#been considering it for a few years already weh

[canisalbus]

Have you considered selling merch? Some stickers pins or patches of the boys would go hard

.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Deuce, Sebek: Like a Flower, Forever Blooming

Why does it look like Deuce is proposing to you with a tray of donut rings— WEH 😭 The birthday boy looks so handsome and gallant!! (Not usually the kind of comment I make for Deuce cksbsksnw) For some reason I tend to really like Deuce’s birthday cards…

His groovy is kinda funny too; Deuce looks like he wants to fight Alice… Interesting, because Ace acts in Alice-like ways, and he and Deuce are constantly bickering www

A Tale as Old as Time.

A girl found herself wandering into an enchanted garden. She was a tiny thing in her blue dress and pinafore, smiling sweetly at the colorful blooms surrounding her. They bore faces, those flowers—eyes, noses, and mouths, their expressions varying from curious to snarky.

The sunshine of the girl’s long locks, a youth sparkling with sensibility. They were a familiar sight.

It’s something straight from a story back home, Deuce thought.

He scrounged around for a smart comment to demonstrate his wit, his maturity. At last, he settled on: "I had no idea there were so many different looking flowers. I can barely name a few kinds.”

A dismissive grunt sounded.

"Hmph! You hail from the Queendom of Roses, don't you? And Heartslabyul is famous for its roses as well. You should be more familiar with the flora!" Sebek scolded him with a frown. "Have you no pride for your country or dormitory?! Truly, your behavior is beyond the pale!"

"I just never really paid much attention to the flowers before... I'm not the kind of guy with a green thumb. The most I do is paint the roses when the dorm leader tells me it's my turn."

"Unbelievable!! You disparage the noble perennials with that flippant attitude of yours!" Sebek shook his head. “Were you to lay your gaze upon Briar Valley in the springtime, you would surely come to appreciate them."

“Pere-what?”

“Perennials!!” Sebek folded his arms. He lifted his chin. “Don’t tell me you’re unaware of what they are! You must not be very well-read, human!!”

“O-Of course I know what they are!” Deuce stammered. “Wh-Who hasn’t heard of a para-knee-old before?!”

His fellow first year casted a doubtful look at him.

“… Okay, maybe I don’t,” Deuce admitted. His shoulders deflated along with his defiance.

“Perennials,” Sebek smirked triumphantly, “are flowers that return year after year. Roses are among them, but there are many others that fall into the category.

“When they bloom in the warm season, it is a scene to behold, a feast for the eyes! Then, come fall and winter, they wither and fade… and in spring and summer, they are born again! It is a most glorious, never-ending cycle.”

“Ah, so they live and die, then they’re brought back to life. Over and over… Endlessly?”

The gears in Deuce’s head slowly turned. Their teeth clicked into place, sparking a realization, a light in flickering on in his face.

“Oh?" The smugness in Sebek's voice was front and center. "Have you been swayed already? It certainly didn’t take much to persuade you.”

“I think I get it now, Sebek. Flowers are cool after all!” Deuce slammed a fist into an open palm. “Growing, getting older, dying, and coming back to life again… They’re like phoenixes!”

“In what way are flowers like phoenixes?!” Sebek bellowed, his volume shaking the paintings lined up on the walls. His words, however, seemed to fall on deaf ears.

“I wanna be like that too!! As tough as a flower that bounces back year after year!” Deuce passionately declared. “If I get knocked down, I’ll just get back up again! There’s gonna be no stopping me!”

He paused. "... Do you think I should add some flaming flower decals onto my Magical Wheel?"

"You've failed to take to heart a single insightful thing I've told you!! I would hardly consider this a revelation!" Sebek groaned, a hand upon his temple.

Typical foolhardy human, he surmised with a scoff. But still, he could sense a fighter when he saw one. The determination in Deceus's eyes was unmistakable. A blue-green as sharp and as clear as a cloudless summer's day, like a sword cleaving the heavens in half.

He had seen it many times over.

It was the look of a warrior.

"Listen here, human! There are a great many number of opponents in this world whose power may rival or even exceed your own. When you should encounter such strong foes… I hope you stand your ground. To betray your own promise would be disgraceful!”

“You saying I’d go back on my word?! No way! I definitely won’t run. That’s a coward’s way out.” Deuce grinned daringly—dangerously. “No matter what comes my way, I’ll own up to it. I’ll take it all on!”

[wyrmwinds]

FFXIVWrite Day 8 - Shed

Warnings: Endwalker 6.0 spoilers

Pairing: None

Length: 580 words

Summary/Notes: Ava fulfills a favor she promised Vrtra following her recovery.

- x -

For one sitting before the satrap of Radz-at-Han in one of the rooms of Megadhuta, Ava was certainly underdressed. She rested upon a comfortable pillow on the floor with an apron over her clothes and all her locks pulled back in a low ponytail, ready to work.

“Mine apologies for having thee do this right after your recovery.”  Vrtra’s words rang within her head. 

“It is no fault of yours, great Vrtra,” Ava scooped out a handful of salve from the pot beside her, provided by the alchemists of Kama. “I was the one who insisted upon this in the first place. I would have been here earlier, but your chirurgeons weren’t keen on being the ones who let the savior of the star out of the infirmary early.” She chuckled, lightly smearing the substance upon his injured haunch. The wound was not as discolored as when she last saw it, some areas even beginning to scab over, indicative of the efforts of his subjects.

The process took nearly ten minutes to cover his full injury. She made small talk all the while: How his subjects are recovering from the blasphemies and paying compliments to the effectiveness of the salve. The work of her experienced hands strook the balance between efficient and soothing with nary an erratic twitch nor sudden hiss from the greatwyrm. 

The subject of conversation then turned to Wehs Loh, a dragonet she had raised back in Meracydia.

“Little Loh’s first shed was a bit of a hassle,” Ava recalls as she gently massaged the salve into his abrasion, careful to avoid disturbing the areas already well on their way to recovery. “Their body was too small for my hands to aid in the process. When I finally found a rock smooth enough not to injure them, I returned to them trying to utilize the old slats making up my home! It’s a wonder they didn’t end up with any splinters.” 

“The need to shed doth bring a sense of desperation with it.” Vrtra mused. “Though the desperation in my previous shed was panicked due to a different cause.” 

Ava nodded, unsure how to phrase her next words – an uncommon & uncomfortable feeling. Would it be discourteous to offer to help him the next time he needed to shed? Considering how the topic began with Wehs Loh, who was by all accounts a child, her offer could be considered patronizing. Then again, the image of the satrap of Radz-at-Han shedding against cliffsides is a bit unbecoming…

“An experience universal among Dravanians, I’m sure. Whilst rebuilding Zenith, I did offer a helping hand to a few wyverns in exchange for their shed scales. My aid in the process made it much more pleasant than shedding alone, I’m told.”  She wraps the wound with the yalms of cloth provided to her and looks up at Vrtra. “At the risk of sounding condescending, perhaps I could offer instruction to your attendants on proper scale removal. As you need not hide your role any longer, you may as well experience the luxuries of a ruler.”

At first, Vrtra is silent, and Ava feared she had offended him. Then he laughs:

“It has been many long years since I last had aid in mine molting; thy prospect doth entice me more than I thought. Perhaps I shall entreat aid from thee again.”

Ava smiles, the weighty possibility of his ire lifted off her shoulders.

“I look forward to it, great Vrtra.”

[norcumii]

The Alpha 17 Supplemental

We all deserve something a little nice. So here’s a rough draft preview of the Star to Steer By Alpha 17 supplemental. (Please note, this is unbetaed, subject to change, etc.)

I hope y’all have a good day. <3

~~~~

Alpha 17 was a good soldier. He knew from a very early age that he was good at combat, loved it, and he pushed himself to be the best that the GAR could produce.

He knew some of his brothers thought that made him a bit simple, limited, unambitious.

He didn’t care.

The trainers worried, concerned that he didn’t seem to pick up outside hobbies or interests. He could practically hear ‘there’s more to life than fighting!’ every time he got that look, the doubt screaming in their eyes. He knew that meant another psych eval was in his near future, and it was frustrating because they didn’t get it.

He liked fighting. He liked the simple math, how goal plus obstacle equaled a straightforward picture. He could break that down, take it apart and rearrange the bits for more carnage, less causalities, different outcomes depending on the goal. Some brothers liked painting, or reading, or whatever. Alpha 17 liked taking a battlefield to pieces, and the addition of life’s chaos and unpredictability just made it exciting.

It got worse as he got older, signing up for the ARC program the literal minute he was able to. His batchmates only rolled their eyes a little – they at least didn’t poke at him about it – but everyone else? The whispers just got more annoying.

ARC training was serious business, was he sure he wanted to? ARC training meant learning the ropes for hosting - like that would ever matter - and that didn’t seem to be the kind of thing he’d like. ARC training had a ridiculous wash-out rate, required a steady temperament, often led to a much shorter lifespan, blah blah blah.

ARCs got into the middle of the most interesting shit, were given command and solo missions in equal measure. They didn’t stick to any one thing, historically they were the ones getting shit done, and if there was trouble, they were liable to be at ground zero.

Of course Alpha 17 wanted in on that. So he did something else he was very good at: he kept his head down and worked his shebs off.

Didn’t stop the occasional complaints. He brushed off the ones that he could, went through all the usual psych evals (and the bonus ones too), and kept learning what he could. He trained, he excelled, he fought.

The attitude didn’t stop coming either, but that was no surprise. He might be stubborn, but so was the rest of the GAR. Came with the job description. Not that he took more than he had to, of course. After one instructor complained about excessive casualties, the next exercise he took an absurdly round-about approach which resulted in record low casualties for the sim exercise.

The next day he handed in a complaint against himself about incompetence, excessive caution, and an evaluation about how taking that fucking long would have resulted in a campaign that was far too high in cost, time, and resources.

The instructor quit bitching after that.

Alpha 17 started his ARC training as the youngest in his class. ARC trooper Alpha 17 went into his cryo stint as top graduate of his class, having already had a successful and noteworthy acclimation stint all around the mid- to outer-rim.

*****

Three years after his thaw, Alpha 17 returned from a mission totally-not-exploding some wildly unpleasant slavers’ headquarters to find the usual stack of correspondence waiting for him. He kept his holo-mail down to a screaming minimum as much as possible, because everyone and their classified dog preferred to send secured intel via datapads or datasticks or whatever data-things they could secure to biometrics and ident scans. He grabbed the box for incoming shit and hauled it off to his quarters, because it’d been almost four months away and even he would admit to needing a real godsdamned shower in his own fucking apartment.

He might’ve ignored the pile long enough for a decent meal from the commissary and a few hours of rack time out of sheer spite. When 17 finally sat down to sort it, he wasn’t too surprised that almost a quarter of the pads had the glossy red endcaps indicating highest priority. It took a second glance to register that one of those had further detailing, the Jedi Order’s symbol embossed on the center of the red caps.

That was different. 17 set down the two pads he’d grabbed at random to pick it up instead. The metal shell wasn’t new, but it held few of the dings and scratches any correspondence gained traveling through the courier system. Recently made or rarely used.

“The hell?” he muttered, powering it up. Official Order business of some sort, but what kind of mission could –

17’s brain stalled out as he finally read the simple, clear message.

Simple, clear, and about as unlikely as him sprouting wings and flying to Corellia without a ship. “Potential host.” Nope, sounded even crazier out loud. “Like hell.” He tossed the pad down and slumped back in his chair, staring at the datapad in confusion. How the fuck was he a potential host? What kind of Jedi could he possibly have a match with?

In some kind of vain hope that the message would change to something that made sense given enough time, 17 mechanically went through the rest of his mail. Several innocuous messages regarding hazard pay; five potential missions, two of which had a time window long past; one message rescinding one of the other potential missions; one airworthiness directive and recall about a jetpack model he hated anyways; somehow even more questions about his deposition for the fucking Cato Neimoidia cluster because lawyers were never truly done.

All the usual bullshit, really.

Didn’t change the potential host message, though.

*****

Alpha 17 answered the call, of course. He sent a reply message off, confirmed the trip to Coruscant via the usual GAR channels, and then he tried to lose himself in post-mission paperwork.

It didn’t help that if anything was less likely to occupy his attention, it was paperwork. Even the usual joys of finding new and ridiculous euphemisms for ‘killed a bunch of assholes’ and ‘blew up a lot of shit’ were empty and useless.

The question of what kind of Jedi could possibly consider him a match dogged him all the way to Coruscant, and only got worse when he walked into the changing room with the other two candidates. One was a quiet, well-dressed Zeltron who was the most unassuming being 17 had ever laid eyes on. Short red hair, heading towards middle-age, and 100% unremarkable – he wouldn’t call them “bland,” but he wouldn’t argue the point if someone else did. The other one was an older Wookiee who sauntered in with all the trappings of an AgriCorp member, cheerfully growling observations about everything with an air of nervous excitement.

Sure, he knew the matching was probably on different quadrants, but what the hells could he have in common with these two?

The Jedi deposited on the fourth side of the table was a bit on the small side – maybe fully grown, maybe just younger but with their mature coloring. It was hard to tell with Jedi, even for someone who was good at that kind of thing.

That was not in 17’s skillset.

It was no help whatsoever that the Jedi turned towards 17 first. He felt ridiculous, stretching out his hand like he was inviting someone’s pet to take a whiff, but somehow this was worse than in training. Training meant everyone had to be there, and was going through the motions, but this –

This was the real deal. What the fuck was 17 doing, really applying to be a host?

The Jedi curled around his wrist, warmer than expected. He could feel the faint buzz in his mind of the Jedi’s mental probe – nothing that could be strong enough to read actual thoughts, but enough to give them a decent impression of 17. He had to stifle down a snicker, imagining what it might be like to feel his mind. I like fighting, blowing shit up, and doing my job. Sorry to waste your time, Jedi.

The pulse of amusement – real, and not his – was a bucket of ice down his spine. Shit. Shiiiit, he hoped that hadn’t been somehow broadcast. It probably hadn’t, but that was awkward. Meanwhile, the Jedi let out a quiet hiss, sharing some kind of emotional nudge to pass them along.

It was hard not rubbing at his wrist where the Jedi had been as the other two host-potentials went through the ritual. 17 was sure that some of the discomfort was due to being out of armor, but a quiet part of him wondered about the strange reaction anyways.

Hosting wasn’t a thing. He’d never given the faintest shit about hosting, he just wanted to be an ARC.

He was paying enough attention to do all the bowing and whatever that was called for, but it took the amused chuffing of a Wookiee to pull 17 all the way back to the matter at hand.

Literally at hand; the Jedi was back near his wrist, looking up at him with those four bright eyes and a body posture that might indicate concern.

Wait, WHAT? 17’s head jerked up, and he looked at the other two in the room. The Wookiee was grinning, while the Zeltron was hiding their amusement almost well enough that they just looked a little bored. He couldn’t help but feel that it was intentional that he could read the body language at all. 17 looked back down at the Jedi, who weh-ed at him.

“What are you doing?” 17 asked right back, because there was no way this could be happening. The Jedi scooted a little closer to him, making another hissing noise. With the continued sensation that this could not really be happening, 17 held his hand out to the Jedi.

They sauntered right onto his palm, still giving him that look. Another glance at the other host-potentials confirmed the impossible, but 17 was still slow enough lifting the Jedi that there was plenty of time for someone to declare that this was some ridiculous mistake, or prank, or something.

Nobody said anything as 17 opened his mouth and let the Jedi in. There was that feeling of movement that wasn’t (except it really was), then there was a new voice in 17’s mind.

#Hello there,# the Jedi declared. They sounded male, young, good natured. Not at all like what 17 would have expected. #I’m Obi-Wan Kenobi.#

#Well that’s a mouthful,# 17 couldn’t help but think, bemused and not quite sure what the hell was going on.

There was a sound of muffled laughter, accompanied by something not-really-a-flash to how that was a pun given how the Jedi – Kenobi – had just entered. #From a certain perspective, yes.#

17 smirked, enjoying the feel of a fellow sapient in spite of himself. #Alpha 17. ARC-17017.#

*****

It was always easy to tell the difference between Qui-Gon and Tahl. She moved with thoughtful purpose, feet planted solid on the ground and shoulders aggressively square. Jinn flowed more, confident and feline, certain of himself in a sometimes arrogant way that could piss off even the most serene being, let alone Alpha 17.

He liked and respected them both, more than he or Obi-Wan figured most people understood. He hadn’t expected that, when he’d first met the Jedi and host that were to be Obi-Wan’s – and his, in a sense – primary trainers. He’d resented that at first, not that he’d admit it. He was no youngling, for all that Obi-Wan was a shiny. Obi-Wan also had inherited memories, and since 17 was a well-trained and skilled soldier, they should be good to go in short order.

Then they had their first training session with Obi-Wan’s brand new lightsaber.

The less said about that fiasco, the better.

It took time to learn how everything fit together; 17’s blaster and fighting skills, Obi-Wan’s genuine talent for the lightsaber and acrobatics that thanks to the Force were well outside the normal bounds for a clone, and how the Force integrated with it all.

The first time 17 dodged away from a sparring partner only to reach and yank their legs out from under them, dumping them to the floor several meters away, he’d been stunned. It was one thing to know Jedi – and thus their hosts – could use the Force, it was totally another to see it in action, and it was a far different beast to do that impossibility himself.

He liked it, though. It was interesting to find there was a whole new area and styles of fighting he could apply himself to, and as always he did so with excessive diligence.

With the comforting glee inside his head of a Jedi just as eager to learn, and to fight, he no longer questioned why the hell he’d been the one to host Obi-Wan.

~end section

[flowersandskeletons526]

“The Harshest Future We Could Have Imagined” - Lumity Future AU Fanfic Part 1

This is set about five years in the future after “Agony of a Witch.” Luz returned home through a broken portal and couldn’t return, but in four years, without the portal being fixed, Amity and the others had to focus on their lives in the present, including the rebellion they started. Now, what will happen when Luz returns to the war-torn world she used to love?

(Link to Ao3 --- https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305051/chapters/69356406)

----

“You really have to go?”

“I do.”

Luz squeezed Amity’s hands, standing before the portal with her backpack and her cloak. Amity kept her eyes down. She struggled to fight back tears, clutching Luz’s hands like a lifeline. They knew this was going to happen. Both had dreaded it all summer, ever since Luz revealed her exact situation to her friends. Willow and Gus already composed themselves - well, Gus was attempting to - and Eda and King were trying and failing not to cry downstairs. Lilith was somewhere rolling her eyes and hiding her emotions. The twins waited outside to bring Amity home once all their goodbyes were said.

Amity glanced at the fractured portal. After finding that Emperor Belos had managed to put it back together, yet another espionage mission was mounted to steal it back. Now, Luz could get back, but she only had this one chance. It killed Luz, having to leave but knowing he was still in power. Especially with Eda and Lilith rendered magicless after the failed petrification… nothing was certain now. Nothing but the fact that Luz had to leave.

Reading Amity’s mind, Luz touched her cheek and turned her head away from the portal. “Amity, I’m going to come back,” she said. “I promise I will.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. I know that I will, though. I got here before, right? I can do it again.”

“When the portal worked. What if we can’t put it back together? What if there’s no way to fix it, w-what if Belos gets it again, what if-”

“Hey, don’t think about that.” Luz pulled her in, wrapping her arms tight around her. Amity buried her face against the crook of Luz’s neck. “I’ll be back. Don’t worry, okay? You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” She pulled back and pressed their foreheads together. “Don’t go soft on me just yet, Blight.”

Amity giggled through her tears. “In your dreams.”

“Look after this place for me, okay?”

“I will.”

She cupped the witch’s cheek. “And Ami?”

Amity blushed at the nickname. “Y-Yeah?”

“Don’t forget me.”

“Never.”

Luz planted a quick kiss on Amity’s cheek and pulled her into a tight hug. Amity held onto her hand as long as she could as she turned to the portal. Hiding her tears, Luz waved and flashed one last bright smile over her shoulder. She disappeared through the wall of light.

The shaking portal collapsed into a pile of smoldering pieces. Amity collapsed in a heap of silenced sobs.

****

Amity took a deep breath as she approached the Owl House. Hooty, distracted by a bug, perked up when he spotted her.

“Hoot! Hi, angry green haired friend! What’s that? Cupcakes? I looooove cupcakes! Hoot!”

Amity bared her fangs. “Don’t touch me, bird tube!”

“Alright! Hoot!”

“Sorry. Here, that one’s for you.” Amity tossed the treat in the air and cringed when Hooty swallowed it whole. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, you can! Wait, was the cupcake a bribe?”

“It’s a peace offering.”

“Okay!”

The door swung open. Eda and Lilith sat at the kitchen table, chatting idly, while King slept curled into a ball on the couch. They paused and looked up when she took a step inside. She swallowed her fear and waved.

“Hi, Eda. Ms. Clawthorne.” The latter greeting was delivered with just a twinge of venom. After hearing about how Eda was captured, about what happened to Luz, Amity still harbored a touch of resentment, even if everyone else seemed to have forgiven it. “Is it alright if I come in?”

“Sure, kid,” Eda said. Any hatred towards the Blights as a whole had been forgiven in Amity’s case. Amity attributed that to Eda’s constant subtle teasing about how she acted around Luz. Although now it just sounded like pity in her voice.

Amity stood beside Eda and set a pack of apple blood boxes on the table next to her.

Eda frowned. “How did you get your hands on this?”

“Emira.”

“She’s one of the twins I almost died with, right? The smart one?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. Well, thanks, kid.”

“You’re welcome. Luz mentioned it.”

Eda nodded and turned aside. Amity swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped over to the couch, kneeling beside King. She gently shook him until he woke with a quiet, “Weh?”

“Hi, King.”

The little demon scowled. “Hello, offering killer.”

“About that.” Amity set the cupcake on the couch in front of him. “I’m sorry.”

He sat up, inspecting the offering. “What’s wrong with it?”

“What? Nothing. It’s to make up for your cupcake I squished. I’m sorry.”

King tilted his head. He looked between Amity and the cupcake for a minute before pulling the sweet closer to him. “Offering accepted. I retract any curses I laid on you.”

“I, uh, thank you?”

“You’re welcome.”

Eda beckoned to Amity as she stood. “C’mere, kid. Come sit. Now, not that I’m complaining, but I have to ask. What’s up with all this.”

Amity took the offered seat and bowed her head. “Luz. She… she wanted me to stick around. She told me to before she left, so I figured it would be good to at least try to make up for what I’ve done. You are her family, after all.”

Eda sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Right. That’s right. Well, look, you don’t have anything to make up for anymore. You and the other two troublemakers are always welcome here. I know Luz will want to see you all when she gets back.”

“Do you think she will come back?”

“Of course. I mean hey, it’s already been what, a month? And we’ve already got all the books possible on fixing the old thing.”

“Four weeks, two days, and five hours,” Lilith interrupted. Amity and Eda stared at her. She cleared her throat. “I’ve been keeping track.”

Eda smirked and squeezed her sister’s hand. She turned back to Amity, reaching out to touch her shoulder. Amity flinched beneath the gentle pat. Eda paused, just long enough for Amity to relax, and tried again. This time, Amity just sighed as Eda rubbed her back.

“She’ll come back. It’s Luz, after all. Knowing that kid, she’s already got a new portal halfway finished in the human world.”

“You really think so?”

“Absolutely.”

****

“Absolutely not!”

“But Mom, I-”

“Amity, that is enough!” Odalia Blight slammed her hands down on her desk, looming over her youngest daughter standing across from her. “You are forbidden from returning to that den of criminal activity ever again. Do you understand me? If I ever hear about you so much as heading in that direction again, you will be sorry. Titan, I should have known this would happen after that fiasco at the petrification. That Clawthorne woman never should have been in the Emperor’s coven to begin with, considering her criminal sister.”

“Eda isn’t a criminal! Okay, well, technically, but not for any good reasons! And Lilith isn’t bad either, not anymore. She’s better than she was when you approved of her!”

Odalia scoffed. “Please. I know what is best for you, young lady, and I have made my decision. You are not to return to that place ever again or associate with anyone connected to it, including that half witch and the reporter’s runt.”

“But Luz-”

“Oh, the human! That’s where this began! I should have put a stop to this behavior as soon as Boscha’s parents told me you were hanging around her. This is what is best for you.”

“No it’s not!” Amity hollered. Odalia froze at the outburst. “Luz is my best friend and I’m not going to let you talk about her like she’s nothing! Not her, not Willow, and not Gus! They are better than anyone you ever picked for me and care about me more than you ever did.”

“You will do what I say! I am your mother!”

“I want what is best for you!” Odalia protested.

“You want a perfect daughter as head of the Emperor’s coven,” Amity retorted. “I’m not abandoning them like I already abandoned Willow. And I’m not abandoning the Owl House, either. You can’t make me.”

“I don’t care!”

Amity regretted the words the moment they left her tongue.

Odalia froze. Her face went deadly cold, eyes like ice as she leveled a vicious glare at her daughter. Amity shrunk.

“You don’t care that I’m your mother?”

“I-I… I didn’t mean…”

“Hmph. Fine. Then our name shouldn’t matter to you. If you are going to keep associating with the Clawthornes, you can take their name instead. Anything but Blight.”

“What?”

“Get out of this house, Amity.”

“Mom!”

“Get. Out.”

Amity took a step back. Tears burned her eyes. She clenched her fists and scowled.

“Fine.”

She spun on her heel and marched out. Flying to her room, she slammed the door behind her and grabbed a bag. She shoved a few regular outfits inside, along with her books, her school uniform, and her box of keepsakes with her Grom tiara in it. She shouldered the pack and bolted out of the house.

The twins intercepted her before she reached the door. Their ever present smiles disappeared when they saw her face, streaked with tears.

“Mittens, what’s wrong?” Emira asked.

“Ask Mom.” Amity shoved past them.

“Wha- Amity, wait, where are you going?”

“The Owl House!”

The massive doors of Blight Manor slammed shut behind her.

Casting a light spell, she ran through the Isles all the way to the Owl House. She never stopped or looked back, even as hot tears poured down her cheeks. When she reached her destination, Hooty let her in without so much as a hoot.

Eda gave her just a passing glance as first when she marched in, then whipped her head around when Amity’s appearance registered. Amity stood in the doorway, shaking and panting, clutching her pack to her chest. She scrubbed at her face and scrambled to regain some of her composure.

“Eda, Lilith, I, um… C-Can I…?”

“Kid, what happened?” Eda asked.

Amity shook her head. “My mom kicked me out. She told me I had to stop coming here and said I had to do what she said because she’s my mother and I told her I didn’t care so she kicked me out. I just… Can I stay here? Please? I-I don’t have anywhere else to go right now.”

“Of course. Come on, you’ll stay in Luz’s old room. Lilith, help me get her set up.”

That night, Amity cried herself to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor, clutching her pillow and cursing all the years she spent in that controlling hell already.

The next day, the twins came by with the rest of her belongings, most of them dirty and broken.

“She threw them out the window?” she asked when they told her what happened.

“Well, she had the servants do it for the most part, but yes,” Edric replied. “Look, Amity, if you just apologize-”

“No,” Amity snapped. “I’m not apologizing to her. I’m staying here.”

Emira put a hand on her twin’s shoulder. “Ed, drop it. Look, Mittens, we’re here if you need us, okay? We’ll see you at school.”

The two hugged their baby sister and waved to Eda and Lilith sitting in the living room. Amity watched them disappear down the trail before shutting the door silently. She leaned her head against the wood for a quick moment before straightening.

“You okay, kid?” Eda asked.

“I’m fine.”

The next morning, Amity approached Lilith with a pair of clippers in hand. “Lilith?”

“Yes, Amity?”

“You do your own hair, right?”

“I dye it on occasion, when the orange roots start to become noticeable.”

“Will you help me cut my hair, please?”

“Of course.” Lilith closed her book and stood. “How did you want to cut it?”

“Cut off all the green dye.”

“Are you sure? That would make your hair quite short.”

“I’m sure. I just want it gone. I’m not going to let anyone force me to dye my hair again.”

Lilith frowned. “Your mother-”

“Please help me cut it.”

“Alright. Come here.”

****

“Okay, these are the outposts we know of so far.”

Gus spread a map over a rickety table. Orbs of light hovered in the tunnel above them, illuminating the little meeting place dug beneath Hexside. Willow and Amity knelt on either side of him and watched as he gestured to little markers on the creased parchment. Emira stood behind Gus, watching over his shoulder with Viney and the rest of the detention kids.

“Belos has squads of guards here, here, and here, and then multiple roving patrols through the marketplace and around Hexside. As long as we stay in the tunnels for meetings, we should be fine.”

Amity idly ran her hand over the short sides of her undercut, with the long part on top pulled into her normal short ponytail. With Lilith’s help over two years ago, she cut out all the green dye and never touched it with a drop of pigment afterwards.

After the meeting, the group said their goodbyes and took off down different tunnels of Gus’s making. Willow and Emira hung around with Amity as she extinguished the light orbs.

“Has Eda made any progress on the portal?” Willow asked after a moment of silence.

Amity sighed. “No. Nothing. We haven’t even gotten a flicker from it. I…” She shook her head and extinguished another light, trying not to think about the missing human. “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

“How long has it been?”

“Too long.”

Willow nodded and touched Amity’s hand. “They’ll find a way to fix it.”

“I hope.”

Willow took off, leaving Amity alone with her sister. Emira leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Amity stopped and turned to her sister.

“Have you heard anything from Edric?” the elder asked.

“Nothing. Has he been talking to you?”

“Not a word. He hasn’t told Mother and Father, I know that, but he stopped talking to me as soon as he learned about this. He doesn’t even play pranks with me anymore.”

Amity scoffed. “He’s trying to become their favorite child.”

“I think he is, at this point.”

“Right.” She held a light orb between her hands. “I heard they made Dad the leader of the emperor’s coven.”

“They did. It’s no wonder Edric is trying to get in so badly. I still can’t believe he’s doing all this.”

“Me neither. Look, I have to get back to the Owl House and keep helping Eda with the portal.”

Emira bowed her head with a tight lipped grimace, watching Amity with pity in her eyes. “Mittens, do you really think you’re going to get her back?”

“I know I will!” Amity snapped, but the anger faded quickly. “She promised she would come back.”

“Not all promises can be kept.”

“I know that, but we’re going to find a way. We have to.”

“Okay.” Emira hugged her sister and kissed the top of her head, still so much taller than her even after the years that had passed. “You’ll figure this out, Mittens. They can fix it.”

Amity just nodded and hugged her sister tighter.

****

Edric stood on the edge of a crumbling roof. Fires raged around him in the burning marketplace, littered with the bodies of fallen Emperor’s coven soldiers and wounded rebellion fighters fleeing the scene. His white cloak was stained red, and his sharp beaked mask hung around his neck. He leaned heavily on his staff.

In the street below, Amity wielded her own staff with its snarling tiger palisman. She growled at her brother while her friends fell into line behind her. Emira stood at her side, watching Edric not with anger, but heartbreak in her eyes.

“Ed, please!” she called. “This isn’t you!”

“Enough, Emira!” he roared. “I’m done being the stupid twin. Now it’s time for me to do what you and Amity failed to. I’m going to lead the Emperor’s coven after Dad and my career is going to start with ending your stupid rebellion!”

“You know Belos is wrong!” Amity protested. “This isn’t going to end how you want, Edric. Please just come with us.”

“Never!”

Amity shook the tears from her eyes and cast a spell circle. “Fine.”

A pink flame lit in her hand. Emira grabbed her arm.

“Mittens, no!”

“If he’s not going to join us, he’s against us! Belos is going to fall, Edric. Belos, the coven system, all of it. Including you.”

“Grow up, Amity. It’s time all three of us started acting like Blights. If you two won’t, I will.” Edric lifted his head. “Soldiers, retreat!”

Amity watched her brother flee with the rest of the soldiers. She gripped her staff and turned to Willow and Gus and the others standing behind her. “Everyone out of here!” she ordered. “Before they send reinforcements back. At least we know our enemy now.”

“Our brother,” Emira said quietly.

“Our enemy,” Amity repeated. “Willow, Gus, let’s go.”

The pair followed Amity back to the Owl House. They walked in silence, all three contemplating the day’s battle and the new development. There were suspicions of Edric’s involvement, but they hadn’t known the extent. And the fact that he was leading a command…

Amity, although hiding it beneath her rage, wanted to weep and curse at the sky. Her own brother! After all those years of him and Emira goofing off, never conforming to their parents’ expectation, leaving all the vicariously realized dreams to fall upon Amity, she never could have imagined him becoming so fed up with Emira’s jesting that he would turn his back on the both of them. She cursed under her breath thinking about it and forced the thoughts from her head. She couldn’t afford getting stuck in her thoughts now. She had the rebellion to think about, the rebellion that Willow founded and the two of them now led together. The rebellion, keeping the Owl House hidden, fixing the portal…

Titan, she couldn’t even afford to think about the portal anymore. Four years passed without anything working, and then the rebellion started with Willow’s attempted assassination of Belos a year ago.

Amity glanced at Willow beside her. A long scar wrapped around her eye from her forehead down to her jaw. She cut her hair short and wild to display it with pride. They all bore scars now, but Willow’s scarred face had become a symbol of the rebellion with her wanted poster plastered all over the Isles. Amity, although a leader herself, didn’t envy the responsibility Willow gained. Her speech all those years ago is what sowed the seeds, after all.

Hooty greeted them when they returned and flung the door open. Amity sighed and rubbed her eyes as they stepped inside, keeping her head down. She hadn’t noticed Willow and Gus stopping in their tracks by the door.

“Eda, Lilith, we found the new commander Belos has,” she said.

“Amity,” Eda said, rising from her seat. “Look up.”

She did.

Standing across from her was a tall girl with rich dark skin and fluffy brown hair pushed out of her face. Wide, fiery brown eyes locked with her golden stare. She was taller now, finally overtaking Amity, and her weak nerd arms had developed built and defined muscles. Her gently rounded ears were pierced with multiple golden rings. Despite everything, her bright smile was still the same, and it still sent Amity’s heart racing.

Amity sucked in a sharp breath.

“Luz?”

The girl grinned.

“Hey, Amity.”

[movedyourchair505]

Napule Nights - dodici

A huge thank you to my babe Elana but also everyone  else who supports this story. I haven’t feeling too good and since writing this is such a joy for me, I’m prioritizing it a little bit. It means the absolute world to me that you guys are so supportive and patient. I promise I have some good fics coming, and also, chapter 13 is going to be the anticipated smut. 

- chapter navigation -

x

The way in which the days passed over the course of the week were peculiar, and nonetheless met Jade's inherent expectations about what working for Turner would be like more than any of the time she had spent under his so called protection, or his employment, however he liked to euphemize it, before.

With Serena finally filling her in on some of the things they deemed necessary for her to know, to internalize, protocol she had broken several times simply because she'd been uninformed but also really hadn't cared about misbehaving, she slowly started to feel more prepared, and more sure about how to go about interactions with questionable individuals in a way that wouldn't only not anger Turner, but impress him rather.

And by the end of it all, she wasn't even nervous, positive about the fact that she could indeed rise to the challenge, because she knew what she was doing and most importantly, because he thought she could. He had told her after she'd singled out the man at the club while she'd danced that she needed a task, and there was no question about the fact that he was starting to trust her more with actual business that had to be taken care of, a chance to prove herself now more apparent than ever.

With Cook shadowing her, she made her way from her suite to Turner's office, her curves clad into a skintight rosewood coloured two-piece, a skirt that reached her down her knee with a slit at the thigh on one side, leaving little skin to show in between the high waist and the long-sleeve top, low-cut and revealing her shoulders. Her black heels clicked on the floor, a new pair she had been allowed to purchase through Serena, although before she'd been able to transfer the money to her, Serena had told her that Turner had taken care of it.

Cook knocked on the door of Turner's office, his deep drawl of requesting for them to enter coming from the other side and Jade stepped in as soon as Cook held the door open for her, only to see Turner already on his feet, fumbling with a tie around his neck, looking up with inquisitive eyes when Jade stepped inside, his gaze shamelessly wandering down her body, and it didn't escape Jade her how he stretched his jaw slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

“Yeh feel prepared?” He asked, his voice much more collected than his hungry eyes would have suggested.

Jade nodded slowly, brushing her hair behind her shoulder, in her mind she was trying to go through everything Serena had told her, there was no doubt in her mind that she was going to mess this up. She would impress him this time.

“Serena gave yeh most of the instructions, didn't sheh?” He drawled, still fumbling with his tie, now growing slightly impatient.

“D-Do you need help?” Jade asked, biting her lip as she tried not to be too amused.

“I kno' 'ow teh tie a fookin' tie...” he muttered, finally managing, then looking back up at her, his expression blank. “The most important fing yeh 'ave teh remember is tha' yeh're deliverin' summat tha' nobodeh is supposed teh kno' about in a location tha' evrehbodeh knows about. It's me least secure club, because weh need people teh see yeh, weh've got evrehbodeh out todeh so weh can make this delivereh in plain sight.”

Jade nodded, she had understood the importance of her job, as much as she feared it. “Lo so, lo so.”

He licked his lips. “If somebodeh says weh made this delivereh, weh'll 'ave evrehbodeh tha' matters out, evrehbodeh seen and unaccounted for.”

She was surprised by how much time he took to explain, but it was most likely to ensure the success of her task, not to ease her mind or make her feel included.

“Cook and two other guards will beh wif yeh” he said. “Yeh're gunna beh as safe as yeh'd be at another club. There will joost beh more people teh see yeh. So don't let anehbodeh see yeh.” He looked down for a moment, as if he'd lost his train of thought, then back up.

For a moment, she wondered if he was nervous, questioned why he'd entrusted her with this task. And then, another question just rushed out, making all her previous self-control and attempt to act professional go up in smoke. “Where are you going?”

His head snapped back up, his eyebrows raised in irritation. “Tha's none of yehr concern.”

“R-Right” she said, nodding dutifully, the glare he gave her strategically selected to make her regret her question instantly, irritated by the fact that she'd even dared, and she felt the instant urge to explain herself. “I was just worried, that's all.”

His eyes darkened and he took a few steps closer to her, his eyes not leaving hers as he slid into his suit jacket, adjusting it at the shoulders. She noticed a tiny scar under his eyebrow along with the crinkles underneath his eyes. His features were hard, merciless. “It's not yehr job teh worreh.”

She swallowed, his tone angering her. She was doing his dirty work, something that was clearly dangerous, and he still couldn't refrain from mocking her. “Then what is my job?” She asked, unable to suppress the need to challenge him, to have the last word, to not give in right away.

He raised his eyebrow, smoothing the skin around the scar. “Lookin' pretteh” he remarked without missing a beat. “Keepin' yehr mouf shut. Doin' yehr job.”

Before she could respond, swallowing the gasp that was begging to get out, he made his way past her, Cook instantly opening the door and holding it open for him as he passed, Jade slowly following. She wondered if there would ever be an encounter with him that would be based on mutual respect, not marked by his undeniable desire to always have the upper hand, achieving it by playing into her insecurities. He knew that was the way to defeat her confidence.

He gave her a simple nod, then disappeared down the hall with Helders and she was left to go to another car with Cook who didn't seem quite as indifferent to it all for a change, it was like he was visibly more alert, more worried. This really was important.

Serena had taken her to the smallest of Turner's club once before during the week, hadn't seemed thrilled about being the teacher for the newest recruit, but she'd shown her everything she needed to know, talked her roughly through the process of tonight, and Jade had thought about it so much, the outline and makings of furbo had haunted her even in her dreams.

As confident as she was in herself, when they stepped foot inside it, instantly joined by the other two guards Turner had arranged for them, she wished for Serena to be there with her again more than she would've cared to admit. But she knew she could do this, this what she'd originally expected, doing jobs like this, understanding more of what made his business so successful, what made his operations seem so effortless.

She wondered once again what had made him trust her enough to give her this task, considering that he'd neither really appreciated her saving his life, nor making it possible to throw out the man in the club that had watched her dancing. But ultimately, it didn't matter. All she knew was that she could not mess this up so she tried to focus on her job, tried to not look around at all the people in fear of recognising someone because after all, there was no one in particular that she was hiding from, no one was supposed to see her, she was supposed to blend in so despite it all, security checked her bag at the door and Cook went inside without her so it would seem like she was just another guest.

What terrified her the most was that she was completely in the dark about what she was carrying in her handbag, the small grey box sealed and secured, it could have been anything. It wasn't too heavy, but the straps cut into her skin nonetheless.

As she'd been instructed, she headed straight for the bar, she'd been supposed to stay there until someone would come and ask her to dance. She had no idea who it would be, what they would look like, she only knew the exact words that he was going to say, and what exact words she was supposed to reply with. The barman held her gaze for a moment as he placed the clear liquid down in front of her, she paid, regarded the drink that she knew to be non-alcoholic despite her order and picked it up to sip on it, turning around and letting her gaze wander without actually looking at anybody. According to Serena, there was going to be people unrelated to any business, just people looking for a good time, but there were some less important men in business, likely working with the important ones, purely to scout out exactly what was about to happen, without even knowing it was going to happen.

And that was the idea, to make the delivery in plain sight, unnoticed.

On her second water disguised as gin and with her patience already fading, her gaze searching for Cook to call it off because she didn't think it would still happen, bored and now terrified out of her mind after going through the plan a million times in her head, she heard a deep voice so close to her that it was undeniably show time.

“Ti va di ballare con me, monella?”

Despite having been prepared, she flinched nonetheless, placed down her drink and took a deep breath before she dared to turn around and catch the gaze of a man presumably ten years her senior, his beard dark, his hair reaching down to his chin and his eyes so dark and unsettling that she felt her heart start pounding even faster, previously unsure if that was even going to be possible.

“Diamoci da fare, signore.”

He held out his hand for her and she took it, sliding slowly from the bar stool, with her other hand adjusting her skirt, swallowing as his eyes wandered down her body. It wasn't like she wasn't used to it, enjoyed the attention, but right now, her nerves were too unsettled to find it flattering or even usual.

The man led her to the dancefloor and for a moment and she tried to resist the urge to turn her head to see if Cook was still there, trusting that he was, as well as the other guards. The way the bass was thudding and the lights flooded above their bodies instantly swayed her focus but she tried to concentrate on the man's every move, determined to not allow herself to make a mistake.

His hand landed on her lower back, sprawled out to pull her close and she swallowed, prepared to take the box out of her bag and hand it over and leave, desperate to get out of that situation. She was terrified of messing this up, all her confidence now not what it'd been before. But before she could even think of commencing with her plans, reaching subtly into her bag, he pulled her body flush against his, his eyes dark and locked on hers, bringing his face only inches away from hers and her heart skipped a beat. This was not the man she'd been waiting for.

“Dimmi, puttana, where is Mancini?”

Jade gasped, pulling out of his grip and stepping back, letting the box fall right back into her bag, her eyes now actively searching for Cook, a rough hand locking around her wrist before she did and she was about to struggle when she realised it was him, both other guards to her side, a few steps and she almost stumbled, could barely keep up and make sense of it all when the cold air already hit her and she was shoved into the car, the vehicle shooting into traffic before the doors even shut completely.

She was shivering, her heart racing, her face bright red, tears of frustration and shame threatening to dwell in her eyes and she lowered her gaze, unable to hold Cook's. They were all aware of how badly she'd failed within a mere seconds.

Neither of the men in the car with her spoke, and they didn't need to. Anything they'd say, she already knew. She'd have to tell Turner, she'd have to look him in the eye and tell him she failed, give evidence for the fact that he'd wrongfully entrusted her with this task, that she was no use, that after all, she wasn't cut out for the challenge she'd wanted. She would disappoint him.

And as expected, without a word even, Cook led her straight to Turner's office. Since he'd given her the task she'd only seen him briefly, the longest conversation the one earlier, when the night had been full of promises and now, she was going to have to admit her defeat.

For a while she'd contemplated just running off once Cook opened the door of the car for her, to run away from it all, from all the shame, all the embarrassment, all of Turner's mockery she'd have to endure. Not that she wanted to give up where she was now, but there was nothing she wanted less than to face him now.

She promised herself to be confident, to confess he failure with poise, stand her ground and own her mistakes, but from experience she knew that there was no such thing as keeping her pride in the presence of Turner, not when he'd set his mind to humiliating her. And he now had a reason to more than ever.

He had a reason to send her away, to even get rid of her, because where would he allow her to go with all the knowledge she had? She already wasn't allowed to go anywhere, he certainly wouldn't just let her go back to her normal life with the information she had and the clearer her fate began to form in her head, the weaker her legs got, the more clouded her mind got with fear and she had to focus, forcing herself to focus on what she could do, her survival instinct kicking in. He had surprised her before, unpredictable as he was, but there were certain possibilities that she didn't want to explore in her mind, those that asked for her to be strong now, to act accordingly, to focus her entire essence on making him see that she was not disposable.

But there was no time to construct a plan now, she'd have to improvise, she would beg him if she had to, tell him just how useful she could be. But no matter where her mind wandered, every future prospect terrified her and when Cook opened the door, it was too late, all her hopes of winning some time, of him not being back yet going up in smoke.

She took a few steps forward, jumping when the door fell shut. Turner sat behind his desk, the tie he'd tied a few hours prior intact, his suit impeccable, his hair gelled back meticulously, the familiar pokerface planted on his hard features, that glare that made Jade's blood freeze in her veins.

For the first time since she'd found out who he was, she was scared of him.

She cleared her throat, forcing herself to get the words out, to humiliate herself further than she ever had, in front of the last man she ever wanted to be in this position with. “I...”

And then it dawned on her, the way he looked at her, his hands balled into his fists, the darkness of his eyes, the disappointment tangible.

He already knew.

[fweeble]

Episode 7: The Rich Boy

So if my predictions are on track, everyone will want a friend available to hold their hand this episode, but especially next episode. This is your early warning detection system Fwee working just for you. Pick a calming friend.

*hysterical laughter* THE MUSIC. Shorter, my love, please. I die without oxygen.

Ibe popping out at the last second to take this snapshot is the cutest thing. Weh.

Shorter, no. Are you taking pictures of her. That’s rude. Also, what’s with this bizarrely off-model hands-and-arms action going on, Mappa???

That poor lady.

Please have some pity, Ash. He was in a very emotionally taxing custody battle over his son and now you are all heading to his ex-wife’s. And Jessica is to be feared and respected.

I’m awful and I’m laughing so hard at the fact that Max nearly hurling is what causes the car to careen away from the lady. Good job, Max. Stop Shorter from being skeevy.

*cries* Eiji and Ibe are so cute in this. My heart.

Holy shit, Jessica, your house is gorgeous. I want to live in a house like that. And in the LA area. 

Y’all are heartless. Poor Max. At least offer him a bottle of water. His poor nerves.

*screams* IT’S MICHAAAAAAEL.

My heart. Max’s happy face at seeing his son. Q vQ <3

THIS IS EXACTLY MY FEELINGS.

JESSICA PLEASE. GUNS ARE DANGEROUS AND YOUR SON IS NEAR YOUR TARGET.

Just gonna casually slide these panels in:

Truth in television: most child abductions are by family members (particularly parents if they are separated).

I’d hide behind the car too. Look more worried, Ash.

*cackles at Max’s face*

*even louder cackling*

I love Jessica.

Fair enough.

Max’s adopted kid and his biological kid: side by side.

They tactfully left this conversation out. = u= Poor Michael.

My heart. You’re such a good child, Michael.

ASH. WHY. LOOK AT IBE AND SHORTER’S FACES. 

Have I mentioned how much I love Jessica.

The phone book interruption is marginally better than asking for mustard. @ v@

Oh, Ash. My heart. Why the lighthearted music, this is actually super painful

*clutches chest* This is super rude. Q AQ

Apparently they don’t discuss Abraham with Jessica, huh.

Max, Jessica’s gonna knee you in sensitive bits if you keep that up.

*cries*

Usually I’d be blowing kisses at Mappa, but all I can think about is I want this house, I could have some dogs run free in the front yard.

Shorter, why do you walk like this. You’re gonna kill your back. 

*cries over their protective stances* Sweet children.

*high pitched distressed noises*

I always forget this line. Personally, I never found them very similar. Looks or otherwise.

*screams* STAY HIDDEN ALEXIS, STAY HIDDEEEEN.

They also totally cut out an additional scene in NY with Charlie and Jenkins.

I really love how they don’t bring up Ibe or Eiji, since they both, without a doubt, know that they’re in violation of their visas. Q uQ You’re good people, Charlie, Jenkins.

I LOVE JENKINS SHOWING OFF HIS DETECTIVE SKILLS. Q vQ <3

SHORTER WHY MUST YOU STAND AND WALK LIKE A YANKEE STRAIGHT OUTTA SOME 80′S MANGA. YOU’LL HAVE BACK PROBLEMS BEFORE YOU’RE 30.

*cries* I really do have a type when it comes to favorite characters. Yankees.

Eiji is so impressed. I miss the scene where Ibe and Max are the ones astounded. Good ol’ 80′s.

Criminal geniuses, Max please. Eiji isn’t one.

*cries over how much Ash trusts Shorter* I love these two so much.

GOOD INSTINCT!!!

VERY GOOD OBSERVATION, ASH!!! That’s why you’re the boss.

...of your own gang.

BULLSHIT. I’m clumsy as fuck. I’m like a bull in a china shop. *cries* I will never be called twinkle toes unless it’s an insult.

Bless you, Shorter, for being an inelegant asshole as well. 

Nooooooooooooooo. They cut so much ooooout. But, fair enough. More time for better things later!!!! (Please keep in my two favorite scenes, please!!!)

He had to meet some friends. *emotional*

I LOVE THIS SCENE SO MUCH. Sassy asshole Ash is always my favorite Ash. u vu <3 <3 <3

Eiji is basically Daphne. He finds all the good clues.

Which makes Ash Velma, since he puts those clues to good use. u vu

AWW LOOK AT THESE TWO. They’re gonna develop their own high five. Please give me a scene where Eiji and ash also have their own secret thing. Maybe a handshake that involves hip-checking. Please. 

Look at a certain someone about to spontaneously combust with envy. That’s totally the face of envy and not... outright confusion.

Holy shit, Prof Dawson. Still using XP! 

Nope. It truly isn’t. 

*whispers* Essentially, Nanner Fish is primarily shrooms and LSD.

Prof Dawson, who keeps notes like this. Please revise your notes. At least add commas. And work on formatting. 

*blows kisses at Mappa* Marry me.

This answers my giant question I’ve wondered about for years. Hong Kong, huh. No wonder they spell their last name with Lee. I’ve always wondered why a clan part of the Chinese mafia would use Lee instead of Li.

Hong Kong is one of the few places (besides Taiwan and Macau, I think?) that uses that variation. (ANWAYS, back to the Nanner Fish anime...)

Shorter. Please. Your back. Just take the phone from him, look at it, and return it.

Oh, my heart.

THIS IS NEW AND SO FUCKING RUDE. EXCUSE YOU. *crying* Shorter without his sunglasses. I’m crying. Nadiaaaaa.

*ugly bawling*

FUCK.

*screaming*

*uncontrollable sobbing*

Sonny... Q AQ

Fuck you.

TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF HIM.

(Don’t look at me. I’m fucking. Nooooo.) 

Ooooh, I like this change. Instead of switching between Max-and-Ibe and Max-and-Ash, it just starts with Ash and Max working on the Nanner Fish research together. Nice.

Ooooh, is this a callback to the vivisection password?

*noises* Griff.

*whispers* Papa Max. I don’t care what anyone says. I like to believe that Max guilt-adopted Ash as a son in his heart. He meant to think of Ash as a baby brother, but paternal instincts are strong.

Listen to Max, Ash. Please.

*distressed dying manatee noises*

*loud wounded hippo noises* Just leave me to die.

My heart... *lies drowning in endless sea of salt and tears*

They’re really trying to make him so much more sympathetic in the anime. He was a lot more aggressive and confrontational in the manga. A sample:

*cries* Max...

I tried so hard to get a nice picture, but it was panning so quickly every one of my gyazo shots were blurry. God. How much did this kill Shorter?

CMSKDLFJOIEWJFLDSKF. FUCK YOU.

*HIGH PITCHED SCREAMING* YOU ARE TOO GOOD, TOO PURE AND THE LEE CLAN TOO CORRUPT AND CRUEL. 

SHORTEEEER.

FUCK YOU WITH THE LARGEST BASEBALL BAT WITH THE RUSTIEST LARGE NAILS HAMMERED INTO IT. HOW DARE YOU MAKE IT A RACE THING. ESPECIALLY IN THE 10′S. FUCK YOU.

CMLKSDMFLSDF. YUT-LUNG. FUCK. *cries over the opening* 

MAPPA YOU ARE SO UNBEARABLY RUDE.

Please. Just kill me now.

*cries* I’ve always loved this lovely mood whiplash exchange. I prefer the manga version of it, though. It’s more... slapstick?

Poor Sonny. Q nQ

Why would they put the mark there. That’s not easy to conceal. 

I think they should’ve stuck with the bracelet. Yeah, someone could steal it, but still a lot more subtle than a huge black dragon tatt on Yut-Lung’s neck.

Yup. *sigh* Sadly...

*whispers* And this is why, no matter what people say later on, why I will always hold a grudge against Yut-Lung. Shorter...

Consider this: No. Fuck you.

Oh, my heart. Since Shorter made the comment that Yut-Lung looks like Eiji... I wonder if this is why he makes that comment. Because... Because...

You’re a kid too, Shorter...

*whispers* This is important.

*continues to stage whisper* Also important.

I love the effort Mappa put into all the details. The strangely Chinese-esque artwork hanging on the wall considering this is Alexis Dawson’s house and he’s not connected to the Lee Clan.

Good job, Ibe!!!

Especially since the anime doesn’t bring up your visa status.

m so glad Ibe doesn’t have to fully entertain the notion that he might just have to kidnap Eiji (and how he’ll have to do it). Bless Ash for volunteering earlier.

Poor Ibe. Eiji, you’re gonna make him age 30 years in 3 months.

Also, bonus Max being hot-headed and totally not reading between the lines.

*cries* That’s not true, Eiji! You helped solve the computer’s password! ...In the manga...

YEAH. AND THAT. I totally didn’t forget. *sweats*

*strangled noises* Ash...

What about Shorter. Q AQ

Excuse me as I curl in the fetal position, crying about letters and mountains and leopards and how everything about this is so much more painful in hindsight. 

Eiji... I just... *aggressive hands* All these feelings and nothing I can do about anything.

On one hand: I like the art direction taken.

On the other: Why you gotta be like this, Yut-Lung?

*whispers* They left this out. Truly toning down Ash’s tsuntsun nature.

Every time I read these panels, all I can think of is Shorter internally screaming for Ibe and Eiji to get away. To fly to Japan and never come back. 

If y’all have your friends on hand like I suggested... lucky you.

@freykugel​...

Because I’m in pain...

I love how Max has a higher EQ* than he does in the manga. He truly misses a lot of emotional cues that he doesn’t in the anime.

I miss Max rubbing it in, though. Manga Ash was a lot more emotional and hot-headed. Until...

...

*really fucking loud crying about epilogues*

I really appreciate how much emphasis is put on Max’s guilty conscious in the anime. My heart. 

Cmkalsfsadfljkasfd. NO. Yut-Lung. Just. No. NOPE.

I’m sad they cut out my son’s snark, though.

Rebel! Rebel in every tiny way possible, Shorter! No matter what happens, what anyone says, I know you tried. And I’m so proud of you.

There’s a very valid reason why...

Cmkalsdmflasfd. I just want to see his eyes. I want to see Shorter’s face after he’s been order to commit another betrayal.

God dammit, why do you have to live a billion miles away. I seriously need someone who knows what’s about to happen to be close enough to hold my damn hand already. *weeps*

FUCK YOOOOOOOU.

CMSDKLFMLSDF. FUCK YOU SO MUCH, YUT-LUUUUUUNG.

HOLDING NADIA HOSTAGE.

Oh god. Seeing Shorter’s eyes doesn’t make this better. Cmklsamfdlsafd.

Ohmg, yes!!! They kept this bit in!!!

(How dare Mappa add this expression. How dare they try to make me sympathize with Yut-Lung any more than the manga already tries. How dare.)

This is so much worse than I ever thought it could be.

Shorter.

WHY DO YOU LOOK SURPRISED. WHY.

*strangled sobbing* I wonder if this is a reason why... Yut-Lung obsesses so much... about... 

*intense feelings about Yut-Lung and his feelings towards himself and his family*

Why add this totally unneccessary scene about Yut-Lung noticing Shorter’s tears, Mappa you bastard. *cries*

The same scene in the manga because I’m emotional and I’m totally not biased for Shorter and hoping people don’t start dumping my boy in the trash... Honestly...

(I live in constant fear...)

THIS IS SO CRUEL. 

I’m so torn between: EEE! Michael with his surprise present (that didn’t show up in the manga! Since there wasn’t an excuse of “It’s Michael’s birthday”). Cutest child to ever cute.

But also: Fuuuuuuuck. I was secretly hoping they’d get off scott-free since Jessica doesn’t know anything about them heading to check out Dawson’s house. Whyyyyyyy.

Why you gotta be so observant, Jessica. Q vQ

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Nonono. No. NOOOOO. 

I said NO.

SOMEONE SAVE THEM.

Lay me to rest. Play If I Die Young at the funeral and send me off like like Going Merry. I’m done.

I’m not quite sure how they’re handling the pacing, especially since it seems like my projections are a little off. Still so worried how they’re gonna fit 19 volumes in 24 episodes... especially since it looks like The Episode I Fear the Most won’t be happening next episode like I originally estimated but episode 9 instead...

*Emotional Quotient: google it if you’re curious

<<Episode 6                                     Masterlist                                    Episode 8>>

[aroihkin]

The saga of Sapphire’s fucking idiot light.

[8:37 AM] Aroihkin: I have to at least bitterly enjoy the irony, that Sapphire only failed smog due to the check engine light being out -- it passed everything the light would come on for [8:38 AM] Aroihkin: I've wrestles it onto functionality but a damn light lmao [9:05 AM] Aroihkin: they're taking a while to find the reason damn(edited) [9:18 AM] Aroihkin: hhhh [9:19 AM] Aroihkin: lays on the floor I'm trapped at a mechanic shop while they figure out my dumb check engine light [9:20 AM] Aroihkin: which makes me think it isn't something I could have tackled in the weekend bc it's been about an hour :< [9:34 AM] Aroihkin: Weh it's the fucking instrument module [9:34 AM] Aroihkin: the bulb isn't serviceable the whole thing has to swap out :I [9:35 AM] Aroihkin: fuckin modern cars and their over abundance of electronics lmao [9:35 AM] Aroihkin: dude: the funny thing is this car is pretty basic that way [9:35 AM] Aroihkin: me: not as basic as my festiva [9:36 AM] Aroihkin: dude: yeahhhhh [9:36 AM] Aroihkin: lmao [9:37 AM] Aroihkin: non serviceable parts drive me nuts(edited) [9:38 AM] Aroihkin: I saw the module too it's sealed af [3:54 PM] Aroihkin: hh [3:56 PM] Aroihkin: this fucking light that I don't even need because I pay attention to my car, has already cost me 175 dollars and it ain't done yet [3:57 PM] Aroihkin: but it has to be able to light up, by law [3:57 PM] Aroihkin: so since I'm registering and transferring it [3:57 PM] Aroihkin: it has to pass this idiot check [3:58 PM] Aroihkin: or it won't be road legal mid April :'] [3:59 PM] Aroihkin: it's kinda infuriating considering how well I maintain my shit [3:59 PM] Aroihkin: they won't give me CA plates without the ffff-light [4:01 PM] Aroihkin: I feel like a car that has OBD2 which is all of them newer than I believe 1996, shouldn't legally require the check engine light in order to pass smog [4:01 PM] Aroihkin: bc you can get a $20 scanner plug it into the OBD2 port and your car will dump info on your head lmao [4:02 PM] Aroihkin: I mean I understand why it's a law, I really do [4:02 PM] Aroihkin: I'm just :'))))))) save me [4:04 PM] Aroihkin: most of my frustration is like... thanks daewoo for making parts that aren't serviceable and have to be replaced completely because one tiny bulb blew out I appreciate your choices as a manufacturer [4:05 PM] Aroihkin: it's like if every time a headlight bulb went out we had to get a whole new headlight, and can't even get it used because this part has to be assigned to my VIN by the manufacturer [4:05 PM] Aroihkin: what a fuckin scheme [4:06 PM] Aroihkin: they soldered the bulb straight into the PCB and then sealed the unit and VIN stamped it like why [4:07 PM] Aroihkin: we know why, it's $$$$ [4:07 PM] Aroihkin: but fuck [4:08 PM] Aroihkin: this is why no modern car will replace Jack for me, the serviceability is on point [4:10 PM] Aroihkin: Jack is a resurrected a/c, new brakes/suspension swap, new lights, and an installed power steering motor away from doing everything just as good as Saph which is 13 years younger [4:10 PM] Aroihkin: which granted is a lot of work [4:10 PM] Aroihkin: but it's all shit I can do myself over time [4:11 PM] Aroihkin: and guess what I can say about all them upgrades once they're on? all of it will be serviceable [4:11 PM] Aroihkin: I'm not even like truly mad just resigned and annoyed [4:12 PM] Aroihkin: Saph is a good little car I just wish its engineers weren't a bunch of fucks(edited) [4:14 PM] Aroihkin: it was a cheap car new, but so was Jack :I they added more features in the economy market but made it harder to maintain [4:15 PM] Aroihkin: which obvs it's for turnaround [4:16 PM] Aroihkin: no one wants people to keep the same car past a decade or two, then they don't get as much money [5:16 PM] Aroihkin: according to my mother a lot of people trade in their cars after like six years and start their loan debt over again [5:17 PM] Aroihkin: like holy hell [5:17 PM] Aroihkin: talk about the endless cycle of debt

I trimmed out the other person since I didn’t ask if they were cool with me posting this but basically this is what’s been up with Sapphire’s registration. The Monday before last, I had the shop order the sealed module, and I’ve gotten up early four different days when it was supposed to be in and ready to be installed, only to find out today after a few calls that oops the place they’re getting the part from had to manufacture it and it should be in tomorrow.

...

All of this for a fucking check engine light I’m screaming. :]

Oh and the module is $105, installing it is $125, and a new smog check for it to pass will be about $60 so this one stupid LED will have cost me a hair over $400 when it’s all said and done. Just for that light that will probably never come on outside of a second when starting the car.

It’s frustrating but at least I have the money to cover it. And it’s not a repair I can do myself because of the very nature of the sealed module. I’m :]. I’d be so much less annoyed if this was like, to fix something functional.

At least everything else passed. I don’t think it would have when I first got it back, but I’ve been wrenching on it a lot.

The photo I posted earlier with the speedo/tacho in my hand was my morning of pulling things apart looking for the fucking module with the idea of going to pick-n-pull in Modesto and yanking the thing out of the 04 aveo they have there and hoping it fits an 05 and that it works. Which is still my plan tomorrow if they don’t actually receive my part! It won’t have my VIN but I doubt anyone will tear into the dash to check it.

And yeah everything went back together fine lmao. I lost a few screws into the dash but they just hold plastic trim so I don’t care right now. This one piece of plastic trim can deal with three screws in it instead of five, I think it’ll survive.

[jolteonjordansh]

So uh I didn't get to liveblog the Nintendo Direct because Nintendo pulled a fast one on us so LET'S GO OVER THIS SHALL WE?

The World Ends with You Switch port! I'm sure fans are screaming to just get a sequel already, but at least this exists and seems to have some additional content? I've never played this game. Dunno if maybe this would be a good time to try. I've always considered maybe the DS version would be better with its dual screen use, and this is based off the iOS version, but... I don't know?

Pokkén Tournament DX DLC! On one hand, I think it's neat because Aegislash and Blastoise seem like awesome playable characters --I totally don't habe Blastoise bias--. On the other hand, this game was called Pokkén Tournament DX. DELUXE. This should be the definitive version, no additional purchases necessary for the full version. So yeah, I'm torn. But I am glad to see Pokkén Tournament has been much more successful this time around.

IT'S FUCKING KIRBY. KIRBY STAR ALLIES. I'm actually super hyped for this game and can't believe it's coming out March 22nd. That's so soon! These Dark Matter trilogy parallels are starting to get to me now, as I literally just finished the Dark Matter trilogy for the first time just a few days ago...

Welp. I guess my Switch is going to become a Warriors game machine. I just finished more or less 100% Fire Emblem Warriors (excluding DLC). I just have to finish the story on Lunatic and do that additional History Mode Map they released with an update, as well as max out character levels. Honestly, I don't really know if I will get this game. I still haven't really played Hyrule Warriors Legends, and I never got that far with Hyrule Warriors, particularly the Adventure Mode... Maybe I should give it another chance? I don't know, but I would really like to see the Definitive Edition actually be definitive with no DLC attached and have even more new characters, but I guess we'll see.

Marrio Tennis Aces! Well, it can't possibly be worse than Power Tennis on Wii U... It actually has a Story Mode, so... Please Camelot? Give us those charming, ridiculous stories from your past sports games? BRING ON THE WAH.

Ys VII. I know nothing about these games (other than that they've had awful localizations), but the monster designs look cool a least!

SUPER LUIGI ODYSSEY. Okay, not quite. I wish he was made a playable option. But at least Mario's brother isn't completely absent from the game! He was just a little late to the party!

SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy... Meh, I'll be honest. Don't care. NEXT.

I GUESS DONKEY KONG ACTUALLY IS IN THIS GAME NOW. Trailer was hilarious. But I felt conflicted the moment I saw it because Ubisoft actually did comment on why Donkey Kong wasn't in the game, so now I feel like maybe they held him out specifically to use him as DLC... I don't want to believe that, but this is Ubisoft we're talking about here.

Payday 2. Don't really care. There's some timed DLC apparently. Woo? I'll be shocked if people actually pissed over this one though. Seems incredibly minor.

Indie games! I've heard about Fe and it looks cute and reminds me of Ori and the Blind Forest (which I still need to play)! But after what happened with Unravel with EA, I'm gonna stay skeptic until release... Celeste kind of reminded me of Cave Story. Don't think I'll buy it though. I'll keep my eye on Fe though.

Speaking of Kongs... FUNKY KONG BOYS! I'll admit, my heart bleeds for dedicated Wii U fans. I mean, I have most of these games and I'm generally okay with the ports since it gives these games that weren't really allowed a chance for great success to have another run. I didn't buy this one on Wii U, and I don't know if I will here, but... Hey! Funky Kong! Plus, for the people who never bought a Wii U, at least they'll finally have a chnace to experience these games they missed!

Dark Souls Remastered. How the rumors were flying until today. Good to see this is happening for people who want it though. I just hope these games will be ported well on Switch. Admittedly, I saw the flickering fire and kept hoping "Fire Emblem"... Dunno if the game will come out this year if they've made no mention of it... WEH.

So this really came out of left field with how they handled it. But for a Direct Mini, I think it was good! Not amazing, but good! I hear a lot of people being upset about ports and it just being a Mini Direct, but with that kind of thing you can only blame yourself for overhyping what was technically unconfirmed. What I think was the most fun was just how they handled all of this and just had fun with a pretty big league. Most other companies just go as planned despite leaks. Nintendo had fun with it, and still delivered some good news to keep me busy on Switch for the first half of the year. I can't wait to see what else might happen this year!