#codewords paid

[acmarketapp]

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[myeyebagsaredesigner]

Bruce has a new rule: NEVER let Arsenal and Red Hood together on a mission, if it happens, fucking get only Roy to abort the mission

I assume this is relating to one of the other asks I did. 100% agree

Red Hood and Arsenal on a mission? "Hell no!" -Batman

Not only would Hood lose his shit trying to protect Arsenal, but the two of them together are just total unstoppable chaos. They get the job done, but at what cost?

The cost is Batman's sanity, and he's slowly running out.

They have only purposely been on a mission together once before. It was an all hands on deck type situation, and Batman wishes that he had left them out anyway.

They had been tracking down Riddler for weeks now, having caught word that he was planning something huge. They were all surrounding the warehouse he was currently located in and monitoring it for any activity.

Red Hood gets bored and decides to just crash through the window and end it, and obviously Arsenal follows him. The bats are forced to follow them since their cover has been blown, and it's a nightmare fighting alongside those two.

They have like, coordinated moves and codewords and shit. They're rolling off each other's backs to get across to henchmen, ducking while the other one sends a kick over their head. How do they know it's coming? Did they even exchange any words? At some point Arsenal yells "deli chicken", running up to Hood and stepping on his hands, being thrown up into the air. How many code words do they have? What correlation does the move have to "deli chicken?" Hood at one point joins hands with Arsenal and starts swinging him around, knocking out people left and right. Nightwing is nearly caught in that mess, and decides to keep his distance.

Once Arsenal gets hurt, it's over. Hood is shooting down all these people and they're all dropping to the floor like flies. The rest of the bats barely got any punches in before it was all over. It was insanity and it will never happen again. Batman still has nightmares about it.

It does happen again. Red Hood decide he was bringing Arsenal along for a patrol without consulting Batman, so he only finds out about it when he comes across a huge explosion in a warehouse. He's running over to check out what it is, and just sees Red Hood and Arsenal recreating the Dirty Dancing final dance. There's no music playing. They're screaming the words. The warehouse is on fire and it's spreading. There's probably dead people inside. But Arsenal is spinning Hood around in the air and Hood is yelling "Nobody puts baby in a corner!" Batman does not know what to do in this situation.

So now, every time they see Arsenal even remotely close to Hood, they're pushing him away. Sending him home. One time Nightwing knocked him out and said it was an emergency. He paid the price later.

That duo scares them, and it's best for everyone involved if they just don't work at the same time.

[venacoeurva]

Commission of a more 🔞adult persuasion 🔞 are available again! Some very important rules before you IM me (ignore mentions of the slots being experimental, the rules were from my recent run of these testing the waters but still apply other than that) and the process:

Under the cut to save your dashes

Process:

Read the rules (below) and figure out what you would like if it's something I'll do (if shading, poses, overall scene, etc.). Also please acknowledge the price is something you can/are willing to pay.

IM me including an email you can use to discuss such content, if you're someone I recognize and am comfortable taking such a comm from you (unlikely chance I WON'T, but y'know) I'll email you. DO NOT INCLUDE THE ACTUAL COMMISSION DESCRIPTION/ANY IMAGES OF THAT NATURE HERE. Don't accidentally get yourself flagged.

I will give you a randomized codeword in the IM so I know who is who, especially if email and username don't match. Also, so I can verify it's not some rando who saw us interact/saw that you commed me before and is trying to sneak around. (in my and others' experiences, people do weird, cringeworthy desperate things to get these types of commissions, man...)

When I email you, respond with the following info: -The codeword and who you are on Tumblr -Paypal email to invoice - What you would like drawn as well as parameters (if cropped specifically, what type? If you want shading, if a comic then how many panels or pages, etc.) -Any visual references such as for OCs/Player characters or AU versions of characters. I will not draw characters that only have a written description unless I have done a commission with that for you before and I know you do written descriptions very well and are responsive wrt changes.

We continue from there. If I accept your commission, I will then invoice you and once paid and started, send you a sketch to be approved, and finish it once that sketch is approved. Until you approve a sketch or give feedback asking for any changes necessary and then approve the modified sketch/want any more changes, it will be counted as inactive and will not be worked on further. A lack of response from the client when it's required to move forward for 3 months will result in your slot being forfeit, and if I have gotten past the sketch phase, you forfeit a refund as well; this doesn’t come into effect if I haven’t started your comm yet due to backlogs.

Some examples of the type of lineart texture and how I do the black lineart shading in my style, including an actual comm I COULD censor enough. I can also add the weathered and halftone effects, just ask for it!

[yiiyiiwrites]

JJ Maybank - Older sister - Headcanon

Herds JJ and his friends away from fights.

Nags her brother to do his homework on time and knows that JJ drags it out just to annoy her.

Stupid dares when they're home alone and have a run of the house.

Would both eat cereal for every meal of the day.

Has a soft spot for Pope and loves listening to all the obscure facts he spurts out. Asks him loads of questions, genuinely interested in what he has to say.

Early morning surf sessions after not seeing each other for a few days.

Text check ins...mostly so she can see he's not done anything too reckless.

Hates when she pulls rank and say she's older. "But I'm taller," he says crossing his arms, which normally earns him a shove.

Doesn't lie to her, knows she can tell if he is...so doesn't even bother.

Biggest JJ protector, acts as peacekeeper between him and their dad. Comes unstuck later on though when she gets the rest of Lukes wrath when JJ isn't there.

Codewords between her and JJ so they don't run into Luke... "We''ve got 1180 in progress."

Dropped out of school to make sure there was food and bills were paid.

Drives a beat up old car that JJ even jokes he doesn't want passed down to him.

Learns how to do different hair styles from Kie and has a friendship bracelet from her.

Calls JJ every time her car brakes down.

JJ teasing her for everything and anything he can.

John B always taking her side whenever JJ isn't thinking things through properly.

Hangs out with pogues every now and then but doesn't want to get in the way of his friendships.

Has an on and off relationship with a guy who lets her stay at his whenever she needs somewhere to crash.

Works on a fishing boat during the summer holidays so could be gone for a couple of weeks, but it's good money so she just does it.

Reminds JJ to be careful instead of good.

Nickname is Missy.

✨ I've just started this blog for my fan fiction writing and writing prompts :) - Yiiyii

[cassiaorsellio]

thinking (dangerous, i know) about the ostwick circle a bit today during work.

my headcanon at least, based off the various dialogue options mage trev can pick from their conversation with josephine (though i've not exhausted them all), is that its reputation as a sedate circle and a part of the reason why it would stay neutral in the mage-templar war, is that it developed into the circle where free marcher nobles would send their mageborn children. they were willing to pour good money into a circle that didn't have, say, kirkwall's reputation. trevelyan can comment that their family could pay off the templars, or that they were allowed to go home now and again, or that the worst conflict they ever saw was a couple of templars getting into a scuffle over a tavern bill.

it sets ostwick up as a lucrosian-centric circle — and the lucrosians are a faction that are barely mentioned at all behind a throwaway line in the mage warden origin from memory: they're there to make money and accumulate political influence, but the ostwick circle's influence is more limited to the free marches vs the entirety of the south, particularly when circles like montsimmard, cumberland and the white spire exist(ed.))

i reflected that through arthur: he was meant to be sent to kirkwall (yikes!) - out of sight, out of mind, right? - but his aunt paid a lot of money to make sure he went to ostwick (to reflect the 'trevelyans paid the templars off' dialogue), and he got far more leniency on a lot of things than if he hadn't been noble born. the trevelyan name protected him — it would've kept him from being made tranquil had compassion not 'called' him to spirit healing, as an example. it probably reflects why even by inquisition he still has those moments of "how much could one cookie possibly cost, sera? 10 gold?" / "you've never been in a bakery have you?" despite being pretty self-aware that even as a circle mage, he was hardly poor (he probably would say he was 'comfortable' aka codeword for rich people who don't want to admit it.)

ostwick definitely had its issues (corruption, nepotism, a lot of bribery, any non-nobleborn mages bearing the brunt of the abuse and getting treated as lesser), but i think arthur at least was not super aware of it until he became first enchanter and saw the sheer amount of corruption etc in the circle's financials etc.

[octopuscityblues]

At The Talkies

EGGBERT: Hi! I'm Robar Eggbert of the Samarduk Tribune.

GRINKEL: And I'm Steen Grinkel of the Samarduk Sun.

EGGBERT: And you're watching "At the Talkies with Eggbert and Grinkel".

GRINKEL: Grinkel and Eggbert…

EGGBERT: In your dreams, Steen! Now we've got a lot to cover in today's episode, from stories of corporate espionage to cautionary tales of evil sofas and destructive monkeys.

GRINKEL: My esteemed colleague is referring to the three films we'll be dissecting today: "The Mole: Undercover Inside Ghost In A Bottle", "Dread Couch: The Sofa That Kills", and "Metamorphers vs. Giant Ape: The Motion Picture".

EGGBERT: Let's start with "The Mole". In this captivating documentary, gonzo journalist Jager S. MacTavish infiltrates the nefarious Ghost in a Bottle conglomerate to bring us a riveting account of the tech giant's day-to-day operations..

GRINKEL: This extremely biased documentary was funded by the radical Mothers Against GIAB International (MAGI), and boy does it show! When it's not too busy slandering a vital pillar of the global economy, it does provide a few interesting insights into the highly-anticipated Octopus City Blues project.

EGGBERT: Despite the corporation's heightened security and leak-prevention measures, Mr. MacTavish successfully managed to assemble a collage of super-secret artwork, providing a glimpse into never-before-seen areas and characters.

EGGBERT (CONT'D): Furthermore, various cryptic codewords and phrases were heard around the office, with employees working on enigmatic features such as "House of Wonders", "Cure for Baldness", "Beetle Fandom", and "Three-way Standoff". Who knows what any of it really means?

GRINKEL: Our supposed "journalist" also interviewed artist Niko Tunson, the newest addition to the team. Niko contributed a number of exquisite animations, helping to enrich the simulation's virtual world and bring its colorful cast of characters to life.

EGGBERT: I personally liked "The Mole". On one hand, it's largely a cornball exercise in sentimental manipulation—particularly all the scenes involving the baby spiderbot. At the same time, it effectively illustrates the evil lurking at the heart of a heartless zaibatsu, and serves as a scathing indictment of a history of delays and flimsy excuses.

GRINKEL: Boy, are we apart on this one, Robar! The feature I watched was nothing more than an obvious piece of MAGI propaganda, and I'm positively shocked that someone as educated as you would fall for it.

GRINKEL (CONT'D): I admit that Octopus City Blues is taking forever to complete, but you simply can't rush art. The good folks at GiaB have gotten so much done this year—they even updated the demo again last week. All you have to do is read their previous updates to better understand the delays. In particular, there's the recurring difficulty in planning around the fluctuating personal circumstances of everyone involved.

And did you even catch the leaked trailer shown after the credits, by the way? It was originally unveiled at the Six One Indie business event. The trailer's director is none other than Bitmapkid, the visionary auteur behind last year's most controversial independent film: "Are Videogames Art?" The fact that they're actively promoting their simulation should dispel any doubts you might harbor.

EGGBERT: Oh, don't give me that trite art balderdash. The only thing that matters is the finished product. People have been waiting for years, and some of them even paid money for it. What's wrong? By the rude and annoying off-screen noises you're making I take it that you disagree…

GRINKEL: It's just that Ghost in a Bottle never stopped pursuing their dreams, and that's why we should never stop believing in them. They definitely made countless mistakes, but every ghost starts out as an errant human. And if someone out there is still not satisfied, the customer relations team is always happy to answer their questions or offer refunds if needed.

Honestly, Robar, all of this makes me wonder whether you're being a contrarian for kicks, or if you simply got up on the wrong side of the bed today. Your take is the typical kind of blasé, sophisticated, cynical review we've come to expect from snobbish critics who can't place themselves in the shoes of real artists.

EGGBERT: Am I supposed to sit here and listen to insults from the same "critic" who gave two thumbs up to obnoxious snooze fests like "Carnotaurus" and "Battlestar Trooper"?

GRINKEL: And do I need to remind you that you're the only major critic who actually liked "One and a Half Pig"? And how about the time you lambasted the critically acclaimed "Silence of the Clams"?

EGGBERT: Oh please, Steen! Did GiaB pay you to be their mouthpiece? Is that what this is all about? I knew things were rough with the divorce and everything, but if all you needed was some extra money…

GRINKEL: Why would you say such a thing, Robar? You really should be ashamed of yourself!

EGGBERT: I'm not the one engaged in all the self-congratulatory bootlicking and outright dismissal of completely valid consumer concerns. My point still stands: when is Octopus City Blues actually coming out?

GRINKEL: I don't have an answer to your question. Next year, maybe? Some time in the next 6 months? They did promise to give a "more serious" update before the end of the year, whatever that means…

EGGBERT: Of course it's next year! It's always next year! But fine… I'll believe it when I finally see it.

GRINKEL: We've wasted enough time on this frivolous discussion. Moving on, let's talk about the complex symbolism in "Dread Couch: The Sofa That Kills", and what it says about humanity's place in a cold, lonely universe.

[mightyhoyoung]

At our circus, we offer two tiers of tickets, one for the main show and one for the main show plus VIP pass to a special encore show. Staring yours truly. Only those in the know are even aware of the latter, not even all of the crew. All you do is call my trainer before the show and tell him the codeword and the name of the person who referred you. A staffer will escort you to the back entrance of the tent after the show once you've paid the fee in exact change. My trainer and I will demonstrate some exclusive, special moves never performed for general audiences. For a generous tip, I will even give you a one on one, interactive performance of my own.

Come and see (and feel) for yourself the wonders of nature, experience first hand what this impressive and intelligent animal is capable of.

[chronic-conjuring]

Ive seen people talk about some really elaborate scams where people have faked kidnapping people’s loved ones and used AI voices to try and convince them that they were really in danger unless a ransom is paid and whatnot. I cannot attest to the validity or frequency of that level of scammer but it’s still something that could theoretically happen. Best to just hang up and report anything suspicious at this point and take necessary precautions like having codewords set up with your friends and family.

It’s fun to mess with scammers, waste their time and ultimately make their lives harder. But we’re in an age where people’s likenesses, voices and info can be stolen and manipulated in much more accessible and advanced ways and we should definitely be careful about it. If you know what you’re doing, sure have at it at your own risk, but we do have to be extra smart about shit now :/

I’m just thinking about how many times I’ve heard my dad on a long call with an obvious scammer and I’ll start begging him to get off the phone because I always think he’s a very easy mark and he’ll just keep going and then after a while he’ll say something like “I died 20 years ago” and hang up.

[jarethmgrim]

Glass bottles, neatly labeled, touched with dust; they read: ☢ Sexual Content, M/F, Age Gap, Prostitution, Somnophilia/Asphyxiation/Necrophilia mentions ☢ You’ve been warned. But you were always going to have a taste, weren’t you?

~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~|~*~

A voyeuristic study of a man worn down by time, seen through the eyes of the woman he pays to play dead.

[ ROCKS: The Devil You Know ]

Riley has a plan for if it gets too rough. Frankie’s in the closet with Aaron’s shotgun. She doesn’t even have to peek through the door, they’ve got cameras on everything; they’re broadcasting to the VIPs. The codeword is mothership. Boris Zerdev’s going on a power trip tonight, but she’s always the one driving.

Boris is a solemn man, doesn’t say much. Old, sad. Surprisingly fit, though. Shockingly fit. His brief, awkward text patterns make more sense after meeting him in person. His accent is thick, words imprecise. 

Riley wonders if he has a family. If he imagines her as his daughter, or as anyone at all. What demons is he exorcising when he asks her to shut her eyes and be still, to play dead, to let him put his hands around her neck and play wringing them until she’s a croaking, drooling, eye-bulging mess? He’s brutal with the game, he touches her the right ways, rough hands scratching her clit like sandpaper. His odor is oil, tobacco and alcohol, money, and a stench like a storage shed gone unopened for years. He tries to cover it with some generic cologne but it just mixes the scent into something uglier still, something that burns in her nostrils even once he’s gone.

He’s got tattoos. They’re kind of shitty. Misshapen cathedral spires on his chest and a goofy devil overlooking the sunrise on his shoulder. Skyscrapers on the other arm, animals on the back. She likes the tiger best, how the tail creeps up his forearm and bicep and comes to life on the shoulder blade. Jesus with a crown of thorns on the heart; is he religious? That would be a laugh. These go all around his torso and down his arms and end at lettering on his wrists. She knows it’s Cyrillic but she doesn’t know what it says.

She assumes it has to be a gang thing. That makes too much sense not to be the case—the money, the violence. Well, neither of them mention it. They don’t really talk. She appreciates how little he wants from her. She doesn’t even have to try. Five thousand dollars to go limp for an hour? Pretty sure she’s the highest paid hooker in town.

When he leaves, she’s sometimes tempted to make a bad joke, some snide comment on how his wife probably thinks he’s off playing poker somewhere. She doesn’t. Not for fear of offending him—she’s not afraid of him, sleazy as he is. It’s just too easy to imagine him as a man who has nothing to lie for. Feels like kicking a limping dog. Riley loves to twist a knife, but she’s an animal lover. She has a strange affection for this visiting beast. So she lets him go, unharmed, like taking pity on a stray too tired to bite.

[iamchangingwind]

New CODEWORD is MERIT. MERIT = WHITE.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Fictober 24 6 - I'm not giving up

Summary: Ray Jones got her ass beat in a challenge against Harunokaze's first year star. Is she going to put up or shut up? It's time for her to decide if she should keep going through idol hell.

---

Man, she didn’t want to go to school that day.

Outside, it was a lovely day in late spring. The buds on the trees had turned to leaves, the sun was shining, and Ray wished she was back in bed as she walked down the road that led to her middle school. Other students wearing their blue and white sailor uniforms were walking too, chatting with their friends, and enjoying the morning.

She stuck out like a sore thumb in her gym uniform, but that was the price one paid when they were too big for the regular one.

At the front gates, people split off to head to their specific school. Girls with heavy looking instruments and a burgeoning regal grace – codeword for looking down their nose at people – headed towards the oldest building on the campus. Those who sparkled in the sun – annoying and fake as hell – went to a building further down the road. The rest, those in the plainest uniforms with green scarves, walked straight to the most typical looking school building.

Ray went straight. After all, she was a general education student.

She kept her head down as she switched out her shoes and went up to the first year classroom. The whispers started almost immediately as she walked down the hall. People in other classes had spotted her and were talking behind their hands as she passed.

A good glare sent them scattering, but it didn’t make her feel better.

For not the first time, Ray wasn’t glad she sat in the front of the room due to her bad eyesight. She could feel the eyes on the back of her head as she took her seat and got her books out for first period. All the while, she waited for someone brave enough to break the silence and say something to her face.

After all, it had been a disaster.

It wasn’t hard for Ray to think back to the weekend – it was permanently etched into her mind. Somehow, she had wound up squaring off with someone in Harunokaze’s idol school in a 1 on 1 match. The entire school – and her opponent’s class – had shown up, ready to cheer on their favorite.

And she? She’d gotten her ass beat by a fellow first year in a cute outfit with a million yen smile who danced way better than she ever could.

It hadn’t even been close when they tallied the votes – she was lucky she had walked away with a sliver of a percentage. Most of those had come from her homeroom, but they were dwarfed by the overwhelming tsunami of the other side. It had practically washed her off the stage as her opponent waved to her fans and did her famous pose.

Worse had been back stage when she’d gotten a condescending pat on the elbow – the girl couldn’t reach her shoulder – and told her she should work on her singing and outfit choices before she went off to celebrate with her class. Her hand had been sweaty still from holding the mic, and it had made her shiver.

She couldn’t even escape it afterwards at home thanks to the fact it was all over social media. It had caused her to spend the rest of the weekend holed up in her room, playing her guitar until her fingers begged for release and only going downstairs for meals. Had she had her way, she would’ve stayed there today.

But… her dad had a thing up his ass about going to class. Besides, Abuelita had taught her to do her best as school, and she didn’t want to let her down. So, to school she went.

“Uh, Jones-san…”

A soft voice caused Ray’s head to jerk up. One of her classmates – she was pretty sure her name was Akane – was standing in front of her desk. At first, she wondered if she wanted to ask about math or English homework, but the girl didn’t have either in her hands. Instead, she was twisting her hands together.

Hell… did they still think she was scary? It wasn’t like it was the beginning of the school year still.

Ray kept her face neutral as she focused on her classmate. “Yeah?”

Luckily Akane didn’t jump back – she had half expected that. “Uh… I uh…”

Then she closed her eyes and gripped her skirt. “I voted for you on Saturday!”

…

Ok, she hadn’t seen that one coming. Akane wasn’t exactly her friend, though she couldn’t really count anyone in her class among that rank. Sometimes she helped the other girl out with her math homework, but that was more of a classmate thing than anything else. They didn’t eat together, or hang out during break, and they certainly never walked home with each other.

So… yeah. Weird.

Still, this was the point where she should’ve said something. It took her a second to figure out how her tongue worked in Japanese, a second more to figure out the words to say. It was quick, but it felt like a lifetime.

“Oh… thanks.”

She found herself rubbing the back of her neck, still feeling all the eyes on it. Her class was watching, waiting for… something. She wasn’t sure what in that moment. It was hard to read the other girls – she chalked it up to having been raised in America and coming to Japan later in life.

“Uh… sorry I wasn’t very good. Kinda got my ass kicked there.”

That was the kind of things idols said when they lost, right? She had never really watched the videos they put out on social media, but she knew apologizing to one’s fans was something they did. Of course, it was a bit much to assume that Akane was a fan of hers – after all, they were just classmates. For all she knew it had just been a class thing.

She could understand that if that was the case – the gen eds routinely got roped into doing stuff for the other two classes. Sometimes it got a little chafing. Her losing was just going to be another disappointment in a long line of them.

It made losing hurt even worse…

Akane shook her head though. “You don’t need to apologize, you did your best! It was wrong for Chisato to challenge you like that, she’s the top first year in the idol class and…”

She broke off – probably to spare some feelings. Ray appreciated it, but she could fill in the blanks herself. After all, she wasn’t a proper idol – she was someone who had been dragged ass first into the industry by her friend. It was why she didn’t go to the idol school or take private lessons.

She was kind of freeballing this thing. So no wonder she got her ass beat by someone with proper training.

Ray didn’t have it in her to smile like a real idol. Instead, she nodded her head. “My best wasn’t good enough, I get it. Sorry I let y’all down.”

And that was the heart of it – she had let the gen eds down. And worse, she knew there was nothing she could’ve done to beat Chisato. The other girl had more training and natural talent on top of it. She… filmed herself on her phone to try and correct her terrible form in between homework and practice.

It was like Godzilla verses a kitten. Nobody was surprised when neko-chan got squished, but it still was a pity nonetheless.

---

When lunch came, Ray broke away from her homeroom and took her lunch to the roof. The last thing she needed was her classmates looking at her like they didn’t know what to say. It had gotten a bit old to say the least, so she sought the quiet of the roof instead.

At least it was nice out. The sky was still blue and a light breeze tugged at her ponytail as she settled in for lunch. From where she sat, she could look over the courtyard where the other gen ed students hung out at lunch. Up above, they looked like blue and white ants, going about their day and enjoying their food.

Thanks to the height of the building, she could see the other buildings that made up Harunokaze’s campus. The traditional girls’ building looked like a piece of history dropped into the middle of a modern city – it was the pride of the school. She had never been there, never wanted to go there, and couldn’t care less about it. Fuck them.

But her eyes kept going to the idol school – smaller but well maintained, full of girls going after their dreams of sparkling on the stage or on TV. Somewhere, Chisato was there, enjoying her victory and getting ready for her next show.

It made her stomach turn.

Ray grit her teeth as she stood, leaving her lunch to the side. She approached the edge of the roof, threading her fingers through the fence that kept students from doing something stupid. It couldn’t block her from seeing the idol school – it stuck out like a sore thumb.

“Fuck.”

The words leaked out from between her clenched teeth as she gripped the fence harder. Right then, she wanted to scream or make her way down to the school to give Chisato and her friends a piece of her mind. Anything would’ve been better than sitting there, mulling over her defeat for the twentieth time that day.

But she couldn’t. It wouldn’t do her any good anyway.

Tears beaded in Ray’s eyes as she slid down to the ground, back against the fence. She fought to keep them back, but they slipped through anyway. Silently, she watched as the ground in front of her grew wet as she cried, unable to make a sound.

All the work she put in, and she was still not good enough.

It wasn’t as if she had been sitting on her ass the entire time – she and Vaughan had been training non-stop in the lead up to the match. She had practically worn her sneakers out running, not to mention the hours spent practicing her dancing and singing in the hopes it would do something. But she had seen the video on the internet when she had been doom scrolling – she had looked like a complete idiot and an outright amateur.

Naturally, the comments had ripped her a new one, but that was the internet for you. They didn’t know how much work she had put into her performance, only for it to turn out like… that.

That… had been a complete and utter clusterfuck.

Honestly, Ray wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep going after everything that had happened. To say she had embarrassed herself was putting it mildly. It was worse than when she and Vaughan had lost last Valentine’s Day – it had been closer then. Now, on her own, she saw how bad she really was.

Maybe it was better if she told her partner she didn’t want to do it anymore. It wasn’t like they would have any fans to disappoint.

Still, Ray frowned at the thought as she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her uniform jacket. Her eyes drifted back to the idol school across campus, where Chisato would probably be eating lunch too.

Now that she was thinking about it… the girl had come to their side of the campus to challenge her that day. Usually, the different schools kept to themselves, only seeing each other as they arrived and left. It had caused a storm when she had arrived to drop off the ‘friendly little challenge’ as she put it between the top first year idols between the two schools.

“Friendly challenge my ass…”

Now it was time for Ray to grit her teeth as she stood, fingers once again wrapping around the chain links. She hadn’t realized it then, but there had been a reason for Chisato to come over and challenge her like that. After all, idol class girls didn’t give a shit about gen eds unless they needed something – and she had definitely needed something that day. Realization hit her like a bolt of lightning as she put the pieces together.

That had been a hit to make sure she and everyone in gen ed knew their place at the bottom.

“Fucking asshole…”

Anger coursed through her body as her knuckles turned white. Whether she had been put up to it by her upperclasswomen or decided to do it on her own, Chisato had been making it loud and clear that she wasn’t going to be challenged by a gen ed upstart. That performance showdown was to show the gap in their training and humiliate her so she’d quit altogether.

Unfortunately for her… it just had the opposite effect.

“If she wants to play that game, fucking fine.” Ray spat out the words as she backed away from the fence and headed towards her lunch. It was only then that she realized the door was cracked open – she had kept it closed. Not only that, but she could see someone moving behind it, anxious and fidgety.

She knew fidgety like the back of her hand.

“I know you’re there. You can come out.”

The door opened and Akane slid through. She wasn’t alone – a couple girls from their homeroom were with her, though their names escaped Ray at the moment .She wasn’t good with names, never had been. It wasn’t a great trait for an idol, but she had never really advertised herself as a proper one.

“Oh, uh… hello, Jones-san.” None of them had their lunch, so they weren’t up there to eat with her. “We uh…”

Ray took a sip from her drink. “You were checking up on me.”

In a way it was… nice they cared about her enough to do that. It wasn’t like they were close or anything, just classmates. This was really going out of their way, and she had to admit it was a pleasant surprise. Maybe she would remember that next time.

Akane at least had the good sense to nod at that. “I didn’t want you… I thought I upset you this morning and I didn’t want you stuck on it. I really did enjoy your performance on Saturday, that’s why I voted for you.”

She gripped at her skirt again – it was a miracle the thing wasn’t wrinkled. Round of applause for Japanese ironing techniques she guessed. “You’re not going to let Chisato beat you, are you? My cousin’s over at the idol school and… she’s being really annoying about it.”

Right – a lot of girls in her class had cousins or former friends who were on the other two campuses. It came with the territory of either not being good enough to get in to either school or just going there cause it was local. Led to a lot of hurt feelings and broken friendships, especially because the three groups never really crossed over.

It kinda sucked.

Ray shook her head as she stood to her full height, dwarfing them all. “I’m not giving up after that asshole took on a complete idiot to make herself look good. It might take me until we’re ready to graduate, but I’m gonna kick her ass one day.”

Akane let out a squeak. “You’re not going to beat her up, are you?”

Something about that made Ray let out her first laugh in a while. “No, I’m gonna kick her ass idol style. It’s the only way she’s gonna get it through her thick head that she’s fucked with the wrong girl.”

Once, when she had been flipping through the TV channels at home, she had happened upon an anime where the main character had declared they weren’t going to give up. It had filled them with determination to keep fighting, or so they said. She hadn’t seen the result as she’d changed the channel, but… in that moment, she got the feeling.

Maybe anime was onto something when they described their heroes as being filled with the stuff. She hadn’t expected it to feel like she could do anything.

At least at that point Akane stopped gripping her skirt. “You mean it? You really want to take her on again someday?”

“Yeah, she pissed me off and I don’t like bullies.” Ray settled back into her spot on the ground and picked up her chopsticks so she could eat. “Won’t be for a while, obviously; I still suck ass. It’s gonna take a lot to get me up to her level but it’s go big or go home and the plane tickets to Amarillo are expensive as hell.”

With that, she took a bite of her lunch. After all, she was going to need her strength for the hell training that was to come with Vaughan that afternoon. No doubt they would be running even farther and putting even more time into developing her less than stellar singing and dancing skills. She’d go home tired, fall asleep on her homework, then do it all again the next day.

But if it meant she got good enough to beat an asshole at her own game, she’d do it gladly.

“… Jones-san… you’re really cool.”

Akane was still there, standing by the door with her friends. Ray stopped eating to look up at her. She had a look on her face that she’d seen other people wear when she’d snuck in to her stepsister’s concert – the kind of gaze fans reserved for their favorite person.

Admiration was a weird thing to see during lunchtime ,but hell. She was weird. Might as well expect that kinda thing.

Despite everything, Ray allowed for a brief smile. “Thanks. Oh, and I meant to say this earlier but I forgot. You can call me Ray, you know. I don’t really go with the whole honorifics thing.”

She got a smile in return. “Would Ray-chan work?”

Eh, close enough. She’d take what she could get at this point. Jones wasn’t even her full last name anyway, but she wasn’t about to explain how a hyphenated name worked to her classmates. It was on her passport and birth certificate, and that’s where it was going to stay.

“It’ll work.” She took another bite of lunch, swallowing before adding, “Thanks for checking on me, Akane. I feel a little better now. You can go back down now and eat if you want. I’ll be back in time for afternoon classes, I promise.”

The three nodded, and soon they were heading down the stairs to their homeroom. This left Ray alone with her lunch and a slightly better mood. At least now she knew the girls in their class weren’t too bad – maybe a little scared of her, but that could change in time.

But even more importantly, she had a goal. Come hell or high water, she was going to beat Chisato at her own game before they graduated middle school.

“I don’t know how the hell I’m gonna pull that off.” Ray looked up at the sky as she contemplated that. “Would it be considered fraternization if I asked Ayame about training shit?”

…

Yeah, probably. Besides, her stepsister was nice and all, but she was still a member of the idol school. Loose lips, ships, all that shit.

No doubt the coming days would be grueling ones until she got used to the pace of new training once she and Vaughan figured it out. Ray savored her last moments of peace and quiet before she was quite literally thrown into idol hell, enjoying the breeze and the bright blue sky above her head.

Oh, well. Like her gramps had told her a half dozen times since she was small: if you’re going through hell, keep on going. She was pretty sure it came from a country song, but it was still good advice.

So… into hell she went. Maybe she’d get out before the devil requested an encore.

[monenblogi]

shaw things:

never really let anyone know how badly detheroc affected his already present paranoia. the fact that he pressured for new regulations and codewords for a month to make sure you are indeed who you say you are? coincidence.

deadmines? vancleef? no idea what you're talking about, now please don't ask why he's been seen going into the tunnels or why he's been around westfall.

low arcane affinity makes stealth and subtlety a lot easier.

though he has his own doubts and concerns, whatever decisions are made by the crown he will see through no matter what. however, the current acting lord regent's orders are making him wonder if old paranoia from even older reports are really worth potentially ruining new alliances.

the yearly expedition to check the security of artifacts in the eastern kingdoms is the closest the man allows himself to a vacation, even if the danger makes it hard. at least certain factions getting new leaders has made the possibility of getting dropped into a pit of blight a little lessened.

enjoyer of coffee with his coffee, though rarely will take sugar with his coffee.

a surprisingly excellent cook, unfortunately work will more often than not have him subsidizing on the bare minimum protein pack more often than not.

will know everything about you the moment you step into his city from the exact blimp you took, the driver, how much you paid for that apple tart, the exact number of people you spoke to, etc etc. it's his job to know everything and he does it scarily well.

[venacoeurva]

I got bills to pay! And discounted experimental N S F W comms are OPEN! Currently ONLY for users I recognize, such as followers I’ve had (positive) interactions with and seen around for a while, mutuals, and previous clients. If I don't know who you are even remotely, it's gonna be a no. You gotta be 18+ as well, of course. There are some series I will NOT draw, if you ask for it, then I'll let you know I won't do it. I'm estimating about 3 slots will be open, but if someone buys a particularly complex one, I may reduce the amount.

I can do short comics and sequences, but keep in mind those are independently quoted prices based off complexity and amount of images/pages and not the flat rate above. Kinks/fetishes are also fine! Just run them by me and make sure they're not on the will not draw list above. Don't try to stealth them past me. That will get you blacklisted.

Keep in mind these are at the end of a short but pre-existing queue!-- Estimated start time for the first one of this type is around the middle or later in the month.

You can see other examples at @wetciabatta on here and Pillowfort. I also have SFW comms open, if that's more your thing, but please use my Ko-Fi for that. 3 slots available currently on there!

Process:

Read the rules and figure out what you would like if it's something I'll do (if shading, poses, overall scene, etc.). Also please acknowledge the price is something you can/are willing to pay.

IM me including an email you can use to discuss such content (so not the family email or a work one), if you're someone I recognize and am comfortable taking such a comm from you (unlikely chance I WON'T, but y'know) I'll email you. DO NOT INCLUDE THE ACTUAL COMMISSION DESCRIPTION/ANY IMAGES OF THAT NATURE HERE. Don't accidentally get yourself flagged.

I will give you a randomized codeword in the IM so I know who is who, especially if email and username don't match. Also, so I can verify it's not some rando who saw us interact/saw that you commed me before and is trying to sneak around. (in my and others' experiences, people do weird, cringeworthy desperate things to get these types of commissions, man...)

When I email you, respond with the following info: -The codeword and who you are on Tumblr -Paypal email to invoice -What you would like drawn as well as parameters (if cropped specifically, what? If you want shading, if a comic then how many panels or pages, etc.) -Any visual references such as for OCs/Player characters or AU versions of characters. I will not draw characters that only have a written description unless I have done a commission with that for you before and I know you do written descriptions very well and are responsive with changes.

We continue from there. If I accept your commission, I will then invoice you and once paid and started, send you a sketch to be approved, and finish it once that sketch is approved. Until you approve a sketch or give feedback asking for any changes necessary and then approve the modified sketch/want any more changes, it will be counted as inactive and will not be worked on further.

[moonlightstripes]

You can ask to change positions, facial expressions, even scenes! but they cannot be too complex than the original scene

Art examples:

You must read the rules before bidding!

° Payment via Stripe or Ko-fi

° Animation takes time so it may take a few weeks or months, but don't worry I will as much as possible keep you informed about the progress of the animation!

° ONLY CATS

° Codeword: What's your favorite animal? :)

(by bidding you are agreeing to the terms and conditions listed)

No fake bids! (if a fake bid wins the bid it'll automatically go to the bid before)

• To start the project you have to pay half of the amount (half of it in the beginning and half later)

You will NOT get the finished product if you're unwilling or haven't paid the FULL amount after the discussed payment deadline! (This is to avoid scammers or people trying to get free art)

You MUST be able to contact me through any of my social media:

Discord: moonlightstripes

Twitter and Instagram: moonlightstripe

You must have visual full-body reference of your characters!

[Prices in USD]:

Starting Bid: $50

Minimal Increase: $20

Auto Buy: $100

[phoe-ix]

cooked up some more just for u

I sit up rubbing my head, "Gyatt damn... i mean uh.. sorry? I didn't... see you there..." then I look at you like

6° and you turn to me and help me up. We gaze into each others

eyes longingly. What's this feeling in my chest? Ba-ow-badump- badump- ow fuck- i finally realize something may be wrong. First off, my ribs feel broken, second off, my left pocket (where I always keep my wallet) feels slightly lighter. You ask if I'm okay. I nod, not wanting to worry you. You grasp my hands, lifting them up to your face. You smile warmly, "I'm glad.." i then fall over and die from internal bleeding n stuff. You panic and run away with my wallet that you took out of my pocket while I wasn't looking, but not before you could check my purse. You just run away with the whole thing. The end.

Unless...

Two hours later

Sirens blare outside your house. Red. Blue. Red. Blue. Red. Blue. You’re scared. The news is playing. Your face. The top right corner. They tracked you down. You don’t want to go to jail. Not again. Not this time. It was an accident. You swear. You didn’t mean to kill me. It was an accident. Your ass was just too fat. You’re reminded of my face. Happy. Even with the cold hand of death grasped around my throat I stood with a smile on my face. Your face, on the other hand, plastered with guilt. Sadness. Regret. They’re banging on your door now. Their threats are incomprehensible to you as reality drifts away slowly, fizzling out like an old lightbulb as it uses the last of its remaining power. The door breaks down. You blink. On the floor. A cop tackled you. Yelling words you don’t want to bother listening to. You blink again. In a cop car. The police radio speech melting into a mess of static and speech. It’s all you choose to listen to. The cop is endlessly rambling on about something. Doesn’t matter. You blink once again. Courtroom. You don’t even remember jail. That’s nice. Your lawyer is trying his hardest to defend you. You stare blankly ahead. Bang bang. Blink. Prison. You’re just sitting in your cell. You’re all alone. You hear other prisoners chatting between cells. You listen in.

“Tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Code word is Seven.”

“Don’t mean to interrupt, but wasn’t there a new guy on the block? He can hear us. What if he tells?”

“We can get him in on it if we need to. Can anyone see into his cell?”

“I can.”

The prisoner across from you waves at you.

“Psst! New guy!”

You nod. 

“We’re gonna blow this popsicle stand tonight, you want in?”

They’re breaking out. Do you really want to do this? Leave prison? It's worth a shot, you suppose. No risk, no reward. You nod, and they explain the plan.

The clock strikes twelve at the church down the street. They count the strikes. The codeword. Seven. Once the seventh strike hits, one of the prisoners begins using a file to shave down their bars, eventually getting through. He takes conveniently placed keys on a table nearby, and unlocks all the cells of the people in on the plan. You all run down the halls. Beating the hell out of nearby cops. Stealing their guns. Shooting more cops. Repeating the process. You’re given a pistol. You attempt to shoot someone, but you miss. You’re kinda glad, but it doesn’t matter. Your focus is getting out of this building. You all make it out successfully, picking up several inmates along the way. The leader hijacks a nearby bus and you drive out of there. Thank god. You all change clothes and stop at the local waffle house. You get a nice waffle. Although… your server… Her smile… reminds you of someone. Someone you’ve forgotten about through all this mess. The very one who got you into this mess to begin with. You shake that thought out of your head. That’s all in the past now. I don’t matter anymore. Not right now, at least. 

These men are very nice for prisoners… They paid for your meal. You end up befriending one named Robin. He’s very cool. He owns an apartment nearby. He lets you stay. Helps you change your name. 

You can reintegrate into society. 

You do.

You live a good life.

Although you think of me often.

You don’t let it affect you.

At least you try not to.

Good enough you suppose.

You still have my wallet.

You picked it up on the way out of the prison.

My ID is still there.

You don’t have much, but you want to make sure I’m not forgotten.

You honor my memory by putting the ID up on a small table with a plastic flower you got from the dollar store down the street.

It’s not much, but you decide it’s good enough for what you have.

You're satisfied.

You continue to live your life with Robin.

It’s pleasant.

You smile more.

You’re… happy.

Like me.

Wrote a whole fanfic in the comments of one of ranboos shorts

[soundcrusher]

How Hot Rod accidentally took over the Decepticons and became Rodimus

Hah, I did it! I finally finished this mess of a story!

And, honestly, it's pretty serious, until the end. Then it becomes somewhat weird.

Either way, @ut-girl666 and @gaybot-showdown, I hope the both of you will love this.

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

Hot Rod should have listened to Kup when he told him to stand back and let Optimus deal with Megatron himself. The tank was his former friend turned enemy after all, but did that stop the young speedster from running towards the two and distract Megatron by engaging into a duel with him when the prime as down? No, it didn’t, and in hindsight, it was still a better idea than letting Megatron kill their leader.

Still, Hot Rod should have done something else, because then he wouldn’t be pinned down underneath Megatron. With the warlord’s weight slowly crushing him as if he was nothing more than a bug. And the worst part? There was no-one who could help him. Not with the Decepticons keeping everyone away, because apparently, if the leader is challenged to a duel, it means that no-one is allowed to interrupt. Something Hot Rod found ridiculous, because everyone’s interrupting Optimus and Megatron when they’re fighting together. What makes his fight with the warlord different?

What the frag did he do, when he yelled, “Hey, buckethead! You, me, one on one! Now!” Was that some kind of codeword for ‘I’m-gonna-kill-that-one-myself”? Or did it mean something else? Maybe he should have listened to Kub when he was explaining some of the Decepticons rules and such, but the lesson was rather boring and Hot Rod had better things to do. There was a race… and he wanted to go racing, not learn about ‘Decepticon’s rules of combat 101’.

Either way, he shouldn’t think about what was, but rather how he’s going to get out of this situation without dying or damaging anything. Which is easier said than done, because Megatron had him pinned and was about to dig his digits into Hot Rod’s optics, when the younger mech remembered his flames. And before Megatron could end his live for good, Hot Rod grabbed his opponent’s arm, giving the warlord a defying glare, before letting his frame heat up. Making sure that Megatron couldn’t escape him until his frame set itself on fire. Burning the tankformer and causing him to let go of the speedster.

But before Megatron could recover, let alone counter Hot Rod’s fiery attack, the smaller mech was already grabbing for the blaster laying near them and fired one shot. A shot that went straight through the warlords spark and caused everyone fighting to stop, as the shock of what happened settled in. At least, until a shrill shriek pierced the eery stillness that has spread across the battlefield.

“MEGATRON HAS FALLEN, I, STARSCREAM, AM NOW THE LEADER OF THE DECEPTICONS!” Although, as the flier landed and looked over his ‘new subjects’, none of them paid him any attention. No. All their optics were directed at the trembling mech who ended Megatron and was currently aiming his blaster at any Decepticon trying to come closer to him.

“Stay back! I’m not afraid to shoot again!” Screamed Hot Rod, and much to his surprise, the Decepticons stopped walking closer. Which the young speedster took as his chance to transform and drive off. Although, he didn’t make it far, because the Constructicons quickly transformed into Devastator and simply picked up the, by now, flailing Autobot at Soundwaves command. “Hey! But me down Decepticreep! I’m not a toy car for you to play with!” But the big mech wouldn’t listen and simply held Hot Rot like a misbehaving robo-kitten, while the smaller mech was doing his best to kick at the giants servo, not caring about if he would fall or not.

And while Devastator was making sure Hot Rod wouldn’t escape, Starscream was in a one-sided screaming match with Soundwave. Demanding to know what the cassette player meant when he said that he, Starscream, was not the new leader of the Decepticons, but rather that stupid Autobot with the obnoxious paint job. To which Soundwave simply shook his head, before commanding the Decepticons to retreat back to Austrotrain and return to Cybertron. Together with the kicking and screaming Autobot, who was quickly tossed into the waiting dripple changer and restrained by Hook and Mixmaster, after Devastator disengaged and turned back into the Constructicons.

And after the last Decepticons made it into Astrotrain, the shuttle took off, while the Autobots could do nothing but stare on and wonder what exactly happened that made them take one of their own and ditch the deactivated remains of their former leader. Something one of the Decepticons took a picture off, because seeing Optimus Prime with his optics as wide as saucers and Ultra Magnus with his jaw on the floor was just too good.

Although, the mood was quickly ruined as the remaining Decepticons started to fight amongst each other, because half of them couldn’t believe that an Autobot defeated Megatron and had a claim to the position of leader, while the other half stood behind their rules. Especially Soundwave and Starscream were at each other’s throats and ready to defend their opinions, when Astrotrain informed them that they might not make it to Cybertron if they didn’t lose and ballast. And with Starscream being Starscream, he suggested to throw out those who were already on their best way to the AllSpark. However, before anyone could grab anyone from the injured, Hot Rod decided to speak up.

“You can’t throw them out.” Said the speedster, while his spoiler lowered ever so slightly in discomfort as everyone stared at him. “I mean… yes, our chances are higher if we ‘dispose’ of them, but they’re your comrades. You CAN’T throw them out, just because they’re hurt.”

“Oh, really now? Didn’t you hear Astrotrain? We’re going to die ourselves if we don’t get rid of the useless ones.” Countered Starscream with one of his insufferable smirks, as he walked closer to the bound Autobot with the intend to throw him out first, but he was stopped by Soundwave. Who was glaring at the second in command through his visor. “Observation: Autobot defeated Megaton in a duel. Conclusion: Autobot new leader. Suggestion: Starscream follows orders.”

“As if I would ever take the order of an insufferable Autobot who knows nothing about us and our faction!” Seethed the seeker, but the communications officer did not move from his spot. Rather, he started to slowly push Starscream back, before addressing the rest of the Decepticons, while Hot Rod is left to bonder on what to do next. Kup might have thought him a few things, but never has he prepared him for this kind of situation. And he doubted that anyone from the Autobots would send someone to rescue him.

Not with them having to deal with the mess Megatron’s troops have caused.

Well, at least he didn’t have to help with the repairs. That was one positive thing in all of this, but the situation was still very bad for him. Especially with Soundwave looking his way every time he tried to move a little bit. And then there were the ones Starscream would have thrown out. They kept on staring at him, as if they owed him something or were expecting him to change his mind after all. So, Hot Rod’s only option was waiting and seeing where this was going. Then again, this whole mess could have turned out worse than he ever expected. But, to his surprise, it didn’t.

And after landing on Cybertron, Hot Rod was forced to learn everything he needed to know as the new leader of the Decepticons. Which not only included how to tell apart each of the Seekers, but also things he was sure not even Optimus had to deal with.

Like, making sure that Starscream wouldn’t poison his energon or make sure a certain big lipped mech wouldn’t go on a needless killing spree. Truly, Hot Rod, who was more known by his new name “Rodimus” by now, had his servos full and it often didn’t leave him any time for his own personal live or hobbies. At least Hook took him fishing sometimes and Soundwave always made sure that he was okay. And then there were all the others he slowly managed to befriend. Like Thundercracker and Skywarp. Which didn’t really come as a surprise to him because they were rather pissed at Starscream for trying to throw them out.

Although, there was also those who still liked him, but utterly unsettled Hot Rod. Like the Insecticons. Hot Rod was sure that the only reason they stayed with him was because he also kept them from being discarded like yesterday’s garbage. And then there was the whole situation with that masked mech. Yea, Hot Rod always made a big circle around that one or backtracked entirely whenever he was close.

However, being liked by some Decepticons and having most of the commanders behind him didn’t mean that there weren’t those who still hated the fact that a former Autobot was now leading them. And next to Starscream’s murder attempts, Hot Rod also had to deal with Decepticons walking up to him and challenging him to a duel. Luckily, he never had to take more than one, but it was still tiring. Especially with the peace treaty meetings he had to attend and that seemed to have dragged on for years now.

Speaking of which, he was currently attending one with Soundwave, Starscream and two other mechs he kind of forgot the names of. Although, one was definitely named something with Lock? Honestly, Hot Rod has never met that guy before and frankly, with the way Lock kept on staring at him right now, he was kind of happy about it. How did Megatron deal with him, or all the other weirdly bloodthirsty Cybertronians in his army?

“Hot Rod, what do you think of our propositions?” Asked none other than Optimus Prime, and Hot Rod found himself groaning internally at having to answer him.

“The name’s Rodimus now, Prime, I thought I told you that before.” Said the young leader, as he grabbed the data-pad containing the peace treaty. Although, he was quick to drop it as soon as he saw that his, and in extend his factions suggestions, weren’t accepted into the newest version. “Seriously? You guys didn’t even once think about adding the stuff we worked hard to compile? Do you know how long it took to actually get everyone to work together?!”

Hot Rod knew that looking impatient or angry wasn’t the best look for a leader, but quite frankly? He didn’t give two fucks about what Optimus, nor the other Autobots thought of him. They lost their rights to judge him the second he heard some of them call him a traitor for joining a faction he never intended to lead. “Like, it was already hard to get their respect, and even now I don’t have it fully. So, them opening up to actually give me suggestions on what they want in this is a huge step!”

“I can imagen Hot… Rodimus. But I cannot allow gladiatorial matches to continue, even if they have limitations and fixer rules than before. Let alone pardon Decepticons who committed crimes.” Optimus looked at the young speedster, searching for understanding, but finding none. No, Hot Rod only grew angrier at the prime before him.

“As if Autobots have never committed crimes!” This time it was Starscream who spoke up, and Hot Rod nodded in agreement.

“Also,” started the young leader, as he folded his servos before him and looked at every Autobot. Giving them a look, he learned while playing a game of earth poker against the Stunticons. “Let’s not forget of who the Autobots and Decepticons are mostly made up. You and everyone attending this meeting knows exactly what I mean, Prime. So, I suggest you better rework the treaty with our suggestions in it before you call me again.”

And with that said, Hot Rod stood up and left the meeting together with his entourage. Keeping up the appearance of a confident leader, but the second they were back on their ship and in their meeting room, Hot Rod quickly collapsed into the nearest chair. Whole frame shaking from the anxiety he felt before and during his talk with Optimus. However, there was also a sense of accomplishment because he just talked with Optimus, fragging, Prime as if he was nothing more than a co-worker with whom he had a simple disagreement. That counted as a win, right? Well, at least it felt like a win to Hot Rod.

But his mental victory parade came to a screeching halt, as he remembered that he wasn’t alone. So, Hot Rod quickly sat back up straight and motioned for everyone present to take a seat. And even as the one named Lock remained standing, the young leader insisted on him to take a seat. “Come on, everyone’s sitting. You should sit too.” Said Hot Rod with one of his winning grins, which only grew wider as Lock finally sat down. Only then did he start the small meeting where they discussed the new developments on the peace treaty and how the meeting with Optimus generally went.

Which gave Starscream another great opportunity to insult Hot Rod, because their young leader, despite having lived with the Decepticons for some years now, was still a former Autobot. And while the second in command started to go on a small rant about how the failures of their peace treaty was clearly Hot Rod’s fault, the former Autobot found himself slowly sinking in on himself. He really did mess up, didn’t he?

Yes, he did manage to get a shaky cease fire between the factions, but apparently, he was doing a really bad job with everything else. And Starscream’s words didn’t hep him either. So, to get his second in command’s attention, Hot Rod slammed his servos down on the conference table and stood up as small flames danced over his arms.

“Okay, I get it. You’re not happy with me being the leader, and you’re not happy with the peace treaty taking so long, but we already have a cease fire. A shaky one, yes, but we have it and I swear on my spark, if you do anything to ruin that, I will personally see to it that someone else is getting your position as my second!” Seethed the young leader. And Starscream was quick to answer, as he himself jumped up. Mimicking Hot Rod by slamming his own servos down on the table, just minus the flames.

“You can’t do that! I’M the second in command of this army, you can’t just take my position and give it to someone else! Who would you even give it to?!” Screeched the seeker.

“I don’t know.” Answered Hot Rod honestly, before a playful smirk formed on his lips, as he crossed his arms over his chestplates while cocking an optic ridge. “But I’m sure that I can find someone. There are enough candidates after all. Like Overlord. I bet he would be a WONDERFUL second in command. He’s quite the politician, isn’t he?”

“YOU WOULD GIVE MY POSITION TO THAT BRUTE!?”

“Oh? He isn’t to your liking? Then how about Shockwave, or maybe I should ask Thrust? I bet he would LOVE to have your job.” Chuckled the young leader, before quickly dodging a shot coming from Starscream. “Alright, alright. You convinced me. I’ll give your job to… hmmm… Lock over there!” And with that said, Hot Rod quickly ran out of the meeting room. Transforming as soon as he was in the halls and speeding off towards his favourite spot on the ship, while listening to Starscream’s offended screeches and Soundwave’s attempts to calm the raging seeker.

Although, something that confused Hot Rod greatly was the sound of another Cybertronian coming after him, or better said, following him as if they were his bodyguard. And low and behold, there was the mech named Something-lock following and keeping up with him. He even seemed to get closer with each second, and the fiery speedster found himself unable to shake his pursuer.

So, he gave up trying, even if he didn’t want to lead Something-lock towards the only spot where he could ever get some peace for himself. Which was basically a simple storage room big enough for two mechs to fight in, but Hot Rod decorated to look and be a lot more comfortable.

And as his pursuer walked into the room, the red speedster was already flopping down on a bean bag chair Soundwave got for him. Kicking his pedes up and resting them on the wonky coffee table he made from some empty oil barrels and an old metal door.

“You know, usually when I leave a meeting like that, I DON’T want to be followed. Hasn’t Soundwave told you that?” Asked Hot Rod, as he pulled out a data-pad from his sup-space and started to read some of the reports on it, before throwing it on the coffee table and groaning. He already did enough work today, Soundwave surely can’t expect him to do more.

Although, he was quick to sit up straight as he saw Something-lock pick up the data-pad and read over it himself. Still with that same and stoic expression he had during their attempt at making a peace treaty with the Autobots and their meeting afterwards. Although, Hot Rod soon enough could spot a small smirk on his unwelcomed guest, and it made him vary.

Usually, Decepticons only got those smirks when thinking about attacking someone, or shortly before he had to duck and roll out of harm’s way. But it seemed like Hot Rod’s worries weren’t needed, because Something-lock started to laugh, after finishing the reports.

“You really beat up Overlord with a metal bat?”

“I… ehm… yea?” Okay, Hot Rodd was confused. Like, seriously confused, because he was expecting the other to attack him, not commend on one of his duels. “Granted, the metal bat only came after I already did some damage with my fire, and I didn’t really ‘beat him up’. I just… hit him with it? But don’t ask me how I did it because I have no idea. According to my own calculations, I should have lost. Like, I shouldn’t even be here right now. I should be a smudge on the ground, or worse.”

“But you still did it.” Stated Lock, before sitting down cross legged on the other side of the coffee table. “Not many can say that they managed to survive one of Overlord’s fights, let alone beat him… with a metal bat.”

Hot Rod couldn’t help but groan. He specifically told Soundwave that this duel shouldn’t be as well documented as the others. Not only because he feared of what his challenger would do, if he found out that everyone could read up about their fight, but also because it wasn’t a big deal. There were many he had to duel with, especially at the start of his leadership, and it wasn’t anything special.

And yet, he could see the interest in Lock’s optics and that small, curved up smirk as he commented on how modesty didn’t suit a Decepticon leader. Which in return got another groan from Hot Rod, as he got up from his bean bag and walked over to a big chest. “If I show you the bat, will you drop the issue and leave it be?” He asked, and found himself repressing yet another groan as soon as he saw Lock’s smirk.

“Maybe?

“Well… good enough for me.” Was all the speedster said, as he pulled out a hot pink metal bat littered with small white flowers and the face of a cat with a bow. And dangling from the hilt of the bat by a chain was the exact same bat, only human sized. “Here, this is it, the weapon.”

“… Why is there a cat on it and how did you get that?” Asked Lock, and Hot Rod blinked at him slowly, before shaking his head. “It’s Hello Kitty, a very popular little cat and… I got it from a human child who’s very dear to me. Well, I got the small bat from him as a joke, and Soundwave got me the bigger one, after seeing it.”

“And you decided to keep it, because?”

“Because they were gifts from my friends. I would never throw away something I got from them.” Was all he said, as he put the bat back in its place, before returning to his own. And after that, it was quiet. But not in an uncomfortable way, but rather something aching to what it was like when Hot Rod spend time with his Autobot friends. Which got him thinking about the past years and how much he’s missing out by being here, rather than with them.

Although, even if he went back now, Hot Rod doubts that he would even be welcomed. His former friends and comrades made it clear that they didn’t trust him anymore, and if that’s how it is, then Hot Rod… no… Rodimus didn’t need them.

“By the why, what’s your name? I didn’t really catch it when you showed up.”

“Deadlock.”

“Nice to meet you Deadlock, I’m Rodimus.”