#and show that even one of the most important of his allies is still replaceable to him because he only views people as tools to get his way

[tin-cant]

In ep45, Ludinus says, "I think I will be eternally grateful for what she's done" about Liliana. For me, personally, that gives some "I'm going to dispose of her the second I don't need her" vibes, and can you imagine?!? Liliana thinking that she's preventing him from acting his worst only to get stabbed in the back?? Dedicating so much of her life to his goals only to realize how disposable she really is?? Regardless of whether he succeeds, that would be a GREAT plot-twist.

[narklos]

Half-Lore #2: The G-Man Theories

This topic was the second-most voted in the poll! If there's any others you'd like me to cover, just let me know. Without further ado, here's all we know about the G-Man's identity! Take a peek below the cut:

Let me start by saying that not even Valve really knows what the G-Man is. His identity, which has been hinted at throughout the series, has changed significantly throughout the 25 years that Half-Life itself has existed. To get a full grasp of what each theory means, I'm going to give you a rundown of his history in the game's development. I'd say a quick rundown, but I'd be lying to your face. Here we go!

Half-Life The name 'G-Man' actually comes from this game as it's what his model was called. This is a shorthand for 'government man', a shady figure who works within the USA's top-secret projects. Earlier models of G-Man actually featured the Department of Defence logo on his briefcase, indicating that the G-Man was tied to them somehow (or at least pretending to be tied to the government).

It was also heavily implied that the G-Man was the administrator of Black Mesa, as another one of his models from the Goldsource era features the Black Mesa logo on the briefcase. The administrator's role in the game was primarily conveyed through letters, signed with the name L.M. Here's one of the letters, which is welcoming Gordon to the facility (and also confirms that Gordon can speak?):

The G-Man was said to have 'gone to great lengths' to get the Xen crystal sample that caused the Resonance Cascade, which was our first clue that he was responsible for the Xenian invasion from the beginning. Hints from the Nihilanth also tell us that quite a few others are aware of the G-Man's meddling- as well as try to warn Gordon that the G-Man's not human, and that he's not an ally.

You can see the shift away from the administrator identity in Opposing Force, when Adrian Shepard's diary talks of a strange man that showed up a few days ago, and was talking with his superiors. This gives us the sense that the G-Man wasn't a force working from inside of Black Mesa, but rather without it. The veracity of this sighting is a bit up in the air though, as most of Opposing Force has been retconned.

It's safe to say that the G-Man's identity wasn't solid, even from the beginning. So where the hell does that leave us?

Half-Life 2 During development of HL2, the G-Man was still going to be the former administrator of Black Mesa; Breen and the G-Man's characters have always been quite tied up due to their dual development. The face model for G-Man, a therapist named Frank Sheldon, was actually slated to be for Breen's character instead. However, after a Valve employee did a quick edit to the facial captures for Breen, it was decided to give Frank Sheldon's face to the G-Man instead.

At this point, the administrator L.M was retconned, being replaced as the administrator of Black Mesa by Dr. Wallace Breen. L.M essentially underwent a weird sort of meiosis and two characters spawned from one.

We know for a fact that Gordon's 'contract' with the G-Man was something passed around by important players in the G-Man's plan, and bidded on. Breen is aware of Gordon, and believed that he has bought Gordon out, therefore preventing him from futhering the rebellion against the Combine. However, the G-Man was double-crossing him, and Breen died in the final battle when Mossman betrayed Breen and set Gordon free. Though, I wonder what Breen bid for the contract?

Although this means that we got an incredibly well-written and tragic villain, it also means that we're back to square one in terms of G-Man's identity. No more L.M, no more government ties, no more Black Mesa. So what does Half-Life 2 give us instead?

As I mentioned earlier, it was always implied that G-Man wasn't human. The alien identity is played more strongly in HL2, where the link between the G-Man and the shu'ulathoi (Combine advisors) is established. The Vortigaunts are able to hide away from the psychic powers of the shu'ulathoi, as their connection to the Vortessence allows them to take actions the shu'u cannot see or prevent. They also refer to the advisors as shu'ulathoi, as it's a language the shu'u can't comprehend.

The Vorts are the only force shown to be capable of preventing the G-Man from reaching Gordon. During Episode 1, the Vorts save Gordon from stasis, and for the duration of the episode (and for the first part of episode 2, when Gordon is still under the protection of the Vorts), we don't see G-Man at all. Any actions that Gordon takes is completely free of any G-related meddling. It's implied, therefore, that the G-Man's true origin is a shu'ulathoi.

Breengrub The G-Man - shu'ulathoi ties are made even stronger in Marc Laidlaw's Breengrub account. There, Breen, whose conscience has been transferred to a shu'ulathoi host body (the one he mentioned in a conversation with another combine advisor at the end of HL2), recounts the world of the shu'ulathoi.

Powerfully psychic, they could hatch into any form they wished when they left the larval phase. They are referred to as dreamers and philosphers, a society where ideas are currency. At some point, they fell ill to a parasite, making them weaker and easier to conquer. The Combine did so, and kept the shu'u in their grub phases in order to better exploit their powers and prevent them from fighting back. It's implied that the Combine planted this parasite in the first place. It caused the shu'ulathoi to destroy their own minds and culture.

Breengrub explains that a few shu'ulathoi remain on the home planet, hidden and slumbering. A few were even able to escape the Combine invasion. It's heavily implied that G-Man was one of these grubs to escape the invasion. He hatched into the form of a human, and made his way to Earth, orchestrating the Resonance Cascade in order to bring about the ultimate downfall of the Combine at the hands of Gordon Freeman. His 'employers' are implied to be the slumbering shu'ulathoi that remain on his home planet.

So, that's it, right? He's a shu'ulathoi!

Well, not really. This is a rough draft of what Episode 3 could've touched upon, and this isn't anywhere close to canon, as Marc no longer works for Valve (so stop pestering him with emails!). It's safe to say that whatever they were planning back in 2007 isn't anywhere close to their intentions with the G-Man nearly over two decades later, when they released Half-Life: Alyx. Speaking of which!

Half-Life: Alyx I'd like you to keep in mind that HLA was considered a 'soft reboot' of the Half-Life franchise. Rectons were made, new characters introduced, and Eli got a sick new jacket. We can't exactly apply the old canon to this fresher chapter, but we can make inferences. As you all know, the G-Man was captured by the Combine, five years before Gordon was released from statis. His power was so great that they had to literally heft up an entire apartment block to contain him. We don't see him in person for the majority of the game, but we do see him in the Vortigaunt murals, which depict their enslavement at the hands of the Nihilanth, and the G-Man's meddling in Gordon's fate.

(Fun fact! He was originally meant to be there against his own will. Here's some of the concept art that explored this idea!)

Vortigaunts are used to contain his power, and their own Vortessence is sapped in substations to ensure that he can't escape. Whether this is still referring to the shu'ulathoi theory or just tapping into Episode 1's revelations is still unknown.

Something interesting to note is that Eli mentions that "...whatever's in the Vault really hates the Combine". We've therefore established that this soft reboot of the franchise is more clearly establishing the G-Man's vendetta against the Combine. His hatred for Vortigaunts can also be connected to his imprisonment- it's implied he was tortured with their energy!

Hahn, labelled in the files as 'Contractor', is adamant that they "...move the [Vault]" when it's clear that Alyx is going to set him free. She's also implied to be higher on the Combine pecking order than Breen. Her role in the franchise is, as of yet, unknown, but Erik Wolpaw has told us that they've got 'plans' for her. She's clearly aware of the G-Man's role in the rescas, as well as what he's capable of. Maybe she was present at Black Mesa? Maybe the two have made a deal in the past? Maybe she's simply been told that he's dangerous? We still don't know.

"This is great and all, Narklos." I hear you say, rather loudly, at your computer screen. "But what in the Nine Hells does this mean for his identity?"

Truth be told, my inquisitive reader, this reboot has completely thrown any and all theories we may have up into the air. The nature of a reboot is that anything we may know isn't something we can take for granted anymore. Alyx is now under the G-Man's employ, Eli's still alive, and for all we know, Russell could be the next villain. It's an exciting time for theorycrafters who want to unravel gaming's biggest mystery, but for lore sticklers, it's a bit of a dead end.

With the history of the G-Man's various identities in mind, let's go through some of the most famous (and infamous) G-Man theories from the past 25 years.

G-Man is Gordon from the future This is an earlier theory. Obviously the link can be made between Gordon Freeman and the G-Man's names. A funny theory made by players in the noughties, with not much value behind it.

G-Man is Alyx's grandfather This was more of a joke theory talked about by some Valve developers. It was brought about, most likely, when the players discussed how familial G-Man seemed to Alyx, having saved her as a baby. He also seems to really care for her wellbeing, and implores Gordon to get Alyx safely to White Forest. G-Man also calls Alyx "my dear". While it isn't entirely impossible, considering all we know, this theory is definitely false. Still though, it's a nice little analysis of how the G-Man is capable of expression emotions other than smug superiority and quiet rage.

G-Man is a Shu'ulathoi This one's still the most prevalent theory we have today. It's the one most subscribe to due to the amount of evidence, both from the games and from other sources, that we have to draw from. G-Man was a shu'ulathoi that escaped his home planet after the Combine invaded. His employers are the slumbering shu'ulathoi that remain, safe from Combine meddling. He's orchestrated the events of the series and beyond to get revenge for the destruction of his homeworld and kin. G-Man hatched into the form of a human to fool others, and his psychic powers can be attributed to the psychic nature of the shu'u. His strange breathing patterns are due to the shu'ulathoi being unable to breathe in Earth's atmosphere, hence why they all wear breathing apperatus (and at one point in development, the Combine were meant to be replacing the atmosphere with toxic fumes that allowed the shu'u to breathe). Though we've got the most evidence for this one, considering the direction the series has taken, I wouldn't fully subscribe to this anymore, as there's still so much that we could find out.

G-Man is Valve Again, another early/joke theory. G-Man is the embodiment of the Valve developers, following the player around and putting them into 'statis' (i.e: ending the game) when they reach the end of the campaign.

G-Man runs the Combine Another weird one. This probably came about from the confusion behind G-Man's motives in the second game, and how he never seems to fully help the rebels.

G-Man is a Nihilanth This is one of the earlier theories that I can remember, at least. Because the Nihilanth is such a powerful alien, many speculated that the G-Man was also a Nihilanth in another form. However, this theory fell apart when it was revealed that the Nihilanth was actually the last of its species.

And really, that's all we know. The G-Man has been, and will most likely remain, one of the most famous figures in gaming. Ironic, considering how little we truly know about him. We don't even know his name- the one we refer to him by now is simply what his model is called!

Who's to say what we'll find out in the future? Will we ever get what we're searching for? Do we really need to know? Isn't the beauty of a character like the G-Man that we know enough to guess, but we don't know enough to understand? I'll leave that up to you.

If you've read to the bottom, thank you! Here's a video of the G-Man and Kleiner beating the shit out of each other.

[motorhearted]

PROLOGUE.

{ NEXT. }

November 20th, 1918.

The war is over.

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, everything became still. Germany surrendered and the Allies have won. An armistice has been signed. Many lives have been lost. But it is over.

I am returning to the United States of America with Eugene, but I am afraid we will both be saying our goodbyes to our dearest friend Jean-Joseph. For now, at the very least. He is to remain in Europe and help his loved ones in France. 

I am excited to witness the world in which I was manufactured, for I had no brain back then. I have since been given life in the most extraordinary of ways. Eugene is to remain at my side as we travel through the States, displaying my talents and showing humankind what the automobile is truly capable of. 

It is important to note that at this point these are mostly Eugene’s thoughts and not my own. I have been given an aid to write, but it is the only message I can write until it is replaced. This will be improved in the future, so I may write my own thoughts and say my own words. I hope that is soon. 

Eugene sees a world in which the automobile is just as capable as man, perhaps even superior to man. I will be considered the first citizen of a new age. The automobile will bring peace and prosperity to a world that currently licks its bloodied wounds. 

We will make sure of it.

[mllemaenad]

-it makes my poor European brain hurt just considering trying to cover that much territory, so how come the Brotherhood has outposts everywhere and, with a few exceptions, seem pretty unified in terms of ideology/general nastiness to everyone who isn't them.

Ha. :) The Doylist answer to this is that The Brotherhood are your last minute allies of convenience against The Master in the original Fallout, which means they've cemented themselves as essential to the franchise and have earned themselves at least a cameo in every game since. That, for example, is why they bent over backwards to ensure a version of them appeared in the original plot of Fallout 76 even though there was no practical way to get Roger Maxson's crew out to Appalachia that early.

The Watsonian answer is three part: the first is that they actually aren't unified at all. They're some of the most cantankerous bastards in the entire wasteland. They're incredibly dogmatic, and adhere to a sacred "Codex". Of course, being people, they immediately come up with different interpretations of their sacred text. And, being the Brotherhood of Steel, they can't agree to disagree on the matter – so they have schisms. So many schisms.

The funniest one is in Fallout 3. They have no means of high speed travel at this point, so the group calling themselves The Outcasts schism their way about four streets over to sulk in an old fort and utterly fail to get an old video game working. They also wear darker power armour to show how rebellious they are. I really have no words for how pathetic all this is. It's also really important to them that you understand that you are a wastelander and they are superior beings.

In this case, the argument was that their boss, Owyn Lyons, decided the Super Mutants then overrunning the Capital Wasteland constituted an existential threat to humanity itself and that he should probably do something about that. The Outcasts, led by Henry Casdin, contended that Lyons was way off mission: they're supposed to be hoarding anything you could put a battery in, not saving people from Super Mutants. The sad thing is that, in terms of the most commonly accepted version of Brotherhood dogma, Casdin is probably in the right here.

But usually the groups go further afield than that. The Mojave Brotherhood, in New Vegas, exists because their particular leader, Elijah, wanted to try to research new tech instead of just putting every laser rifle they can find in a broom cupboard (unfortunately Elijah is also a terrible person, so I can't endorse his research - but that's a whole other conversation). The Brotherhood could not handle the conflict, so - schism!

Then there's the big question: do we talk to other people or not? The whole thing is laid out pretty well in the opening of Fallout Tactics, which I found for reference on Youtube. Now I should note that a lot of the stuff in Tactics has been pretty thoroughly retconned. The Brotherhood are not descended from Vault Dwellers, and while I don't know if Vault 0 is still a thing – Vault 31 seems to have replaced it in practice. But the business with the Brotherhood's internal conflict regarding their isolationism seems to now be canon: Roger Maxson, the Brotherhood's founder, references it in Fallout 76.

The main Brotherhood, in California, has traditionally been very isolationist, and just periodically kicks out anyone who doesn't agree with them. It's interesting that they're shown as definitely recruiting outsiders in the TV show but everything in California is pretty clearly on fire at the moment, so it's unsurprising that they're desperate.

Lyons's Brotherhood was sent out, in part, in search of the group they exiled in Fallout Tactics (who are in Chicago, if they're anywhere, not Washington DC, so that mission is going about as well as expected) and are less isolationist.

Which leads me to part two of the Watsonian explanation: the bastards can fly. You probably guessed this if you sat through the eight minute video: they've got airships and vertibirds. The airships aren't surprising if you remember they hail from California: that area has, until recently, been clawing its way out of the apocalypse, so there are resources available to build fancy machines. They've managed to crash them all by Fallout 3, because of course they have, but by the end of that game they (probably, unless the player sided with the Enclave and blew them up a lot) control most of the Capital Wasteland, so they've got the power to hoard and steal their way into building the monstrosity that is The Prydwen.

The vertibirds are, I regret to say, The Chosen One's fault: you steal the plans for them in Fallout 2. This has zero consequences in that particular game so there's no reason to think it's a problem. It's just something you kick yourself for later.

So the Brotherhood gets everywhere because they are one of the few groups with the power to travel relatively easily in the post-apocalyptic world.

And the third part, which builds on that, is that sometimes they're just the same guys.

The Brotherhood of Steel you meet in the original Fallout have cameos in some small bunkers in Fallout 2. They've built a few more installations but it's all still their original stomping ground.

Likewise, the Brotherhood that rolls in in Act 2 of Fallout 4 are the same people you'd have met in Fallout 3: Arthur Maxson appears as a child in Fallout 3, and has brought his chapter in to wreak havoc in the Commonwealth.

The original Appalachian Brotherhood is a dead branch: they were genuinely new people who were wiped out by the Scorched Plague. But their commander, Lizzie Taggerdy, was in direct contact with Roger Maxson. He was the only guy she could get on the phone post-apocalypse, so she signed up with the Brotherhood because it's not like she had anything else planned. Their ideology, in that case, came straight from the original source.

So, there you have it. Brotherhood everywhere, whether you like it or not. And probably Brotherhood everywhere for the foreseeable future, since Bethesda seems to love them.

[pinkestmenace]

Thoughts on Dark Meta Knight

A continuation of 'Thoughts on Shadow Kirby'. This is a long one!

TL;DR: I first talk about his relation to Taranza and Sectonia, then comes the fic I 'accidentally' wrote, then I talk about his (mirror) abilities and relation to Meta Knight (or rather, his inherited memories.)

Have you ever noticed how whenever people talk about the whole Dark Meta Knight/Dimension Mirror/Taranza/Corrupted Sectonia issue, it's always "Taranza must hate DMK so much!" and never "DMK must hate Taranza so much!" or even "Why did Joronia/Sectonia keep a magical mirror that clearly oozed bad vibes?" (Note: I'm neither saying Taranza is a poor uwu boy who did nothing wrong nor that he is evil incarnate. He didn't know DMK was in there nor that the mirror had lingering corruption. I am however saying he was a fool for stealing an important magical artifact! All three were hurt here.) I mean, come on. Sectonia is an individual with agency. You're telling me she just placidly accepted this whole situation and only gets to serve as an "Evil queen needs to die!" and "Woe is Taranza, his beloved is dead!" plot device? She could have been corrupted/replaced by her own reflection! Maybe she was as interested in studying DMK/this weird danger orb in 'her' mirror as he was in corrupting her.

That is, if he did corrupt her. Who's to say he wanted that? Or had the ability to, other than by speaking? We've heard nothing about him having corrupting magic. Besides, what would he gain from it? Sectonia could've already been somewhat unhinged before she got the mirror and this was just the beginning of a domino effect. Remember, the mirror you fight him in in Triple Deluxe seems to be the one that was in the middle of the Central Circle, not the entrance of the Mirror World. That's the one Dark Mind was hiding out in and judging by how destroyed it still looks inside it's also the most likely place for any corruption to linger. (Luckily for the other inhabitants, I'd say. Not so lucky for him or poor Shadow, who in DMK's absence was likely left alone to defend the Mirror World and therefore grew more agressive like we see him in other games. He had no allies and no choice but to learn to fight.) I think that Shadow spawned when Kirby first entered the mirror, but DMK was likely around at least a little longer than that, judging by how he seems to have a pretty good grasp on his abilities already.

So. Since Triple Deluxe is clearly inspired by fairy tales, (Consider the Dreamstalk/beanstalk, a palace in the sky and a wicked beauty-obsessed queen with a literal magic mirror!) why not spin a little tale of our own?

I want you to imagine being Dark Meta Knight for a moment.

Mirror, Mirror, From the Sky — Who's the Wickedest and Why?

Once upon a time a dark force secretly infested your world. Depending on how long you've been around, you either spawned as a flawed clone, or you got to feel yourself being corrupted. You may not even know who you are, other than what the wisps of your inherited memories and skills tell you. Either way, the heydays of good fortune, friends and fair weather are nothing but a burning memory to you.

Dark Mind, the force calls itself and it takes an interest in you, since it could use a strong henchman. Now you have this flaming eyeball breathing down your neck, playing at being your master and ordering you around. Tsch. Do you dance like a pathetic little puppet? Do you plead with it using the fancy words you find on your tongue, but did not learn yourself? Do you obey to save your own skin, or resist and risk having your mind broken and hollowed out further? Do you have it in you to become a double agent? You are a scared toddler who only just learned how to walk. You are a hardened knight who has no patience for this. The armour you wear shows traces of battles you haven't fought. You cling to it in preparation for what's to come.

It sends you to go remove some obstacles. A pink child and your own doppelganger. Fueled by bitter resentment and childish petulance you dare to bend your orders just slightly. Rather than rend the child into pieces, you refract him into four. Rather than sending your doppelganger back to his maker, you lock him in with yours and break the mirror to prevent his escape. (As well as Dark Mind's escape, that is.) Your master is angry. That's fine. You're already wrong and broken and don't give a crap.

Eventually the child and his refractions fix and enter the mirror and your master gives you an ultimatum. Twice it told you to get rid of the brat and twice you have failed! Now, to prove your loyalty you must put your life on the line. Beat the brat. At any cost. Surrender is not an option! You shed the veneer and take out your frustration on the child. But he's too strong. You can feel your body give out! You remember how to beg. "Master, please, I can't take any more!" It's no use. Its fiery gaze scorches you, it widens the cracks in your mind and forces you to continue, miserable marionette that you are.

You shatter and your consciousness fractures. Where did you go so wrong? Why did this have to happen to you? What will become of that strange charcoal child you saw stalking you? You want to go home. That home isn't yours. What does your counterpart think? Like the allegory of the prisoners and the shadows on the cave wall you don't know more than what little you can infer. His flickering gaze is unreadable. There is no cave. You are the shadow. You have no idea what philosophy is.

??? days later you somehow wake up. You get your bearings. You're still in this ruined miniature dimension, but your master is gone. You're alone. Tsch. Figures the brat and your blue bastard of a counterpart would abandon you. What's wrong with them?! (What's wrong with you? Are you really that disposable? Maybe they didn't know you still had life left in you either. Did they mourn for you?) At least the mirror portal is right there. You'll go back to the Central Circle, find something to eat and then you'll plot your revenge against the world that failed to welcome you! You just have to step out...

...into a large bedroom. You look around. Fancy furnishings that would befit a palace. A breathtaking view of the rising sun, which drapes the room in purples and oranges. It hurts your eyes. You look down. A vanity? Where the Shards—

You don't get time to think before a piercing shriek rends the air. You look to your left and see a strange spider-like creature charging at you, wielding twin rapiers! You quickly leap out of the way and draw your own sword.

The woman stops in front of you, clad in a simple but refined silk nightgown, her four unoccupied hands balled into tight fists. She stares you down with her four front eyes. Is this spider as afraid of you as you are of her? She's Princess Joronia, you soon learn. She received the mirror as a gift.

She sympathises with you and offers you a cup of herbal tea to calm your nerves. You've never had tea, (not-you remembers the taste) but by the Mirror's mercy do you know you're thirsty! You accept it, if only to buy yourself time to figure out what's going on and come up with a way to escape with the mirror. The tea soothes you, although it has a strange aftertaste and Joronia's smile is gentle, if a bit too practised. Her gleaming upper eyes gaze patiently into yours. She doesn't drink. You're tired, so tired.

The next day you wake up inside the mirror and try to leave again. Joronia didn't seem so bad. Maybe you can convince her to let you return the mirror! You find it's been magically sealed.

"Oh, don't worry," says 'Joronia' through the glass, her eyes and smile just a little darker and haughtier than they were yesterday, "it's only a safety precaution until we get to know each other better." But months later she still hasn't let you leave with the mirror. Instead, she's been staring into it more and more, fussing endlessly over her make-up and increasingly ostentatious outfits. She laments to you as if you are nothing but a pet she can vent to freely. "Uhuhuhu~! Didn't I look simply unacceptable before? I just couldn't stand my dull reflection. Tell me how gorgeous I am! Then I might even feel generous enough to feed you."

You grow bitter. How trapped you are! Behind you is the ruined hellscape where you were broken and humiliated. In front of you is an increasingly deranged self-obsessed woman who you're forced to ingratiate yourself to for scraps. Tsch! You are caged and seething! The day you find the person who subjected you to this your sword will taste blood! Soon your vibe arsenic joins the maddening sulfuric stench that abhorrent eyeball left behind. Your mind and the mirror grow ever darker in a vicious cycle. It's been years. You yearn for sights you have only seen in dreams. You cannot die.

The reborn and remade Queen Sectonia doesn't care. She's too busy solidifying her power and enhancing her own grotesque beauty to pay attention to the machinations of naughty little strays. Your sharpened tongue pleases her just enough to spare you and coax out news of the outside world. You are her obedient pet. The keeper of her innermost secrets. More loyal than her advisor. You hone yourself and your blade when she's not looking.

So when Sectonia dies and the seal goes with her, you are ready. You don't care who's on the other side. You. Only. Want. REVENGE.

* * * * *

Headcanon time!

I see DMK as leaning into using his mirror abilities, not so much because he wants to prove himself superior to Meta Knight, but because that's something only HE can do. Something he 'earned', not inherited. He wants to be the best at something without needing help.

When he spawned he already knew how to speak, move and wield his sword. Or rather, the second he attempted to do any of these things he 'remembered' how to do them.

Wouldn't it be funny and tragic if so much of his life consists of discovering skills he didn't know he had, that belong to someone who isn't quite him? What surprises will his memory give him today? Amnesiac roulette.

Imagine: he's just idly fidgeting with a sheet of paper and looks down to see he's accidentally folded a perfect little origami crane. He crushes the crane. Tsch. Another skill he didn't earn! (Later he secretly learns to fold something Meta Knight hasn't folded before, just so he can say he made the skill his own. He will deny this.)

He didn't know he had the ability to mend his cape. Yet when he found needle and thread his hands traced the movements with practised ease. He refuses to mend his cape and claims it fits his rough-and-tough aesthetic. (He collects scraps and quilts a cozy blanket for his hideout. He claims to have found it in the trash.)

He comes across a book in a language he has never seen before. He can read it! The contents make little sense to him. He tries writing, but discovers his handedness is opposite to Meta Knight's. Ink smudges his left glove as he adjusts. (It shouldn't matter. He's ambidextrous! Try as he might, he still cannot draw or write with his right hand.)

Infodump about memory function incoming! (TL;DR: there are several types of memories, some about life events, some about sensations or skills.) I hope I can explain this correctly using an example.

Imagine you're going for a stroll in the park. You don't have to think consciously about every movement you make because you already know how to walk. You decide where to go and your brain handles the details automatically. (Procedural memory. This is what let him immediately move and fight.)

You spot someone walking a dog. Your brain goes: "Dog!!!" You don't have to analyse every feature of the animal to know this because the holistic concept of "Dog" in your brain immediately lights up and couples it to the language part of you to remember the correct name. (Semantic memory. This let him recognise the world and understand speech.)

You consider petting it. Your hand experiences the ghost of fur underneath. It just stopped raining, so your nose anticipates the wet dog smell as well. (Sensory memory. He gets whiffs of sensations and tastes he hasn't experienced himself.)

You approach the dog. Suddenly you realise you've seen this dog before! It was last week and when you pet it wrong it snapped at you. You remembered a specific event. (Episodic memory. He didn't get this one and therefore doesn't remember Meta Knight's life. He has to puzzle out what his 'original' is like from the other remembered scraps he got.)

[sweetscarlettangel]

HotD Season 2 Episode 2 Live Watch Thoughts

King’s Landing

Ok so Alicent blames herself

Arbon is distraught

And we're supposed to know who Ironrod is 

Well Otto's idea isn’t bad but it’s very cold hearted

Helaena holding her baby’s blanket 😭 

It’s sad how the first time she speaks coherently on the show it's after her son's death

Here comes Larys with his torture devices

He was a baby 😢 

Honestly Aegon should’ve waited a bit…to see if they got more info. BUT it’s Aegon and he’a not known for impulse control so what can we expect?

Poor Helaena, she's so obviously uncomfortable and having a panic attack

This would’ve been a good moment for Dreamfyre to appear and highlight how Helaena is also a dragon rider 

Dragonstone

Rhaenyra is so clueless sadly

Obviously it's Ser Alfred already antagonizing Rhaenyra…at least a bit of foreshadowing for the future 

And the start of the Daemyra breakdown

I think rn it's important to remmeber it’s only been a few days since the choking incident (and not two years)

And show!Daemon's thoughts on his brother are revealed

At least he’s clinging to the line of it being a mistake

Well, first of all, in the book Mondancer wasn’t big enough to ride at the beginning of the Dance. And, Rhaenyra is showing herself as a bad stepmother — she won’t allow Jace to patrol KL when he’s older and a more experienced dragon rider, but will allow Baela to do so when at this point she’s a more attractive hostage to take after B&C and the confession of Daemon having arranged it.

King’s Landing

The dysfunctionality of Helaegon's marriage. These are 2 people who grew up together, who were forced to marry and have children when they were children themselves. Two people so linked together but who can’t communicate. The tragedy of it all

Dragonstone

Little Aegon and Viserys! Joffrey should’ve been in this scene tho

King’s Landing

Well, Alicent and Criston will both blame themselves

So Erryk vs Arryk is on this episode? Thought it was on the next one

Criston’s delulu — even if the plan worked, Rhaenyra still has 4 sons (one old enough to marry!) and an unhinged husband who would avenge her

Dragonstone

Jace and Baela ❤️ 

"Sometimes I think I hate him" said by Baela, the child of Daemon who was most like him. Baela probably thinks on how they’re alike and how she will have to work to avoid being like him

Jace talking about both his fathers…broke my heart

King’s Landing

Ok, so Aemond in a pleasure house

Being regretful won’t bring Luke back to life or erase the fact that your actions were one of the catalysts of the war

Oh, so Hugh has a sick child — at least we're getting some character development. Hope we see Ulf soon and meet Addam (now that we met Alyn in Ep1). But I thought Hugh was a blacksmith working on DS

Driftmark

Say their names and they shall appear! Alyn and Addam!

I hope we also see Marilda (at least in a flashback if they killed her off). If not, she should be mentioned at least

Dragonstone

Seems like they’re starting to build up Mysaria’s arc

Rhaenyra, the throne wasn’t your birth right. It was something your father promised you, but he never worked to strengthen your position and you barely did so

I hope they won’t have the Rhaenyra/Mysaria interactions be all about Daemon

Honestly, they should have given Mysaria's actress a silver wig. It would’ve helped with Rhaenyra's paranoia later on — was she merely a replacement for Mysaria? Was Daemon still seeing her?

Driftmark

Guess that’s Seasmoke

Foreshadowing for the claiming, I guess

King’s Landing

Could that be Ulf?

Did they seriously hang all of the ratcatchers?

The poor doggo mourning his owner

At least it was Aegon’s decision and not the council’s

Well, Otto at least finally shows some emotion 

Otto must be missing Viserys

Oh, Aegon really believed Alicent’s lies

Tom’s acting = chef’s kiss

Dragonstone

From the silhouette, I thought Ser Harrold was standing with Rhaenyra (hope we’ll see him again)

Will Mysaria prove herself as an ally?

Honestly in both KL and DS, they should’ve found a way to distinguish the twins - a tattoo, a scar, a password, something!

This! This is how B&C should’ve been filmed. The tension! Not knowing what will happen, not being sure which twin is which

This in a Elinda Massey appreciation account…loyalty until the end

Instead of suicide, Erryk should’ve also died in the battle

King’s Landing

Daeron mention!

Ok, Otto can be added to the list of delusional characters

Aegon mourning Jaehaerys 😭 

Are we going to end every episode with an Alicole sex scene?

[x0401x]

I think you should do a post after every Tsurune ep, it's really cathartic to read your thoughts!

If I keep getting messages asking for it, then sure! I’m sorry for being so slow with them, though. Grad school entrance exams are draining away every ounce of my sanity. :^)

I guess this ask means you want a review of episode 5 as well, so here we go! Again, sorry for the wait!

So this episode delivers a lot more of the novel that we didn’t get on S1, such as Kaito and Nanao’s family. I love that we finally got to see their moms and sisters, as well as the fact that they often do get-togethers. Bonus for showing what kinds of pronouns/nicknames they use for each other.

We also get more of the girls’ team being an actual part of the club. Getting a new menu for practice, actively interacting with the boys, helping with prep and cleaning, having screen time doing their own training and officially becoming a team of competitors instead of just... being there.

In the middle of the episode, there’s one more peek at Ryouhei’s house (first one was in episode 2) and at long last, his sister shows up! We only see her back but that’s still something. We’re gradually getting eased into what is probably the second most complicated family of the whole series, and I like that the way KyoAni is going about it is exactly how I’d pictured. Well, more like how I wished S1 was.

Most importantly, perhaps for the very first time in the anime, we got to see Minato thinking about Masaki for no reason. I know this doesn’t sound important, but if I were to pinpoint what Minato’s most frequent habit is in canon, I’d say it’s thinking about Masaki. Whenever Minato is thinking of anything in the novel, Masaki pops right up. That, of course, if he wasn’t already thinking about Masaki to begin with. I don’t remember a single scene from any of the three volumes where Minato is thinking or worrying about something without Masaki hijacking his mind. And it’s never accidental or even incidental. Masaki is one of Minato’s main concerns. He thinks of Masaki about as much as he thinks of his own life. Partly because, one way or another, Masaki is always involved in whatever aspect of his life he’s thinking about. And now KyoAni has given us a small, tiny crumb of that. True allies.

At this point, a good portion of this season feels like a catch-up to S1. Many events of volume 2 are being either omitted or cut out so that there's enough space for the content we didn’t get in S1 to be inserted in this one.

Now, as in every episode, for all the canon-compliant content we get, we get just as much (if not double) non-compliant content.

This episode gives us Nanao and Kaito in a symbiosis. Nanao takes care of Kaito, Kaito protects Nanao. They’re essentially opposites who complete each other. If you take out the OOC-ness, there’s no problem with this choice of narrative... except maybe for the fact that it’s extremely overused. I’ve talked about this before but I feel the need to stress out once again that trying to use formulas that have worked for other series isn’t an effective way to garner more popularity. It actually tends to do the contrary. I do have a lot of respect for the original work’s tendency to avoid that at all costs. Instead, it takes the most common tropes and subverts them. Nanao and Kaito have everything to fall into that commonplace storyline, but the author is having none of it.

Novel!Kaito and Nanao are opposites, true, yet not the kind of opposites who complete each other. Rather, the opposite that completes Kaito is Seiya, but KyoAni is still pretending that Seiya has this exact kind of relationship with Minato instead, so as I mentioned when I talked about episode 4, someone has to fill up that hole. Nanao has been replacing Seiya ever since S1, but I guess KyoAni realized how weird and incesty it looked with it being so one-sided. We only had Nanao obsessively looking out for Kaito in the same way that Seiya obsessively looked after Minato, except there was no deeper reason behind it like there was with Seiya (as in feeling guilty for the death of Minato’s mother). So now this relationship is being balanced out, making it a two-way avenue.

In the novel, Kaito’s been looking after Nanao ever since they were little kids because his aunt asked him to. Nanao had always drawn in the attention of the people around him, and this earned him both favor and disfavor. We’ve seen that in this episode. What we didn’t see, though, is that, because of this, Nanao’s mother asked Kaito to protect him, and the result is that Kaito eventually grew up to be Nanao’s dad. Nanao was well-aware of this and often used it to his advantage. Basically, novel!Kaito is an unwilling “father” with a willing “son” and novel!Seiya is a willing “mother” with an unwilling “son”. He and Seiya have that in common; they’re natural-born caretakers, except Kaito doesn’t realize that he’s in this position. It’s just automatic for him. He’s probably been doing this for longer than Seiya has. That last bit was also shown in this episode, but it was instead presented as Kaito taking the burden on his own accord and compared to Seiya taking on the role of Minato’s watchful eye.

In short, the novel draws a parallel between Kaito and Seiya and uses it as a plot device for their relationship, while the anime draws a parallel between Kaito and Nanao's relationship and Minato and Seiya's relationship. The reason why I'm iffy about this is that it acts as if Kaito taking on other people's burdens is something that he simply does out of nowhere. There doesn’t seem to be much reason for it. With Nanao, we can understand, because that’s his family, but what about him trying to take part of the blame for Minato’s screw-up? This is being presented to us as a habit of his, except with no motive other than “that’s just how he is”.

In the canon, that's not how things go. Kaito does have a lot of concerns regarding the people around him, but as any normal person, he won't break boundaries. If he's not being let into someone else's affairs, he won't butt in, no matter how much he wants to. I dare say that this is a major character trait of his and that is what makes him endearing. He's impulsive as shit, but when he sees that he might hurt someone's feelings or that his input won’t be constructive, he backs off. That’s contra-intuitive for the readers, as we go in expecting him to be the cliche that the anime is giving us, but he isn’t. It’s a pleasant surprise.

And just to put it out there, as far as canon goes, there's literally nothing that Kaito wants more than for Seiya to let him into his personal business. He really wishes that Seiya would share the load with him and that is the main source of his character conflicts in the novels. It sometimes even feels like a parallel to Masaki and Minato, where Minato often makes reluctant mental notes on the fact that Masaki hides a lot of stuff from him. Both Masaki and Seiya are described, from Minato and Kaito’s POVs respectively, as having too many secrets. But that's too gay for TV. A gayness that is worsened by the fact that we never get any explanation for this in the novel. Like, none. Kaito isn't like this with anyone else and the text never goes "it's all because of their strong friendship" on these two. Instead, it gives us a love song as the literal only allusion to their relationship. Go figure.

Can't be having that bullshit in the anime, so change it KyoAni shall. Because anime!Kaito started doing this entirely on his own instead of it being a request from his aunt, we’re getting a different dynamic. KyoAni is adamant about Seiya being Minato’s knight-in-shining-armor (even without him getting the glory for it in this season), and without his presence, Kaito was reduced to an onboxious, arrogant little shit without much personality other than being dedicated to nothing but archery and acting mean to everyone except the teachers in S1. Nanao was there as a plot device in order to make Kaito remotely likable and also so that he’d have some inkling of personality himself, given that most of his lines had gone to Seiya. Yet now he’s here to complement Kaito and vice-versa. In building them like that, KyoAni has turned them into Minato and Seiya, except with a rivalry added to it.

From a storytelling point of view, I find this repetition and lack of creativity to be rather underwhelming. And on a personal level, I still think the way KyoAni goes on about Kaito and Nanao’s relationship is tad creepy. It’s just weird and off-putting to see two cousins mourning so sorely the fact that they’re slowly breaking free from this take-what-you-give system they’ve developed over time. In the novel, Kaito is Nanao’s nanny, sure, but it’s literally just small everyday life things that he does, such as helping Nanao carry heavy luggage or patching him up when he gets hurt during practice. That’s as far as it goes, just like Seiya caring for Minato only goes as far as offering him tea and towels during breaks or nursing him when he gets sick (that, of course, after Seiya has had proper closure from his personal conflicts and stopped being paranoid over Minato’s wellbeing). It’s all pretty normal and chill, fitting perfectly within the scope of what relatives and/or best friends do for each other. And the closest it gets to anything marginally negative is Kaito pointing to Seiya that he’s babying Minato too much while Seiya retorts that Kaito babies Nanao too much, which Kaito is in complete denial about.

I'm also not behind the rivalry between Kaito and Nanao. It totally overshadows the one between Minato and Shuu, and narrative-wise, that's not supposed to happen. It also makes any other sort of rivalry from this point on to feel somewhat repetitive and it doesn't have much of a reason to exist other than cover up for the fact that Nanao and Kaito have no personality otherwise. Besides, it's a contradiction, as far as the boys' skills go. Nanao is a great archer, but he isn't supposed to be able to compete with Kaito. Kaito being the ace is what makes him the oomae to begin with.

Anyway, case in point. I'm not digging this route in the anime, but I’m just gonna turn a blind eye to it. I think we’ve earned a lot of positive stuff from this mess.

Yeah, the flashbacks had some weird undertones. But they were accurate. Everything we got in them after the innitial parts that show the beginning of the duo’s symbiosis is completely in tune with canon. The difference is that we got this in the books in the form of description, while the anime has given us actual scenes, with dialogue and all that. They even include a nod to S1′s drama CD, which elaborates on Kaito and Masaki’s first meeting (something that we also only get in the form of a monologue in the novel).

Speaking of monologues, I like that we’re finally getting some stuff from Nanao’s point of view. In S1, we see very little of him and only through other characters. This time, he’s being his own person and although he’s very toned-down in the anime (just like everyone else, really), that’s still his canon personality. He’s a lot less sparkly than his canon counterpart, but the essence of his character is indeed being presented to us viewers. Add that to the fact that he’s been given his original hairstyle in this season, and there you have it. At long last, it feels like I’m finally seeing Kisaragi Nanao in the anime for the very first time.

Not just that; I feel like we’re also properly seeing his relationship with other characters for the first time. In S1, we basically only got snippets of his relationship with Kaito and that’s it. Here, though, we’ve been getting to see not just a deeper look into said relationship but also him interacting significantly with other characters. The other boys analyzing him and Kaito, looking out for them, knowing them. These boys are on each other's radars. That’s some refreshing shit right there. At last, it feels like we're watching a series about a group of friends. I especially like the emphasis on Minato and Nanao's interaction. Another thing from volume 1 that's being added here. Better late than never.

I gotta confess that every time KyoAni fixes something they left a hole in during S1, it’s as if the fact that something was missing the whole time is being thrown in our faces. It also somehow feels like KyoAni is offering us an apology with each of these little fixes. It leaves a bitter aftertaste, but frankly, I appreciate the effort.

In conclusion, I can overlook the creepy vibes that Kaito and Nanao’s relationship give me in the anime because the pros are worth the cons in my book. But here’s where I draw the line: Kaito being portrayed as violent.

Kaito is described in the novel, throughout all three volumes, as “aggressive”. Because he is. Just not physically. He’s quick-tempered and he runs his mouth when he’s mad, and he’ll go as far as glaring and closing up distance with whoever he’s having a heated discussion with, but never, ever, has he laid a hand on anyone. As far as canon goes, Minato and Seiya are much more likely to throw fist than Kaito. The closest he’s gotten to hitting someone was in a scene where Eisuke insults Kazemai to their faces and he almost loses it, but his arm accidentally hits Seiya’s glasses and knocks them to the floor, which gives him immediate regret. The thing nobody should ever forget about Kaito is that he’s dense and inept, but he has a pure heart.

So Kaito punching his former teammate back in the day? Whack.

Kaito getting pissed during practice and being disrespectful in the dojo? Whack.

Kaito pulling Nanao and Seiya’s collars? Fucking whack, my dudes.

I know that the anime isn’t depicting Kaito like he’s an asshole. Rather, he’s being treated as a reckless kid who takes things too seriously and pushes his feelings and values onto other people. That’s how the novel treats him as well. But the whole point of Kaito is that he seems menacing yet isn’t. He’ll talk shit, sure, but it takes a lot to make him even be willing to physically harm someone. This felt like one of the by-the-book safe-formula things that KyoAni has added to the series because they learned it from Free!, and I’m not a fan of it.

There are things in this episode that I'm a fan of, though. I think the frame composition in this one was especially good. I specially love the way that Kaito and Nanao were placed in all sorts of yin-yang ways on-screen (even though this is something that's supposed to be a Minato and Shuu thing, I'm just taking whatever I can get). But above all, I love the way that Seiya and Kaito are poisitioned in the scenes where they appear together. Finally, the anime is beginning to take a step on closing the distance between them. The physical distance, at least. Their relationship is still nothing like it is in canon, but maybe this is a hint that they will get somewhere near the general area of how deeply connected they are in the books. Maybe.

There's some more stuff that I wanna give my two cents on, but I gotta take a look at the next episodes to make a judgement, so I'll leave just this here for now!

[wesavegotham]

The thing with Batman vs Robin is, I actually like stories in which Bruce frantically tries to rescue Damian (as long as Damian is still written as somewhat competent).

Bruce searching the whole city for Damian when he thought Damian left him to join Nobody? Again when the Arkham Knight had captured him? Or Bruce Chasing Ra's half around the globe when he stole Damian's remains? Fighting the forces of Apokalips to revive him after they took the body? I loved that! I'm here for a complex, overdramatic father-son-relationship that sometimes involves Bruce having to rescue Damian from a villain, I am!

But so far Batman vs Robin just isn't doing it for me.

The first issue was kinda mean-spirited towards Damian and Bruce came off as more annoyed and agressive than concerned. Instead the role of being concerned and protective over Damian was reserved for Alfred. But with Bruce being the one who is supposed to do the rescuing it would have been far more important to set up Bruce's emotional investment in this. Batman is a hero who is often written as wanting to save everyone so badly he will even rescue his greatest enemies, so if you want to make Bruce rescuing Damian seem special you have to do more.

The second issue did a better job creating a sense of urgency and showing Bruce's concern for his son, but ultimately the flashbacks to Damian's time on Lazarus Island aren't there to give Bruce a deeper understanding of his son, they exist to get Bruce and the readers who didn't read Robin (2021) up to speed on who Mother Soul is and how Nezha was freed.

Close to the end of the issue Nezha even openly admits that he thinks of Damian as the perfect tool for revenge against his jailer Batman (even though it should be Clark) simply because he is related to him. It's not about Damian's qualities. Bruce also acknowledges that it's about more than Damian and him. In fact I would say it's not about Damian and Bruce at all. It's about Bruce and Nezha. Nezha doesn't care if Bruce and Damian have beef or not. We see all the other robins fight Bruce in the third issue like Damian did in the first one and most of them are on good terms with Bruce right now.

The role Damian serves for the narrative is not as the second protagonist next to Bruce whose relationship the story revolves around, but as the one tying everything together through his prior history.

Damian killed the Lazarus Demon so Mother Soul (his great-grandmother) manipulates events to make Damian open the tomb to the new demon she wants to ally with. Nezha possesses Damian because he wants revenge against Batman. Batman would want to defeat Nezha one way or another, but Nezha having his son creates a personal stake and this way Nezha can keep Batman busy while he collects magical artefacts and magic users to absorb into the Helm of Fate. Both Waid bringing back Damian's desire to replace Batman is brought back from ages ago and writing Mother Soul giving Damian the Batman 666 suit is probably purely because Waid somehow wanted to tie the other Robins into this, so he made Damian into a Batman to command his predecessors against Bruce. It's about Damian's connections to other characters, but very little about him.

The only thing Damian as a character gets out of this so far is some praise for his competence in fighting his father. Even though he didn't manage to kill Bruce he managed to cut him off his resources in their first fight and Bruce came out of his fight with the robins with several injuries and an empty utility belt. But of course this isn't going to end with Damian defeating Batman (which would end up being held against him anyway in this context), so its not really enough to make me as a Damian fan think this is all worth it. The goal of the story isn't to show that Damian is a better Batman than Bruce. It's about Bruce showing how great he is even under dire circumstances.

[asharinhun]

DWC Day 4 - Children

"Ann'da, could we speak with you?"

The question made Asharin look up from the table to his eldest daughter. Kiela was accompanied by Elyena, and the brief glance the pair shared made him furrow his brows slightly.

"Of course, just a moment." The archdruid stood and walked over to the couch where Serena was reading with Myleena and Aiteus leaning into her sides, the twins fast asleep. Their words were little more than murmurs, and he was on his way back after a quick kiss.

"Girls, is there something wrong?" Asha asked with concern as the trio reached the treeline of the nearby forest outside.

"I wouldn't say 'wrong', it's just..." Kiela started, but growled helplessly as words failed her to properly describe the feeling.

"We are restless. It's not unbearable, we can even put it out of our mind and ignore it for a time, but... it's like an itch we cannot scratch." Elyena added, she was always better with putting her emotions into words.

Asharin outright frowned, he didn't feel anything of the sort, but both of his elder daughters did, so he accepted it at face value.

"Do you have any ideas or guesses..." He started, but sensing the approach of another presence made him pause. It was familiar, and soon enough a figure crested the hill.

"Lyna! It's been a while, old friend." He greeted her warmly as the image of the average kaldorei woman shimmered, replaced by the preferred visage of Lynesera, the green dragon.

Kiela and Elyena said their own greetings, both taking notice of Lyna's peculiar expression when she looked at the pair. If their father picked upon it, he didn't show any reaction.

"Indeed. As much as I like your and your family's company, I still have my share of responsibility for keeping the Emerald Dream safe." The green dragon hugged him with a chuckle, but her expression grew serious. "The reason I actually came is to say goodbye, for now. The Dragon Isles are calling us home, and the dragonflights answered it. Most of them are already there. I know you still don't like spending time in there, so I thought relaying the news in person would be best."

Asharin's eyebrows shot up, but the audible gasps of his daughters were more important than his surprise.

"Can it... is it possible, that we feel that call as well?" Kiela finally asked, the sisters' gaze locked on Lyna.

The green dragon laughed. "Quite so. You know that your mother Alarastrasza was my best friend, of course her children would feel it. Moreso, if we are using mortal relationships, your grandmother is the Dragon Queen herself. I have no doubt."

"But... how would we even get there? We are not full dragons, we cannot simply fly over." Elyena voiced her own concerns. "Could you take us with you?"

Lynesera smiled, if a bit sadly. "I wish I could, but you know the state my wings are in, little ones. My clutchsister was kind enough to offer to bring me along, and is already waiting for my return. But there's another way." She paused, looking at Asharin for permission to continue.

Unease filled the archdruid, but he simply nodded.

"Nothing is easy, and the same goes for our return. A group of proto-dragons and their allies call themselves the Primalists, and they are stirring up trouble. I don't know all the details, but the Aspects already agreed to ask for the aid of the mortal races. One of the expeditions will set sail from Stormwind in... I think around two weeks' time. If you want to come, that is your best chance."

"I've heard of troubles regarding elementals at different locations, but the Circle didn't request my participation, so I didn't investigate further." Asha sighed before looking at his daughters. It was obvious they wanted to go, but deferred to his decision. The incident in Revendreth still echoed in their minds even if more than three years have passed since. He wanted to protect them, to know they were safe... but they were adults and could decide on their own.

"Kiela, Elyena, you are grown-ups, it's time you make these choices for yourselves, I won't stand in your way... though I dare to bet I know the outcome." Asharin smiled, opening his arms as Kiela and Elyena tackled him with cries of joy. "I take it you're going." He chuckled, cupping their cheeks before facing his friend. "Lyna, can I ask you to help these two troublemakers out a little after they arrive?"

The green dragon laughed again with a nod. "I would have done that even if you didn't ask, but I truly have to go now. Safe travels, and we shall meet again on the Dragon Isles." She inclined her head to the family before returning the way she came.

"Ann'da, thank you!" Kiela and Elyena muttered and held him tight.

"Now, now... You two better go and start your preparations for the trip. Just don't forget, no sneaking out without saying goodbyes. You don't want to upset the twins, do you?" He teased, laughing at their mortified faces.

"And even when you're there, never forget that we're just a letter away... and who knows, I might join you briefly at a later date."

Looking at their excited expressions, Asharin couldn't help smiling. Even if they were adults, they were still his children... but everyone had their own path. Supporting them was the least he could do.

"I'm proud of you both... and I'm sure your mother would feel the same."

Kiela and Elyena teared up at that, sharing another hug.

@daily-writing-challenge

[beevean]

Here's a trickier question: between IDW and NFCV which displays the worst amount of favoritism towards their OCs? :P

Of course in NFCV's case we're counting Isaac as an OC

Oh, then NFCV, no doubt. Motherfucker became the true protagonist of the show.

"But Sonic also lost relevance in IDW!" Very true, I did not forget how the main cover of #50 featured Surge, Kit and Starline instead of him. But at least he has appeared in meaningful arcs, although always glued to Tails or other OCs. At least he has had memorable moments, although in the worst of ways. It's only in the last arc that Sonic has felt like he's been included because of obligation, but generally speaking, even when it became clear that the writers vastly preferred their own characters to avoid dealing with guidelines, Sonic still mattered in a way - c'mon bro let's not forget all the horrible morality discourse that came with him. Also, to be fair, IDW is a comic with an episodic format: it's not really meant to have a cohesive theme, it's meant to be a collection of adventures of Sonic & co. The main problem is that "& co" are now mainly OCs.

I have no idea what NFCV is about.

I realized recently that I can describe what the game series is about very easily: "The Belmont family and their allies vs. Dracula, stuck in a cycle of revenge and rebirth". But NFCV? Sure, it starts pretending to be a CV3 adapation, fair; then it starts to be rather unbalanced in S2, where it technically splits between heroes and villains but the villain plotline is far more fleshed out and complex than the heroes sitting in a library bitching to each other... but then in S3 and S4 you have:

Isaac and the real Hector's his character arc about becoming more than a tool, finding agency for himself, and learning to respect mankind

Hector's Torture Porn show

Alucard literally wasting his life away in his old home that his friends abandoned him in, then going to save a random village

Trevor & Sypha doing... hero shit, I guess

The #girlboss council replacing Dracula as the main villains in theory, but in practice being mostly Carmilla "scheming" or going on cliché villain/radfem rants, and Lenore intersecting with the aforementioned Hector Torture Porn show (+ Striga and Morana being kept around for Representation)

exclusive to S4, St. Germain's descent into villainy and Death's plan to completely nullify the whole point of Dracula and Lisa being dead, sticking it up canon's ass

This is too much. No wonder most of these plotlines were rushed to death. Most importantly, which are the plotlines that get the most importance? That's right: Isaac's, the #girlbosses', and the S4 villains. All of them are OCs. The main trio of canon protagonists is essentially put on a bus. (Hector is a special case: he has a fair amount of screentime, but he's not treated like a character)

Hell even S2 was all about how much better the OC villain Carmilla was than canon Dracula and his silly plan! "Oh but IDW did the same!" True, Starline couldn't shut the fuck up about how smarter he was than Eggman. But at least he died before Eggman. And not to forgive how mistreated Eggman is in IDW, but Dracula wasn't exactly better, sitting around all Depressed and apathetic for two seasons until he gave one (1) great fight and then died and then was resurrected at the very end without his iconic hatred for mankind... which is almost like as if Eggman got put on a bus for three years, then returned, then decided to become Mr. Tinker.

IDW is bad, but everything it does to piss me off, NFCV will always do worse.

[greekroyalfamily]

In the 14th of June was 153 years since the birth of HM Queen Sofia of Hellenes Princess of Prussia

Sophia of Prussia (Sophie Dorothea Ulrike Alice, )(14 June 1870 – 13 January 1932) was Queen of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922 as the wife of King Constantine I.

A member of the House of Hohenzollern and child of Frederick III, German Emperor, Sophia received a liberal and Anglophile education, under the supervision of her mother Victoria, Princess Royal. In 1889, less than a year after the death of her father, she married her third cousin Constantine, heir apparent to the Greek throne. After a difficult period of adaptation in her new country, Sophia gave birth to six children and became involved in the assistance to the poor, following in the footsteps of her mother-in-law, Queen Olga. However, it was during the wars which Greece faced during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century that Sophia showed the most social activity: she founded field hospitals, oversaw the training of Greek nurses, and treated wounded soldiers.

However, Sophia was hardly rewarded for her actions, even after her grandmother Queen Victoria decorated her with the Royal Red Cross after the Thirty Days' War: the Greeks criticized her links with Germany. Her eldest brother, German Emperor William II, was indeed an ally of the Ottoman Empire and openly opposed the construction of the Megali Idea, which could establish a Greek state that would encompass all ethnic Greek-inhabited areas. During World War I, the blood ties between Sophia and the Emperor also aroused the suspicion of the Triple Entente, which criticized Constantine I for his neutrality in the conflict.

After imposing a blockade of Greece and supporting the rebel government of Eleftherios Venizelos, causing the National Schism, France and its allies deposed Constantine in June 1917. Sophia and her family then went into exile in Switzerland. Sophia's second son, Alexander, replaced his father on the throne. At the same time, Greece entered the war alongside the Triple Entente, which allowed it to grow considerably. After the outbreak of the Greco-Turkish War in 1919 and the untimely death of Alexander the following year, the Venizelists abandoned power, allowing the royal family to return to Athens. However, the defeat of the Greek army against the Turkish troops of Mustafa Kemal forced Constantine to abdicate in 1922, at which point his eldest son became King George II. Sophia and her family were then forced to a new exile, and settled in Italy, where Constantine died one year later, in 1923. With the proclamation of the Republic in Athens the following year, Sophia spent her last years alongside her family, before dying of cancer in Germany in 1932 at the age of 61.

Sophia's body was transferred to the castle of Friedrichshof, where she rested a few days before being sent to the Russian Church in Florence, where she was buried alongside her husband and mother-in-law. They stayed there for four years until the restoration of George II on the Greek throne in 1935.

After his restoration on the Greek throne, George II organized the repatriation of the remains of members of his family who died in exile. An important religious ceremony that brought together, for six days in November 1936, all members of the royal family still alive. Sophia's body was buried at the royal burial ground at Tatoi Palace, where she still rests today

Στης 14 Ιουνίου συμπληρώθηκαν 153 χρόνια από τη γέννηση της Α.Μ. Βασίλισσας Σοφίας των Ελλήνων Πριγκίπισσα της Πρωσίας

Η Σοφία της Πρωσίας (Sophie Dorothea Ulrike Alice, ) (14 Ιουνίου 1870 – 13 Ιανουαρίου 1932) ήταν βασίλισσα της Ελλάδας από το 1913 έως το 1917 και από το 1920 έως το 1922 ως σύζυγος του βασιλιά Κωνσταντίνου Α΄.

Μέλος του Οίκου των Χοεντσόλερν και παιδί του Φρειδερίκου Γ', Γερμανού Αυτοκράτορα, η Σοφία έλαβε φιλελεύθερη και αγγλόφιλη εκπαίδευση, υπό την επίβλεψη της μητέρας της Βικτώριας,

Βασιλικης Πριγκίπισσας(Τίτλος που κατέχει η μεγαλύτερη κόρη του εκάστοτε Βρετανού Μονάρχη εκτός αν αυτή είναι η Διάδοχος πχ Βασίλισσα Ελισσαβετ Β´) .

Το 1889, λιγότερο από ένα χρόνο μετά τον θάνατο του πατέρα της, παντρεύτηκε τον τρίτο ξάδερφό της Κωνσταντίνο, προφανή διάδοχο του ελληνικού θρόνου. Μετά από μια δύσκολη περίοδο προσαρμογής στη νέα της χώρα, η Σοφία γέννησε έξι παιδιά και α��χολήθηκε με τη βοήθεια προς τους φτωχούς, ακολουθώντας τα βήματα της πεθεράς της, βασίλισσας Όλγας. Ωστόσο, κατά τη διάρκεια των πολέμων που αντιμετώπισε η Ελλάδα στα τέλη του 19ου και στις αρχές του 20ού αιώνα, η Σοφία έδειξε την πιο κοινωνική δραστηριότητα: ίδρυσε νοσοκομεία υπαίθρου, επέβλεπε την εκπαίδευση των Ελλήνων νοσοκόμων και περιέθαλψε τραυματίες στρατιώτες.

Ωστόσο, η Σοφία δύσκολα ανταμείφθηκε για τις ενέργειές της, ακόμη και όταν η γιαγιά της Βασίλισσα Βικτώρια τη στόλισε με τον Βασιλικό Ερυθρό Σταυρό μετά τον Τριακονταήμερο Πόλεμο: οι Έλληνες επέκριναν τους δεσμούς της με τη Γερμανία. Ο μεγαλύτερος αδελφός της, ο Γερμανός Αυτοκράτορας Γουλιέλμος Β', ήταν πράγματι σύμμαχος της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας και αντιτάχθηκε ανοιχτά στην οικοδόμηση της Μεγάλης Ιδέας, η οποία θα μπορούσε να ιδρύσει ένα ελληνικό κράτος που θα περιλάμβανε όλες τις εθνικές ελληνοκατοικημένες περιοχές. Κατά τον Α' Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, οι δεσμοί αίματος μεταξύ της Σοφίας και του Αυτοκράτορα προκάλεσαν επίσης την υποψία της Τριπλής Αντάντ, η οποία επέκρινε τον Κωνσταντίνο Α' για την ουδετερότητά του στη σύγκρουση.

Αφού επέβαλε αποκλεισμό της Ελλάδας και στήριξε την ανταρτική κυβέρνηση του Ελευθέριου Βενιζέλου, προκαλώντας το Εθνικό Σχίσμα, η Γαλλία και οι σύμμαχοί της καθαίρεσαν τον Κωνσταντίνο τον Ιούνιο του 1917. Η Σοφία και η οικογένειά της στη συνέχεια εξορίστηκαν στην Ελβετία. Ο δεύτερος γιος της Σοφίας, ο Αλέξανδρος, αντικατέστησε τον πατέρα του στο θρόνο. Ταυτόχρονα, η Ελλάδα μπήκε στον πόλεμο δίπλα στην Τριπλή Αντάντ, γεγονός που της επέτρεψε να αναπτυχθεί αρκετά. Μετά το ξέσπασμα του ελληνοτουρκικού πολέμου το 1919 και τον πρόωρο θάνατο του Αλέξανδρου τον επόμενο χρόνο, οι βενιζελικοί εγκατέλειψαν την εξουσία, επιτρέποντας στη βασιλική οικογένεια να επιστρέψει στην Αθήνα. Ωστόσο, η ήττα του ελληνικού στρατού έναντι των τουρκικών στρατευμάτων του Μουσταφά Κεμάλ ανάγκασε τον Κωνσταντίνο να παραιτηθεί το 1922, οπότε ο μεγαλύτερος γιος του έγινε βασιλιάς Γεώργιος Β'. Στη συνέχεια, η Σοφία και η οικογένειά της αναγκάστηκαν σε νέα εξορία και εγκαταστάθηκαν στην Ιταλία, όπου ο Κωνσταντίνος πέθανε ένα χρόνο αργότερα, το 1923. Με την ανακήρυξη της Δημοκρατίας στην Αθήνα τον επόμενο χρόνο, η Σοφία πέρασε τα τελευταία της χρόνια δίπλα στην οικογένειά της, πριν πεθάνει του καρκίνου στη Γερμανία το 1932 σε ηλικία 61 ετών.

Η σορός της Σοφίας μεταφέρθηκε στο κάστρο Friedrichshof, όπου αναπαύθηκε λίγες μέρες πριν σταλεί στη Ρωσική Εκκλησία στη Φλωρεντία, όπου τάφηκε δίπλα στον σύζυγο και την πεθερά της. Έμειναν εκεί για τέσσερα χρόνια μέχρι την αποκατάσταση του Γεωργίου Β΄ στον ελληνικό θρόνο το 1935.

Μετά την αποκατάστασή του στον ελληνικό θρόνο, ο Γεώργιος Β' οργάνωσε τον επαναπατρισμό των λειψάνων των μελών της οικογένειάς του που πέθαναν στην εξορία. Μια σημαντική θρησκευτική τελετή που συγκέντρωσε, για έξι ημέρες τον Νοέμβριο του 1936, όλα τα μέλη της βασιλικής οικογένειας εν ζωή. Η σορός της Σοφίας ετάφη στο βασιλικό ταφικό μνημείο στο Τατόι, όπου αναπαύεται μέχρι σήμερα.

[tyrorexdmzapp]

Catch-up wave again- Recut 2/CS Recut (full OCs)

Catch-up wave 2- Recut 2/CS Recut, Part 1

Next up on the catch-up wave list is character sprites for the fantopic recut of the Wii U game with the Paper Mario name, Color Splash. Unlike StSt Recut, which was and still is seen by others as superior to the actual game, CS Recut was just as divisive as its own source material for various reasons (the number and use of past characters, the designs of some newer and even past ones, some added story elements).

While I am proud of what I did with Recut 2 or rather what Recut 2 did with the source material (to the point that the only way I can talk about CS is if it’s the recut, not the original- first time I’ve admitted this publicly, by the way), I also see where the criticism is coming from. This feedback has been taken into account for future fantopics, Mario Story Fruit Shake and Origami King Retold. That said, even those down the middle have tauted certain characters and elements as a good change.

Enough of that, though- here’s some reposted characters, new and redesigned, from CS Recut. Due to how different CS Recut is from the original despite using the same base locations and plot, this will be in two further subwaves- one for the completely new characters, and the other for those who mostly take up the same roles of generic or near-generic and nameless Toads.

THE MEMPHAWKS- A tough bird species, the Memphawks are both tough and wise. Rumors say their strongest member is a champion in the faraway Glitz Pit.

The Memphawks replace around 1/4th-1/5th of the generic Toads, with both unique and crowd-filler characters.

Had Rawk Hawk been used for a specific role in a previous original story, it’s entirely possible these roles would have been filled by a Madame Flurrie-based species instead.

THE VELLBEX- A goat species, the Vellbex are very rare, even in their homeland of Prism Island. Nearly 1/5th of the generic Toads are replaced with Vellbex, most of them unique.

I made this species both to show a more subtle way of including paper jokes (all of which were removed from CS Recut). The Vellbex were also a way to compromise with StSt fans, via making a species based on the memetic Goat thing from the preceding game.

EDWIN- A dashing young Slurple, Edwin’s big on the coinage and suckage power. Though formerly allied with the Musketeers, a misunderstanding due to joining Mario leads to a last conflict of interest.

Edwin takes up part of Justice Toad’s role (the part in Cherry Lake’s first visit), but becomes entirely his own character as the story goes on, though his Musketeer inspiration was D’Artagan...the human swordwielder, not the slug dog. In addition, he takes a large number (though not all) of Huey’s more meanspirited comments and money-focused nature so Huey makes a better first impression while also providing meaningful inner party conflict between more than just two characters.

LOUIS- One of Mario’s biggest fans, Louis the Memphawk knows all about the Great Gonzales, and wishes to help him on Prism Island. Louis himself has no counterpart in the original game. He and his father also reference a certain behind-the-scenes aspect of Mario, one that has become more important with a certain movie’s trailer.

MARIRANA DEEPS- The more carefree of the Deeps Sisters, Marirana doesn’t believe in limits (and neither should you). However, a degenerating relationship with her sister and the appearance of Mario’s friends sway Marirana to travel with them, if only to understand the next step for her to take.

This is the v2 design of Marirana that was used for the 2018 posting of the story. A newer redesign, seen below, was made years later for TOK Retold.

SUEBELLE DEEPS- The sourer of the Deeps Sisters, Suebelle is miffed at Marirana about something, leading her to leave and join with Birdo instead.

As with Marirana, this is the v2 design for Suebelle, with a v3 design made for TOK Retold.

[bkzalopet]

Spike from buffy

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Spike from buffy tv#

After all, he is the hero and the good vampire. In the final episode, Angel expects to save the world by sacrificing his life. He is villain, hero, and antihero all at once. Totally understandable.īuffy the Vampire Slayer is a multi-layered show with many strands that explain its popularity and its following even now. He wants to be good but only sometimes and not yet. He wants to fit in but he just can’t manage it. He wants someone to love him, first Drusilla and then Buffy, but never succeeds in attaining the relationship he wants. In fact Spike remains always insecure, a feeling he covers with a flippant swagger. He certainly never achieves Angel’s almost arrogant level of self-confidence. Yet, when he loses his soul, he becomes über evil. He strides through the episodes like Cotton Mather in a leather coat. But when he reforms, he reforms all the way, becoming, to my way of thinking, a little self-righteous. As a vampire, he has a rep as the baddest of the bad, with no pity or remorse. He is never really happy again.Īngel, on the other hand, never worries about fitting in. His wistful regret for a happy time that has passed really resonated with me. Recalling his experiences with Angel and Drusilla during the Russian Revolution, Spike tells Buffy that it was the best time of his life. He has his own little family and is too scary to be mocked. Transformed to a vampire, he becomes part of Angel’s coven, and for the first time, he becomes part of something. Drusilla (Juliet Landau) seduces him with the promise of love and acceptance. In flashbacks, we see William in a Victorian drawing room, writing really terrible poetry to the fashionable and beautiful object of his desire. Although his love for Buffy endures, he remains Spike, flawed and fascinating.Ĭan’t we all just get along?He never really fits in, not with anyone. Spike tries to change, over and over, but doesn’t succeed. And Riley turns to the vampire junkies, because they need something from him Buffy doesn’t. Angel’s love for her almost costs him his soul. Look at the relationships the romantic leads have with Buffy. He may be fighting an evil vampire one second and making a deal with a demon the next. He wants to be good but he enjoys being a bad boy too much. No one in the gang, not even Buffy, ever trusts him completely, and with good reason. Spike becomes the romantic lead and, arguably, the most important male character in the Buffy world. He never becomes a replacement for Angel, even when David Boreanz (who plays Angel) leaves the show. And a character who is capable of great evil and great good. And his very unexpected truce with the Slayer foreshadows his future, as a semi-regular member of the Gang. Spike’s flash of altruism is explained by his self-interest he doesn’t want the world destroyed. Angel, who has lost his soul with the consummation of his love for Buffy, is trying to raise a demon to destroy everything. As early as 1998, Spike, still an evil force, allies himself with Buffy to save the world. Certainly Spike plays the role of second banana when he is a member of Angel’s vamp group.īut as the show moves forward, Spike evolves into a more complicated character. Spike fills the same role as foil to Angel. In fact, they compete for the title of homecoming queen in the larger high school world. Cordelia serves as the envious, less popular girl, wanting to take Buffy’s place. Buffy is the prom queen and Angel is king. The Buffy world begins in high school and, to some degree, that dynamic continues throughout the show. But for me his appeal is more nuanced than that. Is it because of the appeal of James Marsters and those killer cheekbones? Again, partly. Is he popular because he is the bad boy, the antihero? Partly. Even when he becomes, well, not good exactly, but less evil, and attains his heart’s desire-Buffy-he remains a bad boy. Why is this? Shouldn’t Angel, the brooding vamp who will lose his soul if he experiences true happiness, be the most popular? Spike, after all, is evil. Spike, in fact, became one of the most popular characters on the show and a cult favorite. But he is definitely my favorite and, in my very informal survey, Spike, the vampire who goes from evil to good and back again-and is frequently both at the same time-is by far the more popular. And Spike? Well, “reform” is not a word one thinks of in connection to Spike. Angel, the reformed vampire with a soul, is the hero and romantic lead, a tortured Heathcliffesque character who broods about his evil past. In fact, the names of the two most important male characters would seem to indicate that Spike, whose name sounds like a street tough, is the villain, and Angel, whose name sounds, well, angelic, is the hero.

Spike from buffy tv#

I’m sure this title makes no sense to those souls who have never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired on TV from 1996 to 2003.

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[river-bottom-nightmare]

you know what i’m curious about? jason reacting to dick after red hood.

and by “after red hood,” i mean after he’s become a more of an anti-hero, teaming up with the bats when it fits his convenience, looking out for the underprivileged and lower class of gotham specifically, not turning to killing as his first thought but not shying away from it if required either.

and that’s roughly how the bats are pulling him back into their little universe: it’s not their first priority anymore now that jason’s established himself as someone who uses lethal violence but has still managed to gain the trust of gotham’s people, but they aren’t shying away from how they clearly want him back either. so jason isn’t plugged into the bat’s central mainframe, but oracle passes on knowledge whenever it’s deemed important. and tim made jason a couple of fake ids as an olive branch, he returned it with the keys to a safehouse he never uses but tim may find useful. steph doesn’t seem too terrified of him, cass doesn’t seem to hesitate talking to him. and bruce is awkward and fumbling and manages to completely screw up almost every interaction the two of them have, but goddamnit he’s trying, jason can see that bruce is really, really trying. so he backs off bruce’s neck, knowing that he won’t ever be accepted into the family again, knowing that bruce has made it clear he won’t ever see jason as his son again, but maybe he can establish himself as an ally. someone they don’t trust with their hearts, but they trust with their lives. 

(and jason’s okay with that. he really is.)

the one person that doesn’t sit right with jason is dick.

because the dick that jason remembered from his scattered, ash-blown mind was nothing like the dick he saw parading around the manor.

for one. he was in the manor. jason’s formative years as robin were filled with the most agonizing screams he could ever think of. his father’s drunken yells, the gang boys that busted up far too near jason’s dilapidated little home, the yowls and howls of a thousand voices in gotham city screaming in pain, all of that had nothing on what jason heard. because sure, he’d heard from the people bruce and dick took him to meet that dick was so kindhearted, so good, so passionate. and,,,,passionate certainly seemed to be a word for it. there was nothing more terrifying, thirteen-year-old jason decided, then the harrowing, angry screams of a sober man screaming at someone he loved. because bruce and dick loved each other. loved each other so much that love turned to hate, rolled around until it became black and blue like an ugly bruise, except dick decided to take that black and blue and smear it across his chest so the whole world could see his pain. 

now? now, dick smiled at bruce like a mischievous little boy, corrected his form during spars, pointed out things he missed in the field. and bruce,,,,,acquiesced. he rolled his eyes longsufferingly at dick’s antics when previously, a hint of that humor would have bruce sneering at dick’s childishness that he should have outgrown. bruce corrected his posture on the mat, then struck again calmly. bruce nodded his head at the correction, thanking dick for his insight with a glance and a nod, then carried on with the investigation. that easy trust the two of them fell back on, previously only seen during a combat situation when jason was robin where action was instinctive, was now present in almost every interaction the two of them had. seemingly overnight, bruce had learned to respect dick as an adult, and dick had grown around bruce’s paranoia and obsessiveness instead of rushing straight into it. 

for another thing. he wasn’t joking when he called dick the “golden child.” he’d joked when he was a kid, calling him every iteration of the nickname his team had given him, because in his mind it was ridiculous. over time, dick had warmed to him, though it had taken a while for the man to stop seeing robin every time he looked at jason and started seeing jason. the death and the resurrection and the impromptu swimming lesson in the world’s most dangerous indoor pool had mixed up jason’s memories, but he was slowly getting back flashes of a laugh, a hand on his shoulder. dick teaching him how to train surf, dick taking him out for ethiopian and scoffing at how americanized it was, dick stitching up a nasty gash on his calf. but those incidents were rare, few and far between, and dick knew it. the two of them knew dick wasn’t as perfect as the world made him out to be, and dick shot jason a rueful smile every time he called him “goldie,” because jason seemed to be one of the very few people in the world that got to see how imperfect dick really was. 

when jason was younger, he used to think that made him special.

now, jason couldn’t decide if dick had stopped thinking of him as one of the select few that actually saw dick grayson and not a picture-perfect mask he presented, or if dick had taken a dive in his own personal lazarus pit, only this time instead of anger issues and trauma, he got a fat ass and brilliant big brother skills. the guy managed to connect to cass on a level no one else could, the two of them using their bodies as a language few others could read. he coaxed laughs out of steph even though the two of them didn’t see each other that often. but the biggest change? timothy goddamn drake. his replacement, only you can’t replace a position that never existed in the first place, can you? to dick, jason was only ever a kid he babysat sometimes, someone whose hair he ruffled on occasion and bought hot chocolate for, but nothing more. dick tugged tim into hugs so naturally, jason almost believed they’d been doing it all their lives. dick’s teachings were evident in every fluid line of the kids arms twirling a staff, dick’s influence in his not-as-beautiful-and-smooth yet practiced acrobatics, dick’s mark on the kid showing up even in his ice cream order. tim was dick’s brother, someone that looked up to him with stars in his eyes, someone that dick actively strived to be perfect for. 

the stars in jason’s eyes had burnt up into a supernova of tears the first time he’d met dick, that tiny flame of hope snuffing out immediately as he curled under dick’s harsh gaze and spiteful words.

the thing is, people don’t just change like that. jason liked to convince himself that he’d become someone new, someone different once he came back to gotham, but he knew deep down he was that same scrappy, street-smart kid. jury was still out on whether that little kid had the same inky darkness drenching his soul that jason was covered with now, or if robin’s wholehearted goodness still shone through in the cracks of red hood’s armour. 

dick sure as hell hadn’t been the perfect big brother back then that he was now. he wasn’t the family mediator, translating bruce’s gregorian knot of emotions to something the others would understand. he wasn’t the calm, cool, collected crimefighter with a powerful name stretching out in front of him and the biggest legacy ever created behind him. 

dick was human. he screamed and raged cried and hated and made mistakes and broke like a dying star. this glossy, picture-perfect mask he seemed to have drilled to his face wouldn’t stay on forever. and jason wanted to be there when it cracked.

who even knows what the fuck this was. certainly not me. i was just having some robin!jason feels. 

tag list: @woahjaybird @birdy-bat-writes @anothertimdrakestan @screennamealreadyused @subtleappreciation @pricetagofficial @catxsnow @bikoncon @maplumebleue-blog-blog @sundownridge @iwhumpyou 

[thebiscuiteternal]

Twitter seemed to like these, so I’m sharing them with y’all as well: some of my notes on the family/sect dynamics in the Reverse Nie timeline that may or may not actually end up in fic:

The brothers still have the same mothers, it's just that Papa Nie met Huaisang's mom first in this timeline. Unfortunately, she still died in childbirth and Huaisang was still very sickly when he was small. 

Under the belief that Huaisang wouldn't live long, the elders pestered Nie Haoran to remarry and have a more suitable heir. He found a new wife when Huaisang was two, and Mingjue was born when Huaisang was six. The sect was so relieved to have a healthy, strong, vibrant baby boy that they didn't even wait for the hundred day mark to start celebrating.

Ironically, Huaisang's staunchest ally in the sect was the mother of his apparent replacement. Nie-er-furen came from a noble family in Lanling, where her Nie-like boisterous nature made her the black sheep, especially after her more demure younger sisters found husbands before she did. So she understood very well little Huaisang's discomfort with not being able to be what his family wanted and made an effort to spend some time with him when she wasn’t busy with Mingjue.

She was also very good at falconry and, after discovering his near magical connection with birds, was the one to teach him how to use them as hunters, messengers, and spies. He was crushed when she was killed in a night hunting accident when he was nine and Mingjue was three. While he’s told Mingjue a lot about what a great woman his mother was, he never told Mingjue about their relationship because-

-the brothers actually did not get along well as children. Being a proper Nie with the big personality that entailed, Mingjue attracted people like breathing, and many of them had unkind things to say about his older brother that he absorbed like a sponge. He frequently mouthed off to and/or disobeyed his brother, and while their father might chide him for it, he was never really punished, which only enforced the belief that he didn't have to listen to Huaisang because Huaisang wasn’t anybody important. 

(He would regret having been such a brat later.)

Nie-er-furen and Lan Qiren had originally introduced his nephews to the brothers in the hopes that their quieter personalities would mesh with Huaisang's, only for Lan Xichen to immediately latch on to Mingjue and Lan Wangji to refuse both of them.

Everyone figured Huaisang would get passed over and Mingjue would be made heir, so it was a surprise when Nie Haoran actually started teaching him how to run the sect. Some assumed it was pity or guilt from having written him off when he was little, but in truth Nie Haoran had finally realized that even if he didn't have the physical strength to go on night hunts or fight battles, Huaisang had a remarkably sharp instinct for the other, equally necessary, parts of running a sect.

(Papa Nie did love Huaisang, he just... wasn't very good at showing it. At first he didn't want to get too attached to this tiny weak creature whose birth had cost him his wife and probably wasn't going to make it long anyway. And then he had Mingjue, who was much more like him and therefore much easier to connect with.  I accidentally make it sound like he only took notice of Huaisang once he was useful, but really, he was glad to finally have something that they could see eye to eye on. Had it not been for his own murder, he would have been the most enthusiastic supporter of Huaisang’s education.)

An anon on my retrospring pointed out that they sound very much like Stoick and Hiccup from the How to Train Your Dragon movies and yeah, that’s about the right vibe.

Nie Haoran's sickness vastly improved the relationship between the brothers because Mingjue finally realized that, despite all the disrespect and snark he'd given his older brother, Huaisang still loved him and would even face down their insane father to protect him.

The sect elders, the head healer, and a handful of senior disciples all know that Huaisang was the one to finally euthanize his father after Nie Haoran's saber shattered and he went mad. It in fact gave them more respect for him, as it proved that he was willing to make a personally devastating decision for the good of the sect as a whole. All the same, many of them considered him just an interim leader, keeping the throne warm until Mingjue came of age, and they were relieved when he presented the plan to abdicate once Mingjue was twenty.

Even though everyone expected him to fail and the other sect leaders (save Lan Qiren) made things especially difficult, Huaisang really did try his very hardest to take care of everyone, not wanting Mingjue to inherit a crippled sect. Had it not been for his spy network and strategies, they would have suffered a lot more during the war (and Mingjue is acutely aware of this, which makes it all the more uncomfortable when people act like his battlefield presence is the only reason the Nie did as well as they did.) 

Huaisang never intended to hold on to power permanently. The extension of his reign was a side effect of what rebuilding they had to do (see again: his desire not to dump a struggling sect on Mingjue). Had he lived long enough, he still would have handed over the sect and gone traveling, primarily to keep anyone from thinking he might be sticking around to use Mingjue as a puppet ruler.

One big question no one seems to have an answer for (since the man in question is now dead) is whether Wen Ruohan had an actual interest in Huaisang or was simply being a prick because no one else would stand up for the boy and he enjoyed the power. 

Both.

It was both.

His interest was mostly in the same manner as one would enjoy fine art, and he would have been happy to claim Huaisang as a palace “decoration”, with the insult to the Nie sect and the implied threat to the rest of the sects being a nice bonus.

Huaisang nonetheless did attract a handful of other suitors when he first started out as a sect leader, but they quickly learned pursuing someone the leader of the Wen sect had his eye on was a bad idea. (Huaisang took note, however, that no one resumed interest once Wen Ruohan was dead, so he assumed it was just the novelty of his position, not any attraction to him.)

While Huaisang and Meng Yao considered themselves lovers (as did Mingjue), they were so extremely low-key about it that it could have been easily denied for Meng Yao's protection, since he would have been the one to bear the social brunt if they were found out. They never even got fully intimate before Huaisang's death and revival, though they sometimes shared a room for other reasons. Once Meng Yao became Jin Guangyao, Huaisang assumed (incorrectly) that he had moved on and they weren’t anything anymore.

Retconning a previous post: During the war, thanks to his brother's spies, Mingjue went to Langya early because a turncoat had been discovered. 

Incidentally, his presence prevented the murder of the Jin captain as he basically told Jin Guangshan that if he couldn't figure out a use for someone as bright as Meng Yao, the Nie sect would be more than happy to take him back. This promptly got Meng Yao pulled away from cleaning up battlefields and back into a more suitable logistics position, because like hell Jin Guangshan was going to hand those annoying brutes any kind of advantage. (Once Mingjue started listening to his big bro, he picked up a few sly tactics of his own, you see.)

[somewhatgreatexpectations]

Just the Two of Us (Wanda Maximoff/ Reader)

Hello everyone! I am so excited for you to read this part. I hope you enjoy!

Songs used are "Open Arms" by Journey (1982) and "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. (1980).

Summary: The situation in Westview is slowly beginning to unravel. Will Wanda be able to fix it before everything falls apart? With some surprise guests.

The family was all gathered in the living room as Billy demonstrated tricks he and Charlie had spent the afternoon teaching Sparky. The moment was perfect. Well… almost perfect. Even though Wanda was grateful that the twins were happy, she couldn’t help the longing that was burning in her chest. There was a limit to the happiness that she was capable of feeling when the most important piece was missing.

You.

Wanda could see that you were becoming skeptical and that skepticism was causing you turmoil. That was the last thing she wanted. Which is why she made the decision to send you to work as a distraction. As much as it wasn’t what she wanted, she could handle being separated from you temporarily if it meant that your skepticism wouldn’t grow into resentment.

Wanda knew that she had to smile through the hurt. Even if the smile didn’t match the way she felt inside. She was determined to protect the twins from seeing anything other than a happy image - she couldn’t bear the idea of hurting them as well.

“That was amazing, Billy!” Wanda praised excitedly as she leaned over and scratched between Sparky’s ears. “And you weren’t so bad either, Sparky.”

Charlie rushed over to her brother, nearly bouncing with excitement. “That was so cool! Where’s Momma? We have to go show Momma!”

The way the twins immediately wanted to include you in the moment tugged harshly at Wanda’s heartstrings. “Oh, she-she’s at work!” Wanda stuttered out nervously just as the twins were getting ready to run into the other room.

It was clear that her words puzzled the two when Wanda was met with matching looks of confusion. “It’s Saturday…” Billy said wearily.

“No, it’s not. It’s Monday.” Wanda countered quickly in hopes that they would drop the subject.

Charlie shared a look with her brother. “But, Mom, this morning it was Saturday.”

For a moment Wanda cursed herself for having such intuitive children. “There was an emergency at the office and your mother had to go in. End of story.” The twins exchanged worried looks. She sighed. Maybe it was time to try honesty. “Don’t worry, you two. She just… She needed a distraction.”

“From what?” Charlie questioned, her eyes beginning to shimmer with disappointment.

Billy looked at his sister for a moment before turning dejectedly to Wanda. “From us?”

For a moment Wanda was sure she could hear the sound of her heart breaking as she watched the way Billy and Charlie’s faces crumpled with hurt. She swiftly rushed over to gather the twins in her arms. “No! No way! She loves you both so much.” She reassured them as she rubbed their backs. “She needed a little break from me, not you. I promise.

Wanda gently led them over to the couch and took a seat between them. “Sometimes your mother and I aren’t on the same page, but that’s okay. I know it’s just temporary because at the end of the day we will always love each other. Love isn’t always perfect, but it’s always there through every up and down. It’s there even when we fight.”

Wanda wrapped around each of the twins. “Like you two may sometimes fight over toys, but you will always love each other because he is always going to be your brother.” She affectionately stroked Charlie’s hair before turning to Billy and doing the same. “And she is always going to be your sister… Because family is forever.”

Billy and Charlie leaned into Wanda’s side, seemingly content with her explanation. Wanda breathed a sigh of relief that she was able to ease their minds. “Do you and Momma have siblings?”

The question was unexpected and as much as she tried to control it, Wanda couldn’t help the lump that built in her throat. “We do. I have a brother and Momma has a little sister. They’re far away from here.” She closed her eyes for a moment to control the tears that welled in her eyes. “And that makes me sad sometimes. I know it makes Momma sad too.”

The somber moment was interrupted by the sound of Sparky barking at the front door which distracted the twins. Wanda took advantage of the distraction to collect herself. “Sparky, what’s up, boy?” Billy called after the dog.

“Something’s scaring him.” Charlie worriedly leaned over the back of the couch to watch Sparky and Billy replicated the action.

Wanda’s eyes widened slightly with a realization that she kept to herself. “Stay here.” She instructed the twins as she rushed to the door, accidentally letting Sparky out.

The twins rushed up when they noticed the dog run outside. “Sparky!” They called as they followed after Wanda who hadn’t realized that they had followed her out until it was too late.

When she noticed the drone hovering above her, Wanda stepped forward in hopes of keeping it away from Billy and Charlie. “Wanda, this is Captain Monica Rambeau. Can you hear me? I just want to talk. That’s it.”

All Wanda could think of in that moment was protecting her family. That need grew when she faintly heard a voice she loathed float distantly over the sound of the machine. “Disregard. Take the shot.”

______

Anger wasn’t an emotion Wanda felt often, but in that moment the anger circulated so intensely through her body that she was almost certain it would consume her. When threats were made against her she could live with them.

When the threats were made against you or the twins, there would be no forgiveness from her.

The anger only made it easier to open the wall of energy she had created as she marched forward determinedly, not even flinching when she realized there were various weapons aimed directly at her.

When Wanda was close enough she threw the mangled machine at the feet of the man she despised. “Is this yours?” A small sense of satisfaction filled her as she watched the man take an involuntary step back.

“The missile was just a precaution. You can hardly blame us, Wanda.” Hayward said calmly, though his eyes flickered with irritation.

Wanda flexed her hands slightly as she fought to maintain control of her emotions. “Oh, I think I can. This will be your only warning. Stay out of my home.” Came her steely reply as she stared unflinchingly at Hayward. “You don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.”

Hayward’s hands clenched at his sides. “It’s not that simple, Wanda. You’ve kidnapped Y/n Y/ln’s body and have been manipulating her to do your bidding. Y/n’s wishes were-”

Wanda’s jaw clenched. “Keep her name out of your mouth.”

“-to remain under our care. Y/n is a weapon and a danger under your manipulation. She needs to be back under our supervision. To pass away peacefully like she should have when you took her.” Hayward pushed on, his tone condescending. Hoping to push Wanda to the point of reaction.

Again, Wanda flexed her fingers, her willpower fading quickly. “Don’t talk about her like she’s an object. Don’t talk about her at all.” She gritted out. Her eyes gave away the fact that Hayward had gotten to her as they watered ever so slightly. Hayward smirked in satisfaction.

He held up his hands as he feigned innocence. This was only after seeing the way the other agents began to look at him. Hayward was supposed to be most worried about the citizens of Westview not you. “You’ve also taken an entire town hostage.”

“I’m not the one with the guns, director.” Wanda retorted sharply.

Monica stepping forward caught Wanda’s attention. “But you are the one in control.”

“You’re still here.” On reflex, red wisps began floating around Wanda’s fingers. Her patience hanging by a thread.

It was clear that Hayward was livid as Monica took control of the situation. “Wanda, I didn’t know those drones were armed, but you know that… Don’t you?” She continued forward cautiously. “A town full of civilians and you, a telepath, brought a S.W.O.R.D. agent into your home. You trusted me to help deliver your babies. You allowed me to create a bond with Y/n. On some level you know I am an ally. I want to help you.”

Wanda couldn’t help but falter slightly, though the red energy that danced under her fingertips flashed menacingly. “How? What could you possibly have to offer me?” Her voice was quieter, the accent even more pronounced than it was moments before.

Monica took another cautious step forward. “What do you want?”

The moment was broken the second the question was asked. She knew what she wanted. Nothing would replace that. “I have everything I want… And no one will ever take it from me again.” Wanda’s gaze shifted to Hayward, her stare unwavering. Challenging.

With a flick of her wrist all the weapons that were directed at her shifted to Hayward. Wanda walked away with contentment as she listened to Hayward’s panicked shouts to stand down.

The only thing that slowed her down was the sound of heavy footsteps rushing in her direction. “Wanda!” The surprise of hearing the familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

As soon as she turned she met the eyes of Steve Rogers. He stood a few feet away from her, his hands raised slightly as though were approaching a wounded animal. “Wanda, you have to stop.” Wanda’s eyes glistened with contained emotion. “Let’s talk about this.”

“What is there to talk about? Y/n is safe here.” She tilted her head a small frown on her lips. “Don’t you want that for her?”

Steve’s eyes flashed with indecision. Wanda knew he understood the desire to protect you more than anyone. “Not like this.”

There was a subtle shift in her posture as she began shutting down once again. The willingness for conversation ending. “This is the only way.”

“There is always another way.” Steve said determinedly. “Let everyone go. Let her go.”

Wanda’s jaw clenched at Steve’s words. The conversation was over.

Wordlessly she raised her hands, so they hovered before the barrier. “I’ll never let her go. Not again.” Before Steve could utter another would she opened the barrier and stepped through. When he rushed forward to follow after her, he was forcefully thrown back.

As he was standing, Natasha ran over. “What the hell just happened?”

Steve winced as he held his aching side, his eyes never leaving the place Wanda just walked through. “She didn’t listen. When I tried to follow her, she stopped me.”

Natasha stared up at the flickering red wall before her. “Let’s hope we get another chance.”

_______________

The walk home felt longer than usual.

Not that I can even remember how long the walk was before today, you thought to yourself in frustration.

Even though your heart had stopped racing, your thoughts were a disaster. The terror that you saw in Ellie’s eyes kept looping in your mind, leaving behind a residual fear that coursed through your veins. Nothing you did could shake the image as you felt your chest begin tightening in a panic and your palms begin sweating.

In a bid of desperation, you began tugging at the collar of your shirt as it became increasingly more difficult to take in air.

The unexpected sight of the twins and their heartbroken expression quickly grounded you as you managed to take in a few deep breathes. Your worries didn’t matter if one of your loved ones was in distress. “Bring him back, Mom.” You heard Charlie beg Wanda who was kneeled in front of them with a troubled expression.

Your brows furrowed as you came to a stop beside them. “Bring who back?” The twins rushed forward and hugged you as soon as they saw you. Wanda stood up, taking a shaky breath.

The question was answered when you looked over at a teary-eyed Agnes and a small bundle wrapped in her arms. Your heart ached at the sight. You kneeled down and held the twins as you attempted to push back your own tears.

Glancing up briefly, you couldn’t help but noticed Wanda’s pained expression. Her eyes were conflicted. Almost as if she wasn’t sure if she could join in the embrace with her family. The fear that was still racing in your mind froze the words of comfort on your lips.

Instead you dropped your gaze to the floor and pulled the twins in closer.

______________

It wasn’t until hours later that you were finally able to get a moment alone with your wife. You found her organizing as you made your way into the kitchen. “How are the twins?” She asked worriedly.

You pushed a weary hand through your hair as you contemplated your answer. “Well, heartbroken. That’s to be expected since they lost Sparky in such a tragic way… but they’ll be okay.” A tired sigh fell from your lips. “If I’m being honest, I’m a bit shaken up about it too. We only had him for a day, Wanda. How does that even happen?”

Wanda stepped closer to you as her hand hovered over your shoulder, hating the tension that lingered in the air. Hating the fact that she even felt hesitant to comfort you. She dropped her hand to her side. “I- Are you okay, Y/n?”

You leaned back against the counter as you finally lifted your eyes to meet her gaze. You ignored the question. “Something happened with Ellie today.” You could feel pressure begin building in your temples. “Something happened with the computer and-and I saw her.”

Wanda turned and busied herself with organizing the basket of toys. “Well, I’d hope so. She is technically your boss.” She said in a joking tone. Nothing about her posture indicated there was anything light-hearted about how she was feeling.

“No, I saw her. In my mind, not in Westview.” You paused slightly, and you noticed Wanda falter as well.

When Wanda turned to face you, there was confusion clouding her eyes. “Wait, how did you see her if-”

Her words didn’t register as you continued on. “Her personality had completely changed, Wanda. She said someone is in her mind - she was in pain.... Please, tell me you’re not doing this.”

A forced chuckle fell from her lips. “Y/n...” She walked over to you and gingerly took your hand. “Listen, can we just-”

“Share a kiss and move on to the next day?” You interjected with a quirked eyebrow. The frown on your face caused Wanda’s own smile to falter as she turned away from you again and moved out of the kitchen. “Turn in for the night so you can reset our world again?” You pressed as you followed after her.

Wanda spun around to face you, her eyes wide with disbelief. You continued before she could utter a sound. “You can’t control me like you control them, Wanda.”

Her eyes remained locked on yours and you watched her eyes flash challengingly. “Can’t I?”

Just then the sound of music filled the room around you. Wanda began walking away and your head fell as the lyrics floated from the radio. You braced yourself for what you could only imagine was to come next.

“Now that you've come back, turned night into day, I need you to stay.”

The soft music playing in the background lulled you into a trance. The safety you had created in this moment on the roof of the compound prevented the outside world from existing. On this roof all your worries faded away. All that existed was the music and-

“If you could have been anything, what would you have chosen?”

It was a surprise to hear her speak. Most of the time Wanda would just sit next to you without saying a word - always keeping you at arms distance. “I don’t know. This? Saving the world is a pretty sweet gig.” You mumbled distractedly in a playful manner as you watched the clouds move through the sky above you.

Wanda pushed your shoulder lightly in annoyance. You struggled to ignore the way your skin burned under her touch. “I’m being serious, Y/n.”

You smirked, eyes still locked skyward. “So am I.”

From the corner of your eye you could see her frown slightly. Guilt overcame you when you realized she was finally trying and you were shutting her down. “A writer.”

“What?”

“If I was normal and could have lived a normal life, I would have been a writer.” You explained, sitting up and crossing your legs. Wanda mirrored your position. “It would have been interesting to be a novelist with an editor and dealing with signing with publishers, you know? Or a news writer who creates interesting articles.”

Wanda played with her fingers. “I didn’t know you were a writer.”

With a short shake of your head, you answered, “I wouldn’t say I am. Remember this is all hypothetical. The life I’d have if I was capable of living a normal life.” You finished with a light laugh.

While she didn’t laugh along with you, a small smile spread across Wanda’s features. The rare sight took your breath away. “It’s a shame we’re so far from normal.”

Your eyes stayed locked on hers as she tugged at her sleeves, her lips still quirked up faintly. You smiled at the sight. “I don’t know. It’s not too bad.”

“Stop, stop, STOP!” You shouted, the music abruptly shutting off and filling the room with static. “That’s- I don’t know what any of that is! It’s not mine!” You shouted, pressing your palms into your temples. Wanda’s eyes glimmered with an emotion you didn’t recognize

Another song began playing.

“Good things might come to those who wait, not for those who wait too late. We gotta go for all we know-”

“-just the two of-” Your singing was brought to an abrupt end when you saw flames coming from one of the pots on the stove. “No, no, no!”

A loud curse fell from your lips as the fire advanced even further from your attempts of salvaging the dish. “Y/n! What-” Hurried footsteps rushed into the kitchen of the compound. Wanda’s eyes widened when she took in the sight before her. Without a word she ran back out of the room.

“Thanks for all the help, babe!” You shouted sarcastically as you hurriedly began filling a bucket with water.

Before you could finish filling the bucket, Wanda ran back in with a fire extinguisher and doused the fire in seconds. “You were saying?” She turned to you with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk.

Sheepishly you rubbed the back of your neck. “Thanks.” You mumbled.

“When we get our own house, you’re not allowed to cook.” Wanda said with a laugh.

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Our house?”

A deep pink hue spread across Wanda’s cheeks. “Well… yeah. Someday. If that’s what you want.”

Her words made your heart flutter. “I mean, we’ve only been dating half a year, but yeah... I see it too.” You smiled at her adoringly. “What else can you tell me about our future house?”

Wanda’s gaze bashfully fell to the floor, you found the action endearing. “It would be in a nice little neighborhood with friendly neighbors.”

The fact that she had thought of spending her future with you only made you fall all the more in love. “With plenty of space for our children to play.” You added.

Her cheeks flushed even more with your words and the smile that lit up her entire being was blinding.

You’d be glad if that was the last sight you ever saw.

“You picture having children with me?” She asked shyly. You nodded, and her smile grew even more. “How many do you imagine?”

“Two.” You replied easily. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought of your future with Wanda as well.

She stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on your lips. “That sounds perfect.”

“Enough!” You roared, pressing into your temples even more as you desperately took ragged breathes to calm yourself. The moments that were attached to these songs all flashing in your mind at once. You still didn’t recognize any of them.

The radio crumpled in on itself in your frustration.

Wanda’s eyes widened in surprise at your sudden outburst, it was clear that you were teetering dangerously on the edge of something she couldn’t control. “Y/n. I think you should get some rest. I’m going to go to bed. Come up when you’re ready.”

The racing of your mind worsened as you watched Wanda turn away. “No, Wanda, we’re not done here! What are all these things I’m seeing?”

Wanda’s brows furrowed in genuine confusion. “What things?”

You wearily approached your wife, feeling your palms begin sweating anxiously. You dug your nails into your palm to distract yourself from the fact. “I want to believe that this…” You gestured vaguely around the room. “Was all subconscious and you weren’t aware of what was happening.”

“Aware of what?” Wanda said in annoyance as she turned away.

Again, you followed after her. “What are all these moments? What does Ellie have to do with them? Ellie is a real person, Wanda, and she’s scared! Scared because you are controlling her!” Your chest tightened. “Why did I see her in my mind when I’ve never seen her before Westview?”

Wanda spun around to face you. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She shouted back, matching your tone. Her frustration boiling over.

“Stop lying to me!” You screamed as the tightening in your chest became almost unbearable. The floor beneath you began to splinter and your hands tensed slightly.

The familiar red wisps began flowing from Wanda’s hands. “Y/n. This, all of this, is for us. For you. So, please, let me handle it.” She gritted out through clenched teeth as the frustration became more and more evident on her features.

“What are they, Wanda? Why can’t I remember anything before Westview? What even exists outside of Westview?” You demanded as the floor began to splinter even more.

The quiver of Wanda’s lips was subtle, but you caught it. “You don’t want to know, I promise you.”

Your hands flexed in frustration. “You don’t get to make that choice for me, Wanda!”

Pain flooded Wanda’s eyes as she turned away from you. The fight in her fading. “You’ve never talked to me like this before.”

The breathes you were taking became more ragged. “Before what? I can’t remember my life outside of Westview! I don’t even know who I am!” You clutched desperately at your chest. In that moment you were sure that your heart was about to burst through your chest. “I’m scared, Wanda.”

Seeing the obvious distress you were in grounded Wanda as she cautiously made her way over to you, gently pulling your clenched hands away from your chest. “You are my wife. You are Billy and Charlie’s mother. Isn’t that enough?” She pleaded as she smoothed her thumbs over the back of your hands.

For a moment your heart rate slowed. You couldn’t tear your mind away from your troubled thoughts though. “If Ellie is under some trance does that mean others are as well?” You questioned in a more subdued tone.

Wanda tore her hands away from yours in disbelief as she stormed away from you. “Do you really think I am controlling everything?” Your brows furrowed as she pushed forward. “That I am somehow in charge of everybody in Westview? Walking their dogs? Taking out the trash? Getting them to work on time?”

An exasperated laugh fell from her lips as she pushed a hand through her hair. You worriedly watched the way tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know how any of this started in the first place.” Wanda insisted, almost as though she was pleading with you to believe her.

All you wanted to do was comfort her when you realized the turmoil and anxiety that she also seemed to be feeling.

You hesitantly kneeled before Wanda and placed a gentle hand on her leg. “Wanda, what you’re doing here is wrong.” She buried her face in her hands and your heart ached at the sight. “It’s wrong, but we can make it right.”

Before she could answer the doorbell sounded. Your hands fell away from her. “I didn’t do that.” You set your lips in a line but didn’t respond. “You don’t believe me.”

A heavy sigh fell from your lips. “Wanda, I want to, but… the timing of the interruption seems a little too perfect. Just like everything else.”

The doorbell sounded again, and you were sure you felt your heart break when you saw her blink back tears.

Without a word, she stood to answer the door. When you saw Wanda was frozen at the door, you cautiously stood and began making your way over to her. “Wanda, who-” you stopped short when you saw an unfamiliar man in the doorway.

“Long lost bro get to squeeze his stinkin’ sis to death or what?” The unfamiliar man asked playfully.

Wanda stared at him as if she was seeing a ghost. “Pietro?” You watched apprehensively as the two shared a hug.

When Pietro pulled away, he lightly nudged Wanda. “You caught a babe, sis. I’m impressed.” Wanda seemed to still be in too much shock to react as he leaned out the door, “Hey, kid! Come out! I think there might be someone you want to see here.”

A moment later a young girl wandered into the entry way. “Y/nn.” The girl quietly whispered and while you couldn’t seem to remember anything outside of Westview you knew there was only one person who called you that.

“Anna…” You breathed out through a choked gasp. Suddenly it felt like your legs stopped working as you fell to one knee and then the other. Wanda rushed over to you.

.

.

.

A soft gasp filled the quiet room. “She re-cast Pietro and brought back Anna.” Darcy said in shock as she watched the scene unfold on the small screen before her. “What a twist.”

“That’s not Anna.” Steve said as crossed his arms. “Anna was only six when Hydra took her from Y/n. This girl is a teenager. I helped Y/n bury her sister. I don’t know who this is.”

Natasha shook her head. “It looks like everything just got a lot more complicated.”

With a cough, Darcy nodded overzealously. “Right. This is a terrible situation.” She turned away from the two Avengers slightly. “Even if it makes good TV.” She added under her breath.

Both Steve and Natasha gave Darcy a disbelieving look as the credits rolled on the small screen before them.

And we have concluded with the 80s! A lot happened here but I'm actually really happy with how it turned out since I feel like it's beginning to take it's own shape. Chaos has ensued!

Annnnyyway... I hope you all enjoyed this part and are seeing the little depths of reasoning behind a lot of what Wanda is doing. As always, thoughts and comments always welcome! Reading your responses is always the highlight of my day. :)

P.s. if anyone wants to be on the taglist for "As it Was" let me know!

Taglist:

@theofficialzivadavid @tquick99 @wandamaximoffpuppy