#carlotta cs

[cstveamaryllis]

CSV MINICOMIC #1 - "True Red"

[pinkestlemonades]

my random carmen sandiego relationship headcanons

carmen had a crush on xifeng purely for her competence. they hooked up once and are on pretty good terms. if they saw each other again they'd probably hook up again too

sonia had a crazy crush on carmen that she didn't clock whatsoever. it frustrates team red to no end bc it was SO OBVIOUS. they meat again after like 6 years and go in 1 date before carmen realizes she things sonia is still that childish teenager even tho she's grown now. this is very much not a reflection of how she thinks of her past self

carmen and gray have an eternal will they wont they situation. in the end they won't. they don't see each other for like 7 years right before carmen turns 43 and then they bump into each other at some random cafe and finally finally give up on each other

carmen and ivy have a very queer relationship in both meanings. they don't notice this fact at all. ivy knew she had a crush on their first meeting but thought se got over it, which she didn't. player knows this but doesn't want them to get together bc she's scared of what would happen ifthey break up

carmen and julia are very comfortable w each other and go thru phases of feelings but neither act on them. Julia thinks she can never really know carmen and carmen thinks she can't understand how julia lives her life. chief and ivy both think they are stupid about each other. they are right.

chase and carmen both think of each other as friends even if they roll their eyes when they say it. julia thinks her and chase are in a "crush on carmen" club. meanwhile he's just like. omg she's so smart. someone give this girl a Nobel peace prize. and he thinks julias crush on her is also her being in awe

SHADOWSAN IS NOT CARMENS DAD FUCK THAT he's like her father figure sure but he's only at that point in her 20s sooo it's complicated. she thinks of him as her friend and partner in crime who is also coincidentally like 35 years older than her. he thinks of her as his responsibility and himself as her sorta-bodyguard slash second in command who is emotionally invested

on the other hand carmen still thinks of coach brunt as a mother figure deep down. she despises this.

carmen thinks player is like. her best friend. her twin. her equal. he thought he had a crush on her when she was in vile but he just wanted to be friends. he is also very aware of the fact thta shes older than him and thinks of her as an older sister. both of them think they have to protect the other.

hideo thinks shadowsan is carmen's bio dad and in turm thinks he's her uncle. no one has made it clear to him that this is not the case. he keeps giving shadowsan holiday cards to send to carmen. shadowsan thinks it's just hideo being nice. player suspects hideo doesn't know but he thinks it's pretty telling that he believes it. he makes fun of her foe it but carmen is too embarrassed to tell hideo after like 4 years

tigress and paperstar enter an enemies with benifits stage where they're both trying to ruin each other. at some point they try to bring carmen into it to make a threesome except, like everything else, they do it as a competition. carmen thinks it's the funniest things ever. she calls them her two boytoys and keeps egging them on

el topo and le chevre eventually feel guilty about trying to. yknow. hunt down carmen. she falls back into an uneasy friendship with them very much modeled after their relationship in vile academy, but eventually she realizes she can't forget that they tried to sell her out and disappears for like 8 months and comes back like "lets try this again." the boys are both just glad she's willing to give them a proper chance. they become pretty close after that, but not as close as they once were. it's good enough tho.

spinkick and flytrap date for almost two years and then break up. spinkick takes it terrible and gets with carmen as a rebound. conveniently, carmen is tryng to get over another crush season on julia, so she's also using him as a rebound. they spend three months together fully convinced they're boyfriend and girlfriend but really they're in some weird friends with benefits situationship. player is very much exasperated. when they finally break up its in thr most explosive world ending crazy ex way. carmen breaks into his house and wrecks his room. he crashes her car and dumps it in the river. they spend thr next 4 months getting over their respective original exes. the next time they see wach other they try to duke it out right then and there. carmen rocks his shit and he is grudgingly crushing on her again because she beat him up but she was beautiful while doing it. carmen has no idea, because player makes sure they never see each other again.

carmen and her mom are STRUGGLING after thr finale. their reunion is very teary and sweet but after that they struggle to build a relationship that should already be there. part of the reason carmen goes back to being carmen sandiego in the epilogue is because she's looking for an escape from home. carlotta is very upset about carmen going back and it sort of pushes her into the spinkick situationship.

i would love to hear peoples thoughts on this btw!!

[cs-blank-au-official]

CARLOTTA VALDEZ (My depiction of her + Her design for CS-BLANK-AU)

Any thoughts? Share them pls, if you have suggestions on what to change with her design, tell me :>

[frozenwolftemplar]

Flash Fiction Friday 2/14

Soooo many ideas for today's prompt, but in the spirit of the day I decided to go with this. Thanks @flashfictionfridayofficial for the inspo!

Title: Promesa

Fandom: Carmen Sandiego 2019

Rating: G

Word Count: 999 (!!!)

Special note: all opinions on Jane Austen's Persuasion are the characters' own and by no means reflective of mine. 🙃

“Ugh!”

From the thumbnail image on her laptop, Carmen could see Player flopping back in his chair, face twisted in a grimace. She smirked. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Yes it was. It was way too melodramatic.”

Carmen arched a brow at the very melodramatic way Player gave his assessment of the movie they’d just finished. “So this is…?”

“A justified outburst after ninety minutes of suffering through romantic pining. I can’t believe my mom would torture me with this.”

Player’s mother had realized she had failed to acquaint him with one of literature’s great authors before graduating and she was about to turn a young man out into the world with only having made a passing acquaintance with Jane Austen. Horrified at this oversight, she promptly endeavored to remedy it by assigning him a last-minute pre-graduation book report “while she still could.” In deference of the rapidly advancing June deadline, she had permitted him to watch an adaptation in lieu of reading a novel. 'Persuasion' had been the chosen title, and he had promptly recruited Carmen in the literary/cinematic endeavor.

The reviews were…mixed.

“I mean, it’s not like I’m a bad student or anything!” Player continued to not be melodramatic. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“Nada.” Carlotta, seated next to Carmen on the bed, reached over to a bedside table to click on a light. She chuckled. “Pero inflicting literature on unsuspecting estudiantes is a tradition. She could have done much worse.”

“Like?” Player looked like the elegiac tale of love tested and faithfulness rewarded was the height of literary torment.

"Lord of the Flies?" Carmen suggested, suppressing a shudder. Literary classic or not, she had been far too young for it when, desperate for fresh reading material, she snuck it off Professor Maelstrom's bookshelf. It was hard to tell what had haunted her more: the image of a bloody boar's head on a pike, or the harrowing realization that the boys on the island- and by extension her- could harbor the potential for such evil.

"I remember that one." Her mother nodded, reclining against the pillows. "Always felt bad for those ninos."

"Okay, maybe it wasn't as bad as that," Player conceded (he'd read that one during Carmen's layover year and…yeah, it wasn't a favorite). "But it was close. Come on, Red." He shot her a disbelieving look when she see-sawed her head in a not-really-agreeing way. "You're one of the least romantic people I know. You couldn't have been into that!"

True; it was slower than she usually liked her movies, but- "It's fun seeing what kind of stories people were into a few centuries back. And that letter at the end was pretty sweet."

"That was the worst part!" Player protested, sitting straight. "It was so sappy! Who writes like that?"

"Maybe that's what all love letters are like?" Carmen suggested. "Let's hope not."

Something in her mom changed, the relaxed ease that had flopped on the bed with her ninety minutes ago gone. Carmen glanced at her; her head was tipped back to the fan spinning lazily on the ceiling, gaze faraway.

A pang went through Carmen, recognizing the look. Dad.

Player, of course, noticed; when she turned back to the laptop the look of exasperation with his mother's taste in literature was replaced by an understanding smile. "I'm gonna bounce off, Red; mom's gonna be wanting that paper in the morning."

She couldn't resist one last smirk. "Still leaving things to the last minute?"

"Hey." He tossed her look right back. "You get your kicks from being crazy intense, I get mine cutting deadlines close. All the adrenaline, none of the peril."

"Except to your education."

"Ouch."

"Mom?" Carmen asked once the screen went dark not long after. "You okay?"

"Si." Her mom nodded, lamplight catching on the melancholy shining in her eyes. "All this talk of cartas de amor reminded me of something."

Carmen hesitated a moment before asking, carefully. "Can I ask what?"

Her mom smiled beautifully. "Claro que si." Sitting up, she leaned once again to the bedside table and opened a drawer. When she sat back she held out a neatly folded piece of paper towards Carmen. Yellow with age, it sat inconspicuously in her mother's palm, but the minute tears along the creases evincing decades of being read and re-read, coupled with the hallowed air that seemed to shine around it, spoke to its significance.

The anticipatory flutter Carmen used to feel the moments before leaping into a caper tingled through her chest as a sacred air descended on the room. Her mom had told her many stories about her dad, but this one…this one, she just knew, would be different.

"Your father wrote this to me," her mother began. "Not long after I found out I was expecting. I…it was the only time I had my doubts about your father. He seemed excited, pero…I just wasn't sure he'd stay once he realized what being a father really meant. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd repeated one of my mother's mistakes, and that when he left next that would be that.

He must have picked up on my feeling that way, because when I woke up the next morning he'd left a note on my bedside. This note. Aqui."

She held it out to Carmen, and with featherlight fingers she took it. Carefully, she unfolded it, the paper crinkling in quiet reverence. She angled it so the light could find the faded lettering. The message was brief, but there was an earnestness wound along the slanted script, and a felicity that had pranced from the pen that had left no room for doubt.

Lottie-

I am aware a thief's word is worth little, so let me give you mine as a man:

I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and our child.

Promesa.

The night warmed. Player was right; no movie love letter could compare to this.

(A/N: I need to mention they were watching the 1995 Persuasion not the Netflix one. This is a very important detail because the 1995 one is the best adaptation bar-none Netflix didn't do it justice).

[1morefrenchfry]

Where We Left Off

SUMMARY: Valdez was Dexter's name. Carlotta Valdez had once been Carlotta Alterio. Her parents had died eight years ago, but her two brothers lived and shared her name. Between them they had five children, each of whom Carlotta doted upon as if they were her own whenever they came by her part of the city.

This was how Carmen Valdez, having retired the name Sandiego, came to meet Florencia Alterio.

Relationships: Carmen & OC (her cousin), Carmen & Carlotta

Tags: Female Friendship, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mild Angst

Rating: General Audience

Word Count: 2k

Chapter: 1/1

[the-introverted-writer-for-life]

Orphaned Again

Carmen Sandiego fic requested by one @wishlist022 ! Man I am soooo sorry for the long wait, homework decided to pounce on me in its millions recently so I haven't had an awful lot of time. Enjoy, I hope it lives up to your expectations!

CW: gun violence, blood, character death, implied ransom

A cold, frosty night. A lone woman is walking swiftly down the icy street, her thick hood and scarf hiding parts of her face. She carries a basket, clutching it to her tightly.

She continues walking swiftly on the pavement, not wanting to be seen.

Finally, she reaches her destination. A small orphanage on the edge of town, run faithfully by a kind middle-aged lady for the better part of seven years now, the woman reflects, remembering when it had first opened.

Pushing open the gate, she pads softly to the front door, laying the basket down on the doorstep and checking if the contents was safe inside, along with a note of explanation.

“It’s ok, my brave little one,“ she whispers softly to the baby bundled in blankets, nestled inside the basket. She smiles sadly. “I’m sorry it had to be this way, but it’ll be ok. There is no one else.”

The baby’s eyelids flutter, and the woman wonders if she understands as tears form in the elder’s eyes.

“There is no one,” she whispers, her voice shaking. “No one.”

She drops a swift kiss onto the baby’s forehead, before arising and striding off into the night.

--------------

Amelí was not an orphan, but her father had passed and her mother had disappeared, and that was enough for Carlotta to take her into the orphanage she ran. Other than the fact that her mother hadn't really given her any choice.

Staring dreamily out the window, Carlotta let her coffee go cold as she gazed out at the night time city of Buenos Aires. Lost in her train of thought, she pondered over the events of the night she had first met the girl, eleven and a half years ago.

The frost had covered every surface, and the air was sharp as knives. She had heard something outside, and had gone to investigate -

Thump.

Probably just Carmen, sleeping upstairs. Maybe something had fallen off her bed as she moved in her sleep.

Thump. Creeeeeeeeeeeaaaackkk... Squeaaak.

But a door was being opened, and it wasn’t coming from Carmen’s room.

It was coming from the children’s rooms.

Abandoning her drink on the table, Carlotta silently stood up, ears ready to detect the smallest sound. She slowly made her way towards the place the sound had come from, taking care not to tread on that one creaky floorboard before the door to the dormitories. Pausing for a moment to listen, she entered the corridor that housed the bedrooms.

“Mom.”

Turning round, Carlotta saw her daughter prowling behind her.

“You heard the noise?” Carmen asked.

Carlotta nodded in reply.

“Maybe I should go first.”

She moved to let her daughter pass, trusting her judgement. Together they edged slowly forward, till Carmen held her hand up with a gasp. There, a few paces on their right, a door to a bedroom lay open, allowing a view of four occupied beds… and one empty.

Carlotta nodded to Carmen. “Do your thing.”

Carmen cautiously moved into the room, keeping her eyes and ears open in case someone else was here who wasn’t meant to be. Once she had confirmed it was safe, she walked over to the empty bed, inspecting the way the sheets had been ruffled, the duvet had fallen, every detail that might add something to the picture.

Then they heard an unearthly scream which would give Carlotta nightmares for days.

“Help!”

The two women spun round, racing out of the room and down the corridor to where the shout had sounded.

The sight that met their eyes made Carlotta freeze.

Two tall, muscular men were struggling with a girl of around twelve, who was kicking and fighting like a trapped tiger in their grip. One held a huge hand over her mouth, and the other was wrestling with her arms, endeavouring to tie them behind her back.

Amelí!

The door that led outside at the back of the orphanage was open no more than two paces to the right, where more people could indubitably be waiting for them.

Carmen lost no time in rushing towards the men, who were clearly unprepared for her level of expertise in physical combat. But it was clear they too had a few tricks up their sleeve.

It was a fair fight, and Carlotta knew it. Without a second thought, she dashed in to help her daughter, landing a well-aimed punch at one of the men’s noses, causing him to stagger back in shock as tears welled in his eyes.

“Brians! What on earth is taking you so long?” a female voice crackled from the walkie-talkie on his belt.

“Get back up!” hissed the other man into his radio.

Back up? Carmen wasn’t sure she could take many more people of the same level as these two, not without possibly hurting Amelí.

She didn't get her wish. Five more people entered through the open door, but there was a gap in their defence. Carmen bolted through it and out into the night, taking the fight outside. But she needed help.

Her hand flew to her earring, squeezing the stud once. “Player. Send Shadowsan, Zack and Ivy to me now.”

Player didn’t even ask what was up. Perhaps he already knew. “They’re on their way,” he informed her.

“Thanks,” Carmen huffed, as her foot collided with a man’s jaw in a well-practised roundhouse kick. She was beginning to tire.

“You’d do well to stop fighting if you want the kid alive.”

Dodging a final jab at her head, Carmen paused, pupils darting where the voice had come from. Her eyes widened in shock.

Amelí was gagged and with arms bound behind her back, and a woman with jet black hair was pressing a gun to her temple.

“You wouldn't dare.” Carmen’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh yes I would,” the woman replied, her mouth contorting into a silky smile.

“Carm!” Zack’s voice rang out in the silence. Before she could blink, Shadowsan was beside her, and Zack and Ivy had stationed themselves either side of the fight.

“What do you want with her?” Carmen spat, venom tangible in her voice.

“Oh, her mother has more money than the likes of you could ever imagine,” the woman drawled, clearly beside herself. “She knows perfectly well who her daughter is, and -”

“And you're going to force me to pay you as a ransom for her life.” Another voice cut her off.

Everyone looked.

There, another woman stood, this time with long brown hair that streamed down her shoulders. And a gun, aimed precisely at the woman holding Amelí.

Amelí’s eyes widened in shock. As did Carmen's.

“You're her mother?” Carmen managed to ask, recalling what her own mum had told her.

“I am,” stated the woman bluntly, not taking her

eyes off her daughter. “It's Katlin, but call me Kat.”

“Well, Mrs Katlin,” the other lady said, a slow smile spreading across her face. “You have a lot of money to pay, now, don't you?”

Katlin narrowed her eyes, allowing a long moment of silence to stretch between them. It wasn't indecision, no, but it wasn't clear to anyone else what she was planning to do.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for when the final blow would come.

“Never.”

Katlin fired.

Amelí screamed behind the gag, ducking and managing to wrestle out of her captor’s grasp. But not before said captor had fired her own gun back at Katlin.

Shadowsan pounced on Amelí, shearing away her bonds with his knife, and pressed the child close to his side protectively.

Only one bullet missed its target.

The other hit.

And when everyone looked back after having instinctively shied away, they could see only one of the women.

Amelí gasped, wriggling out of Shadowsan’s grasp and hurrying over to her mother. “Mum… “

A sharp intake of breath from Carmen, and she was racing over too. Then Carlotta, and everyone apart from the intruders. They had flown with their mistress.

Tears were falling freely from Amelí’s face, mingling with the blood surrounding her mother’s torso. Carmen could feel salty drops stinging her own eyes too.

“Amelí.” Katlin.

“Yes, Mum? Mother?” The word sounded so foreign, so strange on her tongue, Amelí was almost scared to say it.

“I'm so sorry… it had to be this way,,” Katlin wheezed, the pain clearly intense. “I should have come back earlier, so you might not… only have your mother back… for just a few minutes.’

“It's ok, mum. It's ok. You're here now, even if just for a little while,” Amelí choked out between sniffs.

As if it wasn't clear already, by the dark red liquid slowly dyeing the grass crimson, the end of a bullet glinted in Katlin's torso, barely visible amongst the blood. No hospital could save her, and Amelí knew it.

“Mum… “ Amelí sobbed. “I love you.”

With the last of her strength, Katlin smiled at the company assembled around her. “Carlotta, Carmen… thank you for saving my daughter. And Amelí… “

“Mum?”

“I love you too.”

Her eyes glassed over, and her chest stilled.

“Mum…”

Her hands lay limp.

She was dead.

[sparklingchampagne]

Don't know why, but Shadowsan loosening up to occasionally partake in Team Red's chaos warms my heart!

Getting the groceries! :>

Carlotta: Did you get the groceries?

Carmen: Yeah! I hid the broccoli, Shadowsan hid the corn, Ivy stuffed her bag with spices and Player disabled the alarms

Carlotta, exasperated: You STOLE them???

Carmen: Your instructions weren't specific

Carlotta: Zack? Ivy?

Zack: I mean, 'get' seems more like 'steal'

Carlotta: Shadowsan?? I sent you to supervise!

Shadowsan: I did

Shadowsan: I assure you they were not caught

Carlotta: *dies*

[roadtophantom]

Several World Tour members are bidding farewell after the Singapore stop, including Romani Carlotta alternate, Hope Lavelle.

What a wild, wonderful ride it’s been touring with The Phantom of the Opera through China, India, and Singapore. Covering and performing as Carlotta Giudicelli, reigning Queen of the High Cs, has been the realisation of a dream that was over five years in the making.

Doing so as the first Romani woman to ever step into her heels? That’s history I will forever be honoured to carry.

[jackie-shitposts]

An isometric recreation of Carlotta’s house!

unfortunately i never completely finished it, but i’m proud of what i did do!

[pinkestlemonades]

I'm writing anonymously not out of anger, but because it's emotionally easier for me to communicate with people this way, so I apologize for that.

In my scenario, after the ending, Carmen and Chase actually become a couple within literally a week. Chase just shows up for Carmen in Buenos Aires, and they talk (it's funny that he lies to the Chief again about his diseases for this). Carmen even finally tells him her story. The peaceful atmosphere gives them a chance to get to know each other better and talk without chases, conflicts, or misunderstandings. Moreover, Chase immediately proposes a relationship to Carmen, deciding to be straightforward and not play hinting games.In a way, Chase becomes a kind of "sun" for Carmen, distracting her from the worries and dark thoughts about having been a villain and causing harm to people.

And Chase genuinely tries to atone for his guilt towards her, feeling responsible for VILE kidnapping her (Chase, however comical or ridiculous he might be, is an adult man and a guardian of law and order with experience, and he regrets that he hindered Carmen instead of helping her fight VILE). Carmen essentially saved his soul earlier (by giving back the masks in Venice, letting him believe in himself after all his failures and reprimands from the Chief), and now he's trying to support her soul.Anyway, Chase becomes Carmen's boyfriend faster than Julia would have, because he's used to acting immediately and not playing games with hints. Julia, on the other hand, preferred to wait passively – I don't know, maybe deciding to give Carmen time to recover and talk to her mom. This is kind of a callback to the first episode.

An interesting aspect of Carmen and Chase's relationship. Chase, as an adult man, now gets the opportunity to be dominant and challenge Carmen, which adds a plus to their relationship development. This seems amusing considering how often it was Carmen who challenged Chase and made a fool of him.I also think Carmen quite liked Chase before, because, although blindly, he never gave up in his attempts to arrest her, just as Carmen never gave up in her fight against VILE. They both are used to acting immediately, not waiting. Carmen saw how VILE tortured Chase and how steadfastly he tried to hold on, which adds to her respect for him. He also showed kindness and was worried about Julia. And I think Carmen would be shocked and admiring if she saw the enormous amount of work Chase did in his apartment in Poitiers, literally finding the VILE island alone and marking many places Carmen had visited (damn, he practically fulfilled Carmen's dream that she talked about in the official book about the first episodes!). The investigation board was a symbol of yet another failure for Chase, but Carmen changes that, making the board a symbol of his persistence and intelligence. In any case, Carmen tells Chase to keep the investigation board, not throw it away, and a couple of years later, their daughter plays under that board as the result of this entire investigation (where he was searching for a cunning criminal, but found an incredibly kind and brave girl who became his family).

I also have a headcanon about Chase's parents, and they are literally the reason why he's so arrogant and why he dreamed so much of always getting recognition (interestingly, Chase ran away from them just like Carmen ran from VILE, to follow his own path, which he believes is right and which his parents would never approve of).

A small detail, but Carmen seems to love Chase's smile, and Chase often used his smile to let her know everything was okay when he sensed her worries or anxiety.

I also want to note that Carmen and Chase go through almost identical paths (Carmen believed in VILE, Chase believed in the villain Carmen, and both were mistaken, subsequently trying to atone for their mistakes and their guilt).

Anyway, I would be grateful if you read all these thoughts and ideas of mine.

ooooooooooh there is so much food for thought here I don't think I can properly respond tbh. but. omg. your brain is so beautiful

(and don't worry about the anon thing!! you can dm me if you'd like but I understand if you'd rather not lol)

I think that this could totally be an option!! A lot of this is a thought process I totally wouldn't have been able to think of on my own, so I really love how in depth you went here. I definitely agree that if he gets to her early enough, Carmen would be feeling herself in this new calm environment and reflect that in the way she interacts with him. I think that especially after she's done with VILE, she decides to just live the simple life and hang out with her mom, and for like the first month she's really living her 'danger is finally over' fantasies. Personally, I think that over time she realizes that she's lived like 5 years of her life on the hunt and gets antsy, which would explain why she goes back to Carmen Sandiego in the epilogue, but especially in the beginning, I think she would enjoy some peaceful times, which would make her a lot less guarded. I can imagine her romanticizing it in her head like 'i am a normal person meeting up with an old friend. that has not tried to capture me like a billion times' and that kind of softening her purely because she wants it to be true.

And yeah, our views on julethief are pretty much the same. If they're ever to get together, it would take FOREVER. Meanwhile, I really love the idea of Chase just deciding and then going straight to action. In that way, I'd like to think he beat Julia in the race lmao

Out of curiosity, how willing do you think Carmen would be to share her story? imo some part of her would be pretty hesitant, even when she's a bit more relaxed, because there's only so many people that know how she came to be Carmen Sandiego, and all of them were pretty morally grey to begin with (Player hacked her phone, Shadowsan was in VILE for like over 20 years, Ivy and Zack only met her because they were trying to rob that bagel place). I believe she might think he would actually still vilify her purely because he's a Good Guy that works within the law etc etc, and she grew up a Bad Guy that turned into some sort of morally dubious vigilante.

And I absolutely love the idea of Chase being the blanket that sort of cocoons Carmen from the implications of her stint as a VILE operative. Her entering the honeymoon phase in a relationship would definitely distract her, and I'd like to think that as she copes with her emotions surrounding the situation, a lot of her mental struggles creep their way into their relationship and his steadfastness in continually wanting to be with her would make her a lot more receptive to his affection, if only because he's sticking through what's probably the worst time of her life.

I find your explanation of Chase trying to atone incredibly compelling, especially in my context of Carmen being willing to see their relationship through because he's so eager, because there's the potential for some wires to get crossed. Like maybe they have this big argument some time down the line that goes along the lines of "YOU DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT ME, YOU JUST FEEL GUILTY" "I FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU" or something? just a thought I had. tbh they could also be perfectly normal about it because, at least for Carmen, all her childhood connections with people were a bit fucked up and it could still mess with her head to the point where she's like "yeah he decided to love me because he's guilty. the important part is that he loves me" (not that i'm saying that's what actually happened, that's just what I believe she would think)

I also love the idea of Carmen saving his dignity by giving him back the masks. I think that might actually be a part of what triggered his doubts in Carmen's Bad Guy status; she helped him, even though she's always very exasperated with his antics. Something something it has symbolic meaning to them as a moment? I like the idea of him thinking of it as a solid she's done him and her trauma as a way to repay her kindness.

It never would have occurred to me that Chase would forgo trying to get to Carmen through Julia and just show up at her doorstep like "hiiii can I come in?". I actually like this concept better than the third-friend-in-a-duo thing I'd been going with in my head. He really is the type to do now think later, and I love that for him <3

I wonder if Chase factored Carmen's reunion with her mom at all? I can imagine him not even registering it and meanwhile Carmen appreciating the fact that she has a (physical, sorry Player) person who just Knows what her deal is. Especially since he'd done all the detective work he had, and with her filling in the rest of the gaps rather than explaining the whole thing, as she would to her mom. He has a level of experience with her that Carlotta just doesn't have, so I think that for a while she might even be more invested in her relationship with him than with her mother. There are a ton of angst possibilities here that I won't really get into because that might have to be an entirely separate post. but know I am brimming with ideas of how that influences them.

Personally, I really cant see either of them being the 'dominant' one in the relationship tho. I think that their flirting styles are very opposite, so they tend to take turns on who's leading. Chase gets all the big romantic cheesy gestures, and she gets all the smooth one liners. When he's leading, they're going on sweet romantic dinner dates and she's his beautiful princess, and when she's leading they're hitting up bars or something and she's just flirting with him until he gets flustered. I don't think they'd know that they're taking turns tho it just kinda depends on their general mood. Although I can see the merit of having their relationship take a 180 pre- and post- getting together.

I also wouldn't say Carmen liked Chase per se -- she was often very done with him, but I do think that it could also be partially because of his comically bad timing rather than who he was. I think she definitely respected the drive but found it ultimately annoying because the thrill she got from her capers wasn't from a chase (hah) from Interpol or ACME but rather her chasing down VILE. I personally believe that his repeated involvement was a growing hurdle to her, until her final and true team up with ACME

They definitely do mirror each other in a lot of respects though. I loveee the idea of Carmen being impressed by Chase's determination to Shut The Fuck Up when he got kidnapped. I think if she knew he sang the French national anthem to confuse his thoughts she might fall in love with him right then and there. and the investigation board would probably make her sappy, because she's a lil insane like that.

Their bond over the Julia kidnapping arc is definitely the basis for most of their positive interactions, so I think they would both cherish it a lot. Although I sort of want to see how they would both think of it

I have no clue what book you're talking about though I didn't know they had a book?? i'll have to check that out lol

The investigation board symbolizing failure is definitely an interesting idea. Like would he walk away from that first meeting, sad because he was so close yet so far away? Would he focus more on the fact that he was finally given the story and his detective work could finally be put to rest?

And this might be an unpopular opinion but I honestly don't think that either of them would be good parents. Carmen and Chase both get a thrill from the work they do, so they tend to throw themselves into it. Part of the reason they would get along is because they both understand this of each other, and don't mind being put on the backburner as their partner focuses on something important to them. Once they trust in their love for each other, they could probably be one of those couples where they don't go out for like 3 months for no real reason and be fine by the end of it, because while Carmen tried to unravel some longcon halfway across the globe, Chase gets fixated on a kidnapping case or something. I think both of them would also have the self awareness to know that their habits aren't really conducive to raising a child. And I don't necessarily think that really says anything about their morality either, I just don't think they would be good at it. I do love the loop back to the beginning vibes tho I could totally see this as a longfic or spinnoff series, and it could totally be cute!!

Chase's parents headcanon? Do tell? I tend to forget to fill in the backstory blanks that the main media doesn't supply, so I'd like to hear your take on it.

also yessss them two mirroring each other I'm so here for it. I love when a ship is literally the same story in a different font

overall. I love this so so much and I think you might actually be convincing me of carchase as a concept. thank you so much of this beautiful ask. I'm not sure I won't break Tumblr with this response but hopefully it'll stay intact?? anyways YIPPEE I LOVE THIS very many things have been put in my headcanon purse thank youuuuuuu <333333

[cs-blank-au-official]

Carlotta: Isa-.. Carmen. your father and i left the criminal life so that you could live a normal one. so please.. stay. it's much safer here--

Carmen: --i can't just turn a blind eye on the bad things Vile does to the world! i'm sorry, but i can't.

Carlotta: *sigh* you are just as stubborn as your father :)

---

just a snippet of Carmen and her mom bonding in my AU :>

[frozenwolftemplar]

Flash Fiction Friday 5/16

I MADE IT!!!

Okay, so I didn't have a lot of time to write today, hence coming down to the wire; I also didn't have a lot of time to edit, hence blowing way past the limit. BUT! I loved this prompt so much and had such a beautiful idea for it, I had to go on ahead. I hope you enjoy!

Title: The Beatitudes

Fandom: Carmen Sandiego 2019

Rating: T (to be safe)

Word Count: 1,261 (I tried and ran out of time; forgive me).

Warnings: None, but this does have themes of religious questioning, so if you're not comfortable with that you may want to skip.

Carlotta remembers learning them, sitting in the musty backroom of the classroom, twirling a strand of hair around a finger and sending daydreams through the window. She remembers Sister Francesca's blue-veined hand squeaking words across the chalkboard in spidery script, not hearing their shudders. And she remembers scraping her chair across the floor as she stood with the rest of the class to recite, in plodding cadence:

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Over and over, around the wad of contraband gum she'd shoved in her cheek until Sister Francesca's spidery script was scrawled in her head. There had been no resistance, no doubting, no shooting her hand into the air to question the ancient nun if the poor in spirit really would receive the Kingdom of Heaven; all had been accepted with blind fidelity.

They stayed with her. Even when she moved beyond the little school run by the nuns who would likely be first in line for their share of the Earth and cast aside her uniform and disintegrating Catechism in favor of camisas and faldas that would have Mama rolling in her grave if she saw, the Beatitudes remained. 

“Blessed are the meek, the merciful; blessed are the pure, the poor.”

They were her Religion, as far as Carlotta was concerned, along with those Ten Commandments etched alongside in Sister Bernice’s cramped handwriting. So even as hard-earned cents went to the dime store paperbacks Sister Camilia had routinely decried whenever one was discovered in a backpack with spine cracked so it opened to a particularly steamy scene and the chapel that held her devotion became the club downtown, she still lived by the Beatitudes.

And still believed in their truth.

***

A man bumped into her one morning at the bus depot as she was on her way to join some acquaintances at a house they rented in another town, one that promised a nightlife that set with the rising sun and many a guapo caballero. He was in a rush, fingers barely tapping his forehead in rapid and glancing apology, and the next instant she noticed her ring was gone.

And she knew, in some way she couldn't describe, that he had taken it.

But she didn’t let the anger flash to her eyes, didn’t spin on her heel and shout an accusation across the platform, for-

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.”

So instead she called for his help in searching the platform for the ring she’d ‘accidentally’ dropped.

And in the end, she was rewarded with better than the Earth.

They parted with her ring on her finger, and her number in his pocket.

 ***

It had been six months- six wonderful, glorious whirlwind months- when the man, 'Dex' to her now, told her.

"Lottie…" he'd kept his eyes on his hands as he spoke, fingers picking and pulling at the poor upholstery of her pilling couch. "There's something…I feel you should know. About me. And my…work."

She'd clicked off the Blockbuster rental, and listened, with plummeting stomach, as Dex spun a tale almost too fantastic to believe. One of murderers and thieves and a secret centuries-old criminal empire that lived in the shadows, one run by a council of five especially cruel and twisted evil masterminds, of which- dear Lord- of which he was one.

Almost, because even while part of her screamed that this was wrong, just a very bad tasteless joke, a larger part knew he spoke true.

The man she'd been ready to give her heart to…was a murderer.

"Thou shalt not kill," shouted Moses from Sinai.

"You are a good woman, Carlotta," he'd said to the floor as she stared with wide eyes and pale face as the magnitude of his story sunk in and the clandestine rendezvous and dates were painted to a new, ignoble light. "And deserve a good man. Or, at least," he gave a rueful, humorless chuckle. "One who is not bound to Hell." He stood slowly, and gave a slight bow in her direction. "Hate me as you will; I know it is my due. I can show myself out."

Carlotta didn't move, too numbed by this new facet of Dex, and for a moment stalled, until-

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

"No." The word was out before she realized, and the shock was left behind to tumble to the floor as she moved to stand in front of him, smiling gently, the sins already forgiven.

And she was shown better than mercy.

The night ended with Dex's lips against hers.

***

The moon was high, the hour was late, and her and Dex were still up.

Tomorrow was the day they would tip the first piece in their chain of carefully placed dominoes, each click and clack bringing them closer to Dex leaving the shores of VILE's cursed Island for the final time and starting a new life with her and their daughter.

It was a good plan, a foolproof plan; they'd both examined it from every angle, poked dozens upon dozens of holes in it and stopped them up, thought of every possible thing that could go wrong and prepared. Now all that was left to do was begin.

It was terrifying.

But she tried not to think about that as she nestled closer to him and felt his arm tighten around her, and turned her thoughts instead to the happiness waiting for them at the end of the treacherous road. Because-

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

No motive could be purer; surely He would grant them this.

***

Thunder roars in Carlotta's ears, even though the sky above is clear, and the acidic tang of smoke burns in her nose though the breeze ruffling her hair is scrubbed clean of such horror.

She can't move. She can't breathe.

She is on the sidewalk outside of their old home; she flew back when Dex and their daughter failed to arrive at their rendezvous point and rushed to the villa where she'd left them.

She found a nightmare.

The villa is gone.

The neighbors are gossiping over their fences and talking of a murder, a man shot dead last night.

And a fire.

Their plan failed, and-

A wail rises up in her throat, but she refuses it, biting hard on a fist as she screws her eyes shut.

-and she lost both of them.

Tears leak from her eyes as she tastes blood and sinks to the pavement, the grief crashing upon her with the weight of the heavens. And admist her anguish-

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

Blessed.

The concrete under her knees is hard and unsympathetic; the sun an oppressor overhead.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Tears spot the cement. Her daughter- her beautiful baby girl, so full of life, so happy, who was just starting to walk and babble, who her and Dex were trying to teach 'mama' and 'papa,' was gone.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

And Dex…oh, Dex…

Blessed. Blessed. Blessed.

But she doesn't feel that touch of the Divine. All she feels is cold, cold grief, and a single aching question.

"Why?"

"Blessed are those who mourn-"

It was a lie.

(A/N: Tagging @mmaricarmen23 and @backofthepencil11 ; thought you might be interested in a Carlotta-centric fic 😊)

[koringus]

Julia: "Just because Dexter Wolf was affiliated with VILE, doesn't mean that his wife was. For all we know, it was the heart of a civilian that he stole.”

Like father like daughter.

[mau-erik]

Hahaha

Childhood Friends Headcannon: Carmen’s parents edition.

SO! Carlotta transfers to a school in Mostomoto, Japan, from Mexico to study there. She manages to become Hideo and Suhara’s roommate there as she helps with the museum. It’s only later that Shadowsan realizes that Carmen’s mom is his old friend.

Ok so quick thing about her hair- I didn’t like that they made her hair red in season 4 but it was black in the flashback in season 2, so I’m changing it so that her hair is reddish brown when she’s younger then as she gets older it turns black, so the flashback makes more sense.

[anntickwittee]

This time we know you’re knocking on the right door

[bawdza]

read @that-gaysian-bookworm ‘s julethief fic again. Was going through the different stages of grief when drawing them