#and we also got a text from mom saying that there was fire people and ambulance people just standing outside our house pointing at it

[wampabampa]

I’ve been sitting here for 3 hours about to be 4..

[florida3exclamationpoints]

.

[loserlvrss]

꒰ 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 ꒱ 최산

summary : maybe in another life you wouldn't have had a change of heart

genre : angst, san x afab!reader tws : language, mentions of trauma author notes : my mom triggered me so i wrote something sad instead of crying about it lolz word count : 0.7k

you felt guilty. you'd seen it and read it over a million times over. you heard about it from friends. you saw your parents do it to each other. but, you never thought it would've been the case for you. you prided yourself on knowing that you could never take after the stories you were told and would tell.

however, every time you looked in the mirror you were faced with a stranger. you wanted to know the eyes that appraised you, once again. they judged you, they haunted you. months ago, weeks ago even, you would look at yourself with a smile. you were proud of everything you had made for yourself. you were better — past the trauma of your childhood — everything was good, seemingly always going your way. you had it all; the good-paying job, the appropriate hobbies and coping mechanisms. you had the penthouse with a view, the boyfriend and friends people would dream of.

simply put, you had an envious lifestyle.

but, that was only superficial — surface level. you believed the lies the more times they came off your tongue: i'm happy. i'm grateful. i'm in love. it got worn out the more ears it'd hit. i'm happy. i'm happy.

well, happily lying through your teeth.

there was once a fire, but now there wasn't even something you could re-spark. you felt like a vessel. less-than human. a puppet on everyone else's strings.

somewhere along the lines everything began to change. your heartbeat slowed, your thoughts didn't cater to anything or anyone in specific. you weren't proud of the things you'd accomplished anymore. you didn't listen to the same songs, or use the same texting language.

it was terrifying, but you told yourself everyone goes through change. and, unfortunately you'd had a dreaded one of heart.

you, simply, didn't love living your life anymore. and, you didn't want to drag the people you once loved down with you when you eventually crumbled.

your chest felt hollow, and the tears were empty, but they stained your cheeks often these days. the touches you used to love were foreign; the soft skin and feather-light breaths. you were cooped up with a stranger, swapping spit and one-liners to grasp at straws. holding hands through the pain, telling each other that everything would be okay if you just waited out the storm. lips that once made confessions were too scared to confess what you both knew couldn't be resuscitated.

"i-i'm sorry." you wanted to comfort him, but you also knew that you shouldn't. you weren't strong minded — less willed — and you already desired reeling back. "i really hated the saying 'its not you, its me'. i never really understood it before, but i do now. and, i'm sorry. its my fault i can't love you. i really wanted to, i did, but i don't anymore. i never thought i'd take after my fucking parents — as if we're only getting older — and i'd give anything to go back to when we first met." you tried to silence your tears, the burning throughout your entire body, "maybe in another life... i would've really liked to be in love with you for a little longer."

you were what each other needed, and what you ultimately needed was time. you would've really loved to do mundane tasks with him and enjoy them again. you would've really loved growing old with him. to watch your kids graduate. to sing songs on a porch swing and live life together. to end up rotting in a stone garden together. you would've really loved to love him, but your heart didn't swell with his thought. no, not like it did a couple years back.

maybe you two were too scared to learn to live without the other. maybe you'd become so codependent, and that's why you couldn't accept the grave you'd been digging, and were now stepping into.

maybe in another life it didn't have to end like this. maybe in another life you could've happily lived out each others dreams. had kids or a pet. maybe in another life san could've been the love of your life. maybe in another life you weren't full of dread at the thought. maybe your hands wouldn't shake. maybe you wouldn't cry. maybe in another life you had never met at all. and, you can't help but think that maybe in another life that would've been better.

your hand reached out, pressing against his broad back as he faced the wall. you knew him, and you knew he was trying to front being okay. you knew that since you two were demoting each other to strangers, he wouldn't cry in front of you anymore. you knew he loved you so much, and that's why he was really letting you go.

"you'll always be the best part of me."

reblogs, likes and comments are greatly appreciated! thank u!

— perm tag list .ᐟ send an ask to be added c:

[mynameismckenziemae]

She's a Fire-Chapter XXVII

Forever

Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x OFC/Reader (no use of y/n)

Chapter summary: Bradley surprises you…in more ways than one.

(previous chapter here, epilogue here)

Warnings: smut 18+ MDNI, ass play, oral (m receiving), p in v,

The second half of the summer flies by, especially with the squad is deployed halfway through August. The plan was they were supposed to be back the week before Sunny and Bob’s wedding.

It was now the Thursday before and still no word from any of them. They hadn’t been allowed their phones at all so the last 4 weeks had been awful not being able to communicate in any way with Bradley.

Thankfully Bob had been granted leave and arrived a few days ago, but over half the wedding party wasn’t in Minnesota yet.

You’d flown in with Sunny a few days prior to help, but with everything done that could be, Sunny insisted you pick up your parents from the airport.

You people watch as you wait, smiling at the sweet reunions in front of you. Unexpected tears spring to your eyes as you watch an older gentleman hand his wife a bouquet of flowers and draw her into a hug. You giggle as he reaches down to cop a feel of her butt while he presses a kiss to her lips. She pulls away and smacks his chest with a blush, but smiles.

You have a feeling that’ll be you and Bradley in 40 years.

Absence had done nothing make your heart grow fonder and you realized how head over heels you really were. Not only did you want him to be there for the wedding, you miss him. You miss the way he makes you laugh, how he draws you to him in the middle of the night, the songs he sings so sweetly to Lola, and definitely the sex, but also the intimacy.

Your phone pings, a text from your mom.

Mom: We just landed. They changed the gate so we’re coming in H7 now.

Rowan: Sounds good, I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.

Laura: Can’t wait!

Rowan: Me either 😘

You smile and make your way over.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

You wave as they come down the escalator, and are wrapped up in both of their arms a minute later.

“I’ve missed you guys so much!” You murmur, giving them both another squeeze before pulling away. You saw them for an extended weekend in April but that was it since Christmas.

“Missed you too hun,” your mom sniffs, voice full of tears.

“We brought someone else you’re probably missing,” your dad smiles, gently tugging your ponytail like he did when you were a kid.

Your heart stutters in your chest when you turn to see Bradley smiling.

Your own tears begin to fall as he wraps you in his arms. “When did-how did…what?” You ask, face pressed against his chest.

“We got in last night, Sunny wanted to surprise you. Flying in with your parents was just a coincidence. Caught up with them in Denver.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. When’s everyone else coming?”

“Right now,” Nat says from behind you, pulling you into a hug next. “Your dad’s hot, Row,” she whispers before releasing you.

You shake your head, laughing at her and hug Jake next, followed by the rest of the crew.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Sunny: So were you surprised?

Rowan: Yes. You’re lucky you’re getting married or I’d be mad at you. I was freaking out.

Sunny: Lolol sorry

Rowan: No you’re not. Was Bob in on this?

Sunny: I’m totally not. He was…but only because I made him.

Rowan: Naughty girl. I should tell him to spank you for it.

Sunny: Please do?

You laugh. She thought it would be a good idea to refrain from having sex for a month so their wedding night would be “special”. Bob wasn’t keen on the idea but agreed. Sunny was fine while he was deployed but has been a hot mess since he arrived a few days ago. Even more so that Bob wasn’t giving in to her.

“All set?” Bradley asks as he gets in the driver’s seat of your rental from putting his bag in the back. Your parents and everyone else were sorting out the rental cars and meeting Sunny, Bob, and their families in 45 minutes at a restaurant nearby.

You don’t say anything, instead, leaning over the console to capture his lips. It quickly turns heated as you lick into his mouth.

“Fuck, there’s probably cameras everywhere,” he pants, pulling off your lips as your hand creeps up his thigh.

“You’re probably right,” you agree. “We better go.”

He’s barely out of the parking lot before you’re palming him. “What are you—oh,” he inhales sharply as you pull his cock from his jeans.

“There’s no cameras on the road though,” you murmur against his neck as you stroke him.

Okay, there probably is but thankfully it’s dark enough now that passersby’s and cameras won’t be able to see anything.

“You don’t have to—fuckkk,” he grunts, head thumping back against the headrest as you pull him into your mouth, flicking his frenulum with your tongue. His hand reaches to grip your ponytail, guiding your head up and down. You moan and his grip tightens at the vibration he feels in his balls.

“You’re…you feel so good, baby. I-ha! I’m not gonna last,” he breathes. “Where do you want me to…?”

“Mmm,” you hum, tightening your lips and swallowing around him.

“Yeah…yeah okay, just like tha—ohhh,” he groans as he cums in your mouth. You swallow it greedily and tuck him back into his pants just as you arrive at the restaurant.

“Fuck, Row,” he chuckles breathlessly as he shifts into park. “C’mere.”

He leans over for another kiss, shivering when he tastes himself on your tongue.

A knock on the window startles you apart. “Come on lovebirds, everyone’s here,” Natasha says, laughing as she and Jake pass.

“I can’t wait to get back to the hotel and return the favor, over and over again. I’m gonna pretend I’m looking at something under the hood until this goes down,” he murmurs, looking pointedly at his groin. He’s hard again. “Don’t really wanna walk in with a hard-on.”

You laugh and peck his lips before going inside.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

He keeps true to his word once back at the hotel.

First, he throws your legs over his shoulders and devours you against the door. Then again in the shower with the detachable shower head; your legs nearly give out when he kneels behind you and tongues your other hole at the same time. He finally gives in to your pleading and pushes into you after you fall into bed, loving you slow but steady.

“I love you…” he pants against your lips as he thrusts his hips faster, finally chasing his own release, “…so much.”

He grinds his hips against yours as pumps you full and kisses you, swallowing your cries as he triggers another orgasm.

You feel boneless as Bradley cleans you up and climbs in behind you, holding you so tightly against him, like he’s afraid you’ll drift away if he doesn’t. Soon you both drift off to sleep.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The next day passes quickly with decorating, massages, and a nail appointment followed by the rehearsal and dinner after. It’s after 1 AM when Bradley nudges you awake from the car to bring you to bed.

Your alarm startles you awake a few hours later. You press a kiss to his forehead before getting in the shower.

You feel his presence from behind as you rinse the shampoo from your hair.

He gathers your clean hair and pulls it to the side so he can kiss your neck.

10 minutes later your front is pressed gassing the glass door of the shower as Bradley fucks into you with deep, steady strokes.He brings your hand to hold the shower head he directed on your clit and brings his fingers back to brush over your other hole.

“I want to take you here soon,” he pants, pressing a wet finger in. “Can I? I’ll make it so good for you, baby.”

“Yessss,” you mewl, “I’ve been using the bigger plug when I play to get ready for you.”

His hips stutter as he chokes, “Good-good girl.”

You cry out as your orgasm rushes over into you at his praise. He works you through it, pulling out when your body relaxes, giving himself a few pulls to finish on your ass.

“I wanted to finish inside you, but I figured it wouldn’t go well with your silky dress,” he pants, forehead resting on your shoulder.

“You’re probably right. Never thought of that,” you laugh breathlessly. “Thank you.”

He hums and kisses your shoulder before pumping conditioner into his hand and coating the ends of your hair the way you like.

“You’re so good to me,” you whisper, tears filling your eyes as he bends to wash your feet a few minutes later.

He smiles, pecking a kiss on your knee and rising to help you rinse. “You’re so good to me. Love you, Row.”

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

“Don’t you look all freshly fucked and glowy,” Sunny rolls her eyes sullenly when you walk into the venue.

You laugh. “I’m sorry?”

“Yeah yeah,” she sighs, trying not to smile as you hand her the coffee you and Natasha had picked up.

“Happy wedding day!” You smile, wrapping her in a big hug. “I’m sure Bob will make it up to you tonight,” you whisper since his sister isn’t too far away.

“He better,” she sighs, taking a drink. “Thank you. Holy shit, I’m getting married today.”

“Yep. You are. Let’s get you ready.”

Tears of laughter and tears of happiness are shed throughout the morning while getting ready. Even more flow as she steps out of the dressing room after her mom. She looks stunning in her form-fitting, dropped-sleeved ivory gown. Her hair is pinned into a loose updo with her natural curly texture.

Several photos are taken with the bridesmaids and then you’re free to relax before the ceremony begins. Your phone buzzes as you wait for the ceremony to begin and Sunny gets some individual ones taken.

Bradley: Can’t wait to see you. I already know you look gorgeous. 😍

Rowan: Right back ‘atcha handsome. See you soon. 😘

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

“I’ll see you at the end of the aisle. Just keep your eyes on Bobby, okay? Love you so much,” you whisper as you hug Sunny behind the doors of the ceremony hall.

“Love you more. Thank you for everything.” She murmurs back, giving you a big squeeze before releasing you.

Then it’s your cue.

You have to swallow the lump that’s forming in your throat as you lock eyes with Bradley, who’s blinking rapidly to keep his own tears from falling as you walk towards the front. You meet Bob’s nervous gaze as you walk past him, giving him a wink. He winks back and visibly relaxes.

Bob’s nieces and Steve are next and break the nervous energy as Steve keeps chasing the petals they drop. He nearly knocks the girls over as he spots Bob and runs to lie down next to him.

The doors open next and Sunny’s mom rises, which signals everyone to do the same.

Sunny is glowing and there’s not a dry eye in the place as Sunny walks to Bob with her dad.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

“I now pronounce to you, Mr. And Mrs. Floyd! You may kiss your bride.”

You kindly wave their sweet pastor out of the shot as Bob does just that.

It was a short but beautiful ceremony; they chose to do the traditional vows as they wrote their own and gifted them to each other beforehand.

“I was right, you look gorgeous Row,” Bradley whispers as he escorts you out.

The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur as you pose for pictures, drink cocktails, eat dinner, and cry your way through your speech. You feel like you can finally breathe once the dance begins.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Bradley’s heart is pounding under your ear as you sway with him to a slow song. “You okay? Your heart is racing.”

“Yeah, just warm. I think I’m gonna get some air,” he replies, pressing a kiss to your forehead as the song ends.

“I’ll come with-,” you start, but are interrupted by the DJ playing Beyoncé’s Single Ladies.

“Next up is the bouquet toss. If you don’t have a ring on it, head to the dance floor.”

“Come on, Row! That’s you.” Sunny says, pulling you back out.

“Alright, alright!” You laugh, letting her place you front and center.

“Let’s help Mrs. Floyd count down. 3, 2, 1!”

Sunny fakes a throw and then turns, nodding to the DJ then locking eyes with you as she walks over.

Realization sets in as you hear Elvis start to sing ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’.

Sunny has tears in her eyes as she smiles, handing you the bouquet. “Turn around.”

You feel light-headed as she turns your shoulders and steps around to join Bob and the small group of your friends and family behind Bradley, who’s down on one knee holding a beautiful, familiar-looking ring.

Tears immediately begin to spill over.

“Rowan, I-“ he hesitates, so nervous trying to find the right words. “Will you marry-“

A deafening cheer goes up as you nod, sobbing, “Yes!” as he wraps you in a hug.

You can’t seem to stop crying as you’re bombarded with well wishes and congratulations.

Sunny pulls you aside as your dad draws Bradley in for a hug, saying something that has Bradley wiping a tear as he pulls back.

“Why don’t you and Bradley go take a breather?” Sunny murmurs as she takes you aside.

“Yeah? Okay. Are you sure you’re okay with all of this? It’s your special day…”

“It was my idea! Well, kind of. Bradley was going to take you somewhere and propose over his birthday but the deployment threw a wrench in his plans. I told him he should do it tonight since your parents were gonna be here too.”

A fresh wave of tears flow as you hug her again.

“You’re the best friend I could’ve asked for. I love you.”

“I love you too. Now go!” She grins, smacking you on the ass.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

You pull Bradley to a storage closet a few doors down.

“There was so much I wanted to say to you, and I hope you’re okay with me proposing here, Sunny and Bob were excited about it, I just-“ Bradley rambles, but you cut him off with a kiss.

“Baby, it was perfect. You’re perfect,” You sigh kissing him again.

“So everyone knew?” You ask when you finally pull away.

“Yeah pretty much. I can’t believe no one spoiled it. I’d asked your dad for permission at Christmas and-“

“Wait. At Christmas? That was like 3 months after we started dating?” You interrupt.

“Yeah,” he smiles, wiping another one of your stray tears. “I already knew then that you were the one.”

He brings you to his chest as you hiccup and sways you both to the muted music coming through the door. He rubs his finger over the ring. “Do you like it? It’s my mom’s. I had it dipped in white gold since I’ve never seen you wear yellow gold.”

Your chest tightens. “Oh my God, Bradley. That’s why it looks so familiar. It’s beautiful. I would have worn it happily either way!”

“I know, but Mom would’ve wanted you to have something you like though.”

“Well I love it, and I love you.”

“I love you too.” He replies, kissing the top of your head.

The end(ish).

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

A/N: Don’t freak out! There’s still an epilogue coming!

Also…my inbox is open and I’ve only gotten one ask so far so if there’s anything you want me to address in the epilogues get them in now.

Tagging:

@its-the-pilot

@dizzybee03

@sweetwhispersofchaos

@shanimallina87

@blindedbythelightt

@getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth

@lexixstewart

@phoenix-rising-starbird-one

@mrsrobertfloyd5

@charmedkim

@k-k0129

@bellaireland1981

@ingoaliesitrust

@hookslove1592

@amiets2

@nero4te

@eli2447

@atarmychick007

@vixenobrian

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x38 - Resurrected! Demon King VenomVamdemon! / Prophecy

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Tailmon's support group came together to help her finally get away from Vamdemon. They all turned up and together they jumped her abuser and beat him to death. A happy ending for everyone; Don't look at the episode title.

Vamdemon disappeared in a flash of light, which isn't quite what a Digimon's death is supposed to look like, but surely he's gone, right? Well, the fog barrier sure seems to disagree....

We open at the wreckage of the Fuji Broadcasting Center, which I still cannot believe the show blew up on-air as a serious plot point and got away with it. XD

Taichi: DAMN IT!!!

Irreverent as ever, Taichi angrily kicks Vamdemon's discarded mask for stress relief. It doesn't go very far, but it does make a metallic sound when it clatters around on the ground so apparently it's made of, like, iron or something. Didn't expect that.

(Blissfully unaware that the mask, like all Digimon clothing articles, is technically part of Vamdemon's digital body so its continued existence is a huge red flag. A Digimon does not leave their pants behind when they die.)

While Taichi's working out his frustrations, the others confer about the lingering fog.

Yamato: Defeating Vamdemon wasn't enough! Mimi: Oh no! Does this mean we'll be trapped here forever?

An alert tone from Koushiro's laptop interrupts the conversation. He pops open the laptop to find an email notification waiting for him. Everyone gathers around, including Yamato's dad Ishida Hiroaki who unceremoniously extricated himself from the ruined TV station and joined us at some point.

Dude was dodging Bakemon for like an hour or two inside Fuji earlier. He's sneaky like that.

Koushiro: It's from Gennai-san. Chibi Gennai: Good news, children! I've found a clue to help you defeat Vamdemon.

Attached is an image of text inscribed in a stone wall.

Chibi Gennai: This is a prophecy I found in the ancient ruins. "First, the sky will be covered by a flock of bats." Then it says, "The people will chant the name of the Undead Digimon King. When the clock strikes the number of the Beast, the Undead Digimon King will reveal his true form as the Beast. When angels fire arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they protect, a miracle will occur."

Well, that all sounds like a lovely time. We're about to get Book of Revelations up in here. Tonight we're gonna party like it's 999.

In the dub, Tai of course does not yell obscenities at Myotismon's mask.

Tai: Gimme a break! (kick) Matt: That lousy fog barrier's still up. Mimi: So beating Myotismon didn't solve anything! (Email) Izzy: Hang on! We've got mail Gennai! Chibi Gennai: Wonderful news, my friends! I may have found the way to defeat him once and for all. Although this looks like a Graham Cracker, it's actually an ancient text which I've translated! "The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats. The fallen people will invoke the name of the Undead Digimon King and when the clock strikes the Hour of the Beast, the Undead King will reveal himself in his true form as the Beast. Then angels will shoot arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they've been sent to protect, and a miracle will happen. Please always recycle." That last part seems weird but good luck!

With the exception of the "Please always recycle" bit, they adapt the prophecy very faithfully. Even to the point of keeping in the religious references to the Beast and the word "miracle".

Also, Dub Gennai quips that the wall looks like a Graham Cracker which... Fuck, now I can't unsee it. He is not wrong. I want to eat that prophecy.

The kids have no idea what to do with this prophecy.

Sora: Hey, does he say anything about making the fog go away? Koushiro: Uh, well.... Hikari: Onii-san, we should hurry up and go find Mom and Dad. Taichi: Yeah, you're right. Jou: I also want to see how my home is doing. Mimi: I'd like to change soon.... Taichi: Alright, we should get going.

Poor Mimi. Can you imagine having to show up to the final boss fight in your PJs? She is the only one in the party who didn't get to dress for the occasion.

And, yeah, we should be courteous of Jou as well. He was out of Odaiba when all this started. He slept at a bus station and has not seen his family since yesterday. Granted, by this point, all of these kids are used to sleeping in unconventional places, but still.

Dub Sora's a bit more interested in the prophecy itself than her Japanese counterpart was.

Sora: Well, that was about as clear as mud. Can you make heads or tails of it? Izzy: Uh, well.... Kari: Listen, Tai, maybe we should try to find Mom and Dad. Tai: You're right. Joe: I wouldn't mind checking out my place either. Mimi: And I'd like to change my pajamas. Or at least get a matching robe. Tai: Yeah, let's go. No reason to stay here.

I can't say for certain that Mimi flubs her line, but I feel like she flubs her line because she should be saying she'd like to change out of her pajamas. The line she delivers suggests she wants to change into a different set of pajamas.

It could be a flub. We know they didn't do second takes of anything. But it also could have been a pragmatic edit to make her dialogue fit her lip flaps, resulting in a line that doesn't really make sense but you still get what she means from context.

The first stop is the Odaiba Mansion.

Well, first stop for most of them. Mimi breaks away from the group to go get dressed, and the crowd doesn't go with her for that. Because that would be weird.

Koushiro retrieves his parents, who've been safe and sound within the Digital Barrier this whole time. Masami has questions, but fortunately we now have an adult in the party who can explain things on his level.

Masami: What is going on here? Hiroaki: Here, let me explain.

I'm not sure how much he knows beyond "Remember when our kids went to summer camp? Well, they came back with monsters." But I'm sure Masami will appreciate having a grown-ass man to talk about it with.

While the grown-ups are talking, Mimi runs across the street to join the group. She does not live at Odaiba Mansion. In fact, she was in such a hurry to get dressed that she's still fixing her hat to her head when she arrives.

Mimi: Thanks for waiting! Huh? Jou-senpai isn't here yet? Sora: No, not yet. He lives up there.

Sora directs Mimi's attention to one of the windows above them in Odaiba Mansion.

In the dub, Masami comes off a little more frustrated. Just a bit.

Masami: Alright, can't someone explain what's going on? Hiroaki: It's a pretty long story, but I'll try. (Mimi arrives) Mimi: Hey, everybody! Wait for me! Sorry I'm late! Huh? Aren't we missing somebody? Sora: We're waiting for Joe. He's still upstairs.

Mimi's line here is weird. She makes it sound like we scheduled to meet up here. But we aren't meeting up; We came to Odaiba Mansion as a group so that Izzy and Joe could check on their families.

In the original, Mimi calls out Jou-senpai by name because he's the only other person besides Mimi and Koushiro who would be missing.

This isn't a bad line, it's just... contextually awkward.

Upstairs, Jou has a look around his apartment, but it's no less ransacked than everyone else's.

Jou: DAD!!! MOM!!! ...my brothers aren't here either. Pukamon: They must have been taken with the others. Let's head back. Jou: Yeah....

While Jou's back is turned, the closet door behind him slowly opens - complete with rising horror chords. Something is here. A hand slowly emerges from the blackness, gripping Jou by the shoulder.

Jou: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! Pukamon: BAKEMON!?!? Boy: That's rude. Don't go around calling people bakemono.

As a reminder, Bakemon gets their name from the word bakemono, which are ghostly shapeshifters who impersonate humans, animals, and other objects in order to manipulate and deceive.

Jou: Sh-Shin-niisan! You're safe! Shin: Safe? What do you mean by that? (Shin climbs down out of the closet) Shin: (suddenly alert) WHERE THE HELL DID THIS MESS COME FROM!?!? Pukamon: The Bakemon did it! Shin: ...W-Who's this guy? Jou: Uh... I'll explain everything later...

Shin has a whole matting in there with a pillow; He slept through this entire thing. The Bakemon just... missed him when they ransacked the apartment because he was asleep in the closet.

Jou: By the way, why were you sleeping in the closet? Shin: I've always slept in here, ever since we moved to Odaiba. Did you not know that? Jou: (clueless nod) Mhm! Shin: ...But we've lived together this whole time....

Jou's having a real Koushiro moment right now. From there, he and Shin head downstairs and regroup with the others outside.

Hiroaki: So, you'll go to Big Sight and check things out. We'll look for a way to break through this fog. Takeru: Right!

He's not super clear who "you" and "we" are here, but he's looking at Jou when he says "you" and he has Yamato and Takeru with him when he says "we". We're splitting the party but the specifics aren't super evident.

In the dub, Shin is called Jim, presumably because it closely matches the mouth movement.

Joe: There's no sign of anyone! Bukamon: Do you think they've been captured with all the rest!? That would be sad! (Jim's hand spooks Joe) Joe: WAAAAAAUGH!!! Bukamon: DON'T DO THAT!!! Jim: Relax, it's only your brother who's totally freaked. Joe: JIM!?!? What are you doing hiding in there!? Jim: Well, I'm not playing hide and seek! Those creepy things tore the place apart. Bukamon: They are creepy, aren't they? Jim: Frankly, I wouldn't talk if I were you. Joe: Hey, don't worry about this little guy, Jim. He's a friend of mine. And I've got more good news! Myotismon's been destroyed! Jim: Just who is Myotismon? For once in your life, Joe, you actually sound like you know what you're talking about! Joe: (nod) Mhm! Jim: ...There's a first time for everything.

Yeah, so, this sucks. They threw out everything. I understand losing the bakemono gag because it doesn't translate, but they also rewrote the scene so that Jim's fully aware of the shenanigans going on. And threw out the bit about Jou's ignorance of his own brother's bed.

This is a really funny scene with an interesting piece of characterization for Jou. They carved it down into dry exposition about how cool it is that we beat up the bad guy.

There are still a couple of jokes at the end, but they're very basic jokes whose punchlines are "Bukamon looks funny" and "Joe's an idiot." The latter of which was also the punchline of the original gag, but rather than demonstrating Joe being alarmingly unobservant about his own living space, Jim just says he's dumb and that's the whole joke.

Hiroaki's directions outside are translated faithfully, however.

Hiroaki: Find out what's happening at the convention center, and we'll try to find a way through the fog barrier. Right, T.K.?

Once plans are made, Jou and Shin take Shin's scooter to Big Sight. Shin wears a helmet but does not provide one for Jou, and I have concerns about that.

Shin: Jou, are you really planning to become a doctor like me? Pukamon: Huh!? Onii-san, you're a doctor!? Shin: I'm still in med school. Pukamon: Wow, you must be really smart! Jou: (defeated) Dad told me I should be one.... Shin: That's impossible for you. Jou: (defeated) Yeah.... Pukamon: (furious) HEY!!! ONII-SAN OR NOT, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE FUN OF JOU!!! Shin: (chuckling) Fierce, aren't you? But I'm not making fun of him! I just don't think it's a suitable profession for him because he faints at the sight of blood. Pukamon: Oh. Then you're right about that. Shin: In any case, we can talk about this later. The others are here.

Cut to Taichi, Mimi, and Sora sprinting up on foot with their Digimon partners. Jou and Shin took a scooter but we made them run a mile and a half to Big Sight. XD Sora and Taichi, I can understand, but poor Mimi. Somehow being back in Odaiba is just as bad as the Digital World.

(She's doing a surprisingly good job of keeping pace with the two soccer stars. But let's be real; They're probably keeping pace with her so she doesn't fall behind and feel bad.)

Pukamon calls Shin onii-san and I love it. He's integrating into the family already!

In the dub:

Jim: So tell me, Joe: Are you still planning on being a doctor? Bukamon: Joe is smart! He can be a doctor! Jim: There's a lot more to it than that. Bukamon: Joe can be whatever he wants! Joe: (defeated) It's what my dad wants me to be. Jim: Poor dad; He doesn't know. Joe: (defeated) No. Bukamon: Are you implying Joe's not smart enough for something!? Listen, I don't care if you are his brother, you've got no right-- Jim: (chuckling) Now, calm down! I'm not saying he's not smart enough; I'm just saying it'll be kind of hard for him to be a doctor when he passes out at the sight of blood! Bukamon: Yep, that's my pal Joe! Jim: Look, I think your friends are coming. We'll talk about this later, Joe.

The main points about Joe are still made in this version: He's studying to be a doctor but only because his dad wants him to, but also he can't stand the sight of blood so that's an unreasonable goal to have forced on him by their parents.

Jim, however, continues to have all of his characterization sanded off. That Jim himself is in med school on the career path their father is trying to put Jou on as well goes unmentioned.

The dialogue is also janky in parts. "Poor dad; He doesn't know," is an awkward replacement for "That's impossible for you." Uh, if he doesn't know, then tell him? Jim implies that their dad is pressuring Jou purely out of ignorance and even sympathizes with him.

That's not really the vibe we're going for here. Jou's parents are so disconnected from his life that they're the only set of Chosen Children parents to remain unnamed to this day. And his dad is clearly trying to mass-produce prosperity through his children without regard to what would actually be good for his kids.

Inside Big Sight, the Partner Digimon besiege the remaining guard Bakemon and slaughter them. Pyokomon, Tanemon, Pukamon, and Mochimon all evolves into their Child forms Piyomon, Palmon, Gomamon, and Tentomon for the onslaught.

Who actually came to Big Sight is kind of an awkward question. Initially, we see Jou, Taichi, Mimi, and Sora. But Koushiro and Hikari's Digimon are here too. Subsequent scenes show Hikari, Koushiro, and Koushiro's parents are at Big Sight as well; They just didn't arrive with the others, even though their Digimon did. I guess maybe Koushiro's parents gave Hikari a ride?

Taichi: Thanks, everyone!

After massacring seven Bakemon, the kids make their way to where PicoDevimon's unexplained hypno-eyes conked all the adults out. They split up, each kid going off to find their parents in the sea of comatose adults.

Taichi: Mom, wake up! Hikari: You too, Dad! Sora: Mom! Mimi: Papa! Mama!

Jou and Shin are off checking on what can be assumed to be their parents, but Shin takes this opportunity to continue their conversation from before.

Jou: I thought it was only the fog that hadn't changed.... Shin: His pulse is normal. Jou: Dad.... Shin: Jou, listen. You don't have to live your life the way our parents want you to. Jou: Eh? Shin: Truth is, I'm not going to, either. After I take the national exam, I'm thinking of working on a remote island. Dad will object, of course. Jou: I didn't know.... Shin: (standing up) Well. In any case, caring for these people comes first. If only we could get help from the outside....

Shin isn't just doing what he's told; He's made a life plan for himself. Not to seize prosperity, but to do work that he feels will truly help people. He intends to live a meaningful life, and not to follow their father's uniform roadmap for his children. He encourages Jou to do the same.

In the dub:

Tai: Excellent! Good work, you guys! (Kids find the adults) Tai: Mom, wake up! Mimi: Daddy? What's happened to them!? Joe: They're all so totally still.... Are they-- Jim: No, their pulses are normal. Joe: That's good. Jim: Joe, listen to me: It's your life. You've gotta live it your way, not Dad's way. Joe: I guess.... Jim: After I become a doctor, I'm going to South America. Africa. Some place I can really be of help. Dad's already told me he doesn't approve. Joe: I can imagine. Jim: Anyway, right now, we've got to see to all these people. Joe: What can we do? Jim: If only we could get help from the outside....

The person they're checking isn't explicitly their dad in this version, so the segue into "Don't let him control your life" is a little more jarring. You can probably make the inference, though.

Again, the general vibe of getting out from under their oppressive father's thumb doesn't come through here. Jim's already talked about his plans with their dad and Mr. Kido's voiced his dissent but Jim's plan still continues as normal anyway. He is at liberty to undermine Mr. Kido openly while still living under Mr. Kido's roof, unlike Shin who has to make his life plans in secret.

This is a heartfelt and emotional moment between brothers in the original, but Dub Joe honestly feels like he's just nodding along and waiting for Jim to get back on-topic.

Meanwhile, Team Fog heads out in a life raft to see if they can pierce the barrier and reach Tokyo beyond. They've reached the point where the fog becomes a wall.

Hiroaki: It's impossible to get through this fog. Patamon: HEY!!! TAKERU'S MAMA, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?!? Gabumon: Let me try. TAKERU'S MAMA!!! Patamon: Hey, you should do it too, Takeru! Takeru: ...but....

Takeru glances over at Yamato and Hiroaki, who both look deeply uncomfortable about this attempt to contact Hiroaki's ex.

Takeru: ...she can't hear us from here anyway. Patamon: Are you sure?

In the dub:

Hiroaki: There's no way to get through this fog. Patamon: HELLO, ANYBODY!!! COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!!! Gabumon: No, like this: IF YOU SAVE US, WE'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT, INCLUDING CANDY!!! (beat) T.K.: Nice try.... (T.K. looks over at the uncomfortable Matt and Hiroaki) T.K.: This just isn't working. Maybe we should go back to shore.

Family drama: Deleted. Hiroaki and Matt are just sad because the fog is impassible. Natsuko/Nancy doesn't come up at all.

Back at the convention center, Hikari's spiraling again.

Hikari: It's my fault they're like this. Tailmon: It's my fault too. Sora: Don't worry! They're just sleeping. They'll wake up soon enough. (Hikari and Tailmon nod) Sora: (suddenly sad, looks down at her mother) ...isn't that right, Mom?

Sora is trying so hard to be brave for the youngest among us.

Hikari has done nothing wrong but carries the weight of guilt on her heart because she's a kind, empathetic person. Tailmon seems like she's more at fault on the surface but actually she's an abuse victim picked up out of the wilderness and beaten into obedience. So, no, she's innocent of wrongdoing here too.

...I mean she probably could have stood to let PicoDevimon die way back at Vamdemon's castle but that's a tactical error, not a moral failing.

In the dub:

Kari: This is all our fault, Gatomon! Gatomon: Mhm. Sora: Don't worry. This spell or whatever it is will wear off and then everyone will just wake up again. Kari & Gatomon: Mhm? Sora: Yeah! (suddenly sad, looks down at her mother) Isn't that right, Mom?

I like that Sora calls the sedative effect a "spell or whatever". That's a fair description. They aren't just all taking a community nap or something.

Meanwhile, Team Fog is chased from the water by that Gizamon swarm that attacked Hiroaki's team last night; That's still a thing. Gabumon and Patamon try to hold the line with their Petit Fire and Air Shot attacks, but they're picking off singletons out of a crowd.

Hiroaki: There's too many of them! Let's get out of here! Takeru: (to the Digimon) HURRY!!!

Patamon and Gabumon fall back as dozens of Gizamon emerge from the bay. The humans and Digimon climb into Hiroaki's van, but they're too late. The Gizamon pile on top of the vehicle, eventually tipping it over from their weight.

Takeru: OH NO!!!

Pan over to a nearby tree, where a flock of Vamdemon's Night Raid bats are sleeping through the day. The commotion rouses them. The bats descend upon the Gizamon, ravenously devouring every last one of them before flying off into the sky.

Once the Gizamon are gone, the humans open up the car doors and emerge.

Yamato: What just happened? Takeru: LOOK AT THAT!!!

Takeru draws their attention to the Night Raid bats, which are on their way to what remains of the Fuji station.

Hiroaki: "First, the sky will be covered by a flock of bats."

Back at the site of Vamdemon's "death", PicoDevimon overlooks the bats' arrival. They swarm to Vamdemon's mask.

PicoDevimon: Hehehehehe! The real terror is just beginning!

In the dub:

Hiroaki: WE WERE BETTER OFF LOST IN THE FOG!!! T.K.: Let's go! Gabumon: (no lip flaps) If you insist! (Everyone retreats to the van; The Gizamon tip it over, but then the Grisly Wing bats eat the Gizamon) Matt: Huh? (Everyone climbs out the doors) Hiroaki: Come on, guys. Matt: Hey, what happened to them? T.K.: OVER THERE!!! (Bats) Hiroaki: "The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats." (Back at the site, DemiDevimon watches.) DemiDevimon: Nyah ha! Nahahahaha! Now things start to get interesting!

We finally get to check in on Koushiro; He's not checking on the adults because his parents are fine. They came to Big Sight with him. But, since they don't have anything to do here, they find a nice, empty conference hall to have a private conversation with their son.

Koushiro: What did you want to talk to me about? Masami: While we were hiding back at the house, we had a conversation and we've decided it's finally time to tell you something. The truth is, we're not your real parents. Koushiro: (quietly) ...I already knew that. Parents: ... Koushiro: I tried to pretend I hadn't heard anything. I thought that if I acted normal, things would stay the same. But I couldn't do it. The more I tried to pretend nothing had changed, the weirder it felt. In the end, I withdrew into my computer, where I wouldn't have to show my true self. Masami: There is nothing wrong with liking computers! Koushiro: Dad!? Masami: That trait of yours is part of what makes you who you are. You're just like your real father. Koushiro: My real father? Masami: He was a distant relative of mine and a genius mathematician. He was a lecturer for a university. Twelve years ago, he married your real mother. Then they had you. He was with her when they had a terrible car accident. Neither of them made it.

Hey. Hey, guess what the Japanese word for "lecturer" is? It's koushi. Koushiro carries his birth father with him, buried in his name, and never knew it.

Kae: We had a child of our own once. A little boy. But he died while he was still a baby. When we were asked if we could take you in... Well.... Koushiro: So that's how it happened.... Masami: We were planning to tell you everything when you were older. We didn't expect you to have already figured it out. This must have been so hard to deal with on your own. I'm sorry. Koushiro: No, I'm actually glad you told me the truth. Thank you. ...I-I mean, thanks.... Masami: You don't have to change yourself for us. Kae: That's right. All we want is for you to be happy.

Koushiro, who has largely resisted letting himself get emotional in the show up to this point, suddenly breaks down into tears. He finally opens up and lets himself feel. He throws himself into his mother's embrace, and Masami embraces them both.

Tentomon: (watching from a distance, also crying) Koushiro-han... Cry your heart out! Let yourself be cared for!

Something I really appreciate about this exchange is that while withdrawing into his computer has been a problem for Koushiro since we met him (Kentarumon episode really put a spotlight on it), Masami makes a point here to say that it's not the computer's fault. The computer didn't make him emotionally reclusive.

He likes computers because that's just who he is. It's the behavior, not the activity, that is the problem. And more than that, it's the motivating cause for the behavior.

The problem is the emotional scar he's carrying on his heart. The solution for which is clear, open, and honest communication that his parents have been denying him, well-meaning though they were.

In the dub:

Izzy: You wanted to talk to me? Masami: Yes, son. (sigh) When you went off and left us there in hiding, your mother and I thought we might never see you again. So we talked and decided the time had come to tell you that we're not your real parents, Izzy. Izzy: ...I already know. I heard you talking once. I pretended to myself I hadn't heard anything. Then I made believe I had misunderstood. Then I tried to wipe it from my mind and just act like everything was the same as before. But it wasn't. And I didn't mean to, but I just started drifting away from you a little more each day. Masami: That's why you buried yourself in that computer! Izzy: That's right. Masami: It's not surprising. It's who you are. You see, in so many ways, you're the living image of your real father. Izzy: What was my real father like? Masami: He was a fine man and a brilliant mathematician. In fact, he was a lecturer at the university! He and I were distant cousins. I was his only living relative. And your mother had no family of her own so, when it happened.... Late one night, there was a terrible car accident. Neither of them survived. Kae: We had lost a little boy of our own, you see. Just before. So when we were asked if we might want to take care of you, well... It seemed like, I don't know, some kind of sign. We said yes. Izzy: So you made me your son. Masami: We always planned to tell you the truth. We were just waiting for you to grow up a little bit more. But now, you seem to have found out on your own. We waited too long. I'm sorry, son. Izzy: No. No, Dad! There's no need for you to be sorry! It couldn't have been easy for you to tell me all this! And I'm... Um... Glad you did.... Masami: We just want you to know we love you, Izzy. Kae: You see, as far as we're concerned, you are our real son. Nothing can ever change that. Izzy: (breaks into tears) Mom! (family hug) Tentomon: Gee, it's times like this I wish I had a Digi-Mommy!

Yeah, this version tries but it's not as reassuring. The bit where Masami tells Koushiro his interest in computers is fine has been taken out. Here he's just like, "Ohhhh THAT'S where your obsession came from!"

Pretty much all reference to Koushiro's eerie formality, his attempts at behaving like a proper son, were cut from the dub version. As well as his parents' assurances that he doesn't actually need to change his speaking mannerisms and the like if he doesn't want to; That he doesn't need to start acting like other kids and that they just want him to behave in whatever way feels right to him.

This is the emotional climax of Koushiro's character arc, and the character arc is missing.

Still, despite these flaws, it still hits pretty hard nonetheless. It's derelict in its service to the greater narrative, but the emotional beats still resonate all the same. It's still a powerful and satisfying reconciliation between Izzy and his parents.

While Koushiro and his parents are having this moment... It begins.

Takenouchi Toshiko is the first to awaken. She sits up, raising her arms like a zombie, and starts to chant.

Piyomon: SORA!!! YOUR MOM!!! Sora: (whips around to see) EH!?!? Toshiko: Vamdemon-sama. Vamdemon-sama. Sora: Mom, what's wrong with you? MOM!!!

Cut to the FCG Building, where a dark and vaguely humanoid shadow has emerged around Vamdemon's mask. In a bestial growl, it utters:

Vamdemon Shadow: More data.... PicoDevimon: Vamdemon-sama! Vamdemon Shadow: More POWER.... PicoDevimon: Yes, sir!

Tuskmon and Snimon are still lying there unconscious in front of the Fuji building. The Night Raid bats move in on them, devouring the two Digimon to add their data and power to whatever Vamdemon is becoming.

Weirdly, there are only two unconscious Digimon for the bats to devour but when we cut to a wide shot, there are three large clusters of bats that rise up and feed data into Vamdemon's shadow. No idea who the third Digimon they ate was supposed to be.

Though it'd be darkly hilarious if Wizarmon was even still alive after all this time until right now.

PicoDevimon: Just a little longer until Vamdemon's resurrection is complete! Ehehehehehe!

In the dub... This is one of those scenes where we have a plot-centric honorific. That Toshiko is saying Vamdemon-sama adds to the ominous vibe. That's what his minions call him. It's a title of respect for one's societal superiors. The dub doesn't want to lose that eeriness, so they use the old dub standby for translating -sama.

Biyomon: SORA!!! YOUR MOM'S AWAKE!!! Sora: (whips around to see) WHUH!?!? Toshiko: Lord Myotismon. Lord and Master. Sora: Mom, what is it!? Are you alright? Mom!?

Bit more of a mouthful than Vamdemon-sama but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Myotismon Shadow: MOOOOOOOORE.... DemiDevimon: Hey there, Master! Good to see you back on your feet! Myotismon Shadow: More energy! I need more! DemiDevimon: You got it! (Bats eat Snimon, Tuskmon, and a Secret Third Thing, conferring their data to Myotismon) DemiDevimon: Won't be long now! The boss is gonna be bigger and badder than ever! Hahahaha!

Weirdly, Myotismon doesn't ask for data or power, but more generically "energy". What sort of energy he's getting from cannibalizing other DIgimon is unclear.

We go to a commercial break and, in the time it takes to pitch a new flavor of Ramune and some Hot Wheels, the rest of the adults gathered in Big Sight wake up.

People: Vamdemon-sama. Vamdemon-sama. (continuing) Taichi: Stop it, Dad! Sora: MOM!!! Mimi: PAPA!!! MAMA!!!

Fog Team arrives, walking in on this bizarre sight.

Hiroaki: What the...? Shin: Physically, they're all still asleep. So, this would be considered sleep talk.

While Shin and Hiroaki talk, the Chosen Children have their own meeting about this.

Koushiro: Uh, you know... There's something bothering me about this.... Yamato: The prophecy, right? "The people will chant the name of the Undead Digimon King." Koushiro: Right. Gabumon: The part about the bats came true too. Taichi: What was that!? Sora: What was the third line? Koushiro: "When the clock strikes the number of the Beast, the Undead Digimon King will reveal his true form as the Beast." Taichi: What is the "number of the Beast"? Hiroaki: (joining the conversation) 666. It's the number that appears in the Book of Revelations. Taichi: 666 must mean 6:06:06 PM.

Oh boy, taking all bets on whether the dub will name-drop the Book of Revelations! They've been surprisingly willing to go along with the religious references so far.

People: Myotismon, Lord and Master. (continuing) Tai: Stop it, Dad! Snap out of it! Mimi: Mom, it's me! (Team Fog walk in) Hiroaki: What's going on!? Jim: Very odd. Physically, they're still asleep. It's like they're all having the same dream. Izzy: Hey, wait a minute! Do you guys remember that prophecy!? Matt: Yeah, it fits. It says, "The fallen people will invoke the name of the Undead King." Gabumon: Well, the first part about the bats came true! Tai: Huh!? When was that!? Sora: What did the third part of the prophecy say? Izzy: Before the recycle part, it was, "When the clock strikes the Hour of the Beast, the Undead King will reveal himself in his true form." Tai: Terrific, but what's the Hour of the Beast? Hiroaki: 666. Six seconds and six minutes past six o'clock. Tai: Sounds like Triple Six is our unlucky number.

Nope. The "Hour of the Beast" is instead its own thing, which Hiroaki happens to be familiar with despite no origin for its meaning being provided.

Weird that it's called the "Hour of the Beast" but it's specific to minute and second. But if my bar sets Happy Hour to the precise minute of 5:34 PM, people get uppity. Fucking aristocrats get to play by different rules.

Still, as far as censoring things out goes, this is very "Let's kick some ass...PHALT!" They don't spell out the reference but if you know, you know. I don't think anyone back in the day had any confusion about where "The Hour of the Beast, 666" came from.

Taichi checks the time on his Digivice, watching it turn over to 6:00:00. We started paying attention to this prophecy way too late to do anything about it.

Taichi: There's not much time! Hiroaki: Get in the car!

Throwing Taichi and Yamato in the van, Hiroaki speeds back towards the FCG Building. But that's a seven-minute drive from Big Sight. Taichi never takes his eyes off his Digivice, watching the time tick away. at 6:05:59, he exclaims:

Taichi: We aren't going to make it!

At 6:06:06, the grim work is complete. By which I mean the complete and utter annihilation of the Fuji TV broadcasting station, which explodes into rubble from the force of Vamdemon's revival.

The only difference in the dub is that, when the clock strikes 6:06:06, Tai shouts:

Tai: SHOWTIME!!!

Well, I'm glad he's having fun with it.

From the wreckage of the FCG Building, the Beast rises.

Hiroaki pulls over on the highway so they can see him from a distance. Vamdemon's new form towers over the city.

Taichi: Is that... Vamdemon? Yamato: He's gigantic! Hiroaki: He truly is a beast. Agumon: Let's go, Gabumon! Gabumon: Right!

Agumon and Gabumon evolve to Greymon and Garurumon, who seem quaint in the shadow of this titanic colossus. Vamdemon nearly blows them away by the sheer force created when he turns around.

In the dub:

Tai: Is that Myotismon!? Matt: He's been taking steroids! Hiroaki: It's his true form: The Beast. Agumon: Hey, come on! Gabumon: Right!

I like Matt's quip here. XD

PicoDevimon flutters over in front of Vamdemon's crotch to taunt the children.

PicoDevimon: VenomVamdemon-sama's power has been released! Taichi: VenomVamdemon!? PicoDevimon: Being undead basically makes him immortal! VenomVamdemon: POWER!!! I NEED MORE POWER!!! PicoDevimon: Your meal is waiting for you at Big Sight! Adult Crowd: (still lying there at Big Sight) ...Vamdemon-sama.... PicoDevimon: Come on! I'll show you the way. VenomVamdemon: Let's start with you.

VenomVamdemon's voice is bestial and monstrous now. Nothing like the dignified villain we knew before.

He inhales sharply, drawing PicoDevimon towards his mouth.

PicoDevimon: W-What are you doing!? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!

With a shrill, high-pitched shriek, PicoDevimon disappears down VenomVamdemon's gullet and is finally gone. Disassembled into data to fuel the Beast's power.

(I don't know about y'all but I definitely get a Dante's Inferno Satan vibe from VenomVamdemon's character design.)

In the dub, DemiDevimon spends his final moments of life laughing it up about as much as his Japanese counterpart.

DemiDevimon: Where are my manners!? Allow me to introduce you to the new and improved VenomMyotismon! Tai: VenomMyotismon!? DemiDevimon: That's right! The king of the undead! He's the 'un' and you're the 'dead'! VenomMyotismon: MORE ENERGY!!! I'M HUNGRY!!! DemiDevimon: No problem, boss! There's all those people just layin' there waitin' for ya! Adult Crowd: (still lying there at the convention center) ...Myotismon, Lord and Master.... DemiDevimon: Remember to start your day with a good breakfast! VenomMyotismon: I'll begin with a little snack! (VenomMyotismon inhales to eat DemiDevimon) DemiDevimon: HEY, HANG ON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!

DemiDevimon and VenomMyotismon's quip exchange at the end there is cute. XD

DemiDevimon doesn't explain why VenomMyotismon is able to resurrect like this. He does mention Myotismon's undeath but doesn't explain that it equates to immortality. To be fair, "Vamdemon is immortal because he's undead" doesn't really make sense in the original either. We've had no problem killing undead Digimon like Bakemon or Phantomon.

But it's still an explanation for what happened here. Angewomon killed Vamdemon but undeath allowed him to linger on as a sort of data wraith, devouring other Digimon to reconstitute himself. Building on the earlier point raised when he was drinking human blood to store up power.

Soon, VenomVamdemon is on the move.

Hiroaki: He's headed towards the people at Big Sight! Taichi: We won't let that happen! Yamato: GARURUMON!!! Garurumon: On it, Yamato! Greymon: Let's go!

Greymon and Garurumon Super-Evolve to face VenomVamdemon at their full strength.

In the dub:

Hiroaki: He's going after everyone at the convention center! Tai: PUMP IT UP, YOU GUYS!!! Matt: DIGIVOLVE!!! Garurumon: You heard them, let's do it! Greymon: Yo!

It's the 90's. I don't know what you want from me.

Once they're in their Perfect forms, WereGarurumon has a plan of attack. I know this seems hopeless, but VenomVamdemon is still just a wireframe body around a processing core covered in a character model skin. His colossal size doesn't necessarily translate to a huge increase in power.

VenomVamdemon also has a huge increase in power. But not because he's big!

WereGarurumon: Use your Giga Destroyer, MetalGreymon! MetalGreymon: Will do! GIGA DESTROYER!!!

When MetalGreymon fires his Giga Destroyer, WereGarurumon leaps and lands on top of one of the missiles. He lets them carry him to VenomVamdemon, then jumps off moments before impact. The missiles collide with VenomVamdemon's crotch, while WereGarurumon follows up with Kaiser Nail directly to his chest.

VenomVamdemon doesn't even flinch.

Taichi: That didn't hurt him at all!

In the dub:

WereGarurumon: Shall we flip a coin to see who goes first? MetalGreymon: Allow me! GIGA BLASTER!!!

They don't plan the combo attack; WereGarurumon does it on the spur of the moment. Still ineffectual, though.

Matt: It didn't even phase him!

Still motivated to bring this guy down, WereGarurumon scales his chest and leaps into the air in front of his face, cleaving open VenomVamdemon's forehead.

It does not go well. Gorey pink tentacles emerge from VenomVamdemon's wound, snatching WereGarurumon out of the air. Hahahaha fuck this guy so much.

The original name for WereGarurumon's kick is Engetsu Geri or Crescent Moon Kick, named for the projectile resembling a crescent moon. The dub opts for Garuru Kick.

Flying up into the fray, MetalGreymon's extendable claw severs the tentacles binding WereGarurumon. He unloads Giga Destroyer straight into VenomVamdemon's eyes. The colossal titan feels that one, falling back and crushing a skyscraper to rubble behind him.

(Good thing everyone in Odaiba has conveniently been gathered to one location while this city-wrecking carnage unfolds! The writers prepared for this bloodless devastation well.)

Taichi: Did they get him!? VenomVamdemon: (sits back up) My Food! MY FOOD!!! Yamato: Th-that's unbelievable....

While VenomVamdemon recovers, WereGarurumon and MetalGreymon return to the humans.

MetalGreymon: TAICHI!!! WereGarurumon: Go warn everyone at Big Sight about this! The two of us will figure out a way to stop him. Yamato: Right! We're counting on you! Hiroaki: Let's go!

The humans climb in the van and speed away from the towering VenomVamdemon, who's back on his feet and hungering for more.

VenomVamdemon: Food! FOOD!!!

The dub again names MetalGreymon's extendo-claw Mega Claw. It goes unnamed in the original.

Tai: Did it work!? VenomMyotismon: RARGH MORE ENERGY!!! I MUST FEED!!! Matt: That answer your question? (MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon return to the humans) WereGarurumon: Matt! Tai! Go to the convention center and warn the others! Don't worry about us; We'll take care of this clown! Matt: Alright, but just watch yourself! Hiroaki: Let's go! MetalGreymon: PIECE OF CAKE!!! VenomMyotismon: I AM HUNGRY!!! GRAAAARGH!!! HUNGRY!!!

MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon sound way more confident about their chances in this version.

The boys return to Big Sight. Taichi races inside to tell everyone.

Crowd: ...Vamdemon-sama.... Taichi: TROUBLE!!!

The entire group goes outside. They can see VenomVamdemon in the distance, stomping his way to Big Sight.

Taichi: Can't we move everyone to some other place? Shin: We won't make it. There's too many people. Tailmon: We have no other choice but to defeat VenomVamdemon. Patamon: I'll help too! Palmon & Piyomon: So will we! Tentomon: And me! Gomamon: Alright, I'm in too! Tailmon: (shakes her head) The rest of you stay here. Only Patamon should come with me. Gomamon: Eh!? Tailmon: You should store up energy for your next evolution. Piyomon: I hate to admit it, but Tailmon's right. We should listen to her.

Mimi takes this opportunity to ask a pretty good question.

Mimi: Why is it that when everyone evolved into Perfect, you turned back into Adult form while Palmon and the others became Baby stages? Tailmon: I have a different level of discipline from the rest of you. Let's go, Patamon. Patamon: Okay! Taichi: Alright, we're coming too!

Taichi and Yamato run off with Hikari and Takeru, along with their Digimon. Koushiro's parents turn to him.

Masami: Koushiro, let's go with them. Koushiro: Okay!

The dub overlooks the fact that the adults are supposed to still be chanting. Big Sight is silent but for Tai's voice when he enters.

Tai: CLEAR EVERYONE OUT NOW!!! (Everyone goes outside) Tai: I don't know how long they can hold them off! Jim: Even if we had time, we couldn't move all these people. Gatomon: You don't understand. You can never outrun him. We have to destroy him. Patamon: You can count on me! Palmon & Biyomon: Yeah, and us too! Tentomon: Me three! Gomamon: Hey, make that four! Gatomon: (shakes head) Mm-mm. Patamon's the only Digimon I need to come with me; The rest of you stay here. Gomamon: Huh!? Gatomon: Nothing personal; I just want all of you to save up your strength. If my plan doesn't work, you'll all be needed. Biyomon: Let's do what she says! She knows these bad Digimon better than anyone! Mimi: Excuse me, I don't mean to be a downer or anything but how can any of us hope to stand up against that guy!? He's bigger than most buildings! Gatomon: I've got a plan, like I said! Come on, Patamon, let's fly! Patamon: Mhm! Tai: We're right behind you, Gatomon! (The attack team runs off) Masami: Let's go, son! We're in this together, right? Izzy: Right!

A few notes. First, the idea of moving everyone out of the convention center is never seriously discussed. Jim volunteers that he thinks it's a doomed idea without anyone ever suggesting it, and then Gatomon changes topics to a sort of doomed fatalism.

Like, you can see how Tai, Jim, and Gatomon's lines are all supposed to connect to the topic of moving the adults, but without the context of the other version, Jim's the only one actually talking about it.

That's not a big deal, though. What irked me more was Mimi's line being changed from a valid clarifying question about Digimon metaphysics to panicking and saying we're doomed. Thanks, I hate it.

The kids pile into the van, while Patamon and Gatomon evolve into Angemon and Angewomon, flying outside the vehicle.

From the backseat, Koushiro's parents are trying to understand.

Kae: Those ones transformed into real angels! Tentomon: It's not transformation, it's evolution.

Koushiro pulls the pair of angels up on his Digimon Analyzer, giving us official rundowns for the both of them.

Angemon is an Adult-stage Vaccine-type Angel Digimon. Originally conceived as an evolution for Gabumon who could go on to evolve into SkullGreymon. Obviously a lot has changed since then, but it's kind of sweet that Takeru's Digimon evolves into an abandoned Gabumon evolution.

Yeah, originally Patamon and Angemon weren't even in the same evolutionary tree. In fact, the other Child-stage Digimon that evolves into Angemon was Patamon's brief rival Elecmon back on File Island!

Narrator: Angemon. An Adult-stage Angel Digimon. His special attack. Heaven's Knuckle, shines like gold when unleashed from his holy fist.

Angewomon, meanwhile, is a Perfect-stage Vaccine-type Angel Digimon. She and Tailmon debuted in the .5 release for Nature Spirits, though she could only be achieved through Jogress. The natural Vaccine Perfect for her branch was AtlurKabuterimon.

Narrator: Angewomon. A Perfect-stage Angel Digimon. Her special attack, Holy Arrow, releases tremendously powerful electricity. Masami: What is all this Adult-stage, Perfect-stage stuff? Koushiro: They indicate the evolution level of the Digimon. The lowest stage is Baby, and from there they level up sequentially.

In the dub, Kae's more confused than curious.

Kae: A-angels!? What's going on!? Tentomon: It's kinda complicated. Izzy: (rundown for Angemon) They Digivolved, Mom. Angemon is the fully evolved version of Patamon.... Izzy: (rundown for Angewomon) ...and Angewomon is the same for Gatomon. You see? Well, trust me on this, huh? Masami: It's nice to have outside interests but I hope your schoolwork hasn't suffered. Izzy: Dad, this is the fate of the planet we're dealing with! The survival of the human race! Don't worry, I can take a makeup test for anything I missed!

Wow, this exchange is terrible. Okay, first, Izzy continues speaking with absolute confidence about things he is completely wrong about. I don't even mean the "fully evolved" thing; I mean saying that Angemon is a "fully evolved" equivalent to Angewomon. He says out loud with words from his mouth that they're both the "fully evolved" forms for Patamon and Gatomon.

Kae and Tentomon's exchange contributes nothing to this conversation.

Masami and Izzy's final bit also contributes nothing. Masami nags at Izzy about the effect this is having on his schoolwork when, uh, we're on summer break. Nobody is going to school. Except Jou, because he's attending cram school to prepare for entrance exams.

Both Kae and Masami's bits are here to set up talk about evolutionary levels, since we're in for a shocking reveal about VenomVamdemon. The dub slides that setup into place over Angemon and Angewomon's rundowns, and then replaces it with empty banter and a very poorly-conceived joke recycled from a hundred other cartoons - Both of which erase an important point of characterization, which is Kae and Masami taking an active interest in what their son is doing. D-!

Meanwhile, the apocalypse rages on in Odaiba.

VenomVamdemon shoots rainbow lasers out of his crotch. Anything struck by them instantly disintegrates into pixels as if it were a dying Digimon. He is laying waste to Odaiba with this attack. Though WereGarurumon and MetalGreymon are keeping on their feet and avoiding his shots.

Hiroaki: S-So much destruction!

In the dub, this is a quip.

Hiroaki: I sure wish I brought the camcorder!

You know, the fact that nobody's filming this and the fog barrier is keeping the outside world from seeing it means they're going to have a hell of a time explaining what the fuck happened to Odaiba. This does not get Reset Buttoned away; This is the MCU Battle of New York for Digimon Adventure. The world will never be the same after today.

At least there's witnesses to the vampire and bakemono abductions.

Then, just like that, the fight is over.

WereGarurumon: MetalGreymon!

VenomVamdemon punches MetalGreymon, hitting him so hard into WereGarurumon that it expends both of their remaining staminas. Both Perfects revert back into Agumon and Gabumon.

Taichi: What happened!? Koushiro: They must have run out of energy.

In the dub:

WereGarurumon: Looks like trouble! (VenomVamdemon punches MetalGreymon into WereGarurumon, KOing them both) Tai: What happened to 'em!? Izzy: He must have drained them of their energy!

Izzy kinda makes it sound like he did Love Serenade or something here. His statement is accurate; VenomVamdemon hit them so hard their HP meters went to 0. But the way he says it may be a little confusing?

With Agumon and Gabumon defenseless, VenomVamdemon moves in for the kill. He isn't even going to give them the dignity of devouring their data.

VenomVamdemon: DIE!!!

Suddenly, the angels join the fight. Holy Arrow and Heaven's Knuckle hit VenomVamdemon harder than anything thus far, sending him stumbling backwards.

Angemon: The wicked power of a devil! Angewomon: We will destroy you once more! VenomVamdemon: Nye-heh... You think that you can defeat the king? KEH!!!

Meanwhile, Hiroaki pulls up in his van. Taichi and Yamato leap from the vehicle and run to their barely-conscious Partners.

Gabumon: I'm sorry. This was too much for us. Agumon: He's too powerful....

In the dub, Angemon gets told off for his unhelpful line.

VenomMyotismon: GOODBYE, SMALL FRY!!! (The angels attack VenomMyotismon, driving him back) Angemon: This won't be easy! Angewomon: Nobody ever said it would be, Angemon! VenomMyotismon: Huhahahahaha! I shall enjoy devouring you; Angel food is one of my favorites! HAHA!!! Gabumon: I'm so sorry, Matt... We tried.... Agumon: He was too much for us....

That angel food crack got me. XD Well played. 10/10 quipping.

Masami: Is that monster also Perfect-stage? Koushiro: I'll look it up.

Of note: The word Masami uses here, kaibutsu, is distinct from some of the other words translated as "monster" throughout the series. We've mostly seen kaiju and bakemono throughout the show thus far. Kaibutsu is the most "Just say 'monster'" of the lot. It's a pretty generic umbrella term for bizarre supernatural beasties, with no key distinctions that we would want to preserve here.

Koushiro pulls up VenomVamdemon's page on his Digimon Analyzer. VenomVamdemon is an Ultimate-stage Virus-type Undead Digimon. He debuted as an enemy boss battle in an anime tie-in V-Pet released on the same day this episode aired.

The "venom" of his name comes from his signature attack, Venom Infuse. The "venom" is a computer virus he can implant into an opponent that "destroys their configuration data and terminates their functions," according to the reference guide. So. Y'know. Don't get hit with that.

Narrator: VenomVamdemon. The Ultimate-stage evolution of Vamdemon. He has lost his intelligence and his sense of reason. Koushiro: ULTIMATE-STAGE!?!? Yamato: There's an evolution level beyond Perfect!?

While the kids are making this horrifying discovery, VenomVamdemon mocks Angemon and Angewomon.

VenomVamdemon: YOUR ATTACKS DON'T WORK AGAINST ME!!!

In the dub, Masami can't ask about the stages because he already screwed his opportunity to learn about that. So he has to ask a different question.

Masami: Why is that monster so much bigger than the other Digimon? Izzy: Search me!

Fortunately, Izzy still opens his laptop and pulls up VenomMyotismon's profile anyway. Even though it's not going to contain any explanation of size disparities; That shit just happens. Why is MetalGreymon so much bigger than WereGarurumon?

Izzy: (rundown) Hmm, I thought he was fully evolved but he found some way of Digivolving into an even higher level. Izzy: Some kind of Mega Ultimate Level! Matt: Hey, that's not fair! It's like changing the rules in the middle of a game! VenomMyotismon: (shrugs off attacks) STOP IT, YOU'RE TICKLING ME!!! NOW IT'S MY TURN!!!

This is where the dub finally has to reckon with all that "fully Digivolved" stuff. The existence of Ultimate-stage does come as a shock to the original kids, but not because it's been withheld from them in some way. This falls into the category of "You never asked". It simply hasn't come up before because Ultimate-stage Digimon are so rare. File Island has two Perfects but not even one of these guys.

In the hierarchy of Digimon, Perfects are like super exceptional individuals. They're village chiefs and top scientists and war heroes. They're the rare and select few who succeed above and beyond, becoming cornerstones of society.

While Ultimates are more like gods and myths. Socrates would be a Perfect; Herakles would be an Ultimate.

The dub tries to play the existence of what they call Mega-stage hard because they've said "fully Digivolved" so many times that they now have to answer for it. Though it's held back by the matter-of-fact way Izzy delivers the rundown. If anything, he should be more shocked than Koushiro.

Takeru: YOU CAN DO IT, ANGEMON!!! Hikari: ANGEWOMON!!! Hiroaki: That's it! What does the prophecy say next? Koushiro: (type type)

Nobody reads it aloud, but the final passage briefly pops up onscreen. "When angels fire arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they protect, a miracle will occur."

Kae: Angels... By "angels", does it mean...?

VenomVamdemon fires off two crotch shots at Angemon and Angewomon. They manage to block the attacks, deflecting them into Odaiba's gigantic ferris wheel. The ferris wheel disintegrates on impact. (YOU MONSTERS.)

Koushiro: Angemon and Angewomon. They must be the angels. Masami: Then who are the people they protect? Takeru: GANBATTE, ANGEMON!!! Hikari: YOU TOO, ANGEWOMON!!! Koushiro: Takeru-kun and Hikari-san. But who are their loved ones?

There's our old friend ganbaru, the Japanese cultural value of hard work and perseverance to overcome tremendous hardship.

Once again demonstrating how divorced he is from human connections, Koushiro has to stop and ask what "loved ones" means. Fortunately, Tentomon's a lot more worldly and can cover this.

Tentomon: Let's use me as an example. If I were the angel, the person I protect would be Koushiro-han. Koushiro: And the people I love most would be my Mom and Dad! Tentomon: Right! So the people Hikari-han and Takeru-han love most would be-- Masami: Their family! Their parents and siblings!

The camera pans over from Takeru and Hikari to Yamato and Taichi.

Koushiro: But why would they shoot arrows at the people they love? Kae: Angels... They're angels, so... In Roman mythology, Cupid shot arrows at people to fill them with love. Koushiro: Arrows that fill people with love? Tentomon: That's it, Koushiro-han! (turning to Taichi and Yamato) Angemon and Angewomon must shoot arrows of love at the two of you! Koushiro: Hey, we still haven't figured this all out yet!

Sorry, Koushiro. The idea has been delivered to Taichi, and you know how he is about careful consideration of his actions.

But that's fine because now is a time for bold action! We've done the Koushiro thing and now it's time to do the Mimi thing.

In the dub:

T.K.: YOU CAN DO IT, ANGEMON!!! Kari: GO, ANGEWOMON!!! Hiroaki: Wait a minute, the prophecy! That's it! Quick, Izzy, what did it say in there about angels? Izzy: (type type)

The dub puts a commercial break here. Then we come back to repeat footage of VenomMyotismon shrugging off the angels' attacks a moment ago. This replaces the brief glimpse of the prophecy wall, which goes by too fast to read it anyway even if they rewrote it in English.

Though the fact that VenomMyotismon stood there and let them attack him again sure makes his earlier declaration of "NOW IT'S MY TURN" pretty fucking silly.

VenomMyotismon: I'M BEGINNING TO GROW BORED OF YOU!!! Kae: What does the prophecy say? Izzy: "Angels will shoot arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they have been sent to protect and a miracle will happen." Okay, if Angemon and Angewomon are the angels in the prophecy.... Masami: So then who are the ones they've been sent to protect? T.K.: GO FOR IT, ANGEMON!! Kari: YEAH, KNOCK HIS BLOCK OFF!!! Izzy: That must mean T.K. and Kari. The angels will shoot arrows at their loved ones! Tentomon: It's simple. Allow me to explain. Say I'm kind of like a guardian angel. Whose guardian angel am I? Yours. And who do you love the most? Izzy: I was getting to that! My Mom and Dad, obviously. Tentomon: Exactly! But T.K. and Kari not only have moms and dads, they have something else too. Masami: They have brothers! Tentomon: In a word, BINGO!

Izzy is not confused by the concept of loved ones in this version. Tentomon whole-ass mansplains how parents work for no reason. Thanks, Tentomon.

Kari shouting "Knock his block off" gave me life. XD

Izzy: Why would you want 'em shooting arrows at your loved ones? Sounds dangerous to me. Kae: They're angels, Izzy. Maybe they're like Cupid. He was sort of an angel. When he shot arrows, they were arrows of love. Izzy: Mom, isn't that a little corny!? Tentomon: It may be corny but I buy it! All we've got to do is get Angemon and Angewomon to hit you guys with their arrows of loooo~ove! Izzy: Hey, let's not be too hasty here!

Izzy's adaptational jerkish-ness rears its head here. Izzy, my dude, I have kind of a rule: You're not allowed to call something corny or cringe when you're watching a children's show. Yeah, it's going to throw around concepts like the Power of Love conquering all evils from time to time. It's made for nine-year-olds. If you don't like it, get out of the sandbox and go watch adult TV.

Tentomon knows what I'm talking about. High five, ladybug man!

We have a plan of action. But there are two other people, besides Koushiro, who have concerns about it.

Yamato: What do you think? Taichi: That has to be it! Hikari! Yamato: Takeru! Takeru: Onii-chan.... Taichi: Angewomon's arrow of light! Yamato: Angemon's arrow of hope! Taichi: Get them to fire those arrows at us! Hikari: But if they do that...! Takeru: Both of you might die! Yamato: We won't. Right? Taichi: Right. Hikari: Okay. (holds up her Crest) My light! Takeru: (holds up his Crest) My hope!

The Crests begin to glow, sending their power up to Angemon and Angewomon. Though not Super-Evolving Angemon because he's gonna be a real dick about his Perfect evolution.

In the dub:

Matt: What do you think? Tai: It's worth a shot! Kari! Matt: T.K.! T.K.: You sure you wanna? Tai: Let's see these arrows of hope and light! Matt: You two have got to get them to shoot at us! Tai: They'll only do it if you tell them to! Kari: You really want them to shoot you!? T.K.: What if you get, like, dead or something? Matt: Never happen! Right? Tai: Right. Kari: Okay. (holds up her Crest) Angewomon! T.K.: (holds up her Crest) Angemon, listen up!

I think the kids enthusiastically manifesting their virtues into power was a little too much for the dub team. :P I mean, they already said via Izzy that this was getting too corny for them. They drew the line at "MY HOPE!!!" "MY LIGHT!!!"

I do like the dub's addition of "They'll only shoot us if you tell them to," however. He's right. This stage of the prophecy won't just happen; We have to manifest it. It was secretly an instruction manual all along.

Also, "What if you get, like, dead or something!" is now my favorite way of dodging the word "kill". Is that really better? Is it? XD

The energy from Takeru and Hikari's Crests produces two arrows and, uh, one bow.

Takeru: SHOOT THOSE ARROWS AT OUR BROTHERS!!! BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!! Angemon: Let's believe.... Angewomon: ...in miracles! Gabumon: YAMATO, STOP THIS!!! Agumon: TAICHI, DON'T BE SO RECKLESS!!! Taichi: I'm always reckless, remember? Yamato: We'll handle this. (Yamato turns to Taichi) Yamato: Are you scared? Taichi: Not scared at all! Well, that's a lie.... Yamato: Honestly, so am I.

Yamato reaches over, taking Taichi's hand with his own.

Yamato: Hold on tight, so I don't run away. Taichi: You do the same for me.

Both of their Crests begin to glow brightly, before the arrows are even launched. Because this moment is a huge manifestation of both Courage and Friendship intermingling into a tightly-woven knot empowering and enhancing each other and holy shit, this is just such a good moment.

Angewomon draws back her arrow of light. Angemon has no bow so he has to fucking lob his arrow of hope, which is hysterically funny in a way that's potentially tension-breaking. Why no bow for Angemon, Takeru? Angewomon isn't using her Holy Arrow bow; She got a completely new one for this. Why no bow for Angemon? XD

In the dub, of course, "Believe in miracles" wasn't making it across.

T.K.: I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND CRAZY BUT SHOOT MATT AND TAI WITH YOUR ARROWS!!! Kari: YOU TOO, ANGEWOMON!!! Angemon: He's right! Angewomon: Sounds crazy! But.... Gabumon: WAIT, YOU SURE ABOUT THIS!?!? Agumon: What if that prophecy's all wrong!? Tai: You guys want a miracle to happen or not!? Matt: Yeah, miracles require a little faith!

OH NEVER MIND They just moved it over to Tai and Matt instead of the angels.

The fact that we lose Taichi's "I'm always reckless" mic drop of a line makes me want to throw things.

Matt: Scared, Tai? Tai: No, not at all! ...how about you, Matt? Matt: 'Course not! Piece of cake! (Matt grabs Tai's hand) Matt: But maybe I'll just... hang onto you to make sure you don't chicken out or anything. Tai: Yeah. Right. I'll do the same for you, buddy.

For the emotionally stonewalled kool dudez of the dub, this is a pretty sweet moment that at least captures the idea of the original scene. It's clear that they're both petrified but are too macho to admit it.

But it absolutely pales in comparison to the emotional sincerity of Taichi and Yamato's moment, as they face the perilous unknown together with only a few strands of hope and faith to grasp onto.

The angels let their arrows fly.

Angemon: AWAKEN-- Angewomon: --A MIRACLE!!

The arrows pierce Yamato and Taichi, creating an explosion of energy.

VenomVamdemon: What...?

In the dub:

Angemon: One miracle... Angewomon: ...coming up! (Arrows fly and hit Tai and Matt) VenomMyotismon: Huh!?

As the arrows strike their targets, a new kind of evolution is introduced. Not Evolution or Super-Evolution, but Warp-Evolution. This is a convenient way to reach Ultimate-stage without having to do three consecutive evolution stock animations oh my god it would be so much.

Agumon and Gabumon WAAPU-SHINKAAAAAA!!!

The rest of the episode is spent on the debut of the first (and only) Ultimate-stage Partner Digimon we're going to see in 01: WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. We close on the pair of them silently facing off against VenomVamdemon, preparing for the incredible battle to follow next episode.

The dub deprives us of that final shot, however, and ends on an edited splitscreen of their flashy CGI animations next to each other. I guess they thought that looked cooler. (They aren't wrong.) They also add in a silence-breaker in the form of the most undersold reaction lines I've ever heard.

Matt: Whoa. Tai: Cool. Narrator: Will the DigiDestined win the battle for Earth and defeat VenomMyotismon? Don't miss the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Neat.

Assessment: The prophecy is cool and all but it does sort of amount to, "Oh no, a plot suddenly happened because I said so; Here, solve this riddle to make the plot go away."

This big plot-important episode has the framework of a filler episode. Gennai contacts them out of nowhere and sends them a new storyline in the mail, so they have to crack it out by episode's end. That's not too unusual; The show's always been episodic but with an overarching continuity. But the Tokyo plotline's been so much more serialized that this feels like it comes out of nowhere.

Nonetheless, while the framework's kinda janky, the emotional beats and the ominous religious vibes are so good. It nails the tone it's going for. Mostly. (Why is Angemon throwing his arrow by hand? XD)

The dub handles this with surprising care, too. Despite some of the usual fumbles, it goes all-in on the religious undertones of the plot and presents as much as it can up-front. Another pretty good but not perfect turn-in from the dub team.

[lucyfrostblade]

Hi! Just saw your reblog and I'm so interested in your thoughts on Fig and Kipperlilly being similar, and was wondering if you'd share?

Yes! i am always down to talk about my two favorite fantasy high characters but before we get into it, some assumptions I have made about FHJY that aren't explicit in the text but I won't necessarily be justifying here:

(under the cut)

Kipperlilly was in some form or another manipulated by porter

Kipperlilly truly cared about Lucy, and to a lesser extent the rest of her party

The biggest and most obvious similarity between the two is the anger they feel. When we first see Fig she's a deeply angry kid. She hates her mom for hiding the truth of her parentage and for wrecking their family the way she did. And while she forgives Gilear much faster than Sandra Lynn, she also starts off incredibly angry at him.

Her anger is very justified, and it's centered around the ways the adults in her life mistreated her. Sandra Lynn by hiding the fundamental truth of who she is from her for so long, and Gilear by, before the start of the series, saying that she isn't a Faeth anymore.

Our introduction to Fig is her taking that anger out on both Sandra Lynn and Gilear, and she does almost immediately see the error of her treating at least Gilear the way she does.

Brennan: You see a little tear forms in his eye and you see he says, Gilear: I know that I said some hurtful things when I first found out. Fig: Yeah, you said, “You're no longer a Faeth,” and guess what, I'm not. I'm just Fig now. Gilear: Fig, I'm sitting here with beans on my shirt. Fig: I know, I saw you ate one on the ride here. Gilear: I was hungry, all right? I've put on some weight. You ever heard of a fat elf? You ever heard of it? I've never seen a fat elf in my life and I'm here with a bad comb over and beans on my shirt. Fig: Okay, fine. Gilear: And I'm reaching out to you. Fig: I'm sorry, Gilear, I'm sorry that I got angry at you. You're just some random man, I shouldn't be mean to you.

But for almost the entire season, Fig does not forgive Sandra Lynn. She's still so angry with her that she struggles to see Sandra Lynn as a complex person right up until episode 15 "Family Fires", is unsure as to whether or not Sandra Lynn is a good person worthy of saving:

Emily: Because I am undecided on my mom. Because at first, I felt like I, oh maybe she's a good person, but now I maybe feel like she's part of this ruby plot. Brennan: Go ahead and give me an insight check. Emily: (rolls) 14. (emotional acoustic guitar music) Brennan: (sighs) Your mom has never lived up to the standard you put on her of making your life good and perfect. She never was able to protect you from all harm and suffering in the world. And maybe that's not fair. And she's probably just a person, and those photos make it look like-- Emily: She's a complex person. She's allowed to be. Brennan: Yup.

So anger, and in particular the ways it can make someone lash out, is something that Fig is intimately aware of, something that she has had to fight to control herself. The difference is that the adults in her life helped her, they supported her. Gilear, Sandra Lynn, and Gorthalax all gave her the space she needed to be angry but also helped her move past that.

Kipperlilly didn't have that. To our knowledge she only had Jawbone, someone who only knew her through Aguefort and evidently did not know how to help her in the ways she needed.

There's also the matter of Porter who, in the third episode "After the Afterlife" singles Fig out when she audits barbarian class:

Porter: Let's see what everyone else in the class, [players laugh] what do other people, what do other people kind of think? Like young lady, what do you think about rage? Fig: What do I think about rage? Porter: What do you think about it? Fig: [sighs] Well, I kind of think it's inevitable, 'cause, I mean, like, people really let you down left and right. Porter: Yeah! Fig: So you're always gonna feel rage. It's just a matter of whether or not you use it productively or just whether or not you control it or it controls you. Brennan: A small tear forms in the corner of his eye. Porter: That's exactly right. That is exactly right. That is amazing.

He sees something in her. Porter sees the rage within her, and he encourages it. But more than that, Fig's perspective that "you control [rage] or it controls you" highlights another contrast between Fig and Kipperlilly. Fig learns to control her rage, while Kipperlilly literally gives control up to the shatterstar. But they still have that same rage, just on the opposite ends of expressing it.

We also know that Fig cares deeply about her friends, and that prior to the start of the series, her former friends abandoned her when she started to grow horns. She was alone when she came to Aguefort. She was isolated from her peers and from her family. She found the Bad Kids, and she is utterly devoted to her friends. She'll do anything for them.

But Kipperlilly? Brennan said in an interview with Caitlin Tyrrell that the Rat Grinders didn't know each other before forming the party. We don't know how the party formed really, but we know that she picked out the name the High 5 Heroes.

I think the High-Five Heroes part of it is sweet, but there's actually something even a little bit sinister to it to me, of being like, "We're the High-Five Heroes." And you're like, "You've pitched a name; we all just met. We don't have anything going yet." ( source )

He calls it sinister that she insisted on the name, but I can't see it as anything other than said. It speaks to me of a kid so desperate for friendship that she's willing to force inside jokes for just a hint of that. She doesn't want to be alone, and Fig might've put up a better act, but she didn't want to be alone at the start of Freshman Year either.

The difference is who they found. Fig got the Bad Kids, people who love and care about her. She had support from her friends and from her family. Kipperlilly was emotionally in a very similar state as Fig but with none of that support, and even had people who either couldn't support her (Jawbone) or wanted to encourage this isolation and rage (Porter).

Kipperlilly is Fig if the first day of school went different, if she ended up with people who didn't understand her like the Bad Kids did and if she couldn't get the support she needed from the adults in her life.

[jasmine-the-fox]

The kwami's will make her happy

Alright! Here we go with a request from Gregreg over on ao3! This one... I don't know anymore if I like it. It's been a while since I wrote it and so... yeah whatever I'm still writing it so it's fine!

Now let's jump into this fic!

Tikki has been a very patient kwami... but she was on her last nerve about Lila Rossi. The liar has been hurting her holder since she has returned to school and her sweet holder was slowly losing her friends because they believe a liar over her holder... who is also the guardian of the miracle box. The other kwami's were also reaching the limit... including Plagg who was angry with Adrien for not protecting Marinette at all. When Mari comes home early covered in paint... they decided that Lila had to go now.

They decided to wait until Lila was going out somewhere at night to act out their plan... they knew that using their powers without a holder will cause something random to happen... but they hope that an akuma will happen soon enough to fix what they did without saving Lila. Soon they see her on her phone walking somewhere "It's time Tikki" Barkk says making the kwami nod and fly towards Lila, of course the liar was startled but after Tikki explained who she was... Lila changed her reaction and began to lie to the kwami about how horrible her holder was to her.

Tikki... to make her trust her... acted like she believed the liar...

Of course, Lila fell for it, she became happy and excited when Tikki told her how she would reclaim her miraculous and hand it to someone else... while secretly hinting it could be her... then it happened... Pollen used venom on Lila so she would be able to scream as they kill her. Plagg used cataclysm to slowly kill her while Tikki created a knife that they stabbed her with and finally Fluff used burrow on Lila and took her to a random time in the past to die in slowly without getting any help to save her life.

This left her stuff... of course they needed to be destroyed... but they first needed to reveal Lila. So, after getting into her phone, they messaged everyone they knew she lied to and confessed the truth about who she really was. Once done they destroyed the phone and then trashed the pieces while putting in a fire some of her stuff that could burn and the rest was left on the ground for someone to take with them and do whatever they want with it... happy with what they did they then left.

Plagg returned to Adrien while the other kwami's returned to Marinette. They kept this all a secret from her as they wanted to keep her safe from it until it dies down... but they also plan to help Mari be happy again. The next day, no one spoke about Lila not being in school, they all believed she was somewhere helping people in need or doing something good for the planet... but then a week went by and her mother came to school asking about Lila as she hasn't been home in a week and hasn't answered any of her calls.

Because of this, the class asked her about the famous people she and Lila have met and the places they have travelled to... only to be told that none of the things they were asking her about happened and that she was a secretary and not part of the Italian embassy... this resulted in the police getting called to start an investigation. Everyone was getting questioned but the class pointed fingers at Mari... only for the police to reveal that they found complaints filed by Marinette and her parents about Lila's lies towards her and the bullying they were putting her through.

They also revealed that the school staff and Lila's mom had received texts messages from Lila a week ago confessing her lies and crimes to them... they believe the class also got texts from her too since Marinette revealed the text, she received from Lila that she only saw two days after Lila stopped coming to school. This shocked them as they went to look and sure enough... Lila had sent them each a text with apologizes for each lie she told them and the money she scammed them into giving her... including the lies she tricked them into believing about Marinette.

It terrified them since this meant that this whole time... they hurt their best friend over a bunch of lies that the believed in. After they each finished getting questioned... they all met up to talk about what they discovered not only about Lila... but also about what they did to Marinette because of Lila "We need to apologize. We all believed Lila when Mari was trying to open out eyes to the truth" Alya explained making them all nod in agreement... they hoped that everything could go back to normal after that though.

Too bad it wasn't happening...

They stopped by the bakery in hopes to see Mari... but Sabine didn't let them inside, she instead went and got Mari to meet them outside "What do you want?" she asked in a slightly cold tone towards them. They were a little startled by her mood as they always knew her as smiling towards them, so the fact she was glaring at them... told them that it might take more than just an apology to fix things between them "We wanted to apologize for what we did to you... while not believing you about Lila" Nino explained as Mari raised a brow.

Max spoke next "That's right. Because we didn't listen to you and believed Lila, we ruined our lives at the moment and hurt you at the same time... which is why we’re hoping to mend things with you for the mistakes we all made to one another" he explained... which made Mari glare "What do you mean by saying 'we' exactly? What mistakes did i do to you exactly?" she asked making them all look at one another confused "It's obvious Mari. Because you didn't talk to us, we don't have any plans to save our dreams. We also missed a lot of things because of you" Alya explained and it was clear she said the wrong things.

Because Marinette didn't look at all happy about what she said...

"That's your faults for not having a plan B if Lila's promised fall through. It's also your fault for not setting reminders after blocking me and telling me we aren't friends anymore" she explained making their eyes widen to her words. They were all shocked by her words... and the fact she turned this all on them, this wasn't their fault but her's "Anyways... I don't forgive you. I'm already working to change schools because your all-toxic people and i don't need any of you in my life" she said before going back into the bakery without looking back at them as they were left in shock.

After she returned to her room. Mari sighed in relief before going back to her sketches with a smile on her face. The kwami's smiled towards her while also keeping an eye on her soon to be old classmates who soon left for some other place... they didn't care though since at the end of the day they were gone. A few days later, Mari left their class and the school and went to a prestigious school where she made amazing friends who care about her and listen to her side of things rather than listening to one person only.

She also began to date Luka who cared about her greatly... Meanwhile. Police ended up giving up on trying to find Lila a month later and declared her as dead... Mari's old classmates all suffered and lost everything since they hadn't planned anything to save their dreams after Lila never got back to them... they had hoped Mari was joking and had a big surprise for them but in the end, she never returned to school and never contacted them for anything. Last Alya heard, Mari had helped a friend of her's to have her art in a gallery and they were almost all bought within the first hour of the event starting.

It was then that they realized... that their pain was all their fault and not Mari's... since they did ignore her warnings...

[daydreamgoddess14]

Everything More Than Anything pt. 1

Sydney Adamu x Carmy Berzatto, R rated in future chapters.

Syd works out what she needs to do to get those stars she's dreaming of. Carmy works out what he needs to do to support her.

Full Masterlist

Sydcarmy Masterlist

Chapter 1

In case there’s ever any doubt, knocking on your boss/partner’s door at 3am is never a good idea. Especially when you didn’t actually say goodbye until way past midnight. And he drove you home, and you’ve since undone that goodwill by getting up and walking to his apartment in the middle of the night… Syd considered. Sure, she had pepper spray and a swiss army knife, but she knew this would make him mad as hell. Still, she didn’t care. It wasn’t just a spur of the moment decision either. She’d undertaken specific, strategic research… and then she’d also tossed and turned for the best part of three hours until it became crystal clear what she needed to do, and she didn’t want to wait til 7am to have to tell him.

She’d taken food to Marcus. Trying to make amends, bury a hatchet, get back into his good books… whatever it was, she did it via the route she knew best. Through food. She’d taken the most gorgeous tagine over, warmed it for him, and sat while he ate. Still stilted, their conversation didn’t flow as naturally as it usually did. Their silences stretched out into awkwardness rather than comfort. She was almost relieved when he went to check on his mom, leaving her alone in the kitchen and nursing a mountain of couscous. His phone on the counter had rumbled across the surface with a call. LUCA, the screen flashed. She answered it almost on autopilot, “Hey man, how you doin’?” The figure on the phone wasn’t looking to the camera but at what looked like a tray of perfectly identical pastry cases. He did a double take at the sound of her voice.

“Uhhh hi. Marcus is just out of the room, he’ll be back in a sec?”

“You must be Sydney?” He grinned, she could have cursed, another pretty blond boy and their… eyes. Excellent.

“I am, Luca? Nice to meet you, kinda.”

“You too. Kinda. Have you been looking after my good friend Marcus?”

“Well. I’m trying,” his frown matched hers,

“Everything ok?”

“Long story. I’m sure you’ll hear his side of it.” “I already have.”

“Ahh,” 

“He’ll be ok.” He assured her. She suddenly felt a desperate need to change the subject, 

“So you knew baby Carmy, huh?”

“Yeah, we were just scruffy kids. I was scruffier.”

“I find that very hard to believe.” She replied with an arched eyebrow,

“S’true. And I got more deranged the harder I tried to keep up with him.” He laughed. Something fired in Syd’s brain,

“Say more?”

“I was telling Marcus when he was here. I thought I was the shit, y’know? The golden balls. Then, I had a few days trying to keep up with Carmen, and I was in pieces. Spent the rest of my time watching, learning… trying to keep up with him. It made me a good chef, and I got a really good mate out of it as well. Eventually, anyway. Once we’d stopped trying to kill each other.”

“You didn’t get better than him?”

“Nooo, god no. Not better than him. No one is better than him. Except maybe you, from what I’ve heard.” 

“Heard from who?” She asked curiously.

“Marcus, Terry… the man himself.”

“Now I know that’s a lie, he doesn’t answer his phone.” She cackled.

“He does to a select few. The important people in his life.” She thought back to the last few times she’d called Carmy since he’d emerged from the walk-in. Just stupid ‘what about this?’ kind of calls. He’d picked up before the first ring had even completed every time, answered every text. “We all talk, you know? Not all that often, but we keep up. It’s one thing we’ve never lost from our time with Terry. It’s like she honed in on the fact that we both had shit relationships with our parents and made sure we had her instead.”

“She sounds nice. I was really fucking jealous when Richie got to stage for her.”

“Nah, you should catch her for a cuppa - it’s much more fun. No milk, no sugar.” He advised. “So, I also know through the grapevine that you’re chasing stars?” Syd rolled her eyes, making a mental note to kill Marcus. Or Carmy. One of them, at least. 

“He’s such a little gossip!” She grumbled, “I just think it would be nice.”

“It would, you should go for it. And from what I’ve heard, The Bear is capable of getting them. I’m looking forward to a visit - there’s only so many times I can listen to how good you are. Plus it’s been a long time since Carm cooked for me.” Marcus came back through and took in Syd on the phone to Luca,

“Well, you’ll be welcome anytime. Marcus is here, I’ll let you off the hook now. It was good to meet you.”

“You too. Good luck with the stars.” She handed the phone over to Marcus and went back to her couscous, her mind ticking over.

~~~~~

The conversation with Luca had set things in motion in her brain. Three days later, she found herself loitering outside Ever on her way to work. Every day for a week she took the same route until she saw a figure emerge.

“Excuse me?”

“We don’t have any job openings. Check the website.”

“I’m not here for a job. My… friend, Richie, did a week here a few weeks ago? And my business partner, Carmen, knows Chef Terry and -”

“You’re Sydney?” Her jaw dropped,

“Uhh… yeah? I mean, yes, I didn’t mean that as a question,” she stammered, “that is me, I am her.”

“Richie talked about you a lot, and of course I know of Carmen. I’m Garrett.” The young man held out his hand and shook hers. “You coming in? I take it you’re here to see Chef Terry?” He asked, holding the door open on his way back inside. Though taken aback, Syd didn’t hesitate in following him. He gave her a whistle stop tour of the restaurant and kitchens before leaving her with Jess briefly.

“How’s Richie?”

“He’s good. Really good, actually.” “We miss him. Tell him I said hi?”

“Of course. You guys should come for dinner?” Syd invited,

“Oh god, absolutely. Garrett, Syd said we should go to The Bear.”

“We definitely should. Terry can’t see you today, she said she’s sorry, but she’s got a free hour tomorrow morning if you wanted to help her prep?” 

“Yes. Of course, I’ll be here. 6am?”

“Perfect. I’ll meet you outside.” She gave Jess a small wave and continued on to The Bear to start her day. The conversation with Luca and the quick preview of Ever buzzing in her mind, she felt like a bundle of nerves all day.

“Cariño, you good?” Tina asked as Syd’s knife narrowly missed her finger on its way to the onion she was making a poor attempt at chopping.

“Yeah, T. I’m fine.”

“Boy trouble?” She could feel Carmy, Richie and Ebra all raise their eyes as inconspicuously as possible. Thank fuck Marcus was at an appointment with his mother and Fak was under the pot wash sink.

“Fuck no. No time for that, mama.” She smiled down at Tina who was glaring at Ebra.

“Baby, you should make time for that. You’re like… buzzing. You should get laid.”

“Maybe she should keep buzzin’ an’ that’s the answer!” Richie called over,

“Ay, mind your business Richard! I ain’t talking to you right now, I’m trying to make sure this lady is getting what she needs.” Tina pointed at Richie with her knife.

“I’m just sayin’! She don't need a man, right Syd? Just some decent batteries.”

“Richie, shut the fuck up please. Tina, can we not be having this conversation right now?”

“Hey, it’s all good - you have needs, we all have needs. Might help you relax a little, y’know what I’m sayin’? You're very on edge.” Tina clicked her tongue between her teeth with a wicked grin. Syd scooped up her onions and dumped them into the empty container. 

“Behind.” She stuck her tongue out childishly at Tina and moved around her to the walk-in. With the onions on a shelf, she brought her hands up to her flushed cheeks. Eternally grateful her blushes weren’t broadcast to the world, only she could feel how hot her face felt. She fanned herself with her hand and took a minute.

“Behind, Chef.” Carmy stepped into the chiller with a container of mushrooms. “You ok?”

“Yeah, fine. Good to know there’s no escape from the probing mother figure. Poor Louis.” She grimaced at the thought of Tina’s teenage son trying to hide his sex life from her.

“She’s just looking out for you.” 

“I mean, I’m pretty sure then that she wouldn’t be encouraging… the things that she’s encouraging. But whatever. Either way, I still have no time.” Syd mused before realizing that they were still on Tina’s topic of conversation. “Thank fuck no one knows when I’m blushing.” She muttered, hand on the door to leave,

“I do.”

“Sorry?”

“I can tell when you’re embarrassed. You uhh become very interested in your shoes, and you pull your collar.” He explained, reaching out to put her jacket collar back into place. Her hands were fighting to stay away from it. True to form though, her shoes became very interesting indeed. 

“Didn’t know you were some kind of fuckin’ body language expert,” she huffed a laugh and left him in the walk-in.

~~~~~

The following morning, Syd waited outside with three takeout cups. As Garrett pushed the door, she handed him one.

“Coffee, to thank you for this.” “Nothing to thank me for. Come with me.” He raised the cup in salute and guided her down the previous day's familiar corridors.

“Sydney Adamu. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” A cheerful voice said as she rounded the corner. Garrett had disappeared already.

“Chef Terry, it’s… it’s an honor to meet you.” Syd put the takeout cups down and held out her hand, only to be pulled into a warm hug.

“You too, darling. Grab a sprig, we’re doing rosemary and basil.” She pointed to the bench where there was already a space out for Syd. 

“Thank you. I got you tea - no milk, no sugar.”

“Then it’s perfect. And very kind of you, thank you.” Syd picked up a bunch of rosemary and set about plucking the tiny leaves from the stalks. “I don’t pull them or drag them, I want the leaf to remain perfect.” Terry explained to Syd. “So tell me, how’s my boy doing?”

“Carmy? Well, I don’t know what your baseline is -”

“He was working for me shortly after his mother drove a car into their dining room.”

“Oh,” Syd realized she didn’t know that story, that there was so much she didn’t know. “Pretty low then?” “Pretty low,” Terry smiled.

“He managed to get locked in our walk-in on our soft open night a few weeks ago.”

“An interesting ploy to get out of appearing in front of the diners.” She chuckled. “Hmm. Broke up with his girlfriend while he was in there.”

“Ouch.”

“And since then, touch wood,” Syd brought a hand to her head like her mother had used to do, “he’s been better, I think? Calmer, more present. Like he’s really trying.”

“There’s a very big difference between the way he used to work in New York to the way I know he wants to work.”

“Yeah, we both don’t want that toxic, shouty,”

“Aggressive, demeaning,”

“All of that - we don’t want that, like, at all.” Syd emphasized, “sometimes it feels impossible, but we’re trying.”

“He’s told me about all of you, you know? How much he cares for you all and believes in you.”

“I think he needs to understand how much we want that for him too?” Syd paused with a sprig of Rosemary in her hand. Terry did the same with her knife hovering over a bunch of basil. “I swear he thinks he’s still alone, and he’s trying to keep all the plates spinning and… it’s a lot.”

“I agree.” She said finally. “It’s hard to convince someone they deserve to be loved or that they're not alone.” She said ruefully. “Is that why you’re here?”

“No. Yes? I’m not really sure. Luca suggested I meet you.” Syd shrugged,

“Ahh, my other brilliant young man. That reminds me, I need to call him.”

“He’d heard that I want us to go for stars at The Bear.”

“Well, I can’t advise you on how to get them, exactly.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t expect you to.” Syd assured her, “I guess I want to understand Carmy better? We seem to have this… unspoken language, and I want to build on it, and there’s so much I want to learn from him, but also I want him to learn as well? Sometimes, I feel like I should try and be more patient with him, but then he does stupid stuff that makes me want to kill him.”

“Oh I know that feeling all too well! The best thing you can do is to make your relationship airtight. The stars we earned here were earned together because we listened to each other and learned from each other.” Syd nodded in agreement,

“Exactly. He kept telling me the stars were bullshit, we didn’t need them, and why would I want them. Like I’m the only one who wants them.”

“There’s nothing wrong with ambition, Sydney. In fact, it suits you beautifully.” Syd smiled, bashful under Terry’s praise.

“I want them for both of us. I kind of want them so that I can use them to beat Carmy with for the rest of our lives to say, I dunno, ‘look what we can achieve when we believe in each other’? Because I do, I believe in him.” She said earnestly.

“I can tell.”

“He spoke to everyone I’d worked for in the past to understand why I wanted to work at the Beef.”

“Did he find the answer he was looking for?”

“I don’t know.”

“And what is the answer?”

“I wanted to work with him.” Terry smiled knowingly.

“Yes. He certainly has that effect.” She set down her knife and picked up her tea instead. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Sydney. He’s a total pain in the arse sometimes, but he’s worth the work.”

“Oh he is absolutely the biggest pain in my ass. Even more than Richie most of the time.” Terry laughed,

“You seem to have a good handle on them. Here, come and see this before I have to go,” she took Syd’s arm and led her down a walkway between the kitchen areas to a photograph on the wall of Carmy and Luca. “My lost boys. I am immensely proud of them.” She said fondly.

“He’s worth the work.” Syd said firmly, mostly to herself.

“He is. And so are you. I cannot wait to try your food. He tells me you’re the best he’s ever seen.” Syd scoffed,

“Oh, be serious right now.”

“I am, darling. I promise. He believes in you. I don’t think those stars are too far out of reach.” She patted Syd’s arm. “Now, I have to get back to work. Thank you for the tea. I hope you got what you needed from our time together?”

“I think I did, thank you, Chef Terry. Thank you for making time for me.”

“I would say anytime, but we both know that’s impossible in this profession. I’ll just say don’t be a stranger instead.”

“You too. He’d love to see you at The Bear, we both would.” As if by magic, Garrett appeared at the end of the corridor. Terry hugged Syd once more and disappeared around the corner. 

“Nice morning?”

“Why does it feel like I just met the Wizard of Oz? Or, like, Willy Wonka? How is she so cool and mysterious?” He smiled as he showed her out, 

“She’s Terry. She’s the best and she likes looking after the people she cares about. It was great to meet you, Syd. We’ll see you again soon.” He closed the door, leaving the building looking like an impenetrable fortress.

~~~~~

She rattled through another day at The Bear on edge, trying to decipher the things she’d learned over the course of the last couple of weeks. On the third attempt of placing a tiny flower onto a starter plate, she threw her tweezers with a groan of frustration.

"Ugggh, fuck me!"

“Breathe mija, breathe.” Tina set a hand on her arm. Syd nodded and stepped back while Tina gently dropped the flower into place. 

“Hands please.” Syd called out once the plate was completed, throwing a grateful look to her Sous.

“Try tellin’ me you don’t need an earth shakin’, mind blowing -”

“Tina, I beg you, do not finish that sentence.” Syd dragged her collar away from her neck, 

“Works wonders for your concentration.” The older woman wiggled her eyebrows.

“Please. Stop.” Syd hissed as Tina moved onto her next task. With a heavy sigh, she locked eyes with Carmy on the expo as he tried to hide a smile behind his hand. “Don’t you fucking start.” She warned.

And now here she was at 3am on Carmy’s doorstep. Another night owl had let her into the main building as they headed out for a run so she’d tiptoed up five flights of stairs and knocked loudly enough to wake him but not so loud it was disruptive to anyone else. The door flung open before she’d dropped her hand and he was pulling on a jacket,

“Woah, fuck -”

“Are you… are you going out? At 3am?”

“I was coming to see you. Wait, how’d you get here?” “Walked?”

“At 3am?” He pulled her into the apartment by her elbow. “Anything could have happened to you?”

“Why were you coming to see me?” She asked defiantly. “Why were you coming to see me?” He replied, avoiding the question completely.

“I need you,” she pleaded. His eyebrows shot up to his hairline,

“Is this… is this about what Tina was saying?” He asked quietly.

“What? No! Oh my god, Carmen! Is that why you think I’m here right now?”

“It’s 3am, Syd. It’s a pretty reasonable guess?”

“No, it is not a reasonable guess! There is… there is nothing reasonable about that guess!” Syd looked mortified.

“Well, look. Okay, thanks for that - thanks a lot -”

“Wait, I didn’t mean that it would be, like, horrible or anything! I didn’t say that, I’m sure it would be great…” She wrung her hands and sighed, trailing off into embarrassment. “Let me start over?” He nodded. 

“Good idea.”

“Hi, sorry to disturb you at 3am. I had an epiphany, and I needed your help.”

“I was up anyway. What can I do?”

"I know what I need to do for us to get those stars," she held her hands up as he started to protest, "I know, we don't need them, they're bullshit, blah blah blah."

"Blah blah blah?"

"I know what you're going to say, Carm. I know you think they're worthless"

"You know a lot, huh?" He said with a smile. 

"More than you give me credit for." She retorted. 

"Syd -"

"Carm. Please. I don't want it for me, I want it for us. I want it because we deserve it and we worked for it."

"What's your epiphany?"

"I need to care about everything, more than anything,” He arched an eyebrow,

“Well… yeah, I distinctly remember telling you that already?”

“I need to learn from you. Like, not just learn, I need to do what Luca did. Get better just by being near you." Both of his hands threaded through his hair and came to rest behind his head. She felt her stomach swoop. “I need to shadow you or something -”

"You are better. You don't need me, Syd."

"I do. I really do. I want you to help me make sure that we do this right. I get you've done the whole suffering for your art thing, but I want us and our team to thrive, not suffer." He fell quiet and watched her closely. "I don't want us to go through the same shit we went through before. We do this right and learn from each other and that is how we care about it more than anything else - by caring for everyone in it." He nodded. 

"Family style. A good, supportive family."

"Yes!” She beamed, “Yes, exactly.”

“OK.”

“And I'm gonna pretty much live in your pocket and you're gonna get so sick of me spending every fucking waking hour with you -"

"I said OK. And I won't get sick of you. Fuck, move in if that's what it takes." 

"Seriously?"

"We will do whatever it takes and we'll do it together. But I swear to god, Syd, while you're watching for fucking stars I'm gonna be watching you. Y'hear me? The second you're not eating or sleeping, I'm gonna be on your ass and we stop. And it takes as long as it takes. It’s not a goddamn race."

"Fine, yes. I'm in."

"It's not gonna be easy?" He warned. "Gets harder every year."

"Good. I know we can do it." He dropped his arms to his sides with a shrug. 

"Ok. Where'dya want to start?"

~~~~~

Phew! This is probably the longest I've gone without posting anything since the early summer! 😅 I couldn't hold off any longer. Fandom seems so quiet at the moment with shows finishing and others on a break... Just trying to keep us all busy and content until we have news!

Let me know what you think, would love so much to hear from you! 💜

[lunar-lair]

every time i think of system jason i think about. well first i think about how jason todd is a separate alter but jason todd is also the person because thats the name they own but the main host for like 20 years goes by jason and thats his name and. anyways. next i think about the ways he dissociates. but THEN i think about the littles/teens/even some adults that will only respond to robin or their name, and if they dont have a name, just robin, and maybe jason

sometimes its just a game of firing off names. some of them only respond to red hood, some of them respond to jason todd in full specifically, some of them respond to peter. theyre bad at names and in the early days its hard to figure out whos who (both in the system and out), too, so sometimes theyll just stare at whoevers talking to them with squinted eyes until they say a name they recognize as their own. some of them only respond to Specific Nicknames, some of them love people besides dick and bruce and alfred (and sometimes damian and tim and steph, but not duke, or...you get the picture) because they all love their family, even if they dont know them, but they dont Know Them. and some of them only respond to jaylad or jaybird or little bird, some of the older ones only respond to damian. its definitely a trial and error kind of thing. usually they can interact with everyone just fine, but some days they find jason in the kitchen and when tim tries to talk to him he looks away and creeps into a corner of the kitchen and they have to find dick and then bruce (bad choice) and then damian. its the trauma conversation but its also the memory conversation and the 'who are you to yourself and who do people know you as' conversation. i have a lot of thoughts abt jason w osdd/did (preferably did that sounds more like him) it does things to my brain. this post was supposed to be abt alters that respond to robin and then i just. kept talking. oops

oh my god the thought i just had. some of the littles dont know any of them and just hole themselves away in the library and everyones like 'ok has anyone seen jason he skittered off earlier and he looked fucking Scared we are Worried' but they learned early on that looking for him is a Bad Idea because hell get scared. so they just have to wait until jason texts one of them or smth like 'bad news weve got a new kid and they dont know any of you. good news we know what they respond to. bad news its a nickname from our mom most of us cant bear to hear. good news were getting them a name. bad news we cant leave the library yet. were alive though' and thats all they have to go off until he trudges out of the library three hours later asking what the hell happened because the little and a protector had a whole Convo then threw jason back in front to fend for himself

ok thats it this time i think. for real this time. anyways i have thoughts abt system jason if you have any queries please ask them i would love to talk abt him

[lavendarmist]

Hello my name is Lavendarmist, I’d like to share some events that have happened in my life these past few years for awareness and for someone to finally take me serious

⚠️TW: SA/GROOMING/SH/SUICIDE/DOXXING/THREATS/GUNS etc.⚠️

……………..

I’ve never really liked school, I have social anxiety, panic disorder, autism,adhd,etc and I was raised with 2 cultures so I never really fit in. I couldn’t keep any friends for more then a year they all ended up harming me in ways, I got use to it as I got older assuming it was normal since I’d dealt with this since kindergarten. But Things started getting terrible when middle school started.

For me, middle school starts in 7th grade and ends in 9th grade highschool starting at 10th grade.

When middle school started, I was very naive, I was a kind kid, I was also shy, meeting friends started going well along with my 2 best friend who I’d somehow kept since elementary until I met a girl who I’ll call L.

L flirted with me irl and on texts saying some really weird things to me, I fell for their tricks because I thought they loved me. They would cuddle me, kiss my head, say they loved me, etc. When I didn’t want to get sexual or anything they were upset. They stayed away from me and I had to watch them do this to several people at once. I thought it was okay since they said we were poly but, the relationships would all end how me and theirs did a year later.

When 8th grade started they screamed at me in front of everyone telling me how terrible of a person I was and how useless I was. I was only around 13 at the time so I genuinely believed it. Bullying was hard in 7th and 8th, not only was I groomed, I had a be try abusive sped teacher. I was put in a study skills class so I could be handled but this teacher was so emotionally and mentally abusive I genuinely felt like a bad kid. The kids in the class weren’t good either they constantly were rude and one of them who was in 9th grade at the time gave me a gun threat. He threatened to shoot me up the next day.

I never told anyone because I thought I deserved to be shot. He told me he would shoot me only and only me until he was sure I was dead.

I waited the next whole day for that and it never happened.

As march approached in 8th grade I had a panic attack in my sped class. All my teachers are aware by the school to let me out no matter what if I have one but my sped teacher refused to let me out because I wasn’t doing an assignment. I begged her saying I had to leave and cool down and she wouldn’t let me till I did my work. I told her I didn’t care about the work and she snapped at me screaming at me in front of the class telling me how much of a failure I was and how I’d never make it to college and how I’d drop out of highschool. She then screamed at me to get out of her class and not come back. I grabbed my stuff and left crying. I called my mom telling her what had happened and I left school early.

I didn’t finish the rest of 8th grade. I dropped out due to how messed up I was. The school had to apologize and fire the teacher because of how mad my parents were.

As 9th grade came everything seemed okay I had a good group of friends now and amazing classes and okay teachers, the school promised to make this year better. My parents were naive to think this. Despite me having an official IEP my whole life and needing extra help my school didn’t care so I had to do it all alone.

I met a girl in September or October, she was beautiful, she and I fell in love imidiantly. She told me she was in 8th, I told her I was in 9th (she ended up lying she was in 7th grade :/) we started to date a week later, everything was going okay until she got really clingy and weird. She showed me her fresh self harm scars and she blamed it on DID (Turns out she also faked DID she confessed to someone and they told me) I tried telling adults about it but they wouldn’t listen. Self harm wounds trigger me and she knew this, she also wore a hospital band she got weeks ago at the mental hospital and would show it off to me on her wrist. She also would describe the ways she did it and how much she loved it. She also would threaten to die if I ever left her. She was one in a half years younger then me, It wasn’t considered abuse or manipulation right? I dealt with it, teachers and adults wouldn’t help her they brushed it off when I told them so I gave up. I wasn’t sure what to do.

As months passed, a rumor spreaded that I was grooming ash and being pedophilic because I was a 9th grader and she was a 7th grader (she lied about her age to Me) all my friends heard and the whole school heard. Not only my school, other schools across several fucking states heard. I lost everyone. I got death threats and had to hide in the halls in order to eat without being harassed. Being accused of grooming while being a groomed victim ached. I didn’t speak to anyone for months at school. My personal email was doxxed and people signed me up for porn websites and then my number was leaked people would hurt me and then my socials were leaked. That’s when hundreds of death threats came in every single day.

(My girlfriend spreaded the rumor I didn’t find out this till a month ago as of 2024 July)

All the threats and hate and being alone got to me I self harmed and I was suicidal. I was so suicidal I begged to be taken to the hospital but no one listened. I finished 9th grade with no one. I had nobody left but my close friend. I hadn’t seen them in a while since they were older than me and in a different school.

I thought summer would be a time to move on. I even met a guy through my irl friend, we were going to meet irl all 3 of us.

The day was normal until we went to the friends house. He started to touch me inappropriately on the first day we met irl. He would touch me in places and moan in my ear and put his head between my thighs. I was so petrified I couldn’t move I couldn’t speak. I felt trapped. My friend didn’t seem to notice. This would happen for a few months. He would make out with tounge and touch my body without even asking and i tried saying no with my body but it wasn’t enough so I froze every time I didn’t speak or run. Why didn’t I do anything? Sometimes I wonder if it was really SA (sexual assault)

We broke up at the beginning of my 10th grade year, he was going to 11th.

We just didn’t fit right anymore

(Aka I wasn’t his porn addiction fantasies and he was tired of my body I assume)

In 10th grade I didn’t even bother making new friends I was tired. I hid in the halls and ate alone. My friend and I had different schedules so we didn’t get to see eachother.

At some point in September I was sent to the ER. I wanted to end my life.

I was admitted to an outpatient facility for a while before going to school again after several months. I was better but the trauma still was inside of me. The years of this pure hell, it was awful. I changed my identity online and irl so no one could find me. The school year ended and I just stayed inside a lot for the summer and I signed up for online school. 11th grade wasn’t going to be miserable for me.

As of now I’m in 11th grade, highschool.

I do online school

I play with my pets

I’m dealing with the trauma

I’m going to see if I can get diagnosed with ptsd soon. I’ll have to remind you when it happens

This is not everything I’ve endured it’s everything I’m comfortable sharing. I may share more later, this account is mainly for my thoughts and stuff… I don’t really know if anyone will see this but it’s okay.

Thank you for reading if you did, it means a lot to get my story heard. 🩵

[twistedastrology]

Hello there!

Can you talk more about aries mercury? so...not the fool card? Even though they don't "think things through" before speaking? It seems to me aries in mercury is either over-emotional, too forward, too logical, too passionate and so many contradictory things all at once. I would REALLY love to hear what you think about that. Please.

Btw, Capricorn Mercury seems to be the most 'useful' mercury in terms of external/social benefits, in the sense that they have a constant filter that makes them gain respect by others easily. I don't necessarily like their minds to be honest, and they're generally not interested in lots of topics but I have to recognise how handy it could come to people who don't get to wish to discuss/delve deeper in various topics.

I have multiple cap mercuries in my life btw including friends, colleagues and my dear mother with whom--even though she's a Gemini Moon--barely manages to have hobbies of her own or participate in games.

I feel like cap mercury is perfect on the outside, but overly influenced by society's standards, rules and appearance on the inside bc of that filter. Like they don't really "think for themselves"? They're much more focused on appearances than on the content of a text, speech and mercury matters.

Sorry for the ramble. Also, discovered ur blog today and I love the authenticity.

A;

love love love love LOOOOOVE this ask thank u so so much omg- mercury stuff is one of my absolute favorite things to yap abt in astrology and i consider it kinda my specialty bc im mercury dominant myself so 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

let's start with aries mercury- in my experience, people with aries mercury aren't necessarily impulsive when it comes to their thoughts or how they talk, unless the rest of the chart says otherwise (mercury square mars especially could do this imo)

my mom has her mercury in 25° aries (so an aries degree) and she's like 99% fire with a cap rising that doesn't do a whole lot bc it's SUUUUUPER intercepted by aquarius- Like literally her whole 1st house is engulfed by aquarius but her asc line is in cap so 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

she's the perfect example of an aries mercury in my opinion- she literally Cannot sit still for longer than like. an hour at best. even my gemini finds it slightly annoying but i just follow her around whenever we're talking 😭😭😭

she also has her sun and venus both in aries (venus conjunct mercury) so she's very aries dominant, and she's not very confrontational or impulsive at all- she's not really quick to anger either like stereotypical aries is, but she is pretty easily irritated id say 😵‍💫

in terms of mercury specifically, you can just See the aries influence in like everything she does- her organization isn't the neatest, but she has to have everything put away otherwise she'll lose her mind and she literally can't focus until the kitchen is clean or something-

her mercury goes a MILE a minute just like mine does so in talking to her, we can go from something very normal to the most out of nowhere conversation you could ever imagine- And we have mercury sextile mercury together (albeit a wide orb bc my mercury is 1° gemini 😵‍💫) so somehow we understand the other's chaos perfectly and actually manage to reel the other in without actually doing anything-

shockingly, where my gemini will get incredibly confused and overwhelmed, her aries will come in clutch- a good example of this is a while ago we were playing fallout 76 and if u dont know, in that game u have a stash box with limited storage capacity and it's inevitable that it'll fill up eventually so u have to get rid of a whole bunch of stuff to bring it back down-

i literally got so overwhelmed by that to the point of tears and my dad tried to help (his mercury is in taurus btw) and he literally couldn't bc i refused to open up to him tbh- so he went and got my mom and just her Being in the same Room with me got my mercury to sort its shit out- like she saw everything so clearly and directly, very aries, whereas i was overwhelmed by all the details, very gemini.

so i think aries mercury is actually a Really good placement especially if you have strong aspects to back it up- it can make you see complicated things very simply and clearly OR the opposite sometimes 😵‍💫 it Can make you overlook details and not understand something when it isn't perfectly direct- and i also notice that, at least with my mom, her aries mercury makes her a Little less good with people- only because a lot of people aren't as clear and concise as she would like them to be, and that's when i have to help her figure out what they mean 😭

i think aries mercuries do actually think things through before they speak, they just think so fast that it Seems like they don't- similar to gemini mercuries actually 😵‍💫

i also dont think they're overly emotional or hot-headed as per the aries stereotypes- i think they're actually a lot more calculated than we give them credit for especially since mars is the god of war, and to win a war you need strategy (personally i think aries rules the sun, but mars makes sense here so 😮‍💨)

ANYWYA in terms of CAPRICORN!!!!!

i have observed quite a few capricorn mercuries so i am extremely glad u brought them up-

i think what u said abt capricorn mercuries being the most useful in terms of social benefits is actually kinda real- i do notice that Most capricorn mercuries are similar to libra mercuries in that they are generally very respectful of the things they talk about, at least if they actually respect them 😵‍💫

i have 3 different capricorn mercuries that im using as examples in my head right now- jonathan davis, awsten knight and bill wurtz- if you've seen any of them in interviews, you'll notice they're all very different with the way they talk but i think jonathan davis and awsten knight are the most similar in the respect thing-

those two are both so charismatic and polite in my opinion- and bill wurtz is too but he's a lot more like what you would think an aries mercury would be like- he's very high-strung, at least in the interview i saw, and has a lot of nervous energy and talks So Fast and yet it still seems like his mouth cant keep up with his brain-

awsten is pretty similar, he's got adhd (same 😵‍💫) and talks pretty fast but his pace seems a little closer to a gemini mercury. it's slightly slower most of the time but the speed at which he talks and thinks seems to vary based on what he's talking about.

jonathan is very cap coded to me with the way he talks, and im silly for him rn so i have done extensive research 💔💔💔 But he seems very methodical, yet playful with how he talks and thinks- methodical but you can tell his brain is fully capable of that uranus level speed at the same time 😭😭😭

i think overall cap mercuries absolutely depend on the rest of the chart bc if u saw my beef with earth signs post (or newsletter!!), u'll have seen where i said earth placements are outlines waiting to be colored in by the rest of the chart-

so if someone has too many earth placements or like- a taurus-influenced cap mercury, i can Absolutely see how they could be someone who doesn't seem to think for themselves, or even thinks too Much about themselves-

i also think the smaller range of interests could actually make sense for a cap mercury because saturn is very much about mastery, so the mercury, unless influenced by another element that says otherwise, would hyperfixate on one thing until it masters it instead of a gemini or aries mercury which is more jack of all trades.

i hope this made sense and again thank u soooooo so much for this ask i really enjoyed this topic and if u have any other questions please feel free to send me them!!!!! i love when ppl send me questions it makes me rly happy 😭😭😭😭

[blackjack-15]

ep 2 we're watching time pass let's do this!! 12 weeks to open my gosh they're insane

CARMY'S IN THE BLUE SWEATER. THIS IS GONNA BE AN EPISODE I CAN FEEL IT

talking about syd's familyyyyy (mom's birthday dinner? there's the mom again, why haven't we heard about her other than these tiny mentions? we hear so much more about her dad) they're over here being domestic! i've said it before but these two are Very intimate for people who've known each other for what, 3 months at most?

real vote of confidence in the career there carmy. God bless you and keep you sir. he is 100% not staying being a chef for his whole life

MARCUS THE PHONE

"i'll call him back" the bear is a comedy

also about carmy not finding himself funny -- carmy is funny, he's just got a very, very dry sense of humor. syd does too, but carmy's is the driest i've seen on tv in a while. carmy has, in fact, a lot of the qualities he prized in Mikey and that he prizes in others, he's just completely unable to see them. i know that's the stuff of character arcs, he'll grow more confident etc etc, but the older sister in me is coming out again and wants to slap him upside the head and make him see it

"if it makes you feel any better, my sister doesn't think i'm a genius" "it doesn't hurt" i love them. can i just say again that i love them and their banter is adorable

natalie is momming this restaurant and i love it. also i'm positive she's pregnant now, and she's gonna be a great mom and pete is gonna cry like a monster when they find out/when she gives birth. i need to see carmy with his little niece/nephew too, i doubt he's encountered many babies, and i think it'd be super cute

from the very little we've heard about mrs berzatto, i think i want her far away from the little baby

EBRA'S GOING TO CULINARY SCHOOL I DID NOT CALL THAT!!! i knew tina would have to in order to sous properly but!!! that's wonderful!! they're taking care to build a restaurant that can function without carmy being actively in the kitchen, and that's a very good thing

the fridge thing looks like it's gonna be a reoccuring thing too. the fridge, the fire stuff, the hole in the wall...anything i'm missing? i'm sure there will be more later, we've got 8 1/2 more episodes for things to go Wrong

blue sweater = mikey hanging over the episode. noting that now in case it comes back. it also looks really nice with his eyes, coloring, and the gold chain, so maybe can we get more blue sweaters that aren't the Trauma Blue Sweater?

"that was really fun!" that is the first time i think we've heard carmy call something fun. that is incredibly sad and this scene is really well acted and giving richie the hat is the right call and

and

and he turned right to syd and is leaving with her. holy eff.

yeah this is text at this point. gets mikey's letter, texts syd. finds mikey's hat, leaves with syd. syd's what distracts him from pain, syd's what helps him smile when he's in pain. whether you view this romantically or not (and the show does, look at the camera angles, the audio choices, etc), that's not debatable

also "the apartment"?? not "my apartment"??? kids how often do you work there this is Text

marcus looking for her attention away from carmy, that's what i figured -- boy has a crush but he's not Bad about it or anything, refreshing

"i'm not an asshole!" yeah you are syd XD everyone in this show is it's just everyone's more than just an asshole as well

[topazy]

Hunted

Paring: Liam Dunbar x reader

Warnings: Swearing, blood and injury

Chapter: 5.13

Beacon Hills high school was much creepier at night than you imagined it would be. Sure, you’d been there before late at night, but this was different. You weren’t going to stalk Parrish while a serial killer werewolf was on the loose.

When your uncle texted Scott saying Parrish was on the move in his hellhound form and heading towards the school, you, Liam, Scott, and Stiles left to go find him.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Stiles asks quietly.

You nod. Scott and Liam were walking ahead of you and deep in their own conversation, so you were curious to know what Stiles was wanting to ask.

“Have you always called Kate Kate and Gerard Gerard?”

“I used to call Kate Mom, but I stopped when she stopped visiting me at my boarding school. I only ever called Gerard Grandad when I was made too-” You stopped talking when you noticed your very pissed off looking uncle marching towards you. “Oh shit, he looks mad.”

“You brought her here?” Your uncle Chris asks Scott before looking directly at you. “I told you to stay home. It would be safer for you there.”

You roll your eyes and bite your tongue. You definitely didn’t feel safer in your uncle's apartment alone with Gerard, who kept trying to poison your mind against the Hale family.

“Where’s Parrish?” You ask, changing the subject.

“I lost him. He’s moving too fast.”

“Scott,” Liam says, looking at something in the distance. “Those guys are not moving at all.”

The five of you walk towards the body of a young man lying outside the school building. The man’s stomach had been split in half by what looks like giant claw marks. The sight made your stomach churn. You take a few steps back and turn to look away as you gasp when you notice another body. “Oh my god!”

“What is it?” Liam is beside you within seconds.

You point at the two other bodies and say, “The beast is leaving a trail of bodies behind.”

You start to follow the path the bodies are on until Liam suddenly stops you and whispers, “Look.”

You follow his line of sight to the back of a school bus, which is open. It takes you a moment to notice what he’s looking at, but once you do, you feel your blood run cold as glowing eyes stare back at your group. The beast is surrounded by dead bodies, too many to count.

“Help me,” a dying boy pleads as he struggles to lift his hand up.

“It's a trap.” Scott starts to walk towards the boy, but Parrish cuts in front of him. “You can’t help him.”

Parrish’s eyes and spine light up red, with flickers of ash falling from his body as he reaches the bus. Liam pulls you back protectively when the beast suddenly cuts the dying boy in two.

“That’s big,” Stiles says, in disbelief. “No one said it was that big.”

“I did,” Liam whispers.

You unintentionally cling to your boyfriend when the beast lets out a loud roar. Parrish growls loudly when his body fully catches fire and starts to chase after the beast.

“What the hell is going on?”

A look of dread spreads across your uncle's face, “it’s getting smarter.”

—

“Remind me again why we are sleeping here?” Mason asked while placing pillows and a blanket on Liam’s bedroom floor.

“It’s so we can all be together,” Liam shrugs. “Like a protection circle. If someone or something tries to attack you guys, I can protect you.”

After everything that had happened in the past few weeks, you thought it was completely reasonable that your boyfriend wanted to make sure you and Mason were safe.

Mason stared at him, still looking confused. “I get that, but why here? Why not Lu’s home? She’s got a pull-out bed in her room, so we wouldn’t need to sleep on the floor. Plus it’s full of guns and other awesome weapons.”

You tried not to laugh, knowing the reason Liam wouldn’t sleep in your uncle’s apartment anymore.

“Okay, firstly, my floor is comfortable,” Liam says defensively. “Also, have you seen the people who are holding the guns?”

Mason looks at you, hoping you’ll explain further. “Liam is scared my uncle or Gerard will kill him for being a werewolf, or Derek will spontaneously return and kill him for sharing a bed with me.”

“Okay, but I thought your uncle stopped hunting werewolves when Allison started dating Scott.”

Hearing your cousin's name sent an unexpected pain through your chest. You did your best to hide it. “Technically that isn’t true. He only stopped when he found out Kate burned down the Hale house.”

“That’s intense,” Mason says, his mind rolling with questions he’d need to ask you one day.

You plopped down on the ground, and struggled to get comfortable. Liam lays down beside you, and Mason does the same thing on the spot closer to the bedroom door.

The room was silent until Mason asked, “So is the beast really getting smarter?”

You and Liam reply at the same time, “yes.”

—

“Hey!” you jump when Mason comes running up behind you. “What’s the rush?”

“It’s frequency.”

“What is it?” You make awkward eye contact with Corey when he runs up behind Mason. You give him a polite smile, which he returns, but you still can’t shake the creepy feeling you get knowing he’s in Theo’s pack.

“Every time the beast shows up, there’s frequency involved,” Mason says. “Liam and Hayden saw it at the cell transmission towers. The attack downtown happened beside the radio station. Deaton was attacked by the beast at an army base which has huge rarer arrays.”

“The beast always shows up near a transmission source... like that one,” you say, pointing to a reporter’s van. “This is going to be bad. I've got to go find the others. I’ll catch up with you later. Stay safe till then.”

—

You find Stiles, Scott, and Lydia in the library and text Liam to join you. When he does, you explain Mason's theory about the high frequency causing the beast to shift.

“I don’t think it’s just that,” Scott says, worried. “Last night, Argent said that it’s getting smarter. What if the dread doctors are trying to make the beast grow faster by shifting?”

“So the frequency is just the trigger?”

“The important part is when it shifts into the werewolf,” he says, nodding. “When Peter was an alpha, he got stronger every full moon. Eventually, the burns healed and he was back to normal.”

“The dread doctors don’t want to wait for the full moon,” Liam adds.

“They want the beast to be as strong as possible and as fast as possible.”

“Why now?”

Liam looks lost in thought for a moment before answering, “It’s Parrish. They sense the threat of a hellhound and are panicking.”

“So what do we do?” Lydia asked, and it was the first time she’d spoken since you joined them. The redhead always seemed unusually quiet whenever you were around. You’d catch her staring a lot. You assumed it was because you reminded her of Allison.

“We’ve got one clue to go on,” Stiles says as he pulls a picture of a shoe print out of his backpack. “This came from the hospital. Whoever's lurking inside the beast is wearing a size ten of indeterminate make.”

“Indeterminate?”

“It means it’s a partial print,” he confirms. “Basically, it was all we were able to get considering all the fire, blood, and carnage.”

Liam claps his hands together as his fear for everyone’s safety grows. “So are we going to try and get the game canceled?”

“No,no, we’re going to play, but we’re just going to hope really hard that it doesn’t turn into a blood-soaked massacre,” Stiles says, with a faint hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Okay but, um…” Liam looks up at Scott nervously. “Aren’t we kind of missing out on a chance to catch this thing? We don’t have the who, but we have the where and the when.”

“He's got a point,” you agree with a nod.

Scott thinks about it for a moment before shaking his head, “There are too many people.”

“And we still don’t know if it’s going to happen. It just might end up being a regular lacrosse game,” Lydia adds. “It’s possible, right?”

“Yeah, it’s possible. But we should still be getting the game canceled.”

“We’re getting it canceled,” Scott repeats the words, and he motions for Stiles to follow him. “I think I know someone who could help us.”

—

You sat down beside Lori as you waited for the lacrosse game that Scott and Stiles failed to get cancelled and smiled at her. You chatted to her about her brother Brett and Liam's ridiculous rivalry.

“Hey, guys.”

You shift uncomfortably as Hayden joins you. You did miss your short friendship with the brunette, but you didn’t know how to be around her anymore knowing she was still with Theo, even after he tried to kill you and Scott. You couldn’t trust her anymore.

“So, are we just not going to talk anymore?” Hayden asks quietly.

“We can’t, not while you’re with him.”

The dark-haired girl shakes her head, before muttering, “I still care about you guys. I miss hanging out with you, Liam and Mason.”

“You choose to help someone that’s crazy and dangerous over us.”

“It’s not that simple,” she quips back. “You have friends, family, a boyfriend, and a true alpha looking out for you. I have no one else besides Theo. Without him, I’m as good as dead.”

You feel a rush of sadness for her, not because what Hayden said was true, but because she believed it was.

—

You watch in sheer astonishment as Kira is sent off the field for almost attacking another player. “I should go check on her,” you say, standing up. Kira wasn’t an aggressive person by nature, so she must have become really riled up by the game. “Make sure she’s okay.”

“I’ll join you.” Lori follows you down from the bleachers and towards the school. She suddenly stops walking when a figure starts to walk towards you, “Who’s that?”

“Derek? I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.”

He smiles, hearing the genuine happiness in your voice. Lori excuses herself and goes on ahead to look for Kira. Derek raises his brows, “Chris told me about the beast. I had to come back to make sure you were safe.”

You opened your mouth to reply but got cut off by a loud crashing noise followed by a scream from inside the school.

“Stay here,” Derek said before running inside.

Of course you didn’t listen to him and followed in his direction into the school.

Of course you didn’t listen.

Your stomach dropped when you burst through the doors and ran into one of the science classrooms to see Kira hovering over Lori with a sinister look in her eyes while holding a broken lacrosse stick above her head.

“Kira?” She briefly turned to look back at you, and you saw her eyes were glowing orange. She ignored you and got ready to swing her arm, causing you to let out a loud yell, “Kira stop!”

Kira spun quickly and kicked you in the stomach, forcefully pushing you into one of the glass cabinets, causing a shard of glass to go through your back and into your stomach. You feel nothing until your body falls forward and you hit the ground. You let out a loud scream as the feeling of all the tiny shards of broken glass dug into your skin. Before you can comprehend what’s happening, your surroundings start to move around you.

“Scott! Scott!”

When everything stops moving, you release Derek’s carrying you. When you reach another room, he gently puts you on your side to avoid the glass going any deeper. The sounds around you start to become hazy, but you can make out the sounds of Kira crying and a male voice yelling about how much blood there is. You look at a small mirror that’s hanging on one of the walls and watch as blood drips down from the table onto the floor.

“There isn’t time!” Derek hisses. “If you don’t do this, then she will die!”

“I’m sorry, but there’s no other way.” Scott delicately lifts one of your arms. He gives you an apologetic look before biting you.

[hoshi-y]

WAIT I DIDNT KNOW YOU ADDED SUMIRE 🥹💖 I KNOW I MADE A REQUEST BUT IGNORE IT (so sorry 😭) Can I request Sumire, Kou, Mitsuba, and Yashiro (hopefully that’s not too much) with a S/O that’s like Power?

(Take your time and have a nice day/night ^^)

S/O that acts like Power from Chainsaw Man

Genre : Fluff

Characters : Akane Sumire, Minamoto Kou, Mitsuba Sousuke, Yashiro Nene

TW : None

A/N : So sorry that it took me awhile to make your request, I tend to avoid things that are a bit difficult for me hehe, I could tell you really wanted me to do your request already so here it is

Just a bit of a warning, I can't guarantee that the personality and attitude will be the same but I'll try my best

I hope you enjoy 💗

Powers Personality :

Childish

Greedy

Rude

Entirely self-motivated

Cares for a select of friends

Has severe PTSD (Afraid of being alone)

Feels that people should clean up after her

Often claims she is capable of doing things she cannot actually do

No problem with gossiping and talking about her friends behind their back

Compulsive habitual liar

That's all the info I can find about her personality

Liar liar pants on fire

You were an absolute HANDFUL to watch over.

You'd sometimes run away creating minor trouble

I mean you blew up the science lab I don't know where minor came from.....

In your excuse, you thought you could do it—

After you met Kou, your life just turned a full 180

He would follow you everywhere

Making sure you don't get hurt

But mostly to keep you out of trouble

It was driving you nuts! You couldn't skip class to chase butterflies anymore

It was hard since both of you were in the same year

But you did found out something about him

He was very gullible.

You grumbled as Kou was pulling you back to his and his friends lair, it wasn't too bad around them, you just didn't wanna help clean up that stinky bathroom—

You had to escape. And fast

"Koouuu... I don't like it in theerree.." You whined, He didn't budge which made you click your tongue. And an idea came to mind.

"Kou, I just got a text from my mom saying that.. My dog died.." You put up your best sad acting in hopes he would fall for it, and he did. He stopped in his tracks as he looked back at you "What?! Toshiba died?!"

Kou absolutely LOVED your pet dog, he would use all types of excuses to swing by

You nodded your head sadly "Mom wants me back home so we can bury him.." Kou gently let go of your hand as he sighef softly "I'll swing by to say my goodbyes to Toshiba.." As soon as he gave your backpack back, you had a cheeky smile on your face

"Thanks!! Bye!!" You ran

"H-HEY. GET BACK HERE!!"

You were too fast for Kou, eventually he just gave up. He has to stop being so gullible

Ugh how dare you call me ugly!

Everyone envied you for your clear ang glowing skin

Anyone would need sunglasses it was that clear

Everyone wanted your secret but you didn't budge

Why? well you just wanted to be the only one with fair skin

Amongst those in tge ctowd wanting your skincare routine

A pink haired gentleman also wanted a grasp at your secret

I mean how can he keep being cute with such flaky skin?!

So he pulled you aside to ask but you were a bit too hard headed

Mitsuba groaned as he held on your arm "Come on! Just one product that you use and I won't bother you anymore!" He begged but you went silent pretending he wasn't there

"HEY. I KNOW YOUR IGNORING ME" Mitsuba yelled

You checked your phone time and continued to pretend he wasn't there. "What about this, I'll buy you WHATEVER you want, for just one product"

"Mud"

"Mud Mask?!" His face lightened up as he was probably the first you told your super secret fbi skincare

"Yeah, its good for the pigs skin after all"

Mitsuba gasped "How DARE you call me a pig! Look at yourself first skeleton!" He fired back

"Oh yeah Barbie?"

Mitsuba didn't wanna back down as he soat all sort of names at you

But you won, obviously

He pushed you out of their classroom as Kou, Satou and Yokoo witnessed the entire thing.

We're you grown on soil?

When Yashiro first met you, her first impression of you was that you were pretty Childish

Not that she hated it, She absolutely adored it

For.... some odd reason....

The way you act and talk like a child

You were so cute in her eyes!

but of course we know that every child is super curious of things right?

Well you started asking a bunch of nonsense to Yashiro

Like, how do fish swim, how do cars work

"Does tinkerbell exist?" Stuff like that

She sometimes questions how you got in the Rank 3....

"Nene-chaann~" You cooed as she stopped shoveling and looked at you "Uwaahh [F/N]! I thought you went home already?" She dropped her shovel and took off her gloved and walked up to you

"I got you an Ice Pop!" You gave her the green colored one as you ate the purple one "Thanks [F/N]! I was needing something to cool me down"

You scanned the field and noticed a bunch if holes she was digging, what was she gonna do? was she gonna plant? look for worms? DIG TO ANOTHER COUNTRY?

Or... Is she gonna plant her legs?

"Nene-chan, are you gonna plant your legs in their?" Yashiro coughed as she almost dropped her ice pop "W-WHAT?! I-I'M NOT!!"

"Ehh?? Isn't that how you got your daikon legs?"

Yashiro crumbled on the spot as she looked like she was needing any god out there to take her

After that, Yashiro forced you to go home as you watched her sulk from afar

I can do it see?! ahh.. Nevermind...

Sumire always enjoyed your company, and your help

Despite you fucking up every now and then she appriciates the company

Sometimes she'd tell you not to force yourself to do something you couldn't do but you never listen

Your excuse??

"I can do it don't worry! I'm a pro at this"

You ended almost burning the food, or knocking down something

So she just lets you stay back at home

You were one of Sumire's servants, although she didn't treat you like a servant

She treated you more like a friend now.

Sumire and Hakubo watched from a far as you messed up picking up flowers. You were pulling them by the stem and not digging to get the roots and ended up having a very withered out flower

"Are they dumb?..." Hakubo deadpanned as you continued to pluck withered out flowers, Sumire giggled as she placed down her tea cup and walked up to you to help

You saw her from the corner of your eyes walking up to you but you were signaling her not to come, but she did anyways. "Your flowers are withered now [L/N]"

You pouted "I said I could do it.."

"You clearly can not, here let me teach you how to harvest flowers" Sumire smiled at you

For the rest of the afternoon, she taught you how to pick up flowers, and make flower crowns. You've mastered them by now with the guidance of Sumire.

Now that she's gone, the only thing you could do without messing up

Was making flower crowns.

I caved

IM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG 😭😭😭, I also apologize if I the personality does not match up, I really dunno who Power is LMWODHWUD

[wedgie-rae-rae]

I was fired yesterday on the day of my uncles funeral

on Thursday I was made to work the fryer but the station where I put the food to keep it warm after I made it was broken down, so I had to make everything cook to order so that food wouldn't get cold and I'd have to throw it all away. I was doing what I was told but other employees kept trying to get me to make more like we usually do and I keep telling them I can't and they're blaming me saying I'm slowing us down.

as I'm dealing with all this I'm also calling multiple people trying to figure out what time the funeral was, where it was, who I'm riding with, and if I needed to stay the night with my mom to help my crippled grandmother get out the house so she can go. so as you can imagine it's an extremely stressful situation. on top of all that I can hear a couple co works saying things like "if she got off her phone we'd go faster". eventually it all became to much and I told my manager ro clock me out because I needed to go home. my friend later told me my managers understood and everything was fine.

the next day I go to the viewing and the burial. (I'm obviously not gonna go into detail about it) and after this extremely emotional morning, my friend texts me asking if I talked to anyone from work. I told him no and asked why was something wrong and he told me that I was taken off the schedule and they gave my hours to someone else. I asked him to see what was going on because again Noone contacted me. he tried to find out but management wouldn't tell him anything. I tried to call the managerthat makes the schedule and she wouldnt pick up.(keep in mind this is all happening directly after my uncles funeral) I change clothes and fo down there to see for myself and when I get there the manager that was there yesterday, so he knows what happened, and the manager I was trying to call were both there. she tried to play coy and act like nothing was wrong and I confronted her and she tried to dance around it so she didn't have to say it. she stops and asks me what happened and why I had to leave. I start explaining everything I wrote above, and she said I can't just walk out like that but I didn't just walk out I told one of the managers that was there that day. and as I'm explaining the other manager,who was the there the day I left, cut me off and started giving me an attitude and says "it would have taken you 3 seconds to get that taken care of and get back to work". after he said that I snapped and told him how thats bullshit and he was basically firing me for having to leave to get things for my uncles funeral taken care of and they were trying to hide that fact that I was fired because they both know it's bullshit and everyone else is gonna be on my side when they find out. as I'm saying this he keeps trying to interrupt me and when I was done he made me leave the building and threatened to call the cops if I didn't.

[outoutdamnspark]

So I Took An Accidental Hiatus...

Y’all I’m so sorry for complete and total silence for the last... *checks notes*

MONTH?!

It’s been a really weird time for me recently; work got super duper busy all through May, so we were pulling long hours and extra days, plus my bosses decided they needed a target to vent all their stress out on, and guess who the lucky winner was? 😖

(One of them literally called me “a fucking joke” to my face, and then dragged my coworkers over to publicly shame me for “being so fucking slow” after I had just come back from my lunch break.)

So I said fuck it and went searching for a better job. Which I found! I started just this week! It pays slightly less per hour, but I get full benefits, better hours, and the chance to work for commission.

Maybe I’m petty, but it brought me great amusement when one of the old bosses practically begged me to stay and tried to bribe me with a $0.50 raise and a promise of aaaalllll the possible benefits they’ve been "looking into getting for everyone” for the past two years. When that didn’t work I got to watch them scramble to try and fill my position before I left, hire two new people, and then have one never show up and the other get fired on her second day. I’ve been told my position will be waiting for me if I ever decide I don’t like my new job. XD Sorry, but no.

Also? Apparently the day after I left, the boss that had tried to bribe me was panic-texting, telling everyone about how she’s “looking into benefits” and “we appreciate all of you so much!”

(On a better note aside from that whole mess, I was also out of town for a little bit right after my birthday to visit my mom. Which was nice, it just meant I wasn’t home.)

But yeah.

Because of all of that, my work/life balance has been utterly fucked, and my social life, romantic life, personal time, and creative projects all took a massive nose dive. When I say I barely spoke to anyone, I do, quite literally, mean I barely spoke to anyone. 😭

I’m hoping that with a less physically demanding and mentally exhausting job, I can get the hard restart I desperately need. I’ll be in training for a few weeks still, but my new manager is awesome and I’ve already had a little more energy the past few days since leaving my old job.

So for everyone I’ve left hanging for a month, I am so sorry. I’m gonna be working on easing myself back in to being online again. Thank you for sticking with me. 💕

~ Isaac💥