#cops and mobs creations

[klaudia96art]

 Wellcome my  Megatron❤️

this is a little Christmas thought for my friend and her amazing story C&M  fell in love i hope she likes it https://tumblr.com/pastelpaperplanes… ❤️❤️😉 @pastelpaperplanes

[sentinelcole]

It is wild to me that we're only on episode 2 of NSBU. I feel like so much has happened and the cast is already fully chaotic which usually takes more time to do.

Also the character creation is so good. You've got six characters who, for one reason or another, either don't want things to change (Wendell, Liv, Usha, Paula), or are stuck in a rut (Dang and Russell). Then their alter egos are their form of violent wish fulfillment.

First you have Liv, top of her class and going to Stanford. But she feels like she has no control over her life and steals small things to reclaim some power. She becomes Kingskin, a mob boss who answers to no one and is the most physically powerful/unstoppable character in any room.

Then comes Wendell, a socially awkward kid who longs to connect with his family and BMX riding brothers. He fades into the background of his family. But then he becomes Vin Ethenol, a larger than life racer who is all about family.

Then you've got our darling Usha who feels the world has passed her by but she refuses to let go of what she had. She doesn't understand technology and does everything by hand. But then she becomes G13 who is a technological wunderkind. They aren't on the cutting edge of tech, they are the cutting edge. They work alone and don't need anyone or need others to see them. Unlike Usha who wishes her family would call her more.

Paula is a security guard for a dying strip mall who wants to be a rules enforcer but also a friend. She's desperately alone in her security shed and going through a painful divorce. So she tries to make a new family at work. And she becomes Jack Manhattan. He's not just a cop, he's THE cop. He plays by his own rules but always gets the job done. But even in her fantasy, she's alone and can't escape her divorce.

Russell and Dang are both stories of faded glory and broken dreams. Both are adrift in their lives and need direction. Dang feels ignored and disrespected constantly. Russell has a good job and is very skilled but struggles to make real connections. Then Dang becomes Greg Stock, international man of mystery. He can't commune with an alien but he has an organization that relies on him to get things done. And Russell becomes Jessica Drips, an agile and attractive cat burglar. They're cool and independent. They're all of the things Russell likes about themselves without any of the parts they don't (needing to make connections, being a nobody).

I can't stop thinking about all of it

[ladyredmoon13]

DCxDP prompt

The Legacy of Carrion Crow

Ida Manson has seen many things in her days. Many good and bad things that have passed before her eyes at moments without her control. She's just glad that the creation of the Justice League was one of the good things she could see happen in her life time.

Back in her day there was no JL, and it showed; but that didn't mean there weren't heroes. There were, just not as many as there were today. And as spread out as they were they would rarely cross paths with one another. She would know, she kept tabs on all of them.

Now back when she was young the thought of a woman fighting at all let alone fighting crime was simply not excepted. That didn't stop her though. Ida started the way most heroes now began. With a crime-infested city, a father in peril, and a desire to change things for the better.

She became something of an urban legend. The Mob feared her. The streets whispered about her. The police respected her, or rather the cops who weren't dirty did anyways. Hey, what do you expect from 1960's Chicago?

Anyways she was something of a Batman in her time. A vigilante, a detective, a hero to many, and a nuisance to many more. You couldn't prove she was real but you know she existed. There was just one difference between her and him though.

She's not proud to say it, but Ida had blood on her hands. Both as Ida Manson and The Crow. The number of times she had to take out a monster not worth redemption could be counted on one hand, but it was there all the same. This was how she got the name, Carrion Crow. She thinks that's why she respected the Bat so much. He never killed. He never thought there was no other option. No other way out.

Then again Batman never looked Richard Speck in the eyes and saw no hope. She's just happy she managed to find enough evidence to put him away for life. The cops were happy about that.

Working with the cops was also how she met her late husband. He was a detective and a damn good one at that. He had a 97% conviction rate but he never bragged about it. He was just focused on doing the right thing and helping clean up the city he loved. It was no wonder he became commissioner later on.

They met on the rooftop of the old Chicago PD building. The commissioner at the time, Johnson; introduced them and later made him the liaison between the police and the Crow. They hit it off. Like two peas they were.

She shared her identity with him and he shared his past with her. She knew he was the bastard son of a mob boss and yet she didn't care. He was a good man with a good heart and that was all that mattered. The fact he didn't mind and even encouraged her to be the Crow didn't hurt either.

Time passed, and she got older. Deciding to retire was a hard decision but one she was forced to make. Only for the youngest of her two sons to take up the mantle. She was mad, downright furious when she found out.

She should have expected it, of course. Out of the two he was the one that was the most like her. Her oldest son taking after Idas' late mother. As much as that annoyed her. She still loved Jeremy but goodness he needed to loosen up.

The decision to leave Chicago was a hard one. She was born here and grew up here, but her husband wanted to live someplace a bit quieter than the bustling city in his old age. So they moved to a quiet little town almost an hour away from the city.

Leaving the house to her youngest son so that he could still use her old Crows Nest. Jeremy didn't seem to mind much about his brother getting the house. After all he and his new fiance were going to be coming with them to Amity Park.

Time passed and she lost her husband. She became a grandmother and boy did her granddaughter remind her of, well her when she was young. And boy did little Samantha love her uncle. She thought he was so 'cool' and was practically glued to him when he came to visit.

He once jokingly said that if she keeps growing up the way she is we might have another Crow flying around. He made the mistake of saying that right as little Sam skipped into the room. They were forced to lie to her. She didn't want to but Jeremy didn't know about her nightly activities from years ago. Nor did he know that his baby brother was now doing the same.

So lie they did. Sam for her credit was very smart and had known that something was up, but still let it go because her 'awesome' uncle asked her to. And because he promised her ice cream, before dinner!

Tragedy struck not long after that. Her youngest son, her baby boy died. Not as the Crow though but in a motorcycle accident involving a police car chase of three bank robbers. They were devastated, none more than poor Samantha.

Crime got worse in Chicago after that. Apparently crime bosses were smart enough to realize that the Crow was gone but not smart enough to figure out who he was. She made sure of it. She had done worse than send mobsters on wild goose chases before after all.

Soon Sam grew into a spectacular young spitfire. Much to Ida's delight and her parent's chagrin, they could get over it. After all, it was genetic. Though she couldn't say the same for that little friend for her granddaughter's.

Yes, she knew all about Danny and his little secret. She suspected as much when she noticed him acting strangely not too long after his little accident in his parent's lab. An incident that coincided with his shift in behavior and after some digging Ida found what they were hiding. She was still a detective after all. Retired as she may be, but still sharp as a tac.

She decided to help where she could. Jumping in when she knew she could get away with it. She even began teaching Sam some martial arts when things seemed to be escalating. Then the GIW showed up and things only got worse.

Ida tried to get ahold of her some of her old contacts. She even tried some that were even affiliated with the JL, but nothing went threw. For the first time in a long time Ida was afraid for her family, for her home. Danny could only do so much for this town and she could see that it was weighing on the poor lad.

He needed help. He needed someone to watch his back. Not just the way she had been for almost a year now. Ida Manson knew what she needed to do and with a little convincing, she could manage to pull it off.

Once summer came Ida and Sam would go on a little pilgrimage to Chicago. Maybe take her friends with them if they can manage it. Once there this old Crone will take them down to the Crows Nest and do what should have been done long ago.

The Carrion Crow will fly again, and this time they're not coming for mobsters and petty thieves. She's coming for the GIW.

[izunias-meme-hole]

"JACK NAPIER"/THE JOKER

"Want to know how I keep smiling?"

HERE'S THE FUNNY BASTARD MAN!!

Despite being a VERY well known gangster before his transformation, "Jack Napier" was a very secretive man, keeping his own history under wraps, and has no actual documentation of a true name, or birth date. However what was known about Napier was that he was the right hand man of Carmine Falcone's rival, Rupert Thorne, and he was often called to either "clean up a mess", or eliminate anyone who went against Thorne. However all of that changed after he got set up at Ace Chemicals, and met The Batman. Napier walked out of that encounter with raw blood red lips, chalk white skin, green hair, and a damaged face, and when he went to get surgery for his face as quick as possible, Napier ended up with a permanent grin. Finding all of recent circumstances absurd, Jack goes completely mad, convinced that life was just some big joke, and if that were the case he'd be the one sharing the punchline. So after killing Thorne and taking over his enterprise, The Joker was not only born, but fully prepared to cause chaos, ruin lives, and share his twisted works of art with Gotham City for his own amusement.

My Joker here is pretty much just a marriage between B:TAS, Batman 89, The Dark Knight, and The Arkham Games. A psychotic gangster who fell into a vat of chemicals, got some facial disfigurement, and began to see life as one bad joke, becoming a literal mad clown as a result.

After meeting Batman again, bro just got worse. Granted he was never truly fine to begin with, but not only did he become more unhinged and destructive after getting his chemical bath, but he became obsessed with The Bat after his second encounter with him. Now what sparked this obsession? Batman deciding not to kill him. Joker was confused at first, but he slowly began to piece it all together, and now had a long "game"... one that he planned on winning.

Harley Quinn is still brought to his side, and he's still a genuine piece of garbage to her, but he ditches her and almost kills her for real the MOMENT she successfully captures Batman all by herself, right under his nose. And they were around each other for 19 years.

This man is responsible for almost poisoning Gotham via a parade, turning Christmas Eve into Batman's most stressful night, a riot at Blackgate, the creation for Two-Face, the creation of Harley Quinn, the near-death of Barbra Gordon (who doesn't get crippled here and isn't Batgirl at that point yet), the traumatization of James Gordon, the death of Jason Todd, the endorsement of Project TITAN, a takeover of Arkham Asylum, the mutation of Killer Croc via TITAN, the traumatization of billions, the deaths of billions, and his final atrocity; turning Tim Drake into a mini-him through torment. This isn't his entire rap-sheet, but it's literally just half of the horrendous shit across the entire franchise along with some new shit that seems like it came from the old school comics. Like this man is likely to fill Gotham PD with actual pigs in cop costumes once as a more harmless prank just a day before doing something actually horrid.

The only limit to his cruelty is that whatever he does has to be peak comedy in his eyes, and if it doesn't reach that he'll actually be annoyed. Like bro didn't even plan on killing Jason Todd, he just wanted to send him back to Batman all broken down and beaten, but he was enjoying it too much and ruined his own work.

He still has some of his connections with the mob, and uses them for some of his schemes, however he's also willing to manipulate some mentally ill fellows from Arkham into helping him.

Enjoys a lil' internet trolling and memeing.

If he had a voice actor (That isn't Mark Hamill because he has retired from voicing the man due to the passing of the GOAT Conroy), it would be either Troy Baker, Michael McKean, Chris Hackney, Joe Zeija, Daemon Clarke, Mick Wingert, Keith Silverstien, Andrew Russel, or Haley Joel Osment.

So yeah. This is My Joker.

[12pt-times-new-roman]

c3e45

this episode was pre-recorded and these guys are probably under contractual obligation to plug DDB. please do not subscribe to D&D Beyond. in fact, if you're already subscribed, cancel your subscription.

"I done made 'em curse!"

Apparently any kind of conflict can set off FCG's kill switch. So the question now is whether this thing is an intended feature of a Care and Culling automaton, or if it's a short circuit that happened some time in the past millennium. And if it really is just a short circuit that could be fixed by someone skilled enough to work on Aeormatons, that really does put a different spin on the Bells Hells going to the Feywild instead of to the Seminary.

Ashton recognized somebody in the airport casino -- Violet is someone who does a lot of things, they're very good at convincing people to do things and at finding people who don't want to be found. They went to make sure the Hells weren't being followed by Violet's people, but they got compelled to spill a bunch of secrets about the group, so Ashton agreed to go do a job with Violet in exchange for them not turning the group in. "There were cops, there were mobsters, I may have kidnapped a mobster, a lot went down." So it sounds like the Bells Hells now have a reason to get out of Yios fast.

Violet was in town to get information out of one of the local mobs -- the Baneful Brood -- and Ashton agreed to be some hired muscle while they tried to prove that the mob was dealing with stolen and/or smuggled artifacts. "Turns out he doesn't keep a ledger, he has a kenku, so we kidnapped the kenku, tied up the kenku, rolled them up in a very expensive rug... there are a lot of rooms, and next thing we know, we're unconscious, tied up in the kitchen."

That was the most Rube Goldberg story and I love it so much for them. This would be such good material for a one-shot.

According to Violet, there were some "weird Dwendalian people" calling themselves the Ruby Vanguard coming through town a few weeks ago, and they pissed off every criminal in town.

FCG, Fearne, Imogen, and Laudna head into the Seminary to meet with Professor Ishal, who they were told might know something about Aeormatons.

He's a young firbolg, tall, thin, with soft maroon fur and red hair.

"Sorry, we're not supposed to let people--- oh." His accent is similar to Ormid Haas, I think?

He knows Joe, who he calls "one of the best minds in automaton mobility in Marquet." They write to each other sometimes.

"You are an Aeormaton, and specifically, a harmonious Aeormaton. A very particular design of the old Arcanum city, they were designed as peacekeepers and diplomatic associates, often used as guides and communicators in the city... I've heard rumors of Aeormatons emerging, but none have come to Yios before." He's heard of the Care and Culling and has apparently read "many books" about it.

In FCG's power core, where Joe stopped before, they are "fitted with quite the unique arcane power accumulator. It's far larger than what is needed for an Aeormaton of your size, which may confirm that you were created for the Care and Culling event... destructive [spells], that makes sense, but healing, that's a bit confusing."

Ishan pulls the power core out of FCG's chest. It's a large sphere of deep blue, almost purple color. It looks very much like the other arcane cores they've seen, but it looks stranger, more intricately connected, larger. "I think this might be the source of your [arcane] powers, but I caution, it could be unstable due to age or damage... if it were to overcharge with arcane power, it would take out most of this building." There's no power leaking, and it's very safe as long as no one goes fiddling with it, connecting exterior arcane terminals to it, etc.

"The enchantment technology that was utilized in the creation of Aeormatons was specific to Aeor, and were lost with the city. No one can make new beings like you. You are from a time when this secret was known and utilized, but that time is passed. You are both a relic of history, and a very unique, special person... A lot of Aeormatons worked very hard during that time to establish themselves as equal to their creators. As much as Aeor gets a lot of negative information written about it, and rightfully so, there is a beauty in some of what they made. You are not defined by what you are told your purpose was -- you carve your own path. You are not defined by a binary answer. Being alive, being conscious, free will -- it's frightening. But it's worth everything."

FCG is being fitted with an EZ-Bake Oven inside their chest. This is the most fitting end to this encounter I could possibly have thought of.

Meanwhile, Imogen and Fearne head off to find Kadisha Sumal's office. There are, like, 7 different locks, and she only opened the door because Fearne mentioned Ruidus-born.

She's an older orc with long braided hair and grey-green skin, with heavy bags over her eyes and casual clothes. Her office has a window with a curtain drawn, shelves filled with books and papers, little baubles.

Sumal appears to recognize Imogen's mind powers. Liliana was one of the first people who came to the Omen Archive, and she was instrumental in many of the earliest breakthroughs they had.

The exaltants had the most powerful abilities, and Liliana was the first one who came to the Archive. There isn't a large history of exaltants, there are very few historically, but that number has been growing exponentially. There were 12 at last count that the Archive knew of.

As the Archive was trying to test the extent of the exaltants' abilities, it became more and more uncomfortable as outside forces were peering at them. Members of the Verity began to disappear, so they scattered and buried their research.

Exaltants were the first to speak of the "railora," beings they think come from beyond Exandrian cosmology -- some of the exaltants began having shared dreams where they met a collection of entities, crimson beings that referred to themselves as the railora. The further the Verity pushed into their research, the more alarming it became, so they pulled back.

They theorize that the flares are a way for the railora to connect and tether themselves to Exandrians, "reaching out to someone and holding that tether." Their intelligence was hard to understand and the Verity had no concept of their morality, so their studies became more about finding proof beyond the dreams.

Liliana was trying to develop her abilities regarding entering other peoples' dreams. The Verity guided her through it using induced dream states, and her progress was "incredble," but it became so worrying that the Verity stopped helping her and told her to stop trying.

"There's only so far you can reach into the unknown until the unknown starts pushing back."

Some railora were solid flesh, others were made of energy. They were intelligent, alien, always in a crimson hue similar to the landscape of the dreams. Some enticed with promise, others demanded, others brought empathy and comfort. They speak wordlessly, with imagery and emotions.

THEY ARE INTERRUPTED BY LUDINUS DA'LETH.

Fearne is going to get herself killed.

......okay, he tried to charm her first.

(to Sumal) "You have ignored Assembly requests for an audience for weeks now, and we are on a short timetable." Ludinus is the nightmare she's been waiting for for a very long time. (to Imogen/Fearne) "Sit. You might learn something."

"The archive we recovered is extremely important to our research, but there are excerpts missing." He charms Sumal. "I do hate robbing them of their will... but some things are more important."

He turns to Imogen. "She was right... you do look just like your mother. It is, genuinely, a pleasure to meet you. I've heard of your prowess."

Then to Fearne. "And you... not quite an exaltant, but definitely of the red moon. How fortuitous."

god, Ludinus is so cool. This intimidating, calm demeanor, so confident in his abilities, so full of wizard hubris and selling it. Lawful evil at its fucking best. And that makes it all the more impressive that he was genuinely off-put and shaken by Jester.

Liliana has been working personally with Ludinus for a long time, and her contributions have been integral to the Vanguard's research. This is from Ludinus himself, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

"Do you feel the pull? Northward? [Do I? Yes.] Then follow the instinct. Both of you, if it's there."

"I know you've had dalliances with the masses who try to meddle in our work. I know you've confronted my associate, Thull, and I'm not blind enough to believe you're seeking entry to our merry band. But I also know you only speak from a place of ignorance, misunderstanding. I'm not the one doing this. There are many of us working together to make this happen. This is important work, it's my life's work. [Liam's alarm bells go off here.] So. Do you want to know how to help? Stop resisting."

[Are you Ruidus-born?] "I have my connections to the red moon." [Insight check: 17, contested.]

"I think your mother would like to see you. She talks about you. She's sad that her destiny took her on a different path, and she hoped it wouldn't lead you to the dangerous threads of fate that tug her ever away. But it seems you share a similar destiny."

"Do you know what we're doing?" [We're learning bits and pieces. The power's pretty enticing, though. I gotta say.] "The power is just a tool. All power is just a tool. Fools throughout history use it for personal gain, for forgotten means." [If you succeed, will it go away?] "Parts of it will, for those who have cheated through boons unearned beyond just faith. This society is borne on those who have gained power through transactions, unearned except for granting their succor and obsession to these gods. We don't need them. They've always needed us." [It's happening soon, right?] "Sooner than I'd like. But we'll be as ready as we can be." [Well, maybe we'll find you to the north.] "I think you will." [What are you doing with those papers?] "Don't want to spoil the surprise."

"I watched the world burn at their behest. I saw the ruin their gains left of our people, the destruction they brought down to stunt the potential of mortal minds and hearts. They act only to preserve themselves. So, if there is even an ounce of you that finds faith in them, there is no place for you amongst us." [How old are you?] "Old enough... you're not of faith either, are you? Why?" [They don't mean anything to me.] "Good."

"We are the seeds they plant, and till, and water. We struggle in the maze they shaped. Then, when we expire, they return to their private gardens to harvest, because they told us there was no alternative. They tell us this is how it is, and we thank them for it. We may be their creations, but all children outgrow their parents. The Age of Arcanum, the Matron... they feared our developments, the growing power of the mortal mind. The Divergence, it wasn't to protect us. It was to protect them from us."

I'm pretty sure Ludinus cast feeblemind on Sumal.

Orym sees Ludinus walking down the steps of the seminary as they're waiting outside. He walks into the crowd, is joined by the two Vanguard operatives who escaped, and teleports away.

The Bells Hells regroup in Sumal's office.

"Was he looking for you? This is her office, it's always here, why did he come now?" FCG's getting at it.

Sending to Ryn: "We're in Sumal's office. We need a fast exit. She's been hurt." "Well, shit. I was really hoping that she was elsewhere. On my way."

Man, I'm learning so many new words today.

Ryn arrives. "Oh, my dear... this is a bit far from my purview." Sumal needs a greater restoration -- Ryn can't do it, but she knows people who can.

"As far as I know, the remaining pieces of the Archive that were part of those papers included the names of all known living exaltants in Exandria, the rotations of Ruidus, and the pattern of its orientation during each flare through recorded history."

....great.

To the Feywild!

Morri lives in a place called Ligament Manor. Fearne neglected to tell anybody this.

"You find yourself in a creepy magical marshland of gnarled trees that form a web-like ceiling of corkscrew branches and trunks. You don't even see any leaves, it's just a latticework of trees, with the faintest gaps of pinkish-purple skylight that peeks through." Welcome to Fearne's home!

"Does anyone else feel like they've taken too much?" Ashton (/Talisein), I love you.

oooooo Matt definitely took inspiration from Subnautica for this

"When you look at Fearne, she's Fearne, but there's something different about her. Her features are sharper, her eyes are deeper and bluer. The ears are longer, her limbs seem to be slightly exaggerated. There's an otherworldly air about her that's just... unique. It's upsetting at first glance, but everyone else looks normal."

this is super interesting. b/c to me it seems like the Bells Hells are only okay here at level 9 because of Fearne -- like she's some kind of fey lord or royalty who's tethered to the land like Morri is.

Friendly reminder that Fearne can indeed speak Sylvan

"Roll persuasion with disadvantage." "26."

I think I've said this before, but Matt has gotten so creative with his encounter design. It's super fucking cool, of course, but it also fits very well with the campaign -- the Hells are a control party, they want to twist and manipulate encounters instead of using brute force or subterfuge, so encounters with multiple solutions are their jam, but it's enhanced all the more by the absolute trust that the players have in Matt and that Matt has in his players.

if anyone wants an approximation of this, here is what a jazz pan flute might sound like.

Through the forest, Fearne picks up a familiar scent -- the oils Morri uses, the lanterns she burns.

The find a domed, circular clearing, ringed with thorny walls and thicket. In the middle, a massive tree covered in hundreds of hanging vines, like a frozen waterfall of deep green and teal streamers, completely obfuscating the center of the tree. It rises over a hundred feet, just scraping the top of this dome; the shape implies a dozen or more branches with the vines draped over them like a weeping willow. Within, there are hundreds of small nests, empty wooden cages, lanterns, and many, many unique wreaths tied throughout, subtly decorating it. The air hangs heavy with a presence that leaves breath thick and chilled.

Fearne feels that chill in the air as a warmth in her chest.

As Fearne gets within 5 feet of the tree, the vines furl apart like drapes, letting through the faintest flicker of firelight.

The tree is comparable to the Sun Tree in its thickness. 30 feet up, it splits into two trunks that corkscrew around each other; the branches off the trunks each hold a hut, a room.

"Enter. We knew you were coming." (Note that whoever is speaking had to invite Fearne into the home -- she didn't just enter.)

"It's hard to grasp a solid presence. At times, it's beautiful, and at times, it's borderline nightmarish."

There are knit dolls, animal skeletons posed in dancing positions, alien-looking potted plants that seem to guard their side of the room with ferocity.

"Oh, Fearne. How we have missed you." Fearne leaps into the arms of a... shape. The shoulders sit at 7 or 8 feet; the torso is like a barrel; swathed in a large, blue-green, patchwork dress, there are no feet visible, and the Hells can hear them like a sack of flour with each step. The shoulders are thin, pointed, skeletal. Around the top of the dress is a mantle of chiffon, from which emerges a head on a stretching neck, craning like a giraffe, framed in long white hair. A wrinkled old woman's face, a terrifying wide smile of jagged teeth, eyeless sockets with sunken golden glow, nostril slits with no nose. "Fearne, with your friends, like a cocktail... welcome, welcome. We have guests."

She pulls open the front of the dress, and in the chest is a massive pair of sunken eyes, a mouth that curls into a smile across the torso. "We haven't had guests in a while... come. Let me show you to my tiki bar."

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

okay but what are the three nhthcth songs tho

So it’s important to note that Songs for me don’t always have a perfect correlation or fit with lyrics matching the story and is more based on the overall Vibe somehow clicking with what I want the story to be.

1. Bad Habits by The Federal Empire

This was the original Song and it was the background for the vast majority of plot creation. I listened to it so many times that skewed my Spotify wrapped to a ridiculous degree. It specifically became the Song because of Daisy and Jon’s relationship in nhthcth.

Like, when I build a plot, there’s a lot of jumping around and figuring out how it all fits together. It’s always a fun, pleasant surprise when my brain knits together the very separate parts and tells me how we get there. Which gives me a very distorted perspective of the story, because the order I get information in tends to be very different than the order y’all get information in.

nhthcth loosely went: initial Tommy bradstaff confrontation-> daisy and Jon buddy cop adventures-> horrible devastatingly sad backstory that got us there-> ohmygodisthatDannystoker-> rest of it

Bad Habits really had sort of off the cuff, mildly ill-advised and self-destructive, chaotic dynamic I wanted between Daisy and Jon. Like, I knew I wanted them to be really messy in this, because they were supposed to live in this sort of in-between in canon characterisations for them. They’d never had the buried, but they had to be past the point of “Daisy is hunt mad and wants to kill Jon in the woods.” They had to exist in this space where neither of them had progressed to the same point as they did in season 4 to stop feeding entirely and were in this sort of half-measure where they were trying to ignore the reality of their situation and make it work as best they can—and, you know, save the world while they went.

Like, I loved them so much. They committed so many crimes. Pov you’re spooky and you get brutalised in the woods by woman who looks like she kills people for the mob and man in cardigan who looks like he died last week. They were morally ambiguous and fucking hilarious. They weren’t allowed in France anymore. Dream team buddy cop between deeply violent woman and utterly exhausted man. I was obsessed. It was so fun and zany in my head.

Then I came up with the devastatingly sad parts and devastatingly sad ended up being the tone y’all got instead of fun and zany but it was too late the Song was set. Yes, Jon’s horrible traumatic past was created while listening to this fairly upbeat song. We get One Song per story it’s the rules of my brain.

But then it became so convoluted that it ended up getting more Songs, which was unprecedented.

2. Two Birds by Regina Spektor

The second song nhthcth, and I can’t say what part of the story it belongs to because we haven’t gotten to that part yet. I will say that it is a Song that belongs to Jon & Gerry.

3. Never Forget You by Noisettes

This is actually young Jon & Gerry’s Song. I really liked the fit for them because it sounds so upbeat and energetic with lyrics that are a little bittersweet.

Like, I can’t emphasize enough that Jon and Gerry were happy together. When they ran, they were genuinely happy kids who were glad to be alive for the first time in their own memories. They loved each other, they loved each and every adventure they went on, and even though they were in a completely shit situation, it was the happiest they had ever been. And even when they lost it, that period of their lives was always a sort of light they never let go of—and never stopped trying to get back.

This Song really had the jaunty, fun vibe that I wanted Gerry and Jon to have when they ran together, and there’s this overarching yearning and bittersweet reflection that I thought echoed how it ultimately would end in them being dragged back in the most painful way possible. It sort of acknowledged that it didn’t work out the way they hoped but it doesn’t diminish the joy and love that they had before it was lost.

[dwestfieldblog]

SHRAPNEL FOR DEMOCRACY

‘Time passes by, a snowflake in the summer’s sky’…the election happened, the bad guys lost apart from the despicable Nigel Farago, more of whom soon. Biden stepped down; all credit to him for having done so. I watched three hours of Kamala Harris in her previous jobs and found her to be tough, smart, good humoured and moral…she also made the right choice for VP in Walz. So, one night I actually went to bed with hope (arf) for November. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, Ingerland on the feral march, morons and scum on the streets fed false information by populist politicians and racist criminals, not questioning, not thinking for themselves. Farage asking why a black teenage boy who murdered three young girls and attacked others, wasn’t on the MI5 watch list. (‘What are they not telling us?’) Because he was 17 and had done nothing wrong previously, you frog faced Oswald Mosley wannabe. The riot mob were told lies that the boy was a Muslim migrant, and so paraded with the Union Jack and St George Cross flags, gym worked muscles and tattoos…which made them easy to trace. Burning cars, looting shops and punching cops in the name of British national pride. Then the opposites came out; ‘Smash Fascism and Racism by any means necessary’. Any? Finally, balanced folk came with children to sweep the streets clean and help those whose shops were destroyed.

In response to the riots, Sir Kier Starmer ordered the creation of a ‘standing army’ of specialist police officers to out thug the thugs. Idiot genius Elon Musk chirruped/Xed that ‘civil war is inevitable’ in the UK. Yeah maybe, if you fund it pal. A white south African with an unhappy childhood who wants to spread racism around and allow convicted criminals and blatant crap stirrers to have their say loud and clear to propagate chaos. More support for Putin and China’s Western divide and conquer strategies. Too much money and a dearth of heart.

Musk reinstated the chubby bum fluffed Ron Watkins to Twitter in 2023 (along with the criminal racist Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins etc) The Q Onan L Ron Hubbard of conspiracy theory horse manure. (Or else he could be a dadaist comedian using black comedy psychology to expose the very worst elements in humanity. Tak yer pick.) It is noticeable just how many far-right writers and mentally ill tub thumpers he has reinstated since taking over Twitter who were previously banned for hate speech, incitement to violence and spreading misinformation. So, the free flow of ‘knowledge’ clags up in the U bend of X again. And he donates to the Trump campaign. Propaganda interview. Nuff said.

Putting the ass into assassination…just one inch more and the world would be safer today. But no. And then all the ‘saved by the miracle hand of God he cheated death’ plaudits for his ‘I took a bullet for democracy’. Donald, you didn’t TAKE the bullet, you took some shrapnel. All those who had run against him to be the Republican candidate, standing and saying what a great hero he was, what a fine leader he will be again, while Trump sat, smiling like Caligula as his rivals virtually begged for their jobs and political lives while he imagined how he was going to screw them for previous comments. Ah yes, pudgy weirdie beardie JD Vance and his hillbilly pants…apparently thanks to Labour, the UK could be the first ‘truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon’. Blue eyed boy, we already have them and we are still a long way from Sharia law here pal. And Pakistan has the bomb, you dolt, you think they’re Jewish? Oy.

And Lo, the law court ruling spake that the childman was not accountable for breaking the law while a president. So democratic (perhaps that’s why he wants to change the politics of the USA, he doesn’t like that his country is described this way) America, land of freedom moved closer to being ruled by a megalomaniac psychopathic tyrant king. Cult of befouled personality Trump visited North Korea and must have loved what he saw, cleanliness and order, absolute power and control…and a family dynasty ruling for decades by fear and murder. Hmm, he (probably, possibly) thought.

Trump funded by far-right billionaires and greedy fundamentalist Christians who want to tear up the first amendment, (about the separation between church and state) as a righteous government should obviously not remain neutral when the word of GOD-AH and his boy Jesus Christ are the only moral standard with which to measure true law. Pshaw pfff. Most American presidents in the USA’s very short history, were Freemasons, which might explain why Trump acts as if he is jealous at being left out and rants about the ‘deep state’. He wants to join the big boys and be privy to the secrets of the universe. Neither is he in the Bilderberg group…and it is highly unlikely he will ever be asked to join either. So, he stamps his feet, goes a little more orange with rage and declares war on all the gangs which won’t have him. Smearing with libellous paedophilia accusations and satanic porn ring pizza house slave trade blaaarg. You couldn’t make it up? But they do and are believed by hundreds of thousands.

Let’s have some good old fashioned ‘religious values’ now…

The ‘holy’ land …Illegal settlements (according to international law) in the West bank and their continuing expansion fuel Palestinian hatred, the fury bubbling over should not have taken anyone by surprise, least of all the deliberate provocateurs. 5, 295 new homes approved last month. (July) Not exactly trying for peace and a two-state solution. Arab anger will never cease over this. And now the foul Hezbollah seem revving up in response to the mass starving and sick women and children of Gaza and the (has to be said) very well executed (arf) assassinations of bad guys by Israel. However, ‘fair’ or not, genocide does seem to be an accurate description for the endless slaughterings.

(How did three thousand members of Hamas mobilise without Mossad knowing? The latter are one of the best and most ruthless secret services in the world and no Palestinian in their ‘care’ or known to them spilled the beans?). Hilarious to hear Xi Jinping talk about ‘tremendous sufferings’ and that ‘justice should not be absent forever’. Tell that to the innocents in your country who died for a little more freedom on May 35th 1989.

Benny went to the US Congress to give a speech begging for weapons. 43 standing ovations for a war criminal. ‘There is no room for political violence in democracies’ he said, condemning the failed attempt on DT. Don’t remember him saying much about the riots encouraged by the orange one. And off the scale political violence by a democracy against its enemies also seems to be acceptable. Israel has ‘always been our home’. Only for four thousand years. As written last time, many other tribes were there first. Risible House Speaker Mike Johnson beamed with ‘Christian’ pride, as one who believes that Armageddon time in the holy land signifies the return of Christ, whereby all true believers will be lifted in the Rapture of the Lord, hallelujah, amen.

With regard to the arrest warrant for Benny and the Hamas leader, the appalling senator Lindsey Graham said ‘If the ICC (International Criminal Court) does this to Israel, they will come for us next’. So, some US lawmakers want to dismantle the international justice system. Of course they do, same way Boris Johnson, Erdogan et al ad infinitum want to control the justice system in their countries, people it with their crony puppets and avoid arrest.

Speaking of twilight of the idols and the antichrist…saw a video on YouTube… ‘The Devil is Gay’. They must have been watching South Park, eh? Belief in the Devil is essential for the financial business of the churches…to conversely paraphrase Baudelaire (the opium addicted poet) ‘The greatest trick the church ever pulled was convincing so many that the devil existed’ The (nobody expects the Spanish) Inquisition cost a lot of money and thus, approved by the pope, Indulgences cameth unto being. Rich folk could do whatever they wanted, just pay off the Church and be absolved of sin. Nice work if you can get it. And let’s skip a light fandango over the high amounts of infanticide in nunneries, the embarrassing babies caused by pure visiting priests. (Unless they claimed that God did it.) And the mass burnings and torture of innocents, and the hundreds of cases of shifting pederasts from diocese to diocese rather than handing them to the law. And the laundering of Mafia money and the Magdelana Laundries and etc. AND the huge numbers of evangelists preaching shite, hellfire and salvation through the poor giving them lots of money for lying into their faces. All of that would seem to sum up EVIL.

As Zappa said ‘If there is a Hell, its fires wait for them not us’. ‘It was good to hunt down our comedians and minstrels, considering that most of them are wizards and magicians.’  1602 French witchfinder. What a sod. ‘We have enough religion to hate each other but not enough to love each other’. J.Swift  ‘Holy’ folk,do something decent to prove you are worthyof respect, don’t just expect to be respected for your religion just because you are ‘religious’.

‘My own opinion is that belief is the death of intelligence’. R.A.W.

‘If a people permit exploitation and regimentation in any name, they deserve their slavery. A tyrant does not make his tyranny possible. It is made possible by the people and not otherwise’. Jack Parsons. Neurotic masses crave tyrants, a strong daddy and are encouraged to be neurotic. The masses are allowed to live, in order to act as slaves and maintain the charade. East and West in a rival illusory pantomime, both pretending nationalistic pride is important, only to encourage treadmill production ethics. One might argue that most people don’t want to ‘permit exploitation’, however, it takes a lot to rise against those who are fully armed and brutal. They’ve got the guns and drones but we got the numbers…but how many in the West would be as brave as those in Tiananmen Square in 89 or in Russia over the last two decades?

Politicians in democracies quickly and conveniently forget that their job is to both serve and be accountable to those who gave them a temporary license for their work. Not to spend their time getting richer at the expense of the already poor. ‘Politicians have the same responsibility to know, and act upon, scientific fact as do doctors, engineers, or other professional people.’  

The new generation of politicians who realised half a generation ago that their type are despised anyway, so the best thing to do in these modern times of Tik Tok influencers is to treble down and ONLY say what the worried masses want to hear or need to be threatened with. And blaming other countries and races etc etc, is always a solid vote catcher. Yeah, well the Nazis and Communists found out that stuff only works for a while as a functioning belief system (BS). We are seemingly at a crossroads where humanity’s Ego takes complete control or else gets a hard slap and a rude awakening. May there be Peace… Awaken the neophiliac within with childlike wonder and fascination.  We will see soon…

[zooterchet]

The Story of Salvatore "Lucky Charlie" Luciano

Lucky Luciano, was a Canada Department police officer, his family Arab and Italian (Sicilian), entrusted as a prison minister's office in Canada to deported French and English, for the crime of refusing to masturbate and stealing semen, then suing, instead of visiting a sperm donor's bank in London for their wife, the end of gay rights and the groundlings in England.

He was charged with one of many assignments, for the United States government, under Calvin Coolidge. The FBI was being formed, an international counter terror and mercenary hire service, assisted by the nascent imperial power that was America, to replace the declining Comstock undercover services, the Sicilian Union, before it was replaced by the Mossad, the Sicilian Mob, in the 1940s.

Lucky, was in charge of comic books and media, DC Comics.

He went to Chicago, New York, Boston, Providence, and Newark, out of the Hague, "Attleboro Carpet", a shell company he set up to install carpet for casinos out of Atlantic City, the booking real estate investment for the Episcopalians, fake Catholics that practiced Sura Buddhism, an element of Buddhism called Sangrinism, which is not Buddhism, the first stage element of Catholic martial civil defense force training, Vatican logic; the Sacraments.

There were dozens of badges, working for Calvin Coolidge, during Prohibition, that Coolidge had set up, to destroy Warren G. Harding, for inventing the German police unions for prisons and deportations, centuries prior. Harding, had been deported by Ben Franklin, for treason, to Egypt, and had returned, an Evangelist, a prison czar. Coolidge hated him, and the FBI project, for using deported families, for mob hires, the bearer bonds unit, from the Dales, a Boston family of spies and diamond hedges, a diamond broker theorist that disrupts a diamond trade when cops are abused, the children of soldiers.

Lucky, had to kill a shitload of cops. But now, you have DC Comics.

The family survived, by taking the Arabic term for "bad luck", sawa al-hadh, in cursive resembling "Charlebois", a male stripper, and in Italian, "disgratzia"; Arabic, being the language of disadvantage in the courts, but bad luck, making only bad luck impossible in courts, disabling the last name from speaking Arabic, only Urdu, the language of the courts.

We survive today, as the Bridgewater Triangle Charlebois family, the Stewards of COINTELPRO, merged with the Bombardiers, the Arab pilot drug runners, and the Booths, the Scottish banker pornographers. The FBI, the Canadian logging industry, and the Narcotics Bureau, are merged with us, for COIN. The alliance with the O'Neills, Prince Philip's line of England, U'Niall of the Nine Hostages, the Sharif Tongue, the barbeque man, through the Garfields, the Hague's founder (the South Shore of Massachusetts), opened up endless opportunities, for political assassination, of those opposing the national cause of abolition of contract slavery, under Boudica, Hannibal, and David's mutual creation, per line being the same, of the contract holder of labor, being flipped into the slave, by stealing a shell company and creating a new liberty organization.

America was founded on slavery, but so was Rome.

The problem is, that the Germans, disrupt the entire system, of both America, and Rome, by assuming a slave, works for free, and then dies; not freedom, at test of contribution, a guarantee for labor. Germans, are Arab blooded, they're Muslims, without the proper religious system, ejaculating with urine, instead of semen, therefore capable of breeding. It's not Vatican, or Sangrinism, it's Socialism.

The Vatican, is the concept of support of police unions, by feeding the families of the tax burden's protectors. Sangrinism, is the concept of the sacrifice of a life, through accident of family bigotry, to the care of those disabled. But Socialism, is the concept of government, providing protection of finance, instead of the people.

[xxxjarchiexxx]

i am yet to think of how practically i can apply my morals to a revolution and post-revolution state, because i am morally opposed full stop to the creation of a ruling class, even if the ruling class is materially benefitting the majority of people or even all people, it feels inherently wrong for people to hold enough power as to have a monopoly on violence, even if the people are good and would do good things because then we have nothing but the trust in those with absolute power to not turn it around. thats my beef with red-cops too, not just government states. but, practically, immediately post-revolution there would have to be SOMETHING like that in place in order to pull off and maintain a revolution that doesn't descend into capitalism and keeps the people taken care of. ill have to read more about horizontal organization in communist government but i think regardless of my feelings on a communist state pre-during-immediately-post revolution, my endgame will always be communities without any ruling class or armed judicial bodies or the like. i truly find what people deride as "mob justice" better than any monopoly on violence and on justice

[mybookplacenet]

Featured Post: The Shaman and the Mafia by Novelist Elizabeth Upton

About The Shaman and the Mafia: Now Awarded a 5-Stars by Reader's Favorite. Marietta Collins, a former nun, becomes enmeshed in the tragedy of a brutal murder. Marietta, now the head of a youth drug rehab center, is dedicated to ridding the community of the growing criminal element. The victim of the suspected mafia hit was her friend Joseph Gleason W, a drug informant. During the course of the investigation, she meets the victim's brother, FBI Assistant Director Raymond Gleason. There's an instant attraction between the two. He becomes her first lover, and their romance blossoms into a deep love for each other. Raymond gives FBI agent Jerry Young, who is also his best friend, the responsibility of investigating the murder and hunting down the mafia's kingpin. Marietta and Jerry have a brief of a clandestine affair that they are both later sorry for. Jerry, haunted by guilt for his violent past, turns to his childhood mentor, a mysterious Cherokee shaman, to save him from the burning fires of lust and his desire for vengeance. Also involved in the search for the murderer is Detective Riley, a tough, trash-talking female cop formerly with the NYPD, who discovers her new boss, Sgt. Sorrento is on the take from the mob. While other minor characters help tell this gripping story, this is an action-packed mystery and love story that also examines the conflicted emotions of the characters as they try to make sense of their lives through the web of crime, darkness, and light. Targeted Age Group: 19+ Written by: Novelist Elizabeth Upton Buy the ebook: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Audio Book: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Audible Buy the Print Book: Buy the Book On Amazon Buy the Book On Barnes & Noble/Nook Author Bio: Elizabeth Upton is a best-selling American author and influential writer of gripping fiction and inspiring self-help non-fiction books. Her best-selling books, 'Secrets of a Nun: My Own Story,' 'The Silver Woman of Fire' and the newest 'The Healing Swords of Love and Innocence' helped set her firmly within the world's literary map. With many novels to her credit, her new book in June 2022 is titled 'Lovers' Secrets and Revenge,' a gripping thriller. Elizabeth's favorite writing was 'The Shaman and The Mafia,' she shares, "The creation of this story has been an exciting journey. If possible, I would love to meet all of the characters in this book in real life." The Author's non-fiction books and novels are available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle while featured on fine literary book sites and magazines. Elizabeth was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, until the age of sixteen, when she entered a New York State Convent and became a nun for twenty years, but she yearned for a more authentic spiritual life. Elizabeth left the convent and chose to attend and receive her B.A. from Syracuse University. Returning to her native state of California, she attended and received her M.A. from Chapman University in psychology. The Author began working for over thirty years in family counseling as a social worker and probation officer working with troubled teens and abused children. She is a speaker, spiritual mentor, and advisor. Elizabeth is happily married and enjoys writing books for her reader fans around the world. When the Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay fit and healthy; she loves long walks on the beach with her husband and dog. Her favorite colors are blue, green, and gold. She enjoys reading good books by some of her favorite authors like Geraldine Brooks, Hanh, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and Michael Connelly. Elizabeth and her husband reside in Santa Barbara, California. Follow the author on social media: Learn more about the writer. Visit the Author's Website Facebook Fan Page Twitter LinkedIn Read the full article

[tfrinpin]

I honestly...just wanted to draw sexy butts and this seemed like the perfect AU to do. No regrets. Absolutely none. @pastelpaperplanes this is ALL YOUR FAULT.

[pastelpaperplanes]

Not Optimus

The piece you did of Megs and Oppy cuddling in bed gave me ideas. Fluffy, angsty ideas.

-

He’d been looking for paper. 

That’s all Optimus wanted. He hadn’t meant to spend the night, but it had been so late and it had been raining outside and Megatron had been doing absolutely wicked things with his mouth. 

Things that he had continued early the next morning. Optimus could feel heat pooling in his stomach at the memory of how Megatron had looked at him as the first rays of sunlight spilled into the bedroom, the intensity of his eyes rendering Optimus to putty in his hands. 

Megatron had had a meeting later on that morning, and after much encouragement and bargaining, he slipped out of bed and dressed for the day. Optimus was falling back to sleep as Megatron pressed a soft kiss to his mouth, promising that he would be back as soon as he could. 

When Optimus had woken up again later that day, he remembered that he was supposed to have gone home last night, and he had to work tonight at the club. So he’d made the bed, cleaned up, and borrowed a shirt and shorts to wear on the trip back to his apartment. He wasn’t looking forward to the lecture he’d no doubt get from Ratchet for staying out all night without any word. 

Before he left, he decided to leave a note for Megatron, letting him know that Optimus had to head back to his place to get cleaned up and ready for his shift that night. He’d searched the bedroom and sitting room to no avail. That left Megatron’s office. 

Optimus had only been in Megatron’s office once before. Megatron had left the door open one morning and Optimus had come in with a mug of coffee for him. Optimus felt himself smile at the memory of that morning. Megatron had been grateful for the coffee, looking up at Optimus like he’d been sent from Primus Himself. He’d gathered Optimus up in his lap and kissed him until he couldn’t speak. 

It had been one of the best mornings of his life. 

He tried to find where Megatron kept the paper in his desk. He pulled drawers open to shuffle through. He found plenty of pens and letters, but a quick skim told him they weren’t anything incriminating. He kept looking. It was quickly beginning to get frustrating. Was it really too much to ask for a simple notepad? He pulled open one of the bottom drawers and felt around. AS he reached the back, his fingers brushed against something soft but hard. Frowning, he grabbed the object and pulled it out.

It was a box. It was made of black velvet, and it fit in the palm of Optimus’ hand. Definitely not notepad paper. 

He should put it back. Optimus told himself that he should put it back. It wasn’t what he was looking for. 

But what if it was evidence of some kind, he asked himself. Or at least, that was the excuse he made up to himself to justify his curiosity. He gently opened the box. The inside was cushioned with a creamy gold silk, with the name of a high end jeweler stamped on the inside of the lid. 

And nestled inside was a ring. Its silver shine seemed brighter in the morning light, but Optimus’ eye was immediately drawn to what looked to be an engraving on the inside. Without thinking, he gently plucked the ring out and read it. 

Orion, my darling spark

Optimus’ breath caught. The ring trembled in his fingers and he had to grip it tighter to keep from dropping it. He could feel something spinning white hot inside of his chest, and his eyes began to sting. He knew he was smiling as he held the ring up to read the engraving over and over again. Every time, he felt his smile grow wider and wider, and his vision was blurring with emotion. A weak laugh escaped before he could stop it.

He paused.

Orion, my darling spark.

Orion.

Not Optimus. Orion. This ring was for Orion Pax. That was who Megatron had been holding so close, who he’d been taking to his bed. Orion Pax was the mech that Megatron wanted to marry. Orion Pax was the one that Megatron loved.

Not Optimus.

Optimus wasn’t a simple mech down on his luck who managed to snag a gig as a burlesque. Optimus was a dropout. Optimus was an undercover informant for the Elite Guard. Optimus was… 

Optimus glanced down at himself - at the too-big shirt draped across his frame. At the hickey that was peeking out just under his collarbone. He looked around the office, it finally dawning just whose office this was.

He was in too deep.

Oh Primus, he was in far too deep.

What would Sentinel say if he saw how easily Optimus had fallen for his own facade? Optimus could practically see the smug, condescending grin as it split across the other mech’s face. He’d laugh and tell Optimus that he was pathetic. He’d tell Optimus that he really was an idiot if he actually believed that Megatron would want anything to do with him if he knew who he really was.

And the horrible truth of it was - he was right. 

Optimus was only kidding himself if he thought that this… relationship with Megatron stood even an iota of a chance. What was he supposed to do - marry Megatron to keep up the charade? Stand there while Megatron made vows to a mech who didn’t actually exist? What about when Optimus finally managed to gather enough evidence to put Megatron away for who knew how long? What then?

By the time the tears began to spill down Optimus’ cheeks, they were no longer tears of joy. 

Orion Pax wasn’t real. He never had been. But despite that, Optimus felt bile rising in the back of his throat at the thought of him. 

An image flashed in his mind - Megatron, down on one knee, looking up at Optimus as if he held all the stars in the universe in his hands, and opening this box. He would look Optimus in the eye, and with a happy and hopeful voice, ask Orion Pax to marry him.

Optimus fumbled with the ring for a moment as he wedged it back into the box and snapped it shut. He had to force himself to open the drawer and carefully replace the box so that hopefully Megatron wouldn’t notice that it had been touched. 

As soon as the box slipped out of his fingers, Optimus drew his hand back and quickly shut the drawer. He stumbled to his feet in his haste, and cursed as he bumped into a nearby bookcase. The tears were still coming, blurring his vision, but Optimus didn’t care. 

Moving quickly, Optimus walked out of the office and back into the bedroom. He ripped the shirt and shorts off and slipped back into the remnants of the dress he’d been wearing the night before. His breathing was getting ragged, but he didn’t slow down as he ran out of the bedroom and into the sitting room. It took him a moment to find his shoes - a pair of mid-high pumps that Knock Out had insisted he pay for as a ‘welcoming gift’ when Optimus had first started at the club.

When Optimus had started working to get close to a mob boss in an effort to put him in prison. 

His heavy breathing only made the tears come faster, along with an absolutely pathetic sounding whimper. Optimus squeezed his eyes shut in a vain effort to banish the tears. He didn’t bother putting his shoes back on as he grabbed his discarded clutch bag and ran out the door.

Optimus all but flew down the street, a deafening thumping throughout his whole body. 

He didn’t know what exactly he was running from, but maybe - he thought - maybe if he ran fast enough, he wouldn’t have to face what would be coming next.

———————————

do you hear the sound of my heart BREAKING

ahh this fic left me in torment so why not make it hurt that much more w some fan art :’’

GW your work kills me in the best ways THANK YOU

[an0n-1o1]

I saw @pastelpaperplanes cops and mobs au and I just knew I had to join it!

Here's the bio if you can't read it:

At first glance, some bots may think this is just a wannabe gangster minibot trying to be tough. But Gears (Gearstick's nickname) is kinda a nice person to hang around with, Well, if you like being called out about who you're crushing on. Other than that, they're a really fun person to hang out with!

[silverwritesthings]

This is my OC Songbird for @pastelpaperplanes Cops And Mobs AU. She's a singer in the club, and she tries her best not to get involved with anything but her work. There's rumors that she had help landing the job, but she denies it all. If she likes someone they can make requests, She’s a charming, sweet femme who almost always has a smile on her face.  Art by my good friend Endergirl on discord

[sweet-void-princess]

More C&M Moth.

Because yes.

Dialogue because I'm lazy:

Moth: Knockout, won't the patrons stare at me because of this...?

Knockout, being a supportive mentor: Of course, but, you know that your rumored beau Predaking and I would beat anyone who touches you weirdly into a pulp.

Moth: ...that's kinda better.

Knockout: Alright. Now, knock 'em dead, Moth.

(Cobs And Mobs AU belongs to the fantastic artist that is @pastelpaperplanes )

I am currently taking suggestions for his voice!

[pinkpruneclodwolf]

Why You Should Fear the Common Man— Trey. C Is Meaner Than We Give Him Credit For.

I stole this off of Trey's groovy gallery in the Twst wiki

You know those pictures of a white men who commit murder(s) and instead of a mugshot its them with their family or hiking some shit like that— that's exactly why I chose his birthday photo.

This isn't a character analysis, deconstruction— NUNADET

This man has fooled yall into thinking he's some malewife sent from the heavens above—AND HE'S NOT!

I see yall playing in my face about this boy like he didn't admit to feeding the Heartslabyul members inedible food whenever he fucked up on the kitchen— Princess Peach at least had the decency to tell Mario that she made an absolute dogshit cake (iykyk)—but this man—

This man right here?! He just Doodle Suit that shit and called it a day—

Keep that man away from me! Yep, thats not a boy anymore that is a full blown man now, he's too much of a hazard to be considered less.

Like I swear I'm not trying to be antagonistic, in fact I do like the lil hidden sides that we see— but I am sitting on information that could lead to his arrest. Actually, multiple arrests because the whole cast is sick

Exhibit A: Heart Got Teeth— Trey's Relationship with Riddle.

There's a saying, I don't know if yall know it but I've heard my mother say it and I think about it whenever I think of the twst cast particularly characters like Trey.

"The devil appears before you with a smile on his face and hell under your feet."

Of course this is a very loaded quote for some dude who just lies point blank, this would be something reserved for Sam, Crowley, or Lilia but they don't intentionally lead you on the way Trey does, they're too seasoned for that.

Let's review a few things first:

Trey is the Vice Dormleader of Heartslabyul dorm, the "good" cop to Riddle's "bad" cop.

Calm, collected, and laid back, considered to be the "protector" of the Heartslabyul dorm.

"Friendly" and "willing" to help others, including his underclassmen if they have trouble with anything (not without an exchange, which is par for the course).

Unique Magic can overwrite anything "with what one imagines" color, size, shape, taste, smell, etc... can be overwritten.

Called Sea Turtle by Floyd.

Called Chavelier by Rook Hunt.

Card suit: Clover/Club.

Card Number: 3.

Yall probably looking at this lil bulletin funny, but I swear this ties into the topic because his brand of evil is insanely covert, don't take this man at face value is all I'm saying.

"Clubs: The summer season is represented by the club. The club meaning in cards is the indication of the stage of “youth” when one places a focus on education, recklessness, and so forth. A club symbol meaning is the pinnacle of an earth element." Adda52 Blog on "Card Suits and Symbolism."

"Clubs representing both the peasantry and achievement through work; diamonds, the merchant class and the excitement of wealth creation; hearts, the clergy and the struggle to achieve inner joy; spades, the warrior class institutionalised into the nobility and the fractious problems of life." Theguardian on "The Four Suits of a Pack of Cards."

Now, I will address Riddle and Trey's relationship.

We already know they were childhood friends for a short while before the tart incident which tore them apart which led to Trey overcompensating the lost time by silently watching Riddle become exactly like his mom instead of speaking up like a true friend would.

That's exactly where my lil theory comes in; Trey is 3 of clubs— 3 means faith in card suit language, so while Trey might not've enjoyed Riddle's troublesome development he remained at his side like the faithful knight he is, simply mitigating the fall out and calling it a day.

But faith can also be blind—we see this when Riddle goes on a beheading spree, Trey doesn't express any other emotion except exasperation at best and vexation at best—

However this response isn't for others, but rather himself. He gets uncomfy when the Heartslabyul mob come to him expressing how tired they are of Riddle and (also notice how he doesn't defend him either) all he can say is "I'll talk to him".

Which he doesn't btw.

Which ties into the whole Clubs being peasants and Hearts being the clergy especially if we look at this from a European sense; peasants go to church, no?

Warriors protect the land (clubs being the 'pinnacle of earth' mean they represent agriculture) and diamonds keep the economy flowing with money and such.

Of course the peasants can always overthrow the clergy by applying for their place, but why would they?

"...Good, now I can make sweets with all the spices I wanted to try."

"Eh..? Trey-kun, did you just straight-faced grant your own wish?!"

"I did pray to get my hands on a high-end food processor with my "Wishing star"."

Doodle Suit literally trumped OB!Riddle's magic and yet he doesn't even try to attempt Riddle's position?

We've seen him run laps around Riddle in his Starry Robes personal story where he tricks Riddle into buying a 100k madol food processor under the guise of making it easier for the Heartslabyul students to get around the kitchen.

So why doesn't he just,,,, attempt the position??

Because he's faithful.

Because he's an 'average guy'

Let's reflect on that:

Exhibit B: Do We Know the Muffin Man?— Trey C's Secrets Are in the Pudding, but He'll Never Tell.

Translation by Raven

"The more I look at it... You do look more powerful than usual. It's kind of menacing."

"I see, if you say so, maybe I'll keep wearing glasses then."

This is some substantial evidence right here, boys.

There's no need for a quote when we have a picture of this criminal glaring at us. Y'see what he really looks like under those lil glasses now? "My eyesight's bad so I'm always glaring"— go directly to hell, we got magic stop lying to these people.

Now this comes from the Scary Dress personal story where he and Azul discuss eyewear— idek how to explain just how insane that is— this is Azul we're talking about, yeah he mellowed out after his OB, but that doesn't mitigate the danger that comes with speaking to him.

If anything, he's gotten more shifty, meaning we don't know if dude was trying to strike a deal with Trey or not.

You know how Jamil likes to downplay his abilities alot? Trey also does that so as not to draw attention to himself, I mean look at his UM, he can overwrite anything (limited time ofc) if the wrong person got their hands on that they'd be unstoppable— I'll get right into that soon.

Call me paranoid but being wary if the OB boys can never be too much—

But this isn't what I'm here to talk about, I'm here to talk about his home life and how that makes him who he his.

We oft times hear him talk about his family, and you wouldn't be wrong to think that he uses that as a sort of shield to make him look average or to boast about his prowess with baking (not cooking two different ballparks).

We know that he's the oldest of two siblings and often cooks for the family whenever his baking parents are busy—I remember one of the characters calling his family mildly famous in the Rose Kingdom— and that he often has to make sure his brother brushes his teeth to the point that he's developed a sort of "oral fixation", Ace even calls him a toothbrushing maniac.

Quaint innit?

Compared to the other characters his life is very cozy and hunkydory, not a hair out of place. His life is pretty much set.

He seems... Boring. He "helps" others in need, even going out of his way to learn how to teach the Heartslabyul students to cook so that they won't depend on him.

He's the protector of the Heartslabyul dorm, the big brother, the "good" guy, the person you run to when Riddle is being a lil piss baby.

And yet...

"There's the impression of "villain in movies", they said."

"In the end I stopped wearing over-rim glasses because I didn't want to be misunderstood by my mother and sister."

...

"In this school it's very easy to lock eyes and end up in a fight because 'he glared at me', right?"

"I don't want to deal with any trouble. So, I just try to look as gentle as possible."

Hmm.

I'm tryna figure out how some average guy manages to get into a school like NRC, where the general population is chock-full of people that hide their intentions under a thick veil and not end up at the bottom of the food chain.

His proximity to Riddle doesn't have anything to do with it either.

If anything, I don't think Trey cares for Riddle in the way that we think he does.

Here's why:

"Hehe… I think you are plenty passionate about researching strawberries. Roi des Roses… so Riddle was your motivation. Having such a deep loyalty is très bien! As expected of the Chevalier, Trey!"

"Deep loyalty… Don’t exaggerate. Riddle is my childhood friend, so I just know what he likes. That’s all."

"Is that so? My eyes reflect a much deeper bond between you two! But yes… a flower will wither if you give it too much water. It’s fine to hold back so you won’t break his heart."

What do you mean by that, Rook? Break Riddle's heart how?

What is Trey hiding from Riddle that would break his heart?

Could it be...

His true feelings mayhap?

Like I said, I don't think Trey likes Riddle in the way that we thought and the quote says it all.

Trey's not only growing strawberries because Riddle likes them but because he can use them for his own pastries as well—

"But you started cultivating strawberries because Riddle loves strawberry tarts, didn’t you?"

"I guess so. While Riddle tends to fuss about the taste, his tastebuds are actually not that refined. If he knows it’s from a famous store, he’ll be happy. And I won’t have to make it by hand."

If Riddle liked blueberries, Trey'd grow blueberries is what I'm saying.

He's not doing it just for Riddle, he's doing it because its beneficial and lands him in his good graces while also being susceptible to his bold faced lies— this ties back to how Trey lied to grant his wish.

Speaking of lies....

Exhibit B: Teeth, Tongue, and the Bold Faced Lie—Trey C's Unique Magic.

I raise you this:

Why would you need a UM that overwrites anything within a time limit?

Now anyone would reason this by saying that his UM reflects how Riddle's mother overwritten his personality due to the rules she enforced.

But I raise you this:

Trey's hobby: Toothbrushing.

"The mouth often reflects the health of the body."

This is a saying that was drilled into me when I got my first cavity as a child, since then I graduated from the mere cavity to a full root canal.

But this isn't about me.

This is about Trey.

As we know, testimonials from both Ace and Deuce say that he has a toothbrushing obsession.

Now you might be raising your brow at this, thinking: "How exactly is that relevant to his UM?" And that's exactly where my theory lies in:

Cleanliness.

We often associate teeth with being pearly white, because its an external sign of health and in some cases sexual vitality— the word toothsome describes food that is delicious and someone whose sexually attractive, no?

I've seen yall lil thirst posts about Trey, don't lie to me.

Trey's intentions aren't always pure— you see this when he helps Cater and the Heartslabyul members when they mess up in the kitchen in his Starry Night personal story— all he needed to do was tell Trey why they were baking and it just leads up to him and the Heartslabyul members inadvertently granting Trey's wish after making a case on getting a food processor.

And that is exactly why I kept emphasizing Trey's "help" —He's not helping because he's a good person, he's helping because it usually leads to him getting what he wants—Jade also does this, but people at least know exactly what they're getting into, by the time Trey helps you and get what he wants it's already too late.

"There is a Smile of Love

And there is a Smile of Deceit

And there is a Smile of Smiles

In which these two Smiles meet."

Smile by William Blake.

Trey likes brushing his teeth not because he's hygienic, but because he wants to project the idea that his intentions are "pure", as teeth are the representatives of our personality.

"Your teeth can reflect your personal hygiene and habits, but they can also provide an idea about your personality. For example, people who are anxious or competitive often grind or clench their teeth and have fractured molars. Curved, less pointy canine teeth indicate a more passive personality, while sharper canines give the impression of more aggressive tendencies. Those who tend to be the life of the party usually have teeth that show results of excessive drinking and smoking as well as frequent consumption of carbonated drinks.

It can be easy to forget how much people assume about you based on the appearance of your teeth."

Miller and Wolf Family Dentistry on "4 Things Your Teeth Say About You."

"Okay, but, how does this tie into his UM?"

It ties in the fact that while his "teeth" are "pure" his intentions are not, his birthday personal story is rife with how he tells lies (read: build up plaque) and plays them off as a joke (read: brush his teeth).

Lemme ask you this:

Do you realize the scope of Trey's power?

He never uses in the context of threatening and always downplays it in favor of pretending he's an average guy.

However, don't let his lil modest act fool you; he was able to overwrite Riddle's UM while he was Overblotting, something that increases a magicians power exponentially in exchange for their life and sanity— why do you think S.T.Y.X exists?

What do you think Trey would've been able to do while Leona was Overblotting? Or even Vil? Yeah Leona destroyed Riddle's UM due to how calamitous his power and how tangible the collar is, but what about Trey?

You can't deflect something you can't see coming, no?

Of course, with Trey wanting to be more covert he'd never use his UM because he'd never find himself in these type of situations. He's too low-key for that.

He's an average guy.

Until he isn't.

Exhibit C: The Lies You Tell— Trey C. Is a Dirty Bastard.

"I'm good at making sweets but I'm always messing up other dishes."

"But even when I finish something and think: 'Man, this isn't edible in the slightest' the other students in the dorm eat it anyway."

"Heh... Don't you remember what my unique magic does?"

"...You really use magic to change the taste?"

"I was just kidding. I don't do that."

"...Usually."

THIS SON OF A BITCH

THIS SON OF A BITCH IS EVIL AS HELL

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I STARTED THIS WHOLe FUCKING THING THAT RAT BASTARD

OH GOD OH MAN

I can't believe yall sat in my face, sat in my face and just made these lil thirst blogs about this baking bastard like he isn't the type to make you a pie out of horseshit and Doodle Suit that into a apple pie.

I sat hear and watched fanfics be written about how much of a doting boyfriend he'd be to Riddle, Jade, or Mc/Yuu only to discover that this bitch—

We have got to get Ace and Deuce outta there.

NO BECAUSE I SAT HERE WRITING THREE DIFFERENT REASONS AS TO WHY TREY WAS SO HORRENDOUS TO ME OVER A PERSONAL STORY THE ONES FOLLOWING

This man can and will sit in your face and lie straight up—he did it with that oyster sauce in the tart thing and he does it with the cooking.

For three years these Heartslabyul students have been eating full on health hazards—

I think I'm gonna be sick—

Like yeah we could talk about how Alchemy is his highest scoring subject or the fact that he's adamant on being normal guy bu—

No, I've foreplayed my disgust for too long—too long I say!

This dude shares a club with a boy whose family makes it their mission to terrorize Beastmen and Merfolk in the name of "learning".

Jade Leech fucks with him because they're so similar—

Like all signs point to him being evil— SO WHY IS THS

"Uwu, average boy, baker who loves his s/o" SHIT SO PREVALENT? WTAF HE'S INSANE

NO KEEP HIM AND ROOK AND JADE THE HELL AWAY FROM ME—

But that's just a theory.

A

Twst Theory.