#he cant ask Ellie though. He may have just meet her but he can sense shes gonna be a gremlin about it

[bluerosefox]

Courting Chaos (to Balance)

A KlarionxDanny brain worm that has spawned

Tim Drake, aka Red Robin gets kidnapped suddenly and very randomly by Klarion in the middle of a JL and others meeting.

Leaving with a

"I'LL RETURN HIM WHEN HES NO LONGER USEFUL JUSTICE LOSERS!"

And fire and chaos in his wake.

While the JL, and others scramble to figure out what Klarion has planned this time, Tim manages to break free of whatever Klarion had used to kidnap him only to find himself on a couch and Klarion nervously petting Teekl on his lap while also sitting in a chair across from him.

When Tim goes to demand to know why Klarion kidnapped him Klarion finally speaks.

"Okay, I wanna strike a deal. I won't bug you or your little Young Just US buddies if you help me ask someone out..."

"...What the fuck Klarion?" Was Tim's only response.

-x-x-

So it turns out, every so often the three main entities and actual factions of Order, Chaos, and Balance get together to well discuss things happening in certain Realms, worlds, and timelines. Basicly to touch base, see where everyone was at. Etc etc.

Order was Order. Chaos was Chaos.

Very simple.

Both could be bad. To much order caused restraint and could snuff out growth. To much Chaos could get out of hand and cause ruin.

Both could be good. Order help stabilizes worlds and builds their future. Chaos allowed creativity to roam and brought forth wonderful things.

And Balance.

Well Balance was the very scales that kept both sides in check. They were neutral grounds. The ones that normally oversaw the meetings as well. And despite their low numbers they held powerful entities that more than made up for it.

Balance did their best to keep things in check, sure they do have their own preference sometimes and allowed the scales to tip a tiny bit but always corrected it later if it tips to much.

It was at this meeting, a meeting even Klarion knew better than to do anything too chaotic, pranks were fine but nothing too much, and had been chatting with a newcomer to the side of Chaos (Danielle, call me Ellie, Phantom. She did some heroing on the side but liked causing chaos in her wake to do so, he liked her so far though.) When the bells for the side of Balance to appear announced them.

Ellie had smiled brightly and said her brother was coming with his mentor, turns out her brother was apart of the Balance group which meant that he was strong, strong enough to need a mentor.

He watched as the members of Balance walked, teleported, flew, and other means into the meeting halls. And then froze when his eyes caught sight of him.

Floating next to a blue skined being that was switching ages was a beautiful otherworldly person.

Snow white hair that wisped upwards oh so softly. Glowing green eyes that were cat-like with their piercing glance. A galaxy cloak hanged around his shoulders and seemed to shift with each movement. Star like freckles decorated his face and seemed to glow a soft bluish white. A crown made of ice and aurora lights floated above his head as well.

All in all Klarion couldn't keep his eyes off of the being at all. He nearly spat his water out when Ellie commented that was her brother Danny, or rather.

High King of the Infinite Realms, Daniel 'Danny' Phantom. The Great One. Defeater of the Tyrant King. The Halfa. The Peaceful End. The Balance of the Undead. (And his mentor was the Ghost of Time itself. THE very Keeper of Time, Kronos original form himself.)

Klarion honestly didn't know what to think or rather what emotions he was feeling when he spotted Danny, nor why his face felt so hot and red when the young man looked over at them and smiled. (He was smiling at Ellie but Klarion for some reason hoped it was for him as well)

It wasn't until halfway in the meeting when a rather ingenious prank that Klarion, Ellie, and a few others had set up went off... thing was it strong enough that it had hit Danny's side of the meeting and had hit him.

Now, again pranks were okay but only after the meetings. It was one of the few rules many, even those in Chaos, took seriously because once it was done and over they could go do their things. So for it to happen in the middle of a meeting means someone set their time on the prank wrong and add the fact it hit a person on the Balance side...

Yeah not good.

Only...

Only instead of getting angry, even Clockwork who was seated next to Danny was chuckling, Danny threw his head back and laughed about it. And his laugh... was very cute.

And before he knew it, Klarion had already fallen.

-x-x-

"So yeah.... Since you have a boyfriend and know how to date in this modern age, I need your advice."

".... Klarion just because I'm dating Bernard doesn't mean I know how I did it..."

"Bernard? I thought you were dating that one Supes?"

[theredalice]

Nick finally meets the Mysterious Stranger (who is mute)

new fic alert? cause I want to write way more and I’m kind of in love with this idea. Thank you so much! Also I dont know ASL or any sort of SL really, but it is used in this so hopefully it makes sense! Thank you and stay safe!

___________________________________

No amount of coffee could wake me from this moment, even though it feels like a dream. After years and years and damn long years- he’s just here. In front of me. Standing in front of me like I haven’t been tracking him damn like a damn bounty hunter after some big target- even though I’m sure there are some who do want him dead. 

“H-Hello. What can I do for you?” I ask, unsure of what to say. What do you say when the man you’ve been tracking just shows up at your home office?

The Mysterious Stranger glances around the ally and then fixes on me. He looks up sheepishly from behind his hat before placing it back on top of his head and making signals with his hands. Immediately I look around, searching and scanning for traces of someone who may have followed him. Quickly I grab him by the wrist and pull him inside the office, unintentionally slamming the door behind us. 

“Nick? Are you okay?” Ellie calls from around the corner. She rounds it and stops in her tracks, staring at the Mysterious Stranger standing in our lobby.

“Nick, this is-”

“i know, Ellie. I’m just as shocked as you are. I think someone’s following him. he started making figures with his hands like this-” I demonstrate and she sputters out a giggle. “What's so funny?”

“Nicky, that’s sign language.”

“Sign Language?’

“Yeah- you talk with your hands. different motions and figures mean different words. Like this is eat, drink, sleep-” she demonstrates the words, and the Mysterious Stranger smiles. he signs a little more after getting Ellies attention. She laughs and signs back “Yes! My sister is deaf and weirdly enough we found textbooks and taught ourselves from a very young age.”

Stranger signs again, his face falling and his movements stopping. 

“What’d he say, Ellie?”

“Says he was taught by someone named Fath... Fath?” She signs. The Stranger’s shoulder's fall and he looks off to the side. He raises his fingers and twists them into different shapes.

“What was that?” I ask.

“Finger-spelling. When there isn’t really a sign for a word or just someone’s name, you can finger-spell.”

“Okay, neat. But what did he say?”

“Oh! Father.”

“Father?”

“I’d assume there’d be a sign for ‘father’.”

“There is,” she demonstrates, “But this is most likely someone’s name. So someone named Father taught him sign language.”

“Ahh, I see. Say, that strange Vault Dweller just rolled into town. They might know something about this Institute, dontcha think?”

“Possibly, although-”

Her sentence is cut short with a knock on our door. I turn to the Stranger and pardon myself as I gently grab him by the shoulders and move him around the corner. “Wait here. Don't make a sound!” He gives me a deadpan look then glances at Ellie. He signs something and she laughs. 

“What- what did he say?”

“He said that he’s mute. He cant make a sound even if he wanted to.” I blink. Oh. 

I shake my head, focusing back on the knock at the door, which sounds again, a little impatient this time. I fix-up my coat and straighten my tie. Quickly I run through all the locations that I can use as cover before opening the door.

“Well, well, well. Speak of the devil and they shall appear. What can I do for you, Vault Dweller?”

[mistbornthefinal]

Madoka Magica Aniversary Analysis: Part 4

Unknowing of the Price

(spoilers below the cut)

We open on Sayaka running to Kyousukes hotel room but he isn’t there. The nurses explain that his physical therapy time has been moved up. As Sayaka leaves the recap what we should have figured out in the previous episode. Kyousuke was a violin prodigy before a tragic injury, while he may recover enough to walk he will never be able to play music again. The also praise Sayaka’s dedication to her friend.

On the elevator down Sayaka laments the cruelty of circumstance. She openly considers the prospect of using her wish to heal Kyousuke. Sayaka then wonder that if she did would would she want from Kyousuke in return before berating herself over her ulterior motive. A voice from a future Sayaka laments that at the time she had not idea what it meant to pray for a miracle nor what a miracle ultimately costs. (Cue connect)

At the Breakfast table Madoka stares into an egg yolk and remembers Mami and then bursts into tears. For some reason Madoka parents let her go to school after she breaks down sobbing about still being alive at breakfast. She meets up with Sayaka who is also desperately trying to maintain a façade of normalcy on the way there.

On the schools #Aesthic roof Madoka try to process the whole “secret magical conflict in which one of our Senpai died before our eyes”. Madoka says that since that day the people around her seem like strangers. Sayaka puts that feeling into more concrete words.

“We’re the only ones who know about the witches and Mami-san. Nobody else does. It’s like we’re living in an entirely different world from them.”

Essential even if they never make contracts they still can not return to the world of innocence and ignorance they inhabited in episode 1. Part of their minds will inhabit the world of magical girls and witches regardless. Sayaka asks Madoka if she still intends to become a magical girl, her lack of answer is enough even before the tears. 

Sayaka wonders to Kyubey what will become of Mitakihara with its’ protector gone. He replies that other magical girls will move in to the vacant territory. Sayaka laments that they are likely to be as she perceives Homura only caring for their own gain. Kyubey admits that Mami was a “rare breed” but in his opinion only other magical girls have the right to judge. He then bids them farewell (which is bullsquid he’s there immediately the second Sayaka falters)

After school Madoka is crying at Mami’s now abandoned apartment. She apologizes to Mami for being weak and she leaves behind her notebook of magical girl costumes from episode 2 as a sort of symbolic abandonment of her dreams of being a person like Mami.

Homura is waiting at the entrance of the apartment building. She seem to understand implicitly what Madoka is thinking saying that she is wrong to blame her self for Mami’s death. No one can fault Madoka’s decision not to become a magical girl, Homura won’t allow them to. Walking alongside Homrua, Madoka wonders that if she had been more attentive to her warning Mami might have been spared. Homura replies.

“That still wouldn’t have changed Tomoe Mami’s fate. But I was able to change yours. I’m glad to have save at least one life.”

(counting you chickens a little early Homura-chan) Madoka says that Homura seem like a veteran though not in the same way as Mami to which Homura is evasive. Madoka asks if Homura has seen people die before, Homura has stopped counting. Homura also explains that it will be a while until Mami is declared missing and as far as the world is concerned her fate will never be known. That is the ultimate fate of magical girls their bodies swallowed by the labyrinth with no one the wiser.

Madoka is distraught that after Mami spent so long protecting the city that not even the record of her death will remain. Homura says that it is simply the fare of magical girls who ultimately fight only for their wishes. This is simply the way it is. Madoka say no. 

Even if no one else does she will remember Mami, and Homura as well. Homura’s pain is visible. (this is another one of those scenes that hurts when you come back to it after ep 10)

At Kyousuke’s hospital room Sayaka sits by his bedside while he listens to a CD. She tries to make small talk but the atmosphere is too heavy. Kyousuke is in a black mood asking her if she trying to torture him with all these CDs full of music that he can no longer play. Sayaka tries to console him but apparently the doctors have told him to give up, only a miracle could restore his hand.

Madoka see Hitomi on the way home and immediately notices the witches kiss on her neck. When Madoka tries to talk with her she’s clearly out of it. Madoka decides to go along with her to wherever she’s going as she doesn’t have Homura’s cell and isn’t willing to abandon Hitomi. 

Their destination an abandoned warehouse and they are not alone. This witch is making a big play, a cult mass suicide by means of homemade poison gas. Madoka grabs the bucket of chemicals and throws them out the window, which prompts the witches thralls to go full zombie. Madoka locks herself in a storeroom but that’s not obstacle for the witch (H.N. Elly) herself who pulls Madoka into her labyrinth. 

The artstyle shift takes hold not only of the background but also Madoka herself losing her outlines and being animated in a more fluid style. 

Elly seems to have access to Madoka’s memories as images of Mami are displayed on the ubiquitous TV monitors. Pehaps effected by the witches presence Madoka starts to blame herself for Mami’s death again, seeing the current situation as her punishment for being a coward. The Fammiliars grab her body and stretch it in a really disturbing way. Before they can do too much damage a flash of blue cuts them down, and then slams into the Witch. Madoka flicker bad to the normal artstyle. 

Sayaka is a magical girl, and she makes short work of Elly. We see her victims start to come to their senses. Sayaka tries to wave away Madoka’s concern, but it’s clear she still has doubts. Sayaka turns to confront Homura who has arrived late to the party. It’s clear already that the two of them aren’t going to get along any better than Homura and Mami.

Back at the hospital Kyousuke awakens to stare disbelievingly at his hand, as if there was any doubt what Sayaka wished for. Elsewhere Kyoko complains through a mouth full of food as Kyubey tells her that there’s a new magical girl in Mitakihara. No matter says, Kyoko. It’s nothing a little violence cant fix.

So that’s Episode 4

The last one sort of left us in the lurch and so a lot of this episode just trying to grapple with what happened. The Mentor who help introduce Madoka and Sayaka into this world of magic and darkness is gone, and with her death has recontextualized their relationship with that world and denied them an easy exit. Both Madoka and Sayaka clearly feel an obligation to take up the torch, but at the same time how could they when the cost has been hammered home so brutally. 

Sayaka decides that she going to try to live up to the image that Mami projected, an image that unlike Madoka she never got the opportunity to see beneath. So by the end of the Episode she seamlessly inherits Mami’s antagonism with Homura, and is already hiding her fears from Madoka. I don’t think anyone who was paying attention thought this is going to go well, even if the somehow missed the whole unrequited romance. 

Madoka on the other hand is undecided. The more she learns about this whole magical girl thing the less she likes of it. Already she’s lost her initial dream of heroism represented by the notebook she abandoned at Mami’s apartment. That said she also made her first rejection of Kyubey’s system if a minor and symbolic one. If it’s Mami’s fate to be forgotten Madoka say’s she will remember her forever. Indeed come Episode 12 she will find a way to remember every magical girl who fought and died alone.