#cuz when it comes to people out and about vs people in the giant metal machine the latter has gotta be more responsible

[navree]

i hate being the driver who complains about pedestrians and bikers so i try very hard not to be but some of the pedestrians and bikers i’ve been dealing with recently…….they’re testing me

[speeding-fox]

Shianbon vs. Dark Tiirubon! (Part 2) (Pt. 1 of 2)

~~~~

(Part 1)

Some things to note:

"----" means the scene changes, while "~~~~" means the same scene, but takes place in a different area.

Due to Tumblr's text limit, I have to split this part into 2 parts.

With that out of the way, let's get into the story!

~~~~

Sora was just beginning to come to, much to the relief of Shiro and everyone else present. "Ugh." Sora slowly sat up and rubbed the side of his head. "Man, I feel like I got hit by a truck, urgh, how lame."

"Sorabon!" Shiro gleefully pulled his son into a hug, making Sora wince from pain. "I'm so glad you're okay!" "OW! Dad easy!" "Oops." Shiro lets him go. "Sorry kiddo."

Tucker rolled his eyes. "Good to know your brain wasn't hurt from the crash."

"Hey!" Sora groaned. "Does someone mind telling who or what the heck wrecked me and Sky-Soarer, and what happened to you guys?"

The room went quiet, until Polka said flatly "It was Tiirubon." Sora blinked. "You're kidding."

"I'm afraid he isn't, son." Shiro said gloomily. 

"They became Dark Tiirubon, and attacked your dad, Midoribon-san, as well as Polka and I." Tosukana added. "They managed to overwhelm all four us. They were too strong."

"That explains you guys' roughed up looks." Sora remarked. "But Tiirubon went dark? That's so lame! Ti's a goody-two-shoes! What the heck even happened that would make them go dark?!"

All the adults got the look of obvious guilt on their faces, not one of them wants to explain why. Dot couldn't look at them, and Shian glared at them. "Are one of you gonna tell them why, or do I have to for you?"

----

"So THAT'S why they took off!" Sora exclaimed. "Why would you talk about that out loud?" Tosukana questioned.

"We didn' think they'd be listenin'!" Kiiro claimed.

"If they're upset at you four, then why would they strike me first?" Sora questioned. "I didn't do anything!" Everyone stares at him with a blank look. "Well, anything that I can remember anyway."

"They said it was the beginning of their "payback."" Midori said. "After our defeat, they said the mansion is next, before they disappeared."

"Wait, so they're gonna destroy the mansion?!" Sora yelled.

"I'm not sure why they would want to destroy their home." Dot mumbled audibly.

"Ti's dark, Dot. They're not exactly thinking rationally." Polka chimed in.

Mizuiro turned to glare at Kiiro, whom was leaning back on a nearby seat, his arms resting behind his head. It took a bit before he noticed. "The heck you starin' fer, Richie?"

"You shouldn't have said that earlier." He replied firmly.

"What?" Kiiro raised a brow in confusion. "What're ya on about?"

Mizuiro raised a finger to point accusingly at Kiiro. "Had you not said anything about about us once wanting nothing to do with Tiirubon after they were born, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Kiiro slams his hands down on the seat. "EXCUSE ME?!" He gets up from where he was, trudges over to Mizuiro, and gets right in his face. ARE YA SAYIN' TI GETTIN' CORRUPTED IS MY FAULT?!"

"I wouldn't put all the blame on Kiirobon, Mizuirobon." Mizuiro swiftly turned to Shiro's direction. "Shirobon?! Are you really taking his side?!" "No, I'm saying you didn't have to continue the convo! Had you said you didn't want to continue the discussion, Tiirubon wouldn't have turned evil and shot down my son!"

Midori stood up. "Quiet, Shirobon! You're not exactly innocent here either!"

"You're one to talk, Sarge! You didn't close that damn door!" Shiro snapped.

It wasn't long until all four adults were screaming at eachother, all trying to pin the blame on someone for starting this mess while the kids watched, incredibly uncomfortable, and Dot looking visibly upset, she didn't like when people are fighting, she even began tearing up.

Noticing Dot getting ready to cry really made Shian mad, her hands balled into fists, she had enough.

When a full blown brawl was about to break out, Shian stood up, raises her arms in the air, stomped once on the floor harshly, and shrieked at the fighting adults. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" That got them to stop. "Blaming eachother on whose fault it is is wasting time, and it isn't gonna fix the problem and save Tiirubon any sooner!"

"Shianbon's right." Tosukana joined her side. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, fighting like a bunch of five-year-olds isn't going to make things get better. You four should be ashamed of yourselves."

During Shian's outburst and Tosukana's talk, Polka was busy comforting his sister in an effort to get her to calm down. When they finished speaking, he gave the adults the stink-eye for upsetting his sister. He wanted to say something as well, but felt that Shian and Tosukana said what needed to be said.

Mizuiro sighed. "You're both right."

"Fightin' won't git us anywhere." Kiiro followed.

"I guess all the stress from everything finally got to us." Joined Shiro.

"We apologize you kids had to witness that, as well as for not telling the truth sooner." Midori finished, with the other three nodding in agreement.

'You better be.' Polka thought to himself.

"Now that's all resolved," Sora spoke. "what do we do about Dark Tiirubon? If they're coming here, we can't fight them 'cuz our mechs were trashed, and Graybon, Aobon, and Akabon are still busy prepping for the party. Who do we even have left that can still fight them?"

"Me! I'll fight them!" Shian proclaimed.

A chorus of "WHAT?!" echoes throughout the room. "Shianbon, I know I said this to you a lot, but have you actually lost your marbles?!" Tosukana objected.

"You can't battle them, Shianbon! Have you already forgot what they did to us?! You don't even have a mech! They'll squash you like a bug!" Polka exclaims.

Shian heads for the door. "I've already made up my mind guys."

"Shianbon, wait." Shian turns to Mizuiro's direction after he called out to her. "You can't go, Shianbon. We've already lost Tiirubon," He wipes some tears away. "We can't afford to lose you too."

She turns away from him. "Sorry Pop, I've already made up my mind." She held a fist to her chest. "If I die trying to save Tiirubon, then so be it!" She bolts out the door before anything else could be said.

"Well that act didn't work." Shiro states once Shian was out of earshot.

"What do you suggest we do, Mizu?" Midori asked.

"You go after her and make she doesn't do anything brash." Mizuiro ordered.

"On it." Midori heads off after her as Mizuiro turns to Kiiro. "And Kiirobon, I'd like to have something specially delivered."

----

Standing outside in the storm, Shian stood some distance away, staring in the direction where Dark Tiiru would presumably arrive from. "I know I'm being crazy doing this, but I'm everyone's last hope, if I die doing this, then at least I'll die a hero!"

She points ahead of her. "You better watch out Dark Tiirubon! I'm coming for you!" 

She starts sprinting in that direction, but she didn't get too far, as she ran into something face-first full speed, sending her into a daze, and falling onto her back, eyes swirling with a red mark going across her face. Turns out the thing she ran into was Midori's training baton. "You blindly rushing into things reminds me of myself during my youth, but even I do not think I was as reckless as you." Midori remarks. Shian simply groans in response.

----

Shian pouts as she sat in a chair, towel wrapped around her, her hair all fritzy from drying it off, and she held an ice pack in the center of her face. Tosukana stood guard next to her to keep her from running off again, while Midori stood guard by the garage entrance with baton in hand so she doesn't get another bright idea. "You don't have to stand guard, you know." "I wouldn't have to if you weren't so foolhardy." Tosukana replied to her comment.

Shiro enters the garage. "Mizuirobon, I got all the servants evacuated."

"Well that was quick. How did you evacuate them all so quickly?" Mizuiro asked, intrigued by Shiro's swiftness.

"I just told them all they had a few hours off." Shiro replied.

"Oh..." He certainly didn't expect that answer. "I suppose that's one way to get everyone out (though I do hope they'll be back once this blows over)."

"Mr. Mizuirobon, where did you say my dad went again?" Questioned Polka.

"I asked him to get something specially delivered to here." Mizuiro answered.

Polka now bares an "you can't be serious" face. "You seriously ordered something, at a time like this?? Really???"

"I can assure you, Porukabon, this "something" will surely aid us in this crisis." Mizuiro assured.

Sora, whom was resting on a cushy recliner and not buying it, piped up. "It's more selfie sticks, isn't it."

Mizuiro, now a bit flustered, swiftly turns to Sora. "Ah- No! Certainly not!" He paused. "I mean," He straightens up and adjusts his bowtie. "No, not this time."

Everyone stared at him with an "uh huh" look. "If it's not selfie sticks, what is it then?" Shian asked incredulously.

He gives her a simple wink while smirking. "You'll see."

Shian raised a brow at this, she was going to ask what he meant when Dot speaks up. "He's here!"

"Ah, good timing." Mizuiro gets out a wireless controller, and presses a button that opens the garage door. The door opens to reveal Cargo Yäger, and a huge metal crate on its carrier.

"Special delivery fer Cashbag's Mansion from Graybon Hakese's lab!" He announces before entering then parking in the garage, once inside, Mizuiro presses the button to close the door.

"Whoa! That's some special delivery!" Polka remarked. "That box is huge!" Sora exclaimed. "I wonder what's inside." Dot wondered. "If it's from Grampa Graybon's lab, it's going to be big." Tosukana stated

Shian's interest is immediately piqued once see laid eyes on the giant metal crate. She gets up from her seat, takes off her towel to hand it to Tosukana, and approached over to get a better look. "Wow... that's the BIGGEST package I've ever seen! What's in it?"

Mizuiro smirked "Take a guess. Do you still think it's a bunch of selfie sticks?"

"Uhhh..." Shian tried thinking of a guess, but came up with nothing. "That depends on who it's for, but I have no idea what could be in that big thing."

"Simple." He says as he walks toward's Cargo Yäger's cockpit. "It's something you wanted."

Shian's eyes went wide. "Wait, what?! Me?!"

Polka had an "are you kidding me" face. "Seriously? We're giving out presents in the middle of a darn crisis?! Might as well start giving out cake as well!" 

Sora perked up at the mention of cake. "Cake?" Tosukana rested a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Sorry, Sorabon, no cake yet." Sora got pouty. "Aww man..."

"Well, Porukabon, this was going to be Shianbon's birthday present," Mizuiro turns to him, he now dawns an serious expression. "but given our situation, we have to make an exception." He turns towards the cockpit. "Kiirobon, if you'd please.~"

"'Kiirobon, if you'd please.'" Kiiro mocked softly before pressing the button to open the cargo.

What was revealed from the large package as it opened up was a large cyan tank. Shian's eyes got as big as saucers while the rest of the kids were in awe. "This is MINE?!" Shian yells excitedly.

Midori walked up until he was next to his daughter. "Yes, it is." He turned his attention to the tank and gestures to it with one hand and rests the other on Shian's shoulder. "Shianbon, this is Cyan-Sniper, it has the ability to turn invisible, and it's turret can fire Hyper Biida shots as well as quick and sharp shots called Sniper shots, but they take some time to charge. We entrust this to you to use this to save Tiirubon." He turns to her. "Are you ready?"

Without hestitation, Shian nods and shouts "Of course I do! Ti is my sibling! I'll do anything to bring them back!"

Shortly after stating that, she climbs into the tank, and turns it on. "Oh man, this is EPIC! I can't believe I have my own mecha now!"

"Shianbon." Mizuiro sternly called out. "I know you're excited to have your own vehicle, but you need focus on what's at stake here."

She paused, she took a moment to look around the room, her injured friends, and father, all that hype she had from getting her own mecha faded away and turned into doubt as the heaviness of everything sunk in. Tiiru isn't the only one that needs to be saved, everyone else and her home needed to be saved, and she had to do this on her own.

Having noticed her change of face, Midori stepped over beside the tank. "Shianbon, what is troubling you? You were ready to fight seconds ago, but now you seem doubtful." She was silent, then uttered "What if I fail?" "Huh?"

"Dark Tiirubon defeated Sorabon, Shirobon, Porukabon, Tosukana, they even took you down, Dad! I'm fighting them on my own! Not only that, you guys are counting on ME to stop them from destroying our home and saving everyone inside!" She clutches her head and her eyes water. "What if I mess up?! What if I can't bring them to their senses?! What if i can't do this?!"

"Shianbon!" Polka yelled as he stepped forward, everyone was now staring at him. "Shianbon, in all my time knowing ya,' you've never backed down, even with your most outrageous of ideas, you never have backed down nor doubted yourself, so why would you doubt yourself now?"

Tosukana stepped forward and stood next to Polka. "Polka's right. Even when you're outmatched, you never stepped down. I'm sure you can do it." 

Dot wheeled forward until she was beside Tosukana. "Your determination is one of your best qualities, Shianbon, you can do it when you put your mind to it."

Sora limped forward and stood next to Polka, he raised a hand up like he was going to give a speech, but he had no idea what to say. "Umm, what they said!"

Shian's eyes glistened as her eyes filled with sappy tears from her friends' words. "You guys..." She wipes them away. "What was I thinking? You guys are right!"

"You're welcome!" Sora said proudly as the other three gave him the "seriously?" glare. "...What?"

"You have the heart of a soldier, Shianbon! I believe in you too!" Midori exclaimed, then turned to Mizuiro to see what he has to say only to see his eyes looking to the side and him fidgiting his bowtie. "Mizu." He gave him a nudge to get his attention. "Huh? ...Oh, eh, sorry."

He clears his throat. "Err, Shianbon..." he pauses, trying to think of what to say next, he then sighs. "Despite you and Tiirubon, being opposites, your bond as siblings is strong, but I'm uncertain that alone will bring them to their senses, however, I do believe you'll find a way to bring them back, be it outrageous, or not, your righteous spirit does seem to find a way."

Shian blinked at Mizuiro, did he just say something positive about her? That's once on a blue moon, but she'll take it. She smiles. "Thanks Mom and Dad."

The alarm starts blaring, catching the attention of everyone. Dot wheels herself over to check it out to find a purple dot blipping on the radar, and said dot is getting closer and closer to the mansion. "Dottobon, what is going on?!" Midori demanded. "An enemy is approaching the mansion!" She turned her head to Midori. "And fast!"

Midori cursed to himself. "Drat, we're out of time!" He swiftly turned to Shianbon. "Shianbon, are you ready?!"

She nods. "You bet I'm ready!" She looks straight ahead and reved the tank's engine as the garage doors opened. "Alright! Ready to roll!"

"Wait, Shian!" Dot shouted, this stopped Shian from taking off right away and prompted her to look in her direction. "Huh, Dot?" "Before you go, just... please, be careful, okay?"

Shian lightly blushed and turned away, then chuckled after about three seconds. "Sorry, Dot, I can't make any guarantees," She glanced back at her. "but I'll try my best." Shian looked straight ahead once more, then took off, she turned on the tank's cloak function before she vanished into the storm, and the garage's doors close once again.

----

Dark Tiiru arrives at the mansion, stopping just out front. "I hope I've given you all enough time to say your good-byes." They announced. "Do any of you have any last words before turn this mansion to ruins?"

~~~~

Mizuiro glared at them through the security camera overlooking the mansion's front, then smirked. "Just a few." He takes out a wireless remote control, and presses a button.

~~~~

A shield soon surrounds the entire outside of the mansion. "You just have to get passed this first." He announced over a speaker.

Dark Tiiru was bewildered, they certainly didn't expect this. "What the?! What is this?!"

~~~~

Mostly everyone was in awe over the giant forcefield. Sora even muttered "So cool!" as Mizuiro stood proudly. Midori approaches him to ask: "When did you install this?" Mizuiro's reply: "I had Graybon Hakese and Aobon install it shortly after marrying you."

Shiro and Kiiro snicker at this response while Midori now looked flushed. "What?! Did you think I was going to break down the walls or something?!"

"Knowing your history, yes. Don't you remember that one incident where you lost control of Crys-Greaver?" Mizuiro remarked sassily.

"Oh..." Midori uttered as he realizes. "So that's what stopped it."

~~~~

Dark Tiiru growls. "Even if you do have a barrior protecting you, every shield gives away after enough hits!" With that, they tried firing at it, but it merely made the shots bounce back, which promptly hit them, angering them further. They then try punching it, but the blow only knocked them back as it sent a jolt through their hand, it hurt like a static shock, angering them even more.

They didn't care anymore, they back up several feet, then charge and rammed full force into the shield, not caring about getting hurt. They got knocked back further away, but shockwave from the blow causes the entire mansion to shake. Now with that knowledge, they continued to back up, then ram themselves into the shield. The shield soon showed signs of giving away, concerning everyone inside. After the last hit, it seemed it will break after one more blow.

Confident in their victory, Dark Tiiru backs up one more time, and bolts full speed towards the barrier. When they were within feet of the mansion, something invisible suddenly barrels into them, causing them to tumble until they skid to a halt. They looked around frantically for their assailant, but sees nothing. "WHAT ON MERCURY DID I JUST GET HIT BY?!" Seconds after yelling that, they got up, only to get sniped from behind and knocked back to the ground.

Shian turns off the cloak option, making her presence known. "It was me, dingus! Wow, you look more edgy in person." She quipped

Dark Tiiru grunted as they got back up to turn around. "Shianbon?! You?! When did you get that?!"

Shian smirks. "Tiirubon, met Cyan-Sniper, my new tank! With this, I'm gonna take you down and save everyone!"

"Peh! Do you really think your new toy will be able to beat me? Are you really everyone's last hope? You and an unflattering hunk of junk alone? You'll just end up like those other fools." They taunted.

"Shut up! As a matter of fact, I do! Not only do I believe in myself, everyone believes in me! I swear I will save everyone, and I swear I will save YOU, Tiirubon!" She proclaimed

As soon as she was done giving her short speech, Shian's righteousness for justice and determination to save everyone and her sibling cause her biidama start glowing a bright cyan, she felt a rush and could feel herself getting enpowered! She begins glowing cyan herself, and shapes form on her head and chest, the glow then fades away to reveal her newly formed armor! She was in absolute awe, but she knew she did have time to gawk at her new appearance as there was one more step that needed to be done! She jumps up and transforms, Cyan-Sniper modifies itself into a body, and to complete the transformation, the two fuse into one, once complete, she strikes a battle-ready pose and lightning disperses behind her!

~~~~

"She's done it! She's transformed!" Midori exclaimed with glee.

"That's so cool!" Sora shouts, awestruck by what Shian accomplished.

"Aw heck yeah! Go Shainbon go! Go Shianbon go!" Polka and Tosukana cheered while waving pom-poms around.

~~~~

"N-No way!" Dark Tiiru was both astonished and intimidated by their sister's sudden transformation. "How is that possible?!"

"What? Are you scared that I'm no longer small?" Shian teased.

They growl. "Grrr, no! Regardless of your new look, I'm still gonna destroy you!"

She chuckled. "We'll see about that! Bring it on, sib!"

The siblings began to clash as the group in the mansion watched their battle anxiously through the security camera. The two were equally matched, neither seemed to let up, until Shian slipped on a puddle. Dark Tiiru took a chance on her literal slip-up to deck her in the face, sending her flying into some trees in a wooded area. This action left her dazed.

"Heh, too easy, and to think you were everybody's last hope." They taunted as the approached their stunned sister.

~~~~

The onlookers watched in horror as Dark Tiiru approach Shian, then begin charging up a powerful shot. The kids and Midori screamed for her to get up, Shiro and Kiiro muttered "C'mon, get/git up, Shianbon.", while Mizuiro prayed for miracle while tearing up. "Please, I don't want to lose another child. Please get up, Shianbon!"

~~~~

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Shianbon. I would've given you the chance to join me, but then again, you're a goody-two-shoes, you would have simply refused outright anyway." They aimed their biida cannon in her direction. "Good-bye, sister."

Before Dark Tiiru could fire the charged shot at their sister, BOOM! They were unexpectedly hit from behind with a biida shot, knocking them off their feet and making them land on their side. "GRAAH! WHO DARES?!"

~~~~

"They got hit from behind, but what hit them?!" Polka asked loudly.

Mizuiro quietly sighs. "Thank goodness."

Dot points to the corner of the monitor. "More like who hit them. Look over there."

Tosukana squints at the approaching figure from them corner and quickly finds out who it is that hit Dark Tiiru, but seemed surprised more than anything. "Wait a minute, isn't that the Crimson-Dragon? Is that my sister?"

~~~~

"I dare." Scarlett replied stoically. Yup, it is indeed her, if not to mention in her transformed state as well.

Hearing Scarlett's voice snaps Shian out of her daze. "Sukārettobon?! Are you kidding me?! Why are you even here?! Did you "sense" the danger like before?!" Shian bellows accusingly as Scarlett stares at her blankly.

"No, I initially came to deliver something," She responded flatly. "but you do seem to be having trouble."

"Stay out of it, edgelord! This is between me and Tiirubon!" Shian exclaims as she gets back up and charges once again towards Dark Tiirubon.

Scarlett would object, but she was just told to "stay out of it", so she watches as Shian tries and fails on landing hits on Dark Tiiru. She did wonder what happened that caused Tiiru to become corrupted, but as far as she's concerned, it's none of her business, and she knows her brother, Tosukana, would fill her in on everything later.

Several minutes of Shian trying and failing later, Scarlett decided she had enough watching her foolishness, and goes up to her after she was knocked down from a strike-back. "Are you positive you have everything handled?" She asked stoically.

Shian growls, she HATES Scarlett's monotonous sass. She wanted to tell her rival she does having everything under control and to get lost, but seeing that her her tactic of "charging and attacking" doesn't seem to be going anywhere, she begrudgingly had to accept her rival's help. She sighed exasperatedly. "No, I don't. I need your help." Saying those words left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Good to see you realizing your plan of "charging and attacking" didn't seem to be bearing fruit." Shian rolls her eyes at her remark. "Are you gonna be making fun of me, or are you gonna help me?"

"The latter, preferably." Scarlett answered. "Since your previous method didn't work,-"

"Yeah, I got that already." Shian interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me." Said Scarlett, mildly annoyed, then continued. "As I was saying, we need a different plan of approach."

"But Dark Tiirubon knows my every move, probably yours too. What are you suggesting?" Shian questioned.

Scarlett whispers something into Shian's "ear," meanwhile, the entire time the two were chatting, Dark Tiiru was waiting for them to be done. They were tapping their foot impatiently, had their arms crossed, and checked their nonexistant watch every few seconds. They were beginning think the duo forgot that they were, they don't know, a threat? They shouldn't have been generous in giving them time to talk.

"Are you two done?!" They yell. As if on cue, Scarlett flies off, leaving Shian by her lonesome.

"Are you seriously leaving me?! Coward!" She called out to the "fleeing" Scarlett.

Dark Tiiru chuckles. "Guess you said something to tick her off, huh, sis?"

~~~~

"What the heck?! Tucker, did your sister seriously just ditch Shianbon?!" Polka exclaims to Tosukana.

"It looks that way, that doesn't seem to be like her though, unless Shian said something to make her mad, but I have a feeling there's more to it than that." Tosukana replied calmly.

~~~~

"Seems like you're alone, sis. Are you gonna try your failed tactic again, or have you actually given up?" They gloat as they step forward and Shian steps back. They let out a laugh. "I'll take that as yes. You have any last words before I destroy you?" Pause. "Just don't take forever."

"Yes, I do." She mumbles audibly as she stands tall. "Ti, I'm so sorry, I failed you as a sibling! I failed to save you from this darkness!" Her voice cracks. "But, even if I did fail, dark or not, you're still my sibling, Ti, and even if you do destroy me, I'll still love you, because we're still family!"

"..." Was the dramatic speech really necessary? Regardless, it did stir something within Dark Tiiru, but having their mind clouded by darkness, they didn't know what it was.

"Touching," They pause. "but did you really think your little speech would do anything? I will admit, it did stir something though." They charge up their most powerful biida shot, unaware that Scarlett was slowly creeping up on them.

Shian needed to buy a couple more seconds of time. 'Think, Shianbon! Think!' A lightbulb goes off. If the darkness didn't affect the airheadedness of Tiiru's brain, it should work! "Hey Ti! I think I saw someone leave a biiig matcha cake under that tree over there!" She points to a random tree to her left.

Dark Tiiru immediately stops charging their attack. "Matcha cake?! Where?! Which tree?!"

With them distracted, Scarlett used this chance to grab their arms from behind and pin them to their back. "What the?!" Realizing they've been duped, Dark Tiiru tries to wriggle free from Scarlett's grip, but she has a firm hold of them. "Let me GO!"

Scarlett holds them in place for Shian to fire a Healing Shot. "Shianbon, now!" Shian's biidama glows as she prepares a shot to fire at Dark Tenacious-Tealer's biidama, but she hesitates. She thought to herself: 'I have never healed before. Will it even work? What if I really hurt them instead?'

"Shianbon, what's the hold-up?!" Scarlett shouts.

"I... I've never done this before! I'm only good at fighting, not healing!" Her voice cracks. "What if I mess this up?! What if I make it worse?!"

"Focus!" Scarlett proclaims. "Now's not the time to doubt yourself! You need to save Tiirubon from corruption!"

Dark Tiiru growls. "I don't need saving! Let me go NOW!" They thrash about trying desperately to break free from Scarlett's grip. They didn't want to lose the newfound power they've been given.

Scarlett is noticeably struggling to keep them in check. "I don't think I can keep ahold of them for too much longer, Shianbon! You need to shoot NOW!"

As much as Shian didn't want admit it, Scarlett is right, can't doubt herself now! She thought back to what Polka told her earlier: 'You have never doubted yourself before, so why doubt yourself now?'. All her doubts washed away, her confidence returned. She wasn't only going to be saving her sibling, she was going to save her family, friends, and her home!

"This is for EVERYONE! BIIDA HEALING, SHOOT!" With that shout, she fires, and successfully shot it into Dark Tiiru's biidama!

Aside from the rain, and the dark static crackling from Dark Tenacious-Tealer's biidama, there was suspenseful silence between all sides. Scarlett lets go of Dark Tiiru as their marble suddenly glows a bright light. They shriek as they feel their entire being is getting filled with light once more, then they became enveloped in a bright flash of light.

After the bright flash of light fades, Shian moved her metal arm away from her eyes to see the aftermath, it stopped raining, and on the ground some feet away from her was Tiiru lying fainted with their Tenacious-Tealer being close behind them, both of them no longer bore the dark coloring they once had, even the biidamas are back to their normal blue coloring. Had she won? Had she really won? She'd celebrate her victory, but right now she was more concerned if her little sibling was okay.

"Ti!" She calls out as she reverts back to non-armored state, hops out of Cyan-Sniper, and bolts to Tiiru. She kneels down to try nudging them awake. "Ti! Wake up! Please, wake up!" She shouted frantically.

Tiiru groaned as they were being woken up, then their eyes open halfway. "Shi...Shianbon?" They uttered tiredly.

A wave of relief overcame Shian, and her eyes began to fill up with tears. They're okay, thank goodness they were okay. "Ti! Thank god you're okay!" She sat them up to pull them into a hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that ever again!"

Tiiru was surprised by the hug as Shian isn't the type to simply give out hugs, they even don't know what she was talking about initially, so they pulled away a bit. "Shian, what are you-" Their eyes widened as the realization hit them, the whole brunt of it: the corruption, the darkness, all the bad stuff they had done and planned on doing, it all hit like a truck.

Their eyes began welling up. "Shi...Shi..." They hiccupped, then bawled, hard, and hugged their sister as tightly as they could as they cried over her shoulder. "SHIANBOOON! WAAAAAAAH! I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO AS FAR AS I DID! I'M SO SORRRRY!"

The best Shian could do to comfort Tiiru right now was return the hug and be there for them to let it all out. Hearing her sibling crying like this was heartbreaking. She wanted to say something, but what could she even say to help them? They just got out of their corruption, and she has zero clue what it was like, but one thing she was certain about: Tiiru was aware during the whole thing. She swore if she ever found who thought it was a good idea to corrupt her little sibling, she will teach them a harsh lesson personally. "It's okay, Ti." She whispered soothingly. "I know you didn't, but it's all over now. I'm just glad you're okay." Her voice cracked speaking the last sentence.

After she got Tiiru to calm down for the most part, she gazed up to her sibling to see Scarlett, still armored up watching them while leaning on her Crimson-Dragon with her arms crossed. Shian narrowed her eyes. "You're still here?"

Wondering whom their sister is talking to, Tiiru wipes away their tears and lets go of her to look in the same direction. "Sukarettobon?"

Scarlett walks up near Tiiru before stopping. "Glad you're alright, Tiirubon." She finally responds with her usual, stoic voice, before returning her gaze to Shian.

Shian raised a brow. "What, are you expecting me to say "thank you for the help" or something?" No response. Shian groaned. "Fiiine. Thanks for the help, even if I could've done it all on my own. There, happy?"

"... No, I wasn't expecting a thanks from you, but it's much appreciated."  She replied, making Shian groan again and roll her eyes.

"Shianbon." "What is it now, edgelord?" Shian grumbled as she and Tiiru stood up. "I must say, for what you've shown to me, your determination to save Tiirubon, as well as everyone in your home, and what you're capable of in combat, I must commend you for your strengths," She closed her eyes. "and perhaps you're not as ridiculous as I thought."

Shian didn't know if she was being genuine or not, so she wasn't sure how to take that compliment. "Uhh, thanks, I guess?"

Scarlett turns around, back now facing the siblings, and went back to her Crimson-Dragon. "Typical." Shian muttered aside.

She stops in her tracks, she pulls something from her cape, then tosses it to Tiiru, to which they luckily catch without needing to move much. "A present?" They stare from the present to Scarlett.

"It's your birthday gift on behalf of my family and Aiirobon, since they can't come due to illness. It's a bunch of matcha stuff. Don't eat it all at once." Tiiru's eyes lit up at the mention of matcha. "Really?! Thanks, Sukārettobon!" That seemed to cheer them up quick.

"I was coming here to drop that off when I saw that you were...you know." Their smile went away and glanced to the ground when Scarlett mentioned that. "..."

Scarlett was quiet for a bit. "I can't say anything as consolation as I do not know the full story of what happened," Ti silently gazed back up at her to see her glancing back at them. "but I do hope your birthday gets better from here."

"I hope so too..." Tiiru muttered as they stared at Scarlett's gift. Scarlett jumps into her mecha. "You aren't going to stay?" Tiiru questioned Scarlett.

"Parties aren't my thing." She replied as she turned to Tiiru one more time. "I do wish you happy birthday though, Tiirubon." With that, Scarlett took off until she disappears into the clouds, which seem to be parting.

"Seems like it's finally clearing up." Shian remarked as she looked up towards the sky.

The siblings turn to face the garage as they hear the door opening. The kids (minus Sora, whom had to be carried by his dad, Shiro) and most of the adults hustled on out (with the exception of Mizuiro, he simply ambled behind the bunch), and ran over to Shian as they cheered her name. Tiiru had to step back as they gathered around her, praising her for her victory.

"Shianbon, that was amazing!" Exclaimed Sora.

"I knew you could do it!" Dot chirped.

"I knew she could do it from the start!" Boasted Polka.

"She did have to have help from-" Tosukana tried to argue, but Shian shushed him. "Sssh, let me have this, Tucker." It was easy to tell she was eating up the praise.

She suddenly got scooped up by her proud dad, Midori, whom was crying his eyes out. "I know you've had the heart of a soldier!" He sobbed. "I'm so proud of yoooou!"

"Daaaaad, stop! You're embarrassing me!" She shouts as she tries to wriggle out of her dad's bear hug.

"Your daughter can't seem to "bear" your bear hug, Sarge!" Kiiro chuckled heartily.

"If I may join in on the praising," Mizuiro chimed in. "I will say I, as well all of us, including my servants, are thankful you saved us (and for not doing too much damage to the mansion)."

Tiiru looked aside as everyone, including their parents, gave praise to their sister, which they felt was deserved, knowing the deed she's done. With how highly everyone seems to be treating her, Tiiru didn't feel they needed to be there, so they slowly sulked their way to Tenacious-Tealer. Mizuiro took notice of this. "Tiirubon?"

Hearing their name, Tiiru stopped where they were, but didn't turn around as they heard Mizuiro's footsteps come up behind them. "Tiiru, where are you going?" He asks them. Hearing this, everyone's attention was on the two.

"I... I feel like I'm not needed here, so I was just...gonna leave..." They replied softly, their voice cracking a bit.

"Leave?" Mizuiro is not to taken aback by this response, Tiiru mostly likely feels guilty and ashamed of what they've said and done, but he doesn't want them to leave, not again... "Don't go."

Hearing that made Tiiru decide to turn around. What they didn't expect to see was their "mother" dawning a tearful expression, trying to desperately not start with the waterworks. They could see their father putting their sister down and making his way over until he's next to their "mother," he bore a similar expression. "Why do you feel you need to leave..?"

"I... I-I..." They stammered. "I did so much damage. I hurt everyone, I said awful things." They start trembling. "I-I even almost did something unforgivable." They sniffle and tear up, and their voice croaks. "How could you still want me around after all that?"

Both parents hugged them, and at the same time, they told them "Because you are our child, Tiirubon." They pulled away a bit to look them in the eyes, but each still had one arm wrapped around them. Tiiru couldn't understand it, they are not mad at them. Why aren't they after the mess Tiiru had caused? "I don't understand..." They mumble softly.

"Tiirubon." Mizuiro began. "About what happened earlier, we apologize you had to find out about you birth that way." 

Midori chimed in. "But about us not wanting you is the farthest from the truth."

"But..." Tiiru sniffled. "I heard Kiirobon say-" Mizuiro interrupts them mid-sentence. "Yes, we know, but that was initially."

Midori added in "Because you were unexpected, we were not prepared to be parents. It took us some time before we came to terms with that fact, but once we have, we no longer saw you as the product of a prank gone wrong."

"Then... what do you see me as now?" Tiiru asked. Both parents hugged them again and answered "A blessing."

Hearing them tell them that almost made Tiiru too choked up for words. They return their hug. "I'm...so glad."

Shian went up behind the group and pats Tiiru's back. "If I may jump in here, if it weren't for you, Ti, my life would've ended up completely different from the one I have now, probably for the worse, and I am super thankful for that. I'm glad to have you as a sibling, even if you are a dork." Tiiru let out a small laugh. "H-Hey!"

With the onlookers, Polka, Dot, and Tosukana smiled, Sora was attempting to not cry from all the sappiness, while Shiro and Kiiro were crying and wiping away tears with tissues. "Gosh darn it! I'mma sap for sappy stuff like this!" Blubbered Kiiro before he blew into his tissue.

After many minutes of hugging, the family break the hug pile. "Mom, Dad, everyone," Tiiru lowers their head. "I'm sorry for the mess I caused. I didn't mean to go as far as I did." They raised their head to meet their parents'. "I'm especially sorry for the stuff I said and jumping to conclusions."

Midori was first to respond. "Do not worry about it,  Tiirubon." "You weren't yourself. You've already been forgiven." Mizuiro followed up. Almost everyone nods. "Besides," He added while given the side-eye to Midori. "you're not the only one that jumps to conclusions."

"What? No I don't!" Midori was already getting flustered.

"Sure you don't, Hun, sure you don't." Teased Mizuiro before he, as well as most of the group, laugh at the Sarge's expense, Midori simply grumbled.

"Everyone may forgive you, Ti," Sora spoke up, catching the attention of everyone. "but I'm not sure if I do. You wrecked Sky-Soarer."

Polka couldn't believe what he said. "Dude, seriously? They wrecked most of our mechs!"

"Yeah," He raised a finger to point at him. "but you guys didn't end up getting shot down and knocked out."

"He does have a point." Tiiru went up to Sora. "Sora, I really am sorry for that. Is there anything I can do to make up for crashing your Sky-Soarer?"

Sora gave that some thought. "Hmmm... how about... you allow me to have half of the pizza and the other good snacks that will be served at the party, and I might consider forgiving you." 

"Eh-?!" Tiiru playfully slapped their arm. "Sorabon! Don't be such a greedy pigron!" "Hey!" Sora laughed. "You said anything!"

As they were laughing, Graybon's ship arrives with a gigantic package labeled party stuff. "Sorry we took so long! We trouble finding the place due to the storm!" Ao's voice announced over the megaphone, then Aka's voice came on. "I hope we're not too late."

Tiiru looked at everyone, then up at the aircraft. "Nope! We're just getting started!"

[To be concluded on pt. 2.]

[rainbow-squirrels-7]

!!ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD!! Since I did it last year with Infinity War and now that I’ve seen Endgame twice here are my ramblings:

But before we begin apparently I accidentally predicted Endgame’s title during my IW ramblings and then completely forgot about it...

-so like that friggin beginning tho poor Clint like the entire movie. Agreeing with a favorite YouTube movie reviewer of mine, this was really Clint’s shining movie despite his uh- downward turn for a bit there -but on the bright side I’m glad his older kids’ names are canon now; like legit I thought those (Cooper and Lila) were made up by the fanfictioneers. Maybe they were and the writers were like ‘huh okay less work for us- yoink’ -then Nebula and Stark playing table football that was adorable. The shiny paper reminded me of that one Chris Hemsworth gif you know the one of him making a face at his reflection? -and heck yes Carol coming in hot to save the day what a legend -woohoo go get Thanos time -and he’s just in a frickin farm in a T-shirt (a T-SHIRT?!?) collecting some fruits and starting a new YouTube cooking channel -“what’s up half of the universe today we’re making weird bumpy fruit stew” -but heck yeah Thor cut off that guy’s head -and then just like whoa five years later. I usually can’t stand time jumps but it’s alright. It really gives a perspective of ‘yeah the world isn’t better with half its population. Everyone’s so sad’ -good job of Steve starting a therapy group tho even if he doesn’t take his own advice -I can’t believe a rat saved Scott talk about lucky -unless that rat was actually Loki -just sayin -and the bike kid: “wouldn’t you like to know weatherboy” -I forget how old Cassie was in Antman and the Wasp but +5 years to that I guess. She looks a bit too old to me but what do I know. I’m very glad she didn’t disappear though cuz I love Scott very much and I don’t want him to go through that -tbh Scott saved everyone cuz he had the time travel idea in the first place. I love an optimistic boy -UHBUHH I HAVENT TALKED ABOUT CAROL’S HAIRCUT YET UM HECK YEAH -it’s very good I’m very gay -anyway -I liked Nebula’s prominence in this movie she’s growing on me but of course it doesn’t take a lot on account of me loving robots (cyborgs?) so much -getting the band back together! -baby Morgan Stark/Potts was Very Good -ohmygod Thor -so chub -I was annoyed being without beefy Thor the first time, but rewatching it though I thought his Look was maybe not only reflecting his depression (cuz yeah) but maybe mythological Thor? Like I’m just throwing spaghetti at the wall but maybe in actual Norse myth Thor was (well, actually a redhead) that chub/beef combo but he did have the fluffier beard that MCU Thor had this time. Idk, like I said- spaghetti -Valkyrie’s back! Love her -they call her that though? Isn’t that what she is- like her job? Does she not have a name? Could have sworn it was Brunhilda or something -and Korg and the sharp bug guy are back too! Love them -friggin playing Fortnite -jokes aside though I do love that deep look into Thor’s guilt throughout the whole movie. Like he thought killing Thanos would just make everything better but it didn’t and just couldn’t deal and would rather drink to forget -Clint’s guilt was also interesting, like showing that ‘oh god he could really go there, he could get this bad given the circumstance’ -just Blade Runner-ing all around Tokyo -I haven’t seen Blade Runner but it has neon lights and rain right? -but yeah I do like the “the Snap took away good people and bad people but like it could have just took bad people and since it didn’t I’ll have to instead” -sad boy -he was very uh ‘Magnus rushes in’ if you will, during this movie. Not caring for a lot of it if he lived or died cuz he’d lost so much -god he was good in this movie -anyway -I also called the time travel:

-it still doesn’t completely make sense to me though? Like time travel is confusing enough but adding in a multiverse just makes it even more so -I loved the revisiting the old movies! -low key wanted an Age of Ultron revisit so we could have OMG we could have seen Pietro again -still on the #bringbackpietromaximoff train guys -but anyway we could have seen some good Wanda scenes and also my boy Vision again -but it did make more sense to get the three in NY at the same time -it was real cool to see the bald wizard lady (Minerva from TAZ Amnesty) defending the wizard building during 2012 Avengers- like that is so believable and now we can watch 2012 Avengers and be like “oh hey the wizards were there” -“that is America’s a**” I love how much Scott hero-worships Steve like we saw that in Civil War and yes it’s so funny and I love it its great -Steve vs Steve fight?? Great -“I can do this all day.” “Yeah yeah I know.” -And again, we can totally watch 2012 Avengers again and be like ‘yes meeting with Secretary Pierce and the other Shield guys- this is totally believable, it’s exactly what would have happened we just didn’t see it.’ -the elevator scene! I thought for sure Steve was gonna do the “now before we begin does anyone want to get out” but the “hail hydra” was just as good -“they’re hydra but we don’t know that yet” “they Look like bad guys!!” -and I guess Loki using the Tesseract to escape during that scene is setup for a... tv show? He’s gonna be wreaking havoc through time and space I guess?? Glad he’s back though -anyway revisiting more movies -friggin Guardians 1 -Quill singing Come and Get Your Love really badly cuz all we heard was the actual song and OhmyGOD that was hilarious -I’m glad Rhodey and Nebula got on a team cuz they can be prosthetic buddies -but did Nebula just not tell Clint and Nat that one of them would have to die for the Soul Stone? Or did they know and just not wanna talk about it till it came up? -TBH I though the ‘lose someone you love for the stone’ requirement would have been filled by both Clint and Nat already cuz Clint could have been like “um my dude do you even know how much I’ve lost already??” -apparently not though -Nat’s hair was great for the time travel parts I liked the red fade to white -though it was a sad and intense moment with Clint and Nat deciding who of them had to die it was also sweet cuz you can see how much they care for each other -and I was- well not glad but I really wanted Clint to see his family again -not that The Avengers weren’t his family -that friggin line “did she have family?” “Yeah. Us.” GOD -and then there’s that whole rigamarole with double Nebulas and oh Gamora’s back too -again time travel/the whole multiverse thing apparently doesn’t make sense to me so I’m just gonna gloss over it as much as I can until I can get more into it later -anyway the other time travel to the 1950s! -cool callback to Winter Soldier like you could see Zola going into the bunker -like So many people were there at the Camp Lehigh (idk if that’s how it’s spelled) like Everybody was there -good good moments with Tony and his dad -I thought it would have been cool for Tony to have given his dad the inspiration for his own name but oh well. Maybe that wouldn’t have even worked with time travel and all -Steve’s prank call to Hank Pym that was funny “um the box is glowing” -but oh geez the scene where Steve finds Peggy oh god when he goes in the room with her name on the door my roommate and I were watching it together the first time I saw it and both of us went “ohhhhhhh oh nooooooo” -cuz like that’s the first time he’s seen her since he went in the ice! Or at least seen her how he remembers and not old in Civil War hhhhhhhh GOD -I think seeing her there was a factor in his decision later but I’ll get to that later this is a long heck movie -oh and the OG human Jarvis showed up! I like him, I only saw season 1 of Peggy’s show but I remember liking him a lot -but yeah back to the present unless- well I’m sure I missed something -OH FRICK THOR’S BIT -I can’t Believe they went back to The Dark World -tbh I actually like The Dark World I think it’s a good movie but it’s not universally liked -callback to the scene with Loki tossing the cup in the air ahaha that one was always good -so if they had Rocket’s pokey device during that movie the whole plot of that movie could have been avoided? -anyway um Frigga?? What a queen. Literally -I loved “I was raised by witches I can see with more than my eyes” -she’s really what Thor needed there but god the “she dies today” poor boy -she’s so good though -I loved that ‘measure of a hero is being who you are not who you’re supposed to be’ Yes -and the “I’m still worthy!!!!” Thor needed a win -“eat a salad!” -Now back to the present -Stark-Tech can apparently channel Infinity Stones? And doesn’t need a special heart of a dying star and giant dwarfs to forge a special gauntlet um okay -“what do I have flowing through my veins right now?” “Cheese whiz?” -Bruce is so good though so strong I loved the “I was made for this” -so sweet when Laura called Clint! Yes! Everyone’s really back! -and double Nebula just Had to ruin everything tho -before I get into the final battle- I wonder how much of the time travel scenes were reused from old footage and how much was reshoots with the same actors/costumes/sets? -anyway -um rude blowing up the compound -and god the water scenes were so stressful the first time. Water/specifically-about-to-drown scenes always freak me out. Also trapped under ice and squished under something scenes -Clint finding the gauntlet and getting away from Thanos’ cronies! Every time anyone was running with the gauntlet all I could think of was that one goof from TAZ Balance in Petals to the Metal- Taako’s “Grab the Gauntlet and don’t look back” friggin

-also when Steve, Thor, and Tony all go to confront Thanos who is waiting for them, there’s a specific song playing in the background: https://youtu.be/H_9mnO_NOjk?t=120 (it starts at around 2:00) and you’ll hear this series of deep bell sounds? For the life of me- that specific sound sounds SO FAMILIAR and I can’t friggin place it. I can’t decide if it just reminds me of the Wind Dance song that plays in TAZ Balance whenever the Hunger shows up (which is fitting tbh)? Or if it sounds like some boss battle music that I can’t place? Maybe from Pokémon or Mystery Dungeon? I just can’t remember. It sounds real cool tho -but uh yeah UM -STEVE!! WORTHY!!!! -I mean we all be knowing but! -such a cool scene. I started clapping the first time I watched and others in the theatre joined in -not as cool as when Vision lifted the hammer but I’m biased -but things look dark at this point and I can’t remember if it’s at this part or one one next but there’s this real cool wide shot, this real nice tableau of Steve on a hill or something and this light behind him as he faces Thanos’ army and yeah it just looks real good. Like a good computer background I’d like to have or a poster -but yeah then! -“ON YOUR LEFT!” -Yay!!! Portals open and ‘oh yeah! Everyone’s back now! We have friends to help us fight!’ -gave me some good TAZ Balance episode 68 vibes. Could have called for a cool Lup-esque speech tho from Steve since he’s so good at that- “You see this? This is scary. But we can do this.” -EXCEPT -now we reach the part of my rambling where it turns into somewhat of a rant -because I’M annoyed but only for a specific reason that won’t affect the average moviegoer since Apparently not everyone’s a fan... -cuz Literally the only person who doesn’t show up -is my boy Vision -I mean Yes -I Know he was one of the people who died before Thanos snapped -but my hopes were Way Way Up that he’d come back somehow -and UHHH APPARENTLY I WILL JUST HAVE TO BE DISAPPOINTED -everyone Else came back??? Why not my boy?? -he wasn’t even mentioned despite being So Important in IW -except vaguely when Wanda pulled a real Taako in Balance episode 67 “You f**king took everything from me!!!” -she could have took out Thanos on her own for sure like he had to call in the big guns just to stop her from doing just that -strongest Avenger heck yeah -and Carol came too! -friggin Star Wars Episode 8-ing up in here shooting through Thanos’ spaceship that was So Cool -and the Girl Squad! Girl Squad! part!!!! Yes!!!!! So good!!! Protec small Peter! -somewhere, Nat smiled -Spider-Man’s instakill that was great -I loved the ‘pass the gauntlet’ part though -when Clint handed it off to T’Challa, T’Challa called his name and that was good cuz callback to Civil War when Clint said “we haven’t met yet. I’m Clint.” And T’Challa was like “I don’t care”. He does care now! Lol! -Carol just friggin Beast mode Thanos can’t even touch her he had to pluck the Power Stone from the gauntlet to even knock her back! We stan! A legend! -and oof Tony to Stephen Strange “14 million and one we win? Is this it?” “If I tell you it won’t be” -cuz oof -it really was a good ending for Tony though -he started it all way friggin back in 2008 -and the “I am Iron Man” Yes -and also I think it was in Age of Ultron that part when Tony was talking to Fury and it was like “I saw them all dead and that wasn’t even the worst of it” “the worst was that you didn’t” -so it’s very fitting and so so good -lining up with and going against Howard’s earlier “the greater good rarely outweighed my personal interest” and proving that Tony really was so heroic -so like it’s sad but it’s fitting and not like an unsatisfying end for his character -and it’s not like he won’t be friggin mentioned ever again or anything he’s friggin Iron Man he’s already in the new Spider-Man trailer -(no shade at all in the ‘not begin mentioned at all’ category...) -anyway oh wait -oh god Peter Parker tear my heart out again sad boy he’s so good at making us sad when he’s sad about Tony -yeah anyway again -loved the “proof that Tony Stark has a heart” disc from the first movie that was good -oh and so like the camera is moving through all the different groups of people on the dock and moving towards the house -(just an interlude but CAROL IN A SUIT UM YES) -there’s a shot of some random kid! And I didn’t know who it was until I was leaving the theatre and another guy heard me and my dad talking and he told us! It’s the kid from Iron Man 3! Now That was a nice throwback -but yeah then it gets into the I guess TAZ Balance Rebuilding Year-esque scenes -which were all Very good! Good family scenes; Hope and Scott and Cassie, and T’Challa and Shuri and their mom, and that scene with Wanda and Clint was very good BUT -would it have been So Hard to do just a small scene of maybe somewhere in Wakanda like Shuri helping to rebuild Vision with all that vibranium while Wanda was there watching? Maybe even from his old body?? Would that have been so hard?? Just Something to give me hope?? -why are all these movies So Against Wanda being happy??? -but yeah almost to the end -more time travel with Steve going to return the stones! I’m glad Sam and Bucky got more lines I love them both -but what I really loved was that Steve got his Magnus ending -not in a “how does Magnus die” way but a “how does Steve live” way -love me a good happy ending esp if it involves dancing like that’s All he wanted -like I said earlier, I think just seeing Peggy again was enough for Steve to be like ‘oh it doesn’t matter if I can’t live without war action (a la what Ultron said in AoU) i do really want that life with Peggy and I can do that now’ -it was just Good -but it does raise a few time travel questions -like if Our Steve went back to the 1940s (he did go to the 40s right?) does that mean that there’s another Steve still stuck in the ice? I would say there can only be one Steve at a time but that was proven wrong in the very same movie. There’s gonna be something to do with multiverse in the next Spider-Man which will of course just make everything all the more confusing but still... I guess if I don’t think about it too much it’s not such a big deal -it was also very fitting that there weren’t any after credits scenes. It reminded me of the end of TAZ Balance with the announcer (Junior) not announcing the final episode since he said in 68 that we’d have to see what happens in the last one together. Idk but I liked that -and I liked the signatures of all the OG avengers! That was like them signing off on this huge thing they did, which is really what happened! This huge friggin 12 year thing! -wait was that what the 12 meant all along?? The 12%, the 12 minuets? We may never know -but anyway back to the most important part to me -my boy Vision

-I was so naive  

-like I’ve been told there’s gonna be a tv show or something but like -come on -you could have given me Something -I feel like Griffin in the Fallout 4 Monster Factory after Roachie despawned “nothing?!? You leave me nothing!?!” -so like all in all it was a good movie a Really Good movie I liked it a lot -that Time Heist- I love time travel plots. I already had some of my next DND campaign planned with time travel being a big part- I hope my players don’t think I’m stealing lol -it was very enjoyable and so so good to wrap up this huge thing and put a bow on this story arc. Which I guess can open the door for experimentation now? Which would be kinda cool -Scarlet Witch movie maybe and my dreams can come true??? I can be happy??? Please -I just- one little scene could have left me less disappointed and given me just a little hope but anyone who’s not in the ScarletVision boat will not be disappointed by this movie (cuz the deaths [Tony and Nat] are heroic and satisfying to me, so I’m not not satisfied by that) -it wasn’t Their movie but still. Let me complain -It really was really good though -And I guess I only get motivated to write fanfic like once a year (or whenever new ScarletVision content is in a movie though um the Vision part of that was uh nonexistent) so like my Complements fanfic is in the process of growing a fourth part so look out for that I guess -and if you’re still here reader, I hope you enjoyed my long long ramblings

-and in conclusion:

[afterspark-podcast]

G1 Episode 29: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

O: Damn, I don't know how you did it, but that is so good!

[Intro Music]

O: Hello, welcome to the Afterspark Podcast, an episode by episode recap of the generation 1 Transformers cartoon.  I'm Owls!

S: And I'm Specs.

O: And today we're gonna be talking about episode number 29, The Insecticon Syndrome.  Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Sure.

O: And today on The Transformers, Bee, Beachcomber, and Hound are racing over a road full of hot- pot holes.

S: [laughs quietly]

O: Hot holes?  No, pot holes. [laughs]

S: Once they arrive at their destination a park ranger explains that some trees are super chewed up.

O: Beachcomber realizes that obviously this was caused by the Insecticons, as they like to nom on trees.

S: The ranger has doubtsTM. 

O: He finds giant alien robot bugs unbelievable but-but Sir, Sir- you were brought here in a giant alien robot car, so I have to ask what is the difference?

S: Who knows.

O: Good question!  [laughs] Speaking of, the Insecticons are in a cave complaining about how hungry they are and they decide to step out for a bite to eat.

S: Does a redwood sound like a good snack to you?  Because it sounds like one to them.

O: They are observed eating trees by yet another park ranger.

S: Who also finds this unbelievable.

O: You guys live in a world with giant robots.

S: And considering the Insecticons have apparently been around for... quite a long time.

O: Yeah, that- that they are even more unbelievable is weird.

S: God, maybe they're cryptids?

O: Oh lord, I hope so.

S: I don't understand why, you know, the Insecticons don't- don't just eat all of the trees if they're hungry.  I mean they're just kind of taking little bites out of them, little nibbles.

O: They want just the tasty bits.  JUST THE BITS!

S: Park ranger number two calls park ranger number one and tells him that he sees ‘giant figments’ eating trees.

O: Yes, I know they have actual names.  Trust me, we don't care.

S: They don't show up in any other episodes.

O: No, they don't.

S: Alright, so Beachcomber gets all philosophical for a moment and says that the Insecticons uh, probably think the humans are figments too.

O: [chuckles] It is a fun thought.  Our Bots head off.

S: And elsewhere, the Decepticons are out flying around looking for the Insecticons because... of course they are.  And Starscream says that he doesn't trust the Insecticons.

O: Pot, kettle you know this shtick.

S: Megatron says that he'll kill them himself once they've served their purpose.

O: The Insecticons do seem to be enjoying their prime slabs of redwood.

S: Poor park ranger number two almost gets a tree dropped on him before meeting up with the Bots and ranger number one.

O: A fight breaks out, as you do.

S: You're a pacifist, Beachcomber!

O: Not when nature is involved.

S: [sighs]

O: And then the Insecticons Indiana Jones an entire tree at the Autobots and company.

S: That tree is big enough that once they ran into the river it should have stayed on the banks and gone over them but um…

O: What would this show be without the drama, really?

S: [sighs]

O: [laughs]

S: Oh, the Autobots and uh, the human companions run to the edge of the waterfall and then are knocked off by the entire tree.

O: So we're led to believe, but as funny as this shot was, uh, we’ll later see this was an illusion they Hound, who was one of the people with them.

S: Yep.  The two sets of Cons finally meet up with Megatron complimenting the Insecticons on their work.

O: Starscream says that maybe they should lead them then, but when the Insecticons insult Megatron he's surprisingly ready to throw down, despite just insulting him [Megatron].

S: [exasperated] It's Starscream.

O: [laughs]

S: Megatron is rather civil right now, actually telling Starscream to calm down.

O: Below the lip of the waterfall, the Autobots are standing on a handy ledge.

S: I'm surprised the Insecti- the Decepticons didn't see them, but whatever.

O: They don't know how to look down!

S: [laughs]

O: They saw them fly off, it's fine, they're dead! [laughs]

S: So, the Autobots are standing on this ledge and they overhear Megatron bribing the Insecticons with food so that they'll do something for him.

O: He wants them to eat all the energy at a power plant and get strong enough to break into a facility called Iron Mountain.

S: Sounds ominous.  At the Ark, Optimus, Ironhide, Jazz, Inferno, Ratchet, and Wheeljack head out to stop the Cons.

O: At the power plant, the Cons take out some attack helicopters that are on hand for some reason.  Megatron spotting Optimus’ convoy is then extremely ready for a 2 vs.5 fight.

S: Never let it be said that Megatron lacks confidence.

O: Uh-huh, confidence, is that what we're calling it now?  And, I mean, it did end up being a four against five fight as Laserbeak and Buzzsaw join into the fray as well.  But still, they're outnumbered!

S: Yeah.  And I mean, Inferno takes out Laserbeak almost immediately, so...

O: Uh, then we see two choppers fall from the sky.  Uh, you know, that are being piloted by people, these are not transforming robots.

S: Um-hm.  Those people are definitely dead!

O: [laughs]

S: Or at least they should be.

O: According to the next scene, no.  Being in a children's show has saved their lives, it's a miracle!

 S: Well, statistically they should be dead.

O: [laughs] Jazz saves two of the humans that were trapped in one of the downed helicopter[s].  While Inferno overzealously tries to put out the fire.  Basically he [Jazz] gets buried in like, fire foam.

S: Yeah, the Insecticons begin feeding on electricity and gets swol.

O: Super swol!  So now that they're huge, they're ready to assert their dominance over Megatron. [laughs]

S: Outside Soundwave has his- his stethoscope… thing?

O: [laughs]

Against the wall and says, the Insecticons plot ‘treason’.

O: To which, the Insecticons Kool-Aid Man their way out of the wall and then poor Soundwave is soundly menaced, and implanted with a Cerebro shell.

S: Hound, Beachcomber, Bee and Spike all show up on site.

O: Optimus has no luck stopping the Decepticons and says it's all up to Ironhide and Wheeljack now.

S: And then we cut to them and they're climbing two really tall towers.

O: Why, you may ask?  Why, so this next scene can happen.  They are now sitting ducks for the Insecticons, who attack them both.

S: Wheeljack is pulled out from uh, his fallen tower because uh…

O: They knocked it over.

S: Yeah, and Ironhide is doused with fire retardant foam that apparently helped with the electricity that is currently giving him problems due to uh, the previously mentioned Insecticon attack.

O: So that's how that works.

S: I guess.

O: The Autobots retreat, Ironhide and Wheeljack get tossed into Prime's trailer.

S: Spike must have brought his own gun this time, cuz he definitely has a gun.

O: The Autobots got tired of him stealing theirs.  So clearly, they built him one! [laughs]  You know, give to that, what?

S: Fourteen-year-old.

O: Sixteen-year-old, whatever?

S: I think-

O: I think you're right. The power- the teenager, let's just go with the teenager because I legitimately can't remember what our consensus was right now.

S: I'm pretty sure you proved he was 14 but this-

O: I think you’re right…

S: Because I was the one who thought he was older, initially.

O: But then again, it's like, how much time has passed?

S: Yeah.

O: Does a season equal a year?  Is he 15 now?  I don't know, let's give the teenager a gun.

S: Yeah.  Back at the Ark, as the hurt Bots are getting patched up, Spike reaches the conclusion that the power the Insecticons ate is incompatible with their systems.

O: Okay, I… no, there’s no way Spike should have known that, either Carly or Perceptor had to have told him, that they had to of.

S: Or Chip, if Chip was there.

O: True. Chip also, I think, would be able to figure it out, but I didn't think we've seen Chip for a while?

S: Yeah.  Alright, so the Insecticons are going to come down with a super bad case of explosions.

O: You know, to put it in layman's terms.  It seems as though the folks running the Iron Mountain facility may have brought this upon themselves though.  Uh, when we cut to the location later, as they have painted their building a sort of silvery purple and we all know what that means!

S: Yep.  Soundwave is still under the influence of the Insecticons, which means that they overhear Megatron's plans to off them once they break into Iron Mountain for him.  Cutting back to the Autobots, the Autobots talk about if the Insecticons uh, get inside they'll blow up the entire facility.

O: Yes, but why is this important?  What kind of facility is this?  We're not told!

S: Apparently, some kind of, I don't know- I imagine it's a government weapons facility or something but who knows?

O: And on that happy note we go to commercials.

S: Yeah… and back at Iron Mountain, the humans batten down the hatches and send out laser beams hiding in secret compartments.  These are like really old computers some of them seem like the kind that involve reels of tape.

O: Yeah, very old computers.  I can't help but think this was their Decepticon security system though?

S: Maybe?

O: These lasers are also pretty powerful for something made by humans.  Megatron and Starscream end up flat on their backs.

S: And now it's time for science with Wheeljack and Ratchet as they try to create an antidote for the Insecticons.

O: Are you sure putting Wheeljack in charge of not causing explosions is the best idea here?

S: [sighs] Back in the fray, the Insecticons uh, complain about indigestion.  Which, for giant metal insects is a bit ominous.

O: [laughs] Especially given the whole, they're gonna come down with a sudden case of the explosions soon!

S: Yes, I know.  [laughs] But you know, Megatron gives no fucks.

O: He doesn't.  Shrapnel takes control of the lasers and then turns them against the humans.

S: The Autobots arrive, and Megatron tells the Insecticons to deal with them.

O: One of the downsides of bringing your squishy buddy into battle that when- is that you have to shield them with your big-ass metal body when things go south.

S: [sighs] Yeah…

O:  Which is what Ironhide has to do for Spike.

S: Yeah... The Bots have to dig their way out of a rockslide caused by the Insecticons.

O: More gun is obviously the solution we need according to Optimus, who shoots the rocks off of them too.

S: Yep, that's how that works.

O: [laughs] More gun solves everything, even if you're the good guy.

S: Yes.  Meanwhile, Megatron and Soundwave have made it into Iron Mountain to the main computer.

O: Soundwave breaks into the computer with psychic powers and Megatron orders the other Cons to destroy the Insecticons.

S: Bombshell knows what's up and hits Starscream with a Cerebro shell.

O: He then attempts to do this with Megatron, but Megs just catches it and says, “Nobody's getting in his head!”  And then, I'm way too amused with how well this meshes up with Lost Light Megs, but carry on.

S: Megatron stomps on the shell, Bombshell freaks out.

O: I can't tell if this like, causes him physical pain or if he's just upset?

S: Probably just dramatic.

O: Yeah, that sounds about right.

S: [sighs] Megatron goes to uh, shoot him, but is tackled by Optimus, lest you know, Megatron cause Bombshell to explode.

O: Hello sexual tension, my old friend.  The Insecticons fly off uh, to get the data that Soundwave has collected from the computer because if you'll remember there’s- he's still under their control.

S: Are you just gonna eat it?  Do you something to put it in?  Are you going to absorb it?  What the hell is even your plan?  What the hell is even the plot?

O: Big bugs eat lots of shit, get tummy ache, and go boom.  Keep up, Specs!

S: [groans]

O: [laughs]

S: The Insecticons must have wanted the complete trine, as all three seekers are now under mind control and attack uh, Megatron and Optimus on the Insecticons command.

O: They dive behind some rocks and Megatron asks Prime why he stopped him from destroying those, “six legged liabilities!”

S: Short answer, lots of boom.

O: Keep up, Megatron!  Apparently, even under control the Seekers have some form of self-preservation because they run away when Megatron shoots at them and tells them off.  That must be very deeply engrained.

S: Yeah…

O: [laughs]

S: Ratchet and the Wheeljack show up with the antidote and Megatron is down for curing the Insecticons if it means that he can shoot them again.

O: That sounds right, but uh, either that or he's missed the point entirely because he shoots at them immediately once they catch up with them and Soundwave in the computer room.

S: The Insecticons complain about the stomach aches, but still shoot Megatron through a wall.

O: [snorts] Spike says, they've only got 30 seconds before the Insecticons explode.

S: Spike, from where do you get this arcane knowledge?

O: But now for my favorite part of this episode. [laughs] They have 30 seconds to live and Optimus pic- picks up Megatron shakes him around a bit and tells him [that] he needs to transform.  30 seconds, and this is how he chooses to use his time.  But then, he picks Megatron up bridal style and transforms him manually.  I didn't know they could even do that!

S: Apparently they can.

O: [while laughing]  Apparently they can!

S: Optimus then loads the antidote into Megatron and uses him to shoot it at the Insecticons.

O: Insert sexual tension joke here, he hits Bombshell in short order.

S: Kickback then tries to escape with Soundwave but Optimus shoots and they go plummeting to the floor.

O: It has been a day for Soundwave, poor Soundwave.

S: Yup, and we’re down to the last Insecticon, and the last 10 seconds.

O: Shrapnel shoots everybody down, but Spike climbs up on him, and throws the file in- of antidote, into his conveniently placed stomach hatch.

S: Yeah, he did.

O: [laughs]

S: Soundwave gets electrocuted, which apparently wipes his memory of all the data he collected.

O: And then Shrapnel still explodes?

S: He’s in pieces.

O: Like, literal pieces, but Bombshell pulls out a gun, shoots it, and this reassembles Shrapnel.  So the answer... is more gun!

B: [laugh]

S: Yeah, the three Insecticons then uh, ‘bug out’ with the Decepticons following shortly after.

O: We end with a dumb joke from Spike, and everybody laughs.

S: That two frame laugh cycle.

O: Join us next time for the day the oil tankers went rogue!  That's not even getting into the computer that Megatron's sticks his dick in!

S: [begins laughing]

O: You think I’m kidding.

S: [still laughing]

S: You all think I’m kidding.  I’m not kidding.  I’m not kidding at all, I have pictures!

B: [laugh]

S: Yes, I took them!

O: Yes!  She did!  I’m not kidding! [laughs]

S: It’s a real mindfuck.

O: It is.  [laughs]

S: Uh, we have two wildcard fic recommendations by Owls today, uh-

O: So, uh, my two for today eh, the first one’s called, “Together We're Stable,” by LittleMissSweetgrass. IDW, G, it is slash, it involves Soundwave and Cosmos.  Our characters are: Cosmos, Rust-Q, Sunstreaker, Beachcomber, Soundwave, Rumble, and Frenzy.

In summary, “Cosmos goes to his medic’s office to ask an important question.  As a mech with spark damage, can he ever form a conjunx endura bond?”

It is a one shot, it’s part of the same Cos- mo- Coswave stuff I've been recommending that's part of the series though.  So, not necessarily need to read the other stuff, but this will make a hell of a lot more sense if you  reread-if you read, “Chronic,” first.

And my other one is... Trans- sub- stat- tion Completed?

S: Uh, Transubstantiation.

O: Thank you!  That one, uh, Contemplated.  (Yes, I'm saying that right.)  By Merfilly, it's Shattered Glass, it’s G, it's Gen, there are no pairings.  Our characters are Soundwave, Ratbat, and Ravage.

And in summary, “Soundwave receives an old friend, and is driven to find a way to help them.”  And it is a one-shot.  It's very short, uh, Merfilly has done a bunch of like, Shattered Glass stuff and I've read a lot of it but I quite like this one.

Uh, Ratbat’s not a dick in uh, Shattered Glass.  If you’re used to IDW Ratbat, just so you know. [laughs]

S: Yup.  And we have fanart?

O: Yup.  Uh, our recommendation for today is JamKight.  They have a Tumblr, a Twitter, and a Deviant Art we will be linking to.  I like them, because holy fuck they have this squishiest, cuddliest, Transformers I had ever seen in my entire LIFE, and I want to hug them alllll.  Today we linked to art of Ravage playing with a laser pointer, a cat daddy Soundwave, and gardener Soundwave.  Not Soundwave.

S: Shockwave.

O: And gardener Shockwave. So I highly recommend their stuff is super adorable.  Um, we will link to it.  Um, a lot of their stuff tends to be IDW / G1 so, you know, that kind of thing.

S: And that just about wraps it up for us today, remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort as Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links, we may have mentioned.  You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at AftersparkPod (all one word).  And various other locations by searching for Afterspark Podcast, such as AO3, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Youtube, just to name a few.  Until next time, I'm Specs.

O: And I'm Owls!

S: Toodles.

[Noticeably different sound quality]

O: Hi guys, Owls here with a bit of a correction.  Ah, we call our fan artist for today JamKnight, but they are actually called JamBandit on all of their social media but Deviant Art, including Tumblr.  I'm not entirely sure I missed this when I was making the notes for this, but this is my mistake and I apologize.  So if you want to see some adorable Transformers go check out JamBandit.

[Outro Music]