meeting his childhood idol (nevermind the fact that he's still technically a kid) he can't stop talking to Diana. He chatters eagerly to her.

Soon it's clear he's something of a fanboy. He asks how she threw this punch from this battle and how she disarmed that villain in that fight. She's more than happy to show him. Then he asks other things, like if she can be such a great fighter, other women can too, right? What if the best way to defeat crime is by preventing it? Like giving women and other common targets of criminals the ability to defend themselves. Couldn't women and children's shelters offer training and classes for free? She loves the idea and promises to see what she can do.

Jason probably writes letters to Diana whenever he can and she responds when she has time. It's not often because they're both so busy, but it's a slow sort of pen-pal thing they have going on. She's easier to talk to than Bruce and learns more about his family from before.

Even though he loved his mom, he also resented her. She let herself become a victim and he'll never quite forgive her for that. He's bitter about it, the idea of 'What if she'd fought back?' always in the back of his head. He'll never know and it's her fault and he misses her but he misses what they might have had. One day he accidentally lets this slip in one of his letters and Diana sends him two pages back, all of it laying out that a mother's love thinks nothing of sacrifice and it's okay for him to be angry but he shouldn't let it taint the good memories he has. He was loved right up until the end. Instead of being angry, be inspired. It wasn't fair, to her or to him, but he can still make his mother proud by making sure no one else has to go through what he did.

How would she know his mother is proud of him? Because Diana is proud of him. Very proud. And she knows what mothers want for their children.

Had she not been off-planet at the time, Diana would've noticed the lack of his letters when he started feeling displaced and needed family to connect to. When he found out he was adopted. When he left to go search for his real mother -- maybe a mother more like Wonder Woman.

When Jason died and Diana found out several weeks later, she was furious with Bruce. Absolutely. Livid. She refused to work with him or speak to him for a month. It was a major cramp in their relationship, as friends and as colleagues. 

She did go home and cry in her mother's arms because he was such a fine boy, dammit. Man's World was cruel and savage and did the worst things to the most innocent people and it turned them into beasts. It broke their hearts and twisted their minds. But not Jason. He came out stronger and more determined than ever to be better. Yes, he was lost and hurt and didn't know where to direct his righteous anger but he was learning so fast and she was so proud of him for it. Crime wasn't a vague thing to him, he grew up in it, lived in it, and he knew exactly why it should be put down. Just like she knew the stakes of war and why it must be fought. He was a warrior. And he died because he was still a kid that wanted a mother who loved him.

She blames herself a little because if she'd been there more for him, given him the mom he really really wanted, he might still be alive. She neglected him, just like everyone else and she will never forgive herself for that.

When Jason came back as the Red Hood, she'd only heard vague rumors from Gotham. It was years before she found out who it was and that's only because Dick was struggling with a guilty conscience for putting 'Jason' into Arkham Asylum. When this 'Red Hood' turned out to be the young Robin who had her action figure and always ran to say hello to her, she gave Dick a look that could kill a chimera. For the first time, he realized why Bruce could fear her so much.

She sat down and started to write a letter to Jason but didn't know where to start.

It hasn't happened yet. She's often run ragged with all her duties, and she hasn't figured out how to tell Bruce she wants to see Jason for reasons too many and complicated to put into words without seeming rude to the other fine boys he's mentored.

But when she does finally meet her favorite Robin she'll hug him and not let go for a long time. Then they'll spend the whole night talking about everything, and for tonight, crime and missions and duty can wait. She'll tell him about the countless women that have fended off their abusers because of the ideas he came up with so many years ago. And he'll be confused at first because doesn't she know he's insane? A killer? A psychopath? Well, she's killed too and she knows why he's doing what he's doing. There are as many battlefields as there are battles, in the mind, in the streets, in the long history of a life. She knows that this is his battle. She's proud of him for fighting what he believes in because that's what he's always done. His methods may not be her own but that's okay. Life has given him the tools and insight to do what he does and she must respect that. War is never pretty.

For a while, Jason is so damn unbalanced by all this, he can't really speak because there's a knot in his throat.

Then she drops another bomb on him by apologizing. For not being there for him, for not realizing that he needed more than a pen pal and for neglecting to tell him all these things before it was too late. There's tears in her eyes and he starts to panic a little.

The next day, she gets a letter from Jason.

So there. There you have it you ugly heathens, feels headcanon train! I think this is why Diana has Jason as her favorite Robin and why he has always looked up to her. I think the fandom somehow recognizes the neat and fitting parallels here. Maybe not ever put down in words like this (or if it has been, I haven't found it yet) but definitely there in the back of the brain. You don't see fanart with Jason wearing a Wonder Woman shirt, or pajamas, or coffee mug for no reason. It's not just because it's funny that the bad boy punk of the BatFamily is a huge Wonder Woman fan. It's because she means something to him that the other Robins never needed in their lives like he did. She was a role model early in his life and still is today. 

Jason likes Wonder Woman because she's overcome and proven herself in a world stacked against her. Women can't fight? Wrong. Women can't be strong? So wrong. Women can't hold important positions in government? She's an ambassador. Women must be sexual, they must defer to their male compatriots, if they do fight they're butch and can't be feminine and beautiful, and if they don't fight they have to stand back and sit in the kitchen.... You might wanna shut up now.

Wonder Woman has defied every single unwritten rule the world tried to put on her and she's broken every single barrier that her 'superiors' have put in front of her. She gives society's expectations an amused little smirk before she breaks them in half. She doesn't let anyone define her. She does what is needed and she doesn't apologize for it. She's a rebel like that. She's powerful but feminine, she's a warrior but also motherly, she fights for peace, but she will fucking kill to protect her loved ones.

Diana's story and Jason's story are so much alike and that is why these two have this unspoken, undefined bond. They know the gritty realities, they know that ideals won’t stop hunger and abuse and exploitation, they know fire sometimes can only be fought with fire. I think the fandom understands that, even vaguely. They recognize she would naturally be his #1 role model. And it would genuinely put me on cloud 9 if DC recognized that too and decided, 'Know what? Let's go for it. Let's make this happen.'

'Let's make this impossible and bizarre idea seem wonderfully human.'

Isn't that what comics are really about?

[imeugene]

I think I drive an obscene amount lately. Nothing long distance trucker but I definitely do spend 2+ hour in the road most days. I’m at the point where my music tastes have settled so I listen to more or less the same thing I did 3 years ago and even 10 years ago but that can get old. So I listen to podcasts a lot. I really like “BMX Is In Our Blood” podcast series by some old head, I don’t even know. Dude mentioned he raced and remembered when Brian Foster was young so he’s definitely before my time. The newest one I think is the best cause it had Ron Bonner of UGP, Shadow Conspiracy, Sparky’s fame. Definitely an interesting guy with interesting thoughts regarding the process behind those companies. One thing did irk me. They were listing off videos and Ron Bonner seemed like he was overlooking one but could never put his finger on which one it was. I was in my car going “Into the Void! Into the Void!”, which brings me to today’s choice. 

I can’t really blame him for forgetting this one. It’s a lot more subdued than the average Shadow Conspiracy project. Cause Shadow stuff is really in your face out there and that’s something that Ron Bonner mentions in the podcast. That he really wants the consumer to have a reaction regardless of whether its good or bad and his critique on brands trying to be Supreme and lack of BMX identity all feel spot on. But back to the video. “The Calling”, the first video back in 2006 was an extension of that Shadow ethos of being in your face. I remember people even rumoring that it might be a full length narrative with riding somehow incorporated into it. People really didn’t know what to expect from it. The hype machine was built up and the final product wasn’t that extreme but their choice of B-roll, music, and intros/extros still had that Shadow “in your face” feel. It’s memorable cause honestly outside of the Alistair Whitton crazy ziptie grinds I remember the b-rolls better than the actual clips. Which isn’t anything negative it’s just an old video and the original riders are all retired but it does speak for the strength in what Ron Bonner is trying to achieve. 

“What Could Go Wrong” is equally memorable in the crazy amount of hype it generated. New filmer on board, crazy countries, the world premieres, and the usual Shadow imagery pushed in a more contemporary setting but “Into the Void” was a sneaker. I honestly don’t even remember any hype regarding it. It almost seemed like it just dropped, people saw it and then it kind of vanished from people’s minds. Which is really weird cause to me personally I remember it the most vividly. It was Eli Platt’s last section and he had that super soft folksy Fleet Foxes song that only someone like Eli Platt could pull off. It was when Chade Dehart had a quick section to Converge. Ricky Bates rides prophetically to Live Fast, Die Young by the Circle Jerks. But once again it’s hard to remember these things unless you seek them out, nearly all the riders don’t ride or isn’t in the spotlight. Time moves on.

I never meant this to be about Shadow and their videos so much but I’ll try to bring it back to what the video actually is which is Johnny Devlin. Florida native. One of those myth riders who honestly don’t have too much clips out there but everything he ever did is just really memorable for me. He had a style unlike everyone else, he was hesh, he had pop, like I remember in some Sputnic promo he did a 3 hop over a planter or something and he was going so fast and it was so clean. All it was is a flat 3 hop and somehow I remember that. Plus the man can get tech in his own weird way, that and he could handplant 180′s which is the most bizarre trick. I feel like it’s a trick that may have potential today.. but who knows. 

He was also very memorable as a person with his own personal style and beliefs. He’s white guy with dreads thats not Rasta and doesn’t listen to soundcloud rap. He actually comes off very crust punk, like the type of guy who has maybe 3 t-shirts, all plain cause he can’t support any corporations. Had that weird Native looking fanny pack. I think at some point he said he was very Christian, which in BMX street world is like ehhh unless you’re an OG Christian from the mid school days like Seth Kimbrough or Cory Martinez or you’re like Vic Murphy where you became a BMX equivalent of a skate pastor cause you have to repent for the terrible life of sin that BMX forced you into. But like right after this section dropped and he got bumped to Shadow pro then just as quickly he disappeared. I remember reading that he was protesting the “School of America”, this organization that teaches ex-patriots of other countries, politics and military so they can overthrow their own native countries and increase US global hegemony. Real cool stuff if you find conspiracy and things like that fascinating like I do. Even though its less of a conspiracy and more of a fact but then I think that’s what every conspiracy theorist says haha. Johnny Devlin was a cool guy like that. A real individual, which is something anyone can respect. 

I think the fact that he was both noticeable as a person and as a rider led me to think that he could definitely become bigger... but that didn’t happen for whatever reason I don’t know. I also think that Johnny Devlin comes off as a type of person who seeks out BMX grandeur. A lot of these individualistic people are self motivated by who knows what. God, family, their own beliefs. BMX can be a hub to help deliver them to their destination but if they don’t feel that there is anything to offer or there are better ways than BMX can be relegated back to just bike riding or even be gone. Johnny Devlin is a name that pops up every two years with some fresh clips that are always welcomed. I don’t think he has an instagram cause of course he doesn’t. This essay is a bit fragmented but oh well. 

Johnny Devlin

Disengage by Youth of Today

Shadow Conspiracy - Into the Void (2008)

Edited by Johnny Devlin