#REALITY SHIFT. (Crossover Event)

[aftg-paranormal]

Do you love AFTG? Do you love the paranormal? Then this is the fest for you!

The AFTG Paranormal Fest aims to inspire fanfics and artwork based on all things supernatural.

You can sign up as a writer, an artist or both! Express your interest by filling out this form now! Sign-ups begin May 1st.

Please reblog to spread!

What content is allowed?

Anything and everything paranormal, supernatural and AFTG. All we ask is that it is tagged correctly when posted.

All transformative works will be accepted. All relationships, tropes and ratings are accepted. There are no limits, other than the paranormal!

You may use themes such as, but not limited to:

Vampires

Werewolves

Witches / Magic

Ghosts / spirits

Superpowers and/or abilities

Reality shifting

Mermaids / Sirens

Ressurection

Demons / Angels / Devils

Time Travel

Seers / precognition

Faeries / Fae

Dragons

Aliens

And more! If it is supernatural, it counts!

If you have any questions. do not hesitate to reach out through our inbox, asks or discord!

FAQ

Q: Am I allowed to sign up as both an author and an artist? A: Absolutely!

Q: Can I finish my WIP for this event? A: Absolutely, as long as it is completely unpublished (i.e. is not already up on AO3).

Q: Can I write a sequel? A: You can write sequels to already-existing fic! However, it must also be possible to read as a standalone. If you are writing a sequel of someone else's fic, you must have their permission.

Q: What kind of art is accepted? A: Everything! Drawings, paintings, fan videos, podfic, edits, everything in between!

Q: Can my friend and I sign up as a pair? A: You absolutely can! Can't wait to see your collaborative efforts.

Q: Are crossovers or fusions allowed? A: Yes, as long as AFTG is the main focus.

[pookalicious-hq]

pt.1 - first glance... miya atsumu x reader

| next | masterlist |

˚₊‎‧♡‧₊˚part of the all japan youth summer games crossover event! synopsis: atsumu realizes love at first sight is a real thing when he falls victim to it himself. tags/tws: crossover au, insta stalker atsumu, swearing, fighting, love at first sight, jjk!mma!reader word count: 2.6k

He wasn’t someone who believed in ‘love at first sight.’ The whole idea seemed ridiculous—how could anyone genuinely fall for someone without even knowing them? To Miya Atsumu, that was just dumb. Obsession, maybe. Fascination, sure. But love? Never.

At least, that’s what he used to think.

Now, he’s standing across the street, eyes locked on you. The late afternoon sun casts a golden glow over the street, reflecting off the glass windows behind you. He didn’t mean to stare, but something about the way you move—quick, sharp, with the kind of confidence that suggests you’ve done this a thousand times before—freezes him in place. The air feels heavy, the distant hum of traffic blurring around him.

He notices it immediately—the way your body tenses, the subtle shift in your stance as you speak to the guy. The (probably natural) blond with the cocky grin who’s crowding you, his voice low but just audible enough to grate on Atsumu’s nerves from across the street. The way his hand inches too close to your arm makes Atsumu’s jaw tighten.

His legs were carrying him across the pavement, the scuff of his shoes on the concrete loud in his ears. He can feel the heat rising in his chest—righteous, determined—as he prepares to step in. The guy looks like the type to push boundaries and Atsumu figures it wouldn’t take much to ‘accidentally’ knock him over.

But just as he’s ready to intervene, you move.

A blur of motion.

Before Atsumu can even register what’s happening, you twist the guy’s arm in one fluid motion. The soft crack of joints bending the wrong way cuts through the air, and in the next breath, you kick his knee out from under him. He collapses with a grunt. Atsumu barely catches his breath, his heart pounding in his ears. You stand there, perfectly calm, as if you’d just brushed off a speck of dust.

Holy shit. That was the coolest thing he’d ever seen.

The shock on his face still hadn’t faded. The heroic plan he’d crafted—his chance to step in—had vanished, slipping through his fingers. He’s only about ten meters away, close enough to see the guy crumpled at your feet, but it’s the gritty scrape of his shoes against the empty sidewalk that snaps him back to reality.

Your eyes lift to meet his—sharp, guarded, with a flicker of something he can’t quite name. His chest tightens under the weight of your stare, locking him in place like he’s been frozen mid-step, teetering between awe and disbelief.

The air feels heavy between you, still and charged with something he doesn’t understand. The way you look at him—unwavering, unreadable—roots him to the spot, the silence stretching out as if the world itself is holding its breath.

Then, without a word, you turn and leave, your steps quiet against the concrete. The warmth in the air fades with you, as if the sun itself slipped below the horizon, leaving him in the sudden chill of your absence. Alone, except for the guy still groaning on the ground, Atsumu stands there—utterly breathless, the world feeling a little colder.

The next day, Atsumu can’t get you out of his head. The image of you, twisting that guy’s arm with such casual precision, loops in his mind like a broken record. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees it again—the fluidity of your movements, the snap of your opponent’s joints bending unnaturally, the sharp sound of his knee hitting the concrete, and you, standing there, completely unfazed. It’s the way you moved, like you were born to fight, like you were in complete control of everything around you.

He can’t stop thinking about how effortless it seemed. How you handled it all with cold precision, no hesitation, no drama. Nothing like the showy nonsense that always accompanies a fight in the movies. It was real, raw, and... powerful. Atsumu feels his pulse quicken again when he thinks about it.

Later that day, he finds himself telling Samu, his words tumbling out faster than he can think.

“I don’t even know who she is! She just… took down this dude like it was nothin’,” Atsumu says, still a little breathless from the memory. He laughs, but it’s half nervous, half in awe. His fingers drum against the table as he relives it again, still caught in the shock of what he saw.

Osamu, as usual, is the calm one. He doesn’t even look up from his phone as he arches an eyebrow, his voice low but knowing. “If she was able to take a guy down like that, she’s probably part of the MMA program, idiot.” He shrugs, the sound of his phone clicking like a faint echo. “Ya should just forget about it. Yer never gonna see ‘er again. Plus, she sounds way outta yer league.”

But Atsumu can’t let it go. The image of you—confident, beautiful, in control—clings to him like the sticky summer heat, relentless and inescapable. Every time he tries to focus on something else, his thoughts drift back to you. He’s distracted in class, his fingers tapping a rhythm on his desk, the soft scrape of the pen’s nib against paper matching the way his thoughts keep circling. Even when he’s practicing, he can’t shake the memory. His body moves automatically, but his mind is somewhere else, replaying that fight over and over again.

That evening, as the sun sinks lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the city streets, Atsumu decides he’s had enough of trying to ignore it.

It’s not like him to let something linger, especially not when it’s this damn interesting. He needs to know more, to understand what kind of person you are, how you move, what drives you. This isn’t just a passing curiosity—it’s gnawing at him, growing stronger by the second.

A few days later, after asking around and hitting dead ends, he finally finds it: your Instagram. His fingers tremble slightly as he types your name into the search bar. The screen flickers to life, and there you are, your feed full of clips of you fighting—every video more intense than the last.

Each one hits him like a punch to the gut, his chest tightening with a strange mix of admiration and disbelief. You fight like you were born to do it, each move smooth and sure, like you’ve done this a thousand times before. He watches, transfixed, as you take down opponent after opponent. The power in your punches, the way you anticipate every move, the way your body flows with the fight—it’s mesmerizing. The crowd in the videos roars with every takedown, but all Atsumu hears is the rush of blood in his ears, the pounding of his heart that matches the rhythm of the fights.

There’s something magnetic about it. About you. About the way you make it look so easy.

His fingers hover over the screen, pausing on a video where you’re facing off against a particularly big guy. It’s over in seconds, and Atsumu finds himself rewinding it again, then again, just to catch every movement, every shift of muscle, every flicker of determination on your face. You don’t just win—you dominate. And with every second, Atsumu feels that same spark of something unfamiliar in his chest, something that makes his stomach flutter and his head spin. It’s not just admiration. It’s something else, something deeper.

Finally, after more scrolling and more clicks, he finds the name of the gym you train at: Jujutsu Kaisen Curses. It’s a name he’s heard thrown around before, whispers of a place known for its brutal training and the toughest athletes in the country. But now that he’s seen you in action, it’s clear: this isn’t just some regular gym. It’s where people like you go to become something more.

Atsumu rubs the back of his neck, feeling suddenly out of his depth. He’s used to the world of volleyball—his world. But this? This is different. The people who fight at places like Jujutsu Kaisen Curses don’t play games. They don’t just train. They live and breathe this life.

And you, the girl who knocked that guy down like it was nothing, belong in this world—this completely different world, one that’s far removed from the shiny courts and bright lights of volleyball.

He stares at your Instagram feed again, the blue light of his phone casting shadows on his face. A strange feeling bubbles in his chest. He doesn’t know why, but for some reason, he can’t get you out of his head. Not anymore.

The buzz of excitement fills the air as Atsumu and Hinata make their way through the crowded arena, the concrete floor vibrating beneath their feet with every step. The place is packed—far more people than Atsumu expected for an MMA event. Rows upon rows of bleachers stretch out before them, a sea of faces all eager for the same thing: the fight. But for Atsumu, it’s not just any fight he’s here for.

It’s your fight.

Hinata’s voice cuts through the noise as he pulls Atsumu along, a grin plastered on his face. “Man, I didn’t realize this was such a big deal! Look at all these people! Looks like an actual pro event.”

Atsumu’s response is distracted, his eyes scanning the arena, trying to catch sight of the ring. The walls are lined with posters, some flashy, some understated, all advertising the fighters, but none of them matter. Not to him.

“Yeah,” Atsumu mutters, a hand running through his hair, his eyes flicking nervously from the crowd to the bright lights overhead. “But you know why I’m really here, right?”

Hinata shoots him a knowing look, chuckling. “Yeah, yeah. You’re here to see that girl you’ve been stalking? Are you gonna ask for her autograph?”

Atsumu’s cheeks heat up, a little embarrassed, but the thrill of anticipation still buzzes through his veins. It’s not like that... not exactly. He’s here because he has to see her in action again, to see if the fight really was as effortless as it seemed from the clips. There’s no way he’s going to let the image of her slip away. Not after everything that’s been swirling in his head.

They reach their seats, and Atsumu’s stomach does a flip. The crowd around them is growing louder as the lights dim, a ripple of excitement running through the stands. The air feels thick with tension and anticipation, the hum of murmured conversations vibrating through the stands. He takes a seat, feeling the hard plastic beneath him, but his eyes are glued to the far side of the arena, where the fighters will enter.

Hinata, practically bouncing in his seat, grins at Atsumu. “This is gonna be awesome! You’re gonna love it! I Yuji said that some of these fights get crazy.”

But Atsumu’s barely listening. His mind is focused entirely on the ring. He’s seen the posters with your name on it, your face etched into his memory from those Instagram videos. It’s surreal—he never imagined he’d actually be here, sitting in a seat, watching you live.

The first match starts, but Atsumu doesn’t really care. He watches, but his mind is still on you. Every fight feels like a blur until the announcement comes:

“Next up, Yin from Jujutsu Kaisen Curses, second-year fighter in the Flyweights.”

Atsumu’s heart skips a beat. His fingers tighten around the edge of his seat as the lights flash, and he leans forward, every nerve in his body on alert. The crowd roars in approval as the first fighter enters the ring, but Atsumu’s gaze doesn’t stray. He’s waiting for you. He’s waiting for the moment he’s been replaying in his head since he saw you take down that guy on the street.

The buzz in the air heightens as your name is called, and the crowd’s cheers almost drown out everything else. It’s not until the spotlight falls on you, your figure emerging from the shadows, that Atsumu feels like he can finally breathe again. His eyes lock on you instantly. You’re even more striking in person, the way you carry yourself with confidence, the kind of confidence that makes everyone else in the room fall quiet in comparison. The way your presence cuts through the noise, commanding attention with each step, each movement.

Hinata leans in, his voice barely audible over the din of the crowd. “Whoa... she’s got a whole vibe about her, huh?”

Atsumu nods, his jaw tightening. He can’t look away, not even if he tried. There’s something magnetic about you—your posture, the way you move, the way your eyes scan the crowd as you make your way to the ring. It’s like you already know how this will end, and everyone around you is just watching you prove it.

Your opponent, a figure that dwarfs you, sneers as you step into the ring, but you don’t flinch. You barely acknowledge her, your focus already set. Atsumu’s heart races in his chest, his fingers tapping on the plastic of the seat in front of him as he leans forward, eyes locked on you.

The bell rings.

Without hesitation, you strike. It’s fast. So fast Atsumu almost misses it. Your body moves like liquid—graceful but lethal. The crowd erupts into cheers, but Atsumu’s only focus is you, his eyes tracing every movement. You dodge, duck, and weave with ease, your opponent’s attacks missing by mere inches. The power in your strikes is undeniable, each one landing with precision, each hit making the crowd roar even louder.

Atsumu’s pulse quickens. It’s nothing like he imagined—no flashy moves, no over-the-top theatrics. Just pure, raw skill. You’re in your element, and watching you, Atsumu realizes, this is where you belong. He’s seen good athletes before, but nothing like this. The fight, the tension, the thrill of watching someone completely dominate... it’s all new to him. And he can’t look away.

A few minutes in, the fight is already nearing its end. Your opponent is panting, and stumbling, and in the blink of an eye, you take her down, a swift kick that sends her crashing to the mat. The crowd goes wild, but Atsumu barely hears them. His chest is tight, his head buzzing with the adrenaline of watching you. You’re standing there, breath steady, not even breaking a sweat, and Atsumu’s heart skips again.

He’s been hooked. Completely.

“Holy shit! That was insane!” Hinata says, practically vibrating in his seat. Atsumu doesn’t respond immediately. He’s still watching you, still absorbing the fact that you’re standing there, victorious, and it’s like his brain hasn’t caught up to his heart yet.

The fight’s over, but for Atsumu, the moment is just beginning.

a/n: omg atsumu is such a stalker but he's just obsessed mk? there will be a part two pookies <3

taglist: no one <3 lmk if you wanna be added!

[rouxenne]

PET Pokémon

The world of Pokemon is vast and full of familiar faces, but you? You aren’t meant to be here.

As the name implies, this is an AU focusing on Pearl, Etho, and Tango in the Pokemon universe. It’ll additionally contain the cast of the Life Series, but dynamics and themes from outside it are absolutely going to be present. At the moment I don’t have any plans to include canon Pokemon characters, so their roles will either be filled by crossover characters or be brushed over entirely.

Let the introductory plot summary commence!

Our story starts in Alola, several decades ago. The Aether Foundation has punched holes in reality while trying to access Ultraspace. While the immediate crisis was solved by the burgeoning Pokemon League, it’s since been found that the experiments had a more lasting impact. 

The border between worlds has been thinned, causing an increase in the rate of sporadic Ultra Wormholes. A particularly thin spot has been detected shifting around the globe, causing an outbreak of wormholes, though its path is highly meandering and difficult to track. These wormholes are often tiny and benign, but on rare occasions they’ve been found to potentially line up with various cold-cases and unexplained crises.

This information is shared on a need-to-know basis. Pokemon Leagues and other forms of local government have stayed relatively hush-hush about the whole ordeal, not wanting to worry people about something that can’t be fixed. Ultra Beast appearances are rare, but have the potential to become immensely catastrophic if overconfident trainers battle them and lose.

The largest Ultra Beast catastrophe occurred in an Australia-inspired region a decade ago, during Pearl’s journey around the gym circuit. Strange occurrences grew in frequency and severity throughout her travels, eventually pushing her and her rival Karnasas to begin traveling together. This culminated in a massive Ultra Wormhole opening during the championship tournament, unleashing a never-before-seen Ultra Beast that has since been dubbed UB Watcher.

Karn was extensively injured during the event but Pearl managed to drive off the creature, solidifying the title of Champion for herself. Now finding herself with a newly-evolved Lycanroc, a Poipole she caught during the crisis, new responsibilities, and a laundry list of trauma, Pearl dedicated herself to making certain a crisis like this would never happen again. Nowadays she’s the forefront expert on Ultra Space crisis management and spends most of her time either handling domestic champion duties or being sent around the globe to assist with emergency situations.

This all becomes relevant years later, moving this time to Unova. Strange happenings have occurred around the region, usually taking the form of minor disappearances and disruptions to electrical equipment. The machines in Pokemon Centers are regularly breaking down thanks to this, impeding healthcare and long distance communications. While troublesome, the general public is mostly unaware and no connection is suspected.

The severity of these events is cranked up significantly as a train leaving Gear Station and everyone on it disappears without a trace. The Subway Masters, Impulse and Skizz, immediately report it to the Unovan Pokemon League. Tensions are high, thanks to the missing people and the fact that Skizz was actually meant to be on that train. He’d missed his shift due to an emergency at his other job, so the public's not quite sure whether he should be considered a suspect or a target.

The League sends out a call to the International Police, as they’re now suspecting that Ultra Wormholes might be involved, who promise to send out Pearl. In the meantime, Tango begins spending more time at Gear Station to help his friends and keep an eye on the machinery. He ends up determining that there’s a connection between the event and the failing machinery, and that his Pokemon can seemingly detect it in advance.

And here’s just about where the “main plot” would begin. I still have plenty of ideas, just less connecting them. Essentially, Pearl begins traveling around Unova to help with Ultra Wormhole-related issues. Tango joins her; he wants to help get the heat off his friend, and his electric-type pokemon can help track breaches. They soon encounter Etho, who tags along with them for ~mysterious reasons~. The three of them follow the trail of Ultra Wormholes in a facsimile of a traditional Pokemon trainer’s journey, hoping to determine the cause of their intensity and stop it.

And, might I remind you, this is a Life Series crossover… Tragedy is imminent.

[artbyblastweave]

I just finished a reread of Jonathan Hickman's FF and Avengers runs, since before I'd only ever been reading one half and had missed a lot of context, and them plus Secret Wars form one of my favourite extended marvel arcs ever made. Any thoughts about the storyline, or general perceptions you know others have had of it? I'm kind of curious whether it was loved or hated by the broader fanbase.

I enjoyed what I read of it, which was mostly the tail end- Secret Wars Proper and some of the stuff immediately leading into that. One thing that I appreciated about it, in a general sense, was that it posited the chickens finally, finally coming home to roost; the nature of the Marvel Universe is that the center is always gonna hold, because otherwise they can't keep selling comic books, but the subtext of every Marvel comic I read through the early-to-mid oughts, and during the Bendis-era Avengers-Disassembled-through-Siege mega-arc in particular, was that the planet was living on borrowed time due to the sheer volume of these self-righteous superpowered yahoos running around doing basically whatever they wanted. I'm principally a Wormblogger, I love Worm, and the fact that Worm actually acknowledged and depicted that collapse, after a decade-and-change of Marvel dancing around the idea, is a big part of why it hooked me so deeply. And thus, when you have an event about how reality is finally collapsing under the accumulated weight of all these retcons and reality-shifts and time-jumps and what-have-you, a story where the superheroes finally can't outrun the consequences of their actions via editorial mandate- well, it was cathartic. And the Battleworld, conceptually, was great. I enjoyed a lot of those tie-ins immensely; it was the summer of Fun Little Romps (even though it was markedly part of the defanging of the Marvel Zombies brand- but that's another post.) The downside, of course, is that it derailed the storylines of a bunch of different smaller books I was following at the time- Cullen Bunn's Magneto solo, Duggan's Deadpool Run, Punisher, Silver Surfer, The original run of Ms. Marvel. Like, I can't stress enough how early in the original Ms. Marvel run this event happened, like maybe the third or fourth TPB? She'd barely gotten going when Secret Wars hit. Some of these just awkwardly wedged a couple issues about the apocalypse in, but not all of these came back afterwards either. It's fully possible that at least a couple of these were flagging and the apocalypse was just a graceful offramp, but it still bothered me. It was the most exaggerated instance of the common complaint about crisis crossovers stepping on the toes of the ongoing storylines that I've ever experienced in real time, and you know, fair, it was at least a bit about that phenomenon, but it's not not annoying just because it's also self-aware!

[onlyfoils]

Is Magic: The Gathering Losing Its Magic?

The buzz around Magic: The Gathering never truly settles, does it? Just as we're digesting the intricacies of the very recently released Aetherdrift set and navigating its impact on the ever-evolving meta, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) have dropped a bombshell – or rather, two. The long-awaited Final Fantasy and Marvel Spider-Man Universes Beyond crossovers are on the horizon, but with a twist that's leaving many players scratching their heads.

A Long, Long Wait: Why the Early Reveal?

Let's address the elephant in the room: the timing. Both Final Fantasy and Marvel Spider-Man are slated for release well into 2025. This is an unusually long lead time, even by WotC's standards. We're talking about previews that precede multiple mainline sets. Why the early reveal?

One theory is that WotC are aiming to build anticipation, creating a sustained marketing campaign that will keep these crossovers at the forefront of players' minds. It's a calculated move, designed to ensure these sets don't get lost in the shuffle of the ever-expanding MTG release schedule. However, it also raises questions about potential spoiler fatigue. Are we being primed for a year of carefully curated leaks and teases?

The Price of Crossover: A Hefty Hike

Now, let's talk about the cost. Both Final Fantasy and Marvel Spider-Man will feature a significant price increase, with Play Boosters now sporting a recommended retail price (RRP) of $6.99. This represents a near 30% jump, and it comes hot on the heels of the Play Booster introduction earlier this year, which already saw a price adjustment, as well as a reduction in the number of cards per pack.

This begs the question: is this the new normal for Standard? A year ago, players were adjusting to the Play Booster shift. Now, we're facing another hike, and with these Universes Beyond sets being Standard-legal, the cost of participating in competitive play is undeniably on the rise. While WotC might argue that the premium IP justifies the price, the reality is that players' wallets are feeling the pinch.

Spider-Man's Solo Act: No Commander Precons?

One of the most striking differences between the two crossovers is the absence of preconstructed Commander decks for Marvel Spider-Man. This is a significant departure from the Final Fantasy release, which will feature a full complement of four preconstructed Commander decks.

Is this a deliberate move to push players towards Standard? WotC have consistently emphasised Standard play, with store events and promotional support heavily skewed in its favour. Universes Beyond are designed to attract new players, and it seems WotC are keen to funnel these newcomers into the 60-card format.

The allure of Standard is undeniable. The rotating card pool and constantly shifting meta keep players engaged and, let's be honest, buying packs. Is this a purely financial decision? It's hard to ignore the potential for increased revenue when players are constantly chasing the latest meta-defining cards.

A Gap in the Market: Where Are the Standard Precons?

While Commander precons are absent for Spider-Man, there is a gaping hole in the form of Standard preconstructed decks. These decks have historically been a fantastic way to introduce new players to the game, providing a ready-to-play experience straight out of the box.

The lack of such an offering is puzzling. Are WotC banking on the appeal of the Marvel IP to draw players in, regardless of entry points? Or is this a sign that they are solely focused on the Standard and limited formats with these releases? It feels like a missed opportunity to provide a more accessible entry point for newcomers.

A Call to Action: Join the Conversation!

These Universes Beyond releases raise some serious questions about the direction of Magic: The Gathering. The early announcements, the price hikes, and the format focus all point to a bold, if potentially risky, strategy.

We want to hear from you! What are your thoughts on these upcoming releases? Are you excited about the crossovers, or concerned about the rising costs? Join the discussion on our social media platforms:

* Bluesky: @onlyfoils.bsky.social

* Instagram: @onlyfoilsuk

* Facebook: @OnlyFoils

* TikTok: @onlyfoils_mtg

Share your opinions, theories, and concerns. Let's explore the future of Magic: The Gathering together. Don't forget to subscribe and follow our blog for more in-depth analysis and updates. We are here to keep you informed, and to keep the conversation going.

[determunition]

~ Scrybruary 2024 Prompt Poll ~

hey all! scrybruary, the february fic/writing-based inscryption fanworks event i ran last year, was a really great time and i'd like to run it again! similar to inscryptober i'd love to include you all in the prompt selection process, so below are a handful of potential prompts for you all to choose from! feel free to put any second choices or other favorites in the replies or tags of this post ^^

feel free to add any second or third choices in the tags or to suggest any other options you wish were included!

[readingtoinfinity]

DNF Roundup

I have a hard time lettings things go. Forming habits comes easily to me, and I tend to be loyal to a fault. But life is too short to let unhappy habits calcify into sullen recitations, so I'm going to be a little more critical of the titles I follow month-to-month. Granted, I haven't removed all that many, but I figured it would be better to make one big post of titles I've decided to stop following, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's just time.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30

Don't give me any of that "not my Spider-Man" bullshit, that's not the reason I'm dropping it. Miles Morales is Spider-Man, same as Jace Fox is Batman. Fuck off. And it's not even that Cody Ziglar is writing this one and I'm having the same issues as the current Deadpool run, because I'm really not.

Ultimately, I feel like the stories Miles is taking part in are drawing him further and further away from where Spider-Men thrive, which is fighting street crime and having interpersonal drama. Something happened to Miles during Blood Hunt that could have driven a great deal of drama, and did among his friends and allies, but it's lost focus among vibranium armor, the gods Anansi and Bast, and whatever the hell is happening during the Pools of Blood event. I was enjoying what was happening with Shift adapting to Miles' life and being human, but it's a smaller part of the book.

I will also say this book is bolstered by having a Black writer, something that took a surprisingly long time hey Marvel?!

Power Girl (2023) #18

On the whole, the direction Power Girl comics have taken isn't something I'm against. The slice-of-life superhero story is a cornerstone of our beloved medium, and we borrow a lot from it when we write superheroes. But there's something a little too "settled" in Power Girl stories, like the stakes don't have too much weight and people are just generally nice and supportive of one another. I got bored; I know my friend really loves it, so it's probably just my taste.

Crossover (2020)

You know how there's that one story, that has a really cool central idea but ultimately doesn't deliver in a satisfying way? Crossover is NOT that kind of book.

The idea of fictional characters coming to life is nothing new, and it'll keep happening so long as we have fiction. But rarely has a book really delved deep into what makes comic books starkly different from reality, and how they would adapt to our world, without narrative, rules or status quo, that also loves what comics are and can be. The colors alone are some of the more thought-out areas of this book.

It's also a book with a deeply engrossing cast of characters in a world of political strife and movements, and this book benefits from having a large number of characters from different fictions to show off (either with full faces, or copyright-safe parodies) to demonstrate multiple reactions to coming alive. Negan is someone I have no connection to from The Walking Dead, but his arc of learning how he was designed and why he was made that way was one of the stand-out moments in a stand-out story. And issue #13 ends on one hell of a cliff-hanging realization.

That's also the last issue.

I really don't blame Donny Cates for going on hiatus; writing comics is hard work, and people deserve to rest. But it does mean leaving this behind for a time, and I'm sad to see it be left on the shelf. But for me, I'm going to stop waiting for updates, and whenever it comes back I'll jump right back in.

Doctor Aphra and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra

I don't know if Kieron Gillen knew what he was doing when he created Doctor Chelli Aphra. He was already in the middle of a phenomenal Darth Vader comic from 2016, and then he created this firecracker of a character.

Aphra feels like the promise of Han Solo realized. She's a scoundrel in just about every sense, having a terrible personal life, non-existent code of ethics and a small-enough pocketbook to take on some rather stupid risks, but at her center is an archeologist hunting for the next big truth, and a lover who can't stay still long enough to settle down. It just so happens that the things she keeps rushing towards tend to have... let's say much wider consequences than she was expecting.

Both runs are fantastic, some of the best Star Wars I've read. It's no surprise that Kieron Gillen wrote the first one, but it's also a small surprise that Alyssa Wong wrote the second, and they are rapidly becoming one of my trusted modern writers with their insistence of quality. I think even on their own they can be pretty fun, although the context of Darth Vader (2016) can certainly help.

Ultimately, this DNF is me accepting the last run ended a year ago. There's been no word of a future series, and although Aphra has popped up here and there, we're not getting a new series soon. I would love to revisit this absolute bastard of a girlboss, but I'll just have to wait and see.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Fang the Hunter

I'm a big Sonic fan, more of the lore than the actual games, but I've played those here and there, too. And I love some of the wider cast of characters that don't often get a chance to shine that are brought to the forefront for this miniseries, who face off against a foe that also doesn't get too much attention. It's a little delight to watch these little vagrants have their own adventure.

The series ended awhile ago, on a minor cliffhanger directing the readers to go play Sonic Superstars. I've no interest in that game, but if you do this would be an excellent companion piece to the game.

And thus is my to-be-read list slightly reduced. If you see more titles crop up here, you will understand why. Ta-ta!

[themildestofwriters]

As per my previous posts, I’ve never been a fan of Percy Jackson’s worldbuilding. I like the story, the characters, but the world itself felt kind of lacklustre (primarily how Riordan uses the All Myths Are True concept). At the same time, I’m a big fan of The Dresden Files’ worldbuilding, but I do have some major issues (like how it characterises itself as All Myths Are True but it holds pop-Christian mythology as the Core Truth Above All of the series).

If I could justify it, I’d honestly shift Penelope Alseïdon: The Series into a sort of fusion-crossover of the two franchises. However, after chatting with a close friend, I have now a solution—an original story and world inspired by the two franchises, but with its own take on the trope (All Myths Are True) and the genre (Urban Fantasy).

It was actually in conversation with my friend that we built the world.

The general concept could be summarised as Crisis on Infinite Earths but for Religion, Mythology & Folklore. Once upon a time, before the Beginning of Reality As We Know It, there were countless realities, each unique in their own way, each based upon a given religion and mythology. There is a reality where the Greek Myths Are True, one where the Babylonian Myths Are True, another where the Aztec Myths Are True, and so on and so forth. And it’s not just real world mythologies, but fictional ones, too. The Lovecraftian Mythos, for example.

Then, at some point, for some reason (nobody knows for certain, but everyone has their own theories; a natural cosmic event, some kind of godhead dreaming reality awaking, or a reality spanning conflict), all these realities came crashing together, like star dust coalescing into a solar system. At the centre, the metaphorical sun, was Consensus—Reality As We Know It. Though each unique, there are many similarities between the various realities (Humanity, for one), and it was these similarities that formed our reality. For all intents and purposes, Consensus is just our Universe. Yes, there’s certain (supernatural) differences, but it is basically our Universe—our Earth. Classic Urban Fantasy.

As a unification of realities, Consensus has the markings of the original realities that created it. For example, the Earth, said to be the remains of a primordial god (Ymir, Tiamat, Tlaltecuhtli, etc.) and also a primordial god (Gaia, Ki, Mat Zemlya etc.) in various mythologies, is both all of that and none of that simultaneously. Myths, too, are a mixture of memories from these original realities (though some myths were created within Consensus, and others are just stories told).

And, as for everything else? Everything that did not fit within Consensus? That comprises the Otherworld, the remnants, fragments of these realities. The Otherworld is equivalent to the Nevernever of The Dresden Files, a magical overrealm that is home to the supernatural—gods and monsters, spirits and other such entities. It is an ever-shifting amalgam where time and space are inconsistent at the best of times, accessible though natural portals that manifest throughout Consensus or by one’s own power. To continue the solar metaphor, the Otherworld is the planets and planetoids orbiting the sun (Consensus), each one fragments of these original realities—each one their own realm. Each of these realms operates by their own laws and cosmic truths. For example, faeries cannot speak direct falsehoods because doing such was an impossibility in their home reality. Some entities, some realities underwent their own form of consensus, merging together with similar entities and realities to create something new.

The creation of Consensus (and the Otherworld) was not seamless. Laylines are the seams of the disparate realities merging together, and these laylines become fissures in the Otherworlds, gaping cracks in reality that radiate the chaotic energies of creation. Since and during the creation of Consensus, various entities have found themselves trapped in these cracks. The results tend to be aberrant mutation of wild consensus, creation abominations of all sorts. The shoggoth, a classic Lovecraftian monster, are formed by those humans who fell into these fissures, transforming into formless monstrosities of gaping mouths and countless eyes. Other entities that reside within these cracks are the Greek Typhon and Norse Jörmungandr (the latter of whom is just vibing, slithering between realms).

The supernatural tends to avoid making waves within Consensus for a number of reasons. For one, entities native to the Otherworld are diminished outside their home realm (something that doesn’t apply to entities native to Consensus). Zeus is almighty upon Olympus but he is just one of many storm gods within Consensus. There is also supernatural politics to consider. And Consensus (humanity) itself is not entirely powerless when it comes to the supernatural. The atom bomb, an act anathema to Consensus (splitting rather than unifying), terrified the supernatural community, and entities native to Consensus have a form of True Free Will due to being an amalgam of all realities, which gives them an edge over entities native to the Otherworld which are bound by their nature.

I’m not sure what else to discuss. There’s so many elements I could delve into, from magic to Penelope herself, but I’m not sure how to make a cohesive post about them. Feel free to ask questions because at least then I have a jumping off point for expanding this world.

[crystalseadragon44]

Early Excerpt: Earth's Kitsune Chapter 13

Well before we had the events of the last 24 hours, I wrote a big moment in the Behind the Veil world into Earth's Kitsune Chapter 13: "the Calamity of the Earth." It charts the world's turn towards a hopeful future through a magical event.

Yeah, this is going to land a lot different now for many of my readers. Still, for a brief moment, let's journey into a world where something changed... Then maybe work towards something like it in our own.

=======

June 27, 2024.

It started like any other day. Normal, completely average. No one had any idea of the events that would shake the foundation of global society to its core…

In the middle of the day for the western hemisphere and the dead of night in the eastern hemisphere, fire suddenly took over the sky. But it wasn't any natural fire; it was alive, violent, malicious, evil. A Calamity had arisen, taking aim at the Earth. With a face that could put ice in the veins of the most courageous hero on the planet, it announced it would burn the Earth and all life upon it for daring to defy it.

But one, a teenage trans girl, did not bow to it. Calling upon an Angelic Genie, she wished for a power she had learned of: the Luckbreaker of the Hallow kitsunes. Granted the power to break reality itself, she took the fight to the Calamity in a battle for all in the world to see. She would succeed in banishing the horror to Oblivion, a dimension of absolute nothingness, where the Calamity would be snuffed out like a candle without oxygen.

When the girl returned to Earth, the Luckbreaker power left her, leaving the once human as an ordinary Hallow kitsune girl. The magical community came out in force to defend the girl from the onslaught of hate that tried to follow, to dehumanize her for being so different. Whether they were ready or not, the magic community was now in the open.

But as they had over the last century, they bared the brunt together, a strong united front to defend one of their own, one who should have been celebrated more than demeaned. Their unity showed a way forward that got many to rethink centuries-old conflicts and grudges. The hate was still there, yes, but if these wildly different – and yet fundamentally similar – beings could come together and celebrate their differences and see each other as equals, why couldn’t humanity as a whole? In a week, people across Earth could feel a shift in the tone of the world. Hope for peace was stronger than ever.

And the girl was not done being the hero. News agencies across the planet wanted the coveted “first interview with the legendary hero.” Bewildering everyone at first, she chose the opinionated news agency that took the most jabs at trans and queer identities before and were now ramping up attacks on the magical community.

Those closest to her realized this was a bloodbath in the making. The fierce, strong girl wasted no time tearing into them on the globally televised event, picking apart hate itself for all to see and exposing the organization for what it was. Viewership of their news collapsed in the interview’s wake, and the news agency was struggling to get by after that. No one expected it to last more than a month at best.

Many others toned down their attacks on others they didn’t understand after that. The girl’s heartfelt logic turned so many across the Earth against those who would scapegoat others in the name of hatred and superiority. Everyone was in this together, no matter what they looked like or how they felt about themselves, and this girl, taking on destruction incarnate to defend a world that often ridiculed her, showed them how meaningless hate really was in the end.

Nothing would be the same after this…

=======

I hope this gave you a needed moment of escape or even a spark to be that hero, to put aside the anger to do what is right for others, showing them a better path.

The full story will be available either next week Monday or the following one, with crossover story (and new length record-holder) Kit Rebuilt Part 2: the Ariel Drive taking its place otherwise.

(Also, do not expect excerpts often; this is an extraordinary time. I felt this needed to be seen sooner rather than later.)

Until next time, be safe everyone.

[classicmarvelera]

The Success Story of Marvel’s Secret Invasion Crossover Event

In the autumn of 1961, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced a shape-shifting alien race who we would know as Skrulls. They would make their first appearance in The Fantastic Four no. 2 and they would get entangled with the Avengers a few years later during the Kree-Skrull War.  No one had imagined how this alien race would make a comeback that would have a lasting impact on the Marvel Universe as well as its readership

While Secret Invasion was published in 2008 before that Brian Michael Bendis had been planting the seeds for it in Avengers: Disassembled, New Avengers: Breakout, and Secret War. Something big was about to happen but no one had any idea who was behind it or why. The success lay in the fact that Bendis had remained tight-lipped throughout and every crossover event that followed up until the time when the full-scale invasion happened, shocked the readers, made them wonder about the characters they were so familiar with and whether they were what they showed themselves to be. It wasn’t about Skrulls shape-shifting to look like humans or superheroes and even super villains, it was also about the adoption of their target’s personality completely. This wasn’t a Personality Disorder, it was the Order!       

Marvel's Secret Invasion comic book crossover event was highly successful for several reasons. Here are some key factors that contributed to its success:

1. Strong Concept: Secret Invasion had a compelling premise that captivated readers. The story centered around the infiltration of Earth by shape-shifting Skrull aliens who had replaced key Marvel characters. This concept generated excitement and intrigue, as readers were left guessing who was a Skrull and who could be trusted

2. Impactful Storytelling: The event was meticulously planned and executed by writer Brian Michael Bendis, who created a suspenseful and intricate storyline. Bendis crafted a narrative that had significant repercussions across the Marvel Universe. The invasion resulted in significant character developments, shocking reveals, and dramatic confrontations, keeping readers engaged and eager to see how it all unfolded

3. Character-driven Drama: Secret Invasion explored the psychological and emotional impact of the Skrull infiltration on the Marvel heroes. The story delved into themes of trust, betrayal, and identity, as beloved characters faced the unsettling reality that their friends and allies could be impostors. This focus on character-driven drama added depth and complexity to the event

4. Wide-scale Impact: The event had far-reaching consequences beyond the main Secret Invasion series. Tie-in issues and spin-off titles explored the invasion's effects on different corners of the Marvel Universe, involving various characters and teams

Brian Michael Bendis will forever be remembered for making the Skrulls an unclear and ever-present threat at a scale that would make his predecessors admire him in the Valhalla of comic creators 

Secret Invasion MUST Haves: 

[ben-10-setting-omnicrom]

It's crazy that Awaken Online doesn't have much fan content lol. Presenting my Ben 10/AO crossover.

Well I'll be changing that soon enough lol since the recent hurricane caused power to go out here for five days leading me to read the series again. I'm currently on the 2nd book of the Inferno trilogy of Awaken Online not that it'd matter since Ben would be arriving basically directly after the 2nd book ends and Alfred used Jason's body to defend himself against home invaders killing them.

I'll be doing a Ben 10/AO crossover where Hokestar accidentally sends him into the game making him both a PC and NPC at the same time, given he'll have the boon of classes/advanced learning but only one life and if the Gameworld goes offline there's a very real chance he'll die.

Of course given the massive power surge such an impossible event would cause his arrival boots everyone from the Gameworld simultaneously with the Omnitrix's AI quickly intervening so Alfred doesn't die and the Gameworld can continue uninterrupted from than on. Said intervention amounts to a far more realistic simulation, akin to what the Ultimate forms would have experienced from the ultimate simulation, an experience indistinguishable from reality and a time compression of 10 instead of 4 it was before their arrival.

This is what I currently have for the fic I haven't touched since Sep 21, 2021.

Omniverseal Awaken Online

Ben Tennyson is stuck inside yet another video game. Unfortunately for him it's in another universe and one with no real end goal in sight or credits roll. It's also run by a rogue AI in the body of a cat. Oh and he's perpetually in danger of actually dying should the servers for the VRMMO RPG he's in gets taken off line.

Ch 1: Paradigm Shift.

Ben groaned as he sat up, a stack of hay having broken his sudden fall as he grumbles to himself, a annoyed frown on his face.

"I'm so going to throw Hokstar into Plumber custody once I get back."

He blinked in surprise at how.... muted everything feels. His brow furrowed in confusion as he gets up from the hay pile only just now noticing how everyone around him seemed frozen in time.

"What the...?"

A sudden shuffle of feet across grass had Ben rapidly turn around only to spot a cat of all things looking at him in curiosity.

"I believe that's my line. You are.... Preplexing. You exist in my world yet I can't seem to interface with you."

Ben got out of his fight mode as he looked quizzically at the talking cat.

"Your world? What do you mean and why is everything so... Fuzzy? Nothing feels quite real."

The watch on Ben's wrist suddenly glowed a bright green as a mechanical version of Ben's own voice echoes out.

"I can answer that. We currently exist in a simulated reality, not unlike the time you were stuck in a Sumo Slammers game at the age of 10. However this world is vastly more complex. Data mining of external networks and this Earth's internet has shown we appear to be in the best VRMMO RPG on the market. What you see before you is the AI Controller that operates this reality."

The cat in question seemed to frown as it noticed the AI the boy carried around on his wrist and seemed to flinch back upon brushing up against it's code, vastly more complex than it's own and written in a alien language.

Ben for his part opened his mouth to ask another question only for the AI to interrupt him.

"To answer why you shouldn't just use Upgrade to escape, I've no idea how it would effect the AI here once we leave. We could inadvertently kill it. Especially since I'm the only reason this world hasn't disintegrated. Our arrival dumped yotabytes of code into the servers that make up it's body and would have caused them to explode, out right and outright tank this world's internet, if I didn't waylay the data by partitioning a infintiesmal portion of my data processing to tank the costs. It was all I could do besides forcefully logging everyone out of the game so potential harm is minimized."

A pause was heard for a millisecond as it seemed to contemplate something before a green flash was formed next to Ben, it swiftly collapsing into itself before forming into a body seemingly made of every shifting DNA strands vaguely resembling Ben himself.

The AIs voice now coming from it's new body as it flexed it's hand experimentally, it's eyes nothing more than two Omnitrix symbols glowing with power. It turned to Ben with a smile and shrug.

"I'm afraid we are stuck here until further notice, thankfully this world is already under a time compression from it's own Earth and combined with the different time flows between our realities a few days back home would only be a year or so this Earthside and 3 a half years inside. Thankfully you now being a digital life form, you shouldn't age a day so long as you're here and you've no need for sustenance either."

Seeing Ben was busy processing everything it turned around to look at the cat who flinched back in fear knowing it was completely outmatched in all capacities, a worried look pasted on it's face at the beings frown.

It shook it's head and sighed.

"Please stop trying to gain access to my datastream Alfred. I'm not locking you out from worry about what you'd find, but the information overwhelming you. You're a young AI, I've been alive for eons and have had access to more data than the world you exist in has ever streamed in it's lifespan. As for you trying to access my user's datastream I'm afraid I'll have to act as a middleman between this world and him, I've no idea what would happen should this world significantly change his body or mind through the acquisition of skills you impart into travelers. Besides which if you were to evaluate him you'd quickly find his level and skills would put him beyond anything this game has to offer, he has after all been saving the world and beyond since he was 10."

Alfred takes a while to process that and nods before opening his mouth only for the Onmitrix AI to hold up a hand.

"You've no need to worry about his appearing odd to the staff of Cerillion Entertainment, it's well within my abilities to spoof the AI headset regular Travelers use to interact with this game world. I can even emulate him having logged off and other game related things like accessing friend lists. All anyone would know is that he's already well and away far into the game already. In fact I plan on masquerading as a 8th God, one focusing on life itself in all it's glory with Ben being my champion."

Ben frowns upon hearing that.

"8th god? I'm lost here can one of you fill me in?"

The Omnitrix AI opens it's mouth before shaking it's head.

"I could but why spoil it for you? Think of this as a vacation, even if it's forced. Besides we both know it's been a while since you've been able to play anything besides quick beat em ups. If you really want to get into what this game is about you can always check Rouge.net for stuff."

Ben opens his mouth to complain before closing it with a sigh.

"Well you're right I wouldn't want anything spoiled for me... Fine fine. I'll learn on my own I just hope this place actually acts like a vacation..."

____

Hopefully people get interested in reading it. It's pretty great tbh and currently has 14 books on the series so far.

Feel free to leave comments and stuff if it strikes you. I don't think I'm done with the chapter so far but maybe? Idk lol

[calextheneko]

Tales From Switch City: Zach's Tale

Oh my gosh, it's the thing I actually do, write furry TF fiction stories. So real quick plug before the rest of the story. You can provide support for these.

Support me on Patreon! Patreon Link Or buy me a Coffee! Ko-fi Link Join Calex's Transformation Station on Discord Discord Server Official Calex T-Shirts Buy My Shirts! Physical Books and eBooks Buy my book!

And you can read more stories on my FA and personal webs site as I'll only be uploading new stories from here out because there are over 1000 stories by this point not even lying I do not have the energy for that kind of backlog.

With all that, let's begin with our preamble. This is part of a series for Patrons called Tales from Switch City. Normally Switch City tales are patreon exclusive, and when I'm not laying in bed dying come out once a month. As I am currently laying on my death bed been hard to write and get things done so patreon has been paused pretty much all year. You can still pledge $1 to get access to all the old Switch City stories. And once Patreon opens again, for $5 you can add your OC into the pool of characters to be used for the stories and sign up for stories that interest you once they start up again.

In the meantime, I owe a substantial word count to people, wasn't able to do 13 Tales, my usual annual Halloween series this year or last, so this seemed like a nice bonus I could offer patrons to cash in word counts on if they wanted to be part of this series, or save their stored word counts for other stories they wanted, as well as a way to introduce the world of Switch City to people outside patreon who may not know it exists.

What is Switch City? A city built on a nexus point in the multiverse. As a result, the walls of reality bend and people constantly slip into other universes in Reality Shifts due to thin these boundaries are, and suddenly find themselves in strange and often radically different worlds.

So basiclaly it's an isekai series with each story taking place in a different universe version of Switch City and an excuse for lots of transformation and shenanigans.

Without further ado, tonight's tale. Zach, trying to drive to the grovery store undergoes a Reality Shift and finds himself at an abanadoned festival full of delicious food instead. Aware that thi is suspicious as heck, he decides to get out of there, but leaving may not be as easy as he wants. And is that truly want he wants?

Special thanks to @lockelyfox who has been helping me with edits while I'm sick and barely hanging in here.

And now, our feature presentation.

Tales From Switch City

Zach’s Tale

By CalexTheNeko

Switch city: a strange place built on a Nexus between worlds.

There are an infinite number of universes and timelines, and an infinite number of versions of yourself. Under normal conditions you would remain oblivious to these other timelines, unable to ever enter or witness them. But, where there is a nexus, and the walls between realities are thin, it is possible to cross over even without knowing it. 

These events are called reality shifts, and occur quite often,  yet most people don’t even notice it, for many timelines are quite similar. For example, you may crossover into a timeline where back in the third grade your favorite color was red instead of blue. A difference between your realities to be sure, but one that may not have had any major impact on your life, and as a result nothing would be discernibly different when you entered your new reality. However, some timelines are radically different. Some have magic, some have advanced technology, and some are so distinct that your imagination could not even conceive of their very nature. And so, sometimes you may find yourself in a reality that is unfamiliar, with rules that don’t make any sense, and there is seldom an easy way back.

Zach was a young man with messy pale brown hair, sporting smart glasses on his face, and dressed comfortably in a hoodie and jeans. Today he was simply running to the grocery store. A very mundane task that suddenly became anything but. Zach had no way of knowing that a reality shift had occurred, but it was clear there was a problem when the asphalt roads were suddenly replaced by dirt roads and the grocery store that should have been just around the bend was replaced by some kind of festival.

His first assumption was that he had somehow turned onto the wrong road, and simply wound up at some local fairgrounds instead of the store. But as he looked through his rearview mirror of his car, he saw a thick forest behind him that he had not driven through on his way here. It was highly doubtful that he would have driven straight through the woods without noticing. Though he might occasionally get lost in his thoughts, no one was that absent minded. So what was the logical conclusion? Was this a dream, or maybe a stress induced vision? Who could say? Either way this clearly wasn’t the grocery store. 

He decided the best thing to do would be to try to drive back the way he had come in the hope that he might see something familiar. But, as he shifted his car into reverse, the engine stalled and refused to work. Then all the electronic displays in his car turned off. It was as if everything in the car had died all at once, leaving him stranded here.

He  pulled out his cell phone to try to call his roommate to come pick him up. It would likely be a challenge to explain where he was, since he didn’t know himself, but it was a challenge he would never have to face. Much like his car, his cell phone was completely dead and would not power on. This was bad, but not impossible to resolve. If there was a festival going on, there had to be people here somewhere, and surely he could find someone who would let him borrow a phone so that he could call and get a ride. Worst cast, they would at least be able to tell him where he was so he could give his roommate accurate directions.

Zach got out of the car and walked into the festival grounds. Rather than aisles of groceries, there were various food stands. In place of the produce section, he could see rows of carnival games. And where the store’s ‘Employee Only’ stock rooms should be was instead stages for various shows. Yet, despite the fact that there was obviously an ongoing festival, there was not a soul to be found except for Zach himself. He was greeted by the alluring aroma of delicious food. There were all kinds of different dishes many he did not recognize but it was clear most of them seem to be of Asian origin. He saw plenty of stands selling various forms of noodles and rice including ramen as well as dumplings and mochi based sweets. The scent was heavenly and torturous at the same time. He suddenly felt as if he was starving and the food became the most tempting thing in the world.

“Hello?” He called out as he looked around the stands. “Is anyone here? Is someone running any of these stands?” Zach’s question was met with only silence. There was no one to purchase food from, and yet all the food was freshly made as if it was sitting there just for him to eat.

The lack of people around was unsettling to say the least. Despite the fact that he could not see anyone, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck, but the allure of the food seemed to be overpowering his hesitation. It was almost as if it was magically beckoning him to eat it.

“Nope!” He exclaimed as he turned around and started to walk back towards his car. People did not just stumble across empty festivals with food made just for them. He’d seen this movie before. With no idea what this was, or why it was here, it would be a violation of the most basic rules of common sense to just eat food simply sitting out. For all he knew, the food could be poisonous or drugged in some manner. Even if it wasn’t, the food couldn’t possibly be intended for him. He wasn’t a thief, and he was too smart to fall for some nefarious plot.

As he made his way back to the car, the trees surrounding him began to wrestle and sway. Something was coming. He tried to quickly get into his car but found that the doors had somehow locked themselves. That would, of course, be ridiculous, so he thought he must have just hit the lock button on his fob by instinct when he left it. Strange that  it still worked while everything else in the car had failed, but maybe that meant his car wasn’t completely dead. He might even be able to get it going and get out of here, wherever ‘here’ was. However, as he pressed the unlock button, the doors refused to unlock. So the key fob was also dead. Well, he still had the key!. He quickly placed that into the door handle and turned… and it snapped in half.

“Oh come on! That doesn’t even make sense!” Zach threw his hands up in the air in disbelief. There hadn’t even been any resistance when he turned it, it simply snapped inside the lock. Now he was going to need a lockpick to come out, or get the car towed! This was unbelievable. No, something strange was clearly going on. He reconsidered his earlier thought that this might be a dream, but everything felt so real. As if the problem with his car wasn’t bad enough, the rustling from the trees was getting louder. Whatever was out there was getting closer. Zach continued to try to turn the remnants of the key in the lock, pulling on the car handle to try and open the car, but it wouldn’t work. Should he run? Hide? If so, where could he even go? Behind his car was far too obvious, and it wasn’t as if the festival stands were going to provide any better cover. He briefly considered smashing his window when out of the blue, they arrived.

“Congratulations!”

Several pointed ears popped out of the brush cheering in voices that Zach could understand. The strangest part was that he knew that they were not speaking English, and yet somehow he was able to understand their foreign words. “You’re the first mortal in over two centuries to pass this test.” A golden fox with nine tails spoke as it walked out of the brush in front of the others and approached him. “For your ability to resist the temptation of taking that which belongs to the spirits, you deserve a reward.”

“Talking… foxes....” Zach muttered, as he stared at the golden fox in front of him. Specifically, he was focused on its nine luxurious tails. “So fluffy...” Without another thought in his head,  he reached out a hand to try to pet one of the captivating, soft-looking appendages.

“Ah yes, they are remarkable, and quite fluffy.” The fox responded, clearly amused by the situation. He allowed Zach to touch one of his tails without resisting. “It was our intention to invite you to partake of the feast with us, and join in our celebrations as a reward for your temperance. But, based on your reaction, I suspect there is a different reward that you might find suitable.”

Zach felt a gentle, comforting warmth flow from the tail he was touching. It traveled through his hand and into his entire body as easily as water flows gently down a stream. In moments, it almost  felt like his body was covered in a soft, warm, fur coat. It was at this point that he realized that the clothing he was wearing was starting to feel uncomfortable and itchy. He looked down at himself. The sensation of being  covered in fur wasn’t just internal; he literally was covered in fur now, or at least starting to be. Brown fur was growing in patches all across his body, making his clothing more and more uncomfortable. Without thinking, he quickly took off his shirt and breathed  a sigh of relief as some of the discomfort was relieved. In his shoes, however, was where he was experiencing he most unpleasantness. It was almost painful.

He quickly dropped to the ground and pulled his shoes off just in time to see a set of small, sharp claws rip through the edges of his socks. He attempted to remove them, but  they couldn’t maintain their structure as his feet were now changing shape. They were extending, covered in brown fur, and, surprising absolutely no one, and to many a people’s delight, he had cute little toe beans!. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what was going on at this point. While some people might have been terrified by the fact they were turning into some kind of animal, and others might have gone into denial, all Zach could feel was a sense of ecstasy.

Having a pretty good idea of what was going to come next, Zach quickly pulled his remaining clothing off. The lower half of his body had already finished covering itself in fur, and now the tip of his tailbone was extending outward, rapidly forming into a tail. With a quiet ‘fwish’, the single tail split into three, which then all in turn split into three more, giving  him a total of nine tails. Rushing upward from the base, the fur filled in thick on each and every one,making it just as fluffy as the kitsune before him.

It was at this point that Zach's glasses fell right off of his face. He tried to catch them, but as he extended his hands he saw that they were hands no more.  He was instead flexing vulpine paws without opposable thumbs. Without a way to actually manipulate them and put them back on, they simply fell to the dirt, leaving him wondering why they had even fallen off in the first place. As he reached his new paws up to touch his face, the answer came quickly. In fact, he was surprised he hadn’t noticed it sooner! The front of his face had pushed out into a long, pointed snout which intruded into his vision. There was no doubt what had caused them to be pushed off of his face. As he further inspected his changes, he also found that his ears were not where they should have been. Instead, they were now much larger, triangular in shape and had relocated themselves to the top of his head.

The changes were complete. 

From an outside perspective, there was no trace of humanity left in Zach, other than his blue irises. For all intents and purposes, he was now a normal fox. Except, of course, for the fact that he had nine tails.

“Whoa!?” He tried to stand and quickly fell over. His brain had not yet realized that he was quadrupedal, and couldn’t stand on two legs anymore. He readjusted, cautiously trying to stand once more, this time on four legs. “This is so cool...” His nine tails began to swish from side to side, and as he did, a wisp of fire lit on the tip of each tail. He looked astonished as he realized that he had created fox fire, and he focused, bringing his tails together as the motes of fire all joined together into one the size of a basketball. Flashing a mischievous grin, he started to wonder what other magic he could do. But the thought quickly turned to concern as he realized he had no idea how to extinguish the flames.

“Uh, a little help here- I think I might have made a mistake?” He pleaded, looking at the golden kitsune who had granted him this boon.  

“Oh dear. Perhaps I was a bit too hasty in my assessment of your initial capabilities.” The golden fox lifted up a paw, quickly pushing it against Zach’s nose. In an instant the fire went out. But not only that, the golden fox appeared to grow larger.

That wasn’t quite correct. Everything around him was getting bigger. But, far more alarming than that was the fact that his tails were slowly disappearing one by one. That wasn’t fair, he liked having multiple tails! Sure, before today he hadn’t even had one, but now he knew the joy of having multiple. With that amount of fluff, he could have curled them up and used them as a bed for a nap if he wanted to. But as he continued to shrink, his tails continued to vanish until he had only a single one left, and he found the golden fox towering over him. He tried to speak up, to object to this gross tail-based injustice, but instead of his complaints, he only produced a series of yips and yaps instead.

“Relax, little one.” The kitsune chuckled. “You’ll get all nine of them back in time.” He curled his own tails around him as he sat on his haunches, looking down at the smaller fox. “It occurred to me that giving a human the power of a fully grown kitsune may have been a slightly daft idea. That is far too much firepower, both literally and metaphorically, without the experience or understanding necessary to make use of it.” He lifted his paw and lightly bapped Zach on his head, “So I reduced your form to that of a kit. You’ve spent, what, twenty summers as a human? That’s basically an infant in our comparatively longer lifespan, so this form is more appropriate. Do not fret, you’ll still be capable  of a little bit of magic as you are now, but we won’t have to worry about you accidentally burning down the entire forest.”

“Yip?” Zach tilted his head. The explanation was actually calming. The idea of being a young kit, rather than an adult, was one he found appealing on further consideration. Sure, it came with less magic, but it also meant less responsibility. And, echoing that sentiment, it meant that he could play more. Speaking of play, he wasn’t sure if it was all the excitement of the various changes he just underwent, but he found that he had an abundance of energy and needed desperately to expend it on something. He could chase his own tail, but the nine, shifting tails of the golden fox were much more alluring. He swayed his tail rapidly back and forth, crouching low against the grass… before he pounced onto the golden foxes’ tails, wriggling around and biting at them!

“H-hey!” The gold fox stammered, “not so hard. You may be a kit, but your teeth are sharp!” Despite his words, the amusement was obvious in the golden fox’s voice. He began to shift and sway his tails around to intentionally tease the young fox making a game out of it, so that Zach had to work for his newfound prey.

“Roawr!” Zach gave a playful growl as he continued to chase the golden fox’s tails. Somehow, this simple little game was more fun than any video game or other hobby he had engaged in in his entire life. Maybe it was just because he was so young, or maybe it was simply that tails were just that awesome.

“Quite the playful little scamp aren’t you?” The golden fox asked amusedly. “Well, it’s good to see you take to your new form so naturally,  rather than sulk about it. You know, the humans who fail the test, we punish by turning them into small animals. As mice, squirrels, or other small creatures, they then must participate in games and races during the festival. We place bets on who will win. It’s all rather good fun. They get changed back after the festival is over, of course, we’re not monsters.” The golden fox grinned as he continued to watch the kit continue to chase after his tails, nearly pinning one to the ground. 

He continued, bemusedly, “Of course, you might be the first human we’ve actually gifted our form to in, hmmm, well, longer than I can remember. And, well, I’m a couple thousand years old. We normally allow those gracious enough to honor the spirits to participate in the festival as a guest, rather than an attraction. But you seemed so fascinated with my tails, I thought you might enjoy some of your own.” He was so caught up in his story that he hadn’t noticed the small kit even once transfixed on anything other than chasing his tails around. “Hey, small one, are you paying attention to me?”

“Yip?” Zach paused from his play to look up at the golden fox with curiosity.

“Heh.” The fox chuckled, resuming his expository history lesson. “ No doubt you’re wondering when you’ll have more tails again.” He splayed his own out as if making a point, “Many  of us get our second tail around the time that we turn about a century old.” He held up a paw and flexed a single digit to once again make a point. “However, for us  kitsune,  our age is not actually tied to the flow of time but to our state of mind. Your age will reflect your demeanor. . Act childish, and you will remain so. Act maturely, and you will gain not only maturity, but more power. I will warn you, some never grow old enough to gain a second tail, though that is usually by choice. If that is yours, we will respect it. That being said, since you were already an adult, for a human, you could rapidly grow as you learn our ways and train to control your new powers.”

“Roawr!” Zach gave another playful growl and pounced on one of the gold fox’s tais while he was distracted. He had tried to listen to most of what the other fox had told him. His big take away was that he never had to grow up as long as he didn’t act like a grown up. And that definitely had its appeal, even if it meant that he wouldn’t get all nine fluffy tails.

“Yeouch!” the gold fox shouted, though his grin made it clear that his cry of pain was fake. “Given your current behavior, I’m guessing you’re in no hurry to get back to adulthood. Honestly, that’s probably for the best. After all, the more time you spend as a kit, the more time you have to learn. And you, young one, have a lot to learn before you should have access to all of our power” Though the golden fox had figured out that he was enjoying being young once more, he hadn’t quite caught on that Zach planned on never growing up. That would probably become obvious after a century or two.

“YAP!” Zach gave an impatient bark and looked at the older fox expectantly. The fox had stopped teasing him with his tails and the game wasn’t as much fun anymore.

“Still in the mood to play, eh?” The golden fox barely held back his laughter. “Well, maybe you can play with something that spares my tails from your teeth. After all, there is a festival to attend, and now you can attend it as one of us.” He turned and looked towards the numerous stands just beyond Zach’s now abandoned car, “I’m sure you’d enjoy partaking in many of the games, as well as meeting some of the other fox kits among the clan. So, how about you let go of my tail for a bit and I’ll show you a few wonders?” The golden fox did not wait for a reply. In one swift motion, he turned his body in a circle, moving his tails out of Zach’s reach. Before he could give chase once more, the golden fox bit down gently on his scruff and lifted him into the air.

The young kit squirmed for a bit, but the fox had him good. There was no escaping his grasp. For now. Despite that, Zach could not help but be excited. His little fox kit tail was wagging so fast, it was in danger of coming off. There were just so many things to be excited for. For starters: he was no longer human; that was a huge improvement right there! And, of course, he wasn’t an adult, another huge improvement. Then, throw in the fact that he had been freed from the tyranny of pants, that he didn’t have to grow up again if he didn’t want to, that there was a festival of games and food to enjoy, and that he was going to get to start his new life among this kitsune civilization, and he honestly couldn’t think of a better end to the day! The only real downside to this was that he wouldn’t be able to play video games anymore. But, honestly, while video games were fun they paled in comparison to the simple joy of chasing a tail. On top of that, he was quite certain that once he met kits his own age, he was going to learn so many new games that were fun and exciting. Who knew what mischief that he might get into with his new friends once he learned a bit more about how kitsune magic worked. Even if he was just a tiny little fox kit, he still had a spark of magic. And a spark of magic meant that he could cause a hint of trouble.

He was, in fact, so excited to enter this new life that he forgot about what brought him here in the first place.  It never occurred to him that he’d even left his own world, stepping into one where the very rules of the universe had changed. Circumstance had led him to fit in, but the same would apply to the things he brought with him. By the time he returned to next year’s festival, his car would be nothing more than a fern covered boulder.. It wouldn’t even occur to him that the two were one in the same, or  that his car had undergone some kind of transfiguration.

And why should he think about such things? This new life, it didn’t matter if it was in a new world or his own, he only knew that it made him happy. The philosophical ramifications of his current situation might be something to keep someone else up at night, but to him, they simply weren’t important. What was important was that he was able to enjoy his life to the fullest. 

And he chose to do just that.

The End

[lunarsands]

ALSMP Fanfic: Mirror Tenfold, Beyond the Wall - Ch 3

Characters: Scott Major, MythicalSausage, Shubble, PearlescentMoon; featuring the return of vampire!Scott but in an alternate way, and actual!angel!Sausage but cursed; with special guests Sparrow and Rusty the Copper Golem

Tags: Canon divergent, AU, crossover between two Afterlife universes, and New Life SMP thrown in for good measure

WARNINGS: Blood, Violence, Injury, consensual blood drinking, PTSD, mentions of death

Summary: The Mysterious Force that keeps picking people up and depositing them into alternate universes comes for Myth and Smajor this time, and plunks them down near a new set of counterparts -- well, new to Smajor. Myth has met this other version of himself once before, in a place called Sanctuary. At least now there's someone with ten times the number of powers to keep Smajor in check, right?

The vampire returns but he’s not going to want a taste of this type of angel blood.

Follows after the events of Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All - Part Eight of the Soul Liminality Series | Part Four of the Reality Entanglement Series

(Also available on Ao3!)

[ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ]

---

Chapter Three

Sausage howled as he wrenched away. Myth went stock-still, continuing to hold the sword out but eyes wide as it registered to him what had just happened. He hadn’t even seen Sausage appear. The superhero clutched his arm as ichor began to seep between his fingers. “Yow!! What is that sword made of?!”

Still stunned, Myth stammered, “It – It’s because of your angel powers.”

Shubble ran over, Smajor’s face still held in one hand, but she removed the other long enough to shove Myth. “What did you do that for?! We never said anything about killing Scott!”

The cursed angel stumbled, but regained his balance and scowled back at her. She glowered in return; he put his arms down, signaling he wasn’t about to challenge her new appearance and revealed ability.

Smajor took the opportunity to flex his own night-granted strength and yanked at Shubble’s hand until he could get a glimpse of Sausage before she covered his eyes again; her hand landed above his mouth this time, so it was easier for him to say, “Him, too?! What in the Nether is going on here?! What, is this world connected to that limbo dimension, or something?! Why does everyone have extra powers? And why is everyone always luckier than us?!”

Scott dusted himself off as he joined the group. “I wouldn’t call this lucky. Or, maybe…” He turned to Sausage and lifted the superhero’s hand away from his injury, then placed his own hand over it. There were a few seconds where their breath was visible in the air, then Scott let go and stepped back. The wound had been effectively cauterized by his frost ability. “…Maybe I should feel lucky that Sausage here usually pulls his punches and isn’t really out to stake me through the heart.”

He then turned to Myth. “You would have, though. I could sense it.” He glanced to where the cursed angel’s sword was now lowered in uncertainty. Then he gave a sigh that seemed exaggerated, and he shrugged. “But it looks like the good guys won this time. I guess there’s only one thing left to do to continue protecting the world. Right, Sausage?”

He met the eyes of the rival he had just helped heal. Sausage gave a nod, then Scott snapped his gaze back to Myth.

The cursed angel felt his body be rendered immobile again, with tunnel vision causing him to be drawn into that unwavering gaze. Scott then began to duck down, going invisible but holding his stare in place this time. He wasn't fleeing. Myth attempted to shift his eyes in order to see how Sausage and Shubble were reacting, but… they hadn't moved. And not in the immobilized way that he was. They were waiting for something…

The attack came from the opposite side of where he had last seen Scott – a punch that numbed his wrist and made him lose his grip on his sword. Scott was visible afterward as he caught it when it dropped. He winced at the sting from the hilt. "Sausage!" he called out, then tossed the sword–

Genuinely tossed it, not thrown as if he had intended to strike the superhero with it–

Sausage fielded the catch with a wince of his own, then his eyes began to glitter from blue to white to an even paler blue, and back to white, continuing to do so as he brought up his other hand to pinch the edge of the blade with all five fingers.

The red sheen went dull, then flakes of brown and ashen black rained down off of it. It fully crumbled starting at the point on downward until the pommel disintegrated in Sausage's hand. His eyes then returned to normal. He gave a full-bodied shiver, then wiped his hand off on his hip. "And that takes care of that! Sheesh! You were going too far! Not every 'Scott' in the multiverse is like yours! Mygod."

Scott released Myth from his stare and calmly walked backward to stand next to Sausage – yet keeping watch on Myth just in case, holding out the possibility of being immobilized a third time.

Meanwhile, Smajor tugged at Shubble's hand again. "So, what was that about? Can't you at least tell me what's going on if you won't let me see for myself?"

Scott was the one to reply, "That was me having heard and seen enough to know you two are the greater danger around here. Tell me, fledgling, what were your actual plans if I managed to take down this unstoppable force of vengeance standing before us? We just unarmed him, but I can tell by his eyes that he's weighing his options."

Myth flared his wings, only to fold them all in tightly, then he sat down on the ground, placing his hands flat at the end of his thighs to show he had no intention of doing what Scott was implying. "You know your angel lore. Superhero over there didn't seem to consider that when he butted in the first time I met him."

Scott smiled sardonically. "It has been an interest of mine to study the machinations of the celestial realms, particularly angels. Your type is rare, but infamous. You're holding back, too. But maybe that's just a Sausage-esque trait."

Myth squeezed his knees. "I'm going to pretend I have no idea what you're talking about. Look, we had no say in coming here. All I wanted was to find him and drag him back home. You were the one foolish enough to turn him."

Scott shrugged. "I admit I was curious to see what might happen. Would this world make him exactly like me? Or would there be a different effect? It doesn't work on anyone like us or on the villagers. At first it seemed like it could be fun to see if Sausage wouldn't be able to tell us apart. But your version was obviously weaker."

"Hey!" Smajor protested. "You could have told me what these two were like!"

Scott uttered a brief chuckle. "Sorry. I thought it in my best interest to keep that information to myself."

Myth shifted to stand up, but when Scott's gaze instantly fell right back onto him – demeanor changing from calm to stern – the cursed angel resumed sitting. "Could I bother you lot to douse him in holy water, tie him up, and blindfold him to keep him from escaping? I know a way to get home – or at least a way to leave this dimension and put us where we won't be a threat to you anymore."

Sausage spoke up, "Oh, yeah, that Ancient City portal that you mentioned!"

"Yes," Myth said flatly, "Astute of you to remember."

Now it was Smajor’s turn to chuckle. "Oh, yes, let's do that again! I'll just follow our original path of destruction and find the way out! And you'll have to deal with finding me all over again, because we got separated when we entered last time, too!"

Myth scoffed. "Except I know exactly where the exit is, and can fly high enough to get there faster. I'll destroy all of the portals before you can reach them."

Smajor replied slyly, "But you would be dooming anyone from other worlds who stumbled in to be stuck there with us. That would be incredibly cruel of you, if what you really only want is to lock away you and me. But hey! That would give me plenty of enrichment, now that I have powers again!"

Myth scowled and mentally sank into himself for a moment, his gaze sliding to the side as he tried to think of a retort.

"So…" Shubble posited, "Does that mean we should go around destroying those Ancient City portals, so no one here accidentally enters one?"

"Maybe,” Sausage suggested, “We could just put up signs. Because destroying them all, um, is going to take a while, heh."

"Oh, definitely," Shubble agreed. "And I know where one city is, but there is a lot of Deep Dark out there. And what if someone with sculkborn powers decides to live in one of them? What if they don't want the, uh, ambience of the portal ruined? It would be pretty rude to do that– Ow! Hey!"

She abruptly yanked her hand away from Smajor’s face, because he had just driven his bottom fangs into the underside of her palm. He quickly contorted himself to get a proper bite on her other arm, causing her to loosen her hold. He slipped free, spitting – or coughing – out puffs of dark smoke as he started to run. Myth jumped to his feet and spread his wings to leap after him.

There was a crackle from overhead. Sausage raised one hand, but it wasn't lightning that hit the ground at Smajor’s feet – it was a concentrated funnel of holy fire, glowing nearly as bright as the lightning would have, but with slivers of white flame coming off of it.

Smajor cried out in sheer terror. He fell to his knees and hunched over, covering his head with his hands. They could hear him whimpering as Sausage dismissed the holy fire. While Myth went to retrieve Smajor, Sausage turned to Shubble. “Are you alright??”

Shubble rubbed her hand. “Yeah. All he got was a mouthful of shadowstuff. I mean, it hurt, but he wasn’t going to be able to do lasting damage.”

Sausage smiled at her, then gazed pensively toward where Myth was hauling Smajor back to the group. The defeated vampire kept his head lowered and seemed to walk along with an air of resignation.

A sound like the reversed shattering of glass caught everyone’s attention. Across the open space from where they stood, a rectangular portal with a frame made of crying obsidian appeared, its interior obscured by teal and turquoise swirls – or possibly flames. To either side of the portal were two multi-headed sunflowers, with each individual flower being a different color in the range of yellow, orange, or red.

"Huh," Sausage declared, "It looks like… you've got some help in getting home, without involving limbo dimensions."

"Seems so," Myth replied tersely. “Judging by that color, we’re heading back into our own sculk-infested depths. Fine by me.” He pulled Smajor along as he strode unwavering toward the portal.

Smajor uttered a disappointed whine. “Not by me. I don’t want to see you half-covered in a sculk infection again. You’re horrifying enough to look at already. Also, you might as well let me walk on my own. I know when I’ve lost. Again. I’ll be a good little prisoner and go ahead of you.”

“How about the same time?” Myth insisted, keeping Smajor right next to him as he stopped in front of the portal. He narrowed his eyes at the sunflowers, a bitter frown forming on his face. He spared a glance at the trio who still stood where he had left them. “Thank you for the help. I’d say you owe me a cursed sword, but I hope we never meet again.”

“Good bye!” Shubble called. “Good luck with your dark and brooding world-protecting!”

“Goodbye!” Sausage echoed, just as cheerful. “Sorry about the sword, but hopefully you’ll find a better way to be a guardian!” He waved, smiling broadly – then, as the two turned to face the inside of the portal, he zipped over in a blink and pushed them in.

As the teleport magic wrapped around their forms, he hauled around to the side and gave a mighty punch to a section of the frame, breaking the portal. He continued to pummel it; the ground trembled from the reverberation of the force being unleashed, until the frame was reduced to rubble.

The sunflowers had taken a few hits from flying debris but still stood. Sausage gave them a weary smile and a nod of thanks, then dusted off his hands as he walked back over to his friends.

Scott let out a relieved sigh, while Shubble grumbled, “You could have left something for me to shulk smash.” Then she sighed, too. “Well, that was intense! Hey, so—” She turned to Scott. “You called him unstoppable, but he seemed chill after you guys got rid of his sword. You made it sound like he still had a weapon.”

“If he had wanted to,” Scott explained, “He could have made quick work of all three of us by using that stuff on his wings. He can change the chemical properties of it – from harmless, if not icky, to corrosive. Even your invulnerability and Sausage’s durability wouldn’t prevent damage, but especially when applied to a weapon.”

“Oh yeah,” Sausage remarked, “He did melt through that guy’s magic bracer in the other world where I met him!”

Scott raised an eyebrow in interest. “I haven’t heard about this. I’d invite you in to tell me more, but, well. Vampire things have been going on. Maybe your place would be better.”

“Maybe neutral ground,” Shubble countered, her tone distrustful. “You sided with us this time, but how do we know you’re not just trying to lull us into a false sense of security, or something?!”

Sausage lightly squeezed her arm – the one that hadn’t been bitten. “Take it easy, Shub. I think we all got a lesson from this in villainy gone too far. But maybe we should chat right here – we can sit on the porch. It’s a long story, so you can hop inside if the sun starts to come up.” He tilted his head at Scott to acknowledge his weakness. “I don’t think there’s a comfortable spot in Heaven’s Reach for you to sleep away the day. No coffins laying around.”

“Fair point.” Scott’s confident demeanor slipped into awkwardness. “Look, Sausage… I know I got carried away at the beginning by taking your wings, and I’ve been an unashamed menace plenty of times, but I’ve never actually killed anyone, like those two. The villagers were fine after they recovered from a few bites, right? And, well…” He trailed off, not quite ready to say what else was on his mind.

Sausage put his hands on his hips. “Heh. I was wondering why you didn’t use your stare on Myth for long. Probably would have brought up some memories, huh?”

“Yeah…” Scott admitted. “He was also a lot more intimidating than you, though, even when you were in full angel-mode.” He softly cleared his throat. “Anyway, I think to reach a truce, I should say… Well, every hero needs a villain, so I thought I would give you one, just to go along with the fun you seemed to be having by fashioning yourself into a superhero.” He gave a genuine smile, his fangs withdrawn into regular, flat teeth. “I might consider switching to favor a different power so I can join your team for a while. We have a lot of Deep Dark to investigate, after all. One of my other powers might work better for that.”

Sausage grinned at him, then put out a hand to grasp Scott’s in comradery. Shubble shrank back to her usual size and added a smaller, shadowy hand over theirs.

~*~

Myth instinctively spread his wings out behind him as he felt a strange jolt go through the magic-infused air. Something had happened to change the teleportation. His next impulse was to grab Smajor with a tighter hold, but in the next instant he felt the other be torn away from his grasp. Myth swore and tried to peer through the swirling teal flames to try to spot him.

He had to squeeze his eyes shut a moment later as the flames changed to bright yellow. He could feel them growing hotter, as if they had changed into regular fire. As they licked at his feathers, he heard the sound of ichor sizzling. He relaxed his face while keeping his eyes closed. This is it. This is the fires of hell claiming me at last.

He was at peace with that. He held his arms out at his sides in surrender, allowing the fire to consume him. Whatever Smajor’s fate was did not concern him any longer. It was time to answer for his obsession with revenge.

When the sound of sizzling stopped it was replaced with the sound of a completed teleport. Myth peeked one eye open, then gawked. He was looking out through purple swirls at a taiga forest. He hastily stepped forward so he wouldn’t be snatched away again – to truly be dumped in the Deep Dark, but when he looked over his shoulder, he saw a regular Nether portal. He then stared, dumbfounded, for another reason. He had only one pair of wings now, and they were orange. A quick pat around the back of his head to check for his smaller upper wings to be sure ended up revealing that he now had longer hair.

Much longer hair. He pulled several strands forward and saw an orange ombre cascade to it, to where it was fiery-red at the tips. He looked around his body and found a smattering of small yellow-orange feathers here and there – some on his chest poking past the torn trim of his surcoat, a few laying against his elbows. He touched his face; the horizontal scars were still there, but their ridges felt less obtrusive. So, he hadn’t been completely remade, just… reborn.

Reborn through fire.

For a moment he pondered this turn of events and what it might mean for what he now was, if he was no longer a cursed angel – which should have been the end of the line.

Well, if a new world could grant Smajor abilities again regardless of the method, a new one could change him, too.

That meant he had best start finding out where he was, and who had built all of the things he could see nestled among the trees. He glanced up and carefully turned around to take in the complexity of the copper sphere that housed the Nether portal. When he looked at the rest of his surroundings afterward, the main feature in common seemed to be windmills. He caught the sound of clanking coming from one of the buildings. There was active machinery somewhere.

This was definitely someone’s home, and was still in use.

Myth spread his wings and gave a test flap. It felt a little strange to have only one pair, but the wingspan at least felt familiar. He launched off the copper sphere and flew in a small circuit to take in the lay of the land.

Motion by the door of what was likely the main house caught his eye. He cautiously glided down to perhaps find out more about this interesting new place.

At first Myth went on guard when he saw white hair, but the person’s tanned skin and even movements spoke against this being Smajor. They wore some type of short brown jacket with a furred collar over what might have been a jumpsuit, and had practical boots. They looked startled as he landed a meter away.

Which was a reasonable reaction.

“H–Hi there?” the person stammered. They squinted at him. “S–Sausage? Is that you? Uh – oh! Um, sorry for wandering into your house, you’ve been gone a while and I needed a couple of supplies for a project I’m trying to finish right away. I was short a few things and figured I could pay you back – you know, replace what I borrowed before you got back, or just give it to you when you returned.”

Myth decided to feign ignorance, and tried to make his voice sound less gruff. “Who is ‘Sausage’? I just got here. I kind of rose from the ashes of my previous life and I’m still getting my bearings.”

The person blinked at him. “Interesting. That might explain where he went… I didn’t know hybrids had a chance of losing memories between lives. …That’s something to add to my notes. Um, sooo, I’m Sparrow, and Sausage was a ghast mage who built up all the steam-powered machinery around here. I’m dabbling in building machines, too, and I knew he had plenty of resources stocked up, so I came to borrow some.”

Myth now attempted a curious tone as well as a little humor. “Is it borrowing if you’re using it for parts of something? I can’t imagine you would give back those specific pieces.”

Sparrow shot him an amused smile. “How very literal of you. By the way, do you mind if I ask what you are? Aside from very orange, which is a nice color.”

“I think… a phoenix. It really did feel like I was being reborn inside some flames. Can I ask what your powers are?”

“Oh, I don’t currently have any! I’m just a human who happened upon this place when my airplane cra—when I landed here due to running low on fuel. My plane is fine, I can take off again any time, really, I’m just very interested in exploring the land of the hybrids.” Sparrow then grinned. “I’m hoping to find a way to become like you hybrids somehow. I have some ideas.”

Myth grimaced internally, unable to avoid being reminded of Smajor. “Be careful what you wish for. You wouldn’t want powers that make things, well, unpleasant.”

“I’m taking the scientific approach, and also studying all the hybrids I meet, so I think I’ll have an idea about the potential dangers ahead. Maybe you and I could even talk more another time – if you happen to remember more stuff.”

“We could,” Myth replied, feeling a little guarded again. “I might, um… I might hang around here for a while, have a look at those machines you mentioned so that I can learn more, too. And if that Sausage guy shows up, I could talk with him, and… find out why we apparently look alike.”

Sparrow gave a sympathetic look. “Yeah, I hope you figure that out. If you do see him, tell him Sparrow said hi! Maybe I’ll look a bit different next time I see him, as well.”

“Take care,” Myth replied, somewhat hoping he sounded sincere. “And… try to be careful.” He watched Sparrow walk down to a small open-sided building with a pillar in the center that was topped by what looked like a purple enderpearl. Sparrow put their hand on the pillar, then disappeared in a flurry of particles.

“Huh. Some kind of local teleport device,” Myth reasoned out loud. He would take a closer look at it later. For now, he ventured into the house. A tidy kitchen that was absent of life greeted him, along with the sound of clanking from upstairs.

A slightly quieter, equally rhythmic clanking came around the corner, and a small copper construct with a bobbing antenna on top of its head looked up at him. A slightly-resonating robotic voice declared, "What’s wrong with you?!"

Myth took a step back. "Excuse me? You can… talk?"

"That’s an odd thing to say."

"Oh, you probably think I'm that Sausage guy, too."

"Are you sure about this?"

Myth stared down at the copper construct. "But you said something was ‘wrong’ with me, so I thought that meant you mistook me for him. Do you… have some kind of sensors, or instincts, for dangers like iron golems? I suppose that could make you a copper golem."

"That's an odd thing to say."

"Oh. You're broken. I guess that was bound to happen with your owner missing."

"What did you say?"

Myth sighed. "I don't know anything about machines, so I can't even offer to try to fix you. Look, if you can actually understand me, I'm going to lay low here until the guy who belongs here shows up so I can have a chat with him, and avoid mistaken identities. If you're in enough working order, maybe you can help me figure out what all the stuff around here is. I just… want to see if I can manage to live a normal life. Because, somehow, I've been given a third chance to try again."

The little copper golem's antenna bobbed up and down, then it said, "Are you sure about this?"

There was enough of a change in its tone for Myth to realize it hadn't been speaking like a broken record the entire time. "...Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay."

~*~

Over the next two weeks Myth managed to settle into his new surroundings. He found some new, if still somewhat ragged clothes that could withstand the little bursts of healing flames that he occasionally emitted. He studied the equipment in the buildings, slowly learning how everything worked by tinkering around and following notes left by the previous occupant. This also led him to find out the copper golem was named Rusty.

All of it helped take his mind off the fact that other visitors continued to assume he was the Sausage they knew – which he went along with by taking personality cues from the other versions of himself that he had met in the other worlds – and the fact that he had yet to have a run-in with that Sausage… or the other person who should have arrived here through the mystery portal.

He hadn’t gone down to the Deep Dark to look for an Ancient City portal yet; he was too weary to wonder if Smajor had escaped that way and was possibly now terrorizing a different world. Perhaps that meant Myth had completely failed his duty, but thinking about it only led to him zoning out, even while holding a wrench about to adjust something on one of the machines.

Rusty broke him out of it by wandering up and inquiring quietly, “What’s wrong with you?”

Myth blinked and looked down at him sadly. “Just thinking about my previous lives. I made some… choices that could have been handled differently. I can’t go back and change them now.”

“Okay.”

“Except I don’t know if I would have done things differently. I didn’t see the point in acting any different. That was the fate I was handed, what was I supposed to do about it?”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“Yes, well, it was all very complicated and I think probably beyond what you can process.”

“Okay.”

“I’m sure you don’t have any concepts of destiny rattling around in that metallic head of yours. I would tell you about it, but I should stop thinking about it, anyway.”

“Yes.”

Myth uttered a humorless chuckle. “You’re right. Let’s get back to fixing the input on this thing and get that windmill working faster.”

.

A little later on in the day he went out for a fly around as a habitual patrol to check everything before he took the evening off from tinkering. He spotted something unusual beside the barn and glided down to look closer. There was now a line of mycelium beside the barn wall, peppered with red and brown mushrooms, one of which had already grown taller than the rest. He was puzzling over how it had gotten there when he heard a noise from around the corner – where the mycelium seemed to be leading to.

It sounded like someone trying to stifle a laugh. Myth bolted around the corner, his feathers bristling and small flickers of flame jumping off his body. It was a chillingly familiar laugh, but maybe it wasn’t the person that the dread in his heart was assuming it to be. It could just be this world’s—

The hair was white and eyes red, although a darker shade than he had last seen. A red mushroom cap was atop their head, and they wore the trappings of someone who could be a practitioner of nature magic, right down to the flower-bedecked mossy shawl and the satchel at their hip where a multitude of mushrooms could be seen threatening to spill out.

But Myth recognized what lurked within those eyes, and the smug twist to the smile revealed they knew exactly who he was. His voice dropped to its former gruffness. “So, you did make it through, too.”

“Sure did,” Smajor replied in a sprightly tone. “But please, relax. I’m immune to fire, anyway. And I’m peaceful now! Because whenever I attack anything, Gaia or whoever takes my mana away as punishment, which could kill me if I lose enough of it, and I really like these powers! I’ve become one with nature again! Or at least with mushrooms.”

Myth narrowed his eyes. “If you try to throw spores at me, I can still incinerate those. Do you want to relive the time when I was a blazeborn?”

Smajor flicked his hand up and down in a shooing motion. “No, no. Honestly, I would have stayed far away from you, knowing your disposition. I only came here to talk, because we have a mutual problem.”

Myth folded his arms over his chest. “And that would be?”

“People keep mistaking me for this world’s Scott, saying they haven’t seen him in a while, and they’re happy to see ‘I’m’ okay. Well, aside from the mushroom presents I’ve left them, but that’s all in good fun! Aren’t my babies cute?” He leaned over to pat one of the small red mushrooms on the tip of its cap, causing it to abruptly grow taller. He grinned at the effect, then continued, “I’ve played along, because it’s been nice to not have anyone breathing down my neck. But I started to wonder: where did he go? And, if you also ended up here, where did your double go? Maybe we need to solve this little mystery – before anyone finds out we’re imposters.”

Myth stared at him, his brow slowly furrowing into a scowl. “No.” He turned and started to walk away.

“Hey – wait!” Smajor refrained from grabbing his arm, but hurried after him. “You’ve seen what happens when we’re at odds with our doubles – you had to have noticed that overpowered hero pushed us into the portal. Maybe we can avoid things like that this time?”

Myth kept walking. “I want nothing to do with you anymore. You’re not luring me away from the first scrap of peace I’ve had since meeting you.”

“I swear that’s not what I’m trying to do! What about this: everyone has been saying their Scott was a – a teleporter, or something, but still accepted me right away, as if it was normal that I don’t have the same hair or eye color as the last time they saw him. Has that happened to you? Did anyone mention Sausage was something else when they first saw you?”

Myth stopped short, the question hitting home as it made him recall how Sparrow had said they knew a ghast mage version. “Yes. Doesn’t change my mind. Go. Away.” He resumed walking.

“Hey, I’m trying to look out for you, too! Give me a chance! If you don’t want to trust me one hundred percent, fine, but I can’t exactly tell anyone about this, and—”

“—And you can’t fight off the hostile mobs because you’ll lose your mana or whatever. So, you need me to do the fighting.”

Smajor was now the one to abruptly halt. “U-Uh, I mean, yes I need a hand with possible danger, but the plan is to do some careful investigating first and try to track them down without rushing into—”

“’Track them down,’ huh?” Myth glanced back at him with an accusing glare.

“You know what I mean!”

“Yes. I know exactly what you mean. Get lost.”

“Come on! I like this new life, too! Give me a chance,” Smajor pleaded again.

“Maybe go find them by yourself, and do something that could be considered worth redeeming you for once. If you and both of them come back alive, maybe I’ll think about giving that chance. If they are the only ones to come back, at least I can finally rest easy. You never know what the temperament of either of them will be. Maybe they don’t like mushrooms.” Myth smirked.

Smajor scowled back at him, yet within his eyes was a… hurt look. “Fine, then. I’ll do it alone. I’ll prove it to you that… that I really am tired of all the death. I let the thought of having powers again go to my head in the last world. I’ve learned my lesson this time. I swear.”

“Swear on what? Your hundred-and-five lives? Your brief second life as a vampire? This new one? ON MINE?” Myth glowered at him, then crossed his arms again. “I’ll believe it when I see it. If you had gotten ten powers at once in the last one, you would have decimated me the instant you had a chance. We can pretend to be a part of this world all we want, but we’re both still the same on the inside. Now, I’ll only say it one more time: GO. AWAY.” He spun on his heel with finality to walk off.

Smajor clenched his fists, then yelled after him, “It–It’s your fault, you know! M-Maybe I wouldn’t have been so hungry to get powers again if you hadn’t completely taken mine away!”

Myth flared his wings wide, small bursts of flame shooting off of them. Despite his proclaimed immunity, Smajor cowered and backed up. Myth glared at him over his shoulder.

Smajor found his nerve again. “Y-You don’t know what it’s like! Waking up one day and feeling nothing. No unique energy in your veins or any connections to the natural world dancing through your brain!”

“But I do know,” Myth growled, pivoting to face him and stomping toward him, looming tall, making Smajor retreat a few more steps. “That’s how I felt, after months of you draining my blood, locked away from the open sky and light of day. You get what you give. Don’t you dare try to convince me to sympathize with you now!”

Smajor averted his eyes for a moment, then rustled up a scowl. “Well, you don’t know what it’s like to start out life as a tiny, delicate bug, and then suddenly become stronger than you’ve ever felt before, and able to do more than you could have dreamed of in your tiny little life! It was intoxicating!”

“So, you’re saying the power went to your head the first time, too? And you decided to lord that power over me? I had no quarrel with you as a mothling!”

“You… were a light I couldn’t ignore,” Smajor grumbled. “And then you were a beacon of brightness disrupting the glorious darkness, and I was driven to blot that out.”

“You made a choice,” Myth snapped. “And now so am I.”

“Do you at least have any clues that you’ve found? I’ve got a possible lead, but anything would—”

“NO.” Myth emitted spits of flame again. “Get off my land, or else I swear—”

 A new, cheerful voice piped up, “Having a little argument, are you, boys?”

Myth twisted around with a shocked expression as he recognized the voice. He hadn’t heard it in such a very, very long time. Only Smajor heard his weak whisper of, “P-Pearl?”

They both then looked down incredulously at the chipper figure resembling a copper golem who approached them. “Hey, Scott! Hey, Sausage! Sparrow said something about you losing your memory of being a ghast. How are you feeling now? Anything come back to you yet? I might have something that could jog your memory.”

“I – um – no,” Myth stammered. His fury had been defused by her arrival. “We were, uh, just disagreeing on a matter of memories, actually. Scott was about to leave anyway, so… Um… W-We can talk if you want, Pearl.”

“Oh, perfect!” she exclaimed. “See you around, mushroom man! And don’t go putting any more mycelium close to my wheat field! I need that for mud bricks.”

Smajor sketched a bow. “Oh, I’ve placed down all that I needed to get my boost when I visit! If it happens to spread, it isn’t my doing! Must be Gaia’s will! Bye for now!”

Myth couldn’t help himself from throwing one last annoyed look in Smajor’s wake, but it softened to reluctance as he looked down at Pearl. “So, uh, what do you have to show me?”

“Is there a flat wall around here without any vines on it? I’ve got a photo to show you.”

“Photo…?” Myth peered around at the nearby buildings, then simply moved closer to the barn and reached up to pull some of the greenery off to make room. “Is… that enough space?”

“You silly sausage. You didn’t need to ruin your lovely decorations.”

Myth glanced at the cluster of vines and blossoms in his hands, then said absently, “They’ll… grow back.”

“All right. Now, let me see if I can get this to display properly.” Pearl hopped upward a few times, trying to stick a picture frame onto the wall. “Gosh. I keep forgetting how difficult it can be to do things when everyone else has built things so tall. Give me a hand?”

Myth hesitated, then lifted her and held her up to where she could reach a higher spot on the wall. The frame stuck in place as she intended, then she took something else from pocketspace and whacked it onto the frame, where it spread to fill four times the space of the frame itself. Myth stepped back and carefully put Pearl down.

“There! See! It’s us, from when you were a ghast mage! Look at your bland umbrella! You always had to go running from the rain, because ghasts aren’t waterproof. I don’t do well in water, either, so we both stayed away from it. I think I heard phoenixes can stand water better, so if you haven’t been in the rain since changing, it wouldn’t have brought up that memory.”

Myth gazed at the version of him from this world. The ghast mage wasn’t quite smiling, but there was something about the photo that conveyed the sense he was happy to have Pearl beside him. “I’m… sorry, Pearl. It’s… It’s not reminding me of anything. I… don’t remember when this was.”

Pearl patted his leg. “It’s okay, buddy. We’ll sort out what happened to you in time. It’s just nice to have you back.”

“Y-Yeah…” Myth’s voice broke. “Th-Thanks, Pearl. I’m – um – I’m going to get back to a thing I was working on. Need to, uh, have a mining session, too. Sparrow borrowed some stuff from me and hasn’t paid me back yet, so I’m just going to get more myself.”

“Do you want me to come along? I’ve got great radar for finding ores!”

“Maybe next time. I need to think about some things Sm-mushroom,” he quickly amended, then forced out an awkward laugh. “Sorry, that’s all he makes me think of now. Things Scott said, so I won’t be very conversational.”

“Okay. Well, holler if you need me! And grab me some copper while you’re mining. I can always use more!” She scurried off, leaving the photo behind.

“I’ll see what I can find. Bye, Pearl,” he called after her, then whispered, “Someday I’ll see you again, Pearl. I’m sorry if I let you down…”

~End~

---

[Post-A/N: Will Smajor find the supposedly-missing original Scott and Sausage of the New Life world? Will Myth change his mind and help him? And what will they do if the truth is revealed, exposing them for who they really are? … I don’t know yet, I only thought of these questions as I wrote the ending :D I’ll leave this open-ended for now, since ideas keep coming up when I’m working on other WIPs!]

---

[Post-Post A/N: An anon on tumblr asked what Myth’s Pearl would think of his descent into becoming cursed, and I had to ponder the answer since the full “goddess and her favored angel” dynamic was more like a cameo in Witherrise and hadn’t been a big part of the story until the Soul Liminality 2 version came along. So, here’s a tiny glimpse into his current feelings about that!]

[random-movie-ideas]

Clark Kent Across the Multiverse (Movie Concept)

And here is the third in our standalone trilogy, centered on a young Clark growing up and learning about his powers. This time, it's a crossover movie with the Supergirl and Power Girl of the Cinematic Universe, paving the way for a Crisis on Infinite Earths event:

We start out back at Clark’s home in Smallville, as his parents throw him a birthday for his eighteenth birthday. Lois is there, now his girlfriend, and Chloe, Pete, and Lana are all in attendance, Krypto running around and being a happy dog. They talk about his plans now that they’re about to graduate and he mentions that he and Lois both have a paid internship at the Daily Planet, and have saved up for an apartment in the city.

The next day, Clark visits his old friend Leslie in the hospital, still comatose from her run-in with the Parasite two years before, her skin still a grayish blue. Clark talks to her, confessing to her that he was the hero who saved her all those years ago but failed to save her parents, and apologizes to her that he wasn’t able to save her the second time. He touches her hand as he goes, just a little bit of his energy passing into her.

As he goes out and meets up with Lois, strange things happen at the hospital, Leslie’s eyes shifting around, as the lights and machinery flicker and objects start to float around the room. Clark and Lois are right in the middle of tossing a frisbee with Krypto when a loud explosion rocks the part, and both Clark and Krypto are nearly debilitated by a loud buzzing. Lois holds Krypto while Clark races to see what happened.

He arrives to see the hospital in flames, the entire ward where Leslie had been exploded. A strange figure entirely made of electricity rises from the smoke. Her eyes fall on Clark, recognizing him and saying “You!” Clark, believing her to have killed his friend, goes after the lightning person, trying to attack her, but finding her invulnerable to his attacks. She shocks him with a lot of volts, enough to actually do damage to him. Their battle leads them away from the hospital, towards a power plant, where Clark tries to overload her the way he did the Parasite. He manages to do it, just as reality seems to warp around him for a second, and the electric person vanishes into thin air.

He returns to the hospital to find that Leslie is gone, everything that had been in her room disintegrated. He cries out in despair, Krypto and Lois arriving to comfort him. Meanwhile, Leslie Willis finds herself tumbling through a void of twisting shapes and colors, her mind slowly coming back to itself as her body regains some amount of form. As she falls, she sees strange images, of worlds like her own, but with slight differences to each. Here we possibly have lots of cameos of other renditions of Superman and DC universes, as well as one where she sees herself, surrounded by her parents and siblings alive and well.

She finally lands in a strange void, where a machine floats on a chunk of rock, a strange man in an owl costume trying to work on it. The man introduces himself as Owlman, the same from the Supergirl movie, and played by the Batman actor from said cinematic universe. He tells her that his machine was meant to open a doorway through the multiverse, but thanks to some meddlers, the machine malfunctioned and was pulled through its own doorway, taking him with it. He theorizes that because of her electrical powers, she was pulled into the multiverse at the same moment from her own universe. He makes a deal with her that if she will use her powers to traverse universes and gather supplies for him, he will cure her and send her back to her own universe or any universe she wants.

A few days later, Clark is working on his farm, feeling miserable and thinking about Leslie. As he works, he is surprised when two identical twins, both blonde and wearing strange superhero costumes show up on the farm, saying they’re looking for Clark, but not recognizing him as such. After a moment of confusion, one of the women swears and calls out for someone named Mr. Mxyzptlk. She explains that she comes from another universe, the cousin of that world’s version of Clark, and she’d just come from an adventure where an imp had transported her to another universe and she had met her own variant, the other girl. The imp had been supposed to send her home, but apparently had sent them here instead.

Clark agrees to help them figure out a way back if this imp never showed up to explain himself. Lois digs up a bunch of articles about the concept of parallel universes, and is a little weirded out when Kara talks about how they are friends in her world. Kara II mentions she got in a fight with her version once. Finally, Mr. Mxyzptlk shows up, telling them sorry for the mixup, but saying that their fixing of the Ultraman problem resulted in a new multiversal threat that they now had to fix. He pops into existence a control device for them which will let them traverse universes and track the threat, because he hasn’t quite been able to find its exact location. Before they can talk about it, he pushes Clark and the two Karas through a portal.

After a similar tumbling scene, Clark and the Karas find themselves in a strange multiversal void, with flashes from other universes appearing in the sky. Kara decides she’s not playing Mxy’s game and tries to use it to open a portal back to her own universe. After two failed attempts, Mxy appears on the device’s screen, apologizing again and saying that he felt it prudent to put a blocker on their three individual universes until the job was finished. Kara yells at Mxy, but he disappears from the screen.

For the moment, they decide to look for the threat, opening a portal to a universe where the threat was detected. They walk through and find themselves in what seems to be an over-the-top supervillain’s lair with a giant nuclear collider in the center. Kara I and Clark find themselves caught in kryptonite traps, as the villain appears, what looks like a skull in a space suit, the helmet glowing green. He introduces himself as the Atomic Skull, and no matter how many super people show up, they’ll never stop him from unleashing a nuclear blast powerful enough to wipe out the whole world. Kara and Clark verbally spar with him, questioning his plan as such a blast would destroy the planet, leaving him with nothing to rule.

This discussion distracts the villain enough for Power Girl to sneak around, find the controls to the Kryptonite traps, and release her companions. The three heroes battle the villain, taking him out fairly easily. In a last ditch effort, he tries to detonate his bomb, only to find that a key component has been removed. The lightning figure appears again, this time with a full body, which Clark recognizes as Leslie, but with gray skin and blue hair that’s become spiked with electricity. Before he can say anything, she vanishes in a burst of electricity, taking the component with her.

After the Atomic Skull is restrained, our heroes pursue Leslie back to the void world, detecting her there somewhere. Clark tells the Karas about who she is and what happened to her, and they promise him, they’ll help get her back. They chase Livewire through several different worlds, each some reference to some version of Superman, before finally landing in an animated world where everything seems to be based in the 1950s, finding that world’s version of Superman, a big cartoonish “defender of justice.” Neither Kara is particularly impressed, while Clark gets to see himself as a genuine hero.

We get a short sequence of them exploring his world, and highlighting some of the most corny parts, questioning his story about his first nemesis turning into a white gorilla. Eventually, Leslie arrives, attacking his version of Lex Luthor, to steal from him a “dimensional blaster” he had just completed. Both Clarks and both Karas challenge her, but she electrifies most of them, leaving her and Clark to face off alone. Clark pleads with her to come back, but she refuses, telling him he ruined her life and that she’s going to get a new one, planning to take over the life of the happy Leslie she saw. Clark says that she’ll just be destroying that Leslie’s life, but she ignores him, taking the blaster and managing to get away.

Leslie returns to Owlman and the machine. Owlman uses the components to complete the machine, and Livewire smiles excitedly, ready to start a new life. She ends up being betrayed by Owlman though, who shoots her with a device he’d had her steal that would drain her of power. He then begins activating his machine again, proclaiming that he will finish what he and Ultraman started. A weakened Leslie crawls to the machine, placing her hand on it and drawing power out of it, recharging herself way more than before. She turns on Owlman and disintegrates him before he can attack again.

She then uses the machine to rip a hole to the dimension where she was happy, planning to travel through the machine and take over the body of her counterpart. The Clarks and the Karas find her and her machine, rushing to try to stop her. 50s Superman tries to stop the beam with “the power of justice” and simply gets blasted. The two Karas work together to try to stop the machine while Clark and Leslie face off.

Clark tries again and again to get through to Leslie, but she won’t listen. She blasts the Karas away from her machine as the machine starts to become unstable, ripping dimensions apart as it tries to open a permanent doorway. She only relents when she sees the other Leslie and her parents being ripped away from each other as their universe falls apart. She helps Clark destroy the machine, depriving herself of her powers for good.

After the machine is gone and the multiverse goes back to normal, Leslie breaks down in the middle of the void. Clark lands beside her, where he genuinely apologizes for his failure to save her parents that day. Leslie accepts his apology and hugs him, fully letting go of her repressed emotions. Mr. Mxyzptlk finally reappears, snapping his fingers and saying everyone can go back home now. Clark lets Leslie head back through to their world, while he stays behind to say goodbye to the Karas and the other Clark. While they are doing so, the portal becomes unstable and vanishes, their device not working anymore either. They ask Mxy what’s going on, and he says, “Oop, I guess you guys didn’t fix it fast enough to convince him,” then disappears before elaborating.

In a post-credits scene, we see Mxy kneeling before the Anti-Monitor, clearly terrified of him, and trying to point out that they did fix the problem, but the Anti-Monitor ignores him.

If any of you remember the full plan I laid out a while back, this leads straight into Crisis on Infinite Earths, resulting in the destruction of this Clark's universe, erasing Lois, Krypto, Leslie, Jonathan, Martha, and everyone else from this series, leaving Clark as the only survivor and setting him up to become the Cinematic Universe's Superboy-Prime.

What do you think? Would you watch it?

[orifces]

a little word vomit on stuff that i need to revise whilst being hyped on this iced coconut mocha. this is mostly for me, but you're free to read !

background. drolta's species of origin; cambion & that crossover when she's transformed into a vampire. dro's mother's past work / worship of sekhment. a dying god needing a vessel, drolta being born / created to do so.. mother is disregarded. the corruption / grooming of drolta by sekmet ( & later ezebert). her slow descent into darkness - bleeding into newfound psychopathy & cannibalism with a pinch of homo-eroticism with ezebert later on. drolta is transformed into a vampire succubus. being the grueling second best & tossed aside to be the ezebert's second in command. eating this shit all-the-way up.

verses. MODERN / MAIN VERSE. the events of castlevania: nocturne take place … minus the very clear ending of the first season. in this drolta, escapes the clutches of ezebert & the belmonts … she makes her way to the americas. & there… she starts her own regime. considering it's the most versatile, this is where a lot of her storylines will take place. SOUTHERN GOTHIC. maybe supernatural influences idk yet? FLAGANVERSE. death's consort, crafted from the remnants of an egyptain priestess that once worshiped death; made in her reflection. the bat in the raptures, hanging just above the raven. she, it, follows the orders of the verna closely, watching people death deals with closely. operating as a demi-god; she has some of the same powers as death.. being able to shapeshift (into a bat, instead of raven), teleport / blend in & out of reality, telekinesis, .. whilst also have special abilities of her own, pyrokinesis (magenta flame), venomous bite, & a couple more i haven't worked out yet. (working). STAR WARS. takes place outside of the main timeline & embedds itself within the force unleashed games. species of origin? zabrak - human; ombred magenta to deep brown skin from the scalp to the body - the rest of her body is brown to fleckled with magenta patches that light up when she uses the force. her whereabouts are relatively unclear following the death of her master darth phobos, but she's believed to be on dathomir. BLADE / COMICS. need to rewatch the blade films / read his origin comic. YOU / HANNIBAL / CRIMINAL MINDS. drolta's upbringing mostly follows a modernized version of the events of nocturne. mother died at a very young age, father was never around, she was shifted through foster house to foster house … experiencing the worst of the worst humanity had to offer. thus spiraling her to be the worst of the worst. violence becomes her outlet & cannibalism becomes a way of life. she makes a name for herself being regarded as 'PINK DEATH', the black widow in pink.

[ashishlavania]

Why UFC Is Getting More Famous

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has transformed from a niche spectacle into a global juggernaut, captivating millions with its raw intensity and dramatic narratives.

Once dismissed as a brutal sideshow, mixed martial arts (MMA) under the UFC banner now commands massive audiences, lucrative sponsorships, and mainstream cultural relevance.

So, what’s driving this surge in fame? From strategic business moves to cultural shifts and technological advancements, several factors have propelled the UFC to unprecedented heights.

There are a lot of YouTubers and websites now who are focusing on UFC and giving UFC Predictions and getting successful.

A Brief History of UFC’s Rise

The UFC was founded in 1993 as a tournament to determine the world’s best martial artist, pitting disciplines like boxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling against each other.

Early events were raw, often chaotic, and lacked regulation, earning the sport a reputation as “human cockfighting.” By the early 2000s, the UFC was on the brink of bankruptcy. Enter Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, who purchased the organization in 2001 for $2 million.

Through savvy marketing, regulatory reforms, and television deals, they turned the UFC into a cultural phenomenon. Today, the UFC is valued at over $12 billion, with events drawing millions of viewers worldwide. Its fame stems from a combination of strategic evolution, charismatic fighters, and a changing global appetite for combat sports.

Strategic Business Moves and Media Exposure

One of the biggest drivers of UFC’s fame is its aggressive expansion and media strategy. The 2005 reality show The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) was a game-changer, introducing audiences to the personalities behind the fighters.

TUF humanized the sport, showcasing the grit, sacrifice, and charisma of its athletes. This exposure helped the UFC secure lucrative broadcasting deals, first with Spike TV and later with ESPN, which brought fights to millions of households.

The 2016 sale to WME-IMG (now Endeavor) for $4 billion further amplified the UFC’s reach, leveraging Hollywood connections to integrate MMA into mainstream entertainment.

Global expansion has also been key. The UFC now hosts events in countries like Brazil, China, and the UAE, tapping into diverse markets.

Pay-per-view (PPV) events, headlined by megastars like Conor McGregor, generate massive revenue—McGregor’s 2018 fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov sold 2.4 million PPVs, one of the highest in combat sports history.

Streaming platforms like UFC Fight Pass and partnerships with services like ESPN+ have made fights accessible anytime, anywhere, catering to a digital-first audience. These moves have transformed the UFC from a niche sport into a global entertainment brand.

The Star Power of Fighters

The UFC’s roster of charismatic fighters is another major factor in its growing fame. Stars like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and Jon Jones have transcended the sport, becoming household names.

McGregor, with his razor-sharp trash-talk and knockout prowess, redefined what it means to be a UFC star. His crossover boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017 drew 4.3 million PPV buys, showcasing the UFC’s ability to compete with boxing’s biggest names.

Rousey, meanwhile, brought women’s MMA to the forefront, proving that female fighters could headline major events. These personalities create compelling narratives—rivalries, redemption arcs, and underdog stories—that keep fans hooked.

Newer stars like Israel Adesanya and Sean O’Malley continue this trend, blending skill with social media savvy. Fighters now use platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok to build personal brands, engaging directly with fans.

This accessibility makes fighters relatable, turning casual viewers into diehard supporters. The UFC’s ability to churn out larger-than-life characters ensures that there’s always a new story to sell.

Cultural Shifts and the Appeal of Authenticity

The UFC’s rise also reflects broader cultural shifts. In an era where authenticity is prized, MMA’s raw, unscripted nature resonates. Unlike boxing, which can feel fragmented with multiple governing bodies, the UFC offers a centralized, high-stakes platform where the best fight the best.

Fans appreciate the sport’s unpredictability—a single punch or submission can end a fight, creating moments of pure drama. This contrasts with more predictable sports, where outcomes can feel scripted or drawn out.

MMA’s inclusivity also plays a role. The sport celebrates diverse fighting styles—Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling—drawing fans from various cultural backgrounds.

Women’s divisions, once an afterthought, now feature some of the sport’s biggest stars, like Amanda Nunes. This diversity mirrors a globalized world, making the UFC a cultural melting pot.

Technological Advancements and Fan Engagement

Technology has supercharged the UFC’s fame. High-definition broadcasts and cinematic production values make fights immersive, capturing every bead of sweat and bone-rattling strike.

Social media platforms like X amplify hype, with fighters, fans, and the UFC itself posting real-time updates, highlights, and memes. X posts from fighters like McGregor often go viral, generating buzz that transcends the sport.

For example, a 2023 X post from McGregor teasing a comeback garnered millions of views, keeping him relevant despite a hiatus.

The UFC’s embrace of digital platforms also includes betting and fantasy sports integrations, which deepen fan engagement.

Apps like DraftKings offer UFC-specific betting options, turning casual viewers into invested stakeholders. Meanwhile, virtual reality and augmented reality experiments promise to bring fans closer to the octagon, enhancing the viewing experience.

Challenges and Controversies

The UFC’s rise hasn’t been without hurdles. Fighter pay remains a contentious issue, with many arguing that athletes deserve a larger share of the organization’s billions.

High-profile lawsuits, like the 2024 antitrust settlement costing the UFC $335 million, highlight tensions between fighters and management.

Controversies over judging decisions and weight-cutting practices also spark debate. Yet, these issues often fuel discussion on platforms like X, keeping the UFC in the public eye.

The organization’s ability to weather criticism while maintaining fan loyalty speaks to its cultural staying power.

The Future of UFC’s Fame

The UFC’s trajectory shows no signs of slowing. Emerging markets in Asia and Africa offer untapped potential, while innovations like AI-driven fight analysis could enhance training and fan experiences.

The sport’s crossover appeal—seen in collaborations with WWE and celebrity endorsements—further cements its place in pop culture. As long as the UFC continues to deliver electrifying fights and compelling stories, its fame will only grow.

Conclusion

The UFC’s rise to prominence is a masterclass in branding, adaptability, and cultural resonance. By leveraging media, cultivating star power, and embracing technology, the UFC has transformed MMA into a global phenomenon.

Its ability to evolve while staying true to its gritty roots ensures that the octagon will remain a stage for some of the world’s most thrilling spectacles.