#cate creations

[francesderwent]

Eden Robinson, Writing Prompts for the Brokenhearted / Daniel Gerhartz / Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Flooded" / Clare Elsaesser, "Capsized" / Taylor Swift, "Call It What You Want" / Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, "Le Lit" / Taylor Swift, "It's Nice to Have a Friend" / Psalm 32:7 RSVCE / Maisie Peters, "Glowing Review" / Stanley Greene / Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness / Joseph Lorusso, "Love's Embrace" / Ed Sheeran, "Kiss Me" / Dorothy Sayers, Busman's Honeymoon

[flowerytale]

Cate Blanchett, behind the scenes of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

[billy-crudup]

You’re gonna take a little jog over to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Buy yourself a nice Louisville Slugger. Bring it right back to the quad and swing that bat as hard as you can into your nuts. Every hour, on the hour. And every time you swing, yell "Jumanji." Sound good? MADDIE PHILLIPS as CATE DUNLAPin GEN V S1 (2023)

[plungol]

cate blanchett in inZOI

[wiishopwednesday]

sorry to be autistic but ive gotta tlak about csh for a minute because it really blows me away by how meta twin fantasy is ,like will created ftf as a reflection on the relationship he was in and the emotions he was feeling during the creation of mtm..also like the names of the respective versions ,"mirror to mirror" signifying how both of the people in the relationship only really loved the reflection of themselves they saw in the other [he also references this in strangers, where he says "i sleep lying next to a mirror" which is also a metaphor for being a homosexual] and face to face being the new version, signifying that he has finally come to terms,has finally had proverbial "conversation" face to face about the past feelings he felt while writing twin fantasy and has fully acknowledged what he felt and has moved on. this is also apparent in his past-tense use of words instead of present-tense like the usage of words in mtm [ftf those boys says "they were connected/at the back of the head/they *had* a conduit/their minds *were* the same" meanwhile mtm those boys says "they were connected/at the back of the head/they *got* a conduit/their minds *are* the same". he realizes the relationship has ended and its over now. a piece of fiction, if you will.]

also in mtm will states that "he has only lyrics now," that he is in despair over the loss of the relationship and the fact that the relationship is now a work of fiction that only exists in his mind-a fantasy. however in ftf he recognizes this and comes to terms with it- it is just a song. it is just lyrics. he even changes "he has only lyrics now" to "these are only lyrics now". he has changed, he has reflected and moved on. this is just a piece of fiction to him now, anything can happen from here. i also really like the change in famous prophets to where he no longer name drops himself and cate wurtz. like he says, "the contract is up, the names have been changed". this is no longer a breakup album made about wurtz but instead a piece of fiction documenting the feelings he experienced during a part of his life

i also really like these lyrics, taken from a bible verse about the 3 wise men i believe ? but the end was edited to say "now these Two remain" to reference the two people in the relationship

its just so interesting. you break up with someone, one of you writes a breakup album in a fit of feeling, 7 years pass and youre both left to deal with the fallout. anything can happen from here. now these two remain and they must see face to face to put their past behind them.

the allusion to "the lady" by hojin stella jung at the end of ftf high to death is also incredibly powerful. the way he uses the words hojin uses to talk about their feelings while painting the portfolio of the lady to refer to his own feelings of making the original twin fantasy is so good and so compelling. the way they say "it was intense, it was an intense process, and it was how i was trying to, very hard, personify that intensity/but its hard to talk about her now, because i think she wasnt me/at least thats how i feel and im trying to figure out what to do now......but i did believe in her, 'the lady', and maybe/there is a different form now that the intensity takes" is an incredible parallel to will's feelings about writing the original twin fantasy and its a really powerful end to a song i think

[nikosasaki]

mara's endless oc list ❀ Danielle 'Dani' Manhattan

Above everything, Dani Manhattan is self-aware. You kind of have to be, when you're the daughter of two media giants who is working her way up to being a pretty successful social media influencer. You also kind of have to be, when you're a huge bitch whose incapable of even bothering to hide it. Cate's words, not Dani's. But Cate isn't wrong—most people aren't. Dani figured a long time ago that she would be better off making 'brutal honesty' her brand. It helps that she's objectively beautiful and one of the strongest supes currently attending Godolkin University. People piss their pants at just the idea of having to confront her. Sure, she isn't exactly surrounded by good friends, but who cares? She's hot, smart, has four million followers on Instagram, and fucking Golden Boy on the DL. She's on top op the goddamn world, who cares about a couple friends? Dani doesn't. Truly. But she might care about Luke, even if just a little. So when Luke kills himself seemingly out of nowhere, she decides to do something about it. It's not like she can trust his friends to be capable enough of solving this by themselves, anyway.

taglist: @kendelias @chlobenet @bravelittleflower @eddiemunscns  @purpleyearning @eddysocs @heavenlysurf @arrthurpendragon @villanele @nolanhollogay @stanshollaand @lovehermioneforever @raith-way @kiara-carrera @decennia @luucypevensie @waterloou @carmens-garden @hiddenqveendom @foxesandmagic @jvstjewels @dragonsbone  @endless-oc-creations @ginevrastilinski @sunlitscribe @dyhlanobrien @partiallypearl @witchofinterest @fleetwoodmcs

[kiscon]

K/S Gazette (Jan and Feb!)

First, a reminder: Early Bird Registration for KiScon is still open through Valentine's Day!

If you have not yet registered for KiScon and want that sweet sweet Early Bird Registration rate of $150, make sure you sign up within this window!

The price of in-person attending registration will go up on February 15th to $165. Registration will remain available at that price through the 31st of July. On August 1st the price will go up again to $180. All registration for the convention, both online and in person, takes place through Conline! Register here: https://kiscon.conline.club/ We have also produced a helpful Conline How-To pdf: https://kiscon.org/resources/Conline-How-To-2024.pdf

More information regarding registration, membership tiers, as well as scholarships, can be found in the previous issue of our newsletter, archived here. 2. Submissions for the 2024 KiScon Zine are open! Submissions for the 2024 KiScon Zine are open now through August 1st!

Our editor, @1lostone, is looking forward to working with you.

We are looking for new and never before seen art and writing (both fic and meta!) focusing on the relationship between Kirk and Spock.

For a full rundown of the submission guidelines and access to the submission form, please see the zine page on our website: https://kiscon.org/zine.html

The hard deadline for zine submissions is August 1st, 2024. 3. K/S Spring Fever is in full swing!

February finds you feeling frigid? Not to fret! K/S Spring Fever, our delightful springtime Kirk and Spock prompt fill fest will have you thoroughly warmed up in no time! The prompting phase of the fest has generated 120 glorious prompts, which now beckon to be filled.

You can view said prompts and find out more information about the event on the 2024 Collection Page on AO3. 4. K/S Bingo is also in full swing, and will be for the rest of the year!

If you are active in our KiScord Server you may already be aware, but 1lostone has put together a splendid, low-pressure K/S fannish creation event in the form of a bingo challenge!

The way it works is like this: 1. You fill out this Google form. 2. 1lostone, powerful Wrangler of the Bingo, will then generate for you a custom bingo card, and send it to you either via Direct Message on Discord or via e-mail. 3. You have until the end of the year to obtain the state known as bingo (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, blackout, Texas T – any way you like) by creating fanworks to fill the prompts upon thy bingo card. Don't forget to add your work to the AO3 collection: KiScon Bingo Challenge. 5. Curious what else is going on in online K/S fandom?

The lovely Thia has put together a handy dandy calendar of K/S and K/S adjacent fandom events, anniversaries, and deadlines for the year 2024! It lists the events in chronological order and has links to websites where you can find out more information on many of them listed at the bottom of the page. Neat!

You can view the calendar on Thia's website here.  6. Not enough K/S in your social media feed?

KiScon is now on both Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kisconnews/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@kisconnews/).

Our lovely social media wranglers @cate-adams and @purpleenma are currently conducting and posting a fascinating fannish interview series, as well as KiScon and K/S fandom related news and updates in delightful bite-sized social media format. If you are active on either of these platforms, please consider giving us a follow!

And that's the news! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this.

We've said this before but we'll say it again: we love to hear from y'all! If you have a question or comment about anything discussed in the newsletter or maybe a piece of K/S news we've missed, such as a new zine coming out or an online fanwork creation fest or anything else you think might be worthy of note, please let us know! You can get in touch by replying directly to this e-mail. :-) Yours in K/S,

T’Lara & StarshipLillian

[living-in-a-fantasia]

Giant Reef-Mermaid

(Mer polychroma)

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

-> This is the most common species of Mermaid found in Fantasia! Not to be confused with Sirens.

- The species is formed by females for the most part – the biggest ones tend to transition into males for a couple of months during the mating season (usually during colder months). During such time, they tend to lose the vibrancy of their scales andbtheir colors turn into more of a pastel.

- Pups are all born male, too! As they gain their adult coloration, they turn into females (3-4 years after birth).

- The scales of Merfolk are coated with a very small amount of magic that makes them look like your greatest desire when looked at out of the water - that's how they lure sailors to their deaths (unlike Sirens, they can't use voices due to a lack of vocal chords).

- They're territorial and live in large groups (unlike their fresh water relatives), so its very rare to find one alone out in the open, where they're too exposed to the dangers of the ocean. When they feel the need to migrate, they swim very close to each other.

- Their bite can cause the prey to be paralyzed for a couple of minutes so they can easily drown and eat without much of a fight.

- Pups look like sand/rocks so they can easily hide! They're born very small and as a group oriented species, all of the members take cate of pups - though is easier for them to hide so other predators can't have an easy snack. Pup's venom is stringer than adults! It's their only way of defense for their first or so year, until their teeth and claws grow stronger.

- Don't lay eggs, their birth are live ones. Also, they usually birth one or two pups at a time - and by "at a time" I mean, a female can have babies every 4 years or so, when her prior one is already grown enough.

- Unlike Sirens, Mermaids are actually a thing. While both are Constance's creation, Sirens are people that are turned into sea monsters, while all kinds of Mermaids are simply born like this and have been for milions of years.

[ddreamteamies]

Hannah also said that her friends cannot make mistakes. That tells a lot about her character. And let’s not ignore how she threw Sylvee into this mess and forced her to do extreme decisions.

Hannah is not a good friend, obviously from an outsider point, so Dream team didn’t lose anyone important.

And with Punz it was 100% a desperate tentative to save his own skin. He got 0,1% of the Dream’s treatment and still now he’s having a breakdown, and he’s hanging out with Cate, one of the most chronically online person ever, so not a good mix at all.

Same story with Hannah, Punz is not a good friend, because if you throw away one of your friends just to save your own skin in this way, then it means you would have literally done it in any moment.

Dream team genuinely needs better friends and I hope they have offline friends too because they deserve it

when hannah said something along the lines of “they’re not a friend of mine if they do something like that” before george even had a chance to tell his side was just… crazy. and so fucking disappointing because i really used to like hannah a lot

same with punz too i really liked him and it’s genuinely shocking to me that he did throw his friends under the bus as easily as he did. because he was also long term friends with them too :[

they absolutely deserve better friends. they thankfully have a good group of friends in the content creation world but i do hope they have plenty outside of that that also treat them well. and dteam also have each other which is super important

[francesderwent]

I have a question. Answer it and it’s back to fireworks and rockets’ red glare.  Answer it right, and – I’ll forget the last hundred and forty-five years I’ve spent missing you.  I’ll forget how much I loved you, I’ll forget everything and we can start over.  This can be our defining moment, because we have the time, that’s the beauty of eternity.  I just need the truth, just once. Stop. I already know your question, and its answer. The truth is, I’ve never loved you. It was always Stefan.

[flowerytale]

Cate Blanchett, 1994

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Weeks in Review (August 6-26, 2023)

Godzilla: War for Humanity's first issue has already grabbed my interest, juggling a huge monster cast and an eccentric defense team. The new monster, Zoospora, is an impressive creation, and I think the Godzilla Island formula of "a new threat starts attacking Earth's monsters one by one" will work well here. Also, it's got the long-overdue IDW debut of Minilla! Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #2 doesn't give me much to talk about in comparison, apart from my delight at the Moby Dick cameo. Right, Godzilla destroying the Spanish Armada, we've all seen it.

Apple TV+ has finally revved up the marketing machine for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, releasing a few stills of the cast (Godzilla included) and offering a Fall 2023 premiere date. Some longstanding rumors have been confirmed as well. Bill Randa, John Goodman's character in Kong: Skull Island, will appear in flashbacks to the 1950s, played by Anders Holm. Anna Sawai plays Cate Randa (probably his granddaughter). Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt play Lee Shaw, Shaw being the name of a founding Monarch member in the first Monsterverse graphic novel, Godzilla: Awakening. Few plot details are available yet, but here's the logline:

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

The other Monsterverse news from the past three weeks is that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has been pushed back slightly to April 12. Dune: Part 2 occupies its old slot on the calendar; Warner Bros. would rather starve theaters again than pay the actors it needs to promote the film what they're worth, I guess.

Add Kaiju Brooklyn to the list of North American kaiju conventions. Right now details are largely limited to what's on this poster; they also recently announced that Dope Pope will be among the artists. Wish I could spare the funds to go, but I think it's coming up too soon.

GAMERA -Rebirth- is almost out, and as part of its final marketing push, Kadokawa is releasing short behind-the-scenes videos on each of the monsters. So far we've gotten Gamera (above), Gyaos, and Jiger. Wish they were translated, but I'll take what I can get from a streaming show.

[marigoldwriter]

I agree with ur post but I think that with the scope of the lore and various types of media in MLOM, taking on such an expansive history might be daunting for some fans? And I think that’s the case for most genre tv in general. There are huge fandoms about sci-fi and fantasy shows but many of those are old or have more approachable stories? And in the case Cate/May specifically, wlw ships tend to be the least popular (especially on ao3–f/f pairings just broke 1 million fics) and with a show with two potential straight ships they’re always going to come last. I rarely see this change unless the wlw ship is the main or only relationship or the show is gay in general. But yeah I’m with you there absolutely needs to be more stories and creations and I’m definitely trying to add to it because I’ve read all 10 fics multiple times and I need more lol

In this regard you are right! It makes me very sad, but it's true that f/f ships are more undervalued compared to ANY other ship. I wish there were more people willing to take on making long stories, I personally love it (I'm even working on one from the monsterverse, I just don't know how it will be received). The fact that there are various medias, fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, in MLOM really makes the work a little harder, it’s a, relatively, large fandom but thanks to the plots's package, which aren't just from MLOM but from the other Legendary Pictures's films also because they all coexist, it makes everything more complicated. Yea, you know, I just think that there should be more domestic fluff Cate/May fics, it's a ship with good potential (their rushed development is not one of those), and that the few fanfics in Ao3 page, for me, a ficwriter, is a waste of ideas for subplots and plot-twists, geez, there are so many possibilities!! Maybe it's just me who gets frustrated with how broad the monsterverse is, but how small some people write about it -_- and yes, I've also read and reread those 10 fanfics more than a thousand times, my favorite is: "between the desert sun and the arctic moon (let this love bloom)” by sataninacape, I definitely needed another one of these, just with them outside of Axis Mundi.

[justrandomfanfictionskh]

Mary Todd pt 7

ao3 Beginning previous

It was raining in Gotham when Marinette arrived, which was far from unexpected. She heard sirens in the distance as she collected her bags, which was also in her realm of expectation. And yet there was something about Gotham that she did not expect despite having been warned about it, the darkness. Tikki and Plagg had explained it to her in great detail, but she had yet to wrap her mind around the situation until the plane had begun it's decent. For according to the kwami, part of what kept the word in balance were ley lines that collected and distributed magical energy throughout the world. Major cities and monuments always popped up where these ley lines intersected, draw to the magic being released. But what most people didn't know was what type of magic those lines were collecting at their intersections. Most believed that it was just magic at its purest form, but the kwamis told in plain words that that simply wasn't true.

Because the kwami's physical and mental states were bound to the miraculous, they could not release their power and energies into the world the way they were supposed to. So the kwami's had created the ley lines to distribute their magic, so that the world wouldn't simply stop functioning just because the will behind the power was no longer on the metaphysical plane. Thus, Each intersection naturally corresponded with a different kwami, and so the cities that had sprung up around these intersections reflected the corresponding entity. Paris's ley line's released Duusu's energy, which was why Paris had such a rich art history (and why Mayura's amoks were so powerful). London corresponded with Nooroo, which was why England, had been so fascinated with Imperialism. But Tikki's and Plagg's cities were unique even by those standards.

First there was Themyscira, the sacred island of the Amazon's was a paradise on Earth, and a large part of that was because of Tikki's creation energy seeping into the very soil and water of the island. Marinette couldn't wait to visit and train with the Amazon's who protected the access point of Tikki's raw power. They had already accepted her as an honorary sister, and she was eager to prove their trust in her. But then there was Plagg's city, Gotham. The destruction and darkness permeated the clouds, the mud, even the rain. Marinette didn't understand how anyone could stand it. She was surprised Gotham had survived this long, with such chaos suffocating her lungs. Marinette's respect for Batman instantly increased as she began to comprehend exactly how hard his uphill battle must be. What with the very forces of nature against him, it was a pure miracle that he had been able to protect even one person much less the entire city!

Marinette took a deep breath as she left the airport. Is this what Jay-Jay has been living with? she wondered, Has his life been nothing but chaos and destruction since the moment we are separated? If he's been working with Batman that there's no way he could avoid the effects...he must have been through so much... Her thoughts drifted as she tried to comprehend what living in Gotham must mean for someone who was actively fighting the destruction. And she was so engrossed by them that she almost missed her second surprise. The Waynes had sent a car for her. 

Marinette smiled at the elderly gentleman holding a sign with her name. He was dressed in a fashionable chauffer's uniform; and although he stood with a rigid formality and professionalism, there was a kind twinkle in his eye and a gentleness to his smile that warmed Marinette instantly. She held out her hand to him, as he introduced himself as Alfred Pennyworth, and explained that not only had Mr. Wayne and Mr. Drake-Wayne provided her with a car, but they also had arranged for her to stay at one of the apartments they kept for visiting business partners, who either needed or deserved more security and stability than a hotel room could offer. Marinette wasn't sure which category she fell into, until M. Pennyworth said kindly, but formally, 

"I assure Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, that all of the Mr. Waynes believe you deserve the very best we can offer you. After all they have been a great admire of your work for sometime. Master Tim especially. He was very excited when you decided to accept his commission."

Marinette cocked her head with a simple smile. There was double meaning to his words, but she couldn't find what it was so she just said, "Please give them my utmost gratitude. But please, just call me Marinette, M. Pennyworth, Mme. Dupain-Cheng is my mother. And I don't think I'm quiet ready to take her place just yet."

"Of course, Miss. Marinette, but in that case you must call me Alfred, it is only proper."

Again there seemed to be a double meaning to his words, but without context it was impossible for Marinette to figure it out. So, she just nodded and let Alfred load her bags into the car and drive her away. She texted her friends and family to let them know that she was alive and had not been attacked by a psychotic, color blind clown yet, and then turned to watch the city roll by as Alfred drove her in a comfortable silence that was a stark contrast against the chaos surrounding them. However, it did not last as Alfred spoke, "So, Miss. Marinette, what made you decide to take our commission? I understand from Master Tim that he had been waiting four years for you to design for the family."

Marinette smiled casually and said, "Are you close with the family, M. Alfred?"

"I raised, Master Bruce after the death of his parents," he said with both sadness and fondness. Marinette understood and did not push the question when she answered sheepishly, 

"Well then I'm sorry to say, but I originally had no intention of working with M. Bruce due to his public image and me being under age for the majority of my career. If I had know that it was M. Tim who had originally commissioned me, I probably would have been more generous."

Rather than being affronted Alfred seemed amused by her answer, but perhaps also a bit concerned when he said, "I understand how Master Bruce's public persona could give you the wrong impression of both himself and the family. But please let me assure you, that anything negative you might read about in the papers is not a true reflection on the reality of the situation. In fact, I might be so bold to say, that when it comes to anything in Gotham, things are not always as they first appear. And I encourage you to look beyond the public image as much as possible, if you want the true measure of a person."

Again there was that double meaning, that Marinette just could not decipher. Alfred didn't seem to be testing her per say...she was always passive aggressively tested anytime an adult realized that the professional they had been dealing with was a child, as Ladybug and MDC. She had hoped that that would change when she turned 18, but so far there was no such luck. But the current gentleman seemed to be using his coded words to encourage her rather than degrade her. It was puzzling, but Marinette sensed that it was kindly meant so she said with complete honesty,

"M. Alfred, I am no stranger to the dangers of a false image. Paris was just freed from a terrorist who used a false image to hide his depravity. And I personally had to combat a false image a particularly bad liar tried to force on me. I promise, that I will give the entire Wayne family the benefit of the doubt moving forward, and I hope this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership between MDC and WE." 

Marinette could not see Alfred's silent response from her position in the back seat, but when she met his eyes in the mirror they were shining with joy and kindness. Marinette smiled. The darkness might have been overwhelming, but she believed that she could find joy here. 

Dick leaned against the batcomputer desk as he watched his father and brother whisper argue with each other. It was becoming physically impossible for him to restrain himself from just pouncing on them. Movie night had quickly spiraled into an unprecedented disaster once Jason had left, with Damian demanding that they switch their movie choice, the girls determined to just start the film, Tim jumping up and down with unnerving giddiness, and Duke just watching the chaos with popcorn. Under normal circumstances, Dick would have stepped into control the growing insanity, but he and Roy were too concerned about Jason to notice much of it. 

Roy had then confirmed that Jason had begun acting oddly when they had met Marinette Dupain-Cheng at the Paris Hero's Gala. Roy had then tried to recount exactly how Jason had been odd, but he admitted that the only thing he really remembered about the encounter was being impressed by the beautiful, young woman, and frustrated with Jason for being so rude to her. "At first, I thought it was because I was flirting with an 18 year old. But there's only a three year age gap, and it's not like Jason could talk considering some of his relationship age gaps."

"Yeah," Dick said, "But he was always the younger one in those situations. But if that was all it was, then he wouldn't be reacting this way! Do you think this could have anything to do with why he went up to the Watchtower?"

Roy shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm at a loss here man. There is something we're missing here. Something important, and it has to do with Marinette, Paris, and probably Ladybug. According to Laurel, Jason went up there to have it out with the Parisian and Batman. No one knows what they talked about, but Wonder Woman was pissed when she heard that Batman was confronting her by himself. Laurel said he stormed in with a storm above his head, and ran out as if the devil was on his heels."

Dick sighed and rubbed his head as he tried to make sense of everything that was going on. He was missing something and that had only become increasingly obvious the longer he watched his brother and father talk down in the Batcave. The whole thing put him on edge because they were getting along. They were actually getting along and talking with each other as they tried to plan for...whatever they were trying to plan for. Dick was trying to respect their boundaries, and let them come to him for help. But the longer their hushed planning beside the Batmobile continued, the closer Dick came to jumping in the Batcomupter's chair and doing a quick search on MDC before they could stop him. 

Finally something happened to distract him. True, Dick almost jumped out of his skin when the phone rang, but it was enough to keep him from tying his family to a chair and flat out demanding information. "Go for Nightwing," he said as casually as he could into the phone's receiver. He was not ready for the voice on the other end of the line. 

"Nightwing, this is Ladybug, hero of Paris. We haven't officially met yet, but let me just say I am a fan of your work. Your fashion sense is a little...off putting, but you have improved so I'm willing to forgive ad forget as they say."

"Uh," Dick said stiff and confused, "Thank you?"

"Now," Ladybug said with a deadly seriousness, "This is of the utmost importance, and you must answer with a clear yes or no. And please don't lie, I'll know if you do. So, tell me, is Batman there and is Red Hood with him?"

"Uh..." Dick hesitated, conflicted with what he should do. Curiosity and fear waged a war within him, but in the end he decided that it was probably best not to lie to the superhero. He had read the reports, and he had nothing but the utmost respect for her and Chat Noir, and maybe even a heathy amount of fear. "Yeah," he finally said, "Do you want me to put him on?" 

"On speaker if you please," Ladybug said. And Nightwing turned to the pair still whispering by the car oblivious to what was going on. 

"Hey B," Nightwing said trying to be casual, "Ladybug's on the line."

Both Bruce and Jason froze so stiffly and quickly that it would have been funny if it wasn't terrifying. Anything that had those two acting in sync could not be good for any of them. But, as if to add to the confusion, when Bruce groaned and moved forward, he used his "tired dad" groan, not his "this is another world ending disaster in the making" groan. It had Dick sending a questioning look to Jason, who just ignored him. Instead his little brother just stared at the phone in longing and in terror, as if that simple machine held all of his hope and fears at once. Dick didn't know what to make of it as he pressed the speaker button. 

With a shrill beep, the whole cave went silent until finally Batman spoke gruffly saying, "Ladybug, I thought I told you to stay in Paris."

"I thought about it," and there was a smile in Ladybug's voice when she said, "But sitting back and letting the 'big boys' handle things has never really worked for me. Not in any timestream. Besides you had your chance, now it's mine turn." 

"I'm not sure what you mean?" Batman responded. 

Ladybug scoffed through the phone, "Very well then I'll spell it out for you. You knew. I don't know how long you've known, but given the fact that Red Hood has been your ally for, ohhh...the last five to six years give or take, and probably longer, I'm guessing you've known for a while. And you did nothing. No, you did worse than nothing, you actively hid me from my brother! So I only have one question for you. Why?"

Nightwing stepped back at the rising anger in the young hero's voice. He didn't get a lot of it without context, but he did understand that they were talking about bio-families, and that Red Hood was somehow involved. He also knew that bio-family searches tended to get messy in the hero community, so he could understand why B might have decided to hide this girl if her brother was a part of Red Hood's organization. And it was probably why Jason had been acting so strange. He really did care about his people. He looked to Jason. Jason was just staring at Bruce with eyes that were both threatening and pleading. Dick hated that face, it made him look so desperate. He was pulled from his thoughts again when B said, "Why what?"

Ladybug gave an audible sigh, "Take your pick! Why lie? Why hide? Why not come and talk to me? Why try to bury me? Why wait? Why can't I see my brother?" 

"These questions are not for me to answer," Bruce said carefully, but the panic did not leave Jason's face, nor did the frustration leave Ladybug's voice when she said, 

"Then get me in touch with the person who can! I know you know how to find him, so just tell him...tell him I'm here. Tell him I want to meet. Tell him..." Ladybug sighed, and the frustration seeped from her voice, and a quiet pleading replaced it. "Tell him I just want to talk. Just once. And if he won't...if he can't...then just tell me that. I have been waiting for 15 years to see him again. So please, none of these half answers and empty promises. I'm in Gotham, so...if he wants to meet, tell him I'm here...if he doesn't then...tell me, and I'll be gone first thing in the morning."

"What about you're business in the city," Bruce said and Dick narrowed his eyes at the concern he heard in the man's voice.

Ladybug gave a dry laugh and said, "Of course you know about that. Don't worry about the Waynes they'll get their suits. I do most of my commissions online anyway, so it won't be a problem." Dick's eyes widened at that but he dared not speak as Ladybug, no...Marinette Dupain-Cheng kept talking, "The only reason I'm here is because I want the truth...you can respect that, can't you?"

"I can," Batman said gruffly, "But these truths are not---"

"Not yours to disclose, I know," Ladybug said with a sigh. "Look just put Nightwing on."

Dick blinked when Bruce and Jason turned to him with very different expressions but with the same message. Bruce seemed to be giving him a quiet warning, while Jason was just threatening. The message was clear, "Don't say anything unnecessary."  But the only thing Dick could think about was why Ladybug was pretending to not know she was on speaker, and that Red Hood was in the room. He soon got his answer when he cleared his throat and said, "This is Nightwing."

"Nightwing," Ladybug said quietly, almost desperately. "Your Batman's oldest partner, so I'm sure he's told you what's going on." Dick didn't say anything as he cast his father and brother a critical look. They didn't react and Ladybug continued, "So, I'm leaving this message with you, because I don't want anything lost in translation, and I have a feeling Batman isn't the most...emotionally in-tuned person."

Dick scoffed as Bruce flinched, but he said, "Yeah that's a fair assessment. So what's the message?"

Ladybug could be heard taking a deep breath through the phone, and Nightwing could almost see her squaring up in preparation. But whatever, Dick thought she was going to say, he was in no way prepared for what came next when she said, "Tell Red Hood...tell him...tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I never meant to leave. I never wanted to leave him. Tell him...tell him I still remember the stories, and that I try to live be them...I try to help people just like he told me to. I try to smile, just like he taught me...Tell him...I never wanted to leave...I never...Please, just tell him that...

"That I understand...I understand if he's disappointed, and never wants to see me again. I understand if he can't forgive me. And tell him...that I mean it...if he really can't stand me anymore then I'll leave, and I'll never look for him again. I'll force Batman to make sure we never have to see each other, if that's what he wants...but...I really hope that he doesn't want that...I really truly hope that...Just tell my brother that...I love him...and that I'm waiting for him...I'm waiting for you Jay-Jay." 

Silence filled the cave and Dick stared in shock at the phone as if he could see the voice coming out of it. Jason has sister! MDC is Ladybug! MDC is Jason's sister! JASON HAS A SISTER!" were the only thoughts in his head. He shook himself when he realized the silence was stretching, and cleared his throat. "So...ahem...How long does he have?"

"If I don't hear from you or Batman first," Ladybug said weakly, "Then I'll leave right after the Wayne Gala. If I don't hear anything from any of you by then, then...I'll go and we never have to speak of this again."

"Right...uh..." Dick said awkwardly, "That sounds reasonable. I'll make sure Hood gets your message. And I'll personally see that he gives you a proper response."

"Thank you Nightwing," and it sounded as if Ladybug's smile was back at least a little. "And thank Batman for me too, I know I'm not his favorite person, but I appreciate his discretion with the rest of the League. Anyway, I'll await your call. Bug out."

The call ended with a resounding tone. Dick turned to face his family. Bruce was staring and the droning machine over his steepled fingers with his regular practiced stoicism. While Jason had his back turned to them, as he leaned heavily on the consul. The silence was palpable for three solid seconds until Dick couldn't contain himself anymore. And he shouted, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Next

Taglist: @laurcad123 @craftgremlin @toodaloo-kangaroo @blackroserelina @maanae @kitsun369 @idkamt @aksartisticlife @its-maemain @iglowinggemma28 @officiallydarkgeek @meira-3919 @crazylittlemunchkin  @read-fantasy-to-escape-reality 

[lazerv4]

Thoughts on The Boys Season 4

Just my raw thoughts not a review or anything

The Boys is finally back after an extended break (I know we got Gen V in the middle but idk) and is here to finally show us what is going on with our favorite group of edgy vigilantes and the answer is not very much and what is there is kind of disappointing.

Season 4 is a mess, an ugly, brash and thoughtless disaster of random plotlines that I wish were better handled but as a set up season for the 5th and final installment it suffers greatly. 

Butcher who is performed phenomenally as always by Karl Urban gets a very interesting dynamic with a fellow comrade Kessler played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan doing a really good job as the guest this season (not to the extent of Jensen Ackles did last season as Soldier Boy but that is literally impossible to top) and is one of the more fascinating characters until it’s revealed he is just a hallucination and a lot of his potential is squandered. Hughie (Jack Quaid) for his part is almost entirely disconnected from the story till the incredibly controversial and disgusting with Tech Knight and some not very well handled parts with Erin Moriarty’s Starlight were their romance seems threatened and gives poor Annie a completely lackluster season between that and her underexplored Planned Parenthood-esque storyline. Frenchie and Kimiko get the worst this season as both their plots come out of nowhere and are dropped randomly so I’m gonna do the same, sorry Karen (Fukuhara) you were great but they gave you trash. And last but not least MM (who got a surprising transformation, good on you Laz (heh) Alonso) has an interesting will he wont he type story about if he will stay in the game or leave for his family and his own health which I hope continues into Season 5.

Now the bad guys which will frankly be shorter, Starr as Homelander is the same as always, a good performance that is kind of losing it’s luster a little but it still has a funny and terrifying aura when properly utilized and I’m really looking forward to his Donal Trump era next season.  Chance Crawford’s Deep and Nathan Mitchell´s Black Noir (version 2) start a funny and dumb partnership now that Noir can talk and they lightened up the mood significantly when they were on screen even if they are both horrible people. Jessie T. Usher is the stand out this season as A-Train gets an atonement arc that made him really endearing and frankly my favorite character this season which seems so bizarre when they show opens trying to convince you he is the biggest piece of shit but man has the guy grown, he is still a cocky asshole but he now tries to be a decent and even sometimes just a straight up good person and I really do hope he makes it out of this. And finally the newcomers Sister Sage and Firecracker portrayed bySusan Heyward and Valorie Curry respectively are a great addition to the cast both in being a cynical egomaniac that works behind the scenes and a new hate sponge that does everything despicable you can think of, specially with both of them being original creations they were implemented with great care and attention that just worked well with the dynamic of the show.

And now the neutral characters I guess? Caludia Doumit’s Victoria Newman suffers a lot from lack of commitment and bad character writing this season which is such a shame now knowing (for obvious reasons) that this is her last season while Ryan (who is supposed to be like 13 but Cameron Crovetti looks way older than he even is) gets something similar to MM with a will he wont he but poorly executed in comparison and it just kind of makes me dislike the character a lot.

There were other cool characters and cameos like Giancarlo Esposito finally coming back to play Stan Endgar but at the same time we got Maddie Philips struggling to act even with a character as one note as Cate is in this show.

The Boys season 4 was a big mix bag let down but it still has some redeeming qualities, hopefully a lot of it’s issues have more to do with the fact that it’s a set up season and less with the writers not knowing what to do anymore.

[cardvngreenbriar]

2023: A YEAR IN REVIEW (a creation for every month of the year)

post your favorite or most popular post from each month this year (it’s okay to skip months). tagged by @taiturner @padme-amidala @mike-mills @ivashkovadrian <3333 thank you besties <3 x infinity tagging some more super talented creators: @seance @natscatorrcio @rachelsennot @kitconnor @jordansli (as always, no pressure, with love, etc—may your lists look better than mine if you choose to do this <333 happy new year!!)

starting below the cut!!

january—

favorite post: lavender haze mv

most popular post: djats trailer + ladies

it jumps all the way to june idk :/ anyway

june!—

favorite post: rhaenicent + francesca

most popular post: gia 1998

july (there were only two)—

favorite post: wwdits 5x03 doll!nadja

most popular post: got 3x08 tywin + tyrion

august (there was only one)—

most popular post: joy ride

september—

favorite post: yellowjackets week fav episode

most popular post: mother at the vma's

october—

favorite post: jordan li 1x01

most popular post: cate dunlap 1x03 + 1x05

(november doesn't exist idk)

december—

favorite post: limoreau + so it goes...

most popular post: rhaenicent + feels like