#and the mess is billions upon billions of timelines

[west-tokyo-incidents]

"We have to defeat Dunstan!"

Garion's eyes slowly blink. He knows this song and dance.

It's like this, every time. If a timeline gets this far without an alteration, this is always where it leads. So few actually stayed on the straight and narrow good vs evil. Which makes sense, humans rarely, if ever, believe in a truly black and white.

He was lounged out on a low concrete wall, the good douji having their gathering in the small courtyard of the abandoned hospital.

He redirected his eyes from them, spinning his cane in his hand boredly. Trickery's parrot voice giggled, and spat out a mockery of them.

It incited anger in the young man who was the master of the Ultimate Good. Garion just kept quiet as his douji heckled Yamato.

"That's enough, Trickery." His voice is sharply stern, "Help me up." The mimic douji snapped his jaws shut, returning to his master's side. Garion holds an arm out and Trickery pulls him to his feet. His bad leg has gone weak, sitting on the hard surface, and he leans heavily on his cane. He knows the others have noticed his change in attitude, and doesn't plan to stick around long.

"Well, you all have fun on your wild goose hunt. I think I'd rather spend my time with more reasonable people." He put on a smile and waved a hand before beginning to walk away.

"It's the only way we can end this crap! Unless you have a better plan!"

Fury shoots through Garion and he has to stop himself, knuckles going white around the snake head of his cane. Trickery flicks his eyes between his master and Yamato. Garion takes a breath, steadying himself. As he turns around, the happy, nonchalant, almost dopey smile is back in his face.

"Oh, no, Mr. Yamato, don't mind me. You have your fun trying to defeat a man who's omnipresent and able to change timelines at will. You enjoy that. I'll simply have no part in it." He waves a hand dismissively. Though he can tell they know something deeper is in his words, he doesn't care. The deviation will soon tear them away from that plan entirely. It's only a matter of time.

He turns to continue down the road leading away from the hospital and back to his car. Trickery is skipping along beside him, giggling, "Dunstan makes you really mad, huh?"

"Yeah..." A sigh, "Yeah, he really does. Let's go check on Vice, hm? I wanna see how close he is to making Paresse snap now." He opens the driver's door and slips in.

"Oooouh, yeah!! Should be any time now." Trickery never opened the passenger door, but is sitting there beside him, phone open and clicking through texts, "The evil douji are meeting tonight, too!'

Garion makes a knowing hum, smiling to himself.

He liked these timelines.

[rom-e-o]

I've always wondered how Connie and Scrooge (modern or otherwise) would react to my Percival and Thorne, considering how different they are as characters and the whole 'Marley is NOT dead to begin with and is also Scrooge's husband' thing.

Here's Percival's notes from my Google docs:

Born to Zachariah Winthrop Scrooge and Kathleen Quill Scrooge, conceived in a drunken tryst gone wrong, Ebenezer is the co-CEO of his and Jacob’s multinational, multi-billion pound tech conglomerate, Asplex Industries. Known as the Shark of London in the world of business, Ebenezer is renowned for his cunning and ruthlessness, tied only with his terrifyingly true ability in the art of inventing high-quality technological innovations, closer to the realm of madness.

And here's Thorne's:

Born to Gene Thorne and Lilith Knight under the name Alexander Thorne, and adopted by Abel and Lenore Marley at ten-years-old, Jacob is the co-CEO of his and Ebenezer’s multinational, multi-billion pound tech conglomerate, Asplex Industries. Known as the Snake of London, Jacob is known for his charismatic nature and silver tongue, able to predict market trends with incredible ease and convincing subsidiaries to sign with them by speaking only the truth.

I don't really touch upon it too much on the fic, though I will get back to rewriting it I SWEAR, but Percival ends up getting back on good terms with Belle and her husband Richard (Dick Wilkins) who were childhood friends of both him and Thorne.

And we also know how Percival ALMOST fucked up his relationship with Thorne (*cough* Percival didn't think they were married because it wasn't legal in England before 2015 but Thorne did and Thorne thought Percival didn't love him and that this was all transactional *cough)

They get therapy don't worry

Honestly I feel like Connie and Scrooge would see Percival and Thorne very differently, and Connie herself would feel some level of kinship with Thorne thanks to her experiences with Orin.

But honestly those are just some of my thoughts ngl- ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ooooh, this is such a fun question! There would be some interest, for certain.

My Scrooge and Connie’s personalities from their modern to classic renditions don’t vary too much in disposition (aside from their speech patterns, the presence of different amenities, etc.) so I feel both sets would react similarly in both timelines, but differently from each other, haha.

My version of Scrooge tends to lean a bit introverted, is a slight (intense) perfectionist, and can be a little shy and skittish. Some might even call him nervous, but only in his personal life, because romance is so new to him again, and it’s been a long time since he’s wanted anyone in his life. He doesn’t want to mess anything up. Professionally, he’s always charming, well-spoken, and a true gentleman. Handsome, too. An Adonis, which is his nickname, haha.

I think he’d see Percival and Thorne, firstly, with intrigue. His business partner is still alive, and they’re … together? When I started “Begin Again” I decided to make it vague if Scrooge and Marley were business partners or more, and to what degree. Their relationship is left extremely vague. After Isabel, he really had ONLY Marley as companionship. So, a version of him and Marley being a couple is not a concept that completely blindsides him. I hc him and Connie as both bi/pan (especially because Scroogey has so many lovers and OCs that love him across universes - it just feels right.)

I think he’d ask how he was still alive, and if there really was something he could have done to save his partner (in the classic verse or modern verse.)

Finding out about the car accident and aftermath would remind him of his own redemption, and I think he’d find comfort in knowing that he was given a second chance across many timelines. And seeing him reconnect with Belle and Dick, something he has yet to do in the modern verse but has in the classical one (I am in the same boat of needing to get back to writing fics, including this one, so I feel you lmao) would give him reassure.

“I must say, our backgrounds of ruthlessness are…similar. Your resilience is inspiring."

As for Thorne, I think he'd want to learn more about him and kind of compare him to the Marley he knows. How similar are they? He's got the same charisma, that's for certain.

The funny thing? My Scrooge LOVES sparkling water, and Thorne finds it refreshing, as we’ve learned from their dinner date. For some reason, I see him feeling victorious.

A: Haha, finally, someone else who understands that is a perfectly lovely beverage. Please continue to give your husband grief.

C: Darling! You shouldn’t inspire a married couple to fight. Especially you and Marley.

A: Normally, I wouldn’t, but like you said, it’s a version of me from another universe. Fair game, my dear. Trust me, we’ve all earned our fair share of teasing. 😌

Speaking of Connie, she’s never met Marley, but she’s heard stories upon stories. To meet him from another would would be like meeting a celebrity!

I think she would find kinship with Thorne, exactly like you said, because of what she faced with Orin. Also, he provides Percival with love and companionship, and they become a couple and family.

She adores Ebenezer, so to know that he found love in that universe with another, let along one he has such a storied past with, brings her happiness.

"I'm glad he's loved in your universe too." <3

Also, Connie finds out about the boxing, and begs to be taught, haha. She only know pilates, and promises to be a good student. "I have an ex-husband I may need to punch one day. Can you give me some pointers?"

I feel like I just barely scratched the surface, but I think there is a lot of fun stuff these four could get up to, haha.

I totally feel you about fic writing, haha. It's always worth the wait when you publish (the characterization, the banter, the imagery ... top-tier across the board), so please don't worry about taking those beats to make sure you love it! I will be SO READY to keep reading those updates!

[whydoyouhavetobefictional]

Paperwork (or: Some Forms of Love) - Lohtu - The Mentalist [Archive of Our Own]

Fandom: The Mentalist

Rating: General

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Patrick Jane/Teresa Lisbon

Additional Tags: Paperwork, Hurt/Comfort, Poker, Pre-Relationship, set somewhere in the fifth season

Summary: “And you came by to help me, of course?” Lisbon raises an eyebrow.

“Depends”, Jane says.

Lisbon stares at Jane. “Depends on what?”

“On how well you’ve done your homework.” Jane fishes out a pack of cards from his pocket.

“Do not even think -”

“One game”, Jane says with his signature oh-please-just-this-once-you-are-going-to-love-it-I-swear smile. It doesn’t actually work with Lisbon, hasn’t for years, but they have gone through these steps a billion times, and they both know where this leads. Jane knows that Lisbon needs a break, but won’t allow herself one - not when the paperwork is the punishment she has inflicted upon herself. Lisbon knows she has to yield at some point, lest the night is over before Jane gives up.

Author's Note: I love the episode 14 of the fifth season, "Red in Tooth And Claw", and especially the poker scene in the end. I had to mess up the timeline a bit to move the poker lessons a bit earlier in the season, but I hope you don't mind. The ends justify the means, you know.

[thefirstknife]

RE: YOUR TAGS. poukas detect emotion????? cutscene pain increased by one billion thank you (/pos)

Yes! They can also bring back memories of the person they're interacting with. We got some hints of this with Ligthfall preorder stuff. Speed Metal shell:

Her fins coax something into view—a beautiful little mess of ribs and sails, with six bright eyes appraising me. I reach for it—

—And Ana's tiny hands pull me into a hug. Her dress is dirty and she's crying; Grandfather's totally gonna freak, I think as I pet her hair. "It's okay. I'll help."—

This is Elsie experiencing a memory upon touching the pouka. This was expanded on greatly in the Lightfall Collector's Edition in the Elsie section (starting on page 21 in this transcript):

"You were a pet." Elsie gave the shiny carapace a scratch, triggering a wave of... purrs? Pouka's six eyes focused independently up at her and glittered. "Someone taught you those tricks. And then left you—”

—isolation//"Do not mourn your sisters’ abandonment, Elisabeth. They are small minds." I know Grandfather's words make sense, but that doesn't sate the hollowness gnawing inside my chest. I set the stylus down, plant my hands against the desk, and take a long, ragged breath of recycled air to silence the scream I need to unleash. The feeling passes; I retrieve the tool and return to business as usual in the lonely Europan lab. I am in control even though I know that changes nothing—

Elsie gasped and stared. "Did someone teach you that trick too?" Pouka tilted its round eyes clockwise, then counter.

Also they purr. Most importantly.

It always adds the emotion at the start of what it's reaching out for. In this one it's "isolation" but there's also "loneliness," "fondness," "guilt," "rejection" and many more as it interacts with Elsie.

"You're shaping whatever you feel..." she mused, and her mind drifted back to warm beaches with Willa and Alton—their tiny footsteps slowly filling with saline from the warm, wet sand. Nature abhors a vacuum. "...And my heart fills it up."

...

Dread filled her. Her companion tasted it and fed it back, over and over, one loop of memory after another.

Elsie used this to learn stasis by constantly experiencing her memories through pouka to "remember" what she did in other timelines. Elsie also correctly guessed the Pouka's job, so to speak:

"You were trained for this kind of work, weren't you? Some kind of…” She struggled for a clever analogy. "Field therapist? Trained you to soothe, maybe work with exposure therapy?"

And now in Lightfall:

Cloud Striders routinely use emotional support poukas in training and therapy.

Pretty spot on! Osiris could use one for sure.

[imposterogers]

years later and its still on my mind so here are some v easy ways (imo) they could have made endgame better w/o changing the whole plot; 

-switched clint & thor’s storyline’s. in the beginning of the film, thor chops thanos’ head off without remorse. it would have made more sense for him to go into a beserker’s rage for five years & play judge and executioner rather than clint. clint, after losing his entire family goes into a deep depression and locks himself away in a shitty nyc apartment, formally retiring from “hawkeye”

-instead of nerfing steve’s entire character, have him officially become nomad and spend years on the road searching for answers. he watched his best friend die for the second time in front of him, he lost his right hand man and bestie sam, he watched hundreds blink away in an instance-- those are the people he should have been mourning (not a woman who died of old age years prior). he’s a stubborn bastard who would die before he gave up, and he should have been the one to end up in a san fran warehouse and let scott lang out of the quantum realm instead of a rat 

-the avengers should have gone back in time to get more pym particles so they could do infinite runs (that was a major plot whole) and retcon, BUT so that there was legitimate stakes, they realize that the more they mess w the timeline and travel thru the quantum realm, the more they “fade away” and glitch (like ava starr slowly dying in antman 2)

-instead of reintroducing billions upon billions of lifeforms to a post apocalyptic society, the avengers should have used the infinity stones to make it so that the Snap never happened and reset the timeline. no one would know the sacrifices they made, but that was ok. then phase 4 would have had a fresh start rather than trying to write around the plot holes that endgame made 

-the film should have ended with all the surviving avengers at a schwarma place just like in avengers 1, but this time we would know it was the last time we’d ever see them all together

[damistrolls]

I know this is a question and a half, but how DOES your time thing work? How can you just decide to skip around like that?

Well, you've got the right of it when you say it's a question and a half. We hope you don't mind if we ramble on for a while.

We know this might be a near-impossible concept for you to FULLY comprehend, but I’ll do my best to put it in terms that won't make your head hurt.

Time is flat. I want to say time is essentially stacked on top of itself, since that's the best description for it, but it would frankly be disingenuous to say they're ACTUALLY stacked. It's impossible to stack something that's geometrically flat. Adding zero to zero still gives you zero, after all. But it's the best word I've got for it, so let's roll with it, shall we?

So, you take this idea of stacked times... and you fold it over itself more times than any mortal brain could register. You now have a (still flat) woven blanket containing hundreds of billions of different milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, decades, and so on so forth.

For most mortals, they can only travel on one strain of time. Like... Hmm.. a rollercoaster. You stay on one track the whole time. But where you see a track, we see an open road. No, even more than that, we see paths running over, under, and around the road, and our vehicle can take us any way we want. To grab something from the past or the future, all we have to do is YYRRRNNK! Reach our little ol’ hand around to a certain part of the road, and voila! Keylime pie received. Cue video game item received music. And the only reason we can do this is BECAUSE it's all flat. Though we'd have a harder time explaining why.

How we know where to reach is a whole other issue that we certainly could get into too, but that would tread into even more difficult-to-explain territory. So! Let’s just move on. 

The other thing you have to remember about time is that because it's flat, your actions in one time or one plane may affect the others. Even just considering that we should have done something differently in the past may erase the version of us where we had done things another way, though our ability to perceive the full extent of time means that we will not lose awareness of said timeline. This difference between us and most mortals is gargantuan because of this. You cannot change the past, and if the past was changed for you, you would have no idea about it. But we can, and we’d know about it.

Still reading? Fantastic! We have just one more important thing to mention about the limits of our abilities, and I want you to REMEMBER this part, so you don't go crying to me if someone's in danger. 

We’re just a conduit for Damien's stories. We have zero sway over his narratives, and we have even less sway over other creators' narratives. The ONLY way our abilities can activate are if Damien allows it. We can't meddle where it would be inconvenient. Does that make sense? Even ignoring all of the technical time jargon, we still have rules to follow. Rules that we’re physically incapable of breaking. When we intervene, it's only when we’re allowed. When we make changes to the narratives surrounding other creators' characters and stories, it's because it was something mutually agreed upon between the creators.

That's to say, we cannot and will not mess with the plot without explicit permission. So don't assume you can just abuse our abilities to get trolls out of sticky situations. We’re merely here to provide information. To elevate these stories.

Does that all make sense to you, or am I going to have to reiterate this when new drama arises?

[11paruline44]

If you were to put every major Star Wars character together in one room

(This post ignores the existence of the sequel trilogy)

So, Palpatine is a scarily competent, terrifyingly powerful villain, but do you know what I love about him? He’s so terrible to people that every major Star Wars character, be they hero or villain, hates him by the end of their lifetime. Sure, most of his life, ol’ Skeevy Sheev managed to avoid people discovering his true nature before he’d finished using them for whatever purpose he had in mind. But what would happen if all the characters knew the truth?

Imagine if the Force or some other powerful mechanism managed to pull every major Star Wars character from the timeline together in one room, immediately after their deaths. They’ve all played their parts life already and become one with the Force, but the Force has one more task for them, and deposits them all, unceremoniously, in the same place. This is a lot of heroes and villains in one spot. As they start scanning the room around them in confusion and shock, they begin to note many friends they lost, but also enemies whose presence makes them itch for a fight. But then, inevitably, each character realizes they are in the same room as thEE Darth Sidious, aka Emperor Palpatine—and that’s all it takes for them to wordlessly decide, as one, to rush him first. I mean, everyone has a grudge with him, by the time of their death. Everyone:

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader: While he switched to the Light Side right before death, he’s still pretty dang Dark-susceptible, despite his remorse. (And this man takes everything personally.) So, as he looks around, only to see tons of people he’d been on opposite sides of a war from, once upon a time, his temper begins to rise. Maul… Dooku… and ugh, that ragamuffin smuggler who seems to have a thing for his daughter… but then he sees Palpatine. The old wrinkled prune who he was forced to work for for decades, who destroyed his life and nearly killed his son, who Anakin/Vader literally just thought he’d killed. Anakin rushes him in a rage on the spot, no questions asked.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Now, of course, Obi-Wan justifies everything with perfectly justifiable Jedi reasons—Sidious is a Sith Lord, the archenemy of the Jedi, and one who has taken over the galaxy and caused irreparable harm to billions of life-forms. He obviously should, strategically, not be left living any longer than can be helped. But yet… Obi-Wan truly joins the fight to kill Palpatine because of what he did to the Jedi and to his family compatriots. All of Obi-Wan’s “infinite sadness” can be traced back to him, after all.

Ahsoka Tano: She may not have known the full story, but she saw the results—Anakin became Darth Vader under Sidious’s thrall. She’s quite annoyed, since she could have sworn the sleemo had already been dealt with, years ago—but she, too, won’t ask questions if she has a chance to take him down while he’s still breathing. Palpatine is going down.

Padmé Amidala: She lived long enough to see Palpatine proclaim himself Emperor, at the very least, though she didn’t see the horrible results. But seeing everyone else’s murderous reactions—especially Anakin’s—she figures they have a good reason and gets her blaster at the ready.

Rex: This whole situation reeks of “Jedi business” shavit to him, but he won’t ever miss an opportunity to fire at the Emperor.

(Any other clone who lived past Order 66 in possession of their right mind, for that matter: It’s the Emperor! Attack!)

Count Yan Dooku/Darth Tyrannus: His final moments still ring through his head—Sidious urging Skywalker to kill him. (Skywalker, who Dooku is beginning to realize was probably his replacement.) In an instant, Dooku sets aside all other grudges to prioritize. He wants his old master dead. Nobody likes being replaced, after all, least of all—

Darth Maul. Yes, Maul sees Kenobi, his avowed worst enemy who, in his mind, just killed him, and is about to go at him first—but then he sees the sheer number of people rushing Palpatine instead, and is caught off guard. Despite himself, Maul, for once, sees some hope—a chance to take his old master down like never before. Maul, too, can be practical enough to prioritize just this once. Sidious screwed him over, too, after all—and who is Maul to ignore a chance for sweet revenge, after all.

Qui-Gon Jinn: There’s a lot of people in the room Qui-Gon doesn’t recognize, and most look older—older by far—but as multiple Jedi suddenly launch themselves at Senator Palpatine, all he has to do ask the person he’s pretty sure must be an older version of Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan responds that Palpatine is the Sith Master—and that’s that. Qui-Gon notices Maul joining the fight, and notes that once they’re done, he’ll want to take care of that problem—but he’s a patient enough Jedi to prioritize.

Asajj Ventress: Ventress also wasn’t aware of who the Sith Master was before her death, but she’s close enough to Kenobi as the fight begins to hear his answer to Qui-Gon. Palpatine is Sidious? She joins in immediately. She has an eye on Dooku the whole time, but as a former Sith apprentice, she knows how dangerous the Sith Master must be, and that he must be taken out first.

Mace Windu: You’d better believe he has a bone to pick with Skywalker, once he’s done with Palps—dude cut off his hand—but first things first? He’s got the muthafucka who electrocuted him to kill.

Luke Skywalker: At first, he’s ever so happy to see his father, Obi-Wan, and Yoda again… but seeing the Emperor again immediately brings back his worst memories. Palpatine was the ultimate evil, and regardless of whatever has caused him to live again, he shouldn’t be allowed to continue living any longer than Luke can help it.

Leia Organa: The Emperor? Leia sees him, and she’s pissed. Palpatine was everything she fought against in her young life, until he was defeated—and then she had to spend the rest of her life trying to undo his legacy of terror and despotism. Any living iteration of Palpatine must be killed, no questions asked.

Han Solo: Leia! Hey, Leia, is that the Emperor? I could’ve sworn we defeated the Empire decades ago, what the hell is going on?…. You know what, I always wanted a chance to shoot him in his ugly face. Let’s go for it.

Yoda: Bad news, the Emperor is. Failed to vanquish the Sith before, I have. But miss the opportunity to try again, I must not.

Lando Calrissian: Lando is confused. Who even are most of these people, anyway? But what the hell? He’s always hated the Emperor.

The only major characters I can think of that wouldn’t actively try to kill Palpatine wouldn’t actively stop anyone from killing him, either:

-General Grievous: As far as this guy ever knew, Palpatine was the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, so why’d he want to protect him? Kenobi’s in the room, and he’d be of a one-track mind to go after him instead—but it’d be a bit hard to do when everyone else is gunning for Palpatine, causing quite the mess.

- Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin: Seeing that the current situation isn’t going in Palpatine’s favor, Tarkin would prefer to sit back and watch everything play out. He’s power-hungry enough that he’d relish in the chance to have the Emperor taken out so he could take over instead.

-Jabba the Hutt: All Jabba cares is that Han Solo and his buddies just massacred his whole operation, killing him, too. Without enough cronies to form a defense, he’d want to get out of there to avoid it happening again. The Emperor is just a side note to him—he never cared who ruled the galaxy as long as he could continue making money.

So, in conclusion:

#Murder Palpatine Squad

[d-l-dare]

“Another Layer [Part Two]”

There are some things that are destined to happen. Sure, we might not know what those things are as they stand in the present. Once those things happen, they couldn't have gone any other way. The events created something for the future, whether it be an invention we can't live without or a concept we couldn't imagine not existing within our minds. But we have nothing to worry about. After all, whatever happens happens, right?

As her conversation further intrigued me, she and I made our way to my home. We intended to do some research there. I figured my parents wouldn't mind me having a friend over, even though they were not warned about it ahead of time.

While we walked, I figured we might as well talk some about the whole Jesus thing and how he made it back to the first 'Layer of Existence'. We knew from the short talk about him was that he died. Rather, he sacrificed himself. Certainly, he did other great things, but we chalked it up to time creating legends that hadn't truly happened. After all, how does one singular person turn water into wine? How do they force birth upon someone that was still a virgin? Too much didn't make much sense. However, who was I to judge?

We came to the risky conclusion that, in order to return to her dimension, she would have to sacrifice herself. The idea of it terrified her, but it was the only lead we had. Either that or somehow create something that doesn't exist in our universe, much like she had done to get here. Good luck on something like that to happen.

We had nearly made it to my house, roughly a block away before I asked what the purpose of the first layer of existence was to look upon the second layer, my layer.

"It might sound bad, but we are seen as creators," she explained. "We are the ones that give the people down here a purpose. We lead them to where they need to go in order to fulfill the great destiny of the universe."

"That kind of sounds like you use us as some kind of pawns for a twisted game," I commented.

"I guess you could look at it that way. It's one of the reasons I knew you were still alive," she said. "You're one of the people in this dimension that I control. I've been trying to keep an eye on you to keep you safe. As safe as I could, anyways."

This made me stop dead in my tracks. "So you're telling me that you've been controlling my life?" I shouted.

"It's not like that-" she started.

"No, you just said you've been controlling me." I said. "Do I even get a say in my own destiny? Can I even set foot someplace because I want to and not some 'god' leading me there?"

A single tear began rolling down her cheek. "It's not like that," she said. "We aren't doing it as some kind of game, we do it because if we don't, the lives of the people here have no purpose. It's billions of lives wasted."

"So now we can't decide a future for ourselves," I said. "Look, I wanted to like you. And I wanted to believe what you've been telling me. But you straight up telling me that us people have no purpose without a 'leader', I don't know if I can be friends with you."

I left her behind as I made my way into my house and upstairs to my bedroom. I was still angry about what all was said. I felt as though I let my anger get the best of me, but I felt as though what I'd said was right. It had to be. I looked down at my phone. The fact that she hadn't even tried calling or messaging me yet must have said something about her character. She wanted for us to meet up just so she could mess with me. After all, how was I supposed to just easily believe that I was a god but died and became human? What kind of system even works like that? Sure, it's a cool idea, but it couldn't actually be possible.

I figure to take my mind off this, I'd call up a friend, a real friend, and meet up for a soda later today.

*** With tears flooding my eyes, I somehow managed to get back to the cemetery we had met up at earlier. I sat down, leaning against a tree stump and just wept. Was I really such a bad person for helping a helpless world? Sure, free will wasn't what humanity thought it was, but it still somewhat existed. We simply pushed people in the right direction, staging events every once in a while to cause change in the world.

I especially hated an event I had set to play out. I tried to sway it by getting trapped here, to keep him on my good side. It seems fate has its own twisted ways of being seen through. My friend, Charles, the friend that had abandoned me, believing me to be a liar, he's destined to die tonight. A man is supposed to come into a restaurant and accidentally shoot Charles. His death is supposed to open people's eyes and change gun laws in this town.

After playing the gruesome scene in my head, I was still driven to stop it from happening. But how? Then it hit me. I know when and where it's supposed to happen. I can simply step in and jump in front of the bullet. It would be a sacrifice that would send me back to my dimension, it would keep him alive, and everything would play out as its supposed to. A person would still die and the law would still change.

*** That night, me and Nicole met at the Greedy Shack, and bought ourselves a soda to split. We had kind of been looking to date for a while, why not using this as the perfect night to make my move?

As we made our way to the booth against the far wall of the restaurant, I sat across from her with a good view of the front door. Things were going great until there was a disagreement going on between a man and the cashier over at the counter. Nicole and I turned our attention to it, chuckling. There was something dark about us that makes us find fights hilarious. We saw the man turn to us. We thought he was pointing at us. Just then, Meghan ran through the front door and knocked the man over, a gunshot ringing out across the building.

*** Paradoxes are a very interesting concept. The idea that, due to something that shouldn't exist in our reality, it causes permanent damage to our timeline that shouldn't have happened. A man going back in time and killing his grandfather, for example. With him dead, the man can't be born to go back in time to kill him in the first place.

A paradox is exactly what happened, which is why no characters are speaking at this moment. But what could have cause such an incredible paradox?

Meghan prevented an important death from happening. He was destined to die, but she stopped it. In doing this, the universe had no idea where to put her. She was a Layer 1 being that died in Layer 2, without being registered as existing in Layer 2. Normally, they would die and move to Layer 3 (ghost), but because of her misplacement, the system didn't know where to put her and wiped her from existence.

In wiping her from existence, it causes another paradox. She couldn't have interfered in the shooting if she didn't exist.

VvV Story Behind the Horror VvV

It did, unfortunately, take a bit of time to construct part two of this beautifully dark adventure, which is far better than the first. The first part only introduced the concept of there being multiple layers of existence. It didn’t do much else.

I knew that, with part two, I needed to have them figure out how to get her back to her dimension. The only idea coming to mind was, because I name dropped Jesus, I had to use him as the solution to getting back. Sacrificing himself. However, it could never be that simple. (I think what helped him get back, story wise, was that he wrote himself into existence and wrote that he needed to die to return home, if that makes sense).

The idea of the paradox came from, what is the worst way a self sacrifice could go wrong? I planned for her to explain the idea that they control people from the first ‘Layer’ to the second. He doesn’t take it well and leaves her. What better way to win him back than sacrificing herself for him? Of course it can never be that easy.

[onthisavenue]

there is a beauty in surrendering to the ache. 

as i run my fingers along the bare threads in my seam, i can stitch the patch that will not erase the damage done, but fortify a fabric built for wear and tear. somehow i am learning to fall in love with the mess. accepting that i am a human, an animal whose lived countless lives and has evolved into a creature that experiences a million heartaches because she is capable of holding space for a billion loves. 

i remind myself that energy can neither be created nor destroyed - i remember that everything that exists now, has always existed in one way, shape, or form. and i can honor the little girl that i once was. the one who couldn’t help but romanticize a future with another man, as if that was the ultimate prize for existing in the same world as the sun and reefs and mountains and springs. and i tell her it is okay to have imagined that future for herself, that she should not be ashamed for desiring a deeply fulfilling love. but i also tell her that she was brought into this world for so much more. i simultaneously channel the voice of the wise old crone that i exist as in the not so distant future, and i hear myself whisper that i am on the right path. that she is so proud of me for moving upstream and weathering the storm and she is waiting to greet me with a wet forehead kiss at the finish line. and i am fighting for the many versions of myself that exist in a sacred timeline that is not linear and i am connected to countless versions of them. 

i imagine the roots of the grass outside of my bedroom digging deep into the earth. sprawling and soaking up all the moisture they can with all of their might, despite the countless times that i have stepped on their blades. and they do not blame me, they do not resist my weight, they kindly allow me to place my feet along their surface. they respond by lying gently beneath my step and rising slowly upon my departure. they do not wince at my shadow, but they bend to the ground and kiss my feet goodbye with a subtle exhale. 

and this is how i intend to course through the remainder of my days. i will not resist the weight, i will not wince at the shadows, and i will honor my inner child and the wise old crone on the sacred timeline that is my life. i will rub my feet against the blades of grass, i will hold the space for a billion loves, and i will surrender to the ache. 

[ike-sol]

obey me chapter 15-16 math thoughts

spoilers for those who haven’t read it! tho actually this is mostly math/generational analysis

i’m not surprised by the reveal that mc’s lilith’s descendant, but it doesn’t bother me that much and here’s why!

i hope all this math is correct, i haven’t taken a proper math class since high school oops

from a biblical timeline, the great celestial war happened before adam and eve were cast out of paradise (because satan tempted eve with the apple) but of course that doesn’t align with the man lilith loved (because it certainly wasn’t adam) or belphie bringing back anime merch for levi lmao. so we can probably assume it happened after that period.

actually, it’d be pretty cool to see some fan or canon content about lilith/the brothers’ view on adam/eve, like satan tempting them to punish adam for hurting lilith ooo

in any case! it was a long time ago, and if we’re not assuming it happened at the very beginning of humanity, we can at least assume it happened around jesus’s time? that seems fair. the timeline is kinda super messed up with the implication that anime existed for so long, but whatever. so let’s say year 0

assuming one generation is about 30 years, 2020/30 = 67.3 generations - there are at least 67 generations between MC and lilith assuming she lived in year 0

ancestors per generation can be counted by 2^n = x, where n is amount of generations and x is ancestors

so in your first generation, 2^1 = 2 (your parents)

2^2 = 4 (your grandparents)

2^67 = 1.47E^(20) = 147,573,952,589,676,412,928 ancestors related to you on the same generational scale as lilith (in perspective! that’s 19598134474.1 times greater than the current population of the world, 7.53 billion!)

you know how if one of your grandparents is polish, you can say oh yeah i’m 25% polish? well

1/ans = 6.77E^(-21) = 0.0000000000000000000067% <— that’s your lilith percentage!<br/>

so, in my eyes, the degree of mc’s relation with lilith is to tiny that it’s negligible, on a biological scale. (my headcanon for why mc has all these spiritual connections to lilith is that she’s their mitochondrial mother (meaning she passed it down through a line of daughters until it reached MC through their mom!))

of course, the issue here is how the brothers treat you, but if anyone wanted a biological analysis of mc’s relation to lilith, i hope this helps ease your mind! now, for the brothers to realise that you’re not lilith… it kind of feels like yoosung and rika all over again haha. i think it was supposed to make you a little uncomfortable? i’d still keep playing if it turns out to be a “hey we’re all a happy family :)” game (without romance of course!!!) we have a ton of lovely fan MCs to use as love interests instead~

but! i’m sure it’ll turn out alright in the future chapters, i have high hopes! in any case, i’m taking this current content as some brewing conflict for the future chapters, because there’s no way this is our happily ever after, 1 month after the game was first released.

i love love love time travel stuff but it’s also so complicated and my head hurts if i try to think about it too much. so, diavolo and barbatos knew all along that it was MC, as lilith’s descendant, who freed belphie? and they sent MC back to the past under the guise of “checking” because they had to, in order to have them free belphie in the first place and get them to this point in time? is this time travel linear, like in harry potter 3, or did it open up an alternate universe and we’re completely separated from our original one like in mirai nikki? and why did barbatos warn us so sternly about 1) not interacting with anyone 2) not seeing our past self? we did both of those things oops. was it just for the sake of convenience and not having to explain time travel, or does it have actual consequences? there are time travel versions where you die immediately upon seeing yourself, so actually that’s what i thought happened when we saw MC disappear from mammon’s arms.

i’m also right there with everyone doubting barbatos, i don’t trust that guy one bit no matter how cool and intriguing he is  and i’m fairly? certain? we’re going to go back to our original timeline. why else would they show everyone waiting for MC in the extra chapters? you have to play those after you finish the whole chapter, so i feel like the devs are definitely reminding us ‘you left your OG timeline behind! they’re all still waiting for you!’. Like, bells should be going off in our heads that something’s off and i can’t wait to see what it’ll be!

[jiminfms]

         *  hi  ,  my  name’s  tee  and  this  ain’t  a  waist  trainer  bitch  ,  this  a  back  brace  i  got  scoliosis  .  𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨  ,  𝐢𝐭'𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫  𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐬   ( finally  )  !  i  prefer  either  feminine  or  non - binary  pronouns  ,  and  i  reside  in  the  est  time  zone !  it  has  taken  me  so  long  to  formally  write  and  i  highkey  hate  it  because  i  lost  muse  for  my  queen  miss  giavanna  ,  so  i  decided  to  bring  another  muse  instead  of  leaving  because  honestly  ...  i  love  ya’ll  🥺 .  the  way  i  love  miss  jennie  kim  is  more  than  i  wanna  admit  ,  so  let  me  introduce  you  guys  to  the  tiny  ball  of  aggression  that  is  jimin  jung !

          omg  !  i  was  walking  yonge  street  downtown  ,  and  you’ll  never  guess  who  i  saw  .  jimin  jung  !  i  just  saw  a  post  about  them  on  sixsecrets ! i  think  it  said  something  like  ' jimin  jung  physically  restrained  by  security  guards  following  a  verbal  argument  with  fellow  customer  at  drake  one  fifty ! ' .  isn’t  that  wild  ?  i  guess  it  makes  sense  though  ,  since  they’re  apparently  antagonistic  and  bellicose  .  but  i’ve  heard  they’re  also  sultry  and  voguish  ! i’ll  just  stick  to  giving  them  the  benefit  of  the  doubt  .  i  mean  ,  it’s  not  like  i  know  them  personally  —  they’re  a  famous  singer  /  songwriter  and  model  ! you  know  ,  i’ve  actually  heard  rumors  that  redacted  ,  but  they’re  just  rumors  …  i  think  .  i  dunno  .  if  you  happen  to  run  into  them  ,  tell  them  i’m  their  biggest  fan !

FULL  NAME  :  jung  jimin  .

NICKNAME(S) :  n/a  .

AGE  +  DATE  OF  BIRTH :  24  +  june  10th  ,  1996  .

ASTROLOGICAL  SIGN  :  gemini  .

MEYERS - BRIGGS  PERSONALITY  TYPE :  entj  .

MORAL  ALIGNMENT :  chaotic  neutral  .

GENDER  +  PRONOUNS  :  cis  female  +  she / her / hers  .

SEXUAL  ORIENTATION :  bisexual  .

ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION :  biromantic  .

PLACE  OF  BIRTH :  kensington  ,  london  ,  england  .

PLACE  OF  RESIDENCE  :  toronto  ,  ontario  ,  canada ( specifically  ,  in  the  neighborhood  of  forest  hill ) .

OCCUPATION  :  singer  /  songwriter  and  model  .

VOICECLAIM  :  dua  lipa  .

NATIONALITY  :  british  -  korean  .

ETHNICITY  :  korean  .

LANGUAGES  SPOKEN  :  english  ,  korean  ,  and  japanese  .

i.  prosopography  .

            jimin’s  story  begins  with  the  fateful  meeting  of  her  parents  ,  kim  seo - yeon  and  jung  do - young  ,  on  a  cold  winter’s  day  .  they  found  themselves  at  the  tender  ages  of  20  and  22  ,  attending  a  boring  christmas  gala  with  their  parents  when  they  would  have  preferred  to  do  anything  else  in  the  world  .  seo - yeon  was  a  women  who  knew  what  she  wanted  the  moment  her  eyes  landed  upon  it  ,  so  when  she  made  brief  eye  contact  with  do - young  ,  she  purposefully  spilled  a  glass  of  champagne  onto  his  expensive  tom  ford  suit  and  made  a  big  deal  of  it  .  this  sparked  their  whirlwind  romance  ,  and  six  months  later  they  found  themselves  announcing  their  engagement  to  korean  media  outlets  .

           despite  how  quickly  they  were  engaged  ,  their  parents  saw  this  as  mutually  beneficial  .  seo - yeon  is  the  youngest  daughter  of  the  wealthy  kim  family  ,  owners  of  the  kq  group  conglomerate  that  was  worth  billions  in  its  own  right  .  do - young  was  the  only  child  of  his  parents  ,  and  came  from  park  family  lineage  where  their  hotels  and  resorts  were  the  cause  of  their  fortune  .  the  families  were  soon  to  be  one  ,  and  the  couple  was  the  chaebol  heirs  that  others  envied  .  following  their  lavish  wedding  ,  seo - yeon  and  do - young  decided  that  they  were  going  to  head  off  to  london  to  make  a  life  for  themselves  .  so  ,  they  transferred  to  oxford  university  ,  finished  their  schooling  ,  and  shortly  after  seo - yeon’s  graduation  from  the  financial  economics  program  ,  the  couple  discovered  that  they  were  expecting  .

          it  was  a  sticky  summer  day  when  seo - yeon  unexpectedly  gave  birth  to  their  daughter  ,  who  decided  not  to  allow  her  parents  time  to  get  to  the  hospital  .  jimin  was  born  in  the  bathtub  of  her  parents’  luxury  bathroom  ,  and  right  into  the  arms  of  her  slightly  panicked  but  overjoyed  father  .  from  the  time  that  she  was  a  toddler  ,  araminta  was  a  very  precocious  child  ,  picking  up  on  skills  quite  quickly  and  speaking  in  few  short  sentences  by  the  time  she  was  eleven  months  old  .  as  she  grew  older  ,  jimin’s  parents  remained  hands  on  despite  their  busy  schedules  ,  and  decided  that  they  would  see  what  their  daughter  would  have  the  most  interest  in  .  when  she  was  four  ,  her  parents  began  piano  lessons  ,  and  it  was  evident  that  she  had  a  natural  gift  for  the  instrument  .

            life  for  jimin  had  always  been  comfortable  ,  but  she  didn’t  want  to  take  the  usual  route  ,  or  what  was  expected  of  her  .  she  had  always  been  interested  in  music  ,  so  she  she  originally  started  with  taking  dance  classes  .  she  trained  in  all  forms  of  dance  in  order  to  be  well  rounded  ,  and  she  initially  had  dreams  of  becoming  a  backup  dancer  ,  but  when  she  was  playing  around  and  decided  to  make  a  video  singing  a  song  that  she  had  written  all  on  her  own  ,  jimin  became  an  overnight  sensation  .  her  song  ,  hotter  than  hell  ,  blew  up  almost  instantly  and  she  was  signed  to  warner  music  group  .  

            i’ve  written  enough  VCJNXVBHCV  but  her  career  has  followed  the  timeline  of  dua’s  ,  although  it’s  slightly  off  by  maybe  the  month  or  the  year  .   she  has  won  a  total  of  forty - two  awards  in  her  career  ,  including  two  grammy  awards  and  three  brit  awards  .  although  miss  dua  got  a  lil  clowned  for  her  dancing  at  one  point  ,  i  must  say  that  jimin  is  quite  the  performer  ,  and  definitely  makes  use  of  the  stages  by  recreating  music  videos  or  simply  giving  the  audience  an  experience  .  she  has  not  released  future  nostalgia  as  of  yet  ,  but  it’s  what  she’s  currently  working  towards  !  through  her  career  ,  she  is  known  by  her  mononym  jimin  !

ii.  temperament  .

jimin  is  a  real  bitch  ,  but  she  doesn’t  go  out  of  her  way  to  ‘  out  bitch  ’  someone  because  she  finds  it  to  be  kinda  dumb  .  she’s  primarily  looking  to  have  fun  ,  and  no  one  is  about  to  be  bitchy  around  her  without  getting  snatched  up  .

she  parties  like  she  just  turned  twenty - one  and  dares  someone  to  say  something  about  it  !  invite  her  to  the  club  and  she’s  coming  without  a  second  thought  .  she’s  the  friend  who  will  make  plans  and  will  get  a  little  sad  when  people  cancel  on  her  ,  but  she’s  still  going  to  find  a  way  to  enjoy  herself  .

does  not  take  authority  seriously  and  she  can  be  seen  making  a  jerking  off  motion  whenever  someone  kisses  up  to  those  of  authority  .  talks  shit  ,  but  backs  it  up  because  if  you’re  bold  enough  to  talk  shit  you  might  get  hit  ,  right  ?  

she’s  a  sultry  bitch  and  she  loves  it  .  give  her  the  chance  and  she’ll  flirt  with  a  tree  ,  she’ll  flirt  with  a  plant  ,  and  she  might  flirt  with  your  significant  other  .  she  can  get  kinda  lewd  and  will  say  something  really  off - beat  ,  and  honestly  shut  her  up  if  you  do  .

the  epitome  of  a  gen - z  /  millennial  line  straddler  as  she  can’t  walk  past  a  mirror  without  taking  pictures  of  herself  .  sickeningly  vain  as  she  takes  pictures  at  any  chance  she  can  like  after  getting  her  hair  and  makeup  done  or  even  when  she’s  out  and  about  shopping  .    

iii. headcanons  .

jimin  is  quite  chaotic  and  she  does  not  hold  back  from  it !  she’s  a  pot  stirrer  ,  and  she’ll  watch  everything  unfold  as  if  she  wasn’t  the  one  to  start  the  problems  in  the  first  place  .  not  afraid  to  spread  a  rumor  or  putting  a  trolling  instagram  comment  on  one  of  her  posts  on  blast .  she  likes  to  be  petty  ,  but  she  can  back  it  up  ( but  it’s  NOT  fat  enough  😔 )  .  

her  style  is  vastly  different  than  what’s  expected  .  on  stage  ,  i  would  think  her  style  is  something  akin  to  kpop  stage  outfits  ,  but  not  necessarily  as  tame  .  she’s  not  afraid  to  show  skin  so  there’s  a  lot  of  embellished  leotards  and  heels  ,  dramatic  eye  makeup  and  perfectly  styled  hair  .  off  stage  ,  she  likes  a  relaxed  but  high - end  style  .  lots  of  denim  ,  lots  of  black  ,  loves  oversized  pieces  ,  but  she  loves  to  follow  trends  where  she  can  .

loves  to  yoga  ,  pilates  ,  and  anything  else  that  doesn’t  involve  having  to  go  to  an  actual  gym  .  she  especially love aerial  yoga  as  it  keeps  her  flexible  as  a  dancer  .

miss  jennie  didn’t  let  us  enjoy  it  long  enough  ,  but  jimin’s  hair  is  canon  to  jennie’s  blonde  pieces  ! she’ll  switch  up  the  color  every  so  often  with  temporary  dyes  ,  but  other  than  that  ,  it’s  usually  always  blonde  !

she  doesn’t  drink  st*rbucks  so  don’t  ask  her  to  go  ,  and  she  especially  doesn’t  go  because  she  likes  very  simple  coffee  drinks  .

iv.  wanted  connections  .

give  me  everything  ,  please  !  i’d  love  some  of  the  basics  like  former  friends  ,  best  friends  ,  industry  rivals  ,  friends  with  benefits  ,  confidant(s)  ,  frenemies  ,  good / bad  influences  ,  one  night  stand(s)  ,  enemies  with  benefits  ,  or  a  current  or  ex  fling  !

because  i  love  my  women  loving  women  ,  hand  over  the  ex  girlfriend  !  in  my  head  i’m  thinking  that  they  were  a  really  happy  couple  and  they  were  really  good  to  one  another  ,  but  they  drifted  apart  .  they  remain  good  friends  and  people  probably  think  there’s  still  feelings  because  they  can  be  rather  touchy  feely  with  one  another  (  👀 )  .

ifykyk  ....  but  i  love  angst  !  i  love  to  have  my  heart  ripped  right  out  of  my  chest  so  give  me  angst  in  any  form  :  angsty  friends ,  exes  ,  anything  !  

a  couple  who  are  stuck  in  a  limbo  !  they  have  yet  to  make  it  past  the  point  of  friends  ,   wondering  if  they’re  just  a  hookup  to  one  another  would  there  could  potentially  be  more  .  they  probably  fight  a  lot  because  of  those  underlying  feelings  ,  but  it  could  be  interesting  to  explore  either  way  !

give  me  enemies  !  and  not  for  fake  but  two  people  who  genuinely  dislike  one  another  .  it’s  not  surprising  for  jimin  to  not  get  along  with  a  lot  of  people  considering  the  fact  that  she’s  not  ...  the  nicest  ,  and  i’m  not  entirely  sure  as  to  why  they’d  dislike  each  other  ,  but  it  could  be  so  much  thank  u  KFJDFDS  .

give  me  the  heartbreak  that  still  lingers  i  will  sell  you  my  SOUL  .  maybe  their  relationship  was  good  ,  or  it  was  a  mess  KNFJD  ,  but  but  when  they  broke  up  they  haven’t  fully  gotten  over  it  yet  ?  probably  a  lot  of  lingering  looks  ,  and  giving  compliments  but  they’re  kinda  awkward  because  they  don’t  know  how  to  approach  each  other  sometimes  .

[jbuffyangel]

The New Eve: Arrow 7x16 Review (Star City 2040)

“Star City 2040” is a backdoor pilot and I loooooooooved it! GIMME.

Let’s dig in…

Mia, Felicity and William

The nice thing about backdoor pilots is if the episode is not announced as a backdoor pilot and the show isn’t picked up or doesn’t happen for some reason, then the episode can just be a regular episode. However, if the spin off does get picked up, then the audience will point to this “regular episode” as the one that launched the new show.

This is the situation we find ourselves in for “Star City 2040” and Mia Smoak. There’s no official word yet, but there’s been some buzz about a potential spin off centering on Katherine McNamara’s character and Beth Schwartz signed an overall development deal with the WB. Throw in this episode, add it all up and it spells

“Star City 2040” is setting up Mia’s backstory and the writers don’t waste any time. We open on Felicity delivering the PRINCESS THAT WAS PROMISED (yes that is her nickname) in the Olicity love cabin. Y’all I want the back story on this love cabin. How long did Oliver and Felicity stay there? How much sex did they have?  I’m only asking for the important details. For science.

There is a beautiful shot in the mirror as the camera pans into the room where Felicity is laboring. 

Source:  feilcityqueen

Oliver’s bent forehead is resting against Felicity’s head as she struggles to bring their daughter into the world. Labor and delivery is one of those deeply intimate moments in life no matter who is in the room with the mother. It’s such a simple yet profound moment of devotion from Oliver.  

Maybe it means even more because we know Oliver is missing in the future. Felicity is going to raise Mia entirely on her own, but in this time and place Oliver is here, witnessing the birth of their daughter. He is loving and supporting Felicity any way he can. In this moment she is not alone and they are in this together.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Facts. Your affection towards the man who impregnated you dramatically increases once labor and delivery is over. During delivery it may be a different story. For me it was weeks upon weeks of never ending pain, so by the time the doctors knocked me out for the c-section I was pretty much done with everyone.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Felicity squeezes Oliver’s hand tight, her wedding ring shining in the sun, as she pushes one final time. This image of them holding hands as she brings Mia into this world is a powerful symbol of where their story began and what their love created.

The reason we wear wedding rings is because they are an endless circles. The commitment we are making to our spouse is forever.  We wear our ring on our fourth finger of our left hand because the Romans believed the vein in this finger lead directly to a person’s heart.  Love is eternal.

Their daughter is entering the endless loop of love that resides within Oliver and Felicity’s relationship, the commitment they’ve made to each other and their children. 

Source: oliverxfelicity

Mia will always be wanted and adored. Oliver and Felicity’s marriage is forever and, as we’ll soon learn, there’s nothing they won’t do to keep their family safe.

Source: oliverxfelicity

This child represents so much of what Oliver believed he could never have. He was a lost soul who thought life was merely about survival and he didn't deserve one worth living for. Oliver couldn’t fathom being worthy of love let alone creating new life from that love. 

And yet he found himself hoping and dreaming.  Mia is the final piece of the Queen family and Oliver Queen puzzle. She is proof sometimes dreams come true.

Of course, Oliver and Felicity’s daughter is born in the morning with the sunlight brightly shining on them. 

It’s always the light. Oliver lost his innocence long ago, but this child is a new beginning. We can recapture what was lost because children open and fill places in our hearts we never knew existed. Mia shines her light the moment she was born. This is why children are a gift.

Felicity whispers a soft and perfect, “Hi,” as she welcomes her daughter to the world. As the tagline in the 7x16 promo said, “A hero’s legacy is born.”  This is how the story continues. What Oliver and Felicity built can live beyond them through Mia. She has her own hero’s journey to walk, but this is how the light never fades.  

Source: oliverxfelicity

We watch as Mia grows from a small child, to a tween 

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and finally into a young woman through a series of training scenes with NYSSA AL GHUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Source: ebett

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! 

I screamed with delight over Nyssa training Mia. Do you believe Mia is a badass? Damn right you do because she was trained by the best. Nyssa trained Sara, who was under her tutelage with the League of Assassins for years. 

Mia spent even longer training with Nyssa than Sara did. She has something no other character on Arrow has, including Oliver. Mia was trained to fight almost as soon as she could walk.

Arrow has a bad habit of characters learning skill sets it took other characters (cough*Oliver/Sara*cough) years to learn in a few short months. I’m not just talking about L*urel. Thea and Roy were guilty of this treatment too. However, Oliver trained Roy and Malcolm trained Thea. It took a slightly smaller logic leap to believe those characters could get up to speed in a few months because of their instructors.

L*urel was a mess though. BOXING?

She went from barely being able to throw a bunch, falling off cars and incapable of handling one guy with a knife to taking down five assassins in a matter of a couple weeks. REALLY?

The only mildly believable explanation for her newly acquired skill set was Nyssa trained her OFF SCREEN. 

We watched more training with Mia than we ever saw with L*urel and it occurred in a believable time frame. Way to learn the lesson, Arrow writers. BRAVO.

Ready for some petty? I legit cackled, yes CACKLED, they went out of their way to bring back Katrina Law so Nyssa could train Mia. Katrina has another television show and just had a baby. One would think it’d be easier to use an actress already contracted with the show.  So many of the antis were convinced Bl*ck S*ren trained Mia or maybe even raised her. After all, Felicity and L*urel have a burgeoning friendship in Season 7, but noooooope! Classic.

I love the shot of Felicity holding a cup of coffee and watching little Mia intently as she trains with Nyssa in the backyard of the Olicity love cabin. 

Source:  hollandrooden

First, her hair is long again and swept up like it was in 2x08 and I LOVE THAT HAIR STYLE. 

Fair warning, Felicity’s hair is really important to me this episode. I’m bizarrely excited she grows it long again in the future.

Second, keeping Mia safe requires more than keeping her hidden. Felicity turning to Nyssa to train her daughter so Mia can protect herself is a direct result of everything she went through with William while Oliver was in prison. 

Witness protection wasn’t enough. The bad guys always find a way. When Diaz came for Felicity and William they barely escaped with their lives. Felicity gave as good as she got and saved William, but the only reason she survived was because A.R.G.U.S. showed up.

Felicity Smoak is a badass in many ways, but her fighting skills don’t compare to Oliver’s. That’s just facts. Felicity was never more acutely aware of this fact than when her husband sacrificed himself, went to prison, and left his family wide open for the wolves to feed on. 

Felicity can’t depend on the love cabin to keep her daughter safe anymore than she could depend on A.R.G.U.S. or Witness Protection. If Mia has to deal with all the dangerous consequences of being Oliver Queen’s daughter than her mother is going to make damn sure their daughter can fight like her father.

Source:  felicittysqueen

This might make me the stupidest person on the planet, but I was really jazzed when Nyssa broke out the bow and arrow. 

Source:  ebett

We haven’t seen Mia with a bow yet, so I wasn’t entirely sure what her choice of weaponry would be.  Listen, sometimes I don’t know stuff and am easily surprised by this show. It happens. 

Mia had to work her way up to the bow. She learned all the hand to hand combat first. I feel like it went in the opposite order for Oliver. Didn’t he learn the bow first from Yao Fei and then Slade taught him how to fight later? I need to rewatch Season 1… and maybe write some reviews (ducks as people throw things at me).

Honestly, Mia’s life with Felicity in the love cabin seems almost idyllic in many ways. I’m not saying Oliver missing is unimportant. Of course, he is a huge gaping wound, but when you think about all the ways the writers could have written a miserable childhood for this girl I was surprised by how regular it seemed. The character descriptions for Mia included a wildly unpleasant sounding past, but essentially she grows up in a small town and doesn’t ever venture into the city.

Neither does Felicity. She runs Smoak Tech from home because she is a mind blowing genius who can run can operate a multi billion dollar corporation from a forest.  

Felicity’s aging makeup is practically nonexistent 

Source:  felicitysmoakgifs

because if you came from the gene pool of the immortal Donna Smoak you’d look banging at fifty one too. 

Also, Felicity Smoak is the Queen of DCTV and as such it is mandatory she look amazing in any timeline.

How much do I love her hair let me count the ways? It has a very Moira Queen vibe and I dig that. 

I questioned if it was Emily’s real hair for a second, but @callistawolf assured me it’s a wig. So it is possible for Arrow to create good wigs. This might be one of the seven signs of the apocalypse. PREPARE YOUR SOULS.

Future Felicity is very… chill. There’s a reserve to her twenty years later. It’s almost a quiet calmness. Still waters run deep sort of vibe. There’s less babble and exuberant cheerfulness, but she’s still Felicity. 

Source:  lucyyh

She talks boys with her daughter, weaving in all the Wizard of Oz references, without missing a beat in her rapid fire delivery, but there’s a measured tone to it. This is older and, if possible, even wiser Felicity. Life has taken its toll, but it hasn’t stolen her light. Felicity is still our girl and she’s created some kind of happy life with Mia. No matter where Oliver is this is what he would want for his wife.

But Mia is getting antsy to spread her wings beyond the small town of Bloomfield as young women often do. If Oliver was the hero Felicity claims then why does she have to keep it secret? Why can’t she scream she’s Mia Queen from the mountain tops? Yeah, I wanna know that too. Unfortunately, we aren’t offered an answer other than Felicity ticking the “It’s complicated” box.

Source:  olicitygifs

Mia shatters a photo of Oliver and Felicity holding her as a newborn. One perfect, happy moment when life seemed limitless and their family felt complete captured on film and frozen forever. The arrow goes through the apple Mia was aiming for and straight through the glass picture frame. 

This photo constantly reminds Felicity what she’s fighting for, which is why it leads to the Overwatch lair. Extremely on brand Ms. Smoak. I totally fist pumped when the arrow short circuited the tech and revealed the secret door GoGo Gadjet style. The whole room has a very Dr. Claw vibe, except we know Felicity is not evil, so it’s more like Penny grew up and got herself a do-gooder lair once her uncle retired or something.

The screen savers on the two computer screens are photographs – one of Oliver dressed as the Green Arrow and the other of William with Felicity. The same photograph Oliver kept with him in prison at the beginning of the season. 

If you feared William was out of sight and out of mind think again. He was with her every moment of every day.  Everything Felicity lost and is fighting to get back encompassed in two photographs. Both are powerful images and we realize how much Mia doesn’t know about her mother.

I love the shot of Mia sitting down at the computer. She is sitting directly in the middle of the split between screens like a missing puzzle piece. The past meets the present and Mia is split between the seam. For the first time all members of the Queen family are represented in one room. The screens are connected and angled at a point. It almost looks like the photos and screens make the shape of an arrowhead and Mia is the shaft.

Mia tries to get into the system and immediately an image of old man Rene and resident Flash Forward bad buy Kevin Dale. We first met Dale in 7x10. Rene had a meeting with Dale to inform him the Canaries have “the plans” and questioned him about Felicity Smoak’s death. More on Rene later though.

The system starts to shut down and Felicity overrides the self destruct protocols. The cat is out of the proverbial bag and Felicity tells Mia she’s been trying to take down a corrupt company in the city as Overwatch. Except, she’s not Overwatch because there’s no team so it’s a totally different thing!

Yeah Mia ain’t buying that either.  She gets angry fast and furious style. There are multiple levels to Mia’s anger, which took me a couple viewings to understand because the writers were throwing so much information at us so quickly.

Bottom line is Mia feels betrayed. Oliver being a vigilante is the entire reason Mia was never able to go to a normal school or go anywhere outside Bloomfield. It’s also the reason she grew up without a father. Oliver wasn’t killed in a car crash. He isn’t living in Zurich with his new wife and family. Regardless of what happened to him we know it was vigilante related because that’s the show.

Now her mother, who is the only person in the world Mia loves, is engaging in the same type of behavior that cost Mia her father annnnnnd Felicity lied about it. 

Just switch hacking with snorting cocaine. It’s like Mia walked in on Felicity doing a line. Extremely dangerous behavior Mia thought her mother had left behind. She thinks Felicity is a vigilante junkie.

Source:  olicitygifs

Of course, we know different. We know being a hero is who Felicity truly is, but to Mia she’s just Mom and she feels betrayed. Felicity tries to explain the promise she made with Oliver, but she can’t really get into what she’s trying to save beyond “the city.” 

Listen, I get saving Star City is the entire mission of Arrow, but it doesn’t really pack the same punch as, “I’m trying to save the city so we can be reunited with your brother.” Am I right? Unfortunately, William is another secret Felicity is keeping from Mia. I am confident all of these decisions are to keep the kids safe, but the lies can’t stop the relationship between mother and daughter from cracking.

Mia cannot understand why the lies are necessary if being a vigilante is so honorable. She’s starting to believe the “propaganda” as Felicity calls it, which is more evidence that Oliver working with the police and the city accepting Team Arrow doesn’t last long. Eventually, the city turns against Oliver AGAIN. Ungrateful twats.

Mia is fed up with being kept on the sidelines while her mother plays vigilante. She feels like Felicity has lied for her entire life. Eh.  I mean… kind of? 

I love Mia but I’m automatically programmed to defend Felicity Megan Smoak at all costs. The writers needed Mia to separate from Felicity, run off to the city, and become a bitter and cynical soul to throw us off the Olicity baby scent. This scene doesn’t entirely work for me in terms of creating a wedge between mother and daughter. It feels a little bit like Mia throwing a temper tantrum, which hey happens with the youths sometimes. I had far less issues with this scene once the episode ended and I’ll explain why in a bit.

Just to play devil’s advocate with my own brain (cause it’s fun), Mia’s reaction isn’t any different than Tommy, Quentin or even Diggle’s when they found Oliver was The Hood. All three were spectacularly ticked off and did not view Oliver’s nightly extracurricular activity as a good thing. Of course, they all came around (some faster than others) and viewed Oliver as the hero he truly is.

Mia is struggling with what she sees and what she’s been told in the same way. She’s been told vigilantes are heroes by her mother, but everyone else is telling her vigilantes are to blame for all the misery.  It’s not a difficult to understand why Mia would start to believe vigilantism is to blame for everything wrong in her life too. Also, Felicity lied and her daughter is just ticked off about it.

She runs away from home and writes Felicity a letter that’s basically a neon sign blinking “MY HERO’S JOURNEY STARTS NOW.” We meet a rougher, darker and far more depressing Mia in Star City.

Source:  ebett

She chooses the name Blackstar because she wants to be erased. Whatever light we see in Mia isn’t really there. It’s already faded to black.

Yeesh, girl. You don’t need to be as broody as your old man. At least Mia hasn’t skinned anyone for practice, but she’s getting a tattoo and is generally pessimistic about life. Close enough. The cage fighting pays homage to Oliver’s Bratva initiation. The writers want to make sure we really see the parallels because OLIVER AND MIA ARE THE SAME.

In case you missed the Bratva parallel, they follow it up with two more. Mia is doing handstand push ups and she pulls her bow from the case just like Oliver did in the pilot. But they aren’t thinking about a spin off. Nope. Nothing to see here!

Source: mia-smoak-gifs

William and Mia join forces for another brother/sister team up. First up is scaling the wall to enter into The Glades undetected. 

Source:  ebett

I feel William on a spiritual level in this scene.

This polar-opposite-yet-so-much-in-common thing between Queen siblings is really working for me. Ben Lewis is hysterical and he’s the perfect funny man to Katherine McNamara’s straight man err woman. They are way more fun than Oliver and Thea. I say this as someone who deeply loves the OG Queen siblings, but we never quite found our way to fun with those two.

I also appreciate the begrudging mutual appreciation of one another’s skills. 

William marvels at Mia’s physicality while she is thoroughly impressed with whatever tech he’s cooked up. 

Source:  ebett

Yeah, I could do this for another eight years. Sign me up.

William finally gets annoyed with Mia’s whole anti vigilante shtick. Listen, my little lemon drop love child. You are on a vigilante show. You are the offspring of vigilantes. You are going to star in a vigilante show. It’s time to get on board with vigilantism, Mia. It’s in the blood baby. Listen to your big bro.

Felicity’s coordinates lead directly to Galaxy One. Their headquarters is in The Glades and they are one of the richest and most powerful companies in the world. It’s safe to assume this is the company Felicity was trying to expose as Overwatch. 

William and Mia assume Felicity is being held there and they are gonna break her out by going undercover. YASSS! Let’s do this 1x22 style. 

Where’s the elevator shaft?

William pretends to be a CEO while Mia is his executive assistant 

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

and this is such a feels inducing and hilarious callback to Season 2 Olicity my heart almost burst. William had Oliver’s smug arrogance and pragmatic thinking down cold while Mia adamantly refuses to be anyone’s assistant. Like mother like daughter! But someone needs to tell these kids a single cup of coffee is one of the main reasons their pine tree of a father realized he was falling in love with their mother.

William, as CEO, gets through the body scan just fine, but drops bombshell information on us. HIS NAME ISN’T CLAYTON ANYMORE. IT IS HARRIS. 

I know a lot of people have been concerned with the William side of things. If Oliver and Felicity went to such great lengths to keep Mia safe why did they leave William hanging with the grandparents in Central City?

Like I’ve been saying you don’t keep two precious jewels in one spot. It seems anywhere outside Star City was safe, which is why Felicity kept Mia in Bloomfield for her entire life. If we follow that same logic then William should be fairly safe in Central City or anywhere other than Star City. Perhaps, Oliver instructed the grandparents and William to change their last name. If Olicity is afraid enough for their baby to go into hiding and not tell anyone about her existence, I’m thinking requesting a name change for their son wouldn’t be too outside the realm of possibilities.

Connor shows up at just the right time and he’s done recon on the Galaxy One building. He thinks Felicity is being held on one of the sub levels, but they need the CEO’s DNA to get through security - Kevin Dale. And it all starts connecting.

As William works Dale he reveals the name of his company is Harris Consolidated. Immediately, I feel a flood of warm fuzzies as I remember the dynasty which made the Queen family their billions. But then it hits me.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. (Yes. I type all my thoughts. I’m weird. )

William changed his name from Clayton to Harris. How much do you want to bet that when Arrow is all over William changes his last name to Queen? Perhaps he changes the name of his company to Queen Inc. It could be the reason we’ve seen the name Queen Inc. in The Flash’s future newspaper. 

All this time I thought Oliver would get the company back, but nope it’s William’s company.  I suppose Felicity and William could also merge their companies to form Queen Inc. when Arrow ends and Felicity wants to retire to Aruba with her husband. Of course I could be wrong, but the use of Consolidated in William’s company’s name feels more than just a nod to the past for me. 

As William flirts with Dale, so Mia can steal the necessary DNA, he explains the quick success of his company was due to an angel investor named City of Emerald’s Capital. I legit yelled, “It was Felicity, William,” but he couldn’t hear me. 

Source:  smoaktechs

I’m a tad disappointed a boy this bright hadn’t figured it out yet. Of course, Emerald City is a nod to Felicity’s love of the Wizard of Oz as Mia explains later, but also EMERALD = GREEN. She hung a sign out there kiddo. Pay attention.

Connor has some technology that can replicate a DNA signature and fool a full body scan. Yeah, I don’t really get it, but Connor says it works and where he goes so goes my nation. I’m sold buddy. Also, take of your shirt please while hero-ing. Why didn’t we put that in Joseph’s contract? Someone get me legal!

This feels like more technology Felicity invented and is somehow related to Archer. Diggle did say A.R.G.U.S. would love to get their hands on her technology. If the tech sounds awesome then it is safe to assume Felicity invented it.

Source:  smoaktechs

There’s some fun brother sister banter in the elevator because that’s the family way and Mia actually admits to caring about William. QUEEN SIBLINGS FOREVER.

After battling their way through some security goons the trio finally finds Felicity. It is such a great reveal.

Mia: Mom.

William: You are alive.

Felicity: I told you not to come!

Me:

QUEEN OF DCTV IS ALIVE AND IN THE FLASH FORWARDS.

Dear antis and annoying anons in my inbox insisting Felicity is dead,

These writers would rather write the show in the depths of hell while burning in eternal torment than kill Felicity Smoak.

Love,

Me

The Flash Forwards immediately felt 800% more hopeful with Felicity’s presence. God I missed her. The writers must never again keep her out of a timeline for sixteen episodes. It is just wrong and hurts my soul. There are only a few episodes left and I demand my goddess in all show timelines. I shall not be deprived of Felicity Smoak goodness any longer. Yes, I am saying this in my very best Scarlett O’Hara voice.

Of course, she gives the classic mom response which immediately ticks Mia off, but it is William’s reaction to Felicity that touched me the most. 

He hugs her and his forgiveness is almost immediate. 

Source:  felicittysqueen

William truly believed Felicity was dead (thanks for nothing Dinah), so whatever mistakes she made seem smaller in comparison. William is so much like her. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is guided by his compassion as much as intelligence. Felicity never forgot her son. She watched over him and has been fighting every day to be part of his life again. This hug is twenty years in the making.

Twenty years apart is awful. I agree Oliver and Felicity deserved to raise their children in peace together. But this is Arrow and the story is not going to end without a big sacrifice because there is always sacrifice in a hero’s story. Oliver hasn’t “deserved” any of the horrible things that have happened to him. That’s not really the point. 

The point is suffering can be redemptive. Good things can come from bad things happening. The upside is the really bad thing already happened. Oliver and Felicity have made their sacrifice, so there’s no way the future isn’t going to end happily for them.

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the reunions in the future knowing this family has been separated for so long, but I found myself quite affected by William and Felicity’s hug. I didn’t have to live through the twenty years. They’ve been separated for a couple of episodes in terms of actual hours spent watching Arrow.  I don’t know if relieved is the right word, but as I watched Felicity and William reunite I thought, “Okay. They are together now. They can at least begin rebuilding whatever damage has been done to this family.”

Source: arrowdaily

As Mia watches her mother hug her brother there’s a mixture of feelings on her face. She is happy, angry and maybe even a little jealous. Mia can’t forgive as easily as William and I think part of her envies the way he can access all of his emotions so easily. Mia doesn’t know how to do that yet. It’s almost as if she shut down a part of her heart after her fight with Felicity because the betrayal hurt too much. Sound like someone we know?

Mia is furious Felicity wants to stay and dismantle the bombs because, once again, she is choosing being a vigilante over her family. 

Felicity doesn’t deny sacrificing her safety and her family for the greater good. That’s the job. 

Source:  felicitysmoakgifs

Being a hero is who Felicity Smoak is and selflessness requires sacrifice. She can’t shut that part of her down because she’d only be half alive. This isn’t just Oliver’s hero’s journey. It’s Felicity’s too.

Yes, Felicity is a mother, but her love for her children is not all she is. It’s okay Felicity has a purpose beyond her family because women are not just one thing. Fighting for Star City is what fuels Felicity and it is the life she chose. It’s why we love her. Felicity does what others can’t or refuse to do. It’s what makes her a hero.

William, as Felicity 2.0, chooses to help his mother stop the bombs. It is a team up worth waiting twenty years for. Not so long ago, Felicity was explaining to William what it was like loving a hero, the strength it requires and the sacrifice. 

As furious as young William was at Oliver for being the Green Arrow and being unable to provide the normal life he craved, he also understood who his father was. Oliver’s heroism is what William loves most about his father and what he hates most. It’s the same with Felicity.

Derek: You stood in front of a bullet for me. I know why you do all of it. It’s what I love about you.

Meredith: And what you hate about me.

Derek: Yeah.

I love these lines from Grey’s Anatomy so much, and I quote them often in these reviews, because it perfectly encapsulates what it is like to love a hero.  William and Mia love their parents very much, but it doesn’t mean loving them is easy.

Rene shows up to tell the team the bombs have already been moved off site. I thought it was weird how he used the phrase “impeccable genetics” when describing his daughter, but then I realized the writers wrote it so Felicity could use the same terminology when she dropped the bomb on Rene.

Source:  feilcityqueen

LINE. OF. THE. SEASON.

Felicity needs to destroy the brain of the bomb, which is the cube Dale was fidgeting with during the meeting with William. Rene gets the team into the masquerade party in The Glades where Dale will be.  Everyone wears a hooded cape and mask, which is a fun homage to Mia Dearden’s superhero suit in the comics.

Felicity and William track Dale

Source: ebett

and Mia zeroes in on him prepared to take him out all on her own. 

Source:  dcmultiverse

This is another one of those “this feels like a pilot” moments, because Mia’s fight with Dale and his goons is almost exactly like Oliver’s fight in Adam Hunt’s office in the Arrow pilot. 

They even turned the lights off. It’s a great scene and proves Mia is just as capable of taking down twenty guys just like Oliver Queen. Plus she gets to throw on her cape in a very superhero way at the end, which is just nifty.

Dale escapes so Team Arrow ditches the capes and a fight breaks out in order to find him. Mia zeroes in on Dale and Connor tosses her the bow.

Source:  felicittysqueen

The lights of the party stream behind her as she takes aim at Dale. Mia Smoak looks like a star and she’s anything but faded. 

Source:  mia-smoak-gifs

The light seems to stretch out infinitely as it guides the arrow along its path. She destroys the cube and stops the bombs from detonating just as the party fireworks explode in the night sky. 

Source:  lucyyh

Once again, Mia is illuminated like a star in the night sky and looks like the hero she is destined to be – just like her parents.

The bomb plot is foiled, but the team still needs to take down Galaxy One from the inside. Rene will continue to play patsy and has issued a dead or alive reward of ten million dollars to capture Arsenal, Bl*ck C*nary and The Calculator. Galaxy One’s plan was to remake Star City just like The Glades, so they could expand Archer globally which is like Skynet launching the nukes. We don’t want computer programs going global. It always ends badly in television shows and movies.

Felicity thanks William for holding on to the hozen and answering her prayer. 

Source:  feilcityqueen

It’s a little too much emotional family bonding and makes Mia uncomfortable, so she walks off in classic Felicity Smoak style 

Source:  felicitysmoakgifs

fueled by her Oliver Queen genetic broodiness. I love this kid.

Mia and Felicity have an outstanding mother and daughter scene where they hash out all their issues. Mia hated vigilantes because she hated her mother. She hated her mother because Felicity lied to her. But no matter how much Mia hated the lie, she also understood why Felicity did it.

It’s reminiscent of the hospital scene in 5x20 when Felicity forgave Oliver for lying about William. 

Felicity had to walk in Oliver’s shoes to understand his perspective (and vice versus), which is exactly what happened with Mia in “Star City 2040.” She walked in her mother’s heroic shoes. Mia finally understands the danger, responsibility and sacrifice this life requires, which is how she finally reaches compassion. 

Source:  oliverxfelicity

Because after everything her parents sacrificed, including a peaceful life with their children, the city turned their backs on vigilantes. Welcome to the Star City Is A Bunch of Ungrateful Twats Club Mia. Have another scotch, honey.

The break in Mia’s wall gives Felicity the opportunity to tell her what we’ve all thought and needs to be said. 

Mia Smoak is just like her dad – a stubborn, lethal, compassionate, badass with a heart of gold. Mia loves deeply and when she’s hurt it cuts just as deep, so she shuts down. But she cannot wall her heart off forever anymore than Oliver could because love is what fuels the fire in Mia. Her light is not extinguished. It shines brighter than she ever realized possible because of course it does. Mia is Oliver and Felicity’s girl.

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

As independent as Mia claims to be, she also yearns for what any child wants. We all want our parents to be proud of us. As much as Felicity wishes she could keep Mia away from this life and these choices, she also recognizes it is her daughter’s decision to make. At the end of the day, Mia stepped up. She is so much like both her parents. As Felicity and Mia find some healing between them, somehow it feels like Oliver is in the room with them too.

Quite frankly, I am floored they resolved the fissure in Felicity and Mia’s relationship so quickly. I was mentally prepared for Mia to hate her mother at least for all of Season 7 and perhaps well into Season 8. I love that I was wrong. This is the reason why I have fewer problems with their big fight. It may have felt rushed, but since it was resolved within the hour I’m bothered by it less. Now we get to watch Felicity, William and Mia become a united force and find a way together to bring Oliver back to the family he loves more than anything else.  

Maybe Oliver is dead and will be resurrected (although I really doubt the writers killed him at this point). Maybe Oliver is simply missing and cut off from his family. We may not know what happened or where he is, but we do know how this family will be reunited. Felicity told us tonight. It’s what she said to Oliver not so long ago, when they were first falling in love, and they often repeated it when whatever struggle they were facing seemed impossible.

“There’s always another way.”

The Yellow Brick Road and the Garden of Eden

There are many references to the Wizard of Oz because it is Felicity’s favorite story. Her Scarecrow remark to Roy in 3x19 wasn’t a toss away line. The reason Felicity Smoak loves the Wizard of Oz is because she loves heroes and that story is one of the great hero’s tales.  There are a lot of really important lessons in Wizard of Oz, which we can apply to “Star City 2040” and ultimately Oliver’s legacy.

The Glades/Star City is clearly Emerald City. The twist in Wizard of Oz isn’t when Dorothy kills the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s when she pulls back the curtain and discovers there is no wizard. There is no magic man granting wishes.

All the characters already had everything they needed deep inside their souls to be exactly who they wanted to be.  William, Connor, and Mia all have what it takes to be heroes even though they may not fully realize it. 

They need to tap into what’s already there just like Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion did. Just like Felicity, Diggle, and Oliver.

Source:  lyricalarrow

The grass is not always greener on the other side, which Mia quickly discovers when she leaves Bloomfield for Star City. Dorothy realizes she had the power all along to go back home. She simply had to choose the people she loves. Mia makes the same choice as Dorothy when she forgives her mother and accepts what Felicity has been telling her about vigilantes is true.

The Yellow Brick Road is symbolism that lacks any real subtle because it’s literally the road Dorothy walks on her hero’s journey. It can’t get much clearer. Dorothy never wavers on the road. She is determined to find the Wizard so she can go home, despite all the trials and tribulations the Wicked Witch throws her way. Felicity is Mia’s home. She will always be home and Mia stopped at nothing to get her mother back.

Trust is another massive component to Dorothy’s story. She made friends in the unlikeliest of places and their success was truly a team effort. Each person had special gifts, which proved vital in the defeat of the Witch and ultimately the salvation of Emerald City. Mia is so much like Oliver and she is always ready to go it alone, however she couldn’t this time. She needed William and Connor to help save Felicity. And she will need the whole team to save Star City and her father too.

Honesty is freedom. Once Dorothy pulled back the curtain the Wizard was free of the lie. He no longer had to live behind the curtain hidden away. I view Oliver as the Wizard because what happened to him is shrouded in so much mystery. However, the Wizard is just a man who wants to return to his normal life like Dorothy does. The Wizard wants to be free of the curtain as much as he needs it. This is no different than Oliver needing the hood and wanting to be free of it someday.

Mia: I need to find out the truth about everything. About who our family really is. What I’m meant to do with my life. I can’t hold back anymore. I need to forge my own path.

Mia may mourn for what was lost like Oliver does, but she is at the beginning of her Yellow Brick Road whereas Oliver is at the end. Salvation for Star City is not the eradication of crime. There will always be another Wicked Witch. So, there must always be a hero lighting the road in the dark.

The gift Oliver Queen will give the citizens of Star City is hope. His legacy will live on when someone else chooses to become that hope.  And then Oliver will be free to find his happiness at the end of the Yellow Brick Road.

This brings me to Galaxy One being a front for Eden Corps, which is a supposedly defunct terrorist organization that nuked cities at some point. Since Dante funds terrorist organization I feel the Chart of Evil will ultimately connect from Dante to Eden Corps to Galaxy One. It’s all fruit of the same poison tree.

The name Eden is not coincidental. Mia shatters the family photo aiming for an apple. The arrow goes through the apple and directly into the family photograph, which opens Felicity’s secret lair. Eden is from the Garden of Eden or the paradise Adam and Eve lived in until they disobeyed God’s command. They ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil after being tempted by the Devil. Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened and were cast out of paradise.

Galaxy One’s goal is to eradicate vigilantes and create a new world order with the Archer program. This new world is promised to be a paradise behind walls and Galaxy One/Eden Corps decide who lives or dies. It’s like extermination based on zip code rather than religion/ethnicity like the Nazis did in World War II. This biblical reference feels somewhat similar to Damien Darhk’s Genesis plan in Season 4. It is mass genocide in exchange for paradise. Not unlike Malcolm Merlyn’s Undertaking in Season 1. The ends justify the means to these villains.

No one can say with 100% accuracy what kind of fruit Adam and Eve ate, but the apple is the fruit most commonly depicted in popular culture. Mia shoots an arrow through the apple and it immediately launches her hero’s journey.  She discovers Felicity’s lair, they fight, and she leaves for Star City. Then she must enter The Glades to save her mother. Mia’s eyes are opened to the truth about her mother even though she doesn’t fully grasp what that truth means in the moment. She leaves her idyllic life in Bloomfield for the harsh reality of Star City.

Mia is essentially at a crossroads in “Star City 2040.” She can either continue alone as a fading star or she can embrace the truth of her past and let it lead her towards a righteous path. The greatest gift God gave us is free will. Every hero has to decide to be a hero at some point.

I often say superheroes are Christ like figures because of their pure hearts and willingness to sacrifice for others at the expense of their own happiness and/or lives. I’ve been teasingly calling Oliver Jesus this season because he is a fully realized superhero. We are witnessing an evolved Oliver who has grown leaps and bounds from the man we first met in the pilot.

Oliver no longer lives in a black and white world. He sees the grey and operates from a true sense of justice where killing has no real place. He lives openly as the Green Arrow, which means no more lies. Oliver has embraced his team and is leading from example. He is far more patient, understanding and accepting of others, particularly when it comes to opinions which differ from his. Oliver has accepted he deserves love and has embraced it. He’s living life fully as a husband, father, brother and friend. Most importantly, Oliver is trying to save his city by instilling hope and honor through his example. His light shines on the darkest corners of Star City.

Do you know what Jesus is also called? The New Adam. Christians believe Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again in fulfillment of God’s promise that one day we’d be delivered from the sin Adam and Eve introduced into our world. Our souls are saved because God loved us so much that he sacrificed his only son. Jesus’ mother Mary is sometimes called the New Eve. She was born free of original sin and remained sinless until ascending body and soul to heaven.

But this a superhero story, so it’s not going to be an apples to apples comparison (HA! Get it?), particularly since this is coming from the CW and not the Vatican. However, the writers are using biblical symbolism for a reason. Star City has gone to hell in a hand basket without Oliver. Eden Corps is essentially the Devil and Star City needs their superhero-Christ-like-figure to deliver their souls from the eternal torment of hell. Cool right? Oliver is that deliverance. He is the Christ like figure. Oliver Queen is the New Adam.

Arrow is not stopping with Oliver Queen. Saving Star City will be a family effort. It’s impossible for Oliver to eradicate crime just like we can never truly eradicate the evil Adam and Eve’s sin allowed into the world. But there is promised salvation.

Oliver may save the city, but he cannot be the Green Arrow forever. He doesn’t want to be the Green Arrow forever. What Oliver wants more than anything is to hang up the hood and live his life in peace. However, in order to do that he needs someone to take up the mantle of Protector of Star City. There must be a new superhero waiting in the wings. Not the New Adam, but the New Eve like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

Mia.

SmoakNHawke

DID Y’ALL HEAR THAT? IT’S THE SOUND OF MY SHIP SETTING SAIL! 

Connor gets Mia through security scan because he’s AGENT Hawke. Umm… say what? Honestly, I don’t know why I was so shocked by this. Both of his parents were A.R.G.U.S. agents, but I’m wildly excited and dumbfounded when any of these children pick up their parents’ tools of the trade. I AM JUST SO HAPPY FAM! I’m overwhelmed by the wealth of goodies.

Connor started working on credentials and clearance once he realized Mia and William would be heading directly into the belly of the whale. It’s 100% apparent Connor is going to be the planner in this group. He obtained a pass to Galaxy One as an agent for Knightwatch, which is the good version of A.R.G.U.S. It seems A.R.G.U.S. goes all evil no matter what timeline we’re in.  

The details on Connor and Knightwatch are fuzzy for a reason because the writers don’t want to fill all the blanks in the backdoor pilot. Then there’s no show. However, I think it’s safe to assume Knightwatch may be perceived as anti vigilante, otherwise why would the Galaxy One security guard release Mia into Connor’s custody? However, the reality may be Knightwatch is operating on some kind of undercover/double cross capacity.

Long story short – Connor is one of the good guys and he has a badge. So he’s hot and useful. Excellent.

He apologizes for not telling Mia the truth and she responds by slamming him up against a wall. 

Oh my friends, scenes like this are how ships are made. Get it girl. I was not expecting this line to come out of Mia’s mouth though -

Source:  mia-smoak-gifs

WHAT DID YOU SAY CHILD? DID YOU SAY “WAS ANY OF IT REAL?” MEANING Y’ALL WERE HOOKING UP? IS THAT THE REAL WE’RE DISCUSSING? JUST SO I AM CLEAR – REAL IS A EUPHEMISM FOR SEX?

SmoakNHawke is definitely a go and more importantly THEY’VE ALREADY HAD SEX. You could hear my screams for miles.

Yeah, I know we didn’t get to see anything YET. Listen cupcakes, this is what the spin-off is for. They’ll fill in the blanks. Arrow uses flashbacks and flash forwards. The probability is high the spin-off will too. I ain’t worried about it.

The backdoor pilot just gave us a canon ship to root for without a disastrous backstory like sleeping with sisters or foster siblings hooking up. I wasn’t expecting SmoakNHawke to happen this quickly. The OTA babies falling in love is a wonderful idea the fandom cooked up and I was sure the writers would either ignore completely like most of our good ideas or let it simmer for years on end. We just went from zero to sixty with one sentence. This is a moment to rejoice.

More importantly, if the spinoff doesn’t happen, and this is where the story ends for the Flash Forward characters too, then the writers made damn sure Mia and Connor were a thing before Arrow went off air. They understand the importance of Diggle’s son and Oliver’s daughter being together. It’s Christmas y’all. All we do is win.

Connor assures Mia “all of it” was real and I’m swooning. Felicity asks what Mia’s type is in a later scene and I yelled, “HER TYPE IS CONNOR HAWKE.”

As angry and hurt as Mia is, she still couldn’t let Connor get his ass beat and saves him from a couple of the security goons. I love this flip of gender dynamics.  Not that Olicity remain rooted in traditional roles, quite the contrary. However, it’s not all that often we see a female hero saving a male.

Mia is too angry with Felicity’s choices to help her with the bombs.  William leaves with their mother, but Connor stays with Mia. He is ride or die. If she wants to help then he’s there. If she wants to leave then he’s cool with that.

They have a pretty epic fight too. Mia can’t decide if she’s angrier about the lying or Connor believing she needed protection.

Mia defines whatever is between her and Connor as a relationship, so I feel they are more than just a hook up, but short of boyfriend and girlfriend. Connor is sorry he lied, but he’s not sorry he stuck around and kept an eye on Mia just like his father instructed because he truly cares about her.

“When you like someone, proximity is a good thing, regardless of how they feel about you." (Pacey Witter, Dawson’s Creek)

They sure fight like they are boyfriend and girlfriend. Connor gives a fairly epic speech about choosing to be a hero and learning how to selflessly share their superhero parents with the world. 

Connor didn’t like Diggle and Lyla choosing the city above their family time and again, but as he grew older it became something he admired in his parents. Their sacrifices only made Connor love them more.

Source:  oliverxfelicity

I’m curious about Connor’s backstory because he says he chose to be a superhero in training whereas it was more or less forced upon Mia. But today is the day she can make the choice for herself. If Mia walks out on Galaxy One then it is her decision. She can’t put the responsibility on Felicity this time.

Mia simply doesn’t trust Connor anymore and believes he has an ulterior motive just like Felicity and William. So, he uses a little reverse psychology. Mia walking away from danger is exactly what her mother wants and doing directly opposite of what Felicity wants is extremely appealing to Mia right now. God bless the rebellious youth. I swear Diggle must have discussed with Connor how to manage a Queen. This is straight out of the Yoda playbook.

Connor has to earn Mia’s trust back, but their story is just beginning and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Roy, Dinah and Rene

Once again I am the least interested in Team Newbie. Yeah, they are still Newbies after twenty years. I wish I could be more positive about Roy, but he listened to Dinah’s nonsense about Felicity being evil and dead. It’s swell they are all happy Felicity is alive and one of the good guys, but none of them get any points because they believed the worst about their friend who has proven to be a spectacular human being time and again. Dinah’s first inclination should have been Felicity is pretending to be evil to infiltrate a Big Bad because DUH. Morons.

They decide to finally look into Felicity’s death in EPISODE 16 and discover the shock of all shocks, “The case files are a mess.” YEAH BECAUSE SHE ISN’T REALLY DEAD YOU DINKLE TWITS!

Rene confessing he knew about the bombs isn’t a shock because we knew he was in on some kind of plan in 7x10. Galaxy One can expand The Glades in a fraction of the time and he thought Star City would be evacuated before the bombs. Rene being the biggest dumbass to ever live isn’t a shock. That’s just a regular Arrow Monday.

Rene aligned himself with Galaxy because he liked feeling powerful and respected. He was no longer living in the shadow of Oliver Queen. Now he was the mayor who saved the city. Unfortunately, aligning with the Big Bad at any point requires a redemptive arc. It’s great Rene is working undercover with Team Arrow now, but I am not expecting him to survive Season 8.

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

Dinah is thrilled to see Felicity alive, but she is not overwhelmed with joy over seeing Dinah. Felicity almost looks distrustful as Dinah hugs her. At the very least she’s ticked off Dinah believed she went all evil. There’s definitely more to the story and everything is not one hundred percent between these two.

The only other piece which interests me is Roy’s rage issues. It’s not Mirakuru related, but it’s completely possible he took a dip in the Lazarus Pit and banished himself to Lian Yu because he couldn’t control the rage. The fact Nyssa is available to train Mia for several years means the Lazarus Pit mission was over. Thea is LOA trained and Oliver’s sister. She would have been Felicity’s first choice to train their daughter, but instead it was Nyssa. This does not bode well for Thea’s fate. Everyone mentally prepare. Thea is dead.

Stray Thoughts…

It’s like Mia was tailor made for us. I will never tire of Arrow sticking it to comic book fans with lines like this. Yes, that’s right folks. The non comic book couple is canon on the TV show and they spawned a non comic book character to carry on the Green Arrow’s legacy. Suck it.  Source:  oliverxfelicity

It’s a little odd Mia’s first question wasn’t, “Hey! Who is the kid in the photo?” but given the potential canyon sized plot holes this storyline could have I’ll let it slide.

Itty bitty Mia was played by Bam’s daughter. I was wondering where you find a mini ninja and of course she is BABY BAM. Source: ebett

Clary Fray was a pretty physical role on Shadowhunters, but Katherine has really had to step it up as Mia and she’s doing a fantastic job with the stunts. She’s no Stephen, but he’s insane so we won’t grade her on that level of madness.

Oliver’s Yao Fei box keeps showing up everywhere. First it’s on Lian Yu and William digs it up. Now it’s in the backyard of the Olicity love cabin. This thing gets more miles than Delta.

WHAT DOES THE KEY TATTOO MEAN?

Where the friggin frack is Bloomfield? I’m sure there’s some comic book explanation.

The pairing of Mia and Connor romantically makes me smile because I always said Diggle was Oliver’s first wife. Hehehehe.

“Oh good now there are two of you.” William is Felicity 2.0 officially. It’s canon now.

Felicity’s mask was sparkly green. I was wildly excited about this color choice.

I love how Felicity pesters Mia about boys because Donna used to do the same thing to Felicity and it drove her nuts, which is proof we all become our mothers someday. Source:  felicitysmoakgifs

I’m still not over Mia’s loft being the same set as Olicity’s loft back in Season 4.

“No one gets to kill my mom except me.” I have a super great relationship with my mother, but I don’t know any woman who can’t relate to this line on some level. Sometimes your mom just drives you nuts, but she’s still your mom and only you get to murder her. Nobody else can mess with her.

Rene didn’t think Roy was alive. Thinking people are dead is like an epidemic with the Newbies. Not blown away by their powers of deduction.

So much same William. Source:  mei-pellegrino

Felicity blames herself for Galaxy One and Eden Corps because she invented Archer and somehow the bad guys get their hands on it. However, I do not think Felicity is blaming herself for Oliver. There’s two different trains moving at the same time on parallel tracks. There’s Dante/Eden Corps/the Ninth Circle/Archer and there’s the promise Oliver made to the Monitor. I believe the reason Oliver is missing/presumed dead etc is because of the deal he made with the Monitor. Perhaps Archer is a hurdle when Oliver is finally free to come home to Star City, but I don’t believe it’s the reason Oliver is gone. The reason Oliver was not around to help protect Felicity and Mia from Dante/Eden Corps/the Ninth Circle/Archer is because of his promise to the Monitor and Felicity had nothing to do with that. Source:  felicitysmoakgifs

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me. 7x16 gifs credited.

If you’d like to support the blog, please buy me a cup of tea!

[moonanagames]

Good and bad news, CHECK THIS OUT PLZ

(are... are you ready)

Haro my fellow earthlings and interplanetarian folks!

Today I bring good and bad news altogether, so please bear with me for a bit! Firstly, I wanted to talk about how development has been going since the very beginning, so let us go to our nice time capsule :D

This is a timeline of the development up until now, I tried to be the most accurate as I could, but it can be a bit difficult when I don’t remember many things anymore lol

The game is in development since January 2017. The timeline goes like this:

2017

From January to May, 20, I developed on my own my first public demo of Virgo Vs The Zodiac. It took longer as I was all by myself.

Then my Grandma said she wouldn’t be able to support me anymore if I was going to quit college to develop games. From May to August, I prepared the Crowdfunding Campaign to help me fund the project and my EXISTENCE. The Campaign was launched in September 2017, I think.

After the campaign ended, I could finally get Anglerman onboard! Ay! He does animations for enemies and some party members animations too and is also the greatest deity of our lives. A legend. He helped me a lot with the Game Design Document I was working on because new people would join and I needed to make the things in my head to be a bit more concrete.

From the end of the Campaign until October we were working with a another programmer, but that didn’t work too well since they had another big project they were working on at the time. We had to change the programmer. It was when I found Ben here on Tumblr, current lead programmer. Our lord and savior.

After that I was browsing tumblr randomly and I found Veyerals among asks sent to this tumblr and thought his work with menus was pretty cool (and I liked his game as well, played a lot of that back then). Veyerals joined the project too as the UI programmer and would also be working with the SHMUP mini games, which he had experience with. Bless the UI G.O.D.

From that point on we had to basically rebuild the game from scratch from the moment we got the new programmers. Not only develop the game from scratch, but doing everything RPG Maker already had built in for us into the new engine because that was the only thing I knew in terms of “programming”. That and adding everything new I thought for the project. It was a huge amount of work, and we only had a battle system working fine in December, where we started developing a new build.

(concept art of lady nurse)

2018

In this year things got a bit complicated!

At first, when the battle system was mainly “complete”, as we thought back then, we delivered a 15 mins build for ID@XBOX to be shown at the Game Developers Conference, on January 2018.

We had billions of problems from january to august with the development and also unrelated to the development, like dealing with US taxes. A lot of things weren't working as we wanted them to be, this time was mostly spent on making the timed hits to feel nice, rebuilding the base systems and trying to make the game to have the same feeling as the RPG Maker build had of it being challenging. Also, overall asset production. That was demanding as heck. In RPG Maker the enemies didn't move, while in Game Maker they were animated. I had never worked with Game Maker before, so me and Anglerman (the animator and fellow game designer) had to learn the engine from scratch while developing the game, that resulted in a lot of set backs, but lead us to where we are now. We're confident with the overall game's scaling, difficulty, battles and systems. In Game Maker the maps are also bigger and have way more polishing, so that took a lot of time to get used to on the new engine.

(a really weird, but solved, bug)

From that point on we built Capricorn, and started working on Taurus and other realms at the same time. After some time we determined that doing several realms at the same time, even though we knew which level the player would be wouldn't work well, and we decided to finish the realms before heading to other realm.

Billion lines of code later, in october we started development of the first 2 hours and a half of Taurus. All of it took one month and a half. It was a significant improvement from the previous 5 months to develop the same amount of gameplay! We determined that we can finish the game on the first half on 2019 upon seeing the progress of the development in Taurus. Now we have a stable work flow, as our lead programmer only has to work on random tiny things, for example, "I would like for Virgo to throw Alpacas for an event, can you add that?". Those are small details that Ben can do easily. Everything that was promised on the campaign, like SHMUP minigames and the crafting system is also all working nicely and well.

That brings us to the bad news: The release will be delayed, for all the reasons exposed before. At first we thought of keeping with the date announced in the Crowdfunding Campaign of December 4th and release the game in Early Access. However it all seemed unfair to the Beta Backers who donated first to get access to early builds of the game. Other than that, a save system of something like a RPG such as Virgo Vs The Zodiac wouldn’t work well with the early access system of Steam. Just imagine your save messing up every time the game is updated. That would be just bad. xD Unfortunately I didn’t know that back then when I announced the date, and I didn’t know the amount of hassle I would go through to learn the engine while developing the game. I can only blame my naiveness, honestly. Other than that, December isn’t a good time to release games because of the Steam Sale that makes it harder for new games to be noticed with so many games on sale.

With that being clarified, I can say now that the game would most likely be released in the first half of 2019, around Q2. I apologize deeply and am extremely sad, I was even avoiding saying this here and avoiding social medias in general due to anxiety attacks <_< I’m sorry for that as well! For anyone who said their birthday was in the same day as the game’s release, I apologize immensely, and please send me a message and I’ll send you a card of Sagittarius wishing you a happy birthday. It’s the only thing I can do now, to be honest. S O R R Y =(

O U T R A G E O U S

New possible release date: Q2 2019.

As for the good news now:

Taurus Realm Build For Backers

The Taurus build I was talking about will be sent to backers this week! :D You can expect a bossfight with a Zodiac, millions of new characters, around 1800 new lines of dialogues, new equipment to check, new fellows to beat or spare, quests and the SHMUP minigame, now implemented on the game! Also, as seen on the trailer, you can throw enemies off screen now :3

Kinda Funny Games Showcase

We’ll also be participating on Kinda Funny’s Games Showcase that’ll be happening in December 8th! You’ll be able to see a new trailer of Virgo Vs The Zodiac on the stream that’ll be happening on Kinda Funny’s Twitch. That’s a really cool opportunity for us, so eternal thanks to Greg Miller for chosing VvtZ. That got me by surprise! xD

Date: Saturday, December 8th

Time: 10am PT

I think that’s it! Basically we had a lot of setbacks, but we’re in the right path again now and I can say doing anything is faster as is! The game’s quality improved and the development became more demanding of our skills, but it’s also a nice challenge for everyone. I’m glad to have started this project, my life was pretty dull back then, I had lost many important things before and VvtZ brought sparkle back to my life. That’s important, as even in the most difficult times I can remember I’m creating something I have so much fun with. I’m blessed to have all the people who support me on Virgo Vs The Zodiac discord, who supported me in the campaign and everyone around social medias. It’s what makes my days happier, tbh.

Ever since I began development I lost contact with many of my friends from the other city I lived in, but I also made many other precious friends who helped me along the way! All the good and bad memories on my life shaped this place I created for myself in the world. I like this place, it’s comfy :3 Again, I’m sorry for ruining your expectations to have the game up on Steam this year, it’s a first delaying the development like this. As a Taurus I can say it pains the most to not have things done when I need them to be despite the hard work going behind this game. Damned Bugs. I want the bugs to die. Gotta work even harder from now on to extinguish bugs the maximum we can!

[boomtanknotboombox]

Unicron: -Peering in again-

Blaster: -staring right back- .....hi?

Unicron: -This was different from the other one- Hello.

Blaster: -Was not expecting an actual response- ....are you why Sunstreaker looked like he was going to faint yesterday?

Unicron: I am. -Rumbles- You're calmer than he was. You're talking to me. Are you brave or foolish?

Blaster: Oh. I think this -gestures to the whole of Unicron- explains it. And I'm hoping my dreams have just taken a really weird turn.

Unicron: You're not dreaming. I am very much here. -Vents out a rather cold blast of air-

Blaster: -shivers from the sudden cold air- I was kinda hoping that wasn't the case...So, you're here, why exactly?

Unicron: Observing.

Blaster: Observing? For what?

Unicron: Seeing whether I should devour your species now or wait.

Blaster: Oh. That's...ominous. Could you wait?

Unicron: Why? Your species has caused more chaos than I have.

Blaster: Yes, well...that doesn't mean we as a species need to be eaten.

Unicron: One of you nearly caused the death of their universe. Destroying my frame elsewhere left a black hole in the universe that threatened to destroy it. Your species has caused much harm. Eradicating you would be a favor. -He was so calm about it. As if this was normal-

Blaster: Are you seriously going to judge one timeline based on others? Giving none of us a chance to change or try and repair what we did? -now he's actually getting worried-

Unicron: These are all from different points in the multiverse. Not just one. -The Unmaker was a planet, a moon in size, but here he was the size of a metrotitan- There is no Prime in yours. I don't sense the Matrix. It's power is weak; missing.

Blaster: And in other timelines we have begun to fix what we had ruined! You are taking the worst and using that as justification! -he knew that if Unicron wanted to, he'd be dead already- No. There's....it's not here, right now. -he's hoping that it isn't going to be needed-

Unicron: You cause chaos, destroy, and I'm the one your species blames. Not all of your universes come out clean. Not all were saved. -Another blast of cold air went over Blaster. He wasn't getting angry. Just... calm. Talking.- The Primes are the ones you call to save you. Call upon the Matrix to defend you. There is no safety net for your species if I decide to return. No conversations.

Blaster: Because, to most, you're nothing more than legend. A being that doesn't exist in their minds. And not all of them fell either. Not all went as far as to destroy their home. -shudders again, clamping down plating to keep in heat- ....what? Return? To this timeline? For what?

Unicron: I have no reason to be known. I work outwardly. Eating the old. Letting the new flourish. It is only when I feel a change do I move ahead. Eating a planet still inhabited. Removing them from the universe before returning to my hungering task. -Rumbles. It was a hungry sound- Why else? To eat Cybertron. Devour your race. The Matrix is weak. This is a perfect time before a Prime is found.

Blaster: Then why are you upset? We don't know anything more about you, aside from legends that come from those that have fought you. Of course they're not going to be painting you in a good light! And what you're saying isn't helping matters, considering that the 'inhabited planet' is the one we're on! And why are you so...so intent on devouring this one? -oh he did not like that sound, not adding with the current conversation-

Unicron: I'm not upset. I'm hungry. -His voice never changed. How calm he was. Very strange- I care little for how I'm seen. The stories are usually correct. I devour planets both inhabited and uninhabited. The former is more often. Civilizations have fallen or moved on. Their planets fueling me as I continue. Destroy to leave the remnants for next time.

-Leans in closer- Do you scold the predator for seeking easy prey? You're food to me. The very planet itself is one I always hunger for. A few stings for the honey. Only I would not get the honey another time. The hive would be gone. No snacks, stings, or honey.

-Vents slowly. It was just normal for him. In went warm air and out came cold. A sort of breathing to absorb the heat to keep his frame going- One planet is no great loss. Flee. Colonize. Your species always has.

Blaster: Then why bring it up? You know how we see you, you don't care how we see you. -this time the shudder had nothing to do with the cold- That's...that's hardly comforting.

-several hurried steps backwards- And do you berate the prey for being upset in having to defend themselves? To try and figure out what they can do to keep the predator out of their home?

-again, the cold makes him shake, as he fights the impulse to run- We cannot do that. We don't...we don't have the resources or technology yet to do that.

Unicron: -Silent, observing, the titanic Unmaker leaned in closer. The ground rumbling with his movements- You're too young. Children in the universe. No Matrix. No means to escape. Yet you know of me. Can travel through gates. Yet you can not go to the stars. Create colonies.

Blaster: -further back he goes, hoping not to smack into a wall- We don't need reminding about that. Is that why you're here? Because, compared to other timelines, we're younger? And I know of you because I know of Primus and his Avatars. Because I've seen the ripples others of you have left in the timestreams.

Unicron: That is one reason, yes. A young timeline that has already known war, a missing matrix, and all before space flight. Your timeline is rather unique in those regards. Hm...

-Rumbles- My fragments have made quite the mess. I don't intend to have the same be said of me.

Blaster: Yes, well, I've heard that before...Our history went in a very different direction than others. -and he was beginning to wonder if that was a good thing or not. Though, if that's what brought The Unmaker to his proverbial doorstep.....-

What do you mean by that? They have made a mess...but...what did you mean about not making the same mess? -his spark has firmly lodged itself in his throat, has been since Unicron came towards him-

Unicron: They've less to their own deaths or banishment. I'm still very much alive. Older than any of them. I know how to stay alive. I don't play their foolish game of madness and destruction.

Blaster: Oh...That...oh...-his voice trailed off, getting smaller as he realized that this meant if this one decided to actually devour him and his home, there was nothing he could do to stop him. And, for the first time since the conversation started, he felt a curl of hopelessness worm into his spark-

Unicron: - The ancient Unmaker watched Blaster in silence. Studying the small thing before him- You're afraid. -A massive servo went down behind Blaster. The titan moving down further until his massive optic could peer closer. Unblinking- Tell me what of our conversation has finally made you truly fear me.

Blaster: -fans stuttered to a halt, as he made to move back again, only to hear the titan's servo hit the ground behind him, blocking him in. He froze, arms curling up around his chest, in a subconscious attempt at protection- I-i-i-it was when you compared yourself to oth-other shards of yourself...-if he already knew how his other selves were beaten, how was he supposed to do the same?-

Unicron: Out of all the things I've told you, that is what makes you dread. It would, wouldn't it. To know how one knows how to avoid death. To understand how helpless you really are in comparison.

- The optics of the ancient studied Blaster- I'm old, prideful, and I know it. I fear nothing. Even if you had the Matrix, it would do me harm, but it would not destroy me. Only the Matrix of my other half can do so and it no longer exists. With age comes power.

And I am the oldest among them.

Blaster: -This entire conversation was not helping him, the curling of hopelessness tightening on his spark, leaving him to stare back at the titan above him, not believing the words coming from him. That he had truly failed his home, and the mechs there.- No. No, that's not...it can't...

-something snapped, and he all but bent double, optics stinging, as he screamed- Go AWAY!

Unicron: -Pausing, helm actually tilting, the ancient just stared at Blaster for long moments of time. Slowly, with almost care not to hit anything as he moved, the titanic mech pulled back. His presence withdrawing from Blaster's immediate area. The titan not leaving, but he was further back. Less of a shape and more of a vague outline on the horizon. Fuzzy, distorted, with only the peering optics having any real substance-

Blaster: -and he's dropping to his knees as soon as he's got space, servos up to cover his face, as he tried to pull himself back together. He ignored the hitching of his vents, telling himself it was only his fans trying to get working again after the abrupt stop-

-He knew he wasn't gone. He still felt the presence there, but he'd hit his limit-

Unicron: You're either foolish or the most brave mech I have met in the billions of years I have been alive. -The voice was... softer. It wasn't thunderous or even as loud as it was. And the Unmaker had... praised Blaster-

Blaster: -slowly looks up, scrubbing the remnants of his break-down from his face, blinking in the direction of the deity, confused and wary- Please...just...go away....

Unicron: -Rumbles low and departs with one parting comment- I'll leave your home alone, Child of Primus.

Blaster: -he's going to wait until the deity is gone, before pulling himself back up, feeling weak once all the energy from before was gone. He didn't know if he could trust Unicron's word, but...he wasn't going to chance it. He needed to get help-

[jiminables]

stardust

a/n: this is the first time i’ve written in a while. i was soooo inspired by serendipity. i luv jimin.

word count: 7408

|| celestial!jimin

Celestial beings have always roamed the galaxies and universes. Some enjoy traveling from one galaxy to another, whereas some enjoy staying in one particular planet. Some beings have special jobs like granting wishes for the humans on earth, and some are merely there to study just exactly how they work.

Park Jimin was one of those celestial beings. True to his title of a humanologist, Jimin loved studying humans so much. His findings were always the best source of information for the Wish Granters and sometimes even the Immigrants - the beings who decide to be with them.

His shaggy blond hair was always a mess, much like his workspace. Being cooped up nearly all day could drive someone mad, but as long as Jimin had his magnifier, pen and notebook, he wouldn’t mind. His big blue eyes would sparkle at the sight of an odd human.

Humans are so fascinating, Jimin would think to himself. His notebooks were full of everything he studied.

Jimin noticed that some humans enjoyed talking, and some just liked to listen to people talk. During the night, most humans would be drowsy and lay unconscious on fluffy bedding - and some had difficulty doing so. There were always exceptions to some of his findings, but that could be said about any species.

Never did Jimin dare to set foot on Earth, afraid that he’d be too noticeable. So, his research was only for his fascination and of course the celestials who needed it.

The oddities of their species were the ones that sparked Jimin’s interest even more. Why did some humans decorate their bodies with shiny objects and markings while others would oppose? Why did some humans oppose communication with others?

Everything was so new and foreign.

Ever since Jimin was little, he watched the other humanologists converse about the behavior of such specimens. Some of the things they stated were obviously wrong, but as a junior learning humanology, Jimin stayed back, and wrote the correct information in his notebooks.

Jimin’s curiosity only grew when he laid his eyes on one particular human. Almost every day he’d watch her from his lab, writing down her quirks and behavior patterns.

The way her hair framed her face, the way the corners of her mouth twitched a little before she smiled, and her smiles were always toothy. Boy, did Jimin love to see her toothy grin.

Her eyes were full of wonder, and they reminded Jimin of his own. She was eager to learn and see and explore.

Her writing was soothing to watch, Jimin’s eyes following each stroke of her pen. The way she crossed her Ts and dotted her Is, Jimin adored it all.

Her nonsensical wishes to the Granters would always make Jimin chuckle - she once wished for her peanut butter and jelly sandwich to have the perfect ratio of jelly to peanut butter. But because she was Jimin’s favourite human, Jimin saw to it that her wishes were granted.

Thinking back to it, there were some wishes that didn’t exactly needed to be granted. Like having perfect toast. Jimin smiled at the thought, thinking of when he begged Taehyung to grant it.

“Perfect toast?” Taehyung’s eyebrows furrowed, wondering why this wish was so important that it had to be granted.

“She was wishing really hard, Tae, please?” Jimin gave a sheepish smile, “You know she’s–”

“Your favourite human, yes I know.” Taehyung sighed. Jimin rubbed the back of his neck, his tablet to watch humans in his arm. Sighing once more, Taehyung nodded weakly, a painful smile on his face.

“You’re the best Granter, you know that?” Jimin winked, only earning himself an eye roll from Taehyung.

Y/N eagerly reached into her toaster, her fingers gently gripping the bread. Her eyes glimmered as she saw her dumb wish had come true - the middle of the toast was light golden brown and the crunch was just right. It really was perfect.

Sloppily slapping butter on her bread, Y/N was eager for her first day of classes again. She lived on her own again, away from campus this time. The serenity and peace from living by herself was unlike any other sort of meditation or yoga. A true introvert, she was.

Y/N’s apartment was full of little doodles and work papers. Spilled paint buckets stained the plastic cover on the floor, and sometimes her cat’s paws would track them in places she didn’t think he could even reach. But of course, she didn’t really mind.

The laptop on her legs showed all her classwork - and the occasional Facebook feed. Her cat, Shiro, laid gently by her lap, his tail swooping back and forth contently.

In Y/N’s eyes, she was as ordinary as they get - at least for art students. Little did she know that someone in the universe thought she was the most extraordinary specimen.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, Minseok’s name popping up.

[minseokie:] still up for lunch later? <3

Y/N held back a smile.

[y/n:] of course

She had met Minseok last semester when he bumped into her at the visual arts building - consequently, after bumping into her, Minseok had caused Y/N to stop her large box of art supplies. Paint brushes and pencils and sheets of paper flew all onto the ground. Both of them had been flustered but gathered enough sense to pick everything up albeit very sloppily and rushed.

“I’m so sorry about that–!” Minseok’s eyes blinked as his hand flew to scratch the back of his neck.

“Oh, n-no you’re fine!” Y/N assured him, struggling to keep everything in place again. Minseok stared at her for a little before blurting out his introduction.

“I’m Minseok.”

Y/N blinked at his sudden outburst, but eventually cracked the tiniest smile, “I’m Y/N.”

“Let me buy you a coffee as an apology for making you drop your supplies.” He nervously asked, returning the small smiles.

“Apology accepted.”

Jimin wondered who this boy was, and how he got Y/N to smile so often. Their lips would often touch - a sign of affection humans call kissing. Jimin’s fingers brushed against his lips, wondering how hers would feel against his.

He guessed that it would feel like soft pillows, and he hoped it would make his heart flutter. But something about seeing that boy made Jimin’s heart hurt just a tiny bit.

Maybe more than just a little.

Looking at the clock on his desk, Jimin noticed that a couple hours had gone by - he was only watching Y/N. He scratched his head and turned his watcher to another set of humans, picking up his pencil and scribbling in his notebook.

Letter after letter, Jimin’s thoughts started to wander. Y/N’s lips, her handwriting, her hair, the way her coffee is made in the morning, the way her fingers curl around the spoon when she mixes her creamer in, her her her.

Deep in his thoughts, Jimin never noticed his doodle of her. Noticing his train of thought, he placed his pencil down, his hand running through his hair.

“I need a break…” Jimin pushed his chair out, getting up to walk around his little area.

Albeit everything was artificial, Jimin’s area was specifically made to calm himself down after long days of research. He had a large balcony that looked out over the sea, soft coloured curtains allowing the breeze to ease its way in. At night, the sky would present the billions of stars.

The little sparkling lights would surround Jimin as he’d sit on the balcony, wrapped in his favourite yellow blanket. His telescope would be placed at the side, ready to spot any constellations. The happy lights would perch themselves on his skin, glowing and kissing his features.

Jimin’s hair would be laced with brilliant blue lights, his eyelashes luminous and his cheekbones shining brightly. Some lights would be mischievous, pecking his lips and his cheeks.

Night time was always his favourite.

A knock on the wall made the lights scatter away, Jimin’s smile quickly leaving his face as he whirled around.

“Calm down,” Yoongi breathed, the lights flocking to him, “It’s just me.”

“Yoongi.” Jimin was about to stand.

“Don’t stand,” Yoongi walked over, his bare feet patting on the floor, “I’ll come sit next to you.”

Yoongi was one of the celestial gods, and Jimin so happened to be one of Yoongi’s favourite humanologists. Or maybe Yoongi just liked Jimin.

“I’ve heard about your favourite human,” Yoongi held out his hand for the lights as they gathered on his finger like birds, “She’s quite the specimen.”

Jimin buried his face in his hands as he chuckled, “I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Yoongi smirked, his eyes focused on the playful lights. Moving his hand towards Jimin’s hair, Yoongi let the lights fall upon his shaggy locks.

“Why not meet her, Minnie?” Yoongi muttered, the stars on his glowing skin dancing on his fingertips.

Jimin picked his head up, his eyes curious and cautious, “Meet her…?”

Yoongi nodded, resting his body on both of his hands behind him, swinging his legs and letting the water cool his legs. Jimin but his lip, and Yoongi could see the gears turning in Jimin’s head.

“The eclipse is happening soon, so it won’t take as much energy to get you there. Besides, you’ll immerse yourself in your research at the same time as getting to know her.” Yoongi blinked.

“I don’t know, Yoongi,” Jimin shook his head, “I feel like I’d be too weird around her. She gives me butterflies…”

Yoongi gave a short laugh, watching Jimin writhe in his own nervousness.

“She doesn’t even know who I am, and you know she’s in love with someone else.” Jimin’s heart sank at the thought of Minseok, the only boy who made Y/N smile. Yoongi thought for a while before digging in his pocket.

At his fingertips was a hologram of a chart - a projected future. Yoongi held it out for Jimin to see.

“If her wishes keep going according to plan, her and Minseok will only be friends by the time the eclipse comes.”

“What?” Jimin grabbed the hologram, “Why would they cease their relationship?”

His eyes skimmed the timeline, catching on the key words that gave Jimin hope: lost interest in each other.

“They don’t love each other anymore?” Jimin whispered, hopeful but also hurt that Y/N wouldn’t smile as much anymore. Yoongi stuffed the hologram back in his pocket, nodding sadly. “Why?”

Yoongi shrugged, “Sometimes humans aren’t meant to be with the people they thought they were supposed to.”

“The universe doesn’t agree…” Jimin realized, his eyes widening as he looked up at Yoongi, nodding.

“I can get you to Earth on the day of the eclipse.” Yoongi firmly said, the lights slowly engulfing his body.

“No, wait–!” Jimin reached out, but as soon as the words left his mouth, the lights surrounded Yoongi, teleporting him away.

Jimin gripped his blanket, his eyes blinking as his head processed what was happening. Throwing the blanket off, Jimin’s feet carried him to the living space, smashing his fingers on his keyboard to access his calendar.

Two days.

Two days until the eclipse. Two days until Jimin would end up in Earth.

Two days until he would see her.

Jimin watched intently as Y/N held the phone to her ear, her teeth bubbling at her lip nervously as she spoke to Minseok.

“Minseok?” Y/N paced around her room.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, “I don’t know–”

“The feeling’s mutual.” Y/N blurted, her heart pounding in her rib cage.

“Wait… What?” Minseok’s voice shook.

“We… both… lost our spark.” Y/N hesitated with each word, as if each one stabbed her heart.

“I–…” Minseok sighed a heavy sigh, his breathing no longer paced, “I agree.”

Both stayed on the phone, letting seconds of excruciating silence take over the room. Jimin sat in anticipation, his heart pounding as fast as theirs.

Say something, Jimin thought.

“We’ll stay friends?” Minseok questioned, a noticeable sniffle on the other line. Y/N’s hot tears started to run down her face, pursing her lips to hide the shakiness in her breathing.

“We’ll stay friends.” And with that, she hung up.

A day had passed and it was one more day until the eclipse - Y/N was still heartbroken, but Jimin didn’t blame her. Although, it did kill Jimin inside every time he’d see her randomly cry. Yoongi sat on the mattress behind Jimin’s workspace, tossing a ball up and catching it.

“I don’t know how to comfort humans, Yoongi. How am I going to talk to her?”

Yoongi laughed out loud, “Of all humanologists, you don’t know how they comfort each other?”

Jimin purses his lips, “You’re right…” He bit his lip, “Would a kiss work?”

Yoongi laughed even harder, throwing his body to sit upright, “You realize kisses are intimate, right?”

Jimin cocked his head to the side, “Intimate?”

“Only really close humans kiss,” Yoongi explained, “You’ll know when to kiss. Your heart will tell you.”

Jimin nodded, his hand gripping his chest over his heart. Yoongi tested himself on his elbow, eyeing Jimin as he sat in his thoughts.

“Are you ready?” Yoongi cautiously asked. Jimin gulped, his palms starting to sweat at the idea.

“Ready as I can be.”

Yoongi nodded as he laid back down. Yoongi blinked as he stared at the ceiling, thinking about how he’ll seamlessly place Jimin into the world full of humans.

Exchange student? No, Jimin can speak any language fluently.

Rural boy? Also no, Jimin has good social skills.

Yoongi resented the idea of making Jimin normal. No one would notice him, but then again, if the lights liked him so much to welcome him every night, then humans would too.

Right?

It was decided then. A normal studious boy who studies sociology, and with a few eye and ear catching talents. Yoongi gently looked at Jimin’s features.

Flawless skin that glowed as the lights pecked his cheeks, lips that anyone would love to kiss, and eyes that could entrance.

He had to admit that Jimin was eye catching.

Hopefully no other girls cause him problems on his trip, Yoongi thought as he toyed with the ball in his hands.

Resting his eyes, Yoongi let the ocean of blankets and pillows take him away. Only a few minutes had gone by before Jimin muttered his name.

“Yoongi?”

“What?” Yoongi didn’t open his eyes.

“Is the eclipse supposed to start?” Jimin’s voice became small, the sound of typing and writing no longer echoing in his living space.

Yoongi’s eyes shot open, shooting towards the open curtains. The moon was almost covering the sun entirely.

“God damn it, I told Jin tomorrow.” Yoongi hauled himself out of the bed, his hand gripping Jimin’s wrist tightly. Running towards the balcony, Yoongi’s lips began to glow a bright blue. His skin was luminous as he threw Jimin around, his hands cupping his face.

Yoongi’s lips planted themselves on Jimin’s before pushing him into the water. Jimin struggled to stay afloat, but the magic Yoongi had planted on him was too powerful.

As Jimin’s body dragged farther and farther down, the light from the stars began to fade, and so did his consciousness.

Darker and darker, Jimin began to sleep. His eyes closing and his heart slowing.

And then he was just floating.

Jimin’s eyes fluttered open before he shot up to sit upright.

A bed. A soft, white bed. A soft white bed next to a window with the sun’s rays peeking through.

Jimin’s hands roamed his head and torso. Hair was dry and shaggy like always, and his body wasn’t wet anymore. His body was engulfed in the sheets, as if he had put himself there. His heart began to calm down as his phone buzzed. Putting it against his ear like second nature, Jimin listened to the voice on the other end.

“Minnie!”

“Yoongi?”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed by now,” Yoongi laughed, “But I’ve charmed you to act like a human. At least, mostly human.”

“I can tell. I know how to use this phone.” Jimin looked at the device.

“Now, your human body will automatically know what to do each day. It has a schedule.”

“So it’ll do what it has to do each day?”

“You’ll just know. But you have the choice to go or not.” Yoongi explained.

“What–, I mean, who am I?” Jimin asked, his eyes examining his room.

“You kept your name, Park Jimin. You are an ordinary human who goes to school and studies. You can still sing and still draw. You even look the same.”

Jimin stood in front of the mirror by his bed, examining his face and body.

Two arms, two legs, and two eyes. The same hair and the same face.

A shrieking noise suddenly came from his phone, along with Yoongi telling him to calm down. Jimin juggled the phone as his thumb quickly tapped on a button.

“An alarm is on your phone to wake you up for school.” Yoongi said calmly.

Alarm? Jimin thought, his eyes now scrutinizing the device in his hands.

“Now listen carefully, Minnie,” Yoongi paced himself, “You have only one class with her, and that’s art.”

“A class dedicated to drawing and painting?”

“Yes, Minnie,” Yoongi breathed, “You’ve been in that class for a week but she’s never noticed you, so why don’t you say hi today?”

A soft beep from his phone signaled the end of the call, and Jimin plopped his phone on the bed. His gut suddenly felt weird, as if it were telling him he had something to do.

His eyes darted to his mirror, noticing that he was still in sleepwear.

Sleepwear.

“Oh my god, I have to get dressed.” Jimin scrambled around his room, fumbling and knocking his stuff down.

It would be a great first day.

Y/N sat on her stool, swinging her feet as she drew the muse in front of her. Bone after bone of the fake elephant skull, Y/N started to wonder if taking this class was even worth it. She wasn’t drawing things she wanted to.

Sighing, Y/N left her stool to sharpen her pencil, only to bump into another student, knocking their not-so-dry palette onto their shirt.

Her eyes widened as paint dripped on his shirt, her hands frantically wiping - or at least trying to wipe - off the paint. It seemed as though, the more she touched it, the more it started to spread and just not come off.

“God, I’m so, so sorry,” Y/N panicked, the eyes of the room starting to stare, “I’m really a klutz.”

He smiled, his hand gently grabbing her frantic ones, “It’s fine.”

Y/N doubted if it was fine - there was paint all over his shirt, and white visibly at that. Her eyes made contact with his as her thumbs fiddled with themselves.

Crystal blue eyes that smiled right at hers, and Y/N felt heat rush to her cheeks. His fair skin and blond hair was soft, and somehow glowing. His eyes closed as he laughed, and it was as if nothing was around them.

His laugh, captivating in its own way. Y/N couldn’t help but wonder how she never noticed this guy in her class.

“Are you sure? I mean, there has to be something as a way for me to apologize.” Y/N’s fingers crossed.

Looking side to side, the boy just shrugged, “It’s just a hoodie anyway.” Gripping the sides of his hoodie, the boy slipped the top off, his hair fluffing just the tiniest bit.

“Jeez, I’m still really sorry…” Y/N stood in front of him, flustered. Her eyes tried oh so hard not to look, but she couldn’t help it. Broad shoulders complemented with slightly chubby cheeks, big lips complemented with perfect eye smiles.

Everything about this boy was absolutely ethereal.

“It’s fine really! It’s just paint–”

“Y/N.”

“Y/N,” the boy smiled, “It’ll wash out. Nothing that some soap and detergent can’t fix.”

Y/N pursed her lips into a weak smile, an apology written all over her face.

“I never got your name.” She peeped, making his eyes widen in realization.

“Jimin!” He smiled, “Park Jimin.”

“You’ve been so bored in that class. You really never noticed one of twenty in there?” Momo chimed, scooping ice cream into her mouth.

“I guess not.” Y/N fiddled with her spoon, stabbing it in her ice cream over and over.

“Especially one as attractive as the one you’re describing?” Momo shook her head, shoveling another spoonful. Y/N sucked her teeth, stabbing her spoon in her ice cream once more.

“Isn’t this wrong?” Y/N asked, catching Momo off guard.

“What?” Momo covered her mouth, shock all over her face.

“I just broke up with Minseok like a couple days ago and now I probably like someone again.” Her hands slumped on the table.

“Technically, nothing you’re doing is wrong,” Momo cocked her head to the side, “You guys aren’t together, and you mutually agreed to split.”

Y/N nodded, eyeing her ice cream as it began to melt, “You’re right.”

“What looks bad is getting together with this Jimin guy like right this second. It might make it seem like you had your eye on him, you know?” Momo blinked.

“So…” Y/N hesitated, “I have to wait?”

Momo shrugged, indicating it was a Yes and No question, “Wait long enough to make sure he’s not a rebound, but not too long or you might lose Minnie Mouse.”

Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed in understanding.

“When did you get this smart?”

Momo laughed, “I’ve always been smart, but it’s not like I want to be smart all the time.”

Just be friends at first, Y/N thought to herself, her fingers smudging the paint on her canvas.  With her hand doing all the work for her class, her eyes began to wander in search of Jimin.

Looking over the room, her eyebrows furrowed when she didn’t spot the blond boy right away. Only when she looked harder - his hair popping out from the top of the bookshelf in the corner of the room - did she find him. Setting her paintbrush in the water and wiping her hands on her apron, Y/N waltzed her way over to him.

Coming up from behind, Y/N saw a glimpse of what he drew - the galaxy. In fine detail, Jimin mapped out all the stars and all the moons; and sitting in the middle of it all on a tiny open balcony, was a blond boy.

“You drew and painted all this?” Y/N’s breath was taken. Jimin’s head whirled around, his hand suspended in air as to not ruin what he worked hard on. When his eyes found Y/N’s figure, all he could do was smile his bright smile.

She was sure his smile was brighter than the stars.

“I did,” Jimin said, setting his pen down, “And it took me a while to perfect so now I’m just adding in extra details.”

Y/N nodded, “You’re an art major, aren’t you?”

Jimin pursed his lips and shook his head, “Nope.”

Y/N’s eyes became moons.

“I study sociology and minor in psychology. Art is just a hobby.” Jimin shrugged as he held out his dirty yet dainty hands.

His soft palms were just like cat paw pads. Pink and supple. Not only were they dainty, they were cute. Smudged with blue and black paint, Jimin’s hard-working hands were held out for Y/N to see.

“You… have cute hands.” She whispered.

“You have a cute face.” He smoothly said, making both of them blush. Y/N let out a nervous laugh.

“Hey, we should hang out, you know?” Y/N’s feet fidgeted.

Jimin shrugged with a smile, “Alright. Where and when?”

“Ah–!” Y/N pulled her phone out, “I’ll text you that part. I haven’t exactly decided on when.” Her voice was audibly shaky. With a smirk on his face, Jimin’s thumbs tapped on her screen, adding himself as a contact.

Handing the device back to her, Jimin stood from his stool, “Class is over. I’ll see you?”

Y/N bit her lip as the corner of her mouth curled upwards, “Yeah.”

Jimin sat on his window sill as the sun beat on his face. A soft fur ball named Calico - who coincidentally but also not coincidentally - was a Calico cat was held in his arms. Sleeping away as Jimin petted him, Calico’s tail gently wagged back and forth contently.

A soft buzz caught Jimin’s attention, with Y/N’s name keeping it.

[y/n:] there’s a coffee shop not too far from campus. do u like coffee??

[jimin:] more of a tea person

[y/n:] of course they have tea -_-

[jimin:] are you going to send me an address? [jimin:] i very much enjoy knowing where i’m going, wouldn’t u agree? [jimin:] =P

[y/n:] it’s just on the corner of 2nd and 5th

[y/n:] i’m sure u know where that intersection is [y/n:] u do, right

[jimin:] calm down, i know where it is

[y/n:] be there at 2

Jimin smiled as he petted his cat, bringing him to his lips before throwing himself off the window sill to get ready.

Albeit his celestial mind had no idea where the corner of 2nd and 5th was, his human body knew - and luckily it wasn’t much of a walk to get there. The smell of java and tea leaves filled his senses, the warm feeling of fresh baked goods caressing his skin.

Seeing Y/N by the register, Jimin tapped her shoulder.

“Can’t decide what to get?” Jimin piped up.

Y/N’s eyes stayed squinted at the menu, “I can’t choose, but it’s at least between the bottomless latte and the iced americano.”

Jimin looked impressed as he eyed the pastries.

“I heard both of those are the house’s favourites.”

“Trust me,” Jimin suddenly closed her eyes with his hands, “This is how you decide.”

A nervous yet eager smile spread across Y/N’s lips, “Well alright then.”

Turning her around and releasing his hands from her eyes, Jimin explains to her how to choose.

“Number one is latte, number two is americano. Whichever one your eyes land on first is what you get, got it?” Jimin held up one finger in one hand and two in the other.

Y/N quickly nodded, ready to turn around. As Jimin counted down to one, Y/N whirled around, her eyes immediately catching on one hand.

“Bottomless latte it is.”

Y/N had four small latte mugs when she and Jimin had begun to open up to each other.

“You’re super talented at art, but you chose sociology and psychology as your major and minor?” Y/N looked at Jimin with disbelief, a playful look of hurt in her face.

“I love to study people and their behaviors,” Jimin shrugged and laughed, his fingers grazing his cup, “Art is just a hobby.”

“Yeah,” Y/N sipped her drink, “A really, really good hobby.”

“What about you, Art Major?” Jimin lurched forward in his seat, “Why art?”

“I feel liberated and myself when I let go into my art, you know?” Y/N’s eyes began to sparkle, and it reminded Jimin of home.

“I can express myself without having to use words. I can be funny and weird, and happy and sad. A picture paints a thousand words, Jimin.”

“You speak with passion,” he nodded, “Art must really be your life.”

Y/N smiled sheepishly, “It’s an escape, as cheesy as that sounds.”

“No, I get you,” Jimin nodded earnestly, “I totally get it.”

Their empty plates sat between the two as they continued their conversation, their cups slowly beginning to drain.

A ring at the door made their heads turn momentarily, only to whip back around.

Minseok.

“Oh, god.” Y/N ducked her head, her heart starting to beat.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin lied. He knew what was wrong, but he couldn’t let her know that he knew nearly everything about her.

“That’s my ex.” Y/N hissed, fearful that Minseok would spot her. Jimin’s eyebrows twitched.

“How long ago did you break up then? Not too long ago, I’m guessing.”

“Literally like this week.” Y/N slowly gathered her things, finishing the last of her mug.

“Where are you going?” Jimin’s voice shook a bit.

“I can’t stay, I’m sorry. He’ll think I broke up with him because I like you,” Y/N’s eyes suddenly grew wide, “Oh no.”

“You like me?” Jimin sat in disbelief as Y/N moved even faster.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” Y/N rushed out, leaving Jimin to wallow in his thoughts - His thoughts that raced in his head.

She likes me.

“You accidentally confessed,” Momo said sternly as she watched Y/N pace back and forth, “And it wasn’t even a real confession. You barely know him.”

Y/N’s fingers massaged her forehead and nose bridge, “I know, I know. I really messed it up.”

Momo sat with her jaw slightly open, “Of all things to say…”

“Can you please stop?” Y/N snapped, her pacing coming to a stop for a second, “How do I even fix this?”

“Well, maybe he’s interested in you, too.” Momo shrugged, staring off into space as she thought of possibilities.

Y/N stopped, placing her hands on her hips, “He didn’t seem repulsed by the idea.”

“But now you really have to figure out if Jimin is not a rebound. You saw him.”

“I realize this, Mo. But how am I even going to see if he’s not a rebound?”

Momo smiled shyly, “You’ll know.”

Trusting her judgement, Y/N sighed as she plopped down next to Momo, her head pounding and her stress levels a little too high.

“I hope you’re right.”

[jimin:] u up for coffee again?

[jimin:] just got out of class. i’m down for coffee lunch break

[jimin:] you ok? u haven’t replied in three days

[jimin:] i drew a cat for you [jimin:] i have a cat. a calico cat. named calico. [jimin:] original, i know.

[jimin:] hi

Y/N stared at her phone, and then at Jimin’s easel. She had accidentally made eye contact with him a few times during class, but Jimin being the way he was, he never said anything.

She felt bad. And she knew that suddenly distancing herself was bad. Especially without giving Jimin anything - not even a small notice.

Her thumbs suddenly began to type.

[y/n:] hey, sorry i’ve been out of it lately

[jimin:] its cause of ur ex isn’t it?

Y/N sighed.

[y/n:] honestly yeah.

[jimin:] do u think i’m a rebound?

[y/n:] i barely know you jimin

[jimin:] lol then get to know me, u idiot!

Y/N cracked a smile, her eyes meeting with Jimin’s signature eye smile.

[jimin:] i promise i don’t bite, but i don’t promise that calico doesn’t bite. [jimin:] he loves some tough lovin’

[y/n:] i’m down to get to know u

[jimin:] :) [jimin:] i’m down to get to know u too

“Does coffee tomorrow sound good?”

Y/N arrived at the shop early, taking her extra schoolwork to complete before Jimin arrived.

“You still do homework here.” A familiar voice chimed, making Y/N pick her head up from her studies.

“Minseok?”

“I see you haven’t changed much.” He grinned, his teeth slightly showing.

“Well, you know this is my favourite place to study and eat.” Y/N sheepishly said.

“I don’t blame you,” Minseok took the seat in front of her, “So what have you been up to?”

Y/N’s jaw hung open to speak, only to be interrupted by a blond boy tapping on Minseok’s shoulder.

“Sorry, but I was sitting there.” Jimin said shyly, his cheeks a little red from the embarrassment. Minseok looked at the blond haired boy, back to Y/N, back to the boy, and back to Y/N again.

Y/N nodded weakly, watching Minseok slowly stand from the seat.

“Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything,” Minseok said suspiciously, “I’ll see you again, Y/N.”

Y/N exhaled relievingly, “Jeez that was really awkward.”

“Looked like he was happy to see you.” Jimin said flatly.

“I don’t know what that was about.” Y/N said earnestly, truthfully. Jimin chuckled.

“It’s fine, we’re only friends. It’s not like we’re anything official.” He shrugged. He wasn’t entirely wrong.

Nodding in agreement, Y/N slowly packed away her schoolwork, allowing room for their food and drinks.

Words upon words flew out of their mouths, information of each other filling their brains. Jimin loves astrology, Y/N enjoys swimming. Both are fascinated by space and both have seen the Big Dipper.

Jimin loves to cook and Y/N loves to eat. All of their common interests regarding music and art came up, as well as sports and politics.

Everything was shared. Jimin even made a fake story of how his half brother ran over the mailbox when Jimin was sixteen. Of course, Y/N found it hilarious - and was completely oblivious to some of his blatant lies.

Having no real background other than knowing that one of the celestial gods handspun stars to create Jimin, and that Jimin was entirely made of stardust, Jimin had no choice but to make white lies about his human “family.”

Y/N’s heart revealed itself on her sleeve, knowing well that Jimin was no rebound for her feelings - just like Momo had predicted.

Five o’ clock was nearing - which was when the shop closes - and the two were still in deep conversation. It wasn’t until a kind barista let them know that it was closing hours that they then decided to leave.

“So, I guess I’m no stranger anymore.” Jimin smirked, his arms outstretched.

“Nope, not really,” Y/N gripped her backpack as she walked, “Especially when you tell me that you loved to swim naked when you were little.”

The story wasn’t entirely a lie. When Jimin was still fresh stardust, he loved to swim in the ocean above to see the lights that fell off his body as he swam. Clothes would trap the stardust, so he swam without them.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow in class.” Y/N bowed her head goodbye, her cheeks flooded with red and pink. Jimin waved her a tiny goodbye before walking their separate ways.

[minseok:] who were u at the shop with?? [minseok:] never seen him before

Y/N looked at the messages, not even knowing how to reply.

[y/n:] he’s in my art class

She said cautiously. Y/N decided whether or not to stop by the coffee shop, afraid that she’d run into Minseok again. Shaking her head, she grabbed her art bag and headed out the door.

Her headphones were on, the music playing as she trekked to class. The art building wasn’t too far from where Y/N resided, which she guessed was a perk to being an art major at the school.

Blue eyes met with hers as she walked into the studio, quiet music playing as classmates around her were completely their assignments. Picking the easel next to Jimin’s, Y/N quickly leaned in to whisper.

“Hey, what’s your next class?” Mischief was laced in her voice, and Jimin could tell.

He raised an eyebrow playfully, “Why?”

Y/N shrugged as she laid her utensils out, “I’m bored. Let me sit with you in your next class.”

Jimin let out a short laugh, shaking his head, “You’re something else, but I guess I’ll let you shadow.”

“I have sociology next.” He said, his eyes glued to the paper in front of him.

“Sounds boring.”

“Why didn’t you tell me Minseok was in this class!?” Y/N whispered angrily, slapping Jimin’s arm. He grabbed the spot where he was hit, a look of hurt and betrayal on his face.

“It’s not like I knew!” Jimin whispered back, careful not to raise attention, “This class has over 200 people, Y/N.”

She rolled her eyes as she sat back and crossed her arms, side eyeing Minseok and whatever the professor was saying.

Please don’t notice me, Y/N thought.

With her luck, Minseok’s ear twitched before turning his head, their eyes meeting and locking. Both of them felt the tension, and it didn’t help that Minseok saw Jimin next to her.

Feeling heat rise to her face, Y/N quickly grabbed Jimin’s wrist, dragging him out of the class and not caring who would see.

As soon as their bodies left the lecture hall, Jimin opened his mouth.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Worry was written all over his face, his eyes hurt and sympathetic.

“I–” she massaged the bridge of nose, “I need to clear my head.”

Jimin blinked before looking outside, and idea springing in his head.

“Tell you this; I’ll take you to see the sunset, and we can hang out on my roof with a couple juice boxes and watch the stars.” Jimin proposed, his wrist still in a death grip.

Y/N’s stressed eyes looked down at the boy who eagerly want to relieve her, nodding with a weak smile. Her grip loosened as Jimin pulled away, walking and leading the way.

“I used to do this when I would bury myself in my studies,” Jimin pulled Y/N up onto the roof, a cooler bag full of assorted juice boxes slung around her shoulder.

Placing herself next to Jimin, her attention was drawn to the colours of the sky. Shades of pink, red, orange, and yellow danced across the clouds, the sun becoming orange and bidding them farewell.

Blue and purple eventually took over the sky as the two watched the sky magically transform into night time. The moon greeted them from above, summoning billions upon billions of brilliant stars. The moonlight kissed Jimin’s skin, illuminating his stardust complexion. Y/N’s eyes were glued to the sky, the stars captivating her.

Jimin suddenly noticed the stars were lowering themselves, surrounding him and Y/N.

No no no, anywhere but here, Jimin thought, panic suddenly running through his veins.

“I’ve never seen stars do this…” Y/N cautiously said, holding her hand out as stars fell into her palm.

Turning her head to look at Jimin, Y/N’s eyes widened. The lights were hugging his skin, stuck on his bangs and eyelashes. Patches of stardust in his skin revealed themselves, and suddenly, Y/N had a feeling Jimin wasn’t who she thought he was.

“Jimin?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Y/N, I can explain.” He held his hand out, immediately attracting the lights to him. Stardust flew off his fingertips.

“Jimin, what are you?” Y/N backed up a little, an uneasy feeling filling her.

“I–” Jimin stuttered, “I’m not… human.”

Y/N’s eyebrows quirked up, a sarcastic face on her, “Really?”

“I won’t hurt you, I promise,” Jimin pleaded, “I adore humans, especially you.”

“You what?”

Jimin sighed, letting the lights engulf his complexion, “I was handspun from millions of stars, their dust formed together to create me. The celestial god, Yoongi, created me. He says he didn’t, but we all know he did.”

“The celestial gods,” Y/N breathed, “They’re real…!”

He nodded, “Yoongi wanted a companion so he took the stars that flocked to him and created me. I am made from stardust.”

Jimin rubbed his fingertips together, flicking the dust to the night sky and adding more stars. Y/N just sat in awe.

“When I was little, I loved to swim naked,” Jimin chuckled, “But not because I was a weird child, but because when I swam in the ocean in the galaxy, the stardust would rub off and leave a trail. I made a luminescent snail trail in the water.”

Y/N cracked a smile at the thought of a baby Jimin giggling uncontrollably because of a snail trail in the water.

“I study humans in the celestial world,” Jimin explained, his hands covered is playful lights, “Humanologist, if you will.”

“That explains why you chose sociology and psychology on Earth.” She whispered, pieces of the puzzle slowly coming together. Her eyes wandered on Jimin’s face, wondering if the stardust would rub off on her fingers.

“Yoongi put me in this mostly human body,” Jimin motioned to his stardust patches, “So I could meet… a certain human I particularly liked studying.” His voice became quiet at the end.

“You fell in love with a human while you were up there?” Y/N breathed, shock and curiosity laced in her eyes. Jimin nodded sheepishly, hoping she’d get the message.

“She’s an artist,” he started, his eyes averting from here, “I love the way she dots her i’s and crosses her t’s. Her coffee is interesting. I’ve never seen a human drizzle caramel sauce on top, making sure it’ll get on the side of the mug so she can taste the caramel first.”

Y/N’s eyebrows furrowed, “I drizzle the caramel sauce.”

Jimin pursed his lips, his head hanging a little low as he nodded. Suddenly, the last piece of the puzzle fit.

“You came down… for me.” Y/N eyed Jimin, the celestial boy sitting cautiously as he revealed himself.

“The first time I saw you was a few months ago, so when I saw Minseok, I knew exactly who he was,” Jimin tried to hide his face, “It hurt seeing you smile because of a person you weren’t meant to be with.”

Y/N sighed, “I can tell Minseok and I weren’t meant to be, either,” Jimin perked up, “The spark was lost, and most of the things I loved at first became things I hated.”

Jimin could only stare.

“At first, his little remarks were playful and cute, but after months of it, it just felt like they were rude.” Y/N rested her head in her hand.

“It seemed well hidden for a while then.”

“Oh, it was,” she nodded quickly, “Everyone thought we were fine since we kept going out on dates, but even on our dates, they were so fake.”

“You faked happiness up until the end…” Jimin breathed, astounded at the human behavior.

“I think that’s why I liked you so fast,” Y/N cocked her head to the side, “The break up was premeditated for who know how long, so my heart was long gone from Minseok.”

“I remember making that assumption when I studied romantic relationships,” Jimin blurted, his interest in humans bursting out, “You’ve already moved on in your heart and mind, so all’s left to do is break it off.”

Y/N nodded, her eyes looking at the stars surrounding them. The lights flicked to Jimin, but some made exceptions to give Y/N attention. They felt feathery and light as they danced across her skin.

It tickled.

Jimin adored hearing her giggle and laugh, especially now that he’s seeing her surrounded by the mischievous lights.

“They’re quite affectionate,” Jimin said, allowing some to perch on his hand before holding them out for Y/N, “They seem to like you, too.”

“I never thought I’d be up here with a celestial being.” Y/N giggled, taking the bunch from Jimin’s hands.

“I never thought I’d be down here with a human.”

Their eyes locked, the lights illuminating their faces in the night. Jimin’s blue eyes were sultry but also sweet, inviting Y/N to him. Slowly leaning towards each other, their noses brushed, their eyes locked on their mouths.

With a brave push forward, Jimin’s lips pressed against hers, kissing her passionately. The stardust rubbed off, and the lights shined even brighter.

The whole universe was stopped in this moment - the moment Jimin and Y/N kissed.

Breaking away, their eyes smiled at each other, exchanging giggles and sheepish grins.

Scooting closer to Jimin, Y/N nestled her head in the crook of his neck as they watched the night sky above them, and both of them knew that the gods were pleased.

Especially Yoongi.

“Jimin?”

“Yes?”

“Am I your first kiss?”

“N-no… My first kiss was a boy…”

[blacknovelist]

Hie, if you are still taking asks for your AWESOME ageswap BNHA AU, I have an ask that I would like to see your novel length answers for: What do you think would happen and Canon!All Might & Ageswap!Deku's reactions would be in the combined world if a villain somehow managed to kidnap Canon!Deku & Ageswap!Toshinori? And the kidnapper managed to snatch Canon!Shouto and Ageswap!Engi as well? I can imagine that between the two, only Ageswap!Shouto would join the others them.

BUDDY, MY PAL, FRIEND, ANON, LIGHT OF MY LIFE……… ageswap is absolutely 1000% of the time always a thing (In general, BNHA AU’s are, haha) and I’m so glad you asked because in general I’ll take any excuse to take things and just go

I can’t believe you came here wanting me to talk for ten years gghlsnfiskfj

I’ve been looking for things to overthink and analyze lately and u, my friend, are officially an enabler of my awful rambling tendencies. You, every other anon and person that’s ever asked me about anything and also @guardianlioness​, because naturally she’s my partner in crime for Ageswap and the moment I showed her your ask we absolutely ran with it. 

(–> As context for anyone jumping into the Ageswap bandwagon, here’s the tag. Generally speaking the way the Ageswap meets Canon thing works is that Ageswap 1-A gets mysteriously transported into canon and end up having to stick around while they figure out how to send Ageswap 1-A and whoever came along, like Inko and some Ageswap teachers, back to their universe again. 

There’s actually also an AU of an AU in which, through means unrelated to our favourite class, both universes get fused together, which is the Ultimate Combo Verse and was 100% mostly lioness’s idea and it’s frankly just great. Basically, everything is the same, everyone exists as both kids and adults at the same time. During this fusion process, Ageswap 1-A ends up needing to stay with canon 1-A. That’s relevant because Lionesss suggested that this whole situation take place while Ageswap is staying with canon, but mostly tangentially bc it can work out without that anyway. I just wanted to mention it.)

So like…. there’s several ways and reasons for all our kids to be brought into trouble like this, and it means there’s like, thousands of ways for this scenario to play out (with a billion little details to change)and god i love it. We figure in this case, it would be while they’re all in one universe, as opposed to some situation where a baddie is going cross-dimensional to kidnap everyone separately or something. The way it’s been settled is, someone probably used the Quirk Trigger drugs on them to make the boys’ powers go out of control, so that it would be easier to kidnap them. It would take a lot of planning, and just getting a hold of the drugs would use up a great deal of resources probably! 

It would also be the easiest part of the entire situation. 

Listen, if anyone decided it would be a good idea to take these kids? There’s at least like, 40 reasons why that’s a terrible idea and most/all those reasons are not above working with each other and in various configurations to create even more reasons why it’s a terrible idea. Buildings leveled, oceans split, mountains shattered… there’s few things more dangerous than a dad on a mission, let alone the group of dads we have going on here (going by adoption and blood technically it’s the Dad Trifecta, but obviously canon Aizawa is also in on this so it’s actually the Dad Quartet). 

Basically, this whole thing is the apocalypse upon us, my dude.

That’s not even getting into the 1-A’s. Worse still, that’s not even counting Inko Midoriya. That right there is the destruction of the universe as we know it.

The rest under a cut becauseeeeeee who knows how long I’m going to go on about this? I sure don’t.

To be more specific to the nature of your ask because I’m a terrible terrible person who loves going on about things that you didn’t actually ask about, we’ll start with our Dad for All’s. Ageswap Izuku is a mad strategist, even though at this point in the shared timeline both he and canon Toshinori would be retired from the world of heroics, and against these guys? The plans he comes up with are absolutely ruthless. He’s got no time for things like mercy when his alternate self and his nephew and the young version of one of his best friends and even his own son have been taken. Any semblance of pity has been launched all the way to goddamn andromeda at this point, it’s not coming home any time soon.

The plan itself absolutely includes copious amounts of explosions, stealth, sneaking around, lots of research, possibly punching a man or two into the stratosphere, freezing things, burning things, shattering a few eardrums, finding the boys, making sure they’re okay, wrecking the place, and making several people regret being born and coming up with this idea in the first place, at a minimum. Not necessarily in that order (need to make sure everyone who cannot fight is out of danger first, after all)

For a moment, as canon Toshinori watches and helps plan, he wonders (in a good way) what kind of monster he’s creating with canon Izuku if this is what his pro-counterpart is like. 

As for canon Toshinori? Well. He’s not so much a strategist or planner as Ageswap Izuku is, but this is his universe, his home turf. He’s got the advantage of connections with people, like canon Naomasa, the police department on a whole, and his hero agency. If there’s so much as a whisper as to where their boys are and why they’ve been taken, someone along the grapevine is gonna hear it and pass it along. Plus, of course, he helps Ageswap Izuku when he can!

Also, you know who we’re talking about here. Of course retirement and mortal wounds aren’t going to stop these dumb old men from going out into the field and bringing their boys home. (“Oh, punching this would be bad for my health? I’ll kick their asses instead”)

Ageswap Todoroki, of course, has a hand in planning everything. Besides, who else is gonna freeze and burn the shit Izuku asks him to, right? He’s more familiar with how Ageswap Izuku tends to plan and strategize in general, which helps. He’s good at keeping a level head, which provides a handy perspective for everyone.

Canon Aizawa is like Toshinori in that he’s got a homefield advantage, but also, he’s far more familiar with the underground/underworld workings of the villain-hero scene, so while Toshinori has got contacts, Aizawa has the means to contact people as well as going out into the field to gather intel himself. As well, he’s familiar with what they need to look out for as far as clues and research go, which is vital to Ageswap Izuku’s planning and also the finding of the boys in itself.

Overall, though, I think Ageswap Todoroki and canon Aizawa are the ones to help keep a lot of the calm among the adults directly involved, reminding them not to get overly frustrated and that they’re going to find the boys no matter what - not to say the kids aren’t doing their part not to freak out over things they can’t do shit about yet, and also not to imply that there isn’t anyone else involved as far as teachers and pro heroes go. And that’s also not to say they’re not absolutely fucking livid and furious about this situation and that they’re not among the first ones on scene to start wrecking shit, because of course they are.

No one touches their boys.

Canon Endeavor, though… mind you, of course he’s gonna be involved - someone dares to kidnap his boy, he’ll teach them to think twice. His experience and connections mean that they can’t really say he can’t be involved, so he too does his part. I don’t know if this would be before or after Lifetimes or some other in-verse variant of it though, and that’s admittedly important bc in AU context it would also be relevant to whether or not he’s trying to change or not, you know? Regardless, he’d probably not be very involved in the planning itself, outside of offering small bits of his thoughts and things - he can’t get a read on Ageswap Deku, but he’s aware that Deku is/was the number one of his world, and gets that he’s deserving of respect, to some degree, so he’s cordial to them all on a whole (though canon Toshinori tries not to be around when he’s around and vice versa).

Though, also, since I imagine this mess would be something they might want to keep out of the public eye, there’s also only so much canon Endeavor can do openly, too. He probably does a lot of red herring things and calls his work relating to finding the boys by some other name, and I guess in that stream he’d help by just, making sure no one finds out abt the kidnapping by keeping the press and media distracted by whatever he’s doing (and by doing it very, very far away from where and what the others are doing. It rubs him wrong, but he’s still doing his hero work so hell. Fine. He’s the only one that can do this anyway, so of course they’d come to him about it. Or, that’s what he tells his ego because he can’t argue with them about it).

As far as the rescue mission itself goes, everyone gets deployed. And by “everyone”, I mean both 1-A’s, possibly the Inko’s (because I’m sure we all remember this very serious and official ageswap post), their teacher-parents, several other teachers, the Naomasa’s (because of course ageswap Nao is in on it), and canon Endeavor. 

And by “rescue mission”, I mean “UA and Nedzu decided that it would be good experience for their heroes in training to go on this unofficial mission for a kidnapping that has not been disclosed to the public At All to avoid any sort of big legal fuss and here are a few teachers/pros to supervise pls don’t kill anyone :)” because, you know, everyone knows better than to get between “everyone” and their mission to save the boys. 

(When everyone comes home mostly safe and sound the world collectively breathes a sigh of relief, because it looks like the end has been saved for another day.

also because a mountain range or five haven’t been wiped off the map in some fit of fury and rage or anything like that.)