lawbrothers-injuryattorneys

[kyouka-supremacy]

Reasons to watch hit anime Psycho-Pass if you're a Bungou Stray Dogs enthusiast:

Detectives

Very cool discussions on morals

The protagonist is voiced by Lucy's va, and she's fabulous. (No I'm not kidding. one of the best written female characters I've ever seen if I can speak on the matter.)

You know the whole stray dogs symbolism that is everywhere in bsd? Well pp has that with hunting dogs

Characters will be quoting irl authors every two scenes so there's that

Gay people no queerbait!! Like actual gay people™ being gay™!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And in love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know how bsd has this kind of very annoying character who makes his coworkers lives miserable that is kind of fun to watch but you'd hate to meet irl? There's a character like that in pp too and she's a woman so I count it as a win

Complex and elaborate characters!!!! Human characters!!!! Characters that question their beliefs!!!!

A character that kinda looks like Tanizaki and a character that kinda looks like Poe

Also I'm aware there's a venn diagram of people who like bsd and ynm so you'll be delighted to find out the first season manga adaptation is illustrated by the same artist of the ynm manga

Don't watch the third season it's not worth it

[hephaestuscrew]

I'm still thinking about that scene in Victoriocity S3E7 where Fleet runs back towards the Beast so as to lure it into the path of the train...

Clara's exclamation of 'Teamwork, Fleet!' after Fleet says he's got a plan reflects her conviction that any plan that Fleet has will be a shared plan, something they do together.

This conviction is a kind of trust, and that trust is part of the reason Clara takes a moment to realise Fleet has headed back towards the Beast. She trusts that he's following behind her. She keeps talking to him, her words full of optimism.

When she realises Fleet isn't there, she immediately realises what that must mean he's done, and her voice sounds more small and scared than I think we've ever heard it before.

Fleet's attempt at self-sacrifice is a kind of betrayal of Clara's trust, but when he echoes her celebration of their teamwork in a more somber tone, I think it suggests that he understands the weight of that betrayal.

If Fleet's plan is that Clara won't realise he's gone until it's already too late, then he thinks "Teamwork, Clara" will be the last words he'll ever speak to her. In what he imagines will be their final conversation, Fleet affirms Clara's understanding of them as a team who work well together, even as he is making a choice that rejects the possibility of their teamwork in this scenario. It's a recognition of what their dynamic has meant. It's a goodbye and an apology, even if Clara doesn't understand it as such at first.

I don't think Fleet sounds scared as he initially faces down the train. When he shouts "Yeah, this way, you stupid machine! Come on then!", he sounds defiant and grimly determined.

In fact, I don't think he sounds afraid until Clara appears, until she might be at risk of being in the path of the Beast or the train as well. It's when he shouts "Clara, stay back for God's sake!" and "Please, get back!" that there's real fear and desperation in his voice. He can confront the idea of giving his own life, but not the idea that doing so might put Clara in danger.

Another thing about these lines is that the move from 'stay back' to 'get back' suggests that Clara didn't obey his first instruction but got closer to him (and therefore to the path of the Beast and the train) between those two lines.

Then Fleet gives what might be another attempt at his last words: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry."  A repeated apology before an attempted self-sacrifice is an implicit acknowledgement of how much losing him would hurt Clara. He regrets causing her pain.

Even so, he's accepted that he is about to die and that it'd be worth it to destroy the Beast. But Clara very much hasn't accepted either those things. She's still trying to yell over the noise of the train; she's pulling off her ring to throw at him.

I think it's a good illustration of how Clara's optimism is a kind of strength. She always believes that they can "make a new plan" and that it'll be one in which no one has to die. I think Archibald Fleet needs someone like that, someone who'll tell him to drop to the ground when his death advances from both sides, someone who - even in a dark tunnel with an murderous metal monster and a speeding train - won't stop shouting that there's hope.

[thegirlwhowatchedeverything]

The conversation about the death of Sydney's mom in 2x9 is so unhinged. At first we're made to think Carmy's responding the way 99.9% of people would to hearing about someone's dead loved one - "I'm sorry" - but no, before his mind arrives at that automatic human response, his first thought is to apologize for not knowing this deeply personal fact about his girlfriend business partner: I'm sorry...I feel like I should have known that. The writers know what they we doing. Especially in the context of the next part of the conversation. Syd immediately shuts down what she thinks is the token apology she's been on the receiving end of for 20+ years. I honestly don't think she even hears what he says after "I'm sorry". It's only after she shuts him down for what she thinks is the token apology that Carmy actually gives said token apology. For whhyyy did they write I feel like I should have known that. I mean we know why but let's do a quick Claire comparison. After creepily getting Carmy's number from Fak, this exchange happens in 2x3:

Claire: Okay can you just, can you just not make this weird? (the cognitive dissonance of this statement, Claire, babe...) Like I just need a favor. My cousin bailed on me.

Carmy: What, Big Denny?

Claire: No, Mac. Denny's dead.

Carmy: Oh. Damn, Denny.

Claire: Yeah, totally sucks, but I have to move all this shit for my mom who is not dead. She's absolutely thriving...(rest of convo is irrelevant to my point)

There was no narrative need to emphasize the fact that Claire's mom is alive (and thriving!) other than to directly contrast Sydney. You can't even say oh it's a throwback to the dark humor of S1 with the two "I'm not dead, my brother's dead" conversations Carmy has with the health inspector lady (1x2) and Mr. Szorski at Cicero's catering gig (1x4) because those scenes are dark and sad and funny because we know and care about Carmy and Mikey whereas we do not know or care about Big Denny or Claire's mom. Carmy and Mikey are the absolute driving forces of the show, especially in S1 whereas we never see or hear about those two other characters. But, interestingly, Carmy clearly knew Big Denny and didn't even respond with the (as established) token "I'm sorry." Whereas he looks absolutely anguished over Sydney's mom, a woman he's never met and knows absolutely nothing about. But he plays it like he's finding out about the death of his mother in law because he feels like he should have known. And yes, granted in this context dead mom > dead cousin on the emotional scale but still. Carmy's two reactions are so starkly opposite.

It's just so pointed to have Carmy react to the deaths of his girlfriend's and girl-who-is-a friend's relatives, no? We knew the reveal of Sydney's mom was coming because it's narratively relevant, it's such a formative part of Sydney (hence why it hits Carmy like a gut punch). But to unnecessarily bring up Claire's mom for what other reason than contrast with Sydney, right?

Okay, to bring it back to the scene in question - this man is able to pull the biggest smile and laugh from Syd all season by matching her energy and making a deadpan joke about her deceased mom. But it's fine because he doesn't think he's funny (1x8). He doesn't need to bring pleasure or amusement to others (2x10). I can't.

[julienbakerstreet]

Gender, Marriage, and Queer Subtext in My Dearly Beloved Detective

Me? Sapphic-truthing a Soviet Sherlock Holmes adaptation? Yes obviously and you will be too at the end of this.

First of all, I love this movie. It's absurd and silly but I love the way it deals with gender politics. The premise (that the literary character Sherlock Holmes became so popular that an unspecified group decided to form a detective agency at 221B to help everyone who came asking for Sherlock Holmes, and then hired two women to fill the roles because their last names were already Holmes and Watson) requires you to suspend your disbelief (did Shirley Holmes take up violin to be more like her literary counterpart? Why did they insist upon hiring people with the correct last names but not the correct genders? Why do they turn 221B's sitting room into a museum that implies Sherlock Holmes is a real man before introducing clients to Shirley?) but it's so worth watching.

The plot of the movie revolves around sexism. From the opening scene, we see a client doubt Holmes’s skills. "Do you really think I will entrust my case to you? Sorry, Miss, this is not as easy as cooking porridge," he says. To him, a woman's domain is restricted to domestic tasks. In response, Holmes lets loose a string of deductions, including one that a male detective could not have made. "Only a woman can sense a light scent of French perfume in burned coal," she says. One of the reasons I'm very passionate about adapting/reading Holmes as a member of marginalized groups is because people in marginalized communities have knowledge that outsiders aren't necessarily aware of that would be a boon to Holmes's detective work. Elementary had episodes where Sherlock's past as an addict or Joan's experiences as a Chinese woman were crucial to solving the case. Queer interpretations of Holmes often give him insight into a criminalized queer Victorian underworld that aids his work. MDBD shows how Holmes's gender (or, more accurately, the way she is treated because of her gender) hinders her, but it also demonstrates how it can be an advantage in her work. ACD Holmes says that his irregulars are valuable because they can go places and hear things that he never could, and the same is true of women, who were/are often overlooked.

But the main plot of the movie isn't about men underestimating Holmes and Watson. It's about men being intimidated, emasculated, and jealous of them. Scotland Yard is humiliated that a woman is showing them up at every turn and getting the credit in the papers. Early in canon, the police are frequently dismissive and envious of Holmes, and I love how MDBD imagines how the tone of these interactions would change if Holmes was a woman. The police view Holmes's success as a slippery slope to female equality: "If a woman detective can make a joke out of Scotland Yard, anything can happen in England." "This will end with a minister in a skirt," one says- a meta-reference to Margaret Thatcher being England's PM when MDBD came out.

Scotland Yard officials dig into Shirley's past to try and get dirt on her. Before she was a detective, she worked in a law office and had once been a brilliant student. The only black mark on her record that they can find is that she's never been married. "As a professional she's perfect, but as a woman..." a Yarder says, making it clear that to be a professional and a woman are two separate things. This is echoed in the line "She's not a woman, she's a rival." It's clear that the professional respect they have for her can only exist if they desexualize her. "A woman, charming, beautiful, powerful, wealthy. And despite all that, she's unmarried... it's extremely suspicious." Both of the men in this scene are also unmarried, but they only find it inherently suspicious for Shirley.

Later on in the film, the chief inspector tells his assistant that they should comfort Shirley and Jane after they shut down their agency. “Perhaps I should marry her… And you can marry Watson,” he says. He’s envisioning a future in which he publicly humiliates Shirley and then marries her to comfort her. In his mind, marriage- even to the man who schemed to embarrass her in front of the press and end her detective career- is automatically something Shirley would want and be comforted by. It’s beyond the realm of imagination to him that she’s unmarried by choice.

It's unclear how old Shirley is supposed to be, but the actress who played Holmes, Yekaterina Sergeyevna Vasilyeva, was 40 when the movie was released. The characters don't view her as too old to be desirable, they only comment on the fact that she's so incredible and has gone this long without getting married. In fact, a subplot of the movie involves a former client of Shirley's traveling to England from Spain because he's in love with her. Shirley doesn't reciprocate, going so far as to learn Spanish to tell him to leave her alone more effectively. "If there is one man who truly thrills me, it's Sherlock Holmes and no one else," Shirley says. Because Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character in this universe, she's saying that her career as a detective is what drives her. It's refreshing to see a middle-aged woman who the narrative treats as desirable without making it central to her plot or personality. I appreciate how the movie doesn’t soften Shirley’s personality from ACD Holmes’s- she can be just as abrasive, impatient, and cold while maintaining ACD Holmes’s capacity for emotion.

The Scotland Yard officials decide to set up a fake crime, get Shirley to investigate, let her believe that she's solved it, and publically humiliate her by revealing the hoax and saying "That's what happens when women become detectives." This scheme is an admission that they know that Holmes is more skilled than they are and they know they can't beat her fairly. The way they attempt to humiliate her indicates that they do respect her, even as they resent her for it. I've always loved that ACD Holmes critiques how self-interested the police and the justice system can be, and MDBD picks up on that theme. The men at Scotland Yard resent Shirley so much that they're willing to compromise their ability to solve crime and help people just so a woman isn't seen as more competent than they are.

Another detail I love is that throughout the movie, Jane is shown as a full partner to Shirley. Shirley trusts her to make deductions and investigate crime scenes. When Shirley is practicing her marksmanship or her martial arts, so is Jane. Jane is a little younger and implied to be less experienced, but she's not a Watson who's just along for the ride. Their partnership is very important to both of them, and Shirley reacts with distress when her Watson announces her engagement, similar to how Holmes reacts to Watson's engagement in The Sign of the Four. Unlike ACD Holmes, she criticizes Jane's choice, convincing her to call it off.

Shirley and Jane spend a full 10 minutes of the movie in drag. They wear men's evening wear and mustaches, disguising themselves to go undercover in a gentleman's club. While in drag, Shirley flirts with a flower seller outside of the club. Jane, following her lead, quickly flirts with another flower seller. They aren't being observed, and this has no relation to the investigation. Shirley expresses no interest in men throughout the movie, but she uses male dress to flirt with women.

Inside the club, the men sing a song about how "there's no one more stupid than a married man," "no one is smarter than an old bachelor," and "our hearts are closed to girls." These men get to be proud to be bachelors, a stark contrast to how view Shirley's lack of a husband is viewed as a suspicious defect. The men even bemoan how "for years the world was groaning and suffering under women's oppression." Shirley and Jane have been facing sexist treatment the entire movie, yet these men are so convinced that women are the ones oppressing them.

After Holmes and Watson leave the club, Watson cries because she was scared of being found out, and Holmes coldly tells her that she needs to practice acting as a man "so the lowest sailor would take us for his mates." Evidently, they frequently need to present as male for their investigations, because men aren't always willing to be open with two ladies. She tells Watson (the more feminine of the pair) that her skin and hands are too soft and they need to stop using cosmetics. She even encourages Jane to use sandpaper to make her hands rougher. Jane balks at this and Shirley asks if she wants to be a good detective. "Let me be a bad one, but I will remain a woman," Jane says, still wearing a mustache and suit. "I'm a woman and I will stay one!" She chastises Holmes for attempting to control her personal life and derogatorily calls her "Mister Holmes." Shirley's gender non-conformity is part of her, and she can't fathom why Jane doesn't want to live like she does. Jane is comfortable defying gender norms by working as a detective, but Shirley's devotion to her work at the expense of her femininity is too much for Jane to accept. Despite being Holmes's partner, Jane projects the same gendered disapproval that Scotland Yard does. Whatever else Shirley is, she's a failed woman first in their eyes. In anger, Jane calls up her ex-fiance and declares that she will marry him to spite Shirley, even as Shirley tells her to stop. Marriage is, for Jane, a repudiation of her partnership with Shirley and the noncomformist lifestyle they lived together.

Towards the end, Shirley and Jane talk to a woman (going by the alias "Rosita") who is part of the plot by Scotland Yard to embarrass Shirley. The Yard used her incarcerated husband to coerce her. Shirley sees through this and appeals to her "woman to woman.” "Love to your husband is a great feeling, but love to the truth is greater," she says. Rosita asks if Holmes and Watson have ever been married, implying that they cannot understand her reasoning because they're single. It’s that understanding and alteration of priorities that is assumed to come with marriage for a woman that Jane is leaving Shirley for.

The plot's resolution was a little disappointing. Shirley's Spanish suitor holds the chief inspector hostage until he agrees to... have all of Scotland Yard perform an elaborate and choreographed apology song to Shirley? It's weird. She's unimpressed and looks uncomfortable with the whole display. For all the ways this movie highlights Holmes's intelligence and capability, it's odd that the resolution to the police wanting to embarrass Holmes for being a competent woman is the man who harassed Holmes the entire movie and ignored her when she told him to leave her alone forcing the men of Scotland Yard to play nice with Shirley and Jane. I would have preferred to watch Holmes and Watson teach them a lesson on their own terms, which would have thematically been more in line with the rest of the movie.

Later, the chief tells Shirley he's ashamed of how he behaved and wants to end the rivalry and be friends, but even this apology is halfhearted. There never was a rivalry between them- he was just resentful of her success, even though it helped him.

The movie ends with Jane, freshly married, running into Shirley. She kisses Shirley on the cheek and gives her half of her wedding bouquet before Shirley kisses her (rather deeply and for longer than I'd consider strictly friendly) on the mouth. Shirley twirls in delight before walking off, but Jane runs after her and they say goodbye one more time. Jane goes back to her husband and embraces him before looking back at Shirley. Shirley walks away, caressing the cheek Jane kissed and wiping away her tears, still holding half of her partner's wedding bouquet.

To me, this movie ultimately reads like a bittersweet love story between Shirley and Jane. Jane is a good detective, but she can't bring herself to betray social convention to the degree required to be great. Holmes doesn’t understand why Watson’s femininity and social position as a lady is important to her. ACD Holmes being upset at losing his partner when Watson gets married has been explored so many times through both queer and straight lenses, but marriage for a man and a woman in Victorian England was very different. A married man had much more agency and separate identity than a married woman, and Shirley is very aware of how marriage would affect Jane's freedom to do their work. I like to think that they continue their partnership and eventually get together (possibly when Jane realizes that Shirley was right to advise her against marrying a gambler) because they have a very sweet and domestic relationship.

As always, all my love to @spiritcc for making this and other Russian adaptations accessible to English speakers!

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi! Do you have a post for recs on hidden/secret relationship (dating, marriage, etc etc)?

Hi Nonny!

I actually recently replied to a similar ask that came back around the queue, and I sadly I don't have very many personal recs! I've been asked this enough that I think I'll go through both of my offline lists and make a new updated list because I need content, LOL! So here you are, and if anyone has fics to add, as always, please do!

SECRET RELATIONSHIPS (Sept 2024)

See also:

Lestrade / The Yard Finds Out

Lestrade / The Yard Finds Out Pt 2

BOOKMARKS

A Sofa with a View by nondeducible (G, 1,855 w., 1 Ch. || Domestic Fluff, Schmoop, Secret Relationship) – Lestrade loves football, John and Sherlock love each other.

The Internet Is Not Just For Porn by cyerus (G, 1,911 w., 1 Ch. || Different First Meeting, Humour, Fluff, Crack) – John is Sherlock's internet boyfriend - from CANADA. No one thinks he's real.

This is my friend, John Watson by aaronisgay (T, 3,691 w., 5 Ch. || Established Relationship, Secret Relationship, Yard Finds Out) – Lestrade has known Sherlock for over three years, yet in that time barely learned anything about the man. Then one day, Sherlock walks onto the crime scene with a short army doctor in tow. As time goes on, Lestrade wonders why neither of them ever go on dates...could this mean something? Otherwise where Sherlock is married and the Yard doesn't even notice.

5687 (Approximately) by prettysailorsoldier (T, 6,771 w., 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Alternate Canon, Christmas, Pining, Fluff, Soldier John) – When John's leave request for Christmas is denied, Sherlock is nothing short of devastated, not that he's letting it show. The holiday season now something he's just waiting to end, Sherlock doesn't think anything can possibly make it worse. That is, until he realizes no one in his life believes his army "boyfriend" is even real, but, luckily, everyone is in for a surprise. Part 13 of 25 Days of Johnlock

Performance In a Leading Role by Mad_Lori (E, 156,714 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Hollywood / Actor AU, Secret Relationship, Falling in Love, Slow Burn, Romance, Coming Out, Fluff and Angst, Pining) – Sherlock Holmes is an Oscar winner in the midst of a career slump. John Watson is an Everyman actor trapped in the rom-com ghetto. When they are cast as a gay couple in a new independent drama, will they surprise each other? Will their on-screen romance make its way into the real world? Part 1 of Performance in a Leading Role

MARKED FOR LATER

No place on earth they’d rather be. by gelos (bia_mpinto) (G, 460 w., 1 Ch, || Established Relationship, Fluff, PDA, Secret Relationship) – John’s thumb is caressing Sherlock’s skin and thinking how soft it is and how lucky he is right now. This is the first time they’ve held hands in public, only because they seem to be alone in the street and there’s nobody to see them.

I've Got Him by AnneCumberbatch (NR, 1,182 w., 1 Ch. || Established Relationship, Privacy, Semi-Secret Relationship, Domestic Life, Caring, Sick John, Flu, Annoyed Sherlock, Protective Sherlock, Sleepy John, Forehead Kisses, Papa Lestrade) – He returned to the living room and looked down at John. “You’re going to weigh so much more than I’m prepared for, aren’t you.” Sherlock grimaced slightly as he mapped out the best way to lift his partner. Part 9 of the Sometimes in the Evening series

A Study In Partners by LonelyThursday (T, 3,051 w., 1 Ch. || ASiP Divergence, Humour, Established Relationship, Attempted Murder, Secret Relationship, Tired Greg, Papa Lestrade) – Sherlock and John met years before ASiP, but nobody told the Yard that

Alibis by JohnlockRelapse (M, 6,645 w., 1 Ch. || Established Relationship, Secret Relationship, Implied Mystrade, Secrecy, The Yard, Fluff) – Sherlock is away for the weekend, John indisposed. And Greg would never admit to himself how desperate he was for Sherlock’s help. A series of phone calls to concerned parties, and a frustrated Detective Inspector later, alibis would prove to never be enough.

Illusory Correlation and Confirmation Bias by VanillaBroompolish (T, 10,464 w., 6 Ch. || Alternate Canon || Soldier John, Secret Relationship, Relationship Reveal) –  Looking back, there were a few things that should’ve tipped Greg off long before that night at the pub. A few things Sherlock left fairly obvious, that on reflection, made Greg question how he’d gotten his job in the first place.

The Moaning Detective by Imjohnlocked87 (E, 14,873 w., 5 Ch. || Oral / Anal, Threesome w/ Lestrade, Secret Relationship, Top John, Bottom Sherlock, Multiple Orgasms, PWP, Sex Toys / Dildos / Vibrators, Gang Bang / Group Sex, Dom/Sub Undertones, Dirty Talk, Accidental Voyeurism, Fantasizing) – Theoretically, Sherlock Holmes doesn't like sex, and John Watson is not gay. Theoretically, because when accidentally the Yards listen to what is happening at Baker Street, they found the practical truth is totally different...

Sanctuary by a_different_equation (E, 15,437 w., 7 Ch. || Medieval AU / Canterbury Tales Fusion || Blacksmith Sherlock, Guard John, Secret Relationship, Dom Sherlock, Sub John, Porn With Plot, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Anal, BAMF Female Characters) – England, 1230: John Watson is an ex-soldier who works as the head of the guards in his hometown. Sherlock Holmes, the local blacksmith, is his secret.

The Sweetness Makes the Smoke and Stings Worthwhile by  221b_careful_what_you_wish_for (M, 70,032 w., 31 Ch. || Historical 1920′s Unilock AU || Summer Romance, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, First Kiss/Time, Inexperienced Sherlock, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Drinking, Period-Typical Homophobia, Sexual Tension, Hand/Blow Jobs, Dancing, Secret Relationship, Skinny Dipping, Angst with a Happy Ending, Closet Sex, Hotel Sex, Emotions, Falling in Love, Mutual Pining, Letters/Epistolary, Heartache, Minor Violence, Separations, Reunion Sex, Love Confessions, Victor & Mary in this Fic) – After nearly being expelled from university, Sherlock is banished home to Musgrave Hall for the summer. A friend introduces him to John Watson, a handsome medical student visiting the area. Sherlock and John find themselves drawn to each other, falling into a summer romance that may be as painful as it is sweet. Although they follow different paths, their feelings for each other still haunt them, their love finally coming full circle years later. For those concerned about Mary and Victor, they appear only briefly and as very background characters. My version of Mary is not modeled on the BBC version. She is more of an original character, if anything.

combat fatigue by simplyclockwork (E, 75,714 w., 30 Ch. || Military AU / Different First Meeting || Captain John, BAMF John, Violence, Betrayal, Developing Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Secret Relationship, Whump, Angst, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending) – When Sherlock is deployed to Afghanistan with his brother and the 4/73 Bravo Sierra Bravo patrol unit, he is thrown into a terrifying new world. Developing an unexpected connection with Captain John Watson complicates things, and the two begin to wonder if they can keep each other safe when betrayal lurks in unexpected faces.

This Is Your Song by agirlsname (E, 79,990 w., 19 Ch. || Moulin Rouge Fusion || Prostitute Sherlock, Poet John, Acting, Singing, Dancing, Writing, Poetry, Musical, Song Fic, Heavy Angst, Unreliable Narrator, Sherlock is French, Love at First Sight, UST, First Kiss/Time, Frottage, Coming in Pants, Anal Sex, Switchlock, Clothed Sex, Crossdressing, Secret Relationship, Forbidden Love, Jealousy, Terminal Illnesses, Grief/Mourning, Breakup/Makeup Sex, Past Drug Use, Attempted Rape, Canon-Typical Violence)– When John Watson is invalided home from the army in 1895, he moves to Paris to rediscover his writing and find a new meaning in life. His old friend Stamford invites him into a group of artist friends, and suddenly John finds himself auditioning to write a show for the famous brothel across the street. There, he meets the most beautiful man he’s ever seen - Sherlock, the star of the Moulin Rouge. But Sherlock is already promised to the investor of the show, the rich Duke Moriarty.

Of Ice and Men by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (E, 176,906 w., 20 Ch. || Olympics AU || Paralympics, Prosthesis, Disability, Established Relationship, Threesome - Johnlockstrade, Angst with Happy Ending, Coming Out, Secret Relationship, Asexual Sherlock, Pilot John) – Greg wants Sherlock to win his first Olympic Gold medal. Sherlock wants John to win his first Olympic Gold medal. John wants Greg to come to bed wearing all four of his Olympic Gold medals, and you didn't really think this would be that terribly serious after reading that title, did you? Bundle up, it's a Winter Olympics OT3!

[onlybe-satanonce]

Prowler Vs Miguel O' Hara

I was just thinking about how in ASTV, Miguel doesn't use his webs a lot, and I thought about more how he mainly uses his claws, and how else uses his claws a lot? Prowler! So I made a connection and fell down a rabbit hole of similarities, and now I want to share them with you.

(Btw I'm not sure if this was really the intent for his design but I just wanted to talk about parallels between The Prowler and Miguel. )

705 words

First off and most obvious the claws.

Even though Miguel has organic web shooters, and does use them on occasion, he seems to mainly stick to using claws to fight and get around, especially during the chase scene in the city where he mostly used his claws to propel himself forward. (Even when he was flying through the city he used flying squirrel-like wings to chase, not his webs.)

On top of that they have similar fighting styles when using their claws, using it to push themselves forward and tearing through things around them to get closer to, most often, miles.

On top of that Miles has a very similar response to Miguel chasing him as he did in ISTV when they're all in Aunt May's House. Scrambling and fighting frantically to get away from a much bigger and stronger opponent, and even though in ASTV Miles got a lot more accustomed to being spiderman, he still had trouble escaping Miguel and was very clearly afraid like he was when facing off against Uncle Aaron as the Prowler.

So on top of having claws in common they also use them in similar ways and get similar reactions out of Miles.

Second Is their masks

Although it's a small detail they both have similar eye designs. A small curl near the farthest corner and a straight line in the corner of the eye. I don't have a lot to whole lot to say about this similarity but it's just another way their designs crossover.

(even Miles-42 has the pattern!)

Third their fates and behaviors

Even their behavior as characters in regard to what they're wearing is similar. we see videos of Miguel and his daughter, he's out of the suit and living happily with his family. When we see Uncle Aaron out of the suit, he's happy with Miles, his family.

But when when they get into their suit, they become focused machines, mind drilled into their missions, disregarding much around them and other people. Besides the small snippet of Miguel with his daughter, we never see him in anything else. Not even in his intro, where most other spiders, were shown in outfits besides their suits, which in my opinion, are meant to symbolize how their life without a mask and life with one are different.

But Miguel doesn't take his suit off, even when he has his mask off. After his daughters death, his spiderman life, and civilian life finally caught up with him and he is forced to live in-between them in a horrible limbo.

For Uncle Aaron it's different. His two lives are separated into two, and the only times he takes it off is when his lives converge. When Miles finds out that the Uncle Aaron is Prowler, Miles is destroyed, crushed but he knows. This ultimately leads to Uncle Aaron's death in the end.

When Miles reveals himself to Uncle Aaron at Aunt May's house, it's a last long shot that Miles hopes will convince him to spare Miles. His family. But once Uncle Aaron lets him go, he dies, his two lives converging for a final time. Spelling disaster for a final time.

Tying into the multiverse

I'm not completely sure that the symbolism of the suit and mask and civilian clothes would be so prevalent to their stories, and the stories of other spiders, but it really gets you thinking about the repetition in different universes and how it all blends together.

With Gwen, when she comes face to face with her dad, her civilian life, and spider man identify come together, forcing her to make difficult and life changing decisions. With Pavitr, his love Gayatri, pushed him to rescue the inspector. With Miles's help, Gayatri and her father were both saved, and they all met. Momentarily converging his life between the suit and his civilian life, which ending up potentially ending his universe.

Well, this was a lot and it really just a rant about how good the writing and story is and my interpretation of some of it, so major respect to everyone who worked on these movies. It really is incredible and i'm so pumped to see what they do with these characters in BTSV

[devinox-art]

Kyle from the @sanguinesky-if. Listen, he's my favorite and no I won't take any criticisms. Ramblings under the cut:

Everyone talking about thirsting after the detective, but there's no way this man doesn't have a least one secret admirer (unless that was Kelly and that's why that random jealousy scene exists).

Fun Fact: I did not clock the "You're worried about Kelly" option as the Detective expressing jealousy towards Kelly the first few times I selected it and just thought the Detective was going "Aww, how sweet, he does care". I have since been picking the option right under to try and get this man to relax (a fruitless task since they start arguing immediately afterward 🤣)

(Side note: no hate against that jealousy moment, but you have to be holding some serious ill will against someone if your first thought in that situation is "oh no, is my man crushing on her?" and not "oh no, is she going to lose her job?" But I personally can't imagine my character being jealous either. In fact, Darcy would be highly amused if someone tried vying for Kyle's attention because she knows him all too well.

But if he decides the reciprocate for any reason? Pray for him.)

Kyle, wear you're damn glasses, you coward.

P.S. Sorry about his nose, the guy I was referencing had a really interesting nose and I couldn't resist drawing it 👉👈

More Ramblings

!!Spoilers for the end of Chapter Two if you take K's route!!

While I'm at it: that scene in Kyle's office is actually my favorite to dissect. Like, they're both kind of equally responsible for what happened. The Detective is the one that initiates it, first of all, but it's not entirely unreasonable. At this point of the story, the situation sounds like it will actively interfere with their job, on top of the stress of unsolved murders, and - depending on choices made, on top of grief. A lot people would want answers in this situation, and knowing there's someone who has them would point them in their direction.

But then you walk in and the Inspector is noticeably Stressed the Fuck Out. But you have a job to do and need a resolution to the problem that cropped up.

The Inspector does have the answers. They knew about the situation but either felt like you didn't need to know or couldn't know to avoid possible interference. This information is understandably above the Detective's pay grade. Maybe under different circumstances the Detective would've come to the same conclusion but they are also Stressed the Fuck Out and are feeling entitled to some answers since, from their POV, this is now directly involving them. Tensions rise and the resulting argument ends with the Inspector telling the Detective to quite.

This is, of course, A Dick Move.

But the way this line is delivered – not snapped out of anger or out of inpulse, but with a sort of disconnect that usually comes with a dawning realization, is so interesting to me.

At the end of the day, K didn't mean to say this, but whatever realization they came to, made them actively think, in that moment, that this was the safest resolution, and it slipped out. The Inspector actively doesn't want the Detective in harms way, but the Detective is acting too determined. The frustration both sides are feeling right now!

The Inspector just wants the Detective to act in their own best interests, but can't or won't say why out of this inexplicable fear, and the Detective is literally just trying to do their job but is either being judge as incapable of doing it by their offical Deputy Chief, is having to deal with outside interference who don't seem to respect anything the department is trying to do, and is purposefully being left out in the dark in a way that is preventing them from judging the risks themselves; everyone has taken it apon themselves to do this for them in this reguard! The Detective is literally just being told to stick to these strangers, even though these strangers are apart of the problem the Detective is having, and if they can't follow their orders they shouldn't be involved at all! The Drama ✨️

Additionally:

In Darcy's POV, she takes it upon herself to calm Kyle down, assuring him it's not his job to know EVERYTHING that is going in in the department. Kyle isn't the actual Deputy in Chief for one, and two he's not omnipotent. Then in the ensuing arguement, she snaps out "Because it's your job!"

This particular conversation feels very much like Darcy trying to point out he's taken on too much and is letting his actual duties fall to the wayside (I had a supervisor like this, and boy did I have to solve a lot of problems on my own that I probably shouldn't have). Whether this is a valid arguement to make in this particular context is debatable (again, this topic is probably above the Detective's pay grade, but there is an arguement to made about it directly impacting her), and it's not like either of them is thinking any of this through, I just find it interesting how these replies line up.

[renx01]

Out of Sight - Part 2

General idea: Moriarty is your boss. After he helped you out of a precarious situation when you were still a minor, you started working for him. Now, he has a new job for you. Get close to the Holmes brothers to keep an eye on them for him. Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mycroft Holmes/Reader  & Jim Moriarty/Reader Fandom: BBC Sherlock Word count: 1264

Masterlist

The following morning you woke up early and got the tube to Scotland Yard, where you were introduced to Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade and his team. ‘This is Charlie Moore, they’ve been transferred from our department in Manchester to assist us with the rise in murders that seem to be connected.’ He looks at you and urges you to introduce yourself. ‘Ah yes of course. I’m Charlie, as DI Lestrade just said. I’m originally from Sussex but moved to Manchester for university and work. I look forward to working with all of you here in London.’ You flash them a small smile and stand up a little straighter.

Anderson immediately approaches you, Donnovan following closely behind. ‘Nice to meet you Charlie. I hope you’ll help us solve more of our own cases.’ The woman laughs at the man’s comment. ‘That’s why I’m here, yes.’ You’re already annoyed, there really wasn’t much going on in their heads. It is also clear that their affair is very much still going on. ‘Just a warning, Sherlock Holmes likes to come to our crime scenes and interrupt or take the case for himself. I recommend you stay away from him, he’s a bit of a freak.’ You take a sip of your coffee. ‘I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.’ The urge to make a snarky comment or deduce them on the spot was strong, yet you know you have to be nice, for now. You’re quiet as they start talking to each other and eventually you turn to leave and sit at your desk. Since it’s your first day, most of it is spent making sure all the ICT works, having your work phone and laptop set up and ready for you. About halfway through, you see Sherlock barging into Lestrade’s office. Of course, John follows behind. There’s some hand waving and what looks like a passionate speech from Sherlock about a case. Strategically, you decide it’s time for another cup of coffee. You straighten your shirt but leave your suit jacket draped over your chair. When Sherlock and John leave the office after a good few minutes of the DI and sociopath arguing, the doctor notices you. ‘Hi Charlie, how’s it going?’ Scanning over his form, you notice he’ll be going on a date tonight. ‘I’m well, thanks. How’s the case getting along?’ Sherlock interjects himself and answers before his friend can. ‘It’s going well. From the evidence it is quite easy to dissect that the uncle is the one that killed his nephew. Probably something to do with the inheritance of a relative. He tried to make it look like an accident though.’ You nod. It had been clear to you that that was the case when you first saw the pictures of the crime scene. ‘Quite a boring case for you then, is it not?’ John looks at you confused while Sherlock takes the opportunity to go on a tangent about which cases are interesting and which aren’t. To be fair, it is quite amusing seeing him talk so passionately. ‘Yes quite. These sort of cases are soooooooo normal nowadays, it’s almost expected to be some sort of familial issue when there’s a singular murder that doesn’t seem to be related to anything.’ John looks uncomfortable. ‘I suppose it’s only normal for that to be the case, Sherlock. Looking at the statistics most murders involve a family member or friend, they’re rarely ever random.’ You comment. ‘I know.’ He groans. ‘Well, it was nice talking to you two, I have to get back to work though.’ You see Donnovan and Anderson look at you weirdly from the corner of your eye. ‘I’ll see you two later.’ John offers you an understanding smile while Sherlock just continues talking to the other man without saying goodbye to you. It’s what you had expected, you will have to slowly have him get accustomed to your presence in his life for him to properly acknowledge you, but you know that he has noticed you and finds you somewhat interesting. From your desk, you see John eventually drags Sherlock outside and into a cab. Probably so the detective finally goes and has some food.  Quickly you get back to work.

You decided it’d be best if you stayed for a bit of overtime so you could actually make a start at your job. Due to having to wait for clearance for some things and for all the computer systems to work, you hadn’t been able to do much early in the day. Around half past seven you decide it’s time to leave. Putting on your black trenchcoat, you walk out with your briefcase in hand. As you start walking to the tube station, you see a sleek black car pull up next to you. ‘Charlie Moore.’ The window at the front seat has been opened a little bit. ‘There’s someone that wishes to talk to you, would you please get into the car?’ You nod, turn on your heel and enter the car. While you had predicted for Mycroft to approach you, this was sooner than you had expected. It excites you, but you don’t show it. You’re driven to an empty shipyard, where you’re instructed to get out of the car. A few metres from the car, you see a man holding an umbrella at his side. ‘Good evening sir.’ You greet him as you approach. ‘Good evening.’ He holds out his hand for you to shake it, and you do. His grip is firm, but not too firm. ‘Charlie Moore. But you already knew that of course.’ A faint smile creeps onto his face. ‘Now, how can I help you?’ Your inquiry seems to surprise him a bit as you retract your hand from his. ‘I noticed you moved in below the famed Sherlock Holmes.’ The way the man pronounced famed sounded quite sarcastic. ‘I barely know him, I only moved in yesterday.’ His eyes meet yours. They have a light bluish hue to them. He holds your gaze for longer than you’d predicted. Good, I’ve got his attention. ‘Yet you can still help me.’ He pauses momentarily. ‘See, I’m an interested party,’ everything seems to be going according to plan, ‘that is willing to pay a considerable sum of money on a regular basis in exchange of information.’ Running your hand through your hair, you act as if you’re thinking about it carefully. ‘And why, if I may ask, are you so interested in mister Holmes?’ Your demeanour stays professional and calculated as the conversation continues. He’s already met John and the possibility of him seeing you in or around Baker street is quite significant, so you’re hoping he reveals his own identity. Things will be easier that way. ‘I may be more inclined to help you if I know who I’m dealing with.’ He looks to be thinking, but you know he’s already made up his mind. ‘I’m Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s brother.’ His voice holds some disdain. You arch an eyebrow, clearly he doesn’t tend to deal with emotions. ‘Alright, I’ll keep an eye on him, here’s my card.’ You grab one of the cards Jim had Seb make for you and your new persona. ‘How often do you suppose would be optimal for us to meet?’ He glances at his assistant. ‘I think biweekly will suffice.’ You nod and shake his hand. ‘I shall keep that in mind. Feel free to phone or text me about our next appointment.’  As you walk back to the car you only think one thing:

The game is on.

[dcextra]

ShinRan Archive: Shinichi Kudo

Transcribed w/ machine translation

迷宮なしの高校生探偵 High school detective with no unsolved mystery

工藤新一 CV:山口勝平 Shinichi Kudo CV: Kappei Yamaguchi

負けず嫌いで、己の正義に忠実��難解な謎に心を躍らせ、大人顔負けの鋭い推理を自信たっぷりに披露するーそれが、高校生探偵・工藤新一だ。整った顔立ちで頭脳明晰、サッカーも相当な実力で、ファンも多い。 He hates losing and is loyal to his own sense of justice. Shinichi Kudo is a high school detective who gets excited about difficult mysteries and confidently shows off his incisive deductions that rival those of adults. He has a good-looking face, a clear head, and is also very good at soccer, so he has many fans.

そんな彼が一途に想いを寄せるのは、幼なじみの毛利蘭。ある時、飲まされた薬の作用で体が縮み、正体を隠し”江戸川コナン”として過ごすことに・・・。だが、新一は決して諦めない。工藤新一として、蘭のもとに帰る日まで！ The person he has a crush on is his childhood friend Ran Mouri. One day, his body shrinks due to the effects of the drug he was forced to drink, and he ends up hiding his true identity and living his life as ``Conan Edogawa.'' However, Shinichi never gives up. Until the day he returns to Ran as Shinichi Kudo!

「また難事件があれば、この名探偵、工藤新一にご依頼を！！」 “If you have another difficult case, please ask this great detective, Shinichi Kudo!”

数々の難事件を解決した日本警察の救世主 The savior of the Japanese police who solved many difficult cases

工藤新一は、世界的な推理小説家の父と元女優の母を持つ帝丹高校２年祭。探偵である。観察力と記憶力を活かし、現場や証言の僅かな違和感も見過ごさない。小さな手がかりから柔軟な発想で真実を解明し、証拠を積み上げた隙のない推理ショーで、犯人を追いつめる！その実績から、警察関係者の信頼は厚く、警部クラスにも顔が利く。 Shinichi Kudo is a second year student at Teitan High School whose father is a world-renowned mystery novelist and mother is a former actress. he is a detective. Utilizing his powers of observation and memory, he does not overlook the slightest discomfort in the scene or testimony. Unravel the truth from small clues with flexible thinking, and hunt down the culprit with a solid mystery show that accumulates evidence! Due to his track record, he is highly trusted by police officials and has a good reputation even among police inspectors.

新一が探偵を志したのは、ホームズへの憧れから。幼い頃は”ホームズの弟子”を名乗り、探偵修業していたことも。事件に遭遇すると推理したくてワズワズ・・・。授業もデートも抜け出して、事件現場に駆けつけてしまうのが探偵の性だ! Shinichi wanted to become a detective because of his admiration for Holmes. When he was young, he called himself ``Holmes' apprentice'' and even trained as a detective. Whenever he encounters an incident, he always wants to deduce it... It's the detective's nature to skip classes and dates and rush to the crime scene!

(Top picture) 警視庁捜査一課から捜査協力の依頼を受け、殺人の起きた屋敷に駆けつけた新一。見事な推理で足のケガを装った犯人を逮捕し、その勇姿は新聞にも掲載された。（ONE） Shinichi receives a request from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigative Division for investigation cooperation, and rushes to the mansion where the murder occurred. With his brilliant deductions, he arrested the culprit who had faked a leg injury, and his bravery was even published in the newspaper. (ONE)

(Top left picture) 容疑者の座席でフィルムの切れ端を発見し、指紋を付けないようハンカチで拾う。捜査は丁寧で、現場を荒らすことはない。（１６２話） They found a piece of film in the suspect's seat and picked it up with a handkerchief to avoid getting fingerprints on it. The investigation is thorough and the scene is not disturbed. (162 episodes)

(Middle top left picture) 怪しい黒ずくめの男を、とっさに尾行。探偵としての勘も冴えている。（ONE） Quickly tail the suspicious man dressed in black. He also has good intuition as a detective. (ONE)

(Middle bottom left picture) 取引現場を証拠に残すため、対象から目を離すことなく、手の感覚だけでシャッターを切る。（ONE） In order to leave evidence of the transaction scene, you can release the shutter using just the feel of your hand without taking your eyes off the subject. (ONE)

(Bottom left picture) 手を握っただけで、相手が体操をやっていると指摘し驚かせる。鋭い観察力が導き出した推理だ。（ONE） Just by holding his hand, he surprises him by pointing out that he is doing gymnastics. This is a deduction based on keen observational skills. (ONE)

(Bottom right picture) アリバイとして提出された動画に違和感を指摘。見つけた証拠を一つ一つ突きつけて犯人を追い込み、自供を引き出した。 （７７３話） He pointed out that there was something strange about the video that was submitted as an alibi. He used every piece of evidence he found to corner the criminal and extract a confession. (Episode 773)

ぶれない正義・・・真実を求める覚悟

新一は、推理力だけでなく探偵として強い信念を持っている。推理は勝ち負けではないと考え、どんなに信じがたい真相でも目を背けず、受け止める。推理で人を死に追い込んでは殺人犯と同じ。誰も死なせない・・・。相手が犯罪者であっても信条を貫く。 Unwavering justice...determination to seek the truth

Shinichi not only has great deduction skills, but also has strong beliefs as a detective. He believes that deduction is not about winning or losing, and accepts the truth without turning away, no matter how hard it is to believe. If you cause someone to die by reasoning, you are the same as a murderer. I won't let anyone die... Stick to your beliefs even if your opponent is a criminal.

クール？無愛想？気障なセリフもさらり・・・探偵として語り出した新一は、時に芝居がかった詩的な表現を口にする。聞いている側が思わず赤面するようなセリフも、照れる様子もなく素で言ってのける。一方、機嫌の悪い時は子供っぽい表情も見せる。 cool? Unfriendly? Even the annoying lines are easy... Shinichi, who begins speaking as a detective, sometimes uses poetic expressions with a hint of drama. He can say lines that would make the listener blush, without any embarrassment. On the other hand, when he is in a bad mood, he also shows a childish expression.

(Top picture) 真実はいつも一つ。推理には上も下もないと言う新一に、平次も感服。（４９話、ONE） There is always one truth. Heiji is also impressed by Shinichi who says that there is no upper or lower in deduction. (Episode 49, ONE)

(Second row left picture) 蘭とレストランで食事中、殺人事件が発生。探偵として真相を求める気持ちを抑えきれない新一は、見兼ねた蘭に送り出された。（１９２話） While eating with Ran at a restaurant, a murder occurs. Shinichi, who cannot suppress his desire to seek the truth as a detective, is sent away by Ran who can't help but look for him. (Episode 192)

(Second row right picture) 通り魔を助けた理由をきかれ、理由なんて要るのかとキッパリ。この言葉は蘭の心にも響いた。（２８８話） When asked why he helped the passerby, he flatly replies that he doesn't need a reason. These words also touched Ran's heart. (Episode 288)

(Top right picture) 遺された家族への配慮で、動機を秘匿した。（５２１話） The motive was kept secret out of consideration for the family left behind. (episode 521)

(Third row left picture) 「静かに・・・」演劇のような所作。（１９１話） "Quietly..." A theatrical gesture. (Episode 191)

(Third row right picture) 不機嫌になると、すぐジト目に・・・。（６１７話） When he’s in a bad mood, he looks scornful... (617 episodes)

(Bottom picture) 蘭と訪れた水族館で起きた殺人に、血の匂いで勘づいた新一。真実を追求する探偵の性分を、サメの習性になぞらえて語った・・・。（７７２話、ONE） Shinichi senses a murder that occurred at the aquarium he visited with Ran because of the smell of blood. He compared the nature of a detective who pursues the truth to the habits of a shark... (Episode 772, ONE)

「それが探偵さ・・・」 "That's a detective..."

平成のホームズに死角なし！？名探偵の心得 There are no blind spots in Heisei Holmes! ? Tips of a great detective

推理を支えるのは幅広い知識！推理にひらめきを与えるのは、分野を問わず蓄積された経験と知識！幼い頃からその大切さを知り、多くを学んできた。 A wide range of knowledge supports reasoning! It is the experience and knowledge accumulated in any field that gives inspiration to deductions! I knew the importance of this from an early age and have learned a lot from it.

(Top right, then left to right pictures) 保育園児にしてコナン・ドイルを熟読。謎解きやトリックの知識、推理ショーの秘訣も学んだ。（８５４話） （語学） 「あなたはいつトイレにはいりましたか？」 （化学）化学知識の応用！？薬品を合成し煙幕を生成。煙に隠れて教室から抜け出し捜査に向かった！（OVA ４） （医学）遺体を外から見ただけで死因と凶器を推測。人体の構造や機能に通じている。（１６２話） As a kindergartener, I read Conan Doyle thoroughly. He also learned riddles, tricks, and the secrets of mystery shows. (Episode 854) (Language) “When did you go to the bathroom?” (Chemistry) Application of chemical knowledge! ? Synthesize chemicals and generate a smoke screen. I sneaked out of the classroom under the cover of smoke and headed to investigate! (OVA 4) (Medicine) The cause of death and murder weapon can be estimated just by looking at the body from the outside. Familiar with the structure and functions of the human body. (162 episodes)

軽やかな身のこなしで捜査に臨む！ 探偵に必要なのは頭脳だけにあらず！捜査では、危険な現場に踏み入ったり、凶悪犯に襲われることも・・・。身体能力の鍛錬もぬかりなし！ He approaches the investigation with a light body! A detective needs more than just brains! During the investigation, you may enter dangerous scenes or be attacked by violent criminals. Training of physical ability is also perfect!

探偵に必要な運動神経をつけるために始めたサッカー。中１で早くもレギュラーの座を獲得した。（１０１話）

蘭の蹴りを難なくかわす動体視力と反射神経。急カーブで傾いた車では、蘭と箱乗りしてバランスを取る。（上はONE、右は２８６話）そばにあった地球儀を犯人に向けて蹴り飛ばし、見事命中！逃亡を阻止した。正確さと威力を兼ね備えたキックだ。（ONE） He started playing soccer to develop the athleticism needed to become a detective. He earned a regular spot as early as his first year in junior high school. (Episode 101)

His dynamic vision and reflexes allow him to easily dodge Ran's kicks. When the car tilts due to a sharp curve, Ran and I ride in a box to maintain balance. (Top is ONE, right is episode 286) He kicks a nearby globe at the criminal and hits the target! prevented escape. It's a kick that combines accuracy and power. (ONE)

超高校級特殊技術も習得済み！

車の運転はもちろん、モーターボートや飛行機の操縦まで！”ハワイで親父に教わった”。たびたび口にする通り、優作の指導により得た技術は多い。 Super high school level special techniques have also been learned! Not only can you drive a car, but you can also pilot a motorboat or airplane! ``My father taught me this in Hawaii.'' As I often say, I have learned many techniques from Yusaku's guidance.

（操縦）コナンの姿で、ヘリコプターの操縦をこなした。子供の頃に航空博物館の模擬操縦で身につけた技術。（劇場版 ２） （爆弾処理）配線図を見ただけで爆弾の構造を理解。非常ドアごしに蘭へ指示を出し、爆弾を解除させた。（劇場版 ��） （射撃）射撃もハワイで特訓。射撃の腕には自信あり。少しでも照準を外せば危険が及ぶ緊張の場面でも、迷いなく撃ち込める。（左から２１９話、劇場版 ２） (Piloting) He piloted a helicopter in his Conan form. He learned this skill when he was a child doing mock maneuvers at an aviation museum. (Movie version 2) (Bomb disposal) Understand the structure of a bomb just by looking at the wiring diagram. He gave instructions to Ran through the emergency door to defuse the bomb. (Movie version 1) (Shooting) Special shooting training in Hawaii. I am confident in my shooting skills. Even in tense situations where he could be in danger if he misses his aim even slightly, he can shoot without hesitation. (Episode 219 from left, movie version 2)

（何気ない言動にドギマギ・・・♥）蘭が相手だと冗談にも翻弄されっばなし。ジェットコースターでふいに手を握られてドキッ！（ONE） (I'm confused by his casual words and actions... ♥) When Ran is his partner, he's at the mercy of jokes. I was shocked when my hand was suddenly held on a roller coaster! (ONE)

つかず離れず・・・幼なじみ一筋。 気が強く、意地っ張りで、そのくせ涙もろい・・・。幼なじみの蘭をずっと近く見てきた新一。その想いは一途で、多くのファンレターを��らっても目移りしたことはない。蘭が絡むと日頃は冷静な頭脳も歯車がくるうのか、熱い男に変貌する。組織のことを伝えないのは、蘭の身を案じればこそ。本当のことを言えず蘭を待たせ続けて、もどかしさと悔しさが募るばかり・・・��会えない時間を乗り越え、ついに告白することができた！ Never leaving...a childhood friend. She's strong-willed and stubborn, and yet she's also prone to tears... Shinichi has been watching his childhood friend Ran closely. His desire is single-minded, and even though he receives many fan letters, he has never given up on him. When Ran gets involved, his normally calm mind seems to turn into gears, and he transforms into a passionate man. The reason he doesn't tell her about the organization is because he's worried about Ran's safety. He keeps making Ran wait without telling him the truth, which only increases his frustration and regret... After overcoming the time when we couldn't meet, I was finally able to confess my feelings!

事件を優先させて、またしても蘭を置いて来てしまった新一。待ち続けている蘭の元に戻り、伝えたい言葉があるのだが・・・。思い通りにならない体に、焦りと悔しさが募る。（１９３話） （アイツがまってるのに・・・っ） Shinichi prioritizes the case and leaves Ran behind once again. He returns to Ran, who has been waiting for her, and has something to say to her... I feel a growing sense of impatience and frustration as my body doesn't turn out the way I want it to. (Episode 193) (Even though she's waiting...)

（出会った日から・・・） 初めて合った日、とびきりの笑顔に心を撃ち抜かれた！その日から蘭一筋。（８５４話） 友達への照れから、蘭を名字で呼び、距離を取ろうとしたことも・・・。（４７３話） （ついつい強がって・・・） 監禁被害者の救出を電話で指示。たびたび電話でピンチを助けている。（５１１話） （会えない二人を繋ぐのは電話とメール） （言いたいことも聞きたいこともいっぱい・・・）新一の姿に戻った貴重な機会に、蘭と気持ちを確かめ会いたかったのだが・・・。（５２３話） (From the day we met...) On the first day we met, his amazing smile stole my heart! From that day on, I was devoted to Ran. (Episode 854) Out of embarrassment for her friend, he called Ran by her last name and tried to distance himself from her... (Episode 473) (I just kept getting stronger...) Give instructions over the phone to rescue a confinement victim. She often helps people in a pinch over the phone. (episode 511) (Telephone calls and emails connect two people who cannot meet each other) (There are so many things I want to say and ask...) I wanted to take the precious opportunity to meet Ran and see how she feels after returning to Shinichi's form, but... (Episode 523)

ロンドンで再会するも、余計な感情が入りまくって蘭の心は推理不可能・・・。感情を爆発させ走り出した蘭を捕まえて「好きな女」と伝えられた！（６２１話） 「オメーは厄介な難事件なんだよ！」 Even though they meet again in London, Ran's feelings are filled with so many unnecessary emotions that it is impossible to understand them... When Ran bursts with emotion and runs off, he catches Ran and tells her that he is the woman he likes! (621 episodes) “You are a troublesome and difficult case!”

もう一人の幼なじみ、園子が知る！？ 工藤新一の素顔 新一くんは・・・女にデレデレ！？

探偵としての活躍が新聞や雑誌に取り上げられて、チヤホヤされてる（？）新一君。まさか浮気してないでしょうね？

女性の体に腕を回し、容疑者とキスした姿勢を再現しつつ、囁くような事情聴取。これが蘭に知れたら・・・。（１９２話）

「推理オタク」とバカにする蘭に、ファンレターの束を見せつける新一君。モテモテぶりに顔のニャケが止まらない！？ Another childhood friend, Sonoko, knows! ? Shinichi Kudo's real face Shinichi-kun is crazy about women! ?

Shinichi-kun's activities as a detective have been featured in newspapers and magazines, and he is getting a lot of attention (?). I'm sure you're not cheating on me, are you?

He wraps his arms around the woman and recreates the position of kissing the suspect while interrogating her in whispers. If Ran finds out about this... (Episode 192)

Shinichi shows off a stack of fan letters to Ran, who makes fun of him for being a "mystery geek." I can't stop my face from being so popular! ?

新一君は・・・ムッツリスケベ！？

クールに装い、カッコつけても、中身はただの男子高校生。思春期真っ只中の頭で、何を考えていることやら・・・。園子様はお見通し！ ”ブラジャーを見せてくれ”と、頼む新一君。目的は本当に捜査だけ・・・！？（１６２話）

（ドサクサに紛れて！）

蘭とキスする”フリ”の演技中、無言でやたらと顔を近づける新一君。（１９０話）

（甘い妄想を膨らませて・・・）

アツいカップルの姿を、蘭との甘いラブシーンに変換して脳内再生！（ONE）

新出と蘭の関係でも妄想。（１７１話）

水着を直す蘭のお尻っを激写。新一君に見せたら喜びそうね！（１５３話）

（お宝画像にドキドキ！？）

蘭の胸元をとらえた刺激的な１枚を送ってあげた！（４１１話） Shinichi-kun... you're such a pervert!?

Even if he dresses cool and looks cool, inside he is just a high school boy. What are you thinking in your head in the midst of adolescence? Sonoko-sama is looking forward to it! "Please show me your bra," Shinichi asks. The purpose is really just to investigate...! ? (162 episodes) (Get lost in the crowd!) While pretending to kiss Ran, Shinichi silently brings his face closer to Ran. (190 episodes) (Inflate your sweet delusions...)

Convert the image of a hot couple into a sweet love scene with Ran and replay it in your mind! (ONE)

Even the relationship between Shinde and Ran is delusional. (Episode 171)

A close-up shot of Ran's butt as she fixes her swimsuit. I think Shinichi will be happy if I show it to him! (153 episodes)

(Are you excited about the treasure image?)

I sent you an exciting photo of Ran's chest! (Episode 411)

新一君は・・・大の推理バカ！

推理が好きすぎて、周りが見えなくなる傾向アリ。デリカシーのなさに蘭も苦労してるわ。

持ち前の観察眼と分析力を披露する新一君。それが蘭のデート気分を壊していることには気づかず・・・。（７７２話）

ホームズのことを興奮気味に語る新一君に、蘭は置いてけぼりよ！（１話）

機内の殺人現場で勝手に検証を始め、警察はカンカン。（１６２話）

事件に夢中なアイツを”大バカ推理之介”と称した蘭。（２２９話） Shinichi-kun is...a huge deduction idiot!

He loves deduction so much that he tends to lose sight of his surroundings. Ran is also struggling with the lack of delicacy.

Shinichi shows off his observational and analytical skills. He doesn't realize that this is ruining Ran's mood for the date... (Episode 772)

Shinichi talks excitedly about Holmes, so leave Ran alone! (Episode 1)

He started investigating the murder scene on the plane without permission, and the police were furious. (162 episodes)

Ran calls the guy who is obsessed with the case "Big Idiot Mystery". (Episode 229)

[brooklynmuseum]

We began work on January 28, but the highlight of this week was the January 31 visit to the site by Anne Pasternak, the Brooklyn Museum Director, and members of the Museum’s Board of Governors. We were thrilled to be able to show them the site where Brooklyn has worked for the past 40+ years. We hope they enjoyed their visit.

As promised last week, here are the members of our team. Our foreman again this year is Abdel Aziz Farouk Sharid (left). He and our inspector, Haitham Mohamed Sa’ad el-Din are discussing the season’s work. The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) assigns an inspector to every expedition to act as liaison with the SCA and help facilitate the work. We are happy to have Haitham with us this season.

Besides Abdel Aziz, the Qufti who working with us this year are Abdel Aziz’s brother Ayman Farouk Sharid (center), the foreman for the Johns Hopkins University expedition who works with us when Hopkins isn’t in the field; and Mamdouh Kamil, who has worked with us for many seasons. All are from the village of Quft (ancient Coptos), which has a long tradition of archaeology going back to the late 19th century. Ayman and Abdel Aziz are the sons of one of the great Egyptian archaeologists, the late Farouk Sharid Mohamed, who was a beloved friend and treasured colleague. His sons are worthy successors to him.

You are looking northwest at the first court of Temple A, which stands northeast of the Mut Temple. We are working in two areas of the court this year. In 2019 we were able to confirm that that the row of limestone features on the court’s south side were sphinx bases. This season we want to see if there are remains of corresponding bases on the north side (right). We are also clearing the corridor between the south colonnade and the south wall of the court (left).

By the end of the week (February 2) the results in the north square were equivocal. Looking north, you can see an area of decayed limestone on the right side of the square that might be the remains of a sphinx base. On February 1, Mamdouh uncovered the round, dark feature to the left of the “sphinx base” that might be a tree hole. Sphinx avenues often had trees planted between the sculptures.

The work on the corridor was more productive. By the middle of the week Ayman had cleared a mass of broken stone and revealed the lowest course of the court’s south wall (left) and the footing of the temple’s 2nd Pylon. Both sit on a sand foundation that you can see below the blocks of stone. It was common to use sand in the foundations to level out uneven ground.

On February 1 our Dutch colleague, Jacobus (Jaap) van Dijk joined us for another season. First thing on the morning of February 2, Ayman called us over to show us an interesting find: a large relief-decorated block. Jaap immediately got down to have a look.

The block has a beautifully carved relief of Amun that clearly is Thutmoside in style, that is, from the reign of Hatshepsut and/or Thutmosis III, of the mid-15th century BC. What makes it particularly interesting is the small, shallowly carved graffito of a God’s Wife of Amun facing the Amun and dating stylistically to Dynasty 25 or 26, about 700 years after the god’s face was carved. God’s Wives of Amun were priestesses, usually the sisters or daughters of kings, who wielded great political power in the Third Intermediate Period and later.

Just west of the Amun block was smaller cube of stone with a sunk relief depiction of a man’s foot on base lines with the top of a cartouche and the “son of Re” title below. The style of the foot (very long) and the vertical element of the cartouche date it to the reign of Akhenaten. It probably came originally from his temple in East Karnak, built before the king moved the capital to Amarna. The artist paid attention to detail when painting the relief, painting the head of the goose (“son”) blue but its beak and eye red. The Brooklyn Museum has an interesting group of Amarna Period reliefs showing a pastoral scene.

By the end of the week Ayman and his crew had cleared the bases of the first 3 columns of the colonnade, working from west to east. The blocks of the bases are large: 70 cm by 125 cm and almost 100 cm thick.

We are also planning on restoring 2 fallen columns in the colonnaded porches in front of the Mut Temple. The one in the East Porch is shown here as it was found in 1979. Work hasn’t started on these yet; there will be more about the restoration next week.

One of our favorite birds is the tiny, bright bee eater, so called because it catches insects in mid-air. This is the first we’ve seen this season.

An unusual cloud formation seen at sunset one night. Angels? Extraterrestrials?

Posted by Richard Fazzini and Mary McKercher

[power-chords]

The usual way of writing this sentence would be “I sat down by Grand Central Station and wept” or “I sat down and wept by Grand Central Station.” But, for reasons of focus and poetry, the place has been displaced. The English language branches to the right: in the basic structure, the complements come after the head of a phrase. And “by Grand Central Station” is a prepositional phrase modifying “sat” (and probably “wept” too). But it has been moved left – raised, as linguists say. The location is now in exile from its natural spot, having been driven there by desire.

The desire, in this case, is to produce an effect. The effect is the Psalm citation, yes, but also to give it a bit of a poetic air (we do raise such phrases, as in “In my house we take off our shoes,” or – page 109 – “By the Pacific I wander like Dido,” but the longer the modifying phrase the more ostentatious the raising) – and to change the information structure.

It’s normal in English sentences to start with information that is established, or at least of lesser emphasis, and then follow with the information that is new or more important. Consider: “I saw it on Mulberry Street.” “On Mulberry Street I saw it.” Do you see it? So when she starts part 10 with “By Grand Central Station I sat down and wept,” it’s like in a movie where we start with the establishing shot – we learn first that she is in New York City, and in specific at the place where all the people come and go (it was the early 1940s; Grand Central really was the number one point of arrival and departure for New York City) – and then we find out that she is not hailing a cab, or buying a hot dog, or doing anything that involves transit and progress; instead, the motion stops and the scene cuts to a close-up as she sits down and weeps.

It is true that the structure of the sentence in the famous English version is just following the source. In Latin, it’s “Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus”; in Hebrew (which I won’t paste in here due to character set issues), it likewise starts with the setting before getting to the action. That’s how the whole Bible starts: “In the beginning, God created” – the Hebrew name for the first book of the Bible, “Bereshith,” means “In the beginning.” We may, grammatically, in the underlying structure, treat the setting as modifying the action, but here, the setting is first, and then we zoom in on the action.

Not everyone does. There are many English translations of the Bible, and while most of them put the place first, the Living Bible says “Weeping, we sat beside the rivers of Babylon thinking of Jerusalem,” and the New Life Version says “We sat down and cried by the rivers of Babylon when we remembered Zion.” But by not moving the modifier, they move the text farther away from its origins.

Elizabeth Smart was far away from her origins when she sat down by Grand Central Station. It was a station for her, and perhaps grand, but it was at a periphery of her life. She balanced her centrifugal peregrinations with a centripetal drawing of allusions, classical and Biblical. In the abortive escape to Arizona, every police question is counterpoised with a quote from the Song of Solomon: “What relation is this man to you? (My beloved is mine and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.) When did intercourse first take place? (The king hath brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love.)” And so, “The inspector put it all down with six carbon copies. What a cad, he said, and the girl’s a religious maniac.” Driving her back to California, her landlord chides her for talking too much; to her protestation “But they brought in the nature of Truth—” he replies as Pilate, “What is truth?”

—James Harbeck

[brighterdaysarebeforeus]

We’re almost there!! Feels like there’s a lot going on in this one, but big chase scenes aren’t really my strong point? This whole rewrite is more adding the a/b/o aspect of things anyway, not so much anything else. (>.<) enjoy!!

Tag list:

@hobiesgender

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Honestly, the mess started with the Inspector.

Miles had not been aware that he was supposed to have let the man die, the man and the kid he was saving, by the way. He’d acted on instinct, to be honest, because Spider-Man was supposed to save everyone. Or, at the very least, do their best to save everyone.

Miguel O’Hara, apparently, did not share the sentiment.

He’d yelled, at Gwen for letting Miles save Inspector Singh, and at Miles for daring to be there in the first place, and though he didn’t really yell at Peter B, he’d spoken sternly enough that Miles could tell he sort of wanted to. In the back of his mind, Miles could hear Hobie’s muttered warning, his very quiet “Don’t sign up for the war til you know what you’re fighting for”; for whatever reason (Miles knew the reason, he did), those words gave him strength to stand up against that idea; when Miguel pushed back with his insistence that these things had to happen, it was those words that made Miles fight harder against Miguel’s ideals.

And then the news.

Miles didn’t know what to do with the fact that Gwen’s dad had to die, that his own dad had to. He didn’t know what to do with the idea that Peter B lost a police captain on his watch, that Hobie lost a police captain (the look he gave Miles was answer enough when he’d turned to him hoping to find an exception to Miguel’s rules; Hobie hadn’t been exactly distraught, but he’d looked unhappy enough and held his arms across his chest tightly enough that Miles had gotten the picture, somehow; he’d wanted, in that moment, to wrap Hobie up in his arms and give him a similar sort of comfort he’d given Pavitr before they’d left his dimension)…

But, Miles thought, did they know that was a thing that was going to happen? Obviously they would have stopped it if they’d had the ability to, Miles was sure of that, but Gwen was well aware, her dad was still alive. She could save him, she could stop her dad from dying in her own universe. Was she really going to just…let him die? Her dad?

Surprisingly enough, Miles did not care for the fact that his dad had to die to protect the universe. Actually, he very much disagreed with the idea that anyone had to die, let alone “a police captain close to Spider-Man”, and was decidedly not going to just sit back and let his dad die just because some random alpha Miles had just met today decided that was what needed to happen.

He tried appealing to Peter B, to Gwen, by reminding them that Spider-Man was supposed to be able to do both, but Peter shut him down with a very somber “not always.” He tried to appeal to Miguel again, but Miguel barely even looked at him while he made his argument. There was a moment where Miles wondered if Miguel was just ignoring him because he was another alpha, one clearly much bigger than Miles, and didn’t see Miles as much of a threat because of it. It didn’t help that Peter B kept calling him “kid”, like Miles was the same thirteen year old who’d just become Spider-Man, and Miles snapped at him before he could stop himself. Hobie’s encouragement, whether Jess appreciated it or not, just added fuel to Miles’s frustration; Miles locked eyes with Hobie when he spoke, looking for support that the other Spider seemed to give willingly. Miles could see, whenever he spun around, how Hobie never crowded him like the other Spiders were, how he kept his back to Miguel but his eyes on him to see what he was planning. His gaze was calculating, but Miles could already tell that Hobie wasn’t planning on stopping whatever he was going to do.

When Peni had appeared, it felt like the final straw for Miles. He’d spent so long trying to find a way to meet with them, knowing they were out there and thinking they were all alone in their respective universes, and then it turned out they weren’t. They weren’t alone, they weren’t coming to see him, they were expecting him to just sit back and let his dad die —

It was simultaneously surprising and yet completely unexpected when Miguel tossed something compact at Miles’s feet, and he was enveloped in a bright red barrier. It looked similar to the one at Mumbatten AlcheMax, somehow, and Miles was slamming his fists against it as if that would somehow break it. Gwen was yelling at Miguel, Peter was trying to mediate, Miguel was loud and stern, and there was so much going on Miles didn’t know where to turn.

Hobie saved him, again; he called out to Miles, who turned to him automatically, and held out his palms in explanation. Miles felt his heart jump in his throat, but followed Hobie’s advice and blew out the barrier. The other Spider laughed, just once, and Miles —

He made his decision, and bolted from the room. There was a chase, and an escape, and then more chasing. Miles almost didn’t know where he was going, just that he needed to keep doing so. He’d barely taken a second to talk to Peter B, almost held Mayday for the first time; it was Peter’s watch going off that made him realize that the Spider Society was using literally every trick in the book to capture him, and suddenly he was done, completely finished. He didn’t want help from his friends, he didn’t want to be a part of this Society, this Spider group that was willing to just let people die without even trying to save them all, who was finding ways to justify it without even looking into other ways.

He could do both, he could save his father and keep the universe from unraveling around him, and he could do it on his own. Miguel told him he was a mistake, the original anomaly, that he wouldn’t belong and couldn’t belong, like it was Miles’s fault he got bit, like Miles was the one messing with universes, like Miles had wanted to do anything with this mess he’d gotten himself into. Even worse, when Miles had looked to his friends for support, for help from Gwen and Peter B, he could tell; they knew, they’d known the whole time and worse — they agreed with Miguel.

Miles didn’t even feel anger at that revelation. He’d spent the whole chase running high on fury and adrenaline, and that last bit of information turned him numb. All he’d wanted to do was let off steam, let go of his family’s expectations of him for just a few moments, hang out with his uncle —

“Everyone keeps telling me how my story’s supposed to go.” Miles grit out at Miguel, charging his hands to push the man off of him. Miguel looked genuinely concerned for a moment, as if just realizing now that brushing Miles aside the entirety of their interactions together thus far had been a mistake on Miguel’s part, but Miles wasn’t having it anymore. Lifting his lip in a sneer, he shook his head slightly. “Nah. Ima do my own thing.” The amount of power in his hands, complete with palms down like Hobie taught him, shot Miguel off of him like a rocket. He’d had a second to meet Gwen’s eyes, Peter B’s, challenging and defiant, and then he’d vanished off the train to head back to headquarters.

He had to get back home, and save his dad.

It wasn’t until he got back to the headquarters and started pressing buttons that he remembered her: Margo, the only Spider who didn’t follow him out of the building because she was an avatar and can’t catch him anyway. Miles bit back a curse, deciding that staying invisible as long as he could was the best option at this point, even though the overuse of his powers was starting to wear on him.

He started pressing buttons, using his invisibility to carefully look over what he needed to press to turn the machine on quickly. Margo was confused, he could hear that in her voice as she talked to the little yellow lady (Miles thought she was called…LYLA? LAYLA? He didn’t quite remember right at this very second), see it in the way she moved and multiplied herself to find the cause of the issue, but Miles thought he’d gotten just enough of it working to send him home. He let himself be scanned, threw himself on the platform, and watched as the giant mechanical arachnid descended from the ceiling to send him home. He was almost jittery from nerves, his grasp on his invisibility becoming more tenuous the longer it took to cover him in that bright red barrier again.

He’d almost been covered completely when the rest of the Spider Society appeared in the room.

Miguel let out a roar that was, frankly, terrifying, ordering Margo to stop the machine and physically attacking it when she couldn’t. There was a moment, brief, where Miles could’ve sworn she’d be able to do it; they made eye contact, Margo with her hand hovering just above something and looking terrified at him with wide eyes.

Miles stared back at from under Miguel’s constant attacks, their eyes meeting every time his claws cut the barrier, pleading silently that she wouldn’t press the button, she wouldn’t restart the machine, she would let him go home —

He felt his molecules shift, and sent out a silent prayer of thanks; she let him go, and he was heading home.

[badschmitt24071994]

Vice: Project Doom, known in Japan as Gun-Dec (ガンデック), is an action video game developed by Aicom and published by Sammy Corporation for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was released in Japan on April 26, 1991, and in North America on November 1991. Vice: Project Doom is a side-scrolling platformer with noticeable similarities to the Ninja Gaiden series for the NES, with the addition of gun shooting and driving segments as well. The player assumes the role of a secret agent who must uncover a conspiracy involving a new kind of alien substance. A Sega Mega Drive conversion titled Deep Scanner was in development, but never released.It was released on Nintendo Switch Online in August 2019.

Plot:

The game has a large number of cut-scenes for its time, in which a full-fledged plot in the genres of anime, noir and biopunk is revealed.

In the distant future, the B.E.D.A. Corporation, a company involved in the development of electronic equipment and military weapons, is actually a front operated by a race of alien beings who have been living on the Earth for centuries in secrecy. The aliens have developed a substance named "Gel", which was initially intended to be used as food for their species, but also functions as an addictive substance to humans that results in terrible side-effects and is now being sold as an illegal drug within the underworld. The player takes the role of Detective Hart, a member of the Vice unit who is assigned to investigate the B.E.D.A. Corporation following the disappearance of his partner Reese during a previous case.During his mission, Hart is assisted by his lover and fellow Vice agent Christy, and Sophia, an acquaintance of the two.

Inspector Hart is ordered to stop a maniac on a road. After battling a high-tech, heavily armed truck, Hart discovers a monster, not a man, behind the wheel. His cargo is an unknown substance. Hart asks Christy and Sophia to find out its nature, and they report that the substance (probably a drug) leads to mafia and sorcerer Kim Long (in other translation – Kim Ron). Hart goes to China in search of him, and after breaking through mafia and monsters, he defeats Kim in battle. Christy determines that his clothes had soil particles from city of Ricardo (probably fictitious) in Central America. The information received leads Hart to a secret research base in the jungle, where he fights a certain flying cyborg. Defeating him, Hart recognizes his former friend, Captain Reese, whom he believed to be dead. He repents that he was once considered a war hero, because "there are no heroes in war." He tries to tell that a man with the face of Hart himself is behind the vice project, but at that moment he receives a bullet from an unknown sniper, but manages to say that Chris was kidnapped. The hero pursues the mercenaries on a train, fights the cyborgs in sewers and at the power plant, and finally Sofia says that Chris needs to be looked for in the biolaboratory. There he witnesses experiments on humans and animals and fights with a certain slimy mutant, but after defeating it, he realizes this is Chris, she confesses her love to him and dies in his arms, having managed to report that B.E.D.A. Corporation is behind everything (in Russian "beda" means "trouble", "doom"). Hart also sees his own clones in the flasks. To avenge his girlfriend, Hart breaks through an ambush on the road and enters the corporate headquarters, where director is waiting for him behind the security lines, and he looks like an aged Hart. He explains that he considers all of humanity to be pigs, and himself to be the one who can give them everything they deserve, the hero is a clone of the villain, and the corporation should be controlled by a dynasty of such clones, replacing each other. Hart refuses the offer to take over the board. A fight ensues between them, and Hart defeats the director of the corporation, first as a human, then as a monster. Dying, he says that fate cannot be avoided. Hart leaves, but another clone comes to life in the flask.

[anonymousewrites]

One Hell of a Love (Book 1.5) Chapter Four

Sebastian Michaelis x Demon! Reader

Chapter Four: One Hell of an Arrest

Summary: Ciel is framed for drug trafficking, and the group is arrested.

            “There are also rumors about the appearance of a strange, new drug,” said Randall to Abberline while (Y/N), Sebastian, and Ciel walked up behind them to the scene of a recent murder.

            “At any rate, we will have to identify the victim first,” said Abberline.

            “There is no need for that,” said Ciel, making his entrance dramatically abrupt as usual. “This man’s name was John Stanley. This is his identification.” Sebastian handed Randall and Abberline a folder. “Have a look at this, please.”

            “What are you planning to do?” said Randall as he scanned the papers.

            “Informing the authorities is a civic duty,” said Ciel. “Isn’t that what you always say?”

            “Don’t say something you don’t believe,” said Randall. “What are you up to? Say it clearly.”

            “Well then, I will deign to tell you, Mr. Randall. I want to have a look at this man’s personal belongings,” said Ciel.

            “He didn’t have anything with him, not even something that would help identify him,” said Abberline.

            “Well, I’m happy I could be of some assistance, Inspector Abberline,” said Ciel. “Let’s go, Sebastian, (Y/N).”

            “Yes,” said Sebastian.

            “Yes, sir,” said (Y/N).

            They followed Ciel into the carriage and sat down.

            “Is something the matter?” questioned Sebastian. “Your expression is even more cynical than usual.”

            “Tch. How can I make a pleasant face under such circumstances?” said Ciel.

            “You are too modest. Watching that face of yours is always very pleasant for me,” said Sebastian impishly, and (Y/N) smirked in amusement.

            Ciel decided not to reply to that and continue with his observations. “I am just at something of a loss. The information is too scarce.”

            It was true. Ash, the Queen’s butler, had delivered news of the body having been found at the docks, but the only information they got was that Stanley ran the shipping company, had been working on secret orders of the Queen, and a member of the underworld. Apparently, he had a certain item with him that had to be disposed of, but the culprit of Stanley’s murder was of little importance in comparison.

            (Y/N) had found it strange and suspicious, however, that the Queen and Ash refused to share what the item was. And neither was Ciel supposed to confirm what the item was, just destroy it. A rather strange mission, even after having faced an angel.

            “We must conduct a thorough investigation first,” continued Ciel.

            “On what subject?” said (Y/N).

            “The reason behind Stanley’s murder,” decided Ciel. “Was his death mere mischance, or…”

            “Or connected to his assignment,” finished (Y/N) in understanding.

            “Shall we begin by searching for eyewitnesses to the crime?” said Sebastian.

            “Leave that to the Yard,” said Ciel. “To learn of Romans, one must ask a Roman. A murder scene is his patch, after all.”

            For once, “him” didn’t refer to Undertaker. However, it meant someone just as ridiculous and troublesome—Lau.

l

            (Y/N)’s nose twitched at the heavy scent of opium as they, Sebastian, and Ciel walked towards Lau at the end of his hall.

            “So, you have finally found your way here, Young Earl,” said Lau. “It feels strange to face each other under these circumstances. However, I, for my part, always thought such a day would come.”

            An irk mark appeared on Ciel’s forehead at Lau’s usual vague dramatics since they were always just empty words with no meaning.

            “Hi, welcome, Young Earl!” Lau’s tone became bright and cheery. It’s been a long time!”

            He really could have said that from the beginning, thought (Y/N).

            “Let’s leave the small talk aside,” said Ciel. “Lau, I have something to ask of you.”

            “You are so impatient,” said Lau. “For you, Young Earl, to come all the way down to my den…it must be that.”

            “So, it has already reached your ears,” said Ciel. “I expected nothing less of the president of the Chinese trading company Kunlun’s English branch. Or, rather, from the head of the Shanghai mafia organization Green Gang, Lau.”

            “I really don’t like to be addressed as such, though,” said Lau. “It’s so formal.”

            “This neighborhood has been left under your control,” said Ciel. “You should be best placed to understand the tensions in the area.”

            “Of course I am, abiding by your own orders,” said Lau. “After all, that is the price I play for being allowed to do business in this country’s underworld. However, Young Earl, there is something I would like to know first…What incident are you referring to?”

            (Y/N) sighed. Of course he really had no idea.

            Ciel nearly sank into the floor in frustration. “You!”

            “So he was just back-channeling at his own convenience, again,” said Sebastian.

            “Anyway, how about going upstairs?” offered Lau, standing up with Ran-Mao. “It’s so stuffy down here.”

            “You should back of these dealings quickly. Haven’t I advised you of that before?” said Ciel in irritation.

            “ ‘Long ago, Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly,’ ” began Lau. He paused and smiled over his shoulder. “ ‘Young Earl, there are people in this world for whom reality is too much to bear. I sell dreams to such people.”

            (Y/N) raised an eyebrow before following Lau with Sebastian and Ciel. We truly have some strange contacts in this city.

            Once they were situated in a proper parlor, Lau continued to actually answer Ciel’s questions. “Let’s see…If there were anything in this neighborhood people would kill for, it would be drugs. Someone has started spreading new merchandise lately. To be frank, it’s causing me some trouble.”

            “New merchandise?” asked Ciel.

            “Yes. The city is awash with rumors that is very effective, though cheaper and lighter than opium,” said Lau. “They call it ‘Lady Blanc.’ ”

            “Lady Blanc?” repeated Ciel. “A white lady?”

            (Y/N)’s eyes narrowed, and their eyes met Sebastian’s. Strangely close to Angela Blanc’s name.

            “Is something wrong?” asked Lau.

            “No,” said Ciel.

            “That person who was found in Regent Dock…What was his name again?” said Lau.

            “John Stanley,” said (Y/N) as Sebastian handed over a copy of the ID. “But it’s believed to be a false name.”

            “Never seen his face,” said Lau. “As far as the drug dealers go, I should know most of them. Ran-Mao, what about you?” She shook her head. “There you go.”

            “I am searching for a certain item that the man is supposed to have been carrying,” said Ciel.

            “ ‘A certain item?’ ” repeated Lau curiously.

            “Yes. There’s a good chance Stanley was murdered because of it,” explained Ciel. “For that reason, there is something I want you to do.”

            “What is it, Young Earl?” asked Lau with a smile.

            “I want you to put out a rumor that I have obtained some important item from the man found dead at the docks,” said Ciel.

            “That’s easily done,” said Lau pleasantly. “Would it be too much to ask why?”

            “If such a rumor were planted, then the one who killed Stanley and took his belongings may start doubting the authenticity of the item he stole and come after me,” explained Ciel.

            “I see. You are using yourself as a decoy,” said Lau. “One should expect nothing less from the Queen’s loyal Watch Dog.” He leaned forward suddenly. “Young Earl, I have always wanted to ask you: why are you rendering such devoted service to the Queen? She only makes unreasonable demands.”

            “You wouldn’t understand; you, who have left your home and are drifting in a foreign country like a rootless blade of grass…” said Ciel.

            Lau leaned back again. “So it would seem.”

            Ciel stood. “So, you’ll take care of things?”

            Lau smiled. “Of course, Young Earl.”

            “Then we shall take our leave. Come, Sebastian, (Y/N),” said Ciel, turning away.

l

            Back at the London townhouse, Ciel narrowed his eyes as he contemplated the situation. “A white lady…” he considered as Sebastian and (Y/N) poured tea. “Do you think that woman is involved in this incident?”

            “You currently resemble nothing so much as a lost puppy,” said Sebastian with a smile. It was an evasive answer since both Sebastian and (Y/N) had the same thoughts as the Earl. “I am but a pawn in your hand. Isn’t it slightly ridiculous for a player to ask a pawn’s opinion?”

            As if Sebastian would consider himself a pawn. He’s always truly in control, thought (Y/N) with a smirk.

            “I am still here,” said Ciel. “That means my desire has yet to be fulfilled.”

            “Yes, exactly,” said Sebastian.

            “And I am still performing the role of Guard Dog under Her orders as a descendant of the Phantomhives, just as many of my ancestors did,” said Ciel. “Yes. As always, nothing has changed, but still…”

            A cry from outside drew their attention, and Sebastian opened the office door. Pluto was laying on top of Mey-Rin as Baldroy tried to pull him off and Finny ran around in panicked circles.

            An irk mark appeared on Ciel’s forehead. “Do something about that stupid dog.”

            (Y/N) looked at the demon hound distastefully. Dogs…

            “Pluto, house,” ordered Sebastian. He glared down with pure demonic presence. Pluto whimpered and ran off.

            “What on Earth is the matter with him?” muttered Ciel.

            “Could it be mating season?” suggested Baldroy.

            Holy Hell, please no, thought (Y/N). I don’t need more dogs running around.

            “For some reason, he seemed interested in Mey-Rin’s pocket,” said Sebastian.

            “My pocket?” Mey-Rin dug around in her pocket and withdrew a small sweet wrapped in pink.

            “Aren’t those Funtom Company candies?” said Baldroy.

            Mey-Rin smiled. “Someone gave them to me. They’re awfully popular in London now. I heard they’re sold out everywhere.”

            “But just when we said we had no idea, a kind lady gave them to us, saying ‘Please, try them!’ ” said Finny.

            “That’s really something,” said Baldroy.

            “Even the adults are crazy about them, she said,” said Mey-Rin. “It’s like you become addicted.”

            Addicted, huh? (Y/N) might be a demon with the powers of hell, but they didn’t believe in coincidence.

            “Let’s see…” Baldroy began to unwrap a sweet.

            “Wait!” Tanaka, in his full form, interrupted them. Even Sebastian and (Y/N)’s eyes widened in surprise as Tanaka took the sweet and inspected it. “Master Ciel, these sweets were not produced by our company.”

            “What?” said Ciel.

            “Though the wrapping paper is genuine, the quality control of our company is too strict for such unsightly candy to make its way into the shops,” said Tanaka. He lifted the sweet and licked it. “This is—!” He deflated into his Chibi form.

            “He passed his time limit!” exclaimed Finny.

            (Y/N) picked up the sweet and smelled it. “It’s a drug. Morphine created from opium, probably from refining it even further.”

            “It is most likely the new merchandise to which Mr. Lau referred,” said Sebastian.

            “Lady Blanc,” said Ciel grimly. “Get the carriage ready. We’re going back into London.”

l

            (Y/N) sat beside Sebastian as he directed the carriage towards the Funtom candy factory. They needed to discover who was putting drugs into Funtom products. It felt like this case and Angela were connected.

            All of a sudden, Abberline jumped out into the street, and Sebastian reacted with demonic precision to slow the carriage.

            “You really are reckless,” said Sebastian. “If it were not me, you would have died.”

            “I only acted this way because it was you, Sebastian,” said Abberline seriously. A group of constables emerged from the shadows. (Y/N) narrowed their eyes, and their nose twitched.

            “What’s wrong, Sebastian?” asked Ciel, opening the carriage door to figure out what was happening.

            “Earl Ciel Phantomhive!” declared Abberline. “I am detaining you on suspicion of violating the Medicines Act.

            “Young Master,” warned Sebastian, but he jumped down and properly opened the door for him. (Y/N) leapt down beside him, eying the constables warily.

            “Oh, you would like to detain me, the Earl Phantomhive?” Ciel raised an eyebrow as he stepped out. “You, a mere police officer, without a noble title?”

            “Yes, Ciel,” said Abberline. “You are suspected for being in league with a Chinese man by the name of Lau, selling a new drug.”

            “With Lau? Don’t make me laugh,” said Ciel. “He is but a pawn in my hand.”

            That sounds suspicious if you frame it like that, thought (Y/N) with a sigh. Humans.

            “Besides, the fact that he was running an opium den was known and tolerated by Randall,” said Ciel. “If that is a problem, then you should take him alone. Lau himself was well aware of the risks of dealing with opium.”

            “There is a Funtom Company warehouse in the docklands, correct?” said Abberline.

            The young Earl is getting framed, realized (Y/N), raising an eyebrow.

            “Yes,” said Ciel.

            “Just a short while ago, a large amount of opium was discovered there,” said Abberline.

            Ciel’s eyes widened as he understood the same thing as (Y/N).

            “Given the vast amount,” continued Abberline, “You could hardly talk your way out of this by stating it was for personal use. It was found together with Funtom Company wrapping paper.”

            “What about Lau?” demanded Ciel.

            “He escaped,” said Abberline. “Most of the police officers sent to arrest him were killed or wounded. He as good as confessed to his crimes.”

            “What do you intend to do, Young Master?” said (Y/N). Personally, they wanted to just tear through the constables and leave.

            “Shall I obediently let myself be arrested here, or shall I…” Ciel furrowed his brow. “Sebsatian, this is—!”

            “Shut up, you brat!” Randall stepped into the circle of men. “Abberline, didn’t I tell you to separate him from his servants at once?”

            “Randall, don’t you realize what it means to point a gun at me?” demanded Ciel.

            Randall’s grip on his gun didn’t change. “If you want to resist, you are free to do so. However, it would mean the end of your stained family crest—the end of the Phantomhives.”

            “What?” breathed Ciel in confusion.

            “Just a short while ago, a personal order from Her Majesty was given to me,” said Randall. “In the name of Her Majesty the Queen of England, until the matter is clarified, all of Earl Phantomhive’s responsibilities and privileges are to be suspended. If worst comes to worst and you defy the order, it will be considered high treason, and you will be stripped of your title. As for Lau, the president of Kunlun’s English branch, who is deeply involved in opium smuggling, he will atone for his crimes with his life. Ciel Phantomhive, would you like to confess whatever you know of Lau’s whereabouts or that of Her Majesty’s personal correspondence?”

            “No. I am awfully sorry.” Ciel didn’t appear that sorry.

            Personal correspondence of the Queen was what Stanley possessed, thought (Y/N). How interesting~

            “If I could, I would love to torture you,” said Randall. “Unfortunately, that has been forbidden by Her Majesty. Should I question your servants instead?”

            (Y/N)’s muscles went taut in distaste at the idea of being touched.

            “Sebastian, go with him,” said Ciel grimly.

            “Yes, Young Master,” said Sebastian, obeying his contract’s orders. His eyes slid to (Y/N). They had no loyalty here. They could fight their way out and leave Sebastian and Ciel behind without any chance of figuring out what was really going on.

            (Y/N)’s gaze met his, and their decision was instantaneous. Dammit they were soft for that raven demon. If it would allow Sebastian’s contract to get answers and for him to finally get Ciel’s soul, (Y/N) would go along with this storyline to see the end. They held out their hands and allowed the constables to snap handcuffs onto them.

            Sebastian blinked in surprise. He had thought there was no loyalty. And yet there (Y/N) was, still standing beside him. The feeling within him bloomed from embers to a flame.

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[kunosoura]

Thoughts about what makes a good villain!

Hello <3 sorry this took so long to answer but I'm in the middle of planning and executing a move to a different country.

I think the only real crime a villain can commit is being boring. They can be contemptible, stupid, cartoonish, completely detached from reality, or they can be brilliant, dangerous, sexy, literally correct; they can be all style or all substance; the only real litmus test is whether they're entertaining.

Some of my favorite fictional villains and why I like them:

Currently, I'm reading the Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliot, and Hugh is absolutely one of the most contemptible villains I've ever encountered. The first book was genuinely hard to read because of what a fucking monster he is, and Elliot knows how to draw the most out of it - stretching his comeuppance over 6 books because even though he's fucking despicable, he's also unfailingly polite in most circumstances, and a beautiful man of noble though illegitimate birth and high rank in the clergy, so people have a hard time believing him to be as evil as he is even if they've wronged him before. At the same time, Elliot also does a very good job of making sure you never forget exactly what he is, so even when he returns to the people he's wronged acting contrite, you see through it. The ultimate effect is that even 5 books in, I'm hollering at him to kill himself (usually when driving alone in my car), and I dunno if I've ever been that profoundly affected by a literary antagonist before.

Kuja from Final Fantasy 9. He's spoiled, he's beautiful, he's a babygirl, he's pathetic, he's 24 and should have been at the club. I like how he isn't afraid to spam his most powerful spell whenever he's losing. Honestly whenever you see me rooting hard for a villainous sorceress (or occasional prettyboy sorcerer) it's for similar reasons.

The Obligatory Sasuke mention, which is wild because I think everything that I find compelling about him is something you have to read in direct contradiction to Kishimoto's intentions with the series. In a meta sense, I find it super compelling how he's the sort of villain whose motivations unavoidably invoke the fundamental problems in the setting that the tepid liberalism of its core themes and protagonists cannot address, and how that's subsumed into an emotional arc so he can be the redeemed shonen rival in the end.

Inspector Javert is a favorite because he forces the audience to separate legality from ethics; past that, he's also just a really good examination of the sort of person you'd become if you gutted everything that made you human and replaced it with legalism.

Cersei Lannister from the ASOIAF is a great example of a book letting you into the internality of a villain, showing you they're a complete wreck of a person, and it not doing anything to soften the blow when it comes time for them to ruin things for everyone again.

Death from The Seventh Seal is one of my favorite cinematic depictions of personified death. He isn't gentle or comforting like some depictions - he's underhanded, merciless, and for all his affability, relentlessly pursues Block such that his inevitably end claims the lives of just about everyone he loves, as well. It's nightmarish.

my boy SHEEV. Maybe the purest example of "it's good as long as they're fun". His inclusion in TROS is NONSENSE but I don't mind because I will literally never say no to more palpatine screentime.

Goku Black from Dragon Ball Super is great for the sole purpose that, when he's on the scene, a character you care about will die.

Those are a scattered selection of some of my favorites. I wish I had a more compelling analysis for who was in or out, but it really does boil down to don't bore me and there are a lot of ways for a villain to be compelling. Thank you for the ask ^_^

[mindhowyougo]

and now, for some reason, a coda to... zenana?

The first police on the scene are uniform. They take possession of Thursday's gun and politely suggest he and Morse wait a safe distance from the body of the young woman: somewhere still in plain view but where they were unlikely to interfere with the scene. Thursday thought Morse might protest leaving Violetta, but he goes along without argument, following the direction of the uniform's pointing hand like someone drifting through a dream. He nearly walks into a headstone. He does not react even to Thursday pulling him clear.

Thursday's hand feels emptier after: missing the familiar weight of the gun, perhaps, or the warmth of Morse's elbow, or maybe just purpose.

Next on the scene is a middle-aged inspector in a well-cut coat that can't hide the crooked slouch beneath it. He steps off the police motorboat just moored along the canal, takes a brief glance at Ludo's body newly fetched from the water, and then makes a considerably longer tour of Violetta's beneath the arcade. When he gets to them, he implies with sticky English he might be able to make the gun disappear; Thursday replies in tart Italian he rather expected the gun back. Even rusty, the words are sharp, and the deputy inspector jerks as if pricked.

“As you like,” he sighs, more irritated than embarrassed. In short order they are hauled off and handcuffed.

Morse never says a word.

–

There are many kinds of long nights. Time stretches itself out and sleep doesn't come. Life offers no shortage of reasons for the long dark: fear, boredom. Either way you find yourself waiting for dawn, for an excuse to move and pretend again.

But the nights he always finds hardest to bear are the ones that come after – after whatever it is you would have called the real action. The danger has passed but your guard's not fully down; the world has revealed itself to be other than what it was, and you don't know what will come next. But nothing comes next. Nothing becomes that's it? And before you know it, whatever-it-is becomes just another thing you've survived.

He looks at Morse staring down at his lap as they wait in the police station, and he thinks he sees it all in the hard carve of his mouth, the unnatural stillness of his eyes. He could turn to marble right now and be no less alive.

(Survivor of His Own Mistakes the plaque might read, and one day tourists would come from all over and snap clueless photos; small children would climb over his lap and on his back, tuck their chin over the crown of his head; no one would guess his age or that his hair could look almost reddish in certain light, that his eyes had ever held more heart than some of the flesh and blood around them.)

Thursday speaks to a young man who has the look of a constable about him. Five minutes later a hot mug is delivered into his hands. He takes a cautious sniff and mentally shrugs, for it isn't like there is anything else on hand. Sometimes all one needs is something warm.

“Morse,” he says, and he stands close in front of the man so his feet are in his sightline. He waits for him to look up. Tells himself he'll wait at least thirty seconds before laying a hand on his shoulder. (And a lifetime before tipping his chin like his fingers itch to do.)

He is at only nine seconds when Morse stirrs and glances up.

“Drink this,” he instructs, and shoves the mug into his hands.

Morse passes the mug between his hands, searching for a safe way to hold the scalding ceramic. “What is it?” he asks doubtfully, blinking down into the middling brown contents. Just as well he isn't looking at him and cannot see the relief the sound of his voice brings.

“Best not to question it,” he says; Thursday had asked for tea. “Down the hatch, now.”

Wonder of wonders, Morse obeys: tips his head back and take a healthy belt. When he lowers the mug, his face is set in a faint grimace. Likely unable to muster the sincerity for speech, he merely nods his thanks to Thursday.

Thursday finally sits next to him, and his knees ache faintly from his long vigil.

“How long do you think they'll keep us?” Morse asks quietly. He pinches the mug between his knees and tips his wrist to check his watch.

Two bodies and two foreigners; by all rights, they might never leave. Thursday will have to take his pension from this bench.

“Shouldn't be too long,” he says firmly. “They're contacting Thames Valley to check our identities, and I've called the British consulate here in Venice to keep them apprised of the situation. At the very least, I think they'll feel comfortable releasing us on our recognizance, once they got our statement.”

“That's rather optimistic of you,” says Morse, dubious.

“Well, one of us has to look on the bright side.” And if he was a wincing man, he would've done then. He is spared having to see Morse's reaction by the reappearance of the inspector from the canal, and he stands quickly to draw his attention. Like he might shield Morse from the rest of the world with his body.

–

Their continental counterparts wish to talk to them separately. They want the whole story.

It's nothing he wouldn't demand himself, if he was in their position, but he is in possession of a few important facts. Or maybe just the one – Morse, and how unlikely some of his leaps of logic might seem. Add in the language barrier and he is distinctly leery of letting the other man out of his sight. He's heard things about Italian lockups; the same thing they say about English ones, probably, but with a different syllable stressed on the sneer.

“I should be there,” he tells the chief inspector, a peaceable man who'd introduced himself as Ripamonti. “I'm his superior officer. And I'll need to translate for him.”

Chief Inspector Ripamonti is amused. “Your concern does you credit, Inspector, though I confess it also causes me some confusion – you were the one who shot Mr Talenti, were you not? Yes?” He makes a doubtful sound. “It was your gun, and you have admitted all this already?”

He realizes then that a large part of him still thinks of the situation as being Morse's fault. The law can be bloodyminded sometimes, but thankfully less so than people. It's one of his favorite things about it.

“Morse had nothing to do with it,” he confirmed.

Ripamonti smiles and claps. “Then your Morse shall manage just fine. The interview can be conducted in English. And as this is not a military tribunal, there will be no need for your presence.” His tone is not unkind, and he pauses, thoughtfully looking Thursday up and down, dark eyes lingering over his grey hair, the lines of his face. “You were here during the war, maybe?”

Given the other man's age, there was no way to guess a safe answer. So Thursday sticks with the truth.

“Ah, well,” says Ripamonti, and that's all he says.