#god's team baby

[lemonhemlock]

i know i've converted my blog into asoiaf meta for the most part, but now that the champions league is back and madrid are set to face liverpool again next week, i remembered this article and just... with all this talk of meta-narratives and arcs and symbolism... can you feel nostalgic for something that happened just last year??? this is going to be super indulgent but i am most definitely feeling thoughts & thinking feelings right now !!!

so for anyone who has no idea what i'm talking about, how about i introduce you to a tale of uncanny resilience in the face of the impossible? not just of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, but of the over-praised, overachiever, drenched in privilege and exposure, that the rest of the world learns to despise, bc they become sick and tired of their (supposedly manufactured) success? what happens when you're the villain in everyone else's story and the world is rooting against you anyway but you also just kind of stop performing for whatever reason?

do you just lay down and take it? accept that your luck has run its course and endure the critiques and the slander with gritted teeth?? once you reach that level of transcendence, is there truly any going back? are you even of this earth anymore?

so that is how madrid dragged itself through the champions league in the 2021-2022 season. the undisputed queen of europe, with an unequaled (then-) 13 titles under her belt, the team that had achieved the impossible feat of winning 4 titles in 5 years, now became the team that everyone wrote off. cursed with the most onerous bracket in the history of the knock-off stages, doomed (blessed??) to face-off the most nefarious avatars of modern footballing culture - first paris saint germain, a PR-sanitizing tool for the crimes of the qatari political elite, then chelsea, a team owned by a russian oligarch with a similar function - also the acting champions of europe, to boot.

four difficult matches that no one expected madrid to survive and nearly took us out so many times. until they didn't. until we opened our eyes each time after the final whistle and there we were, still standing. and there they were, gone, vanquished. a nightmare you wake up from, disoriented, asking for the date, time, place, context. what year is this. is it safe to come out? is this real? have we done it again? what are the odds to us, other than mere suggestions, foolish calculations that only heretics give credence to?

Against PSG they had come down from 1-0 down, 2-0 on aggregate to win 3-2, gifted a way back and scoring twice in a minute, three in quarter of an hour. Against Chelsea they had gone from 3-0 down on the night, 4-3 down on aggregate, with 10 minutes left to win 5-4 on aggregate. It had been extraordinary that they were even standing, but this is the team you have to kill a hundred times. If not, know that they’re coming for you.

the whole world knows that you never, absolutely, under no circumstances, let madrid worm their way into the final, because that's as good as surrendering the title to them and calling it a day. as surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. if divine intervention is needed, it will come. inexorably. real madrid are god's team, baby.

so the world throws the hardest hurdle at us for the semi-final. the greatest obstacle. the best chance at making us fail. pep guardiola's manchester city. another such propaganda toy, this time for the UAE, a soulless, plastic club. the embodiment of manufactured apathy. but who's counting. the first leg ends 4-3 for them. the goals didn't stop coming, so i remember asking myself why were they both dressed in blue. light for man city, dark for madrid. what a peculiar choice. what a peculiar year.

In Manchester Real Madrid faced 16 shots. They were beaten 4-3, but celebrated that almost as a victory given how overrun they had been, aware that the difference could have been far greater; rarely can City have felt more like they had lost a game that they had won.

but it is in the second leg that they remembered who they were. we had just forgotten, you see!! a momentary lapse of judgement. it is just before the finish line when you muster up that last ounce of strength and command your feet to press you forward. undaunted visionaries violently upturning any kind of logic or common sense! what was supposed to happen candidly did not happen. it's that easy. it's that simple. flippantly refusing to capitulate!!! our white flags don't mean the same thing as everyone else's! how silly they were to think... !

There were 39 seconds left and Real Madrid needed to score twice or they were out, halted at the gates of the final, their luck running out at last. Eighty-eight seconds later they had done, collective madness taking everyone. Somehow, they had forced extra time; soon, they had the winner, which by then you knew they would. Look in the top corner of your screen. It had shown 89:20 RMA 0 – 1 MCI (3-5). Look again and it showed: 94.13 RMA 3 – 1 MCI (6-5). And it had taken a few seconds to update the score.

delusion that becomes truth itself??? because you make it so???? sometimes seeing truly is NOT believing, you need to re-make reality in your image and according to your own hallucinations of grandeur!! sometimes you are pygmallion and that scoreboard is your galatea goddamn it. you're not lying to yourself, you're prophesizing what you will create out of this world!

The champions of France, Europe and England all eliminated at the Bernabéu.

What happened was the most ridiculous resurrection of them all: even more implausible, the margins finer, the race against the clock more frantic, like they were watching that video back again only on fast-forward, everything flashing by.

There was something mystical at play; some fate, some force that means that the more you fight it, the more inevitable it becomes.

liverpool surely hate our guts. two lost UCL finals against us, the first fraught with enough controversy to last a generation. i don't know what's going to happen next week. we might as well lose & forfeit this season. but, even so, we'll always have something other teams don't. that bright, celestial belief in our strength and our resolve, that vision that only we can see and deliver forth, even in the face of the absurd, of the hopeless.

and i think that there's inspiration in that. i think it's a neat reminder that we have so many stories of our own to tell and there's a power we wield in fleshing them into existence.

The players knew: they had seen the video that proves it.

so go forth and be brilliant!! bring around your own remontada!

“We’ve come back, we’ve come back!” he shouted, leaping about celebrating. There’s something about that “we” that stuck in the throat. He wasn’t alone, some fans turning and trying to get back in. Had they learned nothing? Do they not know this team they support? Of course you have come back, you fool.

[theladyigraine]

first of all, i want to say thanks to oscar...

[ghostbsuter]

Can be read as a continuation of this

.・゜-: ✧ :

Standing by Batman's side, Billy and Danny were very much standing out, ignoring that they're kids and in street clothes.

There was a curse, and the cave was flooded with various people, both recognised as Bruce's legal and otherwise wards.

Danny knows that blue bird symbol even if the vigilante was over 500 meters away.

"Nightiwing!" He cheers, nudging Billy who was still pouting.

The man in question seemed so confused.

A rough "behave" from batman, and they were both grumbling, Billy adamant that he didn't even do anything.

"Uh– B? Why are there two black haired, blue-eyed children behind you?" Nightwing approaches cautious, attention to the two now.

"You two orphans?'

"Yep!" "Yeah."

"...tragic backstory?"

A shrug and a 'so-so' gesture.

"Shit, welcome to the family then."

The words make Billy grin. "Nah, we're not adopted, as much as the big probably want to." He adds as afterthought. "It's just our week with the big bat!"

Spoiler, giddy, approaches as well. "Damn bigbat! Felt broody again?"

Danny laughs at the question, the man only grumbling.

"So, who are you two? I personally don't believe Batman would bring in two random orphans to the Batcave."

Their attention is now on Red Robin, who's idly playing with his staff.

"Well, I'm Danny! Danny Fenton."

Matching his mischievous grin, Billy gestures to himself. "Billy, Billy Batson."

"Stop being menaces and go on." Batman nudges the two, cowl resting somewhere and his brow is raised.

"You hurt us, Bruce!" Billy shakes his head. "And here I thought you of all people would take these secret identities serious!"

Somewhere someone mutters a 'of course they're vigilantes' and it has them grinning even bigger.

"Alright, we will tell you! Since we got busted not long ago anyway."

Two white rings split across his abdomen and reveal Phantom. Justice League member Phantom.

"I'm also known as Phantom!" Danny– Phantom!?— re-introduces, then gestures to Billy.

Getting into position, the teen with a feral glint in his eyes shouted. "Shazam!"

A bolt of lighting hits the cave– now wasn't that a freaky thing?— and Captain Marvel stands where Billy was.

"Captain Marvel, to your assistance."

Oh my god they are child heroes.

"We managed to trick the Justice League only for so long, unfortunately."

"Was amazing tho!"

"Definitely."

Oh my god, they were child heroes that managed to trick the big three.

(Silently, dick bemoans that they're gonna fit right in in their chaos, but now he got more brothers to spoil so yay?)

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 282

Billy is… having a lot of fun actually. Which isn’t something he was expecting today, but y’know what? Why not. Why not get dragged into this game with interdimensional beings? 

Why not join a class of semi-primordial beings by getting smuggled in one of their hoodies into shapeshifting class because he’s ‘just a lil guy’! The Phantom siblings and Amity are great! And Solomon hasn’t told him not to yet, nor has the sort-of Marvel hivemind, so honestly nothing could go wrong here. Oh hey Freddy, you got grabbed too? 

[naamahdarling]

They have gone to the vet for their booster shots and I feel like a monster. But I'm a monster who likes them rather a lot so they need to go and get safe.

The lady at the front desk had not seen them before and had been WAITING for them to come in after having been TEXTED PICTURES by the other nurses last time and was very excited to meet them.

They have only been there once and they are already popular.

[weepingtalecowboy]

Fanfic prompt: there are quite some fics that portray the windwaker as a literal conductor

And have wind use the abilities of the windwaker

Like the sky gets darker when he gets upset

It rains if he is sad

And it storms if he is angry

But like controlling the wind is not the only ability of the windwaker

You can change day and night with the song of passing

You can also straight up command people (command melody)

And in phantom hourglass you can control time and see ghosts

Like imagine him having an actual panic attack from the point of view of like Wild who already experienced a big calamity

Like there is a hurricane appearing

The sun and moon are fighting for their spot on the sky (till it ends up a solar eclipse)

The wind is strong enough that actual boulders are flying off the ground

And you feel something commanding you to go there (wind really wants someone to stop him )

The time in several places is going out of control

And on top of that your ghost friends are freaking out because of something

You are convinced that that is divine punishment

And that the world will end

Like imagine the sheer shock that any of the chain will experience when it turns out to be wind

[vvegart]

kenstewy is too funny like you'll talk to the annoying sad kid in elementary school just to be nice and boom you're trapped in a 30+ year situationship based on billionare transactions, codependency and substance abuse that lowkey killed some dude... and guess what. the kid is still annoying and sad and you still kinda don't fw him

[what-is-merlin-so-gay-for]

WHY???? IS NOBODY?? MAKING NOISE ABOUT TOG SEASON 2 ONLINE???? BABES LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD

TOG IS BAAAAACKKKKKKK

[ikram1909]

It was "let's bully Gavi day" today and Felix Raphinha and Fermín were the main protagonists😭😭

[atomicengineerdetective]

I've been watching Hazbin Hotel in prime. Just watched episode 5 and I gotta ask

Why, oh, WHY DON'T I SEE MORE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT "MORE THAN ANYTHING" WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE HAZBIN HOTEL MUSIC???

Like I get it, the song before it "Hell's Greatest Dad" Is a bop reminiscent of other music from the era its parodying. I loved it.

BUT why are you only putting clips of that song when this MASTERPIECE comes a few minutes after

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this song. The visuals are beautiful, especially when we get moments like this where you can just see the absolute LOVE this man has for her daughter is so sweet and Heartwarming I just-

The voices are fenomenal but what else can you expect from the broadway talents of Erika Henningsen and Jeremy Jordan.

There is also the whole Symbolism with passing the baton to the next generation and stuff. I- I can't even get into the specifics right now Im too emotional.

But above all else THE LYRICS

ESPECIALLY THAT LAST ONE

"I'M GRATEFUL YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER/FATHER MORE THAN ANYTHING"

DO YOU WANT ME TO CRY?? CAUSE I AM. I AM BAWLING MY EYES OUT RIGHT NOW.

It's just so fucking beautiful man. Probably the best song I will hear all year. Obviously my favorite from Hazbin.

[coldlandangel]

God's favorite.

HELL YEAH! BABY!

( ͡°³ ͡°)

[alicentswife1]

･･༶*※＊※*༶･･ Helaena Targaryen as Hebe the goddess of eternal youth, mercy and forgiveness.

[snakeredbirdbatkatana]

He loves Jason on most days he's pretty confident that's it mutal.

Brothers and all that shit clearly something happened either Bruce being a bitch or whatever else can make him insecure. That still doesn't give Jason the right to hold a gun to his head and be a fucking prick.

"What are you gonna do now Tim-Tam still so trusting of your big brother."

Self Deprecating is not a good look on Jason Todd.

Now normally this is where Tim takes a step back softens his tone gives the I love you Jay, I know you wouldn't hurt me, we are past this.

Hey he has this down to a science.

Yet he doesn't feel like it appealing to his big brother by rolling over.

Instead he steps forward the gun cold against his forehead he already sees that Jay is unbalanced concern overtaking the anger that seems to linger in the Red Hood.

"I don't have to trust you," he knows that he is making Jason uncomfortable that he threw the entire situation into something different.

He grabs the gun taking his time disarming it.

"I could call Dick, he might kill you if I ask nicely enough or, I could yell for my super who has been listening since I let my heart race I don't have to fear you Jason."

Pushing him to the end of the roof which normally couldn't happen perks of being built like a fridge.

"I don't actually have to deal with you if I don't want to and putting you down would be so easy. Hold another gun to my head and it will be the last thing you do. I would love to see Outlaws versus Young Justice who do u think would win?"

He can't help the laughter as he walks away he does love his brother but he won't be a punching bag to a pissed off teenager who never got to read the end of Hamlet.

[dead-girl-tells-stories]

Almost finished reading Dungeon Meshi and I got an idea

So in Dungeon Meshi or Delicious in Dungeon, there are these... dungeons.

And from what I have gathered dungeons can be made naturally or artificially but both types have the same few things in common.

They are made to contain demons

They attract adventures

The dungeons have lords who manage/control the dungeon and are given the power to do so by the demons

I know that I'm skimming over some important bits, but long story short, the demons come from an alternate dimension called 'The Infinite Realm' and feed off of people's desires, the Lord of the Dungeon's specifically.

That being said... (incoming dp x dc prompt)

Beings from the Infinite Realms aren't ghosts but demons. And while they do still have obsessions, they lack desires. And so, they've become something they hunger for.

Danny learns this the hard way when he accidentally eats his parents' desire to hunt 'ghosts'.

When the endless, all-consuming hunger, that had been growing inside himself became just a bit satisfied by the action, he got scared. He ran to Clockwork, who immediately explained everything to him.

From there he became terrified. He didn't want to eat people's desires, especially considering that he had some of his own. But CW explained that while other demons will most likely never be satisfied no matter how many desires they consume, because of Danny's halfa status he may be able to. (Also it would be a bad thing if the baby starves itself. No one wants the baby to starve!)

To test out this theory, CW pulls (more than) a couple of strings, and soon his dungeon was set up in Gotham City in the DC universe.

He felt a bit bad since he had to set up shop in another ghost's/demon's territory, but Lady Gotham seemed to have taken a liking to him.

Danny takes his time searching for the most desperate person he can find, (Lady Gotham is leading him to some of the most desperate people in her city, aka the Batfam.), and appears to one of them as a fawn (signifying his hunger and current 'lack' of power). He then looks deep into their mind and offers them the power to fulfill all their desires.

The Batfam? They should be better than this, but damn they were in a tight spot and the city is going to shit because the rouges have been more active than ever, and their family is on the verge of crumbling!... And the answer to fix it all was right there, just within their reach.

They held the fawn in their arms gently. Its ivory wings, coat of starlight, and piercing Lazurus green eyes. Gotham began to change.

A few years later, some members of the JL and the JLD are once again trying their hand at clearing the dungeon but are a bit discouraged because last time their team was wiped out completely.

It was inconvenient how their powers were nullified whenever they were inside the dungeon, but they had yet to find a spell to counteract it.

In an attempt to get past the third floor, they teamed with a team called Team Phantom, which comprised two young adult siblings, their 12-year-old sister, and a few teenagers.

Morally, they were against this. No one this young should be trying to clear the dungeon! But on the other hand, this team was the closest to getting to the fourth floor.

Sucking it up, they teamed up with the young dungeon dwellers and quickly found out why they were so close to getting to the third floor.

These kids were skilled. These kids were powerful. These kids were trained. On top of that, they didn't care about their lives! Because these kids? They wouldn't- no! They couldn't die, and they were using it to their advantage.

The JL/JLD now had much more to worry about than clearing the dungeon.

[fantasykiri5]

Just woke up from a dream where the Ranchers POV of Double Life was turned into a play (musical with very little stage props. Honestly the music was really fucking banging, Jimmy was introduced to this song with really heavy electric guitar that reminded me melodically of 505 by arctic monkeys, it fucked like hell and he was singing his little heart out) that was performed in the gym of my old elementary/middle school, except Jimmy and Tango were actually played by the “real life” Jimmy and Tango (they looked more like the characters than the ytbrs, but they were supposed to be the real guys in my brain I guess) and I had gone out to walk the hallway around the gym with my partner to secure tape or whatever and when I went back into the gym they were like, FULLY kissing. Not like a trick-of-perspective stage kiss or something but like Jimmy had Tango almost dipped and they were fully kissing. Everyone in the gym was fucking SCREAMING freaking out about that, but my first thought was “holy shit Ranchers made out in Real Life?!” (of one-off VR smp fame, not real-real life) And both me and my partner absolutely lost our shit laughing. And then I immediately woke up. Wild stuff.

[weepingtalecowboy]

Fanfic prompt: Wind is actually a baby god because the use of a god's life force during phantom hourglass has consequences

Like using something this powerful would definitely change someone fundamentally

You couldn’t stay a mortal after something like that

And it would make his beyond broken skill set make sense

He can command someone with the command melody

He can control day and night (song of passing)

He can change the direction of the wind

Can control seagulls and has extreme strength that a kid shouldn’t possess (he can easily hold a struggling pig over his head and throw that poor thing)

And has fire , ice and even light magic (fire and ice got gifted by the fairy queen and the light magic was found in a chest but the fact that he uses his own magic for all of the arrows is just crazy to consider)

Can create hurricanes to bring him to other places and probably destroy the world with them if he wanted too because those are literally just hurricanes)

And after phantom hourglass he Was in constant contact with a god's life force

Had three spirits follow him and killed a deity like demon bellum

And Cielia consideres him her brother (and she is conveniently related to a god ) and she promised to forever protect his dreams form nightmares

He can see ghosts

Stop time

And the spirits are three but the elements of wisdom, power and courage

And time is the fourth and belongs to Cielia

She promised to protect him forever and that means that he would have to live forever

She would happily give him one of her elements to keep her promise

And that would make the spirits be balanced with a fourth one

Wind main while hasn’t noticed it but the chain sure has and is very much going crazy in the background